It was my first time in Bohol, and I was very excited to finally wear my halter keyhole dress for the first time as well. I bought it almost a year ago, and haven’t worn or sought ever since. It could have collected cobwebs for all I know. Ha-ha!

Goofing around with my friend I at Dauis Church

Wearing this frock was kinda hard for me, since it’s a keyhole dress. I’m not pretty comfortable donning it with just pasties on! Hahaha! Hence, I resolved to wearing a skin tone brassiere underneath. I know it’s a tad tacky, but way better than wearing a multicoloured or dark tinged one.

You can make the most of your curves simply by following a few fashion rules. Here, we have rounded up the best rules that apply to larger ladies. These are simple things that can work for all shapes. So, take a look and see if you can apply any of them to your daily wardrobe, whether it’s evening dresses or casual wear.

ELLOS Silver Tube Dress – £ 39.00

1. Figuring things out – you should have a good idea of what body shape you have, so research what is best for your shape as this can make a huge difference to your finished outfit.
2. Dark colours – while black is slimming, we do not want to encourage the larger ladies among us to live in it. Colour can give you a certain glow and hiding behind swathes of black clothes won’t enhance anything. Use black where appropriate but don’t be afraid to use colour. Pear shapes should wear dark on the bottom and light on the top, apple shapes or vice versa.
3. Go A-line – this is the best style to flatter all body types. A-line dresses or skirts will go in at the waist and then flare out, skimming over the hips and thighs. Great for disguising larger bottoms and legs.
4. V-necks are also a good look as they create length on the torso. A longer neck is slimming and this will also draw attention to the bust rather than down towards the waist.
5. Stripes – there is a bit of a myth about stripes and that larger shapes should only stick to vertical stripes. You CAN wear horizontal stripes but choose wisely, it is the type of stripe you wear that determines how they make you look. Vertical is the preferred option as they create length.
6. Heels are good for giving you a little extra height and therefore you will appear slimming. They do wonders or legs, making you look far smaller and more streamlined.

This post is in association with our friends at ELLOS UK

Burlesque bombshell and Cointreau brand ambassador Dita Von Teese has just launched her signature cocktail drink, aptly dubbed as “Cointreau MargaDita”.

For cocktail drinkers like me, I’m pretty sure you’ve heard about Cointreau. It’s a French bitter orange-flavoured liqueur, which is usually mixed in cocktails such as the Margarita. Apart from another French liqueur Grand Marnier, it’s also usually infused in confectionaries like pralines and truffles.

And, who isn’t stunned by this flawless and bodacious burlesque queen? I must say that I’m such a fan!

Of course, she was in her usual impeccable self  during the launch, wearing a floral vintage dress accentuated with an icterine and moss combo satiny sash and a matching clutch with feather detailing.

Neatly groomed brows, long and thick eyelashes, flushed cheeks and a bright red lipstick defined her oh-so-sexy-and-elegant look.

Cointreau MargaDita is a reinvention of the classic Margarita in Dallas which pays homage to Margarita Sames, the bon vivant Dallas socialite who created the original recipe in 1948 whilst vacationing at her Acapulco cliffside hacienda.

The tasty new libation includes Cointreau^®, tequila, fresh lime juice, aromatic Monin Rose Syrup for a hint of floral, feminine perfume, and a dash of chipotle powder for an unexpected smack. It is garnished with the yellow rose of Texas as a further tribute to Ms. Sames.

According to Dita Von Teese, “The Cointreau MargaDita is a tantalising haute-cocktail with a spicy twist.”

The cocktail drink is currently available at The Mansion Bar at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, Texas for $15; but, if you’re nowhere nearby the city, you can still try her version of Margarita by doing the concoction yourself at home!

Here’s the Cointreau MargaDita recipe:

• 1 oz Cointreau
• 1 oz Silver Tequila
• 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
• 1/2 oz Monin Rose Syrup
• 1 pinch Chipotle Spice

Using a cocktail shaker filled with ice, mix the ingredients altogether. Shake vigorously and pour into a chilled coup glass. Garnish it with Yellow Rose of Texas. Add a chipotle and salt rim for an extra kick.

All images and quoted text from NIKECOMM.

It’s end of season sale once again, and I recently dropped by at Topshop in Shang in the hopes of scoring some gorg finds.

Sadly, I couldn’t hoard given my measly budget this month. There were so many interesting pieces I saw, particularly the dresses and lacy outfits. There’s this button-down collared dress with a belt that looks so Duchess Catherine’s style, but I didn’t get it ‘coz it doesn’t look so me. I’m still thinking of it from time to time though. He-he!

I also took a peek on some of the tees with deconstructive fringes, although I must say I wasn’t a fan of them.

Good news is: I found this cream silk and lace mini-dress for a STEAL! From Php 3595, I only got it for just Php 699 599.

My snapshot didn’t do justice, it’s waayy much better in real life. Pieces are limited, and I was lucky to grab one of these.

It’s a month-long sale, so here’s to praying I’ll be getting more steals by the end of the month.

I featured 3 haute collections before from Marc Jacobs, Lanvin and Balenciaga, where Parisian style, ruche, brocades and boudoirs dominate. Truly, I miss hitting the spot that fierce yet chic biker look is oh-so in fashion this season! Here’s a closer look:

All from Style.com

*Balmain for Fall 2009. This monochromatic garb is overall casual with white blouse, cropped skinnies, and girly pumps. Chained biker jacket adds spunk to this smart casual wear.*

*Charles Anastase for Fall 2009. Unlike Balmain above, Charles Anastase surely pulls off quite a statement with fur neckpiece, leather vest and woven cardigan topping it off with a statement tee and a pair of  skinny jeans. Tan platform leather boots is absolutely ferosh–something to love about this ensemble!*

*Gucci for Fall 2009. Gucci appears to be ravishing and scintillating with its leather cropped jacket, shiny button-down shirt, and glistening tapered(?) pants. Look is slickly finished with peep-toe shoes for footwear.*

*Jean-Charles de Castalbajac for Fall 2009. Red is flaming hot this season, and Jean-Charles de Castalbajac screams scarlet with this multi-zipline leather dress. I’m hearting the hair and the studded shoes. Absolutely winner garb!*

*Jean Paul Gaultier for Fall 2009. Extreme biker chick in stud, leather and fringe encapsulates this ensemble from Jean Paul Gaultier.*

*Rick Owens for Fall 2009. Rick Owens calls for a more futuristic look applying geometrical cuts on this nonetheless leather dominated wear.*

*Rodarte for Fall 2009. One word: SUPER! This ensemble from Rodarte melts my heart out! Ultimately tinged in ecru, the woven scarf, embellished top, gloves, loop fringed skirt, and thigh high leatherwear are just well put together! This is something to lust die for! *

Biker Jackets: Save, Spend & Splurge!

Here’s some of super yummy dark leather finds to choose from!

Save!

*Forever 21 Zipper Accent Slvls Jacket (faux leather jacket that can double as dress!) for only $27.80 at Forever21.com*

Spend!

*Mackage Leather ‘Nev’ Banded Zip Jacket (lamb leather jacket with wide rib knit cuff and hem) for $454 currently on sale at Bluefly.com*

Splurge!

*Alexander McQueen Fur-Trim Biker Jacket (leather jacket with white dyed lamb fur trim and self belt) for staggering price of $5,995 at NeimanMarcus.com*

Here’s what I like about Marc Jacobs Fall 2009 Collection:

Grays and Blacks with a Spunk

If you opt to steer clear from vibrant neon colors, surely this collection will take you to some place where dark tinges rule  without losing  the spunkiness of your wardrobe.

*The show started with this simple casual gray cardigan and black pants attire. Quite simple for a Marc Jacobs collection, isn’t it? But, try to sport a mohawk ‘do complete with that lovely black and white brocade scarf, and you’re on the go to being MJ stylish. And also, watch out for the kilt and braces aback of this outfit–truly outrageously signatured!*

*This full charcoal brocade dress has this gorgeous flaring at the bottom, decked with a pair purple ankle boots, dark jeweled necklace and neon green printed clutch. *

Puffed with Sleeve and Skirt

The collection also delighted us with  puffed sleeve or skirt, texturized with metallic brocade  and striped prints.

*This sleeved bustier top with puffed skirt really caught my attention as it fused classic and contemporary altogether. Surely, it looks like a formal cocktail ensemble on the first look. But hey, those metallic brocade prints on a quirky skirt might make you think twice otherwise–for a party garb! *

*Another gorgeous party bustier dress. This time, notice the drama of the free-flowing  plain black ribbons to the rest of the striped prints, both forming a semi-ruffled bottom. It’s paired with ankle strap boots displaying its metallic sheen.*

*This  salmon pink blouse with puffed sleeves is paired with high-waisted fur-like pencil skirt complete with patent leather-like gloves and ankle boots. What’s more to love about this formal ensemble is this lovely bejeweled neck piece that’s just elegantly layered on the model’s top.*

Neon Power!

*There’s nothing as playful as combining two different prints for an exquisite yet made-for-each-other look. This blouse and skirt combo have distinct brocade prints on them, yet they impeccably compliment each other in harmonious bluish and yellowish glow.*

*Another playful thing to do with colors is to combine and contrast them. I always like blending these two contrasting colors together. In this outfit, the neon green structured jacket is paired with a decadently printed dress. I just love how it’s been also embellished with yet another brocade printed pink scarf, and a retro mixture of pink and green colors for the brocade bag. Keeping it fierce, the dramatic makeup look and mohawk haristyle really did a well-done job.*

More Story from Style.com

The house of Lanvin never fails to give women a gorgeous and glamorous vibe, as this season brims with lovely dark floral patterns, bias wraps, high-waisted belts, subtle knots, bows and drapings  in sophisticated, ultra-feminine powersuits and dresses.  Designer Alber Elbaz epitomizes Parisian style with some kink of 40′s retro-ish vibe for Fall 2009 collection.

All in all, this collection is  flat-out classic. You will never go out of style with these pieces, wherever the time machine takes you.

So, expect to see leather-like boots and gloves along the runway. The big, chunky bejeweled, tribal necklace may be a lil bit off-kilter, but in a very stylish way. In fact, I’m digging those chunky pieces as it adds some spunk to the monochromatic wardrobe.

Piece de resistance: Floral, Brocade & Both

* I think anyone would fall in love on this lovely black suit with what it seems to be embossed floral brocade-like patterns.  The fabric and the fine glittered embroidery was really well-put together. I also love the puffed wrap top as it adds quite an oomph to the ensemble. I’m not sure how delicate the material is, but it just speaks to me like, “This is not your ordinary timeless black suit. This is something that should exist in your business wardrobe!” To cut the crap, it’s just perfection at its finest! *

*Another take on the brocade. This time, it’s in a seemingly closed-neck dress with what it looks like a tri-layered, bias cut at the bottom. Well, it’s still drool-worthy elegant for me. The black chunky necklace plays a vital part on this ensemble. The dress won’t seem complete without it.*

*This one pulls off a different pattern, but is indubitably as exquisite as the previous ones. I just adore the cascading drapes on the side as it really gives the dress an overall feminine vibe.*

Simple-toned Blacks & Chunky Metal Necklace

Another option for this collection is to go subtle with a touch of nothing but black. But, what sets it apart from the rest of black boring power suits you see from businesspeople everyday is right in front of your eyes (and her encolure).

*Never go boring with a silver chain necklace and built-in gigantic pendant, whilst keeping things simple with your suit and makeup no-makeup look*

*Same cut as with the first image above, only sans the prints, hence your option if you’re intimated by the floral embroidery.*

*Complete your professional dressing-up with this lovely pair of platform shoes.*

More of Lanvin Fall 2009 here.

Thanks to my feverish browsing of Style.com, I am in the verge of getting a few new additions to my sketches, as I embrace 2009 with a bang! Starting off with some polka-dotted pieces.

Here’s a few inspiration for this season’s trend:

Going Sophisticated?

Valentino never fails to give some sensuality and sophistication to every outfit, no matter what cut, print or fabric it may be. I so love this flowy tube polka dot dress. Not only that it possesses the basic colors that characterize the minimalist in me, but also it gives a sexy, ladylike feel that donning it makes me look instantly gorgeous! This is so perfect for posh candlelit dates.

Dressy, Casual, Chic

This maroon and gray mini-dress with a huge waist belt (resembling that of an obi) from Iceberg is nothing but LOVE. This is a perfect dress to wear for chic, dressy corporate nights. It also imbibes a sexy, womanly feel without going overboard–hence, showing too much skin. Plus, a tinge of berry polka dots makes this piece pop out from its boring “gray” state.

The Playful, Funky Betsy

There’s this inner child in me that makes me want to wear a super funky dress. Thank heavens, ‘coz Betsey Johnson gets to have these pretty funky pieces that’s never an eyesore. This black-and-white mini dress with black satin bow imbibes the funky chick that surely stands up from the rest of the monochromatic line. It’s hard to pull off a mere black-and-white ensemble without looking run-of-the-mill. This one really makes a statement, and proves it. After all, it’s made by Betsey.

Steal and Save

Don’t have enough bucks to spend, consider these two equally fabulous pieces from Heritage 1981 and FCUK!

This F21′s Heritage 1981 Purple and Grey Floral Silk Dress is a must if the temperature’s rising and you’re stuck in a tropical island. This costs $26, which is a perfect steal!

This French Connection “Fast Tullah” Sleeveless Brocade Dress adds some spunk to every outfit, just like Betsey Johnson’s. It’s on sale right now at Macy’s. Save some bucks with this dress for $114.45 apiece.

Images from: Style.com, Macys.com and Forever21.com