An Honest Review of Bling Empire

Manses, abs, sneakers, Dior, jet black manes, private jets, Botox, caviar, diamonds, diamonds and TONS of diamonds! Imagine that in sunny LA and boom! As the love child between Crazy Rich Asians and The Real Housewives, Bling Empire is the real life version of the iconic Kevin Kwan novel. Except, Bling Empire centers on the lives of Asian Americans whereas the blockbuster movie and novel are about the lives of Asians in Asia. As an Asian who has lived across two continents, I feel over the moon that there is a show like this because very rarely do I see someone who looks like myself on TV – especially on a major global platform. Being the reality TV binge watcher that I am, I laugh, talk and drop one too many “OMGs” while watching the entire eight episodes.

Given that I have been in environments similar to the stars of Bling Empire, I find that the show borders between fiction and real life. Like oranges and apples, what people don’t realize is that Bling Empire is from an American perspective whereas Crazy Rich Asians is from an Asian perspective. As someone who’s lived across two different continents and cultures, here is an honest review:

#HERSSENTIALS: The Backless Dress

Baby got back. Business at the front, but party at the back, the backless dress is the Gemini of apparel with its conservative, yet sensuous silhouette. As one of the hottest trends that’s been bubbling up in 2020, it’s bound to be one of the biggest trends this year.

Spotted on French actress Mireille Darc, the back-baring black dress was designed by Guy Laroche for Le Grand Blond avec Une Chaussure Noire. Barely skimming past the butt, the exposure of butt crack was shocking in spite of a modest exterior. Dipping low near the butt and cut across the shoulders, the spine-baring dress dared to emphasize the curves of a woman’s butt while making her waist smaller.

For someone who lives in an island where its fashion preferences leans towards conservative, it’s a struggle to contain my curves if I want to wear crop tops or body-hugging dresses as those things don’t get frowned upon on girls with A cups. Given that I have a small, yet pert butt, I have zero problems shopping for bottoms. But, having to go out without a bra is a hassle as I have to keep lifting my boobs up to make them look perkier as bigger breasts tend to drop. (Thank God for NuBra though – this keeps me feeling extra perky when I’m braless!) Apart from feeling self-conscious about going braless, bacne has been a major problem for me as the scars on my back made me feel insecure about going out in backless apparel. Since this trend meets my need for great coverage and for looking appropriate, I like that it’s made me feel secure about being able to go out with a NuBra. Perhaps what I need to work on is feeling less self-conscious to even try out this trend.

Another thing I noticed is that most fashion trends only cater to a secular and Westernized world where there’s no need to worry about covering up. Perhaps what I love most about this trend is that you can always have the option to layer up or grab a jacket when things get chilly!

If you wanna try this trend, here are my top 8 picks:

1. Are You Am I Denz Dress – $150 USD

Founded by blogger turned designer Rumi Neely (a.k.a. Fashion Toast), her namesake brand has built a cult following among Instagram for its avant garde take on basics. As a fan of the brand, I LOVE how Neely takes her minimalistic aesthetic and throws in some sex appeal, yet makes it easy to pair with a handful of essentials in the closet. However, some of their designs are kinda extreme like this one shouldered glove dress or at risk of accidentally flashing people for anyone bigger than an A or AAA cup (*clears throat* this napkin-style top or side boob-baring tee). (Please don’t ever get me wrong, I truly admire the creativity of Ms. Neely and her team’s risk-taking execution to get wilder designs produced IRL!) Nevertheless, the whole point of buying an AYAI garment is to be photographed in it, post, then either wear it again or put it away until you swipe your credit card again for the next drop. Out of all the backless styles, the Denz is a great option if you want that sexy Kim Possible goes on a date night with Ron kinda feel. If you live in colder climes, it looks phenomenal with a leopard print coat and thigh high boots. If you happen to live in hotter climates, this cotton-blend dress will keep you cool when you style it with a denim jacket and loafers. For girls with bigger boobies, it’s best to size up to get more coverage.

2. Musier Robe Darc – €220

OMG. I don’t even know where to BEGIN! This is the exact dupe of the iconic backless dress named after the French bombshell. Though it is as equally racy as the original Guy Laroche design, Musier’s version has more coverage that stops just above the butt. Not to forget, this dress is on pre-order as it sells out really quickly. Their sizing is a little small, but the effect is chic! I highly recommend that for everyone.

3. Bec and Bridge Aubrey Midi Dress – $150 AUD

If Kate Moss’s iconic golden Marc Jacobs Met Gala dress had a baby with the vintage Dior Couture gown she wore (that eventually turned into a minidress because Courtney Love stepped on it), Bec + Bridge’s 30s inspired iteration is the next best thing you can get. Albeit more conservative than the previous two dresses, this classic golden silhouette is best worn to at weddings, birthdays or holiday parties. Keep it simple with pointy toe heels or square toe sandals.

4. Meshki Armelle Thong Dress – $103 AUD

A Gillian Anderson moment, but make it intentional with a built-in whale tail, this dress is going to cause heads to turn. Not for the shy, this dress is meant to be worn at home for socially distanced house parties or bday Zoom calls. Preferably not on family night. If you think that wearing floss strings at the side of your hips is crazy, then this little pink glittery dress defies expectations.

5. Saint Laurent Backless Dress – $1407 USD

Anthony Vaccarello never shies away from being daring. If anything, this dress is relatively tamer compared to some of the designs for the brand. (Hello, mono boob dress and column-inspired dress!) If you are the type who likes to be conservative, surprise everyone when you strut outta the house in this little number.

6. For Love and Lemons Verbena Dress – $135.26 SGD

Why, hello there backless little white dress! As the wholesome little sister to the backless LBD, this heavenly lace dress is so divine that it makes you look equally sinful. Cute for first dates and other family moments, but certainly not for Chinese New Year family gatherings! (ICYMI, white is a no-no to wear during CNY as it symbolizes death.)

7. Winona Destiny Mini Dress – $349.95 AUD

Ugh, Idk where to begin. The one shoulder to the backless detail is EVERYTHING I ever wanted in a dress. Deffo not something I’d wear in front of the parents, but at least it’s something I’ll happily pack with me on a staycation date with my BFF! If you want to be less scandalous, this dress will look great with a long-sleeved mesh nude bodysuit underneath.

8. Réalisation Par Jeet Dress – $210 USD

NGL, but I’ve been eyeing this dress for quite sometime. I think that it looks better on anyone who’s 5’5″ and above. This backless silhouette is RED HOT and I like how the fabric is ridiculously lightweight, especially for Singapore weather, where it’s hot and humid. If you are someone who can’t bare much skin due to religious reasons, it’s easy to layer it on top of a long-sleeved shirt or turtleneck!

How To Level Up Your Style

You’ve promised yourself to try something new every year. While thinking of it is great, actually doing it bears fear. You wonder if anyone will react. You wonder if you’ll regret it or even worse, wish that you could have done the risk. Some of you are born with it while some of you have to take the time to actually build it. Some of you are bound to play it safe. As told by Cady Heron, the limit does not exist.

Me being the Gemini that I am, the shapeshifter in me likes to break the boundaries of taste. It may not necessarily agree with yours, but that’s OK. I think that I’d rather take risks than to play it safe when it comes to my style. Over the years, I’ve learned that I am bound to keep what I like in the past, but merge that into my present. Or, I can change how I style things to fit my present self. Style is a gray area where you can merge your past and present selves; who you are now vs. who you want to be.

If you’re looking to level up your style and perfect it, here are the top tips I swear by: