Category Archives: Style talk

Summer is in the air

31
28.05.12

I just rounded up a few recent style related instaphotos aka. I’m procrastinating.

Hey! I am already living in those saltwaters as they are super comfortable and I didn’t even have to break them in. HIGH FIVE! Seeing that my wardrobe almost merely consists of clothes in different shades of blue, the saltwaters were, natch, a good choice.

In the second photo, I’m donned in my new jumpsuit from Organic by John Patrick and my grandmother’s blazer. And just a heads-up for those of you who want to wear rompers to the beach: Make sure there is a public restroom nearby the beach. If not, don’t even bother considering wearing one. Truth be told I barely drank anything for six hours so that I didn’t have to powder my nose behind a naked shrub. Well, talk about being practical… otherwise, I haven’t had any other bathroom-related issues in terms of rompers.

My mom also unearthed an old pair of cork wedges (third photo) that she used to wear in her younger days. Unfortunately, turned out they’re a weeny bit too small for my feet. Booh! If only they were a size bigger and I wouldn’t have to think of sandals again for a long, long while. So I ended up passing them on to my little sister. Design-wise they are the perfect cross between the K. Jacques barigoule sandals and A.P.C. cork wedges that I’m aching for. Obviously I haven’t made up my mind because I want both (do I need both?), but I tell you, right now it is impossible to narrow the choices down to one.

Simplicity is not easy

44
14.01.12

Haha, so the day after I’d declared that my blog posts wouldn’t be as few and far between, my Internet at home broke for more than a week. Such a bummer! Also, I’ve been utterly immersed in an avalanche of intoxicating, though labor-intensive deadlines, which I can’t wait to blog about when the final product is finished.

Anyhow, someone asked me: “How do you stop getting bored from wearing the same pieces constantly or does it not bother you?”, on formspring. Good question! Truth to tell, I don’t think I’ve ever got bored of repeatedly wearing the simplest pieces in my wardrobe as they are so simple and unfussy. They make me feel good and comfortable. I don’t seek attention. If I were to, I’d perhaps put on something exceptional or eye-catching, but I wouldn’t because I like simplicity. And therefore I embrace it. Wearing the same clothes over and over again doesn’t bother me, because I love them, so I don’t see a reason why wouldn’t I wear them all the time.

On the other hand, I get jaded and blasé of wearing items that stick out such as statement and flamboyant pieces. Easily recognizable pieces. I guess it’s because such items make me feel like I’m wearing the same things over and over again, whereas simple pieces stand the test of time simply because they’re merely invisible and no-nonsense. Take the outfit above, for instance; every separate is true perfection in my estimation yet so simple. The cut and proportions are right, which is very crucial. I like things that most people find boring. I’ve trained my eyes to look beyond the boringness. It’s all about the tiny, imperceptible details. People may not be able to see those details, which is even better – it’s as though I’m wearing a little unintelligible secret.

Quite frankly, I think it’s more complex to wear, design, and shop for simple clothes. Does this make any sense? I don’t even own a white or black t-shirt. You must wonder, “How is that even possible?” Simple clothes ain’t that easy. Just like disco music. On the surface, disco music sounds easy but just listen through the multiple layers of syncopated beats and instrumentations. Not as uncomplicated as you thought, right?

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Isabel Marant coat, H&M scarf, COS o-neck sweater, Mardou & Dean jeans, Hope boots, A.P.C. bag

Composition of harmony

26
19.12.11

(via totokaelo.com)

It’s hard to talk about the perfect length sans using visuals. Fortunately, the styling over at Totokaelo is so spot on – I love their take on where the pants should end on you, the perfect sleeve length that reveals the right amount of skin before hitting at the wrists, and so forth. Take a look at these photos – the separates are in harmony, which elevate the outfits from being boring and devoid of style to understatedly appealing and just no-nonsense. And the trick is… *drumroll* … to train your eyes to discern the right lengths for your body. I’ve already found mine, which makes shopping a simpler task in terms of eliminating items based on whether or not they create a harmonic silhouette.

What I wore today

38
10.11.11


I dress as if it’s still September, which I’m over the moon about. Although it’s the middle of November, the snow hasn’t arrived and the current temperature is indicating that a snowy winter is very far from around the corner – I don’t mind at all, as I can’t stand the snow and have yet to find a pair of winter boots. I’m having such a hard time unearthing the perfect boots for winter – or… I think I’ve found them but I’m ruined to the hilt, so it’s all about strategy. Waiting for the sales, in other words. So I keep crossing everything crossable for a prolonged snowless period of clement winter.

Anyhow, this is what I wore today. I guess no one could ever tell whether or not I overslept and just grabbed the clothes within reach – the latter is what I do every time I dress. Truth be told, I don’t make much effort in outfitting myself, but it does take a lot of effort to become effortless and achieve the look of ease.

Besides, I chopped off my crowning glory on the spur of the moment last week. I might want to go even shorter. And I’m going back to London on Monday – just another spontaneous trip, which I booked on one of my sleepless nights of this week. The control freak in me wants to do some planning now. Yes, I’m such an oxymoron!

–
Isabel Marant Etoile Coat, A.P.C. sweater, H&M scarf, A.P.C. tote, Cheap Monday jeans, Ettore Adriano loafers

A common thread

32
16.06.11

I no longer feel the urge to experiment with style and clothes, which is something I find pretty amazing and relieving truth be told. It’s as though I have ultimately merged with my alter ego, or that my looks are now deeply intertwined with my identity at last. My apologies for the vague descriptions, but it’s almost inexplicable. Sartorially speaking, I feel settled into my own style. As I see it, maintaining a common thread, which runs through my approach to dressing, is as exhilarating as the general thrill most people get out of pushing the envelope.

I don’t mind being a repeat offender; as a matter of fact I embrace my nature. These days I have two pairs of shoes that are practically cut from the same cloth; while the Isabel Marant boots are great for daywear, I reserve the high-heeled twin from The Kooples for casual eveningwear, as I want to dress up a bit for the occasion yet keep things consistent. Evidently, I have found a common thread in terms of style and aesthetics – my ‘going-out’ attires, for instance, are just slightly more dressed up versions of my everyday look. Having a very small wardrobe is, to be sincere, both limiting and challenging at the same time, but I thoroughly enjoy the consistency my wardrobe provides and the fact that I always feel like myself regardless of what I’m clad in.

On the other hand, I’m forever on the search for formal eveningwear that caters well to my style, taste and life. I believe it’s feasible to dress accordingly for a variety of different occasions and still look and feel like myself. ‘Shop and dress with conviction’ has been one of my shopping and style mantras for quite a while now.

(Sorry for the long ramble!)

My uniform of the week

72
15.05.11




Here is what I have been wearing for an entire week, with a few subtle variations. Truth be told, I’m such a creature of habit. Once I get engrossed in a new style-formula discovery, I neglect to wear anything else. Also, I tend wear a certain item day in, day out – in this case these tapered trousers and the Kooples boots. Especially when it comes to bags, I wear only one for months at a time. As for this particular silhouette, I designed it when I was putting together an ensemble for a night out last weekend – probably my go-to outfit for nights out as of now (but swap the breton top for an unbuttoned silk button-down shirt).

That said, I have to be honest… I haven’t worn these trousers since January, but due to weight gain they fit like a glove now, so far as I can tell. As you can see from this post, these trousers made my legs look a tad skeletal and I wasn’t mentally comfortable sporting them back then. And all of a sudden, I’ve become relatively self-conscious about wearing completely fitted pants such as skinny jeans. I suppose it takes time to get used to my body’s physical changes. Nonetheless, it’s just a shame that the pictures don’t do the trousers justice at all. The fit is ultimately impeccable!

Incidentally, I must admit I haven’t been an avid advocate of posting photos of this nature since I reincarnated this blog roughly a year ago. I just recently started to include many outfit shots, perhaps out of habit. I like the idea of curating a style blog that incorporates visual pictures of the curator’s style – after all, that’s what I love seeing on the style blogs I frequent. My Mommy Style and Garderoben are two great examples. Regardless, I dress rather simple, basic and probably boring according to people. Nothing extraordinary or innovative. Sometimes it strikes me that my outfit photos are beyond basic, and I also start wondering if they are blog-worthy at all. Despite that, I am partial to seeing outfits of this nature on other style blog curators (for reference, check out the aforementioned blogs). Anyway, do I post too many photos? Too many details and so on…? Any thoughts and feedback are appreciated. (I wish to cater to my readers because, at the end of the day, you are the visitors of this blog…)

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Vintage jacket, A.P.C. shirt, Zara trousers, Balenciaga city bag, The Kooples boots

La tenue du jour

83
06.05.11



This is just another variation of my uniform/silhouette. I like the fact that it only takes me five seconds to dress in the morning yet I always look put together – in my estimation. That’s one of the many advantages of having a wardrobe pared down to the essentials. Surely, it takes a lot of effort to become effortless.

On a different note. I don’t wear a lot of accessories. It’s not in my nature to pile on heaps of accessories. Obviously, I gravitate towards simplicity. A flash of ankle and wrist is quite enough to add a zest to my outfits. Also, I always wear my wrist watch, partially out of practicality, and my subtle gold necklace with anchor pendant. I’ve been wearing this particular pendant ever since I was little (I think it was a christening gift) and it means a lot to me.

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Isabel Marant jacket, A.P.C. sweater, Cheap Monday jeans, Ettore Adriano loafers, MbMJ bag, Dior sunglasses

My wish lists in retrospect pt. 1

24
18.04.11

(via phosphenefashion)

Today I rediscovered a moleskine notebook filled with my old shopping and wish lists from 2009. My taste has undeniably changed since then, so to speak. Be that as it may, I find it rather fun and enlightening to see how mon goût has progressively moved in the direction of my current taste. I am positive that my taste will remain somewhat the same for years to come, inasmuch as I can perceive that I’ve finally figured out my style and taste.

However, I want to share the aforementioned lists on my blog. The first one was dated March 2009. To put it bluntly, my approach to style was still fairly schizophrenic at that time. Yet some of the items on my lists are a tad embarrassing as they are far from in accord with my taste nowadays. Trust me, every list gets better with time.

Otherwise it’s nice to look back at my lists so as to sort out things in terms of wardrobe building and grasp why I need a lot of time to reflect before I settle for an item. The funny thing is that I can’t even recall wanting to acquire any of the items listed below.

- Beanie
I’m glad I never got my hands on a beanie as I subsequently found out that it’s not my style at all. I don’t know but I assume I was slightly influenced by the Alexander Wang mania at that point.
- Bowler hat
Purchased in London and worn a couple of times. I looked silly and forced. I’ve learned my lesson!
- Chanel-esque tights from Lindex
Why?
- Asymmetric cardigan à la Rick Owens
I abstain from anything asymmetric these days.
- White, slouchy tank tops à la Alexander Wang
Not exactly my top priority. I don’t even have white tank tops on my basics list.

I have nothing else to add but a good laugh!

Style talk on a monday

55
28.02.11


I am 100% certain this ensemble will be my go-to uniform in roughly two months – unfortunately, winter lasts from November to April in Norway. With beautiful new garments waiting to be worn, my morning dressing routine has started to become rather miserable. Although I love sticking to my uniform, I have sincerely been wearing the same clothes every single day since November; a pair of black jeans, the Isabel Marant bator coat, a black crew-neck sweater (I have two sweaters in frequent rotation) and a pair of Doc Martens boots (I loathe those boots as they belong to my ‘the Horrors’/'Dior Homme’/experimental era. But the roads are dangerously steep where I live and, on top of that, the cumulative snow makes the roads even more fatal, hence I have to wear those acutely unchic boots). No wonder I’m completely fed up with that attire.

However, the uniform in the photos above consists of a pair of cropped linen trousers from Isabel Marant, striped shirt from A.P.C, linen jacket from Isabel Marant and suede bottines from Zara. As for the linen trousers, these are initially skinny trousers but I’m in the process of stretching them out till they look like Jeanne’s perfect linen trousers.

Style talk on a monday

35
31.01.11

(via stuart&wright)

I just checked my schedule for the coming weeks and I am heartily relieved. The good news is, I have a few easy weeks ahead of me. There will be little if any demands on me, which means I have time to devote to music rehearsal, blog and wardrobe planning.

Seeing that I am heading back to Paris in two weeks, I need to fine-tune my list of items I want to look for. As mentioned in my shopping resolutions post, I will concentrate on the basics. Thus far, I know some of the items I want; linen t-shirts and trousers from Isabel Marant, breton shirts and petit standard jeans from A.P.C., Vara flats from Salvatore Ferragamo and essential basics in general. Otherwise I will follow my instinct if I happen to stumble upon some unpredictable finds.

Apropos of unpredictable finds: I recently came across this profoundly stunning silk dress above, obviously from Isabel Marant. As a devout old Isabel Marant fan, it’s no wonder that I’m head-over-heels for this dress as it immaculately reincarnates the lately absent bohemian bourgeois aesthetic of Marant. Who really needs accompanying garments when you’re decked out in this exquisite Isabel Marant tidbit? Though, this dress is very reminiscent of something Sofia Coppola would wear but exemplifies a garment I can only admire from a distance.

Also, it ought to be said that the silk feels like polyester, unfortunately.