Oh, You've got Blue eyes: alldressedup Sample Sale

{hiddengarments}

Just because I can't partake, doesn't mean you can't.  There's up to 70% off clothes and accessories from alldressedup and lest you fear a room full of discards, the discount's on pieces as recent as their Fall/Winter 2010 collection.  Heavenly!  Hurry down to their sample sale this week and start the weekend off right - I'll be feeling up their leather necklaces with you in spirit :)

alldressedup sample sale

13 to 15 April 2011

10.30am to 7pm

to 67 Ubi Avenue 1, 

#06-11 Starhub Green South Wing

Traffic Stopping: Bright is Right

{apairandaspare}

I've been putting my Lenten shopping ban to good use: trying on every single pair of red pants in the stores, and scouting for an alternative to Jil Sander's vivid acetate bag (read: the £77 designer plastic bag).  

Perennially, not a lot of cuts work on my petite frame. Or the colour wasn't intense enough... even my old favourites Shopbop and Net-A-Porter proved unfruitful. Fortunately, independent label EmersonMade has stepped up to the plate with the perfect red pant - complete with styling inspiration on how to wear them post-Colour Block Brights season. It's now sitting in my online cart with a KIV for Easter Sunday - please fit... 

The hunt for the replacement bag was significantly less painful. Trusty Baggu have an extremely affordable selection of neon brights at only US$8 each (or $6.50 if you band together with your galpal for 3 each).  On-trend and with the practical longevity of an LBD?  Sign me up! 

Thought of the Week: Stripes Rule

{stockholmstreetstyle}

Wouldn't it be exhilaratingly empowering to strut into the office on a Monday morning donning this striped-triple-threat?  Watch the colleagues' jaws drop, then casually enquire: 'What... too much?' 

I'm into the final 3 weeks of my Lenten shopping ban... *woot*  Suggestions for celebratory purchases are welcome!  xx

Wake me up when it's Friday: Comme des Garcons

{source}

Have you ever woken up on a dismal morning to the chatter of rain on the trees? When the morning sun, usually your day-timer, shies behind the grey sky?  How about that accompanying instinct to don all that is black, cashmere and ostensibly anything with hardware as amour against the seemingly unending gloom?  Welcome to my seasonal affective disordered wardrobe. 

It just dawned on me how I'd managed to cobble together a collection of corporate office-appropriate pieces from the Comme des Garcon family (and alumni) over the last 5 years or so.  Nothing too shady or too deconstructed.  Just edgy enough for the office, without losing any credibility.  Photos to come - I've decided black, white, dots and stripes are all I can manage for now... but in the meanwhile, forgive me as I crawl back into bed to recuperate from the day's madness in the office.

{source}

My Favourite Guest Star: Mamie Gummer in The Good Wife

{pc: rdujour}

I hang my head in shame for failing to immediately recognising Mamie Gummer during her guest appearances on one of my new favourite shows, The Good Wife.  

Though I recalled Meryl Streep had a daughter who was picked to be the face of Gerard Darel in their 2009/2010 campaigns, placing Gummer in her witty, sneaky Legally Blonde turn proved to be an inexplicable challenge.  For that I blame the collective swoon squad of Josh Charles, Chris Noth and Matt Czuchry for causing my repeated brain spazzes. 

I'm now obsessed trying to get my hands on a DVD of Evening, which has Gummer with Claire Danes and her delicious husband Hugh Dancy. Ok, I readily admit that this post has a sketchy link to shopping, but it's certainly for a good cause.  If you haven't started watching The Good Wife, please do so I won't be alone in my guilty pleasure - I promise it has more guy-candy than Grey's these days... 

{pc: style&fashion}

Drag Me Back To Hell: Dries Van Noten @ Club21 Collectibles

{pc: fashionising}

So I browsed the Marni sale and emerged unscathed (70-80% off notwithstanding).  But now the shops are back to tempt me with Dries Van Noten at up to 80% off!  Club21 has clearly decided that these dignified Collectibles pop-ups are the way to go instead of the hot, sweaty mess of a Bazaar Sale.  And who am I to complain? See you there after work tomorrow! xx

{pc: club21 fb}

{pc: stylefrizz}

Hats Off

{pc: muchloveanna}

I'm having a fashion dilemma - which is fun (in a Veronica Mars I-need-to-solve-something kind of way) but also rather frustrating!  A galpal is tying the knot this Friday and the theme is *breathe*: 'My Fair Lady goes to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party'. You got that?

Short of raiding the Ralph Lauren archives for a piece of his Gossip Girl-favoured "My Fair Lady"-inspired Spring/Summer 2008 collection, I'm strapped to find something appropriate.  I wish the invitation had 'Black Tie' or 'Cocktail Chic' in italics.  It's held at a country club, but it's dinner... so I could do Ascott perfection (fulfilling my Hepburn aspirations), but the gentlemen have been asked to come in colourful bowties!

{pc: style.com}

At least part of my apprehension stems from the wide-ranging sartorial options that present themselves with themed weddings, let alone one in Singapore.  To begin with, dressing for an evening wedding here is so incredibly unpredictable.  Guests opt for everything from bling & boufants to hobos & hipsters.  This could be the beginning of a trippy evening...

At least I've borrowed a bunch of fascinators from galpal M *phew* but coming up with the right balance between glam & whimsy will be a challenge. [stay tuned]  But, seriously, where is Kenley Collins when you need her??

{pc: zimbio; girlwiththestarspangledheart}

Mad about Maje

Being styled like Clemence Poesy has just become a little easier - if you're in a country with Maje anyway :) Brainchild of Judith Milgrom, this label has its humble roots in the Saint Germain area of Paris and is an effortless way to achieve a look that cosmopolitan, modern French chic. Although Net-A-Porter has signed the label on and Harrods has a concession, the London mecca is their King's Road boutique. I must have spent an hour trying on various pieces there...

This season, loads of pieces have leather detailing which, by the way, I am OBSESSED with right now. Although justifying the practicality of select pieces home in Singapore frustratingly eludes me (camel leather dress, I'm looking at you!), I've opted for a practical, snug fit wool blazer with leather trim on the pockets. The leather adds some edge to the corporate dress code, don't you think? All the better with Harrod's 10% off weekend that just passed. I've already earmarked even more pieces to check out this weekend when me and Ez hit Paris... now just to earmark the funds too :)

{pc: boutique shots from maje facebook}

Simple Pleasures

{pc: tfs}

When you find that special something, grab it, clutch it, and head straight for the cashier! That's more or less been my lamentable approach to life.

And so with an insatiable retail appetite and not enough wardrobe space to spare, I head off to London (and Paris) for the next fortnight, laptop and credit card in hand.

Stay tuned.

Be Still My Card

Oh I'm in so much trouble! Eye candy and wallet tempting treats galore await me in London - starting with no less than 3 sample sales which have caught my attention (Daily Candy you kill me), and this adorable Kate Spade pop-up shop in Covent Garden! It's the brand's first sojourn across the pond, and they honestly couldn't have picked a better to infuse the grand old dame with sunshine and glee. Bask in the brights until 10 November 2010 at:

Kate Spade

7 Henrietta Street
mon-wed: 10am to 6pm
thurs: 10am to 9pm
fri-sat: 10am to 6pm
sunday: 10am to 5pm

As for sample sales, I'm hoping the stock isn't too depleted by the time I touch down on Friday! Can you hear my wallet quivering in anticipation?

Aimé (3-5 November 2010)
A.P.C., Isabel Marant, Repetto - up to 70% off? Come on!
20th Century Theatre, 291 Westbourne Grove
wed: 5-8pm
thurs: 9am-7pm
fri: 9 am-6pm

Reiss (3-6 November 2010)
Prices from a tenner... which is basically giving them away for free!
The Music Room, 26 South Molton Lane
wed-fri: 8 am - 7.30pm
sat: 9 am- 6pm

The London Accessory Sale &
Secret Sample Sale
(4-7 November 2010)
Up to 80% off designer clothing and accessories from the merry likes of Miu Miu, YSL and Jimmy Choo
T2, The Old Truman Brewery, 85 Brick Lane
thurs: noon-9 pm
fri: noon-8 pm
sat: noon-7 pm
sun: noon-6 pm

{pc: kate spade facebook}

The Silk Road

I'm torn. After scouting for a silk shirt in nude, I'm actually fairly apprehensive about buying any of them online. Even in the stores, every shade I've tried is more pale-stricken than pale-chic.

Several options are available:(1) ACNE's outlet has one in putty but at USD 155 after a 40% discount. It's not exactly a budget buy ahead of the November holiday, though they do have an XS in stock (so crucial for those styles which fit tends toward voluminous)

(2) Shopbop has a promotion with 20% off everything (use 'INTHEFAMILY20'). This makes the Equipment Classic Shirt vaguely justifiable. I love the idea of buying into this reignited classic, but it's still over USD 139 after the discount and with only a size S available, I really not wild about the prospect of having to do a return.

(3) Alexa Chung for Madewell is finally back in stock (somewhat)... Her Peter Pan collared version is completely me - but potentially not as elegant as the others (I concede that Carine vs. Alexa is not quite the fair comparison)? Either way, in the time it took for me to post about the replenishment, the clearly popular Iris blouse is off the market again.

Decisions, decisions...

Little Black Riding Hood

I'm starting a list of reasons to buy this ASOS wool cape in anticipation of my European sojourn in November... if I get to 10, I'll cave (that is, if UK8 isn't gone by then):

1. Capes are in this season.
2. It's in black. Black is eternal even if the cape trend is not.
   
3. It'll be fall and I need to be Warm
4. And Chic.
5. Capes hide all bulges.
6. Styled with my plethora of breton tops, I'd have successfully mimicked ASOS' Rachel Bilson styling.
7. I have a deep insatiable need to live out fairy tales.
8. *Grunt*
9. Hmm...
10. Darn.

(pc: fashionising)

Le Big Sale

I can think of no better way to celebrate purchasing power parity than hitting the sales in Europe right now. From Tuesday June 15th, 7PM (french time), Colette offers 50% off on SS2010 styles at colette.fr... Oh and did I mention that they deliver worldwide? :)

TGI-Thursday: Breton Everything

If life were perfect, I'd have this Acne dress to wear for the weekend (and an extra 5 inches of natural height for life). But it isn't... so I'll probably content myself with this (and a tan)

On the upside, it's Vesak Day tomorrow - a much-needed reprieve from the office scrum. I'm all limbered up and ready to hunt for a bargain during the first weekend of the Great Singapore Sale! {gather}

Style Inspiration: Commes des Garcons

Me, Tomorrow. God-willing (with a CDG wardrobe) and an exceptional haircut.

(pc: fashionising; CDG)