Hello Kitty Shopping Cards

A Birkin, an off-the-shoulder blouse, a strand of pearls,  heels AND a cup of Starbucks.  So me :-P 

What can I say.  I have never grown out of Hello Kitty.

I was at the bookstore today and when we were standing in line at the check-out counter, I saw these stacks of Hello Kitty cards, packed in a set of 4, just like Match Attack cards my son loves to buy.  I picked them up and wondered what was it all about.  Curious enough, I bought a pack for $2.90 and immediately opened it up.  Inside, there were 4 transparent cards with Hello Kitty clothing items printed on them, which basically you can use to dress up your Hello Kitty card.  You get a basic Hello Kitty card - Hello Kitty in underwear (or bikini, if you want to look at it positively), 2 cards of accessories - I got a red hat with a bow and a bow with a cup, and a dress card.  You also get a little brochure that has all the items you can possibly collect.  The idea is to collect these cards, so you can endlessly mix-and-match the outfits with the accessories with the Hello Kitty.  How cool!  It is called Hello Kitty Shopping Mania, and now I can understand why it is called that, because you just want to buy the cards and keep changing Hello Kitty's outfit!  I am already looking forward to my second pack :-) Love it, love it!!

My Roaring 20s

When we were planning our wedding dinner, we wanted to have a memorable and unique theme.  We went through several era, movies, countries,...and finally agreed that the 1920s would be nice and elegant.  We tried to stay as close to the theme as possible - outfits for sure - but also the font of the place cards, the dishes served, the drinks, the way the menu is written and the entertainment and dancing (although the last one we had to forfeit because it was raining, but that is a different story).

So when it came to picking out a dress, you would have thought, oh that must be easy. Not!  For one, only after sending out the invitations and determining the dress code I realized that I don't look good in a flapper dress! So I had to search high and low for an option other than a flapper dress that fits the 1920s theme but at the same time suits me.  I did my research on the internet and basically the key is to have a low or no waist dress.  So here I was on a quest on a Saturday afternoon down Orchard Rd.  The dress I found was actually not flattering on the rack.  The color was this off beige - can't really tell if it was planned to be white, beige, peach or what - and the cut looked really "auntie".  But then when I tried it on, it looked really nice on me (or so I think :)). Then I went home and paired it with super long strands of pearls, a feather in my hair, a bob hair cut and red nails and lipstick. It just did it!  For the guys? Just a slim-cut suit, a narrow tie and a hat. A small detail to add: hem the bottom of the trousers outwards.

My Great Finds

Shopping is always fun.  And girls LOVE shopping.  But the only thing is, it can be taxing on your wallet.  Well, over the weekend I spent around 7 hours at Orchard Rd, Singapore's shopping belt, and found really great finds.  I found places to shop that will not bust your budget but you can still look very stylish.

Far East Plaza on Scotts Rd
Small "boutique" type stores, with nice dresses and tops averaging around $30.  It also has lots of accessories stores where you can get hats, boa feathers, belts etc that are between $5-$10.  If you are going to a costume/theme party, this is the place to go.

Takashimaya and Robinson's
There are a lot of local designer counters that often are overlooked.  I found that dresses by Singapore designer Daniel Yam (Takashimaya 3rd floor) has a great fit and cut.  I somehow think Daniel designed it especially for me :-).  My body is not proportional - I have short legs, a hip that doesn't balance my waist, and shoulders and chest that are not the right proportion for my height.  So it is really important to choose styles that can 'camouflage' all my "opportunity" areas and make me look balanced.  It is not easy and it took a lot of trial and error. Daniel's designs are simple, stylish, and affordable.  There are many other brands in Takashimaya and Robinson's that are within these lines.  Spend a bit more time to look around, and you'll be surprised of what you can find.

Forever 21 at 313 Sommerset
I find that the accessories here are really great.  If you are looking for that seasonal item, a statement ring or necklaces, Forever 21 at 313 Sommerset has lots of variety.  Their have an extensive selection of accessories and at affordable prices ($5-$19) it is something you can afford to look good.

A Gift From A Good Friend

I got this adorable necklace from Shimomura-san, a colleague of mine at work.  She got back from Mauritius on holiday and gave this lovely necklace to me as a wedding gift.  Working with me for about 5 months now, I guess she has figured I love the color purple and pink.  So she chosen this purple and white shell necklace to compliment the various purple outfits I have.

I have to admit, I was a bit unsure what to wear it with.  In and by itself, this necklace is loud.  So I had to wear something that compliments, tones it down but at the same time, bring out the color and the details of the lovely shells.  So I tried a few combinations and finally was happy with the outfit I have chosen.  As usual, when in doubt always choose black, but I combined it with a purple long cardigan I got at a flee market in Bangkok and my purple/pink Guess shoes.  The black top I chose was a v-neck and its cut fell right where the necklace was, making it seamless, as if the necklace was part of the outfit.  The black trousers with the black top elongated my silhouette, and the trousers covered my already high heel shoes gave it a double impression that I am tall and slim :-).  And that...is always a great impression to have!  

My Multicolor Bag

I got this bag last week as a gift for being a speaker at the Philippines Dermatological Society convention in Manila.  I thought this bag was such a great gift idea - especially for me!  I simply adore this bag.  The style and design is so cute and the way the color blocks are put together is definitely unique.  Then came the question, how to wear this bag without being an overkill? So I decided to pick 1-2 colors on the bag to focus on. 


In this case, I picked magenta and black. The result: a pulled-together look, perking up a boring LBD.

Shoes: Guess. Bangles: from Diva. LBD: Forever 21

Inspired by Color

Remember my post on my colleague, June, who wore green and orange that day?  Well, the colors really inspired me and when I came across a similar-colored green dress, I bought it straight away!  I wore that dress today, combined it with my orange-stacked bangles, orange beaded necklace and my orange sling-back pumps.  I love this look and it really perked me up today!

Dress: Sjaherman's Daughter, Shoes: Enzo Angeolini, Necklace & Rings: from my grandma, Bangles: Diva, Watch: Cartier tank.

Resurrecting The Dead

Yup, that's what it is.

I was sitting in the train on the way home yesterday looking at my dress and it struck me.   For some odd reason, I was reminded of this black dress I had in the 90s.  I remembered I bought it and only wore it once.  Then I just kept it and it followed me wherever I went, whichever house or place I moved to, and I never even thought of giving it away.  I remember it was thick and granny looking.  I didn't like the feel, and it had a very odd flare to it.  Anyway, I immediately text my helper to look for it in my closet.  She found it.  I got home and put it on and I loved it!  Really odd.  What happened??

Well, old pieces buried in your closet can be a treasure many years after.  Yes, I did say that if you haven't worn something in 2 years, chances are you will never wear it again.  But if you happen to find it, try it on.  And I did.  I tried to hypothesize why I didn't like it before, and I think it was because of the cut which is really not too flattering.  Back then, I did not wear 4 inch heels, I was way skinnier and didn't like anything falling right at the knee.  I also did not know how to accessorize.  Well, that all has changed and I am glad I kept this dress.

Dress: Emporio Armani. Necklace & Earrings: Tiffany.  Shoes: Charles & Keith.

Colors and More Colors

Just a quick one on an example of wearing clashing colors in a great way.

June is a colleague of mine at work and she just has such a great sense of style.  She would wear clashing colors but always looking pulled together.  As you can see here, her green dress by itself is soo cute.  The style is great,  falls nicely right above the knee, and the flower accent on the right is just perfect.  Then she combined this with orange shoes - which none of us would think about.  If you take a closer look, her orange shoes has black trimming and also, she wears a simple little black bolero.  The black "calms" down the green and the orange, pulling the colors together and makes is compliment one another.  In addition, green and orange are opposites in the color wheel, making it perfect for combination.  I don't think June theorizes it before she wears it, but she always looks cute anyway!  And I know you can't see this, but I just love the blue nailpolish peaking from her toes and the neon green nailpolish on her fingers.  Very very nice touch!  Way to go, June :-)

Wardrobe Fatigue

Even being so organized and having a 4-week schedule, I sometimes still struggle with what to wear.  Not that I don't have anything in my closet, it's just that I get tired with the same thing or the same combination or rotating the same schedule from a few months ago.  There are just days where I would feel like wearing black but seems like there are no blacks that I like in my closet.  I call this "wardrobe fatigue".  Like this week, I think I have a serious case of wardrobe fatigue on my hands.  I don't feel like wearing anything I have scheduled and I have been having my closet open for the past few days already to see what I can whip out of it.   So what to do in this case and you are desperate for ideas (other than raiding Orchard Rd.)?  Here are a few thoughts:

1. Browse the News
Pick up a magazine, browse fashion sites or look for celeb news.  I find Her World magazine particularly helpful in mixing and matching.  Glamour magazine also has good fashion ideas.  Browse the fashion sites like Shine or Style, or find celeb news for inspiration.  Not all tacky celebs are tacky all the time, nor are stylish celebs stylish all the time.  Everyone has their off days. I like the styles of Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez.  They have big hips like me and they (or their stylist for that matter) can manage to camouflage it well.  Angelina Jolie also has great style on the red carpet.

2. Accessorize Differently
Wear the same outfit with different shoes/bag combination and different accessories.  Instead of your usual silver on black, try gold.  Instead of wearing those black shoes, wear pink.  Or, instead of wearing the usual black trousers with that top, wear it with white pants.  New combinations will perk up a tired outfit and lift your spirits too.

3. Look Out for Inspiration
This could be people on the train, in the office or in the coffee shop.  They may have a nice blouse which reminds you that you have a similar one, and from there you can think about what to wear.

What's In Your Closet...?

I love watching Tim Gunn.  For those of you who don't know him, he is the Creative Chief Officer for Liz Claiborne and also in Heidi Klum's Project Runaway.  I love his style and his fashion advice, and he is my "virtual mentor" when it comes that. 


The most noticeable thing I learned from watching Tim is taking note of the items in your closet and ensuring you have the 10 basic necessities for a good wardrobe.  Not all may be applicable to us living in this all-round Summer weather, but the key is to understand the concept.  Below are my rendition of Tim Gunn's "10 Essential Elements"


Tim Gunn's 10 Essential Elements


Dresses

1. The LBD: I have to admit, I have more than my fair share of LBDs in my closet.  I love them, they are timeless, and you can use them for every occassion - dress them up, dress them down, use your super high killer Pradas or with your little ballerina flats.  It works everytime and it is fool-proof for me. 

However, a little watch out is that there are many options out there today.  Choose one that is simple but flattering for your body and one that you can accessorize in different ways. For example, a toga-inspired LBD is gorgeous, but you can only use it once or twice before people notice it is the same dress.  Too much details on your LBD can make it a one-hit wonder dress. 

2. Everyday Dress: This is other than your LBD (although I can argue I wear my LBD during the day as well :)). I have a white sleeveless dress that I can wear with a blazer or a cardigan, day or night.

Tops
3. Dress Shirt: I always struggle with this.  I can never keep anything white white.  So, I opt for an ivory color shirt.  If ivory is not your cup of tea, choose a different color shirt that you can use over anything and with everything - jeans, skirt, trousers.  It can even be black!  The key is to have a nice cut shirt with a good fit, and fit doesn't mean tight - that is, you can still button the shirt without having your inerts peak out :-)

4. Any Occasion Top:  I have a sleeveless shirt that I can wear dressy for a dinner, but also dress it down with jeans.  It looks something like the one in this picture, but really it is not limited to that.  Again the idea is all your pieces should be able to be converted from day to night and vice-versa.




Bottoms
5. Skirt: This is also a skirt you can use with anything.  Again for me, it's a black, pencil skirt.  


6. Dress Trousers: I choose a black-colored one, high waist, wide-leg.  I chose a pair that fits me well, and I can use with my shirt in or out, with a t-shirt or with a blazer.  It's my all-round trouser for any occasion. 


7. Jeans: Hmm this gets a bit tricky.  You would have to get a pair that suits your body well.  The website below shows various types of body types with what cut that can suit them.  Hope this gives you an idea.
how-to-find-your-body-s-best-jeans




Jackets
8. A Blazer: This is basically a jacket you can rely on any occassion.  It can dress you up for a congress, but also you can dress it down with a pair of jeans and t-shirt.  Again, a good fit is important.  I sometimes bring mine in the cabin of the airplane, to cover up my t-shirt, so that when I step out of the plane I look dressy.

9. Trench: In 10 Elements, Tim suggested a trench coat.  However, we may not need it in this weather, so I changed it to a long cardigan or a wrap around long jacket.  Always handy, always slimming, always cool, always stylish!


10. Sweat-suit Alternative: In other words, something other than your house clothes, but casual enough for home, good enough to go to the store or take your son to soccer.  I chose an outfit like in my "Gracing Angkor Wat" post, stylish but very comfortable.  Lose the accessories, and you are dressed down already.


Good luck!

My Schedule

I try to make a wardrobe schedule every week.  I started this around 5 years ago and I have to admit that there are times, days, months that I would just feel too lazy to do it (and I survived!).  I started with a simple excel sheet that has rows of tops, bottoms, shoes and bags I would wear each day and what kind of "look" I wanted to do.  You can put whatever description you feel like in the rows - it's your stuff, so only you know how to describe it :-). 

This sheet can aid you in mixing and matching your wardrobe and will also help you remember what you wore, say, last Monday.  That way, you don't repeat the same combination the next week.  Try to do a 2-week schedule at a time and once you are comfortable with it do a 4-week schedule.  You will be amazed to see how many combinations you can get from 10 basic pieces of clothing and it will seem like you have so many clothes!

Keeping Those Skeletons

Up until a month ago, many, many times I will think of what to wear and will find myself saying, "I don't have anything to wear". Whereas the truth of the matter is, I have 3 closets full of clothes that are staring me right in the face.  So how?? 

Determined not to buy any new clothing until I figure out "why I don't have anything to wear", I did a complete overhaul of my closets, and from 3 closets full of clothes, now I have less than one!  Again, you don't need 3 closets full of clothes to do this (I guess by now you would have figured out I am a girl of excess :D), but it is good to "clean up" your closet as we always have no space!

So, here is what I have done:

1. Shop Your Own Closet

Going closet by closet, I took out every single item, looked at it and tried it on.  I look for cut, fit, usability and trendiness.  I take ideas from magazines to see how they wear or layer items and imitate it with what I have - tops, bottoms, shoes, bags, accessories - the works! The key is to have fun and experiment.  Try on fancy blouses with jeans, combine your tees or tank tops with blazers, use your belts to accentuate your waist and try it on top of cardigans.  Not everything is going to work, but you will be surprised to see how many new outfit combinations you can get just by "shopping" with what you have :-)

2. Sort the Clothes

Make 3 big piles: clothes you keep, clothes you throw away, clothes you give away.  Clothes that you give away should always be items that can be used by the receiver - not torn, dingy, weathered clothes.  Think about clothes that you just don't want to wear because of fit or style, not because of wear and tear.  For example, I had a very nice cut suit. It fit very well but the style was very 80s, early 90s: big shoulder pads, boxy cut, baggy narrow piped trousers.  As much as I love it (and the fact it was a Dolce and Gabbana suit), I just can't justify to keep it.  I don't think I will ever wear it again and it will just forever sit in my closet.  You would want to keep something classic that you know you can forever use, rather than keeping items of sentimental value.  

3. Organize

From the pile of clothes that you want to keep, organize them in a way in your closet so it is easier to choose when dressing up.  For me, I club all skirts together, all trousers together and all tops together. I arrange them by color.  You can do it from darkest to lightest, or for me, I put the dark ones in the middle, as those are the ones I have most of, flanked by lighter ones on the left and browns/reds/pinks on the right.  It makes it nice to look at and at the same time easy to find what you want to wear.

4. Use the Same Hangers

This will help your closet look and feel organized.  It will also help the clothes stack against each other more neatly.  Use plastic hangers versus wired hangers.  Plastic hanger have the benefit of shaping your clothes better as well as reducing the chance of your clothes getting snagged and torn in between.

5. Put Mothballs

In Singapore, I figured, I cannot just live on Glade clothes fresheners in the closets. Especially living on the ground unit like me, it is extremely damp in the closets and clothes can smell musty.  So moth balls are a must. To "tame" the smell of the moth ball, wrap the moth balls in left over cloths and tie it up. That will also ensure the moth balls don't fly all over the place when you happen to yank out a shirt.

Love Thy Shoes

Shoes.

This is a topic where I can really say, "don't get me started".

I LOVE shoes. When it comes to shoes, I am a super-freak.  At one point in my life, I had about 300 pairs of shoes (for perspective, Imelda Marcos had 3000 pairs, so I am nowhere close).  But with so many unfortunate events happening around me, I gradually gave them away and I plan to cap it down to around 120.  Current count: 153.  Not bad considering how many I had before.  I used to buy 4 to 6 pairs a month.  Now I have managed to get 2 pairs in 6 months.  I have everything from Pradas to Charles & Keith's and I love them all.  I am not too good at rotating shoes and tend to wear my favorites.


My point is, it doesn't matter how many shoes you have or what brand, as long as it is comfortable and you are happy with it.  The key is to take care of your shoes, as they are part of your wardrobe and reflects who you are - same like clothes.


Here are several tips on treating your shoes the right way:
1. Take care of your shoes - box them (don't stack your shoes one on top of the other, it will ruin them).  Wrap the shoes in tissue paper before putting them into the box, stuff them with shoe trees or paper and clean them before storing them. I have 6 pairs of Guccis that are still in mint condition though I have had for 15 years now. 
2. Take a picture, paste it on the box, number it. This will make it easier when you search for them in the closet.

3. Keep a catalogue and match it with your possible wardrobe and bag combination.  It will make it easier to match your clothes with your shoes.

4. Put silica gels  in the shoe boxes and thirsty hippos in closet.  This will keep it dry given the crazy humidity levels here.

5. Nothing throws off a best dressed lady with chip heels. You can look super chic from head to toe, but once you see a chip in the heel, the whole look is thrown out the window.  Your shoe heel shows how meticulous you are in the inside.  An easy way to mend black heels is by using a black marking pen.

Wearing Clashing Colors

Life is ironic.  And I really mean this in every sense of the word.

I was in the train this morning and I was thinking of several topics to write on my blog.  One of them was how to wear colors and still look elegant - not like someone who came out of the 80s.  Well, I didn't actually have to wait long or go through my memory bank to give an example.  When I came back from work, I saw this girl in the train, the full 9-yards: sky blue dress with white prints, bright yellow cardigan, shocking pink hobo bag, bright blue eyeshadow.  I almost cried.  Why, oh, why did she do that to herself.

Well, you can still wear clashing colors, but you just have to know how to do this tastefully.

1. Wear the Colors in Large Chunks
For example, wear a pink top and red skirt, but pull it together with a black or brown clutch and shoes.  This will calm down the color, instead of making your whole look out of control.  The key is to control the color, instead of having the color run you over.  Also don't wear pastel with pastels.  It will wash you out.


2. Don't Overload the Colors
Choose 2 or 3 clashing colors, but don't choose so many that you look like a clown.  Seriously.

3. Make-Up, not Cover-Up
You don't have to match your make up with what you wear.  Blue eyeshadow with a blue dress can look really tacky.  If your outfit is already screaming "look at me", you don't want your face to be doing the same thing.  Opt for a more neutral or pale look, accenting either eyes or lips (but not both).

4. Keep the Jewelry Simple
Pick chunky bracelets or one fat ring, rather than thin stack bracelets.  The chunky jewelry will help bring the look together.

5. Look at Yourself in the Mirror
If you only see half of yourself, it means the colors don't "gel".  Try different color combinations, or try to mute it down with black or brown.

Gracing Angkor Wat

I figured I always look so dowdy in pictures when we are on holiday.  So this time, when we went to Cambodia, I purposely took the effort to be a bit dressed up.  You don't have to bring 16 Louis trunks.  I just piled up on the accessories....several necklaces, a stack of bracelets, a hat and a decent looking bag!

This picture was taken at the causeway to Angkor Wat in July 2010 (see the 3 towers in the background). 
Hat: I bought this in Sydney for A$45. It is made out of paper and so God forbid rain pours on it.  I have had it for 8 years now and it is still in pristine condition.  Glasses: bought at a shop in Kansai Airport for JPY 1,000.  It is UV protected, and that is all that matters!  Necklace & off-the-shoulder tshirt: Mphosis Singapore.  Bracelets: from a market in Bali.  Bermudas: made of tshirt material, I bought this at the flea market in Siem Reap's Pub St for US$2.  Bag: H&M Darmstadt EUR 15.  Watch: Cartier tank.