Filed under: Uncategorized
Every since the caged flats made their come out on the YSL runway, I’ve had half an eye out for it. But somehow the whole cage thing just didn’t look right.
Not even when Miu Miu came out with these gladiator cut out flats, that looked like the gladiators above (left) but with the pattern on the right. Miu Miu usually does a good translation of trends, and even my mom was all for them, but I couldn’t bring myself over to them. It is just… not really flattering on the feet.
But then I found this pair of Miu Miu suede mesh ballerina flats, and thought, maybe it’s not so bad after all! The slim and elegant ballerina shape with the bow, gives the mesh a feminine touch, toning down the severity of the mesh. And even though the metalltic pointy part is slightly odd, I am loving it. It makes me think that at least this pair won’t get snuffed from my way of walking (nearly all my pointy shoes are destroyed this way, even my round toed ones actually!). The metallic also adds back the “edgy” feel that mesh is supposed to have. The only downside is that this is made of suede. So not exactly spring/summer friendly.
Image Source: Net A Porter
Apparently mom was right, there is such a thing as too much TV. According to this research by the University of Maryland, “unhappy people watch more TV, while people who describe themselves as ‘very happy’ spend more time reading and socializing.” Indeed, I recently read a book called, Happy for No Reason, where watching too much TV was one of the habits of being happy for a bad reason, because it only provided you with a temporary high.
I must admit, I’m definitely guilty of too much TV. It was one of the few things I looked forward to when I came home after work. At some points I’d watch a whole TV series within a few days! It’s really hard to stop at just one episode once you get started. When an episode ends, the inevitable feeling of emptiness creeps up, and all you want to do is start another episode! That was my ultimate guilty pleasure, and I indulged myself a lot.
Recently though, I’ve cut back on my TV watching. Instead, I’ve been devoting my time to socializing, reading and studying. I must say, keeping busy constructively really does make a remarkable difference on one’s mood. My dad claims that it’s because it keeps me from thinking too much. But maybe it’s because of my reduced TV consumption!
By no means, don’t cut your cable yet just to be “happier”. But maybe this weekend, try reducing your TV consumption and see how you feel. Do report back!
The love for Vuitton has ran in my family for decades now. Consequently, I inherited quite a few of them. One of my favourites back in high school was this Lexington in a lovely sky blue vernis color. The design was simple, the color was young and vibrant and it’s made of this shiny water proof looking material that made me think that I wouldn’t have to worry about scratching/spilling on it too much.
Recently while taking stock of my collection, I rediscovered it. I was disappointed to find that the lovely sky blue color had discolored into patches of an unpleasant greenish yellow shade. You’d think that a Vuitton bag will keep a bit longer.
Indeed, this phenomena is not limited to bags. My mom went through our shoe collection last night and dug up a few pairs of Vuitton vernis pumps from way back then. This gorgeous pair of silver pumps had turn a silvery aqua color. The discoloration was so bad that we had to throw most of them away. The ones above are the only ones remaining that we deemed was still (kind of) wearable. Note the deep yellow shade at the back of the heels- it is not the lighting!
I asssure you that we’ve been taking good care of these items. They’ve been living in their original dust bags since they arrived. The only thing I can think of is perhaps the humidity of Hong Kong, but alas, there is not much I can do to change the air. I guess the vernis is not so wear-proof after all. I don’t think I’ll be investing in this material any time soon.
Ps. I really have no idea why there are purple borders around my images. Anyone else have this problem?
Continuing from Pearl 101, we move onto a girl’s best friend. Who can resist these shiny shiny things? Here’s the low down:
- It’s all about the 4Cs: Cut, Color, Clarity and Carat Weight
- Cut: Not matter how big a diamond is, if it isn’t cut properly, it won’t be able allowed to shine to it’s potential. The perfect cut to let it shine, is the “ideal” cut, which is all about proportions. If the diameter is 100%, then the ideal cut would have the table around 55%, the crown height at around 15% and the pavilion depth around 43%. This cut allows light to be reflected back through the top of the stone making it shinier. Otherwise, light will be reflected sideways if it’s too deep or go right through if it’s too shallow, making the diamond look dark inside
- Generally the best cutters are from Belgium, Russia and Holland
- Our instructor, Alex, claims that the best cut is the round cut, cause then there are more facets of the for light to reflect from. The princess cut on the other hand (the one I’ve always secretly want just because of the name), is not that great cause it’s just a square. Plus, it’s harder as a craftsman to securely put a ring clasp on it
- Color: For colorless diamonds, obviously the clearer the color the better. Colors are graded alphabetically, with D as the best (just remember, D for diamonds!). E and F are still quite clear and it gets progressively yellower.
- A common trick by jewelers is to put diamonds with lower grades on gold bands, to hide the yellow color. If you put that diamond on a silver/platinum brand, it will be too obviously yellow. So it’s always safer to go for the silver/platinum bands!
- According to Alex, the difference between crystals and diamonds is that crystals reflect more rainbow prism colors than diamonds, which are whiter. Though I just read somewhere else that diamonds reflect rainbow colors too…… so I’m not sure how valid this is
- Clarity: Inherent “inclusions” of a diamond, such as scratches and black dots, mars a diamond and interferes with light reflection and consequently the brilliance of it. So the clearer the diamond, the rarer it is. To be honest though, he showed us a few examples under the magnifying glass and pointed out the blemishes and I simply did NOT see any blemishes/dots, even though I pretended to so as not to look like an idiot
- Clarity is graded by the following system: F1 (flawless), IF (internally flawless- minor surface blemishes), VVS1-VVS2 (very, very small inclusions), VS1-VS2 (very small inclusions), SI1-SI2 (small inclusions) and I1-I2-I3 (imperfect- eye-visible inclusions)
- Carat-Weight: This is very self explanatory, this is the unit to measure gemstones/diamonds by. The key point is to note that bigger is not always better. You have to take into consideration the other three C’s. But basically, it all seems to come down to the factors that makes a diamond shiny
- Man-made diamonds are made of mammal ashes. After finding that out, I hypothesized that I can technically convert myself into a diamond upon my death and give it to my children as a memorabilia. Better to become a diamond than a pile of ash or rot in the ground, right? Indeed, having googled this idea, they apparently already offer this service at LifeGem. I almost feels cheated of my brilliant idea, if not for the fact that they have been around for a much longer time than my idea. But definitely food for thought. Would you want to be converted and live forever as a diamond?
Today I went to a pearls and diamonds appreciation class organized by the HK Tourist Board as part of their cultural kaleidoscope program. Since it was free and at a jewelry shop, I was skeptical at first that it was a guise for a sales promotion. But I’m happy to report that our instructor, Alex, didn’t try to sell us anything at all. In fact, the lesson was so informational and interesting that I really wanted to get a copy of the slides afterwards for personal reference. Unfortunately, the materials were copyrighted. So I’ll just have to share with you all what I remember.
The first topic we covered was pearls, and here are the highlights:
- Pearls are made when a piece of rock or sediment gets stuck inside a live oyster/mollusk. The oyster secretion, which happens to by full of calcium carbonate, then creates a layer around this rock called a nacre. And it is this coating of nacre that gives pearls all the pretty properties we love about it. I found this point especially interesting and wondered why I never thought to question how pearls are made and had just assumed that they came out of oysters.
- Cultured oysters are made when we put a man made sediment (usually made of oyster shells) into an oyster, manually stimulating the layering process. This usually takes 18-24 months. The best thing about it is that the pearl will come out in around the same size and shape as the one you put in. So the bigger and rounder the sediment you put in, the bigger and rounder the pearl will be. So I guess for pearls, size really does not matter too much, since you’re really just buying the coating.
- There are essentially two kinds of cultured pearls: freshwater pearls and seawater pearls
- Freshwater pearls: I don’t remember the full story, but the oysters in freshwater can produce more than one pearl (vs just one for seawater), and so are cheaper just by supply. In addition, somehow they cannot put perfectly rounded sediments inside these oysters, and can only put in tissues which change shape. Thus the pearls created in freshwater are typically not as nicely rounded and typically cost less. So when someone tries to sell you an “uniquely shaped” pearl, dont’ pay a premium for it!
- Seawater Pearls: The oysters here only produce one pearl each, so they’re rarer. They product is also typically perfectly round and can be quite large if need be. Though I think larger pearls are more difficult to cultivate successfully, and thus charge more. A good way to tell that they are seawater pearls, is to roll the strand across the table. Seawater pearls should roll very easily, while it would be a bit more difficult for freshwater pearls due to their irregular shapes
- Japanese pearls are typically small and no bigger than 10mm (mm is the size pearls are measured in)
- Black pearls have recently been quite popular due to their novelty. Only Tahiti and the cook islands make black pearls and the most expensive ones are the peacock colored ones, which is a combination of green and red tones. A good way to tell real black pearls from dyed ones (for necklaces at least), is to look at the hole where they poke the string through. There you can see the inside of the pearl, to tell if it’s black or white (which means they’re dyed)
- The natural color of pearls are usually quite pale and pastel, usually white, cream or pale pink. If the color is deep and sharp, then they’re dyed
- The most important factor to judge a pearl by is the sheen. The more reflective and sharp the reflection is, the better. The next factors include shape, size and color
- For necklaces, the pearl size usually differ by around 1 to 2mm from each other, with the bigger ones in the middle. Something about the proportions
- If you want to tell quality, look at the sides of a pearl necklace, because that’s where they usually put the pearls that are not up to par
- To differentiate fake pearls from real ones, a) rub the pearls against each other- real pearls have more texture and you’ll feel the friction b) if it’s a necklace, look at the point where they poke the holes. The edges for fake pearls are rougher c) Feel the texture. Fake pearls are much smoother than real ones
- Since pearls are essentially layers of calcium carbonate, they will not last you forever. But if you take good care of it, it’ll last longer. Here are some tips, a) put it on, 10 minutes after you’ve sprayed perfume. Perfume destroys the sheen b) wipe it down with a wet cloth after you wear it and let it air for 40 minutes. This cleans off the body chemicals that might wear down the pearls c) put it back into a soft bag to protect it
Phew~ that was long. And this is just what I remember! I’m pretty sure I missed out some of the other factors that are used to judge pearls. I should’ve taken notes! Stay tune for later this week for a girl’s best friend!
Filed under: Random Musings
Completely out of the blue, I found myself in a week of what I like to think of as life coaching lessons. It went over concepts like the importance of skills vs attitude to successs, and soft skills like how to approach different types of people and listening. Besides learning how to make a hole in a raw potato with a straw, which is pretty awesome, the two points that stuck with me are the following:
- Great leaders are Great Sales: What is the difference between someone in a supermarket promoting a particular brand of knife, and Obama promoting the healthcare bill to the senate? Essentially, both are trying to persuade someone into their way of thinking, and ’sell’ you something. The difference is your stance. Obama actually believes that this healthcare bill is good for the people, while the supermarket sales couldn’t care less if you already have a dozen knives at home- they just want to make a commission. The world is made up of those who convince and those who are convinced. So be a good sales with a stance. Herein lies the need to develop good soft people skills.
- Luck goes to the ones who try: A fresh graduate found a lead through cold calling to a potential client, and met up with them on a Friday night very far from home. After hearing him out, his client told him she didn’t need it, but might mention him to another friend and told him to call back on Monday. He thinks, is this client just playing with him? He calls them on Monday anyway, and get’s the number to her friend, Sammy. Sammy meets him at his office and after hearing him out, says that doesn’t need it either but may have a friend who does, and arranges an introduction for him. Worrying about potential referral fee, he goes anyway and, to his amazements, meets the relations of one of the tycoons of the country and exchanged business cards. Through a series of persistance and playing on his strengths, he, a fresh graduate, eventually wins the business of a wealthy and experienced client. How lucky is that? But luck doesn’t just come to those who are lucky. They come to those who reach out for it. There are limited ways for luck to randomly land on your lap when you’re sitting on your butt. If you go out and try to find it, at least there are more opportunities for luck to come in and aid you. It’s all about the probability.
Something to ponder about over the weekend.
Filed under: Relationships
Dear Clueless Boyfriends,
In case you’ve not noticed, Valentine’s day is in the horizon again. And so I thought it is time to share an idea I recently heard about from a friend trying to buy his girlfriend something nice for her birthday. Instead of getting her a typical boring heart-shaped Tiffany necklace (yes fellas, you know which one I’m talking about), he got his girlfriend a David Yurman necklace. It is not something fabulously unique or anything, but it definitely made me a little green hearing about it. How on earth did he even know about David Yurman? If I randomly asked a guy on the streets, I’m positive that at least 80% of them will not know what it is. Apparently, he heard about it from his female friends and even went so far as to get one to go with him to pick one out, knowing his own inferiority when it comes to jewelry picking (I know someone who returned a bracelet she recieved for Vday back to the store because it was so ugly). His resourcefulness and thoughtfulness immediately put him up a few notches in my books!
In case you’ve not heard, David Yurman is a jewelry brand name from the US that is a favourite amongst the trendy set, including Kate Moss. Not that there is anything wrong with Tiffany, but that heart does get a little old when you start seeing it on every girl’s neck on the streets. David Yurman’s jewelry on the other hand, is elegant and understated. Your girlfriend will feel special to be amongst this exclusive set. You’ll also be happy to know that it won’t break the bank like anything at Cartier or Van Cleef Arpels will. You can get something very nice for around $300 or above. Pssst! He’s famous for his cable knit jewelries like the cables below (all are around $350):
You might be thinking that getting her a necklace is still kind of cliche, but there is cliche and then there is cliche. There is the Tiffany heart-shaped necklace cliche, that is almost like buying someone a box of Godiva chocolates because you don’t know what to get them and figured that everyone likes Godiva chocolates. Then there is the David Yurman necklace cliche, that is like buying someone a box of Varlhona chocolates (or whichever suits their taste better). Everyone does like chocolate, but to really hit the mark, it depends on which kind.
I hope this helps!
BG
Filed under: Blogging
According to my Dashboard, there was an unusual surge of traffic to my blog yesterday for no apparent reason. Usually there’s a particular incoming link or a popular google search word, but this time there is no clue. And it’s not just the WordPress Dashboard. The Sitemeter counter also showed a surge. I wonder what it could’ve been. Perhaps an especially aggressive hacking program trying to leave comments?
Speaking of blog traffic, does anyone else notice that the counter for the WordPress Dashboard and Sitemeter differs by a lot? I wonder why that is so.
Here is a little something that will give everyone a good Friday laugh (provided you were not part of the thousands of people stranded at Newark airport that day). The things people do in the name of love……
Filed under: Fashion
I’ve always been a girl who believed in simplicity. But as I held this soft leather bag and the beweled chain in my hands, I couldn’t help but fall in love with it.
The soft pink color, the quilting with the surrounding studds and the jeweled chain all appeals to the young girl in me. In particular, the young girl who loved pink and spent her time dressing up her Barbie dolls and over accessorizing herself with plastic jewelries. This Miu Miu Stage bag combines all our girlhood fantasies into one. It goes against everything we’ve learnt about style and simplicity since then, but somehow the over the top details work together in this case and actually makes it fun. Just think of all the fun you’ll have playing dress up with it at home. It would also be the perfect compliment to a sophiscticated black (or white!) dress, and take you from Valentine’s day all the way to a summer cocktail.
Now I’m not saying that all the Miu Miu Stage bags are to die for. I happened to think that this aquamarine color (above) works too in an elegant sort of way. But the contrast between the jewels and the black leather one just too big for it to be pretty (you can see the full collection here).
The other two styles are also too extreme: one is too simple and the other is too embellished for it to work. One must be careful with these bejeweled chains bordering on tacky.
Image Source: Miu Miu
