Guide to being girly

I got a very interesting request from someone today & at first I kind of laughed it off but the more I thought about it the more it made sense. Basically a girl who will of course remain nameless came to me with a little bit of a dilemma - apparently I’m a girly girl & she wanted to know how I did it..how I did it? Well it comes naturally to me because its just the way I’m wired. The main reason she came to me with the question was because in her own eyes she wasn’t girly enough, personally I think that’s a lil silly but I can relate to all the self criticism so really I cant blame her for doing it. Most modern dictionaries class “girly girl” as “a very feminine girl. Very feminine in her movements. Very feminine looking. What you call a girl that is very feminine.” - in a nutshell that really is what it is & I’m happy with that description. So of course going by that description I’m definitely a girly girl so I’m putting this guide together just for her & for any girls out there who might need a little help girlying up their image. Before I start I do want to say something - changing your image to suit other people is never a good idea & its something I’m strongly opposed to. I’m the way I am because its me & because its who & what I am - the people who think being such a way makes you weak or a sissy are just plain stupid & are really only showing their own ignorance by thinking that way. So all that aside its time for my guide of how to achieve the ultimate girly girl image - be warned there is a lot of work involved.

The first mistake people make is assuming its all in the look, its not. A huge part of the image is in you’re movements - think of the old trick of walking with a book on your head, this is what you are aiming for & it works. Be graceful in your stride & try to knock off all the clumsiness, jerkiness doesn’t work - try to go for a more fluid almost floaty walk.

When it comes to make-up concentrate on not over doing it. When it comes to the actual make-up itself go with lip gloss/a lil eyeliner in your everyday look. Eye shadow works but its easy to overdo it if you are not sure what you are doing - when it comes to foundation remember not to cake it on otherwise you wont get the flawless look, as for the colours themselves if you are really going for the girly girl look then pinks or lighter colours are a must.
Keep your nails healthy & clean, one of the first things people subconsciously notice are your nails. Half bitten of chewed up nails only say one thing & its not good - start to get manicures/pedicures, they can be costly but its worth it - if you don’t want to splash out all the time then learn to do your own nails.

Your hair needs to be kept in tip top shape. Try to wash your hair everyday - sure some people don’t have the time but do try to wash your hair as often as you can manage. Try to cut back on using too many hair products because the more you do use then the more likely the chances are you are damaging your hair. Try to avoid hair straightners too as they do more damage than good - invest in a good hairbrush with proper bristles, it will make the world of difference.
Work on keeping your teeth nice & white & if you can then do brush after every major meal. professional whitening can be expensive but it can be worth it - home whitening kits do work too & often give good results.
Eat healthy & drink plenty of fluids especially water - try to fit fruit into your diet or at least as a light snack. This doesn’t mean you need to starve yourself it just means you should keep a healthy balance going between what you do eat. People always look at me & assume straight away that I’m not a big eater, that’s not the case at all I do eat & eat well I just maintain a good balance between everything I do eat & its not a hard thing to learn.

Tattoos don’t work for the image - they simply are not cute, even the little fake peel off ones don’t work.

Shopping..one of my favourite things in life is shopping, this is also where the girly girl look shines the most. Stick to dresses & skirts & if you are going to wear jeans then make sure they fit perfectly & compliment your body. Dresses are the easiest item of clothing to achieve the girly girl look & many stores offer a big supply of dresses to choose from. When I want to buy a dress I usually go to shops like TopShop/Miss Selfridge/Dorothy Perkins/Bebe & it’s a good place to start. Dressing girly doesn’t always mean frilly pink dresses & overly cute outfits - it can mean that you follow the latest fashions & style, if you don’t have the confidence to be constantly showing your legs then you can combine mini skirts & dresses with jeans or funky leggings. It might seem like too much extra effort but wearing matching underwear & sets will definitely make you feel girly, I always make sure to compliment my outfits with the proper style/design/material of underwear - it’s a small part of the girly girl image that people usually overlook.

Learn to accessorize your outfits with matching jewellery, its really easier than it sounds. Do read fashion mags or sites to develop your own style - its always better to develop your own style than to ultimately copy someone else’s. perfume is a must too so try to find your own signature spray.

Attitude is a big part of it too - be bright & bubbly don’t be bitchy, giggling about everything wont appeal to people & it will most likely annoy them so try to find a common ground between being cute & helping people laugh. Never yell it doesn’t do any favours - not taking yourself too seriously also helps maintain a bright & bubbly personality. Swearing? This is never cute & you should try to replace swear words with lighter words or phrases like “oh my god”.
As for activities & hobbies it doesn’t really matter as much as people think, for instance all the activities I like already are perceived as girly. I really enjoy shopping with friends/love having my nails & hair done - basically anything girly I like & my bedroom is testament to that in all its girlyness..we are talking disney princess here people, true not a lot of people will kit their surroundings out in all things pink & fluffy but it does help. Overall just go with & do what you feel most comfortable with , if you think you are overdoing it..you probably are - learn when to slow down & don’t create too much work for yourself.

Being a girly girl doesn’t mean you need to act like a 15 or 16yr old its quiet the opposite. If done right your girly girl image will portray you as someone who strongly cherishes your femininity in a way that makes you feel confident with your image. For me being a girly girl means I’m classy in my choice of clothes & refined in my movements & action - this does not mean I’m a stereotypical Barbie girl, it doesn’t mean I’m ditzy either. Being a girly girl shows you are in touch with your femininity/confident with your style & overall look, the confidence that can be gained from perusing your femininity can be a shock to some people so in turn they wont try it. Like I already said don’t try to change your image for other people instead only change or work on what you yourself want to improve.

Guide to getting the perfect Xmas dress & look

Ok so its that time of year again..Christmas, you know what that means? No not santa claus - Christmas party dresses!

A recent study found that women spend at least two years of their lives getting ready to go out & I myself would have to agree with that as I take ages so when it comes to Christmas parties its no surprise people panic. Sure it can be a struggle sometimes to find that perfect frock & believe me its worth the struggle because if you keep hunting & don’t go for the first thing you see then you are sure not only to find the perfect dress but you might also find yourself bagging a proper bargain. so what does the perfect party dress look like? Well most will be noticeable by their bright colours & sparkly designs that you could obviously only wear once, but it’s the wearing it once that really counts - the perfect dress will make you feel confident comfortable & attractive. So what should you look for? Easy! Something that you know flatters your features. If like me you’re lacking a little in the bust department then dresses with a high waist or a belt will help create curves. If however you have toned arms then take advantage of your small bust & go for a strapless number. Bold or bright colours will help you here too. Whatever you do..only concentrate on one area of revelation - what I mean is either show your legs off or show your cleavage off - never show both as it will only make you look cheap & run your party girl look. Never throw an evening coat over your dress..it’s a party not a meeting so go with a fur shrug or little lace cardi. If you do want to go with a strapless dress than be prepared for the hassle of pulling it up every five to ten seconds..it also doesn’t look very sophisticated when you do have to keep tugging out of it. don’t forget the all important heels as they will arch your back..lift your boobs & bum to give you a very attractive physique, I myself like to go with peep-toe court shoes - adding adhesive soles is a good idea as you will most likely be on your dancing feet. Not only will heels improve the overall shape of your body but they will also elongate your legs to that of a super model. One thing to remember is if you are going with a particular style of dress then take extra effort to make sure your underwear compliments your frock..nothing ruins the sophisticated look like a bra strap or visible panty line that shows through your dress in an obviously different colour - one of the fashion rules I live by is to always make sure my lingerie goes with my outfit be it a simple push up bra or a pair of matching panties, granted some people will automatically assume no one will see their knickers in the first place but just because its not obvious to you that doesn’t mean its not visible to other people, so if you are going with a black dress then black lingerie is a must..common sense really but I’m constantly seeing people make the mistake. As for jewellery oversized fake diamonds & pearls are a must ribbons work too for the christmasy look, the general rule is to go with gold or silver & you will have no problem picking up suitable jewellery on the high street, topshop & miss selfridge are my personal favourite. As for the shops themselves river island/topshop/miss selfridge all stock fab affordable dresses & if you are clever about it you can get your shoes & jewellery there too. It might seem like a lot of work & bother but it’s the one time of the year where you get the opportunity to completely glam up & look a million dollars.

Britney Spears - circus (review)

The big question everyone is asking..is it as good as or better than the sexually aggressive “blackout”? My answer Is simply yes, its much much better. Its no secret to anyone that britneys career & personal life has been a whirlwind of mass media attention that caused her to go off the tracks..& in doing so she brought a lot of bad press on herself. All that aside her latest album is a great example of how an artist can bounce right back no matter how bad the press coverage. Its fresh & finally tuned there is no doubt about that but has she got what it takes to reclaim her title of the princess of pop. Luckily she wont have to do too much work because her latest release is full of catchy poptastic hits, its clear her best people worked with her on this release. While her earlier work was light hearted & fluffy - blackout persuaded a darker more moody kind of theme & in a way circus does too. Its not that the songs are dark but its clear the songs relate to a more personal side of her life, at times it can seem defensive & almost a little paranoid but then it comes with good reason. Tired of the bad press & personal attacks these songs represent a side of britney her fans have never seen before. The cover shows her as a kind of soft-focus blonde kitsch pop princess while on the back it shows a slightly more disturbing image of a clown handing her a birthday cake..which is kinda creepy. As for the songs themselves they do a great job of showing us how her sanity has been affected, through her music we see the image of a women who has gone through considerable strong psychological torture. The song “kill the lights” is an obvious attack at her fame but also at the paparazzi who made her feel entrapped. “if you seek amy” is a catchy kind of tune that kints at the crash & burn image of amy winehouse. The ever popular “womanizer” features on the album but of all the songs my favourite has to be “unusual you” - its catchy & poppy with a little techno thrown in, “out from under” is another great little tune with a ballad feel to it. Though the smile on the cover may seem forced it would be foolish to overlook this release as nothing more than another cash-in, Circus will restore fate to her fan base & will be a brazen lesson to the haters. The bottom line is this album is pop & aimed at that audience so it will appeal to the fans with very little problems, already the album has been climbing the charts & sales are heading through the roof - is her smile really forced? Or is she smiling at the obvious..britneys back & aiming for the number one spot, if the album sales keep soaring she will get it.

1.Womanizer
2.Circus
3.Out From Under
4.Kill The Lights
5.Shattered Glass
6.If U Seek Amy
7.Unusual You
8.Blur
9.Mmm Papi
10.Mannequin
11.Lace And Leather
12.My Baby
13.Radar (Bonus Track)

Britney about to top the charts

News just in: Britney is on course to top the US album chart this week with her new record Circus! The singer is on track to top the Billboard 200 after the LP shifted more than 220,000 units on its opening day. Sources are expecting the album to achieve sales of 450,000 in its first week, according to Billboard. Britney has so far topped the US album chart four times. Last year's Blackout peaked at number two.

Victoria's Secret boosted for millions

Law enforcement officials and industry groups say amateur thieves and organized crime rings are behind panty thefts that range from Connecticut to California. According to the online security newsletter, cso online, Victoria's Secret has had more than $2.7 million worth of bras stolen, more than an 80 percent increase from the previous year. The topic is a touchy one for Limited Brands, Victoria's Secret's parent company, and public relation employees are remaining mum about the situation. Thieves are using a method referred to as boosting, or stealing items in bulk, usually clearing out the entire shelf. In order to get past security alarms, sensor tags are either removed or placed in foil-lined bags. Thieves then sell the product on auction Web sites.George Tutaya, 41, of Rego Park, N.Y., was arrested and charged with 18 counts of criminal possession of stolen property after selling more than $80,000 worth of stolen Victoria's Secret bras on eBay.

He said he purchased the bras from a shoplifting ring. When police arrested him, they found $26,000 worth of unsold bras in his home. The bras range in price from $40 to $80 a piece and are sold online for $25 or more.In late spring, police in Media, Pa., arrested four people suspected of being part of an interstate crime ring that cost Victoria's Secret between $600,000 and $1 million. Muncie had a smaller scale incident in September 2008 in which thieves made off with 80 bras. At the same time, four other stores in the Indianapolis area were hit, according to a Victoria's Secret employee.

Some local shoppers are now skeptical about buying bras and panties online. Stopping the scallywagsRetail theft is on the rise and the National Retail Federation said in its 2008 report that 68 percent of retailers have been able to identify or recover stolen merchandise and gift cards on online auction sites, 61 percent more than last year. The report also indicated that 63 percent have seen an increase in e fencing selling stolen items on online auction sites - activity in the last year.Retailers are spending on average $230,000 per year on labor costs to aid in loss prevention. Larger companies that have increasing problems in theft are spending upwards of $1 million dollars a year. According to the NRF, the Federal Bureau of Investigations says retail crimes account for $30 billion in losses a year.

The NRF and FBI have launched a network called the Law Enforcement Retail Partnership Network, created to track patterned crimes through national databases and share the information among retailers in an effort to fight back against illegal activity. eBay paired up with Leads Online, the nation's largest online investigative system, which has databases of almost 160 million records. The company also helps businesses, pawnshops and identity theft, narcotics crimes and metal theft victims to find stolen property, according to its Web site. Before the aid of Leads Online, detectives would have to search eBay for stolen property then write the company on department letterhead and include a subpoena in order to get any information on a seller, said Erin Hunt, account executive for Leads Online. "Now eBay comes strictly to us to make it easier," Hunt said.The detective can log into leadsonline.com and search using specific parameters. Hunt found 198 Victoria's Secret items for sale within 10 miles of Muncie, Ind."Not all sellers are selling stolen property," Hunt said.Some sellers are selling items they may have received as a gift or purchased on sale.Craigslist cannot be accessed through leadsonline.com because of the model, Hunt said. It is set up much like a classified ad in a newspaper. The seller does not have to create an account and often is never known. "We always do encourage the police department to tell us their success stories," Hunt said. "We like to hear them."

Pussycat Dolls lingerie line at Bebe

Bebe Stores Inc., maker of specialty apparel, is launching a new lingerie line with the musical group Pussycat Dolls. The first collection from the line 'Pussycat Dolls Shhh.by Robin Antin' will be sold at Bebe stores and online at the company's website www.bebe.com, as well as at Fred Segal in Los Angeles and the La Senza lingerie chain in Canada and the U.K. This is the first lingerie line for the girl group known for their skimpy costumes and sexy moves. The collection is designed by Antin, the Pussycat Dolls' creator, music video director and choreographer, who developed the Pussycat Dolls from a nightclub burlesque troupe into a pop group with its own reality TV show. The line has a nautical theme, also featuring animal prints, rock-and-roll styles and frills. "I really went back to our roots, went back to our costumes from our original shows," said Antin. "The Pussycat Dolls are known globally for their bold lyrics and chic style that personifies a sexy, self-assured and independent spirit - a perfect complement to our Bebe brand," said Bebe chief executive officer Greg Scott. " With the introduction of Pussycat Dolls.Shhh, Robin Antin has created a lingerie collection that is unique and totally in sync with what Bebe is all about, capturing a feminine and sensual mystique that is also a little edgy. I have already bought one of thier little pink frilly bra & panties set & I have to say the Dolls really have out done themselves here not just in comfort but in style too & in perfect time for christmas.

www.bebe.com

Left 4 Dead (review)

LEFT 4 DEAD [Xbox 360 & pc - microsoft windows] [18+]

Where would the horror movie industry be today without the classic zombie movie. Over the last few years we have seen a huge growth in the genre & with movies like 28 days/weeks later & dawn of the dead zombies are again invading our world so its no surprise there have been so many games featuring them - resident evil is perhaps the best example of a successful chain of zombie/survival horror games spawning a huge number of sequels & prequels. Left 4 dead follows the same trend of survival horror & not only does it work but it works even better than expected.

The game puts you in control of 4 survivors that must fight their way through a seemingly endless swarm of zombies. Louis/Francis/Bill & my personal favourite Zoey - to help your character you are supplied with a good selection of weapons & guns including - m1911 pistol (pick up 2 & you can carry dual pistols) uzi sub maching gun/ruger 14 rifle/benelli m4 super 90 shotgun & much more, Molotov cocktails & pipe-bombs can also be picked up along the way. If you do pick up a pipe-bomb you can throw it & the zombies will automatically be attracted to the bomb by its siren & flashing light so it’s a good way to get out of a tight spot. As for the zombies themselves or the infected as some people like to call them - its obvious they are inspired by the newer 28 days/weeks later style of movie rather than the classic zombie movie & it doesn’t take long to realise this! They are fast but weak..however if you get enough of them around you they will start to overpower you, the number of zombies on screen is very impressive. Along with the common zombies there are also a number of boss zombies that pop up now and then such as the tank which can crash through walls & even throw cars & other things at you - the witch which will not attack unless she is disturbed by the light of your torch will..but when she targets you it becomes a tough job to actually take her out.

The environments in the game are very cinematic & you will easily feel like you are in a horror movie - dark streets & alleyways are perfect locations for swarms of zombies to ambush the survivors - while interior buildings will leave you stumbling around the in the dark with only your flashlight & wits to guide you through - airports/alleyways/streets & even farms provide for a great gaming arena. As for the graphics they are impressive, surfaces appear realistic with water reflection & light interaction - the look of the game is all about cinematics - film grain can be added & fog or mist adds a classic movie feel to the game.

Because the game relies on so much teamwork its no surprise the game shines at its best when played online with a team of players. Its very satisfying & indeed much more realistic when you can work with a group of actual people & not have to rely on the games artificial intelligence - the A.I. itself is in no means weak & one of the best features is the director mode where any time the game is played a unique experience will be had by the gamer - not only that but the games A.I. director will decide what to throw at you & where to do it depending on your situation. Versus mode is great fun & when a player gets taken down by a zombie they themselves will become infected & become one of the undead - when this does happen it provides a completely unique multiplayer experience, the infected will be given the choice of where to spawn/information on secret pathways/even the ability to control a boss zombie.

My final verdict of the game is a good one, it plays well for what it is & the experience of play is always different which expands the lifespan of the game. The multiplayer is fun & great for anyone who just wants to have a quick blast with friends. The fact you get the opportunity to play as a zombie is something that really appeals to people who want something more from the usual survival horror game. The graphics work for the film look & if you are after a cinematic experience then you wont be disappointed. My few quibbles with the game are as follows - unless you have a super fast broadband connection then playing online can be a problem (mines super fast & didn’t have any problems but I have heard from some people they cant play it) the lack of music..there isn’t much of a score here, boss zombies become too well known & there is a lack of new bosses nor is their unique level bosses. Other than that the game is highly enjoyable & will provide hours of fun for either a casual or hardcore gamer - if you liked any of the resident evil games then this one will not disappoint.

[8-10]

Russian hackers penetrate Pentagon systems

Computer hackers suspected of working from Russia successfully penetrated Pentagon computer systems in one of the most severe cyber attacks on US military networks. The electronic attack was so serious that Adm Michael Mullen, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, briefed President George W Bush and Robert Gates, the defence secretary. Defence officials told the Los Angeles Times that the attack struck computers within the US Central Command, which oversees Iraq and Afghanistan, and involved malicious software - known as “malware” - that permeates a network. “This one was significant, this one got our attention,” said an official, speaking anonymously. Officials did not disclose the extent of the damage and would not elaborate on the reasons for believing the assault originated in Russia. The Pentagon and other US government departments face repeated cyber attacks, especially from Russia and China, either from individuals or indirectly from those countries’ governments. Within the past 18 months Russia has been accused of orchestrating major electronic attacks on neighbours Estonia and Georgia.