Un-flat-tering Footwear

There was a directive a couple of months ago that we are all now to don covered footwear to work. This means we can no longer wear sandals, slippers, FitFlops or Birkenstock to work or out during lunch or to Friday prayers for the men. This had understandably caused a stir especially those among us who take the public transportation. I for one would not wear my office footwear on my daily commute because I walk and I walk A LOT (at least 3.5 km daily - and that excludes the walking in the office because I don’t carry my handphone everywhere).

I do get that wearing sandals or slippers at work does not give one a professional image and I agree with that (for that matter, it’s not professional to wear ballerina flats at work either despite them being covered footwear!). I take pride in how I dress for work and the image that I project because I represent my employer. I do not want to be labelled as unprofessional and I don’t want to send the wrong message that those who work where I do, don’t care about how they dress or don’t care about their professional image. But for me, coming to work in sandals or Birkenstock is not a problem as long as you shed them off and are shod in covered shoes at work.

It is causing a problem for me because I need to wear comfortable practical footwear that won’t wear off fast. I definitely am not going to wear heels to work because they are impractical for people like me who ride the public transportation and walk quite a bit. So like it or not, I have to resort to wearing flats or ballerina to work (only to work and not at work because I have stopped liking flats a long time ago. I’m vertically challenged and flats do not help me one bit) and the most practical for me are... Crocs. They are comfortable, practical, do not give off odour, dry easily should I have to walk in heavy rain, light and not slippery. Yes, some of them are not aesthetically pleasing but hey Crocs can’t tick every box.

So yes, for now, I come to and return back from work in boring Crocs. In the meantime, while I dislike flats and ballerinas, I’m lusting after a pair of Charlotte Olympia Kitty Flats. But oh look at the price! I suppose I can DIY a pair...

Charlotte Olympia Kitty Flats

Until I get my paws on a pair of Kitty Flats, I’ll rock my Kitty Pumps >^..^< *meow*

How Do I Look?

We had two events last Thursday and I helped to meet and greet and usher the guests to the right venue. I couldn’t help being surprised at some of them who looked like they couldn’t be bothered about their appearance. Some looked like they just rolled out of bed. Some donned clothes like they were about to go marketing at the morning market. Some wore very casual clothes (jeans!). Some looked so sloppy, shabby, frumpy, untidy and drab. Did it give them a boost and any confidence dressing up like that? I just don’t understand why people can’t take a bit of effort to look nice and portray a good image. Surely dressing up nicely and grooming up speak volume about oneself.

And when I say dressing up nicely and grooming, I don’t mean that you have to spend a fortune to do so. We can all dress decently, neatly, smartly and, especially for work, professionally, without breaking the bank. For example, for work, invest in a few pieces of quality classic tops in neutral colours. I have a few tops from Isetan in-house brands (Cultivation, Crescendo) that are easily a decade old already which I still wear without them looking out-of-date at all - and they hardly cost me a bomb because being the savvy shopper that I am *ahem*, I only buy clothes on sale or value buy offers. You can then invest in some accessories to add more colour to your outfit. I wear long skirts to work almost daily and they are also from Isetan (Crescendo) and just like the blouse jackets, some of them are well over five years old but they still last to this day, alhamdulillah. Alas, Isetan doesn’t do a lot of long skirts anymore. I hand-wash my skirts and scarves as they are from more delicate softer material while for my jacket blouses, I put them in the laundry mesh bag before throwing them into the washing machine.

If you think I’m banging on too much about clothes, remember that clothes make a strong visual statement about how you see yourself. Comfort may aid productivity but the outfit you think express your individuality may send the message that you’re not a serious professional, or worse, immature. Dressing appropriately is a way of expressing respect for the situation and the people involved. For example, if you’re meeting a conservative banker or attending the court, dress primly and professionally. If you’re working in a conservative place, don’t dress like you’re about to go to the mall. You may look decent and neat and tidy but you’ll still look out of place. You don’t have to invest in many clothes; after all, the world’s successful people wear a uniform every day because of its benefits.

Besides clothes, don’t forget you have to own a pair or two or, if you can afford, a few pairs of good quality shoes. Again, I normally buy shoes during sales (my cobbler repeatedly scolds me for doing that but it’s against my principle to pay full price for most things if I can help it unless it’s anything from Louis Vuitton or Chanel which don’t do sale) and as such, I’m lucky to have found a good cobbler who comes to fetch and return my shoes that need repairing. Where possible, invest in leather shoes as they let your feet breathe. Oh, by the way I read somewhere before that ballerinas or flat shoes are not considered formal office wear. For some ideas of fashion investment, check this out.

I don’t know enough about men’s clothes to offer any advice but I would think a long-sleeved shirt, a good tie, a hanky, a quality leather belt and a good pair of quality leather shoes would give any man a professional groomed look. You can add on tie clips and invest in cuffed shirts (and cuff links!) over time. And please wear a decent pair of socks to work every day, not mix matched and definitely not one with holes in them. Surely no one feels good or confident wearing socks with holes in them with their big toes sticking out! And yet some still do. Don’t they feel they deserve better? Are socks so expensive? You can invest in more economical brands if you’re only just starting out.

Before leaving, do apply some deodorant or body spray and some fragrance (eau de toilette, eau de parfum or cologne). There’s nothing worse than having to put up with body odour when you’re riding the bus or train or working in an office – why, just yesterday, a fellow passenger was remarking very loudly of another passenger with ‘smelly arm pits’. So, please, do be considerate of others. Admittedly, I have found that some clothes material do not absorb perspiration well and make one smell bad even though one has put on the necessary deodorant and body fragrance. Here are some simple habits that will make you look put together.

Treat yourself well and dress well. You will feel confident and good about yourself. If you can’t afford branded goods, stick to unbranded goods instead of buying fake counterfeit goods. How can anyone feel good wearing socks with holes, toting a counterfeit Louis Vuitton bag and wearing a fake Omega? As cheesy as it may sound, perhaps people should try saying to their reflections in the mirror before stepping out, ‘Hey, how do I look?’ and see if they can honestly reply that they look good, neat, polished, well-groomed, presentable and professional (especially if they’re heading for work or a formal event). Even if it’s a casual day out, there is no excuse for anyone to dress like s/he is about to go to the wet market or just about woke up with a hangover. Seriously, take the time to make an effort because it’s all too easy to not make any effort at all and would you rather people think you’re just plain downright lazy? Come on, respect yourself because you’re surely better than that. Besides, first impressions count and you never know who you might just bump into.

Confessions Of A Bagaholic

Disclaimer: This post is not meant to brag but just to share my obsession/passion/interest in fashion particularly bags (I believe bags make a fashion statement too). And yes, I’m a huge fan and enthusiast of designer bags and accessories

I have always liked the finer material things in life (yes, I’m a Material Girl. You can blame capitalism for that), something which Mummy encouraged (her advice always ran on the lines of: ‘Don’t be stingy with yourself. If you earn good money, spend on yourself and buy good quality things’) and which prompted Akak to say ‘She always wants branded stuff.’

Well, as Shakespeare put it: Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin as self-neglecting.

When I started work, I first used a Next bag I purchased in England solely for work purposes. Akak also gave me a bag she brought over from Japan and I used that bag too (until one day I found some bastard had sliced through the bag. He didn’t get anything though) before changing bags. I had since used high street brand bags (Morgan, Guess, Pepe Jeans) and even unbranded bags to work. My principle is unbranded is better than a counterfeit bag anytime any day. And if I couldn’t afford it yet, I would save up until I could afford it and not buy a fake counterfeit version of it.

My first branded designer bag is from Christian Dior. I spent some time agonising if I should purchase it before finally taking the plunge. It is a small to medium size leather bag with adjustable ‘button’ strap and it looks like the bag below, in the exact same colour. It has a magnetic flap to open and close the bag. I still have and use it to this day and the CD logo still shines. Truly vintage.

I then went heavily into Gucci and to date I have at least a dozen Gucci bags ranging from the usual hobo bags to Boston bags in various finish, sizes and colours, from backpack, sling bag/cross body (like the Louis Vuitton Bloomsbury but with flower print), small totes and shopping totes.

My Gucci flower crossbody looks similar to this (the prints show differently on each piece). I have to be very careful with the vachetta leather bit though

I also ventured into other brands like Valentino, Bally, Celine, Ferragamo, Fendi and Mulberry (one bag each of various sizes and designs), Tod’s (two bags) and Prada (four). I think that’s enough for those brands for now. I also have a few pouches and small leather goods from Bally, Ferragamo, Gucci, Prada and Tod’s. I just love pouches!

As for Louis Vuitton, I only like certain materials and designs of the brand. I don’t like the monogram canvas because I feel it’s too common and too easily faked and this has put me off LV for a very long time. I’ve only started buying LV last year and only have a few pieces (Vernis Pochette, Neverfull MM, Speedy Bandoulière 30 and Bloomsbury PM). I don’t really plan to venture beyond but hey, never say never.

And here’s another confession: I’m slowly weaning myself off Gucci. I have enough Gucci bags for now to last me a lifetime, syukur Alhamdulillah. It’s not that I suddenly hate the brand, no, in fact I will still invest in their accessories and small leather items. But I’m now focussing on investing in Chanel.

For my travels, I prefer using LeSportsac bags and Longchamp Le Pliage or the more casual Gucci sling/cross body or backpack or the Prada sling/cross body - depending on the destination and duration of travel (for my Europe trips, I also use my durable Samsonite backpack). 

My Samsonite Swoop looks exactly like this

And hey, a girl can never have too many bags (or shoes and accessories for that matter!). Besides, I can leave them behind for my sister and my two nieces. One thing though: I dislike Coach for the same reason I dislike LV monogram canvas. And they are all Made in China. Coach bags cost a lot less than other brands but why pay that amount for something Made in China? Might as well buy from Furla or Ferragamo which offer similarly affordable bags and yet all Made in Italy.

The New World/Mistaken Identity

I love my student days. I love that I could practically – if I so wish – roll out of bed, throw on clothes haphazardly and stagger out of the door to the lecture theatre. No one would blink, no one would bat so much of a mascaraed set of eye lid (because no one could be bothered with mascara or even lippie!), no one would do a double take at how you look, no one would gasp or gape at how you dress or if you have your clothes inside out or backwards frontward or badly creased, in short no one would even comment - or notice for that matter. Similarly, you can get away without brushing your hair (err, I’m sure someone will notice if you don’t brush your teeth but I suppose you can get away if you smoke or have something to drink beforehand).

Like I said, I love it.

Now that I’m back in motherland and working, I have to observe dress code at work (which I can understand as we need to project the right image). Besides, Mummy disliked us looking sloppy and untidy or sporting any tattered clothes.

But you know what. Only the old people dress up nicely. The young ones like us don’t and shouldn’t. Only the young people would have the nerve and can get away with dressing shabbily, looking like they’ve just escaped from a car accident. The trick is not to try too hard. The middle-aged people, they do that (after all, they have their image to maintain). And the elderly people are either over-dressed, too colour-coordinated, and simply just too fuddy-duddy.

Don’t believe me? Check this out then.

Moi? I’m going for the dishevelled chic look, baby ;)

Please don’t dress like this; you’ll be mistaken for a Bangladeshi ;) Source: Rubens Barrichello @rubarrichello who’s in town for F1

~~~~~~~~

All my life – even after wearing the scarf - I have been mistaken as a Chinese (since forever. I even had some racists called out ‘Chink’ to me), Japanese (!), Korean (yeah, right), Filipino (??), Thai (!!), Cambodian (what the?), even Turkish and Spanish (I’ve never been mistaken for an Indonesian though). When I travel, I have been mistaken as anything – everything and anything but a Malaysian. A girl I met in Singapore told me that the Westerners cannot tell whether one is a Japanese, Chinese or Korean. I suppose it’s just like we cannot distinguish some Caucasians. So no, I don’t take offence (even to the racists because they were just ignorant idiots). It never fails to amuse me though. As Socrates said it: ‘I am not an Athenian or a Greek, I am a citizen of the world.’

Cataloguing Interest

Having blogged at considerable length about the economy yesterday, today I shall blog about something much closer to my heart – shopping, or rather the shopping catalogues of Isetan and, in an attempt to make this blog intellectual, its marketing strategy.

I have been an Isetan member since it opened its doors to KLites in 1990 when I was still a student and I have remained a member for so long because I really loved its selection of goods, the layout of its stores and its catalogues. They send regular newsletters with the latest fashion ideas and promotions (including that relating to Japanese culture) and the fashion ideas are usually themed (gypsy chic, city glam, urban retro) or inspired by the season (spring, summer, autumn and winter even though we don’t have autumn or winter here) or festivities (Eid, Chinese New Year, Christmas and year-end). And I keep most of them for fashion reference.

Isetan also keeps abreast with the latest trend and I don’t mean just fashion. In February this year, it issued a newsletter themed Go Green Eco Fair promoting energy-efficient appliances, solar watches, eco-friendly toys, a natural and beauty fair (selling organic make-up), eco-chic fashion, clothes from organic cotton, footwear from recycled materials and refillable fragrances.

Then in April, it had a health and Wellness Fair promoting health supplements, UV-protecting cosmetic, sports apparel, low fat and fat-free food, vitamin drinks, high-fibre, sugar-free/low sugar, high-calcium and organic food, Tempur mattresses and air sterilisers. I even bought some sports apparel then (but alas, they have since been lying idle in my wardrobe).

And the latest newsletter which I received promotes Sports Fair - in view of the coming Olympic Games, I’m sure. But I don’t think I’ll be buying anything this time despite the glossy pictures of people in various sports attire – golfing, cycling, working out, yoga... because I don’t do all that. I won’t mind buying the new Arsenal kit though (sold in limited quantity at Isetan and pricey too *sigh*).





I’m just too plain lazy... I don’t mind walking but I somehow can’t drag myself out of bed on weekends often enough for my morning walk.





Maybe a poster of Fàbregas being fit in my room would do the trick and inspire me to jump out of bed and start exercising.

~~~~~~~~

This chap has been making headlines. Funny, the outside world believes in his innocence but not those here. The truth is out there.

Clothes Maketh The Man

...Or lack of it as in Fàbregas’ case? Here kicking ball with fellow Gunners

In Spanish training gear

A minor fashion crime so please don’t arrest him! A leather-clad Cesc doing his best impersonation of a smouldering lead singer of a boy band

At the 2007 Cannes Film Festival

More of this please!

And this (cor!)!

Not Just For Appearances’ Sake

I am not one of those blessed with good looks. In fact, I was a little Ugly Betty growing up minus the braces with my horrible glasses, long braided hair parted in the middle, and my gawky, clumsy and awkward movements. And no, this entry is not about an ugly duckling turning into a swan.

Despite us having ordinary looks, Mummy would make a lot of noise about grooming, about looking smart and presentable. She hated to see her girls (that’s Akak and me) dressed sloppily - she frowned if we wore, God forbid, flip-flops, and even she knew baggy pants or tops looked simply horrible on anyone. Mummy also disliked seeing me wear jeans (but this is no longer an issue as I simply couldn’t stand wearing them either as the British weather gradually grew warmer). And while we are not natural born beauties, we can make an effort to look nice: heck, anyone can look nice either by masterful or skilful application of make-up (which I never quite master) and grooming. And any other ordinary person will come across as simply stunning if he/she also possesses good social etiquette, a kind heart, a charming smile and no malice.

I bought my first lipstick when I was in my final year at uni during winter sale. And as none of my classmates wore make-up (except for kohl that those inclined to hippy style and goth looks were heavily applying), the lipstick was stashed in my wardrobe and almost forgotten until graduation day when my aunt asked where my make-up kit was as she wanted to make me up. She was surprised to discover I didn’t possess any make-up apart from my lip balm and Olay fluid. So she did me up with her make-up (and as a result, I looked a mini-her on my graduation day).

Even then, it took me a while to get hooked on lipsticks. Mummy and Akak used to tease me if I left for work or shopping without any lipstick on because I looked, in their words, like a pale Chinese lass. And once I got used to buying lipsticks, I couldn’t seem to stop buying them. At one point, I had shocking, saucy brown lipstick in my possession. But that is all I ever invest in: lipsticks and lip-liners. No mascara, no nail colour, and until recently no face powder (I use talc instead). But I love all toiletries: shower gels, foam bath, body lotion, body butter, hand cream, body talc, fragrances etc, etc.

Mummy also believes strongly that we should dress decently, neatly and smartly. No daughter of hers is going to be seen with torn, tattered or shabby clothes. And I remember her saying if you can afford it, flaunt it. In this context, it means if you can afford designer and branded clothes, by all means, go ahead and buy them, because you deserve to and Because You’re Worth It. And while it is not wrong to buy clothes from the night market, why stoop that low and mistreat yourself if you can afford better than that? (Of course, if you can’t afford branded stuff, stick to unbranded stuff instead of wearing fake and being pretentious). So even in those casual university days where I observed the universal student dress-code (t-shirt, sweater or jacket and jeans, and pumps or Converse shoes as footwear), I made an effort to look like a casual, intelligent student. Besides, when you treat yourself and dress well, you feel good. How can you feel good when there are holes in your socks or inner wear, tote a fake Ferragamo or sport a fake Rolex?

I must admit I did dress sometimes inappropriately to work especially when we used to work on Saturdays. But I try to dress professionally on weekdays and I try to abide to the in-house dress code. I’m no prude or goody-goody but I can appreciate why a dress code is necessary and hence I cannot understand why people can’t obey it. Nor can I understand those who can’t make the effort to look nice to work. One of my colleagues used to dress in drab, dull-coloured garb and I remember telling my friend, ‘I have nothing against her but she goes out of her way to look plain.’ Because I pride myself for taking the time and effort in dressing up for work and looking nice and presentable, I don’t understand why others can’t do the same. Yes, there are times when I wish TheOrganisation adopts Dress-down Fridays but I understand that being a conservative organisation which deals with the public and other stakeholders, this may be a bit difficult to implement.

Having said all that, I must admit that there are days when I simply am not in the mood to work; simply can’t be bothered to go to work, much less make the effort; and sometimes simply not feeling well to dress up. And between you and me, I did walk around university in my rock-and-roll ripped jeans – much to the disapproval of my more conservative seniors.

Like I said before, this entry is not a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale story of an ugly duckling metamorphosing into a graceful swan turn true - but hey, even ugly ducklings can look nice if they make the effort to. And oh, I may need to take a re-look at my wardrobe as people (and Chinese gentlemen at that) still mistake me as a student (oh what a boost to my ego) and a Chinese despite donning the scarf as recently as last week!

Project Runway

I stumbled onto episode 2 of Project Runway Malaysia quite by accident and had been hooked since. It is, I believe, modelled after the American reality TV show focussing on fashion designing where 15 contestants competed to the best designer with restrictions imposed such as time, materials and themes/tasks. The contestants were given some money and up to half an hour to purchase their materials; there was one episode where the contestants had to scour Giant supermarket – because fashion designers are supposed to be creative and hence should be able to construct an outfit from whatever resources they have at their disposal (the winner in that episode designed a jacket made of baby diapers and I have to admit it did look good) - and another where they had to dig through and buy used clothes from the Red Crescent shop. One contestant would be eliminated each week and sometimes the winner of any one week was granted immunity from elimination in the following week.

There is just something about the way the whole process takes place that had me looking forward to the past few Friday evenings and staying glued to the tube, from visualisation by each contestant of the end product to the purchase of materials to the sketch/design that forms the basis of the end output and eventually the transformation of the materials into outfits that fit the task/theme. Not that I aspire to be a designer myself; I did learn domestic science at boarding school - it was a compulsory exam subject for all until a couple of years after my year when the juniors were allowed to take up Commerce subject - and simply hated all the sewing and cooking classes. We were tasked to sew an apron a cap during our first year, some housecoat and other stuff later on (which I doubt I even completed). I disliked it so much that once I even fell asleep in bed with all the needles and the unfinished material on me. Oh, I can do a ‘Lie Low & Stitch’ and sew up buttons and stitch up undone shirts and trousers but I can’t design, sketch, cut and create an outfit from scratch. And while I could visualise how my outfit should turn out to be, I had problems communicating it to my late tailor (and like I said, I couldn’t sketch what I could visualise and show it to her). By the way, I somehow managed to get an A1 for that subject, much to the amazement of my parents, my sister and even myself(!). But you know what, I know quite a few mates who also got an A1 and who are now equally bad in the kitchen (I’m not sure how good they are still at sewing).

So I have to resort to buying ready-made clothes (of course it would be much better and ideal and kinder on my wallet if I can buy materials, cut and sew my own outfit). And while I do follow the latest fashion and trends, I’m not a fashion victim or a slave to fashion. Although there were a few times when my mates asked back when we were in Form 4 if I was planning to be a model; funny, I won’t ever make it to the runway, not when I lack the prerequisite height among other things!

Anyway, I’ll leave you with some model behaviour.