Singapore's Carrie K. Jewellery: Pin me up with style!

Don’t be fooled into thinking that simple is easy. On the contrary the simpler some ideas are, the more difficult it is to make them interesting and at the same time… timeless!

The secret? It’s all in the little details. Whether its minimalist décor, iPads or even shoes. It’s a painstaking process making something look so aesthetically pleasing yet effortlessly functional.

Take accessories as an example. How often do you see beautiful, unique yet simple jewelry? Hardly ever right?

The mantra of jewellery has always been more is more. Simplicity rarely enters into the equation unless we are taking about boring mass-produced pieces which are just ‘blah’.

Thankfully, Singapore has the answer in the shape of Accessories label Carrie K.

Who would have thought that something ordinary like the safety pin could be the inspiration
for this beautiful and delicate ring?

Dustbunny Vintage: Handbag Heaven in an HDB

I’ve been to lots and lots of vintage shops. In fact, almost every city I travel to, I make point of visiting the local vintage shops to see what they’ve got in store. A lot of those shops – especially around Notting Hill in London – have truly exceptional stocks but lack one major thing: warmth and a personal touch which is what vintage is all about.

Come to think about it - apart from my Loubies – my most treasured belongings from my antique engagement ring to my mom’s silk kimono, mesh bags and dazzling dresses are vintage; and what I love most about them are the stories they tell (or keep me guessing) which make up most of their value.

Although no one might know the stories behind Dustbunny’s stunning vintage items, I think experiencing the warm welcome from the owner Pia or her assistant will be enough to create memorable backstories of their own when asked the inevitable question “Wow, where did you get that from?”

Who would have though that in an HDB I would find vintage heaven...

No Issue with spending on this Thai label

Now that the main New Year festivities are over, and people are slowly heading back to work, a young woman's thoughts turn to the important things in life: World peace, when's the next holiday and what can I spend my Ang Pao (red packets) on!

Luckily I'm on hand to give you some guiding on the last one (I'm working on world peace, but at the moment I'm having trouble sourcing enough ice green tea to pacify  all warring nations :-))

Having trawled almost every shop in town before CNY, I doubt there will be anything I haven’t spotted which is worth the contents of my red packets. So online shopping seems like the best idea!

If you’ve read any of my previous posts then you’d know by now that I’m a sucker for everything colourful, unique and yes OTT sometimes. So finding the Thai label ISSUE was like finding my online shopping heaven!

Here's where my red packet money is going... a beautiful silk ISSUE dress

Weekend Want: Mudan’s exquisite jade necklace

One of the most profound heartfelt moments of the last few years was when I was given a vintage jade necklace by my mother-in-law.

The more I explored Asian culture, the more I realised how precious this gift was, not least because my husband’s mother is Hong Kong Chinese and fully understands the deep traditional and symbolic value of such a gift. Jade in Chinese culture symbolizes beauty, nobility, perfection, constancy, power, and immortality and thus has always the stone of choice since ancient times.

Such a precious gift was made even greater because she was given the necklace by her own mother. I’m not joking when I tell you I sometimes well up thinking about it.

My weekend want for CNY is this gorgeous coral and black jade
Red Flourish necklace from HK-based jeweller Mudan

Four new looks for Chinese New Year from Soon Lee

If you’re anywhere in Asia, there’s little chance that you don’t know what next week is; yes it’s Chinese New Year, the most important occasion in the region!

Apart from the colours and pageantry, I love it most for one very good reason: Shopping!!! Chinese tradition states that you buy new clothes to wear for the occasion and for the past few weeks, shops have been full of people hunting for their new outfits.

This is one cultural tradition I have no problem integrating with and so I headed down to one of the coolest boutiques on Haji Lane to not only try new outfits but come up with different looks for the lengthy celebrations.

Getting ready for Chinese New Year...