KISS

It has occured to Kahani and I that the majority of the frocks that we showcase tend to be work-appropriate. Well, most of the time.

Anyway this is one of my more fun dresses more suited for weekend wear--being as cute as it is, keeping it sweet and simple is all it takes!

Shiny red espadrilles, a messy bun/ponytail, fresh-faced barely-there makeup, and you're all set for a cosy afternoon with the girls in a cafe.

These cute green rose earrings are handcrafted clay--my aunt who was holidaying in Chiang Mai got them for me a while back. I probably don't wear them often enough, but that's possibly because I have a huge (or at least, pretty sizeable) jewellery stash!

Dress: AUD10, some factory outlet store in Traralgon, VIC
Shoes: RM35 (50% off), Walk-in at Sunway Pyramid
Earrings: A gift from aunt

One for the Wish List: Frock of Love

At first, I wanted to do a "Bargain of the Day" post. But then I realized...most of you are currently in South East Asia. What kind of bargain would it be for me to post about US$10 dress with a US$30 shipping fee? Bah. Plus, there is no such thing as RM15 flea market finds here.

So here we go, something sweet from my ever-growing Wish List. I bring you...the Frock of Love!



How cute is this dress? I love Modcloth.com not only for their unique ladylike style but also for the names they tag their clothing with. This one in particular is of course named after Bret Michael's (from band Poison) VH1 reality dating show "Rock of Love". And hoho, it's crafted from a "Daisy" fabric, which is incidently the name of the runner-up in the 2nd season.

It didn't look that special at first since all I saw was a frontal shot, but I clicked the dress link anyway because of the catchy name. Then, I saw the pictures of the back of the dress and yes, I almost passed out from the cuteness. This is the backless first dress I've ever seen in the shape of a heart! I wanted to post about this since it kinda ties in with Mel's previous post about the UnBra which would work well for a dress like this.


Close-up of the back and fabric

All this loveliness comes with a hefty price tag though. At US$59.99+Tax+Shipping...it would pretty painful to my bank account since the dress would be a just-for-fun purchase. Thus, off to my Wish List it goes. Here's me crossing my fingers it's still available during Christmas season when I hear the magical words, "What would you like?" =D

Freedom in a (bra) cup

I was first introduced to the concept of silicone bra-thingos by my bestie a few years ago. I was skeptical. "But won't they fall off?" I queried. "Or worse still, what if they don't come off when I want them to?"

Being kind, my bestie put my fears to rest and let me fondle her silicone bra (when she wasn't wearing it, of course). "Euw," was my initial reaction. It felt sticky, wobbly, and frankly, weird. But I bit the bullet and gave it a whirl--the entirely silicone version--and that one pair has lasted me some 20-25 wears.

And no, no boobie boo-boos occurred.

So anyhoo, this brings me round to these miraculous babies. Ideal for wear with strapless tops/dresses, they stick on well (unless you are drenched in sweat/rainwater) and cling on to your top ladybits until you want to remove them, after which they should come off without any hassle.

This version that I just picked up is the fabric/silicone version--which is better in my humble opinion as the fabric outer layer would have a little more friction with your top/dress, hence reducing the risk of a slip-and-slide (downwards) incident.

But if you want to be on the safe side, use double-sided tape to hold your frock up--or for the ones of you with more money to splurge, Hollywood Fashion Tape (spotted in Top Shop and Miss Selfridge outlets for around RM50 a pop).

Clearly, they got a little confused over what "off-the-shoulder tops" were and simply slapped on a "halter" label. But anyhow, this should give you an idea of the versatility of the silicone bra.

The instructions are pretty clear--and in reasonably good English, phew!

There are even little heart-shaped areas (?!) in the middle for a better fit!

These ones are actually quite cheap--I remember when the silicone bras were first sold here in Sungei Wang etc, they retailed at about RM35-RM40 per pair! Now they range between RM20-RM35, but you can find them in most places.

One thing to keep in mind though, is that like gel pads for shoes, these things won't last forever. The stickiness will go out of the bras after multiple uses, after which you should get a new pair (unless you want to risk having your silicone bra fall off your titties and land on the floor--true story, happened to someone I know!)

The instructions don't say so here, but as a rule of thumb, do NOT chuck these in the washing machine. Yes, it does say "washable" on the box, but they don't mean a wash-spin-rinse-spin cycle thing. They mean for you to hand-wash these babies with mild hand soap, leaving them to air dry for a few minutes. Do this often, and your pair should last you as long as mine did.

UnBra silicone bra: RM19.90, Hot Value Market
(I went to the one in The Summit, USJ. There is also another outlet in Amcorp Mall, on the LG level)

Friday Night Out

A Friday night out after work is always a bit of a dilemma. One on hand it's casual friday and you don't have to dress formally. But work does present some modesty barriers and you can't quite "bring it" as you would at a club. On the other hand the idea of schlepping into a club or bar in an unedgy outfit bothers me to no end! The simple solution would be to change at work before going out but with irratic work patterns that's not always a viable solution. So here's an outfit I came up with for a night when I wanted to rock out a little after a day of work.

The black halterneck is edgy but the soft, pretty grey cardi makes it a far more work-friendly option. Plus pairing the cropped cardi with the long black halterneck really flatters the figure.

Trends may come and go, but my firm favourite in jeans is still (and always will be I suspect) the Boot Leg cut. I love how it's shapely, flattering, elongating and gives my skinny pins far more curves than they really possess. ;) What about you ladies? What cuts do you favour?

My love for dragonflies continues with this sterling silver, Tiffany "inspired" (fine they outright copied it) pendant.

A pair of "tuff" black heels round up the look. I picked these up for 50% off at Vincci and I just love the slight biker chick effect of the exposed "zippers".

Cardi: Shopaholics Unite blogshop (RM33)
Halterneck: H&M Amsterdam (€7)
Jeans: Dorothy Perkins London (2 for £30)
Necklace: eBay.co.uk (about £5)
Shoes: Vincci (RM28 after 50% discount)

Minnie me

Mr M was up in KL from Australia early this month. Taking full advantage of the fact that he was here, we planned and threw an engagement party for my family and friends.

But being me, I couldn't stomach the thought of having something blah and serious--so with the help of a dear friend, we hatched the idea of having a Hats & Headgear night.

Here I am with (from left) Naesems, Kahani and another colleague, SM, who looked adorable in her Santa hat. In case you were wondering, yes, the colour scheme was indeed red, black and white!

The Minnie ears perched atop my noggin, I had earlier pounced upon--prior to my assault, they were on my aunt's head, and I was sporting a fluffy pink tiara (as you would). But since this dress has been nicknamed the Minnie dress (I've worn it to work twice!) I decided to ham it up all the way!

By some funny twist, both Kahani and I rocked up in the same pair of heels from Debenhams, albeit in different colours. The perils of being together heaps and co-blogging--sometimes fashion accidents happen!

Here's another fun shot with my darling girls from uni, D, and gorgeous (tangerine) actress N, who totally rocked her multicoloured 'fro. And Kahani again, of course!

Introducing Mr M!

All photos by my very talented friend KK Lim.

Dress: RM15, Amcorp Mall weekend flea market

Necklace: AUD9.90, Sportsgirl

Bag: RM12.90, Mydin

Shoes: RM53.70 (70% off from RM179), Red Herring at Debenhams

Minne Mouse ears: Nicked off my aunt's head

Easy breezy, my favourite weekly

I like to call this my "I-don't-know-what-to-wear" solution. The situation arises at least once a week, and I usually turn to this pretty cotton dress.


Dress: Somerset Bay RM104 (30% off)

Normally, I would never even consider to pay that much for a simple single fabric dress. And the lil round of drama that came with it almost made it not want to buy it.

I first set eyes on this dress in Metrojaya at The Curve. It was on one of the mannequins sitting on an antique trunk at the Somerset Bay section. The rich red colour caught my attention right away before I even spotted anything else. The smocking and wide straps give it a comfy fit. And seeing the tiny white rose print once I got close up just made me go "OoooOooH". The price tag of RM149 however made me my face go O_o

In any case, I still wanted to try it out just because it looked so comfy and made me feel like running thru a sunny beach or lush grass covered in daisies. Of course, they had every size on the rack except for the one I needed...which funnily enough was on the mannequin! So I asked the salesgirl which took me 10 minutes to locate if they had any in storage.

Fifteen minutes later, I went looking for her and she was on the customer service phone...yakking to a friend about what to have for lunch. The second she noticed me, she blurted into the phone, "Eh, baju merah ada size 7 lagi tak?" (Is there anymore size 7 of the red dress?). Right...Anyway, she continued chatting on the phone and shook her hand to me signally that there was no more. Like I believed it was even someone on the other end of the phone who knew what the heck she was talking about.

Few days later, I was still thinking about the dress so I went to One Utama's Somerset Bay to get it. I kept thinking gosh, it's RM149 but you know...this was my first time back home in 3 years, I deserve a splurge. I was happily surprised to find out it was 30% off thanks to the nice cashier lady.

I feel this dress was way worth the money though. I've worn it at least once a week since I bought it...so much so that my mom has seen recent pics of me and gone, "This dress again?!" I adore that it's one of those pure cotton wash-and-wear dresses. No fussing with the iron or unpronouncable materials. Heck, it even brightens up the nasty beach I took the photo at!


White roses on red...lovely!

Rootote Love

Meet my newest Medium Roo-Tote in "Sprout". Made by Japanese company, Superplanning, Roo-Totes are so named for its little "kangaroo" pouch on the side. Light, strong, practical and oh-so-pretty, this is the fourth in my collection of Roo-Totes.

I was first addicted to these roomy and machine-washable canvas totes by fellow beauty (and sometimes fashion) bloggers ParisB and Beetrice. Perfect for a job where you lug everything with you, from notebooks to recorders to the kitchen sink these bags have become a staple in my daily life. All it needs to be perfect is an organiser.

A note to the wise though, it's worth buying the ones priced RM75 and up. Those in the RM46 range tend to be slightly less well constructed and don't have fastenings to close them. The one tote I have in this range is mostly used like a beach bag.

Bag: Rootote (RM75) - Tiny Tapir

Coming up roses

So on top of my addiction to bows of all sorts, I also have an incredible soft spot for all things floral, flowery, and dreamy.

But you already know this!

Anyway, this top is possibly the most expensive single item of clothing I have ever purchased, only because I was a completely smitten kitten.

I found this ruffled, soft-as-a-petal blousy top in Top Shop some time at the end of last year. Trying to justify the hefty RM109 price tag (by my standards, and it was 30% off already!), I saved it for Chinese New Year this year.

This was me during CNY with my beloved cousins AL (in a red poppy dress which also belongs to me, but which she loves so I have let her keep!) and SF, who was happy as a clam in her RM5 dress from Shanghai.

The skirt I'm wearing is a lovely pleated affair with cute eyelet detail on the hem--I found it in my aunt's wardrobe and staked my claim! I'll feature it properly sometime soon.

But just look at the dreamy quality it lends--I adore how it looks, and feels! The top is also along enough that I could wear it with tights, but since the material is pretty see-through I've only ever worn it as a top.

What I wore (in the first picture):

Top: RM109, 30% off at Top Shop

Pants: The famed Editor pants by Express Design Studio (dubbed "the best fitting pant in America"), RM39.90 at FOS

Brogues: RM29.90, Bata Warehouse at Subang Parade

When you look like a box of chocolates...

You've gotta hide!

I fell in love with this dress, another thrift find at Amcorp Mall, on sight. But it wasn't till I put it on that I realised it made me resemble a posh box of chocolates!

Ah well, at least it's a posh box. ;)


I picked up this necklace in Copenhagen aiport just before leaving Denmark to fly to England. I'd been eyeing this Daisy Chain necklace by Danish Designer jewellery line, Pilgrim for quite awhile and was so happy to find it 50% off. The Danes adore daisies and you'll find daisy inspired jewellery everywhere. This happy chain brings with it some truly lovely memories.

Dress: Amcorp Mall Flea Market, 2nd floor (RM15)
Shoes: Cats Whiskers (RM89)
Necklace: Pilgrim, Denmark (I honestly can't remember the cost about DKK200)

Chic chick, c'est moi!

I confess I've always been a little in awe and a tad jealous of those chicks who've been featured in those 'What I'm Wearing' columns in magazines and whatnot.

But a few weeks ago for the first time, it was my turn! I'd been invited by Kahani to a lovely ladies-only (I think, didn't see too many men besides the bar staff!) event, Lipstick Gossip at Bar Twenty-One in KL.

(Yes, twas also one of those days when I thought back "thank goodness I wasn't wearing anything too daggy!")

Picture from Tongue in Chic.

I'd come straight from work (I had on a happy turquoise cardi earlier), so I wasn't as pristinely made-up as some of the other girls, but no matter! I'm keepin' it real. LOL.

The event also made me think that I need to work on my poses in front of the mirror, you know, for posterity!

Top: RM10, Central Market
Skirt: RM35, Country Road (picked up at FOS, wink wink!)
Necklace: RM21, Diva
Shoes: RM53.70, Red Herring at Debenhams
Bag: A gift from a friend in Singapore

Black & White for Night & Day

I was standing at my closet at the start of last week's three day weekend and greeted with an array of colours as I tap my feet wondering what to wear. Blue. Pink. Yellow. Red. Peach. You know what? All of my earlier posts have been dresses or outfits with oodles of colour.

I've seen Meldee and Kahani share their black and white dresses with our readers. It's about time I tone it down (or perhaps, live it up?) with one of mine!


It's been a while since I've worn this black and white cotton halter dress. I've been putting together so many work appropriate outfits and too zonked out for the past few weekends to care what I wore on my days off. After four long weeks of getting back into the work habit, it was about time to mix it up a little thanks to labor day off. Two days to be a bum and one day to go all out.

I almost forgot how much I missed this dress. I bought it a few years ago when it was on sale for 50% off. The cut is sexy enough for a night out but the light cotton fabric prevents it from being over the top and still appropriate to just throw on for a casual walk in the park. I thank my Asian side for giving me shiny black hair that goes so well with this fabulous frock :)

Additionally, I've gotten comments before from friends that this dress reminds them of something from the lingerie section. But hey, I adore lingerie and if I have a piece of it decent enough to show off in public...I'm going for it!


Black & white halter dress: Wetseal.com US$10 (50% off)
Shiny patent pleather shoes: eBay US$8

One issue that I do have with this dress. The cut is pretty low so even a strapless bra doesn't cut it sometimes. Any suggestions on a good brand of those stick-on bras/cups? What's it called...nubra? Hmm.

Warning: Terrible experience with Lush Serendipity Blogshop

So ladies here's the reason behind my Guide to Blogshops post. I have had a very infuriating and negative experience with popular blogshop, Lush Serendipity. By all accounts it's a popular and well run blogshop, but to my surprise the owner who goes by "Grace", "Shen", and "May Jern" is dishonest, unpleasant and downright nasty. She's also terribly clueless about consumer rights.

Here's my tale of woe:


On Aug 29 I ordered a pair of black flat "satin" shoes from her site in size 37, they retail at RM35 + RM8 postage. The transaction was effortless and pleasant, but when I received my shoes a few days later, the right side was a size 36 while the left was a 37.

"No problem!" thought I. Mistakes happen and are easily rectified. I gave her mobile a buzz and she, while sounding oddly disinterested and unapologetic (she did say "sorry" I think, but her heart wasn't in it). We agreed to meet up at The Curve the next day in the late afternoon and swap my size 36 for a size 37.

That Saturday (Sep 4) I dropped her a message at 4pm reminding her of our meeting and the agreed-upon swap. No reply.

I go to the mall, and try calling her. She doesn't answer, and doesn't respond to my SMS. I call her a few more times and she never answers. I get home and leave her an email, and no reply. She stood me up.

At this point I'm not exactly angry I'm just annoyed. But you know, stuff happens and maybe she has no internet access or her phone got stolen. Who knows right?

Then she sends out an email and her site updates. Immediately I write her another email, leave a comment on her site, call her and drop her sms's. Again absolutely NO reply or contact from her. But her site updates again. Clearly, she has internet access.

I would like to point out that while I was firm and stated my annoyance with her, I was never rude and even assured her that if her reasons were good I would forgive and forget.

I got frustrated enough to email the lovely girl running A Shopaholics Den asking if she made announcements on her site because I could not get this girl to reply. She said she knew her personally and would see what she could do.

Immediately I get an sms from "Grace". "Hey babe.so sorry had probs past few dats, can we meet tmrw?"

Apology? Not enough by half. I try giving her a call but she doesn't answer so I message back, "I don't think so. I'm working and tomorrow is a full day. Email me and we can discuss this."

Grace: Then when r u able to make it?

By this point I'm very annoyed. She has not had personal troubles to a point where she can't reply my messages and emails. If you can update your blog, you can email. And the implication that I'm being difficult is just too much.

To me, all I wanted to do was get rid of the shoes, get back my money and forget all about this child who has no business running a shop. "I was able to make it over the past 3 days, I was there saturday as prearranged" I pointed out and asked her to meet me at my office (near the curve), take back her shoes and refund my money,

Grace: All sales r final.no refunds.just give me ur add n i'l mail it to u.

Me: All sales are final if you actually sell me what I wanted. I gave you a chance to make this right with no penalties and you didn't honour your end. For obvious reasons the shoes have never been worn. Just take them back and return my money.

Grace: Excuse me.who r u to give me d attitude?no way m i refunding.u just give me ur add!

ME? Attitude? And I might add that any decent blogshop owner would KNOW the add she sent my things to.

So I replied, "I am an adult in full cognizance of my rights as a consumer. You made a mistake in the order. You stood me up. you failed to make contact or apologize. You have not provided adequate reasons nor accepted responsibility as a store owner." I pointed out that if I were to take her to consumer claims she would be at fault and as I never received the goods I purchased the transaction was incomplete and thus not "final".

Grace: Give me ur add.period.

I agreed to email her my delivery address but decide to be fair and warn her that I do run blogs and will review my negative experience of her. If she does choose to do the right thing and refund my money then I will consider the issue closed and may not choose to write her up.

Grace: Dere's no need to threaten me as I'm very connected w public figures working s lawyers.so dat's de end to it. i wil post out tmw.thx

I'll admit I laughed. I pointed out (gently I thought) that technically she'd commited transaction fraud by selling me goods I did not pay for. Also I wasn't giving her a threat, I was warning her that I felt she was someone who others should be aware of. Finally I told her that if she chose to post out the shoe she was not getting the size 36 she sent me as there was no way I'd incur further postage cost or trouble on my part.

So that's the story ladies. I received my replacement size 37 on Thursday and have not heard from her since. She chose not to honour my request.

As blogshops are built on trust and consumer service I believe Lush Serendipity has failed on both counts. I think that had I not contacted A Shopaholics Den, she would simply have avoided me and never bothered to correct her error.

I would love your comments on this and if I've been unreasonable in anyway I'd like your opinions. But if you agree with me, I encourage you to repost this on your web blogs and warn your friends away from Lush Serendipity. Believe me, no one needs this kind of drama.

Bubble yum

I loathe bubble skirts with a passion. That I adore this one—my one and only—speaks volumes (pardon the pun). There’s just something about this pink, bejewelled baby that I fell in total lust with when I first saw it.

The material is light cotton, and due to the ruched elastic back it fits quite nicely. An added bonus with this particular hemline is that on windy days, I don’t really run the risk of doing a Marilyn (Monroe, that is) and flashing my knickers.

And the cute-but-moderate bling! All these put together make it the perfect dress for busting those pesky Monday blues! Now, if only it had pockets...


These shoes, aah! I’ve already got a pair of T-bar heels, but being a huge fan of the lovely Rhiannon from Liebemarlene Vintage I’ve been on the lookout for more pairs.

That fateful day, I’d actually intended on buying a pair of patent Mary-Janes from Clarks, despite the prohibitive RM278 price tag, simply because they last longer. Instead, some strange pull (from the Shopping Gods, I reckon) compelled me to stroll into Debenhams at The Curve, where I normally never step foot into.

And there, right before me, were racks upon racks of beautiful patent heels, each sexier than the last. And hanging above the racks was a huge sign that said “70% off”.

I was in shoe heaven! I grabbed 5 pairs or so to try on, and eventually settled on two—this pair, and another pair of deep red round-toe pumps with a bow (naturally)—the rest all displayed copious amounts of toe crack, which I am not very fond of.

In my honest opinion, the only kinds of acceptable cracks are those on pavements and roofs—not that I’m enthusiastic about those, but they are so much better than toe crack, or worse still, butt crack.

Anyway, these beautiful patent shoes were marked down to RM53.70 from RM179. I wanted to get more, but thankfully whatever shreds of good sense I had left in my mad shoe craze prevailed.

This is how I suppose I am Piscean to the end—I simply cannot say no to a sexy pair of shoes!

Dress: RM49.90 (I think, it was a long time ago), Shopaholics Unite!
Shoes: RM53.70 (70% off from RM179), Red Herring at Debenhams
Fan: RM1.90 at Hot Value Market, Amcorp Mall

Guide to shopping on Blogshops

Dear readers,

A recent highly negative experience which I may review shortly if the blogshop owner does not take action to correct has led me to post the following tipsheet on buying via the new breed of online sellers - Blogshops.

Blogshops are online shops run via a blog much like this. There are advantages for a Malaysian girl buying from them as they often sell things at a much lower cost than retail or even other online shops as they have absolutely no overhead. A good blogshop owner can become like a personal shopper for you if your taste coincides, and even better, there are about 800 blogshops in Malaysia alone so for once you get to enjoy the low rates and fast delivery of local shipping. Finally the primary means of payment is via Maybank2U which is completely free if you have a Maybank account and secure. Plus you will have their personal details held with Maybank should any serious offenses occur.

Still there should be some caution when buying from these ladies as while many are sweet lovely enterprising ladies, there are a few nasty ones in the mix. Please be assured that any shop I recommend on this blog is one I've had a positive transaction with. If I haven't bought from them I will never personally recommend them no matter how lovely their stuff.

Now read on for tips!


Don't spend too much on your first transaction. While it's tempting to save on shipping and buy all the low-priced stuff you adore, cap your spending around RM50 so if anything bad happens you can always just walk away. Only be tempted to spend more once you trust the blogshop owner.

Shop around. Not all blogshops are cheaper than retail. Some do overprice out of greed or ignorance.

Google. Just run the blogshop's name into google. Any truly bad experiences may have been shared online and you'll be warned.

Read the terms & conditions. If you buy the wrong size, or something doesn't arrive in the mail, what happens?

Always use registered post. Many blogshop owners insist on this as it is as much to their advantage as it is to yours. Still don't be cheap and save a few ringgit on this.

Have it delivered to your workplace if no one's home. I have no one at home but two bored dogs eager to tear up anything they can get their paws on. Also people steal packages too big to fit into letterboxes.

If your feet are an odd shape and you know it. If your body proportions are not generally off-the-rack. Then don't risk buying something without first trying.

Well that's it ladies. Does anyone have more advice to add? Blogshops to endorse or warn others about? Please share!

Dressing down with Denim

Cropped denim jacket - Charlotte Russe US$12
Pink tank top - Gordman's US$3
Skirt - Bebe.com (A fabulous gift!)
Trusty mary janes - Clarks RM220

I only own two pairs of jeans. So yeah, I don't do denim pieces very often. However, I love how versatile a simple denim jacket can be.

I picked up this jacket about four years ago before flying home to KL for the summer. I wanted something to wear in the plane that wasn't over the top but didn't look sloppy either. I have a serious dislike for sweatshirts and oversized hoodies. Bleugh.

I love the dark shade of blue and the fact that it was cropped just above the waist. If you have a larger waistline, I find that cropped jackets work best. Jackets that end at right the waistline or go below the waist either draw attention to that area or make you appear wider than you really are. Keep in mind, this is for typical denim jackets with don't have much of a cut to them.

I always cheer when schools are fully air-conditioned. However, it can get a wee chilly in the classrooms every now and then. So I like how the material of this little blue jacket keeps me at a comfy temperature. Not to hot, not too cold!

Blazers are nice but I wouldn't wear one to my job. My co-workers must already think I'm some sort of as Miss Fashion Statement showing up in dresses and skirts, so no deal. Denim helps dress down many of my outfits which would be otherwise categoried as party pieces. This floral skirt is a good exhibit A. It's colorful, super girly and even comes with a bow on the front...something I would usually pick for fancy nights out. But ha-hah, I throw on my casual denim jacket and suddenly it looks like a pretty decent work outfit :)

On a side note, I lurve the skirt on it's own as well. The significant other picked it out about 3 years ago. We had just started dating at the time. He called me up one day and actually asked me to look at the website's sizing chart to pick a size. He said he wanted to buy it for me but did not wish to offend me with the wrong size. Lol.

In search of adventure

In a concrete jungle, a girl is very easily frustrated by the humdrum-ness of it all. With a rapidly depleting bank balance and very little time off left to take, what else can one do but dream of far off places, adventures, and mystery?

And what else better to facilitate these fancies than a dress that hints at tales of bandits, spices, and dark-eyed beauties in gossamer veils?

(Pardon the petticoat flash, twas a windy day! The sands of wanderlust got into my eyes)


I found this Moroccan/Middle-Eastern in ye olden spice trade days baby at the last Bijou Bazaar I went to last year. The lovely girl operating the stall was trying to clear off her stock, so prices of everything had been slashed--earlier in the day, the dress was RM15 or so, but by closing time it had gone down to RM8.

It was actually a lot longer--I snipped a good 4-5 inches off the hem. I know the cut isn't the most flattering, but the detailing on the chest, and that divine, mysterious print--I had to have it!

These pewter Celtic-inspired earrings also whispered tales of adventure, albeit different kinds. I picked these up at the Bega Cheese Factory (yes, really--how random, right?) over Christmas 2006, the first time I went to Mr M's hometown to meet his family.

Mr M, being of Irish heritage himself, had a hand in picking these charming danglies for me.

When one is desk-bound most of the time and unable to go off gallivanting into the sunset, sometimes even just being around things that inspire dreams of travel suffice.

Dress: RM8, Bijou Bazaar
Belt: RM35, Naf Naf (50% off)
Shoes: RM24.90, Bata Warehouse
Pewter earrings: AU$9.90 (or something), the Bega Cheese Factory

Silhouette

White at the top, and slimming black on the bottom makes for a very lovely silhouette. This lucky find is not exactly vintage because the material is stretchy (a modern convenience) but it does allow for a very form-fitting outfit. Red lipstick, shoes and fun jewellery add some fun to the severe monochrome.


Amusingly, the dress initially looked a little silly. It very nearly became known as "The Penguin Dress". You see right in the middle of the chest was this:

Which when worn made me look like this:
But a few ripped threads later and voila. It goes from cartoony to classy. If a dress is priced affordably, don't stress over ugly buttons, a lace hem you hate, or even weird bows like this. Just take it as a project to make over! Of course, if the dress is pricey it had BETTER be perfect.

These whimsical earrings were made by a former schoolmate of mine, Wai Yee who now runs Chatterbeads. She's been MIA for awhile but seems to be back in action.

And the moment I spotted this adorable ring at Paperdoll Boutique I pestered the store-owner Jo into getting them in MY size (the ones she had were too big for my thumb!). Which she did, the darling. If she's sold out though, you can also pick them up at Soak Republic for about the same price.

And now for the shoes that broke my heart...
Aren't they adorable? I fell in love with them on sight and picked them up at retail price (something I hardly ever do) for RM80. But the shoes that were even a little snug on fitting GREW a size over the day. By the time this picture was taken I had a large wad of tissue stuffed into the heel and it was still to big to stay on my foot. Argh! I eventually sold it to a colleague for half-price after only one day of wear. Heartbreaking. But it fits her perfectly and she looks adorable in it so there are consolations.

Also I picked up my DREAM pair of red shoes for RM53 at Debenhams. So all is well. Go check out their outlet at The Curve the 70% sale was still on yesterday and the 70% shoes are still available in my size in some styles. Otherwise, if you're UK3 or UK8 you MUST go see!

Dress: Vintage @ Amcorp Mall (RM15)
Earrings: Chatterbeads (RM15)
Ring: Paperdoll Boutique (about RM20)
Shoes: Vincci (RM80)

Freedom!

Nothing beats the joy of having a fail-safe dress you can just throw on and be perfect for every occassion. When I spotted this shift dress on the vintage racks at Amcorp Mall my heart skipped a beat. I knew it would fit me perfectly, knew it would be comfortable and fuss free, knew I'd wear it to work, to church, to lunch.. oh anywhere.


Even better, it isn't sheer so no worries there. It doesn't require tugging, rearranging, tucking, or squirming throughout the day. It's absolute simplicity also frees you from accessorising, unless you really want to that is.

Oh one more thing, it's dead easy to put on. One button, no morning pyrotechnics to wiggle my way in. Glorious.

The silver leaf earrings add the necessary touch of pretty bling, toss on my shoes and I'm done!

Dress: Vintage racks @ Amcorp Mall (RM15)
Earrings: A Fashion Story (RM13.90)
Shoes: Cats Whiskers (RM99)

Ps. I only just realised that the post title does coincide with Merdeka Week doesn't it? =P

Mustard madness

I bought these pair of vintage-inspired mustard lovelies a while back, before I started work (I've been part of the work force for almost six months now!)

Since then, I've only worn them twice, I think. Which is bad. Bad, bad, bad. Because I am determined to get more wear out of them.

Thing is, for all my attempts at being adventurous, I've only worn them as a pop of colour to an otherwise boring or monochromatic outfit, like when I'm in a black shirt and denim pencil skirt (which is really vintage, and which I must feature one day! It's one of the best hand-me-down scores from my aunts!).

They've got a bit of height to them (not evident in pictures--I teeter on them, perhaps because the heel's skinny), but they're surprisingly comfy to wear. I drive barefoot though (sorry--know it sounds gross), so taking them off and putting them back on is a bit of a hassle.

But other than that, I love them! I'm wondering how else to wear them...any suggestions, ladies?

Mustard heels: RM34.90 (50% off), Walk-In at Sunway Pyramid

Save the trees, keep the outfit

Two weeks ago, I walked around the one and only local mall for the first time in months. I was horrified to find an abundance of skirts and dresses crafted from what I like to refer to as lumberjack-tablecloth fabric. Mismatched color combos on nasty flannel type fabric that fluffs at first wash...ugh.

I have a strong dislike for anything plaid and checkered. Cheesy images of 90's TV show characters pop into my mind...back in the day when the cool kids threw on baggy flannel shirts over their torn blue jeans. I loved the 90s but fan of plaid I was not. Of course, the 90s didn't have this little number.


Plaid strapless dress: Forever21.com $24.90

This is the first plaid dress I have ever fancied. I loved it at first sight when I was stalking one of my favourite online stores last week. It has a sweetheart neckline and ruching from under the bustline to the top of the waistline to give you texture and definition. And the bottom skirt part consists of vertical pleats that give it a pretty flare.

The cut of the dress is pretty similar to a bunch of dresses in my wardrobe. I pick dresses with these details to bring attention to what I wish to enhance and hide what I wish to go unseen. What I feel a major plus is about this dress are the colors. I love the bright purply-fuchsia that is toned down with black and white. A lot of my distaste for "lumberjack" dresses comes from awful color combos. This however, seemed very clean and not overly gaudy. And if you notice, the dress is 100% crisp and very washable cotton!

What's the best part about my fabulous find? Kindly see below.


It's a little ritual I never fail to do before purchasing clothes online. I eBay it and cross my fingers for a bargain. And wahoo, I got it for $4.99 (80% discount!) off eBay from a girl who tore off the tag before she tried it on, so she couldn't return it for a different size. Bidding ended today and I was the only one so yay!

This dress comes in two different colors so I was lucky that the one up for bidding was the fuchsia one. While the cut may be wonderful, I am so not buying the red and navy version. If there's someone else out there who thinks like me, I sure do not wish to ever hear the compliment that goes, "Aw, cute outfit...you remind me of my scotty dog."