Monty: April 2010 - Dec 2012

I love you.
I'll miss you.

My Tiny Man.

The Fancy Season

Being a redhead = constant attention.  This I like.  Much much.

There’s not a day that goes by without someone bringing up my frock – including and not limited to strangers, friends, cuddly animals. It’s so pleasant, really-- initiating conversations so I don’t have to, capturing gazes, eliciting curiosity and countless inquisitions and even stirring up dreadful pick-up lines, shaking the earth with absurdity:

“I used to know nothing about redheads.  But then, I watched Brave.”

I’m sorry --- What?

Moving on, this ginger-mop, which layeth upon my crown allures plentiful acknowledgement wherever I may wander, graciously diverting attention away from my dreamy-eyed, slack-jawed and doltish expression I evince when deeply thinking on these walks (Deep thoughts being: “La la la la, I want a muffin.”)

It is peculiar; maybe, the positive reactions currently resonating from the color of my hair are in distinct contrast to what it used to be when I was a young lass (Oh no, here it goes…)

Way back then, being a ginger didn’t appear to be a good thing at all!  We were known only as carrot-tops, orange-haired (NEVER!!!!!!), vampires, and far too pale. Your. Mother.

One specific insult that comes to mind was in my grade school French class; where a poster matching emotions with an example of a cartoon child; there, under the caption of “Méchant” was a nasty-tempered, freckled ginger.  I would look at this poster, with a disdained countenance, and think to myself: “Come on, really?”   

To make matters worse redheaded celebrities, models in beauty magazines and TV commercials were scarce to be seen -- making it tres deficil to seek an idol to relate to because red hair obviously was not perceived as beauty.  Exasperated with this perception, I smudged out my red with brunette; meaning years of struggling on a weekly basis to conceal my feisty roots.  To no avail.

Fast forward to the present (via DeLorean) and an accidental tinted-shampoo experiment, reverting my locks to its natural hue, the world and I now relish red hair!  It’s about time!

Indeed, I embrace what is my mine and shan’t dare to change it again. My mother calls this: “Coming into your own.” 

From “Uh, you’re a redhead” to “Oh! You’re a redhead!” is a wonderful transition which leads me to confess such a fondness for mein coiffe that I even turn a bit snippy when I see a dyed ginger.  Oh no, you did not. 

Here’s the thing: what’s natural to you is what suits you best.  You are a made-to-measure organism – so the colors, tones and shapes of you are carefully detailed to fit your peachy little package. And to all my gingers out there, don’t heed those nonsense fashion laws that dictate what colors you can and cannot wear – WEAR THEM! (Including pink! Hurray!)

Ergo, I adore being a ginger and am terribly proud of it. 

Now, who is giddy with holiday cheer? Oh me, choose me!

Fashionistas and Fashionistos (that must mean Fancy-Men Folk) are sure to be randy for holiday wear!  Shimmering silvers, marshmallow whites, glowing reds? Si. 

I, for one, am eagerly planning my holiday outfits (and am currently nibbling my fingernails with anticipation) with looks that branch from Christmas parties, cold-weather cozies and cabin getaways with Wham! (if only) 

It's just not Christmas without them

Quick! Take a gander!

Look #1: Vintage Jewel and Ember

My personal favorite!  Perfect for holiday gatherings with friends and family – a look that is both elegant and demure.  Oh so you.

 

Pulled from:

Club Monaco Nari Dress

Top Shop Medium Faux Fur Collar

Ninewest LoveFury Leopard Print Pointed Toe

Etsy Tossed-Treasures Boutique Earrings

Look #2: Toasty Up

Keep warm – look cute.  A sweet collection for trips to the cabin (with Wham!) coffee dates and various other casual festivities.

Pulled from:

BB Dakota Corinth Cable Sweater

ModCloth Team Cocoa Leggings

ModCloth Heart-Warming Gloves

ModCloth Hat to Break it to you

Brown’s Shoes Sperry Topsider

Look #3: Charming, Darling

Again, I cherish the fashion of the 60s and I also like dressing as a substitute teacher or librarian. 

Pulled from:

H&M Turtleneck

G-Market Korea Dinu Tweed

Brown’s Shoes Blondo Boot

ModCloth My Heart Skipped Beat Tights

Anthropologie Wrought Helena Drops & Vivi Bracelet

Look #4: Silent Night – Not Tonight

Oh clever!  How I love a sequined dress for holiday parties!  And those shoes? Droolworthy.  Here, I mixed gold, silver, black and berry to create this dashing look.

Pulled from:

BB Dakota Neva Dress

The Outnet - Miu Miu Satin Platform Pumps

Ruche Vintage Treasure Bow Ring

Etsy Hoss and Goose Boutique Vintage Clutch

Monty has also decided that his holiday garb will be adding more girth around his neck and tum-tum, despite my best efforts to keep him lean.  

You rang?

This is a battle I cannot win but if he is inclined towards a chubby demeanor, I’ll let it be so (begrudgingly.)

Plenty of Kisses,

Mary

PS I sincerely apologize for my neglect as of recent! I will try with all my might to write at least once a week!

Love, My Lips

Hey God, are you up there? Are you listening?

Ok great! Cuz I got a new blog that needs some readin'. 

Ever have one of those days when you presume you are the greatest thing living to date? Well, I sure did!  In fact, it was just the other day. 

It happened as I was strollin’ about town with chin high (enough to graze a cloud), decked out to the 9s, and ready to smack the world on the BE-HIND. You see I reckoned I must have looked pretty fine on account of the numerous passing folk that were giving eyeing me up which nourished my ego quite scrumptiously.  As a matter of fact, a lady, seemingly out to lunch, even yelled something at me from across the yard which I failed to discern due to my swagger. 

It wasn’t until checking my compact mirror on the status of my lipstick that I realized, with tumultuous horror, that those gazes correlated to the fact that my eyeliner had leaked something nasty across my face…on only one eye.  Like a medicine ball had been punted directly to my face (slight exaggeration.)

Suddenly it became clear what that lady was shouting, earlier on:

“Miss, are you all right?!”

Well, shi….

For those of you that are concerned, my lipstick remained picture perfect.

Mary – 1.  Life – 1.  That’s a tie now, Life; you best watch how you play this game from now on.  Yes, my dignity may have performed a backwards somersault, but the important stuff stayed cool: the lips, because they got to. J’adore le Rouge a Levres.  Oui, J’adore beaucoup.

It’s a sentimental buying experience really, quite like buying candy (and y’all know I got a fancy for candy) except one thousand times better – it’s the warm, cozy-type, feel-good purchase that is the perfect addition to any emotion. 

Feeling blue? Lipstick.

Accomplished something? Lipstick.

Accomplished nothing? Lipstick.

Went shopping? You should buy a lipstick to go with it.

Have no money? You probably shouldn’t buy lipstick this time.  

Great for no make-up days, great for finishing a dolled up look; whether it’s stick, gloss or stain, it’s all nuzzled within a nook of my heart (and favorite things list!) One might say, too much so.

Truth: I am the proud owner of an abounding collection of lippies, healthy and steady in growth. Look at these sweet little babies and tell me you could say no as they shout “Wear me! I’ll look so pretty!” 

One can never have enough lipstick, like one can never say, “Yup, I will never need another pair of shoes again.”  Or “Ok, my closet will now last me for the rest of eternity.”

Dream on, Silly-Billys.

Now, you may ask, where do you wear all of these?  Quite simply, really.  I do with my lippy collection what I do with my closet – organize into categories – life & style categories that keep them fresh & rotated.

Let me show you how, tiny grasshoppers. 

When to Wear: 

Lipstick:

Juste Moi

Hitting the gym, grabbing groceries, or nothing remotely as useful? This is your MLBB (my lips but better), “no make-up” make-up, emphasizing what your mama gave you (sorry mama). 

What you’re looking for: Accentuating your natural lip

I like to wear: Burts Bees Lipshimmer in Champagne, Sephora Collection Glossy Gloss in Royal Icing, Urban Decay Lip Love in Drizzle

When to wear: Lazy days, running errands

Color Suggestions: Anything neutral to your lip tone.

Ladylike Lovely:

I’m kind of in love with lunch dates.

I always think: dressing up for teatime.  I’ve actually devoted an entire section of my wardrobe to lunch dates...and apparently my lip collection too!

What you’re looking for: A soft pop of color, brightening while not being overpowering.   

I like to wear: Korres Lip Butter Glaze in Crocus (Worn in my latest video), Smashbox O-GLOSS, Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Rose  

When to wear: Lunch dates, tea dates, at work, interviews

Color Suggestions: Mauve, Watermelon-Pink, Soft Pink, Peach, Caramel

Little Red Lips:

Equivalent to that LBD, EV-ERY lady needs a LRL! So fabulous, seductive and classic –wish I could wear one all the time! (I also wish that life was like a musical, where everyone sang their feelings instead of eating them)

What you’re looking for: A Red-tone suited to you – are you warm, cool or neutral? Warms - reds that have an orange undertone, Cool - blue undertone. Neutrals - both but also look great in true reds.

I like to wear: Lush Lip Tint A Million Kisses, Bourjois Sweet Kiss Lipstick in Rose Seduisant, Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment Passion. Falling head over heals for Guerlain Rouge G de Guerlain in Girly (not yet purchased but will be mine someday) Love Guerlain. 

When to wear: All occasions! Day and night! Hint: A Cranberry would go fabulous at a Holiday Party

Color Suggestions: True Red, Orange-Red, Blue-Red. Try a Pinkish-Red (my new fav)

Foxy Out on the Town:

Pumps. Club dress. Clutch. Shots. Lips.  Let’s work it. 

What you’re looking for: A glam color statement.  

I like to wear: YSL Rouge Volupte in Rose Culte, Cover FX Mint Tint in Merlot, MAC Dare to Wear Gimme That!

When to wear: Date night, Clubbing, Events

Color Suggestions: Hot Pink, Fuschia, Vampy Plums, Orange, Coral

That’s just a smidgen.  Like?

 What I wore today:

Ah, I am happiest when dressed up -- no excuses needed, for any day, everyday.  Such a fun way to express creativity to wear an outfit that is all my own: A Mary Taylor Outfit, YEAH! 

Golly, I have a constant hankering to strut around in a skirt (dresses, too!) Makes me feel like a true lady and let's me channel my favorite fashion era, the 60s! 

 Top: Black Turtleneck (mmmmm) from H&M. Toasty, cozy AND sexy?!...that's a deadly combination. 

Bottom: Plaid Skirt from BB Dakota. Such a great piece! 

PS. Who's super ecstatic about Obama for the win? 

No, I know we're not in the US but I think it's so great to see so much passion in Canadian Youth about politics -- instead of Reality TV or ourselves.  With this much interest, we certainly could shoo off Old Painty-Can Harper out of the political picture! 

Well my dearies, it’s been a pleasure.  I’ll ring you soon (with another blog entry coming this week, that is)

Plenty of Kisses,

Mary

Video Killed Today's Blogpost

All the single ladies, all the single ladies – Put your hands up.  Now put them back down and resume reading.

I’m in a wee state of bewilderment; so don’t mind me as I toss some questions into the blogosphere.  Like: what’s the deal with dating these days and how does it even work?  Do people still go out on proper dates?  Don’t men still make the first move? Is anyone listening to me?

At first I thought: Hey now, here I am! Fresh out of the oven (the relationship kind) ready to try this out.  And now I’m getting stale on the day-old rack.  I had a comically awkward situation just the other day at my work: a Sweet-Tall-And-Handsome man and I commenced flirtations – starting first with salutations, a genuine, mutual interest, then fizzling out into awkward fumbling and a pathetic and confusing goodbye. Niiiiiiiice!

In this giant big fish bowl that is life, the Sweet-Tall-And-Handsome variety don’t seem to go much out of their way to make themselves apparent, allowing ample room and opportunity for the not quite as pleasant Pushy-Moderately-Creepy species. B-b-b-but why?   

It shouldn’t take a snifter of liquid courage to woo for affection so why the fear of rejection (rhyming: not on purpose); just make a bloody move! Girls still like it, don’t you know! (Note: To the ladies who prefer to make the first move, I solemnly commend you)  

Call me what you will (No, don’t), namely old fashioned but remember the good old days when all it took was someone to ask you to dance the Virginia Reel?  No I can’t say I remember either as that may have been over 200 years ago.  

"I'm having such a splendid time!"

But what about those timeless romances of the 1950s we hear about – where He swept Her off Her feet over some superfluous dialogue, sharing one Cola with two straws (Sigh.)  Where neither parties were sauced (the majority of the time.)

Observe Brad and Brenda in their typical club-type atmosphere (which strangely resembles a kitchen.) Let us not wander down that dreary road.

Then again, I could just be a silly romantic whose expectations are rather absurd. Maybe I’m asking a bit too much of Jon Hamm to pick me up in a limousine and fly me to the moon in his rocket car (I have yet to put my finger on why.) 

However, ladies and gentlemen, being single has its perks. 

It’s like swimming in the fish bowl with water wings; nobody can make you sink (except maybe Kevin Costner as “The Mariner” in Water World). And for that, I certainly enjoy it.

Och, well.  Single or no, we’ve got to look our damned finest on a daily basis (it's the law.) So you’ll be pleased as punch that I’ve cut down on the nattering on this special occasion to debut GermanCake’s Short-Film A La Makeup-Tutorial (Note to self: Enrol in French Lessons.) 

The first video blog to go up on GermanCake (Oh my goodness!)

This fast-paced, quickie tutorial is a nutshell (oh Synonyms) of how I do my Daily Make-Up Routine: a fine, simple, natural look that features a rosy-bronzed glow with a demure cat eye. Now how do you like that? As with everything Mary, the tutorial is dramatic, bursting at the seems with makeup, dancing, funny concentration faces and a Monty cameo.  Oh you'd best be pleased.  

The Look:

                                       

                                        That's a nice facial expression, Mary

Eeeeek! Here it goes!

Note: I’m not a professional, I just have fun in front of my vanity and hope you will too. 

What I used:

Face:

Note: I don’t wear foundation, so if you do, just put it on before concealer. 

Concealer: Estee Lauder Double-Wear Light 01

Bronzer: Josie Maran Argan Brightening Bronzer Sun Spot Corrector

Blush: Guerlain Terracota Blondes 02

Illuminator: Josie Maran Argan Illuminizingr Powder

Eyes:

Primer: Urban Decay Primer Potion

Eyeshadow: Mac Gesso (Base), MacWedge (Crease), Mac Phloof (Inner rims, Brow Highlight)

Mascara: Josie Maran GOGO Instant Natural Volume Argan Mascara & Helena Rubinstein Lash Queen

Eyeliner: Clarins Instant Liner, Mac Deep Truth (on top)

Note: I love to mix my black liner with dark blue – Brightening the eyes whilst creating drama 

Lips:

Lipstick: Estee Lauder Double Wear Lipstick Stay Mauve

Lipgloss: Korres Crocus Lip Butter

Oh I hope you enjoyed it!  Don't forget to comment and subscribe! DON'T!

Plenty of kisses,

Mary

P.S Next time on GermanCake: My gigantic collection of lipstick and why it's bueno