10 Must-Have Bags to Own...Which is your favourite?

Friday, August 31, 2012 Anonymous 10 Comments

Hi everyone. Another busy week and finally having a few mins downtime before my schedule catches up with me again.

Doing fashion posts has been fun and I know I have a few more tips up my sleeve to present to you however I decided to highlight in this post the top IT bags of 2012 which are my personal favourites and to help you decide on making that all important buy.


Prada Satchel

Kate Spade Satchel

1. Cambridge Satchel

1. The Cambridge Satchel
   The Cambridge satchel has won us over with its simplicity in design and functionality.
   Throughout summer it added that pop of colour and jazz to our outfits which we love
   so much. Several versions of this style of bag made it to the SS 2012 collections of
    major designers e.g Prada, Kate Spade etc.

2. The Celine Mini Luggage

2. Celine Mini Luggage
    My personal favourite - The Celine Mini Luggage which is of a reasonable size to use
   for several occasions and also in its myriad of colours to choose from makes it a popular
   bag for most of us. Classy and cute with it's " Smiley" face, the fact that there is many
   inspired versions out there in the stores says it all.

3. Celine Trapeze Bag

 3. Celine Trapeze Bag
     This year has been a good year for Celine, releasing 2 popular IT bags this
     Spring/ Summer 2012 season. Besides the Mini Luggage, the other much
     coveted bag is the Trapeze for its cute design and yet spacious enough for
    daily use. Again the play of mix and match colours make this an interesting bag to own.



4. Zara Plaited Shopper Bag

4. ZARA Plaited Shopper Bag
   The ZARA plaited shopper bag is our next best bet for those especially on a  slightly
   tighter budget and yet need a functional, classy but  pocket friendly designer bag.
  The plaited detailing on the carry strap adds that twist of chic-ness to an otherwise plain
   looking bag. The beautiful colours it comes in has made it a sought after bag this season.

5. Louis Vuitton Jelly Basket

5. Louis Vuitton Jelly Basket
    Louis Vuitton did something different this season with the patent leather version
   of a plastic shopping basket. This bag has both the fabulous AND fun factor.

6. Versace Stud Bag

6. Versace
    This VERSACE bag has a hint of Balenciaga with the stud embellishments and
    perhaps overdoing it a tad, but alluring in its own way. Rebel Chic!

7. Alexander Wang Rocco Duffle Bag

7. Alexander Wang Rocco Duffle Bag
    I first came across this Alexander Wang bag on a celebrity blog site and fell
    in love with it immediately. It's simple and classic design was up an edge with
    the studs at the base. Celebrities all over Hollywood are digging this bag ( as
    seen above on Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Tisdale). This bag wins 2 thumbs
    up from me.




8. Gucci 1970 Bag

8. The Gucci 1970
   The Gucci 1970 is another must-have bag for 2012. With metallic caps coming to
    the forefront in fashion e.g metal capped collars, toe capped heels... now this graphic
    gold plaques add a sense of art decor to this vintage piece whilst the gold tassel gives
    it a hint of 1920s flavour to the bag. Gucci has also launched a python print version
    which combines Spring / Summer 2012 animal print trend with this classic design.





9. YSL Cabas Chyc

9. YSL Cabas Chyc
    Although this was a 2011 favourite but for it's elegant and practical design, I
   decided to add this to the list. Hollywood celebrities have certainly fallen in love with
   this bag and hence a highly recommended option.




10. Longchamp Le Pliage Bag in Leather

Time to Recycle Your Looks & Outfits !

Sunday, August 26, 2012 Anonymous 2 Comments

Happy Sunday everyone,

I have always admired the Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine Middleton, to have the guts to recycle her outfits in various ensembles and in various occasions.

For one, she could easily afford to have any outfit she wishes but she chooses to stay humble and live her life like she has always been prior to being a part of the royal family. Most Hollywood celebrities would never dream of recycling their " red carpet" outfits simply because it will be easily recognised by the masses given their high profile pics for these award shows splashed across magazines, tabloid papers and the internet. However,  Kate Middleton who I say is probably the most high profiled "celebrity" that is constantly watched for her fashion sense doesn't fear to have the public notice her mix and matching the same outfits and wearing them again and again ( with subtle variations/ changes made).

Whilst she could easily demand and afford to engage a stylist to put her looks together, but she again chooses the path of staying grounded and styles herself for all of her public events. For this I truly admire her. And it must be said she has done a pretty good job staying grounded with her own style, not letting popular trends or designer brands sway her from the all important agenda of being a " regular person", someone who the public can easily relate to and feel that closeness to the British monarchy. Many of her outfit choices are also affordable brands, with justifiable price tags attached.

Kate Middleton - Duchess of Cambridge in her many recycled outfits.

Lanvin for H&M Jewelled Dress 2010 Collection

Zara Sequin Clutch

Shoes : Lanvin for H&M Leopard Embellished Heels Earrings : Swarovski ( thanks to Bev) Ring : Leaf Shaped Diamond Ring ( gift) 

Here are some examples of other celebrities wearing this same dress for their " red carpet events".

So who wore this dress better? Ok if you think I did, please leave me a nice comment. If you think the celebrities did a better job... well do tell me why and in what way so  I can try my best to bring you a better look next time !

Happy Sunday,
Simone

Maggie and her pups need a loving home NOW!

Friday, August 24, 2012 Anonymous 0 Comments

Hi everyone,

I know this is out of the ordinary for me to blog about something else other than lifestyle and fashion related recommendations, but after meeting Maggie herself ( she is currently being fostered by my neighbour) and seeing the video attached on her pups, it really is such a sad thing that people would just abandon animals just because.... just because.. is not a reason enough to do such a thing!!

A cocker spaniel owner myself, I love this breed of animals as they are so good with kids and love interacting with people. Low maintenance and pretty independent to a certain extent this breed of dogs crave mostly for human love and attention and they are fully happy! Being a medium size dog, in a city like Singapore, most homes would be considered a good size environment for such dogs as they do not need much room to roam but daily walks are highly encouraged.

So, I am keeping this post short to help Maggie and her pups find good loving homes, do view the video attached of which the contact person's details is attached for your reference. So please, if you are looking for a pet/ dog, do consider adopting Maggie and her pups and save their lives!




Love, Simone

My Birthday 2012 @ Bruno's Pizzeria & Grill

Monday, August 20, 2012 Anonymous 2 Comments

How quickly the week has flown by and I just realised that amidst all the rushing around for the next launch for Foster Bay  - " Girl Generation" ( launching tonight at 8pm) with photoshoots and backend prep, it's already the weekend and it's my BIRTHDAY!!!

Wow...another year older ( well feels like 10yrs anyway!!!) and this is usually a time when I start to get a lil down cos I start to worry too much about  whether I managed to fulfill my goals and aspirations in the year just passed and what I intend to do in the future.

Anyway my dear husband organised a nice quiet dinner just Dad, Mom and us at Bruno's Pizzeria & Grill at 338 Tanjong Katong Road. A nice cosy restaurant, but packed on a Sunday night with couples and families. Dad said " the food must be good then" since this was the first time we were trying it out eventhough we just live round the corner from them.



Service was good, though at times I had to translate a lil for my English husband who found it a lil difficult to understand the local accented servers. However the delight of the evening was certainly in the quality of food served. As mentioned, it's not the decor or location that sells for Bruno's but after our first try there, we can most confidently say that the food is certainly worth every dollar of it and the quantity is more than one can ask for. We had to ask to doggie bag our main course as well as starter cos it was just too much for either one of us to finish off our own main courses, let alone with the starters.

Baked 1/2 dozen Escargot

To start, as a treat I ordered from the specials list - 1/2 dozen Escargots which was done to perfection with garlic butter and pesto sauce, whilst the rest of my family had the Fruitti De Mare Fritto ( Deep Fried Prawn & Calamari platter).

Pollo Alla Romana - Pan fried Chicken Breast with melted Mozarella Cheese and Sage Sauce, with Parma Ham

Dad had the Chicken breast called " Pollo Alla Romana" of which the chicken breast was pan fried and served with a rich creamy sage sauce, and topped with parma ham. This dish was served with a side salad and mash potato.  Mom on the other hand decided to have the "Americana" pizza which was typically a Hawaiian pizza but obviously done with nice shaved ham and obviously thin crusted.

Ravioli Al Funghi Porcini Creama - Stuffed Pasta with Porcini mushroom in cream sauce with white truffle oil

 For me, I had my sights set on the Ravioli Al Funghi Porcini Creama, simply because I am  a lover of any dish made with truffle oil and therefore immediately gravitated to this choice and even asked for an extra dose of truffle oil ( albeit at an additional cost of S$ 2) but it was certainly worth it! Rich and creamy, the Ravioli's were large and well stuffed and the mushrooms added that extra oomph to the dish. It was a lil too heavy for me to eat it in one go, but somehow managed to at least stuff myself with 3/4 of that portion. Am sure had we not had any starters, it would be an appropriate portion for anyone to finish.

Linguine Gamberoni E Creama Di Aragosta - Linguine with King Prawn cooked in pink lobster sauce

My dear husband Frank, cleaned out his main course with much delight. He had the Linguine Gamberoni E Creama Di Aragosta which was linguine with King Prawns ( and my were they large!) cooked in pink lobster sauce. As hoteliers, we obviously had many opportunities in our life to taste good food and in his case, he was amazed for a small suburban restaurant like this to serve such good portions and tasty  dishes. Bruno's could have easily been setup in a hotel setting at a much higher rate with its food quality.

We later found out that they do offer reasonably priced 2 or 3 course lunch sets from tuesday to fridays from S$ 13.90+++ per person.

The Birthday girl in her Foster Bay Chiffon Panel Pleat Dress in Purple

So enough on the food, most of you would be wondering " What did the Style Architect wear on this big day?" Well my friends let me tell you, it was no easy decision and I had to change at least 3 times before finally making the wise decision to wear my own FOSTER BAY outfit, simply because I get to make my wish on my birthday, so am hoping that by wearing Foster Bay, I would add that lil extra luck to the business too. I also wanted to showcase to some of you who had commented to me before that they felt Foster Bay's outfits were only for younger girls and catered to smaller size ladies ( S-M). But you can easily see, and I'm not afraid to admit - a standard US 8/ UK 12 and I think I have done a pretty good job showcasing this Foster Bay outfit, right?

So here are a few more pics of the big day for me and I hope you enjoyed this unsual post of mine merging both lifestyle and fashion. Enjoy!

Watch : BCBG Max Azria Earrings : Swarovski ( thanks to Beverley)

Clutch : Bought at a flea market for S$ 12 Heels : Xquisis

Bruno's Pizzeria & Grill
338 Tanjong Katong Road
Singapore 437110
Tel : 6440 4525
Website : http://brunospizzeriagrill.sg

Street Style -" Scarf Print Dresses"

Saturday, August 11, 2012 Anonymous 2 Comments

Happy Saturday everyone!

Been feeling a lil under the weather. Somehow  been having the feeling of something unexpected about to  happen ( but like in a negative way...) hmm... perhaps I need to get some psychic to read my palm ... ooh.....

With the weather being hot and humid again, here's my take on the much loved summer trend of scarf prints to help keep cool and yet looking trendy. Had this item in my closet for awhile but rarely took it out as i somehow felt it was a lil loud but who cares... when you are feeling down, you certainly need something to perk you up right? And if I don't wear it this summer, it'll probably get shut away till the trend returns ( who knows when, and  if I will still have it by then!).

In this post besides my usual OOTD take on a trend, I have decided to highlight how my other fellow bloggers are also wearing this trend.  Hope you feel inspired to try scarf printing too. Enjoy!

Dress : River Island ( similar here) Clutch & Earrings : ALDO Watch : BCBG MaxAzria Sandals : GAP

S/S 2012 Scarf Print Trending

International Bloggers taking on the Scarf Print Trend

Happy Weekend!

Tribal Prints : The Tribe Has Spoken

Thursday, August 09, 2012 Anonymous 4 Comments

Happy Thursday everyone and Happy Birthday to Singapore! Its her 47th Birthday today and so many people are out there are decked out in red and white, our national colours. Not wanting to be too cliche hence my ootd is quite the opposite.

In a recent episode of American Idol, Jessica Sanchez was spotted wearing this short tribal sequin skirt and I simply love it, love it, love it!! So here's my take on a slightly longer version for " older" women like myself but hope you will like my version.

Top : Forever 21 Bottom : Express ( similar here) Shoes : Forever 21 Cuff : thanks to Carla Tribal Necklace : Elitrends

Sunshine in Summer Shorts

Saturday, August 04, 2012 Anonymous 0 Comments

Hi everyone. Gosh its the weekend again! To be honest, I have been busy yet again with the new launch of Foster Bay " Polka Pleat"  collection and also attending kids parties over the last 2 weeks. My god, never realise that kids parties can be so exhausting but it certainly has wore me out with Darth Vader and the Storm Trooper, or water slides......



I must say kids these days are so lucky given the range and type of birthday parties their parents can afford and plan for them. Wish I was born during this era!! I do recall my parents throwing me birthday parties at home with just some cakes and balloons and no further entertainment except for the pressies received and it was considered a great success! A bonus when we got older was a party held at KFC or McDonalds.

Well,enough on kids ( making me jealous even at my age!!) this post is back to my usual Fashion OOTD ( outfit of the day) and having been running out and about another hot, humid summer weekend, here is an great casual summer look which you can easily put together. For those of you overseas, stores are starting to get ready to bring in pre-fall outfits which are thicker fabrics and longer hemlines. Therefore enjoy your summer outfits whilst you can!

Top : New Look Shorts : Foster Bay Belt : ASOS Ring : Old ( my own), Sandals : Gap