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Monday, July 30, 2012

[GEEK OUT] Victorian Geek and Vampire Colors Inspire Fall Fashion

Sirius Black and the Green Goblin are back from the dead! ...And wearing geek-inspired Prada. Although it's not my "thing", I'm an admirer of the Steampunk style and fantasy. Alex, on the other hand, is quickly falling with the fiction and aesthetic - she might even dress up as soon as we have money to spend on the clothing and accessories. She is currently making a wishlist with Prada's new Fall menswear collection.


I love "what if" fiction - this one just happens to come with a wardrobe. The main Steampunk details to note in the collection are the circular glasses, high collars and, the double-breasted suit and vest. I foresee menswear getting more dapper as the fashion seasons pass, and this Steampunk-inspired collection is the perfect example that men need more choices.


The geekery continues with a follow up to my Top 8 Vampires post. After flipping through Marie Claire and Bazaar for the past two months, I noticed a trend in deep vampy reds and purples. In vampire fiction, the deep red, burgundies and plums have always been symbolic of the blood and luxury that is normally romanticized in the stories. Personally, I wouldn't mind a dozen women walking down the street with blood red lips and dark purple nails, or vice versa.

I've currently fallen in love with Essie's Devils' Advocate and wouldn't mind a lipstick to match.


Pictures via Design Taxi, We Heart it, Marie Claire August 2012 and Bazaar August 2012.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

[TOP TUESDAY LIST] 8 Vampires With Bloody Awesome (& Inspirational) Style

Despite an obsession with vampires that started at an early age with books, I've never finished an Anne Rice novel. There are also so many vampire movies I have yet to watch (most of them from the 70's). But despite these looming truths, I still consider myself quite the vampire expert... and I have the lore books to back it up (LOL).

One aspect I love about vampires on screen, as opposed to in books, is seeing how the costume designers personify their age, attitude and overall style. Because anyone who has has been young and nearly immortal for a number of years has to have style (unless you're Bill Compton).

I recently went to see Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter and loved every minute of it. Apart from the premise of vampire hunter who becomes president, the action and cinematography make it a must see. The costumes were pretty much time pieces, though the vampires had some extra touches.

I've noticed this a lot in vampire films - everyone is dressed normally and for their time, but then the main vampires and hunters have outfits that stretch the imagination just a bit farther (for instance Anna Valerious of the Van Helsing movie). That's what a good vampire does - stretch your imagination a bit - and they couldn't do it without the right look.

These are my favorites:
  1. Pam, True Blood
    She is the very definition of vampire chic, from her outfits to her attitude. Her style perfectly reflects the darkness that comes with being a vampire, and still manages to incorporate high fashion silhouettes and the color pink.

  2. Spike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    His wardrobe never goes beyond the vampire's quintessential black and red, yet this defines his character. He starts off as just another evil vampire who has killed two slayers (wearing the trench from one as a trophy) but he grows to be more. And there's no enying how cool he looked in 70's punk.

  3. Drusilla, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
    As Spike's girlfriend, she doesn't really compliment his vampiric simplicity. Rather her style is influenced by the Victorian era in which she was born.

  4. Lestat, Queen of the Damned
    Although he spends most of the movie with almost no clothing, I love how his few outfits scream "Rockstar" and not "Vampire" - which is very much his tortured diva personality. Even in Interview with the Vampire, he was flamboyant.

  5. Nora, We Are the Night
    This is a lesser known vampire movie that is on Netflix right now. Nora is the youngest of the vampire group and has that little sister vibe. Unlike the dark styles in the rest of the movie, hers is bright and reminds me of Japanese street fashion.

  6. Danica Talos, Blade Trinity
    She is a crazy b*tc# if there ever was one but she managed to look so polished and yet keep her edge. It this balance that makes her a vampire style icon. I also really love her bangs-turned-fauxhawk.

  7. Queen Sophie Anne, True Blood
    Another example that vampires don't only wear black, though I think the white and cream clothing was meant to reflect luxury. And as the Queen of Louisiana, she sure knew about luxury and polish.

  8. Selene, Underworld
    Selene's style is even simpler than Spike's yet conveys everything you need to know about her: she's deadly, efficient and lurks in dark corners. Also, she is undead as I would find it difficult to breathe while wearing a corset and kicking ass. Would you consider her guns as accessories?


Pictures via Fan Pop & We Heart It

Thursday, July 12, 2012

[SPONSORED POST] 1 Website, Two Tops And Then Some That Made Me Sway (SwayChic.com Review)

Not to quote their About Page but "fun sense of style" is the perfect way to describe SwayChic.com's selection. While it does stay on trend, the brick-and-mortar-tunred online retailer carries the kind of pieces that would get you noticed (especially in parts of Dallas) for being a tad funky and, well, chic.


They contacted me recently about reviewing their website, so the first thing I did was put on my geeky web designer glasses and examine the sites layout. As more and more business move online, a store's web presentation is just as important as the physical store. For instance, who likes shopping in a messy store where items are hard to find? And isn't it normally a store's decor that draws you and and let's you know that it carries products you'd like? (That rant is for another post.)

With a white background and dual-tone color scheme, it seems that the floors on SwayChic.com are squeaky clean. The layout is very open and links are easy to find. Onto the clothes and shoes my shallow little heart took me but be warned that there is no sorting mechanism apart from the main item categories (dresses, tops, brights, jewelry, etc..)

They granted me enough credit for two moderately-priced items, which weren't very hard to pick. The selection is very colorful and fun, and while the bold colors were eyecatching, I gravitated to the black. Even in this heat, it's my kryptonite. FYI, there are plenty of sheer tops and tanks for these hot summer days you'd rather be naked - like these two they just added.


I first fell in love with the black Claws tank below. But apparently so did a lot of other people because it was sold out in my size. I actually came across the words "SOLD OUT" quite a bit. It was quite annoying when I also fell in love with the suede wedges that were Sold Out in size 8. And here I thought my "individual style choices" made me a special snowflake! [^__^]


I ended up choosing the two shirts at the end: Galatic Sheer Button Up & Metallic Print Tank. I was a little worried (and disappointed) that the largest size they carried was an L because I normally wear XL. However, the tops I chose were originally loose-fitting (as is the trend) and fit really well - as you can see below.


The fabric on the tank top is light and soft, which is perfect for this weather. I've gotten compliments on the asymmetry of the Galactic top but the sheer feels little thick when I'm outside. Did I mention it's the kind of summmer you spend naked? Alex told me that while cosmic shirts may be considered chic by some, this one just makes me look like a bigger nerd. Something about spending too much time reading about aliens, black holes and loving the movie Contact.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

[TOP 10 TUESDAY] Downsizing a Messy Beauty Counter to My 10 Carry-Everywhere-Essentials

I'm not proud of this but I felt it would be a good post. I let my little corner of the bathroom counter get way out of hand over the last few weeks. My beauty products have never been a high priority hence the mess of old, damaged and unorganized makeup.



It finally got on my nerves so I've decided to clean out and organize said bathroom beauty corner. I was completely surprised by how many eye pencils there were. In my defense, most of them - as well as most of my makeup - are gifts from Alex's mom. She enjoys buying for a girly girl.



The NYX Jumbo Pencils seemed really great a first but they get greasier with time and harder to sharpen. While getting rid of a few tubes of lipgloss, including a Kat Von D that went from glossy to sticky within a few months. How long are you suppose to keep a lip gloss?



But after tossing out a few things out and putting others in their correct place, I finally got my half of the counter to look like this:



Alex was doing a happy dance when I showed her. I swear I'm not that messy. I was doing a happy dance because I finally got my travel cosmetic bag in order as well. Which brings me to my Top 10, because unlike my women, I don't like my bags to feel overly 'chubby'. So I skimmed it down to the 10 items that are must-haves when I'm running around.


  1. Mini Brush & Mirror Case
  2. bareMinerals Flawless Definition Mascara
    My mom always stresses mascara as a must before leaving the house.
  3. Claire's Clear Lipgloss
  4. Two Faced Starry-Eyed Liquid Glitter Eyeliner
  5. NYX Black Eyeliner
    I feel naked without black eyeliner. It doesn't even have to be thick.
  6. Colour Riche Tinted Lip Balm
    It adds a bit of color and has SPF 15.
  7. Mini Nail File
  8. Fruit Frappe Body Lotion Sample
  9. Warpaint Beauty & Jeweling Eyes Eyeshadows
    I cheated here but until I find a small shadow pallet I like, I'll count these as one.
  10. The Body Shop DREAMS Sample Perfume
    I have about three other sample perfumes that I'll change out occasionally.
The Outlast Lipstain represents the optional #11 lip color that I may or may not carry. Alex likes those days because it means the color doesn't pass onto her lips (so now I'm using the lipstain).

So what are your make up essentials? What do items do you feel you need to carry in your bag at all times?

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

[WISHLIST WEDNESDAY] Chanel Fall Couture Show Gives Us New Vintage And Glittery Legs

In her recent coverage of the Chanel Fall 2012 Couture Show, Fashionista.com's Cheryl Wischhover asked, "Are we all going to be wearing shiny pantyhose this fall?" My only thought was, "Hell yes please."

I really liked the shiny stockings because they brought a touch of light to the somber collection. And don't take somber in a bad way, I just mean that the colors and shapes convey a gloomy kind of beauty. It's the kind of beauty that catches your eye on a stormy day, when the good memories of lost love leave you with a single tear.




After reading the article and having these borderline emo thoughts, I instantly took to the web to find some "shiny pantyhose" and "glitter stockings". Whether or not they'll be a hot Fall item is still up in the air but I sure enjoyed them. And Chanel proves that they look amazing with a wardrobe comprised mostly of black.

If you look on Google, you will find a lot of glitter stockings for under $10, most of them by Leg Avenue. I've purchased Leg Avenue hosiery before but I don't remember much about the quality.

If you really want a deal, Ebay has various sellers peddling "shiny pantyhose" in various colors, not just Chanel's black-silver shade. The only problem there is you get what you pay for, but at $3.59 a pair, I'm taking the risk to try them. Hopefully, by the time they arrive, the weather will have cooled down and wearing them won't be uncomfortably hot.


Runway pics via Style.com & Pantyhose pic via Ebay Listing I'm Buying