WHAT I WORE (Wk of June 27)

MONDAY

To work then

to hubby's photo exhibit

at the Camera Club of the Philippines

Above:

LBD, Zara

Gray cardigan, F21

Ballet flats, Zara

Bag, Fino

Locket, MNG

Above:

Blowdry c/o Bench Fix

(Wish I could have my hair done professionally every day.)

TUESDAY

To work then

dinner date at Via Mare

Above:

Blue top, brand-less, a bargain find

Stripped skirt, Plains & Prints

Cardigan, Zara

Ballet flats, Zara

Bag, Fino

Silver loops, tiangge find

My inspiration for the Tuesday outfit:

Zara's electric blue top

and striped skirt,

a look from their Summer/Spring 2011

color blocking collection

WEDNESDAY

To work (the day was all about errands)

then dinner date at the Sing Hainanese Chicken House

Above:

Turquoise top, Weekender

(It got a lot of compliments.

Probably because of the pop of color.

This is such a cheap find so snaps for that!)

Jeans, Defacto

Braided belt, Zara

Flats, Zara

Messenger bag, H&M

My inspiration for the Wednesday outfit:

Another Zara Summer/Spring 2011

color blocking look --

a turquoise skirt!

Sometimes, it's more fun to not exactly copy a look.

Interpret it according to your closet.

That way your creativity is challenged.

And there's less pressure to shop for the exact same item.

FASHBOOK

I love makeovers!

If you do too, then you should catch Fashbook, Philippine TV's makeover show. To nominate a loved one for a makeover, the first step is to "Like" their Facebook page (Facebook-Fashbook, gets?).

Below is one of the promo spots we produced for the show. Watch it to see why fashionista, make-up artist, stylist, painter and local Tinseltown's It Girl, Solenn Heussaff is the perfect person to host a makeover show.

Some photos from behind-the-scenes...

Above, clockwise:

Solenn at the McKinley Hill photo shoot;

Me with my local showbiz girl-crush Solenn (round face vs oval face, LOL!);

waiting for the lights and cam set-up;

chatting with the staff

It was easy to see she's a beauty inside and out. She's such a joy to work with -- no diva complex at all. She listens to directions, dresses herself up (no alalays necessary), and even volunteers to do extra takes to perfect her lines. She even generously shared her chubby photos from her not-so-distant past, no hang-ups whatsoever. Such an inspiration for anyone trying to lose weight and be the best versions of themselves.

Makapagpa-makeover na nga!

MELISSA TROUPE

7 months ago, I had a silly request to the Universe (see my "Another black shoe?" blog entry)...

With the rainy season so very here, my request for 'rain shoes' was granted (Thank you to my Hubby, J!)...

Melissa Troupe

lace-up wedge in black

from Gelai, Trinoma Mall

Don't let the wet weather rain on your parade! Stay pretty rain or shine. *wink*

WORDS OF WISDOM

Stylists aren't curing cancer or saving the world; we're just making it a more beautiful place. And every celeb is a four-year-old waiting for their day to shine, and our job is to give that to them. The looks that we are creating and the pictures we are making will be a part of pop culture history.

-- Stylist Phillip Bloch

p61, "Secrets of Stylists," SCMorrison

WHO WORE IT BETTER?

It happens: two celebs show up wearing the same dress.

How do you prevent another person from wearing your client's look? There's absolutely nothing you can do once a dress from the runway has been commercialized for sale. At that point, everyone has access to buy it, throw it on his or her back, and make appearances.

Most of the time it's an honest mistake. But other times. certain celebs and stylists have been known to repeat someone else's look to get press (Me: GASP!). Such individuals know what's been previously worn, since many showrooms tag a dress with that sort of information. But they'll still pull the look and put their client in it.

There have been a few rare occasions when a dress that was meant for one celebrity ended up on another, with happy consequences. For instance, when Nicole Richie ended up at her court appearance in the Moschino dress originally meant for Jessica Biel, everything worked out. she showed up in court looking like Audrey Hepburn, and the photo was seen everywhere, bringing lots of attention to Moschino.

-- p52-53, "Secrets of Stylists," Sasha Charnin Morrison

from celebwarship.com

SECRETS OF STYLIST MONICA ROSE

What is it that makes people think what you do is simple, easy, and glamorous?

Styling is still pretty foreign to most people. People see an editorial or a celebrity on the red carpet and think, "I can do that!" They don't see weeks of preparation, cars full of garment bags, late-night fittings, tailoring, returns, et cetera.

What's your biggest styling tip or secret?

Know what works with your body. You can always enhance your body with a good tailor and Spanx, but don't try to wear something that does not flatter your body type. From skinny to curvy, every shape is beautiful, but it's knowing what to hide and what to show off that makes every outfit sexy. Look at celebrities with similar body types for inspiration.

-- Q & A with Monica Rose, p35, "Secrets of Stylists," SCMorrison

L.A.-based stylist Monica Rose keeps herself incredibly busy dressing all the Kardashian girls (and mom Kris) as well as juggling other clients and editorial work

From: kardashianstyleguide.com

from celebuzz.com

SECRETS OF STYLIST LORI GOLDSTEIN

What is your secret styling weapon?

My weapon is that I'm fearless. I just go for it. You really can't make a mistake in fashion. You keep looking and trying. It's like a painting you're creating and all of a sudden you see, you've got it.

How important is it to know about drape, cut, fit and tailoring?

It's so important. The more you know, the better you're going to be at your job. I've had assistants ask, "What's houndstooth?" or "What's a bias?" Not that you're going to know all of this in the beginning, but the more you know, the better you'll do."

-- Q&A with Lori Goldstein, p21, "Secrets of Stylists," SCMorrison

Lori is one of the most sought-after editorial stylists in the fashion industry. She's worked on Madonna videos and Versace ad campaigns and with every photographer and hip publication you can think of.

Below: Houndstooth

I know what it is because

it's among my hubby's favorite patterns.

Yes, he's such a gentleman.

SECRETS OF STYLIST JESSICA PASTER

Sharing some of the secrets from my current read...

What is your best styling secret?

Undergarments, such as things to make your boobies look good, things to make your tummy flatter, and things to make your waist smaller. For instance, I can take three inches away from someone's waist.

What kind of impact do you think styling has on regular women?

Talking about the First Lady, sales went up for the Gap and for J. Crew when she wore their sweaters. She took a designer, Jason Wu, and made him a household name. You put a certain purse on a certain woman, say Nicole Kidman, and everybody who aspires to be her or loves her will go out and buy this purse. So fashion on a celebrity makes a huge impact.

-- bits of the Q & A with Stylist Jessica Paster, page 18-19, "Secrets of Stylists," SCMorrison

Jessica's best known to the public for the time she spent as Jessica Simpson's stylist as well as Christina Applegate, Hilary Duff, and Britney Spears, but she has also paved the way for the styling business in L.A. She's also well known for styling fashion icon Cate Blanchett and most recently, Dakota Fanning

Above:

Michelle Obama meeting with Nancy Reagan,

June 2009,

wearing a Gap shirt and cardigan

(from Instyle.com)

Above:

A blue marbled-print dress from Gap

worn as a tunic top.

(from MarieClare.uk)

Above:

An unexpected choice --

the Inauguration Ball dress

by Jason Wu

(Getty Images)

TAYLOR FIT

"Taylor Fit" is among my hubby's photography notes. Re-posting it as a styling entry.

It was a fine Sunday afternoon, with the sunlight dappling through the trees, falling gently on the green grass, seemingly playing with the shadows. We were beneath a cool canopy, breaking the twigs beneath our feet, throwing fallen flowers into the air. It was one of those memorable days when you must have a camera in hand to capture those fleeting moments. And there I was, happily shooting with my camera, taking pictures of Taylor Swift.

Well, not exactly. I was shooting my niece, E. In a Taylor Swift-inspired photoshoot. In a photostory conjured by my wife, A. I wanted to practice my photography. She wanted to practice her styling. And our niece wanted to model. E was channeling Taylor Swift. A was channeling Rachel Zoe. I was channeling Parc Cruz. E posed, A styled, I clicked.

Yes, it was one of those days, when we do something we love with people we love, on a fine Sunday afternoon.

Model: E

Stylist, HMUA, Voice Activated Light Stand, My Wonder Woman Wife: A

Photographer: J

Special thanks to our dear cousin, P, for making the shoot possible.

Above:

Taylor's album cover.

E's cover girl shot.

Above:

We didn't have a vine-covered swing.

But E found dried leaves and white flowers (calachuchi).

Above:

The last layout.