The Tribal Chic

During my backpack trip to remote region of Northern Vietnam, I was lucky to visit the H’Mong tribe’s open market. I was so captivated by their handmade textiles, fabric dye and accessories, like the-one-of-a-kind. They have amazing taste in combining clothes. It’s so spectacular and I was utterly bewitched to bring myself a skirt home. Now you see me wearing it with a white shirt, walking down the road. Very luminary and bold.

Polaroid Autumn

"The darkness is creeping in,
And the world is a place to hide."
                            Cheap Clothes_ Whitley

On an autumn morning, I woke up to the sound of music. The cold breeze was blowing outside the windows. Flashing my eyelashes, I was in an unfamiliar room in a different city. This is not Saigon. This is not the city where you only feel the heat and noise. This is Dalat. This is where my mother was born.

The old music kept playing chilling songs. I felt the coldness snick in my skin and the sky was white grey. 'I can't just stay inside' My head said. I walked out of the bed and found myself finding clothes. On the contrary of what I feel inside, I landed my hands on something warm and comfortable. And I was ready.

I stepped outside, started walking. Oh the fresh cold air blew into my lungs.  The street was empty! Suddenly I longed to be alone. In that longing moment I saw the world surrounding me in a polaroid filter. Like coffee 'Old and immortal, lonesome and lively, sensible and rich'.

Nanda baggy pants, Korean fashion girl print tee,  Blue Ex crop top blazer, unknown fedora & Zara basic heels 

Ninomax oversized shirt, unbranded aztec winter crop top, Rayban cat-sunglasses 

Those were the day - The flare of hippie spirits

In the twilight of a day, there I hear the voice of a man singing inside my head ‘I once had a girl, or should I say, she once had me. She showed me her room, isn't it good, Norwegian wood?’.  Following his voice is the sound of the sitar playing strong, spiritual and free. Time slips back to the 60s, 70s, 80s golden time of freedom of life and arts. Drifting off the mainstream world and society there once lived in glory the hippies; carefree, wild and free. Though hippies are now almost non to exist, its hippy’s culture continue to be an endless inspiring knot for various forms of arts, music and fashion. Though Vietnam is a far Eastern country from the hippy mainland however it did land an impact on the 80s Vietnamese. Not only bringing the clothing and arts trends, a living attitude and lifestyle is also at adaptation. Seeking through my parents’ old photos I was surprisingly amazed. The hippy vibe of a young, adventurous and fashion couple is so vivid and alive inside a film camera 3x4 picture.

Wearing the most in-trend outfits from that era, I’m happy to say fashion is a wheel circle. Baggy high-waist pants, crop-top, bob hair, aviator sunglasses, oversized top; those we are crazy in love with were once the icons of the past. Style is a repetition of itself. And each time it repeats, it adds a little new flavor. Which is for us, we know the same old style new fashion is born again and again with a little more flare, vanity and magnificence.

Timeless items: aviator sunglasses, high waist acid wash jeans, oversized top, loafers

Timeless items: oversized top, high-waist basic jeans

How to build up your wardrobe (Part 3: Your one piece choice)

As we know tops and bottoms are key elements of an outfit. Depend on which style you want to pull off, there will be multi choices for you to make by mix matching them. However it will be a BIG MISTAKE if we miss talking about one piece clothes. Yes, nothing's value more than the truth, one piece clothes has the power to bring you the ultimate freshness, high-class and chic look in any occasion. On top of that, no other item is more appropriate to wear to a night event than the one piece clothes. To me it is absolutely not an item to be MISSED OUT! Follow my recommendation below and find yourself the inspiration and ideas to curate your one piece clothes in the wardrobe.

1. Bodycon dress: the ultimate weapon of a woman. God blessed us with the irresistible curves and this unique item is just for that holy quest!  Very appropriate for a cocktail or entertaining event, your call can be on a sequin or bandage or aztec print if you want to be outstanding in a crowd. Or a black dress for a classic sexy look.

 2. Shift dress: a charming item for sweet and classic lady. Very appropriate for workplace, seminars, day events, etc... and downtown hangout. If you're not confident with your body, this is a safer choice. For those who love the ironic and bold style, try out the printed one on the left.


3. Maxi dress: this item is your saver if you have a red-carpet-a-like- event to attend. High class, sophisticated and super duper charming, if you have a board shoulder, choose the second style from the left. If you have a small shoulder and sexy neck, the two on the right hand side are perfect for you.

4. Jumpsuit: every fashionista love this item. Jumpsuit is such a creative item that allows women to wear in any occasion with lots of SWAG and IRON. Want to look smart and trendy, you better not miss out this item.

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I've just finished introducing the first 3 basic items of an outfit. From now on I will focus on outerwear and accessories. Don't forget to continue following my blog! The next entry will be published on Tuesday next week.

Have a great weekend, everybody!

How to build up your wardrobe (Part 2: Your bottoms)

Continue giving you ideas to curate your wardrobe, let's move to the second part: identify your MUST HAVE bottom pieces.

Obey by the rule Less is More, these 06 items I personally pick are the ones that will give you a minimum of 5 different looks when you mix match with the tops in my previous entry. I hope this second topic will help you discover new pieces to the big puzzle in which we're on our way completing.



- Skinny jeans: a very basic but trendy item for various occasions i.e outdoor activities, casual hangout, dates, etc... If you have a slim body, every type of skinny jeans looks good on you. However, if your body is a little bit too curvy, avoid light colors.

- Legging: in your wardrobe you MUST HAVE at least one printed legging. On a beautiful day, if you feel like you want a little revolution, wear it. Either floral, aztec or abstract pattern, a definite awesome look for an urban chic.

- Baggy pants: a rare item but you will find it very useful and trendy. Need a little SWAG, put it on!

- Shorts: summer will be empty without the shorts! High-waisted shorts give you a vintage hispter look with denim materials or a lovely vintage look with cotton materials. Only choose a leather textile if you have a fairy nice body figure.

- Midi skirt: a classic and never out-trend item for every lady. Choose a floral skirt for downtown romance or a leather one for fashion occasions/night event.

- Pencil skirt: another MUST HAVE item. Not only its provide you a good look while working in the office but it also helps you impress your working partners. Well, didn't you remember the pencil skirt became a HOT DEAL that women were crazy over when Sandra Bullock wore them in lovely romcom The Proposal?

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Well, it's 2am in the morning and I bet I have to go to sleep quick. I'd love to continue my 3rd entry 'Your outerwears' on Wednesday but unfortunately it will be impossible for me to do so. I'll be on holiday until Sep 5. I'm gonna do a lot of outdoor activities during my holiday so I promise the 3rd entry will be posted on Sep 7 without any further delay.

I hope you won't mind it.
Thank you
Alice

How to build up your wardrobe (Part 1: Your tops)

You are a fashion lover. You want to look pretty and smart. You don't know how to start your wardrobe collection. You hesitate. Please DON'T. Though fashion has no deadly rules, there still exist basic common senses for starters. Understanding the foundation of fashion can help you stepping into the game without fail.

To say, clothes are many to choose. Wrong choice can add weight on your budget without achieving sufficiency. There are thousand items that can be mixed with thousand of others. How can you find the right ones that help you enhance your look in every trend without spending too much money? Tricky but easy, you just simply need to follow one simple tip: Less is More or the so called 'Minimalism'.

Smart buyer fashionistas are the one who understand the role of each of their item. That is key to determine the game. Thus, I will introduce you the basic items and demonstration on the mix-match task that help you start up building your wardrobe without spending too much on cash and still manage to achieve the look you want.

Due to the enormous information and images, I will put my story in a list of entries as below:

I. Basic items you MUST HAVE
      1. Top
      2. Bottom
      3. One piece
      4. Outer wear
      5. Accessories
      6. Shoes
II. How to mix-match these above items
     1. Urban chic
     2. Retro hipster
     3. Office lady
     4. Rock punk
     5. Menswear


Now, let start with Module I, article 1:

I. Basic items you MUST HAVE

As we know, there are no less than 10 different type of tops available in the market or even more. However, my purpose is to recommend only a selective ones, so my list will content only 6 as below.


     1. Top:

          - White and simple shirt/blouse/tee: is able to mix with any bottom. Depend on the bottom piece, it will give you different vibes.

      -  Black & white striped tee: classic choice for any outdoor activities and attention seekers.

    - Oversized graphic/slogan tee: young and beautiful or young and dangerous, this tee can give you that much power.

     - Floral top: a vibe of fresh, vital and spring-feel is never a bad choice for dates

- Basic tanks (white/black/red): becoming Ms Sporty with either red or white color tank.

- Crop top (sleeveless, body fit, lacing, bra top, spandex): ironic item of all seasons, every charming and sexy woman must have at least one favorite crop top in her wardrobe.

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Don't forget to follow my second entry of the series (Part 2: Your bottoms) at 11pm tomorrow night.



Dear reader, please note my recommendation is for starters. Of course you may find many interesting and impressive clothes that are not on this list out there in the market.


Out of the topic: I've been recently listening to the band Imagine Dragons. I must admit that they make awesome music which is so much similar to my favorite genre. Sorry if you come to my blog and all you are listening now are their music! I hope my fever will soon go away.

Remember Aztec Prints whenever you feel down

In life, there are time when you feel high and there are time when you feel down. Happiness is fragile and never it lasts forever. Obstacles and challenges keep coming. Either you run away or comfort it. You may win you may lose but at the end of the day, you feel tired and exhausted. There are days when the sky is grey and your mood is low. Thus you wish to do something to cheer up yourself. Indeed you can find it in your hobbies, your activities, your interests or... with your clothes. Wearing your favorite sets, being pretty, carrying your favorite item or simply lifting up the mood by choosing bright colors.

As a fact, for long aztec prints was discovered by fashion designers/fashion trend creators, it has been a key element to many chic styles that is bold, carefree, wild and sexy. Celebrate the marvelous culture and arts of ethnic tribal, aztec prints emphasizes on the abstract images printed in sharp and good bright colors.

Cast aside the boring plain clothes, you find yourself living with such vitality wearing colorful clothes stirring by a safari carefree spirit. This style is very suitable to those who love freedom and high spirit. For others, it can be a help in time when you are down. You don't need a full set of aztec prints. It would make you look super busy. One single piece against the whole set is much preferable.

Take a look at the examples I collected on pinterest, you may find inspirational ideas for your own aztec style.

Different aztec prints. Source: Pinterest

For casual occasions, the basic formula is white tee + aztec bottom + heels/sandals 

For semi formal occasions, the basic formula is aztec top +  pants/slim fit jean/midi skirt + blazer + heels/sandals

For fashion or night event, the basic formula is aztec body con dress + chunky/metal accessories + rough sandals + smoky eyes

Absolute Vintage

I became a stylist and photographer for this shot because the dress I bought looked so pretty on the model. A little inspiration rewinds the retro.

In details, what special about this dress is its floral pattern. Embroidered by a very refined technique, every shape of the flowers is clean and sophisticated. The colors are well matched and look naturally. It delivers an absolute retro vibe. To complete the set I mixed it with basic black Vascara heels, chunky accessories. A handmade headband made the retro taste a little stronger without straying us too much away from the key item.

More to say, it was indeed a beautiful Sunday afternoon when I found everything was so lively and vivid. Maybe I love vintage clothing too much?

Style: Absolute vintage. Dooguby vintage dress, Vascara basic heels, F21 chunky necklace and handmade floral headband.

The Great Gatsby fashion 20s phenomenon

This summer, Hollywood love story The Great Gatsby did bring a storm to all fashion lovers over the world with the vanity, magnificence and glamour of fashion 20s. Everywhere, people talk about it. The expensive sparkle flappers, the luxury diamond and pearl accessories, the long forgotten gorgeous feather headband, cloche hat, t-strapps shoes and many more that you only see them in movie. Undoubtedly it become a very popular re-trend, shaking our fashion worshippers and is a muse for many retro fashion shoots lately. However, its great influence does not stop there.

On the 8th Annual Jazz Age Lawn Party, fashion 20s once again struck the eyes of its fans and followers. The glamorous charm of 20s fashion's flare is unstoppable. Thousands of revellers were attracted to the event, taken place in Governor's Island, NYC. Thanks to fashionising.com editor/bloggers, we are lucky to glaze at the most lovely, vintage and captivated photos of this summer, brought by them.

If you want to learn more about the event, follow their article at http://www.fashionising.com/pictures/b--governors-island-lawn-party-photos-60787.html 


 Enjoy!

All credits go to www.fashionising.com . I don't own these photos.

One white blouse

“The white blouse can be light and floating, impeccable and austere, sumptuous and all-enveloping, tight and close-fitting. It rises up to frame the face. It sculpts the body by transforming itself into a second skin. Imputed with glamour and poetry, freedom and impetuousness, the prim white shirt turns out to have a thousand identities…” -  Gianfranco Ferre "the architect of fashion"

If you are a fashionista, I bet you would have at least one white blouse in your wardrobe. Why am I so certain? Obviously, white can look good on anything. It is the most essential item that allow you to mix with hundred of styles and yet I don't exaggerate. As Gianfranco said 'the white shirt turns out to have a thousand identities...', with its power imprinting on whatever style you wear, don't hesitate to try something new out of it.

By chance I bought a nice vintage white blouse free size from Afternoon Tea (one of my favorite hipster brand). It's a simple plain white blouse with a floral embroidered collar which is very very much my favor. I was happy and because of that, I was inspired to do a wearing demonstration for the white blouse item. There are many styles and with my current wardrobe I decide to pull off 6 different looks: retro hipster, urban office, vintage magnet, cosmo chic, lady menswear and Harajuku inspirer.

Style: Cosmo chic. Items: black tank by MoonZip, vintage fedora hat, skull earcuff, oxford heels by Vera Pelle, clutch by Charles & Keith

Style: Retro hipster. Items: baggy pants by Forever21, tie by Topshop Man, sunglasses by Kenneth Cole, pump hells by Charles & Keith

Style: lady menswear. Items: sleeveless shirt by Print, sunglasses by H&M, mini vintage business suitcase

Style: Vintage magnet. Items: lace maxi skirt by Marc, ballet sandals by Charles & Keith, 4 leaf earcuff

Style: urban office. Items: skinny jean by Blue Ex., chunky metal necklace by Topshop Girl, basic heels by Charles & Keith, vintage turtle glasses

.

Style: Harajuku inspirer. Items: vintage print outerwear, turban headband by Topshop Girl, animals necklace by Accessorize, loafer shoes by Charles & Keith

Those styles strongly present myself very well, as I am a lover of its individual story and characters.
Remember, not fashion but styles that make you shine. Follow your heart!!