There's Nothing Wrong to Admit You're Fine the Way You Are

WARNING!: I personally don't have anything against the beauty industry. I love using oil cleansers, blush, lip gloss, mascara and eyeshadow as much as other girls.

I was walking around at a shopping centre on the weekend, when some sales assistant approached me.

"Hello there! You're skin is so beautiful! You look like Lucy Liu!"
*cue for blushing*
"Oh why thank you!"
"Do you want to improve your skin even more?"
"No, I'm happy with myself".
The sales assistant was stunned.

Is it really arrogant to admit that you're happy with what you got? Do I sound like I'm up myself? I know I won't make it as a supermodel ever - but I'm human. I'm not perfect, and never will be.

I don't understand people's obsession and persistence to obtain physical perfection. I do understand how good it feels to wear a new outfit to a party. I do understand how it feels to get a new haircut. I do understand how it feels when you've picked the perfect lip gloss. Buying the latest anti-wrinkle cream to erase your wrinkles? Or buying whitening lotion to whiten your skin? That I don't understand.

It's amusing how the beauty industry is built on peddling nonsense. Selling products that don't really work to people who don't really need them at prices they can't afford. One moment, you could be minding your own business, daydreaming the day away. Then the next minute, a guy tells you that their face cream will make you look like Megan Fox. You buy the face cream. The next, you discover that's not true. Their face creams make your face greasier, and your wallet lighter. Not to mention you're now paranoid that your face isn't crash hot.

I think one of the biggest mistakes (as women), is that we've bought into the lie fed to us thanks to our celebrity-obsessed, Western-society ideals that teaches us that 'beauty equals perfection'. If we're not perfect...then we're not beautiful.

Beauty isn't about the number on the scale. Or the measurement of your hips, bust and waist. Or your dress size. Or shoe size. Or popularity. Or how fashionable we are. Or our hairstyle. Beauty isn't what the fashion industry says it is. Beauty is not even what the beauty industry says it is.

Maybe we need to re-define the word beauty. There's nothing wrong with liking dress ups, make-up, fashion, getting a new haircut and spa treatments. But those things are just extra stuff, not the true meaning of beauty.

A Wardrobe Purge & Sale Part 1

I do a wardrobe clean out around two times a year. I go through my wardrobe and either donate or sell the things I no longer use. Most of the time it's because I no longer like the piece, never have used the item or I feel it doesn't suit me anymore. I also clear out things that haven't been worn or used in over nine months.

I have started putting the first accessories up on eBay. The good news? Everything starts at 99 cents!

Click here.

There are more items still to come, especially in the form of bags.

Happy shopping!
5ft0

P.S - My wardrobe does not look like this.

5ft0's New Years Resolution - after this post...

5ft0's New Years Resolution: To stop writing anything related to customers on this blog.

I love sales, even at the place I work. I keep going back to the rack that has the light denim vest, reduced from $110 to $60. I remember seeing this vest on a magazine and now there's an identical piece out of nowhere - reduced. I can't take my eyes away from them. They're even in size ten - my size.

I'm eyeing them for the one hundredth time when a customer strides towards me. She was holding a silk maxi dress and a white denim mini skirt.

"Excuse me, where's the fitting rooms?"
"They are over here. Just go straight and Margaret will help you out."
The lady looks at the line for the fitting rooms. Over twenty people were lining up.
"Can't you make the line go any faster?"
"No I can't. The other customers are in the same position as you. Waiting for a fitting room to change as well."
The lady sighs heavily.
"Look I've got a party to go soon. I don't have time to wait for the queue."
"There's not much I can do but..."

The lady cuts me off mid-sentence and walks towards the big mirrors at the front of the store. She takes off the grey dress she was wearing and starts trying on the maxi dress. All the customers look at her.

"What?" the lady exclaims.

Panasonic receives a Christmas Slapper

While many of us were unwrapping 7,000 presents over Christmas and drinking approximately 21,900 bottles of beer during New Years, others weren't so lucky.

CAUTION: To all businesses who are coming up with the next marketing strategy to increase their annual profits - learn from this companies mistake.

During 2008, Panasonic launched a promotion that customers who purchased this:


would receive this:


It's good deal right?

So what's the problem?

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) claims that Panasonic didn't provide information that the bonus Nintendo Wii gaming console is only available to those who had purchased the plasma television between November 23 to December 24 2008.

To me, Panasonic were either incompetent in forgetting to place this vital information to the customers, or they were deliberately trying to save money. Either way, Panasonic are in the wrong.

However, I'm not the judge who's going to hand the final verdict for this.

What do you think?

Happy reading!
5ft0

Season Greetings m'friends!

Greetings 5ft0s,

Thank you so much for dropping by to this blog - I never expected to have people read this blog, let alone comment on some of my posts.

Right now I'm wrapping approximately 7,000 presents, eating delicious baked ham and downing plum wine. This is my way of celebrating Baby Jesus' birthday. Not to mention my uncle dancing goofy to this entertainer:



Gosh, I feel so superficial admitting this.

Blog wise, I'll sporadically come back to type random posts, but I'll officially restart blogging again on 4th January 2009.

Have a Merry Christmas and a safe New Year.

All the best,
5ft0

xo

The Self-Defeating Purpose of Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery. The only surgery procedure where patients are allowed to practice their self-diagnosis. These include:

"My thighs touch one another. They jiggle too much."

"I still have eye bags under my eyes".

"My nose looks crooked. It doesn't look straight like Jennifer Aniston's."

These patients are not physically sick, nor are they suffering from a diagnosable disease. Nevertheless, they go to the surgeons and demand to fix up a certain part of their body which they deemed to be a problem. Many patients will show surgeons showing pictures of Jennifer Aniston's nose or Miranda Kerr's cheekbones. At times, I do find it amusing and sad at the same time for these patients, walking into a surgeon's office with absolute certainty that a certain procedure will fix up their ugly bits.

What's unsettling to me is the fact some magazines are reporting on cosmetic surgery and Botox, normalising these procedures even more. I remember flicking through the November 2008 issue of Shop Til You Drop and there was an article titled "Masterclass: Botox". A registered nurse by the name of Rand Rusher who offers advice to those interested in receiving Botox.

When Rusher is asked the question: "When can someone start using Botox?" Her response? "My advice is to do it before you need it, as a preventative measure - it can help to stop wrinkles from arising."

I shook my head at this article. But as Death Wears Diamond Jewellery commented on her recent post, beauty journalists don't have free reign. It all ties in with the advertisers. Sure enough, Rusher was indirectly advertising her own skincare brand, 'Leaf & Rusher'.

Personally, cosmetic surgery is a self-defeating purpose. The aim of cosmetic surgery is too look young and to have a 'better version of yourself'. Many will use cosmetic surgery to physically stop the aging process, but that's impossible. You can't stop aging. However, many are willing to fight this. Why fight something that can't be won?

Happy reading,
5ft0

Customers think it's all about them

I'm currently working for a fashion chain store in Sydney. The job entails me to fold cardigans. Fold t-shirts. Fold shorts. Rush round after customers who've picked up a skirt and left them lying in the fitting room. Whenever customers crumple a piece of clothing, I have to rush around and put them back again. I don't complain. This is what I'm paid to do.

By ten o'clock, the routine becomes monotonous. It is rather depressing to fold clothes the way the chain store wants it to be. To place different items of clothing into different clothes hangers. At times, I want to scream, "BLOODY HELL! IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BUY IT, DON'T PICK IT UP." I don't. I don't complain. This is what I'm paid to do.

Some customers are polite. Others just see through you when you're a sales assistant. Others simply think you're stupid. I don't complain. This is what I'm paid to do.

However, there are times that you want to laugh at the customer. They put a smile on your monotonous routine. Recently, a lady came up to me, complaining that one side of the shoes was HALF A SHADE LIGHTER than the other. Not to mention, the shoes she's currently holding were identical to the one she already has on.

"You must give me a 50% discount. I like the shoes. It's a shame one half is half a shade lighter than the other," the customer said.
"I'm sorry I can't give you a 50% discount. I can give you a 20% discount," I answered. After all, it was 20% off everything in the store.
The customer's cheeks turned red. Ok, just keep calm. Everyone knows the customer is the troublemaker.
"This is ridiculous! If one side of the shoe is HALF A SHADE LIGHTER than the other, I deserve a huge discount!"
"Is there a problem there?" chimes my manager.
"I want a huge discount for these pair of shoes. One side is HALF A SHADE LIGHTER than the other!"
The customer glares at me, as if I'm some imbecile. The manager sees it and sighs.
"Fine, I'll give you a 30% discount".

The customer begrudgingly accepts the deal. She still mumbles, "They should've given me a 50% discount."

As I place the box of shoes into the bag and hand it to the customer - she still complains. All the other sales assistants look at me and chuckle. I chuckle too.

Happy reading,
5ft0