The Philippine Online Chronicles

In the world of Philippine show business, getting in is an easy-enough task. All one needs is a pretty face and a good physique. With these, one can already have his/her 15 minutes under the limelight. Staying longer is a different question. A celebrity’s longevity in the industry is that which separates the real from the nil.

Anne Curtis is one of the real.

For someone who has been in the industry since 1997, Curtis has more than enough proved that she is a keeper in the world of spotlights. She is not only one of the most beautiful faces in showbiz, she has good acting chops, splendid modeling prowess and excellent hosting skills along with it.

In reel

Curtis is the eldest daughter of a Filipina and an Australian lawyer. Originally based in Australia, her family decided to go on a vacation in the Philippines where she was discovered. She and her parents were eating at a restaurant at that time when an agent approached them to ask whether Curtis would want to be an actress.

Though her father rejected the idea of her being an actress, he was later on persuaded. In an interview, Curtis stated that her life would have been boring if she stayed in Australia.

Little did she know then that she made the right move to stay in the country.

Curtis’ entered showbiz as an actress. Her first movie was Magic Kingdom where she played the role of a princess that was to be saved by three children with superpowers. After the movie, she was included in the cast of a teen sitcom entitled T.G.I.S (Thank God It’s Sabado) where she starred alongside Bobby Andres and Angelu De Leon.

She had several roles and appearances in different shows and movies after T.G.I.S. But her biggest break, the one which propelled her to “star” status, was her role as Stephanie in the teleserye Hiram.

One of the best soaps in 2004, Hiram had an overall rating of 34.6%. In this soap, Curtis played the role of an unwanted child who lived behind the shadow of her sister. The serye marked her transition from being a teenybopper to a serious drama actress.

After proving her acting prowess in Hiram, ABS-CBN executives decided to give her her own show--Kampañerang Kuba. Curtis played the character of an intrepid and optimistic hunchback in this show. All waited with bated breath every time the enchanted candle was lit--the act that transforms hunchback Curtis to a beautiful woman.

Curtis’ next notable soap was Maging Sino Ka Man in 2006 where she starred as Celine, a confident headstrong girl who said one of the most memorable lines in Philippine soap history. Who can forget this line, “Yes I’m a slut but I’m the best slut in town.”

Not only was she doing well in movies and in soaps, Curtis also became an MTV VJ for the revamped MTV Philippines in 2007. Her fluency in English and her ability to host also made her a mainstay in the variety show ASAP.

At such time, Curtis already reached superstar status. But her popularity was not enough, she needed icing on the cake.

In 2008, she received the Best Actress award from the Metro Manila Film Festival for her role as Feliza in the historical film Baler. This stamped her place as one of the greats in the Philippine entertainment industry.

In real

Adding in her gamut of abilities is her keen eye for fashion. No one can deny that she has one fierce sense of style. She has continuously received awards and recognition for it such as being included in Preview’s Best Dressed in 2007, named as Style Icon of the Year by Metrowear Magazine in 2009, heralded as Most Fashionable in US Girls’ August Awards in 2009, and declared as the Most Glamorous Celebrity of the Night in the 3^rd Star Magic Ball in 2009.

Curtis’ fashion sense is a mishmash of different styles--from retro to classic to glam. She always makes it a point to look put together and she can put an outfit together really well.

Just take a look at her ensembles.

The whole ensemble screams effortless chic. The fact that she laid off on the accessories and just let the sleek jumpsuit and classic Chanel purse stand out was perfect. She looked very pretty and polished.

The darling print on the dress paired with her knockout pink lips makes this whole ensemble a winner.

She mixes classic and funky in this outfit. She worked the classic look with spunk.

Being a child of fashion, Curtis takes interest in high fashion pieces. When she was featured in SNN, she wore a P35,000 headband by acclaimed accessories designer Jennifer Behr which was adorned with a smattering of swarovski crystals. The same headband was also worn by Leighton Meester in her role as Blair in the popular show Gossip Girl.

Her Goyard bag was also featured in an article by Cosmopolitan which showed what’s inside the fashion maven’s bag. Not surprisingly, she also had another designer piece in it--her Prada wallet.

If you want to dress like her, follow these simple tips:

1. Less is more. Curtis does not pile up on accessories. She uses accessories to highlight her ensemble instead of letting her accessories be the highlight. A sleek clutch or a pretty statement necklace is enough.
2. Wear dresses that have character. Most of Curtis’ outfits revolve around beautiful dresses that are a statement in themselves.
3. Keep up with trends. No doubt about it, Anne is one of those who knows trends and works it. Don’t forget to incorporate your own style as well when following this.