D for Dot

You may already know that I have a thing for sleep masks (I can’t fall asleep when it is too bright). So when I stumbled upon these sweet animal-shaped sleep masks from Julia Wine last night, I was wondering how many I can get away with buying without looking like an obsessive lunatic. I have yet to decide on a concrete number, but it should be in the vicinity of a dozen. There is also a non-mammal, white cloud sleep mask, which I think is no less adorable than the others. What do you think – which one is your favourite?

They are priced at USD17, translating to just about SGD22.

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.

This retainer necklace has got to be the strangest piece of jewellery I have ever seen. Brooklyn-based jewellery designer and silversmith Keil Mead casted it from an actual retainer, plated it in gold or silver before hanging it off a 30″ duo-chain. I have never worn braces, but judging from my friends’ grimaces when dental appointments rolled around back in school, it certainly doesn’t look like a good experience. Then again, everything become bittersweet with time, so I guess if you are looking for a dose of metal-mouthed nostalgia in the form of a quirky necklace, this will be it.

Personally, I much prefer this sweet Forget Me Knot ring, which has been moulded from a real piece of string. Or is this matchstick necklace more up your alley? The possibilities seems endless when one crafts jewellery that look like luxe versions of everyday objects. This is literally turning banality into gold – genius.

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.

Designer replicas may be a big no-no, but come on, this is a LEGO version of a classic Gucci clutch – how can anyone not love it? Besides, we are obviously not supposed to take this seriously, so its user (who I imagine to be an irreverent fashion maverick) cannot have any intention of pulling this off as the real deal. Then there is the price. At just US$204 (with free worldwide shipping – hooray), the ‘Tribute To Gucci‘ clutch is just a tiny fraction of what it’ll cost you to get a genuine Gucci, while offering many times the fun (it could be the clutch that launched a hundred conversations).

And if you are not a fan of Gucci, what about this LEGO Birkin?

I don’t know about you, but I am definitely in lust with this Bill Cunningham T-shirt. Sadly but unsurprisingly, it is sold out. I’m crossing my fingers (and everything else that can be crossed) that it will become available again soon.

Recently, almost-too-cool Swedish fashion brand Acne unveiled its flagship store in Aoyama, Tokyo. To bring a little piece of Stockholm to the Japanese capital, it has launched a sweet and quirky limited edition silk scarf (USD290) that is sold exclusively online and at the Aoyama store. If you are a great lover of silk scarves, this will certainly pull at your heartstrings. I mean, it is pulling on mine! Other than this little piece of silky heaven, the other compelling reason to vist the new flagship is the store itself. Located in the thick of the city’s designer fashion central, the sleek, brutally minimalist interiors may make me feel a little self-conscious, but I will be loving it nonetheless. Penning this down as a must-visit destination in Tokyo right now.

I’ve thought about getting tattoos. It is one of those things that I’ve not ruled out for my life yet (unlike sky-diving) – the older I get, the less crazy they sound. I imagined that I would ink on one of my favourite literary quotes (settling on one would be the most difficult part), on a part of my body that would make it subtle but not cowardly. Yet, to be truthful, I doubt that I will ever get it done, not because I am afraid of the pain (although I heard its considerable) but that I am quite sure that I am much too fickle for a commitment like this.

Which means that Dottinghill is quite perfect for me.

Earlier this year, the people behind this awesome project got in touch with me and I keep meaning to shout about them on the blog – because I love what they are doing – but life got in the way like it always does. But with all good things, its better late than never. Basically, they turn great design into temporary, water-transfered tattoos that you can put on and take off as easily as changing your clothes. All the designs found on Dottinghill are whipped up by the site’s creative residents – who can be absolutely anyone; simply pitch in by submitting, scoring or spotting designs.

I tried on one of the designs – featuring a series of hypnotised owls – and got a lot of great comments about them. After the initial misplaced shock (You got a tattoo???), everyone thought it was a pretty fun idea to slap on one of these – the cute, quirky characters and bright, pretty colours are simply immensely likable.

They will make great stocking stuffers for both adults and children this holiday season. With prices starting at just USD6.95 for a set, why not get a bunch of these and give them out at the next party – your friends will love you for it.

If you know a quirky fashion girl, chances are she loves Marni. Actually, most fashion girls – quirky or otherwise – loves Marni. Which means that these pair of D-frame acetate sunglasses from the Italian fashion house should please most of the ladies on your gift list this year. Luckily for you, they are going for more than half off on that retail wonderland known as OUTNET.COM right now – at just £82.50, they are definitely a bargain.

[I've always wondered why so few Singaporeans make it a habit to put on sunglasses when they are outdoors. I am equally puzzled by people who leave theirs on when they go indoors. Don't you?]