Cheap Thrill: Markus Lupfer

Is it too early to start shopping for the gals' Christmas gifts?  Each of them are such critical shoppers, I'm usually inclined to buy them something fun or handmade which they wouldn't usually get for themselves.  Markus Lupfer's alphabet pins are all kinds of collegiate glam perfect - which has *ahem* nothing to do at all with Net-A-Porter styling them with the evergreen breton top, jeans and blazer combination. 

If you're handy with a needle, you could try fashioning these with spare felt & sequins - which might well be the only option available to me since all my initials are already sold out!

'S' for ShopTooMuch, perhaps?

Size Matters: American Apparel Leather

{sartorialist}

Sometimes I miss the dark days when I couldn't even entertain the concept of retail therapy - ah those days of Lent and the poor exchange rates.  Right now, with the USD at a low against the Singapore currency, I'm mulling over whether to purchase one of these American Apparel leather zip pouches and DIY-ing a Celine out of it, or going for the Large which I could easily scrunch fold into a smaller clutch (as above, in avocado).  

Annoyingly, most of the colours for the Medium option are completely cleaned out - at least the taupe remains, which could be suitably "Celine-d".  Colourways wait for no man, and neither does my temporary 15% discount which expires at the weekend.  Sign-up for their updates to get a similar discount!

Planning Ahead: Uniqlo +j Spring/Summer 2011

{pc: zimbio}

I'm quite comfortable being marginalised as part of the miniscule minority who kinda loved Tilda Swinton's choice of Jil Sander for yesterday's Golden Globes.  It was the androgynous answer (well, more than a decade later) to Sharon Stone's Gap-shirt-at-Oscars moment.  Although she frequently ends up on the Worst Dressed Lists, it is undeniable that she is one of the most intriguing dressers in Hollywood.  

Needless to say, I was thrilled to notice that a certain white shirtdress from Uniqlo x Jil Sander's latest +j range is a footnote to Sander's runway (now Golden Globes) look.  Can't wait to try this on at the shops - one for a crisp all-white look to take me through the year! 

Weekend Project: Hermes

Ahh... finally a version of the Hermes Collier de Chien Cuff Bracelet I can procure without resorting to a life of crime. 

Reliving My Childhood #1

My inner geek can hide no longer... this Star Wars (A New Hope) chess set is so awesome that I want to run out and buy buckets of Lego all over again. Maybe, I'll start by raiding my nephew's toy cupboard.

I *heart* DIY

Be a milliner and turn some ill-advised buys / charity clothes and bags into lovable headpieces. I'm thinking this idea can be adapted for headbands, brooches and necklaces... DIY weekend project ahoy!
{c/o Refinery29}

More DIY Experiments

Spotted on model Tanya D: a rather brilliant solution to the tiresome task of zipping up boots.

Not sure if I'd risk ugly stretch marks on my boots from twisting them regularly (especially if they're Rochas, as Tanya's are), but am definitely keeping this in mind for sale-shopping days!

D.I.Y. Studded Heels

Inspired by Michelle from Kingdom of Style who came up with her DIY version of fierce Balmain studded shoes, I popped into Far East Plaza to scout for studded anything to do my take.

As much as I'd love to devote an entire afternoon to applying real studs (too permanent for me) or measuring and altering a studded belt (just too lazy), I wanted something really versatile and painless. Scored a bunch of really cheap faux leather pyramid stud bracelets, with push-stud closures - they were "buy 1 get 1 free" too ;)

As promised... here's the full lowdown on my weekend handiwork and test-runs on various different shoes:

with my basic everyday pumps...

with my Georgina Goodman satin Harriet stilettos...

with Finsk midi boots that I wore last night (also shown: B's great Zara score!)

again with the Georgina Goodman stilettos... this time with an extra bracelet at the ankle!

For more inspiration, here are some other bloggers' DIY attempts using boot straps and belts:

D.I.Y. or Death

Seeing how I've completely exhausted my monthly shopping budget, I'm stalking the internet for D.I.Y. fashion options. This is a pretty clever way to make your regular black boots on-trend - ala Rumi from Fashion Toast:


Stay tuned for my D.I.Y. efforts in the coming month or so. In the meanwhile, if anyone would like to participate in my new "Nicholas Kirkwood-For-My-30th" charity, I'd be very grateful:

This has ME written all over it!

I had actually swung by On Pedder over the weekend to check out their addition of Nicholas Kirkwood and was:

(a) surprised that there were three (yes, only three) styles available;

(b) disappointed that of the three options, one was a plain python pump and didn't interest me, the other was his famous buckle platforms (below, in fabulous blue) but in Light. Taupe. Suede. which basically spells Death by 98% Humidity;

(c) the only one available which was a worthwhile buy was, IMHO, hardly the most covetable of his SS09 collection (below); and


(c) somewhat horrified they relegated Nicholas to the bottom shelf - I had to double-scan all the shelves before I finally spotted his signature platform soles.  No one puts Kirkwood on bottom shelf!  

Sigh... back to staking out Browns and counting down to their sale.

DIY Lego Necklace

This seems a positively ingenious use of my leftover jar of lego. It also bears a resemblance to my much-worn alldressedup necklace.

DIY Weekend Project, here I come!

DIY Jason Wu

Images: TeenVogue

Now that Jason Wu has scored the biggest fashion career coup in recent history, his designs will surely be flying off shelves. If you're strapped for cash, why not take some advice from Wu and make your own!

This oldie but goodie Teen Vogue article is still my favourite of their D.I.Y. series. Or how about making your own on-trend one-shoulder tee (here)?
I feel a CNY long-weekend project coming on... just gotta remember not to do any of the cutting & sewing on New Year's Day itself :)

DIY Hermes

DIY Version : US$12 or less...

This is absolutely brilliant - the keyring costs only as much as the materials you decide to use!

Original Hermes Keyring : US$195

If I wasn't baking Chinese New Year goodies all weekend, THIS would definitely have been my weekend project!