ootd – Page 5 – Regina Chow

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Fashion Fridays: Crop Tops for Work

January 23, 2015 by Regina Chow No Comments

As much as I would like to say it is perfectly fine to wear crop tops to work, the truth of the matter is, no, crop tops that reveal your midriff are not meant for the office, unless perhaps you are in the creative industry and dressing as such may be acceptable.

Otherwise, it is difficult to be taken seriously in these midriff-baring tops and the last thing you would want is to be reprimanded at work for your choice of clothes.

But if you insist on wearing your crop tops to work, I would suggest wearing high-waist bottoms that cover up the midriff entirely. Alternatively, an easier way out would be to cover up with a blazer that’s buttoned up throughout the day. You can always let the buttons come off after work to reveal your crop top and midriff in their full glory. This method also allows you to take your look from day to night without compromising on professionalism.

Today’s edition of Fashion Fridays showcases a crop top ensemble that I would personally wear for work. This cape blazer from Love Bonito may not come with buttons, but all you have to do is pin up the front with a brooch to make the outfit work appropriate. Remove the brooch or the blazer altogether after work and you’ll have an outfit for a lovely dinner date and drinks.

Crop top, pleated pants and blazer from Love Bonito

Shoes from Valentino

Bag from Givenchy

Cuff from Hermes

Shades from Marc by Marc Jacobs

Thanks for reading and have a great weekend ahead!

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Fashion Fridays: Preppy Vintage & Equestrian Chic

January 16, 2015 by Regina Chow No Comments

Before the year of the horse officially comes to a close, I thought I’d take the opportunity to channel equestrian chic with a preppy vintage ensemble and my little unicorn clutch. I particularly adore the perfect mix of girlish
allure and preppy charm embodied in this outfit. It’s feminine without
being saccharine sweet and tomboyish without being masculine.

I actually packed
this outfit for my Hong Kong trip in December, but for some reason, it
never saw the light of day during my vacation. I would have gone ahead and put on some over-the-knee boots to complete the look if not for the fact that our weather in Singapore doesn’t quite allow for it. There’s a fine line between dressing up and overdressing and as much as I love my boots, I wasn’t prepared for strange stares and beads of perspiration.

Instead, I slipped into my Valentino Noir Rockstud Pumps, my current go-to shoes, to add a touch of edginess to the overall look. It may not look it, but these shoes are really comfy despite the height. Now, I’m determined to get the nude version when it’s relaunched (I heard there’s a possibility some time next season!).

Hat from Forever New

Shoes from Valentino

I hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of Fashion Fridays! If there’s a certain style or look that you would like to see here, drop me a comment or e-mail me at regina.chow@gmail.com and I’ll see what I can do to make it happen.

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Fashion: Timeless Style with Luca Ruca

January 13, 2015 by Regina Chow No Comments

I have been incorporating more basic pieces into my wardrobe recently because they’re so wearable and will never go out of style. Everyone needs these wardrobe essentials and I couldn’t be happier when I discovered that Luca Ruca‘s collection offers just that – classic pieces with a twist that you can wear again and again without looking dated.

Luca Ruca is headed up by two fashion savvy European designers, Anastasia Buchinskaya and Belinda Alice Jacobs, both of whom have worked for big names in the fashion industry, including Versace, Red Valentino, Vogue Italia, Matthew Williamson, John Rocha and Ted Baker.

What struck me most about Luca Ruca is that their designs exude an air of sophistication and quiet confidence. Today, I am going to share with you two of my favourite pieces from their collection.

Basic dresses such as this Dazed Side-Knot Dress are a breeze to style. Slip into a pair of loafers for a casual weekend look or dress it up with red accents in the form of a pair of heels and leather cuff like what I did here. I couldn’t resist adding a whimsical unicorn clutch to keep the overall look casual chic, but you can always choose to amp up the glam factor with a luxe purse.

Dress from Luca Ruca

Shoes from Zara

Cuff from Hermes

Bag from Taobao

I don’t know if you noticed, but I actually wore this dress differently from the model below. Instead of tying the knot on the left, I decided to tie it on the right instead. And there you have it, with this cute little striped number, you can achieve two different looks with just one dress! Rules are meant to be broken sometimes and it’s perfectly fine to set your own rules and let your creative juices flow.

The Granite Twist Top is yet another versatile piece from Luca Ruca’s latest collection. Again, you can choose to dress it up or down depending on the occasion. I’ve worn this with ripped jeans for a casual, edgy look, but did you know that you could style it with a pencil skirt for work as well?

What I love most about this timeless top is the unique twist details at the shoulders and its cotton/lycra mix material, which gives it a more structured silhouette.

Simple accessories would do the trick here. I completed the look with a classic diamonte Chanel brooch and Valentino Noir Rockstud pumps.

Top from Luca Ruca

Bag from Givenchy

Pumps from Valentino

Brooch from Chanel

If you need more styling inspirations, here are some pictures from Luca Ruca’s lookbook, photographed in New York City. This gorgeous top comes in a vibrant Mango shade as well, so if you’re looking at injecting some colour into your wardrobe, that would be an excellent choice.

All my lovely readers will also be entitled to a 20% discount from now till 31st Jan. All you have to do is to key in the code “LucaRucaXmas” upon checkout.

Happy Shopping ladies!

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Fashion Fridays: Culottes & Normcore

January 2, 2015 by Regina Chow No Comments

As a result of the rainy weather and lower temperatures, I find myself reaching for my Frame Denim jeans and culottes a lot more these days. They are perfect for keeping warm, but more importantly, they are so amazingly comfortable, it feels like you’re wearing next to nothing.

Why culottes? They’ve been in trend for a while now and I absolutely adore the loose cutting and relaxed fit. Depending on the fabric used, culottes have the ability to transform your look from casual chic to sleek and glamorous.

Take my navy satin culottes from Love Bonito for instance. At a glance, it looks so much like a maxi skirt (thanks to its gorgeous sheen and A-line cutting) that you wouldn’t even notice that these are culottes until upon closer inspection. I don’t know about you, but I’ve always wished that I could wear a skirt and not have to worry about the way I sit. With culottes like these, I can finally have my cake and eat it!

That said, believe me, the word culottes initially struck fear in me because these bottoms aren’t exactly the easiest type to style. Due to its cutting, it can make even the thinnest of ladies look bulky. I have come to realize that the best way to counter this problem is to pair them with form-fitting tops as this enhances the feminine silhouette and makes your waistline more visible.

If you prefer to pair them with loose knits, be sure to tuck in your top for the same reasons I mentioned above. I wore mine here with a light merino wool sweater in a shade of grey as I wanted my navy culottes to stand out more.

Top from Uniqlo

Culottes from Love Bonito

Necklace from Xanna Reis

Bag from Valentino

Shoes from Christian Louboutin

Without accessorizing, this will most certainly pass off as a Normcore outfit.

What’s Normcore?

In layman terms, it’s a unisex style that is all about wearing simple and basic pieces such as jeans, t-shirts and casual, plain shirts.

It’s a minimalist trend that I find rather interesting and would personally like to emulate, but knowing me, I just couldn’t resist prettifying this seemingly normcore ensemble with a pop of pink, a dose of accessories and a dash of glitter.

Vintage perfume bracelet from Select 18 in Hong Kong

Special thanks also goes out to Xanna Reis for the intricate necklace in gorgeous shades of pastel pink and pistachio.

If you follow me on instagram (@reginachow_sg), you would probably find this necklace familiar. I love how it instantly dresses up the bare neckline and jazzes up the otherwise plain outfit.

It is currently sold out on the site, but you can still get yours via backorder here.

Happy shopping and hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of Fashion Fridays!

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Fashion Fridays: Frame Denim Review

December 27, 2014 by Regina Chow 1 Comment

I am a day late for my Fashion Fridays post, but I’m sure many of you would agree that it’s better late than never. The festive season never fails to put everyone in a holiday mood, and everyday feels as if the weekend has arrived. I’ve finally awoken from hibernation for a much needed stretch, which explains the lack of blog posts, but I’m now back in action.

Today’s Fashion Fridays post centers around my new found favourite denim brand, Frame Denim. I came across this cult brand that originated from the US only very recently, during my trip to Hong Kong. Although Frame Denim was only established in 2012, it has fast secured a strong cult following among trend setters, including celebrities such as Mirander Kerr and Cara Delevingne.

Friends of mine would know that I hardly rave about denim jeans, and I have to admit that I was in two minds about this pair of Frame Denim jeans when the store assistant first picked it out for me. Granted, this was a pair of ripped skinny jeans, in white no less (I’ve been looking around for one like that), but I own several pairs of jeans, so how different could this pair of jeans be? It’s just another pair of jeans right?

I have been proven wrong on many occasions recently, and this was yet another occasion. Never judge a book by its cover, they say, and in this scenario, you should never judge a pair of jeans by its appearance.

I swear I have never worn a pair of jeans that’s more comfortable. It feels like second skin and fits like a glove. A look in the mirror was all it took for me to realize that the most amazing characteristic about this brand’s skinny jeans (also known as Le Skinny de Jeanne) is that it provides a slimming effect which elongates your legs and makes you look taller than you are.

I was hooked.

If you were wondering, this is the Le Skinny de Jeanne distressed mid-rise jeans, and I ended up buying this in black as well. A good friend had to stop me from getting more from net-a-porter, which stocks an extensive collection of Frame Denim jeans.

I have been wearing both my white and black jeans a lot these days, and from the way things are panning out, more of these skinny jeans will be making their way into my wardrobe soon.

Le Skinny de Jeanne distressed mid-rise Jeans from Frame Denim

Clutch from Givenchy

Sneakers from Korea

Vintage Perfume Ring from Select 18 (Hong Kong)

I hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of Fashion Fridays!

Have a great weekend!

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Fashion Fridays: Shopping on Taobao & My Cut-out Shoulder Shirt Dress

December 12, 2014 by Regina Chow 2 Comments

Ever since I discovered how easy it is to shop on Taobao through Taobao agents in Singapore, I haven’t looked back.

I have to admit it was a little tricky at first. The multitude of products available is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it ensures that you’ll be spoiled for choice, but on the other hand, sieving through the sea of products to unravel gems can be a rather challenging task. To narrow down your search, having a basic command of Mandarin is very helpful. For instance, you might be looking for Korean style clothes, a tweed jacket, or off-shoulder dress. Searching for these terms in Mandarin is usually more effective, and as daunting as this may seem, it is surprisingly easy to find the exact Mandarin terms by through a quick search on Google.

How do you determine what Mandarin terms to use?

The trick is to use a mix of English and Chinese words to tease out the right term. For example, to find the exact term for off-shoulder dress, key in “off-shoulder 衣服” (衣服 is the equivalent of clothes in Mandarin) into the search engine. You should be able to find an accurate translation from the first few links that pop up without much difficulty. In this case, off-shoulder refers to “露肩”. Once you are equipped with the correct terms in Mandarin, searching for the items that you desire becomes a walk in the park.

For ease of reference and convenience, I also make it a point to bookmark reputable sellers (please read the reviews and ratings before buying!) whose products I adore, especially for items such as clothes, shoes and anything related to fashion.

Here’s just one of the sellers that I typically buy from:

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=40371394113

I posted this cut-out shoulder shirt dress on my instagram account (@reginachow_sg) recently, and I received many queries on the exact Taobao link where you can purchase this dress from.

As promised, here’s the link.

Cut-out shoulder shirt dress from Taobao

Shoes from Charlotte Olympia

Bag from Hermes

Necklace from random shop in Singapore

At a little over S$20, this dress is an absolute steal! It looks exactly as pictured and I love how the cut-outs at the shoulders give it a more feminine vibe as compared to the typical shirt dress.

I’ll be sharing more details on the other sellers that I typically buy from in time to come, complete with outfit shots, so if you’re interested, remember to watch this space!

I’m currently on my way to Hong Kong as you are reading this post. I’ll be updating my instagram account while I’m on the go, so do follow me to find out what I’m up to (@reginachow_sg)!

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Fashion Fridays: Blush Pink Victorian Dress & Korean Accessories fromRedeye

November 28, 2014 by Regina Chow 1 Comment

Blush Pink is perhaps one of the prettiest and daintiest colours I’ve ever come across. It is more feminine than beige, but not overwhelmingly sweet like pink, yet just as classic as black or white. I can’t quite find another colour like blush pink on the colour wheel.

I bought this blush pink dress from I.T. in Hong Kong a couple of years ago and it was only recently that I uncovered this hidden gem lying in the depths of my wardrobe.

It was time to bring it out to let it sparkle.

Its vintage inspired Victorian design is made contemporary with pointy nude heels from Miu Miu and a splash of accessories from Korean label, Redeye.

Where do I get my accessories? That’s one question that I often get from readers and friends alike, hence I decided I should share more about my latest craze, Redeye. I first came across the brand in Seoul, but I found out through a friend that they now have a branch in Johor Bahru at City Square Mall. I paid them a visit during my recent staycation and needless to say, went a little crazy over their accessories. I especially love the statement pearl ring, which I personally think is a welcomed change from its more common pearl necklace counterpart.

I’m definitely heading back to JB for more stylish yet affordable Korean accessories. The extensive collection ensures that you’re spoilt for choice, regardless of the final look that you’re aiming to achieve. If you’re heading to JB, remember to stop by Redeye!

Accessories aside, the lovely Swan Lake Gazebo at the Botanic Gardens provided the perfect backdrop for this ensemble. I enjoy taking long walks in parks and I couldn’t be happier that the cooler temperatures of late has made this possible.

Nestled amidst lush greenery, the gazebo overlooks the swan lake near the entrance of the gardens. The gazebo represents a piece of history as it was built in the 1850s and was originally located at Old Admiralty House along Grange Road before it was shifted to the gardens. Historic structures like these are part of our cultural heritage and lend character to our concrete cityscape. I love the intricate details on the grilles of the gazebo and I wish that more of such architecture could be preserved in our country to allow the old and new to coexist in harmony.

Dress from I.T. Hong Kong

Shoes from Miu Miu

The Great Gatsby Book Clutch from My Jotter Book

Pearl Belt from my mum

Accessories from Redeye, JB

I hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of Fashion Fridays. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend ahead!

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Fashion: Of Cape Blazers, Superheroes & Counting My Blessings

November 18, 2014 by Regina Chow No Comments

Want to look like a superhero without compromising on style? I came to realize that the cape blazer will easily do the trick for mere mortals like you and me. It’s chic, stylish and can take you from work to play depending on how you pair it.

The cape blazer design is also perfect for our humid weather. I hardly ever wear blazers in Singapore but I really like how the cape design keeps you warm when you step into an air-conditioned room while the slit sleeves help you to look and feel cool when you step outdoors under the blazing sun.

I’ve worn this cape blazer with a formal pencil dress for work, but for weekends, shorts are my staple. Of late, I find myself favouring shades of black, white and grey. I have also started to gravitate towards simple, minimalist pieces with clean lines. That was how I came up with this ensemble. A simple leatherette cropped top, a pair of embossed shorts and a cape blazer all in the same shade, accented with touches of gold. Sometimes, the beauty of an outfit lies in its simplicity and I’m surprised it took me so long to discover this.

Cape Blazer from Love Bonito

Cropped Top from MDS

Shoes from Charles & Keith

Cuff from Hermes

Clock Bag from Taobao

I
have been back in Singapore for some time now, and while it is great to
be back with family and friends, I haven’t been doing so well in the
health department. In times like this, I really wish I was a superhero with immediate self-healing powers. If only I could be a female version of Wolverine and Superman with my cape blazer!

I
pulled a muscle due to a persistent cough, which recently led to a
painful inflammation of the membrane protecting my lungs (also known as
pleurisy). The bad news – I was in so much pain I could barely walk or
lie down. Even talking, breathing or laughing hurt and I could not move my right waist for days. The good news is, Arcoxia (a strong painkiller) helped a lot and I’m much better now. I have to minimize any movement as it adds pressure to my waist and back area but thankfully, my cough has faded into oblivion.

In spite of all the pain and inconvenience, this episode serves as reminder that I shouldn’t focus on how stressed I am and instead remember how blessed I am.

The hubby is on an important course this month hence my parents have
been taking me to the doctor and going out of the way to make sure my 3
meals are settled. My dad also makes it a point to drive me to important
meetings that I cannot miss despite my condition.

Every cloud has a silver lining and there’s so much to be grateful for.

The
early-morning text messages from my mum just to check that I’m fine, the cozy
lunches with my dad every afternoon since the mishap happened, their silly antics that made me laugh even though they cracked me up so bad my injury hurt, the hubby’s attempts at placating me with comfort food (i.e. unhealthy food) as I’m sick of plain food, and even text messages from the colleagues persuading me not to go for less important meetings lest I hurt myself again. It warms my heart from inside out and I honestly cannot be more appreciative for everyone and everything.

Thank you, all of you are my superheroes.

I’ll be back in the pink of health soon, I promise. 🙂

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Fashion Fridays: Maldives Resort Wear & Beach Essentials

November 14, 2014 by Regina Chow No Comments

It was an incredible feeling to have paradise right at my footsteps for a week. Maldives felt like a dream and heaven on earth is perhaps the only description that does any justice to its natural beauty.

I will be sharing more about my trip to Maldives in a separate post as the focus of today’s Fashion Fridays post will be on resort wear and beach essentials. If you follow me on instagram (@reginachow_sg), you might find some of these photos familiar.

Breezy Chiffon Outfits

I bought this purple cropped top and shorts set from Theory of Seven a while ago but never found the right opportunity to wear it until Maldives came along.

The devil lies in the details and in this case, the cape-like chiffon layer attached to the shorts made this set absolutely irresistible. I love how it moves with the wind, as if it is performing a little dance accompanied by the peaceful waves gently lapping onto the shore.

Swimwear

Swimwear naturally comes to mind when you think about resort wear and beach essentials. This time, I packed enough swimwear to last me an entire week in Maldives. Here are just two of my favourite bikinis. They’re exceptionally well-made and fit petite ladies really well.

3-piece Swimwear Set from Liz Lisa, Japan

Bikini from Victoria’s Secret

Crochet Cover-ups

I personally have a soft spot for crochet cover-ups and over the years, I have added more than a handful of these to my beachwear collection. This lovely crochet dress from Australian label Bardot is the perfect cover-up.

I didn’t actually get a tan as I kept spraying SPF50 sunblock regularly throughout the day, but this crochet piece must have been sprinkled with some magic dust. I was initially a little doubtful about the colour, but when I put it on, I realised it complemented my skin tone and even gave it a healthy tan and glow.

Beach Essentials

Swimwear and beach coverups aside, here are some of the beach essentials that I cannot live without. If I were to choose one item to take with me on a beach vacation, sunblock would definitely rank first.

On this trip alone, I brought along two SPF50 sunblock sprays from Japan, two SPF50 sunblock gels for my face (from Kose and Clarins), and an SPF30 sunblock powder from Jane Iredale. I even brought along a lavender scented facial mist with SPF30 which I bought from Hokkaido in June!

The beauty about beach holidays is you don’t have to wear much make-up. The only make-up items I packed were my trusty Benefit Dandelion blusher, my favourite lipstick from Laneige in Spangle and Paw Paw Ointment (which I use as a lip balm).

What about you? What are some of your beach essentials?

For more resort wear inspirations, do check out my previous post in the link below:

Fashion Fridays: Resort Wear x Her Diva Online Fashion

Have a great weekend ahead!

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Fashion Fridays: Resort Wear x Her Diva Online Fashion

October 31, 2014 by Regina Chow No Comments

Lightweight, breathable and easy to wear, resort wear are staples for beach holidays. These days, resort wear come in a variety of designs to cater to your every whim and fancy, without compromising on comfort which is absolutely essential when you’re on vacation.

I had the privilege of collaborating with Her Diva Online Fashion recently, an online fashion wholesale mall that operates in both Malaysia and Singapore, who very kindly sponsored my resort wear for my Maldives trip.

One of my choice picks include this gorgeous lace chiffon dress (US$17.99) which doubles up as a beach cover-up. The intricate lace cut-outs show off just a hint of skin, leaving the rest up to imagination while retaining a dose of femininity and elegance.

Not heading to a beach destination any time soon? I always love pieces that are versatile, and this lace number is one dress that can take you from the beach resort to a wedding function or even tea with the girls, simply by throwing on the right accessories and footwear.

Just look at how exquisite the lace details are! The workmanship is great and what I like most about this dress is that it doesn’t require any ironing, which makes it easy to pack whenever I travel.

Now, here’s my second pick. I have been looking around for a shirt tunic (US$12.75) that can also be worn as a dress, so this was definitely a dream come true for me.

In line with the relaxed, laid-back vibe about loose, breezy shirt tunics that gives it a resort-chic appeal, accessories should probably be kept to a minimum. A skinny belt to cinch the waist, a pair of sunnies and a straw hat are just about right.

http://www.herdivaonlinefashion.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=88_89&product_id=973

I love how comfortable this shirt feels. Soft to the touch, the quality is impeccable and it feels almost like second skin.

I can completely see myself wearing this to town on a weekend when I am back in Singapore. I could even wear it to work with white pants and a skinny belt. That’s killing three birds with one stone.

Besides my choice picks, Her Diva Online Fashion also offers an extensive range of quality apparels exclusively sourced from Taiwan and Korea. Products are updated daily, so you’ll always be spoiled for choice. The best part is, you get to purchase them at wholesale prices!

I’ve also included a quick shopping guide below to help you along:

Her Diva Online Fashion Shopping Guide

Minimum Purchase

Given their extremely enticing price points, there
is a minimum purchase of 10 pieces for ready stock and 5 pieces for
pre-order stock in order for you to enjoy the wholesale price. You can
mix and match the products, which gives you the option of purchasing
different designs on your own or combining purchases with friends.

Agent Membership

Alternatively,
you could also sign up for the Agent Membership, which starts from as
low as US$100 in credits which can be fully redeemed for products from
Her Diva. In this case, no minimum purchase is required.

Happy shopping, ladies!

Page 5 of 8« First...«456 7 »...Last »

Fashion Fridays: Crop Tops for Work

Fashion Fridays: Preppy Vintage & Equestrian Chic

Fashion: Timeless Style with Luca Ruca

Fashion Fridays: Culottes & Normcore

Fashion Fridays: Frame Denim Review

Fashion Fridays: Shopping on Taobao & My Cut-out Shoulder Shirt Dress

Fashion Fridays: Blush Pink Victorian Dress & Korean Accessories fromRedeye

Fashion: Of Cape Blazers, Superheroes & Counting My Blessings

Fashion Fridays: Maldives Resort Wear & Beach Essentials

Fashion Fridays: Resort Wear x Her Diva Online Fashion

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