reviews


Barbie movie review and possible spoilers

barbie movie outfit ideas

Barbie movie outfit: statement earrings / pink dress (on major sale!) / mini tote / summer nail polish / glitter sneakers /

I finally saw the Barbie movie! So, here is my Barbie movie review which may contain possible spoilers, and of course, my Barbie movie outfit.

Barbie was always one of my toys as a child, if not my absolute favorite. I played with my Barbies longer than any of my friends, so much so, that I used to keep it secret! Barbie was the ultimate in combining dreams with imagination. She was what you wanted to be when you grew up, or what you dreamt of being. Little girls everywhere could play Barbie for hours upon hours. The inspiration for imagination was endless.

There were Barbie’s sold as a certain type or job, but you could change the doll’s outfit and change her career on a whim. Barbie could have multiple jobs and careers; she could be anything and everything! Barbie could be a CEO by day, and she could grace the red carpet as a movie star by night. Barbie was a doctor, a lawyer, a lifeguard, a fashion model, a company owner, an inventor, she was anything you could imagine her to be. If Barbie could have a fabulous career, so could the little girl playing with her!

Every woman who played Barbie’s as a child knows this, and the movie reiterates it right off the bat before delving into the first scene. The movie sets the stage for both Barbie fans, and non-Barbie players alike. Those of us who played Barbie’s, know the game inspired us to become anything we wanted to become as adults. She lived out our dreams.

This is why the movie instantly made me clap and cheer in the movie theater! It was as if the screen writers were inside my head forty years ago. My Barbie was a Solid Gold Dancer sometimes, and there was a scene where Barbie was dancing while dressed in gold, just like my Barbie! It was my childhood imagination come to life. Everyone who played Barbie’s could find the Barbie they imagined as child in the movie. It was a fantasy playground come to life, and I want to go back!

Wait, where did I store my Barbie’s? I know they are around here somewhere. . .hang on. . .anyway. . .

I don’t want to give out any movie spoilers in case you haven’t seen the movie. So, I will say this. Despite the critics trying to make this something it is not, the movie is a playground for every little girls imagination and inspiration. If Barbie can be President, so can you! If Barbie can be a doctor, so can you! So on, and so forth. . .

I loved this movie because it made my dreams as a little girl come to life on screen. It showed that Barbie was our dreams, our imagination, and our world of possibilities. She was the original girl power for many of us back in the day; and she still is. This is the type of movie I want to watch again and again. It was fun, powerful, and nostalgic, all in one.

Possible movie spoiler-proceed with caution! When you peel back the layers, Barbie has an existential crisis in the movie along with Ken, as they are both trying to figure out who they are in the world beyond the label on the box. At the end of the movie, Ken remains in Barbieland to find himself. For Barbie, the experience of seeing, feeling emotions, aging, and more in the real world, inspired her to move beyond the perfect plastic world she is accustomed to, and to move into the discomfort of becoming real.

This is an interesting turn of events as it reiterates Barbie can be anything she wants to be, but first, she needs to find herself and decide what is best for her, and what she really wants. Isn’t that something we all go through in life? Finding ourselves and finding what makes us happy? Perhaps there will be a second Barbie movie where we can see her go through this discovery, but I digress. . .

The last scene was my only disappointment in the movie. I had hoped Barbie would take over Mattel or snag another powerful job, but instead, she goes to a doctor appointment. While this shows Barbie being real and doing something ordinary which all women do, it left me flat as a movie ending. What are your thoughts on the ending if you saw the movie?

What I wore to the Barbie movie:

So, if you played Barbies, go see this movie! It will remind you why you loved playing with Barbie so much! If you were anti-Barbie, it will show a side of Barbie you never saw, and you might just see how powerful Barbie really is.

If powerful women, and challenges to patriarchy aren’t your thing, you might want to sit this movie out.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO
Cathy

nike dunks glitter

L’Occitane hand cream review

l'occitane hand cream review vanilla bouquet

pictured: L’Occitane hand cream in Vanilla Bouquet / summer nail polish /

L’Occitane Vanilla Bouquet

L’Occitane hand cream is an oldie but a goodie. If you searched for the perfect, non-greasy hand cream early in your life, you most certainly came across L’Occitane hand cream. It is famous for it’s non-greasy formula and its’ ability to repair hands. But, did you know there are additional scents beyond the standard shea butter fragrance? There are!

My absolute favorite scent from the L’Occitane hand cream collection is Vanilla Bouquet. You might think this is a traditional vanilla bean fragrance, but I can assure, it is not. In fact, L’Occitane Vanilla Bouquet does not really smell like vanilla at all. It is a very soft, floral scent which is light and works well all year long. I am in love with it!

In addition to L’Occitane hand cream in vanilla bouquet, there are additional skin care products with this scent. I am currently loving the body cream, which is thick and moisturizing, as well as beautifully scented! Love!

If you are looking for hand cream which does its’ job, and accompanying skin care products, you might fall in love with L’Occitane hand cream in vanilla bouquet. I know I did!

So, without further ado, I rate L’Occitane hand cream vanilla bouquet five out of five stars! Love it!

Have you tried L’Occitane hand cream yet? If not, I highly recommend giving it a try. It quickly repairs hands and has been a favorite since the 1990s.

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy


Nike Dunk review

nike dunks review

pictured: Nike Dunk High in olive and white /

It is entirely possible I have been on a sneakers kick the past two years. Ever since I started to have foot problems, I found sneakers were better for my feet than all my fabulous, sky high heels. In moving towards sneakers, my daughter introduced to me to the SNKRS app and the fun street sneakers from Nike.

Nike Dunks are a popular street sneaker which have been in high demand for many years. If you look at people’s feet, you will find people from teenagers through to Generation X, and possibly some Boomers, wearing Nike Dunks. This is a sneaker style and street style trend which transcends age and demographic. Love that!

You can find a few different types of Nike Dunks on the street. There are Nike Dunk Lows which are a traditional, low top sneaker. There are also Nike Dunk Highs which are traditional high-top sneakers, and the SB line which is geared towards skateboarding. Oftentimes, most SB styles are sold in skate shops rather than the SNKRS app or Nike stores. Although, you can find SB styles through Nike sometimes. I did manage to snag one pair!

Once in a great while, Nike will offer the chance to create your own Nike Dunk sneakers! This is really fun because you have many colors available to you, and you can design your own pair with the color combo you want. I have done this twice. Once with Nike Dunk Highs, which I ordered in blue and white, and once with Nike Dunk Lows which I ordered in mint green and a greyish-white hue. Love!

Nike Dunk sneakers are easy to wear with a variety of outfits. Of course, they can be worn with the obvious casual looks such as jeans, chinos, and shorts, but they can also be paired with dresses and skirts for a dressy yet sporty look.

What I love about Nike Dunk sneakers is that they are available in so many different colors! Many are one color plus white, but sometimes you can find them in three or more colors mixed together. They can match a certain outfit or be their own standout piece in an overall look. It is fun to find a pretty color and match it with a look! I also love my black and white Pandas because they go with literally anything! I feel like everyone needs a pair of black and white Dunks, often referred to as “Pandas.”

One of the drawbacks to the Nike Dunks is that the leather is not very soft. It is often stiff and easily creases. If you don’t mind creases, like me, then this will be OK with you. If you want your sneakers to keep their shape out of the box, you might consider adding an insert to the shoe or store them with a shoe shaper. One thing to note, the Dunk’s Nike allows you to create yourself seem to use higher quality leather which does not crease as easily, although they seem to fit a bit more snug than the off-the-rack Nike Dunk’s.

If you are like me, and need to wear orthotics, this can be a bit tricky. The insoles are glued inside the shoes. If you don’t mind ripping them out, it is easy to do. Then you can insert your orthotics. If you don’t want to rip out the insoles, you can wear an arch support band or add additional arch support to the existing sole. I wear mine with an arch support band and I am able to walk pain-free.

You can find Nike Dunk’s directly through Nike, or on the secondary market. Sometimes you will need to enter a lottery or draw through Nike or on the SNKRS app in order to snap up a pair you really want. If you can’t find the color combo you are looking for, you can buy from resellers but be careful! You want to make sure you are buying a legit pair made by Nike. I have linked to my favorites on the secondary market below. These are from reputable resellers, but always inspect them when you receive them to make sure you got the real deal!

There are plenty of colors to choose from through Nike right now. Here are my favorites! Please note, when you click on the black, grey, white pair, you will be taken directly to the create your own Nike Dunk low. Have fun designing!

I hope you enjoy your new Nike Dunk’s! They are a classic sneaker which you can enjoy for years; so, don’t be afraid to invest in multiple colorways! You can splurge all at once or invest in pairs over time. Love that!

Thanks for stopping by!

XOXO

Cathy

pictured below: Nike Dunk Low in black and white, also known as “Pandas” /

nike dunk review

Nike Dunks review