Summer Shockers From Topshop

Summer is when everyone bears all and why not try to put some stylish fun while at it too; like some bling. And bling which doesn't punch a hole through your purse. TopShop's jean collection sparkled with these shorts and even though they are not swavoski crystals, they do a fair job from a distance if you can get past the close up borderline 'tackyness' however, the colouration of the different plastics make it more interesting than full on silver crystals. The whole thing looks something like this...

They aren't THAT bad now right. Its shocking to think that the entire front side of the shorts are covered with these plastic sparkles but they are full on cute and add that extra spark to a simple outfit. 

Less is more? For classics yes but if 2012 is the end of the world then what harm are these sweeties? 

Little Black Boots Added To The List

Every girls needs a Little Black Dress so of course Little Black Boots are a must have too. 

Online shopping benefits are free delivery (most of the time) and by the time it comes, you'd have forgotten so it'll be a nice surprise. Down side is that trying is a no no and if stuff doesn't fit then the process of sending it back for a different size is just a nuisance. Note to self, only shop online if confident of known size!!!!

So Yesstyle.com has bombarded the Asian hemisphere with its Korean and Japanese merchandise and here I am in Europe still ordering stuff from that side of the world. Good prices, speedy and reliable delivery for quality which probably will only wear out after 1 1/2 year which is pretty good for stuff which come from Asia. 

Holly ankle buckle lace up shoes is its name and it comes in black or brown. I did tell myself that I wouldn't buy a pair of heels unless they were 100% comfortable which means they can be worn for more than 6 hours of walking and these boots pass. Perhaps its the thick foot or thick heel which makes it more stable but I've worn them out for days now and they are a miracle. The only worrying factor is that I feel the leather of the shoe is too thin which some may prefer but that's one feature which could be thicken. Otherwise, for boot heels, the price of USD120 simply cannot be argued with. 

Ted Baker Buro Maxi Dress

Ted Baker has the most colourful and cutest womenswear not to mention menswear.   A guy who dresses himself in Ted baker-hot.
Got this at Harrods today and even though it took hours for the dressing room, it was all worth it. Summer is actually here even though the weather proves otherwise. Why let the weather get to us and spoil our well earned Summer?
Most would be confused as to what the size labels actually mean because there are tons of size 0 on the racks which shock many. Ted Baker have their own dress sizes so a size 0 would be size 6, 1 a size 8, 2 a size 10 and 3 a size 12 so I initially picked out a 3 which was way too big. Then the kind sales assistant got me a 2 and a 1. Maybe the home workout plan is actually working but a 2 was still too big and a 1 was just perfect. So I cashed out the dress in a Ted Baker size 1 which not only made me happy about the sales discount price but also the fact that I've dropped a dress size. YAaAaY. Perhaps Ted Baker has different fitted cuts so I may be delusional haha.
Anyhow, The print is silk and is just the right length when I have heels on so it'll force me to practise walking in those damn monsters. The colours scream out summer and definitely blow away all the gloomy clouds and showers.
Annoying thing is that even though the label says its machine washable, many recommend dry cleaning. Who said clothes didn't need maintenance?

Tory Burch Has A Clutch For All

I've never purchased anything from Tory Burch before and the thought never crossed my mind but today's shopping purchase just blew away the grey clouds and London's cold rain instantly for me. Here is the Amanda Vitti Logo Clutch bag retail price at £340 which blew me away when that figure was crossed out in red marker which all girls read internationally as the signal for 'SALES' and the new price was...well it was 50% off  so =D I just couldn't leave the boutique without purchasing it. Ironic because I initially went in to check out the reknown Reva flats for K's birthday present but luckily I found out she did not like how they fit on her. Phew! The hunt for her present continues.....anyhow, heres the clutch and I simply ADORE IT. 

The clutch is made out of leather which has been textured so that it imitates snake skin which is rather weird because you can tell just by the feel and patterning but oh well the colour makes up for it. Its much better in the flesh it seems because the photo makes it seem abit too tangerine orange when in fact the colour is brighter which is eye catching. When you get sick of the clutch, it can become a shoulder strap bag except in this instance, its a chain. The chain strap is not adjustable which is interesting since almost all strap bags are but when I first tried it on, I was so so pleased with the length. Its been awhile since I've found a bag with that 'I MUST GET IT' sensation which only you experience in your own little bubble. The leather shoulder bit is also cute which helps refrain the bag from slipping and also doesn't leave an ugly chain mark on the shoudler. The heaviness comes from the huge Tory Burch logo which is embedded on the front but that helps weigh the flap down and also probably keeps fingers of thieves away. Hopefully. 

The inside has a side pocket and also an attached mirror which is always handy. With the clutch available in four different colours of black, khaki, navy and orange, the decision to make a choice is a killer. Its a simple classic looking bag, so why not get them all. 

<3

Tiffany & Co. Engagement Ring Window Display

Tiffany & Co. is every girl's best friend > Literally.

 Some may argue that their prices are overboard for their simplicity but hey, you're paying for sophisticated simplicity which will never tarnish and makes you look damn good so don't complain. Many don't know that they also have discounts at certain expositions around the world so keep an eye out and make sure you always have cash in your card! 

New and Old Bond Street are raved with the luxury boutiques of not only materialistic goods/needs but also galleries which was why I was out and about in the danger zone. I have an assignment due in on Monday and I needed to go to Colnaghi which is just further down this street from Tiffanys. Now, Tiffany & Co has always had extremely good window display, no question that they have damn creative designers. Back at home, the elaborate yet sophisticated designs they come up with just make me smile in awe on the spot unlike Harrod's displays which tend to go overboard which just make your eyes hurt. Today, Tiffany & Co. did it again for me but this time, it was somewhat different, I felt so warm and cozy that I was freaking myself out. The window display was for their engagement rings which worked so well that I actually felt like someone needed to purchase one for me. SIGH. I guess I should be thanking myself that marriage is still awhile away. 

Anyhow, their set of window displays showed the rings aside different forms of 'messages' which commonly would have happened to anyone at a point in their life. To get the picture, photos would definitely help. 

So all the display windows had their usual silver frames which to me makes it seem as if they are alluding to a memorable picture frame. Sweet isn't it. 

'Chloe, I really love you and some day I might marry you. Love George.' 

‎'Dear Maisee,
Did you know that last night was our 18th date?
On our 5th I told you I loved you.
On our 9th you said you didn't know what love is.
On our 10th date
Well we both know what.
On our 13th date you said love is anarchistic nonsense.
Last night I do believe you used the 'L' word.
I rest my case.

-D.'

The conversation on the iphone was too long but thought this idea was a good idea to market the craze of the iphone. Kills two birds with one stone! 

'Come and go as you please but stay with me always' yellow stickie with a set of keys. 

They're not proposal ideas but just the very image of why people get together and fall in love. Its so simple and within our everyday lives that we tend to take it for granted but Tiffany & Co.'s display brings it all back for us. 

Simply love it. 

Dot Me Dr.Martens

K's birthday present from of our favourite fashionista friends Kieran Ho who will be rocking the fashion world in the future. Seriously his designs are killers and any women would be wanting his new line. Anyhow aren't these the sweetest!!! Not many would be able to guess correctly that they are Dr.Martens but hey they are and kudos to them for combing a classic look with sophisticated retro dots which are made out of fluffy suede. How fun is that ! Kicking you back at 70 quid makes you wonder if the sweet and fun aspect of them are worth it but if you are still eyeing those Jeffrey Campbell heels, then you might as well get these first. Its a good future investment deal>even though Dr.Martens are known to be deadly killers for our heels and ankles. No pain no gain girls! 

Zara splashes some colour into Summer

The sun is here, the birds are chirping, even the hobos are smiling. Its a strong sign that Summer is here and hopefully it'll stay. None of the unpredictable London nonsense please! 

Sadly, the two months of May & June are known for cornering students nationwide into cram studying at home or making camp at their university library. Either way, we're B-U-S-Y to the max but we all still gotta eat right and of course 'de-stress' with some therapeutic shopping XD 

High street Zara has released an explosion of colour for their Summer 2011 collection. No kidding here. So if monochrome has been your thing since Winter, Zara probably could be the solution. Found this adorable and chic today and even though its for a friend's birthday present, I'm set on getting one for myself soon before they run out. There isn't a better way to start the Summer with a splash of colour, bohemian style :)  

Bicester Village

An hour out of central London is the all famous Bicester Village where the masses flock to via various transportation, all with the same motive-damn cheap shopping. 

Bicester Village is an outlet based shopping area where many known luxurious brands have come together to sell / get rid of their last season's collections. Majority of the time, you would save a great deal such as saving a few hundred pounds on a Prada bag or 40%+ on a Burberry trench. The entire area is designed in a village manner whereby shoppers visit shop to shop door by door until they literally D-R-O-P. However at 7.50 quid there is such a service available whereby your bags can be carried for you or delivered to you whenever you leave the village. Oh yeah :) 

Bicester Village is the place to splurge if you don't mind last season's collections and prices are completely worth it. Its been renovated since the last time I've been and they have a user friendly transportation system of a coach called the 'shopping express' which cost 23 quid return to marble arch london and the journey is only roughly 60 minutes. Happy shopping and a guaranteed way home, GET THERE while stocks last! 

Shopping after 20 minutes of arrival

Cutey of a telephone booth. Beauuutiful day for shopping, shame everything is done indoors. Kaching!

Just Shatter Me

OPI has done it again. 

They have managed to make all us girls (and some guys) spend that unnecessary 10 quid on a little bottle once again. We definitely do not HAVE to let alone need to paint our nails all the time but there is some sort of charm and delight in doing so. Whenever I take time to sit down and go through my selection of colours wondering which shade would last me through the week, I find myself so at peace. The process of paintings nail is rather tranquil then at the end of it all the nails look so pretty, you're suddenly happier. 

So what is wrong with spending a ridiculous amount on a little bottle of happiness? 

Happiness is priceless isn't it?

The little rebel who has been sold out for weeks is the 'Shatter' from the Katy Perry collection.

Don't let its simple black exterior fool you because once it is applied over a coat of colour, that effect on the top of the bottle is what really happens. It just cracks and shatters which is fricking AMAZING. (Yes grammatically incorrect but just because its THAT AMAZING.) OPI has managed to bring nails to a whole new level. Gel extensions are way better but if you need something special for just a week or so and do not really want to damage your nails, this is the thing. Its eye catching and it fun to use. Its sold out everywhere and all the girls are trying to buy it off e-bay but I bet that will soon not be an option. OPI has managed to dominate the world of nails and it surely deserves that position. 

K's nails. Leopard style!

Brush Me Up

'Tokidoki'? Oh, yeah Japan no? Um, NO. Tokidoki is not Japanese but actually Italian. To be precise, Roma! Weird huh? 

Simone Legno is the designer and founder of this International brand. Who is he? Yeah, not many owners of Tokidokis actually remember or know of his existence. Pretty sad. Anyhow, Tokidoki is famous for its adorable and KAWAII stylistic characters such as cute animal cactus, babies, or hot Japanese girls. 

Then just last year I found a makeup brush package designed by Tokidoki while flipping through a magazine....probably and shamelessly 'Teenage'. Didn't get it till this year January for it is INCREDIBLY HARD to find and sourcing it came from my beloved J. Thank you so much!!! 

The package consists of three make up brushes with the most fantastic head ends which vary in different Tokidoki characters. I can't be stuffed to explain so just admire !!!!

Dying to use them and at the same time I would cry. What to do?!?!

"now-we-oh-lean"

is apparently how the brand 'Nahui Ollin' is pronounced. Opening its doors in 2003, Nahui Ollin has the cutest fashion friendly accessories. Combining retro with a little bit of vintage without sacrificing that "commerical" modern aesthetic appeal. Its line involves bags, purses, jewellry, keychains and alot more itzy bitzy stuff which you probably dont need but buy anyway. 

AJ landed home today and presented us with these little wonders. Superb memory of the shopaholic girl invoked in both K and I and we immediately knew which brand it belonged to. Nahui Ollin's products may be a little bit 'backwards' but are unique and just adds to the sparkle of one's personality. Heads up- Awesome gifts.

Yup thats right, made in MEXICOOO. Not CHINA!!!! 

Its all based on eco-friendly society stuff too so its another reason to spend some cash to save the planet.

PLUS everything is made under the fair trade and sweatshop free practices in Mexico so no worries there!

<3

Pretty Little Things

K has handy hands and out of boredom she came up with this.

 Its SO cute I'm sure it'll set off a new trend. 

A necklace laced collar with a detachable Swarvoski heart skull. Death can always sparkle and be cute too. This adorable yet intriguing accessory can be dressed up for a nice quirky (black) formal outfit if not a casual cute new twist on the French maid dresses. 

Priced at 41.00 GBP, it makes a great gift no? 

Swarvoski has many other really adorable charm pendants which aren't way out of one's budget. 

The ghost charm is just one of the many cute accessories they have- 50.00 GBP

Sparkle with Swarvoski !

Smoking Heels

Philip Treacy is the God of all hats and should never be dethroned. And I mean NEVER. It would be complete injustice. 

 His design for Valentino's spring/summer 2010 collection denotes not the typical sun loving season but instead a rebirth of something new and mysteriously cool. Made of lace, tulle and satin, he couldn't have made an even more sophisticated shoe. It eludes one to think with each step taken in them, smoke of elegance just 'smokes' out. Just imagine the hot sexy trail left from them.

They kinda make you want to smoke (o.o)..

Anyhow, they are HOT and kicks Louboutin way back stage. 

Priced at 6,226 USD, maybe we're better off dreaming instead 

Add A KG?

I almost swore to a good friend that I would never go near KG ever again but when the sales hit the stores this winter, I caved and pranced into the boutique to seek out any good finds. I didn't end up finding anything close to a good bargain nor anything which quenched my thirst except for this.....which was part of the NEW COLLECTION section. [its always the new stuff isn't it]

                

Kurt Geiger's Akira stands at a whooping £180. Its nothing compared to purchasing a Louboutin or Wang shoes but that doesn't mean I'm willing to just splash close to 200 quid on a pair of KGs. Kurt Geiger is a UK brand which acts as a retail brander for Miss KG, Carvela, Solea, Fashionistas, Gucci, Prada and a few more I can't think of at the top of my head. They do have tempting designs but I cant help thinking that they also remind me of past seasoned luxury branded shoes. HMmmm......As for comfort, KG's shoes are on the higher end of 'comfort which lasts for 3 hours' maximum. I bought a pair of brown summer carvela wedges and they dont even last me an hour and a half-AND THEY'RE WEDGES. Doesn't make any sense. Anyhow, I tried these Akira pair on in Harrods and they feel AMAZINGLY comfortable however the asking price is a major big at the moment. I feel like my inner financial self is screaming "you idiot, why would you spend all that money on these pair of shoes which may end up hurting your feet as compared to spending it on travel fare or FOOD!" Freaking dilemma. I may just be blind but even if this design has been out with McQueen or Wang already, I STIll have a weird attraction and desire to have this wedge. Perhaps I am putting KG abit too low on the international brand scale for their shoes are made in Italy and it is all genuine leather. This may lead to the argument of why we have these so called luxury brands in our world-perhaps for another day. Girls are materialistic by nature, wait, so are guys but we need to fufill these materialistic urges for we are lacking a certain thing in life? Is something typical of what a psychoanalyst would say.*roll eyes* No, I genuinely need them and I swear they would look hot on anyone. AND NO, they are not a rip off the stupid gladiator trend from last summer. So, what to do?! 

Note to self-still on the search for those perfect 100% comfort heels!  

So True, Its True Coral

One look and you would know its Tom Ford. I mean come on, the bold yet truly elegant shades HAS to be TF. The posters showcasing the lipstick range is so gorgeous that even if you don't wear lipstick, you will find yourself purchasing a case at the counter. I was so drawn to the lipstick colour when I first saw the poster that I had to go try it out at the nearest store to me-Holy Selfridges. (I did try them once at Harrods a few months back but back then it made me look as if I was borderline 'cheap W'. It was off putting and I didn't think of it for awhile but since its Chinese New Year, why not try some red again? So I mustered up the courage to go back today and make a miracle happen.)

I usually do not indulge in our world's lavish collection of lipsticks since I personally feel I cannot carry it off with my square face BUT I was so determined to make SOMETHING work from this beauty from TF that no matter what I did, I just had to make it work. 

The lady attendant servicing at the counter was friendly enough to brush a few colours for me. I started off with Ginger Fawn followed by True Coral and lastly Cherry Lush. Picking up the mirror was such a fear and HOLY SH*T !!! I LOVED & LOVE IT ! Ginger, coral, cherry, O-M-G. I wanted them all. Not only that, I suddenly wanted to buy the entire collection.  An "Oh God Help me" moment. 

So after the usual 10 minutes of external decisions; 'so which one do you think looks better on me?' 'oh, really?' 'yeah but I usually wear colourful stuff' and internal decisions ;'this girl is just lying to you so you'd buy it okay' --I finally made a FINAL decision. 

And here it is....

At thirty five quid we can hear all boyfriends screaming "WHAT.WHAT.HOW.WHY.35 QUID FOR A SMALL LITTLE THING?>!?!?!!" but hey, its Tom Ford and its a good quality lipstick which will last the ENTIRE night and the morning too. (Believe it or not, its still stunning after meals-I know.) The packaging is simple and fits nicely in the hands, it has an interesting sweet odour but there is no taste. (Thank God otherwise we'll be licking the thing all night long.) It is easy enough to wear in the day and transit to the night. If you're wearing a boring outfit, smack this on and you'll be turning heads 360 degrees. Guaranteed. They probably won't be sold out anytime soon but this collection is a little wonder awaiting bombardation from courageous females. And of course males. 

Truly Colour Yourself !

  

Bling me up > Kawaii style !

Painting nails will NEVER go out of trend, most ladies either paint them a single shade or do a classic french. Throughout recent years the desire to stick sparkly gemstones (usually always swavoski nowadays) on our petite nails has grown and grown to the masses. Why? Well lets face it, the kawaii Japanese girls flaunt it in reality and on their ViVi magazines so isn't it natural that we would want them on our 10 fingers too? (ah excuse me, some people do their toes too-i know!) Shiny stuff attract magpies naturally and that goes for humans too and NO girl can say she isn't drawn to a sparkling bling. Nowadays, gel extensions have been implemented into the cosmetic market and instead of just having shiny stones stuck on our nails, ladies are having nail EXTENSIONS (yes fake substances to act as a longer nail) before having the stones carefully arranged on top. The process is simple but it seems easy for many nail parlours to get it wrong. A friend had hers done in HongKong and it took her 4 hours whereas when we did it together here in Singapore, it only took 2 hours. These little buggers make us *ahem our fingers pretty but it does come at a price which many young ladies would think twice before splashing. Hygiene and safety is important so bare that in mind but that is common sense, if the place looks dodgy-DONT BOTHER. However, there are always anomalies for 'Nail Status' at Far East Plaza at Orchard is in a rather 'dodgy' building (as compared to the rest of the malls on Orchard) but the quality and service as well as result there is a definite A*. This has been proven through years of going there, being their loyal customer and happily watching their small business grow bigger and bigger as they have recently made it into local magazines. Go Nail Status! They usually get crowded real easily so book in advance to avoid disappointment ! I paid SGD 204.80 for the gel nail extensions there and my bestie who came too paid roughly SGD 200.00 too. Pricey but totally worth it > after you get used to taking out your contacts without poking your eyes (x.x) 

 Navy blue gel tip with royce gold as a double colour, various gems across with ceramic ribbons on certain fingers. Roughly SGD.200.00

 Black gel tip extenstion with silver double colour layer, various pink gems (Ring is Swavoski Spring 2010 Collection)

Close up > it isn't so pretty up close but I wanted you to see that the gel is not applied right to the rim of the nail base for then the nail is allowed to continue to grow naturally. In order to remove these, most would think, 'ah I'll just rip them off' or 'nail remover will do'. WRONG. These will not rip off your nail, please don't try for you will ruin your nail dramatically and any sort of remover will fail. Ladies, you would either have to go back to a nail parlour and get them to remove them for you where they will file the entire chunk off or there is always home DIY which is oh my lord, SO TIRESOME. When you are ready to part with your lovely nails, grab that ugly (or pretty one if you have one) file and file away until all the bling is gone. Dont try to file away the gel extensions. You will have to clip them off as if they were your real nails and you were just clipping your nails normally. This may take a few weeks but allow the nail to grow and ever so slowly the nail extensions will grow out, you clip them and before you know it, your nails are JUST your nails again! What a tiring process right? But SO MANY ladies do it> why? Pure Vanity. And you know what, I'm proud of it. Who doesn't love being a girl?!

Follow Nail Status's blog page here ! !!! : http://thenailstatus.blogspot.com/2008/03/new-shop-found.html