Wanna Be That G.U.Y

Gaga is in it again.

After releasing her CD (and promoting it) like a crazy maniac her record company really is, she suddenly disappeared from the spotlight (why were you so shy, Gaga?) She came out once for her epic duet with Xtina Aguilera (too lazy to type her first name) for a single she hasn’t release yet… until now. Oh, and she DID get puked by stranger on stage (who’s that girl’s name again?) But Gaga is never good with silence (her fashion sense makes that clear). Yesterday she took over Instagram to announce her new music video out of the blue, G.U.Y.

Okayyyyy….

To be fair, I like G.U.Y. The track is pop-y with a lot of electronic, modern DJ thing and energetic vibes that is enough to keep me dancing all night long in a party we should all forget. So, afraid of being the last one to know what’s going on in our beloved artsy-popsy Queen’s head, I open Youtube…. and there it is… Artpop-G.U.Y-video!

I’ve watched it and…. yeah, not bad.

(Spoiler: there is no puke involved! Miracle!)

Note: The video starts with Artpop, then Venus, then finally G.U.Y.

The video starts with Gaga as a bird (yes, again). It looks like some men shoots her with cupid-like arrow and left her covered with muds and money (materialistic people who once kicked her artsy heart back when she was just a stripper in New York? Who knows?) Dying and has nowhere to go, Gaga slowly walks alone to… an Italian-tropical-classic hotel paradise with mysterious guards wearing black plastic wrappers, and people having pool party. I thought Gaga was going to be revived by some weird magician (Gandalf? Are you there?) But, no. The pop star is dead and people (the ones having pool party) decide to drown her into magical underwater, dynamic, colorful world.

Well, the rest of it is just a lot of symbolism (Gandhi, Jesus, Michael Jackson revived from dead and Gaga taking their blood/wisdom whatsoever), Gaga with Versace gowns, Gaga in sexy white swimsuit, Gaga wearing another Mickey Mouse/Teddy Bear/Miley Cyrus VMA outfit look alike costume, hunks in suits, hunks in thongs, hunks in pool, hunks dancing with Gaga, hunks dancing with other hunks, hunks carrying her until the end of the video. And… credit so long, it takes almost half of the 11-minutes video.

Am I saying the video is bad?

Oh, by all means, NO!

Confusing? Yes. Unoriginal? Probably (the dying bird part is new!)  But really bad like Justin Bieber Nicky Minaj’s shaky video camera (reference to Paranormal Activity) with party girls, pool party, SWAGs, and really bad rap (yet we kept on singing Beauty and a Beattttt… for one whole month last year)?

Hell, no! 

As I’ve said before, I really like the song and Gaga’s dancing never really fails me. I just feel that the video took too long to release and it’s not really.. surprising or ground breaking or enough to make people jump head over heels. If Gaga disappeared just to make this video, then… she should kick her marketing team straight on their butts and shoot them like the men did to her in the video. 

A little message to the hackers, Youtube-modifiers  out there: please cut the too-long credit and upload the no-credit-version to your online holy sanctuary called Youtube. I will definitely download it!

What can I say? It’s GAGA!!

Land of Photos

I am so tired these past few days. No kidding! This semester is not a mess, it’s a chaos created by Indonesia’s national education system (need I say more? BORING!) What can I say? I am just following the tides. However, I do have some little time to sneak behind text-books and college applications to write this post and make another (please, roll your eyes ladies and gentlemen!) Tumblr blog.

Hmm… I am not even sure, if it’s a blog or not. More like a bigger version of Instagram and smaller, simpler version of WordPress (or Blogspot). 

Whatever it is, I honestly think I will spend most of my free time there, due to WordPress’s limited memories, different contents and other small inconvenient things (like how lazy I am to write about another street style trend and do another the-next-big-thing research). I am not leaving this blog, just splitting my limited times and energy into a lot of different… social medias.

Gosh, am I addicted?

Anyway, just like what Ellen DeGeneres always say… see you and be kind to each other! Have a nice weekend… Ah, right, today’s still Thursday in some countries ehehehe…. 

Ah yes, you want to know what my new Tumblr’s name is? Peppermint Swing. 

I got the idea from Coldplay’s Strawberry Swing (very relaxing and helpful during these past few hell-weeks) and decided to do a little twist with the name… So, you got Peppermint Swing! It’s more into visual than texts, so wish me luck… and hey, drop by sometimes! We’ll swing together, cause’ without you it’s a waste of time. 

Image taken from Style Slicker

Pose Lena Pose!

Posing for a big fashion magazine and don’t know how to do it properly? No need to worry dah-ling! Hamish Bowles and Lena Dunham are ready to teach you the ‘Vogue Cover Girl Dance’, right from the top! 

Image taken from Vogue.com. Edited by Gimme Good Style.

Feel The Howl: Wolf of Wall Street

Guys, do you know how biscuit and tea work together?

Of course you do. We all have done it a few times when we are having tea. First, we take the cookies, then we dip it inside our tea for a few seconds and (this is the best part) bite it quickly to get the perfect mix of tea and biscuits. But this pleasure can be a little bit tricky to get. If you accidentally dip the cookie for too long, it will slowly crumble, leaving you with mushy wet grain. Disgusting. The only thing you want to do with those mushy mixtures is throw it right away to nearest sink. 

That’s what happens in The Wolf of Wall Street. 

Martin Scorsese directed an elegant adaptation of one of the biggest douchebags in USA, Jordan Belfort aka The Wolf of Wall Street. With Leonardo DiCaprio as the main star, supported by Jonah Hill and Margot Robbie, Wolf of Wall Street is one of the biggest movies in 2014, going all the way to Golden Globes and Academy Awards. The first question that has been lingering in everyone’s mind is: is it really that good? 

The storyline revolves around the life of Jordan Belfort. Starting as a poor newly married man, Jordan has to work like shit in Wall Street as a young stockbroker (connector, stockbroker, everything feels the same in my lip). His life changes when his boss teaches him a thing or two about how money goes in and out… and how to slip some to your pocket when nobody’s seeing (man, love this kind of boss!) Jordan rises quickly and in no time, he is the Wolf of Wall Street. Tricky, persuasive, charming, world-class playboy, and drug addict, Jordan Belfort has to wake up before he falls straight into his own hell hole made of money (well, technically made of stock papers, but whatever).

First thing that comes up in my mind: Leo DiCaprio knows how to act like a frequent drug user. Second thing: this movie is great, but very very VERY long. Well, don’t push your luck this time movie-sleepers. The story goes up and down with no sign of endings or climax or anti-climax, which is great because drama can be very boring without this kind of… wave. I personally like the way Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio draws Jordan Belfort. He was a good man before money corrupts him, and that corrupted mind will go all the way until the end of his life (the money stays. That’s the best thing about karma). A bit cruel, but really delivers the moral of the story. Praise for Jonah Hill, who is very successful in delivering stupid-yet-sincere best friend, cheering up both Jordan and us all the way until the credit ends.

Of course, the language is not appropriate. Man, never heard people saying that many harsh words in one sentence. Damn, fuck, asshole, bitch, slut… brace yourself parents because even my ears get red during the movie. And yeah… it’s not really a good thing to show strippers (or drugs)(or people shouting to each other)(or cops arresting men with all those scary expressions) to children, even when the scene is actually in the office. 

Children purity aside, this movie is really worth the hours. Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a stronger performance than Gatsby (which is, let’s admit it, a flunk). The story is solid, even though a bit long. The moral is great (too much money = mushy wet cookies). And the whole cast really uplifts the story to an easier yet also higher level. Truly elegant, dirty, and… surprisingly smart. 

Watch the trailers (and my favorite scene) here: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iszwuX1AK6A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pabEtIERlic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6axK2aNxFg

(Not) Giving Not Receiving

Hey, let me give you my classic sarcastic, pessimistic prediction: Christmas Day is going to be suck. It looks like I don’t have any essential Christmas things (I don’t even need to open my dusty store-room). I don’t have any Christmas tree, I don’t have anything that look like Christmas tree, I haven’t done my Holiday Shopping (my back!), and don’t even talk about parties. So succckkkkk….. Unless someone invites me to their homes for Christmas tipsy-ing. Probably not. I am not really a good party person.

Wait, I feel like I am the suspect of my own misery here (quite right, but I am in the state of objection). No guys, I am the victim of harsh reality called life and people who always say ‘sorry, we’ve been running out of anything in your list since weeks ago, duh!’ (See?! I DID try to buy something).

Welllllll…. I am pretty much screwed this time. And I feel Santa always help me escape this… fiasco.

Anyway, don’t you think Christmas presents has been overexposed since the beginning of.. I don’t know, Christ? Let’s go back to the roots of traditions: Christmas is the time when we all be grateful for the Birth of Christ the Savior. All the rest of the goods just pop up every now and then.

One thing I am most certain is they didn’t have Christmas-Holiday-Card 20.000 years ago (I was typing the year randomly, correct me if I make a mistake), leave alone Christmas stockings (eh.. socks, I mean).

You can say I decided to go back to this Christmas tradition and give nothing AND receive nothing from my friends (quite fair). It’s like devoting the whole Christmas day for praying, being grateful for this miracle, and listening to Kelly Clarkson’s Underneath The Tree. Pretty Zen, you know. Unless someone invite me to tipsy-ing in their ah, forget it!

So, what are you guys going to do on Christmas?

Image taken from The Sartorialist. Edited by Gimme Good Style

Walter Mitty

Meh, Movies. I am not interested anymore in box office movies, even if it’s Catching Fire. The last blockbuster movie that I saw was… Gravity. And, okay, I kinda liked it, but the after-effect is not really worth to mention. Yeah, sorry Sandra!

It doesn’t mean that I hate watching movies. Please, who hates watching movies?!? I am just waiting for a really good movie. You know, the one with solid plot, talented actors/actresses, amazing settings, and enough special effects. But, seriously, these past few months every single movie seems talking about either a match to death… or vampires. Or both.

Fortunately for me (and everyone who is sick of vampires), there is this one movie that really attracts my attention. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Yes, this one is a remake (I never watch the original though) and I know there are a lot of possibilities that this movie is going to flunk right after the big release. I just can’t help but hanging to this little movie-freak-hope.

I like the simple plot (a really boring man with boring job (photo editor for LIFE magazine) suddenly jumps into a whole new adventure he has been waiting for his whole life, because one missing negative film yada yada yada).

I like Ben Stiller and Kristen Wiig chemistry in the last 3 trailers (well, there is nothing really new from those three trailers, but I can feel it. Kristen and Ben are both great by the way). And the settings! Ah, the views! The places! The nature! Everything is just too good to see (MY EYEEEESSS!!!!)

The last good thing? It is scheduled to release on Christmas, which is my favorite year of the year and the only time when I praise everyone and everything I see/touch/hear.

Ah, take me in the same boat with you Mr. Mitty (the name’s a bit funny, don’t you think?)

Phonebloks!

Hiya guys! How are you? Or I supposed to ask your phone first. How is your phone doing?

I ask this question a lot and people just answer with mournful faces. Nah, my phone is not really fine, the battery/screen/keyboards/memory is messing up. Again. Well, I can see that phone or other electronic devices aren’t designed for a long term use.

Me for example, I change my phone at least once a year (either I crush it to pieces or it’s growing into an old man in no time). Maybe twice, if I break something that is too expensive to repair (like logic board something). It is annoying to imagine how much money I spend and how much time I waste looking for another perfect phone that will absolutely only last for a year (or two, if I am lucky).

Enough, I said!

I know most of you think the same with me. That’s why you are still reading this post, aren’t you? Well, if you do, please take a look at Phonebloks. A new concept phone that is made of… well, blocks. Don’t get it wrong. It’s a special blocks attached to special board and joined by two screwdrivers to keep the phone solid and perfectly designed.

As you can see, this Phoneblocks is super super versatile. You can customize it the way you want, whatever your needs are. You just have to remove the blocks and change it with the ones you like.

Everything is available in Blokstore.

Need a new battery-block? Blokstore. New bigger camera? Blokstore.  New memory? Blokstore. New screen with full QWERTY keyboard? Blokstore.

The concept is the same when you suddenly break one of the components, even the screen. Calm down, no need to panic. Just erased the one that you broke and change it with a new block. Like playing Lego! A really cool Lego.

This way, you can save your money AND environment because you can imagine how much electronic waste we throw to the earth each year. Look at your Samsung Galaxy Note or Apple, then times 1000000000000000000000. You got the point.

Of course, every good thing comes the last. This Phonebloks is still a concept (WHAAATTTTT!?!?!?!?)  And every concept needs a lot of efforts to make it come true. I, myself, can’t do a lot. But YOU and I can do more things together.

Please, I beg you to click this Phonebloks official site and give your applause (Lady Gaga, you should be proud of me). If we are lucky (and help this project socially), there is a big chance this project will come to life. Wow, living in a world where I only need to buy blocks instead of expensive, difficult to find electronic components I never find interesting (or understandable).

It’s perfect, you know.

10 Thoughts About Miley Cyrus ‘Wrecking Ball’

Ow-kay, stop it fashionistas! Stop!! Why are you keep moving really fast these past few days? I know that it’s fashion week, but still… do we have to talk about it all the time?! Actually maybe I don’t want to talk about it all the time because I am starting to fall out behind. Huff, I guess I just can’t compete with all those ‘update all the time’ bloggers.

So, let’s start talking about something else for a while. Mmm, not all topics are as exciting as fashion weeks, but I know one person that you will find out very easy to talk about, very controversial, and as fierce as fashion shows can be. And people seem to talk about this one individual even more during the fashion weeks.

Please welcome Miley Cyrus and her new video: Wrecking Ball!!! 

To make matters short (I wish we can talk about this girl until fashion weeks end, but I also have tons of fashion pictures to show you. Oh, dilemma!!), I will tell you my 10 thoughts about her newest music video.

1. The beginning of the video is just pretty. Pretty close up. Pretty eyes. Pretty teeth (hell, those are the whitest teeth ever!), and very very emotional (tears….ugh, I am going to cry with you Mileeeyyyy).
2. The scene changed and I am a bit stunned with her outfit choice again. White crop top and white… panties? Oh, and a sledgehammer. Classy, you know.
3. Umm…. why she licks the sledgehammer? Gross…..
4. The (first) crane ball scene is just epic! I love how the director slows the falling bricks to get the best dramatic effect. Maybe Miley can do more with that sledgehammer than just licking it. Gross…..
5. Oh, the close up again! Prettty!!!!! 
6. The crane ball looks epic, but don’t you think Miley should play a little more with….okay,wait…she is hanging there…she is…naked. Cool, naked Miley. Seen it all the timee… ah, what a beautiful breast! Stop it stop it stop it…. art art art art.
7. One parent-like dominant thought: AGAINNNN?!?!?!? NAKED CAN BE NOT-REALLY-SEXY. 
8. Licking the sledgehammer again?!!?!? Arghhh….germssssss….stttooopppp!!!
9. Laying in the dust. Very sad. Very cinematic….. oh, umm…there is a bit panty-stain..not important, but quite annoying detail that somehow keeps me from connecting with the lyrics (Wreckinggg balll…ya, you wre-e-e-ck me…oh, shit, that stain!) Sorry Miley, even a stylish girl like you can’t deny the Law of White.
10. Even though filled with negative comments and people telling me how bad the video is, I just read this interview where Miley explained the whole details: the licking-sledgehammer? Miley is secretly loving the pain in her relationship (*cough* Liam *cough*). The naked-crane-ball? She feels naked and vulnerable because of the just-broke-up thing (call Taylor Swift, please! Someone! She is dying!!)

Well, I guess she has some reasons doing random ‘too sexy’ things in the video and it’s quite relieving for me. Ah, and the director is Terry Richardson. Oh, man, that guy is just ‘too hot’ for me to handle. Everything becomes porn-artistic in his hands.

Let’s get out from here.

ASAP

(And the song is just beautiful, if you listen to it without watching the video. So pure, a bit rough, sad, easy to understand, and a good vocal start for new Miley v.2.0).

Last But Not Least

During fashion weeks, I like to slowly recap what’s happening around the streets. The trends, the people, the street photographers. All of them are significant in determining which trend is hot and which is not. Excluding Anna Dello Russo, Lady Gaga, and other fashion maniacs that like to put something we can’t imagine on top of their heads (cherry?), I think I get some points so far just from New York Fashion Week. I know, I am such a diligent blogger this time!

First, it’s white. White t-shirts, white shirts, white cropped tops, white dresses. Everything is shining white these past few months. And all those designers seem to still fancying and exploring this color. Well, I guess time to really change and become a careful person, if you want to follow this trend.

Second, it’s all about simplicity guys. People tend to wear less demanding clothes and start buying sporty, basic pieces for their fashion weeks looks. Light clothes are nin and heavy dresses are totally out. Uh, I even found some people wearing silky pajamas out there. And I AM NOT A FAN OF PAJAMA TREND! 

Third, big bags. Giant bags. Monstrous bags. The bigger, the better. Here’s the thing about a big bag, you can put everything you want inside it, but you also have to be ready and loose everything you throw down there because big bags are just not practical! I don’t know why people still fight for this trend. Geez, I guess the fact big bags run from one runway to another (Jason Wu to Alexander Wang) makes people think size doesn’t really matter anymore.

The funny thing is, I realize I can find an old fashion week picture where a model wore all those trends above in just one look. Nope, she is not a psychic nor a fashion journalists with sharp instincts (ugh, those people scared me with their sharp predictions and stares). When people don’t believe that fashion world is repetitive and not really unpredictable, well, they should compare old fashion weeks pictures with new ones. I did. And now I believe fashion is not that confusing.

Image taken from Vanessa Jackman

STYLE Loves: SK-II UK Commercial

 

Okay, the truth is; I usually scream painfully at Youtube commercial while screaming ‘quick quick quick’ inside my head like a crazy, psychopath from unfinished insane asylum. The only moment I love about commercial is when they pop that ‘skip this ad’ button on the down right corner of the video. Phew, seriously, this button does magic!

Then something strange happened yesterday. I was watching a classic funny cat videos (OMG, sooooooo cuuuttteeee and stupid at the same time. Pfft, cats….) And when I changed the video this annoying ad-thing came out and this time it’s SK-II. Okay, love SK-II. Hate their ads during my funny cat videos. Get ready ad, time to push the magic button.

But after half-heartedly watching half of the ad. I was surprised. This ad really is good, the magic button was abandoned at that point. The ad is called The Discovery, directed by award-winning director (huh, no wonder I love the not-really-mainstream storyline) Tom Hooper. It’s a gentle story of a young girl trying to find the village in Japan, where all the people there are young and (duh!) have soft skins, based on her grandmother story. Very beautiful, cinematic and shows us how beautiful Japanese culture can be. Well, I don’t mind watching this ad in one of thousands funny cat videos (ssooooo funnyyyyyy….caaatttsssss!!!)

SK-II really knows how soften my heart-on-ads. But just that one time.

One time.

Okay, let’s push replay (this button also does magic!)