That being said, I thought that I would do a personal recommendations post to share the things that I loved in the year. From materialistic things to other more mentally stimulating items, these things have helped me throughout the year.
So without further ado, lets begin! :D
Beauty
Best Eyeliner: Hypersharp Liner - Maybelline
I have tried a number of eyeliners before and none delivers as much as Maybelline's Hypersharp liner. It has such a fine pointed tip that it makes extremely precise wing points. However you do have to spend a little more effort if you wanna draw thick lines.
Best White Eye pencil: NYX white eyeliner pencil
The one I tried using before was the Maybelline one and even though I love the brand the particular product was absolutely atrocious. As in really. It could not glide over my eyelids nor waterline and just simply broke off when I applied more pressure to get the colour out. Horrible.
NYX's white eyeliner on the other hand was so smooth and creamy when applied and the colour payoff was really good and opaque as well, making it a dream to use.
Favourite Lipstick: MAC Matte Lipstick in Russian Red
As you all have realised by now, red is my go-to lip colour for every occasion. Many people are really afraid of the colour because they think they will look like a clown, but I think it brings just the right amount of colour to my face. Pinks make my teeth and skin look extra yellow while beiges and browns make me look like a granny. The only other colour that I use would be deep plum shades, and only the super dark ones.
Out of all the red lipsticks that I have tried, my favourite will always be my MAC lipstick. Not because it is my only high-end lipstick, but because of the perfect shade of blue red that makes my teeth look slightly whiter and also because of its matte finish. The colour also matches most of my clothes.
However, it might have a competitor next year because I do wanna try out Revlon's Really Red matte lipstick which they brought back recently, and it is more of a neutral red rather than a blue toned one. Hmm, maybe...
Favourite nail polish: Model's Own nail polish in Southern Lights
I saw this nail polish quite early on in the year but only decided to get it for prom as it was really pricey and heck, it was the best decision I have ever made. I have used the nail polish since then every single day. It is really sparkly and glittery and the pale bluish undertone of the polish gives it a really ethereal presence.
The colour reminded me of the aurora borealis / australias, and I later on found out that its name was derived from the phenomenon.
Oh one more thing, the nail polish lasts for a really long time. As in really. I put on three coats of it and 2 and a half weeks later it is still super perfect looking with no chips whatsoever.
Favourite Brand: NYX
The products are high quality and value for money. Nuff said.
Fashion
Favourite trend: Midi Skirts
To be a little more specific, the full-skirted version as opposed to the figure hugging one. The figure hugging one is great as well though, but it tends to emphasize the hips which can be really unflattering.
Ala Miss Dita <3
I am probably one of the rare few girls in Singapore who are OBSESSED with midi skirts. It hits around below the knee (tea length) which IMO is the perfect skirt length for every single woman out there.
I have many friends who shy away from this trend as they either think it doesn't fall properly or looks frumpy. Well yeah, that may be the case, only if it isnt done right. I think the rule of thumb for midis are that it should sinch the tiniest part of your waist before it flares out. It doesnt matter where the skirt hits below your knee, the vibes that the midi gives always remains the same: classy, ladylike and sophisticated, something that was highly emphasized in the former part of the 1900s.
Which brings me to my next point...........
Favourite Fashion Era: Mash of 1930s to 1950s
Sure, each decade had different silhouettes and styles, but one thing thats for sure, clothes of this era have a key focus - style with class, elegance and a hint of sensuality.
Slinky bias cut evening dresses of the 1930s, emphasises the natural curve of a woman.
My personal favourite silhouette.
I think this is around the late 1940s where skirts began to be a little fuller. However the structured shoulder remained.
50s models. It may not be a pin-up photoshoot per se but the poses are similar!
Sexy fun and playful.
Most-used bags:
The Editor's Market - Fluoro panel clutch
I remember shopping with Nicole and seeing this clutch and went: OMFG I HAVE TO GET IT. I contemplated about getting this for a really long time as it cost 50 dollars which to me was a really big splurge. However now that it is in my wardrobe, I have been using it ever so frequently.
It is the perfect statement piece for all my evening outfits, and it stands out especially well against my favourite outfit colour schemes, ie. black white and blue. Just admire its majesty from the picture above.
Vintage Satchel Bag from Bugis
Okay, this is not really the one I got but since I was too lazy to take pictures....
I didnt wanna get a brown satchel because I dont like the colour at all, but since it was the closest to black (which I wanted) and at only 33 bucks, it was a steal. I have brought it everywhere with me, from school to work to the recent China trip. In fact, I have used it so much that the strap is now broken (oops). I'm trying to get my dad to fix it for me.
I love how the bag is much bigger than my other two satchels and that the colour is neutral enough to match most of my outfits.
White vintage bag from princessess.com.sg
Yup this bag
I got this bag this year and it is absolutely gorgeous. I didnt even know that I would be using it that much because its white (not really the best neutral as it stands out much more than the other neutrals) but surprisingly, it suited many of my summer outfits and I got even more wear out of this than my satchel.
Social Media
We all can't live without it.
Favourite Youtuber: clothesencounters
Cute, sexy, intelligent, articulate and well spoken. All her videos are very well put together and unlike most other beauty/fashion gurus on youtube, she doesnt sound air-headed and has good exposure to the world around her.
Favourite Instagrammer: @collarious
Featuring my fellow classmate Wei Min! Even though there are many instagrammers who post beautiful pictures, I like the fact that her instagram in particular not only contains really abstract pictures but also very relatable to my age group.
Favourite Blogger: Ladyironchef
I guess I don't need to explain any further, everyone knows who he is. The photos he takes are of really high quality, has really good PR skills and best of all, behaves really classily.
Favourite blogshop model: Andrea Chong (special mention - Valerie Wang)
The thing that attracted me to Andrea was her impeccable taste when it comes to styling clothes. It is on par with famous international bloggers. Feminine and tasteful, she is definitely a blogger to look out for. Her super bubbly personality is a plus point. (I really do not get the hate she receives on The F Word..... what, you guys jealous of her?)
I think you guys can already see the trend in the kind of people I look up to. Valerie is an ultra talented girl majoring in art and can play the clarinet really well. She has an amazing body and an exotic face too. The whole package.
Bloggers like these two should be getting a whole lot more attention.
Music
Best song: Blurred Lines - Robert Thicke
Sure, this song might have had a lot of criticism for being sexist, but the beat is so freaking catchy and never fails to get me moving right along to it.
Favourite song [contemporary]: Wherever You Are - One Ok Rock
Heart-wrenching, beautiful melodies fused with touching words. Absolutely perfect. This would be the song I would dedicate to my loved one, whoever he is in the future.
Favourite song [classical]: Rhapsody in E flat minor - Dohnanyi
Close fight between Muriel's Chopin Nocturne in B major (which was my jam last year) and Ying Yin's piece, but this won in the end. It is dark, stormy and passionate, just the kind of thing im into.
Best live performance: Who Wants to Live Forever - Adam Lambert and Queen at Kiev
Nerd Stuff - Stationery, Books
Favourite notebook: Typo A4 Spinout Notebooks
Typo notebooks have the funkiest prints which make them really fun to write in. I used typo notebooks to write my notes in for all my subjects throughout JC 2. I also like the perforated sides of the pages which makes it easy to tear them out.
Favourite Pen: Exam Pen from China
Everyone who borrowed it raved about how good it was. Really. China pens are THE BOMB please everyone do go to China and lug boxes of stationery because they are so freaking cheap and awesome and even the ones with cute prints are really good in quality ok end of spazz
Favourite Highlighters: Mildliners (special mention - cheapo highlighters)
I think every student loves their mildliners. They are not in-your-face like florescent highlighters, the colours are soft pretty and dainty which makes all highlighted words so pleasurable to look at. A little pricey but worth every cent.
Special mention: You know those cheapo highlighters with black and silver pinstripe designs on them? I am actually obsessed with them since they get the job done really well and are inexpensive.
Best Book: The Why Axis by Uri Gneezy and John List
Even though this book is essentially non-fiction, maybe even documentary-like, the writers wrote the book by recounting their experiences in a manner of a novel, making the book really entertaining to read. Furthermore, it explains very well how economics and social circumstances are inextricably bound, when everyone else thought that they are two separate matters altogether. An amazing read.
Favourite Book: The Business of Fashion
My love for non-fiction books doesn't end there, I have one more to recommend on this list. The Business of Fashion is basically a textbook on how to run your own fashion business (well duh). The explanations are simple and clear cut but very detailed, just the way a textbook should be. (I hate it when writers try to fool us with all their mambo jumbo and cant drive their point clearly across)
So, this is my holy grail of 2013, whats yours? :)
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