color me mine

Prints galore! NYFW presents the biggest trend of the season - prints on prints. Come AW11 you shall be prepared to bid farewell to the blacks and the blues, and welcome a closet full of vivid prints - plaids, florals, stripes, polka dots, abstract patterns... and mix and match them like little girls playing dress up. No more rules to follow, just throw on the gorgeous prints and get ready for a bold winter.

From top: Thakoon, Diane von Furstenburg, Marc Jacobs, Mary Katrantzou, Proenza Schouler, Suno, Erdem


 images via style.com

o Rapunzel

miu miu SS10

Alexander Wang SS10

One of the hardest things for me to get used to since being back home is the weather over here, especially the humidity. It's only the beginning of March and the relative humidity on an average day can get as high as 95%. It's so humid and damp that AC is dripping and walls are perspiring (yea, I'm not kidding) and my back is sweating from a mere 10 min walk even under the shades. The worst part though, is my hair. No matter how much anti-frizz serum I use or straightening/ conditioning balm I slather onto my hair, it still manages to frizz out the split ends like Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter's wig by the end of the day. So it's almost impossible for me to let my hair down just as it is anymore. To avoid looking like some wacky version of Grace Coddington, I tend to tie my hair up more often these days, usually in a bun or straight up pony tail and sometimes with a headscarf or hairband when I feel like it. But lately I've been testing out the side braid - a popular hair trend this spring as seen on the runways of Miu Miu and Alexander Wang, and I'm kinda digging it. Braids usually seem pretty girly and Rapunzel like, but the side braids seen this season are little bit messier, a little bit more casual, and cool enough to go with most outfits. I'm still perfecting my braiding skills while letting my hair grow out, but looks like it's a hair trend I'll be sporting quite often this spring.

*wearing vintage blazer from Amarcord Vintage, vintage blouse from Horizons Vintage, belt and shorts by Staerk, vintage pumps from Cobblestones, vintage purse from my mother, and cuff by Giles and Brother

images via style.com

black and white

I finally got to wear my Rodarte x Target black tulle dress. I know it's a little bit late in the game, but I wore it to a family friend's wedding in Bangkok some weekends ago, despite worried that it was going to be just another LBD among a pool of LBDs (it's a wedding reception after all). Thai ladies, however, are as warm in their choices in dress colors as their Southeast Asian hospitality, and they tend to wear bright hues for such cocktail occasions. So, I'd like to think that my black ribbon tulle dress still had its little moment.

If it were MY own special day though, and if I could ever afford so, I'd love to wear an actual Rodarte piece. The Mulleavy sisters' latest collection seemed to offer the perfect white dress for my not-happening-anytime-soon wedding.

Those floaty white nightgown-ish dresses at the end of their AW10 show were so beautiful, they're almost ethereal. The lace leggings, the ruffles, the strands of beads subtly chaining around the body; all evoke a romantic quality without being overly girly or romantic. The attention to detail and the techniques used on each dress are, as always, exquisite. I'm not the marrying kind mind you, I mean I've never really bought the whole concept of marriage nor imagined what my perfect ceremony would be like. But as I've attended more and more weddings, I've started to embrace the holiness of it and figured my wedding would be the one day that could be my excuse to wear a really expensive to-die-for dress. And if there's only one designer dress I could wear, I would love it to be a Rodarte. Even though style.com's review of the dresses "called to mind quinceañera parties, corpse brides", I think they'd still make beautiful wedding gowns. But then again, given that I'm an Aries whose mind changes every 3 minutes, this could change when and if I actually get married.

images via style.com

it's a man's world out there

NYFW: lots of menswear inspired details; pantsuits, Annie Hall references, tailored jackets, 70's working gal look. Even sweet fairy tale princess Erin Fetherston toughened up a little with a 70's rock and roll vibe.

Oh can we fast forward to next winter already?!

From top: Marc Jacobs, Derek Lam, Catherine Malandrino, Erin Fetherston, Doo.Ri

Images via style.com

zip zip away!

The zipper has played an inseparable part in clothing since its invention, making our lives that much easier when it comes to taking clothes on and off. Nowadays the zipper is more than just a fastener - it's used in so many different ways that one almost forgets the basic functionality of zipping. Take Michael Kors' latest runway show for instance. Zippers were placed on the garments to accentuate the graphic shapes and to create asymmetry of his signature (and otherwise we've-seen-this-before) sheath dresses.

Or look at fashion's new beloved unisex designer Rad Hourani's strong and edgy spring collection - almost every singe piece in it comes with a zipper and most can be zipped and unzipped for multiple looks. I'm especially in love with those silver zipper-chain leather pants!

Some crafty geniuses even take the zipper usage to another level - transforming this everyday object into beautiful accessories and jewelry. Designers like Kate Cusack and OutsaPop have been using zippers to make avant-garde jewelry and were probably some of the first ones to make such accessories as zipper-flower brooches and zipper-chain necklaces so popular now. I especially love it when the zippers are recycled from used clothing.

This fall I got my hands on some wallet-friendly zipper accessories - a bow headband from Topshop and a necklace from Style Hurricane (pictured above). Thanks to Jennine who posted her gorgeous zipper cuff by Style Hurricane on The Coveted that immediately became something I covet! The necklace I bought is not as elaborate but it's a unique piece of jewelry that could go with any outfit.
So let's zip away this fall!




Images via style.com, refinery29, Style Hurricane

apocalypse now... from cai guo-qiang to rodarte

My last portion of the trip is dedicated to Bilbao landmark - the Guggenheim Museum designed by Frank Ghery. It was quite surreal to see this massive curved and twisted titanium architecture right in front of my eyes. Though I was actually more impressed by the interior than the exterior, as the grandiosity of the building seemed to translate better in photographs than in real life. I thought each space and every room was designed and utilized brilliantly. The entire visit was a thoroughly pleasant one, and so smooth that I almost forgot about the odd architectural shapes of the museum. But what I was most intrigued about was the current exhibition, Cai Guo-Qiang: I Want to Believe. Cai is a Chinese contemporary artist who is probably most recently known for his "Footprints" fireworks project for the 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony. His work ranges from drawings to sculptures to large-scale installations and land-art projects. I was particularly in awe (and in love) with his signature gunpowder paintings, which I immediately linked to Rodarte's latest runway collection especially after hearing the Mulleavy sisters talk about their inspiration (click here for wwd's video).




Cai's gunpowder paintings are an aftermath of explosions, really, because they are created by spreading gunpowder on paper and literally setting it on fire to burn it. While the main drawing is carefully thought out, the burning reactions are naturally uncontrollable, allowing the paintings to have a raw, almost accidental effect, and the end result is surprisingly strong and beautiful.




Rodarte's SS10 collection, to me, evokes the same kind of apocalyptic feeling as Cai's paintings. The clothes carry a primal aesthetic, especially with the tribal arm tattoos, but they cry for a fierce, modern woman. Fabrics are torn, shredded, burned, taken apart and then constructed into these painfully beautiful garments. Dress shapes may seem familiar compared to some of past seasons, but the techniques, craftsmanship, and clear vision seen on the runway have proved Kate and Laura Mulleavy deserving of their CFDA award in every way.

Images via Cai Guo-Qiang's official website caiguoqiang.com, style.com

New York Fashion Week: Day 7

Not to Mess With: Phi



I am so excited that Andreas Malbostead has been receiving an increased amount of attention since he started designing for Phi a few seasons ago. And for this collection, he continues to impress us with solid, streamlined pieces: tough biker jackets, seductive zipper leather leggings, second-skin scuba dresses. It's all about how to be sexy without losing that edge.


The Incredible Shapes: Calvin Klein



After spring's robotic geometric shapes, Francisco Costa took a more organic approach this season. Natural shapes are back, as well as details such as curved seams, asymmetrical collar, and three-dimensional chiffon plisse, all carefully crafted to perfection. The color palette remains simple; shades of black and white with only two dresses in golden yellow throughout the entire collection. Yet the pieces are anything but simple.


The Art Student: Catherine Malandrino



Catherine Malandrino's collection was very much Surrealist inspired, especially paying homage to Elsa Schiaparelli, the pioneer of surreal fashion. There's nothing that we haven't seen before: the cut-out hand applique (think Comme des Garcons 2 years ago), the familiar day-to-night dresses, the signature intricate lace and knits. Still, it was a cohesive collection full of lovely, feminine pieces that will please all Malandrino fans.


Images: style.com