Hello. I meant to post up this flyer before but I forgot. Mainly because I’ve been busy not getting radioactive powers. (I was bitten by a spider. More later) If you like me, are lucky enough to live in New York, legally (or illegally for some of you) there is a free Ghostface Killah gig tonight on the LES. WU LIFE.

How do you get in? For plebs, RSVP at rsvp.vice.com/fightland

Please join us on April 24th in New York as we celebrate the launch of VICE’s latest video channel, FIGHTLAND.COM, a site capturing the culture, personalities and trends around one America’s fastest growing sports, MMA.

WHAT: The Official Launch Party for FIGHTLAND, VICE’s new MMA site dedicated to capturing the culture, personalities and trends around one America’s fastest growing sport.
WHEN: Wednesday April 24th | 8 – 12AM | 21+
WHERE: The DL | 95 Delancey St, NYC
TRANSPORT: F, J, Z at Delancey/Essex St; D at Grand St

Last night, I went to HBO HQ in Bryant Park for the premiere of VICE, Vice’s new TV show on HBO (I know it’s confusing) for salty nuts and wine in plastic cups from unionised bartenders. I can’t explain things well so watch this hereto video.

VICE, a news magazine series that will premiere exclusively on HBO, smashes barriers of decorum to cover such stories as out-of-control political assassinations in the Philippines, the sumo/Mixed Martial Arts craze that has swept Senegal and the precarious nuclear stare-down in Kashmir.

The first two episodes were shown, featuring failed suicide bombers, the Kashmir border conflict, as well as  a clip from their visit to North Korea with Dennis Rodman and the Harlem Globetrotters. If you’ve ever seen any of the VICE documentaries before, they’re pretty powerful and uncomfortable stuff.  As there was a Q&A afterwards, I felt I wanted to ask a question because I feel I don’t contribute enough to things like these. However, all the questions seemed mostly legit, and my question was rather foolish, and as my mother now tells me I’m on the wrong side of 25, I feel now is a time to learn to shut up. So I simply coerced Shane Smith with a beer afterwards to ask the most pertinent and important question in the history of Q&As:

“Do people have to genuflect and kiss the ring?”

Shane laughed and said he would make people do it. I hope he does.

If you ever wanted proof of how shit I am at taking photos, the photos from Reem Acra would be enough. Sure the runway was black which was annoying enough, and I was using a borrowed camera but… ugh. These photos I’ve taken are probably the best out of a very bad bunch (I know right) so I’ve resorted to everyone’s mainstay, Style.com

What I loved about this collection and Reem Acra is that she has a way of making things that could be considered trashy, such as fishnet and sheer panels uber classy and elegant. One hopes to see a beautiful starlet wearing one of these on the red carpet soon. Or even better, one hopes to shoot some pieces from this collection soon. This was definitely my favourite show, and I am dead irritated over my super blurry photos…

Favourite looks for me were:

Runway photos via Style.com

How do you evolve the eponymous bandage dress? By going two opposite directions, embellishment and sportswear. Add some fur, neoprene and bamf models and you have an instant hit. I didn’t think Max Azria could do anything different to his classic, but I think he did right here. I don’t really care for baseball caps, but I did like the fancy snapbacks. Can I pull one off?

Since I shot Herve Leger and BCBG for Cosmopolitan Russia for their March 2013 issue, they ticketed me, and with a nice surprise, front row seats. I usually hunker down in the pit because I’d rather stand than sit high up, but gosh did I feel loved in fashion. For once. Good seat, not the best photos though because I am rubbish at photography. Coco Rocha was sitting a few seats away and I was very tempted to take a blurry Instagram pic of her, hashtag it YOLO and see what she thought about that…

Twas the night before NYFW, and this lady blogger was not being her usual antisocial self and decided to attend events. When this invite dropped into my inbox I was all:

I am rather fond of prints, and Prabal Gurung is one of my utmost favourite collections to see every season. I’m usually very leery of high street collabs, I have a Target x Mulberry bag which the strap broke, which showed that it pretty much had been stapled on, but then I also purchased the Band of Outsiders cashmere hats from the Neiman Marcus x Target collab and they were fantastic, although the overall collection wasn’t well received. So it’s a mixed bag really.

Target has really been stepping up their fashion game of late, from the High Fashion ads for their Everyday Collection to pushing Target Style, their hitting all bases social campaign. This event was no less than what I would have expected, and much more than I ever expected. Target transformed Pier 57 into an indoor fairground complete with rides, a cinema showing the campaign film starring Olivia Thirlby, the face of the collection, photo booth, games where you could win Target vouchers, speciality drinks, a fortune teller, various food trucks, a stilt lady with candy floss on her legs, rides that actually you were allowed to ride which I stayed away from for fear of throwing up the dumplings, mini fish taco, and whoopie pie I ate.

The food was spectacular, presentation very on point. Oh but the wastage… but on the other hand miniature Coke bottles.

A special live performance from Ne-Yo ended the evening, since the inspiration for this collection was LOVE, and who does the best love R’n'B love songs of this generation?

Laziest photo taking ever. I do like Ne-Yo but I don’t like crowds.

My idol and love of my life Rashida Jones, Carey Mulligan and that girl from ANTM who was in Crazy, Stupid, Love were also there. I tried to sneak a picture of Rashida but bloody Just Jared got in the way so this is my picture.

When the Ann’s away, the mice get perms.

Most importantly WE WERE ALLOWED TO PURCHASE THE COLLECTION BEFORE ALL THE PLEBS  GENERAL PUBLIC. I’m looking forward to all these press turning up to Lincoln Center wearing the same jacket. Not all of the collection was there, such as the sandals in different colourways.

I purchased the dress that Olivia Thirlby was walking around in, because the top of my choice had sold out. I was quite impressed. Some of the things were a little too tacky for my liking, the high sheen factor of artificial materials will do that, but the majority of the items felt great, nice and weighty and finished rather well. I also mused over the red sandals but I was on the fence about it as I preferred the black and white ones in the first place (which are a Target.com exclusive), and some of the soles were unfinished, so I didn’t purchase.

Short-sleeve dress in First Date print and black, $39.99; wedge sandals in Apple red, $29.99

Alas this dress does not fit over my ample bosom, so I have to return it. Such is life. But on the whole, the collection is pretty mint. Son, I am not disappoint.

Prabal Gurung for Target launches in stores and on Target.com on February 10th 2013.
Prices range from $12.99 (approx £9)to $199.99 (approx £130)

Bradelis is a Japanese lingerie brand which recently opened their third store in NY, which has a novel 3 step system for shaping and enhancing your lady lumps. The 1st step is to sculpt your breasts, drawing the excess tissue (their words) into your chest; 2nd step is to sculpt and contour your chest (so they’re perky) and the 3rd step is designed to enhance. It’s a workout for your breasts, without actually working out. There’s also a 3 step for your butt.

Each step has different bras, and since your shape is supposed to change, you get free alterations and counselling (yes that’s right) for the lifetime of your garment. Not bad eh? One of the Bradelis girls told me she’d gone up by 2 cup sizes. Since I’ve got a Step 1 bra, so I’m really hoping that doesn’t happen to my copious cleavage. But time will tell eh?

BRADELIS New York SOHO
211 Elizabeth St New York, NY 10012
+1 212 941-5629
Open 11am – 7pm daily
Nearest Subway: Prince St (N,R); Broadway-Lafayette St (B,D,F,M,6)

This month the newly launched Glossybox USA  partners with the popular blogger Man Repeller to curate a special limited edition box.   I have been subscribed to this service in its earlier months (Glossybox just launched in the US last May, although it is available in other countries all around the world) and this is the first time their trademark pink box has been upgraded to a limited edition silver.

Inside, nestled within silver wrapping paper were the following:

• Estee Lauder Sumptuous Extreme Lash Multiplying Volume Mascara (in Deluxe sample size)
• Fresh Umbrian Clay Mattifying Serum (regular sample size)
• Tarte Glamazon pure performance 12 hour lipstick in color Fierce (full size, $28)
• OPI “Can’t Let Go” Liquid Sand Nail Lacquer (full size, $9)
• Narcisco Rodriguez for her Eau de Toilette Spray (regular sample size)
• Le Metier de Beaute Replenishing Daily Solution (regular sample size: foil packet)
• Sebasian Professional Potion 9 (deluxe sample)

Glossybox normally retails for $21, so as you can see the full sized products make up for what you spend on it.  I was always intrigued by the concept, but previous boxes have been a hit or a miss.  I do actually already own some of the products featured inside, although I did love the presentation, the value and the selection of brands.  And I am very impressed by the OPI nail polish and the Tarte lipstick.   I personally can’t wait to see what next month’s box will hold.  What do you think, lovely readers?

2013 was meant to be the year I blog more regularly eh…? Some things never change. Anyway, happy new year. I still think it’s 2012, considering I keep forgetting to write 2013 on everything.

Charity and volunteering have always been a big part of my life. My mother ran a local charity for most of my life so I and my sisters would usually be involved in some capacity, usually involuntarily. When you’re a kid, you don’t think that taking time out to help and do sometimes monotonous jobs, is particularly fun. But as I’ve matured, I’ve definitely grown to appreciate the time my mother made us put into helping.

Currently I live in New York, and I helped volunteer for City Harvest (a local food bank) during post-Sandy efforts. Having lived my entire life in the rather safe and not climate diverse London, experiencing a hurricane was something entirely new and unsettling. A friend suggested we go help pack food packages, and we did. Not only did I build some slight upper body strength by slinging cans around (not really) and have my first experience with Viennese sausage (not an euphemism) but I got to meet very interesting and different people. And not forgetting the biggest volunteer opportunity I ever did (and most time consuming) was the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony.

HELLO!

A lot of people do ask, why do I volunteer? Is it to show off? To make myself look better. I can honestly say it isn’t. Sounds selfish but it was first to make myself feel better. And also to branch out, and to get out of my comfort zone. The experiences and people you meet during volunteering is invaluable, and pretty fun too. Not to mention that it’s great for networking, and opportunities for another selfish reason. But mostly, it’s helped my self-confidence to no end. People who know me laugh about that because to them I have confidence falling out my butt. Not true.

Being a young person is hard. Of course, all the adults in your life tell you that “You’re young, what do you have to worry about? Enjoy life while you can.” Maybe the things you feel now won’t be important in the future, maybe they will be. But the most important thing is that they’re important right now. Feeling lost and out of place is something we all know what feels like. I definitely know what that feels like. One of the biggest issues is uncertainty.

I always think back and sometimes wish I was more confident in myself and abilities, but live and let learn. The frustration that comes along with it can be lonely. And the scaremongering that comes along in the media isn’t a help. Don’t get me wrong, yes, it’s a tough economy. I worried for ages about finding a job, paying off my student loans.

I’m a firm believer in going out there to find your own opportunities and make your own way in the world. When I couldn’t find a job after I graduated (which for me, seems to be always) I won’t lie, I was pretty despondent. So I kept interning. And interning. And interning. But I also started a blog based on my experience with writing on another blog which I loved. And the rest they say – is history.

I have worked with vInspired before I even forayed into the world of fashion. I can truly say hand on my heart, that they are a fantastic charity. Whether it’s an one off thing, or a continuous ongoing project, give it a go. Check it out. I can truly say that it’s not something you will regret. To get involved with the Beta Generation or just to find out more information check out vinspired.org

Did you know that the average height of the UK male is 5″8 and the average height of the UK lady is about 5″3? Being 5″7 I am considered somewhat of an anomaly, especially considering my Asian heritage, instead of being small and dainty, I’m a veritable giant. (Or giantess)

Perhaps that’s why I don’t tend to wear heels a lot. Oh, I own them. I own a lot of them. People upon seeing my closet often ask why they never see me wearing any, and also why I seem to wear a variation of the same clothes everyday. Well London and any city is bad for heels. Potholes, inclement weather, various puddles of unrecognisable detritus, the cobblestones at Somerset House… and don’t get me started on when it rains. As well as towering over almost every man I meet (Hello, I’m up here), I’ve always been more of a flats girl. Specifically, a nice pair of trainers.

If I had to pick out an iconic pair of trainers from my past (or present) wardrobe, they’d have to be a pair of Adidas’s. Oh the incarnations they’ve had. From my first sky blue pair (which promptly got so filthy I wept) to a pair of shell toes I lovingly maintained until my feet grew out of them, I do luvva the Adidas. What can I say? It’s a super stylish brand, their ads are on point, as are their collabs, clothes and their unique retro vibe. And they did the Team GB kit and London 2012 trainers both of which I own (BECAUSE I LOVE YOU LONDON).

This new Adidas trainer is called AdiHoney. Aww honey! With a flash of tartan lining, they stand out from the other nondescript white trainers around, and you know, make a statement without being impractical, and will leave you enough change  from your £60 to buy an umbrella from that guy outside the Tube.

To buy this trainer click here. To vote for this trainer as your all time favourite and for a chance to win a pair of Adidas Originals and all 12 #JDHeroes click here