The 20 Questions Tag

So, I was tagged to answer these questions by Lorraine like forever and a half ago. We're talking years, people. Better later than never, eh? Well, I hope this tag is fun for you to read and lets you get to know me a little better. If any of these questions "speak" to you, leave your response in the comment section! I would love to see your answers! I hope you all have a great weekend :)

1. Thing you cannot leave the house without?
Car keys because there is nothing in walking distance of my home. Oh and my phone. We are basically joined at the hip, literally.

2. Favorite brand of makeup?
As much as I love the higher end makeup products in my life, most of the products I reach for EVERY SINGLE DAY are by e.l.f. They are high quality products at the most affordable prices out there. Yeah, they don't come in fancy packaging, but they get the job done and I will always love them. 

3. Favorite flower?
This question is a hard one one because flowers are kind of my "thing". I narrowed them down and it would have to be an (almost) tie between orchids and peonies. The peonies win by a hair. I imagine a peony could cheer me up no matter what. 

(image via Zsa Zsa Bellagio)

4. Favorite clothing store?
Lately, the Nordstrom Rack has been hitting the nail on the head. That said, there's nothing like Pakistani clothes. I will always choose them over going to American shops. I love Gul Ahmed and Generation. They both have high quality materials, are always on trend, and are available online :)

5. Favorite perfume?
Hands down, the Betsey Johnson one that looks like a bottle of kajal (w/ the hot pink top). I know it's quite the teeny bopper choice for a favorite, but I have been through several bottles since high school and I love it even more now! 

6. Heels or flats?
On an everyday basis, always flats. Although, I like to wear heels sometimes and then I feel like a tree. One heel-wearing day gets the bug out of me for a few months lol.

7. Do you make good grades?
Well, I am not currently in school (graduated a few months ago), but when I was, yes, I made VERY good grades. I am a perfectionist when it comes to academics. Ain't nobody tryna be thousands of dollars in debt AND not do well in school, right? #gunner

8. Favorite colors?
I cannot answer this question. It depends on so many things. How can I put limitations on my color preferences? Never understood how anyone can be expected to answer this accurately lol.

9. Do you drink energy drinks?
Nope. Never have, never will. Nobody needs to drink those. Kids need to learn how to better manage their time and go take a nap. 

10. Do you drink juice?
Not really. 

11. Do you like swimming?
Swimming is one of those important skills that I am embarrassed to admit, I never learned. 

12. Do you eat fries with a fork?
Nah, do people actually do that? Unless you're the queen, put that fork down...

13. Favorite moisturizer?
bebe Zartplflege. I stocked up on this when I was in Germany. I got them from the shop, DM if anyone is interested. IT. IS. THE. BEST.

(image via meindm.at)

14. Do you want to get married later on in life?
Can this be the one place where we chill out about this question? K, thanks.

15. Do you get mad easily?
No, unless I am hangry. Hungry, therefore angry, therefore, hangry. 

16. Are you into ghost hunting?
Hahahahahaha

17. Any phobias?
I used to have many, but I conquered every single one. I can't think of anything I am afraid of now other than the obvious things, like murderers.

18. Do you bite your nails?
Nope.

19. Have you ever had a near death experience?
No, thank God. 

20. Do you drink coffee?
Yes, but for the taste and occasionally. I don't need coffee. Does the fact that I felt the need to make that clarification say anything? Hmm ;)

Well, that was kind of fun! Until next time, toodles!

xoxo Aneela

Mood Board Monday: It Won’t Melt Twice

Happy Monday to everyone and congratulations on the beginning of another September! Let's make it a great month! 'Mood Board Monday' is all about artistic inspiration and adding fresh ideas to the filing cabinet of images in our minds. This week's board entitled, 'It Won't Melt Twice' features inspiration book shots, sketches, samples, and a mood image. Thank you to Rory Longdon for sharing this treat to the eyes! 

xoxo Aneela

The Desi Knot Loves #4: Music Edition

Even though I haven’t written on my blog in way too long, I have been craving an opportunity to post on here forever and a lot of ideas have been brewing in my head. I am hoping that I will be regular enough with my writing in the future that I don’t have to begin each post with an explanation/apology for my absence. So here’s to hoping for a more poppin’ future on The Desi Knot…

As for right now, where shall I begin? I have basically been caught up with life, impromptu travelling, and A NEW JOB! This is actually my first real job of my life. Today, was my fifth day of work and I have to say full-time shifts are so exhausting! I didn’t think it would be such a big adjustment, but when I get home at the end of the day, I am absolutely ready for a nap! It has been getting easier though with each passing day, so I hope this routine will grow on me soon.

Working has also motivated me to look for something to do in my free time that I truly enjoy and can use as an escape from becoming a boring workaholic. So, with that, I return to this lovely corner of the internet. And today, I present to you, another installment of ‘The Desi Knot Loves’. NUMERO CUATRO. You can search my blog for ‘The Desi Knot Loves’ to read my previous posts written in this format. This time around, I will share with you some of my favorite music of the moment. Some of these songs are in Spanish, but I think they can be enjoyed even if you don't understand the lyrics. The beat is just so rich. Don’t forget to comment below on what YOU have been listening to lately and I will be sure to check it out J

xoxo Aneela 

1. El Perdador by Enrique Iglesias ft. Marco Antonio Solis (Bachata Version)

So, I LOVE this song! I can't really decide if I like the Pop or Bachata version better. It's crazy to me that they choreographed the dance to match both versions in the music videos. They are both very well done!

2. Gangsta by Kat Dahlia

"You say you a gangsta, but that don't impress me none. I do it all myself. I ain't gettin' help from no one." What a message... #deep

3. Senorita from Zindagi Ma Milegi Dobara

This is SUCH a fun song/video from an epic film about friendship. It reminds me of Guatemala like no other (even though nothing in this video looks like anything I did there lol). The craziest thing about this song and music video is the story behind it. Google the song and read the wikipedia page about it. It's crazy!!

4. Loca by Shakira ft. El Cata

I heard this one night on the ride home from the clinic in Guatemala. Haven't been able to stop listening to it since.

5. Falling In Love At A Coffee Shop by Landon Pigg

Because I have to throw in a cute sappy song for good measure. Duh.

Hello Again

Oh hello there. Long time no see. I am currently on my way to Chicago and am finally getting around to writing on here because I have absolutely nothing better to be doing. Just kidding, I am supposed to be writing a presentation right now for tomorrow that I should have done last week…if I had any semblance of humanity in me. Guess not, eh?

Anyways, a lot has happened since we last “spoke”. I graduated from university! It still hasn’t really hit me that I won’t be going back to that school when summer is over. It’s actually very bittersweet for me as I really loved my university, my major, and all the students and professors. My entire undergrad experience was amazing and school was my “happy place”. I don’t really know when I will get used to the fact that it’s all over. Obviously, law school is still in the cards for me (God willing), but I have a feeling that nothing will ever compare to the all girls and close knit community of my undergrad yearsL

Also, the morning after graduation, at six in the morning, I left for Guatemala with the non-profit organization, Humanity First for a medical mission in the village of Sumpango. I don’t have it my heart to write about my experience. Hopefully, one day I will do a post on here about it, but my emotions are still very raw and every time I sit down to write about it, I just don’t know quite how to put my thoughts into words. Maybe I will do a post with pictures. I took hundreds of photographs and I think they do a good job of saying what words cannot. I suppose that is why they say a picture is worth a thousand words.

Ok ok, onto happier things. To back track a bit, I coordinated a fashion show that took place the Friday before graduation. I won’t bore you to tears with actual process of producing a show, but I will share with you some pictures that I took at the show. We put the show on three times throughout the day and had an attendance of 1,500 people! Unlike last year, this time around, I did not spend a lot of time backstage and was able to photograph all three shows. The photographer we hired even gave me some pointers on my DSLR and went home to get me a monopod and some other supplies. That was very exciting for me because I got to take some amazing shots thanks to him. Yep, no blurry shots were had that fine day ;) Enjoy some favorite shots below!

xoxo Aneela 

Michael Kors: Timeless Legend or Ticking Time Bomb?

Note: Yes, I'm aware. This post is not written in my typical "blog voice". But I urge you to keep reading, so I can school you on MK... #ejooomacation

If asked to list some of the most well-known and impactful names in the world of fashion, many would point out Michael Kors as one of those influential designers who has made major contributions over the past several years in the industry. Some of Michael Kors’ many accomplishments include having one of his designs worn by Michelle Obama in her first term official portrait as First Lady and being referenced in the popular 2006 film, The Devil Wears Prada by Meryl Streep’s powerful editor-in-chief character, Miranda Priestly. While it can be argued that Michael Kors is loved by many and that his popularity and success has been increasing over the years, his methods of gaining this success can also be called into question. This piece will bring to light the ethical issues behind Kors’ success such as claims made by fellow designer Roberto Cavalli about Kors’ work being unoriginal, insensitivity exhibited through a magazine advertising campaign, and sharp remarks made on his part during his time as a judge on the popular television show, Project Runway.

First, in an article from the Fashion Times, writer Britteny Dee writes, “Michael Kors is one of the most widely recognized American fashion designers and is set to become the industry's next billionaire, but fellow designer Roberto Cavalli thinks that he is responsible for Kors' success”. The Italian fashion designer believes that Kors steals his designs and claims them as his own. In an interview with style.com Cavalli explains, “He's one of the biggest copy designers in the world….I just want to tell him to stop copying me! Stop! All the time I write those comments on Instagram. He copies everybody!”. He goes on to say, “Americans like Michael Kors! And you love so many other designers who do that - he's not American fashion. He is international fashion made in America. It's not fair…” It must also be mentioned however, that Cavalli has also accused other American fashion designers of stealing his work, but holds a particularly strong opinion against the originality of work by Michael Kors.

Moreover, Michael Kors has been the recipient of much heat from the media over his ‘Afriluxe’ fashion shoot for a magazine advertising campaign. The campaign displayed people with an ebony skin tone as “extras” in the photographs. The author of an article from Daily Mail, Lauren Paxman, point out that a month prior to the release of Kors’ advertising campaign, a similar Haiti-shot campaign by fellow American designer, Donna Karan, had sparked controversy for using two seemingly poverty-stricken black teenagers simply to set the scene. Paxman calls Kors’ judgment into question by making the point that with such a similar campaign by Donna Karan having caused controversy, Michael Kors must have anticipated a similarly negative reaction from the public. Despite being aware of the media stir caused by Donna Karan’s campaign, the firm decided publish the images unaltered. The images that make up the Michael Kors ‘Afriluxe’ campaign include an image that shows two seemingly financially well-off white people on a very luxurious safari while a black tour guide fades into the background (see image below). 

via thedailymail.co.uk

A writer for fashionista.com by the name of Dhani Mau, does make the argument that the fact that the safari guide in Kors' picture “happens to be the only black person in the ad”, he adds that this element of the campaign, “might be a point of contention, or it may simply be seen as realistic”. So, while it may be argued that the campaign is not directly racist and that worse offences have been committed in the name of fashion, it can be concluded that the shoot displays poor judgment and racial insensitivity on the part of the popular American designer. The author concludes the article by pointing out that perhaps the reactions to these photos will persuade the fashion industry as a whole to finally move on from using imperialism as inspiration in their advertising efforts.

Finally, during his time as a judge on the popular television show, Project Runway, Michael Kors quickly became known as an overly harsh judge as his criticisms of contestants’ designs were often downright inappropriate and insulting. According to an episode of 20/20 on the ABC television network, one of Michael Kors’ choice critiques was a description of an aspiring designer’s work in which he exclaims, “It looks like, kind of a bad prom dress”. Keeping up with his harsh critiques, Michael Kors was also quoted in the 20/20 segment saying, “She looks like an Amish cocktail waitress”. Other, more inappropriate comments referencing prostitution and disrespecting women were also mentioned in the segment. When confronted about his offensive word choice during the interview, Kors simply replied, “Well, you know what’s funny? I guess I have an imagination. Hopefully, they are going to get some constructive criticism from me”. Some may argue that his snarky quips were all for good fun and higher ratings as his comments did attract quite a few viewers for Project Runway. However, many would agree that when public figures put themselves out there like this, everything they say represents their image. And negative comments may contribute to a lower perception of figures making such controversial statements. 

To conclude, one can see that it could be said that the empire Michael Kors has created is monumental in shaping the fashion world as we know it today. However, with the ethical issues that have arisen in Michael Kors’ business practices such as accusations of copying designs by Roberto Cavalli, knowingly publishing an insensitive advertising campaign, and offering inappropriate critiques on a television show, some may begin to question if it is his customer’s best interest that Michael Kors has in mind as he manages his brand. Some may even wonder if Kors’ company is strong enough to pull through these issues or if a time will come when these controversies will no longer be tolerated by his loyal fans and force the billion dollar empire to suffer. 

So, what do you think? Do you have an opinion one way or the other? Or, can you not be arsed to care? Leave your comments below!

xoxo Aneela

Leely the Laptop Slayer

So...I should definitely be studying right now for a MONSTER EXAM I have tomorrow morning at 8:30 AM. Yet here we are again crossing paths in the vast blogosphere. Honestly though, I can justify my current lack of drive because this professor's exams are impossible to study for. I go to class. I take good notes. I participate in class when all of the other girls are suddenly in mid-gulp out of their Starbucks cups every time a question is posed. For lack of a better word, I am what they (not really sure who they are) call a gunner. Minus the part of the Urban Dictionary definition about being willing to compromise peer relationships/reputation in order to obtain recognition and praise from superiors. Of course. But, I have yet to earn a perfect score on any of the quizzes or exams in this course. So, I'm just chilling here trying to distract myself from my current academic slump.

Anyways, so today was interesting. I almost murdered my laptop with a knife. Backtrack to this morning at 6:45 AM which is the ungodly hour that I leave for school every morning. I was running late per usual by chance and instead of taking the time to make cuts in my orange (to make it easier to peel) I threw the orange and a trusty knife into a plastic bag and ran out the door. I put the bag and my laptop near each other in my car and unintentionally gave them some valuable mingling time. Anybody can probably guess that the knife was sharp enough to poke through the plastic bag and well...you know the rest. It's almost too painful to write. I now have some pretty SUBSTANTIAL scratches on ma guppy wupps (3 month old) LT :(

Now, I know what you're thinking. Aneela, there's this #amazeballs invention called a LAPTOP BAG. And yes, I'm aware. I have another heartbreaking story about that for a later post.

I swear there was something else I was going to tell you about, but I can't remember what it was so for now I think I'm going to be a big kid, down a cup of coffee, and study for the inevitable and impossible monster exam.

Wish me luck y'all! Happy hump day!

xoxo Aneela

Consumption Of Cookies Before Purchase Is Stealing

One of the things I miss most about Germany and Europe in general is being able to go to the small local bakeries and eat anything my little heart desired made fresh that same morning. We definitely don't have anything like that where I live! But, sometimes you just have to settle. We recently hosted a pretty large event and my mom found an amazing variety of cookies at one of our local grocery stores. For that event, we served cookies with tea for three days and we bought a whopping 55 POUNDS OF COOKIES.

Today, I went to have a look around and "interview" the baker for my blog. The woman who helped me pack my cookies was very sweet and enjoyed my excited questions about the bakery section. She told me that they actually don't bake the cookies or breads at the store. But, they do get frequent shipments, so the cookies are pretty fresh whenever you make a purchase. The company that makes the cookies is called Voortman and she told me that they are carried by other grocery stores in the United States as well. So, if you like what you see, inquire at your local supermarket! Or if you're European, as many of you are, you may as well skip this post because nothing we bake can ever reach your superior level of deliciousness (of course that's a word...darn spell check).

Now, it's no German bakery, but it's something for those of us who get the short end of the stick ;)

Here are a few shots I took today:

I thought this was funny because hello! Common Sense!

Aren't these photo "stickers" the cutest?!

My favorites are the coconut cremes!