Lust of the Moment: Oakley Jupiter

Oakley Jupiter, Alexander Wang and Proenza Schouler

Wayfarers are the ultimate accessory of the new decade. They may be leftovers of the flamboyant 80's, but their ultimate appeal comes from John F. Kennedy's yore.

Typically, Ray-Ban is the go-to brand for the classic wayfarer (see Farah's wishlist) but other brands are churning the sought-after silhouette too, but with a few updates. Alexander Wang showcased sharp cat-eyed versions for the Spring 2010 collection while Proenza Schouler's athletic spirit proved right for these slick shades.

I for one am lusting after Oakley's Jupiter sunglasses. It has Oakley's signature sporty, masculine twist that'll complement this season's sportswear extravaganza. The problem is, What color should I get?

Jupiter sunglasses by Oakley, starting at $100 at www.oakley.com

Sentiment of the Moment: The Man With a Fedora

Yesterday, I received news that one of my church's beloved members passed away. The details as to how it happened weren't divulged. All I know is that he has been battling serious ailments.

I remember every Sunday, he would greet me with a handshake and ask where my dad is. His presence made Sundays more meaningful because of his effervescent warmth and joy. Furthermore, his giddy spirit was always complemented with a distinct personal style. He was known to sport fedoras, porkpies, trilbies, you name it, and wear the sharpest suits. He was definitely ahead of the curve even in his old age.

Come next morning, it'll be a different experience. I'm sure his spot in the welcoming station will be filled by someone else. I'll miss him dearly.

Headlines of the Moment: Geeks, Lakers and Tyra!

I'm no good at current events, and watching news is plain boring. Instead of spieling all the CNN goodies such as Obama's plan to resolve the oil spill, the anarchy in Somalia, or the instability in Afghanistan (yet again), here are my top headliners for the week:

1. Tyra goes bye-bye: Tyra Banks' talk show is coming to a close this week. This may be a good thing as she plans to focus more on America's Next Top Model, B.I.O. (Beauty Inside and Out, a social campaign to expand the standard of beauty), and of course, her newly resurrected modeling career. Another plus: she doesn't have to terrorize us with headlines like "Man with a Vagina" or some (intriguing) nonsense.

2. NBA Western Conference Finals: The Lakers, a venerable champion of the NBA, may have a tough game in their hands. Monday's bout with the Phoenix Suns put their teamwork and performance to the test. But to make things even, the Suns' benchers got some spotlight. Watch Game 5 today at 9 PM Eastern Standard Time on TNT. Oh, and one more thing, GO LAKERS!

3. Rachel Maddow's Geeks: If you want news to be exciting and a bit sardonic, look no further. The Rachel Maddow Show brings all the humor and lighthearted sarcasm conventional newscasters omit. For an added bonus, she features the geekiest of things for Geek Week! Watch Energy Secretary Chu admit he's a nerd.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Item of the Moment: New Cellphone!

After five long years, my dad finally gave me a new phone! He gave me a spanking new Samsung Flight (SGH-A797) from AT&T.

It's a touch screen and QWERTY combo so typing is really easy. (The keyboard is a huge blessing.) Plus, I have text messaging now! I know how archaic that sounds, but my parents are ones to eschew texting.

I'll be enjoying this phone for quite some time (the bane of contracts). But I'll always treasure fond memories of my block-shaped Nokia 6620, and my even older (some argue it's a WWII relic) Nokia 3530.

Tag of the Moment: Either Or

I haven't received tags in a super long time, so for a moment I thought tags are dead. Well, I take that back now since Mel of Chinky Mel's Corner tagged moi!

A vampire or a wizard (and why)? Vampires are so intertwined with sexual imagery--I don't want that. I pick wizard because I want real magic not steamy, romantic, "I wanna make love to you" magic.

If you could change one thing about you, what would it be--if anything? I like the way I am. But if I can change anything, it would be my confidence. I want to be able to approach people and say Hi. Usually I quiver from fear.

Would you rather live like a rock star or like a president? (in other words: fun or power?) I want to live like a president. Rock star status fades, but power is always there. Of course, until the term is over. Do I sound power-hungry?

The lovely (and scheming) Olivia Palermo

What's your favourite cartoon character? Sorry, I don't have a favorite cartoon character! But if you count Olivia Palermo (of The City) as a cartoon character with attitude, then she's my favorite.

What's your (most) guilty pleasure? My guilty pleasure is watching porn. I kid, I kid. I love watching those quirky independent movies. The ones that talk about life more than a specific plot.





If you were a song, what would it be? I adore Alexander Wang's Spring-Summer 2009 soundtrack mix. It's a series of tough as nails beats that gets me up and going.

What's your biggest dream? To be a magazine editor. Or maybe to work in a PR firm that represents designers!

Do you prefer to be the one who asks questions or the one who answers them, and why? I love asking the questions. Answering questions is plain silly because I already know my answers! I want to know what others think.

What is your biggest turn off and turn on? Turn off: vile attitude, discouraged spirit, and haughtiness. Turn on: humble, kind, curious but somewhat cynical/sarcastic/nonchalant. I love it when people are multi-faceted.

Have you ever broken any laws? I think I did. I remember one time I was rushing to go home that I crossed a railroad track with the warning lights and barricades still on. The sheriff saw me and he gave me a ticket. What a shame.

Thank you Mel for this tag! And to pass this little activity forward, I want to tag Abby, Adrianna, Trish, Emer, Manju, Farah, and Amu! Have a great week!

Look of the Moment: Pass the Bowl

Jil Sander backstage

Yes, the ephemeral fever for bowl haircuts has arrived. Jil Sander brought the look for Spring-Summer 2010 while Jack in the Box took it for clever marketing. It's tempting to adopt the 'do because the models at Jil Sander made it look so darn modern, intellectual--cool. But as Jack proved, what's ideal on the runway may not look so ideal in real life.

Thus ends my frill for bowl haircuts.

WTH of the Moment: Lagerfeld's "Remember Now"

Prior to Chanel's Resort 2011 show (I know, it's already 2011 in fashion!), Karl Lagerfeld debuted a short film to stir the press. The full film is available at 10 magazine's blog, but don't even bother. After 17 onerous minutes, "Remember Now" is one pointless movie. But let's give Lagerfeld some credit. Here's what he did right:

1. The cast - it's a mix of beautiful people: actors and models. But it's more like an actor (Pascal Greggory) and a bunch of models.

2. The clothes - or the lack thereof because the girls are wearing the sluttiest (albeit expensive) of things. That's Chanel Resort 2011 for ya!

3. The acting - We have to agree that some models can't act. But when you tell them to act crazy, they do it spot on.

If you have to waste 17 minutes of your time, do check out the film. It's a wonderful way to numb your brain. Thanks Karl!

Ecstasy of the Moment: I'm in BHP!

Today was my interview for the Business Honors Program (BHP) at CSUN. I thought it was a screening process to weed out the unfit applicants, but I guess it's not.

As soon as I stepped into the BHP director's office, I was greeted by a warm welcome. Then we sat down for tea and cookies! Not really, but we shared some laughs (that's how fun I am, I think).

The interview was very straight-forward. She discussed the rigor of the program, the academic requirements, and all the opportunities BHP can offer. It was all useful information, but what enthralled my ears were the perks of being a BHP student. Here's a sample:

1. Secret lounge area accessible only to BHP students. For added secrecy/security, a secret pass code needs to be entered. So much secrecy!

2. Priority registration to business classes. A huge life saver in trying times (a.k.a. California budget cuts).

3. Summer retreat! And that one spoke for itself.

At the end of the meeting, the director greeted me into the program! I was prepping myself to jump for joy, but my ecstasy was thwarted when I realized my head was an inch away from the ceiling. I did a baby jump anyway.

I bid you all a wonderful week! And off I go to my last finals!

Critique of the Moment: Marni Fall-Winter 2010

As much as I adore Marni's menswear line, I have to admit that Consuelo Castiglioni's creative forces haven't done much to reinvigorate this collection. Marni is known for quirkiness, violent clashes of color, print and texture, and a hint of matronly attitude. Sadly, the menswear is lacking much of that.

I don't know why but Marni's core philosophy doesn't translate well into men's clothing. I'm a fan of Castiglioni's intellectual, artistic themes yet it always seem to fall flat for men. I'm not asking for wild colors and tantalizing prints--I want life! Marni is supposed to be a manifestation of joie de vivre! The collection's lookbook, on the other hand, suggested otherwise.

At any rate, WWD reported that Marni's Fall-Winter 2010 collection focused on multi-purpose wardrobe: "a Persian lamb coat with detachable flannel sleeves, and a reversible, waterproof cotton and wool blazer." On the bright side, the menswear did adopt the signature "chunky" footwear; they incarnated into thick-soled boots similar to Doc Martens.

Oh recession, and your clamor for versatile clothing. I loathe thee.

Left: Simplicity at its best

Event of the Moment: Birthday Blah?

Today is a big day! It's the first birthday of my blog! Hooray! Thinking about it, my first post wasn't even about fashion. Oh what a change.

I really want to thank every single one of my followers. Although I don't have gajillion, they really kept Blah? afloat.

Also, thanks to Abby whose incessant blogging taught me how to work this thing, and to Trish, Manju, Farah and Jess (who moved to another blog server) for the continuous support.

Someday, our blog legion will meet together in person. But where at? Mauritius? Malaysia? Philippines? Here in Los Angeles? Till then.