Romantical.

I'm listening to Sarah Blasko's album 'As Day Follows Night', especially on the first track 'Down on Love'. It's kind of got me in this sweet mood; you'll need to listen to the song first to understand.
I did quite a lot of shopping today at Dubai Mall. Bought this pink floral dress from Peacock (and six other dresses from Debenhams, Topshop and Oasis).
I also had my hair curled at the salon just a few hours ago. Feeling quite ditzy-daisy and lovely right now.

(Please try to excuse the mess in my room. I've been wanting to rearrange everything and will hopefully start this month.)

Anyway, try to find the song online. Actually I'd recommend the whole album. It's got a kind of whimsical folk sound to it, of course lead beautifully by Sarah's soft, haunting voice. Just by listening to her you can kind of tell what she'd look like. To be honest, I don't know much about her personally or her style, but she seems like one of them vintage chic women. And you gotta give props to girls that do the vintage chic well!
I'm loving the butterfly brooch she's got on in this picture below.

Hoot hoot.

Just a typical work outfit photo up from me here, now that the week's finally closed and I can enjoy the weekend!!!

My favourite bag lately is this wonderfully kitsch owl bag I bought from Chinese Dragonmart in Dubai. Always makes me feel like Harry Potter when I use it and most always get odd looks from people. I love her though, she's like a pet.

The glasses I found in a thrift store for a couple of dollars, fun, but they're a little too big to actually wear out.

I leave that kind of fashion to my mum - early 90s yo. Ain't she sweet? ;)

Do you remember Agathe Bjørnsdatter?

Agathe, the quintessential fashion blogger, updated her blog stylebytes several times a week, letting us into her wardrobe and weekends in her hometown of Oslo. She started back in 2005 with thrift tips and DIY tricks but in her later posts, you see her getting more creative with photography (and of course, who could forget her pet pig, Molvin). A regular feature in other fashion blogs and even magazines, Agathe truly was the perfect thrift style queen.

Her last blog post was dated April 2008 where she mentioned she was leaving on a trip to Stockholm and then, unfortunately for us, her loyal readers, she hasn't updated since.
Many months after her absence there were quite a few posts from readers asking 'where is Agathe?' and theories on why she stopped blogging. Maybe she just got bored and wanted her private life back. Or maybe something bad happened. I believe Agathe is OK though, and she still looks gorgeous as ever.

Below are a few of my favorite photos from stylebytes, and examples of Agathe's individual style. I remember first reading her blog when I came back to Dubai in November 2006. I wasn't working for the first few months, so was online a lot, and with Melbourne still on my mind, experimenting with styles. She's a great role model for looking chic on a low budget.

Also what I loved about her was that she was always way before the 'trend'. Believe me, if we'd seen something cool, Agathe most definitely tried it out and blogged about it first. So, this is a tribute to http://stylebytes.net/, in my opinion still the best fashion blog ever.

70+ items I now want. Thanks.

The January issue of W Magazine in the States has a glorious spread of '70+ looks for the New Year and the New Season'.

I just want to say WOW.

I would love to wear every single outfit in this shoot! Just perfect.

To view the whole spread, click: W Magazine - January 2010

 

Eye In Eye.

When our eyes met invisible hands wove fine threads that ran through your great eyes into my eyes knitting our hearts together. - Edvard Munch

Zooey Deschanel.

One Hollywood starlet's style that I've always admired is the delightful Zooey Deschanel.
She can be described as offbeat, quirky, sweet, indie, etc, but whatever category she gets put into, there's no denying she sits there perfectly dressed! I'm a girly girl and I love wearing dresses all the time, so it's great seeing Zooey work the circuit in sweet dresses, but nothing too glam like the rest of Hollywood.

What I like about her look is that it's accessible and modest. Accessible in a way that although she fits in at these big events, she also wouldn't be out of place on a dinner date with a partner, or a night out with the girls. I feel the girl's got an 'old soul', and can pretty much get away with anything fashionwise. She could rock up to an event in a cardboard box with a cute little bow in her hair and still look amazing. :-)

To Do List:

1. Become bff's with Zooey Deschanel

2. Once bff's, totally borrow all her cool clothes

3. Ask her to introduce me all the cool muso friends of her husband Ben Gibbard (YES, of Death Cab For Cutie)

4. Marry a cool indie rocker and dress super cute all the time

5. Slowly become a carbon copy of Zooey Deschanel

Obsessed? Me? Never!

Wedding.

I attended my good friends Kim & Lars' wedding in Manila, Philippines last week. The morning of the wedding, I was at the mall with my cousins doing a sort of 'amazing race' of shopping. We had 1 hour only, to find many things. I was looking for shawl, cardigan, bag, and a new dress because I didn't feel like wearing the one i originally picked out.

I ended up finding everything I needed plus more. I picked up the cute parasol I'm holding there for only 395 pesos. Unfortunately I forgot that at the apartment and didn't bring it back with me to Dubai! Eventually, I just wore the dress I originally bought for the wedding (a vintage find off ebay), despite buying two new dresses for the day... Well, a girl's gotta have options!!

My friend and fellow blogger Mr. Manalo, also came wearing pink, I think we're quite a cute couple.

At the end of the evening, the bride & groom gifted us with fireworks! It was a perfect fairytale wedding.

xoxo Melbourne.

Melbourne, my hometown, my first love.

Everytime I make the trip home (usually once or twice a year)... it stresses me. I love the city, I spent the first 20 years of my life in that city. I think that's why going back tires me out so much. Too many memories and things trying to hold me back.

This is why I like the current track I'm headed on.

On this particular sunny day in Melbourne (my last day there actually), I'm wearing  Kate Moss for Topshop print dress with a Jeanswest denim vest over it. I love the vest, I've been wearing it almost over everything since I got it! So nice to 'conservatise' the outfit, especially in places like Dubai. ;)

Happy new year!

I hope your celebrations were full of fireworks and frivolousity ;)

Here's an excerpt from my favourite poem by John Keats called 'Fancy'.

I don't make new year resolutions, but as every year, I aim to see new cities and live new experiences.

Let's continue to live happily in a fanciful wanderlust.

Oh, sweet Fancy! let her loose;
Every thing is spoilt by use:
Where's the cheek that doth not fade,
Too much gaz'd at? Where's the maid
Whose lip mature is ever new?
Where's the eye, however blue,
Doth not weary? Where's the face
One would meet in every place?
Where's the voice, however soft,
One would hear so very oft?
At a touch sweet Pleasure melteth
Like to bubbles when rain pelteth.
Let, then, winged Fancy find
Thee a mistress to thy mind:
Dulcet-ey'd as Ceres' daughter
Ere the God of Torment taught her
How to frown and how to chide;
With a waist and with a side
White as Hebe's, when her zone
Slipt its golden clasp, and down
Fell her kirtle to her feet,
While she held the goblet sweet
And Jove grew languid.--Break the mesh
Of the Fancy's silken leash;
Quickly break her prison-string
And such joys as these she'll bring.--
Let the winged Fancy roam,
Pleasure never is at home.