Sunday 22 April 2012

Tat chat

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Hi guys! Today I figured we could have a quick chat about tattoos. I meant to do a post on that for a while now. Since my folks read my blog I delayed their heart attack for a bit, but after accidentally flashing one of my tats to them the other day, I think we are all set! :)

The thing is a lot of people relate tattoos to ex-cons, gangsters, and criminal attitudes in general! Now matter how weird it might seem, there are still some who believe that and give you weird glimpses every now and then. It's a good thing my family is more forward and more of the "it's your life"kind of school-although they are not thrilled about it either!

When it comes down to ink matters, I think it's retarded to be prejudiced and make fun of other people's designs saying "oh that's original"; unless they have a chinese word that means "meatball" when they believe it stands for "courage"..! A tattoo is supposed to be personal, yes; but who are you to judge what is personal for each one of us? There is no virgin birth anymore, and nobody owns all the words or all the patterns! One word can have a different meaning to 1000 people, or the same and be adored just for that! 

I used to think that I MUST come up with a one-of-a-kind idea... 5 years went by for me to realise that this is just a load of #$%! 
Personally I appreciate small and randomly placed tattoos, I find them cooler and sexier on women; but on guys I really enjoy sleeves and bigger patterns-but that's just me! Maybe it's an analogy thing: the bigger the body the bigger the tattoo?! 
Anyway, the only things that I think you SHOULD keep in mind when considering a new tat are:

1. If you work or plan to work in a more corporate environment or some place where dress code is strict and anything additional is frowned upon, you might wanna have it done somewhere more private. Pick a place that can't be easily spotted, like inner arm, ribs, lower back.. there are so many options anyway!
2. Please please oh please dont get it on a spot that is likely to get really saggy! Even if it looks good now, in less than 10 years time it will turn into an abstract pattern which will only remind you how much of an old fart you are! I know I'm not one to talk-since I have one on my triceps!- but I will have you know that it is low enough not to get saggy any time soon! Plus it's been a motivation for me to start working out again, so... win win!

After you get your tattoo, a few tips on taking care of it. I know there's a lot of different opinions on the web about the after-part, but I do very few things that work fine. Since my tattoo guy never provided any information, I always had to google stuff so I got the hang of it. 

What you CAN do is: 
Just shower normally from the first day, but don't get any soap on the tattoo. You can keep cleaning it gently ONLY with water several times a day- then gently dry it with a clean towel, without scrubbing it!
After that just apply a small amount of cream, like Bepanthen, which you can find in any drug store for cheap, and let it absorb it. Repeat 1-4 times a day -when dry-  for the first two weeks.
ALWAYS keep in mind that a tattoo is an open wound and therefore can be easily infected. The fabrics you wear or use in general MUST be clean. These crucial first weeks will define the quality and lifespan of your tattoo, so take good care of it!

One last note: 
About that nonsense you might hear that you will "get addicted", don't listen to any of it! You might wanna get more done, but that's just because you will like how good they look on you. I consider the human body an endless canvas and I enjoy seeing it decorated with beautiful fonts and patterns. 
While you are having the tattoo done, your body releases endorphines to prevent you from feeling all the pain. This is why afterwards you may remember feeling euphoric! While in theory you could get addicted to endorphines, as some of them are considered stronger than morphine, in reality it rarely happens. Endorphines can also be released during sex or while eating chocolate, and you are not truly addicted to those, are you?! Everything in moderation- I know the rush you get is amazing, but don't go into extremes and you'll be fine! 

Above I have displayed a compilation of my favourite tattoo ideas from around the web, just to get you started! If you are reluctant thinking you might regret it, start with something small. There are so many things in life you might regret anyway, so we might as well do nothing! I know for some people it's like having a bad haircut forever, and that's partially true... but for me it's something that I will look at while growing older,  and it will remind me of the good times I had and how I felt back then!
I look forward to hearing your experiences and ideas! Do you guys have any tattoos?  Either way, feel free to share your thoughts or ask for advice!

x mp

Saturday 14 April 2012

Spring inspiration

T-shirt Primark
Skirt Bershka
Belt H&M
Tank top Primark
Skirt H&M
Bracelet from personal collection
Necklace Topshop
                                       Leopard flats Bershka                                         
Tank top Primark
Skirt Bershka
Rings Topshop & Primark
Bracelet Topshop
Nail polish Erre Due & Seventeen
(excuse the veins!)

Today is not the best day for me.. An interview I had arranged for this morning got postponed for next week, plus I have a severe back problem which makes me feel like I'm 70 and in desperate need of a cane! It all started two days ago while trying on shoes.. I guess it was God's way to tell me NOT to buy anymore stuff and start working out at last! On top of that I'm down with a cold and a fever, lucky me! I decided to kick back with a new post and some fine music by Mr Coleman Hawkins instead of passing out- which I will anyway after I finish this! 

Anyway, these spring colours in the pictures above kind of cheered me up! I usually never dress that girly and opt for pants or leggings, but I was hoping maybe putting them up there will inspire me to where these vivid coloured skirts I've been piling up.. And it's most likely that if I do I will pair them with my favourite boots to tone down the girliness! I love neon colours and fringy tops at the moment, perhaps because festival season is soon to come. Note to self: remember to buy Coldplay tickets!! You can purchase your own spring trends for cheap at Primark and H&M, which are my main source of power! In most cases for less than 10£.
Nails of the week -because yes, I keep them for at least a week as I have no time or will to renew them more often!- are a mix of green and brown; just improvised and put a twist on them (the right hand's thumb being green with brown dots and the pinky plain brown).
Once again, that's all for today. I hope you are enjoying the rest of your vacation and having a wonderful time with your families!

X mp


Monday 9 April 2012

...Culture (Sun)day


Tyneside Challenge 
Armstrong Whitworth Car, 1911
A Soldier's Life
WW2

Newcastle Story
A Soldier's Life

Newcastle Story
WW2

A Soldier's Life
Newcastle Story
60s

Newcastle Story
60s
"You're not going out looking like this"

Newcastle Story
60s
Newcastle Story
70s

Newcastle Story
90s
So it's Easter Sunday and I'm not spending it home, as is tradition, for the last 23 years. Instead of enjoying some fine slow-roasted lamp, I decided to spend the day at the Discovery Museum. It is well-known to the people close to me, that I'm not the kind of person who hangs out in museums; it's not that I avoid them, I just make different choices. I usually prefer to spend my time watching movies, new series, shopping, having coffee with friends, etc  and I opt for the web-knowledge plan. For some people that might be shallow, but luckily for me, I don't care!
Anyway, when in the mood and the circumstances allow it, I pay some tribute to these cultural temples. Since I had some time in my hands today I decided to visit this particular museum because it is free and it had a variety of different and interesting exhibitions. 
Newcastle Story and A Soldier's Life particularly intrigued me, I guess because they were extremely well photographed and so I could share it with you guys! I chose to display them above in the form of a story so that it is easier on the eye, while in reality they are from different exhibitions.
 A Soldier's Life is an exhibition about World War 2 and I laid the pics in a "preparation for the war & aftermath" kind of manner. The images that I have used from Newcastle Story are mostly from the different chronological eras; they were divided according to elements-benchmarks of each decade. Especially the 60s, 70s and 90s are wonderfully depicted, bringing back memories and reminding me how much the past still affects us. Take the 60s for instance; aren't the spring trends colours and patterns in 2012 similar to the ones back then? Designers always look back for inspiration, and so can we. My personal favourites were the 90s-since I grew up in that decade: Super Nintendo, Game Boy, the first Playstation, the first South Park episodes, Backstreet Boys, rollerblades, overalls, Baywatch, slap bracelets.. good stuff!
Turns out this visit was way more rewarding than I originally thought. These exhibitions were the product of some lengthy quality work and that came right through- which makes it easier to appreciate and enjoy. I might even start visiting museums more.. unless there is a new episode of Whitney...or New Girl, or Breaking Bad..eeeem..