Tony Leung in Lust Caution

Twist it like Fanny and Margaret

Now aren't these two cool. Fanny Fan and Margaret To doing the twist.

photo credit: soft film

japanese make-up

Wow.

Project Kasut Manek (I need to finish it damn it) and a (very) brief history on Peranakans

I really just wanted to tell you I've got the above thingy I really want to complete. But I realized I can't without explaining a bit on the Peranakan culture. I am half-Nonya from my mother's side and I love the rich and colourful peranakan culture. The above pictures are my miserably neglected Kasut Manek.

read the complete Wiki article

Peranakan and Baba-Nyonya (Chinese: 峇峇娘惹; pinyin: Bābā Niángrě; Hokkien: Bā-bā Niû-liá) are terms used for the descendants of late 15th and 16th-century Chinese immigrants to the Nusantara region during the Colonial era. This community in Melaka, address themselves as Nyonya for the ladies and Baba for the gentlemen.

It applies especially to the ethnic Chinese populations of the British Straits Settlements of Malaya and the Dutch-controlled island of Java and other locations, who have adopted partially or in full Nusantara customs to be somewhat assimilated into the local communities. They are the elites of Singapore, more loyal to the British than to China.

Most have lived for generations along the straits of Malacca.They almost always have the ability to speak two or more languages. In later generations, some lost the ability to speak Chinese as they became assimilated to the Malay Peninsula's culture and started to speak Malay fluently as a first or second language.

read the complete Wiki article

Peranakan beaded slippers, also known as kasot manek, literally meaning shoe beads, is a type of shoe that dates back to the early twentieth century. It refers to beaded slippers worn by a nyonya to complete her Sarong Kebaya outfit, together with chained brooches (kerosang) and a silver belt (tali pendeng).

The slippers are made of Peranakan cut beads (manek potong), which are treasured as these beads are no longer available. Vintage kasot manek are intricate and finely stitched, a testimony to the fine workmanship of yesteryears. The intricacy and fine workmanship of a pair of beaded slipper is also a hallmark of highly accomplished Peranakan women, also known as nyonyas, whose skills in embroidery and beadwork are highly valued.

Obviously my handiwork is like s#$% and I'm actually using a 'cheat' version to sew the beads. The original method of doing it would be PAINSTAKINGLY laborious and blinding. There are no grids to guide your beading and you literally free-hand count out and stitch each 1 mm bead according to the elaborate patterns. My aunt still uses the old method - RESPECT.

Now if I were back in the old days and my handiwork were shown to my prospective mother-in-laws (as they would have in those days), the grand old dames would probably have choked at the abomination of my skills and I would be left an old maid on the shelve. Ha ha ha ha.

So there it is, my project kasut manek. I selected a design of floating lotus on water... Not too fancy and complicated for a novice.  I hope to take photos to capture its development and hopefully it'll motivate me to not take 10 000  years to complete it. 

And just to give you a bit of an idea of nonya fashion and other beautifully stitched kasut manek...

credits: sasha bashir, fiveprime.org, artimages, john ong, raymond kwok, choo yut shing

surprised by Pedder Red studded brogues

I swore I would never wear brogues because I thought they looked ugly. Well, guess I'm eating my words again because I bought these and I love them.

Was at Pedder Red trying on some crazy-high clogs and couldn't help notice these brogues that the sales girls were all wearing. Its the studs.... really... I asked to try a pair and the rest is history.

splish splash of galoshes

Its the rainy season in Singapore now. After being caught in a major downpour waiting for a taxi for an hour in my peep-toe high heels... Galoshes / wellingtons / rainboots suddenly elbowed up to top priority in my "I WANT" list.

 and these Chanel ones would be be PERFECT:

Solar Reine, Kewpies and the Invisible Man

Doesn't the metal-bow ring look so Kate Spade? (I got it for only $19.90!!!)

I'm a sucker for quirky, witty, humourous things (then again I'm a sucker for A LOT of things). At Borders, I recently bought this funny, solar-powered doll that resembles QEII and replicates her dignified royal wave. They've called the doll Solar Reine (Solar Queen). Love the witty write-up on the box.

So while taking Her Royal Majesty's photos, I took some photos of my Kewpies and David, the Invisible Man. I love Kewpies and collect them (did I tell you of the time I bought a jap brand of mayonaise thinking there was a kewpie free-gift in it?). Now, David is a conversational piece. I got him from my favourite jewellery/curios supplier. 100% transparent, he has all the organs a human body should have, in these fun flourescent colours and that are removable too. Sometimes for fun, I keep away the organs and fill David up with glitter, paper clips or other random little stuff.