South Korea: Shopping

We're finally back from our summer getaway! Its been an adventurous 3 weeks, and the trip was nothing short of awesome. Of course, this came with heavy damages to our pockets, but it was totally worth it because shopping in South Korea (especially Seoul) was amazing.

Imagine this: a whole district of 7 storey malls with over 30 shops in one level open till 4.30am in the morning - this was what kept us awake in Seoul. And if you're going to Seoul, please pay this district, Dongdaemun, homage. Especially if you're a shopaholic.

Anyway onto some cool shops that I thought would be worthy of a mention.

Cabinet

Migliore Shopping Mall 2F, Dongdaemun, Seoul

We found this gem of a shop in Seoul on our first day there. And the reason why we love it is because this shop stocks one of a kind vintage finds. The best part is that prices are reasonable and will go easy on your wallet. Expect cool leather skirts and big blazers as well as dresses with kitschy prints. The shop owners were really sweet too and gave us a discount when we haggled with them!

Dress or Die

www.howandwhat.co.kr

Maxtyle Shopping Mall, 1F, Dongdaemun, Seoul

A shop carrying the wares of local Korean designers. Here you can get brands like howandwhat, Dress or Die, anTiCinderella and a whole lot of bags, accessories and shoes. I fell in love with the edgy bags, accessories and shoes here. There are quality designs here if you're willing to pay.

System

Most major department stores in Seoul and Busan

South Korean brand with to-die-for clothes. I could buy every single piece of clothing from this brand.

More on the hippest hangout spots in Seoul and pictures of all my loot soon!

♥,
Fal

Summer Getaway

Fir and myself will be heading to the land of kimchi and dimsum (Korea and Hong Kong)very soon, and just before we do so, I thought that it would be nice to share what I'll betaking along with me on the trip. I think I'm a very methodical person when it comes to packing. I pick out functional and versatile pieces and then envision all the permutations possible to create different outfits. Packing for a trip is always a hassle since you need to travel light, especially if you want lots of luggage space for shopping, and also because you need to have outfits that are suitable for different occasions. To make sure I do not pack haphazardly, I always try to come up with a theme to suit the destination. In this case, I'm going to the city, so I picked something a little more 'urban chic'.

A staple in my luggage is the white tank and my favorite pair of Cheap Monday Jeans. I picked a denim shirt, which proves to be very versatile and of course a pair of black cuffed shorts which exudes a laid-back city vibe. For more casual days, I can throw on my ikat print cotton dress or striped jersey maxi dress, and look effortlessly chic. And to go formal, I have my trusty black blazer that goes with almost everything.

To complement my outfits, I'm bringing along a pair of gladiators from Modern Vintage and a pair of ballet flats from Pretty Ballerina to add a pop of colour to my otherwise monochrome palette.

♥,
Fal

Here comes the sun... dress!

Summer. Here comes the sun! Everyday, without fail, I will hear at least two complaints about the weather and I say what's there not to complain about? The weather has been absolutely insane; stepping out into the open means walking directly into a dense, clingy wall of heat, where the unmoving air steams and condenses onto my skin that is already covered with that sticky film of perspiration that all of us Singaporeans are used to. Needless to say, wearing less is more. Exposing whatever we can decently expose of our bodies allows for the pleasure (or you could say, cheap thrill) of feeling that hint of a breeze (ok, a hot/warm breeze is still a breeze) on our skins in this impossibly tropical climate. From personal experience, I tell you truly and sincerely that sundresses are the way to go in such ridiculous humidity. Shorts are great of course, especially for those of you with amazing legs but sundresses definitely allow for the most ventilation, waist-down. Furthermore, sundresses don't come with the top-bottom-matching woes and, frivolous as it sounds, they can be so pretty that I find them so hard to resist. Pictures coming soon!