montserrat

all work and no play makes jack a dull boy

At a chi chi-type dinner last night (food: "haute nouveau chinese", a combination that i have never personally seen warm any appetites) which I attended under the auspices of work, I took in all the suits and cocktailwear around me and reflected on rather out-of-placeness of my own work-to-dinner outfit: a favourite navy linen dress with square neckline loosely belted, and a favourite pair of ballerinas. (I did consider a smarter dress, but considering I didn't want to be there to begin with, I dismissed the notion.)

I was reminded that I have been working in casual and "wear whatever you want" environment, and that I was fortunate to do so.

But since I am contemplating a job switch, I am realising that in the imminent future, there is a strong chance that my wardrobe built entirely around my denim jeans collection will not cut it anymore.

Corporate culture is so alien to me. Work wear-wise, I've always identified strongly with this work wear special in the November issue of British Elle -



I felt depressed at the thought of a non-denim work future, so I re-read the section last night to cheer myself up.

Their regular work wear feature is always a treat for me.

I've always found these pages highly relevant to what I don for work - low-key, chic, interesting details, on the side of casual but still smart enough to look appropriate and professional. But outside of the Elle pages, the corporate look in Singapore seems a lot more conservative to me.

I hope I land a job that's further away from that end of the continuum.

it wasn't all just sightseeing

On the LAST day in Barcelona, I went to this shop called Uterque, and spent more than an hour there, just loving all their bags, shoes and other small accessories. Everything was so well-made - buttery thick leathers, sturdy zippers, well-finished stitches and linings - and the designs were simple, elegant, and practical.

And they were all fantastically-priced - the bags averaged 169 euros, which I found very reasonable given the quality.

Oh Uterque, you're the answer to the working girl's dreams of well-designed, quality accessories at a price that won't consume our entire paychecks. I've always hated the fact that accessories are either from high-end designer labels, or synthetic nonsense, while the in-between US$500 to US$1,000 ones rarely justify the cost.

This is good design for the masses that isn't dirt cheap and destined to fall apart in less than a year. It's a gaping hole in the market. How many times have I heard people moan about how it's impossible to find a decent bag for less than US$500?

So anyway, I bought the adorable and utterly comfortable shoes for myself above, and bought my two sisters a bag each, and my mother a pair of their cushy ballerina flats. I helped a friend choose one for his girlfriend because he claimed she would like anything I liked - I picked one that I wouldn't mind keeping for myself should the opposite be true.

This is the one I bought for my older sister; my photo washes it out and doesn't convey the lush softness of the snake-embossed leather -



I love the modest size and the fact that the messenger strap is actualy practical and chic, not merely decorative. Destined to be borrowed all the time!

Did I mention that the shop was beautifully furnished, and the particular staff member who helped me was sweet and helpful and seemed completely sincere - traits alien to Singapore service staff.

It was definitely worth breaking my shoulder handcarrying all the bags and shoes through 13 hours of flying and two airports.

When I came back, I did a spot of Googling, and found that Uterque is opened by the Inditex Group - the same people who brought us Zara, Massimo Dutti, amongst others. Inditex is definitely onto something when it comes to offering affordable, quality goods to the masses. This cannot always be said of Zara, admittedly, but as for Massimo Dutti, I basically want to move into one of their window displays and never come out.

creator

I am always interested in the people behind the clothes, and I find it reassuring whenever the designer lives ther aesthetic they create, and look like they actually enjoy wearing their own clothes. This especially so for women designers, because how can I trust the vision of a woman who doesn't live her own vision?

Maria Cornejo of Zero+Maria Cornejo is one wears her clothes so so well, and from the looks of the photo above, so is Camilla Staerk. I find black on black tremendously hard to do well, let alone in an original way, and she does it to perfection, regal and elegant.

Photo from copenhagen street style

the world of joan miró

"I feel the need of attaining the maximum of intensity with the minimum of means. It is this which has led me to give my painting a character of even greater bareness." -- Joan Miró

I loved the Joan Miró museum (Fundació Joan Miró) in Barcelona. It's a well-edited, small-scale, intimate space, one that doesn't overwhelm you with its embarrassment of riches, but seeks to give you an understanding of his art and his contribution to his craft.

(Not to mention the fantastic book store, and the too adorable gift shop.)

I went only with a rudimentary knowledge of his work, and I left feeling exhilarated and somehow greatly cheered.

blow, winds

"Many are apt to picture Spain to their imaginations as a soft southern region, decked out with all the luxuriant charms of voluptuous Italy. On the contrary, though there are exceptions in some of the maritime provinces, yet, for the greater part, it is a stern, melancholy country with rugged mountains and long sweeping plains destitute of trees and indescribably silent and lonesome, partaking of the savage and solitary character of Africa."


-- from "Tales of the Alhambra"by Washington Irving.


While there has been some change since 1829 -- like wind farms in the countryside -- the observation by Washington Irving of Spain is a beautifully astute one. When I read the passage in the book (purchased at the Alhambra gift store, haha) I understood why I liked what I've seen of the country, though other countries may boast more spectacular sights. There is a graceful, sparse quality in some regions that seems to feed thought and imagination.

travel + fashion = love

Magazine: Vogue US March 2007

Photographer: Mario Testino

One of my favourite travel-themed editorials ever. I find that US Vogue does them very well, in that the setting is always gorgeous and a place I actually find myself wanting to visit, and the fashion always hits th right note with me - fantasy grounded by practicality and always in harmony with the location itself.

I was very keen on visiting Morocco this year and had planned a detour from Spain, but dropped it in the end since it didn't seem to do justice to Morocco by being so touch and go about the whole thing. So since I'm not going, it seemed appropriate to at least gaze at these, and get myself excited before I lug myself to the airport.

cold, but not really

I'm pulling out the long-sleeves, the woolly things, things generally I find too warm to wear in Singapore, and setting them aside as things to bring to Spain. I'm terrible at dressing for the cold, especially when the temperature is ranging pretty widely on this trip, and I'm never sure if I'm packing enough.

It would in fact be better if it were freezing - that means coat and that's it - but when it's just not quite there, I'm left worrying whether my amateur layering skills will suffice in keeping me toasty.

Only one way to find out I suppose. Tuesday, please come already?

black beauty

I've always thought wearing black on black is an art form, because of the way black looks different on different fabrics and the wrong match looks awful - one fabric ends up looking richer than the other, whichs ends up looking drab.

Then there's the fact that a black top and black trousers are default staff outfits commonly seen in hairdressing salons, restaurants, boutiques, bars, etc etc and a poorly thought out all-black outfit can make you end up looking like you work, rather than patronise, one of the abovementioned places. Which can be embarrassing because, no, I don't particularly feel like getting you another drink.

Hence, I don't wear too much black, because I always opt for the easy way out, when it comes to dressing myself.

So when I saw this editorial in French Vogue, I was intrigued. I lingered over it, looked at it close up, read the accompanying captions, and admired the infinite range of texture captured in one outfit, in that colour that is technically an absence of colour - black.

(And modelled by the wonderfully expressive Kristen McMenamy!)

Magazine: Vogue France October 2009

Photographer: David Sims

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