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LIFESTYLE/ 20 years since Sex and the City: how relevant is it today?
I first saw Sex and the City when I was about 18, and last year I made a pilgrimage to Carrie Bradshaw’s famous stoop whilst on holiday in New York City. Even at the age of 34, 16 years later, I was beyond excited to pay it a visit.
Although I’m asking this question as a die-hard SATC fan, I can’t help but wonder (see what I did there?) if asking this next question out loud makes me a bit judgey/traitor-ish, or merely philosophical. If women of this generation watched the show, how much of it would resonate in the context of today’s society?
Blooming heck; I feeling the English graduate in me coming out a bit here! BUT; this isn’t an academic essay applying any kind of critical theory, promise! I’m merely going to chat about some key quotes from the show and see if they’re still a thing. K? Let’s do this….
This is DEFINITELY still a thing, it’s sooooo a thing! We see this assertion from men all the time – If a woman has a alternative opinion, she’s a bitch. Not simping over a man? Bitch. If women don’t act in accordance with male expectation, they’re usually referred to as either a bitch or “on the blob”. Because it couldn’t possibly be their problem could it? Don’t be silly.
This is one that should still be relevant but that women of today struggle to accept because of social media. We all see the perfect girls on IG (our own Natasha’s, if you will) and feel just a little bit inadequate that we don’t seem to be nailing life like they are. Sometimes they can’t either, we just don’t see that, but there’s a definite movement to raise up womankind and celebrate “imperfections” (or as I call them “what you look like irl”) which will hopefully get society back to a more Carrie frame of mind.
Social media is definitely responsible for making this more of a problem than ever before! How many times have you thought “I can’t wear that, I’ve been seen wearing it on IG” because I’ve thought this A LOT over the past 10 years of being on social media! That’s probably why I’ve had a borderline online shopping obsession and constantly have suitcases full of clothes to sell or donate. Thanks to celebs like Kate Middleton it’s becoming more acceptable to ‘shop in your own closet’ again and re-wear items (though if I was paying as much as she does for a frock, I’d be wearing it multiple times too) and I’ve noticed a few recent YouTube styling videos based on pieces people already own, so I think one is going to make a brief u-turn…before we go back to the same old dilemma. Sometimes we just can’t resist the lure of a ‘New In’ section!
Men; mocking the things they do not understand and cannot appreciate since the dawn of time. Fortunately, fashion is subjective and it doesn’t matter. That being said I do have times where I dress because I’d like the Mr to think I look nice, but primarily I dress for me. Oh, and for the approval of other women.
This quote has two current meanings attached for me. The first is the currently trendy “I don’t want to be around other humans, I’m gonna stay in and communicate using only the mediums of reality tv and food delivery apps” which is kinda cute and not entirely concerning. However, I’m present day society a statement like this could also be symptomatic isolating oneself due to their mental health, which is troubling. It’s fine to have time out for yourself, but don’t feel as if you have to be alone because you think you’re a burden or that nobody will care. They do, promise. We should all make sure we have each other’s backs as much as possible.
She’s not wrong – we should all have the guts to channel a little of Samantha’s confidence! I’ve always been a firm believer that what you wear on the outside can have a huge impact on how you feel inside, which will the help to improve you state of mind – so pull on your favourite outfit, take a look in the mirror and think “yass queen” before strutting out of the house to show the world who’s boss.
Although everything in this post is still pretty relevant, I’m very aware that there are things I haven’t mentioned that would raise more eyebrows today than perhaps they did back then – casual racism (remember when Samantha dated the black music producer and the rich guy with an Asian maid) the portrayal of ethnic minorities in lesser skilled roles (with Lucy Liu’s cameo as the only notable exception) are just a couple of examples. However, I believe that the overall vibe of female empowerment and independence most definitely sits well within the current issues facing women in society.
So what do you think; am I right or wrong? Which episode still resonates the most with you and why? Don’t leave a gal hanging; shout me out in comments below!
Thanks for reading,
J xx
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FASHION/ Love and rainbows
This entire setup is giving all the #pride feels but I swear it’s pure coincidence that this is Pride month…no seriously, I’m not clever enough to plan it!
If any tee was ever begging for a back shot, it was this one! I hadn’t actually realised it had the lips on when I picked it up, I was simply drawn to the lovely colour and the simply slogan on the front. Cos a bit of love in our lives ain’t a bad thang.
Because I like a high waisted trouser I wasn’t too freaked out but the crop/tie style, however the bottom is a little looser then I would normally go for (I sized up as I was worried it may cling awkwardly and not sit as nicely) but that’s not a terrible thing in the warmer weather if the bottom half fits well.
Now, we need to talk about the shoes, my favours piece de resistance…
Ta-dah…if loving these ridiculously flurry, neon feathered sliders is wrong, then I don’t wanna be right quite frankly!
I wear these so frickin’ much now that the weather is on the turn, it’s quite surprising how many outfits Ive been able to shoe horn (er, I mean style) them into. They were kindly gifted to me last summer as part of my social media takeover with Solewish during Radio 1 Big Weekend, unfortunately the outfit I had lined up to go with them fell through at last minute so I had to switch out for a different (also Solewish) pair (you can see what I ended up wearing on day 1 and day 2 here if you fancy a snoop)
Tee, Topshop / Jeans, Topshop (similar here) / Sliders, Solewish* (similar here)
I’m currently beavering away on new content for the coming weeks including more fashion, skincare, a little bit of Sex and the City analysis and I’ll finally be sharing my experiences with microblading. Hope you like what’s in store, make sure you come back to take a look!
Thanks for reading,
J xx
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FASHION, BEAUTY & LIFESTLYE/ My birthday wish list (2018)
It’s almost that time of year again….I really like birthdays, but this year I’m feel a bit oversensitive about getting older. Ugh.
So I’ve put together a few things I’ve had my eye on lately, hopefully one or two of them will end up in my hot little hands come 21 June!
1. Oliver Bonas mug
I’ve coveted this mug for a while but it keeps going out of stock so I haven’t managed to snaffle it yet, though I’ve managed to pickup the turquoise version. I just think the design is cool, it’s wide so it holds more tea, and the colours are just simple yet pretty.
2. Quay Australia x Missguided cat eye sunnies
Ah, my obsession for sunglasses continues. I only found out about this collab on YouTube last week and I’m already obsessed, however I find it super annoying that Quay prices seem to have rocketed up over the last year or so for no discernible reason. Still doesn’t stop me imagining how fierce these shades would look when I head off Santorini in a few months…
3. New Look linen look jumpsuit
This really caught my attention because it’s so simple and chic, yet comfortable looking, it could easily be dressed up or down during warmer weather. The material feels pretty nice when I’ve seen it in store so I think it will also help to keep me cool when the weather is (hopefully) hot hot hot.
4. Huawei media pad
I’ve recently ditched my iPhone in favour of a Huawei P Smart, which is working out pretty well so far, but I do miss my photos automatically synching up with my iPad. Solution? Upgrade my tablet to this cute lil’ number!
5. Urban Decay Beached eye shadow palette
UD have brought out yet another palette for me to lose my shi*t over (the last one being Naked Heat, obv) and neeeeeeeed it! I’m dying to jump on this blue shadow bandwagon – unlike the last time I experimented with it sometime in the 90s, I may be able to make it look half decent this time.
6. Topshop round straw bag
I can’t think of any gals who either don’t want want this bag, or already have it. I already have it in black (the Mr ‘lovingly’ refers to it as my “sewing box”) and really like it, and you know I like to buy things in all the colours…but it wouldn’t count if I got it as a present, right?
7. Urban Decay Backtalk palette
2 UD palettes on the list? You better believe it! This one would be a genuinely good investment, as I wear a lot of subtle pink shades for my everyday makeup (you can nosey at all of my go to makeup products here) as well as having a few brighter shades to experiment with. Coupled with the cheek colours, I thought it would be a great one to take on the go.
As I have done for the past couple of years I’ll probably be doing a ‘what I got for my birthday’ post so keep you eye out for that to, feel free to pop over to my social media channels for a nosey at my birthday shenanigans and general random life events!
Thanks for reading,
J xx
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LIFESTYLE/ I tried Boom Bod, and this is what happened…
My name is Jenny Chat and I’ll buy things I see online with very little thought other than “ooh wow, yes please!”
My latest impulse purchase came in the form of the latest ‘weight loss aid’ Boom Bod, promoted by reality stars and US Instagram stars. For 7 days you take a small ‘shot’ (blackcurrant flavoured powder mixed with water) 30 minutes before each main meal, this is suppose to help you both beat the bloat and feel fuller so you don’t want to snack or overeat, and therefore lose weight.
As someone who has packed on the lbs over the last 18mths and has a larger than normal appetite, I thought this may be worth a punt. Having tried things like Boo Tea before I was skeptical; they make me feel better inside, but lose weight? Hmm..
The 7 day plan was on a BOGOF, so I got 2 in case the Mr wanted to join me (spoiler: he didn’t) or I wanted to do a second round of the plan later on.
Day 1 (Wednesday)
I had to take the powder shot about an hour before food as I had to get it on the way to work. It tastes gross, a bit like medicine, and even after a decent sized brekkie I’m still starving. Have a jacket potato for lunch and use all my willpower not to grab a sweet treat for afters…proud of myself but still hungry. Finish with a huge plate of pasta and meatballs for dinner which I ate slowly to try and let the fullness kick in. Guess what? STILL FRICKIN HUNGRY. Is there something wrong with me?
Day 2 (Thursday)
The shot still tastes gross, but I’ve reasoned that a lot of shots do and this one may have a better result. I did take it half and an hour before food and had toast with honey with green tea (staving off the Hayfever symptoms) and am still hungry when I get to work over an hour later. Feeling hormonal, I treat myself to a jacket potato with cheese and coleslaw for lunch. I managed to last until just after 7pm for dinner without being ravenous, which is rare for me, and only ate half because I didn’t really like it and felt full enough to leave and not get something else. Maybe this thing is working?
Day 3 (Friday)
No brekkie again at home so I take the shot (still gross) about an hour before food, and make sure I eat it slowly. I managed to stay full without any hungry feelings until about midday and then had a healthy chicken salad sarnie.
Dinner was a bit more of a home cooked stodgy affair (pie, mash and veg, probably not ideal for a weight loss crusade but the in-laws were round for food and that’s what they like) I had my shot and seemed to be decently full after eating.
Day 4 (Saturday)
This morning I noticed my jeans seemed a little big – is this the Boom Bod effect, or the fact I’ve been making lifestyle changes anyway, or both?
I had my shot before having breakfast at the gym (I trick myself into believing it’s fasted cardio if I can’t be bothered to eat before I go) before tucking into an epic avo toast and eggs dish. I felt pretty full afterwards and stayed that way until lunch. Maybe this thing is kicking in?
Lunch
Dinner is a pared down treat meal of veggie burgers and chips (rosemary and sea salt seasoning – if you’ve never tried I’d thoroughly recommend). Chased with a chocolate cookie to satisfy a hormonal craving, but didn’t have hunger pangs for anything else.
Day 5 (Sunday)
I decided to do another little jeans test today – I put on the same jeans style in the same size but a different colour to see if they felt as big on me. They don’t. I’m not sure what that means exactly!
Completely missed my lunchtime shot as I was running around doing jobs and forgot – not sure if that has a knock on effect for the whole plan or just that day, should I forget about it move on or take it another time? I decided to keep and double up tomorrow.
Dinner was a yummy bit bit of pasta, one of my faves. Had my usual, slightly larger than you’re supposed to have portion, and felt satisfied afterwards.
Day 6 (Monday)
Had my shot and chased it with some green tea, melon and yoghurt. Usually I would be ravenous again by about 9.30, but I managed to last until about 1145 which I thought was decent for me. I had a double shot before lunch – yesterday and today’s – an enjoyed a yummy chicken salad sarnie (not being sarcastic, it was genuinely very nice) I realised during a mid afternoon meeting that I still felt particularly full, which never happens.
Get home at 6pm, usually desperate for food but feeling not too bad. Took my shot but didn’t get around to deciding what to eat or cooking for about an hour afterwards, when I was only just starting to feel hungry.
Day 7 (Tuesday)
Last day of the plan, and I still detest the taste of it! Same brekkie and lunch as yesterday, hunger kicked in around the same time. Got home around 5.30pm and ate dinner around 6. Felt decently full until about 8pm, but after a cup of green tea I staved off the urge to eat more.
Verdict
I don’t think this is really for me. It didn’t seem to work that well for me in any way – I didn’t really feel any fuller most of the time, I still had cravings and I didn’t notice any weight loss. For the fact I found the product icky tasting, I’m kind of disappointed, but I can’t help but wonder if I did something wrong…I know I took a couple of the shots not at the exact times, but that’s life right?
As I have a second box that came free I think I’ll probably try it again but perhaps seek advice on what other people have done to make this work so much better for them that perhaps I haven’t done. If this is something you’ve tried, or have seen others try, leave any tips you have in the comments for me. I’ll be sure to do a follow up post with any changes to the results from this time.
Thanks for reading,
J xx
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FASHION/ Cute but savage (but cute)
Another day, another sassy slogan tee…how do they all manage to sum me up in very different ways?!?
I feel that people often presume I’m more on the ‘cute’ side – friendly, agreeable, just kind of there to do whatever when asked.
However, there’s definitely a ‘savage’ side that comes out to play when needed – I have a fiery temper, I’m pretty opinionated and I will argue my corner if I think I’m right. I try to keep it a nice kinda savage, but sometimes a gal just has to take it from 0-100 to by her point across!
This tee is great for throwing on for any kind mood: having a casj/cool day – tuck into some mom jeans, sassy day – tie it up and chuck on some black skinnies and heels. Fat day? No problemo – let it hang loose and you can eat pizza without fear…hehe.
One of these days I may even work out what to do with my hands and face in photos!
Tee, Rock on Ruby* / Sunnies, eBay / Jeans, Topshop (similar version here) / Sliders, Public Desire
Thanks to the fabulous Emma for these pics – we went for a little walk one Friday evening to The Bankside Gallery – an industrial area that spray paint artists have transformed into a creative outdoor space of colour and inspiration in the city. What a fabulous way to reclaim an area that’s been unloved for many years. If you’re in Hull, I’d definitely encourage you to take a look, new areas are being added all the time and you may be lucky enough to catch some of the art being created!
Thanks for reading,
J xx
About Me
I’m Jenny, nice to meet you. I’m a thirty-something who likes fashion, holidays and wondering about life. A lot.
Jenny Chat 