Style Icon: Hayden Panettiere

Heroes star Hayden Panettiere is a ray of sunshine!


She sports outfits that are perfect for the season, with her bright smile and easy breezy ensembles. Allow her to give you ideas on how to build your summer wardrobe.

photo credit: http://www.icelebz.com

A short cotton dress with puffed sleeves looks trendy and cute but is very easy to wear. Choose summer-y colors such as green, orange and yellow.

photo credit: www.icelebz.com

If you're going to the mall and you want to wear shorts, you might get a bit cold with the air conditioning. A light-colored cardigan with breathable fabric paired with denim shorts will keep you nice and comfy. Ditch the heels for flipflops or ballet flats.

photo credit: www.icelebz.com

One of my ultimate favorite pieces for the summer (and, well, all year round) is the loose top. It's as comfortable as my favorite oversized shirts that I wear at home, but the difference is it looks very sassy! Laid-back chic is hot, hot, hot!

photo credit:http://www.haydenpanettierefan.com/

Hayden wears orange well with shoes and accessories that aren't orange, for starters. This summer, wear t-shirt dresses in textured cotton fabrics. You can even wear a dress like Hayden's on a night out. Add heels and a clutch (or Tiramisu's glitter bag!) and you're good to go.

You gotta love her style. Breeze through a sunny summer with pieces that are as cool as Hayden's!

The CityLifeStylist

2008 Resort Collections: Tropical Punch

Now that I've found lots of excuses to wear black over the summer, let's move on to the season's real staples--it's time for fruity, punchy colors!

These hues are forever present in resort collections--yes, even black-and-white-loving Chanel--for a good reason: they brighten up your wardrobe.

Check out what the hottest labels and designers have dished up for you:

(L-R) Dresses from Ralph Lauren and John Galliano

photo credits: http://www.style.com

Lots of yellow have dominated runway resort collections from lemon yellow to light goldenrod, such as the dresses above. On the left is a ruffly number from Ralph Lauren and on the right is a very flowy and feminine piece from John Galliano.

Pieces from Oscar de la Renta

photo credits: http://www.style.com

My ultimate favorites in yellow are the dresses and swimsuit cover-up from Oscar de la Renta's collection. A short version of the cover-up would suit petite frames better. Yellow with a little bit of black looks divine. The yellow and white ensemble above is dainty and very cool on the eyes.

Pieces from Badgley Mischka

photo credits: http://www.style.com

The florals in Badgley Mischka's collection are gorgeous. They're not your typical floral prints. The red and white coverup is both sexy and sweet, while the coral pink dress with the subtle floral detail is absolutely lovely. The soft textures of both pieces exude relaxed chicness.

Dress and accessories from Chanel
photo credits: http://www.style.com/

What is summer without a burst of orange? Chanel adds color to its resort collection with orange accessories such as the cute headscarf, belt and strappy heels. If I wore this outfit, however, I'd use a thin, matte orange belt and swap the heels for strappy flats.

Dress from Christian Dior
photo credit: http://www.style.com

This blue paisley one-shoulder dress from Christian Dior is very pretty without looking too girly-girl.

Pieces from Marc Jacobs

photo credits: http://www.style.com

Just by looking at these photos, I can almost feel the thin, breathable fabrics on these pieces from Marc Jacobs in different shades of purple. I would love to have dresses like these as cover-ups.

There you have it. May your summer be merry and bright! ;)

The CityLifeStylist

2008 Resort Collections: Black(!) and White

Sometimes I feel like a fashion rule-breaker in the Philippines when I wear black in the summer (or any other day in our tropical weather, for that matter.) Black pieces—from clothes to shoes and bags—fill almost half of my closet. I suppose it just comes down to the fabric and the cuts.

Well, this brings me to my new finds. I was browsing through the 2008 Resort Collections of my favorite designers, and absolutely loved these:

photo credits: http://www.style.com

Leave it to Diane von Furstenberg to create dresses in black and white and black and cream prints for resort wear. The tie-neck and plain halter designs of the dresses are very chic.

photo credit: http://www.style.com

This Marc Jacobs dress looks very couture and would be perfect for cocktails and other semi-formal gatherings.

photo credit: http://www.style.com

This Ralph Lauren dress is very sleek and sophisticated, but it looks casual enough for a day at the mall or a summer trip. With its neckline and breathable fabric, a dress like this wouldn’t look or feel warm at all.

photo credit: http://www.style.com

Of course, there are black swimsuits that will always be perfect for the summer, like this Chanel maillot. Channel Posh Spice by adding black sunglasses and a black wide-rimmed floppy hat and prepare yourself for a stylish summer getaway.

Guess I really won’t be ignoring that part of my closet this season!

The CityLifeStylist

Fun in the Sunglasses

Make Love Not War is a new shop on the block with a wide variety of sunglasses that'll keep your peepers from squinting in the sun. Your summer wardrobe won't be complete without one (or all!) of these:

photo credit: http://peacedudes.multiply.com

Add color to a neutral outfit and make waves with sunglasses in aqua.

photo credit: http://peacedudes.multiply.com

Opt for black or brown shades for a more polished, classy look.

photo credit: http://peacedudes.multiply.com

Get funky with these vintage sunglasses which are quite a steal. Not everybody can pull them off, though, so if you're one of the lucky few, you better get your hands on them right away!

photo credit: http://peacedudes.multiply.com

White is always hot for the summer, and these sunglasses would be even more perfect with an all-white outfit or white with denim.

photo credit: http://peacedudes.multiply.com

If you're feeling futuristic, they also have really cool silver shades that would go well with your metallic silver swimsuit. Just make sure not all of your accessories are silver, unless you want to look like a sexy robot. ;)

Make Love Not War is located at 7496 Bagtikan Street, San Antonio Village, Makati. For more designs, prices, products and other information, check out their site, http://peacedudes.multiply.com/.

The CityLifeStylist

Put a Little Sparkle in Your Step

Another thing I won't have to slip into this month are my school shoes. I love how comfy my ballet flats are, but I'm more than happy to let my feet breathe and relax in my fave flipflops for a while.

That's why I got super excited when I got my Havaianas Philippines newsletter. Finally -- there's a new collection that'll definitely go well with my wardrobe. I wasn't very fond of the styles that came after the Slim, until these new designs came around! The Logo Metallic and Top Crystal are definitely going to be my new favorites.

photo credit: www.havaianasphilippines.com

photo credit: http://www.havaianasphilippines.com/

Grab your pairs now at All Flip-Flops, Aura Athletica, Celio, Chocolate Clothing Company, Gas, Nail Spa, Rustans, Sepatu, Stoked, Tonic, The Zone, Orange Juice or Kidsports stores.

You won't have to sacrifice comfort for style with these babies!

The CityLifeStylist

The CityLifeStylist for Kikay Exchange

Yipee! I am now officially a Kikay Exchange contributor!

Here is my very first post for KE:


Get SOAKed

Summer vacation in the Philippines may be from April to early June, but fun in the sun just might get cut short because of the weather. So, before La Niña hits the country, we better get our bikini-clad booties to the beach already!

For those of you who haven’t gone swimsuit shopping yet – or for those who want to go shopping again – check out the “beach couture” at Soak Swimwear.

Soak has a variety of bikinis and sheer cover-ups worthy of a goddess. Their 2007 bikini collection includes bandeaus, halters and triangles.

photo credit: www.soakswimwear.com

I love Soak’s bikini tops, especially their bandeaus with a twist – literally. Above is their “magenta and aqua twisted bandeau with tie side straps bottom,” available in sizes small, medium and large at 1,200Php.

Read the rest of my post on Soak Swimwear here.

The CityLifeStylist

Brighten Up Your Wardrobe

I'm not a big fan of Paris Hilton, but some of the pieces from her Paris Hilton Sportswear clothing line (check out some of her pieces here) inspired this entry. I loved the pretty green dress from her collection, and that got me looking for bright-colored tops and dresses that would be perfect for the summer.

Lemon yellow and electric blue are some of my summer color picks that you can still take with you to the next season. Colors such as neon pink and orange are a tad too loud and trendy, but it still depends on the item, and of course, your personal style; (I can never argue with that!)

Here are a few of my personal picks.

photo credit: www.elle.com

YELLOW. The silk tube dress is very sexy. To make it less revealing, you can throw an airy crocheted shrug or bolero over it. The halter dress is just as hot and it can already be worn alone. You can easily brighten up any outfit -- even just a t-shirt and jeans -- with a yellow striped scarf. In this heat, scarves with thin fabrics are best worn on your head like a headband or on your waist as a belt.

photo credit: www.elle.com

PINK. I'm not much of a "pink girl" but I love this pink strappy dress! It's got just the right shade of pink -- not too hot, not too pale and not neon. The style of the dress is also very simple, which makes it easy to fit into every season. It's a keeper!

photo credit: www.elle.com

ELECTRIC BLUE. The blue V-neck top looks fierce! (I recommend wearing bottoms with that, though.) I'd pair it with plain pair of jeans, shorts or a mini to balance off the top's "fierce-ness." Like the pink dress, the blue sleeveless dress on the left is also a closet keeper. The color makes it bold and unexpected, but the style of the dress is a classic.

photo credit: www.tedrossi.com

Then again you can throw on colorful bangles and, voila! You're good to go.

May all your summer days be bright!

The CityLifeStylist

Summer Staples II: Head Gear

Leave the turbans with the models.

photo credit: www.teenvogue.com

Protect your locks from the sun in style with fabulous head gear. I promise I WON'T try to talk you into sporting the turbans from Prada. I suggest more wearable pieces that won't make you look like you just got out of the shower.

Take the cue from these hot celebrities:

photo credit: http://skinnycelebnews.blogspot.com

Lindsay Lohan ties on a bandanna on a day at the beach. A bandanna is good for both indoor and outdoor activities.

photo credit: http://skinnycelebnews.blogspot.com

Mischa Barton sports a light-colored fedora which is perfect for the summer. It would even look nice on the beach with your cover-up.

photo credit: http://seedgiveslife.typepad.com

The classic baseball cap goes with this season's athletic trend. It's a little off paired with Jessica Simpson's outfit, though. A cap would look great with matching sneakers, a hoodie and skorts. Instant sporty chic.

photo credit: http://skinnycelebnews.blogspot.com

Protect your head a la Paris with a bright-colored beanie. Note that the keyword here is bright-colored. Don't even think about wearing a black one in this summer heat. Plus, you just might be mistaken as a thief. LOL.

photo credit: http://skinnycelebnews.blogspot.com

Victoria Beckham steps out in a newsboy cap that's both posh and funky.

Check out department stores (SM Department Store, Robinsons, Rustan's) for great bargains. Try them on and see what works for you.

Happy shopping!

The CityLifeStylist

Summer Staples: Short Shorts

photo credit: http://shop.nordstrom.com

With so many women wearing tanks, halters and tube tops in the Philippines in this summer heat, it's very refreshing to see ladies in shorts paired with flowy tunic tops, jersey blouses and tees. Strut your stuff in these combinations which are both classy and cool.


Here are some ideas on how to wear the hottest little things for the summer:

photo credits: www.bayo.com.ph and http://shop.nordstrom.com

Pair a logo tee like this Bayo "Let's Rock Manila" shirt with cargo shorts for a sporty-rocker look. Go casual with slippers or sneakers and a backpack or a tote. Dress it up with gold or bronze heels or ballet flats with a matching purse.

photo credits: http://cocotinibikinis.multiply.com and www.bayo.com.ph

Make a splash at a beach party with these twill shorts from Bayo. Its bright color even permits you to wear dark colors such as chocolate brown and black on top.

photo credit: www.marnis-room.com and http://shop.nordstrom.com

Take this yellow knitted boxy top from Marni's Room and denim shorts from day to night. Kamiseta has great denim shorts with embroidered details on the back pockets that add a little more color and spunk.

photo credits: www.yellow.com.ph and http://shop.nordstrom.com

You can even wear your long-sleeved tops with shorts during the summer, provided that they have thin fabrics and are light-colored. This long-sleeved ruched cotton top from Yellow, paired with white shorts, is a perfect date outfit. For an even cleaner look, use a white bag and flats for day, or silver metallic heels with a matching purse for night.

I'm not saying that you should throw away your halters and tube tops. These are just hot new alternatives for your summer wardrobe that are a lot less predictable than the tank top.

The CityLifeStylist