Summer is here ... time to work out

Unlike most countries which are experiencing winter right now, it's Summer for us at Down Under so gone are the thick coats and sweaters. It's time for something light, sexy and figure hugging and in order to look good in those outfits, a little work out is  essential. I am not a fitness fanatic but I have been practicing yoga for a number of years now and I enjoy taking slow walks but I've just discovered this latest craze that hit town and it's Zumba.

As I've mentioned in one of my previous posts that I basically have 2 left feet and I can't dance at all but Zumba completely changed that for me and I'm loving every minute of it !! Ever the fashionista, I have to work out in style too so here's one of my favourite workout attire ~

Top by Stella McCartney for Adidas, shorts from Target and black satin sneakers by Alexander McQueen for Puma

How to tell a woman by her handbag ( Part III )

SILK BAG LADY 

PROS
♥ She tries to avoid complexity, preferring the simple life, is romantic and delicate.

CONS
♥ Stop dreaming

REALITY

♥ Silk bags are way too delicate for me which explains why I've only got two of them in my closet. 

Prada

Gucci

TOTE BAG LADY

PROS

♥ The last lady in her white house. No woman is finessed in the art of flattery as the Tote Lady.  If treated right, she will make everyday life a work of art, one painted in subtle hues and gentle, yet generous brush strokes.

CONS

♥ So delicate a flower is easily crushed with careless enthusiasm. She's the master of deflection. After hours of conversation, you'll feel as though you are best friends, when in fact she's revealed none of her secrets and you have spilled your guts on her terrazzo floors.

REALITY

♥ I'm no master of deflection.  I am true to my friends and I sincerely care for them.

Fendi Selleria

Chanel

BAMBOO CANE / HORN HANDLE LADY

PROS

♥ She's more organized than her beloved palm pilot and a lot less flighty.  She's meticulous, exacting and sophisticated.  If you have her as a boss,  don't bother opening your mouth to speak unless you have something important to say and fewer than five words to say it in.  As a friend, she is honest, loyal and straight-forward. 

 CONS

♥ She might be too demanding and harsh.  She'll need her man to be as polished and punctual as her stainless-steel Cartier Watch in order for her to slip her off and waste some delicious time with him.

REALITY

♥ Loyal (checked), straight-forward (checked), organized (checked), demanding (sometimes),  need my man to be punctual (checked)

Horn bag by Yves Saint Laurent

 ONE STRAP MESSENGER BAG LADY

PROS

♥ She's the illustrator, the musician, the artist - the type of girl who closes her eyes when she listens to music and someone who opens all the windows when driving along the highways.  She's independent and a hardworking idealist.  She's the quiet rebel who will change the world.

CONS

♥ She's at risk of exhausting herself by hugging around unnecessary angst in that bag of hers. 

REALITY

♥ I don't have a one strap messenger bag.  This bag belongs to my son and he uses it for his tuition. =)

Crumpler

 GYM BAG LADY

 PROS

 ♥ She is disciplined and determined.  She knows what she wants and go for it.  If you meet he for lunch, your meal is sure to be sprinkled with motivational mantras rather than cheese.  =) And she despises laziness almost as much as she does carbohydrates after 2pm.

CONS

♥ If she is as hard on her friends as she on herself, she will wind up very lonely.  Occasionally, she has to allow herself to deviate from her routine; flexibility is a crucial component of strength.

REALITY

♥ These are once again, my son's as I don't own a gym bag.  I don't work out in gyms.  My form of workout ? Taking slow ....... walks within the malls!  Just kidding.  I take slow walks and I do yoga.

Adidas

I don't own the following bags (although I did on some but I'm not telling which ones =D) but I thought it would be interesting to include them as well 'cos you guys might own some of them.

FLORAL STRAW BAG LADY

PROS

 ♥ Nothing is as sexy as innocent.  She the perfect, perky princess, the optimist, the girl who knows things are just simple as they appear.  She possess a giddy, giggly girlishness men find intoxicating. 

CONS

 ♥ She enthusiasm for life makes her a natural flirt, yet she's unaware of just how often she flirts with danger.

SUEDE FRINGED BAG LADY

PROS

♥ More boho than hobo.  She loves to hang around markets with friends, scouting for up-and-coming designers so she can stay ahead of  trends.  She's the girl who buys 'vintage' but not 'secondhand'.  She's the hippie with a business degree ready for when her 'artistic' phase passes.

CONS

♥ She's the mistress of a carefully construction carelessness.

BUM BAG LADY

PROS

♥ Her wallet is sage and her hands unencumbered; security and freedom are hers.  Basically, there are three types of women who would still be caught dead wearing a bum bag.  the first is the tourist, the kind who wears white socks with sandals, the second sort of woman still turns to 1980s music videos for fashion inspiration and thinks Vogue is just the name of a Madonna song and the third, stall owners at the markets.

CONS

♥ She may as well be wearing a chastity belt.  We all carry baggage but who wants it so close to the groin ?

BRIEFCASE LADY

PROS

♥ She's become the man she wants to marry.  She's always ready to do more.  She fights her way to the top and she has little sympathy for pretty young things or handsome charmers who come and go with the office mail.  While all the others were busy grooming themselves, she was grooming her mind.

CONS

♥ No man wants to marry himself.  She's too guarded and she hides her femininity behind her power suits and is unaware of how lonely she would be at the top. 

NYLON PRADA BAG LADY

PROS

♥ Just like the bag, she's designer, yet machine-washable.   She surrounds herself with luxury yet she goes for the necessity in life. She rarely acts like a princes because she believes privilege should serve a purpose.  She's likely to be seen at a charitable board , or at the head of a boardroom table.  While she pretends to be carefree and airy-fairy, in reality she's logical, strategic and meticulous of mind.

♥ She shouldn't forget about the thrills of frivolity. 

JUICY COUTURE LADY

PROS

♥ She lives out loud and in full color.  Her personality is as colorful as her lemon-yellow skin-tight singlet and as subtle as her pink Swarovski crystal-covered mobile phone.

CONS

♥ She is often mistaken as being superficial when she's really more spiritual.

LE SPORTSAC LADY

PROS

♥ She's on the go kind of girl, has a great sense of humour.  While she looks alike an acid-flashback, she's actually precise and unexpectedly clear of mind.  She is the urban warrior camouflaged in the mayhem of city scenes.

CONS

♥ Whatever happened to nice and quiet ?

Well, that's all girls ~ I hope you have enjoyed this post and got to know a bit more about yourself.

Thank you

Before I continue with my post on 'how to tell a woman by her handbag part III' , I would like to thank my friend Carolyn for being my very first follower and Kristie for being so supportive of my blog.  Thanks girls ~

How to tell a woman by her handbag ( Part II )

Are you an organized femme, a free spirit, a sentimental dreamer or the 'less is more' type of girl ?  Well, ladies, it's time to find out.

I try to showcase as many as of my own bags as possible.  As mentioned,   I only kept the ones I absolute  love and deem practical.  They probably look seasoned and worn out but that's exactly how I like them to be.

HERMES BIRKIN LADY

PROS  

♥ A walking fashion icon, an uber-chic urban hustler, immaculately groomed and will rarely carry any other bags.  A perfectionist who fearlessly and masterfully deals with confrontation.

CONS 

♥ She  will not sacrifice her soul for style.  Someone who is permanently dressed for lunch but never eats any and someone who is as much fatale as she is femme.

REALITY

 ♥ I don't dress immaculately all the time.  I would carry a birkin even if I'm in a pair of shorts !  I am a big eater so don't be fooled by my size. I am no perfectionist  but I do like to be organized and neat.  I  do not like confrontations and I carry all sorts of bags!

STUDDED BAG LADY

PROS

♥ A rebel to the core, someone who will find an eyebrow ring more romantic than  a wedding ring. She seeks a man with whom she can explore her darker side with rather than protecting her. She's unafraid of staring the ugly truth in the eye and she has enough passion to conquer the world.

CONS

♥ She is wild, untamed and always prepared for the 'worst-case scenario' she wills it upon herself. So she needs to lighten up as optimism is the new BLACK.

REALITY

♥ None of the above applies to me .... =) Thank god !

Clockwise : Thomas Wylde, Givenchy, Alexander Wang

Chloe

'IN THE KNOW' BOUTIQUE BAG LADY

PROS
♥ Creativity meets capitalism in an original little package - her.   She likes quality and attention to detail. Her need to have her uniqueness recognized and admired often means Boutique Babe will avoid big name bags.  She won't be overshadowed by a brand more powerful than her own.

CONS
♥ She's so 'in the know' that she can be hard to get to know.

REALITY

♥ Yes, I am quite particular about the quality as well as the attention to details.

ETHICALLY CHIC BAG LADY

PROS
♥ An Eco-Chic Chick who considers herself spiritual. and after her weekly Pilate lesson feels closer to God. Always ready to offer a smile or a generous embrace, she is a magnificent  hostess and you'd much prefer to spend time at her home than your own.  She is passionate about doing the right thing and genuinely hopes to leave a better world for her children.  Thanks to her, green is the new BLACK.

CONS
♥ She's usually the one who wash up the last glass and clear up the leftovers in compost bins and sometimes wonder if people realize how much she has done for them.

REALITY

♥ So true !

Marni

BALENCIAGA BAG LADY

PROS

♥ She's the trendsetter who prides herself on being at the cutting edge of fashion. She's a barista of conversation, making it as light and fluffy as a really great cappuccino.

CONS

♥ She needs a little less attitude and a lot more gratitude.

REALITY

♥ I just happened to love everything about the bags but I do not carry the attitude that comes with them.  Hallelujah once again !

LOGO BAG LADY

PROS
♥ She knows how to 'work 'it !

CONS
♥ Too much networking and not enough working. She enjoys watching people look on in envy as she
 sashays around in her designer bag.

REALITY

♥ Not true in my case.  And this is probably the only logo bag I own.

CLUTCH LADY

PROS
♥ The clutch lady possesses ambition of a predominantly social nature. Forget the stairmaster, the only workout she needs is social climbing.

CONS
♥ Nothing is as likely to bring a rosy flush to her cheeks as the dream of marrying royalty, or at least, those who are royally rich. She's the girl sitting at home on a Saturday night, painting her toenails because she refuses to lower her standards and accept dates with 'average guys'. Rather than having a drink at the local bar, her perfect night involves a seat at her man's charity gala dinner.  She's more princess than pramatist.

REALITY

♥ My favourite workout ? Shopping ! Small clutches aren't practical except for dinner parties which I do enjoy once in a while.  I do like oversize clutches though.  They are chic yet practical.

Starting from the back, Marni fabric clutch, Python clutch by Clara Kasavina, knuckle clutch by Alexander McQueen, croissant cluth by Fendi

(Oversized clutches) Black giant buckle clutch from Topshop and  grey super distressed clutch from Country Road

More bags coming up in 'How to tell a woman by her handbag part III'......

How to tell a woman by her handbag (Part I)

I was browsing through the fashion section at the Local library the other day and a specific title called "How to tell a woman by her handbag" caught my attention.  Interesting!  I thought so I borrowed it.

I must say that the contents were pretty well written, factual and accurate.   In it,  was all kind of bags with distinctive descriptions of a woman's character, personality, aspiration, sensibility, sensuality, style, sense of humour and not to mention, how many dollars and cents she has in her bank, all by judging from the bag that she carries.  It also mentioned that a peek inside a woman's bag is a peek inside her soul so guys, I've showed you my soul which was featured in one of my previous post "what's in my bag".

I love bags and I do not take any particular fancy to specific designs or labels.  Does that mean that I have multiple personalities ? I sure hope not.

Coming up in my next post, will be pictures of some of the bags that I own and how those bags will define me ~~~

Stella McCartney for Target is here again !

I missed the previous launch of Stella McCartney's collaboration with Target back in 2007 as I was still in Singapore and I remember reading articles on how the collection was completely sold out within a short amount of time as well as all the craziness that went on during the launch. 

Now that I'm back in Melbourne, there is no way I'm gonna miss this one  so  I was among the very first few to hit the store this morning.  I did not  google the new collection as I wanted to see the actual items and  be blown away like I always have with Stella's designs. However, what surprised me today was not the collection but the crowd as it was nothing short of pathetic.  It was a totally different scene as opposed to what I had in mind or pictured. 

I do not fancy the dresses or any of the items filled with flowers or ruffles but I do like the rest.  I love clean cut but edgy designs so there are a couple of items that I truly fancy as the tailoring and the cut are fantastic.  Smaller sizes like AU6 (US 2) and AU8  (US 4) are pretty limited and sizes do run big.  I am usually a size 8 but I was able to fit a size 6.  Here's a quick look at what I've bought.

To have a closer look at the items that I bought as well as the full range,  please visit http://www.designersfortarget.com.au/sm/default.htm.

 

What's in my bag ?

What's in my bag ?  Well  first of all,  I  love big bags.  I am so used to big bags that I would get a sense of awkwardness  without having one in my arm unless it's a short trip to the gas station or the supermarket.

Handbags have always played an important role  in my style ...  To me,  having the right arm candy would brighten up any outfit or look instantly.  Gone were the days when I used to have the urge to own all the seasonal It bags as I came to realise that it's a complete waste of money so I sold most of my bags and kept  only my favourites.

I change my bags quite regularly but the contents are always pretty much the same.

I've been using my studded Givenchy Duffle bag for the past week or so and in it are my Chanel Wallet,  Marc Jacobs make-up pouch,  Marc Jacobs key pouch attached to a robot with giant head from Paperchase,  Orange leather cardholder  , brown shopping bag by Country Road (it's always good to bring our own shopping bags), iphone and an agenda from Sportscraft.  

In my make-up pouch are tissues, mint, sunglasses, Chanel Sunblock ( I swear by this product, it's the best sunscreen I've ever tried), oil-blotter paper,  pills for my migraine which I get very often, lip balm by Elizabeth Arden  and  a Louis Vuitton card & photo holder which I've had for the past 15 years.

Last but not least, my mini rosary.

Just for laughs

I know this blog is created mainly for the purpose of sharing my passion for fashion but I really wanna  share these videos with you guys ....

I am not into Asian pop stars or music but I fell in love with this song as soon as I heard it on my son's laptop.  Love the dance moves too ..... wish I could dance like that 'cos basically, I've got 2 left feet.

And why did I choose "Just for laughs" as the title of my post today ? Well, scroll down and find out!

Enjoy  !

This is the original music video

Dance Version

Parody version

Other Creations by McQueen

I am getting a little bored with  McQueen and I'm guessing that some of you might feel the same way.  So I'm gonna take a break on the master's creation for now but before I do that, here's a quick look at the things and products that McQueen has designed.

Sunglasses

Double wrap python bracelet

Cufflinks

Rings

Keyring

Earrings

Hair Accessories

Armor / Warrior Mask

Head Pieces with matching earrings

Alexander McQueen for Puma

Cosmetics

Fragrances

Handbags

Evening Purse

Wallets

USB

Egg Chair