TOPAZ HORIZON

This is a working weekend for me at the entertainment magazine I work for because of the royal wedding. The entire staff is all busy looking through thousands of photos and researching all the details. It's very exciting and terrifying at the same time because we have to finish this issue in 2 days so that you can have it by next week. Fun fun fun!

I was squealing and gasping the entire time. So many thrilling moments! When William and Harry departed Clarence House, when the Queen showed up in sunny yellow, when all those gorgeous Philip Treacy hats paraded outside the Abbey, when I saw those trees in the Abbey, when Pippa showed up (I though for a moment she was Kate), when Kate finally appeared, when she met William at the altar, when I saw all those magnificent horses and the cavalry, etc etc. Of course I clapped most during the kisses at Buckingham Palace! Love it love it love it!


Anyway, I think I'm one of the very few underwhelmed with Catherine's dress. Underwhelmed and disappointed. It's a lovely dress and she looked absolutely amazing in it but... it's not the Alexander McQueen the fashion world remembers.

I'm not dissing it, okay? Like I said, it's a gorgeous dress--simple, elegant, lovely. But those are adjectives you don't really use to describe a McQueen. McQueen is--rather, was--the rock star of the fashion world. He's known for his bold, out-of-this-world, outrageous, sexy, controversial, shocking, theatrical, lavish, rebellious, fantastical, edgy, avant-garde designs.

I honestly could not imagine classic, elegant, sophisticated Kate wearing a McQueen! Just look at his designs as worn by the Great Cate Blanchett:




When I heard the rumors that Sarah Burton for Alexender McQueen might be the lucky designer, I got so excited. William and Kate are known to be a modern couple but even I didn't expect they'd be that modern. Here's the bridal dresses from his last collection:




I was sooo excited to see if Catherine will actually be able to pull off a McQueen! Well, turns out Sarah Burton designed a very Kate Middleton dress for the new duchess. Compare her wedding gown with those dresses up there. Not even close. There's nothing McQueen about Catherine's dress at all.

When I saw Catherine in her gown, I said, "Oh, it's gorgeous! She looks lovely!" And then I got sad because that beautiful gown just emphasized the fact that a true design genius is dead and gone.

However, I figured that Catherine chose the design house of McQueen because he was one of the most celebrated British designers of all time. But if she had actually worn something outrageous, well, that just wouldn't get the approval of two billion people who want their princesses to wear fairy-tale gowns, not cutting-edge fashion!

So great choice, Catherine! You wore something very British and were able to marry tradition with modernity. You've proven to be a master at compromise. So very you and William!

* * * * * * *
See what other designers have to say:
Top designers Lagerfeld, Givenchy and Lacroix give their verdict
San Francisco's top wedding designers weigh in

And what Preview editor-in-chief Pauline Juan has to say:

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

For the official wedding photos (so breathtakingly beautiful! The one with the kids is my favorite!), click here.

Many of you were moved by the wedding sermon I wrote about last week. Now let me share with you another one. Nearly thirty years ago, the Archbishop of Canterbury told Prince William and Lady Diana and the 750 million people around the world watching their wedding that marriage is not a fairy tale and yet married people truly can live happily ever after.

These are some of his beautiful truths:

Testing testing! I hope this works! Text and photo. As you can see (if the photo shows up, that is), I'm not ready yet! But I can't resist showing you my boy, who was puzzled then amused by my hair contraptions!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Hello everyone! How was your holiday?

I've had a lovely two weeks. Went with my Sales family to the truly incredible Shangri-la Mactan for the very first time (thanks, Mom and Dad!), happy with how things are going at work since a huge problem is finally going away (hooray!), had an amazing anniversary week with Vince, met the coolest mommy bloggers ever over milkshakes and mocktails, gave my Topaz Mommy blog a fab makeover, and really enjoyed the Holy Week cocooned at home with just my boys.

Plus, I've been winning auction after auction on eBay! I now have a cute new Marni dress, a whimsical Gucci bag, a sheet of Peter Rabbit stamps and a bottle of my Lanvin perfume (the one on eBay is about P2,000 cheaper than the ones sold at the mall!). I'm sooo happy! I still have my eye on four designer dresses. Bidding ends on Wednesday. This is sooo exciting! I hope I win them all!

*family photo from my sister-in-law Lizelle =)

Here's my son Vito, happily toothily smiling for the camera (click pic to enlarge). He's super cute, isn't he? There's more and better photos of my darling boy in Topaz Mommy.

As for the outfit, I'm wearing a Bench tank, Kate Moss for Topshop wool pants, Cole Vintage flats, Sopia bib necklace and, for a pop of color, my Cambridge Satchel.

I've taken to wearing blacks, grays and beiges. It's rather boring. I don't know if this is a phase because I'm feeling insecure about my stubborn belly fat or because black hides baby spit and food stains or I've truly become boring. If it's permanent (heaven forbid!), I guess I should start buying bright accessories, like Furla's candy bags which I covet.

Hmm, which reminds me... On Twitter today, fellow mom bloggers Martine and Eliza and mompreneur Paola and I chatted about how women would sacrifice food, apply for endless payday loans, and go into credit card debt just to buy designer bags, specifically bags that go for obscene amounts. I said that if I had that much money to spend on frivolity, I'd rather buy jewelry. And I actually do. Jewelry appreciates in value (the price of gold hit a record high recently), is easy to pack and hide should you need to flee (must stop watching crime shows--I'm beginning to think like a crook!), and is easy to sell or barter. Bags? Imagine packing all of your Birkins and Pradas while fleeing the country. Jewelry is easy--just sweep into a bag (preferably the understated and roomy Mulberry Bayswater) and go.

However, I have nothing against buying designer bags. If we can afford them, why not? But I think there's something seriously wrong about getting into debt or sacrificing on essentials like food or the children's education or living in squalor just so you can tote a Goyard, a Birkin or a Chanel. Or the latest gadget. For example, I always get supremely irritated that certain relatives of mine have smart phones and game consoles and yet can't pay for their kids' tuition fees. Really.

Reflection. Literally!