Need help? Ask Mary, tingting & Lucy

What do Mary H. Prieto, Tingting Cojuangco and Lucy Torres-Gomez have in common?

Well, for one, they all epitomize beauty – that is, the finest in Filipina pulchritude.

Mary H. Prieto, aka Yolanda Marquez, was one of Tagalog prewar cinema’s most glamorous stars and a much-in-demand model in the ’50s and ’60s. A woman of style and substance, Mary is also popularly known as our very own Ms. Manners. She used to share tips on etiquette, social graces, and more in her widely-read "Just Asking" column in the Life Section of The Philippine STAR. Soon, Mary is going back to modeling as image model for the Bench Is Forever campaign.

Tingting Cojuangco was once named one of the world’s most beautiful women. Now a mom to five lovely daughters and a grandma, Tingting remains beautiful as this former Tarlac governor keeps herself busy with her many socio-civic projects.

Lucy Torres-Gomez first made heads turn when she did a soap commercial on TV. And all eyes were on her when she married actor Richard Gomez. Today, she’s considered royalty in show business which has fallen in love with Lucy. This modern mom juggles her time between modeling (she’s image model for Herbench) and taking care of two-year-old Juliana.

And now, readers of the STAR will get a three-in-one lovely package as Mary, Tingting and Lucy join hands to answer your queries on beauty, fashion and etiquette starting with this issue. Questions may be addressed to all the three ladies or specifically to any one of them. Send your e-mail to lifestyle@philstar.net.ph or fax at 301-9732.

BROWN: TODAY’S TO DYE-FOR COLOR

DEAR MARY,

I’m 58 and about half of my hair has turned white. I would like to use a brown dye instead of the usual jet black, which is too obviously a dyed color. I noticed that many young people now, even if they are morena, have their hair blond or brown. Is this OK for me? I used to think Filipinas wearing brown hair as cheap or in bad taste. But this seems to be the trend now.

– MRS. B

Not only is it the trend but brown is kinder to the face. Jet black makes one look stern and too artificial.

– MARY H. PRIETO

TO WEAR OR NOT TO WEAR STOCKINGS

DEAR TINGTING,

I’m a fortysomething manager in a multinational company where corporate attire is de rigueur. I wear stockings daily, but I’ve noticed that many women today hardly wear stockings anymore. When should stockings be worn?

– ALICE H.

Stockings should be worn in the daytime especially by office girls, and at nighttime, especially at formal occasions.

Very few wear stockings now because sandals are not worn with stockings and sandals have been the style of shoes since the year 2000.

I have always worn stockings daily, especially the kind that has a tummy support. Nowadays, there are even buttocks support stockings. Stockings make shoes more comfortable.

I like to wear stockings that are on the beige side, as they are light in color, and I choose the lighter textured stockings. That way, it’s not too hot to wear. Dark black stockings are not appealing even for evening because they tend to give a heavy look and therefore an appearance of heavy legs. Gray stockings are always better and somehow give a slim appearance without heaviness. White stockings are better for nurses. They look cleaner in white stockings, too. I don’t like skin-colored stockings – I’d rather not wear stockings at all.

If you don’t wear stockings and don’t like wearing one, be sure to cream your legs nightly to make your skin smooth. The morning creaming could be too oily on the road. Some men may find stockingless women sexier. I find stockings elegant and they complete the look of crispy clean for me.

– TINGTING

PANTS: THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT

Hi Lucy!

I have a wonderful pair of boot-cut jeans – my favorite actually – that looks great worn with either my three-inch open-toed sandals or my equally high pointy pumps. Recently though, I purchased a pair of really streamlined, stylish loafers and I’m wondering if there is a way I can wear them with the same pair of jeans without having to cut the length. Also, what really is the correct length for pants?

–AMY

Let’s start with the so-called "correct" length for pants. When it boils down to the basics, there is no right or wrong way. There is, however, such a thing as wearing the most flattering length and that largely depends on the kind of shoes you will wear with your pants.

Capri pants are definitely out of the question here as they are really meant to be worn short. Let’s concentrate on straight-cut and boot-cut pants. As a general rule, the bottom of your regular pant leg should touch the middle part of your foot, which is also known as the breaker (so called because it results in a slight break on the material of the pants worn). This is the perfect length when wearing flats. Naturally, for higher heels, you will need a longer pant length because it will look funny if you wear boot-cut pants that rest just slightly below your ankle with high heels. It will not look flattering at all.

An easy guideline when wearing high heels with pants would be to make sure that the bottom of your pants rest at least midway through your shoe’s heel. This way, you are still assured of the natural "break" on the pants’ material.

Now, for your main question. I have good news and bad news for you. The bad news is, short of cutting your pants, there is no way you can wear the same pair regularly with your loafers, assuming, of course, that its full length has a bottom that covers the three-inch heel of your shoe midway (as described above). Wearing the same pair with flats will naturally result in a scrunched-up bottom that will only succeed in looking like you borrowed somebody else’s jeans. The good news though is that you have a chic alternative. You can actually convert your jeans into capris by just folding them! And even better is the fact that you can do it in two different ways and actually pull off three different looks. How’s that for flexibility?

STYLE I – Fold your jeans to make it rest mid-calf, making sure that the folded ends have a cuff of at least three inches wide. The material on the reverse will expectedly show but don’t let this bother you one bit because this will only contribute to the total look. Wear the pants with a tank top or a baby tee with flat thong sandals or sneakers (omit the socks please).

STYLE II – Do as mentioned in Style I but this time, fold it a couple more times and make it end by the knee or just very slightly below it. Wear it with a well-cut tailored shirt in a solid color that will complement the loafers you just bought. Keep the look simple by just carrying a smart bag and accent the look with a watch and simple jewelry, maybe nice studs or hoop earrings.

STYLE III – Same as Style II except this time, wear a tailored shirt with a floral print, accent it with a slim belt in a happy color and wear the outfit with strappy, high-heeled sandals.

Always remember that the right pant length is as much a key to looking good as the particular style and cut it comes in. Do not take it for granted. I’ve come to realize, through trial and error, that there is no one straight or boot leg pant length that can work equally well with flats and three-inch heels. A disparity that extreme calls for two pairs with two different lengths. And if you chance upon a pair of pants that you absolutely adore, go ahead and buy it in two pairs. You will not regret it, especially if the fit is perfect and it comes in a basic color. Keep the length of one pair longer for high-heeled shoes and have the other one shortened to wear regularly with flat shoes. That way, you’re assured of looking your best, no matter how high or low your shoes are.

– LUCY