Lily Donaldson in Balmain aka. Balmain, oh, Balmain! (1)

I love Balmain. I have a childish infatuation and passionate feeling towards Balmain's collections (especially the body conscious dresses). I'm not even sure if it's a hyperbole. I honestly love Balmain.

Balmain, to me, represents an epitome of strength, sophistication, and looking amazingly hot. The dresses, from short body conscious dresses that make you legs so so long to sparkly glittery sequin gowns that look anything but tacky. Meanwhile, there's very well fitted military army jackets with padded shoulders. And not to mention, pretty decorated and studded booties and heels.

Therefore, you can see the ecstatic look on my face when I saw Lily Donaldson in Balmain's FW 2010 black sequin gown for Vogue UK's October 2010 issue in a editorial titled "The Long and Short of It." Photographed by Paul Wetherel, Lily looks stunning without being too revealing and (see!) her legs look even longer through the slit of the Balmain gown. I don't even recall where I got the photo, but it's nice because there's no text of the title of the editorial. Lily Donaldson in Balmain, simply amazing!

On the Runway: Balmain FW 2010

Here's another instance of Lily Donaldson in Balmain. I have this editorial in my copy of Vogue China in the Paris theme last November. Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier for Vogue UK August 2009 in a editorial named "Paris." Boots paired with bunny ear headband and Balmain corseted gown.

On the Runway: Balmain FW 2009

Christophe Decarnin, thank you for creating amazing clothes. :)

Runway pictures from Style.com

All for now, Delilah

Soon it'll be Suno

I first saw Suno on Michelle Williams at the Cannes Film Festival this year and my first reaction was "I can wear this!" It was short, cute, and classy all together. And love the fitted long sleeve top and the bubble skirt bottom. Plus, it'd work well as a little black dress for any formal event without looking too skin-revealing and still very pretty. The bottom line is...I WANT IT. And today on whowhatwear.com, Maria Sharapova is spotted wearing an African print Suno dress, also from the F/W 2010 Suno collection with a similar cutting, but a different pattern.

Michelle Williams and Maria Sharapovia in Suno

 

On the Runway: Suno's F/W 2010 Collection

Cute, no? Me gusta mucho! I'd wear it, always!
Both dresses available online on Opening Ceremony for 830 USD each.
I shall keep looking out for Suno.

But for now, I think I hear that little voice in the back of my head telling me to do hwk.
All for now, Delilah

Can't keep those HANDS off me

It's been a way too long delay. But school's settled in and other than endless continuous reading and looking at Style.com every hour for the newest updates on S/S 2011 ready to wear, I haven't had time for much. There's been too much about clothes going on! I really have a thirst for shopping right now, but not just any shopping. I want clothes that look good! Haha, anyways, I want to save up some money (buying a new netbook for college, textbooks, and French classes cost quite a lot together), new clothes will have to wait.

Anyways, I bet that the title of this piece has caught your attention. It all started with a mini spree past stores in the Landmark, when my friends and I came across Marc by Marc Jacobs. My eyes landed on this season's...

 Marc by Marc Jacobs Handard Supply Tote

Marc Jacobs has done it again. A fresh twist to the standard supply tote. To show our love for this tote, we'll have our arms wrapped around it this time. Just as I was trying to find this picture online two days ago, I started freaking out because not only was this Handard Supply tote not anywhere to be seen, the Standard Supply Tote seemed to be missing simultaneously. I was thinking "Oh, no! Does that mean the Standard Supply tote is over for good?" But no no, Marc Jacobs answered my question the next day with a colorful new website layout and the Handard Supply tote in this season's collection. I can feel that hole in my wallet already if I do decide to get it, but at the same time I need to save money! But I'm definitely sleeping on the thought of getting it.

What else did I find? Style.com's tenth anniversary limited edition t-shirts!

Style.com x Rick Owens

Simply awesome, no? The "X" in the middle represents Style.com's tenth birthday. There's quite a few designs in this collaboration (Lanvin, Balmain, Alexander Wang) but Rick Owen's design struck me as worth buying. It's like sign language on a shirt! And there's just a sense of stregnth in it. Pair it with a pair of black jeans, any black jacket, with a pair of chucky boot and TADA, look of the day! But I don't suggest putting the Handard Supply tote and this together, that may be too many hands for one outfit. This collaboration was part of this year's Fashion's Night Out and if you're interested, check out Style.com's website to see if you can still get your hands on one of these awesome t-shirts.

Before I go, vanillachymes is signed up for the H&M competition for the Lanvin x H&M collaboration ad. Show your love and vote! Here are the links:

 Or this Direct URL: http://apps.facebook.com/voteformyblog/vote.php?id=416

I'll make sure to remember you, if you vote.
Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to those in Asia! All for now!
Delilah

The Blazers of 3.1 Phillip Lim

 

When I saw these blazers in the clip of 3.1 Phillip Lim, A/W 2010, on that VideoFashion show on tv two weeks ago, I was like "omfg" (literally) at the pale gery blue blazer and the light beige blazer. So that's where those colors came from! Because all over the boutiques in Hong Kong are this lose fit short shorts like the one matched with the blue blazer in the 3.1 Phillip Lim show. And the color combinations of blazers and shorts are all pale grey blues, greens, and beige. And it's quite dreamy for summer dressing. Plus, that blazer's gonna be very handy for autumn and those over-air conditioned lecture theatres that I'll be sitting in for hours.

3.1 Phillip Lim A/W 2010

Shorts spotted on Leighton Meester on the set of Gossip Girl

Fashion week's starting to roll! I can't wait to see what else Phillip Lim has to show to the world this time in his Spring and Summer 2011 collection :)

Les Vernis de Chanel in Khaki

Today is September 7th and there's still three more days till Fashion's Night Out. In addition to that and the coming fashion week, us fashion-lovers have lots to look forward to.

Currently number one on my list is the launch of the newest Chanel Les Vernis line, Les Khakis de Chanel. My first bottle of nail polish was a transparent magenta shade from my aunt when I was seven. I went on to buying nail polish in middle school and high school occasionally. And not until Chanel re-vamped the hype for nail color did I realize how fun nail polish has always been. It's like an extra accessory that stays with you wherever you go. And with all this note typing in lectures (uni just started this week), I don't mind staring at pretty fingers. No wait, pretty finger nails :)

Peter Phillips, Global Creative Director of Chanel, has worked his magic again with the latest Les Khakis line. So let me take you on a little trail of his work so far that has really clenched on to the current fashion scene.

F/W 2009 Jade and Jade Rose

Jade 407
Before this, I honestly believed that I could never wear anything green-ish and that would include on my nails. But seeing Jade was definitely a revelation. It was fun and unique. And I'll admit, I spent practically the next year looking for it because no one else had it!

My Take on Jade
Ain't it prettyyy? It took me almost a year to find an equivalent that I found totally affordable. This color is from the Korean brand's Skin Food's Nail Vita collection and it costs 25hkd (around 3USD). It's rather light though, so I had to put on three layers. But afterwards, I was satisfied for a good week until I fixed up the chipped bits. It's a little bit on the shiny shimmery side but I still love the color. It's perfect for a summer day. :)

S/S 2010 : Nouvelle Vague, Riviera, and Mistral

Nouvelle Vague 527
There seems to be a brighter, blue-r shade going on here. Great for the summer and those light summer dresses. And it'll still stand out against the blue of the ocean and beaches.

S/S 2010 Orient Extreme: Black Velvet, Illusion D'or, Gold Lame (accent on the e)

A re-definition of the French manicure. It's glittery, its sparkly, and no one's quite done anything like it. Very well matched with the Paris-Shanghai collection and the gold & black eye make-up colors. I can see these colors looking good with a little black dress.

F/W 2010 Paradoxal

F/W 2010 Rouge Allure: Rouge Fatal, Rose Insolent, Rose Confidentiel(not pictured, out October 2010)

September 7th (online) and 10th (in store), 2010 Soho Collection: Steel and Strong

Limited Edition
This is very city chic. It matches those powerful working women in black suits and those little black dresses that you can wear to any party. So, I'm guessing the Soho collection is for those Soho busy-bodies out there? My take on it would be to try OPI's Nichole Gossip Girl line for Steel and Sephora's metallic nail polish Merengue, a gold mix with Strong's darker purple shade, for Strong.

September 10th, 2010 Les Khakis de Chanel: Khaki Rose, Khaki Vert, and Khaki Burn
Limited Edition
Ah, this is the collection I've been waiting for. The fuss this year has all been about the beige, brown, and the military greens. Well, Chanel's done it again, by being the only one with a grey-military green color. I've looked and looked. I'm really not sure who else is also carrying this color. And I want it. Bad. Chanel has a really good reason for coming up with these colors. What else would match your shearling jackets, beige blazers, and military jackets? I'm a sucker for colors (I just bought a maroon Staedler pen yesterday, not because I needed it. I just thought the color was pretty). Anyone, will you get one for Delilah as a back to school present? Because she really really wants one and she'd let you be her (second) best friend if you do.

By the way, as I was doing the research for this post, I found an astonishingly large collection of Chanel Les Vernis here. Take a look if you want to see a rather close to complete collection of Les Vernis!

All for now,
Delilah

the emmys baby!

It was the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards Show a couple nights ago and I can never resist a chance to judge a red carpet. Red-carpet events are always exciting; the glitz, the glamour, the beautiful people. What makes it more entertaining is that we all get to be the fashion police for a day, praising what we love and criticizing what we think should probably be left in the back of the closet for eternity.

THE BEST

LEA MICHELE

Oscar de la Renta

I absolutely love the shade of navy blue this dress is in. Above the waist, she's an Oscar star and below, she's a spicy flamenco dancer. There's intrigue, there's passion, there's a va-va-voom element to the dress that makes this a definite win.

ROSE BYRNE 

Gucci

I hadn't really seen a dress from Gucci on the red carpet that I had truly liked in awhile...until now. I adore this dress. It's simple, modern chic and so much more. It's truly Cleopatra with a modern futuristic twist. It's Cleopatra of the 21st Century and boy, am I loving it.

KYRA SEDGWICK

Monique Lhuillier

First off, I would like to say that I love Monique Lhuillier's designs, I would love to get married in a Monique Lhuillier dress, which is why when I saw this dress, I knew this had to be on the best dressed list. The colour, the material, the design, it all works. It's elegant timeless chic, something Miss Lhuillier never stops to produce.

HEIDI KLUM

Marchesa

I can see how this can be a miss but I'm much too biased as a Marchesa fan. I do love this LBD, intricate bodice, sweetheart neckline. It all works for me.

EVA LONGORIA

Robert Rodriguez

Eva Longoria is one woman that never fails to impress me with how classy and elegant she can be on a red carpet event. She returns to her favourite designer, Robert Rodriguez, for this stunning black dress that wraps around her curves like a glove. It's fascinating how Eva can make a black dress with a train seem like so much more.

NINA DOBREV

Zuhair Murad

I'm becoming quite a fan of Zuhair Murad's designs. This dress looks spectacular on Nina Dobrev. I've been going a little crazy over blush/nude shades myself so this goddess-esque gown just sent me over the edge. It's sophisticated, stylish and has an element of exoticness to it, that only someone like Nina can pull off.

JAYMA MAYS

Burberry Prorsum

One of my absolute favourites of the night. The gorgeous navy colour, strapless sheath dress is beyond stunning. I have no words, it's just perfect in every sense and especially, when paired with gold jewelry, it's the perfect balance.

CLAIRE DANES 

Armani Prive

I think this is the epitome of classic chic. How Claire Danes can make a simple beaded sheath look so stunning and out-of-this-world is beyond me.

KIM KARDASHIAN

Marchesa

I know she has haters but hey, her dress is Marchesa. How could I pass this up? Not to mention, you have to admit, she did look stunning in this dress. There is something very reminiscent of Cleopatra, that elegant royal touch with the embellishments on the dress.

As you can probably tell, there weren't a lot of risks taken this year. Plenty of strapless dresses in quite a safe colour spectrum. Minus Naya Rivera, who had the spotlight stolen by her hairstyle, unfortunately. Post in the comments and tell me if you disagree/agree with my choices! Maybe Delilah will have her input next!

With love,

Jeisa

Hellooo! I'm just nodding non-stop to Jeisa's comments. She's pretty much chose all the outfits that I liked the most at the Emmy's this year. My favorite would probably be Nina Dobrev. I like the one-shoulder dress, the creamy shiny color of the fabric, and how Nina's skin tone compliments it so well. Claire Danes and Kyra Sedgwick's dresses were also on my favorites list. While Kyra's dress is a genuinely pretty dress (I like these maroon/purple shades), Claire's dress is definitely an eye-catcher. Only Claire Danes could pull off a sparkly dress like that and not go over the top.

To tell the truth, I wasn't too amazed by the Emmy outfits. Ladies, take risks! No one's trying exotic textures or patterns! Most of the dresses were solid, one-color, corset and with-a-train gowns. The one dress that I found rather risky was Tiny Fey's, in Oscar de la Renta.

Yes, it's conservative. But hey! You still need to be very fit to wear a dress like that and still show curves. And I actually really like the patterns and the sheer lace-like embroidery fabric with the grey satin underneath. This Oscar de la Renta gown does remind me of Kathryn Bigelow's Oscar 2010 gown by YSL. Simple, fitted, and powerful! Hehe. I have a tiny 30 rock obsession right now (plus I think Mean Girls is one of the best movies. Ever). So, double thumbs up to Tiny Fey!

All for now,

Delilah


Photo credits: Style.com and Buzznet.com