LVL's First Blog Giveaway! ***CLOSED***

LAYERED VINTAGE LUXE TURNS ONE!

I wanted to do something special to cement my return to serious blogging, so I am happy to announce my very first giveaway!

As you can see on my blog's sidebar, I love joining giveaways, so I am just thrilled to be hosting my very first one. Remember about two weeks ago how I wrote that I attended the Natasha Beauty Soiree? I was very blessed to have them sponsor a blog giveaway for me.

Most of the loot to be given away are from Sketches, Natasha's make-up line made for teens. I also included some of the free samples we were given at the Beauty Soiree also. I opened them to take a photos only but I never used them. Would that be okay? Sorry about that. :(

Beauty Review: Natasha Skin Perfect Tinted Mattifier

At the end of the Natasha Beauty Soiree, we were given some beauty products to review (you may have already read about my review of the Natasha Trio Eyeshadow in Sultry Smoke). This is probably my favorite of all the products given.

This is the Natasha Skin Perfect Tinted Mattifier. According to the Natasha website, it is a foundation and make-up base that helps absorbs oil, minimize fine lines and mattifies while leaving the skin smooth and silky in one easy step!

What I'm Loving Right Now: Missoni for Target

I blogged about Lagerfeld for Macy's a few days ago and mentioned about Missoni for Target. The collection has been available in Target stores already. In fact, selling out immediately that the Target site was reported to have crashed! Everyone wanted to get their hands on some Missoni print! I've seen some pieces around the blogosphere already. Bloggers showing off their finds, may it be a belt or what. I've read about some horror hoarding stories as well, one woman had 6 carts full of Missoni stuff at the check-out counter!

Anyway, right now, I am inspired by prints like these--tribal, ethnic-y, loud, colorful.

a Missoni bikini is a must-have!

By the way, they have EVERYTHING, not just clothes. They have pillow cases, picture frames (!), home decor, prints, container boxes, laptop bags, and a bike! A freaking bike! I kid you not! Here it is.

It's just pure madness!

 photo credits: fashionista.com

Wishlist Wednesday

Introducing a new feature on my blog:

WISHLIST WEDNESDAY

I won't be posting every week cause I can only wish for so much things. I (used to be) really materialistic, always wanting something, but now, I can say I've grown to be a wee bit patient. I still have moods though wherein I crave for a particular thing, but I stop myself. It's healthy to be said no to sometimes.

1. A new camera

Canon G12

Lumix L3

I asked the opinion of my friend who knows the latest in cameras. She suggested a Canon G12 or a Lumix L3. I'm no techno-poser, I don't know what the specs of these cameras mean aside from the megapixel count! I'd be okay with ANY camera that beats my old Sony 5MP one. Patricia Prieto uses a Canon G12.

2. Make-up brushes!

I want brushes from Sigma (pictured above) or Suesh (pictured below).

3. YSL Arty Ring

or maybe a copy of this ring. It's $250!

4. Tyler Lockwood

Move over Damon! (no, not really)

Have you guys seen the latest episode of The Vampire Diaries (actually the first episode in the third season)?

Tyler and Caroline were hot, hot, hot! It sort of made me wish I could have my own big bad werewolf! :)

5. Satchels

I want a new bag! Here are really cute satchel bags from SOUL Lifestyle I like. My mom and I passed by SOUL yesterday and I just immediately gravitated towards the bags!

Favorites from the 2011 Emmy's

To me, the Emmy's always signaled the start of awards season. And awards season always means celebs in red carpets and fashion, fashion, fashion! Sometimes it gets really hard to keep up with everything, especially since all the Spring Fashion Shows are going on at the same time, but oh well. Everything just looks so purrrdy!

Here are again some of my favorites. I look at the dress and not the overall look.

Cat Deely in Monique Lhuillier


Jennifer Carpenter in Tony Ward Couture

Julie Bowen in Oscar dela Renta

Evan Rachel Wood in Elie Saab

I just love all these sparkly dresses, especially the neutral ones. They spell glam without going over the top. Look Evan Rachel's dress, very old Hollywood glamour!

New York Fashion Week S/S 2012: Marchesa

Marchesa has always been a favorite of mine, because they bring out the inner princess in me. This collection designed by Keren Craig and Georgina Chapman was no different. Inspired by the sea, the collection was neutral-heavy, but full of texture given the different fabrics used. Think tulle, draped organza, mesh and the like--really designed to bring an element of whimsy, fancy and magic. I just fell in love!

Here are some of my favorites:

New York Fashion Week S/S 2012: Rachel Zoe

Rachel Zoe is a well-known celebrity fashion stylist, who became famous for introducing the 'boho-chic' look which consisted of  pairing long and loose dresses while excessorizing with lots of huge jewelry and bangles, all on a slim frame. She has worked with a lot of celebrities including Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan and Mischa Barton. She also has her own reality show, "The Rachel Zoe Project", which shows her life as a celebrity stylist. I recently got hooked on it, after they showed it on ETC. How fun it must to be a part of her team--doing pull-outs, piecing clothes together, fittings. It may look and be stressful, but you can't deny, it's one fabulous job.

This is Rachel Zoe's Brigette Bardot/70's-inspired line, which I love, love, love! By the way, it is her first showing at New York Fashion Week. It is so glamorous (she's always said that she's been inspired by old Hollywood glamour), and I can totally see her personal sense of style injected in each and every piece of clothing.

Here are some of my favorites from the line:

Beauty Review: Natasha Trio Eyeshadow in Sultry Smoke

To be honest, I'm not a huge eye shadow user. As an on-the-go student, putting on eye shadow cannot fit my allotted 5-minute beauty ritual. I just usually put on powder and blush, for some color. Sometimes, when I am not running late, I curl my lashes and put on mascara but never eye shadow. Why? I find it over the top, especially for school.

Don't get me wrong though, after attending FIDA's 3-day basic make-up workshop, I have been practicing how to do eye make-up and blend colors. When I'm bored at home, I practice putting on eye make-up using the Estee Lauder eye shadow palette my aunt gave me for my 18th birthday.

Speaking of Estee Lauder, did you know that they are manufactured at the same Italian lab (Intercos) that produces Natasha Beauty? It's in the blog entry I made about the beauty soiree I attended last Sunday (Missed it? click here). The only difference is the packaging. Usually, these branded make-up cost so much because of packaging, and perhaps the marketing as well--the other brands market their products on a global scale!

Grateful Sunday 5

Another week, another edition of Grateful Sunday! I wonder if this section makes your Sundays brighter. I would love to hear from you!

1. Fall Programming!

September’s  here again, which means series! For me, it started with 90210 season 4 on Wednesday, ANTM 17 on Thursday and The Vampire Diaries 3 on Friday. J Excited for Gossip Girl on September 26^th!

Natasha Beauty Soiree

I was invited to go to a beauty soiree last Sunday at Cafe Demitasse. It was sponsored by Natasha, which is a popular direct selling company here in the Philippines. Natasha Beauty is their cosmetic line. It is relatively new; it was launched 2 years ago. It features 3 lines: Natasha Color Cosmetics, their carrier line; Sketches, their teenage line, and they also have Fanny Serrano make-up available.

What I'm Loving Right Now: Neon

Nanette Lepore's S/S 2012 collection blew me away!

It features a neon color palette in contrasting and complementing colors, rendered in lace, a paint-splattered(?) effect, stripes and color block.

My favorite is this dress in neon pink, but the pastel confection is cute as well. It reminds me of an outfit my friend, Cheyser did.

See?

By the way, don't you just also love how the navy blue-pink combination works? ;)

It looks very wearable!

 

Get Out of that Shell!

I was browsing through some plus-size or fatsionista blogs today when I came upon Nadia Aboulhosn's blog via Plump. I fell in love with it! She just dresses so well and with so much confidence that I was inspired to step up, take courage and post some of my own outfit pictures as well. I have wanted to do so for the longest time (just ask my friends) but I always have reservations like, I have too few clothes, no money to buy clothes, and mostly because I am scared what others would say about me.

Yes, the usual problem fat people are plagued with: what others would say. It drives us to insecurity sometimes.

This is me, trying to break free from it all.

This is me, inspired to be creative and more adventurous with dressing.

This is me, no more excuses.

To start, I just wanted to show an old 'outfit' photo of mine. It was taken by my friend Mithi in UP before we left for Rockwell. My friends and I celebrated Valentine's Day there together. It's been going on for about 2 years now (last year, we went to Eastwood) and we made it a point to dress up.

My bottom of choice were jeans back then as I did not have the patience to try on dresses, shorts or skirts even. Jeans that fit were even hard enough to come by. I am wearing a Forever21+ top, random jeans, an overused cross necklace my mother gave me and black studded flats I got on sale for Php250 at a mall.

 My friends and I at Ice Cream Bar in Rockwell to cap off our night :-)

Suggestions on how to improve my wardrobe please? :)
Is it weird that I find it easier to style slim girls than to find something that suits me? I guess it's cause I've always thought of myself as normal despite the obvious. Now, I really have to face that truth head on.

I. AM. PLUS. SIZED.

Meet Mark Oliver

It's been almost 2 years now since my friends and I started sponsoring Mark Oliver through World Vision Philippines. World Vision Philippines is a Christian relief, development and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by addressing the causes of poverty and injustice (from their website). This means that they help make disadvantaged communities sustainable through various programs.

Our sponsored child Mark Oliver, is 9 years old, like my brother. He is the eldest in a brood of 3 siblings. He lives with his grandparents because his mom works in the city. He walks 2km to school (that is about a lap around the UP Academic Oval), and is tasked to fetch water (that's his assigned chore at home). Marco, as he's called, wants to be a doctor. :-)

Trends for Fall/Winter 2011

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK BABYYYY!

New York Fashion Week opened 3 days ago. But before designers showcase their S/S 2012 collections, we take a peek at what other trends we have left to try out for the remainder of the year.

1. Swingin' 60's

Versace

Bottega Veneta

Alberta Feretti

 Designers looked to the 60's Mod style with collections featuring Peter Pan collars, double breasted coats and shift dresses. The 60's influenced style also include psychedelic prints.

Grateful Sunday 4

Another week passed! Here is another list of reasons to be grateful. :)

1. FOUR NEW FOLLOWERS!

I got four follows in a day! Yipee! 

Thank you guys!

Because I am super grateful that someone appreciates my random ramblings, 

I will promote your blogs here! :-)

* Justin of Justin, Just in Time!

*Tessa of Fashion Facile

*Miss GennD of My Little Corner

*Oreri of Chicutopia

Dry Lips

My mother has always taught me to be wary of dry lips. No matter how pretty a girl is, if you see her with dry lips, it's an instant turn-off!

Dry lips are caused by a lack of moisture, caused by the sun, wind or excessive licking. Yes, if you think that licking your lips keep them wet (causing them not to be dry), it actually has the opposite effect. Eventually, dry lips can lead to chapped lips. Chapped lips are dry, red and painful. Sometimes, they bleed and can cause discomfort.

Karl Lagerfeld for Macy's

Department stores and fashion retailers are looking to big designers and famous personalities to design collections for their stores. Not everyone can afford the clothes these designers make, hence the need for lower, moderately-priced alternatives. This is good news for the consumer because nowadays, it isn't the designers who fully dictate the market. Consumers are wiser and smarter lately, going for lower-priced clothing--a sign of the times. Some examples of the designer collaborations include Lauren Conrad for Kohl's, Lanvin x H&M (which everyone went gaga for), the soon to be released Missoni for Target and another upcoming designer collab with H&M, Versace for H&M.

Released last August 31, the collection Karl Lagerfeld designed for Macy's Impulse features a 45-piece collection comprised of floral and feminine dresses, tweed separates (reminiscent of Chanel) and severe faux leather pieces. Here are some of my favorite looks: 

 

pictures from fashionista.com