Simple Pleasures in Life

A recent trip back to my hometown, Batu Pahat (BP) brought the simple pleasures of life back into my life! No matter what, nothing beats the taste of mom's cooking, the fresh air, the spaciousness and the laid back lifetsyle in BP. Though I was only there for the weekend, it was a fun-filled stay. There's always new hawker food fares to try, interesting signages to note like a cardboard cut-out with the words 'Need a Personal Loan? Call Tel:XXX" (i.e. loan sharks, no kidding!) tied around the lamp posts at the residential areas, playing with family dogs Samson and Lucky and admiring mom's beautiful garden blooms. We also went with my sister to visit her Indian colleagues who celebrated Deepavali and we enjoyed a feast of curry chicken, mutton, putumayam and tosei!




Well, of course the shopping queen in me always find time to squeeze in some shopping amidst the flurry of activities! It's interesting shopping in BP because you never know what surprise 'gems' you may find in the oddest looking places. You have to be patient to rummage through the disorganised racks of clothes in some outlets but you will be pleasantly surprised by what you may find.

For instance, this sweet floral cotton dress with lovely lace trimmings (SGD$60) - perfect for a weekend outing with friends or afternoon tea.


Another precious find - a long brown cream coloured dress with crocheted neckline which you can wear to a church wedding or romantic dinner for just SGD$70.


Then there is the hippy style top which you can wear with tights, jeans or shorts for just SGD$20.

My favourite is this bright spring blue tee with the cutest looking doll face for only SGD$12!!!

Ah, the simple pleasures of life in Batu Pahat!

For more information on Batu Pahat, please log on to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batu_Pahat

It's A Colourful World!

Colour coordination is tricky business. If you don't get it right, you may look like a clash of the seasons or worse, some disney character! I once knew a lady in the corporate world who would dress from head to toe (literally!) in the same shade of colour. Once, she was dressed all in pink; pink hair clip, pink pearl necklace, pink ring, pink pant suit, pink handbag and of course, pink shoes!!! No kidding. And the Boss called her the Pink Panther. Another time, she came dressed head to toe in green. And the Boss called her Kermit. Just yesterday I saw someone wearing a bright orange bandana, orange earrings, orange T-shirt... trick-or-treat, Halloween's coming! I bet if she could find a pair of orange pants, she would have worn it! Hence, I felt compelled to give my two cents worth of advice on colour coordination less more fashion crimes are being committed.

Here are 4 simple rules:

1. Monochromatic Colour Scheme

Choose a monochromatic colour scheme and you will be safe. Monochromatic colour refers to different tones of a single colour. As it lacks in contrast, it projects a calming and soothing mood. To avoid looking dull, play with different textures and prints.

2. Colour Intensity

Colours of the same intensity will look harmonious when combined. Intensity refers to the brightness or dullness of a colour. For example combine pastel pink and blue, cobalt blue and canary yellow, dove grey and daffodil yellow.

Pastels

3. Two-Colour Combination

For a business look, wear only two colour families e.g. navy suit with white shirt and red tie or teal skirt suit with red inner blouse. One of the two colours should be dominant and the other colour would be subordinate.

4. Colour Contrast

Strive for colour contrast to create an authoritative and outstanding look. Combine two colours that are opposite of one another on the colour wheel e.g. green and red, yellow and purple, orange and blue.

Upsize Your Accessories

Hey Ladies! Get ready to upsize your accessories because BIG is in! From sunglasses to hair bands to necklaces, chunky items are the latest runway trends for Spring/Summer 2010. Make a bold style statement today!

Trendy Hairbands

They are great for perking up your outfit anytime. Just put on one of these gorgeous Bethanie hairbands and you will look super chic instantly. You can wear it with jeans and a tee for a casual yet stylish look or wear it with your hair sleeked back and a LBD (little black dress) for instant glam.

Funky hairbands from Quintessential ($39 - $59).

Statement Necklaces

From big coloured gems to multi-layered chain necklaces, they make great fashion statements. The chunkier, the better. However, if you are heavy chested, avoid chunky necklaces that hang over your boobs. Stick to styles that are shorter and lie flat. Again, pair statement necklaces with simple, classic styles like the LBD or with jeans, T-shirt and a blazer for a rock chic image!

Multi-layered copper chain necklace from Quintessential (From $389 onwards)

Chunky Bracelets

All you need is one big chunky accessory and you are good to go. If the statement necklaces are not your thing, try investing in one accessory item like a chunky bracelet or a statement ring. If your body is curved, choose designs with curved lines and scaled to your body size and bone structure. Vice versa for angular body types.

(Left) Geometric bracelet from Quintessential

Quintessential is at 9 Scotts Road, #02-01 Pacific Plaza.

Tips and Toes

A pair of strappy heels on non pedicured feet is a definite turn-off. It doesn't matter how great your shoes look or how expensive they cost. If you don't take good care of your nails, not only will your nails suffer, but so will your image! In a hot climate like Singapore, most women wear strappy heels, opened-toe shoes, thongs and sandals. This means our feet and nails are constantly exposed to heat, cold and pollution, not to forget the danger of kicking into something or being stepped on! With the latest trend of opened-toe booties and gladiator flats, we should maintain our feet well and have our nails polished or buffed to show off our gorgeous footwear.

Here are some nail care quick tips from the experts at "Prettie Nails" salon:

1) Apply cuticle oil around the fingernail edges and gently massage into and around the entire cuticle. Do this daily and it will make your nails look healthy and shiny.

2) Always apply a base coat before your nail polish to protect your nail from the colour pigment and from dryness.

3) For brittle and weak nails, soak your nails into a handful of chopped fresh garlic every day for about 30 minutes each time. You will see results within 2 weeks.

4) Keep nail polish bottles in a container and store it away in the refrigerator to prevent nail colour from thickening.

Visit Prettie Nails at #02-53, Orchard Plaza (Tel: 6836 0388)

Something Old, Something New

If you want to look special, unique and stand out from the crowd, wear vintage. Some may squirm at the idea of wearing pre=owned clothes; especially when you don't know where it came from and the history behind it. I have no reservations about wearing vintage clothes so long as it is clean and in mint condition. In fact, I love vintage and I have amassed quite a collection of clothes, handbags and jewellery. Making vintage a part of your wardrobe can be challenging though. Here are some style tips on making vintage work for you and your wardrobe:

• Wearing vintage from head to toe may look too costume-like or dated. Mix the old with new e.g. pair a vintage denim jacket with a tee and skinny jeans or a long vintage skirt with trendy tops.

• Start small if you are new to this territory. Experiment with a vintage bag, scarf, hat, belt or accessory.

• Let your vintage item stand out. If you are wearing a pair of vintage earrings, keep the rest of your jewellery understated so that the earrings will be the talking point. That is the whole idea of wearing vintage!

• Vintage sizes do not correlate to modern ones. A size 8 during the 1960s may be equivalent to today's size 12, for example. So you have to try it on to be sure it fits you.

Melissa in a 1960's shift dress from Cherries Vintage

http://www.image-harmony.com

Top 10 Image Breakers

The list of beauty faux pas is endless! After much deliberation, I finally came up with 10 most notable beauty/fashion mistakes in Singapore.

1) Chipped Nail Polish
Girlfriend, it doesn't take you more than 10 minutes to remove old nail colour and re-varnish your nails! According to a survey, chipped nail polish was cited by men as one of those things which destroys their first impression of a woman.

2) Peekaboo Bra
I just don't get it; bra straps hanging out everywhere. There are so many types of bras for different clothing styles - halter, racer back, tube etc... Invest in a good functional bra. Also, please wear a skin coloured bra under a white blouse or tee. Black or other coloured bra under white shirts are tacky!

3) Bushy Eyebrows
Get your eyebrows groomed regularly to maintain a neat, clean and polished image. A pair of well defined eyebrows will make the eyes pop beautifully.

4) Wrong Foundation
The worst mistake women make when it comes to foundation is choosing the wrong shade for their skin tone. You don't want to go round looking like you are wearing a mask! The key to choosing the right shade is to TEST the colour on your face, not your wrist. Ensure your face is fresh, clean and bare. Put a few drops of each colour along your jaw line and blend, blend, blend all the way to your neck. Let the colour set in after a few minutes, then stand near a window to see which foundation looks best in natural light. The right shade is the one that blends so well into your skin that you can't see it. If it remains patchy, then that is the wrong shade for your skin tone.

5) Grown Out Roots
Grown out roots may be hot right now in LA and New York, but we are not in LA and New York, so yours will likely be frowned upon as a beauty faux pas! If your roots have grown out about 3 cm or more, it's time to re-touch your roots.

6) Length of Pants
I have seen too many women wearing the wrong length of pants with their high heels. It's either too short that it seems like your pants have shrunk or it's too long that your heels get stuck in the hem. This creates a sloppy image! The appropriate length for pants is the hem should graze the instep in the height heel you intend to wear with them and slide over the heel at the back. (Instep is the arched upper surface of the foot between the toes and the ankle)

7) Two Sizes Smaller
Excuse me, are you in denial of your true size? Wearing clothes 2 sizes smaller is NOT going to make you appear optically tinier! By the way, size doesn't matter, it's all about fit!

8) Black Tights With White Shoes
Unless you are Gwen Stefani, don't even attempt to try this combination! Black and white are highly contrasting colours and you really need to know how to work it without becoming a fashion victim. Instead of stark white, try an off-white or pastel gray to soften the contrast.

9) Drip, Drip, Drip: Wet Hair In Public
Oh, this is definitely one of my biggest beauty pet peeve. There have been occasions where I got slapped across the face by long hair on the bus or crowded trains, so can you imagine if the hair is dripping wet! A CEO once asked me to address this wet hair issue with her staff during an image training workshop. She felt it projected a tardy impression of the staff. So, please blow dry your hair before going to work as you never know your boss may be watching you!

10) Excess Baggage
Ah, I know we, women, can be fickle-minded sometimes over what to wear but to carry a handbag, a briefcase and recycling bags all at the same time is excessive! I have seen women carrying 2 large handbags, one on each arm. Keep to a small purse and a briefcase or invest in a good quality leather tote bag. And leave the recycling bag for grocery trips!

http://www.image-harmony.com

My Favourite Shops

Growing up, I remember classmates who would hide their notes in case you want to borrow them. In university, I came across peers who would hide precious library books under their beds in case you want to borrow them. Even now, I know of female friends who would subtly evade your question: "Where did you get your pretty dress from?" The standard reply would be "Oh...I can't remember. It's been so long!" Well, maybe they are a forgetful bunch, maybe it was really a long time ago or maybe they just don't want to share the good things with others!

So I will be spreading some sisterly love here by sharing with you some of my favourite shops. They are on my favourite list because the merchandise is of high quality, is wearable and unique and most importantly, the staff is knowledgeable about the products, friendly and gives excellent service.

OKA at #03-70A, Far East Plaza is owned by Ms Carmen Wong, who is also the designer behind the label. OKA specialises in cotton and linen clothing which are both great to wear in a hot and humid climate like Singapore. The style is casual, relaxed, natural, unstructured and creative. It's no wonder people from the dance and arts fields flock to OKA. Although its clothes are designed for women, there are male customers who would come to buy the oh-so-comfy pants (as shown in photo below). Needless to say, OKA will attract those who are looking for a more casual look yet unique and creative. The clothes are more suitable for those working in the creative field e.g. advertising, arts and beauty and less formal office environment. Although OKA is more for the sporty and creative, you can mix and match them with your own pieces to create your preferred style be it minimalist, feminine, bohemian or dramatic (see photos below). Prices start from $59 for cotton T-shirts, $89 for blouses, pants, skirts and dresses. Look for Joyce, the sales in-charge; she's super nice!

Plaid is so "IN" now. Pair cotton plaid skirt with tank top or ruffled blouse (above left)
for Spring/Summer 2010. Wear plaid dress with laced hem (above right) with opaque
tights and ballet flats for a gamine look.

Minimalist ensembles Unisex pants

http://www.image-harmony.com