Happy December everyone!

Every now and then I go into a phase. I had a multi-chain necklace phase, a sunglasses phase, a leather trimming phase, draped jacket phase, chiffon maxi skirt phase… well, you get the point.

Right now, I’m in a sweater phase. There’s nothing like a warm snuggly sweater to feel comfortable during the cold harsh winter. I’d layer it over a pair of leather shorts for warmer winters and probably a long midi skirt paired with ankle boots for a slightly more dressy look.

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Stuff you need to know:

• There are places that you can bargain and places you can’t. You can’t expect to bargain in a designer outlet but if they are places like Argyle Centre or random camera stores, PLEASE bargain or you will be ripped off horribly.
• Most of them speak Cantonese, Mandarin and English, try and go with a local friend or someone who speaks Cantonese if you intend to bargain.

This is were we would go to:

Argyle Centre: Take the MTR (the subway in Hong Kong) to Mongkok station, Exit D2. This mall is rather messy and you are encouraged to bargain here. The pieces are mostly cheap and they cater to the younger crowd. A pair of shorts costs about HKD39-60?

The type of clothes they carry here vary from season to season, they have quite a couple of shoe stores that sells reasonably priced heels and wedges. Right now it seems like a mish-mash of Liz Lisa-type clothes and lots of flatforms. Not exactly my type of stuff but I managed to get a decent number of stockings and also some accessories here.

H&M: Quite a number of branches here in Hong Kong but I went to the one near Central Station. I was in the San Francisco H&M right before I was in Hong Kong and I was surprised at how updated the Hong Kong one is when comparing the product timeline when I was in the H&M Singapore Showroom.

The store is always crowded. Tried to get help regarding the sizing on a certain piece that I was interested in to no avail. I don’t have a good impression of Hong Kong service staff, I am hoping someone can prove me wrong on this.

Bought the entire store (almost). Enough said.

Horizon Plaza: Outlet mall in Ap Lei Chau.( 2 Lee Wing Street, Ap Lei Chau, Aberdeen) It is pretty inaccessible cause there is no MTR stations there. I took a cab from Admiralty station and it costs about HKD90-100. It’s cheaper when you share it among a few people.

The warehouse exterior makes the whole place look pretty meh but I would suppose there are hidden gems that you have to look out for.

Most of the floor space is dedicated to furniture stores but most of the clothing outlet stores are concentrated on the 5th, 19th, 22nd, 25th and 27th floor.

You can expect cult stores that carry brands like Vivienne Westwood, Bluemarine, Moschino and the like. There is a Lane Crawford outlet store (which is the equivalent of Barney’s or Saks in Hong Kong) which carries designer labels. I managed to get myself  pair of Rick Owens when I was there. I also spotted past season shoes like Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, Lanvin and Alexander Wang (omg Constance boots and mummy boots from A/W’10) when I was there.

The key draw for me to go back is the I.T Outlet store on the 5th floor. They carry several avant garde designer labels like Ann Demeulemeester, Comme des garcons, Maison Martin Margiela, Gareth Pugh, Rick Owens and so on.

I spotted a pair of Jeffrey Campbell Ohne Titel Knockoffs at less than half the price I got it for. There were shoes. Many shoes. There was the MMM nail heel boots that I would’ve bought if not for my fat thighs.

You can also take a look at the shoes that I bought from Horizon Plaza ✚here✚.

There is also a Space (Prada, Miu miu) outlet nearby, if you take a cab, the cabbie would most likely know.

Other honorable mentions:

Ice House Street: I wasn’t able to make it there but there are plenty of awesome boutiques there like Gareth Pugh, Ann Demeulemeester and Rick Owens.

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• Ann Demeulemeester lambskin handbag, 562 EUR

• Proenza Schouler tote handbag, $725

• Alexander McQueen black shoulder bag, $720

• Proenza Schouler leather satchel handbag, $1,995

• Proenza Schouler leather clutch handbag, $1,195

• Reed Krakoff leather clutch, 855 GBP

• Alexander wang handbag, $340

• Reed Krakoff leather handbag, 965 GBP

• Alexander wang handbag, $945

• Mulberry leather satchel handbag, $875

• 3 1 Phillip Lim studded handbag, $669

• Comme des Garcons coin wallet, $340

• Jimmy choo clutch, $795

• Acne leather bag, 410 GBP

• Proenza Schouler oversized bag, $1,150

• Balenciaga black handbag

And this is the part where I go lie in my bed and dream about it.

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Okay, it’s not a shoe. But it’s the awesome BuckyBalls!!! It’s rare earth magnets that promises hours of entertainment.

A pair of awesome wedges I bought from Esperanza in Tokyo. I was shopping in Shinjuku during Valentine’s Day and I thought I should buy myself something. The architectural lines that makes up the heel makes this pair of wedges my favorite one right now. Plus points for being comfortable too.

I would link to their online site but they still don’t have these shoes. I’ll link an Acne knock-off then.

Hannah Loafers from Alexander Wang which I have been eye-ing for the longest time. Imagine my joy when it was on sale on the Opening Ceremony. Not the most comfortable shoes though. I think the pain level is comparable to my Acne Atacomas.

Hairband and studded belt from m)phosis. I swear m)phosis is great for buying accessories during their sale. The belt costs me like 10bucks and the hairband was $3.20?

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✖ It’s hard to summarize something so diverse as street style and fashion, but Singapore is known for its fusion of the east and the west. This applies to our street style too: You can see a distinct separation between Japanese-inspired fashion, and western influnced style. I would say it’s about a 50-50 mix of the both in the streets of Singapore, although sometimes you can see an interesting mix between the two!

✖ In general, layering of clothing is not a trend in Singapore. This has got to do with our warm and humid climate – it is simply too warm outside to experiment with much layering! (Doesn’t stop us from doing it, but we do have a flagrant disregard for dressing for the weather.) This applies to head wear like hats and berets as well. Without such warm weather, I am sure we can see a wider variety of styles on our streets.

✖ I would say the fashion, or perhaps culture, is to dress down in Singapore. For some reason (which I do not approve of), people think it’s alright to dress in t-shirts and slippers to shop in town! But let’s put aside my prejudices and focus on the street style: Lots of flats and gladiator sandals, shorts and tank tops. I have seen a rise in the number of girls wearing heels lately, but a large percentage of them still prefer flats to heels and wedges. Any boots that goes higher than ankle boots are rarely seen.

Tips for dressing for Singapore

I suppose this section would be pretty useful for foreigners travelling to Singapore! I hope this can inspire Singaporeans to dress up more as well, because it is entirely possible.

✖ Like I’ve already mentioned above, Singapore is hot and humid year round, so breathable materials like cotton, jersey and chiffon is always in fashion. On the contrary, do try to avoid fabrics like PVC and leather. It’s too hot for them and you will find yourself sweating up a storm and having heat rashes – Not very attractive and healthy!

• One additional tip for leather and pleather in Singapore. Heat and humidity encourages the growth of mould and fungus. Organic materials like leather can and will grow mould if you don’t take care of it! I’ve had many boots succumb to irreversible mould infestation. Pleather won’t get mouldy, but it will peel and flake. To prevent this from happening, remember to store your leather and pleather in a dry environment. Dry the items well should they come in contact with water. Investing in a dehumidifier will do you well in the long term!

✖ Layering is still very much possible despite the heat in Singapore. The key to layering in Singapore is to stick to light, breathable fabrics: Silks, Chiffons and tulle for example. Arissa shows you how it can be done here and here as well! I love how layering different pieces can create a totally different style and look, so do not discount this just because of the weather! Singapore fashion doesn’t have to be boring just because it is hot.

This Alexander Wang-inspired top may be made of jersey, but it’s light and breathable. Pieces like this are perfect for layering.

✖ Weather in Singapore can only be described as being erratic. It can be sunny one moment, and pouring the very next. Hence, it might do you well to carry a light cardigan or blazer around at all times. Furthermore, almost all indoor places in Singapore are air-conditioned. It can actually get pretty chilly inside! I always carry with me a jacket for those times where I have to spend time indoors with air-conditioning at full-blast. Scarves work equally well! It’s not uncommon to see many Singaporean girls wearing light jackets and scarves on the streets.

It doesn’t have to be a thick jacket. This one made of jersey from Topshop does an adequate job!

✖ We have an extremely efficient network of roads and public transport system. So it is entirely possible to wear heels without much discomfort! Heels can do wonders to an outfit and I find it a pity that most Singaporean girls have yet to integrate them into their wardrobe. There are only so much flats you can have before they all start to look the same. Kick up your style a notch by wearing heels! Some outfits look so much better with heels than flats anyway, heels does so much more for your look than flats. Wearing a kickass pair of heels on the streets is one sure fire way to stand out in Singapore.

Wedges are a comfortable and stylish alternative to flats.

Here’s my take on the Street Style and fashion of Singapore. What do you think about it? Anything else you feel that I should add on?

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Here’s the list of 5 dream shoes to covet (from top left):

1. Giuseppe Zanotti black leather zip detail platform boots : Zipper details are always very much loved.
2. Dsquared Nappa Spine Heel ankle boots: This pair of shoes has fashion bloggers all over the world hankering after this, what can I say? What’s there not to covet?
3. Alexander McQueen canvas and leather peep toe boots: This reminds me much of the Freja boots from Alexander Wang. Love the skull zipper head.
4. Acne Admire Platform booties: Another pair of “IT” shoes for this season. I’d get myself a pair of these any day if I have extra cash.
5. Trippen “Fancy” sandals: I am really loving the sole cause of the Geta げた details, the Japanese influence in this pair of shoes will definitely make heads turn when worn.

What are the shoes that you are coveting at the moment?

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Some say her style may be repetitive and boring…even predictable after awhile but hey~!! We wear what suits us most right?

I’m jealous of that long blonde hair and copious amount of eyeliner she can pull off. I’d just look like some wailing bride who’s been left standing at the altar.

And it’s pretty obvious she enjoys wearing black but that’s not why we like her so much. *shifty eyes* (okay maybe that’s ONE of the factors.)

I love that she pays attention to her accessories too.

So here we try and replicate her look:

• Dress: Supreme Cotton Tiered Sleeveless Dress by Acne
• Shrug: Maison Martin Margiela Spider Web Shrug
• Stockings: House of Holland
• Shoes: Alexander Wang ‘Freja’ Lace-Up Boot
• Bag: Proenza Schouler PS1-C-1 Medium, Lux Leather
• Rings: Alexander McQueen, nOir, kabiri
• Bracelet: Leather Thorn from Ann Demeulemeester

What do you think of Taylor Momsen’s look? Hate it or love it?

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Photo credits: http://caroline.feber.se

I am absolutely in love with these Acne boots from the Prefall collection. Wedges are just my absolute favorite and these just hit the right spot with that draped detail in the front held by a single buckle with velcro.

So ready to save up for it right now. Who’s with me???

What are the shoes that you are coveting right now?

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Shoe shopping has been ridiculous. I think I clocked up 4 pairs of shoes in the last 2 weeks, with 3 of them bought in the same week. :<

I am pleased with this collection although may will agree that it is never enough. Narrowing it down to just one colour helps actually. Of course leeways will be given for awesome shoes like the YSL cage heels sticking out in that sea of black. It’s pretty impossible to see what’s what in there so I’m going to lay it out for you.

From bottom left to right:

• Aldo wedges
• Alexander Mcqueen Motorcycle jacket booties
• Yves St Laurent Cage Heels
• Stella McCartney mesh heel lookalike from Siren

middle Row

• Jeffrey Campbell Madness boots (they are SO comfortable to wear)
• Balmain lookalike from Anne Michelle
• Aldo wedges (insane height)
• Acne Atacoma booties

Top row

• Random laced up boots.
• Guess Maeve boots lookalike from Miss Selfridge
• Ann Demeulemeester lookalikes from Jeffrey Campbell
• Boots from Esperanza

Unfortunately (much to my mum’s dismay), these aren’t all of it. I just can’t seem to lug all those shoes out to take photos of them so this is like a capsule collection of my favorites. I don’t know how I can put in those thigh high boots which I bought from Zara into this picture either. So yes, my capsule shoes collection. I think everyone should have a shoe post now. I wanna see your collection~!!

Remember to add us on Twitter and BlogLovin’ !!!

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I failed to mention that there is a sweet replica of the cage dress from Alexander Wang’s S/S 2008 collection that I scored in m)phosis. It’s not a dress though, more like just a long top cause there’s no way that thing can cover my girly bits on its own.

I was out shopping with Dawn and these Acne Atacomas were srsly killing my feet slowly. I was so tempted to get this pair of sneaker boots from Topshop cause they’re sooooooo comfy.

But sneaker boots. Meh.

So we continued shopping, painful arch/dropping toes and all. No new shoes but some awesome pigments from the Xmas collection from MAC and an awesome leather jacket from Pull & Bear, albeit expensive but I guess most leather jackets are anyway. I look forward to the day I can wear it.

Perhaps… when I’m in Tokyo. Hurhurhur….

Black Outfit Breakdown:

• Cage top: m)phosis
• White tank: H&M
• Shorts: I don’t remember where I got it from. : (
• Boyfriend blazer: m)phosis
• Shoes: Acne

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