FO ona SCYIE

Babe on a Budget;

  
   

By Stephanie Trembath

cracked my clothing cleanse two

weeks ago I decidedly succumbed
to just about every craving I’ve had
over the last three months. No damage
done— yet— but I must say I have
completely exhausted all my shopping
resources. I have fallen into all my old
bad habits; browsing online sites during
lecture, contemplating which winter
boots to buy (Fry’s vintage or classic?),
and debating how much wiggle room I
have on my student line of credit. There
is, of course, absolutely NO wiggle
room unless I decide to live off boiled
potatoes and beans next semester. I tried
the PB&J diet for nicer jeans, and not
only is it unrealistic, but it turned me off
my favourite food: peanut butter.

I couldn’t have chosen a worse
time of year to be selfish and think
only about my superficial desires as
Christmas is right around the corner, but
I absolutely loathe Christmas shopping.
The busy malls, inflated prices, whining
sticky fingered children, and over-
enthusiastic cheer that is reserved
only for the two weeks leading up to
Christmas, that somehow magically
disappears once New Year’s hangovers
commence, really turns me off the
shopping scene. I would rather order
something online, but that apparently

10

J= like any binge dieter, once I

Material moderation in cyberspace

deflates the holiday spirit. I also do not
understand why everyone has to buy
something for those they care about to
show their affection, when realistically,
nobody is ever fully satisfied with what
they receive. Unless you’ve hinted
broadly for the entire fall semester (in
which case you’re a presumptuous _
greedy-guts). I would rather receive a
thick red envelope with festive gold
trim.
A few good things have come

out of my epic fail at saving money;

for one, I am much more saver savvy.
Although I cracked under the immense
pressure of on-sale silk harem pants,

I have developed a critical disposition
when examining clothes that has led

me to criticize prices to a point that

not even I want to purchase anything.

I spent an entire day debating a pair of
tights and arguing with friends whether
or not they were worth $70 plus the $32
shipping fee. By the end of the day, I
had lured three of my girlfriends to the
website where they were contemplating
their own purchases, while I had made
up my own mind against it.

Another fortunate experience
presented itself once I started filling up
random cyberspace shopping carts again,
my discovery of a new online shopping
store, Romwe.com. Acknowledged as the
Latest Street Fashion Online, Romwe.
com offers a wide variety of clothes,
shoes, accessories, and even vintage
pieces. Founder of the company, April
Smith, launched the online store in 2010,
aspiring to sell trendy designer clothing
for affordable prices. The downside? All
of the pieces are manufactured in China
(which accounts for the affordability).
The upside? Shipping is free to all parts
of the world with no minimum purchase!
Echoing trends much like Urban
Outfitters, the site comes complete with a
size guide, shipping information, PayPal
option, and featured Q&A to make your
shopping experience even more pleasant.
I personally have not ordered anything
yet, but I am itching to order a navy skirt
and small gold ring. Reviews of the newly
developed online site rave about the speed
of shipping and quality of jewellery and
clothes, but caution against the shoes,
as they are cheaply manufactured and
slightly uncomfortable. Out of Print
clothing, one of my favourite and less
visited online shopping sites, recently
expanded their selection of book cover
print T-shirts and sweaters. A Clockwork
Orange, Wizard of Oz, Ulysses,
Huckleberry Fin, and A Tree Grows in
Brooklyn, are a few of the new prints
featured, and the company now pledges to
donate one book to a community in need
per item purchased off their website. I
already own a long sleeve fleece sweater
(ala Moby Dick) and a Great Gatsby
T-shirt, and I must admit, I wish I had
waited for the Wizard of Oz to make an
appearance before my purchases!

Dream nails

 

By Gurneev Panesar

of the hideous habit of biting my

nails. It was challenging, but it is
an experience I should share with you
all. It took me years and years to try
and give up, but as I look down at my
fingers, I’m so proud of myself. Not
only has it boosted my confidence,
but I can look after them, paint
them horrid, luminous shades—and
yes—walk around putting my paws
on everything instead of hiding them
under my long sleeves!

One of the advantages to having
healthy nails is indulging in the
simplicity of a low-budget, at-home
manicure. The whimsy of natural nails
is unbeatable in contrast to acrylics,
which although they are a fashionable
and popular way to “dress-up” the
appearance of fingernails, can cost
$50 or more. They may look trendy
and Snooki-like, but excessive use of
them can lead to severe nail damage.
Acrylics are applied to the natural nail
using gels and glues that contain harsh
ingredients. What’s more, power tools
used to file the nail can remove its
natural layers, stripping them down to
thinner than it should be.

So if you have weak, brittle
fingernails, you many want to
reconsider how you’ ve been treating
them. And I have the solution.

Treat yourself to this luxurious

DIY manicure! Enjoy your luscious
manicure for the next two weeks,
touching it up as needed. Don’t hesitate
to experiment, and happy painting!

[ow managed to stumble out

1. Remove old colour with
acetone polish remover on a
cotton ball.

Cut and file your nails to a
length of your choice. As for
shape, there are two main
options: square or rounded. I
personally prefer square, but it

depends in what complements -

your finger shape.

Rest your hands in a bowl of
warm water with a pinch of
sodium bicarbonate (baking
soda), the juice of half a
lemon, some salt, and two
tablespoons of a bath powder
of your choice, for 10-15
minutes. Make sure the water
is not too hot, or it will dry
out the moisture in your hands
and nails.

Apply some vitamin E oil or
lotion on dry hands to nourish
and soften rough spots.

Use a cuticle pusher or
Popsicle stick to press cuticles
back so they don’t obstruct
the polish.

Exfoliate your hands with
your preferred honey body
scrub or homemade mixture
of olive oil and kosher salt

or raw sugar. Scrub for two

to three minutes, then wash
thoroughly.

Dry hands and apply a rich:
moisturizer. I recommend The
Body Shop’s Vitamin E Hand
& Nail Treatment. It makes
your hands feel as soft as
downy feathers.

Apply a base coat first, then
apply two thin coats of polish.
My fave is O.PI’s Ladies &
Magenta-men.

Last, finish up with a top coat
to prevent chipping and wear.