Celebrity muses and styles--What's yours?

I've realized that I've never ever talked about your celebrity muse and your style. And with back-to-school approaching (yes, it's more than a month away, but shopping can take a long time), finding your muse (and style!) is more important than ever. So sorry if you have to muddle through a very long post today.

Take into account that your celebrity muse should have: a) the same body type as you, b) the same skin tone/hair color as you, and c) the same style as you (duh!). A and B aren't necessary, but C definitely is.

There are a few different styles (may not be a lot, but that's cuz I'm a snob. Style does not mean gothic, emo, scene, or anything like that. That is just considered teenage casual[-ties].) Here is the first of the few recognizable ones:




1. Park Avenue Classy--You're not flashy, though you're label-conscious (though not in a bad way). The P.A.C. dresser knows what true style is. They sport the perfect Hermes scarf, the cutest Burberry trench coat, and only the best multi-ply cashmere. And the 2k diamond studs. Oh yes. Don't forget the studs.


The P.A.C. style girl is so not a label whore. That means Versace, Gucci, Fendi, and Prada are out--so trashy and flashy. They look for very understated, high-quality, basic clothes (that usually don't have the label stamped all over them), that may last for a long time.





Brands of note for the P.A.C. girl: Hermes, Chanel, Burberry, Michael Kors, Oscar de la Renta, Uniqlo, J. Crew, Gap, etc.





Icons of note:
Audrey in Breakfast at Tiffany's

Gywneth Paltrow, Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O., and Blair Waldorf (a bit too flashy, but then again, her idol is Audrey Hepburn).

See you on Monday, with a post on Preppy!


- Abby

Site Promotion

Okay, so my friend Daniella has been nagging me sooo much to put her site on mine cuz she's been promoting my site all along...well, here it is.

http://www.freewebs.com/teenwritingcritic

Knock yourselves out, people. She says it's a teen writers' site.

And she says that she's gonna stop linking to this site if she doesn't get less than five guestbook signatures. So yeah, go visit that site.


- Abby

Parents.

The really nice bag that I want.




I've been noticing that I have a lot of $ in my purse. Not to make people feel uncomfortable.


But the thing is, the boring $ in my purse can be used to buy something more fun-- maybe a Prada purse? How about a Palm Centro?


So I asked my parents. Here's how it went.


Parents: No way are you buying a $2,280 purse.


Me: But it's limited-edition! And it's made of leather! And my purse is ugly! And it's old! And I want a new one!


Parents: No, young lady. Not unless you have money to buy it yourself.


Me (taking out my money): I do have enough! Now can I please please buy it? Please?


Parents: (Pause). What will you do when you buy your Prada purse? Will you have any more money left over? No.


Me: But, so? I have enough right now!


Parents: We can't just teach you to spend, spend, spend. You have to work for your money, and you have to save it, too. You don't want to get bankrupt when you're older, right?


Me: *sigh*. I guess not. But I'm gonna get a job over the summer! And I can earn more money!


Parents: End of discussion. We'll see about that when you actually get a job.


(I, unlike Abby, don't have it made. Because she's lucky enough hopefully work at Neiman Marcus or whatever other boutique.)



- Ally

Just So You Know

Just so you know, from now on, this site will just about revolve around the Nice Girls team and the Mean Girls team. So sign up, even though you don't know anything about it....we'll explain later.

By the way, someone sign up to be a Nice Girl...I mean, Abby's getting all the members! =(

Scroll down to the post below this one, and post your submission as a comment on that post.

- Ally

Nice Girls/Mean Girls

Let's have funnn....
From now on, people visiting this site will either choose the Nice Girls category, or the Mean Girl category.
Nice Girls will work as a team, and Mean Girls will work as a team.
And we'll see which style wins...do Nice Girls really finish last? And are Mean Girls really that catty?
The only way to find out is to sign up.
Comment on this blog, and comment whether you want to be a Nice Girl...or a Mean Girl. Be sure to include your name and/or post the comment on the Name/URL option.
The team captain for Mean Girls is yours truly....moi. The team captain for Nice Girls is Ally. I'll ask Hannah what team she wants to be on.
You have until June 12th to enter. You must be over 10 years old.
And last of all, just wanted to inform you, that yes, this is confusing. But I'll explain more in the next post.

Until then,

- Abby

YES! DAVID COOK WON! I'm doing my victory dance!

Talent wins out over looks, as many American Idol fans learned on Wednesday night. This was refreshing, because the voters looked past David Archuleta's "cuteness", and voted for David Cook, the one with an actually good voice. Though, David Cook messed up, like, six times in his song. Oh well. He won.
I guess all the guys in the U.S. finally got tired of listening to their crushes cooing, "Oh, he's sooo cute/dreamy/hot!" over and over again. Maybe that's why David Cook won by I think 12 million votes or 25 million votes. Either that, or people goosed the votes (meaning they voted over and over again for David Cook. haha.), like my friend, S. She's a hardcore American Idol fan, and she swore that she voted at least 75 times.
But even so, if David Archuletta fans like him for his looks and not his voice, why doesn't he become a male model instead? Just saying.

- Abby

Obsession of The Week: Alison Sodul

OMG. Do you know what the band A Fine Frenzy is? Or who Alison Sodul is? Well, you should. Because everyone who's anyone knows that the band has been creating quite a stir lately...along with the bohemian-natural singers with naturally pretty songs, ex. Sara Bareilles (Love Song), Colbie Caillat (Bubbly), Leona Lewis (Bleeding Love), Journey (Don't Stop Believing), etc...
These singers have taught us that to be mega-successful, you don't have to dye your hair platinum blonde or go on scary-skinny diets like Nicole Richie.

Alison Sodul is naturally gorgeous. I love her hairstyles...anyone have any ideas on getting her look? She reminds me of some model or actress I've seen...hmm, can't think of the name now. Her voice is breezy and natural (singer for the band A Fine Frenzy), and her songs have an unusual beat. Poetry in motion.

Check out the music video for "Almost Lover"...Google it, because I don't know how to insert video on here. I couldn't get it out of my head after I heard the song. By the way: Cali girls, the pier she's walking on is no other than the awesome pier we hang 24/7 at: The Santa Monica Pier!!!!!! Luh-ve it!

David Archuletta is sooo annoying.

He is! He's annoying, and he can't sing. Girls like him 'cause he's cute.
(btw- when your 36-year old aunt has a stalker-like crush on him, you can tell that David Archuletta is someone you're not gonna vote for to win)
So I'll admit that this season of American Idol is really sucky.
Asia was kicked off, and so was Carly. I think I wanted Carly to win.
I'll tune in to the American Idol finale, just to see which David wins.
David Cook vs. David Archuletta.
Personally, I don't want either to win. I want a girl to win.
But anyways, I have to admit this is more exciting than the season with Katharine McPhee and Taylor Hicks. (Katharine should've won!)
Who are you rooting for?

- Abby


(but if I'm not mistaken, Ally likes Archuletta the best. Along with every other teenage girl in the country.)

I'm a Hippie/ Mean Girls Are Great Actresses

This image totally made me lol. Totally the picture of the week.

Anyway, have you ever wondered about the site title, Nice Girls/Mean Girls?

Well, it's Ally and me. Ally's a nice girl, and I consider myself a mean girl. And we're still great friends. Opposites do attract!

So the past week, I've been noticing how good at acting mean girls are...better than the general public.

Example 1: Mean girls are always good at Seven Up, or was that Two Thumbs Seven Up? Whatever. Anyways, we're good at that game.

Guess who stayed as one of the seven people-pickers for the longest time?

That's right, yours truly.

Because only mean girls and gossips can pick a person and look them in the eye, and deceive a whole roomful of people. This skill is useful for stabbing others in the back and acting all innocent about it. That's kinda depressing to think about, once I've thought about it.

Example 2: The card game MAFIA. It's when four people with Aces randomly dealt to them are the "Mafia", the four with Queens are "Doctors", and the four with Kings are "Sheriffs". Let's just say that during this game of MAFIA, there was a lot of backstabbing, frontstabbing, and all-around deception going on. So it cheers me up that I'm not one of the most hugest backstabbers.

Duh, it's more honorable to be a nice girl. But it's always more awesome to be a mean girl. ;)

- Abby

Just So You Know

The word verification for leaving comments isn't needed anymore. So (hint, hint) it'll be easier to leave comments. ;)

Don't forget to read the post below this one.

-Ally

I Love Juicy Gloss-ip

As in the words of Massie Block, "Ehmagawd."
Me and Abby are gonna create a real-life Glossip Girl business thing, but it won't be a daily gloss delivery. I'm pretty sure that most girls don't need 365 tubes of gloss. ;)
And it's not a Glossip Girl brand, nor is it our own. It won't be just a shipment of lip gloss though, because we plan to put every shipment in a cute cosmetics bag, with a shade of Essie nail polish, and some kewl (trendy) accessories. And it'll all be based on a theme:
June: Sugary sweet tooth theme
July: Summer/nautical theme

What do you think we should also include in the cosmetics pouches?
What themes should we have?
And any other comments in general?

- Ally

Presence -- The Abigail Way

Okay, so there' a method for achieving the It Factor/ Presence. There's the right way, and then there's the Abigail Anonymiss way. The Abby Anonymiss way might not be entirely right, but it sure is a lot funner.

1. Lie on your back or in a comfortable position, on the floor. Make sure that there is no noise or distractions. Relax.

2. Close your eyes, and remember that the state you are in can change. Focus on nothing but your breathing.

3. Allow your breathing to fall in and out of your chest without interference. Notice where your breath starts to catch. Focus and allow your breath to "touch" that place until it opens up.

4. Now, focus on your face. Are you tense? Are you frowning? Pretend that all your oxygen is delivered into that space, until it relaxes. Repeat to the rest of your face.

5. Repeat throughout your body.

6. You should now be free of tensions. Open your eyes gently and look into a mirror. You may look different. Don't judge, but acknowledge the change.

7. You might also sound different, maybe calmer, more stable. Talk to a friend and see if they notice your change.

8. Whenever you feel tension coming back, take a deep breath in and exhale, releasing your tension.

Remember,

- Practice makes perfect. Everyone can have the It Factor. Only some can cultivate it. Only after months and months can anyone perfect it.

- Ever hear the phrase, "Poetry in motion"? That is what we are trying to achieve. We are trying to achieve a state of inner peace and gracefulness.

- Try to see if you can have natural, flowing motions. Don't be so stiff. Loosen up, and let go of your tension.


I guess that's the best I can explain it. =I
But if you have any questions, leave a comment. I'll respond.


- Abby

Summer's Coming!

This is the time of year...when every girl starts to daydream about boating on the lake behind her home, about what she'll need for a vacation to the south of France, and where she'll go in New York (New York!). At least, that's what I'm daydreaming of.
Reality check.
Of course we have a lake behind our backyard (maybe that's why it's called a lakefront house?), but if your parents are anything like mine, they have to work, work, work.
So there goes the trip to France we originally planned.
I plan to do something worthwhile this summer, not like the previous summers when I had to stay at home with a nanny, but something more...fun.
Like getting a summer job at a boutique.
It sounds stupid and blue-collar, but I mean, it'll be cool. You get to get "trapped" in a store the equivalent of Ivanka Trump's whole closet, doing nothing but helping people pick out clothes and rearranging cashmere. And of course, if it's in a mall, you could go shopping on your "off" hours!
And don't forget the employee discount.
It'll be way better than getting an internship at a literary agency (can you say boring?), or volunteering at a vet's office (if I wanted to get diseased and flea-bitten, I'd go to South Africa, where they seriously need our aid).
I plan to go crazy with my credit card this summer and be forced to end up selling all the clothes on eBay. Hahaha.

What are you doing this summer?

-Abby

Random Blog Post I Decided To Make

So, my birthday was 4/28...
Though my parents are getting me my present(s) this weekend. (A new half-a-wardrobe.)
We're going to Bebe (for a pair of black or white "knickers", their term for lounge sweats), Macy's for Adidas and Puma game shorts, Victoria's Secret PINK for their adorable roll-up sweatpants, White House Black Market for impulse shopping, Nordstrom's and Old Navy for preppy cardigans, American Eagle and Planet Funk for jeans, and Neiman Marcus for a Juicy charm bracelet and tees.
I need a tote, though.
What brands do you recommend for a new school tote? Help me and vote!
And if you chose "Other", please tell me what kind, in the comments.
Thanks!

-Abby

It.

It.

"It" is a secret...a powerful one. "It" can catapult plain, unpopular girls into model-pretty populars. "It" has discovered models like Kate Moss and Twiggy- otherwise plain, average girls. "It" has ruined politicians, sealed the deal for about everything you can name.

So what is "It"?:
"It" is not a superpower, though it deserves to be one, since most people don't have "It". "It" is a secret, and only those who are worthy can have "It". "It" is also known as a presence. And with a presence, anyone can be unstoppable.

How can I have a presence?:
Easy. Just follow our next (almost) painless-to-follow blog post about having a presence. And yes, it's perfectly safe. No tattooing, blackmailing, or binging and purging involved.

Do you have a presence?:
What does it look like?

See ya tomorrow!

- Abby

Writing Exercise Intro

So every week, we'll have a writing exercise. This is like writing a short story, based on a plot/story line we give you. Submit your work through the comments, and we will critique your writing. It doesn't have to be a whole, entire story, just a snippet of a scene with the characters.

We have only two guidelines: it has to follow our original planned plot. That means no emo poems if we asked for a girly short story scene. Also, the word count has to be 500 words, max. 500 words is one single-spaced page (and a snippet of another second page) on Microsoft Word. It is also exactly two double-spaced pages on Word.

Tips:

1. Spell-check! Enough said.
2. Check for grammar and punctuation marks.
3. The descriptions of the characters, and what each is wearing, should be a paragraph in all, maximum. That means no parts about how Jamie's "classy-but-bold, 2-karat diamond Gucci platinum horsebit cocktail ring glittered in the sunlight like the glassy surface of the cerulean, kidney-shaped pool." And if your readers are anything like me, they will forget the first part of the sentence before they finish the last part. So K.I.S.S.- Keep It Simple, Stupid. Because people like me are getting older by the minute. And we have better things to do than to read a long, boring story on a blog...though in my case, I don't.

If you feel uncomfortable submitting your work through the Comments section, fearing that some people might Copy + Paste your precious, then never fear! Just click on our profile, and email the story to us. We'll embed it with a anti- copy and paste code- (don't you love computer geeks?). Happy submitting!

PostScript- What is the whole point of writing exercises? Maybe because a lot of people here would like to get published as a writer. And others enjoy reading stories. It's a win-win sitch here. And writers need critiques to improve.

- Abby

Contest Winner

Okay, so the contest didn't have as much entries as we expected. =(
Under 12.
So anyways, Sarah, I luvvveed your quote: My calendar's too full to date you.
I've never heard of that, and it sounds so awesome.
Thanks, everyone, for entering!

- Ally

Scene Is Dead.

Yes it is. Died two years ago. At least in the trendy Los Angeles area. Here, people are either real preppy (no fitch or hollister for us!) or really hippie-retro-vintage.
Think big sunglasses, wild colors, highwaisted pleated skirts with granny cardigans. Anything that looks funky and from a vintage store. Big, bold bangles, and Forever 21 and Juicy Couture clunky necklaces in exchange for the elegant Chanel and Tiffany ones (for the hippies. the preps love chanel, but tiff's is for middle-class posers).
Ya know the wild, crazy, Teen Vogue spreads that you admire, but don't have the guts to wear? Yeah, well, most crazy-cool outfits in those pages are standard LA outfits.
Stores most of us shop at- vintage stores on Melrose and Rodeo, Juicy Couture, Forever 21, Marc Jacobs, Kitson, American Apparel, Fred Segal, Planet Funk, and the like.
Jean brands cali girls love: Seven, Blue Cult, True Religion, Genetic Denim, Citizens of Humanity, and Denim of Immortality.

I'll be posting a hippie-retro outfit on f.c.p. soon....

- Abby

Crack Our Password

So I'm really bored. Let's have a Crack Our Password (C.O.P.) game.
(the answer isn't our real password ;] )

This works like a crossword puzzle, but the answers are based on current events.

1. The birthday of Suri Cruise, and how old she's turning.

(month/date, and age)

_ /_ _ _


2. Fiancee of Eli Manning. [Hint: I j'adore her name!]

(four letters, first name)

_ _ _ _


3. One of my favorite TV shows, showing tonight. Reality TV, with Heidi and Spencer (ewww hate Heidi; she's so fake...love Lauren). Bonus: the show's name is short for the Hollywood Hills.

(eight letters, two words)

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Smash together all three answers (delete the spaces) , and comment the complete 'password' below on the Comments section!

(If this activity goes well, I'll start giving hints for the real password- so you can hack into our account and start posting! =P )

- Abby

Ashley Simpson: Pregnant

Okay, so of course Hollywood has seen a lot of stars get knocked up at young ages (ahem, Jamie Lynn Spears...you super-slut), but I (nor Hollywood) had seen this one coming. I was like, whoa, when I heard the news. Ashlee seemed so...unlikely to be pregnant. Especially since I was a devoted fan. Was.
The strange thing is that Ashlee knows perfectly well that her dad, Joe Simpson, doesn't approve of her fiance, Pete Wentz, member of the band Fall Out Boy. And then she gets pregnant with Pete's kid? Who in their right minds would do that?
She has a beautiful face (though thanks in part to a nose job), an amazing voice, a great body, and she's just gonna throw that all away?
Come on, Ashlee, don't think like your sister...who obviously doesn't think at all ("Chicken of the Sea? Is this real underwater chicken?" Of course nawt, you twit. It's canned tuna.)
And Pete Wentz, I can't imagine him being a dad. But then, I couldn't imagine that guy from Good Charlotte being a dad, either. But then, BAM, he went and had Harlow Winter Kate Richie Madden.
I, for one, am going to keep my fingers crossed that Ashley isn't pregnant. We don't want her to be one of those celebrity mothers who get knocked up, have a kid, and are never heard from again- at least, not in Hollywood.
Who's with me?

-Ally