Do continue to learn, comment, share your knowledge and live fit, my Lovers.

Almost bit my tongue for this shot

Tighten those abs!

Things you can do at home... Besides sitting on your couch

Strengthen your back.

Still flabby? You ain't getting lean if you don't lift!

*elbows in a locked position

Thank you to all my readers... You made this happen!

 The event was organized by newcomers into the sporting events scene, ZENERGY Sports, who aim to bring non-mainstream sports to the fore through fun, exciting and unique events such as Boulder Craze.

 (Read more about Climbing Holds.)

 Winning the Men’s category was 29 year-old Malaysian climber, Hafzanizam Bukhary. With ten years of climbing experience under his belt, he gained massive support from the crowd that night as he navigated the paths that other contestants found impossible.

The Women’s category was won by 23-year-old Singaporean Xu Liting, who started climbing at the age of 14 but only began training hard at the sport since 2009. She has won a number of climbing events in the last two years, including emerging as the Lead Climbing champion in the Putrajaya Challenge Park Extreme Games in December 2010 and taking 1st place in Bouldering during Climb On 2010 in Singapore.

Congratulations to the both of them!

To get updates on upcoming sports events like this, check out the  ZENERGY Facebook page and hit 'Like' to get the latest news in your feed.

If you're looking to tryout a new sport, take up climbing! There are 2 major climbing gyms in Kuala Lumpur - the one I went to was CAMP5 and another worth checking out is MadMonkeyz Climbing Gym.

I would love to hear from you. Feel free to suggest others!

]]> http://www.withlovefay.com/2011/11/zenergy-boulder-craze-the-most-explosive-climbing-event-of-the-year/feed/ 0 http://www.withlovefay.com/2011/09/rock-climbing-1-of-8-exercises-that-burn-the-most-calories/ http://www.withlovefay.com/2011/09/rock-climbing-1-of-8-exercises-that-burn-the-most-calories/#comments Sun, 18 Sep 2011 12:34:25 +0000 Fay Hokulani http://www.withlovefay.com/?p=6082 A challenging, all-over body workout demanding coordination, endurance, strength, flexibility, and balance, rock climbing is one of the most calorie-consuming fitness exercises out there.

8 Exercises That Burn the Most Calories

1. Cycling - between 850 - 570 calories burned per hour
2. Running - about 850 calories burned per hour (8-minute mile)
3. Jumping Rope - between 680 - 815 calories burned per hour
4. Boxing - between 615 - 815 calories burned per hour
5. Rowing - between 580 - 650 calories burned per hour
6. Swimming - between 545 - 680 calories burned per hour
7. Rock Climbing - between 540 - 750 calories burned per hour
8. Rugby - between 681 - 715 calories burned per hour

Rock climbing is a great exercise because it targets muscles in the arms, chest, back, and even the legs. This makes it a great exercise for people who don't have a whole lot of time. They can get a total body exercise in with only one type of workout!

Rock climbing @ Camp 5 (1Utama Shopping Center, KL)

I finally got the chance to try it out myself recently! Took up a 4-hour beginner's class where I learned all the necessary safety skills for indoor rock climbing.

Climbing partners literally hold each others’ safety and security in their hands every time they belay.

Benefits of rock climbing include increased physical fitness, improved problem-solving skills, building trust and teamwork. I made some new friends too

Speaking of rock climbing, the first climbing showcase event in Malaysia will take place during the ZENERGY BOULDER Craze 2011. It will be held this Saturday, 24th September 2011, at theCURVE Shopping Mall at Mutiara Damansara between 11am to 11pm.

See you there!

The main event features 24 (12 Men & 12 Women) of the best climbing athletes in the region perform a climbing showcase. Participants include athletes from Singapore, Thailand, Phillipines, Hong Kong & Malaysia. Other event highlights include a fashion walk event, a Capoeira demonstration by Bantus Capoeira Malaysia plus an Acro-Yoga demonstration by Inspired Yoga Studio.

For more info, check out the ZENERGY Boulder Craze 2011 event page on Facebook. Worth checking out if you're thinking about trying out rock climbing or if you already are a climber! See you there!

NewMan did a feature on 3 of KL's New It Girls and I am of them! Definitely a huge compliment to be called an 'It' girl and this is by far the most stylish and sophisticated shoot I've done to date.

A Fay To Remember - I see what you did there....

I get asked about my name in just about every interview... (I wonder how someone like Lady Gaga deal with that?)

Some behind-the-scenes: Make-up artist using airbrush foundation

I was so close to buying the whole wardrobe from the shoot... Especially loved this dress!

Thank you NewMan, thank you Malaysia.

I very much enjoyed my stay at the Fairmont. Its location makes it so convenient to get around with plenty of shopping and eateries nearby.

I was accompanied by my sister, Alyssa! We finally got to hang out again after she's moved back to Singapore from Japan. I've missed her so much and was glad that I was able to spend time with her during my short visit to Singapore.

At the Thwack press conference.

Speakers at the press conference: Reji Mathew (Managing Director of One Sports Network), Akhil Ganatra (Managing Director of One Group), Kiran Ganatra (Chairman of One Group) and Xiong Guobao (Former elite level badminton player from China).

Kiran Ganatra and Xiong Guobao unveiling the patented Thwack badminton rackets.

Xiong Guobao is a former elite level badminton player from China who won numerous international singles titles in the late 1980s. With support from One Sports, Coach Guobao designed a unique badminton racket to help enable a player to improve his or her game.

After 20 years of his athletic career as a player and a coach, Guobao found that the most important factor in playing the game is the grip. Hence, he's crafted a patented design for the Thwack badminton rackets that comes with a unique embedded fingerprint to improve the technique of the player.

The Thwack badminton racket was designed in collaboration with estwhile world badminton champion (1984-1990), Xiong Guobao, whose scientifically designed grip will improve the game, particularly the forehand and backhand shots.

 Regardless of a professional athlete or an amateur, the grip is the most important aspect of the game. To master different stokes, it is important to master the proper grip. The Thwack badminton racket is aimed to guide both new and experienced players the right way of handling the racket and consequently improving their techniques.

Besides badminton rackets, Thwack is also developing tennis and squash rackets which is due to be launched later in year.

Posing with Xiong Guobao's cardboard cut-out because he was too busy with interviews that I didn't get the chance for a photo op... yet!

 Another unique product unveiled at the launch was the Thwack Humanoid. This product is another revolutionary exercise equipment designed on the principles of the Chinese martial art, Wushu.

Zig Zach was brought in to do a demo at the press conference. He is a professional Singaporean junior middleweight kickboxer better known for his Muay Thai fighting skills as a contestant on the international hit reality TV series, The Contender Asia.

A pair of punching gloves were included as part of the press kit and I loved it but it only came in medium size - which is a little too big for my hands!

 The Humanoid is made of a combination of PU, natural rubber and steel with suction technology that maintains its stability.

It’s perfect for practicing on your own, compared to the punching bag - which swings around a lot unless you have a training partner to hold it in position for you. It also features human body parts which gives you a better target spot to aim at when you practice your kicks and punches.

The Thwack Humanoid comes in 3 different sizes which varies in height: 1.6m, 1.7m and 1.8m

Your beasty opponent: The Thwack Humanoid.

Zig Zach giving a quick demo of the Humanoid just before the dinner event.

A dinner boxing event, hosted by Allan Wu, was held later in the evening in the glitzy Padang ballroom at the Fairmont hotel.

Thwack dinner boxing event held in the Padang ballroom at the Fairmont Hotel.

The night kicked off with Muay Thai fighters performing a traditional ritual which precedes all contests an training. Then, there was the celebratory toast to officially launch Thwack.

Clyde Petres giving the Thwack Humanoid a go in his suit, a la James Bond!

Clyde Petres (a European kickboxer and personal trainer) came all the way from Netherlands to attend the Thwack event. He owns his own gym where he's tried and tested the Thwack Humanoid and practices kickboxing with it regularly. He had successfully battled cancer and is continuing his passion for kickboxing which makes his story truly commendable.

Clyde had a go with the Thwack Humanoid in his suit, a la James Bond! This just goes to show that the Thwack Humanoid is not just ideal for gyms but also in corporate offices. Don’t you ever feel like punching the wall to relieve stress at work sometimes?

The event had all the ingredients to make it a heady experience: Exhibition fights, demos by kickboxing champions, truffles, salmon, caviar and champagne on the menu.

With Sebastian Munter and Clyde Petres.

With Xiong Guobao and his associate, Jacky Man.

The night goes on with an after-party at New Asia Bar, one of my favorite night club in Singapore. The view from the 71st floor is amazing!

I was pleasantly surprised to see DJ Eva T who I've found out spins at New Asia Bar every Wednesdays. She flies down from KL every Tuesday/Wednesday to spin. KL represent! With such an amazing view and great company, it was the perfect way to end the night.

*     *     *     *     *

June 30, 2011 - The following day started early for me with my usual morning call with JJ & Ean on hitz.fm. Then, it was time for me to get my workout of the day.

A bus was arranged to bring guests and members of the media to Sengkang Sports & Recreation Center at Anchorvale Community Club for the badminton training clinic.

I learned a lot from the training clinic and found myself liking the sport even more!

Watching Xiong Guobao play a friendly match at Sengkang Sports & Recreation Center (Anchorvale Community Club).

Coach Guobao did a demo to show the correct technique of gripping the racket and positioning of the leg movement with each shot.

Thwack badminton products.

 To complement the marquee products, Thwack also launched accessories like shuttle cocks, tennis balls, punch mitts and gloves, along with a range of stylized kit bags.

To get a glimpse of the Thwack badminton racket training video, check out www.thwack.co/videos .

Xiong Guobao signs his autograph on some of the Thwack products.

Thwack badminton rackets have been designed for both left-handed and right-handed users. It also comes in different sizes (length of the racket/ girth of the grip) to suit players of different age and abilities.

Thwack plans to continue conducting the badminton clinics across the globe in the next few months. In fact, badminton academies in India, Holland and Malaysia have invited Thwack to conduct the training clinics in August and September this year.

Thwack products will be available worldwide simultaneously through local distributors by the end of July and is definitely a brand worth looking out for.

FAY who? You would be asking the same question if someone were to briefly mention about Fay Hokulani. To some it maybe tongue-twisting but for Fay, Hokulani simply means “‘star of the sky” in Hawaiian. At a glance, she could look Latino, Filipino or the infl uence of her name may even cause you to think that she is Hawaiian. Born in Singapore, the 23-year-old tanned beauty is actually of mixed parentage (Chinese, Indonesian and Peranakan).

You would have previously admired her toned body on the covers of Maxim, STUFF and FHM Singapore, and had thoughts about how some girls are just born with a slim figure without having to worry about what they eat and drink, what more the thought of whether they are into workouts. The fact that she was once a model did not mean that she went through a drastic dieting system of starving herself skinny to achieve an ideal body to maintain her shapely fi gure. Ironically, it was during her modeling days that she was once at an unhealthy weight due to her late nights out and irregular meal times.

However, Fay did not stay long in that unhealthy state and decided to turn her life around to achieve a healthy body and lifestyle. In November 2008, inspired to also influence other girls out there who are struggling to lead a healthy lifestyle, she started her own website called withlovefay.com where she shares personal fitness advice, healthy living and beauty reviews.

Fay’s determination to achieve a better lifestyle earned her a television gig on the Singaporean arts entertainment programme called ‘SCORE’ on OKTO channel in 2009 and she was the host for season one and two. As we only ever hear Fay talking about the latest international celebrity gossips on hitz.fm’s Gettin Down & Dirty with Fay Hokulani segment, for a change this time, the radio presenter tells us more about her regular routines and how she feels like she’s just a girl next door.

Why did you leave Singapore?
Partly because I want to explore the  entertainment industry in another country while I’m still young. I wanted to experience how things worked in another country and at the same time gain some knowledge from it. But a big chunk of why I decided to leave was because of love. It’s quite a sudden move but I think it’s the right move to follow my boyfriend to Malaysia. Since I wanted to work in another country, now I can do it with a loved one by my side – what more could I ask for?

How does it feel to leave your career in Singapore?
It was not an easy decision to make, I have to admit. My career in the entertainment industry is established and most people wouldn’t want to just drop everything and leave. I could have stayed back in Singapore and stay in that comfort zone, but I think it’s time to pick up some challenges. We all need some challenges in our lives at some point in time to enhance our lives, otherwise it will be a monotonous lifestyle and eventually it will become dull and boring.

How has it been so far?
Things are going great! Better than I expected it to be. I actually gave myself a time frame and if I didn’t fi nd a job by that time, I was supposed to pack up and go back to Singapore. I auditioned for the slot with hitz.fm sometime last October, but I didn’t get a call until December. Initially I thought I didn’t
make it and was preparing myself to go home. It felt surreal when they called to tell me that I got the spot! I am also blogging fulltime, but my slot with hitz.fm blends in well with my schedule. What’s best is, I can work from wherever I am as long as I have a phone with me. My slot of Getting Down & Dirty with Fay Hokulani only takes up five to 10 minutes, so it’s no sweat at all.

What inspired you to start withlovefay.com?
I started it purely because I wanted to share with all the girls out there that they too can achieve a healthy lifestyle. I was double my weight when I was in the States and it was a hard lesson to learn. I was modelling and when I got caught up with the lifestyle of spending too many late nights out and didn’t watch what I was eating, I ballooned and that affected not only my weight but the whole modelling industry looked down on me. I had photographers complaining about how I should not even be on-set because of my ‘overweight’ looks and fashion clients didn’t want me to model their products. I was really depressed then and I knew I had to do something about it and that led me to start a workout regimen. I lost all the weight and am determined to maintain it. This is part of the reason why I started the blog, so that I could connect with all the health, fitness, fashion and beauty junkies all over the world to share tips on how to lose weight, workout, eat healthy, live a healthy lifestyle and look good.

How did you lose the extra weight you gained?
I changed my diet where I cut out a lot of the unhealthy food that I used to eat and ate more regularly instead of skipping meals. Apart from keeping a healthy diet, I started running. Not jogging, but running for a solid 20 minutes a day, about three times a week. I was amazed at the results when I lost weight as I wasn’t very into sports although my family is athletic. I never took interest in sports, so running regularly is an achievement for me.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to lose weight healthily?
Don’t skip your meals as it would only disrupt your metabolic rate. Skipping meals may give fast results, but the faster your lose, the faster you gain them back. Dieting may sound negative, but there are a lot of healthy ways to do it. It does not mean ‘not eating’ but cutting down on bad food. Exercise is also important to balance your diet. However, both have to coexist. Without a good diet, exercising is put to waste because you are eating everything back after you workout while a good diet can only do that much to our bodies while exercise encourages blood circulation and keeps you fresh at all times.

If you weren’t hosting and DJing, what would you have done?
I graduated in visual communication which allows me to take up freelance graphic designing projects. I am still taking projects now, but at the moment, I can’t see myself doing it full-time. I’m a person who loves the outdoors and I enjoy being on-the-go. I can’t stand a graphic designer’s life where I have to face the computer for the rest of my life. But if I have to do it for a living, yes, I would learn to accept it.

TECH SAVVY GAL
ON her day off, Fay is mostly seen in a baggy t-shirt which she feels most comfortable wearing, pairing it with jeans and boots. She loves boots over heels simply because of her on-the-go lifestyle which requires her to be on her feet at all times which is not so suitable for high heels. Her favourite boots are those with hidden wedges as they are the most comfortable and allow her to run in them. At a glance, no one would guess that Fay is technology savvy. Among her friends, she is a gadget person where she owns a MacBook, an iPhone and one of her favourite pastimes, play Xbox 360 games.

Even as a celebrity blogger, model, host and now a radio presenter, Fay never felt the need to apply too much make-up. She believes in maintaining good skin with a simple beauty regimen of cleansing and moisturising. At the same time, her ultimate belief is to eat healthily as it not only helps cultivate a healthy lifestyle, but also shows on her skin.

Exercise your privileges.

With such convenience, there's no reason for you to skip exercise while traveling!

What's your excuse now?

*     *     *     *     *

If you don't have a training buddy and find it hard to work out on your own, here's something for you.

 Adidas has teamed up with True Group (comprising of True Yoga and True Fitness) to launch the adidas Fitness Academy (aFA).

The Academy will offer three unique classes inspired by acclaimed Olympic medallists, ACC athletes and fitness experts; who make up adidas' current suite of Global Instructors. Each adidas Fitness Academy class is designed by adidas Global Fitness Coaches that are renowned experts in their own fields.

adidas Zone Cycling
Inspired by Olympic gold medalist Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton, adidas Zone Cycling is an indoor cycling class that’ll take all participants on a journey into the Velodrome to the highest podium. adidas Zone Cycling is a unique group exercise experience which will leave you feeling renovated, recharged, motivated & inspired to reach their highest fitness goals.

adidas Personal Training
No one needs to be an athlete to train like one. Power up those workouts with plyos, speed work, and metabolic circuits to get you moving toward your fitness goals. By turning up the intensity of each session you will feel quicker, fitter, and more powerful and agile as you meet the demands of your life. These sessions will show you how to increase the density of your training sessions, maximizing your time in the gym and taking you to fitness levels you’ve never thought possible.

adidas Yoga
This practice module is an invitation to connect to your inherent strength as a way to express yourself more effectively both on the mat and in daily life. The degree of clarity to which you communicate your thoughts, emotions and experiences to others is governed by your ability to consistently connect to and draw from your inner strength. adidas plays with applying the Two Primary Energy Flows as a way to better understand this concept in our bodies.

Through the practice of Muscular Energy we can efficiently connect to our personal strength and from this connection, more clearly express our experience through Organic Energy. This full-spectrum sequence will strengthen and tone your legs, arms and upper back while opening your hips and creating more freedom in your lower back and shoulder girdle.

Classes will be held at True Fitness and True Yoga centres in Singapore, available from July 2011, exclusively for True Group members. More details on the adidas Fitness Academy can be found at http://www.facebook.com/adidasfitnessacademy.

]]> http://www.withlovefay.com/2011/07/train-like-a-champion-with-adidas/feed/ 0 http://www.withlovefay.com/2011/06/the-sloane-clinic-review-finally-getting-rid-of-my-dark-under-eye-circles/ http://www.withlovefay.com/2011/06/the-sloane-clinic-review-finally-getting-rid-of-my-dark-under-eye-circles/#comments Sat, 18 Jun 2011 08:56:34 +0000 Fay Hokulani http://www.withlovefay.com/?p=5648 The Sloane Clinic™ opened its first branch in KL recently and Dr. Low Chai Ling (founder and Medical Director of The Sloane Clinic) made a special visit from Singapore to give a special treat to 4 lucky bloggers including myself!

The Sloane Clinic focuses on all aspects of aesthetics, from cosmetic dermatology (including botox and laser treatments) to plastic surgery. It opened it's first clinic in Singapore in 2006, with 4 other branches (including the newly opened branch in Malaysia) following its success.

From left to right: Dr. Teh Siew Yen, Katherine Ng, Brigette Liberty, myself, Helenness Chong and Dr. Low Chai Ling

Dr. Teh Siew Yen is based in KL and she's your go-to person who will most likely have all the answers to your beauty concerns.

Consultation with Dr Teh Siew Yen

Personally, I don't have any problems with my skin. However, due to work, stress and the inevitable effects of aging, the dark circle under my eyes and laugh lines have become more prominent and it seems no amount of concealer or anti-aging cream has helped. I would never have considered getting fillers to improve the problem until it was recommended by Dr. Teh.

Truth be told, I AM afraid of needles and I've only done a facial spa once in my whole life. So yes, getting this treatment done was quite a big deal to me! I also considered getting botox in the beginning but I didn't do it because 1) I was afraid of the pain 2) maintenance isn't cheap.

The major difference between botox and fillers is that botox focuses on immobilizing or relaxing the facial muscles to relieve wrinkles, whereas injectable fillers focus on tissue filling to teat the age lines.

If wrinkles appear upon frowning, smiling, laughing, blinking or squinting, botox treatment is recommended. If wrinkles are present even when the face is at rest, fillers are the best treatments to smoothen out the age lines.

Think about it: If you're going to spend money on the best anti-aging products  that will probably take weeks or even months to show any results, why not spend your dollars wisely on a more effective treatment that will deliver immediate results?

There is no doubt that many would debate with on this matter but not a lot of them realize that cosmetic dermatology is more common these days, not just with Hollywood celebs, but among us. The reason for not knowing is simply because they don't openly talk about it.

Before & After results of laser toning and filler injections

I was very impressed by the results and there was barely any discomfort during the procedure. Besides fillers for my under-eye and laugh lines, I also did the laser toning treatment which helped to even out the skin tone and minimize pores. It looks like I've taken at least 4 years off of my face... Amazing!

Preparing the skin before the treatment. Firstly by removing make-up and cleansing the skin.

Laser toning (RM$1000)

Laser toning: Depending on the sensitivity of your skin, this no downtime laser does not leave your skin red or flushed after the treatment and is great as a lunch time beauty fix to tone your skin, and minimize pores. The treatment was done by Dr. Low. As I have a tanned complexion, my skin absorbed the heat more than it is likely to happen to those with a fair complexion. Hence, my face was left a little red but not for long.

The whole procedure took about 10-15 minutes. It was a little painful (almost like getting slapped in the face...) but Dr. Low was very comforting and handled it well. Next, fillers.

Revitalift undereye (RM$1800)

Revitalift undereye: This skin brightening treatment is delivered via a series of painless microinjections. It boosts your skin’s collagen, illuminating skin and undereye circles. It can be done on the full face or on the undereye area as you have done. This treatment was handled by Dr.Teh with assistance from her nurse.

First they used frozen peas in a bag to numb the area under my eyes. A small needle is used to inject the fillers under the eyes while a small handheld vibrating device is placed on my chin to minimize pain during the injection. After the laser toning, this one didn't hurt at all. Surprisingly, I personally felt that getting the injections was far more bearable than the laser treatment!

The best part is, I made a comparison after getting fillers on one side of my under-eye and could clearly see the major difference! The same procedure was done for my laugh lines too.

These filler injections left pin pricks that are so tiny that they will close rapidly and healed very quickly. It was also concealable with make-up.

Should you feel like you need to do a bit of touch-up before you go, there's a powder room where they provide make-up from Model & Co., Sloane Inc. Mineral Make-Up (yes, they have their own cosmetics line too!) and Rachel K Cosmetics.

You can continue to do your daily facial regimen with no reactions to the laser toning and filler injections. However, good skin care is advised to maintain the results.

Sloane Inc’s Miracle lift (RM$400): A non-oily facial lifting serum that helps improve skin tone and boost firmness so that your skin looks gorgeous even sans makeup.

Sloane Inc’s 24K gold (RM$316): A glow inducing skin primer. You can literally see the gold flakes when you pump this liquid gel on the palm of your hands! It helps enhance skin’s elasticity, firmness & smoothness. By improving circulation & decreasing skin inflammation pure gold helps to rejuvenate the skin from inside out, boosting skin’s natural radiance & luminescence.

Personally I only use the Miracle Lift at night before I go to bed (after putting on toner, followed by a moisturizer) and the 24K Gold Skin Primer to prep my skin before I put on my foundation and make-up during the day.

Truly satisfied customers after receiving our treatments of course, we have Dr. Teh and Dr. Low to thank for a wonderful job!

The Sloane Clinic
79 Jalan Maarof, Bangsar
Tel: (603) 2288 1788

Open on Monday to Saturday from  10am - 8pm. Closed on Sundays & Public holidays.

To see a list of other treatments provided at The Sloane Clinic, check out http://www.sloaneclinic.com/

(hat tip: Andy Kho for the photos)

Le Marquee, Palace of the Golden Horses

If you're lucky, you may have caught a coverage of the event on E! News Asia. Dominique Lau was there to be the fashion police! Watch the official video of the party by Johnnie Walker here:

Helen Chong, DJ I-Tek, Adam Rose, myself & Norman Hartono

With Robyna Hon, Adam Rose and the Johnnie Walker ladies

Party is just about to get started!

The 4 DJs of the Night: DJ Faith (KL), DJ I-Tek (HK), DJ Sophia Lin (US) & DJ Bento (JP/US)

A couple of new tunes to add to your gym playlist brought to you by the DJs who rocked the dance floor that night:

DJ Bento's 'Live @ Black Circuit Lounge KL, 2011'
DJ I-Tek's 'Club Bangers 2011'

Also check out DJ Faith and DJ Sophia Lin on Facebook.

My favorite Johnnie Walker tagline.

My love.

Lewis Hamilton made a special appearance on the big screen that night - a very pleasant surprise!

With Charles and DJ I-Tek.

Black Circuit Lounge is something to look forward to every year because that's when ALL my friends from all over the globe come to visit to attend the event. That's how big it is! And I miss those guys. God knows how long I'll be in Asia for...

To be invited to exclusive events by Johnnie Walker Malaysia, join their Facebook page and look out for their online contests.

*     *     *     *     *

A very special thanks to Dress Sense again for the beautiful dress by Faviana.

Animal Print Dress from Faviana - $645.70 to buy, $204.60 to rent. This is the only piece they carry in the store and because it's been rented out before, the price is marked down from its original retail price.

Leather Clutch from Inge Christopher - $279 to buy, $77 to rent

Read: Dress Sense - You Can Now Afford Your Dream Dress!

Interested in renting a dress but afraid you might ruin it due to unforeseen circumstances?

When you rent from Dress Sense, you first have to pay the full purchase price, which works like a deposit. After the two weeks’ rental, if you decide that you love the dress too much to return it, you can simply give them a call and keep the dress without having to make another trip down. However, if you want to return the rented item, all you have to do is to bring the item back in good order and you will get a refund (price of the difference between the purchase and the rental price) via the credit card that you made payment with, so there would be no cash involved.

In all three cases, no additional transaction will be required on the customer’s part. Dress Sense makes all the transactions it easy and convenient. I have to say, after using their rental service more than twice, you can testify that their dresses are extremely well-made and it doesn’t take a lot of effort to return them well!

Got something cool to share? Be it your own design or an artistic/fashionable photo you've taken, here's where you can showcase your interests and eye for style.

The site is still under beta-testing so if you don't have a beta key but want to give a go at this photo contest, just send an email to info@stylekandi.com and get your most stylish snap up before the end of the day. It's worth a shot!

I will be deciding who gets to win a trip to Redang for uploading the most stylish photo on StyleKandi.com . Contest ends March 31, 2011 (only 2 more hours to go!) so get going right now!