The New Style for Scarves

The cover of the March 2013 edition of Harper's Bazaar had Drew Barrymore with a different kind of scarf-tie on her neck. I didn't pay much attention until I noticed the trend in other photos like below. (Also from Bazaar).

I like it. It's different. Very different. Question is: does it require a SPECIAL kind of scarf? It appears to be a thicker material than normal silk or satin. Maybe you could get a similar feel with raw silk or Nigerian aso-oke material. Also, maybe the ends need to be wider than the "bridge" of the scarf (length-wise). Or maybe it comes that way. :) I don't know. Wish I could see a YouTube video on how to get this effect!

Please share your knowledge on this style if you can! xoxo

From Harper's Bazaar

An Innocent Oscar de La Renta Wedding Dress

Okay. I know I already wrote about a wedding dress earlier today. But I was searching for something totally not wedding-related and bumped into this picture. I think it is absolutely divine. The picture is breath-taking: the innocence of both the model and the dress is becoming. I hope you feel the same way too.

Oscar de la Renta Spring 2013 collection

The Mediterranean in Your Living Room

Exotic things are just that: exotic. I love it when people buy a whole collection of Chinese, Japanese, Nigerian or Moroccan pieces (sculpture, rugs etc.) but have never left their cities. It shows loads of creativity and maybe an active mind. Of course I love it more when these people actually travel to these places. There's even more authenticity to how they place the items.

Joss and Main showcased a number of Mediterranean furniture pieces under their "Moroccan Dream". Here are some that I found appealing and unique.

Minka pouf for $204

Safi wall mirror for $223

Desert sand rug for $77... reminds me of "Aladdin" or "Arabian nights"

Jewelry Picks that Will Make You Blush!

I recently joined a members-only site called Joss & Main. I did it to look for pieces of furniture for my half-new apartment. I found it while doing a search for furniture sales online. Anyways, with a subscription only feature, I receive emails practically daily about new pieces in the website. Yesterday, I got an email about jewelry. I usually would check the furniture and delete the mail if I didn't find anything appealing. But I was astounded when I saw the entire jewelry collection: the chandelier earrings and animal-interaction bracelet etc. shocked me... in a good way. I'm sharing some of the pieces with you here.

Giraffe bracelet on sale for $36.95

Treasure bracelet on sale for $15.95

Check this one out. A Rachelle bracelet on sale for $19.95

You can join Joss and Main and look for "Fornash Jewelry" to find the rest.

Weddings Everywhere: Vera Wang for You?

I tell you. This is wedding season. I have guy friends and girl friends getting married left and right. It's a very exciting season. It's always interesting because the personalities of brides are so different. While some like simple designs, others like heavily embroidered or "bling-bling" (sparkly) outfits. Whatever your taste, you can find your kind of designer.

Vera Wang, since she started her bridal collection just a few years ago, has been a dominant choice for a lot of brides. She has a good range of different yet similar styles. She does simple; she does textured; she does lace, but they all tend to be soft.

Here is a look at a few dresses from her 2014 spring bridal collection from her website Vera Wang Bridal.

Light ivory strapless silk crepe gown

Ivory and nude V-neck sleeveless lace mermaid gown

Ivory strapless multi lace soft A-line gown

Light ivory and black strapless gown

Are you "bold" enough to combine your white with another color on your wedding day?

Earrings from Bloomingdale's [Studs on Sale]

Here are studs I loved while browsing through Bloomingdale's earring collection. Bet you'll see something you'd like to buy.

Earrings for $18.75 [Purchase here]

Earrings for $68.60 [Purchase here]

Earrings for $87.50 [Purchase here]

Louis Vuitton Fall 2013 RTW Collection

I confess I was excited when LV started transitioning their purses from allover-LV-printed texts to well, non-allover-printed texts. LOL! But no one can deny the taste and quality of Louis Vuitton pieces: clothing, handbags, luggage, everything. Here are ready-to-wear outfits from their collection during the past New York Fashion Week.

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                                             Photos by Armando Grillo and from The Cut.

Appealing Nieman Marcus's Last Call Clearance Items

Here are outfits at the Last Call website that would be good purchases (great deals) for you. Price and beauty...

Bandage dress by Stretta. From $372.00 to $107.27

Shoetie by Schutz. From $149 to $104.

Robert Rodriguez's textured dress. From $243.25 to $170.25

I already told you I like prints. Here's Isaac Mizrahi's dress. From $840 to $588

Miami Fashion Week: My Highlights

Miami Fashion Week is described as South Florida's international showcase for Latin fashion among other things. The 2013 event was held in Miami Beach Conventional Hall Center, and was sponsored by Rimmel London, Wella Professionals, Beck's Sapphire etc.

Here are outfits I like by designers at the event.

By Lisu Vega=> I love prints and silk/satin. So this works for me

Top designer Roberto Cavalli does not disappoint. I love this black see-through piece.

The mix of sheer, satin and slit on this piece by Kriza caught my eye!

Spring Finds for Your Closet... That Makeover!

If anyone's excited that it's spring, it's me. I wore a free skirt in slightly chilly weather earlier this week. A coworker complimented my skirt and I told her I'm trying to encourage spring to join us. For those of you who are already experiencing (and enjoying) spring weather, here are finds under $100 I bet you'll like.

A printed blazer you can get from asos.com

A Uniqlo biker jacket

Cute... from The Limited

Lauren Ralph Lauren's Fashion Show

One thing I love about Ralph Lauren's clothing is that it is easy to wear. A regular lady could wear Ralph Lauren clothing... and easily accessorize it to give it an even more stylish look. The Lauren Ralph Lauren collection recently had its first ever fashion show in the Hearst Tower. Here are pictures from the show. You totally see yourself in these outfits, yeah?

<Marie Claire>

<Marie Claire>

<Marie Claire>

<Marie Claire>

Scarlett Johansson- Lady in Red

Marie Claire did a spread on one of Hollywood's most beautiful ladies: Scarlett Johansson... in red. We all know red is the color of sexy. A lady in red pretty much can't be denied anything. ;) Especially if that red is lace. Oooh! Here are pictures from the Marie Claire cover. Gotta love Scarlett's beauty.

D&G dress <Marie Claire>

$1235 Gianvito Rossi shoes

$1890 Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane

Curly Styles for Your Hair: Weave or Not

Personally, I avoid certain curly hairstyles. Too many curls are not flattering for round or almost-round faces. The straighter the better. So, I tend to stay away from curls, except if the hairstyle frames my face very nicely. Oval-faced divas, on the other hand, can do whatever they like with curls. Looking at these pictures, I am sure you will figure out what looks would be great for your face and head-shape. Enjoy.

Beyonce's curls: <Redbook>

Scarlett's up-do: <Redbook>

Halle's 'fro:  <Redbook>

Viola's "away-from-the-face" curls... Love it!! Very different!

Thinking of the next fragrance to add to your collection?

I took a job kinda far from home, not by choice but by calling, should I say? This meant a lot of things, but one thing that quickly hit me was that I no longer had access to my lovely, amazing mother's collection of fragrances. Within weeks of my move, I had run out of my perfume. Usually, I would be able to go to mum's bathroom and spray on something from her collection before going out with the girls or for other outings. I didn't know what to do. :(

I stopped by the mall the next day and was so confused by all the scents. I ended up picking one of the few scents I tried on. Know why? After "smelling" tens of fragrances, your nose kinda starts rejecting stuff. Kinda like wine tasting I guess...

So, I was excited when I read a heading by Marie Claire: "Scents we Love: The Best of Fashion's Classic Perfumes." Apparently, the "allure of designer fragrances" is traced to the launch of Coco Chanel's No. 5. Hmmm!!!! Here are some perfumes listed.

Let me know if you've tried any of these and if you like them. I sure do need to build "Ure's collection of fragrances" right about now.

1. $92 Coach Love Eau de Parfum

Coach

 2. $75 BCBG Max Azria Bon Chic Eau de Parfum

3. BCBG Perfume

BCBG Perfume

4. $102 YSL Manifesto Eau de Parfum

5. $98 See By Chloé Eau de Parfum

6. $125, Reem Acra Eau de Parfum

Reem Acra

7. $117, Valentina Assoluto Eau de Parfum

8. $195, L'Wren Scott for Barneys New York Eau de Parfum

9. Narciso Rodriguez $104, For Her L'eau Eau de Toilette

 

10. $105, Marni Eau de Parfum

 

11. $230, Les Exclusifs de Chanel 1932

Look younger with these tricks

You probably know about the importance of moisturizers and sunscreens. But do you know what vitamins will help you retain that youthful glow? Here are "6 Skin Habits that Take Off Five Years" from Redbook Magazine.

1. Use a retinol: It reverses sun damage, lightens brown spots, improves skin texture and makes skin smoother, according to the Redbook article. I find that Retin-A itself is more effective depending on how damaged your skin is, though. Better to apply at night as it makes skin more sensitive to sunlight. This means apply more sunscreen in the morning.

2. Get your Vitamin B: You can get B3 from meat, eggs, green vegetables and beans. It is anti-inflammatory.

From <Redbook>

 

3. Try a sonic cleansing system.
4. Use a white sunscreen.
5. Don't use your hands on your face.
6. Use a moisturizer. I endorse Clinique's moisturizers. :) Most of us know that anti-oxidants in moisturizers (and in foods) are good for the skin. Redbook speaks of cytokines, a naturally-occurring plant growth factor that stimulates collagen production. The ingredient apparently can be found in Kinerase Lotion for All Skin Types.

Remember these things as you take care of your skin this weekend.