I’ll have to add that I’m not very creative at laying out the stuff in my bag.

I got myself a shiny new pen from Swarovski. The charm is pretty but it’s kind of annoying to have it knock against the pen all the time when I’m writing.

You might have also noticed a new wallet. Dawn is absolutely sick of my dollar notes being crumpled all the time, so i decided it is time for another wallet. This is the Louis Vuitton Adjustable Wallet in Damier Graphite.

Although it’s a men’s series, I love it cause it’s in black and grey.

What’s in my Bag:

• Country Road Bag
• iPad
• Moleskine notebooks+Swarovski pen
• iPhone (Ceiling cat)
• Zürich HB Train Timetable
• Louis Vuitton Wallet
• Totes Umbrella
• Kensington external backup battery for iPhone
• Biotherm Hand cream
• USB cable
• Mints
• Shiseido Aqua series foundation

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But let’s put that aside and let us focus instead on the magic word in the blogosphere: GIVEAWAYS!!! Did I hear some cheering? Well damn right you should cheer because we have not one, but SIX items to send out to you guys!

Created by Emily Doig of Australia, Tipsy Toes are the perfect solution to a night out in painful shoes. Made of a lightweight material, these flexible ballet flats can be folded to fit into even the daintiest of bags!

Emily has summed it up beautifully on the website:

It all started with a wedding, a purse too-small, and third degree high-heel injuries. We’ve all been there, you have THE shoes for the occasion, the perfect party to make your friends drool over said shoes, but by nights-end you wonder if you’ll ever walk again.

Well, haven’t we all once been foolhardy enough to believe that we can conquer these torture devices slyly disguised as heels. I remember wearing these booties out once, and came back with a rather impressive collection of blisters a couple of hours later. I wished I had Tipsy Toes flats in my bag then!

I have thought of bringing flats around with me before, but frankly speaking it isn’t really practical to carry around a pair of bulky shoes.

With Tipsy Toes flats however, you can simply fold them up and slip them into your pocket! These shoes are so compact and lightweight, it’s really no different than carrying around a pack of facial tissues.

The shoes come in Black and Silver to match your clothes! (Pardon the inadequate picture, please refer to the ones on the site instead! This is just to show the black shoes)

Rules: How to join

Easy! All you have to do is to leave a comment on this post talking about either of these topics:

Your footwear horror story and how Tipsy Toes will help you avoid that in the future!

Where you would like to be able to purchase these.

Why do you want a pair?

The most painful pair of shoes you own and how Tipsy Toes would beat them to a pulp.

Easy, right? But that’s not it! If you retweet this post on Twitter or repost this on FaceBook/your own blog, all you have to do is to provide a link as a reply to your original comment and you get to have a second entry! In simple maths, 2 entries > 1 entry = higher chance of winning.

A picture for all you visual learners.

Points to note:

• This giveaway will run for 3 weeks, with 2 pairs given out every week. It will run from 3rd September – 26th of September. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED EVERY SUNDAY: On the 12th, 19th and 26th.
• Please state whether you wear size S or size M in your comments! Refer to sizing chart below.
• Please include a valid email address when you comment. It will not be publish or spammed in any way. We just need to have a way to contact you if you win!
• You may include your preference for colours. (“I want only black” or “1. Silver 2. Black” )
• Should you still be confused, please refer to the comment image as posted above.

These are my amateur measurements.

Size S is 23.5cm and can fit sizes from EUR 37-38.
Size M is 25cm and can fit sizes from EUR 38-40.

Looking forward to sending everyone shoes!!

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I love drinking tea, especially Longan tea. It has been a while since I have tasted it!

I’ve had a handful of people asking me where I purchased this bag in the previous post as well as on formspring. Truth is, I really do not remember the exact shop unit or name, but it’s on the second or third floor in Far East Plaza. It comes in white as well, for those who are interested.

I understand that this outfit is rather shapeless and baggy, but there are honestly days when I just want to be shapeless and baggy. Things are really more cooling that way, to be honest.

✖ Jacket: H&M
✖ Camisole: Cotton On
✖ Dress: Hong Kong
✖ Tights: TopShop
✖ Shoes: H&M

We choose outdoor sitting because we wanted natural lighting for the photos, but what a bad choice that turned out to be. I do not recommend it unless you are feeling especially charitable that day and wish to donate a few pints of blood to starving mosquitoes. In that case, be my guest. I swear those vermin can bite through demin if they put their minds too it. We were so horribly bitten that day that once we got into a cab, the cab driver wordlessly pulled out medicated oil for us. I guess it pays to be prepared. I don’t know about you, but I think I am arming myself with bug spray the next time I’m foolhardy enough to sit outdoors again.

Randomly, I am in love with this Proenza Schouler coordinate!

All black? Check.
Thigh high socks? Check.
Fierce shoes? Check.
Sleek silhouette? Check

Now I just need to attain that ridiculously small waist.

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Hello everyone,

I would like to draw your attention to a contest held by Orchard Central (OC) for girls aged between 18-28 years old.

They are holding a competition to look for the “OC” girl, the face to represent Orchard Central.

They’re holding a makeover session (who doesn’t love makeovers?!) every Sunday from 1-6pm from now till October at Basement 1. Each month, a finalist will be picked and featured in CLEO Magazine and the overall winner of the contest will stand a chance to win $5,000 worth of prizes, a CLEO feature and become the face of Orchard Central.

All OC Girl participants will also be invited for an OC Girl Party that will be held on the first Friday of the following month to announce the winning OC Girl for the month.

Dawn and I were invited to experience the makeover for ourselves and like I mentioned, who doesn’t love makeovers?

The makeup used was by Missha (located at #B1-36), a popular Korean makeup brand. The makeup artist mentioned the use of a makeup primer which contained collagen and everyone’s faces just seemed to light up after hearing it.

What I usually don’t enjoy about makeovers is the fact that I get my face caked up with tonnes of products and it literally feels like I’m wearing a mask, however, the makeover for the OC Girl was comfortable and I felt like my skin could breathe while at the same time, it was being beautified and enhanced by the makeup that was used.’

My makeup artist was friendly and professional, I gave some input on how I usually look better with darker eyeshadows than lighter ones for some reason and she did an awesome smokey eye makeup for me.

Our hair was done by Lacoco Hair (located at #04-13) and both of us had big gorgeous curly hair at the end of the makeover. . Dawn carries off curly hair wonderfully and her lighter hair makes her look very outstanding. The hair products used were of high quality salon series and managed to hold the curls and hairstyle pretty well.

The makeover services were fantastic. I loved the fact that I could just head out without any makeup because I was feeling so lazy that day, head down to Orchard Central to have my hair and makeup done by professionals and then have the rest of the day looking glamorous and made up. Remember how we’ve always said that a complete outfit includes styling on the hair and makeup on the face as well?

So do head down to Orchard Central this Sunday and have your hair and makeup done.

Good luck with the contest!

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We might not have extreme seasonal changes in Singapore, but I find myself changing the contents of my bag to reflect the fact that autumn is creeping up upon us! The fall is definitely my favourite season – The colours are so rich and I really wish I could watch the leaves turn. I am also taking this chance to show off the new bag I’ve bought! I really wish I could afford to buy the PS1 from Proenza Schouler, but this inspired bag will do in the meantime. I love it – it’s roomy but not clumsy, and it fits an iPad perfectly.

What’s in my bag: Clockwise from the top

✖ Audio Technica headphones. I don’t always play music on it. Sometimes it just functions as a noise-cancelling device when I’m taking public transport. I hate that some earbuds “leak” sound and everyone in a 1o mile radius can hear what you are playing. Headphones keeps the sound in and out.

✖ Makeup Pouch. I believe the pouch is a freebie from Burberry when my mum bought their perfume or something. It’s made of a sturdy, waterproof material and it keeps spillages in. I don’t believe in spending a lot of money on makeup pouches. They always end up getting dirty and stained from my makeup spilling anyway. The sturdy material prevents my makeup from getting knocked around too much.

✖ Makeup. Just lipsticks and lipglosses and a compact powder. I keep a spare tube of eyelash glue in my bag as well as I wear false lashes often.

✖ Nail polish top coat from seche vite. Tights are a staple in my closet during the fall, and a coat of clear nail polish prevents snags from ruining my stockings! When you see a run in your stockings, applying some clear nail polish along the edges will prevent it from laddering further.

✖ Bobby pins. I love to wear jackets and scarves when the weather turns chilly. However, static in the collars and scarves causes my hair to tangle horribly around my neck. It’s a literally a pain to brush out and it damages your hair horribly. I very much prefer to bun my hair up to prevent this from happening. I have light brown pins to match my hair colour.

✖ Money. I like to just dump money in my bag and forget about them. It’s a cheap thrill to find money randomly stashed in your purse months later and I love how happy it makes me.

✖ DS Lite which I’ve stolen from my brother. (Come on, it’s red anyway.) My favourite games are Animal Crossing, Mario Kart and Guilty Gear. I used to love to play Taiko but I think I’ve ruined my LR buttons.

✖ Pens and markers. I always, always have a pen with me. To what purpose? I’m not too sure myself. It’s just really handy to have around in the event that you need to fill up forms or to jot down thoughts. Yes, I know this is the 21st century and there are electronic devices, but I just really really love to write things down. Markers are for decorating polaroids.

✖ Wallet and iPhone. Of course. The wallet is a birthday gift from my awesome friends – I really can’t bear to change it because of the sentimental value. I stuff so many cards/receipts in there that it’s really hard to close.

✖ Hairspray. In case of rainy days and in case of muggers.

✖ Silence of the Lambs. One of my favourite movies/novels ever. I am a big fan of the Hannibal series.

What are the staples in your bag this fall?

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Enter Doorstep Luxury who sent us an email which made us innocently click on the link to be directed to a beautifully designed website with a running squirrel.

The squirrel. It can be quite mesmerizing, I’m sure one can imagine petting a squirrel while browsing through the site while going “yesssss, I would like this, this and this.”

Okay, maybe not.

Victoria from Doorstep Luxury has kindly invited us to their showroom to tell us more about the designer luxury labels which they carry in their stores. We couldn’t lie when we told her that it was the items from Fleet Ilya that we really want to get our grubby hands on.

Structural leather waist clincher, UNF!!

Droplet clutch, also from Fleet Ilya.

Another piece from Fleet Ilya, we’re are quite obsessed with this label.

And then there are pieces from Ranjana Khan that are absolutely exquisite and delicate.

And not forgetting pieces from Vera Wang and Tuleste Market.

And before you think everything was starting to look a little too serious, we present a Lady Gaga brooch from Yazbukey.

They also have a wide selection of bags which is a bliss to look at considering the amount of Chanel 2.55s, Givenchy Nightingales and what-have-you-signature-bags from mainstream luxury labels we see on many fashion blogs. Don’t get me wrong, I do love them too but it is refreshing to see something that is equally well made with awesome attention to details.

(Fleet Ilya orgy on the couch!!!)

What I really liked about the showroom is that it made me feel like I was back in New York, browsing through the wonderful items in Opening Ceremony or Oak. I think one can relate to that when they have been there, the quirky, cult labels provides Singaporeans a fresh take on luxury goods which I feel will ultimately drive a fresh new perspective on fashion in Singapore.

Here’s hoping it really happens!

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It seems that in the blogosphere, traffic means more than anything, sure enough having more readers does mean that more people appreciate your work and writings but in the midst of trying to generate posts more frequently, we kinda lost ourselves and it felt as though we were compromising the quality of our blog posts.

This little break also made us realise that we really just love shooting pictures and trying to show people how black outfits can be interesting.

This outfit post is from one of those little outings we had in Haji Lane, as you can see, we do really enjoy this gritty little lane.

Overworn shoes and bag. Which reminded me that I have yet to showcase these awesome shoes that I bought just the other day. I can’t wait!

Oh yeah, over worn harness too. Does anyone have the problem of wanting to wear the same item over and over cause you like it so much?

Black outfit Breakdown:

• Dress: Threadbare & Squirrel (Haji Lane)
• Harness: Wonderwool (Haji Lane)
• Bag: Far East plaza
• Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell
• Accessories: m)phosis, Diva, Marc Jacobs

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So Dawn and I chose to be seated outdoors while having dinner and this draft bothered us so much that we decided to check the temperature. It was freezing 25°C, don’t get us wrong, we’ve both been through sub-zero temperatures before but something below 30°C is not within our calculations in Singapore.

Wearing a mish-mash of my favorite accessories. If you’re wondering why I haven’t gotten the iPhone 4 yet, it’s cause the white one isn’t released in Singapore yet. /sadface

Just lopped off more than 5 inches of hair off yesterday. It isn’t terribly drastic but well, I am kinda missing the length.

Black Outfit Breakdown:

• Camisole: Old Navy
• Sheer top with frills: Bugis Village (seems to be a copy of a top from Topshop)
• Jeans: Forever 21
• Harness: Wonderwool (Haji Lane)
• Shoes: Jeffrey Campbell (I seem to be determined to wear them to death these days)
• Accessories: Surface to Air Ring, Marc Jacobs, , m)phosis
• Bag: Alexa knockoff from Far East Plaza

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1) Abigail A. Percy Jewellery

I simply adore jewellery that is organic looking and inspired by nature. Pieces like these are bold enough for people to take notice, but subtle enough to compliment most outfits without taking the focus away from it. Accessories like this suits a wide variety of styles, and you can wear it both casually, as well as a statement piece in a formal outfit. The earrings would be a perfect fall accessory with loosely tied hair and a light scarf. It is classic and very wearable, hence earning the top spot in my list of top 5 etsy shops!

2) Moon Raven Designs

I’ll be perfectly honest here. The only reason why this is second on my list of top 5 etsy accessory shops is because it is slightly less wearable on a daily basis. Other than that, this is my personal number 1 on  etsy!

I’ve never seen any designs quite like these. They are a mix of macabre and beauty. I love how delicate and fragile these designs seem, even if they are made to resemble chameleon skulls and severed bird’s feet. These are pieces that are not obtrusive on their own, but will take your breath away upon closer inspection. These accessories will never go out of fashion and I certainly view them as being investments. The prices are actually very reasonable as well, surprisingly! If I were to get these (which will most likely happen) I will wear them with everything.

3)  BloodMilk

“Supernatural designs for the surrealist darlings”. Their shop description just about sums it up perfectly.

Look at how the sparrow claws are replicated down to every little wrinkle in the skin. On first glance, I thought the double rings were made to look like interlocking ulna and radius bones. It’s only upon closer inspection that I realized that they were in fact hummingbird skulls! I simply love how exquisite these pieces look. If I can afford to buy every single item in this store, I certainly would.

4) Anne Ardent McDonald

By now, you should realize that I have a penchant for accessories inspired by nature and human anatomy. At first glance, I wasn’t very impressed by the selection of jewellery in this store, but if there’s one trick you must learn when surfing etsy, it is to keep your eyes open. The perfect accessories could be hiding in the least likely of stores!

It’s amazing how many designs can revolve around the basic theme of the human anatomy. These unique pieces definitely earned their place in my list of top 5 etsy accessories shops!

5) Paradise Findings

I had such hard time looking for steampunk accessories until I’ve stumbled upon Etsy. Once again, these items are actually very reasonably priced for the amount of work that has obviously gone into it! With these, you can bet that you won’t be seeing anyone wearing the same accessory any time soon.

What are your favourite shops on etsy? What do you like to buy there?

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Here’s my outfit for a rainy day yesterday:

Outfit Rundown

• Top: Unknown brand, purchased from TopShop Oxford Circus.
• Shorts: Hong Kong
• Tights: TopShop
• Shoes: Sonia Rykiel for H&M
• Bag: Haji Lane

Here are my tips for how to dress for the rain:

1. Wear covered shoes or shoes with tall platforms. I think the worst mistake anyone can make when dressing for the rain is to wear sandals and end up having their feet wet! Covered shoes prevent the dirty water on the pavement from seeping into your shoes and shoes with tall platforms help keep your feet off the puddles of water and muck! I was glad I wore my Sonia Rykiel for H&M wedges. I could walk through a puddle without wetting my feet. Not only are wet feet uncomfortable, they are hardly sanitary and could potentially lead to fungal infections.
2. Wear a hat or tie your hair up. Rain leads to frizziness, your hair’s biggest enemy. To prevent rain from turning your hair into an unkempt frizzball, either do your hair up, or tuck it under a cap! Hiding your hair under a cap prevents it from getting drenched in the rain as well. I usually tuck my hair under a beanie or tie it into a bun when I am heading out into the rain. Besides knowing how to dress for the rain, taking care of your appearance matters as well!
3. Avoid clothing made of wool. While it is tempting to whip out your chic wool sweater in the slightly chilly weather, you do not want to ruin your sweater over it! Remember that wool shrinks when it’s wet. So it might be a better idea to keep it in a warm and dry place at home. Not to mention the scent of wet wool is pretty reminiscent of that of a wet dog. Knowing how to dress for the rain is essentially knowing what materials are suitable for the weather. Avoid bags made of cloth as well. Bags are one of the first things to get wet because you usually neglect to shelter it from the rain, and you really wouldn’t want your electronics to get wet!
4. Unless you can be sure that you can dry your boots completely, avoid wearing leather/pleather shoes. Like I have mentioned in one of my previous posts, mould loves damp places to grow on. If you insist on wearing your boots out, make sure to dry it later using a hair dryer set on cool. Too much heat from the hair dryer may melt pleather and even the glue used to hold the shoe together. Opt instead for shoes made of waterproofed canvas or even rubber or PVC.

These are all of my tips for how to dress for the rain! Don’t forget your brolly, and don’t let the rain be an excuse for you to hole up at home!

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