credit: left - pixiemarket.com, right - thefashionspot.com
Red.Leather.Jacket.
How gloriously fabulous and impractical...yet there's something about one that makes me go back to it again and again.
Wishful thinking or a wishlist shoo-in?
Showing posts with label balenciaga. Show all posts
Showing posts with label balenciaga. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Scarlet Fever
Red.Leather.Jacket.
How gloriously fabulous and impractical...yet there's something about one that makes me go back to it again and again.
Wishful thinking or a wishlist shoo-in?
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Cream Pan
May is almost over and I am nearing the end of my first year in MBA school. Where has all the time gone?!
Still over the weekend KL and I decided to check out a very famous Japanese bakery in Orange County. Very famous, because if you check out the bakery, Cream Pan, on Yelp, there's nothing but endless raves about their baked goods, especially their strawberry croissants. Needless to say, I had to experience the food for myself - what could be so spectacular about strawberry croissants?
The place is really nondescript, with no indication of the culinary treasures inside :P Coincidentally it's tucked away in the plaza next to Honda-ya. When I was there, I got the legendary strawberry croissants, an azuki (red-bean) cream pan ("pan", パ ン is Japanese for bread), a peach danish and a pork-katsu sandwich box.
Peach danish:
Pork-katsu sandwich, a little pricey at $6 but chock full of ingredients!
And the baked goods, the strawberry croissants and azuki cream-pan. Because of all the hype over the strawberry croissants, KL and I decided that we could not share and we each had to get one.
Close-ups- first, the heavenly azuki pan!
...and the delicious strawberry croissant:
Verdict? Strawberry croissants - GOOD! The crust's flaky and the cream sweet but not overly so, balanced nicely by the tangy sweetness of the strawberries. But the one that I enjoyed most of all is the azuki cream pan. In fact, KL did too, so much so that we ended up fighting each other to eat it. The sweet red bean paste complimented the fluffy light whipped cream perfectly, all encased in a crispy pastry shell. Definitely try out these two items if you ever stop by Cream Pan.
My outfit for the day, harem pants are perfect for pigging out:
Wearing American Apparel cardigan, complexgeometries top, H&M harem pants, Ann Demeulemeester lace-up sandals, Balenciaga clutch.
I have to say though, if you want to try out the food at Cream Pan, BE THERE EARLY.
These pictures were taken during our second trip there, the first time we went to Cream Pan was in the afternoon and their shelves were swept clean. Seriously, now I understand why!
In the upcoming weeks I will be holed up in a study room somewhere finishing up on group projects and mugging for exams, so expect slooooow updates :/
Still over the weekend KL and I decided to check out a very famous Japanese bakery in Orange County. Very famous, because if you check out the bakery, Cream Pan, on Yelp, there's nothing but endless raves about their baked goods, especially their strawberry croissants. Needless to say, I had to experience the food for myself - what could be so spectacular about strawberry croissants?
The place is really nondescript, with no indication of the culinary treasures inside :P Coincidentally it's tucked away in the plaza next to Honda-ya. When I was there, I got the legendary strawberry croissants, an azuki (red-bean) cream pan ("pan", パ ン is Japanese for bread), a peach danish and a pork-katsu sandwich box.
Peach danish:
Pork-katsu sandwich, a little pricey at $6 but chock full of ingredients!
And the baked goods, the strawberry croissants and azuki cream-pan. Because of all the hype over the strawberry croissants, KL and I decided that we could not share and we each had to get one.
Close-ups- first, the heavenly azuki pan!
...and the delicious strawberry croissant:
Verdict? Strawberry croissants - GOOD! The crust's flaky and the cream sweet but not overly so, balanced nicely by the tangy sweetness of the strawberries. But the one that I enjoyed most of all is the azuki cream pan. In fact, KL did too, so much so that we ended up fighting each other to eat it. The sweet red bean paste complimented the fluffy light whipped cream perfectly, all encased in a crispy pastry shell. Definitely try out these two items if you ever stop by Cream Pan.
My outfit for the day, harem pants are perfect for pigging out:
I have to say though, if you want to try out the food at Cream Pan, BE THERE EARLY.
These pictures were taken during our second trip there, the first time we went to Cream Pan was in the afternoon and their shelves were swept clean. Seriously, now I understand why!
In the upcoming weeks I will be holed up in a study room somewhere finishing up on group projects and mugging for exams, so expect slooooow updates :/
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Cafe Blanc
I love love love sweets.
Cakes are probably the most wonderful type of food because not only are they yummy, but they look so beautiful as well. My favourite dessert place in Orange County has got to be Cafe Blanc at Newport Beach. KL calls the plaza it's located in a double trap because Cafe Blanc is right next to a bridal gown shop and I like to go there sometimes to drool at the gowns whenever we stop by. ;)
I believe the shop's run by a Japanese chef and his rendition of French desserts are so delicate, not too sweet and just perfect! Since Easter was just round the corner, Cafe Blanc offered a cute Easter bunny cake which was almost too cute to eat! It was really yummy though with a crisp white chocolate shell with a creamy lilac berry mousse. I almost felt bad destroying the cute bunny cake..but it was too delicious to be missed! The strawberry shortcake on the other hand was light and refreshing, amazingly its cream layer was light and fluffy...perfect fruity desserts on a sunny day! The raspberry gelato that came with the cake was sweet, but not overly so and even had chunks of raspberries inside..see, I am getting my daily servings of fruit!
My camera wasn't with me when we dropped by that day, but I am sure that KL and I will be back again and I intend to take a picture of Cafe Blanc's cake counter...each and every yummy cake that they make looks so perfect and beautiful!
What I wore:
Rick Owens gray leather jacket, H&M leopard scarf, Heimstone silk tank, American Apparel tank, Drop crotch pants from Etsy, Rick Owens mummy wedges, Balenciaga bouton d'or work.
Slowly but surely, I am easing leopard stripes into my outfit and my Rick Owens mummy wedges are the most comfy pair of wedges that I own. Someday I vow to own the ankle boots version as well!
Cakes are probably the most wonderful type of food because not only are they yummy, but they look so beautiful as well. My favourite dessert place in Orange County has got to be Cafe Blanc at Newport Beach. KL calls the plaza it's located in a double trap because Cafe Blanc is right next to a bridal gown shop and I like to go there sometimes to drool at the gowns whenever we stop by. ;)
I believe the shop's run by a Japanese chef and his rendition of French desserts are so delicate, not too sweet and just perfect! Since Easter was just round the corner, Cafe Blanc offered a cute Easter bunny cake which was almost too cute to eat! It was really yummy though with a crisp white chocolate shell with a creamy lilac berry mousse. I almost felt bad destroying the cute bunny cake..but it was too delicious to be missed! The strawberry shortcake on the other hand was light and refreshing, amazingly its cream layer was light and fluffy...perfect fruity desserts on a sunny day! The raspberry gelato that came with the cake was sweet, but not overly so and even had chunks of raspberries inside..see, I am getting my daily servings of fruit!
My camera wasn't with me when we dropped by that day, but I am sure that KL and I will be back again and I intend to take a picture of Cafe Blanc's cake counter...each and every yummy cake that they make looks so perfect and beautiful!
What I wore:
Slowly but surely, I am easing leopard stripes into my outfit and my Rick Owens mummy wedges are the most comfy pair of wedges that I own. Someday I vow to own the ankle boots version as well!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
A night at the izakaya
Friday night, KL and I decided to head to one of our favorite dinner/supper places, Honda-ya in Tustin for some grub. It's hard to find a places that serves good food and stays open late in Orange County (Honda-ya's open till 1am).
I love the atmosphere - service's great and it's unpretentious. I love the slanted roof and the knick-knacks they litter the place with! Sometimes all you want is great food and beer to go with the conversation and in this aspect, Honda-ya delivers. Their grill selection is spectacular and one of the must try is their grilled bacon scallops - it's heaven on a stick! Unfortunately I wasn't feeling too well so there's no picture of any grilled items this time.
What I got instead was yellowtail jalapeno (this is something that KL and I get every time, love the taste of sashimi with the yuzu sauce), spider roll, tako yaki (my favorite Japanese street food ever!) and chashu ramen. Honda-ya also serves complimentary pickled cucumbers as appetizers which I find to be light and refreshing. At this point, KL and I have pretty much made it our personal challenge to go through every item on the Honda-ya menu ;)
What I wore for my dinner date with KL:
Monday, March 08, 2010
Out for Dim Sum
Over the weekend KL and I decided to head out for some dim sum at the much hyped Capital Seafood in Irvine. It was great to sit down and have a nice lunch with KL, something that we haven't been doing since I was crazy busy with school and him with work. The service at Capital was great; unfortunately I can't say the same about the food. I was expecting to get my socks knocked off given all the great reviews online, but the food was just....okay :/
And looking at the food pictures, I think one of the first things I want to get when I start working again is a D-SLR. I love my point-and-click Lumix, but I think SLR pictures seem so much "warmer".
It was a gray and overcast day, unusual weather for this time of the year in California, but it was a great chance for me to break out my oversized Ozetta warmer and relish the last remnants of the chilly winter weather.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Balenciaga Harness Booties
Sigh.
Remember these booties?
These stompers are truly iconic and signaled the start of the era of dramatic shoes to me.
No other platform bootie has ever come close to its awesome-ness since then.
Remember these booties?
From Elle US edition, Novemeber 2006.
These stompers are truly iconic and signaled the start of the era of dramatic shoes to me.
No other platform bootie has ever come close to its awesome-ness since then.
Thursday, January 01, 2009
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!
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
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.
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.
The most iconic piece of this trend is probably epitomized in this Jean Paul Gaultier jacket for his F/W 05 collection:
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.
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 :
The silhouette of the above pieces look decidly Edwardian
Heavier Victorian influences here:
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.
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!
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!
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
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
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)
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!
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