Life is a Drag

If you are not watching this show then dear Lord you are missing out. It is beyond amazing. Think America's Next Top Model and add some guys dressed as girls. That is the simplest way of putting it, and it does not give it justice. It has everything a reality competition show needs. It has drama, comedy, performances, fights and so much more. The idea is to find Americas Next Drag Superstar.

Seven of my favourite Drag Queens are as follows:

Willam - The rebel of the bunch. The only Queen to ever be disqualified and throw up on the stage, and she did it all in one night.

Jinkx Monsoon - The latest winner. Absolutely hilarious. She introduced a new generation to Little Edie. She took everything in her stride like 'a water off a ducks back'. A deserved winner.

Raja - She was actually a make up artist on Top Model. She decided to take the stage herself. Her fashion would blow your mind - one in particular was her Native American look - My God. She went on to win the whole thing.

JuJuBe - So funny, so pretty and so talented. I loved her. She lost her series and got invited back to the Allstars, she lost again but whatever she was amazing.

Chad Michaels - She is a classic Drag act. If you want to see a professional act then look no further.

Alaska Thvnderfvck - After applying 5 times she finally got through. She was different, beautiful and once again hilarious.

Sharon Needles - My ultimate Queen. She had a twist on the Drag look - she was very goth. She didn't give a shit as she just did what she did. Also she is Alaska's boyfriend in real life.

However the King of Queen's will always be Ru Paul. She is Tyra Banks on acid. Obviously taking the piss at times, but she does it so well. This show used to be on late night on E4, but it needs a better air time. I feel a British version would be awesome - maybe Lily Savage could come out of retirement. F.Y.I the term 'Drag' is British - William Shakespeare invented it. Basically its Dressed Resembling A Girl. So lets bring it home.

Crazy Crushes - Male Edition

Well earlier on I did my crazy crush's on the ladies, but I am an equal opportunities kind of guy so I thought I would talk about some of the Men that are not in my life. Looking at the image above it may appear I have a type - this isn't a brunette appreciation post, hair pigment is not important to me. So lets analyse it a tad more and I will tell you why these pretty boys made my list.

Russell Brand
Might as well start with the crazy one. I think he is hilarious and I do enjoy a little bit of controversy. However the main reason is that he is extremely intelligent and I like people I can learn from. I am the kind of learner that gets more from someone who is passionate about a topic.

Logan Lerman
He is adorable. He has a smart head on his shoulders. His character in Perks of Being a Wallflower is one of my favourite literary character of all time. Also he has the awkward personality that gets me. And he is going places, he will be huge and I would like to be there from the beginning.

Zac Efron
I don't think there is any person that wouldn't. He can sing, he can dance and he can act - and God knows he looks good doing it. He is a bit too pretty so I'm not sure for my own confidence that I could stand too close to him at social events.

Michael Buble
This is where you will see my middle aged woman personality come out - I love him, and I hate his pregnant wife. I jest, its not hate - its pure jealousy. I enjoy his music, unfortunately I don't own any of it - but what I like the most about him is his personality. I could watch Graham Norton interview him for 45 hours straight and I would be content.

Francisco Lachowski
A very fine looking Brazilian Male Model. Enough said really. Just look at him. I feel like I would faint if he even walked in my direction - wouldn't be cute. David Gandy needs to watch out - there is another cute boy on the block.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt
I love his character in 500 Days of Summer, Mysterious Skin and very much looking forward to his porn addict character in Don Jon. He is very pretty, has a great sense of style and he seems like a gentleman in real life. Plus he has his own production company. Equals up to a great guy in my book.

Shia LaBeouf
I am not sure how to say his name (La Boof?) Its not important though. I knew of him since Even Stevens on Disney but it was Transformers and Disturbia where he got my attention. A very good looking guy with great acting skills - how I even noticed the robots when Shia was on screen with Megan Fox I don't know. He has gone a bit different over the last few years, but his directing skills are great for those music videos he did. Excited for whatever he is doing next - and I wouldn't mind being along for the ride.

Harry Styles
As well as being a middle aged woman, there is a teenage age girl inside of me that gets excited whenever Harry is around. He is a beautiful boy there is no denying and I am a sucker for tattoos. I may have to have it out with him what happened with Taylor Swift, but I'm sure we would get past it and have a beautiful time together.

Johnny Depp
Who doesn't love Johnny? If you claim not to you're only lying to yourself - no one is impressed. He has proved time and time again his acting is top notch. Sometimes a bit freaky, but I know we all gave him a second glance when Jack Sparrow came on the screen - I wanted his hair. He seems like a shy awkward guy in real life - I ain't mad about that, he is too pretty for it to be an issue. We could sit in silence.

P.S David Beckham would have been included in this list, but as I want his wife I decided to let him go. I don't want to steal his wife and break his heart when he realises it was to me. I'm not an animal.

Crazy Crushes - Female Edition

We all have them. We question them a lot. There are a number of reasons why we have them and why we question them. I call them crazy crushes. Crazy because it will never happen, there could be a million excuses as to why, you have accepted these reason - but the heart doesn't stop beating for them. You wish them all the best in life; but don't lie to yourself - you are gutted when they are happy with someone else.

I thought I would share my celebrity crazy crushes (we are not close enough, or drunk enough for me to reveal my real life tragic crazy crushes). I will also try to grade our chance of love out of 10 should I ever become a Hollywood stud muffin.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus
I have loved her since The New Adventures of Old Christine but it became real after watching Veep. It could be her character that started the crush, but her face cemented it. She is beautiful. However, she has been married for 26 years and has 2 children
Chance of love - 0/10

Amy Poehler
Comedic Goddess and I am not just talking about her amazing role of Leslie in Parks and Rec. Everything she touches turn to comedy gold. She has 2 children, but has recently got divorced.
Chance of love - 1/10

Tina Fey
Another genius of comedy (I'm starting to see a pattern in my tastes). Beautiful, smart and rocks those thick framed glasses. However, she is married and has 2 kids
Chance of love - 0/10

Mindy Kaling
A huge turn on for me (you listening ladies *wink wink*) is awkwardness. I don't understand why but it warms my heart watching someone be awkward. She is wonderfully awkward (sorry Zooey). She also wrote her own show and stars in it - she got some balls. Not married and no kids.
Chance of love 1/10

Ellen DeGeneres
I often get caught in what us fans call the 'Ellen Trap'. Its where you watch one video of hers on YouTube and before you know you have watched 25 videos and you wonder where your life went. However one word ruins the dream - Lesbian.
Chance of love - 0/10

Victoria Beckham
She is everything. I LOVE HER. She is perfect and I will scratch the eyes out of anyone who says otherwise. She was always my fave Spice Girl. Now she is in the fashion world and her designs (even her haters can't deny) are amazing. However - David, David, David how could anyone compete? And 4 children!?
Chance of love 0/10

Adele
She is hilarious, she makes me cry and she has a truckload of record sales. Her music is beautiful but what attracts me the most to Miss Adkins is her personality. She is so funny, so real and not to sound nasty because I never could be against Adele - she is common as muck - and I love her. However, she just knocked out a kid and she is in a happy relationship. Guess I'll just have to wait for the music.
Chance of love 1/10

The Girls of 'Girls'
This show is amazeballs. So funny and so real. I love all the main girls for individual reasons.
Hannah (Lena Dunham) - her self confidence in her writing met with her self doubt in life make her special. Lena's portrayal of her in the second season with the OCD was amazing to watch.
Marnie (Allison Williams) - she is desperate to be loved but is scared when it happens. Her fashion choices are great (plastic dress?!?) and her singing was beautiful (Stronger?!?)
Jessa (Jemima Kirke) - I am envious of her hippy/gypsy lifestyle. She goes and does whatever she wants. I want to follow.
Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) - her kid like, Charlotte-from-sex-and-the-city-innocence meets up-tightness make her one of my faves on the show. She is adorable and hilarious.
However, I will never be cool enough to be in the same room as these ladies - ever. I don't even think I am cool enough to go to Brooklyn.
Chance of love - 0/10

Shitty toilets and an amazing escape

I have been to a couple of festivals in my time. I really love them. Its like your stuck in a world of music, tents and alcohol. For a couple of hundred quid you get to see all of your favourite music acts, have huge sleep overs with like minded people and get pissed 24 hours a day.

There are some down sides to the whole festival experience, one word - portaloo. They are disgusting. If you need to go make sure you do it first thing in the morning. Just after the cleaning crew have arrived and pumped all the crap out - run! This is the only time of the day that you won't be sitting over a mountain of shit. No shock but they stink. Not helped by the fact that some people don't sit, they hover. Do not be shocked to find a turd on the toilet seat. Some people lose all sense of common decency - its every shitter for themselves.  Also I wouldn't use the showers - they are for the desperate shitters. Baby wipe baths are the way forward.

The good times out weigh the bad times 10 fold. On the first day its like a huge meet and greet. You get to know your neighbours (especially helpful when you need a mallet). Everyone is excited, you go on some rides, start drinking and go find something to do. Then the next day you wake up (some slightly worse for wear) and the music starts. You go to the stages, you get a beverage and don't give a fuck.You get lost in everything and you forget about your real life for a couple of days. There is mud everywhere, cups of piss been chucked over everyone and people getting sick in the corner - and you don't care. If you're going to a festival don't expect cleanliness. You are stupid to expect it.

This year I am going to V Festival. I had no plans to go any this year as the line-ups weren't really made for me. Then one word changed everything - Beyonce! I missed out on the Mrs. Carter tour and I was gutted so I made sure I got tickets to this (so much that I bought someone else's ticket for them). I really can't wait. Its the greatest escape and you get to do and see things you won't in real life.

Dis my clique!

If I was one of the elite and I had the world of Hollywood in my hand I would be very choosy with who I would allow in to my inner circle. I have already made my list, congratulations to those who made it.

Beyonce
No clique is complete with out her.
Pros - She is rich, a good person and has the best connections in the world (Hello Obama)
Cons - She is constantly busy.

Emma Stone
Emma is one of those actresses that come around once in a million. A trailblazer.
Pros - Funny and my ticket to the Oscars
Cons - Andrew Garfield will probably not like me

Nicole Richie
One of the best people to exist ever. Candidly Nicole is the proof of this.
Pros - Will be a laugh a minute and I would live in her closet
Cons - Has been known to turn on her best buds (poor Paris)

Khloe Kardashian
Quite possibly the best Kardashian ever
Pros - my connection to Kris so she can adopt/manage me
Cons - she would tower over me at events

Ke$ha
A self confessed party animal warrior
Pros - I love Jack Daniels, she keeps a stash in the bathroom to brush her teeth
Cons - A self confessed cannibal

Lindsay Lohan
Beautiful and talented. She will be back on top ASAP.
Pros - She likes a drink and a party
Cons - She had an ankle bracelet that stopped her drinking and partying.

Real Housewives, Real Drama

There are lot of these type of shows. Shows where we just follow people who lead a bit of a different life than regular Joe. The Real Housewives franchise is one of my favourites. There are a few different cities that we look at; these are New York, New Jersey, Beverly Hills, The O.C, Atlanta, Miami, Washington D.C and Vancouver (and then random ones around the world like Melbourne and Athens). Real Housewives is a weird title to give to this show: 1 because they are not housewives by any stretch of the imagination, 2 because a lot of them aren't even wives.

I only watch 3 of them (even I don't have the time to watch them all). My favourite ones are New York, Atlanta and New Jersey. My favourite Housewives are as follows:

1. Bethenny Frankel (New York)

Her wit and humour make her a stand out of all the shows. I love her and she is one of the few that I would love to hang out with. She hasn't had the best experience on the show; she lost her best friend and was constantly put down as the 'Underdog'. She now has a billion dollar empire thanks to her SkinnyGirl brand, her own chat show and her own reality show. Who's laughing now?

2. NeNe Leakes (Atlanta)

If there is one star from any Real Housewives show it is her. She impressed everyone with her humour and out spoken personality. Not one to shy away from drama. She even got Hollywood to notice her -  with staring roles in Glee and The New Normal. She doesn't need this show any more but still does it - for a cool $1million fee ( the highest for any housewife ever).

3. Teresa Guidice (New Jersey)

Probably most famous for her table flipping incident, she is the biggest character of her franchise. Although I find her slightly annoying in later seasons, especially the drama with her sister-in-law (just let it go and be a family!) the show would not be the same without her. New Jersey needs her.

4. Jill Zarin (New York)

She is outspoken, likes to be in the middle of drama and she stirs shit up, she is reality TV gold. Its a shame she got dropped from the show because she brought a lot of the drama - I think she broke friendships with every housewife from New York. Most devastatingly her and Bethenny aren't best buds any more. Hopefully with the cameras gone they have re-connected. 

5. Kim Zolciak (Atlanta)

With her amazing wigs, chain smoking and love for money she was an amazing cast choice for the show. She was introduced as NeNe's best friend on the show, and like every friendship on these shows it disintegrated. However Kim now has her own spin off and announced her 4th pregnancy so I don't think she cares - her life is pretty good.

I can't see these shows every ending and I ain't mad about that. We all a love a bit of trashy TV and its nice to know sometimes how the 1% lives. 

Other notable women from the shows are Sonja Morgan, Kandi Burruss, LuAnn de Lesseps, Melissa Gorga and Danielle Staub - without these women their shows wouldn't be on the air.

It's a love story, baby just say yes

Love stories are beautiful. I like watching the build up and the fall out. I like every aspect of a love story. For me the best love stories have a lot of heartbreak. I get heavily invested in them and my heart goes out to the characters. So I decided to write about some of my favourite ones.

Romeo and Juliet
How could a list of love stories not include these two star crossed lovers? It is the ultimate story of tragic heartbreak. There have been a lot of interpretations of this story but my favourite will always be Leonardo Dicaprio and Clare Danes. The modern re-working was beautiful and my god that scene with the young boy singing in the choir - chills. I can't help but feel these two lovers were a tad dramatic, suicide wasn't the answer.

Bella and Edward
Most people look at this love story and scoff. I think it is beautiful. A vampire and a normal girl fall in love, it shouldn't be and it doesn't make sense. However I think it was told well and acted amazingly by Kristen and Rob. Through everything all they did was love each other and try their darnedest to work it out.

Carrie and Big
The middle aged woman inside of me always knew that these would get together in the end. They tried and tried, Big even got married to someone else - but in the end they only had eyes for eachother. My heart, like a million women's I am sure skipped a beat when Big ran to Paris to get his girl from that 70 year old ballerina. A couple who were meant to be.

Tom and Summer
500 days of Summer is one of my favourite films of all time. It is a wonderful tale of an entire relationship in 500 days (get the title now?) Zooey and Gordon are some of my favourite actors. The beauty of this film is that it instantly tells you it is not a love story but it is a story about love. I 100% get that. You want a film with a happy ending for the couple then don't watch this film. This film is realistic to the point of where it makes you feel awkward with how close to real life relationships it is.

Charlie and Sam
Perks Of Being a Wallflower is one of my favourite books and then turned into one of my favourite films. Charlie obviously had a huge crush on Sam. As both a reader and a viewer it was clear to see that these were not going to be a couple - not matter how much I wished they could work it out. They love each other and that is plain to see. Should it have developed past a friendship? I don't know, but I am happy they have each other in their lives (see what I mean when I say I get too invested).

Other notable love stories have to include Carl and Ellie (Up), Hermione and Ron (Harry Potter), Jack and Rose (Titanic) and Buffy and Angel (Buffy The Vampire Slayer).

“Hope will never be silent.” Harvey Milk

I am sick to death about hearing about Gay Rights. It is in the news constantly, mentioned in politics all the time and always a discussion that gets people riled up. It shouldn't be this way. A gay person is no different from any Tom, Dick or Harry on the street. A gay person isn't a different race of people that should be torn apart and studied. Its as simple as anything - a gay person is a person.

Who cares who they love? Who cares who they want to spend the rest of their life with? Who cares that children will be exposed to 'gay love'? There is nothing wrong with it. Simply put, it is a person who is in love with another person. Genitals are not an important part of a relationship.

To anyone that is against gay marriage I want you to ask yourself how it will directly affect you? How will it stop you from you living your life? It won't! Yet you are willing to let your opinion become law? You would rather see gay people be alone than happily married? No one is born homophobic, millions of people are born gay - so who should we listen to?

I can understand some people that think being gay is against your religion. That is your faith - do what you do. Gay people don't care about a religion that doesn't care about them - so we wont bombard your church/place of worship with the most fabulous placards about gay rights, so don't bombard our rallies and marches with your opinions.

To any thick narrow minded person that ever said gay is a choice you are an idiot. Would you choose to be a person who is discriminated against on a regular basis? In the media? On the street? Neither would we. A crazy number of people have killed themselves because they are gay. If its a choice then surely they would have just chosen to be straight.

Gay people should be able to adopt aswell. A lot of straight people don't want their babies or for some circumstances aren't able to look after them. Should these babies be put into the system or should they go to a family that wants them - even if its two mums or two dads? Better to have two of one then neither of each.

I can't wait until we look back in horror at these times when we discriminated against people for their sexual orientation. People think we may want to be different - truth is we want to be the same.

So one last thing to say to people against gay people - if you hate us so much then stop giving birth to gay babies!

Who am I talking to?

Catfish is back for a second season and I am elated. I love this show, it is one of the best reality shows of all time. The basic premise is that these people have been talking online or over the phone for months/years and have yet to meet. One of the talkers has had enough so they thought the best idea would be to contact MTV and have a camera follow them to meet the person.

However, the person they have been talking to is not always the person they thought they were - this is when it gets juicy. There are multiple reason for why these people refuse to meet. Some are quite emotional, for example one man believed he was too fat to be seen by the girl that he had been talking to, other reasons are just pure nasty, for example (and my favourite episode) one girl just wanted to get back at another girl because she was her boyfriends ex! She created another person with the intent to eventually hurt her - and she showed no remorse!

I myself have been a 'victim' of 'Catfishing' except I had the opposite way round. I was talking to someone over text and they then decided to create another profile and talk to me through that (this person obviously had nothing better to do), he then used my other conversation against me and lets just say it got nasty and petty. I wish him nothing but the best with life.

I am so happy there is a second season, even more happier then when I found out the first season was been created after the movie. Long live the Catfish!

The Most Frustrating Show On Earth

Don't get me wrong, I really like this show. I have watched every single episode and I have tried to follow every storyline (and there is a lot). Every episode leaves me with more questions, and I rarely get answers. The characters are great, the intrigue is huge and the gasps are a-plenty.

The main story of the show is 'Who is A?'. I think we were told - and it turned out to be Mona. This was genius and it totally made sense; but no - they throw a spanner in the works and we see Mona answering to a higher power. Now we are left questioning who 'Red Coat' is. I am not 100% sure what her/his involvement with the whole story is.

The show started with the disappearance of Alison, her friends Spencer, Hannah, Emily and Aria know something and this mysterious A knows something aswell - how? I still don't know. A basically controls the 4 girls lives. Then we find out there is a bunch of other people who were involved with the disappearance of Alison (the girl spun a large web of pain). If you asked me what else happens and what the story is, I couldn't honestly tell you. I am so lost. Yet I still tune in every week and I am so happy its back.

If I could request one thing, I would like the writers to get in touch with me, sit me down and explain everything to me. That would be grand, cheers.

They'll see and they'll know, and they'll say, "Why, she wouldn't even harm a fly..."

Reading my blog I may have mentioned that I am a huge fan of horror movies, my favourite type are slasher films. I enjoy the horror of watching a serial killer; and then the demise of the serial killer. So at the suggestion of a friend I thought I would write about my top 7, was going to be a top 5 but lets think outside the box.

7. John Kramer/Jigsaw
Victims - 86
Movies - 7
These films were obviously from the mind of a sick and twisted genius. The deaths were imaginative and gruesome - what else would you expect? The beauty of this serial killer is that he never actually killed anyone; it was the choice of the victim.

6. Freddy Krueger
Victims - 62
Movies - 8
I find this villain more comical then serious which kind of ruins the aesthetic of the films for me; I can understand why people love him though. I felt the best representation of this character was in the 2010 remake of A Nightmare On Elm Street. He became much more sinister and scary and a hell of a lot less funny.

5. Jason Voorhees
Victims - 300+ (including Freddy Krueger)
Movies - 13
We all know that it was his mother who was the killer in the original Friday The 13th (Drew Barrymore's character learnt that the hard way in Scream). However Jason quickly took the lead. My favourite type of movie killers are the ones that don't speak or show emotion - they are a hell of a lot more scary to me and his size doesn't help; utterly terrifying.

4. Michael Myers
Victims - 111
Movies - 10
Another emotionless and mute villain. I heard a rumour that the mask he has is actually a melted William Shatner mask. Never fully understood his motives and his vendetta against Jamie Lee Curtis, but these are some of my favourite horror movies. The remakes were really good as well and made Michael seem more monstrous than human.

3. Norman Bates
Victims - I have no clue
Movies - 6 (Plus a TV show)
Considered to be the original serial killer by most; he is definitely the most intriguing to me. The true horror lies in the fact that he could be any Tom, Dick or Harry. He is so normal looking and non threatening. He has a split personality and half the time lives as his Mother - technically she is the more villainous one.

2. Leatherface
Victims - 31
Movies - 7
He is huge, he is an expert Butcher and he has a mask made of human skin - that's a pretty scary dude. Another emotionless and mute character; what worries me the most is that I felt sorry for him in the latest film in the franchise - Texas Chainsaw 3D. At the end of the day he was protecting what he thought needed protecting, been taught by his family what they thought was right and wrong.

1. Ghostface
Victims - 41
Movies - 4
Ghostface may not be the scariest villain and also may not be the most talented, but there is something about Ghostface that I love. Once again it could be anyone who you meet on the street. My favourite Ghostface is from Scream - Stu and Billy. One of my favourite scenes in a film ever is when Stu and Billy are unmasked and they fight with Sidney. I secretly hope for a 5th and 6th in the franchise just so Scream get up there in highest money making franchises ever and gets the respect it deserves.

'OMG you haven't heard of ________?!'

I love discovering new music and new acts. I am not one of those types that says 'OMG you haven't heard of ________?!', but I do wish more people liked some of the artists I do. I don't want to be selfish but if more people liked these artists then I would get more music, more music videos and more tours!

5 acts which I love and hope one day Britain embraces are :

1. The Veronicas

2. Anjulie

3. Natalia Kills

4. Lights

5. Sara Barielles

Some of these acts have had a little success in England, but I want more for them!

Childhood Distractions

I really miss the old children's television that would either fill my Saturday mornings or my hours after homework. Nickelodeon and Disney were my first port of call. Here is a quick list of my fave shows:

Lizzie McGuire

This show first introduced me to my major childhood crush of Hilary Duff. It was a simple show that followed a girl through her everyday life - with the help of her cartoon self telling us exactly what she was thinking.

That's So Raven

To me this was one of the funniest shows I have ever watched - I still watch re-runs now when I can. Raven was a psychic, hilarity ensued as she dealt with her abilities and trying to be a teenager.

Sister Sister

I loved this show and watched it religiously. It was based on twins that found each other 16 years after been adopted in to different families. My favourite character was Tia's mum Lisa - she bought the crazy to the show.

Sabrina The Teenage Witch

Another amazing show from Nickelodeon. Basically if you couldn't guess from the shows title, Sabrina was a witch. The main premise for the first couple of seasons was dealing with the power and being a teenager whilst also having to find the 'family secret'. The secret was that every witch in the family had an evil twin - I could of told her that.

Clarissa Explains It All

This show was a bit old for me when I was watching it, however it didn't stop me. It was similar to Lizzie McGuire. The best thing about it was the fashion - if you ever need a reference for 90's fashion watch this show. Melissa Joan Hart was perfect.

Scooby Doo

If you don't know this TV show then you have walked around with your eyes closed for 34 years. It follows a group of teenagers and their dog - who seems to be blessed with the ability to talk, except he has a terrible speech impediment. They tried to recreate with a live action version, it wasn't as good but still worth a watch.

Rugrats

This was the cartoon of my generation. Following a group of babies and toddlers crawl through their daily life. My mind was blown when I was told it was slightly based upon Doctor Who. 

These shows were perfect distractions from my childhood. I feel bad for the kids of today as the main programs they get to see seem to be based upon children chasing fame. Either a singer, dancer or TV star. There are no Lizzie's, Clarissa's, Tia's or even a Tamera amongst the group.

Spring 2014 Menswear

I am a huge follower of fashion, women's fashion. Strange I know; as a man I should really know what is in fashion for me. I find women's fashion more exciting and more like art. I always have a nosy at men's fashion weeks just to have a gander; and this year I was really excited by it. I've really enjoyed Milan's Fashion Week and I find their shows to be the best. They have a strong European influence whilst still pushing forward with some classic looks.

My favourite show had to be Emporio Armani. It definitely responded to my aesthetic more (I wear a lot of blue). They kept a lot of classic cuts, especially with the suits. The suits were fitted and traditional. Then there were elements that shook it up, there was some sheer panels, crazy patterns and some gorgeous leather.

Some other highlights for me were Moschino. I really like their graphic prints and use of brighter colours. My favourite piece was a blazer with had panels of different prints. I don't know where I would wear it but I definitely want it. Vivienne Westwood of course bought the crazy we expected from her shows, there were a couple of sweaters that I will purchase with my imaginary money. Etro seemed to have had a mexican kind of inspiration, a lot of sombreros; I'm sure these were just for the show and I won't be seeing men walking around the streets in them. The prints on the suits were beautiful and it made me think twice about wearing beige - I might give it a shot. Gucci mixed it up this year, they have gone for a more youthful appearance, a mixture of patterns that I loved, an amazing burgundy sweater that will go on the same imaginary credit card as my purchases from Viv.

Girls Who Kick Ass

As I have previously mentioned, I love shows that have a strong female lead. As stories have gone for thousands of years the boy saves the girl. However in recent decades that story has disappeared and girls have come out kicking and fighting their way to the front. Here are my top five (well at least ones that have come to mind as I type)


5th Place - Phoebe Halliwell (Charmed)
Charmed was a great show, slightly ruined for me when my Dad told me the basic structure to an episode after only watching a couple. Basically 3 sisters inherited witchcraft and had to fight a multitude demons and such. Phoebe was always my favourite sister. She started out in the show as the childish firecracker, but who can blame her - she was given the lamest power. However she did not let this stop her and she learnt karate obviously and became the ass-kicker of the siblings.


4th Place - Clara Oswin Oswald (Doctor Who)
Relatively new to the sci-fi world. She is the assistant to the 11th Doctor, and so far she has not disappointed. She is probably the only assistant who is not in total awe of the Doctor, and instead she gives banter and attitude. Her back story still confuses me slightly and I may need to watch the last episode a few more times before I am confident enough to speak about it. Billie Piper's character was my favourite assistant but since Clara came along she has filled the void and then some.


3rd Place - Gwen Cooper (Torchwood)
I didn't give Torchwood the attention it deserved, then I saw it was on Netflix so I decided to watch them all in the space of two weeks. Gwen is the star for me, some may argue Jack is but I disagree. She has a don't-give-a-shit-but-actually-cares-the-most attitude. She is one person I would want in my corner. I lover sarcasm, her straight talking and her welsh pride. I hope we see more of Gwen.


2nd Place - Max Guevara X5-452 (Dark Angel)
I am probably the only person I know who watched this show. It was so far ahead of its time and it got lost amongst the likes of Buffy, Charmed and Angel. It should have been huge, the production value was amazing and it was created by the one and only James Cameron. Max was a genetically modified soldier who escaped the evil grasp of her creators, we meet her where she is a bike messenger trying to live in a post apocalyptic Seattle. With her creators still on her tail she has since become a cat burglar and now must try and bring down the evil organisation.


1st Place - Buffy Summers (Buffy, The Vampire Slayer)
Who else would be first? She is everything. She kicks ass, has a witty mouth and hair that just won't quit. Her sarcasm and expert fighting skills made her one of a kind. She is the Queen of TV in my eyes and there will be no one else written to even come close to the high standard she set. She has made me laugh, made me cry and made me nervous. If she isn't kicking ass then she is trying to have a normal life - often failing. The last episode of the series created thousands of more slayers, but there will only ever be one in my eyes.

x

Mary Katrantzou Resort 2014

Mary Katrantzou has created her first ever Resort collection, and thank the Lord she did. I am in love with it. Mary has used images from her own travels and created amazing digital prints. Katrantzou superimposes scenes from Europe, Asia, and South America to tailored dresses and separates. Included are scenes of French flower fields, images of apartment buildings in São Paulo, picturesque views of the Swiss Alps, a Japanese bridge, and more.

My favourite pieces include the pencil skirts (I am a sucker for a girl in a fitted pencil skirt) and the a-line cropped jackets. All these pieces could work individually or together as they have been styled for the look book. It would take a brave girl to wear these pieces as they scream fashion; they are for the girl who isn't afraid to stand out. What I like the most about the prints are the detail. The images are so detailed and the colours are vivid.

Well done Miss Katrantzou on a beautiful collection!

See more at: http://www.wetheurban.com/post/53771898839/fashion-mary-katrantzou-resort-2014-mary#sthash.HoIZ9oJd.dpuf

Divas Live

I have been to my fair share of concerts. For some reason about 80% of them are female performers. I love a show where a female is singing her heart out and putting on a spectacle for us to sit back and watch in awe.

My first ever concert was the Spice Girls. It was when they were a 4 (I have since seen them as a 5 on their reunion tour). It was amazing, it felt even better because we got the tickets for free (they arrived in the mail and we didn't question it). Since then I have made sure I go to concerts of all my favourite singers.

When seeing a show I prefer arena gigs. The production value is awesome - there is fire, lasers, screens, lights, smoke and on multiple occasions flying. One of my favourite concerts I ever went to was Destiny's Child on their Destiny Fulfilled and Lovin' It (they were sponsored by McDonald's). at the beginning the whole arena went black, then the screen came on and simply said 'Say My Name' and BANG toaster pop and the girls were on stage. I almost pissed myself with excitement.

I have been to smaller venues to see the likes of The Veronicas, Ke$ha and Ellie Goulding. These are special because it is purely about the talent. Their voices are perfect and there is a real vibe of community as the whole crowd is feeling the music. Another thing I like to do is festivals - I haven't been to as many as I would like to but I will always be thankful for V Festival for getting Taylor Swift. I got so close to the stage and I was in awe.

When huge acts come to England, more precisely Manchester I have to go. I have seen Carrie Underwood, Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Christina Aguilera live and it. was. awesome. They live upto the hype and standing in the same room as them gets me a little bit starstruck.

I don't have a lot of gigs to look forward to right now except from V Festival and Ellie Goulding. I hope to see a lot more and 30 Seconds To Mars have just announced a tour so I will be looking for someone to go with me. There is something about being in  dark room, sweating and listening to music that just gets me.

The Ones That Got Away

I like to watch televsion a whole lot. Some may say too much. They say the average amount is about 4 hours a day; for the first time in my life I can be considered above average. My TV rota is pretty full and sometimes some shows slip by.

There is always something for me to watch and I get heavily invested in some shows, never missing an episode and I get emotional about some characters. When a character gets killed off or leaves I get upset, its like losing a friend.

Beyond my control I miss out on some shows. Then these shows become huge, start producing hundreds of episodes and I get way too behind. Some shows I wish I watched were Game Of Thrones, Supernatural, The Good Wife, Mad Men, Homeland and Breaking Bad. All these shows have huge fandoms and cult followings. I feel left out. 

I have tried watching some of these shows, Game Of Thrones in particular. I have watched the first 5 episodes. The main issue for me is that there is so many story lines going on and I have no one to discuss them with because either they don't watch it or they are on season 3. There is one character I am obsessed with - Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, the Unburnt, Mother of Dragons, khaleesi to Drogo’s riders, and queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros (quite a long title!) She is beautiful and I am a huge fan of strong female leads (Buffy, Charmed etc)

I also tried to get into Supernatural. I feel like it is the boy version of Buffy so of course I had to watch it. I have watched the first couple of seasons and really enjoyed them (I have always loved Jensen Ackles since his amazing role in Dark Angel). I just didn't get invested enough into it so I allowed myself to get distracted by my other shows.

One day I am sure I will watch all these shows, my social life hardly gets in the way. If anyone wants to tell me some secrets I really won't mind. I am one of the few people in this world that likes spoilers - helps me to know what to look out for.

I will be the Couponator one day!

This show is everything. It is perfect. As a reality TV fan this is like crack to me. The basic premise is that it follows American's who are extremely genius. They collect coupons and use them all at once, saving hundreds of dollars off their grocery shopping. Some even save thousands!!

I am extremely jealous that America has this opportunity. In England we do not have such luxury as our Supermarkets do not like us to have coupons. Maybe once in a while there will be a coupon for a new chocolate bar, but this does not exactly save us a shit load of money. 

I have a number of favourite moments from the show. I love meeting the people, especially when they give themselves nicknames such as the "Couponator" and 'The Cajun Couponer'. Then we get introduced to their stockpile - my God its amazing. Its almost as if they have a small supermarket in their basement. My jealousy reaches a boiling point. 

The culmination of the show is at the Supermarket. We see them running around the store, with incredible planning and maths skills. Then its the heart stopping, hold your breath moment when they get to the till. Will the  coupons work? Did they pick the right product off the shelves? Will they get a 100% saving? So many questions and I am glued to the screen. 

This show is awesome. Do they need 100 packets of pasta sauce or 200 sports drinks? Probably not, but when the store is sometimes paying you to take the stock out of the store you don't say no. If there is ever an apocalypse, these people will out live us all. 

I would like to thank TLC for bringing this show to England, I don't need to find them online any more.

Just a Country Boy

I love country music. There I said it. I am not ashamed. In England the country fan is hard to find, well at least one that is willing to admit it. Unfortunately country music is not considered 'cool'. I do not know why. When I tell people that I like country its as if I told them I like knitting little wool friends. 

The beauty I find in country music is that every song is like a story. There is an emotion that is pushed through that connects you to the song. Okay that might have been a bit deep for a description of a music genre, but I don't know how to describe it. I am a huge fan of depressing music and country is all over it like white on rice. There is a certain twang that country singers have and I love it and often try to copy, pretty sure I'm close to nailing it. 

Some of my favourite country songs are :

Miranda Lambert - Over You

Pistol Annies - Hell On Heels

Hunter Hayes - I Want Crazy

Lady Antebellum - Wanted You More

Carrie Underwood - Too many to mention (2 Black Cadillacs, Temporary Home, Before He Cheats)

Sugarland - Stay

Kellie Pickler - I Wonder

Kacey Musgraves - Blowing Smoke

The Band Perry - Better Dig Two

Dixie Chicks - Not Ready To Make Nice

Taylor Swift - Any song she has ever sang

Martina McBride - Concrete Angel (Prepare to sob)

Rascall Flatts - Stand, What Hurts the Most

Gretchen Wilson - Redneck Woman

Dolly Parton - 9 to 5, Coat of Many Colours

Fleetwood Mac - Songbird, Landslide

Give them a listen, I'm not saying its the definitive list but they are some of my favourites and some of the more current ones. If you are unfortunate to have the stereotype of country music listeners in your mind, I'll just let you know now - I don't own any cowboy boots.

The Perks of Being a Bookworm

I was always that kid that would never pick up a book. Why would I when there is a TV in the room? I always felt it was too much effort and it was boring. Why take hours to read a story when I could see an entire story start to finish in half an hour? Boy, was I wrong. The first book that probably got my attention was Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky, I broke the cardinal rule and I judged the book by its cover. I read the blurb one day on Amazon, looked at the name of the book and I don't know what it was but I just added it to my virtual cart. And I think it was possibly the best purchase I ever made.

I don't want to come across as a total geek (hard to do when talking about my interests), but this book was amazing. I identified with the main character more than I want to admit. There was almost a level of comfort knowing that someone was similar to me, even if he was fictional. I loved the book and I finished it on the train, much to the discomfort of my fellow travellers - I cried (some man points lost there).

When I finished the book I tried quickly to fill the void. So back I went on to Amazon and trusted their recommendations. There was one author I couldn't seem to escape - step forward John Green. So I bought three of his books - Paper Towns, Will Grayson, Will Grayson and Looking for Alaska. There was ups and downs in these books for me, parts I loved and parts that infuriated me (in the best way). I love John's way of writing. It feels as though the character is talking to you. I know that is the narrative style, but it seemed so natural and it wasn't condescending at all - in the sense that the words were words expected to be used, there was no showing off. My favourite book by John Green is The Fault in Our Stars. It is a beautifully devastating book. Don't want to spoil it for anyone because I feel they should discover it on their own and take what they want from it. I cried multiple times, I got way too invested and I will always having a loathing for Mr Green as he created a character that I will be searching for for the rest of my life - Augustus Walters.

Unfortunately John Green only wrote so many books so once again I have had to go out and find new ones. One of my favourites include Ned Vizzini author of Its Kind Of A Funny Story. I broke the rules and watched the film first, so glad I loved the film so that I still wanted to read the book. Without sounding like a condescending book reader but the book was better. So many more layers to the main characters and I connected to the book more than the film.

The best thing for me about reading is finding quotes. Some quotes cut deep, make me laugh and make me realise that maybe I am not the only person who thinks the way I do. Also through my taste in books I made a great friend who quickly turned into one of my best friends. I was no longer the character looking for someone who could like me for my weirdness, quirkiness and randomness, I was the character who had friends that I could tell anything to.

Some great quotes told through Tumblr posts -

Biggest Losers

Last night Britain was ablaze with disappointment after watching The Voice UK. Clear favourite to win, Leah McFall, was a runner up. One thing I don't understand is that it is based on a public vote; I would bet my life that a lot of the people who were angry didn't even vote. We did it to ourselves. However we shouldn't be too angry - these days you don't need to win to achieve success. Some examples I hear you ask - read on my dear friend.

One Direction

They came third on The X Factor, losing out to Matt Cardle. Propelled to international success by the power of social media, their two albums Up All Night and Take Me Home, released in 2011 and 2012 respectively, broke several records, topped the charts of most major markets, and generated hit singles, including "What Makes You Beautiful" and "Live While We're Young". I don't think they care that they lost.

Cher Lloyd

She came fourth on The X Factor. Since then she has a number one single in good old Blighty, a double platinum selling single in America and has been featured with such artists as Demi Lovato, Ne-yo and Sean Kingston. She has also had a sold out tour that had 14 dates around the UK. I don't think she cares that she lost

Susan Boyle

She came second on Britain's Got Talent. Since the show she has released 4 albums - 3 number 1's in England and 2 in America, culminating in over 20 million record sales. Susan also broke a record in America as she had 2 number 1 albums in the space of a year. Now she has covered magazines, toured the world and even had a musical written about her. I don't think she cares that she lost.

Jennifer Hudson

She came seventh on American Idol. Since the show she has won a freaking Oscar (plus another 28 worldwide awards)! It was for the portrayal of Effie White in Dreamgirls. She has overcome a number of personal tragedies. She has also become the face (and body) for Weight Watchers, appeared in 8 other films and was called upon to sing at the Oscars - twice. I don't think she cares that she lost.

Kellie Pickler

She came sixth on American Idol. Since the show she has had two number one country albums (the third gaining a still impressive number 2 spot), released nine top 50 singles and has toured with Taylor Swift, Rascall Flatts, Sugarland and Brad Paisley. Also an accomplished song writer, she has won three songwriter awards from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers. Just this year she competed in Dancing With The Stars (Strictly Come Dancing to us Brits) and she won. And if her success wasn't enough she also shaved her head in support of her friend who was battling cancer. I don't think she cares that she lost.

Samantha Barks

She came third on I'd Do Anything (A BBC show searching for an actress to play Nancy on the West End show Oliver). Since the show she has starred in 6 theatre shows (including Oliver as Nancy). However her moment came as she picked to play Éponine in the stage version of Les Misérables, which led her to been cast in the film version along side Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman and Russel Crowe. She has now won international awards for best newcomer. I don't think she cares that she lost.

Sophie Sumner

She came second on Britain's Next Top Model. Then the wonderful Tyra Banks announced the Brits Vs Yanks cycle of America's Next Top Model. Sophie competed and won! She has now been featured in Vogue Italia, become the face of Covergirl, become the face of Top Model's perfume and randomly appeared in a Bollywood movie. I don't think she cares that she lost.

So, the moral of the story is that your Mum was right - Its not the winning that counts, its the taking part. In this day and age you don't need to win a reality show to be the star of the show. In my opinion the winner tends to be the sympathy vote a lot of the time, or the person most relatable  - not necessarily the most talented. I personally can't wait for Leah McFalls album and I will try my darnedest to be at the tour.

And the winner is ...

Horror will always be my first choice for movie night. Popcorn, a beverage and a murder - perfect night in. However, to confuse anyone who is trying to work out my personality through my taste, let me throw a spanner in the works. I will always watch a film that has some competitive element to it (aslong as it isn't a team sport - with the one exception of A League of Their Own, Madonna, Gina and Rosie - enough said). If you want me to watch a film just tell me there are choirs competing and I am there. I will also watch spelling bees, beauty pageants and cheer leaders who are willing to bring it.

There is a lot to be said for these type of movies, one of them been what you learn. Here are a few rules I learnt :

1. If you are called the underdog at any point you are more than likely going to win.
2. If you come from a rough background you are more than likely going to win.
3. If you come from a privileged background you might win; but will later die in a parade on the back of a swan.
4. If you cheat you will not win but you will learn a lesson.
5. Always change the routine from the year before, the last leader was wrong.
6. If you look a little bit weird there is a good chance you have a hidden talent.
7. Someone in your team/group will quit, but don't worry they will be back seconds before the show.
8. Look for the weird, indie, edgy guy - he will be the love of your life.
9. The leader will think they are the best, they are wrong - prove them wrong.
10. Your parents won't support you, but they will still come to the show and cry when they realise they were wrong.

You wanna be on top?

For anyone that lives under a rock America's Next Top Model is basically a modelling competition; and it is awesome. As a fan of fashion the photoshoots are one of my favourite parts. Some are simple and some are ridiculous; and I mean ridiculous in the best way. Tyra Banks has some weird ideas in her head. After 19 seasons and 241 episodes you have to forgive her for having to think outside the box and relate the photoshoot to something in fashion.

The 20th cycle starts this August and I am very excited for it. Once again she has changed the rules; we have had College Edition, Petite Edition, Brits Vs. Yanks, Allstars and now Boys Vs. Girls. Finally men can compete. It has taken a while, and I have to say I am a little mad because I feel too old to compete (obviously the only reason I didn't apply).

I haven't always agreed with the choices of the judges and all the winners were not approved by me. The decision that angered me the most was Allison Harvard. First of she should have won her season, then she was invited back for the Allstars cycle (yay!), and once again she came second! SECOND! I am not saying she was the best model of all the cycles, but she was different, she was unique and goddamnit she deserved to win.

I feel the show is losing its momentum a little bit and its become very formulaic, however I am not angry about this. Why fix something that isn't broken? Tyra is getting more beautiful with age, Kelly Cutrone is still on TV and we get to see more and more bitch fights. One suggestion I would give is that the country they visit half way through, you should revisit some places and stop trying to trick us into believing there is a fashion capitol in every country - there simply isn't (Cycle 17 - Crete! Seriously?).

I have watched a lot of other countries version of Top Model but America's will always be the best because it has something that they will never have - the amazing Tyra Banks.

Queen Bey - A Love Letter

Beyoncé is the Queen of the World. You can't deny it, all you can do is watch.

She started back in the day as one of Destiny's children. From the get go she was the star, receiving a lot of bad attention because of the fact. From humble beginnings she rose fast. Much to my dismay Destiny's Child retired, but BANG out came Crazy In Love! All was forgiven, she kicked it up a notch. Single after single after single, there was no stopping her. The albums are art. She has a sound all of her own and voice that could smash windows. 

People can hate Bey all they want. Do you think she cares? Lets roll off some facts - 

Record Sales - 75 million

Number one albums - 4 (soon to be 5 lets face it)

US Number One Singles - 5

UK Number One Singles - 4

Singles - 38

Albums - 4

Movie Roles - 10

Headline Tours - 5

Grammy Awards - 17

Pepsi Endorsement Deal - $50million

Awards won to date - 289

I throw the word 'love' around a lot, it rolls off the tongue easily However I do love Beyoncé. She is the ultimate diva, selling out arenas around the world, starring in Oscar nominated movies and looking good while doing it. Now she is a Mother - and I am incredibly jealous of her offspring. That baby gets to be around Beyoncé 24/7. 

Beyoncé thank you for being you - and I will see you August 20th x

YouTube Queens

I don't just watch TV you know. There is a whole world out there on the Internet. People who want to entertain us from the comfort of their own living rooms. I myself wouldn't dare upload a video of me speaking unless you enjoy 5 minutes of awkward talking and shifting in my seat. I also babble so there is no plus points to this idea.

YouTube has created celebrities out of nobodys and hurrah; I love watching them. Here is my top 5:

5th Place - Hannah Hart http://www.youtube.com/user/MyHarto

She is a lovable woman who started out with just basically cooking whilst she is drunk. Hilarity ensued. However, as time has gone by she has become very wise and some videos are quite deep. Also as I type she is touring America to do meet and greets with her fans - and she has organised them to be in soup kitchens. This isn't to show off to the homeless, she gets all her fans to work with her and donate food, serve food and become aware of these starving people in America. Miss Hannah Hart I bow my head to you.

4th Place - Jenna Marbles http://www.youtube.com/user/JennaMarbles

Undeniably the Queen of YouTube. With nearly 9 and a half million subscribers and videos reaching  52 million she deserves her crown. I have to be honest it took me a while to warm to her - she seems very angry. However, now I get it, that's her act. And it isn't as though she is shouting about her own agenda - she is very passionate about certain things in this world that are stupid and need pointing out. When she isn't been angry she is being hilarious. Her facial expressions, her love for her dogs and Spiderman's crotch permanently been in shot all add up to the amazing and talented Jenna Marbles.

3rd Place - Mamrie Hart http://www.youtube.com/user/YouDeserveADrink

I randomly stumbled upon her videos as they were 'recommended for me'. I normally ignore them (how dare YouTube assume they know me, not to babble but I once watched a video about a woman's transformation from being a transgendered man - every day I am recommended transgender videos). I am so happy I clicked on her video, she makes me laugh so much. The basic premise of her videos is that she creates alcoholic drinks with a theme (and now she has created a second channel where she just does whatever). I love her and I desperately want to go for a drink with her.

2nd Place - Natalie Tran http://www.youtube.com/user/communitychannel

She was the first YouTuber I subscribed to. She is so funny and I have a very similar humour to her (as in I find her funny, I am not funny). She would have been 1st on my list but she has gone quiet. We used to get videos every 4 days and then suddenly she did a Brad Pitt/Chanel parody and she went missing for 6 months. But she is back and thank the Lord; however it is only one video a week. I know these people have lives outside of YouTube but I am been selfish - I WANT MORE VIDEOS!

1st Place - Grace Helbig http://www.youtube.com/user/dailygrace

She is absolutely hilarious. She is awkward. She is weird. She is everything I require from a YouTuber. I want to be her friend but I fear I am not cool enough by any measure. She puts up a video every weekday and each day has a theme. Particularly good videos are when she is 'Commenting on comments' and she 'hazes the crap' out of fan's names. I love her. She is beautiful and talented and I only see big things for her in the future.

The Ultimate English Girl Group

I have always been a huge fan or girl bands. In 10 seconds I could name Spice Girls, The Saturdays, TLC, Destiny's Child, Mis-teeq, The Pussycat Dolls, The Veronicas, The Supremes, Little Mix as some of my favourites over the years. However, I always want more. So I think it would be a great idea for some big-wigs at some big record company to put some money into a new one. 

I have done the hard work for them and picked 5 English girls (after some research I have found out that Marina Lambrini Diamandis is Welsh but shh lets ignore that for the benefit of this post). 

1st pick is Adele, she is the voice that made the world cry. She would obviously be the Beyonce of the group.

2nd pick is Jessie J, her voice is phenomenal - perfect for the shouts and screams at the end of the song.

3rd pick is Ellie Goulding, her voice is so special and her voice is perfect live, she could be second lead.

4th pick is Marina, she is quirky and special and her song writing is so unique, she would write the perfect pop song for them.

5th pick is Alesha Dixon, her MCing abilities are crazy. Her stage presence is amazing. She would add an urban edge to the group.

So there you go, hard work done now just get them to sign the contract - start with a one single deal and we can take it from there. 
Can you imagine the tour! As this was my idea I believe I should get front and centre.