FAVORITES: October '13 **HUGE**

Boy, has this month been flying by!

Here some things I've really been diggin' lately: 

Fashion / Beauty:

This month, I'll start with my beauty favorites.

So, I'm sure you've all heard of Bioderma; the french cleansing water/makeup remover that everyone's been obsessed with for the last little while.

I was sauntering through the beauty boutique in my local Shopper's, and Makayla spotted it from afar. We both stood there in awe as I made the decision of dropping almost 30$ on this small bottle of cleanser. Little did I know what a miracle it would work on my dry skin, and how long it takes to actually get to the bottom of the bottle. (quite a while!) I'm still not even a quarter way through, and I've used it every day for a month now!! It takes your makeup off smoothly and gently, and doesn't have an overpowering scent. A+ beauty product! I will definitely be repurchasing.

That same day, I made another crucial decision which was to get my liquid eyeliner in bright blue instead of plain black. Best choice I've ever made! I LOVE this stuff. The one I got is the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof eyeliner in Cobalt. I really like the way it looks when I do a thick cat eye with the shade of green my eyes are. Not to mention the product itself is true to it's title. It goes on very smooth, the tip isn't too big, and it does in fact stay all day. COOOOOOL!

My final beauty favorite is one I've loved since last christmas. That would be Coach's Poppy perfume. This, to me, is the perfect fall scent. A lot would say it's very spring-ish, but I don't know. I think it suits autumn better. Although it is fruity/flowery, it's a really warm scent, and light as well. I love it!

Onto fashion!

A messy OOTD ft. the jacket, the shoes and the glasses you'll hear about next.

After seeing Nicole Loher of The Style Student rant and rave about how awesome the eyewear brand Warby Parker is, I just had to give it a go! I've been looking since last year for the perfect pair, and I finally committed to it about 2 weeks ago when I place my first order. The process was very chill. They came in fast, which is a surprise because nothing in Fort McMurray (other than Lulu Lemon) gets here in under a week. :( I'm very pleased with the fit and the quality. The glasses/shipping weren't expensive at all, and they got my prescription spot on too! Very great experience with them. So I will be sure to order all of the rest of my eyeglasses off of their website from now on!

Upon finishing the ultimate boring french class, a great idea had dawned on me: I NEEDED TO PAINT MY ESPADRILLE TOMS. I got these babies for 9.99$ at Urban Outfitters last year just because. Although they're much too big (8.5) and an awful color, I told myself I needed them regardless. So I bought them, and never wore them in public. But I never would have thought that they would make a good craft idea for the future.

A view of the back of the shoes ^

So I got home from school on that cold/painfully boring day, and just freestyled all over them with acrylic paint, sparkly pipe cleaners, decorative beads, and fake flowers. They actually turned out really cute, and I'm glad I did it!

Next I have the light coat I got from Simons last year for 30$ on a trip to West Edmonton Mall. The pattern on the front really drew me to it. I don't know. I really like the color scheme for the fall too. Deep purples, yellows and blues. I've been wearing the absolute crap out of this baby.

Last for the fashion favorites I have knitted head wraps. These things are PERFECT for the cold months/just really bad hair days. I picked up these two from Aldo a couple weeks ago and couldn't adore them any more!

(please excuse the creepy eye shots)

Music / TV:

I don't have too too much for music favorites this month, and actually nothing new for TV! Really I've just been listening to the same stuff (with a few exceptions which I'll get to in a second) and watching the same great shows as per usual. 

WE FINALLY GOT A MUSIC STORE IN FORT MCMURRAY!!! Okay, well it's probably the smallest HMV that exists.. BUT WHATEVER. It still sells CDs and DVDs, and that's all I go in for. Although they're too small of a store to sell vinyl, so that really sucks.

But I digress.

I took a quick trip in there to get a few CDs for my car, due to the fact I still hadn't purchased myself an aux cord. I ended up getting a few gems, but the one that stuck out to me the most was Franz Ferdinand's Right Thoughts, Right Words, Right Action. Particularly Evil Eye and Brief Encounters. Seriously though, I've always been a fan of theirs, and it's cool that they're still so awesome after all these years of pumping out catchy hits. Great CD, you all should check it out!

Along with that, I've really been into hip hop lately. This past summer, I've gone a little deeper into looking for great hip hop artists, and boy have I found some great ones! Parker (otherwise known as 'Dumbfoundead') would be one of those great ones to work out to. Jenn from Clothes Encounters liked his video for BKFAM on YouTube, and I accidentally clicked it as I was half asleep at 4am, and ended up really enjoying his sound. He now accompanies me as I jog through the trails.

Misc:

FINALLY, ROOKIE YEARBOOK TWO IS OUT! I've been awaiting its release for so long, and I'm so please with how it turned out. I've had a hard time pacing myself though, LOL. I just want to read the whole thing in one night, but I know I have to savour the feeling of reading each article, stepping back, and being like "WOW, WHAT DID I JUST READ?!"

In the best way possible, of course!

Each Rookie staff member seems to relate to me in one way or another. It's just cool to read things that real people wrote based on their real experiences, and stuff. The entire Rookie empire should be put in a permanent museum display for enhancing my life in soooooo many ways. I really don't know who I would be, actually, I'd probably still be the most confused and bitter teen I was prior to discovering the website/myself. A++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++.

A few of my favorites (so far)

For my birthday present, I was lucky to receive a record player from my parents. (THANK YOU SO MUCH MA & PA, LOVE YOU!!) If you've ever been into the Urban Outfitters in West Ed, you've probably seen the one I got. It's made by Crosley, and it's a nice turquoise blue. The sound it makes is great, and it was relatively inexpensive for the quality. Along with the player itself, they (+ Makayla) got me a few records of course!

    

(the records I've been enjoying the most)

 Now this last one is probably the most important/exciting one of them all.

You may notice the clip of the buildings at the bottom of the moodboard located at the top of this post. Those buildings belong to the city of Vancouver. The city that I, Jaime Lynn Samson, will be moving to following graduation this coming spring. I KNOW, I KNOW. WOW. I seriously haven't been able to get it off my mind since a few days ago when my parents made the difficult decision of actually letting me move out at the age of 18. Although moving away from my family is incredibly scary and saddening, I know that my time spent in Vancouver will be filled with so much greatness, it'll make up for the lonely nights that are sure to come.

Jeez.

****imagine yourself here****

I'm just excited to actually go to a school where I can excel greatly, because I've been having such a hard time (STILL) obtaining the grades I'd like since moving to Alberta where the education system is much more difficult to do well in than Nova Scotia. That's not to say that the people are more or less smart in either, I just find it much more difficult here.

But yeah.

Vancouver is going to be great for me, I think. It's just such an incredible place for young adults to go and live healthy, happy, and inspired. PERFECT. I can't wait!!

So that's that.
I hope you all enjoyed this month's favorites, and are doing well as the seasons change.

Stay groovy, 

Jaime

LINKS (Click to explore!!):

Fashion/Beauty

Bioderma
Stila eyeliner
Warby Parker 'Sloan'

Head wraps

Music/TV

Franz Ferdinand
Brief Encounters
Evil Eye
Right action

Parker (Dumbfoundead)

BKFAM
CLEAR
Bullets of truth

Misc.

Rookie Yearbook Two
Crosley turntable
Paracosm Vinyl
ROBTTH Vinyl
Chutes too Narrow Vinyl

FAVORITES: September '13

Happy autumn, all!

This year has been pretty kick-ass so far, and the first month of school has flown right by! Here are some things that made the time ultra great:

Fashion / Beauty:

The fashion/beauty section is a little small this month. I haven't gotten much, well I have, but not anything super noteworthy. Except for these few things.

So, I'd say in the middle of the month, I received my very first Unif purchase! I'm so glad I not only 

a) waited for the perfect camo jacket/didn't give into the cheap ones at Urban that didn't fit me right and

 b) waited to splurge on Unif when it was something I knew I would wear the shit out of. 

I absolutely, positively, 100% LOVE this jacket. Everything from the cut to the print to the material is divine. I've been wearing it more than any of my other jackets, that's for sure! To my surprise, I haven't seen many people with it. So that's kind of good. But yes! L O V E. (although it really sucks that it went down to 70$ after I payed 120$ for it.. umph)

Another thing that happened around that time, is that I CHOPPED ALL OF MY HAIR OFF! Well, not all of it, but a damn good amount! I honestly have never felt so free. I still love it. Although it's much trickier to leave natural than long hair, it feels healthier, and is a lot more manageable. I feel pretty sophisticated now as well. One of the better decisions I've made in the past few weeks, for sure!

Music / TV:

After watching Corinne Bailey Rae's episode of Live From The Artists Den, I knew I wouldn't stop listening to her album 'The Sea' for a while. The entire thing is just phenomenal. It's chill, it's sexy, it's sophisticated, it's ahhhhh. It was a pleasant surprise as well considering I thought all she had to offer was Put Your Records On from childhood singalong times. I WAS SO WRONG. I still can't turn it off. In fact, I'm listening to 'The Sea' as I write this. Hot.

Along with that, another pleasant surprise was that Arcade Fire is back in action with a new album, 'Reflektor', set to release at the end of October. The album-titled single dropped a few weeks ago, and that's another one I cannot seem to turn off! I've become a major lover of modern disco. This song is the definition of it, but of course with the classic AF sound. So. Perfect. Although it's almost 8 minutes long, I stay engaged the entire time. I'd even go on to say that the end is my favorite part! Give it a listen, it's fantastic. 

Misc:

Now this is where I've got a buttload of stuff to share. 

Making my weekly stop by David's Tea, I decided to drop into Coles to purchase Leandra Medine's new book. As per usual, they didn't have what I went in for. Usually, I would freak out internally, and then leave the store to get some poutine to raise my spirits, but not this time. I walked by a shelf, and on that shelf was what would be my new favorite series: The Carrie Diaries. Maybe it was fate that Man Repeller wasn't available at that location, because this couldn't have come at a better time. I'm a senior in high school, so is Carrie, we match. It's awesome. Can you say perfect timing? Still blows me away. Not to mention I still have yet to delve into the whole Sex And The City empire. I've been wanting too, but haven't really had the time to search the depths of the sea for episodes online let alone travel to the bookstore to search around for the first book in the series. I love it. 

Next on the list would be my favorite drinks. 

I think it goes without saying David's Tea is a major favorite, right? Hahaha. I won't even go there again. You all know the drill by now, I'm sure. 

A newer favorite drink I have would be Twisted Tea. It's an iced tea flavoured malt beer. Cheap. Tastes good. That's all I really have to say about it!

 At the beginning of the month, I had read a post from Lauren Rose about high school and what not, and I was super inspired to take my senior year and all of the experiences I encounter and make them into an art project in the form of a journal. I guess you could say it's turned into a collection of sorts. It's already loaded, and I can't wait until the whole thing is filled so I can make a volume 2. 

Lastly, I've included Celia of Ceedling on Youtube as well as her blog. Her, the writers of Rookie and Lauren Rose have both really opened my eyes as to what feminism really is, and kind of took my scaredy-cat feelings about following feminism and threw them in the garbage. They've taken the sometimes radical practice and made it something that's understandable and respectable for younger girls to really support/pay attention to. Their posts and talks and whatever else really make sense to me, and have given me a new perspective on women's rights/what it is to be a gal. Which is nice, because at this time it seems to be a prominent topic in many of my classes this semester. Thanks guys!! You all rock!!

I hope you all are enjoying your cozy time. Maybe try a few of these out and leave me a comment on what you think about these things/what you think I should try! I'd really like this to be a two way thang, where I show you all what I'm enjoying, and you also show me what you've been lovin' so I can try it! :)

Later days, 

Jaime

LINKS (Click to explore!!):

Fashion/Beauty

Unif x UO 'Tiger Yell' jacket

Music/TV

Corinne Bailey Rae

I'd do it all again

Closer

Love's on it's way

Paris nights/New York mornings

Diving for hearts

Arcade Fire

Reflektor

Misc.

Lauren's post: Surviving High school 101

Ceedling on Youtube

Ceedling on blogspot

FAVORITES: August '13

School is just around the corner,

so I figured I'd get this done before my free time becomes scarce.

^^Here's a collage of all of this things I've been killin' this month so far^^

Fashion / Beauty:

For my beauty pick of the month, I really didn't have to think twice about including my Wen cleansing conditioner. I purchased this stuff while visiting Chaz Dean Studio during my roady to California. The receptionist recommended I get the Lavender one after taking a look at my gnarly-ass frizz-fest of a head of hair. I think the bleaching that was required to get my hair pink did quite a number on the health of my hair. But after even just one wash, I noticed a difference in how knotty my hair gets, and of course the feel of it as well. I can certainly say I recommend this product to anyone who's looking for a new haircare routine to replace an old and somewhat useless one. 

For the fashion portion, I have chosen two of my (always) favorite online sources for style ideas and news, I guess you could say. 

Numero uno would be the blog The Man Repeller. This is Leandra Medine's fashion blog. It's the best combination of humor and useful information. I often read this on my phone during long drives, or when I wake up in the morning and don't feel like getting out of bed for a few more hours. So basically every morning.

For the second, this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who knows me well. CLOTHES ENCOUNTERS' JENN IM. I've been following Clothes Encounters on YouTube since it was still the dynamic duo. Although many complain about how they want the old channel back, I think Jenn has turned it into an incredible place for ladies to turn to for quick, and to the point fashion tips and ideas, presented in a fresh and well-spoken way. No matter how many years have gone by, I still find myself getting excited whenever I see a new video has been posted. Again, I'll provide a link to the channel down at the bottom and you can get right to exploring!

Music / TV:

SO, FINALLY Washed Out's new album 'Paracosm' has been released, and I couldn't be more content with how it turned out. I've always been a massive fan of Ernest Greene's creations, and this album just blew me away. I really love how he added in things like the bongos, and children's laughter. The sound that this album takes on is a little less futuristic and a little more nostalgic, but all together I think it was a genius choice to have made on his part. I seriously haven't stopped listening to it since I bought it off of iTunes. Seriously, give it a listen. You will not regret it.

I've also been really loving the toronto-based band Alvvays, who opened for the Wintersleep show I attended in Nova Scotia a few weeks back. Their sound is a sort of spacey, jumbled, nostalgic feel like Washed Out's, but the two are a lot different. The lead vocals are so innocent sounding, so the contrast between the sound of the instruments and the vocals actually mesh really well together as far as my musical taste goes. I guess they're kind of like a pop-ish mix between Best Coast, Beach House and Metric. They only have four songs on Soundcloud, but I just listen to them repeatedly. 

A series I really jumped right into was Skins. The UK version of course. The craziness this show has to offer is a little incomprehensible at times, but in a good way. I finished all of the seasons on Netflix, but have yet to get to the other seasons that are unfortunately not on there. One thing, though, about the series that I had to get used to was the generation changes. It's kind of annoying when you get so used to one set of characters and the stories that go along with them, watch 8 or 9 episodes, and then have it completely switched out for a new group on you, leaving you only to wonder what happened to the others. After I got over that hill, watching it was a breeze. It's a great show for teenagers, I mean, if you don't mind the barely-there censorship. The storyline never fails to surprise me! I won't give away any details as to how the storyline goes, so you'll just have to watch it yourself! Very good series. 

Lastly, I watched the film Kick Ass on Netflix just two nights ago. I'm not usually drawn to super hero movies, but this one was stellar. I'd have to say my favorite character would be Hit-Girl, played by  a young Chloe Moretz (in the photo above). Basically, it's an action/comedy about a young outcast who takes it upon himself to become a neighbourhood super hero, helping out people in need. He then encounters two other (much more intense) super heros, the father and daughter duo, who later get into a lot more trouble then helping a lost cat off a billboard. I'd like to see the second movie, that just so happens to have come out in theatres yesterday.

Misc:

Lately, I've been trying to get back into the swing of things with regard to my fitness routine and eating habits. Before I went on my second trip, I was good as gold, but all of the cooking and lazing around on my trip kind of put a wrench in that progress. So, like many people, I really couldn't imagine life without a good pair of sneakers. The ones I have are Reebok Ziglites in blue, black and green. I've been using these sneakers for a good 6 months after buying them last year and never putting them to use. I'm really happy with the fit, and how they feel as I'm running. There's a space under the heel of them, and I think it acts as a pressure reliever or something. I don't know anything about running shoes, but it seems to help! Highly recommended sneaker.

Along with the sneakers, I've been trying to get my eating habits back on track, i.e not eating so many unhealthy foods, stopping my snacking so frequently, and so on. Greek yogurt has been on everyone's radar lately, and I think Danone's Oikos makes a mean snack. It seems to fill me up just enough to get me to stop thinking about being hungry, not to mention it's a healthier alternative to say, a bag of chips or a chocolate bar. My favorite kind, as of late, would be the key lime flavored one. It tastes like more of a dessert than just a yogurt. 

To finish off this post, I just had to include David's Tea. I seriously thought this was just a trend/myth, but oh was I ever wrong! We just got a David's Tea in the mall downtown, so I took a swing by, and ended up falling in love. The tea itself is well worth the money you spend on all the accessories you have to buy to properly make it. Makayla got me the Pink Passionfruit tea from the limited summertime collection. I seem to be drawn to more fruity teas. But this one was phenomenal. A++.

And there you have it. This month's favorites. Try some of them out, and maybe get back to me on it!

Rock on, 

Jaime

LINKS (click them to explore!!!):

Fashion / Beauty: 

Wen Haircare 

The Man Repeller
Clothes Encounters

Music: 

Washed out's 'Paracosm'
Great Escape
All I know
Weightless
Pull You Down

Alvvays
Soundcloud

Misc:

Reebok Ziglites
David's Tea

FAVORITES: July '13

June came and left and July has flown by. 

^^Here are the things I've been loving the absolute most this month! I will post all of the links at the^^ ^^bottom of the post for all of the things I can find!! Enjoy.^^

Fashion / Beauty:

For the fashion portion of my July favorites, I've chosen the clothing items I've been wearing a lot. (Obviously, hehe) 

I had ordered the hero bathing from Romwe right when it was released. I absolutely love the fit. With bathing suits for me, I HATE when the bottoms show the bottom of my bottom. So many bottoms! But seriously, this fits like a glove in all of the right places! And the boob pads in the top are sewn right in, so that's another plus!

I have also chosen platform Vans. I got these at an Off The Wall outlet somewhere in Washington along my travels, and boy are they comfortable! I was in between choosing to purchase either those or a pair of leopard ones, but originally the leopard ones I had been looking for had all black detailing, and they only had the white ones left. So that was a major bummer. But alas, I found the black ones (above) and the love affair had begun. 

While on my trip, I had also lost my Wildfox virginity. I bought two Wildfox pieces in Wasteland. The ones I chose were the "New Mexico" dress in black, and the "Shooting Star Lennon" sweater in black as well. Both of these were used, and I believe it had costed me a total of $91 for everything including tax. Not bad, not bad at all!

Along with those two steals, I included the two photos of myself wearing more clothes I had purchased on my trip (including the Wildfox sweater). I finally got disco pants! FINALLY, and I absolutely love them. 

-The two outfits above would have to be my favorites I had put together while fooling around yesterday. -

I have one small beauty favorite. That is the Sally Hansen nail polish in the color "Mellow Yellow". Unfortunately I had gotten a set of gel nails I'd say about 3 months back, and the lady must have done them really good, because these things will not budge! I would just rip them off, but I really don't want to damage my nails. I tried soaking them in remover too, and that didn't work. So in the meantime I've just been trimming them and covering them with this polish until they're fully grown off. What a nightmare!

Music / TV:

For my music favorites of this month, I have chosen Bombay Bicycle Club, Iggy Azalea and Azealia Banks. All three of them I had been playing non-stop the entire trip, and that's because they're all so upbeat and funky I feel. I'll link some tracks for you to listen to at the bottom! I don't really have much else to say about them other than the fact that I love all three for each of their unique sounds and infectiously catchy beats/melodies. 

Misc:

As for the other random things I couldn't fit into any other category, here we go.

I don't think I ate anything else on my trip other than cheeseburgers, and the occasional fettucini alfredo. I'd have to say though, that the best cheeseburger I had was in Montana. (As mentioned in my previous post!) I don't know what it is about cheeseburgers that reels me in, but no matter what restaurant or fast food place we dropped in to, I just couldn't resist!

Passion tea, I think, should just be included in every month's favorites. I never don't love it. And I don't usually enjoy tea too much. Maybe an earl grey or blueberry pomegranate white here and there, but other than that, it's not my favorite drink. Passion tea is definitely on my list of raisons d'etre. 

The glittery "congratufuckulations" banner is something I seen, and really liked, in Urban Outfitters, but refrained from buying. I think I'll just go ahead and order it now, because I think it's so cute and would add a nice touch to my room. As odd as that may sound. 

Last, but certainly not least, I included my little Kodak S100 film camera. I enjoy taking film photos for the element of surprise they come equipped with. Plus, I just think the photos they take are neat looking. I recently bought this at a yard sale down the road from my house that was raising money for cancer research for a mere $2. I don't know how this one takes photos, so I'm a little scared (but excited, nonetheless) to see how, and if, they turned out!

That'll be all for this months favorites. I hope at least someone will try any one of these things out! 

Enjoy yourselves, 

Jaime

LINKS (CLICK THEM TO EXPLORE!!) :

Fashion / Beauty: 

SK8-Hi Platform Vans

Wildfox "New Mexico" dress

Wildfox "Shooting Star Lennon" sweater

American Apparel disco pants

TUK creepers A8308

Sally Hansen "Mellow Yellow" polish 

Music: 

Bombay Bicycle Club

Sixteen 

Your Eyes 

You Already Know

Lights out, Words gone

Iggy Azalea

My World

Bac 2 Tha Future (My Time)

Murda Bizness

Work 

Azealia Banks

1991

Luxury

BBD

Atlantis

Misc:

"Congratufuckulations" banner

Kodak S100 ef film camera

FAVORITES: June '13

First week of June is here,

and these are the things I've really been diggin'!

First off, I've been reading reports and interviews about/with Sophia Amoruso (founder of the online store Nasty Gal) and the rise of the success of her store. It's incredibly inspiring, I feel, to know that just an eBay store can turn into an empire. The hard work she, and all her team, put into it is amazing, and completely evident in the quality and service Nasty Gal offers. It also makes me excited for my future of perhaps owning a (much smaller) store! As a side note, her haircut is SO fierce. I've made a bullet on my bucket list to make sure I book a hair appointment to get a sassy black bob on my 20th birthday. I suppose to celebrate not being a teenager anymore, and to bring some sophistication to my look! So much excitement, so little time!

Next on the board, we've got films I've been watching. Nothing new, but still as great as the first time I had turned them on. Ghost World is so beautiful in it's subtlety. It's a film I find a lot of teens could relate to in my opinion. Enid's blunt personality is something I always found amusing as well. I don't know, it's just a classic. The Truman Show is another classic. The entire concept of having your life be on show for the entire world to see, and never knowing it is mind blowing to me. Although I don't seem to know a lot of Jim Carrey fans, I'd say he's among my favorites! He adds a certain je ne sais quoi to his movies.

Then we have my two favorite Mac products: the fragrance "Turquatic" along with lipstick in the shade "Media". I use these products religiously for many reasons. Reason one being that the color of media is perfect for adding that vampy look to any outfit, which j'adore. Also, I feel as though Turquatic is the perfect fresh scent for spring/summer! It's light, not too overpowering, and if this makes any sense, smells exactly like the color turquoise would smell! I absolutely recommend them both. 

Not only is Sky Ferreira's music awesome, but the girl has some killer style to pair with it! Each of her songs has its own sound,  some being more on the electronic/dance side while others are very soulful and done acoustic. It's great to have that variety. Her style is so sweet as well! Definitely what I aspire to be when I grow older and mature even further. She's just an all around cool gal. Songs of hers I would check out would be Ghost and Lost In My Bedroom.

Lastly, I've been thinking a lot (as I always do) about where I'd like to go after graduation. I'm completely sure it's going to be a coastal city. I'm just unsure as to which side of Canada it'll be. I call Halifax home, and I love it there so much, but when I travelled to Vancouver last October, I found it such a rad place to live. There's so much culture and so many events and opportunities. So it got me thinking. Might it be beneficial if I were to go to Vancouver before I went back home to bring something new to Halifax? Ahhhh, decisions decisions. 

That's all for my moodboard this week. Now go out and try something new!

Jaime