Crazy over cropped tops

#throwback to freeeedom (:

It took nearly a year before I finally lost the weight I gained on exchange. Whoops. But it sure shows that perseverance and exercise (plus a healthy diet) does pay off!! Cropped tops made a comeback since over a year ago, but honestly, I could never bring myself to wear one. Pretty hilarious that it was only in those last couple of months before work that I went on a craze buying cropped tops - I think I own at least 5 of them now, not that I will have much chance to wear them because of work. 

I absolutely love this célfie cropped top I snagged at the threeblindmice flea for $10 though!! :) It was my only purchase from that flea, and I was actually struggling to decide whether I should even buy it, because I'd already had quite a number of them! I couldn't resist the célfie though haha. And I was so glad for that rainy day when I could finally wear these pants out too! Bought them from H&M in Amsterdam, and I love how this entire outfit feels on my skin. Soft cottony and silky materials, that were perfect for that day's snuggly weather. And lastly, showing off my new arm candy from Sam :)))  

Top: Alescere //

Bottom: H&M //

Watch: Titus

By the way, Zalora is having a Mastercard Singapore promotion so do check it out if you're shopping there! (:  

On the Street

gotta love this outfit that i wore for my date last week! ^^ it's my first time trying out this style, and i'm SO in love with these shorts!!! i'm always quite skeptical about purchasing shorts online because i have trouble with the sizing quite often :/ but decided to take a chance and get this pair from TVD online bcos it was so pretty! and thank goodness we got the size right this time! initially wanted to get it in a size larger but luckily yi said to try out this size first - otherwise it would have been too baggy >.< this size is PERFECT. and i'm so glad for the fit because that means i can buy more shorts online now!!!! 

Top - sister's //

Shorts - TVD //

Bag - Zalora //

Necklace - Flea //

Bangles - Primark & H&M //

anyway i was just browsing Zalora's website the other day and realised they have so many shorts on offer now! i just love these kind of printed shorts!!! (okay the pattern looks similar to mine haha oops). and i still haven't tried the asymmetrical-shorts look. maybe it's time to go shopping for a pair ;)

VanityTrove Get, Snap, Blingo!

i was so excited when VanityTrove invited me for their Get, Snap, Blingo party at Zouk! with a host of beauty and food booths, it sounded like just the kind of thing for me ;) really glad that jiayee could come along with me for the event too! 

we were greeted by a gorgeous dessert table set up by cremeberry, and i loved those salted caramel brownies that they had!! i'm just drooling right now thinking of them. 

we got beauty makeovers at the Benefit (makeup), Salon Vim (hair) and Pink Parlour (nails) booths. 

and emicakes was there as well with their very interesting desserts! :) gosh, i had nothing but desserts and wine that night (FAT MAXXX)

happy us! ^^^

met Sam at the event as well! (: so pretty as usual, especially after getting some gorgeous curls by Salon Vim! 

anddddd we carted home a huge bag of samples as well! SOOOO HAPPY ^^ lots of really good samples and i can't wait to try them out! especially the one from SkinInc. i've always wanted to try their products, but they're soooo expensive! :'( i think they actually gave us a full bottle of their serum! too awesome ^^

donned my 21st birthday dress from F21 to attempt to fit the theme of 'Modern Hippie Chic' haha (: 

and finally! this month's VanityTrove ^^ i decided to get a reallyyyy pampering one filled with nothing but masks! hehe.

i really loved the SexyLook Pure Ocean Pearl Whitening Mask and SexyLook Hyaluronic Acid Deep Hydrating Mask! probably because i love masks that are super duper moist, and these fit the bill! (: i also enjoyed the LoveMore Platinum Eye Whitening Patch and you can take a look at my review for it here.

LBD

hello hello! (: today i'd like to present my love-hate relationship LBD: 

i actually featured this piece in another post a couple of weeks back, but the focus was on the bag then haha. 

so anyway, back to my love-hate relationship: why do i say that? love it because it's such a versatile piece that can be dressed up or down really easily with accessories etc, and it's BLACK! which means it goes with virtually everything. but....downside is that it's pretty body-hugging :( although i've got to say that this is one of the most flattering body-hugging dresses already, it does still mean that i can only wear it on my 'feel slim' days -.- i.e. when my tummy is not too fat -.- haha. #wardrobewoes. i don't know why i like to buy these kind of clothes anyway, when i only can wear it conditionally haha. ah well. i still like it anyway ^^ and it was so cheap from H&M (i think it was $17 if i rmb correctly??) that i actually bought it in two colours lol :P whoops! and the other was a va-va-voom REDDDD. hahaha.

just two ways i decided to style this dress (:

Dress: H&M //

Shawl: old //

Soft blazer: Forever21 //

Post-VDAY! (:

hihi! i'm gonna be doing a proper vday post really soon, but before that! just wanna share a couple of other things about this year's Vday! 

#ootd! :) 

my whole outfit (except for my thomas sabo bracelet) was from overseas hehe. starting to take out more of my bkk goods to wear! :) absolutely loving this pretty midi skirt that i got from there! quite unbelievable right!! the quality is really good and it was super affordable. big thanks to ngan who convinced me to buy it because there was a discount if we purchased two ;) haha (Y) 

i'm actually quite apprehensive about wearing midi skirts because I'm always worried that it'll end at an awkward length that makes my legs look short/calves look big. ughh. but this skirt was really too pretty to resist!!! looks kinda like a ballet skirt ^^ which is why it appealed to me. hehe. and i think this is a really sweet, classy style that is perfect for a date. (i even thought of how to update this look for the night, but had no time to go home to change haha).

Top: BKK //

Skirt: BKK //

Shoes: BKK //

Bag: Korea //

Bracelet: Thomas Sabo

and i came home to this on the night of Valentine's Day! ;) the VanityTrove Cosmopolitan Valentine's 2014 Playset. haha wish i received this the day before so that i could use the stuff inside, but of course, they're not ONLY for Valentine's Day ;) i've tried out the Sasatinnie Black Pearl Nourishing Black Mask and Eye Mask and i love how moisturising they are! really effective for that quick pre-date night booster for your skin! 

i've never heard of the brand Blumarine for perfumes before, but it was a really pleasant surprise to receive the Innmorata Lovely Rose EDT because it smelled really lovely!! check out my review for it here. i believe this set is still on sale, and really, it's great for every day use and not just for valentine's day, so do grab it before it runs out of stock!! ^^ 

also, VanityTrove will be having a party and they're giving out 3 PAIRS OF EXCLUSIVE INVITES to this event!!

Get, Snap, Bingo! Project Launch Party will be held on 5 March, and here's how you can win an invite to this party! 

1. Simply snap and share 3 photos of the eye-popping candy colours in your get-up on vanitytrove.com (you can also share photos of your arm/neck/eye #CANDY)

2. Hashtag #CANDY #GSB

*The contest ends 27 Feb and winners will be notified by email on 28 Feb! 

OOTD: Black x Gold

i've never really had a thing for black. i'm always a girl who loves her colours, and pretty bright ones especially :P but once in awhile, i do find that there is just something so attractive about black. it's simple, yet enchanting; elusively sophisticated. 

i came across a quote by Ted Grant:

"When you photograph people in colour, you photograph their clothes. When you photograph people in Black & White, you photograph their souls."

an amazing quote! and i can't help but agree how powerful black is.

absolutely loving my studded trapeze bag by Something Borrowed from Zalora!! :) it's such a chic bag with just a tinge of that rocker-vibe, but not overly so. it's the perfect size for a casual day out - and i even managed to fit all my school stuff in! paired it with gold accessories to complement the gold studs on the bag (:

i was so happy to receive it in the mail!! ^^ and i've gotta say that Zalora's shipping is super efficient (Y) I ordered it on friday morning, thinking i'll receive it the next week. but they managed to confirm my order for shipping on the day itself and it was personally delivered to me on Saturday! :) 

thank you Zalora for the gorgeous bag :) i think the black one is out of stock already unfortunately, but i think the teal one is really pretty too! ^^ 

Bag: Zalora (sponsored) //

Dress: H&M // 

Bracelets: Primark

When we're young, wild and free

hello! (: 

haha ever since Sam got his new iPhone i've been benefiting from the nice camera ;) i've got to say its awesome to say the least ;) a supposed ootd shot turned into a mini 'photoshoot' when we discovered the wonders of his phone camera, and the lighting + ambience was simply perfect that day! :) must give credits to my sister because this outfit is entirely hers hahah :P except for the shoes which are mine.

we went on an artsy date that day ;) to the national museum! haha must make use of our free entry as students right?! as Sam said, we're really lucky that our school is surrounded by so many museums! (and mrt stations and shopping malls hahaha) perks of having a campus in town, but it's such as waste that we spend so much time holed up in the Li Ka Shing library instead. #whee -.- haha. so that day we decided to check out the 50 years of TV (or something like that) exhibition, which was pretty nostalgic i must say! haha. 

LOOOOOOOOOOOOVE this photo of us!!!! <3<3<3 the lighting in the museum was so awesome ^^

and a special feature of my backpack from InfinitePixie which was my Christmas gift from darling! (:  i'm so loving it! i've not carried a backpack since what, secondary school? haha true story. ngan said she's never seen me carry a backpack till now. so must have been a looong time ago. i love how it's so pretty and matches with all my outfits easily! and it's just the right size for me to fit all my stuff and makes sure that i can't over-stuff it haha.

Top: sister's //

Skirt: sister's //

Shoes: Primark //

Bracelet: Thomas Sabo //

Bag: InfinitePixie

RED-dy for school

^^^ using sam's words for the title (because i'm nowhere as skilled in wordplay) ^^^

decided to don a Singapore flag-esque attire for the first day of school (not mine, since i don't have class on monday hehe). i contemplated really long about whether i should go out in this colour combination since i really didn't want to walk around looking like our national flag (even though i'm very much a patriotic citizen hehe) but i thought the colours just went so well together! 

despite the fact that this colour style was kinda iffy for me, i really liked this combination, especially with my new beige leather jacket! i've been wanting to buy a leather jacket for quite some time, but i never got around to doing so because they're pretty pricey. well i saw a tonne of them at the leather market in Florence while i was on exchange but they all seemed to be priced in the range of €70, which i suppose is pretty justified. but i resisted. (poor student here). and i finally snagged this piece at a bargain of $25 at the Her Velvet Vase spring sale! :)))) and i'm soooo in love with it. gotta admit that it's not really suitable for Singapore's weather (it's too hot), and neither will it be sufficient for winter. but it's simply perfect for the weather in perhaps hong kong, or taiwan (!!! this jacket is so coming along with me for grad trip). i did decide to bring it out that day in Singapore though, since the January weather was so wonderfully cooling. in fact i felt pretty cold that day! but once i put the jacket on....hmm. haha. i still love it anyway ;)

Top: From UK //

Jeans: Sister's //

Jacket: Her Velvet Vase //

Shoes: old //

Bag: From Taiwan (present)

Two is better than One

hello! (: ^^^really similar photos up there^^^ but i just wanted to show the two different ways i styled this top! (: a very versatile tube top which i've owned for a really long time, but it's usually relegated to the back of my wardrobe and i only just discovered it again recently :p i really like how the ruffles jazz up this simple top, and the cutting is just perfect such that is enhances my figure in the right places! 

for a casual day look (say...going out for brunch? ^^ that's what i wore it for!) i paired it with a leopard print scarf that i bought in Spain and i feel that it adds a much more interesting spin to this ensemble! who says singapore's weather isn't suitable for scarves? ;) since i bought a whole lot of scarves in Europe, i've been trying to find opportunities to fit them into my outfits, and i really love how they're thinner than cardigans and easier to carry around! wore a pair of sandals to complement the whole relaxed weekend-vibe.

for the second look, i threw on a structured blazer with those gorgeous angular shoulder pads that smartened up my outfit instantly! i don't really like shoulder pads that much, because my shoulders are pretty broad already anyway, but i feel that these "pointy" ones really add a touch of polish to any look. added on some light, silver accessories and a pair of heels, and this can bring you to the office, or even a dinner appointment! 

Top: Forever21 (old) //

Pants: Sister's //

Scarf: Lefties (in Spain)

Blazer: Bugis

Sweater Weather & Zalora shout-out! (:

i have a love-hate relationship with rain. when i'm huddled in my sheets (even better with the one i love next to me ^^) and a storm is battling outside, i love the blasts of thunder and flashes of lightning, knowing i'm safe and warm as i bury deeper into my sheets. i love the pitter patter of rain droplets outside my window, when i have a warm cuppa next to me and a book in hand. ahh. i'm dreaming. i hardly ever have the time to enjoy the rain this way. sometimes i wish i could just call in sick (for school or work, whatever) on a rainy morning, just so that i can lie in bed and enjoy the nature of it. 

but when it rains in the morning and i have to wake up early for class? gosh, how i loathe that fact. i hate getting wet by the splashes of rain which would either soak my shoes, or get my feet wet if i'm wearing flip flops. and my tiny foldable umbrella just seems pretty useless in the rain most of the time. 

i do dream of a day though, where i can walk in the pouring rain without an umbrella and get completely drenched, having my worries washed away. sounds really therapeutic somehow!

in the meantime (while that isn't going to happen), the joy i take in going out in wet weather is being able to take out my long-sleeves to wear. i bought a bunch of them while in europe, though i realised the number of opportunities to wear them here are far and few between. i love how comfy they are in cooling weather though! makes me feel all snuggly :D

Top: Primark //

Shorts: Cotton On //

Bangles: New Look //

Necklace: Flea market

anyway, here's a New Year's Day shoutout for Zalora! (:

it's time to welcome 2014 with a bang, and what better way is there to do it other than shopping? ;) like i said, there are 12 days of Christmas, so the festivities aren't over yet!

what i'm really interested in is actually their CNY collection though! really impressed at how they have the prettiest dresses with festive prints, but are spruced up with a modern cut. EZRA has my vote for the most gorgeous CNY collection (: i can't decide between getting the tops or the dresses because they both look great in their own way!

besides their CNY collection, i took a peek into EZRA's usual collection and i found that i really like quite a number of their pieces! loved their take on the LBD, and these were three dresses in particular that i felt were worth sharing (: super love the sultry one!!!! it would have been perfect for the Glitter & Glam Masquerade tea party i had with my dearest (girl) superheroes ^^ will blog about that really soon! i felt the edgy one was really interesting as well - not my typical style, but i really liked how the outfit was put together! it could have been a sweet dress, but the cut-out at the back gives it a slightly raw feel, and it looked awesome paired with the booties. the casual dress is more my style, easy-to-wear for an everyday look! (: that's how versatile an LBD is ;)

there are tonnes of things to explore on Zalora's website - besides clothes, they have bags, shoes, accessories and even beauty products as well! as one of the largest online stores in Singapore amassing brands including River Island, Steve Madden and many others, you will have no lack of fun exploring their site! (:

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It's a retro-kinda day

hello! (: haha i haven't dressed "retro-style" as sam loves to call it for quite a long time! :P definitely not since i came back from exchange. i guess my style has evolved since then? but it is fun to re-live this once in awhile! (: i love how this top adds such a happy pop of colour to any outfit! (: i rarely wear it though, cos it's kind of cropped and i'm pretty self-conscious about my tummy area (CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO GET A FLAT STOMACH?! then again, with the love i have for food, i doubt that is ever possible >.< haha). but when i have bottoms that are slightly high-waisted, i enjoy matching them with this top! ^^

Top: H&M //
Bottom: Mummy's //
Ring: Flea //
Bangles: New Look

Cobalt

i was so happy to find this dress in primark while i was shopping in UK! (: been searching for a tank maxi dress for quite some time already, and this one in striking cobalt blue caught my eye immediately. i contemplated getting it in red actually. haha. but i think i'll look kinda eerie in it :p and luckily i didn't, because i realised that i already have a red maxi, in a deep wine red colour which is much pleasing to the eye. 

i love how this dress is the perfect length for me, and hugs my body at all the right places! the material is fantastic, even at super affordable primark prices (i think it cost like £10?!). heavy enough to skim over any unsightly bumps, yet light enough to be suitable for singapore's weather :) 

Dress: Primark //

Bracelets: Primark & Thomas Sabo //

Earrings: Bead Street at Cineleisure //

Shades: Ray Ban

Green Day

haha random but this title reminds me of my favourite song from this band! - When September Ends ^^

anyway, if you know me, it's pretty rare that i wear anything green. at least, this shade of green. i quite like jade/mint green (the lighter shades), but not this kind of forest green. eeks. but i really liked the breezy look of this top that i couldn't resist buying it! not a bad idea to add a new colour to spruce up my wardrobe sometime ^^ and i paired it with my a pair of olive green shorts too! 

throw on a blazer and i'm ready to tackle all weathers! :D 

guess what! darling wore green that day too!!!!! ^^^^^^ hehe. i was so happy ;) we always unintentionally colour code :D <3 had brunch at toby's estate that day which was awesome!! blog post about that coming up soon! (: 

Top: Primark //

Shorts: Cotton on //

Blazer: Primark // 

Bracelet: Primark & Thomas Sabo

The long & short of things

hello! wanted to share one of my fav outfits with you all! (: it's one of sam's favourites also haha. this long/short skirt is one of my BEST BUYS EVER ^^ there was this period when it was super in style, and i searched a lot of places for a nice one. this one is especially nice to me because of its very flowy, wavy appearance! some skirts are just straight cut in the front and back, and i think it's just way too boring. the way this skirt falls is simply perfect though! and i got it at a steal for $20 at bugis street! (Y) score! and love how this skirt can turn anyone into a dancer ^^ 

and i tried the stacked bangles look! quite happy with it after trying a whole lot of combinations haha.

Top: Primark //

Skirt: Bugis Street //

Bangles: H&M, New Look

Ring: H&M

Ming

Don't these pair of shorts somewhat remind you of an exquisite Ming vase? i fell in love with them when i saw them in Europe. such a contrast in themes, and the juxtaposition of cultures probably contributed to my fascination in this piece. 

i decided to pair it with this top, which has been relegated to the mess in my closet for awhile, but i found it again in the move to our new house. this is such a comfort piece of mine - i can't believe i forgot about it! a light chiffon piece that is really comfortable and airy, plus i can just throw it on and it matches with almost everything. 

for this all-blue ensemble, i decided to bring in some colour in my accessories and i took out my dangly earrings which i haven't worn in awhile. i suppose these are one of the "retro" accessories which Sam used to love teasing me about? :p i guess my style has changed since then, and i wear a lot more stud earrings, but i still love how my danglys add a pop of colour to my outfit! (: 

Top: HK //

Shorts: H&M

Earrings: Old //

Bangles: New Look

&made by Bruno Menard

i'd been spamming burgers for quite a period of time but i just couldn't resist trying &made when i had the opportunity to! (: haha quite funny that i went there with my girlfriends, and when i told sam that we had one huge burger and fries each, he commented that it was such an un-girl-like outing :p which is pretty true, lol! 

Bruno Menard is a three michelin star chef and i was glad to be able to try his food at a relatively more affordable price! haha. the burgers were not cheap, but they made up for it in terms of size :D should be enough to satisfy a guy i would think ;) the menu is pretty quirky, and i love looking at menus like these! i was seriously considering crafting my own burger, but opted for one of the signatures in the end, because it was more bang for my buck.

i really enjoyed my 'B' Burger ($19) which looked simply amazing doesn't it??!! :D (credits to sk for the photos!) see that cheeeeeese ^^ so gooey and yummy-looking! it's apparently their most popular burger ;) it's a dry aged beef patty topped with caramelized onion, gooey french Comté cheese and a garlic-caper mayonnaise. i felt that the beef patty was rather crunchy, after a few consecutive days of eating really tender beef. but it was still pretty juicy which was a good thing! furthermore, with all the amazing toppings on it, they definitely added a wonderful flavour to the whole patty. and that bun! it was definitely one of the nicest burger buns i've ever eaten ^^ the top was crisp and slightly flakey, while the inside was soft and fluffy! all the burgers on this list are served with &made bbq sauce and your choice of original/smoked/garlic & vinegar fries. the bbq sauce was very interesting. for some reason, it reminded me of belachan or something. the texture i mean. haha and the taste was a little unconventional for bbq sauce as well. for the fries, i opted for the garlic & vinegar and i loved them! it had a more garlicky flavour than those at ODP and were really quite tasty!

sk had the chicken ($17) which was a roasted chicken breast patty served with salad, pickled pineapple, cucumber, onion and &made satay sauce! so interesting!! i didn't try it though :p haha. and she chose the smoked fries which were really interesting too! (: i'm not sure what kind of flavour it was, maybe slightly like bbq? but they were yummy ^^

and i haven't done an ootd for awhile, so here's one! :) haha. you might have seen this outfit in my birthday photos - here are the details! ;) very lag, i know :( anyway, it was the first time i wore a peplum top! been avoiding those for a long time actually, because i was afraid that they'll make my hips look big. which was really the case when i wore them with pants -> last warning. totally cannot do that combi!! initially i wanted to pair the top with shorts, which would be pretty safe, but i remembered seeing a pairing with a flare skirt, which i thought was a rather interesting idea! i would think that a peplum with a flare would make my butt look really big/make me look fat or something. but the effect turned out surprisingly not too bad! :) the peplum top really accentuated my waist and i was quite amazed! still not super confident about this look, but it spruces up the whole look a lot more, which i liked (: it actually looks like a one-piece doesn't it! 

Top: New Look //

Skirt: old //

Bangle: Primark //

Ring: Bugis street