The Ribbon Tie Belt, Bow!

You know that ribbon tie belt that comes with your jumpsuits or from any of your clothes? In my case, I got it from this jumpsuit that I featured here.  If you have it in black you’re in luck (lol!), here’s how you can use it in any other ways. ;)

1) You can use it for your button-downs as a bow to create this preppy look below. 

Blazer/ Pants: H&M; Top: Mango; Shoes: Zalora

2) As I've already mentioned in this post, you can make use of it as chokers. :)

Top: Topshop; Skirt: Zalora; Shoes: Mango

3) Last but certainly my favorite, you can further accessorize your accessories (say whaaaaaaat???) by tying it around the top and making a ribbon out of it as seen in this retro look below. 

Hat/ Sandals/ Bag/ Scarf (almost everything? lol!): H&M; Dress: Mango

Accessorizing Your Off-the-Shoulder Top

Up until now, the debate is still on whether this summer's biggest trend - the off-the-shoulder top is work-appropriate. But sometimes when it's simply hot out especially before it rains, the issue becomes a moot point. Luckily for me, my work environment allows for some laid-back/ casual setting and we don't have an HR staff to actually point fingers at me so I wear them on a regular basis (See my collection and classification here) :P But to actually tone down this shirt silhouette in a professional environment, I make sure to pair it with conservative bottoms like wide-leg trousers, midi skirts or high-waisted denims as seen in the gallery below.

But if ever you're workplace is not too conservative like mine, I found a very budget-friendly way to accessorize this cute top and I highly recommend that you try it too. Now, we all know how chokers were also big this summer and spring amirite? (You can also check how I improvised mine in this post. :P) This time, I had to hoard some paisley handkerchiefs from a department store and turn them into chokers. As seen in some international bloggers, I think this accessorizing tip makes for one elevated off-shoulder look. Choose a regular-sized hanky, triangle it and continue folding up to a 2-inch size. In the three cases below, I start from the throat, wrap it around and tie the ends infront. 

At this point, I will stop talking and let the images speak below. Like it? Sound off in the comments. :)

Top/ Hat: H&M; Bag: Balenciaga; Pants: Unbranded; Shoes: Rubi

Top/ Sandals: H&M; Skirt: Asos; Hat: Zara

Top: Zara; Pants: Mango; Belt: Dorothy Perkins

Shopping at Sammydress

As I look back on the first half of this year, one thing has been certainly the theme of my trips – beach. Actually, I don’t really have to reflect on it, one glance at my skin tone and I see the proof. Lol!

I look ahead into the coming months and sadly, I know that my skin won’t be able to recover yet. XD Though in all fairness, a lot of people approves of my tanned tone. ;) And since I’ve used most of my swimwears from the recent beach trips, it’s time to get some new ones. Admit it, a girl can never have too many swimsuits. ;)

As seen in my previous post here, I’m a fan of swimsuits that offer mileage by doubling as a top. And this one from sammydress is no exception. The pastel color and flouncy top detail makes for one pretty swimsuit at the beach. And what’s more is that I got it for a very affordable price. :)

Fashionable Strapless Flounce Solid Color Bodysuit for Women

Naturally, I’d go far to check their dresses too and I was drawn to this black maxi dress with floral print that I think is also ideal for my beach trip. I couldn’t help but test drive it out last weekend. As for the swimsuit, I guess I’d have to patiently wait for next month. ;)

Fashionable Women's Sleeveless V Neck Split Flower Print Beach Dress

It’s interesting that while online shopping at work (I know, *facepalm*), one of my co-workers got interested in Sammydresses’ clothing line for men (yep, they have a great variety of stuff!). So he asked me to include this printed buttondown that’s very work-appropriate. Here’s how he styled it.

Slimming Checked Turn-Down Collar Long Sleeve Leather Tag Men's Shirt

You can check more of their offerings at their website found here. :)

Three Looks, Three Style Tips

In a style rut? Here's a compilation of my recent #ootds and style tips as lifted from my source below. Check it out. 

1. Plan your outfit with a theme in mind to keep it looking consistent. 

One of those summer/ spring trends that has stood the test of time is the nautical look. To create this, you only need two ingredients: (1) horizontal stripes and (2) dark blue and white color theme. You can spruce it up by accenting with something red or yellow as seen below. This also happens to be one of my favorite themes in dressing. :)

Hat/ Top/ Scarf/ Shoes: H&M; Skirt: Topshop

2. Mix black-and-white prints for an instantly eye-catching ensemble. Add unexpected pops of color to a monochromatic look

If you wanna test drive the print on print look, you're always safe with black and whites. Pinky swear.;)

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Dress/ Shoes: Mango; Skirt: Bugis in Singapore (also here)

3. Get more use out if your workwear pieces by pairing them with athleisure items.

A very office-appropriate cropped blazer, a flirty high-low dress and athleisure sneakers in one. But somehow it worked, no? :)

Blazer: Mango; Dress: H&M (first seen here); Shoes: Converse

Source.

Shopping at Gamiss

The pineapple fruit, however looking weird they may be, has recently become a blogger’s favorite. From accessories to pool floaties to the actual fruit itself, this tropical fruit has found its way as a perfect prop to their summer getaway photos. You can check mine from our last summer getaway here. :)

So you can just imagine how happy I was to even see the pineapple print itself in this playful little white dress from Gamiss. As we all know, the LWD is the “LBD of summer” so this number couldn’t be more perfect for me. The open upper back that’s tied via ribbon simply looks so refreshing in the summer heat while having that alluring factor in the cut-out detail infront. ;)   

It was my first time to shop at this website and I was pleasantly surprised at their trendy collection of dresses at affordable prices. So I couldn’t help check out their tops department as well and bingo! The bell-sleeves trend that I am so willing to test drive is available in this number in lace so it was automatically added to the cart. :P The cropped and see through factor makes this a perfect night-out top so I paired it with the trendy mini buttondown skirt and some sexy stilettos.

The shipment arrived two days after purchase and I love how they perfectly fit my frame. :)

Item #1: Stylish Women’s V Neck Hollow Out Pineapple Dress

Item #2: Fashionable Trumpet Sleeve Hollow Out Top for Women

You may also find out more about their shop in the ffg links:

http://www.retailmenot.com/view/gamiss.com

https://www.facebook.com/Gamiss-1787085334859227/

https://www.pinterest.com/gamissitry/

Simple with the LBD

"When a little black dress is right, there's nothing else to wear in its place."

There's a reason why today the little black dress is a wardrobe must, a long-standing concept in fashion. It's minimal, versatile and elegant. Since Coco Chanel debuted it in the 1920s (check my Coco-inspired look here), the garment has undergone different looks from femme fatale in 1950's  to business-empowered in 1980's and to grunge a few years after. * And yet, the enduring popularity of the LBD can't be explained only by its unquestionable versatility.

Sure, being versatile means there are a "million" ways to style this dress but for this post let's just stick to one of it's famous quotes from one of its proponents Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor quoted above. When the structure and fit is right (be it an oversized coat as seen in second photo), you don't need too much anything to add on it and let the garment stand on its own. ;)

*You can also check my history of LBD post here.

Dress/ Clutch: Mango; Shoes: H&M

Dress/ Shoes/ Sunnies: Zalora; Bag: Balenciaga

Dress: Warehouse; Shoes: H&M

Cool Summer Outfit Combo

If you have been following me in my daily outfits for some time now, you may or may not have noticed one pattern. There are weeks when I am confined to wearing long dresses or pants/ trousers enough to cover entire my entire legs. I ain’t sure if anybody else does this as well but there's no special reason to it. It's just that time of the month where I let my leg hair grow for sometime before going back to shorter hemlines. Lol! 

And in these occasions I find myself wearing maxi dresses more often for casual days like going to the gym in the weekends. Before I would usually get comments like, "Where's the beach trip or something?" which makes me wonder why others would confine such flowy dresses to beach or something whereas as proven by this post, a maxi dress paired with sneakers (albeit in my case a white one) is such a cool summer outfit combo. Other international bloggers approve as well. So without further ado, here's a gallery of how I styled my maxis in the past and let me know if I made myself clear. Like if you think my outfits are PAK! Ganern?! =)))))))))))))

Dress: Topshop; Hat/Scarf: H&M; Shoes: Rubi; Bag: Balenciaga; Jacket: Unbranded

Dress: Mango; Scarf: H&M; Shoes: Rubi

Dress: Topshop; Buttondown: Topman; Shoes: Rubi

Dress: Folded & Hung; Jeggings: H&M; Shoes: Rubi