Granny's?? No! GRAMMY'S!!!!

How are all you lovely beings???

I was here cleaning my room, munching on some cornflakes and I thought, "I've to write my Grammy piece!". Everyone has an opinion on the Grammys, how could you not? Music has always been a factor throughout the history of time! Sure, now we give trophies but maybe in another hundred years (at the 156th Grammy Awards), they'll present LASERS!! 

I have to say that I'm a big Skylar Grey fan and her dress was just stunning; compared to other pieces she's worn in the past, this one has a more daring edge about it! Skylar is pictured here wearing the Michael Costello gown. 

When Giuliana Rancic was interviewing Black Sabbath she asked a question along the lines of "How do you prepare for an event like this?", and all I could think of is   "a seance"  - hey now I'm ill so I'm allowed to be crabby and if you laughed.... well you have met your match :P Love Black Sabbath <3 

Slipknot was all happy but seeing Katy Griffin's 

dress could give anyone a scare - I'm sorry but it looked like she'd been spat out of a lagoon with hair and make-up still perfectly intact. Just calling it like I see it! 

There was so many people strutting their stuff down the red carpet; a pregnant Ciara, long-time heart throb Jared Leto and Martians, and a crazy Kevin Hart. Keith Urban was interviewed by Ryan Seacrest and I noticed, clearly, that they were both the same height - it must be fate!! Taylor Swift jokingly commented that her Gucci gown could be bulletproof..... I'll happily test that theory! It was a bit like 'Bring Your Kid to Work' day with Madonna and her adorable son, David, and Jamie Foxx playing Daddy-cool with his stunning daughter. 

I think I've most definitely said it before, and I'll say it again; I believe that Madonna is greatly influenced, fashion-wise, by the legendary Marlene Dietrich - Look at this pic; I hope that I'm still an iconic figure and great influence in my field as she is in hers when I'm in my 50s. Here they are wearing Ralph Lauren. 

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis were there. They've had unbelievable success and I gotta say.... I wanted their suits so badly! Macklemore wore a light blue velvet - yes VELVET! - suit, while Ryan decided to make us dizzy with an all over patterned suit! Robin Thicke was there... I'm sorry but I'm going to have to agree with Channel 4's Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2013 panel and say that there is something seriously creeepay about that guy. Like come on, if you were alone with Robin Thicke and he was staring at you, singing 'Blurred Lines' you would F#CK!NG run!! 

Speaking of things that make you unease, did anyone see Daft Punk walk in with those huge Iron Man helmets?!?! It's like "do they know something??..." Ok Pharrell Willams, that hat. Did he steal it off a homeless guy on the way to the Grammys?? There's two reasons now why people may dislike him; 1. He didn't bother to put on a suit for the Grammys which, I believe, is a tad disrespectful. And 2. Probably the minute he got up on that stage everyone thought "I didn't know we could just wear our jeans... Damn... NEXT YEAR NEXT YEAR!" :) 

One person who should go back to their regular style, which there was nothing wrong with in the first place, is Rita Ora. Did she borrow the dress from C3PO?? 

The fabric looked so stiff that every move she made seemed slightly robotic! Just no no no no no no no ... no. But her rings were so cool! 

Now I'd like to present my Best Dressed :) Although I thought Beyonce looked flawless in Michael Costello, she was my 2nd place :) Coming up 3rd was American singer Bonnie McKee in a titanium gown by Gustavo Cadile. Such a powerful dress. In 4th place, Katy Perry in a musically inspired Valentino number - I thought she looked so cute. Last but not least, it was P!nk in 5th! She looked so classy and sleek in Johanna Johnson.

My lovely 1st place goes to beautiful Colbie Caillat, wearing a red dress by Dubai designer Erza Santos - perfection! 

Hope you enjoyed this Smudgers :) And have a great week <3

XOXO

Freaky Smudge 

Remember life before the Internet? Cuz I Don't!

Hey Smudgers what's up! I know I owe you guys some posts and I'm sorry but my internet has been down :( I'm keeping this New Years Reezie if it kills me (touch wood!).

So how has everyone been keeping??? So I've decided to go all super fit for Benicassim! Despite the fact that I stupidly bought diet pills, I highly doubt I'll take them. I found this 30 day programme online (http://imgur.com/gallery/FkVrO) which I will be repeating and have been following - so far so good! I've also completely changed my eating habits and have cut down my coffee intake (which has been more difficult than I care to admit..), my tea intake has increased dramatically due to this :P For breakfast every morning I've been eating porridge (which tastes 10 times better with soya milk, who knew!) and a banana, along with a cup of tea and those Vitamin C things that dissolve in water. Then I'll do what every workout I have to, stick an apple and a bottle of water in my bag and head out for the day :) At lunch I'll eat like soup/ tuna sandwich (I know salads are supposed to be all healthy and all, but I don't like how they can be smothered in salad dressing and I hate tomatoes!!). Then I'll walk home, depending on the day and weather, which takes an hour any way I go, and have a lovely chicken stir-fry (one chicken breast, an onion, greens, a carrot, seasoned with some thyme, black pepper and ginger :) ). I've been doing this for over a week now and according to the scales I've lose 8 pounds :) I hope that's accurate and the scales are functioning! So I'mma keep going and let ye all know how that goes!

So Fashion; My recycled garment is currently in the window at G.T.I.'s Claddagh House, so if anyone is bopping by have a look! I want to use this post to talk about a woman in fashion that I only heard about through my Historical Designer brief on Charles James - Eleanor Lambert

Who is this woman you ask? Well you can thank her for New York Fashion Week and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). 

Eleanor Lambert was born on the 10th of August 1903 in Crawfordsville, Indiana. She studied sculpture and  fashion at the Chicago Art Institute, earning herself a promising career. She moved to New York and started  working for an advertising agency in Manhattan, dealing with artists and art galleries. Lambert was also involved in the founding of the Museum of Modern Art. She also assisted in setting up the American Art Dealers Association. 

Lambert saw fashion as an art form. In the 1940's she set up the International Best Dressed List, the Coty Fashion Critics Award (1943), and organised the semi-annual Fashion Week in New York which allowed international and national designers to showcase their collections to the world, and which still runs today. She did the same for European fashion capitals. In 1962, she founded the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA). In 2001 the Council created the 'Eleanor Lambert Award' presented for a unique contribution to the fashion world or deserves special recognition. 

A fortuneteller once told Eleanor Lambert that she would a live long life and know the most talented people of her era. Eleanor Lambert lived to be 100 years old; She died on the 7th of October 2003. Eleanor Lambert's contribution to the world of fashion was extraordinary - the achievements you see before are only a small segment of the work she did throughout her long life. Lambert saw the greatness in fashion and the events she founded will continue long into the future. Without her, the world of fashion would be limited and bare. Eleanor Lambert shaped the way the world views and experiences fashion. 

For more information on Eleanor Lambert;

 ( http://cfda.com/about/history )

 ( http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2110513_2110630_2110690,00.html) 

Let's bring it back, BACK TO BASICS

Today brought me back to G.T.I., back into the ole routine! In a way it's good to be back into a routine because the only exciting part of the holidays is the hype up to them, and once they actually hit you sleep in and get bored and eat too much... Then you feel guilty that you're not making the most of your holidays, and then the holidays are soon over! I am completely out of my routine and it's driving me crazy >< 

Speaking of things that drive me crazy and can really mess with my head - I can be a real hypochondriac, which is very annoying for me and the people around me :/ But in the last few weeks I've been through a bit of a health scare. There something about a thing like that that really gets into your head, messes with your thoughts, and blurs your vision. I should have known that I had nothing to worry about (just as the doctors told me earlier this morning), but with all the crap we hear about in the media and online, it's difficult not to get wrapped up in all this cancerous attitude. When I found out that everything is fine I felt as though I could kick a door down or run 10 miles - I felt AMAZING!!! 

Why can't we feel that way everyday without the whispers of disease?? That's going to be something I tackle in 2014; NOT listening to my head! Whether I have to bitch slap myself or break a finger, I will do my best to rid of these insane notions :) Maybe yoga???

Well Smudgers, I am absolutely wiped tonight so I'll leave you early and love you long time <3 

XOXO

Freaky Smudge 

Kick start in the bee- hind! :)

Welcome to 2014; please make sure your helmets and life jackets are securely fastened on your person!

How was your New Years kids? Mine was unexpected to say the least but just like I told a drunk friend "It's not how you start the year sweetie, it's what you make of it" - So corny but I hope it hits home for some of ye that need it! :)

Maybe you're like me; you enjoy the winter but the idea of summer is just too delicious. This summer I want to work (translation: I want money!). Yes, money and experience! I'm an ambitious person and the more I know the better :P And there's also one other thing on my mind, planted there by my friends, and I'm just a tad excited; FESTIVALS ^_^
To name one in particular, Benicassim. Probably one of the hottest places to be this summer! 4 days of sweet summer jams, with sun, water parks, and all the cheap goodies one can dream of! To be honest though I don't know much about Benicassim - small town off the east coast of Spain, 2 hours drive from Barcelona, 20th anniversary of the music festival which takes place there every summer.... And my knowledge ends there! When going to a festival there are many factors involved which people just seem to overlook completely, so I'm going to try cover all I can in this blog! :) If I miss out on anything feel free comment below! These can be applied to pretty much every festival situation!

1. Where? and When?- You want to choose the perfect place to party this summer! Whether it's Tomorrowland in Belgium or Benicassim in Spain. But you have to think of your chosen location, because Spain or Ibiza in the middle of summer is not going to be cheap! So take this into consideration because if flights are high you may want to row to your destination... And I'd start now!

2. Best sites for Flights - I found that eDreams.com was a good website when looking for flights. It also helps to look at using different airlines on your to and from journeys. http://www.edreams.com

3. Packing - If you're a girl like me then it isn't easy to pack because you can literally think of an outfit to suit any time/ mood of the day! :P But one major fact you need to remember is that there will be 0 electricity! You will be camping, you will be smelly, and you will have a hard time trying to wash your hair! So pack light; if it a sun setting you're interested in, well you can wear the same bikini top a few times (I don't think E! is watching!) and there's no point bringing heels!
*** Remember these essentials ->> Dry Shampoo + Baby wipes + Sun screen <<- ***

4. Camping and your tent - If you're purchasing a tent with, let's say, 4 friends, the buy a 5/6 person tent to give yourselves more room! Maybe you've seen the long, tall flags that are usually placed at the back of go-karts - buy one! These can be used beside/ on top of your tent (hopefully it won't get stolen :/ ), or in the antenna of your car if you're driving. Just a suggestion but I think it could work! Some camp sites can be mucky, Oxegen is a regular for that! Before getting into your tent, I suggest placed some smooth, wide blanks of wood down for ye to sleep on; keep you nice and dry, and away from all the creepy crawlies - ugh I hate camping!

5. The experience - It's easy to think of it as yourself and your friends hanging around, listening to music and dancing in a crowd, but there are thousands of people! Thousands of people that are there with their friends, dancing and shouting - crowded to say the least. So I suggest that you and your friends come up with a meeting point so you can find each other if one gets lost. Stick to your itinerary!!! If you told your friends you're going to see some band or whatever, then go! If they need you they'll need to know where to find you, and most likely you won't have a phone because you're battery would be dead. It's sort of like when you're 5 years old and you get lost in a supermarket, separated from your parents - if you lose your friends, you will be slightly freaked, and even if you say "uh no! Not me, I'd be fine", would you really like to put a friend in that situation?? So for everyone's sake; find a meeting point, make a plan and stick to it!

6. What you got there? - No I'm not talking about drugs (stay away from them!). I'm talking about how maybe you or one of your friends have decided to bring an expensive Nikon camera to take the most memorable pics with! - I'm telling you right now it's either going to get damaged or stolen! Why not bring some disposable cameras instead :) And sure you'd look great in your $500 shorts/ top, but Penneys merchandise is just as good!! I completely understand the want to look good and everything, but no one is going to want to see your mascara run while you argue with the security about your lost goods!

7. Things you'll hear your mother say - Just be careful guys! While festivals are fun and good craic, there's also a lot of weirdos around. Be cautious of who you talk to, and don't bring valuables (just no point!). In countries like Spain or Croatia, alcohol can be cheap as chips. So before you go out, eat a meal! And know when to stop drinking; go on the water for a while. Don't be an idiot - sure you want to let loose and be free, etc., but think! And maybe take an extra day to recover before heading off home, if you have to drive or catch a plane with a throbbing hangover, you will hate the world!!!

Well that is all from me my lovelies and I do hope my tips helped! If you have any tips of your own please leave them in the comments :)
XOXO
Freaky Smudge