feet on the ground, head in the clouds

inspiration - dreams
Photographer unknown except for middle: Sarah Maingot for Mixologies; and bottom left: Tommy Ton for Jak and Jil

I've been content in slouchy cotton t-shirts or rumpled cotton shirts with fitted, faded jeans rolled up the ankle, beat-up ballerina flats, a no-nonsense bag slung over one shoulder, a cozy, chunky knit to fight off the manic air-conditioning in the office, hanging out with Liz Lemon. Looking through apartments to rent for my one-week stay in London in October. Also, returning to yoga after basically living in the office until last week.

I can't stop thinking about the hefty, armourial yet organic quality of Elsa Perretti's Bone cuff for Tiffany & Co, stunningly delicious prime rib from one of my favourite French restaurants in Singapore. Still tucked in the corner of my head is a quilted navy bag from Chanel (sigh). Re-reading Orhan Pamuk's "Snow" is making me crave a visit to Turkey and its remotest regions.

I often wander between the boundaries of contentment and the desire for a touch of fantasy. (I'm speaking of the simpler pleasures in life; this has nothing to do with the weightier headaches I face elsewhere, like at work for instance.)

I have no big point to make with this observation, except that I get to throw up a whole jumble of pictures I'm inspired by at the moment.

Also, I've noticed that as I got comfortable with my wandering eye, I've gotten better at not acting impulsively on it. This is good for my wallet, and good at reducing those regretful moments of 'Hmmm I didn't want you that much after all'. A happy place.

Pictures for collage from serenaded, the imagist, mal du siécle via quiet is the new loud mixologies via discotheque confusion, tfs, elegancia, jak & jil

Comments

miss sophie said…
i know just what you mean! re: the chanel bag, just posted some news about mine on my blog :P

i think there's a satisfaction in quieting down various impulsive whims (ie: seeing in the store a really pricey bag on one's wishlist and then realizing it's really not what you want). and i think the best part of getting comfortable in your sense of style is balancing the two shores of contentment and fantasy...
Anonymous said…
That bone cuff in silver is one of the items on my ultimate wish list as is the Chanel 2.55 reissue. We have very similiar tastes. I love simple yet elegant style.
S said…
Such a lovely collage. I feel like you have mastered the ability to fantasize while feeling content with what you have. I really want this for myself ... I feel like my wandering eye sometimes only makes me feel like I want more. So it can be an all or nothing situation for me ... no internet browsing means feeling more content. I *want* that balance!
Ammu said…
Such a lovely collage! I am totally feeling that quilted navy bag too - I think my next buy will probably be a navy bag, maybe in the fall/winter. I think sticking to the French wardrobe diktat of 4-5 items a season is helping me sit trends out and not spend money every time I find something cute.

Great seeing you on Sunday, btw. And thank you for the egg tarts - I think I am partial to the Portuguese version :)
Kate said…
Lovely collage - cotton shirts are definitely something I'm looking out for at the moment.
yanqin said…
miss sophie: I saw your post! Big decision! I had that feeling when I saw the Sofia Coppola for LV bag in person and decided that while I like it very much, it wasn't something that had a place in my life at present.

S: I have a long way to go! Even recently I almost talked myself into a really beautiful cardholder I seriously did not need.

anon: I love that cuff in the darker metal, the only thing stopping me from getting is that I'm not much for jewellery on a daily basis.

ammu: glad you liked it, too bad egg as dessert isn't your mum's thing. Thanks so much for the yummy dinner too. I think 4-5 things a season is quite doable once you have your basics all set.

Kate: I'm loving mine at the moment, and I love how they are meant to look worn in so I can skip the ironing!
Fashion Tidbits said…
Omg, i remember i almost died when i saw the ad for that tiffanys cuff in a magazine!!! The image with ladybugs crawling over it struck a chord in my heart instantly. Such a gorgeous image, i wonder who came up with the concept for the picture?!
Jennifer said…
ooooooo yes, i hate that "hmmm, i didn't want you that much after all" feeling. the worst!
interesting that your touches of luxury/fantasy would look great on all of your buttoned-down heroins.
quite often i find that nothing is as delicious as wanting and fantasizing/dreaming about a perfect thing. sometimes it's even better than owning it. sometimes.
yanqin said…
fashion tidbits: I've been trying to find out who came up with those ads - they made a huge impression on me too!

editor: yes, only sometimes, haha. I think I wouldn't go for something that wouldn't somehow work with my everyday life; I'm just a little practical for that.
Lindsay K said…
Great collage. I love the Tiffanys cuff, it's such a wearable signature piece.

Popular Posts