the successful half-tuck

The successful half-tuck spells the difference between effortlessly chic and just plain sloppy or fashion victim. I'm not sure if the half-tuck started on the catwalk (this one is from a Dries Van Noten runway show last year) or from Swedish fashionista Elin Kling or Vogue Paris editor-in-chief Emmanuelle Alt.

But I've done so much research (read: excuse to surf the web), that I think I've figured out the components of a successful half-tuck. I've dissected and analyzed every half-tuck photo I googled to come up with the anatomy of the successful half-tuck (read: it was a long weekend for me).

1 The half-tuck needs to be gradual. See how the runway look above is perfectly styled to look imperfectly chic. It just looks stiff & contrived when half of your button down shirt is impeccably tucked into your bottoms and the other is untucked.

A half-tuck is meant to look effortless and doing this left-half-is-completely-different-from-your-right-half shows you put too much effort to follow a trend. A successful half-tuck has to look like it got untucked by itself as you moved around. Or like you were too in a rush that morning to tuck your whole shirt. Like this...

Do the same gradual-untuck even with t-shirts like Elin Kling does here.

2 Accessorize thoughtfully. A fabulous jacket, belt, boots or heels will keep you from looking like a slob. Piling on the bangles or a sweet pair of aviators like Emmanuelle Alt here will also do the trick.

You can even pull off a contrived half-tuck with the right accessories!

3 The half-tuck looks best with loose, soft, even sheer tops.

A soft material, not only makes the gradual-untuck easier to execute, but it also gives the casual half-tuck look a dose of polish.

4 And always, always do the half-tuck with skinny bottoms.

Only runway models can get away with a half-tuck on loose pants (Yes, I know Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a model, but I promise, even real people like us can look good in a half-tuck paired with skinny bottoms!).

I think it's easier to execute a successful half-tuck with a short top and low-rise bottoms. But that's just me. Hope these tips help you pull off an effortlessly chic half-tuck before the summer ends!

Photos from hanneli, here, here, here, here and here.

Click here for the down-in-the-dots version of this post.

HeeHaw-somest Mother's Day!

I spoke - er, posted - too soon. We broke tradition this year and it was soooo worth it! I had the HeeHaw-somest Mother's Day ever!

Maybe you already know from here how much I love horses and how terribly I miss riding. Well, my day started with an excited Noah brightly greeting me with several handmade gifts - my favorite of which was this bookmark of a purple pony. His cousin has the actual Littlest Pet Shop toy horse and I constantly beg her to let me have it, but she refuses every single time. So my sweet Noah drew me my own LPS pony!

Then, coincidentally, Isabella gave me her most coveted LPS pony (the one I pined for when she was younger, but she was never willing to give it up). She said the horse was supposed to watch over me when she's not around (Awww!). So I put the tiny horse on the charging tray on my bedside table.

Then, the hubby changed the Cafe 1771 plan to... a trip to El Kabayo Riding Stables in Clark, Pampanga! I was greeted by a delightfully unexpected sight! The facility is a replica of an old western town straight out of an American cowboy movie. The facade recreated an old-west saloon, a trading post, a telegraph office, a run-down hotel, a federal bank and even a courthouse, the sheriff's office and a county jail!

Then I finally got to ride. Happiness! First, we took the trail. We went through a kalamansi grove in the sweltering heat. Then Isabella and I still wanted to ride so we went around the riding ring.

Before leaving El Kabayo, we explored the Old West Town more closely. Here's a prisoner from the County Jail that escaped because the Sheriff was sleeping on the rocking chair... Hehe.

Then as I took more close-up photos, I realized that the Old West Town replica was actually the facade of the stables. So through the "shop windows" you could actually spy horses! And if you remember from here, just seeing a thoroughbred's back calms me. So I was delighted beyond belief when I looked through each shop window and saw such huge beautiful horses! Their backs were usually facing the shop window so one of the El Kabayo staff handed us grass to feed the horse.

Truly, this was the HeeHaw-somest Mother's Day ever!

Photos are my own and from annnniegirl and here - all edited with pixlr.

mother's day tradition

Where are you spending this Mother's Day?

For the past couple of years, we've been spending mine in Cafe 1771. I just love the whimsical interiors of the dining area that greets you as you walk in. So pretty!

We usually end up sitting in the relaxed study-looking area that's further in. It is much more laid-back than the old i-have-to-say-stuffier Chateau 1771 interiors.

But the thing I keep going back to Cafe 1771 for (and it has remained the same, albeit except for portion & price, since Chateau days) is their Tomato-Cheese Fondue. I loooove it. Isabella does too!

Noah calls it "stinky cheese" though.

Lunch at Cafe 1771 on Mother's Day. It's almost like tradition now. And I always end my Mother's Day lunch with my favorite Coffee Pie...

... which my mom took the trouble to buy for me on my birthday here. Because that's just how she is: my mom - the most generous, selfless, loving person I know. Happy Mother's Day Mommy!

What about you? Any Mother's Day traditions in your family? Where are you spending this Mother's Day?

Photos are my own of Mother's Day 2010 & from here, here, here and here.

Click here for my down-in-the-dots Mother's Day post.

Today, I am loving...

Today, I am loving... these sweet and clever his & hers items. From morning coffee mugs to paper coffee cups...

To a way to mark your side of the bed...

I have this funny lovers' spat pillowcase set in navy. I got them from me&u in Eastwood.

They also have this charming set.

But this is my favorite his & hers item... These ice cream spoons...

They make it necessary for a couple to share a scoop of ice cream. Isn't that the sweetest?

Today, I am loving... the idea of having such sweet & clever his & hers items around the house.

Photos from pinkwallpaper, annnniegirl, here and here.

Click here for previous posts from the Today, I am loving... series. Click here for the down-in-the-dots version of this post.

Whimsical Wednesday!

Winnie the Pooh said "Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon".

And it's true! Balloons are just whimsical, colorful and happy.

Maybe because balloons remind us of our childhood.

And birthday parties.

Or theme park memories.

Or maybe because balloons inspire us to dream - to fly.

After all, a movie made us think it is possible.

And someone tried to prove it is.

Indeed, "Nobody can be uncheered with a balloon."

So as you drive to work today, imagine you have a bunch of balloons flying with the wind.

And have a whimsical Wednesday!

Photos from annnniegirl, polkadotshoppingbag, frommetoyou, here, here, here, here and here.

Click here for previous posts from the Whimsical Wednesday series. Click here and here for down-in-the-dots versions of this balloons post.

Color Obsession: lavender

Lavender has been catching my eye lately. It started when I saw this lavender stingray Anya Hindmarch Minaudiere here.

Then I saw this VW camper. Okay, maybe this Kombi is more periwinkle or thistle than lavender, but I guess I'm loving all sorts of soft purple!

Then, I bought a copy of InStyle's May 2012 issue...

And finally, this lavender Hermes...

... which introduced me to the lavender & brown combination. And got me thinking about other colors that can go with lavender. Check out this palette I made on Polyvore.

My picks, by color, are:

• Lavender & Yellow - Kenneth Cole Yellow Circle Pendant and Kate Spade 'triple threat' faceted bangle
• Lavender & Orange - Debenhams Statement Orange Stone Ring and Tory Burch logo pendant necklace
• Lavender & Navy - Proenza Schouler Mini PS1 Pouch
• Lavender & Brown - Mulberry braided leather belt, Fossil Brown Tone Dyed River Shell Stretch bracelet, Marc by Marc Jacobs Brown Wooden Bolt bangle and Cartier Ballon Bleu Brown Dial men's watch (I looove that this Ballon Bleu has a brown face!)
• Lavender & Gray - Palazzo Bruciato Giorgia leather lace-up shoes (but I would have loved to pair this ensemble with silver Sergio Rossi brogues!)
• Lavender & Nude - Michael Kors stretch-cotton broadcloth shorts
• Lavender & Seafoam Green - Debenhams Mint Green Chunky Enamel bangle and Zara Pointed Ballerinas with Bow

Ooohh, I am still loving Spring's pastels!

Photos from baghag, pinkwallpaper, polyvore, here and here.

Click here for the down-in-the-dots version of this post. Click here for previous posts from the Color Obsession series.

drawing art

I know I usually feature non-traditional art. But this video of traditional drawing with a Faber Castell pen is just too amazing! The man in the video draws without even lifting his pen and creates a masterpiece by simply drawing in circles.

I have no idea if it is real: if it was just a camera trick. But these next ones are definitely real, no tricks - made with just a pencil & paper. 7-year-old Noah's drawings from the past 2 months...

This next one was inspired by my Herbie sighting

By the 2nd movie on a Muppets marathon Saturday on Fox Family Movies, came this drawing of Kermit. He didn't finish it though, because he wasn't very happy with it. And I have no idea why...

While watching Pooh on Disney Junior (another one he didn't think was perfect enough to finish)...

And another of many Woody drawings over the years by this avid Toy Story fan...

Finally, his Lego Harry Potter drawing that blew me away...

Is it obvious Noah beats me at Pictionary and Draw Something all the time? Unfortunately, I never thought of taking a snapshot of his Draw Something masterpieces. Unlike these people's unbelievable Draw Something drawings