Autumn Flower Power

Managed to escape from Singapore this weekend to one of my favourite cities, London. A city full of charm, character and elegance where everything is almost picture perfect. And I could not have asked for better company roaming around the streets of London than the wonderful @meanderingmacaron.

Needless to say it was the perfect time to visit with autumn in full swing, giving me a great excuse to pull out the thigh high boots and layer with my favourite item of the season, the coveted denim jacket! Unfortunately for me, walking around London in 10cm heels was probably not the most practical of ideas as after about 30min my ankles were destroyed to say the least. Thankfully @meanderingmacaron and I managed to find a pair of affordable Zara loafers to continue our walk about that made an unexpectedly pretty nifty look.

So which look do you prefer? The planned thigh high boots or the accidental loafers?

Dress: Zara  Jacket: Zara (similar) 

Jumper: Uniqlo Boots: Pinko (Similar)

Shoes: Zara  Handbag: Chloe (Similar)  Sunglasses: Dior

Photo: @meanderingmacaron

New York, New York #NYFW

New York, how I hated you and grew to love you I will never know. You made me feel like an ant in a really big big world where everything is seemingly larger than life. Perhaps I was just intimidated until I got to know you. Guess it's kind of what people say when they meet me and then finally get to know me. Perspective.

Needless to say I was beyond happy to be back in the Big Apple. Seemingly, it's always a must when headed to the US. And this time, New York had a special surprise! It was New York Fashion Week! Completely unplanned as I was in the US for a family wedding. Coincidence or fate? I'd like to say fate. After all everything in life happens for a reason. A constant chain reaction of events. 

Of course I couldn't attend any shows, after all I am a 'no-one' that just happens to be a fashion addict but that wasn't gonna stop me from soaking up the vibrant bustle and excitement that is NYFW. So I kitted up, headed down to meat packing district to check out The Shop @NYFW where friend and talented artist Bradley Theodore had an incredible mural on the shop wall! If you don't know his work,  check it out. You will fall in love! 

So aside from checking out the official shop, I got to do a bit of shopping, walk the High Line and get a taste of the NYFW buzz with bloggers and fashionistas roaming the city streets.  I wore my favorite new skirt from Pinko plus a detailed leather jacket finished with sneakers. Of course everything I was wearing was last season, but hey who cares? Plus as an added bonus, I managed to actually get some style compliments! Score!

Let me know what you think of this look by popping a comment below. 

Jacket: Pinko T-Shirt: Zara (Similar) Skirt: Pinko

Choker: Louvisa Necklace: Vuitton

Bracelet: Stella Jean Bag: Vuitton

Bag Charm: Fendi (Similar) Sunglasses: Dior 

Sneakers: Adidas

Hollywood Chic

A mix of trendy locations and a laid back atmosphere, make Lalaland the perfect place to mix style and comfort! Pairing comfy satin trousers with sporty side stripe details with a floral pattern twist together with a frilly white cotton top make for a formidable combination. To add to that laid back feeling, a pair of comfy white sneakers were the way to go. Finished off with a pair of 60's inspired sunglasses and a statement bag to add a touch of fun, I definitely felt like my very own movie star. The star of my own story! The star of my life! 

What are your thoughts on this look? Love it or hate it? Let me know what you think by posting a comment below. 

 Shirt: Pinko Trousers: Pinko

Shoes: Isabel Marant Bag: Pinko

Sunglasses: Dior 

Painful Pointies

There are two things I absolutely love and that's bags and shoes! And when it comes to shoes I am absolutely obsessed with sneakers and pointies. If I could have every single colour  imaginable in a pointie, it would be a dream come true.

So why do I love pointies so much? For me they are classics that go with everything and anything and never go out of style. The downside... They can be rather painful and uncomfortable. Clearly I needed to find a solution. Not being able to buy and wear pointies would be like asking me to live without water! Ok, well maybe I've exaggerated a little but I think you get the point.

So I set off on a Mission about 3 years ago to find the perfect pointie that would be comfortable and not too high (anything less than 10cm heels). Aside from 12cm heels being completely uncomfortable in my opinion, I actually cannot walk in them at all and waddle along like a duck! I can't think of anything worse than a woman walking in heels she can't walk in. Honestly waddling like a duck is far from elegant! I know it's easy for me to give up on the height factor given I'm 1,78m tall and tower over people with even the slightest of heels. But seriously, if one has to choose between height and walking elegantly. I would personally opt for walking elegantly. So after trying several various brand’s, I finally found my favourite two. 

1. Jimmy Choo

There are several pointie pump styles at Jimmy Choo such as the Anouk, Abel, Agnes, Aza to name a few. The Anouk is a 12cm heel, so I have never bothered to try it. I know I would literally just fall over the second I attempt to stand in such high heels! The Aza on the other hand is on the opposite end of the spectrum with a kitten heel with a 5cm heel. I have a pair and had high hopes for this style but sadly it wasn't very comfortable for me despite taking a size up which mind u is a must when buying pointies. As much as I can't walk in 12cm heels, I actually can't walk in 5cm heels either! The ones I have are patent leather and guys patent leather doesn't really stretch! So if you are buying an expensive pair of shoes and want a good run out of them for your money, don't get patent leather in my opinion. 

The Abel and the Agnes are usually a 10cm and a 8.5cm heel respectively. Honestly I love them both. They are Super comfy and are a great staple to have in your wardrobe. I first bought a black followed by a nude pair. Black and nude are closet essentials and go with everything! It's no surprise that I am now into more fun colours given I have my basics covered. The only problem for me is that I am miss big foot (a size 41 but need a size 41.5 or 42 for pointies), making buying shoes especially Choos a challenge. That being said if you are big foot, Choos are a lot easier to come by than my second favourite pair of pointies from Loubitoun. Moreover Choos do have a slightly cheaper price tag. 

2. Christian Loubitoun

Saying that Loubitoun heels are comfortable, might make most of you laugh out loud given that we both know these shoes are synonymous with the word uncomfortable. I must admit my very first pair of red bottoms were 12cm peep toe heels that looked gorgeous. The only reason I could walk in them was because they had a slight platform. However I could only walk in them for a mere 10 minutes, at which point my poor feet literally died! It was if the blood circulation to my toes were being cut off. These shoes would honestly make a good tool if you ever wished to torture someone. Unsurprisingly I no longer wear these shoes as I love myself too much to inflict that amount of pain onto myself. The shoes had cost a bomb! An absolute waste of money. Lesson learnt. After that day I vowed to never buy another pair again no matter how alluringly good they looked.

Of course being the silly fashion victim I am though, I am still in love with red bottoms. Nothing looks sexier than a pair of red bottoms and I envy the women that can parade around in them all day and survive the pain.

One fine day, walking around in Saxs 5th Avenue as you do when you're in the Big Apple, I saw the most incredible pair of spiked pointy pigalles with a 8.5cm heel. They were to die for! All logic and past memories flew out the window. I was mesmerised. I needed to try them out and luckily for me they had a size 42! It was my lucky day! And when I tried them out, they were actually comfortable! A lucky day indeed. So I bought them!

A bit sceptical that I wouldn't be able to survive wearing them for a whole night or day for that matter I braved them out to dinner one night. And what do you know....they were actually super comfy!!! I am now officially an addict. Too bad trying to find this heel height and style in a size 42 is mission impossible. The horrid curse of big feet.

I decided to try other styles of pointies to see if I could find another comfortable option , and I did. The other two styles I recommend are the Apostrophe Slingback in a 5.5cm heel and the the Décolleté 554 in a 8.5cm heel. For the Décolleté, my size is a 41.5 so if you're like me you may only need a half size up instead of a whole size up.

I know some of you might be wondering why I have not mentioned the Valentino Rock Stud pointies in this list given I do love them loads and am always actively trying to find another colour in my size. However they are slightly uncomfortable and I honestly can't survive in them for a whole day but merely a couple of hours.

What are your favourite pointies and why? I'm always on the look out for great pointies!

Red Pleats #Love

So when the whole pleats thing became a trend, I wasn't convinced that is was for me. It just wasn't my style until I waltzed into Zara one afternoon and found this beautiful red pleated skirt. It was love at first sight! The skirt literally screamed "Buy me! Buy me!". So naturally I listened ;)

The cries of "Buy me! Buy me!" quickly became "Wear me! Wear me!" resulting in this cool casual street ensemble sporting another in season trend of the bomber jacket.

What are your thoughts on pleats? Love it or hate it? Post a comment below and let me know.

I personally love it! Now I want the white pleated skirt too that's at Zara. Gonna pop it into my list of items to buy at the next sale!

Top: Zara Skirt: Zara

Jacket: Pinko Bag: Vuitton

 Sneakers: Isabel Marant Sunglasses: Bvlgari (similar)

Let's Get Military

Currently obsessed with my new military jacket from Pinko. It's the new favorite piece in my wardrobe! Styled with a simple white polo jersey and jeans, it adds an updated fun and understated cool chic to an otherwise ordinary outfit. The best part of the jacket is the back!

Jacket: Pinko Polo neck: Uniqlo (similar)

Jeans: G-Star Raw Bag: Gucci

 Bag charm: Fendi (similar) Shoes: Isabel Marant

Necklace: Lovisa

Sunglasses: Ralph Lauren

LBP: Little Black Playsuit

Move over LBD, LBP is so much more fun! For starters, it's makes for a great effortless chic casual look. Coupled with a pair of statement gladiator sandals and a bright coloured body bag you're good to go from day to night.

What is your preference LBD or LBP? Post a comment below and let me know.

Playsuit: Zara (similar) Shoes: Valentino (similar)

Hat: Topshop (similar) Bag: Chloe

 Sunglasses: Burberry (similar)

Bag Heart Break

Might be difficult to understand being heart broken over something as silly as a bag. What you may not know, is that I actually love to collect handbags. A somewhat strange addiction brought on by my sister’s love of bags. I distinctly remember that day about 15 years ago, when she introduced me to the world of Vuitton. I was enthralled by the craftsmanship, style, travel and luxury of the brand and their bags.

Bag: W PM Vuitton ; Sungalsses: So Real Dior

Since then my collection has grown year by year. Each piece holds a story and a memory of different moments, places and much more.

So getting back to my bag heart break story. Walking around in the sweltering heat of Singapore today, I decided to carry my beloved W bag around town. Unfortunately for me, the glue on the handles began to melt staining my crisp white shirt. A bit annoyed but concerned cause I love this bag, I visited the Vuitton store to get the bag repaired. Unfortunately for me, Vuitton can not repair the bag as some of the the initial W bags had a fault. As dismayed as I was there was a glimmer of hope… I was informed that I could choose another bag to replace my W. So I figured I will just get another W. I knew that it would be impossible to get the exact same piece and colour combination, as I had bought the last piece of this particular bag in the flagship store in Paris and I have not seen it in any of the other stores I had visited.  While these thoughts were rapidly going through my mind, the Client Advisor proceeded to inform me that the W bags are no longer in production. To say I was gutted was an understatement.

This bag meant so much to me. It was bought on a beautiful weekend getaway with my better half to Paris, after working intensively with little to no sleep on the launch of the tech startup I was involved in at the time. It is the only bag in my collection that was an impulse purchase. It was not only a gift from my other half but a reward to myself for everything I had achieved. I had managed to transition from being a medical doctor to successfully pulling of a launch in London while being based in Singapore as the Head of Marketing. Needless to say I am shattered.

I guess sometimes I need to learn to let go. Two years have gone by and a lot has changed again in my life. And with a new bag (albeit a replacement) comes yet another story of a different time, place, moment and memory.

So the question remains, what do I choose next?

Traditional V Day Gift Makeover

Valentine's Day is just a few days away, and trying to find that perfect gift can seem an impossible task.  But it's not only Valentine's Day that can be tough, given a good friend of mine frequently asks for advice on what to buy when it comes to his loved one. So, I figured why not re-look at 5 of the traditional gifts and jazz them up.

1. Flowers

As clichéd as they are, flowers are always a must in my opinion. They always manage to put a big smile on my face and brighten my day. And guys a helpful hint, don’t just wait till Valentine's Day or special occasions to give flowers, give them any time.

If you wanna change things up and steer away from the classic red roses, why not try a bouquet of tulips. Currently loving the “The Marissa” tulip bouquet from ABetterFlorist.

PRICE: SGD 81 (Source: ABetterFlorist.com)

2. Macaroons

I personally couldn’t think of receiving anything better to be honest. I am obsessed with macaroons. My all time favourite are the pistachio ones from Laduree. If you haven’t tried them, you really should! Maybe try them after you have gifted them, cause if you are anything like me you will run the risk of eating them and needing to go out and buy more. They really make a great change from receiving chocolates. Plus they are packaged in the most beautiful of boxes at Laduree. You definitely can’t go wrong!

PRICE: SGD 23.70 (Image Source: Unknown)

3. Wallet

I know what you are thinking... a wallet? How boring. I couldn’t agree more but then I came across this adorable Marc Jacobs card wallet adorned with hearts and I absolutely loved it. I had to put it on the list!  Its fun, its valentiney and it’s practical for us ladies to hold our essential cards in a clutch.

PRICE: SGD 142.36 (Source: Noordstorm)

4. Teddy bear

A teddy? Yes, but what I’m suggesting isn’t exactly a teddy. It’s a Fendi bag bug. It's fun and makes for a great bag accessory. My favourite is the minty bag bug. It’s worth noting that they are quite pricey but that’s because they're made from real fur. If you or your other half is against fur in any way, then this gift would be a no go. If you’re not against fur and find the bag bugs a bit too fun, then you can always opt for a personalized ABC charm, which is just as gorgeous.

PRICE: MINTY BAG BUG (L) GBP 545 ; ABC L CHARM (R) GBP 400 (Source: Fendi)

5. Jewelry

Jewelry is always a winner but can be super costly especially if you have a budget. So as the fashion obsessed person that I am, I managed to find a piece of costume jewelry from Montblanc that’s young, stylish and simple.

PRICE: GBP 95 (Source: Montblanc)

So, what are you getting the love of your life on Valentine's day? Post a comment below. Would love to know. And in case you’re curious what I’m getting for Valentine's day, I’m getting a bear! ;)

For all the ladies reading, feel free to share the link with you know who. After all sharing is caring right? ;)

Ripped Jean Staple

Usually when I have no clue what to wear, want to make an effort to get dressed up but couldn’t care less cause I'm just plain lazy… my instant go to are my ripped jeans, white shirt and pumps. Why? It creates an effortless casual chic look that actually is comfortable. Best of all you can always change up the look with different jackets, pumps and bags. Don’t be afraid to try daring colours and have fun!

Shirt: Uniqlo Jeans: Miss Sixty (Similar) Shoes: Jimmy Choo

Jacket: Pinko (Similar) Handbag: House of Sheens

Credit: MUA and Hair - Shradha Agarwal ; Photo - Penn for House of Sheens #bts

Monochrome Loving

If you know me well, you will know that I am obsessed with the colours black and white. But then again who isn't slightly obsessed with those colours? Lets be honest ;)

So to change up my monochrome loving, I added a touch of colour and fun with a printed white shirt from Desigual. Let me know what you think by posting a comment below.

Shirt: Desigual Skirt: Pinko Sneakers: Isabel Marant

Handbag: Chanel Jumbo Double Flap Caviar Leather

Sunglasses: Dior

Bracelet: Hermes Watch: Apple

How to Shop the Online Sales

Its that time of year again and all our favourite shops and online retailers are on sale! The problem however is we're spoilt for choice especially when we're shopping online. I have over 12 fashion retail apps on my iPhone such as Net-a-Porter, Outnet, Farfetch, Lyst etc. to name a few!

So how do you make the most of the sales online or keep an eye out for that piece you love to go on sale? Simple, use a curated online fashion retailer. My preferred app and online platform is ShopStyle. Here's why:

1. Easy to use. You don't need to be a "techy person" to navigate your way through the app or the website.

2. Search for items among the thousands of retailers that they curate from instead of individually checking each online retailer.

3. Filter according to designer, size etc. and customize your "own shop" based on the brands you love. You can also filter according to sales and deals.

3. If you sign up as a user, you can favourite things that you love so you can find them again with ease.

4. Found something you love but the price tag is steep and its not yet on sale? Put a sale alert on the item so that when it does go on sale, you'll automatically get an email and in-app notification. This has to be by far my most favourite function!

5. On the website, the curated list shows voucher codes for free delivery or further discounts (if available)  that can be added to your cart.  I heart this function as I'm a big fan of free delivery since I live in Singapore and benefit from not having to pay VAT for goods purchased under SGD400. Worst case scenario if your goods are over SGD400, you only pay 7% VAT. Score! Either way it actually works out cheaper to shop online then in the stores. Although this function is not on the app, one can easily filter results under discounts to "free delivery" on the app.

6. Easily identify items that are on sale in your curated list.

The downside?

1. Curated list of items can occasionally be out of stock or the size filter (for shoes in particular) can be inaccurate. My pet hate since I am an Italian size 41-42 big foot! The struggle is real!

2. Not being able to have a single checkout point. If you want to purchase more than one item from different retailers, you need to check out at each retailer separately. I can't think of anything more frustrating then trying to process an online payment for something! And to do it more than once... no thanks.

For those of you that want to try out the ShopStyle app you can download it by clicking on the relevant button below:

If you have a different curated fashion retailer app that you prefer, pop a comment below and let me know.