Chunky Soles for the Funky Souls (Again)

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The invasion of the chunky soles continues. We all have to blame Prada really coz they're the one who started the thick undersole madness in the fashion world. Now that they came up with a new collection for this coming fall/winter 2011 in black and brown versions of the the creepers, everyone too seems to join in the bandwagon as well. If in the previous post I've mention about Burberry's chunky soles - now it's time to take it to the highstreet as Topman offers you their take on the height-elevation footwear.

Collaborating with the famous shoe brand, Loake; Topman brought edgy shoes for you to choose. From derby to fringe loafers and boots, they look quite similar to the Burberrys' - with white undersoles - which seem to raise the question, is this one way of copying the look? Whatever the answer is, the price tags are much dearer to the wallet compared to the designer labels coz that's what highstreet is all about.

With the look and all, I think by giving that dash of chunky soles is one effort to pump up the typical classic Loake in the market. Don't you think?

[pix from topman]

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Topman AAA Texture

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Autumn/Winter is the best season to play with texture. Wool, tweed, chunky knits, cashmere, velvet, fur, leather and pleather - it's all about feeling the moment in various form of fabric. And Topman gives you just that in their latest AAA 'Texture' ad campaign featuring Isaac Carew. Love the black and white photos... 

[pix from topman]

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Too Much Bretons!

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Breton stripes are huge this season. And I do mean HUGE with the capital H. You saw it everywhere - on the catwalk during the Spring/Summer 2011 show, in the highstreet stores, and of course... on the streets. It's stripes galore! Whether it's stripes all the way, or the Jean Paul Gaultier sailor lookalike - Breton is definitely a hot trend that never fail to appear whenever summer comes. I think the way it breathes nautical theme is what charmed people.

Me too has been succumbed into the lure of stripes. My victim of the situation? Absolutely at Asos, coz they got a humungous collection of stripey t-shirts. Either short, three-quarter, or long sleeves; Asos has a burst of Breton this time around in many color choices to choose from. With the price tag that's always dear to the wallet, Breton stripes at Asos is one stop to head down to. Period.

For every tee you see below, I have at least two for each pair coz I have a simple principle: if I like it, always buy two. That's why I have too much Bretons now!

(L) Breton tee in navy-white - Asos : Jeans - Uniqlo : Denim bag - He by Mango : Watch - Calvin Klein Sight

(R) Breton tee in green-dark green - Asos : Wool trousers - River Island : Tweed backpack - Zara : Watch - Nixon

(L) Breton tee in light grey-white - Asos : Jeans - Uniqlo : Grey leather tote - Bill Amberg : Watch - Bench

(R) Breton tee in grey-light graphite - Asos : Jeans - Uniqlo : Suede studded tote - Jimmy Choo x H&M
Watch - Calvin Klein Bold

(L) Stripe tee in green-white - Asos : Chambray trousers - Asos Canvas tote with leather trim - Jaspal: Watch - Skagen

(R) Tee in navy-yellow - Asos : Jeans - Uniqlo : Mock croc tote - Topman : Watch - Nixon Shutter tortoiseshell

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Re-Launching Store TOPMAN & TOPSHOP

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Pada pertengahan Juni lalu bertempat di butik Topman – Topshop, Senayan City, Jakarta, young fashion jet-sett kembali meramaikan acara re-launching butik Topman – Topshop. Butik pertama ini disihir menjadi semakin chick, edgy, dan tak ketingalan nuansa british seperti asal brand ini. Dengan dihadiri Nicholas Saputra dan Andien sebagai host malam itu, acara ini sekaligus menampilkan trunk fashion show dari koleksi terbarunya. Fun!.

Photo by MRR

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Bow, Wow

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Time to spice up the look with these cool bow ties from Topman. One that is called the grey neppy neat bow tie, which look a bit like wool (though it's actually a polyester) and could even be mistaken for a Lanvin. And the other which I love to see is the leopard-print bow tie made of cotton. Both are limited editions at Topman which may be flying off the shelf pretty soon.

If you think you wanna do your preppy geek look without trying too hard, these bow ties would definitely be it. It looks awesome, especially on a white shirt like in the pix. Costing just £10, it'll absolutely be dear to your wallet...

[pix from topman]

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Feeling Black and White

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The colors that never fail to co-exist alongside the other colors-of-the-season are definitely black and white. Regardless of what seasons you're in, designers always include this two in their collection. If you're in printing business, black and white are not considered color. In fact when I filed logo that I designed to be 'trademarked' for my research team the other month, the patent office did mention to me I can leave the color on the logo to be just black and white, coz later on it's easier for me to use other colors if I need to change it (things will be a bit complex if I filed it in colors coz I need to state the exact RGB).  Anyway, regardless of black and white are color or non-color colors, they're my definite must have in my wardrobe (and home decor!). 

collarless shirt - Asos Black : bag - Burberry : jeans - Uniqlo

black-trimmed slimfit jacket - Topman : vest - H&M : jeans - Uniqlo

contrast-hem jacket - H&M : vest - H&M : jeans - Uniqlo : perforated leather bag - Hugo Boss

denim jacket - Uniqlo : vest - H&M : jeans - Uniqlo : bag - SEED

contrast-hem wool jacket - Topman : vest - H&M : black jeans - Uniqlo : white jeans - Gap

neo-leather jacket - Uniqlo : vest - H&M : jeans - Gap

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BigFat 'Cool Holiday' Collection?

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It's been very warm down here in the valley. So warm that even the fully-powered fan couldn't do its job very well. Coupled with the humid weather, the ambience felt a bit stuffy and sweaty (steamy? ha!). One way to avoid all those condition is to take myself up, up and away. No not to the sky, but almost there. On the highlands, hundreds of meters above the sea level. It's much cooler over there since the temperature is normally 6-7 degrees less than in the valley.

As I mentioned in the previous post, Cameron Highlands is quite close to my house - about 40 mins journey - where the Louis Vuitton menswear ad campaign for SS11 is shot. Going up there, one way to avoid the cool weather being too harsh to the body is to wear long sleeves. Since I can still feel a bit of heat warming up (though not as scorching as down here), the fabric of choice would definitely cotton or linen-based. It can absorb sweats better, while the long sleeves could also protect the chill at the same time.

Opening up my wardrobe, there are a selected few which I can consider to be taken together with me. Most are cardi, some are sweater and there's also long-sleeve tee. I also like the three-quarter sleeve merino cardi which by pairing up with the tee inside would be okay to avoid the chill.

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Etc... Etc...Cooking

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Bless for not having to teach this semester, I now have quite an ample time to think more about my research projects and writing up for journal papers. Last semester is a bit of a shock. Not only I have to teach (which I'm happy to do it anyway), but to be taking the role of the Chairman of the design exhibition/competition which involve the whole campus community. It's a large task, leaving me quite restless throughout the 3-months period and not having time to even looking after the proper diet.

Now that the time is all mine - though I'm still the Chairman  (plus the Secretary of conference & event manager of symposium!) - I manage to find time to do what I used to do: cook. Yup, cooking though I loathe this activity once and for all. Just like doing laundry. Nevertheless, there's a charm in cooking since it's quite therapeutic at the same time. All these months, my kitchen is located across the road - the mamak cafe, to be exact. But last weekend I finally fired up those stove which has been collecting dust for quite some time. What did I cook? Just a simple chicken curry.

Can I really cook? Sort of. I learned how to skin the fish and the chicken at the age of 11. At 13, I learned how to make the fried stuff - koay teow goreng, nasi goreng, bihun goreng - since my dad had a restaurant in front of the house and my mum taught me how. Busy family, so I have to take care of myself. A couple of years back, I successfully make the cream caramel pudding - a dessert which I can't live without. And living in London in the recent years forced me to cook almost every day since the price of prepared halal food is quite high (and very far to get). So, the best resort - cook own meal with the cheap raw material that I can get at Tesco.

I know I'm always a big fan of cooking though I hate the time spent to prepare stuff. In fact I love collecting cookbook, which I planted a dream that I'm gonna try all those recipes in those glossy pages. Yeah, one day. Ha!

In UK, there's a lot of cooking shows like Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmare and F Word, Jamie Oliver's Naked Chef and his other famous cooking shows, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage, Ainsley Harriott's Ready Steady Cook, Nigella Lawson's Nigella Express, James Martin's Saturday Kitchen etc... etc... so many to name. Not just from the celebrity cooks, but the usual marhain like you and me such as the Come Dine With Me. I love to watch 'em all. That's why UK TV is so educative, fun and entertaining (that doesn't include after 9 pm shows at Channel 4, ahaks!)

As much as I love to cook, I yet to learn how to bake. My sister is a great cook coz she can make almost everything. (ayat kipas tu...). From cakes, to pizza to whatever - she made it her own and even posted the recipes in her own blog. Brilliant. And last time when she visited my house, I asked her to make the cupcakes, since I've been missing the Hummingbird cupcakes back in London. And it appears to be tiny cupcakes like these... one ngap then it's gone!

What is funny about the cupcakes: the check-patterned paper cup really looks like my Topman shirt. Yellow and black!

Anyway, cooking: what should I cook for dinner tonite? :)

Shirt - Topman, studded glove - Zara, chrono watch - Sekonda

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Topman AAA Dark Edgy Collection

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It's dark. It's edgy.

It's rock'n'roll subtlely written completely.

It's full of black. It has slimming silhouette.

It's more than wearable that's surely turn every head.

It's a dancefloor cool. Yet, neither made you look like a street fool.

One thing for sure, it'll definitely make your mates drool.

The cut is hot. But the costly price is not.

It's the new Topman AAA collection that's surely got my nod!

[pix from topman]

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