for the record

The Pareto principle states that for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes. So naturally, most people wear 20% of their clothes 80% of the time. And I suppose that includes me.

Consequently, most wardrobe consultants would advise people to toss the clothes which they do not wear or like, and only keep the pieces which they feel great in. But I hate getting rid of my beloved clothes, so I have to ensure that I wear most if not all of them, if not they’d be simply taking up precious space in my closet.

I started a list of possible outfit combinations late last year and have been adding to it ever since. Unfortunately, I have only worn a few of the outfits I came up with. Hopefully I can wear more of them soon!

In any case, I have decided that I will photograph all my daily outfits for the month of March! Just to record what exactly I wear and how to shake things up a little! Starting tomorrow!!! :D

men shop in bulk

In university, I lived mainly in the same Topshop tank top in four colours (coral, red, bright green and dark brown), paired with various skirts. Now that I am working, I own the same Zara blouse in four colours (white, fuchsia, orange and teal).

So you can see why this article struck a chord in me:

For Guys, a Great Find Is Often Multiplied

John Ortved

WOMEN shop, men stockpile. That’s one theory, anyway, of how men buy clothes differently from women. If women see shopping as an opportunity, a social or even therapeutic activity, the thinking goes, then men see it as a necessary evil, a moment to restock the supply closet.

At the risk of perpetuating sex stereotypes, the archetype may have been Steve Jobs. When Mr. Jobs died in October, he left behind not only a peerless legacy, but a closet full of identical black cotton turtlenecks by Issey Miyake. “If he loved a shirt, he’d order 10 or 100 of them,” his sister, the author Mona Simpson, said in her eulogy.

It was an obsession that many men could relate to. Here, stylish New Yorkers reflect on their wardrobe hoarding.

Paul Sevigny with some of the Armor Lux boxers he owns.

初一

Today’s the first day of Chinese New Year!

What I wore:

Dress: Depression, Far East Plaza (bought way back in July 2010, on the same day I got my dress for my Commencement!)
Bangle: Diva
Bag: Unipel, Salvation Army Praisehaven Family Thrift Store
Shoes: Americaya, BHG

Rather curiously, my mum expended quite a bit of time and money into decorating our house this year!

first day

First day of work for the new year!

What I wore:

Blouse: Zara
Skirt: Zara (Got this very recently, on 29 December 2011, and wore it for the very first time today!)
Necklace: m)phosis
Watch: random watch and spectacles shop
Black handbag: Elle, hand-me-down from the mother
Dark blue handbag: Gap (This is my little shopping bag!)
Heels: Americaya, BHG

close of the year

Since 2011 is finally winding down to a close (in just a couple of hours really!) and we are right on the threshold of a new year, it’s a very good time to do a (hopefully) quick wrap up of the year.

another foolproof work outfit

Another outfit I frequently rely on for work:

In a changing room in Zara Great World City, 18 November 2011……

Blouse: Zara
Skirt: GG<5
Necklace: Mango
Watch: Citizen, random watch and spectacles shop near my house
Handbag: Elle, hand-me-down from the mother
Heels: Americaya, BHG

Early this year, one day I was wearing this outfit, and went and ordered food from my favourite western food stall in Tiong Bahru Market. The 老板娘 said my necklace ‘很特别，很漂亮’ and one of the helpers (a guy) asked me if I had just come back from Egypt!!! Haha!!! :D

breaking out the lanvin

Wore my other Lanvin for H&M necklace out, for the first time, to work on 20 December.

Postbox outside Outram MRT, haha!

I had just mailed a letter when I realized it was the perfect makeshift mirror to photowhore with! :)

Blouse: Bysi
Skirt: GG<5
Necklace: Lanvin for H&M
Watch: random watch and spectacles shop near my house
Handbag: Elle, hand-me-down from the mother
Heels: Americaya, BHG

Somehow my red necklace looks pretty festive. I thought I liked my pink one better but clearly red is pretty special as well! :)

harper’s bazaar: greatest hits

Bazaar editor in chief picks mag’s ‘Greatest Hits’

Samantha Chritchell, AP Fashion Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — As editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar, Glenda Bailey has seen some pretty fantastic things — “epic moments,” she calls them.

In her 10 years at the helm of the magazine, she has overseen fancy photo shoots with A-list stars, insider moments with top designers and the times the magazine hits the zeitgeist just right. Bailey highlights many of them in a new book about her decade in charge, “Harper’s Bazaar: Greatest Hits,” and in an interview with The Associated Press, she listed her favorites:

rainy friday morning

It’s a wet grey morning……

And wearing black pants, black shoes, black bag and black watch……

Luckily the vibrant green silk blouse I had on added a much-needed pop of colour!!!

you are looking into my brain

Apparently nobody else wanted them, so my dad inherited my late grandma’s vintage furniture.

And so I gained a new wardrobe.  Cleared my old one and passed it to my brother, whose stuff was previously in piles all over the place.  Put all my clothes and bags in my new old wardrobe, and voila!

My colour-coordinated wardrobe, 4 August 2011.

my foolproof work outfit

What I always wear when I don’t know what to wear, which I wore on Friday:

Taken in a washroom somewhere in MBS, haha!

Dress: Supermarket, a store in Far East Plaza (Wore this for the first time to my Commencement in July 2010!)
Handbag: Elle, a hand-me-down from the mother
Necklace: m)phosis
Watch: Citizen, random spectacles and watch shop near my house
Shoes: Americaya, Isetan

Sometimes I wear a different necklace, but that’s about it. :P

rings and things

Met Zhiqi for brunch on Sunday, 10 April. We wanted to try Food For Thought in Queen Street, but when we got there, it was completely filled. They said the wait would probably be around an hour, so we walked down the street and popped into TCC at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts instead.

scaling the heights of learning

Attended Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School’s Inaugural Graduation Celebration and Hooding Ceremony two months ago, on 28 May. This pre-graduation celebration was certainly a milestone since it marked the graduation of their pioneer batch. The event was held at the College of Medicine Building, next to the Duke-NUS campus and just up the hill from my office.

a pop of colour

Mannequins in Zara, Great World City, 18 May 2011.

I have that skirt in pink! And those blouses? I have them in white, pink and orange! ;)

think pink

Accessorized my white blouse and pink skirt from Zara with my pink Lanvin for H&M necklace today.

Halfway on the train home, I managed to get a seat. Had only sat down for about ten minutes when this chubby young woman, wearing a long dress with thin black and white stripes and a rope necklace made of bright orange seed beads, on my left suddenly turned to me and said, ‘Your necklace is very pretty, where did you get it?’