Top Aholics 2012

Hey AA members

I thought I'd look back and make a list of some of my favorite things from 2012.

Some of these items jumped right out at me, and other I had to think about. You'll notice a couple repeat offenders, I am an addict, and also some more recent trends and addictions.

These are in no particular order, but I did organize them (or attempt to) by category.
Click on the links to read/see more about it.

Fashion
Peplum (here and here)
Oxblood (here and here)
Prints (here, here, here, here and here)
Monochromatic outfits (here)
Studs and spikes (here, here, and here)

Studs and spikes have had real staying power these last couple of seasons. And I love it, they really toughen up a look. You can stud pretty much anything, collars, shoes, shorts, you name it. Here's a tutorial on studding shorts.

My most frequent attempts at a monochromatic look usually involved all black, but this winter I want to try all whites and of course other colors, but especially white. This also applies to prints. I've been really into matching prints, like with suits. That's a really easy way to achieve the look too.

Beauty
Vampy lips (here, here and a majority of my OOTD)
Afro/curly hair (here, here and here)
Ombre hair (with or with out colored ends)
Revlon photo ready concealers
Mario Bedsecu Drying Lotion (here, review to come)

I LOVE dark vampy lips. It's become one of my go to looks no matter the occasion. I recently fell in love with Black Cherry by Revlon (see here) and I have a tutorial with it coming soon. Until then here's an ombre vampy lip.

Revlon's photo ready concealers (I'm a color 006) are amazing. This is one of the few concealers that actually match my skin and covers my dark marks and blemishes plus it's really affordable. I use it every time I put on make, or just by itself for a more natural look. I've started using a lighter color for under my eyes when I'm really getting glammed up. MB's drying lotion is amazing I just apply it to a new pimple at night and it has reduced in size by the next day and gone on the 2nd day. LOVE it!

Ombre hair

Other
Instagram (here)
iPad(s) (here)
blogs
2012 election
DIY fashion (anything DIY) (here, here, here and here)

Blogs have been a fabulous source of information and inspiration. I love networking and just meeting new people via blogs and who themselves blog. It is a great form of self expression. Here are some that I frequent (Circle of Squares, BGLH, Dulce Candy, Style Pantry and CurlyNikki, for a full list check out the blogs that I follow here or click on my profile).

This year was the first year I actually followed the election somewhat closely. I watched the debates, read up on the issues etc. I knew who I wanted to win, and who I'd vote for if I could (one day, SOON). Politics became interesting too, albeit stressing at times. But it's good to be informed, especially on the local and state level. Voting is not an every 4 year thing, you have governors, mayors, representatives etc. Make sure you guys are doing your part!

DIYs!! I love them. They are great ways to save money and an outfit. I think I'm more into DIYs now that I started sewing (which helps with some of the projects). But you guys should definitely check out places like YouTube and Pinterest for ideas.
 

Honorable mentions
The Mayans being wrong (Epic Fail)
Crop tops (here)
Stiletto nails
Avengers (the movie)
Glitter

I know I'm not the only one happy that the world didn't end the 21st. But the Mayans were smart, they predicted the world would end, but died before anyone could question them about it. Stiletto nails just look really cool to me, despite not appearing functional or practical, in my opinion. I'd never get them but I enjoy looking at them and seeing different nail design on them.

Hope you guys enjoyed this post, because I enjoyed writing it.
What were some of your favorites this past year? Any of them on this list?
Comment and let me know.

-AF

Front Row

Will Smith is onto something.
The fewer actors in a film the more money you pocket.

Anyway I'm gonna go see it because I LOVE Will Smith and it looks like a good movie. :)

What do you guys think?

Top 5 AHOLICs [4]

It's that time again! You know, when I shamelessly tell you all the things that I'm currently addicted to. Yep, THAT time. LOL.
5) Weave
4) Curly hair
3) Purse dogs
2) Teen heartthrobs
1) 80's remakes

Man, so a lot of you are probably MAD that WEAVE is on my list. But, and I hate to swear on here, I DON'T GIVE A DAMN! I LOVE weave, but don't get it twisted I LOVE my natural hair MORE. I just appreciated it's versatility is all. I like having the ability to have my natural shoulder length hair one minute and 2-4 hours later mid back, blond hair. It's fun and exciting and a great way to protect my hair, and even if it wasn't I'd still do it.
SO IF YOU'RE ONE OF THOSE GUNG-HO PEOPLE WHO THINK WEAVE IS THE DEVIL AND BLACK WOMEN ARE GIVING INTO SOME CONVOLUTED IDEAL THAT THE FEMALE IMAGE IS BASED ON "EUROPEAN" IMAGE OF BEAUTY , OR THAT I'M DEMEANING MYSELF AND HAVE LOW SELF-ESTEEM THEN YOU CAN TAKE THAT BULLSHIT AND SHOVE IT UP YOU'RE HIGH HORSE-NOSE IN THE AIR-TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL-PEDESTAL SITTING ASS CUZ I DON'T GIVE A DAMN!
I am not a naturals are better than perms person, especially when most naturals started out WITH perms, don't EVER forget that. And maybe they [naturals who started out with perms] realized a natural path would be better for THEIR hair but some people don't feel that way. So long as YOUR hair is healthy, natural or otherwise then you are GOOD. Leave others be PERIOD! Sorry that got so long.
I don't even know if anyone REALLY reads this [if you do nob your head, lol, not that that really helps me, but...]

Curly hair, not much to say about this one other than I love it. Probably a biased opinion because my hair is curly, but hey it's MY BLOG and MY LIST so suck on that. Lol, VERY juvenile.


I LOVE puppies and kittens and pretty much all babies of any animal. They're SOOO cute. So the best part about purse dogs is that they basically stay the size of puppies they're WHOLE life. That and I think I have a little Paris Hilton in me, the dog loving side, not the sexing tape making, crotch showing, celeb-beefing side.

"Teen" Heartthrobs, I need not explain this just a mini list [keyword was teen, so if they seem young to you that's cuz your old, jk, I'm getting there too though!]

• Zac Efron
• Shia LaBouef
• Chace Crawford
• I guess the WHOLE cast of Twilight etc (even though I haven't actually seen the movies)
• Nick Jonas (I had to do it)
• Soulja Boy (NOT apologizing for that one)
• Elijah Kelley ( Hairspray, Take the Lead)
• Micheal Cera (Superbad, Juno etc if you didn't know)
• William Moseley (The oldest Brother from Narnia)
• ...and the list goes on

Ok, so we had the summer of the trilogy completion [ Pirates of the Caribbean, Spiderman, etc] we had the summer of Super Hero movies [Iron Man, Hulk, Fantastic Four] you get my drift. I'm just waiting for the wave of 80's remakes! I'm just BARELY an 80's baby [born in 1989] but I LOVE the clothes, some of the hair, and the movies. It's just part of who I am [which is totally awesome!!] So far they're redoing Footloose [which was amazing the first time around, Kevin Bacon YUM] with Chace Crawford (my heart breaks everytime i think about the fact that Zac Efron dropped the role, like REALLY breaks. Also FAME, so excited for that one! Front row, there's just something about teens singing and dancing that gets me excited. Karate Kid is also in the works, I hope the original Mr Miyagi is alive to make a cameo! Hairspray was AMAZING fyi.
Remakes I'd LOVE to see

• Pretty in Pink *
• Breakfast Club *
• Sixteen Candles *
• Don't Tell Mom the Babysitters Dead
• Honey I Shrunk the Kids
• Flashdance *
• Fast Times and Ridgemont High
• Dead Poets Society
• Beetlejuice *
• Farris Buellers Day Off *
• A Christmas Story *
• Ghostbusters
• Just One of the Guys
• The NeverEnding Story
• The Princess Bride *
• Risky Business *
• Say Anything *
• Teen Witch
• Weird Science *

Yeah the list is long, but I DID say I loved the 80's lol, and that's why it's number one. I missed ALOT but these are the main ones and the ones with asterisk (*) as the ones I REALLY want to see remade.

Caio for now.
-A

Top 5 AHOLICs [2]

5) Baby shoes

4) Katherine Heigl

3) LMFAO

2) Animated movies

1) "Reality" TV

I'm in NO rush to have children. But I can't help but stop by the baby section in stores. The clothes are sooo adorable. The tiny-ness adds to the cuteness, especially the SHOES! Lol, can you imagine a teeny tiny pair of vans? OMG, heart melting.

I'm SOO loving Katherine this summer. Love love love her movies. If you haven't seen The Ugly Truth definitely check it out. Such a good movie, it's officially been added to my "Chick Flick Favs" [list idea].

Was watching The Real World Cancun and they were on this past weeks episode. I'd heard them before in one of KanYe West's songs, but never too the time to find out more. But after watching the episode I went to YouTube (of course) and listened to a couple of their songs. LOVE IT! They are so, I don't even know how to describe it. Kick a55? Hmm, can't think of the words now. Just check them out. Even changed my Facebook status to a line from their song I Am NOT a Whore.

I'm a child at heart. I adore Disney movies, Disney Channel Original Movies (aka DCOMs), animated movies, Pixar, etc. I just watched Bolt. Can you guess how I reacted? Yep, LOVED it. I cried a little. Toy Story, The Incredibles, A Bug's Life, Wall-E, those are just a few really good animated movies.

We can't escape it. It's everywhere, and despite being told it's "real" we all know otherwise. REALITY TV, can't get enough. there is nothing like watching other peoples (often messed up lives) to make us feel better about our selves, or envious. Some of us have friends we like to live through, if you're married, your single friends and vise versa, not well off you "rich" friend etc. It happens. And television has brought it into the comfort of our own homes. I LOVE (probably getting tired of that word, but I have a BIG heart lol) Real Housewives of ATL & New Jersey (my favorite right now), The Hills (even though Lauren is leaving), the Real World, America's Next Top Model, just to name a few.

What addictions are you ENJOYING right now?

-A