She's A Silver Lining...

Fully Beaded Silver and White Corset: Kristel Yulo | Tulle Tutu Ballgown Skirt with Train: Kristel Yulo | Crystal Swarovski Headpiece: DIY | Silver Satin Shoes with Swarovski Crystals: So! Fab | Diamond Drop Chandelier Earrings: My Collection from Ords Jewelers | Silver Satin Bag: Bally | Eyelash Extensions: Shu Uemura

Confession: I am a very competitive person. Yet Another Confession: I NEVER compete with anyone else...except for myself. I am in constant competition with myself to be better, to be more creative, to take things to a different level and I find that when I compete with myself, I end up creating more a challenge and I end up pushing my limits. This goes to show why I always need to outdo myself especially on my favorite Holidays: Christmas (and the parties that come with it), Halloween (you all know that!) and of course New Year's Eve. I've conquered 2/3 events and you all know how my Orchid costume went as I've blogged about to endlessly but this time, I had quite the challenge because the theme of our annual Company Christmas Ball was Lifestyles of The Rich and Famous, and my dad assigned me to the role of Kim Kardashian. It's no secret my family see so many similarities in our demeanor, quirks and habits as with THAT Kardashian sister and that's not so bad but I had to ask my dad to explain the decision as I do not have curves (am a ruler and proud of it) and I don't have a sex tape. He simply explained that it was because I was a sweet person, a fashionista and that he was quite proud of me for working hard to establish myself as a "brand" and I was fine with that.  

TO VIEW WHAT I HAD TO COMPETE AGAINST: Last Year's Snow Queen Gown ALSO made by Kristel Yulo... 
CLICK HERE
or see it here...

So the costume planning began. I searched for pegs of Kim Kardashian in her glorious red carpet moments and ended up with these top 5 choices: a gold gown which left little to the imagination, a red one shoulder dress, a white Grecian Goddess gown, a blue curve hugging gown or a purple beaded cutout gown. 

Naturally, I was thinking of what would be best to highlight the nonexistence of my  curves and since I wanted the trademark signature Kardashian curly vampy hair and so I decided on the gold dress. I had it made but upon fitting realized that it was well-fitted and very Kim K. in every way but it was an appropriate gown to wear to a Corporate Christmas party where I was the C.O.O. (Child of Owner) and a member of the Board of Directors at that. This is why I had to thank my favorite designer and fairy godmother Kristel Yulo for existing in my life as her pieces fit me perfectly and she always was my go-to girl for formal dresses and she saved me. I opted for another iconic Kim Kardashian look, perhaps her most famous one, the Vera Wang wedding gown she wore to her extravagant wedding to Kris Humphries which lasted in a 72-day marriage. So the marriage didn't work out as well as we expected but I have to admit the wedding was amazing and she looked extravagant and this gown that i tried on was absolute perfection as it added on my usual JL-twist of beads. Also since I was not willing to wear a veil, I decided to make my head piece extra extravagant (is that possible) by making sure it covered my entire hair. Of course I have Yaya Armi to thank for doing my hair so perfectly in a gigantic bun, as she always does, and the rest was bedazzling with crystals. It took a lot of work but I am happy with how it turned out and I absolutely loved how it all worked out. Definitely the perfect transition from last year's gown. 

A memorable saying that I always remember goes like this, "Love that moment, and the energy of that moment will spread beyond all boundaries." See the thing is, people who have so much on their plate have a terrible time loving the moment. We are always making lists and eyeing the tasks that are just around the corner when we need to be busy working on the task at hand. Hence, rarely anything we do gets our full and undivided attention. Because of this subtle distractibility and lack of presence,  you end up missing out on a lot. I used to be one of said people. But always in the quest to be better, I decided a change was necessary and so I decided to love each moment and not let my loving another moment be determined by a previous or past moment (in this case, being that I was just recently discharged from the hospital for a drug allergy)... but the good thing is my cheerful disposition overpowered whatever events transpired leading to the event. It is only when one can really be in the moment, the very process of being in the moment radiates into the crevices of our life and begins to dust out the cobwebby corners, Presence is a gift, not just to others but to ourselves. My presence that day was almost dream-like.

I felt like royalty in this dress. I know I am not... but hey, a girl can dream right? This applies especially for me since I have never been afraid to grow up to dream. We all know how to lust for things- after power, after money, after security, after relationships- but we have often forgotten how to dream. The thing is: dreaming is not limited to the unreal or the impossible. Dreaming is stretching the real beyond the limits of the present. Dreaming is not only being bound by the mere possible. Dreaming is not safe for our illusion of control BUT it is infinitely safe for our soul. When we deprive ourselves of our hopes and dreams, we relegate ourselves to keeping our eyes to the ground, carefully calculating every step, and missing the pictures in the clouds... and the double rainbows (pun intended). To hope and to dream is not to ignore the practical. It is to dress it in jewels, crystals, colors and rainbows. 

xx, JL