more photos available, email marcjoseph@marcjoseph.com
www.marcjoseph.com

Thomas Wylde warrior skull boots

Nina Ricci bow shoulder cardigan

Manoush satin bow dress

Chloe Audra leather tote

Teal eye shadow, fuschia lips, black liner in feline style, let your inner Amy Winehouse out!

Here's a great shoot photographed by the famed Mario Testino in the current V magazine.

Enjoy!!!

Left:
Dress Dior by John Galliano
Jacket Nina Ricci
Earrings Tom Binns
Boots vintage from
Trash & Vaudeville


Right:

Jacket Christopher Kane

Striped top (wrapped around body)

Rossella Tarabini for Anna Molinari 

Striped shirt (worn around neck)

Vivienne Westwood 

Skirt Emporio Armani 

Earrings Tom Binns

Dress Jean-Paul Gaultier
Cardigan (worn around waist) Paule Ka
Glasses vintage Pierre Cardin
Boots vintage from Trash & Vaudeville

Left:
Jacket Chanel
Top Phi
Crown and bracelet Tom Binns 

On face and lips, Chanel
Teint Innocence Fluid
Makeup in gentle ivory and
Rouge Hydrabase Crème
Lipstick in lily beige

Right:
Jacket Chanel
Top Phi
Pants Chloé
Skirt Ralph Lauren
Crown and bracelets Tom Binns
Shoes and socks Pou Pou Lapin

Source

]]> http://scentaddicts.wordpress.com/?p=373 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:16:00 +0000 scentaddicts http://scentaddicts.wordpress.com/?p=373 [/caption]

NOTES: grapefruit, green apple, raspberry, jasmine, Sambac blossom, caramel, apple tree accords, powdery vanilla, sensual musk.

Nina Ricci launched a new, special edition version of the ever-so-popular Nina (from 2006) earlier this year. The fragrance is supposed to be a younger, lighter, and sweeter version of the original version, and those that have smelled it have likened it to a candy store reminiscent of the olden days. I attempted to locate this perfume at my local mall, but without success. Desperate to sample what I figured would be a delectable scent straight from Heaven, I took the plunge and purchased a full size bottle on eBay.

CLASSIFICATION: unique, slightly fruity, slightly floral, slightly gourmand

AGE GROUP: college/mature

SIMILAR SCENT(s): Nina by Nina Ricci

FORM: Eau de Toilette

First, let me just say that purchasing a full-sized bottle of a perfume you have never sampled is a really horrible idea, and is therefore not ever recommended. I have officially learned my lesson. Luckily, eBay makes it fairly easy to make money back on bad purchases, so all is not lost. Anyway, on with the review.

I was expecting, from the reviews I had read, as well as the notes, a very fruity, floral fragrance with a slightly gourmand base. Because of my recent success with other gourmand perfumes, I was very excited for Pretty Nina, as there did not seem to be anything offensive about it at all. I can deal with base notes of vanilla and caramel, especially if a fruity opening is involved.

The opening to Nina is fruity and sweet. However, there is a strong underlying smell of... bug spray. I am not sure what the note is that reminds me of Off Skintastic, but it is present. It unfortunately continues to remain present from the opening to the dry down and beyond.

Please note, for the record, I did NOT care for the original Nina perfume. I can not describe it now in detail, as I only sampled it once months ago, but this perfume did remind me very much of the original. I can't say for sure if I was able to smell bug spray as the dominant note of the original Nina, but in retrospect, it does seem very possible.

After an hour of wearing Pretty Nina, I can begin to smell the gourmand notes of vanilla and caramel a bit, under that dominant unappealing note (did you ever notice why the worst notes are always the ones that last forever?) The vanilla and caramel are very much appealing to me, but can only be noticed at very close range to the area of application.

As a positive note, Pretty Nina is very long-lasting, and does not fade or change completely over time as some fragrances do. It is also much more pleasant after the dry down.

REPORT CARD

(We highly recommend reading our guide to understanding our grading system if you haven’t already)

First sniff (bottle): D

First sniff (skin): D

Worn scent: C-

Staying power: A

Scent as compared to note(s): D

Bottle: A+

Overall: C-

Pretty Nina is a lighter, sweeter version of the original Nina, from what I can remember. It is not overly sweet, overly fruity, or overly floral, and I disagree with the reviews I have read comparing Pretty Nina to a candy shop. If you enjoyed Nina, but are looking for a summer version of that, Pretty Nina will probably be worth your while.

CLASSIFICATION: slightly citrusy, slighty spicy

AGE GROUP: college / mature

SIMILAR SCENT(s): Nina by Nina Ricci

Nina Ricci and I go way back, oh yes, we do. I own Nina by Nina Ricci (which came out before Pretty Nina), but I'm not a huge fan anymore. As a result, I was planning on being disappointed with Pretty Nina, since it was just a lighter/sweeter (?) version of Nina. Or so I had heard.

I'll just go through what I experienced in sampling this perfume. When I sniffed it from the bottle/nozzle, I was unimpressed. It smelled just like Nina. I was pretty bummed that it seemed like they didn't even switch it up. But, I still gave it a fair shot. I sprayed it quite generously on my wrist to truly experience the scent.

Don't even bother smelling this when you first spray it. This is definitely a fragrance that needs some time to simmer down before you test drive it. Once it soaked into my skin, the spiciness of the original Nina was not as dominant; instead I smelled a surprisingly semi-sweet mixture of citrusy smells and unidentifiable, yet feminine, notes. This stage of my Pretty Nina perfume wearing experience was going much better than I had planned.

While I wouldn't rush out to buy Pretty Nina myself, nor do I have any desire to ever really wear it again, to me this isn't so bad. I do agree with Jax that if you're a fan of Nina by Nina Ricci, you should definitely consider giving Pretty Nina a shot if you're looking for a bit of a lighter, citrus type version (although I don't really smell green apple, raspberry, or apple tree accords). It would definitely be perfect for any Nina fan during the Summer months.

Nothing about this fragrance was gourmand to me; then again, the "original" version of this, Nina, also did not seem gourmand to me, and I have read many people classify it as such. I never was able to distinguish any type of carmel or vanilla smell.

REPORT CARD

(We highly recommend reading our guide to understanding our grading system if you haven’t already)

First sniff (bottle): D

First sniff (skin): F

Worn scent: C

Staying power: A

Scent as compared to note(s): D

Bottle: A+

Overall: C

While not my particular favorite, I think any fan of fruity-spicy combinations will really enjoy this.  Unfortunately, I'm generally not a spicy perfume type of gal.  Be warned, though: if you are, this may be a tid bit too sweet for you.  That's not to say that this is a sweet fragrance overall - just to someone seeking a spicy fragrance with a citrus flare.  Also, as a side note, it sort of smells like random cleaning products to me - like the generic Windex "Summery Breeze" version, or something equally as seasonal and pink-colored.

Nina Ricci hat sich für die Herbst-/Winterkampagne 08/09 die schöne Russin mit den markanten Wangenknochen ausgesucht. Gerade wurde Natasha Poly übrigens auch während der Fashion Week Berlin gesichtet, hier strahlte die 23-Jährige beim Elle Fashion Star im kleinen Schwarzen und stahl Claudia Schiffer prompt die Show.

This pretty tiered Nina Ricci resort dress. A lot of times I tend to think tiers look a little blah, but I'm liking the details on this one.

 Rest in peace.

On the topic of gorgeous women, I have decided to list my favorite models. One of my favorite models is Agyness Deyn, who is so gorgeous but yet has such an edge. Although my look is completely different than hers, she is a icon for women since she is who she is and has no regrets.

Another model who I adore is  Sasha Pivovarova. All the way from Moscow, Russia, she has made such a name for herself and has accomplished so much. She has worked for Calvin Klein, Anna Sui, Carolina Herrera, DKNY, Marc Jacobs, Carolina Herrera, Zac Posen, and Prada. Gemma Ward is mistaken for Pivovarova but as you can see in the following picture, Sasha Pivovarova's (on right) eyes just shine.

We can all except to see more of Sasha Pivovarova from years to come.

An upcoming model that I admire is Chanel Iman. She is half-African American and half-Korean. Chanel also appeared on the cover of Teen Vogue alongside fellow American teenage models Ali Michael and Karlie Kloss, who are also very beautiful.

Lastly, another one of my favorite model on the scene at the moment, is Jessica Stam. This Canadian model has graced the cover of Vogue and is in the notorious Dior ads.

 Who's your favorite model?

Darling's back from GZ and we are reunited once again!!! Haha. Okie I know we have only been apart from like 5 days. So I'm like super exaggerating. Haha.

Time passed real slow on Friday, probably because I was feeling super bloated, probably because I dun feel too well, but also probably because I know Darling will be landing in Singapore very soon and I can't wait!!! The clock finally ticked to 6pm, I grabbed my stuffs and head for the airport. The journey's like so long!!! And I finally got to the airport at around 7+.
So happy to see Darling!!! I waved at him and rushed towards him and we gave each other a big big hug. Feel so good too see him after so long. There's so many things he wanna share on his trip and me on my work. We went to this restaurant, Pasta Fresca Da Salvatore for dinner. And their food... SUCKS. Haha. It's so awful!!! The pasta is so not nice. By the time we finished dinner and everything, it's already like 8 plus. Took a cab back to Hougang.

Darling bought me Nina Ricci's perfume from DFS. Haha. I like it!!! Nice fragrance, but expensive. S$90++ for a small 50ML bottle. We proceed for home after dinner at the not very nice pasta restaurant and I can't wait to get home!!! There wasn't alot of stuffs to unpack, basically alot of clothes to wash, which Darling's mummy will be doing the washing, not me. For now. Haha.

Darling also bought me a nice pillow, with a big smiley face and small body. Will be bringing it to work cuz I dun think it will be safe at home. Cookie will probably attack it and it will be dead by the time I come home. Will probably bring the Superman home loh. He bought me a small toy pouch, same character as the pillow + one key chain.
Thanks Darling!!!!

He bought some other keychains and some local foodstuffs for relatives/family. But actually I already told him next time dun haf to buy things cuz he's overseas for work not holiday mah. Dun haf to worry about souvenirs. Think he's got alot of experience this time round when he's in GZ and Macau, visited alot of places and learn about the local culture. There will be more traveling and to many other countries in future. Will be uploading the pics Darling took also.

Saturday night we went for our Get Smart Movie at J8. Left home earlier wanted to do some shopping but only managed to get a skirt.

Met SS and wife for the movie, 9.25pm movie but it only started at around 10.15pm!!! Apparently there was some technical fault and there's this super long delay.
My phone 'died' on Saturday night too, drowned by Coca Cola. Haha. Well. Something real stupid happened. We went to 7-11 to get some tidbits and a big gulp for the movie, the very smart me put the big gulp in my big bag, and we happily make our way to the cinema. But as I was walking up the escalator, I felt some water dripping down on my feet and I thought it's like aircon drip or something, then I realize in HORROR that the water is actually COKE!!! And it's dripping out from my BAG! Argh. Can you imagine our reaction? It's really like a major nightmare. We removed the coke immediately but too late liaos, the cap already fall out and the bag is like flooded with coke liaos. Everything else is soaked. I'm like oh my god.
We walked all the way to the cinema, cuz the movie's like starting soon, and the water is like dripping and dripping and dripping as we walked. Haha. What a joke! Haha.
I'm like shit man. This is .... xyz@#$

Then, I grabbed a ticket and dashed to the ladies to clear the bag first. And ARGH. Everything's WET!!! I overturned the bag and some coke dripped out, there's ice too. And everything else is soaked!!! My new soft toy pouch that Darling got for me, my hp, my wallet, my coin pouch, everything!
I threw away my hp pouch and dump everything else back in the bag. My umbrella's soaked too! =(

There's nothing much I can do so I put everything back in the bag and went for the movie. Took everything out from the bag in the cinema and lay them out on the floor to dry loh. When I try to press my hp hor, it's like half paralyzed. I can only press half of the buttons on the keypad. I'm like 'whatever lah!' Haha. Dun care liaos. There's nothing I can do at that moment also. Shall just leave them to dry and watch our movie.

But the movie started real late, so was talking to SS's wife on their wedding plans. Their traditional/customary will be this September.

Overall the movie's alright. Not as hilarious as we thought but still funny. And we also received a complimentary ticket each for their delay. Any movies on any days. Haha. Not too bad lah hor. The wait was kinda worthwhile. Hee. Probably be watching the 10 Promises to my Dog. Hee.

This is a super long post and super slow post cuz I drag over like few days to complete it. Been real busy!!! Tight up with homey stuffs and work and school's starting soon too.

Back to that very night, we went home after the movie, seriously I dun think I can still go anywhere after that incident with Coke flooding my bag. Haha.
My phone is declared dead. Officially. Or rather half dead lah, cuz half of the buttons can't function. It's really maddening cuz I'm like trying to reply smses but there's so many alphabets I can't press. And there's simply no alternative for certain words one loh.
So well.

Read Darling's tour book on Sunday, interesting. Haha.

I feel it's not too bad this time round, cuz Darling is only away for 5 days. 5 working days, so time pass really fast and we still get to spend the weekends together. So it's really not that bad.

Sunday was the usual. Woke up late, had lunch and I took a nap again. Been on medication since Friday night, dun really feel well. Groggy, sore throat, cough and flu. But after medication I feel even more groggy. I can't open my eyes for long I will just concuss after awhile.
Had a good sleep though, just that the feeling of concuss is kinda scary. I feel like i'm fainting and I can't sense anything.

Dinner was at 500+ S11, fish steamboat + some dishes from the 'chu chao'. After dinner we head for home, cuz my bag is really like wet and isn't dry yet, so I dumped everything into Darling's luggage and bought it home. Super big bag of stuffs.

Darling went over to my place to see Cookie on Friday too, when he landed in Sg. We went back Hougang and back to AMK later in the night. Cookie miss him alot!!! Darling hide one corner and I opened the door, and I told Cookie, 'Daddy where?' She immediately dashed out and jumped into Darling's arms.
Haha.

Cookie like her new toy too, still playing with it but she dun like it when we pull the gadget and the toy starts vibrating. Haha.

My blog is like jumping from one point to another cuz I'm trying to bring my memory back!!!

By the way, all of us got a new phone, contract with Singtel is up and I DUN LIKE SINGTEL!!! haha. Personal grievance. Haha. And also my phone just nice spoil mah, so got a new line with M1 and the last 4 digits of my mobile is the same as Darling's now. Hee.
Got a Samsung F480 for myself. Was contemplating between LG Viewty and F480, couldn't make up my mind. I went Change Alley to get Mum and Bro's phone first, Sony Ericsson W910i (one of my initial choice) and I seek advice from the retail assistant, he advised me to get Samsung instead of LG.

And so I got Samsung.

Darling's initial choice was Nokia E61i. But E61i runs on Symbiam and dunno if Skype can run on that platform. So after serious consideration, he got this instead.
But after that, he found out that E61i can Skype too! Haha.

The M1 Cust Svc people are nice, real nice and friendly. I guess it's their motto.
YOU DESERVES BETTER. Haha. But they were really nice lah, at least the ones who served us. We were like super loh soh and took a long long time to decide on the phone we want, they were very nice and and patient. All smiles and everything, not a hint of impatience.

Darling will be traveling again very soon, next week perhaps and he say it's gonna be a short trip. How short I'm not sure, neither is he.
I will be good Darling. Will support you okie =) Dun have to worry about me Darling.

Photos of Darling's GZ and Macau Trip:

I think this looks disgusting bu Darling say it's very very nice.

Something memorable (HK) Haha

Thai Food

Door to Darling's hostel at GZ

The little pillow that Darling got for me
(I LOOK PLUMP!!!)

And the Nina Ricci Perfume

There's many many other stuffs that I wanna write but I cannot recall!!!!
Jia You Darling! Jia You PS!!!

As much as resort serves to rehash the ideas of the Fall/Winter season into watered down monotony there are a few bright spots of inventiveness. Take Nina Ricci's colorful Resort showing for example. For a designer known for his somber palates and moody take on glamour Olivier Theyskens turned out an energetic and spirited collection full of the kind of easy to wear pieces women buy and wear more than just once.

There were moments of redundancy of course - take the lemon yellow evening gown reminiscent of the nearly inescapable acid yellow gowns from F/W 07 - but they were still great moments. In keeping with the laid back vibe of resort Theykens even delved into that looks so easy but sure as hell isn't perma-classic, denim. And while the results weren't perfect (does anyone really want a denim jacket AND a denim skirt worn together) they were still more interesting than most of the resort offerings this season.

¿Recuerdas cuando yo era la Princesa del Guisante y tú te desvivías porque pudiera dormir a gusto? Colchones y más colchones, apilados encima de máaas colchones, de toallas, de papeles... lo que hiciera falta.

... Pero el cuento se acabó, el príncipe se marchó...

Y ahora, si acaso, dormimos en el colchón más barato de IKEA.
.
Ahora he decidido que quiero rememorar mis tiempos de fábula y quizás me compre esta "sencilla" cama, adecuada para una delicada princesita como yo.

La monada ha sido diseñada por Nipa Doshi and Jonathan Levien y no es una broma; estará a la venta a finales de este año. Yo la encontré cotilleando en Productdose.

La fotografía del principio es de Eugenio Recuenco y forma parte de una serie inspirada en cuentos clásicos como La Cenicienta, Blancanieves, el Flautista de Hamelín o Caperucita Roja.  Una de estas fotos fue el punto de partida para desarrollar el spot de Nina Ricci, que dirigió el mismo Recuenco.

]]> http://stefanonfashion.wordpress.com/?p=164 Tue, 10 Jun 2008 09:11:35 +0000 stefanonfashion http://stefanonfashion.wordpress.com/?p=164 Sarah Jessica Parker in Nina Ricci (who cheated on SJP, NR promised SJP that noone has worn this dress before her but SJP later found out that the dress was features in couple of magazine) at the New York premiere of Sex and The City.

Also at the CFDA Awards, Eva Longoria Parker looked stunning in her pink Diane Von Furstenberg dress that showed off her gorgeous body.

Megan Fox also looked pretty in pink wearing Zac Posen straight from the runway at the MTV Awards.

Also at the 2008 MTV Movie Awards, Johnny Depp looked like a twenty-something and more gorgeous than ever.

Kate Hudson was wearing Balmain's bohemian gown to a Jimmy Choo event and looked very laid-back yet gorgeous.

And at the premieres in the past few weeks, the actors looked just as good. Sarah Jessica Parker looked absolutely stunning in a Nina Ricci silver gown. Another actor that looked gorgeous was Emmanuelle Chriqui, an upcoming actress that is in the new movie Zohan.

Photo Credit: Just Jared

(Image courtesy of Fragrance Shop)

Price: $107.10 for 80 ml

Description

Notes: Citrus Flesh, Calabrian Lemon, Caipirinha Lime, Red Toffee Apple, Praline, Vanilla, Peony Petals, Moonflower, Applewood, White Cedar, Soft Musks.

Credits to Fragrance Shop.

Personal Review

This fragrance has a soapy floral finish, comparable to Mediterranean Breeze by Elizabeth Arden, but the sweet smell lasts longer than Mediterranean Breeze, the sweetness of which sheds after many hours to leave behind a very plain smell that is neither pleasant nor unpleasant. Despite being extremely sweet, far from being overbearing, it is at the same time refreshing and good to smell even after a long time. Quite unlike other sweet scents that over time become powdery.

Rating: 8.5/10

Maybe Miss Parker should have done her research better and checked the tabs herself to see if the dress had been worn before. How busy can she be? Does anyone remember any of those previous sightings.....no. Does anyone in the general public care what SJP wears? I mean these women have soooo many events. Who can keep them straight in the first place? At the end of the day, she looked beautiful.

These kinds of media-driven hissy fits by spoiled celebrities paint an ugly light on what the famous are really like. All of the interviews and glossy covers show starlets at their best. They always speak humbly about how "lucky" they are, blah blah blah. But when the truth is put to the test, their real character shines through.