passion is in fashion

I used to think… what is the big freakin’ deal with Christian Louboutins?! Much like a Giffen good where the more expensive it is, the more one craves it? I thought there were no rational reasons why these things could demand such outrageous prices.

But then I got a pair of snakeskin Jimmy Choos and all of a sudden CLs didn’t look so expensive anymore (in comparison, at least). I gave into societal pressure and succumbed to these wildly overpriced red soles.

Can I just say, the most comfortable heels ever? I could seriously run around a whole day in these. Actually I have already been to Hunghom and will be venturing to Mongkok and Lan Kwai later tonight.

Unlike most of my friends, am actually not a fan of the red soles. They instantly give away that I paid a boatload for them and does not reflect well with my coworker and clients.

But then again… a little bit of bad taste is like a nice dash of saffron – courtesy of Dorothy Parker.

Image via Saks

Blair: Are those last season’s Tory Burch flats?

Victim: (shiver) I got them on sale? (shiver)

Blair: (glare)

Victim: (runs off into hiding)

B is my favorite!

Excerpt from an interview with her in the Financial Times:

“Clothes are the vehicle to help every woman become the woman she should be. I never knew growing up that I wanted to be a designer, for example, but I knew what kind of woman I wanted to be – independent – and clothes gave me that. So that is what I want to make: clothes that let the woman be the woman.”

“The other day I went to a school in Harlem to talk to some 7th graders [12-year-olds] and I said, ‘If I have to give you some advice, the most important thing is: the sooner you become your own best friend, the better your life will be,’ ” she says, as the waiter clears away her morels. “Chances are, if you keep a diary, you are already there.”

Does she keep a diary? She looks at me as her espresso arrives. “I used to,” she says. “Now, every once in a while I start but it’s very boring. Not because my life is boring. But because diaries are the place you use to express your sadness and frustration, and I don’t have any of that any more.”

Love the woman. Like an American Joyce Ma.

Have been hesitant to move onto DVF because am not a huge fan of prints. Prints are rather limiting. And I truly worry about circumstances were, I meet a person for that day only, and somehow the person would think the print summed me up – even though it is not a representative sample of me at all. Don’t even get me started on graphics. Logos or any sort of branding is only allowed within a 2 feet diameter of me, if they have the right image and brand positioning.

Am also not amused by the ubiquity of DVF prints, especially the iconic prints of the season. I can tell the girl is wearing S/S ’08 from miles away. And we all know S/S went on sale months ago.

But was tricked into trying something on at the DVF boutique today during lunch hour with my friend. She is a truly devotee to these dress and indeed looks good in them. I tried the pink dress on, and oh my god, I loved it. The neckline is very playfully proper. The fit is excellent – covered up but fitted. The jersey is extremely comfortable.

If I am ever destined to become a prim and proper first lady, this shall be my uniform.

Pansy Ponte di Roma Jersey Dress

as well as Barack Obama.

I will forever remember the time I wore flats to a meeting with Elle magazine and my coworker chided me bitterly.  In my own defense, I was fully aware of implications of the world of fashion magazines and their consequential demand for painful footwear, but the meeting was in Cyberport (where is that, even?) and I have a rule to always wear flats when venturing to unknown territories (so I can run from animal stampedes, I suppose.  wink *philly* wink.)

And so I became super high-strung and ran around everywhere in 3 1/2 inch heels.  I have since become quite adept at climbing up and down double decker buses, maneuvering through a crowded Queensway flyover during lunch, and even navigating the industrial areas in the New Territories – all teetering on stilettos.

Every once in a blue moon, I wore flats to work.  Either because I need to run to a meeting to Shenzhen that afternoon, or because I was I couldn’t find the heels to match.  And let me tell you, those days, I feel oddly guilty and yet…. FREE!

Go to Ikea in Causeway Bay after work?  Go to aunt’s house and wander around North Point?  I’m totally up for it!  Walking has never been such a pleasure.  It’s like having legs one could actually use.

But enough about the practical merits of flats.  It is not a refreshing nor revolutionary opinion.  No fashion endorsement is complete without one last celebrity reference.  Carla Bruni. Give up heels.  Snag a prime minister.  Look chic nonetheless.

Stack heels not for Carla... but for Sarkozy!

Now onto some of my favorite flats right now.

Tory Burch Reva Flats

These were all the rage since um… ’06-ish, and surprisingly still are.  I was taken aback to see Tory Burch carried at Lane Crawford.  I believe the Tory Burch brand positioning to be something like “white people vacationing in the Hamptons” – which is definitely far from the urban and urbane nature of Hong Kong.  But I have an open mind and surprising turn of events tend to intrigue and please me.  I gave them a try and omg – they are *so* comfortable.  Think Uggs with the controversy taken down a notch.

Salvatore Ferragamo Patent Ballet Flats

Ferragamo bow flats!  How classic could one get?  Updated in a modern shape and patent leather.  They go from Grandma-ish to Mama Mia-ish.  Or something (I’m not a poet).   I looove it when they are arranged in a colorful row like yummy candy.  Tried these on but they were not nearly as comfortable as the Tory Burch ones.

Tod's Cap-toe Ballet Flats

The Tod’s driving shoe – a must-have for all leisurely Tai Tai’s when they have a tough day of shopping, facials, and picking up children from international schools ahead.  Tod’s has been a rather lackluster brand lately, without any big hits or innovation in the last few years.  It has also been going through an identity crisis – abandoning its quiet luxury ways to embrace the it-bag trend and escalating logo sizes and prevalence.  Anyway, I don’t hold grudges and am able to forgive blips when there is a history to judge by.  Seeing a pair of cute basic flats from them is like catching a glimp of long-lost lengendary glory.  Have not walked into a boutique in years so can’t vouch for comfort levels or suitability for wear when running away from stampedes…

* All images from Saks.com

You know what impresses me a lot on a date?  Guys driving.  That really impresses me.  I’m a city girl who didn’t learn to drive until age 20 because I grew up in the urban jungle that is Beijing and Hong Kong.  Driving is a really *hot* skill to have.  In fact, to think back to any of my relationships that is at all worth mentioning, the boy has driven on the first date or speedily thereafter.

I love sitting in the passenger seat *so much*.  I enjoy the scenery.  I enjoy the mild vibration from the car that always puts me to sleep. I enjoy seeing traffic situation happening in front of me and knowing the boy will handle it just fine. 

I also love eating in cars!  Because a moving vehicle is something one might think is deprived of gourmet delicacies,  I’m always pleasantly surprised that anything edible is there *at all*.  Thus, eating in cars elicits much of the same effect as eating any old thing  and it tastes amazing just because you are very hungry.

Other honorable mentions:

Cross Harbor Ferry. LOVE the view.  LOVE sitting on the top deck.  LOVE the idea of ferries.

Double decker buses. I always come home from aunt’s house after a big dinner using the bus.  It’s usually pretty late and the bus is quite empty.  Really fun to stare out the window.

When one had one’s wisdom tooth extracted.

When one is constantly operating on less than five hours of sleep.

When one drinks excessive amounts of coffee and tea.

When one, for once in one’s life, has no appetite.

When one has a health scare.

When one sees one’s best friend in tears.  In public.  For an hour.  And it’s not a boy issue.

Fall Winter collections are rolling into the stores!  Or in my case, the online edition of Saks!  Ahh… I never shop for the life I have, only the life I want to live.  Who cares if I am wildly overdressed when visiting my client in Lai Chi Kok (New Territories!!!!)?  There is something to be said about rolling into an cargo elevator in couture.

“You will have a better life if you wear impressive clothes.” – Vivienne Westwood.

So true.

Zac Posen

Loving the neckline and the cut.  Also loving how she is dressing it down with tights, booties, and a big bag.  A red dress, along with a black and white one, is every girl’s must have.  I would totally be hankering for it if it wasn’t plastered all over Saks.com  I hate abiding by the “it” looks of the season.

Roberto Cavalli

One step ahead of Saks.com!  I already tried this on in the stores and omg it was goooorgeous!  The slinky silk jersey hugs curves like no other (well, like Herve Leger.  People tend to be surprised when I tell them this – but Herve is actually like a big tight sweater.)  Nobody does printed silk jersey dresses better than Cavalli.  DVF, don’t kill me, is too wearable and unspectacular.

BCBG

Ah the high school/college eveningwear staple – BCBG.  My German cousin recently expounded to me her love for BCBG and how hard it is to find the label in Germany, which just reminds me how lucky I am to be American (sort of) and live in a city with freestanding BCBG boutiques!  Love the simplicity of this little black dress.  It’s very Audrey Tantou a la Priceless.

BCBG

It’s a nude colored dress!  But shiney!  In other words, gold!  Could it be more eighties?  The cut looks super flattering on any girl.  Loving the midriff bondage action.

*All images from Saks.com

No, not that kind of Sunday dress.  Sundays, even for the non-religious, have a special feeling.  A little relaxing, a little decadent, and a little morbid because the end is imminent.  I have plans to meet a good friend for brunch, then to run around HK, maybe even to venture to Kowloon side via ferry.  A typical Sunday for me, since I have vowed to enjoy brunch every Sunday, and avoid work at all costs. 

So what does one wear on a Sunday like this?

Heels are definitely out.  They are too high maintenance for any Sunday, no matter where are you or what you are doing.  Any kind of flip flops or flat sandals would be perfect, suggesting that you are the kind of girl that would be up for running allover wherever after brunch, if the mood strikes. 

Sundress would be a good standby staple.  Sundresses and flip flops are pretty much my summer uniform.  Sometimes, however, I find sundresses a little impractical for running to uncharted territories (such as Kowloon!!!)  The whole thin jersey and skirt combination makes me feel a little vulnerable.

Shorts are totally hip and practical for safaris and going to Kowloon side.  You never have to worry about sneaky gusts, and can choose to sit wherever you want (provided the shorts are the thick canvas kind).  One cool thing about shorts, is that you can go shorter than you could go with skirts, without looking like a skank. 

Denim skirts, however suggestive of high school they are, I’ll always love.  I have usually gotten them from mildly embarassing high school shops such as Abercrombie too (so you can imagine how short they are).  Even if it’s very short, it never risks blowing up because the denim is stiff.  Just like plain canvas shorts, it matches everything, even your mixed print ruffled wrap tops.  Watch out if you are wearing a backpack or low-slung bag though, the friction will make your denim skirt turn turn turn.  Solution?  Stop every 10 minutes to pull your skirt back to the front, or just wait until it has completed 360 degrees and pretend it never happened.

A white pleated top, denim skirt, and flip flops.  That is what I’m wearing today.

Oh, and diamonds too.  I must add, diamonds are perfect for Sundays.  Any occasion, for that matter. 

1) Bottega Veneta light grey woven hobo

Have been a fan of Bottega ever since reading that Tomas Maier dropped the H in his given name in order for his name to appear entirely symmetrical.  However, I don’t think intrecciato goes easily from day to night and is very high maintenance.

via Saks

Vanity Fair article

2) Juicy Couture Eau de Parfum

For this, I am even willing to overlook Juicy Couture’s responsibility for the rise of stupid rainbow-colored velour suits.  Love the tuberose and lily notes.  Smells so fresh, young, and a little old lady-ish all at the same time.

via Saks

3) Fluency in German

If only this could be bought with just a few thousand dollars.

J. S. Bach

Very much in the style of the back page of the FT Travel Unravelled, allow me describe the weekend I just had, which was pretty much the perfect weekend.

Friday was my last day getting off of work at 1pm. I gave myself a break and wore flats to work (omg!!!) so I could easily sprint home to nap afterwards. From around 2 to 6pm I rolled around in bed doing a very fun combination of reading The Post-American World (which unfortunately put me to sleep) and watching The Hills on MTV online while painting my nails hot pink. Yes, my hands currently look like those of a well-manicured teeny bopper. At approximately 6pm I started to pile some makeup on my face to get ready for dinner with friends. Dinner was yummy. Then drinks and clubbing, with an early night ending around 2am.

Saturday went to a Kenzo fashion show. It was paparazzi and local third-tier celebrity-filled. For me, the main event was not the fashion, but rather seeing random female attendees wearing eveningwear and fake eyelashes at 2pm. I found the runway offensive. First, all the outfits looked like woolly embellished sacks. Second, *all* the female models were white. This is Hong Kong. What did they do? Specifically request all white models?

For some accessible entertainment *not* involving embroidered potato sacks, we saw Made of Honor, which was quite mindlessly hilarious and adorable. Went home early to listen to awesome NPR shows like Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me and This American Life.

Sunday I had super yummy brunch, then went for some obligatory weekend shopping. In the afternoon, met up with my cousin who is visiting from Germany. I haven’t seen her in years. She is now engaged (with the most beautiful Tiffany solitaire ring!) to a very German guy who is the epitome of Deutschland – punctual, reliable, and tall (like a BMW if it was a person). Ate at Hutong and accidentally caught the lightshow. Fun! I have never seen it before because I spend all my waking hours scurrying around Central. The ferry ride across the harbor also gave me time to contemplate philosophical topics such as the meaning of life. You see, going to TST makes me very deep…

And here is to wholesome non-alcohol-filled weekends. More to come, I hope.