Kitten Heels- The Mullet of Shoes

My friend Jessie sent me a pic of her new "work appropriate shoes" the other day. While she abhors clogs, kitten heels seem to be fair game in her book. My hatred for kitten heels almost takes my breath away. I say almost, due to the fact that I am obviously able to type, and thus will be able to proceed in crucifying her on my blog. I take a kitten heel purchase as a personal attack, making revenge fair game in my books. Pay-back's a bitch.

Fortunately I have scientific proof for my intense dislike of miniature heels, making my argument safe from all critical rebuttal or backlash. Other than the fact that kitten heels are completely pointless, they also do nothing for your legs, and guarantee that everyone who sees you puts you in the same fashion bracket as those who shop at Suzy Sheer. With so many cute ballet flat options out there, do yourself and all your friends a favor and banish the kitten heels.

If you won't listen to me, at least listen to LC.

“Never wear kitten heels. My biggest no-no. They are the mullet of shoes. Go flat or wear heels.”

-Lauren Conrad

P.s my friend Jessie is an amazing artist. Check out her work HERE

LOOKBOOK.nu

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  HYPE

  Ar East Movement Feat. The Cataracs - Like A G6

  BY JULIETT K., 23 YEAR OLD MAFFASHION FROM POLAND

  67 comments / 12  / 13 hours ago

  

I just stumbled upon this site and am instantly obsessed. While decidedly hipster, it's almost like a shopping list on how to dress like the best of them. High waisted skirt? Check. Tube scarf? Check. Chunky platform boots, printed tights, grandma sweater and top not? Check, check, check. Now if only all these looks didn't have to be hidden under a parka and umbrella for the foreseeable future.

The Bucket List - Vancouver Edition

I'm over winter. I don't want to wear boots, or a jacket or have to carry an umbrella. I can't handle another day of streaky bronzer, and unmatched cover up. I want a tan, and here I am getting pastier by the day. I am desperate for summer.  For sun, for adventure, for jean shorts, flip flops and tan lines, fresh fruit, ice cream and patio hangs.

I currently live in a constant state of freezing. My feet are ice blocks even with socks on, and I'm up to 3 cups of coffee a day, just for the warmth. My heating blanket and hot yoga are currently my only respite from the winter blues.  So in an effort to cheer myself up, and in the spirit of my Happiness Project, I've decided to wear long underwear and Hot Chilly socks under all my clothes from now on.

Kidding. I've actually complied a list of things I'm looking forward to doing in this new city of mine, in the hopes that it will chase away the blues, bring down my heating bill, and prevent my boyfriend from banishing my heating blanket. I'd love to hear your suggestions, on things to do in Vancouver, so feel free to send them my way!

The Bucket List - Vancouver Edition

1. Go to the Vancouver Flea Market
2. Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont with some close girlfriends
3. Ice Skating on Grouse Mountain
4. Canucks Game
5. Check out the Punjabi Market in SOMA
6. Go to a race at Hastings Park
7. Try the Chocolate Buffet at The Sutton Place Hotel
8. Actually make it to Celebration of Light (I've missed it every year)
9. Watch a movie at the IMAX
10. Go camping at Cultus Lake
11. Go to the Richmond Night Market

Track. Analyze. Act

Image courtesy of Kemp Edmonds

I have to admit, when the idea of web analytics was first brought to my attention 3 years ago, I was immediately overwhelmed by the subject. Somewhere in my educational years, I had come to the conclusion that because my strongest subject was not Math, that I must not be an analytical thinker. So when the words "web analytics" popped up in my first marketing job out of university, I was ready to panic.

 I signed up for marketing and public relations to be creative, use my writing skills, and stay far away from mathematical formulas. I'd never even heard web analytics mentioned in any of my classes before. I felt like I'd been cheated. However, determined to succeed, and having just read a book about not defining yourself into boxes, I took on the attitude, "I can do anything you can do, but better" Ok, so I'm a little competitive...

Thankfully, this attitude helped, and an inevitable life-path freak-out was avoided. Which, is an incredibly good thing, because as it turns out, web analytics, along with the fact that I am, actually an analytical thinker, are two of the most valuable things I have learned in my career so far.  In Internet Marketing, and especially in Social Media Marketing, campaigns cannot always be analyzed in the traditional way to determine ROI. As my professor Kemp Edmonds says "When people ask you what is the ROI on social media, ask them what the ROI is of their cell phone." Point being, we use social media and the majority of the web, to connect and communicate. Web analytics allows us to track if the ways we are "connecting and communicating" are effective.

One of the first web tracking tools I became familiar with was Google Analytics. I used Google Analytics at clubZone.com to track site traffic, the effectiveness of new web campaigns, popularity of content in certain cities, as well as keep an eye on unique visitors, bounce rate, and how much time people spent on the site. I currently use Google Analytics on this blog, in much of the same ways. Professionally and personally, I find Google Analytics to be an incredible tool.

Recently I have expanded my tracking ability to include such sites as bit.ly, TweetBeep, Twitter Counter and Google Alerts. With this toolbox, I can see which of the links I share get clicked on the most, and effectively monitor what is being said about my blog on Twitter and the Google.

Overall, I think that it is the use of tools like the ones mentioned above that make Social Media a valuable marketing tool. Without tracking, or analytics, all the data you have on your company or blog, is qualitative. Analytics allows you to quantitatively track the effect social networks and public opinion have on your business, while at the same time aiding you in building an engaged community and brand around your product.

**Written for MDIA 1045

Anatomy of a Hipster Part I

Ask Darwin, or anyone who believes in evolution and they will tell you that for centuries the world has survived on the premise that only the fittest live.  Now the word "fit" is used here in the traditional and non traditional sense of the word. Yes it does stand for being healthy and strong, but it also translates into the ability to adapt, conform and assimilate to ones environment.

That being said, it is obvious why I have chosen this as a metaphor for my move to Main Street. Just as all plants and animals must adapt to evolve, the same goes for humans when moving into a new community.  One must adapt to new surroundings, learn the rules of the road, tricks of the trade, or suffer the wrath of social extinction. Easy as 1.2.3.

Well it would be, except for the fact that Main Street is Hipster Central and I'm naturally more a Gwyneth then a Sienna. Try, try, try as I might I can't seem to cultivate that look of un-calculated chaotic, perfection. At first I blamed it on having boobs (shirts don't drape gracefully) then my legs were not long and skinny enough (an essential for pulling off the combat boot) and then finally I attacked the blonde locks. Platinum is so contrived, not natural enough. 

All in all a natural hipster I am not. I could try to be, but my passion for girly dresses, well tailored clothing, and wearing clothes that do not add volume to ones frame, immediately get me voted off the island. Don't fret for me however, my survival of the fittest introduction, seems to guarantee that the hipster breed will die out before long. As natural selection would have it, no one can survive on just espresso and cigarettes, especially while forgoing cars for sketchy vintage bikes peddled by paper thin legs ;)

Stay tuned for a Part II of Anatomy of a Hipster - a piece by piece dissection, by yours truly.

The Downtown Eastside via The Dependent Magazine

Check out The Dependent Magazine, and their new spin on the Downtown Eastside. This article is a must for anyone who has walked the streets East of Hastings, and wondered what makes the ecosystem tick.

You Can't be Good at Everything Right?

I've learned a terrible lesson this past week. One that would make do-it yourself-ers everywhere gasp in horror. However, I will now consider it to be one of my Secrets of Adulthood. The rule is as follows: "Why do it yourself when you can pay someone else to do it." I realize that this rule may seem frivalous to many but I believe the tales of my week may make you see things my way.

Story One:  When I first started my blog, I posted two pictures of posters I wanted that were sold out on IVillage. Somehow my Fairy Godmother heard my wish, and my friend Jennine had BOTH of the posters I wanted, and she sold them to me happily. Jennine is an old friend from my horseback riding days, and not only did she grant my wish and provide me with these posters, she also helped me get my new amazing apartment, in the building she lives in. She's a doll.

Back to the story. So I had these awesome posters, that needed to be framed, so instead of paying a professional to do it, I decide to take it on myself. I bought black frames at Walmart, and some spray paint and started to paint them white. Now this all would have been fine, if the stupid posters let you remove the plexiglass, but no dice, it was attached to the frame. So now, because I'm awesome at spray painting the plexiglass is now dotted with white. And I will have to take the posters in to get professionally framed anyways, as they are printed on the white matting crooked.

Moral Of The Story : Pay a professional Mila. You suck at DIY.

Story Two: Now I wish I could tell you that I learned my lesson and when it came down to moving all my stuff to Vancouver, I hired movers, or at the very least rented a truck, but no. Instead I enlisted my dad, and he borrowed his friends pick up to schlep everything down the Sea to Sky.

All fine and dandy, until the weather pulled a Whistler on us and snowed and rained on the moving day. Armed with tarps, we figured we were well prepared. That is until all the tarps blew off on the windiest corner of the Cheakamus Canyon. After 45 minutes in the freezing snow and wind we had them tied back on. Sort of.

We then decided that it would be best to stop in Squamish at Home Depot to cover the mattresses in plastic sheeting, and move the boxes into the cab of the truck as it was apparently pouring rain in Vancouver.

Bare in mind that it has now taken us 2 hours to get from Whistler to Squamish. So we did this, re-organized the truck bed, and took off. Stopping for a celebratory Mcdonalds french fry run ( This was especially special, as my dad never even let us have Mcdonalds as a kid, and he was the one who suggested it!)

After Mcdicks, we flew through Squamish, laughing at the hitchhikers, and munching on fries, until we got to Shannon Falls, where we realized....we no longer had a mattress.

3 trips between Mickey D's and Shannon Falls later, and we STILL had not located the missing mattress. So my dad pulls over to start calling mattress stores to buy a new one, and I get out to lean over the barrier, where low and behold a black plastic sail seems to be billowing off the edge of a cliff.

 Mattress or dead body right? Mattress it was!

We left Whistler at 11:30 am that day and arrived in Vancouver at 6 pm. However, we did stop at Chances on the way home to complete our hillbilly road trip, and broke even, which everyone knows counts as a win :)

Moral Of The Story: Pay a professional. The time and frustration you save, is worth the money you don't!