DYLAN

CONTEST : Ways to dress up your Chanel Bag

2011-02-20T04:30:00.000-08:00

I was thinking the other day that the Chanel Flap is becoming way too ubitiquous for my liking. Everywhere that I turn, I see one.It doesnt help with replicas becoming so common. It's supposed to be a bag of stature and class, but i thought a 12 year old carrying it (Pour quoi? ). I mean there's nothing wrong with thatand i hope i do not sound condescending but this bag has a long history and it is the epitome of class. I dont want to see it's value being depreciated.

Yet, one thing i have to say is that, not everyone carries the bag with flair.It doesnt mean that you have a Chanel bag, you look good. You want to be the girl who carries the bag and make heads turn and people gasping, ooh she looks good with that bag, the bag looks good on the outfit, that bag, i must have, i can wear it like her! and so i thought of ways of branding my own bag with the little accessories that i have, to prettify it and making it MY bag, making it different.

Ways to perk up your Chanel Flap...

1) Use a vintage Vera scarf. You can use it like the twilly on the hermes. but make sure the colours match.

2)Tie the scarf like a bow on the chain.

3)Chanel badges--well those, i got free from buying Chanel lipsticks.I thought of pining them to the leather, but couldnt have the heart to, well. if i have a fabric chanel bag, i will. Another reason to buy a bag?;)

4)Use a flower brooch on the bag, well, Chanel already uses the camelia flower on the chocolate bar bags..so this idea is not new, but i havent really seen anyone using a flower brooch with the bag.:) My flower brooches are collected over the years, i have like 20 of them.I bought alot of them in Harajuku when i was in the university.

5) Using ribbons. think black chanel bag and red bows running all down the chain. Tres Delicieux. Have not time to try that , Yet.

and so, I am holding a contest on my blog. I am interested to see you girls dressing up your bag, branding it yours. and all you need to do is to send in your pictures of the bag. You may send in pictures with you carrying the bag as well, but you have to send in a closeup of the bag being prettified. Remember, you dont need a Hermes twilly to win the contest, i am looking for the most original et creative entry.

and what's the prize?

It's a Brand New Precision CHANEL white essential LIMITED EDITION travel set retailing over $100 SGD which consists of a concentrated whitening essence masque 25ml , a whitening nanolotion 50ml, an ultimate whitening essence 30ml in a most gorgeous pure white cosmetic bag in which you can use to store your jewellery or knick knacks once you have finished using the skincare. You may further read up on their skincare here.

So just to recapitulate, the rules of the contest is as follows:

1) You may send in as many entries as possible to elaine@dylan.sg but each entry has to consist of a closeup picture of the bag.

2) Please remember to include your name with the entry.

3) You need to follow the blog , scroll up to this blog and click "follow" or if you do not have a blogger account, just refer a pal to follow with it. If you dont have a blogger account , just refer 3 friends to the blog, and that will do.

4) The closing date of this contest is 19th March midnight, Singapore's time.

5)You get a say in the winner of this contest, what i will do is to choose 3 entries and post it up and you folks will vote.The voting period will be 2 days before it closes.

C'est tout! Enjoy dressing up your Chanel bag! Make yourself love it even more! ^_^

Polka dots @DYLAN

2011-01-05T00:51:00.000-08:00

Fuchsia Happiness!!!!

2010-12-07T08:43:00.000-08:00

Latest trends in Prints...

2010-12-04T23:13:00.000-08:00

The above's Miu miu, Louis Vuitton this season. Well, that means DYLAN's way ahead of trends!!! I've always been a fan of quirkiness and such, it shouldnt be a trend. It should be here to stay.... non? There's always a child in each of us.

Below are bespoke piecces for my clients. ^_^ ....

New Collection for the Festive Season!

2010-11-30T01:10:00.000-08:00

CERISE

Cerise means Cherry in French.
I love the colour. It literally pops and breaks the blues and black.
If you have been wearing lots of blacks, please, discard them already OR
at least match it with colourful accesories.
The fabric is classically tweed.
Soft and elegant and easy to match with black heels and bag.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

POP IN FUCHSIA

This has to be one of my favourites :)

First of all, the colour makes me so happy.
Secondly, I designed a low back for it, which is so tough to find in the dresses from the mall.
Last but not least, the peek a boo tulle, which can be customised to be a detachable one as well ups the beauty of this dress. I love the way it flounces as I walk.
Pair it with slingbacks like i did and I am sure you will turn heads with it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THALIA

100% silk in Jewel Emerald.

This can be customised to any colour you want as well.

The exquisite pleated neckline adds oomphs of feminity to the piece.

Perk up with pearls, a long statement necklace or a belt like the model.
This is understatedly elegant.

J'adore.
Beaucoup.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

YUNA IN ORIENT

Flaunt your sexy shoulders in Yuna.

Lovely flora prints on a coral base bordered by contrasting turquoise pipings.
Unconventional in an A-line cut and slits on the sides.
Don up an elegant hair do and slip on a pair of slingbacks and this perennial cheongsam is elegance understated.
This textured cotton linen blend is a limited edition printed fabric from Japan.
It would be hard to give it a miss.

~~~~~~~~~~
NUAGE

Nuage means 'clouds' in French.
This alluring and elegantly piece in pure silk is a timeless classic.
We adore the unassuming yet versatile colour of Nuage paired with a fabric sash tied into a bow.
Simple yet stunning.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~NIKKI IN ORIENT

I was ecstatic when i saw this fabric which is imported from Japan.

I knew immediately what kinda dress it will be made into. I wanted to revive happiness in the person wearing this and thus I added pleats and pockets and all things nice et oui, I wouldn't forget the bow sash too. ^_^

You know what else? It's so forgiving to the body as well with the colour blocking technique on the top for a slimming effect and a pleated flare bottom to hide wide hips and thick waist. The pockets , sash and prints will take away the focus if you are heavy bottomed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
RACHELLE

Rachelle with a pink leather belt
Rachelle with a pink leather belt

Good quality tweed blend in Ecru.

That means you can accessorise this piece with almost any shade of colour.
Just like Alexa, it's another versatile piece I will recommend to you.
Tres simple yet chic and versatile.
Every girl needs one of these in her wardrobe to play around with her accessories.
Here's the model posing with a Vera sash tied into a bow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
DELIGHTEDLY BOW

Vanilla tweed in burst of coloured happiness.

The textured multi coloured polka dots on the fabric definitely makes it one of the most interesting fabric i have come across so far.

The pretty bow at the neckline makes it even more irrestible.
This is definitely one of the pieces that is able to take you from day to night.

~~~~~~~~~~~
CLAIRE

Tres alluring, especially with the soft, fluttery chiffon sleeves in vanilla.

Made of imported designer cotton from the States in the sweetest pink hue.

Wear it with pearls on your décolletage and a clutch in your hands and you are ready to head out.
This piece can be transformed into a tube dress as well if you tuck the sleeves in .
Definitely one of my favourites.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BRITTANY

Remember Alanis Morisette singing that catchy song "Hands in My pocket" ?

It makes me so so chirpy everytime i hear it. It's got nothing to do with Brittany, but i understand that pockets to place our nic-nacs and hands are so important. I know it's corny, but i love to wear outfits with pockets when i fetch D, i place my Blackberry and hands sanitiser in them..;) and i just whip them out effortlessly...
Brittany's grey cooling cotton blend with cascading ruffles on the sides. Grey's the new black, has no one told you that? You can wear this piece sans belt if you want because the ruffles are already aesthetically pleasing ^_^. However, a chiffon belt of any colour can be customised along with this piece.I have paired it with a fuchsia chiffon belt on the mannequin.

Please contact me at elaine@dylan.sg to make an appointment to view the dresses or discuss tailoring a bespoke for you .

Lookbook

2010-07-12T23:01:00.000-07:00

Here's welcoming the addition of the Lookbook on DYLAN.

Thanks for your continual belief in donning happy colours and pretty dresses.

We are looking forward to more of them in the upcoming collection!

Be on your toes! ^_^

Bespoke for Silvia

2010-04-23T21:18:00.000-07:00

This has to be one of the most memorable engagement dinner I ever attended. That's mainly cause the couple had a very romantic entrance singing a duet and I was seated amongst old secondary school mates. I was really very excited and very happy that night to see Silvia in her cheongsam which I had the honour to design for her. The feeling of being/playing a part in someone's big day is indescribable happiness and satisfaction. I just felt so happy when I saw how stunning and elegant she looked with her hairdo and all. Though this is the second wedding cheongsam I had designed, the fact that I could attend the dinner and to see the dress on the bride in person really makes a difference.( That's because the first cheongsam was for an overseas client in the States.) Let me share with you the pictures of that night. Some of which courtesy of Eddie.

You're fat, so what? Warning... Dont read if you are skinny.

2010-03-25T18:52:00.000-07:00

Does it mean you cannot have a life and be pretty?

Now the key is to dress appropriately, let your character shine and be a star.

You are fat, so what?

You should be happy!

You have the boobs those skinny girls dont.

You can save your money on the maximisers, the paddings and the tissue papers.

You define curvy rather than a washboard.

Most importantly, when you are old, you wont suffer from osteoporosis because being skinny means you have brittle bones.

Who says skinny girls have the best of life?

I know a 101 of them who spend tonnes of money on bras to make the hills into mountains,

102 of them who have to have their clothes altered because they are too loose and keep falling off, and a 103 skinny old grannies who suffer from rheumatism, arthritis and osteoporosis because of their weak bones.

Now, do me a favour and stop calling yourself fat.

Also dont look at me in the pictures of DYLAN and think that these clothes are only meant for the skinnies. For goodness sake, read carefully and look at the words"Customised".

Do me a big big favour and rename the word 'fat' as 'curvy'.

Do me another favour and smile at yourself in the mirror instead of frowning.

Do me a last favour and learn how to flaunt what you have and dress appropriately.

Read this month's Her World of Stylish vs Skanky.

Look at Gabourey Sidibe and how much affirmation she has received being herself.

Relish this article below. (Courtesy of harpersbazaar)

With the performance of the year, Gabourey Sidibe is reinventing what it means to be a Hollywood It Girl.

Gabourey Sidibe is sitting in the back room of the Spotted Pig in New York's West Village, having a beer. She has just spent a luxurious half hour with her brand-new boyfriend ("He's a regular guy working a regular job, and I'm scared to take him anywhere"), so she has pep in her sneakered step. She's wearing a sideways Yankees cap, dark jeans, and a striped top from Torrid, her favorite chain store. "You haven't been there?" She giggles, eyes crinkling. "Darling, it's like a torrid affair."

These days, good karma is circling Sidibe like bluebirds in a Disney cartoon. She is an Oscar front-runner following her transformational performance as an abused teen in '80s Harlem in director Lee Daniels's Precious. Her character, Claireece Precious Jones, pregnant with her father's child, disappears into a fantasy world that removes her, however briefly, from a horrendous cycle of abuse by both parents. But a two-hour-long assault this film is not because it is leavened by Sidibe's innate charisma and flashes of wry humor. It's a performance of elegance in an environment devoid of it.

The night before, resplendent in a purple Tadashi Shoji gown, Sidibe was Bazaar's guest to the Museum of Modern Art's benefit honoring Tim Burton. Johnny Depp was in the room (during his People's Sexiest Man Alive week too), but guests threw themselves at Sidibe like she was Rob Pattinson. "We've all been to a place where we've felt ignored and unsupported, so it just affirms the meaning of the film's story to me," she says of the adoring throngs. "Ashley Olsen hugged me for a long time — like rubbing my back and everything — and said, 'I am so proud of you.' How cute is that?" After all the hugs, it took half an hour to get Sidibe out the door. "It's harder to get through places," she observes, fondly recalling those anonymous days at Torrid. "It really is."
What's unique about Sidibe, why people won't let her leave a room, is that she's like no one who's made it in Hollywood in a very long time. She plays the heroine in a story that makes There Will Be Blood look like a Judd Apatow movie. She's overweight (her size pronounced, though, in Precious due to pregnancy padding). She's had no formal acting training and auditioned for Precious only because a friend encouraged her. She is a star now not because she knew the right people or wore the right dresses; she made it because she acted her heart out.

"Roger Ebert!" Sidibe is saying, crinkling again. "His review was basically a love letter. Growing up, I used to watch Roger Ebert. And I was like, 'Who said it was good? Ebert said it!'?" She gets frustrated, though, when she reads another kind of synopsis of Precious: "'Gabby Sidibe is an overweight black girl who is illiterate and pregnant by her father,'" she parrots. "Look, I am black. I'm also overweight, but that's not the point of the story. The point is the abuse and her bravery. This stuff happens to skinny people, to white people, to so many different people that they've missed the point if they say it's about a fat girl."

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Harlem, Sidibe, 26, is the younger of two siblings raised by her mother, Alice Tan Ridley, a subway R&B singer. ("My dad's around, but my parents have been divorced for a long time.") She was a psychology major at Mercy College in 2007 ("I wanted to be a comedian, but I peaked before I was nine") when her friend Henry pushed her to do the Precious audition. "Lee Daniels saw my tape, and then he had a meeting with me. After talking to me, he didn't even have me audition again," she remembers. Fast-forward to last year's Sundance Film Festival, standing ovations, Oprah Winfrey and Tyler Perry signing on as executive producers, and "finally!" the film's release in November. "She literally just walked off the street into an open casting call, and the rest is history," says Winfrey. "She's a superb actress, because Precious's story is nothing like her story."

Winfrey continues, "It's like she's from another planet, because she's so evolved, so confident, so secure about who she is. Every time we've been at a premiere, I ask her, 'Is this like the fantasy world in the movie?' When you see her as Precious, you're convinced she is that character, but really, she's the character who has fantasies of walking down the red carpet."
Sidibe is enjoying this moment, and Boyfriend X helps with any performance anxiety. "When I went on Conan, I texted him and he said, 'You've got it. Don't slip on any banana peels and you'll be fine.' " She's even — relatively — sanguine when British tabloid reporters show up on her mother's doorstep. ("My mom's a nice lady, but she's an entertainer herself, and she loves to answer questions. But I just — I can't have her do it.") And sometimes X will text her and say, "Everybody at work is talking about you."

She's excited about other big stars now in her orbit and isn't too cool to admit it. "I love Iman. She hugged me and was like, 'I love you,' and I was like, 'I love you!' Like, I was wearing her makeup." She's had a crush on Justin Timberlake since he was in 'N Sync. "Man! Justin Timberlake is always good. God, there are so many hot dudes in Hollywood right now. I'm such a fanny, fanny girl. Bradley Cooper. How hot is he?"

In her own way, Sidibe is becoming a pinup too. She adores photo shoots. "I feel like a model. It justifies everyone in my life who told me I wouldn't be anything until I lost weight. It justifies that little girl who cried because she didn't think she could be in front of the camera. And it's for other girls who feel like they can't do this or that and feel like they're not pretty and not worthy of having their photo taken."

Sidibe was not born this evolved, however. "It came late, too late in my life," she says. "Something like 21. I just know that I was tired. I was tired of thinking less of myself because others did." Daniels, with whom Sidibe has an admirably frank relationship, told the New York Times, "[Gabby] may be in a state of denial or on a higher plane than the rest of us, but either way, she breaks your heart in the movie." She sits back. "I was like, 'What the hell? I'm in denial?' No, I know what I look like. I'm very much aware."

She adds, "People always ask me, 'You have so much confidence. Where did that come from?' It came from me. One day I decided that I was beautiful, and so I carried out my life as if I was a beautiful girl. I wear colors that I really like, I wear makeup that makes me feel pretty, and it really helps. It doesn't have anything to do with how the world perceives you. What matters is what you see. Your body is your temple, it's your home, and," she chuckles, "you must decorate it."

Sidibe's favorite decoration to date is the red David Meister dress she wore to the L.A. premiere of Precious. "It was so va va voom, my boobs looked so good in it. I had diamonds on too. Diamonds really do it." While her size makes off-the-runway looks an impossibility, she's not that bothered. "I don't really care because it gives me more freedom. I don't just flip through a magazine and say, 'I want this,' because I can't, really."

She's bemused by Kate Moss's recent recitation of the diet dictum "Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels." "Well, I wouldn't know," she says. "I've never been skinny. I've heard it before. It's just one of those things that people say that doesn't really mean anything in my life. She didn't make it up."
Sidibe feels pretty good, actually, and is working on feeling better. Today she is joining a gym, noting with some humor that her primary source of energy as she's been hurtling around the country of late has been "Red Bull, which I'm sure isn't the greatest thing." About a year ago, she used to "swim 100 laps a day." How did she look then? Bigger shoulders, stronger? "Nah," she laughs, "just like this."

You won't see Sidibe in a yoga studio anytime soon, though. "I hate yoga so much. Like, if yoga was a person, I'd stab them." At the end of the day, "it doesn't make any sense to kill yourself, because who are you trying to be beautiful for? It's a mind game, not a body game."

When you're rich, photographed, and famous (well, two of the three), other doors will open. She fantasizes about cashing in, doing ads in Japan like George Clooney. "I've thought about it," she says with a wink. "I'd probably advertise cherry soda. Cherry soda ... um, muffins ... something sexy ... I know, cherry-muffin soda!"
Speaking of global recognition, she's heard Precious may have been screened in the White House. "I heard a rumor that President Obama knew who I was. You know, because Oprah is all up in his shizz, so I think that he might be aware of me." She laughs. "But then again, he's also aware of the whole world. He's probably a little brain busy."

And so, of course, is Sidibe. She recently completed a role in the pilot for the upcoming Showtime series The C Word, but there's always time to get esoteric. If she met herself at a party, "I'd think I was pretty. Is that weird? I might be really interested in me. I'd probably watch myself the whole night, then I'd come over and say, 'You're a really good dancer.' We'd talk for a while and then," she says, starting to giggle at the silliness of it, "we'd go home separately to avoid the paparazzi."

When Sidibe appeared on Ellen in October, armed with a dance she had been practicing for weeks, Ellen DeGeneres implored her to "stay exactly who you are." She lights up at the memory. "I'm just happy to show up. So, I don't have any plans of changing because I really, really like myself. It took a lot of work to get here. It's reaffirming for people to meet me and ask me not to change." She smiles, slyly deflating her you-go-girl balloon. "And now we cry."
______________________________________________________________

http://www.listaholic.com/the-ten-hottest-fat-celebrities.html

Look at those 10 hot celebrities above. What does that say now? Does it mean that if you are curvy , you cant be a diamond?

Next time you feel insecure about how you look in front of the opposite sex, picture him growing old with a pot belly and laugh beautifully.

More pieces just before Chinese New Year.

2010-02-13T05:30:00.000-08:00

Here are the pictures of the dresses we have made for our customers just before Chinese New Year... Boy, after this set of customisations, I am all geared up to stock up the shop with the new collections.:)

Laurette in Midnight blue satin and cotton tweed blend bottom.

Black and pink version of Bianca.

Chanel-esque tweed material.

Imported quirky fabric from Japan.

Applying colourblocking to create a shapely silhouette.

Convenient pockets , an unforgettable print.

Quiet elegance oozes from her.

Need I say more? :)

More OOAK (One of a kind)

2010-02-10T06:59:00.000-08:00

She's known as AVA.

Quirky cats in complementing blanche background.

Ebony satin pipings and a girly bows.

& Oh, such convenient pockets....

(Fabric imported from Japan)

That's for the lovely you, Shizue.

Vanilla satin pipings .

Candy floss polka dots in Ecru.

Imported fabric from Japan.

That's for you , my pretty darlings S & A.

Chinese New Year Greetings

2010-02-01T17:23:00.000-08:00

Ready for more Cheongsams?

2010-01-19T02:23:00.000-08:00

Old school, retro-esque , Japanese cotton linen blend with ecru satin pipings.

Olive Shangtung silk blended with Fuschia. I absolutely love this one!

A customised pair for a mother and daughter.Check out the hem finishing for the mummy.

Total Delight in Orient

2010-01-19T02:11:00.000-08:00

I finally managed to lay my hands on the black version of the fabric of Total delight in Orient.
Absolute happiness, but it's only enough for a dress. Now.. i am in a dilemma as to keep the original design or change it, to hoard it, or put it up for sale. It's such a rare find!

Bye Batman, Hello Superman!

2010-01-03T08:02:00.000-08:00

Are you guilty of being Wednesday in Addams Family? Make a New Year Resolution in 2010 to start donning more hues. Afterall, arent your superheroes like Robin Hood and Superman very impressionable cause of their coloured costumes?;)

First of all , let's start with your personality.What you wear marks you out as an individual. So take a look around your abode, your work room , your bedroom, what are the colour shades of your curtains, your picture frames, your cups, your rug..and even the colours on your nails... these pretty much wraps up your personality and from there , once you have an inkling of your personal taste , move on to the shade groups these colours belong too. You could check out if these colours and those in the same group could be added to your wardrobe.Instead of sticking to the same shade you are always at, try the colours in the same shade groups.:)

When you are trying to determine which colours suits you best, it's important to think in terms of shade groups rather than individual colours as there is no guarantee that all shades of a particular colour are going to suit you. For example pale pink brings out the radiance in red heads but fuschias are going to clash big time for them as they made them look tired and washed out.

After a period of trial and error, you will be able to find out what suits you best.

The below might be helpful to those who need strict guidelines . Source :ehow

Winters colors have black, dark/ash chestnut, salt/pepper or white hair. Skin tone is either cold brown, olive, neutral, sallow or pink beige. Eye color is either brown black, chestnut, hazel, gray or blue. Winters colors are pure (e.g. true white, true black) or jewel-toned (e.g. ruby red,
emerald).

Leighton Meester(See pic below) is a perfect winter type and she knows that bold, fresh colors
look exquiste on her.
Often people to generalize the winter types and put women of a different skin types in this category as well. Dark skinned women, latinas, asians, and indian women are foten a combination of all these types and have the advantage that they can often wear more colors as many bright colors complement their skin tone. In contrary to other types dark skin women can wear color really well so don't only go for white and black but enjoy the advantage of your skin tone.

Falls have brown, dark brown, chestnut, red or copper colored hair; dark brown, olive, golden brown or warm beige skin tone; and dark brown, golden brown, amber, hazel or green eyes. Falls look good in shades that are rich or muted but that also look warm and inviting (e.g. earth tones, think of the autumn season colors in nature).

Spring hair colors are dark brown, chestnut, light chestnut, or red or golden blond. Skin tone is golden, pink beige, peach, ivory or porcelain and have either blue, green, aqua, golden brown or amber eyes. Springs should wear bright, fresh colors and stay away from dark ones (e.g. sunny
yellow).

To wrap things up , dark skin women look gorgeous in bold summer colours, also, metallics look great on them.(That is why you tend to see many afro americans modelling the bright hue outfits for designers.) Avoid ash like colours as they tend to drag your radiance down.

All of these tips will help you narrow down what colours are and aren't right for you, but the only real test of any colour is to try it against yourself and see whether it works with your skin, face, hair and figure. If it doesn't flatter all four, put the garment back on the rack and try something else. Source:Article nash

Start by examining whether the tones of the garment are 'cool' or 'warm' enough for your skin. The right shade will light up your skin, while the wrong one will make you look washed out. Your hair and eye colour should be flattered, not overpowered by your clothing, so if they look dull or lifeless, it's the wrong shade. And it goes without saying that any colour that shows up your lumps, bumps or blemishes is best avoided, so stay away from those pastel trousers unless you've got a perfect bottom.

Hmmmm, still too afraid to try? Try them on accessories first. Be it a scarf or hair band, bags or shoes. Though the rule of thumb is try to match the accessory to one of the colours in the print or shade family of your outfit. So, if you are still sporting black, you may throw on a red choker ( take note of what hue of red to wear though).or a red sac and red heels.;)

Have fun ladies..You dont try, you will never know.

Especially for you....

2009-12-26T22:17:00.000-08:00

Another version of Blair in Kelly's fabric requested by a lovely lady.

George was such a sweetie to spring this surprise up for his gf.
We basically worked on this dress using a photograph and the size of a brand that she wears.

Customised Silk Brocade with embroidered Velvet Peach blossoms

wedding Qipao for a client in the States.

We worked on it using her measurements and email correspondence.

Mychang wanted a simple one without lace and frills.

S asked for a simple pure white Vneck dress for daywear without any frills , drapes or layers..

A customised version of Alayna as the client wanted to wear it for a chinese wedding.

Awesome contrasting of colours is at work here.

As you can see, all you need to do is just to ask and let us know what ticks for you:)

Colouring with Silk

2009-12-24T20:07:00.000-08:00

I am falling in love with these colours of Shangtung silk.I am actually at a lost at what to choose as there are soooo many favourites. I have thought of a really beautiful design for a cheongsam and now I am just left with deciding which 2 colours.

I will blog more about choosing the right colour palette for your skin tone in the next couple of entries. Colours are important as they enhance your complexion, choosing the right ones that complement you make you look so good that you probably wont want to go back to black too often ;)

How to take your body measurements video

2009-12-20T08:59:00.001-08:00

How to take your body measurements

2009-12-20T08:28:00.000-08:00

Step 1) Get a measuring tape, a pencil and paper, and put on lightweight clothing with the type of bra you intend to wear under the customised garment.

Step 2)

A :Bustline: Draw the tape around the fullest part of your bust. Make sure the tape is taut but not tight, and it is flat, not twisted. Write down the measurement where the tape meets itself.

B. Waist: Start by tying a narrow piece of string/ribbon around the waist.

One should then move around a bit until the string/ribbon settles at one's natural waistline.

Keep the string/ribbon in place for the rest of the measurements.

Using the tailor’s measuring tape, measure over the string/ribbon, around the natural waistline. The tape measure should be held snug, but not tight

(Picture of measurements from nexteve)

C. Hips: Measure around the widest part of your hips.

D. Length: For Full Length Measure from top of the shoulder through the nipple to floor, including the height of shoes. Otherwise measure

to where you want the hem.

E. Under Bust:

F. Nipple to Nipple: The measurement between your two nipples.

G. Shoulder to Nipple: Measure from top of the shoulder to nipple.

(This might not be necessary all the time)

H. Shoulder to Waist: Measure from top of the shoulder through the

nipple to waist.(This measurement is important)

I. Shoulder to Hips: Measure from top of the shoulder through the

nipple to hips.

J. Shoulder to Shoulder: Measure your shoulder width from the back.

K. Neck: Measure around the fullest part of your neck.

L. Armhole: Measure around the widest part of your arm.

It's good to measure your backlengthto waist as well. That means measuring from your shoulders to your natural waistline on the back.

There are alot of DIY tutorials on how to measure yourself.

Just to give you a few links.

Sew, Mama, Sew is quite a good one and you can refer to here for the good 3D pictures they have, it's really idiotproof here.

There is even a good video on youtube to teach you how.

The Birth of DYLAN

2009-12-12T19:37:00.000-08:00

Let's take a step back to 8, 9 years ago....

One of my first professional outfits was from MNG and then ZARA opened its first store here before more outlets of the 2 brands started sprouting out ...Then I started moving on to BLUM for more OOAK (One of a kind pieces) but I realised that even though I was paying a premium price, I still remained not fully satisfied of my dress. I was still teaching then and was not given much time aside to grouse about my wardrobe , but I made daily efforts daily to dress up well just to teach. I dare say my sense of style never fails to lend a "perk me up at work" and sets me apart from the other teachers. My students were often fascinated with my workgear and mind you, girls at the age of 9 already have an eye of a hawk for fashion. They could tell if I ever wore a pencil cut denim skirt on consecutive days.

I guess I am a vainpot and a girl who loves looking well groomed.I love colours and have learnt during my St Nicks school days what are the kind of colours complimented my skin tone. As I grew older, I still continued to experiment until I discover the right palette for myself.And one thing for sure is that I dont follow any fashion trends. Before you lambast me, dont get me wrong.I love reading up on the latest fashion trends in magazines and blogs but not everything suits me and my lifestyle you see. It's just like I covet those Herve Leger bandage dresses but I seldom get a chance to don them. Those boyfriend blazers are absolutely trendy and raging!!! But it's just really hot to wear them here in Singapore (as compared to the streets of New york or London) and now that I'm a mom, I am all the more a firm believer of practicality.

The birth of my son gave me more time to delve into this world of fashion. Many have noticed that the label is named after my little boy.This is because the birth of him is a very significant part of my life that brought about this change in career.DYLAN also falls in line with my strong advocacy to STAND ON YOUR OWN which is both applicable to dressing up and to my lil boy gaining independence.

Getting back to how my love for designing first started. It actually began when I was scouring through vintage clothes selections online or be it estate sales and flea markets in the other countries, I realise that my love for the 1950s and 60s holds strong.I notice that what reign in my wardrobes are the classics sheaths and shifts.It was inherent that classics designs are definitely my love, but unfortunately I have too little of them. It's then when I start to turn to the stores locally to look for the kind of dresses I wanted and was very much disappointed.The kind of hemlines I wanted could not be found, the kind of colour, the kind of fabric.. it jus goes on...This was when I started exploring the idea of designing and making my own dress...

I bought tonnes of books on fashion designing projects, I started practising on sketches and I visited the fabric markets both locally and overseas to study the fabrics and even linings.I actually did enrolled in a school for dressmaking, I asked and tried to learn everything that was needed in this line. Unfortunately due to rigidity of time in looking after my boy, I had to stop lessons and started learning under an experienced seamstress which gave me more flexibility to juggle work and being a mom.

I keep the the pieces of each designs to a minimal few pieces to maintain exclusivity. That's why I turn to designing my own frock in the first place---to be unique. Like I say, it would be an utter embarassment to run into your twin at any event even though you both could be wearing a 8, 9 hundred dollar ,designer number.No lady would like that to happen to her.Having a sharp eye for good quality and unique fabrics helps in this line and this is what brings clients back for more, along with more personalised services.So with the mantra of being unique and to STAND ON YOUR OWN, I created 3 lines for DYLAN this year--
-No More Monday Blues, In the Mood for Love and Get Carrie-d away. You could read more about the meaning behind them over here.

I am really pleased and happy with the support and advice I am getting on this journey since the birth of DYLAN , thanks everyone and I do hope for more good things to come.^-^

With love,
Elaine