Fashion Friday: Flirty Florals

Here're a couple of outfits during weekends that have been lifesavers during this hot and humid weather.

I couldn't say no to a 20% off for my birthday month at Warehouse so I added a couple of tops that I hope I'll be able to get heaps of wears out of them.

Most of the shops are still stocking bardot and cold shoulder tops but I don't want to spend too much on what I think might be just a trend so I got this Warehouse piece which comes in a cute tropical print. I paired it with an old Forever 21 tube skirt that I found at the clearance rack which has a quirky asymmetrical waistband and hemline.

I'm a huge fan of florals so I couldn't resist this magnolia print sleeveless top. I think I also have a bit of an obession with black pencil skirts which I find so versatile.

The cutest part of this top is the scoop back fastened with a bow.

This is an old Miss Selfridge crop top and has all of my favourite elements: baby blue, florals and a ribbon tie at the back. 

Gong Xi Fa Chai

It's been a whirlwind of activities leading up to Chinese New Year this time around and we didn't have a lot of time to do the usual decorations. 

I went with a mini festive table utilising what I could scavenge around our home. Yay to Daiso for the cute chick pot to welcome in the year of the rooster.

And because I now have a slight obsession with bonsai, my dad's friend showed me his collection, some of which are more than 30 years old. The gnarled branches curled around rocks, the tiny, lush green leaves and the soft, springy bed of moss were all amazing. Even Hubs, whose eyes usually glaze over at the mention of plants, found them fascinating and trailed his finger along some of the stems.

I'm thankful that both my family and in laws are in Penang so reunion dinner each time is a breeze. Hubs, Bubs and I spent lunch at my parents' and dinner at his parents' place. Mum broke with tradition this time around and made chilli crabs, one of my favourite dishes.

During Chinese New Year, we got all decked out in new clothes. The black assymetrical skirt was a gift from Aussie Godma and is one of my favourite, plus versatile pieces. 

Bubs very helpfully pointed out a day before that his feet grew too big to fit into all of his shoes. Thankfully he had some hand me downs still in great condition from his cousin so Bubs was more than happy with this bright orange pair of kicks.

On the second day, we visited Kelly's place for the annual lion dance that her folks usually host. Happy Chinese New Year, folks!

Misyal Buyit

Hub's friend recently opened a cosy boutique right in the middle of the heritage area and she was more than welcoming for me to drop by and play dress up.

Don't let the size of the shop fool you, she has a huge range of stock, mainly Asian inspired and while some aren't on display, she's more than happy to find clothes that she thinks will be a good fit for you.

I felt like a kid in a candy store! The ruffles and cute prints attracted me to this fun skirt. Hubs helpfully pointed out that the ruffles made me look like a jellyfish #thankshubs

Making the most of the recent off shoulder trend coupled with my other love: florals.

Hub's friend pointed out that I've an affinity for the colour blue ;) For some reason, this reminded me of a quirky Alice in Wonderland.

I really liked this lacy peplum top and thought that it'd be a versatile option for work when paired with a pencil skirt or a casual day out with shorts or jeans.

Random shot of antique Nonya glassware that she also carries in the boutique.

The peplum made its way back home with me :)

Misyal Buyit
Telephone: 017-469 3618
Address: 23 Cintra Street George Town, Malaysia

New Toys

A handful of Bub's and my new toys :) 

My cousin Jean sent Bubs this very amazing robotic animal kit that made him deliriously happy. Since he's pretty adept with Lego, we left him to fixing it by himself ... which was mistake #1. Mistake # 2 was not keeping 6 x AAA batteries at home. Oppps.

It wasn't until Bubs completed the pterodactyl that Hubs realised the kit requires batteries. And to fit the batteries in, you need to semi-demolish the robotic animal. We were scrabbling about at 10pm trying to find enough AAA batteries that we stripped the cordless phone and air-con remote for to make the pterodactyl flap its wings.

Bubs absolutely loves this kit and is already trying out more models which are so cool with their colourful "skins". It's a great step towards fostering a love of tinkering and robotics.

I've set my sights on these MNG black pointed low heels for a while and the moment I saw them on sale, I immediately marched over to the cashier with them. They also come in a hot pink version that i deliberated over but decided that stains on the fabric would be hell to get off. 

Blush pink Miss Selfridge asymmetrical crop top and Melissa + Jason Wu flats. With all the crop tops that I've been getting lately, I kinda wish that 70s style high waist jeans will come back in season soon. These Melissa flats are a bit of a splurge for me (even though they were on sale at Zalora) but they are so comfy plus its jelly-like material means that Hubs I can wash stains off them easily. 

Taking another step deeper into aunty-hood, my lunch buddies and I have started keeping indoor gardens in small containers. Daiso water beads in lieu of soil for this pot of pennywort.

I've tried (and failed miserably) terrariums so I've shifted my attention to air plants which are fuss-free and look so cute in mini landscapes. I'm also trying my luck with succulents in a large pot and praying frantically that they don't die. For some reason, cacti are hardier and I can never seem to gauge the correct amount of water for succulents. 

What's in the Bag

This has to be the month of splurges *looks around guiltily* My standard excuse is that someone needs to stimulate the retail economy so it might as well be me ;)

It's our 7th wedding anniversary and although I love fresh flowers, they're a bit of a waste for me so I dropped massive hints to Hubs to get me this instead ...

Tiny white flowers embroidered into a scalloped hem of this floaty, chambray skirt from Forever 21.

Because I aim to have a pair of pointy toed heels in every single colour under the rainbow ;) Low heeled sling backs in a muted shade of gold, this ticks all the boxes on my list.

Look, Hubs, I pointed excitedly at my just past shoulder length hair, it's finally long, I've saved so much on haircuts this year!

Big deal, he shrugs, look at the amount of spending you did on hair accessories.

Opppps ... I think in the process of trying to grow out my bob, I ended up with quite a number of intricately beaded Forever 21 headbands and hair pins.

I've to admit, it's taken me quite some time to realise that shopping for boys can be fun after all. Bubs ended up with some goodies at the newly opened Sports Direct outlet at Udini Square. His eyes popped out when he saw the Spidey hoodie and boxers. There was also the coolest Animal (my favourite Muppet) tee that Bubs didn't really fancy so I just got it a few sizes up for myself instead!

There was also a Star Wars R2D2 shaped cereal bowl giveaway with 2 giant boxes of cereal so you can guess what will be on the breakfast menu for the next few weeks ahead ;) Plus for Lego fans out there, Shell is having a collaboration so you get to purchase a Ferrari themed Lego poly bag for every purchase of Shell fuel above RM40.

Fashion Friday: Outfits of the Week

A round up of some of the outfits I've been wearing during the past week. 

I can't quite fathom if coloured jeans are still in or so last season but as long as they add a pop of bright colour to outfits, I'm not giving mine up. Plus not to mention, they are insanely comfy when thoroughly worn in. I feel the same about paisley prints, they seem to come and go every now and then so I've given up predicting when they are in fashion.

Finally had a chance to wear this poufy, pansy print midi skirt that I got from Bangkok for a night out. I was going for a 50s vibe with a plain white top, pearl necklace and ruby red lips. I still think I got scalped for the price but I love the beautiful cut and the way the heavy fabric falls around my calves so here's to hoping that this will be a wardrobe staple for me.

This skirt was an eBay gamble as it was listed as the (in)famous Zara gold sequined mini that was wildly popular with the fashion bloggers a couple of years back. I'm still on the fence about its authenticity but for a cheap buy, it's surprisingly of decent quality and the sequins are gorgeous. The waistband is elasticised and slightly loose so maybe I'll try getting a belt to cinch it in.

The In Between

I always term the period after Christmas and before Chinese New Year as the In Between because that's when I start mini stockpiling new purchases in the wardrobe, look at them longingly and tell myself to just wait a little while before I'm able to wear them for the Chinese New Year ... because I'm old school lah, must have new stuff for the lunar new year ;)

This peach lacy skater dress from Forever 21 was such a steal at only RM39 on sale.Hubs wrinkled his nose and asked why am I wearing a tablecloth.

I have to avoid walking into Miss Selfridge at Gurney Plaza now. Every time I pop in, telling myself sternly that I'm just browsing, I seem to come out with my wallet lighter and a bag in my hand. I've been looking for more dressier casual tops (is that an oxymoron?) so this embellished striped top checked all the boxes.

I've to admit that I am - or rather my knees are - feeling my age. In my 20s, I wore nothing but 3" heels and reluctantly hung up my strappy stilettos when I was in my 2nd trimester with Bubs. In my mid 30s, my back is paying the price now and I'm resorting to more sensible *ahem* footwear. Topshop ballet flats are the comfiest shoes ever and I've gone through heaps of pairs. These Charles and Keith peeptoes sandals in black patent should hopefully match most of my wardrobe :) 

New & Old Shoes

There comes a certain point in life where I have to bid adieu to sky high heels and start welcoming heels of a more sensible height. The issue, however, is that it is almost impossible to find shoes that have a decent height amidst a sea of gravity defying stilettos. 

Look and ye shall find ;) The beautiful shade of mint attracted me at the Nose sale and the soft fabric was so comfy. Can't wait to wear these as a pop of colour to a neutral outfit.

Aussie Godma shares my love of shoes and lace (preferably both together) and got me these lovely, black lace Aldo peep toes as an early Xmas present.

Given my passion for vintage and all things Nonya, my Grandma found these pair of manik (beaded) slippers still in immaculate condition. Apparently, the beads were hand sewn by my Great Grandma who passed away before I was born.

I was taken away at how intricate the design was and the tiny, tiny beads. It must have taken Great Grandma ages to complete sewing them! For now, I'm keeping them stashed away for a special occasion but can't wait for the day where I can wear them complete with a pretty kebaya.

Fashion Friday: Floral Pants

Maybe it's the nanna in me but I've a penchant for florals in any form: flowy dresses, pencil skirts ... lately I've been drawn to floral pants but Hubs draws the line at that and says they remind him of pyjamas. I think they look really cute if worn in a skinny, straight cut with either a neutral tee or an eye catching florescent.

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What do you think of floral pants? A trend that's going to fade away quickly or something that will last at least a few seasons?

Fashion Friday: She-Ra

After reading this brilliant post, I was inspired to blog about my childhood heroine *blush*

As a child of the 80s, I was obsessed over She-Ra. There was nothing my friends and I loved more than to re-enact She-Ra episodes during recess. While all the boys raved non stop about He-Man, we'd snort dismissively and start describing how amazing her flying unicorn was. We all wanted to be She-Ra with her long, swishy hair, white mini dress and high heeled boots ...... errrr, that didn't quite come out right but you get the idea.

1.  Beyond Vintage V Neck Lace Batwing Dress
2.  Feather Fascinator
3. Tiffany Elsa Peretti Bone Cuff
4. Paul & Joe Sister Chenapan Red Cape
5. Prada leather boots
6. Tom Binns choker
7. Gold Feather Hair Pins

I thought these would work very well for the Princess of Power in a modern day setting. She could fight off the Horde and still look snazzy at the same time. Who were your childhood heroes?

Kebaya

When I was younger, I could remember all the older female relatives of my family donning kebayas for special occasions like weddings and birthdays. Their kebayas were often gauzy, all shades of the rainbow and always intricately embroidered. When paired with colourful mua (sarongs), they reminded me of butterflies, fluttering around the room.

Left to right:
1. Fuchsia one that I wore during our registration of marriage. I wanted to wear a kebaya during our wedding but everyone else vetoed the idea.

2. Bright blue one bought from (all of places!) Sydney. There was a designer collaborating with Australian brand Sportsgirl and they had a range of kebaya.

3. and 4. Mint green and white ones from my Grandma's closet. Dad told me that his mum mostly sewed her own kebayas. Before she passed away, she gave Mum and I all of her collection. They're a bit loose on me so I usually pair them with tighter skirts/jeans.

A Leisurely Lunch and the Jade Bangle

Took advantage of the long weekend to have lunch with my dad. I'm a daddy's girl through and through and always try to bring him out to eat at different places. 

Dad insists on his shirts heavily starched during ironing. He has that many blue shirts that a waiter once asked him if that was his uniform.

He hates having his photograph taken so we always have to cajole him to take photos together. Last time, he used to complain that it's a waste of film. I pointed out to him that it's all digital nowadays and there's no film wastage. He then promptly said don't waste the battery.

Spotted these old abandoned buildings opposite the E&O. It's such a shame that these are just crumbling to bits and pieces and in the background are skyscrapers, you can tell that sooner or later, someone's bound to buy these up for the land, demolish them and build some hideous multistorey office block/condominium here.

These are still being used as offices, I think.

When I was growing up, every female relative I know wore a jade bangle and I used to think that it looked really auntie and frightfully old fashioned. Now that I'm practically an auntie myself (no point trying to deny the truth), I find myself developing an affinity for jade bangles and asked Mum where could I find one that is reasonably priced and hasn't been injected with green dye. She gave me her old jade bangle. Score! Hubs said I instantly took 1 step closer to being like his grandma.

It's a bit loose on me but I totally heart the colour. It's the old school kind of jade bangle, round and vivid green marbled with swirls of paler, translucent green. The tough part of wearing jade bangles are getting them through your hand as there are no fastenings. I got mine on fairly easily by following this tip from a colleague: put a plastic bag over your hand, rub a bit of oil on the bangle and then quickly glide it over the bag.

What do you think of jade bangles? Would you wear a jade bangle or are they too auntie?