School Bags 2007

I feel like I've written this post before, but school bags just seems to be one of those topic that no one ever gets tired of. Probably because we're all always on the lookout for that perfect bag that is stylish yet still practical for daily wear, and the definition of stylish changes every season. So lets start.

Luckily for my wallet, my tastes and definition of style varies little over time (some may even call me boring). So for me, the perfect bag for school is still the tote. This year I've gotten even more classic and have switched from my printed Coach tote to this classic black nylon Prada tote. Coach is still high on my list, but the one I had was suede and just a little too seasonal for me- I may bring it back out come winter. The black Prada one on the other hand would last me all year, rain, snow or shine, AND it is easier on my poor lopsided shoulder than the Coach. Another similar choice to the Prada that is cheaper but just as classic is of course the Longchamp bag. I'm aware that this has been on the "list" year after year now, but what can I say, some things never change.

Just because it is still high on my list, I'm still going to include a Coach tote here. And to spice up the tote mix a bit, I'm going to throw in this lovely Kate Spade creation, simple but elegant.

Going a little funkier, I am loving these bags from UO(left) and Top Shop (right). The print makes it retro and the color makes it versatile. Plus, its big and very shoulder wearable. I hate those bags that I can't put on my shoulders!

Something trendier, I am sure you've all seen the Prada messenger in magazines everywhere. The first thing that pops into mind when I see this style bag is- school! I wonder if my mom has one hidden away somewhere that I can "borrow"..........for a similar plain, lightweight messenger bag that is more affordable, there is my other school bag brand favourite- Le Sportsac (right).

And to get the best of the two worlds, there are these bags from UO. I am especially loving the electric blue (though I think the site calls it purple??!) messenger bag. its sooo this season! Anyways, I'm off. Have a stylish school year everyone!

Ps. The Prada tote is also great for work. Flights. All occasions really:)

PPs. I think you're right and next time I am going back to my old hair salon. Even with the DVD player, it doesn't compare to new salon doesn't compare.

Image Source: Coach, Saks, Kate Spade, Longchamp, Urban Outfitters, Top Shop and Le Sportsac

New York SS08 Fashion Week Wrapup III

New York Fashion Week is over! OK, so instead of going through a few shows like I usually do, I'm picking the outfits that I liked from Marc by Marc and Philosophy. Why those two collections? Not because they are particularly directional or Nina-Ricci-stunning, but because they are contemporary, young and affordable (if you only buy a few pieces.)

Marc by Marc Jacobs

I think this is the first Marc by Marc show that I didn't like on first sight. Usually I adore the way accessories are piled on seemingly randomly and the cute clothes. But this time, the clothes were just really colourful -and I mean lots of colour in single garments. This collection was definately not my taste. These three were practically the only looks I liked.

Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti

I've never paid too much attention to Philosophy until I noticed that the Co-ed dept of a department store I like sells it. I never seem to find anything I want on the racks but hey, I'm sure I'll find something someday so I'm keeping note of the runway collection.

I really like the dress in the middle but really, where would I wear it to? But the subtle black patterns are such sooo pretty!

The red beaded dress on the right is so cute, short and slinky. It would be such a fabulous flirty cocktail dress. Sigh, I'm already looking foward to next summer!

OK so here's a tiny issue BG and I are now thinking about. Our hairstylist recently started working for another hair salon. BG's not too fond of the new salon -it's not as comfortable and she liked the hair technicians at the old salon. So the question is, should we follow him to the new salon or stick to the old salon and change stylists? OK, like I said, not significant at all but just something that we are mulling over in the last few weeks of our summer holiday.

Image credit: http://www.style.com/

New York SS08 Fashion Week Wrapup II

More about NY Fashion Week...

Marc Jacobs
Woah, this collection was a bit unexpected. I've always imagined a lot of Marc Jacobs' normal typical clients liked cute, funky and clean-cut clothes, which is why this collection of sexed-up clothes surprised me. I'm not really loving the underwear theme or the random slits up the skirt or belly-baring tops, but a lot of individual outfits were pretty cool.

Looks like black sequins will still be 'in'. The dress on the left is so cool -I really like the deconstructed black sequin dress with the nude slip under.

The outfit on the left reminds me of Miu Miu FW07. Anyways, you can see a lot of body parts which are usually covered up.

The dress on the left is so pretty! I'm still not sure how I feel about the daywear though (like the one in the middle.)

A lot of putting-together of pieces. The thing with MJ is that even though just by looking at these photos, my first instinct is to dislike the red outfit (left,) I can imagine it looking cool and funky on certain people in real life.

3.1 Phillip Lim

Looking at Phillip Lim's clothes always makes me feel so sad and happy -Happy to see such girly, chic clothes, and sad to know that I can't afford any of them!

Love love love the cocktail dresses! They're so perfect for people in their 20's.

Everything here just looks so cool and chic, (although the outfit in the middle could do without that weird necklace...) Got to try that all-white with trenchcoat look some time in the future!

And more pretty eveningwear.

Narciso Rodriguez

Narciso Rodriguez is a brand that I actually really like the designs of, but I never notice it much in shops or think about it much because it's a) not suitable for my age yet, b) doesn't advertise much. But everytime New York Fashion Week comes and I see a new collection, I just cannot help looking over the collection many times. I love the clean, structured cutting and colour palette.

There was a lot of office clothes and simple, structured clothes.

And then there were the cocktail dresses which I LOVE. Take the dress on the left, I love the way the sequins are placed -it looks like black and purple were sprayed on. And I love that shade of purple of the dress in the middle and the way the fabric is draped. I want!

Image credit: www.style.com

Miu Miu: Satchel in Nudo

So this Miu Miu bow bag has probably been overblogged by now. But in the last few weeks, I can't help but feel that I am seeing it absolutely everywhere. Maybe its because I've had it for a year now and I just become more alert when I see it (like when I become instantly alert when I hear the msn alert tone), though this has only been a recent phenomena. So the first thing I'd like to conclude is that, yes, the satchel style is here to stay at least for another season. It is still in the stores and no, it is not on sale.
The next point I'd like to make is that I am LOVING the new color they have it in called Nudo. I'm seeing it in the streets everywhere, this brown yet greyish color is just gorgeous and perfect for this fall/winter. The greyish tint makes it even more easy to match with outfits than my brown one. It kind of reminds me of my new Bobbi Brown Stonewashed Nude Palette, brown with a greyish stone tinge. Bring on the greyish brown this season!

Image Source: Barneys

White Eye Liners

So now that it is the end of SS07 (where did my summer go?), I finally got around to testing out the white eye liners on the market, following the white eye liner trend this season. And judging from the recent catwalk shows, I'd say that finding a good one would be a good long term investment.
First I tried the white Mac eye liner, since I loved the black one so much. The effect was... not that impressive. The thing with white is that it doesn't go on as easily and smoothly as black does, but then you don't want to apply it too thickly either, because the effect is supposed to be more subtle. Least thats what I'm looking for....and even if you do manage to apply it thinly and well, for me the white always washes after a while.
But then, I tried the YSL long lasting eye pencil in white at the counter just for fun while I was trying out the Touche Eclat- which incidentally is amazing- and whoa. I was blown away by how smooth it went on and after wearing it for a day, how long lasting it actually is! I seriously wore it for a whole day and when I went to "retouch" it before dinner, I was surprised that I didn't need to! The only problem I have with this one is that it is so white that it applies on almost silver, so makes it more nighttime-ish.
For a more natural look, my friend has found the key. She uses a creamy white eye liner part of a duo from Shiseido. It applies smoothly and the creamy white color is very subtle but still very nicely opens up her eyes- perfect for day time! I can't wait to get one of my own next time I pass by the counter!

Image Credit: Mac, YSL and Shiseido

New York SS08 Fashion Week Wrapup I

It's fashion week! OK so I'm not totally excited about NY Fashion Week because few shows there are actually directional or gorgeous, but it is nice to look at new, modern clothes.

BCBG Max Azria

I never used to care much for BCBG until this summer's visit to LA, I realised that BCBG sells really useful, pretty, contemporary clothes that are affordable. This season's BCBG seems a bit inspired by Nina Ricci's FW07 collection. It used a lot of that sheer material to form a layer over the non-transparent layer. And note the belts tied at the waist -big trend this FW and probably next SS!

The dress in the middle is one of my favourites from this collection. Love the colour combination and the chiffon layering at the bust area.

Lots of sheer chiffon layering.

Erin Featherson

Remember how cute Erin Featherson's last show was? Everyone looked like fairies. For this collection, the models look like they're fairies just starting to work.

All the models had white eyeshadow and mascara on. Looks cute close-up, but...

... not so cute from afar! The first time I looked through the photos, I was so distracted by the eyes I hardly saw the clothes!

The silver dress is so cute! Very ballerina-ish.

Marchesa

Ah, the brand of gorgeous dresses! This collection was supposedly inspired by India, (although I'm sure some Indians would be a bit offended by how flashy or revealing some of the dresses are!) The dresses throughout the collection didn't connect that well to me, but there's no denying they're too pretty not to look!

The navy dress is so elegant -I love the crystal details at the waist!

Gorgeous dress! This dress looks like a bunch of embellished flower petals, doesn't it? The way the material is draped is so nice! If you're interested, the dress before this dress at style.com looks even more like rose petals -the model there literally looks like a rose bud!

Image credit: www.style.com

Digital Cameras Fall 2007

Admittedly I only got my last camera, the ixus i zoom not that long ago. But recently, I've been feeling the need for a change. I am tired of the limits of my camera. The quality of the pictures are never good enough and it never captures the moment. They boosted up the pixels, but the minimal functions of the camera does not complement the upgrade. And so, I've been back on the market for a new camera lately. After a market-wide scan on the Panasonic Lumix, Casio Exilm etc., I've finally narrowed it down to two brands: Canon and Sony.

Canon because after much asking around and photo comparison with my friends many different cameras, we concluded that ultimately the quality of Canon pictures were the best, both in and outdoors. From there I narrowed it down to the two newest models: Ixus 860 and Ixus 960. The Ixus 860 is really not bad, with 8 megapixels, 3.8x wide angle optical zoom, a huge 3" screen, wide angle option and all the standard antishock things. It even has a battery usage bar now, that tells you the battery status ahead unlike the previous models, which only tells you when you're running out. The only thing is, holding it in my hands, it feel huge, especially compared to the ones out there (and my previous camera, which is smaller than my phone).

Plus, besides the wide angle, the rest doesn't seem to compare with the Ixus 960, with 12 megapixels (I KNOW the more megapixels doesn't mean its better, but still...), 3.7x optical zoom, 2.5" screen, touch control D tech (whatever that means) and a titanium cover. Unfortunately, even though it has been announced, no one has seen it in reality yet and cannot testify to the size. If this one was slimmer and smaller than the Ixus 860 (like the Ixus 95, which I really really hope it is-though I've heard rumors to the contrary) then this will be my winner. I'm hoping it would come out before I leave for the States. If not however, we've got a problem...

...and I might have to switch to the Sony Cyber Shot T-200, also new this month and is not available in stores yet. Because function, design and size-wise, the Sony T-200 is clearly superior to the Canons. Not only does it look this pretty and is tiny, but it also has a 8.1 mega pixels, 5x optical zoom, a HUGE 3.5" touch screen and all the usual double anti shock things. PLUS, it has this cool new smile shutter feature, which detects everyone in the picture smiling and automatically takes the picture without clicking. Not exactly a very essential or practical function, but how cool is that? The only downside is that Sony cameras have a special Sony memory card to go with it, so I can't stick it into my laptop slot directly. The colors are also unnaturally richer/redder, though the salesperson claims that it was the "true" color. Indoor/dark photos also occasionally show up not sharp enough, though the outdoor photos are gorgeous! There is also the concern for the touch screen technology- if it falters then I am in big trouble...a digital camera IS a long term investment after all (it needs to last at LEAST 2 years). In addition, because it is touch screen and its huge, it probably consumes battery a lot faster. Oh and lastly the Sony is more expensive than the Canons (naturally).

Wow I've written a whole essay about this topic (if only they were so easy to write!). I am probably leaving a lot of important points out, but I'm obviously no expert on digital cameras. I'm going back later in a few weeks to check out the T200 and Ixus 960 in real (hopefully they will be there), and I am determined to finally get one. Which one would you go for?

Image Source: Sony and Shiny Shiny