Animal Print

I love animal prints. But as I am older now, I am afraid to look too tacky. I still can't figure out how to wear an animal print coat, but I just play it safe and have an all black ensemble including bag and shoes.  Until I figure out something better, a one color look it is. 

Loving Cape

So I have not blogged for almost 2 years! We moved to Geneva in August 2013 and the months building up to our move was crazy, to say the least. After a period of settling in, I found my long lost love in baking (which is in my blog next door: jasminekarsono.blogspot.com) and didn't really focus on what to wear. Well, not that I didn't focus, but I just couldn't find what was right for me. The 4 seasons threw me off. Coming from sunny humid Singapore, Switzerland was different. Living in the US for 11 years during my college years never prepared me for this - fashion-wise. I couldn't figure out what looked chic for work, not constricting yet warm, the right type of fabric, the right coat, what color for the season... And the list was endless. Finally after 2 winters K managed to get my groove back :). So here's to my first blog entry after the 2 year hiatus!

This is my new found love: The Cape. It looks effortlessly chic, but it is oh-so-hard  to figure out. One wrong outfit and you look like Lando Calrissian 😆. After many trial and errors, I finally figured out how to pair it. Always use a slim, fitted, plain top and equally so with the trousers. Try to have contrast with the cape so that you don't look like Batman. Think Grace Kelly when you're walking because there is a tendency to feel like you're wearing a bedsheet. I got my cape from Zara in Milan, my top is a simple cardigan with pearls from Forever 21 Amsterdam and trousers from Zara online. The shoes are slingbacks from Charles & Keith Singapore and the bag is Prada. My accessories were nothing expensive and were all from Forever 21. Proves to show that looking chic doesn't always cost a fortune (but the travelling does 😜).

Circle of Flats

I've been obsessed with flats lately.  Ever since the lifting of my self-imposed shoe ban, half my purchase was on flats.  I discovered the flats from Rubi are oh-so-comfortable.  It fits like a glove and it does not hurt your feet at all at any pressure point.  It is so cheap that I bought them in all colors available in my size.  Those are definitely going to be my everyday walking shoe for now.

More Batiks

Ever since I was young, I have always been exposed to batiks. As far as I can remember, my mom and grandma didn't wear anything else other than that. As I grew older, I came to appreciate batik more and learn what each design means. I collect quite a few - some to wear, but most are uncut pieces to keep.

Here are a few that I have acquired lately. They are all traditional batik designs, except for the green ballerina dress with pink flowers. The key is to have an eye on what batik looks good with which dress or shirt design. If not done properly, your batik can look 'butchered'.

Black Shoes

You can never have too many black shoes.  Okay....maybe you can.  But then again, my collection dates back to 1988.  In my case, I think I need to stop buying shoes that look alike (and in black).  Just realized as I was going through my closet today, I need more browns, tans and nudes :=D.

Black pumps are a must in any girl's wardrobe.  I have them in many styles to suit the different dresses and occasion. (from top left clockwise: Beverley Feldman, Aldo, Balenciaga, Charles & Keith, Vincci)

I had these shoes since I was still in grad school.  I used them almost everyday, and the top right one was my DJ-ing shoes :)  It was quite "mod" at the time to have patent leather shoes worn with a mini skirt. (from left clockwise: 9 & Co, Nine West, Enzo Angiolini)

I love these flats and I still adore them 24 years later. (from top left clockwise: Ferragamo, Aigner, Gucci, Ferragamo)

These wedges are both very comfortable and both are gifts.  The left one is an APC wedge from Megumi Hayakawa, Asia Olay PR manager before she went back to Japan, and the right one is Charles & Keith, a birthday gift from the Singapore R&D organization in 2006.

I was going through my closet and saw a pile of dresses I have not worn at all.  One of them is this, a lovely batik piece by Idha Jacinta.  It is a layered balloon dress that can be modified by tying or untying knots inside the dress to bring the fabric up or down as you wish.  It is really lovely and can be worn alone as a skirt, as a dress, as a tube with a top or like what I am wearing here with a vintage-inspired necklace by Vegi Handayani.  The shoes were an accident though - I was too lazy to take black wedges in the closet and ended up pairing it with something I had outside.  Not bad :)

Make-Up 101

I have been down with a cold and flu for the past 5 days.  It has been awful and I was literally strapped to my bed.  After Day 3 I got quite bored, but had no energy to move.  My bones and body were aching, I had a really bad runny nose and cough.  So, I resorted to my ipad and occupied myself.  Other than playing online games, I looked for tutorials on doing make-up. So...today, always too much time on my hands on a Saturday night, I had my helper, Ninik, become my model for me to practice my new found skills. 

Check-out her before and after photos.  Look how pretty she is! (Sorry, no step-by-step pics. This was my first time and so had my hands full!).

This is Ninik after my make-over :). I contoured her left and right side of her forehead, lower cheekbones and sides of her nose.  She is wearing a hand-me-down cocktail dress (by Bebe) from me. Yes, I used to be THAT skinny :)



This is Ninik before.  She has a pear-shaped face. 

    

I did not tweeze all of her eyebrows because half of it was quite thin, and without make-up she can look really ghostly without brows.  And so I just made her brows neater and covered it up with concealer.  In this close-up, you can still see the fine brow hair.  She also has very short lashes, and so I put on full false lashes on her and created a wing with the eyeliner to extend her eye.  (yes, I should have blotted all the oil off her face before taking this pic :)).