Of Stranger Sensibilities

Fashion Blogger State of Mind

2012-03-02T17:46:00.002-05:00

COURTESY OF THE SELBY

"I wish there were more fashion blogs that were text heavy than just images" – Sam

I didn't mean shove Sam in the spotlight here (sorry I didn't warn you advance if you're reading this), but ever since she left that comment in my Spring Couture post, I couldn't stop thinking about it. She's definitely right in that there are more and more young fashion bloggers who choose to post photos rather than write about their love of fashion. It should be noted that this particular subset of (usually teen) bloggers are not photographers nor do they aim to run a photography blog, which would then make sense since you do need to post photos for a photo blog (no duh). From my observations around the 'net, there are a few fundamental reasons for this phenomenon:

It's cheap, fast and easy! Thanks to mass production and low manufacturing costs, DSLRs and compact cameras have never been cheaper than before. Now with the popularity of camera phones and the webcam, the likelihood of a blogger not having some kind of access to any photo-capturing apparatus is nil.
It's quick! Writing takes a damn long time – ever heard of a writer's block? It takes an incredible amount of effort to formulate coherent sentences from random wisps of thought that usually at the end of the day, most people just don't bother. I alone spend a good hour thinking about the direction of the post, a few more writing it and then before I hit publish, at least a couple of good thorough read throughs to make sure whatever I wrote makes sense. This does not include random moments in which I visit the blog and see a typo that I did not see before previously. In all publications there is a writer and an editor, but for most bloggers, it's just a one (wo)man show. Writing is hard as it is but to do another person's worth of work on top? Who would expend the effort?
It's fun! This is slightly different from the reason above as it's more about the schedules of most bloggers. Under the assumption that most are not full-time for profit bloggers, they probably have some kind of job IRL that keeps them fully occupied otherwise. For a lot of the younger set, it's school and for the adults, their main occupations. Either way then most bloggers are already writing a lot in their own, so when you come to surf the internet as you wind down at night, you want to do something different. You're already writing an essay or preparing some kind of proposal to a project so of course you'll want to do something different! Taking photos are an easy way to provide the sense of novelty as another kind of visual communication. Also after a long of work looking at textbooks and essays, why read when you can just turn off your brain and stare?

While it's not my place to tell people what to say and do, I'm just so tired of the constant onslaught of images. This is why I follow so few outfit blogs because frankly (for the most part), I'm bored. I can't be engaged by pictures alone. I'm first and foremost a reader, so I'm more naturally inclined to find posts with a fair amount of text. Though I'm a relatively new blogger, I have spend a few good year reading them before. In the past, the photos didn't occupy a lot of space (wide blog layouts weren't too common then), leading to text really making the meat of the post. An explanation for this could be the fact that early adopters of the blogging format in general tend to be of the more "academically-inclined", since blogging has only hit the mainstream in 2008-2009. The fact that there are now bloggers with a huge variety of backgrounds and education levels, means that more would be taking the substantially easier route of say, posting photos (photographers who read the blog, bare with me a take a grain of salt). The world continues to be more image driven, thanks to the rising popularity of Tumblr and Pinterest. It seems that eventually, fashion bloggers will cease to write and that will be the end of text on blogs, right?

Dear lovers of reading and the prose, do not despair and know you are first and foremost, not alone. At first I thought I was perhaps one of the very few who feel this way, however as I encounter more and more comments regarding the nostalgia of a well written post, clearly this is a growing sentiment. Simply the blogosphere is just getting stale with overload of images, leaving many readers to go try and seek different kinds of material elsewhere. It is very likely that blogs with a good amount of writing will be rising in popularity again. The overwhelming and sustained success of (for example) Style Bubble and Style Rookie, shows that good writing will give you a kind of longevity that a blog with only images can't. The desire to find some kind of narrative through writing on blogs will wax and wane over time, but it will never go extinct. So continue to write, cause people will be reading.

If you made it all the way to end the post, give yourself a pat on the back as I announce the "winners" of the giveaway: Diana, Odessa and Leaves of Grass! Please check your emails a few hours later as I will emailing you...after dinner EST (nom nom).

Notes from February

2012-02-29T17:59:00.000-05:00

Shirt, H&M.

Sweater, Lands' End.

Bag and pants, Zara.

Gloves, Target (of all places).

Originally this post was titled, "On Our Way to Spring, Perhaps", but I guess not since it proceeded to snow all day since this morning and by the looks of it, unlikely to stop anytime soon. I hear we're going to have six inches of snow by tomorrow. This is what I wore just a few days ago guiding some school trustees around the museum. All the snow is really pretty don't get me wrong, but why now when we're exiting February and entering March? Speaking of which, it's crazy how fast February went by and it's already time for my monthly wrap up post.

My biggest discovery this month has to be Study Hack, this blog I discovered via Art of Manliness. Why haven't I heard of its existence in high school? Anyway I've been reading it non-stop everywhere using my iPad. I've been so dedicated and devoted to the blog's teachings that I bought Newport's book for college students and another recommended by him. All students should most definitely check the blog out, and for those no longer in school, he has some valuable advice regarding work, staying organized and increasing productivity.
Jil Sander returns to Jil Sander (yay) but it also means that Raf Simons is without a job. At first I thought he'd quit to work on a womenswear line but now it appears to be not the case. Hmmm, interesting.
More fashion rumours for those wondering who will be the new head designer for Dior. I thought it would Raf Simons at first, however some pointed fingers at Stefano Pilati and Hedi Slimane and now Christopher Kane...round and round we go. Dear LVMH, can we just make up our minds and decide already? I already did.
I haven't written any real critical post so far and I was planning to write about the Chinese luxury consumers (along with a Chinese friend who has the insights to share) but then I saw this on Threadbared. Of course you would argue there is room for everyone on the internet but with their research skills (their PhDs to...I don't even have my BA yet) and comprehensive coverage of the topic, I can't help but feel any future attempts will be an exercise in futility. That being said, I just want to be strategic in the posts I write and invest my time in topics that haven't been covered yet. Don't worry that just because this idea has been shafted and put on the back burner that I'm out of ideas. I do – I just need the time (see below). This reminds that I should stop procrastinating on writing lest another idea escapes from me again.
On a less fashion-centric note, an alum won an Oscar for her work. Yippee! There are some good alums after all.
I absolutely adored this sweet post of an artist who did a illustrated book of missed connections on Craigslist on Hila's blog. There's something about a lost opportunity to connect with a potential soul-mate just tugs at my heartstrings yo. I've only used missed connections once with Jada and boy were the responses hilarious.
One of my favourite food blogs, "101 Cookbooks" interviewed Béatrice Peltre of La Tartine Gourmande. She has the most wonderful pictures and her new cookbook just came out!
The new exhibit at the Met featuring Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada's work (!!!!). Hopefully I can catch it before I leave for Athens in late May.
I finally watched 50/50! Quite possibly my favourite JGL movie yet.
Vintage make up turtorial. So kewl.
Annnnnd of course what could be complete without Angelina Jolies' leg. Amirite?

Lastly I should note that I just dropped my Intro to Arch class after being so inspired by Study Hack. I was bored to tears in that class, especially when it involves being in the studio for three long hours in the afternoon! Sadly it's too late to add another class though instead I might just audit another class. I have enough credits anyway and I'm not behind even with only three classes this semester. Since I will now have substantially more free time, I can't wait to dedicate more time for personal projects (blog included). So exciting!!!
Reminder: there's only two more days before the website makeover giveaway ends. I'll announce the "winners" Friday night.

Menswear Mondays ft. Jean Dujardin

2012-02-27T23:54:00.002-05:00

I feel like I was the only person who didn't watch the Oscars last night (hello problem sets) nonetheless I did hear the good news that Jean Dujardin won 'Best Actor' for his amazing performance in The Artist. I'm not too surprised since he pretty much won every 'Best Actor' award out there for his role as George Valentin, but damn if it's not satisfying to see him win an Oscar as the cherry on top of the award season. I acknowledge that he looked great last night, though perhaps not so terrific that is it worthy of "an inspiration post" however I think he really deserved a congratulatory post (with a picture of Uggie no less!). Maybe I should start placing bets again on the Oscars since I totally saw this one coming and I called it last year that Colin Firth would win 'Best Actor' for The King's Speech...
Side note: I thought Gary Oldman looked a-m-a-z-i-n-g in Paul Smith.

A Quiet Sunday...and a Giveaway

2012-02-26T14:03:00.003-05:00

沒有你的青春 (A Youth Without You) －配樂 (Instrumental)

I can't believe it snowed yesterday of all days! Thank god the snow didn't stick because I don't want a late winter chill no matter how pretty it could be and I need warmer weather stat (terribly jealous of all those lucky people who were hitting it mid 70s to low 80s ºF last week). The roommate moved out on amicable terms (she didn't like the house community and we actually bonded over our mutual dislike of certain people snerk snerk) so the room is feeling rather stark, but also wonderfully calm, quiet and zen. The song for today is from a popular Taiwanese film You are the Apple of My Eye that I have yet to watch, albeit already listening to the OST on repeat (I prefer the Chinese title, “那些年，我們一起追的女孩女孩”, which can be loosely translated to 'The Year when We All Chased the Same Girl'; it's strangely more poetic that way. While I'm on this tangent, there's also something super popular with Taiwanese origins, yes you've guessed it: Jeremy LINNNNNN. Does anyone want Linsanity buttons to put on their site? I can make 'em). Lemme know if you know where I can watch it because I can't find it anywhere online and I hope there is an E-book version of novel the film is based on I can buy to read over Spring Break.

I want to take this opportunity to give thanks back to the blogging community. It's only right since everybody here has given me so much warm comforting words of wisdom over the past year, and are always there in times of confused existential quandary (to a lesser degree, this as well). I don't have any fancy gifts, but as a way of saying thank you, I am going to offer three bloggers a 'website makeover'! Even though my skills are incomparable to pros like Tabitha Emma and Door Sixteen, I know a decent amount of HTML/CSS and I do have Photoshop and a huge arsenal of fonts, curves, actions etc at my disposal. For old readers of the blog, all past layouts were tweaked by me from the default Blogger templates. It doesn't even have to be a complete makeover if you just want some sprucing up on your blog – maybe a new font, change the margins, a new button for your site, etc. Whatever you want, I'll try to do it and I'll let you know if it's beyond my means (i.e. fancy Javascript stuff) via e-mail. Sorry only Blogger hosted blogs for now.
To enter, simply:

leave a comment (if you're going to use Open ID, then please leave your e-mail as well)
~~make sure you follow the blog via RSS, Bloglovin', Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest~~ just kidding you don't have to do anything

This will be open until next Friday, March 2nd 2012. I'll announce the "winners" that night.
Also, an update: Imageshack is being a b*tch and decided to delete any photos hosted there over their new 500 image premium unless you pay for a pro account. Argh. Anyway if you see any old posts with broken links, that will be why. Thank god all the photos from the past several months are hosted with Blogger however I don't think I will have the time to re-upload all the photos from Imageshack.

Cashmere Coats and Pearls

2012-02-24T16:42:00.004-05:00

The latest buzz on campus for the past two days was a letter to the editor written by an alumna who graduated in the early 80s and is currently an alumni club president of Westchester county. The reason why the letter spread like wildfire (even though no one really reads the school newspaper much anymore) was due to the intensely homophobic, xenophobic, elitist, racist language and tone of the letter, which I will refrain from posting in its entirety here because it's REALLY that bad, but here is an immortal line in which she laments:

"I can tell you that the days of white, wealthy, upper-class students from prep schools in cashmere coats and pearls who marry _____ men are over."

I omitted the name of the traditionally, in the past all male, "elite" college nearby in order to preserve some personal privacy ~~and not stalk me and/or kill me in my sleep~~ however essentially you can insert the name of any prestigious university/liberal arts college in the country. If you've ever watched Animal House, you get the whole Ivy men marrying all women's college students idea. So how does this relate to the blog?

As an ardent fan of the PITA (Preppy/Ivy/Trad/Americana) aesthetic, all the bad press this clearly blue-blooded WASPy old money alum has generated further deepens the kind of stylistic identity crisis I have been suffering ever since last summer. This perhaps seems all rather superfluous and superficial to tie a serious socio-economic issue of America today to the wardrobe but I do believe that what you wear is a reflection of how you choose to present yourself, and therefore by extension the kind of beliefs that you upheld. Maybe I'm reading this a little too closely and it is silly to wholeheartedly believe that a few items of clothing can single-handedly reveal all there is to know about a person. However you cannot deny that although stereotypes are stupid, certain demographics will latch onto a particular range of products (because of similarity of lifestyles among other reasons to say the least) so that all brands will have some connotations attached to them.

The PITA influence in my wardrobe stems from the fact that I attended a private, college preparatory boarding school, which I am sure this alum would most definitely approve of. Nevertheless, this does not mean that I am either a) white or b) wealthy, only that I have hardworking parents who were prudent and wise with their money and wanted the best possible education for their daughter. In this sense, I acknowledge and will never forget the fact that I am incredibly privileged to have grown up in a stable home. Even though I've come to loathe the kinds of imagery the world "preppy" now conjures, its aesthetic and appeal have themselves embedded deeply into my identity whether I like it or not. This is the kind of world I have constantly been exposed to ever since my arrival in the US as a highly impressionable thirteen year old. Of course I should never forget to mention that this particular alum is the bad apple of the lot, since I do have many school mates who fit her description and yet are also part of the highly motivated, talented and passionate lot determined and committed to fighting worldsuck. Should I follow the wise words of Orson Welles and just don't give a damn, even if my association with all things preppy never ceases to tug at my conscience? Oh dear friends and readers of the blog, what should I do?

One of my more preppier outfits: Boots, Hunter; Chinos, Lands' End; Vest, Fred Perry; Top, UNIQLO.

P.S. There will be no more future fashion week review type of posts, unless I find there is a show so spectacular that it merits an entire post dedicated to its awesomeness. Otherwise they will all be located in clearly marked boards on my Pinterest. I will use Pinterest more often in the future, so please follow me!

My Little Denim Collection

2012-02-22T20:34:00.000-05:00

The other day a college classmate was shocked to hear that I have only three pairs of jeans. Is it really all that surprising to own so few? The reason that I own only three wasn't because I was being necessarily a "minimalist" but rather it was simple by-product of attending a school that banned the wearing of jeans (we had last Friday of the month Jeans days though!). The only acceptable type of pants were khakis or corduroys or dressy slacks for "Formal Mondays", though sometimes I got away with wearing black denim jeans since they're not too obvious and I got along with the Girls' Dean ;) With this post, you've seen all the pairs of jeans that I own.
The others include:

the slouchier boyfriend jeans
a basic pair of straight leg blue jeans

I guess this was kind of blessing in disguise as I never could have fallen into the denim + hoodie trap in high school even if I wanted to on lazy days. Please tell me I'm not the only one who has such a small collection despite loving wearing denim?

Menswear Mondays ft. Patti Smith

2012-02-20T23:29:00.001-05:00

GLORIA - PATTI SMITH

Here's another not so quite orthodox choice of Patti Smith! Words cannot describe how truly very awesome she is in all ways possible. Consider how much hype and image is used to sell music nowadays (ex. Rihanna, Lada Gaga, Lana del Rey etc.), Patti Smith's no bullshit raw authenticity comes across as amazingly refreshing since it all feels incredibly honest and true. No fancy ad campaigns or videos but plain ol' good music. To those who didn't read her autobiographical book Just Kids on her early artistic life with Robert Mapplethorpe (which you should by the way), she explains that her and Mapplethorpe never set out to live the typical "poor starving boho artist" life––they really just didn't have any money. Another reason I love her so much is her resourcefulness by making do with so little, and then to take it further by transforming something that is utterly ordinary to extraordinary. It takes great skill and taste to achieve what she is has done to what could simply have been boring sustenance. Her thrifty ways and creative spins on things is what makes her a major icon and inspirational figure to me. That and of course, her undeniable tomboy spirit.

Downton Abbey Hunting Gear

2012-02-19T14:32:00.001-05:00

LOVE AND THE HUNTER - JOHN LUNN

Given all the Downton Abbey obsession over on this side of the pond in recent weeks, I gather that most people have finally finished the second season in January (unlike me who could not wait and watched it all at the end of last Fall on the computer and wrote about it soon afterwards). Therefore hopefully now it is safe enough to post some stills from their Christmas Special that I found particularly inspiring. As some of you may know, I am currently in love with all things tweed that it is rather unsurprising that I would expound on just how much I am loving the hunting gear of the Christmas special.

I am not sure that I can pinpoint exactly what tickles my fancy so, but I'm sure it's a combination of the muted palette of muddy greens and browns, the textures involved and the whole tailored formality of it all. I've had some hunting experience in the past (joined my host family in boarding school in Michigan and they insisted that I should go hunting with them since it's apparently an integral part of the "American experience") and while I did not kill anything thank god, it was nowhere as glamourous I can assure you. Instead of these really pretty tweeds and riding boots, I had to wear this neon orange vest because it was hunting season and the jacket is big giant warning sign to hunters out there that I was clearly not game. Not that wearing tweeds will somehow make the whole hunting experience substantially less terrifying, but I'm sure that having these wonderful ensembles around would have made it just a tad more enjoyable. And I dare say that I wouldn't mind winter so much if there were tweed to go around. Eeek, when will Season 3 come around? I haven't got much to obsess over in nowadays with no Sherlock, Downton Abbey or Game of Thrones to keep me amused *sigh*

Can I Be More in Love

2012-02-16T23:03:00.003-05:00

Now that NYFW is over, I thought I could maybe just talk about a few of the shows that I liked, rather than give a full blow by blow of each show like the Man Repeller's coverage of NYFW––who did a fantastic job by the way of covering all the major points of the shows succinctly (and I bet she saw them in person too, natch). However I soon stumbled upon Jil Sander Navy and I don't think anything can look better (Sorry Carven, I still love you though). It was going to be part of the highlights of NYFW post but I soon saved every photo I found and now it has to be on a post of its own.
I don't know how it managed to catch me off guard when I distinctly remember seeing the Pre-Fall collection (above) on Tumblr but hey nothing is better than the sensation of being pleasantly surprise. I love the kooky preppy vibe of the Pre-Fall but I lurved the cool school girl vibe of the Fall 2012 collection (below). Even though the info section of the site is not working, thankfully there is a small info piece on Fashionista about it. It never crossed my mind that Raf Simon was behind this (way too girly girl for him) and it's actually designed by an in-house team. Whatever, I like what I see. I just want someone to make rhinestone encrusted paperclip barrettes already.
Note: I've started to accept text ads (see right under sponsored links) however this does will not affect the integrity and content of the blog in any way. I still don't accept sponsored post and I promise full disclosure in the future should I receive any merchandise from sellers/retailers. The money's going back to the blog to buy a domain and some Pugly Pixel goodies. I hope I was transparent enough but feel free to email me anytime for more clarification if needed.

Valentine Film Special: "The Artist"

2012-02-14T17:19:00.003-05:00

PHOTOS FROM VARIOUS SOURCES VIA GOOGLE

I wasn't planning to post anything special ~~just because I'm a single sad grumpy pants~~ nonetheless since I've been recommending The Artist left and right to everyone in real life and happens to be the perfect movie to watch on Valentine's Day, here's a Valentine feature for the film. I haven't watched too many silent films in the past (some featuring Greta Garbo or Charlie Chaplin and Nosferatu at most) however Michel Hazanavicius did a fantastic job of bringing silent films back into mainstream attention. Not that I don't there would be a spate of silent films to be produced afterwards like the way that Avatar made 3D films trendy, but it certainly did shake up the cinematic landscape with the way it's winning award everywhere. Jean Dujardin is really really really good at playing the down and out protagonist George Valentin and I swooned when I saw him on screen, not because of his good looks necessarily, but simply at how refreshingly old Hollywood looking he is. Bérénice Bejo also shines as Peppy Miller, but is still overshadowed by Dujardin's sparkling performance. Though he's not featured in the photographs, Uggie as Jack the Dog cannot be left out because he's one of the crown jewels of this film and is so adorable. Good boy.
Since this is a mini fashion-in-film post, I should mention the clothing in this period film. Quite honestly, it's just your standard '20s and '30s flapper fares though I did appreciate the clean simple silhouettes. In this regard I'm eagerly anticipating Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby and see how his film will hold up in the fashion front (though it's featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, who is urghhhh and Carey Mulligan, whom I do like but can we please give other newbie actresses a chance?).
Happy Valentine's Day to all, and thank you to my dear valentine Jada (I got your postcard!) ;)

Menswear Mondays ft. Jacques Henri Lartigue

2012-02-13T23:53:00.004-05:00

Did I surprise anyone today by not featuring some well known old Hollywood star? Perhaps even more shocking is that Jacques Henri Lartigue is not the man in the photo but the one behind the camera. He's my new favourite photographer find of the moment and all of his pictures are equally fantastic so I urge you to check them out should you find the time. I found this photo perfectly apt in describing my current situation at school––trying to stay afloat of the flood of coursework, all the paperwork to hand in while simultaneously keeping track of the deadlines floating in my head––and still trying to look composed when I'm so not feeling 'it'. It doesn't help that the weather has taken a sharp bitter turn without the soft snow there to buoy the winter chill and lift the spirit. What makes it all the more worse is that after watching Maurice Pialat's A Nos Amours, I'm pining even harder for warmer days. I bet I can't be the only one feeling rather out of form lately, so I wish everybody a great start to a new week and look good while staying on top of their game!
Lastly, R.I.P. to Whitney Houston.

A Time to Pause and Think

2012-02-12T03:16:00.001-05:00

WHERE DO YOU GO TO (MY LOVELY) - PETER SARSTEDT

Thanks F for always being so reliably well-dressed! You are a fashion blogger friend's dream. I'm hoping to conduct a closet visit + style interview of her soon even though it's so hard to get hold of this busy gal. I always appreciate the tasteful subtlety of her style––being loud and flashy simply isn't in her dictionary.

Recently I got carried away playing journalist in writing mostly about my inspirations and places that I've been to/discovered rather than talking about my wardrobe à la Miss Sophie. It's not that I have (or will be) making interesting "big" purchases anytime soon with my ongoing search for basics, however writing it out on the blog helps me to organize my thoughts, recognize where my priorities lie and being methodical in my approach to shopping really reigns in any possible impulse purchases (so far so good). So while I am on this topic (since the blog is about me me me you know *cough*), I have some news to announce: readers who thrive on novelty and trends beware, I will be on a shopping freeze. Of course this much like preaching to the choir since if you honestly cared only about the latest trends you would not be reading this blog. I do think it's important to note this since it's not motivated by lack of imagination or an abandonment of the pursuit of a certain aesthetic, at the risk of sounding superficial and pretentious because calm down people it's just clothes. There are still things that I would love to add to my wardrobe even though I am currently quite content with the items I currently have. Like Fleurette who explained so eloquently in her post, it is incredibly hard to be bored with wearing items you truly truly love. There's satisfaction and thrill in finding new ways to combine different pieces together. Call me weird. These are just some thoughts that goes along with the shopping freeze, but I do have concrete reasons to stop buying (at least for the long haul right now).

The main reason is that I have a huge seminar plus internship in Greece this summer and I will need to scrimp every penny I have to fund not only my plane tickets flying to and from Athens but also the day-to-day costs of living in a country bordering on bankruptcy for the two months of my internship. God knows what will happen to the euro by the time summer rolls around.

The second reason is that I am currently seriously impressed with the intensive culling efforts of Catssaymeow. I can't be the only one here who thinks that owning a lot of things is quite a burden, in that you feel obligated to maintain them, give them a good wear now and then etc. Despite being in a boarding school and then moving to an entirely new state for college, I still managed to accumulate a considerable amount of crap (especially of the why-do-I-still-have-this-I-don't-even-wear-it-anymore kind).

I've babbled a little too long that I intended to, nevertheless I'm so glad I finally got this off my chest. Until tomorrow's second installment of Menswear Monday!

The Best of Pitti Uomo and Milan Menswear Fall '12

2012-02-09T23:49:00.003-05:00

COURTESY OF TOMMY TON FOR GQ

Here's to more menswear love for this week before we plunge into NYFW for all things womenswear, and of course, more fashion shows at Milan, London and Paris later to last us all the way till early March. Admittedly I haven't been paying as much attention as I could have this season to Pitti Uomo due to much schoolwork. Then Milan Menswear Fall '12 came along and soon the two kinda meshed together in my brain but luckily I stumbled on this guide to help me sort which collection was at Florence or Milan. Though some of the shows were just absolutely fabulous, I have to admit much of the actions occurs outside the show on the streets than it is within the tents. Thankfully there is the always trusty Tommy Ton––with his fabulous eye for detail––to capture it all for the folks who couldn't make it across the pond. In the past I tried to not pay too much attention to the street style (especially at Pitti) because some of the guys try SO HARD that just thinking about it makes me cringe a little. However with the introduction of the #menswear tag at Tumblr and being unable to avoid the street style photos any longer, I began to embrace them and look at them in a new light. Indeed this season was considerably less cringe-inducing and surprisingly chock-full of inspiration. I love the colour palette here and the way the accessories were incorporated into the outfit (can't beat a bag with a built in strap for the umbrella!). I cannot not mention the street style at Milan or Florence without at least taking note of the fabulous What They Wore videos episodes one and two made by Mr. Porter as well. I'll resist talking too much about my love for Mr. Porter for now since that will make for another post altogether, even though really my Mr. Porter love knows no bounds.

Menswear Mondays ft. Jean-Paul Belmondo

2012-02-06T22:24:00.002-05:00

PHOTO FROM DOCTOR MACRO

Welcome to a new weekly feature on the blog to provide some much needed menswear inspiration, which will star not only traditional menswear icons but also some prominent tomboys of the past as well (see Exhibit A & B). I thought this would be a quick and easy post (you know after so much writing in the last post, but noooooo it took forever just to pick one out of the huge arsenal of menswear inspiration photos I built up over break. I kept wondering if I should I start with the the obvious or the more esoteric and I finally settled on this gorgeous image of Jean-Paul Belmondo, whom you should know if you love 60s Godard and all that shit. It's not like wearing layers under the coat is a major breakthrough in style or anything, but I haven't seen a corduroy button down under a cardigan under a tweed jacket under a herringbone coat before––have you or am I the only one who missed the memo here? Belmondo makes layering with different textures of fabrics look so easy and effortless. Check out his films too while you're at it.

Spring Couture 2012

2012-02-05T03:35:00.000-05:00

It's totally valid to wonder, what is a blog that focuses on the classics, the staples and the basics, doing with something as ephemeral and fickle as fashion shows? The same should be asked to these fashion houses, what is the point of hosting such massive over-the-top events when only an odd piece or two will be sold to a wife of a Russian oligarch or a Middle Eastern oil sheik? Almost all fashion houses run a loss with haute couture shows and make most of their money through accessories anyway. For the most part, the haute couture shows add prestige and a brand identity through these elaborate events, but I feel this is also an opportunity for the designers to push their creative limits and run wild with their artistic vision without being held back by the 'wearability' needed of RTW shows. For me the blogger, it's all about the exquisite attention to detail, the extremely high quality of the workmanship, the choices of different fabrics and the (wo)man-hours dedicated to the construction of such works of art, which are kind of on a smaller scale, are the same kind of qualities I look for in a much more ordinary piece of clothing. So consider this an exercise on a grander scale, plus the tremendous amount of eye candy never hurts. A few fashion shows have not been included in this couture review, due to limited time and energy but also because I felt that I had the most the talk about for these shows.

Ironically there isn't all that much to say about Elie Saab, mostly because it just consists of the soft airy pastel gowns but since it's making all the rounds on fashion blog I should at least a few words (however little) about this collection. All the dresses are gorgeous don't get me wrong, but it's just cotton candy and a lot of fluff without substance. ES is known more for execution and not so much concept (unlike say Tisci of Givenchy) so it does not matter too much in the sense, but it would have been nice to see a stronger central cohesive theme to surprise us from time to time. This however is the collection I wanted to see in person, partly because the execution IS good here and the details are still so drool-worthy through these less than HQ photos. I can only imagine how beautiful the intricacy of the lace, the brilliance of the embroidery and texture of the gowns, would look in person.

I think before I write anything more I should post a little disclaimer: I am HUGE HUGE fan of Giambattista Valli and naturally this will all sound quite biased. I am not going try and hide it so I might as well just come clean with it. And I have to say <spazz> OMG IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL I LURVE IT </spazz>. Phew~ I got it out of my system. You can easily argue there's kind of a lack of a theme here, but I can't help but feel that there is more of a thought process here of how different gowns will fit in with each other and how the different details echoes a similar theme throughout. There's nothing revolutionary here, but I like how Valli is trying to make small little adjustments with same details with each progressing collection (like evolution, so baby steps people).

In the past, I've pretty much liked almost all of the Givenchy couture collections, (esp. this past fall 2011 collection) but this year so far I'm not quite as smitten with the present collection above. The details and craft is still beautiful and admirable, however the other pieces just had awkward draping that I just cannot bring myself to love. Unlike the previous two collections, Tisci clearly has a concept and vision before execution, so props to him for that.

For the first time ever, I am going to eat my words and say I miss Valentino (Garavani, the person). It's not like this collection is epically terrible, but if you think Elie Saab is cotton candy then this is heavy thick cloyingly sweet syrup whose saccharine aftertaste never quite leaves your mouth even after repeated rinses of black coffee. Again like many of the collection in couture week, the construction and craft is marvelous, however overwhelming twee vibe of the collection is a little hard to swallow (some looks like it was straight out of a fancier Picnic at Hanging Rock set or something). Though you might not agree with Valentino Garavani's tastes, one must agree that he had flare, pizzazz and a lot of fire in the elegance of his designs.

I didn't expect to like this collection this much, especially with the noticeable difference between Galliano's last couture show with the one the Dior team pulled together later. I enjoy the vintage post-war Dior feel of the gowns, and makes me feel nostalgic in a good way (unlike above). It's all very traditional but so so elegant, and I cannot help but keep wondering how the ombré patterns and designs were created. The pomp and sass of the silhouette is also noteworthy. Finally, I think that the simple black number here is the ultimate fancy LBD a woman could have––SO PERFECT.

And I shall end this ridiculously long post with my runaway favourite of the week, Armani Privé (Didot didn't let me type the ´ over the e so I left it out). Generally I am not an Armani-anything fan (Exchange for obvious reasons, and the cosmetics have horrible cheap packaging) but I was seriously impressed by this collection. There was a super strong theme here (lizzard? fish? snake? and holy grass and cucumbers!) and it's not subtle at all. But after all the more mellow-er collections before it, it's entirely refreshing to see such unreserved daring boldness splashed across so liberally all over each piece. The different ensembles look rather intimidating at a first glance, but when each individual piece is more approachable when paired with something a little less crazy on its own. My eyes always continues to go back to that unbelievably beautiful ombré snake print skirt. I die. The last gown and jacket are also never ceases to mesmerize me with all its brilliance and sparkle. I die again.

Hopefully everybody made through this giant behemoth of a post in one piece. Feel free to disagree with me and let me know what you think. I am not even going to attempt a post of this magnitude for the fashion weeks ahead so enjoy this while you can, hee. I am not entirely sure how I will cover even just parts of fashion week, but you'll know very soon. Not all the pieces were shown here and these are just my favourite picks out of each collection, but if you're interested, you may see each collection in its entirety on Fashion Gone Rogue.

Trying to Make This Grandpa Chic Thing Happen

2012-02-03T16:35:00.002-05:00

Coat, Vintage. Top, UNIQLO. Jeans, Lands' End. Brogues, Aldo.

I always love the first week of the semester because usually the classes are just starting and it's great to see good friends again after a whole month of being away on J-Term. Now that we're back though, it has been a little more stressful than usual because of some catty behavior (the kind not seen since middle school) displayed by some classmates. Ah well, I guess not everybody grew up since high school eh? Sorry to be a bit of a downer on such a lovely winter day, but luckily it's Friiiiday Friiiiday, so I better get it down this weekend, make good use of my camera, and mentally escape that way.
This was pretty much what I wore the first day back. I bought this coat way back in late December for just $10 in Vancouver however I never got a real chance to wear it until now. I think it's men's coat from the way the buttons are arranged which explains why it's a little baggy even the shoulders more or less fit. I want to get it tailored somewhere somehow soon since the coat is of exceptional quality and made in England, and I hope to get a terrific wear out of the coat for a long time to come.
Since it is Friday when I usually post my 'Friday Favourites' of videos, here are two that I liked a lot this week:

New Prada S/S 2012 Ad by Steven Meisel. Bizarre, campy, gorgeous. 'Nuff said.
New Gant S/S 2012. Same adjectives above, but add the words, really white and WASPy. #StillBetterThanBrooksBrothers.

Have a great weekend! I'll talk about Spring 2012 HC shows real soon...like tomorrow night soon. Heh.

My New Obsession with Carven

2012-02-01T21:09:00.001-05:00

I'm not exactly too sure how I came upon small French label Carven but you can say I am completely in love with its design and its fall 2011 is to die for. They have their Spring 2012 out already for viewing on their website, but since it's just February and cold outside, I'm still in the mood for heavy winter coats and thick layers. I can write about Spring 2012 when I'm feeling more up to short skirts and lighter fabrics. I think the reason why I'm all over their F/W 2011 collection is because it's the perfect potpourri of all the incredible elements of my favourite brands: Céline, Prada, Miu Miu, Marni, Proenza Schouler + etc. Everything at first looks rather traditional in being conservative and tailored yet the more you look at it, the more unexpectedly quirky and awesome it becomes. I love it when the designs aren't flashy and bordering on almost plain at a first glance, and where the devil is more in the detail, the construction, in the between the seams. There is this old school girl vibe that I totally dig complete with the plaid, the leather satchel and loafers, which reminds me of the awesome issue of Self Service a little while back.

Given how small the label is, it's actually unexpectedly quite hard to find some info about it, even with the internet. So far the best info I can find is from its website (in French):

Depuis son origine en 1945, la maison Carven a offert une vision démocratique et parisienne de la mode. Madame Carmen de Tommaso est arrivée en novatrice dans le monde austère de la haute couture des années 40 avec la fraicheur et la spontanéité d’un style proche du quotidien des femmes de l’époque.

And from a website that hasn't been updated since 2004, but still looks quite accurate:

Established in 1945 by Madame Carven, wife of Swiss industrialist Réné Grog (1896-1981), the House of Carven originally catered to the petite woman.
The move was bold and innovative during that time. Niche market targeting was almost unheard of. But Madame Carven who stood only 1m55 believed that petite woman should be able to dress up well also.
Through the years, the House of Carven has expanded its reach, and currently designs, manufactures and markets a line of ready-to-wear and accessories for women, apparel and accessories for men plus fragrance and perfumes.

I guess the reason why it's still such a small label is because there was just so much competition in Paris right after the war with Givenchy, Balenciaga, Dior and Chanel still reigning supreme. I like the small scale of its operations however, in that it can grow on its own pace, develop its own sense of aesthetics etc... so please don't tell me it's already bought by LVMH or PPR or some big luxury conglomerate because that would break me teenage heart.

With a new(ish) head designer Guillaume Henry who has worked in past with Givenchy, Carven's popularity is set to skyrocket in popularity. Not that I want the brand to sellout anytime soon, but I really do want all the success the label deserves. On a superficial note, the designer's super easy on the eyes and like if Nicolas Ghesquière and Christopher Bailey had a baby, it would be Guillaume! Regardless, I like the direction Henry is heading with it, even if its not entirely original. I can only imagine how exciting the label will become as Henry carves out a niche for himself on the Parisian fashion landscape. While it will continue to be a small quiet label for the time being, I definitely will be keeping an eye on it and surely will be talking about it a lot more in future posts.

Notes from January

2012-01-30T21:36:00.002-05:00

I'm kind of liking all these monthly wrap up posts I have been doing lately since November so I think I will be doing these, ooh, pretty much every month from now on. Granted though, this post will not be nearly as comprehensive as the previous posts, since I did a lot of traveling recently, which is not conducive at all to mindless internet browsing. So here it goes:

There's not just one but two extremely helpful study tips posts on the Art of Manliness (yes I am a teenage girl and I read a blog with such name but then again my own blog more or less explains why)
My dear blogger friends' responses to my tag: Hila, E'Clair, Katrina (in the comments), Jada...oh crap these are the only ones that I remember at the top of my head, but please dear friends let me know and I will be post ze links.
My dad just emailed me an article from the NYTimes on how the money from tourism is changing Cambodian's lives for the better (via higher education). I felt bad as tourist disrupting the lives of the local people just for the sake of my curiosity and sense of adventure, but I guess it wasn't all that bad in hindsight for the people. I teared up after reading this.
I went to go see The Artist (2011) in the awkward festive days between Christmas and New Year's Eve, and it SO GOOD. Gahhhhh. Please go see this for the little romantic soul within us all. NOW. A fashion-in-film post will be posted for it hopefully this week.

And that's about it for the month suppose! I was planning to start a #Menswear Monday feature however I guess I'll wait until February rolls along and start in a new month. I'll be introducing menswear style icon that will inspire might help inspire those who are stuck in a fashion rut (namely moi). Also I'm a realizing what a bad fashion blogger I have been in not talking about the Pitti trade shows and Spring 2012 Haute Couture shows + etc BUT all that shall change as I arranged time to get a few posts about them in before the craziness that is fashion week starts from mid-February to early March.

My Date with Teresa

2012-01-28T14:45:00.000-05:00

During my short stay in HK, I met up with Teresa to just hang out and chill in coffee shops and go check out Jack Wills. Even though we've never met before (in person), we have so much in common that we never ran out of topics to talk about. This is why I officially have to announce that I just LOVE LOVE blogger meetups, because it's just so much fun. I know people aren't suppose to meet up with strangers that you've online (how sketch does that sound) but I don't know––all my experiences have been great so far. But of course you have to be on your guard to make sure that the person you're meeting is not a 40 year-old pedophile and my advice would be to meet them in open busy public spaces.

She was sweet enough to take me to Jack Wills, which I have been dying to see ever since I broke up with Brooks Brothers (LOL I can't believe I wrote that). The store was HUGE and had plenty of stuff to browse through I have to say I was a tad disappointed since I was so in love with the handbook catalog and their campaign for this season. I reckon this was just a case of idealizing something so much in your mind that when you see the thing/person in real life, it never really quite matches its unrealistic perfect image in your mind. There were a lot more sweats and hoodie that I had imagined, which gave off a kind of A&F vibe––adding more disappointment to it all. Then again, Teresa duly informed me that apparently a lot of HK folk are still salivating after the brands which no one should touch after middle school (A&F, Hollister, etc etc), so I do get why Jack Wills included the sweats there. I have yet to understand though why HK folks are so in love with overpriced jeans and hoodies à la A&F and company when you've got such awesome stores such as MUJI and UNIQLO everywhere. Can we switch places people?

We later head to Dai Haang (which is in between Tin Hau and Causeway Bay) where there were a ton of cute of little eating places around. Our first pick for a café that was out of the way and really really obscure with impossible hours, and wasn't open when we got there. However our second pick of a café was still pretty good regardless (it just means that we have to make a trip next time to go to our first choice I suppose Teresa), and had crazy awesome decor like hanging teapots and cups for lights. Both my cup of cappuccino and Teresa's hot chocolate was, and we shared a creamy caramel thing (I'm blanking on the French name of the dessert snack) which was equally fantastic. It's too bad I don't remember the name of the café but you can see the iconic lights from the shop window so you can't miss it.

Lastly to end, almost as if its proof of how much we have in common, we wore similar things to meet up with each other. I forgot to take a pic of what I was wearing that day, but it was my red breton stripe top with boyfriend jeans paired with my old oxfords in the vein of Paloma from The Hedgehog. Teresa has seriously good taste and here is a link for all things creative in HK that she shared me which I liked. Thanks for meeting up with me Teresa and hopefully I'll see you again soon!

Also before I forget again, yesterday was the blog's first birthday! Happy birthday blog!!! *pats monitor* Thank you everybody for such a great year and here's to many many more to come. Most bloggers give grand giveaways for their blog's birthdays but sadly I'm just an ordinary college girl with no budget to spare :( Hopefully in the future I'll find something great for people to win.

If I Could Eat and Drink My Life Away

2012-01-26T08:55:00.003-05:00

What do you do when you wake up early but can't go back to sleep (because of jet lag) and somehow this semester the class schedule worked out so that your first class doesn't start until 10:30? You write a blog post! Admittedly, I haven't been posting rather long, thoughtful expositions on fashion as of late due to my mind being on holiday mode, but no worries as the new semester starts, I'm going to get down to business. Fo realz. So while I do seriously contemplate whether I should be a film and food blogger or not with aspirations to become a food and film critic in the future and abandon the whole being an Economics-major-why-does-everybody-think-I'm-going-to-be-a-banker schtick, enjoy one last pure fluff post of all the wonderful things I ate in Cambodia. Everything's so good and SO CHEAP that I will have a seriously hard time adjusting to the what seems like over-inflated sky high prices in the US (what do you mean the cab back to school from the airport costs $99? AND you want a tip? My tuk-tuk driver came included with the hotel bill!!!). You know what I mean.
Some Notes:

The Fish Amok at Viroth's is AMAZING.
I like Khmer food so much that it's right up there on par with Thai food on my list of favourite cuisines from around the world.
Lemon Grass Tea is my new favourite drink of all time. Coconut water a close second.
Seriously don't try to eat at the stalls near the temples if you could avoid them–they're almost always overpriced (and rather unhygienic!).

P.S. If people actually want travel tips and mini guide to Cambodia, I'll be happy to write one, just let me know. And if people want like a whole list and series of all the Cambodia-related posts I've written, let me know too. Or if you would like me to stop talking about Cambodia period, don't worry I am running out things to say soon so skip this and stay tuned for more later (see above for the first few sentences for more info and maybe watch the Mulan video while you're at it). Also I haven't forgotten about sharing my favourite temple yet. I'll shut up and be on my way to breakfast and class now.

Camouflage

2012-01-23T03:47:00.005-05:00

Top, borrowed from Mum. Pants, Lands' End. Boots, L.L. Bean.

I was just taking a small climbing break in the shade when Dad whipped out the camera and took some inadvertent outfit shots. It was so much more comfortable in tanks and shorts than the stupid long layers I wore on my first day in Cambodia. Here is an outfit post before I'm logging off for Lunar New Year and the little that remain of my winter break! I'm so excited since it's the first time in five years that I got to spend Chinese New Year other than with some equally sad and depressed fellow international students at boarding school and college (so far) since there were (and is) no Chinatown to be found. Since I haven't seen any family members (both close and distant ones) in a long time, I've had a whooping three "reunion dinners" and some relatives have been thoughtful enough to give me lai sees in USD instead :) Despite the short length of my sojourn in Hong Kong, I was able to meet up with the lovely Teresa and had a lovely time with her. It's freaking awesome when you finally meet someone who can understand your stranger take on things (and both Aries and Roosters too to boot, woot!). I'll be posting that as soon as I'm back. Happy New Year! 恭喜發財身體健康新年快樂 <3

Blood, Toil, Tears and Sweat

2012-01-20T13:32:00.001-05:00

Top, Pants, UNIQLO. Brogues, Aldo. Bag, Dad's.

Can I please get brownie points for the most hardworking outfit photo of 2012? A lot of blood (mosquito bites), toil (the climbing), sweat (from wearing pants and a long sleeved shirt in a tropical climate) and tears (eyes watery to the dust) was poured to climb the steps of the near thousand year old Baphuon (which wasn't illegal no worries). Who knew I had the monkey in me? Anyway, since Dad misread the weather report (how nice to blame someone else for everything), the clothes I packed were more suitable for temperatures a few important degrees lower. I ended up also taking the words of the guide book literally when it said 'wear modest clothing at temples' by covering my self entirely. I was worried that the exposing my knees by wearing my ONE pair of shorts that I packed would be a little too scandalous for the monks to handle. It turns out that the (one or two) monks that were around the grounds could not give a damn, suggested by their indifferent looks as they gazed absentmindedly upon some pasty Europeans in their tanks and shorts, huffing and puffing their way up and down the temple stairs. I don't know why I so worried over this as my pair of shorts were of the more the Bermuda-y conservative kind anyway, which was what I wore everyday afterwards until we left Siem Reap. Apologies for my belated since who knew my internet connection in Cambodia would be better than the one in Singapore (at least in my hotel)? So my advice is to try to be respectful as possible but wearing such long layers in such a hot place can be a serious overkill for the unadjusted (me as Exhibit A, who had long since acclimated to the much cooler and drier temperatures of New England). Thank god for coconuts bigger than the size of my head to quench and soothe the dehydrated and overheated self.

The Robes of Buddhist Monks

2012-01-17T11:54:00.003-05:00

Recall that the colour orange is my favourite of the moment and its siblings, deep yellow among others, and while this is kind of a random post to some, I can't help but notice the deep rich colours of the monks robes. At first I thought the photos of monks sitting at the temple ruins were more of a photo opp for guidebooks and publicity, but there really are monks around. They stand out anyway because they dress in such bright colours from head to toe but you could say I'm entirely mesmerized regardless by the wonderful flowing robes in such a gorgeous colour. It's hard to believe that the robes were made from (at least supposedly and traditionally) with discarded fabrics that no one wanted since the robes look so fresh and clean. I had a hard time finding out what the different shades of the robes from saffron yellow to a brown ochre mean (some sites say city monks vs. forest monks or different sects, but I don't know what to believe in). If you happen to know I'll deeply appreciate you telling me, but meanwhile we should all just admire the beauty and simplicity of the monks' habit. It's my last night in Siem Reap, and I don't want to leave just yet. I have a one day layover in Singapore the day after tomorrow so expect a ton of material posted here and on Flickr real soon. A small batch of photos of monks that I took on Bakheng is now uploaded on Flickr for all to see. Hope you will like them as much as I liked watching the sun go down on Bakheng (see below)!

The Sunrise at Angkor Wat

2012-01-15T11:47:00.000-05:00

I haven't felt quite so drained...since I stopped doing crew. I meant to update and check in with you lovely people earlier but after an entire day of walking around thousand year old temples in the hot humid weather, all I want to do once I enter into the hotel room is to plonk down on my bed and pass out. Which I did. Anyway, I managed to find some spare energy this evening even though I did get up at the crack of dawn this morning to go see the sunrise at Angkor Wat. There is only a small batch of photos right now on Flickr, but I'll be adding more as I go along (and perhaps even tomorrow morning!). This, of course, includes way more detailed posts with more writing soon. I'm thinking that the future posts will be organized by different themes around a central subject/idea and not so much in a day-to-day diary format. Hint: Though Angkor Wat is incredibly beautiful, majestic and breathtaking, its not my favourite temple yet.

C for Cambodia

2012-01-12T10:13:00.000-05:00

Photo by Dataichi

For the next few days I will be around Siem Reap and taking in all beautiful historical wonders the area has to offer. I didn't manage to write enough posts to be scheduled over the course of the next week, so I will be bringing my computer with me. It'll be a great opportunity to flex those photography muscles. The bulk of the photos will probably be on Flickr and though I will be posting some here, they're not going to be too fashion-oriented in general (though I believe Dad won't mind taking some outfit photos for me while we're there).