10 Confessions

It's been awhile since my last list of "confessions". Here's one for 2012:

1. Every once in a while, I actually consider ditching everything and travel the world-Eat, Pray, Love-style. But with my savings account, and a lack of funding, I held off.
2. These days I smell winter in the icy breeze, and am overwhelmed by nostalgia, which takes me back to the snowcopalypse months I went through in New York. I yearn it more so because it was an amazing journey where I matured, and God literally had me in His hands the whole time. So thankful to be reminded of His faithfulness, and how He takes you on great adventures.
3. I've only very recently prepared myself to accept that maybe everybody is only just believably special. Maybe "unicorns" don't exist but only in my rose-coloured world. (Unicorns = unbelievably, breathtakingly, fascinating, amazing people.)
4. I often take lengthy walks in the rain to "find myself", but end up crying, usually to melancholic Coldplay (The Scientist, Warning signs, In my place, Fix you, Trouble).
5. Time Machine (back up external drive by Mac) is my life-saver.
6. It has occurred to me that very few people have the ability to make me truly angry, so, if anything, it's a compliment to those people if I get angry at them. Shows that I care.
7. "The Notebook" is a classic, and will never get old on me.
8. I really want a new hairdo, or new piercing, or new something, only because it's new or because it's a change. I love change. I love new-ness.
9. I am grateful for realist people in my life who yank my hair to come down from the clouds. Thanks mama.
10. I was just thinking... if luxury labels brought out crew neck sweaters with their logo/name-written-in-block-letters emblazoned on the front, they would make an absolute killing. Everybody loves those 80's Chanel, Kenzo, YSL sweaters. They should re-release them!

Monthly Recap: February '12

It's back. My monthly highlights and laundry lists of just random things and stories that is quintessentially me so that I can laugh at myself or indulge in a little self-pity. Because I'm just good at making lists.

Music stuck on repeat:

• Ne me quitte pas - Regina Spektor
• Be be your love - Racheal Yamagata
• Undisclosed desires - Muse
• Transatlantism - Death Cab for Cutie
• Crooked teeth - Death Cab for Cutie
• Back in time - Lyn

Laundry list of things memorable about the month:

• Announcement of the cancellation of House. Devo. I don't think this news has sunk in entirely. Saying goodbye after 8 years ain't going to be easy, although not a hard as dealing with the tragedy that was the end of Friends. 
• Romantic Valentine's day evening on the grass gazing at stars, while eating chocolate dipped strawberries. Coming home, I thought, the only way it could've been lonelier is if the internet stopped working.
• Seeing "The Artist" at a local cinema by myself early one glorious sunny Sunday morning.
• Lulu, my sister cat, is preggers! Yay, kitten-nieces and kitten-nephews soon!
• Death Cab for Cutie in Sydney.
• New iPhone 4s. White.
• Robocop movie marathon. (I'm excited about the Robocop remake!)
• Making plans to elope to New York city after I graduate.
• I really do miss NY.
• Linsanity.
• New professeur de français. Enjoying awkward yet amusing French lessons with a fob frenchman.
• My mom practically memorising the French alphabet due to my daily annoying singing of "c'est l'alphabet en Français!"
• The dreaded end of holidays. Back to school. Oh, the joy of getting up early for a 8am class.
• I went shopping with a gay friend of mine, who actually is super Vogue intern skinny, and saw him try on an XL t-shirt. On his waifish body, it actually resembled Olsen-twin-chic, but on me it just looked puffy and strange. Seeing him swim around in the shirt like a jellyfish, I realised that's what it was supposed to look like. Lesson learned.
• Goodbye summer. Goodbye to days where the weather sticks to your body like glue, and you complain about the humidity to anyone who will listen, because it's what you're supposed to do.
• Heeeeeeeelllooooo autumn!

Book(s) reading:

• The Help - Katherine Stockett

Currently obsessed with:

• BOOM!! SHAKALAKA!!! *fangirl mode*
• The moon that embraces the Sun. I'm so emotionally attached to this series and the characters that I almost explode from waiting for it to air every week. (FYI, exploding fangirls are one of the most dangerous creatures in the world after the boxed jellyfish and the king cobra!)
• Kenzo, Burberry Prorsum, Marcs by Marc Jacobs and Carven's Fall 2012 collection at Paris fashion week.
• The 1960's. Mad Men! Pan Am! Also, conveniently this season's fashion trend!
• Cue Clothing Co's winter campaign.
• Improvising cookie recipes.

Three things I'm thankful for:

• Pre-mix cupcake/ cookie mixes at supermarkets
• www.solarmovie.au
• Jeremy Lin

Boyfriend Coats

Yesterday after my first proper shopping experience in Seoul, it was confirmed once again my tendancy to seek for masculine-feminine clothing. Almost half of my wardrobe seem to be borrowed from the boys. I'm talking about oversized cardigans, lace up boots,oversized button ups, just to name a few. After hours of browsing through mostly "girly" clothes that were too sweet for my fashion taste, I bought yet another menswear-inspired item: the boyfriend coat, but wait, in a subdued canary yellow. There's something delightful about slipping into a semi-oversized outerwear that is also surprisingly practical, as it allows all sorts of layering. It's also thrillingly versatile because I could pull off two distinctive looks. Un, a unisex outfit with a masculine hat. Deux, the I-stole-my-boyfriend's-coat aesthetic, contrasting it with feminine pieces like a wool mini skirt and a blouse. (But what are the chances of my boyfriend having a yellow coat?) All in all, it'll be perfect for my January in New York. Exhibiting masculine touches (lapels, double-breasted shape, boxy, large pockets) - yet fit for the feminine frame, boyfriend coats are winter-wonderful!

I wish I could upload a photograph of my new coat, but I had left my adapter at home, back in Sydney. This is a very similar one in cut and style.

Trend Report: Button Ups

If you are like me, and love buttoning up your shirt or blouse all the way up to the neck, good news - all the way, is the only way to button up shirts now! I have always been a fan of this polished look ("high-maintenance-look" my friends teased). If you remember, I mentioned before in a post, that with every trend comes an 'anti-trend'. So forget grunge, open fronted boyfriend shirts, fashion has taken a swing into the other direction, hitting on a more refined and sophisticated look. The key to the buttoned-up look is that it should appear put together, its sexiness rooted in its modesty, and an understated air of confidence. 

Cynthia Rowley S/S 2010

Cynthia Rowley S/S 2010

Madame Hawk S/S 2010

Chloe Pre-Fall 2010

Chloe Pre-Fall 2010

Miu Miu S/S 2010

Miu Miu S/S 2010

Proenza Schouler F/W 2010

Proenza Schouler F/W 2010

Preen S/S 2011

Preen S/S 2011

Proenza Schouler Resort 2011

Proenza Schouler Resort 2011

Now lets talk context. A fastened top button is typically a sign of formal wear for men and is most of the time accompanied by a necktie, but who says we can't borrow another style from the boys? (I'm really a sucker for simple, boyish prep.) The button-up has long been a staple of business attire too, so it's a thrill when we happen upon a fresh way to rock our go-to classic white shirt.