Happy Labor Day Weekend!

One of my favourite things to do towards the end of a season, is to scope out Shopbop for bargains during their final sales period. Sadly as much time as I spend stalking Shopbop, I have no actually bought anything from there besides a pair of Marc by MJ shoes which I'd been pining for months and have tried on in real life first. But alas, I keep trying. Here is what I've scout out this season- and for those of you interested, don't forget to act fast on the Labor Day weekend sale! It IS the day to reap the rewards of your labor after all (or so my friend tells me).
A elegant silk red top (Rebecca Taylor) that is sexy yet feminine and girly at the same time, with the cute rosettes lining the bodice. And no, these YSL heels are not from Shopbop, but I thought I'd include them anyway since these two items clearly belong with each other (they are also on sale!).
Items that I probably wouldn't mind wearing next year- and maybe in the next month or so depending on the weather. Only the blue color of this BopBasic top (left) is on sale, but this was the color that caught my eye anyway. You should go check out the back- it is a pretty fabulous design! And this dress is like the navy version of the little black dress updated with cute ruffles.
Lately I am loving the wide legged pants and these blue jeans from J Brand (right) will carry you into fall. Not so much the khaki one from Robert Rodriguez (left), but then it looks really airy and comfortable- it's one of those things that you will wear again next year- even if it is just down the street to run errands!Speaking of things I will wear next year, I will definitely wear this floppy white hat by Eugenia Kim with this simple white dress by Milly. This is just a summer classic outfit. I just love the hat, the construction of it is perfect. It droops and flops at just the right places! This dark floral top from Rebecca Taylor (left) is a hot item that will mix well super well into your FW08 wardrobe i.e. under blazers, with layers etc etc. Ok, so maybe this Anna Sui top (right) is not exactly very versatile, but I wanted to include it in anyway, just because I love the mixing of prints and the over all quirkiness of this top- it will definitely make a statement.

Happy Labor Day Weekend everyone!

Image Source: ShopBop and Saks

Little Black Skirt

Last week while going through the leftover sale merchandises of a store, I found this black skirt and to my surprise, they actually had it in my size. I've been on the look for a black skirt for awhile and since I don't think the skin tight black skirts which are pretty popular these days are particularly flattering, this seemed to be close enough to what I was looking for.

The grey block made me hesistate at first, but my sister persuaded me to buy it (-she thought I was being too picky.) The skirt looks sort of flat and crinkly in the photo (my bad) but when you put it on, it actually sort of puffs up like a ball. Yes I realise this sort of bubble skirts aren't all too trendy anymore but it's cute and on sale.

OK, so how to wear it? I wanted to make sure I didn't wear it with a white dress shirt or anything that would look like officewear. The key is to keep everything casual. But since I've never actually owned black skrits (or anything mid-wa before, I looked for inspiration online.

I love this Luella top! (Please imagine the black shorts on the model as a skirt.) It's casual and cute; it's trendy without being messy.

Plaid/ checked shirts are oh-so-trendy(-and-hipsterish) this summer. You can hardly go into a highstreet store without spotting one of these shirts and they seem to be a popular complement of the black skirt these days (-see images above, from H&M and Urban Ooutfitters.) While plaid tops always look cool in fashion candid and paparazzi pictures, they just don't seem to look great in real life. I don't know if I've just seen the cheap-looking ones or what, but I really can't imagine myself actually looking cool in one of these plaid shirts.

I adore this combination of a tank top with the volume skirt. It's simple and allows one to look effortlessly trendy. Plus, like in the shopbop image, it will leave you free to accessorise. A printed t-shirt looks like a pretty good match too! (See image on the right.)

I can't wait to try out the skirt! Have you guys been wearing a little black skirt this summer too?

Image Credit: www.shopbop.com, www.hm.com, www.urbanoutfitters.com, www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk

Hottest Short Hair Styles

Celebrities everywhere are going with short hair styles. This trend has been happening gradually over the last year.

These short hair cuts feature long layers, side swept bangs, fringe and choppy bangs, short layers and bobs-where the hair in the back is slightly shorter than the hair in the front.

If you think you want to cut your hair in one of these trendy short styles, you should first consider trying on the short style using hairstyle imaging software. This is a very important step, especially if you have never had short hair before.

I remember back when everyone wanted the Dorothy Hamil short wedge hair style. I went and got that exact hair cut and I totally hated it. I had always had long hair and the short hair just didn't feel or look right to me.

You can avoid this sort of disaster by trying it on first. Here are a few hairstyles demos to try out.

If you need some examples of short hair , see Hair Resources Top Picks for Hottest Short Hair Styles

Ebertfest 2008: Our Last Picture Show

Romance and Cigarettes (2005)
Seen: Sunday, April 27, 2008

Walken dances! And sings! Reason enough to catch John Turturro's 2005 film that scored only a limited release in September of 2007. I enjoyed this imperfect, but still entertaining flick. Check it on DVD and read more about my thoughts on the film at Scarlett Cinema!

Ebertfest 2008, Day 4

Seen: Saturday, April 26, 2008
The following films played on day four of Ebertfest 2008:

Hulk (2003)
I loved Ang Lee's Hulk when it was released in 2003, and I still love it now in 2008. It was
unfairly criticized, I think, when it came out, and what I haven't figured out is if that's because its critics truly sees Lee's film as a poorly made movie, or if it is simply suffering from the syndrome of inauthenticity as deemed by comic book fiends. As I understand it (and I think the lately summer comic book-inspired summer releases are subject to this too) most criticisms fall into the latter category. But for me, well, I don't know if I've ever read a comic book cover to cover at all, in fact I know I haven't. It just doesn't bother me that the green gargantuan might look or act different, or have a whole other story line that never existed in the printed comic of yore. But film is a different medium and a comic adaptation is sure to differ in one way or another. The filmed Hulk will inherently be vastly different from its source material, and there are new possibilities for a director bringing this flat figure to life onscreen. Always, I say my favorite part of Hulk is how Lee styled the split screen frames to mimic the look of the comic book. What a brilliant way to intercut both the different happenings in time among characters, or to simply show multiple points of view of the same action--which is what occurs at the climax of Hulk as the bloated Bruce Banner is perched atop a hill on the streets of San Francisco.

But all of that aside, I can sympathize with the plight of the comic book nerd. Well, not really. But if those lovable bespectacled graphic art hounds need a release for anger, dear god let it be for this year's The Incredible Hulk. I don't keep a "worst of" movies list, but if I did it'd surely be at the top.


The Band's Visit (2007)
Also seen was director Eran Kolirin's The Band's Visit, which was fun and funny, and a very nice look at Israeli landscape that is all but Martian to me. Kolirin, like Lee, was also on hand at the festival to talk with the audience. I’m pretty sure his was one of the better received films of the festival.














Housekeeping (1987)
Ditto for Bill Forsyth’s Housekeeping starring Christine Lahti. The story centers around two sisters left orphaned as little girls whose quirky and sometimes erratic aunt Sylvie (Lahti) moves in to care for them. Unfit for motherhood herself and still stuck in perpetual adolescence, home life resembles more of a slumber party than a structured, safe environment. But since it’s Ebert’s festival, here’s a quote from his review in 1988: “At the end of the film, I was quietly astonished. I had seen a film that could perhaps be described as being about a madwoman, but I had seen a character who seemed closer to a mystic, or a saint.” I think that says it nicely.







The Cell (2000)
Now, my question is, who is this director Tarsem Singh who plops down one of the most horrifying, terrifying films in recent history then falls off the face of the planet? Where did he come from? Where is he now? Well, he was at Ebertfest for a bit of audience Q&A, and he did have a more recent release, The Fall, for which I barely recall a single advertisement (It toured through festivals then landed a nationwide release last May).


Read more about Ebertfest Day four as it happened live at Scarlett Cinema!

The Original Penguin

The other weekend, my friends and I had a sudden craving for some good quality burgers and shakes, so we thought- Johnny Rockets! But when we got there having anticipated it for hours, we couldn't find it! Where did Johnny Rockets go? After much wandering around, we finally realized that it has been replaced with a Penguin store.
Personally I didn't realize they had enough merchandise to warrant a whole store. I'd always associated Penguin with men's polo and preppy menswear in general. I didn't know they had womens wear!
So it appears that they do. And the style very much reminds me of the likes of Ted Baker, which is ironic since this brand stems from Minneapolis.
Looking at the window display (instead of indulging in burgers and shakes), I rather liked the shirt dress (above left) they showed. Admittedly it isn't a dress that immediately takes the breath away, but I like to think that there is a subtle charm to it- it also played right into my sudden recent obsession with shirt dresses. I also like this blue shirt dress (right), because while the cutting and design is really simple, the mixture of small polka dot prints with the thin floral print (or I think it's floral) belt is just adorable. My friend just gave me a 20% off coupon for Penguin.. maybe I'll go check this dress out. I hope they fit better than Ted Baker (Ted has the prettiest clothes, but with the worst fit!).
They also have these pretty standard looking dresses. I reckon the plain red dress would be an awesome dress to wear if you loved to accessorize- think headband, think crazy necklace!
These are not bad either. I think I even have something very similar. But you see what I mean about being very Ted Baker? Browsing through their website, I cannot help but feel like I've seen and have been excited about everything before already.... I'd like Johnny Rockets back please!

Image Source: The Original Penguin

T-Shirt Dresses

I saved the image of this yellow t-shirt dress by See by Chloe (from the Cruise collection) when it was still online a few months ago. It's bright, casual and looked like such a fun, easy-to-wear dress for the summer. I never managed to see it in real life but it got me looking out for tee shirt dresses.

I love the design of this Mr. Abbott dress. I don't quite love the pinkness of this dress, but it's such a cute design!

The design of this Marc by Marc Jacobs dress looks cute from the front but the hole at the back makes it not very practical for casual, everyday wear.

Urban Outfitters has these simple, short-sleeved dresses. They're even nice enough for a nice dinner or night out.

The other shirt dress I found on uo.com is this plaid shirt dress. The bubble shape at the bottom makes the dress feels less indie and more girly, which makes the dress easier to pull of because let's face it, not everyone can pull of plaid!

The black dress on Lily Donaldson looks like another versatile, day-to-night dress. I'll be looking out for this one on my next trip to H&M.

Another dress I'll be looking out for is this See by Chloe jersey dress. I really like the print on the top and I'm hoping to find it in this dress version, (although I'll be looking out for the t-shirt version too.)

During my search for t-shirt dresses I've noticed that it's much harder this summer than last summer to find them. It probably means that t-shirt dresses aren't 'in' anymore but they're just so cute and easy to wear! Plus, putting on shirt dresses is arguably even more brainless than a denim and t-shirt combo!

Image Credit: www.shopbop.com, www.urbanoutfitters.com, www.activeendeavors.com, www.chloe.com, www.hm.com

Odd Shape Shades

As you all know, I simply adore large shades. Over the years, I think you've all heard me go on about big black shades, big brown shades and big aviator shades- all the classics. So where does one move onto next when they've been through all the classics? Well, according to Prada, it is big odd shaped shades! I love them. They have all the essential elements of big black shades that make them classic (the big squarish over sized shape and the black plastic rims), while the slight irregularity gives it that oomph it needs to be refreshing and 'new.'
Speaking of new shapes, I also adore these circular shades from Chanel. I'm not sure if you can see, but there is a thin white lining that highlights the black rims (this highlight also comes in pink too, which is absolutely darling!). At first I wasn't sure about the shape of these shades. It slightly looked like those glasses that incredibly nerdy kids wear in cartoons. Or those toy shades that kids play with i.e. heart shaped shades anyone? But then I tried it on and they actually look fabulous! It has the whole over sized shades thing going on for it. The white/pink rimmed highlighting and the diamond pattern on the side makes it feminine and sophisticated. And the circular shape is just more modern and fun.

The only trade off is that these irregularly shaped shades were just not made to sit on the head as headbands really well. Oh well.

Image Sources: Chanel and Prada

Prada F/W08 Ad Campaign

The theme of this season's ads for a few major brands seems to be to feature supermodels -the real kind of supermodel from the 90's. Well, Prada got Linda Evangelista. OK, so I have to admit that I don't really know how to appreciate most supermodels' sort of beauty. I mean, yes, of course they are all gorgeous. But when they were at the top of their careers, I was too young to notice these things so I'm not exactly a fan of the whole supermodel movement. However, from the old photos I've seen of Linda Evangelista, I remember thinking she was the most gorgeous one out of the group, yet she doesn't look her usual gorgeous self in this ad campaign.

And ok, Sasha Pivovarova is admittedly one of my favourite models but I am not one of those fans who think she should get every Prada campaign until the end of time. Plus, the whole lace thing is so hard to pull off and frankly, sort of aiming for an older audience so a more traditional, mature model is probably more suitable. But seriously, Linda Evangelista does not exactly look tradiational to me here -her face looks weird. Maybe it's just whatever anti-aging treatment she's done and the mono shape of her lips.

But I suppose it's not a completely horrible campaign -the colour of the background and the shadows in the images are very cool.

How do you rate the F/W08 Prada ad campaign?

Image Credit: www.prada.com

Soft, Smooth and Shiny Hair in a Flash

Having soft, smooth, and shiny hair does not have to be difficult and expensive. Just follow these few simple steps and you will have beautiful and luxurious emo hair in no time.

First, brush your hair several times a day. Brushing helps remove the dirt, dust, and grime that get trapped in your hair. It also helps distribute the natural oils produced by the scalp, from the roots to the tips.

Shampoo your hair every other day and condition it everyday. Shampooing on a daily basis may strip off the natural oils that moisturize the hair. Conditioning it, on the other hand, restores lost moisture and keeps the natural oils in place.

Use cold water as much as possible when washing your hair. This seals the hair cuticles and locks the conditioner as close to the hair follicle as possible.

Give your hair a hot oil treatment once every two weeks. Mayonnaise or egg yolks can be used as an alternative to expensive salon treatments. Spread mayonnaise or egg yolks combined with olive oil all over your hair, concentrating on the ends. Cover your hair with a shower cap for 10-20 mins and then rinse well.

Eat lots of food rich in B-vitamins and proteins, like bananas, soybeans, avocados, eggs, grains, and red meat. The nutrients found in these food items are responsible for healthy and shiny hair.

Refrain from using heated styling tools and alcohol-based styling products as much as possible, as this can easily dry out your hair. If it cannot be avoided, use thermal styling tools and water-based styling products, which cause less damage to the hair.

Lastly, have your hair trimmed every six weeks to keep it in tip-top shape. This gets rid of the dry ends and keeps the rest of the hair looking good and healthy.

The Classic Denim Mini

Recently I've been in a major fashion slump, meaning that I've been recycling two outfits over and over again for the past few weeks. In fact, my fashion slump has been so serious that I've resorted to wearing my sister's denim mini skirt.
Yes that's right -a classic denim skirt. It's not even one of those trendy A-line minis, which are oh-so-trendy this season. And I'm so lazy that I just wear it with my current love, an American Apparel V-neck shirt. While the white tee and denim mini combination feels very juvenile to me (-it's very high school isn't it?), it's also strangely very comforting. With fashion trends coming and going faster than ever, it's just getting tiring and frankly, not very exciting to keep up with it all. I mean, I adore Zara and H&M for its fast fashion and prices but since I am stuck in a fashion slump, nothing seems more charming than a plain, casual outfit that is the tee and denim mini.

Right now I'm trying to find a denim mini to buy. A problem with the denim mini is that I'm finding it really difficult to find a denim mini which is of a decent length. It's not like I'm asking much -I just want one that ends around or slightly below mid-thighs. But in the shops tha't I've been to (-ok, basically only Top Shop,) all I've seen are mini minis. How do people even move around in those? BG tells me that America Eagle Outfitters makes pretty good denim minis (see image.) But since I don't live in the States, I'm hoping the next time I go to H&M or some other casual shop, they'll be selling some decent denim minis!

Image Credit: www.ae.com

Tylers' Haistyling Tips

As far as what i do to style it, for the old haircut (1st pic) I used to comb it all down and straighten it in front of my face, then comb it kind of over my right eye and with the other bang to he left side and re-straighten it in its new position (thick wavy hair doesn't like to cooperate) Then for spiking out the back when the mood struck me, i'd kind of run my fingers up the back of my head and pull out the water after a shower to sort of sudo-dry it in that position already, then when straightening came i'd straighten it straight up, and finally I'd add some texturizer and run my hands up through the back and pull out ward, we have a closet in my house where you can see behind you so i'd usually use that to check for missed spots, don't add too much or it'll fall down, then usually once i got it staying nice and up I'd use the left over Texturizer on my hair to smooth it out and kind of hold it in place, my hair is thick so i'd basically pancake my bang between my palms and smoothen it out. then add a bit of hairspray to the back to hold it in place.

For my new hair I'm still experimenting The back is cut so I can spike it out But I've decided to go with wax to spike it which i'm still experimenting with (hence why i have no pictures of that) If you have really long hair i'd suggest some type of wax, simply because it has structure and seems less like lethal spikes than gel, and texturizer would barely help and you'd be holding everything up with hairspray alone otherwise. However it would be a similar idea, running your waxed fingers through you're hair and pulling outwards to make all of the hair stand up, for the front and sides, i pretty much just straighten them and add a bit of texturizer to hold them in place or Depp anti-frizz depending how staticy my hair is. For the bangs I simply straighten everything out and comb it into place so it blends nicely. once it grows a bit further i'll be able to do a fore head showing part but at the moment it doesn't work out to well.

So there is what i did for my old hair and what i do for my new haircut... theres actually a story behind my old haircut and the transitions it underwent before i got it as i liked it..then lobed half of it off lol.


Thanks!
-Tyler

Understated and Elegant?

In celebration of her recent bonus and exam results, one of my girl friends decided to invest in a handbag. She asked me to recommend her something suitable for work that is understated, classic and preferably not Chanel (which was naturally my first instinct!). Naturally when it comes to understated, classic, the Birkin comes to mind, but I think we can wait a few years before we proceed to that level. So I added young to the equation. Many "it" bags come to mind, but few are classic. So here I've listed a few that I think may last through the test of time. The Balenciaga motorcycle (left) and the Miu Miu bow bag (right). HG and I love them both and if you've been reading this blog, you'd know that already since these two bags have been positively overblogged by us. They were 'it' for a reason. I may be biased (because we own them), but I'd like to think that these two are classic. Only thing is that they've been around for a while already so you'd see it a lot in the streets and I'm not exactly sure that they qualify for "understated" or work (is there such a thing as being too hip for work? or am I just being a prude?). Two bags I personally think is more understated and appropriate for work, is the Classic Multi Pocket bag from Marc Jacobs (left) and the Dr Q Groovee satchel from Marc by Marc Jacobs. These are not as in your face as some 'it' bags, but they are definitely still very recognizable as MJ by those in the know. They are also simple, elegant and young. Love them!
For a bit more detail and design, there is the Miu Miu napa bag. But I personally think that this one is a but too recognizable and will be dated in a year or so. For something a bit more exclusive there is the Valentino Histoire bag, a less common 'it' bag that resembles the Mulberry bag from back in the days a bit.
And I KNOW that this is supposed to be young and understated, but I can't help but posting these two. If I were a bit older I'd definitely go for the Bottega Veneta bag (left). Even though it is covered with the Vuitton monogram, I can't help but love this Vuitton Mahina bag. The prints are subtle and the design is just elegant and so cute all at once. I want one!
Now for the winner of this competition- the YSL Muse. A bit more sophisticated than the Marc Jacobs, this bag is structured, simple and elegant. It fits everything and is definitely perfect for work. I checked out the Muse II as well, but I didn't really like it. It looked like it was pretending to be a Birkin. For something a bit more casual and young, I am loving the YSL Downtown bag as well. This will probably be less common on the streets as well.

Any other bags I missed out?

Image Source: E Luxury, Saks and Balenciaga

Shocking Pink Lips

Ever since Gossip Girl started last year, I've been getting more encouraged to try out more makeup. One of the things that I've been inspired to try out is shocking pink lipstick. I tried to find pictures of Blair Wardolf wearing bright pink lipstick but I can't seem to find any (-ignore the fact that Leighton Meester's lips aren't exactly bright pink in the picture.) Maybe I just imagined her having bright pink lips. Anyway, by chance, I got hold of a free bright pink lipstick, which is way too sparkly for my taste but hey, it was free so I feel the duty to at least experiment with it. So here's some research into how to wear it:

Bright pink lips seemed to be pretty popular on the runway in S/S07. In the Diane von Furstenburg show, the look seemed to be basically bright pink lips with pale, clear skin and natural-looking mascara. Note the tiny bit of shimmer on the inner corners of the eyes. Also, note the hint of gold/ orange in the inner edge of the lips.

Solid, matte bright pink at the Bradgley Mischka S/S08 show. The other makeup used seems pretty similar, except there is more blush used here, and the skin is not as bright and perfect as in the DvF show.

Then things got much more dramatic on the Christian Dior F/W08. The pink lips are glossy and the brows are heavily painted in. The foundation on the skin also seems a lot of powedery.

So when I actually try out this look, I'll probably go with something very similar to the DvF S/S07 look, but without bothering with the gold in the lips. While I think bright pink lips looks cool and edgy and girly in magazine editorials and on TV, I'm still not sure how bright pink lips actually work in real life. My main question is, do people actually wear shocking pink lipstick in real life?

Image Credit: http://youknowyouloveme.org/, http://www.style.com/, http://www.maccosmetics.com/

Ebertfest 2008, Day 3

Seen: Friday, April 25, 2008
The following films played on day three of Ebertfest 2008:

Underworld (1927)
If pressed to say which are my two favorite silent films, Charlie Chaplin's City Lights (1931) would probably top the list, but directly on its heels would be Josef von Sternberg's phenomenal gangster pic--also known as the first movie of the gangster genre--Underworld (1927). I honestly didn't believe that it would even make the program for Ebert's festival of underrated and overlooked films, for what cinephile has either dismissed or been left unaware of such a wonderful film? Well, no one, is the answer. As Ebert believes (and I think he's right), silent films are simply overlooked in general by contemporary audiences. So von Sternberg's film was picked as the annual silent screening, but the flickering sound of the projector was hardly the only sound reverberating through the Virginia Theater, enter: The Alloy Orchestra. Live musical accompaniment made a film that is already so smartly built that its series of visuals double as built-in sound cues, even better. In fact, Underworld, which I have seen at least a handful of times, was practically a whole new and enriched film. The sound accompaniment made such a difference in maintaining the story's tone and flow, it actually felt like a longer movie--not tediously so, just more fleshed out and engaging. I love to watch von Sternberg films, and I love to watch Underworld even more; this was simply the best experience seeing any of the above.

The Real Dirt on Farmer John (2005)
If ever you need a pick-me-up, find joy in the story of Illinois farmer and hippie, John Peterson. His heart is as large as that beautiful, organically grown cabbage he's got his arms around at left, seriously. The documentary follows Peterson's plight to save his farm that has been in his family since (if memory serves) before he was even born. Bright super 8mm home movie reels are woven with present day digital footage to narrate the personal story of his mother's life and death, the dismantling of his land in years past when financial times were tough, and shocking stories of his bewildered country neighbors who perpetuated rumors that murderous black magic took place on John's plot of land (you never knew what those nutty long-hairs where up to in those days, I guess!) But mostly, it's an inspiring, hopeful story couched in the organic food movement that only in recent years has gained a lot of commercial steam. Plus John is such a lovable dude, honest and forthwith and impassioned about his quiet everyday life, it's not presumptuous to say his story makes you feel glad that you are alive.

This is what happens at Ebertfest!

Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
Ah, and the grand finale for the day! We marveled over writer-director-Hollywood legend Paul Schrader's Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters. It comes post-Taxi Driver and post-Raging Bull, at a time in cinema history that is frowned upon as the era of the bloated blockbuster. That may only partially be true, using Mishima as the definitive case study for the kind of experimental story structure and visual aesthetics employed during the 1980s. The story is a story within a story within a story--the novel, a stage play, and the filmed frame around it all--embellished with sets that simply glow, and a musical score from Philip Glass that haunts me to this day. Schrader was there and I like how he speaks, thoughtful sentences strewn with swears. I don't mean that only in a provocative way either, it's just that there is an amazing energy to how Schrader articulates himself and those choice four letter words are just part and parcel of his individuality. He injects a sense of reality to the conversation, trimming all the fat and self-inflated B.S. you can often easily get from Hollywood directors. The print of the film we saw was Schrader's own. For me, this was the most personal events of Ebertfest, partially because I sat a few feet away from the writer of my favorite American movie (Taxi Driver, 1976), though mostly because I saw a new movie pumped full of magic, wonder and fear--to fall in love at the theater! Mishima is the newest addition to my long best-of list.


Read more about Ebertfest Day 3 as it happened live at Scarlett Cinema!

emo boy

This emo boy has the most awesome hair. Agree?