To Tattoo or Not to

I want all thoughts on tattoos. Give em' to me. What you like and don't like. The where's, the how's, and the who's. Me & the other half of me are getting new ones very soon. I like to think of tattooing and fashion together. Hmmmm. You tell.

bro...brach...bro-ho

I am so mad that I couldn't find better pictures to depict what these style pioneers sport everyday. I swear if one more person comes in the store and asks where the Famous Stars and Straps section is I will scream.

This look is not in style anywhere else in the world, it is not cool , and it is not flattering. It is straight out ugly.

Some things do go out of style and this is one of them. For guys, the lifted trucks, paired with huge Dickies shorts held up by a studded famous belt, an off-center bent up hat covering the spiked hair, facial piercings, and some big logo shirt is out. Guys, wear pants that fit a little better, and tone it down a bit for the ladies. You guys look like 12 year old boys trying to scam on chicks. We like guys that look like they could actually have a carreer one day. A job that does not include beer bottles, naked chicks, and cigarettes as a part of the day.

Girls or Brach's wear studded belts, with looww rise jeans that are too tight, that create what we call a muffin top. Not attractive. Not sexy. Please wear pants that flatter your figure. I have even seen very skinny girls, manage to sport a muffin top. Another horror of this Brach or Bro-Ho trend is bleach blond hair with dark hair streaks. It is so harsh. It takes the softness of their natural femininity and crushes it. We should not strive to look like strippers right? Further more that skate shoe they wear is too big & bulky. There is nothing style-wise that feels right about this on a girl. The ultimate "Bro-Ho No No" is the ever-present tramp stamp. You know what I'm talking about, that star or butterfly tattoo right above the butt crack. This used to be cool, but if you have fresh ink in this area right now I shed tears for your severe lack of any style common sense.

So please, I am begging please, can I ask that no more guy's come into the store and ask for a size 40 in True Religion's when they are a 36. My heart suffers for you.

Nudie Jeans

Here we go. I said I would spill the beans on these newest, hottest, trend- Nudie.

I can't nail the description like Nudie themselves can. So here is how their website says it:

-"Nudie is the ”naked truth about denim”. Denim has the ability to age beautifully – formed by its user into a second skin, naked and personal. The longer it lives the more character it gets. The indigo is a living colour that fades and gives the denim its character. The more you wear your jeans the more beautiful they get. Jeans are more than just a piece of clothing. Nudie will stay true to jeans and all about jeans."

Basically Nudie is a fashion company for the ages. The are very concerned with the environment, claiming to become totally organic over the next few years. They say that cotton fields stand for 25% of all insecticides worldwide! They are dedicated to the environment in more than one way. Good working conditions, and high standards all the way through production is their way of getting it done. That is why all of their denim is quality constructed in Italy. No sweat shops here.

OK, now for the cult like following. I dare you to go online and check out sites dedicated to these jeans. Nudie instructs their customers to buy dry organic denim and wear them pants out! Do not wash them for 6 months, and when the six months is up wash carefully following instructions. Every pair becomes like a badge of honor to the owner. The different wear marks, texture, colors, rips... all make for your one of a kind wear.

If you want to see these jeans live, and in person visit denM. We all got a pair to experiment, and join the cult...apparently. Dave never takes his off. Tarryn and I wear ours, a lot, I must admit. I am becoming a junkie- but Dave is one.

VMA's :2 Strikes (One more your out)

Did anyone out there watch the Video Music Awards on MTV this weekend? I did. I really think the whole show is getting lame. Maybe I'm getting old, but I think that they are trying to change things up too much, totally forgetting that some things are better left in classic condition.

I liked the whole Hollywood back lot theme. Live music videos being shot. Good idea but it came off a bit strange at points. Over all I thought that concept was cool. The venue looked small. It looked like only the who's who could fit in there, and maybe not all of them. So that took away from the power of the event. It looked little and cheap 70's game showish to me.

My major pet peeve came with the host and the performances. The host, Russell Brand, for lack of a more fitting word, sucked. I know British humor is different, but really? After Brand went on about the Jonas brother's purity in the most disgusting way possible, Nick Jonas, took the high road, and commented after the show,"For us, it's cool to see that he recognizes we are gentlemen,". The Jonas Brother's wear purity rings representing their commitment to God to remain pure until marriage. What have we become if we choose to insult the celeb's that are trying to set the right example and exalt those celeb's who act like crack head easy bags. On the bright side, I think a lot of even the dirtiest of celebrities found his jokes beyond raunchy. During and after the show, celeb's such as Jordan Sparks and Paris Hilton, spoke against Brand's bad humor regarding the brothers.

I thought the performances should have been kept to the good ol' concert style shows with all the modernized ways they make concerts so crazy and amazing these days. But instead they had to do that whole eye trickery, two sided glass, with the "guess where they are" element. It was too much and I did not feel like I saw an amazing performance from anyone. I think the best performance was Rihanna, with Pink coming in second. Rihanna killed it, but why did one artist perform twice? Wierd.

They made the Jonas Brothers look lame beyond lame. First they looked like Disney Newsboys singing harmony on a stoop and then they took to the streets with a million screaming fans dressed in primary colors for the last 30 seconds of their one song. Whatever person in the Jonas Brothers camp thought that was a good idea for the bands image should be shot. I guess I was just left feeling like a never saw one knock out performance to remember.

Lastly, I would like to state my utter dissatisfaction with Britney Spears. She was too chicken to perform , and although she won several awards , she always played the "I'm normal" card. I wasn't buying it. I really just wanted her to say something like "Thanks to my fans and all those who stuck with me even when I was acting like a crazy b." Admitting it is the first step to moving on.

Oh, and one more thing...that band Tokio Hotel rolled up IE style! Lifted truck, monster truck style, with crazy paint job? Check. The IE is calling and we want our vehicle back. The lead singer (male) had acrylic nails, major eye make-up, and Edward Scissor hands garb on. This is not IE style and the IE is asking you not to give this back...it was never ours and we don't want it.

Let me know all your VMA thoughts. Peace!