Collar-ful Affair

Autumn has officially begun (in the fashion world but not the weather in Malaysia of course) but if you're not ready to discard one of your and my favourite spring 2012 trends which you stretched its wearability until summer, then don't.

Collars are unequivocally not the thing of the past; it's such a simple trend that it's recurring this autumn in a better, bigger and bolder way. This season, collars are not limited to Peter Pan style. They come in bold prints, colours and embellishments in various shapes, sizes and textures - and what better way to make a collar stand out than to contrast it with your outfit? After all, that's the purpose. Take cues from Derek Lam, Rodarte and Philip Lim on nailing this trend.

Photos by Marcio Madeira

Unconventional collars are novelty and certainly not understated as they make any outfit look polished, sophisticated and put together. Statement collars are not only visually appealing, they help frame the face and are easy to take a notch up your rather minimal ensemble. They're so easy that they take zero effort in making your outfit look anything but ordinary. They're like icing on a cake - not imperative but always admired. So, spice up your wardrobe in this season's fun and edgy trend with some of these frugal pieces.

Daily Boutique; RM39 RM30; available in black and magenta
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eBay; US$9.59/RM30; free worldwide delivery
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Banilla Berry; RM30; available in pink, white and black
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eBay; US$9.79/RM30.50
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Banilla Berry; RM35
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Daily Boutique; RM42 RM35
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Whitesoot; RM45; available in green and teal
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Little Bits; RM45
Similar also available at Zalora
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Zalora; RM59 RM47.20; available in brown, blue and pink
Also available at Milktee
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eBay; US$19.99/RM62; free worldwide delivery
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Zalora; RM82 RM65.60; available in orange, blue and white
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Supermodel Wardrobe; RM69
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If you're a little tight on cash to spend on tops and dresses that have fabulous collar details, you could always invest in detachable collars, collar necklaces and collar tips. Watch as these transformative pieces perform magic tricks on your sweaters, tops and dresses that you already have in your closet. Your wardrobe instantly expands as these ingenious pieces offer more wear to your clothes and save you big bucks in the long run. These alternatives are absolutely right up the alley of those who are skeptical of the contrasting collar trend.

eBay; US$7.99/ RM24.50; available in soft green, soft pink and 8 more colours; free worldwide delivery
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eBay; US$8.49/RM26.50; free worldwide delivery
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eBay; US$12.69/RM39
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eBay; US$7.29/ RM22.50; available in white and brown
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eBay; US$3.50/RM11
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eBay; US$3.99/RM12.50; available in 28 designs; free worldwide delivery
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eBay; US$4.99/RM15.50
Also available at Luccacal
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ASOS; RM18
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It would be ludicrous to put your talent to waste if you're super crafty and creative. Dive into your Edward Scissorhand mode and start making your own unique collars with intricate details if you must! It is super cheap to make one and you know you'll be the only person to walk down the streets wearing your masterpiece creation. This fancy and easy-to-wear accessory is certainly a gem in the wardrobe, so go crazy and make one too many collars.

P.S. Stay tuned for a DIY collar tutorial.

What do you think?

What are your thoughts on the contrasting collar trend? Would you try this trend or have you tried it? Which is your favourite piece? Have you made your own collar before? Share with me your DIY collar tutorial. If you know of other places to shop for affordable clothes with contrasting collars or detachable collars, do share with me.
Don't forget to leave a comment and tell me what you think!

Statement Eyewear

A look would not be complete without sprucing it with some accessories, be it a pair of killer stilettos, a chic bag or a fancy belt to cinch in the waist. But what accessory would you reach for to make you feel like a million dollars without all the effort of matching it with your outfit perfectly?

It's no surprise that a pair of sunglasses is apparently the easiest accessory to wear and gets you all the attention you want as soon as you walk out the door. You can never go wrong with a pair of knockout shades irrespective of its shape. The perfect pair of sunnies would instantly make your confidence fly out the roof and make you feel like a rockstar! And thanks to Malaysia's blazing sunshine year round, what better accessory to invest in than sunglasses.

Go on and embrace the resurgence of retro shades with some modern classic wayfarers, 50's cat-eye and 70's round frame a la John Lennon and Old Master Q (also known as Lau Fu Tze), that are bang on trend this year. These chic array of sunglasses styles would go easy on your wallet too.

eBay; US$1.93/RM6; available in black and brown; free worldwide delivery
Similar available at Luccacal, Romwe and OC Shades in small, medium and large sizes of different colours
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OC Shades; US$5.RM15.50; available in black, green and white
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Forever 21; RM27.50; available in black and brown
Similar available at eBay and OC Shades
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OC Shades; US$10/RM31.05; available in gold back, gold brown, colour black and colour brown
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OC Shades; US$12/RM37.30; available in tortoise and black
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OC Shades, US$12/RM37.30, available in black emerald, black silver, tortoise brown and floral
Similar available at eBay and Luccacal
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ASOS; £12/RM60
Similar available at eBay
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If you are the daring fashionista who can't be bothered of what others would think of your style and possess attitude bigger than Snooki's hair, then you could definitely pull off these fun, quirky and futuristic shades.

eBay; US$1.69/ RM5.30; available in 6 colours; free worldwide delivery
Also available at Luccacal and OC Shades
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OC Shades, US$12/RM37.30; available in black and blue
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OC Shades; US$12/RM37.30; available in black, blue, pink and red
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OC Shades, US$12/RM37.30; available in black and white
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If you haven't heard, there's a rule when it comes to choosing the best frames that suit your face shape. I, however, personally believe that if a pair of sunnies can make you look and feel fabulous, that's the perfect pair. It takes more than just a face shape to rock certain sunglasses perfectly; it takes a whole lot of confidence than face shape to make any sunglasses look great on the wearer. So, why bother with the rules? In fact, they should be broken to explore the uncharted territories of fashion.

A statement eyewear can transform any look from blah to stylish in mere moments. Plus, it protects your eyes from the harsh sunshine, which is what sunglasses are really for before the aspect of fashion comes into play.

Vincci round sunglasses; RM29 RM23.20; available in brown and black

Cotton On knit top; RM40
Cotton On bralet; RM15 (similar here)
River Island shorts; £10/RM50; last seen here (similar here and here)
Forever 21 ring; RM15; available in antique gold and silver
Forever 21 necklace, price unavailable (similar here)
Vintage backpack; price unavailable

Photos by Tan Wei Jin

If you hadn't already known, Aldo, Forever 21 and Vincci Accessories boast amazing selections of statement eyewear at a bargain that are sure to knock your socks off! So be sure to visit these stores.

P.S. Pardon my messy hair. I was in dire need of a haircut.

What do you think?

What are your thoughts on statement eyewear? Which is your favourite shades style? What are your signature shades? Would you rock a pair of quirky futuristic sunnies? If you know of other places to shop for affordable eyewear, do share with me.
Don't forget to leave a comment below and tell me what you think!

Flower Power

If there's one trend I know for sure that crops up on fashion runways every spring/summer is floral print. Though autumn is around the corner, don't discard your floral fantasies just yet because whether you like it or not, designers have taken a great liking towards floral print and the print is blooming in Dolce & Gabbana, Erdem and Temperley London Fall 2012 ready-to-wear collections. It has proven itself as a classic print that just never runs out of fashion and can be worn year round. The colour palette and designs of today's floral prints are modern - a little more graphic, abstract and carefully scattered - no longer only suitable for grandmothers' to wear for tea.

Don't just limit yourself to floral tops; be creative and wear it on the bottom. Floral shorts have made a comeback from the 80's and they're not only for the beach. So, make this an excuse to retire your good old jeans for a while and have some fun, sun and play in these cute floral shorts whilst showing off your gorgeous pins anytime, anywhere!

eBay; US$7.99/RM25; free worldwide delivery
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DIY Zakka; RM25
Photos courtesy of DIY Zakka

eBay; US$9.99/RM32; available in red and purple
Also available at Gold Apple;
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6th Sense; RM45 RM35; available in yellow and pink
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LuckyLucky FashionNet; RM35; available in orange and blue
Also available at Moo Moo Boutique;
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eBay; US$11.99/RM38; free worldwide delivery
Also available at LuckyLucky FashionNet
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Moo Moo Boutique; RM39
Also available at LuckyLucky FashionNet
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LIKE from Zalora; RM59 RM50.15; available in green and yellow
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Opt for longer and looser lengths if you're not one who fancy tight knicker shorts - they make your legs appear slimmer. They're perfect for picnics and barbecues when there are various activities involved as they do not restrict movements. These cute floral shorts add a splash of vibrant colours and a dose of cheerfulness to your activities. If you're feeling a little clueless on styling a pair of floral shorts, merely style it the same way you would a floral top. A trick I always use when in doubt that works every time is to pair it with a plain tee of any colour found on the floral shorts.

For you lot who simply can't get enough of floral print, there's one statement piece that is sure to rock your boat - a floral print blazer - which I've featured in my previous post on coloured blazer here.

What do you think?

What are your thoughts on the floral print trend? Would you wear floral shorts? Which is your favourite? How would you style it? If you know of other places to shop for affordable floral bottoms, do share with me.
Don't forget to leave a comment and tell me what you think!

Mattifying Blusher and Bronzer

Have you ever experienced walking into a drugstore knowing what you want to purchase but walked out of it in less than five minutes because you couldn't find what you were looking for?

Shopping for cosmetics in drugstores is an arduous and irritated task when it comes to products that are scarcely available at drugstores but boast extensive ranges at high-end stores like matte blushers and bronzers/contour powders.

I never understood why there are a galore of shimmer blushers and bronzers sold at drugstores but not matte. It's certainly understandable to add a little shimmer on our face to give live and glow to our sallow skin in the winter due to lack of sun exposure but we don't need that because we literally have summer all year round to give us skin cancer, let alone gives us a natural flush. Not forgetting the blazing sun melts our nicely done makeup like wax and gives us skin as shiny as polished silverware after mere four hours of wear. All that shimmer is only going to enhance our already huge pores and blemishes and make us look like disco balls in broad daylight. We are trying to conceal our facial flaws here, not celebrate them in all its glory (unless you are going for that look).

Out of frustration, it's easier to burn a hole in our pocket and get these beauty products at high-end stores than putting ourselves through what seems like an impossible feat. Well, you can save your penny and cash it on something else with these drugstore and discounted department store matte blushers and bronzers/contour powders for under RM50!

Blushers

NYX Powder Blush; RM27; available in 15 matte shades
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Sleek Makeup Blush; RM31.50; available in 8 matte shades
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Vincent Longo Spectralite Blush; RM57 RM32; available in 3 shades; free worldwide delivery
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Korres Botanically Coated Blush; RM76 RM35; available in 7 shades; free worldwide deliveryPhoto credits

Bronzers/Contour Powders

I'm well aware that the trend in Asia is to have whiter skin and not bronzed, tanned skin. But for those of you who are digging the Victoria's Secret bombshell look as I am, then this is your holy grail. In spite of that, all the Snow Whites shouldn't just shun the idea of a matte bronzer if you intend to achieve the noted Kim Kardashian's sculpted cheekbones, high nose bridge and slim face that is red carpet worthy. In fact, a matte bronzer serves well as a contour powder and should be in every woman's makeup kit. Remember to go easy on the bronzer - you don't want to look like you've baked yourself in the sun for a little too long or dived into a pool of mud.

NYC Smooth Skin Bronzing Face Powder in Sunny; RM17.20
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BarryM Matt Bronzing Powder in Natural Dazzle; £5.99/RM30; free worldwide delivery
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Stila Sun Bronzing Powder; RM88.50 RM32; Available in Shade 1 & 2
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Bourjois Bronzing Powder in Bronze; £6.99/RM35
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NYX Matte Bronzer; RM40; available in light and mediumPhoto credits

Sleek MakeUP Face Contour Kit; RM46.10; available in light, medium and dark
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Not too sure how to choose the right shade of bronzer and how to apply? Watch one of my favourite professional makeup artistes, Lisa Eldridge's tutorials - Four Shades of Bronze and Contour and Highlight to learn more.

Tip: Use a matte warm brown eyeshadow or a pressed powder that is one to two shades darker than your skin tone as a contour powder if you can't find the perfect shade of bronzer/contour powder that complements your complexion.

What do you think?

What are your thoughts on blusher and bronzer/contour powder? Do you use them? Which formula do you prefer, matte or shimmer? How do you apply them? If you know of other brands and places to shop for affordable matte blusher and bronzer/contour powder, do share with me.
Don't forget to leave a comment below and tell me what you think!