Something I saw in a dream

Hauntingly lovely paintings by Giorgio de Chirico, with poetically elusive titles:

"Ariadne"

"Enigma"

"Monument to a Great Man"

"Mystery and Melancholy of a Street"

"Rose Tower"

"The Awakening of Ariadne"

"The Disturbing Muses"

"The Great Tower"

"The Nostalgia of the Infinite"

"The Red Tower"

"The Soothsayer's Recompense"

I feel like I've seen the places somewhere in a dream, or when I was little. That's the captivating power of his paintings.

Star Wars

Something you might not know about me is that I'm a total Star Wars geek, and I mean the original trilogy and not the prequels. There's something about wacky costumes, hairstyles, creatures and spaceships, or the whole mismash, that thoroughly appeals to me. I like the whole idea of a city in the air, with landing pods for spaceships. Each planet is a diferent country and every planet has a different climate. Wouldn't it be cool if we lived like that in future? Actually, it struck me when I was in Tokyo that we kind of have 'cities in the air' already. Tokyo, with its population density, has a few levels in some spots such that it no longer makes sense to speak of 'ground level'.

Another aspect of the movies that I like- the Jedi's weapon of choice, the lightsaber. I like the funny sounds it makes and how it combines modern technology with traditional swordfighting. It was after watching the original Star Wars that I had my first movie star crush, on both male leads. Han Solo and Luke Skywalker are so swashbuckling and dapper. This post is a tribute to the series that so enthralled me I once walked around for a whole day chanting 'Luke Skywalker' and 'Princess Leia' under my breath. I love it for its mix of sci-fi, kookiness and boundless imagination in the creation of another world. Here are some wonderful captures of the fantastic trio:

Past Balenciaga

Cristobel Balenciaga thread in the Fashion Spot

As usual, the silhouettes are often the focal point of the garments. These images just remind me of why Balenciaga is one of my favourite brands.

Two if by Sea

Two if by Sea by Andrew Wyeth

This is my new favourite painting. The glass house starkly illuminated against a dark night backdrop with the turbulent waves rushing towards it- it's stunning! It reminds me a little of Edward Hopper's works really, how that house stands as a haven and beacon of hope in the stormy weather. I wonder what that house is for, and what the name of the painting means?

What I Wore

Two necklaces, a cuff PLUS a ring is overkill by any normal person's standards. When it comes to jewellery, my philosophy is to pile on until it looks too much, then take off the last item. It serves me pretty well, I must say. My long-suffering sis must be tired of having to give an opinion on every piece of jewellery I put on.

Are we shaped by the places we are in?

Film stills from Tokyo!

If we were born and raised elsewhere, would we have been different? Certainly. The population shapes the place, and the individual is in turn shaped by the place. Especially in a sprawling metropolis like Tokyo, individual power to effect change seems limited and instead one feels the weight of the city pressing from all directions. The huge numbers of people around, the towering skyscrapers, the busy traffic, the noise- everything just overwhelms your senses. You can't escape from the clutches of a city once you are in it.

I do feel that I'm being shaped by my city- Singapore. Every country that I visit gives me a different feeling and brings out a certain aspect of me. In Singapore, I tend to feel mellower, creatively stifled, more likely to 'go with the flow'. It's so easy here to fall into a certain routine of doing things. The greatest tragedy of life is where nothing new happens anymore and each day feels like the one before. "Well, that's life," some would say. I think they've made a mistake of accepting the life handed to them, instead of pursuing the life they can have. For the rest of my life, I say, I want to be intellectually and creatively stimulated and challenged, so as to live my days with fulfillment. I want to look forward to each day with the excitement and anticipation that something different, something magical, is going to happen that day. It might be less comfortable, and more exhausting, sometimes, but I think it'd be a life truly lived.

The Darkness of Doo.ri

Honestly, none of Doo.ri's collections have really made an impact on me before. Until this. The looks are perfectly styled and accessorised (how gorgeous are those jewellery and tights?) and the collection as a whole is cohesive. I really like how the cuts and draping create body-skimming silhouettes that are sexy in an understated way, and how the jewellery becomes an integral part of the look. The fabrics are luxurious and look like they'd feel really nice on the skin. This is also one of the few fall collections whose use of fur doesn't scare me. Dark, luxurious, smouldering-it's everything I think a fall collection should be.

悲しいほどきれいだね。。。

This is my favourite phrase from the Japanese pop group Arashi's theme song 'Beautiful Days' for the drama Ryusei no Kizuna. Check out the entire soundtrack- it's great! My sis translates this phrase as 'so beautiful it's sad', which is accurate, but somehow I think of it as 'so beautiful it hurts'. I guess sadness has a tactile quality. When something is sad, it creates a dull ache deep inside me. Lately me and my sis have got into Arashi and another band, KAT-TUN. We like to do home karaoke sessions of their songs and watch their music videos and performances.

In this post I'm trying to fathom why I lack the same amount of enthusiasm for Chinese language and culture, which is after all my native culture. I guess it's because I admire the creativity of the Japanese when it comes to many fields of interest like fashion. And there's a certain exoticism about a foreign language no matter how familiar you become with it, that's absent in one's mother tongue. I do have a favourite Chinese novel called '蝉'. I don't even know why I like it, but I've read it many times. I also enjoy a few Chinese songs, usually sad ones.

Sometimes we get so excited about learning the new that we forget the merits of the old.

At IKEA

Yesterday was my first day of work at the HP printer company testing printers from Japan. I'm happy to be able to use my knowledge of Japanese. As the office is near Alexandra Road, after work me and my sis went to the IKEA there to get boxes for storing our shop's supplies. We had alot of fun taking wacky photos in the children's section. Their stuffed wood animals like foxes, beavers, squirrels etc. are so cute I couldn't resist posing with a pair. I also found an interior to complement my outfit and got my sis to snap me. The last photo shows two lamps that I really liked and was inspired by. Visiting IKEA is really a treat for the eyes.

About my outfit: I think the colour and print of this Liz Clairborne top bought by my mum is really rad. These light brown pants are really a staple of mine. I usually wear them cuffed like this, so I'd really like a pair of spectator heels/booties to complete the look. Wonder where to find a nice pair in Singapore?

Rodarte = LOVE

Once again, the Mulleavy sisters have produced an absolutely STUNNING collectin. Just look at the colours, textures and layers of the garments; the way they wrap and cling to the body! They have so much depth to them. My favourite of New York Fashion Week. Is it just me, or does the collection have a faintly Star Wars-ish vibe? Here's the reference:

Makes me love the collection even more (I'm a total Star Wars geek).

Proud to present... HOSHII

Our web shop is finally ready! You can view it at www.hoshii.etsy.com. The blog for our shop is www.myhoshii.blogspot.com.

Whew! I must say, starting a web shop is no easy feat and it's just the beginning. We're looking forward to making our first sale. So spread the word if you can!

A real taste of things

Food cooked yourself, though not the best, tastes the nicest.

Does that make sense? That's something I've realized after going without a maid for two months. There's no better feeling than cooking up a storm, taking a nice cool shower to get the grease off yourself, then settling down to a warm meal.

New York Fashion Week

My favourites so far are Christian Cota, Ohne Titel, Threeasfour and VPL. Some of the collections feel a little repetitive.


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CHRISTIAN COTA


While not exactly original, his clothes are undeniably beautiful in a subtle way. The soft forms, muted colour palette and careful details work together to form a unifying force.


OHNE TITEL


Nicely-draped clothes with a dark sophistication. The clothes don't feel too heavy despite the sombre hues. They are also slightly body-defining hence make the wearer look sexy despite being all covered up.

THREEASFOUR

This collection fascinates me. The overall look and styling is space age-meets-ice princess, with hints of darkess. The incorporation of angular cuts, especially in the swooshy layers, is certainly interesting. I think I'd grow to love it more and more.

VPL

The individual strengths of each piece is what makes this collection work for me. Everything is wonderfully cut and draped, conveying a sense of ease and wearability. I also like the silhouettes and the colour palette.

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The use of white tights makes me want to dig out mine and wear them again. They certainly attract a lot of attention. None of my favourite brands have had their shows yet! I'm excited to see their offerings.