peplum: a short overskirt attached to the waist of a fitted jacket or blouse. like so:

image from the nest.

peplum is not a creation of this generation. it’s been around for ages, even elizabethan fashion had it. according to merriam-webster, the term “peplum” was first used to refer to these overskirts in 1866. in more recent history, it became popular in the 1940′s and ’50′s particularly in women’s suits.

lilli ann, a famous clothing brand in the ’30′s-50′s is best known now for the suits that have made their way to online vintage stores (like posh girl vintage below). many of the designs from this brand involve peplum jackets.

images from susan’s diary – vintage style.

the style came back in the ’80′s in one-piece dresses, rather than just jackets. like the this oleg cassini sequined disco dress from dress: the art of wearing vintage.

since 2009, we’ve been seeing a resurgence of the this trend on the runway. celebrities seem to embrace the style on the red carpet and in real life until today.

would you wear this style?

so i have decided to just write about the first thing that came to my mind as i was aimlessly looking at the red carpet arrivals: ladies are still wearing calvin klein with the following details:

• minimalist design
• skims the body
• very feminine shades
• sexy back
• soft hairstyles
• next-to-nothing jewelry (in the case of katie and shailene, nothing at all), except for heidi klum.

is this the look of the decade?

2011

my most favorite dress last year was emma stone’s of course, one of the two emmas who i think stole the fashion limelight in 2011. salmon-colored dress with a tan (well, at least tan compared to emma stone’s typical alabaster white look) in the golden globe awards 2011.

on the same red carpet was claire danes in a pink halter dress.

jennifer lawrence was nominated for an oscar and she wore this red plunging dress with straps that criss cross at the back. with those soft tumbling curls, easily one of the sexiest red carpet looks ever.

later in the year at the met ball, zoe saldana wore this strapless dress in yellow.

then at the emmys, katie holmes wore a shoulder baring blue dress with straps that remind me of gym outfits. i am a fan of calvin klein’s long dress collections, but i find this one too simple for an emmy red carpet. one of the worst dresses in 2011. maybe at a less formal event…

here is calvin klein’s face for their latest scent, beauty. diane kruger wore pale gold at the cannes film festival. that’s joshua jackson from the back. but i’m sure no one’s looking at him from the back.

2012 so far…

shailene woodley in a dove gray halter dress that skims her body just right, this would be my favorite at the critics choice awards. it has a silver chain for a halter strap that slinks down her back. gorgeous!

heidi klum… ok, i said next-to-nothing jewelry at the start, but heidi is the exception here. according to reports, she started with the lorraine schwartz 1 million-dollar(!) necklace and ring then proceeded to look for a simple dress that matches the accessories. i was surprised to see this on heidi as she normally wears (and gets away with) outfits that teeter on the border of over-the-top, but i do like this one and still rate this as one of the best in a less frou-frou event like the golden globes.

watch heidi try on the clavin klein dress with creative director francisco costa here.

what do you think of this trend?

when my father-in-law came back from overseas one time, i grabbed the airport-bought duty-free marc jacobs lola instead of the flora by gucci when both were presented to me to choose from as presents because the lola bottle trumps the flora bottle (btw, i received a bottle of flora by gucci last christmas. because my husband tipped my father-in-law about my wish list). i do admit that  that bottle is such a standout on the vanity and deserves a place next to something neo-baroque (in the form of a frame or candelabra), but as i think more about it, and i do understand how a lot of ladies adore the fragrance, the juice just was not my taste after all. not that i regret the choice, there have been a lot of instances when i found lola’s sophisticated sweetness the appropriate fragrance for, but… nevermind, you know what i mean.

now that i have satisfied the packaging ultra-visual in me, i’m going to avoid buying fragrances based on their looks. that didn’t stop me, though, from checking out oh, lola!, knowing that even if the juice isn’t all that, i’d still be tempted to buy it because the bottle would look terrific next to anything acrylic and feather-trimmed on my dresser.

i finally got the chance to check it out before christmas last year. you know what it smells like? the pink variant of those tiny fragrance beads we used to buy from street vendors. we called them “kisses”, right? was “kisses” a popular brand of those things or was that some pop-jargon among grade school girls? i wouldn’t remember. what i do remember is how they smell. and the pink variant smells like oh, lola!. did i mention that already?

no, really. do you remember those things?! we used to do stuff to make them multiply by asexual reproduction. remember those gullible times?

if you don’t know what i’m rambling on about nor remember how those things smelled, just think of any prominently berry-smelling fragrance and you’d most likely come very close to oh, lola!. yes, it’s an extremely pink perfume, and i find it quite average because it smells like the other dozen little girls’ fragrances in the beauty section of a pretty upscale drugstore. there’s nothing entirely original about it, nothing that would make me do a double take when i catch a whiff from a passing stranger. i think this will sell more in the tropical regions though. its opening is very sheer and sparkly, its heart a toned down floral and the drydown a pale vanilla. definitely more suitable for warmer climates than the original lola. if you didn’t like lola’s blatant floral-ness or thought it too mature for your taste, perhaps oh, lola! is for you.

as you can guess oh, lola! invariably reminds me of my childhood. particularly my pencil case and school bag, where i used to scatter those fragrance beads into. but while that smell takes me back to happier times, i won’t buy it. because i don’t want to be time warped into smelling like my pencil case nor my school bag.

although i was very tempted to buy it when i saw it on the sale section last christmas… oh, those translucent vinyl blossoms! what a sucker for packaging i am indeed!

image from musings of a muse.

here are two works by artist rosemarie fiore. she uses real fireworks to create these abstract works of art. no artwork more appropriate for the new year than these.

ohai, 2012! i didn’t see you there!

emma watson

she has come a long way from the little hermione in the first harry potter movie and who would have thought someone best known for playing an obsequious nerd would become the face of a prestigious fashion brand and a style icon at a young age. in fact, for the first time in years, jennifer aniston has been dethroned as “best tressed” by watson and her daring pixie cut, now the most sought after ‘do in salons.

remember her in 2001, at the philosopher’s stone premiere? that bizarre denim(?) sack dress with a patched on pocket and chinese stamp? with horrendous shoes and what-the-heck-is-that boa? it’s a crime even for a very young girl.

ten years later, 2011. just look at how far she’s come!

and my favorite emma watson style moment of the year is from the gq men of the year awards. she wore a plaid mini puffball dress from alexander mcqueen’s bridge line, mcq (if i’m not mistaken, costs only $700+. i know, i know, we commoners would have to bleed through the nose to buy a minidress with that price tag, but for hollywood royalty, wearing such a thing to the red carpet is remarkable, considering every other dress is worth multiple thousands), worn with a cropped leather jacket and a chunky charm bracelet.

emma stone

i first saw emma stone in superbad, but i only started noticing her in zombieland. in just a few short years (it’s been just four years since she first appeared in a feature film), she has made her way into the a-list. the easy a-list, that is. ok, that was a bad pun. whatever.

but before appearing on superbad, she was in the tv series drive. and do you know she was also in a 2004 reality tv show in search for members to be cast in a new partridge family sitcom? she was one of eight vying for the role of laurie. she was brunette and she went by the name emily then. she had to sing and act on stage. they were judged also based on resemblance to the original 70′s laurie. she won, a pilot episode was shot, but the show was canceled.

later, she auditioned for a role in the massively successful tv series heroes. after her audition, she overheard the casting directors saying “on a scale of 1 to 10, you are an 11″ of course referring to hayden panettiere, the eventual claire bennett. despite some unlucky breaks in the near past, her career now is doing very well. very well indeed.

my favorite emma stone style moment of 2011 is from the golden globes. wearing a simple yet elegant calvin klein salmon pastel dress that almost matches her tan (i normally dislike clothes you can’t distinguish from your skin; but this is so exquisite, i’m making a happy exception), hair in a twisted updo, minimal accessories (including that gorgeous gold cylindrical clutch), i knew from the moment i saw it early this year, it would be my favorite look.

you should see it from the back:

so these two emmas are my favorites this year. i can hardly wait for 2012 awards season!

don’t get me wrong, i seriously like presents, no matter how discordant the items are from my interests. i appreciate the thought and i find a childlike wonder in the sense of mystery surrounding each glittering box under the tree.

but let’s admit it. you also have a list of things you would rather not get.

in no particular order:

1. figurines and other general dust gatherers
2. weird novelty items (like the handerwear)
3. wine
4. self-help books
5. household appliances
6. kitchen utensils

the first things that go into my regift stash are figurines. i may be a maximalist, but there is literally no room for figurines on our shelves. i mean it. there’s no space. besides, i’m not fond of how they look. except if they are star wars or dc collectibles. i would love very much for someone to give me a lightsaber and a lasso of truth. no, they will not gather dust. i will polish them frequently.

i’m weirded out by weird novelty items.

i don’t drink wine.

i’m bored by self-help books. i have nothing against them, i’m just not into them. strangely, people who hardly know me and find out that i love reading usually recommend self-help books as “must-read” titles. sorry to merely pretend that i’m interested, but i really don’t know how to tactfully decline suggestions of stephen covey and rhonda byrne. especially if these people are all effusive about it in a this-will-definitely-change-your-life way. these books may have helped some, but i suppose it’s a mistake to assume they would work for everyone.

on a side note: i never give self-help books as gifts. it makes me feel as if i’m giving the person unsolicited advice, thinking he/she needs motivational help, saying “here, this is to boost your self-esteem,” or “here, this will make you more efficient.” am i saying this person has low self-esteem? or that he/she is inefficient? just my thoughts.

household appliances? very useful. but i don’t want to be reminded of household chores during the holidays. kitchen utensils? i don’t enjoy cooking.

to clarify: if the gift of household appliances and kitchen utensils are given to my entire family (as in to: the E. family, Merry Christmas), that would be awesome. but if, say, a flat iron was given to me as a personal gift… what would you think?

on another side note: there are a few household appliances and kitchen utensils that i would love to receive as personal gifts though. like the sewing machine i got two years ago. my husband would like a coffee maker and a set of catering-grade kitchen knives. thanks in advance.

in no particular order:

1. casio g-shock limited edition “glorious gold” 6900 series watch
2. coach soho flap satchel in flint suede and brass hardware
3. laser-cut brass or silver necklaces (another chandelier would be nice; plus other designs)
4. flora by gucci edp
5. prada minimal baroque black sunglasses
6. a cat

of the bunch, the coach soho handbag would set one back the most, but this one’s in suede, so it costs less than its genuine leather counterpart. and i found one on ebay (bnwt) at a fraction of the cost. which brings the g-shock watch on top as the most expensive. normally, the 6900 series doesn’t cost as much, but the “glorious gold” (available in two other models) was released during g-shock’s 25th anniversary in limited quantities, so this limited edition watch costs around three to four times more.

the most economical choice of course would be the cat. there are kittens up for adoption at the shelter and there is one tame black and gray bull’s-eye tabby up for grabs in the canteen where i now work. this happens to be the one i want the most. yet this is the least likely i would get this year. with four anti-cat dogs in the house, there is no way my husband, or anyone else, is getting me a cat.

when bell walked on stage during the x factor audition week, i simply thought here comes one sexy sonofa–. when he declared his age, along with the judges and audience, i blurted my own expletive in that collective “sonofa–”. i made my husband promise to be like leroy bell when he grows up.

bell turned 60 just before the judges’ houses audition. that’s six decades. he lived it up during the 70′s yet he’s still this sexy in the 2010′s?! he is one hot granddad.

before (1978):

after (2011):

he must have gone to ponce de leon’s florida, found the fountain of youth and never told anyone else about it.

it was a sad moment when he got eliminated this week. of course, i blame nicole scherzinger for her awful song choices. simon did say once in the competition “you have one of the best voices… i wish i was mentoring you,” exactly what my husband and myself have been thinking this whole time.

nevertheless, he’s a fantastic musician, just not too many people know about his achievements. he’s half of bell & james (as you can see above), the duo that produced three albums and numerous singles in the disco era, among them that working man’s anthem “livin’ it up, friday night”. do you even know that two of elton john’s biggest hits, “mama can’t buy you love” (for which he was nominated for a grammy) and “are you ready for love” were leroy bell’s? on top of that he also wrote songs for the legendary teddy pendergrass, lou rawls and james ingram. this year, he obviously wanted to make it as a solo artist, and what a very respectable thing he has done, to not let age be a hindrance to chasing his dreams. besides, he doesn’t even look and sound his age… so i do believe his age is not an issue at all. with him, it is indeed just a number.

…uuuhhhmmm…

i was supposed to talk about anti-aging and healthy living here, but i got carried away talking about leroy bell. i wonder if he had any invasive procedures done to restore his youth? or if he has a daily regimen to maintain his looks? ok, i’ll stop talking about him now.

i guess i’ll talk about specific products next time because when i scrolled up my post and found this to be mostly about bell and x factor, i think it would be a great disrespect to suddenly slap on photos of facial creams and sunblock.

anyhow, here are my realistic resolutions:

1. i will build the skincare and haircare habits now. moisturize in the morning and night, sunblock everyday. gentle shampoo daily, no hair-damaging chemicals or appliances. i know i should have started this in my early to mid-20′s, starting early is one of the best things you can offer your skin, but there is no use crying over spilled milk here. so if you are in your 20′s reading this, you can dismiss everything else i say in this whole blog but not this one: start your anti-aging regimen now and be faithful to it. trust me.
2. i will sleep more. to me, this is even more important than resolution no. 1. back in the metro, 6 hours was my standard sleeping length. 5 hours during hell months. i was lucky to get 7 in, so forget about 8. then in 2009, when we moved to this resort town and i was caught in between jobs, 8-9 hours of sleep every night became a reality. and my skin was at its best in a decade even without skin creams and procedures. people started asking me what the secret was and i always reply that it’s no secret: just get enough sleep every night.
3. i will drink a lot of water everyday. as it is debatable what the adequate number of glasses to drink per day is, i’ll just stick to what we’ve been taught since grade school. eight glasses a day.
4. i will reduce my intake of junk food. i said reduce, not eliminate. i did say these are realistic resolutions, right? so chips and soda limited only during movie nights, which is once or twice a week, depending on work schedule. as it stands now, we are able to drop into fastfood chains only once in about three weeks. compared to nearly everyday back in manila where we were too lazy to cook and it was too convenient to call for delivery, this is a vast improvement.
5. i will walk further distances. this is the most realistic i can promise as the exercise i will steadfastly stick to. less escalators, more stairs. whenever i have to take the bus, i will to walk to the next bus stop, not the nearest one from where i come. when weather permits, i will go to outside lunch places rather than the cafeteria (the nearest of which is about 200 meters away from the gate, going up a slope). i could have said gym and/or run everyday, but that would be a lie. i could do that occasionally, i guess. hey, i just got a free gym membership from a resort!
6. i will do something creative everyday. maybe choreograph a dance routine for later use. sing old songs in new keys. produce a mix on my husband’s dj software. write short stories again. finally sew my daughter a new dress from this fabric i bought ages ago. make pasta sauce from scratch. anything. i already draw everyday, thus the illustrations in the blog. challenging myself to do creative things keeps me motivated and makes me feel young. cheesy? you try it.
7. i will stimulate my mind. i will solve math equations, play puzzles, read books, anything… every once in a while, i will try to learn something new. of course, my new job will provide a whole host of things to develop and think about, but i want my head to also work on things that i love outside of work.
8. i will do something that inspires me everyday. listen to my fight songs. read my favorite authors. watch deeply profound indie documentaries. browse through striking pictures from books. be relevant!
9. i will not sweat the small stuff. — i can only try my best to not let petty things get on my nerves. i’m a worrywart. but i promise to do my best.

now all i need to do is keep this up for the next three decades. scout’s honor.

bell & james album cover photos from bentleyfunk.

i think it was some time in 2008 when i decided that wide-leg pants are my staple outfit. now i have five pairs of them in denim, two pairs in black, one pair in khaki and one pair in cream. as you can see, i try my best to show some commitment to styles i like.

around the same time, i also decided that i lean against the use of shoulder bags. i stick to bags that i can place on the crook of my elbow. i know this is not very wise. i make exceptions when i know i’ll be walking around unsafe environments. i may also make exceptions for mail carrier styles and school bags. i think they look great.

why i love wide-leg pants:

• comfortable. they’re as spacious as my pajamas but a lot less frumpy.
• looks great with any body shape! (curse you, skinny jeans, and your demanding ways…)
• wear them high-waist with flats, low with heels. i dare the boot cut to be as versatile.
• they trim the hips. the joy!
• conceal ugly toenails for those in-between pedicure days.
• with a graphic shirt, makes the best throwback to the 70′s. i know some of you think this is tacky. but i respect the 70′s!

why i don’t like shoulder bags:

• just not for me. sorry.

i guess my dislike for shoulder bags is related to my extreme repulsion to ironing clothes. when i used to wear crisp tailored tops, my shoulder bag found great joy in creating a havoc of unsightly creases to that painstakingly pressed piece of clothing.

and another time, i used this brand new bright colored suede shoulder bag with an off-white top (btw, don’t you just get annoyed by that term? off-white??). i noticed that people kept glancing at my bag, some of them even whispering to their companions as they ogle at my accessory, and i was so proud because i was so sure they were admiring my new bag. i realized later that they were looking at this stain on the side of my top. apparently, the new bag decided to rub off some of its pretty color.

so that’s it. it must be trauma. i abhor ironing clothes and i didn’t appreciate slaving over laundry to remove an ugly stain.

therefore, i positively adore this look, from chloe f/w 2010:

the pants, the bag. i am crazy about mock turtleneck tops with dress pants. i have over a dozen tops like that in various sleeves and colors. like i said, i try my best to show commitment to styles i like.

i find myself illustrating more and more hair these days. i mean bigger and bigger. i think my frustration is battling to let loose. i want big moving waves that bounce with every step i take. tresses that take a life of their own whenever i nod my head.

OR! better yet, curls shaped like the edges of puzzle pieces that twine in and out as lazy doodles do.

i think that would look like parker posey’s in real life. did you see her at the project runway season 1 finale? in my dream of dreams, that’s my signature style. including the sunglasses.

i never understood all this media attention to straight hair. and i’m not saying that in a you-wish-for-whatever-you-don’t-have sort of way. is it not a well known fact that flat hair makes one look old and weary?

ok, fine.

straight hair ≠ flat hair. at least not all the time.

if you have straight hair that’s thick and lustrous and healthy and… uh, thick, that’s awesome. that’s like naomi campbell’s signature look that makes you not want to mess with her (even if you were completely oblivious of her cellphone-hurling tantrum).

anyway.

i had my hair done in ring-shaped curls back in 2009. it eventually ended in a disaster, but it was fabulous while it lasted.