FROM the regal to the rugged, Christmas looks—according to the upscale Shangri-La Plaza and its equally upscale boutiques and brands—as good as it gets. The high-end mall and the top-tier retailers under its wing recently presented their Holiday 2007 Collection in a runway show directed by Jackie Aquino and styled by Luis Espiritu. With hair and makeup by the Basement Salon, the dominant trend in dressing is one of shine, shimmer and embellishment.

Under-the-radar labels Ben Sherman and Daniel Hechter won’t be missed by the mainstream anymore as both unleashed masculine lineups noticeable for their polish, palettes and urban vibe. Bergamo, meanwhile, remains the go-to brand for modernized barong and sophisticated suits.

Streetwear style and casual cool take on new treatments as Gas, Diesel, Marithé François Girbaud, Tough Jeansmith, 7 For All Mankind and Esprit try to attract the attention of the fashion-forward flock. It’s the same kind of tempting that make women drool over the bags by Furla, Fino, Lancel, La Bagagerie and Kate Spade.

Zara’s hot-to-trot black-and-white equestrienne collection easily stood out from the equally awesome womenswear lines from Celine, Crossings, K & Co., Marks and Spencer, Debenhams and Hindy Tantoco for Rustans.

So, if you’re too snobbish to shop at discount malls and too smart to dive into the uppity boutique, The Shang is the place for you.

Shiny, Shimmering At The Shang

FROM the regal to the rugged, Christmas looks—according to the upscale Shangri-La Plaza and its equally upscale boutiques and brands—as good as it gets. The high-end mall and the top-tier retailers under its wing recently presented their Holiday 2007 Collection in a runway show directed by Jackie Aquino and styled by Luis Espiritu. With hair and makeup by the Basement Salon, the dominant trend in dressing is one of shine, shimmer and embellishment.

Designers Put a Faux Face on Holiday Jewelry

NO room on the credit card for Chopard accessories? No matter. This holiday season, costume jewelry just might be the smartest gift.

In Charming ‘Enchanted,’ Once Upon a Time Is Right Now

EARLY in Enchanted, Disney’s good-natured attempt at some satiric jujitsu, divorce lawyer Robert Phillip (Patrick Dempsey) gives his six-year-old daughter a book about female heroes. When they come to Marie Curie, he extols her dedication to science and contributions to public health until admitting, lamely, that she wound up dying from radiation poisoning.

Bathing Indulgences

FLUSHED with the scents of the English countryside, Bo Ramas-Ros took the inspired idea of replicating these in a range of bathing indulgences and ran with it. Naming it Brook & Ivy, her personal tribute to Winds of Windsor and Crabtree & Evelyn, among others, this newest and most refreshing line has shower gels, body buffs, body milks and skin scents.

Gab Fab: Mad over Mars and Mojitos

IF God were a DJ….

DJ Mars Miranda of Embassy is far from a god. In fact, he is a normal twentysomething whose habits include searching the Internet for the latest rib-tickling videos on YouTube and checking out the latest shoe designs of Nike. His shoe collection can rival that of Imelda Marcos’s, except he doesn’t have a pair that lights up on the dance floor. But I’m quite sure he would want something similar should Nike ever come up with a pair.