Golden Globes Style Review

I’m sorry for my lack of posts lately, I have spent the past few weeks babysitting (a post on that to come) and by the time the kiddies went to bed, I was too tired to make a post that made any sense. Now I’m home and have the time we’re experiencing a massive heatwave in Melbourne and all my motivation and energy has gone down the drain. We’re only two days into this wave of over 40 degree weather and I’m already totally gone. 

Anyway, enough about the weather, this week has had a far more important event occur. The Golden Globes were on Sunday (or actually Monday in Australia) and the beautiful people of Hollywood were out in full force. This year seemed to have more classic stars than ever before: Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock, Leonardo DiCaprio and Meryl Streep were all nominated. There were so many fantastic and quite a few not-so-fantastic dresses this year, so I’m going to share my best and worst with you all. 

Best: 

Mila Kunis 

I love the colouring of this dress, the chrome embellishments that started around the neck and faded out to a beautiful grey skirt was perfect on her. If she didn’t have the belt to pull it in at the waist it may have looked a little baggy, but Gucci knew what they were doing when they designed the dress. The detail around the neck eliminated the need for a necklace - which I feel can ruin some people’s beautiful dresses - but still drew all the attention to her gorgeous face. She kept her makeup neutral and let the dress do all the work. 

Lupita Nyong’o

This simple yet attention grabbing dress was the perfect statement for Lupita to make at her first Golden Globes. She stepped out onto the carpet and showed everyone just how beautiful she is after proving her acting skills in 12 Years a Slave. I didn’t even know who she was before the Globes and now I’ve made a concerted effort to learn how to pronounce and spell her name because I’m convinced she’s going to be around for a while to come. 

Margot Robbie 

I have loved Margot since her days on Neighbours (Aussies represent!) and her Golden Globes debut was on point in my eyes. She went with a simple look that - much like Lupita - showed off her natural beauty. She wore quite a sexy dress which was low cut with a high slit, but managed to look so classy and elegant. The fabric was not forgiving, but you didn’t even notice. The best part was the beautiful embelishment around her torso, I think that was the part that made it elegant and without that it could have crossed the fine line into trashy. This would have tainted or completely ruined the fantastic publicity she gained from the awards. 

Could Have Done Better: 

Drew Barrymore 

As hesitant as I am to bag a pregnant woman on her awards show attire, I just cannot deal with this dress. Pregnancy seemed to be a big thing on the carpet this year, with Kerry Washington and Olivia Wilde pulling it off effortlessly. This floral mish-mash was overwhelming and the colours were not right on her skin tone. I’m not a fan of the cut of the hem of the dress on anyone, but this is particularly bad because it adds to the overwhelming look of the dress. Though in the end I have to forgive Drew for this fashion booboo because she looks so glowing and happy. 

Zoe Saldana 

I don’t know what to say about this dress, it’s just bad. There is too much going on, clear bits, embellished flowers, off the shoulder and baby pink are all crammed together in one confusing mess. Apparently this dress was made for Zoe personally, so I hope she was wearing it out of the kindness of her heart instead of choosing it for its beauty. The close up photo is so pretty and I think Zoe can wear a way better dress than this. 

Edie Falco 

Oh Edie, Edie, Edie. Why did you feel the need to wear a dress that has been done time and time again? This is not a particuarly bad dress, it is just the fact that it has been done before. Nicole Kidman and Emma Stone have both worn incredibly similar dresses and they have worn it better. The silk fabric was not a good choice and Edie looked rather uncomfortable in it. 

Lots of Love, 

Shannon xo

Want to hear my opinions on some other things? Follow me on Twitter: @shanny_hudson

Odd Things I Believed as a Child

I was thinking about the silly things I believed when I was a little kid and the more I thought about it the more things came to mind. Here are some of the weirdest things I believed as a child: 

BOB'S YOUR UNCLE WAS SPECIFIC TO MY FAMILY 

The phrase ‘And Bob’s your uncle!’ is one that people use when you complete something successfully, it is interchangeable with ‘And that’s that!’. But when I was a kid I thought it was something only my family said because I have an actual Uncle named Bob. I figured that other families may use the phrase and just change the name to their own Uncle. It was only when I saw it on TV that I understood that it wasn’t family specific. 

THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL WAS HELD IN NORTHERN QUEENSLAND

For those of you who aren’t Australian, Cairns (pronounced the same) is a large-ish city in Northern Queensland, so every time I heard people discussing the Cannes Film Festival I assumed it was in Cairns. I think I may have been in high school when it was finally brought to my attention that the festival is actually held in Cannes, France. This was quite a sad moment for me because I was really proud that Australia held such a famous film festival. 

THE POWERPUFF GIRLS LIVED IN NORTHERN QUEENSLAND

Townsville, the town in which The Powerpuff Girls is set, is an actual town in Northern Queensland. Though it there is obviously no connection between the fictional and actual Townsvilles, I naturally assumed The Powerpuff Girls lived in Australia. I had cousins living there at the time and I was always so impressed that they were being protected by three little girls. In hind sight I’m very glad I never said anything to those cousins about that. 

THE STOCK MARKET WAS WHERE ALL THE SHOP OWNERS WENT TO BUY THEIR STOCK 

Let me take you back to grade 5, my friend and I were walking home from school talking about the stock market. Of course we were pretty proud of ourselves, 11 year olds talking about such sophisticated topics. It was only when we got to my house and told my Mum about our discussion that we realised we were totally wrong. We had been talking about a large warehouse where shop owners (not little shops, places like Target) would go and pick out all their stock. We even thought that when they put the statistics on the news they were talking about the percentage more or less stock they bought that day. Really, it was so simple of a representation, just incredibly wrong. 

THE ONLY IMPORTANT THING THAT HAPPENED IN SEPTEMBER 2001 WAS A BRITNEY SPEARS CONCERT

As a three year old, 9/11 was not something I could comprehend nor was it something my parents wanted to subject me to on the television all day every day. After having not watched TV for about a week because all the channels were playing news bulletins constantly, I was begging my Mum to let me watch something. Eventually she gave in and found the only child friendly thing, a Britney Spears concert. - Lets just take a moment here and remember the days before children’s only free to air channels. - After watching that concert I idolised Britney and took to changing my clothes 57 times day like she did. Understandably, my Mum regretted showing me it instantly.

THERE WAS A LITTLE MAN IN THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS 

My Mum loves the Whoopi Goldberg movie Corrina Corrina and the most memorable part of that film is when they teach the little girl to blow at the traffic lights to make them turn green. My Mum also taught me to do that, and out of sheer luck it worked for me most of the time. Of course I didn’t know it was just good luck, I thought there was someone watching for me. I assumed there was a man in the traffic lights (how else would they know how to change?) and he would keep his eye out for people blowing and change them accordingly. When the lights didn’t change I just assumed he was taking a nap and didn’t see me. 

I HAD A SUPERPOWER WHERE I COULD SEE THROUGH MY HAND

You know how when you put your hand over one eye it looks like you can see through it? You can see the outline of your hand and also the things you see with your other eye. I discovered this in bed one night and freaked out because I thought I had finally discovered my superpower. I tried for months to see through other objects, but shockingly I could not see through walls. 

IF YOU SWALLOWED A SEED IT WOULD GROW INSIDE YOU

I know this one is fairly common and I believed it just as much as the rest. I had a friend who would eat apples morning noon and night and he would eat the whole thing, core and all. I used to get so freaked out when he didn’t come to school because I was convinced he was in the hospital getting the apple tree removed from his stomach. I would frantically ask the teachers and try get my Mum to call his Mum because I was so worried for him. 

DRINKING AND DRIVING WAS FOR ALL LIQUIDS 

If my Dad had a bottle of water in the car I would flip my shit. I was so scared that we would get pulled over and he would be put in jail for ‘drinking and driving’. I’m not sure when it finally clicked that they were only talking about alcoholic beverages, but it was a great weight off my shoulders when it did. 

MY HEART STOPPED EVERY TIME I HAD THE HICCUPS  

I get the hiccups all the time, sometimes 3 times a day. So this was a big worry for me, I thought I would eventually die from so many missed heart beats. I tried everything to get rid of them so my heart would continue beating, but I still haven’t found the thing that can cure my hiccups. 

Here are a couple of photos of myself as a little one so you can get a good picture of the little girl thinking these weird thoughts. 

Me with my Grandparents

Me and my eldest brother Mitch

Lots of Love, 

Shannon xo

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Beauty Favourites of 2013

Now for my final post in my favourites series, my beauty favourites of 2013! 

Mascara 

Covergirl’s Clump Crusher is the best mascara I have ever used. It glides on smoothly and gives quite a natural, clump free look on the first application. It can be layered up to give a more dramatic, thick look. I used up a whole tube (is it a tube? what is a mascara thing called?) of this throughout the year and I decided to mix up my brands and buy something different. I had heard great things about the Maybelline Falsies mascara so I decided to give that a go, but I didn’t really like the fact that it was clumpy and I had a bit of an allergic reaction to the waterproof formula. After about three days I was back at the shops purchasing the Clump Crusher again because I couldn’t bare to use anything else.

Eyeliner 

I was always one to use a eyeliner pencil, but after I began watching beauty videos on Youtube I thought I should branch out a little bit. The first thing I purchased was a gel liner and that worked well for large dramatic lines but did not do thin lines or the water line well. I bought a Maybelline Master Precise Liquid Liner and that filled my needs perfectly. I can get an incredibly thin line or I can make it thicker if I feel inclined. There is not much to say about the grip of the pen, but that is not important to me. What’s more important is the fact that the eyeliner glides on smoothly and does not move throughout the day. I still use my eye pencil and gel liner, but this liquid liner is my go to product. 

Face Powder 

As I was standing in the isle perusing my options for a new face powder, I thought of Tanya Burr always raving over Rimmel’s Stay Matte Powder and I figured it couldn’t hurt to try it. As you can see by the picture below, I quite like it. I use it every day on my nose and chin where I tend to get a bit oily over the day and it definitely helps. I use the transparent powder so that it doesn’t affect the look of my makeup beneath it. Once I finish this lot I will have to purchase another. 

Lipstick 

Though I did not first discover these lipstick/lip balm concoctions in 2013, my collection and love for them grew over the year. The Revlon Lip Butters have been highly acclaimed all over, and I am jumping on the bandwagon because they deserve the praise. They are perfect for days when you don’t want sticky lips full of lipstick and lipgloss. I now have five different shades: Lollipop, Cupcake, Sugar Frosting, Strawberry Shortcake and Tutti Fruitti. 

Lip Balm 

Lucas’ Pawpaw Ointment is not just a lip balm, it has so many other uses as well. It is not even sold in the lip balm section of the shops, it is most commonly sold in the baby products section. Even though it is not specifically sold as a lip balm it is the best one I have ever used. It is really soft and makes your lips feel really nourished. It is a bonus that it can be used to heal scabs as well. 

Nail Polish 

O.P.I nail polish has been my go to this year. I love the way it dries quite quickly but I don’t love the cost. I have bought a few but the best is the really bright pink colour in the Minnie Mouse line. It is called a Definite Moust-Have and it is a definite moust-have for my summer nails. Wearing it makes me so happy because the almost red shade is so bright and fun. 

Dry Shampoo 

I never knew dry shampoo existed before last year, but once I discovered it I didn’t want to be without it again. I love having long hair but I can never be bothered washing it, I know I have to but all the washing and blow drying and straightening takes up so much time. I can push it to twice a week when I give my hair a spritz of the Batiste Dry Shampoo in between. It makes my hair feel fresh and gets rid of any grease for a day, only a day. The day after I use the dry shampoo I need to give it a proper wash because it begins to feel a bit yucky. I love the smell of the floral and fruity blush scent.

And that sums up my 2013 favourites, now I can move on to bigger and better things in 2014.

Lots of Love, 

Shannon xo

Follow me on Twitter: @shanny_hudson

Internet Favourites of 2013

The internet has been a growing presence in my life over the past couple of years, and this past year it has been greater than ever. I am trying to become more of an active addict, rather than a person who is addicted to stalking everyone else on the internet (not that I’m being creepy, I just thought people wouldn’t want to hear what I have to say). Here are some of my favourite things about and on the internet. 

Youtube 

Not to get too deep in a favourites post, but I have been struggling socially a bit this year. I have felt really alone and Youtube has really helped me through that. I’m not actually interacting with anyone, but the fact that it is a more personal medium than TV or movies gives me the illusion of inclusion. I feel as though the Youtubers are my replacement friends, even though it is incredibly one sided. I thought I would tell you about a few of my favourite Youtubers and why I like their videos. 

Zoella 

Zoe is probably my favourite Youtuber because of her video content and personality. Her videos are sometimes funny, sometimes girly, sometimes random and that is the way I like it. I really love watching beauty videos because I am so into makeup and beauty products myself, but I love it when the person puts some personality into it like Zoe does. I think variety within your medium is key, so I love it when she does follow-me-around vlogs as well. I really enjoy watching her Vlogmas and other vlogs as well because it shows her personality even more. I look up to her because she suffers from panic attacks but she doesn’t dwell on it in her videos and she seems to have a vibrant life, unlike some people who let things like that hold them back. Plus she is friends with the English Youtube crew and they are all just so hilarious, I can't help but like her. 

Click here to go check Zoe out

Tyler Oakley 

Tyler is like the King AND Queen of the internet, he seems to be friends with everyone and is slowly taking over in the best way possible. He is so naturally funny, yet when he hosts an event or something he can be really professional. Even though 90% of his videos are just him sitting in front of the camera, they are the first I watch when I see them in my subscription box. He is such an inspiration to all young people, not only gay and lesbian people, because he is always talking about acceptance and not caring about what other people think about you. His best ever videos are his ‘My Worst Hook-Up Ever’ video from June 2012 and his drunk challenges with Sawyer Hartman (a slightly sloshed Tyler is the best Tyler). 

Click here to go subscribe to Tyler

Lohanthony 

Lohanthony is just so sassy, he says what he thinks and he means what he says. I like him mostly because he is my age and proves that it is not about how old you are, it is about how interesting you are as a person. This also goes for his production value, he doesn’t make his videos in front of a greenscreen with industrial lighting, it is more homegrown and goes back to Youtube’s roots. He talks about hating people and things all the time, but he seems to genuinely care about his followers and friends. 

Click here to go Lohanthony's channel

Instagram 

Instagram has become really really popular in 2013 and I love it. Though I am not a very active user (I’m working on that), I love the idea and the way some people use it. It is like a photo album that can be updated instantly. Especially the people who have a whole theme behind their pages and they have matching colours and filters and stuff. I really want to work on having a more interesting Instagram in 2014. 

Scriptnotes 

This is not a typical obsession of a teenage girl, but one of the highlights of my week is the new Sciptnotes episode coming out. Scriptnotes is a podcast run by two successful screen writers John August (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Go, Charlie’s Angels) and Craig Mazin (Identity Thief, The Hangover 2 & 3) where they talk about the art of screen writing and the film industry. I really enjoy it because it combines my love of movies and the film industry with my love of writing. I learn a lot from listening to it and though I probably wont use a lot of it in real life, I apply my knowledge where possible. John and Craig are funny and polar opposites, which creates some tension at times. Sometimes I question why I watch so many humorous Youtube videos, but I never question listening to Scriptnotes because I know that under the entertainment there is actual useful information. 

Click here to find out more about Scriptnotes

Tomorrow will be my final 2013 favourites and it is my beauty favourites. Which is my favourite favourites post! 

Lots of Love, 

Shannon xo

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Pop Culture Favourites of 2013

TV

My love for TV waned over 2013 as the internet slowly took over my life. I used to watch basically everything from NCIS to Hannah Montana to Gossip Girl but now I’ve narrowed it down to my few absolute favourites that I can’t bare to let go. 

There are two new shows that I am hooked on (whereas usually there’d be 124,985):

The Crazy Ones and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, talk about two different shows.The Crazy Ones is the new sitcom with Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar and I personally find it hilarious. Mum and I sit and watch it every Sunday night and it is a great start to the week. The characters are a little cliche but not in a bad way and the fast talking keeps it fast paced and interesting. S.H.I.E.L.D is a show in keeping with the Marvel films, it has its witty moments and it can be full of heart but it is also action packed and dramatic. It has a bit of everything and that is what makes it so interesting. The Colson character died in the Avengers, but has been brought back to life for the series and how exactly that happened is one of the main mysteries in the plot. 

Music 

I am most definitely not a music connoisseur. I mostly listen to the popular music on the radio and don’t follow the hipster music scene. I don’t know much about the science behind music (though I could tell you who the artist is dating) so I can’t really express why I like the music I like, I just do. 

My album of the year goes to Night Visions by The Imagine Dragons. I love just putting it on while I’m cleaning my room or doing my homework, I can now sing along without losing concentration which is a sign I really like it. 

My single of the year has to go to Harlem by New Politics. I know this is a relatively new song but it really is my jam. I don’t fully understand what the song is about: How do bad girls dance in Harlem? Is there strip clubs there? There is definitly something about making a porn. Anyway, I like the song nonetheless because it has a great beat if nothing else. I wouldn’t call it an inspirational ballad, but its great to have a dance to. 

Celebrities

Now onto one of my favourite topics in life, celebrities. I know that sounds awful, but they genuinly intrigue me. My two favourite celebrities of the year are actually my six favourite celebrities of the year: Jennifer Lawrence and One Direction. Jennifer Lawrence is just hilarious and so endearing, you cannot help but love her. She has won the Oscar and starred in a movie with a cult following, it’s fair to say she’s taken the world by storm. Some gif sets of her interviews on Tumblr are just too good. 

Though I have strictly imposed a no fan girl rule on myself. I do have a soft spot for the boys of One Direction, not soft enough for me to want to brave the hoards of screaming girls at their concerts but soft-ish. I really respect that they have not gotten themselves into trouble yet and seem not to be heading in that direction (but who knows what 2014 could bring). Their new album is much better than their previous ones and most of the songs have made their way into my daily rotation. 

I’m sorry this post is up a day late, but I’m a bit busy at the moment (more on this to follow on Monday). 

Lots of Love, 

Shannon xo

If you have similar interests to me or just want to see me blab in 140 characters or less, feel free to follow me on Twitter: @shanny_hudson

Favourite Movies of 2013

When I was writing out my list of favourites for my blog today, I realised that I have too many for one post. I filled up a whole page with things I loved from 2013 and if I want to explain the reasoning behind each one, it would become a short novel in no time. Lord knows I like to waffle on. So instead I decided to split it up and do a few post of favourites back to back! Exciting right? I thought I’d start with movies, because it was the hardest to determine. I had 9 answers to this but managed to narrow it down to my top action, drama, kids, comedy and then the rest.

Action: Iron Man 3

As the highest grossing movie of 2013 I’m pretty sure there are a lot of people who will agree with me on this. The film’s wit and cynicism breaks through the violence and unbelievability of the matter to make it incredibly entertaining. I find Tony Stark is one of the most entertaining characters in film at the moment. The storyline was different to the common superhero movie fodder, which I suppose it had to be by the third one to keep people buying tickets. Between this and Thor (which I didn’t like quite as much) I am so excited for the next Avengers.

Drama: Great Gatsby

Leonardo DiCaprio hits it out of the park in another of Baz Luhrman’s masterpieces. I do not love this quite as much as I love Romeo + Juliet, but nothing was going to come close to the pedestal on which I hold that film. DiCaprio portrays Gatsby just as I imagined while reading the book and even Toby McGuire grew on me throughout the film. The dreamlike shots and awesome soundtrack helped distract from the fact that the film was so long. 

Kids: Frozen

Frozen took the top spot in the kids section from Despicable Me 2 by a hair. I am a old school Disney girl at heart so a movie about magic princesses who sing would have sucked me in no matter what. The lead characters were traditional in the best ways but they got rid of all the gender imbalance and racism the older films struggled with. I was so happy that the true loves kiss didn’t save the day and everyone was outraged when Ana announced her engagement to a man she just met. These are the kinds of messages we need to share with the children of today. The soundtrack was outstanding and only deepened my admiration of Kristen Bell and Ida Menzel. Olaf and Sven, the adorable witty sidekicks, were just the icing on the cake. 

Comedy: We’re The Millers 

The second I saw Kenny do the rap in Waterfalls I was sold. I’m not really sure what made this film stand out over the other two comedies in my favourites this year, but when it came down to the crunch I just had to choose this. It is the great American road trip with a twist, a heap of drugs. I would have thought this movie to be too gross and inappropriate for my tastes, but it has a certain endearing quality that comes from the characters becoming a family. In my eyes, Jennifer Aniston can do no wrong and the second best part of the film was the end credits when they surprised her with the Friends theme song. 

Honorable Mentions Go To: 

Identity Thief - A combinations of two of my favourite actors from two of my favourite TV shows of all time (Melissa McCarthy - Gilmore Girls and Jason Bateman - Arrested Development) and fantastic screen writer Craig Mazin (see Saturday’s post about Internet Favourites). This movie is hilarious and thats all I need. 

Now You See Me - Though I wasn't intrigued the whole way through, it was an interesting premise that I had never seen before. At the start it lost me for a little while because I didn’t see it going anywhere interesting, but then it got me back and I was hooked until the end. The twist nearly killed me! 

The Heat - I went to see this with my Mum for her birthday and even my Grandma couldn’t stop laughing (granted I have a really cool Grandma). Melissa McCarthy is undeniably hilarious and should be in every comedy film ever made. Sandra Bullock makes any movie she is in a hit. With some classic one liners and an interesting take on the buddy cop trope, The Heat is one of the funniest movies of the year. 

Despicable Me 2 - I have already said that this movie is one of the best and it deserved its spot as the 2nd highest earning film of 2013. It is a testament to the writing and production that I went to see it with a group of teenagers and we all loved it far more than we thought we should have. I can’t be the only one who wanted their own minions after seeing it (preferably pink ones, just to mix it up). 

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire - Last but not least is the movie that far surpassed my love for the first film. Though people complain about the abrupt ending, as a big fan of the book series, I understand that this was how the stories roll. Jennifer Laurence is simply the best human being out there and that is final. 

Make sure to check back in tomorrow - you can follow the blog if that is easier - because I’m going to be telling you about my TV and Music favourites of 2013. 

Lots of Love, 

Shannon xo

Make sure you follow me on twitter for more fun and games: @shanny_hudson

PS: I know I’m posting this a day early, but since I’m posting everyday for the next few days I thought it wouldn’t do any harm to post one early.