Notes From a Fashion Ingenue

Still Playing With Dolls

2006-05-23T05:23:00.000+02:00

Trust young designer Happy David to turn East European kitsch into hippy chic. While everybody in tropical Bora was wearing oversized shells, she stood out in a necklace of Russian dolls. I want one too.

I've always been fascinated with matryoshka dolls. These brightly painted wooden figurines are hollow so that more dolls in decreasing sizes would fit inside. Really- why didnt i think of this...kidnap the tiniest doll and then string it up with assorted beads (these thread covered ones go really well with it) to make a necklace or bracelet.

Matryoshkas have always been pop culture favorites...with Amazing Raze teams searching for clues in them and as props in Sesame Street to teach kids how to count. Well, girls, theres a much better way to use them now!

Making a (Fashion) Statement

2006-05-22T03:43:00.000+02:00

One of the fun things about Asian culture is the practise of giving giving gifts after a trip. My good friend Jan from Canada is a-visiting and she gave everyone the YouthAIDS-ALDO tag which celebrities like Charlize Theron, Avril Lavigne and Adrian Brody (to name a few) are sporting.

The empowerment tags have the words hear/speak/see engraved on them, symbolizing the need to support and speak out for the campaign for AIDS. Proceeds (its a mere $5.00 per tag) fund prevention programs.

So lets take it from Charlize ;) theres nothing like being fashionable and feeling good good good at the same time.

I chose the "hear" tag because I felt like it applied to me on different levels. You know, like, stop hearing gossip (as if its possible.) I also chose to wind it around my wrist and wear it as a bracelet because, honestly, wearing it around the neck is a bit too Rambo (brown leather string plus two silver tags, come on, imagine it) for me. Besides, the tag is more obvious around the wrist.

Here are more ideas on how to sport them:

Channeling Coco

2006-05-19T03:11:00.000+02:00

"Legend is the consecration of celebrity." -Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel- the woman who made the little black dress and Chanel #5 enduring icons- need not be immortalized any further because she is already a legend. Nonetheless, it would be great to see her life story be played out by Demi Moore in a biopic. According to the Baltimore Sun, the biopic begins with Chanel's short lived attempts at a singing career to her rise as French cotoure queen supreme.

Now there are several doubts about Demi's "right-ness" for the role. Personally, i think she has the acting chops to pull it off. It wont be as tragic as that Jennifer Love Hewitt attempt at playing Audrey Hepburn. Makeup artists wont even have to go great lengths to make them look alike...they already have the same dark features.

Coco is a remarkable lady with a remarkable story (not to mention, remarkable designs.) Lets hope the biopic does her justice.

Jet Set

2006-05-18T10:01:00.000+02:00

The travelling bug has bitten me once again! Now that I’ve gotten ticketing and hotel arrangements out of the way, I can concentrate on more fun things. Such as puting together a travel wardrobe. In this sense, Asos has been a treasure trove of finds. We can’t do anything about our passports but we can cover them up in these glam faux leather holders in gold or silver. Now take a look at belted jumpsuit in dark tan. You can turn heads and stay comfortable (aren’t layovers such a drag?) at the same time. Lastly, accessories! Over-sized tinted shades are big this season (yes, pun intended!) . And while you’re at it, slip on a delightful charm bracelet for good luck. My choice would be this sea charm bracelet. Aren't the sea anemone and rhinestone bubble detailing just divine? Bon voyage!

Crowning Glory

2006-05-16T09:37:00.000+02:00

Every girl has a princess syndrome. Since tiaras are, should we say, too over the top (unless you're Tessa Prieto-Valdez), today's front-row girls assert themselves with head bands.

A particular favorite is this green silk band with Swarovski crystals designed by Stacey Lapidus.

Ok, i initially shyed away from these frosted head bands because they bring to mind those frilly, girly head bands my mom used to make me wear to children's parties as a kid. But imagine this one with saucy, sharp threads. Channel the Hilton sisters: head bands that scream 'PREP' and then an outfit to die for.

The long and SHORT of It

2006-05-15T10:19:00.000+02:00

We look (longingly, i must say) to South America for this week's fashion find: linen shorts (like this one from Lerario Beatriz). Now, shorts bring to mind images of the beach or something you wear in your flat when you're too lazy to step outside. Its great that linen shorts are all the rage now because:

1. They afford more movement than skirts
2. You can show off your legs
3. Summer is hot, hot, hot and you'd rather keep your jeans in the closet's back shelf for now
4. They look deviant, unexpected

Diamonds are an iPod's Best Friend

2006-05-04T08:04:00.000+02:00

I love music and I take my iPod everywhere I go. Recently, i've taken to embelishing it's case- a white leather Hello Kitty pouch with silver piping (so Japanese pop, eh?) Too much? Well, an Italian design company has taken things further.

Cool Hunting reports:

As if wearing white iPod earphones wasn't enough to make you attractive to a mugger, Italian company Mac@Work has decided to add white gold and diamonds. The iDiamonds, as they're called, come with the gems delicately arranged as a heart, star, moon or lightning strike on buds coated in precious metal. The price of these blingphones start at 660€.

So glamorous, but i wish it were easier on the pocket! Besides, i prefer to have diamonds adorned on me...not on my music toy. Perhaps they can replicate it with Swarovski crystals?

Casual Fridays

2006-04-28T08:57:00.000+02:00

My first job was with a publishing company. Being in editorial meant that you could wear anything (as long as you looked like you could give the models a run for their money.) Being in marketing meant collared shirts and dark slacks. Thankfuly there were Casual Fridays too, a day when the unspoken fashion rules of editorial were temporarily relaxed and when the marketing team could shed the uptight yuppie look. In anticipation of the weekend i made it a point to be especially comforable. It was sneakers, old jeans, and t-shirts from me. Come to think of it, i guess i must have looked a bit sloppy. The point was driven home when i met with the PR honcho of a boutique hotel and she mistook me for a university student. Ouch. Since then i became more mindful of outfits i could comfortable ease into without looking shoddy.

If you're too lazy to spend hours fixing your hair on a lazy Friday morning, you can hide your tresses under a cute baseball cap, like this one from Brazilian designer Herbert Baglione. The embroidery in front lends a nice, artsy flair to it. I also found these shirts from UrbanOutfitters.

The baby tee sports children's pop art houses and stitched on Russian dolls- edgy but also very adorable at the same time. The striped watermelon tank top wil give you comfy breathing room without looking like a pillowcase- its gathered under the bust and then flares at the waist. Now outfits like these will really give you an extra reason to love Fridays, don't you think?

Classical Inspirations

2006-04-27T08:14:00.000+02:00

I am absolutely rivited by HBO's Rome. They were showing a rerun yesterday and i couldn't help but lap up the intrigue, power play, politics and...historically accurate (and fashionably fabulous) clothing worn by the women. Ah, those tunics- so feminine, sexy and elegant at the same time. Our modern day answer to that would have to be:

Sport It

2006-04-26T06:55:00.000+02:00

Sports have always been a frustration with me. Its easy to be envious of those pretty but powerful uber girls on the tennis court. I've also had this enduring fantasy of being on a fencing team. Picture this: a slender girl in snug (quilted! silk! Chanel!) white delivers a final, victorious jab. Crowd roars in approval. Girl takes off head gear and her long hair spills out with an elegant swish. Er, does anyone know if Chanel has fencing wear?

Ok, before i get distracted any further, i just wanted to say that a lot of sports brands are comming up with bags that give people like me another excuse to like sports.

Although i think i'd sooner take this opulent white Puma Motorspot sooner to a club than to a gym.

As for this pink sling bag from Adidas, consider it included in my sport fantasies. I can imagine (operative word: imagine) toting it as i go to ultimate frisbee/jogging/touch football or as i meet up with Ballack and Thorpe ;) .

A Fashion Flick This Way Comes

2006-04-25T02:52:00.000+02:00

I'm excited to see the movie adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada. The fun thing about films about the magazine industry is that everbody (and i mean everbody, from the top editor to the building bell hop) looks like they just stepped off the catwalk.

The formidable Meryl Streep will play the fashion editor from hell, and Anne Hathaway (nice, nice bangs!) takes on the role of her fashion assistant.

Again, Wedges

2006-04-24T04:03:00.000+02:00

It seems like wedges are making a comeback for spring/summer 2006, and they are punchier than ever. I simply love the juicy colors and the crochet detail of this wedge from Delias. This will look so good with cropped bermudas.

All Ingenues Have To Start Somewhere

2006-04-23T14:31:00.001+02:00

My childhood summers were literally full of lace, denim, cotton prints, thai silk and sequins. My grandmama used to own a sewing shop and I remember, as early as then, being blissfuly fascinated with all the textile and the fabulous outfits.

I'm in my 20's now and the fascination hasn't gone away. I wouldn't say im an expert in haute couture...but i'd adore having a little say on fashion nowadays.

Just like this outfit from DKNY. Its perfect wear for showing off fresh *insert name of fabulous beach getaway here* tan, isn't it? The gold will set off nice bronzed tones nicely.

I want to keep my first blog entry short and sweet, so this will be all for now. I do hope you'd drop by often!