Am I Wearing Pants?

i was browsing through Huffington Post online when i found this. 

to me, this is very funny since i am not that fond of the leggings culture.

why, you may ask.

well, firstly, i don't have the legs for it. i maybe hourglass but my curvy legs, thighs and butts are not meant to wear tights or leggings. 

(that is very SELFISH of me, really... but hear me out on my second and third reasoning *wink* )

secondly, leggings seem under-dressed. it's a good casual look but it seems dated when all your blouses/tops/tunics/kaftans/whatnots are worn with this piece of teensy garment.

it's also mortifying when you see women wearing these without the necessary undergarments or the material is so thin that you are actually showing EVERYTHING. what even worse is when there are incidences of a showy 'camel toe'. if you don't know what a camel toe is, it's that front part of your lower body which should remain under wraps.

thirdly, women wearing hijabs should not even don any tights or leggings. because it defeats the purpose. that's all i have to say.

well, enough ramblings for now, enjoy the process flow. :)

i got this nifty flowchart from here

PS:  sorry, i don't know how to adjust the chart for it to fit the viewing page.

the week that was

this week and last have been particularly (and overwhelmingly) BAD, with capitals B,A,D.

i don't want to delve on them so much on this realm but suffice to say, i am not yet in the mood to write.

writing as a means of venting my frustrations is getting old. i rather enjoy the numbness at the moment and let the emotions sweep over me later, when i guess i feel ready for them.

what i am trying to reiterate here is "be thankful." be thankful with what you have at the moment because you will never know when the joy or happiness or "nikmat" will be taken away from you.

i am not asking you to live like you're dying tomorrow, by booking that around the world trip or buying things you could not afford, but cherish life and be kind to yourself, mankind and nature.

life is about what you give to it. the circle of life is verily true in this instance, whereby you reap what you've sown.

Quote : Myself

from my Facebook :

" observation : the problem with (us) women is that there are so many Wants, but so little Whys. :P "

enough said.

Alexander 'The Great' McQueen

If you have been following the fashion news, you would have known that the great fashion designer Alexander McQueen passed away last year.

you can read the sad news of his premature death here, and here.

i was never that 'aware' of his creations until recently and by joining Polyvore, i am always updated on the latest trends and news in the fashion world, whether i like it or not.

which in this case, i do LIKE a LOT. :)

some of his creations that i fall in love with are below :

Military Fern Jacquard Knit Dress

(Cant Find The Name) open toe stilletto

Floral Iris Skull Clutch Box

hmmm... when i think of it again, the 3 things, : the dress, the shoes and the clutch make a great outfit. 

go check for more of his outlandish and macabre designs which are breathtakingly beautiful at the same time, on his official site, here.

and by the way, the fact that a certain Ms. Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen was commissioned to create the Duchess of Cambridge's wedding gown at the Wedding of The Year, did help in raising its already garnered popularity a few notches of late.

picture is from http://fashion.telegraph.co.uk/galleries/TMG8481516/Kate-Middletons-wedding-dress-in-pictures.html

okay, i am too lazy to write anything of consequence, but i think looking at these pictures do give us some sense of 'consequence'.

hopefully, you get what i am trying to mean here. :)

Glittery Sunday

Glittery Sunday by NinaAli featuring silk tops

Gucci silk top
$3,910 - net-a-porter.com

Gucci long sleeve top
$875 - net-a-porter.com

Sandro vintage style jeans
$300 - net-a-porter.com

MICHAEL Michael Kors wedge heel sandal
$242 - asos.com

Prada calfskin handbag
$1,650 - bergdorfgoodman.com

Floral jewelry
6 GBP - hannahzakari.co.uk

Blue scarve
190 AUD - sambag.com.au

Hourglass Prodigy Hydrating Lip Gloss - Opium
$26 - barneys.com

Ms Anya

last Friday, my friend and i decided to go into Anya Hindmarch ( Note 1 ) boutique just for lark.

this was after a sumptuous meal at Aseana, so we decided to find a peaceful (read: 'payment for the ambience is required') and yet affordable (in KLCC?) coffee place. but first, we thought of heading off to Arzu after i gave my friend, Madam Meow back her 'Elite' card, which i had unabashedly kept for a long period of time without even using it. buat pekasam. 

however, we didn't go there in the end. 

we got side-tracked. :)

we were standing in front of San Francisco Coffee Company (SFCC) but it was still full. being Friday as it was. undecided on where to go next, my friend was captivated by the red blood coloured bags at Lancel, but we did not go in, somehow. perhaps, she still had Dior in her mind.

the neighbouring shop however, had something else to offer. it was the launch of its Spring-Summer 2011 that day and there was a table outside with a guest book and an array of enticing goodie bags with Anya Hindmarch logo and monochrome colours. 

and Madam Meow said : "jom?",  already forgetting about our coffee mission.

so i asked the girl who was manning the table, "is this by invitation only?" she said it's not, while at the same time, eyeing my bag. at that point, i hadn't realised that i was carrying my Anya Hindmarch bag.
( Note 2 )

that was a conversation opener, apparently, because she asked us to put our names in the guest book and enquired whether i was on their mailing list. 

"i am not... since i didn't buy this bag here." (yes, i like to volunteer more information than i should... it's a bad habit of trying to put people at ease)

"so where did you buy it?"

"Net-a-porter."

"oh.... but when you buy online, you can't really see and hold the bag."

"but i did. i came here first." i grinned. 

that salesgirl must have rolled her eyes inwardly. 

then we went in and somehow the sales manager encumbered us with her special attention. *aiyah*

she even asked us whether we would like anything to drink, such as tea, coffee, or wine. (yes, the sensitive sales manager asked two hijab-ed ladies whether they would want any wine. superb.) so Madam Meow benignly asked me to concur with her : "coffee?",  in which i happily obliged.

we were obviously gushing over the new collection with my favourite being Gracie in Old Pink and Maxi Zip Satchel (the season's featured bag) in Navy. *sigh* if only my upcoming bonus (if any) allows me to purchase both. 

berangan je lah... since i have other more pressing commitments.

my friend almost bought a bag from the previous season at 40% off, but after dawdling (which was good when you are about to part with thousands of Ringgit), she said to the manager that she would think about it.

this was even after the manager informed us that the bag was the only one left (yeah right) and you would not get it at another branch (yeah right, again).

i am proud of you, Madam Meow. :)

it was a little after 2.30pm then. lunchtime was up and thus, the end of our fabulous Friday sortie.

oh, below are the contents of the goodie bag. basically, it contained just one usable item, which was a notepad (with no lines, yay! perfect for my inane and random scribbles) with the cover of the previous Spring Summer's collection. the rest were just an invitation postcard, a (missing) voucher and a catalogue of the SS11 collection. and of course, the nice paper bag. (look at the picture below)

*garwsh* i am such a freebies junkie! :)

oh, i almost forgot. and the FREE after lunch coffee. 

TGIF, indeed.

this photo looked better in my FB!

Gracie in Old Pink

Maxi Zip Satchel in Navy

Note 1 : L&G, it is pronounced An-nya Hain-march. :)

Note 2 : the one and only Anya bag which i own. bought in 2008. still love it to bits. :)

the perfect Perry Patchwork - but mine has scuffs already

Tongue Tied

I look at you and I feel tongue tied

You look at me and you seem uptight

You made me wonder whether I see it right

That you like me, then give me slight

I don’t feel that you are too bright

In making friends, you are a fright

Not that open, you keep all inside

When tense and upset, you callously bite

I look at you and you seem to care

But I don’t know, don’t want to bear

This feeling of not good enough to share

Over and over again, my heart you tear

I look at you and I feel tongue tied

I wish I know how to say it right

But no matter how I wish it so might

I care too much in the end, I let it slide. 

Their 40th Year

 A visual stimulation is all that you need on a slow day like this.

or plainly speaking, below is my Exquisite and Effervescent Eye Candy, for today. *sigh*




image was taken from Mulberry site, so hurry over there to experience its 40th Year Anniversary.


and salivate yet again on its Bayswater and (my current favourite) Tillie.


oh... i feel better already. :)

New Beginning

" The Bottom Line

All individuals in compliance should be beyond reproach. That is, in order to do this job correctly they must maintain a high level of integrity and serve as an example for other employees of the company. If you're a person for whom this is a priority, you might be a good fit for a career in compliance. "

Source : CLICK THIS

i was informed yesterday - just before end of business day, by the way - that i will be transferred to a new department called Compliance.  

heck - i don't even know what the job entails, and when i asked my boss, she said she was also unsure.

brilliant eh?

apparently this Compliance department is NEW is the organisation, partly due to the restructuring, as well as the company is now a listed entity. the company is in the midst of coming up with the job description of the position.

so today i Googled the words "Compliance Job Scope" and there were a few thousands result but i  was intrigued by Investopedia's.

amongst my findings in there are:

• the skill requirement : Individuals should be detail-oriented and have the ability to review and analyze large data sets in short order. 

(i am anything but DETAILED.... and to review and analyse (i'm British educated) LARGE sets of data in SHORT order seems like a TALL order - i know i have the height - but not when i'm still new at the job)

• another skill requirement : Compliance personnel must have intimate knowledge of other jobs and functions, such as sales and trading (and the rules associated with them).

(since i have to know about other people's jobs, then i would be extremely POPULAR... i'll be one of those nosy auditors whom i despise. i guess it's true when they say be careful with what you immensely loathe)

so to sum it up.... AAARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHH!

Of Icons and Muses

it all started with Maysaa. :)

i didn't even know what Maysaa was then, until i got news that my UK-residing cousin was coming back to KL some time in November last year. 

he was apparently collaborating with a few people to launch a Muslim-inspired wear from the UK in Malaysia.

okayyyyy.... i know he's been hanging around with a group of moderate Muslims there (in this context, moderate means 'practising'), so in my mind, i was imagining a clothing line which is akin to Malaysia own Munawarrah.

my aunt who is always supportive of her niece/nephew's endeavours * prodded me on to check it out. so i did open the website and was surprised to see non-hijabed girls parading a modern, chic and minimalist clothing line. which i liked, of course. :) 

but not enough for me to buy yet, because i have to see them in order to buy. more so, because it was an emerging brand. suffice to say, my cousin's vouch of quality was not enough to convince me.

later on, at my aunt's insistence (well, okayyyyy, i was also curious), i went to the preview of Maysaa's maiden collection at Damansara Heights after they arrived in Kuala Lumpur. mind you, the team had to wait a few weeks to get the items, after they have disembarked, as the clothes were manufactured in another country. but long enough for them to get their bearings in this hot and humid country. therefore, i would say it was a blessing in disguise.

oh, before that, i met Hana Tajima and her husband (whom i knew before this, through my cousin) at my nenek's in Kampung Baru during an Eid Al-Adha gathering. my aunt (again), told me that she is a famous blogger. yes, apparently my aunt was more 'hip and happening' than me. :)

i was not that impressed with Hana when we first met, because i thought she was kinda snooty. but then again, i was no Ms Charming either. i didn't think i need to swoon over her because of her popularity which i didn't even know about. well, when Ms Reserve meets up Ms Reserve, this would inevitably happen. she seemed typically British, and i am NOT the typical friendly-at-first-meet Asian. :)

so there i was at the preview which was for close family members only as this was done to gauge the marketability of the products. i went with my 2 boys and maid. so i had to be fast. i wanted a skirt and a dress. but after trying out that kimono dress, i know my body type was not built for it. teehee. my aunts and cousins were also there and we were trying out different items of clothing. but knowing us women, we usually would like to have what the other woman is buying. so i ended up trying out different (unplanned) stuff in various rooms of my cousin's house. my boys were understandably by then restless, so i made my decision fast and took the body skimming straight viscose skirt and the uber cool hoodie top.

(i nearly bought the snood but i knew even with discounts, i could not afford to buy another item, so KIV-ed it for another time. but turned out it was sold out pretty fast after the launch. dang!)

by the way, Hana was actually lovely when i met her at her own turf - she gladly advised her customers on their clothing preferences and which ones flattered them most.

so there. it all started with Maysaa. because from Maysaa, i found Hana Tajima's blog called Stylecovered. then i got to know that she has group of Malaysian followers and i somehow found my way into their blogs.

firstly it was Adriani's Bows and A Rose, because Hana complimented on her style. and then i found Maria Elena who was naturally funny and effortlessly chic at the same time. she made me laugh! i dont really recall how i 'got 'lost' inside her site but i gathered it must have been either Adriani or Hana. she reminded me of a young Lucille Ball who inevitably wears hijab. :) by the way, she is widely popular that she in now modelling for a few online shops.

from them, i was acquainted to the Scarflets. to read further on what they actually are about, i let you read Maria Elena's interpretation of it. click that self-titled link.

in essence, these girls,  the Scarflets, who are mostly in their mid twenties, dress really well. i mean, not only they have revolutionised the way Muslim girls wear their hijab, they made wearing hijab COOL.

and they spent less money to look presentable and polished. so hence why i was captivated by how these girls who could spend less than me, ended looking more chic and ultra svelte than moi.

this goes to show that spending more on clothes (and scarves/shawls/instant hijab) does not necessarily mean guaranteed style.

(but aren't those delectable designer items just utterly  fine and intricately and exquisitely created? *gush*)

one of the Scarflets is this fashion-forward young lady called Ami Schaeera whose unorthodox dressing is in a class of her own. that made me go into Ami Schaeera's blog and was inspired by her enterprising nature. she obviously loves fashion so much that she is making a living out of it. and so far, business looks thriving. good for her! ( i have also mentioned her in my earlier post : Confession )

i also found out that Adriani partnered with Shea, another Scarflet, to come out with an online clothing store called pastelina. check it out if your sizes are  between UK 8 to 10. *sigh* their stuff are fun and feminine, but other than being sold out almost immediately after posting, they do not carry my ample hip UK 12 size.

then i found Sue Anna Joe (who was featured in Ami's Schanaz Scarves Styling Album). this dimunitive lady is quite a force to reckon with. not only did she has won several accolades for her edgy photography work, she has recently continued her studies, pursuing Masters in Mass. Comm. and she is not yet 30 years of age, this mother of one.

anyways, along this road of rediscovery, i also got myself reacquainted with Sugarscarf, which i had visited earlier in 2009. i am glad they have evolved since then, with more systematic customer service and mature and visionary outlook, because i really believe they could go far in this line.

so here i am, greatly inspired by these young ladies and thought that if they could do these valiant ventures into the unknown solely driven by their passion, i could also aspire to become one.

insyaAllah - watch this space.

PS : the * is to remind the said aunt that she should support this niece as well, later on. :)