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!

Outfits of the Week

One of the nicest things of living in Penang is that you can never run short of cool backdrops ;) And yes, my Cambridge Satchel has been one of my best buys this year. It's so versatile with a top handle plus a long shoulder strap as a cross body option. 

My cousin got me hooked onto scarves. Initially I was a little dubious but she convinced me to treat it as an alternative to a statement necklace. It took me ages to find a bright, silk one in Penang and I'm still learning how to knot it neatly.

This bright turquoise jersey wrap dress was a gift from Aussie Godma and I love how fast and easy it is to layer over a camisole.

Because ombre (especially in shades of my favourite blue) makes my heart beat a little faster.

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

My Daily Outfits: Flower Power

Hubs says that I'm the most predictable person ever and my clothes are no exception. "There, you see," he pointed at my wardrobe. "It's either in blue, lace or florals!" After my last shopping spree, I could see his point ;) This was my last week's outfits, all in flower power. 

I know, peplums are probably wayyyyy low on the fashion barometer now but what's not to love about a little skirt at your waist that hides a jelly belly? Not to mention the pretty floral print on this fitted Miss Selfridge sleeveless top that reminds me of Chinese New Year red packets and the fact that it's lined inside as well.

I wore it for Bub's birthday party with skinny dark denim and can't wait to try it with either a pencil or a flared skirt.

This Warehouse skirt made my heart skip a beat the moment I first laid eyes upon it. A pale blue background with fat, pink blooms and yellow bumblebees in an A line cutting. It's going for 50% on the website but it doesn't ship to Malaysia plus it was part of the new arrivals and I was paranoid that by the time it went on sale, there wouldn't be any sizes left so I used my additional 15% discount on the Topshop card to grab it.

I like the bright and cheery colours though I wish it came with pockets. It has a front split for ease of walking and is midi length on me.

This Zara blue striped with lace cut outs is slightly cropped on me, I usually wear it with high waist jeans or skirts but it was a hot, sunny day so I popped on a pair of shorts with it.

My Daily Outfits: Feelin' the Blues

It's always a bit of a joke with my friends and I that I adore the colour blue and almost always have something blue on. 

One thing about having work buddies with similar tastes is that we end up buying the same stuff during lunch breaks and joke about wearing them together at the same time as our office uniforms. This flirty and fun mini is what we call our "Alice in Wonderland" skirt and it's such a easy piece to wear as it goes with virtually anything. I've paired it with a silver, mid open back top for the weekend.

My blush Melissas are one of the best buys I've ever made this year, these saw me through hours of trudging through London pavements and make a dressier alternative to sport shoes. SY, I'm indebted to you for picking such an elegant yet neutral colour for me.

I added a bit of sparkle to my white top - blue jeans combo with my late grandma's brooch fastened onto the pocket. I'd to warn Bubs not to suddenly run into me to avoiding hurting himself or getting a nasty jab myself.

I got this Zara top during my mad power shopping session at Oxford Street and the intricate white lace hem reminds me of Nonya kebayas. I've been using my Cambridge cloud satchel for close to half a year now and it's been the perfect travelling bag with its convenient top handle plus cross body strap. The only issue I've had with it is that with prolonged use, the top handle slips out from the sides. I resorted to tying some twine (and not even in blue, lol) to provide a bit of grip and it works but I'm trying to look for a nicer-looking fix.

Our Weekend

It was one of those humid days where schedules are thankfully empty and all you can be bothered to do is hang out with some pals.

We met up with Bub's cousin, Olivia, for lunch. The two of them bonded over a mutual love for Lego and played happily for hours, eating, talking and building.

My cousin, Jean, got me this gorgeous floral print midi skirt from Zara and it's one of the most flattering plus comfy skirts ever. It's high waisted so it sucks in annoying tummy fat (yes, I know, less food, more exercise ;) ) but it's not as tight as a pencil skirt, it's incredibly comfortable. It looks sleek and polished with a black, fitted tee and cute when paired with a blush coloured top.

Another thing to cross off Bub's to-do list as a kid: watching hobbyists with their remote controlled helicopters. My Dad told me stories of how when he was a kid, he'd go to that very same field to fly his toy plane so I was eager for Bubs and I to just hang out there for a while. The hobbyists were a very friendly and enthusiastic bunch, chatting to us about the various models. If you're keen to drop by, they are usually there 11.30am on weekends.

Bubs followed me for a quick stroll at the Waterfalls plants nursery. It's a massive space occupied by a few separate businesses with reasonably priced pots, lush greenery (not that many cacti or air plants though) and there was a pottery class in session, complete with a kiln.

Pots of all sizes, shapes and colours scattered across the grounds.

I know, it's the auntie in me that is starting to appreciate all the gorgeous greenery.

Over the Weekend

The best weekends, are often the most uneventful ones, time spent with family and friends, good food and just pottering around.

Bubs met up with the 2 Nats at the Spice Arena public pool. Stoked that we were the first customers of the day, we had the entire children's pool to ourselves for a good part of the morning. They frolicked in the chilly water for hours, chasing and splashing each other.

Weekend uniforms are mainly a white top and skinny jeans with a statement necklace added for some bling. Hubs calls this my Cleopatra necklace.

With Bubs photobombing in the back :) Since it's a somewhat shaky close up, let me tell you how much I love my Cambridge Satchel cloud bag. It's a structured, stiff leather but fits in all my stuff and the twist lock is a much welcomed change from its previous leather buckles.

I went succulent shopping again! The nursery at Green Lane (past the Caltex station) has a wide range of small succulents, from prickly ones that I eschewed to pretty leafy stems. The friendly owners are full of handy tips for looking after plants - an alternative to watering the succulents is to just soak the pot in a shallow tray of water for the roots to suck in moisture.

Here's to hoping that this can last more than a few weeks. I got this unglazed, wide pot from the pottery shop close to the Waterfall Gardens for just RM13.

The Kimberly Street duck noodle stall has been operating for decades. When I was Bub's age, my parents used to take us there for dinner and it seems fitting that now, Hubs and I brought Bubs along with my parents and brother there. We ordered up a storm and Hubs is still in awe of how much food we managed to polish off.

A Little Bit of This

When work gets hectic, one of the ways I find some quiet pockets of time is to just lie in bed and have a good read. It helps me to keep my sanity and I clutch at the pages, savouring the printed words like a lifesaver. This is just one of my many to-be-read piles from Big Bad Wolf and the recent Popular RM5 sale.

Uniqlo is fast becoming a guilty obsession for me and every Friday, my colleagues and I would hit the mall, scurrying through the limited offer sections. We recently discovered that we could fit into the Girls Relaco XL shorts and it's such a good bargain because it's RM10 cheaper than the adult's range. Not to mention, the Leo Lionni prints are too adorable for words and Bubs is jealous that now my PJs match his bedtime story books :D

And because my cousin, Jean, pointed out that I've been shirking away from outfits of the day posts, here are some of my choices for the past week.

These dusky pink Topshop skinny jeans have been surprisingly versatile and I've been wearing them for years back when coloured jeans were all in the rage. Pairing it with a soft gray pajama-style top, glittery silver sandals plus - if you look hard enough - tiny white tassel earrings.

I have a soft spot for cute prints and these Gap Kids summer tank dress had the cutest animal prints: elephants, giraffes, zebras. I figured since I was going full on whimsical mode, I might as well pop on my crazy black cat flats - also from - yes, you guessed it, Gap Kids. Hubs says he's praying very hard that one of these days, I'll bump into a little girl wearing the exact same dress as me, hmmmph!

I used to be a huge fan of Dorothy Perkins's jersey skater dresses until I realised that the skirt shrinks with repeated washes and becomes scandalously short. Jean hems hers shorter so it becomes a peplum top but I didn't want to shell out anymore money to alter them so I popped a Uniqlo skirt over it. The outer skirt gets more volume as the short skirt inside acts as a sort of a bustle to fluff it out. Plus, the Uniqlo skirt comes with pockets!