Best Dressed - Charlize Theron
The awards season is here and I am excited to see what the stars are wearing this year and the latest trends they will be parading on the red carpet. We have interesting colours from the very pale blush tones to the very bright yellows and peacock blues. Charlize Theron, Michelle Williams and Busy Philips were sporting Spring 2012 hair accessory trend i.e. the glittering headbands. The usual big designer names were worn by the stars – Versace, Armani, Dior, Cavalli, Zac Posen, Calvin Klein, to name a few but Dior was most worn by the Hollywood A-listers. If you watched or followed the updates on the Golden Globes, I am sure you will be making fashion judgements on the stars’ style choices. Who is your best and worst? I have a few favourites but my best dressed goes to Charlize Theron in a blush tone Dior couture. She looks flawlessly AMAZING from top to toe! I just love the side swept hair with the elegant glittery headband, the plunging neckline which works for a small bosom lady and the high slit which is another big trend this year. Her shoes were simple and elegant which was perfect for such a big dress. She is really a STAR! My other favourites were:
1) Reese Witherspoon in crimson red Zac Posen was breathtakingly beautiful. It showed off her curves and her skin glowed in that shade of red. I like that her hairstyle was simple and natural looking. When you wear a strong colour like red, it works better with natural looking makeup, simple hairstyle and minimal accessories. Otherwise, it will look cluttered and overwhelming.
Reese Witherspoon
2) Angelina Jolie in Atelier Versace. Satin and the colour, ivory can be very unforgiving but the gown fitted her body like a glove! Of course, I am sure there is Spanx underneath but it still takes a bold sexy woman to be able to carry that gown with aplomb! I honestly don’t think anyone else can pull it off except for Jolie. She looked stunning! To complement the sexy style, she went with red crimson lipstick (another spring trend) and red clutch.
Angeina Jolie
3) Piper Perabo wearing a dramatic gown by Theysken’s Theory. Belgian born designer, Olivier Theyskens is known for his creative, modern and cutting-edge designs. The gown is dramatic but not over-the-top due to its light colour and simple lines. It was the most creative design on the red carpet. I love its silhouette, it looked like a cutting-edge fairytale ball gown. Thumbs up!
Piper Perabo
Tags: best dressed, Golden Globes, gown
Yellow is the colour of Spring 2012. Hollywood starlets wore vibrant yellow gowns at the recent Golden Globes award ceremony (see pictures below). Vibrant, loud, striking, cheerful, exciting – in other words, this colour screams from 10 miles away! Because it is such a strong primary colour, most people will shy away from wearing it. Also, some may find that yellow makes their skin more sallow. This is not true if you know which shade of yellow suits your skintone. If you have a golden complexion or yellow looking tan, a lemon yellow will look best on you. Those with soft pinky complexion looks better in creamy yellows. If your skin is bronzed and tanned, go for a yellow mustard colour. And if you have an alabaster complexion, you will radiate in primary yellow. Now, how do you balance off such a strong colour with the rest of your get-up? Keep the rest of your clothings understated by wearing neutral palettes like grey, camel, navy, white or black. When you tone it down with neutral colours, it will be easier to wear yellow to work without being too much of a distraction or centre of attention. If the office culture is more relax and creative, you have more options to choose e.g. pair a yellow top with pink skirt or throw a green jacket over your yellow blouse. Otherwise, inject other accent colours through your accessories like a red bag, pink shoes or bright coloured cocktail rings and bangles. Be adventurous with your colour choices this year as yellow is the new black!
Tags: spring 2012, yellow
Recently I was interviewed by a leading local newspaper in Singapore. In conjunction with the release of a survey conducted on women dating shorter men, I was asked how shorter men could dress to make them appear taller. Here are excerpts of the five tips I shared:
1) Dress to fit your body. Any excess fabric will add inches to your body and this will make you look not just sloppy but bigger than you actually are.
2) The more vertical lines your outfit has, the leaner you will appear. For example, besides opting for vertical striped shirts, go for diagonal cuffs, non-cuffed pants, interesting standout buttons as one’s eye will be drawn to the row of buttons in a vertical manner.
3) Shorter cuffs on the sleeves will also elongate the arms. Rolling up the sleeves till your elbow will make your limbs look longer too.
4) The trendy guys can wear shoes with slight heel or platform boots which is a hot trend now in fashion conscious cities like Tokyo and Hong Kong.
5) Styling your hair in such a way to create height, even if it just a few centimetres can really make a big difference.
Tags: dressing, dressing tips, short men, style, tips
Do you like boots? I love boots! Unfortunately, where I stay, the weather doesn’t permit:-( So it is with envy when I see women with gorgeous boots in the magazines and on TV. Boots are the best accessory for your fall/winter wardrobe, so you may want to get some tips on how to choose the best style for your body type.
If you have thick calves, ankles and wide feet, choose boots with:
- Pointy toe which will elongate your feet (See picture A)
- Simple clean lines and design for a lean look
- Heels to make your legs look slimmer and taller
- Vertical designs or lines for a slimming effect (see picture B)
- A length that stops at the narrowest part of your leg e.g. the ankle length (see picture C)
- Colours that match your skintone or stockings as one colour tone creates a slimming effect
If you have thin calves, ankles and feet, choose boots with:
- Rounded or squared toe which will make your feet look wider
- Thicker heels or flats to make your legs look fuller (see pictures A & C)
- Horizontal designs or lines especially at the thickest part of your leg to make it look fuller (see pictures A & B)
- A length that stops at the widest part of your leg e.g. mid-calf length (see picture C)
- Colours that contrast with your skintone or stockings
Happy boot shopping!
Tags: Boots
Are you planning for an autumn/winter holiday? Or shopping for clothes in preparation for the cold months ahead? Well, winter wear need not be boring black and gray. The chilly wind and dark clouds are sombre enough to wear one’s mood down! So brighten up your autumn/winter wear by adding a pop of colour into your wardrobe. A favourite this autumn/winter fashion is the bright coloured pants from Spring season. Work it into your wardrobe staple of sweaters and faux fur coats.Depending on your personal style, you can pair the bright blue pants I have chosen, with a smart white tux jacket and a large floppy hat which is so Kim Kardashian. This is a sharp and sexy look for a dinner date. For a preppy chic style, wear the pants with a smart plaid jacket, mustard turtle neck sweater and red beret. For colder days, throw on a fur leather biker’s jacket or colourful wool sweater. Accessories are a great way to jazz up your autumn/winter wear; so don’t forget the funky colourful boots and head wear. Hats are fantastic for adding warmth and oomph to your outfits. I love the woollen berets from stud details to animal prints, I have them all:-)
Tags: accessories, autumn, hats, winter
Green is the new colour trend this autumn/winter. Lady Gaga was photographed wearing green from head-to-toe in Japan..literally, as her hair was dyed turquoise green!
Green Gaga
Are you bold enough to be like Gaga? The new colours for this season are sage teal and winter mint, which are softer and more wearable than lime green from head to toe. I love how the designers combined the different shades of green on the runway. The result was sophisticated, classy and refreshing. I think green looks gorgeous when paired with its neighbouring colours like purple and yellow or with neutrals such as grays and whites. Find your own shades of green that works for your skintone. If you have yellow undertones, go for something bright like pistachio green. Blue or pink undertones can look good in winter mint. Play with textures, prints and fabrics to make your head to toe look more interesting.
Tags: autumn, green, lady gaga, trend, winter
Romance is in the air! With Scarlett Johansson and Kate Middleton wowing the crowd recently with their fabulous lace ensemble, I am sure lace dresses (especially the gorgeous red one worn by Kate) is flying off the shelves in seconds.
Scarlett
Kate
Lace was dominant on the runway this year and it will continue to be in trend next year.Can you wear lace to work? Absolutely! Depending on your work culture, there are many options of what you can wear to the office. Lace is feminine, elegant, sexy, pretty and classic. It is also versatile and evergreen. For a feminine 1960s look, wear lace blouses that are softly tailored with a long pleated skirt. Modernise it with latest trend platform loafers. Or a pair of pointy toe kitten heels for an ultra demure look. Don’t forget the bright red lipstick! If you love Mad Men, you will like this style. If you like the Kardashian look (short fitted clothes and super high heels), wear a lace and ruffled structured jacket over a fire engine red short dress and sexy heels. For a relax hippie style, throw on a long lace vest over top and leggings. A pretty lace shift with peter pan collars and a polka dot handbag creates a chic and quirky image. Whatever is your fashion personality, lace will surely amp up your style!
Tags: 1960s, kate middleton, Lace, mad men, style
Looking for comfortable yet stylish flats? Riccino (www.riccino.com.sg) has a good range of flats in patent, matte and printed leather. My favourite is the T-strap flats; I’ve got them in suede, matte finishing and red patent leather with leopard print sole! The latter goes fabulously with my leopard print dress. They are stylish and oh, so comfortable that I guarantee you will not want to take them off! The T-strap style is also classic, so it is always trendy. It is a great summer footwear staple! Instead of pumps or wedges, wear these flats with your long skirts, fun dresses and cropped pants. I would not recommend it for dress down days at work as it is too casual although it beats those havianas or aunty looking sandals anytime:-)
Tags: classic, flats, leopard print, summer, trend
Infographic by eBay (copright)
A recent survey by eBay indicated that the bootleg cut jeans is the most favoured by consumers. Of the 3 million pairs of jeans sold on eBay over the past year, 793,289 pairs were bootleg cut jeans far exceeding the skinny and classic straight cut styles. Interestingly, denim leggings or “jeggings” came in last place! Well, leggings can be unforgiving on some figure types. I never fail to suggest a bootleg cut jeans or pants to my clients as it is a style that flatters any figure types. The jeans tapers at the smaller part of your leg, the knees, and flares slightly at the hems creating a triangle outline. To achieve a well proportionate upper and lower body (think hourglass), you just need to create an inverted triangle shape on your upper body to balance the triangle shape created by the bootleg cut lines.
Here’s how to do it if your body shape is:
1) Triangle – Extend your shoulder width by wearing tops that are structured at the shoulders as this creates a strong shoulder line. Also, wear tops with details at shoulders, sleeves and horizontal stripes.
2) Inverted Triangle – Wear diagonal necklines or halters to minimise shoulder width. The bootleg cut balances the broad shoulders and heavy upper body.
3) Rectangle – Extend shoulder width by adding a scarf or details at neckline. A dropped waist belt gives the illusion of shape. Bootleg jeans widens the narrow lower body as well, thus creating wider shoulder and hips.
4) Hourglass – You already have a balanced upper and lower body. Just ensure your tops are always fitted to your shape to avoid looking frumpy.
5) Oval – A kaftan top is excellent in creating the illusion of wider shoulders and camouflaging the tummy.
Tags: body shapes, bootleg, jeans, style
On 26 October, Indians around the world will be celebrating Diwali, also known as the “festival of lights”. Most celebrants will be wearing their new traditional clothings which is the saree or salwar. But these days the younger generation may opt for western wear. Whatever your choice is, Pure Earth boutique has a lovely range of traditional wear with a modern twist. I particularly love the vegetable printed sarees with figurines. The fabric is so light and soft which makes it ideal for our local climate. The prints are quirky and modern. You will certainly make a unique statement with this piece. 
I also like the vibrant colours of the salwar and the understated design of the suit makes it more wearable for other occasions as well. 
Pure Earth also has a range of pastel silk long skirts, which can be worn with your own tube, tank or toga! Definitely a versatile piece to have. You can also wear it with a cardigan and tank top for dress down Fridays. The embellished black dresses and sarees are also great options as every woman needs a LBD (little black dress)!:-)
Melissa with 2 "Goddesses"
I like it that their Pure Goddess collection has pieces which can be worn for less formal functions as the fabric is light and the designs are not heavily embellished like most traditional Indian clothings.
Note: I am not paid for this blogging content nor do I receive any special privileges from Pure Earth.
Tags: Diwali, fabric, LBD, Pure Earth, Pure goddess, saree
