Bratz Challenge- Yasmin Inspired Look

 

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The Original 4 Bratz Dolls- [2001] Jade, Sasha, Chloe, and Yasmin

PLAY as you read! Bratz Theme Song

There has been this trend on YouTube, where people are transforming themselves into a Bratz doll, through the wonders of makeup. I grew up playing with them. Granted they came out when I was around 10, so I was starting to phase out of the doll playing phase. But I definitely loved them, and played with Barbies and Bratz, and even My Scene and Diva Starz, when I was older than most who were still into dolls. However, dolls held such a special place in my heart. It was kind of my first introduction to storytelling.

“Bratz is an American product line of fashion dolls and merchandise manufactured by MGA Entertainment and created by Carter Bryant. Four original 10-inch dolls were released in 2001—Yasmin, Cloe, Jade, and Sasha. They featured almond-shaped eyes adorned with eyeshadow, and lush, glossy lips.”- Via Wikipedia

Yasmin was my favorite, so I decided to try and transform into the original Yasmin doll look.

 

Here’s how the look turned out…

                                           Before                                                  After

The Comparison


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Quick Disclaimer: Compared to the many Bratz Challenges out there, this is a very small attempt. Some may even call it a fail. I call it a more Wearable Bratz Inspired Look.  I am not a huge makeup girl, sure I love to play with makeup and pick up techniques and get dressed up. But I don’t really buy fancy brands and the quality of my makeup isn’t the best. So the slick painted crease lines and perfect differentiations of color in the eye shadow kind of didn’t go over too well here. At some point even though I tried to do so, the colors all blended together. Well that and the images don’t completely show all the color variations either.

Breaking Down the Look:

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Foundations/Powder/Bronzer/Blush/Highlighter– create as much of a Flawless finish as possible. The Highlight looks mostly focused on the cheek tones, the tip of the nose, the center of the lips and the cupid’s bow. 

Sculpted Brows– brush them in place and fill them in.

Lavender-White (on the outer eyelid)/Lavender-Purple (on the browbone)/Mauve-Pink (inner corner and the crease) eyeshadow colors

Black eyeliner on the top and bottom water lines and Yasmin has two wings going on, one of the top and one on the bottom. 

Mascara on the top lashes, it appears she doesn’t really have top lashes, LOL!

Blue eyeliner of the inner corners of the eye, and the upper outer corner.

Beauty Mark by the cheek/under the eye ( I just used a brown eye pencil to create one, Lol) [OPTIONAL Step of course.]

Big Full Lips– you can over draw them or stick to your actual shape, whatever vibe you desire. But as for the colors, her lips is basically lined in a darker wine/burgundy and then filled in with a pink/mauve. 

The outfit/Hair– I just stuck with similar colors, a top in a blue shade, and a brown bandana/handkerchief head piece. I also added a little braid like she has just for fun. 

 

I feel like I just kind of threw this together on a whim, and thought it’d be a fun post. I definitely think had I had more time to plan and create an outfit and use better makeup, I could have done a little better. Even so, it was fun to play around with for a bit. And even though I may not look like exactly like my Bratz girl- Yasmin, I did kind of like how the inspired look came out. Although this was my first time trying out liquid eyeliner and it was quite terrifying. My wings are so sad. LOL!

So…did you love Bratz as a kid? Who was your favorite?

 

*I do not take credit for the Bratz [Yasmin] images/logo/theme song.*

 

-<3-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

February Floral Favorites

 

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From Left to Right:

Garnier Soothing Facial Mist made with Rose Water. I love using this as part of my morning skin care routine. The smell is beautiful and light. I also might use this at night before I go to bed too. Or just throughout the day, for a refreshing pick me up. I adore facial mists and I think this product comes in Aloe and Green Tea. *Pro Tip- if you are someone who deals with anxiety facial mists, can be a life saver. I keep a travel sized Evian spray in my bag at all times, or just a small spray bottle with some water in it, in case I need a little spritz to calm the nerves. It helps a lot.

Rose Quartz Crystal– Love, Peace, Harmony, Forgiveness, the stone for the hopeless romantic. So totally me. 😉 I use this during my morning meditation at times.

C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve– this is an all purpose product. It can be used for face, lips, cuticles, elbows, and knees. I use it as a lip balm, I really love how easy it glides on. And the smell is like a rose, coco butter mix. It’s lovely. It doesn’t really give any color, but does give a nice little shine. It’s not overly greasy or sticky, like some lip products tend to be.

Sundrenched Blooms Bath & Body Works White Barn Candle– Soy Candle made with essential oils. This scent is a mix of Tiare Flower, Banana Leaf, and Vanilla. I don’t typically like Vanilla scented things, but this one is mild. This smells lovely and I prefer soy candles or any of Bath and Body Works Candles made with essential oils because they are just lighter and are less prone to cause headaches for me. I just hear they are better to burn in your homes than regular candles.

Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede Cologne– I was gifted this as part of my Bridesmaid bag for my best friend’s wedding back in the Summer. And I fell in love with it! I was wearing it everyday and then eventually I finished it pretty quick. I would love to repurchase, put I know it can be pretty expensive. The scent is this beautiful mix of “Peonies in voluptuous bloom, flirtatious with the juicy bite of red apple and the opulence of jasmine, rose and gillyflower. Mingling with the sensuality of soft, blush suede.” Gorgeous!

Chapstick Total Hydration Moisture & Tint– Rose Petal. I love this product so much. I have put on chapstick before applying lip stick/lip products for years. So the fact that this one is a little duo in one, is super convenient. It’s great for hydrating your lips and adding a little color. The Rose Petal is just the perfect pinky shade to compliment a natural lip color. Sometimes I layer this and the Rose Salve over top. It’s easy wear, and when it fades it isn’t super noticeable or complicated with needing to be reapplied.

The Bonnie Brae -Rosehips & Jasmine Perfume Oil (Roll on)- I use this during meditation too, I will rub a little on my wrists. I purchased this on a shopping trip to the outlets. There was a cute little stand selling homemade candles, oils and such. And this combination of Rosehips and Jasmine just smelt so beautiful, I had to pick one up. It’s a very soothing scent.

I was never one for overly floral scents. I was never a big fan of the rose scent either. But lately I have gravitated toward floral undertones and Rose flavored/scented things. I even got into Rose flavored tea. It is delicious! Iced/Hot. It’s all good! And I guess with Valentine’s Day just passing, the inspiration for this Rose/Floral related post just came to be.

What products are you loving this winter?

-<3-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fangirl Report: MAN OF THE WOODS Concert Review & Fashion Update

Back during #BLOGTOBER I did a post titled Fall Fashion: Concert Style where I showed my outfit inspiration for Justin Timberlake’s MAN OF THE WOODS tour.

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I was supposed to see him, back in October but he had to reschedule due to bruised vocal chords. So I just went recently on January 31st. Which just so happened to be Justin’s 38th Birthday so that was a fun treat! Not only did we get an amazing show, but we got to spend his birthday with him. This time we got to sing to him for a change. 😉

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My concert morning prep…

My best friend and I got there a little before the opening act ended so we got to hear him a bit. His name is Franceso Yates, and he was definitely good vibes. Not to mention his curls are cool and he was rocking this cool silver sparkly bomber jacket. 3 years ago he lent his vocals to SUGAR (2015), yes ya’ll probably know Suga Suga by Baby Bash and Frankie J (2003) but Yates makes it work too! His voice is damn good!

 

Set List

Filthy

Midnight Summer Jam

Lovestoned/I think she knows interlude

Sexyback

Man of the woods

Higher Higher

Senorita

Suit & Tie

My Love

Cry Me a River

Mirrors

*Happy Birthday Sing Along*

Drink You Away

Until The End Of Time

Morning Light

What Goes Around…Comes Around

Say Something

Montana

Summer Love

Rock Your Body

Supplies

Can’t Stop The Feeling

I felt like this concert has been quite a long time coming. In fact we just passed the year mark on of when MAN OF THE WOODS was released and when Justin performed the Superbowl Half time show. I had wanted to see JT a while back when he was first in the U.S., but I just couldn’t swing the date, and so when he came back I was on a mission to get tickets. So my best friend and I got t-shirts, I had my outfit all ready, and my nails strategically painted to match his album cover colors (as you can see in the Concert Style Blogtober post). But then it was rescheduled for January, so it was another 3 months added to the waiting game. Needless to say, because of all the holiday craziness, it went by quick. Of course the date landed on the COLDEST day of the year, my winter coat’s zipper broke just before I left the house, (so I had to wear a less warm coat but the one I actually bought for the concert to match my outfit lol) and my best friend was battling the start of a cold and her purse strap broke coming out of the Uber on the way into MSG. So we fought some stupid little inconveniences along the way, but it was COMPLETELY worth it! #CHEERSTOINSANLEYEXPENSIVEUBERSANDCABS It felt so good to be there in that arena with him. It’s been a while. It felt like it was all meant to be. I love you JT, you were worth the wait! 

JUSTIN WAS INCREDIBLE! His talent never ceases to amaze me. He came back from that vocal rest like a boss. He can still sing, dance, and own any stage! And he is extremely good at making it so that he can work the entire stage and say hi to all sides. Our seats were pretty good, probably the closest, I’ve seen him so far. Although for his stadium tour with Jay Z, we had really good seats too! One of these days I hope to meet him, maybe even swing some VIP tickets, but I just can’t fathom those prices. Besides I like the option of sitting occasionally! Lol. #GRANNY #BIGPURSEDONTCARE

Justin did all his usual hits, but played a good amount of his new stuff too. It’s cool how his songs are so different live, like you feel every instrument. I love how he did his work on the NI Maschine for “Say Something,” and he just kind of like created this whole unique sound. It was really cool to see. 

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The whole show was visually stunning. The fog rolling in, the grass coming up during certain scenes to add that woodsy feel. The lights, the screens that projected Justin for all to see, but at  times told a story through it’s stunning rain visuals during “Cry Me A River,” and trees and the sun shining during his Man Of The Woods songs. It was all so right. 

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There were so many highlights, so many moments where he joked with the crowd, so many great live versions of songs that never get old. That clap and sing along in Mirrors, never gets old. And Can’t Stop The Feeling was so amazing live and such a great, feel good song to end on. However, I think if I HAD to pick, my highlight had to be when he sang “Until the End of Time.” There was a campfire set up. A real fire pit, with wooden seats around it, as his dancers re-enacted a campfire scene as he played the soft sweet song. This song is one of my favorites live, because this is the cell phone song. The lights sway back and forth, and you try to hit his notes in the sing along part of the song. Such a moment. 

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The only downside was that I know I had seen an earlier version of a setlist that included “Let The Groove Get In” and “Flannel.” Two of which are my favorites. So I was a little bummed when he didn’t play them. “Soulmate” would have been cool, that song has become a favorite of mine too! But we did have a whole Birthday sing a long, so they probably had to take out a few songs to allow the time for that. I thought his Birthday show would have been like crazy! Like maybe a special guest, or something. I also thought he would do the whole fake out end and then come back out, but he didn’t. I’m so used to that! Lol. But when the lights come on you know it’s over. I guess I just wasn’t ready to leave.

You know what else I noticed, he didn’t have many breaks. He didn’t worry about changing outfits constantly either. He made a few changes, but they were super quick and kept in theme with his laid back woodsy vibe. He is the man of the woods, is he not? He didn’t talk too much with the crowd like I’ve seen him do in the past, didn’t really chat about the songs or give some heart felt speech about what the slow jams were about or why he wrote them. He used to do this a while back. Instead he let the music talk. Which I understood. He has 5 studio albums under his belt and only about a 2 hour slot to perform! He can’t do EVERYTHING! Even so, he is a true talent. A class act. He is so good. When I got home I mentioned how it’s a pain to go to a concert on a week day, and my mom said to me, “well this is it, right? I mean you can’t keep going to his concerts.”  And I said, “Um, what? Yes I can! And I will.”  I may be getting older, he may be getting older, but as he said before he took his shot before he performed “Drink You Away,” he “Ain’t done yet!” And as long as he’s singing, I’ll keep listening! Concerts can be transcendent. They can be such amazing experiences, especially when you are that much of a fan of the artist. Especially when you get to go with your best friend. I’ve grown up listening to Justin. So no, I’m not quitting  now. Looking out at that audience it was an incredible mix of men, women, of all ages, and even some little kids. I was proud to see how far he’s come and how many generations his music has touched. He may not have chatted constantly but he was very adorable when he thanked us for spending his birthday with him, “best birthday ever,” he said just before leaving the stage. So what it all comes down to, is that the concert was cool, classic, and absolutely amazing and we got to spend his Birthday with him, and that’s the coolest thing ever. Happy Birthday JT! 

What I Wore: 

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My Target JT T-shirt- Black tank underneath

^ tried to link, but I don’t see it available anymore 😦 

A Flannel because well the song and the woods! lol

Jeans

Tan Boots

I had on pretty simple jewelry- a brown snakeskin cuff, two gold thin rings, big gold hoops, a black tattoo choker, and two gold necklaces for a layered effect. I also painted my nails a natural brown from Essie called- “Clothing Optional.”

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I basically went for a chill, laid back, woodsy/90’s vibe. LOL. My makeup was subtle warm tans and blush tones, and my hair I kept simple in a low bun and some curls to frame my face.

20190131_212208 Flannel by JT

Right behind my left pocket
That is where you’ll feel my soul
It’s been with me many winters
It will keep you warm
Ooh, here’s my flannel
The character’s in the way you wear it (the way you wear it)
It takes your shape while you keep it on (all you gotta do is keep it on)
May we live for many winters
Keepin’ each other warm
And may we live for many winters
Keepin’ each other warm

Read the full lyrics HERE

Listen to the full song HERE

And yes I did treat myself to some concert souvenirs- a tee and a concert program. They were selling the t-shirt I couldn’t find anymore on his merch store website, so I was excited. At first I wasn’t going to buy anything because between the ticket and the cabs,  I was already spending so much $$$! But then I realized I have a concert tee from every show I’ve seen of his. And I’m a major graphic tee wearing girl, so I had to. So I picked this one (it has another image of him and man of the woods written on the back, with all the tour locations.) And I splurged on a program too, because I have never bought one of his programs before. So I figured I should own at least one. I mean I am a self- proclaimed JT fan girl, right? Hey I don’t do this often, you got to live a little, right? 😉 The t-shirt was $40. The program was $25, in case any other fangirls or boys are wondering about prices! 

Well there you have it, another JT Fangirl report from yours truly. 

Until next time.

*All images are my own except JT’s album art picture at the beginning of the post.*

-<3-

 

 

Gentleman

Turning to the prompts again…because sometimes you need a little inspiration…

Describe what the term “gentleman” means to you. 

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I think a Gentleman is a man who does more than just holds open your door for you, or who gives you his jacket when your cold. It’s more than flowers and jewelry. It’s remembering your anniversary. It’s planning date nights. A gentleman is someone who listens to you, consoles you, supports you, lifts you up when your down. He also understands that you are your own person, a person who can take care of herself, but who still wants to take care of you from time to time because he loves you.

Women are strong and independent. But that doesn’t mean men can’t help them. I know I do that a lot. I’m like no I got it. I have a difficult time asking for help. I like to know that I can do things on my own. I like to know that I can take care of myself. So I guess in my opinion, a Gentleman is someone who understands that but never gives up on being there for his significant other, treating her with respect, and treasuring her. Wanting to spend his time with her, doing things she likes to do with her even if he’s not a super fan of it. And I think in return, a woman can do the same for a man.

In a world where millennials seem to have been given this horrid name, I do still believe there are some men out there who are true gentleman. And it extends beyond just his romantic relationship. He is loyal, honorable, he is kind, caring, he is respectful of human kind as a whole. 

No one is perfect. But trying your best to be the best version of yourself, never goes out of style. 

This “prompt”-ed…this… 😉 

 

-<3-

*I do not take credit for the image/music/video used.*

#BLOGTOBER Recap

I blogged for the entire month of November. I started off strong. I usually do, and I had some blogs lined up and ready to go. But as the month went on it did become more difficult to post regularly. However, I made it work, just like I did for BLOGMAS! 

Having done that last year definitely made me more sure of myself going into this year’s month long blog adventure. 

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BLOGTOBER

Sure, there were a few times that I lacked the inspiration,  and some posts were fillers. Sometimes I had to search for prompts online to help stir up an idea. It happens to the best of us. Sure, there were times that I was rushing to post something before midnight. I didn’t always get my social media posts up on time either, but they did go up regardless. But each blog post went up on time! All 31 of them. And I am super proud. I also was consistent in posting to my blog social accounts, which is always grueling, but I had a bit of a system and made it work. 

For the most part this challenge made me stronger. It made me create a bit of a writing routine, it made me more in touch with needing to make time for my writing and learning to be sure to make it a priority. It’s definitely a balancing act, but I am working on it. 

There were various times I was visiting family and had to excuse myself to get a post up, or I had something going on and had to jot down a post on my phone notes for later. It was crazy. But I did it. I knew I wanted to, and that I would make it to my 31 day mark. I had much more faith and certainty in myself this time, than I did last year during BLOGMAS. 

So with that being said, I am onto my next writing venture- NaNoWriMo [See: BLOGTOBER DAY 31] I definitely believe I have more confidence in taking on this journey because I just gained all this writing motivation and routine building from BLOGTOBER. Day 1 was actually really good! Stay Tuned for updates on that.

See you Monday- MLW has now returned to it’s regular Monday/Thursday schedule. 

 

And if you missed any of BLOGTOBER…check out the recap below! 

***BLOGTOBER 2018***

BLOGTOBER Day 1- An Update & Announcing #BLOGTOBER

BLOGTOBER Day 2- My 2018 Fall Bucket List

BLOGTOBER Day 3- My Fall 2018 TV Schedule

BLOGTOBER Day 4- Fall Haul- Treats, Teas, & Décor

BLOGTOBER Day 5- Where to find the best Halloween Movie Marathons

BLOGTOBER Day 6- Witchy Reboots…

BLOGTOBER Day 7- Where to find the best Halloween Movie Marathons Part 2

BLOGTOBER Day 8- It’s October again…

BLOGTOBER Day 9- Pumpkin Picking with the Family plus mini Fall Haul #2

BLOGTOBER Day 10- Stranger Things Themed Party

BLOGTOBER Day 11- MLW Halloween Themed Shorts Collection

BLOGTOBER Day 12- A Cheesy Fall Poem 😉

BLOGTOBER Day 13- A Fall Memory

BLOGTOBER Day 14- Fall Themed Gift Basket Idea

BLOGTOBER Day 15- Jewelry Making Tutorial- Memory Wire Bracelet

BLOGTOBER Day 16- TV Shows to Binge watch in the Fall Season that will give you a little spook…

BLOGTOBER Day 17- Some Recipes for the Fall Season

BLOGTOBER Day 18- Fall Mix [Middle School/High School Edition]

BLOGTOBER Day 19- The Jack-o-lantern

BLOGTOBER Day 20- Fall Smoothie Recipe

BLOGTOBER Day 21- On Halloween Night- A Poem

BLOGTOBER Day 22- Love Potion

BLOGTOBER Day 23- Fangirl Report: J.T. Edition (Who else?)

BLOGTOBER Day 24- Fall Fashion- Concert Style

BLOGTOBER Day 25- “Head Over Heels”- An Original Short Horror Script

BLOGTOBER Day 26- “Head Over Heels”- Commentary 

BLOGTOBER Day 27- Creating this year’s Pumpkin Character

BLOGTOBER Day 28- Purple/Green/Black Rocker Chic Witch Costume Idea

BLOGTOBER Day 29- Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”- A Film Muse

BLOGTOBER Day 30- Fall 2018 Bucket List Update

BLOGTOBER Day 31- Exciting Announcement!

 

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-<3-

#BLOGTOBER Day 30- Fall 2018 Bucket List Update

Earlier in BLOGTOBER I posted my Fall 2018 Bucket List. [SEE HERE] I love fall, I love getting into the spirit of the season, and I love me a good to do/bucket list. 

sneak peek day 2

UPDATE!

So as Halloween rolls in. I wanted to check my progress on my trusty ole to do list.

There were 14  or so items on the list, and I was able to check off a good chunk of those this month!

Pumpkin Picking. CHECK

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Decorate for Fall/Halloween/Thanksgiving. CHECK

My house is festive AF!
Pumpkin Carving. CHECK

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Buy pies, jams, ciders, and other fall drinks/treats. CHECK

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Trick or Treat with my niece…

After tomorrow…CHECK

Watch Hocus Pocus & Halloweentown. CHECK

Some things I added along the way- like watching tons of fun Halloween movies including House of Wax, and listening to spooky soundtracks like MJs Thriller on a loop.

Others like the JT concert was actually postponed til January- which hey is out of my control. But I am READY!

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I wasn’t able to get to the movies as I wished. But life gets busy, what can you do? I did buy a cheap copy of Halloween so maybe I’ll watch it tomorrow night.

I didn’t make it to Apple Fest again this year, because my family got super busy. But truth be told I was better off, since I ended spending quite a pretty penny at the little shop at the farm we went to for pumpkin picking.

Fall fashion has been a bit of a bust, I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t gotten a chance to swap out my summer clothes for my fall clothes. And because the weather has been so unpredictable I just never know. Let’s hope November is a bit more “fashionable. Lol.

My pumpkin party and wine & cheese party ideas didn’t happen this month but I’m hopeful for next. My best friend and I are trying to set up our pumpkin party. And to be honest, I’m dying to host a wine and cheese party myself! 

As for NaNoWriMo- I am still planning to do this, however it doesn’t start til Thursday so stay tuned for an update on that. November is going to be insane. But I am interested to see how this works. 

Fall isn’t over yet…November will be a time to conquer the rest…especially finding those Thanksgiving recipes and who knows maybe dye my hair purple? Haha. I know it costs a lot and it is a big commitment- I had my blue hair for ages. So when I do it, it has to be the right time. Stay tuned for that too!

Happy Fall All!

Did you get to check all the fall things off your bucket list? 

See you tomorrow for our final #BLOGTOBER POST! 

Working on a short story as we speak! The plan was to get half up today and the last half up tomorrow, but it’s taking longer to write than I expected. And it won’t be ready before midnight, so hang tight. Whether it’s done by tomorrow or night, I will still post it eventually.

 

*All images are my own.*

-<3-

#BLOGTOBER Day 29- Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”- A Film Muse

As a huge Michael Jackson fan, I know that all of his videos are very detailed and tell a story. But the true leader of the pact has to be the iconic, nearly 14 minute long, short film- Thriller.

Michael Jackson’s Thriller- A Film Muse

Although I was not born until the 90’s, this video was always a big deal around Halloween, I grew up listening to Michael Jackson. And I try to make sure to watch and listen to Thriller every Halloween season. It just puts you in the spirit. 

MJ’s message at the beginning-

MJ thriller message

I read that Michael had said this video offended people, which he never intended to, and that he would never want to do something like it again. But even so, the legacy of it lives on and on!

Color theme is pretty instant upon the reveal of the title- black and red- just like his iconic leather jacket. 

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Michael Jackson’s Thriller is a music video for the Michael Jackson song “Thriller” released on December 2, 1983. It was directed by John Landis and written by Landis and Jackson. It was MTV’s first world premiere video. Voted as the most influential pop music video of all time, Thriller proved to have a profound effect on popular culture, and was named “a watershed moment for the [music] industry” for its unprecedented merging of filmmaking and music. Guinness World Records listed it in 2006 as the “most successful music video”, selling over nine million copies. In 2009, the video was inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress, the first music video to ever receive this honor, for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant. The track was also listed at number one on “The Top 10 Halloween Songs” by Billboard. 

Co-starring with Jackson was former Playboy centerfold Ola Ray. The video was choreographed by Michael Peters (who had worked with the singer on his prior hit “Beat It”), and Jackson. Jackson contacted Landis after seeing his film An American Werewolf in London; make-up artist Rick Baker and composer Elmer Bernstein (who composed incidental music for the video) were also brought from the film to work on the video. The video (like the song) contains a spoken word performance by horror film veteran Vincent Price. “Thriller” was the third and final video for the Thriller album. The red jacket that Jackson wore was designed by Landis’ wife Deborah Landis to make him appear more “virile”. – All info Via Wikipedia.

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Summary [If you live under a rock and have never seen this masterpiece…Watch Before Reading the spoilers below!]

In the 1950s, Michael Jackson and a young woman (Ola Ray) run out of gas while driving in a wooded area. They walk into the forest and Michael asks her to be his girlfriend. She accepts. Jackson warns her that he is “not like other guys”, transforms into a werewolf, and attacks her.  In a modern-day movie theater, Michael and his girlfriend are watching the previous scene as part of horror film, Thriller. She leaves early, disturbed by the violence. As they walk in the street, Michael teases her by performing the verses of “Thriller”. In a graveyard, undead rise from their graves as Vincent Price narrates. The couple are surrounded and Michael becomes a zombie. He and the zombies dance to “Thriller”. Michael and the zombies chase his girlfriend into an abandoned house. She screams and wakes up, realizing it was a nightmare. Michael embraces her, but turns to the camera and grins, revealing his werewolf eyes. – Via Wikipedia

This video has everything. It has great music (that chorus! how can you NOT sing along), a killer dance break, a cool concept with a movie within a movie, dancing zombies, a werewolf transformation, young love, and that Vincent Price epic cackle at the end that will always give me chills…I mean what more can you ask for?

I love how they got the 50’s charcters to dress the part- the poodle skirt/letterman jacket/ and him asking her to go steady by giving her his ring. Then we see the 80’s inspired fashion in the current timeline. I love the red and blue hues in Jackson and Ray’s wardrobe. Blue hues are often used in horror. They match the spooky night sky and rolling fog, as they walk through the dewy streets while he serenades her. That whole sequence is probably my favorite because it’s cute and playful like something you’d see in a romantic comedy, and then shit gets real in a minute. Excuse the language. 😉 Jackson’s character is funny and a jokester, but when he turns, he turns! And instantly you feel like your worst nightmares are coming true…like your starring in a horror movie yourself. 

It has all the markings of a horror film, the carefully placed “scary movie” suspense music/sound effects, creatures closing in creating that claustrophobic feeling (those closeup shots are so good- they make you feel like you are right there in the film). And let’s not forget the overly dramatic actress, screaming. Ah- a true ode to horror. It is mentioned in the wiki research that they had specific horror films they used as inspiration through the creation of the short film- naming films like Phantom of the Opera, Night of the Living Night, and I Was A Teenage Werewolf. 

That toe touch!

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I love how you have to suspend reality and just trust the storyline. There is a bit of a confusion, because we are basically watching a movie within a movie. The way that this is set up is brilliant. You get a mini intro, a fake out, then cue the song’s intro as we pan onto the theatre sign, as the story continues. That shot of the movie theatre was done with a crane, I saw in the behind the scenes. Epic!

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#INCEPTION

So in the beginning we see a young couple walking through the woods and then the guy turns into a werewolf, but it ends up being a movie Michael and his girl are watching. Are we to believe that the whole rest of the short film is the real deal? When Michael turns into a zombie and busts a move, only to later chase his girlfriend into an old house and be revealed as his regular self again, telling her, “What’s the problem? Come on, I’ll take you home,” like everything is fine. Did you see that lighting change/setting change though? #MovieMagic Making us think that the movie scared the wits out of her and is making her think all of these creepy creatures are real and chasing her. But then we get that turn back of Michael revealing his werewolf eyes accompanied by Vincent Price’s Laugh and you see that suspending reality is a beautiful thing and you just watched a masterpiece. 

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I love that ending, even if it confuses me. Haha. I guess it wasn’t all in her head. 

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Don’t get me wrong, there are some cheesy moments here and there. But like I teach my kids in my film class, these graphics were groundbreaking for that time in film and video. We grow and we get better. And effects improve through the years, but you have to start somewhere. And this was an EPIC start! Paved the way.

This video is iconic and still to this day inspires other artists to push the boundaries of music television and storytelling. 

 

Behind the Scenes of Michael’s Werewolf & Zombie transformations, etc.

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Cue the shot of the moon…so good!

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For more BTS information watch the hour long Documentary-

The Making of Michael Jackson’s Thriller

LISTEN TO THE AUDIO

THRILLER LYRICS

READ MORE INFO ABOUT THE THRILLER VIDEO 

FYI Jackson did venture into horror again, in his 1996 musical short film- GHOSTS (running 39 minutes). This too was granted a documentary- The Making Of. Although I can’t find concrete info as to how it was released in the US, I remember watching this on tv with my family when I was a kid. I feel like it was a big Halloween special. It is so creepy, but so damn good. I can’t find the full version on YouTube but I linked a shorter version. This is a whole other Film Muse in the making, maybe next Halloween. 😀 

I’ll never understand how he could make a dance break scary?

Hats off, Michael. May you rest in peace. 

 

*I do not take credit for any images/gifs/music/lyrics/videos/BTS footage used.*

-<3-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#BLOGTOBER Day 28- Purple/Green/Black Rocker Chic Witch Costume Idea

This year is my niece’s first time Trick -or- Treating so I am going to be going with her. So naturally, me always down for a reason to dress up- after many laps around Spirit Halloween I walked out with a witch hat and a spider ring. 

I figured I just needed a few accent pieces, because I knew I had enough black clothing at home, and I knew I could make something creative with fun makeup and nail art.

So the creative wheels started and I decided on a Purple/Green/Black color theme. When I think of witches I think of those three colors. Their tights are usually purple and green stripped, their faces green. So I figured why not make it a funky witch theme.

Let’s start with the basics…

The Black Base- I wanted this to be more of a Rocker Chic Witch Look

So we have to have the leather jacket, the black pants, and the combat boots. These two clothing pieces have been so well worn! I feel like I go for them ALL THE TIME. Every girl has those one pair of black pants that she feels like she can conquer the world in. #BootyLookGoodPants  😉 

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I will probably just wear a black long sleeve or black t-shirt. Depending on the weather. If I had more time I would have searched for a purple & green stripped tee. But all black with color accents is always super cool, if you ask me. So that’s the way I’m choosing to rock this glam rocker witch look. 

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The trusty old combat boots, I’ve had for years.

The Witch Hat & Spider Ring [Sprit Halloween] 

Hat- $14.99 

Ring- $7.99 

^ I tried to link these items for you guys, in case you wanted to pick them up for your own witch look for next year, but I couldn’t find them on the site. But they had a bunch others, click and browse the site!

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They had a huge witch section- makeup, jewelry, brooms, costumes. I’m not a fan of costume Halloween makeup. I have sensitive skin, so I know it’ll probably mess with my face. Besides, everything was so expensive. As it is I walked out spending about $25 just for a hat and a ring!

But I really do like this hat, its got these really cool black feathers that glisten a green/purple hue, and it has a veil that hangs over the face with a bunch of spiders all over it. The spider ring was an impulse buy near the register. I was looking for an extravagant spider ring but I didn’t see any in the witch section, then I found this one on the way out and loved it. 

So with these two pieces in mind, I set out to researching the fun stuff Makeup & Nail Ideas. I wanted a really fun glam witch look. No full green face for me! 😉 

Makeup Inspirations- [via YouTube Tutorials] 

Links Below: 

GREEN & PURPLE LOOK FULL FACE

PURPLE LOOK 

^I really like the ombre lip look

LIME GREEN & PURPLE LOOK

GREEN SPIDER WEB EYE LOOK

Nail Art Inspirations– [via Google & YouTube] 

 

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Makeup & Nail polish I bought to complete this look-

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NICKAK NEW YORK lipsticks in Violet & Lime BRUCCI Nail polish in Sylvia’s Pretty In Purple & Stephanie Go Lime 

Accessories I had, that I plan to use to spruce up this witch look-

 

 

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I have some lace gloves, some various bracelet and choker necklace options. Some Silver hoops, some black sunglasses. I also have a silver bracelet/ring piece with a moon on it which I thought was kinda witchy so we’ll see if I want to rock that. And not sure yet if I want to throw on this spider web scarf too.  

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This ring has the colors in it, but I may not want to wear any other rings, because that spider ring can be a stand alone piece! LOL. We shall see how it all gets pulled together. I usually end up making something work! 😀 

Hair-

I was also going to curl my hair and add in some purple and green hair extensions, but I couldn’t find the right color shades, and I didn’t really want to buy any sprays. So I decided that I’m going to just use the eyeshadow I have and just dust some on like hair chalk. Or if that doesn’t work, I can just use real sidewalk chalk. Its basically the same crap. HAHA. I’ll throw some hairspray to hold the color and boom!

COSTUME NOTES:

So what I usually end up doing is gathering inspiration and then I put my own spin on things and make up my own look. 

I’m sure if you didn’t want to rock a full witch hat you can also find a cute little hat clip, hat headband, or create a paper hat on your own. YouTube is full of tons of tutorials.

I chose pants, because I wanted to be comfortable, but you could totally do a black skirt or dress and find the striped tights, or a pair of fishnets. It’s totally customizable. Do your thang!

Honestly you can be really creative with a witch costume, you can even do all black, or red and black, or orange and black. Basically as long as you have a witch “hat” on, everyone will know what you are! 

Follow michelleleighwrites_blog on instagram for a full look costume reveal on Halloween! 

Happy Trick-or-Treating!

 

*All images are my own except the screenshots from the makeup and nail inspirations.* 

*I do not take credit for any videos used.* 

-<3-

 

 

#BLOGTOBER Day 26- “Head Over Heels” Commentary

This was a short horror script I wrote back in 2015. Unfortunately like many of my scripts, it was never filmed. However, being that it is Halloween and I am a writer, I thought it’d be fun to at least share the script with you. You can read it in full form in yesterday’s BLOGTOBER post HERE

Which brings us to today’s post…

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MY WRITER’S COMMENTARY

Head over heels commentary 1head over heels commentary 2

*FYI Check this Rom Com out, it’s so damn good!
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*I do not take credit for any images/gifs/movie posters/movie trailers used.*

-<3-

 

ALSO FAN GIRL REPORT SIDENOTE: Due to bruised vocal chords Justin Timberlake has had to postpone a few of his tour dates. My Wednesday night show, sadly was one of them. I was all set, rushed home from work, was going to eat, change and head out, when I got an email and voicemail from Ticketmaster. And then I saw J.T.’s instagram post. I missed it earlier, because I was working. But what can you do, at least I saw it before I got ready to leave my house. I have to admit, I was bummed. I was so pumped to see him live. It’s been a while!

I had a show rescheduled, back when he first toured for the Justified album. My first time ever seeing him live, solo. There was a crazy stage accident and people were injured and equipment was damaged and they had to cancel it. I was so upset. I was probably about 12 and I was hysterical crying when I saw it on the news.

My older cousin was supposed to take me, so she was like I will take you wherever you want to go, we can do whatever you want that day and you can bring whoever you want. She’s the best! So I wanted to go to Build-a-bear (Is 12 too old for that? Probably but whatever, til this day that is the only Build-a-bear I have. This coming from a girl who played with Barbies til she was like 14, Lol #DONTJUDGE!) I brought my best friend and we all went to the mall, and it was a great day! 

Needless to say, we made it to the concert…and it was freakin’ AMAZING!

And this one will be too. Being that ya know I am having to #ADULT these days, I totally understood the need for JT to have to postpone. He needs to take care of himself first. Health and Safety first always. The new date is going to be on his 38th Birthday- January 31st, so I am super stoked for that! Rest Up JT, see you in January! I just can’t wait! Ah #FANGIRLIFE!

So Stay Tuned my fellow fangirls, full concert outfit and concert review COMING IN THE NEXT YEAR, haha. Book Review too! 😀

#BLOGTOBER Day 24- Fall Fashion: Concert Style

Justin Timberlake’s style for his MAN OF THE WOODS show is very laid back. So for my concert look tonight, I wanted to mirror that same vibe. Comfortable, yet stylish. 

As you can see he wears a lot of , flannel, leather, denim, black. There are some earthy tones and outdoorsy pieces, so camouflage is a pattern that pops up a lot too. And I’ve seen he mostly rocks sneakers or boots. He also mixes patterns at times too. But the usual basis for the outfit is a graphic tee. 

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In fact he has a clothing collection with the brand Levi, called Fresh Leaves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=AmRVbdsyBbY

And a sneaker deal with Air Jordan…these are sold in limited locations. 

*JT concert merch is available HERE!

Because I wasn’t a fan of any of the few t-shirts left on his website, I opted to find my own shirt and to put together my own outfit using simple pieces I already had in my closet. #GOTTASAVEMONEY #ADULTING I am hoping they are selling some concert tees there though. I really wanted one online, but it’s no longer up. 😦

I found a JT shirt with the album graphic on it in Target for cheap and ordered one each for me and my best friend. 

So the concert tee is the main focus of the outfit.

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I painted my nails- black, white and orange- the colors of the album cover, which is the graphic featured on the t-shirt. 

IGNORE MY MESSY NAILS IN THE FOLLOWING SHOTS…I took all of this before I cleaned them up. 😉

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Currently I am torn between two outfit ideas. Either some black pants or jeans, a red/yellow/white flannel, and a leather jacket or oversized denim jacket over top the tee and the flannel. I opted to rock either my combat boots or my white & black Michael Jackson boots. Depending which outfit I end up choosing.

I’m also keeping my jewelry pretty simple- some gold hoops (not sure which size I’m rocking just yet), two gold chains for a layered affect, 4 plain gold rings, and a cuff like bracelet. With a yellow purse too, to tie in the colors of the flannel. 

For my makeup I’m planning to do a mix of fall colors, a lot of golds/oranges/reds.

Similar to this makeup/hair look…

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Except I’m planning to swap out the red lip color for something in the more brown/bronze/peach family. Either I will pick one of the lip colors below, or do some type of mix of colors.

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And as for my hair, I’m going to be adding  some random loose waves with a curling wand, using products like mousse, dry shampoo, and hairspray. 


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There you have it, my JT MAN OF THE WOODS outfit inspo. I am ready to dance and sing my ass off! I will reveal the full look I chose tomorrow! 

Tonight. Fangirl mode. ON.

Stay Tuned for a full Concert Review! COMING SOON!

 

*I do not take credit for any Justin Timberlake images or videos used.*

*All other images are my own.*

-<3-