Travel Outfit

These are my travel outfits. I can't abide jeans as the waistband tends to dig into my rather hefty muffin top. Okay, so I'm painting a rather horrific picture here. *Ahem* I'm still on a sort of weight loss program which ain't going anywhere judging by my late night snacking. The sweatpants are far more comfortable. I still love my Alexander Wang sweatpants to bits. No one could tell they're sweatpants thanks to the slim cut. Whenever I travel outside of the summer months, I tend to wear a jacket which has plenty of pockets. Perfect for a packrat like me who needs tons of "storage space" for tissues, mints, receipts, cellphone and tickets.

I'm sorry I've been rather slow with replying to comments or catching up on my blog reading. I'm currently on vacation but will check back often when I have internet access. I'll be in touch in a few days!

French Jackets

1. Sandro Vestige Jacket €295
2. Comptoir des Cotonniers Cardigan €125
3. Comptoir des Cotonniers trench coat €225
4. IRO Haven tweed jacket £415
5. Etoile Isabel Marant Itha Jacket £275
6. Les Petites Leather Jacket €425
7. Ekyog Rosalia Jacket €205
8. Cotelac Spencer Nouveau Depart Jacket €275


Being a self professed Francophile, I'm influenced by French fashion. Their narrower and smaller fit suits my petite frame better. In addition, the French has a certain je ne sais quoi attitude to their clothes. The French style seems effortless. Nonchalant. As if they've just thrown together without much thought yet each piece work seamlessly with the other. I call this my "Chanel Jacket Week" as I waxed lyrical about my object of obsession. I've noticed plenty of cheaper alternatives particularly ones from the more affordable French lines.

A Contemporary Take on Chanel Boucle Jackets Part 2

Outfit: Chanel tweed jacket, Petit Bateau v neck jersey top (similar here), James Twiggy jeans , Stuart Weitzman Over the Knee boots (similar here), Christy's Chepstow hat (similar here) and Hermes Kelly 28cm Retourne.

Outfit: Chanel tweed jacket, Alexander Wang t-shirt (available here), Christy's Chepstow trilby hat (available here), Uniqlo cargo skinnies (on special here for £19.90) and Repetto ballet flats (available here)



I featured 3 different ways of wearing a Chanel jacket here last month. I wanted to see if I could create a couple of outfits with a more contemporary and casual vibe. Given that much of my everyday life consists of working from home, going on school runs, coffee with friends and walks, I need to try to incorporate the classy jacket with my cheapo clothes from Uniqlo. While I often check out my favorite blogs in order to ogle at incredible footwear, I still haven't mastered the art of balancing on stilts, I mean stilettos. I nearly broke my ankle the other day when I wore my nude Stuart Weitzman wedges out . I'm sure the people at the offices must've had a good laugh at my expense watching me hobbled past and holding on to the side of the building for my dear life.

Outfit: Isabel Marant Atika jacket, Alexander Wang t-shirt (available here), Christy's Chepstow trilby hat (available here), Uniqlo cargo skinnies (on special here for £19.90) and Repetto ballet flats (available here)

Outfit: Isabel Marant Atika boucle jacket, Petit Bateau v neck jersey top (similar here), James Twiggy jeans (available here) and ankle boots.

I wish I can afford to buy more Chanel jackets, particular ones in black. The Isabel Marant boucle jacket is the cheaper alternative for now. Until I managed to grow a money tree or win the lottery, I'll stick to searching on eBay, thrift shops and consignment stores for secondhand Chanel jacket as mentioned in the post here.

A Contemporary Take on Chanel Boucle Jacket Part 1

Photo credit: Daily Mail and Just Jared

Whenever I think of Chanel jackets, the words posh, elegance, mature, socialite and feminine come to mind. Quite the polar opposite to me.  The Chanel jacket still has connotations to the world of rich and famous but I'd like to think that one can wear it however and whenever one chooses to. Despite the ever-changing fashion trends over the last 5 decades, the Chanel tweed boucle jacket continues to remain stylish and popular to this day.

What I love about the likes of Kate Moss, Sienna Miller, Lily Allen and Rachel Zoe is they're not your typical ladylike, refined nor poised beauties. They're rugged with a slant towards rocker and boho chic which appeal to my rather tomboyish dress sense. It's inspiring to see them wear the same Chanel jacket again and again but pairing with simple tees and jeans with a scarf draped almost carelessly around the neck.

I was intrigued by the entire process of making a Chanel jacket by hand. The tailor herself is beautifully dressed in a black Chanel jacket. Hope you enjoy the video as much as I have.

The secrets of the little black jacket by Chanel via rylwy

Gratitude

I stood in line at a busy post office recently and caught snippets of conversations from those in the queue. I realized how draining it is to listen to incessant complaints. Just as a smile and a sincere compliment will lift your day, complaints do the opposite. It chips away any joy slowly like the currents eroding the riverbank over time. Just as I started to judge them, I realized that I too am a complainer. It has become an unconscious habit. Who am I to point my finger at someone else when I do the exact same thing?

I came across the story of James Fortune, an honest and hardworking man who became homeless with a pregnant wife and two young kids when he lost his job. Despite the traumatic experience, both he and his wife kept their faith, gratitude and strength to overcome their difficult situation. Or the 8 year old gospel singer wonder, Rhema Marvanne who lost her mother at a young age but touched the hearts of many through her songs and courage. It's all too easy to lose ourselves in our own little bubble and get irritated by minute insignificant things that do not really matter in a larger scheme of life. Her song, I thank God is a wonderful reminder to be thankful for what we have.

Lately, in a bid to get toned and healthier, a friend and I have been taking plenty of walks and exploring the countryside.  As we trekked up the hill and looked down at the awe-inspiring scenery, we realized that we have much to be thankful for. We have the privilege of living in a war free zone, a roof over our heads, health, family, friends and a full belly.

5 Preppy Looks with Colored denim

Outfit: Phillip Lim 3.1 top, Uniqlo jeans and Stuart Weitzman wedges

Outfit: Zara trench coat, Petit Bateau breton top, Uniqlo jeans and Repetto flats

Outfit: Topshop denim jacket, Petit Bateau breton top, Uniqlo jeans and K Jacques sandals

Outfit: Gloverall anorak, See by Chloe top, Uniqlo jeans and Repetto flats

Outfit: Uniqlo jumper, Uniqlo jeans and K Jacques sandals

Ever since I caught the Isabel Marant fever and became obsessed with the Parisian style, I haven't thought much about the preppy look that J Crew is so famous for.  I've heard rumors that they're opening up shop somewhere on Regent St in London. What took them so long? I've admired their clothes for a decade but it's hard to gauge the size or fit online. Returning the clothes is another major concern since they're shipped from the US. I've taken some inspiration from their website and thought I'll do preppy for the week.

I'm rather proud that I didn't include a single black garment in any of the ensembles. That's a rare feat for someone like me who's used to dress in black head to toe.  I've started to introduce more colors into my wardrobe albeit at a snail speed. The next step would be getting a couple more colored denim in plum and red. The sun's shining, the birds are chirping, the day's getting longer and it's time to replace dreary black with colors! I hope you're all having a great week.

**For those who asked, my Uniqlo jeans can be found here.

Colored Denim

It never failed to amaze me whenever I see older English gentlemen looking so dapper in their tweed jacket and colored trousers. The colors often ranged from plum, burgundy, tomato red to various shades of green. Instead of looking crass, the words that came to mind would be sophisticated and stylish. Never in a million years would I see such outfit in New Zealand where the relaxed lifestyle called for plain old t-shirt and jeans.

Photo credit: Blog.denimtherapy.com

Lately, I've been seeing denim in every color of the rainbow in stores, on the streets and blogs. Could it be that menswear has an influence on women's style? I've been on a hunt for the perfect red pair of jeans for a year now to no avail. If the color worked, the fit was terrible or vice versa. I was in London on Saturday to see a friend so I took the opportunity to pop into my favorite High St store, Uniqlo. The anticipation of finally acquiring colored jeans turned into disappointment when I noticed that the red jeans were in fact coral. In hindsight I should've given them a go particularly seeing how great they look on Duchess of Cambridge. I'm easily influenced like every other person out there.

Photo credit: Reuters via Daily Mail

Photo credit: Reuters via Daily Mail

Photo credit: Daily Mail

After much thought, I settled on the safari green shade. Thanks to the advice of a reader, Estrella, I decided to stick to normal jeans and have them shortened to ankle length. Their cropped denim were made of pretty thin fabric and so tapered that my legs looked like stuff sausages. My wardrobe is noticeably lacking in colors which I hope to amend in the upcoming months. Has anyone started wearing colored denim lately?

Mayfair

When the hubs asked if I could drop off a pair of pants at one of his favorite stores on Mount St, I took the opportunity to explore the part of London I know little about. Mount St is located in Mayfair, one of the most prestigious areas of London where high end retailers and antique stores have set up shop as well as residential properties if one has millions of pounds to spare.

The terracotta and red brick Queen Anne architecture style is largely attributed to Hugh Grosvenor, the 1st Duke of Westminster whose descendent, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor (the 6th Duke of Westminster) is the richest property developer and one of the largest landowner in the UK. Mount St had a humble  where a workhouse for the poor could be found until overcrowding caused the decision to move it to a new site in 1871.

Mount St Gardens

One could easily immerse themselves in beautiful sculptures dotted within the vicinity of the street or enjoy a stroll in the beautiful Mount St gardens. It was once a burial ground of St George's, an Anglican church on Hanover Square near Oxford Circus where the 28 year old Theodore Roosevelt married Edith Carow in 1886.

Connaught Hotel

The Connaught Hotel can be found on the corner of Mount St and Carlos Place which is a pleasant stroll from Green Park tube station. The famed hotel was once called The Coburg Hotel after Prince Albert but changed its name to The Connaught in 1917 in honor of Prince Arthur, the third son of Queen Victoria and the Duke of Connaught.

Fierce dominatrix heels from Christian Louboutin which I'm sure will garner plenty of attention.

Flying the British flag. Heels by Michel Perry.

Mind blowing designs by Nicholas Kirkwood

I could spend all day gawking at the wondrous display of designer goods on offer. It's not difficult to imagine how one can easily blow £10K in one shopping spree. I'm afraid that is a rather far-fetched notion in my reality. Trunks from Goyard, anyone? If time travel exists, I would love to be a fly on the wall just to see how members of the peerage traveled a hundred years ago.

I was running late to catch up with my friends at our favorite New Zealand haunt - Sacred cafe at Ganton St, located just behind Liberty. As I made a mad dash down Conduit St, I couldn't help gawping at Vivienne Westwood's clutch - I love crap. How apt. That would describe the current contents of my handbag.

A romp in the countryside

Woohooo....Thank God it's Friday which means the weekend is just round the corner! I thought since it was such a positive response the last time I featured my life in a little English town, you wouldn't mind seeing more of it. These photos were taken last Saturday when I took the girls out (Lil L and her cousin) for a walk down a country lane to locate a herd of cows at a nearby pasture. The town was bustling. In fact, it was positively heaving by afternoon as we escaped the weekend market and jostling crowds.

Nothing is sweeter than the sound of children's joyous laughter. It's the simplest things in life that make them happy. Not the expensive toys nor exotic holidays but a splash of attention, unconditional love, an adventure in the countryside, a romp in the massive playground and an ice cream cone each. As they raced down the graveled footpath, they squealed at the sight of a swan gliding down the stream, marveled at the daisies on the ground, hopped over fallen logs and chased butterflies. When asked how they've enjoyed the day, the girls declared "what an amazing day!"

How to find bargains on eBay

Heather of Flying Fish in Big Pond has requested if I could share tips about locating bargains and authentic goods on eBay. I've been buying and selling on eBay for slightly over a decade. The marketplace has its pitfalls but if you know what you're looking for and have done your research, you're bound to save yourself quite a bit of money.

Many of you have asked about my Repetto flats. Most came from eBay for a fraction of the retail price saving me at least £100 - £150 per pair. My latest obsession is Geodesis reed diffuser which costs £35 a bottle but I found them on eBay for £17-20 each. I've bought Chanel handbags for USD 450 in the past at a time when I was a little crazed for the brand, designer coats for Lil L for £25 saving myself £50 in the process, brand new unwanted Hermes shawl for £200, Hermes enamel bracelet for £50 amongst some of the bargains I've nabbed on eBay.


1. Do your research

Whatever you want to buy, it's important that you know the retail price, size, fit and the going rate for it on eBay. Have a figure of the price you want to pay in your head. One of the things I do a lot in the name of research is to pull up completed listings. This will give an indication of the kind of prices you'll be paying for similar items.

It's not too bad if you're looking for inexpensive goods but once you start thinking about high value items, it pays to look at the seller's feedback very carefully. Does this seller have a history of selling similar goods? What does her buyers say about her? You can take a step further by checking her on Toolhaus. I tend to go for sellers who have a near perfect feedback record of 99.2% and above.

2. Bargaining

Sellers are generally more amiable to negotiation when a Buy It Now item has been re-listed over and over again with no takers. A polite and well worded message with a reasonable offer will often result in a positive outcome. As a seller, I've received text like messages demanding for a 50% discount with subsequent ones which were borderline harassment. This bargaining method may work well at an Asian night market but not on eBay.



3. Shipping

If you're planning to buy from an international seller, factor in the shipping cost and duties. Countries such as the U.K, New Zealand, Taiwan, Philippines and Canada tend to have more stringent customs. Any packages shipped using a fully trackable service such as UPS, FedEx, ParcelForce and EMS tend to attract duty charges more so than standard airmail delivery.



4. Sniping

It's all too easy to get into a bidding war which drives the price through the roof. Great for the seller but not so good for the bidder. On the flip side, I've also managed to lose out on great deals thanks to my slow internet connection while trying to bid last minute or worse still, I'd completely forgotten until the auction has ended. I use Auction Stealer which gives 3 free snipes a month. I've read good reviews for Goofbay which is also free. Insert the highest amount you're willing to fork out for the item and it'll snipe within the last 3 - 10 seconds to go.



5. Authentication

One of the biggest drawbacks for most eBay bidders is the potential of buying a counterfeit item. I've been burned a couple of times. I've also been contacted by bidders to authenticate designer bags fearing that they might've been sold a fake. The bottom line is if it's too good to be true, it almost always is.

I've had my share of buying designer bags at crazy prices but you'll have to know what to look out for. There are genuine sellers who have no idea the value of the items they're selling. They are in the minority. The rest are crooks. It's far easier to expend the extra effort of authenticating the listings before  bidding. Trying to recover your money after payment can be an excruciatingly stressful process.

If the photos are insufficient or blurry, email the seller and request for more. When you're buying a designer bag, it's important that you see plenty of clear close up photos of any blindstamps, markings, interior and stitches. The telltale signs are in the fine details and finishing. Walk away if the seller refuses to provide additional photos or information. The Purse Forum offers free authentication service, thanks to the generosity of their members. Caroldiva (Louis Vuitton), Bababebi (Hermes) and Etinceler Authentications (Chanel) will provide written authentications for a fee should you require the service during a Paypal/eBay dispute with your seller.



6. Various eBay sites

 Don't limit yourself to one eBay site. I've purchased from both eBay.fr, eBay.co.uk and eBay.com. I've noticed in the past that it's harder to find Repetto flats at basement prices on eBay.fr as they're in great demand there. Instead, I'd search on eBay US and UK sites. Likewise, I've had a higher chance of nabbing a greatly reduced Isabel Marant jacket on eBay FR site.



7. Misspelled Words

Try searching for Louis Vutton, Channel or a variety of commonly misspelled designer names and you might hit the jackpot. Better still, you can use Goofbay to help you out.



8. Saved Search

In order to locate a bargain, you'll have to be patient. It may take a couple of days, several months or heck, even a year or two to find your holy grail at an affordable price. You can trawl on eBay once in a while but it can get a bit tiresome to type in the same keywords all the time. To save yourself a bit of time, click on Save Search and have eBay email you with new listings.

For those who are unused to eBay, I hope this will alleviate some of your fears.  Happy bargain hunting!

Dress for Less than £100

1. Great Plains Garden Party Navy jacket £75
2.  Topshop A Lined Piped Trench Coat £68
3. COS Elastic Waist Dress £58
4. Zara Egyptian Style Necklace £25.99
5. COS Twisted Front Dress £49
6. Zara Wedge with Buckle £39.99
7. A.P.C Striped Top £50
8. Mango Short Sleeve Linen T-Shirt £17.99
9. Uniqlo Color Skinny Fit Ankle Length Jeans £29.90
10. Uniqlo Color Skinny Fit Ankle Length Jeans £29.90
11. COS Hole Knit Jumper 49€
12. Lacoste Chantemar Wedges £75

Thank goodness, daylight saving is just round the corner. I'm delighted that I no longer have to walk home in the dark at 5.30pm. It's pretty chilly outside which means I'm still bundled up in my thick woolies, shawl and boots but I can't wait to shed the layers and wear a summer dress. I've overdosed on my neutral shades which matched my mood during the winter months. Now that the sun is finally making a daily appearance, it's time to switch to colors. Bold colors. Just like the jewel toned clothes on the mannequins in every store that I've walked past.

Though I've dipped my toes into prints in the past year, I naturally veer towards single toned clothes as I find them easier to mix and match. Swap the scarf with a bold necklace and you'll get a different look. Each piece of clothing featured here is priced less than £100 but to me, the material, fit and workmanship are still three important factors when choosing clothes. Just because the clothes are more reasonably priced, they don't have to look cheap. I also prefer natural fiber to acrylic or polyester as they tend to be more comfortable and longer wearing.

I've had so many compliments whenever I wear my Uniqlo jeans out so I have to include them here. I'm hoping to get a couple of colored denims when I'm in London next so that I can take advantage of their free alteration service.
                                    

Shrove Tuesday

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I'm nearly 3 weeks late in celebrating Pancake Day but hey, it's better late than never. Being a Christian, I've kiiiiiind of celebrated Lent but I've never heard of Pancake Day until recently. I can be a little slow on the uptake. You think I would've found out about this tradition seeing that I've already lived in the UK for 3 years. Imagine the puzzlement on my face when I turned up at the local supermarkets on 20th February only to find pancake mix, packaged pancake, pancake sauce and every paraphernalia that had to do with the darn thing prominently displayed all over the stores. Our church even organized Pancake Day on a Tuesday night. I didn't go because I couldn't understand why anyone would want to eat pancakes in the evening. Like I said, my neurons and the synapses work at a snail speed.

Weeks later, a friend finally took pity on me and explained the old English tradition of Shrove Tuesday which is the last day to indulge oneself before Lent. Shrove comes from an old word "Shrive" meaning, to confess. Yeah, I have plenty to confess but let's not go there. In Asia, we would give up meat since we're not big on dairy over there. I can't say I'm a huge fan of pancakes. The only other pancakes I've eaten are the one you wrap around a slither of crispy roast duck skin, cucumber, spring onion and a dash of hoisin sauce and the French crepes.

My cousin and his little girl dropped by for a visit on Saturday so I decided to go all out and treated everyone with stacks of home-made American style pancakes topped with juicy strawberries and blueberries and smothered in plenty of maple syrup with crispy slices of bacon on the side. Needless to say, the two little girls gobbled down a stack of pancakes and extra helpings of the fruit salad in lightning speed.

Makes approximately 15 pancakes (serves 3 adults and 2 children)
Ingredients:

300g self raising flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
450ml milk (or buttermilk)
knob of butter
Pinch of salt
A little butter for cooking (you can use vegetable oil too)

1. Mix the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder and salt) in a large bowl.
2. Beat the two eggs and add milk.
3. Make a well in the bowl of dry ingredients and pour the egg and milk mixture in the center.
4. Beat well and add a knob of melted butter into the mixture.
5. Heat a little oil or butter on a non stick pan or griddle. Drop half a ladle (adjust according to the size of pancake you want to make) of batter onto the pan. When it starts to bubble on the surface on the pancake, flip it to the other side.
6. Cover with kitchen or tea towel to keep warm. Serve with berries or any type of fruit and maple syrup.