StyleShake: Your Personal Online Tailor

You create the design, StyleShake.com makes the dress for you. It is the new era of tailoring.

By a click of the mouse you can create your own dress or rather customize from available styles or choose from available completed designs submitted by other users like yourself.

If you would like to start from scratch, you can start by choosing your preferred fabric. Fabrics ranging from linen, cotton, silk and silk metallic, all of which will play a role in the final price of the dress. You can then proceed to choosing the styles for your upper body, neckline, sleeves, all the way down to the trimmings.

One tricky thing is, you have to take your own measurements. This will ensure you will get a perfect fit. For this, StyleShake has a "size guide" page with instructions on how to take your own measurements. After all that, if the dress still does not fit, you can send it back for a free alteration.

• StyleShake

Designer Labels at TheCorner

Earlier in March, TheCorner opened its door to designer-lovers, whose craving extends to the likes of Marc Jacobs, Viktor & Rolf, Etro, Rykiel Homme, Givenchy and Hussein Chalayan.

The online shopping website is brought by Yoox, an already successful shopping website based in Italy.

TheCorner launched with the Spring/Summer '08 Men's Collection by 20 selected designers, promising 20 more brands to join for Fall/Winter '08 collection.

Shoppers can expect a different shopping experience by browsing its exclusive virtual boutiques or "corners", furnished with digital look books, runway photos, and images from advertising campaigns.

• TheCorner
  

UM Carry Bag

I just love it when things are not the way they seem to be but in actuality, functional and fashionable at the same time.

At a glance, this bag looks like an egg, a dinosaur egg. OK maybe I have watched too many documentaries or Steven Spielberg's movies. But you have to admit that it does not look like a bag, at least not at first.

When entirely unzipped, the bag opens flat for easy dry cleaning and storage. When zipped, it is a fully-functional dinosaur egg, I mean bag, that is stylish nonetheless.

What is interesting about this bag other than its ingenious design, is that it is made from excess industrial wool felt, that might otherwise get discarded.

The UM Carry bag, as it is called, is from the UM bags collection which comes in 4 shapes, Carry, Tote, Clutch and Hold.

• UM Carry [Branch]

Painted Art Shoes

How would you like to wear a piece of art on your feet? Something you would consider having on display rather than wear it. "Ndeur" shoes are exactly a piece of art you can tread on.

The shoes are painstakingly handpainted with various designs uncommon on regular shoes found in stores.

The perpetrator behind this brilliant concept is Mathieu Missiaen, a Canadian graphic artist who paints on, not only shoes, but almost anything.

Vintage shoes are often used for this venture, but upon request, those who prefer their own shoes, can also send in their shoes to be custom-painted.

Ndeur designs are modern, fun and what is categorized as street art. This is evident by the name given to each design, for example, Skank n Play (featured here), Screech and Brutus, and neo berlin.

• Skank n Play [Ndeur]
  

Wooden Bead Maxi Dress by Beaumont Organic

This simple yet interesting dress by Beaumont Organic has all the characteristics required by a woman who cares for her environment.

Looks simple yet stylish, this dress speaks "Nature" through its organically grown cotton fabric and wooden beads.

This beautiful, loose-fitting dress wears comfortably by itself or with a t-shirt.

• Wooden Bead Maxi Dress [Adili]

Unique License Plates Handbag

You would not have guessed that this handbag is made of recycled license plates; two to be exact.

Honestly, I have never thought recycled plates could look this fun and fashionable.

Designed by Leo Espinosa, the bag is named "Roller Dreamer" which aptly describes the cartoon design. The design adds a playful feel to an already unique bag while the Swarovski crystals add sparkle.

Roller Dreamer is only one of many handbag collections from Littlearth, who has been in the business of designing and making trendsetting purses and belts using recycled materials, for 15 years.

Based in the SoHo district of Pittsburgh, Littlearth products and brands are spreading all over the world with distributors in Australia, Germany, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

• Roller Dreamer FenderFlair by Leo Espinosa [Littlearth]

One Pair of Shoes, Unlimited Styles

Wouldn't it be great if you could customise your shoes every day to match the outfit or accessories you are wearing? With only one pair of Mohop shoes, you can.

Their motto is, "a new pair of shoes...every day". Which is exactly what you can achieve if you own a pair of Mohop shoes.

Here is how it's done; the footbed or bottom of the shoes and the straps are separate components. You can change the look of your shoes by changing the ribbons that make up the strapping component. Varying the style and length of the ribbons, not forgetting the patent-pending strapping technique will transform the whole look of the shoes altogether.

The shoes are comfortable enough for everyday use and especially useful when travelling whereby luggage space is limited.

Designed by Annie Mohaupt in her Chicago-based studio, these handcrafted shoes are creatively designed as well as environmentally-friendly.

In the long run, these shoes are cost-effective since you just have to buy new ribbons for a "new" pair of shoes.

• Mohop

My Favourite Dresses of Oscar 2008

To tell you the truth, I am not much of a fan of award shows, except for the show hosts who are usually funny but who appear in intervals, of which I don't have enough patience to wait.

However, I do have a couple of favourite dresses of the Academy Awards 2008.

First on my list, is Renée Zellweger who was wearing a silver sequined gown by Carolina Herrera.

The dress brought a touch of old Hollywood glamour to the event and accentuated her body really well. It reminded me of Roxie Hart, the character she played in "Chicago".

Second, is Hilary Swank. To me, there has always been a hint of masculinity in her.

However, in this picture (left) she looks feminine and radiant in a Versace gown. The whole look works for her.

All in all, I think most celebrities were shying away from taking risks thus the event were missing interesting surprises sometimes awaited for in red carpet events.

• Oscars Photos: the 80th Academy Awards [Yahoo! Movies]
  

Silver Origami Jewellery by Cindy Ng

Known to be originated in China as "Zhe Zhi", origami is usually made with a piece of paper.

However, Origami Bijou, an origami jewellery collection by Cindy Ng is designed, not from paper, but from a single sheet of fine silver.

The collection consists of necklaces and earrings folded in the same manner as traditional paper origami.

The designer fell in love with origami when she was seven and has refined the art of traditional paper-folding. She thought it was a good idea to combine her passion and her background in business to bring a new twist to the art.

You can find her jewellery collection and other origami products at her website Finger Magic.

• Origami Bijou [Finger Magic]
  

Yoox Presents Simply Coco Chanel Part Two

If you missed the first part of Yoox's Chanel Vintage collection, you have missed a great opportunity to own Chanel's timeless pieces.

However, fret not. For Yoox has launched the second part of the exclusive, rare Chanel selection.

The pieces ranging from her signature jewellery, dresses, suits and other accessories. The collection has been such a success that most of the items are already sold out including the camellia brooch featured here.

Chanel lovers should hurry and pay Yoox a visit if they do not want to miss out on another great opportunity.

• Simply Coco Chanel [Yoox]
  

Puffed Heart Ring by Carrie Weston

I had wanted to feature this ring on Valentine's day but something else cropped up so the timing is a little bit off. But, giving gifts to loved ones should not be only on Valentine's day. I say we should practice gift-giving all year round.

What I like about this ring by Carrie Weston is, the heart shape is not on the ring but the ring itself. I don't know how comfortable it is to put on but estimating from the shape, there should not be a problem.

The design is available in yellow gold (featured here), rose gold, white gold and sterling silver.

• Puffed Heart Ring [Carrie Weston]
  

Give Yourself a Virtual Makeover

I can't remember how many times I thought a hairstyle would look good on me only to find out later on that it did not. Wouldn't it be great to see how you will look like before deciding a new haircut, buying new makeup or trying new accessories? Makeover Solutions, a virtual makeover solution, might help in preventing some costly mistakes, either financially or emotionally.


Using your uploaded photo, you can play mix and match and see yourself transformed, virtually, wearing your selected hairstyles, makeup and accessories.

The choices are almost endless. You can try out celebrity hairstyles, different ways of applying makeup, find the perfect eyewear, accessorise with jewellery and for the fun of it, see what you would look like as the cover girl of a style magazine.

Members of Makeover Solutions can also share and rate each other's makeover. If you have created your own makeover, why don't you share with us here.

Makeover Solutions offers free and paid membership options.

• MakeoverSolutions