Frock stars

As holiday invites pile up, a woman needs festive frocks to successfully survive the merry season. Looking great to greet merrymakers and to ring in the New Year shouldn’t be a complicated feat. TwoChic offers the right outfits one needs to hop from one party to the next with graceful panache.

Party pieces were recently showcased at Members Only, at the debut of TwoChic’s 2009 holiday collection. The sister tandem brand by TC Alvarez-Sibal and Ana Alvarez-Laygo emphasized statement dressing and handcrafted details. Incorporating jewelry and clothes, ultra-hip designer TC Alvarez-Sibal presented covetable pieces that had wonderfully embellished work all done by hand. TwoChic muses modeled an assortment of holiday looks, capturing the essence of the luxe bohemian woman.

Peacock-inspired printed jersey dresses and gowns had the most darling beaded work to accentuate the lovely print. Maricris Alvarez looked stunning as she modeled a maxi-length gown while Trish Villanueva sported a shorter, whimsical version.

Rorie Carlos looked chic as she donned a printed chiffon caftan that transported the audience to exotic locales like Morocco and India. Colorful beads and sequins injected an impressive bling factor to the adorned caftan. Jumpsuits proved to be a relaxed and versatile option for the woman on the go, as modeled by Jeena Lopez.

Cocktail dresses had a heavy presence in all styles and forms. Tats Manahan delightfully modeled a draped little black dress with an embellished bib collar. Kathy Webb strutted down the mini runway in a short white number with art deco-inspired embellishment that was opulent yet still quite contemporary and stylist Pam Gonzales wore a decadent black version.

Charming jetsetter from Barcelona, the fabulous Cristina Cuevas, wore a striking long-sleeve black tunic version that had similar art deco embellishment with draping gold chains across the torso.

Asymmetrical cuts were on display as Maritoni Tordesillas wore a black ensemble trimmed with precious, intricate beadwork with real pearls and sparkling stones. Anna Angara wore a beautiful, cowl-neck black frock attached by a collar encrusted with that estate jewelry feel.

Studded mini cocktail dresses were feminine with a dash of tough. The bubble dress I wore had an elastic bottom with the most perfect goldish-bronze studs. What was particularly awesome about it was that no matter how many hors d’oeuvres I popped on my palette, no one could tell — the silhouette is quite forgiving! Eye-catching Tootsy Angara wore a super glam asymmetrical dress completely covered with studs as well, ideal for a rocking night out.

The finale was an exciting glimpse of what the resort collection will feature. Ching Cruz won the spectators’ attention with her dramatic appearance. Donning an exquisitely embroidered gown in linen that had natural coral beadwork dazzling the neckline, she looked regal and exuded modern refinement. The fantastic embroidered pattern of peacocks and flowers was absolutely gorgeous, leaving the crowd clamoring for more.

The TwoChic Boutique is located at 2/F Power Plant Mall, Rockwell.