3 Stylish looks to rock for Valentine's Date

This is a last minute post given that the Valentine's Day is now almost over in Asia, but still is starting at the other corners of the world. It's Monday and I believe most of us are at work, at school or just busy doing normal stuff on a weekday. Still unsure of what to wear for the dinner date with your darling tonight? Check out these stylish look that you can rock for your Valentine's date.

• Darling in Tights

• Sexy flowery

 

• Eyes on You

 

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! :)

How to Dress Like Carrie Without a "SATC" Budget

Author of this post, guest blogger Pauline Goodman, owns a British online store selling high quality, Italian leather handbags. For more daily updates for fabulous fashionistas, follow her on twitter, just search for paulinegoodman.

Learning to look great without spending an arm and a leg is the sort of skill that can get you far; doing it perfectly for years while establishing your own style can get you famous. Look at someone like Madonna, who started out as a young Italian woman from Detroit with no New York connections. She knew how to make an outfit work, how to stretch essentials and accent them with truly unique pieces, and she managed to look presentable enough to net those crucial meetings and get into the right clubs.

A city like New York is definitely open to those who are willing to combine classic style with contemporary flair and flourishes. After all, in the past decade, they've given us everyone from the "Sex and the City" girls to Lady Gaga herself. But the trouble with fashion magazines and television shows alike is that often, even though the people being profiled were once working with minimal budgets, once they're in the glossies, they have a whole lot more money. And figuring out how to pull of the same looks can take a bit more sleuthing if your own personal budget is more limited.

But dressing like Carrie without a "Sex and the City" budget is something that can be accomplished by any woman who is willing to put in just a bit of work in terms of searching for the right outfits at the even better prices. The first thing you have to tell yourself is that certain things should just stay on the screen, and not be an aspiration for your own closet. While it might have been cute when Carrie was fretting over how to buy a new pair of designer shoes at some Fifth Avenue store while still making rent on time, you don't need to have that same struggle.

If you must have designer shoes, realize that going vintage or going consignment can often save a whole lot of money. Likewise, it is crucial to realize that having a great pair of shoes is often enough to sustain your outfit. You don't need a closet full of them--until your budget can support that kind of habit. Try to get one timeless and versatile pair of sophisticated black heels, and then go with something a bit more spontaneous and bubbly.

Carrie's outfits are supposed to represent that great New York style that everyone has been raving about for years, and the reasoning for this is that since the show was depicting real New York, you were seeing the real fashions of a forward-thinking writer who had been unlucky in love. While outfits might not have repeated on the screen, in the real world, people know that mixing and matching is the way to get the most out of any wardrobe. Be sure to pick up basics that can go with just about anything, and realize that having understated essentials can make your fashion soar.

The right pair of sophisticated and smart high-waisted pants or a classic little black dress can be the basis for a more exciting and colorful ensemble. Spend on those pieces that you're going to be wearing more often, and try to not blow the bank on something that is very obviously this season. Carrie herself bemoans having out of season clothes cluttering her closet and wrecking her budget, so don't make that same mistake!

By shopping around a little more, actually restraining yourself when you see a sale you can't afford, and being sure that you have the essentials covered, you can look just as chic and carefree as Carrie, Samantha, Miranda, or Charlotte. Just learn how to stretch your budget, and you'll have a wardrobe that's as long-lasting as it is contemporary.

photos: photobucket

Daily Style and Shopping Guide

Shopping is always fun with friends. I'm not sure if there's any girl in here who would disagree with this. Oftentimes we need to tow our girls behind when we shop so that we get a gang to solicit ideas from. "What do you think with this color?", "Which one looks better?", "Do I look thin with this?", "Does it fit well my behind?" etc, etc. But what about if your girl friends are always too busy, just like you, to give you company whenever you shop? Or what about if your friends, even though they're stylish, do not share your own sense of style because you girls just have too much of individuality? Do you content yourself shopping alone without a support team?

Not in my case. And definitely not in these days. StyleFeeder gives me 24 hour assistance for whenever I get the urge to shop. This support team of mine tells me what's hot for me according to my style and taste. How do they do this? When you sign up, they'll give you tons of shoes to pick from. Then they'll give you tons of dresses and other apparels to choose from. Then they'll give you tons of accessories to pick all that you fancy. At the end, they'll give you finished looks to rate and comment on, and again, according to your taste. This enables them to analyse and identify your sense of style. And from that, they'll give you regular feedback about what stuff you would love to add in your closet. Believe me, whenever your team knocks your wardrobe, you'll never say "No". Because it would exactly be something you'd love. Why? It's your style feeder. Look at these looks I am advised to get today. They made me drop my jaw 'cause they're very me.

Be the next Benetton's model, fly to New York and get paid!

Quick question girls, have you heard of Benetton? We did mention something about Benetton before but today, we'll discuss specifically about them.

People at Benetton are looking to find twenty creative individuals from all over the world who could be the next face of Benetton. These individuals would then be the next Benetton models, would fly to New York and would get paid.

If you are one of those that are interested to try their luck, male or female, then hurry and join Benetton's "IT'S:MY:TIME" global casting competition. All you have to do is sign up for an account here and create a look book of your style. You can start by uploading three photos of you including one face photo shot and the rest can be full body shots. A word of advice: Judges at Benettons are not only looking at how pretty and how well you pose, but also how well you move. Therefore make sure that you include photos of you in action, either walking, laughing, or doing sports. Remember how Serena ended up chosen as the model for Blair's mom's fashion line when it was Blair who was actually working hard to get in? It's all about charm and grace.

I myself created an account at Benetton not for the hope of becoming the next Benetton model, but mainly to be able to cast a vote and post comment to whom I think has got the potential. [But who knows? lol] So you see? Aspirants would be voting and commenting for each other. Isn't that another way of making friends?

You too can check my lookbook and if you've time, tell me what you think.

Fallin' in love with fashion

How could you not fall in love with fashion? Let me just give you some reasons.

1. It allows you to express yourself, your personal style and individuality.

2. It makes you feel beautiful; which is essential for good self esteem.

3. It makes you gain and demand respect. If you are caught underdressed in the midst of well dressed people, you would understand what I mean. People are quick to judge based on what you wear.

4. It is simply an unexplanable inspiration that can make a sad woman happy and excited to face the world. It is also a very good stress reliever.

And if you are faced with shoes and dresses that make you feel kind'a cinderella, again, how could you not fall in love?

Check out the store that made me more in love, it's very new in town of cyberspace but they are full of international fashion, US Trendy Store.

Style smitten

Inspired by this look I voted for it as the look of the day. Turned out, this is actually the choice of most of the fashionistas. I don't have doubts, it's going to win. To vote, visit Style.com.

Confessions of a shopaholic: I'm a shopaholic no more, and so I thought

"Have you seen the movie “Confessions of a Shopaholic”? Oh, I can so relate to this movie. I used to be a shopaholic. I used to be on a time when nothing mattered much to me but getting a new dress, some new shoes, new jeans, and new bags. Nothing mattered but to go out and shop.

Who wouldn't want to shop? Isn't it a great stress reliever? It was making me feel like I'm in control. The feeling that I could afford to go fancy and stylish. Whenever I walk inside a mall, try on some chic clothes and shoes, run to the counter to pay, 'twas always heavenly.

And take note, they all had to be branded, A labeled. Well, I wasn’t speaking Prada, Gucci, Armani, Fendi or other high-end brands because during the time, when I was still in college and within the first two years of working, those brands were simply beyond reach. However, I was speaking of brands like Lee, Adidas, Levi's and some top local brands such as Sara lee, Avon, Natasha and others. That line of Rebecca Bloomwood “underwears are human rights” was very true to me. I collected not just a few but quite a number of fancy and expensive underwears – panties and bras, and they were an obsession. Every morning, after I do my bed, I would sit in front of my closet looking at my expensive clothes and bags hanging neatly in my closet, all my shoes stuck at the corner of my room and all my underwears piled neatly in the drawer, admiring them.

And just like Rebecca, no matter how I wanted to manage my money well, no matter how I wanted to save, no matter how I wanted not to shop, whenever some fabulous finds grab my attention, I would have to get them for whatever it takes. My head spins round and round, my heart beats fast and my hands and feet sweat. Any inch of rationalism is gone.

And still, just like Rebecca, no matter how stylish and pretty she appears not to mention rich-looking, there was no peace inside. There was no feeling of contentment. The word "enough" was unknown. There was always the craving for more, and still more.

But unlike Rebecca, when she had to be embarrassed to the whole world, sued and chased for all her debit overdues and to almost lose the love of her life just to get over her uncontrollable shopaholism, I had to be alone in a foreign land, I had to be admitted for an emergency surgery for appendectomy without money, just to make me realize something was wrong. [This event happened five years back]

For three days that I was in the hospital recovering, I was reading a book. It was the book that completely changed me. The book that made me rich - "Rich dad, poor dad" by Robert Kiyosaki. It's all about what the rich teach their kids that the poor do not. It has changed my perspective towards shopping and financial management.

Lucky Rebecca and me, we got over our being a shopaholic.

For a note on my shopping, the desire to shop more is there. It does not go away. It's in the blood of all female, I guess. However, I am now in control. I only shop if needed and if I do shop, I am more practical.

These two knitted sweaters are a new add to my wardrobe. They are fancy but also very functional, multi-purpose.

What about you girls? What are your thoughts on shopping?

Photos from google

If you could dress up like Candy

We say that we identify ourselves through our friends. Indeed, I identify myself through them. They are few, chosen few who share my interests and who reflect the big part of me.

I love fashion and I am addicted to it. Thus basically, my very close friends share this love too.

And for today's post, I am featuring the style of my good old friend Candy. We were college friends. We used to trade outfits and run sack one's closet. We were of the same size for clothes and shoes. We were an exact reflection of taste. But as we matured, each has developed her own better style and identity.

We have not seen each other for five years now. But thanks to facebook we got connected again.

This photo was taken when we were in our second year college. This was the magic five [I and Candy were both in white]. I am not the shortest, mind you, but in this photo, I was bare footed because I played Titania, the queen of fairies in Shakespear's "Amidst Summer Night's Dream". The others were in high heels.

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Street Fashion: The girl next door

"Women don't dress up for men; they dress up for women, their co-species, their rivals."
~ by someone unremembered

Do you think this line calls for a debate? Do women really dress up not to impress men but to impress the other descendants of Eve?

Aren't we women are the first to notice what's hot and what's not on another female's outfit? Aren't we women are the first to scrutinize someone else's fashion?

If you walk pass a guy on the streets and you're wearing a fabulous dress, you can feel the eyes on you even if you don't look back, right? And then you think, "hmmm, he likes my outfit." You wonder if what he likes most, the boots? the mini-dress? the scarf? the hat? the necklace? the hair?

The thing is, the guy would actually look past the dress. He would look beyond the dress. The dress only suggests to him what's not revealed by it. But a woman would. A woman would see every angle of what you wear.

And just like any other woman, I notice this chic who lives next door. I think that she would make a homemade model. I think too that she has something great for a street fashion post.

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Should Jimmy Choo Collection be made available to the public?

“Wait! I lost my Choo!” she cries out as the boat pulls away from the pier. ~ Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and the City

"If someone is going to pay a good 350 British pounds for a pair of Jimmy Choo, that very one would want this brand rare and not available to a vast public." A number of people chorussed this line as they made comments about Jimmy Choo in a forum specifically about Tamara Mellons announcement of the plan to launch more Jimmy Choo boutiques around the world.

We know that the original Jimmy Choo sticks to the idea of creating couture shoes while Tamarra Mellon and Sandra Choi [Jimmy Choo's niece by affinity] prefer more the idea of creating top end ready-to-wear line. Thereby started the clash. For details, read here and here.

I spent around three hours reading and learning more about the story behind the Jimmy Choo; the backgrounds, the well-publicized fairytale weddings and one that eventually ended up to separation, the feuds between Jimmy and the queen of the empire Tamarra, the split of business partners, and so much more. I was left feeling sad for the original shoe craftman Jimmy Choo who seemed to be downplayed. Can you imagine having your very name famous around the globe but not having a claim on it? Must it be because Tamarra has got the power, connection and money? I just wonder, why didn't she build up the line "Tamarra Mellons" instead of taking over the Jimmy Choo? But please, don't get me wrong, was just a thought. I know there are more than just starting from scratch, ouch.

On the other note, I must be one of those who would vote for the availability of more affortable ready-to-wear Jimmy Choo shoes. [You know, i just love shoes more than anything else].

Vote for your side: Should Jimmy Choo be available for the public in more affortable price? Or should Jimmy Choo protect its exclusivity by making it rare to the public?

Photos by
bestdolcevita.com
trendsupdates.com
blog.violetmaylondon.com

Design your own t-shirt online at Inkimprints.com

Whenever my debating club needs debate t-shirts, it is always a stress to scout the city for a cheaper but quality t-shirt printing shop. As the adviser of the club, it is my duty to find time for this time-consuming task; otherwise, I would have to assign some students to do the job which at times results to me not being satisfied.

Not anymore. I found this t-shirt design website where you can design your own custom t-shirts and order online.

The website is definitely well-designed and is easy to use. Once you come into their homepage, you will immediately know what to do. You will have to choose from their stocks of shirts: t-shirts, sweats; or for ladies, men; or for different quantities.

You can also decide if you want your design to be custom screen printed or embroidered. Once you click on your necessary choices, they will bring you to their very functional design lab. The design lab allows you to create your own design and showcase your creativity and style. The lab also allows you to upload graphics that you will need to complete your design such as logos or photos. The lab is completely a work of art.

It is also necessary to remember that InkImprints.com gives no fees for the art. Meaning, you design your own shirt for free. They also have 24/48 hour rush services and the more you order, the more you save.

If you cannot find the garment that you need from their stocks, no worries. You can email them and discuss about the particular material that you need for your order. They are fast to accommodate their costumers’ needs.

I read a lot of feedbacks from their costumers and I found them all positive. For example, one costumer designed her t-shirt online but was unable to see the inconsistencies of her design, Custom t-shirts fixed it for her and she was more than satisfied with the result. Another costumer found his orders delivered a little bit late than expected, Custom t-shirts gave him discounts on his next orders and they definitely came on time. While one costumer rightly said that he has not found other services yet that deliver orders within 24 hour. [Or am I yet to find?]

If you are an individual who simply wants to wear something extra-ordinary of your own design, or if you are a member of a club or associations and you want to have a t-shirt to identify your group, or if you are a small business or a corporation and you would need t-shirts for your employees bearing your company’s name and logo, or if you are a member of a family whose reunion is up coming and you would need a t-shirt to express your warm welcome to everyone on it, or if you are a blogger and you want to hold competitions to generate your traffic and you want to give away t-shirts or sweat shirts bearing your blog’s banner, then custom shirts are at your service.

Korean Fashion Trends

While I would say that Korean fashion trends are mostly too extravagant for me to carry, the girls in this country just love them. They are very into Koreans starting from the face [they go as far as going under knife just to make their face look like Koreans], the dress and accessories. I don’t really blame them because Korean fashion is definitely amazing, only that, I am more into the philosophy of “less is more”.

If I would really have to choose one outfit from the following Korean styles, I would take the last. What about you?