White + Rose

Last week, I attended my friend's 21st. It was a large group of mostly her family members and only a few of us friends turned up. We were allowed to borrow and wear saris, which I thought was a treat. Her mother opened up her vast wardrobe of saris to allow us to find one to wear for the day. Cloth of many hues, little details like metallic sequins or beading -- it was all wonderful to look at. We all got to appreciate the beauty of the sari. I think the experience opened me up to more things than I expected. It brought up how unsatisfied I am, being so disconnected with my own culture. In the recent years, I've gained some interest in Chinese culture and with the help of the worldwide web and Youtube (in particular), I am able to get in touch with it. The only thing I am most dissatisfied with is that I cannot speak my language very well or read. It will be something I have to work on. It also made me realise how much fun it is to wear statement jewellery. I definitely ...

Semi-precious stones are making it big and have been for a while. They can be made to look more expensive than they really are. Jewellery made from semi-precious stones can be found in certain fashion jewellery chains such as Lovisa but I personally prefer to hunt them on etsy or storenvy. Some people believe that crystals have metaphysical properties that can heal the physical ailments and the soul. With jewellery made of semi-precious stones, you can have the aesthetic appeal as well as the healing properties! I also have a small collection of tumbled stones. Since I can remember, I've always been fascinated with stones and though I question their ability to heal, I often use them as good luck charms. The thing that I love most of all is the little imperfections, the crystal formations and the layers of the stone. They give character to the stone and make them one of a kind. I find it calming to have a stone with me in an exam so I would never be without my blue lace agate...

'Strega fashion' is a term coined by shortcuttothestars  or StregasForest  of Tumblr -- the origins are unclear and it is often disputed. Strega is 'witch' in Italian. Similar to Dark Mori (branch of Mori Girl ), it shares a similar aesthetic in that clothing is loose fitting and drapes over the body and mostly dark colours are worn. It is argued that Strega's roots are purely European, sharing the same influences used for Mori (a comprehensive history can be found here ). There are no strict rules with this fashion except that it should be inspired by folklore and fairytales, witches and witchcraft. Source: shortcuttothestars I am intrigued about this fashion but I'm partial to Dark Mori, mostly because I love the use of natural fibres and the layering technique of Mori. Strega doesn't offer enough guidelines for me to enjoy being part of it. Strega and Dark Mori happens to demonstrate the fine lines when labelling fashions. Dark Mori. Source: unk...

These are my nail polishes. It is a modest collection that I've accumulated over the years. I've had other nail polish shades I have since thrown out when they had dried up or simply was a fuss to apply. These just happen to be ones I've kept. It was only when I photographed all my nail polishes together that I realised that I had an affinity to certain colours: vampy plums and reds, the subtle neutrals and mauve and polishes leaning towards green or blue. The nail polish I've had for my wish-list for a while is OPI's Russian Navy, which falls into the colour scheme that I've unconsciously set for myself. The oldest nail polish is the Maybelline Colorama in Vampire Seduction, which I actually haven't used in years. I've kept it as reference, I suppose because this was the first nail polish I wore that made me feel empowered. Prior to that, I wore clear nail polish because I was in primary school and it was against uniform. Chanel Rouge Noir was my...

How about new skin for the new year? The whole appeal of the French Pharmacie brands are that they're a slice of luxury but without the high-end prices. They've been quite trendy in the past year and have been available in various pharmacy chains in Australia for the past year or so. The French woman is often idealised as a flawless, natural beauty with a  je ne sais quoi. In the international market, the allure of these brands is that you can have access to what a typical French woman use. Among the cult classics of the French pharmacie are Avène, Bioderma, Nuxe, Klorane and La Roche Posay. Caudalie and Vichy are ones I have yet to find in store but are sold in online boutiques. I've only tried the products that have gained a lot of hype amongst makeup artists and beauty bloggers alike. Most of them work just fine but there are cheaper copy-cats out there that work just as well or alternatives that suit me better, or that it just doesn't seem necessary. For m...