Bobbi Brown Nail Polish SS07

Last weekend while the makeup lady at MAC was trying on loads of eye shadow colours on my sister, I wondered over to the Bobbi Brown counter and fell in love with the BB salesgirl's makeup. She had a 'light' (as in not as dramatic as most of MAC's salespeople's makeup,) smokey eye. She proceeded to try it on me but they were out of a certain shimmery, creamy eye shadow base so the eye shadow didn't look at all impressive on me, (or maybe it's just that the salesgirl was really pretty herself -that is so unfair!)

Next I noticed her nails and loved the colour. They were a lovely milky, white-ish, pinkish, champagne colour. They were exactly what I was looking for -something milky, but not plain white or pink. But I didn't realise Bobbi Brown made nail polishes at that point so I didn't ask her where she got her nail polish from. Later on, a friend told me Bobbi Brown did actually make nail polish so I decided to head to another Bobbi Brown counter in the hopes that the salesgirl's nail polish was from BB. After looking through the six shades, half of which were already out of stock, I guessed it was Tutu.

Since I have zero skills in painting nails, I got someone to do it for me while getting a facial. The results were... a bit more pink than I anticipated. Now that I've had time to accustome myself to painted nails, I suppose they don't look as pink as they first looked. Actually I think I may be starting to like the colour! (Haha sorry, this is my 28 hours of thoughts after getting my nails done.)

The one really big thing I must complain however is that BB nail polish seems to chip REALLY easily. Admittedly, I've got three layers on because I wanted the colour to completely cover up my nails so maybe the polish on my nails is really thick. But I've been pretty careful about using my fingers in the past day and it's not like I'm doing any nail-polish-chipping activities. (Although did you know msn-ing people is terrible for your nail polish? Too much constant typing!) BG justifies the chipping to me as "Bobbi Brown isn't exactly known for their nail polish". I know but still, I expected more from the brand and the price! Oh well.

Nail-painting is such an irritating and time-consuming activity, who know? No wonder I only ever experiment with nail polish during school holidays! Please let me know what other nail polish brands chip or scratch easily so we can all avoid them!

Image credit: www.bobbibrown.co.uk

Office Fashion: Suits I

Ah work clothes. I must say, I've always somewhat dreaded wearing it before- especially business formal. I always thought that it looked more like a uniform, and since my high school uniform, which resembled a prisoner's outfit, I never want to go back to wearing them again. But alas, the real world beckons. So lets take a look into office fashion and start with suit jackets.
Suits. The first thing that pops to mind is Giorgio Armani. As I always say when I write runway reviews about them, these are the things that makes me want to work hard. Don't they just look so sexy and stylish? (Left: Giorgio Armani, Right: Ralph Lauren)
But of course, in the real world, suits are not that sexy. For my first suit, I followed my best friend's lead, and went for the Theory, Hayward (left)(and no, I did not deliberately choose the same cutting, but I found that it fitted me best). Theory isn't Armani, but its pretty good. And the fit is quite good too. But still, for the first few times I wore it, I still felt very conscious of myself, uncomfortable and old. Like I was a poser, pretending to look professional when I'm not. But this summer, having worn it more often (almost like an uniform- changing the shirt of course- such a good investment!), I'm actually feeling much more comfortable in it (maybe I've aged too!). My friend once said that wearing a suit makes her feel sexy and I was confused- now I get it!
Just witness Calista Flockheart in Brothers and Sisters. Doesn't look like an uniform at all! She just looks very chic and put together.
I think the trick to looking good in suits is the fit. So try until you find the right one. Typically, I find one button suit jackets fit the best- for me anyway(note how this whole post is filled with one button suits). They also look slightly more casual, giving it a younger and chic look. (left: Elie Tahari, right: BCBG). My only problem is that my chest is small, so I have to be careful that I don't find an one button suit that is too loose in the chest- disaster! Some cheaper options, from Express (left) and J Crew (right). Who knew J Crew HAD suits? Turns out they have a pretty good selection, so go check it out.
Besides black, I also got one (very cheap from a local store in HK) with very thin stripes. Not quite as bold as these ones from Max Studio (left) and Express (right), but these are quite nice and sharp too. Next I'm looking to get a suit in grey (not sure dark or soft yet!) and beige/white (for summer)....wow, its like a whole new door of fashion has opened up- but all this will probably be when I actually get a real full time job.

Image Credit: Elle, BCBG, Express, Nordstrom, Max Studio and Brothers and Sisters

Eva Longoria's Wedding Dress--My vision

Early this month, as everyone knows, actress Eva Longoria got married to sexy San Antonio Spurs basketball player, Tony Parker. A writer for the San Antonio Express News, Michael Quintanilla, contacted me to draw a sketch of what I, Nick Verreos, would design for Eva , if I was the designer doing her wedding gown. He was doing a story regarding all the craziness revolving her fabulous and ultra chic million-dollar wedding in France. Quintanilla wanted to include design visions from local San Antonio fashion designers , as well as a "celebrity designer" (I'm sure he was using the term very loosely!). Several years ago, Eva wore one of my NIKOLAKI designs to an event (in a photo captured here), way before she became the star of "Desperate Housewives".

I obliged his request with this illustration you see here. I wanted to do my "Nick" silhouette--very 1930's bias cut Hollywood Starlet with an asymmetrical cowl draped back (similar to what I designed for her costar, Brenda Strong for last year's SAG Awards. I envisioned it in a off-white silk crepe that would be hand-beaded--heavy to light-- throughout the gown. The finishing touch would be a French lace veil very reminiscent of the Mantillas the Spanish Duquesas wear, to give a nod to her Mexican-Spanish heritage. The sketch was published-along with the other San Antonio designer's visions in the aforementioned San Antonio Express newspaper the same weekend of Eva's wedding. She ended up wearing an amazing silk gazar gown from Venezuelan designer Angel Sanchez, who for years deigned all the gowns for the Miss Venezuela's and now has become a go-to guy for gorgeous wedding dresses. Good choice Miss Eva!

2007 Trend: The Slogan Tees

80's styled, bright-coloured slogan tees are 'in' this year. This unfortunate trend was started by House of Holland, which basically makes loads of this kind of tees. I suppose one of the reasons why it caught people's attention was the cheeky slogans about other designers and models, (such as "Do Me Daily Christopher Bailey" and "Wham Bam Thank You Stam" or somthing like that.) I really didn't mind this trend back when the only people I saw wearing the tees were in magazines and websites. Unfortunately, my local department store has recently started selling them and now I'm actually seeing the tees worn on people and featured in local magazines around me! Bleh, I'm obviously no fan of this look.

And thanks to rising model Agyness Deyn, who is claimed to be 'cool and hip' by various magazines, House of Holland tees are now also considered to be 'cool and hip'. Uh, tacky colours much? (And I mean both Aggy's makeup and the tee, or maybe it's the combination of both.)

If you simply can't resist this trend, consider these very affordable choices by Urban Outfitters (left) and Top Shop (right.) Just because I don't like this trend doesn't mean I'm going to stop you from experimenting. Afterall, fashion's meant to be fun too and I'm sure lots of people out there love this trend!



So ok, I still don't completely get why so many people and supposedly classy magazines like Vogue are crazy for these tees. They're just so... unclassy and flashy. But I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Plus, trends pass by so quickly these days, so why not? What does everyone think about this trend?



Photo credit: http://www.style.com/, http://www.topshop.com/, http://www.urbanoutfitters.com/

Revlon Make-Up Eraser Pen

When I first saw the clipping from the magazines for this eye make-up eraser pen, I knew I had to have it. It was like they had read into my mind and knew I was looking for such a product (recall my previous musing on Jane Blog about dabbing a qtip with make-up remover, putting it in my purse and hope it still works later into the night). My friend told me she thought some brands already had such a thing, but still, this is the first time I've heard of it. So holding the $2 off coupon, I rushed out to the nearest Walgreens and picked one up (I was disappointed to find that it was not easily singled out amongst the products, in my mind, it should be placed on a pedestal).What it basically is, is a spongy/felt tip pen that is soaked with eye make-up remover (not unlike my original idea, except they figured out a way that the eye make-up remover doesn't dry out). It doesn't quite magically cleans off eye make-up at a swipe of the pen, but more like it disburses minimal amounts of eye make-up remover and kind of smudges the area. I advised you to wipe the rest off with your fingers or a qtip to get maximum cleaning effect. Even though it is not as magical as I'd hope, so far I am loving it as I've discovered two ways of using it:

1. To very quickly and effectively get rid of make-up screw ups during application. This is especially helpful when you are applying eye liner and you accidentally make a thicker line than you wanted. Then simply swipe off the extra bits and you'll be left with a perfect eye line.


2. To get rid of those smudges that inadvertently creeps up after a few hours of application of eye make-up- even when they say its water proof! To avoid smudges completely, I heard using bases, avoiding water/sweating and keeping your lids oil free helps...but good luck with stopping natural body responses to the environment.

Wow, if only I can patent my random thought processes. I'd make a fortune...

Photo source: Revlon

Vanessa Bruno FW07 Presentation

Ever since I've noticed the rack of Vanessa Bruno clothes at Lane Crawford (which is like the Barneys of Hong Kong,) I've loved Vanessa Bruno the brand. VB clothes are Parisian chic, cool and classily casual. Plus VB stuff is relatively affordable. It's now a norm for me to get at least one VB item each season. So imagine how excited when Lane Crawford held a little VB FW07 presentation (tonight) and Vanessa Bruno herself was actually going to be there!

The event was a typical one: half an hour of cocktail and a mini runway show. It was a small event so there weren't actually any seats, so thankfully the event was short and started on time.

The presentation is pretty much like it is on the VB website. Even the music is the same!

The first outfit that came out was a lovely trapeze coat that I've liked from the Paris runway back in Feb and have been looking out for. It swayed so nicely along with the model's walk!

This was definitely my favourite dress from the presentation. SO gorgeous! It's so perfect for mild winters (with temperature around 14 degrees Celcius, as in Hong Kong.) The dress is youthful but looks so graceful and pretty. Sigh...

Remember Elyse Sewell from America's Next Top Model many seasons ago? She's been in Hong Kong since then.

And there's Vanessa Bruno in the middle! Spot the light blonde lady in a black skirt and plum-coloured top. She fits in with the models so well.

This collage really shows the style VB's clothes... feminine, light, carefree and pretty. Everyone was invited (err, encouraged) to shop the FW collection afterwards, but I was too tired today to appreciate the clothes I was trying on and decided that I can try on the clothes another day. Also, I'm just not in the mood to shop for FW clothes yet. My sister on the other hand, got a really pretty casual dress. Hmm, I'll definitely have to go back in September for my FW shopping spree!

Bravo Toasts Outfest 2007

Silver Anniversary for OUTFEST

I am back from Miami, getting ready for my upcoming Resort/Spring 2008 Fashion Show at the W Hotel San Diego(more details to follow!) and catching up on some past events I attended. Two weeks ago, OUTFEST had its 25th Anniversary of showcasing the finest in Gay, Lesbian and Transgender films, here in sunny Los Angeles and I was invited to several accompanying events. First was the Opening Night Gala at the historic Downtown Los Angeles Orpheum Theater, in which I attended with my buddy, Erik. I ran into several OUT socialites, including my favorite Latina, Wilson Cruz (whose body is too ripped for words) and Momma, an LA icon. It's not enough that she runs EC2--one of the greatest costume houses in the world and the home and archives of Mr. Bob Mackie-- Momma defines the word FABULOUS! Erik and I had a fun time, not only watching a great Opening Night film, but also partaking in the after party, traditionally held in the parking lot right behind the Orpheum. In one word, G-G-G-GAY--as in Season 2 designer, Emmett McCarthy's infamous bubblegum pink figure skating costume GAY!

That weekend, I was invited to attend and actually introduce the one and only Tim Gunn, at the Bravo Outfest Party, held at the Hollywood nightspot, Boulevard 3. First, I was honored when I was asked by Bravo to introduce Tim at this party. OK, I was verklempt! Tim arrived to the party with the beautiful Veronica Webb in tow. After my "introduction duties" were done , I enjoyed myself up in the Bravo VIP area with all my friends. There were a lot of Bravo "celebs" from all their different shows, including Work Out, Top Chef, and of course, Project Runway. Two of my favorite Project Runway alum were there, the always FIERCE Robert Best, and Andrae Gonzalo, looking very Resort 2007 in his ensemble. I also ran into one of my favorite trainers from Work Out, the HOT Brian Peeler and chatted a bit. Spotted at the party was the "Queen of All Media", Perez Hilton, who was at one point posing with a cardboard cutout of Heidi and Tim. OK, he was almost humping them! I also got the chance to meet one of my favorite hotties of TV, actor Matt Dallas of Kyle XY. He was, of course, surrounded by a gaggle of pretty young girls. There were many of Tim Gunn's books, "A Guide To Quality Taste and Style" as well as Bravo emblazoned pillows strewn throughout the VIP couches. Let's just say I spotted several Bravo "talent" snatching many of these under their arms-- like Latin mothers at a wedding taking the table centerpiece flower arrangement-- you KNOW what I am talking about! It was a fun party and again, I was honored to have been part of it and celebrate Outfest's Silver Anniversary in Bravo style!

Smooth Legs

Previously for fear of pain and mess, I've always been satisfied with shaving. Upon seeing the very cool Veet ad for their hair removal cream (with the zig zag thing), I'd also given it a try. Alas, I was sorely disappointed when it only worked half way (ads are SO deceiving).

So I went back to shaving. And I was thrilled when they came out with a combination of two of my favourite razors- Venus and Intuition- clean smooth shave with a built in gel thing for those lazy souls out there like me. Naturally I dashed out to get one of these, Venus Breeze and was SHOCKED at the price tag ($10.99)- especially of the cartridges (23.21). But I persevered, convincing myself that each filler probably lasts longer-wrong! Because of the combination of design, the gel bar is very thin, and though it doesn't wash away as quick as the soap, it lasts for about 2 weeks at most. Ouch! Even if the catridge pack does contain 8 thats still quite pricey. (Note: If you still insist on trying it and you already own a Venus, my advice to you is just buy the refill right off the bat, because the attachment is the same. Although it may not fit onto the case anymore, it'll save you a few bucks!)

That, in addition with the recent summer heat and the short shorts trend, I decided shaving, with all its constant need of attention and unflattering stubbles after a day or so, is simply not good enough anymore. And so, I finally decided to brave the pain and go for waxing. Turns out, when it comes to beauty, I have a pretty high tolerance for pain. While it was messy and slightly painful at first, I soon got over it. Especially with these Veet wax strips, which makes it even easier (just remember to wipe off the excess with their special wipes or oil). The result were exactly as they had advertised it to be- clean and it lasts for ages! My only complain is that I don't always get everything, but I've found that skill and speed comes with practice.
So I've really tried many different methods of hair removal. Next on my list would be an epilator (above: Braun). But it is kind of pricey and I heard that the pain may be worse (I mean, they are literally pulling hair out one by one instead of all in one quick rip). Has anyone tried it? And how do you all out there keep your legs smooth?

Photo Source: veet and amazon

Thoughts From the Weekend

OK, excuse this very random post. I had lots of little random thoughts over the weekend so I thought I would just group them altogether. First off, I went shopping yesterday and found out that shops are now having their 'Final Sales' (usually 50% off,) so people, this is the time to exert a lot of effort into picking out potential bargains! But remember to never to buy something that isn't up to your usual standards just because 'it's so cheap now'.

Secondly, thanks for everyone's comments on my Tiffany's earrings dilema post last Friday. I ended up buying the first one because it really is the one I originally wanted and is the only affordable choice anyways. I haven't worn them yet but I can't wait -they'll be so perfect for my next night out!

Thirdly, as I'm sure you all know by now, JANE magazine will be folding this month and has just issued its final issue ever. For those of you who've been with us for awhile, you'll know that BG and I guest-blog for JANE. So I just wanted to say bye to JANE here.

Lastly (and possibly most importantly,) what did everyone think of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows? 21st July has been one day that I've been really looking foward to in the last two years. After making the rare effort to wake up on Saturday and buy the book, I absolutely refused to leave my house until I finished the book. (Thankfully I finished before dinner because I had to eat out.) I love love love the book! Everything came to a full circle and the writing was fantastic as usual. There was the best of the Potter world -friendship, growing up, witty dialogues, magic, fighting, love and the quest for answers. Even though the ending was a happy one, I felt so sad at the end because that was really the end of the whole adventure. Gosh, I'm going to miss Harry, Hermione, Ron and the whole magical world so much. *Sniff* I really must go reread it again...

Photo credit: www.amazon.co.uk, www.tiffany.com

Celebrities Wearing Their Skinny Jeans

80s revival - Skinny Jeans

Who would have thought that skinny jeans are came back for good? I mean came back to make women look even more glamorous and stunning at its best at the same time "in" in fashion industry? well i remember I cringe when I think of my favorite jeans from 6th grade that were so tight around the ankles, I often had to have someone help wrestle them off.. lols..

Anyway, they are back, in real way. So who's going to wear them this time around?
here are the celebrities spotted wearing skinny jeans!


Nicole Richie

Carmen Frugal

Penelope Cruz

Victoria Beckham

Scarlett Johansson

ELLE McPherson

Kate Beckinsale, Beyonce and Angie Harmon

Revlon Lash Jewels

The first time I saw the ad for the Revlon Lash Jewel in the mags, I thought, "Wow, they really are starting to run out of ideas. What are they going to come up with next?"

Because really, as pretty as the ad looks, why would you want to have drops of crystally things on your lashes. It doesn't really enhance your lashes to make it more dramatic or any longer. In fact, one would imagine that the extra weight will weigh down your lashes!

Despite my rationale however, I decided to give it a try anyway. I mean, who am I to argue against a whole team of Revlon product developers and researchers who probably spent hours and hours working on this product? So I carefully dripped the clear gel liquid onto my lashes trying VERY hard to get even droplets and ...... that sit! Its basically applying clear gel onto your lashes and the gel basically just stays there...like glue. It does not crystallize and shine or anything. Just sticks there like a blob of glue. And if you want it off, you can literally just pluck it off your lashes, like it was a piece of dirt. And my mom told me it looked like a piece of dirt too!

So in conclusion, it was impossible to handle and make even blobs of "jewels" on your lashes AND to top it off, the "jewel" turns out to look like blobs of glue. Needless to say, I am unimpressed. I stand by my initial reaction to this product.

Tiffany & Co.'s Elsa Peretti® Mesh Earrings

When I graduated from high school, family friends offered or actually gave me various little things from Tiffany & Co., half of which were from the Return to Tiffany's collection. Every girl around me seemed to love the collection and I don't think it was possible for me to walk around the city without seeing at least one girl wearing the braclet or necklace. But honestly, I hated it. Mostly because it was just oh-so-typical, but also because I didn't feel the particular need to be tagged "Return to Tiffany's" (even though I appreciate some girls think it's cute or whatever, no offence.) And since receiving said braclet, I've been put off Tiffany's, thinking either too many people owned the items or they were just too boring.

But a visit to Tiffany's to buy these earrings made my fall in love with Tiffany's. I now totally appreciate Tiffany's as THE place to get simple, quality jewelry. Since I can only afford the simple Tiffany jewelry once a year, I've chosen to focus on the simple shapes, namely the ones from the Elsa Peretti collection. (I can't stress how much I love this collection.)

As a little end-of-year present, I've decided on getting a pair of earrings (because earrings are almost the only jewelry I bother with,) by Tiffany's. I originally was planning to get this pair of gold mesh earrings. While I'm impartial to the little pearls, I like the shape and the way the mesh moves when you move. So last Sunday, I visited a Tiffany's boutique and tried them on. Wow. I've always wondered why people would buy these instead of the ones I see around all the time in much cheaper stores, and now I know why. The quality is amazing. The mesh feels SO smooth and silky.

After deciding the earrings were fantastic, the salesman recommended me this pair of earrings (photo above.) He said they were younger and more attractive. He was right. My mum and sister thought this pair was prettier too. This pair was younger, louder and had a way slinkier shape than the first pair. But I was so shocked by the US$1295 (HK$10000+) price tag that I left the store very quickly afterwards.

Now I'm annoyed. I mean, obviously I would like to get the Mesh Scarf Earrings (the second pair,) but there's no way I'm going to just dish out that amount of money for a pair of earrings, esp since it's not like I even have an income.

The salesman and my mum tell me that no matter which design I choose, the gold ones would last way longer than the silver ones because the silver ones tarnish quickly, whereas gold would last a long time. Another question that I'm trying to answer is that will the current trend of wearing gold jewelry end after this summer? Afterall, gold jewelry has made it's revival from the 80's around 2-3 years ago, and silver has just made it's revival this summer. But now that I think of it, these shapes are such classics I don't think they're really trend items anyways.

The salesman also (nicely and annoyingly) presented this design as an alternative. Thankfully I don't like this design as much as the others so I can quickly discard this design.

So that's my thought process. Right now I'm thinking I should just get the first gold pair because they were the original pair that I wanted and they're still really pretty and (relatively) affordable. Plus, the fact that the second pair has a louder desgin means that it's less versatile and repeatable than the first pair. Which pair would you pick?

Photo credit: www.tiffany.com

Too Short

As much as I've been going on and on about how hot short shorts are recently, there is an occasion when I don't find them so hot. And that is when it is worn by guys. I don't mean to be sexist here, but when it comes to short shorts for guys, there is such a thing as being too short.

I thought this was just one of those obvious rules that everyone knows about and adheres to, but apparently not. When I was flicking through the Prada men's catalog for SS07- purely for research purposes of course ;)- I was aghast to see men wearing such short shorts! Call me traditional, but I do not think guys (no matter how good looking they are) should be wearing such short shorts on the streets in public unless they're going to the beach.
Especially not printed short shorts with a printed top. It just seems so inappropriate! I thought that perhaps this may be a phenomena reserved for the runway like some trends are. But my friend assures me that it is not and that one of his friends actually own a pair by Marc Jacobs. So just to reiterate, men should not wear short shorts on the streets no matter what Prada says.

Ps. Who else is jealous that these male models seems to have better and more hairless legs than most women?

Photo Source: Men.style.com

My Dream Shoes ATM: Nude-Coloured Shoes

Ever since Hilary Duff started doing promotion for her CD, there have been more and more photos (paparazzi and at events) of Hilary and I really started to notice her clothes. (Yes, I know she's got a stylist who picks out her outfits with her.) The one item that I've really loved and have been inspired to look out for are nude-coloured pumps.

I admit I've never thought of nude-coloured shoes before seeing Hilary in them. I've only recently read that nude was apparently one of the IT colours of the 80's, thanks to Armani. Normally, when I think of versatile shoes, I think of typical black pumps. If you think about it, celebrities have all been wearing black or metallic-coloured shoes recently. So as an alternative to those typical colours, I think nude looks pretty fab. Nude doesn't add much colour to your outfit, and it goes with a lot of different coloured outfits. Look at Hilary's outfits -the nude-coloured shoes go with her orange dress, all-black outfit, and the white and grey outfit. Very versatile and sophisticated. Plus they seem to sort of extend one's legs don't they?

This pair of beige-coloured Christian Louboutin pumps are SO gorgeous. I love the colour and the shape, (although I'm not big on the wooden soles.) Don't they look absolutely perfect with the black dress? The only problem with beige-coloured shoes is that they're extremely hard to find cheap/ affordable ones that don't look cheap. They are definitely on my look-out-for list now!

Photo credit: http://www.net-a-porter.com/