I'm a bit on a roll today so I am going to do two posts, even though it's now 3.25am Singapore time.

I have certain brands that I put in my to-go list when scouring the pages of style.com for fashion updates. Lanvin, Balenciaga, 3.1 Philip Lim, Proenza Schouler and Hermes (must be the advancement in age...never thought I'd say this) are staples on my Luxe lust list. Thakoon? Not quite. It sits up there with Derek Lam and Alexander Wang---fashionable, yes, but if I only had 5 minutes of surfing time, I would give it a miss.

So my fascination with these dresses from Thakoon Addition---a new (non-diffusion! insists the designer) line---caught me by surprise. I first saw them on coutorture.com and it was the love. They're pretty, with enough drapes and bunching (I'm fond of these additions, especially when placed at an aesthetically pleasing spot) to keep it interesting. lagarconne.com (one of my favourite e-boutiques) carries a selection. These are the ones I like.

This is my favourite piece.




The prints, teh shape of the dress, the bunching and bits of draping...there's nothing I really dislike about it. Well, maybe the elastic smocking at the neck, but that's a small quibble. I don't think he added pockets though, but if he did, it would have been perfect!

Other pieces



The unique cut of this dress prevents the gym-issue grey from being dull. Instead, it would look very pretty with a cross-body bag. Something like this



Banana Republic and Hermes respectively.

Two quietly elegant (a key motif for me) tops




and a simple but beautiful white dress. In this case, just add a Hermes Birkin and grecian sandals for the luxe-boho look.



It looks better on the model



As you can see, it has a very 1920s vintage glamour. Reminds me somewhat of what Mira Sorvino wore in The Great Gatsby in the scene whereby her cousin Nick is first introduced to her.

Photographs from: lagarconne.com, instyle.co.uk and fashionphile.com

b'COS i love you...

One thing I miss most about London is the availability of this particular brand---COS. For the uninitiated, COS stands for Collection of Style, and it is owned by the Hennes and Mauritz group, the same group that runs H&M and is the 3rd largest fashion conglomerate in the world, just behind GAP Inc and Inditex---the name behind Zara and Massimo Dutti.

Unlike H&M, COS is the anti-trend high street brand, prefering to stick to quality classics with a twist. Think Jil Stander, Helmut Lang, ck Calvin Klein and Balenciaga.

I didn't know of this brand until I started studying in London and saw it mentioned many times in Instyle UK. I thought the clothes rather stylish---the quietly elegant look that I love---and decided to seek out this elusive brand.

It was love at first sight.

Now that I'm back in Singapore, I still scout the brand's website every single day (yes, withdrawal symptoms are that bad) hoping to get a glimpse of their spring/summer 2010 collection. Unlike COS' menswear, where the key SS 2010 looks have been posted out, the same doesn't hold for womenswear.

Alas!

Still, there are some crumbs to keep me satisfied till they do their balldrop. So here goes my tribute to this fantastic FANTASTIC (anti)-high street brand that changed my style from more French Gamine to a more artsy, edgy mix.

These are some pictures of their shop in Covent Garden which I used to visit whenever I had time to spare. It was snuggled right next to Massimo Dutti---another of my favourite shops---so it was a match made in Heaven for me, especially since

1.my school was near Covent Garden.
2. my dorm was near enough Covent Garden---it was a short bus ride there, though I could walk if i chose to
3. Covent Garden was one of my favourite shopping haunts in London, especially for it's quaint cobbled stoned streets and it's slower pace, especially compared to Oxford Street (hate that area).






Won't you agree that the interior design is just gorgeous? I have rarely seen a shop (either high street or designer) so beautiful. The sales staff were very friendly too, particularly one Indonesian girl and this other British salesgirl. I don't know their names but I remember their faces and enjoyed their fantastic warm service. The British girl introduced me to this pair of cropped black pants---she said she had introduced it to many a shopper and they loved it---she can add me to the list of happy customers.



Two SS 2010 looks from them that I love love. Artsy and elegant.



These are from last year's winter collection. I especially like the look on the right---the bunching, the play on proportions (though I wouldn't have worn a black bra!). It's quite difficult to make a pair of such unusually shaped pants not look clownish, but this look just nails it. Quietly quirky.



This is also from last year's autumn/winter collection. I have a similar top---bought from them in 2008. The top is wool but the skirt is chiffon, so a nice mix of textures.

Anyway, for the new pieces out this week, there are...


very nice anorak. I can think of so many ways to pair this! Cropped pants with black platform pumps. With skinny navy blue or grey jeans and gold sandals. With crisp cream or white shorts and pretty K Jacques or Musa sandals.

Or these Balenciaga ones!



Then there are the nautical stripes...




I bought a dress that looks similar to the one on top last year. But somehow I think mine looks nicer. In my case, the placing of the stripes at the bodice is not linked to the stripes on the shoulders, thus breaking up the stripes---a look a prefer---as compared to the linking of the stripes in this dress.

The red and white stripes are very stereotypical French chic. Just add a beret and you're good to go.

Photographs from: cosstores.com, brownsfashion.com

Inspiration board!

I haven't blogged for ages. But recently, I've had a lot of time on my hands and have been looking forward to the new spring collections. Shopping was hardly any fun last season and I wandered the streets, bored by all the 80's references---a fashion decade I am not too keen on. So when I first saw the Spring/Summer 2010 collections on style.com last year, I was very pleased. Soft draping, neutrals, romanticism!

Bring it on! say I. Makes a nice (and long awaited) change from punk, acid wash and studs.

Currently I am feeling 1920s British seaside resort. Perhaps it is the warm yet breezy weather here in Singapore (before the humidity sets in later in the year), the quietness of the day and having lots of time on my hands to read and think that inspired this move.

Either that or it's the doses of Jeeves and Wooster and Hercule Poirot that I've been having. All that Art Deco furniture, sunny weather and gorgeous clothes!

E.g.






(from the Jeeves and Wooster series)

So this is what I imagine myself wearing:


I saw this on jcrew.com and immediately, I felt: this is it! Completely captures my mood, right up to the white fedora which, I am having a strange hankering for at the moment.

Other pieces which I currently favour are


Butterfly print dress from Ted Baker and ditzy floral jumpsuit from Topshop. I'm often wary about the quality of material from Topshop, but for trendiness, they're still hard to beat. These would look great with the aforementioned white fedora, and with beautiful gold low or high heeled sandals.

Or to further the 1920s vibe, one can add this


Black and white T-bars! (from Topshop)

Or if one wanted a more grungy look to juxtapose with all that resort-ish vibe, one could wear these instead:



I've always had a thing for suede boots, and these ankle ones---judging from the web photo---are just gorgeous (also from Topshop).

Other nice print dresses include these from French Connection


They're not bad, but I still prefer the first two picks.

Continuing with the easy-breezy vibe, I saw some shots of the Banana Republic Spring 2010 Collection that epitomised what I have been hankering for:



Some other pieces that capture this seaside resort/romantic vibe are these last season's Tulle tees from Jcrew.





I just love the rosette detailing. So very delicate.

I'm also partial to this blouse from Jcrew



Overall, I would pair all three tops with crisp white or cream shorts, and I would pair the rosette tee and the ruffled blouse with these skirts


(from Ted Baker)


(from New Look)


(from Banana Republic) I think it looks nicer on the model



Other things that I'm loving that fits with this theme:



Two other print dresses from Ted Baker. They're on a roll this season. Generally I only find one piece of interest per season, yet this time, I like four articles of clothing. Perhaps they have made changes to their design team?


(from Topshop)

In case it gets chilly...


(also from Topshop. Saw this in person and it was indeed lovely and prettier in fact than in the photo. The shiny yet muted gold and pink threads weren't captured so well in this picture.)

Two more looks:



Both from Banana Republic (another brand that I don't usually favour but whose Spring collection I am loving). I like the water coloured motifs---they look so serene.

And now for accessories to complete the ensemble:



Small satchels (Banana Republic, Ted Baker and Ted Baker respectively)

I've once seen these things described as part of the American foreign exchange student's uniform. That was quite an unflattering description. I suppose because I like these things and yet, I haven't met any very nice American foreign exchange student thus far, so I didn't like the association.

Then for those who have lots to carry around there are the larger satchels


(from Banana Republic)

and THIS!

the Oversized Alexa from Mulberry

I went to the Mulberry store hoping to get one but alas! here in Singapore they only had the leopard print version and not the classic oak version. What was worse was that even Net-a-Porter had run out of the Oversized Alexa in this colour. I shall just have to wait for NaP to restock.

A side word about Mulberry. 'tis my favourite handbag brand. I don't like Louis Vuitton and I think Chanel is now a tad too ubiquitous. I missed out on the Croc Print Suede Bayswater in Grey last season so I was hoping to get this one instead but alas the Singapore store didn't bring it in. I shall just have to wait till it is available online.

The only other bag I am loving is the Hermes Kelly Bag (the small sized one). I saw this young lady sling it ala messanger bag and I liked that look very much---expensive bag carried with an air of insouciance. I'll blog about bag lust in another post.

Finally, two little accessories to complete the look.

First up, cute little flower ring from Topshop



And Art Deco inspired bangle from French Connection



So that's about all for now. Till then!

Photographs from: elleuk.com, topshop.com, jcrew.com, bananarepublic.com, mulberry.com. Screen caps from youtube.