watercolor textures.

 booties - zara

pants - h&m

clutch - c/o katja tamara

top - tout a coup c/o i.t.

watch - c/o juicy couture

I'll be back in Singapore next weekend and I couldn't be more excited to be greeted at the airport with a gust of humid, gloriously hot air, the smiling faces of my parents and the Christmas spirit in the air. I've never spent Christmas away from Asia, so I oddly associate Christmas a lot more with the heat than with the cold in which I now spend most of the year in! I picked up these watercolor-streaked pants for £5 (yes that is five pounds everyone) at H&M; they're probably the best bargain I've ever gotten at a high street store and I love them to death for their thigh-slimming properties and exciting colors. I paired them with a super soft knit top with gorgeous sheer detailing from Tout A Coup (available at i.t. concept store in Wisma Atria), which I raved about in this blogpost after attending the opening of i.t. and being gifted a generous $100 to spend in-store on the night of the event. My stunning Zara booties have finally gotten the chance to be featured on my blog; I love them so so so much even though they cause me a lot of pain. The sleek black heel, the silver zip, the nude suede and the magenta platform - what's not to love? Yet another texture is introduced into the picture in the form of a stunning python clutch, handmade in Bali, courtesy of Katja Tamara. It's luxurious and raw to the touch with a soft, flexible shape, a discreet magnetic closure and a size that is just perfect. Last but probably most important of all is my new favorite piece of wrist-candy: the Juicy Couture watch I won in the lucky draw at their opening event at MBS! I've never won a lucky draw (or anything of the sort) so I was particularly chuffed to walk away with the Swarovski-encrusted gold beauty on my wrist! 

So there you have it: gold stainless steel, python skin, suede, knit and denim. Textural mash-ups have never been so fun!

sunday morning.

 top: fashion star x h&m

floral pants: c/o kristine's collection

necklace: c/o dear laura

heels: mango

bag: c/o carlo rino

There are so many things I adore about this ensemble, which probably explains why I've been caught wearing this exact same outfit multiple times (#guilty). I hate the fuss and the awkward crinkles that come with tucking a long shirt into skinny jeans, and since this button down has a lovely shapely tail, I decided to leave it out, as it satisfied a heightened level of both aesthetics and comfort. The 3/4 length is such a cute way to wear fitted pants, but can leave someone with muscular legs like me a stunted silhouette - hence the leg-lengthening nude pumps which have really been a lifesaver and an outfit-redeemer on numerous occasions. Everything you could possibly wear just looks ten times better and more credible in a sexy pair of nude heels, I'm convinced! I picked up this semi-translucent floral top from Buffalo Exchange when I was in New York this February, and I intend to visit (and revisit) that store until I'm wrinkly and bedridden. The floral texture of it works perfectly with the print on the pants and works equally well with denim shorts for a can't-be-bothered summer getup. I chose to button the shirt up all the way and conceal the collar with this overwhelmingly chic gold necklace that Dear Laura kindly sponsored me. It's like a cage/prison bars for my neck - except it's pretty and comfortable and I wear it by choice, if that makes sense. This slouchy purple bag from Carlo Rino is the most glorious color ever, and although it initially looked like a weird boxy square when it was hanging on the rack in their showroom, it transformed into this wonderfully creased leather must-have when I put it on my arm and filled it up a little. It's a grab-and-go holdall with excellent quality genuine leather, and looks perfectly slouchy no matter how full it is! Oh yeah, and this song will never, ever grow old.

+ Got a question for me? Pop in in my Tumblr ask box here!

margiela x h&m.

I know I'm like, 10 light-years behind everyone else on the M.M.M x H&M collab hype (which seemed to have subsided a little after the cray-cray NY launch party came and went), but after ploughing through piles of homework as generous, voluminous and abundant as the fabric lavished on this particular McQueen concoction (there I go again, trying to make connections between McQueen and my life. Heh.), only now do I have the pleasure of kicking back with some Earl Grey (with milk and sugar - my new obsession!) and enjoying these beautiful designs. The intricate kimono-style patchwork was a definite winner for me, and the sharp blue number with a flourishing sleeve screamed "trendy urban bitchacho whom you should NAHT mess with," again, always a winner! I go weak at the knees for anything with a lucite heel (I'm in the midst of begging Mom for her gorgeous pair of black Prada pumps with a deliciously chunky, translucent heel), so the lush leather boots pictured in the second-to-right image have got to be on the top of my infinite wishlist; what a great way to update the stiff equestrian boot! With ingenious plays on volume, style, and even culture - this collaboration will fly off the shelves. And how, you may ask? Why, upon these particular McQueen wings of my choice, of course! (I'm on a roll with these McQueen references, aren't I).

What do you think of this collaboration? Which is your favorite piece from the images above?

lana x h&m.

 
































It seems that Tinseltown's favourite girl has reached out her sharp claws to claim even more of the entertainment industry (is it a crime to stick fashion under the umbrella of entertainment? who knows.) - she's conquered modelling, music and movies - and now she's snagged the coveted title of H&M's AW12 face. And just when we thought Lana couldn't be soaring any higher - she's also comfortably secured her role as the face of H&M's AW13 campaign too!

This collection couldn't be more LANA. The designs are Lana, the cynical facial expressions are Lana, the colors are Lana, the hair is Lana. My favorite has to be the baby soft angora sweater in that sumptuous powdery rose hue, and in second place comes those muted floral pants, reminiscent of dark winter nights and forests and fairies and so what if I'm getting carried away because Lana's aesthetic is just so vast and full of possibilities and maybe those pants really are for fairies prancing around in the woods and night and also I love her so much okay.

 I love that this collection is so heavily influenced by her, especially since she's one of the few celebrities with a seriously strong, unshakeable aesthetic. It almost feels like H&M has finally been stamped with the vintage trademark of LDR - in other words, the line seems to represent her more than she represents the line. "A modern and feminine woman with a soft attitude" was apparently the concept of H&M's Autumn/Winter collection, and I don't see how they could've picked a better face. LDR is so incredibly versatile, and as listeners/fans, we get to see so much of who she is through what she does... without her ever saying too much. She has long nails, big hair and an even bigger voice, yet she's mysterious (and I love her for it) and really doesn't say that much in the face of the media. For some celebrities, this lack of extrovert arises as a problem, but I feel like I could be Lana's best friend because of how much I know about her solely through her music.

What do you think of Lana Del Rey's AW12 H&M collaboration? Are you excited to see her comeback during AW13 or would you prefer a change?

+ I also absolutely LOVE Lana's tattoos. I did some research and found out that she has 5 permanent ones, but she also regularly draws temporary ones for her gigs and concerts (namely various infinity signs and the words "life is beautiful" on her wrists). My favorites of her permanent tattoos are the two phrases written on the sides of each of her hands; one reads "paradise" and the other reads "trust no one." She also has the words "die young" on her ring finger, and a cursive capital "M" on her thumb, most probably signifying her grandmother named Madeleine. Lastly, she has "Nabokov Whitman" on her forearm, dedicated to Russian writer Vladimir Nabokov and poet Walt Whitman.

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things i hate.

A warning in advance: This is going to be a pessimistic, negative and somewhat grumpy post, as exam results are coming out this week... yeah, no further explanation needed. Veena is grumpy this week, and therefore her blogging will be a little grumpy too. Today, I'm going to talk about things I hate. Look, I even made sets on Polyvore representing all these crappy things that make me annoyed!

In my opinion, you're only eligible to wear bustiers (or "bralets") if you have the body for it. No one wants to see a plus-size babe bursting out of one of these, nor do they want to see a lanky, flat-chested person with a bustier hanging loosely off their shoulders (sorry, I'm being kind of a bitch right now as you can probably tell). I certainly don't have the body for one of these, and I don't think many people do. Another danger with these provocative tops is that its easy to look a little too slutty in them, regardless of how much you cover up your other assets. To me, bustiers are suitable for a few occasions only: with a high-waisted bandage skirt for parties/clubbing, or with daisy dukes for concerts and festivals (coachella, sigh).

Another article of clothing that annoys me: leggings. Like I mentioned with bustiers, these are only appropriate for certain body types. If you're short, these probably aren't for you. If you don't have lean, long perfect legs, these aren't for you. If you're gonna wear a crop top or a shirt of normal length, these also aren't for you. LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS. It is not at all decent for people to trot around with their tush out if they're wearing leggings, because leggings are not pants and you need to cover up your butt if you're going to wear leggings okay it's just the way the world works. But there's an exception made for dancers. Leggings are okay, for anyone and everyone. And it's okay to have your tush out if you're a dancer because dancers are special.

Okay I've made exceptions for both bustiers and leggings because in fairness, SOME people can pull them off, but platform high-tops are a massive no-no. They're seriously just disgusting. They make me nauseous. Perhaps you'll reconsider if you ever reach a seriously desperate stage in your life (cue Regina George's Juicy'd up mommaa)... But I doubt most of you will become botoxed, glammed-up OCD mothers who serve their teenage-daughters mocktails (if you don't understand my Mean Girls references I will be very sad), therefore you should all avoid these horrific heeled-sneakers. There's just no reason any sane human being would deem these acceptable to flaunt in public - let alone design them and make people pay outrageous prices for them. Okay my evil ranting is done. I promise you won't see another post of this nature in a long time.  

 

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white, denim & leather.

button-down blouse ~ paradise on a hanger

acid washed jeans ~ h&m

brogues ~ the little things she needs

tank top  ~ cotton on

cross-body satchel ~ h&m

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One trend that never fails to weave its way into every single gossip magazine is the classic ensemble of white, denim, and leather.There’s something so expensive-looking about a crisp white shirt, blue denim bottoms and a leather bag, and this simple look has a 100% success rate with all body types and skin colors. One of the best things about this look is how versatile it is; throw on an off-white trench, jeans and a messenger bag in the winter, and opt for a slouchy white tank top, frayed Daisy Dukes and a cross-body pouch for an afternoon in the sun. 

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I teamed this floaty button-down with contrasting acid-washed jeans, which I rolled up to a three-quarter length for a more classy, refined silhouette. Creamy leather brogues would've been the ideal companion to this outfit, but for now, my battered, faux-leather ones (RIP) will have to do. It was the subtle detailing that drew me into purchasing this cross-body pouch; I like things that appear simple at a glance, but prove to be more intricate upon a second look.
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personal style?

Shirt: TopShop

Shorts/Belt: H&M

Bracelets/Bangles: Vintage

Necklace: Forever 21

Boots: Doc Martens

I wish I had something intelligent to say in this post, but I really don't. So hello my darling readers, and welcome to one of Veena's "philosophical" rambles that most often don't make an ounce of sense. I hope you'll stay a while.

Anyway, this is one of my absolute favourite outfits. It's the perfect summation of my "personal style," edgy, a little cluttered, and a touch androgynous; although in a perfect world I would be wearing about thirteen rings in this picture. 

To be honest, I've never really understood the phrase "personal style," nor do I think I ever will, because sometimes what you wear is different from what you want to wear/like to wear, and that sort of contradicts the meaning of "personal style." I think it's stupid that people feel the need to categorize their taste and limit themselves by labelling a piece of clothing as "their style" or "not their style." Style should revolve around you, not the size of your hips/your ability to pull off daisy dukes. Style should make you smile and feel confident with who you are, so let yourself be happy with what you wear because style is an expression and extension of your personality. Anything can qualify as your "personal style" if you let it.

Moving on, YAAAAAAAY PHONE UPGRADE.

My early Christmas present has come my way, and I am overjoyed! (see before and after picture above). It's a huge upgrade from my previous Nokia, which was supposed to be temporary anyway, but oh my gosh I love my Blackberry 9780 (his name is Charlie by the way, I have a thing with naming my electronics), it's honestly the best thing ever. 

I'm definitely Team Blackberry as opposed to Team iPhone, what about you?

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