how to: do the slouch.

Be it for a nice dinner date, an all-day study session, a quick morning coffee meeting or a day out on Orchard Road, slouchy tees have suddenly become my go-to silhouette, and here's why they should become a staple in your wardrobe too:

• They're super versatile, meaning they can be quickly taken from day to night with a tweak in the makeup/accessories department. 
• They're super fun to layer with tank tops and outerwear.
•  They're generally quite appropriate for a large cross-section of casual events. It's really hard to go wrong with slouchy tees/sweaters; although they look modest, effortless and informal, they rarely come across as genuinely sloppy.
• They're super comfy! 
• Slouchy tees look best in solid colors (in my opinion), meaning you can pair them with standout pieces to create emphasis and texture in your outfit without overdoing it.  
• They look good on every body shape.  

I had originally written all the points above as a single paragraph, but then I thought I'd make a bullet point list to emphasize the huge number of reasons why they're so great. As a part of my comprehensive scheme to mentally unwind from exams, I spent too much time a couple hours on Polyvore making sets of clothing last weekend - which were all rather distasteful except this one, which lays out three simple ways to "do the slouch." Mind you, I could've gone on forever piecing together outfits with slouchy tees in them, so don't feel limited by the particular three shown above. In the wise words of Cady Heron, "the limit does not exist."

(If you don't understand that quote reference then I hate you.) 

Alt-J // Tessellate

assorted inspiration.

 Images via Tumblr and Macademian Girl

Image via Stockholm Streetstyle

Image via JakandJil

Image via fashiontoast

Image via Streetpeeper

Image via Streetpeeper

When I'm feeling particularly uninspired or if I'm just craving an injection of aesthetic gloriousness, I thankfully have an array of favorite street style blogs to turn to, namely the ones linked underneath the pictures above. There's nothing to brighten up your day/chase away thoughts of looming exam results like the eclectic, vibrant colors showcased in the images above. If there's anywhere you most definitely should dress like a fluorescent lollipop, it's to a fashion show. Why? Because fellow dotty fashion folk will most likely think you're utterly fabulous, and you probably won't find yourself on a celebrity gossip magazine's "worst dressed list." In fact, you might even have the likes of Tommy Ton chasing after you! In the unlikely event of a fashion faux-pas, rest assured that fashion photographers don't bother snapping pictures of, well, people not worth snapping pictures of. In other words, you won't be getting negative attention for a wardrobe disaster, you'll simply be getting no attention - making fashion shows the perfect place to take a risk and break out those awkward-yet-chic brogues you've been dying to take out for a spin. After all - anything looks a trillion times more stylish in the fuzzy glow of fashion week, so success rates for style are thankfully high. I love seeing street style photographs during fashion week in the major global style-capitals of the world; if I ever get a chance to attend the likes of NYFW, I feel like I'd be equally satisfied with standing outside and gawking at the overwhelming concentration of beautiful human beings in beautiful clothes as I would be watching a fashion show. Dressing up is literally half the fun.

Timber Timbre // Black Water

shop ohmysmoothies!

 Enclosed are some of my favorite pictures/pieces from my recent shoots with OMS. Check out OhMySmoothies' affordable collections on their website and facebook page - new stuff is launched weekly and nothing is over SGD$15!

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pre-fall 2013 | carven.

The rancid, delirium-inducing burden of exams has finally been lifted (for now), and I can't tell you how happy I am to be able to drift aimlessly from blog to blog and catch up on all that I've missed - namely this monstrosity of a success that is Carven Pre-Fall 2013. 

Firstly, I've always kind of had a crush on the whole concept of Pre-Fall. While it can be perceived as an aspirational attempt by the modern fashion industry to suck even more money out of consumers' pockets in the form of a 'not-really-season' sandwiched between S/S and F/W, I actually think it's a beautiful concept that is somewhat relieved of the impending expectations that Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter collections find themselves buried under year after year. Everyone is now so accustomed to holding their breath during the two main seasons because we all expect to be absolutely blown away; I don't know about you, but I certainly didn't see the whole "let's put a train on the runway" thing coming (cough Marc Jacobs). Not that that's a bad thing of course - we all like to be surprised and thrilled during fashion week, but sometimes I think the large-scale theatrics and superfluous stunts can end up taking away from the fashion itself. It suddenly becomes a question of "what crazy shit can we do on the runway THIS time round?" as opposed to "what kind of aesthetic, era, emotion or concept can we evoke and be inspired by this season?"

And that's why I love Pre-Fall. There are no loco expectations of trains and oversized crystals adorning the runways; heck, it's not a competition of which fashion house can drive an A380 down their runway first - it's just about the clothes. Pre-Fall collections are smaller and much more focused, with a refined aesthetic and an almost nonchalant vibe, in the case of most of the collections I've browsed. They tend to have a ready-to-wear flair to them which I absolutely adore, because that way, the clothes are automatically brought one step closer to you.

 Okay - onto Carven.

 I don't know how a collection can embody youthful sportiness and elegant sophistication at the same time while exuding silhouettes from both the past and the present, but Guillaume Henry clearly has that downpacked. The eccentric, well-selected colors have an ornate, historical feel to them - terracotta parkas, muted blue lace sheaths, speckled vermillion trenchcoats and prussian-blue everything is evidently all that's needed to make for an absolutely dashing Pre-Fall collection. It's all very young and nonchalant, yet it's clothing that seems self-assured of its sophistication. The smooth leather separates were a refreshing reincarnation of the raging trend which dominated the runways over the last few years, and it reminded me why equestrian-inspired clothing has such a universal appeal. There's a great emphasis on visually manipulating the neck too (a good way to move on from the Fall 2012 shoulder-obsession!), be it with high collars, fur, or simply lots of volume. The verdict? Ah-mazing.

"She likes to collage textures, prints and color," Guillaume Henry says of his muse. Yep, sounds about right.

Vote for this post on Lucky Community here! 

carlo rino.

A couple weeks ago, I was lucky enough to visit the Carlo Rino showroom at Changi Airport T2, courtesy of Q, Susannah and the rest of the folks at Access Communications. I've never been a huge one for bags but I can feel myself slowly slipping into a bag-obsession, fueled by the shocking number of bags that I've both purchased and been gifted during the past month in particular (the festive season is always a reason to treat yourself!). As I'm sure you can imagine, setting foot into this bag paradise didn't exactly help subside my mounting obsession for arm candy; I was absolutely drooling over both Carlo Rino's new collections (which are launched up to twice a month - heavenly!) and their classic collection of sleek, streamlined wallets.

 What surprised me the most about Carlo Rino was observing the changes in their collections over time. Twenty-odd years ago, they were known as the one-stop shop for middle-aged "aunties," but they've evidently done an amazing job at gradually transitioning to appeal to younger audiences. From glossy quilted bags (like the one Susannah's holding in the picture below!) to slouchy genuine-leather shoulder bags (like the one I'm holding), Carlo Rino's design team has proven to be extremely versatile and quality-conscious in their designs. Prices range from $40-50 for small coin purses and cardholders, to about $350 for genuine leather products.

I was so so happy when I received my gorgeous Carlo Rino treat the other day, and upon unravelling the ribbon and tearing back the tissue paper, I found another Carlo Rino item which one of you lucky readers will win very soon! Stay tuned for this special Carlo Rino giveaway as well as a bunch of other giveaways next month!

exam time (and freja!)

Like a Zac Posen mannequinswathed in luscious folds of fabric (forgive the flowery language - too much English revision!), I’ve been suffocated and submerged into the monotonous universe of the IGCSE mock examinations, consisting primarily of textbooks and highlighters and practice papers and flash cards and all sorts of ugly things, much unlike the glorious world of fashion which I’ve sadly been missing out on. I promise I’ll be back to posting regularly as soon as possible – my mock exams will be over soon! Anyway, to hopefully make up for my lack of content (and to make myself feel a little better about my crappy exams), I’ve attached some of my favorite picturesof my favorite model, Freja Beha Erichsen. 

…Yes, I did just spend the last hour moochingaround on style.com and digging up old runway pictures of my darling Freja, computer mouse in one hand and tub of Ben and Jerry’s in the other. Suggestions to help me lift my poopy spirits and make my equation-filled life a little more exciting while I pore over textbooks for hours a day are most welcome.

Blegh.