10qq with zack.

Meet Zack - an amazing singer, entertainment journalist, die-hard Taylor Swift fan and my best friend. With a job as Entertainment Editor for Popspoken and a worryingly large number of music gigs every week under his belt, Zack Hourihane is a social media butterfly (4.5K followers on Tumblr say what?!) with big dreams, overflowing talent and extraordinary potential. Check out what he has to say in this month's 10 Quick Questions segment! 

1. Favorite song of the moment:

Right now the song that's constantly on replay for me is a Miley Cyrus cover of a Bob Dylan song "You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go." It's a beautiful guitar ballad about a summer romance coming to its inevitable demise. The thing that I really love about this cover is the intense emotion Cyrus pours into the tune. Bob Dylan is an excellent song writer but not the best vocalist, so covers of his songs are often more beautiful than the originals. Miley's country twang really adds another dimension to the song and accentuates the bittersweet dreaminess that the song exudes.

2. Elaborate on your crazy Taylor Swift obsession!

It's really difficult to articulate how much I love Taylor Swift! It's going to end up sounding stupid and immature, but I'll try my best not to make it that way. My adoration for Taylor is much more than a simple celebrity obsession. I feel like Taylor is an old friend of mine; someone who is constantly there for me, even when people fail to appease me. She has a beautiful, consoling, thought provoking song for every emotion you could think of, and I really appreciate having that instant access to immediate stress relief. I also generally think she has a beautiful soul - obviously I don't know her personally, but from what I can tell from her music (which says a lot about a person) is that she's thoughtful, intelligent, kind, and inspiring. I have so much to thank Taylor for, as her songs have helped me through a lot of hard times.

3. Biggest achievement of 2012?

Probably performing at Westport music festival in Ireland this summer! It's really fantastic to have the opportunity to perform consistently in Singapore, but it was incredible to have the opportunity to perform internationally. It really meant a lot to perform in my homeland too, as I got to have my extended family see me (who wouldn't necessarily get the opportunity to see me perform) do what I love. I also got to play a song by an Irish band, which was perfect and extremely apt given the circumstances. Getting partnered on my YouTube channel was an amazing thing to happen as well, I've been trying to get partnered for so long and when it finally happened I literally jumped for joy! Another highlight was getting signed on as an entertainment journalist for Popspoken! I've had such a blast working there so far, and I can't wait to see what 2013 has in store for me with them.

4. Current food crush?

Salt and Vinegar Kettle Chips. I don't recommend trying them, they will ruin your life. 

5. Something you're looking forward to? 
Right now I'm really looking forward to finalising a contract with a management I've been in discussions with for quite some time now. I'm also looking forward to the end of this exam year, and with that - the summer! This summer I'm going to Ireland to see my family and then to America for some college scouting and a Taylor Swift concert. I'm stoked, it's going to be fantastic. 

6. Top two pet peeves?

I really hate it when people are too clingy with me. I love having friends around and hanging out with the people I care about, but when it becomes too intense and too full on with one person I get really annoyed and I pull back from the friendship a lot. Especially when I see the person a lot, like in class or outside of school. 

I also don't like rude PR people! This is one of my biggest annoyances. I don't like it when companies act like they're doing you a favor or they offer you some crappy product reward instead of a monetary compensation when asking to book you for a job. I need money to survive, I don't want your stupid vacuum cleaners! 

7. A goal of yours for 2013?

I really want to achieve good exam results! I've been working my butt off studying for our mock exams, and I hope that this level of studying and hard work is reflected in my grades. I'd like to make my parents proud, to thank them for all they've done for me in terms of my education. 

8. Favorite thing to do in your free time?

Make videos, play guitar, sing, read, watch TV shows.

9. Worst fears?

I'm deathly afraid of birds. I had a frightening encounter with a peacock when I was little, and the fear spread to every bird species and I just can't deal with them. I hate even being in somewhat close proximity, they make me feel really anxious and scared. 

10. Advice for aspiring singers?

It's important to develop an artist identity and not to lose it when you develop or become more successful. No matter what any person tells you, if your personal style or sound works for you and you like it, you should never change for someone else! It's totally up to you how you handle and conduct yourself too, so make sure you're always professional when around seniors who could better your career. 

+ Check out Zack's Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Instagram and Tumblr!
+ Sorry for skipping out on January's 10qq - exams left me with no time to pull together an interview!
 

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.