That Piece of Metal

Up to now, my favourite and most trust-worthy going-out handbag is a small Vuitton Vernis pouch. While I'm not big on monograms, I do think that the monogram on Vernis isn't as obvious or popular as the typical tan-coloured monograms. But what I really like about the Vernis bag is that it's made of patent leather, meaning that it's not 'the end of the bag' if someone spilt a drink on it. Plus the shininess of patent leather just somehow seems to suit going-out at night. But after using it for a few years, it's beginning to turn yellow and just recently at the back of Teen Vogue, the Vuitton ad was advertising this new Vernis bag:

On first glance, I thought it looked like a pretty and practical going-out bag that could last at least four seasons. But right in the centre of the bag, there's gold piece of metal that says 'Louis Vuitton'. In my mind, that's a con.

Unfortunately, having this big piece of metal on bags seems like a thing Marc Jacobs has been favouring in the recent seasons, whether it's at Vuitton...

or Marc Jacobs. Honestly, when I first saw those Marc Jacobs bags in real life, I remember thinking, 'That's ugly. Why would MJ add that brand-named-metal on such nice, contemporary bags?' And is it really necessary? It's usually pretty obvious when a bag is by Marc Jacobs (to me anyways.)

MJ seemed to have started these metal tags a few seasons back with Vuitton's canvas bags. I remember really not liking the tags back then. The thing is, it's understandably harder now for designers to differentiate their bags in the market from high street ones, especially when high street stores manage to produce the bags so quickly and some stores (eg. Zara) actually manage to make the bags to not look cheap. But is this really what designers are offering us now?

This season, Marc by Marc Jacobs has shrunk their metal tag smaller into this 'standard supply' tag, which is kind of an improvement from last season's metal plates (literally). (If you've visited a Marc boutique last season, you would have probably noticed some of the bags had HUGE Marc metal plates on them.)

Gucci has stitched on italic 'Gucci' on some of its bags in recent seasons too. But for some odd reason, it seemed more artistic and prettier than the Louis Vuitton metal tags -and I'm not even a fan of Gucci bags. (The picture here has a huge 'Gucci' name on it. The Gucci bags I'm referring to have smaller ones stitched on.)

Anyways, back to the first Vuitton bag on the top of this post, what does everyone think about it? I can't decide whether the gold metal tag is horrible enough to make me stop considering it!

Image credits: www.louisvuitton.com, www.guicci.com, www.shopbop.com, www.marcjacobs.com, www.saksfifthavenue.com

Men's Accessory: Omega Watch

Watchmakers Advice
By Claude H. Suddreth "Opinion Expert" (Phoenix, AZ USA)

I am rather opinionated when it comes to mens luxury watches. This comes from spending 2 years in watchmaking school, studying directly under the guidance of a certified master swiss watchmaker who came here from Europe. Men watches, especially mid to high grade swiss watches, are a passion of mine. I am not loyal to a brand or a style or anything else. I judge them for what they are, in terms of quality, function, construction, and style. A watchmakers point of view.

This said I will tell you that this particular men watch is what I consider to be a "best kept secret" sort of watch. This is an AUTOMATIC watch (read: Mechanical - NOT Quartz), and of CHRONOMETER grade function. Chronometer as used here is a measure of accurate timekeeping, not quality - a point often misunderstood - and is used mostly from a marketing point of view by companies such as Rolex. HOWEVER. This movement in THIS watch is actually EXCELLENT in terms of quality, time keeping ability, and construction - easily comparable to other Swiss made movements from other famous manufacturers costing several times as much. This watch, properly serviced, will provide a lifetime of use - and probably more. Absolutely the sort of men's watches you pass down to the next generation. (maybe still long way to go! :P)


All in all - and EXCELLENT choice - especially for those seeking their first QUALITY Swiss watch purchase.

Specification

Brand Name: Omega
Model number: 1202.30.00
Dial window material type: sapphire
Clasp: push-button-safety
Case material: stainless-steel-and-18k-gold
Case diameter: 39 millimeters
Case Thickness: 10 millimeters
Band material: stainless-steel-and-18k-gold
Band length: mens-standard
Dial color: silver-white
Bezel material: 18k-gold
Calendar: Date
Movement: Automatic
Water resistant depth: 165 Feet

Tags: Men Fashion Accessory, Omega Watches , Omega , Watches

Lancome: L.U.C.I

The other day I walked passed the Lancome counter and caught a glimpse of their new SS08 collection. Intrigued by the pretty shell packaging and vibrant colors, I booked an appointment to try out the new collection the very next day!
The theme of this SS08 collection by Gucci Westman is L.U.C.I, Luminescent Colorless Color Intelligence (And yes, I am aware that Colorless starts with a C and not a U. *shrugs* Maybe its a french thing?). The idea is to have a collection of colorless shimmery make-up that changes color all the time adjusting to different skin tones and the reflections of light. Doesn't that concept sound so awesome???
To begin with, the make-up artist did the whole usual cleaning, moisturizer, toner, pore minimizer (it is such a Lancome thing!) routine with me. Then she introduced me to their new make-up primer, La Base, which she applied to my face/nose (to fill in the pores) and under my EYES! Apparently, this is a special oil free formula that is even suitable as a eye primer! I'm not sure I follow the logic of oil free --> suitable for eye thing, but I LOVE the idea of undereye primer. It is SO annoying when the skin there is dry/flaky (even my eye cream has been applied!) and thus looks AWFUL when you apply concealer there. This product is genius. And it might be my imagination or the foundation, but I felt that my pores did look smaller. After all that base, foundation and concealer, she finished off the face with the Photonic Illuminating Powder, which is just loose powder with the sparkly light reflection stuff that is suppose to help highlight and sculpt your features. I really didn't feel the difference.
Moving on we had the eye make-up, where I daresay is where the whole luminescent thing should be at it's best. One of my favourite products out of the whole collection is the Illuminator, which is basically cream eye shadows. that goes on clear but reflects color when light hits it. How totally awesome is that??? I LOVE it. I got the "ray of pink light" shade. You can also use it as a base before you apply powder, but personally I think the powder would just mask the effect. If you get the more neutral apricot shade, you can also use it to highlight your features. After all, it DOES say it is an illuminator for the eyes and face.

The other eye make-up product is the eye shadow palette in the pretty white shell shaped box, the L.U.C.I EYES light color in motion duo eye shadows. I was really excited about it. I love eye shadow palettes and the colors looked so vibrant! The white shade that comes with the color is not simply a typical highlighting color, but it is a photonic eye shadow that changes color when light hits it. You can use it for highlighting or blend it with the color to create a third shade! The lady did a combination of ray of green and ray of purple (which is really quite blue) for me and let me say, the colors go on VERY sharply. Unfortunately for me what looked soo pretty in the palette did not go so well with me.... it was so overdramatic that it bordered on tacky on me. Maybe I am just unused to it? I mean, vibrant colors looked SO well on the models! Or could it be that Asian complexion doesn't go well with greens/blues? Well, in the end, as much as I LOVE eye shadow palettes, I had to pass on these ones. And a good thing too. I met up with 3 of my friends after and they were all totally horrified to see me as such!
To complete my eyes, she applied the Courbe Virtuose mascara on me (after the mascara booster of course). This one is suppose to make the lash curve and give divine length, but to me it just felt like any old Lancome mascara for me.... like Hypnose. Another thing I LOVE about this collection is the lip stuff. Even though the packaging is a bit bulky, I really like the Color Fever Shine (left). Especially since they came out with THE perfect ice pale pink color (Pink Flora) that I've been dreaming about. I love it. It applies quite smoothly too. They also have a collection of photonic Color Fever Gloss (right). They have this nice sheer shade that gives the perfect shine by itself and over lipstick. But one must be careful with these lip colors though. They have these two shades that are completely white that are loaded with photonic stuff that when you put it on your lips, it becomes a scary glowing alien color- not good.

Over all, I like the concept of the luminescent thing and subtly it works. But I reserve judgment on the super vibrant colors and the photonic overloaded lip stuff- thats just a little too much for me!

Phew~ well that was a lengthy review of a make-up collection. Kudos for finish reading it!

Image Source: Lancome

Man Fashion Accessories: Leather Belts

There is no better way to round out that perfect outfit than with men's leather fashion accessories. When you have leather accessories that complement your wardrobe, you give off a certain vibe of sophistication and style. You also show the people that you take your men's fashion seriously particularly if you are going for interview. The right men's leather fashion accessories will help you be remembered and give off a great impression to others.

Calfskin Dress Belt Full-grain Italian leather with a solid brass buckle. Full grain lining. Measures 1 1/8" wide. Imported. Sizes: 30-48. Colors: Black, Burgundy, Brown

Men's leather belt is a simple way to add the right leather accessory to your outfit. Men's leather belts come in a wide-array of styles so you can find one that will match your wardrobe perfectly. Many of these men's leather belts can either be very simple or complicated design, that suit different occasion.

Antiqued Two-Tone Belt Two-tone leather with antiqued buckle. 1 1/4" wide. Imported. Colors: Saddle Tan, Burgundy.

Tags: Mens Leather Belts, Man Fashion, Mens Fashion Belts

When Fashion Met Technology! Mobile Phone

More and more Fashion brands have moved away from their traditional business, either be cloth, jeans, shoes, perfumes etc, to more IT related product, particularly mobile phone.

First Prada, and follow by Levi's. Dolce & Gabbana has teamed up with Motorola, Julian McDonald with Sony Ericsson, Cath Kidston with Nokia and even rumours that Gucci will be getting into the action shortly.


Levi's, the jeans maker has launched a mobile phone, these stainless steel shell Levi black mobile phones contain the features that can easily mesmerize the people around. The camera is a 2-mega-pixel that can easily take the qualitative photographs along with the best video recordings. These features help you store the precious and valuable moments of your life and you will be just one click away to live with those moments again in future.


Levi black mobile phone has 40 MB in built memory with expandable Micro SD slot too. So, you do not need to disappoint, you can store as much data. Far from your heavy music player equipment handset will not let you bore. It might be your good friend in your loneliness. This set includes multimedia player, MP3 player and Bluetooth stereo in which you can listen and view your favorite songs and videos.

Besides these entertainers, it has one more feature that completes the set in itself and that is in-built radio, which does not only acquaintance you with the old or latest music but also the news updates around the whole world.

Prada, the fashion label is making a mobile phone? Surely not. Well it seems that perfumes are old hat when it comes to extending the brand beyond clothes.


So it's not as illogical as it may sound for Prada to be releasing a mobile phone and before you have to rush off to another catwalk show lets get it out of the way now. This phone is lovely.

Small and compact - it's about the size of the Chocolate phone from LG, the phone is simplistic in its design thanks to the lack of keypad. No slider, clam or candybar design needed here, just one piece of technology with a couple of shortcut buttons.

The front displays the touchscreen, which not only dominates the design of the phone, but also like the Chocolate models from LG disappears when not in use, the only other buttons on the front are a small pick-up, hang-up and menu.


The sides offer equally small buttons for the camera shutter, MP3 player, lock and volume. If you need glasses to see small details, then this isn't for you. The buttons are poorly labelled, but then what do you expect - this isn't the Vodafone Simply phone designed for the over 70s.

Tags: Mobile Phone, Prada Mobile, Levi's Mobile Phone, MP3 player, Fashion Gadget

Stylish Puffers

Lets face it. As warm as layering and cashmere coats are, the comfy cushiony warmth a puffer provides is hard to beat. Lucky for us, this season designers finally came out with stylish looking puffers! I just LOVE the new designs for the collar. They are so refreshing (if not very practical. I can just HEAR my mom telling me how my neck is exposed to the cold and I will catch a cold....). I especially LOVE this one from Add Down (left), with the wide neck and the belt that gives it shape, it was the puffer that inspired this post! To "protect" the neck, there is also this one from Marc by Marc Jacobs (right), where you can adjust the neckline as needed. I LOVE this puffer as well. Also from Add Down, you can convert the wide collar into a hoodie!!! How CUTE! I also love the neat simple cutting that gives a more flattering body shape. Some other cute designs, there is this high necked puffer from Vince (left). Judging from the puff, it may also be warmer. And for a more biker-ish look, there is this one from Theory (right). For something more classic, we have these ones from Burberry. I've tried on the beige one on the left, and the cutting is actually not that bad and quite flattering! And I think the black one over here is perfect if you want something simple but still with a little bit of a twist (double breasted and high neckline)- your neck will definitely be warm!

Stay stylishly warm everyone!

Image Source: Burberry and Shopbop

SAG 2008 Fashion

Fashion at the SAG Awards this year was a bit of a yawn. There were very few (or argueably no) super impressive dresses. With the fewer number of award red carpets this year, one would imagine the actresses would put more effort into this ceremony, or that more actresses would have turned up. Nevertheless, here are some that I liked:

My favourite was surprisingly Kate Hudson's dress. OK, so her hair is admittedly a bit werid (-it's so shiny and sleek but it looks like something's off about it,) but I love her dress! It's so pretty and flowy-looking. Plus it's got that graceful, bohemian feel to it.

Marcia Cross was gorgeous as usual. Her hair is so perfectly curled. And even though she's wearing green again, that dress has got such gorgeous draping.

Not sure about that hairstyle on Eva Longoria, but this white, backless dress fits her amazingly, as usual. Not a particularly interesting dress though.

Normally I'm not a fan of Debra Messing's red carpet outfits, but I thought she carried off this Oscar de la Renta dress well. I think it's because the gold colour and those embellishment compliment her skin and hair colours well. But the point is, she's looking great and sparkly!

Both Kate Beckingsale and Vanessa Williams wore yellow, but the effect turned out to be very different. Kate looked really elegant and lady-like; kind of Valentino-esque. Vanessa looked feirce -the power of Versace!

I'm not sure how to feel about Amanda Bynes' outfit here. The dress is pretty and fits her well. And her hairstyle is very fun and elegant. But for some odd reasons, the dress kind of reminds me of American prom dresses, (a riduclously well-made prom dress of course.)

Michelle Pfeiffer's outfit looks plain, but everything fits so well and match perfectly. Maybe it's not the most interesting outfit around, but she looks fantastic. I can't get over how she's almost 50 years old!

Becki Newton's white dress is my other favourite dress. I love how it's got such a classy silhouette, but the tiered skirt bit gives it a much more youthful and stylish touch. Loves it!! Plus, I love her perfectly curled and styled hair! (And her Amanda smirk!) As for America Ferrera, I really think she could have done better. Grey and lacy dresses like that should be left for the more mature ladies.

To end this post, I chose this fun photo of Olivia Wilde. I actually really like that dress, and the cool tone matches her cool brunette hair so perfectly!

That's all for now. Hopefully Oscars will still happen and there will be more gorgeous dresses! Whose dress was your favourite?

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

La chemise dans tous ses états

Dans la série....la tendance étant de tout piquer à son homme...la chemise s'impose de toute évidence.

Au féminin, ce basique intemporel, nous assure délicieusement une allure à la fois, classique, chic et sexy.
Certaines d'entre nous se contenteront de piocher dans la penderie de leur cher mâle, d'autres plus perfectionnistes préféreront la choisir chez nos créateurs, qui cette année encore, l'ont déclinée sous toutes ses formes...

Sexy....


Stricte...


Sage


Longue


Pour son dress code, ce n'est pas tant une affaire de manches, mais plutôt une affaire de "boutons"...la gent féminine fera en sorte...de laisser entre apercevoir une once de soutien gorge, ce qui révèlera tout le charme de la pièce.

Sa petite histoire? D'abord sous les traits d'une tunique à coupe droite, c'est au XVème siècle qu'on lui ajoute un col, la chemise voit ainsi le jour. Simple au départ, elle devient de plus en plus sophistiquée, avec dentelles et ornements, plus sophistiquée elle sera et plus le statuts social sera élevé chez celui qui l'a porte.
A partir du XIXe siècle, elle se porte plus longue et plus discrète.
Enfin, le XX siècle et depuis...la chemise est devenue un basic dont on abuse et "rebuse" , elle ne connaît ni le temps qui passe, ni la mode qui se démode...

Man Fashion: Men's Guide to Fashion Lingerie Part II

So guys, if you are still have doubts about lingerie and need to know more before you walk into any lingerie shop! That's right, here come the in depth men guide on women's fashion lingerie.

Generally, there are 6 different categories of lingerie in the market: Sporty, Natural, Elegant, Designer, Sexy and special occasion, or Bridal Lingerie. Of course, these categories can overlap, Bridal or sexy lingerie can be made by a designer. Sport lingerie can also be natural. Natural can be sexy. But understanding these six categories will help one to determine which lingerie to select.

Fashion Natural Lingerie
Natural Lingerie, in general tends to be functional and less obvious. Simplicity, quality and comfort tend to be the major criteria for use. Darjeeling lingerie brand is for women who prefer the natural look.

Sporty Lingerie
The purpose of sporty lingerie is that the lingerie should support but not hinder the lifestyle of the woman. They should not be obvious under tight clothing and yet not give up anything in the way of functionality. Prada is well known for their sport lingerie. Sloggi developed a strong image in this area as well.

Elegant Lingerie
Elegant lingerie is designed to give the woman a look of subtle sensuality without being too obviously erotic. Many types and styles of elegant lingerie cross over with designers. Chantelle’s Riviera lingerie is one example of elegant lingerie.

Designer Lingerie
Designer lingerie gives a woman the feeling of being special. As few people will ever know she is wearing lingerie made by a designer, the woman who spends the money on designer lingerie is spending it mostly for herself. The focus is on style over comfort or quality. Dolce and Gabana, Versace and recently popular Agent Provocateur are a few important designers of lingerie.

Sexy Lingerie
Sexy lingerie combines a wide range of styles and look. Many different types of lingerie can be included here, such as thongs or G-strings, teddy, corsets, garters, body stockings, sheer lingerie etc. To be sure, any of these can be included in other categories. For example a thong can be sporty or elegant. A corset can be sexy, provocative or elegant. Any of them can be made by a designer. But the overall look of these types of lingerie gives the woman a sexy feel. Victoria’s Secret has a focus on sexy lingerie. Fredericks is their fading competitor. Lola Luna specializes
in G-Strings or thongs. Lady Marlene focuses on Bustiers. Lise Charmel of France combines seduction with fashion.

Bridal Lingerie
Bridal Lingerie is made especially for that one day for which a woman waits all of
her life, her wedding night. Usually it combines a white, creamy color with elegant
and sexy style. Comfort or durability is hardly an issue here, but sensuality and
style are essential. It seems that every lingerie designer markets a line of bridal lingerie.

So do you have any brands in mind? No clue? No worry, depends on where you live, most lingerie are either be national or regional. Here are some of the famous brands you can find either near you or in the net.

• Chantelle Lingerie is one of the top brands of French lingerie, exporting to more than 50 countries. Passioneta and Darjeeling are Chantelle brands. However, Chantelle sales are still quite small in the USA.
  

• La Perla began as a small Italian manufacturer of corsets and is now becoming well known internationally as a manufacturer of lingerie
  

• Fantasie is a UK lingerie designer that focuses on lingerie in larger cup sizes. The UK represents, by far, the major sales for Fantasie.
  

• Triumph is a German lingerie manufacturer that like La Perla had its beginnings as a small local manufacturer of corsets and has grown to an international corporation. Sloggi is a brand which is owned by Triumph. Triumph is barely existent in North America.
  

• Victoria’s Secret was started in the 1977 by Roy Raymond who wanted a European style shop that was accessible to males as well as females. Raymond sold his company in 1982 to The Limited Inc and it has grown up to be the top US manufacturer of lingerie. However, Victoria’s Secret is almost unknown in Europe.
  

Remember all these, so next time when you walk into any lingerie shop, yous should at least know how to ask a few simple questions.

One final question for today, what is your favorite lingerie and brands? Do share your opinions here.

Tags: Men Fasihon Tips, Gifts for Ladies, Valentine Gifts, Man Guide to Lengerie

Man Fashion: A Men's Guide to Lingerie

Just came across this interesting article in the net and thought of share with you guys here. Some years back, Normal Heights resident Mike Pazder walked into a Victoria's Secret by himself -- without any previous lingerie knowledge -- in search of something, anything."I didn't know how this whole operation worked," the now 29-year-old lawyer said. "I didn't know if I was supposed to touch anything or just keep my hands to myself."A saleswoman sensed his uneasiness around all the lacy, silky fabrics with strappy things, hooks and lace, and helped him out."It wasn't exactly the most comfortable conversation when we were trying to figure out what size to get and I had to compare my girlfriend's body to hers," Pazder said. "But aside from that, there is no question that the best advice is to immediately go up to a saleswoman when you go in the store and ask for help rather than wandering around aimlessly looking and feeling like a big perv."Point noted and taken: MEN, ASK FOR HELP.
Nobody expects men like you and me to be an expert in lingerie. Turn to those who have the knowledge before buying her unmentionables this holiday season. Laurie Thomas, owner of San Diego lingerie shop The Enchantress, shares a few tips that might make your life a lot easier.

So if you are going into lingerie shop next time, remember this advice.

Source: fashionrail

Tags: Men Fasihon Tips, Gifts for Ladies, Valentine Gifts, Man Guide to Lengerie

Man Fashion: Korea Street Fashion

Medium length hairstyles is the trend.

Black jacket and messenger bag is still the main theme in Seoul, Korea.

Tags: Asian Street Fashion, Man Fashion, Street Fashion, Men hairstyles

Haute couture sous toutes les coutures....

Les défilés de Haute-Couture présentés ces derniers jours sont comme toujours un véritable hymne à la quintessence des toilettes.
Alchimie d'un savoir-faire, d'étoffes luxuriantes, de broderies féériques...le vêtement se veut parure...C'est l'air et l'art de la perfection.

Mais qu’est-ce que la Haute-Couture ? Appellation juridiquement protégée et « dont ne peuvent se prévaloir que les entreprises figurant sur la liste établie chaque année par une commission siégeant au ministère de l’Industrie », indique-t-on à la Chambre syndicale de la haute couture. Son origine remonte à Charles Frédéric Worth qui crée, en 1858, au 7 rue de la Paix, à Paris, la première véritable maison de haute couture, créant des modèles originaux pour des clientes particulières.

"La haute couture, ce sont des secrets chuchotés de génération en génération... », a si délicieusement définit Yves Saint Laurent.

Tout comence par un croquis, illustrant une silhouette de princesse, ensuite, tout le savoir faire et le travail artisanal prend la relève pour que l'esquisse devienne réalité. Brodeurs, modistes, plumassiers vont travailler des heures et des heures pour donner vie à la toile. Viennent ensuite les essayages multiples, pour corriger quelques "imperfections" afin de finaliser la toilette d'exception destinée à des clientes d'exceptions.
Ensuite, c'est l'heure des défilés, théâtre de véritables oeuvres d'arts en mouvements....la magie nous tansporte...quelques photos volées aux derniers défilés....illustrent cette féérie liée au savoir faire et à toute l'élégance de la Haute Couture....



Jean Paul Gauthier


Christian Lacroix


Valentino


Christian Dior


Elie Saab



Armani Privé


Givenchy


Chanel


Anne Valérie Hash