Astrid Thinks

Soon!

2010-08-25T19:39:00.003+07:00

Sorry for the sudden hiatus, a much more verbose post will be coming up soon!

Sukses

2010-08-06T12:12:00.004+07:00

Mengcopy bbm dari mama tercinta:

Apakah arti kata sukses yang sesungguhnya?

Sukses itu sederhana, tidak ada hubungan dengan menjadi kaya raya,
juga tidak serumit seperti kata Robert Kiyosaki atau Tung Desem Waringin
atau serahasia seperti di dalam buku The Secret.
Sukses tidak perlu dikejar.
Sukses adalah kita sendiri.

Kesuksesan yang terbesar ada pada diri kita sendiri.

Bagaimana kita tercipta dari pertarungan jutaan sperma untuk membuahi 1 ovum,
itu adalah sukses pertama kita.

Bagaimana kita bisa lahir dengan anggota tubuh sempurna tanpa cacat,
itulah kesuksesan kita yang kedua.

Ketika kita disekolahkan bahkan sampai saat kita meraih gelar sarjana,
di setiap menit ada 10 siswa drop out karena tidak mampu mebayar SPP,
itulah sukses kita yang ketiga.

Ketika kita bisa memperoleh pekerjaan di saat 46 juta orang menganggur,
itulah kesuksesan kita yang keempat.

Ketika kita bisa makan 3 kali sehari di saat ada 3 juta orang mati kelaparan setiap bulannya,
itulah sukses kita yang kelima.

Sukses terjadi tiap hari, namun tidak banyak orang yang menyadarinya.

Saya sangat tersentuh ketika menonton film Click! yang dibintangi Adam Sandler,
"Family comes first," begitu kata-kata terakhirnya kepada anaknya sebelum tokoh yang diperankan Adam meninggal.
Saking sibuknya Si Adam Sandler mengejar kesuksesan, dia sampai tidak sempat meluangkan waktu untuk anak dan istrinya hingga bahkan tidak sempat menghadiri hari pemakaman ayahnya sendiri.
Keluarganyapun berantakan,
istrinya yang cantik menceraikannya,
anak-anaknya kini tidak mengenal siapa ayahnya.

Sukses bukan suatu hal yang rumit dan sukar didapat.
Sukses tidak melulu soal harta, rumah mewah, mobil sport, jam Rolex,
pensiun muda, menjadi pengusaha, punya kolam renang atau helikopter,
atau punya istri cantik bak model dan resort mewah di Karibia.

Sukses yang sejati adalah hidup dengan penuh rasa syukur atas apa yang sudah kita dapatkan.

So, be successful my friend! :D

2010-08-03T15:00:00.002+07:00

You know, sometimes there comes a time when there's nothing else you can do except pray.

This was exactly what I thought of when I found out the news of the two of our veterans' widows~Mrs Soetarti Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini~finally being acquitted of charges of stealing the property of one of the government-owned corporations. Please keep in mind that these two honorable women are not as young as they used to be, they are both 78 years of age, having served the country alongside their heroic husbands for years. Imagine my consternation when I learned that they all had been alleged of stealing the houses they had been living in for decades. It was an absurd allegation since these women had been residing in their "questioned" homes for more than twenty years which leads us to question the true nature of the accusation itself; why now? Why not bringing this matter up years ago?

And the peculiarities didn't just end there my friend. From what I've learned from the media, there also had been some inconsistency and injustice regarding this matter. For instance, these women's abodes are actually official residences. We all, I believe, are aware that official residences are in the possession of the government, but we also have to note that a couple of changes have been taken several years ago in Indonesia regarding the ownership of some the official residences themselves. In 1994, the government of Indonesia established a state law (PP No.40 Tahun 1994 tentang Rumah Negara) which permits state residences class III~Mrs Soetarti Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini are both the inhabitants of state residences class III~to change the ownerships of their residences based on particular conditions. Mrs Soetarti Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini are both the wives of two of our country's heroes thus making them qualified to purchase their state-owned houses and make them their own. Though a few amandments have been made to the regulation (PP No.31 Tahun 2005 tentang Rumah Negara, and another regulation whose details I forgot) but the rule regarding the changing of the ownership of state residences class III remains intact. Therefore, there would be no question whatsoever concerning these women's right to own their homes.

Unfortunately, as justified as they are to obtain their own homes, Mrs Soetarti Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini had to deal with the fact that they'd been mistreated over and over again. Over the past few years, Mrs Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini have been trying to obtain the ownership of their homes and been rejected eversince. It is astoundingly suspicious however, due to the fact that they do have the right to own their homes and particularly the fact that some of their fellows could easily acquire their houses from the government whereas these two women had to relentlessly struggle for the fulfillment of their right.

Then, in 2010, after years of striving to bring their right into actuality, Mrs Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini had to face the fact that they're being charged of stealing their own houses. Isn't it just downright cruel? The law has clearly stated that they have the right to obtain the ownership of their houses but now they're being sued because of their privilege? They're being accused of wrongdoing because of their right? Such a ridiculous allegation and not to mention barbarous for these two very women are literally our heroes. With their husbands, they had helped protecting our country from the invaders. Without them, our country, which at that time had just declared its independence, would have simply ceased to exist.

We ought to be ashamed to have our heroes degraded into mere criminals. Didn't they remember Soekarno's words? "A great country is a country which respects its heroes." Soekarno used to say. Fortunately though, the judges are not blind to the fact that Mrs Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini do have the right to live and possess their homes. Thus, after long years of struggles, on July 27th 2010, these two unyielding women were freed from all their charges therefore obtaining the ownership of their abodes.

But I digress.

The thing that struck me the the most about this matter is how fragile and volatile humans are. This thought came up when I saw Mrs Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini, alongside their neighbours, praying erneastly to Allah to bring them justice and help them break through all the obstacles regarding the ownership of their abodes. First of all, I am Christian but I am not going to judge others who don't have the same belief as me since who am I to judge anyway? However, the point I am going to highlight here is how everyone, regardless of his belief, will face the fact that he is not as capable and powerful as he thought he was. That he needs help and sometimes, people can't give you the help you need. Sometimes, people just aren't able or even reluctant to give you a hand. And in the end, you just have to lay all of your problems and worries in front of God and say "I can't, God. I can't face all this alone. I need You".

Take Mrs Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini for an example. You would think that being the wives of the heroes of a country would give you privileges, some particular advantages that you'd enjoy. But no. Mrs Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini had to deal with the fact that they had been mistreated for years by their own country itself. And the peak of their problem is how they almost ended in jail because of their entitlement. And you see, no one could help them even if they wanted to. Yes, Mrs Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini could hire lawyers to defend them at the court but that's just it. The lawyers would do everything in their power to free these women from those absurd allegations but that would be just that. The media could contrive an enormous coverage on these two women in hopes to move the hearts of people around the country and even the president himself. But that's just it. Yes, there would be people protesting, yelling for the freedom of these women and perhaps the president himself would pay a visit to Mrs Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini and tried to comfort them but again, that's just it. Even the president himself couldn't meddle in this case, or so he said.

At the end of the day, there's just nothing else that Mrs Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini could do except pray and hope for the best. However, these actions of praying and hoping do not, by any means, suggest apathy. It's just that these two women have done all the things in their power to get them out of the adversity they're in thus in the end, there's nothing else for them to do except pray and keep their faith alive.

Last but not least, congratulations to Mrs Soekarno and Mrs Roesmini for having been freed from allegations. You two are without a single doubt two of Indonesia's best women.

Architectural

2010-07-29T12:16:00.004+07:00

Balenciaga F/W 2010 architectural shoes

(image courtesy of purple-diary.com)

Style Icon: Milan Vukmirovic

2010-07-28T16:23:00.009+07:00

I may not be a religious follower of men's fashion but I am obviously not blind to the fact that Milan Vukmirovic--fashion photographer, co-founder of Collette, former designer of Jil Sander, and currently holding the positions as editor-in-chief of the internationally acclaimed menswear magazine L'Officiel Hommes and creative director of the Italian fashion house Trussardi 1911--is one stylish man.

You see, I've always had this soft spot for menswear especially when it comes to the look of suits, blazers, collar shirts, cuffed pants, bermudas, aviator shades, Oxfords, and the like. It's just fascinating how those looks can exude elegance and yet, not being too ornate or grand. A refined simplicity--that's usually what I think of them.

Therefore, keeping the statement of my appreciation of menswear in mind, I think it's not that much of a surprise when I feature Mr. Vukmirovic as this month's style icon, is it? I mean, it is arguable that he's the epitome of masculinity meets chic.

Love the way he dresses, very effortless yet suave at the same time. And it is no exaggeration if I say that the aviators look really good on him.

Note that he's wearing a tux shirt underneath the cardigan.

And last but not least, my favorite quote of his published in GQ:
“I go to L.A. and people tell me, ‘I love the way you dress, but I could never do that because everyone will think I’m gay.’ American guys worry too much about what others think. Fashion is fun, and you should be able to play with your look.”

(photos courtesy of The Sartorialist and Google)

The Essentials

2010-07-28T15:46:00.010+07:00

An Hermes Collier de Chien cuff, a Fendi Peek-a-Boo bag, a Rolex Daytona watch, an Alexander Wang bag, and a black Togo Birkin. Yep, that's all I need.

(photos courtesy of Jak&Jil and purse forum)

1984--another post

2010-07-26T00:00:00.010+07:00

A few quotes from the last work of George Orwell. (for those of you who are not familiar with the book 1984, please read my previous post first)

Under scrutiny:

"BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU."

"There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment. How often, or on what system, the Thought Police plugged in on any individual wire was guesswork. It was even conceivable that they watched everybody all the time. But at any rate they could plug in your wire whenever they wanted to. You had to live—did live, from habit that became instinct—in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard, and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized."

The three slogans:

"From where Winston stood it was just possible to read, picked out on its white face in elegant lettering, the three slogans of the Party:
WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH."

A tiny little hope:

"If there is hope... it lies in the proles."

Defining freedom:

"Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows."

What's insanity?:

"He wondered, as he had many times wondered before, whether he himself was a lunatic. Perhaps a lunatic was simply a minority of one."

"There was truth and there was untruth, and if you clung to the truth even against the whole world, you were not mad."

Newspeak:

"Don't you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of thought? In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it."

Uniformity:

"A nation of warriors and fanatics, marching forward in perfect unity, all thinking the same thoughts and shouting the same slogans, perpetually working, fighting, triumphing, persecuting - three hundred million people all with the same face."

Hollow:

"Never again will you be capable of ordinary human feeling. Everything will be dead inside you. Never again will you be capable of love, or friendship, or joy of living, or laughter, or curiosity, or courage, or integrity. You will be hollow. We shall squeeze you empty and then we shall fill you with ourselves."

Pain:

"Do you begin to see, then, what kind of world we are creating? It is the exact opposite of the stupid hedonistic Utopias that the old reformers imagined. A world of fear and treachery and torment, a world of trampling and being trampled upon, a world which will grow not less but more merciless as it refines itself. Progress in our world will be progress toward more pain."

Pure power:

"The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power. Not wealth or luxury or long life or happiness: only power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently. We are different from all the oligarchies of the past, in that we know what we are doing. All the others, even those who resembled ourselves, were cowards and hypocrites. The German Nazis and the Russian Communists came very close to us in their methods, but they never had the courage to recognize their own motives. They pretended, perhaps they even believed, that they had seized power unwillingly and for a limited time, and that just round the corner there lay a paradise where human beings would be free and equal. We are not like that. We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power."

Absolute control:

"Who controls the past", ran the Party slogan, "controls the future: who controls the present controls the past."

Brainwash:

“‘Tell me, what are your true feelings toward Big Brother?’ ‘I hate him’. ‘You hate him. Good. Then the time has come for you to take the last step. You must love Big Brother. It is not good enough to obey him; you must love him.’”

"We are not content with negative obedience, nor even with the most abject submission. When finally you surrender to us, it must be of your own free will. We do not destroy the heretic because he resists us; so long as he resists us we never destroy him. We convert him, we capture his inner mind, we reshape him. We burn all evil and all illusion out of him; we bring him over to our side, not in appearance, but genuinely, heart and soul. We make him one of ourselves before we kill him. It is intolerable to us that an erroneous thought should exist anywhere in the world, however secret and powerless it may be. Even in the instance of death we cannot permit any deviation . . . we make the brain perfect before we blow it out."

Betrayal:

"Confession is not betrayal. What you say or do doesn't matter: only feelings matter. If they could make me stop loving you—that would be the real betrayal."

"I betrayed you."

"Under the spreading chestnut tree
I sold you and you sold me.
There lie they, and here lie we
Under the spreading chestnut tree."

Subdued forever:

"There will be no curiosity, no enjoyment of the process of life. All competing pleasures will be destroyed. But always— do not forget this, Winston— always there will be the intoxication of power, constantly increasing and constantly growing subtler. Always, at every moment, there will be the thrill of victory, the sensation of trampling on an enemy who is helpless.
If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face— forever."

The ultimate victory (*spoiler alert):

"But it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished. He had won the victory over himself. He loved Big Brother."

Those quotes really make you think, don't they?

1984

2010-07-25T23:40:00.002+07:00

WAR IS PEACE

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH.

Engraved on the white face of the enormous building of the Ministry of Truth, the three slogans of the Party stand out, prominent amidst the bleak scenery of the city of London. Those three sentences above, I believe, are the most prominent, and not to mention the most terrifying mantras found throughout 1984.

A dystopian vision of the future--1984 was written in 1948 and published a year later--1984 depicts an apocalyptic world ruled by totalitarian governments. For instance, imagine living in a world where there is no privacy, no individualism, and freedom and equality are merely archaic words. The inhabitants are all under constant surveillance with every habit, behavior, movement, utterance, facial expression, and even thought under continuous scrutiny. A world in which humanity hopelessly strives to exist against a totalitarian government run by the Party whose goal is power, and only power. Absolute, endless power is its aim, its desire, and its end.

A world where division in a society is interminable and the disparities it entails are unsolvable, where the High mercilessly oppress the others beneath and the Middle endlessly wish and pray to dethrone their rulers but sadly have no valour, let alone strength to do so whilst the Low (proletariats/proles), lacking in education and awareness, are simply too ignorant to recognize their poor living standard, much less their capability of overthrowing the incumbent rulers.

A world where the past is alterable, where truth is always bent for the sake of The Party, hence history and reality hold no significance whatsoever for they are always changing, always altering for the convenience of the Party. And speaking of reality, there is perhaps no reality after all. Reality exists only in one's mind. If there were no humans, there would also be no reality. It has been corrupted, it has been reduced to existing only as a product of one's mind and not as a physical fact. The return of solipsism.

A world in which thoughts are not well received and extra precautions have been taken to contain them. The Thought Police and the telescreen are among the set of safeguards ready to detect heretic ideas, but the most terrifying of all is probably the invention of Newspeak: a new language contrived to limit thoughts and ideas. But this statement is perhaps frowned upon since how can language limit the conceiving of thoughts after all? Is it not the sole purpose of language to express thoughts and furthermore to communicate them? Indeed, language does provide a way to convey thoughts and ideas but Newspeak is not merely a language. It is peculiar and designed specifically to avert the emergence of thought-crime. Newspeak is possibly the only language in the world whose range of vocabularies gets denser every year. The words which are ambiguous and thus possess a vague meaning are wiped out, leaving words which only have one definite definition behind. This way, it will be impossible for one to think heretically for how could one even conceive a nonconformist idea if the concept it is founded on doesn't exist? And since thoughts are dependent on words, it will be impracticable to convey one's heretic idea for there are simply no words to explain the idea itself.

And lastly, is it impertinent for me to insinuate an idea of a world where humanity has eventually ceased to exist, leaving humans as automatons, machines without other feelings but hatred, anger, fear, and apathy?

I may have not read many classics just yet, but 1984 is without a doubt, one brilliant piece of literature. I was literally captivated with the story eversince reading the first page. It is, to be frank, rather strange of me since I am an avid romance reader and usually a book with little romance within scarcely intrigue me. But 1984, with so little romance and action in it, has successfully made me endure--happily endure to be precise--the bleak, gloomy storylines. It is just fascinating how a book with so grim a story can be so enthralling at the same time. The style of writing is also astonishingly brilliant. It can convey the most convoluted idea in such clarity thus making you fully comprehend the meaning of each and every passage.

I don't know about you, but my definition of a great book is that it makes you think. It makes you aware of things. It opens your eyes and extends your range of thought. And if you ask me, 1984 fits all the criteria.

Jewels, Kate Lanphear's

2010-07-10T15:56:00.003+07:00

Rocker chic a la Lanphear.

Serpentes

2010-07-09T16:37:00.005+07:00

Alexander McQueen Spring/Summer 2010's campaign.
(click the picture for a larger view)

Alexander McQueen Fall 2010, Part 2

2010-07-07T18:58:00.007+07:00

Saving the best for last...

R.I.P Alexander McQueen.

(pictures courtesy of Style.com)

Alexander McQueen Fall 2010, Part 1

2010-07-07T18:54:00.005+07:00

Alexander McQueen bids farewell to the world with his poignant, Dark-Ages inspired collection. A medieval beauty, the 16 outfits shown were grim, somber, and yet at the same time possessed a quality of being angelic. Every outfit told its own story, from a gold-painted feather coat on a gold-embroidered tulle skirt to a crisp white embroidered bride-like gown. The colors; the vivid, rich colors, the cutting, and the ornate details were all classic McQueen. It was beyond my comprehension how his collection could encapsule such outstanding contradictions: 16 godly, colossal outfits and yet there was some sense of fragility hidden underneath; 16 ornate looks but something told me that the details given were far, indeed, very far from redundance; 16 apocalyptic, self-deprecating looks yet at the same time aggrandizing themselves, boldly exclaiming triumph; and last but not least, how his collection could be so dark, so depressing, so tragic and yet one could not help discerning a feeling of romanticism subtly reverberating amidst the melancholia.

Thus, as sad as we were to let go one of our greatest artists, we can still recall him from his last work of art. Indeed, those 16 clothes weren't made merely to be worn--or perhaps they were supposed not to be worn at all--they were made to be remembered, they were art. Yes, my friend, they were not just clothes, they were a piece of art. Hence, it was safe to say that Alexander McQueen was not just a fashion designer, he was an inventor, a true artist in his own unique form. (pictures courtesy of Style.com)

Jewels, MK's

2010-07-06T09:49:00.005+07:00

Mary-Kate Olsen sure loves flaunting her jewels!

PS: Thank you for the best wishes, guys! July 4 was definitely a blast. A more verbose post coming up soon!!!

Cruel Shoe

2010-07-02T00:40:00.001+07:00

YSL for Spring/Summer 2008 shoe.

Rouge

2010-07-01T12:22:00.001+07:00

Style Icon: Clémence Poésy, Part 2

2010-06-29T18:28:00.010+07:00

Been leaving this blog for a while, haven't I?

Now I'm back though, after spending 2 straight weeks studying Mandarin in Taiwan. The trip was quite interesting: my sister and I learned a lot and gained a lot (pounds, friends, experiences). But as much as I love Taiwan, I must admit, Indonesia has my heart. I'm terribly happy to be finally back in Jakarta, breathing its hot, humid air and seeing its people and of course, reuniting with Mom and Dad after a fortnight in the island of Formosa.

Anyhow, let's get back to the topic, shall we?

I vividly remember my pledge to you guys to create a subsequent post about Clémence Poésy's style. Thus, as ethical as I am (narcissism alert, LOL), may I present to you another post regarding one of my favorite fashion icons' style.

Effortlessly elegant at the Chanel fashion show.

I'm actually not a fan of Chanel 2.55 Reissue but seeing this photograph makes me want one.

An old photograph of Clemence carrying a brown Balenciaga bag and also wearing the fashion house's jacket.

One of my favorite photographs of her: love the simplicity of her outfit here.

Also one of my favorites: love her cream Chloe bag, periwinkle blazer, and wide-leg jeans.

Not a fan of this outfit mostly due to the patched jeans and black shoes, they look bleak to me.

Hiatus

2010-06-12T08:59:00.004+07:00

Going on a study trip to Taiwan for two weeks. Will be back at the end of the month ;)

I Crave Chanel

2010-06-07T19:43:00.010+07:00

Some of you who have been hanging around here for some time may've acknowledged my obsession over the ubiquitous Balenciaga leather jacket. Sadly, the obsession has worn off now. It is now subsiding, after I got hit with a realization (oh yeah, big shocker there) that the jacket is impossible to wear in Jakarta since everyday it's pretty much 40 degrees Celsius here.

But, one ought to have some wishes, if not an intense craving, right? Thus, I hereby announce that Chanel (yes, nothing specific, as long as the thing bores the name Chanel, you can count me fixated) has superceded the notorious Balenciaga leather jacket as an obsession of mine at the moment!

Keeping Warm

2010-06-07T19:30:00.001+07:00

(photos taken from The Sartorialist and Jak&Jil)

CHANEL

2010-06-06T12:42:00.006+07:00

An old scan from Vogue Paris.

You know, it makes me wonder how that magazine can make such a simple outfit look so good.

Vienna

2010-06-05T01:27:00.009+07:00

the day’s last one-way ticket train pulls in
we smile for the casual closure capturing
here comes the downpour
there goes my fare thee well

there’s really no way to reach me
there’s really no way to reach me
there’s really no way to reach me
cause i’m already gone

there’s only so many words that we could say
spoken upon long-distance melody
this is my hello
this is my goodness

there’s really no way to reach me
there’s really no way to reach me
there’s really no way to reach me
cause i’m already gone

maybe in five or ten yours and mine will meet again
straighten this whole thing out
maybe then honesty need not be feared as a friend or an enemy
but this is the distance
and this is my gameface

there’s really no way to reach me
there’s really no way to reach me
is there really no way to reach me?
am I already...

so this is your maverick
and this is Vienna

You know, I really like this song. In fact, this very song by The Fray (my favorite band) is one of my favorites at the moment, sitting on the Top 25 Most Played list in my iTunes library. I first listened to it while flipping through the pages of Gone with the Wind since I apparently have grown a habit of listening to some melodies while reading. And the music turns out to be great. Not just good, it is great, or at least, it is, in my humble opinion. The song is piano-driven, filled with beautiful, meaningful lyrics. It is depressing yet captivating at the same time. Thus, it made such a wonderful companion for reading the 1448-page novel (apologies for bringing up another post regarding the novel Gone with the Wind, I just can't help it though, that novel has such an effect!).

Regardless, Vienna evidently has a peculiarly similar theme that Gone with the Wind possesses, especially during the last part (Part V) of the novel. The fifth part of the novel Gone with the Wind is mainly about the lives of Rhett and Scarlett together, as a married couple. We witness the ups and downs (mostly downs apparently) that they have to go through in their marriage, which sadly, ends up in a separation even though Scarlett has begged and pleaded him not to leave her.

And you know what? It turns out that the novel's ending fits perfectly with the idea of the song! Vienna was actually written by Isaac Slade, The Fray's lead singer, as a break-up song for his then-girlfriend who was living in Australia at that time. He thought that sooner or later they'd break up since he didn't have faith in long-distance relationships. Little did he know that the girl he was seeing turns out to be his future wife, thus Vienna tells a break-up that never happens.

Bearing that song's sad message in mind, Vienna undeniably resembles the finale of Gone with the Wind. Whenever I listen to it, I always have a queer picture of a couple parting in an old train station. The man is leaving the woman, while the woman is standing there, watching his train pull out. Regardless of the love they obviously still share, they both have made up their minds, or rather, the man seems to be the one who does. The woman, even though she accepts the man's proposal of leaving, seems to resent his action hence his telling her "There's really no way to reach me" for numerous times.

Then there's the saying "Maybe in five or ten yours and mine will meet again". To me, it seems that they still love each other immensely, hence his telling her that perhaps, in five or ten years from the day of their separation, they can get together once again. Perhaps on that very day of their reconciliation, they'll be able to work out the mistakes they once did, clear up the confusions entangled in their relationship, and finally be brave enough to open themselves to one another. Again, based on my sophisticated (not!) observation, I kind of have a feeling that the two people are actually quite reserved to each other. The man is afraid to show his lover his true colors, his true feelings for her, and vice versa. And to make the matter even worse, their relationship seemed to be quite 'bumpy'; having more downs than ups (just like Gone with the Wind! Hehe). Hence his feeling tired of the situation. The relationship drained him, leaving him clobbered. Thus, he decides to leave her, embarking on a long journey, away from his better half.

Although the man's relentlessly convinced the woman of his plan of leaving--saying that his going away is his gameface, his stance--which is final and unalterable by any means, he, at some point, seems to second-guess himself, questioning "Is there really no way to reach me? Am I already...". But then he reassures himself and also the woman that his leaving her is the best way, closing the song with the words "So this is your maverick. And this is Vienna". If you look up the word, maverick means an independent person, one that refuses any kinds of established standards of conduct; a rebel, a non-conformist.

Acknowledging the definition of the word, I, for like a hundred of times, draw another correlation between the song Vienna and the story of Gone with the Wind. For one thing, Rhett Butler, Scarlett's admirer, is a rebel. He's even cast out by his own family and even the people of his own town for acting beyond the usual customs. And we come to the last palpable action of him: leaving Scarlett after 12 years of yearning and pining for her. He departs, abandoning all his feelings for her, defying all the affections he has for her. Thus the word maverick fits perfectly with his actions: resisting his desire to protect her, his heart's wish to always be with her, and instead takes a path of his own, away from Scarlett.

But I'm not finished yet, readers, because I sort of have a difficulty in deciphering the word Vienna. Is the word only included just for the sake of Austria's capital city? But if it meant that simple, why did the band name the song Vienna? Why is it used as the last word of the song? And why it is the name of the capital city of Austria? Why not the capital of The States instead? Or France perhaps? Or... a little biased here, Indonesia...? Because you see, the word maverick and Vienna don't rhyme right? So forget it if the reason of using the word Vienna was only for the purpose of rhyming whatsoever. That must be some reason behind it, and trust me, it's got to be a crucial one.

I, due to the absence of schoolwork during this holiday, looked it online and found that the word Vienna was actually a metaphore prevalently used in literature to describe death. I refuse to believe it though for I think it is too harsh to let the man dies. Besides, everytime this song plays, I find myself imagining Rhett Butler and Scarlett O'Hara and I could not, would not accept it if Rhett died. It's just so mean.

Oh wow, I think I begin to get myself confused between fantasy and reality. Not that fantasy cannot become reality, in this case though, I think I would be very much affected, if not feeling devastated if Margaret Mitchell decided to kill off Rhett. Luckily, she never did, and so the other writers who wrote the sequels. So yeah, breathe out now, Astrid. Everything's gonna be okay :D

Back to topic. You see, I once read this discussion forum about the meaning of the song Vienna by The Fray, and I quite like one of the respondent's post. She (/he? I don't know... her username seems to be unisex to me) wrote that Vienna used to be a city of magnificence with its beautiful sceneries, enchanting cultures, and extravagant lifestyles. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I vaguely recall the explanation of my history teacher (Ms. Leony) back in my senior year in high school that Austria, the country which Vienna is in, was one of the formidable countries during World War I, allied itself with Germany during that period after recognizing that its crown prince, Franz Ferdinand, had been assasinated in Sarajevo.

But, look at Austria now. Or the much more correct sentence is: look at Vienna now. The city is still beautiful, but it no longer retains the status of one of the most powerful capitals in the world. Nowadays, when being questioned about the most formidable, famous capital cities in the world, one would easily answer Washington D.C., London, Paris, Beijing, Japan, or even Moscow. Slim chance that the name Vienna would come up in my opinion. So you see? The city is sinking into oblivion now. If long time ago the city was one of the fortunates to boast advanced scientific studies and amazing art works, it's now almost like a sanctuary with all its old, beautiful buildings and long history.

Therefore, in connection with the heart-broken theme in this song, there are two possible meanings of the word Vienna. It could be that the relationship this couple used to have is sinking just like Vienna. Or perhaps--and I like this one much better--the man is actually seeing himself as Vienna for he not only defies the love of his life and his own heart, but also courageously chooses to submerge himself into obscurity.

Sorry for bringing up such random topic and lengthy rambling, dear readers. But this song provoked so many ideas in my head and all I wanted to do was just pour 'em out. All in all, this song is one of the best pieces of music I've ever heard.

Shoe Porn Volume Three

2010-06-04T13:40:00.010+07:00

It's been quite a while since I did a post dedicated to the beauty of footwear.

Givenchy studded booties. Love the design, the silver studs, and the baby blue color.

Again, another pair of Givenchy studded booties.

Sarah Jessica Parker wearing a pair of Balenciaga futuristic pumps.

My favorite shoes by Prada: the curves are very sensual without being overly seductive.

I honestly have no idea who these shoes are by. Alaïa, perhaps?

By the way, am I weird to find that the legs are actually quite distracting?

(photos are taken from Jak&Jil, Google, Stockholmstreetstyle)

Flowy Blowy

2010-06-04T13:30:00.004+07:00

(all photos taken from The Sartorialist)

La La Leopard

2010-06-02T00:31:00.000+07:00

Yes, the styling is a bit too much and you've probably seen the leopard Louboutins and those studded Isabel Marant booties for like a hundred times already. Nonetheless, this editorial of Vogue Paris in November 2009 is still one of my favorites.

Style Icon: Clémence Poésy, Part 1

2010-06-01T01:11:00.001+07:00

Ever heard the name? No?

Well, some of you may not know the name, yet I'm sure most of you readers are quite familiar with the French actress' face, aren't you?

Clémence Poésy, now 27, is perhaps most notably known for her role as Fleur Delacour in the movie Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Yet, hold on still people! She's not only famous for her acting skills, for this actress/model is also one of France's brightest fashion icons.

Those eyes, that stare, that pose, and that outfit: Perfection.

White T's underneath Chanel ivory blouse. What an amazing idea!

Balenciaga navy schoolboy blazer, Chanel 2.55. *faint*

Another Balenciaga blazer paired with her heavily broken-in Balenciaga bag.

Liking her camel trench.

Red and black. Love. And oh, have I mentioned the brand name of the red frock?

It's Chanel.

More of Clémence Poésy's style coming up in this June. Stay tuned people!

PS: I'm so sorry for the delay of posting, I should've posted yesterday but I was too busy running errands. Again, so sorry!

Hiya!

2010-05-30T17:16:00.003+07:00

Just came back from a shopping trip in Singapore! A more verbose post tomorrow!

Gone with the Wind

2010-05-22T12:28:00.022+07:00

First and foremost, I'd like to apologize for the long hiatus, leaving this blog unattended with no updates whatsoever. I actually planned on writing a review about the novel Gone with the Wind as soon as I'd finished reading it but for a week or so after having finished the task, I was in a dazed state, still emotionally affected by the tragic end of the story thus making it impossible to put my frantic thoughts into coherent words.

The novel is, by far, the most upsetting, emotionally riveting piece of literature I've ever perused.

It is astonishing how a main character as Scarlett O'Hara who's not only aggravating but also lacking of personal virtues can make countless of people interested in following her life journey. Perhaps it's due to her uncanny portrayal as a spoilt, selfish, and ignorant heroine. Or perhaps it's because of her lively--almost too lively for convenience--character which I, oddly, find quite amusing. Or maybe because as exasperating as she is as a character, I cannot imagine another person better than Scarlett O'Hara to be the heroine of one of the most remarkable works ever existed in American literature.

Set during the Civil War era, the story Gone with the Wind is all about survival; the survival of Scarlett O'Hara under catastrophic circumstances and the survival of the South with all its customs and inhabitants following the terrible losses inflicted upon them by the war. Wisely described in adjectives, the 1448-page novel is historical, mind-enriching, intensely gripping, and of course, tragically romantic. The story certainly provides you new ideas about the infamous Civil War, its cause, and its aftermath. It even evokes an absurdly rational notion that the emergence of the war was actually due to the clash of the lifestyles led by the North and South, and the protest against slavery was merely a deliberately decided excuse if not an insignificant cause.

It doesn't come to any surprise at all to learn that this remarkable writing by Margaret Mitchell was bestowed with a Pulitzer Prize in 1937, catapulting its status as one of the classics in literature. For not only the novel religiously follows the actual events occuring during and after the phenomenal brawl and possesses a formidable capability of pulling the readers into its realm with Mitchell's descriptive style of writing, but also as factual as the story of Gone with the Wind is, it still retains a charm for the imaginative ones who are hungry for a fascinating storyline, well-developed characters, and in regards to the hopeless romantics out there; a plethora of romantic scenes.

The heroine, Scarlett O'Hara, is not beautiful by any means--the notion has been perfectly clear since the very beginning of the novel--but there seems to be a certain charm within her that sends men flying about this particular girl. Growing up as a belle of the county, Scarlett is accustomed to having men flocking around her, praising her charming self, thus it comes relatively easy for her to find a suitor, or rather, three suitors in her life for she has been maried three times and two of them she has no love for. Her first two bonds are founded scarcely on love and both are invented strictly for Scarlett's vindictiveness and convenience. But the third, and possibly the last alliance of hers is different. This time, it isn't on her part that demands a matrimony, but rather, on the other lover's side; a tall, dark reprobate of Charleston, Rhett Butler.

Encountering Rhett for the first time at 16, Scarlett is appalled or rather enraged with the 33-year old man's impudent conduct; catching her in unwomanly actions and delightedly making slights out of them. The slights become more cruel as time goes by hence the escalation of Scarlett's bitter resentment towards the Charleston outcast. She grows more acrimonious towards him, calling him names and such, and yet, one cannot help thinking that underneath the cruelties, lays a strong fondness between the two rebels.

Regardless of the affection shared by the two characters, both seem to have a serious difficulty in professing their feelings to each other. They both have the capability to love immensely yet also have a frighteningly tenacious power to conceal their true feelings. Rhett Butler has wanted Scarlett O'Hara the first time he lays his eyes on her, seeing her as his own self; a rebel, a non-conformist. He admires Scarlett's audacity, her selfishness, her strong mind and soul, and yet as their similarity is the one that makes him yearning for her, it is also the one that drives them apart.

Rhett and Scarlett are two very alike characters, too much alike, I fear, for their own good. Both are headstrong, or rather bullheaded. Both are cunning, selfish, greedy, and cruel, even to their loved ones. And both are proud, very proud people. When one is enraged, the other fights back. When one is cynical, the other grows sardonic. When one sulks, the other plays sullen. The situation gets much worse for Scarlett seems to be infatuated with her childhood friend, even though the man is happily married to another woman. And as dimwitted as she is when it comes to discerning people's feelings, Scarlett spends year after year engrossed in nurturing that forbidden desire, mooning after somebody's husband without the awareness that her heart has actually yielded to someone else. And Rhett, fully aware of her lover's madness, is too arrogant to proclaim his love for fear of being rejected. Thus he struggles to subdue his raging passion, eventually succumbs to indifference and cruelty as ways to show his true feelings.

It sure makes one's heart writhe in pain to witness such great lovers--as immensely in love as they are with each other--cut one another with such brutality, leaving one brokenhearted and the other physically and emotionally battered in the end.

The novel Gone with the Wind is not just a romance book, with its main protagonists being one of the most celebrated couples in the English-speaking world, but also a book full of historical insights, unprecedented views and ideas, vivid characters, and an exceptional writing method. Margaret Mitchell not only succeeded in writing such vivid images of the South and its spirit but she also brilliantly displayed the country's characterictics through her invented individuals, by using a myriad of symbolisms throughout her work.

As intrigued as I am to to add a passage of analysis regarding Mitchell's use of symbolism throughout her work, I fear it would be very lengthy, therefore, making my review unbearable to scrutinize. Thus, I leave the work to you readers to find it out ;).

Anyhow, I believe that everyone should give this book a try for not only you'd get acquainted with possibly, one of the best works ever produced in literature, but also obtain more insights about the Civil War and its aftermath.

Colorfur

2010-05-05T17:31:00.002+07:00

Still hung up on the magnificence of fur after all...

All are Isabel Marant fur coats/jackets from the S/S 2010 collection. Major love.

Graduation

2010-05-04T21:07:00.019+07:00

To say that the first day of May 2010 was delightful would be an absurd understatement, if not a terrible lie. That day was, by far, one of the happiest, loveliest days in my life. My friends and I, all SMAK 1 BPK PENABUR Jakarta's students, were graduated, and for all these 3 years of struggling and enduring the unforgiving myriads of tests, tasks, and schoolwork, we are finally finally entitled to call ourselves as proud alumnies of SMAK 1.

To add to the excitement of being a new alumni of SMAK 1, I'm also very grateful for having gotten the first rank in the social studies which was the major I studied in. It was an amazing experience for me to climb up the stairs leading to the podium upfront, to hold a trophy before hundreds of people. Such a wonderful, astonishing memory!

This event somehow reminded me of my mixed feelings upon stepping my foot for the first time on the very ground of SMAK 1. On that very day, I'd been very delighted for being accepted into such prodigious, excellent school, enthralled because it had marked my first day of being a high school student, and yet my anxiety had also been running high for I'd seen so many students, hundreds of them, standing erectly in the school's field. So many students, more than 250 alone in my year, were gathering with the seniors, ready to take part in their first flag ceremony in SMAK 1.

To be honest, I wasn't used to this situation. Before me, lay a sea of people, students and teachers, all of them wearing the same confident, I'm-at-ease look, or so it had seemed to me. Anyhow, I was mortified, petrified. I felt diminished, intimidaded for I hadn't been in this situation before. I was used to going to small, diminutive institutions of learning. I'd been spending my first six years of learning at a very small elementary school near my grandparents' house. Though I'd moved to a bigger one for a further education, the school wasn't as big as SMAK 1. It only had about 100 students in my year, very different comparing to the numbers of students SMAK 1 boasted. And there I was, at my new BIG school, in the midst of people I barely knew, trying to survive.

Until now, I am very grateful to have been blessed with an abundance of blessings from God. Ever since I was very little, I have always shown a great deal of fascination for knowledge, and how kind of Him to bless me with, dare I say, a sharp brain. He had given me so many acknowledgments, so many accomplishments, that I lost the count. But as bright as I have been blessed, I understand that there are people who are much much more intelligent than I am thus I was still trembled at the thought of entering SMAK 1 with its enormous building, countless students, and superior teachers. I'd heard so many people say that the school wasn't like other institutions, it was much harder, much more difficult with endless homework and overwhelming tests. That even though you could make it easily at other schools, it didn't mean that you would survive at this very school, much less getting ranks.

As appalled and worried as I was for having heard that information, at the bottom of my heart I still believed that somehow, I was gonna make it, there, at SMAK 1. Though the news brought consternation right into my mind, I, again, somehow, still believed that I was gonna succeed. I admit I am a perfectionist. I am ambitious. And oddly enough, I'm not ashamed to tell you this for I am proud of possessing those traits. I didn't only want to come out of SMAK 1 alive (another trait of mine; a fondness of exaggeration), but I yearn for surviving the life at this formidable school with flying colors, with satisfying accomplishments. I wanted that someday, looking back, I could look back with a smile plastered on my face, with relish remembering that I could get through all the horrid tasks and finish the contest with an ultimate victory. I still vividly remember the first day I attended a flag ceremony at SMAK 1, on that very day I saw students being called up to accept their trophies for succesfully being the 3 best ones in their major. I saw them standing, holding trophies before us all, and I remembered praying in my heart, that someday I would be one of them, standing, holding my trophy before hundreds of people.

And that prayer came true.

On May 1st, 2010, I was called up by the teachers of SMAK 1 to accept a trophy, a diploma, and a medal before hundreds of people for succesfully finishing 3 years at SMAK 1 and for coming out as the best in my major. Astonishment, satisfaction, pleasure, joy, and rapture all mixed in a turmoil. It was like a dream, a terribly beautiful dream. So beautiful that I almost cried for remembering how good Lord has been with me. He knows what His child needs, He knows His child's desire, He knows what His child is longing for. In the past year, I've been praying to Him that He would help me to be the best in my major since I knew it wouldn't be easy, the competition was really tough, and I believed that without Him, I wouldn't get that first rank. I begged him to not humiliate me for I knew people had been saying that I'd got to insure my position. But I knew it was downright impossible if I tried to retain my achievement with my own force, for I am far below perfect. Hence, my running to Him, the perfect One.

The event also reminded me of the great force of faith, such tenacity faith holds, readers! Even in my anxiety, I was still clinging to my belief that someday, yes, someday, I would succeed, would be called up and would be holding my trophy before many people. Sure it had seemed absurd at first, mainly because who was I really, readers? I was this tiny girl who came from obscurity, wasn't used to seeing so many students at one school, and yet, as inferior as I thought I was, I was still daring enough to believe that I was going to engrave my name on SMAK 1's scholar list.

Oh, how audacious hope is! Thus I wasn't that surprised knowing that Barack Obama's book was named The Audacity of Hope for look how daringly and boldly hope does work!

Never ever be afraid to aim high, people! Believe in yourself, never ever think low of yourself. I admit, I used to doubt my capabilities, but I'm ashamed of it now. It shows my lack of belief in God and of course, myself. Everyone is talented and intelligent in their own way. Never let intimidation and self-deprecation rule your mind and soul! You are precious, you are special, you are unique!

King James version:
Psalm 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Genesis 39:2 And the LORD was with Joseph and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.

Indonesian translation:
Mazmur 1:3 Ia seperti pohon, yang ditanam di tepi aliran air, yang menghasilkan buahnya pada musimnya, dan yang tidak layu daunnya; apa saja yang diperbuatnya berhasil.

Kejadian 39:2, “ Tetapi TUHAN menyertai Yusuf, sehingga ia menjadi seorang yang selalu berhasil dalam pekerjaannya; maka tinggallah ia di rumah tuannya, orang Mesir itu.”

Believe in Him, rest in Him, don't fret! For you will not fail, but succeed in everything that you do.

God bless us all :)

Next Stop London: The Verdict

2010-05-02T13:57:00.004+07:00

Winners
1st Prize

RUSSIA
Title: World Peace Pie
Topic: Language Learning: Past and Present
Author: Liliya Baiguzhina
School: Gymnasium No1
Level: Less advanced

2nd Prize

SWITZERLAND (ITALIAN)
Title: Will There Ever be World Peace?
Topic: Will There Ever be World Peace?
Author: Davide Bernardoni
School: Scuole medie
Level: Advanced

3rd Prize

INDONESIA
Title: World peace through the eye of an Indonesian
Topic: Will There Ever be World Peace?
Author: Jeremiah Purba
School: SMAK 1 PENABUR JAKARTA
Level: Less advanced

Reading this, am I delighted? Yes!
Am I happy? Of course!
And umm.... am I flying high on cloud nine right now? Oh, you betcha!

Never in my wildest dream did I imagine my essay was gonna win this competition! I'd seen the other finalists' essays on the Next Stop London website and they're all very good if not excellent! Therefore, I'm feeling mightily grateful that my class was honored to win the third place in this contest. Such an amazing experience!

Even though we didn't get the chance to go to London since only the first winner were the ones who got that, we are still feeling extremely thankful. It certainly isn't easy to be selected as one of the three best essays in the midst of wonderful, intriguing writings! So, thank you thank you thank you for the endless support guys!

Magnificent Furs

2010-05-02T11:34:00.016+07:00

Anna Dello Russo, Fashion Editor of Vogue Japan, was decked in a glorious magenta fur coat during the New York Fashion Week earlier this year. French Vogue's Editor-in-Chief, Carine Roitfeld, walking down the street in Paris in a Margiela pale pink coat whilst her co-worker, Emmanuelle Alt, opted for a darker choice of clothing.

(photographs taken from The Sartorialist and Jak&Jil)

Gran Torino

2010-05-01T00:01:00.007+07:00

Acknowledging the numerous awards he's garnered, Clint Eastwood is arguably one of the best actors/directors out there. To be honest, I haven't watched the movies in which he stars yet, but I did watch Changeling which he directs and I gotta tell you, the movie was superb. Great acting (eventhough I'm not a big fan of Angelina Jolie but I've to admit, she is one talented actress), wonderful plot, and of course such prodigious directing! Thus, I was quite disappointed that Mr. Eastwood's next work Gran Torino (he produces, directs, and stars in the movie!) was not played in the theaters in Indonesia. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to snatch an opportunity to watch this remarkable movie and for the second time, my mind was blown away with another of Clint Eastwood's work.

The movie starts with Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood), a Korean War veteran attending her wife's funeral ceremony at church. Walt is a cynical, grumpy man who's never had a good relationship with his children and grandchildren though he seems to dearly love her late wife. He views his surroundings with negativity, lives grudgingly, and is one prejudice man, especially toward other racial groups. Walt particularly abhors the fact that he's the only white man in his neighborhood since the other new neighbors turn out to be the Hmong people (an ethnic group from South-East Asia). Though disdains the new members of his neighborhood at first, Walt gradually comes to know and even grows to have a deep affection for his new Hmong friends (a shy boy named Thao and his charming yet intelligent sister called Sue) through a series of unfortunate events. Odd but true.

Things don't always go perfectly though. While Walt is having quite a great time bonding with his new neighbors, the neighborhood is hit with a wave of anxiety following the mugging and shooting by a local gang. To add the matter even worse, the leader of the gang turns out to be a cousin of Thao and Sue's. That explains why the gang seems to be so focused on recruiting Thao-out of all teenage boys in the neighborhood-to be their new member. Inevitably, one bad incident leads to a more serious one and that forces Walt-as one of the seniors in the area and possibly the only one who can handle a gun responsibly-to react.

Gran Torino is, in my opinion, one interesting movie. The storyline is simple yet it insinuates complex points underneath. I myself have had a great time analyzing the movie. I like how Clint Eastwood creates and potrays the main protagonist, Walt Kowalski. Walt is potrayed as a man who seems to hold grudges against everything from the way his granddaughter dresses to a young priest's view of life and death, yet is also a man of ethics underneath. He often makes rude remarks of people yet still lives with integrity and persistence. I believe that Walt is actually a decent guy but the horrible memory of the war makes him bitter and unforgiving simply because he isn't able to forgive himself for commiting such horrendous acts during the battle long ago in Korea. The character is also fascinating because rather being softened with his surroundings, Walt, ironically, has an influential role in his neighborhood such as helping Thao getting out of his timidity and in the end becoming a so-called vigilante for the people whom he used to look down on. Surely Walt is also influenced by his unique neighbors in some ways but Walt still retains his old habit of obstinacy and crankiness.

I also find the part where an old man such as Walt finds comfort in befriending teenagers unconventional. Maybe I'm stereotyping but I rarely find an old man who treats youngsters as his counterparts. The elderies are mostly close to the people their own age and usually see adolescents as their juniors and when those different age groups interact, it mostly involves jokes, stories, and life lessons from the older ones. But Walt Kowalski is different; he treats Thao and Sue as his equals. The teenagers guide him to position himself uprightly in a Hmong community and in return Walt helps them grow to be the responsible ones. They visit each other's homes occasionally and often swap benign little mockeries. This proves that one doesn't have to be the same age nor race to connect with each other.

It is unsurprising that the movie Gran Torino was a commercial success, grossing hundreds of millions worldwide. The movie certainly has its own charms from the impressive performance of Clint Eastwood to the modest yet very intriguing plot. I must admit though, the other actors' performances seem to pale in comparison to Mr.Eastwood's. His acting is what I think the best feature of the movie; the statuesque face of his, the toughness he's succesfully conveyed not from physical act but through words and gestures, and his occasional witty remarks. And not only Mr.Eastwood's top-notch performance who makes this movie big, dear readers, but also the clever act to end Gran Torino. It is brilliant and fits perfectly with the idea of the movie. I'm not gonna give you spoilers here but I can assure you, the ending is not a happy-go-lucky kind of finale (hello!? It's Clint Eatswood's we're talking about... LOL), instead, it is a dark, tragic one. But one thing for sure, in the end, Walt Kowalski has finally finally forgiven himself.

Feet

2010-04-30T19:45:00.001+07:00

Notice the veins?

Style Icon: Kate Lanphear, Part 2

2010-04-28T11:10:00.003+07:00

Remember my post about her style some time ago in January? Since there are so many photographs of her scattered endlessly in my folder, I reckon it doesn't do any harm to re-create a post about her lovely style, does it?

Kinda have a feeling that her outfits in the photographs above are actually the same. The handbags are different though.

In a Jim Beam tee paired with gray blazer.

Note the shoes, they're the notorious studded Louboutins.

A collage of her outfits in a Japanese magazine scan.

These two photographs below are so far my favorite photographs of her. They're taken by Tommy from Jak&Jil.

I like the fact that the two photographs above are both horizontal, rather than the usual upright ones. You can clearly see the contrast between Kate Lanphear's black attire with the light, sunny background.

PS: I've decided to create a "Style Icon" post every month, so expect wonderful coverage of your (/my) favorite style icons in the months to come!

I Think...

2010-04-27T11:49:00.008+07:00

... my blog just hit 100 posts on this very day!!! Yay!!!

Therefore, as a remembrance of this achievement, I am pleased to present you one of my favorite photographs ever taken.

The street, the billowing dress, the smile! Perfection.

(photograph taken by The Sartorialist)

Blue

2010-04-22T21:47:00.000+07:00

Sapphire, aqua, navy, indigo, topaz, you name it. I just love the color blue.

Gorgeous blue Chanel quilted bags. I especially love the second photograph here. The silver hardware looks breathtaking on the sapphire background.

Balenciaga leather jacket and jeans. Enough said.

(the last photograph is courtesy of Jak&Jil)

Song Quotes Vol.2

2010-04-22T10:54:00.006+07:00

Just a bunch of witty lyrics to brighten up your day. Enjoy :)

You hit me once
I hit you back
You gave a kick
I gave a slap
You smashed a plate over my head
Then I set fire to our bed (Kiss with a Fist by Florence and the Machine)

But resistance is futile (Blah Blah Blah by Say Hi to Your Mom)

No I don't wanna battle from beginning to end
I don't wanna cycle, recycle revenge
I don't wanna follow death and all of his friends (Death and All His Friends by Coldplay)

Have no fear for giving in
Have no fear for giving over
You'd better know that in the end
It's better to say too much
Then never say what you need to say again (Say by John Mayer)

Everything I'm not, made me everything I am (Everything I Am by Kanye West)

We only got 86,400 seconds in a day to
Turn it all around or throw it all away
We gotta tell em that we love em
While we got the chance to say
Gotta live like were dying (Live Like We're Dying by Kris Allen)

Get up
Come on
Why're you scared?
You'll never change
What's been and gone (Stop Crying Your Heart Out by Oasis)

MK

2010-04-22T10:49:00.004+07:00

Found a beautiful photograph of Mary-Kate Olsen wearing the notorious half-tinted Chanel sunnies.

Child's Play

2010-04-21T19:21:00.013+07:00

Miuccia was questioning youth. She was questioning innocence in today's world filled with things that are the total opposites. Always has a knack for an element of surprise, Miuccia Prada had succesfully created a collection which challenged the idea of dressing up for the grown-ups.

The Miu Miu shoes for Spring/Summer 2010 were fascinating. Very child-like with their light hues, animal and floral prints, and simple designs, oddly intriguing.

This last shoe is by far, my most favorite of the show. I love the ivory (or light yellow?) color and how whimsical the floral prints look. But most of all, the crystals are amazing! They're actually the ones that won me over. Love it.

March 2010

2010-04-21T19:10:00.003+07:00

Hey y'all! So so sorry for neglecting the blog for let me see... oh wow, 3 weeks! Time has been running so fast, eh? These past few weeks in particular, have been one hell of a ride; school tests and other activities have succesfully hindered me from blogging activity. So sorry guys... :(

Anyway, as I look back upon the past 31 days of March 2010, I am still amazed at how God has blessed me with so many wonderful things in such a brief time.

I vividly remember the time I learnt that I was one of the applicants who got accepted to UGM. It was March 13, 10 minutes past 12 in the morning, and I was having a super duper early breakfast / ultra late supper with my mom and her friend at Kwetiau A Ciap in Mangga Besar. I was very much engrossed in my meal when my mom suddenly asked me whether I'd checked UGM's website yet, since the announcement had been promised to come out at 12 am sharp on the 13th of March. Feeling anxious, I quickly opened the website, typed in my application number, and there it was...

No. Peserta : 2110500171
Jalur Masuk : PBS
Nama : ASTRID EMMELINE KOHAR

Selamat, anda diterima pada:
Program Studi : HUKUM
Fakultas : HUKUM

Written in bold orange letters, a congratulatory statement informing that I had been accepted as a new student to UGM's law school instantly drew my eyes. Without much thinking, I literally jumped from my seat and gave my mom and her friend big hugs. I was so flooded with joy that I had to remind myself that I was in a public place and of course, jumping and clapping without apparent reason is frowned upon. Hehe.

Anyhow, I felt so happy and not to mention very grateful not just because there were only 350-ish people accepted among thousands of applicants, but it reminded me of a couple of rejections I'd had some time ago. UGM hadn't been my priority initially due to the location of it being far away from my hometown. I used to think I was gonna be studying at another university, which was only 40 minutes drive from my home (that if there was no traffic congestion and all). But my application wasn't accepted and it was just downright disapointing. I had had high hopes for this university and I'd even already imagined myself proudly wearing the school's blazer strutting down the aisles carrying stacks of books and stuff. LOL. So it kinda hit me when I learned the truth that I didn't get accepted, and it hit me hard. I cried about it for a couple of days but then I remembered that I'd prayed to God that eventhough going to this university was my dream, I realized that it was His will which will be done, not mine. And so I just contined my life knowing that if I didn't get into this school, it wasn't a failure of mine and was certainly not the end of the world.

That was why my being accepted into UGM was an amazing experience. It was a message from God Himself that He would never ever abandon His child, let alone mortify one. It was life-changing, it made me realize that He got a much greater gift for me. Sometimes we, humans, tend to focus on our failures, shortcomings, and flaws, but isn't it much much better if we choose to have hope and most of all, faith?

And not just that, people, last March my friends and I from 12 Social Class 4 were blessed with an amazing gift; our class was chosen by EF as the only finalist from Indonesia competing for a trip to London! It was unbelievable! Never ever in our wildest dream did we imagine we were chosen as a finalist in the Next Stop London contest, since hello... there were like a ton of essays submitted there, and trust me, they're all goooooood. That's why I, on behalf of my class would like to thank all the people that have voted for us, you guys rock! The winner announcement is in this April and until now, the verdict hasn't yet been made. So, yeah, we're still waiting and of course praying for that. Nevertheless, it was such an amazing and not to mention unforgettable experience to represent our country in a world-class competition and we are extremely grateful for that.

Okay, I'm starting to feel tired of typing now, time to wrap up my post. LOL.

So yeah, last March was pretty hectic (a bunch of UANs and other nasty tests) yet incredibly fun (UGM, EF's Next Stop London contest) and I'm genuinely grateful for that. I also believe that this month, next month, and other months to come will also be equally and even more amazing.

Thank you very much guys for coping with my aimless rambling! :D

PS: buat yang masih nunggu pengumuman SIMAK UI dan hasil seleksi universitas-universitas lain, tetep semangat ya! Be positive and optimistic! There's no good will come from negativity.

Nail

2010-03-30T17:25:00.003+07:00

Hands down to the one and only, Maison Martin Margiela.

Fashion Troops

2010-03-28T14:12:00.008+07:00

Though the word 'troops' is commonly associated with military forces, yet I have this weird feeling that the French and Teen Vogue editors look more like army platoons rather than mere fashionistas.

Sunshine

2010-03-28T13:53:00.005+07:00

Belatedly welcoming the days of spring 2010.

Bye winter, hello spring!

Check Your Phone

2010-03-26T17:20:00.004+07:00

Liking her Burberry trench, washed jeans, battered black Balenciaga bag, boots,.... okay I loooove everything she's wearing. Perfection to the fullest.

NB: The National Exams are soooo finally over, you guys! Woohoo!

Flying Colors

2010-03-18T13:23:00.001+07:00

Behind Wires

2010-03-17T15:26:00.005+07:00

Is it wrong for me to wish that Tira were held hostage like this?

I hope not, LOL.

peace Tira...

A Touch of Red

2010-03-15T16:43:00.003+07:00

Reading the previous comment, I reckon Olivia (oliv), my classmate, is very fond of snow. Therefore, I sincerely dedicate this amazing photograph taken by an equally amazing photographer/blogger (The Sartorialist) to her.

Next Stop London

2010-03-13T09:41:00.006+07:00

My friends and I from social class 4 at SMAK 1 BPK PENABUR JAKARTA are joining a contest by EF in hopes of winning a class trip to London. That is why I post our essay entitled "World Peace through the Eyes of An Indonesian" so you all can help us by voting for us on the Next Stop London's website. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

Would there ever be world peace? A very simple question, yet a powerful one. For one reason, it has been asked by so many people to the point of losing its original meaning thus making it no more than a cliché. And yet, there must be a reason why people around the world are still seeking the answer to this question, even after years of struggle. There also must be an explanation on why this question still remains unanswered. Is it because world peace is simply impossible to attain? Is it because world peace is only a utopian daydream?

Well, the debate on whether peace can be brought to the world has been going on for centuries. Some believe that peace is just around the corner. They believe that world peace is on its way judging from the vast number of movements voicing for freedom and peace among and within all nations. Others, on the other hand, argue that world peace is only an imagination and a wistful thinking. They believe that people are violent by nature. Moreover, they also believe that as long as differences still exist, world peace is extremely unlikely since there would always be disputes and arguments which could lead to conflicts.

First of all, I think it’s important for me to define what world peace really is. I myself see world peace as a state of all nations co-existing in peace and happiness. World peace doesn’t require uniformity. It requires tolerance and respect. Thus, I believe that world peace is not impossible to achieve. It is possible and it is happening right now, at this very moment.

Of course, my statement is not without proof. I come from Indonesia, a country with the biggest Moslem population in the world. It also has more than eighteen thousand islands scattered on the Pacific ocean therefore you can imagine how many varieties of people living in this very country. Despite having have different traditions, cultures, religions, languages, and even ways of thinking, we, as the people of Indonesia, still manage to build a society filled with peace. Even though most of us have different backgrounds, we still believe that we are all the same, quoting our national saying “Bhinneka Tunggal Ika”.

Learning from my experience living in a country full of diversities, I can see that we all have the ability to bring peace around the world. World peace can be obtained if every nation is willing to cooperate with each other in spite of their differences in race, views, and ideologies. This condition, in fact, has been happening for years through the United Nations. Countries around the world gather in hopes to avoid other world wars. They’re different from each other and yet they all have the same hope and inclination. They all want peace. Sure, disputes emerge from time to time but peace is not the state of having perfect harmony. It’s not the same way as a pond without ripples, world peace is about accepting and co-existing harmoniously differences aside.

In relation to my example, some may say it is irrelevant to compare a country to the whole world. On the contrary, I think it is absolutely relevant to make the comparison. I was raised to be a positive person and I learnt from my parents that big things come from the small ones. If the people of Indonesia can bring peace into their country, then why not bring peace into the world? All I know is that as long as we as the people of the world have the determination to bring peace into our lives, then nothing is impossible. If we can dream it, we can bring it to reality. If we can think about it, we definitely can achieve it. Thus I still believe that peace can be brought to our world.

PS: English is not my mother-tongue thus mistakes in this essay are, of course, inevitable. Don't be afraid to criticize because I'm all open for your opinions, suggestions, advices, etc. Thank you very much for the help, guys!

Joana - Balenciaga

2010-03-11T19:09:00.002+07:00

Again, spotted out and about during fashion week wearing the most beautiful leather jacket and shirt courtesy of Balenciaga.

Hey, Soul Sister

2010-03-10T16:31:00.004+07:00

My favorite song at the moment. Extremely infectious with an amazing melody and ridiculously witty lyrics.

Hey, hey, hey

Your lipstick stains

on the front lobe of my left side brains

I knew I wouldn't forget you,

and so I went and let you blow my mind

Your sweet moonbeam,

the smell of you in every single dream I dream

I knew when we collided,

you're the one I have decided who's one of my kind

Hey soul sister,

ain't the Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo,

the way you move ain't fair, you know!

Hey soul sister,

I don't want to miss a single thing you do...

tonight

Hey, hey,hey

Just in time,

I'm so glad you have a one-track mind like me

You gave my life direction,

a game show love connection we can't deny

I'm so obsessed,

my heart is bound to beat right out my untrimmed chest

I believe in you, like a virgin, you're Madonna,

and I'm always gonna wanna blow your mind

Hey soul sister,

ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo,

the way you move ain't fair, you know!

Hey soul sister,

I don't want to miss a single thing you do...

tonight

The way you can't cut a rug,

watching you's the only drug I need

You're so gangsta, I'm so thug,

you're the only one I'm dreaming of

You see, I can be myself now finally, in fact there's nothing I can't be

I want the world to see you be with me

Hey soul sister,

ain't that Mr. Mister on the radio, stereo,

the way you move ain't fair, you know!

Hey soul sister,

I don't want to miss a single thing you do tonight,

Hey soul sister,

I don't want to miss a single thing you do...

tonight

Hey, hey,hey

Tonight

Hey, hey,hey

Tonight

written and performed by Train

Clog Clog Clog

2010-03-10T15:54:00.005+07:00

Mr. Lagerfeld seems to like wooden clogs in his Spring 2010 show for Chanel, but do you?

Layers

2010-03-05T10:32:00.007+07:00

Don't you love the fact that these two women are like sunshine, smiling wide and sending ray of happiness? Don't you love the fact that these gorgeous women are both anonymous, non-celebrity type, the ones we usually encounter on a daily basis carrying books, groceries, and so on? And don't you just loooove how they incorporate their clothes perfectly and without flaw?

The textures and shades that they're playing with are just impeccable.

Both pictures are courtesy of The Sartorialist.

Style Icon: Joana Preiss

2010-03-04T20:36:00.010+07:00

I've actually been meaning to post about this woman's magnificent style for a while but hectic daily routines just kept standing in the way. I'm glad those days are over though, at least for now... teehee. Excuses asides, this woman-Joana Preiss-is without a doubt my idol of fashion, though I'm completely biased here since she seems to have a knack for Balenciaga ranging from the house's iconic leather jackets to space rubber booties. I love the way she dresses; so very effortless with her tousled hair and jeans, a drastic change from all the avant-garde clothes all the people seem to be sporting in fashion shows and such.

Balenciaga twiggy bag, Chanel tweed jacket, fur, and jeans.

What more could you ask for?

Front row at Balenciaga wearing the house's latest leather jacket of the season.

Sitting idly at Balenciaga in my favorite motorcycle jacket.

At Chanel in (presumably) the house's tweed jacket.

Probably my favorite look of hers. Photographed by a favorite blogger/photographer of mine, Garance Dore.

A bigger view of the shoes. She obviously has an exquisite taste when it comes to footwear!

Dying for the shoes. I think they're by Phi, not really sure though.

Eggplant

2010-02-28T09:58:00.002+07:00

A very lovely Balenciaga weekender bag in eggplant color.

Burberry Prorsum (Part 2)

2010-02-27T01:37:00.005+07:00

Deeply apologetic for the slow updates. I have abandoned the activity of blogging for two straight weeks courtesy of the excessive number of tests and tryouts. Anyway, since I've promised to do a coverage on Burberry Prorsum's Spring/Summer 2010 collection, then let's begin, shall we?

Burberry Prorsum's Spring Summer 2010 was of course, quintessentially Burberry, with all the iconic trenchcoats and short dresses yet with a little twist. Christopher Bailey once again wow-ed the fashion crowd with his innovative designs; changing simple skirts and trenches into short, pleated, and draped ones. The collection was fun too with all the light hues ranging from beige, baby pink, minty green, lilac, even to shimmery gold. Seeing all the gorgeous pallette, you can totally picture the young ones strutting their stuff in these beautiful clothes.

Military-inspired trenchcoat. Lovely.

The trench's pleated sleeves are undeniably unique.

Mint, fresh. LOL.

My favorite outfit of the show. I like the model too, Tao Okamoto is gorgeous!

Okay, maybe this is my favorite outfit of the show. I don't know, I just can't choose, they're all too pretty!

Beautiful outfit to close the show.

Burberry Prorsum (Part 1)

2010-02-13T16:20:00.004+07:00

It was definitely a turning point for the UK brand Burberry Prorsum when Christopher Bailey took over its creative director seat. The brand, which used to be seen as this tedious boring type of fashion label, quickly gained a prominent spot in the fashion world thanks to the newly appointed designer for his young and quirky designs. I've been loving this brand eversince the warrior-theme (Spring/Summer 2008) collection came out with its studded belts and ruched mini dresses.

The Spring Summer 2008 collection was different from the former ones. It was more youthful, fun, and full of imagination. And the collection turned out to be a major success for Burberry too; starting the stud and pastel colour trends. You can clearly see that the house is trying for a change.

The fashion house is obviously quite determined to change its status for its next collection for spring was just better than ever, in fact, I think the S/S 2009 collection is my most favorite of Burberry's. It had this weird vibe of dullness yet it was pleasantly warm at the same time, quite an irony if you ask me. There were a ton of ombre trenchcoats with shades of mustard yellows, mossy greens, and muddy browns. Mr Bailey then paired them with soaked-looking flared pants or ruched frocks. There were also a number of heavily embellished trenches and dresses in the closing passages.

Burberry Prorsum's Spring/Summer 2009 collection was just perfect in my opinion. It was perfectly in tone with the cold spring in England yet somehow, the collection sent a wave of warm romantic feeling through the rich selection of dark earthly colors. Impressive.

From the solemn spring collection of 2009's, Mr Bailey then takes us into the fun world filled with an opulence of drapes and bright hues. Yes, it's the Burberry's Spring/Summer 2010 collection...... to be continued

Illuminate

2010-02-13T15:11:00.004+07:00

RIP Alexander McQueen.

Balenciaga Leather Jacket Part Three

2010-02-10T19:08:00.003+07:00

Is it wrong that I'm still in love with this jacket?

Everything

2010-02-10T17:40:00.008+07:00

Hiyaaa!!! So very very sorry for the slowdown in updates. Blame the crazy amount of homework and tons of tryouts that have kept me from blogging these past two weeks. Hehe.

Anyway, I've been listening to this song by Lifehouse called "Everything" (old song, just found it on the net), and the song is just freaking amazing. The tunes are soothing and don't even get me started on the lyrics. They're the best! Simple yet very touching.

Find me here

Speak to me

I want to feel you

I need to hear you

You are the light

That's leading me

To the place where I find peace again.

You are the strength, that keeps me walking

You are the hope, that keeps me trusting

You are the light to my soul

You are my purpose...you're everything

How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?

Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
You calm the storms, and you give me rest.

You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall.

You steal my heart, and you take my breath away.

Would you take me in? Take me deeper now?

How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?

Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?

Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

Cause you're all I want, You're all I need

You're everything,everything

You're all I want your all I need

You're everything, everything

You're all I want you're all I need

You're everything, everything

You're all I want you're all I need, you're everything, everything

And How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?

Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?

Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?

Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

I've been playing this song on my iTunes library over and over eversince I got it 4 days ago, and listening to the words, I wonder whether the song was intended to be a religious one, due to a plethora (ooh fancy word, lol) of words which resemble a number of events and statements in the bible, such as calming the storm, leading light, strength, hope, etc. On the other hand, this song was written by Lifehouse, which, for the record, is not a religious band. Therefore, based on my simple observation, I believe it's a slim chance that this song is a religious one.

Okay, enough ramblings. Silly theories aside, I still think that this is an amazing song. It can be about God or love or emotions, it's up to the listeners to decide. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and unless the artist comes out and tells us what this song is really about, it's okay for everyone to have different interpretations. There is simply no right or wrong answer regarding this matter. All I know is that this song is just beautiful :)

Bizzare Feet Volume 2

2010-01-29T15:06:00.010+07:00

Still in the mood for anything bizarre, guys? Because brace yourselves people, it's the Alexander McQueen Spring Summer 2010's alien shoes!

Look how thin all the models' legs are compared to the size of the shoes. One word: shocking! I, to be frank, find myself a little appalled seeing these shoes, they're like monsters hugging your feet, especially the ones in the reptile prints. Anyway, what do you think? Do you think of them as these bad-ass magnificent shoes or are they just plain ugly?

You think those shoes only belong on the runway? Well, here's the proof that they are meant to be proudly worn off the runway! Seen here is Miss Daphne Guinness in an aqua Alexander McQueen short dress and extravagant shoes, though at this time, she opts for the simpler ones; the pink-beige ones.

Mind your step, missy! Lol.

Bizzare Feet Volume 1

2010-01-28T22:01:00.008+07:00

She's stepping into her 40's now and yet Daphne Guinness (one of the members of the aristocratic Guinness family and a ferocious fashion icon/designer/philantrophist/writer/filmmaker/mother of three) has never failed to surprise us all. Here she is out and about in one of the most violent ground-breaking shoes ever made; the Nina Ricci Fall 2009's.

A brief look at the other shoes on the runway at the Nina Ricci Fall 2009 Fashion Show. Seriously guys, the boots are sky-high! Not to mention it's quite dangerous since there are no heels... at all! They're beautiful though, like out-of-this-world beautiful, especially the ones covered in purple glitters.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

2010-01-20T18:53:00.004+07:00

When I came across the novel at Kinokuniya, I wasn't entirely sure that I wanted it, especially since there were a bunch of other books sitting neatly in my bookshelf untouched, waiting to be read. And yet, as indifferent as I was, I felt the title was curiously familiar, like I'd seen it from time to time. It was strange considering that the novel was quite new and probably had just arrived a couple of days ago. The cover was also oddly familiar; the big stripes, faded baby blue and slightly greyish white. Looking at the cover, I instantly pictured this gaunt, baldheaded boy wearing faded blue-white pajamas sitting across an enormous, wire gate.

Then, I realized that I had seen the title, no, maybe the more correct word is looked at the title. Yes, I hadn't just caught a glimpse of the title, I'd looked at it. But it hadn't been a book's title. It had been more of a movie's title, or so I used to think. I'd never been aware that this was in fact a movie based on the novel of the same title.

The novel basically tells us about an odd friendship between two 9 year-olds trapped in horrendous circumstances. It starts with a boy named Bruno who finds his maid packing up his stuff into wooden crates. He later finds out that he's moving out of town along with his family to a new home at a strangely secluded place called Out-With. Of course, Bruno is very upset regarding the fact that he has to leave his lavish 5-storey mansion, the cheerful busy street nearby, and his 3 best friends. And much to his dismay, Bruno finds himself calling the depressing little house his new home.

Bruno's new home isn't the only thing that upsets him though, him having no friends and being prohibited to go out and explore also add to his misery. On a lighter note, Bruno discovers something interesting at Out-With, an encounter that he never thought of before. It turns out that Bruno's new home is not very far from a camp in which he sees a town of people dressed in striped pajamas separated from him by a wire fence. Seeing this makes him feel a tingle of curiosity. Then one day, feeling completely bored and lonely, Bruno decides to try for a walk but end up following the direction of the wire fence. Along the walk, Bruno spots a dot on the other side of the fence and as he gets closer, the dot turns out to be a thin fragile-looking 9 year-old boy sitting on dusty ground.

Later we, readers, will follow Bruno as he walks along the fence everyday, talking to Shmuel, the thin boy, who's in fact a Jew and has been separated from his mother to be brought with his father and brother to the camp.

I believe that from this point, we have understood what this novel is really about, no? Yes, it's about Holocaust; the term for the notorious massacre of the Jewish population during World War II. Shmuel, is in fact a Jewish boy who's trapped in a concentration camp while Bruno is, ironically, a son of a respected SS officer's. However, despite their differences, both of them quickly become inseparable.

The story is overall an elegant effortless read filled with a plethora of puns which adult readers should have no trouble deciphering, Out-With as an example. It is not so disturbingly long that makes you want to throw it away nor written in difficult fancy words yet the words used really do their job to capture the emotion and events that occur throughout the story. This book, in my opinion, is going to be those children's books which adults will read. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is not only remarkably heart-breaking and will provoke questions regarding Holocaust but its ending is also an unusual one for it is grotesquely clever.

Transition

2010-01-20T15:40:00.001+07:00

From the overly saturated florals to something majestically white; It's Rochas Spring Summer 2010 collection everyone!

Lovely floral prints. I love the cutting of the dress, conservative yet quite unique.

The satin turquoise blazer is amazing. Love the whole look.

White flowing dress. Chic. And... have I told you that I think I just developed a love for ankle-high socks?

Style Icon: Kate Lanphear, Part 1

2010-01-09T11:06:00.010+07:00

Monochromatic looks and silver platinum hair are her signatures. Always ventures into the dark side yet never ever her style disappoints. Kate Lanphear, one of the brightest fashion editors of US Elle, is truly the epitome of grunge-chic.

How do you make a tee and black pants look amazingly chic, Miss Lanphear?

Hands down, my most favorite outfit of hers.

This one is quite old, but never have I grown weary looking at it.

Balenciaga studded wedges + Hermes CDC cuff --> perfection.

Polka dot blouse worn as shawl. Clever.

Loving her grey hooded sweater, LV boots, and Marc Jacobs bag.

I like the fact that she rarely switches bag. She's been carrying the MJ bag for like forever, just look at how broken-in the bag is!

Her hair literally shines out amidst all the black hues.

Beautiful vintage Jean Paul Gaultier jacket (and bag!).

Come Home

2010-01-08T22:35:00.003+07:00

Hello world

Hope you're listening

Forgive me if I’m young

For speaking out of turn

There’s someone I’ve been missing

I think that they could be

The better half of me

They’re in their own place trying to make it right

But I’m tired of justifying

So i say you’ll..

Come home

Cause I’ve been waiting for you

For so long

And right now there's a war between the vanities

But all I see is you and me

The fight for you is all I’ve ever known

So come home

Oooh

I get lost in the beauty

Of everything I see

The world ain’t as half as bad

As they paint it to be

If all the sons

If all the daughters

Stopped to take it in

Well hopefully the hate subsides and the love can begin

It might start now..

Yeahh

Well maybe I’m just dreaming out loud

Until then

Come home
Come home
Cause I’ve been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all I see is you and me
The fight for you is all I’ve ever known
Ever known
So come home
Oooh

Everything I can’t be
Is everything you should be
And that’s why I need you here
Everything I can’t be
Is everything you should be
And that’s why I need you here
So hear this now

Come home
Come home
Cause I’ve been waiting for you
For so long
For so long
And right now there's a war between the vanities
But all I see is you and me
The fight for you is all I’ve ever known
Ever known
So come home

Come home...

(written and performed by OneRepublic and Sara Bareilles)

White

2010-01-08T19:10:00.002+07:00

(Courtesy of UK Harper's Bazaar)

Happy New Year 2010!

2010-01-01T12:54:00.004+07:00

Goodbye 2009, hello 2010!!!

Sparkles

2009-12-31T00:59:00.002+07:00

Tomorrow's New Year you guys!!!

Little Dinos

2009-12-29T10:34:00.006+07:00

Aren't they oh so cute?

(Courtesy of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinasours movie)

Untitled

2009-12-29T02:15:00.012+07:00

To bring up this topic on the blog is rather weird, not to mention out of context since I believe you readers (if there are actually readers here teehee) have sort of come into an understanding that 'Astrid Thinks' is more of a fashion blog rather than what-is-Astrid-thinking-right-now blog. And that is understandable, really, since there are in fact so many fashion-related posts here while the other non-fashion stuff is simply struggling to exist.

Anyway, aside from my rambling, the main question still remains:

What is this post about?

Well, this post is about none other than fashion but not in the usual sense, if you know what I mean. I was actually intrigued to write about this after learning the chapter in the English book called 'Branded'. The title immediately reminded me of what my mom had said about a year or two before. I vividly recall my mom saying that I should not let my possessions control me, in any aspects. And her saying stayed with me, I still remember it even after two years have passed.

Her words are easy. Easy to say but hard to be done. She actually said that to advise her daughter who at that time was so obsessed with fashion. I literally could surf the net for fashion websites for up than 5 hours non-stop. And not only the internet that I was crazy about, I was totally mad about clothes and stuff; I wanted this and I wanted that, and to be honest, those things weren't cheap, they required a hella lot of money. And sometimes, when I didn't get those, I started feeling disappointed and even cried in my bedroom in the end, because I really wanted them. I wanted to have them, I wanted to wear them, to flaunt them so people could see what I've got. Having acquired those is a self-satisfaction for me.

Luckily, my mom saw this. She wasn't mad actually, she just said that I shouldn't be controlled by those things. "Those things are dead things," said my mom. And it struck me. I instantly felt as though I was the most spoiled girl (maybe I was) and started to feel terribly remorseful. I was this girl who immediately sit in front of the computer right after I got home from school, I was this girl whose job was opening one fashion web to another and was also the one who forgot her responsibilities because of her habit. I was so carried on with fashion. It was not only my passion, It was a deep obsession and it started driving me mad.

I wanted this. I wanted that. I wanted that bubblegum pink Balenciaga part-time bag and I wanted those Chanel 5108 half-tinted sunnies. I wanted Christian Louboutin black patent Ron-Rons and those black Chanel metal-gun shoes. I also wanted that Chloe floral dress, The Row leather leggings, Givenchy Nightingale tote, and the list just went on and on and on, and it eventually made me tired. Tired because I kept demanding. Tired because when I just got what I wanted, I immediately started thinking of another new fashion stuff to acquire. And the most part which got me worn out was that I never got fully satisfied, even if I had already gotten the most recent stuff, there would be a lot of new ones which I had to have because otherwise my wardrobe would be obsolete.

I don't feel ashamed to post this to you guys, I believe that this is one of many things that I have to go through in order to make me a better person. There's a saying that tells us that experience is the best teacher and I believe that with all of my heart. But don't get me wrong, I still love fashion, as you can already see with so many fashion-related posts on my blog, and will still be, but I try not to be dictated let alone enslaved by it. I always try to remind myself that I'm still young and sometimes the things that I want aren't exactly the ones that I need. I also try to think that if it's meant to be, then it will happen, no matter what. If I were to get that bag, I would get that, but I just have be patient and not force my parents to buy it for me. I am still a kid after all. No matter how classy, cute, elegant those things are, cannot change the fact that they're still frivolous insignificant goods which require a tremendous amount of money.

Writing this makes me remember something:
I remember how lucky I am to have a family who are so caring and loving to me.
I remember how lucky I am to have a nice house, cars, and even housekeepers.
I remember how lucky I am to be blessed with a perfect, normal physique.
I remember how lucky I am to be studying at a nice fancy school.
I remember how lucky I am to be blessed with satisfying grades.
I remember how lucky I am to have so many good friends and teachers.

And most of all I remember how lucky I am to be me.

I recall having a conversation with my cousin's girlfriend about her trip to psychiatric institution where she and her friends at church distributed some goods to the people there, and she told me that there was an ex-priest living there. He apparently had picked up the mental illness due to the pressure in his life. He now lives as a patient at the institution. There are also patients there who are now abandoned and neglected by their own families. The families never even bother to visit them. They have no one to talk to, no where to live, except the place which they're now living at.

This reminds me of how extremely lucky and blessed I am, no, how extremely tremendously blessed we are. We, I am sure, at the very least, have homes to live at and parents who provide and care about us eventhough occasionally they get to our nerves, well, they're still humans after all, they're imperfect just like all of us, but still....., they love us. And that just makes me realize how lucky I am to have celebrated Christmas Day with my family at church and kind of embarrassed myself for wanting so many fancy insignificant things while so many people out there are struggling for even a spoonful of rice.

Merry Christmas once again, guys, and happy New Year!

Let us end this amazing year with gratitude and believe that the next one is going to be just as or even more exquisite!

P.S. I am still saddened by the thought of so many people, the patients at the institute in particular, will have to spend the New Year's all by themselves while I myself will be spending the time with my family.

God help and protect them. XOXO Astrid.

Tons of Bracelets

2009-12-29T01:03:00.006+07:00

Taylor Tomasi showing off her impeccable taste in accessories.

Christmas Around The World

2009-12-25T12:08:00.002+07:00

Still in the Christmas spirit, this is Merry Christmas translated in languages around the world:

Arabic Milad Majid or Milad Saeed
Mandarin Sheng Dankuai Le
Cantonese Sing Daan Faai Lok
Dutch Vrolijk Kerstfeest
English [American] Merry Christmas
English [Australian] Ave a bonza Chrissy, Mate
English [UK] Happy Christmas
French Joyeux Noël
German Froehliche Weihnachten
Hebrew Mo'adim Lesimkha. Chena tova
India Tamil Nadu - Christmas Vaazthukkal
Indonesian Selamat Hari Natal
Italian Buon Natale
Japanese Meri Kurisumasu
Korean Sung Tan Jul Chuk Ha
Spanish Feliz Navidad

Merry Christmas!!!

2009-12-24T00:01:00.005+07:00

Yay! It's officially Christmas! I'm so excited! More of an ecstatic actually hihi.

This Christmas has been soooo wonderful; no school aka holiday, celebrations, and of course....

getting presents!!!

Some lovely words:

Love. Faith. Hope. Gratitude.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

May Jesus bless all of you abundantly.

xoxo Astrid.

Rose Petals

2009-12-23T11:48:00.008+07:00

Givenchy Spring 2009 Couture is unequivocally my most favorite fashion show, not only because the collection was ridiculously beautiful but the runway was as amazing as well. The stage was covered with colorful rose petals which fyi, was a direct lift from a famous Lawrence Alma-Tadema painting; The Roses of Heliogabalus. You can tell by seeing how the petals were casually yet gracefully strewn over the black stage that this Spring 2009 Couture collection of Givenchy's would be just as exquisite.

The clothes turned out to be an exploration of the romantic Edwardian era with a little hint of mystery with all the veils, the black see-through outfits, and the smokey eyes which all the models seemed to be sporting. I have to admit, the make-up reminds me a lot of Twilight or anything vampirish. Just look at the models, they're all wearing the same pale, sallow faces with sinister-looking kinda bruised eyes.... if that makes any sense hehe.

Moving on to the clothes, of course they're still typical Givenchy with pastel and monochromatic colors, delicate fabrics, darkly sensual designs, and not to mention the hottest gorgeous shoes.

I think I've rambled enough here. Let's take a look at the collection before I start writing something much more incoherent lol.

Nice opening for the show; nude, sheer, and puffed shoulders.

Mint-colored. Love. Nice brooch by the way.

Draped chiffon gown in lemon completed with bandaged heels. Fascinating.

Puffed. Puffed.

All-white outfit and face obscured under cowl drapes.

Feathers and faded violet. Sooo whimsical.

It's not Givenchy if there's no black.

Magnificent necklace. And see what I was talking about? The model's face looked almost bloodless here!

Lovely shoes (and petals!).

Susan

2009-12-13T09:53:00.003+07:00

One of my most prized possessions: Chloe Susan boots.

I have them in nude though, not black.

Cream

2009-12-12T13:41:00.003+07:00

Anna Dello Russo wearing cream-colored outfit with matching fur and bejeweled Prada(?) wallet.

Puuurfect

2009-12-11T22:13:00.009+07:00

I've always had a soft spot for men's fashion.

I was supposed to talk about this in the post below but forgot to. Anyway, have you guys gotten the New Moon's Soundtrack? I quite like the songs, very indie and fit perfectly with the movie, especially Satellite Heart by Anya Marina.

Oh yeah, if you like slow raw music, try listening to Lykke Li's Possibility and Bon Iver & St.Vincent's Roslyn. They're very good.

I feel like endorsing albums here but I think I really should recommend John Mayer's new album (Battle Studies) to you guys. Overall the album is pretty solid and filled with deep meaning songs. Favorites are Heartbreak Warfare, Who Says, and Half of My Heart (duet with Taylor Swift here!).

Study No More

2009-12-11T20:37:00.009+07:00

A lovely day today is, the finals are officially over and I finally got the chance to have a long peaceful sleep. It had been quite a while since I got a good night's sleep, my lids were so heavy I literally slept for 4 straight hours this afternoon. Hehe.
Anyway, it's so nice to finally have some rest and realize that there's no need to open textbooks, study stuff 'till late hours, or wake up first thing in the morning... Oh, what I wouldn't give to have a life like this haha.

Other than this week's distressing tests, I finally managed to watch one of the most anticipated movies this year; New Moon. I had had high hopes for this movie and it turned quite well..., at least in my opinion...
The movie, in my opinion, is much better than the last one. The plot and the acting has really improved. I used to have some issues with Kristen Stewart's way of blinking; she looked like as if she had something in her eyes and she had to blink like a hundred times per second to get rid of it. It was honestly quite disappointing owning the fact that she had done rather well with Jodie Foster in Panic Room. That was different with New Moon though; she no longer blinked feverishly in a fraction of a second and the chemistry was so much better.
The others did well though, especially Aro (Michael Sheen) and Jane (Dakota Fanning). So intimidating yet intriguing at the same time.
On the other hand, I think it's already obvious that New Moon got bigger budget than its predecessor seen from the improved CGI, costumes, and make-up though I don't think it's necessary to have some heavy make-up tossed on Bella. Her wearing so many low-cut tops are also disturbing to me. Maybe I'm just too conservative here but I always potray Bella as an innocent plain girl not some "hot chick" in some unbuttoned shirt with red streaks in her hair.

LOL

That is all guys. Apart from the flaws Twilight and New Moon possessed, I still love both of them and will most definitely watch the third installment, Eclipse.

Ps: I don't know if SMAK 1's 10th graders are following this blog but I just want to tell you guys good look for Monday's finals. Gbu.

Couture a la Givenchy

2009-12-10T12:28:00.004+07:00

Judge a designer not only by his pret-a-porter collection but the haute couture as well.

A bridal grown has never looked fiercer.

Nice outfit for pilgrimage don't you think?

ChanelChanelChanel

2009-12-10T12:15:00.004+07:00

Yay, the finals are almost over! Tomorrow is the last day and that means I can relax a bit and update my blog!

Still obsessed with Chanel though.

Taylor Tomasi (from Teen Vogue) wearing Chanel Reissue, YSL boots, and tons of bracelets.

A lady sporting Chanel classic 2.55, white leather Hermes watch, and an amazing costume jewellery.

Obsessing Over: Chanel

2009-12-04T13:06:00.011+07:00

Deeply apologetic for the lack of posts, last week was pretty hectic. So much has been going on in only 7 days. The excessive number of tests and my going to Singapore were responsible for it. And since the finals are not yet finished 'till next Friday, I can't promise to update more frequently.
Anyway, here's what I've been thinking about for these couple weeks (still managed to think about fashion in spite of the horrendous amount of schoolwork after all LOL).

The black outfit, pearls, and Chanel bag --> perfection.

Patent Chanels are soooo squishy, love them!

Ariella

2009-11-20T19:17:00.005+07:00

Ariellas are probably my most favorite Louboutins (the studded ones in particular), they're so unique yet dangerous at the same time. Some people may hate them, but I totally love them.

Red soles and studs are totally made for each other

Futuristic

2009-11-18T20:25:00.004+07:00

How Nicholas Ghesquiere of Balenciaga could come up with glittery-sock booties and rubber spaceship-like heels is just amusing to me.

The Muse II

2009-11-14T15:21:00.010+07:00

I saw this photograph of a woman carrying her YSL Muse II on Jak&Jil and I literally fainted....

Well, not literally actually, but still I was blown away of how nice the bag looked.

The bag was beautifully broken in and NOT carried on the crook of her arm, I saw people carrying Muse II on their arm's crook and trust me, it didn't look good...

The bag is quite heavy and big, it leaves bruises on your arm!

....and in the sea of sky-scrapping heels, came this woman wearing jeans and a pair ol' sneakers...

Seriously, this woman is truly my idol

Song Quotes Vol. 1

2009-11-13T18:05:00.008+07:00

Don´t stop believin
Hold on to that feelin´ (Glee Cast's Don't Stop Believing cover)

We haven't lost it all yet
And all we know for sure
Is all that we are fighting for (The Fray's Syndicate)

You might be a big fish
In a little pond
Doesn't mean you've won
'Cause along may come
A bigger one (Coldplay's Lost?)

The storm is coming
But I don't mind
People are dieing
I close my blinds
All that I know is I'm breathing now (Ingrid Michaelson's Keep Breathing)

Don't look away
Don't run away
Hey baby it's only life (Kate Voegele's Don't look Away)

If it's a broken part, replace it
If it's a broken arm then brace it
If it's a broken heart then face it (Jason Mraz's Details in the Fabric)

Oh you got to remember the love
You know that love is a gift from up above
Share love, give love, spread love
Measure, measure your life in love (Rent Soundtrack's Season of Love)

Still Thinking about Lanvin

2009-11-13T17:20:00.006+07:00

Haven't gotten over how beautiful the collection was.

Does anyone know what kind of blue this is? The color is so darkly romantic and matches perfectly well with the shoes!

This may be the simplest outfit in the show but I still like it. It's sharp and quite mannish, and has a sort of YSL vibe to it.

I'm a fan of peach and nude colors and the outfit just satisfied my hunger.

I L.O.V.E this dress, it's delicate yet beautiful.

Lanvin Spring Summer 2010

2009-11-13T15:32:00.007+07:00

Lanvin has once again become one of my favorites this season with its beautiful bold colors, giant ethnic necklaces, and impressive clothing technique. The collection is actually not that different from the last ones with all the ruffles and pleated dresses (typical Lanvin) but somehow Alber Elbaz-the creative mind behind-made it more interesting and unique. Eversince the recession hit, fashion seemed to take a step backward by delivering gloomier and darker collections responsing to the market's need of something more understated and classic. The same goes with Lanvin last season; the show was filled with tons of black jumpsuits and altered charmeuse dresses and few bolder but still in the 'recession theme' hues.

That is why this season's collection is so unique and much more interesting. It was as if Mr. Elbaz was telling a story; the show was opened with plain monochromatic looks but later reached its climax with an overload of colors, glitters, and bold accessories. The technique was perfect and the designs beyond wonders, seen from the intricate yet well-crafted drapes and pleats. All that I conclude from this presentation is that though fashion becomes obsolete after a mere 6 months, this collection will not easily be forgotten.

Yellow on the front and black on the right shoulder; lethal color combination.

One of my favorite outfits in the show.

The folded layered fabrics do wonders for me.

I'm utterly in love with this gold sequins encrusted jumpsuit. Glamorous yet romantic.

This outfit is so lovely with all the creamy nude colors and soft pleated skirt.

Balenciaga Leather Jacket Part Two

2009-11-06T16:07:00.005+07:00

It's been months yet I still can't get over how immensely beautiful and versatile this jacket is.

Stripes

2009-11-06T15:44:00.009+07:00

The fact that these two women were photographed wearing almost identical jumpers is amusing to me. Those killer shoes, Balenciaga jodhpurs (faint), heavily stuffed Birkin on the floor, AND the random plastic bags they're carrying just make this picture more interesting.

Nicole Richie Post-Baby

2009-10-22T21:22:00.006+07:00

Yup in case you guys haven't found out yet,

Nicole Richie has delivered a lil' brother for Harlow...

And here she is out and about wearing a very comfortable-looking peach cardi, Alexander McQueen Scarf (you can get one at On Pedder Plaza Indonesia), Uggs, and her signature Balenciaga bag.

Oh one more thing, I really like her look here.

Shredded

2009-10-21T19:13:00.003+07:00

Rodarte Fall/Winter 2008

Eternal Love

2009-10-20T19:40:00.003+07:00

Givenchy Fall/Winter 2008

Forrest Gump

2009-10-19T17:28:00.011+07:00

I've been thinking to post something about this movie, but haven't got the time to do so. The vast amount of homework, large number of tests, and my laziness just kept getting in the way...

Anyway, this movie, was without a doubt one of the best movies in 1994. It won several Oscars, ranging from Best Actor to Best Picture. It won the hearts of people around North America, proven from its commercial success as the top grossing film in the country released that year. This movie is also one of my favorites, well, my MOST favourite movie actually. It easily beat out my then-most favourite movie which had been The Departed-I'll get around to post about that later-which I used to think of as the best movie of all time (so cliche haha).

For an Oscar-winning movie, Forrest Gump has a rather simple story. It basically tells a life tale about a man with an IQ of 75. You'll learn through this movie how this man, Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), never gives up, never feels pity about himself in spite of his below-average intelligence and the tragic losses that he has to go through.

Judging from my description above, I'm sure you guys will think of Forrest Gump as a rather generic common movie. But trust me, it's not. Sure, it isn't filled with intricate story line or an unfathomable fancy plot, but this movie will simply blow away your mind with its 'plain-untwisted' story and that's the beauty of it. It's simple yet its simplicity continues to amaze me from time to time. It's accessible, it's humorous, you laugh at the jokes, you learn from the quotes, and even cry in sorrow with Forrest.

PS: I also reccomend listening to Forrest Gump's 'Feather Theme' song. Its soothing tunes and relaxing melodies are remarkably peaceful.

"I've chosen my life-now I want to start living it." Bella Swan

2009-10-19T16:06:00.010+07:00

Patiently waiting for New Moon.

Loose

2009-10-10T15:23:00.003+07:00

Details: Givenchy

2009-10-09T18:03:00.002+07:00

Givenchy never fails me.

Dries Van Noten Spring Summer 2010

2009-10-09T17:03:00.018+07:00

This may be a little late since this post is related to Batik which was celebrated by the people of Indonesia last Friday, October 2nd. But, instead of focusing on the unpunctuality of my post, I'd like to focus on one of the brightest stars in Paris Fashion Week; Dries Van Noten who-to my shocking surprise and I mean it in a good way-has launched his collection filled with a plethora of tribal patterns and batik as though they were imported straight from the South-East Asia.

Well of course not all of them are batik. In fact, maybe all of them are not the actual batik. But there are some patterns which-correct me if I'm wrong-represent our nation's traditional patterns. And to be frank, I actually didn't expect an international fashion house, let alone an internationally prominent fashion house like Dries would come up with such idea to bring up a collection of batik. Tribal, yes. But batik, no. His collection has succesfully proven me wrong though, I used to think that batik is merely an Indonesian traditional clothing technique and patterns but now I realize it has become an inspiration for people outside the country.

Long live batik!!! hahaha (gj banget), anyway here's the collection:

The floral pants are lovely, this outfit was the perfect opening for the show.

The grey blouse is an understated beauty and the colors and patterns of the skirt are just pure perfect.

This one reminds me of batik haha. I'm no expert of batik but I think the pattern of the skirt kinda resembles it. What d'yall think?

Okay, I lovelove how Karlie Kloss walks. She barely hits 18 yet she walks like a fashion goddess.

Anyway, I so like the sunnies, they're so quirky.

My first thought on the blazer was: Cool, a silver python blazer. Then I realize it was not python, it was in fact a silver batik look-alike blazer. Now that's way even cooler.

Overall, the collection was good. I actually like the last season's (Fall Winter 2009) better with its nude, peach, and salmon hues. But this one wasn't made to disappoint either, it was brave, unique, and fun with all the gorgeous patterns.

Hope

2009-10-05T19:39:00.006+07:00

I would be lying
if I said I never had fear
if I said I never had doubts
and if I stated I never experienced anxiety.

But I'd be damned if I didn't have hope.

I am not fearless
but I do have hope
I live in it
I breathe in it
I cherish it
It invigorates me.

It is not a utopia nor a daydream though I do love daydreaming
It is faith
It is holding on to your belief with unbreakable tenacity
and it comforts you in suffering times.

People change, they come and go
and things fall apart
but my hope will never cease
hence I will still exist.

xoxo Astrid

Pyramids

2009-10-05T16:40:00.002+07:00

Effortless

2009-10-03T14:03:00.003+07:00

picture scanned from French Vogue

Prada shirt tucked into Balmain leather pants, paired with Lanvin flats and black Prada bag.... Seriously, how could you possibly go wrong with that?

Astrid Thinks

Soon!

Sukses

Architectural

Style Icon: Milan Vukmirovic

The Essentials

1984--another post

1984

Jewels, Kate Lanphear's

Serpentes

Alexander McQueen Fall 2010, Part 2

Alexander McQueen Fall 2010, Part 1

Jewels, MK's

Cruel Shoe

Rouge

Style Icon: Clémence Poésy, Part 2

Hiatus

I Crave Chanel

Keeping Warm

CHANEL

Vienna

Shoe Porn Volume Three

Flowy Blowy

La La Leopard

Style Icon: Clémence Poésy, Part 1

Hiya!

Gone with the Wind

Colorfur

Graduation

Next Stop London: The Verdict

Magnificent Furs

Gran Torino

Feet

Style Icon: Kate Lanphear, Part 2

I Think...

Blue

Song Quotes Vol.2

MK

Child's Play

March 2010

Nail

Fashion Troops

Sunshine

Check Your Phone

Flying Colors

Behind Wires

A Touch of Red

Next Stop London

Joana - Balenciaga

Hey, Soul Sister

Clog Clog Clog

Layers

Style Icon: Joana Preiss

Eggplant

Burberry Prorsum (Part 2)

Burberry Prorsum (Part 1)

Illuminate

Balenciaga Leather Jacket Part Three

Everything

Bizzare Feet Volume 2

Bizzare Feet Volume 1

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Transition

Style Icon: Kate Lanphear, Part 1

Come Home

White

Happy New Year 2010!

Sparkles

Little Dinos

**Untitled**

Tons of Bracelets

Christmas Around The World

Merry Christmas!!!

Rose Petals

Susan

Cream

Puuurfect

Study No More

Couture a la Givenchy

ChanelChanelChanel

Untitled