Arts and Letters: Colette

One of the films currently out in theatres is "Chéri", starring Michelle Pfeiffer and a hot, young, male-ingenue, Rupert Friend.

Watch the trailer
The movie is based off the eponymous book written by Colette back in 1920--a book I happened to pick up (along with The Last of Chéri) at a book fair in Chicago a few years ago. I loved the books as I knew I would--as I do all romantic, historic fictions.*

Aside from the fabulous looking costumes and male eye candy, there is the fact that the story is totally sexy. I'm looking forward to watching it soon!

Lastly, I wanted to add that I was further inspired to post this after coincidentally seeing a blog post on Fashion Preserve about Lady Una Troubridge who was the original translator of Chéri to the English-world. Some more googling of her revealed a treasure trove of androgynous style from her and her partner, Radclyffe Hall.

Left: That hair! That shirt collar! That monocle! The right amount of cuff! Hot!
Right: Smoking jacket with silk skirt on Radclyffe Hall! Too fabulous.


Oh, what a luxurious coat! And that monocle again!
Wish I could pull such a thing off with such panache!
Images via NYTimes, Observer, Fashion Preserve
* If you are like me and enjoy such wonderful historic fictions, I highly recommend Guy de Maupaussant's Bel Ami, Stendahl's The Red and the Black, Michael Faber's The Crimson Petal and the White, Edith Wharton's The Age of Innocence, & William Thackeray's Vanity Fair. I'd also recommend the Jane Austen collection except I've always hated reading her books (the heroines and their conversations bother me) and much preferred watching the BBC mini-series instead (hehe).

If you have any other suggestions in this genre that I've not mentioned, please recommend!

Icon: MJ

When I heard the news earlier this evening, I was shocked! Michael is one of those figures whose iconic status renders him almost superhuman. One does not expect that he will ever die until perhaps he is truly old and out of the public's conscience altogether at which point a death would sort of make you shrug and nod understandably, "Well, he was old."

Well, he was not old; lived a tragic life; and suffered a terrible downfall. One can't help feel sympathy and sadness over this loss.








And he had some damn good style, didn't he?

And let's not forget the music and the moves: "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough.

Accessorize: those hipster glasses go mainstream

The Wayfarers (and their un-iconically named cousins) have been back for awhile but more and more you see them being used without the tinted lens.

Yes, those big poindexter glasses circa when my dad was a college student (the old family albums show him in that style quite prominently) are certainly back and they're not just for hipsters anymore!

Just take a look at those hotties on the left! I am madly in love with James Franco and as such the man can do no wrong so my opinions may be biased, but doesn't he look especially sexy in those glasses?

Image source: Star Magazine via Jezebel.com


Recently when CR and I were in New York, we tried on our friend Richie's glasses (his are from See Optical--locations throughout the US), and I kind of fell in love with the look for us womenfolk as well.




They may be hipsterry, but I also think they'd look awesome in a very prim and proper professional getup (even if they make me feel like my pants are two sizes too tight).

Best. Bra. Ever!

This evening while admiring my fine visage in the mirror, I also noticed my 25 year old c-cup breasts looking quite perky. Why, I might even deign to say they looked like a spritely 16 year olds'! Hoho!

In all seriousness though, my boobs aren't sagging--or at least, they aren't noticeably sagging. Despite all this, my breasts did look quite nice in the mirror, and it's all thanks to Maidenform's "Softwear™ Lightly Lined Demi". Short of trying ever single bra known to existence, I have to say that this bra is fantastic--especially if you have larger breasts and want lift without the bulky padding!


Image and bras can be purchased from Kohl's
Ceda actually introduced me to these Maidenform bras last "Black Friday" when we did some hurried shopping together. She had discovered them at an outlet mall in PA when she worked her consulting gig there and relayed the wonders of said bra back to me. And so, on "Black Friday", I managed to score a couple of these (the last ones in my size at the store) heavily discounted at $12/each from a Maidenform store.

I only started wearing them recently and now I feel as though it's below me to go back to any other bra. Regardless of price tag, these puppies have outshone my wardrobes full of Calvin Klein and Victoria's Secret.

The material is this awesome, thick nylon that is pre-molded and seems indestructible. Also, there are no seams--everything is laser cut and this line of laser cut Maidenform bras also claims to reduce back fat lumps. I haven't noticed anything to that end as I never really pay attention to back fat lumps (but maybe I should). In any event, if you've got boobs, go try to find them at a store (a lot of stores carry Maidenform) and let your life be changed!

WIWT Weekday: 19/6/2009

Went to a family dinner last night and wore this. It's hot here in Dallas but once indoors, the a/c seems always to be set on the low 70s thus making long pants seem like a reasonable proposition. Shirt is an extra-small men's from Faconnable, which is also what I typically wear for women's shirts. Could probably stand to get those trousers hemmed an inch for a more professional, clean-cut look, but I think it works as is.

About the glasses, they're from ProDesign. Remind me to post about their awesome glasses in a future post; they are an absolute must for Asian noses! Heehee.

Cotton, gingham shirt (Faconnable) / summer wool, fitted trousers (Piazza Sempione) / "vegan", patent, grey pumps (Stella McCartney) / brown, plastic glasses (ProDesign)

Jet Set: Central Asia

When randomly googling about Kazakhstan I came across this photo:


(Source: Unknown)

Was instantly charmed by his regal, wise mien and stylish accoutrements.

I don't know how I could have ignored Central Asia on my world tour last year, but it's on the list for my next trip. The closest I got was the border of Tibet, and already there you could witness the intense genetic and cultural diversity.

I can honestly say, "Seen one European city, seen them all" (ok, not exactly 100% true though the general point still remains). If you've got vacation days to burn, save Europe for retirement when the oxygen thin environments of Central Asia could incapacitate an older person! Besides, no matter how lush the Swiss mountainside may be or how fanstastic the shopping in Paris is, I guarantee you'll speechless in the shadows of the Himalayas. Suddenly, materialism loses its purpose *wistful sigh*.

Jet Set: Easy, breezy 4-wheel luggage

Ever the intrepid traveller, I've gone through my fair share of luggage over the years. Although I frequently use a large satchel for weekend trips or a large backpack for those roughin'-it expeditions, the recent death of my Samsonite carry-on wheeler meant I needed a replacement for grown-up travel longer than 3 days. Welcome the Hey's 4WD Carry-On. Currently, it's on sale on Overstock.com (along with a plethora of other styles and colours): Hey's 4WD Carry-On.

I took it on my recent weeklong trips to Chicago and New York and have hardly any complaints. The 4-wheel wheeling--a feature now found on many a carry-on--is a God-send. Oh how easy to slide the luggage sideways down an airplane aisle!

Aside from the 4WD, this luggage is unbelievably light. No worry about going over the ever more Draconian weight limits. It also looks deceptively small and while I was initially worried it wouldn't hold enough, it actually holds a lot and has an expansion feature! It certainly holds more than my old Samsonite and the interior design makes it great for dividing shoes and clothes, for example.

My only complaint would be its lack of an exterior pocket to stuff a laptop or something. Of course, that's what extra large purses and laptop covers are for I suppose.

Anyway, this post isn't intended to heap laurels upon Hey's alone; just saying in general, if you're still using an old school 2-wheel carry-on, it's time to upgrade.

WIWT Weekend: Asian Posing in New York

Originally I wanted to make a video together but due to excessive drinking and sleep deprivation, we called the whole thing off and just made "asian poses" (ref: asianposes.com).


CR always insists on having her bedroom eyes in photos. Here we demonstrate the "nyan nyan" and CR's version of the "victory" except hers is "victory fail" as it's backwards. Ha!


CR redeems her asian posing with this fabulous "puffy cheek" AND "double victory" pose along with J's excellent "puffy cheek" and "random pointing-to-self".


Lastly, Rich and I ape Lady Gaga with our teacups and a wide mouthed "victory" thrown in for good measure.

Jozee's wearing: silk, graphic dress (DvF) / silver, leather purse (Givenchy)
CR's wearing: ? (I'll let her fill in the blanks).

(I'll retake some outfit photos later--possibly.)

Yay or Nay: Ruffled Bib

Apologies for the lack of posting! Been very busy. This weekend CR will be joining me here in New York so I anticipate some great entries to come :D

In the meantime, here is a shirt that I am not sure what to do with. I love the shape of the shirt and the structure on the sleeves, but I am not a fan of the crazy ruffle bib collar. Don't get me wrong, I love a good ruffle and even a well done ruffled bib, but these ruffles are a little over the top perhaps especially when paired with those sleeves.

What say you?

Also, this isn't the most flattering shot of the shirt either--hah. In fact, looking at it I'm almost a little embarrassed to be posting this! I'll see if it is salvageable at all with the right outfit next week when I am reunited with it in Dallas.

shirt: Phillip Lim 3.1

How to Wear It: The Jacket

In all matters of style, for some, it's just intuitive. For others, it's about learning "the rules". Of course, I really hate the idea of "rules" in fashion (and in anything artistic), and oftentimes following the rules results in disaster as much as not following the rules could result in great style. Nonetheless, some guidelines are helpful. I was thinking of this recently as I was pairing up various skirts and blazers for my summer wardrobe, and that is the issue of jacket + skirt hemlines. While long pants and jackets of any length always work, the same isn't necessarily true for skirts.

Here are some quick & dorky sketches with explanations:






In summary: jacket and skirt hems should be around the same area unless we're dealing with the traditional proportions and shapes of a skirt-suit combo. Alternatively, a cropped jacket (that is, one without any "waist definition") can be worn with pretty much any length of skirt. Just be careful to avoid showing too much skin if worn with a mini skirt. 

Eat: No-Knead Bread

A couple of years ago, the NYTimes published the recipe for "No-Knead Bread". I finally got around to trying it out. Mine is currently in the oven and smells delicious. I'm hoping to recreate experiences of bread-gasms had in France. I'll post some photos when it's ready. In the meantime, this recipe is so simple that you must try it! Recipe here.




Update: only managed to snap a quickie with the phone before it got devoured. Excellent! I used to pay $4 a loaf for these artisanal breads at Fox & Obel in Chicago. This cost like $0.30 in flour and yeast. The only downside to making this in the summer is heating up the whole house.

WIWT Weekday: 08/6/2009

Back to the old work attire, I made my first purchase ever of a .... * drum roll * cardigan! Yes, I have actually never owned a cardigan until the recent belt+dress+cardigan trend compelled me to do so.

This is a sleeveless dress, which I absolutely love because the lines are so clean and flattering. Its also made from some sort of shiny linen-like fabric that was perfect for when I had to bring business attire along with me to abysmally hot Thailand in January. Not to mention it miraculously survived a trip in my backpack without getting too wrinkled.

Unfortunately, in spite of the popularity of Michelle Obama's guns, its still considered unprofessional to go sleeveless in the workplace sooooo enters my demure cardigan and I'm once more fit for working amongst my colleagues. For those of you small-waisted petite women, Anne Taylor Loft had the ONLY extra-small skinny belt that fit me. It saved me a trip to the leather shop to have holes punched in the belts I already own.

PS— I'm scowling because I'd rather be back on the beach. Just kidding. Kind of.

Grey linen dress (Club Monaco) / cardigan (Nordstrom)/ patent skinny belt (Anne Taylor Loft)/ patent faux croc heels (Kenneth Cole)

WIWT Weekend: 27/5/09

Some years back while living in Charlotte, I went through this odd period of buying embroidered sequins tunics. The weather in the steamy South misled me to believe I could dress as though I were perpetually on holiday. My less fashion-conscious brother once proclaimed I looked like Penelope Cruz from Blow and the tops were retired to the bottom drawer.

Fortunately, in Malaga its totally appropriate to look like a cocaine dealer's girlfriend. Just kidding... but one really ought to leave the flashy for sunnier European coasts where it'll only serve to complement the ever present techno music. I even brought a mini dress made mostly of gold sequins that didn't get a chance to debut but will surely get an opportunity by some craps tables in the near future...

Pairing this top with some fantastic matchstick jeans from J. Crew, gold heels, and sweet Malaga wine, I fit right in with the locals! Or maybe it was my Spanish-speaking... details, details.

Side note: The picture was unfortunately taken in b&w mode on the camera. The top, though, is a light reddish color.

Sequins embroidered tunic (boutique, Charlotte NC) / white matchstick jeans (J. Crew)/ gold metallic heels (Aldo)/ gold shell earrings (Forever 21)

WIWT Weekend: 25/5/2009

Lindas, I'm back from sunny España. Though I promised to post from abroad, I was remiss due the reliance on my iphone for any internet connection. Fortunately, I've come back to find that Jozee is has taken us to the next level of mobile blogging. I look forward to testing out this function soon.

Its going to take some time to readjust to work after experiencing the glamourous life along the Mediterranean. I must say those Spaniards are well-dressed! I fought to keep up as best I could with the svelt glitterati of Costa del Sol. The dress pictured was worn on the first night out in Puerto Banuz, a ritzy area near Marbella with clubs open until after sunrise. Though my heels look monstrously uncomfortable they held up quite well until the 7am closing time.

A certain Middle Eastern celebrity who shall remain nameless claimed he was quite charmed by the outfit and so I'll go ahead and consider it a great success. Vale!

Halter jersey dress (Club Monaco) / beaded scarf (Mango)/ metallic platform heels (BCBG)/ faux diamond cocktail ring (Banana Republic)/ silver ball earrings (boutique in Turkey)