Thursday, January 31, 2013

4 Outfits - Jipaban

Many people always think that refreshing one's wardrobe would cost a lot of money. Actually, it's all about mix-and-match.

For example, you do not require 4 new dresses, shoes, accessories for 4 different occasions. The trick is getting a couple of pretty pieces and matching it with other classics for a different style.

Awhile back, I got some items from Jipaban and wore them for 4 very different occasions. I will blog about the occasions separately but now I shall feature the clothes first! I repeated a few items but I thought the final coordinate was very unlike each other! Some people probably won't even notice that I re-wore the same thing.

First up, outfit for afternoon tea!

Own items:
White tank top
Nude heels

From Jipaban:
Herla Floral Skirt, Smitten
Tear Drop Shell Earrings, Accessori

The floral print on the skirt was suitable for a quaint tea setting. The color of the shoe and earrings matched with one of the floral color! Would be better if paired with a tank top of the same color too, so that it looks "neutral" and "earthy"!



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I went to the library another afternoon and wore this blue/white coordinate! I felt so young in it! Haha. I loved the vibrant blue color of the skirt and the bracelet!

Own items:
White Tank Top

From Jipaban:
Sherla Swing Skirt Blue, Smitten
Lachenga Reptile Strappy Black, Zapatos
EllaMae Shamballa Bracelet-Blue, Accessori
Lacyann Heart Necklace, Accessori




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Then on another day, I had a dinner date with my boyfriend and I wore this.

From Jipaban:
Pensta Collar Dress Red, Smitten
Cross Bandaged Heels Grey, Zapatos





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I also put together another coordinate by re-wearing the items I wore in each of the above.

(1) Reptile sandals which I also wore when I went to the library... I love these sandals! Especially so because the tri-colors alow me to pair it with either white, brown, or black easily! So versatile! There is a zip at the back so it makes wearing and removal of the sandals so much easier.

(2) I used the red collared dress I wore for dinner date as a top for this outfit. The material was not too rigid so I was able to feel comfortable while tucking it in.

(3) The floral skirt was from the afternoon tea coordinate. Again, the reds in the floral prints matched this outfit too!

I think this outfit is suitable for going to school for polytechnic students!


I had so much fun putting this entry together! I am one who do not like re-wearing the same dress if I can, but I'm okay with mix-and-matching same pieces for different looks. Hope you all like this entry and found some inspirations too!

Credit: www.jipaban.com


Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The Impossible



I love this studded blazer I got from Earthdoll located at Bukit Panjang Plaza #03-21! I knew I wanted it the moment I set my eyes on it. It came in several colors and I was undecided because it looked good in all colors. In the end I got this one as I do not have a blazer in this shade of green. I paired it with a floral tube dress I got a couple of years back and brown accessories. Dangling on my ears are my sister's feather earrings in that beautiful light-aqua color.

That was my outfit when I went to watch "The Impossible" a couple of days back after reading a synopsis on it last week. It's a true story about a family that happened to be holidaying in Thailand during the 2004 devastating tsunami disaster.

I'm glad I watched this movie because it was so emotionally charged that I cried buckets. It has been so long since I cried this much. The movie pulled my heartstrings so much that I cried within approximately 10-15 minutes into the movie and I was crying throughout, except for a brief 20 minutes in between. I went out of the theater with a throbbing headache due to too much crying hahaha.

So anyway, before watching, I wasn't expecting the movie so be so emotive. I thought it would be more about struggles, search, and survival. But nope, it focused a lot on family love and emotional aspects and I felt moved by the story.

---- Text below may contain mild spoilers ----

Personal thoughts:

Tsunami:
I felt despair for the characters when I saw the waves crashing in. It's like in just 5 seconds, you are suddenly underwater. There was no time to react and definitely shocking. I understand how petrified one that cannot swim must have felt, because I can't too. And in such situations, it equates to no hope already. Luckily for the characters, they can swim. But in this case, even good swimming skills are not enough to ensure survival because of the strong currents throwing all dangerous and sharp items around in the ocean. Many unlucky ones would suffer strong blows by falling trees/heavy objects or be stabbed by sharp things. Some may get trapped. I was terrified when this was made apparent in the film. The scene which showed Maria's leg with a torn-open wound was disturbing. Only a little skin hanged on to that big piece of meat. It was revolting and the pain must be unbearable. I cried during the part where mom and son tried to go closer to each other but the strong currents kept pulling them away.

The native Thai villagers:
There was a scene where the Thais forcefully made their way into the crowded hospital with Maria on the stretcher. An officer tried to stop them at the entrance but they pushed their way through. I felt so much about this scene because those Thai people didn't know Maria personally but were so passionate about helping her.

Being alone: 
One little lucky thing was that Maria and Henry weren't alone when they emerged from the waters. At least they had someone they loved with them, to give them the strength to fight for survival. I am sure it would feel even worse if they were all alone without their loved ones. It would be so much difficult to strive on.

One quote by Henry in the movie which touched me too:

Henry: But you know, you know, the most scary bit for me?
Thomas: When the water hit?
Henry: No. After that, when I came up, I was on my own. That was the scariest part. Then I saw the two of you, clinging to that tree, I didn't feel so scared anymore because I knew I wasn't on my own.

Kids: 

The child actors in this movie are SO good. The couple had 3 sons. Lucas, Thomas and Simon.

Lucas was the one that went through the most with his mother as both of them were a distance away from the rest of the family when the tragedy happened. His acting was very good and depicted the fear one would have felt. He also shown traits of taking-charge and being caring/protective of his mum when she was weak. I cried over the mom and son scenes because I felt so much love between them and for a boy that age to be so thoughtful, it was a real blessing for the mom.

Thomas was the middle-child. He was actually just a kid but he was so sensible in taking care of his younger brother when the father was not around. The scene where the dad spoke to him in private, the look on Thomas' face was just so touching and it made me cry all over again. It's not easy to find sensible kids nowadays and I was so touched by that, especially because of his young age.

Simon, the little boy in the family, was a ball of cuteness. He brought a smile to my face whenever he appeared, with the adorable things he say. He is also a very good child and does not really misbehave.

I also find it quite cute that the boys, being so young, knew how to grab onto a tree each when the waves crashed. Their innocence makes me want to grab and hug them!!!

I particularly loved a scene when the family were overlooking the beauty of the beach in their hotel balcony. The dad said "Boys, come and see this. Isn't it great?". Then he continued to say to Simon "oh ya, I have to carry you up so that you can see it"...and proceeded to carry Simon on his shoulders. Behind them, little Thomas silently climbs up on a table on his own to see the view. SO DAMN CUTE.

Overall:
It was extremely heartwarming to see the family going through all this together. I recommend this movie very much!


~

After the movie, we went to have dinner at Sou's Noodle for ala-carte steamboat and dimsum buffet! It's just a small eatery located in Changi Business Park. They claimed that it was only a 3 minutes walk from Expo MRT but it was actually quite a distance away! More than 3 minutes definitely, even if you drive.

Steamboat was so-so only and the dimsum wasn't served on bamboo steamers, just a messy presentation on a plate. That's why I have no nice photos of it. Dimsum variety was quite wide but well, can't expect restaurant-quality fresh tasty dimsum here though.

Lots of items that we ordered were out of stock that night, but no initiative was taken to inform us before we asked about it. Still, it was quite value for money because I realize that their usual non-buffet menu prices are not cheap either.

Probably wouldn't come here again due to the obscure location.



Sunday, January 27, 2013

Bon Chon

I've heard about BonChon and their delicious chicken but I never had the chance to dine there. I finally tried it for lunch one fine day before heading to work!





So excited about the chicken!! Wanted to taste for myself what all the hype was about. I tried the wings and I liked it! It was crunchy yet juicy, sweet yet savoury. I wanna try the drumsticks another time! Okay, I am currently craving for this already.


There are Japanese and Korea dishes available but we were in the mood for Jap that day. Takoyaki~ It's okay, quite normal.


I liked the Volcano Maki we had, it has spicy mayo but not too spicy. Just a tingly spicy feeling. The salmon was fresh and good!


The next time I dine at Bonchon I will try the Korean dishes. Anyway, that shade of pink on my nail is probably one of the prettiest nail color I have ever done. Loving it so much although I didn't do any special pattern. It's a new gelish color at Millys, Bugis street level 2, Tel: 63384137.


Top is from www.lyraminn.com. Comes in two colors. Quote 'ESTXIE' for 5% off, in addition to another 10% if you join the mailing list. Sandals are from www.jipaban.com, comes in multiple colors too.


Friday, January 25, 2013

Flock Cafe



TGIF! Weekend is here again!

“The whole point of the week is the weekend.”
― Angela Montenegro (Bones)



I always feel very happy and carefree on weekends. One thing I absolutely love doing on a weekend morning is having brunch food. Something about it makes me feel so happy! However, not all places serve good brunch food. I'm glad my boyfriend and I discovered Flock Cafe! The food is good and the prices are all considered low as compared to other brunch cafes.

Flock Cafe is located at Tiong Bahru, where many nice little cafes are located. At first I wasn't all too excited about this place as I felt the name was quite boring.


The weather was extremely hot and we desperately wanted a seat inside but the lighting was too dim to take nice photos. And so, we decided to sit outside. Haha crazy one, so much dedication to capturing nice photos. Sunlight is a crucial factor in ensuring bright and clear photos! I almost always choose to sit outside now.





While I got myself a cup of ice latte ($4.80) again, bf ordered this lemony bottle of drink ($4.50). He keeps ordering lemony drinks recently -_-" Until I don't really remember if the one I liked was from this cafe or another.


I extremely love my breakfast platter!!! Every mouthful was awesome. Smoked salmon was awesome, sausage was awesome, toast was awesome, scrambled eggs were awesome (I would prefer more salt for the eggs, but it's still good!). Aaaahhh, I so want to go back there right now to have it again. Scrambled Eggs & Toast ($6.90) with additional order of smoked salmon and sausage (+$7.00).


He got himself the Prawn, Avocado and Lemon Mayo ($12.90). The prawn was plump and yums!


I love the pleasant ambiance in the cafe, and also the great service we received from one of them.






A cup of Flat White ($4.80) and Banoffee Cake ($6.00) to complete the meal!


Cake was slightly disappointing after the superb mains.


Overall, it was a great brunch meal and I recommend this place for your lazy weekends!


Flock Cafe

78 Moh Guan Terrace
#01-25 Tiong Bahru Estate
Singapore 162078

Tel: (65) 6536 3938

Opening Hours
Mon - Sun: 0800 - 1800 hours




Dress is from www.mamatiam.com! The bold colors complement my mood for the weekends!



Paired the casual dress with brown bracelets, belt and wedges.

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

STYLING FOR CNY WITH JIPABAN



So, it's that time of the year again.

The time for new beginnings, new blessings, new clothes, and new impressions!

For many of us, it's only during Chinese New Year that we meet certain relatives. This makes leaving a good impression all the more important, because in this case, it lasts the entire year! Nothing feels better than getting complimented by relatives during house visiting hehehe. Great start to a brand new year!

I never found it easy to plan my coordinates for the Chinese New Year period. So, here I have compiled a style guide featuring 4 different looks from Jipaban for the 4 most important days of Chinese New Year. I have also included some recommendations of accessories, bags and shoes from Jipaban that you can match the clothes with! There are many more choices available if you don't like my selections! You can take a look at their blog for styling tips by their stylists and also their Chinese New Year Lookbook.



You know what I love most about Lunar New Year Eve? Reunion dinners with the family! There's always an awesome spread in celebration of the appending new year. This year, we will be having dinner with my maternal grandparents, uncles and aunts, and cousins. I'm looking forward to all the yummy food and spending time with them!

I picked out a champagne-colored peplum top from Dress Down Friday for this day! Peplum tops are extremely popular recently and I think it looks elegant paired with a black skirt. Love the light pattern on the top. Suitable for reunion dinner at a Chinese restaurant, fitting the eastern decor perfectly!

The gold is also very auspicious for wealth! Hehehe.



The first day of the Lunar New Year is where you go house-visiting and meet the most people. So, the first day's dress has to be the prettiest!!

Besides gold, red is also one of the main colors for Chinese New Year. There is a folk-saying that the first day of the new year determines the rest of your year. So, stay happy throughout Day One so that the happiness fills up the rest of your year! Red is bold, bright and beautiful - it's a color that makes any girl look attractive! And if you are stunning on the first day, you will also turn heads for the rest of the year!

The moment I set my eyes on this red embroidery dress from Smitten, I knew I had to get it. The material is very good and I love how it looks very feminine on me. The oriental pattern definitely can please any relative! Also, it's red, yet not too loud!




Sometimes, my parents would invite relatives to our house too. Although it is at our own house, it's no reason to dress sloppily!

I found a perfect outfit for the occasion! Love this bold blue playsuit exclusively manufactured by maryjulian. maryjulian is known for featuring quality apparel with good cutting and this playsuit certainly looks good! Wearing a playsuit allows you to sit on the floor and play with baby cousins without the need to worry about seating posture! Love the vibrant color, and because it is an exclusively manufactured piece, there are higher chances that you won't be wearing the same item as someone else!




This year, because Chu-yi falls on a Sunday, we get Chu-san off too! Extending the public holidays also extends the celebrations! I chose this simple frock from Smitten because it is versatile and comfortable choice for whatever plans you have for this day. Check out the pretty back!

For those who hate crowd, online shopping at Jipaban is the absolute best solution to your CNY shopping woes! There are all sorts of styles and colors to choose from. Besides a wide range of apparel, you can also get accessories, bags, and shoes to match your new clothes!

Shop: www.jipaban.com

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Pink Highlights

New hair color again!!

The craziest my hair has ever been. I have had colors like bright red, blonde, gold, etc before, but to date this is probably the most shocking one...



After barely two month with dark hair.... I'm already bored of it. Haha. And so, I whisked myself to Bugis Essensuals to do something different to it! I wanted to do highlights but unsure of whether to do pink, teal, pink and teal or pink and purple. In the end my stylist Wayne, suggested just pink!

I only briefly told Wayne what kind of highlights I want to do and also showed him a couple of photos I found on the web. I couldn't really find a photo of an exact example I want to copy, so I had no idea how it would turn out but I totally trust my hair in the hands of Wayne. Plus, the "style" of Essensuls is unlike any other salon out there... The raw and edgy vibe can be felt when you enter the salon and the stylists there mostly have awesome, stunning, unique hair, which is totally what I want for my own hair too. I love how the stylists at Essensuals are open to experimenting different styles, yet keep to what complements us best. I don't think it is easy to find such salon so I'm happy that I have Essensuals!





Guess what I was pleasantly surprised with. An ipad to browse web/play games while my hair is being taken care of! I have always thought it was a good idea to do online stuff while sitting in the salon so that we don't waste time staring into the mirror, but my laptop is too bulky to bring around. So glad they implemented this! Time pass faster when you are browsing the web or playing games, that's for sure. (Oh ya, if I have not mentioned this before, there's also a game console corner in the salon, especially useful if your boyfriend is grumpy about having to wait for you at the salon!)



Three person needed to untangle my hair. Haha. My hair is just so fine and dry, I really need to stop being lazy and come here to have treatments more often.


Oh ya, while my hair was being washed and waiting for the treatment to be absorbed into my hair, I was watching MR BEAN videos on the TV above!! So funny I laughed a few times. Hahaha.


Final product!


My hair texture is also smoother and looked so much better than before! Bugis Essensuals recently introduced a new Mythic Oil Ritual Treatment and they used it on my hair during my visit.



Here are more details about Mythic Oil and its benefits!



If you are keen to try the Mythic Oil Ritual Treatment, quote my name to get 15% off for a limited time only!



Do make an appointment first as it's near festive season already!

Visit Essensuals Bugis on the following online platforms to check out latest promotions or ask them questions if you are shy to call! If you have no idea what kind of hairstyle you want to do, you can also get the stylist to customize something suitable for you!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Essensuals-Hairdressing-Bugis/127003720665372
Formspring: http://www.formspring.me/essensuals

Also follow them on Instagram to view hair of past happy customers and if you want anything similar, you can show the photo to them too!
Instagram: essensualsbugis

Check out the ongoing promotion at the salon (applicable only for stylist level):



More photos of my new hair:



My top is from Mamatiam! It comes in 5 colors and only $10 per piece. Got the triangle necklace from Rarebits, owned by Qiuqiu and her friends! If you noticed, I was all spike that day! Spike headband, spike bangle and spike necklace! Haha.

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Blue

I realize that I have been wearing blue more recently! I wore this sheer blue blouse from LYRAMINN, and I really love it! I liked the cut-out at the upper arm and especially the lace collar and shoulder part. It makes me look more feminine!



You can also get it at www.lyraminn.com! Join the mailing list to get 10% off and quote "ESTXIE5" for an additional 5% discount for any item! Like the FB page (www.facebook.com/shoplyraminn) to get informed of latest updates and promos!


Wore lighter makeup than usual that day. Lesser eyeliner, I think I look quite different!