Friday 20 December 2013

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2013 (Video)


Its December and I'm seeing angels in lingerie. Victoria's Secret never fail to put up an amazing show each year. Watching it has become a yearly tradition for me, something to look forward to when the year ends. Candice Swanepoel is wearing this year's $10 million Fantasy Bra and Taylor Swift struts her stuff with the Angels on the catwalk. Fall Out Boy also performed. Fashion, glamour, extremely beautiful girls, music, what more can you ask? 
It is definitely the sexiest show on Television.

Karlie Kloss - photo from US Magazine - Credit: Bryan Bedder/Getty

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Isabel Marant Pour H&M

Tis the season to be stylish! The collection is finally on sale 14th of November 2013 and I am obsessed! The french designer came up with standout pieces that are wardrobe essentials this season. A range that you can mix and match from knitwear to leather trousers.

In essence, the collaboration offers everyone the classic Isabel Marant style which is ethnic bohemia and street chic. A cool and effortless way of dressing. I'm seeing loads of monochrome in the collection, not usually my style but this is definitely an exception.

It's going to be crazy at H&M tomorrow. Don't forget to help my fellow Filipinos who are affected by super typhoon Haiyan before you go hit the shops. Text DEC to 70000 to give £5. Every little helps.

Here are some of my faves..
fisherman's cap £14.99
reversible bomber jacket £79.99
leather trousers £179.99
wool jumper £34.99
wool coat £99.99


- photos are from hm.com -

Tuesday 12 November 2013

Paralyzed Woman Learns To Walk Again - Inspirational Video


"You are alive. You're going to have to live and you should try to live a life worth living."

Cynthia can't walk. She was paralized from neck down but that didn't stop her from learning to walk again. With therapy costing her too much, she had to look online for options and discovered Karen Cheng's "Learn to Dance in a Year" video. There she found inspiration, she then realised that with sheer practice she could achieve her dream to walk again.

At a website called giveit100.com, Cynthia took a video of herself learning to walk - taking little steps each day. Watch her make progress in the video. "I may fall 7 times... but I'll get up 8." she says. Practice does pay off. Her story is truly inspirational. You can keep up with Cynthia and others who are also pursuing their dreams at the website.

GiveIt100 is a website where you take a video of yourself learning a skill for 100 days. It is co-founded by Karen X. Cheng. She came up with the idea from her viral dance video. A brilliant concept indeed! "This isn't a story about dancing, though. It's about having a dream and not knowing how to get there - but starting anyway." Karen explains. 

Do you feel like pursuing a dream? Why not give it 100? Capture your little beginnings and one day you will look back and say "Wow, I achieved something awesome!"

Here is Karen's inspiring dance video, it got more than 3 million hits on youtube:

Friday 4 October 2013

Running If You Call My Name by Haim (Track Review)

Running if You Call my Name on iTunes
It took me two seconds to decide that I loved this song. Two seconds! This tickling excitement is what I was hoping to feel for last week's iTunes single Tether by Chvrches. I was waiting for the feeling of being teleported into some imaginary place or some place in history that this soundtrack would be perfect for. Music for me is like an index to my personal history, specific epochs in my life. The best ones take me somewhere in my past, in my memory, in an alternate reality, where something significant happened to me. It stirs my mind, heart and soul. This song does that to me.

The best feature of this song is the lead vocal, Danielle Haim. Danielle is joined on background vocals by her sisters Alana and Este. Danielle has the kind of voice that tugs at the heartstrings. It reflects maturity and soul. It constitutes a perfect marriage with the melody and ethereal quality of this song. I cannot say enough of it and I cannot get enough of this song! Does my excitement filter through to my writing?! Maybe not. But only because I am reeling it all in. Everyone, please listen to this song! (And if you hate it, do tell me. Haha. I'd love to hear a different opinion.)

Saturday 28 September 2013

Tether by Chvrches (Track Review)


My friend Orion had high praises for this song and so I had pretty high expectations prior to listening to it. I'm not saying I'm disappointed but I'm not saying I'm jumping in my seat either. Sorry, dude. Friends with similar tastes in music is so boring anyway. We love each other because we got our own quirks right?
I am a sucker for great voices. It doesn't matter so much the melody or the lyrics, as long as the voice is stellar. It is what's stamped in my brain long after a song has finished playing, how the vocals accentuated or ruined the song. Voices are instruments. Like strings and drums they have to be tuned in to the spirit of the music too. Lauren Mayberry has the kind of voice that could sing the phone book to me and I would be blissfully happy. She sounds like a young, less grungy Hayley Williams and her voice has its own, approachable quality. Truly, the intro to this got me hooked immediately because by the first two seconds Lauren was singing.
This song didn't really have anything particularly wrong with it. I do like it even if I don't necessarily love it. It feels lacking somehow. Maybe I wanted more from Lauren's voice? More emotion. More conviction. That sounds so The Voice judge like somehow, I know. I suppose I was expecting the song to move my heart and soul, transport me somewhere, or some such nonsense. Thing is, I think she could do it or they could and that's why I feel so cheated. Think Florence and the Machines. A level higher and she could be that or it could be that epic. They could even be better! Regardless, my interest has been piqued and this is the kind of song that would definitely make me want to buy this band's album just to see what else they have up their sleeves. Or to find out if they have in fact already produced that epic song! And the fact that I care so much means that I--surprisingly--have become a fan. Fancy that!
It's a good teaser, but I want more, Chvrches!

Sunday 22 September 2013

Fake You Out by Twenty One Pilots (Track Review)


The Mario Brothers. That's what the intro reminded me of initially. It's a good thing. it's a bad thing. It's got synthesizers, baby, and it's not ashamed of it. It also has Tyler Joseph, who has the funkiest, sexiest and most alluring voice, which reaches peak performance while it teases that falsetto. It's those high notes that are indelibly lodged in my brain long after I've stopped listening to the song. I have to say I don't mind that one bit.

I don't love this song. I don't hate it either. I love parts of it. As a total musical experience, it's an acquired taste. And if your musical taste tends towards the adventurous then this is worth checking out. Synthesizers. Male falsetto. Rap. Screaming growl. They're all in this song! Do yourself a favor and listen to the whole thing before formulating an opinion about it or the band. As for me, high marks just for Tyler's voice! The rest is growing on me.

Wednesday 18 September 2013

Worlds Highest Bungee - Macau

I've never gone bungee jumping  but it's definitely one of the few things I'd wanna try at least before I turn 30.

It wasn't until we booked a flight  to Macau to chill,  that we thought of doing the bungee,  since the Highest Bungee is located there.

I felt excited and  nervous at the same time.  I   became sleepless for some nights just thinking about it and the more imagine myself jumping from that high tower, the more I became anxious. Few weeks before, I even  thought about canceling the booking for bungee. But heck!  I managed to get my guts back.


 After partying in Hong Kong,  took the ferry to Macau and scheduled for 4pm jump the next day.



OFF TO THE TOWER:

Macau tower measures 388 m ( 1,109 ft) in height from ground level to the highest point.


On the way to the tower my heart started beating fast, my knees started trembling but mind over matter worked.



AT THE TOWER:
  After the registration and paying  non refundable $$$, took to the elevator to 61st floor.  The jump off point is 233 meters high ( 764 ft)  S**  here we go !!

It was overwhelming!!!

After registration, the crew assisted us to wear the harness and was weighed a couple of times. We were then asked to sit down and wait for our turn. Some people were already jumping in the platform and i just wanted to be next so i can get it over and done with! I was just already too excited and scared!
 One crew handed  us can of beers. lol.   That helped a bit.


 AT THE PLATFORM:

We  were then asked to go to the platform for our turn.  Thanks to the background music being played, it made me feel upbeat. While waiting and chatting with the crew, they kept joking that it  may be the last time they'll see me.  Honestly, you will not think about dying, you're  just anxious about the process.

Then the guy before me did his jump. Whew! He screamed really good.  haha

 I was asked now to sit down so they can get me ready. I remember asking the crew, who's harnessing me up and how many times he has done it.  He said about 100.  Phew!  at least he knows what he's doing and I'm safe. :-)




ON THE LEDGE:

My turn!!

The crew asked me to move forward to the ledge and I was still joking with them. Laughing.

 Everything just sinked in my mind when they attached the rope to the harness on my feet. It felt heavy and I felt being pulled down.  That's when I started getting really scared.

My smile faded and my knees started trembling.  The crew asked me to waive here and there for the camera but my mind just totally blacked out of what's happening.  Darn what did I get myself into??! Clearly there's no turning back with the non-refundable $$$ and my pride commitment.  The crew told me not to think too much of the jump and think of something else and so I did. I was ready! Pfffffffff!!!




THE JUMP:

The crew started counting and I was about to jump then was stopped because their radio was not on. Pfff!

Finally the real counting began and  without hesitation I just let myself fall. It was the scariest thing I have  ever felt in my life. I screamed on the  top of my lungs as gravity pulled me down as soon as I jumped. The 6 seconds free fall  felt like forever!!! I was expecting a bit of a rush and I'm down there but  it was like falling in slow motion.


As the rope pulled me back  for the rebound, I knew that's the end of the jump. I just started laughing and shouting because I couldn't  believe I did  something like this shit. The excitement, sleepless nights, anxiety and adrenaline rush..  ahhh  it was an overwhelming, indescribable  amazing  feeling!

At the end of the jump I was left upside down. I had difficulty releasing the strap to put me upright  because I didn't have much energy left but finally I did.



 AFTER JUMP:

 This really scared the shit out of me!  My knees were still trembling  when I was on the ground.  I had to do go up again to the tower to get my stuffs and meet with others. We were all feeling great  as we chatted about our experience.

After the jump all I wanted to do was go to a bar and drink to celebrate my guts!!

 Headed to the pool  after, had  champagne  and went to a bar   to party then  Casino.

I'd say  just give it a try!






FYI:

* Visit   ajhackett.com/macau  for more info If you wanna do the jump. It is expensive but it's really worth your $$$.


Here's the video of the jump. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijM7tSuCqsA

I screamed like a dying pig!  hahahhha


Monday 16 September 2013

Fashionstyleology London Street Fashion Book Launch

Fashionstyleologer: London Street Fashion, the fashion book of the season is out and I'm in it. Yasss!  I attended the book launch last week and it was lovely meeting the amazing people who took part  in  the project. It was a display of London's finest street style photos at Gallery DIFFERENT, showcasing 50 exclusive photographers and 200 street fashionistas. The place was packed with bloggers, stylists, photographers, and fashion aficionados who were thrilled to see the book unveiled. It was a fashion night out! Cocktails were served while people revel in the exhibit of street style portraits hanging on the wall. Well done fashionstyleology.com, a successful event indeed! Don't forget to get a copy of the book and be inspired by the eclectic collection of London street style photos.
What I'm wearing: H&M shirt, Zara Jacket, River Island Jeans, Nike Air Max Trainers
_________________________________________________________________________________

Here are the pics from the photo shoot for the book. Photographer: Silviu Doroftei.
What I'm wearing: Marni at H&M shirt, COS jumper, H&M denim jacket, Vesace for H&M printed jeans, Converse trainers, Ralph Lauren sunnies.

Monday 9 September 2013

Heart Out by The 1975 (Track Review)




I like this song. At least I did initially. Is it just me or does this song remind you of a certain Katy Perry song? Or does it remind you of Katy Perry period? That totally ruins it for me. There's a great acapella run near the end of the song that is pretty good and the song is really quite nice. But all throughout it I was so disturbed by the thought that I'd heard this song before that it just killed my total appreciation of it. I don't know who to blame it on to be quite honest. Katy Perry. The 1975. The radio and TV stations that keep playing Katy Perry songs. I suppose it's a testament to the fact that she has left an indelible mark on music that certain melodies and songs remind people of her. Surely other artists influenced her music as well but do we remember them? Is the fact that I remember her more of a reflection on me than on her? I want to be objective, but alas my musical background seems like a crutch at the moment. Thus, I leave you to formulate your own opinion about it.

iTunes classifies this song under the alternative genre. It sounds more like pop. Still, if you have never heard of Katy Perry (and I do not hold that against you, you rare species you) then you may appreciate this wonderful, upbeat, 80's-inspired sample from The 1975 for what it is.

"It's just you and I tonight. Why don't you figure my heart out?" If the song had a true saving grace, it's those lyrics. Delicious marriage of voice, words and melody. I take it back. I love it! I'm fickle. So, sue me! But you must listen to this song if only to find out why the initial hooha. Final verdict? Even on continuous replay I still don't hate it. What do you think?

Saturday 7 September 2013

No One's Here to Sleep feat. Bastille by Naughty Boy (Track Review)



I like a song that has something up its sleeve. No One's Here to Sleep starts out interestingly with an instrumental intro punctuated by something that sounds like an imitation of a dog's bark, albeit a really gentle one. The marriage of the two was lovely, although I can see it as one of those things that people might totally like or totally hate. iTunes categorizes it in the genre of pop. It has an R&B flavor and a heavy alternative undercurrent. It reminds me of One Republic actually and that aforementioned dog-bark-like sound is reminiscent of Timbaland in the song Apologize with his unforgettable vocal punctuations.


Despite the similarities to song or band, I liked this song. I had this on repeat to do the review and the flavor did not fade in the least after time went by. Songs are works of art, there are many different and new things you discover as you repeatedly listen to it. Initially you may be attracted by the instruments, then you find yourself internalizing the lyrics, loving the way the voice caresses the words and bring them to life. You wallow in the melody and allow yourself to get swayed by the rise and fall of the music. Finally, you find certain quirks that you find interesting, maybe even like. This song is kind of like that. I don't find it boring at all. It makes me want to hear more from the artist.

Friday 6 September 2013

The Fashion Eclair Team

Oh the pressure of blogging! So many doodah to write about but not having enough time to draft a blog post. Lets just say my life has been boring and uninteresting in the last couple of weeks. I know its no excuse but blogging is a creative process. It can't be rushed. I need to be excited and inspired to be in a blogging frame of mind. Of course, I can't just sit around and wait for the creativity to kick in so I decided to team up with my friends Ida Marie and Angel. They are my best buddies from my University years. Both are also Filipino expats like me.

Ida Marie @poxxie
Ida Marie who is based in Abu Dhabi is FashionEclair's resident music guru. I've always known her as someone with an eclectic taste in music. She's already started on the blog with her take on the iTunes single of the week. Discover sublime music through her witty and clever track reviews.

Angel @einjjj
Angel, the excursionist, will be blogging about travel and adventure from Singapore. She will show you around Asia backpackers style. A thrill seeker and a party animal, she's definitely the chick to hang with. Stay tuned for her thrilling escapades!

You will get to know them more when you read about their blog posts. There will also be some changes in the blog. Maybe a new layout and design, a blog makeover. It will be a group blog but the main focus will still be fashion, Yasss! Don't forget to show Angel and Ida some twitter love @poxxie and @einjjj.

Sunday 1 September 2013

Bloodsports by Drenge (Track Review)




It is a testament to my love for rock music that the first few notes of this song had me hooked. I like the kind of music I can head-bang to, which is probably a symptom of being born in the 80's and growing up in the 90's. That's good news for my older brother who despaired of me listening to boy bands as a child. And when I say listen I mean immersed and marinated in the music so much that it made my brother balk at the sight-and sound-of it. Good to know that despite that history, I developed a great appreciation for the occasional alternative rock music that got filtered through the boy band madness.

I love Bloodsports by Drenge and to be quite honest I couldn't care less what the lyrics were saying, although bloodsports sounds like a compelling title. Like many headbang-inducing music the lyrics to this song weren't particularly discernible anyway and the few lyrics that I did understand did not make sense anyway, which is just about as rock and alternative as you can get. I love that about it. I could listen to just the bass and drum interaction all day long. The beginning and final interludes were priceless. That is not to take away from Eoin Loveless, on vocals (and guitars), because he has a great voice. He and his brother (Rory Loveless) simply play those instruments and complement each other well. This is the first song since I started the weekly iTunes Single of the Week reviews that has moved me to learn more about the band and their songs. High praise indeed. Well-chosen iTunes and well-played Drenge.

Sunday 25 August 2013

King City by Swim Deep (Track Review)




  King City by Swim Deep is last week's iTunes single of the week. This sounds like a song straight from the 80s, complete with synthesizer, bass, drum beats, and the repetitious whooo whooo whooing that gets stuck in your head against your will. If you're in the mood for some time traveling this song hits the right spot. I found myself thinking of movies like Pretty in Pink or Mannequin, reminiscing against my will. Songs like these have to be encountered in certain moods. The first time I heard it I was totally repulsed by it. This is THIS WEEK's single?! For a moment, there was a doubt whether the year was 2013 or 1990. After a few more replays, the song seeps into the psyche and tickles the memories. You will find yourself surrendering to the upbeat mood of the song. It's reminiscent. It's a throwback. In this generation of throwback thursdays and flashback fridays, instagram reference for those who are not in the know (and if you don't know what instagram is then you will never get it), it is more than acceptable, quite cool in fact. Songs like these, while not totally memorable, stir the sentiment. It transports you somewhere. On that level, it is truly satisfying; and as I listened to it over and over again to write my review I found myself liking it more and more against my will. Music is like that. It communicates and touches on a level that is beyond the mind. Sometimes you just have to surrender.

Thursday 15 August 2013

Pagliaccio by Barbarossa (Track Review)




Last week's iTunes single of the week was Pagliaccio by Barbarossa. The intro and chorus to this song are awesome, a groovy melody with electronic accents propelled by percussive drum and solid bass beats.  Barbarossa, whose real name is James Mathe, exudes soul in his lilting high-pitched voice. His voice caresses the edge of a falsetto on certain occasions and it was wonderful to listen to.The first two minutes of the song was a brilliant introduction to an artist I had previously unheard of. The thing is, the song went entirely too long and the melody got a little too repetitive. It was too laid back and I was waiting for a crescendo of voice, bass and drums. I was disappointed. It rode a relatively flat wave, which some people may be into and some may not. I belong to the latter. The song lyrics express such a sad scenario that I kind of wanted more passion and angst, not alternative/hard rock kind of angst but he could at least have strained his voice a little more. This song is for those who like a laid-back electro-pop kind of a song. No surprises. Nothing to write home about, the kind of song that you can tolerably listen to in a movie soundtrack.

Thursday 8 August 2013

Kaleidoscope Love by Aluna George: Track Review




My musical taste is pretty eclectic and I can usually find something nice to say about whatever I hear, which is my general disposition about everything in life. Last week's iTunes single of the week Kaleidoscope Love by Aluna George is a fun, light and groovy number but my first thought about it is "generic," sorry to say. I've heard its kind before. It's good music to groove to, I even found myself swaying to the beat the first time. It's a good track to include in your summer soundtrack with a mixture of pop and R&B vibe but I can't imagine myself playing it over and over. It gets old after a while, which is the problem with generic songs. Generic melodies are okay if they have memorable lyrics but this song falls short of that. It won't win any Grammys. However, this is the thing about music. If you are a pop enthusiast this is worth checking out and swaying your hips to. However, if you are like me, you probably would not be compelled to buy or check out the whole album based on this song.

Tuesday 9 July 2013

Girl Learns to Dance in a Year (VIDEO)


"When you have the choice between doing the scary thing or the safe thing, always choose the scary thing." - Karen X. Cheng

I feel like I wanna learn how to dance hip hip after watching this on youtube. I really admire her passion, energy, and commitment. This video is not just about dancing, it is about pursuing a goal and making it happen. She is indeed an inspiration. Karen Cheng is an ex-Microsoft exec who resigned a few years back through a youtube song video. Her resignation video called "Bye, Bye Excel and I" had gone viral and now she's back with another awesome video on learning hip hop dance in a year. This stuff is not easy and I'm sure she has a full time job too. She really killed it with her amazing performance at the train station. What do you think? Is her dancing enough to make the video go viral?

Tuesday 2 July 2013

American Girl x Bonnie Mckee (Music Video)

Photo from https://www.facebook.com/BonnieMcKeeOfficial
I'm so addicted to this tune at the moment and I'm also loving the cute star studded music video. Its my happy song, It puts me in an awesome mood whenever I hear it. Definitely adding this summer anthem to my workout playlist. Oh and you can download the track from her website for free http://www.bonniemckeeofficial.com

Bonnie Mckee is a talented actress and singer/songwriter who's songs I'm sure you already heard of. She co-written most of Katy Perry's songs on her Teenage Dream Album and also Dynamite by Taio Cruz. She has already co-written eight number one singles, Isn't that just amazing!? I can't wait to hear more from Bonnie! x

Monday 1 July 2013