The Best Of Galadarling.com: 2010 Edition!
It’s almost 2011 (two-thousand-&-heaven)–& so it’s time to for me to have a little blog holiday! I’m going to take advantage of Mercury retrograde & tie up a bunch of loose ends. Hooray! In the meantime, why not catch up on the best of the blog?
These are my favourite pieces I published this year–& if you want more, remember that Love & Sequins is on sale until Christmas Day!
2010 Style Direction: Psychedelic Ladies Who Lunch
The essential components of the look include fur coats (preferably faux), fabulously ridiculous leg-wear (sparkly blue socks, tie-dyed stockings, cashmere tights), a multitude of completely over-the-top head-wear (sequinned ears, headbands adorned with bows & flowers, sparkly beanies), shoes which define excess (super-high heels; hidden platforms; covered in crystals), a-line skirts & magnificent 50’s dresses, pink lipstick (I like Givenchy Rouge Interdit Shine in Raspberry Shine & MAC Saint Germain), fingers loaded up with rings, wrists full of jangly, glitter-covered Indian bangles & super-long false eyelashes hidden by statement sunglasses…
50 Ways To Put The Light Back In Your Heart
I love that phrase — “putting the light back in your heart” — which was emailed to me by a nonpareil asking me how she could do just that. Her boyfriend recently broke her heart & so she is looking for ways to make herself feel better. I’m sure she’s not the only one who needs it, either! Whether you have the winter blues, are hard up for cash or just feel a little out of step with yourself at the moment, we could all use some ideas to cheer us up!
The Playgirl’s Guide To Radical Self Love
We think that loving ourselves will just come later, naturally — & it may. But what if it doesn’t come along until you’re 50? Or 80? What if it never does? We think, “I’ll love myself when I have a baby”, or, “I’ll love myself when I get a better job”. But what about the meantime? Should you just suffer in silence until that mythical moment? What if having a baby or getting a promotion doesn’t make you love yourself?
100 Ways You Can Start Loving Yourself Right Now
Have media black-out days.
The concept of doing this terrifies me but I know it needs to happen. Stay away from your computer, phone & television for an entire day. Those of us are who technology addicts will FREAK out at this idea but that’s an even bigger sign that we should try it. So many of us use technology to distract ourselves & keep our minds busy, when we would be far better served by just sitting still & learning to be comfortable alone.
We Are Becoming The Men We Wanted To Marry
I think that losing my mom and understanding loss and grief in such an intimate way enabled me to be able to finally and firmly walk away from a situation that did not serve or support me. I had this realization one night that I no longer had to wait, that I loved me now, and that love was stronger than the promise of what might someday come to be.
Empty Bellies Do Not Beget Genius
A hungry girl is an ineffectual girl. A hungry girl is a girl sapped of energy, strength, life-force. A hungry girl can’t achieve anything, fix anything, come up with a bold, brave solution. Choosing to go hungry is a way of subjugating your own strength, your own power. It is a way of making yourself small & useless. It is asking someone else to take care of you. It is about giving up, giving in.
How To Practice Major Mega Supreme Body Love Daily
Stop buying & reading magazines or websites which talk about weight or speculate as to which celebrity has an eating disorder. It doesn’t matter whether the comments are “Dude she needs a cheeseburger” or “Ugh if I looked like that I wouldn’t leave the house”, IT AIN’T HELPING! All it does is foster judgment of ourselves & others, neither of which EVER lead to anything positive! Evaluating other people’s bodies is so dangerous & destructive! Let’s learn to stop doing it. Let’s help one another stop doing it. Let’s learn to see the beauty in other people instead.
Holi lasts 16 days & is celebrated on the last full moon of winter, usually at the end of February or start of March. It’s a way of marking the beginning of spring. The major part of Holi consists of people throwing coloured powder (Gulal) at one another! Everyone carries brightly coloured powder in pouches & small jars, fill super soakers with purple dye & brandish bottles of baby powder. The bright colours are said to signify life, energy & joy. Traditionally, Āyurvedic medicinal herbs like Neem & Bilva were used to colour the powder, which helped ward off colds & flu!
My SXSW BFF & infamous artist Molly Crabapple & I were picked up in an ‘80s Cadillac limousine one rainy day & taken out for a day of vintage shopping. We also managed to fit in some arcade games & a round of miniature golf before adjourning to a magical tea party. It was quite a day!
Here’s the deal: I know a lot of exceptional people. Some of them happen to be single. Girls (all girls, ever!) are always complaining about how they never meet rad boys, whereas I know a whole bunch of them! I also know how amazing everyone who reads this is — I say all the time that I have the best readers in the known gala-xy! It would be selfish of me to keep everyone apart & to myself, & so, we’re trying something new! This little feature is called DATE MY FRIEND & the idea is to fix up like-minded awesome people! Sound good?!
Current Crushes, aka What You Should Put On Your Shopping List Right Now
While there are some things you buy which don’t really enhance your life at all, there are other discoveries which definitely improve things. Shoes are nice, but discovering your perfect skincare regimen, for example, can be a complete game-changer — no longer worrying about the perfect concealer, far fewer “ugly days”, etc. Here are a collection of things I’ve been using for a while which make me really happy — & some which might make you happy too!
Firstly, let me just say this. What you were taught is wrong. Having sex with one or multiple men does not make you a “whore” — it doesn’t make you anything, other than a person who is capable of making their own decisions. The amount of sex you have, the kind of sex you have, the things that get you off & the way you like to express yourself sexually do not add or subtract from your value as a human being.
As you can see, we fit right in! The locals LOVED US!
She filled her carry-on with treasures: holographic stars, false eyelashes, a St Christopher medal, rescue remedy, tarot cards & lip gloss.
Happy Birthday Hank Williams! & Introducing Dolly Darling!
Nine years ago, The Dish found Hank Williams on the side of a highway at 2am. He was driving along when he saw a dog thrown from a van. He immediately pulled over, picked the dog up & put him in his car. He was in shock & was so limp that The Dish thought he might die.
The International Playgirl’s Guide To Las Vegas
It’s a fantastic place to visit. While some people think that the city is roamed exclusively by packs of bachelors looking for trouble, & not really a place women enjoy, nothing could be further from the truth! Las Vegas is what you make it, & that’s one of the most wonderful things about it.
Yes, it is totally acceptable to stumble around Las Vegas in sequins at 7 in the morning. Seriously, don’t worry about it. But if you forget to pack good shoes, you will be in so much anguish you won’t know what to do with yourself. The Strip is IMMENSE, & it always takes longer to get from A to B than you initially anticipate. Expect to do much, much walking.
I am totally, totally, totally in love with my Filofax & thought I’d show you how I’ve been organising it & using it.
Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems [Part One]
Fashion bloggers are particularly susceptible to spending a lot to keep up, because essentially fashion is ALL about what’s new — which naturally means you’re going to be constantly aware of what is fresh — & constantly aware of what you don’t have. You end up focusing on what you lack as opposed to what is already in your possession.
Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems [Part Two]
When Sheila interviewed me for the Post, I think she was surprised to hear that I don’t own a credit card. I think most people would be surprised to hear that! The fact of the matter is that I only recently moved to America, & as I have absolutely no credit history here, it would be nigh impossible for me to get a credit card (even if I wanted one, which I don’t!).
Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems [Part Three]
1. Don’t spend it before you earn it! This is SUCH a simple premise but so few people take it to heart, & end up in the poop. If you don’t have the money in the bank RIGHT NOW, you have no right to buy it. Cool your heels. Most things we “really really want” are completely forgotten about in a day anyway!
These photos are from the behind the scenes filming of American Living for JCPenney — much more information on that to come soon!
It’s like Beetlejuice goes to the Hamptons.
There’s a jungle gym in Tompkins Square Park, & there is always some weird dude gang loitering around it, doing strange exercises & grunting. While we were taking these pictures, these guys came over — no shirts in sight — & asked if they could pose with me. Of course, we said YES! I think they are all about 15 years old! I emailed my parents that photo & my dad replied, “Did you tell them your father has a body like that?” Hahaha!!! Oh Papa Darling, you slay me!
Gossip Girl On Acid: A How-To For Intrepid Playgirls
Mix prints: put leopard with floral with polka-dots with stripes. Draw inspiration from Little Edie Beale, camping trips & treehouses. Flowers everywhere! Dig out your old Girl Scout handbook. Stock up on striped sweaters & wear them with everything — tucked into high-waisted skirts, under leather jackets, over frothy dresses. Oversized statement rings of crystals & skulls, worn with an immaculate, dazzling manicure. Knee-high socks all the time. Well-worn motorcycle boots & glitter-covered Christian Louboutin pumps.
Wicked Schoolgirls On The Streets Of San Francisco
I woke up early, fuelled myself with coffee & started throwing outfits together. As I did, my bed transformed into a smorgasbord of sparkles, stripes, ruffles & skulls…
The L.A. Times said, “Crash pad for creative types attracts fellow artists who linger in the lobby’s living-room-like lounge”. Hotel Chatter said, “the lobby lounge… is supposed to remind you of an eccentric, well-traveled relative with a penchant for collecting vintage, one-of-a-kind furnishings and art.” Nadine Jolie said, “It’s exceedingly popular with Brits, especially on Sundays for the British Brunch, features a trippy mad-chic decor that resembles your eccentric uncle’s study, and specializes in straighforward (but strong!) champagne cocktails, as well as a vodka, lime and cucumber drink called the Writer’s Block.”
Eccentric Heiress In Dolores Park
..After superstar photographer Lydia Hudgens & I had a quick bite to eat at Cafe Gratitude in the Mission with Star, we raced back to my hotel room for an outfit change. We had decided to shoot something in Dolores Park, & the outfit also needed to take me through the night to the Zivity fashion striptease event (which was the whole reason I was in San Francisco in the first place!). After multiple changes, I settled on this.
What followed was a day of many outfit changes, lying in piles of bamboo, climbing trees, scrambling up mossy hills using only our fingernails & getting mud on our boots. It was GREAT! It felt fantastic to get out of the city, run around & fall over.
Radical Self-Hate? Stop The Madness!
I think that women have been taught that it is okay — even “good”, feminine, or expected — to obsess over what we’re eating & how we think we look. As if it wasn’t bad enough that this is reinforced by our best girlfriends, it’s also rammed down our throats by the rest of society & even by big business — you know, those companies who depend on you hating yourself so you’ll buy more beauty products, diet pills, surgery etc.! You only have to switch on the television to be assaulted with a gamut of shows fixating on the “Best Celebrity Body” to know that all of this is very real.
Photo Diary: Virgo Birthday Time!
There were bubbles & miniature cupcakes, skull-shaped goblets, a disco ball, multiple cakes & balloons EVERYWHERE. I wore a pink sequinned Betsey Johnson dress with a flower crown & false eyelashes. It was a wonderful way to send off the year that has been & welcome in the year ahead!
Honesty, Space & Staying True: Why I Turned Off Comments
Human nature dictates that we all want to be liked, loved, ADORED! We all want to be doted on, we all want bouquets of roses & love letters. Especially people who create for a living. (We are a sensitive bunch.) This is true for everyone, but it is somehow magnified online. All this reinforcement is wonderful to a point, but at some stage, it becomes unhealthy. You start to rely on the feedback — need it, crave it. Comments feed the cycle of validation.
When The Magic Fades & The Doldrums Set In: How To Avoid Becoming One Of “Those” Couples
What you really want to prevent, though, is becoming “one of THOSE couples” — the dreaded curse. It’s that feeling of being locked down into a relationship with someone who you love, but with whom the honeymoon is very much over. Comfort becomes routine, routine becomes monotony & before you know it, you’re spending every night together eating takeaways in front of the television. This is NOT living!
Now, back to the topic at hand! When we were in Los Angeles, Nubby & I talked about make-up constantly, & visited multiple MAC & Sephora outlets in our quest for lovelies. We both decided we’d write about our favourite new things on our websites. Below is a little summary of what I’m using & loving!
“You Look Like A Mistress At A Funeral!”
Taking your photos in a public place is always an adventure. Yes, people stare. Yes, they ask me what I’m doing, which is kind of hard to answer. (“I have a website & I’m taking pictures of my clothes…” ?!) Sometimes they take photos of me taking photos of myself, which is even weirder! They always think I’m totally crazy. I don’t mind!
Puppy Love & Bunny Hops: 10 Reasons Why You Should Adopt A Rescue Animal
If you’ve been idly considering adopting a new member of the family, I’m here to try to push you over the edge & make it happen! But more than that, I’d like to encourage you to choose a rescue animal. Below are 10 reasons why I think you should adopt a little rascal from an animal shelter!
I’m Jealous Of Other Women! An Act In Two Parts
I feel like often we peg all our “stuff” on a lover when we don’t have much else going on in our lives. I know I mentioned Tim Ferriss recently, but I watched this great talk where he made a lot of points that are relevant to a lot of things! One thing he said was that when you’re a business-person, it’s really easy to attach your ego to your work. This means that when your work isn’t going well, it feels like your entire life is in ruins. You need other activities & interests so that you can gain some perspective. He said that when he’s having a tough time with his business, he goes & works out — that feeling of lifting an additional 10lbs or whatever makes him feel really good & lifts him out of the funk. I think this is true for some of us in relationships, too. If you’re so focussed on your partner that the slightest disturbance rips your world asunder, it might be a sign that you need to expand your life a little bit.
My Favourite Costumes At The Tompkins Square Park Halloween Dog Parade
Let me just be honest: there are few things I enjoy more than seeing a dog in a costume. It’s like mainlining absolute, unfettered joy to the heart! So on Saturday, Mike & I took our two dogs, Hank & Dolly, over to the park.
BIRTHDAY GIRL! Pink Leopard-Print Platform Mary Janes!
Yes, it’s true! I can now add “shoe designer” to my eclectic résumé! I designed my first pair of shoes last month — bright pink leopard print platform Mary Janes — & I named them BIRTHDAY GIRL!
Aurelia was left behind when her husband, James, a ship’s captain, jumped to his own death from the bow of his ship. His friend had told her that James had succumbed to the Sirens calling him from below. She was driven mad by grief. Hollow & hopeless, she wandered the enormous, empty house, wringing her hands & praying that her husband would return one more time. Prayers turned to curses & her mind started to twist.
Does Friends With Benefits Ruin Everything?
I’m not going to dance around the topic because I think sometimes women can be guilty of telling one another lies in order to preserve one another’s feelings. I don’t want to hurt or offend you, but I think in the long run, telling you, “Oh well, maybe you can make it work, maybe he’s just confused about how he feels, blah blah blah” is more harmful than telling you the truth.
If We Ran The World: A Conversation With Cindy Gallop
Cindy Gallop is a brand-building, advertising & marketing genius. She won Advertising Woman of the Year in 2003 & now works on a variety of entrepreneurial projects. We sat down to talk about two of them — If We Ran The World & Make Love Not Porn — as well as her status as an iconic bachelorette!
Skull Disco & The Day Of The Dead
I had such a great weekend! I wanted to do something for Día de los Muertos, aka the Day of the Dead, so I enlisted my new favourite make-up artist, Ashley Spedale, to make some magic! She came over to International Playgirl HQ, set up her massive kit & we spent the next few hours laughing, gluing crystals to my face & talking about our Betsey Johnson obsessions!
As we get older, & purportedly wiser,
we start to realise that the things which once worked for us no longer fit. Like a favourite sweater that has shrunk in the wash, the people, places or activities which once brought us comfort now just bring us anguish — & sometimes an unsightly rash!
Black Friday? Nah. Buy Nothing Day
I choose to participate in Buy Nothing Day. It may not be an earth-shattering decision, but for me, it is a step in the right direction. Maybe it will be for you too.
He’s certainly extremely intelligent. He can run cognitive rings around me, which is something I haven’t experienced in a long time, & which is a feeling I both relish & loathe simultaneously. The things he says are sometimes so baffling that I feel like I am thinking in slow motion. I completely lost my line of questioning. I don’t think I asked him a single prepared question.
I love this interview. It’s one of my favourites so far. I hope you enjoy it too!
How To Survive Mercury Retrograde
Mercury retrograde wants us to move back spiritually. It is providing us with a chance to re-examine various areas of our life which may need a little more work, so that we can move forward to a bright new dawn. Now, more than ever, the time is right to look at things with clear eyes. Delicious, fresh perspectives are revealed. We often have major breakthroughs—intellectual, emotional or spiritual—during this time.
The Ultimate Gift Guide: 50 Perfect Presents For The Playgirl In Your Life!
If your friend just moved into a new place, why not give her a steamer trunk with her initials painted on the front? Then fill it with crisp new sheets, a magical pillow & a thick, warm duvet.
Have a wonderful Christmas & I’ll be back on Monday the 27th of December!