DEAD FLEURETTE

NEW BLOG!

2011-10-24T11:11:00.000+02:00

www.grayzine.no/deadfleurette

So long!

2011-10-23T17:51:00.002+02:00

I'm a bit sad, because this is perhaps the last post ever on this blog – my alter ego's home ever since 2008.

Tomorrow, Dead Fleurette will migrate to a new place so as to be part of something great – a new blog collective. It's not a sudden decision, I've been mulling over and planning this blog move for almost a year now, and I can't believe it's all happening tomorrow. Whether or not the migration is permanent, I won't stop contributing to the blogosphere. We'll see how I like my new home. Frankly, I'm going to miss this place and layout tremendously, but a change of scenery is probably healthy, especially as the landlord is loathsome! But don't fret – it will take all the furniture.. ooops, I mean posts along with it.

One thing I'm very excited about is the comments section on my new blog. It will be a lot easier to reply to each and every comment with the threaded comments feature, which is something I've been trying to incorporate into my blog for months but blogspot is indeed a bitch.

I REALLY HOPE that this move won't stop any of you, my lovely readers from dropping by my blog. I hope those of you who have been around and commented in here since the day one will come along too. My old URL will still work for a couple of days and after that it will redirect you to my new home. Please come on along with me on the ride!

A trillion thanks for your continued readership and support!

Come back tomorrow to check out my new blog.

PS: You can still use this URL. And I will take care of those of you who subscribe to Dead Fleurette on bloglovin. :-)

Hair crush

2011-10-11T02:23:00.000+02:00

(via thekidsalooker)

I don't know who the alluring girl is in this picture. She's perhaps famous or something, as I'm pretty sure I've seen her somewhere on the interweb before. But one thing I know is that I have a major girl crush on her right now. Oh my! And I suppose it's because of her hair. No, I really do have a crush on her hair. She makes me want to rummage my drawers for a sharp scissor and shed my locks right away, which is something I've been contemplating doing for a little while now.

Oddly enough, I've been feeling a compulsion to reinvent myself in terms of appearance as of late – I've already purchased a whole lot of new clothes, new spectacles (it was about time), and additionally I've put on 100 kilograms, so basically I should stop this reinvention before I go overboard with sex reassignment surgery and such, lol. And although I saw my hairdresser a month ago, I feel like I have to do something drastic to my hair pronto. But chopping off my hair is like a leap in the dark for me. These days, I wear my hair in a bun or a high ponytail, largely as it makes me feel and look less feminine. Not really sure whether or not it’s a good thing, but I'm currently all about looking boyish. Quite frankly, it's more of a psychological matter on which I might elaborate another time – if I dare broach the subject myself.

That said, if I all of a sudden decide to chop off my precious locks, it's going to be comme ça.

How I'd wear a pea coat

2011-10-10T00:14:00.000+02:00

Isabel Marant Etoile Atea coat

I’ve been eyeing this beautifully structured pea coat from Isabel Marant for quite a few months, and now I’m finally able to tick it off my wish list. Hurray! I compromised and went for a very dark navy one, despite the fact that I’ve always had both a black and navy pea coat on my list of dream purchases.

The timing couldn’t be more perfect as it’s started getting beastly cold outside. As with almost every new wardrobe addition of mine, I make collages. Not that I’m breaking any new ground, but it’s a great way to visually pinpoint my taste, preferences and style. I like doing collages with items I already possess and items of which I’m planning to get hold in the future.

Well, I’m aware that there are a lot of different shades of blue in these outfits. I think I tend to wear blue more than black nowadays, or any other color for that matter. And whoopsy daisy, there are oodles of A.P.C. items in the collages below. Obsessed much?

Thakoon cigarette trousers, Acne denim shirt, Comme des Garçons Play cardigan, Church's burwood brogues, Sofia Coppola x Louis Vuitton bag, Omega watch

A.P.C. cashmere sweater, Thakoon cigarette trousers, A.P.C. canvas tote bag, Repetto ankle boots, Chanel nail polish, Hermès bracelet

A.P.C. ribbed sweater, Margaret Howell shirt, A.P.C. canvas tote bag, Cheap Monday jeans, Hermés bracelet, Dieppa Restrepo loafers

Isabel Marant jeans, A.P.C. shirt, Church's burwood brogues, Sofia Coppola x Louis Vuitton bag, Omega watch, Denis Colomb scarf

Cannabis

2011-10-09T16:42:00.001+02:00

Those of you who have been following my blog for some time are most likely aware that I have a penchant for scented candles. I love burning candles, especially when the colder seasons are approaching and melancholy has settled in.

I went to London on Thursday and finally got my hands on this covetable "Cannabis" candle from Malin+Goetz. It's rapidly become a new favorite of mine. The peppery redolence is hands down extremely seductive and addictive – but fortunately it won't put you behind bars, so I wouldn't mind getting drugged on this candle. And burning it makes me high, lol, even though it doesn't contain a sprinkle of cannabis. It also smells like men's perfume, which might explain why I can't stop sniffing at it – yes, I also have a soft spot for mens' fragrances. One word: LOVE!

Inspiration on a Saturday

2011-10-01T14:50:00.000+02:00

(images via thekidsalooker, theepitomeofquiet, style.com)

These looks basically exemplifies how I dress these days. I'll let the images speak for themselves! Note to self: Get my hands on a structured peacoat soon, preferably a black one!

Wardrobe upgrades

2011-09-30T16:38:00.000+02:00

Truth be told, it’s been a while since the last time I posted something on my blog, so massive apologies for that unplanned hiatus. A hell of a lot has happened during my absence so I suppose I'll be updating quite frequently to get this thing current. I've also got some incredibly exhilarating news for you soon, but in the interim I have to keep the tidings under my hat. Only 11 days to go – and the excitement is building up, haha.

However, it would have been downright boring for you to read why I've been so busy and that my life took quite a different direction, so let's skip that part and talk a little bit about what's to the point for my blog's topic; wardrobe building, personal style and clothes.

Yes, I've spent bundles on wardrobe investments since this post. Most of them were scored on sale or sort of bought on a whim, but they have quickly become mainstays of my wardrobe and part of my style. I've stopped the excessive wardrobe planning and I no longer try to restrict myself to a particular style or look. Now I'm more open to options I never would have considered otherwise. That's what I love about personal style – it emerges over time, which is really fascinating.

As for my acquisitions, I found my in-between-seasons transitional jacket in Milan – a navy trenchcoat from Barbour, and it was 40% off. I dragged my family all the way to the Barbour shop in Milan just so I could put my hands on one of those iconic Barbour jackets, but ended up with something totally unpredictable. To quote Edith Piaf: “Non, je ne regrette rien”! I also obtained a pair of Ann Demeulemeester sandals at an outlet store in Milan. And, much to my utter surprise, I even found a lovely, yet quirky LBD at Zara – perfect for dinner parties and slightly formal events. On top of that, I scored a pair of black Dries Van Noten suede heels from one of my readers and favorite bloggers (she's gone private) for a smidgen of the retail price. In fact, I've been trying to track these down for months. In addition, I've bought my first pair of jeans in ages, and a new pair of spectacles from Balenciaga. It took me only 4 years to find new eyeglasses, so now I have two poles apart pairs to rotate between. More about them later.

Moreover, I have parted, or am about to part with some of the stuff in my wardrobe – items that eventually didn't work out somehow. This is how my wardrobe looked like in April, and now it looks like this:

Outerwear
Isabel Marant gray bator coat
~~Isabel Marant navy elali jacket~~
~~Isabel Marant maroon boucle jacket~~
Vintage gray blazer
Barbour navy trenchcoat

Shirts and blouses
A.P.C. light blue liberty print shirt
Isabel Marant Étoile black blouse
Vintage white short-sleeved blouse
Vintage maroon/purple-ish silk shirt
Vintage light blue patterned shirt

Long sleeve tops
American Apparel gray raglan pullover
American Apparel navy raglan pullover
A.P.C. breton shirt
~~Isabel Marant Étoile white linen top~~
Secondhand breton top

T-shirts
COS navy pocket t-shirt
COS white sheer t-shirt

Knits
A.P.C. striped cashmere knit
~~Acne black chunky knit~~
COS black crew neck lambswool sweater
Isabel Marant Étoile black open-back knit
Vanessa Bruno Athé navy wool sweater

Jeans
Cheap Monday black jeans
~~Levi's dark blue jeans~~
Cheap Monday blue jeans

Trousers and shorts
~~Isabel Marant black linen trousers~~
Zara black tapered trousers
Zara black shorts

Cardigans
American Apparel gray tri-blend cardigan

Skirts
~~Urban Outfitters black vintage leather skirt~~

Dresses
Zara dress

Footwear
Bianco footwear black pumps
~~Doc Martens black combat boots~~
Ettore Adriano black leather loafers
Isabel Marant taupe suede ankle boots
~~Zara black suede ankle boots~~
The Kooples taupe ankle boots
Ann Demeulemeester sandals
Dries Van Noten black suede heels

Bags
Balenciaga black city bag
Marc by Marc Jacobs black hobo

Evidently, I'm still a nerd! Here's to a happy weekend everyone! And all of a sudden, it's summer again.

Fall'11 wardrobe planning pt. 1

2011-08-28T13:22:00.000+02:00

I don't think I need more clothes. To be blunt, it's a matter of wanting more clothes, by virtue of my partiality for clothing. In spite of that, owning just a small amount of clothes, some of them high-maintenance, has become somewhat a thorn in my flesh – given my schedule, there's practically no time for laundering or hand washing my clothes. I take good care of the contents of my wardrobe to ensure long life for my items, so I always wash at 30 degrees for instance. If it weren’t for my mom’s ‘indifference’ towards maintenance of clothes, it would undoubtedly have been a cinch to wash my stuff together with my family’s laundry – but they are not to be trusted. However, I will have to waste twice as much water and electricity if I wash clothes one by one, which I refuse to do. By the time I have a hamper full of laundry to wash at once, I don’t have any clean clothes to wear until everything has dried. So, okay, perhaps I do need more clothes to simplify my rather hectic life, especially tops. I can do with only one or two trousers but I seem to always run out of tops before I run out of bottoms.

A normal person would solve this issue by trying the mall to find an adequate amount of new tops. I, on the other hand, am struggling big time with finding tops that I would actually like to wear and bring into my curated wardrobe, which might indicate why my wardrobe lacks shirts. I’m quite particular about what I like, and I am also super fastidious with regards to fabrics and such. Therefore, this season’s mission is to get hold of some more tops, both out of practicality and as a way to create variations in terms of attires.

Anyway, I like to have a clear picture of what I want to integrate into my wardrobe, so here are some inspiration:

From left: Acne wave denim shirt, A.P.C. chemise d'homme bordeaux, and A.P.C. chemise d'homme marine

Comme des Garçons play striped shirt, A.P.C. pull col rond en laine, and Miu Miu cropped cashmere-pullover

Isabel Marant Étoile Jyron blouse, Lanvin pussybow crepe blouse, and Forte Forte sprig print shirt

My biggest fear is to one day look like Lorelai Gilmore in the one Gilmore Girls episode, in which she had run out of clothes and showed up in the most hideous outfit at Rory’s first day at Chilton. Oh boy, poor lady!

At Bare Jazz

2011-08-22T02:56:00.002+02:00

(photos by Eirik Slyngstad)

Through a passageway hidden in the crowded streets of Oslo's city center lies one of the most tranquil and coziest backyards in town. Bare Jazz ("Only Jazz" in English) is a watering hole, café, and record shop specialized in jazz, with occasional live music. It's hands down my favorite haunt in Oslo. This place used to be my hangout when I was in the first year of high school. At the time I wasn't especially interested in jazz music so I only have pleasant recollections of all the friendly get-togethers and the nice atmosphere that still lingers in the air. But then I became rather ill, both physically and mentally, so I stopped seeing my friends for two years or thereabouts, which made me forget about this little bijou of a café. Fortunately, it was rediscovered back in April and everything has remained the same apart from my taste in music. I cannot stress enough how much I enjoy this place now that I've developed a keen ear for jazz music. You'll find me at Bare Jazz at least twice a week. Grensen 8, 0159 Oslo

In the photos above I'm wearing my new trenchcoat from Barbour, A.P.C. shirt, Zara tapered trousers, and Isabel Marant boots.

Chanterelle fever

2011-08-21T00:59:00.000+02:00

There are millions of things I love about autumn. One of them is the chanterelle season. The scent of freshly picked chanterelles evokes many fond childhood memories – I tended to gather chanterelles in the forest because I knew that my mom would be over the moon about them. Bringing mushrooms home from school outings in the woods was the ultimate trick to make her happy, which is something I ought to do more than just once in a while nowadays. And then she made creamy soups and Vietnamese 'banh gio' (steamed minced pork rice dumpling) with the chanterelles. Good times, indeed. Last Thursday, Julie, Maja and I cooked pasta with chanterelle mushrooms. So. Freaking. Delicious. The day after, Julie invited some girls over for delectable risotto with chanterelles and prosecco. I love the way my favorite season is approaching!

Stuck on repeat this summer

2011-08-20T14:13:00.000+02:00

(source)

Something really terrible happened exactly three weeks ago; everything on my iPod got erased with no warning whatsoever. I've been utterly devastated ever since, and with lots of things going on in life I haven't had the fortitude to rebuild my music library. I'm talking about 70 GB and four years worth of music. As someone with an obsessive penchant for lists, particularly playlists, I think it's about time to lay them out here on my blog so that I can always go back in the archives and recall the albums that used to be stuck on repeat. (Hehe, Little Boots, 2008)

So, these are the albums, which have been repeatedly belting out of my speakers in the summer breeze; the sounds that will always remind me of the summer of 2011:

Bar-Kays / Soulfinger

Chad Valley / Equatorial Ultravox

Charles Bradley / No Time For Dreaming

Chocolate Milk / Action Speaks Louder Than Words

Craft Spells / Idle Labor

Discodeine / Discodeine

Idris Muhammad / Turn This Mutha Out

Inner Life / Inner Life II

The Isley Brothers / Go All The Way

Kisses / The Heart Of The Nightlife

Maya Jane Coles / Humming Bird EP

Menahan Street Band / Make The Road By Walking

Midnight Magic / Beam Me Up

The O'Jays / Back Stabbers

Rimer London / Rimer London

The Strokes / Is This It, First Impressions Of Earth

The Whispers / Open Your Love

And what's next? Shopping, films, books, life, colors, recaps... I should join listography.com at some point. Hope you've had a terrific summer. Mine has been... an unbelievable roller coaster.

Oslove

2011-07-31T23:55:00.000+02:00

(kowie.tumblr.com)

Myriad apologies for my unpredicted blog hiatus and that I totally neglected my promise to post more than just once during the festival. That said, I'm still struggling to get into the online swing of things. To put the matter in a nutshell; traveling, work, family, exhilarating projects, love, friends, and sorrow have indeed thrown a monkey wrench into the blogging lately. I just wanted to break the mold and let you know that I'm alive in light of the recent tragedy in Norway and my city. I'm still completely taken aback and bewildered by the bombing and shooting – it's completely surreal. I cannot stop thinking of the families and people who suffer from losing a loved one to this terrible event. This national tragedy is the essence of sadness to its core, but I have never seen so much love and solidarity among people before. And Oslo is completely covered in roses. Thank you so much for the kindness and concern expressed through emails, twitter messages, formspring questions, and comments – they are truly uplifting in these dark times. Stay strong and take care of each other!

My Hove festival look of the day #1

2011-06-28T17:10:00.001+02:00

Secondhand hat, A.P.C. shirt, Zara shorts, Marc by Marc Jacobs bag + loafers

So far, Hove has been great. One of the main reasons why I’m attending the festival is because I’m working for the festival’s newspaper. How could I decline such an opportunity? As promised, here is my festival attire of the day. I'm truly excited for tonight's gigs – Charles Bradley and The Vaccines + clubbing!

Hove essentials

2011-06-25T22:54:00.009+02:00

My dad's old wife-beater shirt, two striped breton tops, cardigan from American Apparel, COS t-shirt, A.P.C. liberty print shirt, tailored shorts from Zara, Ray-Ban Clubmasters, disposable camera, Coco Mademoiselle perfume, Bumble & Bumble texture cream, Bumble & Bumble curl conscious reactivating mist, Kiehl's ultra facial moisturizer SPF 15, Neutrogena sunblock SPF 100, Chanel rouge noir lipstick, Kiehl's ultra facial cleanser and toner, writing pad.

Here are some of my festival essentials. So, in the midst of being the worst-case scenario of a busy bee, I have one way or another managed to launder my clothes and pack for 7 days of escapism from the real world. Tomorrow morning I'm leaving for the divine island Tromøy to attend the Hove festival. It's going to be such a fun and interesting week, I can tell. Obviously, I'm overly excited, as I'm a virgin when it comes to festivals of this kind. Be that as it may, I have always prided myself on being a light packer, but in this case I think I may have overpacked a bit due to possibly unpredictable weather changes. I can divulge that this photo only presents 1/4 of the stuff I'm bringing. Thank goodness I have accumulated quite an amount of refillable travel-size bottles over the last few years of traveling – they're such saviors, otherwise I wouldn't at all be able to fit my bathroom's cabinet's top shelf into a small bag.

Anyway, I will most likely blog my personal approach to festival style every day next week. After all, I'm a festival rookie. On top of that, I'll be tweeting daily snippets from the festival around the clock, only to make your life seem more miserable. He-he! On the other hand, I never got around to announcing the winners of the Hove festival passes giveaway: Olga from Warsaw and Jane from Toulouse. Congratulations! Looking forward to seeing both of you soon. Super stoked!

See you at Hove! (If anyone recognizes me at the festival; pardon my chronic bitchface that might repel you from saying hi, but please say hi regardless!)

Spring wardrobe planning pt. 4

2011-06-22T22:46:00.000+02:00

First off, I have to apologize for my few-and-far-between posts and the lack of response to comments/e-mails these days. No explanation needed (oh, beautiful weather, hello!), though I haven't felt tingles of inspiration to get back into the bloggy swing of things as of late. Anyway, despite having no time or desire to go shopping at all, I am at long last able to tick off two items from my spring/summer list. Hurray!

1) An in-between-seasons transitional jacket
2) A pair of sandals
3) Wide brim sun hat
4) Ray-Ban sunglasses
5) Tailored shorts
6) A black pouch

My most recent investment piece arrived just in time for the festival season. As a ridiculously super-picky gal, it's no surprise that it took me months to settle on a pair of sunglasses. I am, however, very appreciative of my picky behavior at times, as it seems to pay off in the long run. Although I'd love to possess a couple of frivolous shades, it's not really an option as I'm rather nearsighted and need prescription lenses because I won't consider contact lenses. Price isn't much of an issue – quality is. Apparently, I settled on the Clubmasters from Ray-Ban, and I'm absolutely content with this investment. There is a bit of kookiness and nonchalance in the look of the sunglasses, to which I'm quite partial. Decidedly, the Clubmasters are offbeat and classic at the same point.

As for the hat, it is by no means a sun hat or what I had in mind, but I am literally fed up with searching for hats – though I have only gone hat hunting in five shops. In other words, I'm not much of a keen hat hunter. Thanks to my friends’ providential moving-out-sale yesterday, I ultimately scored a bargain of a hat, which I bought from Maja. Fortunately, the brim is wide enough to somewhat keep the tan away, and I look kind of cute, eccentric and schizophrenic, style-wise, when wearing it. Anyhow, I'm just a tad concerned that this hat might be too warm on unbearably hot summer days; hence I'm still searching for a summery straw hat. There is nothing more repellent than hair soaked in sweat by virtue of unbefitting headwear. Any suggestions are welcome!

A common thread

2011-06-16T12:25:00.001+02:00

I no longer feel the urge to experiment with style and clothes, which is something I find pretty amazing and relieving truth be told. It’s as though I have ultimately merged with my alter ego, or that my looks are now deeply intertwined with my identity at last. My apologies for the vague descriptions, but it’s almost inexplicable. Sartorially speaking, I feel settled into my own style. As I see it, maintaining a common thread, which runs through my approach to dressing, is as exhilarating as the general thrill most people get out of pushing the envelope.

I don't mind being a repeat offender; as a matter of fact I embrace my nature. These days I have two pairs of shoes that are practically cut from the same cloth; while the Isabel Marant boots are great for daywear, I reserve the high-heeled twin from The Kooples for casual eveningwear, as I want to dress up a bit for the occasion yet keep things consistent. Evidently, I have found a common thread in terms of style and aesthetics – my 'going-out' attires, for instance, are just slightly more dressed up versions of my everyday look. Having a very small wardrobe is, to be sincere, both limiting and challenging at the same time, but I thoroughly enjoy the consistency my wardrobe provides and the fact that I always feel like myself regardless of what I’m clad in.

On the other hand, I'm forever on the search for formal eveningwear that caters well to my style, taste and life. I believe it's feasible to dress accordingly for a variety of different occasions and still look and feel like myself. 'Shop and dress with conviction' has been one of my shopping and style mantras for quite a while now.

(Sorry for the long ramble!)

2x2 Hove festival passes giveaway

2011-06-07T02:43:00.016+02:00

(via hovefestivalen.no and various tumblrs)

I wanted to do something nice for my incredible readers, so I personally asked the Hove festival if they would like to team up with my blog and do the coolest giveaway ever. I am over the moon to announce that Dead Fleurette is hosting a giveaway of 2x2 Hove music festival passes for June 26th – July 2nd (the festival takes place between June 28th – July 1st). I know, it's only a couple of weekends away but here's hoping that two of you have no plans yet for these dates so that you can travel to Norway and experience a festival week filled with great music, memories, fun, and much more. I will be blogging (and tweeting) from the festival this summer and I'm truly excited as I have never been to a music festival of this kind before! The line-up is absolutely amazing. NME even stated that Hove is the world's most beautiful festival in this blog post. Furthermore, Hove is a completely carbon neutral festival and takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously.

Two lucky readers will win 2 all inclusive festival passes (worth approx. $950) – which give you and a friend of yours access to the festival and its camp. If you are a bit hesitant in terms of carrying a tent and sleeping bags all the way to Norway; don't worry, you can book a pre-pitched tent here. Anyone can enter as this giveaway is worldwide – but unfortunately, flight tickets are not included. Click here for more information on the festival and how to get there.

To enter the giveaway you have to....:

– Be over 16 years old.

– Make sure that you are able to travel to Norway. If you are low on funds, check out low cost airlines, such as norwegian.no, ryanair.com, sas.no, as they usually offer cheap and affordable flight tickets.
– Ask your friend to come along for an unforgettable week.

– Follow Dead Fleurette on twitter/bloglovin and the Hove festival on twitter/facebook.

– Submit your name AND city/country + your e-mail or alternative contact details (facebook, twitter, blog) under the comments section.

The giveaway ends Saturday, June 11th! Looking forward to meeting two of you on the beautiful island Tromøy soon!

The giveaway has ended. Winners will be contacted, so check your e-mail. They will be announced as soon as possible. Thank you for entering this giveaway!

No time for dreaming

2011-06-03T01:47:00.006+02:00

(via kaffeinkatmandu.tumblr.com)
Title by Charles Bradley

Currently dreaming of sailing away, moving to New York, a career within music supervision, writing or a creative field, ample leisure for literature and movies; wavering between choosing the path of conformity or venturing out into pursuing my non-medical school dreams; looking for internships abroad, a life, things that don't concretely exist, a way to please everyone including myself. This is the result of a sudden change of plans. After my exams, I'll be facing an entire year without a particular plan, allowing me to ponder on what to do with my life as I no longer know "what to do"... this is a huge turnaround for someone whose so-called pastime is planning, particularly the future.

I promise I will come back stronger after my final exams. 14th of June is the date! In the meantime, enjoy my favorite tunes of late and the sporadic, unpredictable posts – if there will be any at all.

The Isley Brothers – Go All The Way

Cocoon – American Boy

The gentlemen of Lisbon

2011-05-29T18:30:00.002+02:00

(via thelisbontailor)

After my trip back in February 2010 to Lisbon, my partiality for menswear was intensified to the hilt. The city is chockablock with winsome and thoroughly well-dressed gentlemen donned in their finest everyday clothing. I was truly dazzled to the core by the myriad of dapper men, and scrutinized every one of them, sartorially speaking.

The Portugese gentlemen were decked out in bespoke suits in power-neutral colors for maximum wear-ability and topcoats reflecting the qualities of tailor workmanship, topped off by quintessential flat caps or trilby hats, and old, befitting leather shoes. Occasionally, I spotted young men eating lunch with their girlfriends, youthfully dressed in the same manner mixed with their quirks, charisma, and derring-do. It is no wonder that I was entirely smitten with the Portuguese men's enchanting magnetism and gracefullness, not to mention their thorough and innate amiability and warm smiles, which is rare in the relatively aloof Norway.

I wish I could enjoy the sight of gentlemen clad in conventional attires daily. Fortunately, I'll be visiting Milan in July where I decidedly will study every Milanese gentleman I see.

(This post was supposed to be about my trip to Lisbon, haha.. oh well!)

Salut! It's Saturday #3

2011-05-28T23:51:00.003+02:00

(via ginnybranch)

It's high time for a new playlist. Truthfully, this isn't exactly what I'm listening to these days. Studying for my forthcoming music history final exam equals immersing myself in 20th-century music. I just want to skim over the part where I have to listen to aleatory and serialism... I am sincerely not a major devotee of any form of atonality but, having said that, I prefer listening to twelve-note music to these postwar movements within music. Anyway, enjoy the playlist. Here's to a happy weekend for all!

Listen to the playlist on Spotify or YouTube.

Tracklist

01. This Land Is Your Land - Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings
02. Sir Duke - Stevie Wonder
03. After The Moment - Craft Spells
04. The Message From The Soul Sisters - Vicki Anderson
05. I Useta Know Her - DJ Quik feat. AMG
06. Light Seep - Bibio
07. When They Fight, They Fight - Generationals
08. We Can Dance - Caravan Palace
09. The Golden Age - The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
10. You - Gold Panda
11. Love and Death - Ebo Taylor

12. The View - Modest Mouse

13. Let's Get It On - Marvin Gaye

14. The Haste - Casa del Mirto

15. Tightrope - Janelle Monae feat. Big Boi

16. If You Only Knew - Jurassic 5

17. Brazilian Rhyme Interlude - Earth, Wind & Fire

18. No Kids - The Jazz Singer

19. I See a Different You - Koop

20. Blackbird Song - Duptribe

21. Silent Shout - The Knife

22. I Got A Woman - Nicolas Jaar
23. Song For No One - Miike Snow
24. Helicopter - Deerhunter
25. (If You Want My Love) Put Something... - Bobby Womack
26. Maison Klaus - Chateau Marmont
27. Weight Of The World - Active Child
28. Young Blood - The Naked And Famous

Inspiration du jour: Le sport princier de Ferragamo

2011-05-26T03:56:00.002+02:00

(via stylediary.ro)

I am entirely head-over-heels for Emmanuelle Alt's casual yet attractively chic take on the "Ferragamo lady's" aesthetic. It does look like an easy look to approximate, but truly requires a well trained eye for detail in order to flawlessly merge together classic elegance and le sport. The wash of the jeans is elusively impeccable and crisp – why on earth are jeans like these extremely difficult to find? Annoyingly, the rare pairs I somehow manage to unearth are always repellently embellished or just the wrong size or cut. Regardless, you can't possibly disagree that these jeans are very pretty to look at, even though they are 'just a simple pair of jeans'. Truth be told, I have a thing for rolled-up jeans in the right wash and cut like these ones. Informal and chic! My penchant for the classic Ferragamo Vara bow has yet to cease increasing in intensity. I'm just waiting for the right hardware and leather. Nice bag as well.. all in all it's a desirable look. Good thing I rediscovered this picture today, as I've been feeling slightly uninspired as of late.

What I would wear today

2011-05-24T02:50:00.004+02:00

Barbour 'Beaufort' jacket, A.P.C. sweater, Current/Elliott jeans, Alexander Wang loafers, Balenciaga City bag, Omega wrist watch,
Byredo perfume, Malin + Goetz candle

Horrible weather in Oslo today, it was just about unbearable. Today, after having finished my English final exam, I celebrated with some ice cream. I tell you, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that eating creamy food in such w-i-n-d-y weather is certainly not the smartest move. Well, I must admit that ice cream isn't exactly my preferred hair accessory. Note to self: Only eat ice cream when the weather permits. Oh my, I can't believe I'm actually talking about weather...

And apropos of weather, I think I have to revise my list of potential spring purchases because the climate of late has proven to be my nemesis. I could really use a proper transitional jacket right now. I have also figured out that a Barbour jacket would make the perfect accompaniment to festivals, especially if it rains. Predictably, Norwegian summer nights will be rather chilly this year, so a transitional jacket has unquestionably risen to the top of my list. Furthermore, the large pockets are pretty convenient, as I’m not keen on carrying around a bag at concerts. It's perfectly roomy, enough to fit all my day and night essentials. So, this is how I would wear the Barbour "beaufort" jacket. I wonder if the jacket's color goes well with chambray shirts?

By the way, if anyone of you has seen these Current/Elliott jeans in size 24 anywhere, please please please let me know. I have realized that these jeans are, in my inference, the closest to perfection that I have ever found. It's such an elusive style and shade, which I really regret not purchasing. If I'm not completely off-base here, this particular style/shade is no longer in production, right?

Spring wardrobe planning pt. 3

2011-05-21T18:48:00.005+02:00

So, I finally got around to writing a seasonal list of essential things that I might put my hands on soon.

1) An in-between-seasons transitional jacket
A pretty much self-explanatory item. My Isabel Marant bator coat is too hot to wear during the cusps between cold and warm seasons, whereas the other jackets in my closet only exacerbate the chilliness. I am in love with all the jackets shown in the first row, especially the classic Barbour jackets. Unfortunately, it is a little bit too late to invest in one because summer is approaching. By the time I acquire one, people are probably wandering around virtually naked. Besides, my funds are a bit tight right now so it's not really my top priority unless something very unpredictable occurs. I think I'm going to wait till the sales, as I might be able to unearth some discounted tidbits.

2) A pair of sandals
I don't own any summer shoes because sandals have never intrigued me until just recently. My sudden desire to wear sandals is a significant turnabout for my style. At first, I had to figure out my previously nonexistent taste in sandals. I must admit it's a tricky task, but I ultimately ascertained that I am quite fond of cute sandals with sturdy heels and straps that don't cut my legs in an awkward way. I really like the sandal style that A.P.C. makes with a few alterations every year. However, it's more likely that I will purchase the black wide-heeled sandals from Zara. They are very elegant in an effortless way, and vaguely reminiscent of the utterly celebrated sandals from Celine. Sadly, they are currently sold out in Oslo and I'm still slightly self-conscious as to toe exposure. I've got to work out this issue before getting a pair of sandals.

3) Wide brim sun hat
I'm not a hat person but definitely not a sun worshipper, I assure you. I need a nice but inexpensive hat for the purpose of sun protection that features a wide brim. The only issue is that hats don't really suit me, so I'm having such a hard time to find a decent one. Plus, I need a hat that reflects the heat because I have dark hair. Everyone who has dark hair knows how infernally hot it gets when you're in the sun.

4) Ray-Ban sunglasses
I used to own a pair of prescription wayfarer sunglasses but somehow they shrunk or my head most likely expanded, hence they are way too small for me today. Although I already own a pair of prescription sunglasses from Dior, I want a pair of Ray-Bans because I feel more like myself when I'm wearing wayfarers. I feel a tad awful about not wearing the Dior sunnies often because I simply don't feel comfortable wearing them. After all, they're a gift from my parents, which means my parents were greatly involved in the process of selecting sunglasses. Alas, not all highly priced investments are successful. Anyway, otticanet.com sells very cheap designer sunglasses, and you get free prescription lenses. Still, I'm wavering between the wayfarers and clubmasters, though I'm not sure if I'm able to pull off the clubmasters. I just have to go for the one pair that suits my face shape.

5) Tailored shorts
See this post.

6) A black pouch
I have been searching for a while for a small, black pouch to use as a go-to clutch for nights out – preferably an inexpensive clutch that won't suffer from frequent doses of red wine stains and obsolescence. I'm not sure whether I should go for a bag with straps or a hand-held pouch, which might be impractical at times. The pouch from Comme des Garçons is great but too expensive for something that I'm hypothetically disposed to break. I'm considering buying this pouch in black from Clare Vivier. It's affordable and I wouldn't feel a deep distress if I accidentally happen to scratch or spill a drink on it.

Beauty investments

2011-05-16T01:13:00.006+02:00

Malin + Goetz jojoba face scrub, Kiehl's ultra facial cleanser, toner and midnight recovery concentrate

Lately I've found myself obsessing over skincare and beauty products. Into The Gloss is partly to blame for the abnormality in my behavior. For me, beauty products are a little bit of inevitable everyday luxury, especially if they work wonders for my skin.

Anyway, I received my most recent beauty investments today. The Malin + Goetz face scrub is totally new to me and I can't wait to integrate it into my skincare routine. The other Kiehl's products are absolutely essential part of my day-to-day routine. As for the midnight recovery concentrate, I can't stress enough the fact that it is a miraculous sleepless night savior. On top of that, Kiehl's products always look good on your vanity table (I have a perennial penchant for nice, apothecary packaging).

My uniform of the week

2011-05-15T02:48:00.004+02:00

Vintage jacket, A.P.C. shirt, Zara trousers, Balenciaga city bag, The Kooples boots

Here is what I have been wearing for an entire week, with a few subtle variations. Truth be told, I'm such a creature of habit. Once I get engrossed in a new style-formula discovery, I neglect to wear anything else. Also, I tend wear a certain item day in, day out – in this case these tapered trousers and the Kooples boots. Especially when it comes to bags, I wear only one for months at a time. As for this particular silhouette, I designed it when I was putting together an ensemble for a night out last weekend – probably my go-to outfit for nights out as of now (but swap the breton top for an unbuttoned silk button-down shirt).

That said, I have to be honest... I haven't worn these trousers since January, but due to weight gain they fit like a glove now, so far as I can tell. As you can see from this post, these trousers made my legs look a tad skeletal and I wasn't mentally comfortable sporting them back then. And all of a sudden, I've become relatively self-conscious about wearing completely fitted pants such as skinny jeans. I suppose it takes time to get used to my body's physical changes. Nonetheless, it's just a shame that the pictures don't do the trousers justice at all. The fit is ultimately impeccable!

Incidentally, I must admit I haven't been an avid advocate of posting photos of this nature since I reincarnated this blog roughly a year ago. I just recently started to include many outfit shots, perhaps out of habit. I like the idea of curating a style blog that incorporates visual pictures of the curator's style – after all, that's what I love seeing on the style blogs I frequent. My Mommy Style and Garderoben are two great examples. Regardless, I dress rather simple, basic and probably boring according to people. Nothing extraordinary or innovative. Sometimes it strikes me that my outfit photos are beyond basic, and I also start wondering if they are blog-worthy at all. Despite that, I am partial to seeing outfits of this nature on other style blog curators (for reference, check out the aforementioned blogs). Anyway, do I post too many photos? Too many details and so on...? Any thoughts and feedback are appreciated. (I wish to cater to my readers because, at the end of the day, you are the visitors of this blog...)

Salut! It's Saturday #2

2011-05-14T22:38:00.003+02:00

As you may have noticed, blogger – the blogging platform I use – has been down. Therefore, another brief flurry of posts is likely to happen very soon. Anyway, here is the second Saturday mixtape. It comprises something for everyone, I promise!

Listen to the playlist on Spotify or YouTube. I hope you like it! Bon week-end!

Tracklist

01. I Follow Rivers - Lykke Li
02. Freedom - Jurassic 5
03. Janglin - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
04. What Have You Done? - Naomi Shelton & the Gospel Queens
05. Friday Night, Saturday Morning - The Specials
06. Love Me or Leave Me - Nina Simone
07. Filthy Love - We Are Enfant Terrible
08. Walk On The Wild Side - Pink Turtle
09. My Balloon's Going Up - Archie Bell & the Drells
10. The Big Falls - Framix
11. Get It Together - Beastie Boys

12. Your Girl - Kakkmaddafakka

13. Wide Eyes - Local Natives

14. Alright - Jamiroquai

15. Gang Bang Rookie - Snoop Dogg, Pilot

16. Get Me Away From Here, I'm Dying - Belle & Sebastian

17. Breakfast - Curren$y

18. Zebra - Beach House

19. The Girl From Ipanema - Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto

20. God Help The Girl - God Help The Girl

21. Nothing But A Heartache - The Flirtations

22. Bruises - Chairlift
23. Nishio - Lemaitre
24. Embody - Sebastian
25. Push The Envelope - The Asteroids Galaxy Tour
26. Ca Pourrait Changer - Brigitte Bardot
27. Big Wave - Jenny And Johnny
28. Why Is It So Hard - Charles Bradley

Beauty reminder

2011-05-10T18:21:00.007+02:00

(source)

I’m a firm believer that beauty comes from the inside out, and a radiant, flawless complexion is not only a strong reflection of your overall health but also essential for making the most of your looks. Great style and beautiful skin go hand in hand, I suppose. Sometimes external products aren’t enough to do the trick – beautiful skin really does take more than just a jar of beauty potion. Admittedly, I happen to fall into the trap of solely relying on cleansers, creams and such quite often. Turns out, the promises that come along with every beauty product are only likely to occur if you start taking care of the inside.

A couple of weeks ago, my skin was pretty much flawless (for the first time in years) and I didn’t need to conceal it with makeup. I, for one, was naively convinced that my recent beauty investments were the one factor that made improvements to my skin. Apparently, my improved skin was largely a result of dietary and lifestyle factors. Alas, I have unconsciously treated my body badly as of late. Although I’ve been using the same skincare remedies, no sleep, a lot of stress and irregular meals have resulted in an abnormal abundance of obscure sized pimples on my face and a dull, diminished complexion that takes a lot of effort to slightly cover up in the morning. I really loathe when my morning routine gets time-consuming. Therefore, having flawless skin ought to shorten such time-wasting processes.

(via intothegloss.com)

Yet, I do have a tendency to neglect the importance of sleep, water and nutrition when I’m in a stressed state of mind. While I don’t want to desist from all the fun things in life that ~~might~~ clearly have a bad impact on my skin, I can indeed improve my approach to beautiful skin by getting more sleep and balance out my diet by putting an end to the sporadic starvation followed by the occasional binge. Frankly, I would never stick to a strict diet or become a total abstainer from things like alcohol, cake, coke (not referring to the drug, lol), and the like just in order to get better skin. I’m not very keen on pursuing flawless skin at the expense of things that matter to me such as quality of life.

Enough beating around the bush – my complexion is an indicator of my health, and this post should remind myself to get a decent amount of sleep every night and take better care of myself even though other things seem to take over my life at times. Often, sudden acne breakouts and bad skin equal a sign of something off-balance. Additionally, I have to start drinking more water. I always forget to drink water. And yes, I want my almost flawless skin back!!

Summery outfits for festivals

2011-05-08T15:58:00.007+02:00

Here are some silhouettes that are ideal for summer, outdoors festivals and my style. I'm going to the Hove music festival that takes place on the island of Arendal in southern Norway in the end of June. It is rumored that the festival is situated in beautiful and idyllic surroundings – I'm a sucker for fairytalelike settings. As much as I love music, I’m not really a camping kind of gal, so I have only been to music festivals held in the city. Luckily, I'm not going to sleep in a tent, otherwise I would never go to a festival with camping.

Initially, I was a tad concerned that I don't really own clothes that are tent festival-appropriate – clothes that I'm eager to trash or adorn with red wine stain and beer, that is. This post evidences that my closet doesn’t encompass throwaway material. On the other hand, I’m not keen on compromising my current philosophy of shopping and wardrobe building by obtaining new, disposable clothes just for this one particular event. Also, I want to wear summery festival versions of my everyday uniform, as I’m not much of a style chameleon. Consistency is the keyword! However, after making these collages I realized that I’ve got nothing to worry about – unless I'm sleeping in a tent for an entire week. I am certainly not planning to bring anything breakable, so why should I worry? Lol! And it’s just clothes (which I spend a fortune on)… haha. Oh well, as you might have gleaned from my reading my posts, it’s in my nature to over-complicate simple things by participating in over-thinking. To be honest, I can’t curb my over-analytical nature.

Vanessa Bruno Athé blazer, A.P.C. breton shirt, Acne shorts, Boyy bag, Repetto flats, Ray-Ban clubmaster sunglasses, Byredo 'Blanche' perfume, Omega wrist watch

A.P.C. chambray shirt, Acne shorts, See by Chloé sandals, Celine bag, Topshop hat, Stella McCartney bra, Chanel rouge noir nail polish, Ray-Ban clubmaster sunglasses, Byredo 'Blanche' perfume, Omega wrist watch

Vanessa Bruno Athé blazer, Vanessa Bruno combi shorts, Celine bag, Marni sandals, Repetto flats, Ray-Ban wayfarer sunglasses, Topshop hat, Byredo 'Blanche' perfume, Omega wrist watch

In any case, these outfits are seemingly very consistent in style. If I want to wear these silhouettes during spring or early fall, I just swap the shorts with pants or jeans. As for shirts, I would wear them semi tucked into the shorts and roll up the sleeves for an off-the-cuff look. The linen-cotton blazer serves as a chic go-to jacket for chillier summer nights. Incidentally, I would never wear such delicate fabrics and items to music festivals, let alone a $4000 purse.

Salut! It's Saturday #1

2011-05-07T21:29:00.004+02:00

(source)

I can divulge with 100% sincerity that I'm a music junkie. I play and listen to music 19 hours a day (yes, I only get 5 hours of sleep every night). My passion for music started very early, specifically at the age of three (or four) when I stood in front of the mirror, while listening to Vivaldi, and imitated the violinist Sarah Chang by using a large bottle of body lotion as the violin and a chopstick as the violin bow. How creative! Anyhow, I have too many songs I'd like to share with you. Hence, rather than compiling monthly playlists I'm going to post one each Saturday.

Yesterday was a day I've looked forward to ever since I received a text message saying "Looks like I'm booking Miami Horror for you right now, for the 6th of May". Sometimes wishful thinking becomes a reality, particularly if you know the right people. I discovered Miami Horror back in November 2009, and despite having listened to them practically every single day for six months I'm by no means fed up with the music. It was the thrill of a lifetime to see Miami Horror live, yesterday, on the occasion of the Hove festival's release party. All I can say is, the concert was entirely ecstatic. I was literally beside myself with the thrill of hearing the band play my favorite song "Echoplex".

I'm also looking forward immensely to seeing Charles Bradley and The Strokes perform at the Hove festival in 52 days. Apropos of Charles Bradley: his music really is quality R&B music, which is acutely lacking in the music industry nowadays. The music sounds like old school R&B arrayed in a modern attire. His music, not to mention his dynamic voice are utterly soulful, passionate and brimming with emotions. And the winds' intensity is – as cliché as it may sound – just stunning! I highly recommend Charles Bradley's debut album "No Time For Dreaming". Worth checking out, I promise you!

Listen to the playlist on Spotify or YouTube. I hope you like the playlist :-)

Tracklist

01. The World (Is Going Up In Flames) - Charles Bradley
02. Little Cup - Thao & Mirah
03. Hey Bartender - Floyd Dixon
04. The Bay - Metronomy
05. Plage - Crystal Fighters
06. I Love My Baby - Archie Bell and The Drells
07. Echoplex - Miami Horror
08. Good Man - Raphael Saadiq
09. Black Water - Timber Timbre
10. I'm So Sorry - Kitty, Daisy & Lewis
11. Machu Picchu - The Strokes

12. A Deeper Shade Of Soul - Ray Barretto
13. Fish In The Sea - Frootful ft. Angeline Morrison

14. Corcovado - Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto

15. Lovers' Carvings - Bibio

16. Shining Knight - Willie Rosario

17. The Gentle Rain (RJD2 remix) - Astrud Gilberto

18. Genius Of Love - Tom Tom Club

19. Naima - John Coltrane

20. The Ghost Who Walks - Karen Elson

21. Unrequited Love - Lykke Li

22. Please, Please, Please - James Brown & The Famous Flames

La tenue du jour

2011-05-06T02:53:00.005+02:00

Isabel Marant jacket, A.P.C. sweater, Cheap Monday jeans, Ettore Adriano loafers, MbMJ bag, Dior sunglasses

This is just another variation of my uniform/silhouette. I like the fact that it only takes me five seconds to dress in the morning yet I always look put together – in my estimation. That's one of the many advantages of having a wardrobe pared down to the essentials. Surely, it takes a lot of effort to become effortless.

On a different note. I don't wear a lot of accessories. It's not in my nature to pile on heaps of accessories. Obviously, I gravitate towards simplicity. A flash of ankle and wrist is quite enough to add a zest to my outfits. Also, I always wear my wrist watch, partially out of practicality, and my subtle gold necklace with anchor pendant. I've been wearing this particular pendant ever since I was little (I think it was a christening gift) and it means a lot to me.

PS: There are 50 unanswered e-mails lingering in my inbox. I'm incredibly sorry for the delay in my response. I will answer them as soon as possible!

La tenue du jour

2011-04-29T23:41:00.008+02:00

Vintage jacket, A.P.C. shirt, Cheap Monday jeans, Marc by Marc Jacobs bag, The Kooples boots

What is a style blog without personal style photos? To make up for the absence of outfits on my blog, here are some detailed pictures of today's attire. I'm wearing a blazer that used to belong to my grandmother. My mom gave it to me in 2008, and it's been a wardrobe staple ever since. I adore it tremendously, mainly because it belonged to a special person whom I truly miss. Moreover, this blazer epitomizes where a jacket should end on me. Unfortunately the right length isn't always easy as pie to unearth, especially when you live in a country of tall people.

Tomorrow I'm going to the Lykke Li concert. I saw her at the Øya festival in 2008 and she was excellent live. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

And the beat goes on

2011-04-29T02:10:00.003+02:00

(via funkmysoul.gr)

I’ve been utterly engrossed in R&B music as of late, particularly Archie Bell And The Drells. To be frank, I have literally listened to all of their songs every single day since a friend reintroduced me to the music, a few weeks ago, at a dinner party where I played Stan Getz, Joao Gilberto, and lots of swing jazz and Motown hits to heighten the ambience. I knew I’d heard Archie Bell And The Drells’ Tighten Up before but couldn’t recall my aural experience. Anyway, Tighten Up was definitely the icing on the cake for that evening, musically speaking. Oh, why didn’t I discover their music sooner?

Archie Bell And The Drells has created plenty of brilliant singles that one ought to give some listen to. I can't get enough of their funky, exuberant soul beats, not to mention the splendid instrumentation and Archie’s passionate and powerful lead vocals.

Alas, the contemporary, commercialized so-called R&B music of today is nothing like Archie Bell And The Drells and the likes of The Isley Brothers, Aretha Franklin, Jerry Butler and Ray Charles. Fortunately, our infinite access to music makes it possible to maintain the connection with the past, which is great as R&B has indeed gone downhill after its heyday. Too bad it seems like the majority of contemporary R&B listeners are far from familiar with the original R&B music.

Anyhow, I've compiled a list consisting of some of my favorite R&B songs on spotify. Check it out here. You might like it!

The much coveted boots

2011-04-27T22:38:00.003+02:00

I fell head-over-heels in love with these boots by The Kooples – a French hipster brand – in 2008 and nearly got them out of my system until I started adding them to my collages last fall (examples here and here). I’ve always considered these shoes as the epitome of la street spontanéité and they are somewhat reminiscent of the infamous Isabel Marant ‘dicker’ boots. They’re almost the same, but not quite.

My penchant for these shoes was completely revived during my last trip to Paris, largely because I saw how fantastic they were in real life when Jeanne wore her own pair of The Kooples boots to her party. Imagine my materialistic delight when I ultimately won the auction after having stalked these tidbits for months on ebay. Initially I wanted the black version, as I already own a pair of taupe boots. However, because these boots are tremendously hard to track down, let alone the complicated process of convincing French ebay sellers to ship worldwide or to a friend’s address in France (thank you Stephanie!), I decided to put my hands on this find.

Anyhow, I received the highly coveted boots today. Much to my disappointment, these particular boots are too large for my feet despite I bought them in my size. I suppose they are about one size too big. Wearing these boots with insoles and socks help a bit, but they are still too loose around my ankles, as evidenced by the photo above. Yet I’m going to wear them for a day or two to see whether they are good for my feet or not. On a different note, these boots truly elongate my legs. Boots like these are hard to find, so I hope I can keep this buy.

So far, I’ve bought 7 pieces. That’s a lot but I’m in the process of rebuilding my wardrobe. My Isabel Marant boots are a tad weary nowadays, so I hope these ones will work out, as I really need to rotate my shoes if I want to extend their life. Haha!

Food talk: Bún thịt nướng

2011-04-26T22:19:00.011+02:00

Bún thịt nướng – Vietnamese grilled lemongrass pork with rice vermicelli noodles

(Bún = rice vermicelli noodles, thịt = meat, nướng = grilled)

I want to clarify one thing you wouldn't glean from reading my blog: I don't cook, hence my blog will never turn into a food and recipe blog, but I love sharing mouth-watering photos of food. Nevertheless, I admire my mom's amazing culinary skills and the magic touch she adds to the Vietnamese cuisine. It is said that all Vietnamese women are, regardless, really good at cooking, so I hope my mom's cooking skills will rub off on me sooner or later.

Whenever you ask a Vietnamese lady where to get the best and most authentic Vietnamese food, she will most likely answer her kitchen – which is, incidentally, true. Anyhow, my mom never uses recipes so I can't share any culinary secrets with you, unfortunately. If you want to recreate the dishes I showcase on my blog, you can always google them. The photo above includes yesterday's terrific dinner and this post provides more details on this healthy dish, which makes the perfect summery salad. (+ A glass of Les Abeilles Côtes du Rhône will enhance the flavor). The barbecued meat, pickled vegetables and fresh herbs can also act as an exquisite filling for Vietnamese sandwiches, famously known as 'bánh mì'. Speaking of which, I'm utterly obsessed with bánh mì.

PS: The key ingredient is lemongrass! The meat in the photo may look like char siu pork.

The Luxury of Time

2011-04-25T18:02:00.009+02:00

There is something very calming and serene about the quietness of these images, which evokes an incredible, but far-fetched feeling of utter day-to-day luxury. Today is my last day of vacation. I've been rolling in luxury for an entire week, and I suppose it will be good to get back to my productive mode.

Now, I'm going to help my mom preparing one of my favorite rice vermicelli meals, which is bún thịt nướng – a very healthy, light and delicious dish consisting of shredded, barbecued pork and cold rice vermicelli mixed with fresh herbs, pickled carrots and lots of vegetables. It's often served with roasted peanuts sprinkled on top and of course spicy nước chấm (dipping sauce) to pour over the noodles. The sauce's effect in enhancing the dish's flavor cannot be overstated. Bún thịt nướng is undeniably the perfect Vietnamese summer meal. Having time to prepare and enjoy a lovely meal with my family is beyond luxurious!

Closet organization

2011-04-21T19:25:00.006+02:00

I'm trying to sort out my wardrobe and figured that compiling a list of all the things I have in my wardrobe (apart from my lounge wear) might be helpful. Although I haven't covered all the essentials yet, it's evident that my wardrobe is bordering on perfect. Yes, almost p-e-r-f-e-c-t! In order to build the perfect wardrobe, I have to pare down my closet to only things that I truly love.

Purple means I'm considering to re-sell the item, blue means the item needs to be replaced, red means it's no longer my style/too big/too small and will either be donated or passed on to my sister, green means the item is no longer my style but I'll keep it regardless because I don't know what to do with it.

Outerwear
Isabel Marant gray bator coat
Isabel Marant navy elali jacket
Isabel Marant maroon boucle jacket
Vintage gray blazer

Shirts and blouses
A.P.C. light blue liberty print shirt
Isabel Marant Étoile black blouse
Vintage white short-sleeved blouse
Vintage maroon/purple-ish silk shirt
Vintage light blue patterned shirt

Long sleeve tops
American Apparel gray raglan pullover
American Apparel navy raglan pullover
A.P.C. breton shirt
Isabel Marant Étoile white linen top
Secondhand breton top

T-shirts
COS navy pocket t-shirt
COS white sheer t-shirt

Knits
A.P.C. striped cashmere knit
Acne black chunky knit
COS black crew neck lambswool sweater
Isabel Marant Étoile black open-back knit
Vanessa Bruno Athé navy wool sweater

Jeans
Cheap Monday black jeans
Levi's dark blue jeans

Trousers and shorts
Isabel Marant black linen trousers
Zara black tapered trousers
Zara black shorts

Cardigans
American Apparel gray tri-blend cardigan

Skirts
Urban Outfitters black vintage leather skirt

Dresses
-

Footwear
Bianco footwear black pumps
Doc Martens black combat boots
Ettore Adriano black leather loafers
Isabel Marant taupe suede ankle boots
Zara black suede ankle boots

Bags
Balenciaga black city bag
Marc by Marc Jacobs black hobo

= 35 pieces

Inspirational things

2011-04-21T02:57:00.012+02:00

(photos: private)

I sincerely love getting back into the bloggy swing of things. However, I'm planning on turning my blog into a fashion/style + semi-food-and-rant blog, despite the fact that my tumblr has taken a new (and positive) direction as of late.

I'd love to devote more space to little things that simply bring joy to life, be it good food, architecture, music or mere beautiful things. These little but often forgotten things are a significant part in terms of cultivating one's personal style. Although my blog isn't a complete picture of who I am but rather a small extension of myself, I like being able to take a look back at the things that (used to) inspire and partially define me. I particularly like to look through my July-October 2010 blog posts for inspiration.

Am I the only one who – inexplicably enough – derives sartorial inspiration from things that are completely non-fashion related such as food (not referring to things that are connected to fashion somehow like movies, art, etc)? Perhaps it's the joyousness that sets me in the mood for sartorial exploration? I don't know, but it's totally unaccountable to me. Anyhow, let's celebrate taste!

Spring wardrobe planning pt. 2

2011-04-19T01:40:00.006+02:00

(via lagarconne.com, my-wardrobe.com)
1. Alexander Wang tuxedo shorts, 2. Cacharel silk shorts, 3. Acne sensational shorts, 4. Rag and Bone tennis shorts

Yesterday I organized my closet and found a pair of black shorts which I purchased last summer from Zara. Said shorts were supposed to be the ideal pair. Also, they were intended to escort me through all the music festivals this summer. You can see the shorts here and here.

Evidently, the fit was super; the length was perfect but alas, the disposable fashion-quality is utterly off-putting. Now my only pair of shorts have completely lost their shape, and the fabric is stiff and really uncomfortable. They are officially useless as there is not much wear left in these shorts. Nonetheless, I didn’t expect top-notch quality at all, but I certainly did not anticipate that they would merely last one summer and a dozen wears. Hey, I am not rich enough to buy cheap things! Therefore I ought to find a high-quality, durable replacement for this approaching summer, as I refuse to kill myself by covering my legs in a pair of suicidal jeans on boiling hot days. Searching for a perfect substitute is such a bore... In addition, I haven't been eager about spending a lot of money on something I only wear a couple of times during summer. Still I'm not exactly eager about buying a new replacement every year either. I better spend wisely this time!

PS: I'm not planning to buy any of the shorts pictured here as they're probably out of my budget, but I'll be searching for a similar style.

My wish lists in retrospect pt. 1

2011-04-18T04:43:00.003+02:00

(via phosphenefashion)

Today I rediscovered a moleskine notebook filled with my old shopping and wish lists from 2009. My taste has undeniably changed since then, so to speak. Be that as it may, I find it rather fun and enlightening to see how mon goût has progressively moved in the direction of my current taste. I am positive that my taste will remain somewhat the same for years to come, inasmuch as I can perceive that I’ve finally figured out my style and taste.

However, I want to share the aforementioned lists on my blog. The first one was dated March 2009. To put it bluntly, my approach to style was still fairly schizophrenic at that time. Yet some of the items on my lists are a tad embarrassing as they are far from in accord with my taste nowadays. Trust me, every list gets better with time.

Otherwise it’s nice to look back at my lists so as to sort out things in terms of wardrobe building and grasp why I need a lot of time to reflect before I settle for an item. The funny thing is that I can’t even recall wanting to acquire any of the items listed below.

- Beanie – I’m glad I never got my hands on a beanie as I subsequently found out that it’s not my style at all. I don’t know but I assume I was slightly influenced by the Alexander Wang mania at that point.
- ~~Bowler hat~~ – Purchased in London and worn a couple of times. I looked silly and forced. I’ve learned my lesson!
- Chanel-esque tights from Lindex – Why?
- Asymmetric cardigan à la Rick Owens – I abstain from anything asymmetric these days.
- White, slouchy tank tops à la Alexander Wang – Not exactly my top priority. I don't even have white tank tops on my basics list.

I have nothing else to add but a good laugh!

Konverterer (kanskje)

2011-04-16T23:29:00.004+02:00

Det er litt rart det her med blogging… uansett hva slags blogg man velger å skrive, så vil et ansiktløst publikum bombardere den med all slags dritt. Jeg vet ikke om det er fordi folk er uvitende, genuint uhyggelige eller lider av det syndromet som er ganske så utbredt i Dagbladets kommentarfelt, men det er ikke så veldig festlig for meg å lese all den hatske dritten som folk ikke klarer å holde for seg selv. Nå har jeg akkurat slettet ett tonn med fæle kommentarer – og jeg har ikke en gang postet et bilde av meg selv.. lurer på hva folk ville ha funnet på å kommentere, da. En av grunnene til at jeg startet å blogge igjen er fordi jeg fant en overfladisk glede i å, ja, hehe, å blogge. Men de siste to ukene har jeg gruet meg til å blogge fordi jeg vet ikke om jeg takler mer dritt – men på en annen side vil jeg jo blogge. Litt av et paradoks det der.. Å stenge kommentarfeltet er ikke aktuelt, jeg mottar også ekle meldinger gjennom andre sosiale kanaler.. derfor lurer jeg litt på om jeg skal blogge på morsmålet mitt i stedet for engelsk, fordi mine norske besøkere har vært overraskende snille (til tross for at jantelov-mentaliteten rår i landet), minus et par teite, sarkastiske kommentarer (men sarkasme liker vi!). Er jeg naiv nå?

En liten digresjon: Jeg har kjøpt meg et par sko som jeg har hatt i tankene siden 2008, og de utgjør mitt syvende kjøp i år. Jeg synes det er forferdelig mye med tanke på at vi kun er i april. Jeg får håpe på noen shoppefrie måneder snart. Takk og lov for at det er ferie. I morgen venter en ny utrenskningsaksjon – skal ta hånd om søppelet av magasiner og de resterende plaggene i garderoben min som ikke funker. Kanskje jeg må vinke buh-bye til et par IM-plagg.

Og lol, hjernen min tenker visst på engelsk nå. Måtte slå opp så mange ord på engelsk fordi jeg ikke husket det norske ordet. Jaja, jeg får vel bare gruble over språk-spørsmålet i påsken. Kanskje jeg skal blogge på vietnamesisk (jeg har jo allerede blogget på engelsk, fransk og norsk før), lol!? Let me know hvis dere norske lesere har noen formeninger om mitt lille språk-dilemma. (Jeg aner forøvrig ikke hvorfor jeg har valgt å bruke et koselig te-bilde til dette innlegget... kanskje jeg bare liker å romantisere alt i livet. Jeg burde bli en ekspresjonist..).

Translation: ooh.. Norwegian only!

Trying to crack the code

2011-03-31T00:15:00.009+02:00

(via style.com)

To avoid making regrettable purchases in the future, I study my wardrobe. I have to ascertain why some purchases ripen into unceasing love and cherished wardrobe staples, whereas other items end up languishing in my closet or being donated to charity shops.

Although my wardrobe is nigh on entirely stripped of excess that don’t correspond with my style or body at all, I have evidently retained possession of a couple of items that are nearly unworn or still in its pristine condition. I don’t want to collect items that merely languish in the closet. That said, it took me a while to realize what the problem is; I tend to gravitate towards clothes that look outstanding on my 'style icons'. However, said clothes ought to be admired from afar. I surely derive style inspiration from people I can easily emulate, as they might have the same body type, height, or taste as me. Howbeit, this is where I’m likely to trip up and fail to distinguish between a bad choice and a blessing in disguise.

It’s not that the clothes aren’t in tune with my style or my figure. The problem lies in the fact that I don’t really feel comfortable wearing those garments, which equals I don’t look nice at all – simply because, as a matter of fact, no matter how great the garments fit your proportions et cetera, clothes only look good on you if you feel bien dans sa peau (hence I rely on my uniforms). I’m aware that I can’t approximate leather jackets à la Geraldine Saglio, or short dresses à la Jeanne Damas, though I’d love to incorporate said instances into my own style. Another issue is that I sometimes don’t know if I’d feel comfortable wearing a certain clothing until I actually buy and wear it at least once. I seem to only learn through trial and error.

I want a wardrobe that consists solely of dearly loved items that give me joy to wear. Objects that I always look forward to wearing – I’m quite sure such a wardrobe is utterly attainable. I would have owned the perfect capsule wardrobe if I gathered only my beloved clothes, aka my Isabel Marant coat and boots, striped tops, et cetera. In terms of shunning blunders and building the perfect wardrobe, cracking the code is essential.

Now, the challenge is to think three times before I try to emulate some of my 'style icons'. And I just have to continue reminding myself to admire certain items from a great distance. At least keeping a blog helps me curb my appetite to make too many unfortunate buys.

On narcissism

2011-03-29T21:02:00.005+02:00

(via listal.com)

For me personally, being narcissistic is like having a giant pimple on my nose – I am entirely aware of it, but don’t want anyone to point it out, if that makes any sense.

Ever since I was little, I have been told that one shouldn’t be self-centered. In other words, I grew up with the notion that self-centeredness is something extremely bad and perverse. For that reason, I’ve been trying not to be (too) self-centered in my offline life – but that’s as though one suppresses or tampers with nature, because it’s innate that people have whatever levels of non-pathological narcissism. Hence the Internet is partially a kind of escapism and shelter in which I’m allowed to be as narcissistic as I want to be; yet somehow I’m starting to notice the confines. To be honest I thought there were no boundaries when it comes to blogging, until someone pointed out that pimple on my nose and indicated that it’s a problem. Anyway, at first blogs had the same function as diaries, so it's normal to talk about yourself in it. Blogging is narcissistic – it's fundamental in terms of style blogging, and I guess I'm just a tad surprised that someone emphasized that I reek of narcissism as if it's not normal regarding blogging.

The reason why I’m posting this is because I want my current and prospective visitors to take a look at this page so as not to be thoroughly appalled by the excessive narcissism here. By and large, my blog serves as a device to help me on the long route to the perfect wardrobe, to sort out thoughts on fashion and style, and so on. All my favorite style blogs follow the same concept, but I have earnestly never perceived and will never perceive them as morbidly self-absorbed bloggers.

It’s such a shame that self-centeredness is a “taboo” (at least that’s how I see it), which explicates why my mind is a complete mess. I have never been open to my friends or family regarding feelings and more profound thoughts and subjects, as I fear being too self-centered. I don’t think that’s healthy at all. Often when I inevitably talk about myself to people, the sense of shame haunts my mind for days. Therefore, I want to overlook the limitations in terms of blogging and celebrate healthy narcissism on my blog.

However, I suppose that’s enough navel-gazing for today, and I really hope the concept of my blog is clear. And please don’t point out that ugly zit (or my vulnerability), I’m aware of it and I like to pretend that it isn’t visible. Happy tuesday :)

Frivolity

2011-03-27T13:56:00.003+02:00

(via cokogalore.com)

“You’re considered superficial and silly if you are interested in fashion, but I think you can be substantial and still be interested in frivolity.” (Sofia Coppola)

“If you compare it with philosophy, [fashion] is frivolous. But frivolity may be something good, something that is part of our lives. So I don’t dislike it. And what I like is the mix — that in your life you can have serious things, more frivolous ones. Fashion is about beauty and the search for beauty, I think it’s a fundamental thing. No one criticizes if you want to do beautiful homes. No one criticizes if you want to buy a beautiful chair. But so many intellectuals still criticize why you want to wear beautiful clothes, and it’s only our body, so it must be important in a way.” (Miuccia Prada)

“There is always some frivolity in excellent minds; they have wings to rise, but also stray.” (Joseph Joubert)

“I think here's nothing wrong with being interested in frivolity, so long as it isn't your be-all and end-all. Physical things like fashion, architecture, design are important to me because they frame the life you lead - they're the backdrop and settings that intersect when you form an emotional attachment or memory in association with them.” (Lin, out-of-the-bag.blogspot.com)

What I'm wearing to the opera

2011-03-25T17:21:00.005+01:00

Isabel Marant jacket, Cheap Monday jeans, Hope top, Zara bottines, Rutina watch, Dior sunglasses

Tonight I'm going to see the opera 'Lulu' by Alban Berg, which means I ought to be decked out in a fancy gown and such. Unfortunately, I don't own a dress. As an avid advocate of consistency, tonight's attire is just another variation of my uniform. Truth be told, it took me practically two hours to try on different garments and create new outfits in order to find something appropriate to wear as a substitute for a dress – but I didn't feel like myself when wearing said outfits. Therefore I ended up with something safe and familiar, as always. There's nothing wrong with repeating outfits – I think that's what creates true, personal style, which is all about knowing what works best for you and consistently being true to it.

Edit: I turned out to be very dressed up in comparison to the rest of the audience. The opera has certainly gotten more relaxed, or perhaps it's just Norway.

Spring wardrobe planning pt. 1

2011-03-24T01:03:00.004+01:00

(via net-a-porter, apc, colette, diptyque)

I have been dreadfully busy and I can't even remember when I've had time to purchase all these things. Oh well… at least I've made some great purchases and indulged in small luxuries to lighten up my sappy life.

I often get questions on what to wear under a semi-sheer or white shirt. Frankly, I'm the last person one should ask when it comes to bras and such, but hear me out! Net a porter offered free shipping last week, and it would be remiss of me not to take advantage of this promotion to invest in the perfect solution for white shirts. So, for those of you who have been struggling with alarming exposure of certain body parts or undergarments; I highly recommend this bra from Calvin Klein. It's truly magical!

Also, I stumbled across two items I have been trying to unearth for almost a year now simultaneously. The taint of anger is permanently vanished now that I have obtained them. The striped cashmere sweater from A.P.C. is utmost perfection – it’s such an incredible confection that ought to be broached. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it looks as though it was constructed on my body. Too bad I managed to spill red wine on that sweater on its first outing.

In terms of wardrobe planning, however, I haven't been planning at all, yet I am absolutely happy with each investment. I think my current method works wonderfully – I only settle for perfection. Although I don't work from a list, I am positively confident in my aptitude to instantaneously descry what works and what doesn't for my style. I do keep an unwritten list of essentials in mind when I hunt for new wardrobe cornerstones, but I'm open for unpredictable and unplanned finds too, as I'm aware that the most successful mainstays of my wardrobe result from an acute, unaccountable craving. Moreover, making collages helps me to discern between likes and dislikes – it's as though I reach a kind of collage nirvana that has the answer to whether I should settle for a garment or not. (Credit to Stephanie for the 'collage nirvana'-phrase).

PS: I've bought a domain for my blog, deadfleurette.com.

Playlist: March'11

2011-03-15T00:26:00.004+01:00

Oh, I really adore this month's playlist. It comprises everything from French chansons, Motown, and trip-hop to rock, classical, jazz, electronica, and much more. Additionally, I have made a separate playlist on YouTube for the readers who don't have access to Spotify – but this list doesn't incorporate 'I want you back' - My Little Pony, and 'Official' - Q-tip. On the other hand, the original version of 'Laisse tomber les filles' sung by France Gall is included in the YouTube-playlist, but unfortunately the only good version available on Spotify is the cover by April March.

Anyhow, it's a shame that I couldn't find 'I want you back' - My Little Pony on YouTube. That song is, in my estimation, the best cover version of Jackson 5's 'I want you back'.

PLAYLIST: DEADFLEURETTE MARCH'11

01. This Old Heart Of Mine - The Isley Brothers
02. My Name Is Trouble - Keren Ann
03. Dreaming - Allo, Darlin'
04. Les Play Boys - Jacques Dutronc
05. Under Cover Of Darkness - The Strokes
06. Recession Song - Yan Wagner
07. Positively Inclined - Wax Tailor
08. We Want Our Things - Nite Jewel
09. Excuses - The Morning Benders
10. Children, Don't Get Weary - Booker T. & The MG's
11. Swee Piece - RJD2
12. Marathon - Tennis
13. Ceremony - New Order
14. Problem With The Sun - Nicolas Jaar
15. Le Poinçonneur Des Lilas - Serge Gainsbourg
16. Impromptu no. 1 in A flat major, op. 29 - Frederic Chopin
17. I Want You Back - My Little Pony
18. Runaway - Del Shannon
19. Post Break-Up Sex - The Vaccines
20. Foam Hands - Destroyer

21. Official - Q-Tip

22. At Home - Crystal Fighters
23. There Is An End - The Greenhornes
24. Song With No Ending - Wildcookie
25. Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now - The Smiths
26. I Still Remember - Gramatik
27. Baby - Devendra Banhart
28. Love Is - Courtney John
29. Someone Great - LCD Soundsystem
30. I've Got a Woman - Ray Charles
31. Guns Are Dawn - The Roots
32. Laisse Tomber Les Filles - France Gall/April March
33. Too Afraid to Love - The Black Keys
34. Heaven Can Wait - Charlotte Gainsbourg ft. Beck
35. I Put A Spell On You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
36. A Summer Song - Chad & Jeremy
37. Make You Mine (Fred Falke remix) - Miami Horror
38. White Sky - Vampire Weekend
39. Cigarettes - Russian Red
40. Marcia Baila (acoustic) - Les Rita Mitsouko
41. Manners - Icona pop
42. Homecoming - Kanye West

YOUTUBE PLAYLIST

Paris through my eyes pt. 1

2011-03-13T03:44:00.003+01:00

Some of you wanted to see Paris through my eyes. To be sincere, I don't have loads of photos to share with you. When you've been to Paris more than fifty times, you no longer bother taking photographs of the perennial beauty that surrounds the city. Rather, you want to capture the brief moments of joy, rapture, and happiness in your natural element, and make them last forever.

To me, Paris is not merely a beautiful city with lots of culture – it's my second home, a counterpart to my life in Oslo. It's a place in which I can find my grandmother's urn and my great-aunt's grave in the Père-Lachaise cemetery. I've spent almost every Christmas holiday in Paris and grew up with Bûche de Noël and Galette des Rois. Paris is the perfect place for annual family reunions. Most of my childhood was divided between Paris and Oslo. I still travel to Paris frequently but alas not as often as I tended to. And every time I go back to France, I bring my camera to capture those brief moments with my beloved family, relatives, and friends (and food!). Nonetheless, I wanted to show you some snippets of Paris through my eyes. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Invest in your wardrobe

2011-03-12T16:08:00.003+01:00

(via closetvisit.com)

Two days ago, H&M opened their 18th flagship store in Oslo, – a city of approximately 600 000 inhabitants – and this five-story store is the biggest H&M in Norway. Needless to say, the city isn't exactly in need of more chain stores. Nowadays the shopping avenues of Oslo unfortunately mirror the consumers' partiality towards disposable fashion at throwaway prices. Alas, independent clothing stores in Oslo hardly survive the overwhelming increase of fast fashion stores, and only last month the city lost two of its independent gems that were advocates of quality design.

Regardless, a reader tipped me off to this article in the Vancouver Sun. It talks about why one should invest in one's wardrobe and the unethical and non-eco-friendly aspects of the fast fashion industry that we are irrationally engrossed in these days. To avoid the spending trap, the article also speaks about the so-called 'cost-per-wear' formula, – total cost of the item / presumed number of days you will wear it = the cost-per-wear – which is a calculation that unveils the true value of an item.

Be that as it may, I hope this article manages to inspire you to reconsider your shopping habits and your prospective wardrobe.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The same way we've forgotten how to save our pennies, we've forgotten how to invest in our wardrobes. For the past decade and more, we've been on a reckless spend-o-rama, maxing out our credit cards with cheap, chic, disposable fast fashion.

But now -- with rising concerns about the economy, the environment and worker exploitation in developing countries, not to mention a season of temptingly timeless modern classics -- investment dressing is chic again.

Good thing, too. All those cheap Prada knock-offs were not only clogging up the landfills, they were overflowing the closets in our tiny condos, too.

The investment dressing trend is major news all over, according to everyone from the editors of fashion magazines to tastemakers like Holt Renfrew fashion director Barbara Atkin, to the designers themselves and right on up to politicians.

Just last week, England's House of Lords' Science and Technology Committee released a report that condemned cheap and chic insta-fashion, calling it "costly and socially unacceptable."

The report pointed out that clothes from retailers like Britain's uber-popular Primark and Top Shop are so cheap that there is no incentive to repair them, or even to hand them down or recycle them. And that, they say, is just wasteful.

Of course, the Brits aren't the only ones who have been revelling in a frenzy of cut-price poly blends. International chains like Spain's Zara and Sweden's H&M have conquered the retail world by not only knocking off designer duds minutes after they appear on the runway, but completely restocking their stores with brand new fashions every two weeks or so.

That's right: Where once there were two fashion cycles a year (spring and fall), now there are two a month. When clothes are this cheap, why not?

The thing is, when a dress costs only $20 or a pair of jeans is a mere $15, someone is paying full price for it, even if it isn't you.

That someone is typically a garment worker in a developing country like, say, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka. There, millions of people -- most of them women and children -- work brutally long hours sewing clothes in squalid situations for less than $10 a week, which may be the legal minimum wage, but it's not exactly a livable one. That's all manufacturers can afford to pay, though, if they want to keep prices as low as customers demand.

The other way clothing companies keep costs down is to use cheap fabrics, typically energy-wasteful cotton or non-biodegradable synthetics. Producing these fabrics can create massive amounts of pollution -- especially in regions with lax environmental standards.

Admittedly, it can be easy to forget about conditions half a world away when you're looking at an adorable blouse that costs little more than your morning latte. To bring the harsh reality home, consider this: A closet crammed with cheap, disposable clothes is more expensive than a wardrobe of well-made, long-wearing classics.

It comes down to the cost-per-wear formula. Take the cost of your garment, divide it by the number of times you wear it and that's what its actual value is.

For instance, a $20 top you wear once has a $20 cost per wear. A $500 jacket you wear every week for a year has a $10 cost per wear. The better value? The $500 jacket. Besides, those inexpensive garments just don't last -- which is why, back in the day, fashion guidebooks always used to say that women on a budget can't afford to buy cheap clothes. That's definitely something to consider given the current economic meltdown.

Something else worth considering: One of the reasons we all fell for fast fashion in the first place was to express our personalities through our clothes. Ironically, all we've managed to accomplish is looking like everyone else out there.

We've also devalued the very designers and labels we've been ripping off.

Given all that, it should come as no surprise that there has been a backlash against all this gross over-consumption of clothing. Just as fast food inspired the slow food movement, so has fast fashion inspired a new "slow fashion" movement that encourages shoppers to buy locally produced, ethically made, high-quality clothing that will last more than one season.

In fact, that's how the world's most stylish women have always shopped.

French and Italian women don't buy a lot of fast fashion; instead, they are famous for having a few well-made basics that they update with well-chosen accessories. They look inside North American women's closets and wonder how on earth we manage to dress ourselves with so much junk. Men don't typically buy a lot of fast fashion either. Instead, they often expect to get a decade's wear out of a coat or suit, so it has to be top quality -- and that's why menswear stores offer expensive, beautifully made clothes and complimentary tailoring.

Meanwhile, we women have been dressing ourselves in nasty, flimsy, scratchy, badly made and ill-fitting clothes, all for the sake of being on top of a trend that lasts about two minutes.

Sure, we want to have fun with fashion, and fast fashion can definitely be fun. And it's great for teens, who are still trying on new styles to learn what suits them best and have small allowances to pay for it in any case. But for the rest of us, shouldn't we know better by now? Shouldn't fashion be a bit more luxurious than this? Shouldn't it make us feel good? Shouldn't it be, well, nicer?

Luckily for all of us, this fall is all about beautiful, modern, updated classics, the kind of clothes you'll want to wear for a good, long time. Atkin calls it "stealth wealth," clothing that is elegant and carefully crafted, but doesn't shout its pedigree with all-over logos and bling.

And yes, it can be expensive, but maybe it's time to bring back another outmoded concept: the idea of actually saving up to buy something special instead of racking up more debt on a whim.

This is a great season to begin investing in your wardrobe again. It's a great season to invest in the building blocks of a timeless wardrobe, in luxurious fabrics, beautiful colours and flattering fits. It's a great season to invest in creating your own unique style, and not following the same trends everyone else is.

It is, in short, a great season to invest in you.

(Credit: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/arts/story.html?id=0f2af413-2e6f-4df0-80d8-aa2be4d704cd)

Candles

2011-03-09T21:44:00.006+01:00

(via jak&jil)

My love affair with burning fine candles has evidently been rekindled as of late. It seems like luxury scented candles are amongst the things that have a durable power to cheer me up, clear my mind, and re-energize me – especially after an exam and massive doses of required reading for an entire week. Right now, my favorite fine candle to burn is True Grace's Moroccan Rose (a gift from one of my best friends, thank you). The essence of the Moroccan Rose candle has an intensely floral rose scent with woody base tones. It's a wallet-friendly alternative to candles from Diptyque, Byredo, etc. I also adore the candles from A.P.C. and the No. 5 Feuille de Figuier is the next one I'm going to purchase.

Truth be told, I don't feel bad about finding pleasure in material objects as long as it's practiced in moderation – and there's nothing wrong with materialistic pleasure either. Anyhow, I have no plans to become an ascetic.

However, there's still one thing that has to be done so as to clear my mind; I need to reorganize and declutter my closet while listening to my favorite violin concertos. It's really high time for de-stress therapy.

The Epitome of Chic

2011-03-02T20:56:00.010+01:00

(via philo-sofia)

Are you ready for my newest obsession? These oh-so comely flats from Chanel! When I saw these at Le Bon Marché in Paris, I swooned and couldn't take my eyes off them at all. They are the epitome of chic, no doubt.

I love the way this chic woman wears the flats. Very subtle and coordinated with a hint of off-the-cuffness... and undeniably potential inspiration.

(via lexpress.fr)

We'll see how long this particular obsession lasts – I'm hoping it will be a while. If that's the case, perhaps these ballerinas will become another style and wardrobe staple of mine. However, I'm in no rush to acquire them as they seem to be sold every season. Additionally, I want to be completely sure that they're right for me. Most likely, I will wait a couple of years before settling.

Who knows if they're merely a sudden and momentary obsession? Only time will tell.

PS: I've made a poll, which you can find on the sidebar. I would really appreciate it if you could take five seconds to vote. Thank you!

Style talk on a monday

2011-02-28T20:22:00.003+01:00

click to enlarge

I am 100% certain this ensemble will be my go-to uniform in roughly two months – unfortunately, winter lasts from November to April in Norway. With beautiful new garments waiting to be worn, my morning dressing routine has started to become rather miserable. Although I love sticking to my uniform, I have sincerely been wearing the same clothes every single day since November; a pair of black jeans, the Isabel Marant bator coat, a black crew-neck sweater (I have two sweaters in frequent rotation) and a pair of Doc Martens boots (I loathe those boots as they belong to my 'the Horrors'/'Dior Homme'/experimental era. But the roads are dangerously steep where I live and, on top of that, the cumulative snow makes the roads even more fatal, hence I have to wear those acutely unchic boots). No wonder I'm completely fed up with that attire.

However, the uniform in the photos above consists of a pair of cropped linen trousers from Isabel Marant, striped shirt from A.P.C, linen jacket from Isabel Marant and suede bottines from Zara. As for the linen trousers, these are initially skinny trousers but I'm in the process of stretching them out till they look like Jeanne's perfect linen trousers.

On using the term 'minimalist'

2011-02-27T14:56:00.012+01:00

(via onesleeplessnight)

Thanks to Phoebe Philo, Jil Sander and the rest of the band of minimalist designers, the sudden torrent of minimalism in the world of fashion has indeed taken the style enthusiasts by storm to such an extent that the expression "minimalist" has become quite misleading.

What strikes me most about this craze is the women who are in possession of 20 Chanel jackets and nonetheless call themselves a minimalist when throwing on a stark Jil Sander suit or a futuristic dress. Isn't that insulting to people such as Leo Babauta of mnmlist.com, who is genuinely a minimalist and practices the philosophy of minimalism in every aspect of life and not only in half a dozen outfits? To put it in a different context: If Webern were to proclaim himself a minimalist only because some of his pointillistic works may be arrayed in a minimalist attire, it would be very insulting to Philip Glass, don't you think?

I can acknowledge with 100% sincereness that I find it rather hard to call someone with exaggerated shopping habits and a wardrobe jam-packed with a nearly four-digit number of clothes a minimalist. I also find it difficult to comprehend what's minimalistic in said instance apart from maybe an understated Stella McCartney-esque attire. Often, I see that fashion magazines and certain blogs misuse this term profoundly, and to be frank; I am fed up with this fallacy. Sure, there are probably people who might assert that having this much can be tantamount to being a minimalist by their standards as long as their outfit is a Céline or Jil Sander lookalike. And sure, there’s an interminable discussion of whether minimalism is about both aesthetics and philosophy/method, or merely the latter. But after all, minimalism is fundamentally all about paring down something to its bare essentials, not only regarding how one assembles an outfit, but also in terms of wardrobe. Well, I suppose it's an incongruity to talk of fashion and minimalism together. As quoted in this post, this is, in my estimation, the most fitting and precise definition of minimalism:

"Minimalism is not a style, it is an attitude, a way of being. It’s a fundamental reaction against noise, visual noise, disorder, vulgarity. Minimalism is the pursuit of the essence of things, not the appearance."

By all means, people are entitled to label themselves and their style whatever they desire, but I just wish that people could at least google and look up the term “minimalism” so as to get a better grasp on its meaning before rashly becoming a quasi minimalist. However, how can someone who owns 15 trousers from Jil Sander and 25 Chanel bags be a minimalist?

(The accompanying photo is just a faint example of having perhaps too much clothes, not someone who is labeling herself a minimalist.)
(PS: I'm not claiming that I'm anywhere near a minimalist (yet).. it's a process that requires baby steps.)

Spring purchases

2011-02-26T15:18:00.002+01:00

Here are my sartorial purchases in visual form. I apologize for not being wordy these days and for the sudden stream of photos of this nature. A spring wardrobe planning post is coming up, I promise. Each of my new wardrobe additions deserves a brief summary in an other post, as there is a little story behind every purchase.

Isabel Marant jacket, Isabel Marant Etoile linen longsleeve, Isabel Marant linen trousers and A.P.C. breton shirt.

Small luxuries

2011-02-25T14:23:00.003+01:00

Merely the redolence of fig in your home, good literature, simple but gorgeous lingerie, or beauty in a bottle that looks like something you produced in the chemistry laboratory are the little, perhaps frivolous, joys in life that can revitalize you.

Elali jacket

2011-02-24T16:42:00.003+01:00

A blog post about my purchases is coming up. However, please don't expect anything huge as I, for one, regard shopping as a chore rather than a funny weekend activity with friends. In the meantime, take a gander at this incredible gem of a confection. I swear, some pieces will never cease to stun me, and this jacket accurately embodies my statement. I am over the moon about this find. Moreover I know for sure that this particular jacket is one of the cornerstones of my wardrobe; an item that I always look forward to wearing as it gives me such joy to wear.

Anyhow, this jacket is, surprisingly enough, from Isabel Marant's mainline collection. You Isabel Marant die hards have most likely seen the black or white version of it on the runway.

Laisse tomber les filles

2011-02-19T09:07:00.004+01:00

(photo taken by Jeanne Damas)

I guess my absence has indicated that I'm currently in Paris. I've just spent a lovely week with my friends here. My parents and sister arrived in Paris last night, so now I'm heading to my uncle's house to spend the rest of my trip with my family and relatives.

I haven't been a 'good shopper'. Apparently I've become exaggeratedly picky, especially this season. I've only bought a breton shirt from A.P.C. and lingerie. And some books and Kiehl's products.. that's all. For those of you who follow my tumblr; the Sofia Coppola x Louis Vuitton clutch I had planned to purchase turned out to look acutely cheap and trop moche in real life. That clutch epitomizes that some things just look better in pictures.

However, see you in a week or so!

Style notice: The guardian of all style

2011-02-10T21:46:00.005+01:00

(via misslittlelime.blogspot.com)

I'm not an avid advocate of posting many photos in a row on my blog.. in fact, I should lessen my writings as they always turn out to be a lot lengthier than anticipated. Nonetheless, these scans of Garance Doré, who appeared in the Closet Confidential segment of the most recent issue of Elle UK, comprise content that ought to be enough words to suffice my urge to squeeze more juice from every potential sentence.

That said, I am an earnest disciple of magazine spreads such as Une Fille Un Style in Vogue Paris, Closet Confidential in Elle UK, and the sudden flurry of blogs that render an instant behind-the-scenes peek into the closets, workplaces, bathroom cabinets, apartments or lives of the fashion pack such as Closet Visit, The Coveteur, Into The Gloss and The Selby.

"Sometimes it takes me 10 years to own something. It's like love. You want to let things grow on you."

Playlist: February'11

2011-02-08T20:37:00.001+01:00

Here is the playlist of the month for the readers who have access to Spotify. This playlist contains some of my most played songs of 2008 that I just recently rediscovered (Metronomy, Midnight Juggernauts, Santogold, The Virgins, Born Ruffians). Oh, how I miss 2008! Music wise, it was such a good year – MGMT, Vampire Weekend, Cut Copy, Late of the Pier, Sébastien Tellier, and so on. Enjoy!

PLAYLIST: DEADFLEURETTE FEBRUARY'11

01. Sabali - Amadou & Mariam
02. The Next Time Around - Little Joy
03. Let Me Go ! - Erik Truffaz 4tet ft. Sophie Hunger
04. Twenty Two - Wakey!Wakey!
05. You're No Good - Betty Everett
06. Moon Theory - Miami Horror
07. Big Jet Plane - Angus & Julia Stone
08. Where My Heart's At - Wax Tailor ft. The Others
09. Heartbreaker - Metronomy
10. Right On - The Roots ft. STS, Joanna Newsom
11. Voices - Blundetto
12. Woo Hoo - The 5. 6. 7. 8's
13. Sour Milk/Salt Water - Port O'Brien
14. Jake Ryan - Summer Camp
15. Ghosts - Rigas ft. Anna Maria Espinosa
16. Round and Round - Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
17. Lets Go Surfing - The Drums
18. Lights Out - Santogold

19. Lady Daydream - Twin Sister

20. Je T'aime... Moi Non Plus - Serge Gainsbourg, Jane Birkin
21. Floor - Tumi & The Volume
22. Shadows - Midnight Juggernauts
23. I Get Around - The Beach Boys
24. Lions In Cages - Wolf Gang
25. Flames - Karl X Johan
26. Spy - Beat Assailant, Ben L'Oncle Soul
27. Foxes Mate For Life - Born Ruffians
28. Les Amis De La Musique - Brigitte Bardot
29. Rich Girls - The Virgins
30. Unfinished Sympathy - Massive Attack
31. Monokini - Nous Non Plus
32. Chinatown - Wild Nothing
33. Hawaii - Blackbird Blackbird
34. Sail - AWOLNATION
35. The Lighthouse - Applause
36. Love - Air
37. The Only One - The Black Keys
38. Lose It (In The End) - Mark Ronson & The Business Intl

I might want to take a closer look at...

2011-02-06T23:25:00.001+01:00

(via lagarconne.com)

.. this chic cotton-linen blazer from Vanessa Bruno Athé. Yes, I can divulge with earnestness that I have a thing for jackets, and I assume my inclination derives from those French Voguettes and their partiality towards statement jackets. Regardless, I can't help but adore garments, particularly jackets, that are made from a cotton/linen blend; it's really the best thing to wear, especially during the warmer months. I love the casual look of linen clothes, and this confection would instantly impart a perennial casualness to sleek and polished outfits. It is also a great option for those chillier summer nights. And of course; the sleeves need to be offhandedly rolled up in order to achieve the effortless look.

I imagine myself wearing it over whichever linen t-shirt, with a pair of black cropped, perhaps a bit slouchy, jeans and a pair of Salvatore Ferragamo flats. I will surely look for this jacket in Paris.

And oh! I just realized that this post instances my wardrobe planning process. Anyhow, my blog serves as a place in which I can ramblingly document my wardrobe planning process, so you should expect many posts comme ça in the future. Rather boring, I know (but it's my blog, hehe!).

Masculin/féminin

2011-02-02T16:48:00.001+01:00

Coat from Isabel Marant, vintage breton shirt, Cheap Monday jeans, Isabel Marant boots and Marc by Marc Jacobs bag.

I will most likely look comme ça in two weeks. Dear spring, please come soon!

Style talk on a monday

2011-01-31T21:20:00.007+01:00

(via stuartandwright)

I just checked my schedule for the coming weeks and I am heartily relieved. The good news is, I have a few easy weeks ahead of me. There will be little if any demands on me, which means I have time to devote to music rehearsal, blog and wardrobe planning.

Seeing that I am heading back to Paris in two weeks, I need to fine-tune my list of items I want to look for. As mentioned in my shopping resolutions post, I will concentrate on the basics. Thus far, I know some of the items I want; linen t-shirts and trousers from Isabel Marant, breton shirts and petit standard jeans from A.P.C., Vara flats from Salvatore Ferragamo and essential basics in general. Otherwise I will follow my instinct if I happen to stumble upon some unpredictable finds.

Apropos of unpredictable finds: I recently came across this profoundly stunning silk dress above, obviously from Isabel Marant. As a devout old Isabel Marant fan, it’s no wonder that I’m head-over-heels for this dress as it immaculately reincarnates the lately absent bohemian bourgeois aesthetic of Marant. Who really needs accompanying garments when you’re decked out in this exquisite Isabel Marant tidbit? Though, this dress is very reminiscent of something Sofia Coppola would wear but exemplifies a garment I can only admire from a distance.

Also, it ought to be said that the silk feels like polyester, unfortunately.

Resolution: Catching up on reading

2011-01-30T23:20:00.005+01:00

(via amazon.com, amazon.co.uk)

In spite of being acutely inundated with a flurry of inescapable work and duties, catching up on reading is one of my few resolutions this year. Alas, 2010 did not provide much time to be completely immersed in enjoyable literature, but I believe it is a matter of prioritization. Realistically, I can make time to devour twenty-six non-school related books parallel to required reading.

Candidly, 2010 was such a destructive year, both metaphorically and literally. I suppose the missing ingredient was reading. Having read, since the beginning of 2011, novels by Salinger and Camus – I feel a lot more vital, happy and inspired. It is as though I have thoroughly forgotten that reading is the most amazing form of meditation. I must never forget that reading also equals gaining courage to face every aspect of life, whether it is misery or malady.

Nonetheless, a lot of marvelous novels are waiting for my perusal. I also want to re-read some of my favorite novels. Franny and Zooey by Salinger, for instance.

Une veste, cinq tenues

2011-01-29T15:42:00.002+01:00

(via vogue.co.jp)

I have reluctantly been engrossed in a mightily avalanche of schoolwork and piano tutoring as of late. To take off my academic cloche for a little while: it’s high time for a weekly dose of frivolity in the form of making collages that are congruent to my personal taste and style. I have created five seamlessly simple ensembles à la Fleurette melded with this immaculate, utterly coveted jacket from Balenciaga.

As you may have noticed, my collages are always composed of the same items. It is by no means synonymous with being barren of creativity. In terms of style and clothing, I gravitate towards a sense of consistency. Once you have found your signature style, consistency in that style is essential.

Faliero Sarti scarf, Isabel Marant jeans, Isabel Marant suede bottines, The Row t-shirt, Balenciaga city bag, Calvin Klein bra, Omega wrist-watch, Chanel rouge noir lipstick

Isabel Marant Etoile linen t-shirt, Saskia Dias necklace, The Kooples boots, Sophia Coppola for Louis Vuitton bag, Calvin Klein bra, Falke tights, Omega wrist-watch, Joseph skirt, Coco Mademoiselle perfume

Thakoon cigarette trousers, Salvatore Ferragamo flats, A.P.C. breton shirt, Celine bag, Chanel rouge noir nail polish, Cartier wrist-watch, La Perla bra

Isabel Marant Etoile linen t-shirt, Zara suede heels, Sophia Coppola for Louis Vuitton clutch, Chanel rouge noir nail polish, Cheap Monday jeans, Denis Colomb scarf, Brunello di Montalcino wine, Cartier wrist-watch

Acne knit, Boy by Band Of Outsiders shirt, Stella McCartney bra, Repetto boots, Omega wrist-watch, Current/Elliott jeans, Celine bag

10 Wardrobe essentials

2011-01-27T03:47:00.008+01:00

(via thecoveted.com)

I've been meaning to complete the series of my personal wardrobe essentials, but I haven't gotten around to writing it until now – a half-year later. Needless to say, I have admittedly been utterly remiss. Back into the bloggy swing of things, here is my belated wardrobe essentials post:

1. Isabel Marant gray herringbone coat. This is what I literally live in except for when it is too sultry outside. It is a mere simple, understated coat with subtle, masculine details. My figure slithers naturally into it. Every time I put my coat on I feel like I am falling in love all over again, as though an infatuation is being relighted. This jacket imparts a perpetually effortless, off-the-cuff sophistication to my style. No words could possibly convey my fondness for it.

2. COS black crew-neck sweater, made of 100% lambswool. I practically wear this sweater every day because I adore it and it keeps me warm during winter. I like the sleekness of this piece as it caters to a streamlined and polished look. At first glance, it looks like a plain black sweater, but the truly gentle and scarcely discernible details subtly elevate any outfit. Did I mention how perfect the length is?

3. A vintage white and bleu marine breton shirt. Acquired in Paris three years ago, it is one of the rare pieces that have remained in my closet. The fit is exceptional. There are minor visible stains on this shirt, which stem from the previous owner. Yet I love the look of a shabby garment with its sort of imperceptible deformations. I have an abiding penchant for stripy shirts, boat necks and cropped sleeves that expose my wrists – this particular breton shirt epitomizes my partiality.

4. Isabel Marant taupe suede ankle boots with a small heel. Weather permitting, these shoes are as glued to my feet and bring a breezy, nonchalant chicness to my everyday uniform. They are easy to walk in and appear to be very versatile despite the color is neither black nor navy.

5. Cheap Monday black skinny jeans. I purchased my first pair of Cheap Monday jeans at the age of fourteen, and I have been loyal to this brand ever since. Neither high-rise nor low rise, these are a perfect fit. Like wine, these jeans get better as they grow older.

6. A handbag for everyday wear. My love affair with the Balenciaga city purse has certainly been rekindled as of late. Nevertheless, a black hobo from Marc by Marc Jacobs is more convenient for school and work, besides it slouches sublimely against my body.

7. Barely-there lingerie made of luxurious silk. Not only does gorgeous lingerie make me feel good and comfortable, but also the clothes fit much nicer. Never underestimate the importance of good underwear.

8. Tiny gold anchor pendant necklace. I don’t wear much jewelry but this specific necklace has always been special to me. I never take it off. It truly enriches my simple look with its elegance, femininity and luxury.

9. Gold masculine wristwatch. My everyday watch that adds slight masculinity to my look. I like dichotomy in style and this watch surely contradicts the rather feminine gold necklace.

10. A patterned light blue button down shirt. It tended to belong to my grandmother and imparts an extra touch to zest my humble outfits. I love the rather loose fit of this shirt. Sometimes I like to wear it buttoned up with a navy or white t-shirt under.

Shopping resolutions for 2011

2011-01-17T00:27:00.004+01:00

My new year’s shopping resolutions post turned out to be a lot lengthier than predicted. It’s called “the art of being concise” for a reason. Initially, it was supposed to be a short list of resolutions, so feel free to skip the discursive part.

Through trial and error, I have indeed learned my lessons and become more aware of my style and taste. Moderating my consumption hasn’t been a hard task at all. I obtained less than 10 garments in 2010, including basics. Last year, I bought some clothing that I ended up reselling. I suppose I’ve finally learned that certain looks and garments can only be admired from afar no matter how pretty they are. This year I am aiming for items that will remain in my closet.

It’s evident that I am fairly good at adhering vehemently, sometimes too religiously, to lists. Unfortunately, I missed out on several staggering finds because I was acutely fixated on merely buying the 4-5 items on my seasonal list. At times, I failed to notice the minor faults in some of my purchases. Moreover, I somehow managed to overlook my consistent style when hunting for the items on my list, in the sense that my purchases didn’t have the intuition of congruity.

What I am trying to indicate is:
I’ll try to ease up on adhering to my lists. I have to learn to give in to a few unpredictable buys if they have the immediate gut feeling of rightness (trust me, I’m so picky that this happens once in a blue moon). From my experiences, the unpredicted purchases are the most successful purchases and the most cherished items in my wardrobe.

2011 will be the year of apostasy from dictatorial lists. I need to trust my instincts more and quell the over thinking. Being vastly selective is a beneficial skill I’ve developed, but when I know that an unanticipated item is absolutely right (e.g. my Isabel Marant coat or boots, both unpredicted purchases, yet the most worn and much-loved items), I won’t hesitate even if it isn’t part of the plan. By all means, I will shop with conviction.

(via myselectivememory.com)

The shopping method I’m using this year is the same one I exploited back in fall 2009. It worked out superbly, which is why I’m repeating it. The method is a cross between sticking to a very strict list of items and mindless, haphazard shopping. I have an extensive list – which is regularly amended – of items I consider as wardrobe necessities. I allow myself to buy 4-5 items a season, but only if they are perfect by my standards. I use the list as a basis but I won’t let it dictate the shopping.

I would also make a smaller list of currently available clothes that I'd take into consideration. Then I'd put these items through an extended deliberative process. I like to wait a couple of months before I settle, because the item must be right. Regarding items such as expensive designer bags, I am willing to wait a couple of years before settling. Inevitably, I always end up eliminating 4 of 5 items from the list, so a deliberative process is required. However, some designers don't give much thinking time, e.g. Isabel Marant. In this case, I just have to follow my guts.

Rather than being determined to get hold of certain pieces that I don’t seem to unearth, I will move on to the other items on the list and search for something else that may be available. Otherwise I will end up with items that are completely uninspired or just wrong, only because my list says I have to obtain them or because I try to intentionally fill a gap in my wardrobe.

On a different note: I haven’t covered all the basics yet because I’ve been prioritizing statement pieces. In addition, I am quite picky about the basics as they must be perfect. This year, I want to focus on the basics because they are pretty much my style as much as they are my foundation. Then again, if I stumble across a special piece of clothing that ticks off all of my requirements, I won’t bypass it. Incidentally, I will not exceed the limit of 15-20 items a year. Nevertheless, what are the odds of finding 20 perfect basics in a year?

Last but not the least, I have to stop settling for second best. Once second best, always second best. I know that sooner or later I’ll regret and resell the item. I once stated, “I want perfection, not fast fashion”, and I’m sticking to my statement.

To sum up my musings, here are my shopping resolutions for 2011:

Admire certain garments from afar and face the truth that they will never work for me
Not fall into the list trap
Give in sometimes to unpredictable finds
Go with my instinct more and quell the over thinking
Focus more on the basics
Not exceed the limit of 15-20 items a year
Stop settling for second best

Fall wardrobe planning pt. V (final follow-up)

2011-01-11T20:32:00.010+01:00

In the beginning of September 2010, I compiled a list of five items I wanted for the fall/winter season.

A pair of brogues or loafers
Isabel Marant tweed/bouclé jacket
Clutch from Balenciaga or Mulberry
Black O-neck sweater
An intense, inexplicable desire or an item from Isabel Marant

I revised the list once and replaced 3) Clutch from Balenciaga or Mulberry with "Hobo from Balenciaga or Marc by Marc Jacobs". Probably the smartest move I made. Later on I realized that I no longer wanted the clutch from Balenciaga.

I purchased everything on the list; a pair of loafers, Isabel Marant 'tweed'-like jacket, hobo from Marc by Marc Jacobs, black crew neck sweater from Acne (image) + ‘an intense, inexplicable desire’ from Acne. In addition, my mom gave me a pair of tapered trousers from Zara and another crew neck sweater from COS.

Although I adhered to my list faithfully, I haven't succeeded, as I am not fully content with my purchases. I think the problem lies in the fact that my shopping became overly dictated by the list, as if it was a list of tasks I was obliged to solve in order to finish my homework. Admittedly, I was a better consumer last fall. If I remember correctly, I bought only three items that I still cherish today; my beloved coat from Isabel Marant, Balenciaga bag, and a shirt from Isabel Marant I bought on a whim in Paris.

Having that said, I love the loafers I bought but they are a tad too small for my feet and I have given up trying to expand the shoes.

Regarding the Isabel Marant ‘tweed’-like jacket, I love the fact that I managed to get my hands on my dream jacket, but I hate the fact that I suppose I'll never wear it because I can't get over the visible silver zippers. Additionally, I figured out that maroon doesn't go with my wardrobe's color scheme. Regardless, I am keeping the jacket to see if the color and zippers grow on me. The jacket is such a rare and stunning piece of clothing, but I think I settled for second best.

On the other hand, I am very happy with my hobo from Marc by Marc Jacobs. I wear it every day and it is practical for school. I am also very happy with my crew neck knit from Acne (image). The knit is from the S/S 2009 collection and I ordered it from Acne's outlet. As a matter of fact, I didn't like the knit when I received it, but eventually it grew on me.

I ended up re-selling the item that was supposed to be an intense, inexplicable desire – an asymmetric shirt from Acne that wasn't really my style, I found out subsequently. The shirt was merely an impulse buy, which I tried to label as 'an intense, inexplicable desire'.

Needless to say, I have learned a lot from my mistakes and I have made some shopping resolutions for 2011.

Playlist: January'11

2011-01-10T00:19:00.002+01:00

Here is the playlist of the month for the readers who have access to Spotify. For those of you who cannot use Spotify; check out the track list below.

PLAYLIST: DEADFLEURETTE JANUARY'11

01. Round the moon - Summer Camp
02. When we're dancing - Twin Shadow
03. We tried - The Drums
04. Blue headlights - Shout Out Louds
05. Boyfriend - Best Coast
06. Don't wake the dead - Guards
07. On melancholy hill - Gorillaz
08. Live in dreams - Wild Nothing
09. Long division blues - Peggy Sue
10. While we're young - Department of Eagles
11. Tighten up - The Black Keys
12. Sing sang sung - Air
13. No surprises - Radiohead
14. I look to you - Miami Horror
15. VCR - The XX
16. I can't stand it - The Velvet Underground
17. Blue moon - Kendal Johansson

18. Look - Sébastien Tellier
19. Koop island blues - Koop
20. Bermuda - Kisses
21. I'll try anything once - Julian Casablancas
22. Hey cool kid - Cloud Nothings
23. Forget you - Cee-Lo Green
24. Vacation - Beach Fossils
25. Don't you want me - The Human League
26. Toxic - Mark Ronson featuring Tiggers
27. Shelia - Atlas Sound
28. Bitch - Plasticines
29. You'll never know - The Platters
30. Older brother - Pepper Rabbit
31. Time on my hands - Billie Holiday
32. You know - JJ
33. In the sun - She & Him
34. Spectacular girl - Eels

Chic comme une Parisienne

2011-01-08T01:34:00.003+01:00

(images via net-a-porter.com)

There are several reasons why almost every Parisienne possesses a pair of suede bottines; the bottines are ultra chic, walkable, versatile and adds a nonchalant air to all outfits. These lovely bottines from A.P.C. embody the true Parisian street style. I want to get my hands on these because I've been dreaming of a pair of bottines in camel suede leather for years now, but first they have to pass through an extended deliberative process. Fortunately, I'm going back to Paris soon!

Bonne année!

2011-01-06T23:26:00.003+01:00

Bonne année et bonne santé à vous tous !
Thank you all for making 2010 a great blogging year. You cannot believe how your words of support and comments cheer me to blog more. I really appreciate it!

One of my blog's resolutions for 2011 is to post more outfits (requested by readers), but I don't think it will happen because it would be like posting the same picture over and over again. Regardless, all I have to offer is a (poor quality) video of my New Year’s Eve outfit. It was completely unpredicted as I was supposed to wear something else. At the last minute, I switched from wearing the intended outfit to what I was wearing all day. Strangely, I also wore this particular sweater to the Christmas party and on Christmas Eve.

I wore a chunky crew neck knit from Acne, a pair of soon-to-be perfect tapered trousers from Zara which I eventually decided to get my hands on (the cuffed hems will be fixed soon), heels and my regular outerwear from Isabel Marant.

Bon Chic Bon Genre

2011-01-01T20:48:00.002+01:00

(via terralatina.over-blog.com)

Voici les looks que je préfère! Inspiring photos from Inès de la Fressange's newest book 'La Parisienne'. The excerpts from the book look very promising and inspiring. For those of you who wonder: The utterly chic Parisienne in these photos is the author's daughter Nine.

A statement jacket

2010-12-30T03:26:00.002+01:00

(via brownsfashion.co.uk)

Regarding my style, special jackets are indispensable ingredients. My uniform usually consists of a pair of casual jeans and boots, a simple top and a delicate statement jacket. These collages demonstrate how I would wear this incredible jacket from Dries van Noten. It is rather wonderful, isn't it?

The Row t-shirt, Current/Elliott jeans, The Kooples boots, SC for Louis Vuitton clutch, Cartier watch, Ray-Ban sunglasses.

Thakoon trousers, Equipment shirt, Repetto boots, Balenciaga bag, Chanel rouge noir lipstick.

On minimalism

2010-12-27T21:03:00.002+01:00

“Minimalism is not a style, it is an attitude, a way of being. It’s a fundamental reaction against noise, visual noise, disorder, vulgarity. Minimalism is the pursuit of the essence of things, not the appearance.” (Massimo Vingelli)

This quote is so true, at least this is how I would define minimalism. My style may not be minimalist in the sense of Jil Sander or Stella McCartney, however my approach to life is clearly influenced by the minimalist lifestyle. I am utterly attracted to the idea of minimalism. By embracing minimalism, I have in fact acquired more from purging and decluttering both physically and mentally.

I would say my approach to both style and life is equivalent to the golden mean – a cross between extreme asceticism and extreme hedonism – though I must admit that my obsession with perfection may be excessive at times. I have learned that the pursuit of the perfect wardrobe pays off and decreases the urge to possess lots of clothes and stuff in general. I maintain that having a superfluity of objects yields dissatisfaction. Rather than buying stuff to fill a void in my life, I constrain myself to cope with dissatisfaction by limiting the quantity of stuff I allow myself to purchase. It takes a lot of effort to become effortless and achieve the look of ease – but this is a further theme that I’ll save for another occasion. I suppose that the choices I make as a minimalist perfectionist are still in alignment with my own effortless simplistic values.

Until nearly three years ago, I found it difficult to conquer my impulse consumerism. For me, the transition from being a hoarder to approaching minimalism was like a release from the burden of possessions. In spite of being able to resist purchasing things on impulse, parting with anything once it was in my possession was the hardest part, especially objects I was strongly attached to.

I believe that the best part of being a minimalist is the feeling of freedom and the ease it gives. I suppose that we’re absolutely capable of managing all of our possessions without intrusion into our life.

As I was packing my suitcase for my stay in Barcelona, it struck me that I always bring the same essentials regardless of destination or season. Packing became a lot easier after I gave my life and wardrobe an overhaul. I was not even aware of my accomplishments until my French cousin, whom I see twice or three times a year, stated that I had been wearing the same clothes since 2008. To me, it sounds like I’ve attained one of my goals. My entire capsule wardrobe fits into one suitcase. It makes me very happy that I no longer respond to the endless consumerism that we are bombarded by and that my wardrobe is no longer cluttered.

As for my style, I’m quite fond of maximalist garments but I wear them in a minimalist way.

Au revoir Oslo/Bonjour Barcelona

2010-12-26T03:02:00.002+01:00

I'm leaving town to spend a week in Barcelona. I hope you all had a wonderful christmas. I also want to thank all of you for being such great readers, really! Thank you for the lovely e-mails, support and comments.

Nevertheless, is there anything in particular you would like to see on this blog? All advices and suggestions are highly welcome. Maybe less writings and more photos? Or more music, literature and movies? Perhaps less about clothes?

Stay tuned and follow my blog with bloglovin for preset posts.
Happy holidays, everyone!

The search for the LBD pt. I

2010-12-23T10:24:00.003+01:00

(images via elle, tfs)

I often covet certain pieces of clothing that exist only in my imagination. Fortunately, I stumbled across some photographs of supermodel Lara Stone wearing the coveted little black dress in white from Calvin Klein. I am so happy to have found pictures of my ideal dress. The pictures illustrate what I am in constant pursuit of better than I could ever adequately convey in words. This particular dress is exactly what I look for in a LBD. The cut is unerring, precisely what I covet. It is very minimalist, sleek, discreet, and timeless. The fit is perfection – not too tight-fitting or revealing, and it covers the body parts that I disapprove of. Additionally, the subdued drapery provides the final touch to the perfect dress – a required detail which is an accessory in itself.

Since I am a musician, the dress will not only serve as the little black dress for evenings and formal wear but also my go to dress for concerts and performances. It is utterly perfect for concerts. There is sufficient room for movement in this dress. Pianists need to be flexible and a tight-fitting dress would restrict my flexibility. The sleeveless silhouette is an absolute convenience for pianists and the perfect mix of form and function.

Now, the challenge is to track down a similar dress in black. If I don’t succeed in finding the perfect LBD, I will have this particular dress custom made in black.

Follow my search for the perfect little black dress - the very missing staple in my wardrobe. I believe that the perfect LBD is out there somewhere. I've found it in white – now I just have to find it in the right color.

What I would wear today

2010-12-19T16:25:00.000+01:00

Sonia by Sonia Rykiel coat, Thakoon pants, A.P.C. sweater, La Perla bra, Repetto shoes, Sofia Coppola for Louis Vuitton clutch, Cartier wrist watch

The usual uniform and silhouette: An oversized and masculine coat, a sleek sweater, underwear that is barely there, a pair of cigarette pants and ankle boots with a small heel, an understated but elegant clutch and an exquisite wrist watch.

Style tip of the day (16/12)

2010-12-16T11:08:00.002+01:00

(via jak&jil)

Are you a person who is frightened that someone will recognize you in the same shirt on two consecutive days?

If that's the case, be a bit careless and wear your favorite garment every day for a week, whether it is your statement boots or an easily distinguishable chunky sweater. There is nothing wrong or embarrassing with repeating the same garment or even outfit several days in a row. It's called a favorite for a reason.

The basic wardrobe

2010-12-14T21:23:00.002+01:00

A basic wardrobe is a collection of versatile pieces for every occasion. I haven't covered all of the basics yet, mainly because I haven't encountered the basics that look like they are tailored particularly to my body and taste. In my opinion, basics should be carefully selected in the same manner of selecting special or statement pieces.

Ideally, this is how my basic wardrobe would look like. The collages cover more or less everything that a basic wardrobe needs, it's just a matter of finding the right garments.

Regarding tops, it is certain that I have a bias towards crew-neck tops. While the V-neck's sharp lines make my flat chest look too mannish, the crew-neck's lines soften it. I favor loose tees with longer sleeves that I can roll up. For the winter season, I love variations of the crew-neck sweater, whether it is chunky or silky. One of my wardrobe staples are the striped tops, which I wear regardless of the trends and seasons. The perfect white and blue shirt is practically impossible to hunt out. Admittedly I have purchased shirts that are nearly perfect, but time after time I've ended up re-selling them due to the imperfections.

These would be absolutely my ideal bottoms. Unfortunately, it is extremely hard to find trousers that fit my slender frame (except for skinny jeans). I am constantly dreaming of a pair of tapered or pleated trousers. They are so chic and classy. I don't like garments that are overly feminine, but a pair of tapered trousers would instantly add an androgynous air to all outfits which consist of feminine separates.

The perfect little black dress must be as hard to find as the perfect white shirt.

When it comes to jackets and coats, I like jackets that aren't to fitted at the waist. The jacket is the most important component of an outfit. I'm leaning towards a uniform that consists of a simple top and bottom and an exquisite jacket.

Shoes! I feel that I have better luck in finding the right shoes. I know where I can obtain my ideal shoes. It's just a matter of money. I adore ankle boots with a small heel simply because they are beautiful and walkable. Brogues have been a staple in my wardrobe for years but I surely need to replace my old ones with a pair in the best quality. I think I will go for the ones from Church's.
The matter of money can also be applied to the accessories. I have covered the bags apart from the clutch. The less, the better!

What's in my bag?

2010-12-13T20:45:00.007+01:00

I can't help but wonder what's in a woman's purse. I love peeking inside women's handbags, especially because the contents of one's handbag can tell a great deal about the owner and offer a brief look at the owner's personality, essentials and lifestyle.

I rotate my bags. When I carry my Balenciaga bag, I usually eliminate a book and the pocket moleskine notebook because the bag is already slightly heavy. So, this is basically the essentials that you will find inside my two bags when I don't attend school (add school books, pencil case, sheet music and a mac):

Umbrella (which I always carry with me, because I certainly cannot rely on the weather forecast. It protects me from getting soaked in the rain/snow and it protects my leather bag and the contents in it (such as my computer!)..)
iPod (my form of isolation from the busy world)
Pouch (I use it as a wallet (because I haven't found the perfect leather wallet yet), first-aid kit (band-aids, pain-killers, women-stuff etc) and a place to store tiny objects like a USB flash drive.)
Hand cream (something that I just recently started to carry as my hands get very dry and itchy in winter.)
Lipstick (not really a necessity, it's been lying in my bag for months but once in a while I put it on.)
Concealer (because my skin is unpredictable.)
Novels (one in English and one in Norwegian. I like having two novels with me for every mood I could possibly be in. I spend several hours on public transportation each day, and I hardly ever have time to read at home. So when I'm not catching up on lost sleep I read.)
Pens (one fountain pen and one drawing pen (FYI I can't draw)..)
Moleskine weekly notebook (One of my most important essentials. I'm doomed without my calendar.)
Pocket notebook (I love lists!)
Eucalyptus flavored gum (it's a staple)
Keys
Vaseline (for dry lips and taming my eyebrows)
A matchbox (You never know when you'll need it. --> Chemistry experiments)
An old-fashioned cell phone
Hand sanitizer (I'm a hygiene freak..)

Regarding handbag essentials, I've always considered myself a minimalist compared to other women I know. But after writing down my handbag's contents, it seems like I'm a maximalist rather than a minimalist. So, what do you carry in your bag? Do share in the comments!

I am also tagging everyone on my blogroll to do a post on their handbag essentials.

Style talk on a sunday

2010-12-12T14:16:00.000+01:00

When I feel slightly uninspired, I like to make utilitarian ensembles of clothing to remind myself of what I'm striving for in terms of style. Creating these ensembles also gives me a general idea of what I like or dislike. It's quite distinct that I like a sort of consistency in a wardrobe and accessories. Once I've found something that suits my taste and body perfectly, be it a piece of clothing or a color, I'll stick to it. For instance, I only wear the nail polish color 'rouge noir' as it is part of my uniform look. Any other nail polish color would be completely wrong.

Crew neck

2010-12-09T01:18:00.002+01:00

(via lagarconne.com)

These crew neck sweaters are merely simple and perfect. #1 Lou, 100% cashmere. #2 Rag and Bone, 100% wool.

Ma nouvelle veste

2010-12-07T19:40:00.002+01:00

Today I received my most recent investment. A tweed-ish wool jacket from the Isabel Marant f/w 2009 collection. I've been searching for this particular jacket ever since I saw the red version on the catwalk. A part from the silver zippers that are hardly noticeable when wearing the jacket unbuttoned, everything about this piece of clothing is just perfect. In fact, I prefer this this jacket without the zippers, but these jackets are so rare that I couldn't let it pass by.

I hope the silver zippers won't clash with my gold necklace and watch.

Thoughts on shopping

2010-12-07T01:31:00.006+01:00

(via elliebalfe.blogspot.com)

The heading of this topic is kind of misleading – I don’t like the expression ‘shopping’ as a human activity. It is just a less fancy word for consumerism. I, however, am not bringing up this subject in the matter of the holiday shopping lunacy, which is an activity I’ve never participated in. Rather, it’s a subject that I am apt to dwell on after every purchase I make. Seeing that I can't bear shopping, I often find myself pondering on how I actually manage to obtain new additions to my wardrobe. That said, I am by no means an avid shopper. In fact, I only allow myself to indulge in maximum 5 pieces a season. Sometimes, I may not buy anything throughout the season because I want perfection, not fast fashion.

At times, the ‘shopping’ part is a mystery to me, as if the entire process is being run by my subconscious. Perhaps it is because I am indeed purposeful? Or maybe I’ve managed to develop a fairly handy shopping skill? I don’t like it though. I want to control the shopping process as I can sense distrust in my way of adding new items to my wardrobe. It’s kind of like wardrobe anorexia.

It takes a lot of effort to plan each possession in terms of clothing. I am making every endeavor to execute a wardrobe that doesn’t require annual replacements according to the fleeting fashion and trends. I create a lot of lists in order to filter out needs and desires. Yet some of the lists are as fleeting as fashion. Often, I find myself eliminating several garments from my lists. That's why I prefer to wait a couple of months, sometimes years, before I settle for a garment. For instance, I’ve finally found the ideal pair of flats, made to perfection. But I am not confident enough to settle because I don’t want to end up with a regrettable item that I have to sweep out. In other words, I am completely aiming for a wardrobe that doesn’t need any purges in the future – a wardrobe that I’d never question again.

I never, or hardly ever ‘go shopping’ – the most boring activity ever. Personally, I think it is such a waste of time as well as regrettable impulse purchases are most likely a result of shopping sprees. Instead, I rely on formerly tried labels. Be it Isabel Marant or COS, these are labels that I am absolutely firm to. Every single piece of clothing that I own from Isabel Marant, is dearly loved and considered a wardrobe staple.

I feel quite abnormal, as I reckon that shopping is neither pleasant nor thrilling. But I do think the whole process behind a consistency in wardrobe is rather exciting. Luckily, I’m not capable of empathizing with the average consumer’s outlook towards clothing and shopping any longer.

On the other hand, I suppose that I have developed a bit snobbish attitude towards fabrics. I try to go for mere natural fabrics, which is the opposite of what one can find in the fast fashion stores. Explains why I've reduced my trips to Zara.

À bientôt!

2010-11-26T23:06:00.003+01:00

I am on an extended hiatus from blogging. I need to focus on studying, the music and fill out various applications. Besides, I don't feel inspired to blog either (suggestions are welcome). But I will be back soon, most likely after the insanity of the applications deadlines and the horrid exams I am facing. However, I don't want my past entries to go to waste, so I have gathered some posts that you may not have encountered here.

In the meantime, you should also check out the new daughter blog of my former Norwegian favorite blog, The Vain Villain. Happily, the person behind the blog decided to write her new blog in English so international readers can enjoy it too. The former blog provides lots of helpful advice on creating a capsule wardrobe, how to dress for your body shape, your tonal palette and so on. Furthermore, I recommend you to read her previous blog with Google translate as well.

See you soon! :-)

Inspiration du jour: Balmain Homme

2010-11-18T21:57:00.007+01:00

(images via zeefashionista.blogspot.com)

Fashion is fleeting. I feel that menswear is the only thing that inspires me nowadays. Season after season, it's all about the classics - with a few alterations.

Photos of Balmain homme F/W 2010/2011 lookbook. Inspirational, always. The photos make me want to raid my dad's wardrobe and put some golden buttons on his navy tailored peacoat. The subdued gold details on the belt are perfection. Never underestimate the beauty and power of gold.

The classic box bag

2010-11-17T00:01:00.021+01:00

(via missmollcherie.blogspot.com)

I've got a confession to make; I have never coveted the classic Chanel 2.55 purse despite the fact that it's a wardrobe staple and probably the bag that every girl and woman desire. On the other hand, I've been coveting the classic box bag from Céline for several months now. I am completely obsessed with a simple, rather understated and boxy bag, with a tiny bit of gold on the claps closure and the shoulder strap. This is a bag I can wear both as a nineteen-year-old girl and in thirty years, because it's certainly a timeless piece. It's pure perfection and nonpareil. Even the subtle flash of gold is perfection.

I have decided that someday I will perhaps invest in this bag even though it costs a fortune. That said, I need to justify the price, which I assume is GBP 2200. Let's hope the classic box bag won't be discontinued in the future as it's most likely a seasonal item. Otherwise I'd better get my hands on my dream bag soon.

The art of wardrobe building

2010-11-13T19:01:00.008+01:00

(via antique-gold-sphere.blogspot.com)

"July 23, 2010: Some useful advices from the Englishman. Stop the constant shopping. It's bad for the earth and the wardrobe. I usually spend months or years finding the perfect garment before I purchase it. Appreciate all the effort you put into finding an item. It's such a relief when you've found it and don't need to search for yet another perfect navy blazer."

When I reincarnated Dead Fleurette, I posted this message from the Englishman because I find it incredibly enlightening and quite helpful in the enduring wardrobe building process. At that time I only had a few readers. Every day, my blog attracts many new followers but I suspect that each of you has perused my blog archive and seen this message. Therefore, I'm re-posting it as a reminder to all of you who follow my blog, both new and old readers. This is such a timeless message that contributes to a better wardrobe and planet. If only everyone could green their consumption habits and think like the Englishman...

Bon week-end à vous tous!

Style notice: The quest for quality

2010-11-11T11:49:00.006+01:00

(via thegentlewoman)

On the subject of quality/quantity and French wardrobe, I found a great and very enlightening excerpt from the book "Elegance" by Kathleen Tessaro:

One of the most striking differences between a well-dressed Englishwoman and a well-dressed Parisian is in the size of their respective wardrobes. The Englishwoman would probably be astonished by the very limited number of garments hanging in the French woman's wardrobe but she would also be bound to observe that each one is of excellent quality, expensive perhaps by British standards, and perfectly adapted to the life a Frenchwoman leads. She wears them over and over again, discarding them only when they are worn or outmoded, and she considers it a compliment (as it is meant to be) when her best friend says, 'I'm so glad you decided to wear your red dress - I've always loved it!'

Foreign visitors are often shocked by the high prices in Paris shops and they wonder how a young career girl, for example, who earns no more than her British counterpart, can afford to carry an alligator handbag and to wear a suit from the Balmain boutique. The answer is that she buys very few garments: her goal is to possess a single perfect ensemble for each of the different occasions in her life, rather than a wide choice of clothes to suit every passing mood.

I wonder if the Englishwoman wouldn't profit by replacing once in a while her penchant for quantity with a quest for quality. She might find that not only is her elegance increased, but also the enjoyment and even the confidence that she gets from her clothes.

(image: thegentlewoman, excerpt via tfs)

Musings on my style

2010-11-08T19:52:00.010+01:00

When someone asks me to describe my style as in categorizing it, I never know what to say. Style is complex; it is not something you can label right away because it's constantly in progress. For me, style is about the understanding of proportion, fabric, cut and details.

Over the past two years, I have expanded my eye for fit and proportion that elevate humble elements into something interesting. The right fit and the right proportion are important components, but a body-consciousness is required to comprehend. I’ve learnt what kind of cut that flatters my body type, or where a shirt should end on me, which is past my hips. At 5’4”, it can be challenging at times – too long and I’ll look stubby, too short and I’ll look like a member of the Spice Girls. The cut of a garment needs to hang right so the outfit seems poised. I know the right amount of skin that I can reveal before it gets too tacky, where a sleeve should end on my arm, etc. I’ve learnt that waisted clothes and tight-fitting tops are far from flattering on me.

I have figured out that layers don’t work for me. I incline towards a few sleek and pared-down pieces in a composition. Layers get too cluttered and bulky, and draw off the attention of the subtle details. It’s always just a few pieces that compose my outfits. I’ve learnt the silhouettes that suit me and I always stick to them.

The little yet significant details lie in the cut, use of jewelry and fabric. As for t-shirts and blouses, I know the exact thickness I prefer. A t-shirt must drape in the right way and it should flow on my upper part of body. I have this unwritten rule that the softer a garment appears, the better will it look on my body. I love the look of a worn garment with its creases, folds and random deformations, which turn out to be refinements – they’re barely there but bring a certain haphazard nonchalance to sleek outfits.

I don’t wear a lot of accessories. In fact, the only jewelry I wear is a hardly noticeable feminine gold necklace, which is a distinction from the gold men’s watch on my left wrist that oozes of masculinity. Obvious sexiness is not my taste. For me, sexiness comes in the form of subtlety and sensuality. Exposing a bit of the wrist at the end of the sleeve, revealing the collarbones when wearing a boat neck sweater, a flash of ankle, a sensual scent, well-groomed but never overdone hair and subdued makeup – these are the small, subtle details that elevate an understated look into something intriguing.

As I've got a grip on my style and know it too well, I can instinctively filter out likes and dislikes. I can image my style in a couple of years – it’s still the same but my wardrobe is richer with important basics and delicate pieces of clothing. Restricting the number of purchases a season has been really helpful in the progress. Rather than making loads of expensive and regrettable mistakes, the restriction helps me learn what works and doesn’t.

The never forgotten creations by Isabel Marant pt. 2

2010-11-07T01:24:00.002+01:00

(images via fashionologie.com)

The never forgotten creations by Isabel Marant pt. 1

Spring/summer 2009: The S/S 2009 collection is not my favorite collection but overall it is truly great and inspirational – and definitely way better than her newest summer collection. A simple but intriguing, feminine yet masculine collection that certainly embodies the real Parisian street style.

I love the loose, slouchy but flattering silhouette, the boy-ish cut jackets that Isabel Marant is known for, the color palette and the subdued bohemian vibe this collection has going. The styling, taken as a whole, is not my approach – but most of the staple pieces, especially the jackets, would make my wardrobe impeccable. And hey! I see a lot of black, and I really appreciate Isabel Marant's use of black as I wear black all year around.

Questions and answers

2010-11-05T01:04:00.020+01:00

(via toutlecine.com)

One of my favorite bloggers, the lovely Robin from En Voyage, gave me the "I love your blog" prize. Thank you very much. Now, it is my turn to pass on this prize and answer the questions.

The rules of the prize are:

- Do an entry with the prize.

- Answer the questions.

- Give the prize to 10 blogs.

1. Why did you create the blog?

There are many reasons why I revived this blog. One of them is due to the deletion of my favorite fashion/style blog (S, please come back!). I found it terrible hard to find a fashion blogs that met my demands. I didn't seem to find a substitute for a blog that I'd been slavishly following for one year. And because I couldn't find the kind of blog I wanted to read, I decided to create one myself. The revival of Dead Fleurette is also a reaction to the excessive consumption amongst the ~~majority of~~ fashion bloggers. And I must admit that I missed the blogosphere.

In a post called 'Oh no, not another fashion blog' published back in July, I explained the reincarnation of this blog and closed the post with this conclusion: "So, I guess the revival is my attempt to create the fashion blog I am constantly searching for. And I guess I am using the blog to deal with depression, loneliness and low self-esteem as well as hoping to inspire someone out there to stop shopping the planet to death. Blogging keeps my mind occupied."

2. What kind of blogs do you follow?

I follow blogs that somehow inspire me. Most of the blogs I follow share the same aesthetic and taste as me (they're all on my blog roll!). I also follow some witty blogs, food blogs and blogs about great spots in Paris (for all of my future trips to Paris. I can't just eat all of my meals at Le Progrès..). But as for what kind of blogs I occasionally visit, I visit blogs that coincidentally annoy the hell out of me. (Unfortunately, they bring out my inner barbarian, lol..)

3. Favorite makeup brand?

Max Factor for mascaras - I have seriously tried every single mascara from Max Factor, and they are all equally brilliant. Incredible and perfect for asian eyes and eyelashes. Estee Lauder for concealer and Bare Escentuals for mineral makeup.

4. Favorite clothing brand?

Isabel Marant, COS, Celine, A.P.C., Vanessa Bruno, Dries Van Noten, Balenciaga, Helmut Lang, Repetto, Martin Margiela, American Vintage, The Kooples, Surface to air, Comptoir des Cotonniers ++

5. Your indispensable makeup product:

I cannot live without my concealer, my black eyeshadow for my eyebrows (eyebrow powders usually come in brown, which is too light for my black eyebrows!), and perhaps my mascara. And oh, not a makeup product but I cannot live without Neutrogena SPF 100 sunblock.

6. Your favorite color:

At the moment, I adore burgundy.

7. Your perfume:

Coco Mademoiselle by Chanel, because it's my mom's signature scent and nothing is better than my dear mom's scent. Like mother, like daughter

8. Your favorite film:

Oh no, I hate this question. I'm a cinephile and it is completely impossible for me to point out only one favorite movie. But I can point out some of my favorite movie makers: Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, Sofia Coppola, Christophe Honoré, Pedro Almodovar, Wes Anderson, Noah Baumback, Stanley Kubrick, Quentin Tarantino, Michelangelo Antonioni, Luis Buñuel, David Lynch, Claude Chabrol, Jim Jarmusch, Alfred Hitchcock +++

But if I must point out one movie, I'd say 'The Dreamers' by Bertolucci, which is one of my many favorite movies. The movie is set in Paris during the student riots of 1968, and it's about three young cinephiles. The story and the game between the main characters are definitely an allusion to Jean Cocteau's 'Les enfants terribles' (which is one of my favorite books too!). It's a movie that sums up my passion for le cinema. The fact that I recognize every movie, quote, allusion and movie soundtrack that pervade the whole movie must be some sort of sign.

9. What country would you like to visit and why?

I want to travel to Singapore because I want to see and be in the cleanest place in the entire world. Actually, I was supposed to travel to Singapore next summer. My mom had booked the tickets, but due to illness in my family, we cancelled the trip.

10. Make the last question and answer to yourself: What is your greatest ambition in life?

Devenir immortel... et puis mourir. (Translation: To become immortal.. and then die.)

And the 10 blogs I give the prize to:

Danica from Oh, hello there

Maria from Vanilla Scented

Prêt à Porter P

Malia from Muoti Mielessä

Koko from Res Pulchrae

Miss Woo from Cheapskate Chic

Stevie from Discotheque Confusion

Ingvild Telle

Ladybirds nest

Ringo, have a banana!

La tenue de la semaine

2010-11-04T16:14:00.004+01:00

Just an old photograph from May 2010 but this photo could have been taken any time at any rate. My affection for the beloved Isabel Marant jacket has remained the same for over one year now. My skills at investing in a couple of garments each season pay off eventually. What am I wearing? Isabel Marant mainline jacket, H&M scarf, Balenciaga bag, Zara suede bottines, hat from London and Ksubi jeans. Hats are great for bad hairdays.

Playlist: November'10

2010-11-04T01:06:00.004+01:00

Here is the playlist of the month for the readers who have access to Spotify. For those of you who cannot use Spotify; there's a track list below (it will be updated throughout the month).

PLAYLIST: DEADFLEURETTE NOVEMBER'10

01. Last year's disco guitars - Bishop Morocco
02. Constellations - Darwin Deez
03. Loser - Plastiscines
04. Leave everywhere - Toro Y Moi
05. Yes sir, I can Boogie - Oliver North Boy Choir
06. Only love can break your heart - Saint Etienne
07. First in line - James Yuill
08. Bang bang bang - Mark Ronson & the Business Intl
09. J'ai jeté mon coeur - Françoise Hardy
10. The Moneymaker - Rilo Kiley
11. Orange colored sky - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
12. No particular place to go - Chuck Berry
13. Crave you - Flight Facilities
14. Losing my patience - Shit Robot
15. Docteur Jekyll et monsieur Hyde - Serge Gainsbourg
16. David - The Radio Dept.
17. Polite dance song - The Bird and the Bee

18. Oslo - The Little Hands of Asphalt
19. Fireheads - Emiliana Torrini
20. Ms. Jackson - OutKast
21. I know what I am - Band Of Skulls
22. What you know - Two Door Cinema Club
23. Dreamin' - Feldberg
24. Fembot - Robyn
25. Relax in Mui Ne - Onra
26. Wanderland - Hermanos Inglesos
27. Hey boy - Magic Kids
28. When your love is safe - Active Child
29. Learning - Perfume Genius
30. Cash in my pocket - Wiley ft Daniel Merriweather
31. Love again - Palpitation
32. The ghost inside - Broken Bells
33. Leave house - Caribou
34. O.N.E. - Yeasayer

Calvin Klein S/S 2011

2010-11-03T20:03:00.004+01:00

Fashion week literally bores me. That explains why I just recently discovered some great collections. I only follow a couple of designers at Paris fashion week such as Dries Van Noten, Balenciaga, Isabel Marant, Martin Margiela, Vanessa Bruno + a few more (they were all disappointing as expected). By habit, I never check out the designers at New York fashion week because I rarely find any intriguing designers.

But one of the few collections from S/S 2011 that I actually like and/or find inspirational (that's rare!) is the Calvin Klein S/S 2011 collection. Partly because the collection clearly appeals to my aesthetic. I want to wear everything from this collection. I adore the small but significant details like the almost-invisible pockets and drawstrings. All the fabrics look so delicate and I love the way the materials flow on the models. The barely there make-up and the semi-tousled ponytail are effortless and just perfect. As for the pared-down style and the architectural minimalism, Francisco Costa for Calvin Klein is a genius.

(images via fashionshowphotos.net)

The Irish fisherman's sweater

2010-10-29T21:42:00.002+02:00

(images via llbean.com)

Timeless, warm, beautiful and absolutely perfect. I want this cable knitted fisherman's sweater from L.L. Bean in ivory and burgundy. No synthetic fabrics - 100% wool.

My closet consists of clothes that aren't exactly appropriate for six extremely cold months in Norway. I have been prioritizing designer bags and shirts over clothes that will help me survive the winter. A big no-no! Perhaps I should start stocking up on all those essentials soon. Did I mention the harsh six-month long winter?

However, there is no rush. I don't have time to "shop" (not that I shop often! I barely shop..) or get out of the house these days. My exams are coming up and I am determined to get straight A's. H-A-T-E being such a perfectionist.

What to wear when going out

2010-10-27T21:29:00.001+02:00

Letter from reader: "[...] I find your simple, black and French chic style so inspiring. I am in the process of developing a style like yours and I have been wondering what you wear when you go out, party, etc? [...]"

Well, that’s a good question. Here's a great quote by Isabel Marant:

"If a French girl has to go out, she is going to start by dressing up, then at the last minute, she's going to grab the old jeans that she was wearing all day and say, "F*** it! I feel more me like this."

The quote describes me perfectly.

Looking nice and appropriate has become a habit for me. Even though I never really "dress up" on a daily basis, I may look dressed up in a subtle way. I never leave the house looking sloppy or inappropriate. Besides, I'm certainly not the kind of person who looks inappropriately underdressed or inelegant in the hours of daylight, and suddenly transforms into a voluptuous woman who clearly looks dressed up for a particular event. My philosophy is "always be prepared". My philosophy may not suit every lifestyle but it suits mine. I remember that particular day when I attended school, went grocery shopping, attended a formal birthday dinner at a restaurant and then headed directly to a farewell party - predictably in the same outfit. Not because I didn't have time to change. In fact, I had plenty of time to change and I even tried on several outfits before the birthday dinner, but I didn’t feel like transforming.

Here is an illustration of my preferred going-out outfit. Fairly uncomplicated. Something I'd also wear on a daily basis minus the pumps.

Jimmy Choo pumps, Elizabeth and James trousers, Vanessa Bruno sweater and bra, Proenza Schouler clutch, Cartier watch, Chanel rouge noir lipstick and nail polish.

Style notice: 10 commandments of dressing

2010-10-24T17:03:00.006+02:00

(images via tfs, jeannedamas.blogspot.com, nostalgia party 2, trois-douze.blogspot.com)

Harper Bazaar's 10 commandments of dressing:

When contemplating a purchase or just deciding what to wear, consider these tenets and you can’t go wrong:

Know what you like and what you don’t.
Dress for yourself—not for anyone else.
Dress to suit your age.
Dress to suit your shape.
Look appropriate for where you are going.
Wear your clothes with confidence.
Feel good about what you spend your money on.
Embrace your individual style.
Don’t be a slave to the latest trend
Don’t be afraid to break the rules.

(Credit: Prêt à Porter P)

La tenue de la semaine

2010-10-21T14:54:00.010+02:00

This is what I've been wearing for the past two weeks. My dad's knit, a pair of skinny jeans and loafers. Simplicity and subtlety are the only things that remain.

(This is one of the shortest posts I've ever written. I blame the master and margarita!)

The perfectionist

2010-10-20T18:47:00.009+02:00

(via desertnews)

- I found the almost perfect carrot trousers. The trousers looked like they were tailored particularly to my body. Perfect ankle-length and neither too slim nor baggy. But a tiny piece of fabric covered the front closure, which put me off.

- I found the immaculate knitted sweater with a stunning neck that I believe is a fusion between the o-neck and v-neck. Sounds splendid, right? But the sweater revealed a little bit too much skin for my taste.

- I found the almost perfect tapered trousers. I rarely find tapered trousers that fit me on the hips. The legs are narrow but not too tight. Simple and understated cut à la Sofia Coppola, nothing extravagance, perfect ankle-length, perfect fit. The trousers didn't make me look fatter or too skinny. But the cuffed hems put me off.

- I found the 99% perfect boyfriend skinny fit jeans. The fit was exceptionally perfect. Due to the wash, which was one subtle shade lighter than my preference, I returned the jeans.

Fall wardrobe planning pt. IV

2010-10-18T20:00:00.010+02:00

A pair of brogues or loafers ☑
Isabel Marant tweed/bouclé jacket
~~Clutch from Balenciaga or Mulberry~~ Hobo from Balenciaga or Marc by Marc Jacobs ☑
Black O-neck sweater
An intense, inexplicable desire or an item from Isabel Marant ☑

Although I'm extremely strict concerning adding new items to my wardrobe, I allow myself to revise the "4/5 items a season"-list according to my needs. I realized that I don't really need a clutch right away, so I replaced the wish with a hobo bag that I actually need.

I've been searching for the perfect hobo bag for years. I need a shoulder bag that is sturdier than the canvas fabric tote I wear for school. I’ve been considering a black Balenciaga day bag, which seems rather perfect. As I already own a black Balenciaga city bag and might purchase a clutch in black from the same designer, I’d like to try something different. Besides, I don’t want to own three similar bags in black from Balenciaga at the age of 19. I reckon it’s over the top, and I do not want to become fed up with my Balenciaga bags either.

Despite I’ve always disliked Marc Jacobs; I made an exception for this lovely bag. There are plenty of reasons why I really dislike Marc Jacobs. Mainly the design, but I'll keep the other reasons to myself. I, however, decided to get my hands on this hobo from Marc by Marc Jacobs. It’s a model from 2006/2007 – exceptionally hard to hunt down. Eventually, I managed to track down the bag. On the other hand, my friend* has this bag and she made me fall in love with it. I've been craving her bag for quite some time and it’s finally mine. The bag is perfect. It even slouches perfectly. Due to my aversion to Marc Jacobs, I hope it doesn’t scream Marc Jacobs at all.

*Photos of my friend J sporting her MbMJ bag

Fall wardrobe planning pt. III

2010-10-14T18:39:00.004+02:00

(images via net-a-porter.com, lagarconne.com)

Why are the simplest garments so incredibly hard to find?

For the past few weeks, I've been freezing to death. I've certainly miscalculated the Norwegian weather. I did not realize that I must look like the Michelin man so soon. My latest purchase, the perfect loafers – that I am supposed to wear this fall – are all of a sudden not appropriate for the weather conditions any longer. But it's partly my fault that I'm freezing to death – I have an extremely low body temperature and I do not dress properly due to the lack of knits in my wardrobe.

Recently, I've been hunting for a simple knitted sweater that I can wrap myself in. Ideally a loose / non-fitted knit in black or grey with an o-neck. And the knit must be made from natural fabrics, preferably wool or cashmere so it can keep me warm during the six months of winter hell. Ergo no elbow patches, fuzzy details or funny cuts. I try not to buy anything made from synthetic fabrics. However, it seems like all the stores in Oslo merely carry knits that are made from synthetic fabrics such as nylon, polyamide and acrylic. I've seen a couple of nice sweaters online but I will not order anything unless I have tried the garment on. Have I succeed to find a simple knitted sweater? No! Am I the only one who struggles to find a simple sweater? I guess so..

**DEAD FLEURETTE**

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