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

FOR YOUR EARS: Halloweenie October Mix

MY FAVORITE SEASON IS HERE! This calls for a mix.. or two! 

CLICK HERE FOR (SIDE A) ON 8TRACKS

CLICK HERE FOR (SIDE B) ON 8TRACKS

Enjoy!

Jaime

STYLE PROFILES VOL. 1&2 : Laura Lynch & Cali Auty

So, this segment of the blog will pretty much just be a corner full of interviews of people around me whom I think are incredibly interesting/good at what they do. For the first volume of this segment, I've chosen my dear friends Laura Lynch and Cali Auty. Both for very good reasons. 

Laura is the best ballerina I've ever seen. No joke. She embodies what it is to be the perfect ballerina. She puts so much time and effort into everything she does, and I really look up to her for that. NOT TO MENTION, she is a daredevil when it comes to style. Seriously killer.  

Then we have Cali. One of the most compassionate human beings I've ever come across. I admire the guts she has when it comes to the month long hiking trips she takes each summer up the rockies. Alongside her mountain-babeness, she too has wicked style.

Upon choosing these two gals to be in the very first post, I got to sit down with them for some girl chat/glamour shots. I honestly had so much fun with them, as I usually do. So let's begin with the small interview shall we?

"3 ways to describe your style:"
L: "Um.. I would say like whatever I was feeling in the morning. I just throw everything together. You know, it's just like whatever! Whatever it wants to be."
C: "Freestyle.. Sometimes nineties.. Maybe a little bit of cuteness in there too! Uh... I've sometimes gotten flower girl?"

"Any favorite fall trends?"
L: "Scarves.. I love scarves."
C: "TEA!"
L: "Cooking! Well, I just bake all throughout winter. Hahaha, if you haven't already noticed I'm always making like PANCAKES.. MUFFINS.. and I'm just going to take a bunch of pictures of my food!! Oh.. I'm so hungry!"
C: "And ugh.. fireplaces."
L: "Plaid. I love plaid. And red. OH! And I wouldn't wear orange, but orange makes me really excited... Tweed."

"Which are the stores you most frequently purchase things from?"
L: "Urban Outfitters.. Nasty Gal.."
C: "American Apparel."
L: "Yeah.. Free People.."

"And what draws you to these stores?"
L: "You can find a lot of different styles all on one website. It's not just like one style, and everything is just.."
C: "And it's not just like set to what trends are super out right now. Everything is different."

"What are your favorite pastimes?"
L: "Yoga.. and.. tea drinking. Hahaha"
C: "I'd have to say mine would be those too! And playing guitar.. singing to myself."
L: "It's true!!"

"What are some bands to look out for/your guys' favorites?"
C: "Oh geez.. that changes with my mood, I would say."
L: "Yeah.."
C: "One band that I've always loved, well I don't really know anybody that doesn't like them, but The Beatles. I looooove The Beatles."
L: "I really like The Shins.."
C: "Amen!"
L: "..and I could never not love Coldplay!"
C: "Um... Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros! Love them!"

**I ramble on about how they played Evolve a while back**

"Where did you come from, and where are you going?"
L: "Well.. I came from here. Fort Mac. I don't know, I feel like I didn't really come from here, even though I did because I family is like.. so Irish! And I'm hoping to go to Vancouver and just stay there for a little while, and then eventually end up back with my family in Ireland. I just want to live there. Just live. Then hopefully one day I'll be NYFW doing some people's makeup or something! Hahaha"
C: "I was born here in Fort Mcmurray. Um.. I would hope to someday be living, well I would like to be living somewhere in Canada. I love Canada. But either somewhere near the ocean or by the mountains. Like Laura said I'd just like to be living. Just enjoying life."
L: "Like traveling."
C: "Yeah, like traveling! My biggest goal in life is basically just to make a difference. I don't know how. Whether that's like social justice or environmental. I'd really like to go into environmental studies.

"Who are your biggest influences/inspirations?"

L: "Well, obviously I love Cara Delevingne! I'm obsessed with her! Style wise, I guess I look up to my sister a lot, because she really doesn't care what others think.. I follow random people on instagram and such."

C: "My mama! And my aunt Jen.. she's an awesome person too! I think a lot of it just comes from the music I'm listening to at that point and I guess the people around me."

L: "Yeah, it's a lot about the people around you"

And that's it! I hope you enjoyed this post, because I sure did making it!

Go out and find people who inspire you!! Maybe you'll be pleasantly surprised! :)

Stay cool,

Jaime

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

OOTD: The First Day Of Autumn

The outfit I wore on the first day of autumn. Boy, was it beautiful out!
Outfit: Dress- Forever 21
Jacket- Unif x Urban Outfitters "Tiger Yell" jacket
Whatever else- Boots (Doc Marten 1460s), Scarf (Makayla's from Aldo), Earrings (Forever 21)
Makeup:Eyes- Urban Decay Primer Potion, Revlon liquid eyeliner, and Benefit's Bad Gal Lash
Lips- Rosebud Salve from Sephora
Face- Imperialis lotion from Lush
Hope everyone is well! Go out and enjoy this beautiful weather, as it won't last too too long!!
Keep it cool,
Jaime

FOR YOUR EARS: "Falling Back" Mix

Aka songs that make me feel warm and fuzzy as it begins to cool down.

 Listen to it on 8tracks by clicking HERE!

FAVORITES: 5 YouTube Channels for September '13

Today, I will be highlighting those who teach me things via Youtube each day. Seriously, I watch multiple videos daily, and it's becoming quite the addiction. This post will basically be a rant about all of the people whose videos I most enjoy. Fangirl sesh round two. 

(I'll link my favorite videos from each)

Buckle your seat belts.

stylelikeu

stylelikeu is a channel that basically does a bunch of interviews and roundtable discussions in hopes of redefining fashion as well as personal style. What I LOVE about this channel is the pure passion that is put into what these people do, and how they present themselves. The videos are so aesthetically pleasing and wholesome, which I think is pretty amazing to see in combination. I feel like I'm actually learning something valuable when watching these videos, as oppose to feeling like I just slipped out of a 8 minute long daze. It's great. Not to mention the guests they feature.. oh man. Phenomenal. 

LaMadelynn

LaMadelynn is the personal style channel of Madelynn, a gentle yet stylish gal who seriously embodies what it is to be precious. I stumbled across her channel about 2 months ago, and after 20 seconds of the first video, I was hooked! What started as watching a few videos, quickly escalated into spending hours upon hours watching tutorials on how to add heart shaped elbow patches onto your favorite cardigan, and weekend outfit montages. The simplicity of her style is really what makes her special. She doesn't need extravagant, designer items to make her stand out, and her natural beauty is that of Alexa Chung. I don't know. I just love her videos so much!

Look TV (more specifically Victoria Floethe)

Look TV, for me, is really hit or miss. They either hit it right on the nose, or completely miss. Same goes for Victoria's contributions to the channel. I don't know if it's her personal choices that bring things like "Victoria's Seven Secrets" to life, or if it's the producers behind the channel, but that is a HUGE miss in my opinion. That whole segment is the definition of wrong to me. The advice she gives comes off as superficial and I feel is part of an awful set of ideas that give young girls the notion that there's a specific space that you need to fill as a girl in the love world; be it having the guy pay, going about breaking up with someone in a certain "girly" way, as well as things you can't say while on a date. (WHICH, actually angered me deeply, on account of being a human and having things you want to say as they come to you/ don't feel it's necessary to hold in for the sake of a completely fabricated image of perfection.)

BUT, aside from that, I find her travel videos/shoe obsession videos incredibly well thought out, well spoken, and beautifully filmed. There's something about her as a person that intrigues me. Could it be the fact that she owns that pretty little jewel toned Stella McCartney clutch I need ever so much? Could it be that she travels the world more than once a year? I don't really know. But when she nails it, she really nails it.

                                                                                     ragsonragstv

ragsonragstv is a duo from Vancouver (EEEEEE!) who gave black clothing a new purpose in my mind. They can seriously compose all-black-everything outfits, using texture as a tool, and make them look killer. There's a small element of comedy in each of their videos, which I've come to appreciate lately. I know Jenn Im gave them a little shoutout, which was nice, because these girls need the recognition. They could really be big I think. Props to them being in Canada and actually making it kinda big (so far)!! They're just super cool human beings. 

Lauren Rose (aka justacurbsideprophet)

Although last, not at all least by any means, we have Lauren Rose of justacurbsideprophet. I think she repurposed the word 'rolemodel' to me. She really is someone to look up to in many aspects of teenage life. Something to really appreciate about what she does is that it's all organic, no bs. If she's in a slump, she'll let you know. YouTube doesn't dictate her thoughts, and neither do hateful people because her fan base is honestly the most supportive I've seen, and I totally understand why. She takes this common misconception of being a beauty guru, where the youtuber is the star and everyone else is just a peasant living vicariously through the Bobby Brown eyeshadows the guru got for christmas, and rips it to shreds. Her channel is an environment where we are all equal and able to share thoughts and ideas, and I respect her so much for that. Along with having a great atmosphere, her channel is home to some of the coolest thrift hauls/deep chit chats on all of YouTube. She takes the seemingly one dimensional world of making discussion videos, and opens your eyes to things you'd have never thought about in a kind and respectful way. She has a blog too, which I'll link down below. But yeah, she's definitely always been one of my top top favorites. 

You should all definitely check some of these channels out. I know they won't disappoint!

More importantly, be kind 

Jaime

LINKS (CLICK TO EXPLORE!!):

stylelikeu

In Your Body Is A Good Place To Be

Sophie Aschauer for StyleLikeU

Shirley Kurata Closet Interview for StyleLikeU

Social Media: Connection, Disconnection, & the Construction of Image

LaMadelynn

Fall Weekend Outfits

Summertime Outfits feat. ShopWasteland!

DIY: Heart Elbow Patch Sweater

My Pamper Evening

Look TV

ZARA Shoe Obsession: Shoe Sense

A Love Story: Shoe Sense

Postcard From Cannes: Victoria's Travels

VF Dances In Her Bra: Essentials 

ragsonragstv

INTRO/OOTD

OOTD + BOYLONDON + BLIM MARKET 

END OF THE WORLD VLOG/ OOTD

WHAT TO WEAR ON [SUN]DAYS

Lauren Rose

SUP

90's Glamorization

THRIFT HAUL

Easy Brigitte Bardot Hair Tutorial