Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The TV Triangle

So, I have to admit that I have my own (mostly CW) guilty TV pleasures. Recently in almost all of the shows I follow, the main characters (usually women) are in a situation in which they are forced to choose between two men they love or care about. With this post I start a series of posts on ongoing triangles and my take on how they should/would play out.


Vampire Diaries
Stefan, Elena, and Damon

Image Copyrights: New York Post

After spending two seasons claiming to be completely in love with Stefan Salvatore, Elena Gilbert, in the third season of Kevin Williamson's teenage vampire drama, seems to have finally come to terms with the idea that she might have feelings also for Stefan's older brother - Damon. And, as if falling for the (delicious) older brother of your boyfriend is not bad enough, there is also Katherine - the Elena look-a-like great-great-...-great-grandmother that additionally complicates things. Katherine, just like her doppleganger, took a liking in both Salvatore brothers but also went as far as to sleep with both of them in the same time (well not in exactly the same bed but you get the point).

Image Copyright: http://amaliehoward.com

There is nothing like hearing that your girlfriend who just a few months earlier swore that "It's always gonna be Stefan," say that she (just like your ex) felt no regrets kissing your brother while you went all crazy just to save her life from a 1000 year old hybrid. Not having the prior experience would not have made it less painful, probably, but it adds to the frustration that the two brothers feel about finding themselves in the same situation all over again. And there is also this really strong brotherly love between the two Salvatores - in some ways similar to the "mother-of-all-co-dependent-relationships" bond of Supernatural's Sam and Dean. The two brothers go to extraordinary lenghts to protect one another from harm while having occasional violent fights.

Image Copyrights: Popstar

Solution: Poor Elena has to make a choice - Stefan, Damon, or neither. In the ideal case it would have been both because there is so much love between the three of those that they just have to be together. But having the Katherine experience in the background makes it less likely - being with the two of them only broke the hearts of both brothers and Kat made the only reasonable choice - she ran away. Whomever Elena picks at the end, everybody gets hurt. The problem back then was that both Salvatores were "greedy" - they wanted Katherine only for themselves. Maybe there can be another way now . Maybe they can finally understand that the love Elena feels for Stefan is completed by the love she feels for Damon and there is nothing wrong in three people who really care for one another to be together. For the time being it appears unlikely - all seem to agree that it is "either ... or" situation. Therefore neither seems the most likely outcome, even though all three of them will be hurt. 

The whole situation seems somewhat Karmic - until the two brothers learn to accept the fact that they fall for the same woman, she will always appear and break their hearts over and over again. The road to Nirvana in Buddhism is through peace and the Salvatore brothers will never find peace until they embrace each other and the Petrova doppelganger and be together - all three of them. It seems as if there was another curse, placed on the doppelganger - to fall in love with two brothers at the same time and be unable to choose. And since she cannot choose, it is up to the brothers to accept their fate.

Friday, January 13, 2012

What's Hot and What's Not: Makeup

What's Not Hot?
Excessive Eyeliner

Image Copyrights: How To Make Up

The purpose of putting eye make up is to make the eyes of the owner stand out. This is actually the aim of all makeup tricks - to make certain (attractive) features more prominent. Going over the top on the eyeliner side, however, has exactly the opposite effect. The interesting light blue color of the eyes gets lost in this sea of black eyeliner. Furthermore the blackness underlines the black eyebrows and therefore the conclusion that the model is not naturally blond. To be successful, MAKE THE EYES STAND OUT, NOT THE EYELINER.

Inspiration: Kate Middleton, MA and Duchess of Cambridge

The duchess has been frequently praised for her style but I don't think her makeup choices merit the accolades. The overuse of eyeliner on the top lid makes the eyes of Kate seem smaller than they actually are. Furthermore, there is an overall tired look on face of the young bride (underlined by the eyeliner) that is not a good message to send when the whole world is watching.

Image Copyrights: US Magazine 

What's Hot?
Thin Eyeliner

Image Copyrights: Queen of Heaven Blog

The devil is in the detail. It takes a lot of patience but the final result is a lot more catchy. A simple statement is a lot more telling than trying to show loudly "LOOK AT MY EYES" and hiding them in the process. At the end, it is also more feminine and natural. A thin line shows craftsmanship and genuine style.

Inspiration: Rihanna
The emphasis on the lower lid invites the attention to the charming blue eyes of the popstar and not to the makeup itself. Picking exactly the right is important and it takes practice to stay focused on the right target - to underlie the natural beauty.

Image Copyrights: EvaDivas Make-up Bag Blog

Thursday, January 12, 2012

What's Hot and What's Not: Cocktail Dresses

What's Hot?
Pink Cocktail Dress


Image Copyrights: Cocktail Dresses Fashion

When everybody is wearing (funeral) black dresses, going to a formal party in a colorful outfit can make you stand out. Especially if it is the middle of the winter and everybody is thinking that only dark blue or black would work. The floral motive and the bracelet go very well together. And no - you do not have to be a bridesmaid to wear it - just to have a young sole :) Be careful with the strapless model though - not everybody has the appropriate neckline for this little gem.

Designer: Jovani

Inspiration: Jane by Design, Season 1, Episode 2

Jane's outfit for the winter formal looked gorgeous enough to be shown on the runway and go to the cocktail party after a fashion show. Being brave in the world of fashion pays off.

Image Copyrights: ABC Family

What's Not Hot?
Just Another Black Dress

The petite dress noir is a fashion classic. This is why everybody has at least 3 or 4 of them in their closet (Your's truely included) . Black dresses are useful because dark colors can hide the extra kilograms here and there but they are definitely NOT ORIGINAL. Chances are that at least 50% of the other guests would have resorted to the same (funeral) color - and there goes the celebrative mood of the event. The one in the picture is cute but at some point - enough is enough.

Inspiration: Carys, Wake (2009)

Carys's grief over the loss of her sister somehow justifies her preference for black clothes. Those of us that have not lost a family member lately, however, should not resort to black for every single formal event.



Jane by Design and What's Hot and What's Not?

I started watching the new ABC Family show Jane by Design.


The script is mostly "The Devil Wears Prada" + every highschool teenager drama but in terms of fashion it is really something. It insiped me to start my own "What's Hot and What's Not?" line of posts. I'll see how it goes before school starts and I have Dutch and Italian tests all over my head.