Birds of a Feather

It's time to shake your tail feathers this summer - designers like Altuzarra, Proenza Schouler and Reed Krakoff have gathered together the hottest avian- adorned prints, feathers, and plumes on all things wearable.

1. Altuzarra Dress 2. ASOS Feather Necklace 3. Eugenia Kim Fedora 4. Sass & Bide Dress 5. Reed Krakoff Top  6. ASOS Feather Bracelet Pack 7. Proenza Schouler PS1 Clutch 8. J.W. Anderson ALDO Rise Heels

-Fal

Electric Dreams

Because I'm not a big fan of the pastel colour trend this season, I turn to the other colour trend - neons whenever I'm putting on my Spring/ Summer ensemble.  I have to admit that neons aren't for the faint hearted. But if you're a little bit more daring, these rave shades like hot pink and acidic yellow can really make heads turn in your direction. Here are some of my favourite pieces from Club 21:

1. Marc Jacobs organza top, S$990.  2. Marc Jacobs organza dress with plastic trimming, S$3,690.  3. Carven dress, S$1,160. 4. Alexander Wang polo T-shirt, S$500. 


For further information, Visit Club 21’s website at www.club21global.com or follow Club 21 on 
-Facebook www.facebook.com/club21global 
-Twitter www.twitter.com/club21global 
-Instagram, Search for @Club21 
-Pinterest www.pinterest.com/club21global 
-Tumblr www.club21global.tumblr.com/ 

-Fal

Sports Luxe

The Olympics is around the corner and fashion is all ramped up and ready to go!

I love these designers who have taken a cue from the sporting world and created pieces that can be worn even when you're off the court, out of the gym and not hitting the surf.

3.1 Phillip Lim

Acne

Acne

Some of my favorite sports luxe pieces:

Armani Exchange Stone leather racer dress, $260. 02-13, Paragon, Tel: +65 6304 1346 

Alexander Wang straight-cut Triacet pants, $690. 02-03/04, Hilton Hotel Singapore, Tel: +65 6304 3571 

3.1 Phillip Lim pecan layered utility vest, $890. 02-05/06, Hilton International, Tel: +65 6304 1350 

Alexander Wang tangerine tech polo t-shirt, $530. 02-03/04 Hilton Hotel Singapore, Tel: +65 6304 3571 

Photos credited to Club 21. For more information, visit Club 21’s website at www.club21global.com, follow Club 21 on Facebook or Twitter.

-Fal

More for Fall

A short trend report for Fall/Winter 2011. The new lengths, new textures, bold colours, cuts and slits, menswear inspired pieces mean that putting outfits together will be a more interesting affair. Much as I do love summer and all the goodness that the sun brings (like pretty sun dresses and sexy swimwear), I also love knits, jackets, blazers and trenches. Hardly any opportunity to wear those in this sweltering heat but I guess that is why offices have such ridiculously cold central air conditioning. We all have a chance to indulge in some of those tailored beauties whilst complaining, like a true blue Singaporean, about it being too cold indoors and hot as hell outdoors.

1. Blues


2. Bold and bright pants



3. The Tux



4. Thigh baring slits



5. Leather



6. How about a poncho?



7. Stripes



8. The midi (finally)



Trend reports are great for giving us some sense of what's the next big thing the following season but it doesn't mean blindly following the trend just for the sake of it. Personally, if I don't like it, I wouldn't wear it even if it might be the most fashionable thing at the moment. So have fun mixing it up!


♥,
Fir
Photos courtesy of Refinery 29

What I wore...

for a 21st birthday party at East Coast Park Goldkist Resort with no dress code. I was in a fix because of the 'come in anything you like' dress (non)code. I used the trusty common sense that we are all blessed with to figure something out.

One: I'm sure everyone is familiar with the logic that comes with dressing up when with dressier people and vice versa. In accordance with this particular group of friends, I intended to plant myself somewhere closer to the 'underdressed' side of the underdressed-overdressed spectrum.
Two: Some guests could only come when they get knock off work. Hence? Corporate attire.

Therefore, this is what I came up with.


The blazer to dress the outfit up, the shorts to dress it down and the sheer, white, chiffon-mix blouse for some much needed ventilation. I had decided on black leather Oxfords but swapped them for the safe, fool-proof black flats. I foresaw the need for comfort after gawking at the distance I would have to walk from the bus stop to the chalet as recommended by Google maps. Also, ballet flats are so much easier to slip in and out of. 1. is a corset bra (what a gem) that I picked up in H&M. It complements the sheer pieces of clothing that I own so well. The birthday girl wore a hot pink, laid-back (not casual) halter dress with hand painted butterfly motifs and a draped handkerchief hem.

In the end, I ended up slightly closer to 'overdressed'.

♥,
Fir

A Decade of Fashion

Fashion in the past 10 years has been nothing short of exciting. Here's a look at the movers and shakers, history makers and trends that defined this decade.

The new democracy: Democratization came in the form of high street/ designer collaborations such as that of Karl Lagerfeld (2004), Stella McCartney (2005), Viktor and Rolf (2006), Cavalli (2007), Commes des Garcons (2008), Sonia Rykiel (2009) and most recently, Lanvin (2010) for the high street brand, H&M. Other high street brands were not left out; Christopher Kane, Emma Cook and Peter Jensen, worked with Topshop to create capsule collections, while Jil Sander teamed up with Uniqlo, and Alexander McQueen, Thakoon, Anna Sui lent their services to Target. Most recently, Valentino has also partnered with Gap to create a 7 piece capsule collection. We as consumers can't be happier with this new revolution. Designer collaborations have been much easier on our pockets, and I know that I'll definitely be lapping up the items from these collaborations for a long time to come.

Insider info: For a long time, the fashion industry has been very hush-hush about what goes on behind the scenes. But this decade has seen films such as The Devil Wears Prada (2006) and Coco Avant Chanel (2009) as well as documentaries like The September Issue (2009) offering us a peek into the lives of fashion insiders. The TV shows have cashed in on this trend too, with reality shows like America's Next Top Model, Project Runway, Running in Heels, Kell on Earth, The City and Fashionista, showing us what it's like to be a part of this glamorous industry.

Let the people speak: The rise of bloggers like Rumi, Jane from Sea of Shoes, Susie of Style Bubble and BryanBoy have definitely shown the fashion world that bloggers are a force to be reckoned with. On our tiny little island, we've also seen the rise of our very own contingent of fashion bloggers, from street style blogs like La Mode Outre, to dedicated fashion blogs likeBagaholic Boy and Wottoncool, bloggers are definitely taking the fashion world by storm.

One full circle: We've had an array of crazy fashion trends since the new millennium, but there are those like the skinny jeans and mini skirt that have made all the difference in our lives. Trends have really come one full circle, as designers explored the military trend, boho chic, romanticism and of course the (sometimes done to death) grungy rocker chick look. Hemlines have been shortened and tummies tightened with mini skirts and pencil skirts, but these have made way for swing skirts, and midi and maxi lengths this season, and I'm speculating that they'll be here to stay for awhile.

The 'It' bag: There was a time not too long ago when 'It' bags were a must have. Mulberry Bayswater, Chloe Paddington, Fendi Spy, Marc Jacobs Stam, Balenciaga Motorcycle and who can forget the Anya Hindmarch 'I'm not a plastic bag' tote that got the world into a frenzy, with queues and knock-offs sprouting up everywhere; these were just a few names on every woman's lips, and this was definitely the decade of the 'It' bag.

Farewells: We bade our 'adieus' to history makers: Yves Saint Laurent, one of the greatest names in French fashion in the 20th century and Alexander McQueen, celebrated British fashion designer. We also said farewell to famous fashion photographer Corrine Day who passed on just recently in August this year.

Fashion's new blood: While we said our goodbyes, the fashion industry was injected with new blood to take up the legacy left behind by their predecessors. Creative directors Tom Ford, Christopher Bailey and Phoebe Philo all became household names for the house they helmed. The decade also saw the entry of many young fashion designers such as, Thakoon, Zac Posen, Jason Wu and Alexander Wang and most notably Marc Jacobs, who has been utterly brilliant and a visionary in his own right.

Singapore labels and designers go global: While Singapore has had few talents who have made their mark in fashion on a global scale, there have been some who have broke this barrier. Ashley Isham, fashion designer, is one of them. His claim to fame being his label 'Ashley Isham' and having dressed several Hollywood celebrities. Jo Soh of Hansel is another designer who has made her name known abroad, having shown her collection on the Australian runways and with her label offered internationally. There's also alldressedup, an international label founded by Singaporean Tina Tan- Leo, which has shown at New York and Paris Fashion Week.

The new fashion icons: The ladies we all want to emulate now include an exhaustive list of celebrities such as Sienna Miller, Kate Moss, Sarah Jessica Parker, Victoria Beckham, Mischa Barton (during her OC days), Gossip Girls - Blake Lively and Leighton Meester. Then of course there's Alexa Chung, Olivia Palermo, Chloe Sevigny and more names that could hardly fit into this page. One thing's for sure, they're all vying for the title of fashion icon of the 21st century.

Singapore gains worldwide recognition: Ever since the brand Mango landed on the shores of Singapore, the entry of high street brands into our tiny nation has not ceased. Zara, Topshop, Dorothy Perkins, Warehouse, Miss Selfridge, Bershka and River Island are but just a few international names which have already established themselves in Singapore. And who can forget H&M which is due to open its first outlet in Singapore next year? The world has finally started to notice the little red dot on the map, as Singaporeans have the power to spend and finally begin to appreciate the latest fashion and trends.

While these are just some moments of the decade that was memorable for me, I'm secretly excited about 2011, and what the new decade will bring!

Photos courtesy of Vogue, Fash-Eccentric and Daily Mail

♥,
Fal