Birthdays are meant to be celebrated!

When I was a little girl, I remembered the hype and excitement that surrounded me whenever my birthday was fast approaching. Counting down the days from 1,2,3 and viola! Happy Birthday! I would look forward to every party that my parents threw for me; from my guestlist to the lovely birthday cake. What more the delicious food and not forgetting the lovely birthday presents! :) I would admire and jot down every present that I received on my special day. Feeling on top of the world and the happiest girl alive! Not forgetting the best moments, blowing all the birthday candles at once like a professional and making that special wish!

Making that special wish & blowing the candles.

When we were young, we wished to be adults, to experience what life has to offer and what is it like to be a grown up. However the opposite applies when we get older. Birthdays are always special. It is not all about the celebration, but a time to reflect on our journey in life. It is a day to celebrate mothers; a reminder of how difficult and risky child birth could be & the constant affection & endless love showered to their children. Without our mothers we won't be here today. 

During my childhood days, I would love to have a birthday party with loads of friends to play with & celebrate my special day. As time goes by, my definition of 'birthday' & priorities changed. Birthdays should be celebrated & spent with the people who are closest & dearest to us like family & good friends. In the past, my ideal birthday celebration would be one at a lavish/happening bar/club with loads of people, enjoying the music and dancing the night away. Right now, I prefer to spend my special day with the people I love, catching up over a nice lunch or dinner. Some might say it is a sign of slowing down and perhaps aging? I would rephrase that as a sign of maturity. Age is just a number afterall?

The one thing that never changed over the years is that special birthday dress! Every birthday girl has to have a lovely & special dress. You have to look the best on your special day! :)

My special birthday lunch :)

Spending my special day with lovely friends :)

Feeling like a princess all over again!

With my lovely girls :)

Afternoon tea with my lovely friends!

3 tiers of delicious scones, macaroons, cakes & sandwiches :)

Delicious dessert for the day!

A birthday celebration wouldn't be complete without champagne! :)

The fabulous four! :)

Another birthday lunch with a dear friend! :)

My big breakfast! Blissful! :)

Waffles for dessert :)

With my lovely & dearest friends from London, celebrating my birthday. I love you all! :)

Indo-Chinese meal...the famous dancing fish!

Thank you for spending your precious time with me, little Raphie! :)

Pink is my favourite colour. Feeling girlie! :)

Birthday outfit no 1
Dress by Miss Selfridge
Boy Chanel bag
Manolo Blahnik heels
Kate Spade watch

Birthday outfit no.2
Clover Canyon dress
Lady Dior bag
Kate Spade watch

Last but not least, thank you mommy for bringing me into this world & taking good care of me till today. Without you I won't be here today. :)

Hanging out with my mommy! :)

The both of us like to take pictures! :)

My 2015 Birthday celebration has been one of the best so far. Feeling blessed & fortunate to have wonderful people in my life. Thank you for being part of it. X

Flashbacks of 2014

Happy New Year 2015! Can't believe 2014 came and left in such a short period of time. 2014 has been a year full of surprises and creativity in terms of fashion. We saw the likes of statement necklaces, midi skirts, embellishments, espadrilles and digital prints just to name a few. I've rounded up the top 8 trends that made it big in 2014.

1. Midi Skirt

The midi skirt made a comeback in 2014. Defined as the skirt below the knee or mid-calf during the 1970's. It has been revived with a more bold and edgy look. It comes in a variety of colours and textures from satin to neoprene, creating different looks from dressy to casual. The midi is best paired with a crop top for a feminine yet classy touch. The French label, Christian Dior gave the midi a revamped in the Spring/Summer 2014 Collection. Thus making it the IT skirt for the year.

 Models in Dior Spring/Summer 2014.

 A model in Dior SS14 Campaign.

Natalie Portman looking fabulous in her midi by Dior.

I'm wearing a black midi!

Looking fresh in green!

2. Statement necklace

An outfit wouldn't be complete without accessories. Accessories play an integral part in making a look go POP. The simplest dress or look can make heads turn when paired with the right type and amount of accessories. Indeed diamonds are a girl's best friend but not all can afford such precious gems at a high fetched price. Hence a big welcome to statement necklaces! Statement necklaces are taking over the fashion scene by storm. It's unique colours and designs make a plain outfit stands out. Statement necklaces comes in a variety of designs from boho chic to glamorous diva. 

Celebrities in statement necklaces!

Different types of statement necklaces!

Diamante encrusted necklace suitable for dressy functions.

Loving the colours on my statement necklace :)

3. Espadrille

Espadrilles or alpargatas are normally casual, flat or sometimes with a little bit of heels originating from Pyrenees, France. It consists of a cotton or upper canvas fabric and a flexible sole made from jute rope. The defining characteristic of the espadrille is the jute rope sole. Espadrilles are often used as sneakers or running shoes due to it's comfortable interior. Due to its sudden burst of fame in the fashion world, many fashion labels including Louis Vuitton, Chanel & Kenzo came up with their own collection.

Alexa Chung looking comfortable in her espadrilles.

Celebrities in espadrilles.

Chanel espadrilles.

Louis Vuitton espadrille.

Louis Vuitton espadrille.

4. Vara & Varina

How can we forget the ever popular and lovely ballet flats; vara & varina by Salvatore Ferragamo? The Italian fashion label has gone one notch higher in providing the best service for it's loyal customers and fans. Customizing your own vara & varina is now available worldwide! One of the best news so far. However it takes 8 weeks to complete your own customized pair of ballet flats. I guess the wait is worth it? :)

Vara & Varina :)

Customizing your own Vara & Varina!

The ever colourful & pretty Varina! :)

The variety of colours from Salvatore Ferragamo!

5. Boy Chanel

While Chanel's 2.55 quilted lambskin bag continues to be a classic beauty and 'a must have bag' in every girl's wish list, Karl Lagerfield, the muse behind the luxurious French label, Chanel introduced the new 'IT' bag...Boy Chanel. It comes in a variety of colours, designs & fabrics.

A variety of Boy Chanels! :)

Ad campaign for Boy Chanel.

Chanel bags, every girl's dream to own one!

Different colours and fabrics of Boy Chanel.

6.Graphic/Digital Prints

Digital prints continue to take the fashion world by storm with it's unique designs and colours. Thanks to Mary Katrantzou, Peter Pilotto & Clover Canyon for their one of a kind designs and creativity. I definitely can't get enough of digital prints! :)

 Models in Peter Pilotto.

Models in Mary Katrantzou.

Models in Clover Canyon.

I'm wearing River Island :)

I'm wearing Mary Katrantzou.

7.Skort/Playsuit skort

As I mentioned in one of my earlier post, a skort is a pair of shorts with a fabric panel resembling a skirt covering the front. It is a new way to make shorts look trendy and different. A skort is best paired with a crop top or baby tee for a casual outing. To make the look more glamorous, an embellished top can be used. 

In my pink skort :)

In my pastel pink skort :)

Black skort :)

Playsuit skort is just a playsuit with a skort finishing resembling a skirt. It became one of the trends in 2014, both comfortable yet stylish. 

Playsuit skort for a casual look.

Playsuit by New Look!

Pastel playsuit skort!

8. Statement bags/clutches/accessories

Last but not least, it has got to be the bags/clutches/accessories that took us by surprised. Designer brands like Moschino, Kate Spade, Fendi, Anya Hindmarch & Dior made an impression in 2014 with their one of a kind bags. 

Moschino made an impression with this pink jacket bag inspired by Barbie! :)

McDonalds for Moschino? ;)

Anya Hindmarch got inspired by Kellogg's Frosties! Such a statement!

Such cute coin purses by Kate Spade. Loving Japan! :)

The Peekaboo range by Fendi. Cute monsters!

Fendi 2Jours in a variety of colours.

Fendi Peekaboo :)

Lady Dior! :)

A variety of Lady Dior and Miss Dior!

More lady diors! :)

With my blue lady dior! :)

There you go 2014. Thanks for all the wonderful trends. Can't wait to see what 2015 has to offer. Anticipating and always looking for new ideas & trends. Afterall fashion is all about creativity and confidence! :)