It hs been f-f-freezing! Oh, and our heater broke. Of course that meant we had to have a snuggle fest to keep warm…I wish. It was not the best weekend for taking pictures, I feel like I just never had any down time. Okay, no down time until now. So of course instead of sleeping, or working, I’m watching TV and blogging. Good job, me. We had our very first Sunday Rocky rehearsal today…yowza. I had no clue how much jumping around directors did, I definitely learned a lot about every past director I have ever had. It was a lot of fun though, it’s so much fun just getting to run around and (especially with a show like Rocky) be ridiculously silly and obscene and loud. Lots of fun. I may lose my voice in the very near future to which I say “psha”. And I’ve had a new thought about my sexy cast, profiles…in costume! Because those costumes are going to be amazing, the costume designer is just…wow. Big wow. Wow. So I guess I don’t have any funny stories or interesting tidbits to share, but tomorrow I enter my last week as a teenager so I’ll have to fill up on the funny and silly before I’m far too old (20) to behave that way. Yeah, right.

Now pour les photos! I have to admit that I slacked a bit this weekend, but hopefully my “Natur-Elle of the Month” post tomorrow will redeem me. Matty was in town this weekend and having seen the blog was only too eager to get his pose on…actually, there was a bit of a pose off between the boys, but Matty was the most focused. He took his posing very seriously, and I think it shows. I know you will too.

This is another photo-less post, but I just had an urge to share this with you. If you read my very first post this blog was incited by my obsession with fashion blogs over the summer, my own curvy body and how I deal with fashion, and Lizzie Miller (aka “the woman on page 194”). She appeared in Glamour Magazine 2 months ago in a small photo and there was such a huge and positive reaction that the November issue is showcasing several “plus size” models. I am currently watching an interview on Ellen with these models and have just received quite a shock. According to the “industry” anyone over a size 6 is considered plus size. Wow. This may not mean much to men reading this, but women think about that. Think about your friends, family, enemies, or just the people you see on the street! Now I’m not anti-fashion industry or anti-models or anti-what have you, but I can honestly say that there is not one female I know who has never told me that she’s “fat”. In fact, for most it’s an everyday topic. Can’t eat that, can’t show this, can’t wear that…we have a lot of “can’t”s for ourselves. I try as best I can not to fall into those patterns, but it’s just not possible. I go into a store and see a stick thin mannequin wearing something absolutely fabulous, I express interest, a sales associate tries to show me where it is so I can try it on and my response? “Oh, no. I couldn’t wear that…” So I don’t try it on, and usually when I get into that mind set I don’t end up trying anything on and just mope around the store avoiding mirrors. And I know it’s not just me. I’ve been the moping girl, I’ve been with the moping girl, I’ve seen the moping girl and as a sales associate I’ve been the one who tries to help the moping girl. But maybe what we’re seeing on the catwalk and in the magazines is a revolution. Perhaps in a few years time we won’t need to showcase normal girls on Ellen and in special November issues because it will be everywhere…

I’m pretty sure the title says it all. I, of course, apologize profusely, but I’m going to follow that up with excuses…who didn’t see that coming?

Last week was pretty ridiculous to say the least, actually it was probably one of the craziest to date in all my 1039 (or there about) weeks to date. I am directing Richard O’ Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show at my school and from Monday-Thursday last week we had auditions, then I went to Toronto to come back very early Sunday morning for callbacks! In short, I really wasn’t looking blog ready…yeah… But we have a cast! And we had the first rehearsal today! And I’m in charge! Okay, that last part…I don’t know why people are listening to me. I mean really. Have you seen me? Do I look like an authority figure? I don’t think so. But hey, it seemed to work for tonight at least! The cast is great. No. The cast is FABULOUS. It’s probably the show, but everyone is just so eager. It’s so exciting! Today just seeing them in our little rehearsal hall I could picture costumes and set and eeee! I’ll probably make them all pose for this blog eventually…oh! 4 of them are already on here! Lauren, Ruth, Calum and Garrett…they’re pretty big deals.

So I don’t have a fashion specific post with pretty pictures for today, but I have news! By the end of this week I’ll have completed gathering stuff for our very first… “Natur-Elle of the Month”! I was talking to a friend of mine (hint, she’ll be number 1 for this) and she was so excited about the blog that I just wanted to showcase her! Doesn’t hurt that she has awesome style and can pull off pretty much anything. I can’t wait to put it all together! Maybe I’ll do one for each of the cast members….hmmm…..

For now you should all check this out! It’s an article about London Fashion Week and some plus size models being seen on the runway. Um…plus size?

Mark Fast Fashion Show

We went to a foam party! And I did not get stabbed or catch any diseases (that I’m aware of) unlike what some people were saying about foam parties, so hah! It was freezing though, and Lauren and I were wearing very little so maybe we’ll develop colds, whatever man, whatever. We didn’t do much ‘foaming’, I did get dragged in at some point, but the bubbles were turning into ice so…it was just a skating rink. Lauren thinks she’s still thawing out from last night, baha. Oh yeah, and I was Lady Gaga, no biggie. Hooded swimsuits are the best thing ever. Hopefully American Apparel will make them in various colours and I can wear one everyday, Lady Gaga will be sooo jealous…although she probably has 5 closets full of them, damn. The party was for the Vogue Charity Fashion Show and although bathing suits were highly advised, I’m pretty sure it was just me and some other poor girl who took it very seriously. I’m always pretty serious about costumes, I wish every party had some sort of fun costume advisory!

Speaking of costumes…a few days ago Lauren had to pick up her computer which was right by Winners, so naturally we had a  photo shoot on her blackberry then too. We both tried on these princess costumes made for 8-12 year old girls (no clue how we got in or out of them) and took photos as the women going through the fitting rooms told us we looked “lovely” and “darling”, oh Kingston.

(I’m turning this into a costume post)…Check this out! Coco de Mer Erotic Boutique. It’s basically a designer “adult” store, their prices are outrageous, but the stuff is so cool! It’s a great idea, I wish they had one in Toronto. I find most adult stores pretty tacky (which never really bothers me), as most probably do and this is great if someone wants something special that is…actually special! Check out the pearl ring, I now covet it. (Oh yeah, my birthday’s October 9th, just so you know…)

…well for me at least.

It also happened to be Ruth’s 20th birthday! A perfect excuse to drown the sorrows of classes and homework in a pitcher of Sangria White, if only I had had the attention span to ever acquire said pitcher. A million blonde, blog, youtube, Much Music, Rocky Horror, auditions questions and in the end it was easier not to worry about carrying around the weight of a pitcher (probably better for everyone in the end as the very first drink I got at the QP went all over my white scarf, naturally).

Yesterday I checked my viewing stats for the first time and expected maybe 20, 30 tops and was shocked to see that the day and day after a new post is up there’s something like 500-700 views! So a big “Thank you” is seriously in order to all of you that come on ovah (“come on over, baby”)! I was also so overwhelmed by all the people yesterday, many of whom were friends of friends that had heard through the grapevine, that were interested in being involved however way they could! I was so touched by all of this, and obviously contacting them ASAP to get some hot shots and maybe even an interview! I think it would be a fun touch to ask our everyday girls with not so everyday style how they feel about the industry and such, I will definitely incorporate it into the next post. I should also mention that although this is still mainly for women and it’s mainly women that wish to get involved, I had some requests from the boys last night and I just couldn’t turn them down, it was too cool that they wanted in!

I think I’m slowly getting better at figuring out my “style”. A lot of the time I picture these ridiculous outfits and think they’ll look so cool, or trendy, or whatever and then I always end up changing. Now I know I’m just not a fancy girl, and I LOVE comfort. So it’s all about one maybe trendy, maybe dressy (maybe sparkly) item and the rest can be my regular staples (Thank you, American Apparel and JBrand!) I think it’s because inside I will always be that 8 year girl who thought pajama bottoms were the height of fashion, no matter where I was.

So I am auditioning to be MuchMusic’s New VJ 2.0 and in order to spice up my entry I made a video like many others did. It was a whole lot of fun, and I also got to snap a few pictures of the people I interviewed! My friend Holly was super patient as my bodyguard, assistant and cameraman, and on top of that I got a picture of her outfit too!

I’ve been talking to a lot of my girlfriends about this blog since I’ve asked so many of them if I could use them as my real girl models and every single one has asked me what they should wear. They all assume they need to show up in big names and cascading heels, so I’ll reiterate my point. So many blogs, though fabulous, are mini Vogues or InStyles. Lots of big names, lots of big shoes, and lots of girls with the “look”; I want your style and your look! We all look at what is “now” and see how we want to interpret it. We can’t all pull off the trends so we make them work for us; that’s what I’m looking for. So if your key look is quirky casual and you just love comfortable clothes and that’s what you feel most attractive in, that’s perfect!

When I was asking the 2 girls whose pictures I took after I interviewed them they were very shy and I immediately saw their posture cave in a bit, when I explained that I had been taking pictures of all my girlfriends and they took them for myself they warmed up a bit knowing that I was up there just like they were going to be. Maybe they were more comfortable because they knew we were in it together, or maybe because they saw that I was just a regular girl who enjoyed clothes. Not sure, but it was interesting none the less.

And I just had to snap the medieval duo. Just had to.

Then as if the day wasn’t big enough for me, that night my friend Lauren invite some of us to se a movie at the film festival that her cousin (extremely distant apparently) produced. It was a fun excuse to dress up and take some photos of course! Although I remember why I always tried to take pictures before the sun went down, red eye! Oh well, I hear red eyes are coming back, very hot for fall ’09…to match all the red lips, obviously. With a ticket for the movie we also received discounted entrance to the after party (hosted by Vivica A. Fox…NBD. But actually.) The after party started out kind of lame, but then the cast came and the 2 main actors in the film (and one of their wives) were nice enough to spend most of their time there with us which was a lot of fun! They were hilarious and great for keeping the creepers at bay! One of them was even nice enough to pose for the blog! A legendary day…first man on the blog!

Lauren will soon be adding beauty tips and articles to this blog! She is my wife, housemate, and personal make-up artist…doesn’t hurt that she is also a professional make-up artist and has worked events all over Toronto and is a freelance artist for Yves Saint Laurent make-up!

So since I’m jumping on the blog band wagon a bit late I have…well a band wagon full of photos lying around. I’ll try to organize them from bottom to top (least recent to most) but we’ll see how my memory keeps up. I have my harajuku girls in some of these ones, since they were so nice to let me boss them around with a camera and Janice was super patient with my lame attempts at posing, but that’s what this blog is about! You’ll definitely be seeing in these photos that we certainly are not models, but we try our darndest and it’s really about our style anyways so yay for our boobs, bums and in Karen’s case height…or lack thereof. Thanks so much girls!