The British Fashion Awards 2011, the Oscar's equivalent in fashion, had just taken place last Monday, and had dominated all fashion-related news feed on the Internet.

After seeing just a few pictures of the event, I felt it was such a pity the show was not shown on Astro's channels as I would have LOVED to watch the amazing gowns, styles and designers walk down the red carpet.

But thank God for the Internet. I caught up with the highlights of the event and am ready to give you a rundown.

The British Fashion Awards was established since 1989 and has celebrated British designers, creatives and models for their contributions to the international fashion scene for the past twenty years.

Awards that are given out each year include Designer of The Year, Red Carpet, Emerging Talent, Designer Brand, Outstanding Achievement in Fashion and British Style, amongst others.

The spotlight, on Monday night, was on three people who each walked away with the night's biggest awards :- Sarah Burton, Alexa Chung and Victoria Beckham.

Sarah Burton is most well-known as the new creative director at the helm of Alexander McQueen and as the woman behind the most celebrated dress of 2011, Kate Middleton's unforgettable wedding dress.

So, it was no surprise that she bagged the Designer of the Year Award at the British Fashion Awards. 

Victoria Beckham is no stranger to us, but she was more known to us as a former Spice Girl, not a fashion designer.

She has always appeared in the media, dressed to the nines and perfectly chic. But being fashionable and being a fashion designer are two different things.

When she released her first dress collection back in 2008, fashion critics mocked her designs and viewed it as another attempt to just be famous. Despite this, Victoria continued designing and at last year's New York Fashion Week, Anna Wintour, the notorious chief editor of American Vogue, said, "Do not underestimate her."

So it meant so much to Victoria when she won the Designer Brand of the Year at the British Fashion Awards. So much that she accepted her award in tears. 

Alexa Chung's name is not very familiar to me, but after browsing through a gallery of outfits she has worn, I realize she is someone I SHOULD know about.

Alexa is a model turned TV presenter of Chinese British descent. Her personal style is applauded by influential people in fashion, like Anna Wintour and Karl Lagerfeld. She frequently appears in many best dressed lists and is regularly pictured in Elle, Vogue and Harper's Bazaar.

And do you know the Mulberry Alexa satchel bag? Yes, that's right. It's named after her.

Not only did she win the British Style Award for 2011, she also won it last year. And this award, amongst the rest given out that night, is the only one done by public voting.

Another item creating a buzz that night were the shoes that Samantha Cameron (also known as Sam Cam) wore to the British Fashion Awards 2011.

Sam Cam is the wife of the United Kingdom's Prime Minister, David Cameron. She is also the British Fashion Council's special ambassador, and was on stage to hand the Designer of the Year award to Sarah Burton.

These classic glamour heels, aptly named Dorothy, are from the collection of, British accessory designer label, Charlotte Olympia.

The shoe brand launched in 2007 with design philosophy based on classic lines, elegance and the glamour of old. Fans of the shoe label include Sarah Jessica Parker, Keira Knightly, Beyonce and Katy Perry.

And the British Fashion Awards 2011 deemed that Charlotte Olympia should be given the Accessory Designer of the Year.

What a night for fashion it must have been! I think that the styles seen must be much more high-street than celebrity red carpet events.

And I gotta say that I am now a fan of Victoria Beckham designs, which resonates the same chic vibe as the designer herself does. Posh Spice is definitely one fashion designer to look out for.

Hope you enjoyed this post. And go ahead and google the British Fashion Awards 2011 to look at more pictures!

Laters!

The British Fashion Awards is held annually in the United Kingdom to present awards to those who have made outstanding contributions to British clothing design during the year. 

Alexander McQueen and John Galliano has won the most number of Designer of the Year awards, 4 each, with 1997's award being a joint award between the two designers.

That's right! #Brunei has just got its first celebrity tweet! 

Or at least I THINK it's the first.

Caught me completely by surprise, as you know, most celebrities rarely respond to the gazillion tweets they receive. And if they do respond, the tweet that they choose to respond to, is like one in thousands of tweets!

I just started out like how I normally start off my days. A 'Good Morning' shoutout to #Brunei with an inspirational quote by one or another famous person. And today, the quote I used was one by Kimora.

After a few minutes, I saw that there was a couple of 'Mentions' for me. For you non-twitterers, in Facebook terms, I got Twitter notifications.

So, I checked my Twitter and saw that @theroyals501 had retweeted me (Hi girl!). And right after her re-tweet, was...

*Double-take* HOLY COW!!!

Miss Fabulosity herself greeted #Brunei good morning! 

Totally made my day. :D

I got to say, though, Kimora is one of the more responsive American celebrities on Twitter as I frequently see her tweeting back some of her followers. 

Still, that tweet was pretty awesome, wasn't it?! 

Anyway, I think it's pretty cool that she always take the time to respond as many of her Twitter followers as she can.

FYI, today (US time) is her little Aoki's ninth birthday. And Kimora has been receiving #HappyBdayAoki tweets from all over the world. No kidding! 

So, on behalf of #Brunei, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AOKI! :D

Kimora Lee Simmons Hounsou is a former supermodel and, ex-president and Creative Director of Phat Fashions. You have probably heard of her from her reality TV show Kimora : Life in the Fab Lane, which shows her daily life, juggling business and family in all its fabulosity.

Visit Kimora's website.

Follow Kimora on Twitter.

Like Kimora on Facebook.

GONG XI FA CAI, everyone!

Apologies for not blogging lately! With the Chinese New Year celebrations (already about halfway through!) and all, it was pretty hard to find the time to scour around Brunei for a fashion report.

Nevertheless, hope everyone's have had a blast so far. I know, I have!

Today was pretty cool, because I got to see my first lion dance this Chinese New Year at the office. I actually got hassled by a particular frisky lion too. As punishment, I hung my angpow for it from the ceiling. Nah, cuba tah you take, you lion!

Of course, the lion was able to get it. But at least, it left a lot of whiskers around my desk. If you didn't know this, it is good luck to pull at the whiskers/fur of the Chinese New Year lions.

Throughout the celebrations so far, I've seen ALOT of awesome outfits worn during my usual house visits. I had also got sent pictures by a few girls of them all dressed up in their Chinese New Year get-ups.

I'd love to post them up here, but since I haven't asked their permission yet, I'll just show you a couple of pictures of me in my Chinese New Year's duds.

I love the bright shade of red on this dress with the floral motifs scattered around it. It is actually has very simple style:- sleeveless and buttons up all the way up the front.

I love it because I felt especially very Chinese-New-Year-sy in its vibrant color.

Brand : BooHoo.com

Bought from Little Wishes at B$41.10.

Absolutely adored this cheongsam! If you recognised this dress, then you know it's the same one from Little Wishes as well.

The material is a very soft and stretchable fabric, so although it was quite tight-fitting, I didn't feel like I was being suffocated.

As I thought, the cutout near the neck of the dress was quite wide and low. But luckily, not too much. The floral front panel that runs down the front of the dress was perfect, as it streamlines the figure of the dress.

Brand : BooHoo.com

Bought from Little Wishes at B$41.10.

One of my friends was inspired by my recent blog post on Chinese New Year, where I had posted up a couple pictures of CNY nail arts I found on the Internet.

She also decided to go get her nails done at Vidal Sassoon, as I had talked a bit about it here.

Not bad right?

She had a manicure (with nail art) and pedicure done at Vidal Sassoon for just B$26!

I'd love to do a post showcasing some local Chinese New Year fashion, but I can't do that without YOUR help! So, ladies, keep those emails coming in.

I really love it when I get emails discussing about your particular fashion fondness or hates, and would really love it if you send in a pictures of yourself or friends or relatives modelling your CNY outfits.

Til next time, XING NEIN QUAI LE!

What did YOU wear for Chinese New Year?

Another of the most celebrated festivals in this region is here again! Yes, I'm talking about Chinese New Year. This year, the first day of the Year of The Rabbit falls on the 3rd of February, and that's just less than a mere week away!

Cakes, friends, decorations, ang paus, fireworks! Ok, maybe not fireworks, since I had heard that it's banned again this year. But then again, I still think we'll be able to see some despite all that.

And most of what you'll see is the colour RED!

While for Hari Raya, you see a lot of women going to their tailors for gorgeous variations of the baju kurung; for Chinese New Year, there are only a handful of women actually going to make cheongsams.

 I think we should start a trend of wearing cheongsams for Chinese New Year, because I think the cheongsam is one of the most gorgeous piece of clothing there is. Made with brocade, beautifully embroidered, figure-flattering, elegant and multitudes of colours, what's not to like?

But the cheongsam (or qi pao) did not start out looking this sexy.

The qi pao is brought over to China by the Manchurians during the Qing Dynasty; and was originally styled wide and loose. The clothing covers the entire body except for the head, hands and tips of the toes.

The modern cheongsam, that we know today, was developed in Shanghai in the 1920's and was evolved to be more form-fitting and revealing than the original cheongsam. Sleeves became shorter, slits appeared, more variety in colours.

The cheongsam is so sleek and attractive, that it even made its way into the Western world, thanks to Nancy Kwan in the classic 1960's filem, The World of Suzie Wong.

Today, the fashion-conscious seek even more ways to modernize the cheongsam and designers did their best to infuse the 21st century fashion into the cheongsam.

If you're feeling cheongsam-inspired by now and raring to go get one yourself, then drop by the recently featured JX Collections in Kuala Belait to check out their collection of cheongsams. Even if you don't live in KB, you can order from their Facebook page here.

That's pretty much the end of this post. But I've got one more thing to add.

Earlier today, at lunch, a friend was talking about doing some nail arts for Chinese New Year. So I thought of throwing some bonus pictures of nail art designs I found, to inspire those of you who also plan to get your nails done.

Hope these designs give you some creative ideas. Personally, I like the last one with the grey rabbit peeping out. :)

And with that, I wish you all a Happy Chinese New Year! Gong Xi Fatt Chai!

xoxo

What are you wearing this Chinese New Year?

There's no doubt about it. Tyra Banks is a gorgeous woman. Beautiful mocha skin, those piercing emerald/olive eyes and that gorgeous body of hers.

Yet, I don't quite like her.

On all her shows, she gives off this attitude of being a 'know-it-all' and ALWAYS turn the topic to her. I saw this particular video of her Tyra Banks Show a couple of years back, and got so turned off by her attitude.

Poor girl didn't even get a chance to speak, with all the interruptions from Tyra, the know-it-all.

Anyway, as you know, she's the creator and hostess of the popular reality TV shot, America's Next Top Model. I like to watch the show, you know, the drama and all. And I've just finished watching Cycle 14.

Have you girls SEEN what Tyra wore during judging on that cycle?

No? Don't remember? Well, here's a refresher.

Oh Tyra, you were a SUPERMODEL! Why do you have to wear this?! This one color-unitard is SO not flattering at all and I don't know what possessed her to wear this or any of the following bodysuits.

I don't know. Maybe it's because she lost a lot of weight since Cycle 13 and wants to show her body off. Or maybe she was influenced by the new judge on her panel, Andre Leon Talley, a former editor-at-large of Vogue. 

But these bodysuits are just.. they're just NOT.

But I saved the 'BEST' bodysuit for last. The creme de la creme.

I can't help thinking how AWFUL this outfit was when I was watching this episode of Cycle 14. Awful, awful, awful!

Her personality is already making her a lot of non-fans. And now, her fashion sense has gone down the drain. Thank goodness for her, that she still has her flawless skin and perfect bone structure.

Well, if there's one thing we can learn from this, it's that BODYSUITS ARE NOT OKAY. So, don't EVER wear one, ok?!

I've just started watching ANTM Cycle 15, and the stakes for the contestants this cycle are much higher. Apparently, due to a drop in ratings since Cycle 13, Tyra has been looking for ways to grab back her audience.

For Cycle 14, she had gotten Andre Leon Talley, who is a major fashion legend (currently a contributing editor of Vogue magazine) on her panel of judges for the ANTM show.

For Cycle 15, prizes for the winning model, not only includes a $100,000 contract with CoverGirl Cosmetics, but also a contract with IMG model agency AND fashion spreads in Vogue Italia.

They're no more talking about Seventeen magazine anymore, but Vogue!

Will Tyra's ANTM produce a real top model this time?

I guess we'll just have to watch and see. :)

America's Next Top Model Cycle 15 is now playing on Star World (Channel 711) every Wednesday at 9pm. And I'm happy to report that so far, Tyra Banks has not showed up in more horrendous outfits.

Replays of ANTM Cycle 15:

Thursday, 4.55am and 12.10pm

Saturday, 12.45pm and 10.35pm

What do YOU think of Tyra's unitards?

Held at the Somerset House, London, countless of designers, editors, buyers, magazines and celebrities all flocked in from around the world to attend the prestigious event. And what a show it was...

However, I do find London fashion doesn't play much with colours. Designers usually uses the same color palette, but focus instead on detailing and silhouette. Again, without further ado, my favourites from them all.

Did you know that Burberry has been around since 1856? Most of you are probably more acquainted with its trademark red, black and tan tartan pattern used on their handbags. But take a look at these party frocks. How does one combine simplicity and complication in a dress? The details are minimal, just a belt here and a line there. The beauty is in the seemingly plain ruches and frills, layered ingeniously to create a polished look. Simplicy and complication.

I must give a mention, though, to their gorgeous shoes.Yes, they do shoes too. Personalities such as Miranda Kerr and Kate Bosworth are fans of Burberry's platformed gladiator heels.

A newcomer on the London fashion scene, David Koma's designs are structured around the body which gives a sculptured look. Colors are modest and embellishments are few, but oh, the silhouette! I'm loving these dresses from his Spring/Summer collection because of how it marries sweet and sexy in the designs. I would totally wear the first dress, despite its sheer front, just because of the lovely soft pink pleated skirt.

Celebrities who are fans of David Koma includes Beyonce, Rihanna, Cheryl Cole and Lady Gaga.

Out of this world! Mary Katrantzou is all about the avant garde! Pushing the boundaries, her designs has always featured panels and digital print. She sure is not one to shy away from color, with prints of sceneries incorporated in the above dresses. Necklines are kept simple, but you're sure to find a quirky addition, such the right-pictured dress with sheer pretend slits and side frills.

Although too dramatic for normal wear, there is something about the creative use of colors and imagery that appeals to my tastes.

I hope you all are kept entertained by this post and its many pictures. Looking through all the designs and reading on accompanying articles made me realise that fashion is not just about pretty colors and party dresses. It's about being creative in expressing yourself in your appearance.

And though I'm far from being a fashionable lady, these designers' work sure inspires me to show more personality through my dressing. Sometimes, it's not just about conforming.

<3

What's your take on LFW?

Last week, I happened on someone who was selling off her set of 24-piece M.A.C. brushes for B$35. Brunei Dollar Thirty-Five! I thought, 'Hot damn! If they're real, that's such a bargain price!' So, I contacted the person immediately and started my enquiries. According to this person, it's ORIGINAL M.A.C. brushes that she had gotten from Singapore.

She was kind of evasive when I asked how she managed to get them so cheap since just one brush would cost more than B$10. But I was curious to see the brushes and the same exact imitation ones are sold for around B$70+ here in Brunei. So, I got them anyway.

Well, they were fake, as I expected. The quality was so-and-so. I wouldn't use the face brushes because the bristles were rough and harsh. I may use some of the eyeshadow brushes though, ONLY after thoroughly washing them.

What I DO have a problem with is counterfeit cosmetics and facial creams. Look, I know you may not have so much cash in your pockets to buy eyeshadows or blushes or lipstick from the brand retailer itself. But for goodness sake, practise more caution when buying fake cosmetics.

I see people enthusiastically buying these fake cosmetics on Facebook and in stores, and I wonder whether they ever enquire into its ingredients and its source. The thing about fake cosmetics and facial creams is that you don't know what is in them. You can't depend on what it says on the box as even the box is fake.

These are stuff that you put directly on your face. Chances are that there are dangerous toxic substances contained in the cosmetics that can be absorbed into your skin. This could lead to allergies and in some cases, death.

But if you do insist on buying fake branded cosmetics, please ask the seller what are the REAL ingredients and where did the products come from. However, your best bet is to just buy the original from the brand retailers. As some sellers just want to make a quick buck and are more than willing to deceive customers.

However, I don't want to buy a replica handbag that is of lousy quality and falls apart after a few uses. So, make sure to check out the quality of handbags before purchasing. I don't know about you, but I'd rather spend B$200 for a good Coach knockoff than B$20 for a horrible and cheap-looking one.

So, in summary :-

Fake branded cosmetics = BAD

Fake lousy designer handbags = ALSO BAD

Fake good designer handbags = GOOD :)

Share your experiences or leave a comment.

It is a well-known fact that South Koreans view cosmetic surgery as if it were a visit to the hair salon. Tweaking facial features is not just culturally accepted in South Korea, but is fast becoming a requirement. Sources cite that more than 30% of Korean women between the ages of twenty and thirty have had a cosmetic surgery. The percentage rises for those women younger than twenty years of age as parents offer nose jobs as rewards for getting good grades in school.

Has the quest for beauty caused culture, especially the stringent Asian culture, to allow cosmetic surgery to be the norm?

It is worthwhile to note that the Asian culture had accepted cosmetic surgery far more readily when compared to the Western culture. In the United States, any celebrity who has had any plastic work done are looked upon as fake and less appealing while in North East Asia, a double eyelid surgery or rhinoplasty is a must-have procedure if you want to be successful in life. For North East Asians, better-looking people get better jobs, opportunities, partners, etc.

Somehow, I think it has something to do with the Asian emphasis on having 'face'.

However, there are many strong drivers for the want for cosmetic surgery. It cannot be argued that there are advantages to having a pleasant and attractive appearance. Consider the below:-

Both of the above had received their makeovers through Beauty Colliseum, a prime-time Japanese show where contestants get a free makeover by a panel of beauty experts. Both admits that the quality of their lives has improved with their man-made beauty.

So, how wrong is cosmetic surgery when it so widely accepted in a culture and actually makes life better for people? Asides from the degree of permanence, how different is it from changing the colour of your hair or wearing make-up? Or using hair extensions or wearing high heels?

The notion that cosmetic surgery is wrong has been impressed on us without going beyond why it is wrong. I'm not trying to justify that it is right, but more of looking at the issue from another angle. Can you blame Yumi and Saori for going under the knife?

What would you do if you live in a culture where outer beauty outweighs inner beauty?

Reading

Read Time Asia's coverage on the growth of plastic surgery in Asia. Real life stories, statistics and debatable arguments.

What do you say?

Of course, Sex and The City is mostly watched by females and the show is responsible for our desires to have Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo, Prada, Chanel, Dior and other way-too-expensive designer labels.

But who can resist the hot and sexy fashion in the show? No harm in dreaming, right?

Carrie Bradshaw

Simply love her style. Her outfits ranges from quirkily sweet to over-the-top sexy. What I love about her style is that her outfits are always interesting, be it the colour, accessory or design.

Take the above Vivienne Westwood pink sweet dress, for example. It would just be like any other pretty sweet dress if not for the stiff broad skirt. Odd, but it worked! And even odder, she paired the outfit an ostrich-feathered clutch! If you're wondering about the shoes, they're Manolo Blahnik's.

Samantha Jones

Kim Catrall's character's style is bold and sexy in an in-your-face kind of way. Through her clothes' vibrant colours and provocative designs, the message roars,"I am a Woman!" loud and clear.

Samantha is one of my favourite characters on the show because of her strong confidence and also her sensitivity when it comes to her best friends. As for her dressing, well, I salute any female who can look that good at her age.

Miranda Cobbs

The career woman of the group, Miranda's look is sophisticatedly chic with her androgynous styled outfits. She manages to look corporate with a sexy twist.

She may not be the most curvaceous woman, but Miranda proves that you don't need alot of 'junk in the trunk' to be attractive. You just got to work with what you've got and she worked it good.

Charlotte York

The epitome of feminine appeal, Charlotte's look consists of sweet and preppy dresses. Her bags and shoes play up to her girly character by being proper and matched.

Charlotte could be a tad annoying with her primness but as we know, she's far from demure. Want to steal her look? Wear bows, cute prints and pastel colours.

Through the women, Sex and The City has become an iconic show for fashion and style. The TV show is so huge that it has become part of pop culture due to society issues dealt in the show. It portrays how the women dealt with society's expectations of single and married women, the evolution of their personal lives and the growth of their friendship.

Although Sex and The City 2, the movie, has already been released, I have yet to get my hands on a copy. Apparently, it hasn't done too well in the box office, but I still want to watch it all the same. So, anyone who knows where I can get a DVD of the movie (good copies ok?), please let me know!

Ciao!

Comment here!

In the end, they said they will get the shoe repairer to call me, which she did today. She told me it's all fixed and I could come pick it up from Manggis. I didn't want to make a big deal of it and ask her why didn't she call me since it's all fixed already. I haven't picked them up yet, but I'm not too worried.

I usually send my Charles & Keith shoes to them to get fixed. I learnt my lesson when I sent a pair to a small shoe-repairer in Bandar. It hurts me when I think of those shoes. The 'shoe-repairer' just drove small screws through the mismatched rubber tips to attach it to the heel. So, now it's all wobbly and sounds like this,"KLOP KLOP KLOP KLOP." So, I retired those shoes. *moment of silence*

So, my advice to all you Charles & Keith shoe lovers, do not send your shoes to other repairers other than the store itself. This is because Charles & Keith has the exact rubber tips for your shoes and won't butcher them. You may have to pay a little bit more ($3 or $5) but at least, it is fixed properly.

Thanks for listening to my rant. If you want to rant too, feel free to do so in this post comments.

Have a good day!

I was browsing online and happened on this online shopping site from China. What I saw there cracked me up so much that I'm still laughing about it.

LOL! Kesian, cannot afford own model. Can photoshop only. A bad one at that too! *tear* Words can't express how surprised I was when I saw this. Omg. Lol! *tear* Ok, enough enough. I have to stop looking at this picture. Lol.

Have a nice day!

Most females tend to have more than one handbag. So, having just ONE handbag is very unnatural (I swear, I'm not weird).

Well, I'm in desperate need of a new one. For some reason, I keep using just one handbag every single day until it wears out and then, buy another one to replace it, and then continue using that one until it wears out again. Estimate lifespan of my handbags : 2 years.

So I've been looking at bags online and have been drooling over the most beautiful bags!

Gorgeous bags but they're definitely not within my budget. However, I came across a Brunei blog-store that sells replica bags at affordable prices. They stock mostly Burberry and Coach handbags, so fans of Burberry and Coach, check out Eriylia's Shopping Heaven and let us know if it's almost as good as the real thing.

As for me, wish me luck for bag-hunting! Any tips you guys can give are very welcome. :)