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Recommends:
What not to wear, cool summer reads…
MichelleSummertime is the best time to go shopping (however, I am the world's laziest shopper. I absolutely dread making a trek to the mall!). It is during the summer months that you usually feel happier, sexier, and more energetic. You may feel this all year long, but I feel an extra jolt of cheerfulness during the sunny months. That is why I enjoy wearing skirts, dresses and anything really girly.
So my recommend for the summer months is (and this can be applied all year long as well): When you are shopping, please buy clothing that most flatters your body.
I am not a size 0. I got the booty and hips to prove it! I have embraced my curves and I try to dress to show them instead of feeling ashamed of them. Instead of wearing clothes that are way too small, I buy clothing that hugs my body.
Grrls, don't fret if you have to go up a size. When you wear clothing that fits your frame, you actually look more polished than when you are wearing ill-fitting clothes that are stretched to the max. Extremely tight pants, skirts, and tees do not look good!
The same goes with wearing baggy clothing. I know that there are times when you want to camouflage your slight imperfections, but wearing oversized clothing only makes you look frumpy and unkempt. It creates an awkward shapeless frame that only hides your figure.
So on your next visit to the mall, be sure to try on a variety of sizes, and choose the one that works well with your body. ¤ Michelle
Christine
Every summer since I was a wee kid, I'd take advantage of the hiatus and run to the library to borrow books upon books. (This is before I discovered the mind-numbing joys of alcohol and reality shows, but I digress.) I was really into Sweet Valley High and Christopher Pike back then, so whenever a new book came out, I'd immediately put it on hold (because I'm a book hog) and devour it within days. When I entered university, my lust for books diminished considerably since I had just spent the last semester reading three textbooks from cover to cover. Now that school's out, and might be for the remainder of my life, I'm appreciating words on a page again, and started catching up on some great books that I had meant to read for the past five years. Reading can be fun, granted you have the right tools (and I know it can turn not fun when you have really bad, bad tools). Here are some summer reads that you should be picking up:
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon: Christopher is a fifteen year old savant with a big heart but a different understanding of the world. When a neighbour's dog mysteriously dies, Christopher tries to crack the mystery…in his own way. What begins as an unusual murder-mystery by an even more unusual protagonist quickly turns into a study of human character, as Christopher not only discovers the circumstances surrounding the dog's death, but also hidden family secrets that turn his world upside down. Great writing by Haddon, who captures Christopher's spirit expressively, sometimes veering off into the hilarious, and sometimes returning to the poignant. Bonus: Haddon, who is also an artist, illustrates the book.
The Secret Life of Bees: A Novel, Sue Monk Kidd: It's 1964, and race relations are high in South Carolina. Lily, a white teenage girl living on a farm with her father, witnesses the brutal harassment and beating of her African-American housekeeper, Rosaleen. With nowhere to turn, and an oppressive father who treats her more like an acquaintance than a daughter, Lily springs Rosaleen out of the hospital and they make their way to neighbouring town Tiburton. This is no coincidence - Lily finds a picture of a black Madonna in her deceased mother's keepsake box with "Tiburton" scribbled on the back, and goes about trying to find out what her mother's last days were like, and if she was indeed responsible for her mother's death all those years ago. Kidd draws some of the most colourful characters to come out of literature in recent times, and tells a compelling story about acceptance, love, and growing up.
Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding: So I'm cheating, and I've read this book about six years ago. Still, it's a great read, and Bridget is one of the best fleshed out, flawed heroines to come out of chick lit since its saturation into the market. Plus, she's funny, and also a little bit of an alcoholic. The follow up Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason is not as good, so skip that one.
Upcoming: The Jade Peony by Wayson Choy, which I haven't gotten around to reading yet, but am looking forward to cracking open.
So this summer, pick up a book and enjoy all it has to offer. Happy reading! ¤ C.Ho.