Designer dress for less!

I was inspired by Nicole and Aimee on how they rocked a simple white dress to such perfection. Here I am dressed for a dinner event. Stay with me till the end of the post to find out how much my outfit costs.

Self-manufactured dress by Dressabelle

Dress inspired by Giambattista Valli:

Giambattista Valli pre-fall 2011 | As seen on Elisa Sednaoui. 
(Source: 1, 2)

The original dress is pretty, but for USD$700+? No thanks.

Green reptile bag - Perllini

I've said this many times but I have to say it again. I think Dressabelle is really considerate for making sure their dresses remain modest; meaning no VPL. Even for WHITE dresses! I cannot emphasize how much I hate clothes that cannot be worn without adding a tube/ slip etc.

Gold studded pumps with gorgeous metallic heels -  Charles & Keith

Pairing white overalls with gold accents easily made my outfit look expensive. Try wearing white and gold together, you can't go wrong! Not convinced? See Paris Hilton at the Grammys.


Outfit Breakdown:
Dress - $27
Shoes - $30+
Bag - $45
Sum total: $102


(p/s: Thank you all for the lovely comments I've been getting! I love reading every single one of them and really appreciate it <3)

A Week's Worth

Holidays are here so I finally have the time to do the things I love. I want to build a better portfolio, produce better contents for this blog (feel free to give me ideas!), catch up with old friends, introduce myself to illustration and maybe make some money. 

My life in a week:

Nude Zara leather pumps

Firstly, a pair of shoes I splurged on - nude leather pumps. Yes, it was a difficult decision but I made my mind anyway because I believe it's a good investment. Yes, it's Zara and pricey but I swore I'd wear it often (cost divided by wear!). I couldn't find any other pair that was made to such perfection... Nude pumps are timeless and versatile. Besides, pointed shoes are in trend right now. Think I have made the right decision. Go get a pair for yourself before they're gone off racks!

With model Tisha at Dressabelle's shoot

Made my first visit to Dressabelle's studio (yep, the cozy pink studio you'll see in their videos). The people there were really sweet and hardworking. I can't wait to embark on even more exciting projects with the team!

Meet Rover, the adorable poodle receiving love from his owner

Had a great time at Desiree's playing with Rover and watching movies like we did during secondary school days.

Blouse - New Look, blazer - Cotton On, jeans - Forever 21, shoes - Tegan by Dr. Marters, bag - Perllini

My dad returned home from Qatar!

Lips: MAC lipstick in Angel, MAC lipglass in Lady Gaga

All attention on the lips! I've been really into glossy lips recently, though they're the most annoying thing when hair gets stuck. Here, I have some cream blush, a coat of mascara, tamed brows and barely any foundation, yet I look pretty made up. I find myself running late all the time, that's why I rely on vibrant lip colours. A 2 minutes lip is quicker and makes just as much impact as a 20 minutes smokey eye. Try it for yourself :)

The basic skater

Skater Dress - Dressabelle, platforms - JC Lana Fab, Clutch - Shanghai

There must be a reason why every girl is raving about the skater dress. Did you know that the term "Skater Dress" originated from the mini dresses athletes wore during figure skating? Its beautiful silhouette and flirtatious hemline makes the dress look amazing on ice, the runway as well as on all body types. The skater dress is a basic that every girl should own. It'll definitely come in handy sooner or later, I promise.

Sun hat - Daiso, collar necklace - City Plaza

I wore my basic skater dress with platforms and a matching nude envelope clutch.

Couldn't stop twirling! 

Goes really well with a sun hat too! Added a collar necklace to go with the trend and more fun to my outfit.

(I avoid those trendy sequin collar blouses because I believe they'll come and go. I try to invest only in classic pieces, that is why I purchased a collar necklace that only costs me $16.90.)

Hope you found some inspiration in styling a basic skater dress rather than to wear it alone!

Cropped cable knit

Knit sweater - ASOS, high-waist shorts - brandless, bag - Shanghai, boots - Timberland

First comment I got from my friends who saw me today: "this sweater's too small for you."

I mean, duh, it's a cropped sweater and it's supposed to look like this! Is it that bad?! I'm wearing my trusty Timberland boots I got a year ago in Qatar. They're durable, waterproof and have kept me comfortable when I travel. Love it <3

Blue Jeans, White Shirt

Blouse - Oh So Fickle boutique, flared jeans - ASOS, suede wedges - second hand

Accessories/ arm party, gold and silver 

My girls, love them to death

*I whip ma hair back and forth!*

I have been loving bell bottoms so much lately. It's something out of my comfort zone because I usually wear skinny pants only but I'm growing to love flares! (See how I wore Forever 21 lace bell bottoms here) Bell bottoms are such underrated pieces because many people don't realize how flattering they can be. Why did I take so long to realize how amazing bell bottoms are? Why?! However, smaller girls might want to stay away from overly exaggerated flares because those will only make you look shorter. The right material (which provides structure), cutting and length is important. Add some sky-topping heels are you're ready to rock :)

Dress up or down

Today's outfit features Dressabelle's self-manufactured Origami Evening Dress. I love the geometrically inspired designs - the v-neck, pleats and lines that give a sharp, defined look.

I will be showing you how to dress up or down the same dress I have.

Dress it up

Dress - Dressabelle, blazer - Uniqlo, pumps - Melissa, bag - Perllini

A great blazer can bring any outfit to a whole new level. Evening dresses will never go wrong with classic pointy pumps. For a little more colour, I added a statement bag that goes perfectly with the purple pleats. 

Love the pleated details with vibrant purple satin lining

Dress it down

Dress: Dressabelle, cable knit sweater - ASOS, sling bag - Mango, suede wedges - second hand

Because the dress is so formal looking, I toned it down by wearing a soft knit sweater over. This look is great for travelling when you have little luggage space. Just bring a pair of jeans and you can create 3 outfits altogether!

Sweet, neat!

(taken with iPhone)

Rejoice! My year two of polytechnic education has just ended. Life has just begun. It's great to feel like a free bird; being able finally stay up till dawn (not study) tv marathon-ing, create more makeup tutorials (maybe), how about a room tour? Will anyone be interested?

I packed my wardrobe a bit, arranged them by colour and textures. Everything looks so much more pleasing when they're in order. I can now better visualize outfits without trying them on. Dressing up can be so much fun!