Mid-calf Boots!

Some people might feel it is intimating to try on Mid-calf boots as it might shorten the legs. Fear not!!

Because you might already owned a pair or two of UGG, or Minnetonka boots. Aren't they the most adorable, fashionable shoes that you just want to hug them on bed?! No, I am just kidding!!

I have a pair of Minnetonka fringe boots which definitely meets my standard of being fun and fashionable criteria every time I wear them. As you see that I take a step further to try on those more mid-calf hugging boots from Rochas! I have booties, over-the-knee high, short or tall boots .. .. all sorts and I am adding their cousin- mid-calf boots into the big family. :) 

So far, I am very satisfied w/ the easiness and comfort when walking in them. Ah, I must walk too much when I were in Italy that suddenly I felt like wearing FLATs which my friend, Yu, thinks that is total unusual in my case!! ^^

This year, we want to do a family photo shoot and I am searching high and low for dresses for my two girls. I want they wear something dressy, something casual and something memorable all in one...hum, does these kind of dresses ever exist? haha...

 

  MY ODJ.

1. Top:

Wilfred super tight floral cami. (which is great for us skinny upper body gals to upgrade the look of our "cup-size". Lol.)

Michael Kors gray roll neck (scarf neck) sweater

AllSaints brocade leather jacket w/ tail in smoke

2. Bottom:

Helmut lang burgundy suede pants

3. Accessory:

scarf (bought at some market in Paris 2008)

Chanel 10A limited edition Marron tote

4. Shoes:

Rochas pony leopard boots

So what are we waiting for here ~~~


Marni: Washed gabardine trousers
(I bought this Marni trousers from Nordi.  There are couple loose stitches around the hem and since the seamstress is on site, I'd love to have a good customer service to save me some trouble.)

Ilona, save some juice for me~~ ^^

Have a good weekend shopping and try on mid-calf boots!
xoxo Rachel

The McQueen of China: Designer Guo Pei's "Arabian 1002Th Night" Haute Couture Fashion Show

China Couture Dolls...

Where's my Damn Tea: A design from Guo Pei's "Arabian 1002Th Night" Haute Couture Fashion Show, Beijing

Recently, while doing my weekly (fashion) reading--I came across this Couture Gem, thanks to NY Times Fashion Critic and Writer Cathy Horyn: Last week, in the T Magazine Blog for NYTimes.com article "Year of the Couturière", she spotlighted Chinese Couturier Guo Pei.

Who is Guo Pei? Guo Pei has been designing Haute Couture in Beijing China, through her Atelier "Mei Gui Fang", or Rose Studio for over ten years. All the creations in Guo’s studio are made entirely by hand and they take hundreds or sometimes tens of thousands of hours, to create. When she began her Atelier, she had to teach her seamstresses in the French Art of Haute Couture in order to create her intricate creations. Her workers weren't used to the unusual pattern-making, draping and fabric manipulations which Guo Pei required. But from the looks of these gowns, I think they've learned!

Her works feature many factors of Chinese culture but, at the same time, still retain a Western elegance, directionality and sensibility that has garnered the obvious comparisons to the late Alexander McQueen as well as John Galliano.

Pei, also designed costumes for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, including the gown worn by singer Song Zuying (seen above) when she performed at the Closing Ceremonies with tenor Placido Domingo. The gown had 200,000 hand-encrusted Swarovski crystals! The designer has become quite the hit with all the A-List Chinese actresses like Zhang Ziyi, as well as all those girlfriends of the newly-minted multi-millionaires in that country who can afford her one-of-kind creations.

Carmen Empress: Model Carmen Dell'Orefice at the Guo Pei "Arabian 1002Th Night" Haute Couture Fashion Show, Beijing

Last November, she showed her Spring/Summer 2010 Haute Couture Collection entitled "Arabian One Thousand and Two Nights" where Guo Pei showcased 16 Works of Haute Couture Art. The entire show lasted 76 minutes (most fashion shows run just under 15 minutes). The ensembles were KRAZEEEE!!! She even flew out 78 year old SUPER SUPER Model, Carmen Dell'Orefice to model in her show, decked out like a Ming Empress from a Gay Man's Dream! Lord knows who payed for all of it. Not sure she's making enough of an income to mount such a multi-million dollar show--flying out Miss Dell'Orefice and having her walk in your show can set you back an easy $20,000 alone--but whoever is backing Guo Pei, please keep doing it!

No detail was left unnoticed--from the set, the hair, the make-up, the buffed "Boys-In-Waiting" to even the footwear, of course. These Platform Bootie Pumps (above) make Alexander McQueen's infamous "Armadillo Shoes look like kid-stuff!!

Lady Gaga Wet Dream: A Ball Gown from Guo Pei "Arabian 1002Th Night" Haute Couture Fashion Show, Beijing

In addition, when seeing the video below, all I kept thinking was: Lady Gaga. However, if you read HERE (and in the T Magazine article), it seems that Guo Pei could care less if the biggest star in the Universe wears her creations, or not. How do you say "Ouch!" and "Snap!" in Mandarin??? Well, enough of all that, let's just take a look at THAT UNBELIEVABLE show:

Watch the edited--but still AWESOME--Gui Pei Haute Couture "Arabian 1002TH Night" Fashion Show:

Also a great Behind The Scenes Video:

Nick Verreos Attends Opening Night of "West Side Story" Pantages Theater Hollywood

I Want To Be in....Amereeeeeeeca!!!!!!

What Would Anita Wear: Nick Verreos, West Side Story Opening Night Pantages Theater Hollywood

This last week, I ventured into Hollywood to enjoy a "Night of Theater" and support one of my favorite organizations, The Actors Fund-- and attend the Opening Night of "West Side Story" at...

The Pantages Theater in Hollywood!! As my date, I brought...

My NIKOLAKI partner David Paul (above), who actually had sung "One Hand, One Heart" at his sister's wedding years ago--Yes, we're both "Theater Lovers"!!!

I had NEVER seen "West Side Story" on the stage but of course, I'd seen the film and even back as a little fashion designer-dreaming boy in Caracas Venezuela, I could hum "America" and pretend I was Rita Moreno! We arrived to a packed outside lobby, got our tickets and quickly passed by the Red Carpet area--which seemed to be buzzing with a lots of stars from both the Hollywood "world" as well as the Broadway Stage--and even some Daytime Drama/Soap opera stars, for good measure.

I did get to see (off in the red carpet distance): My Fellow Greek "sister" actress Nia Vardalos, looking gorgeous in a black ensemble (above) as well as...

The ever-so-stunning, actress Anne Jeffreys (above), in a dashing and very elegant red pantsuit with white Pashmina shawl...

And even actress Jo Anne Worley (above), known for "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" TV Show as well as a frequent Celeb Guest on "The $10,000 Pyramid" and (my favorite) "Match Game". The performance of West Side Story was amazing: David and I LOVED it!!! All the actors and dancers did a fabulous job. Kudos to Michelle Aravena,who played "Anita" and did Rita Moreno proud in doing it! Kyle Harris and Ali Ewoldt--who played "Tony" and "Maria" also did a superb job! I left the show, wanting to Google who these actors were and naturally, wanting to YouTube the musical and see/hear all the iconic songs---all over again!!! ...I think that's a good thing!
If you're in LA--you HAVE to go see it!!!

Click Below to watch Rita Moreno doing "America" from West Side Story:

My Favourite Perfumes & Current Makeup Crush

Firstly, I wanted to quickly bring to your attention my new widget on the top right hand side of the blog.  This will automatically update with the top 10 commenters on Liparazzi calculated from the last 50 comments left to date.  I added this to showcase my loyal readers who always leave comments.  I know there are alot of people who read each post but don't leave comments and that's fine too, I appreciate all of you guys as individuals.  But with this widget, it will give everyone a chance to link straight to my top 10 commenter's blogs.  It's a great way of possibly checking out some bloggers that may be new to you...you can never have too many blogs in your reading list! 

I don't often talk about perfume on my blog because it's a very personal choice and depends on individual preference.  What is amazing to one person, may be off putting to another.  However, I have had a few emails lately asking what my favourite perfumes are so I thought I would oblige.  I am very fussy when it comes to perfume but I have found 4 fragrances that I haven't deviated from at all in the past few months.  If you haven't tried any of these before then I recommend you go try some testers.  I always wear lighter perfumes during the day and more intense fragrances at night time. 

Gucci Guilty and YSL Parisienne are great daytime perfumes and Gucci II and YSL Elle are ideal for evenings.  They are all expensive perfumes but boy, are they worth it!  Since my camera stubbornly refused to take good quality photos of the reflective bottles, I have had to depend on internet images...

YSL Parisienne is described as "a sensuous bouquet to the woman whose heart belongs to Paris… even if home is elsewhere. A voluptuous floral accord of violet, damask rose and tart blackberry seems to tell the whole story. But then comes the fullness of sandalwood, deepened by musk and brightened by peonies, tying the endnotes to the ones beginning".  This is a lovely daytime perfume because it's light enough not to be overpowering but has the depth to last all day.  I love the smell of blackberries in it and also the gorgeous bottle!

Gucci Guilty has "top notes of pink pepper, heart note of lilac and base notes of patchouli and amber".  This perfume smells gorgeous when you spray it on but even better when it settles and warms on your skin throughout the day.  It smells very sophisticated but in the most subtle way.  The packaging looks and feels very luxe...it's always great to feel like you're treating yourself.

Gucci II has a "top note of blackcurrant , heart note of jasmine, base note of sandalwood".  There's something about the mix of blackcurrants and the masculine scent of sandlewood that makes this perfume SO addictive.  I often pick up the bottle and smell it as I'm passing my dressing table, just for the sake of it.  I love the heavy glass bottle, it all adds to the opulent feel of the fragrance.  It's a really beautiful scent to wear at night and really lasts!

YSL Elle..."a fresh, colourful and infinitely feminine opening of cedar wood gives this fragrance its luminosity. A hint of lychee offers its boldness and peony delicately softens it. Last but not least, pink berries combined in the middle notes with freesia create a fusion of olfactory opposites.  A fragrance bursting with femininity and audaciousness where floral and woody notes blend and mingle together.  Peony – Pink Berries – Patchouli".

I've saved the best for last.  This is my favourite night-time perfume EVER and it's become my signature scent.  It's absolutely gorgeous and I always get asked what I am wearing when I put this on.  It's a very deep, musky, sexy fragrance and I will keep repurchasing it over and over again.

What are your favourite fragrances for day and night?

Rachel McAdams wore this look in February of this year for a television appearance.  This look was created by one of my favourite makeup artists, Troy Jenson, using Chanel products.  His signature style always involves either playing up the eyes or the lips, but never both.  I like that rule of thumb because it means you won't end up looking like a clown!

I love bronze against blue eyes and this blended out look is perfect teamed with the soft, pretty pink lip.  I love the way the goldy tones catch the light in the inner corners of her eyes (see second pic).  I really like the tone of Rachel's skin here, it just has a lovely golden glow without being too tanned.  I sometimes think that the skin's texture and the dimensions in your face can be lost when it's too tanned.  Her skin also looks beautifully glowy! 

The products used, as said before, were all Chanel:

Chanel Mat Lumiere Foundation in Clair 1.0

Chanel Soft Pressed Powder in Rosee

Note - I'm sure he used a bronzer but not sure which one.

Chanel Tweed Pink Blush

Chanel Shimmering Tweed Highlighter

Chanel Fluid Irisdescent Eyeshadows in Delta & Cascade

Chanel Quadra Eyeshadow Palette in Dunes

Chanel Precision Eye Definer in Brun Cuivre

Chanel Precision Brow Definer in Taupe

Chanel Perfect Brows in Brun

Chanel Inimitable Mascara in Noir

Chanel Aqualumiere Sheer Colour Lipshine in Maldives

Chanel Aqualumiere High Shine Sheer Concentrate Gloss in Colibri

Now, for something make you go "awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!"

I recently started following the lovely Laura's blog The Fashion & Beauty Obsession, her blog is relatively new and she is a lovely girl so go check it out.  She just did a great post on some rather gorgeous dresses.  When you look at her blog, you will INSTANTLY be drawn to a pic of her dog, Yogi...

Oh my god, is this not the most adorable dog you have ever seen?! He's like a big teddy bear...I just wanna cuddle him!