5 Most Fashionable Films, Ever

Aside from the story line, the shooting locations, the shooting technique and whatnot, movie costumes have certainly been a huge part of what makes a movie altogether more thrilling. Exactly how many times have to drooled over whatever Sarah Jessica Parker was wearing in Sex and the City?

So here we go, my pick of the 5 most fashionable films, ever.

1. Annie Hall

One of the most iconic films of all time, Annie Hall is a romantic comedy about the ups and downs of the relationship of two mismatched New York neurotics - Alvy Singer (Woody Allen) and Annie Hall (Diane Keaton). 

The film was largely based on the actual relationship between Allen and Keaton. And did you know that Annie's wardrobe was influenced by Keaton's own closet? When the costume designer objected to Keaton's  suggestions of using her own clothes in the film, Allen said: "Leave her. She's a genius."

The result? Women liked what they saw - a free spirit finding her way. The Annie Hall look is essentially a girl in men's clothing - loose enough to make it look liberating, yet fitting enough to subtly accentuate your femininity.

2. Breakfast at Tiffany's

Actually, I can't remember an Audrey Hepburn movie that isn't stylish. However, this is probably the most iconic of all. Who could forget that elegant black dress? The one that spawned all other little black dresses. Thank Givenchy himself for creating the costumes that are now the most celebrated pieces in fashion history.

If you've never watched this movie, please don't tell anyone, silently download it or buy the DVD, watch it, and pretend you've watched it years ago. Because if you've never watched it... Well, just watch it and don't tell anyone you haven't.

Breakfast at Tiffany's is about a Holly Golightly (Hepburn) a New York socialite who falls in love with a young author (Paul Varjak). 

3. Marie Antoinette

The movie about the tragic Queen of France herself, while Marie Antoinette isn't a particularly critically acclaimed film, the costumes are nothing to be sneezed at. Hey, I like a bit of flamboyance in fashion.

Yes, the costumes are over the top. But they portrayed the luxury and opulence of the French upper class to the tee. What with the luxe fabric, jewelled satin shoes, elaborate hair pieces, exotic fans and flamboyant hats, you can't help but want to be a part of that world, even if it were for a few brief minutes. 

That's how the world of the rich should look like.

4. The Great Gatsby

So sue me. I have a weakness for flapper fashion. As described by Vanity Fair: "Summer whites, cable knits, beaded sheaths, and crisp oxfords set against green lawns and blue skies full of sea." pretty much sums up the costumes and setting of The Great Gatsby.

I doubt I've ever seen a man carry out a pink suit as well as Jay Gatsby (Robert Redford), a masterpiece designed by Ralph Lauren. It's actually quite symbolic in the film. Very pale, surprising with a hint of childlike trust - the unlikely purity that will eventually undo the peculiar Jay Gatsby.

Yum.

5. Rear Window

Aside from Audrey Hepburn movies, almost all of Grace Kelly's movies are the most stylish movies in Hollywood history. While she was only a supporting actress, all of her costumes in Rear Window are classic Kelly. The full-swish skirts, fitted tops, pearls, elbow length gloves and that Hermes bag that we now know as "The Kelly Bag".

Posing, lounging or pacing, Grace Kelly filled the screen with such cultured femininity. Especially accentuated with those gorgeous dresses of hers. 

Fun fact: Did you know that the costume designer Edith Head was nominated for 35 Oscars, winning 8 times including Grace Kelly's stunning pieces in Rear Window? 

Till next time,

Ciao, guys!

Why You Should Blog Responsibly

Yeah, okay. I'm misleading you guys. I haven't been blogging too much on fashion lately, I know. But hey, it's BLOGGING RESPONSIBLY. And, after all, I'm essentially a blogger. A fashion blogger. But still a blogger.

So here's the deal:

Responsible Blogging 2013

This is a campaign that calls upon the entire online community in Malaysia to rally for and support an ethical climate in the blogosphere for the mutual benefit of both bloggers and readers alike.

The goal?

1,000,000 engagements; 2000 Bloggers; 9 Brands. Stand up for responsible blogging.

If you're a blogger whose reading this right now, this would be very helpful for you.

The 9 pillars of Responsible Blogging

Yes, I know it's very small, but you can enlarge it. Just click.

In order to blog, one must know how to write. I am a writer by profession. And with every piece I come up with, it's pretty much my job to make sure that the info I give out is reliable, and accurate. Can't mislead the masses. That's a no-no. It could very well cost me my job. That, and many other factors. 

Likewise, if I were to say that Jennifer Lawrence wore Oscar de la Renta to the Oscars this year (when she actually wore Dior Haute Couture) you guys might actually start throwing stones at your computer screens in anger at me because it's not true.

Responsible blogging 2013 campaign was presented by Ninetology Malaysia. 

NINETOLOGY is an ASEAN mobile device technology company, strongly driven by the people’s pride and importance of being on par with global technology progression and renowned international standards. Phenomenal growth is what we strive for and we who have an eye for details, meticulous with elements of technology, art and beauty - ENSURES this. Inspired by bold & fast-paced lifestyles, products of NINETOLOGY are empowered by today’s solutions for practicality and functionality.

Now, if you think we are onto something meaningful, and you think it matters to you, join us now, and be one of the 2,000 bloggers to tell the world, we care! Head on to www.responsibleblogging.my

We now return to our daily schedule. I promise the next post will be something on fashion.

Ciao!
xoxo, darlings.

7 Reasons Why You Should Dress Up For Work

Yes, I'm back. That week long hiatus does wonders for the brain.

Oh, and Happy Monday, folks!

I can't quite come up with a proper introduction for this, except... I cannot stress enough how important it is to dress up for work. Sure, you'll have days when you just can't be arsed to pull out a nice shirt for work (especially right after holidays, or the weekend. That kills.)

So here are 7 reasons why you actually SHOULD be arsed to dress up for work, especially helpful on days when you can't be arsed. At all.

1. Just in case 

Aside from impressing the boss for that promotion, gaining respect from your co-workers and yadda yadda (boring stuff we all know about), you never really know when a new, muscular, hot-looking Abercrombie & Fitch male model-esque colleague would join the work force.

One can dream, and yes, it is entirely possible.

And when he does, you'll be glad you've read this. Same goes to men. Except, well, it would be a hot new lady worker, of course. Unless you swing that way.

2. Self esteem

I don't know about you, but it always makes me feel a lot better when I dress up for work. Kinda makes me feel more confident about myself, like a "ha-ha I look hotter in my brand new Ralph Lauren dress than all you sad people who don't own a new dress and you do not need to know I got it at half price at a clearance sale."

Jokes aside, the confidence part really works. Really.

3. It's fun

It is. It totally is. What, you think thinking up different style combos every day isn't fun? Try it. It's bloody addictive.

4. Flaunt it, honey.

Why on Earth would anyone want to buy nice clothes then leave them at the back of their closets for the next century or so? Take them out, and wear them. It's not only a waste of good clothes, but a waste of good money.

And for pete's sake. If you've got it, flaunt it!

5. Revenge

Trust me, honey. Once they see you all perfectly dressed and prettier than they will ever be, they will be jealous. Remember those snide remarks they've passed that were so obviously directly at you that they pretend that they were talking about their non-existent cousin Mary?

Take a deep breath and think how gloriously delicious it'll feel once they go green with envy at how much better looking you are than they can ever hope to be.

6. It defines who you are

Come off it. You should know. The way you dress pretty much tells everyone what kind of person you are, because as much as we hate to admit it, we all judge the books by their covers.

It's proven, you know. Employers are more likely to promote the person who is arsed about how they look at work than the person who can't be arsed. Why? Because it shows that they're arsed about themselves. People like those come off as people far more competent about their work than the rest of the "can't be arsed" people.

That aside, you wouldn't want to turn up looking like a boring dork and say "Hey, Mr. Hot Co-worker, come fuck me!", would you?

Because we can all have an ending like Ugly Betty. Tell me when you're done prancing in fairyland then I'll introduce you to my pet unicorn.

7. Because you deserve to

You are so much more than what you make yourself up to look like. I'm sure of that. So make yourself feel good. Wear a nice dress, do something a little different with your hair, draw on some eyeliner or something. It makes all the difference. Once you look great, you'll feel great. Confidence is what truly makes us sexy.

And that in itself will attract all the attention you can ever want from your workforce. The right kind, of course.

'Till next time.
xoxo, darlings!

PARAMORE!

First off, HI GUYS! How's your Chinese New Year so far? I trust you're all stuffed to the brim with CNY goodies and angpau-s. I hate to admit it, but I think my tummy's rounder than usual. But, oh well, it's the festive season. We can all work it off later.

Now, this isn't a fashion post. In fact, it's probably not even in line with this blog. But, I'm so hyped up I just HAD to blog about it.

PARAMORE IS COMING TO MALAYSIA TOMORROW!

That's right, peeps. On 17 February 2013, Paramore will be rocking out with us at Stadium Negara!

For those of you who don't know me well enough, I love Paramore. They've been one of my favourite bands since, ever. 

Especially Hayley Williams. 

sodahead.com

Aside from her obvious hotness, and the amazing vocals, I actually consider her a style icon. She's not particularly known for her fashion choices, but man, that girl got awesome hair! It's so distinctive. Practically iconic. Think red hair, think Hayley Williams.

Out of the many, many songs they've done, these are my absolute favourites:

And of course,

Yes yes very cliche, but it's a sweet song!

Oh right, have you guys seen their latest video yet?

I don't know bout you, but I thought it was awesome. 

So, have you gotten your tickets yet? I know I have. If you haven't, head to this link and grab yours ASAP. This is one concert you won't wanna miss!

See you there!

Outfit of the day: It's angpau collecting season!

It's Chinese New Year, people! Sorry for the lack of updates, it's been a busy week. What with preparations for CNY and all.

Every Chinese New Year, I'd search tirelessly for the perfect cheongsam to wear. Being an extremely picky person, I had a difficult time deciding on what kind of cheongsam I wanted. Because I wanted one that would not only be appropriate for Chinese New Year, but versatile enough for me to wear it for a good selection of other events.

Thankfully, after scouring all over the net and every shopping mall I went to, I found my perfect cheongsam from Love, Bonito. It was so pretty, I couldn't resist.

Great for Chinese New Year, a night out with friends, a formal dinner, or a hot date.

I've paired this with a pair of sleek, black pumps, just to bring out the elegance of the entire outfit.

And may I say, the quality is amazing. 

Sorry for the lack of pictures, I really had no time to snap more. 

I have a slight obsession with cheongsams. It's not only because it's a part of my Chinese heritage, but there's a certain charm about them. A kind of elegance and beauty that shows off your womanly curves to their best advantage. In ancient times, only women of nobility from wealthy families would wear the cheongsam qipao.

On a completely unrelated note, like my new hair?  

So, Happy Chinese New Year guys. May the year of the snake be a prosperous and wonderful new year for all of you. 

Gong Xi Fa Cai, and let the angpau collecting, CNY cookie stuffing and the excessive gambling begin!

HUAT AAAAAAH!

Wardrobe:

Cheongsam - Love, Bonito

Peep Toe Pumps - Viss (similar here)

Outfit of the day: Swissified

They say vintage is like fine wine. It gets better with age. I find that absolutely true. I can never get bored with vintage outfits. I find them absolutely darling. But to find a shop that sells unique vintage pieces? That's rare. This is exactly why I love Project Swissify. This online shop carries a line of carefully handpicked vintage pieces that are extremely unique. You really can't find anything similar to what they have, anywhere.

Here's a little peek of what they have in store:

Love the tiger print on this dress!

I've always loved their pieces. But they were always sold out before I could buy any of them. So imagine my joy when I managed to latch my claws onto this dress.

In my excitement, I wore it out the next day, armed with my clunky old Canon A550 and a tripod, and snapped away. This is also the first time I've ever used a tripod, and my camera isn't all that great either. So please forgive me if both the angle and the picture quality are terrible. 

I LOVE how this dress makes me look 5 times slimmer. the loose top and the tight pencil skirt accentuated my figure perfectly. I added a waist clincher, and that made my waist look super small. I figured that instead of a nice pair of pumps, I'd wear my high heeled boots instead. Gives the look a bit of an edge, don't you think? 

Everything, from the print to the materials, to the design of this dress is extremely unique. I doubt I'd be able to find anything like this anywhere.

Fun fact: notice the symbol on my clincher? That's the triquetta. It's a Celtic knot. To Christians, the three points represent the three elements of the trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  

Dress: Project Swissify

Shoes: Arrogant Minnie

Bag: Tropicana City Mall (similar here)

Clincher: FrockON

Bangles: DIVA

Sunglasses: One Utama

'Till next time, ciao!

Outfit of the Day: My Uncle's Tea Ceremony

On January 19, 2013, my Uncle Alex finally tied the knot with his high school sweetheart. I've grown very much accustomed to seeing this pair of lovers at every family gathering. I initially thought that they were married quite a while back (I've seen them since I was 11). In my innocence, I was wrong.

So on the day of the wedding, my family drove up to Rawang for the Chinese tea ceremony.

For the tea ceremony, I wore a light beige chiffon semi-transparent top and my pastel orange asymmetrical skirt. I'm a person who really loves chiffon, or clothes made out of soft, flowy material. It's so fun to watch the fabric flow and swish along with your body. Makes me feel so graceful, despite how clumsy I can be.

Seeing as this was a family event, I thought I'd try to look as much of a good girl as I could. So I pulled on a pair of light yellow socks and my Mary Janes.

The bridal car

This is probably the cutest bridal car, like, ever. Stitch and Experiment 624 a.k.a. "Angel". Who'd have thought? The car's pretty sexy too, innit?

Now, for those of you who aren't clear, the Chinese Tea Ceremony held for weddings is the ceremony that seals the marriage. During the ceremony, the couple will first bow to the heavens for blessing. They will then serve tea for the groom's family. 

According to custom, the tea is served from the eldest to the youngest in the family. The bride and groom will first serve tea to the elder relatives, in return, the elders will give them a red packet of money each.

Those of us who are much younger and unmarried, will then serve tea to the bride and groom, who will hand out red packets to us, in return.

This ceremony is seen as a sign of respect in Chinese culture, a custom that that is integral in every Chinese marriage, as it symbolises sweet family relations, prosperity and fertility. It's a way for the elders to give their blessing to the newly weds while welcoming them to the family.

For more details, check this out.

I honestly wish I could have taken more pictures, but something went very wrong with my camera that day, so this is pretty much all I can give. 

After the tea ceremony, we were given a sumptuous buffet, where we ate until our stomachs burst. 

Love, love, LOVE the soft bow at the back of my top.

All in all, it was a great wedding. Congratulations, Uncle Alex and Aunt Kiki! May your days be blessed and  your lives filled with love. I really must apologise for the lack of pictures. I'm no photography whiz. But, there will be more, next round, I promise!

What I wore:

Top - Kenanga Wholesale City (similar here)

Asymmetrical skirt - Iwearsin.com (similar here)

Shoes - Ampang Park (similar here)

Bag - Tropicana City Mall (similar here)