Tylers' Haistyling Tips

As far as what i do to style it, for the old haircut (1st pic) I used to comb it all down and straighten it in front of my face, then comb it kind of over my right eye and with the other bang to he left side and re-straighten it in its new position (thick wavy hair doesn't like to cooperate) Then for spiking out the back when the mood struck me, i'd kind of run my fingers up the back of my head and pull out the water after a shower to sort of sudo-dry it in that position already, then when straightening came i'd straighten it straight up, and finally I'd add some texturizer and run my hands up through the back and pull out ward, we have a closet in my house where you can see behind you so i'd usually use that to check for missed spots, don't add too much or it'll fall down, then usually once i got it staying nice and up I'd use the left over Texturizer on my hair to smooth it out and kind of hold it in place, my hair is thick so i'd basically pancake my bang between my palms and smoothen it out. then add a bit of hairspray to the back to hold it in place.

For my new hair I'm still experimenting The back is cut so I can spike it out But I've decided to go with wax to spike it which i'm still experimenting with (hence why i have no pictures of that) If you have really long hair i'd suggest some type of wax, simply because it has structure and seems less like lethal spikes than gel, and texturizer would barely help and you'd be holding everything up with hairspray alone otherwise. However it would be a similar idea, running your waxed fingers through you're hair and pulling outwards to make all of the hair stand up, for the front and sides, i pretty much just straighten them and add a bit of texturizer to hold them in place or Depp anti-frizz depending how staticy my hair is. For the bangs I simply straighten everything out and comb it into place so it blends nicely. once it grows a bit further i'll be able to do a fore head showing part but at the moment it doesn't work out to well.

So there is what i did for my old hair and what i do for my new haircut... theres actually a story behind my old haircut and the transitions it underwent before i got it as i liked it..then lobed half of it off lol.


Thanks!
-Tyler

Understated and Elegant?

In celebration of her recent bonus and exam results, one of my girl friends decided to invest in a handbag. She asked me to recommend her something suitable for work that is understated, classic and preferably not Chanel (which was naturally my first instinct!). Naturally when it comes to understated, classic, the Birkin comes to mind, but I think we can wait a few years before we proceed to that level. So I added young to the equation. Many "it" bags come to mind, but few are classic. So here I've listed a few that I think may last through the test of time. The Balenciaga motorcycle (left) and the Miu Miu bow bag (right). HG and I love them both and if you've been reading this blog, you'd know that already since these two bags have been positively overblogged by us. They were 'it' for a reason. I may be biased (because we own them), but I'd like to think that these two are classic. Only thing is that they've been around for a while already so you'd see it a lot in the streets and I'm not exactly sure that they qualify for "understated" or work (is there such a thing as being too hip for work? or am I just being a prude?). Two bags I personally think is more understated and appropriate for work, is the Classic Multi Pocket bag from Marc Jacobs (left) and the Dr Q Groovee satchel from Marc by Marc Jacobs. These are not as in your face as some 'it' bags, but they are definitely still very recognizable as MJ by those in the know. They are also simple, elegant and young. Love them!
For a bit more detail and design, there is the Miu Miu napa bag. But I personally think that this one is a but too recognizable and will be dated in a year or so. For something a bit more exclusive there is the Valentino Histoire bag, a less common 'it' bag that resembles the Mulberry bag from back in the days a bit.
And I KNOW that this is supposed to be young and understated, but I can't help but posting these two. If I were a bit older I'd definitely go for the Bottega Veneta bag (left). Even though it is covered with the Vuitton monogram, I can't help but love this Vuitton Mahina bag. The prints are subtle and the design is just elegant and so cute all at once. I want one!
Now for the winner of this competition- the YSL Muse. A bit more sophisticated than the Marc Jacobs, this bag is structured, simple and elegant. It fits everything and is definitely perfect for work. I checked out the Muse II as well, but I didn't really like it. It looked like it was pretending to be a Birkin. For something a bit more casual and young, I am loving the YSL Downtown bag as well. This will probably be less common on the streets as well.

Any other bags I missed out?

Image Source: E Luxury, Saks and Balenciaga

Shocking Pink Lips

Ever since Gossip Girl started last year, I've been getting more encouraged to try out more makeup. One of the things that I've been inspired to try out is shocking pink lipstick. I tried to find pictures of Blair Wardolf wearing bright pink lipstick but I can't seem to find any (-ignore the fact that Leighton Meester's lips aren't exactly bright pink in the picture.) Maybe I just imagined her having bright pink lips. Anyway, by chance, I got hold of a free bright pink lipstick, which is way too sparkly for my taste but hey, it was free so I feel the duty to at least experiment with it. So here's some research into how to wear it:

Bright pink lips seemed to be pretty popular on the runway in S/S07. In the Diane von Furstenburg show, the look seemed to be basically bright pink lips with pale, clear skin and natural-looking mascara. Note the tiny bit of shimmer on the inner corners of the eyes. Also, note the hint of gold/ orange in the inner edge of the lips.

Solid, matte bright pink at the Bradgley Mischka S/S08 show. The other makeup used seems pretty similar, except there is more blush used here, and the skin is not as bright and perfect as in the DvF show.

Then things got much more dramatic on the Christian Dior F/W08. The pink lips are glossy and the brows are heavily painted in. The foundation on the skin also seems a lot of powedery.

So when I actually try out this look, I'll probably go with something very similar to the DvF S/S07 look, but without bothering with the gold in the lips. While I think bright pink lips looks cool and edgy and girly in magazine editorials and on TV, I'm still not sure how bright pink lips actually work in real life. My main question is, do people actually wear shocking pink lipstick in real life?

Image Credit: http://youknowyouloveme.org/, http://www.style.com/, http://www.maccosmetics.com/

Ebertfest 2008, Day 3

Seen: Friday, April 25, 2008
The following films played on day three of Ebertfest 2008:

Underworld (1927)
If pressed to say which are my two favorite silent films, Charlie Chaplin's City Lights (1931) would probably top the list, but directly on its heels would be Josef von Sternberg's phenomenal gangster pic--also known as the first movie of the gangster genre--Underworld (1927). I honestly didn't believe that it would even make the program for Ebert's festival of underrated and overlooked films, for what cinephile has either dismissed or been left unaware of such a wonderful film? Well, no one, is the answer. As Ebert believes (and I think he's right), silent films are simply overlooked in general by contemporary audiences. So von Sternberg's film was picked as the annual silent screening, but the flickering sound of the projector was hardly the only sound reverberating through the Virginia Theater, enter: The Alloy Orchestra. Live musical accompaniment made a film that is already so smartly built that its series of visuals double as built-in sound cues, even better. In fact, Underworld, which I have seen at least a handful of times, was practically a whole new and enriched film. The sound accompaniment made such a difference in maintaining the story's tone and flow, it actually felt like a longer movie--not tediously so, just more fleshed out and engaging. I love to watch von Sternberg films, and I love to watch Underworld even more; this was simply the best experience seeing any of the above.

The Real Dirt on Farmer John (2005)
If ever you need a pick-me-up, find joy in the story of Illinois farmer and hippie, John Peterson. His heart is as large as that beautiful, organically grown cabbage he's got his arms around at left, seriously. The documentary follows Peterson's plight to save his farm that has been in his family since (if memory serves) before he was even born. Bright super 8mm home movie reels are woven with present day digital footage to narrate the personal story of his mother's life and death, the dismantling of his land in years past when financial times were tough, and shocking stories of his bewildered country neighbors who perpetuated rumors that murderous black magic took place on John's plot of land (you never knew what those nutty long-hairs where up to in those days, I guess!) But mostly, it's an inspiring, hopeful story couched in the organic food movement that only in recent years has gained a lot of commercial steam. Plus John is such a lovable dude, honest and forthwith and impassioned about his quiet everyday life, it's not presumptuous to say his story makes you feel glad that you are alive.

This is what happens at Ebertfest!

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
Ah, and the grand finale for the day! We marveled over writer-director-Hollywood legend Paul Schrader's Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters. It comes post-Taxi Driver and post-Raging Bull, at a time in cinema history that is frowned upon as the era of the bloated blockbuster. That may only partially be true, using Mishima as the definitive case study for the kind of experimental story structure and visual aesthetics employed during the 1980s. The story is a story within a story within a story--the novel, a stage play, and the filmed frame around it all--embellished with sets that simply glow, and a musical score from Philip Glass that haunts me to this day. Schrader was there and I like how he speaks, thoughtful sentences strewn with swears. I don't mean that only in a provocative way either, it's just that there is an amazing energy to how Schrader articulates himself and those choice four letter words are just part and parcel of his individuality. He injects a sense of reality to the conversation, trimming all the fat and self-inflated B.S. you can often easily get from Hollywood directors. The print of the film we saw was Schrader's own. For me, this was the most personal events of Ebertfest, partially because I sat a few feet away from the writer of my favorite American movie (Taxi Driver, 1976), though mostly because I saw a new movie pumped full of magic, wonder and fear--to fall in love at the theater! Mishima is the newest addition to my long best-of list.


Read more about Ebertfest Day 3 as it happened live at Scarlett Cinema!

emo boy

This emo boy has the most awesome hair. Agree?

Ebertfest, Day 2

Go to Scarlett Cinema for a full run-down of Day 2 as it happened live!

Seen: Thursday, April 24, 2008
The following films played on day 2 of Ebertfest 2008:

Delirious (2006)
To say indie director Tom Decillo's latest film Delirious received distribution is to completely redefine the meaning of the word. More than upset about its poor marketing and subsequent lack of box office success, DeCillo was just plain befuddled about it. He corresponded with Roger Ebert last fall, and Ebert had their Q&A exchange published in the Chicago Sun-Times--a little crash course on the indie film market for the unknowing public. You can read that here, it's a nice chat to be privy to.

Beyond his written response, Ebert had it included on the slate of films at Ebertfest, day 2. The crowd really went wild for Delirious, and so did I. More than anything the script is an original take on celebrity culture that's a palatable balance between comic and grotesque. And the performances are out of this world. Michael Pitt plays a budding paparazzo who follows the elder, and much saltier, Steve Buscemi, an established failure in the business himself.

See it on DVD!


Yes (2004)
A beautiful movie. I'll have more on director Sally Potter as I move through this long, backlogged queue that includes more of her films. But if pressed to rank this among its Ebertfest counterparts, it gets the silver medal (just behind....ah, well, not to be revealed just yet. I made you wait this long for an Ebertfest recap, what's a few more days?)

Also, what a great poster



Canvas (2006)
Canvas was my one and only disappointment at the festival, which was much too inspired by the oeuvre of the Lifetime network for me to appreciate. Though, if nothing else--good performances from Joey Pants and Marcia Gay Harden!










Shotgun Stories (2007)
And I believe director Jeff Nichols' Shotgun Stories wins the bronze! I also loved this movie, which has an uncanny look and tone of David Gordon Green's films (excepting, perhaps, The Pineapple Express). And that isn't a tough parallel to draw, Nichols told us the two directors actually went to film school together. In sum, beautiful scenery of a space that isn't usually thought of as beautiful. Find this one on DVD right away too.

Ebertfest 2008: Opening Night

Hamlet (1996)
Seen: Wednesday, April 23, 2008

360 degree shots? 360 degree shots! Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet (1996) opened the 2008 Ebertfest last April, and we watched it in 70mm projection, which is so huge it's like staring into an Olympic sized swimming pool. Apologies for the Olympics reference, but I've caught the fever for the Beijing games. Back to Branagh: I live blogged every day at Ebertfest, so you can read more about Hamlet here, at Scarlett Cinema