Have you ever seen Ruffa Gutierrez in person? You should try one time! She's stunning in every sense of the word. Her beauty is like a physical wall that hits you when you lay your eyes on her. And no I'm not going lesbo, it's just that I am a keen admirer of beauty (hence this blog)! Anyway, I also like that Ruffa is always perfectly poised and well-dressed, with her makeup flawless.

Allow me make a comment in true showbiz fashion: she lost weight!

Ruffa hosted the launch of Avon's latest offerings: the Jet Holiday Eau de Toilette and the Dare To Dazzle Jewelry Collection last October 12. The event was held at Society Lounge. It was a pretty straightforward launch where guests got to experience and take home the Avon's newest products.

Gwapo models went around spraying Jet Holiday (P1,350) for the guests

Jet  Holiday  is described as an "enticing  blend of fresh citrus, sun-soaked orange blossom and exotic fig wood". I love the scent because it has this unexpected kick of something like ginger.

I've been thinking about little black dresses all week. I don't know how it started, but there it is. My guess is that I'm in a black mood, that is, all I want to wear is black. I want an LBD in every shape and size!

We all love cheap clothes, but sometimes, it's wise to invest in choice pieces that will serve us for more than a few washes. Basics like the little black/white dress, stunning cocktail dresses, and evening gowns are items that need to stand the test of time in our closets. It makes more sense to blow a few thousands on them and then recycle until you get fat, or die. Lol.

Anyway, that's the idea behind the SM Fashion Forum located at the third level of SM Makati. The clothes there are in the P2,000 to P5,000 price range, but they are picked with care to reach a balance of quality, trendiness, and versatility without sacrificing timeless style. The clothes are from US brands like Adrianna Papell, David Meister, Donna Morgan, London Times, Max & Cleo, and Maggy London, to name a few. Miss Couture is a line for the younger set in terms of cheaper pricing and styles.

If you're looking for clothes to wear for important business meetings, power lunches, and parties/events from semi-formal to formal, I highly recommend Fashion Forum as your first stop. However, if you're into cheap and trendy disposable clothes for malling, clubbing, or coffee dates, go to Forever 21! Or any mall department store and tiangge, really.

Here's a virtual tour of the SM Fashion Forum:

Bright, well-lit interiors and spacious aisles will greet you upon entering

I first encountered NaRaYa when I was still in college. Robinson's Midtown was newly constructed then and featured a lot of new shops, one of which was NaRaYa. I loved the display of fabric bags in the shop window, but I never ever ventured in. Why? Because I thought that there was no way I can afford all those pretty bags! The boutique looked expensive too.

Well, I'll let you in on a little secret: NaRaYa bags are actually very affordable! They have purses and pouches that sell for only P99 and up while the big bags range from P500 to P1000+ (bags that cost this much are as big as a suitcase). For the cheap price, you don't get cheap quality. I said in my post last Saturday that I was surprised by the quality of the NaRaYa bag I got; the stitches were fine and straight and the fabric used was top notch. I also loved the water-repellant lining!

Ms. Cecille, the owner of NaRaya Philippines, invited me to visit the store in SM North EDSA after reading what I wrote. She was super nice and accomodating, telling me all about NaRaYa and giving me a mini-tour around the store. I was amazed by what she told me about the bags!

For instance, did you know that NaRaYa bags are made by hand in Thailand? That explains the quality and attention to detail in each piece. They don't have factories here or in anywhere else but Thailand. Every aspect of the store is also replicated from the Thai flagship store, even down to the displays!

Aside from quality control, one other thing that NaRaYa prides itself in is the cleanliness of their stores. You won't see any dust gathering in corners here!

My favorite toy was Barbie Like most girls my age then. I never left the mall without getting my mom to buy me a new pair of tiny shoes, clothes, or accessories! I just loved dressing up my toys and imagining their world as one grand catwalk. Oh, nostalgia. I stopped playing with Barbie, but she will always have a special place in my heart - she's one of the reasons I am who I am now. 

Drama aside, I'm impressed that Barbie has moved out of her kitschy, childish style phase into something more glamorous, sexy, and a little bit dangerous. Perhaps she's just mirroring today's woman, a woman who not only knows what she wants, but also how to get it. That's what I believe is at the core of the launch of Barbie Basics, an event held in Glorietta 5.

Members of the Young Designers Guild designed one-of-a-kind little black dresses for the muse of the night. I loved that while the designs are couture, they're still very much wearable. They've proven that the magical little black dress need not look plain!

If you're going to a party, especially to formal ones, it's not quite chic to sling a tote, shoulder, or hand bag with your cocktail dress. It destroys the mood of your outfit as well as the occasion. It's recommended to bring a clutch bag instead since it's compact, streamlined, and formal.

But of course, clutch bags don't necessarily have to be used only during evening events! You can wear them with casual clothes too, if they're big and roomy enough to function. You may as well have the clutch in black to max out the versatility.

I picked up this gift from Dorothy Perkins yesterday (thanks Michelle!). It's exactly what I need!

The clutch is plain, sleek, and most importantly, roomy! It can easily fit my phone, foundation, and lipstick with lots of room to spare for a wallet and camera. I promptly wore it last night to a dinner date with Marco at 101 in Enderun.

Whenever I go out I run through all the places I have to go, at what time I need to be there, plus the things I have to bring. Then I wear shoes accordingly. If I'm going to the office, I need to hurry and bring my laptop so I wear flats. If I'm going to an event, I need to look glammed up and tall, so I pick heels! But wouldn't it be nice if you can wear both flats and heels whenever and wherever you want to?

That's the dream that POSH Pocket Shoes set out to realize.

POSH Pocket Shoes are exactly what they say they are - posh shoes in a pocket! It's the size of an average kikay kit or makeup bag and could fit comfortably into shoulder and hand bags. The shoes conveniently fold halfway, fitting in a black, zip-up purse which can be converted into a bag for your heels. Ingenious eh? Now you can just take off your heels anytime you feel uncomfortable since POSH shoes are lightweight, small, and thus easy to bring.

The shoes themselves are extremely comfortable. The soles are very cushy while the inside of the shoe is lined with what feels to be soft, faux suede.

I received a lot of inquiries about the "mystery store" that carries the dress that I earlier gushed about. It's not much of a mystery, since it seems that even though it was the first time I heard about it, the store is already popular! The name, ladies and gents, is COEXIST.

I wouldn't have spotted it inside the huge department store of Robinson's Midtown if Kira didn't go to the rest room. Coexist is right beside it, but don't worry, it's all classily set-up. It's along this area called the Runway, where fashionable and non-mainstream brands are displayed.

This is the first dress that caught my eye:

Lovely! And then comes the price tag:

It's far above what I would normally spend for a single dress, to be honest with you. The thing about Coexist though is that the fabric is really nice (the Wendy dress is made of fabric similar to the ones used in the Kamiseta x Liberty collaboration last May) plus the pieces are well-made. You'll know when you touch and wear them! Just a bit of caution though - not all the stuff in the store are worth their prices.

There's definitely more hits than misses! 

I snagged these mary jane platforms from Charles & Keith as soon as I saw them. No second thoughts and no wringing of hands, which is what I usually do when I buy shoes. When I go shoe shopping I first sweep the whole mall to see everything and then decide afterwards. Is the shoe the right color? The right height? Does it have a unique yet versatile style? Is it comfortable? These are my usual considerations when buying a pair.

I think these shoes fit the bill perfectly. The arch of the heel is very low, at less than an inch, which means that they're super comfy. The height of the wooden heel itself is 3.5 inches. So I've got an extra height boost - without having to walk it.

I love the muted taupe shade; I can see it working with different clothing styles and colors. The faux snake-skin details and stitching also adds a lot of character to an otherwise typical pair of mary janes.

Do you love window shopping? I do! I feel happy when I see beautiful things. Satiating my aesthetic appetites aside, I also window shop because it's necessary for me to be updated on what's new in the real world. Being informed on what people are actually buying and wearing is crucial to my roles as fashion/beauty editor, businesswoman, and blogger. Purely online window shopping and research doesn't cut it.

That's why I was excited to visit Robinsons Midtown again. I haven't been there in ages! I used to frequent it during my college days, since UP Manila is just next door. It's a shopper's paradise - the high-end brands are there, not to mention the fact that the department store is actually well-stocked and updated. 

Did I mention a free wifi lounge, with comfy seats and clean tables? Midtown is a must-visit if you're in the area!

The fashion bloggers were also encouraged to invite a reader to the event. I asked Kira to go with me, since she's been reading my blog for years now, plus we're also friends! Haven't seen her since July. Sasha, Lauren, and Lizz were also there so we had time to catch up.

Looks like a floral print no? Those are skulls! She's wearing Aldo sandals.

So, are you guys ready to window shop? Here are some of our best finds at Robinsons Midtown! 

Accessorize

Accessorize is a UK brand selling, what else, accessories! I've never taken a close look at their store before, so I was floored and overwhelmed by all the gorgeous things inside. Caveat: the stuff are expensive. The cheapest pair of earrings I saw were selling at P900. 

Oooooh

Sigh. So pretty.

Charmed

What a lovely melancholic necklace

It was one of those small, intimate events. I wouldn't even call it an event - it's more like a leisurely lunch with friends just talking about their lives. I really enjoy these types of product introduction more than the big, glitzy ones because I feel that the people behind the brand are more interested in bloggers and blogging, rather than just a quick way to get the word out about their products.

It started unconventionally. Beauty and fashion bloggers were greeted by this:

Glue, scissors, magazines, and cute scrapbooking materials

Goodness, I haven't touched glue in months. This is exactly my kind of thing, so I went on to work on the order of the day: to make a mood/inspiration board about what I believe in.

Et voila!

I believe, first and foremost, in beauty. I believe that every woman has it but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't work on it! My style is very girly so I'm all about florals, ruffles and frills, lace, occasional bright pops of color, and lots of subtle details. I love feeling like a woman and I love being well-groomed. So how does Levi's fit in all of this? 

Binky Burrow is a brand that sells t-shirts and lifestyle products that are all about cute bunnies. Each bunny has a personality which may just match yours. They sent me a couple of shirts from their summer line, the ones with the Bunny In A Tea Cup and Rawr designs. Take a look!

My favorite out of the two shirts is this one. I'm not a huge fan of bunnies but I do love it when one of them terrorizes an entire city, lol. The fabric used is really soft, plus I like the distressed cotton they used for this particular design. The shirts are affordable at only P380 (plus shipping if you order online).

In this post I pledge to not buy anything kikay-related (except for toiletries and random thrifted pieces) for the rest of July. I've been spending waaay too much lately for things that I don't really need. I'd like to think of myself as a thrifty person, so the rate I've been spending this past month is already scaring me. Besides, I need to save up for two things: the Clinique Moisture Surge and the new Urban Decay Naked palette! Priorities, priorities.

Have you guys been to the Zara sale? The prices are batshit insane! Most of the stuff on the store were either 50% or 70% off. I visited the branch in Glorietta and couldn't help but buy this ultra-soft Trafaluc long cardigan and pink tiered skirt.

The devil is in the details

One of the most memorable collections during the last May's Philippine Fashion Week was Kermit Tesoro and Leeroy New's. Each piece looked like a work of art, worked on with close attention to detail and true craftsmanship. The clothes are too avant-garde to wear in real life. Or are they?

Last Saturday, the Preview Best Dressed Ball saw quite a lot of outfits by Mr. Tesoro and New. Let's compare the clothes as seen on the runway versus the red carpet!

Featured here is a cocoon-like dress worn on top of a long, chiffon skirt

I like Sarah Meier's look - well, from her shoulders up. Okay, even her shoes. The rest of the dress fits her weirdly, with a baggy bust and a shapeless waist. I believe that it will look better if the dress was tightened to fit Sarah's very, very thin figure.

Seen here is a textured pantsuit. It looks like something Shaider's enemies might wear.

Last Saturday, I witnessed the Preview Best Dressed Ball with fellow bloggers and friends from Estee Lauder. It was a blast! That is, if you're into the clubbing scene. Tim Yap's newest posh club, Republiq, hosted the Alexander McQueen-themed event. The place was packed as celebrities, designers, fashionophiles, and other media personalities danced to house music and enjoyed the open bar.

Preview's Best Dressed for 2010

The program was pretty short. StyleBible.ph managing editor Isha Andaya announced the new look of StyleBible.ph, Preview’s online home. Editor-in-chief Pauline Suaco-Juan also came up on stage to talk about the night’s theme and encourage everyone to enjoy the party.

Of course, what is the Preview Best-Dressed Ball without ogling at the best-dressed and not-so-well-dressed?

The Preview Editor-In-Chief, Pauline Suaco-Juan. She wore a white crystal-encrusted dress by Michael Cinco with peeptoes from Alexander McQueen. What a super dress! This is perhaps my favorite out of all the clothes I saw that night.

The outfits of the Preview staff are featured later on in the post, but check out the seven best-dressed women honored that night: dermatologist Aivee Aguilar-Teo, Striker Mobile Media’s chief operating officer Ann Jacobe, photographer Garovs Garovillo, philanthropist Kaye Tinga, Giordano Philippines’ product development manager Lloyda Lim, model and designer Marita Fe Ganse, fashion blogger and designer Rosanna Aranaz, and actress Gretchen Barretto, who also graces the cover of this month’s issue. Rounding up the list are fashion blogger Ingrid Holm and shoe designer Ivy Kirzhner, who were both unable to make it that night.

Lloyda Lim wears a hat and dress by Mich Dulce. This is the best outfit for me out of those on the best-dressed list. Lloyda's quirky personality really shines in the way she dresses - minus the tell-tale baby bump! Check out her blog!