Rock the Black Blazer

I love love love blazers. My very first staple outerwear was a black blazer. Although I now realise it was a bit too big on me, my love for blazers never died. I now own other blazers, like a washed-out yellow one and a purple velvet one. But the one I really want is THE perfect black blazer, so I'm on a hunt.

Meanwhile, I thought I would share my recent favourite way to wear it. Actually, it was the only outfit I wore during my last Christmas holidays: Skinny/straight leg jeans, a flowy long top with a blazer. It's simple yet looks so cool (love Sienna's outfit here). The blazer adds structure to the not-so-structured flowy top. And if you only wear black, grey and white, then you achieve a rock chick look like Lindsay here.

Blazers are also great for casual outfits, (for some reasons, people seem to be stuck with the idea that blazers are formal,) which is why I love it when Ashley wears it. Here are a few styling ideas from Ashley's outfits: you can try rolling up the sleeves and adding a colourful scarf to make the outfit look more casual (and warm). Blue jeans will of course, get you the more casual look, but black jeans feel cooler and edgier.

OK, I should stop blabbering about how much I love blazers and spend more time looking for my perfect black one, (or ideally many many ones).

Chloe Shades SS07

Ever since I saw the latest Chloe shades at Nordstrom back in March, I've been in LOVE with them. They are flattering, girly, fun and most of all different from all the other shades on the streets. And it seems that the stars think so too, as many of them have been spotted wearing them.Ex-OC stars, Mischa Barton and Rachel Bilson wearing the Myrte. Ooo and I LOVE Mischa's jacket.
Lindsay Lohan and Cameron Diaz also sporting the Myrte.
And I must say, I agree with most of the stars here and prefer the second rounder one better, the design combined with the shape which is just so much more flattering, makes it perfect.The one Rachel has on is different, but definitely not as flattering. The aviator style sloping down thing makes it look more masculine and a bit sad- should shades have personalities that is.
For the longest time I was lusting after these hexagonal ones. Because I thought, well, I already have squarish ones, why not have a hexagon one? And these look great. And I also liked the off-white color too. But alas, after trying them on several times, I had to finally admit that they are not for me. Maybe I've become so accustomed to large frames now that I just can't accept smaller frames anymore...
Then at the store I tried on these ones (the lower rounder ones) in purple and it looked awesome. This shape is flattering and yet still different with its large round metal frame, half silver, half purple. Now THIS is fashion. But alas after MUCH debating, I finally decided that I'd like to wear them for more than one season and with that half silver and half purple rim thing, it was too trendy for me

In the end, I bought a similarly styled paired sans the dual colored rims, from Marc Jacobs in brown (I know, it doesn't quite look brown here, but it is. I considered the purple ones and they're much pinker than this). While the metal frames and round shape style is still the same, this design is much simpler, more feminine and much more classic. The only downside is that this design is not very condusive to sticking it on my head like a hairband cause the nose thing gets in the way. But I'll live ;)

Photo Credits: Chloe, Mischa Style, CoutureCandy and Life & Style.

Eye Lash Perming

Yesterday evening, BG and I went to do something really girly together -we got our eye lashes permed. For those of you who have never heard people getting their lashes, it's basically getting your eye lashes curled permenantly. Well, permenant for maybe a bit more than one month, but really, that's permenant enough since it's likely your lashes will fall off naturally around that time.

The procedure takes around forty-five minutes to an hour. Now I can't describe the whole, exact procedure because my eyes were closed the whole time but from what I understand, the facialist curled and glued the lashes around a small, round piece of plastic thing. The facialist also applied some perming chemicals onto the lashes. After 20 minutes, the facialist applied more chemicals. After another 20 minutes, the facialist used oil to remove the checials and glue and that plastic strip thing. Voila -you've got curled lashes.

OK, so the newly permed lashes look a bit clumped together (because not all the glue could be removed without the facialist scrubbing too hard,) but give it a few days and you'll look like you've got naturally curled lashes. This wasn't my first lash perm, but it was BG's. BG forgot to keep her eyes completely shut during the procedure so the chemicals stung her lashes a bit. So if you're planning to get your lashes permed, remember to keep your eyes shut tight!

Perming our lashes only cost us around HK$80 each, that's around US$10 each. It's totally worth it because curled lashes make one's eyes look so much more awake. Plus, now I don't have to curl my lashes or apply mascara on for my normal days. If anyone is trying to decide whether to get their lashes permed -do it! Anyone else had their lashes permed before?

SS07 Trend: Printed Shorts

I've never been much of a shorts fan growing up, but I'm currently LOVING my white shiny short shorts from Express. While it is easy to wear and looks awesome though, sometimes I do feel the urge to spice it up a bit. And therein comes the printed shorts!

My two favourite printed shorts look from Luella and Biba. These printed shorts adds just the perfect touch to the otherwise very standard tops.

Some more prints from Alice + Olivia (left), DVF (top right) and Forever 21 (bottom right). And the trick to making them not look like those printed beach surf shorts? Make sure they are of a structured cut and that you wear it with something of a simple style in a solid color that compliments the print of the short. Yes I know, its a very challenging thing to wear.

Something slightly more easier would be plaid prints, as on the Max Sports(left) and Luella (right)(well, its kind of plaid) runway. It makes an outfit instantly preppy and cute. Pair with slim sneakers for a more down to earth look.

Here are some selections from Abercrombie (top left), American Eagle (bottom left) and Juicy Couture (right). I daresay, you've probably seens a LOT of these about in the stores lately. One of my friends was also considering getting the ones from A&F, but alas it was $50 back then and didn't seem really worth it. Now its a very thin line between wearing these shorts and wearing your boyfriend's shrunken plaid boxers. Remember to wear something very clean cut and solid on top. You can even style it up with a pair of heels.For something a little more subtle (which I prefer more), try more subtly printed plaids, like this one from Abercrombie (left). But I am especially loving this one from Forever 21 (right) with its plaid cuffs.

Then there are the more or less classic striped shorts. The stripes from the D Squared (left) and Derek Lam (right) runway are more boldly and sharply contrasted than we are used to. Again match it with something simple and solid (like a white top). And for some extra oomph, throw on something of the same color as the colored stripes of your shorts. i.e. red striped shorts with the red bag (left).

To achieve the same casual look there are these striped shorts from Mulberry (left). And a bit less sharp, striped shorts from Abercrombie (right). Have fun with printed shorts!

Photo Credits: Elle.com, Net-a-Porter, Abercrombie, Forever 21 and American Eagle.

5 tips on What to Wear in Office

No matter whether you just joined a new company or visit your client's office, it is always important to establish what to wear especially the "Halo" effect is very important to your business partners or associates. There are many ways to find out what you should wear in a office, but the following 5 tips are what I find most useful and workable for me so far.

Find a middle ground
There's no need to go to extremes with a full-piece suit, or on the other side of the spectrum, track pants and sneakers. There is a happy medium where dress pants, button-down shirts, sweaters, and sports jackets rule and serve to make you look like you mean business.

You can never be overdressed
This is something that holds true when you're at work. You won't lose anything by showing up overdressed, but on the other hand, you will feel uncomfortable if you're highly underdressed -- and wouldn't you rather people notice your sense of style rather than your ability to make rolling out of bed an art form?

If you're unsure, ask
If you're a new hire or simply aren't sure about the new dress code at work, there's nothing wrong with asking your HR department or your superior for clarifications of the guidelines and company dress policy. It's always better to ask beforehand than find out the hard way; like your boss telling you that what you're wearing is inappropriate for the office. And yes -- he will let you know.

A simple tip to keep in mind while dressing for work? If you're unsure or have doubts about your getup, then you're better off not wearing it. Follow your gut and remember that if you're hesitant about what you're wearing, your hesitation might be reflected in your attitude that day.

Pay attention to detail
Your ability to pay attention to the little things when it comes to your appearances will speak volumes about your attention to detail in every aspect of life, and that's a trait you want to show off in the business world. So if you do step out in chinos and a button-down shirt, make sure that there are no creases in your pants, all the buttons in your shirt are in order, and your shirt is properly tucked in. If you don't make yourself look presentable, who will? Remember, image is everything.

Dress for success
Lastly, whether or not your place of work has enforced a smarts casual dress code or strictly a casual one, you should always make sure you look presentable, professional, and like someone you would want to do business with. Of course, your style depends on the industry you belong in, but that is never an excuse for looking sloppy.

Enjoy.......................

Top 10 Tips on Proper Business Attire for Men

In my whole working life, being in work or attend business functions, parties or dinners, a proper dressed up is always a plus point than under dressed. In this session, I would like to share the TOP 10 tips on what we should wear in such environment.

• Choose a conservative suit in navy, black or gray either pinstripe or solid. The quality of the material speaks as loudly as the color and can make the difference between sleaze and suave.

• A solid white or blue dress shirt with long sleeves offers the most polished look. The more pattern and color you add, the more the focus is on your clothing, rather than your professionalism.

• Ties should be made of silk or a silk-like fabric. Avoid the cartoon characters and go for simple and subtle if you want to enhance your credibility.

• Socks should be calf-length or above. Make sure they match not only what you are wearing, but also each other. A quick glance in good light before heading out the door can save embarrassment later in the day. Check for holes as well if you'll be going through airport security and removing your shoes.

• Shoes should without question be conservative, clean and well polished. Lace-up shoes are the choice over slip-ons or flip flops. Don't think for a minute that people don't notice shoes. Many people will look at your feet before your face.

• Belts need to match or closely coordinate with your shoes. Once again, quality counts.

• Keep jewelry to a minimum. In a time when men sport gold necklaces, bracelets and earrings, the business professional should limit himself to a conservative watch, a wedding band and maybe his college ring.

• Personal hygiene is part of the success equation. Freshly scrubbed wins out over heavily fragranced any day of the week. Save the after-shave for after hours, but never the shave itself.

• The accessories: briefcase, portfolio and pen. When it comes to sealing the deal, a top of the line suit, a silk tie and a good pair of leather shoes can lose their affect when you pull out the ball point pen you picked up in the hotel meeting room the day before.

• The finishing part of the whole attire, be confident on your self and carry a good looking smile on your face.
  

The Natural Look

I've always been into the natural look, you know, that made-up-natural-look that has been the trend in recent years (-or at least as long as I've paid attention to fashion and beauty anyways.) And I've always been excellent at applying this look, mainly because I always under-apply the makeup and think that I've applied too much, and also because it's actually quite hard to over-apply natural-coloured products. Just yesterday, my colleagues asked whether I actually had makeup on. So either I looked really worn out, or I am indeed an expert at the natural makeup look. I'll assume I'm the latter, naturally.

First I apply the oil free tinted moisturiser by Laura Mercier. It's excellent at making one's skin tone look even and it's seriously easy to apply -just use a tiny bit and use your fingers to spread a very thin layer on your face.

Then I apply blush. I usually use MAC's Pinch'O'Peach, which is a pale, orangey, mocha colour. But last Sunday, I just bought a blush named Well Dressed, which is pale pink. It really gives me the natural, prettily-blushed look.

Then I curl my lashes with my underused Shu Uemura eyelash curler. (But I'm way too lazy to apply mascara, or rather, to remove the mascara at the end of the night. Plus mascara makes my whole look feel made-up.)

Lastly, if I'm in a very good mood and have time left before leaving, I apply a teeny tiny bit of this brownish brown eye pencil (MAC's Bountiful Brown) on the outer eyelines (upper and lower eyelines).

All this takes me around 5 mintues. What is your daily makeup?

Photo credit: www.maccosmetics.com, www.shuuermura.com, www.lauramercier.com

Business attire vs. Smart casual

For most of the gentleman, we always need to put a clear line between business wear and casual wear. Business wear, sometime is just fair too formal, and it might not suit all the working environment, especially you are able to join some function for the first time! Thank God! here come the combination between business and casual. Similar to the those working ladies nowadays, guys are also getting smart casual, which are more relaxed, and yet professional look. Below are some simple definition between Business attire and Smart Casual.

"Business attire" is a full suit with matching pants, a dress shirt and tie.It differs from the type of outfit you might wear to a wedding or evening event. It is conservative, designed to be sharp but not flashy, and elegant but not overly formal. The idea is to showcase the individual, not the clothes.

"Smart casual" is a more relaxed, yet professional look. Pressed pants, a collared shirt, and clean, matching accessories. A sport coat will add a touch of class to a casual look. Avoid jeans, sneakers and T-shirts.

So now the question is in what circumstances we wear business attire, smart casual and relaxed casual? It is really depend on individual, my opinion, as long as you feel comfortable.... :)
However, there are some custom and traditional culture that we still need to follow and bound to..(Anyway, you can still dressed your way if you want to... ) like funeral, marriage, wedding function, interview, Gala dinner

Guess wallpaper

For those that are interested in wallpaper, you might want to consider this nice Guess wallpaper
which I found in the internet few days ago.

Gwen Stefani Sweet Escape Concert 2007

After 6 months of waiting (yes, I bought the tickets as soon as it came out- and yet I still had less than ideal seats....) I FINALLY went to see the Gwen Stefani Sweet Escape concert a few weeks ago in Chicago. I was SOOOO looking forward to it, because after seeing the Cold Play and Maroon 5 concert- which were good but not really as exhilarating as I'd imagined, I decided that I most wanted to see Gwen Stefani because I love her and her music. Plus then at least I'd know and like most of her songs and from all her music videos, she seemed like a good performer. That turned out to be an understatement because Gwen is a BRILLIANT performer and the whole concert was just AWESOME.

First of all, the location was great. Even though we had to drive about 1.5 hours away from the city to get there and it was literally in the middle of nowhere (and I am not a fan of the middle of nowhere), going to a concert at the First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre was an experience in itself. I've probably just not been to my share of concerts, but the experience of being in a open stadium listening to a concert with 20,000 other excited people expanding far behind on the green lawn on such a beautiful spring night was just overwhelmingly brilliant.

Shopping wise, I must say, they had a pretty good selection. Tank tops, many really cute printed tees, posters, badges, beanies, scarves, dolls, toys and such. But what I was REALLY looking for, was a black cap that says "The Sweet Escape 2007" on in swirly handwriting with a small squigle of Gwen's signature on the corner in silver or black (this is purely from a figment of my imagination, but I think that it SHOULD exist!). I'm confident that I'd at least wear it once or twice. Whereas if I got a tshirt, it would end up rotting in my wardrobe (like my Corrs tank top) and me never wanting to ruin it by wearing it. So in the end, I got a booklet (above) on the show, and in the end I think that was a good investment.

We had seats at towards the center on the second pavilion (I don't understand why I couldn't buy tickets in the first pavilion when I started booking tickets the day it was out....) and had an ok view of the stage. The opening act of the opening act was Lady Sovereign, which I've kind of heard of. But not exactly my type of music.

Half an hour later, the actual opening act comes out- AKON! Personally I don't really know much of Akon's songs besides Lonely, but it was a brilliant opening act. He really got the crowd going and he has inspired me to listen to his music some more.

Another half an hour to an hour later (I never understand why they make you wait), Gwen FINALLY comes out in a golden cage that pops onto stage, singing the Sweet Escape and we all go wild. And the BEST thing I love about her is that she sang music from her last cd (which I liked better) too. She danced, she sang, there were matching themes according to her songs. (sidenote: don't you just love how the stage setting improves as you get along towards the "main" course?).Like when she sang Yummy, she changed into this apron outfit (right) along with her dancers and the background screen showed multicolored candies dancing around. And I think there were even a treadmill and two mini trampolines on the stage to help with some of the excellently chereographed and executed dance moves. Definitely a great performer.
Costume wise, there were some that really only Gwen can carry off. Like this kimino wrap thing...what IS it? From afar, it looked like a short pink bubble dress, but from the book......I have no idea. And the whole showing the midriff thing, I hope that remains in the 90s. But this whole thing made me realise the place for overdramatized clothes. Like this simple blue/white striped shirt for example. From afar it looked like a simple shirt with a slight twinkle, but on a closer look, it is actually made of sparkly blue/white sequins. The sequins really made her stand out from afar.
My favourite outfits in the whole show were these two. I love the preppy yet edgy look she has here. I am totally going to look into those prints next fall. Her long trench coats were just SOOOO pretty. I think towards the end at the encore, there was this other similar coat that was just as amazing. I bet these are all available from LAMB as part of her smart marketing technique. And her SHOES. Even from afar I could tell they were sexy gorgeous shoes
At one point, she even ran off stage and into the audience. Luckily we were on the right side of the pavilion, because she ran to our side and stopped just 3 meters away from us and started to sing, Cool (love that song)!!!! We were all kicking ourselves for not buying tickets a few rows backer! And WOW she has amazing abs for a mother (or anyone!). Its hard to remember that she looks pretty with all the make-up and costume thing Gwen wears all the time on her MV's.

So in case you haven't gotten the message yet, it was an AMAZING SHOW. I loved it sooooo much, that just writing about it now makes me excited all over again :D Even my friend who doesn't even like Gwen Stefani thought it was an awesome show. Sigh.... it was the one concert that left me happy and smiling for at least a weekend after. The PERFECT end to my school year :)

ps. Sorry, my scanner broke and I had to use my camera....

One Of My Random Outfits...

Just wanted to post an outfit I wore for a Friday night out a few weeks ago:

Simple black dress from Uniqlo, which I only discovered recently (yes I'm slow,) and visited because I wanted to check out the Phillip Lim for Uniqlo collection but didn't see any when I was there (-so disappointed!) Instead I picked this dress up. The best thing about it is that it's made of cotton, so it's machine-washable!

A belt from Kate Moss Top Shop. I love the studs and that it's wraps around the waist two times. What I'm not too big on is the suade because it's such an easy-to-get-dirty material. Yes it's over-priced but I was in desperate need for a belt and it's hard for me to find a belt I actually like.

Gold shoes to add a bit of nighttime glam to the outfit. And I wore a bright emerald green-coloured wrap on top. I figure when I get sick of wearing this outfit at night, I can just wear it with gladiator sandals instead as a daytime outfit. Genius (not)!

Photo credit: http://www.topshop.com/, http://www.uniqlo.com/

MAC Brow Clear Finisher

One of my many lazy traits is that I don't like plucking my eye brows too much. Many girls I know pluck them into these perfect and narrow arches, and while that looks great on some people, it just looks so superficial on others. Some of my brow hair is a bit long and they droop down so they make it look like I've got hair under the brows and mess up the arches. One way to deal with this (not from solid knowledge) is that you can cut long eye brow hair shorter. I can' t even figure out how to pluck my eye brows to get that arch, so I definitely don't want to start cutting my brow hair. (And I'm still way too cheap to get a professional plucker to do my brows.)

The second way is use a product to make the brow hair stay in position. This way can be done in a variety of products. You've probably seen those eye brow shapers that look like mascaras, such as from Bobbi Brown. I've thought about trying those mascara-looking brow shapers out but I figured since I wouldn't be using it often, I wanted a product that I wouldn't have to replace after six months usage. Thankfully, when I visited MAC to look at eye shadows, the saleslady recommended me MAC's Brow Finisher (picture above,) which is basically a wax stick. It applies on clear so you can't really tell you've applied makeup on there. Most importantly, I just really like how simple it is to just stroke the finisher at the outer ends of the brow to keep the brow in position. So even if you're only so-and-so eyebrows, fixing their shape really helps define them. It is now a must-have in my makeup bag. Loves it!

Photo credit: http://www.maccosmetics.com

The watch that you must have! if you are affordable

Depend on your income and afford ability, I would like to discuss the watches in more detail in this post. For trend and styles, most people will relate to TAG Heuer, which is most welcome by professionals at the aged group between 20 - 40. For prestige and status, most executives, young businessman and entrepreneurs will prefer Rolex, which is slightly pricey as compare to the earlier model.

So for most of the man, which is hardly spend any of the big items throughout the year, this is the time to reward yourself. Do yourself a favor, buy an expensive watch.

My Favorite Jeans

After the earlier post, I would like to share some of the jeans that I have (plus some of my nephews' jeans! :p) which I like. Please give me your comments if you feel like want to give your opinions....

SS07: Neon Bright Colors on the Street

A few weeks ago I took note of the neon bright colors on the runway. But in reality, how many of us are going to go out dressed like one of those bright orange and yellow road cones?

Taking the trend a step down for the streets, we have subtle bits of neon to brighten up solid dark shades, like here at Gucci (left) and Lanvin (right).
To be more economical, instead of finding outfits with built in neons, accessorize the solid colors you already own with neons! Take here on the Cacharel (left) and DVF(right) runway- I LOVE how the bright belts adds extra personality to each outfit. The yellow belt makes the outfit instantly younger. And the fuschia belt gives the stark black dress a softer, more feminine and flirty touch.
So copy this look with this cheap skinny fuschia belt from UO and this not-quite-so-cheap yellow Elegantly Waisted cummerbund belt from Shop Bop.
Even easier, forget the belts and just grab neon bright bags/shoes and pair it with neutral colored outfits, like here on the Marni (left) and Paul Smith Woman (right) runway.
For neon accessories, don't pick anything too fancy. The color IS the style. Go for something simple and classic, like these yellow ballet flats and even just flip flops from UO.
Or this simple yellow tote from UO. For something slightly trickier but definitely refreshing, try sprucing up your summer wardrobe with neon colored tights instead of the usual black ones, which frankly, becomes quick boring after all this time.
Something more subtle (and definitely more economical) that I'd probably go for are neon colored jewelry, like these necklace and bangles from Forever 21. They are the simplest and the most economical way to embrace this trend.
Then there are the neon colored skinny headbands and colored shades. I'm actually considering getting a pair of colored shades cause they look so cool. Incidentally I tried on a similar pair as the ones shown above at UO the other day and the fit is amazing. My only concern is that you'd have to make sure that the outfit you're wearing works with this particular colored shade- and hence my shades are either black or white. On the other hand.... it IS only $14.

The thing to be careful about with all this neon bright trend is that its a thin line between looking trendy and looking cheap. So try to be more subtle, pick one neon accessory and pair it with a classy looking outfit!

Photo Credits: www.elle.com, www.urbanoutfitters.com, www.forever21.com

YSL Costume Jewelry SS07

Awhile ago, I've started to think typical costume jewelry from brand-named stores like Dior and Vuitton as unstylish. Think of those typical jewelry that spell out 'D-i-o-r', (I think I might own one or two myself!) Admittingly, not all are ugly, but I just can't stand how even tiny little jewelry have to be branded so obviously.

But as I was going through my old magazines from the last six months to rip out any pretty images, I noticed a tiny editorial blurb in Tatler about YSL releasing a small set of jewelry to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Opium fragrance. I really like the necklace. Imagine wearing it with a simple white tank top with jeans -that's adding a hint of luxury to a casually cool outfit. So recently, I went to a YSL shop, (which I normally never go to.)

And I fell in love with these earrings. They're the Muse earrings. Look familiar? That's beacuse they're the same style as the little metal thing on YSL's Muse bag. I love how classy and stylish these earrings look. They're made of Swarovski crystals (thankfully), making them relatively affordable.

Another very stylish piece. This braclet looks so versatile. You can totally wear it with any nice outfit, whether casual or going out (as long as gold jewelry matches your outfit.)

This brooch is very YSL SS07 -remember all the violets all over the runway? This design isn't very 'me', but I'm sure it would look elegant on the right people.

I LOVE the cocktail rings. They're so deco-feel. They would be perfect for plain outfits, like outfits that are in black and white, or those long, bat-winged dresses.

The gold one on the right is my favourite. I dont' wear rings often so I'm not going to splurge on it, but it is just SO pretty. Sigh...

I just found out that this is the first season YSL has released costume jewelry in recent years, so if you haven't checked them out yet, go visit a store!

Photo credit: www.ysl.com