miss-chief

Are you Safe?

2011-12-18T04:53:00.000Z

I'm not really a 'make-up' person, but I'm guilty of using at least 10 beauty products in the morning, all of which claim to make me look good. But while I was browsing fashion websites, I read this article from That's Chic which made me really alarmed. What's this all about? Even my Pantene shampoo has carcinogens in it? :S Watch the video below to find out more:

After watching this video, I'm keen to find out more about the ingredients that go into the products I use on my face, my hair and my body. I hope this helps you too, my dear readers! ♥

Hunting for Hunters

2011-10-15T16:46:00.004+01:00

I really, really, really want a pair of Hunter Wellies. This is just one of the unexplainable lusts that comes from the child-who-loves-puddles deep within me. It's just that... is it worth it? After all, money doesn't fall from the skies and I have to constantly remind myself that I am a poor, penniless graduate who's not even started her job! Also, the weather in Singapore is not the best for gumboots, thanks to the lovely Summer weather all year round at a sticky, hot, 35degree Celsius. But when the rainy period comes, that's when my heart longs for a pair of black, shiny Wellies.

So Hunters? Or not?

The Lights in The City are so Bright.

2011-10-10T17:58:00.002+01:00

(via)

Finally. I'm back home (in Singapore) for good. I'm terribly sorry for the unexpected hiatus which was due to living out of a suitcase, traveling around the United Kingdom (going to miss this place so much!), packing like crazy (our lives in 29 boxes), sorting out our banking and the lot and just soaking up every last bit of London before our flight back. And now, I'm unpacking like crazy (2 suitcases of just shoes and clothes), battling with the humidity and the heat (!), sorting out banking and soaking in the new/old culture that I thought I was familiar with but actually wasn't.

I hope my 'London' diary gets stuck in my head forever - the best places to chill, eat and talk and the lovely architecture, the parks and the sights. For now, it's building my 'Singapore' diary all over again (although I seem to only have had fragments thanks to my admittedly sheltered life before 17 :S) and a struggle to find hair salons, places to do threading and the best places to eat, chill and soak in the atmosphere*.

But I'm not complaining. And I'm glad to be back. Lots to do and see before work starts proper next week.

And, I promise I will sort myself out and upload pictures of the stunning Lake District, Peak District and Wales and hopefully, continue taking outfit pictures. Much love and kisses! ♥

*Recommendations for such places are very much welcomed with an extremely happy heart! :)

Ireland... and the Atlantic!

2011-08-22T22:24:00.001+01:00

It has been so long!! I do apologize to my dear readers! ♥ Traveling with family can be so draining! Especially when you attempt to do it on a budget! But there's been some good times as well. We traveled to Ireland for 8 days and actually drove the entire coastal route. Pretty much covered all the major scenic and visitor areas of Ireland - thanks to my mom wanting a military-planned agenda o.0! I would love to come back again some day and stay in a lovely quaint B&B (like the one we stayed at in Tramore). Right now, I'm in the highlands in Scotland snuggled under cozy sheets near Loch Ness. I'll leave that for another time though. Right now, some of the many random photos of my Ireland trip below. Lots of love! ♥

Beautiful habour at Howth Island

Powerscroft Waterfall (highest in Ireland)

Little sister and I at Tramore Bay

Along Tramore Beach - the waves rolling in were from the Atlantic Ocean and it was freezing!

The beach! ♥

The famous Blarney Castle - where I kissed the Blarney stone (supposed to give you the gift of eloquence). Nothing has happened to far, but Winston Churchill kissed it and thereafter, wrote his many famous war speeches.

Lovely lambswool wrap shawls. So cozy!

The sign at Cliffs of Moher (which everyone conveniently ignored).

Little Miss Grumpy

2011-07-31T19:05:00.002+01:00

[River Island shorts and tank; H&M shirt; Thrifted bag from a Madrid market; Blanco earrings]

The heat is making everyone in London (or at least where I am) super grumpy! Gah! Threw this on today for a quick brunch at Costa and to run some errands. I absolutely love the feather trend! I have 2 pairs of feathered earrings and a clip with a peacock feather in it that I've bagged at a Blanco sale. And this is the first time I've worn it out (only because I thought they were a little over-the-top at first!). Also love this denim shorts that I scored at the massive River Island summer sale. I love how ripped it is. Right now, I'm packing up my apartment before my mom gets to London in 2 days! And then it's off for a short break in Ireland! Can't wait! Lots of love and kisses! ♥

I ♥ Rain

2011-07-16T23:06:00.003+01:00

[F21 jacket; H&M vest; H&M tooth necklace; Pull and Bear jeans; F&F heels]

I love Summer when it's hot and I love Summer when there's rain. It's lovely and cool and you can wear the highest of heels to avoid silly puddles of water. Another plus side: you get to carry a really cool umbrella (although, said umbrella is actually nicked from dear cousin :P).

I love this F21 pleather jacket for many reasons. It's the only 'leather' jacket I own that has a hood (very useful when it comes to keeping warm, staying dry and looking aggressive. Grrrr...). It's also tight around the sleeves and the waist, which always feels comfier for me, for whatever reason. I also love that it's got useable pockets. I don't really take to clothes which have pockets but all you can fit inside are a couple of coins - which would fall out anyhow. I know that's veering on utilitarianism; but that's what I look out for when I buy clothes. :)

Enough of leather jackets, I've just finished with booking hotels for all the holidays that I'm going for! I've had enough of looking at whether there's bed linen and en suite showers and parking and breakfast. GAH. I didn't know booking holidays was that difficult! (I suppose it's because I'm tight on a budget and have got a very big family) So after many long nights Skyping with mom, we've FINALLY reached an agreement on everything! :) This girl can't wait to pack her bags and head out to the countryside to chill! Lots of love and kisses! ♥

Swooshy Skirts

2011-07-04T10:58:00.002+01:00

[H&M silk top; Oasis White Skirt; Topshop shoes and cardigan; Guess bag; Diva bracelets]

Happy 4th of July! :)

These were taken outside a dilapidated office and inside my carpark. I love this white swishy-swooshy skirt that I thrifted off eBay for 99p. Such a great find! It's cool enough for a hot summer day but keeps you warm when the sun goes in. Also, sorry for the cheesiest grins. Was being a little silly! :) Kisses! x

Goodwood Festival of Speed '11

2011-07-03T22:11:00.001+01:00

WARNING (in advance): This is not going to be the average fashion or food post! All car photos! :) [Very Image Heavy!]

We went for the Goodwood Festival of Speed on Friday and the number of super cars (and lovely vintage cars) there were astounding. There were people sipping pink champagne in the summer sun and dipping their feet in cool water. It was well worth it, wandering around the Goodwood Estate and just taking in the sights, noises and the smell of petrol burning.

Enough chatter, some pictures to follow (the rest are here):

The Perfect Outfit

2011-06-28T20:51:00.003+01:00

1. The black blousanna top
2. Our khaki café trouser
3. Classic white Tretorns®

The Perfect Outfit from the JCrew Tumblr.

*Not to forget, the iconic red lip too!*

Playing with Light

2011-06-24T14:34:00.001+01:00

[Blanco blazer; Pull and Bear jeans; H&M shoes; H&M trilby; TU bag]

Quick post before work, which starts in an hour. (I've been neglecting this darling blog because of longer work hours! :|) I just wanted to play with the tone curve and shadows on Photoshop to create a kinda quirky, shadowy effect. :P Love this minty green blazer that I picked up from the Blanco 50%-off sale. It was only a shallow dip into my wallet for £18 so I bought another one in a lovely dark blue (I've kinda gone on a blazer-buying-spree; what with starting my first proper job this Autumn!). This green is kind of like the Tiffany Blue, maybe a shade lighter, so it looks absolutely lovely in the sun. The straw trilby is also another steal, this time from H&M for £3. Absolutely love the British High Street, especially when it comes to sales! Gonna miss it terribly when I'm back home in Singapore for good! :( Alright, off to work! Kisses! ♥

The Royal Ascot 2011

2011-06-18T23:49:00.001+01:00

The amazing Royal Ascot Grounds

All dressed up. :)

The Grandstand Admissions - no, we didn't go there. Our budget fitted the Silver Ring enclosure instead. :P

With my sister and cousin (who's wearing my dress)

Tercentenary year for the Ascot.

My cousin's amazing fascinator.

Royal Ascot.

View of the grandstand and the private boxes.

Empty tiered seats.

Grey clouds gathering.

Chester the Horse.

Jockeys and their horses.

The big screens.

A few photos of our big day out. Heels in mud (horrible and mucky), toilet queues, pricey food, amazing dresses and head pieces and just the best groomed horses I have ever seen.

[Zara dress; Zara blazer; Accessorize feather hairband; New Look shoes; Celine bag]

London Town

2011-06-04T19:34:00.000+01:00

Whenever we get a day out, we head somewhere around the vicinity of the River Thames. I don't know what it is with water and rocks but the sound of water crashing against rocks is always a soothing, lulling sound. We visited the Greenwich Market (too crowded! so we didn't get to take any pictures) and Greenwich Park (packed to the brim with lovely sunbathers). And then to the quieter Thames Barrier where we just walked along the Thames Pathway. It was a lovely slow-paced afternoon, great for the end of the week. Hope you guys have had a lovely Saturday out as well! Kisses! ♥

Lovely Jubbly

2011-06-02T09:33:00.002+01:00

Couple of lovely pictures before I have to get to work! :) Have a lovely day! x

[via; via; via; via; via; via; via; via]

So Fly

2011-05-28T18:59:00.000+01:00

[Boohoo one-piece; Jane Norman skirt; Clark's boots; Tu bag; Topshop crochet cardigan]

What is up with this weather? o.0 One day it's hot and the next you need layers of clothes. :( But it has been a relaxing day so far and I had the chance to let my hair down (literally); since I usually have my hair up while working (almost everyday) for the past few days. Hope you lovelies are enjoying the long weekend (in the UK at least!) :)

Online Haul // Student Prices

2011-05-17T20:39:00.000+01:00

Hey my dears, sorry I haven't been around the past few days. I've got an accounting exam coming up and I'm trying my best to cram as much information as I can into my head. Argh. But in between writing notes and practice questions, I have been (guiltily) clicking around online and have managed to cause some minor damages to my wallet. The student discounts and the mid-season sales were too tempting though! (20% off on top of sale prices at Dorothy Perkins, 10% off at Miss Selfridge and 10% at ASOS, among others). I am (officially) going to be a wage-earning, independent girl in about 3 months (and thereafter, for the rest of my life!) and along with that, goes all the lovely student discounts. Ahhh.. So, while I was shopping for summer clothes, I thought I'd max out the discounts that are still available. :P

So far, the love that has come through the mail are:

1. Crochet Vest - Dorothy Perkins (£10 less 20%) £8

2. Scallop Vest Top - Dorothy Perkins (£8 less 20%) £6.40

3. Coral Chiffon Sleeve Body - Dorothy Perkins (£10 less 20%) £8

Other stuff I bought that didn't turn up pretty on camera were from River Island (no sale/discounts though :(), which included a simple white tee, a black ribbed tank, a nude racer-back tank and cycle shorts for those too-short-to-wear dresses.

Summer is on its way! :D Lots of love and kisses! ♥

Turban // Because I'm Addicted

2011-05-06T01:04:00.003+01:00

How To Tie A Turband 3 Ways from LEAFtv on Vimeo.

Absolutely LOVE this turban tutorial from Because I'm Addicted.

One Lovely Blog Award

2011-05-03T17:51:00.005+01:00

The Rules

1. Link back to the person who passed you the award

2. Share 7 random things about yourself

3. Award 15 blogs

4. Drop them a note and tell them about it

1. Lily from Lillies and Lace gave me the One Lovely Blog Award. Thank you! ♥

2. 7 Random Things About Myself

a. I never cut more than 2 inches off my hair at any one point in time.

b. I have played the piano since I was three and have a Performing Diploma (DipABRSM) to justify all that practising. ;)

c. I love watching French movies.

d. I wish I was born in the 1800s or early 1900s. Just to wear their clothes everyday! (and I have always wonder what life would be like living without technology)

e. I have an unexplainable love for the sea - the reason I took up sailing.

f. When I was less than 10 years old, I made a mechanical toy car that ran backwards. The makings of an education in Mechanical Engineering. :P

g. I prefer non-fiction books to fiction books.

3. 15 blogs that I'm Awarding:

4. Check your emails! ♥

Cowboy Blues

2011-04-28T23:24:00.000+01:00

[New Look top; Topshop jeans; New Look shoes; Next clutch]

A really simple outfit for our dinner tonight. :) Have a lovely long weekend! ♥

Boyfriend Jeans are Back

2011-04-27T22:57:00.001+01:00

[H&M boyfriend jeans; Topshop shoes; TU satchel bag; DIVA bracelets; H&M ring and necklace New Look top; F21 boyfriend cardigan]

Boyfriend jeans are back - for me anyway. :P They are the PERFECT slouchy/need-to-run-errands/good-for-eating-big-dinners/comfortable/Summer jeans ever. And the reason(s) I'm wearing them today is 1. my muscles are achingggg from work yesterday (I'm sorry, I don't mean to whine but I am really unfit (which is terrible!) and therefore ache from just a little bit of work - I hope this gets better soon!!! Or I need to get to the gym pronto. -.-) and 2. I had to run some errands today. So yeah, the perfect jeans for today. :P

Also, these Topshop shoes are amazing as well. I know, they're simple and white and ... simple. But they're just what I've been looking for for Summer. (No more shoes for me from now on though, I've blown a whole lot of savings on shoes this Easter holidays. ACK.)

These rope and beaded bracelets (my mom hates them -.-) cost me a BOMB in Singapore but I think they're well worth it. I mean, they're the perfect stacking kind of bracelets - another Summer Love. (that's 3 summer loves so far!).

The last Summer love is this ridiculously cheap-ish satchel (£9) from (and I'm a little embarrassed to say it) Sainsbury's clothing line TU. It can fit EVERYTHING my normal hold-all bags can carry. Notebooks, pens, whatever-thingamajigs I have... Everything. And.. it's slouchy. It has to be a Summer Love. ♥

I'm in LOVE my dears. Summer's here! Lots of LOVE! ♥

{I know I rarely blog too much but today I feel like writing a lot of things for some reason. :)}

Tea ♥

2011-04-26T12:01:00.007+01:00

[via]

Ahhh..My blog is becoming a second tumblr. And I keep missing out days even when I don't intend to.. I was just knackered from work yesterday and all I did when I reached home was knock out. :'( Let's hope it starts looking up from here. (Being all cryptic to myself and stuff doesn't really help! o.0) Lots of love! ♥

Just a Picture

2011-04-25T23:51:00.000+01:00

Cupcakes

2011-04-24T17:31:00.001+01:00

[via]

What's In My Bag

2011-04-23T19:30:00.003+01:00

Clockwise from top: USB (missing it's cover); car keys; house/random keys; Dettol sanitizer rub thing; Evian face mist; Nine West wallet; Simple hand cream; Uniball pens; mobile phones; Paperchase organizer; Maybelline Mascara; Carmex lip balm; Boots eye drops; Canon Ixus 80IS; Namecards from yesterday's Thai restaurant (101 Kitchen); Tissue

I've always wanted to do a "What's In My Bag" post and never really got down to doing it but there's always a first time. ;) On a completely random note, this thunderstorm-ish weather (a complete change from the lovely sunny morning) is making me feel really sleepy! Lots of love! ♥

The Maxi

2011-04-22T23:02:00.000+01:00

[Jonathan Martin maxi dress; TU satchel; vintage Celine scarf; ASOS rings; Claire's Accessories cuff]

I took the leap and wore a maxi dress today. (The weather was an amazing 24deg!) It wasn't as scary as I thought. Plus, it was short enough for me, given I'm vertically challenged (at 5'3") :P. Okay, I take forever to try something new. -.- The average time I ponder and mull about something is.... 4 years? The maxis I have tried have usually been too long for my height. And usually in a material I don't quite like. So when I found this gem of a dress at TK Maxx, I grabbed it (and then took 30 minutes to decide whether I should invest £25). I think it's been a good investment so far. :)

Also, we found an amazing Thai food place at Hammersmith. It's not at all expensive (for the quantity AND quality) that we've had and it was so good just to eat spicy salads on this warm Spring/Summer night. Lovely end to this horrible cold/feverish week. Have a Good Friday! ♥

House Lust

2011-04-21T23:00:00.005+01:00

A few pictures of houses and rooms that are amazing.

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Images From Tumblr

2011-04-20T15:08:00.003+01:00

I'm not sure if I'm too old for Tumblr (it seems the average age is 15 or 16?!) but there's some pretty good fashion inspiration from some of the people I follow (or at least, they reblog stuff I like. :)) So here's some of the pictures that I've 'liked' on Tumblr. Sorry for the past 2 posts. My head is extremely giddy from fevers and colds.

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Still Sick

2011-04-19T23:50:00.000+01:00

Still backdating. Argh. What's wrong with me?! :( I'll put a proper post up sometime later today. Hopefully. x

Sick!

2011-04-18T21:15:00.006+01:00

Back-dating this because I'm trying (really hard!) to complete one of my 101 things in 1000 days - blogging for 20 days consecutively! But I'm sick as a dog. I'm not sure if that's a really good phrase to use. :'( In any case, I can't breathe.... Argh. Hope you lovelies are well! ♥

An American Diner (The Diner)

2011-04-17T13:45:00.001+01:00

[Condiments; Lumberjack Breakfast (A short stack of Pancakes, Bacon, Scrambled Eggs); Spicy Vegetarian Tacos]

This wasn't the first time we've had breakfast/brunch at The Diner at Islington (our local). It also isn't the first time we've taken pictures of our food as well. :P The food is fairly good though not necessarily cheap. But it's just a place where we can chill and eat American food. They also don't have the best milkshakes (Ed's Easy Diner has lovely peanut butter milkshakes). I skipped milkshakes today though and had a (refillable) filter coffee. And veggie tacos. And a side of fries. Now I'm absolutely stuffed. :P Time to get back to doing some work. Take care loves! ♥

I Can't Drink Beer

2011-04-16T23:56:00.004+01:00

[Full Circle Top; Dorothy Perkins faux leather jacket; Dune shoes; Topshop jeans; Aldo necklace; Coach (vintage) bag]

Just came home from a quick catch-up with some new friends. We had a pint of Fosters' at a sports bar near Covent Garden while watching Real Madrid play against Barcelona (the score: 1-1). I absolutely can't drink beer. The malt taste just isn't to my liking. o.0 Anyhows, I broke my own vow of not drinking alcohol this year several times already that I'm just giving up with being a teetotaler this year. Gonna mooch in front of the telly now with a huge bowl of salted popcorn and a lemonade. Hope everyone had a lovely Saturday. Kisses! ♥

Coffee Run

2011-04-15T23:36:00.004+01:00

[H&M shirt; Topshop skirt; 1980's Bally bucket bag (mom's); New Look shoes]

I can imagine how dressed up women of the past were. Today, we can throw on a pair of jeans and a shirt, (maybe a well-cut blazer), some heels (or flats) and walk out the door. But trying to pair this chiffon skirt (which is probably inspired by the 1920's) was hard work for me and I had trouble making it match my figure (why are my hips so big?! argh!). In any case, it has really made me appreciate long calf-length skirts, bucket bags (and their enormous amount of space!) and waist-hugging obi belts. Hope you guys had a lovely day and enjoy the weekend! ♥

Pleats and Insomnia

2011-04-14T11:59:00.002+01:00

[via]

Hi, I've been an absolute mess the past few days. I don't know what's up with me. All I know is that it's 4:30am in the morning and I should be in dream land right now. o.0 I'm also not really taking outfit pictures at the moment because my camera has been broken, spoilt - or what do they say?

This picture up there, that's my inspiration for my outfit tomorrow. I have a skirt like that, but in a deep shade of red from Topshop. Obviously it's not exactly the same, but I've been trying to figure out what to wear it with! So, we'll see how it turns out tomorrow. :) Until then, I should be off to bed. Insomnia begone!

Alberta Ferretti Spring RTW 2011

2011-04-13T11:50:00.000+01:00

[via]

Some of my favourite RTW outfits from Alberta Ferretti's Spring ready-to-wear 2011 collection. There's crochet tops, sheer chiffon material, large floppy hats, and the loveliest colours. Absolutely lovely. ♥

5 Lust Haves

2011-04-12T11:50:00.003+01:00

5 Things by shirinloh

1. An extremely floppy wide-brimmed hat in tobacco (Wide brim hat, USD$20; another one I found from ASOS for £20 is here) - because I think that hats coming back into fashion are just about the coolest things ever. I can't wait to start collecting different kinds of hats for when I'm back home in Singapore. Not only do you get to shield your face from the burning sun, you get to hide eye bags and late-nights under the floppy brims as well. Extremely useful I'd say.

2. A must-have summer maxi-dress (Karen Millen Floral Print Maxi Dress, £295). I keep saying I'll buy a maxi dress for summer. Every summer, for the past 4 summers. Unfortunately, I'm a little vertically challenged and it IS hard to find maxi dresses in the UK for girls who are 5'3" and under. :S I managed to find a beautiful gold and black AND thankfully more affordable dress on ASOS as well. :P

3. Sandals (Wet Seal Rhinestone Floral Sandals, USD$17). Another thing that I've always wished for but never really gotten down to buying. I have no good excuse really! Time for some shopping soon. ;)

4. Summer jewelery in bright colours (F21 beaded bracelets; CultStatus Sophia Butterfly Necklace, AUD$325; Peacocks' feather earrings, £4). Must. Have. Now.

5. Kimono jacket (River Island kimono jacket, £40) for cooler nights or days at the beach. Or for just throwing on over a thin summer dress to look presentable at a restaurant. A definite must-have for me.

♥ Kisses! ♥

A Wedding Dinner

2011-04-11T23:55:00.006+01:00

[via]

Today Nick and I attended a friend's wedding dinner. We didn't get to take any pictures though because it was a cosy (apparently cosy isn't a word since blogspot is giving me the red squigly line!) little Italian restaurant in Westminster. When I say cosy, I really mean cosy. We were literally sitting elbow to elbow. :P But it was great fun and nothing too raucous or crazy. Good jokes, fine wine and amazing company (and not forgetting, new friends!). Enough said. Take care my loves. :) ♥

Costa Coffee

2011-04-10T18:00:00.004+01:00

{Loewe sunglasses; Dorothy Perkins leather jacket; Topshop sheer top (with gold buttons); New Look shorts; Next clutch; F&F shoes; Rings that I wear EveryDay (from H&M, ASOS and Six); Bracelets from the British Museum, New Zealand and Australia}

{Coffee Frescato; Sicilian Lemonade; Mini muffins and Caramel Shortbread}

There hasn't been a time (since I've been in the UK) where there hasn't been a Costa in my life. It was pretty much the hangout (with our computers) place where us boarding-school-internet-deprived kids snuck out (okay, I really meant signed out) from the boarding house at 4pm (when school ended) to about 7pm (when Costa closed) just to use Facebook and all the other blocked sites (legal, of course!) that weren't allowed on the school computers/internet with Costa's free Wi-Fi. I remember getting a Costa almost every day in my first year as an undergrad student as well (since Costa coffee was right opposite the Engineering building :P). Then I found Sacred and switched for a little while before deciding that Sacred coffees (though lovely and creamy and the BEST caramel lattes I have ever had) were too expensive to afford for everyday coffee. Back to Costa it was. And then I stopped drinking coffee for a while - which was uncomfortable at first but strangely cleansing. Now it's a place that I go to for a little pick-me-up. Not really as comfortable or as plush as it used to be but their Cafe Americano is still fairly authentic and has a lovely full-bodied flavour. However, their coffee frescatos are/were a little disappointing. The one I had today (and I haven't had a coffee frescato into about 4 years) was really just... ice. With some coffee bean looking syrup added to it. Hmm. maybe it was just this particular Costa? Somehow the standards in chain coffee places seem to drop in quality quickly (where quality and the no. of chains are inversely proportionate). I remember in 2006 (okay, it was that long ago that I last had a coffee frescato) their coffee frescatos used to be creamy and smooth. Maybe it was my luck today. Whatever it is, their caramel shortbread (or Millionaire's shortbread) was soooo good and oozing with caramel. Sinful. But I absolutely love it. ♥

A Day Out

2011-04-09T22:39:00.001+01:00

[Steven Madden straw hat; Steve Madden sunglasses; River Island blazer and skirt; New Look top; F&F heels]

Okay, I guess Nick is right, I tend to veer towards clothes that make me look like a choux pastry (in reference to the last picture). :S Ah well. I guess you only live once and sometime in your (my) life, I have to look like a choux pastry. Why not now? Plus, profiteroles and such are yummy treats*. We had a lovely, sunny drive up the motorway to see Nick's family friend and along the way I learnt (learned?) something new. Apparently a hamlet is smaller than a village, which is smaller than a town. And his family friend lives in a hamlet in the country; it really is a quaint little hamlet that has the smallest and narrowest of roads. We had a lovely tea (of smoked salmon sandwiches, foie gras on crackers and soup - with ice-cream to finish off) and a heart-stopping drive around B roads in their Maserati. I've never really had to grab on to anything so tightly for dear life! Also, I've had a haircut - but my hair still looks the same. Just wondering if I should do anything drastic to it. Like blue hair + curls? Hope Sunday is as lovely as today was! Take care Loves and Kisses! ♥

*Okay, I'm trying to make myself feel better while actually cringing at the thoughts of how pouf-y this skirt makes me look! o.0

It doesn't get simpler...

2011-03-30T21:49:00.003+01:00

[Forever21 shirt dress with double belted loopholes; H&M owl ring from a good friend]

It really doesn't get simpler than a shirt dress. Wore this out for a drive to Guildford, Surrey followed by another long drive to a beautiful quaint pub at Kings Langley (The Paper Mill) right by the side of a canal. It has amazing food with the chunkiest of fries. After a quick walk along the side of the canal to work off those delicious fries, we went to TK Maxx at Watford where I scored the best deal (so far) in my life. I'm really excited to show you what I bought today. :) Hope your day has gone well! Kisses! ♥

Shiny Pants

2011-03-29T17:46:00.008+01:00

these nine west wedges were a steal at TK Maxx.

[New Look top; River Island harem pants; Nine West shoes]

These pants/trousers (depending on where you are in the world) hide a multitude of sins. Thighs for one. :( I didn't expect to find these so comfortable and um, 'shiny'. One of my best friends on the course calls it my 'shiny, shiny pants'. But really, they're perfect for lounging around the house and for going out for high tea. And though I am living near Central London with a ton of tea rooms around, we traversed through mid-afternoon traffic to get to Patisserie Valerie at Bayswater for their 'Madame Valerie Cream Tea' which was soooo good with 6 different pots of jam/honey (apricot, orange marmalade, honey, strawberry, blackcurrant and raspberry) and 2 massive scones with a pot of Earl Grey for £6.00+. What a lazy, lazy day. I feel like I'm surrounded by warm water and floating through oblivion every time the term ends. Hope you had a lovely day! Kisses! ♥

Shopping -

2011-03-27T23:24:00.004+01:00

Hello!

My silence (or what could be termed silence) is now over because all my course-works have been handed in! :) Although I'm not officially a fully-fledged, graduate (still have 1 exam and my dissertation to write) I feel a huge sense of relief. But it was kinda bad. Remember my shopping ban (in January?). I CAVED. And bought so many things, it's unbelievable. It was like, a floodgate. Oops. Now that I'm free though, let's hope this blog sees more pictures. :) Hope you're all well! Lots of love and kisses! ♥

Will Power!

2011-03-25T00:58:00.004Z

Oh, The Temptation from Steve V on Vimeo.

2 Hidden Cameras - HVX 200 and Sony Z1U
A bunch of Kids
1 Marshmallow each

Not an original idea, but very fun to make.

So cute! ♥

Prayer for Japan

2011-03-13T12:54:00.002Z

Please pray for the people of Japan. ♥

I Was Not Made To Be Rock Chick

2011-02-08T00:35:00.002Z

[FCUK tshirt; F21 jacket; H&M shorts; terrible hair]

I realise that no matter how hard I try, or how many leather jackets/leather shorts I have, I cannot become a rock chick (long time ambition since 2002). Maybe I need to start stocking up on skull-necklaces/bracelets and other hard, shiny, pointy metal objects.... :P Hope this week started off well for you! Love and kisses! ♥

Nostalgia

2011-02-05T18:33:00.003Z

[Retro skirt from Singapore; Cardigan from Singapore; Vintage belt; Carpisca bag; New Look wedges]

I don't know why I have this skirt lying around in my room, but I do. Flared, pouffy and a retro-print. It screams 1950's. Kind of. I had to have it on today and it seemed fitting because Nick and I went to The Diner for a retro American-style brunch today. After the super filling breakfast, we drove to Westfield to um, stock up on books. In total, we went away with 6 books. I'm definitely looking forward to diving into Audrey Niffenegger's Her Fearful Symmetry but I'm starting off with Orhan Pamuk's The Museum of Innocence first (you should read his book My Name is Red - it won the Nobel Prize for Literature 2006! It was amazing).

Thankfully the weather is warmer; hope this means more outfit pictures. :) Have a fantastic weekend! Kisses! ♥

Shopping - Or the Lack Of

2011-01-29T11:21:00.001Z

Ahh!

Lately, I've realized that my latest posts are just boringggg; you know, no talk about outfits, ~~shoes~~, fashion in general, my life... I haven't been blogging, taking outfit pictures, even reading fashion magazines! In other words, I'm becoming a 'mountain turtle'* in the fashion world, going backwards while everyone else is running forward. To be fair, I have been thinking an awful lot about my blog whenever I don't blog and I feel a pang of guilt every new day. But, I do (luckily) have a number of reasons that have kept me...away from blogging really:

1. My huge consultancy project that I'm working on - giving me nightmares and headaches!

2. 2 HUGE coursworks - which I haven't started on yet (!!) and are due in less than 2 weeks.

3. My no-shopping-self-imposed ban (this is my fault I know!). I've been window-shopping twice (the name doesn't really make sense because, really, you aren't shopping for windows, let alone anything at all! Sorry for the digression! :P) and I haven't bought anything yet! (An achievement in my books.:))

4. The cold weather (okay, it's unfair that I'm blaming the weather, I mean, what did it do to me? - Except, it's been too cold to even wear anything other than 10 million layers!). I can't believe the weather has gotten from cold to warmer (nice) and then back to cold again (bad! bad! bad!). It's a ~~nice~~ 0 degrees outside, after the promising week of 7's and 8's.

5. My inspiration has packed its bags and ~~walked~~ ran away.

Enough of complaining now! Back to work and hopefully, I will start posting more. ♥

*a chinese saying!

Shues

2011-01-14T01:15:00.005Z

(via)

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes, Shoes. Shoes.

I Want Everything

2011-01-11T23:37:00.005Z

This silly shopping ban that I placed upon myself is not working out too well. I can't read a magazine or a fashion blog without thinking, "I'm going to buy that in June". But then again, I'm complaining :P. In the meantime, here are some extremely lust-worthy pieces from Topshop.

images gratefully taken from here.

Button Candy

2011-01-05T19:28:00.002Z

[cardigan from Singapore; Jane Norman skirt; H&M shoes; F21 ring (from Singapore); Cotton On tank top]

I was pulled to this skirt because of the gold buttons. It looked like candy to me. Maybe I'm a magpie. I seem to be attracted to shiny gold pieces. Also, this cardigan hasn't been taken out in ages. It has served me well though! Love the candy floss colour and the thin-ness of the fabric. Light-weight enough for summer, warm enough for winter. Pieces that can be used over the seasons work really well for me! In any case, I've been doing well resisting shopping. I walked by a H&M today and ignored the siren calls of the mannequins. :P Back to the books. Take care loves! ♥

Different Shades of Brown

2011-01-05T01:07:00.006Z

[F21 hooded cape; Miss Selfridge dress; New Look wedges; TU bag]

Happy New Year, loves! :)

I want to talk about several things in this post. My head's brimming with ideas and thoughts and I can't get them onto the screen fast enough. I suppose it's all part of a new year's hype but nevertheless, I'm riding this wave of adrenaline right now.

First things first, Happy New Year again! Sorry about the slightly depressing previous Christmas post - wasn't feeling too Christmas-sy this year. New Year's was ~~rather~~ extremely uneventful for me. The only highlight(s) were watching Tron: Legacy 3D on the big screen in the IMAX (Waterloo) at 1am on the 1st/2nd of January and finishing Fable III in 4 days (-.-). On the other hand, the inevitable and slightly depressing bit about the new year is an upcoming exam on the 17th of Jan. Bother.

Secondly, we travelled ALL the way to Birmingham (that's approx 100 miles away from London) to spend a whole afternoon at Forever 21. I think I go a little too far (sorry about the unintended pun!) for fashion sometimes. Obviously the boyfriend wasn't too happy - he finished 10295+ levels of Angry Birds for me and drained my battery in 2 hours. I left Birmingham satiated on Japanese food and 4 pieces from F21 (all at around £20 each). One of them is this camel cape* - goes with everything I have in my wardrobe so I'm really chuffed. It's a little thin - don't expect it to do wonders against the cold, but it's chic and simple so it works for me.

Thirdly, and this is the hard bit. I've given up shopping. For clothes. And shoes. When I announced this on the 1st of Jan, the boyfriend was shocked. Utterly shocked. And amazed .... and a little skeptical. But it's only for 6 months, mind. I am prepared to suffer a little for 6 months. I'm expecting to have massive withdrawal symptoms within 3 weeks. Check back at that time - I will probably start whining :S. I'd thought about this daft idea because something hit me hard one day when I was cleaning my room (full of clothes). Guilt. And by that, I mean items of clothing that still had tags on them. :S So, I decided, that's it. No more new shoes (cries) and clothes until I've worn all my new/tags-on/old clothes and shoes. I've given myself a little freedom though to save myself from going insane- I can still buy accessories but I'll try my best not to resort to that. We'll see how I fare along the way - this should be interesting!

Lastly, I've decided that I'm running out of time to complete my 101 things in 1000 days. Look out for attempted efforts in trying to get that going and on it's way.

And Lastly (again), I just want to say: Thank you for reading my blog so far! I love you tons and tons! ♥

*And did I mention, it has a hood as well?! Brownie points for F21. :)

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-25T17:31:00.001Z

Hi my dears,

It seems like I've been on an unexpected (or rather, unexpectedly long) hiatus. I don't know what's come over me. I've spent the last few weeks losing sleep over the many pieces of coursework we've had (sometimes, I wonder why I even agreed to do a Masters!), thinking way too much about life and crying too much - basically brooding and over thinking. Maybe when the weather gets better*, things will start looking up.Until then, enjoy the last few hours of Christmas. :) Looking forward to the Boxing Day sales tomorrow. Merry Christmas! ♥

* It seems only right to blame everything that goes wrong on the cold, bitter winter. :|

Lanvin x H&M

2010-11-20T10:59:00.007Z

(via)

See their collection here. :)

Waterfall

2010-11-15T20:25:00.005Z

Another ASOS purchase. I love this cape/waterfall cardigan/drapey thing. Makes everything so comfortable and soft. :P The colour, cut, drape is absolutely perfect. Almost too perfect to be true. And at £22 a piece, it's affordable as well. :) So, my real birthday was yesterday. Spent the morning/afternoon of it in Uni printing out coursework and then had a marvelous steak dinner. ♥ Mmm.. Quiet but lovely end to the reading week. It's now all nose to the grindstone. Have a lovely week ahead my dears. Kisses!

[ASOS cape cardigan; Bershka top; Pull and Bear skirt]

Pre-Birthday

2010-11-11T23:45:00.005Z

Pictures from my pre-birthday dinner. :)

Untied

2010-11-10T21:47:00.006Z

Laces untied. Super sexy. ♥ (via)

FCUK

2010-11-09T22:00:00.005Z

Hello. :) Really short post today because I'm absolutely knackered, though I had tons of fun today at Bicester Village with really awesome friends. Bought one top (this one!) and a hoodie from FCUK. I really don't know why I'm stocking up on basics though. :P

Have a lovely Wednesday! Kisses! ♥

A Necessity

2010-11-08T23:22:00.001Z

Just when I said I didn't want Autumn to end, it's started to become really cold. :( I think today would be the last day that I would dare to wear my trench coat out before the cold gets too much for me. I'm really quite fearful when it comes to the cold! Strangely enough, I don't quite love sunny, hot, muggy days either. I'm very hard to please when it comes to temperature. :(

With regards to clothes, I wanted to wear a dress so badly today that I turned my wardrobe inside out looking for the perfect dress. I didn't end up wearing a dress and pulled this top off the top of the pile instead. Secretly, I think what I really wanted was to wear thick tights and these suede Shakuhachi - Urban Outfitters boots that needed some loving. I hadn't worn them in such a long time.

After a massive lunch at Subway, I went in to uni to study till 7pm. There's something seriously wrong with me. I'm putting a lot more effort into my studies now compared to when I was in Engineering. 0.0

Back to my case study now. Take care loves! ♥

[Full Circle top; Fox denim skirt; Shakuhachi - Urban Outfitters boots; Next clutch]

Absolutely Basic

2010-11-07T19:22:00.005Z

It was a mad rush to get changed and get packed to leave the house - Nick and I had decided to go into uni to study (in an attempt to be hardworking :)). So I threw on a H&M t-shirt-type-thing that had been hanging around my clothes for the past month. It had somehow made it's way into my wardrobe when my sister and I did a massive clothes-swap in September. So I guess it's mine now. :P This t-shirt has massive slits in the sleeves which makes me feel so exposed; but does the job well of being floaty (which I've been into for the past few weeks, as you can tell! ;)). The material is also really thin, which is good and bad at the same time. Also, I took my new Blanco heels out for a spin. They've proved to be quite comfortable so far, but you can never tell with new shoes! We decided to take some pictures at Gordon Square gardens and the setting was absolutely beautiful. Leaves were everywhere! ♥ I don't want Autumn to end!

Have a lovely week ahead! Kisses! ♥

Beyond The Valley + Cars + Fireworks

2010-11-06T19:11:00.010Z

Lately, I've been having a penchant for all things baggy. This Beyond The Valley top (part of an early birthday present to myself ;)) has the loveliest kimono sleeves that drape in the most gorgeous of ways. Also, I've been catching up on my reading. I'm a little behind - I'm still reading the October issue of Elle USA even though the December issue of Vogue UK is already out (also waiting to be perused).

It's also Guy Fawkes' Weekend (actually, yesterday was Guy Fawkes' Day :P). But why am I at home instead of out there with my friends at Battersea Park watching the lovely fireworks and enjoying the warmth of the bonfire on my face? That's because I was unwillingly dragged to see cars (cars!) at a car supermarket. In the end, it was kind of a waste of time (6 hours!!!) because there was no deal. :( Though I have to admit, it was fun cos Nick and I got to hang out with 2 of our amazing friends as well.

Lastly, I'm so glad reading week is finally here. A week off for chilling out with friends, eating good food, throwing parties and vintage shopping. And maybe, when there's time left over, some studying. Ahh, a week of bliss. Enjoy the weekend my dears! Kisses! ♥

[Beyond The Valley top; Peacock denim shorts; Clark boots; Moustache necklace; Claw ring from ASOS; Leaf ring from Matalan]

Movember

2010-11-02T22:28:00.006Z

Hi guys! :) I've gotten a moustache! Not literally though! For the month of November, I'm going to be wearing this darling moustache 'urban outfitter's' style necklace every day (or as many days as possible!) for Movember. In a nutshell, it's a charity where men don't shave their moustaches for the whole month of November (Moustache + November = Movember!) in awareness and support of men's health (specifically, cancers that affect men). Read more about it here.

Do join in for a bit of fun and to support this good cause! :) Have a lovely day! Kisses! ♥

Time For Spring

2010-10-17T22:18:00.008+01:00

Taking a little break from outfit posts and posting up pictures from Chloé Spring 2011 Ready To Wear collection. You know, winter isn't even here yet and here I am, sitting behind this screen and penciling down a (very long) shopping list of Things To Buy For Spring 2011. Chloe, for me, has hit my nail on the head realllllyyy hard. All the pieces are breathtakingly beautiful to the point of perfection. I've picked out a few of my favourites and rest of the collection can be viewed here. Kisses! ♥

All pictures taken from style.com.

Lazy Days

2010-10-16T18:47:00.004+01:00

I'm not sure if you've already watched "The Social Network"; but if you haven't, I think it's a fairly good movie. :) We caught the late night viewing and stayed up till 2 am last night discussing the business/friendship/finance side of Facebook. It's an interesting story with plenty of twists and I'm part-awed and part-amazed that Mark Zuckerberg still managed to make Facebook a US$25 billion company despite all those law suits. But anyway, enough of my musings on this subject. :P [If you've watched it, tell me what you think! :)]

Today was a lazy, drizzly and slow day. We drove 30 miles to drink coffee (I caved) and eat sweet things at Starbucks. We ended up lounging on their 'deck-side' furniture for an hour before hopping outside to take a walk around the lovely pond/lake. If the sun had stayed out for a little longer, it would've been perfect. But the weather was as dependable as ever. Afterward,, on our way to Brent Cross shopping center, we got stuck in a jam (traffic) while I chatted with my mom for about 30mins. By then, the caffeine had kicked in and I think I was talking at 1000 words per minute. (And it was 12 midnight back at home in Singapore.) :S I'm fairly happy with today's shopping, walked out of there with a bag, a pair of shoes and 2 magazines and £100 pounds less in my pocket. :P Hope you've had a lovely Saturday as well! Kisses! ♥

Starbuck's Grande Americano; Chocolate Chip cookie (too sweet and thick!); and a Blueberry Cheesecake that wasn't half bad!

My satchel from Sainsbury's - it was a lucky buy at 25% off, leaving me only £9 poorer.

I love the swirls!

Something's up with my hair I say.

The picturesque setting.

[H&M top; H&M faux leather shorts; same boots from yesterday ;); Tu bag; H&M scarf - I should work for H&M at this rate! :P]

Closer To The Edge

2010-10-15T21:25:00.006+01:00

I don't think I've used a song lyric in my blog posts for the longest time (maybe 3 years?). I hope this doesn't mean I'm going back to that 'emo' period I had a (long) while back. But really, 30 Seconds to Mars is my energy drink although you can't exactly drink music. I absolutely love their songs. I also think - need I think? - that it's pretty obvious I've been stalling for long enough now on this blog. But honestly, honestly, honestly, I have been drained (despite what I said about energy drinks, which I haven't had any of for some time now). Yesterday (and that's a Thursday mind) I got home at 7ishpm; can't remember what I ate, fought a little with my boyfriend and then crawled into bed. Woke up today at a delicious 9isham (most days, it's 7am which isn't that early but taking into account 2+am nights, it's torture)... I get (most) Fridays off this year. I think it's just about enough to get me 're-charged' with sufficient energy to pull through the weekend and tackle yet another pile of readings. :S Where was I? Right, the delicious 9isham. Kissed and made up with my boyfriend who suggested the 99p IKEA breakfast. [This is to the girl who loves a hot steaming cup of coffee (actually, tea now, staying off the coffee for a while) in the cleanest of porcelains at a prim patisserie.] But to avoid another row, I agreed and pulled on some clothes while making him promise that we'd take outfit pictures (with my intention to blog! :)) followed by a blueberry muffin and an Earl Grey at Costa. Promises were made, and here are some pictures. Taken at both IKEA and the lovely Epping Forrest just off the M25:

Our 99p (okay, £1.69 for the large) breakfast (with free tea) wasn't half bad. Perks of being a poor student. :P

Receipt as proof. ;)

Current book. An absolutely delicious read. :)

A little awkward - what to do with the hands? - pose.

Getting better. Slightly. :P

Love these new boots. :) 60 quid well spent.

[H&M top; Peacock's necklace modified; Oasis jeans; Clarks boots; Coach bag; Pashmina scarf from sister; assortment of bracelets from Diva]

Have a very lovely day/afternoon/evening! ♥

Lovely Day

2010-10-12T23:29:00.006+01:00

Hello!

(via)

Have a lovely day! :)

Lovely*

2010-10-10T23:20:00.004+01:00

Hi my dears!

I've been so busy with this new course! I can't believe how tiring it is to start everything afresh, make new friends, buy new textbooks and the like. I'm not complaining, don't get me wrong; but it has been quite trying and I've been trying hard to find the time to take outfit pictures but to no avail! No worries, I will try harder! :) So, hopefully you'll start seeing more of my clothes and me soon! Until then, much much love! ♥♥♥

[H&M shoes; Oasis jeans]

Funny How...

2010-09-29T23:20:00.005+01:00

Funny how life never really turns out the way you want it to. You start out wanting something, planning... planning... planning; and building dreams based on that thing you want so badly, and the whole thing turns on its head and turns out exactly Opposite from the way you intended it to be. I guess I had to figure this out the hard way about 3 years ago and even when I finally understood this, it was hard to swallow. Now, 3 years later, I'm still struggling with the fact that life isn't ever the way you want it to be. (Side note: Or maybe this is just me? And I'm just being a little unlucky? Ah well!)

So the only thing one can do (I suppose) would be to stick at it, live life to the absolute fullest and remember that life is really just a funny little thing that we'd never be able to understand (or I won't, anyway! :P).

(via)

PS: Sorry for the little twist in content. I try hard not to let my feelings run amok but they can get the better of me sometimes! ♥

Scotland (Part III)

2010-09-25T22:20:00.002+01:00

Continued from Part II, Part III is taking a break from the scenery and looking at food instead! :D I've only got 2 restaurants worth of pictures: Loch Fyne in Edinburgh, Leith and Sea Breezes at the Isle of Skye, Highlands because the rest of the food pictures weren't too good. Hope you like these pictures! ♥

Seafood Risotto and a Poached Egg (Loch Fyne, Edinburgh)

Me and my Smoked Haddock (Loch Fyne, Edinburgh)

The quaint Sea Breezes - THE Best seafood I've ever had in my life!

Refreshingly light Sea Breezes Cocktail, a mix of Vodka, Cranberry and I'm guessing, Orange.

Complimentary bread basket full of yummy soft Ciabatta/Focaccia.

We had the sharing platter for 2! Yummmm...

The LARGEST Seafood Platter that Nick and I shared. Langoustines, Salmon, Mussels and baby potatoes.

HUNGRYY. :P

Rainbow Trout grilled in parchment paper - had a really fishy taste though!

Absolutely LOVELY hand-dived scallops.

Sea Bass - didn't get a chance to try this. :(

The finished shells.

♥ Hope you loved all that food! ♥

Scotland (Part II)

2010-09-25T09:54:00.004+01:00

Greyish hues of the Scottish landscape. Continued from Part I!

Loch Killin

The clouds covering the mountains.

Castle Ruins

Lots of pictures of the quaint castle ruin.

The seaside. ♥

Kylesku Bridge

Look out for Part III! ♥

Scotland (Part I)

2010-09-24T23:15:00.012+01:00

I've been away a long time from this blog but I've got a fairly good excuse (methinks). The last 10+ days was spent soaking in the scenery, dodging the tremendous amount of rain, looking for Nessie and eating my way through Scotland. We took a TON (actually, the number is closer to 1000) of pictures, of hopefully everything in this trip. So to make up for my long absence, the next few posts will be a little image-heavy, scenery filled and hopefully interesting to you, my dear readers! ♥

A tourist-y start at the Angel of The North (Newcastle-upon-Tyne).

The sheer size of this lovely steel sculpture (compared to a guy!).

Graffiti of Love.

The lovely countryside!

Absolutely beautiful horses that came up close to the car! They weren't the least bit afraid.

The road ahead on the first day.

Near Edinburgh.

A gushing river.

A loch (Scotland has over a 1000!)

Edinburgh's lovely old buildings.

The view of the city from Edinburgh castle.

Little details from Edinburgh castle.

Watch out for Scotland (Part II)! ♥

Graduand to Graduate

2010-09-10T09:46:00.003+01:00

Can't believe how 3 years can fly by so quickly. When I first started out in Mech Eng, I was so lost and didn't understand a single thing the lecturers said. Now that I've graduated and everything, it seemed like ages ago that I actually first walked into UCL, a freshie and all. Funnily enough, I would've like to do the whole thing all over again. :P So much fun. The graduation ceremony was yesterday and we took a load of pictures. :) [Well, my dad did anyway, so credits to him!]

Me; eye bags and all. :P

The prettily decorated stage.

Vice Provost of UCL

I walked so fast I was a blur. :P

My amazing bunch of friends. :)

UCL!

We're off to some sightseeing in London, now that all the formal stuff is over! :) Kisses! ♥

Dazed

2010-09-07T23:08:00.003+01:00

(via)

Hello! My dad's over in London for the next few days so we'd be helping my sister move into her new flat, attending my graduation ceremony and then celebrating my sister's birthday all within these few days. Hope you've been having a happy week so far and didn't get too inconvenienced by the tube strikes today (I walked about 5miles from central London to get back home because of all the traffic jams and tube lines that didn't work. :( Good exercise though. :)) Happy Daze! ♥

Made Up

2010-09-06T00:33:00.008+01:00

I'm not really one for make-up and beauty creams. My make-up routine is fast, simple, 3 (or 4) steps out-the-door kind (thanks to the pressure of being a mechanical engineer and 9am lectures -.-). It usually starts off with moisturizer (with at least SPF 15!), a light coat of mineral foundation, touch of blush and a flick of mascara. But all of a sudden, a few days ago, I had a strong craving to dive into the nearest Boots and grab a handful of feel-good products. I didn't quite gravitate towards the make-up section - though I ended up spending half the bill on the Too Faced eye makeup palette (how did that happen?!). Here's what I bought:

1. Jergens naturals - Ultra Hydrating (£4.99) - I thought I'd better start taking care of my skin (the woes of growing old and turning 22 in 2 months!) sooner rather than later!

2. Too Faced 'Natural Eye' palette (£22.50) - As I said before, not really one for make-up but I thought I'd shake things up a little and try something new - no harm huh. There are three looks and tutorials on handy little pull-out cards - Day, Classic and Fashion. Tried the day look (boyfriend didn't notice a single thing) but I kinda like it! Would wear this look out every day! The powder crumbles a little too much though - in my opinion.

3. Sanctuary Spa Covent Garden Moisturising Butter Scrub (£5.99) - Again, with the looking after my skin thing but with a more luxe feel with Sanctuary Spa. I have been eyeing their goods with lust for quite some time now.

4. Sanctuary Spa Covent Garden Intensive Rescue Heel Balm (£6.99) - Softer feet = Happier girls = Higher Heels. (Actually I'm not quite sure it works that way, but oh well!)

5. Boots Pumice Stone (£1.55) - Cheapest of the lot (sorry about the horrible angle/blur) but this goes along with no. 4.

6. Olay Complete Care Day with SPF 15 (£4.29 on offer) - I'm insane about this SPF business (as you can already tell :P). I'm not sure if Olay is for um, how shall I say this, older ladies?, since my grandmother and my mom tell me (and have always told me) to use Olay for my face. I have 'experimented' with other brands but keep coming back to Olay as a fail-safe moisturiser. And it works just fine for me - not too oily, not too drying. Well, I suppose if it works, it works?

Have a lovely week ahead! Kisses! ♥

Last Saturday

2010-09-03T15:37:00.004+01:00

Couple of photos from last Saturday - our attempt to visit the British Museum failed and we were diverted to getting on the DLR (the cutest train ever), getting lost and walking under the River Thames (via the Thames underpass) which was a little damp and went on and on for ages. (I didn't know the River Thames was that wide, well I suppose it seems shorter when you see yourself swimming the width and not walking the width. :P) I gave up (walking) after 2ish miles due to hunger and pinched toes (my boots had heels!). So we took the 188 to Russell Square and stopped off at The Books Warehouse (great for discounted books!) for 2 coffee table books. All in all, a really good day! :)

Fishtail Braids

2010-09-02T22:56:00.006+01:00

These braids have been on the runway for a while now. And after ages of scouring around the net, I've found a simple, easy-to-follow tutorial on how to do this braid. :) Have a lovely Friday! :)

(credit)

Food For Thought

2010-08-31T22:47:00.001+01:00

#86: 1000 pieces

2010-08-28T11:28:00.003+01:00

Another of 101 things completed! Spent two lazy days puzzled over this jigsaw puzzle (sorry about the pun! :P).

The start:

The middle:

The end result!:

Excitable Times

2010-08-25T15:37:00.007+01:00

Hello my dears! Couple of things I'm excited about:

1. We could be getting a bunny! :) One more 'person' in the house wouldn't exactly be "three's a'plenty" but it'll definitely be a lot of fun, (maybe some hard work) and tons of company.

2. Both our families are coming over in 2 weeks time. Time to get out our tour-guide gear and show the folks around town. (Which also means plenty of pictures and blogging opportunities!) :)

3. I'm thinking of a wardrobe revamp. ..... Hmmm, maybe? (Indulgences and cost aside, I do need a couple of warmer clothes though.)

Back to reality and speaking of warmer clothes, silly me thought it was alright to brave the cold in shorts and tights. (I confess, I'm a chicken when it comes to the cold - I think the temperatures in some malls in Singapore are freezing! :S). But it was well worth it since it's not going to get any warmer right? That's my kind of logic when it comes to wearing clothes anyway. It took 10 complete outfit changes and a complete mess of my room to get into this outfit simply because my body didn't feel like dressing up. Argh. :S

Hope you've been having a sunny day wherever you are right now. :D Kisses! ♥

[Coco the Owl; Bershka top/dress (ridiculously expensive but Nick decided to buy it for me anyway); Peacock's shorts; New Look shoes]

Blazing

2010-08-24T10:40:00.004+01:00

My very first DIY for clothes - changing the buttons on my blazer. The buttons were originally black to begin with and I thought they were a little boring because they faded into colour of the blazer so I bought some gold buttons from Spotlight and spent a whole morning unpicking and sewing buttons on. It's been a long time since I did a bit of craft work (7 long years to be exact! :P) and it seems that my fingers are itching to do more! :D Wore this look with a side ponytail (also my first attempt!), a basic white tee, skinny jeans and my feel-good heels. As Manolo Blahnik said, "You put high heels on and you change."

Kisses! x

Peace

2010-08-23T16:54:00.005+01:00

Hello my dears! I've hopped back on the blogging bandwagon after ages of slacking off during the summer holidays. (Many apologies!). I wanted to channel a little bohemian into my otherwise plain outfit through my $22 (approx £10) beaded bracelets I purchased on an absolute whim while I was back in Singapore (from Diva) and my lovely floaty white top from Aussie brand Cotton On. Worn with my Topshop jeans and H&M heels that I have been wearing to death in Singapore (I did say that I would, didn't I? ;)). The heels are SO worn that the material is tearing and the studs are falling out. :P Time to pop by H&M for more gorgeous shoes! Have a lovely week ahead! Kisses! ♥

LOL Moment

2010-08-14T17:20:00.005+01:00

This is going to sound absolutely, terribly silly but....

I missed my flight. Rather, we missed our flight! We were meant to fly off on the 13th of Aug but thought (and have been thinking for 2 months!) that we were flying off on the 15th. Hilarious moment that will probably be going around in my family for a looooong time. :P Oh well!

#77: Lord of The Rings

2010-08-04T19:13:00.007+01:00

Finally, after 8-ish years I've managed to sit through the Lord of The Rings extended DVD pack. Not all in one day though, it took 4 days to watch but I'm happy that I did it. :D I can't believe I thought it was a boring movie/story before! Everything in the movie was so engaging; from the scenery to the battles, the cute/beautiful actors (Orlando Bloom and Liv Tyler) to the language. Crossed off another in my 101 list! :) [Next up, all of the Sex and The City episodes in order!]

Undercover Blogging

2010-07-29T07:54:00.008+01:00

I have no good excuse for not blogging, but lately I've been burying my head doing several things like taking my Basic Theory Test (passed with 49/50! :D) so that I can convert my UK driving license to a Singapore one, hanging out and drinking coffee many times with a few really good friends (you know who you are! :)), hanging out with my boyfriend (whenever we can!) and giving my youngest sister Physics and Math tuition. And yesterday I had a Carbon Footprint course that's making me bounce around with soooo many ideas! That's my Summer '10 in a few, succinct words! :D So (again, there really isn't any excuse) but these are some fashion photos to make up for my horrible blogging habits for the past 6-ish weeks. 17 more days before I fly back to London and I promise, my dear readers, that I will continue properly with my fashion blog! there :)) Until then, kisses! ♥

Hello!

2010-07-22T17:19:00.007+01:00

Hi guys!

I haven't updated my blog in almost a week now. This is terrible. Summer has completely taken over my brain and has dissolved it into one massive goopy lump (okay, that sounded pretty gross.) Anyway, hope you've been good, keeping cool and staying fashionable all at the same time! :D Here's a pretty interior - design (non-fashion-related) picture for you! Hope to get my blogging bug back. All in good time. Kisses! ♥

Chanel Wonderland

2010-07-16T15:17:00.001+01:00

Sunday Lust Haves

2010-07-11T13:21:00.007+01:00

Summer 1 by shirinloh featuring Monsoon shoes

Summer. It is hard, I admit, to wear anything that keeps you cool while you look fashionable, all at the same time. You could go out in that cute comfy tee and those denim cut-offs and your favourite pair flip flops and look absolutely relaxed but maybe not as chic as you'd like. Or... if you had the best body and the longest of legs, you could pull off a maxi-dress. Or... if you had plenty of money to spend, you could buy the entire Chanel resort 2011 collection (and look ultra-chic). But most of us (and I'm speaking for myself as well! :)) have neither the legs nor the money. So life becomes a little bit harder.... Or more fun? Depending on how you want to see it? I had plenty of fun creating 2 looks (day and night) for this chiffon floral printed dress from M- Butterfly (a vintage-y shop in the UK). Both looks cost less than GBP£175 (or SGD$350).* Is that fairly reasonable? :)

2 Ways by shirinloh featuring Dorothy Perkins

M-Butterfly Chiffon Floral Print Summer Dress - Red - DRESSES |...
18 GBP - m-butterfly.co.uk
More dresses »

Black and nude lace pumps
18 GBP - dorothyperkins.com
More Dorothy Perkins shoes »

Restricted Folklore Gladiator Sandal
$45 - delias.com
More sandals »

Serpui Marie #11 Cher Tote
$126 - endless.com
More SERPUI MARIE tote bags »

ASOS Nude Feather Clutch
$42 - asos.com
More ASOS clutches »

Flower enamel bangle pack
12 GBP - dorothyperkins.com
More Dorothy Perkins bracelets »

ASOS Multi Pack of Bright Opaque Beaded Bracelets
$14 - asos.com
More ASOS bracelets »

Disney Couture 'Alice In Wonderland' Oxidized Silver Plated Acrylic...
$42 - asos.com
More Disney Couture necklaces »

Natural Floppy Straw Sun Hat
15 GBP - missselfridge.com
More Miss Selfridge hats »

ASOS 2 Tone Lens Aviator Sunglasses
$20 - asos.com
More ASOS sunglasses »

Dressing for summer isn't that hard after all I suppose. Cute, bright colours for daytime and a sexy nude/lace/feather combination for night. Now... I'm off to find myself a lovely chiffon dress. Have a lovely week ahead my dears! Kisses! ♥

*I tried to cap the prices of the items this time. I realised that once I'm on Polyvore, I'm like a magpie to anything pretty (which is Everything on Polyvore) and I 'pick up' items costing up to GBP£5,000 (SGD$10,000). I mean, I haven't even seen that kind of money before! :P So I imposed a "spending" cut-off on myself, on Polyvore, just to see if it was possible to find affordable fashion. And I suppose it is! I'll see if I can try harder the next time! :) Until then! x

Chopin's Wife Might Get Jealous

2010-07-08T13:20:00.012+01:00

Met up with the B.F.F. today for our annual catch up. Seriously, ever since I moved to London to study, our catch ups have been reduced from weekly meetings (9 years ago) to meeting up 3 times a year (5 years ago) to annual meetings (3 years ago until now) which, in my opinion, is seriously not enough. So we grab whatever opportunity we have to gab and eat (maybe not at the same time). We chose to walk around the Singapore Botanical Gardens (haven't been there in 3 years) and reminisced so much - from the time we were wee Brownies until now! Absolutely knackered from walking (and talking), but it was such an amazing day! Kisses! ♥

Also, I look like mint chocolate. Do join my giveaway for a chance to win a beautiful pair of earrings! :)

[Bikbok top; Peacocks shorts; FourSkin Hat, Vintage bag]

{Photos taken by Wella and me :)}

#73: First Giveaway!

2010-07-05T07:09:00.010+01:00

Hello my lovely readers! I absolutely adore Antithesis' indie, cute and beautiful hand-made jewelery (worn here and here!) And I'm really happy because I've a gorgeous new pair of earrings (Ibiza) for a lucky reader for my first giveaway!

For a chance to win, comment with your name and email address by the 11th of July. A winner will be selected at random on the 12th! :) Good luck my dears!

Ibiza Earrings

update: FuzzyGreenLights is the lucky winner!

Thank you so much for participating! x

Black

2010-07-03T14:19:00.007+01:00

What do you think of black? I love the sensuality of black. I love the way it wraps around you, making you look half as small than you already are. I love how mysterious it always looks and how chic it can be.

I went through an all-black angst-y phase when I was a teenager. Everything needed to be black (which, in all honesty, sounds quite terrible to me now). My t-shirts/tanks were black, my skirts were black (or dark blue - okay, I cheated then as well ;)). I thought it was 'cool' then. My mom yelled at me a lot to get out of that phase as quickly as possible - and eventually I did. Right now I'm about 8-9 years 'black-free' (it was a fairly short phase in my life), but I still find it easiest to dress up with black whenever body issues strike (and at the worse times too!).

I know it's a little strange for me to talk solely about a colour but this is only because I absolutely love Elie Saab's Fall 2010 ready-to-wear collection. Of the colours, it's about 80% black. But the designs are 100% chic and sensuous. Some of my favourites are below. I love the lace, the cut (!), the tulle, the flow of the materials! Now, now, enough gushing Shirin! See the rest of the collection here.

Enjoy your Sunday my dears! Kisses! ♥

[via]

Granny Chic

2010-07-01T11:55:00.009+01:00

So, granny chic has been the new(/old) trend mostly in the fashion world (and moving on to the interior design world as well, I think). I first saw this trend on Chictopia a few months (maybe 2?) ago and since then, everyone's been talking about it. So I gave it some thought, asked myself whether I would dig through my grandmother's wardrobe and came up with 'yes I would!' as an answer; because really, my grandmother is quite chic at 70+. She has the whole works: pearls (♥) or large-ish gold studded earrings, a cardigan (always black) and a handmade crochet/knitted jumper for traveling! I would love to rummage through her wardrobe full of her own hand-made, painfully (and very neatly) stitched silk cheongsams (after all, she is Chinese!) - if only I could fit since she had SUCH a slim 23" waistline! Time to think about finding myself some long chunky cardigans! :P Also, check out Ana's tumblr: your granny was chic - for tons of granny-inspiration! Kisses! ♥

Alexa Chung pulls it off so well! [via]

Granny Chic by shirinloh featuring Moschino Cheap & Chic cardigans

Summer Florals - Jarlo Sophia Tea Dress : Oliver Bonas Gift Shop -..., 69 GBP
Yes fine-knit wool cardigan, $565
Cute black leather 1970's vintage Mary Jane shoes - The Best in..., 25 GBP
Pearl Stretch and Bangle Set, 12 GBP
Vintage Chanel 1990's Gold Tone And Black Surround Scalloped Edge..., $676
Vintage Givenchy 1980s Gold Tone With Faux Pearls And Logo Tag..., $423
Grannys Floral 12oz Mug, $3.99
Grannys Floral 12oz Mug, $3.99
Portmonäer och Plånböcker / BeckSöndergaard portmonä Granny Red (House...

I'd Rather Be At The Beach

2010-06-30T13:48:00.006+01:00

It's been such a lazyyy summer so far (eating, sleeping, more eating... and then more sleeping... okay, okay, I do practice my driving as well) that I've yet to get my act together and take some outfit pictures. Mixing outfits together on Polyvore suffices for now I suppose! Also, I've not been having a good time at home (.... and the complaining stops here!) but there's really nothing I can do about that. :(

I'd really love to get myself down to a beach, lie there and listen to the waves, read a glossy mag and maybe work on a tan ... if not for my busy bee boyfriend! :P Which reminds me, I found the lovely crinkled Halston dress (on Polyvore; not in real life because if it were in real life, I'm guessing I would faint on seeing the price tag??) that Carrie wore at the beach the day she decided to take a walk (in the SATC 2 movie). And I absolutely loved it! And still love it. And if I would wear anything to the beach, it would be that Halston dress, except maybe it would be altered because I'm not vertically blessed.

OK my dears, I'm sorry this has to be such a ramble-y post. Enjoy the Summer! :) Kisses! ♥

I'd Rather Be At The Beach by shirinloh featuring Tory Burch bags

Halston Heritage Pleated Maxi in Orange, $895
Georgina Goodman Women's Yasmin Flat Sandal - Free Overnight Shipping...
Amazon.com: Just Another Day in Paradise - Wood Sign w/ Flip Flop…, $9.99
Tory Burch Rattan Clutch - Natural Tory Red, $275
Bold Statement Cuff, $30
Parrot Earrings by Elizabeth Cole Jewelry | Charm & Chain, $325
BCBGMAXAZRIA Women's BG6261 Royale Watch, $115

Art Swap

2010-06-25T14:18:00.004+01:00

I'm looking for 4 'craft-y' people to take part in an Art Swap hosted by Ana from ondressingup.blogspot.com. If you're interested, please drop me an email: shirin.loh14@gmail.com or comment! Thank you! ♥

A Play with Numbers

2010-06-22T14:32:00.012+01:00

[via]

101 things in 1000 days

When it comes to lists, I suppose I'm no stranger. It has been instilled in me since young to make lists for everything (in order to be as efficient as possible) and tick things off as soon as they are done. But it's been a while since I've had a really challenging list of things to do and when I heard about the Day Zero project from ohhellofriend.com, I thought it would be a good idea to challenge myself at this point in my life. At this very moment, I am at some major crossroads in life. And while I'd love to say that I know where I want to go, I honestly have little clue. So maybe..., just maybe..., this challenge will help open some doors (or windows) in life and that I can learn more about myself and my abilities and find what I am truly looking for in this world. :)

Start date: 23rd June 2010, Wednesday
End date: 19th March 2013, Wednesday

My list of 101 things in 1000 days.

Please comment if you like this idea and if you make a list, we can be list-friends and encourage each other! :) Love! ♥

Hot Mess

2010-06-21T10:17:00.008+01:00

Hello my dear readers, a little update that is somewhat long overdue:

The weather in Singapore is quite intolerable! Hot and humid all at the same time. It would be good if I didn't have anything better to do but sit at the poolside all day long having occasional dips in the water while sipping a Cosmopolitan but life is always otherwise isn't it? ;)

On Friday, I 'hung out' with my sister to have a sisterly bonding and lots of personal heart-to-heart talks. Saturday was spent getting a good workout at What The Flea. The ending on Saturday night wasn't too pretty. We overestimated and are now stuck with $300+ worth of food, plenty of bruises, sore shoulders and sore feet! And finally on Sunday, the boyfriend and I went out on a 'date' and spent time alternatively dodging the sun and stocking up on Forever 21 accessories.

Right now, I'm reading "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert that is fast becoming a favourite. I love the holidays!

Again, I'm terribly sorry that this blog has been lacking in proper posts. I just can't seem to get myself together/find the time to do an outfit posts but I will. Promise. Cross my heart. But for now, I leave you with some amazing Alice + Olivia outfits that I have fallen head over heels with. Lots of love! ♥♥

[via]

Meet Coco

2010-06-17T13:40:00.009+01:00

[H&M necklace]

Meet Coco. :)

I'm really sorry I don't have many outfit pictures at the moment my dear readers. My photographer isn't living with me in the time we're both back in Singapore plus he's super busy at the moment so we don't have the opportunity to take pictures - but hopefully we'll be able to do so soon? :)

I'm also planning a giveaway! All coming soon! In the meantime, lots of love and kisses for you! ♥♥

I'm Back!

2010-06-16T08:57:00.010+01:00

[via]

Some quick updates:

1) Back in Singapore and back on my blog. :)

2) So knackered from hauling all that luggage around and the 15 hour traveling time!

3) My life has condensed itself from a 2 bedroom apartment to 1 bed, 1 bedside table and 2 shelves of a tiny wardrobe. Amazing.

4) Was talked to death by my little sister; also talked mom to death (we have to catch up somehow right?;))

5) First bite back: McDonald's apple pie. Life will get better... hopefully. :P

6) Sounds ungrateful and terrible of me, but I'm missing London like crazy already. :'(

7) Need a cuppa coffee.... now!

Love and kisses! ♥♥

Chanel Resort 2011

2010-06-13T18:35:00.011+01:00

Some of my favourite looks from the Chanel Resort 2011 collection. Super, super wearable - makes you want to hop onto a cruise ship in an instant. I'm in love. ♥ [All images via style.com]

A Cup of Coffee and A Really Good Book

2010-06-12T01:21:00.004+01:00

[via]

Few things I need/want now: A cup of coffee and a really good book. :)

Sorry I haven't been posting as much as I'd love to, even though the exams are now well out of the way. I've been packing because I'm flying back to Singapore in a couple of days! Pretty excited although I still haven't managed to pack all my shoes in and my bag's already quite heavy! :P

In the absence of an outfit post, some links that I've saved up for quite a long time now!

Is Mom always right when it comes to fashion?

For a lot of haute couture oohing and ahhing (even though the Met Gala happened quite a long time ago!).

Really really not for the faint-hearted - what's really inside that makeup bag of yours. (You were warned!)

Very helpful for combating the mini heat waves!

Even though I didn't love SATC2, I still love Carrie and her wonderful, magical wardrobe.

Heading off for some sleep now! Good night/morning, depending on where you are in the world! :)

Regrets

2010-06-10T18:07:00.006+01:00

In general, I never regret anything I ever do in life. Apart from bad haircuts. A month (and a few days) on, I'm still getting over this fringe I have! It's wispy and messy and I don't know what to do with it! I shouldn't have ever gotten it in the first place. But luckily, haircuts aren't permanent and I'll just wait for it to grow out and get lost! :P

Right now, I'm mooching around now, listening to Glee (I'm a closet-Gleek) and waiting for dinner time to roll around. I love the holidays! ♥ Love and kisses! ♥

[Tom Wolfe dress worn as a top; Esprit trench coat; Miss Sixty jeans; New Look shoes]

Hurried

2010-06-09T11:33:00.007+01:00

I ate wayyyy too much last night and I'm suffering from the consequences. Sleepless night and too much tossing and turning - resulting in eye bags and horrible stomach aches. But I got past all of that; rolled out of bed at 5am to clean my room (for the umpteenth time - because every time I clean it, it manages to get messy again!), did some ironing and overdosed on green tea. Now we're sitting around, unsure about what we're going to do today - it's a decision between shopping (yay!) and hiking (errr...?).

Until then, have a good Wednesday my dears! x

[Dorothy Perkin's faux leather jacket; Minimum dress worn as a top; Pull and Bear skirt; H&M shoes; faux leather belt]

Trendspotting - Promo

2010-06-07T16:58:00.008+01:00

Hello lovelies! This promo is for my dear readers in Singapore:

What The Flea is having a flea market at SupperClub on the 19th of June from 12pm - 8pm and I'll be there providing finger food and (edit: maybe) drinks to satisfy any hunger pangs and fuel for you to shop, shop, shop! :D Singaporean blogger Dawn Yang will be there selling her stuff and blogging about this, so this will be a great opportunity to meet her! ;)

Do come and say hi to me, have a day of fun and fill up those wardrobes of yours!

See you there my dears! :)

Noise

2010-06-06T16:56:00.004+01:00

[New Look headband; Antithesis jewellery; H&M dress; scarf worn as a belt from Bangkok; Gap cardigan]

Few pictures today because we're doing a massive errand-run/spring clean! Happy Sunday and thank you for reading! Kisses!

Lingering thoughts: Maybe one day (a year's time?) I would look back at my outfit pictures and think to myself, "omg, I used to wear that?!" I seem to always have that one exclamation in my mind when I flip through those teenage-years albums. This happens less and less though which means I'm getting happier with the way I look (finally!). Until then, my silly thoughts should suffice and hey, isn't life a learning curve? ;)