Archive for January 11th, 2010

Women often need to invest on at least a piece or two of nice evening wear. You will never know when the next office party, date with your special someone or evening function will be. The key here is to invest on classic pieces (like, say, the classic LBD – little black dress) and use accessories and outer cloth pieces to have different looks.

Here are some classic pieces in Roman Originals that will look great with few accessories. Remember, sometimes less is more!

Evening dresses can be short like these:

While they can also be long ones. Usually, attire will be labelled as “formal” or “long gown” for these:

Remember that evening wear need not be dresses all the time, you can have and should mix and match tops and skirts!

Here are some pieces that will help you get more looks:

*  Cashmere Shawl
* Evening Gloves
* Evening Handbags
* Hair Accessories
* Handbags
* Hosiery
* Silk Scarf
* Women’s Closed-toed Shoes
* Women’s Dress Shoes
* Bracelets
* Earrings
* Necklaces

One tip on using earrings, evaluate your outfit – should it be elegant or fun? Then decide whether to use studs or drop earrings. While closed toe shoes are the norm for evening wear, sexy sandals and heels are now accepted. Go with gloves to the opera, a debutante ball or the Ascot races.

Carry a beaded bag or purse large enough to hold business cards, keys, cash and lipstick.

Accessories can make, break or put a spice to any outfit. While accessories consist of bags, head pieces, earrings, necklaces, bangles, bracelets, watches and what-have-you’s, usually, accessories are all about jewellery!

It is always wise to invest on jewellery pieces. Jewelry made of gold and silver have never been known to depreciate in value – it is wiser to invest on them instead of designer bags and shoes.

It is nice that jewellery have expanded to fit into eclectic, modern and contemporary styles. And since turquoise has officially been chosen by Pantone to be the color of the year, I am showing some awesome pieces from Astley Clarke:
 

From Left to Right:

1. Sabine Earrings
2. Bobeche Necklace
3. Sirocco Earrings
4. Small Evil Eye Pendant

I personally prefer the Sirocco Earrings. Retailing at £450 , these are 18ct yellow gold earrings with turquoise quartz made in Italy. Featuring a square faceted icy blue hydro-thermal quartz beautifully contrasted in an 18ct yellow gold claw setting. The translucent quartz measures 9mm by 9mm and including the hinged ear wire has a total drop of 17mm. This pair of earrings is perfect for everyday wear.

Here is one tip: Invest on classic dress pieces and change accessories to completely change your look. For example, your little black dress can transform into many looks for the night with the right accessory! Simple, elegant, minimalist to fun, seductive, flirty – that can be set by simple studs or dangling hoops or drop earrings!

I was looking for birth announcements online to help a friend who just delivered her first baby (By the way, 2010 is baby boom year! So many of my friends are expecting or going to deliver!), when I chanced upon spring fashion trends predicted this year 2010.

Check them out.

I think it’s going to be a year of extremes – leather and pastels and form fitting to ultra-loose fabrics. It’s going to be an interesting year!

Aside from new pumps, dresses, make-ups, we are sure to see stunning women cars (that cost double or triple than Ferrari parts) and the classic women dialogues we have to quote from SATC episodes. I personally can’t wait to watch it!

I have seen a few sneak peaks and I saw Samantha in a wedding gown, an ensemble that resembles Madonna, Cindi Lauper and Debbie Gibson from the 80’s and B-A-B-I-E-S!

Shopping soared to amazing heights once online stores opened and virtual shopping can be done anytime and anywhere. Advertisements played a big role to challenge women’s control on spending. If not for anything else, impulsive buys due to sales multiplied many times over because anybody can order from anywhere. These days, stores accept check by phone as well, for people who do not trust the security of stores with their credit cards and would rather prefer to pay in cash.

I, for one, am an advocate of online shopping. As I hate crowds and walking.

Amen