Call me giddy or girly, but I freakin’ love underwear. It makes me so happy when I walk into Victoria’s Secret or a department store, and I can browse through layers and layers of pink cottons or gauzy teal lace and search for something that will make my butt look cute. Please don’t downplay the importance of cute underwear. It’s a woman’s fundamental necessity and absolutely essential to making her feel fabulous, if not sexy.

Unfortunately, there are those who cannot afford even this simple necessity, much less cute versions of it, due to difficult circumstances. However, thanks to Undershare, Inc., women and children escaping domestic abuse and the homeless can access clean undergarments and toiletries. For more than 15 years, Undershare has worked hard and succeeded in raising funds so that it can continue its work donating to affiliated shelters located in and around Los Angeles County, such as Violence Intervention Program and Downtown Women’s Center.

Helen Huang, founder of Undershare, Inc.

The mastermind behind this volunteer-based organization is Asian American Helen Huang. She began with one goal in mind: to provide new undergarments and toiletries to those in need. Since then, Undershare has grown into a reputable organization with a large network of volunteers.

This Saturday, August 14 , Undershare will be teaming up with the SuicideGirls to continue its efforts to get clean underwear and toiletries to those in need. The SuicideGirls are a community of punk-rock pinup models with an unorthodox approach to sexuality and beauty. (They’ve showcased their talents for PETA and SG Pinups for Soldiers.) At Undershare’s Ink n’ Undies benefit, the SG girls will be strutting their stuff in a fashion show with select pieces from several lingerie brands, including the Asian-helmed Seven ’til Midnight (STM), to help raise money.

The designers for STM are Chinese American sisters May and Vinh Luong. (They also design sleepwear line Spreegirl — we did a TGIF giveaway for one of their designs!) Based in Los Angeles, STM strives to offer women contemporary costumes and lingerie with colorful, on-trend designs and careful attention to detail and quality. It’s no surprise that the sisters know their stuff — STM is just one of three of their intimate apparel lines.

So what are you waiting for? Scantily clad models, a good cause, and gift bags? (VIP guests get an extra special VIP gift bag.) Not to mention a silent auction with really cool stuff, and of course a celebrity DJ will be spinning live music all night long. It’s a no brainer.

DETAILS

Ink n’ Undies is happening on Saturday, August 14, 2010 at Ecco Ultra Lounge located on 1640 North Cahuenga Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028. For tickets click here,  or for more info, go to Undershare’s official site.

This shirt by The Public Zoo cracks me up.

It features “Eggy” yelling over a cracked egg. You can practically hear him yell, “NOOOOO!” The back print is really cool too, and the three eyelet detail along the neck line and the contrast stitching make it stand out from other shirts. It’s 100 percent cotton, light and easy to wash.

Love the logo and the design. This one is a keeperrr.

I didn’t know what the hell a hamsa was, so I looked it up on Wikipedia. It’s a “palm-shaped amulet popular throughout Middle East and North Africa” and is “often incorporated in jewelry and wall hangings, as a defense against the evil eye.”

That’s some pretty powerful stuff.

Although I’m not sure how to juggle the juxtaposition between the rosary chain and the hamsa charm, the combination makes for a very eclectic and delicate piece of jewelry. The ISEZX Hamsa Beaded Rosary Chain in black, with the hamsa, meant to ward off the evil eye, and the beads of the rosary, all hung on delicate gold — it’s absolutely exquisite.

Want!

This wallet is too cute.

It reminds me of the small fake wallets I used to carry around when I was a child. I used to stuff those silly with $1 bills and random cards (as I had seen in my mom’s wallet) and pretended that I was a rich lady.

With a cute Hello Kitty keychain, this Hello Kitty Red Emboss Wallet by Loungefly opens up in a U-Shape and can hold up to 18 credit cards, perfect for tucking away all those business cards you might have collected to make your wallet feel fatter.

Hello Kitty is stamped into the exterior patent leather; on the inside, you’ll find an ID window, two full length bill compartments, and an inside zipper pocket for all your change.

Yee.

I moisturize my skin religiously. I go through a huge bottle of lotion about every two months because, trust me, in this day and age, with the sun and the Greenhouse Effect and Kim Jong-Il and the economy, sometimes all a girl can do is make sure her skin is hydrated and youthful looking.

It never occurred me to check out a body wash that had natural moisturizers in it, which would save me a couple bills at checkout, not to mention save me the process of lotioning myself up every night.

Nature’s Gate Pomegranate Sunflower Velvet Moisture Body Wash is paraben-free with moisturizers made to hydrate dry skin. You’ve heard of the wonders of pomegranate, right? The antioxidants found in pomegranates work to fight free radicals and prevent any potential damage from them. And sunflower nourishes and replenishes the skin with vital nutrition and vitamins.

Nature's Gate Pomegranate Sunflower Velvet Moisture Body Wash.

Even more impressive is the fact that this body wash is paraben-free. What is paraben? It is a cosmetic preservative found in your everyday products: toothpastes, shampoos, shaving gels, even personal lubricants. Although seemingly harmless, studies have found that parabens are found in high concentrations in breast cancer tumors (though the link to parabens and cancers are still undergoing study).

Whether the studies prove right or wrong, I am not an advocate for beauty at the risk to your health. Why run the risk when there are other affordable products that are substance- and chemical-free? This body wash is a healthy choice for you and your body because of the absence of toxic chemicals, and it’s produced without animal testing or any animal byproducts. Even the bottle is biodegradable.

Take it from this skin-moisturizing addict, you’ll want to have this in your beauty arsenal.

So comment to this post and we’ll pick five winners to try out this amazing product. You got till August 11, 11:59 p.m., and you must have a U.S. addy. Remember — retweet for an additional entry! Good luck!

I’ve seen sexy black leather jackets. And I wanted one.

But after I laid eyes on Transparent System’s White Moto Jacket, I was like, “Forget the black.” White is the way to go. No one has a white leather jacket. No one.

And I’m not even a fan of white things. (I usually prefer black to white).

This lightweight jacket has zipper pockets, and the logo artfully running down the left arm. My favorite detail is the stenciled elephant roaring on the lower backside of the jacket. You can’t go wrong with this jacket.

Sleek, smooth and different. It’s a nice deviation from your typical black leather jacket.

I like Chinatown. I can always find yummy things to eat and drink, and it’s a cool place to chill. You can always find something to do in Chinatown.

This summer, L.A.’s Chinatown is poppin’. Starting in August, every Saturday from 5pm to midnight, the Community Redevelopment Agency of Los Angeles and the Chinatown community have partnered together with Community Arts Resources (CARS) to host Chinatown Summer Nights in order to showcase one of L.A.’s most unique neighborhoods.

The famous Chinatown arch in Los Angeles.

From Lei Min Way to Chung King Road, attendees will find food trucks lined up serving samples of the most delectable dishes as KCRW deejays spin music throughout the night. In addition to the food trucks, there will be cooking demonstrations by local restaurants, as well as family-oriented activities and hands-on cultural workshops, anything from art to dance. The workshops will be conducted by local artists and museums and other educational institutions.

The trendiest way to dine out -- food trucks!

Savor Chinatown's amazing dumplings.

In addition, temporary art installations will be set up for public viewing, and merchandise will be available for anyone’s browsing pleasure at the LA Craft Experience.  Better yet, the Chinatown Summer Nights Discount Program gives discounts to local stores and restaurants (check out their website!).

The night market in Chinatown.

Food, music, and art? Chinatown knows how to get down.

DETAILS

Chinatown Summer Nights

Where: Chinatown, Los Angeles between Broadway and Yale, from College Street to Bernard Street.

When: Every Saturday in August (August 7, 14, 21, and 28) from 5pm to midnight.

How: Public transportation and a courtesy shuttle will be provided from Chinatown Gold Line Station and Central Plaza. There’s also a private lot, valet, and free bike parking.

Admission: Free and for all ages

Chinatown gets lit up at night.

It’s hard to find cute clutches. Most of them look really tacky or like the one every girl in the world carries. This Detailed Clutch in Green by Chocolate Handbags brings the pizazz needed with its textured leaf imprints and a belt detail envelope clutch and spring ring clasp closure. The details on this particular clutch are subtle and simple. The metal decor isn’t clunky or tries to be an accessory on the clutch and serves its purpose. The clasp itself is sturdy, and unlike magnet clasps, will prevent the clutch from flying open. And the color is just enough balance of dark and light to be carried throughout all four seasons.

We’re sad that So You Think You Can Dance contestant Alex Wong got injured and therefore disqualified from the competition. But the show must go on for Soyon An, the two-time Emmy Award winning stylist and costume designer for the show. (She just won her second Emmy in a row!) Not only does she style all the myriad looks for the dancers on the popular reality competition, now in its seventh season, she also just finished designing for Carrie Underwood’s “Play On” tour, styles for Jay Leno’s band on The Tonight Show, and just accepted a position as a fashion editor for Jimon Magazine, an art and fashion magazine published twice yearly.

Emmy Award-winning stylist Soyon An.

Audrey Magazine: What do you do as the stylist and costume designer for So You Think You Can Dance?

Soyon An: Every day is a specific day. So for example, yesterday was fittings for Thursday, and also it’s also the day we find out who the dancers are dancing with. And at that point we’re calling choreographers trying to figure out what their concepts are, so that I can start conceptualizing with them what their wardrobes are going to be. So then we go shopping for fabric, and wardrobe and makeup. I have to do full costume designs, and I have 40 costume designs to make by Wednesday.

AM: Do you make all your costumes individually?

SA: About 80 percent of the costumes are made and 20 percent are bought. Most of the time, like the hip-hop routines, we’ll go and buy jeans, but we try not to make them look store bought, so we customize all of them. We tailor the individual pieces.

Soyon's costuming work for dancers in season 6 of "So You Think You Can Dance."

AM: What was it like to style Alex Wong?

SA: Alex is an incredible dancer, and working with him has been a lot of fun. He has a really great personality and is really easy to work with. I am glad he is as confident as he is on the show, and I think he really killed it in [his hip-hop routine]. And coming on the show as a ballerina, he can move his body and legs in ways that the average person can’t. Working with him and wardrobing him, I’ve had to really create and customize for him. All of his pants have to be constructed and have extra stretch in them, and the way the back is, because with the choreography, he gets big and bulks up.

So You Think You Can Dance's Alex Wong earlier this season.

AM: What elements inspire you and your designs?

SA: Everything, from everyday life, to people that I meet, places that I go, maybe when I’m driving around different neighborhoods. I have a photographic memory, so little bits and pieces of things that I remember will go into my design. I definitely have an edgier look to everything I create. I like to put an element of high fashion into anything that I do. It’s like a combination of high fashion and costume.

Another look created by An.

AM: Did you get any formal training for design or was this a hobby-turned-passion-turned-job?

SA: I’ve always really been into drawing and art. I used to be an athlete, and I think that may be why I know dancers in terms of their needs. I went to school for fashion design. I initially went into Otis for design and to build my foundation, but after a couple years, because I wanted a faster route, so I went to FIDM. After I did some corporate work in design, I went into TV/film because it felt like more like my scene.

Soyon An and one of her two Emmys for styling.

AM: I think it’s amazing that you’re a stylist and doing something very creative. It defies the typical stereotype of an Asian American as a doctor or a lawyer. Do you think your ethnicity gives you an edge over the other stylists?

SA: My parents definitely wanted me to go down that aisle of being a doctor or lawyer and trying to fulfill a career goal. I think for me, personally, with my designs, there is a particular element that makes it my creation; you can tell my hand has touched that design. I don’t know if that has anything to do with being Asian American or the influences that I had growing up. But I think you can tell when a performer has my costume on versus someone else’s creation. And if anything, the way my parents raised me, they’ve helped me be a multitasker. The reason I can be a multitasker is because they put me through so much as a kid.

AM: Any thoughts for anyone pursuing a creative career like yourself?

SA: As Asian Americans, I don’t think we should follow our parents’ definition of success and happiness.

Watch the top 5 dancers compete tonight on So You Think You Can Dance at 8 pm on Fox. The season finale airs August 12.

Made of bamboo and dangling from a 16-inch, 14-kt. gold-filled chain, this stylish pendant creates dimension with its 3-D cubes zigzagging in a horizontal line. This piece stands out to me because it looks like a modern piece of art shrunken down to jewelry size. It comes in a warm honey color, suitable for jeans and a tee or an outfit for a classier occasion. Give it as a gift, or wear it yourself — this Horizontal Honeycomb necklace by The Harbinger Co. is a nice twist to your average pendant necklace.