My Current Favourite Songs 5

It's the end of the month once again, so here's the latest 5 songs:


Melt (Vocaloids: Hatsune Miku): This song is really cheerful and sweet, so it's been playing in my head from the very first moment I heard it. Not to mention, I assisted in a photoshoot for my friend who was attempting to recreate a different version of the video for this song (note, the cosplayers here aren't people I know personally).


Butterfly (G-Dragon): Not actually interested in the singer or the song, but I thoroughly enjoy this Alice in Wonderland-inspired video alot. The artist who did the illustrations really took my breath away...


Cross Game (Alice Nine): My sis and I are big fans of this group (she's more obssessed with them then I am...), they're music are really creative and they fall between the crack of being labelled as a rock/pop group.


If (Kana Nishino): Really beautiful set for this video and she appears so tall in the video! She has really blossomed from her earlier days where she was styled to look kindda like Koda Kumi with the tan, dark eyes and half braids *shudder*, not to mention, she was made to dance when it was so painfully obvious that it wasn't her best talent. Now after better management, sweeter songs and a new image she seems set to conquer the charts of Japanese pop.


Kimi Ni Negai Wo (Miyavi): An oldie but a goodie, gotta love Miyavi's eccentricity, awesome guitar skills and wearing enough colours on his clothes to rival a girl decked out in decora. This song is cute despite him singing in pajyamas to a cut-out paper star hahaahahah

Till next month then... bye....

Contact Lens Review: Barbie Super Nudy Brown

Awhile back, I ordered and received a pair of contact lens as I had thrown away my previous lenses afetr they started to irritate my eyes pretty badly, and I knew it couldn't be due to the way I was handling the lenese as I'm pretty anal about it and clean them as much as I possible could everytime after use.

So I decided to try out a different brand of lens and after seeking Steph's advice, I gave Barbie Eye a go:

This was the poster of the lens I bought

It was delivered in this nifty little box and had layers upon layers of bubble wrap over it

The lens bottles...

Tried the lens out, this is how it looks like with flash...

This is without flash...

As you can clearly see, the effect of the lens, don't quite match up to what was originally shown in the poster, the colour is so light that my dark eyes just wash out the light colour leaving behind a weird speckled, greenish/yellowish colour of the lens. I liken the effect to pond scum actually....

It was also advertised that the lens are of 15.8mm diameter which I don't exactly believe considering how much enlargement it has, honestly, without the black ring around it, the lens would probably look like ordinary fashion lenses.

I was so disappointed with it that I kept lamenting to Steph about it (which must have probably irked the hell out of her, sorry Steph!). However, Steph urged me to give it awhile as I probably wasn't used to the effectas compared to my other more obvious lenses.

After wearing it for nearly a month, I can say it's a pair of extremely comfortable lenses! I can use it all day and even took a nap once with them on and my eyes were as good as ever! Sometimes in air-conditioned areas, they do tend to dry out abit, but it isn't something that a couple of eyedrops wouldn't help, but that's a rare occurence.

However, I'm still not very fond of the effects of this pair of lens, so I'll probably end up using it for school and such in due time. However, if you're looking for a pair of really comfotable lens over fancy effects, I highly recommend using them!

Clothes for Fashion Frustrations by Edge*s September Issue

More often then not, most of us tend to have "bad" days or simply lack the physique which most models seem to be genetically blessed with that makes us so envious and yet idolise them. So this article which Edge*s came up with is pretty useful, it shows you how to use the latest gal trends to hide your flaws and draw attention to other areas. I find alot of these kind of articles in English magazines, but somehow, most Japanese magazines don't seem to find any reason to write such an article, so I just felt compelled to share it.

The article lists down clothes to aid 3 common fashion frustrations namely, being short, flat (small-chested) and chubby:

Short: Jumpsuits that taper at the ends of the legs to make legs appear longer and a illusion of a longer body with the bustier style top

Chubby: The jumpsuit widens at the legs to accommodate and conceal alittle bulge, the row of buttons also give the illusion of a slimmer silhouette

Flat: The fur vest and belt draws the eye upwards and gives the illusion of a more ample chest, the straight leg of the jumsuit keeps the legs lookin trim and slim so that you don't end up looking fat

Chubby: Vests nip the waist in and gives your body more definition, the harem pants also help to whittle down legs to make them appear slimmer

Flat: Bustiers are a great way to push up fats to your chest and bring more emphasis to them, the floral skirt keeps the outfit looking innocent

Short: A crop top over a maxi dress tricks the eye into thinking your body is longer and the solid black colour of the dress lengthens your whole silhouette, of course heels are always a neccesity to appear taller

Chubby: An oversized top conceals and the black colour slims the figure, the leather leggings bring attention to the slimmest part of the legs and with black from head to toe, the over all figure looks leaner (I personally tend to dress this way on "fat" days)

Flat: A loose, billowy peasant blouse with the waist nipped in with a wide belt again draws attention to the top and makes people assume that there is a larger bust under the blouse

Short: This outfit I don't get, being personally short myself, I feel that the huge, wide-legged pants, long shawl held in place with a wide belt would simply swallow up one's petite frame, but perhaps the pants would give the illusion of longer legs and hide the fact that one's wearing a really high pair of platformed clogs

Chubby: Top shows a loose blouse over a pair of straight legged capris, the straight leg would downsize hips and thighs. Bottom shows an oversized blouse, tucked into an A-line mini skirt, Mode but without having to deal with a muffin top by attempting to squeeze one's self into a bandage skirt

Flat: Top shows a oversized blouse with a tight pair of olive jeggings, again to emphasis the slim legs whilst skimming over the chest to try and make it appear fuller, same logic with the bottom picture except that it's with bandage skirt this time

Short: Top shows a pair of high waisted shorts with a tight top, tucked in. Bottom also shows a high waisted skirt with the top tucked in too. Both are to allow legs to appear longer, hence appear taller and of course the basic requirement for the illusion of height, a good pair of heels

Chubby: An oversized top with tie-dyed leggings and thigh highs, great way to show your legs

Flat: Colourful top to draw the eyes paired with a neutral black bandage skirt and funky lace leggings to show off slim legs

Short: An oversized top with shoulder detailing to draw the eye up and then paired with printed leggings to draw the eyes down to the legs and give the illusion of longer gams

Bottom picture: How to wear a simple long sleeved tunic in 2 completely different ways (I think?)

I hope more articles like these would pop up in the future as I would be more willing to attempt certain trends which I may have once assumed would make me appear shorter (in this case, the cropped top). I find the chubby parts to be useful for days when I am bloated like a hot air balloon, great ways to cover a not so flat tummy but not appear frumpy!

I just wish they would use a bigger sized model for the chubby parts to prove their point, it's abit useless and contradictory when their model still appears to be a size 2 or under...

Natsu Matsuri 2010

The best picture of Esther's and my Yukatas, did my hair up in 2 messy ponytails, because I didn't think it was worth the hassle of doing a too elegant hairdo when a Yukata is casual wear in the first place, not to mention, I didn't want to have my hair bothering me when I'm having fun...

Walking on the muddy field to get to the games stalls, haha! Check out my adorable Pokemon fan!

Francine was there with us, actually it was thanks to her sacrifice of queueing the entire afternoon that allowed us to quit waiting for Esther's very late friend and get tickets in

Met a friend during the event, he hung out with us for awhile before running away with his friends after one threatened to off himself before being forced to listen to Ponyo's theme one more time... (O_O)"

All the water balloons that we managed to win... I took one home as a souvenir

Tata! Till next year!!!

Last Saturday, a couple of friends and I headed down to Singapore's Japanese Primary School to participate in the annual Natsu Matsuri event! This year was different from others as I had finally gotten my hands on an actual Yukata, thanks to Esther's and Sab's birthday gift!

Unfortunately with word getting out of the event, more and more people somehow pop up each year thus forcing more food stalls to appear and the games stalls to move over to the muddy field, however, no matter, after all this is simply a funfair, albeit a Japanese one.

Had a fun time mingling and bumping into friends not to mention, I finally understand why Japanese girls walk with such small steps, sit with their backs straight all day and eat such small meals, the koshi himo (waist cords hidden under the obi and basically holding the entire outfit in place) forces you to hold your back straight and your stomach can only expand so much under all the knots, hence explains all the above.

But nonetheless, it was a really enjoyable experience and a fun time to mingle with friends with something different from the norm, I'm looking forward to next year!

Autumn/ Winter Brands' Suggestions By Edge*s

I really adore this article by Edge*s, the idea of using a single item from each brand and showing 3 different looks is really useful for inspiring alot of personal outfit ideas. I doubt this is any mean feat for anyone of the brands considering the shop staff are required to do pretty much the same thing with every new collection of clothes, however, once in awhile when I get into a style rut, it's useful to look at articles such as this for a quick dose of inspiration, not to mention, I can bet that this is a very smart marketing feat to woo customers into buying more of their stuff by simply showing them different looks you can obtain from a simple piece from their brand


So here's the collection of brands' suggestions modelled by the press, shop staff and producer (solely in Murua's case, and even a full page spread! Wonder why they had to be so special...):

Murua's producer, Momoko Ogihara, modelling an elegant white shirt, with a high collar and 3/4 bell sleeves.... Now I gotta get me one of those! I love how she made it dressy yet casual all at the same time.

Laguna Moon did a bleached high-waisted pair of denim shorts, has abit of the vintage (or as the Japanese coined it, 'used') look. However, I am in utter horror at what Gimlet chose to pull out, yes I get that fur is in, and Tibetan fur trend in particular. But is that the best item of clothing they have in their ENTIRE collection? I mean, look at that thing, its looks better suited for the bathroom floor or a duster then as a shrug, and nothing can save it, not even with the lady trying to style it the best she could....

Dazzlin also chose to show a high waisted pair of denim shorts, albeit, this time with a row of buttons down. Really cute! Cecil Mcbee chose a mouton vest, I find the cutting makes the model appear kindda boxy-looking, but I have to admit, something bout it is appealing to me.

Egoist showcased a weaved, cropped vest, perhaps their slight suggestion of Mode? The outfits are relaxed and casual without trying too hard, they kindda have that "oh, I rolled out of bed and just threw these clothes on without thinking" sorta appeal (look! Look! Furry tail!). Emoda styled a great basic, the black skinny jeans (or jeggings? I dunno...). Which is very much a reminder to replace my own pair of black skinnies

Duras showed a really snuggly, comfortable, polka dotted cardigan with bell sleeves. I like how they added a pair of thigh highs to the matching cardigan and shorts combination, to prevent it looking like homewear. Spiral Girl chose to take on the popular Military and Olive green trend with this sporty-looking jacket with a removable black hoodie. Love love love the way they added the furry cuffs to update the jacket.

Swordfish chose a flouncy leopard printed tunic, I like how they styled the tunic to look like 3 completely different tops with the different outfits. This is totally what great styling is! Bit of disappointment on Lip Service choosing a simple black hooded cardigan. I'm sure they have better and far more interesting articles of clothing to showcase and all 3 outfits look like carbon copies of each other.

Gilfy styled a lovely tan velvet jacket, very nice way to transition from Spring/Summer to Autumn/Winter without giving yourself a mind-numbing shock at the change in style. And not to mention, this is the first time I haven't recoiled in horror at the all fur boot. This is a real first for me, as even watching Louis Vuitton's and Chanel's Runway shows didn't stop me from loathing them. For Backs, I have no idea what to say... I get that their style is pretty simplistic, but come on, you choose to showcase a simple white shirt with some illegible words in black print? Not even the 3 sample outfits make it look interesting, they seem more like the kind of outfits I throw on when I am dead tired and can't be bothered to think of a proper outfit for the day.

Generally, I'd like to see this article appear more often, however, certain brands could certainly choose to showcase better stuff from their latest collections and put alittle more effort into styling them abit more creatively.

So how do you feel about this article? Yay or Nay?

Autumn/ Winter Boots Trends by Sweet Vol. 9

I'll be listing out Sweet's version of their section on boots trends, from this article, it actually show's the difference in the target audience of both Sweet and Edge*s magazines. Like for example Edge*s focus was mostly on thigh highs, as mostly it's the hip and trendy crowd that read that magazine, unlike Sweet which focuses more on short, ankle boots instead so as to cater to the office ladies. Whatever the category one may fall into, it's still nice to observe different takes on the same trend.

So here's Sweet's take on the boots trend:

Ankle Fur Boots: Trimming Fur & Uncle Fur

The trimming fur seems to be the sifter, more suede-like, softer kindda fur and is only a slight trin on the edge of the boot, whereas the "uncle" fur (whatever that means), seems to be the kind that has thicker bunches of fur

Fur boots: All Fur & Leg Fur

I detest the all fur boot, it makes me think that someone was a fan of the abdominable snowman hence the design. The leg fur appears to be more like a furry version fo the leg warmer over a pair of boots, so that i can still tolerate.

Lace -up Short Boots

The lace-ups again, this seems to be on boots trend that Sweet and Edge*s seems to agree on. I am not a fan however, of the rubber sole, too worker boots-esque for me.

Pin-heel Boots

Very elegant looking, a definite alternative to pumps, these would look nice with a dressy pair of pants

Wedged Boots: Rubber, Wrapped & Wood

The rubber wedges would definitely be long lasting, however personally, I think rubber wedges look bit juvenile and tacky, but that's just me. The wrapped versions seem okay, but I worry bout getting the heels scuffed up and ending up with missing patches of fabric, but they do look nice especially the leopard print versions. The wooden wedges appeal to me the most, they give an almost rustic charm and look sturdy enough to last for awhile

Buckled Boots & Boots Accessories

I love buckles on boots, they instantly give it a different look and toughens up one's image, the one in light brown suded reminds me a whole lot of Vivienne Westwood's slouchy pirate boots, this is probably it's more uptight cousin. The boots accessories are cute, especially the cute pom-poms, a cheap way to jazz up boots from previous seasons without having to raid a bank.

I think Sweet's take on the boots trend isn't as in-depth as it could be, not to mention they seem to have a thing for furry boots. So not my cup of tea, thank you.... I do think the boots accessories was a fabulous, inexpensive way to update a pair of boots, but other then that, the article was kindda like a half-hearted attempt to do attempt a shoes article.

Autmn/Winter Boots Trends by Edge*s Vol. 9

Which girl doesn't love her shoes? A pair can make or break and outfit in an instant so it's only understandable to have the need to constantly add new friends into one's shoes cabinet and one trend is a constant presence in an Autumn/winter wardrobe is none other then boots. Thus I present to you, Edge*s list of boot trends:

Tre sexy Thigh highs

Was popular last year and is back again, I'm planning to add one more pair to my shoe collection

Fur Lined & Lace Up Short Boots

The fur versions aren't really viable in tropical continents (like moi's home country), but the lace ups are bit school girl-ish mixed with a retro vibe, me likey...

Lace Up X Thigh Highs, Peeptoe ankle boots & Peeptoe Wedge boots
The thigh high laceups add an extra oomph to the already sexy style of the boots, but in a good way. Never been much of a fan of peeptoe style shoes but Kumickey seems to love her brown peeptoe wedged boots, she's been seen wearing them like in nearly all her recent pics.

Studded boots, Fur trimmed X Lace ups & Fringe boots

I like studded boots, they give it a military-ish, preppy kindda feel and I currently own a pair. The fur trimmed X laceups remind me of the Timberland shoe brand, could be the tan colouring. The fringe boot has been seen constantly in the last few seasons and doesn't appear to be dying anytime soon.

Other trends:

Straps, camel colour, 2 way etc.

I like the usefulness of the 2 way, you get 2 different styles of boots by simply taking off the fringe/fur, that's a real money-saver and who doens't like to save money? I also like the mary jane-esque black & white boots on d left bottom corner, the one with the red insole, very Christian Louboutin.

I'm definitely getting a new pair of thigh high boots, my current ones aren't as high as I would like them to be as in length-wise and heel height, they end at an odd area of my thigh making me look stumpy, but thansk to them I got abit of practice on matching the right otufits for thigh highs and amde me love the style alot more. I've also been wanting to get a pair of engineer boots for the longest time now, my current ones are a 2 way, with straps they look like engineer boots, without, they look like plain cowboy boots. Useful but I really want something but shorter, not to mention a plain pair of balck ankle boots.

Actually it's pretty funny that I want so many boots, because not many people in my country wear them. But it's their loss, not mine... so screw the stares and negative remarks, I wear it cause I like it! Geddit?!

Autumn/ Winter Trends by Sweet Vol. 9

Today I picked up Sweet magazine whilst runnning a couple of errands. I don't read it regularly as I find their target audience tends to be more of the mature females with a settled career and a steady income, hence explains all the pages of high end brands and adverts for cars geared towards females. However, out of all the magazines I've ever read, I still find Sweet always has the best and most detailed breakdown of trends as they get to pick them right off the runway (not to mention the best freebies too, more or less the main motivational and deciding factor to buy the magazine for me).

So here's Sweet's take on the Autumn/Winter trend breakdown:

Preppy

The schoolgirl innocene is once again in, with suspenders, berets, knee high socks and of course, geeky glasses

Military

But of course this trend has to be included, one must be blind and raving mad to not notice this trend. Shown here with lots of olive green pieces of clothing, gold detailing and boots. (Psst, anyone noticed the Nordic legwarmers?)

Bomber Jacket, Leopard, Poncho, Felt Hat

The bomber jacket reminds me of the movie Top Gun, could be in because lately everything that is old school has been repackaged as Vintage and thus, has risen in popularity (and price too!). The ponchos are really cute and I might just get one, that is if I can find one in a material that won't make me instantly sublimate in Singapore's weather.

Vintage Accessories, Black Lace, Mouton, Fringe, Duffle Coat
My guess is that vintage accessories and black lace are part of this because of the Mode trend that is gaining populairty everywhere. But I'm not complaining, they're both great items to have in your wardrobe at all times, very classic pieces. Mouton is bit juvenile looking for me, maybe becuase I think of children's coats when I see the material, but I like duffle coats, they always remind me of animes based in high schools as there is always at least one of the cast wearing it during the winter scenes.

Knit

Knit everything, from your jackets, to your hairband and even your boots have them. Knit and my skin have very much a love/hate relationship so I don't think I'll be jumping on this trend anytime soon.

Fur

Fur everywhere! From your hairties in your hair, to tippets on your neck, to the coats on your body and even your bag swinging from your arm and the boots shodding your feet have gotta be made of this warm, luxurious material. I love the feel of fur, but I have never worn much of it thanks to my country's weather, but it's not something I would pull my hair out over.

Native American, Nordic, Tartan Check

I was really surprised at this page, I have heard of Nordic flying around everywhere, but no one has yet to notice Native American prints. They might be easier to wear
then Nordic, as the patterns have less juvenile tendencies, but it's easy to go overboard and look like a runaway from a movie or something simply by having one too many feathers or beads. But I still very much prefer it over Nordic. Tartan is still in, which means its not time yet for my flannel shirts to go into storage and I am tempted to recreate the look on the model...

So as you can see, there are more options available then previously thought, and I like the grownup twist of how Sweet did the styles as compared to Popteen or even like last seen here, Edge*s. However, there are many trends which every other magazine seems to agree on such as fur, leopard and military, so if you wanna stay safe, these are the key trends to remember. I, on the otherhand, might just try something alittle different....

Autumn/ Winter Trends by Edge*s Vol. 9

I know this is kindda old news, especially when others such as Mitsu have already pretty much listed out their fall/winter predictions awhile ago. However, I find its best to wait until magazines actually start picking up the trends because more or less, they would have sifted thru the numerous options and found ways to start building multiple looks around a few key items and trends.

So here are the key trends according to Edge*s magazine:

Military

Been pretty popular in Spring/Summer and still going strong in Fall/Winter. The classic blazer is also back so I guess it's time for me to get mine out of the closet.

Animal & Nordic Prints

The key prints this year are but of course, Nordic and Animal. I doubt the appeal of animal rpints would ever be lost on the Japanese, however with Nordic, its best to be careful with it as it's easy to end up looking like a bad christmas themed grandma-esque knit instead of a fashion forward print.

Fur

Another trend that will always be popular with the Japanese, and that is fur. This year's version is oversized, to the point of overwhelming most petite frames.

Bags

Bags are big once again, and the most popular ones are adorned with fur, fringe or stud detailings. Of course, one can never go wrong with a classic oversized black bag.

Hats

As Mitsu predicted, hats are gaining popularity with bowlers and fedoras at the forefront of the trend. Other suggestions include newsboy caps and can-can hats in felt.

Scarves (or as they put it, Scarfs)
Animal, ethnic, tie dye and nordic prints are popular patterns and the classic long retangular shape is suggested.

So with these key trends being suggested, I can now proceed to rifle through my wardrobe to see what I have and draw up a shopping list. However a mini trend which I suspect may crop up is what I'm calling the 'furry tail' trend, as I've seen a few staff-chans wearing it and it's appeared in various catalogues and of cause Tsubasa is shown here rocking it:

I find it a pretty cute way to jazz up a simple outfit, as it adds alittle fun and brings up the outfit to a whole other level. So that's on top of my current must-gets list!

What's your current must-get?

Tsubasa X Nishizen Shoji co., Ltd (Kimono Collection)

The mini tiara and high ponytails freshen up the look of the kimonos

I find it interesting how she sometimes pairs the kimonos with ankle boots to give it a modern spin

My personal favourites are the top left and top right

I think these are images from a magazine or a promotional booklet

Her collection for the Graduation ceremony Kimonos (these kindda remind me of the Korean Hanbok to a certain extent)

The 3, 5 & 7 year old ceremony kimonos. Promoting this collection with her hubby of course

I know this is old news, but I still can't get out of my head the beautiful imagery of the elegant kimono collection that Tsubasa is adorned with for her collaboration with Nishizen Shoji, a company that produces such exquisite kimono.

I can't find information about whether its a collection produced by Tsubasa or are they simply using her as a spokesperson for this particular collection, however the sheer beauty of the kimonos leave me breathless and all I can do to prevent myself from attempting to ship over a set for myself is to think bout the practicality of owning a proper kimono and how it'll swipe my bank account clean in an instant.

There are currently 3 different collections that Tsubasa is promoting. The most popular and the one with the largest range is the coming-of-age ceremony kimono (I wish I could have worn such a beautiful outfit for my coming-of-age...), the second is the graduation ceremony kimono and lastly, kimono for kids for their 3, 5 & 7 ages ceremonies (posing with hubby to once again cement their loving family image).

I'm suspecting the last collection is more of a marketing ploy to get fans of Tsubasa, those who are actually mothers, to buy this particular range of kimonos for their kids. But no matter what, you can't deny this is a pretty smart marketing technique and the kimonos do look nice so both parties are in a win-win situation I guess.

Images for the coming-of-age kimonos came from: http://cherrypop.over-blog.com

The other images and more information about the Kimonos can be found at: http://www.ishou.jp/tsubasa/tsubasa_chiburi1.html