Yesterday's outfit

What I'm wearing:

White bib top, altered from SA (my sis thinks it was meant to be a maternity top)

Grey skirt from SA (I like the details)

White wedges from China

Vintage raffia purse from Portobello Market

Mum's bangles

White rose ring from Forever 21, other ring made by sis

Teacher's Day cards and gifts

A compilation of the cards and gifts me and my sis made for our teachers. Aren't her pop-cup cards just so cool?

私と姉が先生のために作った全部のプレゼントとカードです。姉のポップアップカードはとてもすごいんじゃない？

Today

I'm feeling depressed now due to my utter inability to hear Japanese phrases. I'm referring to my Japanese listening, of course. I think most people don't realise that A level Japanese is such a difficult subject to score in. Seriously. Most of us would be ELATED to get an A. It seems so far out of reach! We were the best of our cohort in secondary school and now we have to try to be the best of the best. Plus we get practically zero exposure to Japanese in our daily lives. We have to take our own initiative to read and listen to Japanese. Students really take the resources given for granted. In a subject like Japanese or KI self-study is the word. Also, the achievements of some of my classmates in the language go largely unnoticed.

My classmate said after the horrible test today that the experience alone of going to Japan made studying h2 Japanese worth it. That's the kind of passion you get from a student of Japanese. I don't think you can find this level of passion from all students of, say, Physics. What has kept me going all this while is my passion for the language and culture and my supportive classmates. Everyone tries to help each other and we sincerely want everyone to do well.

I'm too tired to translate this post. Maybe later.

Do I love all things Japanese?

On one hand, the Japanese are immensely creative people. An example is Rinko Kikuchi:

The Fashion Spot

Brilliant actress, adventurous dressing. How brave is she to wear that hairstyle?

On the other hand... my Japanese paper today was EXTREMELY difficult. I enjoy studying the language; I just wish it didn't have to be such a struggle. Perhaps the problem lies with me. I'm not doing enough.


私は日本に関する全部のことを愛していますか？

一方、日本人はすごく創造的な人であります。例はりんこきくちです。

他方、今日の日本語の試験はとても難しかったです。日本語を勉強することは楽しんでいますが、そのように大変ではないと望みます。たぶんせいは私のです。やっていることは十分ではありせん。

Jewellery!

In a bid to improve my Japanese, from now on I will write my blog posts in both English and Japanese.

I like to look at photos that zoom in on the jewellery being worn with clothes. The mix of styles and textures is very interesting to me.

Sources: Chictopia, Le Blog de Betty, Fashion Pirates

I'm facing an imminent problem- my fashion folder on my laptop is filling up too fast.

Outfit-trying

By now you should have figured out that trying on outfits is our favourite sister-bonding activity. Here are some more outifts revolving around our long white gypsy skirt, which has proven to be incredibly versatile:





Look 1 (left): lace camisole, striped jacket from aunt
Look 2 (right): grey tank dress worn as top, mum's thin black leather belt with silver clasp





Look 1: Clubmarc filmy orange high-neck top, mum's coral-and-gold bangle
Look 2: peach bangle





Look 1: yellow top from London Oxford Street discount store, necklace with wooden and crocheted beads made by sis
Look : lace camisole from grandma, mum's assorted bangles





Look 1: Elle black spaghetti strap-top trimmed with lace and red velvet, chunky lucite bangle with flower motifs and swirls of orange, yellow and black
Look 2: yellow felt flower and white rose edged in pink, both made by me
Look 3: Forever 21 white rose ring and mum's red bangle

Look: white tank top, Ice Lemon Tee embroidered denim vest, thin brown belt, mum's assorted bangles (except for the top one- a vintage bangle from London's Portobello Market)

Look 1: Clubmarc blue spaghetti-strap top with black flower pattern
Look 2: Zara dark blue-and-white striped top

Look 1: white top from Oxford Street, thin brown belt with small gold studs

Look 2: Salvation Army white bib top, Salvation Army thick brown belt

Look 1: fake jade necklace from Portobello Market, mum's bangle

Look 2: The Island Shop glass beads necklace, utilitarian sling pouch given by mum

Look: assorted beaded ethnic tops, vintage bag from Portobello Market (lass picture)


Look 1: printed top, Clubmarc pink quilted bag

Look 2: Padini sequinned top, lucite bangle

"the clear vowels rise like balloons..."

That's a quote from a poem by Sylvia Plath in my lit. paper. It reminded me of this cute vintage dress:

Balloons in the air! Whee!

Ok, I hope my analysis is not going to get LAUGHED AT. I'm feeling absolutely mortified now by what I wrote. This always happens after a lit. test- delayed reaction. For the initial stages after the test I feel ok, and then realisation sinks in- "what did I just write?!!" I had a really hard time making a mental connection between babies and museums. Both occur in the same poem. Then after the test, Silvia promptly informed me that she finds it hard to decipher the meaning of Sylvia Plath's poems and that's why she picked the other question. Thanks, Sil...

My new obsession- vests

Sources: The Fashion Spot, Ebay, Sally Jane Vintage

Almost every week I have a new obsession. This time it's vests, especially ethnic vests. I just love the details on such vests like beads, embroidery etc. I recently scooped up an embroidered denim vest for $5. I guess it was discounted because no one likes to wear such things. When it comes to layering with vests, no one does it better than the Japanese:

Source: Style Arena

Japanese street fashion is quite wacky and eclectic but I find it so inspiring.

The perfect spot

If only a magical gust of wind could come and sweep me away to this place at this instant.

I've made a decision about something that makes me feel much better now.