OK my new fashion and style site is up at *Xtralicious.net, where I publish my writing efforts in fashion, style, shopping and design news. Come and say hello!

*a gift from Big* thank you my dear.

Firstly, I need to thank everybody who had plugged for me, sent out emails to their friends and family, did word of mouth marketing for me etc. I am humbly speechless with gratitude and what can I say except THANK YOU again. I feel the lurrrvvveee.

Apologies to my friends who had to endure super late replies on the sms or email front since the start of this week, as I handle the marcoms, IT, sales, customer service, photography, back end of the business while cramming time to learn more about shop fronts, interfaces, different shop formats etc. It’s very exhilarating yet slightly frightening at the same time.

I purposely chose a simple blog style format (in the vintage design style to stay true to the merchandise) as I am sure you all know, I am a true IT idiot and things like <aref=whatever></a> already makes me very proud of myself. (LOL!) I did not (and still do not actually) know how to use a shop face and although I definitely planned to, I thought a blogging style that I am comfortable with might be ideal for work flow purpose.

So we did a soft launch on Monday to test out the market, you know, sort of a “beta” stage. I thought I had it all down pat.

• Soft launch.. ask for friends’ suggestions on improvements/ criticisms/ ideas and then tweak the site design as we move along..
• I had many ideas about the shop face design and layout, but I hate waiting and procrastinating, and if I had to wait till the perfect shop front I want is read, it might be a month more before I can start the business going and I cannot wait that long.
• And full of ideas I certainly am. Poor Big had it quite tough on the IT support. And I am quite thankful that he is strong in the area I am weak. At least we complement each other this way.
• The plan was to tweak everything on the site as we move along: the copy, the layout, the format, the design etc. I honestly thought that the transition from beta to full launch ie. customers actively coming in, the stocks starting to move and the final shop face launch will take about two weeks. OK, so I have a slightly pessimistic and conservative take on the business front.. It was not two weeks, also thanks to everyone who was so supportive.
• I suddenly have the feeling of being teleported to the supposed “second week” and where are the press releases, marketing articles, blurbs, advertisements that were planned to happen over the honeymoon period of two weeks? COMING UP NOW BOSS!! I am grateful for the “training” I had in my previous job where everything is wanted like, yesterday, and so it should be ready NOW NOW NOW!!! And I can’t even bitch about my boss, because essentially, that is myself. Hahahahaa!!!
• Poor Big. He had to handle a very stressed me (strangely more so than working at the previous job!) who, in the typical perfectionist manner, needed to do everything properly, quickly and just so; a very frustrated me (who wept tears of frustration and anger at my limitations) and a simultaneously exhilarated and thrilled me when the stocks started clearing at exhilaratingly and thrillingly lightning rate. By the second day, I only had 5% of stock left and I am panicking now. But it’s a good thing to panic about I guess.

Thank you for all the emails of encouragement, the kind words for my styling sense and direction and most importantly, the action that spoke so much louder than words in the stock situation.

Thank you thank you thank you.

And to Big who had to put up with a maniac for the last three days, in the words of Fitti, he is

“Seriously the bestest bestest boyfriend ever okie?!! Never seen someone as supportive..”

I know there had been many hiccups along the way but we learn, don’t we?

And… we are getting ready to launch the new shop front! That is, along side with the million others things that have to be done.

OK so, I finally succumbed and went to the Zouk Flea and Easy Market. A girlfriend from Harper’s emailed me about it and despite hearing bitchings from my colleagues along these lines, I decided to go check it out for myself. So it was true. There were many people wearing geek glasses, cheap tees and cheaper flip flops. LOL. But it doesn’t bother me that much, because I look chic (by comparision) in my white scoop neck tee, khaki tailored shorts, scholl gold sandals and my beeeeeg beeeeeg suhali white MM (the better to shop with, my dear!) Bwahahahahaha!!

Fashion faux pas apart, the place was too crowded to be true. People everywhere, clothes packed to the brim in suitcases. I walked around like a queen *regal waves* I walked around leisurely and enjoyed the vibrant mood of the sellers and buyers while trying to suss out a good deal. I did not harbour any hopes of getting clothing. As you know, local sizes tend to favour the slim and petite and moi, being the queen of plus size, is neither. Haha!!

I did however, find two pretty pieces for Gean at an absolute steal.

$5!! New piece by Ma Kool.

$8!! Also New piece from Laura Ashley. *happy camper*

But nothing excited me more than this purchase… I spied it tucked away under the clothes rack and pounced upon it like a predator. I love vintage stuff!!!

Bargained it to only $100!!!! *jumps around in glee*

Brand new vintage looking peep toe flats $20!!

Suffice it to say that I had quite a good time. I also spied some vintage telephones that looked like this:

They were going for only $80!

I would have bought one if I had not preferred these models:

Perhaps I am a little weird, but I am the type who would rather wait out and find the one thing that I want, than to settle for what is available. Heh. Have you seen anything like these models in vintage stores or overseas flea markets? Let me know!

Orient Green

Silvery Charm

Fairies

Ziggy

Peridot

I recently discovered that Vivian, a friend of mine based in Melbourne, is a scarily talented jewellery designer. You can view her very creative jewellery collections at Simply Chic Jewellery, and leave her a comment if you are keen to purchase.

This is NOT a sponsored post. I saw it, I like it and I bring it to my readers.

From A Stupid Bag, thanks to Vivian.

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Quite hilariously snarky, don’t you think?

Goodbye to my favourite pair of attitude heels…(for now..)

Hello Ballerina flats

Nice to meet you 1.5 inchers…

It’s my pleasure too, low stacked heels..

Sigh. I wonder when I can paint the town red with 3 inch Louboutins again.

A listers who think of nothing of spending thousands of pounds on their bags. I’d be lying if I said I don’t envy Victoria Beckham for her bags. She is like the doyenne of all bag addicts! LOL.

I also don’t understand why some people will diss her for “spending so much on material goods”. Look. She is running a very successful and shrewd billion dollar empire on her DVb collection. What is 3,000 pounds on a bag? What is a million on diamonds? Looking at percentages, it’s all relative.

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My personal absolute max is at $4,000, give or take, and it has to be full leather and in a classic design. None of those trendy over-in-a-moment fashion statements for me. After all, I am a working girl, not a taitai.

Oh believe me. I have succumbed before to the “bag of the moment”. Think the Gucci Bamboo tote (ouch!) and the Bottega hobo. But after I made the grand purchase and was the proud owner of such desirable creations, it was not before long that the streets are paved with both taitai and ah lians carrying the genuine and the imitation versions of the same desirable creation, now rendered so “over”. I quickly let go of them in one of the second hand brand item shops.

Now I am wise to it. Not only do I make sure that my final choices are not imitation favourites, they are also seldom seasonal favourites.

I guess I just have a unique sense of style and I also prefer my expressions of style to be that way too.

PS: I have found my “absolute max” to have increased over the years. If you had asked me two years ago, I would have told you something like $1,500.00? And if you had suggested that I will spend $4,000 on a bag, I would have laughed in your face. Ah… the way some things change with time. I will be the first one to say that I wish for the day that my income and earning capability will rise to the kind of standard that I can say comfortably that my absolute max is $10,000.00. Well, one can always dream…

I want to buy a pearl necklace. NO, I need to buy a Akoya pearl necklace. After catching a glimpse of Akoya pearls, I simply cannot even look at my freshwater pearls anymore.

I don’t even know where in Singapore I can get good quality Akoya pearls, and I really don’t want to get jewellery online when I have not felt and tried on the item. A little weird, I know. Jewellery to me, unlike clothing and accessories, are so intimately personal..

I have heard of Mikimoto in Singapore and a quick search online shows that they are located in Tanglin Shopping Centre. Maybe I will drop by and take a look tomorrow..

Any ideas?

So the only pearl necklace that I will wear now is this one my mother gave me:

Keshi Pearls

I am dreaming of white pearls with silver or pink/ silver overtones..

and black Tahitian pearls.

Funny thing is, I used to really dig South Sea Pearls, especially the baroque ones, (hahaha, very Mrs Flintstone!!) but now I think they are not really me. Somehow I prefer the understated, elegant look these days. Growing older and mellower?

PS: This is NOT a paid post or advertorial post in case you are wondering. You will know it if or when I do paid posts or advertorials. It wil always be openly declared. That is also part of my own perceived blogger integrity.

350-thread count embroidered cotton silk sheets Big bought for our bed.

Wrap shirt. Looks dreadful on the hangar but nice when I wear it.

Red hot chilli red dress with toggle belt. HOT!

Faux wrap front dress with relaxed sleeve. Very elegant and classy look which I love.

Autumn Coat for travelling.

Gorgeous velvet swarovski crystal clutch purse. I love this so much!!

Crystal shell. Very very pretty and impractical.

Satay at the Malay stall outside City Plaza (facing Lion City Hotel)
Bagus!!!

Thai baby oranges we bought from Bugis Village - very sweet!!

Woven Leather cuff I bought

Bootcut Jeans with swirling embroidery. It accentuates the butt nicely.

Black Gaberdine Skirt with mermaid hem

V neck cotton tunic

Jewellery holder from the folks at Citigems. It’s a gift with purchase for members.

Inside

Diamond earrings for Gean. I wanted to get a matching one for Ger but she dismissed it as too feminine and therefore LAME.

Kids these days!!! *smacks head*