#AFF2012 part 1 - street style.

If I could give the organisers and sponsors and audience members and designers and models and everyone involved in the Audi Fashion Festival 2012 a hugely gigantic hug for being so awesome, I bloody would. Attending two shows at this years Fashion Festival was an honor I'd gladly relive, and after witnessing such breathtaking collections before my eyesAfter a weekend filled with flawless fashion shows and star-studded excitement, it's hard not to ramble on and on about everything that the Audi Fashion Festival had to offer. Instead, I'm going to try and pace myself by splitting my #AFF2012 experience into 3 posts:

• One with some street style pictures of Fashion-Festival-Goers and an introduction to AFF (this post)
• One on the Zac Posen Pre-Fall and A/W 2012 collections 
• One on the Roland Mouret A/W 2012 Closing show

Situated in a massive, temporary "Tent@Orchard" outside Ngee Ann City (one of Singapore's most timeless shopping destinations), the Audi Fashion Festival ran for 4 days. AFF wasn't exactly fashion "week," (3 days short, to be exact!) but it's definitely something that's bound to grow bigger in the future. Our little island is slowly but surely headed for the stars, as fashion is now a fast growing phenomenon in Singapore. Although AFF spanned a mere 4 days, those 4 days were certainly packed to the brim with high-octane glamour and round-the-clock entertainment (after parties by Belvedere Vodka? yes please!). Each day, Tent@Orchard hosted a wealth of up to 5 shows; from international labels to local sensations (alldressedup and RAOUL being the favourites). An exclusive press conference was also held, as was CLEO Magazine's Runway Search Finale.

Each and every glittering component that made up the fabulous Audi Fashion Festival was well endowed with the finest Singaporean celebrities and personalities; from MTV VJs to Radio DJs, local bloggers and designers, socialites and hard-core fashion fans - you couldn't miss the high fashion that Orchard Road was drenched in during that short week. And for those like myself who drool over gorgeous street style, you would've been in for a real treat. While I was busy with a Limonata in one hand and a metallic clutch in the other, frolicking around in the Belvedere Vodka Lounge with fellow bloggers from Moments with Meera and Poisepolish, my lovely mother, who's recently adopted an interest in photography, decided to come out and use her newly acquired photography skills (and lens!) to take street style photographs and portraits of AFF-goers. Here are some of her best shots:

All in all, my first time at the Audi Fashion Festival was nothing short of fabulous, and I'm literally counting down the days until AFF2013! Stay tuned for more posts on the Audi Fashion Festival coming up in the next few weeks!

Some stuff that I don't have pictures for but are still worth mentioning:

+ I met Denise Keller before the Roland Mouret show! I got a picture with her and chatted to her, she's super lovely and so stunning!

+ I saw Tallulah Harlech at both the Zac Posen and the Roland Mouret show, perched in the front row of course! 

+ I was lucky enough to have a few people approach me with either "were you in Seventeen magazine?" and/or "do you write Seven Inch Stilettos?" I was so utterly flattered that people recognized me and asked to take a picture with me, that was one of the highlights of AFF2012 for me, so thank you to all who came to say hi :)

follow seven inch stilettos on facebook/twitter/bloglovin'/tumblr

lana del rey.

I'm no Lana Del Rey superfan (yet...), and I'm not claiming to know all the facts about her, but I thought I'd do a post dedicated to this pop-culture sensation who's been on the rise for about half a year now, simply because from the little I know about her, I'm head over heels in a girl-crush.

I'm an avid fan of her music, which is an addictive, lustrous blend of priceless vocals (think Regina Spektor's quirkiness crossed with Adele's power) and hypnotizing beats. I'm now on the hunt for all her unreleased, "hidden" music - even before her days of being known as Lana Del Rey (she was Lizzie Grant until a few years ago!). Her songs are flawlessly orchestrated, and each carry a wealth of emotion and meaning, unlike the bulk of 21st century pop music we often hear. Her music doesn't only evoke the emptiness of heartbreak and the intoxication of love, it literally builds a full picture - an entire universe in one's mind, of Lana's world. "Queen of the Gas Station," for example, instantly makes me think of Lana seductively draped over a vintage car at twilight in the back of a rural American gas station, in a floral bustier and frayed, faded Daisy-Dukes, humming satirically and turning her nose up at passer-bys with that killer bitch-stare of hers.

From her perpetually manicured claws (literally; they're claws) to her old-Hollywood styled locks, Lana clearly ticks more boxes than just music. She has an insanely developed aesthetic, which in some ways is more powerful than her music itself (she didn't land the cover of Vogue UK for just her vocals, after all!). Just like Katy Perry is associated with promiscuous latex outfits and Lady Gaga goes hand in hand with metallics and McQueenadillos, Lana Del Rey has quickly marked her territory: old-Hollywood glamour with a seductive smidgeon of undeniable class.

What do you guys think of Lana Del Rey?

follow seven inch stilettos on facebook/twitter/bloglovin'/tumblr

check out what i wrote for FASHIONBLOGLOVE.com here!

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.  

 

follow seven inch stilettos on facebook/twitter/bloglovin'/tumblr

check out what i wrote for FASHIONBLOGLOVE.com here!

10QQ with maria.

For this month's 10QQ segment, we're talking to Maria, a 15 year old art enthusiast who lives in Australia and runs Avenue Maria. As the picture above suggests, Maria is definitely a pastel-donning, floral-esque girly girl, who's style is predominantly comprised of thrift-store gems.  After a lengthy scroll on her beautiful blog (I get so carried away with reading her awesome posts!), I can safely say that her flawlessly-formatted "Avenue" is of higher quality than most fashion blogs you'll find out there. With her radiant smile, deliciously pink & girly blog and unforgettable sense of style, things for this sweet dreamer can only get better from here.

~

1) A female singer you look up to and why: Adele. There are so many people who complain and imply that she should be thinner, yet she still stands her ground and loves herself just the way she is.

2) Favourite color for Spring/Summer: Pinks and light blues. I love to wear pastels in the Spring and keep things very girlie.

3) A designer you think is overrated: Chanel is very overrated. Some of their collections are beautiful but most of it is tacky and I'm sick of seeing the logo on oversized,
brightly coloured earrings and bags. Coco Chanel was represented as a classy, sophisticated woman. The logo is now nothing more than a cheap, overdone version of what she created.

4) What your style is inspired by: Mad Men, Anne of Green Gables and anything vintage!

5) Something you like to do in your free time: Op-shop and read...I could wander around a thrift store for hours!

6) Favourite subject at school: Art. It combines two of my favourite things: drawing and talking non-stop.

7) Why you like fashion: I could go on and on about this question! I love it because the sky is the limit... you can dress up in absolutely anything and it could be warped into 'fashion'.

8) The best thing about blogging: Definitely the friends you make! I have two lovely pen pals (as a result of blogging) and I have found numerous blogs that I adore and am inspired by.

9) Three foods you hate: Yoghurt, pumpkin and salt-and-vinegar flavoured anything. Bleh!

10) 5 things you always have with you: Baby Lips lip balm, a good book, pens, paper and water. I know, how boring!

 What do you think of Maria's style and Avenue Maria?

Interested in being featured exclusively in one of Seven Inch Stilettos' monthly 10QQ posts?

Email me here with your name, age, country of residence, nationality, some information about yourself, and 5-7 pictures of your style.

follow seven inch stilettos on facebook/twitter/bloglovin'/tumblr

sri lanka 2012.

As some of you might already know, I was lucky enough to spend a relaxing week in Sri Lanka over my Spring Break. It was the first time I'd been there, and although we didn't do much exploring of the country and culture (we sort of villa-hopped and shut out the rest of the world and lazed on the beach and ate way too much for a whole week), it was a rejuvenating haven away from the bustling city life I'm so used to. Punctuated with exotic spicy Sri Lankan curries, sunkissed days (and slathering aloe-vera gel on our sunburn the next morning!) and the rhythmic crashing of azure waves, it was a lovely, albeit lazy and unproductive week!

The first place we stayed at was an absolutely beautiful villa (by the equally beautiful name of "Auraliya" - seriously how great is that name?) belonging to some friends of ours - pictured in the two images above. With spacious rooms, a priceless sea view, a large lawn and the best service I have ever experienced in my life, the few days we spent here with our friends were so memorable. 

 ~

Seriously though, how awesome is that pool?! As soon as it got dark each night, they turned on these little fairy lights which completely illuminated and transformed the pool into a blanket of stars; at your feet as opposed to over your head!

Although we didn't do much exploring of the country, we did go on a safari in Yala National Park! Although sitting in a seriously bumpy jeep for 7 hours was a challenge, the scenery, the animals, and the sheer amount of open space made me feel so infinite. Rolling hills, vast lakes, and animals literally everywhere - Yala was truly a sanctuary of abundant, untouched nature.

~

"I love places that make you realize how tiny you and your problems are."

 Apologies for the excessive amount of sunset pictures in relation to everything else - seeing such stunning sunsets every night was the most wonderful way to wind down a long day. After Sri Lanka, I feel like I have a newfound appreciation for this simple phenomenon. It's as if the light is melting away into darkness, accentuated by succulent swirls of burnt hues. Amber, sienna, vermillion, gold, magenta and ochre streak the sky in opulent doses, and for a precious few minutes, the sky transforms right before your eyes. 

 Hope everyone had an equally relaxing Spring Break; I'd love to hear about your adventures too!

follow seven inch stilettos on facebook/twitter/bloglovin'/tumblr
photo credits to my talented mother and her Canon 7D!

seventeen singapore!

This month, I was lucky enough to model for Seventeen Magazine Singapore! It was an absolutely amazing experience; modelling for such an esteemed publication was a true honor. I appeared in a two-page spread called "Work Your Basics," an advertorial for Japanese clothing brand UNIQLO. If you're in Singapore, do pick up an issue - Seventeen Singapore is one of the best magazines out there. It was an exhausting 4-hour shoot, but I really did have a lot of fun hanging out with the fashion and beauty writers of Seventeen, and I hope to work with them again in the future! 

 ___________________________________________________________________________

On another note; SEVEN INCH STILETTOS NEEDS YOU.

 I'm looking for anyone who's interested in being part of my 10QQ segment. For those of you who've never read one of these posts, they're basically a series of photographs and 10 quick questions which together provide a bite-sized feature on someone stylish. The questions aren't just limited to fashion either - they're about anything and everything! I've done a couple of these short interview posts (click here to see them) in the past, but I'd like to take this one step further by taking advantage of all my super-stylish readers and giving you guys a chance to be featured on here!

Requirements:

There is no age or gender requirement, you don't have to be a fellow blogger, and you can be from anywhere in the world. All that's required is a strong sense of style, an interest in fashion and an open personality to answer the 10 random questions I give you!

To apply:

Email me (seveninchstilettos@gmail.com) with 5-6 high resolution pictures of yourself and your style (a variety of different outfits would be appreciated, please!), and tell me your name, where you're from, how old you are, and a little bit about yourself. Remember you don't have to be a blogger to be featured- if you're someone from my school, for instance, then please approach me! This offer doesn't really expire either - so there's no rush because it'll always be open!

If your application is successful, I'll get back to you within a week :)

For legal reasons, the photographer wasn't able to send me the high-resolution digital copies of my modelling, so these Photobooth snapshots of the magazine will have to suffice!

follow seven inch stilettos on facebook/twitter/bloglovin'/tumblr

au revoir, ritz paris.

Not everyone gets a 14-page spread in Vogue magazine as a farewell gift...

But the Ritz Paris does!

The latter half of every Vogue issue is what I like to refer to as the "meat" of the magazine. It's home to all the endless editorials and lengthy articles of the month; with none of those superfluously scientific health rambles or European villa reviews to interrupt the fantasmical flow of fashion that awaits once the halfway-mark of the magazine is passed. 

This April, a bittersweet reverie of infinite luxury and sumptuous style graced the pages of Vogue as some of the top names in the industry recalled decades' worth of fond (models napping in-between shows in Donatella Versace's suite - fake eyelashes still intact) and wild (intoxicated designers and models staggering around, post runway show, with flutes of champagne till the early hours) memories at the Ritz Paris. Soon to close it's doors for renovation, Vogue took hold of this last opportunity to celebrate the glamour and regal heritage of this celebrated hotel by shooting the ever-breathtaking Kate Moss in a series of haute couture and custom "made for Vogue" ensembles by the world's most esteemed designers. From candy-colored confections to sombre, stiff tableaux, the variety of photographs is almost as splendid as the majestic, gem-adorned interiors of the Ritz. 

As well as photographing Kate Moss in all her finery, the lens also shifted to the meticulous organization "behind the scenes" (which was no less glamorous!). Pictures of the doormen, chefs, waiters, bartenders, receptionists and hotel management punctuated the dramatic scenes, such as the one of Mrs. Moss perched vainly atop a curtained bed. This editorial was unique in the sense that it included more than just photographs- it told an intimate story close to the hearts of many, and celebrated a destination that was more than just somewhere to crash for a few nights. The Ritz Paris transcended the boundaries of just a hotel; it was the home of the most fabulous moments and memories that the fashion industry has to offer. 

 After all, what better way to say "au revoir," or rather, "à bientôt," than to publish an editorial in honour of this iconic fashionista's haven?