topshop.

 Words cannot describe how much I adore Topshop, so I've created this polyvore set in hopes of illustrating my affection for this humble brand through a hastily compiled visual aid. Topshop's timeless, rich aesthetic contorts and re-molds itself as each season breezes in and out, thus achieving harmonious synchronization with the trends that come hand in hand with the seasonal changes on the thermostat. The skilled designers of this brand effortlessly churn out pristine, artisanal works of art multiple times a year, and time and time again, they are awarded with nothing less than a sold out collection, a standing ovation, and a worldwide army of supporters.

Topshop's "unique" (pardon the pun, for those who understand it) aesthetic has become ridiculously appealing to thousands around the world. With saturated, explosive color schemes for every season, a rich variety of fabrics and textures perpetually reside in any Topshop store you visit. The brand embraces a plethora of preferences, styles and personalities; only in Topshop would you find a lace slip dress, a pair of leather combat boots, a shearling coat and a pair of rugged chinos all assembled in dangerous vicinity, yet surprising harmony.

The philosophy of the brand is evident through all their esteemed creations; there is always room for experimenting and testing the boundaries of "acceptable street-style fashion." I've always compiled my outfits with an emphasis on diversity of color, print and texture, and no other brand encourages that as much as Topshop does. Topshop won't provide notoriously theatrical costume ensembles a la Alexander McQueen, nor will it ever sell you something you could find in Gap Basics or Forever 21. If you walk in to a Topshop store in search of denim shorts, you'll find an acid washed, high waisted, studded pair of denim hotpants. If you enter in search of a sweater, you'll walk out with a cropped, raglan button-down knit. Topshop emulates the diversity of our vibrant generation : it sells typical clothing- with a wild, signature twist. 

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the 411.

"So... What is up? What's the 411? What has everybody been up to? What's the hot gossip? Tell me everything..."

~

I'm sorry, but who couldn't love this quote. And who couldn't love humble, mocktail-making Mrs. George and her laughable efforts at fitting in with her daughter's social life. And who couldn't love this movie. God, I could watch this again and again and never get bored; Mean Girls will forever be a classic.

Anyway, I have a valid reason for posting this quote- because it's sort of how I've been feeling lately. I've been so shamefully detached from the perpetual buzz of the fashion blogosphere, due to unreasonable demands from all sorts of extra-curricular activities, school subjects and snotty teachers. This weekend, I've resolved to lock myself in my room and visit every single blog I can, so I can get "the 411" on what's been going on in the fashion world. And I promise I'll be back soon, after I finish my mountains of homework.

And here I'll attempt to give you guys "the 411" on my tragically hectic life, and provide some feeble excuses to validate my absence.

Stuff that's been going on in my life right now:

• I've been accepted into the school's bi-monthly newspaper, Inprint, and today I received approval for my request to write an article about students who stay stylish in uniform.
• I'm in the midst of some seriously intense rehearsals for our school's next drama production: "Picnic at Hanging Rock." I'm definitely going to do a separate post on it soon.
• I've applied for our school's arts blog, Epiphany, as an events manager. Fingers crossed I make it!
• I'll be contributing to Fashion Blog Love soon, more details to follow.
• I'll be helping out with the lighting design and programming of the next drama production at school; "The Jungle Book."
•  My overly-enthusiastic recount of Foster the People's explosive gig here in Singapore landed on SeatGeek's Soundboard music blog!
• I've made it onto our school's Radio team as a sub-editor! Our school is opening a private radio station that will be aired around the campus in a few months time, and I'm thrilled to be a part of the management committee for this exciting new development.

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10QQ with rachel.

Meet Rachel Tayza, a fifteen-year-old beauty from Burma. She's not a blogger, but we used to go to school together, and stalking this girl's Facebook pictures for five minutes was all it took for me to decide to approach her to do this short interview. She's such a sweetheart, and her electric, sophisticated sense of style is unquestionably enticing, especially for a girl of her age. I love how artsy these photos are as well!
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1) Describe your personal style in three words: Edgy, comfortable, ever-changing.
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2) Favourite places to shop: TopShop, Urban Outfitters & Minkpink; I mostly online shop.
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3) If you were given $100 to spend, what would you buy? I'd donate it to charity!
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4) Heels or flats? Neither; I can't wear either of them, so I stick with my TOMS!
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5) Something not many people know about you: I'm claustrophobic!
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6) Favourite celebrities/style icons: Charlotte Free, Agyness Deyn, and Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeah's.
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7) What you'd wear on a typical day out: A comfy big T-shirt and tights.
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8) Favourite season: Summer, I can't wait for the holidays!
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9) If you could only use three beauty products for the rest of your life, what would they be? Eyeliner, Baby Johnson Face Cream, and Brow Definer.
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10) Favourite accessory: This great, full-on pins-and-needles necklace!
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What do you guys think of Rachel's awesome style? 

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foster the people.

 photos by izzy ~ flickr
props to izzy for taking such great pictures in a huge, congested crowd!

I firmly believe that money spent on concert tickets is money well-spent. Clothes and material possessions are obviously lots of fun (who doesn't love coming home with bags full of new things?), but spending money on experiences as opposed to tangible things almost always result in an indescribable amount of long-lasting happiness. When I get a new top, my excitement dies after a few hours. When I get a bottle of Vitamin Water, my excitement dies in less than a minute, because by then, I've drank it all. But with a concert, the adrenaline rush and fan-girly devotion to your favourite band doesn't just start when they appear on stage, and it certainly doesn't stop after the final song and the raucous applause. 

Firstly, the lead up to a concert is obviously loads of fun. In my experience, the six hours before the actual concert provide sufficient entertainment; getting ready with the girls, sharpie-ing all over each other, standing in line for ages armed with bags of fast food, it's great fun. And let's not forget the end of a concert; piling into a cab, gushing with enthusiasm (and sweat), raving about how sexy the lead singer is and subconsciously launching into the primary stages of "Post Concert Depression," which is a mental illness that lasts anywhere from a week to two months after a concert.

On the 14th of January, I was lucky enough to attend Foster The People: Live in Singapore. And even if I tried, I can't tell you how incredibly amazing that night was. I lost my voice, head-banged in a jostling crowd until I couldn't breathe, almost passed out, got really emotional and cried a lot, danced like a crazy person, met new people, sung my little heart out, sweat until my clothes were saturated, and had a heck of a night with some really great girls. 

So please, the next time you're lucky enough to have an artist you love playing in your town or city, screw the comprehensive saving scheme for that new bag/wallet/pair of heels. Screw the fact that you've got next to nothing in your savings. Grab your best friends and go for it, and I'm telling you this for your own sake. Because what you're really paying for isn't just a ticket; it's an experience and a collection of memories guaranteed to last, and those are things that you can't put a price tag on. 

What do you think of concerts: do you prefer to spend money on clothes or shoes? Have you seen any incredible artists/bands live?

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PS: This is Seven inch Stilettos' 50th post!

 

a nautical affair.

I often blame my incurable fetish for nautical clothing on my father's unhealthy obsession with sailing. We own a tiny sailing boat which we go out on some weekends, and it's safe to say that I've been exposed to a fair share of sand, sea and surf in my fourteen years of life. Now I'm no outdoorsy fanatic, but there's something about the sound of sloshing waves, the elegance of a sailboat and the burnt crisp of a summer sunset that never fails to enthrall me.
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Forget about generic Aussie surf brands like Quiksilver, Billabong and Roxy; those are strictly for surfers and practicality enthusiasts. Channeling the 'nautical' trend is something very refined and classic, and of course, you don't have to be aboard a luxurious catamaran or amidst the foamy, sparkling waves to rock this look. My advice would be to head for the good old Breton top and red lipstick in times of doubt or wallet-related woes. Both these nautical essentials have a 100% success rate, regardless of what their price tags show. 

So go on, march into Forever 21 with your head held high, and grab one (or five) of these sumptuous shirts for a refreshing dose of chic nautical style (same goes for red lippy; no one does it better than the drugstore); your wardrobe will thank you. Stripy bikinis and kitschy sunglasses are optional!

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