Designers Sketch Their Suggestions for Kate Middleton's Wedding Dress

If you're about to marry His Royal Highness Prince William of Wales... Your wedding will definitely be THE Wedding of the century. Expect the best perks a bride-to-be would ever want and need for your wedding. No need for you to make reservations a year before your wedding to book the best people in the field... Instead, it'll be the other way around... They will go gaga over you. Vogue photographers (i.e. Mario Testino), Vogue Make Up artists (Gucci Westman???) to go gaga over you... And THE best perk of all? HAUTE COUTURE DESIGNERS sketching their asses off with the most gorgeous wedding gowns in the Universe just to impress you. Catherine Middleton... Not only did you break every girl's heart in the world, but you're living the dream of every fashionista who has ever existed!

Below are 13 out of 29 sketches from the world's top designers... They're all gorgeous!!! I have my favorites already! (Karl Lagerfeld's, Nina Ricci's and Valentino's!) Oh, how I wish I was Kate Middleton!

Which ones are your favorites? ♥

Karl Lagerfeld suggests a Chanel take on “the Victorian wedding dress, with a twist — high boots and open in the front.”

"...In Kate I see the natural, radiant and self-confident attitude of today’s girls. For this, I can’t help but think of an embroidered, fluid-silhouette dress in precious fabrics that will help her make an everlasting impression.” — Alberta Ferretti

"We see Kate going completely classic. We love this off-the-shoulder silhouette for her. Her beauty and grace will make any gown look magnificent.” — Mark Badgley and James Mischka, Badgley Mischka

“Something old: Victorian skirt. Something new: patchwork gown. Something borrowed: Queen Elizabeth’s veil. Something red: Elizabethan top, as red was the wedding color until 1900!” — Christian Lacroix

“I admire the balance Kate Middleton strikes between elegant and contemporary with her unmistakable style. For her, I had in mind clean lines, soft shapes and classic touches such as the boat neckline and distinctive train.” — Frida Giannini, Gucci

“I love the idea of mixing traditional opulence with a very clean aesthetic for this modern-day princess.” — Jason Wu

“This dress was designed to enhance Kate Middleton’s beauty through precious fabrics. The clean and contemporary lines, never redundant and beyond all specific stylistic periods, give her an eternal image of grace and elegance.” — Angela Missoni

“The royal wedding will be magical. Kate’s dress should be a modern mix of the traditional and contemporary.” — Monique Lhuillier

“Light as a feather, layers of lace and organza…a dress fit for a princess.” — Peter Copping, Nina Ricci

“Kate has a sophisticated yet playful and modern look, so for her wedding she’d be a vision in a mix of traditional, whimsy and classically beautiful.” — Tommy Hilfiger

“Kate would look beautiful in a simple, elegant silhouette — a delicate ivory lace bodice and tulle skirt with a blush lace train.” — Tory Burch

“We designed a ‘blossoming’ dress because we imagined her as a new Botticellian Venus.” — Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli, Valentino

“...The tradition of intricate hand-pieced lacework in the high-necked bodice with elbow-length sleeves, together with the voluminous skirt of a mixture of stiff and soft silk tulle, feels regal, yet poetic.” — Vera Wang

Check out the complete gallery of all Designer sketches: http://www.wwd.com/

SAVE THE DATE: New York Fashion Week 2011

First look at Prince William and Kate Middleton's Official Engagement Portrait

"Mario Testino captures the modern romance of Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton, joining an illustrious lineup of Vogue photographers and artists who have documented the classical elegance and iconic style of a century of royal brides and fiancées."

Source: http://vogue.tumblr.com/

Oh! The Places You'll Go! (Dr. Seuss)

Congratulations!

Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

You have brains in your head.

You have feet in your shoes.

You can steer yourself

any direction you choose.

You're on your own. And you know what you know.

And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.

You'll look up and down streets. Look 'em over with care.

About some you will say, "I don't choose to go there."

With your head full of brains and your shoes full of feet,

you're too smart to go down any not-so-good street.

And you may not find any

you'll want to go down.

In that case, of course,

you'll head straight out of town.

It's opener there

in the wide open air.

Out there things can happen

and frequently do

to people as brainy

and footsy as you.

And then things start to happen,

don't worry. Don't stew.

Just go right along.

You'll start happening too.

OH!

THE PLACES YOU'LL GO!

You'll be on y our way up!

You'll be seeing great sights!

You'll join the high fliers

who soar to high heights.

You won't lag behind, because you'll have the speed.

You'll pass the whole gang and you'll soon take the lead.

Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best.

Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Except when you don't.

Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so

but, sadly, it's true

that Bang-ups

and Hang-ups

can happen to you.

You can get all hung up

in a prickle-ly perch.

And your gang will fly on.

You'll be left in a Lurch.

You'll come down from the Lurch

with an unpleasant bump.

And the chances are, then,

that you'll be in a Slump.

And when you're in a Slump,

you're not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself

is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.

Some windows are lighted. But mostly they're darked.

A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!

Do you dare to stay out? Do you dare to go in?

How much can you lose? How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right...

or right-and-three-quarters? Or, maybe, not quite?

Or go around back and sneak in from behind?

Simple it's not, I'm afraid you will find,

for a mind-maker-upper to make up his mind.

You can get so confused

that you'll start in to race

down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace

and grind on for miles cross weirdish wild space,

headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.

The Waiting Place...

...for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go

or a bus to come, or a plane to go

or the mail to come, or the rain to go

or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow

or the waiting around for a Yes or No

or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite

or waiting for the wind to fly a kite

or waiting around for Friday night

or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake

or a pot to boil, or a Better Break

or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants

or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.

Everyone is just waiting.

NO!

That's not for you!

Somehow you'll escape

all that waiting and staying

You'll find the bright places

where Boom Bands are playing.

With banner flip-flapping,

once more you'll ride high!

Ready for anything under the sky.

Ready because you're that kind of a guy!

Oh, the places you'll go! There is fun to be done!

There are points to be scored. There are games to be won.

And the magical things you can do with that ball

will make you the winning-est winner of all.

Fame! You'll be as famous as famous can be,

with the whole wide world watching you win on TV.

Except when they don't

Because, sometimes they won't.

I'm afraid that some times

you'll play lonely games too.

Games you can't win

'cause you'll play against you.

All Alone!

Whether you like it or not,

Alone will be something

you'll be quite a lot.

And when you're alone, there's a very good chance

you'll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.

There are some, down the road between hither and yon,

that can scare you so much you won't want to go on.

But on you will go

though the weather be foul.

On you will go

though your enemies prowl.

On you will go

though the Hakken-Kraks howl.

Onward up many

a frightening creek,

though your arms may get sore

and your sneakers may leak.

On and on you will hike,

And I know you'll hike far

and face up to your problems

whatever they are.

You'll get mixed up, of course,

as you already know.

You'll get mixed up

with many strange birds as you go.

So be sure when you step.

Step with care and great tact

and remember that Life's

a Great Balancing Act.

Just never foget to be dexterous and deft.

And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...

be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray

or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O'Shea,

You're off the Great Places!

Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So...get on your way!

La Viva Boheme! ♥

Romance Parisienne ♥

ROMANTIC!

Characteristics of the Romantic Fashion Personality:

Romantic describes your style perfectly. Your look is feminine, and you prefer feminine details on clothing and soft, flowing fabrics. Ruffles, lace, and velvet attract you. You view the past as a more romantic time and can picture yourself as the heroine in a historical romance. The Victorian Era appeals to you as part of a romantic past when women always wore long skirts, hats, and gloves. You're likely to be a collector of beautiful objects, perhaps antique hatpins or china with floral motifs.

The Romantic Fashion Personality's Closet:

A peek in your closet reveals dresses and skirts that fall below the knee, sometimes far below the knee. Your sweaters also tend to be long too and may fall below the hip. You have more sweaters than jackets and may not own a suit. You prefer soft pastel colors and floral prints. You also like pants that are soft and drapey, rather than crisp and tailored.

Your jewelry may be antique or vintage, but if it isn't, it still reflects a vintage fashion sensibility. You're more likely than other fashion personality types to own and wear hats or gloves as fashion accessories.

The Romantic Fashion Personaltiy at Work and Play:

Your work attire may project less of a businesslike look than that of your colleagues. You are much more likely to wear a dress to work than a suit. When you wear a dress or a skirt, you prefer to pair it with a cardigan rather than a jacket.

On casual weekends, you sometimes look a bit out of place. You're less likely to wear jeans than other fashion personality types, preferring instead to wear long skirts or floppy pants.

Shopping and the Romantic Fashion Personality:

When you're shopping, you're most drawn to the items that reflect your romantic fashion personality without regard to whether or not the clothing is on trend. Although you are not usually able to find much clothing that appeals to you in the petites department at major department stores, you can find petites clothing that will fit your romantic style elsewhere.

Top retailers to shop for romantic clothing:

Elizabeth + James

Dolce & Gabbana

Coldwater Creek

Nina Ricci

Top retailer for bargains on romantic clothing:

Newport News

Tweaking the Style of the Romantic Fashion Personality:

Of all the fashion personality types, yours is the most feminine. Sometimes you look a bit outdated, and although there's nothing wrong with wearing frilly dresses once in a while, too many ruffles and frills can create a look that's more girlish than womanly.

Your love of the past can sometimes get in the way of the present, especially when it comes to dressing for work. Think about balancing your wardrobe with some up-to-date basics in neutral colors that you can mix with your more romantic and feminine pieces.

Special Note for the Petite Romantic Fashion Personality:

The length of your dresses, skirts, sweaters, and tops emphasizes your short stature, so consider hemming dresses and skirts at or just below the knee so that more leg shows, and you look a bit taller. Take care not to wear clothing that's too baggy because semi-fitted clothing will make you look longer and leaner.

Colleagues and supervisors may underestimate your abilities based on your wardrobe alone, so it might be worthwhile to invest in a couple of tailored jackets that you can wear to work to put a more businesslike spin on your very feminine look. Go easy on the ruffles, florals, and pastels at work.

(Source: About.com)

Still confused about your personal style/fashion personality?

Check out Boutiques.com! ♥

The big LANVIN reveal... 11|23|2010 is THE day!

Lanvin for H&M (Hong Kong)

Swedish retail house Hennes & mauritz are at it again.. Next week they are set to release a special collection with Luxuery designer Lanvin, following up on successful launches with other big names such as Karl Lagerfeld & Jimmy Choo. I sure hope that this collection's accessories will be wayyy cheaper than the clothes. I had to go to the Google currency exchange just to make sure... And all I can say is... WOW. I love, love, love the clothes (Especially the sheer and tulle dress, which costs around 1990 HKD - See image 2), and the fact that it's LANVIN makes you fall in love with it more. Although the price range of such clothes is quite expensive, we can't complain though. Alber Elbaz said he didn't want to make it a "Dress for Less" project... So I think we can completely understand, the house of Lanvin has been a favorite Luxury brand of the rich & famous Parisians since the 1920's.

Come to think of it, we (the so-called PUBLIC) should still be thankful for this collaboration... If not for this, we'll never ever get the chance to have our hands on those lovely creations. (Not unless we marry a millionaire or win the lotto... Hahahaha!)

So ladies, this is it... November 23 is THE day! Buy your plane tickets to Hong Kong NOW!

Here, There and Everywhere... ♥

One of my favorite Beetles songs... :)

To lead a better life I need my love to be here...

Here, making each day of the year

Changing my life with a wave of her hand

Nobody can deny that there's something there

There, running my hands through her hair

Both of us thinking how good it can be

Someone is speaking but she doesn't know he's there

I want her everywhere and if she's beside me

I know I need never care

But to love her is to need her everywhere

Knowing that love is to share

Each one believing that love never dies

Watching her eyes and hoping I'm always there

I want her everywhere and if she's beside me

I know I need never care

But to love her is to need her everywhere

Knowing that love is to share

Each one believing that love never dies

Watching her eyes and hoping I'm always there

I will be there and everywhere

Here, there and everywhere

NOW AVAILABLE ON iTUNES!

What's your favorite Beetles' song?

Style Icon: Garonce Dore

I've been a huge fan of Fashion Illustrations... Not just Garonce Dore's... But as well as Claire Owens, Sujean Rim, Izak Zenou, Jason Brooks, Ruben Toledo... The fact that they can draw people and look like humans amazes me. I could hardly draw a person with legs and arms (In good and even proportions...) Sometimes, they don't even look like people to me.

Anyway, this particular illustration by Garonce reminds me of ME. I wear my denim shorts that way all the time... Plus I like wearing my black blazer... And the hair all tied up in a bun... LOOOOOVE!

Garonce is one of my favorite Parisian fashionistas... I adore her love for photography and everything beautiful, her taste in clothes, her chic/fashionable style, her super curly dark brown hair... Everything about this woman is just adorable. Every time I visit her blog, I could feel myself smile and could not help but think about what would it be like if I was living in Paris too? It has always been a dream of mine to get there and see all the sights and people Garonce posts on her blog.

* Sigh... ♥ *

Printed blog

I've always been a fan of everything printed. Somehow I'm one of those people who would go out of their way to print a copy of an article, rather than reading them in a pdf format. I also adore going through picture albums... Not the Multiply/Facebook type of albums... But rather the big, bulky albums or even scrapbooks (Which reminds me... I have to update mine soon! It's been a while... I think I have around 8 years of memories to get printed! Waaaah!) Anyway, I saw this ad after I posted my last entry. Hmmm... Very interesting. A printed copy of my blog over the years! Now wouldn't that be something. I mean, I heard the "I want a printed copy" me screaming with excitement. A grand idea I must say. I would love to have a printed copy of my blog. I like reading before I sleep, so it would be really fun to read how I blogged over the years. Hahahaha. Exciting...

Maybe next year.

Fashion Institute (QC)

Styled for my former teachers' photography and styling class. It was fun... I tried being a photographer and a stylist for a day. Yeah... Theme was Wicked (The broadway musical)... I'm not really keen on the pictures I took... I need more practice. Plus my camera has a bit of a buzz.

Tell me what you think! :)

Pretty Boy ♥

IMAGES: Christine Day Lorico

HMUA: Nikki Pastorel