Jimmy Choo for H

This may be a dream for many women (me! me! me!) around the world. I don't know how much they'll keep the Jimmy Choo style, but it will sure be worth the wait.
And by the way, I talked to the H&M People, they said they'll be opening their first branch right here in Lebanon in fall 2009. I sincerely hope we'll have the Choo's shoes here.

Jimmy Choo for H&M (Vogue.com UK)

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The "Shoe Myth"

I know i haven't written in a while. I just got caught up in the "real" life. I'll write soon. But in the meantime, this is a Post from Vogue UK about the Manolo's famous 1994 Mary Janes, or maybe not so famous untill Ms Bradshaw made them that way.
For all of you Sex and the City Lovers, I know you'll love this.
Carrie Bradshaw's Manolo Blahnik Mary Jane (Vogue.com UK)

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Tis the season for layers

The other day, when I was proudly showing my friend my beloved black skirt (the same one, what else?), she was surprised by the fact that my summer clothes were still in my dressing. Time to put them away, she said. Put them away? Put what away? My summer clothes? I don’t have summer clothes; I only have clothes, no winter, no summer, just clothes, no discrimination whatsoever. Why should I put some away, when I can have them all, and all the time? I don’t put away; I use, reuse and recycle. A tee-shirt becomes great over a turtleneck, so does a buttoned shirt. Summery dresses are used as tuniques, with a nice sweater above or an undershirt beneath (or the two together), opaque tights, and some fabulous boots. And let’s not forget the power of accessories. In the summer, the weather can get so hot that we forego belts and necklaces all together; but now, this is the season for all kinds of layers. A large belt worn over a shirt or dress, or maybe a very thin one for those who prefer it, complement the outfit; and of course a layer of long necklaces (or just one short) gives the final touch to the whole look.

Again, why put anything away? And besides, I have learned (the hard way I admit, but I have learned my lesson) that layering many different thin items can keep me much warmer that one big thick item. I have learned and become good at the art of layering (despite the looks some people give me thinking I come from another planet, but since when did I ever care what other people think of me?)
So, at the end, and for the last time, why should I put my summer clothes away? I will not. I just will not.

Tried, Tested, Approved

Remember the Slim? What was the verdict? Yes or No? I was against it, really and totally; but then I started accepting the idea of it more and more, and indeed I tried it. Yes, I did.
One day, I just decided and I went looking for it. I wore flat comfortable shoes, and a somewhat big tee-shirt (ok, I was ready to try on slim jeans, but I was still not ready for a whole slim figure). And I tried store after store, shape after shape, and color after color. Wherever I went, I would grab all the available slims and head straight to the dressing room.
No doubt, some looked horrible (as least in my personal mirror), but others didn’t. And it turned out the experience wasn’t as bad as I would have expected. So it’s true what they say, “Never toss it till you’ve tried it”.
Finally, at Mango (one of my personal favorite stores at the moment), I tried on a pair of jeans called Lizzy (everything seems to have a name lately, don’t they?). And it fit, period. It just fit. It looked good on me, and I looked good in it, and I must say I’m a pretty tough audience.

And the good thing was that I was wearing flats, and it looked good. Even with flats, it still looked good, which meant that with heels, it will look even better. And I looked in the mirror, from all angles; and it looked good. I could not believe it. The waist is low, but not too much, the jeans are tight, but not terribly, and the hem stop right at the ankle, which will allow the ankle boots (that I’m still looking for and hoping to find) to be seen.
So I’m happy to announce that I bought my first Slim ever. I know, I’ll always have to be careful with my choice of tops; question of balance of course, but no worry there, I am now a pro at it, having endured all those years of not quite liking my body type (but then again, who does?).
The Slim? Tried, Tested, Approved.

Desperately seeking my perfect ankle boots

First rain, first cold, and here I am dreaming of the new ankle boots that I HAVE TO buy and that HAS TO go perfectly with my new Mango black skirt; straight, knee length, tight high waist, with big buttons on the waist.
Here I go looking for them, window shopping, magazine flipping, net surfing, desperately seeking this perfect ankle boots. They must be perfect, because I intend to wear it a lot, my beloved skirt; Black of course, slender, elegant, but also 7cm heel max. Now I know that a 10cm heel is more flattering to the leg, but let’s be realistic here, I’m going to wear them all day at the office, then the afternoon of shopping with my daughter, and of course during the long hours of dancing in Beirut (I might have added Edde Sands if it was summer, but it's not).
No more delay, straight to ABC (Ashrafieh of course, like any good Beirut fashionista will do); lots of great stuff. I try on San Marina boots, very nice, very relaxing (even with the heel exceeding my requested 7cm, but it’s ok I’ll manage); but with my skirt, they just don’t match.
I have to note here that not any ankle boots can go well with any skirt. You have to have a certain skirt length with a particular shape and length for the ankle boots to obtain the desired result, or else no use.
So I head for Mario Bruni, a place that I just love and for one simple reason (other than the fact that they actually DO have the 7cm criteria I look for), and it’s their designs; very happening, but at the same time classic enough to enable us to wear the same shoes beyond the two years that a trend is supposed to last. I don’t quite know how they do it, but they seem to excel in this; thumbs up gentlemen, thumbs up. Unfortunately, I didn’t find exactly what I was looking for, so I keep looking.
I enter Nine West, who offers typical American designs. And I suddenly notice THE perfect shoes that will go perfectly with my skirt; it will also look great with short skirts and shorts (that I like to wear a lot). Everything about it is just perfect, and it even has a name Antonela.

I immediately fall in love; forget about ankle boots, I want these shoes. Just one small detail, how can one wear open shoes in winter? I don’t quite get this wintery open shoes thing. I know it has this weird feminine yet strong appeal to them, and they would look just fabulous with opaque tights, but practically, what to you do when it’s pouring outside? Do you buy them to wear them just the two weeks that autumn lasts nowadays? Or do you let rain go inside and suffer to look beautiful (just like the saying goes)?
My dear Antonela, I will not forget you, but right now, I need to protect my feet. I just hope I will find my ankle boots soon, because I must say… I’m getting impatient.

Did you say X-Tenso?

Yes, “X-Tenso”, definitely and absolutely X-Tenso, my ever wanted X-Tenso, my life changing X-Tenso. So does anyone know what I’m talking about here?

Every time I tell people, I’ve had an X-Tenso done, they either think it’s some sort of medical procedure I had to go through, or for the more fashion oriented, they take it for simple hair extensions. None of that; true, it’s hair related, but nothing to do with extending it.
X-Tenso is a procedure from L’Oreal Professionnel (don’t they always have the greatest ideas or what?), done on curly and frizzy hair that miraculously relaxes the curls, takes away most of the frizz, and leaves your hair softer and shinier than ever. It is supposed to last for three months.
My hair stylist recommended it to me, because I kept nagging about my naturally frizzy curled hair. And after much reading and net surfing about it, I finally agreed to it. So he applied consecutively 2 types of products, one that takes away the curls and the other that nourishes the hair. Two (impatiently long) hours and 3 fashion magazines later, the verdict came out. My hair was really less curly and so much less frizzy.
I’ve had it done in April 2008, and since then my life has changed, literally! And for the first time of my life, I am actually pleased and satisfied with the way my hair looks and feels. And the best news is that I can now achieve a natural, frizz free look, at home, alone.
No need to endure the one hour professional brushing anymore.
No need to go running back to the hair dresser 5 minutes after getting out.
No doubt, I have to keep using specialized and expensive hair products, like Kerastase (the best of the best) and L’Oreal Professionel, but it’s totally worth it, every single cent of it.
So, for all of you, who just like me, got sick of this very common curly frizzy hair most of us seemed to enjoy in our twenties, GO GET X-TENSOED, loud and clear.

Slim or no Slim, that is the question

No, I’m not mentioning Eminem’s alter ego, nor am I discussing English grammar, I am simply talking about jeans, tight, stretch, body embracing, slim jeans, THE one and only Slim. So, what’s the verdict? Yes or No? We wear it or not? Of course we CAN wear it, we can wear whatever we want. Anyone can wear whatever he (or should I say she, right?) wants.

We are way pass the times when we feel “obliged” to wear one or two types of clothes cause they suit us best. No, no and no, we wear what we feel like wearing. But could we get away with every single thing, regardless of what the reflection in the mirror tells us? Or does it still matter what the mirror says? And this mirror, is it a universal measure? Or does each of us have their own custom made mirror?
Now, back to my question, Slim or no Slim? Personally, I was against it, REALLY and TOTALLY against it, except for those (and I must add very few) “Super Models” blessed with the perfect sculpted body, slim silhouette, well defined waist, existing (but not too much) hips, and of course long (and not too thin) lean legs . And since very very few people meet this description (surely not me), one can understand why I was so against the Slim. Even through my few years (and I’m sticking to few, no more details) of searching, shopping, and mix matching clothes, never such thing has come even close to touching my body.
But this year, something changed. I am not “really and totally” against it anymore (I said was earlier, didn’t?). I don’t know what it is about this fall’s collection; maybe it’s my new found love for ankle boots that changed me, or just the desire for something new and different; but now, I am determined to try it. I’m not saying I will go buy the first Slim I try, or make it a regular item in my wardrobe; I never said that, no.
I’ll just try it, and we’ll see.