Look of the Week

Marc Jacob again this week. Last week was brunch or lunch with the girls. Well this outfit is definitely dinner and drinks with the girls. It's not bombshell Versace sexy but an overt "trying to impress other women" sexy. Which makes it perfect for a "middle of winter, it's freezing!" girls night.

Marc Jacob Fall 2009 RTW
Style.com

Look of the Week

Perfect outfit for Sunday brunch or lunch with the girls and maybe a bit of shopping or a movie after. It is fun and flirty with the floral skirt but put together with a cozy sweater and boots. Also, the hat adds a nice cover for a late night or a hangover (probably both...ha).

Marc by Marc Jacob Fall 2009 RTW
Style.com

Look of the Week

Another look that you can actually wear on a regular day. Simply gorgeous sweater dress. A grandma-ish flower design given an edge with the zipper up the middle of the sweater. I wasn't a fan of the tights with open-toe shoe look a few seasons ago when it started. But I think the styling of it has improved a lot. This look does it right because it takes a patterned tight (not pantyhose and not boring tights) and matches it with a platform sandal. I think platform sandals look the best with tights. I'm really not a fan of open-toe booties.

Marni Fall 2009 RTW
Style.com

Sephora Gifts 2009 - Eyeliner Sets

It's that time of the year again! Holiday shopping is here and each week I will highlight some of the best beauty gifts available at Sephora. It is really the go to place to pick up holiday gifts. They come pre-packaged with shiny boxes and they are usually pretty good deals compared with individual product costs. I only pick things I would want to receive or would buy to give. Each week will have a theme and this week it is eyeliner sets.

There are two brands that have eyeliner sets worth talking about: Urban Decay and Make Up For Ever. In fact, many people think they are basically the same product. Each says they have a creamy texture, glide easily and are water-proof. Both come in many colors and both are very popular.

Hi-Fi 24/7 Set $35CAD/$29USD

This set contains:
- 24/7 Eyeliner in Mildew (deep green - EXCLUSIVE)
- 24/7 Eyeliner in Zero (black)
- 24/7 Eyeliner in 1999 (plum)
- 24/7 Eyeliner in Flipside (bright teal)
- Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Distortion (opalescent pearl)

24/7 Super Stash $43CAD/$36USD

This set contains:
- Corrupt (brown sparkle - EXCLUSIVE)
- Binge (navy - finally! - EXCLUSIVE)
- Eldorado (a new gold - EXCLUSIVE)
- Oil Slick (black sparkle - EXCLUSIVE)
- Zero (black)
- Graffiti (bright green with silver sparkle)
- Ransom (bright iridescent purple)
- Rockstar (dark purple)
- Stash (dark golden green)


Aqua Eyes Collection Set $35CAD/$35USD

This set contains:
- 0L black
- 21L dark grey (new)
- 12L blue with green highlights
- 4L shimmering plum
- 23L champagne

Aqua Eyes Collector Set $275CAD/$249USD
This is a deal if you break it down per FULL SIZE eyeliner: $11CAD/$10USD

Shades include Aqua Eyes are:
Champagne 23L, Fuschia Pink 13L, Purple 11L, Black Purple 6L, Shimmering Plum 4L, Burgandy 18L, Pearly Brown 2L, Light Brown 19L, Light Taupe 24L, Bronze Green 5L, Bronze 10L, Gold 9L, Pistachio 17L, Green 16L, Forest Green 20L, Turquoise 7L, Blue With Green Highlights 12L, Majorelle Blue 15L, Iridescent Navy Blue 3L, Mat Black 0L, Star Black 1L, Dark Grey 21L, Grey 22L, Silver 8L, White 14L.

Shopbop Designer Lookbook

Shopbop is highlighting one of my favourite denim labels: J Brand.



J Brand has some of the best skinny jeans that are around. There are two options for skinny jeans: 10" and 12" ankle circumference. Basically, one is super tight and the other is slightly less tight. Really both are tight but looks amazing and I don't even have nice legs or anything like that. I have never tried their other styles but they are famous for the 10" skinny jean. I recommend it too!

J Brand can be found in Canada at Aritzia which means you can actually try them on. However, I think the prices are better online and since Shopbop amazingly offers free shipping to Canada, it's a good alternative (I haven't used Shopbop before because I am broke but I know it is reputable because it is owned by Amazon.com). I also find that there are more sales online. From my experience trying on what is available at Artizia (where I used to go for J Brand), the sizes are pretty consistent across styles and colors/materials.

Inspiration

Fashion and Design: Two Sides of the Same Coin?

I love to read blogs and the two things I enjoy reading the most are fashion and design. I'm not exactly the most artistic person you'll ever know (more like the opposite) but I think it makes sense that ideas used in either fashion or design can apply to the other. For example, I saw this post about using black and navy blue colors together in rooms. It looks amazing, particularly when there is a splash of crisp white thrown in. I just thought, its a nice twist on an all black outfit.

What inspired me:

Source: Apartment Therapy

How it can be done:

(l-r)Vanessa Bruno Bead-embellished bustier dress, Moschino Double-breasted wool dress

(Source: Net-A-Porter)

How to do it with separates:

(l-r)Marc Jacob Double-breasted wool-blend coat, Narciso Rodriguez Wool twill off-the-shoulder dress
Sometimes you get up in the morning and you just want to wear something simple, easy and black. While a black dress with black tights and black booties is stylish and monochromatic, it can seem really blah when you are already feeling blah. Just add a navy blue wool coat. Even though it still seems understated and somber, the subtle pop of blue gives the whole look just a slight twist with little effort.

(Source: Net-A-Porter)

Look of the Week

This is classic Dsquared2 styling: trucker hat plus Canadian influence. This is a great everyday look. You can actually imagine yourself wearing it and you can actually imagine a place you can where this (pretty much anywhere). I love the folded up scrubby denim look and it looks best paired with a dressier element. In this look, the red velvet blazer is a great contrast. And I really wish I could get a pair of boots like those, preferable the Burberry ones.

DSquared2 Fall 2009 RTW
Style.com

Funny Quotes from another blog

So I read many blogs. Sometimes they make me angry, sometimes they inspire me, and this time I laughed my head off.

I found out about this blogger from the Sartorialist when everyone was talking about how he ditched his wife and hooked up with the French blogger/photographer Garance Doré. At first, I thought "ok, this woman stole someone's husband so I can default to disliking her but lets see whats so great about her" but then I realized these people's relationships are none of my business! hahaha So I added her blog to my Google Reader and she is quite charming and talented. Garance writes in French and it gets translated into English by another blogger who I haven't checked out yet.

But back to what I read on her blog today that are hilarious:

"A photo of me that I like! It’s a miracle! I hate all photos of myself, and the worst of it is that I have this HORRIBLE theory about people who hate photos of themselves. It’s that they think they’re a lot more attractive than they really are. Voilà. So I have this incredible admiration for people who are comfortable with their image...."
Way too funny and while I never thought of it this way before, I am convinced it is true. I like a lot of pictures of myself...so does that conversely mean I am more attractive than I think I am? That'd be kinda cool

"No but seriously now, tell me, do they put something in their lattes so you go through withdrawal thinking I’m-going-to-have-a-breakdown-if-I-don’t-get-my-latte every time you pass within a mile of a Starbucks?"
Boyf agrees and I just thought it was so true. It's not even that great of a drink but I gotta say I crave my double tall skinny vanilla latte. mmmm its the middle of the night but I could totally go for one.

Check out her site:

Look of the Week

Amazing outfit for a 2nd or 3rd date. It's a touch-friendly top, but the outfit is not too dressy.

Alexander Wang Fall 2009 RTW
Style.com

Per Se Kitchen Hierarchy in NYMag

I have read many times about the magnificent kitchens and staff at Thomas Keller's establishments Per Se and French Laundry. In NYMag, there is an article about how the kitchen staff is setup and a description of each person's role. It is like a HR graph at some major corporation but about something more interesting. It is interesting that there is very specific job for each person at each station and that most restaurants have a form of this setup. The setup is called the brigade system defined at the Savoy Hotel in the 19th century and it was based on the structure created by European military cooks as far back as the 14th century. Of course, given the cost of a meal at one of these places (not including alcoholic beverages) is about $150-200 per person and requires you to call at 10am exactly X months from the day you desire to eat there in order to get a table, the kitchen better be military precise. The availability of tables could have improved as the economy is in the gutter now which is a good thing for us regular people who want to eat there if we can still afford to and a bad thing for the restaurant. I can't afford to travel to the restaurants nor could I afford to eat there even if I can travel to Cali or NY so I can't really know. However, both places are on my list of places I want to eat in the next 5 years.

Look of the Week

This design takes two trends I love right now (zipper and bows...so 80's) and puts it in one grey dress. I would definitely wear this but there's no bra which makes this kind of backless dress difficult for me. I love it so much, I don't even care that I wouldn't have any real support in the chest.

This bra dilemma reminds me of an article I read recently in NYTimes about new designers going out on their own. In the article, the designer, Joseph Altuzarra, lives in NYC but designs in Europe. He explained what the buyers at American stores told him will sell better: "They [the buyers] said American women won’t wear dresses without a bra. “The bra thing in America is huge, in comparison to Europe,” he said." This I believe to be true, women here have a much more modest sensibility than

Yves Saint Laurent Spring 2009 RTW
Model: Chanel Iman
Photo: Marcio Madeira

Look of the Week

This is one of the best outfits with shorts that I have seen. It's sleek and simple. It doesn't look like you are going to a bbq or the beach but it also doesn't look like one of those shorts that need to be pressed like dress pants. And the accessories are great. The graphic clutch and the pinky ring are so cute.

Dries Van Noten Spring 2009 RTW
Model: Sigrid Agren
Photo: Marcio Madeira

Look of the Week

I love this party outfit. It is a unique color that few people would be wearing. Also the knots and folds standout but are too outlandish. It would definitely be the chicest outfit in the room with the best rock star shoes.

Lanvin Spring 2009 RTW
Model: Diana Farkhullina
Photo: Marcio Madeira

Look of the Week

Best example of accessory (chain necklace) as top. Also the use of the silver complements the cool look of the crisp white blazer and high-waisted shorts.

Ann Demeulemeester Spring 2009 RTW
Model: Sophie Srej
Photo: Marcio Madeira

Just Bought: CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund A. Wang Jacket

I dropped by the Gap earlier this week and saw the new CFDA clothes. The Vena Cava designs were nice from afar but up close, the print design wasn't very attractive. Particularly the pants. They looked like something a child in kindergarten drew on their own pants. However the Alexander Wang designs were quite nice. At first I was attracted to the cropped motorcycle jacket but when I tried it on, it was way to big/boxy and made me look wider. I then tried on the zip-front blazer (second top on the right in top photo or photo below). It was perfection.


On me:

Emma Watson - Burberry A/W '09 BTS

An exclusive Emma Watson and Burberry's Christian Bailey interviews from the behind the scenes photo shoots in London. Great song in the background. Again, she looks amazing.

True Blood Season 2

Thanks to a Japanese scientist's invention of synthetic blood, vampires have progressed from legendary monsters to fellow citizens overnight. And while humans have been safely removed from the menu, many remain apprehensive about these creatures "coming out of the coffin." Religious leaders and government officials around the world have chosen their sides, but in the small Louisiana town of Bon Temps, the jury is still out.

Local waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin), however, knows how it feels to be an outcast. "Cursed" with the ability to listen in on people's thoughts, she's also open-minded about the integration of vampires — particularly when it comes to Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer), a handsome 173-year-old living up the road. But at the service of Bill's less virtuous vampire associates, Sookie is drawn into a series of catastrophes that will put their love to the test.

The latest hit series from 'Six Feet Under' creator Alan Ball, 'True Blood' delves into the meticulously-crafted world of novelist Charlaine Harris. Described by the Emmy®-winning Ball as "popcorn for smart people," the first season of ‘True Blood' caused an overnight sensation — and the new installments only build on his colorful cast of supernatural misfits.

True Blood was back for season 2 on June 14. It's on every Sunday and there will be 12 episodes. I think it is a great show about vampires and I love the relationship between Sookie and Bill who are also dating in real life. It is HBO's 3rd most popular show after SATC and the Sopranos which is pretty impressive. Watch the first season and catch up if you aren't already into the show.

Look of the Week

In honor of the start of Wimbledon this week here is an all white look that would be perfectly cute for the grass court.

Adidas by Stella McCartney Sprint 2009 RTW
Model: ???
Photo: Marcio Madeira

Are these worth it?

I desperately want a romper style jumpsuit. I consider this one of those trends that I might easily regret in about 3 months but I really want one now. However, if you go to the fast-fashion stores like Zara or H&M, they are really not attractive looking. Two similar ones that I have found that I think look great are both regularly $500! Even with the Vanessa Bruno ones at $200, I think it is excessive for something that I won't have any desire to wear next year. One summer of ironic 70's flashback (at least I wasn't born in that decade lol) is enough even if the style is still hot next year.

Catherine Holstein Jumper $554


Vanessa Bruno Athé Playsuit $510 now $204


So is it worth a couple hundred to buy one of these? They are so much nicer than the ones I've seen so far but they are also way beyond what I would normally spend on a trend item....

MAC Cosmetics

There is a F&F sale on at MAC starting today. 25% off everything on the site excluding VIVA Glam with code: SUMO.

I picked up the following:

190 Foundation Brush










213 Fluff Brush










Dazzleglass in Stepping Out (Clean yellow pink with red pearl)










Eye Shadow in Carbon (Intense black (Matte))

Look of the Week

Perfect for a hot day and night. The casualness of the style plus the cool pale blue color makes it right for summer but the sequins carry it into evening.

Stella McCartney Spring 2009 RTW
Model: Raquel Zimmermann
Photo: Marcio Madeira (Style.com)

Emma Watson - Burberry A/W '09

And I have to have the bag in this shot. It is a great looking bag even with the Burberry check all over it.


Emma Watson looks amazing and all grown up. Hopefully people will see past Hermione and Harry Potter now. And I noticed in many blogs that she has grown into great style and is showing great taste in designers and looks.

Big Sexy Hair

I always use random shampoos, basically whatever is on sale at the drugstore or what other people in the house buy. I am not a hair product lover nor do I have any preferences. I did enjoy a certain Pantene Pro-V shampoo/conditioner phase in the last 2 years but it wasn't a serious relationship. Recently, I started using the brand Big Sexy Hair. Its Extra Big Volume Shampoo is incredible. My hair is shinier, healthier and way fuller/thicker looking. My hair is super long right now and I can't believe how not weighed down it looks. Honestly, when I saw what my mom brought home (she is a volume hair product fanatic, the word 'extra' in the name really gave her ideas) I thought it was the most ridiculous brand ever. Plus I hate the color of the bottle, it just seems tacky. I am a sucker for packaging and this one doesn't look too good. Luckily, it works great for me.

Note: My mom uses Matrix volumizing shampoo and did not like the Big Sexy Hair one which is why she gave it to me. She says the Matrix one is better. I have never tried her shampoo so I can't agree or disagree.

Flats

Michelle Obama loves wearing flats and that makes sense. She has to stand and greet people in public frequently. She is also very tall. Check out on the H.Post some of her flat footwear choices. Michelle Obama's Flats: Comfort Never Looked So Cool

That said, I am very into flat sandals because summer is all about being outside, enjoying the weather and walking on the sidewalks. And I refuse to do that in 4" heels, not even 3" heels. So here are some flat/low-heeled sandals at every price range. I want all of them. But I can settle for the only one I have actually seen around in Vancouver. Good ole BCBG.

1. Prada Suede and Leather Flat $720. I think these are from last year but they still look good this season. Also, I'm not too into this year's flat sandals. Very boring.


2. BCBGMAXAZRIA TIONESS Sand $225. Yes, there is a little wedge heel but I think it would be manageable. It looks a lot lower in real life. I will probably be getting these.


3. Seychelles Leather $35. This is an amazing deal. God, I wish I could find these shoes. For that price, it's definitely worth it.