White + Rose

I haven't derived much inspiration from clothing for a few years but I finally feel like I have my buzz back with these trends in store. Muted Florals I mentioned florals last year but florals are never truly out of fashion. This year, the florals are printed on sheer silk, chiffon or georgette. There's an airy quality that keeps it light for spring, but the muted colours are autumn appropriate. I fell in love with the Zimmermann florals but that's way out of my price range. Constellations/Cosmic Prints Moons and stars have always been popular but it's this year that I've noticed it more in clothing than in jewellery. Marks & Spencer released a constellation dress with funnel sleeves (in line with the 70s trend) and that sold out quickly. I opted for their other dress with the sheer outer and I will be saving that for the holiday season. I saw one in Zara too, but I wasn't keen on the fabric.

I've had my eye on Wool and the Gang's range for a while, and plunged in when they offered 30% off in their Spring Sale. For the experienced knitter, Wool and the Gang is probably not going to appeal to you. I'm an amateur and I don't necessarily have all the tools I need for a particular project. It's a great starting point for beginners or occasional knitters such as I, who wish to have a one-stop-shop. It's also for the fashion savvy as they have collaborations with designers such as Vivienne Westwood , and brands like & Other Stories and I love Mr Mittens . Overall, my shopping experience was pleasant. The personalised label was adorable and I was surprised to see that it was packaged in a box because I typically get yarn mailed either in envelopes or mailing bags. Shipping to Australia took the usual time to arrive: about 2-3 weeks. As for the price, Wool and the Gang does not offer it cheap. Nevertheless, the quality is good and you get wha...

I've had my eye on Quince & Co for a while. I like their simple aesthetic and their ethos -- slow fashion, not fast fashion. They offer patterns that are timeless. I selected the Dejeuner bag by Pam Allen and followed the pattern to a T -- even using their Swallow yarn in Sans (undyed). I wanted something practical that I can gift. The pattern is not complicated to follow and the trickiest part is stitching up the bag. It was my first time using interchangeable needles -- the pattern did not call for it but I chose to use interchangeable ones. I wasn't keen on the needles unscrewing themselves but I liked the advantages -- that you can lock them in on the cable and have multiple projects going on at the same time. Work in progress Over a couple of months, I've been knitting on-and-off and finally the end result: If there's one thing I'd go back and fix up, it'd be the handles. It is quite thin, and I messed up a bit. Nevertheless, I'm...

Happy Chinese New Year! After the new Gregorian year, I spent a little over two weeks in Taiwan to visit family and celebrate my grandmother's birthday. Too bad I wasn't able to stay for the new Chinese year. I thought I'd share a little slice of what I saw there: Taiwan is a beautiful island to visit, and generally speaking, the night markets are where it's at. Street food at a low cost. Lots of tasty morsels. Whilst you can do your shopping there, I reckon there are other places in Asia that'd fare better when it comes to the full experience. Nevertheless, it's not bad at all and I enjoyed looking around for skincare and cosmetics. When in Taiwan, look for Taiwanese sheet masks. My Beauty Diary is renowned internationally but I wanted to have a go at other local brands: Dr Morita, Dr Jou, L'herboflore and My Scheming were the ones I ended up with. You get better promotions with local brands too -- a lot of 2 for 1 deals. As for other skincare, ...