Filed under: - Jo, Desirables, DIY, Off the Racks | Tags: Accessories, Etsy, Fashion, jewelry, Leather accessories

There are leather pants, leather leggings, leather t-shirts, leather dresses – we’ve almost seen all the possible leather clothing derivatives thanks in part to the 80′s, Topshop, and Celine.
However I’m quite convinced that we needn’t be suffocating our pores (especially here in Singapore – do you suffer for fashion?) when we try to work leather into our outfits.

Small leather bits like these look so good, and work so well with just about… everything! Here is a leather and coconut necklace by Norwegian Wood, where you can channel tribal without looking like Pocahontas, and below, sleeker and simpler (also cheaper!) geometric alternatives by Super Duper Things.



Actually, I’ve already snapped these two babies up before you did! They are called Arrows and Rhombus. But if you like you can take this bunting necklace and have a party round your neck.

Just in time for Christmas!
Picture credits to here and here.
Filed under: - Sarah, DIY, OMGWTFBBQ | Tags: DIY, Embellishments, Safety Pins
Safety pins aren’t my choice pick for styling. But in my third challenge, with self-imposed budget constraints, they were.
AND THE SECOND JUDGE GAVE ME BROWNIE POINTS FOR IT!!!
:D:D (Probably amasses to like 2 points extra but nvm.)

After a bit of experimenting with the pattern, I decided on this interlocking pattern of three|three|one horizontally and single pins vertically to lock the pattern in place. Otherwise they would shift a lot.

So its 3 hooked through the ‘eye’, then another three through the back loop. Repeat this twice then finish with one instead of the usual three. The vertical pin also passes through the ‘back loop-ed’ pins. Felt it would be neater.
To change things up a little, included pins of different sizes to shape them more like a funnel. Otherwise they would have been like rings orbiting around the my ankles like the planet Saturn. ):

All that, created this for the third challenge.
Gonna convert them into bracelets soon.
Filed under: - Sarah, DIY, OMGWTFBBQ, People-watching | Tags: Balloon, Ring
Balloons are exactly the instinct first, second or third choice to accessorize with.
But awhile back, my sister was gifted this rose ring.

It was big, cute and slightly over the top.
Her friend made it for her upon request. Although he was a bit reluctant at first because he didn’t have the right colours with him. Only had green that day.
After some persuasion, he caved and made this.

Not the least bit practical… I can imagine popping it while trying to wash my hands at the sink or accidentally pinching it causing it to disintegrate.
Ok. Will post about stuff other than rings (soon). <3!
Filed under: - Sarah, DIY, Exhibit WC:, Inspirables, OMGWTFBBQ | Tags: Bling, celebration, Glow in the Dark, Party, Temporary
Before hitting the books hard on Monday, attended a friend’s 21st birthday celebrations where we were all also celebrating the last day of school (and finishing my module assignment early!)
After dinner and before arriving at Double-O, we were all given glow-in-the-dark bracelets. The ones you buy in packs of 50 and only about 10 actually work well.
Usually, I wear them (good and not-so-good) in this random jumble… But this time, they were arranged in gradient. I quite like it! hahas
So totally random, but don’t you like my temporary bling?!
Had to make up for my blah outfit that night. (:
Filed under: - Sarah, Art, Design & Photography, DIY, Exhibit WC: | Tags: Assignment, DIY, Old photo, photoshoot, Rain, Trenchcoat
I was looking through some old photographs and dug up these photos of a shoot I did with my friend, Steph.

Taken in the central business district on a Sunday morning. Raffles Place was very quiet, which all worked out since Steph needed the backgrounds to be un-busy. That was the fundamental criteria that her professor demanded for this photo series assignment.
These were taken pre-Wottoncool days, early early in 2008, and the strongest memory was that out of the blue (sky) it rained!
There! Proof! hahas. (:
The weather was very erratic that day and we kept praying that the heavens wouldn’t open up repeatedly and get in the way of shooting. Cos even when the weather was better, the sun would frequently hide behind the clouds and affect the light. (I don’t know how to describe it in photography lingo, so I shan’t try)
And, it you can’t already tell, there was no budget for the shoot. I was the model + helper + stylist + wardrobe. Steph doubled as creative director + makeup artist + hair stylist + photographer + wardrobe.

In this shoot, I’m wearing
Black dress – Steph’s
Khaki Trenchcoat – G2000, which I should wear more!
Sunglasses – Armani
Watch – Casio
Red embossed Wallet – Catherine Manuell
Black Slingbacks – (i can’t remember which) fleamarket
Filed under: - Sarah, Art, Design & Photography, DIY, OMGWTFBBQ | Tags: Colour, Daily planner, Note taking, Notebook, Off the Shelves, organizer, scrapbooking
Briefly mentioned in my previous post here,
Let me formally introduce you to my notebook-cum-planner-cum-diary-cum-life!

Here are the pages with the New Balance Feral Collection adverts… cut and modified to fit the pages. Doesn’t exactly leave a lot of space for notes but I don’t care. It looks pretty (:

So here is how it starts off…

The notebook has completely blank pages then I measure and mark the corners of the boxes for each day. The boxes are then free-handed… cos rulers are so le-chey (cumbersome).




Days and dates are added accordingly. And depending on what ‘speaks to me‘ from various magazines, I cut them out and add them to the book for variety and colour! (:
Everyone needs a bit of colour in their life.

Every two pages/weeks or so, I insert a “break” and dedicate a bit more space to things that deserve the space. hahas.


And the rest of the space is kept for meetings, assignment due dates, to-do lists, appointments, etc.
You like?
Little, somewhat time-consuming (these things don’t magically cut themselves and become self-adhesive on its own y’knw!) things make me happy. (:
Filed under: - Jo, DIY, Exhibit WC:, Off the Racks | Tags: Fashion, H&M, Hong Kong, Plus size, Style, Topshop
I’m under the impression that large, bulbous things will mask even larger bulbous things (ie me and my newly enlarged self from non-stop gorging. I think I waste a lot of calories on bad food..).
But I think wrong.
Nonetheless, I love this black cardigan I got from H&M with sleeves that look like it’s breeding tumour cells.

Oops, sorry for the un-rotated pics.
When I got it, I was thinking maybe the volume on the sleeves will give an illusion that the bulk is you know… just the sleeves! Lol.
I’m still not sure about that but I lurve how it feels and how cute it looks. I feel like I can house mini hamsters (yes I know they’re already mini) hording food in their cheeks. Aw cute!

Black knit cardigan (with details I find difficult to describe), H&M. Long tank, Topshop. Pannelled jersey skinny pants, H&M. Tie-dye canvas bag, H&M. Yellow cutout shoes, Hong Kong Industrial Centre. Felt and metal findings neck piece, Hong Kong Industrial Centre.
Here’s my nyooly dyed hair, courtesy of my boyfriend! He was totally taken by the Kao Liese bubble/foam hair dye, cos dyes usually come in a thick, repulsive creamy consistency, which isn’t half as fun as this bubbly stuff.
I likey how it turned out. Think I’ll try something redder in a few weeks!
Also, look at the knee patch of the pants! I lurve. It’s got this quilting feel going on, even at the waistband, but I pull my top over to conceal my tum tum. Lol.
Do you feel disturbed when I say things like that?
Too bad!
Filed under: - Jo, Art, Design & Photography, DIY, Exhibit WC:, Inspirables, Off the Runway, OMGWTFBBQ | Tags: DIY, Fashion, Fashion Design, fashion show, Runway show, Sewing, Style, union week
Yes, I have a perfect reason for my irresponsible absence in these few months, and this is it!

Er yea, two dresses… Project Runway participants can churn out almost-couture in a day or two, but yes I needed a few months to draw, plan, decide and (attempt to) sew a raglan sweater dress with ginormous sleeves and a maxi dress with a corset belt thing. Very simple shapes cos as it is, I cannot sew. I didn’t know how to operate a sewing machine. And when I got to learning, it was on one of those huge table-like vintage ones with pedals, which is probably older than I am.
So how did all this come about? The student union decided that in order to promote their active, wholesome, holistic, all-rounded student body, a fashion show would do the trick, heh.
They posted an annoucement looking for student fashion designers who would design two outfits. The theme was “bright colours” and my first thought was, uh-oh. But my friend and I decided to join anyway!
I don’t have much to say about the runway show itself, but I’m glad I joined because I completed two dresses, which I wouldn’t have done so otherwise because nothing can get my lazy self movin’.
Pictures from the rehearsal.

I tried to copy Ungaro’s SS08 two-tone lips on my models. I think I lurve it. They were making lipstick prints on Kleenex with their lip colours cos it looked so kewl.
Boizzzz, would you kiss a girl with lips coloured like that?
Unlike many people (like etsy sellers) who proclaim that their clothes are professionally serged with love, I can only assure you of the most noob or sewing in my dresses. (Except for the long dark grey one because my aunt did it for me
)

Zuper tall and leggy Lynette with Sharmaine.
Basically, I did not have any grand idea whatsoever. I only knew that I had a bright colours theme and I wanted to use neon.
Then there came bits of Susie Bubble‘s heather grey+neon confections, recalling my horrors of seeing neon yarn, cross stitch string and netting in my childhood, and a bad attempt at embroidery for a cheesy something for my boyfriend
I actually told the hosts that ooohhh I was inspired by sportswear and all that jazz, but seriously, it’s as random as random gets.
I quite like the texture that I got from weaving the yarn and netting. Haven’t got a chance to get a proper close up.

The hat was from Accessorize and I paid no more than $12 for it. It was on a 70% discount. I say the above in past tense not only because the deed was already done, but because IT IS MISSING!!!!!!!
I couldn’t find it the night before the show and I was totally phreaking out (doesn’t freaky sound more emphatic with ‘ph’ instead? lol).
Anyway I did without it.

(Please ignore the tumourous/intestinal-looking thing around Kelly’s waist. It was a belt work-in-progress.)
You know what, looking at Michelle’s dresses makes me feel colour-impaired. I lurve the colours she used in her dresses! Yes we all know the thing about complimentary colours, but I wouldn’t have come up with something like that.
Btw, she designs very lovely jewellry too
Pictures from the actual day.



Makeup on the actual day done by one of my best friends, Praveena
Sorry their faces look kinda skewed. That’s what wide angle lenses do to you.

Happy faces after the show. This is actually the least tired-looking ones out of the lot!
More to come!
Filed under: - Jo, - Sarah, Art, Design & Photography, DIY | Tags: Design, drawing, Introducing, Namecard
Even though Jo has already shared her design of our new (and finally existent!) namecard, I just wanted to share it again with everyone!

taken from an actual card…
*Thank you Jo for the taking the time to get this done! (:
Filed under: - Sarah, Art, Design & Photography, Desirables, DIY, Inspirables, OMGWTFBBQ, People-watching | Tags: Bobby Pins, Bun Hair, Hair, Hairspray
A classmate of mine once said, “Messy is sexy”.
And she was referring to the state of our ponytails as we were fussing over them after a usual un-glam P.E. session.
Since then, it kinda stuck as a catchphrase for our messy hair.
Our own little excuse.
Then, at a recent event, I came across this lady with her hair tied as such…

I am so amazed by how neat it is.
I bet that all the hairspray and bobby pins in the world could not make my hair remotely that neat.
*kowtows!!!

Neat, ain’t that bad too eh?