Dr. Martens, Cure me from Wanting!

These few weeks, I've shopped lots, studied lots, slept extremely late, ate lots, I'm still kinda energetic, so here's to the last three weeks of the term!

I know Luella's Spring 2008 shows have made the blogger rounds a million times a million fashion years ago, but I'm not a stickler for being trendy and will wear the same few things till I find another object to fixate on...
So I will still say I'm still rather fixated on the light light layering for the outfits in the Luella show.

The tee-and-skirt/shorts-and-maybe-an-unlined-blazer combi (the weather only permits this much layering) has been serving me well, but after looking at the Luella outfits, I think the one thing which is sorely missing from my wardrobe now is a pair of boots with a lot of holes-and-lace action. I'd love a really pale pink pair.





















(Pictures from Style.com)

It isn't any surprise then that the ongoing Dr. Martens Design Competition 2008 caught my eye when I was picking up postcards a few weeks ago. Submit your designs and people all over the world vote for their favourites. Two designs will be selected, one by highest number of votes, the other a panel of judges will decide.

I had plans to join, but the hectic schedule meant only a sneak peek occasionally for me. I'm not that keen on the pairs of Dr. Martens sold locally since they cost well above $100 and there is extremely limited stock in extremely basic colours and is extremely difficult to get hold of. Nevertheless I'm intrigued by the designs churned out...












Above designs by Tim Low, Annette Abolins, Mark Goss, Auralee Postman, Yeo Tze Qing, Cherie Balowski, Emily Rose Kellerman and Jessica Lopez Clemot.

I'm still on the lookout for comfortable oxfords/ brogues and Marni-inspired shoes/ pointy wedges...

Accesso-rings

It's been so long ever since I've posted. Due to the extremely hectic days I've had, I haven't gotten a chance to sit down properly! Posts will most probably resume at a two-days-a-post pace I hope.

Anyway, I have never given accessories much thought, partly due to the fact that the weather here is too unbearable for me to wear necklaces and bracelets since when I'm out, I tend to sweat so excessively I really do better free of those additional adornments. However, a recent peruse of Etsy has left me yearning for some, in the form of rings rather than their larger counterparts.











I generally prefer rings with a single focus, but the focal point has to be eye-catching and make a statement. This coral-coloured flower ring above is one of my favourites.
(From lulucoco)
















This ruby ring with gold twists of wire and faceted surface has a very lovely feel to it. I love rich colours and this ring will be perfect with almost any outfit.
(From cynthiasheridan)






















Rings composed of different mediums also tickle my fancy. Dark wood and metal look really good in this one...
(From miostudio)





















This is for guys I suppose due to the broad and dramatically clean-cut and bold presentation. But it really appeals to me too...
(From noformdesign)








I love this combination of colours and surfaces. Bright turquoise blue with sparkling faceted red and swirly orange...mhmm...
(From phranne)














This bubble lace ring makes for a simple yet lovely adornment... It's rather large in surface area yet not chunky... I can imagine an outfit based on this ring!
(From ColleenBaran)



















Here's where art and fashion meet, with a very lovely result too. This ring is made of hand-pleated silk and silver wire. What's better than having a pleated doily on your finger?
(From tinctory)










I always save the best for the last... Wouldn't that make the end even sweeter? Here's Wendy Brandes' magnum opus. The skull carved from black onyx and it's surounded by pave tsavorites with diamonds set on the inside of the ring. A kick-ass ring by a kick-ass lady (check out her blog). I want it for my wedding!
















Here's a ring I recently purchased for S$20. The large adornment is faceted onxy with three tiny diamantes each on one side. It is surprisingly versatile and adds that extra weight or oomph when needed.

Thrift/ Vintage Hunting #1: Salvation Army Family Thrift Store (SAFTS)

My very First venture into the local thrift stores! After seeing so many exciting finds other bloggers unearthed, I had to try my luck! This trip took place a few weeks ago and I've only got down to taking pictures (which were really challenging for me since there were so many lighting and camera issues) and posting about them now...

Best Find:
Black Swingy Chiffon Dress with nude satin lining









































Besides the faulty zip, this is in perfect condition. If only I had a 1920s themed party to go to...

Find #2:
Pale Blue dress with tulle adornment at top









































I intend to wear this as a slip or with simple layers over it...

Find #3:
Brand new Lace-Tulle Top from GG<5





















This is a little tight for me but at only $2, I couldn't resist... Me thinks this will look good over a book cover...

Find #4:
A shirt appropriate for the workplace. It is actually a really lovely deep purple but due to the horrid bright light and my lack of skills, the pictures really do not do the shirt justice. The cloth is a gauzy silk texture with many teeny polka dots, and there are satin cloth buttons down the middle.





















Another close up:
















Sadly, outfit pictures are not in order yet as I really lack time and energy to dress up... Hopefully I'll have more posts and outfits by this week...

Splurge on Books

I haven't sat down properly and enjoyed a novel for such a long time due to overwhelming commitments... so for my birthday, a very close aunt of mine gave me vouchers for Borders books! Naturally as a nerd, I was so delighted, but I still spent waaaay more than expected...

Books I bought:
















-'Lolita' by Vladimir Nabokov
-'Brave New Worl'd by Aldous Huxley
-'One Hundred Years of Solitude' by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
-'The Great Gatsby' by F. Scott Fitzgerald
-'The Golden Notebook' by Doris Lessing
-'War and Peace' by Leo Tolstoy

Glossies:

-Numero #92 (the one in Black & White with Catherine McNeil on the cover)
-Cake Magazine Issue Two (Singapore publication)





















I first saw this zine while browsing the racks of magazines in Borders, and this Cake magazine stood out because of its rather intriguing graphic design and attractive colours.

So being the inquisitive person I am, I picked it up and realised it was only SG$8, which is actually rather cheap for a foreign publication which I thought it was. But flipping through the mag, I couldn't help but feel a local vibe coming from the writing and expressions. Hence, a further discovery of the 'Stockists' page at the back revealed that it was indeed a local publication. Which was rather amazing since this magazine really brings local standards to a higher level, what with the special graphics, thought and effort put into.





































The front cover is done up by local think tank, Asylum, which I believe has a store in Ann Siang Hill selling more unique glossies.

From the Editor's Note, apparently this front flap cover is not of digital roses, but actual 800 dark red rose buds bought specifically for this cover flap. The results are indeed gorgeous and my pictures do no justice to the lovely hues.































The fashion shoots in this magazine are much more adventurous and have rather interesting concepts. Also, this magazine is more of pushing boundaries and exploring with different presentations and ideas. I'm also loving the different types of lighting used in the fashion shoots following these. Sadly due to my outrageously inapt skills at photography, the colours turned out all wrong and so it would be a really inaccurate representation...

















I haven't caught wind of Issue One, and am really looking forward to the next issue.

Since I'm on the topic of academic pursuits, here's a picture of the lovely paperweights gifted to my mother by her lovely boss. One's a persimmon while the other is a tangerine.

Modify-It-Yourself #1

Recently, I've been buying too many things I like but will not wear frequently, and hence when I really need new, comfortable clothes, I often find my wallet near-empty. This then lead me to sort out my wardrobe and look for items I do not wear and transform them into items for daily wear.

One such inspiration came from that's just my vibe:




















From Pixie Market

What I found that can be converted:
A striped shirt (excuse the crumples please) from eons ago which I bought for a trip where I had a million layers over it.





















A rough estimation of how it'll turn out after some ironing:

















Since orange is a rather hard colour for me to pull off, I'm highlighting the grey parts instead. I plan to alter the sleeves too and chop a few good inches off...

Another item I found lurking in the closet:
A skirt from a few years ago... I have no idea why I didn't wear this cos it still fits...































What I plan to do:
I'm kind of crazy over tie-dye now... so with the 'clean' canvas state the skirt is in now, I can either dye it in a single colour like this...




















From shopbop

Or two-toned...





















From Forever 21

Or just going crazy and dripping paints of all colours all over...











From Creatures of Comfort

Check back to see the final results and future 'Outfit-A-Day's!