Cravat Shirt

The other week during the Bloomies sale, I was struck by a need to buy something- anything- just to take advantage of the "40% on top of sale price" discount. Late for dinner and pressed for time, I randomly grabbed the first thing that caught my eye in my size: this black top with a white cravat from the Bloomies house brand, Aqua (below left). I figured if I really didn't like it I can always return it later.
Ever since I have been wavering between love and hate. On the love side, the cravat detail is really cute and very retro French chic (as HG describes it). And I imagine it would look really cute peeking from under a blazer. It doesn't look too flattering on the hanger, but it doesn't look to bad on me. On the hate side, the contrast is a bit too sharp and on first impression, the cravat looks a little bib-like and over all looks a bit waitressy (at least, that was the first reaction of one of my friends upon seeing it). Though the cravat does seem to work on this Isaac Mizrahi dress (right) making it look feminine and sophisticated.........
Another thing is that I can't decide how I'd wear it. I know I said it'll look cute from under a blazer, but if I pair it with black pants, it will look work-like, like the Valentino Red dress shirt here (right), which is not entirely bad, but if I wore it with a black blazer, I'd look very black ....... Casually I could try it with jeans like with the Marc by Marc Jacobs shirt above (left). I actually tried it with my khaki skinny jeans the other day, but it looked a bit odd. Maybe blue jeans? A skirts? Maybe I just don't know how to rock the retro French look.........I should really stop thinking so much about a $40 top.

But what do you reckon? Is this a keeper or not?

Image Source: Saks and Net a Porter

Washington DC

Figuring that one should really see the capital of the United States at least once in their life, I stopped by Washington DC the other weekend. And I've got two words for DC, big and tiring! We spent the first day walking around the mall (the area where all the monuments were). Everything didn't LOOK that far on the map and in reality, you can actually see the next monument from one. But when you actually WALK the distance, it is much much farther. Factoring in the blazing sunlight (not that we're not grateful that it wasn't pouring rain), lack of efficient public transport and the lack of trees on the way, it felt like we were trying to reach a mirage in a desert. Besides the distant though, once we reached these mirages, they were actually quite pretty and picturesque. I love how everything is perfectly planned and symmetrical. It makes such a pretty picture. Above is a view of the Washington Monument (left) from the World War II Memorial (right). I think this is one of the best views of the Washington Monument, because its close enough to see and it is perfectly framed by the American flags and the fountain. And the World War II Memorial is absolutely gorgeous.
Another very good view of the Washington Monument is from the top of the Lincoln Memorial (above). Now we know why that strip of water is called the reflecting pool. Absolutely stunning and well....monumental.
The Lincoln Memorial (above) itself is not so bad either. Designed after a Greek temple, it was quite gorgeous.
Unfortunately for my legs, all these monuments looked ever more breathtaking lighted up at night. So that night, we retraced our steps that afternoon and went back to see the monuments. But I think the scene was totally worth it! At the other end of the mall there is Congress (left) and off to the side the Jefferson Memorial (right). So we didn't quite reach these monuments, but in our defense, we went too late to get tickets for Congress (they give out tickets every morning for visiting slots) and the Jefferson Memorial was all the way across those waters!! Besides, I think we managed to better appreciate its beauty from afar anyway- the overall effect of the architect is more visible this way!

Before you wonder, no we did not go to the White House nor the Library of Congress. Apparently you had to get permission and book one month in advance to enter the White House. And we didn't realize that the Library of Congress was closed on Sundays until Saturday night!
We did however visited a few museums. First the Museum of Natural History. I thought the elephant in the middle was from that movie, "A Night in a Museum," but apparently not. The most interesting thing in the museum for me though was not the special butterfly exhibit, but the Hope Diamond. At 45.52 karats, it is one of the world's most famous diamonds, known for its clarity, rare deep blue color and history. I was truly enraptured.
Then we hit the National Gallery of Art. The collection didn't quite compare to the Lourvre, but it was still a lot of fun. We especially loved the west garden. If I had time, I'd sit there and read and book and enjoy the ambiance.
We also loved their outdoor exhibit. It was a lovely artistic garden. It made for a really nice stroll. There was also a fountain in the middle, which I read turns into an ice skating rink in the winter. How cool! For dinner, we went to Cafe du Parc, which is an absolutely darling little French bistro next to the Williard Hotel, which according to the guidebook, is a historical landmark. It certainly was very pretty and quaint! We loved the atmosphere. The service was excellent- our waiter, Olivier, was awesome. And the food, by a celebrity chef apparently, was also great. Try the lamb and the fries!
During our tour of the mall and the old downtown, we did notice that besides tourists, Washington DC was really quiet. There were barely any people and we didn't even see any Walgreens or CVS! Where are the people? Turns out civilization was over in Georgetown on the weekends (It is also where the Ritz and the Four Seasons is- go figure). It is absolutely THE cutest and quaintest town ever. The shops were darling and actually interesting (Intermix, H&M, Zara and basically any shop you'd want to shop in, its there). And the college campus was just gorgeous (left)!
They also have this street called Canal Street, which is absolutely charming. They had an actual canal and the houses lining the canal were so quaint. There was even an old man on the boat (left), that completed fitted the picture.
Off the side, they also have a nice little waterfront, where some restaurants are. We stopped by there for lunch. The food was not exactly top notch, but it was decent and the atmosphere was excellent- especially with the perfect weather. Sigh... I just LOVE LOVE LOVE Georgetown. Wish I'd applied there for college.......

Over all I thought Washington DC was definitely a place I should visit at least once and I'm glad i did. A few tips though:

a) Try to land at the Regan Airport. It is MUCH closer and a LOT cheaper than Dulles.
b) Cabs here oddly work in zones and not meters. Going only 2 miles can easily come out to be $12.
c) Plan ahead and book tickets to see all the places (going up Washington Monument, into Congress and the White House)
d) Don't go when it is the height of summer or midst of winter. You'll never survive the walk needed. And bring sneakers. Try to go during Cherry Blossom season (April), I heard its pretty lined along the Jefferson Memorial.

Happy Mother's Day

It is that time of the year again where we all distress over what to get our mothers for mother's day. So to share my thoughts: In the past, we've covered flowers, so this year I figured, why not a cake? At least it is edible! You can be super personal and make her a cake or if you are not at home, you can send her a cake. They have super convenient shops where you can order a cake online and have it delivered these days- just make sure you know where your mom will be on the day.....A good idea, if I may say so myself, is night wear. Unless you REALLY REALLY know your mom, you will never find an item of clothing that she'd really like and would wear in public. So the next best thing is night wear. They are generally less picky about pajamas and robes since they are worn in the confines of home. You can even get them super cute matchey matchey ones (above: Victoria's Secret)! Or you can get her cute cushiony slippers (though Chinese superstition prevents me from giving anyone anything related to shoes...shame!) to walk around in or a set of luxury towels- hey, its practical, a home cannot ever have too many towels! (left: Victoria's Secret, right: Ralph Lauren).More items for home. You can consider glass vases and bowls, like this very elegant Nambe Piroett bowl (left). Or there are essence like this Anthousa Blossom Ambiance Trio (right). I know, it doesn't sound very useful. But surprisingly, my mom actually uses it!!
For something more personal, you may try getting them facial treatments. Not the daily ones since they probably already have a routine, but those intensive ones used once a week. My grandmother really really LOVES this intensive treatment one from Darphin (left) and if she loves it, it must be REALLY good. Or you can try the Estee Lauder intensive lifting mask above as well (right). I don't have any personal accounts about this product, but they are usually good with their rejuvenating products. And when all else fails, I always turn to Shutterfly- it is personalize but very easy and convenient. I quite like the canvas photo idea.

Happy Mother's Day!

Image Source: Torrance Bakery, Shutterfly, Victoria's Secret, Ralph Lauren and Saks

In Vogue Book Giveaway

Vogue.TV is going to have the first ever Viewer’s Choice Awards for the annual Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art this year. Starting today until May 16th, you can vote on your favourite red carpet fashion online here. Voters can also enter a sweepstakes that includes: two round trip tickets on JetBlue Airlines, a $2,500 shopping spree at J. Mendel, a pair of red carpet stilettos, red carpet clutch, red carpet hair and styling at a top NYC salon and a free two night stay at The Lowell Luxury Hotel in New York City. *salivate*

After our extensive coverage this week of the Met Fashions this year, I'm sure you all have a good idea who your favourites are! In celebration, we will also be giving away five copies of In Vogue: The Illustrated History of the World's Most Famous Fashion Magazine- a must-have for any fashion/Vogue lover. All you have to do is tell us what you like the best about Vogue (the magazine) and why in a paragraph. Do you like a particular photo editorial? A feature article? Anything. Send your answer and your mailing address to iamfashion AT gmail.com by May 16th midnight EST. And don't forget to subject your email with "Vogue Giveaway"- otherwise, we'd probably delete it!

The best three answers may be published in I am Fashion and we will notify the 5 winners through email by May 19th.

MET Costume Institute Gala 2008: The Mortals

Now that we've looked at the "superheroes", I thought we can take a look at what the mere mortals were wearing that night.
One of my favourites (besides Christina Ricci and Camilla Belle) was Bee Shaffer's Nina Ricci dress. It was very fairy tale like and whimsical. It looked like she was floating on a cloud. And I thought her messy bun was a nice touch. It kept the whole outfit from looking too put together and sophisticated. It was a good balance.A super hero we missed yesterday. I thought Amber Valletta looked absolutely fabulous in Atelier Versace. The sleeves and the little cape at the back totally fit the theme too. I also liked the dresses on Lauren duPont (left), from Valentino, Margherita Missoni (center), from Missoni- where else?, and Candy Pratts (right), from Givenchy Couture. They were fun, youthful and cute. I loved how Lauren paired her ruffled pink dress with such a tailored black jacket- it was genius. And Margherita and Candy's dresses were just refreshing but still very flattering and cute! Somehow my attention was caught by the champagne colored dresses on the red carpet. It has a certain elegant yet feminine quality to it that makes Kristin Davis (left) in Michael Kors and Scarlett Johansson (right) in Dolce & Gabanna look poised and sophisticated. Then there are the Gossip Girls, Michelle Trachtenberg (left) in vintage and Blake Lively (right) with Penn Badgley, both in Ralph Lauren. Michelle's gold dress is a bit of a hit and miss, but I think it suits her. She looks like an evil Egyptian temptress- just like her character! Blake's outfit just looked kind of standard and boring.
Also spotted some of my old TV favourites on the red carpet, Mischa Barton (left) in Missoni and Sarah Michelle Gellar (right) in Bottega Veneta. Mischa usually looks good in everything, but I really don't think this dress suits her. Something odd about the neckline... too weirdly low I think. Sarah Michelle dress was nothing special, but I just love her timelessly elegant look.
Speaking about timelessness, Michelle Managhan (left) in J Mendel and Emmy Rossum (right) in Phi were definitely not. This may sound harsh and maybe a bit farfetched, but does anyone else think that these two dresses and their cutting a bit dated?
I don't understand how or WHY Donna Karan (left), a fabulous designer, would dress herself in a drapey bag of a dress. And in such a clashing color too. I especially didn't need to see any glimpse of her sagging chest. Then there was Amanda Brooks (right) who dressed herself boxy dressed from Marni. To give her credit, I thought her squared shoes were a good match to the dress.
Colourwise though, Donna Karen's dress could not have been more clashing than Joy Bryant (left) in Emilio Pucci and Allison Sarafim (right) in Alexander McQueen. I thought both a bit too much. I understand that Joy's dress is just pure Pucci, but there really is no excuse for Allison in her rainbow colored wrap. It looked more like a sari or something she picked up on holiday in Phuket or something meant for the BEACH, than something coming from Alexander McQueen for the red carpet....
No one can fault Lake Bell for not trying to fit into the theme in this Balmain dress. Its super tight and has sparkly red lightning bolts all over it. It's just......not very aesthetically pleasing. I thought the whole over the top layer thing was over with last season's YSL, but seeing Alexandra Kotur (left: from Vogue!) wearing this Carolina Herrera, it is obviously still here. Shame. She looks like an multi-layered cake. And I love Burberry, I really do. But all this feather on Cat Deely (right) is just too much. Maybe it is just my aversion to all things feather period, but she looks like an overstuffed black bird.
There is too much and then there is too little. I don't care that Thandie Newton (left) is wearing Chanel. It looks like she's wearing lingerie- which should be kept inside the bedroom! As for Gisele Bundchen (right), her Versace Atelier dress is actually very elegant, I just thought the bodice part could use a bit more cloth.

Image Source: Style.com

MET Costume Institute Gala 2008: Superheroes

Ahh, the most important annual fashion party, the Costime Institute Gala was held last night, chaired by Anna Wintour, Julia Roberts and George Clooney. I big huh? on the two celebrity chairpeople, since I can't remember them being particularly linked with fashion. They didn't even dress up to the theme! And even though I can't decide whether to think Anna looked like a Chanel-clad space alien, I feel like we shoudl all appreciate that she's obviously super responsible and dressed up for the theme.

The theme was Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy. Most people looked nice -afterall, celebrities and models are pretty people in general, and they have their pick of expensive dresses. But it's such a waste and bore when people don't actually dress up to the theme. What's the point and fun when you don't? Anyway, here are my favourite dresses from last night.

My absolute favourite dress from the night was Christina Ricci's dress. I LOVE the red corset at the center (-very Wonder Woman,) and the pink chiffon-like material covering and flowing around her is just so pretty. The dress is kind of costume-y, but it's still such a normal gorgeous dress. Ricci just looks so cute and pretty!

My other favourite dress is Kate Bosworth's vintage Chanel couture dress. I love the colourful, sequinned print on the dress. And I like the cut -it's unique and not like all the other huge puffy dresses around. Plus the shoes! Her outfit isn't very obviously superheroes-themed, but hey, she obviously tried! The dress, the shoes and her makeup -everything is so colourful and metallic! In some odd way, the equally shiny Karl Lagerfeld's black and white outfit complements on dress!

Not a fan of Mary Kate's dress, but Ashley's dress is so nice and simple, yet those cut-outs make the dress sort-of into the theme. I wish Ashley added some colour somewhere but she just looks so pretty!

That acqua colour looks gorgeous on Camilla Belle. I think the should strap is what makes the dress sort of superhero-ish.

I usually love everything Diane Kruger wears on the red carpet. Her outfit last night was really fun and young-looking. I can't say I love the dress, but the whole outfit is cute.

Katie Holmes really bothered with dressing up for the superheroes theme. The dress is a bit Disney-ish -it's long, A-lined, sequinned and red. And those blue shoes -a bit Wonder Woman (except the costume isn't tight and short) isn't it? Her makeup looks a bit scary in this photo, but it looks better closeup.

That's it. Like I said, many people looked pretty, but I liked these because they went with the theme and looked gorgeous. Which were your favourite and least favourite dresses?

Image Credits: www.thefashionspot.com, www.style.com

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