tight tweeds and secret needs

Sometimes I take a break from buying accessories a.k.a. costume jewelry by the truckload, you know those types that I pile on as though there are no tomorrows in question. And then I start to look at those lovingly encrusted with stones and precious metals.

So I stumbled upon My Jewelry Box.Com, offering an entire plethora of jewelry. Easy to navigate, one can choose via price range, product and material. Otherwise, the Featured Jewelry corner to the right of the site.

And given my absurd love for black, I did like their black range, aptly christened A Black Tie Affair, with this pretty offering,

a Black & White Diamond Antique Cocktail Ring 1/2 Carat (ctw) in Sterling Silver. Since black diamonds, otherwise known as Carbonados, have their values lying predominantly in the fashion stakes rather than as a precious stone, at USD$89, this ring wouldn’t break the bank.

And. . chocolates. Where do I begin to articulate my obsession with anything derived from Cacao, so much so that 99% Dark is relished and treasured as my pupils dilate like a happy cat’s. I couldn’t help but click onto The Chocolate Diamond collection. Essentially, they are simple designs, perfect for setting off an elaborate outfit, such as this pair of hoop earrings.

Always nice as a tweak to the conventional hoop earrings.

And because blue-and-white/silver always complement beautifully, this is available in the Blue Diamonds Collection as well.

Included, too, is the Birthstone Shop, such as the Ruby Collection which corresponds with my birth month July. Little wonder why Red is easily my favorite color. In all shades, hues and nuances on the Pantone color swatch to make one dizzy.

Other offerings include engagement rings, organic pearls from Joia de Majorca and men’s chains that set my eyes all twinkling. And, who doesn’t appreciate Clearance?

Last, my favorite simple gold numbers. .

Diamond Solitaire Stud Earrings 1.0 Carat (ctw) in 14K Yellow Gold

Henrietta Rose Samuels specializes in handmade, kimono-print shoes that are utterly stunning and to-die-for. The materials are predominantly vintage Japanese-kimono prints that burst with color, with their own unique designs, and in a wide range of shoe styles imaginable. One thing awesome about the Hetty Rose label is its unique peep toe in pumps– a circular hole (although I’ve seen heart-shaped ones) in the middle of the toe-covering, giving it its ever-charming twist. The beautiful thing about kimono-prints are the histories and the stories they embody, throwing you back into another world, and into another culture, smelling of ancient times and of long ago. Here are some of my favorites:

Everybody, meet. .

Amalie

Mami

Yuki

AND

Anais

And on the subject of gorgeous customized shoes, I’ve discovered yet another local gem. Rabbiteur’s hand-painted shoes with swinging little tassles and ribbon bows are absolutely delectable. Gloss-finished, most of the shoes are about 3.5″ high, a good height for those days you’re intending to walk alot in.

Oh, can I have them?

The bold Soiree. . described as Black and white on shimmery gold faux-leather heels. And a cute little ribbon at its heel. Great with dinner parties and little black dresses.

The delectable Swing, in all its monochromatic glory.

And the very daring, loud and statement-screaming Fashion Foot Fetish.

Oh, my retifism has just worsened ten-fold.

(Paid review)

A lover of fashion and of style often is a lover of aesthetics. What better than to awake in beautiful surroundings, flanked by solid yet understated furniture. Looking for that perfect blend of design, craftsmanship, aesthetics and quality? Furniture company Lombok has this and more to offer. Largely wood-based in a variety of stains from white oak to dark teak, Lombok’s provides one with a generous selection of pieces to mix and match, in order to create your dream home.

To me, the bedroom is one of the most important places– aside from the bathroom. You begin and end your day in it, and therefore the ideal bed that can be sought to the best of your abilities should always be scored

Take for instance, this gorgeous Canton four poster bed. I adore four poster beds, because of its classic charm, and true to Lombok’s Eastern-inspired style, this bed incorporates the Eastern element with dark-stained wood. Throw on a textured blanket, some pillows in the same color family as the bedspread, and voila. En-route to The Land of Sweet Dreams.

From the same Canton range comes this breathtaking mirror with a distressed black lacquered frame. Propped against the wall for a relaxed feel, this completes the look. After all, no home is complete without a full-length mirror; so why not make it a stunning one. There’s a reason why The Queen in Snow White would go “Mirror, mirror” on the wall everyday.

No day is complete without food. Be it a hearty breakfast, or a wholesome dinner, or even a laidback supper. Pop open a bottle of Shiraz or bubbly champagne, dig into a chocolate cake as you clank your crystal goblets in a toast. The brown muffins on the table for tea, or the waffles on the morning spread. Lombok, too, offers a beautiful range of solid Dining Tables, such as this particular Malang dining table made of solid teak planks stained dark brown. An extended table from the same range is also available.

An avid bibliophile like myself sure appreciates a sturdy bookcase as a shrine to my precious book collection. Otherwise, a bookcase is always handy as a room divider, a holder for knick-knacks that symbolically store the memories of days gone past, or simply for organization. Here, the Rustic bookcase will sit in beautifully in a modern, cosmopolitan setting or a rustic, laidback one as its name suggests.

Whilst on the subject of storage, this Rustic wardrobe will be a beautiful sturdy piece to encase one’s precious clothes and shoes.

Other top picks of mine include:

This gorgeous cushioned piano stool that would be a beautiful accompaniment to my piano.

Sure looks inviting!

This Primitive Bench for lazing around on. Doesn’t it remind you of those carpenter’s work benches, or the long benches at the school tuckshop?

This dark-stained console table to display freshly-cut flowers and to drop off the keys on.

A white-stained oak set for the kitchen

And lastly, a beautiful chest to store memories, blankets and the favorite stowaway stuff. That which makes it a delightful treat to open the chest. The Treasure Chest.

Shopping with The Best Friend must be the funnest thing ever. . I bet I’ll miss these times when I move abroad in about a year’s time. From squeezing into extremely crowded changing rooms during sales season, contacting each other about sales events, buying the same stuff unanimously to declaring, “Oh my God, I nearly wore that (insert item of clothing), she’s a bundle of fun. And a good person at heart too. She’s an uber-stylish girl who loves heels as much as I do, and with the sunniest smile ever.

Here, we were at Zara picking out clothes when we both grabbed the same dress. And had fun in the changing rooms. .

I absolutely adore the neckline of this dress. .and the empire-cut means. . Eat all you want to eat because who bloody cares.

It’s nice and short too. .meaning it’s purrfect to be worn with booties!

And by the time we were en route home, I said, “Oh God, do you realize we both bought the same dress and the same jacket!?”

It’s a good thing we give our stuff different twists, though.

Isn’t this Mango dress too gorgeous for words!? I’m hooked. And sold.

Wheewy, my papers are over. Therefore, I went for some retail therapy. . Just some of the spoils of the hunt. .

I’m thinking my cousin’s wedding mass would be a perfect occasion for me to wear this. Okay, it’s just an excuse to buy something, but just look at how vibrant the prints are, as though an artist carelessly left his brushstrokes on the silk fabric. The bottom of the dress is a tad ruffled, which adds to the movement. Although, I think it’s a bit big. XXS was the smallest size I could find there

I thought this was housewife-ly chic. . Oh, how I love gingham.

This one has got rafia hanging down, and has pretty floral prints against the chiffon black.

This peasant dress has got to be one of my favorites. I can imagine wearing it with my suede knee-high boots.

3/4 of my wardrobe are from Mango because it’s quite cheap and they have a nice mix of stuff. It’s even nicer now that they have the Penelope Cruz range, which I really dig. I couldn’t find all the catalogue pictures online, but these are the ones I picked out

and the dotties dance a polka. .

One of my favorite accessory shops ever, has got to be Accessorize, which began in London in 1984. It carries a wide range of interesting items, very colorful, vibrant, with different sorts of ethnic twists. Their bags are pretty cool, with an extensive variety of textures and materials like beautiful embroidery and even flowers. A little ostentatious at times, but a single flamboyant piece can be the defining de rigeur factor to any outfit, that brings out the whimsical and bold side in you.

Admittedly, I’ve been haunting their kids section as well, buying flowers for my hair, and even feathered pens. I’ve been going there since I was ten or eleven, and their collections never fail me. An immensely interesting clash in textures, patterns and designs that somehow look so right together, which goes for me since I don’t really follow any overt rules.

One idea I had though, with regards to the colors and stylistics which bring about a sophisticated yet simple twist are the friendship bands we used to wear and make when younger. I’m thinking that when clashed together in a riot of colors, combined with say, metal and wooden bangles, they’d make for an interesting combination.