D for Dot

Sweet edibles keep popping up in fashion these days. First, there is the Uniqlo x Ladurée collection of UT Tees. And then Kaiser Karl himself (“In fashion, don’t take anything too seriously.”) teams up with plastic footwear maven Melissa to create a irreverent collection that features the above ice-cream cone heels. I never though that dairy products and shoes have anything in common until now. From the looks of it, they are a match made in sartorial heaven.

They come in three colour schemes (black/magenta, white/mint, nude/magenta). I am not sure if they have already available at the local Melissa flagship store, its really not too much trouble to drop by Wheelock Place and find out. If eating an actual ice-cream cone goes straight to your hips, why not just keep them on your feet?

I bought a new camera (which is a little bulkier than my previous point-and-shoot) some months ago and have been looking for a suitable (by that, I mean good quality and good-looking) camera strap ever since. I thought that I will invest in a nicely crafted leather one, but although I did come across some very handsome ones, they usually come with equally handsome price-tags and are out of my budget. Then I stumbled upon Figosa, a brand new camera strap-maker that hand-make their products in Italian leather.

The straps are not at all fancy (just how I like them) and come in a number of colour combinations – you can choose from Honey, Cognac, Brown & Black for the leather and pair it with either gold or silver hardware. Considering everything, I was more than a little surprised to find that it is priced at just 20 Euros (or about SGD33). The Figosa Etsy store just opened a couple of days ago on 1 April, so I suggest you make an order before everyone else find out about this little gem and jack the price up with their demand.

However, before you click on the “add to cart” button, do check with the Figosa team to find out if their straps are compatible with your camera model. (Even if they aren’t, I am quite sure that it is possible to make customised orders.)

Here are just three pretty printed things that I came across today. The one that I like the most is this red printed desert boot from the new Clarks x Eley Kishimoto collection. There are three prints (including the British design duo’s now iconic flash print) and three shapes (boot, kitten-heeled pumps, peep-toed, platform, strappy sling-backs) in all. And grab this flashy gnome too – its much too cute to miss.

Now that budget airlines are trying to out-do each other with cheap flights, I foresee that weekend getaways will become more frequent occurrences. Considering that, a good duffle will come in really handy. So many over-night bags in the market are so overtly masculine, so its nice to see Lulie Wallace (hailing all the way from North Carolina, U.S.A) has nailed it with their unapologetically girly ones. This roomy duffle comes in four soft-colored prints – the brand also offers a more compact weekender.

This sweet Liberty print bow-tie from J Crew are for little boys, but I see now reason why grown-up girls cannot have some fun with them as well. Wear this with a prim button-up for a spot of color or use it as a brooch or bag accessory. Note: a bow-tie need not be worn around the neck.

Spotted this on BOYY‘s Facebook page last night – I can’t remember the last time I was so instantly taken by a bag. It must be that luxurious red (reminds me of a creamy crimson lipstick) and the ultra-cool double front-flap that did it. A bag with two closing flaps; it certainly doesn’t sound ground-breaking but somehow it turned out kind of brilliant. The brand first released the Filippo bag for S/S 2012 about a year ago in soft nude leather accented with what appears to be a spotted deer print. It has since updated the design with various other animal prints.

Considering that I am not a huge fan of animal prints (can’t carry it off; not a wild/sexy bone in my body), I am really glad that BOYY decided to go with plain colours for S/S 2013. Six new shades will be launched, including cream, charcoal grey and that perfect red you see above.

I bought the Oscar bag from BOYY back in 2011, so I can attest to the quality of their bags. Two years on, it is still one of my favourite bags and I use it regularly (just the right size for daily toting). The lovely nappa leather aside (which just gets softer with use), what I love best about the Oscar is its versatility, a winning trait that can be found in the Filippo as well. Coming with a detachable shoulder strap and wrist strap, it can be used in three ways: as a clutch, shoulder bag and wristlet.

The Filippo is available in Small (W 7” X H 6” X D 2.5”) and Big (W 11.5” X H 8.5” X D 4”) for approximately USD670 and USD749 respectively. Only one design (i.e. leopard print) is on sale on the label’s online store right now, and I have no idea when the S/S 2013 colours will be released. So, if you have your eye on this as well, best to keep it fixed on their Facebook page for updates. Or, you can just hop down to Bangkok (with the budget fares, it won’t cost too much) to check it out in person.

Have you seen this videos for Louis Vuitton’s City Guide 2013? They are really pretty – although they are in French and I do not understand French. But if a picture says a thousand words, then surely a video will say a million? Anyway, usually the Lonely Planet apps on my phone is quite enough to get me around when I travel, but sometimes you just need a little more luxury. And who better to offer this luxury than Louis Vuitton? Besides, these guides come in such a nice package – they will look so good on the bookshelf – that looking at them on the outside is already half the fun.

So go on, take about ten minutes of your time today to see Paris, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo on a whirlwind tour!

I know that the Paul Smith x Leica limited edition X2 has been whirring around the internet for a good three weeks now, but it is way too pretty not to put up on the blog. To begin with, Leica cameras are already gorgeous in their classic forms. The designer has simply enhanced their original good looks with his signature bright stripes (i.e. orange and yellow) and add a touch of Britishness with that racing green.

My favourite bit will have to be the very cute lightbulb doodle on the lid of the pop-up flash. It keeps the (obviously very expensive camera) from feeling too precious.

The thing is, Paul Smith is a personality that I genuinely like – it is difficult not to be charmed by this jolly old chap. If you are a fan too, you should most definitely watch this video where he just talks about his love for photography and of course, that lovely camera above.

It is really when the holiday collections start rolling out that one feels the looming presence of the end (of the year). And you can always count on Kate Spade to come out with some of the cutest, sweetest and fun-est gifts every year. 2012 is no exception – there are plenty of pretty little things to squeal over, like these matchsticks bobby pins that I will go to great length not to lose. If that is not your idea of a neat stocking stuffer (but seriously, why not?), there are plenty of others to pick from in the Holiday 2012 Gift Guide, including colourful small leather goods, glittery tech accessories and quirkily packaged cosmetics (lipstick crayons, anyone?).

The Kate Spade Holiday Collection hits stores today (8 October) and will be available through December!

I have always been a big fan of local menswear label sifr. I stock up on their ultra comfortable basic t-shirts whenever I can (a XS fits me just nice) and urge all of my guy friends to do the same. Even if you are not a boy-girl like me, a few well-made men’s basic tees can do wonders for your wardrobe – they go with practically everything. And seriously, what is sexier than a woman in men’s clothes?

Sifr’s Autumn/Winter 2012 collection is hitting the stores as I type this out and from what I see in the lookbook, there is reason to be excited about that. The brand’s first foray into clothes for cooler climes is inspired by the thunderstorms of the monsoon season. Sporting an earthy colour palette of brown, grey and blue and featuring references from Indonesian tapestry and weaving, the focus of the collection is on outerwear. The selection is rather comprehensive – there is a knit cardigan, wrapped blazer, a long parka and even a cropped biker jacket.

For me, the true litmus test for the collection will be if it is lightweight enough for wear in Singapore. And I can’t wait to find out.

You know how you come back from vacation but you won’t exactly be all there for a week or two? I think that explains why good-looking travel accessories have been appealing to me more than usual this past few days. I spotted this part-pretty-part-rugged Bon Journey expedition bag on Simple Song, which reminds me of my John & Mary bag (that I’ve clean forgotten about until Ms Glitzy reminded me of it; I’ve since rescued it from a life of obscurity in the storeroom). “Big enough for weekend get-aways and tough enough for the open road”, it is made by the Heritage Leather Company in California, it is then shipped to Vancouver, where The New Domestic hand-paints its distinctive colour band at the bottom.

To make a comparison between the Bon Journey and the John & Mary, the former seems to be better value for money where size is concerned. From the look of it, it correspond to a large John & Mary bag (UP: USD224, now: USD135) but is considering cheaper at USD86, with a flat shipping rate of just USD5. On the other hand, the John & Mary does seem sturdier with its thicker leather straps and base. However, if you take care not to overload it, I am sure that the Bon Journey will work just as well.

The Bon Journey bag is available in Riviera Blue, Process Yellow and Basic Red.

I love Singaporean humour and it is not patriotism speaking. This T-shirt from local label Superwhite 超级白 is a case in point. For those of you who do not read Chinese, the characters may translate literally into ‘superwhite’ but is in fact a tongue-in-cheek pun on a particular Hokkien swear word. While it is certainly not appropriate for polite society, it is more or less commonly known among locals in Singapore.

A playful spoof of “a rather famous international label”, this limited local edition tee is made of 100% cotton. It is also available in black – when in doubt, buy both – and pre-orders will be open until this coming Wednesday (3 October). I have no idea if there will be any backorders for these, so I recommend that you get them while you can!