All posts tagged: advice

Lilac

Since the spring/summer 2018, Lilac has become the colour of the season. We’re all aware that pastel hues have enjoyed the newfound popularity for some time, but none have been more pervasive than lilac. It may have been a shade of your eye shadow in middle school, but this pale incarnation of purple was revived at Victoria Beckham in the form of suits, as well as at Tibi with midi-length, loose-fitting dresses. To many of us, lilac is perceived as more summer-friendly, but undoubtedly it can also serve well as a pop of color in the cooler weathers.

Pretty in White

It’s always been a love-hate relationship with the shade white, because although it brightens every look and brings a youthful vibe, it just gets stained so easily. But that’s OK, I’ll just have to be extra careful :). Here I have my favorite chic cape-blazer from Zara matched with culottes of the same texture (don’t you just love the black ribbons for the contrast it brings about?). I’ve also added some neutrals and golds throughout the look without taking away too much from the outfit.

Lazy Chic

Not sure if lazy chic is an actual thing but it certainly is in my book. As much as I like to look good, I’d also like it very very much if my skin could breathe – so a lot of times that comes down to non-suffocating clothes with comfortable material. And being able to spin that with style is what I’d like to think a personal achievement :). There can be many variations to lazy chic, between lazy and chic you can try anywhere from a 60/40 to a 40/60 split. Some lazy elements in a wardrobe include: loose, cotton, pockets, uncoordinated colors, sneakers / platforms, etc.; some chic elements include: clothing sets, crop tops, hair and makeup that took time, heels, appropriate accentuation of your figure, etc. This outfit I have here has a good balance of both elements, but I’d say it sits at 60 chic and 40 lazy at first impression. 

The Retro

The conscious derivative or imitative of trends, modes, fashions, or attitudes of the recent past – I know retro when I see it. Modern designers and fashion houses have massive archives of vintage garments from which they draw inspiration and reinterpret for contemporary fashion. I am often reminded how close a lot of modern designs comes to replicating older garments. Having said that, the outfit here is an example. The Coca-cola graphic tee and baggy trousers with intense 80s vibes had me turning heads. I bought these two pieces on separate occasions without being entirely certain how I’ll style them. Then I quickly made a brave decision to work with what I have and test out the green and red combination, complemented by some gold accessories that add to the warm tones. Many thinks green and red together is a big fashion no-no because it’s too easy to look like Christmas, let alone stylish. But I think as long as you incorporate elements of modern fashion (e.g. the crop top, the trendy accessories, the ombre, etc.), …

Shades of Grey

Not everything in life is black and white, and often times we end up in the ominous grey areas. Whether it’s work or relationships, lack of definition tend to usually bring about confusion and complicate situations. Subsequently what makes it worse is that rather than seeking clarity, we like to be safe and stay where we are, and end up getting comfortable in the grey areas. Sometimes, a little bravery is all it takes to change things. While grey areas aren’t always perceived positively, they can be a great outfit choice. Over here I’m throwing together shades of grey of various fabric to create a coherent outfit that has both dimension and definition. In case you weren’t aware, neutrals head-to-toe has always been best recipe for a chic look.

Warm Hues

Daily essentials reimagined with a modern minimalist approach is what Oak + Fort stands for. I’ve been not only a fan of the style, but also a regular customer. This outfit was assembled with pieces from Oak + Fort, including the orange turtleneck jumper, the velvet joggers, and the boyfriend jacket. The coherent warm hues in the jacket’s pattern and the jumper, complemented by the heavy tones and chunky feel from the pants, purse and shoes, synthesized this stylish and appropriate look for the chilly weather.

Winter Culottes

Winter wardrobe can really feel redundant when it’s always the same jackets and denim pants keeping you warm, so it’s nice to spark some fashion inspiration by introducing unconventional items into the wardrobe. My creative spirit picked the cropped, wide-leg pants,  which may seem counterintuitive in the cold, but with the right styling, culottes can easily be part of your winter outfit routine. Here’s some tips:

Rose Gold

When I landed in Paris, it was a flaming 35 degrees day, and I quickly regretted my wardrobe decision as I searched for my hotel for next 15 minutes covered in denim from head to toe. Then for the next couple days, the temperature dropped to a whopping 15 degrees accompanied by intermittent rain. Here I was, trying to get to brunch on one of these days in my comfy attire consisted of a thin turtleneck and some rose gold joggers. Yes, I decided to take photos even in the rain 🙂 #bloggerspirit

Why You Should Embrace Vulnerability

“We all build internal sea walls to keep at bay the sadnesses of life and the often overwhelming forces within our minds. In whatever way we do this—through love, work, family, faith, friends, denial, alcohol, drugs, or medication—we build these walls, stone by stone, over a lifetime.”  ― Kay Redfield Jamison We live in a “never enough” culture where we often try to seek more and be more, to mask the insecurities which make us feel vulnerable. As a result, whenever we experience obstacles, we build up emotional walls to protect ourselves from these negative feelings. We’re all raised thinking that being vulnerable is associated with failure, disappointment, and being weak. But is that really the case? Vulnerability simply means uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure. And if you think about it, if we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we’re actually being courageous because it’s much easier to avoid possibility of failure than to take a risk. Additionally, being vulnerable enables us to connect with others, just as you’d appreciate others being open and honest with you, your …

Winter & Cool Tones

Among the colors practiced by the street styles of the world, there are two shades that are unusually and consistently styled together: pale pink and grey – a stunning favourite of mine. The two team up to deliver an outfit that is minimalist, sleek, chic, and let’s not forget feminine. For this look I’ve evenly distributed the pink and grey and added some white to dilute the intensity of the mix. Many may challenge that these colors are a tad too light for winter weather, but I personally think cool tones in winter time are way too underrated :-).