Out of office

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Summer hats

london was exceptionally sunny (well, for april) last weekend. went for a walk with my friend, but felt something was missing. so i popped into zara and added the above strawhat to my outfit. the beauty of high street shops, i can just walk in and do something impromptu.

my first choice was this amazing (well, to me) flatcap, but my friend was a little stunned by my choice, and politely said "well it doesn't quite go with your outfit today". heck i bought it anyways! i love it, just need to think about how to wear it, probably keep my outfit plain.

keep it summery!




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Style stalking Louis Marie de Castelbajac

louis marie de castelbajac / ph: famepictures via justjared

the tousled hair, the rugged leather jacket, that little squint and furrow between the eyes, the perfectly framed shades, the way the keys were held as if it was a sword, the carefully stained denims, the ooooh so beautiful cognac colored anchor buckle leather belt, the exploding mane of chest hair. the son of fashion designer jean charles de castelbajac and partner to burlesque artiste dita von teese, louis marie de castelbajac was out and about in west hollywood last weekend looking every bit the tinseltown leading man.

especially loving his anchor buckle belt, in that perfectly aged and well worn state. i believe his belt was from j.crew, but sold out by now. really loving it, if i can still find one i would buy it in a heartbeat. asos stocked a similar belt too, that was sold out as well. who's stocking up on anchors?!

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A little customisation

bought my ipad2 two weeks ago, and finally i decided on the cover. i wanted a slipcase, and something classic that will age beautifully with time. i bought the above dark brown colored calf leather case from london based stationery company, noble macmillan. i love the dark chocolatey brown, and it came with the option of having my initials hot stamped in gold.

i absolutely love it. if you are keen, you can order online from noble macmillan. there's a good selection of leather products for customisation. i am already lusting for the business card holders.

besides the ipad case, i also bought the above lizard skin wallet from anya hindmarch. they opened a pop-up shop at london's selfridges, and in a somewhat impulse state i ordered the wallet. frankly it was love at first sight. the color is so so beautiful in that old school green, which i don't think many do it anymore. the glossy lizard skin is just sublime. it is a little pricey, but considering i don't really have a wallet (i've been getting by with my dunhill croc case...) this is a good investment to last me for years.

besides the gorgeous skin and color, i was really attracted to the fact that there was no visible branding by anya hindmarch. as part of the 'bespoke' range, they deliberately left the wallet blank so we can add messages or initials on the wallet. i really really love the customisation option, and partly swayed by the below picture which i saw from their website:

pic: anyahindmarch.com

i am definitely going back to add a hand written message. they will prepare a mould and stamp the message on the wallet. the difficult bit now, is to think of a nice, meaningful, personal yet succinct message. "ooooh i want one of those" doesn't quite cut it.

the customised option is very addictive with various products and thousands of possibilities. it's a very clever way for anya hindmarch to enter the menswear accessories market. in an era where (luxury) products are getting more and more homogenised, this is a nice way of saying let's go back to basics, this is how they do luxury in the past. i don't think this will be my last piece of "bespoke" from anya hindmarch.

although billed as "bespoke", i am a little hesitant to use that term since i did not get to choose the skin, the lining and design. it's more "made-to-measure" in tailoring terms. anyway, every piece from anya hindmarch's "bespoke" range came with a lucky penny. i love personal touches like that. "find a penny pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck."

and these are a few of my favourite things.
i love.




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Jay-Z at New York Knicks v New Jersey Nets game in Margiela chain sneakers

jay-z / ph: james devaney, getty images

last friday, jay-z attended the new york nicks v new jersey nets game in a pair of maison martin margiela line 22 hi top chain sneakers. i thought the bits surrounding the laces looked unusual. upon closer inspection, it's actually a metal chain running through the circumference of the eyelets. unusual, but i thought it's pretty cool. and i'm glad jay-z kept everything else toned down, so the statement shoes worked really well with the entire look.

the maison martin margiela line 22 metal chain sneakers is also available online here.




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Haider Ackermann at Coca-Cola Light & Karl Lagerfeld new collaboration celebration

haider ackermann and karl lagerfeld / ph: getty images

designer haider ackermann made a surprise appearance at yesterday's party in paris to celebrate coke-light & karl lagerfeld's latest collaboration. the designer arrived in a tough khaki colored jacket, paired with a pair of soft and gorgeous silk trousers from his spring summer 2011 collection, paired with a lilac silk scarf from louis vuitton. is that a givenchy t-shirt on the inside?

i really like ackermann's silk trousers, but wished both gentlemen chose better shoes. those gorgeous red slippers would have been great on ackermann, and i am frankly shocked that lagerfeld did not kiwi his shoes.

the silk trousers from haider ackermann spring summer 2011 is also available online here.

now, what do we think of these new coke-light bottles designed by karl lagerfeld? in stores from june 2011, will you be collecting them?




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Goodbye firelies

image: atelier franck durand



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#WishlistWednesday (Richard James butterfly shirt & Alexis Mabille feathered brooch)

richard james butterfly print cotton shirt / alexis mabille peacock feather pin

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Will.i.am at 2011 Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards in Westwood, Louboutin and Hourani

last saturday, black eyed peas member will.i.am attended the 2011 nickelodeon kids choice awards in los angeles. he arrived at the orange carpet, wearing a checked blazer and waistcoat from vivienne westwood spring summer 2011, black t-shirt and denims, wacky fluorescent pink sunnies and christian louboutin studded freddy flats. i felt that the usually flamboyantly dressed will.i.am was rather subdued, nice but something seems to be missing. i thought the styling from the runway was great, it will be more exciting if will.i.am was styled that way too. what i love about the blazer, is that the waistcoat is sewn in. the 2-in-1 piece creates a layered look without the bulk, and great for warmer days. this seems to be a signature piece, and this style is reworked every season with different fabrics and prints.
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the matching trousers, and a selection of the quirky vivienne westwood blazers are available online here. the studded shoes from christian louboutin were from previous seasons, so good luck finding them.

will.i.am also wore a pair of very fashion forward mykita x rad hourani special edition red frames. if there's anyone who can carry off these sunnies, it'll have to be him.

will.i.am / ph: jason merritt, getty images, christopher polk/KCA2011. vivienne westwood ss2011 / ph: gq.com +

James Franco in Washington D.C. with Guccissima weekend bag

2011 oscars host and best actor nominee and latest gq style posterboy james franco was spotted at washington dc airport yesterday in an eclectic get-up consisting of a blue woolly hat, brown argyle cardigan, black gucci weekender and a pair of brown tortoiseshell sunnies. shouldn't work, but ooooh so charming he can sell me anything.

i love his weekender from gucci's guccissima range, where the house monogram were embossed on the soft smooshy leather. i prefer the version in brown, which is available online from mrporter.com. also loving his tortoiseshell sunnies, there's a very similar pair from cutler & gross from mrporter.com too.

nice.



james franco / ph: splashnews via justjarred



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