Friday, January 29, 2010

Bizzare Feet Volume 2

Still in the mood for anything bizarre, guys? Because brace yourselves people, it's the Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2010's alien shoes!

Look how thin all the models' legs are compared to the size of the shoes. One word: shocking! I, to be frank, find myself a little appalled seeing these shoes, they're like monsters hugging your feet, especially the ones in the reptile prints. Anyway, what do you think? Do you think of them as these bad-ass magnificent shoes or are they just plain ugly?

You think those shoes only belong on the runway? Well, here's the proof that they are meant to be proudly worn off the runway! Seen here is Miss Daphne Guinness in an aqua Alexander McQueen short dress and extravagant shoes, though at this time, she opts for the simpler ones; the pink-beige ones.

Mind your step, missy! Lol.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Bizzare Feet Volume 1

She's stepping into her 40's now and yet Daphne Guinness (one of the members of the aristocratic Guinness family and a ferocious fashion icon/designer/philantrophist/writer/filmmaker/mother of three) has never failed to surprise us all. Here she is out and about in one of the most violent ground-breaking shoes ever made; the Nina Ricci Fall 2009's.

A brief look at the other shoes on the runway at the Nina Ricci Fall 2009 Fashion Show. Seriously guys, the boots are sky-high! Not to mention it's quite dangerous since there are no heels... at all! They're beautiful though, like out-of-this-world beautiful, especially the ones covered in purple glitters.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

When I came across the novel at Kinokuniya, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted it, especially since there were a bunch of other books sitting neatly in my bookshelf untouched, waiting to be read. And yet, as indifferent as I was, I felt the title was curiously familiar, like I'd seen it from time to time. It was strange considering that the novel was quite new and probably had just arrived a couple of days ago. The cover was also oddly familiar; the big stripes, faded baby blue and slightly greyish white. Looking at the cover, I instantly pictured this gaunt, baldheaded boy wearing faded blue-white pajamas sitting across an enormous, wire gate.

Then, I realized that I had seen the title, no, maybe the more correct word is looked at the title. Yes, I hadn't just caught a glimpse of the title, I'd looked at it. But it hadn't been a book's title. It had been more of a movie's title, or so I used to think. I'd never been aware that this was in fact a movie based on the novel of the same title.

The novel basically tells us about an odd friendship between two 9 year-olds trapped in horrendous circumstances. It starts with a boy named Bruno who finds his maid packing up his stuff into wooden crates. He later finds out that he's moving out of town along with his family to a new home at a strangely secluded place called Out-With. Of course, Bruno is very upset regarding the fact that he has to leave his lavish 5-storey mansion, the cheerful busy street nearby, and his 3 best friends. And much to his dismay, Bruno finds himself calling the depressing little house his new home.

Bruno's new home isn't the only thing that upsets him though, him having no friends and being prohibited to go out and explore also add to his misery. On a lighter note, Bruno discovers something interesting at Out-With, an encounter that he never thought of before. It turns out that Bruno's new home is not very far from a camp in which he sees a town of people dressed in striped pajamas separated from him by a wire fence. Seeing this makes him feel a tingle of curiosity. Then one day, feeling completely bored and lonely, Bruno decided to try for a walk but end up following the direction of the wire fence. Along the walk, Bruno spots a dot on the other side of the fence and as he gets closer, the dot turns out to be a thin fragile-looking 9 year-old boy sitting on dusty ground.

Later we, readers, will follow Bruno as he walks along the fence everyday, talking to Shmuel, the thin boy, who's in fact a Jew and has been separated from his mother to be brought with his father and brother to the camp.

I believe that from this point, we have understood what this novel is really about, no? Yes, it's about Holocaust; the term for the notorious massacre of the Jewish population during World War II. Shmuel, is in fact a Jewish boy who's trapped in a concentration camp while Bruno is, ironically, a son of a respected SS officer's. However, despite their differences, both of them quickly become inseparable.

The story is overall an elegant effortless read filled with a plethora of puns which adult readers should have no trouble deciphering, Out-With as an example. It is not so disturbingly long that makes you want to throw it away nor written in difficult fancy words yet the words used really do their job to capture the emotion and events that occur throughout the story. This book, in my opinion, is going to be those children's books which adults will read. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is not only remarkably heart-breaking and will provoke questions regarding Holocaust but its ending is also an unusual one for it is grotesquely clever.

Transition

From the overly saturated florals to something majestically white; It's Rochas Spring Summer 2010 collection everyone!

Lovely floral prints. I love the cutting of the dress, conservative yet quite unique.

The satin turquoise blazer is amazing. Love the whole look.

White flowing dress. Chic. And... have I told you that I think I just developed a love for ankle-high socks?

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Style Icon: Kate Lanphear

Monochromatic looks and silver platinum hair are her signatures. Always ventures into the dark side yet never ever her style disappoints. Kate Lanphear, one of the brightest fashion editors of US Elle, is truly the epitome of grunge-chic.

How do you make a tee and black pants look amazingly chic, Miss Lanphear?

Hands down, my most favorite outfit of hers.

This one is quite old, but never I grow weary looking at it.

Balenciaga studded wedges + Hermes CDC cuff --> perfection.

Polka dot blouse worn as shawl. Clever.

Loving her grey hooded sweater, LV boots, and Marc Jacobs bag.

I like the fact that she rarely switches bag. She's been carrying the MJ bag for like forever, just look at how broken-in the bag is!

Her hair literally shines out amidst all the black hues.

Beautiful vintage Jean Paul Gaultier jacket (and bag!).

Friday, January 8, 2010

Come Home

Hello world
Hope you're listening
Forgive me if I’m young
For speaking out of turn
There’s someone I’ve been missing
I think that they could be
The better half of me
They’re in their own place trying to make it right
But I’m tired of justifying
So i say you’ll..

Come home
Come home
Cause I’ve been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all I see is you and me
The fight for you is all I’ve ever known
So come home
Oooh

I get lost in the beauty
Of everything I see
The world ain’t as half as bad
As they paint it to be
If all the sons
If all the daughters
Stopped to take it in
Well hopefully the hate subsides and the love can begin
It might start now..
Yeahh
Well maybe I’m just dreaming out loud
Until then

Come home
Come home
Cause I’ve been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all I see is you and me
The fight for you is all I’ve ever known
Ever known
So come home
Oooh

Everything I can’t be
Is everything you should be
And that’s why I need you here
Everything I can’t be
Is everything you should be
And that’s why I need you here
So hear this now

Come home
Come home
Cause I’ve been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all I see is you and me
The fight for you is all I’ve ever known
Ever known
So come home

Come home...

(written and performed by OneRepublic and Sara Bareilles)

White

(Courtesy of UK Harper's Bazaar)

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy New Year 2010!

Good bye 2009, hello 2010!!!