little red purse

dress worn as top, H&M. trousers, AMERICAN APPAREL. blazer, FOREVER 21. vintage bag, CHANEL. vintage belt, MOSCHINO.

photos by Rosanna

Aside from Rosanna having to battle her allergies/constant itchiness and I dodging from passing cars every other minute, the road to Iona Beach is definitely one of the best photography locations to capture the Vancouver sky. The weather wasn't as sunny as we hoped; nonetheless, still a gorgeous day to be outdoors [minus having to swim through clouds of mosquitoes]. I wore my new pleated trousers from American Apparel and I must say it's one of the most comfortable pair of pants I've ever owned. Plus, it's high-waisted and that's always a bonus because anything with a higher waistline creates the illusion of having longer legs. I paired it with a stripe shirt and my mini red Chanel, which my mom spoiled me with over 20 years ago when I was a little girl. Though the fact that it literally sustains nothing more than just my iphone, the colour makes it a perfect accent piece for any outfit. J'adore :)

The many ways to wear a denim shirt. Well...3, that I can think of.

(fig.1)
• Semi-dressy by tucking it into high waisted trousers, shorts or skirt

(fig.2)
• Casual by wearing it over a flow-y floral dress or something figure hugging (to cover up the wobbly bits)…Basically, wearing it the way you’d wear a cardigan.

(fig.3)
•Super laid back by wearing it over t-shirt and trousers or leggings (no jeggings)

I’ve yet to condition my mind to accept denim on denim. It works in editorials but in real life, I dunno…it’s not easy to pull off.

Seee? All the fun ways to wear a denim shirt. Definately a summer staple for girls and boys.

I was able to buy one at *druuum rollllll* Forever21! I think it's safe to say that my waredrobe is 50% F21, 30% Zara, and 20% miscellaneous. I swear these numbers will change significantly once Richmond Ctr opens their own Forever21. I fear for my wallet. I really do. Anyways, back to my denim shirt, I was lucky enough to snatch the last one, but unlucky that it’s one size too small. It looks exactly like the one from Zara (see fig.1), but cheaper; so of course I had to get it.
My justification was that with wear, denim will stretch to fit ones body. So far so good.

Oh! And happy belated summer solstice.
Summer has finally found its way to beautiful Vancity.

Rosanna

Get Him to the Greek

Everybody needs to see this movie if they havent already.
This movie is supposed to be a spin-off sequel to Forgetting Sarah Marshall.
I didnt know this when I saw the movie, so I think I missed a joke or two.

Three things i need to point out:
- Diddy is one of the main reasons why this movie is worth seeing
-Russell Brand is pretty darn sexy playing a rockstar and his accent! Gosh...makes me weak at the knees.
- Jonah Hill is not very convincing as a pushover.

I leave you with one of my favourtie scenes:

Rosanna
When the world slips you a Jeffrey, stroke the furry walls. Stroke the furry walls.

lace x Moschino

top, LUCCA COUTURE. shorts, ZARA. vintage belt, MOSCHINO. bag, MIU MIU. jewelery, TOP SHOP, BANANA REPUBLIC, AND H&M.
photos by Rosanna

Shorts are finally an option now that it actually feels like spring, though the weather is still not quite summer-ready yet. The Raw Diamond decided to take a field trip down to Dressew on Saturday and we spent a good two hours there. Rosanna and I combined [mostly her] probably bought worth a year supply of studs...seriously. That place does wonders for us. DIY post to follow soon! Found this vintage belt while going through my mom's treasures and I must say I was surprised by two things: 1) my mother had an unimaginably small waist even after giving birth to two 2) certain styles can really stand the erosion of time; even up until now, this belt goes with practically any outfit!

Summer in Japan

I'm currently on a trip visiting different countries in Asia.
First Stop: JAPAN!

Japan is one of my favorite-est places to shop... I have always felt that Japan is an extremely fashion forward country.

The Japanese aren't afraid to wear whatever they want. No one judges anyone, and no matter how "weird" you think you look, there will always be someone who is dressed much crazier than you.

It's funny, because the country itself is still very traditional in a lot of ways, but in terms of fashion they are way ahead in many respects.

I often purchase clothes from Japan, only to see it come into style more than a year later in the Americas.

The trouble with buying clothes in Japan is, I mostly buy jackets, tops and accessories. I RARELY find pants or skirts etc, which fit me, because Japanese girls are tiny! Something that fits like a dress on them becomes a shirt on me. (ok, maybe im exaggerating a bit) But yea... I'm a giant...

Before I come to Japan, I always buy ViVi Magazine, which is a fashion magazine for 20-somethings. It features all the latest fashions, and lists the stores where you can buy them... plus the ViVi models are very cute, so they definitely help to up the appeal of the clothes...

Some recent fashions from the mag.....

Must haves right now:

• LACE! Lots of it, lace vests, lace shirts, lace rompers etc
• Wedges of all shapes and sizes!
• Anything Bohemian
  
• Floral prints
• Rompers, short and long
• Decorated vests or vests made from different materials
  
• Straw hats in all different shapes and colors
• Long flowy dresses

I can go on and on...

Great places I have been shopping at in Tokyo are Shinjuku, Harajuku and Shibuya.
But obviously, these places don't do Japan justice at all. There are TONS of places in Japan one can just go and get lost in... I plan to do more exploring in the future.. I just need a partner in crime *hint hint*

Another thing I absolutely LOVE about Japan is their endless supply of cosmetics. I always feel like a kid in a candy shop when I visit their cosmetic stores.

They have all these colorful palettes in these cute little boxes that tells you where to use each color. I could spend all day there...
I see many girls go to these stores and they actually put on a full face of make-up from the samples and then leave.... ummm hardly sanitary but yea... whatever makes you happy =D


Anyways, if you visit Asia, be sure to hit up Japan for a few days, definitely worth the visit!!!!


soo where to next.....
Sherry

The Miracle Product - Dry Shampoo Review

What's the key to getting ready for work in 15 minutes? You are going out after work, but too lazy to wash your hair? Want to give your roots a lift on a humid summer day?

The answer to the above questions? Start using DRY SHAMPOO!

I lived through my awkward puberty stage with limp hair (sexy huh?) I used to washed my hair every morning; or sometimes even twice a day to ensure it's fresh and voluminous. Thanks to the invention (and my recent discovery) of dry shampoo; not only I can save time in the morning (after hitting the snooze button 1000 times), I can freshen up my hair anytime, anywhere. Saying that I am in love with dry shampoo is an understatement! I definitely cannot live without it. I can now wash my hair once every other day without over-drying the ends. Even my hairdresser has noticed that my hair looks a lot healthier! Moreover, hair color stays on longer. Thank you to the chemists and scientists who came up with this great invention.

How to use dry shampoo: (from Tresemme's website)

1. Shake can vigorously before use and in between sprays.

2. Lightly spritz roots with product to inject volume and spray evenly all over hair, holding can 8-12 inches from head.

3. Leave product in for 1-2 minutes to allow time to soak up oil.

4. Brush through hair to remove excess, then style as usual.

Dry shampoo can be hard to find in Canada, it took me a while to find that London Drugs carries Klorane dry shampoo:

Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk

This one above is for normal hair, it absorbs excess oil and leaves hair clean and full of volume. It also comes with oak-milk for moisturizing benefits.

Klorane Oil-Controlling Dry Shampoo with Nettle Extract

This is the first dry shampoo that got me totally hooked, as it works very well with greasy/very greasy hair. It saves me from going to work with ugly, oily hair when I don't have time to wash it in the morning. It claims to regulate the activity of sebaceous glands. My hair becomes very light in just a few minutes.

The good:

• very powerful oil absorbing capacity
• leaves hair clean and light all day
• mininize the frequency of hair wash for greasy hair
• incorporate natural eco-friendly ingredients such as oak-milk and nettle extract
• cater to different hair types: normal hair / oily hair

The bad:

• rather pricey for daily use, about $15 for a small bottle
• leaves chalky white mark if you don't brush it out thoroughly
• have to wait 2 minutes before brushing it out

Rockaholic® Dirty Secrets® Dry Shampoo

It claims to : "Keeps your hair fresh, clean and rockin' one more night!"

London Drugs has recently carried this dry shampoo from TIGI. It costs $5 more but it's double the size of Klorane's. (300 ml vs 150 ml)

The good:

• · effectively cleans hair and absorbs oil

• · clean citrus scent

• · fine white powder, less chance of leaving white residue

• · cheaper than klorane's

• · nice and hip 'rockstar' design with funny tag lines

The bad:

• • · not as powerful as Klorane's

• • · hair feels slightly greasy again after a few hours

• • - hair looks dull after use

• 
  

Tresemme Fresh Start Dry Shampoo

Tresemme's new Fresh Start line is an amazing creation and I am overjoyed by this new addition to the dry shampoo family. It is available at all major stores that carry Tresemme products ( Shoppers Drug Mart, London Drugs, Superstore). I got it a few weeks ago at Target around $6 USD, my heart skipped a beat when I saw the price tag. And guess what, I saw it today at Shoppers for only $3.99, what a steal!!!

This is by far my favourite dry shampoo! Good value for it's cleaning power.

The good:

• inexpensive (need i say more?)
• good size bottle (161 g)
• light with a fresh scent
• fine powder, no white residue
• hair feels clean all day
• effective oil absorption
• contains natural ingredients - mineral clay

The bad:

• not so good with giving hair volume

In conclusion, my favorite dry shampoo is Tresemme's, for it's cleaning power and good value. 1st runner up is Klorane's, for its high quality ingredients and oil absorbing capacity.

Till next time,

Fi