Review: Prism -- Katy Perry

I make a note of not buying CDs unless I think the artist/music is worth the novelty of hoarding up dust in my room.

And quite recently I've allowed Katy Perry that honour. 

In the past, I've neither disliked nor liked Katy Perry. I found her music videos tacky (and quite frankly I still thought her video for Roar was too campy for my taste, especially for a song that wants to be taken seriously), however I always admired her as a vocalist and found her songs fun to bop along to when I was in a "boppy" mood.

Her latest CD, Prism, marks a change in direction in terms of her style, sound and persona. Once known for being the rebellious teenage girl that shocked her pastor parents by singing, I kissed a girl and I liked it! Katy Perry has quickly blossomed into a mature young woman, who is ready to accept changes in her life and career whilst simultaneously pulling the world along with her.

Her album Prism, although still laden with electro-pop influences and heavy bass lines, showcases a less flamboyant side of Katy, rather highlighting her more vulnerable and sensitive counterpoint. The lyrics of the song, although remaining in a similar structure musically to her previous works, convey her struggle through her divorce and her thoughts on suicide (By The Grace Of God). 

I, personally, was mostly drawn to the last couple of songs in the album as they seem to be a lot more musically innovative, moving away from the conventional mainstream electro-pop sound. The appearance of a piano (albeit electric) in This Moment was a refreshing contrast against the crackling bass, showcasing a bold experimentation with Christian and pop music elements. Similarly, Double Rainbow pulled the instruments into the background, putting Katy's vocals in the foreground so as to emphasise the lyrics, a move which is rare in this current age of mainstream pop. By The Grace Of God was by far the most moving and raw and this was reflected in the music that started off with a simple piano accompaniment. The build-up into a more complex texture in the chorus seemed to run synonymous to the way a movie builds to a resolution. And in the context of the song, it just about nails it. 

Overall, the album is a new creative height for Katy Perry and I would recommend anyone to get it, even if they aren't a Katy Perry fan, just to see how far this incredible young artist has come. 

I give it a 4/5 rating. 

New boots!

These are my new boots from Payless Shoes (they cost $20!). I'm hoping that they will get me through Winter, rainy days and moments when I feel the urge to tap dance... :P

Dressing provocatively

Ok. I'm a little bit guilty of this one. 

Although, I don't feel guilty at all so...

What's the deal?

Ok, here's the basic breakdown:

I'm guilty of the act of dressing provocatively but I don't feel guilty about it.

Wow, I'm such a criminal! :P

I was just thinking today of why us girls are so drawn to the idea of dressing provocatively and I came up with a number of reasons:

1. To attract the attention of boys (or girls )

2. To look sexy

3. Because it's cool

4. Because it's the latest fashion and they're an avid fashion addict

5. Because it's too hot to wear anything else... 

...etc. etc. 

They're all pretty similar reasons to why people drink alcohol: everyone's got their own reason for doing it.

So I decided to give you my reason on why I do it.

I live by a very simple philosophy when it comes to my appearance: 

Dress in a way that makes you feel confident.

If you dress in clothes that you're comfortable in, that fit you, that reflect who you are and match your hair, skin, eyes, nails etc., it makes a huge difference to the way the world views you . You not only exude confidence but you also give the impression that you are educated and self-aware. 

Now let me link back this philosophy to why I dress provocatively:

It makes me feel confident.

I have the kind of body that isn't model skinny but is still toned enough to look good in tight dresses and high heels. And for your information, I can walk in those heels. Two years of dancing in them and weekly ballet classes have secured my ability to walk on toes with the unsteady support of a thin stick (which is essentially the art of walking on heels). I like wearing provocative clothes because it flatters my body and makes me feel confident. 

I guess there is a line that must be drawn when it comes to dressing provocatively such as attending church, funerals, bar mitzvahs etc. but I don't want to bore you with a list of dos and don'ts when it comes to dressing yourself because at the end of the day, you're a human being. You're a manifestation of intelligent, sentient life and you should be able to decide by observation and intuition what is appropriate to wear when.

And I'm also assuming that you, as an intelligent male specimen of the human race, can also learn to decide how to appropriately act around a girl who is dressed provocatively. Remember: you can't control what you feel but you can control what you do. 

So the bottom line is: there's nothing wrong with dressing provocatively (in my opinion at least), just make sure you use common sense. 

Review: Models Prefer Fashionista Colour Palette

This is a great example of the classic rule: don't judge a book by its cover. Technically I didn't really do that since I've used other Models Prefer products before and I was very happy with their results but with this one I'm a little bit underwhelmed.

Let's just start with the elephant in the room: the eyeshadows. Although, the palette provides us with a total of 48 eyeshadow shades, the brighter shades (pinks, greens, purples and blues) are barely strong enough to make any visual impact. Given I have dark skin, I decided I should use the trick of applying on white eyeshadow first before I made any solid conclusions. The result: it barely made a difference with only a thin layer of colour being visible around my eyes.

The only solution to combat this is to apply copious amounts of eyeshadow to my eye lids but with the small serving sizes of each colour, I'll run out within weeks. 

However, there are some positives that are found in the blush and the darker eyeshadow shades. Unlike their brighter counterpoints, the darker shades create a much more defining look and with the variety of colours, allows for some interesting blending. The blush however is the cream of the crop. The variety of shades allows you to create a variety of looks from just slightly tan to a cute doll face. The brown square pot is also great for contouring.

All in all, I've got mixes feelings for this product. I would rate it 2/5.

Kitty+Summer'stagramed

Here are just some Instagram shots of the back of my house and my cat.

That Break

Sometimes it only takes one moment to change everything.

Just one more straw to break the camel's back.

You do what you can to fix it, make it all be normal again but you can't. It's done. Something has changed.

You're scared.

What's the point of being a Christian?

This is a text I sent to a friend this morning cos I've been struggling with my faith a lot lately...

I live by a belief that if you don't live life fully: both the pleasurable and painful moments, you may as well not live at all. A life without passion and drama is no life at all. 

And sometimes I feel like Christians like to use God as an anaesthetic (which he obviously isn't) and encourage others to live under similar policies...

...and that is no life for me.

So I wonder what's the point? What (not to sound so selfish) do I gain out of it? Is it even worth it? 

I guess this is the time where God can work his miracles...or not.