I love the bright burst of flowers in this mostly pastel setting. And oh, the light flooding the scene! Brings to mind crisp Spring mornings in Europe. Sometimes a pop of bright florals just spices things up a notch, doesn’t it?
Photo from Wohn Idee Magazine via Decor8
Having caught The Painted Veil on Dvd last weekend, I’m left with an insatiable lust for the drop-waisted dresses that Kitty Fane (a luminous Naomi Watts) wore throughout the show. These ranged from the intricately beaded number she wore at the party at the movie’s opening scene, to the simpler but still very chic day dresses that she sported in Cholera-ridden Mei-Tan-Fu in the later part of the movie.
Of course, that’s not the only thing I loved about the movie–i found it immensely romantic, in a tragic, bittersweet way. The movie is definitely not the book, painting its characters with much more sympathy than Somerset Maugham ever did, and fleshing out Walter Fane’s character so much so that one could actually like him. (I did) But the main draw of the movie is in the poetic visuals, sweeping landscapes, lovingly framed and tenderly lit close-ups of the characters. It adds a lushness to the story I never could find in the book. Although like I said, they’re 2 very different things altogether. But anyway, the main point I wanted to convey is the sheer eye-candy potential of this film. And the gorgeous clothes of the roaring 20s. And how, in spite of choices like King Kong and The Ring, Naomi Watts is a good actress.
And how I very badly want a parasol!
**Update:
The Little Flower at the End of the Rainbow, level 4 at Far East Plaza is selling some very flapper-inspired lace and tasseled frocks. They’re not that cheap, but I’m still sufficiently tripped up by this movie to be considering very very seriously, a drop-waisted, very feminine, mini-dress in nude pink.
Of late, I’ve been spending far too much time planning my travel wardrobe on Polyvore. With an impending Europe backpacking trip this June, a very limited budget and lots of backpack lugging to- and-fro youth hostels, planning is crucial in balancing style and practicality. I’m hoping for something easy and effortless, suitable for pavement-pounding on warm and cold days, in short, a wardrobe that will provide a maximum number of looks with minimum pieces. This means careful editing, but…
… my mind is a mess of possibilities when it comes to mental wardrobe planning. Which is why I love how Polyvore helps organise my thoughts when it comes to the nitty-gritty. Bearing in mind Rick Steves’ sacred advice to “pack light”, no matter how they go against my “just in case” packing mentality, I’m using Polyvore to build a list of basics that can be mixed and matched, dressed up or dressed down. Granted, it’s no Audrey Hepburn in Paris in “Funny Face”, but for a poor Singaporean looking for casual chic while roughing it out on trains and buses, it might just fit the bill.
Now I just hope i can wean myself off playing with Polyvore to actually start packing in time!
I’m interrupting the current inactivity over here with a quick post on my latest style crush, discovered via Soon Lee. I’m been down with a long long spate of uninspired style choices lately, and seeing this lovely creature in all her wonderful get-ups (what I’d call classic with a twist) has just given me the urge to don lots of high-waisted skirts and brightly coloured shoes, and twirl away into the sunset.
And I can’t help but covet that amazing hair. Though of course blonde is never a good look for Asians, and the unruly wiry mess that is unfortunately my hair would never stay in shape with that haircut. But on her, it is stunning.
Loving sigh.
Apologies for the lack of posts recently. I’ve been bogged down by fashion fatigue since last month.
Perhaps it’s due to the lack of inspiration recently, something even the concentrated imbibing of glossy magazines can’t seem to remedy. I was so tired of the stuff being paraded on the streets, neon everywhere, the colour block jersey dresses, the sudden influx of scarves wrapped around the neck, the mish-mash of grandma dresses and “designer-inspired” finds… This, plus the fact that I witnessed some massive pack-purchasing behavior by local women on my Europe stint, put me off shopping for awhile. While I don’t subscribe to the logo chasing mania that seems to have descended upon quite a few others (What is the point of buying something everyone will have? Especially when pirates are churning them out a dime a dozen and hawking them in orchard road underpasses), it doesn’t mean that I’m against luxury goods in general. If you can afford quality (provided that it comes with good design–in which case I do not include run-of-the-mill pouches plastered all over with interchangeable logos), why not?
But with Christmas/New Year festivities in full swing and every store on the high street whoring their wares to entice you to spend spend spend for the holidays, frankly, it made me tired, and a little bit scared. Suddenly everything everyone was selling looked the same.And my shopping instincts went zip. No urge to shop. I was worried (but glad that I was not spending as much) that I had lost my love of shiny commercial campaigns for ever.
Until I logged on to etsy and rekindled my love-affair for indie, d.i.y. wares. Quirky art, delicate handmade accessories, and most importantly, things which are not going to be seen on hundreds of others in the street the day after you purchased it, because being handmade, their quantities are limited. The only problem is perhaps the amount of vendors you have to sift through to find something that speaks to you. Granted, browsing and discovering is part of the fun of window-shopping in the online community, but when pressed for time, I find etsy-love a trusty guide to all that’s good and lovable in the sprawling website. From blog owner Nicole’s favourite etsy finds to her tips on using etsy and posts on being a vendor, it seems that everyone, aspiring etsy store-owner to jaded shoppers, will benefit from her insightful posts.
My latest etsy crush comes in the form of designer/illustrator Traci Edwards (found via etsy-love).I’m loving her combination of quirky animals, strong silhouettes and graphic prints. The Doily Girl print (seen below) is one of my favorite pieces, the frilly femininity underlined by a subtle simplicity that I can’t help but label as Hepburn-chic. It would make a great print for a tote-bag as well, now that I come to think about it.
I’m sorry if much of this post came across as pointless griping. Whatever my confused state of mind pertaining to style and fashion is at the moment, I hope you’re feeling much better about it. Being the optimist though, I’m hoping that that the new year will bring with it more originality, more style and cultural risk-takers, and more love and goodwill.
Have a Happy 2008, everyone.
I spotted this amazing shoe-organisation contraption at the Raffles City Anthropologie store this weekend. Created by Rakku Designs, the Rakku Shoe Wheel can hold up to 30 pairs of shoes, and display in style to the rest of the world as well. The pockets are expandable so they can fit a variety of shoes (heels, sneakers, pumps…etc) up to a men’s size US 10.5, and yes–the wheel rotates! Which means owners searching for inspiration can kick-start their day with a little spin to pick out the shoes they can then match outfits to.
The best thing is, retailing at a mere SGD$129, the Rakku Shoe Wheel is very affordable for a piece of good design.
This photo from The Sartorialist (have I mentioned before how much I love his blog? It’s inspiration heaven.) sent chills up my spine because it just seems so perfect. That flaming red hair, the girl-child countenance, that pose, that bike… If there was a modern day Alice (once more, have I told you how I’m a big fan of Alice in Wonderland?), this would be it.
(photo from The Sartorialist)
On another note:
Random House has introduced their Limited Edition Vintage Classics Twin Packs, now available at Borders Bookstore. Each twin consists of two books: a specially designed limited edition of one modern classic title and one established classic work. The books in each pair have been carefully selected to provide a thought-provoking combination. Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland has been paired with Haruki Murakami’s The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle under the theme Vintage Fantasy, and selling for a mere SGD$13+, which is a steal in my opinion. The rest of the collection is just as attractive, so if you can, pop by Borders for a look.
Clotheshorses and Style-meisters take note: The Fash Bash organisers are holding a flea market for the masses. Called Wardrobe Raids and held at St James Powerhouse on the 7 October, it might have the potential to become another Zouk Flea & Easy… (Is the power nightspot location a coincidence?) Not that I’m complaining. When Flea Markets are concerned, the more the merrier I say! Slots for sellers are open right now, so if you have wardrobe extras to clear, apply for a stall space on the big day before registration closes on 30 Sept.
There’s a new local fashion magazine called “Project Smitten” on the shelves, and the first thing that came to mind when I picked it up was “…How like Lucky this is…”. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, considering how much I enjoy reading Lucky Magazine, with its glossy pictures and consumer-centric catalog-like spreads. Some of you might question why a foreign shopping magazine ranks so high on my list, when I can’t find most of the items showcased on local shores. But sometimes it’s precisely when you can’t get the items easily that inspiration sets in, inspiration that challenges you to utilize your powers of invention to find, make or improvise something with the same soul as the item that caught your eye, and make it your own.
Anyway, it occurred to me that alot of the columns in Project Smitten seem to echo pages in Lucky, although I do think that if I had to pick a favourite based on covers alone, the cover of Smitten would win hands down–I have a soft spot for fashion-illustrations and celebrities, no matter how famous, don’t speak to me the same way. The name (Project) Smitten also has a nice girly ring to it, one that edges towards slight intellectualism (if shopping can be called an intellectual sport), although Lucky is an exceedingly catchy title in its own right.
The Covers of Project Smitten and Lucky Magazine
Similarities between Smitten and Lucky:
Editor’s Picks
Same Column - My Foolproof outfit
Similar “How-To-Wear” Concept
Similar “Real Girl and her Gadgets” column. Same categories too.
A Fall Trend report isn’t exclusive to any magazine, but I just took a picture of the spread in both magazines for comparison’s sake.
A page in the 2 magazines’ Fall Trend Report.
If I had to compare content, I would have to say that the similar columns make it hard to choose. Both focus on shopping and style tutorials, both suss out great boutiques and stylish people to share style tips, and both have clean image-centric layouts that make the magazine an easy read. I can’t help but see Lucky as the original (as original as a mainstream magazine covering the fashion industry can be), but Smitten has the draw of being local–and therefore being more relevant, showcasing things that I actually can buy. (Not always good for the pocket!) Plus, the Smitten Decorate section filled with pretty household things is a joy to pore over as well — a section not available in Lucky, because that’s the exclusive domain of sister mag Domino (another magazine I love).
I suppose what I wanted to say is that I can’t actually choose between the two magazines (no one is asking me to anyway), but if the concurrent issues of Project Smitten continues the standard of its debut (all fashion and unapologetic consumerism, no trashy “who stole my husband/boyfriend” true story features) , it’ll be the one local fashion magazine I’ll be buying regularly in a long time. But I’ll keep reading Lucky still.
*Sidenote: I was surprised and happy to find Betsy, one of my favourite fashion bloggers in the editorial team of Project Smitten (as Deputy Editor, no less). I think she has a really fresh eye for fashion, and her blog entries always make me smile. So… one more reason to read the magazine, in my opinion.
Two recent posts on The Sartorialist this week made for particularly interesting reading. Both showcased women (Kelly and Kara) who, after moving to New York, developed a sense of style that was very much different from their previous way of dressing. The transformation is astonishing, and got me thinking about personal style, and what defines it.
Growing up, some of us get so fettered by the opinions of people we know and what they would think that we never get to be totally free with expressing ourselves, be it with words or clothes. Their opinions affect how we see ourselves, and maybe restricts us as well–making it hard to see beyond what always has been. I know I was pretty much a tacky dresser when I was younger, embarrassed to polish up, afraid that it would make me seem superficial and shallow, and more afraid I think, that I would get it all wrong and get judged behind my back. My nondescript dressing was a shell that I had grown comfortably used to, and it wasn’t threatening, it wasn’t unique. It was just … bland.
Moving to a new place can be liberating then, when we get to re-invent ourselves in a place where no one knows us, and where we can be a totally different person, one more in tune with what our hearts want. (Or grow less like ourself, it works both ways, I guess.) Only after I got out of university and moved into my first job where no one knew me, did I become more serious about experimenting with fashion, trying to find my place in life, and in the process, find my personal style.
Of course, there are the unspoken rules of dress in the social circles we mix in. Weekends and workdays might inspire different rules of dressing, as might the location, event and personal mood at the time of dressing up, depending on how comfortable we are with ourselves not to adapt our style to better blend in with the surroundings. Even now, this particular trait surfaces to plague me, although I count it more as a type of EQ to ensure appropriateness of dress, rather than a lack of individuality. And even though I have yet to reach a point where I can confidently declare what defines me stylewise to anyone I meet, I think I am moving towards a direction which is more “me”, as compared to how I looked say, 5 years ago. And there are things and styles I know that do not speak to me, which is a start, I guess.
I think what defines the truly stylish from the merely fashionable is how their personality shines through an ensemble, and how their clothes help convey to the world at large something about themselves. It is a picture of ourselves we hope to paint to the world, and while that picture might change as we grow older, it is always true at the time of painting. And a big part of it means being comfortable in the clothes we choose to wear, not letting the clothes wear us.
Kara Before
Kara 2007
(Above pictures from The Sartorialist)
