E-Shopping Haunt : Lulu's

I have raved over ModCloth and Forever21 before, but I have found yet another shopping site which is just as lovely...if not, even better!

I introduce you to Lulus.com!

I e-windowshop at Forever21 and Modcloth at least twice a week. Not really looking to make a purchase, but more just for fun. Forever21 is great for reasonable prices here in the United States. And, I adore Modcloth for the cutesy names of each store item. I discovered Lulu's when I was bored few days ago, after I had browsed Yahoo Questions for "stores like Forever21".

Here to tease you are a few of Lulu's gorgeous dresses and the creative names given to each of them!


L-R: Conversation Hearts, Somebody to Love, Tic Tac Toe


L-R: Strawberries and Silk, Smart Cookie, Ice-cream Social


L-R: Clara Bow, Work the Room, Dreaming Spires

Lulu's prices start at about $30 (~RM100) and can go as high as $80 for the dress section. I feel that the ones within the $30-$50 price range seem pretty reasonable considering popular stores like TopShop have even simpler dresses going for about RM250.

I don't know about you lovely readers, but I have definately found a new site to bookmark! Even if I can't afford to buy anything at the moment, the dress names are a nice lil pick-me-up at the end of a hard day's work. As of right now, Lulu's has 449 dresses up for sale. So, if you enjoyed the small teaser...be sure to check out their site for even more e-shop eye candy :)

Oh please, Mr Postman!

Being a bit of a romantic, I sometimes lament the day that technology came around and made sending hand-written love letters in the mail redundant. The only mail I get these days seem to be very non-loving at all--mostly mean old corporations asking for my money, or junk mail asking me to spend above RM300 in a single bill to be eligible for a lifetime membership card for XYZ store or whatnot!

So imagine my delight when I found this utterly adorable and completely whimsical little pouch/purse thing in Shanghai that reeked of Air Mail envelopes of yore, addressed to the future!

Even the back of the pouch is covered in print--how adorable is it?!

The entire thing is made out of cotton, and looks like it was made of recycled or natural fabric, which I loved. It also has cute little card slots inside--the grand plan is for me to sew on a ribbon or strap, so I can turn this into a cute little wristlet!

It even came in an envelope--it would have made a perfect gift, come to think of it, but I was so taken with it I needed to keep it for myself :D

Air Mail purse: RMB40 (about RM20), Tai Kang Lu, Shanghai

The Graveyard Book

Isn't it wonderful when friends know you perfectly? I've been a Neil Gaiman fan from my teens and a bibliophile from before I could walk. When I found out this beautifully crafted Subterranean Press edition of The Graveyard Book, autographed by Gaiman and illustrator Dave McKean, was to be mine. I squealed joyously and grabbed the poor chap in excitement.

Probably the single most generous gift I've ever received, it's also startlingly appropriate since we first became friends over books. Two lonely bookworms bonding over his bookshelf in highschool.

Thanks again dear, told you I couldn't resist showing it off! Sorry it's unladylike but ah well... I ain't a lady! =P

Lace dress: Cocktails & Martinis blogshop (RM43)

Planning Ahead: Victorian Vixen

The ground may still be covered with snow, but I enjoy daydreaming about my future fashion plans in hopes that Spring weather kicks in real soon. I've been stuck in a rut lately as my Winter wardrobe is pretty limited and uber boring. Also, Tyra isn't around to yell at me (altho Kahani may), so I prefer not to freeze my butt off taking fashion photos outside. I thought a fun idea post would be a nice change instead.

I recently came upon a bit of good luck. I had received an American Express gift card (with a generous amount on it) for early renewal of my townhouse lease. Really, when the lady at the office said "free gift card", I was expecting to receive a $5 MickeyD's thing in the mail. So, this little surprise was awesome :)

I have been spending most of my hard earned money on student loans, utilities and groceries and felt like it was about time to treat myself. I could gone wild at the mall I guess. Instead, I chose to go to Hobby Lobby (craft store) and buy five different fabrics to be made into dresses! This gorgeous print is one of them.



The fact that it resembles old-fashioned wallpaper only makes it that much more appealing to me. Don't you think the colours look great? The berry, black and bits of gray work so well together! Classic print with modern colours as a twist. That equals love in my book!

I've sent the fabrics off to the same young lady who crafted The Weinie Dog Dress for me. I can't wait to try on the finished dress with a strand of pearls and matching flower clip in my hair. Complete the look with some shiny black shoes and I'm ready for a sunny Spring outing :)

Fabric - Hobby Lobby $4.50/yard
Pearl necklace - Jusco (yes, Jusco) RM35
Flower clip - The Curve RM15

Going native

Gorgeous Rei's Brilliant Batik post a while back reminded me that I had something similar buried in my closet--a dress inherited, again, from one of my aunts.

I know 'tis a bit cheesy and a bit old-lady to wear batik to work, but it's actually something I'd want to do soon--because as yet, I haven't worn this dress out, simply because of batik's connotations of formal functions, old men in garishly-printed shirts, and air stewardesses' uniforms!

On a personal note, I am planning on migrating back to Australia next year, to work, live and be with Mr M on a more permanent basis. And despite me not having worn this dress out here, I reckon I'll probably have it stuffed in my (probably exploding) suitcase to be worn there--because it will remind me of home; who I am and where I came from.

And ok, some may probably be pedantic and point out that this specific batik print is not Malaysian, but more Indonesian (I've been told there are differences, and I do not pretend to be an expert on the matter), but the point is, is that it's from around these parts, and that Southeast Asia is home.

And in the early months, when I expect homesickness to be at its worst, knowing that this dress is part of home, and from someone in my family--well, what's not to love?

Dress: Pre-loved, inherited from aunt
Shoes: Some street bazaar, aaaaages ago
Belt: Cats Whiskers

New Blue Shoes & Birthday Surprise!

I have a rather sad admission to make. Until this recent birthday, I've never ever had anyone send me flowers. So imagine my surprise when these arrived with a card saying, "Gratulerer Med Dagen" from two friends currently in Norway! Aww... thanks guys!

And meet my new blue shoes! I picked them up on discount at Voir, and loved the vintage mary-jane design (of course) and the extraordinary turquoise blue. Mom was slightly horrified but even she had to admit that it went well with white and sand. So now I have a new "pop of colour" pair of shoes that are NOT red. =P

I draw inspirations for odd colour combinations that somehow work together from nature. Sand, white & turquoise can all be found at the beach. Other colour combos that come to mind are green and brown (trees), purple and deep blue (pansies), and russet shades of yellow, rusty orange and brown (autumn). I'm really good at this - I've seen some girls make turquoise and fuschia work!

Since I'm in a confessory mood, this post was meant to be up yesterday but the internet (no thanks, Streamyx) has been so awful that I could not load it up at all on Sunday night. And even this post took almost an hour just to post the pic! Argh! So even though there is ANOTHER pic where my face isn't as blurred (but the shoes & flowers aren't as evident) you won't be seeing it as the idea of trying to post yet another pic makes me want to curl up in fetal position and cry.

Shirt: Nichii (RM30 after 50% discount)
Skirt: Ropé (gifted)
Belt: Paperdoll Boutique (RM34)
Shoes: Voir (RM62.90 after 20% discount)

Some housekeeping:
We've decided to move to a Monday (usually me) - Wednesday (usually mel) - Friday (usually rey) schedule. You could say we learned the hard way why most fashion blogs featuring outfits don't publish daily. So we're giving this a try and we'd really love to know what you think.

DIY: Making necklaces more comfy

The first time I tried this on I realised I'd overlooked something pretty important. The flowers were tied onto metal bits with fishing line and not backed in felt. So they ITCHED something awful. Ten seconds with it on and I wanted nothing more than to rip the thing of. Well, since Diva didn't have the sense to back it with felt, I decided to save the necklace and do it myself.


A quick trip to Daiso scored me a massive roll of red felt (the remainder went to my soft-toy making colleague). Armed with a tube of glue, coins and scissors I was good to go!

It's pretty elementry actually. I traced the outline of the coins with a pen onto the felt, cut it out, and stick it on the backs of the flowers. Ta-daaah. Comfy necklace!

Guest Post: Batwoman by day, jewel thief by night

By Petra Gimbad My sister may be the young Imelda of the family but I love my frequent wear collection with all my heart. The thought of these shoes warm me: they are comfortable and oh-so-cheap.

With this collection, I am able to play Batwoman by day and jewel thief by night. (I refuse to be Batgirl. I want to be a female version of Bruce Wayne.) This means being a social worker during work hours and Tatler ready when the sun goes down.

Work is located in a red light district area. Also, house-to-house visits must be made to refugee flats. Shoes should withstand heat, rain, chasing kids and running after taxis. Being waterproof is a plus when the germ paranoid bug hits. I hear voices from the nearest Dettol factory instructing me to create an antiseptic laden swimming pool to drown my shoes in.

In addition to the practical stuff, my shoes must also look sexy enough to get away with murder.

My favourite pairs at the moment are:
1. My black hiking shoes, RM8 (bought from a Miri fish market, not so pretty, but who cares: buff males and females think they are incredibly cool)
2. Black sandals, RM5 (popular among Pudu market workers, they are the new Hush Puppies: practical and comfy)
3. Red flats, NZ$7 (bought from a secondhand shop in New Zealand, falling apart, emotional attachment)
4. Metallic flatties, $9.90 (thank you, Carrefour)



I am wearing #4. My model-doggy photos cannot rival Emily’s, but my photographer insisted shooting me with Nanna, whom my sister named after the babysitter dog in ‘Peter Pan’. This was after my photographer and I had a grueling day at work.

Sometimes, looking pretty is the war-paint that holds you together when it feels like the world is falling apart. Nice shoes do make a difference, and smiles are easy when fashion comes cheap. It is nice to cut down on money spent if it can provide for others’ needs. These rubber shoes survived muddy puddles without causing worry. I can
rinse them in sinks before swanky dinners. :D

I have not tried, but I am pretty sure that these will pair beautifully with a lovely Zara cocktail dress my mother gifted me. (My sister calls it the Datuk gatal dress, but this is a story for another day.)

Pretty, versatile, comfortable and cheap – if any pair of shoes can save the world, these can.

Screw Bruce Wayne, almost. ;)

Green beaded singlet: FOS, RM15
Yellow tank top: MNG, under RM40
Black pants: mNj, RM15
Shoes: Carrefour, RM9.90

Singapore Slings

So I had a quick weekend getaway in Singapore to visit an old and dear friend I hadn't seen in awhile. It really wasn't a shopping trip so you won't see haul posts here and even worse - I packed my camera but left the battery at home. *groans* So what was to be a lovely post on Haji St is now nonexistent. The pictures you see here were all taken by my friend's iPhone - bless him.

The highlight of this trip was a fun night out on the town - maybe a little too fun. There were some casualties and it all began at the Raffles hotel. I couldn't resist prancing around their chandeliered and white-staircase bedecked hall (above) in my new H&M dress. But what we were really there for were the Singapore Slings:

According to good 'ol Wiki, the Singapore Sling cocktail was invented by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender at the Long Bar of Raffles Hotel before 1915. The original recipe, gleaned from the dubious memories of generations of bartenders used, Gin, Cheery Heering, Dom Benedictine, and fresh Pineapple juice.

Sadly, I believe the current version served at the Long Bar is heavily modified and even worse, made in an automatic dispenser. Ask for a cocktail and in a heartbeat you have a plastic glass with straw and cherry sweating on a coaster in front of you?

How does it taste? Vile. Like oversweetened cherry cough mixture. Getting the glass down was a chore and the lack of alcohol in it didn't help! I wish they'd at least stick to the fresh pineapple juice ANYTHING sour in it would have helped! Plus this evil concoction will set you back SGD$24.50.

I've had my compulsory cocktail at the Long Bar (which by the way is a strange mix of cheesy tourist luau and old grimy English colonial bar) and I'm never going back! Still it was one of those things that because of the company it becomes a shared joke, a 'survival' experience and hence a fun time.

Hello, sailor

Since I went all maritime and navy-like on you all the last time, the fever still hasn't faded--I'm still all about going nautical! This amazing sweater-dress I found in Shanghai can't really get any more nautical-inspired--it even has an adorable anchor emblem over my heart!

Sadly, the cruelly hot and humid weather here makes it almost impossible to wear this cute combination out, but it's something I'd definitely don in a cooler climate.

That being said, the comfy and reasonably light cotton material makes this baby perfect for wearing on the plane--I popped it on on my way back from Shanghai in the winter and I was snug as a bug, worn with skinnies, these ballet flats and my furry beret, and a puffa jacket!

Which kind of makes me wonder--in a quick switch from going nautical to going aviation--what is the ideal plane gear?

Sweater dress: RMB30 (about RM15), Qi Pu Lu, Shanghai
Leather ballet flats: Melbourne
Beret: Qi Bao Lu, Shanghai

Frockspiration: Garance Dore, Red Lipstick & White Button-Down Shirts

I'd like you to meet one of my chief daily delights (if you don't already know of her), Garance Doré. Photographer, illustrator, famous fashion blogger and also girlfriend of the Sartorialist - the fact that she's gorgeous and French just adds extra cherries on the giant sundae of envy. Oh and she writes adorably too. A-D-O-R-A-B-L-Y

Recently she was interviewed (you can read her post here) by a magazine and posed in a pic clad only in heels a white shirt and red lipstick. Oh and panties. The shoot was clearly inspired by her hauntingly charming accounts of attending a high fashion party when all her clothes were lost in transit. BUT she had a white shirt and red lipstick and with the right attitude it would do. Read it in her own words here: Part 1 & Part 2

I love her confidence, her attitude and I wholeheartedly believe in the power of red lipstick. I also believe in large fancy earrings as another port-a-glam wonder. The white shirt I have to look into.

But what is amazing about her piece is it's so true. It's not how fabulous you're dressed. Well, if you're wearing a neon green catsuit people WILL notice... but lacking that, wear something understated and classic and bring on that frocking attitude and you'll be loved at any function.

As a journalist I often find myself in situations where I'm not quite dressed appropriately (muddy jeans and t-shirt at Miss World anyone?). But with a confident smile I find I really can rock just about any event. And now I've discovered red lipstick and carry a tube everywhere, nothing's bringing me down! Try it. The confidence first, the red lipstick next.

What about you? What are your go-to-glam-up tricks?

All pics are courtesy of Garace Doré

Bootie-licious

So you may remember these booties from Kahani and my Memories of 1994 post. I was crazy about them when I first got them, but because I have a legendarily short-term memory (yes, and oxymoron, and I know it!) I had them stashed somewhere in my room and forgot all about them.

Until, obviously, I found them again and decided they simply needed to come to work with me one day. *grins*

Like countless other fashion bloggers, I simply love mixing and matching textures and contrasts. Here, one of my favourite work dresses in all its girly and vintage glory is given a fresh breath of life with a studded/brocade(ish) belt, and the booties.

I wouldn't say it's definitely a combination that works, though, but I think because it added an unexpected quirk to an otherwise work-safe and reasonably boring dress, it kind of manages to squeeze by as sartorially passable *winks*.

Any thoughts on the matter, ladies?

Dress: Amcorp Mall Weekend flea market
Booties: The Kooky Thing, possibly one of my favourite online shoe blogshops
Belt: Cats Whiskers

Books & Beagles

I love lazy saturdays at home when I spend the day pottering around the house doing domestic things like laundry, some cooking and tidying. But the absolute indulgence for me is reading for glorious hour after hour - in a pretty summery dress of course. Currently I'm hooked on Robin Hobb.

Beagle therapy is my other happy time. I spend the day romping with and cuddling the freshly washed doggies and feel refreshed and prepared to face another stressful week. Who needs therapists when you have beagles?

Oh by the way I managed to find a giant bag of the twisty cigarrette shaped chews Rocky loves. It was the last one in the store at Tropicana Mall and now it belongs to the doggies! Toby get a share now there's enough to go around - he'll chew anything.

And when the human leaves the beagle gets his throne all to himself as God intended it. ;)

Dress: Amcorp Mall Vintage (RM15)
Belt: Tribeca Bangsar Village 2 (RM24)
Shoes: Clarks (Christmas pressie from mom)

A rare find

I so love serendipitous instances where you find something you never knew you desperately wanted till it's in the deathgrip of your grubby little paws.

/evil snickers

I'm talking about this lovely, silk, high-waisted print skirt. I found it on one of my very first forays to the Amcorp Mall weekend flea market, and I guess it's safe to say this skirt did everything for me!

It's a little (actually, quite!) tight around the waist I admit (now, but since I've been on my gym spree maybe it'd be less tight...I hope. Mind you, it was a size smaller than what I normally wear to begin with), but things are very conveniently smoothed over by a wide belt and slightly baggy shirt.

This is one of my fave casual looks for this skirt--the contrast between cotton and silk, with added touches of lady in the chain-link bag and heels keeps it girly, fresh and comfy.

For work, I dress it up with one of my favourite slouchy tops--a combination I loved so much during December 2009 I wore it twice, because it was so Christmassy! Will show it off one day, for sure. Like, maybe Christmas 2010, heh.

Top: RM4.90, Old Navy at Giant (heh, yeah)
Skirt: RM15, Amcorp Mall
Bag: AUD1 (or something), some op shop in Churchill, VIC
Belt: Cats Whiskers