dream on...

Come celebrate Daydream Nation's 3rd birthday at their new HK studio, complete with festive discounts on AW09 items and beer refreshments! Since I'm missing out on all the sample sales going on in New York right now, I am psyched to attend this shopping event (and my office being a 3-min walk away from their studio is a major plus). And for those of you can't make it this weekend, you can still take advantage of Daydream Nation's 30%-off sale on their new e-commerce site. Happy (pre-)holiday shopping!

a piece of nature

Only 21 days until Christmas! Which also means I only have 3 weeks left to finish all my x'mas shopping, and I still haven't got a clue as to what to buy for my loved ones.... The problem with present hunting for other people is that I always end up finding something I like for myself instead. And of course I would make up some ridiculous excuse like "reward of the year for myself" or "buy now, save next year" to justify my purchases, because you know, I could always use a new wallet, another clutch, a Diana flash, a camera strap, another pair of booties...... and the wish list goes on. Good thing I am half-broke right now so I need to spare the money to spend on real x'mas presents, otherwise I would have click click clicked away and kept on adding to cart while browsing through numerous online gift guides.
Anthropologie has an especially "well-curated" gift guide this year. The gift categories are fun and different, and as always, the visual merchandising of the gift items is really pretty and enticing. I was having so much fun browsing each page of the gift section and then there it is! I saw my ultimate wish list item, right there, under the "marvels & wonders" category on the Anthropologie website; the barky turntable. Isn't it just such a beautiful object? And imagine having that in your living room to play your favorite Beatles record? Oh, absolutely heavenly.

But for now, since I neither have my own apartment nor the money to own the turntable, I'll just keep it as the no.1 on my wish list (it's called "wish" for a reason) and be happily contented using my own imagination.

fringe madness

Fringes have been making its rounds for several seasons now, and seems like they are still going strong come fall. So on my search for the perfect fringe accessory, I turned to etsy, and within a couple of searches, I've already found many great jewelry pieces to choose from. Here're my favs:

Clockwise from top left: Cleopatra fringe necklace by wontonlove; fringe earrings by iheartnorwegianwood; dip-dyed fringe necklace by threehorses; fringe zipper necklace by DailyJumpsuit

My heart is leaning towards DailyJumpsuit's fringe zipper necklace - love the color (yea, it's so "me") and the zipper element. What's your favorite?

one big balloon

Jumpsuits are ubiquitous this season. I love them, but in a sea of jumpsuits (or rompers, or playsuits, or onesies, however you wanna call this one-piece style) available this summer, one must not get drifted away too easily. Mass retailers like Topshop, H & M, and Urban Outfitters all offer some really cute and affordable versions, but my heart is set on getting two and only two styles: a versatile mono-tone which I can wear day to night, and a bright floral vintage one. Until I find one that fits perfectly into one of my 2 categories, I shall not get tempted (although Urban does have some nice strapless pantsuits...). And a few days ago, the search (well, one of them), has ended!
I got this awesome, balloon-ish jumpsuit from Amarcord Vintage, which is actually a re-make of an 80's vintage piece. It's one of those things that you need to try it on to understand how brilliant the cutting is, because on the hanger, it just looked like a huge potato sack. Well, it is still sack-like on person, but the bunching on the thighs and the gathered neck give great contrast to the roominess. Plus, everything looks better when there're pockets. Can be worn with or without a belt (perfect for those "i feel fat" days), with heels or sandals or combat boots; so basically it can be worn for any occasion. It's just so much fun! Definitely something that you can goof around with (and hence breaking out my nerdy vintage specs from Fabulous Fanny's...).
But right now, I'm going to rock some MJ dance moves in this to commemorate the superstar. *RIP.

soft rock

I don't wear a lot of crochet.
Perhaps because I've never really given it a chance. I've always had this preconception that crochet = soft and girly, which is not exactly part of my wardrobe vocabulary. But lately there's been a quiet "revolution" in the world of crochet accessories, where designers are reinterpreting the softness often associated with this technique and mixing it with metal materials to create an edgier, tougher look. It's sort of like a boy-meets-girl effect. Here are some cool ones that I came across (and the best part is they're all under $100!), any other good suggestions for the summer?


Clockwise from top left: langoliers breastplate necklace from Oak; Dreamers by Daydream Nation crochet chain necklace from Urban Outfitters; galit hand crochet ring in oxidized sterling silver from etsy; A.S.I.S. second chance chain necklace

don't stop dreaming

Urban Outfitters has put itself back into the fashion indie scene by collaborating with hip brands and units like Samantha Pleet, Slow and Steady Wins the Race, and even Sonic Youth's Kim Gordon for exclusive collections, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down a bit. Next on the list is, according to i-D magazine, Hong-Kong-born-London-based sister-brother duo Daydream Nation. With backgrounds in textile and theater design respectively, desginers Kay and Jing draw inspirations from myths and fairy tales to create whimsical and beautifully crafted clothes that tell a distinct story each season. As the name of the brand implies, the clothes are fun and almost look like they can come straight out of a picture book. Although their adorable line of accessories can be found in selected shops here in the US (like this pretty crochet necklace shown here), most of their clothes are only sold at stores in Europe and Asia. So if this piece of news is true (the collaboration is rumored to debut sometime in May), I cannot wait to see (and buy!) what the designer duo is going to dream about for the mass U.S. retailer.


Image: crochet necklace from Pixie Market

buckle it up

OMG they've arrived! The Surface to Air buckle wedges have finally landed on American soil (long after being featured in Nylon and Refinery 29) and I'm totally obsessed with them. They have the perfect combination of shoe details - buckles, peep toe, subtle cut-outs and comfy wedge heel.
The only pair of shoes you'll need this summer...


Available in 3 colors: gray suede, brown, and black leather on Gargyle.com

sail on, baby!

Happy Easter! I wonder how many people actually celebrate by participating in the Easter Parade/ Bonnet Festival here in New York, but if I were to join in (not that I would ever in reality, but what if...), I would totally do so in the most stylish way. Given this year's trend for hats and head accessories, the boater seems like the perfect choice. As seen on the Marc Jacobs' spring runway, this classic summer hat is making a big come back. The boater hat got its name because it was originally worn by the Gondoliers in Venice, Italy. Its popularity soared in the late 19th and early 20th century as a favorite choice of summer headwear, but only worn by men. It probably wasn't until the 1920's when women started wearing boaters to go along with their newfound sporting wear. From then on, boaters have appeared here and there on some of the most memorable heorines, like illustrator Ludwig Bemelman's "Madeline" character (above image) and the inimitable Marry Poppins.
If you're planning to channel the classic sailing look this summer, look no further than Marc Jacobs' colorful boaters created by milliner Stephen Jones, who crafted them as smaller versions so that they are worn diagonally. Otherwise, Chapeau Claudette does a miniature rendition of the boater and it is irresistibly cute (and much cheaper than the MJ version)!!



Images: Marc Jacobs SS '09 from style.com; Chapeau Claudette's mini boater hat on Pixie Market

when times are tough...

Girls' obsession with shoes is a never ending story. Right now I'm sucked into the peep-toe cage shoe style as popularized by Yves Saint Laurent, which prompted me to order the Topshop version of it for one-tenth of the price. I'm hoping that the effect will be equally stunning as I wait anxiously for the package to arrive. Two other huge trends for shoes this spring, in case you haven't already noticed, are the cut-out booties (variation from fall's oxford booties) and the studded strappy sandals as seen on the Balmain runway. But lately I've been discovering styles that combine the best of both worlds: rock-chic studs with cut-out details all on the same pair of shoes. Now, this 2-in-1 style is probably your best bet to follow this season's trend yet spare your wallet in these recession times...




Clockwise from top left: Lauren Moffat Hudson Boots from Urban Outfitters; Balmain studded heels from net-a-porter; Giuseppe Zanotti grommet cut-out heels from Shopbop.

opening worldwide

It's official -- Opening Ceremony has launched their e-commerce site! This bi-coastal shopping mecca, hailed by fashionistas and hipsters alike, is finally catching the boat of online shopping. Girls AND boys will find the boutique's own line of clothing, along with a vast selection of hip labels including G.V.G.V., Band of Outsiders, Alexander Wang, Tsumori Chisato, all playfully styled and photographed. Other knick-knacks and accessories like the Nike X Liberty Blazer sneakers are also for sale on the website.

The internet has become a dangerous place for my wallet... ...