The Luxury of NYE

Hello everyone!  It's the end of the year, and a whole new year is right around the corner.  I usually like to reflect back and remember everything that made this year special for me.  One of those things is actually a fashion trend that I absolutely love, and that's all the baroque and ornate fashion this season.  I think it was important to remind everyone the importance of luxury and to get past that phase of minimalism for a season (although I do love it from time to time ^_^).

What is luxury, and why is it important?  I think luxury is best defined in the immortal words of Coco Chanel:

Some people think luxury is the opposite of poverty.  It is not.  It is the opposite of vulgarity.

Need I explain the importance of not being vulgar?

ModCloth Gilding a Mystery Dress

Filgree Metal Black Venetian Mask on Ebay

I actually wore this outfit to a Halloween party this year, but I think it will still work perfectly well for a New Year's Eve party.  I was so inspired by the whole baroque trend this season that I bought this dress at ModCloth when I got hold of a coupon code.  This was my first ModCloth purchase, and I couldn't have been happier with it.  When I read the description of this dress on the ModCloth website, I remembered that I had an old venetian mask that I bought on Ebay a while back, and that's how this whole outfit came together.  Everyone asked me about my mask at the party, and I'm thinking about getting the gold one to add to my collection.

I hope all of you are enjoying your New Year's Eve festivities, and please look forward to the New Year!

PFC #22: Cute Cold Weather Shopping Clothes

I apologize for the lateness of my post.  I've been experiencing internet problems, but thank God that has been fixed now!

Now, on to my favorite topic: shopping.  There is such a thing as being dressed incorrectly for shopping, and I'm glad that A Preponderance of Fashion is hosting this unique Petite Fashion Challenge.  The challenge is this: "The weather outside is frightful, but indoor shopping is warm and delightful.  So, whether you have wind, rain, or snow, show me your clothes when shopping for friends or foe!"  I love the fact that this challenge rhymes!  ^_^

Rayban New Wayfarer Sunglasses

Longchamp Planete Large Tote

Club Monaco Jean Glove

August Silk knit dress (old)

Gap 1969 Gray Skinny Jeans (old)

It's very important to take into consideration not only the whether outside when you're going shopping but also what you will be shopping for.  If you're looking for a dress, for example, make sure you are wearing the correct clothes for dress shopping, such as a strapless bra perhaps, panty hose, or heels.  However, if you think it might rain/snow, think about your mode of transportation.  If you're driving a car, it won't matter too much since you'll be inside the car where you're warm and dry for most of the time.

I actually wore the outfit above today to go shoe shopping with a friend.  I wasn't planning on buying anything for myself (in fact, I was trying to discourage myself from buying anything), so my priority was keeping warm.  The August Silk dress that I wore is short sleeved, so I paired it with my long black gloves that I got from Club Monaco (all sale items are now currently 50% off, by the way!).  I also wore my black Timberland boots today, because I heard it was going to snow.

However, the highlight of my outfit (and basically what's keeping me toasty warm) has to be this aviator jacket that I got off Ebay here.  I saw this jacket on Wendy's Lookbook a while ago, and I just simply had to have it.  I was thrilled when I saw that this jacket was available still, so I went ahead and bought one.  It's also not bulky, so I don't have to lug too much weight around when I'm in stores trying on clothes.  I love it so much!  In my opinion, if you live somewhere that can have pretty severe weather, a great coat is simply a must.

Please visit A Preponderance of Fashion's blog to see a list of other petite bloggers who participated!

 

Blog Anniversary Giveaway

Happy Holidays everyone!

I'm so sorry for not posting for a while, but I've just been too busy shopping catching up with my family.  ^_^  It's that time of year again, and my blog is almost one year old!  With that said, I've decided to host my first giveaway, and I'm not just giving away 1, or 2, but 3 items!

The first item is the Tied Crochet Dress - Black from Nasty Gal in a size Small.  It is currently on sale for $51.

The second item is a similar dress from LuLu that is currently sold out in a body conscious style in a size Medium.  It was priced at $39.

The third item is... a Hermes inspired Collier de Chien, aka CDC, or dog collar, bracelet.  It was priced at around $35.  Please note, however, this is a stock photo, and the leather on the actual bracelet is pebbled.

In total, this giveaway is a little over $100.

How do you apply?

1.  Follow this blog on blogger (+1), bloglovin' (+1), instagram (+1), and/or twitter (+1) for a possible 4 entries!
2. This is optional, but for an additional entry, you can link back to this giveaway on your blogger (+1), bloglovin (+1), instagram (+1), and/or twitter (+1) account for another possible 4 entries!
3. Leave a comment below, stating where you followed me (and any link backs to this post) and something happy that happened to you recently.

This giveaway is available to both US and international followers.  The winner will be drawn at random, and entries will be validated.  The winner has 3 days to claim their prize, and if it isn't claimed, another entry will be drawn.  This giveaway will end Thursday, January 31st at 9 PM EST.

Good luck everyone!

To All the Gentlemen of the World...

To All the Gentlemen of the World,

 You don't need magic tricks to win the woman of your dreams...

 You just need an ace up your sleeve...

A good suit and tie...

 Plus a fabulous pair of heels to seal the deal.  ^_^  Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Craving for Egg Puffs

To those of you who live in Asia, I envy you.  You get to enjoy these delicious egg puffs all the time!  There's really only one place that I know of in Boston that sells them, and, of course, it's in a small little spot in Chinatown.  There's an old woman who has been selling them for over 10 years now, and I've been going to her for my little treat ever since I was a kid.

As you can see, it's really not all that complicated to make.  Just pour something that looks like pancake batter into a small round mold and heat it up.  But it tastes so good!  Rain or shine - whenever I'm in Chinatown I try to grab a bag for myself.  I tell myself each time that I'll take it home to share with the rest of my family, but let's face it: I have absolutely no self control. ^_^  My friends have even started calling me "Eggy" because of how much I like them. ^_^;

Yes, that little batch costs $2.75.  I hear in China that you can get a much bigger batch for way less.  -_-  Again, I envy all of you who live in Asia.

New Sailor Moon in Summer 2013

If you've read my post here, you'll know that I'm a HUGE fan of Sailor Moon (and yes that HUGE was worthy enough of bold, italics, caps, and underline).  However, did you know that they are going to be bringing back the anime in Summer of 2013?  Yes, you heard right.  I had to double check with other forums and blogs to confirm what I heard the first time, and I also waited a little bit longer before I could finally accept it myself.  I mean this is HUGE (and yes, I know, I did it again)!  2012 marks the 20th anniversary of Sailor Moon, and now we find out that there's going to be a new anime?!  O.O  I could just faint and die (but not before I watch it first, of course. ^_^;).

While it's not going to be a continuation of the anime after Sailor Stars, it is going to be a "fresh rebot."  Not much yet is known about the new series, but you can find updated information here in English.  They will also be releasing a new artbook for Sailor Moon.  There will be some different bonus content that will be released in 7 different countries, so if you're a collector, you're going to have to buy all 7 different versions.  As for me, I'll just be happy with getting my hands on one.

With that, I'll leave you with a clip with another one of my favorite songs from this series, The Power of Love.  It's fitting, don't you think? ;)

A Golden Friday

It's Friday, and let's face it: This calls for a bit of gold!  Well, maybe lots of it.  ^_^

Outside Club Monaco

I've always admired the beautiful photos of the City of Lights found in Paris in Four Months, so taking inspiration from the lovely blogger, Carin, I took my (*ahem* brother's) DSLR camera for a spin outside the shop windows of Boston.  It's almost Christmas, so all the lovely windows are almost glittering with their beautiful decorations!  This haphazard photo of golden kitchenware is probably one of my favorites.  I'm pretty sure Midas would have used these in his kitchen.

Burberry's Festive Gift Balloons

And let's not forget the golden windows of Burberry.  I wouldn't mind having one of those balloons drop down on my doorstep with a prettily wrapped gift attached.  I love those bags!  I'm probably going to be taking my own Burberry bag with me on my next trip to Paris...  Yup, you heard right!  I'm going to Paris in the Spring!  How's that for a Golden Friday!  ^_^

A Longing for Spring in the Middle of Winter

It's strange that while I'm typing this I'm enjoying a view of snow slowly falling by my window.  This usually happens to me when we're in the middle of a season.  When it's summer, I can't wait for winter to arrive, and when it's winter, I can't wait for spring to arrive.  Getting this catalog from Saks yesterday didn't help either, but it's good to know that florals are still in.  Enjoy a preview of what's to come in the next season, and have a great weekend!

Being Thankful

I absolutely love Thanksgiving.  For me, it's a moment every year on the fourth week of November where you are just simply thankful for everything.  Your friends, family, health, and life among other things.  Like most things in life, there are downsides too, such as getting together with family members that just make you crazy.  I think the most important thing is trying to make the best out of every situation.

My grandfather passed away recently, and because of it, I've had to cancel my trip to Paris, so I could stay for the funeral.  Trust me when I say that it has been difficult, but the silver lining in the cloud is that my grandfather isn't in any pain, and Paris will always be waiting for me.

I like to read other people's blogs (more so than updating my own, it seems... ^_^; ), and I see these amazing photographs and achievements that they post everyday.  However, what they don't usually say is how hard it was to get there (sometimes, literally).  I'm sure there were struggles and perhaps a few tears along the way, but sticking to what they like doing, I think, is what pulled them through.

With that said (and while New Year's resolutions are a few months away), I am going to try to update my blog more often.  I do so enjoy writing, and while posting outfit pictures are fun, it can be a bit time consuming, but at least I have Instagram (and Twitter) now!  I am still such a noob at using it though, so please bear with me.

I know everyone has been posting links up for good deals with shopping for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, so I won't bore you all with another list.  I will, however, put up a list of purchases that I've made thus far.  I bought everything online, because I really wanted to avoid the crowds this year.

The first thing on my list was this Eric Bompard Classic V neck pullover in navy blue.  I found out about it after reading Parisian Chic, and when I saw that it was on sale online, I immediately grabbed it.  Don't get me wrong: this 100% cashmere sweater is still expensive, but I was pleasantly surprised at the 20% discount that was offered.  The original price was $295, and after the discount, it came out to $236.  However, at checkout, it came out to $196, I think, because it's supposed to be 20% off the price in euros.  Plus shipping, I think, I paid $213.  The sale is still good until December 2nd, so there's still time to pick it up if anyone's interested.

When I saw that ASOS was having a Black Friday deal as well, I went to check out any tops that interested me, and my eyes immediately honed onto this ASOS Top with Pearl Grid Embellished Armour.  It was awesome!  I usually dress pretty simply, but I just couldn't get enough of this sweater.  It completely reminded me of the Balmain Fall/Winter 2012 collection with all its opulence and luxury.  I immediately grabbed it before it was all sold out, and sell out it did just a few hours after I grabbed it.

This was more of an impulse buy for me.  I really wanted a military inspired coat to wear, and I saw this coat at Topshop that met my needs.  It's aptly called the Military Piped Girly Coat.  There's no Black Friday coupon code offered, but there was a 10% student discount that I found online (and no, I'm not a student, but, hey, they don't know that. ^_^).  I'm already planning on returning it, because I have more coats than I really need, but we'll see how much I like it when it gets here.

There's also one last thing that I bought.  It's small, but it was a big splurge for myself.  Hint: I bought it to remind myself to never stop loving.  I will reveal all later.  Happy shopping everyone!

Update - 11/26/2012:

I know I wrote about a similar dress like this a while ago here, but I wasn't happy with the body conscious style of the dress, so I looked for another version, and I found it at Nasty Gal.  This version is much more forgiving, and the dress flows over your curves.  I wouldn't recommend it for tall people though.  Even for a petite person, such as myself, I found it a bit short.  There was a purple and white version that I bought already with the black lace.  I'm buying this one as well.  It's called the Tied Crochet Dress - Black.  Everything is 25% off today for Cyber Monday, so get it while there are still some sizes left over!

To be completely honest, I had no intention of buying this dress.  I first saw this Herve Leger dress on Net-A-Porter for $625 (down from $1250).  I was tempted, but I didn't buy it.  Then, I saw the same dress on Shopbop for the same price, but they were having a 25% deal for items over $500.  The price came down to around $470.  I couldn't resist, so I just bought a small size just to see how it'll fit.  I'll probably end up returning it later.

A Photo Study

Since I'll be traveling to Paris in the fall, I figure I'll be spending the majority of my time in museums, so I've decided to take my (*ahem* brother's) DSLR camera for a spin, and to get a feel of how heavy it would be to carry it.  I've realized two things: 1) I don't have any type of upper body strength, and 2) I'm definitely never going to be a professional photographer.  I love how the camera captures the details in some of these artworks, but I find that I don't really like the pictures I take from far away.  Here's a couple of shots that I particularly like, but I'm still debating on whether or not I should take it.  Hm...

Petite Fashion Challenge #20: A Trendy Halloween

 Update:  I'm afraid that this PFC will have to be cancelled.  It looks like I jumped on a bit too quickly, and Laura's Little Closet will be hosting the 20th PFC.  Sorry for any confusion!

It's that time again: another petite fashion challenge!  I'm happy to host the 20th Petite Fashion Challenge, and taking into consideration the month we are in, it's all about Halloween.  Pick a fashion trend, and try to incorporate it into your Halloween costume.  For example, taking into consideration the capes and cloaks trend, dress up like a superhero, and keep warm at the same time!  Hey, knocking on all those doors for candy can get really cold.  The sky is the limit!  Pun intended.

To participate, please leave a comment with your blog's link below.  If you don't have a blog, you can email me your entries at happydays01012012@yahoo.com.  The deadline is All Hallow's Eve, October 31st at 12 AM EST.  Again, pun intended.  You didn't really think it could be any other day did you?  ^_^

Bloggers Do Oxblood Better

Today is a very special day, and I wanted to do an outfit post that would reflect that.  Today is the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, which means today is a full moon.  While here in the United States, we go by the solar (or Yang, meaning male) calendar, in certain parts of China, people still go by the lunar (or Yin, meaning female) calendar.  During this time, people usually go around eating mooncakes and lighting lanterns.  This celebration is mostly associated with the Moon Goddess (and no, I'm not talking about Sailor Moon.  ^_^ ), and how she is coming down from her palace on the moon to enjoy the treats which we mere mortals have to offer her.

In honor of the Moon Goddess, and with thanks to Pretty Shiny Sparkly for hosting this challenge, I give you my Bloggers Do Oxblood Better outfit.

 
 I think I might have overdone it with the Oxblood... ^_^;  As you can see, this is a very popular color in my wardrobe.

First off, let's start with the dress.  I got this dress on sale at Macy's years ago for a close relative's wedding.  She even asked me to be a bride's maid.  Usually people would just wear a dress like this once and throw it out, but I love the color of it so much that I've kept it all this time.  The dress is from Betsy & Adam by Linda Bernell in a size 6 petite.  I was a bit heavier during that time, but I remember that this dress hugged my curves in all the right ways, and it still does!  From this picture, you can see that the dress has a bit of a sheen to it, so every time I move, I feel like I'm walking in water.  I love finding new ways to wear old favorites!

Moving on to the accessories, and starting with my Amrita Singh necklace.  I got this necklace some time ago, but I never got around to wearing it.  It's a beautiful, heavy piece that I also saw on Betty Draper on Mad Men one time, although I believe, it might have been in a different color.  I loved the stones on this piece paired with the gold, so I added on my Ann Taylor rustic gold lace cuff to my outfit.  I like how you can adjust the cuff to fit your wrist, because mine is very, very small.  Most bracelets just fall off my arm, but not this one!  I've also gotten compliments from friends for this cuff.

Finally, we have my Hermes 30 cm Rogue in Togo leather with gold hardware Birkin.  (That was a mouthful, wasn't it?)  This bag holds a special place in my heart.  I ordered this bag from a consignment store off of Ebay, when I had one too many glasses of wine.  I probably wouldn't have clicked the Buy It Now button if it hadn't been because of the wine, but it was a color that I loved, and it was in gold hardware!  It came on the day of my birthday, and I wore it that same day to my party.  It was fabulous.  I topped everything off with my YSL lipstick.  Don't you just love the pretty packaging of the tube?

Check out to see what other outfits other bloggers have cooked up!

The Little White Dress

Trina Turk Pearl Sleeveless Dress, Celine Nano bag, Prada sunglasses

 I love this dress.  I get so many compliments whenever I wear this dress from complete strangers.  I got this dress earlier in the summer around the time when all the other bloggers were talking about the Trina Turk collection at Banana Republic.  Since I'm not much of a print person, I wasn't really interested in the collection, but I was looking for a good quality white dress.  I actually saw this dress on the second to last episode of Glee Season 3, where the Glee club finally won the national championship.  Rachel was wearing this dress here, and I knew I had to have it.

The dress is very well made, and the heavy fabric doesn't wrinkle easily.  I love the detailing on the waist and the pockets!  A dress with pockets!  I'm in love.  Did I happen to mention that by the way?  ^_^  As for the size, I got my regular size 4.  There are no petite sizes in this dress.  The dress is a little roomy on me, but I think for a white dress, it should be a little roomy.  Of course, the opposite is true for black dresses, in my opinion.

I paired the dress with my black Celine nano bag with silver hardware.  Another one of my loves.  It looks like such a small bag, but it actually holds quite a bit.  I usually just sling it across my chest, messenger style, and it will hit right at my waist, emphasizing it even more.  I love the combination!

I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

Leather and Fur Luxe

Banana Republic Brown Leather Sheath dress, old white faux fur scarf (or is it a stole?), Prada Dsquared Baroque Sunglasses, old Forever 21 purse

Hello everyone!  Welcome to my first Petite Fashion Challenge (aka PFC)!  We were asked to pick our favorite Summer or Fall 2012 trend and make it work for us.  I thought: That's going to be easy!  The first thing that popped into my mind was leather!  If you know me, you'll know that I'm addicted to leather.  I have at least three leather jackets, two leather pants, two faux leather leggings, a leather skirt, and finally, more recently, this brown leather dress.  (Of course, I didn't include all the leather bags and boots that I currently own, but that's another story.)

This leather dress is currently out of stock online, but there might still be a few available in stores.  There are also a few of these dresses available on Ebay as well.  I bought my dress in stores for 40% off that they had one Wednesday, and it is also a size 2 petite.  Yes, petite.  They only had the regular sizes online at the time, but a few stores sell this dress in the petite sizes.  I'm usually a size 4 in dresses, but this dress was a bit loose on me when I tried it on, and I had to go a size down.  There is one thing that I don't like about this dress.  The hem of this dress looks like it has been cut with scissors.  Other than that, I have absolutely no problems with this dress, although some people complained about the zipper getting caught.  I didn't have this problem though.

Check out pandaphilia's post to find the links to other petite fashion bloggers for their ideas!

Parisian Chic - Part I

First, I will start off by announcing: I will be traveling to Paris in the middle of November.  ^_^

This is definitely a huge dream of mine.  I once traveled to London in a month long study abroad course, and we had a week off from studying where my friends and I decided to go to Paris together.  However, as the fates would have it, I got incredibly sick, and I was bed-ridden for that whole week (plus an extra couple of days).

Fast forward years later, and I am finally going to get to go.  Of course, one of the first things that entered my mind was: What am I going to wear?  I definitely didn't want to look like a tourist, so I've been looking around at some advice that other bloggers and youtubers had posted about their trip.  When I typed in "parisian chic" on the Google search engine, this book also kept popping up, and I knew I had to have it.

Parisian Chic A Style Guide by Inges de la Fressange with Sophie Gachet

Ines de la Fressange was once the muse of Karl Lagerfeld, the current head designer and creative director of the haute couture fashion house, Chanel.  If that wasn't enough, at the age of 51, she walked the runway for the Spring/Summer 2009 collection at the Paris Haute Coutre Fashion Week for the Jean-Paul Gaultier collection.  Did I also mention that she is the daughter of a marquis, which makes her an aristocrat?

No, this is not Ines, but a picture of her eldest daughter, Nine, posing for a series of pictures in this book.  I saw this picture months ago, and I've always wondered who the model was.  It makes me think: Can someone without an inch of Parisian blood in her ever get that kind of style?  According to Ines, apparently you can.

This book also offers some places that Ines recommends to shop while in Paris (clothes, furniture, etc.), where to stay, things to see, etc., so it's not a bad guide for someone who's going to Paris.  Ines only dedicates one section of the book to Parisian apparel, so I wouldn't recommend this book to someone who wants to read it for a full workup of how to dress like a Parisian.  None the less, the advice the Ines gives make it sound amazingly simple.

With that said, I've decided to put the Magnificent Seven (a man's blazer, a trench coat, a navy sweater, a tank top, a little black dress, jeans, and a leather jacket) to the test in the next few months before my trip.  Let's see how it turns out!

Rockin' Weekend

Rayban Aviator sunglasses, H&M military blazer (old), Loft short sleeved black button up shirt (old), True Religion jeans, PS1 bag in Saddle, Banana Republic skinny belt, Love Culture bracelet (worn as choker)

I recently bought this stretchy skinny belt from Banana Republic.  When I saw it on the mannequin at the store, I fell in love with it at first sight, but it was almost $40, so I patiently waited until they had a sale.  My wait paid off, and I basically began pairing this belt with everything I was wearing.  I have yet to find something that doesn't go with this belt, and I'm thinking about getting another one in black.

I bought the medium size in Oxblood (kinda scary name isn't it?), or brown.  I had to go to two different Banana Republic stores in order to score one since they seemed to be going fast.  The reason why I bought the medium was because I wanted the belt to go around my hips.  If I wanted the belt to go around my waist, I would have needed the small.

After putting on my button up black shirt, jeans, and belt, I thought I looked a little too casual Friday office ready (and hey, it's the weekend!), so I grabbed my bracelet and used it as a choker.  It was a little bit chilly today too, so I grabbed this military style jacket that has just been sitting in my closet.  Et voila!  My rocker chic look is born!

I highly recommend this belt, plus there's a 30% discount currently going on at Banana Republic.  Check it out in stores!  ^_^

A Shirt Study

I'm back!  ^_^  Sorry for the long hiatus!  I wanted to say that I've been busy (I have been, really), but the reason why I haven't been blogging is because I wanted to figure out a way to take better pictures.  I ended up getting a tripod and using my brother's DSLR camera.  It just ended up being way too complicated for me, so I'm going back to using my trusty point-and-shoot, and guess what?  I can still use my tripod with it!  So, I guess it all works out!

I saw this beautiful top on Jean, and I really wanted to get something similar.  I really didn't want to pay $42.99 for it, so one day I ended up looking at tops online on Forever 21, and I saw this shirt.  I fell in love with it, and now, I kinda want to get this one too!

When the top arrived in the mail, I'll admit that it took me 5-10 minutes to figure out how to put this top on.  (It was early in the morning, so please forgive me.)  The black ribbon is attached to the collar, so you have to undo the tie and unbutton all the buttons in order to put it on.  There are a lot of buttons on this shirt.

 At first, I actually just threw on my pair of Citizen's of Humanity jeans and asked my parents for their opinion.  My mom really liked it, but my dad said that the jeans don't go with the top.  My dad usually never has an opinion about my choice in clothes, but when he does, he usually has a good point.  Thus, I came up with three different outfits.

 Bag: Chanel small classic flap

Sunglasses: RayBan classic avaitors

Watch: Michael Kors

The shirt is sheer, of course.  I have an Ann Taylor tank top underneath.  The tank top is very smooth and close fitted.  I think having a tank top like that is important for just such a top.  I got this lace skirt from Zara during their annual sale, and it's actually kinda tight and short, so I didn't tuck the top into the skirt.  I really need to stop buying lace apparel though.  It's funny how I always thought of lace as something that my grandmother would wear, and I wouldn't be caught wearing anything like it, but here I am.

 The Waitress Look?

I wasn't completely satisfied with the first look, so I got rid of the skirt in favor of this Forever 21 black short and old Loft vest.  Is it just me or do I look like a waitress?  Note the pondering look.  ^.^'  I also really need to stop buying black and white clothes, but they literally go with everything!  I'm no fashionista, but I believe the Mod look is very in now.

I wear jeans all the time, and I very rarely wear skirts or dresses, so I think I'm most comfortable with this look.  Since my dad said jeans are out, I tried wearing the top with these old Loft pants.  I love the button detail on these pants.  It reminds me of being at sea as a sailor.

Which outfit do you like?

Countdown to V-Day: 1 Day

For all those guys out there, roses on Valentine's is a must.  Personally, I love the classic red roses.  For anyone who is a bit behind on buying their flowers, my local Whole Foods is offering two dozen roses for just $20 a bouquet.

I ended up buying one bouquet for my mom, one for me, and one for my brother's girlfriend.  Yes, my brother's girlfriend.  Yes, my brother is an idiot.

This is the last and final day to prepare for the big day, and I think the most important tip I can give everyone is that you need confidence in yourself. Models on the runway can be wearing the most ridiculous outfits, but they will still look confident, poised, and ultimately beautiful because of the confidence they exude.  The key to being beautiful is to find that balance of a confident attitude but not be overly snobby about it.  Believe that you are the most beautiful person in the world (both physically and emotionally), and you will know that you are beautiful.