halfwhiteboy

Blackie loses to Uggie at Golden Collar Awards

2012-02-15T08:22:00.000+08:00

So the cute one trumps the doberman at the inaugural Golden Collar Awards, which honors canine actors in film and television. Uggie, the Jack Russell terrier of "The Artist" fame, claimed the trophy for Best Dog in a Theatrical Film last Monday (Feb. 13), edging out last-minute nominee and fierce rival Blackie, the doberman from "Hugo."

Uggie at the Golden Collar Awards (Photo source)

Just last month Martin Scorsese, Blackie's director in Hugo, successfully campaigned for the doberman's nomination (see related post here). Since then, Blackie and Uggie were constantly pitted against each other as frontrunners for the award, with their "rivalry" heating up as the ceremonies drew close. Scorsese even had to defend Blackie from rumors that the doberman's performance was a product of CGI. Very Hollywood! But all in good fun, I suppose.

Although Blackie skipped the ceremony, fans were in full support where at least two Blackie lookalikes were in attendance.

A Blackie fan (Photo source)

Uggie, along with five other winning pooches, each received this cute little trophy with a crystal-studded collar:

It may seem like a joke but the awards are a recognition for the dog trainers as well. Besides, how could anyone not find this whole thing cute? I'm so looking forward to next year's derby already.

The Golden Collar Awards are organized by Dog News Daily.

Revisiting the Underground River after nearly 10 years

2012-02-13T22:59:00.001+08:00

Yes, it's been almost ten years since I've first been to Palawan's famed Underground River. Now it's officially been named one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, so I thought it was high time to revisit the place. Besides, My Bibe has never been there before.

The Underground River is part of the 22,202-hectare Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP). It also is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999.

Once in Puerto Princesa City, it's an approximately two-hour drive to the village of Sabang, the jump-off to the river. Though 50km away from the city proper, Sabang is still part of Puerto Princesa. Thankfully the zigzagging road is now mostly concrete with just a few rough patches.

In Sabang you need to secure a permit, which will cost you around Php 200 (I think?). This, however, can be a problem because since the river's nomination into that 7 Wonders thing, more tourists have been flocking to see it more than ever. To manage the impact on the environment, the local government has since limited visitors to 600 a day, which is still quite a number. So it's but wise to organize and confirm your tours in advance. Better yet, you can avail of those packaged tours for around Php 1,500/person with everything from transportation, lunch and permits all-in. Be also forewarned that the local authorities can cancel all tours due to bad weather or really rough seas (like what happened in December 28, 2011).

If you manage to survive the long line getting your permit, you'll have to endure another waiting time to get on a boat. I'm not sure how much the boat rides cost because we had the resort arrange everything for us to avoid any hassle. The boat unloading and loading system here is painstakingly inefficient, like it's only one boat at a time. They really need to find a more efficient way to serve their visitors, much like how Boracay has perfected its own ferry service.

This is the only spot where boats can load and unload people. Unmindful of all the chaos around, this dog was busy scratching himself -- while sitting on a 45-degree wall.

The boat ride takes between 15 to 20 minutes. Another option is to hike via the park's Monkey and Jungle Trails. I did the Monkey Trail before but unfortunately, the park rangers had to close it at the moment (because they weren't able to maintain it, according to our guide). Too bad because I really enjoyed that one. It was a beautiful 4km trek that took you along the beach, to mangroves, the forest, and up and down karst formations. It was a bit of an exercise, too!

Anyway, the boat has become the de facto way to go, and these magnificent views greet visitors upon their arrival (Disclaimer: I am NOT part of the magnificent views):

The river is still a short walk away from the beach, involving a winding walkway of wooden planks. It was pretty much the same setup ten years ago.

And then there were lots of orange! And lots of orange means lots of people. And that, in turn, means more waiting time.

After donning the mandatory life vest and helmet, visitors hop on these paddled outriggers for the actual tour. Each boat can carry around seven passengers plus the tour guide. Then a local government-commissioned photographer snaps photos from a wooden platform as visitors come in and out of the cave.

The river is reportedly 8.2km long but the tour only involves the first 2km, which is a bit of a letdown. You need a special permit to go beyond this point, and only maybe if you're part of a "scientific exploration group."

Darkness quickly engulfs you upon entering. Your only light source comes from a spotlight that the person sitting in front of the boat is assigned the task of pointing around as directed by your guide.

Bats abound inside but these ones are quite small compared to the ones in Subic or in Club Paradise. Nevertheless, they seem unperturbed by the throngs of tourists plying in and out of their dwelling.

As was the case ten years ago, our guide recited his memorized script peppered with canned jokes. It was pretty much the same as I remember it, the guide marketing various rock formations as bearing semblances to whatever the scriptwriter can think of, from religious figures to fruits and vegetables, to animals and other characters. Having this in mind, it's not a far-fetched idea that they've nicknamed sections of the cave as "The Cathedral," where all the religious figures are, the "fruits and vegetables section," "EDSA," and more.

"The Holy Family"

"The Face of Jesus"

A "cacao," or kakaw, as our guide was trying hard to explain. I could sense his exasperation as he still wasn't able to elicit any laughter from this stoic audience.

Some "mushrooms"

I just loved the effect the spotlight cast on this one here.

The "Sharon Stone," according to our guide. It's a naked lady whose back is facing us. Hmn...

"Simba, The Lion King." Nah.

A "giraffe." Couldn't be; its neck is way too short.

"Two cats," or the "Hello Kitty Section," as our guide put it.

I don't know if it was our guide but I enjoyed my first time much more. This one felt rushed. I think we only spent 30 minutes inside the cave. But then they gotta accommodate 600 people, so it's a price everyone must pay. At any rate, there's still a lot to enjoy outside.

According to various literature, the park boasts of a rich biodiversity where several species of fauna abound. I was rearing to see some monkeys but we were only treated to a couple of monitor lizards, which My Bibe and I find very cute. They're quite huge, such growth attributable somehow to the absence of any predator in the area.

How cute is he?!

A standoff. I couldn't get any nearer because every time I inched closer, he'd scuttle away.

See how huge they grow!

Overall, I still did enjoy the tour. The actual Underground River paddle boat tour may be a little anticlimactic but there are a lot more things on the side that help shape the experience into a fairly good one. I'd still recommend it to anyone; try it at least once. Hopefully the local government can find a better, more efficient, and more tourist-friendly system for granting permits and for its boats. After all, it should be more fun in the Philippines.

[Lookbook 02.07.2012] Shoot me in pink

2012-02-08T12:55:00.001+08:00

I know I look silly in that photo but it's nice to have a "behind the scenes" shot anyway. In case you're wondering, they're shooting us for our new company ID. It will no longer bear the usual 2x2 photo where you're facing the camera head on. Instead, it's gonna be a half-body shot in some supposedly fun and casual pose. I know more and more companies are going this route and ours has decided to join the bandwagon.

That's me right after my three frames, wondering what the next ID craze would be. 3D? Holographic? Personally I'd want a moving photo, like the ones in the Harry Potter series (the laughing Sirius Black perhaps?). That would be really sick!

For my outfit, I thought of the colors of our would-be ID. We were told not to wear white (presumably because of the white background), blue (which would get lost in the large circle bearing our nickname), and black (which I don't understand because I thought it would be perfect). So I picked a pink shirt with tiny black stripes because I wanted something bright, and let it just stand out by wearing black pants. The shirt actually has a strap underneath each sleeve to hold them when folded (notice the black button on each side?), but I preferred going long that day.

Human Resources wanted us to go casual but I wanted to wear a bow tie, and so I did. I don't think they really would have a problem with that.

Now I'm excited for our weekend getaway. Gotta pack our bags!
__________________
Striped shirt (Topman); pants (Zara); shoes (Frank at Traffic); bow tie and belt (both Merger); glasses (Kenneth Cole).

Stylish in denim with Replay Jeans

2012-02-08T00:29:00.000+08:00

I was suddenly in the mood for some rugged, denim-dominated outfits, so I surfed aimlessly and came across the Official Replay Jeans site. I like the looks that I saw and felt I should be more creative in dressing myself up in denim, like this one below.

Source

Then it occurred to me that we did have a Replay store in Glorietta a while back. But ever since that section of the mall gave way to an ongoing renovation, I haven't heard of any news of them reopening someplace else.

So I searched but wasn't able to find anyone nearby. They're everywhere but here. Online, there's this Replay Jeans (UK Shop) that I liked. I saw some cool items like this plaid shirt in burgundy (and burgundy was quite a familiar color in runways recently), and these dark blue denim jeans that's slim but not too skinny. Right now I think that I should move away from really skinny jeans because I grew a bit horizontally over the past year and they don't look that good anymore on me. At the same time, though, I'd like to keep it trim so I guess these jeans are perfect. I'm also partial to henleys, so I also like one.

Replay Jeans has got some history already. And another thing that tickled my fancy was that they have "organic jeans." Hmn... Anyway, you can check out these links for more info:
http://fashiongear.fibre2fashion.com/brand-story/replay/history.asp
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C01etGmdn4U

Note to self: find some relatives abroad who I can have items delivered to, find more items to fill a balikbayan box, and then have them all shipped to me here. But it would be much more convenient if they'd just reopen another store here.

Acting awards for dogs heats up

2012-02-06T23:24:00.001+08:00

Yes, acclaimed director Martin Scorsese's campaign worked! I'm not talking about the 11 Oscar nods his film Hugo received but the late inclusion of his canine star Blackie the Doberman in the list of nominees for Best Dog in a Theatrical Film in the inaugural Golden Collar Awards. Yes, there's an acting awards derby now for dogs, and rightfully so.

Blackie, essaying the role of Maximilian in Scorsese's Hugo.

It was in an LA Times op-ed that Scorsese lamented the snub and rallied for the canine's recognition. He pointed at all the fuss over Uggie, that Jack Russell terrier who stole the show at the recent Golden Globes, and who received two nominations, one for the Oscar contender The Artist and another for Water for Elephants starring Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson.

Uggie in The Artist.

Of Uggie's performance, the director referred to him as a nice little mascot who does tricks and saves his master's life while in stark contrast, Blackie gives an uncompromising performance as a ferocious guard dog who terrorizes children. Clearly, we would all fall for adorable and cutesy, which was Scorsese's point. It's like our two cats here below. Which one would you instantly go for?

Our cats Foreman (left) and Kwittie Boy (right).

After an unprecedented outpouring of support for the doberman on Facebook, Alan Siskind, CEO of Dog News Daily, organizer of the Golden Collar Awards, announced Blackie as as the sixth and final nominee in that category. But will she win is another story.

By the way, a doberman bit me in the face when I was a kid. Just saying.

Daniel Radcliffe looking good in latest film

2012-02-04T20:25:00.000+08:00

I've already seen some clips and stills last year of Daniel Radcliffe's new film The Woman in Black and my first impression was that he looks really good here. Ditching his Hogwarts robe for a period three-piece suit made him look much, much better. Now the film is showing and goes head-to-head with Chronicle, another flick I'm excited to see (although Woman in Black isn't showing yet in the Philippines - bummer!).

The Woman in Black tells the story of a widowed lawyer, played by Radcliffe, who is sent to a remote village to sort out the affairs of a recently deceased eccentric, as the website puts it. It's a period ghost story where the house to be haunted by a woman who's bent on finding something and someone she lost. And the villagers try to keep this a secret from the lawyer.

The film has earned some fairly good reviews so I'm hoping it's good. I know Radcliffe is trying to shake off that Potter image and I think that this looks like a good material to start with. Oh, and did you know that Adrian Rawlins, who played his father in the Potter movies, played the same part Radcliffe is playing now in the 1989 TV movie adaptation of Woman in Black? Some connection there, huh!

www.womaninblack.com

Adam Lambert's "Better Than I Know Myself" video premiere

2012-02-03T22:50:00.000+08:00

The talented Adam Lambert has just released the music video of his newest single Better Than I Know Myself, which is off his latest album Tresspassing, out March 20.

Video still of Adam Lambert's Better Than I Know Myself music video on justjared.com

The video is about the light and dark sides of people. Although I have always loved the glammed-up Lambert, showcased in "the dark side," I think I prefer the "light side" Adam. I don't know, he just looks fresh in the latter with much less makeup. The song, on the other hand, isn't instantly catchy but I think it'll grow on me and I hope people will like it and therefore score Lambert another hit. Anyway, here goes...

Thoughts?

[Lookbook 02.01.2012] Flapping my way

2012-02-01T21:48:00.000+08:00

After dressing it all up yesterday, I sort of did a 180 today with a more casual outfit. The shirt and vest may pass for something more dressed up but it's the pants that did it. The pockets have some flaps on them that, well, flap in the wind as I saunter down the halls. They sure inject some fun into this getup.

To go with this playful vibe I wore some less formal shoes. Lace-ups, yes, but they don't quite make the cut for dress shoes. I've always loved their quirky shape, though. For accessories, I wore a bunch of beads.

Finally I got to change bags. I've been lugging around my brown satchel for maybe two weeks now, so even if this one's still predominantly brown, at least it's not completely brown. Sometimes I'm just too lazy.

And oh, it's the "love month!"

___________________
White shirt (Memo); vest (Penshoppe); pants with pocket flap details (U at Rustan's); ombre lace-ups (Zara); assorted beads (Topman); "Odometer Bag" (Paul Smith).

I wanna watch Chronicle!

2012-02-01T19:46:00.000+08:00

I just saw this video this morning (then read the accompanying article):

And now I wanna go see this:

Honestly I've never heard of this movie before and now I'm suddenly so excited about it. It's this sort of power I wish I have. That scene where Andrew's practically crumpling an old car? Hmn...totally in tune with my imagination. And if that ain't enough to get you excited, here's a disturbing clip that reminds me so much about Sylar:

Amid all the gargantuan superhero movies coming in this year, Chronicle looks really promising. It looks different and a lot more interesting. Now if the movie is as good as these clips, then we just might have a sleeper hit in our hands. Opening tomorrow in Metro Manila (I think it's Friday in the States?).

http://www.facebook.com/Chronicle

[Lookbook 01.31.2012] French cuffs for the non-French

2012-01-31T22:38:00.000+08:00

New Year's seemed not too long ago yet here we are, down with the first month of the year already. And I'm in a rather formal mood for a sendoff to January. It's the french cuffs. I don't see a lot of shirts with such cuffs, at least among those that I can easily afford (Thankfully, I found this Rajo Laurel for Wharton piece!). It can get really frustrating because almost everything has buttons.

It could be just me but there's always that dignified feel with french cuffs. I think it's because it leaves a man room for one more set of jewelry or accessories -- cufflinks. Common, men don't really have that liberty of accessorizing as women do when it comes to most classic menswear. If you're in a suit and tie combo, what can you wear? Probably a watch, a bracelet, a ring and a tie bar (and a collar pin if your collar permits). A necklace will, of course, be out of the equation. But wearing a shirt with french cuffs lets you enjoy just one more.

Here I opted for cufflinks covered in some patterned red-blue-and-black fabric (don't have a close-up shot, though). Goes well with my burgundy bow tie. I preferred it over something in blue (at least today) because my shirt already had lots of blue. Then pinstripes and brown leather to cap off the look.

I wish brands would make more of these shirts.

Shirt with french cuffs and undersized collar (Rajo Laurel for Wharton, SM Department Store); pinstripe pants (Topman); bow tie (Tieline/Merger); cufflinks (Mundo, The Ramp); watch and belt (SM Dept. Store); shoes (Aldo).

Hong Kong cable car stalls

2012-01-28T17:24:00.000+08:00

Woah, what's this? I've read that Hong Kong's cable car service last Thursday stalled, leaving around 800 passengers stranded at different points from Tung Chung to Ngong Ping 360º. They were left suspended in midair for about 30 minutes in freezing temperatures nearing 0º Celsius.

That was scary especially since there was reportedly no announcement whatsoever, leaving passengers practically clueless as to what was wrong. Refunds were reportedly made and the whole service was suspended for 10 days since Thursday to get everything fixed. But I have faith in them and I know it'll once more provide tourists an enjoyable experience like I had the last time.

Story from Yahoo! News; read here.

[Lookbook 01.25.2012] Playing with some excess fabric

2012-01-27T07:45:00.000+08:00

I wasn't really feeling "corporate" last Wednesday so I went for a casual, dressed-down look. It's the top that's too casual actually. It's practically a t-shirt except that it has a cowl neckline and "lots of extra fabric." I don't really know what to make of it because it's sewn into the shirt and all you need to do is play with it as if it were a scarf.

To dress it up, I wore normal office pants and a pair of leather lace-ups. I picked brown to lend the outfit a more formal look.

That lengthy fabric took on several forms throughout the day including a hoodie while I was goofing around. I remember showing several photos of what can be done with it the last time I wore it, which was last year (see here).

It's really quite fun.

_____________________
Top (Black Asuka from yesstyle.com); pants (Topman); shoes (Aldo); watch (Kenneth Cole Reaction).

Restoring the Batad rice terraces through volunTOURISM

2012-01-26T22:53:00.000+08:00

A friend shared this on Facebook earlier and it definitely caught my attention. It's about a volunteer-oriented initiative called Batad Weekend Warrior (BWW) to support the Bachang, a revival of the Ifugao bayanihan spirit basically meant to restore the Batad rice terraces in Banaue, Ifugao to its former glory.

Bachang, or Baddang, according to BWW's Facebook page, means bayanihan (that Filipino value of cooperative undertaking) in the Ifugao dialect, and so that "volunTOURISM" concept is a perfect fit. The activity will primarily entail stonewalling to rehabilitate portions of the terraces damaged by past typhoons. It's set to kick off on February 3 and is expected to run through the rest of the year until December.

This definitely is something worthwhile especially considering that rice farming in these terraces are faced with succession problems. Younger generations, of course, choose to forego farming in search of better and less back-breaking opportunities elsewhere. I really can't blame them, so initiatives like Bachang are most welcome to ensure the preservation of these rice terraces.

I suddenly went nostalgic and was able to unearth some "vintage" photos of me and a couple of friends in Batad back in 2005. I say vintage because they were taken from a Kodak KB10 point-and-shoot film camera with no zoom function whatsoever. With a little help from PS, memories of me and two other guys in Ifugao garb (g-strings) sauntering along the magnificent Batad rice terraces with two ladies in tow are now vibrant as new.

Wouldn't it be more fun if this Bachang were done in costume, like me here? It would be epic, I daresay.

Cooling off in Tappia Falls after trekking all morning under the sun was the best! I remember I was the first to buy a costume in Banaue then these two followed suit. We covered up with malong while we were still in the village then let go of it once we hit the terraces. The falls, though, seemed to have washed away all our inhibitions because on our way back, we no longer bothered with our malongs even if we were already in the village.

If you're interested in being a Batad Weekend Warrior, you can find all the info you need -- details, directions, arrangements, fees and all that -- on their Facebook page, or you can email them at batadweekendwarrior@gmail.com. I'm really hoping for the success of this great endeavor. VolunTOUR now!

The shoes on the runways of Milan and Paris: Lace-ups

2012-01-26T13:26:00.002+08:00

This is the last of my three posts about all the wonderful shoes seen recently in Milan and Paris during FW. This one's about the ones with shoe laces.

Louis Vuitton
Shiny, shimmery metal accents characterized the shoes here -- and in a very nice way. Talk about spicing up your corporate getup; these are the shoes!

Burberry Prorsum
But if you want to play it safe (well, somehow), the Brit brand has the answers with their brown and black pieces. But there's red, too, if you wanna change your mind.

Ombre, that gorgeous effect of graduated shades, also made appearances in Milan and Paris. Blacks and grays would be common but they also had browns and reds.

Hermes

Gucci

Spectator shoes, brogues, I don't really know what to call them. But who cares when you have beautiful pieces? I'm a fan of contrasts, so having contrasting materials and patterns in one shoe is pretty awesome.

Ermenegildo Zegna

Etro

Prada

Now I haven't really jumped on the clunky shoes train but compromises can be made, like tempering the design by limiting the clunky part to only one end of the shoe or wowing me altogether with bold and graphic patterns, like these ones here.

Calvin Klein Collection

3.1 Phillip Lim

You can also check the following related posts about shoes from Milan and Paris FW:
Boots and high-cut shoes
Slip-ons and strapped shoes

All photos from GQ.com.

The shoes on the runways of Milan and Paris: Slip-ons and strap-ons

2012-01-26T12:55:00.002+08:00

More shoes from Milan and Paris, and here are a couple of those gorgeous loafers, slip-ons and shoes with straps.

Etro
The patterned fabrics are really great although you really wouldn't want to wear them when it's raining.

Viktor & Rolf
More fabric-covered shoes here, with patterns a bit more subdued this time.

Dries Van Noten
It's leather this time in bright tans. And how clever to pair them with orange socks.

Bottega Veneta
The brand took to color here for a lot of there shoes, like these ones here in turquoise and purple.

Giorgio Armani
Monk straps are great, even more with colors other than black as pointed out by Armani.

Maison Martin Margiela
This one here I love for its sheer simplicity and refreshing look.

You can also check the following related posts about shoes from Milan and Paris FW:
Boots and high-cut shoes
Lace-ups

All photos from GQ.com.

The shoes on the runways of Milan and Paris: Boots and high-cuts

2012-01-25T19:43:00.002+08:00

Of course the clothes were the stars of Milan and Paris FW but there's obviously more that deserve attention, one of which are the shoes. Mind you, there were a lot that I really liked, so I'm breaking this post into three parts. First off are the boots and other high-cut footwear.

John Varvatos
I'm loving the rugged look here. And the first pair here are some really high boots. Awesome!

Dolce & Gabbana
Consistent with its Victorian-inspired collection, the footwear were no different. The result was a mishmash of elegant, rugged, and fanciful.

Bottega Veneta
Lots of good shoes featured, mostly loafers and lace-ups. But when they did boots, they sure made 'em sky-high.

How about a boot that looks like it's got another boot inside? Or something with an extra tongue? Metal braces, anyone? These designers got them all covered.

Emporio Armani

Ermenegildo Zegna

Neil Barrett

Louis Vuitton

You can also check out the following related posts about shoes from Milan and Paris FW:
Slip-ons and strapped shoes
Lace-ups

All photos from GQ.com.

[Lookbook 01.20.2012] Stripes can make a statement

2012-01-22T11:05:00.001+08:00

It's Friday and it's jeans day. But even in the simplest of outfits, stripes can make an impact. Take for instance this polo shirt, it's very basic but somehow the medley of grays, white and red tend to catch the eye (I think it's the red). But of course it should fit you well. I also toned everything down with black jeans and some gray shoes, allowing my striped piece to stand out even more.

___________________
Polo shirt (Bench); jeans (Topman); shoes (Zara); oversized watch (Aldo).

Milan FW: The ever-wonderful patterns of Missoni F/W 2012-13

2012-01-22T03:55:00.000+08:00

Let's all forget about that Missoni for Target disaster because Missoni has yet again wowed us with its gorgeous patterns for Fall/Winter 2012-2013 in Milan recently.

I also loved how they mixed patterns together to form an outfit. It's a tricky business but Missoni, of course, was spot on. There were the brand's trademark patterns mixed with plaid, knits and some texture. Really beautiful!

I also noticed the somewhat subdued vibe in some pieces, making everything very wearable. Take a closer look at some of the fantastic details...

On the jackets, pullovers and cardigans...

Something a bit loud or a something in monochrome...

The texture on the pants...

The socks (I really am clueless with using the right patterned socks in most outfits!)...

And even on shoes and bags...

You can be wowed further with the entire collection over at GQ.com; click here.

All photos from GQ.com.

Milan FW: Fun with Bottega Veneta F/W 2012-13

2012-01-20T12:01:00.004+08:00

When browsing through runway photos, I usually skip Bottega Veneta. For Milan, however, that gallery cover photo certainly caught my eye. Bottega's Fall/Winter 2012-13 looked like a lot of fun. I don't know what to make of it but those painted-over suits, in my opinion, were brilliant.

I just call them paint-overs but I really don't know what they did with the suits. Definitely fun, though.

How about something shiny?

Something interesting: pants with quilted details.

As with every other designer, there were coats. This one here I really like.

There were also a lot of good shoes used in the show. There were classic blacks with some fanciful details, turquoise and other colored numbers, and "high heels!"

View the full collection over at GQ.com here.

All photos from GQ.com.

[Lookbook 01.19.2012] Working the "runway" with warm tones

2012-01-19T22:56:00.000+08:00

I realized I haven't had any lookbook post so far this week. It's been mostly about Milan FW recently so let's take a breather. But I guess I really have been viewing too much runway photos because I worked up my own runway for today's lookbook post. Please indulge me and my frustration...

Hmn...what do you think? But never mind. Today I layered two different shades of brown. I normally wear something plain underneath this plaid blazer but today I thought I should avoid playing it safe, hence, the brown patterned knit pullover. I guess it worked, though. Then I picked light gray trousers as contrast to all that brown, especially since the shoes, belt, and even the satchel were all brown.

Now it's time for more FW ogling.
___________________
Pullover (Giordano); blazer (Yorkers); pants (Topman); lace-ups (Aldo); belt (Hickok at SM Department Store); satchel (Topman); watch (SM).

Milan FW: Glam up with Gucci F/W 2012-13

2012-01-18T23:47:00.000+08:00

Gucci has always been one of the brands I look forward to on the runways, especially ever since Frida Giannini came on board. For Fall/Winter 2012-2013, Gucci went for glam, as how I would sum up the collection.

First off are the patterned suits, which I really love. Giannini kept it really trim with the fit, and the colors really dark for that touch of elegance.

I also love the idea of breaking up the pieces, mixing them all up, pairing plains with patterns. I can't help but gush over them!

Up close, the patterns look really awesome.

The shoes are also something. Love the ombre effect there! You can also see how great the patterns are on the pants in close-up shots.

Last but not the least are the bags. There were quite a bunch that really wowed me there, from carryalls to luggage.

To view the rest of the collection, head over at GQ.com here.

All photos from GQ.com.

Milan FW: The theatricality of Versace F/W 2012-13

2012-01-18T23:09:00.000+08:00

Don't get me wrong; I like theatricality in some aspects. But it doesn't mean I loved everything from Versace's F/W 2012-2013 collection, which definitely wasn't for the fainthearted. In hindsight the pieces were loud and in-your-face.

I did love a couple of pieces, though, like this embellished denim number below. There also was a pants version but I'll be happy with just the jacket.

Although I wouldn't go for some of the suits, there were others that were tame enough for my taste.

Okay, that second jacket wasn't so tame but I love it nonetheless. I wouldn't know where to wear it, though. To a party, I guess?

There was also this quilted leather jacket that wowed me although I would have wanted it to be less bulky. And oh, a blood red suit! But of course I'd have to break it down if I were to wear it (assuming I can have one). Love the accessories, though; reminded me of Prada.

The details were over-the-top as they can be yet to me they somehow fall in the right places. The prints were, of course, very Versace -- loud and proud.

I also dig some of the footwear. In tighter shots you can also see more details, like on the sides of the red pants below.

And oh, the bag!

You can check out the full collection over at GQ.com here.

All photos from GQ.com.

Michelle Williams sizzles on GQ's February 2012 cover

2012-01-18T08:12:00.001+08:00

Who knew Michelle Williams was this hot? Of course she played Marilyn Monroe, so I guess she is after all. But common, who knew? I still very well remember her on Dawson's Creek and since then she's zoomed past her co-stars (Was there a Katie Holmes there?) to become the respected and award-winning actress (Congrats on the Golden Globe!) that she is today. But I never realized how much of a bombshell she actually is.

Sure she looked hot decked as Ms Monroe in Vogue's October 2011 issue...

But she's definitely much hotter on the February cover of GQ!

I think that's reason enough already to grab a copy.

Milan FW: Power dressing with Prada F/W 2012-13

2012-01-17T23:16:00.002+08:00

We all probably know that Prada made a splash in Milan this week with a couple of celebrities walking down the runway including Willem Dafoe, Jamie Bell, Garrett Hedlund, Adrian Brody, and the venerable Gary Oldman who closed the show. Sure the presence of celebrities caused quite a stir but Miuccia Prada gave a fantastic collection, regardless of any celebrity working the catwalk.

Prada's Fall/Winter 2012-2103 collection spoke of power in elegant suits and a lot of really strong coats. As always, I am in love with the fabrics and all that color. The tailoring was impeccable. I also love the strong accents like this oversized collar over here:

The coats were an array of classic and statement pieces. And of course, I love the statement pieces!

There were waistcoats as well, ranging from plain to striped. And they did pair the striped one with striped pants. Hmn...stripes on stripes, it's something I definitely do.

The suits were really sharp, and double-breasted was the way to go (Can't help but love my DB jacket even more). I also have always admired the colors Prada uses, and how they put them together to create an outfit. As was the case with the waistcoat, I saw stripes on stripes and also purple on gold.

The garments look even better up close; you can appreciate all the details even more.

Prada has always used some interesting accessories in their shows, and Milan was no exception with some colorful pins and badges. And of course, the shoes: rubber-encased pieces and some floral painting on them -- why not?

Go view the full collection over at GQ.com here.

All photos from GQ.com.

Milan FW: The Victorian grandeur of Dolce & Gabbana F/W 2012-13

2012-01-17T22:38:00.000+08:00

I'm not really much of a fashion watcher but aimless browsing led me to the runways of Milan, Italy, where designers are currently presenting their collections for Fall/Winter 2012-2013. Now I'm going crazy with what I've been seeing.

First off is Dolce & Gabbana's Victorian era-inspired collection. Although I really can't see myself wearing some of the pieces here (assuming I can afford them), I am loving the grandeur and opulence of all the velvets and the brocades. Having said that, here are a few of the pieces I really like:

Common, how could I not fall in love with that? If those were a little over-the-top for you, there are also some toned-down stuff like this (Seriously, it is toned down!):

But why hold back?

The details are just fantastic. There are always some fine works of art in front, at the sides, the back, and even on the shoes!

Go see the full collection over at GQ.com here.

All photos from GQ.com.