On being conscious

 

H&M's latest Conscious Collection is just in time for Spring with florals, bright colours and gorgeous floor length gowns. The eco-friendly line has already been seen on various red carpets, and even on some local celebs at the recent Star Awards - which isn't surprising since the pieces boast high level of quality, design and construction.


In case you didn't know, H&M is a leader in sustainable design, and the world's biggest user of organic cotton. By 2020, the company aims to produce all of its cotton garments with sustainable resources. Now who says you can't wear beautiful and glamourous clothes and save the environment at the same time?


My choice from the collection - this floral top which doubles up a a jacket. 


-Fal

H&M Spring Summer Guide

Spring's here, and H&M shows us how to revamp our wardrobe this season. Think candy colours, sharp tailoring and an all new grown up look.

Watch this video for more ideas!

Video by Barracuda TV

♥,
Fal

In Full Bloom

Flowers are set to blossom in spring and the runways were adorned with floral prints in all shapes, sizes and hues. My favorite floral prints of the season are the bright, crazy and modern take on florals - tropical flowers picked fresh from Proenza Schouler's S/S 2012 show, Hawaiian blossoms from Altuzzara's runways and Belle Sauvage and Mary Katrantzou's digitally manipulated but ultra modern floral prints in clashing hues and bright colours. I can't wait to get my hands on these floral prints, and I know my wardrobe will thank me as it comes to life again this spring.

Mood board by me.



♥,
Fal

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

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

Chinese New Year and What She Wore...

If you've been wondering where Fir and myself have disappeared too, well, we've just been hiding amongst plates of Chinese New Year delicacies and containers of Chinese New Year goodies. While we haven't been watching our waistlines, we sure have been watching what we're wearing. At least for Fir, I must say. She popped by on Saturday, wearing a coral knitted top and a jersey maxi striped skirt, looking extra chic and effortlessly cool. I loved the bright pop of color the top gave to her outfit, and it was the perfect signal that spring is here! For extra coolness, she donned a pair of menswear inspired boots from Topshop, which made me really really envious. Here's a sna

pshot of her! I managed to get her to pose for my camera even though she was incredibly shy (:

And I apologise for our tardiness in wishing you a Happy Chinese New Year, but here it is anyway! Gong Xi Fa Cai!

♥,
Fal