Manhealth.com: 50 Things Men Wish You Knew

Found this interesting site, that universal guys truths that all women should understand . What's more, you can even put in your comments now as this site is still cumulating the comments.

Here are some of the things extracted from the site that I find it really reflective, and truth!

- I just may lie to make you feel good. Don’t be angry about this. You really weren't looking for the truth anyway.

- When you get angry over some stupid little pointless thing, I question your intelligence.

- You’re really bad at faking it.

- If I offer my help while you're getting ready, it means you’re late.

- Never ask me to pick out your outfit. I will invariably get it wrong and make us even more late.

- If you think I’m speeding now, you should see me drive when you're not in the car.

- We don't mind being told we look good. Just don't call it a "cute outfit."

- You can pick the movie, but have a reason

To find out more, follow this LINK. Have fun

Prada Vernice Sfumata Pump

Prada's accessories are always one of the first brands I look at in style.com's accessories preview. Afterall, Prada's accessories are always the sales force behind the brand and they're usually copied by all the other high street brands (thus Prada's accessories almost always form part of the new trends.)

The first time I saw this season's Prada's shoes, I thought err... I hated the gradient colour theme (more so for certain colours like green and black than others,) and I wasn't really into the whole leg-warmers-with-heels trend because realistically, I'm not going to even try that. But when I was wondering around Barneys in LA, I couldn't resist trying on a pair of one of Prada's FW07 runway shoes, the Vernice Sfumata Pump, which to us normal people, are commonly known as the gradient-coloured pumps. So I tried them on and wow, I loved them! I instantly felt like I was sucked into the world of artistic, intellectually glam world of Prada. I especially liked the thick, black, elastic strap in the front. I was wearing a flowery skirt that day so it didn't really match my outfit but I imagine it would look absolutely amazing with black pants -modern, sleek and creative. Sigh, now I'll probably spend the next few months admiring these shoes online everyweek.

Image credits: www.saksfifthavenue.com, www.prada.com

Man Fashion: 7 most popular type of shirts

MAN SHIRT, some of the most common trends are in collar, a button front or cuffed sleeves. The materials frequently made up in crisp fabrics like cotton.

Today, I am going to talk about 7 popular type of shirts that well received by male fashion world.

Classic Long-Sleeved Dress Shirt

You really can’t go wrong with this, as long as you find the right matching color and pattern. Try to find something that doesn’t have any pockets, if you can, for smart casual. White is most preferred color as it is easily match with whatever pants, but almost any color will work.

However, the latest trend is black or other uncommon dark color, which is very popular in man fashion world, which was against those days where black is always related to mafia or gangsters.

You can mostly find this type in the business attire or smart casual wear.

Short-Sleeved Dress Shirt

For men who want to look youthful and professional, the style is a way to dress colorfully while wearing a plain dress shirt. They're less serious, if you're not in a staid business environment.

So those are the basics. There are other shirt styles out there that may look good on you, but these are pretty much safe for anyone. My advice is to avoid anything flashy or trendy - they tend to get you noticed for the wrong reasons.

Long-Sleeved Polo Shirt

The most classic and mannish. Just make sure you leave at least the top button undone, ha ha, otherwise this will look like a geek. It is well received with solid colors and jeans or khakis.

Tip: For jean, it is preferable to leave it un-tucked if this is not too long, but if wearing khakis, tuck it in.

Short-Sleeved Polo Shirt

Again, classic and mannish, these come in a variety of fabrics and designs. These short-sleeved polo shirts are mostly suitable with jeans or khakis. Color strip or solid colors are both well received in man fashion world. Recently, it is also very popular in man and women sports world like golf.

The Turtleneck

A round close-fitting neckline that comes up higher than a crew neck but not so high as a polo neck. This was initially design to suit winter weather in Western world, and it turned out to be fashionable style in male and female fashion world. Don't you dare laugh, this looks is really great. They come in a variety of fabrics, something nice and thick tends to suit every man.

Classic Crew Neck T-Shirt

This is most well received by all age group. College t-shirts are fine, as long as they meet the other guidelines. Some prefer with pocket and others no, but I think they look better without. Most common colors are white and black, red is hot and yellow is fun. A nicely match t-shirt makes any man look twice as good! T-Shirts also gives men the choice of creating a ‘personal brand’. This means they can personalise the T-Shirt to their taste, political affiliations or personal thought, and this is getting common in teenage fashion world, and also well received by man in IT world, such as Steven Jobs of Apple, Larry Page and Sergey Brin of Google.

Tip: Make sure it fits your body, these don’t look good baggy.

Classic Wife-Beater

Also known as A-shirts, they are usually worn by men, They are generally made for use as underwear, and generally have large sleeve holes and a large neck, down to near the chest. The term originates from frequent depictions in popular culture of aggressive American men, usually living in poor conditions and having low income, beating their wives and/or children while clad in this shirt.

Tip: Looks good on well-built fellas, pathetic on skinny fellas, and disgusting on fat beer bellied fellas

HG's LA Trip II

After yesterday's not-too-positive post about LA's food, I'll move onto LA's shopping today! I stayed at Beverly Wilshire so the place I went everyday was Rodeo Drive. Before going I wasn't really enthusastic about Rodeo Drive because I thought it was just going to be another designer name-packed street which will be like all the other places I usually go to (-Hong Kong, London etc.) I was right about the designer-packed part, but what I didn't expect was that I really loved the street. I loved how there was so much space to walk around and not feel crowded, and the salespeople there were so friendly and helpful! (The sad thing was of course, I could hardly afford anything there!)


The thing I loved most on Rodeo Drive was the Prada shop. The first time I saw it from across the street, I thought, that coat looks like it's from Prada's FW07 collection and those stairs are very NYC Soho Prada-like, is that the Prada shop? You will notice that the shop doesn't even have a Prada sign, and I really haven't seen a store before that didn't display its own designer name! I loved it! (Seriously, if you didn't know Prada well and just walked past it, you would think it was a weird warehouse!)

But walk by at night and you'll be surprised. See those three holes on the ground?



They're like lighted caves filled with Prada goodies. The concept is so cool.

And of course, there is the newly renovated Chanel store, my second favourite looking store on Rodeo Drive. It looks so clean and clear cut, with only white, black and gold.

While I love the atmosphere and all of Rodeo Drive, the shopping place that I really liked was Robertson Blvd. Robertson Blvd is the street where a lot of mix-brand boutiques like Kitson and Madison are, and also boutiques of American brands like Nanette Lepore and Alice + Olivia. For me, Kitson was sort of... blah. I only noticed lots of T-shirts and the new Paris Hilton clothing collection. If anyone visits Robertson Blvd, then you must go to the Alice + Olivia store -the clothes are SO gorgeous. It's not too often that I think clothes look even prettier in real life than on shopbop.com. And there are so many more stores on Robertson -that was def a fun trip.

Unfortunately for me, the only things I could afford on both streets was the BCBG sales rack! Surprisingly, the sales rack still had loads of goodies. I got a boring/ classic, black and nude-coloured dress for only 150usd (half price!) and a very useful black cardigan thingy. And while I love my BCBG purchases, my favourite (and most useful) purchases were probably the two pairs of sporty shorts (great for lounging around the house doing nothing) I bought at Target, where my sister bought her moving-into-college-stuff. So all in all, shopping in LA was pretty cool and it ended up being a really relaxing holiday.

Ooh, and now I finally understand why Mary Kate and Ashley look so wrapped up (with scarves and cardigans) in paparazzi photos even in LA. Even though it was sunny everyday in LA, the temperature was kind of cool ,especially in early mornings and nights. Anyways, I'm leaving San Francisco tonight so I better go pack now!

Teen Choice Awards 2007 Fashion

Hey people, so sorry for the uber late posts. I'm at my aunt's house in San Francisco at the moment and the internet connection is sort of wacky here. (Thankfully BG posted for me yesterday!) I'll talk about last week's LA in the next two days, but first, the Teen Choice Awards! OK, so the fashion there was so boring and uninspiring that I wasn't even going to blog about it but staying in the States for a week has turned me into paprazzi-obsessed (temporarily hopefully,) so I'm going to blog about it anyway.

Hilary Duff -She was the co-host so you will notice that she had more than one outfit. I quite like her wearing this Corey Lynn Calter black, sequined dress, although it feels more nightime than daytime.

Hilary's other two outfits were very 'her'. I like her in the blue and black sequined dress, and so-and-so about green jeans. What I don't like about her is her hair! What happened to those classy locks? What is up with the gradient-coloured hair?

I may like Avril's music but I'm really not a fan of her clothes. I used to like it when she kept it simple with jeans/ pants with tank tops, but now her clothes (and pink hair) are just, for a lack of better words, not cool. Actually I suppose this outfit isn't too bad, but it would have looked much nicer if her hair was just left straight down.

I've never liked Fergie's clothes so I'll just say here that her grey heels don't match her polka dot dress.

Lauren and Audrina -Kind of typical choices for them, but they could have chosen cuter dresses. Audrina's dress is too nighttime clubbing-ish, and Lauren's is just not as fun as her usual choices. (Lauren's dress is from her upcoming collection.)

Jessica Alba's dress is really nothing special, but seriously, that girl can make anything look amazing. Jessica not surprisingly, won the female hottie award. I really want to watch her new movie, Good Luck Chuck!

Emmy Rossum is finally not in a boring long dress, but I don't really like her dress here either. The pink looks great on her, but maybe the way the fabric is draped on her just isn't that cute? Or maybe adding a thin belt around her waist would have added more shape to the dress.

Wow, Sophia Bush looked amazing in a hard-to-wear Herve Leger dress. I love her playful dress with that cute but proper hairstyle. I guess she had to look good, afterall, she won three awards!

Vanessa Hudgens -The dress really suits her, except the clutch doesn't match the dress. OK, I accidently watched two minutes of High School Musical 2 this afternoon, and I don't get why they are so popular! True, they do seem talented (which is not a given in Hollywood these days,) but what is so fun watching a bunch of kids sing on tv? I suppose musical is only cool to me if it's live.

Since I really have no interest in men's fashion, Zac Efron (who won male hottie) is obviously here for eyecandy. He always looks a bit too photoshopped (or madeup?) for my taste, but hey, eyecandy is eyecandy. Enjoy!

What did you think of everybody's dresses?

Image credits: www.justjared.com, http://fadedyouthblog.com

Paul and Joe Beaute: Autumn 2007

First of all, I'd like to say that I am by no means impressed by the quality of Paul & Joe make-up. But I AM very impressed by their packaging. It never fails to make me want to buy everything. I suspect that this is their selling point. Their autumn collection, Dear Diary collection, is no exception. They have a very touching story to go with this collection, something about shades that will allow you to be yourself, but I really fail connect the product/package design with the story. What I do know is that not only do they have a pretty print of flowers and leopards (they assured me that it was not a cat) packaging and a pretty floral pattern inside, but they also have pretty names: Daydream, Pressed Roses and Poetry to go with it. The colors though are not too inspiring. Lip colors all look the same to me. Though my mom uses them, and she assures me that the texture is very moisturizing and smooth and points out that the paper packaging is very lightweight for the purse. The eye shadows, brown on brown, Dark Blue on blue and Pink on maroon is not wow but they are practical. Plus, it has a hint of shimmer, which should be pretty! The only downside is that because they are not separated, the two colors will eventually mix into one ugly mess after a few months of use. But I'm sure they'll come up with some other pretty design by then for you to replace it ;) Such clever marketing.

So the point being that while I am by no means blind to its flaws, I still cannot help but gush and oogle the beauty that is the Paul & Joe cosmetics- its just SO PRETTY!

Image Source: Paul & Joe

Earring for Man

History

Ear ring, as a fashion accessory can track back to 19^th century, whereby this was worn by male, and this can be seen in the carved images of the soldiers from various parts of the Persian Empire which are displayed on some of the surviving walls of the palace. Even in India, the earring worn by the children were mostly due to religion purpose.

So When earring was getting popular?
Particular click on earring, started to get popular among the ladies in 1920s in Western Europe, and only until late 1960s, ear piercing began to make inroads into the male world.
Mostly amateur piercing with safety pin was mostly well-liked in punk rock community. In 1980s, the trend for male famous music performers, eg. George Michael to have pierced ears helped establish a fashion trend for men, and this has been extended to athletes and show performers. These days, many men wear earrings in both ears, sometimes with more than one in each ear become norm in men fashion world. Most common type of earring that you can find in male ears are Stud and Hoop earrings.

Stud earrings - The main feature of stud earrings is appearance of hanging on the ear or earlobe without a visible (from the front) point of connection. Studs are invariably constructed on the end of a post, which penetrates straight through the ear. Diamond studs are getting popular among the popular music performers and black community, think about it, dress casual or formal and still rock a diamond stud in very common in man fashion world now;

Hoop earrings – this is circular or semi-circular in design and looks very similar to a ring. They are often made of metal tubing, with a thin wire attachment penetrating the ear. The hollow tubing is permanently attached to the wire at the front of the ear, and slips into the tube at the back. Another type of hoop designs do not complete the circle, but penetrate through the ear in a post, using the same attachment techniques that apply to stud earrings.

So earrings are suitable in what situation?

Most of the men worked in entertainment industry and other creative fields have the freedom to wear whatever they choose. Whereas men in other professions are not encourage to wear their earrings when they go to work. For example, The National Basketball Association is strictly prohibit players from wearing jewelry of any kind while in uniform. When the game is over, athletes such as Michael Jordan wear earrings to complement their unique sense of style.

Earring is suitable for which age group?

In fact, there is no particular rule stated that only younger are suitable for earring. However, the unwritten rule of thumb seems to be that the older a man gets, the more discreet the jewelry becomes.

How you find the earring that suitable for yourself?

It is very simple, put them on, match with what you are going to wear and look at yourself in the mirror. Be honest, do you look silly or hot? Decide what you like and go with it.

Beach Party Wear

This weekend I went to a beach party that goes from day to night and onwards into the next morning. Personally, I've never been to a huge beach bash before (I can't even remember the last time I stepped foot on a beach), so I was actually really excited to go. I imagined it to be similar to the beach party scene in Princess Diaries, minus the public humiliation bit of course. As the date approached, I was increasingly thinking about one question- what does one wear to a beach party? Beach wear? But its a party.....supposedly like a nightclub moved to a beach.....how does one recouncil the two?
Some thoughts. As I didn't plan on getting myself wet or anything, the first thing that popped to mind was a pretty summer dress in bright colors like these two from Free People shown here. Just imagine what a pretty beach pic these dresses would make! And the thin material and relatively cheap price is perfect for the beach, as you wouldn't have to constantly think about ruining it.
Ultimately though I ended up wearing cropped jeans as the practical side of me pops up, with the fear that skirts may be blown by the wind and it could get messy. You always want to wear pants when things get messy. Of course, shorts work too, but I was also scared of mosquitos too since it was night- I know I think too much! (Both from Forever 21)

Topwise, I suggest a pretty floral top that would also make a pretty picture (left: UO, right: Forver 21).
And if you're worried about a tan line (as I'd be if I'd went in the afternoon), tubes are a great option like these two from Forever 21 (left) and UO(right). I especially love the white tube, because its so simple but elegant and fun.
Then came shoes. These are the times when sandals/flip flops become your best friend, as heels will sink in and are impractical and sneakers are too hot. Remember to get super cheap ones, as you wouldn't want to ruin your fancy pair on the rough sandy shores of a beach (above from UO). I bought a pair of flip flops for less than $3 especially for the occasion!
Then came a bag to put all your stuff in. At that moment, I wished I had my white Le Sportsac huge tote with me. But alas it is in Chicago. But really, just stuff everything (mat, sunscreen, food, water, shades, umbrella etc) into a big beach bag like the one above from UO. And just in case you want to head over to the bar for a while and don't want to bring everything with you, consider bringining a small clutch like this one also from UO to put your valuables in. Leaving valuables anywhere is not a good idea. Plus, it'll look more chic then holding your wallet around.

And lastly, don't forget to bring a cardigan. It CAN get cold at night on a beach- think OC beach parties with everyone putting on college sweat shirts and cardis. And that is my whole thought process prepping for this beach party. I know, I think too much. LOL. Hope everyone has a fun weekend as well!

Image Source: Urban Outfitters and Forever 21

Briefs vs. Boxers

Men’s wear fashion has been growing tremendously in recent years. The reasons for the significant growth are mainly due to the flow of information in Internet and media, leisure culture.

In additional to my earlier post, I will add on the elaborate more on men’s underwear, ie. briefs and boxers. This trend came in a long way, even respectable fashion house now offer briefs and boxers to contemporary male customer. (as I highlighted in my earlier posts)

The most primary difference between briefs and boxer is size and fit. Briefs are smaller and fit more snugly, thus they adhere to the shape of the body better. Boxers on the other hand fit more loosely and are found to be more comfortable by many men.

Briefs are considered the traditional male undergarment and suitable to most men with a slim or muscular build. Briefs also suitable for sports, under low cut jeans and under tight jeans or trousers. So if you the owner of six packs, muscular chests, firm thighs, briefs is definitely a “add on” fashion for you.

Boxer, on the other hand, provides too much coverage and therefore suitable for those overweight or tall and slim build gentlemen. Of course size cannot be judged in boxers, so obviously this is also a favourite for those not so endowed gentleman …ha..ha…just kidding!!

So ultimately is your choice, boxer or briefs will very much depend on your what you wear, and where you are going? What kind of activities are you carry out, such as sports, dinner, shopping, etc.

The DvF Wrap Dress

Everyone knows about the Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress. Everyone who loves fashion anyway. It is the legendary dress that is perfect for all occasions, from work to shopping to dinner to a night out. I have always coveted one, but thought that they were a bit too old for my age and out of my price range. Besides, what makes it so different from say, wrap dresses one finds at Top Shop, that is at least half the price? Well, the other day passing by the DvF store, I finally experienced the magic of the DvF wrap dress. The fit is truly amazing and staring at oneself in the store mirror, one just feels wonderful. Very chic, put-together, smart yet feminine and sexy. I don't know what I was thinking when I thought it old. Maybe it is a taste acquired when you step into the twenties and above age bracket....

Anyway, previously I've tried on a few wrap dresses before at Top Shop hoping to find something similar, but alas, because I have a small chest, they never fitted well. The V was always too loose and so it hung in a most unattractive manner- but not with the DvF dress, it fits perfectly. I haven't figured out why- the cutting? the jersey material?- but Diane is definitely doing something right and deserves to be the queen of the wrap dress!

Image Source: Diane von Furstenberg

Shiseido Maquillage Neo Climax Lip

A year ago, I've decided to abstain from buying any lip-related makeup products because I hardly ever apply anything other than lip balm on my lips -lipstick always seems too mature to me and lip gloss never seems to stays put for more than 15 minutes. (Anyone else feels the same?) But while I was waiting for the makeup lady at a Shiseido shop to try on eyeshadow on my mum, I got bored and looked at the new products. I very quickly noticed Shiseido's younger line, Maquillage's ad. I absolutely love this look, especially as a night look. Doesn't the model look so sophisticated, cool and pretty?

The product that really caught my eye was the new 'Neo Climax Lip', which is described by the saleslady as an in-between of lipstick and lipgloss. She suggested I try on the colour that the model had on. I did that and loved it! Like the ad suggested, it wasn't overly sparkly, and gave a cool, glossy finish to my lips. Unlike the lip glosses (too sheer) or lipsticks (too strong) that I own, this product actually gave my lips a perfect amount of colour.

You know how you get to an age where you feel like you're in-between for everything? Too young for certain things and too old for others? I want some lip colour that will stay on but I'm not ready for lipstick yet. So basically, I consider this a more sophisticated-looking version of lipgloss. On the Maquillage site, there's this image which shows how you apply this product (-which is simply how you apply all other similar lip products.) So do check out the Neo Climax Lip when you pass by a Shiseido counter next time!

Image credit: http://www.shiseido.co.jp/mq/index.htm

Buberry Scarves FW06-07

Burberry seems to be getting that we're all a bit over the classic plaid scarf. One can only have so many plaid scarves in multiples colors after all. And who wants to risk clashing with everyone other person on the street anyway? This season, they've come up with some pretty ingenious scarves.
So much so in fact, that I've made this sparkly Burberry scarf my first FW06-07 purchase. I figured it wouldn't go on sale anyway, and I was right, it was the last one in the store. The thing I love most about it is that when worn, it doesn't immediately shout Burberry because of the underlying criss cross pattern. Then there is the subtle but still very visible silver threads embedded all over the scarf, making it oh-so-pretty and sparkly! (I'm not sure if you can see it here, but its there!) A trendy twist to an otherwise classic scarf. And of course, the fact that it is black and white makes it very sharp and easy to match with everything. The only thing I find lacking with this scarf is that it is not 100% cashmere and therefore not as soft and warm as I'd like. But I guess in this case, its style before warmth!
Another clever design is this abstract check scarf (right), which I also quite like. Especially the color, which is also very versatile. And then there is this chunky scarf. I've always wanted one of these. Actually I think I have one that my friend knitted for me. Except they're sooo big and chunky I never know how to wear them properly, without fearing that I'd choke myself when I leave half of it stuck to the bus door and it moves...I know, I have an overactive imagination. But maybe I'll find inspiration this season and figure it out.
Then there are these very simple plain scarves with the Burberry signature casually scrawled across. As logo branded as the concept is though, I actually quite like this signature. It looks very casual and pretty. Like someone just absentmindedly scribbled their signature on the scarf. Plus, the rest of the scarf is plain and as fun as the prints are, at the end of the day, it is always the plain ones that I wear most. For this design, I think white or grey is best. Although if you want to be very feminine they also have a pretty purple- though not online but in the shops.

But anyways, the scarf designs in Burberry this season are definitely worth checking out- so go before they run out!

Image Source: Net a Porter and Burberry

Fashion Asia: Whats sexy in a man?

Fashion Asia: Whats sexy in a man?

Found a very interesting topic in this blog. What sexy in a man? What is the definition of sexy to guys?

According to Rekojuno from Yahoo! Anwers, definition of sexy differs from girl to girl. Different looks work for different guys. Some look great muscular, and others would look terrible that way but look incredible while slim. Mostly, the key is looking healthy. Really, most people are driven by instincts. Weird, but think about it, overweight people as well as too thin people are normally unattractive. Men like curves on women, which exists primarily for childbirth. Women like muscles because it shows that men are capable of taking care of them. But most likely, man just need to play up their natural traits and let women see their personality, confidence. That is sexy.

Others said “sexy man has to smell, walk, talk sexy (you just add in some imagination how to do all these). It's not just the face or the body it has to be everything. He is confident without being arrogant, he is strong without being vain, he's being sensitive without being soft”

So what are the traits that make man sexy? Here are some tips guys should watch out:-

1. Masculinity

What a woman first notices is his anatomical assets but what lingers in her mind is not all that. It's his inherent masculinity. Well, is this sound familiar? It's in the way he languidly struts across the room with a show of adequacy and grace and the way he flashes the glint in his eyes that ultimately creates the spark. This will include the way he talks and walks that attract women’s attention.

Being masculine does not always suggest a large build but just the right amount of muscle without overdoing it, tanned out sorta to trigger women's instinctive feelings of attraction.

2. Sense of Style and Fashion

Follow latest trend and style is what we called update. But you know what?

It's not the clothes that make a man sexy. It is actually how you bring up your apparel with confidence that does. Clothes don't tempt woman, it's you that makes those clothes look good in yourself that entice woman.

3. Eye contact

Also known as higher level of communication! A man who knows how to have eye contact is a man who knows how to communicate. They want men to listen and to take heed of the things they say, or in short, they need affirmation. So guys!! Now you know why you always got blame for nothing when you are so concentrated on your sport channel while your girlfriend or wife is talking to you. Eye contact also makes a woman feel sufficiently attended to and cared for.

4. Smile.

A simple sweet smile is one of the greatest attraction of a man. It will breaks a girl hidden resistance and also communicates hidden messages without any verbal language. This is why Tom Cruise, who is generous with his smile carried women-magnet profile!

5. Sensitivity

So how sensitivity relate to sexy? Sensitivity here means having a sense of empathy, confidentiality, gentlemen and trust rolled into one. Sensitivity is not finding solution when woman confides something, but rather share your ear to listen to what they express.

6. Sense of Humor

Sense of humour is the ability to experience humour, a quality which all people share, although the extent to which an individual will personally find something humorous depends on a host of absolute and relative

variables, including geographical location, culture, maturity, level of education, and context. it releases chemicals that create a sense of well-being, a man equipped with a good sense of humor automatically wins his points on the sexy scale with women.

7. Confidence

Confidence is always the must, otherwise, you will not have the chance to attract woman. Confidence not necessary about appeal of wealth or power and it does not mean arrogant, it should always be self-assurance and self-esteem, that attract woman.

So guys, what is your secret weapon you think that attract your girlfriends? wife and girl community at large, do share with me here..............

FW07 Ads: Back To Classics

For fashionholics, one of the funnest thing about flipping through Sept. issues of magazines are the new FW07 ads. As we all know, magazine ads usually focus on marketing products from the seasonal collection, especially the 'it' bags. All the products come from one collection and have a common theme. But interestingly this season, Prada and Louis Vuitton, both huge bag sellers, have dedicated one or two campaign images to their classic bags.

Maybe because the creative directors behind the ads did a really good job, or maybe it's because the bags are just so classic -not matter what, these classic bags fit in surprisingly well with the seasonal clothes. I mean, look at this Prada ad, even with the artistic and somewhat weird clothes Prada has this season, the bags still seem to belong there. The puffed up messenger bags totally fit in with Prada's intelligent, artsy image.

As for the Louis Vuitton ad, the classic monogrammed bag fits in really well with the whole posh, well-dressed, high-maintanence woman image. (For once, I'll refrain from ranting about how much I dislike celebs posing in high fashion ads. Sigh...) Even after looking at this uber-glam ad, I still don't feel the urge to buy this monogrammed bag, although to be fair, I'm not a fan of obviously-monogrammed bags. Oops, now I'm ranting about monogrammed bags.

Anyhow, classic bags seem to be getting a push from large brands this season. Are the execs hoping more people would fish out money for their classic bags, or is this a nod to the late 80's/ early 90's trend? No matter what, at least you know if you buy these classic bags, they won't be particularly 'out' next season!

Image credits: http://www.prada.com/, FashionSpot

Avril Lavigne Concert 2007

Yesterday HG and I went to the Avril Lavigne concert in Hong Kong. We were both very excited because we've been listening to her since Complicated back in high school and we really like her music. Even though her new CD doesn't quite measure up to her last and at first I did not even like it, the catchiness of the tunes eventually grew on me after a few replays. Its just the kind of music that makes one want to jump up and down. The point is, I was very excited to hear her live! After Gwen, Avril is definitely the second on my list of must see concerts!
The stage setting was very Avril, with a pink skull printed curtain background thing, neon pink mikes and well pink everything.
She opened with a bang with Girlfriend. Dressed in a black tank, pink plaid mini and those doc marten looking boots (whatever you call them), she was every part Avril. She even had dances to match her songs, which I thought was very cute, though some of the moves were actually very high schoolish- but then again I guess it was appropriate since it was a pretty teeny bopper crowd. What I found most impressive about her though was her voice, which I thought was amazing- she was literally screaming with a high clear voice that never cracked.
Other random thoughts: Her eye make-up was very very dark. She really knew how to move the crowd, jumping around very hyped looking cute and everything (like a little girl). According to my cousin who met her backstage, she's actually really really short. And over all it was just a great performance and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Though admittedly, it didn't quite hyped me up as much as the Gwen concert, but then, Gwen is a tough act to follow. And they're really both playing at very different crowds.

Next Stop- Spice Girls!

Ps. Sorry my pictures are so blurry, I really need to get a better camera.

Another man fashion tip: Color Matching

When dealing with fashion, it always refers to matching, in term of design, trends, styles and of course color. COLOR, the most fundamental rule in fashion, a man must aware about the color combination of his shirt, necktie, shoes, trouser, jackets etc. So what are the best combinations of color in male fashion world?

White and Black

Most popular color in male fashion world, it goes well with any color.

Good choices for tops and bottoms, a must in your wardrobe. It always readily matches with any tops, bottoms, shoes, jackets. These colors are most commonly found in formal business functions and corporate world.

White, associated with purity, cleanliness, freshness, gives the feeling of openness and freedom.

Black, associated with cool, styles, mysterious, direct opposite of white, give the feeling depth, represent elegance and prestigious.

Yellow

A color commonly related to fun and summer wear.

It creates excitement and always suggests a more sunny, joy, lively mood. It also tends to bring about cheeriness to the environment.

Red

A color that extensively used in fashion world.

Like yellow, it is most visible and create attraction and excitement. It naturally portrays an image of excitement, energy, enthusiasm and confidence. Nonetheless, it also suggests an erotic feeling…more for lady rather than man.

It is often associated with love, ambition and passion.

Blue

Most popular color in male fashion world.

It brings about a very relax, pleasant feeling, is a good choice for daytime and even nighttime wear.

The color associated with serenity, inspiration and friendliness.

Tips: Whatever color you wear, most importantly, it must suit the place, functions that you are going to attend, the group of people you are going to meet.

My US Shopping List

I'm off to my annual San Francisco (plus LA this time) trip this Sunday and I'm now in the process of researching about LA and compiling my shopping list. One reason why I love going to the States once a year is that there are certain brands or products that are only available in the States or are cheaper there. I love making lists so here is what I have so far:

Even though there are Urban Outfitters shops in the UK, the US UO things are so much cheaper! For example, a graphic T-shirt is around 23 pounds in London but around 28usd in the States. One item I want to check out is the Lux cinch dress. It looks so easy to wear and pracitcal -one of those items that can take the dresser from daytime to nightime activities.

Another thing I just found on UO's website is this Lux dress. It looks really cool in the picture but it could look cheap and awkward in real life so I really must check it out.

I've never been to an American Apparel shop before and I've been wanting to go so I can't wait. So many people seem to love American Apparel at FashionSpot. American Apparel sells really boring, basic clothes so I probably shouldn't have such high expectations but I do love plain clothes. The first thing I want to check out is this tank dress (and any other useful basics).

The other item is this cardigan. It looks perfect to wear to school this fall -simple and goes with jeans. Afterall, who has time to think before rushing to class?

Onto beauty products, after reading so many rave reviews on Urban Decay's Eye Primer Potion (at MUA and from you guys,) I am determined to buy a few bottles -one for me and a few for friends who have requested I buy it for them too!

OPI nail polish, which is my favourite nail polish brand, is very expensive in Hong Kong (about HK$120 per bottle,) so my mum and I are definitely going to stock up. BG tells me they sell for around 6USD in the States so I'm hoping they're about the same price in San Francisco too. The most important thing is the base and top layer.

Then onto basic (but fun) colours -red and nude.

I recently saw a friend who had wine/ maroon-ish purple nails and they look so sophisticated. But I really can't tell the difference between the many shades of purple! Perhaps this colour is becoming fashionable because OPI's new Russian collection seems to be all about this colour!

And finally -books! On my list so far are Charmed Thirds by Megan Mccafferty (in paperback finally,) Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women by Elizabeth Wurtzel (only because I love Wurtzel so much,) and The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton.

Opinions? Anything else I should add onto the list?

Image credits: www.urbanoutfitters.com, www.americanapparel.com, www.opi.com, www.amazon.com