Check out "Blogging Project Runway"

If you're a Project Runway fan like me, and you haven't heard of this website yet... Blogging Project Runway, I suggest you check it out ASAP!! It includes photos of the recent NY fashion week show and each designer's collections, plus loads more crap for extra time wasting.

I have a big Arabic test tomorrow, and I have already frittered away half my evening at "Beer & Burger night" (a beer & burger for only 5 piddly dollars!!) at Gentle Ben's Brewery near campus with Ingrid, Anna, Ben, and Ingrid's husband, Joe.

It took me an extra hour to sober up after my second beer --- so I'm out of time to write much of interest tonight, as studying prevails for once. Actually, consider yourself lucky, as absolutely nothing else happened to me today anyway.

Feta, Gruyere, Swimming, & Project Runway

My life has been rather boring lately, well except for last evening, when I went to Arabic speaking club, and my Iraqi dialect teacher was there and invited a couple of us back to his apartment for dinner. Over the course of a few (very long, slightly painful) hours, it was discovered that my teacher is a big fan of Michael Bolton.

He began belting one of Mr. Bolton's tunes out ("Did you hear the news today...?") until I politely asked him to cease and desist as he was on the verge of making everyone ill within listening range. I then had the unsavory task of telling him that Michael Bolton is considered a total wanker by US standards, although I do believe I used the word "cheesy," which of course, he did not understand, seeing as his English is not so good. Instead, I was bombarded with -- "cheesy? what is this 'cheesy' word? why do you say he is cheesy? what does this mean that a person is cheesy?"


Perhaps a visual is the best explanation.

Holy crap, how does one explain the concept of cheese to an Iraqi? I quickly surmised that it was simply impossible to explain. So he then switched gears and began singing a Bryan Adams song ("Everything I do, I do it for you..."), to which I simply shrugged and concluded that this is what Baghdadis must believe is popular and hip American pop music. No wonder we're getting bombed over there.

Also of note, today I timed myself swimming a mile (72 lengths = 36 laps), and I achieved my all-time fastest distance swim... completed in exactly 36.5 minutes! Therefore, I'm taking the day off tomorrow to relax and get a pedicure...

OK, so now to the important information... the semi-finale to "Project Runway"!!!

I'm sure this is boring if you don't watch the show (and why you wouldn't is unfathomable to me), but my two favorite designers, Michael and Laura, created the two worst dresses -- in my opinion -- tonight!! However, there was a "feel good" ending, and all four designers advanced to the Fashion Week finale.

First, the worst:

You know I love Laura, but this dress was sooo blaaaahhhhh. Yuck. The color was D-U-L-L, I hated the lace, the neckline was too wide & plunging, the dangling beads are getting old (sort of like Angela's rosettes), and it's just an overused theme from her. Plus, honestly, I'm just putting this out here... I think her model is really unattractive...

She reminds me of a less pretty version of that character "Susan" that was on Sesame Street in the 1970s.

Here she is with "Bob" --- I think she did have shorter hair at one time.

And BTW, does anyone think Bob bears an uncanny resemblance to Owen Wilson in this picture?

Anyway, Michael's dress also sucked. As you can see, even "Bravo" thought so, as their website is only displaying the thumbnail size version of his design!!!

If you could actually see it, you'd know that the "keyhole" front actually looked more like the back of the dress, it didn't fit well (very gappy around the boob area), and his verbal creativity was lacking when he described his dress as "sexy, sultry, and sensual," which sounds like a "match.com" advertisement minus the "soul mate," "I like taking long walks holding hands," and "cuddling in front of a fire" bits.

Now don't get me wrong, I think that hyena-like, tattoo-necked Jeffrey is as miserable and evil as the next person... so I was appalled that I actually liked his design (panned by the judges) in tonight's episode:

He's not much to look at, but I thought his dress was actually kind of cute. And definitely not his typical "Hot Topic" and "Wet Seal" kind of look. Maybe I was just relieved it didn't involve shredded vinyl or ripped denim for a change.

And, the biggest shock of the night... Uli, who won this episode.

I thought the neckline and front of this dress were great! I'm personally not crazy about the tye-dye thing because it reminds me of my college freshman year roommate who was obsessed with the Grateful Dead, but I do really like the cut of the design. And thank god it wasn't long and flowy with braiding, which is what she does every single week. I was really sure she was getting auf'd tonight so her win came as quite a shock. Let's just hope her Fashion Week collection isn't full of Miami Beach bohemian peasant dresses...

That's all for tonight... now I'm off to sleep. Ciao.

A Bit Bummed Out...

As I have already revealed that I have no life here and way too much time on my hands, I will go ahead and admit that I took one of these lame personality quizzes on the internet. This one was entitled, "Which British Band Are You?" And I was actually quite proud of my results, as this is, in my opinion, possibly the best British band out there right now...

Which British Band Are You?

Maybe this explains my occasionally odd musical tastes...

Other than this, little has happened to me today, at least in a positive way. I had two negative bits of news:

1. I got a B+ on my "Quranic Thought" paper that I turned in last week. This is not good. Especially since I haven't ever gotten anything but an A from this professor in the last two classes I've taken with him. I will admit, I wrote it in a hurry because my mother was coming to visit two weekends ago, but I didn't think it was in the "B" category. However, apparently it sucked. It's worth 15% of my grade so I still have hope, but now that means I have to kick ass on my final paper, which means I'd better start thinking about it soon. And that is not enjoyable. Shit.

2. Secondly, I found out today that my plans to visit Seattle this coming weekend have been stymied. My two best friends there are both married to airline pilots so I was going to fly on their discount passes, but alas, the flights have filled (and actually are overbooked coming back on Sunday evening) so I'm hosed. And disappointed... I guess more time will have to go by until I can finally meet Jojo & Mark's little guy.

Here's Carson... who I'm still waiting to meet...

Boooo hoooo...

And I will have to postpone more wine debauchery with J & K...

Siggghhhhh...

Anyway, that's all in my sad little world. Laters...

Admission of a Dull Life

I have some disappointing news: my potential swimming partner didn't join me last Friday.

Honestly I'm not sure why. She was in class on Friday, but she was dressed in thick black garments (sort of funeral-like, actually), and she didn't comment on the pool at all. Of course, I wasn't about to bring it up either (as I was secretly relieved that I wouldn't have to make small talk with her en route the rec center... let alone go through the awkwardness of the locker room) so the topic passed unspoken, and after class I ran out to my bike and escaped by myself to the pool, where I enjoyed a nice 30 minutes of non-embarrassing swimming and then a couple hours of laying blissfully under a palm tree reading a text book.

Perhaps she is planning to join me another day. Or maybe my facial expressions of shock and horror, which I really did try to hide last week, scared her away from seriously coming along with me.

This weekend has been full of absolutely nothing... watched a movie with Lindsey, her girlfriend Wafa, and our other friend Alana on Friday night ("Derailed" with Jennifer Aniston -- ridiculous plot and a waste of brain matter)... then ran errands on Saturday.

I've decided that my fat ass is spending way too much time in front of the computer -- so I went to Michael's Crafts and bought a glue gun. I figure if anything will inspire me to move away from the computer screen, it is the prospect of sitting on my fat ass making something crafty. So my new idea is to make magnets for people for Christmas (seeing as I am a poor starving student). Not just any old magnets, but cool, chic, crafty magnets with glue gunned crap all over them (glitter, pictures, paint)... and I also bought resin which you can use to fill things like bottle caps, and then it hardens, and you can "freeze" stuff inside of it. Anyway... just a warning to my friends -- you're getting crafts this year for X-Mas! You will like it... or else.

I also went grocery shopping and prowled around Target for a while. On Saturday evening, I downloaded a zillion Rick Wakeman songs for less than $10 from some Russian music website (and I have now been happily listening to 70s synthesizer for the past day and a half), and then I watched the French movie "L'Enfant" that I rented from Hollywood Video. It's the 2005 "Palme d'Or" winner at Cannes, and actually, I must say, it was very very good.

Today I read in bed all morning (Women in the Qur'an by Barbara Stowasser... actually not a bad read) to prepare for Quranic Thought class on Monday, made myself a hot cinnamon roll (no, KC, not from a can... but I was inspired by your e-mail to buy a pre-made one from the bakery section at the grocery store on Saturday!), and sipped on a nice steaming cup of coffee. However, as part of my effort to save $$, I bought Folger's coffee grounds at the store, and I have to be honest, it's absolutely god-bloody-awful. What was I thinking? It's so worth $2 more to get the good stuff. Bleeeccchhhh!

I also went to the pool today to swim laps, and there was a girl next to me who had no arms. She was a really good swimmer though (frog kicking and also a form of back stroke). I just kept wondering how she was going to get out of the pool. However, I left before she was finished swimming so the question will continue to loom in my mind.

On that note, I really am vowing to go to bed earlier and spend less time on this machine (I'm not even doing pictures tonight!!). So I shall go now. Goodnight!

Swimming Islamic Style

I think I'm in for a doozy this Friday (tomorrow/today depending on what day you're reading this).

It all started last Monday...

I have a habit of going to the gym every morning after my 9:30am Arabic class. Well, you may recall that there is a woman named "Melissa" in my graduate department... the Qur'an-thumper American convert who recently announced via Listserv e-mail that she would never attend student events at which alcohol would be present because this would mean an automatic ticket to hell. (click here if you haven't read about it yet)

Anyway, every day I walk into Arabic class, Melissa always comments on how "sporty" I look, as I am generally wearing my gym clothes. So on Monday, she asked what sort of exercise I do. I told her that I usually go to the pool to swim laps if the weather is good.

Suddenly, she got a gleam in her eye and said, "Oh! I've been wanting to lose 15 pounds, and I love to swim! And... " (here's where it gets interesting) "the Islamic bathing suit I ordered just arrived in the mail... so if it's OK, I'm going to join you!"

So I'm thinking... WTF is Islamic swimwear? Is there such a thing as an Islamic bathing suit? Afraid to seem frightened and/or overly curious, I non-chalantly asked, "Oh, so what does your bathing suit look like?" (crossing fingers and silently whispering to self... please don't let it be some big black cape-like garment) She responded that it had long sleeves and a "built-in hood." I immediately had thoughts of a wetsuit, so I asked her if it was similar. And she responded, "Oh, yes, very similar to a wetsuit!"

All right... I can deal with a wetsuit. But this (my Google search showed) is not any sort of freaking wetsuit!!! I kid you not... the maker of this garment calls it "the burqini"...

This is something the oompa loompas would wear in Willy Wonka's factory!



Lindsey wonders if the girl will sink with all the weight of the cloth. I wonder if she will roast alive in the 90 degree sun.

I'm also wondering if she will change into this garment(s) (as it appears to be made of multiple parts) in the locker room? In front of me? I suppose I should consciously avert my eyes if she shows skin? I wonder if I'll finally get to see her hair? Or will she change in one of the toilet stalls? Oh, the disconcerting mystery of it all!

I have invited Linds to come along (if for nothing else, curiosity's sake), but she has ditched me like a hot potato, leaving me to fly alone in the wind with this kooky woman...

Look for an update after the weekend!

Mr. Clean on "Dancing With the Stars"

Here's what I want to know: What in the hell is going on with Joey Lawrence?


Looking for all curly-topped, red-haired little girl orphans...

Yesterday, I was hosting "Arabic speaking club" here at U of A (with all of three attendees, none of whom is very good at Arabic), and my mother phoned me.... twice. To make sure I immediately turned on "Dancing With the Stars" upon my return home. She was loving it. All of it. Not one specific dancer -- although she seemed to momentarily revel in Emmit Smith's ballroom dance ability -- but she was rather enamoured with the whole show. I think she missed the last two seasons so it's a relatively new phenomena to her. In any case, I promised to watch it.

Now, I had seen a preview for the show recently on PerezHilton (junk tabloid website I'm addicted to) so I knew that Joey Lawrence, our favorite little bowl-cut 80s wonder from "Gimme A Break!" was going to be on the show...


I also knew that he now had a shaved head. But what I was not prepared for was his sheer and utter gayness. Holy crap. This man is married?


This is, like, the gayest man on the dancefloor. EVER.

Let's take a small trip down memory lane...

It all started out on "Gimme A Break!"...


Even in the 80s, I remember thinking he had dorky hair. However, I so love the sister's hair who is wearing the orange sweater... and my mom had a perm & glasses like the girl in plaid.

Then there was a big jobless gap while he struggled as a "tween."

And then... the career rejuvenating early 90s TV show, "Blossom," that annoying sitcom with the unattractive, big-nosed Mayim Biyalik (sp?) girl, who thought she was a fashion icon for young teenagers, but she really just looked pretty ridiculous all the time...


Anyway, I am proud to say I considered myself "too cool" for that show and never watched it, but somehow Joey Lawrence figured into the plot, and suddenly young women across America (who clearly were too young to remember his heinous bowlcut in the olden days) thought he was hot...

I'm pretty sure that irritating "Whooooaaa!" came from this show.

He was soon gracing the tasteful centerfolds of "Teen Beat" and "Bop!"...

He sure is no Corey Feldman, Sean Astin, or Corey Haim! Puhh-leaze.

He seems to have disappeared in the late-90s, resurfacing only occasionally to don the Kraftwerk techno sunglasses while attending debut events with his cling-on clone brothers...

"German style rocks it."

In the early 21st century, he had muted the Dieter look into a softer rose tint in a metal frame a la Tim Robbins...

However, I don't think he'd begun to pluck the brows yet.

This is what I deem "the hot phase"...

... he looks pretty good here actually. He has a good face, nice features, thick hair.

But a year or two later, while still attractive, I think he began to show signs of "overgrooming"...

The tinted locks and the very obviously waxed eyebrows are just too pretty. I'm getting a gaydar reading here.

It appears as though he slowly ventured into baldness...

... starting first with the Beckham short cut.

Although, no one can ever beat the real deal...

Without a doubt the world's hottest man. Except for my boyfriend, who reads this, that is.

Oh, sorry, I just got off track... yes, back to Joey...

And then suddenly, he just started looking waaaay gay...

Could it be the tan? The brows? The METALLIC SHIRT?

I mean, it's all so...

... DR. EVIL.

And this promo picture disturbs me.

Does the cocked brow signify his goal of world dominance? Dancing lust? Eyeing the photographer's package?

Or recreating the King & I? Yes! That's it! The King & I!!


Oh... wait, no. Perhaps it's Mr. Clean?...


Well, whatever the hell it is, it's not a good look, Joey! You look like a ridiculous gay Daddy Warbucks, and you're not even suffering from male pattern baldness.

And on that note, I am hitting the hay. I can think about Joey Lawrence and his grooming habits no more.

The Great Deodorant Experiment

After writing yesterday about my friend Paola's upcoming Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, it reminded me of the debate that's gone around over the past few years about possible connections between antiperspirant and breast cancer. Click here or here if you don't know what the hell I'm talking about.

Several years ago, my very chatty 60-something-year-old male OB/GYN doctor in DC told me that I should not use antiperspirant. Curious, I asked "why?" He said, "well, why do you have sweat glands there if you're not supposed to use them?" Hmmm, I wondered. I gave no response. He ended the conversation by saying, "Exactly!" But I kept thinking about it later that day --- I mean, I don't know why I have hair on my legs that isn't useful, but I do, and I don't know why I have toe nails that I have to spend $30/month on in pedicures, but I do... and thus I came to the conclusion that armpit sweat must be one of those old necessities during our primate days, but not needed now. I mean, really, why do we sweat in our pits? Yuck!


Even celebrities like Mischa Barton have primate functions!

So I didn't listen to him. It sounded like a bunch of new-age hocus pocus. And anyway, there is scientific proof that antiperspirant doesn't cause cancer (click the links above to read more, if you haven't yet, and you're really interested).

So I went back for an exam the next year, and he asked me if I was still using anti-perspirant. I sheepishly responded that indeed, I was still using it. He chastised me and told me I should stop using it... saying again, "you have sweat glands there for a reason, you know." Ahhh, yeah, sure. So I promised him that I would consider his advice, and of course, I ignored it because I was not about to start using subpar products that might cause me to smell like a Third World bathroom...


I actually took this picture of a "toilet" in an internet cafe in Cairo.

I mean, my doctor didn't really seem new-agey, but one never knows. I thought it best to just proceed normally in life and continue to buy my Secret Solid.

Then this past year, after I moved to AZ, I had to go to the Student Health Clinic (ohhh the horror!!) for my annual doctor's appointment.

My DC doctor's warning, although I considered it nonsense, for some reason continued to guilt me out everytime I applied my CVS-purchased, Procter & Gamble corporately produced, disease-inducing, anti-sweat agent in the mornings.

So in an attempt to alleviate this Catholic-like feeling, I asked the nurse practictioner at the UA clinic what she thought about this "stop using anti-perspirant" advice. And guess what she said? Stop using it!!!! She said, while there was no direct evidence it caused breast cancer, she still thought it was an unnecessary risk and that sweat glands should indeed be used for sweat. Well, crap. Now what was I going to do? Now I had double the guilt.

Despite this, I spent the summer back in DC maintaining my usual anti-p. habits (I mean, DC is hot and sweaty, and a professional office setting is nowhere to be experimenting around with body odor products).

I therefore decided to take on the challenge upon my return to Tucson this past August (where my reputation is not particularly important to me). First, I tried Avalon Organics Peppermint roll-on deodorant, and I can assure you that this shit doesn't work...

Total Stank Inducing Garbage!!!

After about an hour in the AZ heat, I caught a whiff of my sweating pits (thankfully while coming home from class), and I honestly felt nauseous. I didn't know I was capable of smelling like a toothless peasant who hadn't bathed for a week, but apparently, I very much am. I immediately tossed the crap in my wastecan and headed out to a healthfood store near here to find a different product.


I must admit I was worried I might receive an anonymous e-mail like this.

After perusing the various organic, anti-aluminum, all-natural, "I love yoga and granola and only eat vegan food" type of armpit products (and believe me, there are many to choose from)... I spotted a strange little clear cylinder in the top right corner of the shelf, nearly out of reach and hidden in the shadows. Although I would normally steer clear of a seemingly untouched item, the Avalon Peppermint roll-on from Hell had already convinced me that prominent shelf placement was not necessarily an indicator of quality.

I pulled the little bottle down from above, and noted it had a sticker on it saying "Over 8 Million Sold." Now, I don't know where they were sold, as this particular item was covered in a thin layer of dust, but for some reason, the advertising claim gave me hope.

And it was here that I met my newest favorite cosmetic product...

The (Amazing!) Thai Crystal Deodorant Stone.

Its Claims: Hypoallergenic, Eliminates Odor, Unscented, Non-Staining, 24 Hour Protection, Contains No Aluminum Chlorhydrate, Also Works Great for Foot Odor!
Produced by: Deodorant Stones of America (I haven't a clue why its name ties it to Thailand?!?)

So call me a new age hippy freak. Don't worry though... I am still shaving my pits, legs, etc. and I'm not wearing hemp or patchouli yet. But I am a huge fan of this product!!! It lasts all day and its all natural mineral salts keep you from smelling like a sweaty French chick on a crowded metro car...

Ooo la la, au revoir.... mon cheri!!!

Weekend with my Mother

So --- to quickly update you on my weekend with my mom, here you go:

After taking an Arabic exam last Friday morning (oyyy -- found out today I got an 87% on it because I made some totally brain-dead mistakes...), I raced to the pool, swam 30 minutes of laps, biked home, showered & changed and hopped in my car to drive up to Phoenix to pick up my mother, who was working there on business this past Thursday and Friday.

I navigated my way through downtown Phoenix in my old jalopy, amidst massive road construction (they're building a light rail system there... woo hoo!), and found my mom waiting for me outside her law firm's office. We then headed a couple miles north to my mom's cousin's house (the fabulous Ardy, who I stayed with a couple times last semester when I needed to escape Tucson). We chilled out with Ardy at her house for a bit and then drove across town to Ardy's sister's house, AKA my mom's other cousin Joanne, where we met up with her and my second cousin, Mali, and her husband, Tom, who are both nurses in Phoenix.


This is me with Ardy and Joanne last spring. I like to call this shot "Gulliver and the Lilliputians"...

After a few glasses of wine and several nibbles of cheese, we then moved on (yes, again) to dinner at a place called Randy's, which was a diner adorned with florescent lighting and an elderly clientele, located in a strip mall. (no photo on Google, although apparently there are a lot of men named Randy in Phoenix...)

This is all becoming a bit TMI, isn't it? I'm tiring myself out just typing it.

Long story shorter: Dinner was good. I ordered a BLT, my favorite deli sandwich. Mali and Tom were super nice (I hadn't seen them since their 1978 wedding in Toledo, OH!!!... which I remember because my grandmother couldn't get my socks on straight in my shoes, and I kept taking off my shoes and pulling the socks off until she finally spanked me, and then I must have left them on, but I don't remember being very happy and I recall seething about my uncomfortable socks for much of the wedding).

Anyway, we all stayed up talking until nearly 1 am and reminiscing about family affairs. The next day, my mom, Ardy, Joanne, and I went to breakfast near Ardy's very cute house. Afterwards, my mom and I went our own way, and upon the recommendation of "the cousins," we decided to spend our day shopping at Kierland Commons in Scottsdale.

Here's what it looks like:


I burned a hole in my wallet at BCBG (I'm not a huge fan of their frilly tops, but I love love their skirts, dresses, and pants), where they were having a 50-70% off sale on some very cute items... I got this skirt, but in dark brown with sage and orange trim:

I love it! It is sooo cute...

We then drove back to Tucson (two hours south) later that afternoon, dropped off my mom's mongo bags in my teeny studio, then went out to grab some dinner at Micha's Restaurant, a local Sonoran Mexican spot...


It's nothing fancy, but the food is pretty darn good!

Then we drove over to the unbelievably gigantic "Casa Video" (home of the free mini-bags of popcorn for guest consumption while browsing for videos -- which, by the way, we did not partake in seeing as we had just eaten massive quantities of high calorie enchilada-type meals) and the largest documentary and foreign film collection I've ever seen at a video store...


The Mack Daddy of video stores... who'd guess it was in Tucson?

My mom wanted to get "Walk the Line" again --- she's mildly obsessed with it and has already seen it and owns the audio CD, which she listens to non-stop at home -- so I nixed it.

Instead, I found the greatest new documentary called "A State of Mind," about these two North Korean gymnast girls, which I convinced my mom would be a better selection. (click here to see the film's website)

It's the first ever documentary filmed there, and the New York Times called it "Jaw-dropping... a rare and chilling glimpse into the culture of North Korea."

I highly recommend it... it really was so totally bizarre and wild to know that a country so isolated and so totally and completely unlike here exists on the same planet with us. The coolest part focused on "The Mass Games," which are the North Korean version of the Olympics and which involve thousands of dancers and gymnasts performing in perfect synchronicity...


And, by the way, they really hate us Yankees... but who doesn't?

Anyway, my mom fell asleep after it was over, and I was freakishly engrossed in every "special feature" the DVD offered (ie: interviews with the directors, a photo gallery, etc). My poor little mom... she was propped up at an odd angle on my couch and was so exhausted that her head just flopped over on one of my decorative pillows. So I decided we should probably go to sleep by this point (around 11:3opm).

And that's pretty much it --- took her to the airport the next morning, went to a department luncheon, and pretended to do homework in the afternoon while I actually read PerezHilton and other shite and worthless internet sites for much of the day, did laundry, and snacked.

I also talked for about an hour on the phone with my friend, Paola, who lives in Philly now...

She's fabulously philanthropic and is participating in her 3rd/4th (?!?) Avon Walk for Breast Cancer in NYC this year.

If you get a chance and want to support her pledge (I wanted to give more than I did this year, but I'm poorer than shit right now... forget that I said I bought that BCBG skirt -- it really was for 70% off!!), please please click on her personal Avon Walk homepage right here and help her reach her pledge goal. Time's a tickin'!!!!

It's now past midnight, and I must start going to bed earlier. Where in the hell does my time go?!? Toodles.

Three Great Bands!

I wanted to write tonight about my weekend in Phoenix and hanging out with my mom until she returned to DC today, but alas, it is past 11pm, and I still have quite a bit of reading to do for school tomorrow. So I'll have to write about my weekend later...

Instead, I'll just introduce you to two great bands I've recently discovered and love...

The Isles:

“If Neil Finn had been in the Smiths, they might've sounded something like this.” - www.fingertipsmusic.com

and The Postal Service:

"Maybe it's 80s synthpop and new wave, but it's also healthfully twee, with a rev of dance thrown in for good measure." - Pop Matters


And one of my favorites since the late 90s... the Scottish group, Belle & Sebastian, which is the only current music group I like enough to have earned the honor of meriting a bumper sticker on my old Honda, "I love my car...".

I've seen them in concert several times, and they are fabulous!!! Miguel just bought me their brand new CD, (thank you!!! I love it!!) called "The Life Pursuit," and this is my favorite song on the album, "We Are the Sleepyheads":

Fashion Police Strike Again!

Welcome to the U of A World of "Fashion"!

Themes featured this season for women:

• Short shorts and micro-mini jean skirts
• Elton John/Mary Kate Olsen/Nicole Richie/ski goggle sunglasses from 1980
• Leggings, leggings, leggings
• Tank tops, layered tank tops, and tunic tank tops
• Flip flops ad nauseum... ugggghhh!!!! Flip flops! Please banish these horrid shoes!
• Long necklaces
• Low-slung, oversized belts paired with tunic tanks or babydoll dresses
• Which brings me to babydoll dresses... AKA the Britney "preggers" look... AKA heinousness

So let's begin our virtual fashion tour...

Starting out with a classic college campus scene... the "Pie a Pi" fundraiser...

... where men smash tins of whipped cream into Pi Phi's faces.

I personally like the "Sassy Yet Classy" tee. Also note the neon yellow tank top, which is a popular look here this season, as well as the ubiquitous micro-mini shorts and jean skirts, which appear to be worn at a unanimously short length.

Next up... Oversized sunglasses that remind me of my mom and grandma 25 years ago...


More oversized shades...

Jean shorts appear to be a hot 80s comeback look (this is not good, people), and I have to add that the girl on the right is just way too big to be wearing that skimpy top, especially with no bra.

And more big shades...

Note all of these women are wearing flip flops (the horror!) and these two are particularly uncreative in their tank/denim combos. Booooorrrring...

Next up... LEGGINGS... when and how (mainly HOW) did these things make a comeback? OMG!!!

These are a total nightmarish blast from the past... next thing you know they are going to bring that store called "Units" back again!!!

The cropped black legging appears most popular, paired here with a layered tank top and also with a jean mini skirt -- and it goes without saying that flip flops are the shoe of choice.


Here they are paired with standard tanks. At least the chick on the right ventured out on a limb and paired hers with flats instead of flops. Good choice! Even if it does remind me of something I would have worn 20 years ago to junior high. But I bet she's not even 20 yet, so she wouldn't know that this look has been there and done that already. Sigh...

I'm screaming on the inside...

... because there's something very "Flashdance" or "Fame"-like about leggings paired with "off the shoulder" tees.

And here are two alternative leggings looks...

The grey "sporty" leggings (and headband, which also appears to be making a repeat fashion visit... while it frightens me to say it --- I am waiting for the scrunchie to show up soon -- and maybe even the banana clip too!! Now that would be sweet...) and the legging shorts.

The next look: The Low-Slung, Oversized Belt...

The girl on the left struck me as excrutiatingly high maintenance, but that dress is so totally unflattering with that belt cinched around her pelvis, which makes the dress material bulge into a FUPA-like look. I suppose I prefer the look with jeans & a tunic, like the girl on the right... but then again, no, I just don't prefer the look.

And recycling one of last year's most ridiculous styles... the babydoll dress:

Ugggghhh... this is really so Britney Spears jamming Cheetos, Taco Bell, and Starbuck's Frappuccinos into her mouth. This is Britney at her worst. This is Britney gone to seed... this is just bad. Bad. Bad. Bad.

And a couple more of last season's looks...

I have to give props to the girl on the left for wearing the Lindsay Lohan hat, but the pants (stretch fabric too tight in the butt and wide at the leg) are so totally last year. Please! As for the girls on the right, yeah, not good. The Vans are like last decade, they don't have the figures for those skirts, and they have too much belly for those tight tops. My guess is they're members of Omega Mu looking for a Tri Lamb party.

And it wouldn't be fair to just discuss women... here are a few wild Arizona stallions for you:

Not only is the crooked baseball hat still a "cool" look (why? I will never know), but the "Air Jordan" look is making a mighty return from the graveyard of the 1980s. In other sad news, American men continue to wear messy, oversized and untucked clothing.

Dud city... baseball hats gone bad:

No wonder my single friends say there are no good men out there. Look what we have to choose from! Dumb and dumber... and may I add, the baseball hat look is fine on a rainy Sunday afternoon while reading the paper in a cafe, or while working out at the gym, but they really are overworn by men in this country.

The "70s Superstars" --- AKA Greg Brady as Johnny Bravo:

I love the return of the 70s hair-dos for men. The white "16 Candles" Dance-style shades are also making a comeback for men.

And finally... two people who stood out for being different (Bravo!!!)...

I think these two should get together. They have very similar taste (sort of Mafia-style, no?) --- I personally think that girl's shoes are ridiculous for walking around campus, but let's be honest here, she does look hot and she pulls off the look very well. As for the guy, well, I have a feeling he might have just flown in from a nightclub in Jersey, but I give him applause for breaking down the Abercrombie and Fitch wall and for, at the very least, tucking his shirt in.

So now, my friends, I must go. I hope you've enjoyed "the Fashion Police" annual report from Tucson. Now I must go study for an Arabic test... and my mom is visiting this weekend so I'll be busy entertaining her!

Until later... your Nina Garcia wannabe.