bipolar weather ootd

Hong Kong weather has been extremely bipolar nowadays, being hot in the beginning of the week and much colder towards the end. Anyway, here is a quick little OOTD of what I wore to dinner the other day, so I guess it would be an OOTN then....

 turtleneck crop top : topshop  crochet skirt : forever 21   leather sleeve jacket : cotton on   bag : H&M

Keeping in mind the monochromatic trend for the upcoming spring season, the only pop of color in this outfit was the neon bag. I do love monochrome and can't wait for spring to come. I'm off to South Africa in two days, so I won't be posting, however expect a lot when I come back!

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model diaries : runway tips

Runway modeling is not for everyone, that's the hard truth. There's this pretty much unbreakable rule where only models who are 5'10 and above, stick thin and gorgeous are allowed to walk the runway. But honestly, that shouldn't stop you. If you really truly want to be a runway model, go for it. There are exceptions to every rule. Kate Moss was 5'6 and worked as a print and runway model, Twiggy in the 60's set the record of being the shortest runway model at 5'4 before being over thrown by Devon Aoki who is 5'3. Each of these women have one thing in common that made them famous runway models. Confidence.

First rule of runway modeling or when you are breaking into it, always carry yourself with confidence. It makes you look taller than you actually are and makes you look powerful. Try it out, walk around for a couple days with your shoulders down and back, as posture is so so important in runway, it cannot be stressed enough how important it is. In just a small change, you look like a completely different person, standing tall and straight can seriously change how confident you look as well as your overall image.

Another really important tip when walking the runway is to keep your eyes focused at a point in the distance. This makes you look aloof but strong, plus it helps distract yourself from the bright lights that will be on you. 

Something I learnt while on a casting is when you get to the end of a runway, you are expected to pose 2 - 3 times for 3 seconds each. After that, step back on one foot and essentially doing a half pose, turn and continue your sassy strut. In doing so, you are eliminating most chances of falling while you turn, as you are distributing most of your weight into your back leg. 

So if you are at home with big dreams and aspirations to become a runway model, get up and practice. Runway walking is almost always done in heels, so throw on a pair (which will also help you get used to walking in heels if you already aren't) and walk up and down your house. Throw your shoulders back, lean back slightly with your hips slightly pushed forward, and walk taking long strides. Try to not swing your arms like a crazy person, and don't over exaggerate the movements, it should be very natural. And of course, if you want any more help, there are tutorial videos up on YouTube (what tutorials aren't up there?!) and I'm always happy to answer any questions.

To desire is to obtain; to aspire is to achieve. - James Allen

Much like this blog, it started with my desire to share what I know. My journey through it are my aspirations to success. If you have a desire to start modeling, do it. And when you truly aspire for it, you'll get it.

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hair growth : tips and tricks

I have the biggest ego when it comes to my hair. I love my hair, it can't be helped. However I get hair envy, especially when I see my sister's natural hair, which is very true to typical Indian hair; long, thick, big, and wavy. Mine on the other hand is hybrid hair, I ended up with thinner and pin straight hair that luckily looks good when I wake up. Being an Indian-Chinese mix, I got the typical Chinese hair type, but strengthened with the thickness of Indian hair.

I get a lot of compliments on my hair and it's quality, which I'm proud of because I do try to take care of my hair. One of the biggest questions I get asked is how it has grown so long so quickly, so I thought today I would share how with you.

I cut my hair in the summer of 2010, to about chin length with bangs and layers. Not good. Here's a picture if you don't believe me, and this was on a good hair day.

Since then, it's been 2 and 1/2 years to get it to this length, that involves my various trims and all the things I did to my poor hair. It could have been much longer by now, but the story will be after the picture.

Now my hair is about waist length, and could have been much longer. I worked with Toni&Guy in April last year where they dyed my hair ginger. You couldn't tell where my forehead ended and my hair started, it was that gingery/brown color. To this day, even though they dyed it back to black, I have some ginger streaks all over my head, and there is a separation between where my natural hair color has grown out, and where the two dyes have faded. Dying my hair really affected my hair quality and the rate it was growing at, which used to be much faster. 

So TIP #1 : Don't dye your whole head. It dries out your hair, and makes it brittle and straw like. Excessive hair dying will pretty much help you get bald fast, because of all the chemicals that you are using. Dyeing in moderation, go for it. 

TIP #2 : If you do dye your hair in moderation, please please please use hair masks every so often. Even if you haven't dyed your hair but find you hair is looking flat and lifeless, go to a salon and ask them to give you a hair mask. The process only takes about half an hour, but you will be so happy with the outcome. Hair masks revitalizes you hair, giving it shine and bounce and it has a lot of nutrients that will leave you with healthy hair. 

If you don't like the salon, you can always DIY a hair mask at home. You may have heard of people putting mayonaise or raw eggs in their hair, which in truth does work. Check out this link which has other DIY hair mask recipes if you want to try it out at home. One thing I will say is to use cling foil/saran wrap and wrap your hair up just to keep the mask in your hair longer. CLICK 

TIP #3 : Go for monthly or bi-monthly trims. I've for some reason had trims twice a month sometimes, which doesn't help with hair growth, however getting a trim every month or so helps keep your hair sleek as it gets rid of split ends as well.

TIP #4 : Go heat-less. That means say good bye to your blowdryer, flat iron and curling iron and let your hair dry by itself. If you absolutely must for whatever reason have pin straight hair or curly hair, use a heat protectant spray before using your hot tools and go heatless for at least a week after.

TIP #5 : Have a balanced and well rounded diet. Make sure you are getting enough fats, iron, zinc, protein and vitamin C and B in your diet. Hair is made up of protein, and not getting enough can leave your hair lifeless and will take longer to grow. Healthy protein to include in your diet are lean meats, fish and nuts.  Iron and zinc help prevent hair loss, so get your fill from by having bananas (iron) and peanut butter (zinc) every so often. Vitamin C is what makes your hair nice and glossy and without it, you will find your hair more prone to damage and breakage, so eat your citrus fruits and even peppers. Vitamin B helps against hair loss and has been known to help speed up hair growth, and can be added in your diet by having seafood, spinach and other green vegetables.

TIP #6 : Don't brush your hair when it's wet and don't sleep when your hair is wet. I've just started following the no brushing when wet and it has helped a lot. When your hair is wet, it's a lot more sensitive and prone to being pulled out. When you sleep or brush your hair when it's wet, you are losing a lot more hair than you usually would. Wait for it to dry, and then brush. And before sleeping, tie your hair in a braid to prevent it from breaking in your sleep.

TIP #7 : Wash your hair every other day. This keeps your hair healthy and keeps the natural and essential oils your scalp produces for healthy hair and improves the quality and growth rate of your hair.

TIP #8: Being Indian, I've been subjected to using oil in my hair every so often, particularly India's favorite Parachute Coconut Oil. I use it maybe twice a year, and it helps my hair stay strong and shiny, as well as nourishing my scalp which increases my hair growth. I only recently started using coconut oil again, after refusing to for 2 years, and after using it last weekend, I can say there has been a difference. Using coconut oil in your hair helps the texture of your hair as well, but make sure you sit with it in your hair for about 2 hours for maximum long term results. I have also used Moroccan oil which works wonders, and to prevent split ends I've used argan oil on the ends of my hair. 

Argan oil also helps with eyelash growth, just incase you have been blessed with short eyelashes much like I have. Aloe vera gel and Vaseline works as well, and can always be used in place of argan oil to prevent split ends in your hair.

That's all the tips I have, do tell me if you have used or try out some of these tips and let me know your experience. 

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how to : wear leather skirts

This post is all about how to wear leather skirts! Now leather skirts can be quite daunting, but they are so extremely versatile! You can dress them up, down, they are kinda like jeans only in skirt form but they aren't denim skirts.... they're leather. End rambling. 

So my skirt in question is this lovely little black zippered number by H&M which is no longer being sold unfortunately, but no worries because American Apparel does a very similar version minus the zipper and in so many more colors! (link) Please excuse my nakedness and keep reading if you want to know how to style a leather skirt! 

Also please excuse the perpetual one blurred image, I take my pictures myself in my room and my camera has been acting a bit silly recently. 

One of my favorite ways to wear a leather skirt is with a bodysuit. Bodysuits are those awkward leotards with the snap closures down there and they can be a bit scary to pick up, but I highly recommend that every girl should own at least 1. I'm a bit bodysuit crazy and have 3... H&M is selling lovely ones in 5 colors including black and white for a great bargain of $80HKD. In my last post about my shoot, I wore another black bodysuit with this skirt actually. I love this combination, it's so simple and fast and looks extremely fashion forward. 

This styling idea and the next one are a lot more relaxed and are ideas on how to make a leather skirt look more casual. One of the simplest ways is just by throwing on a graphic tee which is always in fashion, you can literally buy them anywhere. I cut the sleeves off this top, it was featured in my DIY post a while back, and thought that the colors and the sleeveless-ness just made the outfit casual and edgy. 

Denim on leather looks amazing, as a top fully buttoned or even as an extra layer. For this casual outfit, I put on a simple baseball shirt, from H&M because in Hong Kong we don't really have like school sports gear for fans or whatever.

This outfit is to show that you can wear prints with leather as well. Now this is my hippie shirt (thats why I did the stupidest pose possible) which I actually nicked from my sister and cut off the elastic from the sleeves. It's from F21, a couple years old now but still quite cute. This top is a lovely jubly paisley and rose printed top with blues and greens and red, but all on a sheer black background. Because of the black base, I can pair it with the leather skirt and it looks very streamlined and cohesive. When wearing prints, find the base color of your print, especially if it's loud, and compliment your print by wearing the base color, it will make the print stand out a lot more. 

Don't like formfitting? Not a problem. This here is a lovely cropped sweater from F21 which I love but my sister hates, but oh well. I tucked a corner of it into the side of my skirt, just to make the sweater look asymmetrical, but you can always leave it untucked. 

And if it's slightly chillier in your parts of the world, yet you want to try the leather skirt trend, pair it with a sweater! The one I have on is this creamy beige spiked one from Bershka, the sister store for Zara. Wearing sweaters with a leather skirt is still very casual but trendy.

So I hope you enjoyed that, and got some ideas on how you can wear your leather skirt and if you don't have one, to run out and pick one up ASAP. I know I always say this, but I plan on posting more often, and I'm gonna restart my Model Diaries again so keep your eyes out for that. 

guts and glory

I'm so sorry for my lack of posts recently! I've been quite ill to say the least, January has not been the month for me.
Just thought I should share with you this little snippet of a shoot I did recently in a wet market with the extremely lovely AND very young and talented Connie Boeree Photography.

Such a fun shoot, even with all the blood and guts hanging on hooks surrounding us. Below is a funny picture of a meat seller who was being told to "take a picture with the pretty girl" and so we took one for him.

This was one of my more colorful shoots actually and I will most definitely share the rest of the pictures with you once I get them. And now I am off to do some more outfit shots for y'all!

70th Golden Globes Fashion Round up

So incase you weren't aware, the Golden Globes took place this week. It being awards season, there is going to be an avalanche of amazing fashion, so do look out on other blogs for those roundups. So let's get straight into it!

THE BEST

I honestly think Helen Mirren can do no wrong. Not only is she funny, but she carries herself with class  and has an impeccable fashion taste. She is honestly dressing better than most of the younger celebs! What's amazing about this Badgley Mischka gown on her is that it is still modern but at the same time very smart which fully encompasses Helen Mirren. 

 

Who doesn't love J-Law. She is so funny and so beautiful. I love the lighter hair color on her, she looked best as a blonde, not so great as a brunette, but this honey toned brown is just perfect. This rosy red looks absolutely fantastic on her skin tone, and I love the metal belt she added as well as her box clutch. 

Michelle Dockery looks just flawless in this Alexander McQueen gown. Her short hair is perfectly styled for this high necked gown, and just no words. She looks amazing. 

Jennifer Lopez is one of the sexiest people in Hollywood, and she knows it. I honestly do love this, the lace over nude is a great optical illusion, and this dress looks like it was made for her. Like when Zuhair Murad was designing this, he was just thinking, this dress is for Jennifer Lopez. 

One of my favorites of the night, this is what the Golden Globes is about. Amy Adams looks so stunning, blush colors always suit her. I love the hair, it's quite retro, but the gown is just breath taking. The mermaid silhouette looks incredible on her, this entire gown is just incredible.

Emily Blunt in Michael Kors. One of the best and my favorites. Hands down, clear fashion winner. 

THE WORST

I love Kate Hudson, but I did not love her gown. This was quite a love/hate dress with the critics, I was not on the love side. The high neck is what put me off. It just doesn't work. Sorry Kate, better luck next time. 

Not to say that Adele looked bad, she looks really good post-pregnancy. I just feel that this is all we ever see out of Adele's fashion choices, the long black gowns with the embellished neckline. It gets boring.

Nicole Kidman's gown would have been spectacular with out the weird polka dot see through panels on the side. It just totally ruins the gown. 

Kelly Osbourne is a beautiful woman, I adore her purple hair. I do not adore the gown, it looks like someone crumpled up a blanket on the bottom half and the top looks quite rumpled along the bust. For someone who is on FashionPolice, Kelly could have done better.

NOTABLE MENTIONS

I love this color on everyone, and Jennifer Garner is no exception. She had the right amount of accessories, and looks fantastic. Only fault was on the bust, it looks like there was way too much fabric. 

Jessica Alba is radiant. She looks ethereal and this gown is simply amazing. What put me off was that heinous clutch she decided to bring. 

Funny ladies Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, who were also the hosts, looked so good through out the entire night. Above was one of my favorites of the night. 

Well that's it for now lovelies. Until next time.

xoxo gossip girl

sharp winters

Hello all, short post again. Thought I would share with you this collage of what I wear during the winters. Hong Kong can be particularly cold during the winter, but this year it's proving to be bearable, staying within 13-18 degrees. I'm quite certain this was taken on Christmas eve, when I was going out for dinner with a couple friends.

wearing : ombre spiked sweater - F21, high waisted leggings - Zara (similar), chained bag - market, Lita Boot - Jeffrey Campbell

I love me some red lipstick, the one I am wearing and am obsessed with (seriously, I wear it all the time) is MAC's Viva Glam 01. It's the most gorgeous dark matte red and just asdjhkf it looks amazing on everyone. 

Unfortunately, the sweater I have is out of stock in Forever21, and even if it was available, it doesn't come with the shreds. Shredding my sweaters is something I have a horrible addiction to, and this poor sweater fell victim to it as well. The bottom part is also shredded and is a lot larger section of shred. 

These pants/leggings. No words. They are the absolute best, they shape your bum and thighs and make your legs look long and lean and endless, they are just fantastic. They do cost around $300 HKD, but the number of times I've worn them totally makes up for it. The particular pair I am wearing is about a year old, and so they don't sell them any more, but they have a lot of other styles, including zippered sides, leather look, and plain ones with elastic panels at the waist.

Lastly, the Lita boots. You know them, you love them, one of the best shoes around. Super comfortable, looks amazing on anything and everything, and it comes in so many colors/patterns, it's just the shoe of the decade.

Anyway that will be all, please do check me out on lookbook (click it) and my tumblr and maybe follow? Lots of love.