How Your Money Looks May Affect Your Spending Habits

From: http://www.femalenetwork.com/work-money/how-your-money-looks-may-affect-your-spending-habits

This is a very interesting article. Do you agree with the findings? I actually do. I sometimes ask my parents to exchange my old looking high valued bills with new crisp ones so I don't spend it. Haha.

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The way you treat your crumpled or crispy bills may actually dictate your financial behavior. By Charlene J. Owen

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Appearances matter--even with money.

A recent study posted on ScienceDaily.comhas discovered an interesting and often unconscious habit--people do away with old, crumpled bills faster than they do with clean, crispy ones. Researchers from the University of Guelph in Canada have found that this behavior affects how and when money is used.

Professor Theodore Noseworthy of Guelph’s Department of Marketing and Consumer Studies, together with study co-author Fabrizio Di Muro of the University of Winnipeg, and his team of researchers did five trials where different groups of people were given both old and new bills and were asked to spend them. All trials showed that old bills were let go faster than new bills, simply because they looked like they’ve passed hands too often for comfort, making them "dirty." 

"We tend to regard currency as a means to consumption and not a product itself. In other words, it should not matter if it's dirty or worn because it has the same value regardless. But what we show is that money is indeed a vehicle for social utility, and that it's actually subject to the same inferences and biases as the products it can buy," Prof. Noseworthy explains.

Interestingly, the behavior changed when the participants spent the money in front of other people. They used newer bills as if to show them off, going to lengths of paying more small but crispy bills than just using one big but crumpled denomination.

Although this tidbit of information may seem mundane, try watching yourself and the way you spend. Do you pull out your older bills easier than newer ones? You may be spending more than you initially planned to. Remember that money, no matter how crumpled, is still money. Respect its value. Once you do so, learning to properly budget what you have will be a breeze.

(Photo by Michael Francis McCarthy via Flickr Creative Commons)

I got a fashion shower!

Okay, so here's one of my newest acquisition, the ANNA DELLO RUSSO AT H&M GOLD CAT EYE SUNGLASSES!!!!

SUPER LOVE! Gold, mirrored, cat-eyes, and that snake temple? PERFECT COMBINATION! :)

I super love the box! But it is hard to put in your bag so I'm looking for a "baroque inspired" sunglasses case! Haha! Goodluck to me! :)

I am Legend comme le Ray-Ban

 I am going to be LEGEN... (wait for it!)...DARY! Haha! I pulled a Barney Stinson over there!

Anyway, Ray-Ban is a legend in the eyewear world... for a whopping 75 years! Can you believe it? And I'm going to tell you that you can be a legend too. And I am a legend! Yes I am! How?

First, what is a legend? For me, a legend is someone who inspires others whether dead or alive. And for me, one of my biggest legends is MADONNA! Yes, you know her. Everyone does. It's not the fact that she's famous. It's how she inspires people.

Madonna has inspired people not just in music. She inspires her fans and people to be someone they think they will never be. Madonna broke boundaries. She is fearless. She owns up to her decisions even when people are against her. She made mistakes that she apologized for. She stands up for rights of people who are oppressed. She wants us to "express ourselves." She helped unfortunate people, built a foundation, and built a school for girls in Malawi. She made headlines adopting a baby from Malawi and encouraged people to help and adopt if they can. She is and will always be a legend.

Here is Madonna wearing Ray-Bans.
This is from 1983


And this is from 2012.


Do you see how timeless Ray-Bans are? One of the reasons why it's a legend!

So how can I become a legend? I can tell you that it may not be simple. Nothing is. There should always be hard work and sacrifices. I plan on becoming a legend through the career path I want to take. So far, I am working at a marketing agency and I can honestly say this is something I want to do for the rest of my life. I am still taking baby steps but that doesn't mean I won't get there. It will all add up to make big changes in my life and inspire people around me and even my readers. Yes, this is a fashion blog. Fashion is something that was just my interest that grew into a passion. I want to marry those two together. My sights are set to becoming a marketing manager of a fashion firm. I have those plans in my mind now. I am saving up to study abroad, researching so my thirst for knowledge is still fulfilled and of course doing good at my job so that I get to work on a lot more projects and learn about marketing first hand.

I super love this multi-coloured La Boca Ray-Bans I have. I love it! All the different colors make this beautiful sunglasses. Just like the world. What makes this world a better place is the people of different colors, shapes, and sizes. Gumaganon? Actually, I just love colorful sunnies and they fit the bill, like super! They remind me of the Mondrian painting! Haha!

I was inspired to this post by The Walking Fashionista, Cheyser Pedregosa. (Link: http://www.thewalkingrecessionista.com) I super love her blog. I love how she styles her bargain finds to something that looks chic! :)

I can tell you that everyone can be a legend. If you want it, you will find a way to get it! All you have to do is find your passion. Something you're interested in, it may be art, sports, music, dance, drama, fashion, a subject like math or science and remember to...

Never give up. Just keep going (or swimming, whatever you want!). Step up to the plate and you will Stand out for sure.

Now, what are you waiting for? GO AND BECOME A LEGENDARY LEGEND! Yes you can! Yes you can! Yes you can!

Be an Icon. Be a Legend.

Je suis desolee

Hi! I know it's been more than a week since I last blogged. Forgive me. I've been very busy at work. Haha. Basically what I did was research and some marketing proposals. And it's no joke. :) I hope you understand. Yes, I am working at a marketing agency. I can really see myself in this field. Let's just see where life takes me with this.

Having said that, it doesn't mean that I'm not updated with what's happening. Which is why I love Twitter so much! Did you follow me yet? @itssomarkness and also follow @les_biches ok? I tweeted some fashion scoop!

Like we all know that Nicholas Ghesquiere parted ways with Balenciaga. How sad. And they say it has something to do with internal conflicts between PPR. Meaning, the budget cuts for the brand and how it will affect the direction Nicholas wants it to take. Also, the conflict between creativity and sales. As well as that issue with Hedi Slimane's freedom at YSL, even though the collection was not critically acclaimed. While Balenciaga's Spring 2013 drew raves from all fashion editors.

I think it's a big loss. His collections were always my favorites. They were avant garde with a touch of wearable. And I've been dreaming of getting myself a Balenciaga leather jacket.

But, the strange thing is that Christopher Kane parted ways with Versus. It really strengthened the rumours that maybe Kane is in the running to become the new creative director of Balenciaga. Although he has denied this, the fashion world is still keen to believe Christopher Kane is in negotiations.

Meanwhile, Karl Lagerfeld says that Nicholas should have his own line. And I agree! Go Nicholas! haha!

Also, as for updates about me, next week I'll be posting about a new pair of sunglasses I bought (you would be shocked! I swear! haha!), maybe one or two outfit post (I miss lookbook) and some updates on fashion and maybe the trends for next year.

Also, I was invited to LookSoup.com. Do try to check it out. My link is looksoup.com/itssomarkness . Shocking!

I'm also excited for next year because my sorta kinda retail venture, Les Biches, will be stocking new sunglasses. Yes, Les Biches (pronounced "le bish" ok?) is a sunglasses shop. Basically, I'll be choosing sunglasses I like and sell them. So far, I've sold pixelated frames, vintage sunglasses, shield sunglasses, and party rock sunglasses. Go to the site here. I plan on having like combination of metal and plastic frames. So far, this for the Philippines only. I have yet to start with international shipping. :)

Stay tuned!

MARKNESS' TIPS ON LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

MAIN TIP: START NOW WHILE YOU'RE STILL IN COLLEGE! HAHA!

1. Start writing your resume. All of your experiences and the work you did whether voluntary or contractual, put them all down. Then, when you send them to different companies, tailor-fit your resume to the needs of the position. Some companies may not care that you were a volunteer at Gawad Kalinga so you can cut that part!

2. Learn how to write a cover letter. Cover letters are optional but they are a way of selling yourself to the company. It's because you do it in paragraph form and not in bullet form in a resume. Just make sure what you put in your cover letter reflects on your resume and make it short and simple, too.

3. Enter an internship. I've discovered that some courses in UP (my school) don't have internship programs but I suggest you do it as early as now. Different companies accept interns. You can even intern more than once if you have enough time even if you're not graduating at all. :)

4. Do an online job. You earn, they're part-time, they're (mostly) flexible... YOU CAN'T LOSE!
*You can put this on your resume, too.

5. Go to seminars. It depends on which industry you would like to go but as much as possible attend seminars and you can add them to you CV. It shows you are eager to learn and add more knowledge and skills to yourself.

6. Start browsing companies. Go to the "Careers" page of the companies you like and see if there are jobs you are interested in. Or just send your resume to their HR. I saw this quote on Forbes. "Pick where you want to work and take any job you can get there. Smart people will rise in any organization."

7.  Get a decent email. pretty_lorraine@yahoo.com or imaniceangel1421@gmail.com are definite turn-offs. Go for your full real name (e.g. audrey.hepburn@yahoo.com)

8. Start earning now. Usually employers will contact you like a month or so after you apply with a lot of resumes they are bombarded everyday so might as well earn while you wait. There are lots of easy ways to earn online. Start with ChurpChurp and Neobux. They pay small but cumulatively, they might just be enough to buy you a new piece of jacket or even a work wardrobe! :)

9. Apply more than once. Employers get thousands of resumes so might as well apply more than once. Apply on Jobstreet (or any other job portal), on their HR email, or even go to their office and send your resume personally. Be annoyingly persistent. Follow-up on your application to show you really want to work for them.

10. Have faith. Well this you have no control. If you are not sure in which direction you are going, that's fine and normal but of course think quickly as you might just be shocked at how time and even your colleagues passed you by.

That's all for now! Ta-ta! Happy Job Hunting everybody! :D

Madonna in Norma Kamali

So, this is the iconic poster of the MDNA Tour AND I LOOOOOVVVEEE IT! Haha!

The focal point of this picture are the sunglasses (for me, obviously) and I'm sure you're all wondering who designed those sunglasses? Even I was figuring it out until I saw the unreleased unedited pics that were released. Haha! Well, she wore a pair of Norma Kamali Sunglasses for her MDNA Tour poster.

Here are the unedited pictures!

The great thing about these sunglasses is that they have the classic cat eye shape that I honestly think you'll wear and pass down to your children! AND THEY'RE ONLY $98! Buy here.

Available in black and Tokyo Tortoise. Buy me one as well! ;)

Rating - 4 out of 5

                                                            

 

SUPER RARE!

Apparently, videos like these are apparently super rare. It's THE Jeanne Lanvin at work! See these archival dresses... question is... WOULD YOU WEAR THEM TODAY??? :))

Watch!

DIPPING INTO THE POOL OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is everywhere. You will see that almost everyone you know either has a Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram or Pinterest account. And with a lot of people connected on their social media accounts, businesses would like to take advantage of this. This is because putting a business in social media would mean faster and even more personal communication with your target market.

Social media also has, in a way, took over all the other marketing practices businesses usually do. It means that companies now do our marketing communication techniques on social media. Companies advertise on social media through online ads. They can do sales promotion by posting sales on their pages. They can even do PR by handling customer complaints and posting recent events in their social media page.

But with this great privilege comes great responsibility. The Internet, in a way, has put a blur when it comes to privacy especially on social media wherein people share their personal information. This means that companies should be careful as to what information they need to their target customers.

Here are our tips and advice to fully utilize social media to your advantage.

1. Choose the appropriate social media network based on your target audience. Your target market may be on Facebook, but they may not be on Twitter or Pinterest or Instagram.

2. When you have multiple social media accounts, link them together. Put your Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest links on your Facebook page and do the same on each page. This way, your target customers will know more about you.

3. Provide content and links on your social media page that will make them want to share, like, or retweet your updates. This will not only engage your fans to going back to your page but you might also get new fans from the shared photos or updates.

4. Post regularly. Whether on Facebook or Twitter, make sure you constantly post so that your fans will be constantly interested in what you have. But do not overpost or posting a lot of updates per day as your fans may get annoyed and unsubscribe to your page.

5. Put variety on your postings. If you just keep on posting about your products, your fans will think that you are just using your page to sell. Although this is true, you should know that your fans might have a different image of you. Make sure you keep it in a variety of ways. How about having a poll of which product they would like to buy, or a famous quote or jokes to keep them coming back for more?

6. Take advantage of trends. Use #hashtags and @mentions on your Twitter page so people gain awareness of your company.

7. Put promos on your social media page. It will entice your target customers to visit your page and eventually buy your product. Promos such as online offers can create awareness to your company.

8. Respond to your audience. Always respond to your audience in time. They might post a comment asking about the price or availability of your products. This will show that you truly care for your customers and they will become loyal customers to you.

9. Make contests and apps for your customers. Games and promos wherein they win a product will bring more audience to your page and create more buzz about your company. You might get a lot of customers from those people.

Source used: http://www.jeffbullas.com/2011/05/24/50-social-media-marketing-tips-and-tactics/

Gucci Spring 2013

MY gosh! More than a week of no posts! What's happened to me? So, to make it up. Here's Gucci Spring 2013. I love the concept! BEST IN RUFFLES! Haha! But of course with big collections there were few hits and some miss! So there.. GO WATCH!