Disappointment followed by success;

I want to know when all my favourite clothes became utter crap. I have specific brands that I prefer over others and right now, they're all disappointing me. I love forever 21 because they are so cute and normally nicely priced, but all their clothes are what I like to call 'skinny.' They're the clothes that look good when they're on skinny people and when I find a clothing item that I like not designed that way, it's too small even in a large and that don't go much bigger than that in size. Super lame. So then I try another favourite brand Apple Bottom - not only am I a size smaller, but the jeans make my butt look super cute! For the past several seasons their jeans have sucked! Not cute cuts, not cute dyes, not cute anything. They all look so awkward. I just want a simple, cute pair of jeans. These are just two brands that I've been disappointed in. Actually, I have had a hard time shopping for clothes since fall '09 lines. I'm not sure what's up with clothing lines lately. Or maybe it's just me.

I have a thing for stripes though. Fatty strips - especially those in grey and black. Oh! And I love what they're doing with tights these days! I got some really cute ones at Macy's. Grey, maroon, and black squares and rectangles. Super cute. I love patterns. I love colours. I love designs. Tights are a definite thumbs up at the moment.

But! Because of this economy and my mom getting on a random mailing list I have found a new potentially favourite store!
Express! I've only been in there with a coupon and when they have sales, but I may start looking more often. Last time I was there I got jeans for 50% off and they fit so nice and I get compliments on the colour all the time. This time (even though my gma paid) the whole purchase was half off. $80 jeans for $50, $55 dollar sweater for $30, and a $16 pair of tights for $6. Plus a $20 off coupon. Shopping is so much more fun when you get deals. We didn't even realize the jeans were one sale until we went to the register.These are kind of like fishnets, but they have blue x's between them. I'm super excited to wear them because I think they'll look really cool.And then there's the sweater and the jeans. (Sorry for the crappy picture - note the febreze, I enjoy freshness.) I love the details in Express Jeans. I love the black button, the way they faded these jeans, I'm a huge fan of the "creased" look on jeans (I'm not sure what it's really called), and the fact that they're black, but not black, and the slight detail in the pockets - cute, but not too much. I've wanted a pair of destroyed denim skinnies and even though these weren't the exact ones I was looking for I was very happy with them.

This winter break has been a good shopping break! I love shopping and I have found so many great deals on so many great things.

I'm looking forward to school starting. I'm going to be in full fashionable, but learning student mode. :p

Finished a Quest;

So I've been searching all over for a pair of grey boots. I didn't want them to be too tall or too short. Maybe a little heel, but let's be logical - I have to walk all around campus to my classes so I want at least moderately comfortable shoes. My mom and I went to the fashion show today to look around and we have gift cards to use. (My mom got over 500$ worth at Macy's!) So we stumbled upon the shoe section and I looked around the larger shoe selection that at Meadow's Mall and I only found two or three different grey boots, but there was one that caught my eye as looking pretty cute. I grabbed it, flipped it over and noticed the very recognizable Harajuku Lovers logo. They make shoes?! Oh Gwen... You're going to get me in so much trouble. They were cute, but I wasn't sure if I was crazy about them. After being overwhelmed by the crowds and lack of service my mom was able to get a very friendly and super nice employee to help us. I tried them on and realized they are super cute on! They're grey with a yellow heel and cute little designs on the bottom. I can wear them tall or slouch them down and they look super cute with the jeans tucked in or outside of it.Aren't they super cute? Originally $130 - got them for $60ish. I am so glad I kept looking and stayed on the hunt. I found another pair earlier this break, cheaper, but definitely not as cute. So let this be a lesson - don't settle! Teehehe.

Christmas 2009;

Ah, Christmas. Holidays have never been my thing, but nothing gets me more excited than shopping for people - especially strangers. I loved my Angel Tree gifts, but with friends and family I am so scared that everyone is going to hate my gifts and then hate me because of it. Irrational? A little. But that's how I see society. At the same time though I pretty much love everything I get and I am so thankful for how well people know me... It's ridiculous.

For instance take my roommate. I mentioned once that I wanted the VS fashion show back stage robe and she ended up getting it for me.

And my mom caught on to my make up addiction and got me the holiday gift from Estee Lauder. I absolutely love it!The colours are a little more neutral than I'm used to, but I really like it. A palette, two blushes, bronzer (which I love), 4 lipsticks, 4 brushes, 3 eyeliners, eyelash primer, mascara and make-up remover.

Overall I had an amazing Christmas. My family was super generous this year and they still want to take me shopping for clothes before I leave.My grandma got me a clutch make up set, some travel brushes, and Clinque mascara. She thought I could use something to keep in my purse and she was never more right. :]
The colours in the palette are pretty basic, with two blushes and a lipgloss.

There were a bunch of cute things in my stocking too. Love my family's stocking stuffers - hair ties, make up remover, index cards, etc. Random, but useful.

My mom was tired if me always wearing my short shorts to bed so she got me some hello kitty pajamas complete with pants. :p

My grandma got me the cutest steve madden flats. I never realized but as we were buying them the lady said they looked like a Chanel bag. No wonder I like them so much! And then she got me a pair of thick tights. They're practically leggings. Also, she got me another pair of pink sweats - light brown with a heart on the back hip.

I got this art set from my mom. Coloured pencils, oil, acrylic, and water colour paint, brushes, pastels, and art accessories.

I also got the three video games I wanted - New Super Mario Brothers Wii, Band Hero, and Wii Sports Resort. They're all super fun. :] But I really, really, really suck at Super Mario Brothers! I am so out of touch. I blame all the FPS' I've played lately. I need to get back to my Nintendo roots!

I feel so thankful my family is totally unaffected by the state of the economy, has their new house, and can send me to college. So great. :]

Noticable changes;

So for some reason I feel happier than normal. For once I feel like I've established a great basis of friends. Not just because I'm getting amazing gifts this year, but because these people actually know me and I don't feel uncomfortable around any of them - like I'm doing something wrong by being there.

I don't know what I'm really talking about. But I have not felt this fulfilled in a very long time.

Guess in short, I'm getting back to happiness.

:]

The Christmas List;

Ah yes, Christmas is just around the corner. And with that comes everyone saying what they want.

Of course I have video games. Christmas I usually focus on Wii, birthday DS.
Band Hero for Wii - Definitely looking forward to getting an updated playlist on my guitar hero.
New Super Mario Brothers for Wii - Super excited to play this one. Classic with a new school touch.
Wii Sports Resort - I need some new games to whoop butt on.

Next, I need some essentials (well, mostly);
I would like a colourful peacoat (my mom would consider this a nonessential because I already own 15 jackets.)
I would like some grey boots - I've been into grey a lot lately and I never had good boots to go with the look.
Black flats - there are some times when you need a basic shoe to go with a basic look.
Black scarf - can you believe I have white, cream, grey, blue, purple, green, yellow/black, white/black, but no plan black?! Definitely need this one.

Fun things I want:
Anything hello kitty.
Giftcards are always an amazing gift for college students who have no money.
Money!
PINK sweatpants - I only have one long pair so I need another pair if I don't want to look like a person who has only one pair of sweatpants. :p
Someone to organize and get me new music - pleeeassse?
Jewelry! I am ready to embarrass it and try it out. I own a few pieces I wear once in awhile, but I want to be blinged out on at least a weekly basis. Maybe I should make a check list for my daily routine - face, clothes, shoes, backpack, pencil, bling, etc. It might help.

I already got:
Moto Cliq - my best phone yet. :]
Ankle socks - they were on my list and the best roomie ever got them for me!
VS runway model robe - omg, uber sexy and I was so happy to get this. I saw it in their ad and I freaked out and of course, my roomie noticed that and got this for me too! (I'll put up pictures later.)

I'll never have:
A Burberry or Chanel bag. They're both droolalicious and I really wish I could have one. ]:

Just call me Jwwow;

Utterly obsessed with Jersey Shore! Can't wait til tonight! :]

Christmas brings out the worst and the best in me. I was so excited to give my Angel Tree gifts to the two little girls I got off the tree, but at the same time I see all these amazing gifts that I want for myself.

From coats, to make up, to Hello Kitty things, to books, to everything else I can see on the Internet I want! It's ridiculous. I get so excited looking at some of the things my eyes start to water. (Ridiculous!) But of course I got my phone for Christmas and that was my big present.

Speaking of my phone, I am loving it. Android is awesome. The phone itself can be a laggy, but hopefully that'll be fixed with future updates and I will get the android updates late 'cause the phone isn't directly made by google. But I love my stalker 'happenings' motoblur future. It's amazing and my whole social networking in linked to my phone. Amazeness. I am up-to-date on everyone's status and it gives me a reason to follow people (mostly the famous ones) on twitter without actually using twitter (what I love.) Other than that it has similar apps as the iphone, it has 5 screens and my homepage has my stalker widget, the weather, my recent messages widget (emails and texts), browser, and my status updater. And now I have my beautiful wanna be Burberry background. :] The phone itself is white, which I also love so I got a clear case and the only time I've dropped it was on my face! (Which hurt me more than the phone.) Overall so far so good.

I am so ready to be done with school! 3 finals in a row today! Maintained my C in anatomy (because I'm retaking), got an A- (90%!) in nutrition, and got an A on my latest core humanities paper (which brings my overall grade to a B.) Now I just need to do well on my nursing final and this semester won't be a complete loss.

Retaking classes... Oy, I'm not looking forward to that. But with human sexuality and volleyball next semester I should be just finnnne.

But baby, it's cold outside;

So let's say that you're sitting in your dorm studying because school has been canceled and you look out the window and see your floormates outside doing random things in the snow - like throwing snowballs and dumping trays (which they stole from the cafeteria) of snow on each other. You laugh and then eventually they coax you outside. There's almost 2 feet of snow on the ground... what do you do?

1. BOOTS. This is the most important thing ever. All the guys were in tennis shoes with cold ankles and wet socks. Uncool. I love my emus for this kind of thing. Your toes stay warm and toasty all day. But beware the lack of traction - make sure you consider this when it's icy outside. (I fell 4 times today... luckily, I'm a good sport about it. My roommate just informed me I looked like the little kid from "A Christmas Story." Oh joy.)


2. HEAVY JACKET. I don't care if you look like a marshmallow puff. You'll love the snow resistant material and it'll keep you nice and warm. I have both brown (for a very neutral outfit) and hot pink (if I'm feeling a little more adventurous.

3. GLOVES. Stupid I forget these at first and I lost feeling to my bright red hands. Those knit gloves are alright for when it's cold, but not great for snow. Get a pair of ski gloves. They keep your hands warm and make it easy to gather and make snowballs!
4. Scarves, snow pants, and a beanie. I find these things more optional depending on what you're doing and your tolerance. Sledding and going to the mountains require snow pants for the weather resistance. Scarves can keep your face warm if you're easily cold and a beanie to keep your ears warm. I opt for a matching beanie and scarf to coordinate with my outfits.

Make sure you stay warm when it snows! If it's cold out, put some clothes on, especially if you moved from a warmer climate to a cold climate and are not used to having snowy winters.