TEES ARE NOT ONLY FOR JEANS! [072708] Jacket, Mossimo Shirt, Simply Blatant, free gift! Skirt, IM, MYR 39 My boyfriend won himself a feminine tee from his buddy’s shirt company Simply Blatant awhile back and he decided to send me his prize as a gift. That was a good move of his because I’m lacking shirts. I adore cheesy word tees, even though I don’t own a whole stack of them like my sis does. And this one has become my favorite because it’s ironically hilarious. Shamelessly though, I do love being called baby by my boyfriend. The only thing that's not paradoxical about the statement is the maturity bit! Now here's a free advertising space I made for Simply Blatant: I have promised my boyfriend that I would come up with something other than the boring tee-and-jeans combo with this gift of mine. I've become more of a dress-and-skirt person since I quit my video production job so that should explain the whole getup. I'm not sure if the gingham skirt works but at least it's not the usual boring jeans. Tees are not only for jeans, damn it! PS Oh, and big thanks to Colin for sending me the tee. Keep churning out the shirts! PSS The posted photos above are less than flattering. My bedroom in a mess (I'm still figuring out how to maximize space and create good feng shui energy), the mirror was dirty and the apple tree behind me had remained trunk-less for awhile now. I promise better quality shots next time. (13) XOXO

APPLE OF MY EYE! [072608] I did mention in one of my previous posts that I was in awe of Carrie Bradshaw's vintage studded belt. But I found myself a much cuter and delicious-looking waistband at a budget price. This fruitsy little belt matches most of the dark-colored clothes that I have and best of all, it matches my colorful bedroom, pink Macbook and character. Belt, Upstairs...the boutique, MYR 29 And look, a brand new pair of wedges! They're a size way too big for me but I bought them because other girls were practically salivating after it. Plus, these babies were the only ones left. The best remedy for that is just a fix in the heels with Dr. Scholl's insoles padding. I should mention that these goods were purchased at a little gem I found in the heart of the township where I live. Upstairs...the boutique is literally located at the top floor of a three-storey shoplot building but its fine selection of belts and shoes are worth all that climbing. Shoes, Diqiuwang via Upstairs...the boutique, MYR 49 Despite the goods I mentioned, I wasn't really blown over by the assortment of clothes the boutique houses. They'd probably fit younger party girls more than the little bookish old me. A typical nerd that I am, I prefer checkered garments. Luckily for me, the boutique offered a boxy style nude, plaid dress that looked like it was shipped directly from the 1980s. I got the dress at half-price for only MYR 39 but I had it sent to the tailor for a minor alteration around the shoulder areas. On another note, boutique owner Joanne is such a great sport. Just in case you're planning on climbing the stairs for some retail therapy, you can always count on her to give you tips on how to mix and match your purchases. But for starters, I recommend for you frugal fashionistas to check out the boutique's blog to see if the stuff appeals to you. Joanne updates the blog whenever she gets new stuff so if you're into bright and brash glam garbs, I bet you'll be heading out to visit it soon! (2) XOXO

HELLO KITTIES! [072408] I love felines. I’m allergic to them but whenever I see one, I usually snuggle or play with it in between sneezes. I’m allergic to shoes too; I have an affinity for walking barefoot around the office yet I can’t keep my purse shut tight whenever I see a pair of brand new pumps. So my relationship and feelings with and toward them are mutually the same, which brings me to question this particular issue about the marriage of kitties and soles. Before I yammer away, I admit not to have substantial knowledge about designer products. But it’s not something that I’m quite ashamed of. It’s natural for me to be illiterate in that department because I’m the worst kind of a high street consumer- the type who can’t even tell knockoffs from ripoffs. So this discovery I made today came a bit of a surprise to the clueless me. As a fan of high street, I own a few pairs of T.U.K shoes from my Hottopic days. Back then I was a bit of a kindergoth so naturally, I collected a number of them in the course of two years while studying in the States. The shoes were mostly dark-colored and chunky, complete with killer gravity-defying heels. I was also into Emily le Strange’s goodies and I do recall lusting after these cute pussy-faced mary-janes. The price was affordable at $24 but somehow, I didn’t manage to purchase them (even after much contemplation). Now looking back at these shoes, I still think it’s a pair of good-looking cats no matter how childlike they are. I should have bought them when I had the chance to because I appreciate the sweet appearance of childishness in fashion. But T.U.K aside, I found out about Marc by Marc Jacobs’ latest shoe collection after the success of his Mouse Heels- the Kitty Heels. And my, my- aren’t they structured somewhat similarly to T.U.K’s high street creations? Of course, Marc’s version of the catty soles appear more chic and less “counterculturish,” albeit the similar youngish vibe. So who’s knocking off who this time? Marc’s team of designers could possibly have come up with a fresher creation rather than a paint-by-number like these. And for such a patent knockoff, Marc by Marc Jacobs’ Kitty Heels are ridiculously pricey at $250. Why pay a fortune on a pair of unimaginative flats? In fact, I'd rather pay for T.U.K’s cats than purring my money all the way into Jacobs’ bank. I’m also glad that I don’t obsessively splurge on established names. At the same time, I’m not saying his feline flats aren’t beautiful but to think that they’ve been fashioned after a cheaper, less haughty of a brand makes me cringe. Now who’s cheaper, Mr. Jacobs? XOXO

SEX DOWN THE HEELS! [072308] We’re in the middle of July and obviously, I’m two months behindhand when it comes to Sex and the City: The Movie. But in all fairness, I’ve always been late. I picked up the show in late 2004, exactly six years after it was first shown on the idiot box. So it’s no surprise that I only managed to catch the movie last Friday (and in a true old-fashioned SATC style, I watched the movie on DVD in the comforts of my own living room with my mom). And probably just like any fevered fans of the pun-pumping show, I got too carried away with my own expectation of what could be the most perfect ending to the fabled fab four. If I have to reiterate what other fans had said and in a true manner of SATC-style lexicon, the movie in fact got carried away with its own Manolos that they went down the heel and fell exactly flat on the ground. Now I know that was bad in comparison to what Michael Patrick King could have come up with but that was just how bad the movie was. As bad as my attempt at pulling off a very stylized pun. And even though the movie was supposed to be a fashion orgy fest, a result of Patricia Fields' coordination of approximately 300 different ensembles for the film alone, I didn’t quite get it off. None of the clothes appealed to me, no matter what European-sounding designer they had attached to it (or hanging from the tags). Not Dior, not Lanvin, not Chanel, not Fendi, not “Louise” Vuitton and certainly, not even Westwood’s extroverted bridal couture could work the magic in making me all green and gooey with envy. Well, except for maybe Carrie’s belt when she was shopping at Diane von Furstenberg. God knows which fine designer made that pretty little thing. Again, I blame my frustrations on my own expectation. The show had been a catalyst for me to dress up and go out in whatever clothes you have in your closet and enjoy the whole materialistic concept of womanhood. Moments from the series were much more believable at a small extent (I mean, a freelance writer in NYC can’t be shopping for $550 Manolos all the time, can she?) but none of the episodes ever went overboard with the inclusion of a personal assistant! SATC had made me want to go to Manhattan just to witness an eyeful of street fashion fest. And I did visit the city of love and labels, although I ended up disappointed with the real-life runways in downtown Manhattan. But that aside, the dismaying NYC trip never stopped me from catching all the reruns on TBS and forgiving its deceptiveness. The clothes and lame puns , I have to admit, are just too enjoyable to withstand. I can’t forgive the emotional disaster that the movie had caused me though but I’m still going to stick with my healthy supply of Season 5 and 6. They'll always make me feel less guilty about splurging and that's a boost for the little big spender in me! XOXO

SPECIALLY FOR EMMAGEM! [071508] Technically, I didn’t wear this particular dress today for the sake of wearing it. The lovely Karenmarie invited me to join Emmagem’s first ever style contest two weeks back. I wore it at my own self-timed photoshoot for approximately two minutes and then deliberately changed into another seven more outfits. I’m definitely the world’s perfect procrastinator; the contest ends today before midnight and today is the only day that I finally decided to submit my entries. And with the amount of clothes that I have, I did feel the painful pressure of selecting the dressiest darlings from my wardrobe. Dress, Wet Seal, $50 Necklace, Wet Seal, $7 Hairclip, Claire, $5 Shoes, T.U.K, $30 Even though I submitted about eight different outfits for the contest, I do feel that this dress is the best-looking one of all. I’ve only worn it a couple of times to special occasions like birthdays and whatnot but it certainly captures the essence of my current style. Presently, I’m in love with polka dots, ribbons, flowers (in my hair) and most of all, the color sanguine. I’m loving the classic 1950s look with all my heart and I try very hard to select current modern pieces that bear the most resemblance to vintage garbs. I’m still hunting for the perfect red dress but for the time being, I’m settled with the fact that I have my trusty Russian Red from M.A.C to dress up my lips. I feel nostalgically glamorous at best whenever I wear this lipstick together with my red hot blusher. It must feel the same way for most pretty and prim housewives post-World War II, I bet! (2) XOXO

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MIN MCLOVIN! [071408] I spent Saturday night gorging down a selection of scrumptious sushi, barbecued meat and the thickest cheesecake at my sister's birthday dinner. After the food, we headed to the hotel's lounge for some mocktail and music but later decided to camwhore in the bathroom. The bathroom, as you can see here, was too prepossessing to resist and people did walked on us while we were doing the deed but we certainly didn't care. For the deets of what we were wearing that night, click ( here ) (2) XOXO

MONDAY, MONDAY! [071108] I've been overwhelmingly busy lately with work- my students' mid terms, presentations, examinations- and worst of all, my grad class resumes next week! Because of such stress, I'm down with flu and a bit of a weezer here and there. But enough of this miserable talk. Here's what I wore on Monday to work: Blouse, a gift from a cousin Skirt, Roberta di Camerino via Nichii, MYR 39 Tights, SoxWorld, MYR 19 Shoes, 138 via Tang, MYR 49 A combination of my cousin's gift (that I used to avoid because of its elaborate, pirate-y frills) and a brand new cobalt skirt from Nichii. And let's not forget my trusty pair of mary-janes. I learnt how to sew buttons (yes, you read that right) on this skirt; I wasn't too happy with the original ones because they were gold with the word R emblemed on it. I like the skirt better with the snow-white buttons I bought. I can't decide whether I look more of a schoolteacher or a dorky schoolgirl in this one. (1) XOXO

SAYING GOODBYE IS THE HARDEST THING! [070408] You know how sometimes you grow out of love with objects and worst of all, persons? I’m going through the same phase with this shirtdress. In recollection, I fell automatically in love with its geometric, labyrinth-like patterns of mild turquoise, white and dirty mustard: Dress, from a store in Mangga Dua, Jakarta, Indonesia, IDR 140,000 Tights, SoxWorld, MYR 19 Shoes, Baley Bag, Jimmy Choo I saw the headless mannequin adorning it while riding an escalator in the people-packed Mangga Dua in Jakarta. I didn’t go and get it at once, abashed of the probable solicitous move. When you’re genuinely in love (or think that you are), you don’t rush to own the object of affection. I took different turns instead, browsing through tons and tons of other high street goods until my parents decided to call it a day. We turned back, climbing down the escalator and there it was again— the mannequin with the attractive shirtdress. I guess I couldn’t hold it any longer. I had to confess! Plus, my flight to Kuala Lumpur was scheduled that afternoon and I would never be able to see it again if I didn’t claim it. So I did it for IDR 140,000. Well, end of story really. And after only eight months, I’m not too sure if I’m in love with it anymore. It’s still in great condition because I seldom wear it (all of my clothes have the same quality because I have tons and I wear each very rarely). It’s the tragic story of the fashion victim and her relationship with mass-produced high street junk all over again. Don’t ask me if my relationship with this one is salvageable. Maybe I should try different ways to make it look and feel desirable again to me (so darlings, suggestions are always welcomed). But if restyling it can’t bring back the love— I’m going to put it up for second-handers to grab at a dirt cheap price. But if there are no takers, I might just give it up for the upcoming garage sale in college. And that’s what we call a selfish divorce. (3) XOXO

WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE! [070408] Recently, I read an issue of CLEO (not my favorite mag, I swear; I was just bored) while getting my bangs fixed and lo and behold, my hungry eyes spotted the cutest black doll dress from P&Co. The one I saw on the spread (the model in the far left is wearing it) was akin to the Forever 21 version that Emily of Some Girls Wander (the craft goddess of all things whimsical, I must add!) wore with her signature tights. Well, in terms of the collar and color, of course. Kat from Seafoam-Dream also adorned a similar dress which she thrifted and with her naturally bittersweet style, she successfully exuded an Emily the Strange-sque flair. The dress attracted me at first sight because it gives a childlike quality to the classic little black dress. Heck, it’s the little black dress for little big girls! And these girls definitely pulled the dress off pleasingly. Just look at them donning their precious ( doll dresses ) But let’s fast forward things a bit. Knowing that the dress is available, I urged myself to grab one while stocks last. But at the same time, I think it’s worth mentioning that I had never shopped at Padini. This concept store is where P&Co’s goods and other brands like SEED and PDI are usually sold at. I stepped into their outlet at IKANO and much to my expectation, they hold clothes that are a bit too "safe" for my taste. The colors are generally bland and styles are not loud— two marketing combos that work well with the average Malaysian women. Having said this, the store is not bad, per se. It's akin to American Apparels in the States- the place to get ordinary but still good-looking basics at an affordable price. And for those who know me well, I'm just not too hip on simple basics. However, Padini has an AMAZING selection of chic, colorful heels on display! Patent leather, wedges, ribbons & bows— you name it, Padini's Vincci probably has it. But before I digress further, I did find the dollie piece that I’ve been coveting for less than a week. But at the same time, I found another lovely piece that the model on the right is wearing above. I tried both on and in a typical fashion, they all fit me perfectly. So in another typical fashion and without much thinking, I bought both. Surprise, much? I committed one of the biggest fashion crimes of all— purchasing two very similar items with the same color combinations from the same store priced at MYR 99 each at one go. You probably can't see the similarities in the catalogue photos but I swear that in real life, they're almost identical. So to avoid feeling extremely guilty, I vow every single day to come up with different ways to make the two appear distinctly different than each other. So wish me luck! PS Ironically, I haven’t worn them yet. And I know I should before I kick myself more! XOXO

MEET MY EVIL TWIN! [070308] Taken from The Rumoku Clog This adorable caricature was done by my boyfriend last night, based on my previous Red Riding Hood photo post. I’m aware that it’s rather irrelevant to fashion but I just can’t help but to gush at how cute my mini-me is. If I want to have a banner for my online shop in the future, I might just use this one as an icon. The initial sketches were not what I wanted, and funnily, they resembled him more than I. But after a few lashes of (constructive, you may say) criticisms, he finally churned out a very nice one. Now as a token to my boyfriend, here’s a link to his clog that you may be interested in checking out. He doesn’t write often but he occasionally fills his techno space with nonsensically funny anecdotes and rough but colorful sketches of cats, monsters and well…more monsters! They also remind me that I should keep up with my own amateurish artsy-craftsy projects that have been abandoned since I moved in to my new apartment. The apple trees in my bedroom (they’re quite visible in some photos) need to be reconstructed for once. And yes, it’s high time for me to learn how to sew properly. I’m dying to make my own high-waisted skirts and puffy, babydoll dresses since it’s so hard to find them around my neighborhood. Ah well, hope that doesn’t remain a wishful thinking! (2) XOXO

LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD MUCH? [062908] This whole getup was what I was wearing yesterday evening when I had pizzas for dinner with my guy friends from Western Michigan. One of them just had returned home just a month ago (and immediately got a job offer from an engineering firm) so it was a good time to celebrate and catch up on everyone’s sleeves. We ended up talking about everyone else, Laguna Beach-style (yes, boys talk about others too!). I didn’t take pictures of them; somehow, we’ve grown bored of the camera whenever we get together. Blouse, Gemini from Nichii, MYR 49 Jeans, Gap, got it for only $8 at a fall clearance! Sunnies, Target, $10 Headband, The Street Market at the Curve, MYR 10 Shoes, 138 from Tang, MYR 49 But anyhow, my friend didn’t recognize me immediately because he thought he saw a Little Red Riding Hood wannabe instead. That notion amused me, I didn’t even think that the red color would make people associate me with the fairy tale character. My inspiration was one of those 1950s Coca Cola pin-up girls, though. I was in a good dressy mood but at the same time, I wanted to appear casual and less hassled. The blouse was supposed to be for work but it also worked for casual times like this. Dresses and high heels don’t really work in shopping malls on Saturdays. And didn’t I tell you that I’m in love with my white Mary Janes flats already? PS The apple tree behind me fell off while I was being photographed! (4) XOXO

BEACH READY BABY! [062808] Today I had a weekend beach retreat at Port Dickson with my family and the experience was hot, wonderful and painful at the same time. Thanks to the abundance of sunshine, I had a great time baking my sallow skin while playing in the water but for the time being, I’m just tolerating the burn. I didn’t forget my sunblock but I definitely need more than SPF 130 next time. Here’s what I was wearing throughout the time I was by the beach as photographed by my sister: Dress, New Channel Skirt, Hint Jeans from a store in Orlando, USA Hair clip, Claire’s, $5 And here’s a photo of the both of us, trying our best to look good underneath the scorching rays. The outfit that my sister is wearing is her usual “uniform” at home. The only difference is that she’s wearing her boyfriend’s Volcom cap in this photo, which I thought was very sweet and thoughtful. Unlike me, she doesn’t give a hoot about clothes so she normally goes around looking the same. However, she does have some great-looking pieces in her own wardrobe. She doesn’t like wearing most of them but I do (on loan). Outfits aside, it’s also evident that we’re both vertically-challenged but good things do come in small packages. XOXO

TIGHT FIT! [062408] Tights, SoxWorld, MYR 24 Mary Janes, 138, MYR 49 As much as I love the garter stockings that was given by my boyfriend, I couldn’t help but to fall head over heels with this pair of fresh black tights that I just bought last Friday. They’re the warmest, tightest and blackest I’ve owned so far, making them the best option for work. And they contrast well with my brand new white Mary Janes. I’m in love with the shoes too, even though they make me feel like falling once in awhile. This is very shallow of me but wearing a hazardous item is never the issue for me when it comes to looking cute. XOXO

RETRO GEEK! [062308] My students think I look retrospectively swell today but that wasn’t really my intention. I attended a forum on the new media trend in journalism early in the morning so I wanted to look pedantic and professional without appearing too much of a nerd. Strangely, my idea was to pull off Katherine Hepburn’s masculine-feminine dichotomy to achieve it but I don’t think my mission was successful, though. There’s no way you can be overtly scholastic when you’re shallow enough to think of what to wear for a symposium. Turtleneck, handed down by my mom Vest, Wet Seal, handed down by my sis Necklace, somewhere in JB, MYR 50 Pants, Comma, MYR 19 Bag, Omote-Sando, MYR 50 Boots, Bonia, loaned by my mom Anyhow, this outfit is growing on me by day. I cooked up the combination a few weeks ago when my sis first handed me the vest she bought in the States two years ago. Although the vest is no doubt a chic piece, it was hard for me to find a suitable top that would go along with it. Collared white blouses and formal shirts had never worked for some strange reasons so I had to turned in to this black turtleneck for salvation. They go together quite well but even so, I’m still on the lookout for another close-to-perfect top that’ll match. And let’s not forget this special necklace that I was donning the whole day. It signifies a tie, only with attitude. Garment ties just won’t do it for me, thank you. XOXO

I LOOK JUST LIKE VELMA DINKLEY! [062008] Today was simply wonderful for a number of reasons. Firstly, I was on leave so I had ample amount of time for me to rest at home and not think about work at all. Secondly, my beloved sister picked up these black-rimmed Buddy Holly-inspired frames from our favorite spectacles/ sunglasses stall at OU. I’ve been coveting it for awhile now; I own another pair that I bought in Bandung but it’s purple in color, which makes it harder to match it with most of my outfits. A black pair like this one will make my life much easier. Tee, a stall at Cineleisure, MYR 50 Cardigan, Dorothy Perkins, handed down by my mom Jeans, Gap, got it for only $8 during fall clearance! Spectacles, a stall at OU, MYR 25 Bag, Bengkel Oi Hair clip, Claire, $5 Shoes, Vans Third of all reasons, I went for a trip with my sis in the afternoon to IKANO and visited a line of stalls that sell vintage-themed dresses and knick knacks. She bought a really funky hat for herself while I bought a dress and tiny flower hair clips from the Furry Tails stall. Furry Tails, for the record, is a stall that has been calling for my attention for a few months now, thanks to its cohesive collection of 80s classic dresses with loud-yet-feminine flower prints and clashing colors. Each dress is priced at MYR 120 on average so the stall was never really an option previously until today. The dress that I bought reminds me a lot of my mother's collection back when she was slightly older than I am and such retrospective connections just drew me to give Furry Tails a shot. There were a couple more outrageous dresses that were on display but I'd save them for later shopping trips. And oh, on another note, I also got my bangs cut (my mom thinks I look uncannily like Velma Dinkley now) and had a weird-yet-delicious bowl of wasabi ice cream for dinner. We then caught “The Happening” at the cinema, a film that has made me sworn off all of M. Night Shyamalan’s future directorial works. I’m not going to go into a full-length review of the paranoia flick but suffice to say, it was turkey. Despite such failure, there were two good things that I could find from the film. Zooey Deschanel’s striking yellow oversized bag couldn’t save her bad acting but it really did stand out on its own. She held it throughout the film and I couldn’t help but notice how gorgeous the bag of sunshine looks against her cornflower blue dress and dark-colored coat. A glimpse of the bag can be seen here and I can just say one thing- her character’s outfit has motivated me to wear more yellow bags matched with dark shades of blue. And last but not least, the second good thing about “The Happening” is Mark Wahlberg himself. I don’t think his acting is worth of an applause but I’ve been in love with him since I was 12. And needless to say, he beats Deschanel in my books. He doesn’t need a bag (although he holds a rather chick-ish-looking one all the time) to justify his own gorgeousness! XOXO

OH NO, KIMONO! [061908] I’m hooked on posing absurdly for my brand new Lumix. Life is too short so I try to have fun by amusing myself with poses such as this one. But joking aside, the pose is to emphasize the giant flaps of my kimono blouse that I adore so much. I did mention that I prefer Oriental cuts once in awhile; I blame it on my Asian genes. I got this off Wet Seal’s racks during my senior year in college. This was approximately two years ago and at the time, the store was massively bombarded with Eastern-style outfits so I bought a couple of rather similar blouses. The good thing is that I usually feel abnormally sexy when I wear anything that is Oriental-based. Blouse, Wet Seal Skirt, unknown, handed down by my sis Heels, Bengkel Oi from a store in Bandung, Indonesia The sexy factor, in my opinion, is probably the fact that I take on my pride as an Asian. Wearing these garments is a way for me to eradicate any sense of inferiority complex. Well, besides the Black No. 1 hairdye, of course. Looking Asian is a step to being Asian and proud of it. On a normal day, I’d usually pair this blouse with simple blue jeans but today, I decided to go a little bit over the edge with this rather foxy, black asymmetrical skirt to celebrate the sexiness. The actual skirt is super-short but the sheer outer layer of it covers the length, which is quite naughty in my books. My boss didn’t mention anything though, so it must be still on the safe side. I still felt sexy all day though! XOXO

PINK IS THE NEW BLACK! [061808] As much as I like to shop for my own clothes, I’m also a big fan of “nicking” off my mom and sis’ collection of clothes and shoes once in awhile. I always ask them for permission though, so it’s not really nicking in the literal sense. My mom, especially, is big on shoes and bags like I do so we often trade items when the right time comes. However, I do it more often than she does because I’m obsessively frugal that way. Cardigan, Dorothy Perkins, handed down by my mom Top, unknown Skirt, handed down by my sis. Necklace, not really a necklace but rather my mom's spoilt hairband! Shoes, Luxury by Lewre, my mom's. For this outfit, I only paid for the top and the rest were handed down or loaned to me by my wonderful girls. The skirt is a little boho for my taste but it’s geeky enough for another quiet day in the office surrounded by books and student papers. I’m currently in love with my mom’s super-charcoal cardigan and definitely, the silky suede shoes. They’re ridiculously impossible to walk in, which explains why my mom usually saves them for glamorous dinner parties only. I prefer wearing them at work whenever I’m not teaching because they make me feel grand...as in taller. I’m much more confident with high heels lately, which makes me utterly proud of myself. I’ve definitely walked a long way from the combat boot days; I’m a grown up girl now! XOXO

EVER GREEN! [061608] Awhile ago, sundresses like the one I’m wearing in this photo were all the rage in my homeland. Malaysian lasses became more feminine than their normal tee-and-jeans selves by donning these dresses in malls and offices. The dresses were crazily mass produced together with the giant sunglasses until each of them were (normally) sold at a very cheap price. I got this one last year, during its peak, as soon as I returned from the US. I don’t normally wear it nowadays, simply because I had wore it to death throughout last year. This was my staple dress to evening dates, to shop and also to work. I kind of grew out of it also because of the color- it’s too earthy for my current liking. Dress, New Cayon Sunnies, unknown Handbag, Prada Shoes, Twins Lately, I’ve been inspired by brighter and bolder colors such as red, white and yellow. The dress is not bad per se, but I don’t mind selling or auctioning it off on Etsy or one day. It's a bit on the large side for me at the bust (as always) yet it's an American size 0 if anyone is interested in thrifting. It’s the only dress that doesn’t need ironing at all; it’s convenient whenever I have to go to work early without enough time to iron. Plus, I’m really bad at ironing my clothes. If there’s one course that I can take, it’s definitely Ironing 101! XOXO

FASHION SAP! [061608] I spent some time off on my own on Saturday and being the nerd that I am, I went to the library to pick up some titles on semiotics, myth and postfeminism. After getting all the books that I deemed suitable, I sneaked up to Fashion aisle to see if there were good writeups on the subject. To my dismay, the shelf had only a few books left on fashion and Michelle Lee’s “Fashion Victim” seemed to be the most interesting of all. I recognized the writer from a couple of VH1 commentaries she made so I checked the book out to see if it was any good. Frankly, I can’t give a full review of the book yet but I can say that it’s been the only book on fashion that I’ve read that has been extremely informative and enlightening without venturing into the fashion-smart-but-book-dumb space. I’m only up to the third chapter thus far yet I’ve learnt a lot about how the industry manipulated our minds on speedy chic trends and how giant retailers are fast becoming the McDonald’s of global fashion. I’ve also read through the Ten Commandments of the Fashion Victim and to my surprise, I’m guilty of it without really noticing it. Own more than five pairs of same jeans? Check. Impulse purchases? Double check. Not being able to maximize the space of your wardrobe during spring cleaning? Let’s just not go there. I have eradicated about half of my closet (which used to be a one whole bedroom in my previous apartment) and still, I have trouble storing the other good half in my brand new white IKEA wardrobe. Shame on moi, perhaps. Gray pumps, Tang, MYR 59 White mary janes, 138, MYR 49 Blue mary janes, Tang, MYR 69 Ironically (and stubbornly), I hopped over to Asian Avenue again after the trip to the library to see if the brown handmade shoes (with glittery silver lining) from Italy that I was reluctant to buy were still there. It wasn’t my luck for that day. The original price was about MYR 500 but the owners of Tang reduced it to a mere MYR 200. I didn’t buy it, thinking that I’d be able to come back for it later but never did. Some other fashion victim might have snapped them up the minute I decided not to buy. So to cure the heartbreak (and like any other foolish fashion victims would do), I bought three different colored pumps from the same boutique, which altogether cost me around MYR 177. Did I feel better? No. That being said, Ms. Lee would probably be frowning on me. Shame on me now! XOXO

ATTACK OF THE BUTTERFLIES [061108] When it comes to boots, the general rule of thumb is not to wear them on a sweltering hot day. I went for a walk outdoors in my neighborhood to get my passport photographs taken after work and with the boots on, the heat was just excruciating to deal with. No matter how expensive and comfortable the boots were, none of these could have saved my feet from drowning in sole sweat. And to think that shoes have caused death to many fashionistas around the globe! In Japan, a girl met with a fatal accident when she failed to push the brakes of her car caused by the 10-inch platforms she was wearing. In other news, two Californian girls were killed in a train freak accident because their heels hindered them from getting off the tracks. The ancient Chinese, despite not having to die because of vanity, suffered a lifetime of pain and discomfort as a result of having their feet binded for beauty. Sadly though, as a true-blooded female, these tragic deaths coupled with my own nightmarish experiences have no effect on my consumption of dangerous footwear. Fashion makes me an idiot but this is one idiocy that I’m willing not to be ashamed of. Blouse, Sand & Sun Jeans, Miss Sixty Bag, Bengkel Oi Boots, Bonia Nevertheless, here’s an outfit from the past (if you would exclude the bag and carrot-cut jeans). What I like most about today’s getup is the Oriental-collared blouse. I initially bought it five years ago because of its vivacious butterfly print. The cutting is a beautiful convergence of both the Chinese cheong sam and the Vietnamese ao dai. Back then I would have paired it with boot-cut jeans, which now seems like a bad idea considering that I only stand at 5’3”. What I’ve learnt from the great style queen Lulu of Everybody Is Ugly is that a lengthy blouse is always best paired with tights or skinny jeans. This advice goes to my fellow vertically-challenged ladies out there who had know idea that they've committed this awful sadomasochistic crime and sinned against the fashion bible. It’s akin to chopping off your own short legs, believe me. Now we’d rather be petite than having no legs at all, don’t we? XOXO

navigation [ viewing | most recent entries ] [ go | earlier ]