scarves.

The transition from sunny summer months to freezing fall days is definitely a tricky one, as the change in temperature is so drastic for such a short amount of time. The two seasons are sandwiched together, so maintaining a trendy timeless look tailored for each season without completely restocking your wardrobe can be tough, but it isn’t impossible.

I've tried to narrow this post down, so here I've attempted to consolidate scarves into three basic categories: Proper, Actual scarves that do what they're supposed to: Keep people warm, Printed scarfs that are light and are perfect for summer, and Solid Scarves which tend to be heavier.

You’ve probably heard this a thousand times on numerous blogs and websites, simply because it’s completely true: Scarves are the perfect fall accessory. They’re an affordable, versatile and fun-sized addition to any wardrobe. There’s no need to shop at Saks for them either; any decent scarf can look a million bucks with skinny jeans, suede boots and an oversized tote.

Scarves are the simplest accessories. People doubt the power of a length of fabric draped casually across one’s shoulders; but scarves are able to achieve an immense caliber of chic. Knits are super cute and are the best in terms of insulation, and what better opportunity for a weekend DIY project? Cashmere is my all time favourite type of fabric; my Grandma is the queen of beautiful cashmere cardigans; their luscious texture and silky feel have me in love. Statement scarves are an absolutely stunning addition to any ensemble when used carefully. Throw on a bright printed scarf to liven up a simple outfit, and add an earth-toned one to neutralize bold clothing choices.

“But how can I pull off such an impeccably stylish accessory without it flapping around in my face or looking twice my age adorned with granny knits?” I hear you meekly cry. Well, fear not. Scarves can be worked with in three thousand different ways; they’re just a length of cloth. 

A classic casual swing is a perfect way to keep warm on a chilly day, and it brings a killer outfit down to earth too. Throw it around your shoulders if the sun’s coming out for an effortless, layered look (avoid layering scarves over industrial-strength raincoats so you don’t end up working the “overdressed snowball” look). If you’ve got a large scarf that fits over your shoulders, use it as a pashmina/shawl (bandana wrap); it’s an elegant look for a nice dinner date and will prevent your arms from sporting oh-so-gorgeous goose-bumps. And if there’s nowhere else to put your scarf (this symptom is highly unlikely, there’s always room for a scarf), loop it around your bag for an instant update. What better accessory could you ask for?

Sources: Here,here,here,here,here,here,

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first blogoversary.

It’s been 365 days since Seven Inch Stilettos was born, and I’m kind of overwhelmed that I have to write a post about this. Instead of reflecting on the past (because I hate reflections and never write them when asked to in school), I want to take this opportunity to share a little about the essence of fashion in my eyes, for those who are up for a short read (and for those who are sitting in a comfortable position right now and are content to remain seated for the next ten minutes.)

 If I had to name a motivation for this blog besides my creepy yet totally justifiable obsession with fashion, it would be all the little faces sitting underneath the great big “JOIN THIS SITE” button, or in other words, all 301 of you who are so dedicated to my blog. You have all helped it grow in your own ways, and this post is to thank all of you for each and every comment, compliment, email, piece of praise, nibble of advice, constructive piece of criticism, and everything else in between.

(It might seem a little weird that I'm putting a bunch of pictures of weird fairy lights and fireworks and stuff, but I immediately associate celebration and happiness with pretty cute pictures of lights and fireworks. Speaking of fireworks, the 4th of July fireworks were amazing. I watched them from the roof of my uncle's boat and they were beyond magical.

Random, off-topic interlude right there.)

I honestly don’t know what I’d do without fashion. It sounds pathetic, because many of us assume a false, superficial definition of fashion. And I’ll try not to launch into a meaning-of-fashion essay, but fashion has changed my view of everything I see in this world into a piece of surreal inspiration. It’s become such a glamorous industry of fame and stardom, yet many true fashion legends bask in the comfort of knowing the primitive, vulnerable and raw nature of the essence of fashion. Style in the early days didn’t comprise of hi-tech runway shows or mass-produced clothing for overrated chain stores.  Fashion was a piece of art, a few pieces of cloth stitched and styled to perfection, draped on a mannequin’s body by a man with a mouthful of pins and a cigar, a sketchpad, and a passion.

I would post a celebratory outfit picture of myself, but considering I'm bundled up quite unglamorously in hoodies and jeans, cuddled up on a lobby chair on a nearby hotel to get wi-fi. Ireland is certainly not the best place to execute your most fashionable outfits, it's way too chilly!

It’s been 365 days since Seven Inch Stilettos was born, and it’s all thanks to each and every one of you reading this right now.

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slow down for allie.

On August 24th, 2009, one life was taken and thousands of lives were changed in the small town of Marblehead, Massachusetts. Allie Castner was killed in a car crash while she was crossing the road.

Allie was a dear friend of my cousin, Hunter (now 17). They'd been friends ever since they were in nappies, and they were best friends through Middle School. Although Allie is gone, her memory still lives vibrantly even beyond the boundaries of Marblehead. "Slow Down For Allie" bumper stickers (shown above) have been distributed numerous times, and are now seen on the rear of almost every car in Marblehead. Bracelets are also being sold in support of a scholarship in Allie's name, turning the aftermath of a tragic accident into an opportunity for someone else to succeed. Some houses also have large signs in their gardens displaying the iconic white butterfly motif; Allie's father said to the Marblehead Reporter, "my youngest daughters think of Allie floating around as a white butterfly."

Although this post isn't essentially about fashion, I felt that it was definitely relevant and important enough to have a blog post dedicated to it. This, to me, is a mere representation of the power of subconscious visual awareness that many don't seem to recognize as a functioning aspect of life, and for that matter, fashion appreciation. When we are presented with a stunning dress or a beautifully crafted shoe, we often override the FIRST impression and connection our brains make to it, and thus remember it as a product of our subsequent pondering. I began to wonder whether seeing these stickers plastered all over the town would actually make a change, a mental impact on people, because after all, they're just stickers. It's only now that I realise how important it is to Allie's loved ones that she is remembered, and that her memory fosters a good cause in her place. That the white butterfly I saw three hundred times a day on every car in front of me represents someone's big sister who's gone, someone's daughter who's died.

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universal.

We all agreed that we had quite a time in sparkling LA, I’ve fallen in love with the sunny city and would love to move there and fulfill my dreams of becoming a fashion journalist in the future. We took a trip to Universal Studios Hollywood, and sadly it didn’t live up to it’s corny catch phrase; “The Entertainment Capital of LA!” How have I memorized this peculiar slogan, you ask. Well, it was being blared through loudspeakers throughout the park, throughout the day! It was a fun experience, but we all agreed that the newly opened Universal Studios Singapore was better. However, there was one thing that Universal Studios Singapore could never offer, that Universal Studios Hollywood flaunted with much pride; The Studio Tour.

Universal Studios is more commonly associated with a cotton candy colored theme park, but it is the name behind several movies, TV shows and stars that have made a legendary impact on the world of entertainment. The Studio itself is the largest operating Studio in the world, and driving through it on a touristy little guided tram felt purely magical. How exciting it felt to be gracing the artificial streets present in countless star-studded movies. I couldn’t help but think to myself how many celebrities have walked those very roads before us. Rowan Atkinson, Eva Longoria, and Tom Cruise, just to name a few.

The studio is a gargantuan 415 acres, inclusive of the theme park. The view from the Universal Studios theme park offered a great perception of the fictional ‘city,’ as well as a gorgeous skyline. As you can see, none of the fake buildings have interiors or rooftops, and the construction of the ‘city’ is quite clustered. At each sharp turn we took on the tour, we were magically transported to a whole new time and place. At one point we were in old London, with intricate lampposts, London-esque signage and cobbled streets. In less than a minute, we were in a modern-day city, with glass buildings and angular structures. Soon after, we were whisked to old Mexico, and all the low-rise wooden buildings, scattered crates and labeled barrels seemed to be smothered in a pearly, glowing sheen from the sun. The entire experience was so realistic; I felt like I was touring the world with Walt Disney by my side, pointing out all the intricate creative beauty embedded in the vast concrete jungle.

I’m sure all you Desperate Housewives fans recognize this polished fragment of Wisteria Lane, an elegant manicured street embellished with vibrant foliage and a lingering sunlight. This street has been used for several movies and TV shows though, but it is best known for its presence in Desperate Housewives.

We drove past this amazingly realistic set from War of the Worlds – the 747 Plane Crash (that was an actual Boeing 747 that was no longer in use; it was bought for a mere $60,000 but the whopping transportation cost was $200,000).

Picture Car used in the movie “Mr. Bean’s Holiday.” Need I say more?

The set of the city car chase scene in “The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.” The cars are attached to large bionic ‘arms’ hidden under the rubber paneling that send the cars lurching forward as if they’ve been thrust into mid-air. We saw a full-on demo of the scene, complete with elaborate special effects such as roaring flames, thick smoke and moving props (my favourite was the faded Japanese cigarette dispenser that glided miraculously around the perimeter of the set to create the illusion of different angles).

This automated rushing river was one of the highlights of the Studio Tour. At the mere press of a button, a foamy river snakes realistically towards us, coming dangerously close to the tour tram. The windows of a nearby house are thrust open, emitting more frothy water into the chaos. The sprinklers atop a nearby pole begin spewing out rainwater, and the entire scene laid out flawlessly was nothing short of delicious to watch. This river has been used in numerous movies, TV shows and commercials, and recently in Lady Gaga’s music video for “Judas.” The best part? The water is mixed with milk so it appears more clearly on camera!

The building in which CSI and Parenthood is filmed.

See that line of buildings? Forget about them being expensive, antique architectural gems; they’re only painted wooden panels!

PS. This post is actually a week late; meaning we experienced the thrill of this spectacular theme park a week ago. However, I wanted to make sure I staggered my posts and varied my content, so apologies if my vacation timeline confuses you!

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photographic innocence.

Frolicking in a sun drenched garden perched on the edge of a vast ethereal lake made up the majority of my day today. The delight of nature combined with the vivid human spirit (and, um... a DSLR) helped create the perfect setting for our mini photo shoot (Like to see more? Click here for our personal photography blog). The blazing Connecticut sun shone a little too brightly for my liking; the warm weather in Westport was certainly a surprise for me (I packed for the likes of a chilly fall/winter: wool jackets, heavy jeans, etc. Don't ask).

Connecticut definitely is a place that lives up to it's painfully manicured reputation. The streets are lined with willowy foliage, casting dappled shadows on the sidewalk. Huge lawns are splayed out and seep into every spare inch of land, forming rolling empty spaces of manicured green. SUVs are parked everywhere you go, and expensive boutiques with pastel-colored signs line the quaint roads. 

In short, Connecticut is the real version of Rosewood (minus the drama, according to my friend Noelle). Apologies for the continual Pretty Little Liars references I make (and will continue to), they're a mere representation of my addiction to the show. And one more thing? Pretty Little Liars episodes come out SO much quicker in America.

God I love this country.

And Lastly...

I was awarded the Lovely Blog Award by my dearest reader Carmen Vogue! Thank you so much for this award dear, it means so much. This award will be displayed on my Features Page. So if I do this correctly, I’m assuming I’m expected to list 7 things about myself:

1.  I have a fetish for Justin Bieber. I own enough Bieber merchandise to cover a wall in my room; which I proudly named “The Bieber Wall.” And his new perfume, Someday, is to DIE for.
2. I am a self-confessed nerd. School is very important to me, and I very much enjoy my schoolwork. I set very high expectations for myself, and my report card means so much more to me than it does to the average fourteen year old.
3. I am very whimsical, and tend to overthink things, which sort of traps me in a permanent, intellectual controversy with myself. I like to ponder on almost everything I come across, and sometimes this leaves my brain in a very frazzled, disconnected state. Sometimes I try and make sense of my complex thoughts through poetry, but usually even that doesn’t work.
4. Music has a huge impact on my life. It is the ultimate expression of human emotion, and it can really change your perception on things, and it’s very versatile and broad. Learning music is unlocking the language of the soul.
5.  I can be the most confident, breezy, assured person who knows exactly what she’s doing one day, and the next day I can be totally insecure and over-scrutinize myself and point out all my flaws.
6. I am SUCH a city girl. Although I can thrive anywhere (I want to live in a farm at some stage of my life), cities are where a fast paced girl like me belongs.
7. I am on a plane from San Francisco to Boston as I write this.

Although it was extremely difficult to decide which blogs to present this award to, I’ve decided on the 15 most deserving blogs:


Spunky Chateau because of her dedication and loyalty to Seven Inch Stilettos.
Lightssobright because she has the cutest blogger title heading ever and her blog is just great.
Fashion By Brett Robson because she's such a friendly blogger and her content is amazing!
Fashion and Frank because she is one of the most unbelievably supportive bloggers you will ever meet.

Decor Is Like Butter because of her utmost friendliness. And she's so into interiors; so her home design posts are the best!
The Red Runway because she's my best friend ever and she started her blog last night. She has an amazing layout too, so check her out!

Sincerely, Sabrina because she has the most beautiful blog design/layout ever, it's gorgeous!

 AvenueMaria because I love the girly theme of her blog, it makes me so happy to visit it! She has great style too.

Thefashiongrove because I'm a sucker for minimalist layouts and her content is great, I love the variety.

 Moments with Meera because she was my first follower and has been one of the best followers ever since; love her writing style!

 Simple Fabulous because she's such a dedicated, sweet follower and I love her content.

 Almost Delightful because her blog is always packed with amazing pictures and visuals to captivate me when I don't feel like reading.

Moda De La Mode because she's given me an amazing opportunity to write for her, and I love her blog to bits.

The Merri Mari because I love her quirky blog and her awesome, unexpected content which I totally adore. And her style? Amazing.

Style Love because her happy radiant smile in every single outfit post is the best accessory she could ever have.

So if you've won this award, here are 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 to tell them about it.

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Models: Noelle (of The Red Runway) (brown top and denim shorts), Me (floral top and denim shorts), Jojo (striped shirt and skirt/white button-down and 3/4 jeans) and Kylie (pink dress).


PS: This photoshoot was not intended to be focused on fashion. Since our models were young and this was an informal project, we decided to evoke the preppy nature of All-American brands and looks found on the streets of Connecticut, as opposed to donning them in thick make-up and mature clothing. We also preferred the girls to carry a simple, natural look to reflect the stunning location we shot at.

pretty little liars fashion - aria montgomery.

One of my favourite things about Aria’s style is how much it complements both her appearance and her personality. She’s depicted as an artsy yet headstrong girl, and her bold fashion choices reflect her willingness to take risks and express herself. Pretty Little Liars stylist Mandi Line described Aria’s on-screen style as “a little version of me.” From a single picture, Mandi’s fashion sense is immediately decipherable; it’s quirky, bright, and has a classy edge to its stand-out nature. 

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1. This picture definitely encompasses a classic Aria Montgomery moment. That sheer lace blends in seamlessly to her earthy-toned outfit, and her curls couldn’t look more flawless. Mandi Line also mentioned how accessible the Pretty Little Liars wardrobe is; you can buy this exact earring at Una Mae. In an ABC interview, Mandi says that she thinks “the feather is bold, a little rebellious and very unique. It’s a great way to try something fun without it being permanent.” Although this lovestruck facial expression would look nothing short of ridiculous on most of us, Aria works it the same way she works anything else, with an oozing gorgeousness and a smudge of sexy. 

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2. This is one of my favourite looks from Aria’s season 1 outfits; a “wild creation” according to Mandi. I don’t usually like bright colors on Lucy Hale, simply because she’s got such striking, dark features which complement muted tones so beautifully. However, this daytime-chic look definitely works on her, she pulls off the leopard print with such effortless elegance.
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the fabulous los angeles.

Los Angeles.

How do I even BEGIN to describe this city? For starters, I've been here for a DAY. And I have already fallen in complete and utter love with this jubilant city of beauty, style, stardom and fame. The melting sun gazing down on me, the satisfying breeze combing through my hair. An array of shopping bags accessorize my arms as I glide coolly down Hollywood's walk of fame. In one hand I clutch a fresh soft taco from none other than Taco Bell (that I devour greedily, there's no such thing as Taco Bell in Singapore!), in the other I clutch my camera, which I anxiously leave turned on for the whole day in hope of running into a celebrity.

This city is just pure magic to me, really. As much as I hate to say it because it makes me sound awfully naive, it's nothing short of breathtaking. The people (at least the ones found in the Hollywood area) have such a manicured style, unlike the shoppers on Orchard Road, who are usually decked out in carelessly chosen shorts and a shirt. I felt sheepish as I scrutinized every single girl who walked past, endlessly wondering about the possibility of them being a celebrity or a supermodel under their designer shades. They were all just cookie-cutter copies of one another though, to be brutally honest. Fake tan, streaky blonde hair, artificial/pushed-up boobs, tight shirts, butt-clinging shorts.


Although most of the teenagers lacked any identity in terms of style, it was the young-adults, and even the older ladies, whose style blew me away. I saw sundresses and colorful wedge heels, to high waisted shorts and boots, to PVC heavy duty totes, to strappy summer sandals. I loved every bit of it.

The Four Seasons hotel.

Me with a Marilyn Monroe statue outside the hotel.

The gorgeous view from our room.

We did a ton of touristy activities, which I thoroughly enjoyed. We went on a Movie Star Homes Tour, and we got to see homes of movie stars such as Charlize Theron, Orlando Bloom, Matthew Perry, Michael Jackson's old home, Diane Keaton, Elvis Presley's old home, Madonna, Drew Carey, Kanye West, the Hiltons, etc. It was such a cool experience, and we even ran into Diane Keaton in her white BMW in front of her house!

Former "Friends" star Matthew Perry's house.

Property of Ben Stiller.

The Beckham's house (far house with the three windows).

When we arrived back at Hollywood&Highlands Mall next to the Chinese Theater, we were greeted by a fabulous surprise; the Cars 2 Premiere was on! We waited in a huge crowd for two hours, we were squished like sardines! Fortunately, we got some really good views of some awesome celebrities; it was probably my first time seeing any celebrities up close!

Modern Family's Sarah Hyland with her boyfriend, attending the Cars 2 Premiere.

Cars 2 Voice of "McQueen" Owen Wilson.

PCD's Nicole Scherzinger arm in arm with Lewis Hamilton (not shown in this image).

To finish up, I'd like to apologize for my inconsistent commenting and posting, for I'll be travelling around the US and my wi-fi accessibility will change as I move around. If you notice I've stopped commenting on your blog or posting as frequently, I have NOT abandoned you. I'm still keen as ever, and hopefully towards the end of my holiday once I settle down in Ireland, I'll be able to go back to my regular commenting, etc.

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