The Palace of the Trinket Princess
~ bangles & bracelets ~
~ necklaces & pendants ~
~ bags ~
Have you ever worn mid-calf skirts? They are so unflattering, unless you have really skinny legs. But they are such a hot trend this year and last year that I just have to make them a special mention. Midcalf skirts do not do much to flatter you because they end right where your legs seem fat and stubby. Remember the fashion tenet where your skirt’s hem should fall on that area of your leg that looks skinny? Well, a mid-calf skirt would break that rule.
Despite my rant on the mid-calf skirt, I want to applaud all of you ladies who did try this trend last year. Girl, you are fierce if you pulled this off! And if you haven’t yet but want to, then try this trick: wear super ultra high heels with your mid calf skirt so that your calves would look thinner and your legs would look longer.
Noteworthy are the mid calf skirts by the following designers. Boy, do I love looking at catwalk pictures. They inspire me to do better and dress better! And they make me lust after midcalf skirts and dresses, sigh.

Charles Anastase obviously likes the nerd office girl look. And, I have to admit, it looks really nice with the above attire. The top and skirt per se look boring, but the clutch and shoes – not to mention the thick-rimmed glasses – added a boost. Good, because that boost was much needed.

And the mid-calf dress by Clements Ribeiro is so… yellow! Bright! Sunny! Very summery, indeed, but this actually came from his Spring 2011 collection. I would tone it down with a boring tote and shoes. And I would wear my hair down.

Oh, yes, Donna Karan, I love how you always manage to pull off white clothes. I like the blazer and the dress. I have not worn an all-white dress in a long time and this would be something I might wear if I’m in the mood.

I wanted to show the photo above because it made me think of UFOs, aliens, and everything in the 25th century. Talk about the future! This is from Emporio Armani Spring 2011.

Giorgio Armani goes classic with a tube mid-calf dress but spices it up with a glittery vest. I love the shoes, too.

Now, the picture above shows you just how hard it is to pull off the midcalf trend. Doesn’t the model look awkward? She is skinny and sexy, but the mid-calf cut of the dress ends right on that part of her leg that looks fullest. Not too flattering.

Oh, talk about the eighties! Marc by Marc Jacobs released this look last year (Spring 2011). The frizzy hair, yellow shoes, and grey jersey clothes are almost a remake of decades past.

If you’re a fan of color blocks, go for Prabal Gurung and try their mid-calf dress. I won’t wear this dress, however, because it is so not my color

Now, this midcalf dress by Proenze Schouler is more my thing! I would wear this with all sorts of footwear and pair it with all my accessories and bags. I love the green, the thick straps, and the horizontal tube cut. Very, very me.

Rachel Comey Spring 2011. White top, black midcalf skirt. Nice, basic, something you can wear on a regular day. Something you would buy, definitely.

I just have to mention Rodarte because the designs from all their collections just blind me! I’m not saying they’re ugly. They’re actually cute and whimsical. I like the footwear here. See? I appreciate Rodarte.

And perhaps my favorite midcalf ensemble: it’s from Talbot Runhof. Clap, clap, clap! The top and the skirt are just classic but very now. I also like how they used texture to update the ordinary black and white colors.
I have to confess, I still haven’t purchased a single mid-calf skirt. I tried them on but they make me look short! I would buy them if I like wearing heels all day, which I don’t. Oh well, there goes another trend.
If you live in the Philippines, I bet you have at least one item of clothing from Plains & Prints. They’re rather popular, given their unique styles and office-ready designs. And last season, I loved their dresses that I’m posting my top picks from their collection!
Plains & Prints never cooperates with my figure, though. My neckline and my waist are so against what the store offers, sob! But I love their clothes nonetheless. I have to admit, though, that I often have to restyle or alter the clothes after I buy them.
Anyhow, here they are, the best of last year’s collection from Plains & Prints Philippines. Although 2011 is so last year – pardon the pun, I want to reminisce and capture the best of that year to usher in more great clothes from this brand!

What I like about the dress above: its roominess. It will hide all my flab! Bravo, bravo. And I like how the fabric seems to cling to certain areas of the body. It’s soft but sexy.

I have yet to get over little girl dresses, such as the one above. And even if the shoes are not from Plains & Prints, I want to point out how they so go with this dress! I love the belt, too; it gives the dress a little more flavor without stealing the show.

What I like about the above attire: nude colors at their best. Nude colors, however, can be tricky; not all of them will flatter your skin color. I also like the cut of the neckline and the sleeves, despite their having been “borrowed” from a famous designer.

And this dress would be so cute for Sunday! I can almost imagine myself wearing them with pearls and white strap-on platform heels. Or I would wear really funky sneakers just to start a fashion rebellion.

Okay, maybe the above dress is a little too blah. But hey, you don’t exactly go to Plains & Prints because of their avant-garde style, do you? Besides, you will need that “plain” dress so that you can accessorize to death.

Nice color blocks on this dress, but what I love the most is the red bowler hat! Never thought it would look feminine, ever. But on this dress and on a Twixie-inspired hairstyle, it looks just perfect.
So, visit your nearest Plains & Prints store to check out their latest designs! 2012 is a good year to start investing in basics. Plains and prints, indeed!
Lace, oh lace. Despite the supposedly conventional nature of lace, there’s nothing boring about it. It’s supposed to be conservative, but wear a see-through lace top with no camisoles or tank tops underneath and the conservative vibe is out of the picture. It’s supposed to be dated, but it seems to never go out of style. Apparently, lace is here to stay in the fashion world.
Lace fashion is something you should wear with caution, however. If you go overboard, you might end up looking like your great grandmother (no offense to all the beautiful grannies out there, including my own). Wear it one trend at a time. That is, if you have on a lace top, don’t push it too far by wearing a lace skirt, too.
And lace has gotten a refreshing revamp of late. For instance, this S/S 2012, designers have used lace in ways you would have never seen before. I’ve gone through several catwalk pictures and below are some of those that really got my attention.

The beautiful ensemble in nude you see above is from Annu Sui S/S 2012 collection. A modern take on lace, and the muted natural colors tone down the “lace statement”.

Balenciaga has always been edgy, so I love their take on lace in the picture above. Also taken from their Spring collection. I can imagine wearing this very attire as I work on my fashion blog!

And then there’s BCBG’s take on lace. Almost scandalously see-through, but the length makes it very modest. A nice dress to wear if you have the figure to boot.

This attire from Brioni caught my eye not because I liked it, but I thought it might be a good inspiration for other outfits. I like the billowy skirt, but it’s overkill for someone like me.

And what’s more girly than lace AND pink? So cute! I like the lace top very much, but I would tone it down with something more rugged, like cut-off denims and brogues. I would wear a large cocktail ring for good measure.

If you’re headed to a party, the dress above by Collette Dinnigan from her 2012 Spring collection is perfect. Make sure you don’t accessorize too much – an entire dress in lace is enough of a statement. I would wear it with stronger heels than the one in the picture, though.

Emanuel Ungaro has been a name I’ve been seeing more and more lately, and it’s probably no surprise that he does so again. His lace dress is pretty, but imagine it without the skunk headdress. The lace dress is almost scandalous but classy, something you would wear to an artsy red carpet event. But, again, wear with caution.

Perhaps I’m stuck in my girly-girl years, because the dress in the above photo is one of my favorites! I like how the lace just about covers the strong patterns of the dress underneath. Love, love, love! This attire comes from Erdem S/S 2012.

Francesco Scognaniglio made the daring dress above. I like the flowy details and the almost goth inspiration. Perfect for a fashion shoot!

Got a boyfriend? L ‘Wren Scott made this awesome robe-inspired top-slash-dress that you can wear to a posh party with your boyfriend in tow, or even in the bedroom for special occasions (wink, wink). The gold finish on black lace is something Nicole Ritchie would have worn.

And, of course, Louis Vuitton! Lace skirts, lace tops, lace fans. I most probably would never pull off these attires, but they’re so pretty on the catwalk!

Ralph Lauren is my guy when it comes to things you can actually wear. The beautiful white lace dress hugs your figure but cascades into even more lace hems. Yummy dress. I would have worn it for a party I’d host at home.
How about you, what are your favorite picks from this year’s Spring lace collection? Share and credit. And please spread the word about my blog, I would so appreciate it. ![]()
Because I’m a princess (in my own world), I know the value of accomplishment. I know the value of being crowned as the best, may it be as a blogger or any other title. This is why I want to nominate someone for the TABA Awards 2011 – and I shall send the rest of our kingdom to make sure he wins!
The TABA Awards (short for The Annual Kalsada Blog Awards) is a fun way of saluting fellow bloggers. Fun, because there is no strict and boring criteria. Fun, because the categories themselves are funny (imagine voting for the most handsome blogger!). Fun, because I’m sure that my candidate has a fighting chance.
For the TABA Awards 2011, I would like to nominate Mr. Stanley Chi of Stanley Chi as the Pinaka-Gwapong Blogger of the Year! Here are several wonderful reasons why:



This screen cap from his TV show is actually the one picture that did me in:
See? He deserves to be the Pinaka-gwapong Blogger of the Year! Who else can pull off being suplado (when he’s actually really nice in person), being a bestselling author, and being almost completely naked on TV, if not someone who’s actually oozing with charm, wit, and tons of sex appeal? Stanley Chi for President!!! Er, for Pinaka-Gwapong Blogger pala. ![]()
There is no makeup technique you should master first other than how to put on makeup to look young. More and more people in their twenties are experiencing wrinkles, crows’ feet, and dull skin. Because of an unhealthy diet, inadequate hydration, exposure to free radicals and pollutants, and sun exposure, many young women’s faces now show signs of premature aging. Learn how to cheat your way to younger skin through the makeup tips below.

If you want to know how to put on makeup to look young, the above tricks should do it. Lastly, eat a healthy diet rich in antioxidants, always drink enough water, and learn to manage your stress! Don’t just fake youth; fight aging!
She is wanted in all shops and stores nationwide. She is wily and hard to spot – that’s because nobody really knows who she is. She stalks the city, looking for one-of-a-kind baubles and knick-knacks. She is guilty of the following crimes:
~ Experimenting with fashion ~
~ Cracking the secret code of style ~
~ Sharing fashion secrets with the public ~
The Trinket Princess is at large. Beware!