Season's Tidings

Fir and myself would like to wish all our readers a Merry Christmas! We thank you for all the support and readership you've shown thefword throughout the year. May your Christmas be filled with lots of joy and laughter, and don't forget to pile on the bling!

♥,
Fir and Fal

Christmas Mornings

Dress: Bloodbuzz

Top: Korea, Ring: H&M

Top: Vintage, Skirt: Korea, Watch ring: Accessorize

Sequinned beret: Forever 21, Sweater: Korea, Skirt: MDS Collections, Bracelet: H&M

My choice of prints for Christmas in 2011

Gold is my new black

Photo credits to my mom.

♥,
Fal

Boredom

I pulled out clothes and accessories from my wardrobe in preparation for Christmas next week and tried to put together festive outfits. This year, my outfits seem to revolve around glamour - think gold, glitter and sequins. Out of boredom, I decided to play dress-up and attempted (note the word attempted) to create a lookbook of all my potential outfits. Playing on the idea of Christmas morning, the photos try to capture that particular feeling of eager anticipation that most normal people like myself feel on that very special day. Photos will come up tomorrow, but please don't expect much because they're quite ordinary.

For now, here's a (not-so-nice) photo of one of my outfits - a jumpsuit that I made awhile ago paired with my mom's vintage silver belt.

♥,
Fal

Inspired by Carrie Bradshaw

I bought this tutu skirt on impulse during my stay in Denmark. Thankfully, unlike most of my impulse buys, this one survived the cut. If you have to know, I can be quite methodical when it comes to shopping, following a step by step process to come to my decision.

Yet then again, I can be pretty spontaneous at times and buy stuff on a whim. Anyway, back to the skirt. I spent quite a bit of time pondering what to wear it with, but I eventually decided to go with this grey sweater. The outfit was kind of inspired by Carrie Bradshaw in 'Sex and the City (the movie)'. I paired it with my favorite clutch - I kind of like the way the tough chains and woven fabric of the clutch goes together with the soft texture of my skirt.

Coincidentally, this was one of Carrie's outfits when she was clearing her wardrobe - of what I'm supposing are impulse buys. In this very cute scene, Miranda, Sam and Charlotte hold up signs telling Carrie whether she should toss or keep the items. And yes, you guessed right, she kept the tutu skirt.

♥,
Fal

Fairy Tales: Not for the fainthearted

Dreaming of a white Christmas led me (yes, Fir is still alive, thank you Fal for holding the fort) to thinking about snow. snow and white, white and snow and low and behold, Snow White came waltzing through my dreamscape with hair as black as a raven's, skin as white as snow, lips as red as a rose and a voice so high-pitched like she has a constant supply of helium in her lungs.

For Snow White, Brothers Grimm trumps Disney hands down. The cartoon is a watered down version of the original tale, tailored for the kids and for consumption by the masses. In fact, most fairy tales are a little sinister behind the facade of happy endings, prince charmings and beautiful damsels in distress. Most people choose to overlook the darkness behind these happy tales, choosing to push those dark thoughts to the periphery, aided by none other than the media big-wigs eager to keep their audiences happy and wanting more. After all, life is tough enough as it is, no one needs more evil on screen, everyone just wants a two hour escape from reality.

In the original version, Snow White actually only 'died' on the wicked Queen's third try with the poisoned apple; her first two assassination attempts failed thanks to the dwarfs who managed to revive the (stupid or naive) girl twice. It is indeed satirical that Snow White, the Queen and the Prince (the main characters) are portrayed as such separate entities from the dwarfs even though they are all human; from the way their relationships roll out right down to where they work; the dwarfs are diamond miners who slog underground, and where they stay; in a secluded cottage in depths of the forest, away from public scrutiny. It comes so naturally to think of one Snow White and seven dwarfs that the fact that there was one female with seven males in one secluded house doesn't even cross our minds. What more to think that one of the dwarfs might actually end up with Snow White doesn't even occur and if it does, it's (unfortunately) somewhat repulsive. Another thing is that they all don't have names. Snow White would be a lot sexier if the 7 dwarfs were named after the 7 deadly sins.

Sad but true, we've all been conditioned by the fairy tale into believing in happy endings. Sure, we scoff at the cheesy lines and sappy scenes (so lame right) but deep down, that little voice goes awwww. Contemporary fairy tales restructured into cartoons still follow the same formula, albeit with updated humour, better graphics and better looking leads with better clothes. All the better for mass consumption.

However, the original versions of the fairy tales are the most haunting and definitely the most fascinating. They are gloriously magical, openly sinister and do not always end on that cheery and unrealistic happy note. Take Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid for example, her body dissolved into foam and she turned into a spirit who had to do good to earn her place in the kingdom of heaven. The nonsensical logic that governs the entire Alice In Wonderland pokes fun at the inherent need for science and logic in our daily lives. The Six Swans is another heart-wrenching tale that is centred around the suffering and sacrifice of one beautiful maiden who spun at the spindle for six years to make magical jackets for her six brothers. They had been turned into swans by an evil stepmother (of course) with only fifteen minutes of being human each evening.

There are so many other tales that are equally haunting and a little twisted, especially those of Russian folklore. Russian fairy tales are a window into the elusive Russian culture (the Cold War and communism partly to blame for Russia's exclusion from the greater world culture also known as Macdonalds and Starbucks).

Fairy tales, old or new, revised or original, have inspired designers and photographers alike. Budding young designer label from London, Vassilisa, plays on Russian folklore and heritage. Through a modern interpretation of myth, history and symbolism, designer Nadja Solovieva presents gorgeous pieces that encompasses beauty, magic and femininity. Her Spring Summer 2012 birds collection is simply gorgeous complete with romantic prints and soft luxurious silks.



The fairy tale theme is often employed by photographers as well for fashion shoots, the fantasy theme lends itself brilliantly to the editorial and translates to that magic and mystery in the glossy pages of a magazine.

Snow White and Dopey perhaps

Did you guess this? Alice in Wonderland

Down the yellow brick road

There is nothing more distinctive than that red riding hood

Beauty and the Beast in Vogue

A personal favourite, the Princess and the Pea

The Nutcracker reinterpreted

Imogen Morris-Clarke shot by Tim Walker for Vogue Italia

Granted, there is lots to say about the fairy tale and its hidden agendas but when it comes to the fairy tale as inspiration be it for clothes or photography, the resulting product draws you into the fantasy and mystery like no other and so we've come to the happily-ever-after.

 ♥,
Fir

Asia Fashion Inc. Beta Launch Event

Amidst the mid-week madness was the launch of Asia Fashion Inc.'s website and to celebrate this in true blue fashionista style, a chi chi party was thrown in the newest and coolest enclave in Singapore, Tiong Bahru. We headed to the Orange Thimble, a cozy cafe tucked away in this neighborhood.

In case you didn't know, Asia Fashion Inc. is a multi-layer platform which promises to bring exciting fashion content and shopping together into an online portal. We're sure that we'll be spending hours browsing through the Fashion Exchange Community, AFI online magazine and of course, the online shop which will showcase Asia's up and coming designers. We managed to get a preview of some of the designers featured on the website at the launch party, and I'm definitely loving it!

Asia Fashion Inc. will be officially launched in February 2012, and more exciting things will be in store such as an online column which will feature contributors such as fashion bloggers and designers every week. Plus, more designers will be coming on board too! 

For now, I leave you with some unglam photos that were taken while we photobooth-ed at the event.

To enjoy exclusive fashion privileges, register as a member on Asia Fashion Inc. now!

Rainy days

The incessant rain has affected my choice of clothing whenever I'm heading out these days. I'm either covered up in long-sleeves or piled up in knitwear. I hardly wear anything too exposed like that of my previous outfit because there's hardly any sun. My footwear of choice? Flip flops (for days when I'm lazy) or boots/ shoes that ensure that my feet stay dry.

Maxi dress: Korea, Necklace: H&M, Boots: Monki, Bag: Longchamp

♥,
Fal

London Calling - BloodBuzz Launch Party

I attended BloodBuzz's launch party on Saturday and had a first hand preview of their new collection, 'Everything is Illuminated'. BloodBuzz's designer Kimberly took inspiration from the festivities of Christmas for this collection. While the pieces do not immediately strike you as a cocktail or party dress for the season, you get a sense of the journey Kimberly took to get to the final collection. Pops of red and a deep purple dress make up the 'dinner dresses'. Then there are LBDs and cute frocks in printed chiffon and silk which make up the party dresses. Once again, the collection is elegant, simple and timeless with a little grunge - just like Kimberly's aesthetic. The dresses, are meant to take one from work to a dinner party, and would suffice to do just that.

I do get the sense that many are unimpressed by the collection and brand itself and I have to say a few words to defend it. It is a preconceived notion that people have of local designers or designer labels. Bloodbuzz seems to fall in neither category since pieces from the brand's collections are simple unlike local designers which have drapes on drapes and avante garde designs. Bloodbuzz pieces are also priced affordably from $60 - $100, making it feel like an ordinary blogshop or online store rather than a designer brand which price range usually falls within that of a few hundred dollars. I applaud the courage of the people behind Bloodbuzz to be daring enough to take a step in the unknown and venture into a part of the positioning map where no competitors have been to.





Having a chance to speak to Kimberly also gave me an insight into how the brand thrives. She confessed the danger of not following trends, but designing according to the lifestyle of the Bloodbuzz clientele- a niche market segment. While this concept may be risky, it may eventually be taken on by more people, since timeless staples never go out of fashion.

Now, all it takes is for Bloodbuzz to prove its detractors wrong, and I'm sure it will.

To shop BloodBuzz, visit their website at www.bloodbuzz.com.sg.

Photos from the launch event below.

 Fashion bloggers (from left to right): Randy from Fashionide, Dawn (coincidentally my schoolmate!) from DawnBey.com and Brandon from ChicPrinceB

From right to left: Rachel (friend and fellow fashion blogger with an amazing style blog. Please go read it!) from Style Societe and Michelle

♥,
Fal

Fashion week goes online

Vogue has just made fashion history with its first ever Online Fashion Week. I'm really curious to see how this is going to pan out, but Vogue has promised a really exciting showcase of online activities that is sure to keep you glued to your screens. Hundreds of retailers have come on board to offer exclusive and limited edition collections, stunning competitions and never-seen-before content. I'm definitely not going to miss out on the special online events, prizes, discounts and free gifts. 


All these activities are going to take place on Vogue's OFW blog in which there will be live-blogging 24-hours-day for five full days. The line up of designers include Alexander McQueen, Chanel, Mulberry, Stella McCartney, Prada, Burberry, Miu Miu and Christain Louboutin. High street brands such as Topshop, Reiss, Gap and Urban Outfitters have also been roped in. 


The idea of taking Fashion Week online is simply brilliant, since people from around the globe can now participate in the event without feeling left out. I've listed a few of OFW highlights throughout the week (all timings are in local Singapore time):


Mon, 5 Dec, 9:00pm

Advice From The Top

Top industry figures reflect on their career successes and offer advice on how you can get started in the industry.

Tues, 6 Dec, 9:30pm

HANDBAG HALF HOUR: Anya Hindmarch on Twitter

Handbag designer Anya Hindmarch will be taking part in a Twitter takeover - answering all of your questions via @BritishVogue.

Wed, 7 Dec, 11:00pm

Online Fashion 100

Leon Bailey-Green will be unveiling his annual Online Fashion 100 exclusively on VOGUE.COM during Online Fashion Week. The list names the 100 most influential figures in the digital fashion industry. Come back at 3pm on Wednesday 7th December to see it here.

Ready your phones, computers and iPads because you don't want to miss this extravaganza. Online Fashion Week kicks off in a few hours - 9.36am today! Click here to visit the OFW blog.



♥,
Fal

Wild flowers

I went a bit over zealous with prints and paired a floral printed top with a leopard printed skirt the other day.

Top: Bershka, Skirt: MDS Collections, Clutch: H&M, Flats: H&M and Cuff: H&M

And yes, my hair is in a mess, so I decided to get a haircut! More on that soon.

♥,
Fal

More Taylor!

I found this video by Barney's featuring Taylor Tomasi Hill as she picks out and styles her colleague in all of Fall must haves. I know we're already in December but... I just have to show it to you because I love the way she pairs everything together to create such effortlessly chic and stylish looks. Yes, I know I'm obsessed, but watch it anyway!


Taylor's Take: Taylor Tomasi Hill Styles Amanda Hearst in Her Fall Must-Haves for Barneys New York from Barneys The Window on Vimeo.

♥,
Fal