Haute Couture FW05 Day 1

Hurrah! The beautiful days of haute couture has started! The collections this season is looking very gorgeous indeed.

First let's start with the Valentino show. I was not so impressed by it even though the critics were. The couture featured were mediocre -the whole collection didn't have a strong central theme.

These two are just ugh. No comment.

The collection is however slightly redeemed by these two very elegant and slinky dresses.

Next came Armani Prive. His first ever collection last Spring must have been a big seller, because this collection is much larger and more commercialised than last time. Perhaps it has lost its fresh feeling, but I can't gush too much about it this season, except it is of course, typically Armani-slick and sleek. (It could also be due to our lack of sleep in the past few days.)

Prive had a wide selection of ready-to-wear this season. Can't you just imagine a really rich successful European lady waiting for her ride outside the Ritz?

It's these sleek pieces that make this Armani show a couture show. Black dominated the show, but there were a few gorgeous white pieces at the end.

Lastly, the Dior show: THE most beautiful and elaborate affair of all. John Galliano celebrated the 100th anniversary of Christian Dior's birth by recreating a lot the old looks, such as the looks from the New Look circa 1947. The show started with a real grand horse carriage pulling out of the iron gates of Granville, the old home of Christian Dior. The whole show was an outstanding work of art, in the Dior fashion of course. The pieces were so fabulous that we could not pick which ones to show you:

Go to style.com to take a look at the whole Dior show. The art and creativity will stun you.

The Wrap Polo

The other day, when I was browsing at my favourite store- Ralph Lauren (of course)- I came across this lovely wrap polo!

Is it not just sooo lovely? It is classically preppy, but girly with its ballerina-like twist of a wrap! I mean, we all love the polo shirt for being the epitome of preppiness, but one can only have so many skinny polo shirts in multiple colors right? So of course, I HAD to have it. Luckily for me, it was on a 30% off sale! But even MORE lucky for those of you in the states, they're currently $38 on the RL site! So go check it out!

And might I add that the RL model is SO right, and that the pink mesh wrap polo looks especially lovely with white pants! For myself, I matched it the other day with my new white pants by Lux from UO. These are amazing white pants btw, and puuurfect for summer!

Duty Free Shopping at Heathrow

Hi people, I'm finally back home and not very much enjoying the terribly humid and hot weather here. Not to mention that my computer is, oh horror of horrors, NOT working *shrieks in fustration and hits the computer pointlessly*. (I'm using my sister's comp at the moment, thus being forced to listen to her Japanese learning tapes.)

Anyways, so remember a few days ago I was talking about suitcases and mentioned I was going to Heathrow (London)? Here's what I managed to snag up from the Duty Free at Heathrow:

Yuppie, one of my must-have cult products, the lovely YSL Touche Eclat Radiant Touch. It does everything its description says. It's brilliant at lightening dark or 'shady' areas on your face. I esp love using it under my eyes to cover black circles. This is the third tube I have purchased in the short time frame I had started to wear makeup. Plus, there is a reason why all makeup artists love this golden wand.

This is a new try of mine recommended by a makeup-loving friend and loads of makeup review raves, the Lancome Cils Booster XL Super Enhancing Mascara Base. It claims its meant to 'protect your lashes from the damaging ingredients of mascara', (which I don't believe in.) But I had heard that it helps put volume into the lashes so I decided to try it. I am so desperate for beeeautiful long, thick 60s lashes, and am willing layer on the products to achieve it. My quest of finding the ultimate mascara continues... ...

Urban Outfitters Early Fall 2005 Catalog

Wow, it seems like only a while ago that I wrote about my excitement at receiving the Spring/Summer 2005 UO catalog. And now, I'm annoucing the arrival of the Early Fall 2005 catalog (although I know I am slow in this already since I am out of the country at the moment and cannot recieve the catalog asap). Time flies. I'm just getting into the spirit of summer and we're already considering fall!! LOL.

The catalog gives off a very victorian aura what with the flowers and all and of . . well travelling-the gypsy way. And as for the fashion, like the catalog, seems to be a mix of the elegance of the victorians and the vintage of the boho's, with lots and lots of layering. Looks like another very fun season of mix and matching ahead!

Celebrate Independence Day!

Celebrate the July 4th holiday with the very patriotic reds, whites and blues!! And in case you are like me and are unsure of what this holiday is all about, let me save you the trouble of googling it up and ending up on a kid's site explaining this: July 4th is Independence Day, the day when the US became independent from the Brits after a long battle. This is basically all one needs to know. And now to celebrate . .

With this fabulous blue denim and red Dior bag.

Gorgeeeous red Dior pumps.

Or if your on holiday and need to walk a lot, these very comfy red Prada flats, which looks remarkably Gucci/Tods like.

White Maya ruffle bag from girlshop.com. Is it not soo supremely trendy in a rocker chic way?

Very funky white Marc Jacob mary jane pumps.

Or for something more dressy, these simply divine white Manolo satin slides.

Again blue denim with red bag, this time by Vuitton with a more "ragged" look. Hm. . just who is copying who?

These blue heels with that adorable lady bird by Moschino Cheap & Chic is just SO cute!!!

And blue mary janes by Lacoste. Again, like the prada flats, perfect if your holiday involves a lot of walking . .

Happy Independence (holi)day everyone! Are there any special sales going on? If so, shop loads and report back!

Weekend Plans: Chocolate Bar at the Peninsula

If you have no plans this weekend and you happen to live in Chicago, might I make a suggestion? How about treating yourself (and I mean treat because it is $30 per person with tax and tip) to the chocolate bar at the Peninsula Chicago! Only available on weekends from 9pm onwards, it is an excellent opportunity to dress up (where else does one get to dressed up in chicago?)!

So my friends and I were all dressed up, me in my purple ABS cocktail dress and my friend in her floral BCBG one and the guys in dress shirts of indeterminable brands (frankly they look all the same to me. . fine I DO recognize a RL pony when I see one). Its an opportunity to dress up, but not over the top dress up in long dresses and suits. And for the chilly night do bring a cute cardigan or blazer or even a denim jacket (to dress it down a bit!).

We arrived at the Peninsula to our booked table (yes, BOOK tables, otherwise u'd be turned out!) and the night began. There was a live band, which when its not too loud is actually quite nice and I do so love old music. The service was excellent- as always. The atmosphere was great- and in fact quite romantic and if u have a significant other you should totally bring them here! The food. . well as you can see the chocolate buffet looks very nice with molten chocolate, strawberry chocolate, rasperry truffles, mousse, brownies and banana cakes (don't know how its chocolate). The food are really really good. I guess the only problem is that one can only take so much chocolate at a time. Anyway, it was a completely satisfactory evening and we sat to talk until they gave us the hint to leave by brightening the lights dramatically and cleaning up at 12.30am. I completely recommend it as something to do this weekend if you are in Chicago! And if you are not- look around for something similar, its the idea that counts!

Suitcase Snob

Summer is really here! (OK, so it's been summer for a month already, but doesn't July give off a much stronger vacation vibe than June?) All of us should be off to vacation soon, and with this season's fashion trend being global trotting, everyone should have no trouble putting together perfect outfits -especially since we have shown you so many options already. To match those perfect outfits, your luggages and suitcases must look pretty and be practical too.

To start with: a very classical-styled suitcase by Prada. I did not know the classical Prada nylon bag series actually had a suitcase until now. Word of advice: only use it if you're wearing all black and white, or dressed looking professional. Otherwise, it just doesn't go well with other looks.

This is the suitcase that inspired me to write this post. It is SO PRETTY! The lucky girls towing this are the pretty, elegant Prada girls.

These Gucci suitcases are so slick; so perfect for the lean mean pros such as rich business-people and lawyers.

And of course, I must include the snobbiest of all suitcases: the LV monograms. As opposed to the Gucci monograms, the LVs are preferred by the rich and snobby show-off types, or for those sad upper-class wannabes.

Ok, this Vuitton Damier Canvas trunk isn't technically a suitcase, but I can't resist posting it. Although not as show-off-like as the LV monograms, I can still sniff the haughty French leather. But alas, I do like the pattern.

In most of my holidays abroad, I tend to go to cities, which ultimately transforms into many shopping sprees. And since I never really have that much patience to pack properly after tiring shopping sprees, I always insist on bringing expandable suitcases. They are absolutely wonderful -just when you think 'oh no, I'm never going to fit this all into my suitcase,' -you can just expand the suitcase, and voila, everything fits! My definate recomendation to smart travellers. The one shown is by Samsonite.

I always tell myself, no matter how rich I get, I would never buy an expensive colorful suitcase because the next time you see it, it would be covered with dirt and scratch marks -not a pretty sight indeed. I would mock those people who pretentiously pull their monogram suitcases. But privately deep down, and I mean really deep down, I wish I had one. Admit it, you do too.

Now that I have finished blogging, I am off to Heathrow to catch my flight home. No, I'm just pulling my boring looking expandable suitcase. And yes, I am going early to shop for duty-free makeup.