Overdosing on Austen

Upon reflection, and self analysis, I do find that I may have been over indulging on Austen of late. Books, movies, BBC Serials, BBC Serials about being addicted to Austen... you name it I've been consuming it over the long weekend. Am just a bit down and where others turn to chocolate or athletic activity to comfort themselves I go running to books. And in this case, Jane Austen up the wazoo.

Crafty ideas: How to make a pencil skirt

Vids like this make me want to run out, buy me a sewing machine and get a-stitchin! She makes it look ridiculously easy!

Books & Earrings

A place where twin loves collide.

Thanks Syen, for helping me pronounce the author's name!

Tiffany Dress

Photos by Rinnah

I call this my Tiffany dress because it's precisely the shade of a box from Tiffany's. Also, the white flowers (rather hard to photograph) on it match the traditional white ribbon that goes around it. It seemed the perfect dress to wear to meet the girls for brunch at Marmalade Cafe. My favourite talented photographer Rinnah was a darling as usual and helped me rearrange the entire cafe to our photographic desires. =P

Guest Post: Suit Up Series - Made to Measure

Bespoke to rich for your blood? You're not alone. Primus Sartorius takes a look at a more affordable option - Made to Measure suits.

From the rarified heights of bespoke, honoured readers, we must now plunge down a steep ravine.  Down on the slopes below, we find that curious genus of suits known as “made-to-measure” (MTM).  It is still above the denizens of the lower valleys, off-the-rack (OTR), but it is nowhere near the Olympian heights and divine perfection of bespoke.  

MTM almost defies proper categorization. The excellent Thomas Mahon, from what I can see on his website and read of his views a fine tailor, views MTM as machine-made, similar to OTR, but with slight alterations made to fit some of your measurements.   

Shopping Around: Doodle Shopping the world's cutest personal shopper

Much as I love A Shopaholics Den for getting the skinny blogshop updates, I've been totally and completely won over by the genius that is doOdle shopping.  Not only does she suss out the lovely items available for purchase online. She pulls together the look with the most adorable caricature of herself (I assume).

For example. This gorgeous doodle

source

Is based off this collection of items:

Here are few more of my favourite looks. Gosh this blog is so cute, and I have to say her taste is pretty darned good too!

Beagle Shoes!

I still haven't gotten around to hemming my trousers so the Chanel shoes are going to have to be paired up with a skirt for now. I didn't intend to look quite so fierce in the shoot, but it was broiling and the sun was in my eyes!

I love pairing up my sleeveless black turtlenecks with a black pencil skirt. Besides the silhouette it gives, it makes a perfect foil for any accessories you want to shine. Like this delicate mix of pearls and silver by the lovely Tine of Sweet Contemplation Accessories. I get compliments on this necklace all the time when I wear it.

Shopping Around: Love It @ Ikano Power Centre

This shop is a hidden treasure. And likewise if you want to shop here, be prepared to go on a proper treasure hunt as the jewels are stuffed in the racks right along with the what-the-hell-where-they-thinking items. Besides the sheer volume and variety they carry, you'll find the kind of dresses populating the best blogshops... at LOWER than blogshop prices.

Chanel Two-Toned Heel

The original two-tone shoe by Coco Chanel circa 1957 (yes it's as old as Malaysia)

So I have a Coco Chanel obesession. It's hard not to. She single-handedly made the little black dress, that string of pearls, the shoulder handbag and white camellias a part of classic, elegant, feminine fashion. She also led the charge freeing us from corsets and skirts that hampered a solid walking stride. "How, can you THINK wearing that?" She'd demand of tightly-laced and skirt encumbered women.

Now here's yet another classic trend she started. As part of her iconic (you'll really see that word used a lot when it comes to Chanel) cream-black duotone clothing, she created the cap-toed or two-tone shoe in 1957. The genius of it is the beige lengthens your leg while the distinctive cap-toe gives it a chi chi preppy chic look. And today... let's just say Maison de Chanel has never given up on it.

And like most things Chanel soon everyone was wearing it!

Glossy Red

Do you know I love Red Shoes? Course you do I've only said it about a hundred times.

These are surprisingly comfortable and their chunkiness offset the frou frou girliness of this pretty dress. It may not look it, but this outfit was selected for comfort. The dress has no fastenings, nothing sharp poky or too tight, and it's a lovely light cotton.

Guest Post: Suit Up Series - Bespoke

Primus Sartorius returns to give his take on how suits are made.

Now, my dear readers, let us depart from the suit itself (for we are only giving an introduction and not attempting to explain every arcane detail), and delve into the mysterious process by which bolts of fabric are transformed into elegant (or not) suits. There are three, in descending order of price/snobbery: bespoke, made to measure ("MTM"), and off-the-rack ("OTR").
We'll split them into two posts, good readers, because I think bespoke deserves a bit more time and loving attention.

Bespoke
Now, it should come as no surprise to you, ladies and gentlemen, that I hold that bespoke is the ultimate expression of the suit. It is the Platonic ideal to which all other suits (MTM and OTR) are but pale reflections. Alas, it is almost impossible to find true bespoke here in Southeast Asia. Believe me, I've tried. I've all but resigned myself to flying to Hong Kong for my bespoke fix.

Night & Day 2: The maxi dress day look

See pink car, RUN to pink car in restaurant and shamelessly take pics before getting evicted.

Actually we never got evicted. The waitresses simply ignored us. But isn't this car adorable? It's at Fullhouse Lifestyle Store & Cafe at Sunway Giza.

Night & Day 1: The maxi dress evening look

Photos by Rinnah

I am plotting to kidnap Rinnah and stash her in the cupboard next to my tripod. She is simply the best photographer ever - with encouragement, directions and demands that I stop looking so damn tense. Bless her. (Yep that's her in the background, everyone wave hello!)

As you can see the maxi-dress attack has finally hit me with this cream / pale yellow number I scored for... RM9. Nope really. RM9. I wasn't sure about buying it but all the ladies in the bathroom where we try our clothes in applauded and gasped... after which you just have to buy the dress, y'know. Evil enablers those bathroom ladies.