Trending @ Topshop

Fal and I have casted our votes and here's Fal's choice trend for the summer. Swedish Summer. This style brings us back to the whimsical 70s, to the folk tales, to the lazy countryside with dirt paths and vast green meadows. Whip out the crochet accessories, denim dungarees, floral prints, white fabrics and washed leather and have fun mixing and matching these together for a laidback, romanticised outfit.

Take a trip down to snake valley and you'll see snakeprints, paisley prints, feather details paired with fringed leather and washed out suede. This is no look for the timid as the snake valley girl is tough, daring and free spirited. I like this tough, hardcore and take-no-nonsense personality but I have a slight aversion to snakeprints. I did mention in passing to Fal that a combination of snake valley with swedish summer would be fun too; some dream catcher accessories with some tie-dye chiffon and frayed denim with worn brown leather.



Nomad on the other hand, is more forgiving than the tough love from the Snake Valley bad-ass. There's more white but kept edgy with metallic accessories and printed tee shirts. I've got my eye out for the Zodiac Symbol T-shirt because of a sudden renewed interest in star signs (haha), triggered by eager friends (Twitter addicts no less) retweeting ZodiacFacts, some of which are pretty accurate.

What I like most about this season is the liberty that one can take with prints. Every collection has seen an abandonment of rules with prints and the season has shown just how interesting and fun mixing and matching can be. To learn more about to latest collections at Topshop, you can pick up a complimentary Topshop magazine when you're there for some shopping the next time.

Of course lots of tough love could go your way if you take this look overboard. Or any other style for that matter. Fret not! If you're intending to buy your clothes from Topshop then just send your S.O.S. to Topshop's Personal Shoppers. This is one of the concepts Topshop pushed on Saturday to complement their fabulous collections. Topshop takes its cue from the luxury fashion labels and starts tailoring not only the clothes but its service to the customer (us). What this does is add a personal touch to the high street label, enhancing the in-store experience. These days when shopping online on wildly popular sites like ASOS is so easy and convenient (free shipping!), what differentiates the physical store from the online experience is firstly, the attention to sensory detail and secondly, the so-called human 'touch'. Personal shopping is this human element that is important aside from all sensory fulfillment which is what we see, hear, feel and smell such as the aesthetically pleasing store, background music and luxurious fabrics. The personalised treatment makes anyone feel like a VIP and such a personalised human element in the physical store is certainly a new concept for high street brands; Zara, the most popular high street brand by far, does not offer anything like this.

Oh of course, how could I forget the sandals that I am stalking/lusting after from Topshop UniQue.

♥,
Fir

Breakfast at Topshop

In 1961, there was Breakfast at Tiffany's. Fast forward 50 years to 2011, and we have Breakfast at Topshop. Topshop has perhaps become another haven where many ladies spend their time, wandering through aisles of covetable clothes, bags, shoes and accessories.

On Saturday, Fir and myself had a chance to do this first thing in the morning. And no, we did not spend it peering through the shop windows, eyeing the pieces on the mannequins with envy, Audrey Hepburn style. Instead, we were invited to the Topshop Personal Shopper Breakfast Event.

The highlights of the event included a short talk by Anny Lin, Personal Shopper at Topshop Knightsbridge. She took guests through the latest trends and collections in Topshop this Spring/ Summer. There was also a guest appearance by style maven, Ginette Chittick, who gave us her insights on what her style is all about. It was definitely inspiring to see her in the flesh and to get a better sense of her style. Unfortunately, we were stuck at the back of the crowd and could not get a better view!

Accompanying the talk was breakfast which came in the form of pastries, scones, fruit tarts as well as very delectable trays of chocolates. And of course, there's no better way to start a morning than having a nice cuppa coffee while checking out the latest pieces that have hit the shelves of Topshop Knightsbridge.

Of course, no fashion event is without its share of fashionable people. Here are a few of my choice picks.







Fir's friend, Gen, doing some shopping!

And who can forget Topshop's Personal Shoppers who can help you transform your wardrobe from drab to fab? We managed to get a shot of Anny in her outfit here, and if her outfit isn't proof enough of great fashion sense, we strongly suggest you make an appointment at Topshop Knightsbridge with her!

Thank you Topshop for the invitation to this great event! We definitely had a good time!

♥
Fal

London Fashion Week A/W 2011 - 12: Favorites

I know that London Fashion Week concluded awhile ago, but being my busy busy self, I haven't been able to update thefword as quickly as I would like to. Anyhow, here are some of the collections that caught my eye:

Mulberry

"An über English collection, inspired by hedgerows and traditional English pursuits – hunting, shooting, fishing."

Jonathan Saunders

Modern artistry, with flashes of color combinations that's sure to be my inspiration for the rest of the year.

TDF (to die for), amazing collection. Loved the black dress (see second last photo) especially. The minimalism is totally appealing to me.



Photos courtesy of Style.com

♥,
Fal

No, these are not my pjs

Printed slouchy pants, what's not to like? They're so comfortable and perfect for the perpetual summer that we have here in Singapore. Slouchy pants usually sit nicely at the waist or at the hip and they do wonders for those days when my thighs just don't agree with me. I am assuming that a lot of people stay away from them because they look a lot like... pajama pants. I've had mine for a year and I still don't know what to do with them at times. Fret no longer for I have chanced upon some dress 'em up ideas.

1. Accessorise.

Never underestimate the value of accessories. Add some necklaces, chunky ones, long ones, feel free to mix and match. Ethnic jewellery adds an edge to your outfit too. Don't forget your statement footwear!

2. Go with the vintage vibe

Wear your printed pants high waisted and cinch them in with a leather belt. Tied tees and shirts can be found easily these days so why not go for the entire look?

3. Wear it neat

Pair your slouchy printed pants with a sleeveless white shirt tucked in with dainty footwear and voila, you're ready for the streets and the office, instead of looking like you're ready for bed.

4. Throw on a blazer

I am not keen on this suggestion because throwing on a blazer is a lazy way to make an outfit work. That being said, I cannot deny that it has some amazing transformative power. Wear it over a simple camisole with high heels for instant glam.

Now, who says I overslept?

♥,
Fir

Photos courtesy of Refinery 29

This Week's Loot

This week's featured loot was actually from the Pedder Sale 2 weeks ago, but I hope that you'll forgive me for such a late post because I've been so busy with work. This was my first Pedder Sale, but what an experience! There were very covetable shoes from brands like Lanvin, Sam Edelman, Sergio Rossi, Pierre Hardy and yes, the list goes on. Women were practically grabbing shoes like they were free, and I spotted one lady with at least 6 shoes boxes in her arms. There were drool-worthy bags too, with brands like Valentino, Anya Hindmarch, Marni and more being offered. As for myself, I walked away with two pairs of gladiator sandals, from Sigerson Morrison and Modern Vintage.

Now all I need to do is to find space in my shoe cabinet.

♥,
Fal

The Academy Awards Red Carpet Report

There were no surprises for this year's Academy Awards winners, and neither were there lots of surprises on the red carpet this year. However, I managed to scour the Internet for the best gowns that were worn, especially at the post-ceremony parties, and came up with some fantastic looks. The up and coming young starlets showed Hollywood how it's done on the red carpet, as they pretty much stole the limelight this year. Which of the fashion choices did you like the best?

Mia Wasikowska in Stella McCartney black lace dress with cap sleeves from the Pre-Fall 11 collection and Brian Atwood black suede pumps.

Kate Beckinsale in a Julien Macdonald black long-sleeve beaded gown with illusion scoop back, Jimmy Choo clutch, and Tacori platinum and diamond hexagonal earrings.

Cate Blanchett in Givenchy Haute Couture by Riccardo Tisci pale wisteria pleated silk chiffon dress with pearl and crystal embroidered details and chartreuse accents from the S/S 11 collection. The gown was worn with matching wide-cut trousers, an embroidered sleeveless jacket in knitted silk, and perforated leather shoes. Blanchett also wore vintage Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry, including oval fancy vivid yellow diamond earrings and a tassel diamond bracelet.

Michelle Williams in Chanel Haute Couture white beaded dress from the S/S 11 collection, Jimmy Choo platform pumps, and Harry Winston jewelry, specifically a diamond sunflower ring and diamond sunflower stud earrings, both set in platinum.

Hailee Steinfield in Marchesa crystal hand-embroidered tulle tea-length dress in pale ballet pink, Salvatore Ferragamo silver metal clutch with leather bow and rhinestone details, Salvatore Ferragamo champagne satin peep toe shoes with double platform, and Fred Leighton jewelry, specifically a diamond and platinum headband and a heart-shaped diamond ring.

Jessica Szohr in Chris Benz licorice hand-beaded gown from the S/S 11 collection.

Mia Kunis in a lilac Elie Saab gown.

Lilly Collins in Adam charcoal and silver strapless party dress with embroidered bustier from the F/W 10 collection, Raven Kauffman Couture antique gold clutch, and Sergio Rossi nude patent peep-toe slingback heels.

Zoe Saldana in a Prabal Gurung dress from the F/W 11 collection, Louis Vuitton clutch, Salvatore Ferragamo hot pink satin sandals with ankle straps, and Cartier jewelry, including two gold and diamond cocktail rings and a pair of gold and diamond cluster clip earrings.

Taylor Swift in Zuhair Murad gold and silver beaded strapless dress with corset back from the S/S 11 collection, Jimmy Choo clutch, and Jimmy Choo platform sandals.

Emma Stone in a Chanel Haute Couture dress from the F/W 09 collection, Chanel clutch, Salvatore Ferragamo purple satin pumps with double platforms, and a Van Cleef & Arpels green tourmaline and diamond ring from the L'Atlandtide Collection.

Emma Roberts in a Jenny Packham gunmetal gown with silver sequin details from the S/S 11 collection, Kelly Locke silver mirrored clutch, Brian Atwood silver patent leather pumps, and Neil Lane jewelry, specifically a gold and platinum cocktail ring and diamond, platinum, and gold cluster earrings.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Calvin Klein Collection metallic embroidered sheath dress that was custom-made for her by Francisco Costa, Brian Atwood gold leather peep-toe pumps, and Louis Vuitton jewelry, specifically the Acidulous Feature earrings and Acidulous Feathers brooch, which are comprised of Louis Vuitton-cut diamonds, white and yellow brilliant-cut diamonds, tsavorite garnets, and orange, yellow, and violet sapphires.

♥,
Fal