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Finally I had almost all the gifts prepared to be wrapped. Say "almost" is because there is always someone that you "kind of" forgot and then you realized soon enough to have an extra gift to give! I even thought of giving my Yoga/TRX teacher a set of holiday Deborah Lippmann nail polish.
Why?
Because she has the most delicate hands and feet I've ever seen (on an adult)... :P sounds like I am a stalker?
I bought lots of jewelries from J CREW today to give them to my kids' school teachers. I bet they will be so happy once they open the gifts..... I know I would! ^O^ Other than GC, what elses you guys would give to the teachers for Christmas? I am curious!!!!
I was browsing through Glamour mag. in the evening and see they had several pages talking about the trends for 2011 including Do and Don't! I don't care much about Do and Don't because my wardrobe is based on grace, elegance and decency. But there are couple trends I find interesting and start wondering whether or not such trends will even press all the fashionista's button and become a real life hit!!!
Anyway, those are my personal style DO these two days! ^^
All Saints leather smoke brocade jacket w/ tail, gray scarf, wheat knitting hat, Max Co. nude shirt, vintage leather high waist mini skirt (bought in Rome), GAP socks (bought in Rome), Ethic tan/taupe/olive boots w/ shearling trim boots.
1st DO: Match the color of your hat w/ your shoes!^^ 2nd DO: Reveal some flesh other than hands, and faces or neck in winter....to demonstrate that you are healthy and strong!!! ...... hahah...... (I made up this one!!! :P)
We all went to Ilona's school winter program yesterday ~~~ Kids are so cute in PJs singing and dancing along w/ Christmas songs!!
3rd DO: Wear white jeans in the winter, I mean, why not?!! 4th DO: Wear trinkets/accessories to show that you have taste. ^O^ (Did I just make up this one as well??)
MY ODJ
1. Top: Isabel Marant pull over sweater White loop sleeves cardigan
2. Bottom: RUGBY white skinny jeans
3. Accessory: Sonia Rykiel Swarovski owl brooch worn as necklace one side of earrings (two sides will be too busy, I think. :P) bracelet, Barton perreira cat's eye sunglasses... blah blah.... Chanel 10A Maroon tote
She's Karl Lagerfeld's muse, Christian Louboutin is her godfather, and she's absolutely stunning. Elisa Sednaoui is a twenty-something model from Italy. Her mum was once a model and even an editor for Italian Vogue.
Cover Pretty: Ann Ward, Winner of America's Next top Model Cycle 15
Last week, as y'all may know, America's Next Top Model Cycle 15(My GAWD!!!! CYCLE FIFTEEN!!!) crowned a new Top Model Winner, and it was none other than the six foot two Dallas, Texas native--and self proclaimed NERD--Ann Ward.
Any Questions? Tyra Banks in a Vogue Italia editorial, showing why she IS a SUPER model
As I began to watch the entire season (yes, of course I watch it!), I knew she was going to be the winner--from the minute Miss Tyra announced that Vogue Italia would be the magazine "partner". You see, Vogue Italia is hipper than the word HIP (do people still say "Hip"?). It's UBER hip, and always on the extreme: Extreme photo shoots, extreme models, extreme editorials.
Italia Fierce: A Vogue Italia Cover
EVERY fashionista worth their Hermes Birkin Bag reads it and is inspired by its editorial layouts. The moment her extreme body showed up on the ANTM set, I whispered "done and done" to my NIKOLAKI--and fellow Top Model watcher, David Paul. It also helped that throughout the season, she won almost every other photo challenge. She looked amazing--and very Vogue Italiaesque--in every photo.
Runway Not So Much: America's Next Top Model Cycle 15 Winner Ann Ward modeling for the Just Cavalli Fashion Show in the Finale
But poor thing, she had the personality of a french fry, and even admitted to that. In addition, she looked like a bowl-legged under-developed Deer Caught In the Headlights while trying to do runway. I'm sure Miss J just sort of gave up thinking "She looks amazing in photos and she's 6'2"...I'll take that!"
Work It Ann: One of the Best Photos from Cycle 15 America's Next Top Model, featuring Ann Ward, the Winner
But, yet, she still won. Because in the end, it was up to the Vogue Italia "powers that be" as well as the Model Agency (IMG) that would have to try and make some money off of her--to decide. And well, she takes amazing photos, and really that's the ticket. Plus the fact that her body is a freak of nature, which stylists, artists, photographers--and some Fashion Designers--love...
With that being said, last week, I was contacted by WallStreetJournal.com, to give my "Nick Verreos Two Cents" on the the subject of her being too thin and if that's a good image for the fashion and modeling world.
Fashion Twosome: Amanda Fields and Nick Verreos
I also referred them to get in touch with one of my Model Muses, the lovely Amanda Fields-- who is in our most recent NIKOLAKI Spring 2011 Look Book and opened our last OC Style Week Fashion Show-- so she could give her thoughts, as a working professional model. Click HERE to read the article and see what we said.
I thought it might be fun to start a new regular post which will feature my favourite products from different brands. Sometimes it's a bit overwhelming standing at a makeup counter, with the MUA staring at you with expectation. Does this annoy anyone else?...Sometimes you just want to be left alone to have a rake through everything without someone breathing down your neck!
Hopefully these post will help anyone who is interested in a certain brand and wants to know which products are worth spending their hard earned cash on. There's nothing worse than forking out for an expensive item only to realise that it's not all it's cracked up to be!
The brand I will be looking into in this post will be....
The first product I would like to rave about is the YSL Teint Resist Foundation.
What YSL say: "Yves Saint Laurent created TEINT RESIST, a long wear, ultra comfortable and transfer resistant foundation for an endlessly flawless radiance at any time of the day… or night. Ideal for normal, combination or oily skin. Dermatologically tested".
What I say: For flawless coverage and dependability, I will always go to my Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation but YSL Teint Resist Foundation is great as a daytime foundation when I'm just going about my usual business. It is a medium coverage foundation whereas EL Double Wear is medium to full coverage. YSL Teint Resist gives a nice finish, the consistency is quite runny and because of this, it blends into the skin beautifully although you have to work quite fast as it can start to set quickly. The pump is a massive bonus because we all know that open top foundation can create a mess. Once you have blended it into the skin, it doesn't look cakey or heavy and I found that it lasts a good 8-9 hours (I have slightly dry skin at this of year so longevity may vary depending on your skin type). Overall, I would rate it in my top 3 foundations in my collection, the other being my EL Double Wear and Dior Nude.
Next up is the Poudre Sur Mesure Semi-Loose Powder Natural Radiance in no.3 Amber.
What YSL says: "POUDRE SUR MESURE combines the convenience of a compact powder with the lightness of a loose powder. Thanks to its exclusive “Bright Pearl Complex” it brightens the complexion with a new radiance. Your complexion is evened-out and made matt in all transparency. Your skin remains supple all day long".
What I say: First off, I love the packaging for this powder and some other brands could really take note of this. The twist dial is genius for dispensing exactly the right amount of product in the pan so you get no wastage. The powder itself is light, non-cakey and really takes care of shine without making you look powdery or dull. The brightening formula gives a really nice soft radiant finish wih no shimmer or sparkly bits. Perfect if you like to be shine free but fresh looking. It's better than Mac MSF Natural in my opinion and it last for ages.
Ah yes, onto the Singulier mascara...
What YSL says: "A mascara that dares everything - volume, length and extreme curves - and sculpts the lashes creating a base effect "liner" for a look that is unique yet irresistible".
What I say: I was a fan of the YSL Faux Cils mascara for a long time and I still am to be honest. I still think it's one of the best mascaras out there today. However, YSL's development of this idea signalled the creation of Singulier, a mascara with a distinctly different wand. It's shaped like a helter skelter to grab every lash and give maximum volume to your lashes. I was skeptical at first but it really does work and my lashes always look great when I wear it. So if you're looking for a new mascara and are curious about YSL's collection, then I recommend Faux Cils and Singulier. Don't get the Faux Cils Noir Radical though because it smudges like a mutha!
Next up is the YSL Eyeliner Moire in Chocolate Reflections...
What YSL says: "This eyeliner, with shimmering highlights, creates a sparkling, magnetic look for your eyes. The fine brush, with flexible yet firm bristles, soaked in an oil-in-water emulsion, draws a bold, even, long-lasting line."
What I say: If you are a liquid eyeliner junkie then this is for you. It has a really high quality brush that never splays out and makes a mess. It's so easy to draw precise, fine or thicker lines and it never smudges or flakes off during the day. This rich chocolate brown shade is my favourite because it has the slightest sparkle to it that really brings out blue eyes. The liquid never dries out or becomes clumpy so it's earnt itself a place in my top 5 eyeliners.
You can't go wrong with a YSL nail polish...
What YSL says: "Available in a wide palette of colours, from the most natural to the darkest and brightest, it ensures reinforced hold, beautiful shine, fast drying and protected nails".
What I say: My YSL polishes are probably the best that I own. They have great staying power and they always make my nails feel really strong. I love the colour range they have because they cater for all tastes and preference for finish. These are the only polishes that will last for a week on my nails without chipping at all.
The star product from YSL for me has to be the Rouge Volupte Lipsticks...
What YSL says: "All the magic, refinement and know-how of Yves Saint Laurent can be found in this lipstick which combines pleasure of the senses, bright colours and total comfort. Both light yet rich, its creamy texture becomes fluid on contact with the lips for a pleasant feeling and incredible smooth-on qualities".
What I say: The above description from the brand itself pretty much sums up these lipsticks in the most concise way. I think everyone deserves to own at least one of these babies because they are by far the most luxurious lipsticks I own. The formulation is so lovely, so unique and pleasant to use that it's no surprise that so many bloggers rave about them. I like the colour range they have and there's something to suit everyone in there, whether you like a nude lip or a bold one. The bright and vivid colours have incredible pigmentation for a formula so light and the nudes are so incredibly easy to wear. The luxe, heavy packaging always brings a smile to my face and I never get sick of seeing it peeking out of my bag. Luscious!
Lastly, onto the Rouge Pur and Golden Glosses...
What YSL says: Rouge Pur - "Mirror shine and pure colour are the assets of this mythical gloss that beautifies your lips with ultimate elegance"
Golden Gloss - "Give your smile a golden glow with GOLDEN GLOSS, the gloss which gives lips all the sparkle and refinement of a precious jewel. Its “mirror-effect” texture, spangled with golden mother-of-pearl, forms an exceptionally shiny film. Its complex of silky oils (Nigella oil and Camelina oil) nourishes and protects even the most delicate lips, bringing them softness and comfort".
What I say: The Rouge Pur glosses are really great, non-sticky lip glosses in a really nice range of colours. I particularly like the peach shade. They have decent staying power and you don't get that dreaded scum where your lips part...yeuch, I hate it when that happens! The Golden glosses possess all of the same quality as the Rouge Pur and are PERFECT for this time of year when you want to add a bit more glamour to your look. They really amplify your lips and make the most of what you have. My fave Golden Gloss shade is Golden Peony shown above...the gold flecks in it against the peachy pink colour just look divine!
So if you are thinking of treating yourself to some YSL products over the coming months or as a Christmas gift for someone then I highly recommend you check these particular products out!
And now, for a lovely song that I have been loving recently which has been tipped for the Christmas no.1 (although I would imagine that the winning X Factor contestant will probably be there instead). It's Ellie Goulding's version of the Elton John classic 'Your Song'. I really like her interpretation of the song and she has definitely managed to make it sound fresh and current...
And if you needed any proof that I have been bored whilst snowed in recently then this is as good as any...
That was a result of having half an hour spare last night and messing around with paint and a pic of Wolfey! I thought it would make a really cute Christmas card!ha ha. Yeah, I know...I need to get a life!
