"First last day" of high school and haul

That's what it was. Today was my first day of grade 12, but the last time I get to say "my first day" of high school. What a weird feeling. Before today, it didn't really sink in that it's my last year of "normal" school, my last year to get things right. I have spent a lot of time alone this summer and I think I was beginning to forget what it was like being around people and how school felt.
Today was an eye-opening day though. I now feel ready, excited, nervous and fine with this being my last year. I'm always afraid to say "I wish this will be the best year" because what if it doesn't become the best year? What if I disappoint myself, and it's all far from it? I guess the best piece of advice I can give to myself, or anyone really, is I hope I seize every opportunity I get and enjoy every moment of this sure to be stressful year. I think my biggest goal is to have fun and complain less(even though it's tough with all the schoolwork I'll be getting haha).

Also! I had about an hour and a half as buffer time before I had to go back to school so I went thrifting and got these.

I know, super basic, just denim but those two jeans are amazing! I'm a very short person(5feet exactly) so finding jeans that are true form and length is so rare, but these just magically happen to be my exact length! They're good quality and cheap! Can't complain there. Then the denim jacket is a must in many people's wardrobes and I really like it too, so I was so happy to get one! Oh the joys of thrifting.

This was my outfit for today. Super tomboy, I know. I'm feeling a bit under the weather so I thought going casual was best. I adore these super baggy, comfortable pants but cannot remember where they're from!

Black tank top- Joefresh

Flannel- Bluenotes

Shoes worn(not shown)- Black Converse. 

Latest Obsession: Eyebrows

The thicker and fuller eyebrow is back! Don't worry, I am aware that this reborn trend has been existent for quite some time now but I've only become obsessed with it so recently. Some may arguably say the true trend started in the 50s-60s with actresses, such as Audrey Hepburn, then regained popularity in the 90s with Brooke Shield's iconic brow. However, there was a big gap between that time, and for the past couple years, thicker brows are the way to go. 

The new craze for popular eyebrows has been popularized by the likes of:

 Lucy Hale

Lily Collins

And the one who really solidified this trend, British model, Cara Delevigne

When it comes to eyebrows, I have always favoured the most natural looking one(which is why I am so glad that this trend came back). This means no over-shaping and such, just trying to stick  to your most natural shape(which will always look better). I was quite blessed to have naturally thickish eyebrows(they aren't unbearably thick either) but there was a time where I thought that was quite annoying and embarrassing. But with these new trends, I think it's a fantastic place to highlight. Something about having a full brow makes you more confident, perhaps because it is such an essential part of our facial features and completes your look, even if you aren't wearing any makeup. Maybe now I'll be able to use a strong brow to avoid wearing excess makeup, just like Cara Delevigne often does. Either way, I'm hoping this trend is one to stay. 

Shoe Haul and Obsession

I remember when I was younger seeing adults have SO many pairs of shoes..and I never quite got why you would need(want) that many pairs. For me, I had my one regular pair and maybe a few others for occasions but I was never obsessed with shoes.

Flash forward to now, 2013, and I have finally clued into the shoe obsession. And in this month, I have gotten 3 new pairs that I absolutely adore.

The only funny part is that I haven't actually worn them yet but in my defense I really only got them within a week ago.

These ones I unexpectedly bought from Target(in the U.S.). They were only $15 or $17 dollars I believe--can you say cheap! They're kind of "cushony" on the inside and they have a leather texture on the outside with a nice floral design on the sides. When winter kicks in here, I'm sure these will become my go-to shoes.

White Converse are the craze! I have been wanting these for a good year now and I finally got them! I ordered these online from a store called 'Soft Moc' which delivered for free(the shoes were $50). I already have a pair of converse and they are my favorite casual shoes, you can literally wear them with any outfit. The only problem wit these is that I live in Vancouver, where it rains..a lot, so these can't really be worn as much as I'd like. Guess I'll just have to make the best of them while summer is still here!

And lastly, my favorite, these are the Advanced Suede Chelsea Ankle Boots from ASOS. I cannot begin to explain how badly I've wanted suede Chelsea boots. I've been obsessed with them ever since Harry Styles has been wearing his brown ones(these are NOT the exacts, he just has a pair of 'Chelsea Boots'). He's seen wearing them on multiple occasions this year..to the point where they went from being true suede to looking more like leather haha, whatta guy. Though he eloquently can match brown boots with everything, I doubt I could do the same so I opted to find some black ones.

And let me tell you, I've been on the hunt for a solid month and a half to find some good, and relatively cheap ones.That's when I fell across ASOS, which is now my favorite online store. These babies were ONLY $35(this was a sale price-they went down from being $70). And the beauty of ASOS is that they do free shipping; it took about 10 days to get to me, as the store is based in the UK. Unfortunately, once again, Vancouver weather is not the best place to sport these shoes but I don't even mind, I think I'll be able to find enough occasions to wear these. I guess patience really does payoff.

Cover Girl - Lash Blast 24 HR Mascara- Review

This was one of my many purchases(well for me) of makeup of this month. Covergirl- Lashblast 24 HR Mascara.

It's actually the first kind of mascara I've purchased with a brush of that sort-it's quite chubby. As for the mascara itself, it is very black and really lengthens your eyelashes, which is good for anyone that wants more volume. However, I found that it can clump quite easily--especially when you want to build it up, so you should be careful when applying.

As for the 24HR guarantee, I can say that it does stay true to that. It is SO hard to remove, and the next day I'd still find some residue on my eyelashes. Personally, I don't really like that type of mascara-I do like to have all my makeup off at night. But if you don't want to fret about your mascara smudging or coming off and you want long-lasting, then this product is definitely a go for you. Overall not a terrible mascara, but other than the 24HR guarantee, it is not too extraordinary.

*Disclamer: I am not sponsored, these opinions are my own*

Checking In-Getting back to normal

I have definitely done what I was afraid of-neglected this blog majorly. This was partially due to laziness, partially due to me wanting to enjoy my last month of "freedom", that is until school starts. It will be my grade 12 year, and to be honest, I haven't thought much about it. I guess I'm a little nervous, scared, and excited but I mostly hope that this really will feel like the best of my high school years.

On another note, I have been going on quite a shopping binge this month. I have definitely bought more clothes than I have in the whole year combined(I'm not a massive "buyer") and I have also bought a ton of new makeup. I've been feeling like I wanted to re-invent myself a bit--something we all feel at one point or another-- hence the big shopping sprees. So some hauls and possibly reviews will definitely be coming up :)

I am SO new to this blogging world, and my biggest trouble is finding other blogs haha. So if you ever come across my blog, comments are appreciated, as well as tips for connecting with other blogs out there.

And now I leave you with a shot of my absolute favorite city-my hometown-- Vancouver. I may just have to do a whole post on why Vancouver truly triumphs all cities out there.

Meditation--

 

Many of us imagine this when we think "meditation" 

The other day I was watching an interview of Oprah on some late night show and was intrigued my something she kept speaking about: how she now mediates every day and that helps balance her life. Oprah is a phenomenal woman and a huge inspiration to women and just people in general all over the globe. And of course when someone with as much respect as her says something, people listen.

In the interview she said that she meditates at least twice a day for 20 minutes, and she kept going on and on about the benefits you get from clearing your mind. All I could think of is "That's funny, Muslims have been doing this for hundreds of years, and people are only catching on this now?" This new found love for meditation in the modern world is quite simply adorned by many because of celebrity endorsements. But if we look at it, Muslims all over the world "meditate(pray)" each day. This also means that our generic way of thinking what "meditation" is, in fact may take different forms.

As it goes, Muslims pray five times a day (the times for each prayer depends entirely on how long each person decides to pray for). Now Muslims pray, of course, to get closer to God and they pray for God, but nevertheless there are several benefits you get from praying. When in prayer, your mind is completely cleared of all worldly worries and stress; you are to focus only on your prayer. This makes Muslims achieve a state of spirituality, and they do this five times a day. This is very similar to meditation, where people who meditate are to clear their minds and thoughts in order to reach a spiritual state and find themselves at peace. The two are exactly the same, just differing in why each one does said action. Furthermore, the Prophet Muhammad(S.A.W) used to take himself quite often to a secluded cave in his town where he would just meditate and clear his mind---and this was before he had heard of  God's words.

In all, it makes me quite excited that people are now taking a step and realizing the benefits of clearing your mind to purify your soul. And honestly, more people should be doing it. It's a peaceful approach in which you learn a lot about yourself, not to mention you feel extremely full of life when finished. Xx

Muslims praying

Throwback: California Trip

In June I had the awesome opportunity to go to California for one week. This was with my family and we went to L.A., Disneyland, and further south to Oceanside(but we also drove to San Diego). Now California is an interesting destination, here's the breakdown:

This is Hollywood--the Walk of Fame is down below. It's quite a busy street, but it isn't very long. It's surrounded by restaurants and shops, and obviously all the "stars" down below. Not nearly as amazing as the movies make it(especially if you've been to Las Vegas).

Here's that famous Hollywood sign, way up on the mountains.

This is Venice Beach, one of the nicest beaches in L.A. The photo was taken up on the Santa Monica pier. This is one of the only spots that impressed me in L.A.( along as a drive up to Beverly Hills and it's houses--they are MEGA).

 These are all from DISNEYLAND--the Happiest Place on Earth. I may just do a whole separate post about my one day there because it was absolutely fabulous. I only went with my younger brother, who didn't quite enjoy it as much as I did, but nobody was raining on my parade that day. It's the 2nd time I've been to Disneyland(the 1st being when I was 8 in Paris) but nonetheless I had a fantastic time. The rides are not really thriller rides but mostly just fun and for the theme. We stayed all day and accomplished basically everything we wanted--it was awesome.

Now we head on down South. These photos were taken at Camp Pendleton--a military base camp near Oceanside. The view over the water was stunning, but it was VERY windy out. We saw about six of those tanks with soldiers filled in them, they stopped and were waving at us(many of us), it was great.

This is at La Jolla Cove-- which includes an Underwater Park, meaning marine life is everywhere. In fact, that day there were tons of seal lions as well as a few dolphins. The weather wasn't so great but it really was a nice place.

This is San Diego. We stopped here for a couple of hours--there wasn't much else to do as we weren't staying there but the weather was gorgeous and it really looks like a pleasant place, especially for residents.

 Now this, my friends, is Solana Beach--the most strikingly gorgeous beach I have ever been to(and I've been to many). It is massive and so grand. It is not so much a swimming beach(though children can go in the shallow) as it is for surfing(as are all the beaches in California) but the view is stunning and peaceful.

Along the beach we have cliff-side houses. They are all HUGE. And they just line the beach--now that is luxury.

And this is where I got to spend my 17th birthday--a beach in Oceanside. The weather got much better as the day progressed and the beach was so nice--once again more for surfing than swimming. The only problem with that day is my whole family got a MASSIVE sunburn(and we're from the Mediterranean--we don't typically burn). It was really bad and painful..not too sure what happened that day, but nevertheless, it was a nice view.

 This over here is the very famous Laguna Beach. And yes that is the weather that was offered--not all of California is as sunny as it seems in movies(it was actually cloudy most of the time). The beach is super crowded, as you can tell it's a touristic destination. Once again there were rough waves but many people were "swimming"(more avoiding to be trampled by waves). The town is pretty pleasant..this was one of the many "rich and posh" beach cities along the coast of Southern California.

And finally, the trip comes to an end with a absolutely beautiful sunset at Redondo Beach(a popular filming location near L.A.)

This overall trip was quite nice looking back on it. Southern California is definitely a place to visit, the beach cities are spectacular and the people are quite nice. However, L.A. turned out to be a big disappointment. If you ever go there, do NOT expect it to be like the movies(also beware of the crazy driving). California trip, you will be missed, it was definitely a worth wile experience.