~Turban

So this is how I imagine it.

When the Prada models first walked down that runway with brightly-coloured turbans on their heads, people’s jaw dropped, almost literally. But it didn’t take long for them to adjust their thoughts from ‘What the-?’ to ‘I’m sure Prada knows what they’re doing’. Turns out, Prada did know what they’re doing. The trend hit like crashing wave that turned heads all over the world, making it one of the strangest trend to ever strike the fashion scene. Other brands started imitating it by releasing their own turbans, but in a cheaper value. Most people whose wallets didn’t quite reach the astronomical price (like me) tried making it out of our mothers’ silk scarves, with disastrous results.

After all the vintage glam schlam a lot of people are into now, a trend inspired by culture is definitely a breeze of fresh air. But to be honest, I can never pull it off. Turbans may look great on those slim, beautiful Prada models, but not me. Unless, I go to India. And maybe then, and only then, can I blend in with the natives without looking as though I tried too hard.

~prara

~The Phenomenon That is Leggings

When leggings made its comeback almost two years ago, I cringed every time I imagined myself wearing them because I kept on imagining leggings circa 80s - Madonna style.

I remember reading several fashion-oriented blogs that were disgusted by leggings and thought that it was an absolute menace to good fashion sense. But then there were people who thought that leggings were absolutely a genius idea! it's provoking and it causes mixed emotions, kinda like Posh Beckham, really. Based on that, I can safely say that leggings are a fashion phenomenon.

Not long after that, I saw Mischa Barton in a tabloid, wearing leggings under a jeans micro-skirt, and I thought it looked good. A few days after seeing that, I went out, found a pair of leggings that fit me perfectly, and bought it. I started to wear my leggings under micro skirts as well, (bearing in mind, people in Europe were not doing this yet, so I walked around in February 2006 wearing this outfit while people looked at me as if I was out of my mind, and even more when I went to Jakarta that year in May, absolutely nobody was familiar with that look at the time. People must’ve thought I was raving mad!) and I really liked this look on me.

I must say that leggings are very practical, and I can wear it with almost anything, provided that they’re black (having a thicker body-frame than most, black dominates my wardrobe). Albeit its practicality, leggings do not suit everybody. For example, I have very large thighs and calves which look best with a 2/3 legging, not knee or full-length. 2/3 leggings make my legs look leaner and sexier. Slim people look good wearing full-length leggings, 2/3 or knee-length leggings. But then again, this kind of body frame can pull off any kind of clothes. As for very skinny or very fat people, well.. I’d advise them to avoid leggings altogether, it’s really not flattering on skeletal body frame or obese people.

I still see bad reviews on leggings in various blogs, even now, but I really don’t care. I have fallen in love with them and I think that it’s going to be a part of my signature style for a long time, even when it’s not in fad anymore. But even so, I must admit that I only wear black ones, other colors are just tacky (think live earth concert when KT Tunstall wore that horrifying gold-leggings). So for me, leggings are quite phenomenal, despite its notorious rep from the 80s and early 90s. But then again, I don’t wear leg warmers with them

~rifa

~Skinny Jeans the Trends I'd Love to Hate

Do I have to start with numbers? 83-72-98 (in centimeters of course!) Okay I have a little problem with my butt, or to be precise, all area below my waistline. I have relatively succeed in shaping my waistline (thanks to my torturing bodysuit and ‘setagen’ I religiously wear every single day!). And it actually turns out to be the double-edged sword. It alleviates my curves and at the same time highlighting my gigantic thighs and butt. I’m doing okay with fashion trends especially in recent years when long dress and luxurious ‘senorita’ top was on the rise. But Fashion God apparently decided to give me some twist and She made Giselle Bundchen wore a nice pair of skinny jeans!! Well, it’s nice on her for sure (which I think any clothes will do good on her, even if it’s just ‘jemuran nyangkut’). Since I was a desperate Giselle wanna-be – d’oooh.. What was I thinking back then- I went to Levi’s and asked the cold-blooded shop assistant to give me some nice skinny jeans to try on. He responded to my request icily ‘I suggest you to try our lovely boot-cut jeans instead’. It was a slap in the wrist for me, yet it was enough to make me blush and left the shop unannounced…

~picha