Trend Forecast 2010

The index of U.S. leading economic indicators rose in September for a sixth straight month, showing the economy is likely to expand into early 2010. The Conference Board’s gauge of the economic outlook for the next three to six months climbed a greater-than-forecast 1 percent, contributing to the biggest six-month gain in 26 years, the New York-based private research group said today. And that was the economy forecast from Bloomberg.

And here's our fashion forecast for 2010!!!

Gird your loins, as Style.com dishes the top ten upcoming trends for spring 2010! Let’s take a look shall we…

Standing at number one of the list is, whoa – digital prints! Never heard that one before, didn’t see it coming, never knew what hit me! OK seriously, just hold onto to those bright, colorful graphic prints you bought two seasons ago. Update them with some accessories, nudes, whatever. If you must invest and spend, look for prints that are “more” creative and original. Cue: something you haven’t already seen.

Next come something sporty. Now before you start running to grab those stinky tennis shoes that have been buried beneath your closet, something sporty in the fashion context translates to sophisticated, clean, relaxed lines. Think white and resort. Yeah…

No surprises that the omnipresent military style is here to stay. Ever since making its appearance in Balmain AW09, the powerful buttons and shoulders have proven their staying power and style impact. This is one good buy that will see you through seasons, literally. Let’s just hope all those buttons stays on.

Leather comes in nicely on the list too. After all the craze that is going around for biker chicks and BDSM worthy studs and spikes, leather continues its appeal into the lighter season in – lighter tones. Think nudes, light brown, butterscotch and soft as a baby texture. This is one style I’m in for100%, because leather is a luxury fabric that will make every penny worth its investment. Or maybe I’ve just reached the age when leather makes me look good and not old.

I’ve always loved lace and boudoir, which by the way, has such a lovely, throaty note to it that when exclaimed, resonates on all the sensual strings in our body. Come this spring, air out those racy lingerie of yours – by wearing them openly! At least according to Style.com. I recommend peek-a-boos or just lingerie inspired detailing, like lace, nets, sheer, chiffon, silk, satin…

Spring has and always will be a season for soft pastels and dreamy palettes. At the first sign of sun and spring, drop all things black and go pink. Pastels are generally a fail-safe option, except for the rare exception of looking “washed out”. So pucker up to bold red lips when going pasty…sorry, I meant pastel.

Um, wild prints are still in since they appeared in the 80s.

So are unforgiving body con dresses. Designers want us to wear super tight dresses right after we come out of winter hibernation with all our naturally stored up fats. Yes, the fashion industry is a hypocrite (just like life at most); they say “no-more” to skinny models but “more-more” to skinny dresses.

Denims stand at number nine on the list. If your distressed, acid washed, faded, tortured jeans are still in existence, they will serve you well again in the coming spring. Otherwise, denim shirts, denim jacket, denim skirts, denim watches will do just as well.

And the finale on the list are –horrors of horror – CLOGS! Gladiators and platforms were brilliant, but evolving them into clogs is simply – what’s the opposite of evolving? Sure, Karl Lagerfeld used it in his theatrical Chanel SS10 show, but it was for theatrics and it was a show! Clogs are officially the new crocs. We hate them as much as we wonder how in the world did they ever became popular?

Images: Style.com

Never too much elegance

This is what I would opt for as an alternative to the usual floor sweeping evening gowns.

The open mandarin collar detail, tight bodice, slim belt, flowing skirt, and I can't see clearly from the image but it seem like the dress is silk with delicate embroidery detail. There's something very timeless, classic and superbly elegant about this dress. Oh, for the extra touch of luxe, throw on some fur!

Image: Style.com

Of sweethearts and queens

Antonio Berardi's SS10 showed a lot of sweetheart bust lines, a classic romantic look that doesn't seem to come around enough these days. Two of the looks that really struck me or caught my favour were these two:

Once a while a go, I saw a friend's picture where she wears vintage black dress with chiffon top and it struck me how simple yet very feminine and sensual that detail can be. Ever since then, I've been looking out for dresses or tops like this and have yet to find the perfect one. However, this piece from Araks comes close. The graphic lines that accentuates the curves gives the soft look a modern twist for that uptown cocktail style.

This tube sweetheart dress won me over on both sides - front and back. The graphic lines and the colour block that reminds me of the Queen of Hearts in Alice in Wonderland, but a slimmer and contemporary one. Instead of black, the back of this dress is blue.

Images: Style.com

Movement at Carlos Miele SS10

A dress made for movement. At first sight, I didn't think much of this piece. But then I saw the graceful lines and flow of the various shades made by movement. If the model was standing still, this would've been such a different dress. So you know what to do if you're wearing this dress - keep moving!

Image: Style.com

All I want for Christmas is...

It’s almost a month away to the season of exchanging gifts! Besides putting together the best outfits for all the parties and festivities that are to come, it's also time to put together a (fantasy) list of what would be nice to get during this holiday season.

All I want for Christmas is peace and happiness.

And if possible, I wouldn’t mind getting any (or all) of the following:

THE green Gucci dress that is sinfully elegant with its ruffle sleeves and luscious emerald color. But most of all, the front slit that oozes sexiness and reminds us of the time when Gucci was Tom Ford. Truly a timeless piece - something to make your granddaughters jealous because you're not passing it on to them!

It's time to hike up the fashion ante at work. Set the benchmark with jewel tone silk dresses and pumps and save wardrobe changes for that after work party. Fashion is also about being practical.

Lela Rose pleated dress.

One must have a one shoulder dress simply because they are too chic not to have. Their asymmetrical cut gives a refreshing and modern take on simple dresses. But the true magic lies in those that are cut just under the arms, covering that extra flesh that some of us have between the breast and armpit.

Jill Sander one shoulder white dress.

After a year of ogling over those overrated body hugging bandage dresses from Hervé Léger, it's time to get one yourself. These dresses fits snugly over the body and complements all womanly curves. Like true fashionistas, stay clear of the original McCoy and instead find inspirations elsewhere.

Aquascutum divine bodice dress.

Cardigan with front drapes are all the rage at the moment because they create the illusion of wearing a shawl, adding that extra edge to an otherwise boring cardi. Its versatility to go well with shorts and short skirts, making it a lasting item through all seasons.

Cardigan from H&M.

Heels, heels, heels! for reaching greater heights; it’s all about going higher and making those legs longer.

Alexander McQueen leather pumps.

Fendi suede pumps.

Simple ruched boots as an alternative to all the other black, tight, circulation-stopping boots on the streets.

Stella McCartney boots.

Some Mulberry wouldn’t hurt either.

All in all, always be happy with what we have and have a merry and fruitful holiday season!

Get the party started!

With the holiday season just around the corner, it’s all about getting invites to parties or throwing some yourself! It’s always good to plan early especially on what you are going to wear.

Just because the economy is having a crisis doesn’t mean that your wardrobe choices have to reflect similar sentiments. Let’s keep depressing to a minimum – damage control as they call it.

The wisest choice is still the undefeatable LBD. But the wiser ones will seek out alternative representations of the LBD. Here are two examples.

Update your classic LBD with odd shapes and asymmetrical lines giving the dress an edgy contemporary feel. Alexander McQueen shows us how it’s done with elegance and at the same time creating a dash of excitement using contrasting colors.

Try another color – like white. Go to the other extreme end of the color spectrum and stand out in a white ensemble among a sea of black dresses. Up the luxe ante with bold glittery embellishments. Azzaro’s Enee diamante cocktail dress is set to dazzle away all worries of any financial woes – and bring hope.

Don’t forget to pair your dresses with lovely shoes. Get inspired by the jewel tone trends and bring attention to your soles with these Christian Louboutin satin platforms.

You can also do it like Carrie and inject some edginess with fierce gladiator sandals such as these by ASOS.

Or go back to classics with these black patent platforms from KG by Kurt Geiger.

Hey Jude

When I first spoke with my wedding gown designer over the phone 2 years ago more than 7000 miles away, I knew right away that I found – the one. Despite the distance and the fact that we've never met each other before, we connected immediately and understood each other perfectly. We spoke the same (fashion) language, we appreciate the same styles, and we knew exactly what we both like in fashion.

Judith was then just a recent graduate from a prestigious design school and was hand picked by my wedding planner from a fashion design competition. Judith was the winner. Judith is a winner. Not only did this feisty (did I mention extremely stylish and elegant as well?) young lady continued to win many more fashion designing prizes (e.g. Lancôme Colour Design Awards 2006 in Paris); she also won my heart – fashionably.

Needless to say, I had the most gorgeous and personalized wedding gowns (yes, all three of them) that a fashionably demanding bride could ever ask for; and Judith got a never-ending line of new clients wanting their wedding gowns to be designed by her.

Judith now heads the design team of Sofira, a fashion brand known for its finer details and eye-catching prints. With her outstanding sketches and unique designs, Judith helped drive the three year old brand into an international hot item that is now being sold across Asia, Europe, India, South America, The Caribbean, and the Middle East.

(The following pictures are from Sofira's SS08 Collection)

White elegance with embroidery detail.


Simple georgetta dress in an eye-catching brilliant blue.



A chic one shoulder silk satin dress in olive that is oh-so-desirable now.


Breezy long white dress to bring out the goddess in you. Understated elegance for a formal occasion.

Judith is definitely a designer to watch – with her determination and talent, I bet she will be someone, somewhere within the next 5-8 years. Naturally, I want to be there when she does.

Singing the Blues

After a binge on minimalism and modernistic-cool, the fashion world decided to take a break by swinging to the other end of the pendulum and celebrate what the real world has to offer us – colors!

Strong, electrical colors made a bold splash across runways this season painting several collections in colorful prints and in strong singular colors the borderlines screaming neon. Colors as we all know have very interesting effect on people – both the wearer and the admirers. Therefore, it can be rather tricky to pull off a “heavy” and sometimes “depressing” color like, say blue.

But when Blue gets electrical it’s an entirely different world – think Super heroes, think Mischa at the Cannes festival, think retro-cool-tight-fit-electrical-blue-dress!

What you get here is nothing close to the blues but exciting, funky notes of electric blues!

This simple blue dress is chic, sexy, and complementary even for curvy ladies. The cut and the lines in the front makes a slim streamline while the long sleeves can be pushed up the arm slightly to create a casual crunch.

Since it’s almost like a bare, albeit colored, canvas, one can top it with chunky accessories or an iconic clutch. Don’t forget about shoes – it cannot be said enough that shoes complete the look! Play around with your options – go chunky for retro funk, stilettos to ooze sex and sophistication, or just flats for elegant chic.

Though adventurous, a dose of prudence can do one good when it comes to strong colors. Alas one should end up with the 'parrot-syndrome'.

Max it

Summer dresses do not always have to be short and skimpy to allow the most exposure especially if you’re starting out in a shade close to “pasty”. Though far from pasty, Angelina Jolie recently stepped out in a series of romantic, flowing long dresses leading a trail of inspirations and the opportunity for a maxi dress comeback.

Since the sixties, long dresses have had an uphill battle to lose its hippie stigma. Anyone seen with a long dress is either immediately stamped with a hippie mark or pushed into the bohemian- wannabe category. Nothing stylish or glamorous there.

But this summer, long dresses will make a comeback thanks to the star factor that Angie has bestowed upon them. Long dresses are popping up everywhere in major giant retails like ZARA, H&M, and more. Here’s one of the many examples from H&M’s tribute to Marimekko and a darling picture of Irina Lazareanu taken by the Sartorialist himself.

So bring out those long dresses that you’ve been hiding, throw on some sunnies, let loose your hair – and you’re ready to go with this summer’s look!

Razzle-dazzle, Fading-frazzle

Last Christmas we saw a sudden profileration of girls with a deck of glittery necklines appearing on their dresses and tops alike. Apparently, all that glitter went well with the party season.

And it should stay that way.

Like anything glittery; it distracted and swayed the buying power of many women. So much so that it became overrated.

No buy, or don’t wear because:

like any overrated pop culture, it’s not worth it

there’re probably another 2 girls who has a similar dress/top as you in the bar

too many stones comes off cheap plastics after looking at it for 5mins


Don’t get me wrong. It’s a beautiful item, but enough is enough.