I can see you...

I am alive! I promise I have not forgotten about this blog but work has been crazy. Let's just say it never rains, but floods!!

Did anyone catch this perspex briefcase during Chanel's F/W RTW 09 show?

From trendsnow.net

I really love the humor and wit behind this, practicality issues notwithstanding. The perspex briefcase reminds me of the blister pack packaging that the action figures I used to purchase came in. Yes, there was a time in my past when I collected action figures...did I mention I'm a comic fan-girl too? (And no, I haven't watched Watchmen yet -_-) Back to the topic, I think Kaiser Karl has taken the idea of the iconic 2.55 as an investment item in these unstable economic times and literally issued it in a "collectible" packaging. The idea that the 2.55 comes with its own accessories (Chanel cosmetics, the iPod, geek glasses..), like any action figure, is simply wicked. I'll love to see someone rock it in real life....even if it can't really hold much, there shouldn't be any issues with airport security when one is using this briefcase!

I'll be heading to Vegas this weekend with KL to meet up with a friend, before I take off to New York on the 24th. I promise vacation posts in April...seriously this break couldn't come fast enough!

It's a case of the Mondays

Anyone still remember the movie, "Office Space?" ;)
When I first watched the movie, I didn't really get some of the jokes, but then I was a student at that time. Now sadly, I get everything.

Yaya Aflalo vapor leather jacket, Rogan for Target t-shirt, Zucca wool leggings, Marc Jacobs evening sequins bag, H&M heels

I wanted to be really comfortable today so I threw on a lot of my broken-in favorites. My Yaya Aflalo leather jacket which I got because of its Rick Owens vibe. It'll do for now till I can spare the money (post studies!) to get the real deal. My Zucca wool leggings which is incredibly soft and my overwashed Rogan for Target tee which just gets better and better with wear. When I first got it, it was supposed to be a t-shirt dress, but it shrank so much during wash that it became quite indecent to wear it on its own, even though I used cold water and I air-dried it. Still, I love it so much that I wish I had stock up on multiples of it! And I just love how whimsical the MJ bag is..there's a little frog on the clasp and he has pink eyes..how cute is that?

PS. Anyone caught the Oscars last night? Hugh Jackman's such a great singer/dancer...especially love that impromptu duet between him and Anne Hathway.

Chanel S/S 09: The Paper-bag bag

Several things about the Chanel S/S 09 runway show stood out to me: the Rue Cambon backdrop, the jewelery, the shoes, the evening wear especially the flamenco-style skirts, the guitar(!) and the male models.

But what really lingered in my mind long after surfing away from style.com was the Chanel carrier bag that Kaiser Karl has choose to do up in leather, and release as part of the S/S 09 collection.

Essential bag, from style.com

Meant to be released in March 2009, as part of S/S Act II, the name for this leather carrier bag is the Essential.

I still cannot decide if the bag is kitschy or whimsical, but it's definitely a conversation-starter, to say the least. I wonder if Kaiser Karl was being ironic, by reinterpreting the utilitarian carrier bag as a handbag? Or was he indulging his inner Dada-ist and doing a Duchamp by remaking a carrier bag in leather? After all the iconic 2.55 was literally turned on its head in the same runway show and its chain strap attached to what was usually the side of the bag.

Upside down bag, from style.com

For those who are interested in the above bag, it's named "Upside Down" and is also part of S/S Act II.

Anti-fashion or not, there is no denying that Chanel's cachet will move these bags. Personally, I wouldn't mind owning the essential bag in the largest east-west size in black. For those of you who grew up in Singapore during the late 80s and 90s, I wonder if you still remember the craze over the so-called branded carrier bags? This might not make much sense to those of you born in the US, but it was considered hip among Singaporean teenagers then to be seen toting a carrier bag(literally the paper kind!, the ones they put your purchases in!) from foreign brands like Guess, Esprit, Levis, etc! These brands were considered fashionable among Singaporean teens then, so even if you weren't really wearing its clothing, carrying its carrier still made you cool by association. So to me, the Chanel essential bag is the ultimate carrier - how awesome would I be to my teenage self and peers back then! The essential bag would be such delicious irony, though to be realistic, I just know that the essential bag is something that I admire conceptually, but would not fork out the money for given Chanel's delusional and cut-throat prices.

P.S. I hope I didn't just date myself with this post! ;)

California dreamin'

Today was my last day of rest before I officially head back to work.
I had been holed up at home since last Wednesday because I caught a really nasty cold and KL (my husband) thought some fresh air and sunshine would be good for me, instead of letting me mope around for one more day.

We headed out to the beach near by and this is really one of the things that I love so much about SoCal. The proximity of the beaches, their cleanliness, the people-watching, plus the great boost that the salty sea air gives to my hair!
Plus the huge peanut buttercup ice cream cone that I had cheered me up considerably. I just love eating ice cream during cold days, even thought it may seem counter-intuitive.

Here's what I wore, I basically threw on what I could find with the main aim of keeping warm:

H&M jacket, Alexander Wang henley dress, Falke leggings, Ann Demeulemeester boots, Chanel baby cabas.

Balenciaga F/W 08 wedge boots

Courtesy of jakandjil.com

These hoof boots........

My take:

Junya Watanabe shrug, AA dress, AA leggings, Balenciaga wedge boots, Chanel baby cabas.

P.S. It's true they do make you stomp around like a horse!

Shoes vs Bags

Courtesy of jakandjil.com

I have always been very much a bag girl.
In fact, it was while googling for bags one night, that led me to The Fashion Spot, that led me to become infatuated with fashion.
So you can pretty much say that bags were my primer into fashion-proper.

Yet lately, (I think this pretty much started mid last year?) I have become obsessed with shoes.
I don’t know if this is because of the proliferation of websites like Yoox and eBay, where designer shoes can be found at discounted prices (though this may not be so true for Yoox now with the greenback’s ups and downs and eBay is pretty much a caveat emptor case.), or is it because shoe designs have become a little more outrageous, a little more architectural, a little more interesting with every passing season, which me likey!

I suspect that it’s more likely the latter and shoe “porn” sites like Jak&Jil, are not helping me curb this fascination. ;)

I tend to pay more for bags, instead of shoes as I used to feel that bags are a sound investment versus shoes which get “devalued” the moment they are worn. But perhaps this is not the proper way to look at things, as now I feel that the trippy feeling that the “right” pair of shoes can impart is pretty much incomparable and so is the confidence that it gives me. This is not a reason however for me to go on an indiscriminate buying spree, but I do see this current mentality as natural evolution of my style.

As for my bags, I still love them very much (Geez, I talk about them like they are my kids!) but the time for growing my bag collection has passed. I’m extremely happy and contented with the bags I have now and don’t foresee purchasing another new one in the near future, unless of course the Birkin of my dreams comes my way! ;)

Spring Wishlist

My first post for 2006!

(And I know I have been lazy for the past few months - sorry everyone! ;))

Finally the F/W season is coming to an end and spring-summer collections have already debuted on the catwalks several weeks back. I have always been a little confused over the F/W collections, given that every nice ensemble seems to require a nicely-cut jacket and boots and how possible is it to pull that off in sweltering, humid Singapore?

Things are so much easier when it comes to S/S collections. These clothes are made for a hot climate and this translates into wardrobe longevity for a Singaporean like me. The season ahead will be exciting as spring heralds a return back to a more feminine (not girly), polished and elegant look.

Minimalism is slowly making its presence felt on the street, while at the other end of the spectrum, the conflicting trend of lace and romanticism is still going strong. Wedges and platforms seems to be the dominanat footwear of choice in all the collections presented to anchor the soft and diaphanous chiffon creations.

Here a few key pieces that I am lusting for this Spring:

1. Al Fresco Espadrilles by Lulu Guinness

Pic from anthropologie.com

In one word, these shoes are really, really cute!
The striped insole, together with the bright red bows invokes a nautical feel and is a perfect remedy to the heavier hues of black and grey from F/W.

2. Fendi B-belt

Pic from style.com

To be honest, I probably have the perfect belt sitting inside my closet waiting for me to use it. I do have a collection of belts that can be worn on the waist or on the hips, so what's the rationale behind wanting another belt yet again?

Nothing, except that I don't have a white belt and that this concoction by Herr Karl is too gorgeous to pass up.

Oh and did I mention that belts are still going strong as an accessory for Spring?

3. Miu Miu shift dress

Pic from style.com

There have been rumours flying around that Miss Miuccia Prada will be the third designer to be brought on board to design a "massclusive" collection for H&M after Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney. If that is true, I can hardly wait, even if it means another mass stampede and jacked-up Ebay prices.

Miu Miu is probably one of the few diffusion lines where I feel equal, if not more, thought has been given to its collections than its main line, in this case, Prada.
This sweet, empired-waist white shift dress is a nod to sixties mod-style. I love the structured volume of this dress, which I feel is a kinder and more forgiving style on most figures than the bubble skirts of F/W. This dress will go perfectly with wedges.

4. Rebecca Taylor swiss-dot chiffon dress

Pic from bergdorfgoodman.com

This is a lovely vintage piece to throw on. 'Nuff said.

5. Apple MacBook Pro

Pic from apple.com

All right, so this is not fashion and it is not a seasonal item, but it's a wishlist, right?

This laptop signifies a computing breakthrough. Intel dual-core chips are used inside an Apple computer. Simply put, think of it as a Windows XP version of the Apple Powerbook, though the question of whether it is possible to run Microsoft's Windows OS on the MacBook Pro is still unanswered. I'll leave that to The Fiancé to find out.

This is such a cool machine to blog on! (And no, that's not being shallow;))

6. Celine Clandestine Bag

Pic from style.com

Ok, I promised The Fiancé no more bags for a gazillion years, but this bag was simply too cute to pass up. (Sorry, baby;))

I never thought that I would like a bag from Celine, but this quirky old-lady creation was too whimisical to pass up, plus the bag just looks so gorgeous on Jessica Stam. Better than an LV or Gucci that's so common on the streets nowadays.

7. Omega Speedmaster

Pic from omegawatches.com

My watch is probably the only thing that has remained unchanged for more than five years. I guess this could be due to a weird mentality that I subscribe to that watches should be given as gifts and not purchased for oneself. My dad or my sister has bought every watch that I own and the one which I wear constantly is a Seiko Kinetic which my dad gave me when I was in junior college.

Now that there is another man, ie The Fiancé, in my life, I guess he should know what to get me from my birthday this year right?

Yikes, I can now hear him rolling on the floor clutching his chest in pain.

It's finally here!!!!

My black Chanel 2.55 re-issue!

Another picture of the re-issues in from top to middle: the white re-issue in the 224 size, the black re-issue in 226/227, and the grey re-issue in the jumbo 228 size. picture from thefashionspot.com

After the agony of waiting nearly two months on the waitlist for it, I finally laid my hands on the iconic Chanel bag for this F/w season.

The date was September 1st and I harassed, begged and threatened The Boyfriend till he agreed to drive me down to South Coast Plaza that day to pick up my re-issue.

It has been a long wait. Prior to that day, I was on the wait-list for the large size (the 227) in white. I got a call from my Chanel SA in mid-August to go down to the store to view the bags in real life. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to pick up my re-issue that day as the official launch date for these babies was the 1st September in the US. After viewing the bags in various sizes in white, grey and black, I fall in love with the black re-issue in the same size - something about the combination of the black distressed leather, tarnished gold hardware and the delicate gold filigree shoulder chain convinced me that this was the one to get. Regrettably, I had to give up my white re-issue (if money was not a problem, I'll get all three!!), but my wonderful SA worked her magic and guaranteed me a black re-issue for collection when I returned on the 1st September. Take that, waitlist!! :p

So finally, the day came. As I walked into the store, MY bag was there for me, all wrapped up in a be-ribboned black box. As my SA gingerly unwrapped the box and took my precious bag out of it, it was all I could do not to snatch it from her. I probably piroutted and posed several times in front of the full length mirrors in the Chanel store, it was perfect, perfect, perfect! The size, the hardware, the leather, the colour, I had a feeling that I was going to be using this bag very often!

Initially I was really worried that the 227 would be too large for me, however after trying it on again, I was convinced that I had made the correct decision. I already had another 2.55 for my lady-like ensembles, this was the time to go for something with that little extra, that X-factor and a hard-edged vibe. The black re-issue in the 227 meet my requirements perfectly, it was vintage and distressed, yet not too large to be disproportional. Thus far, I have worn it with a lot of things in my clost and I am excited to see what else I can pair it with!

These are the photos that I took of myself with my re-issue on that very day:

Pictures of me with my black re-issue.

And for an idea of proportion, here's a picture of my re-issue with my red Chanel 2.55:

Lost in translation - working your summer pieces into Fall

Tis' a glorious time to start shopping again.

Fall or at least pre-fall collections are starting to debut in shops all over and it's hard not to get into a tizzy with the promise of new clothes, new styles and new trends to drool over.

Dear reader, if you have accumulated a sizeable stash over summer (like me!), fret not. As I have mentioned in my earlier posts and which I shall reiterate, fashion cycles are getting shorter. Stash the trendy items that you really love in your wardrobe for now and pray that they will be trendy again.

Remember the military trend of 2003? Well it's back again this time for F/W 2005. Granted, the army green may have been traded in for navy wool and shiny brass buttons, a la The Admiral, but the epaulettes and military embellishments still abound.

First seen in its Riviera chic incarnation in resort collections this year, it was later given a seaworthy spin by Nicolas Ghesquière for Balenciaga's S/S 05 collection.

Balenciaga S/S 2005 - from Balenciaga.com

These pieces have since then been given a high Parisian polish for F/W, with more intricate details being worked in, as well as the emergence of a stronger silhouette, a drastic departure from the relaxed form for spring.

Balenciaga F/W 2005 - from Balenciaga.com

The most iconic piece of this trend is probably epitomized in this Jean Paul Gaultier jacket for his F/W 05 collection:

Jean Paul Gaultier nautical jacket, F/W 2005 - style.com

This is an extremely workable trend for night - nothing adds panache to an ensemble like a well-cut jacket. Unfortunately, this may be a hard style to carry off during the day. For a more casual touch, I can see navy pants and stripy tops from the summer being worn past fall. Remember however that this is sailor chic, so while navy wool and brass buttons will work, camouflage stripes will just look dated. It is even possible to pair the voluminous skirts seen in summer with a structured nautical jacket for Fall.

As for the floaty chiffon dresses seen all to often in summer, these can be easily translated into a stunning fall ensemble. The sheerness of the fabric can in fact balance out the heavier textures and fabric used for fall. Dresses like these are the most versatile; it can layered with scarves, worn with a trench/blazer or with boots or heels.

Chloe S/S 2005 - style.com

I am especially fond of this look which was seen on the Chloe' runway for S/S2005. It is a prime example of how with a little flair and creativity, we are still about to wear our summer pieces well into fall.

White dresses were very popular this season due to the boho trend and nothing provides a better canvas for the jeweled tones of Fall than white. If you are a great fan of vintage, especially of pieces from the Victorian/Edwardian era, rejoice for this is one trend that is rapidly heating up for Fall. With the appropriate accessories, I believe that certain dresses can even be transformed into Victoriana ensembles, which is another popular Fall style to watch.

Some of my favourite pieces on the runway are :

Chloe F/W 05 ;pictures from style.com

The silhouette of the above pieces look decidly Edwardian

Heavier Victorian influences here:

Chloe F/W 05 ;pictures from style.com

While I personally hate to see this being done to death for Fall much like the bohemian trend, there is no denying the strong presence of the romantic novel blouse/dress seen on several runway collections for Fall. As with all trends, never wear this head-to-toe, Victoriana looks best when there is one iconic piece in the entire outfit. The best example that I can think of is to wear the romantic blouse with cigarette pants or skinny jeans. This image has been seared into my mind ever since I came across this picture below in an editorial of Vogue July 05.

Gucci F/W 05 - reproduced from Vogue USA July 2005.

High street stores like Zara have already debuted an interesting Victoriana collection for Fall and I have already picked up several pieces (to add on to my vintage collection) with interesting trimmings like lace, beads and pompoms.

A popular colour for Fall, which might have come about due to the strong nautical vibe this coming F/W, is a deep rich royal blue. This hue is seen in several pieces from the fashion houses – it is one of colours seen in the palette of offerings from Balenciages for their famed classique bags, produced in several colours of the rainbow. Gucci has brought back their horsebit hobo in a gorgeous blue for their new Guccissima leather collection, while the paddington from Chloe’ has been reinvented in a jewel blue tone as well. Lanvin has debuted its new line up of flats for Fall and there is a particular loafer style done in rich blue velvet that is so pretty – I have become the proud owner of a pair!

Pretty in blue, those bags get a new coat of paint - from left: Chloe' Paddington (chloe.com); Gucci Guccissima horsebit hobo (nm.com)

It is easier to wear a piece from summer to fall, rather than vice-versa, simply because it gets too hot. I realize that for fall, I tend to concentrate more on accessories like bags and shoes and spend less on clothes. The sumptuousness of Fall fabrics makes it a little harder to wear them past winter, while layering can really stretch the versatility of summer pieces. Similarly, I believe that the line between summer clothing and fall clothing is rapidly blurring. I think it is great fun and a test of style to transition pieces from one season to another. Some things are obvious – no ruffled minis in Fall (I never understood why these were still around anyway, particularly on tweens in LA – wasn’t this suppose to die out last year?), but other pieces can be extremely versatile and worn season after season, like jeans or cropped jackets.

As always, be aware of yourself, build up your own style and recognise what works for you and what doesn't. With better self-assurance, you will be able to sieve through the new Fall trends and re-interpret them equally well with existing pieces in your wardrobe!

Re-inventing the classic 2.55

I must admit, I am slowly becoming a Chanel convert with the purchase of my very first Chanel bag - a red 2.55

For this upcoming season (F/W 2005) the current doyenne of the great house of Chanel, Karl Lagerfield, has taken it upon himself to re-issue the classic 2.55 as originally designed by the great Madame Coco Chanel herself.

First launched in February 1955 (and thus its name), the design of the 2.55 was considered avant garde for its time as its shoulder chain straps allowed a woman's hands to be free as she could sling the bag on her shoulder. Yup, we have definitely come a long way in feminine design/fashion since then.

The leather of the re-issue is wrinkled and distressed, giving it a romantic vintage air - like a bag that has been lovingly passed down through the generations from your grandmother to you. Karl has removed the distinctive leather strap running through the iconic chain straps for the re-issue. Instead the metal straps have been lovingly reworked into a vintage fleur-de-lis pattern,almost like delicate shoulder jewellery, with gold hardware for the black, nickel for the white and silver for the gray. The re-issue comes in the above three colours only and will be available in seven sizes, with one that will respect the dimensions of the current 2.55 in the Chanel stores.

The re-issue is expected to hit stores in late August/early September. This bag will surely be one of the iconic bags for fall and will be a perfect complement to the Victoriana trend that's sweeping through the runways for Fall.

 

Re-issue of the iconic 2.55 from Chanel ; article reproduced from Harpers Bazaar.

A year wiser!

Yay! Tomorrow is my birthday!
Can't wait to see what presents my sister gets for when she returns from Europe! (I hope she is reading my blog now..)

For the moment, this is what I got from my boyfriend:

Sweet! Another Chanel! \^-^/

Chanel - The Eternal Classic

I have never quite understood the allure of the House of Chanel until recently.

Call it ignorance or naivete if you will, but Chanel had always conjured up images of marmish woman in shoulder-padded power suits (a la the 80s) for me.

I guess my interest in Chanel first started with the launch of their Cambon Ligne line last year. The bags were interesting, but I still held back from investing in one as I wasn't sure if a Cambon Ligne was what I wanted.

It wasn't till I saw Ashley Olsen with a black Cerf tote that I visited the Chanel store in Singapore. There I saw the 2.55 for the first time and maybe, just being a few months wiser and with a better sense of style, I finally understood the appeal of the 2.55

So now, I am the proud owner of my very first 2.55.

Mdm Coco Chanel - a stylish woman ahead of her times.

A picture of my red 2.55!!

It's Spring in California

I have followed my boyfriend to California. He's here for work and I am here on vacation. We have been out drinking beer with his colleagues last night and I am just hiding in the room today nursing a hangover. Who ever has a hangover on beer-that only happens to me.

I am a die-hard shopholic and being in California is wonderful for me. I get to make use of all the free shipping and almost all websites ship to California! Bad thing is.. I am now on a hunt for a Chloe Silverado. Damn, those things are sure as slithery as snakes and hard to find. I have made contact with an SA from Chloe NYC, but something went wrong with either my email or hers, because I am not getting the information she said she would send to me. Ah well, that means I have to get up early tomorrow to call her again.

I am a compulsive shopper...no one should trust me with their credit card and my boyfriend knows that REALLY WELL. Of course we respect each other and I would never charge anything to his card without his approval. If not, I would have a hard time explaining the Fendi spy bag that turned up on our doorstep. In case you haven't guessed by now, I am an incorrigible bag-hag. I collect bags as a hobby and let me tell you that is a damn expensive hobby.

Recent purchases includes:
1. Balenciaga white twiggy
2. Balenciaga teal classique
3. Bottega Veneta Origami Hobo
4. Luella Bartly white baby Gisele - not too sure about this one, am intending to auction this off on eBay
5. Chloe Paddington

Wow. Now that I have looked at the list, I realised I probably spent last year's bonus ( and more) away.

But the thrill of owing these babies is unexplainable and it's all thanks to the advice that I picked up from regular postings on theFashionSpot.com. There are bag-experts galore.

Next up on my target list would be:
1. Chloe Silverado - very very difficult..but I relish a challenge
2. Balenciage City Classique in rouge theatre - should I get another balenciaga?
3. Fendi Spy Bag - this I love.

Ok time to get dinner now. A fashionista's still gonna eat.