…And I’ll call you by mine

Some people don’t enjoy watching movies that make them cry, I get it– it can be embarrassing wiping tears off your face in front of strangers in the theatre. But if you were watching Call Me by Your Name, an indie art house film by Luca Guadagnino, no matter how much you’ll try to brave through your vulnerabilities, you will fail, you will break, and you’ll be so happy that you did.

You will be reminded of the visceral feeling you felt the first time you fell in love. That madly, giddily, dancing-in-the-street type of happiness.

It started out as a crush, at first you don’t realize it–why am I upset when he didn’t show up for dinner? Why do I make fun of him behind his back? Why do I make it difficult for him to talk to me when all I ever wanted is to be near him? Why do I stay up all night waiting for him and find it impossible to sleep until I’ve heard his footsteps coming home?

And then came love–one of the most beautiful love stories ever told. Beautiful not just because it took place in a sensual Italian summer, where everyday was spent sunning by the pool or swimming in the river.

But because it was real. Real kicked-in-the-stomach pain you’ve felt when you had to say goodbye; real every-minute-feels-like-days anticipation of the time you’ll meet; real hanger-in-the-mouth ear to ear grins on your face when you’re together.

So real that it invigorates you, as you’re reminded that “our hearts and bodies are only given to us once in our life” and you want to make the fullest of that, whatever the risk.

When sleeves blossom

I can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened—it all happened so quickly—everywhere I turned, I saw blooming sleeves.

These sleeves came in all shapes and sizes. Some resembled bell-bottom jeans, some were free-flowing, some were chunky knits, and some were silky florals. All of them intriguing, romantic, and demurely sexy.

Like all trends, this one will eventually fade away. But for now, I am enjoying the laidback femininity these sleeves add to an otherwise simple tee or sweater. I wonder if they represent a freedom of expression, as if we’re not afraid to embrace what’s “right now, today, and this moment”.

And perhaps so should you. Before it’s too late 🙂

@sincerelyjules

@songofstyle

@aylin_koenig

@aylin_koenig

@notjessfashion

 

New Year, New Ear

2016 was the year of chokers. I, for one, was undoubtedly fascinated by the return of the slinky neck accessory.

2017, I reckon, if it’s not too early (or late) to predict, will be a year fashionistas move their attention up north, to the pair of alien looking things sticking out on the sides of our heads–ears.

It’s about time we give our ears more love, right? If you’re anything like Kendall Jenner, you’d sport those go-big-or-go-home hoops the size of your iPhone and “casually” call it a day.

Or, opt for something timelessly simple, a la the queen of all queens, Kate Moss, in the tasteful golden hoops that pulls the casual chic front row look together.

If you dared to go backstage at Paris Fashion Week, you would’ve seen designers from Isabel Marant to Elie Saab experimenting with larger-than-life geometrics or dramatic embellishments, all of which would become instant best friends with your ears.

If it’s not too late to make your New Year’s Fashion Resolution, may I suggest you give your ears a treat and explore the best earrings 2017 has to offer–it’s about time they got to be in the spotlight.

Elie Saab, Vogue

Kendall Jenner, Vogue

Isabel Marant, Vogue

Acne Studios. Vogue

Kate Moss, Vogue

Mugler, Vogue

Mugler, Vogue

Give ’em the cold shoulder

And I don’t mean this in the unfriendly evasive manner like you don’t give a damn. I just mean, literally, show off your shoulders in an effortless, #iwokeuplikethis kind of way, whenever possible. That’s the vibe I feel when I see any picture of any woman ever wearing an off the shoulder top—happy, free, edgy, and damn sexy. So much so I wonder why we ever had tops with covered shoulders?

A woman’s bare shoulders and back exude the kind of sex appeal that’s mysterious, salivating, and irresistible. Sure a deep décolletage with exposed breasts is nice, but it’s too obvious, cliché, and well within reach. I happen to prefer seduction in the least accessible way possible, that’s why they call it the “art of seduction”, right?

Also loving how much fun fashion is having with the off the shoulder look—ruffles, poufy sleeves, on a dress, on a plain tee, denim, silk, you name it, they have it. And miraculously, it’s the only trend that looks good in all shapes and sizes. It works with anything too—skirts, jeans, denim cut-offs—you can have a different look for everyday of the summer, although I’m tempted to carry it through to the last day of Fall.

If you still don’t have an off the shoulder anything in your closet, go out and get one pronto.

If the stores are all sold out, get a pair of scissors and be the Raf Simmons of your own wardrobe (yes I do mean cut the shoulders off your existing clothes 🙂). 

Who slayed at the 2016 Met Gala

I get that this year’s Met Gala theme is “Manus x Machina: Fashion in the World of Technology“, which has some of the world’s most beautiful humans competing to strut down the red carpet in the most daring gowns to showcase that, they get the theme too. It’s about technology embracing fashion just as much as fashion embracing technology. (Jonathan Ive, Apple’s Chief Designer, co-hosted Monday’s fashion Superbowl, as the company continues to make splash in the fashion world by marketing wearable tech as inevitable fashion accessory.)

To me, the Met Gala is the most exclusive and committed Fashion event of the year. And as such, as on-theme and inventive as a starlet may want to be, the minimum requirement is that she should look good in her gown. The look should suck the oxygen out of the room because it’s so jaw droopingly gorgeous. It also needs to be timeless so that many years from now, we can still look back and be in awe and not think to ourselves “what was she thinking”.

To that, I have picked out my personal favourites for three notable trends of the night:

Shimmering Metallica

There were countless light reflecting dresses on the carpet, as the theme called for “technology”. Some have gone very far and ended up looking like a satellite that orbit in Space or Tin Man in high heels . Not Lupita, she looked like a floating goddess on green cloud in that Calvin Klein perfection. Equal part ethereal and glam. It was also refreshing to see Rachel McAdams breaking out of her comfort zone to embrace a dangerously sexy gold metallic gown. It was the perfect amount of risque while staying true to a flattering silhouette.

Timeless Floral

Yes, flowers on a dress isn’t exactly groundbreaking but when done right, it can be as glamorous as Zoe Saladana’s peacock envy train.  Bee Shaffer’s elegant McQueen transformed her into a black swan. And Zoey Deutch’s Dolce & Gabbana has put her on the map as an emerging style icon.

Body-con Column 

My most beloved trend of the night was the body-con column silhouette, it’s simple, becoming, and makes the even tallest person look taller. Karlie Kloss didn’t care to play along on the tech theme, she just showed up to stun. Kendall Jenner awed the cameras in an Atelier Versace. Its refreshing colour combination and intricate detailing completed a look that was safe yet original–two opposing characteristics played out perfectly by Kendall and perhaps Kendall alone.

We live in a fast paced world where only couple days ago, my Instagram feed was bombarded with everything Met Gaga, yet today, it’s pivoted 180 degree onto the next day’s #ootd.

Yesterday’s everything could mean tomorrow’s nothing. Exactly 365 days from now, we’ll revert attention back to The First Monday in May, 2017.

 

Karlie Kloss in Brandon Maxwell

Kendall Jenner in Atelier Versace

Bee Shaffer in Alexander McQueen

Zoe Saldana in Dolce & Gabanna

Zoey Deutch in Dolce & Gabanna

Rachel McAdams in Valentino Haute Coutre

Lupita Nyong’o in Calvin Klein Collection

All images from Getty

Choker Face

I think it was really @margaret__zhang who not only started, but perfected the greatest choker comeback of all time. She’s really onto something–the likes of today’s biggest “It” girls @gigihadid, @kendaljenner, @caradelevingne etc. were all spotted sporting the trend. @katehudson strutted down the Golden Globes red carpet in a three piece “choker” look just to catch on.

In fact, according to Google Trends, searches for “choker” was virtually non-existent until late 2014 and has since sky rocketed three folds!

I went through Margaret’s Insta feed and picked out few of my favourites–here’s what I figured on how to master choker perfection a la the effortless rockstar

DO

opt for basic black silky ribbons

pair with open collar tops to really show off the choker

dare to layer with simple slinky jewelry

dress casually, no need to choker on top of formalwear

experiment and not be afraid to fail, if you can’t rock it, just take it off and go on with your day!

COS, Coat

 

Originally, I had plans to procure a camel coloured coat this winter. You know, one of those classics every fashion blog has commanded you to own. I pictured a velvety, creamy, cashmere-y coat so soft to the touch, that you’d want to snuggle in it all winter long.

Many years ago, I came face-to-face with a Max Mara number that fitted that exact description: ankle length, hidden buttons, beautifully tied together with an enclosed belt. I was window shopping with a friend and couldn’t resist the temptation to try it on..and bam, I went from “she-can-never-afford-this-coat-forever21-girl” to “I-am-Olivia Palermo-for-a-living-20something-sociallite” in a blink of an eye.

It was gorgeous. I swear my mouth foamed up with drool when I saw myself in the mirror. It was also ridiculous: not only for its price tag, but I’d literally have to reinvent myself in order to pull it off (new shoes, scarf, bag, sunglasses, and better also get a chauffer). Reluctantly, I peeled it off– but to my surprise, I immediately felt liberated without it. It just wasn’t my time yet for a coat like that.

Last winter, I finally had the fortune of checking out a COS store having read about its minimalistic chic design so long ago. I loved everything in the store–simple yet architectural, with muted sex appeal, very Scandinavian– which made sense for being the elegant older sister of H&M. Then this coat caught my eye, it was so different: its silhouette is not feminine but boxy, material is not velvety soft but slightly rough, colour is certainly not camel but grey. But I fell in love with it just as same as the Max Mara, except, I felt 100% myself in it.

Sometimes we get lost coveting for something for the wrong reasons—isn’t it more important to opt for a garment that makes you, you?

COS Coat

Micky Mouse is good for the soul

Think it was couple seasons ago, Marc Jacobs had a collection where Disney’s iconic ambassador, Mickey, was prominently featured on crop tops worn by seriously seductive models. Shortly after, Miley Cyrus sports the look right on the money, winning countless features in fashion magazines everywhere.

I mean, who can blame Miley? Mickey Mouse is hot! I had been looking for an affordable-non-Marc Jacobs-version of an everyday shirt with Mickey front and center for a long time, so you can imagine my giddiness when I spotted this grey cotton tee at an Uniqlo in Tokyo. It was our first night in the city and we were so overwhelmed by every bit of Shinjuku, so much so that we only allotted 10 minutes to shop (you can’t NOT walk into a ginormous Uniqlo when you see one).

Needless to say, I sneaked back into the fitting room and changed into the shirt immediately after checking out—I looked in the mirror and somehow felt more Tokyoan than ever.

Guys, what shoes are you wearing?

I am going to go out on a limb and say that a guy’s chance of successfully getting a date/hook up/girlfriend or whatever form of impressing an attractive female will increase by 55% if he had on better shoes. Better than the ones he’s wearing right now. Yes, look down at your feet, what shoes are you wearing?

Are they scuffed up?

Are they pointy and pointed upwards like elf shoes?

Are the laces so worn out they’re now thin and strappy vs. thick and sturdy?

Are you really wearing summer dress shoes in the middle of winter?

Or…are they just plain ugly?

I made my opening comment not because I think all women are super facial, rather a good pair of shoes tells me that:

1. You have taste. You appreciate and take interest things that are atheistically pleasing. I could trust that you’d share similar good taste in music, books, and movies. 2. You know what to splurge on. Shoes for men are like handbags for women, a key accessory that sets you apart and adds style. If you care at all to be stylish, that is. 3, You are not 23 anymore and still think Aldo is couture. You are a grown man who takes the time to take care of himself. Most importantly, you know there’s value in dressing well and isn’t afraid to show it.

Be good to yourself, gentlemen, and go get a good pair of kicks. Obviously, don’t do it just for the women.

Heigh Ho, High Low

 Last Sunday we went out for a walk. Knowing summer is almost over, I was looking for every opportunity to get my shorts on.

 Dior with denim cut offs

Bejeweled necklace with a plain black tee

Nautical striped espadrilles 

Such is the simplicity of a weekend stroll

Comfortable. Chic. Carefree