Gothic Glam

This dress from Alexander McQueen is stunning. The shape and silhouette is simple, but on closer inspection, the design and texture of the piece makes it all the more complex. I love how it's modest as well. It's the soft-spoken sophistication that makes this piece alluring.

I Concur

"I’m enamored with minimalism. I think the main reason being that I can be quite direct sometimes. And some might consider that rude. But I’m usually very busy. Minimalism, I think, is the physical embodiment of a mindset that says I don’t have time for the fluff. Life is short and I want to enjoy the most meaningful parts to the fullest. I want to soak up humanity for what it truly is. Minimalism is a lot like that. Cut all the decoration, the superfluous adornment. Admire the beauty in simplicity, in function. Life is much too short to spend it on meaningless decoration."

via here

Brian Atwood Resort 2012

The colors, the colors. View it in HD, of course.

Sephora Black Friday Sale

10 Goodies for $10? I'm in.



THINGS I PLAN ON PURCHASING, NO DOUBT:
1. Korres - I have the lotion and I've tried the balm. It's a win-win situation.
2. Buxom - I have the mascara but I haven't tried the liner. The mascara lengthens and volumizes extremely well and doesn't leave that cakey, crunchy effect afterwards! My lashes end up looking naturally long and millionized (haha). This has got to be one of my favorite mascaras... I end up wearing it only during the daytime, though, because it's not waterproof. I guess you can't have it all... The liner is very long-wearing, and sets really fast, but people have been complaining that it's not creamy enough.

THINGS I MIGHT PURCHASE...
1. Josie Maran Argan Color Stick - Just b/c it's Josie Maran and I've heard rave reviews. I'm not entirely sure if I'll love the shimmer, though.
2. The Art of Shaving - This might be good to give to some of my guy friends... I don't know anything about shaving "essentials" for men, as they call it, but maybe they'd like it? I don't know... Guys, what do you think?

THE REST
1. Kat Von D - Adora Fragrance
2. Tarte - MultiplEYE primer and lights, camera, lashes! Duo (I prefer the Dior maximizer primer...)
3. Stila - Glitz and Glam Palette and Lip Glaze (Aren't all of these mini Stila palettes around $10?)
4. Bare Minerals - All Decked Out (Never tried this, but a friend of mine loves Bare Minerals!)
5. Tokidoki - Chromatico Eyeshadow Palette (I never really found the packaging enticing...)
6. Sephora - Beauty to Go Brush Set (I'm not sure about this set in particular, but I own this, and I love it. The bristles are really soft!)

Austin

So I was in Austin a couple weeks ago, and visited a friend of mine who's an up-and-coming photographer. I sheepishly asked him to take some pictures of me... mostly to have some personal pics of outfits (rather than googling images), but it ended up being a testshoot and I must say... I have no talent whatsoever as a model. DONE AND DONE. However, I guess I'll post the only viable picture from the shoot...

Check out Waytao's work here and his flickr stream here.

On another note, my box of Sephora goodies came in the mail last week, and I'll upload pics and reviews of that sometime soon... I've been quite busy with work and yes... I am also blogging during my lunch break, ha! :P

Anyways, here's a peek of this OPI for Sephora nail polish duo I bought:

(Metallic Purple base in Just a Little Dangerous/Silver Overlay in Silver Blasted)

MAC x Gareth Pugh

Holy crap this line is speaking to my inner goth fanatic. Gareth Pugh has collaborated with MAC to produce a new makeup collection, which will be available on Nov. 23 (North America) or December (International).

Okay, I don't go around wearing panda eyes or wear purple lipstick religiously, sulking in dark corners like the Cullens, but these campaign ads and the packaging makes me want to splurge a little on this... non? I don't even own a single item of makeup from MAC, but I guess my love for Gareth Pugh is just telling me to swipe the card.

The makeup ranges from $15 (mascara) to $60 (pressed powder), nail polishes are $23, lashes are $18, and the kabuki brush is $60.

Versace x H&M

I really wanted to like this, but I couldn't bring myself to fall in love with the gold encrusted, bedazzled, 80s-flashback, sheathed collection of Versace for H&M. I put together some examples via Paint below (haha I suck at technology), so tell me what you think about it. The closest H&M store from me is in Dallas, but is it worth the drive?

The collection drops Nov. 19th in stores in the US and Canada, and you can view the entire collection here.

Click the picture for better quality!

Even though I don't think much of this collection, I think I am a tad partial to 1, 8, and 9. I like the classic look of #1, the simple silhouette of #8, and the shoulder and elbow padding details on the leather jacket (#9). Everything else seems pretty strange, from the superman caped dress (#2), the J.Lo-gone-wrong dress (#5), the my-stomach-will-lead-you-to-Hawaii dress (#7), to the modern-day tights for Eve (#10). The obnoxiously loud purse and the cheap looking shoes don't do much to add to the collection, either. But this is all my own personal opinion, so if you like what you see, good luck grabbing everything you can on the 19th!

On a sidenote, Donatella Versace will also be designing a pre-spring collection for H&M, which will be exclusively available in countries with H&M online sales starting January 19, 2012.

Sephora Friends and Family Sale!

Starting this Thursday, October 20th, Sephora will be holding its annual Friends and Family Sale where customers can get 20% off their entire purchase! This discount applies to all products, including the sale items. The sale will last until Wednesday, November 2nd so get your carts stocked up in the meantime! Oh and get your discount code here!

As for me, I'm tempted by these.. (Click on the picture for better quality!)

1. Kat Von D True Romance Eyeshadow Palette in Angeles - $15 (on sale) - I'm always partial to browns and bronze/copper tones, and the blue/green shades seem like a great way to brighten up a look or step out of your normal makeup routine. I'm probably not going to get this b/c I already have the Naked Palette and UD's 15th anniversary palette, but this is a GREAT deal on some awesome, pigmented shades.
2. Kat Von D Autograph Liner - $16 (on sale) - I've heard great things about this liquid eyeliner so I may end up buying this. I actually like brush tips rather than felt ones and this... is a brush applicator! We are fated, Mr. Autograph Liner.
3. Nars Roman Holiday Lipstick - $24 - I really adore NARS products, especially their lip products and blushes/bronzers. I'm probably going to pick up this shade during the sale, which is described as a sheer delicate pastel pink. I've tried it on and the color is very buildable. Seems suitable for lighter skin tones, though.
4. Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF 60 PA+++ - $39 - The best defense against aging is a good sunblock, imo. I've been using the same product in SPF 33, but I think I need a higher SPF b/c my freckles seem to be getting darker :( And I heard that the formula for this SPF 60 is less greasy compared to the SPF 33! No one wants an oily looking face...
5. Nails Inc. Magnetic Polish - $16 - I've blogged about it here, so you guys know how much I want this polish. Rad.
6. Fusion Beauty LipFusion Color Shine - $9.50 (on sale) I have semi-big lips for an Asian, so I don't really buy plumping lip products, but... it's on sale. I'm a sucker for sales. Look mama I saved 75%!! But she'll probably just shake her head. Regardless of the price, this has great reviews on Sephora and is NOT a sticky lipgloss! Looks like a winner.
7. Dior DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum & Primer - $28 - So this past year, I've been on a quest to lengthen and volumize my natural lashes, and I came upon this product from Dior last spring. I've used a whole tube, which lasted me about 5 months, and I must say... This really does work! I saw new lashes growing in and my original lashes definitely grew longer. They also seemed healthier b/c I didn't lose as many lashes when taking off my mascara. Definitely going to buy another tube. Or two... hehe.
8. Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner - $21 - Smooth, water-resistant, pigmented, and you can use this on the waterline. What is not to love?
9. Make Up For Ever HD Microfinish Powder - $30 - I use this on a daily basis, and I really like this stuff. It has a sheer coverage, but it would be great as a setting powder for you foundation users. In terms of oil control, I think it lasts about 8 hours before you see any shine, but that's just me. Totally makes you look flawless, matte, and reduces the visibility of your strawberry fields (aka pores).
10. DDF Glycolic Exfoliating Wash 5% - $35 - I haven't used this yet so I can't give you a personal review, but it is supposedly helpful in preventing breakouts and evening out complexion. I would assume that this would be pretty drying, so I would suggest putting on a thick moisturizer afterwards.
11. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel - $13 to $24.50 - If you have oily skin, this is the moisturizer for you. I like to use this in the summertime and alternate between the moisturizing lotion and FAB ultra repair cream (love!) in the winter.
12. Philosophy Help Me - $45 - This stuff claims to "keep pores clean and minimized, reduces wrinkles and discoloration, and boosts tone and firmness" so I'm tempted to try it out. The main reason I want this is because it has retinol, a form of Vitamin A that has anti-aging effects. Remember, if you are using products that include retinol, alpha-hydroxyacids (AHAs) or beta-hydroxyacids (BHA) in its ingredients, you MUST use sunscreen before going outside.
13. Korres Lip Butter - I am obsessed with lip balms. I'm pretty sure I have a lip balm of some sort in every purse I own... Haha. I want to add this to my collection... It contains shea butter and rice wax and also has a sheer tint of color to brighten up your look!

Head on over to Sephora now! :)

Accessories Haul!

Sorry I've been so MIA! I just started work and now I only have time on the weekends, really. Here is the belated accessories haul post that I was rambling about in the earlier posts.

So I went on a jewelry rampage recently, so I took some pictures of the things I bought in the past month or so. Most of these are from ASOS, although a few are from eBay and Forever21. Gotta keep my wallet happy :)

(Clock wise from bottom left: black & gold bracelet from F21, skull-hand earrings from eBay, Chain Earcuffs from ASOS, Leopard Door Knocker bracelet from ASOS, bow ties from eBay, white/gold earrings from F21, claw ring and pyramid earrings from ASOS, green jade ring from UO, woodland creatures ring set from UO, Stacked Ring from ASOS, jeweled ring from ASOS, and Aquarius ring from BCBG, red & black leopard hair tie from ASOS)

Bling in action and new kicks! Got these YSL leopard loafers off eBay mwahahah. Paired them with black skinny Citizens of Humanity jeggings, and a white lace-back top from Free People.



I just realized you could click on the pictures to the see the actual sizes... god I fail at technology :\

Lusting After

This awesome magnetic nail polish... The packaging is the same as with any other nail polish except that it has an outer cap with a magnet on top. So basically you paint your nails with two coats, as you would with any other nail polish, but on the second coat, you hover the magnet cap over the nail to create that weird striped effect. Love it!!! The silver chrome one looks like shark skin.

Buy it here for $16 or see it in action here:

Dw by Kanye West

Kanye West launched his debut Spring 2012 women's ready-to-wear line this past Saturday night at the Lycee Henri IV during Paris Fashion Week.

As expected from Kanye, the pieces show a great deal of ambition, but the whole collection came off as trying too hard. I feel like he wanted to incorporate too many ideas and ended up forgetting about an overarching theme. Well, below are the pictures, so you can judge for yourself.

Minimalistic invitation...

but not much of a minimalistic collection. Is that a fur backpack I see?

Aww... that's presh. I still love Kanye.

via the Daily Beast and Essence

Fall/Winter 2011

So I know I promised a haul post, but that'll have to wait. I must blog about these beauties first!

Gareth Pugh RTW FW 2011

A SHITLOAD OF AWESOME!!! This is so... galactic. Like Star Wars costumes revamped. Of course, Pugh usually deals with darker tones, but he added a surprising pop of blue to this collection. Totally in love with the whole line.






OFWGKTA x BAPE Winter 2011

The entirety of Odd Future is featured in the BAPE Winter 2011 Collection mook looking pretty fly. Love Tyler. :)

DSQUARED2 RTW Winter 2011 Collection

I have nothing further to say than that this whole collection is fab. Buy/pre-order here!

Coyote Fur Coat


Stone Washed Calf Leather Trousers (love the side detailing)


Biker Dirty Denim Jeans


130mm Laced Boots in Suede (left) and Washed Cotton (right)
(I prefer the army green one...)


160mm Calf Laced Ice Skate Boots
(I'm tempted to go skate in these boots :P)

I Need You In My Closet!

Okay, fine. Not need, but DESPERATELY DESIRE. The weather is still triple digits for Texas, but I am already thinking about fall... Yes, that one week of bliss where the temperatures are not too hot but not too cold to wear out a cute outfit with boots, leggings, and a blazer. Yes... and then one week later, the cold front slaps you in the face with its 40-degree ass until February.

Anyways, I wanted to put down some stuff on the blog that I've been thinking about in case I forget them.


COMBAT BOOTS

I've always wanted a pair of destroyed combat boots like these Ann Demeulemeester ones... Or Rick Owens... You know, because I can afford them all. Ha ha ha... sorry for my broke ass.

Okay, and I know these are men's but aren't they super adorbs? Ah, finding stuff that are my type kills me. I think I have too many dislikes in general.

(Common Projects ankle boots)


DOC MARTENS

Classic. I'm boring so I just want them in white or black. I forget where I found this picture... ahh the bane of google images.

CREEPERS

Yes! I mentioned these in the last post too, but omg I really REALLY want a pair of creepers. I obviously cannot afford the Balenciaga ones below, so I was thinking about some TUK ones instead. Yeah? (Btw, these will go so well with my bow ties... but that's for another post.)

(Balenciaga creepers SS 11)

(Joe Casely-Hayford Creepers SS 11)

(TUK creepers)


RED SKINNY JEANS

I want these! Or actually any type of red jeans. I think I also mentioned this specific pair on an earlier post, but man are they sweet. I love hardware... zippers, studs, you name 'em. The Rocco in my blog name is an homage to the Alexander Wang bag that I love... and the hardware is awesome.



LEGGINGS

In general, I like leggings from House of Holland. They're cute, fit well, and are of good quality. However, I found this super cute pair (below) on a site called Romwe. I've never bought anything from there, but a fellow blogger seemed to have a lot of stuff from that store. You guys should check it out! :)



BLACK MOTORCYCLE JACKET

MMHMM girl needs this to finish off her outfit. Or rather, I feel like this fall/winter, I will be dressed more or less as an androgynous emo-punk person... Hm. Whatever, I like what I like. The second pic is a phone pic I took whilst in the fitting room at BCBG. It was on sale for about $300, but the leather wasn't as buttery as I liked. Meh.

(Balmain I-can-never-afford-you Leather Jacket)

(BCBG Leather Jacket)


I really don't know who reads (or doesn't... *points to my number of followers*) my blog, but my new post shall be on my eBay haul! Exciting! Anticipate it! Okay, don't anticipate it that much... I don't want you guys to be disappointed :P