Style Icon: Kate Moss

There is always something about Kate Moss that makes us be drawn to her. Regardless of all the controversies and scandals being thrown out at her, we still find ourselves being fascinated with her particularly with her sense of style.

Twiggy. Kate Moss

Ever since she hit the modeling scene in the 90's with her waif-ish look and figure, she has become the muse for many top-notch designers and graced numerous covers of top fashion magazines and editorials. She is also regarded by many as a fashion icon and received many awards for her style from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and earned a placed in Vanity Fair's Best Dressed List.

Johnny Depp. Kate Moss

Together with Jamie King and the critically acclaimed Trainspotting by Danny Boyle, she have glamourized the "heroin chic" look which was popular during the mid 90s as characterized by pale skin, jutting bones, dark undereyes, and oversized clothing. Kate Moss wears whatever she wants and likes to break the rules when it comes to fashion. More of a trendsetter than a trend follower, she has developed a style of her own that is ecclectic yet still looks chic, effortless, and put together. She doesn't go for perfection and doesn't limits herself to just a particular style. Her ability to mix unexpected pieces and pull them off as if she didn't even try is seriously inspirational.

Model. Designer. Style Icon.

"Clothes go in and out of fashion, but that's not style. Style has to be classic." Kate Moss

Style Essential: Starbucks and Blackberry

Quite unusual right? But as long you're armed with your cup of starbucks and busily texting or talking to someone in your blackberry while clad in denim cut-offs, loose flowy top, oversized sunnies, and havaianas, then you're right away a target by those pesky paparazzi.

As annoying as they are for these celebrities, paparazzi pictures have become a source when exploring celebrities' sense of style for we get to see how they dress up themselves in their usual selves. These two items always go hand-in-hand and are the apparent choice for these celebrities when strolling around the streets of Hollywood. These two items have also found its way in the runway as seen in Dsquared2's Fall 2009 RTW Collection copying the paparazzi looks of Young Hollywood such as the ones shown above

Lusting for Oxfords

I've been wanting a pair of oxfords since I was 16. Back then I wanted the classic black laced-up oxfords with stiletto heels. I've always envisioned them to be paired with dark skinny jeans and a white men's button down polo. Très Chic

Oxford shoes are traditionally constructed of leather and were historically rather plain. Occasionally they are called as "Balmorals" (reminds me of like another term for Balmain) and is said to originally appeared in Scotland and Ireland. For the past years, the oxfords have come out in various designs such as cut-outs, peep-toe, and two-toned. They have also become a staple when it comes to menswear inspired clothing
Last night after our humiliating and depressing quest in lining up for tickets for Cinemalaya, me and Bunny decided to go to Rockwell to make up for it. While there we went to one of our favorite sections and I saw this pair of oxfords that were reasonably priced in one of the stalls. I've been looking for a pair of flat tan/camel colored oxfords for quite some time rather than the high-heeled ones so that I can wear them to school. However that stall we were in only carried it in silver, chrome, and berry pink. I decided to try the chrome ones and see how they look on me. I actually like how they looked on me even thought it wasn't the color that I was really looking for me. But once I started to walk on them, the material of the shoes were very stiff and the sides of my feet keep on bumping to them. Alas I decided not to buy it since it was not worth it to spend on nice-looking-but-uncomfortable pair of shoes. We left the mall empty handed since we were really broke to begin with due to the sale season (thanks to Topshop and Mango for eating up my wallet) flocking all over the malls. To cap of our disappointing night, we spontaneously decided to have some drinks and enjoyed the rest of the night to make up for it. Hopefully when I go to Hong Kong in a couple of weeks I will finally get to purchase those long awaited oxfords. Wish me luck.

Images: Sartorialist, Le Fashion, style.com

Celebrity Style and Icon: Audrey Hepburn

Most my friends know how much I adore Audrey Hepburn. I still remember the first I saw her picture in one of these stores we passed by while we were vacationing in Sydney when I was around 9. While strolling down the streets on the way back to our hotel, I stopped in my tracks when I saw this poster of her clad in her famous little black dress from "Breakfast at Tiffany's". I immediately asked my mom who she is and told her that she is the most beautiful person I have ever seen and that I aspire to be just like her. From there I've started watching her movies as provided by my grandma who is also a fan of hers.

"I believe in fixing a goal for myself and not being diverted in any way from pursuing that goal. I can’t allow this award or all this public acclaim to turn my head or induce me to ease up.”
- Audrey Hepburn, after winning an Oscar for her role in "Roman Holiday"

Not only do I adore her sense of style but I also truly admire her approach or philosophy in life. One time I watched this documentary of hers and right after watching I just felt inspired by it especially when they were showing her last years. I fondly remember when one of the interviewees asked why her and Dutch actor Robert Wolders are not yet married or thinking about getting married when they've been together for so long. She simply stated that they consider themselves "married" but not formally and that you don't need a piece of paper to justify your love for on another.

She remains as one of the biggest and most influential style icon of our time for the elegance, grace, and wit she carried. In her time, Hepburn epitomized women’s most feminine and dreamy aspirations: to be beautiful, cosmopolitan, slender, charming, gracious, funny, chic Her taste in clothes is impeccable and she sticks to classic pieces and likes to keep things clean and simple. She introduced us to some of what we now consider as wardrobe staples such as the little black dress, black flats that she wear with everything, and men's inspired pieces such as the button down men's shirt

Audrey Hepburn’s incredible style may it be in fashion or living continues to live and inspire women all over the world.

Actress. UNICEF Ambassador. Style Icon
May 04, 1929 – January 20, 1993

Rachel Zoe

I'd die for Rachel Zoe.

She remains as one of the most influential and talked about stylist in the industry. She is best known for working with celebrities which she put into the map of fashion such as Nicole Richie, Cameron Diaz, and Keira Knightley. A self-proclaimed vintage junkie, Zoe is one of the driving force behind today's major trends and have been collaborating with top designers, advertising campaigns, and styling fashion editorials. In her book Style A to Zoe: The Art of Fashion, Beauty, and Everything Glamour, Zoe urges her readers to inject glamour in every part of their lives.

"But life’s too short not to pay attention, get up an hour earlier and stay up an hour later, or even to be wide open to all of its amazing possibilities. Life’s too short not to take risks. To glam it up! A life of glamour and style makes everything that much more electrifying, that much more engaging."

Her show "The Rachel Zoe Project" is one of my guilty pleasures. This documentary series follows Zoe both in her professional and personal life. On the side it also shows us her ever not-so-getting along personal assistants and her husband-partner Roger Berman. Not only do I find this show to be entertaining but it is actually very informative especially for aspiring stylists or for those who want to see how it is to work in the fashion industry. She gives us a backstage access in what a stylist does from those phone calls every minute, picking up hundreds and hundreds of items from shops, fittings with clients, and so many more.

From one of her famous catchphrases, Rachel Zoe totally shut it down when it comes to fashion.

The Alphabet Trend

ABC3D: The most innovative pop-up I have laid my eyes on

Fashion for me is not only limited to the usual things we associate it with such as clothes, shoes, designers, and models. It is a very wide and broad subject matter for it has become an essential part of our lifestlye for we wear it everyday, we see it everyday, we feel it everyday, and so on. I tend to associate it with things such as architecture, music, and even typography.

Typography is something that we don't normally observe on when it comes to Fashion. However it is actually an important element for it defines and captures a designer's style and look and can makesfashion editorials extraordinary and unforgettable. Typography has also become a fashion trend as seen in House of Holland and Louis Vuitton's graffiti-styled collection by the late fashion designer and artist Stephen Sprouse.

Uppercase scarf from The Little Factory

Stephen Sprouse for Louis Vuitton

Some of my favorite Fashion Typography:
1. Vogue
2. Topshop

3. Yves Saint Laurent

The Inevitable World of Fashion Blogs

Fashion is a multi-billion-dollar industry that has tremendously influenced the way ordinary people clothe themselves. As fashion is trend-driven and fashion blogs provide a new way to follow these trends, it is likely they will have a considerable long-term influence on the industry. For the past two years or so, fashion blogging have been dominating the internet. From the name itself, fashion blogs are solely dedicated to anything and everything about Fashion. It is the new tool for communicating the latest trends that hit the runways, celebrity fashion, and will also give you a glimpse on street style as worn by regular people. It is a place where one can express his/her own sense of style and "philosophy" when it comes to fashion. Some bloggers are now becoming prominent people in the fashion industry because of their fashion blogs.

Social networking sites about fashion such as Lookbook.nu and Chictopia.com are also flocking all over the internet. In these sites, fashion bloggers get to interact with a community of fashion bloggers as well.

But in this sea of fashion blogs and communities, how does one sets itself apart from the others?

"These days, to have one finger on the fashion pulse, you need to have the other one on your computer mouse, reading (or writing) the latest blogs."