Today's fashionista is a true recessionista
Hi Rissa!
I will be a wedding sponsor next week. Please advise if a lace gown is in fashion this year. I have a halter gown that I plan to wear since I have no time to buy or have another one made for me.
Mtac
Why shouldn’t you? Among the spring/summer 2009 trends are ballerina-inspired details such as lace, ribbons, and ruffled princess dresses as seen on the catwalks of foreign designers like Nina Ricci, John Rocha, Jonathan Saunders, Pollini, and Sonia Rykiel. Italian designer Roberto Cavalli likewise prepares for the summer heat by showcasing lace-covered dresses and see-through blouses of different textures.
Also take your cue from the era’s new fashion icon — Michelle Obama. How can anyone forget her choice of dress and coat for the presidential inauguration ceremony last January? She wore a lemongrass wool coat and dress of wool guipure lace. Michelle Obama also has a clear eye for some of the season’s newest fashion colors — lemon and citron. Wear your lace dress with confidence. Texture in dresses is very much in fashion.
Lastly, in these times of recession, don’t worry about not being able to buy a new dress. The fashionista of today is practical and cost- conscious — she’s aware of the latest trends but keeps an eye on quality and value for money. In surviving the economic crunch, know where to find the best deals and make use of what you have. These are the essential traits of a true recessionista. Take a look at those unworn brand-new dresses (all still with tags) hanging in your closet. Do wear these dresses. If not, rework your dresses to make these pieces more current. If feasible, consider having your lace dress recreated into a one-shoulder style. The one-shoulder/single-shoulder trend is a key component for spring/summer 2009. It was seen on practically every designer’s runway show as well as on the Hollywood red carpet.
Rissa
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Taming Those Bra-Thersome Straps
Dear Lucy,
I am very conscious about bra straps that show under clothes. I hate seeing them on others, I hate it even more when it happens to me. I have no time to fuss over my clothes because I am very busy and once I get to the office, I hardly have time to breathe. Help me, please!
I also need a quick makeup fix that will make me look glowing yet natural, and not cakey at all.
Tyya
I was delighted to get your letter because I have just the product for you! It is a fairly recent discovery but works so well I think every woman should have it in her arsenal. It is called Strap Tamers Bra Strap Concealers. They are the easiest and most effective way to conceal bra straps, and they also naturally work at preventing them from slipping off your shoulders. It is a very small contraption that consists of a clip to hold the bra strap and a pin that you fasten to the inside shoulder seam of a garment. The clip is made of durable polycarbonate, a material often used for bullet-proof glass, and fine gauge stainless steel that won’t leave rust marks or large pin holes on fine clothing. It is a great mini-invention that works so well you would want to hug the person who thought of it.
Other plus factors: They are comfortable, reusable, durable, and inexpensive.
Strap Tamers are exclusively distributed in the Philippines by Raspberry Studio. For inquiries and orders, call 411-1181 or 09178188188.
The natural, glowing look can be easily achieved using only three major products. Start with Make Up For Ever High Definition Primer. I like mine in number 2, a lavender shade that brightens the complexion. It is light, non-greasy, and perfects the skin by minimizing lines and pores. It renders a velvet finish. Follow that with Face and Body Liquid Foundation, still from Make Up For Ever. It covers well but in a most sheer and natural way.
For a natural-looking flush, I would suggest a cream blush. I like Bobbi Brown’s Pot Rouge for lips and cheeks in Calypso Coral and Powder Pink. Set it with a very light dusting of loose powder, curl your lashes, and put two coats of mascara. With that, you’re set, ready, and pretty.
Lucy
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The Beauty Of Sharing A Vacation With Friends
Dear Ms. Tingting,
Summer vacation and school break are almost here. Could you kindly give us a guide on getaways with close companions? Are there advantages to sharing a vacation home with two or three other couples?
Ms. April Gay
There are significant advantages to sharing a vacation home. From a practical standpoint, it allows us to pool our financial resources. An even nicer benefit is that we get to spend quality time with people we love.
But for all its appeal, sharing a vacation property with close companions does take work. Let me share some of the lessons I learned from this. The main responsibility of the host and hostess is to determine which friends to share the house with. This entails a bit of science and diplomacy. To my mind, creating the right mix of people is even more important than selecting the right house. Once we have decided whom to include, we send a written invitation with information on the place, dates, etc.
About a week before your departure, it is a good idea to host an informal dinner for the house guests to discuss logistics, supplies, the menu, and how your group prefers to dine.
Before arrival, you should also consider where everyone would sleep. This arrangement will also allow each couple to enjoy their own manner of relaxation.
Be wary of running the holiday like a cruise director. Be gracious, but allow your housemates to structure their own time.
Running a large house efficiently with eight guests entails continual house-keeping, laundry, grocery shopping, and meal preparation and presentation. Since my definition of a vacation is liberation from domestic responsibilities, you should be staffed with a chef or a cook, two housekeepers, and gardeners.
Sharing a house with good friends is an experience you will always remember. You are guaranteed good times, lots of laughs, and sometimes a surprise or two.
Tingting
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Send e-mail to tingtingcojuangco@yahoo.com, ltg@pldtdsl.com, and stylesos_rissa@yahoo.com.
