Tuesday, January 29, 2008

La mode de francais

This was what I threw on in a hurry for class on Monday; was still tardy by half an hour though!
Top: Topshop, shorts: Cotton On, scarf, shoes and bag: Bangkok gems!
And my outfit today was wayy beat, so don't expect a Tuesday outfit!

Monday, January 28, 2008

War torn by Lanvin

While I've always merely glanced through Lanvin's collection, this recently revealed pre-fall collection has got me intrigued! With the majority of the outfits being vaguely reminiscent of those in the 1930s to 50s, the silhouette of the dresses really serves to complement the female physique with a casual air of elegance and sophistication.





This dress with its exquisite beading and delicate tailoring of gauze seems to be a direct homage to Jeanne Lanvin, who was known for her way with embroidery and beading. Lanvin, a silent and reserved lady who always donned her trademark outfit of a black suit with minimal white details, seems to have been the inspiration for the muted color palette of the clothes too. The intensely attractive somber hues of grey, navy and teal also reflect the fashion color scheme circa post-ww1 and pre-ww2.




The gloves are gorgeous; it is one accessory I've always reallyy wanted to try, but never had the guts to. According to "A history of fashion" by Garland, evening gowns were accompanied by elbow length gloves, and day costumes were worn with short or opera-length gloves of fabric or leather. Either way, elbow length or not, I'll be on a lookout for them from now on!



I also read in everyone's favourite Wiki, that during the WW2, women were encouraged to wear simple suits with trousers, rather than skirts, for convenience and also due to the textile rationing. Popular female magazines even advised women on how to remake men's suits into smart outfits, since the men were in uniform and the cloth would otherwise sit unused. Imagine that!


And then we have the classic Grecian influence in these dresses, once again a signature of Lanvin. Gorgeous, really. Like the above dresses, the dusky colours allowed the textures and the fine detailling of the outfits to stand out brillantly.

Alber Elbaz, the current designer of the Lanvin house has definitely managed to capture the spirit of Lanvin in this collection. Mr Elbaz, you've got me hooked now. Guess I'll be waiting anxiously for your Lanvin collections to unveil in time to come!

Dressing like the other Olsen

Despite the typically drab Sunday plans of dinner, dress hunting for my sister and grocery shopping, I decided that not even the most boring of nights can make my outfits dull!
So after recently catching the promotional video by The Row, the high fashion line by the Marykate and Ashley Olsen, I was inspired, again to dress like Ashley, after watching the video for the thousandth time!
Pity Mk's gone down the sad trippy John Lennon road and starting to dress in mousy plaids and round tinted glasses along with her wavy tresses.

Source: olsen-fan.net


Top: Cotton On, skirt: hehehe my netball skirt, skinny raw leather belts: Bangkok gems, shoes: beggar shoes from Bangkok.




From left to right: a Bangkok gem, a shop in Paragon, vintage (my grandmother's, which I treasure like an heirloom, which it technically is, and wear every single day!)

Dressing for the money!

It's the time of the year again, where every kid goes wild trying to do as much damage to their parents' plastic while they can! So I've compiled a few outfits here, jsut in case you poor souls out there are so disillusioned with the style scene here in Singapore.


The basics jazz!
Pair a plain tee and skinnies with dazzling costume jewelry, and it makes the whole outfit not so plain afterall! Quite glamorous really, with the red bangle adding a hint of appropriately festive colour!



The boho Pocahontas!
I quite like the loosefitting jersey slip of a dress here which is beautifully enhanced with the simple sandals and purse to make one seem like an urban Pocahontas caught in the Oriental season! The Alexander Mcqueen triple buckle belt, gold chain belt and Miumiu wristlet adds a dash of gold to the entire outfit, which could possibly please your grandparents into giving you a bigger red packet!


The Oriental OC girl
A classic pair of loafers and scarf will never fail to inject a bit of 60s into any outfit! Together with this pretty frock which is extremely forgiving to the festive binging, the delicate and exquisite bangles add the festive color of gold, while the bag neutralises the gaudy colour vibes!


The CNY socialite
Wear this beautifully constructed Roland Mouret dress in crimson, and heap on the accessories without apologies, a la the amazing Mk Olsen! Seriously, this dress is definitely meant to impress, especially if you're going to visit your big boss!


The ABC
Ahh... I can just imagine myself in this outfit, sauntering down the streets of New York, weaving in and out of the human traffic in this chic oufit just visit my grandaunt's cousin's niece's daughter (haha!). The sharp red jacket that pops, the pretty muted colours of the scarf, and the piece de la resistance, a cream Miumiu purse! This outfit is by far, my favourite, and as far as out of reach as it can get.


Sigh.. swoon.

Sunday, January 27, 2008

The box shoulders

When I saw Anne Valerie Hash's haute couture debut, I was like, meh. Compare it to the runway showstopping pieces of the other haute couture lines along the likes of Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier, Dior, just to name a few, and it doesn't excite you in any way. In fact, its quite a downer, seeing how ready-to-wear it is.



But upon second or even a third look, the pieces look amazingly wearable, with its precise constructed gemetric cuts and details that have been tailored carefully to enhance the female physique. Quite a mean feat to do that with delicate fabrics, like that of the debut collection of the up and coming Hash. Perhaps that was what the designer was going for: haute couture pieces that you don't have to wait for special occasions to don it! I like this one in particular, with its unusually sculpted neckpiece and peekaboo quality!


So while I first scoffed at how drab and unwearable the collection is, especially with the box shoulders(in the pictures below) bringing back painful memories of my mum in her huge shoulder-padded suit, I now have to take back my words.

Because when I rumaged through my Bangkok buys, I pull out this top and was struck by the translation of the box shoulders into the high street! Quite wearable really, the (watered down) box shoulder is!


(Don't mind the mess of clothes in my closet at the corner!)

The funny thing is... I bought the top from Bangkok in December last year, while the couture collection was revealed only last week. Ah, the Thais and their uncanny knack for predicting trends...

Sources of pictures: style.com

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Doing a Mk pulling a Blair!




Loose AA-like tee in white like Mk: check!
Poufy pseudo school skirt a la Blair: check!
Black skirt similar to Mk's: check!
Penchant for plaid (satchel) like the girls of Constance Bilard: check!
Hobo shoes, circa Mk 2005: check!
Accessories OD that Mk likes: almost!

Travesty, they might say, but I'll say imitation and innovation do go very well together in this instance!

Channeling Mk circa late 2006


Today I had kickboxing after lessons, so this dress was of course the most sensible thing to wear! Sigh, how I miss the days where Mk would just toss a oversized top/dress over her head and went out in thongs, and not the dreaded leggings. This is, a homage to Mk 2006, a chic look on a tight budget!

Dress: Bangkok vintage find for 7$, bag: 1$ from Sungei road, shoes: Bangkok beggar shoes for 7$, same accessories.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

The star of the circus













What's the naughtiest thing you've done? I dont quite recall, but perhaps mine would be dousing my sister's toothbrush with shampoo when we had our bathroom wars. What a stick in the mud eh. But this ad, this Mert and Marcus ad makes one feel like we're sneaking backstage and watching in fascinated rapture as the star of the act practises her sultry poses while preening before the mirror.

Quite so very naughty really, especially when Miss Durst here, decked in her lolita-esque dresses catches you peering and then turns to zero in on you with her come hither gaze. My eyes can't help but keep getting fixated on Kirsten's crimson bow and lips, and her exquisite outfits. I've taken a particular liking to the cheerleader out with its strong navy and red stripes.

While I'm a fan of Lindsay's ads, I have to say, Kirsten Durst has definitely upped the stakes here. Don't mind me really, but I think I will now go scramble about to find a red replacement for my blue bow!

Monday, January 21, 2008

The housekeeping and official moving into this blog!

Here I come, 2008! I've decided to just wake this little old blog up and start posting my daily outfits and wax lyrical (hopefully) about fashion, so stay tuned!

Today, 21st Jan 2008, Monday


Top: Topshop, bottoms: Topshop, blue plaid satchel: bangkok thrift!, shoes: cheap beggar shoes from Bangkok