Doomed Romance: Disappearing Acts

When you've had a series of romances that are ill fated before they even get off the ground you start to wonder, "Is it me?"

We all have our own pathologies we bring to a relationship. Subconsciously we are looking for people like our parents, but who can give us something our parents could not. Sometimes we're rebels, looking for someone the opposite of what we've known. And some of us just don't know what we're looking for at all.

The following contributor wants love badly, but has trouble holding on to it. With most relationships barely lasting a month or more, love has been elusive and the disappointment has been routine.

"Is it me?" she's wondering. She's not the first person to ask this question.

DISAPPEARING ACTS

I met this guy at the club (of all places).

He was tall, dreads, and all kind of sexy. So I went up to him, put my fingers through his hair and told him "I love your dreads" and left it at that. Later on that night in the club I found him again and asked him to dance he said yes and we exchanged numbers. I didn't expect him to call me, but he did. We hit it off immediately and talked on the phone for hours. He wanted to see me again over the weekend so we made plans.

When we went out we had a good time. We went to the park, the movies, ate out and we kissed which seemed like forever. I told my self a million times don't fall for this guy too quick. But I was tired of putting my guard up, so I put it down.

We spoke on the phone numerous times and then I went up to his house. We had a good time, but no sex. Then I decided to ask him where he thought we were going with this, he kept telling me that he wasn't ready for a relationship and giving me the run-around. A week later he suddenly stopped picking up his phone.

After three days of not picking up the phone I started to notice the pattern, one I had with every guy I dated. I kept thinking he normally calls back, if anything was wrong he knows my email address. I kept telling myself, "It's no big deal. He'll call." I finally decided to email him and then he wrote me back saying that he wasn't ready for a relationship and he knew I wanted one. He said he didn't want to mislead me and didn't mean to mislead me if he had.

I was stunned.

I tried to pretend I wasn't, but deep down I wanted him. I really thought we hit it off. I couldn't get over him. There were nights I just couldn't sleep wondering what was it I did wrong this time? Was I wrong to ask him? What if I didn't ask him? Why does this always to happen to me? I got angry with myself, kept rewinding the past from what he said to me and what we did. Trying to find the signs.

As of now I haven't gone on a date. This happened in the month of October 2007. I decided to take a year off from dating cause I just kept running into the same scenario time and time again. I'm hoping the next time I'm on a date it'll be for keeps.

FW08: Leather Jackets

It's finally September! I can't believe the clear blue skies and sunshine is about to come to an end so soon. On the bright side, we can now officially focus on our FW08 wardrobe! And the beauty of fall is that you can experiment with different FW outfits without worrying about the snow and freezing to death- yet. The first thing that caught my eye this season is the leather jacket.
No big surprise since it is one of the heaviest advertised looks by high street stores. Bebe went for the typical dark, cool leather jacket look.
While Express mixed the hardcore leather jacket with feminine flirty dresses and prints, creating a look which I absolutely ADORE! Thus I must now go and look out for the perfect leather jacket and floral dress to recreate this look.
First things first. I got to find that leather jacket. Urban Outfitters has this simple one (left) with ribbed trims and Vanessa Bruno Athe has this classic asymmetrical zippered one (right) which I especially love because it looks cute with this black dress (which I have a very very similar one of!) and it'll look very cool with just jeans. The fact that they're both brown makes them all the more interesting.
More ribbed leather jackets from Ted Baker (left) and Top Shop (right). The ribs make them less rock and more toned down and sporty, which is great if you want a softer look. Although I'm not sure about these two. It's usually hard to tell quality with leather until you feel it, but from the LOOKS of these... they don't look of very good quality. And you definitely don't want to look cheap with leather.
So for styles with higher quality, I think it's safe to say that at the >$600 price range these two from Marc by MJ (left) and Vince (right) is good. One is classic biker chic while the other is more toned down and ladylike.
Of course, not everyone can afford the >$600 price range and even though I believe that jackets are my best friends, even I'm not sure they're worth that much (I'd be REALLY sad if I bought a leather jacket of exquisite soft leather and it got SCRATCHED). Thus I have my eye on this Aqua leather jacket I tried on the other day. The quality is not bad and it fits quite snug and well, with a bit of a crop. For $298, I thought it was priced reasonably, in the mid range of the worst and the best. Leather jackets are expensive things after all. Unfortunately, my bargain hunting instincts wouldn't let me buy it until it is at least on some kind of tiny sale. Fingers cross there will still be one left by then!

Image Source: Bloomingdales, ShopBop, Bebe, UO, Vanessa Bruno, Ted Baker and Express

FW08: Leather Jackets

It's finally September! I can't believe the clear blue skies and sunshine is about to come to an end so soon. On the bright side, we can now officially focus on our FW08 wardrobe! And the beauty of fall is that you can experiment with different FW outfits without worrying about the snow and freezing to death- yet. The first thing that caught my eye this season is the leather jacket.
No big surprise since it is one of the heaviest advertised looks by high street stores. Bebe went for the typical dark, cool leather jacket look.
While Express mixed the hardcore leather jacket with feminine flirty dresses and prints, creating a look which I absolutely ADORE! Thus I must now go and look out for the perfect leather jacket and floral dress to recreate this look.
First things first. I got to find that leather jacket. Urban Outfitters has this simple one (left) with ribbed trims and Vanessa Bruno Athe has this classic asymmetrical zippered one (right) which I especially love because it looks cute with this black dress (which I have a very very similar one of!) and it'll look very cool with just jeans. The fact that they're both brown makes them all the more interesting.
More ribbed leather jackets from Ted Baker (left) and Top Shop (right). The ribs make them less rock and more toned down and sporty, which is great if you want a softer look. Although I'm not sure about these two. It's usually hard to tell quality with leather until you feel it, but from the LOOKS of these... they don't look of very good quality. And you definitely don't want to look cheap with leather.
So for styles with higher quality, I think it's safe to say that at the >$600 price range these two from Marc by MJ (left) and Vince (right) is good. One is classic biker chic while the other is more toned down and ladylike.
Of course, not everyone can afford the >$600 price range and even though I believe that jackets are my best friends, even I'm not sure they're worth that much (I'd be REALLY sad if I bought a leather jacket of exquisite soft leather and it got SCRATCHED). Thus I have my eye on this Aqua leather jacket I tried on the other day. The quality is not bad and it fits quite snug and well, with a bit of a crop. For $298, I thought it was priced reasonably, in the mid range of the worst and the best. Leather jackets are expensive things after all. Unfortunately, my bargain hunting instincts wouldn't let me buy it until it is at least on some kind of tiny sale. Fingers cross there will still be one left by then!

Image Source: Bloomingdales, ShopBop, Bebe, UO, Vanessa Bruno, Ted Baker and Express

New F/W08 Layout

Today is the 1st of September, so per tradition of this blog, it's time for the new header image! Since this season is all about the new, more mature silhouette, we decided to just show the shape of the runway model (from Proenza Schouler F/W08 show) instead of showing the original image of the outfit. Plus, we love how you can use your imagination and substitute yourself into the black, empty silhouette of the girl walking along the streets of these very vibrant and sophisticated cities.

The three photos that we chose are indirectly fashion-related (not intentionally.) From left to right: The New York photo was taken by BG randomly and if you look really closely, you'll notice the Tom Ford store on Madison. (She'd also like to thank the cab for randomly passing by at that moment. It adds a very NYC element to the picture.) The L.A. photo was taken two summers ago on Rodeo Drive. (I love how bright the road signs and Chanel store display is. And strange enough, I like the well-focused rubbish bin too!) The London photo was taken this year during Chinese New Year (hence the red lanterns) on Oxford Street. It's sort of a random picture but it's it really representative of London?

I'm not sure whether it was a coincidence or that BG and I were actually inspired by Gossip Girl, but on the night that we finished the design, I had also stared at the opening theme of Gossip Girl (-think city lights and the yellow "Gossip Girl" heading,) and thought, hey, our work-in-progress image looks a bit like this! And if you look at the image from further away, (like 3-5m away,) everything in the image will look almost all black except for the bright blobs of light. It's kind of like when we stare out our windows from our room at night -it feels very cosmopolitan!

Anyway, it's the beginning of a new season, so take some time to relax, read a fashion magazine or two (-there really is no need to read all of them out there!), and have fun shopping with your favourite shopping buddy!

Image Credit: http://www.style.com/ (for the silhouette)

New F/W08 Layout

Today is the 1st of September, so per tradition of this blog, it's time for the new header image! Since this season is all about the new, more mature silhouette, we decided to just show the shape of the runway model (from Proenza Schouler F/W08 show) instead of showing the original image of the outfit. Plus, we love how you can use your imagination and substitute yourself into the black, empty silhouette of the girl walking along the streets of these very vibrant and sophisticated cities.

The three photos that we chose are indirectly fashion-related (not intentionally.) From left to right: The New York photo was taken by BG randomly and if you look really closely, you'll notice the Tom Ford store on Madison. (She'd also like to thank the cab for randomly passing by at that moment. It adds a very NYC element to the picture.) The L.A. photo was taken two summers ago on Rodeo Drive. (I love how bright the road signs and Chanel store display is. And strange enough, I like the well-focused rubbish bin too!) The London photo was taken this year during Chinese New Year (hence the red lanterns) on Oxford Street. It's sort of a random picture but it's it really representative of London?

I'm not sure whether it was a coincidence or that BG and I were actually inspired by Gossip Girl, but on the night that we finished the design, I had also stared at the opening theme of Gossip Girl (-think city lights and the yellow "Gossip Girl" heading,) and thought, hey, our work-in-progress image looks a bit like this! And if you look at the image from further away, (like 3-5m away,) everything in the image will look almost all black except for the bright blobs of light. It's kind of like when we stare out our windows from our room at night -it feels very cosmopolitan!

Anyway, it's the beginning of a new season, so take some time to relax, read a fashion magazine or two (-there really is no need to read all of them out there!), and have fun shopping with your favourite shopping buddy!

Image Credit: http://www.style.com/ (for the silhouette)

New F/W08 Layout

Today is the 1st of September, so per tradition of this blog, it's time for the new header image! Since this season is all about the new, more mature silhouette, we decided to just show the shape of the runway model (from Proenza Schouler F/W08 show) instead of showing the original image of the outfit. Plus, we love how you can use your imagination and substitute yourself into the black, empty silhouette of the girl walking along the streets of these very vibrant and sophisticated cities.

The three photos that we chose are indirectly fashion-related (not intentionally.) From left to right: The New York photo was taken by BG randomly and if you look really closely, you'll notice the Tom Ford store on Madison. (She'd also like to thank the cab for randomly passing by at that moment. It adds a very NYC element to the picture.) The L.A. photo was taken two summers ago on Rodeo Drive. (I love how bright the road signs and Chanel store display is. And strange enough, I like the well-focused rubbish bin too!) The London photo was taken this year during Chinese New Year (hence the red lanterns) on Oxford Street. It's sort of a random picture but it's it really representative of London?

I'm not sure whether it was a coincidence or that BG and I were actually inspired by Gossip Girl, but on the night that we finished the design, I had also stared at the opening theme of Gossip Girl (-think city lights and the yellow "Gossip Girl" heading,) and thought, hey, our work-in-progress image looks a bit like this! And if you look at the image from further away, (like 3-5m away,) everything in the image will look almost all black except for the bright blobs of light. It's kind of like when we stare out our windows from our room at night -it feels very cosmopolitan!

Anyway, it's the beginning of a new season, so take some time to relax, read a fashion magazine or two (-there really is no need to read all of them out there!), and have fun shopping with your favourite shopping buddy!

Image Credit: http://www.style.com/ (for the silhouette)

Palin: Daughter Pregnant! (Again?)

From Politico.com:

Besieged by blog rumors about her 17-year-old daughter, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin — named Friday as running mate of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) — released a statement Monday saying her daughter is pregnant and plans to marry the father.

The governor and her husband, Todd, said their daughter, Bristol, plans to keep the baby.

"Our beautiful daughter Bristol came to us with news that as parents we knew would make her grow up faster than we had ever planned," the Palins said in the statement. "As Bristol faces the responsibilities of adulthood, she knows she has our unconditional love and support."

Liberal bloggers have speculated extensively about the possibility that Palin's fifth child, born this spring, was actually her daughter's.

Hmmmm ... this doesn't sound good and doesn't exactly kill that rumor. At. All. Now people will be even more determined.

This is very much starting to turn into an Tom Eagleton situation, but let's see what happens. There's a hurricane going on in the gulf coast so this isn't going to get the kind of attention it normally would in the 24-hour news cycle.

A politician's kids should not be part of the debate, but with Gov. Sarah Palin using the culture wars and her own family values as her conservative credentials, the private and personal becomes the public and judgmental pretty fast. And left is BRUTAL on family values candidates who have a house out of order, often calling them hypocrites.

I feel sorry for 17-year-old Bristol Palin. Her mom really should have thought about what this campaign, what the press would do to her when there is this juicy of a rumor floating about the internet that her mother's youngest is really her baby. And saying she's pregnant now doesn't really kill the rumor, but make people even more curious. It's just messed up because as much as I don't want McCain/Palin to win, the daughter's exploits should be separate from her mother's campaign ... even if the mother is using her family as evidence of her piousness and judgment.

If anything, this makes John McCain look very reckless in his VP pick. (The New York Post claims McCain knew about the pregnancy before he picked her.) Most politicians wouldn't have risked this due to the unknown fall-out. I still think Palin was not vetted and McCain went with his gut.

His dangerous, Crazy gut. And that's why the prospect of him in the White House frightens me. If he can be this out-of-control when picking a veep I'm scared to see how he's going to deal with Vlad the Putin.