Print in Pink

I can't believe how fast the first month of 2015 has passed. Where did that whole month go? But aha! While that means the depth of winter for those of you in New York (I heard about the blizzard, bundle up, everyone!), or the height of  the summer haze for those in the land down under, for me it means my favourite time of the year is almost upon us. Oh yes, I said it. I like February way more than I do Christmas. 

For those of you who haven't figured it out yet - February heralds the approaching of the Chinese New Year fesitivities. At this point I could write an essay about what goes on during the celebrations, but here's the tl;dr: We go on shopping sprees for a new wardrobe, because it's good luck to welcome the New Year with NEW ERRTHANG. We wear said new wardrobe to visit relatives and friends where we feast on traditional cookies, cakes, bak kwa, yusheng, hotpot and a truckload of other good food. Relatives give you red pockets with money in them. An all encompassing excuse to shop, pocket money, good food and good company. Who could want for more? 

In the spirit that you should wear a little colour during Chinese New Year, here's a post with a blush-toned palette at Melbourne's iconic Brighton Beach, to take a break from my favourite black and whites. I couldn't leave without doing a shoot here, of course. This gingham skirt sat in my ASOS 'saved items' page for a really, really  long time till one day the discount god bestowed a 70% blessing upon us for two days. What can I say - this skirt and the beach took to each other like they were always meant to be, and had this gorgeous baby of a shoot. 

The sun was abysmally bright, making it a pain in the tush to shoot anything at all, and I felt like I was being microwaved alive, but even I long for the burning heat and cool waters as I put my nose to the daily grind. 

 

SHOP MY CLOSET

ASOS Gingham Pink Midi | ZARA TRF crop top 

Lovisa necklace | Charles & Keith loafers similar here

Photography by Lily Chen 

UNICORN LOVE, 

- R 

Juxtaposition

For this post, I'm easing back into it with a trip back to my comfort zone - monochrome en masse. Well not really in comfort, because on the contrary apparently typing is all I need to do in this weather to work up a line of sweat beads along my hairline. I'm also going to be starting an internship soon, so let me revel one last time in the pleasure of cropped, midriff- baring tops, asymmetric hems, chunky boots and my hair all loose in the wind before I have to subject myself to the horrors of more conservative office wear. -shudder- 

I had planned for this skirt to be shot at a later date after I had gotten rid of that food baby (hahaha I'm heading back to Singapore, who am I kidding?), but seeing as I would be photographer-less in two weeks, there was no way around it. On the flipside, this serves as motivation for myself to get back in shape, and for the bulges of that food baby to grace the face of social media no longer than this one post.

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I spent the last two weeks in Australia staying with Lily in her house in the suburbs. She was very kind to put me up as I waited for graduation. I can safely say that two weeks later I officially developed suburbititis. It was a sight to behold, for suburbia certainly becomes me. While I did work out occasionally, there wasn't much to do except go to Coles. Days were spent lounging in my pajamas, watching reruns of an old korean drama and treating my mouth like a black hole. The difference being that we don't know where things go when they disappear into black holes - that packet of lemon crisps, however, I can definitely see where that went. 

 

SHOP MY CLOSET

Striped asymmetrical skirt similar here | H&M mesh crop top | Cut out boots similar here

Minimalist triangle necklace | Wet n' Wild nail polish Haze of Love | New Look cross body bag

Photography by Lily Chen

UNICORN LOVE, 

- R 

Into The Unknown

As the new year celebrations sweep the different time zones, I've been doing some celebrating and reflecting of my own on the past year. So here's the first blogpost of the year with my two cents worth and some photos from my graduation!

Much of 2014 was spent as a recluse, furiously scribbling away on a notepad and typing out essays and reports for my final year in uni, emerging only for the promise of food that never fails to lure me out of my little self-created hellhole.

But that aside, 2014 has been pretty pivotal. Despite me still not being able to curb my ASOS tendencies, I've survived the fashion and beauty year, having successfully conquered my fear of pants and midi skirts, found my godsend hair curler, won over a thousand dollars of YSL products, started worshipping the aeropress, stopped having my coffee with milk, become an Aesop convert and gone down the slippery slope of being a blush junkie in the making. All that and I've emerged with a degree in procrastination to boot. My family and friends have all played an irreplaceable part in my journey, and I would I am today without you. Thank you, a thousand times over.

And this blogpost to round up the year would not be complete without a paragraph as tribute to Lily, my friend, without whom this blog would just be sad. This little 4'11 package of wonderful has been the most patient photographer, putting up with my nonsense like asking her to take the same photo 20 times, or me bugging her to go on shoots. But more than that, she's literally my spiritual twin - we correctly guess each other's gifts without opening the wrapping and pick out the same items from a store without knowing it. I also don't think I'll find another person who will dress up to the nines in 20's gear for a swing dance party with me, or understand the importance of setting a leaving time - so we can get ready an hour in advance. As we bid adieu to 2014, I also bid a 6-month long goodbye to her as she ventures into the city that never sleeps for exchange (in which I hope my blog will not be as barren as I fear) - please return with 10 servings of Chipotle for me.

Blogging wise - I've always thought the hardest part about maintaining a blog is trying to start posts. Getting my writing engine going is an excruciating hour long affair of staring at a blank screen, typing a sentence, deleting it, and rewriting it. This one was certainly no exception. And in the end, Surprisingly enough, I almost always go back to the sentence with which I first began.

This year was pretty much like writing a blogpost. New Year's Eve saw me lying in bed in my slob clothes and hair in a topknot as I looked on everyone prepping for their parties on Instagram. I came to the small realization that this is me coming full circle. Not sure if it's inspirational or sad that I think lying in bed on New Year's Eve is coming full circle, but I realized that these new year traditions like making resolutions exist only because we put them in place. So here's my resolution for 2015: It doesn't need to be New Year's Day for me to make a resolution. Each day is 24 hours, just like the last, equally fresh and new. So don't wait for the new year. Carpe diem - seize the day, the minute, the second, for every little division of time, no matter how infinitely small, is a chance for me to become a better version of myself.

Happy New Year, everyone, I wish you love and light in 2015.

Photography by Lily Chen. 

UNICORN LOVE, 
- R 

Scarlet Siren

Since my discovery of the versatility of the classic red lip , its been my saving grace many a time when I find myself in the pickle of "Oh no, too much black". And let's face it, given the underwhelming amount of color in my wardrobe, that situation is never too far around the fashion corner (or runway, if you will). So when a little birdie told me of the #YSLDangerousReds photo competition that advertised a year's worth of YSL products, or a trip to Sydney for a photoshoot with photographer Hugh Stewart, I felt it high time I paid homage to this beautiful colour with this stunning number of a skirt.

Said little birdie and I pulled out all our stops, for the shoot of the most epic proportions was about to go down. Well, I exaggerate, for if you imagine two ridiculously overdressed Asian girls running off to the Royal Exhibition Building you don't exactly get as epic an image as I hoped, but you get the point. I think we'd both agree that this was the most physically trying shoot that we've ever attempted, despite the careless tossing of hair or pensive staring into the distance that (I hope) is being depicted. There was much kneeling, sucking in of protruding bellies and sinking of stiletto heels into the grass to be had. But girls, remember, beauty is pain.

So, #YSLDangerousReds asks me how I wear my red.

Why, as the center of attention, of course, with panache to boot. 

SHOP MY CLOSET 

Red Midi Skirt ASOS | Indiesin Necklace | White Cropped Top Dotti

Silver Strappy Heels ZARA Woman | Watch Mouawad

Photos Credits to Lily! 

UNICORN LOVE, 

 - R 

Viridian Velour

I've always struggled with beginning blogposts, as I am right now, so please bear with me as my writing engine sputters to life and we get off to a rather unexciting opening. 

It was only when I noticed that my winter coats were collecting dust in my wardrobe that I realised how backlogged this post was going to be if I didn't get it up soon. That and the fact that the semester is well under way and I am swimming in assignments (but still have time to write a blogpost?). Guess who needs to keep her priorities in check? 

As much as I love blooming flowers, I've always been sad to see the temperatures creeping upwards on the weather forecast. This means bidding adieu to layering it up, cosy winter coats, and welcoming the possibility of perspiration outside gym conditions (the horror). Y'all know how I feel about that. So here's a tribute to the favourites of my winter wardrobe: A versatile slate coloured coat, a viridian velvet top, a printed bodycon skirt (that doesn't blow up in the wind to flash your undies to unsuspecting passers-by), my trusty creeper wedges and that gem of a bag just screaming for attention.   

It seems like shades of green are beginning their takover on my blog, but not to worry, my next post promises to flip the spectrum with more of these beautiful jewel tones I've really loving recently. Stay tuned! 

SHOPMYCLOSET 

Green velvet top The Editor's Market | Oasis Boucle Knit Sleeve Coat ASOS | Printed skirt Dotti

Gold chain Lovisa | Gold crossbody bag Bimba Y Lola | Black suede creeper wedges Underground

Photography: Lily Chen. Head over to give her some unicorn lovin' 

UNICORN LOVE, 

- R 

Checklist

 It's that time of the year again. Winter holidays, two month long hiatus, what's new?

The return of the academic semester saw me being very adventurous with my wardrobe; I bought my first pair of pants in 6 years. Yes, even in winter I donned a skirt/shorts and tights getup, or even worse, simply went bare-legged. I know they keep you warm, but if you're me who prioritizes vanity over comfort, items of restrictive clothing that emphasize my monstrous pear-shaped figure, I can definitely pass up. If I had Gisele Bündchen's legs, sure, I'd wear pants made out of potato sacks for all I cared. But when I stepped rather skeptically into this pair of Uniqlo pants-leggings, I was sold. Believe me when I say they're so comfy, it's like wearing leggings. Next up on the fashion checklist: Midi skirts. 

The 20s club also welcomed it's new member in the month of July. In addition to my irrational fears of small irregular holes and finishing a bottle of shampoo but not the conditioner at the same time (come on, it's not just me, right?), I now fear growing old. Y'know, one day waking up and realizing when you look in the mirror that you've gone wrinkly and own about seven cats. But problems of the quarter life crisis aside, turning the big two-zero has really made me think about my priorities and direction in life. For example, should I get that maxi dress in red or in blue?

Either way, the plan as of today is just to veer further away from making a colossal mess of my life. Wherever that road takes me, I'll deal with as it comes.

SHOP MY CLOSET

 Topshop gray coat similar here | ZARA bottle green shirt | Indiesin Mandela Necklace

Uniqlo Leggings-Pants | Bimba & Lola fluro sling clutch | ASOS All Together Ankle Boots

Photo credits: Lily Chen. Go give this girl some lovin'. 

UNICORN LOVE, 

 - R