Celebrity Designers: good intention, bad idea?

Celebrities nowadays are emerging from all across the board as designers. Whether they are good or not, it really depends on people's tastes. I guess since these celebrities have so much money and fame, they feel that they can suddenly immerse themselves in fashion. It's just, you know, it's hard to compete with celebrities when no one knows you; you really only have your talent. Then again, they are responsible for putting designers on the map.

dVb is a collection by former Spice Girl, Posh Spice a.k.a. Victoria Beckham. A lot of her designs are based on her personal style, which is a little edgy and structured. She herself, is a fashion risk taker, yet her designs are a little on the safe side; I find that ironic.

Orange Candy Stripe Sunglasses $233.00

This is Victoria's signature shaped frames that she always wears. I like the idea, but it looks too much like one of those colorful candy canes.

Naomi Jean in Resin Denim $149.00

These jeans are nice, but they're a little bit on the boring side. I like flares, but they're a little 1998. Well, maybe they're "modern" because darkwash.

Victoria Beckham dress $1,500.00

Victoria has also created a line of dresses that look a lot like the ones she wears. At $1,500.00, I'm not sure there's a high demand for her designs. They're boring too.

"Sex and the City" star, Sarah Jessica Parker has created a collection for Steve & Barry's called Bitten. The good thing about her line is that it's affordable, like H&M prices. A lot of her designs are reminiscent of her clothes on her show.

Burnout Ruffle Front, Seersucker 2 Button Mercer Jacket, Anklezip Crop Jeans

This whole look is very Sarah Jessica Parker, soft masculinity. Seersucker is very hard to design with, and the design team did a good job with the blazer. I like the zip jeans too.

Wedge with Pyramid Stud Classic

These are actually some really cool looking shoes. The studs on the shoes are actually really edgy without being too over-the-top.

Elbow Sleeve Rib Crew, Smocked Babydoll Dress

This look reminds me of "Little House on the Prairie." The green on green, jumper dress, elbow sleeve thing seems too much like something Laura Ingalls Wilder wore as a kid.

The House of Deréon was created by singer Beyoncé and her mom, Tina Knowles. Tina used to be the stylist for Destiny's Child, and ever since the group separated, she found her niche in designing for the masses. The vision of this brand is a mix of R&B, Hip Hop, with a bit of Creole influence.

Safari Halter Dress $49.99

I like the rainbow tiger print, but it's a little busy. It's a good dress for women with curves, but everything looks like they are about to spill out. I think I would've liked this dress if it was dress knee-length.

Funk Skinny Jean $79.00

This is as ghetto-fabulous as it gets, but at the same time looks very interesting. All that gold embroidery is very tapestry-like.

Mega Hit Small Hobo $59.00

Wow, this is actually a really nice bag. I like the red and the pleats. There's an air of sophistication about it, yet it does not compromise its street credibility.

The Olsen Twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley have developed a line called Elizabeth & James, which caters to an upper-class New York crowd. Their designs are all very nice, but a little too sophisticated for the everyday person. The price points are also asking for a lot.

Noguchi Jacket $465.00

Despite what I said about their over-sophistication, this jacket seems versatile. It'd be a good idea to make this machine washable because people might wear this all the time. It's versatile enough to wear to a ball and to school the next day. At $465.00 however, it's still kind of expensive.

Aurora Dress $475.00

I like this dress, but it's kind of a knockoff of the iconic dress from the "Sex and the City" movie with the whole flower thing. While this one is more wearable, it just doesn't have the heart that the real dress has. Originality matters in this case.

Bold Silver Cuff $525.00

This is a nice cuff. It's very modern meets ancient, but at $525.00, you can totally find a silver cuff that looks like this at half the price. You can also do the fake silver thing if you're not allergic. Unfortunately, I am.

Gwen Stefani is known for her funky music, especially her fashion choices. But at the same time, she manages to make everything work more or less. L.A.M.B. is a project she put together because she could see the correlation between msuci and fashion; it goes hand in hand. Her designs are all casually sophisticated.

Doleman Sleeve Mock Neck $128.25

This is a good late 20s to 40s top because it's sexy without being sexy. I like the white contour on the mock neck. The silhouette is a little 80s, yet it still looks very modern.

High-Waisted Plaid Skirt $110.25

I love the color combination of this plaid; I've never seen it on a skirt before. I also like that it is a high-waisted skirt because it gives you room to tuck in your blouse or plain white tee for that matter.

Spectator Pump $295.00

This shoe is nice to look at, but the mesh in the back isn't very attractive. I mean, breathability is important, but wouldn't it be even better if it was a slingback instead? I'm sure it'd be a lot more interesting than it just being a shoe.

Obviously, there are certain celebrities that should keep designing because they understand what style is. There are also style icons who have no idea what style is. For celebrities who are too invested in finding success in fashion design, the best suggestion would be to keep their day jobs.

Courtesy of Revolve Clothing, My Wardrobe, L.A.M.B., Dereon, Diani, Bitten SJP, Vogue (Style)

Aluminum/Stainless Steel Water Bottles- just say no to plastic!

It's official, using plastic water bottles is no longer "cool" because of the growing demand of sustainable practices. Now, I've been using an aluminum water bottle for about 3 years now, and people are slowly beginning to pick it up. This is a growing trend I don't mind happening because it's good for the environment. Then again, it's fun to be green and still individual, which is why I'd like to talk about these different bottles.

Stainless Steel Sports Flask $18.99

This is very much like the current bottle I have, except mine is all dented and the blue paint is chipping off. Had I known the generic ones would not chip, I would've gotten this one instead. However, I don't like the rubber ring attached to it because it always slips off.

Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel Water Bottle $17.00

Klean Kanteen is pretty much the premiere company for aluminum/stainless steel water bottles. And since they are one of the firsts, their technology is probably a lot more advanced than their competition. They have developed a secure cap that does not require a rubber stopper. That in itself is considered an improvement. I might just get this one because of the cap.

Eva Solo Stainless Steel Thermo Flask $75.00

How very sleek and shiny. The handle kind of looks like an umbrella strap. I like this one, but I am not paying $75.00 for a water bottle. Maybe it's that expensive because of the warm-keeping effect. Who knows?

Thinksport Sports Bottle $21.99

This looks like a perfume bottle, which kind of adds a luxury appeal to drinking water. This can totally be a reality if celebrities endorsed them. I can totally see this on a billboard somewhere. Eventually, people will start using these bottles, and there will be less of a market for bottled water, which'll pressure companies to come up with sustainable practices like making bottles out of corn or something.

Hydration Center Waterbottle (Set of 2 Silver and Black) $24.99

I'm in love with this bottle because it serves its purpose without having to compromise the shape of a bottle. So many times, these bottles look like they're filled with propane, so it's nice to see this one for a change. I'm a little skeptical about the cap though.

Gaiam Stainless Steel Water Bottle $15.00

The design of this bottle is all very interesting, but I feel like it's a little over-designed. My favorite part of this bottle is the twistable sippy cap.

Courtesy of Target, Klean Kanteen, Gaiam, Fitzsu

I'm an Outsider.

This brand of semi-casual wear is based on the 1964 New Wave French crime drama, Bande à part (Band of Outsiders). This brand is highly influenced by the Beatnik movement originating from my hometown, which explains why it'd be part of my personal style. The essentials include: wool suiting, plaids, stripes, mix of form-fitting and loose shapes. To be honest though, the line is a little too "hipster" for my liking. While I do like their alternative and vintage-inspired designs, sooner or later, their vision is going to get old. It'd be a good idea to modernize it while they can.

Vintage Movie Poster

Doing the famous "Madison" dance

It has been speculated that double-breasted suits are making a comeback. Many trend forecasters also say that short suits are coming back in Spring 2009. This look is cool and all, but the appropriateness is hard to figure out. If you wear this to work or an event, people would probably have a hard time taking you seriously. The only place I see this look headed is to church. And for someone like me who is not Christian, it would not be wise to invest in a short suit.

This look is a little too "Johnny Depp" for me. I like plaid pants, but they are really hard to wear because if they are any less tailored, they would look like pajama bottoms.

If the company used this look as a guide to designing, it'd be good for them. The proportions are modern and the colors are freshly put together; the pop of yellow really does it. I also like those black and white boat shoes; they'd probably look good a pair of dark wash jeans.

Side-stipe pants? Yup, they've done it. It used to be a fashion statement for athletic apparel, but it has finally made it to casual wear. So far, I have not seen any of these pants in store, but I'll be the first one in line when they come out. Of course, they won't be Band of Outsiders pants; I don't have money. Oh, and I like those suspenders too.

Band of Outsiders has created a line for women called Boy by Band of Outsiders. I find this collection a lot more inspiring than their main line because they throw in a lot of color and different fabrics in there.

I absolutely adore this look because it creates a sort of confident sexiness without really revealing anything. The skirt is very interesting with the ridges. I'm not sure if they're printed or textured, but they look cool either way. It's also nice to see how the yellow shoes balance everything out.

Let me tell you, this is by far the "coolest" sweater dress I've seen. It's just that a lot of sweater dresses look just like long sweaters and look weird when people don't wear pants or tights underneath. Anyway, the loose shoulder thing is a little 80s inspired, which is interesting to see because the 80s was known for bad fashion. This, however, was a good move for the design.

This look might be a little too mature for people in their 20s, but there's an air of youthfulness about it. You can also see the beatnik influence in the stripes on the skirt.

Somehow, short suits seem to look a lot better on women than men. My guess is the cut of the shorts really matter. That might be the case because a lot of men hesitate to wear shorts that are shorter than knee-length in order to "keep their masculinity." I beg to differ, but the market caters to what people want, and apparently, I am outnumbered. Anyway, the muted plums and grays really do the design justice.

Courtesy of Vogue (Style), Telescreen.org, Broken Projector

Sisley: it's all about the fashion

Contrary to what I said about the United Colors of Benetton, Sisley is all about the clothes. If you guys didn't know, Sisley is a division of the Benetton Group. They are all about casual edginess, and do a good job of creating it. In my opinion, their clothes are bit too formal for work and too casual for special events; it's more like "sophisticated street fashion."

I would like to have seen a brighter colored sweater, but this look works very well. I personally think suits are a bit too much sometimes, so if you want to dress down without looking too casual, give this a try.

The combination of the different shades of gray creates a good harmony. The vest and the shirt could look good by itself too. I like this hunting jacket/blazer with the three pockets on one side. I saw something like it at Banana Republic, but this one is a lot more interesting, and they're pretty much the same price.

I find it surprising that so many men's coats do not have belts because it makes such a difference when there is one. This coat would be a little more exciting if it came in green or something. Then again, it'd look more like something from its sister store.

You can never really have enough buttons. Whether they are functional or not, buttons add character to clothes. This coat does it for me. It reads "the biker who got away from the gang." I like the brown, white and black color palette.

This wrapdress/coat is a great example of contemporary Victorian fashion. It's very modern, but what makes it "Victorian" is the boning. It's a great way of creating a slimming effect.

This deep-v could've turned out looking quite slutty, but it's very "appropriate" with this outfit. The pants are cut just at the right length and the fit is very flattering. The coat is so cool without looking crazy. Well, it's subtly crazy because of the sleeves.

Whenever I think of "covered-up," I think "matronly." This does not look matronly to me because of all the little details, like the pleats of the sweater and the skirt tie. The whole look is a little busy. It'd be less distracting if the skirt was shorter and plainer, vice versa.

I like this dress even though it kind of looks like a poncho/muumuu. I'm not sure how this dress will move, but it looks great in the wind.

Sisley seems to always have a sale going on, so it wouldn't hurt to give this place a try. They don't carry as many things as United Colors of Benetton, but it's easy to be intrigued by this place. I like them because they haven't totally hit the mainstream yet; it makes me feel unique.

Courtesy of Sisley

Who doesn't love Pocky?

Pocky is pretty much every Asian kid's favorite pastime. Growing up, it was definitely the highlight of every weekend after Chinese School. It has been a while since I've last had some, but I thought it'd be fun to blog about it. It's kind of ridiculous how a cookie stick dipped in cream can cause such a sensation. Ironically, it hasn't gone out of style.

These are the Pocky flavors I've tried:

The chocolate-flavored Pocky is the original flavor. It wasn't necessarily my favorite flavor, but it was the only one I knew about.

The strawberry-flavored Pocky was the only other flavor there was. I alternated the flavors sometimes.

The flavor of this Pocky is dark chocolate. I'm not sure why they named it "Men's," but it sounds a little sexist. I like dark chocolate, but like the original chocolate one better.

This Pocky is cheesecake-flavored. I love cheesecake, and this tastes nothing like it. That being said, it's still pretty good.

I actually really like the milk-flavored Pocky. It tastes very "nourishing," even though I'm pretty sure it's not that good for you. It also tastes a lot like the cheesecake one.

These are the flavors I want to try:

I love blueberries because they are sweet and full of antioxidants. However, I bet the flavoring has been processed so much that there is no more nutritional value.

Mangos remind me of the summer, when the weather is warmer and brighter. Now, I'm a winter person, but I guess you always want what you don't have.

This is a flavor I think would be interesting to try. I'm not sure black sesame is everyone's taste, but I never get tired of it.

I remember orange used to be my favorite flavor of anything, even though orange-flavored food never really tastes like the real thing because there's no citric acid, which is key to genuine orange taste. Orange is just really a nostalgic flavor.

I love green tea everything. You can never really go wrong with this flavor because it is light and fresh.

These are the flavors I'd rather not try:

I like banana, but not banana-flavored things. They always make things end up tasting awkward.

I also like pineapple, but I have the same opinion as I do with banana.

I just never really liked melons like honeydew or cantaloupe. They always have this weird taste that makes me want to puke.

Courtesy of the Pocky Shrine

Holiday Cards might be better presents due to the current economic crisis.

I love giving and receiving holiday cards because they are cheap, yet heartfelt. Sometimes, they're even better than receiving physical gifts. I know all this because I used to work at a high-end stationery shop, and got to sort through all kinds of cards. I've seen some really nice ones and some really "ghetto" ones. Then again, it's all about the messages and intentions.

Peace, Love and Understanding (box set) $15.00

This is my favorite. I like the combination of the vintage and the sly caption. It's basically what made Anne Taintor famous. It's a great card to give to a friend who you enjoy laughing with.

Have a Merry Whatever (box set) $15.00

I'm sure a lot of people will find this card offensive, but you've got to admit that it's kind of funny. The caption is funny because it "reveals" what they were probably thinking at a time when you really could not speak out.

Engraved Partridge in a Pear Tree Holiday Cards (box set) $34.00

Crane & Co. Papers is like the Valentino of stationery. Even though a lot of their designs are really simple, they tend to cost a lot. At the same time, it's a form of luxury in a card that you probably would not able to give in a present, like gold. I like that the card reflects the song.

Multi-Lingual Holiday Card (box set) $19.00

This card is good for pen pals or international friends. I'm assuming it's cheaper than the other Crane card because they don't have gold embossed on it.

Globe with Calligraphy (box set) $18.92

I'm someone who celebrates the Holidays with no religious affiliation, so for me, it's really about the hope of everyone coming together. This card, doesn't look like "Christmas," but it says everything about it.

Green Foil Tree, Green Gems (box set) $24.95

This card is apparently hand-made (not sure by a worker or a child laborer). Regardless, I think this is very cute.

Six ornaments $7.95

Okay, this card is pushing pennies to dollars. I think you should get this only if you plan to give to someone you love because you'll think "it's worth it." I guess the price corresponds with all the shininess.

Three Stockings $6.95

This card is very old-school looking, very much like a 1970s textbook. I'm not sure why this card is so expensive. Vintage? It's a good card to give to a teacher.

Courtesy of Papyrus, Crane & Co., Anne Taintor