the calm before molave

"let your hook be always cast.  in the pool where you least expect it, will be fish."

- ovid

what is better than lazy lunch by the pool (followed by a dip) with girlfriends?

thigh-high diy - part II

"when the itch is inside the boot, scratching outside provides little consolation."

- chinese proverb

topshop continues to out-do itself with its speedy reactions to market trends.  this thigh-high britney boot in polyurethane (the nubuck version is much more fashion) comes with a 1.5" platform and a 4.5" heel and "tightly fitting" shaft - perfect for attaching suspenders to.  at usd250, that's not too much damage.  unfortunately, they only ship to the uk and us.  anyone travelling any time soon?

twin peaks

"i often think that a slightly exposed shoulder emerging from a long satin nightgown packed more sex than two naked bodies in bed."

- bette davis

maison martin margiela fw09

zac posen fw09

dolce & gabbana fw09

balenciaga fw09

aquilano.rimondi fw09

balmain fw09

the shoulder extends even further up and out this fall with christophe decarnin of balmain becoming the world's most copied designer in less than two seasons.  whether it be a blouse, dress or jacket, make sure your shoulders have at least 5cm of extra oomph.  elle tv has an excellent tutorial on the topic.  be a recessionista and get your sewing supplies at sham shui po (mtr station of the same name, nam cheong street exit) and if you are feeling really creative, stud/jewel/feather the pad first and then secure it under a sheer/lace top for maximum impact.

fresh, minty goodness

"if someone offers you a breath mint, accept it."

- h jackson brown jr

at chanel's february show, all the girls sported short, minty fingernails, regardless of wrist accessory or tweed pattern. get your bottle of opi's "hey! get in lime!" (NL B53) now and start painting.

something blue

"blue eyes say, love me or i die; black eyes say, love me or i kill thee."

- spanish proverb

marc jacobs fw09

vivienne westwood red label fw09

christian dior fw09

carolina herrera fw09

balenciaga fw09

teal, viridian, sapphire and indigo - fashion has gone royal this fall.  wear it head to toe or layered with neutral shades of oyster and stone.  chiffons and chunky cashmere for the day; jacquards and devore velvet in the night to display the colours at their most intense.  keep accessories to a minimum.  all photographs care of style.

take that

"vandalism: beautiful as a rock in a cop's face."

- kurt cobain

31 year old christophe aghirre schwarz, or the artist better knows as zevs, pleaded guilty to one count of criminal damage before acting principal magistrate bina chainrai in eastern court yesterday.  prosecutors told the court that a professional cleaner hired by giorgio armani hong kong to remove the chanel logo and "children's water-based paint" was unable to do so and that the affected sandstone facade would have to be replaced at a cost of hkd6,746,000.  zevs called this "surrealistic" and offered to help the store clean the area in question by contacting experts in europe.  the two other men who were arrested with him initially have since been released due to insufficient evidence.

a video clip which recorded the crime in action was available on scmp earlier in the week but has since been removed.

net-an-iphone

"i think it's romantic when someone offers me a seat on the subway."

- carrie bradshaw in sex and the city (the series)

net-a-porter is now available on your iphone via net-app.  shop, make a wish list, browse new arrivals and read up on weekly fashion news anywhere, anytime.  taking the mtr has never been more productive.

oh, mighty mango!!

"i definitely believe in plastic surgery. i don't want to be an old hag. there's no fun in that."

- scarlett johansson

here are the newly-released images from scarjo's stint as the face of mango's fw09 campaign, shot by mario sorrenti. SO HOT. i want EVERYTHING.

the classic camel coat

"a camel is a horse designed by a committee."

- sir alec issigonis

jil sander fw09

maxmara fw09

chloe fw09

louis vuitton fw09

hermès fw09

true investment dressing comes into play this season as the brunt of the financial crisis hits us in the second half of this year.  make the pillar piece of your wardrobe a classic camel - whether belted, double-breasted or boxy with bunny ears this item is as practical as it is modern whilst being able to stand the test of time.  wear it over your 80's-shoulder trophy jacket and grape cigarette pants. 

thigh-high diy

"in the olden days, a glimpse of stocking was looked upon as something shocking but now, god knows, anything goes."

- cole porter

lauren santo domingo

falke tulle suspender belt

closure: double hooks at back

fastening: plastic clasps

hkd332.14 

gerbe tentation suspender belt

closure: none (tubular)

fastening: metal clasps

hkd348.35

kiss me deadly sirena 4-strap suspender belt

closure: unknown

fastening: metal clasps

hkd243.79

falke pure matt 50d hold-ups

semi-opaque

silicone reverse on band

hkd199.28

there is no avoiding the over-the-knee boot trend this fall - especially the one sported above by lauren santo domingo in which one attaches suspenders to their footwear!!  prada (fisherman waders), alexander mcqueen (pointy platforms) and stella mccartney (stiletto cuissardes) all showed thigh-high styles for fw09/10.  wear yours with the new micro mini skirt length and an oversized top (be it a jumbo mohair knit or boxy peacoat shearling) for a fun play on proportion.  can't wait for the mercury to drop.  all product shots care of my tights.

auf wiedersehen, escada

"the doors we open and close each day decide the lives we live."

- flora whittemore

eva longoria parker in escada

blake lively in celine

shortly after celine's announcement earlier this month of the closure of its only london door, comes the news that escada may soon have to dissolve.  the german label has liquidity to last until august but not beyond.  although restructuring plans have been presented to creditors, if these are not accepted escada will be forced to halt trading immediately as "98 out of the 99 possible measures" to revive the company have already been taken, said chairman bruno sälzer.  the brand was founded in 1978 by margaretha and wolfgang ley. 

keeping up with mrs b

"i am not materialistic.  i believe in presents from the heart, like a drawing that a child does."

- victoria beckham

in that case, perhaps mrs b will let me borrow her big blanc birkin?

chanel.. liquidated..?!?!

"grey hair is god's graffiti."

- bill cosby

zevs "liquidating" the chanel logo on chater house's southern facade

central, 03:30 yesterday

the "artwork" has since been covered by hong kong land

central, today

liquidated coca-cola logo

paris, 2006

liquidated mcdonald's logo

paris, 2000

visually attacked ("bombed") models in yves saint laurent ad

paris, 2001

zevs has liquidated hong kong!!  the anonymous french street artist stuck a chanel logo sticker on the facade of chater house in the early hours of yesterday morning and then proceeded to "liquidate" it in his signature style, the meaning of which is to make powerful economic brands look as if they are melting.  though his interventions have been very popular, it has been discussed in france whether it should be considered vandalism or art.  there was no such furore in hong kong as zevs was promptly arrested at the scene and taken away by police along with two local residents aged 26 and 27.

good gossip girls go bad

"that's the thing.  you need to be cool to be queen.  anne boleyn thought only with her heart and she got her head chopped off.  so her daughter elizabeth made a vow never to marry a man.  she married a country.  forget boys.  keep your eye on the prize, jenny humphrey.  you can't make people love you, but you can make them fear you.  for what it's worth, you're my queen.  i choose you."

- leighton meester as blair waldorf to taylor momsen's jenny humphrey in gossip girl

she sings too!!

long live the lbd

"i believe laughing is the best calorie burner.  i believe in kissing; kissing a lot.  i believe in being strong even when everything seems to be going wrong.  i believe happy girls are the prettiest girls.  i believe that tomorrow is a better day, and i believe in miracles."

- audrey hepburn

audrey hepburn in breakfast at tiffany's epitomised the chanel ideal for wearing little black dresses, accessorised with pearls no less, which was subsequently seen everywhere throughout the 1960's.  here, christy wong pairs hers with a studded skinny belt and nude suede tie-up peep-toe shoots for saturday night dinner in zuma's bubble room.  2009 chicness.