Make Me Beautiful

Here we have continuing coverage of the Costume Institute Gala from last week. (I know, I know, it was a week ago. I’m a busy Style Spy — so sue me!)

Next category: Designers Who Should Not Be Allowed to Dress Themselves

This category was alarmingly deep. So much so that it is actually going to be today’s entire post. I do not know what it says about fashion that so many of the people who design the things we’re supposed to want to wear trod down this red carpet looking like escapees from some lunatic circus, but I suppose it’s just another example of “Do as I say, don’t do as I do.”

Daphne Guinness and L’Wren Scott, both in L’Wren Scott. Guiness is one of the UK’s most famous clothes horses, a true lover of fashion who is not afraid to try anything. Daphne Guinness is one of my fashion heroes. In my opinion, Daphne Guinness is a superhero of fashion, with a wardrobe so vast and deep that recently she auctioned off 1000 items to benefit a charity. This look, I assure you, is on the tame side for Ms. Guinness and I really don’t like it. It’s just a long drippy gown made out of some sort of sparkly fabric — the only thing notable about it is that it is LOUD. I’m actually on the fence about Scott’s sequined Catwoman getup — on one hand I really like the unexpectedness of pants at an event like this. On the other hand I just don’t… like it.

Anna Sui in vintage Zandra Rhodes and boots of her own design. Apparently, Ms. Sui’s superhero alter-ego is called Cobweb, and her superpower is the ability to convert Swiffer cloths into garments. I know it’s all-hail Zandra and I appreciate Sui’s appreciation for it (she often rocks the vintage Zandra), but that is awful. Sui is not what we’d call model-thin, which is fine, but 17 shapeless layers of wispy fabric is not going to look good on anyone, no matter her size.

Donna Karan, in her own design. Now I love me some Donna Karan. I love her work, I love her signature draping and the lean sexiness of her clothes. I love that she pays attention to how women’s bodies actually work and designs for them. I love her commitments to eastern philosophy and philanthropy.

And I hatehatehatehatehate the color of that dress. The dress is baby-poo, and the baby had carrots for lunch.

Also — and here it gets a little touchier — the cleavage issue. While I appreciate — nay, applaud — the fact that Ms. Karan has not fallen victim to the plastic surgery craze and has not gotten herself lifted and separated and be-cantalouped… well, that neckline is no longer her friend. That neckline, truth be told, is almost no one’s friend, unless they are A) under 25 or B) pretty small-busted to begin with.

Karl Lagerfeld. Shine on, you crazy diamond.

Doo Ri Chung. Oh, this is just awful. Again, it does her figure absolutely no favors and for crying out loud — if you’re going to wear bare shoulders, STAND UP STRAIGHT!! That dress would improve 50% instantly if her posture was better.

Guinevere Van Seenus and Cecilia Dean (who???) with Laura & Kate Mulleavy, all in the Mulleavys’ label, Rodarte. Speaking of bad posture, would someone please send the Mulleavy sisters to a Feldenkrais workshop or a Pilates studio or a chiropractor or something? These girls (the two on the right) are both lovely and they are amazing designers and I do not believe I have ever seen a single photo of them where they were not both pigeon-toed and hunched over like grannies in a Little Red Riding Hood picture book. So, I don’t really have a problem with the clothes here (except that I find it cruelly ironic that a woman who designs and makes clothes for a living can’t get her own pants properly hemmed), just the presentation.

Lou Doillon and Consuela Castiglione, both in Marni, which Castiglione designs. Oy. I know Lou Doillon has an impeccable French chic pedigree (offspring of Jacques Doillon and Jane Birkin , she of the world-famous and much-coveted Hermes bag) but it would be nice if she didn’t look as though she just rolled out of bed and tossed a jacket over her nightie. I’m all for effortless dressing, but it is a black-tie event and effortless does not have to equal careless. And I love Marni, don’t get me wrong. Just not here.

Gulp. Zac Posen and Kate Mara (who???) in Posen. Okay, Zac, hip-hip-hooray for your sense of adventure and willingness to buffoon it up a bit in tribute to the evening’s theme. But did you have to take your friend down with you? And what superpower, pray tell, does Big Bird have, exactly?

Marcus Wainwright, Sasha Pivovarova, and David Neville, all in Rag & Bone, which Wainwright and Neville design. The shoes — don’t even get me started. The collars — why in the name of all that is holy would a man think it was a good idea to wear a wing collar with a long tie? And is Neville wearing some sort of kimono-wrap vest underneath his shawl-collared jacket? None of this makes sense to me. And if all this weren’t enough, Pivivarova (which is hard to type but fun to say) appears to be wearing some sort of spangly briefs underneath her filmy skirt. ::sigh:: Whatever.

Vera Wang in her own… creation. Good googly-moogly. Here’s another designer I whose work I consistently adore because it’s so often not within the conventional definition of beauty and yet is so frequently mesmerizing in a dark, thought-provoking sort of way. This is mesmerizing in a day-glo, train-wreck sort of way. Folks, Vera Wang is a tiny creature, I’m pretty sure she’d fit on my dashboard (Our Lady of Quirky Couture), and that is about twice as much fabric as someone her size should wear. And ooooooooh, I need her to cut her hair. So veryvery over the long, center-parted Curtain of Desperate Youthfulness.

I’m sorry, Tommy, but I can’t agree with you here. Tommy Hilfiger and Dee Ocleppo(who???). If this is a joke, it’s not a very funny one. And if it’s serious, it’s a joke.

Stay tuned for a little more in the next day or two.

Photos: style.com

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Many young girls agree to lose their money to accompany the a lot of cosmetic for be pretty expeditiously, but who will be able to guarantee in the lengty the face will not defeated, or will not have been able to is defeated to lose its money the clear skin occupying. It better? if turn back to use the natural around your body be fresh, new, seek easily, good result, the price is inexpensive and a chance is defeated 0% almosts to. Such as 5 secrets below.

1.The strawberry for white & clear skin

The advantage : The strawberries abounds of Vitamin and natural AH acid which can help to fine the skin state and pore decrease blocked well.

The instruction : mix 2-3 strawberryies with Lime juice, bring to massage throughout the face, then can wash.

2.The orange for the well-fitting pore.

The advantage : Nature acid and the vitamin in orange will help to heal the and well-fitting skin.

The instruction : mixes fresh orange juice 2-3 droping with mineral water, then took the cotton wool dipping and wipe throughout the face same generally toner.

3. The lettuce for clearly skin.

The advantage : The lettuce helps to decrease being infected of skin and gives the skin to clean and soft, then took the cotton wool dipping and wipe throughout the face same generally toner.

The instruction : take the lettuce (4 ones) to boil for 10 minutes. Wait for be cool, Then filter the water only.

4. Apricot for bright and shine cheeks.

The advantage : The apricot abounds of vitamin A will help to bright and shine skin.

The instruction : take old apricot to grind and rub throughout the face. wait for 20 minutes and wash. Use the same as generally Gel and Mask cream

5. Banana for softly hairs.

The advantage : The banana abounds of Gluside which help maintain hairs and the skin.

The instruction : mix old banana with 2-3 droping of almond oil. Bring to bathe throughout the head. Wait for 15 minutes and wash

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Mother’s Day is celebrated to honor all mothers and express gratitude for the hardships they bear in bringing up her children. Here in the Philippines, we celebrated Mother’s Day yesterday (May 11). Even if the day was over, we can still offer gifts to our beloved mother because in celebrating Mother’s day, a day is not enough….

If you want your mom to get excited about your gift, check out these dos and don’ts and pick the perfect present based on her personality.

For the Sun Worshipper
Don’t: A bathing suit, whether one or two pieces, is a bit too intimate for a Mother’s Day present, no matter how much she loves the beach.
Do: Instead of body wear, give Mom an all-in-one package of enjoyment with this Juicy Couture beach survival kit from Nordstrom.com. Complete with waterproof pouches for wet suits, a mirror, and an inflatable pillow, with this gift your sun worshipping mom will know that you really care.

For the Glamour Queen
Don’t: Makeup is an extremely personal choice, and it’s often nonreturnable. While the thought might be appreciated, your glamorous mother might not be a fan of an expensive product sitting around that isn’t in her most flattering shade.
Do: Instead of playing matchmaker with her makeup, gift Mom with something she can keep her products in, like this Marc Jacobs pour Sephora treasure beauty case from Sephora.com.

For the Bling-Blinger
Don’t: Your picky parent’s feelings will be hurt by anything fake. No matter how realistic the replica may be, leave it at the store.
Do: Your love for your mother is real, so treat her to a nice piece of jewelry like this 33 carat sky blue topaz sterling silver bracelet from Ice.com to show her that your love for her, like diamonds, will last forever.

For the Chronically Late
Don’t: An alarm clock is no fun to receive on Mother’s Day because it points out flaws instead of fabulousness.
Do: A subtler suggestion, like this women’s wildflower diamond watch from WorldOfWatches.com, will get the point across in a pretty and complementary way

View the rest of the list here

Did you know? The Resolution for having a dedicated “Mother’s Day” was signed by US President Woodrow Wilson on May 8, 1914. Since then people across the world have been celebrating Mothers Day with joy and devotion.

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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.

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