Showing posts with label Mad Men. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mad Men. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Smug-Worthy Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Men

Subtitle: "I Meant to Post This Earlier, but Then I Got a Flat Tire. And Then the Car Battery Died. No, Really. All Because I Went to the Craft Store (!) and Was on My Way Home to Test Drive a Complicated Recipe. This is What I Get for Trying to Be a Suzy Homemaker Type. Lesson learned, Universe. Lesson Learned."

Sub-subtitle: "I Like Long Titles"

See Also This Important, Special Note: None of the items mentioned below are in any way paid or solicited placements, blah blah blah . . . 

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Not to get all cliched about it, but we women don't actually need to buy our men anything for Valentine's Day - they just want one thing, after all . . .

. . . our undying love.

(What, you thought I was going to say s-e-x? Not a chance - I have a prudish pretense to keep up here at the Pretty. Besides, I couldn't figure out how to import "sex" into Polyvore.)

For those of us not inclined to give just the, er, standard gift, finding the right gift for our respective men can be a bit of a problem. If only they were as easy as we women . . . for example, this Smug Married is delighted with any gift falling within the Holy Trinity - jewelry, spa gift cards, and more jewelry - though I'd happily accept anything my favorite blogging Smug Newlywed, Belle on Heels, assembled here. Hint, hint.

Here are the best, Smug-worthy gifts for the boys, from budget to major bacon:

Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Men 2012

(Clockwise from Upper Left):
Whaddaya think? You just want me to do a giveaway with the bacon wrapping paper, don't you?

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Happy 100th & Other Celebrations

It's a special day here at the Pretty, dolls, and not only because I've just watched the super-Cali-tragi-AWESOME "Real Housewives of Orange County" season premiere. Today marks post #100 - 100! I am so very grateful and honored that anyone - all 3 of you - are still reading my deeply superficial drivel, and truly have enjoyed the friendships, virtual and otherwise, I've somehow tricked you into despite my behavior here. I think this calls for a champagne toast, complete with the Pink Bendy Straw of Celebration, don't you?



Speaking of images that make a girl want to celebrate, remember how I recently mentioned a development in men's fashion? While perusing the December "Vogue" issue and musing over what Anna Wintour would have us wear next - formal shorts? sequined clogs? - I merrily happened upon this glorious Mario Testino photo shoot:


(Please forgive the poor scan quality; I fear my hormones may be interfering with the pixels.)

I do not include this photo only for the "Mad Men" faithful amongst us - and let's just agree to ignore the sub-Joan-par hussy in the background, shall we? - but also to incite a development in men's fashion - the Dinner Jacket. At a tailgate, at the movies, for swanky cocktails - I'm not particular. I don't ask for much. Ok, that last part is a baldfaced lie, but still . . . doesn't the very idea just take you to that glamorous place in your head we talked about the other day? So while the Americans amongst us are off for Thanksgiving, let's give this movement a think, preferably over some pink bendy straws etc.

On that impossibly glam note, I'm off like Heidi and Spencer's sham marriage - a marvelous, happy Thanksgiving to all!

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Q & A Revealed!

Exclamation point! Sounds hang-onto-your-pants exciting, no? Thanks to all three of you - clearly my readership is just as skilled at rule-flaunting as I am - for allowing me the opportunity to talk about myself even more by answering the questions you asked here. I'm throwing in a few of my own, since it's totally normal to conduct Barbara Walters style interviews with yourself, complete with flattering lighting and softball questions. So without further ado . . .

"Is the 'Sex and the City' sequel rumor true?" courtesy of me & apparently everyone else who is more interested in this than asking me questions about myself (??)

The situation isn't as clear as we or Kim Cattrall had hoped, apparently. See here.
My guess is that Carrie er, Sarah Jessica Parker is either (1) holding out for more money; and/or (2) trying to drum up more press about a sequel that is clearly inevitable given the money the first one made. More news on this as I find it.

"What do you like to do on the weekend?" courtesy of the exceedingly sweet Adventures of a Southern Newlywed

As little as possible. Perfection is a Sunday afternoon on the couch reading at least 3 newspapers, 2 novels, and 3 magazines while the Anonymous Husband watches some professional sport.

Truth be told, in addition to the usual family & friends stuff, I am often lured from my couch for one of two yuppie pursuits - food or the arts**. The AH and I are big eaters, as long-time readers will recall, and tend to frame both weekends and travel around the opportunity to check out new restaurants. Occasionally we'll even cook - meaning I twiddle around a boiling pot of water and complain about how much I miss In-n-Out while the AH actually makes good food. In fact, just last night I made a pumpkin cheesecake, and that isn't only because I'm a dessert fiend.

*"arts" being liberally construed by me to mean anything from catching up on Tivo'd "Real Housewives . . ." to going to the movies to seeing an actual play with, you know, thespians and such. It is construed by the AH to mean "anytime the Big 12 is playing a football game."

If I had, say, the trophy wife existence I so richly deserve, I'd resume my childhood and college-years hobby of competitive horseback riding. I miss it every day, but have some of those Life Goals (like seeing a bit more of the world) to attain before making the considerable time investment required to get back into showing horses. That being said, if anyone is looking to give away a pony, please contact me immediately at legallyblondemel at yahoo dot com. Thanks very much.

Although I tend to talk about Pretty Things on these fair web pages, in actual fact I'm far more inclined to save up for a fantastic meal or travel or, you know, an interesting experience. For example, I just bought tickets to the David Sedaris reading here instead of the J. Crew cashmere that's on-sale and causing my AmEx veritable palpitations. This is not intended in any show-offy manner, or no more than I usually intend, but rather just to say it isn't all about the Pretty here at the Pretty. Not entirely. Just mostly. I'm very grateful for the wonderful adventures and opportunities I have.

"What is your favorite beauty product?", courtesy of the appropriately, wonderfully titled Happy Daily.

It's been a while since I've complained about my eyelashes, hasn't it? 10 minutes, at least? It's one of my favorite things to complain about - and that's a long list o' favorites, dears - but I've had less of an opportunity since employing the Shu Uemura eyelash curler. Shu Uemura, not any other brand. Believe the hype.

(credit: Nordstrom)

You can keep your 34Ds - OK, that's a bald-faced lie, as I would stomp across a field of babies for those as well - so long as I can flutter actual lashes in daintily feminine manner. Or as the AH might put it, "Do you have something stuck in your eyes?"

"What do you miss most about our dear home state?" from my fabulous blog friend and fellow "The Office"-fiend "The Shabby Princess".

This is nearly disqualified for being an unfair question, since anyone who has actually been to California knows how incredible it is. What a weird, wonderful, outrageously gorgeous place it is.

So I'm going to pull a sappy choice - cue the John Mayer music - and say I miss my friends* the most, which has the added benefit of being true. I can hop on a plane and get my beach fix in anytime, but I cannot replace you girls.

*Should these wenches start misbehaving, I reserve the right to immediately change my answer to In-n-Out Burger. And the 15th Street beach in Del Mar. And not having to dress around the weather.

"Death is NOT an option - Jon Hamm or John Slattery?" because I'm writing the question and can therefore brazenly re-write the rules.

Um, yes.**

**Love you, AH.

"Why don't you post pretty pictures of how you've decorated your house for Halloween/ Thanksgiving etc. like so many other bloggettes do?" courtesy of me.

Um, because I am so very busy seeking out the best of retail for you, my readers, that I've simply run out of time to post about my homemaker-y skills. Yeah, that's it.

So truth is, I'm more than a little afraid of stores like Michael's (a craft store for you non-Southerners/Texans) and things like bedazzled turkey tablescapes. I may watch the occasional Martha for comforting entertainment purposes, but I am just a failure when it comes to being crafty in the non-diabolical sense. If you want help with schemes like "How do I passive-aggressively annoy my co-worker for my own personal entertainment?" or "How do I pry the television remote from my husband's cold, unfeeling grasp without declaring all-out war?", then I'm your girl; otherwise, you're on your own with the sequined gravy boats.

This isn't to say I don't admire the heck out of you crafty types, and it's not that I'm opposed to a tastefully crafty home. Cold-hearted as I may be, I'm all about the Christmas decorations myself - it's just that my own personal holiday decor is straight outta Pottery Barn, SG (sans glitter) style.

********
Anything else? Should we talk more travel & food here? So long as it doesn't involve glittering gourd decor, I'm open to your suggestions . . . but back to our regularly scheduled retail in the meantime . . .

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Pretty Muses, Fall 2008

Usually a girl - say, a girl very much like me - is hesitant to bring to your attention other women who are indisputably more pretty, witty, intelligent, professionally successful, and/or generally inspiring than myself, er, herself. However, having just experienced that Halley's Comet of hair, the first-time visit to a salon in which both (ahem, totally natural) color and cut are perfectly executed, I'm in a rather magnanimous mood. It *might* also be the tasty fume blanc I'm drinking as well, but whatever . . . my point is that I'd like to pass the Pretty Tiara around a bit tonight to those other women who have recently gone above and beyond the call of their famous duty, inspiring me to be a little bit more pulled together, or confident, or kind than I'd be if left to my own devices. I hate using the phrase "girl crush", but I suppose that may also apply to these utterly awe-inspiring ladies (at least from what we know - if you know otherwise, please alert me immediately so I can commence feeling smug):


(credit: AskMen.com and Flickr)

Dame Helen Mirren. How often do we get a female role model who shows that we can grow professionally and wildly-off-the-charts foxily (yes, "foxily") past the age of 25? Without attempting to act or appear 25 in the process?


(credit: AskMen.com and Flickr)

Giada de Laurentiis. She's adorable, she knows how to cook, she makes recipes that I can actually follow, she seems so nice, she has a nice little entrepreneurial empire going, she has big, um, eyes . . . she so pushes all of my insecurity buttons (yes, for all of the Pretty Posturing, there are a few) that I can't quite figure out why I don't loathe her. Nonetheless, I am tickled to have won Mojito Maven's Giada giveaway, so I can run around pretending to be her cooking yummy Italian dishes, to the utter surprise and delight of the Anonymous Husband. Not that I want him getting the idea this will be happening regularly, but you know that thing about throwing the occasional bone?


(credit: Daily Mail and Flickr)

Georgina Chapman, co-designer of Marchesa. In addition to wanting just one - just one! - of her flirty and femine formal dresses (and a place to wear it to), is it to much to ask to have a clothing empire and to look like this at 30?

(credit: Getty Images for ING and Flickr)

Korto Momolu, runner-up, Season 5 "Project Runway". To create beautiful pieces of wearable art is one thing. To lose in front of a national audience, including your husband and daughter, and to do so with grace and a humble spirit in the same way you carried yourself throughout - suffice it to say, I for one am better off for having watched this season, and that is one lucky daughter. How often can we say something like that about a TV show?

(credit: Variety and Flickr)

La Joan Holloway from "Mad Men", as played by the iconic Christina Hendricks. Oh, to be a bombshell, even if for just one day. Thank you for reminding us, even Ice Queens like the Pretty here, of the power of being a woman (sounds like a cliche, but there's something to that), and that Pretty comes in different shapes and sizes.

Now that I've shared my myriad (and admittedly celeb and fashion driven) girl crushes / muses with you, darlings, it's your turn - who is inspiring you lately?
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