Sunday, 12 April 2009
I saw this article this morning on Yahoo. Apparently, someone finally noticed that the UK is essentially the US because the US has taken over commercially. The UK has embraced American fine dining such as McDonalds, Burger King,and KFC, wears clothes by Gap, American Apparel, and Anthropologie while drinking Starbucks and listening to Kelly Clarkson.
Personally, I think this is just another example of globalisation taking over. There are still plenty of things over here that are quintessentially British. What's happening is that America markets itself as a product, and the 'American Lifestyle' can be seen as easily attainable through American brands,trends, and pop culture. What does Britain export, aside from Twinnings and old Beatles music? Anyone in America know who Girls Aloud are, how to cook a delicious dish of Toad in the Hole, or somehow pull of wearing shorts in February? This is why I don't really count my move to the UK as that big of a transition. Culture shock would probably mean more if I had moved from CA to AK, but as it is, the only real differences I've seen between the two countries are just small annoyances. CA fail in public transport, but UK fails in selling Melatonin over the counter. The UK only sells Cheddar, and the US will let me die if I get mistaken for a deer and get shot because I don't have medical insurance or money to pay for a doctor.
But despite the fact that Britain is pretty much like a backwaters America, tell any Brit that and they'll threaten to knock your face off.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
I know I just posted about wanting shoes and dresses, but I can't seem to tear myself away from the idea of spending money I don't have. This time around, I think I have convinced myself that I do actually truly need this.
You see, the weather in Edinburgh is slowly changing...getting closer to 20c rather than 10, and I it's getting to the point where my big ol' heavy wool coat is now transforming me into a sweaty pig everytime I walk more than two blocks. It doesn't help that Edinburgh has an almost mystical way of being humid AND cold at the same time, so wearing the big coat is just making me smell faster. But it's still too cold to be outside without some form of extra protection (and I neurotically need to always have a coat-like thing on me to hide my belly from the public).
Solution: Buy a jacket! A nice, lightweight one that will keep the artic winds bite at bay while also not overheating me.
Man, why as I so good at talking myself into things? Is there a term for self-peer pressure?
Monday, 23 March 2009
As per usual, I start craving expensive items during periods of extreme poverty. Why must the Powers That Be inflict such strong desires for retail therapy when there is absolutely no way I can afford it? It's very evil. Evil, cruel, and masochistic me just has to exacerbate it by 'looking' online for all the lovelies that I can't afford. Because I am pretty sure that I would have NO restraint if I were to actually enter a shop and see these shiny, pretty objects in person. Shiny, pretty objects, specifically shoes. My new crack: Irregular Choice.
Also, the sun has finally started peeking out from behind the blankets of clouds, and that immediately sets every Edinburgian's mind on the upcoming spring/summer seasons. And that means that even though the wind chill factor is still freezing the city in 8 Celsius temperatures, the fact that the sun is shining is causing everyone to bust out the skirts and dresses. A
nd I fall into that category that goes 'Oh my god! Sun! I want to wear a dress! I don't have a dress! Must buy dress for sun frolicking fun!' Luckily for me, the British are flooding the dress market with 'tulip' inspired styles- aka, they add exceeding poof to the hips and ass, and then taper down. They have the uncanny ability to make the size 0 mannequin appear chubby. Seriously: why would you do that? Esp. if you're someone like me who is normally bell shaped and is trying to slim down the ol' hips. So thankfully my hips and wallet are going to be spared this time around...but that little nagging voice is always going to be reminding me that I should be looking for that flowery, light, summery dress...while the other little nagging voice reminds the first one that the only thing abiding in my wallet are a few moths resting on a small handful of coppers.
