Last of 2011

These were taken on Christmas. We had lunch at Fort with the father side family and us cousins spent the whole afternoon playing pusoy dos and bridge on the patio. I liked being outdoors for a change. The breezy weather made me feel all Christmas-y.

And here's a video I just saw. Zooey Dechanel and Joseph Gordon Levitt reunited! And singing! I didn't know JGL can sing. He sounded really nice. Match made in heaven :)

Hope everyone had a merry Christmas. Here's to a promising new year!

On C: dress – Dorothy Perkins ; cardigan & bag – from Korea ; shoes – from AU

On H: top – Oxygen ; shorts – F21 ; bag – from Korea ; necklace – borrowed from ma

Time for presents and exchanging kisses

Three for three. All taken last weekend.

First is for a laid back Christmas party in the village. I think this is my usual style. Loose fitting and layered. Familiar looking cover-up? J got us the same one :)

Second is for a surprise birthday dinner. After 2 years, we can wear bright colors again. (Although I cheated a few times with mustard yellow) So here’s my first attempt for something loud and pink.

And third is for a quick trip to the mall for some (unsuccessful) last minute shopping.

And I finally got an Alexa look-a-like! I bought it from a bag stall in Seoul. And coincidently enough, I spotted a Mulberry store at the airport before our departure. The Alexa is so pretty. I admired its perfect slouch, touched the buttery leather, slung the bag over my shoulder. And I asked for the price. It costs 1800 USD. Um, never mind.


outfit 1: floral top - F21 ; knit cover up - H&M ; shorts - Promod ; flats - Payless
outfit 2: button-down - Robinsons Dept Store ; skirt - SM Dept Store
outfit 3: crop top & bag - from Seoul ; shorts - GH tiangge ; oxfords - CMG

3 layers of tights

I look like a full-fledged Koreana! Had a chance to wear the Hanbok in the Korean Folk Village. It’s made of 2 pieces - a sleeveless dress that ties at the back like an apron and a long sleeved bolero top that knots at the front. It’s really pretty. As much as I’d like to wear it the whole day, here’s what I really wore:

I practically merge with the background. Unfortunately my winter wear is very limited and they tend to cover the spectrum of brown and black.

I love the street style in Seoul by the way. The people look effortlessly pulled together. Nothing fancy, just comfy chic. Tights and skirts, slouchy sweaters, capes, boots, hoodies, messy buns – they carry it with relaxed flair. And their cosmetics stores are insane. They’re everywhere. I don’t normally look up skin care or beauty products except for the occasional eye shadow or lipstick, but being surrounded by all those stores is infectious. It makes you want to pamper your face.

 

pretty scenery nestled in the Korean Folk Village

Overall I enjoyed Seoul. I like walking around with no major “must see” places in mind. I get stressed if there are plenty of places to visit in a short amount of time. Not to say there aren’t sites worth visiting in Seoul. I just prefer touring around in a slower pace, even if it means not getting to see a lot. And for this trip, it has a somewhat relaxed pace. But not so relaxing dynamics. And that’s an understatement I won't elaborate here :o)

coat – New York Company ; scarf – Bayo ; skirt – Promod ; boots – F21

Korea 2011

 

Namsan Tower

 

locks of luvvv

 

Pajon. Spring onion seafood pancake. So so good

Bibimbap. Mmmm.

 

one of the palaces

 

Cool shops in Insandong. The colorful blocks on the right side is the directory

 

Thanks K for all the shots :)

 

Cutest sleepy owl ever

 

Amazing night parade at Everland

 

At Cafe Bene

 

Sticky rice bread with cream cheese filling

Her name is lola

I promise to lay low on carrot pants since it’s all I ever post here. But these suspenders are just too cute. The pants is actually my mom’s (yes, she wore it once with suspenders, and she gets away with it!) I actually like the snug fit better than my own pair. I think I'll be borrowing this more often :)

As for the second outfit, the song Copacobana came to mind. Not about the night club part. More on the resort vibe of the outfit. But the song popped in my head anyway and now it’s stuck!

outfit 1: tank - Daley ; pants - mom's ; flats - VNC
outfit 2: button down shirt - Tango ; shorts - Surplus Shop ; sandals - Charles & Keith

fallin' for fall

Which website was I checking out? Summer Solstice, of course! Always looking forward to see what my sisters are wearing on the other side of the world :)

On my side, I braved the 13C weather of Berlin to wear this. When the climate turns colder, it's so easy to default to jeans and high boots, but not today -- when one's in Berlin, it's inspiring to put in some creative effort :) Blue toes? Numb legs?...ngiehh...collateral damage.

And today in Berlin, we discovered a little second-hand bookshop at Prinzlauer Berg named St. George that's packed from ceiling-to-floor, wall-to-wall with lovely, delicious books. I bought Ken Folliet's Pillars of the Earth at a steal--4 euros. When I went to the cash register for the store owner to ring it up, he told me I can return the book once I'm done reading, and he'll reimburse half of the price back. Sweet!

Another thing we took an iPhone photo of? My feather earrings which I got 50% off from Urban Outfitters when I was at Hamburg for a workshop. We have Urban Outfitters in Hamburg! Can you please come to Duesseldorf, Cologne or Berlin, too? While you're at it, please bring J Crew along!

Speaking of stores, a few weeks back we passed by an All Saints store in Berlin. I couldn't get it to check it out, because the hubby had a very firm grip on my hand and was literally pulling me away. He gives the term "fashion police" a whole new meaning. Fashion warden, perhaps? Bugger. Next time! Next trip, next outfit.

For now, I have to go a quick outfit switcheroo because we're off to the Fly Bermuda Techo Fest!

marled bands pullover - Anthropologie; shorts - H&M; booties - Zara; feather earrings - Urban Outfitters

Hello outdoors

I’ve always liked the look of Doc Martens but never had the guts to wear a pair. They look so 90s and grungy (which I apparently like, coupled with crop tops and loose shirts). They exude attitude that I don’t think I can pull off. So to substitute, I got these (faux) suede lace-up boots in light brown from So Fab. Not as harsh as black leather, yet it toughens up an outfit all the same. They look like a milder version of hiking boots. And they’re functional enough for an impromptu game of kick ball (which I previously did in barefoot when I only had sandals). Style + clean feet = happy girl.

And here I got a pic of C while she was talking to J. Sneaky sneaky, haha, I kid, I got her consent. I like the boho vibe, the mix of stripes and polka dots, and the different shades of green.

On h: boots – So Fab ; tank – Promod, crop cardigan – Zara ; shorts – Greenhills tiangge

On c: skirt – Babo ; striped top – Bayo ; bag – Greenhills tiangge ; slippers – Haviannas