Max Mara Spring Summer 2015

With cute fishermans' hats, Max Mara clothes this season is quite formal. I like the piping on the clothes. The colours are sedate ranging from black to grey to white and even the prints are small polka dots to keep it discreet. 

Over at SportMax, clothes look more promising with the deconstructed fringed edges and an enlarged gingham pattern.

Chinatown - buying textiles

Starting @ People's Park Centre, where the famous Golden Dragon is located. It's mainly vintage quilting fabrics. You can find many cartoon-y & country designs here.

Take a walk around and you will find more fabric shops in the same shopping complex. Trims and other bits & bobs galore, including sewing machines.

Directly opposite on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th floors of Chinatown Hawker Center you can find fabric/haberdashery/costume shops. The variety is all there, including other more technical sewing tools, a haven for fashion design students.

Opening hours of 2pm - 8pm Mon to Fri, shops close earlier on Sat, doesn't exactly favor the casual browser. 

For the most part, prices are reasonable. Cash terms only. The best buy you can get here have to be cotton linings @ $2/metre, sometimes less than that.

I find the variety a little dated, not much has changed since my mother's time. There are tailoring shops for formal evening wear (mens suits/sequined cheongsams/lace gowns).

Took a break, ate a tiny rice bowl.

My haul from Chinatown. I wanted to buy soo much more than this. Will be making another trip in a few months time.

Jergens Moisturizer

pic from wonderfulbeauty.com

Revisiting an old fave of mine, Jergens body moisturizer. I used this all the time when shaving/epilating coz its cheap and good. It's soothing on sensitized skin, easy to apply and non oily/rich that it will clog up my pores.

This time, Jergens has re-launched its body moisturizers in 400ml pump bottles of Age Defying (added moisture), Ultra Healing (fast absorption), Overnight Repair (evening primrose), Soothing (cucumber & aloe vera), Daily (silk proteins & citrus extracts). $8.90, promotional price $6.90.

Bungeoppang Ice Cream

This ice cream is shaped like a fish, similar to the ones at Sushi Tei. It's a wafer covering vanilla ice cream with a layer of red bean. The perfect dessert after my dinners, portion size is just right too.  

Simplicity - Jessica McClintock Pattern 1655 - Dress A

Jessica McClintock is the designer behind a series of special occasion dress patterns and although it looks really complex (boning etc) it turned out pretty ok.

Dress A is a classic strapless dress with a multi-tiered ruffle skirt. The pattern recommends shades of the same colour, as always you can really do anything you want. I went with ombre red to white to blue, I saw some fabric that already looked like this and thought it was a good combination.

Once I started sewing, I thought there was a mistake in the skirt template as it says cut 2 for lining and cut 3 for skirt, both lengths do not measure up to the bodice. So I cut the lining shorter, wider and it turned out ok.

Ombre cotton fabric : $28
Tulle : $26
Zipper : $4
Thread : $5
Dress Pattern : $25
Total = $88

*omitted boning, trimming, pins, chalk, measuring tape, scissors and sewing machine

I am horrid at sewing zippers and that goes for button-holes, hook & eye, etc. Looks totally homemade.

Marni Spring Summer 2015

This year is Marni's 20th anniversary and it celebrates with a flower market theme SS fashion show. Known for its fun high-fashion clothes and coloured prints, Marni stays ahead with help from the fashion forward crowd that dresses for nobody else but themselves. Its sensible clothes that cover up and play on textures and cuts. Just check out this seasons sandals with comfy foam bases that provide traction.

Marni menswear has just a touch of black & white hand-drawn prints, everything else is solids and colour blocking.

Arab Street - buying textiles

Arab Street is a row of shop-houses selling textiles, wholesale or retail. It offers a vast range of fancy fabrics @ price points that will ignite anyone's creativity. Don't worry about bargaining as all the shops there usually have the same pricing for the same type of material.

There are lots of carpet shops next to the fabric shops. Sprinkled in between are Middle Eastern trinkets, clothes, cafes. Food is good so do stop by for a quick bite.

Most people come here for the beaded or fanciful fabrics (lace/embroidery) that can't be found anywhere else. I have bought beaded lace before @ $110/metre. If you can get plain lace or embroidered material for $20/metre its a real treat n' bargain, better grab a whole roll.

The cheaper fabrics can be found in these crowded shops. People buy these for decorations and costumes. A favorite find of mine is always traditional brocade and batik.

My Haul that will turn you green with envy: Coral sequins, Colour Block sequins, Grey Beaded Lace, Pink Batik, Black Tulle, Black Georgette.