whiteout

Wearing: H&M t-shirt / Zara skort (similar here and here) and heels (similar here and here) / Le Specs sunglasses / Sophie Hulme bag (high street alternative) / Kure Bazaar nail polish in 'Le Blanc' (similar)

♫ Say Lou Lou - Julian (The Chainsmokers Remix)

Since I styled the black Zara skort in an all-black look last Summer, I thought it would be fitting to style the white one in an all-white look this Summer. I know some countries are transitioning or have transitioned into Autumn but I'm still in KL where it's hot and humid all year round, so I won't be able to play around with Autumn fashion until I fly back to the UK in less than a week. In the meantime, I'm sticking to outfits that are appropriate for the sticky heat. I love all-white outfits as much as all-black ones, but I rarely wear them because I'm a clumsy and messy person by nature, so I can't keep them clean and pristine for the whole day. Even if, by some miracle, I manage to do so, I'll still feel paranoid about potential stains, and being filled with paranoia for a whole day doesn't sound appealing. Nevertheless, the visual appeal of all-white outfits makes me indulge in them once in a while. I just love how crisp and fresh they look. I've also been wearing white nail polish every day this Summer, and this is one of the few times my nails actually match my outfit.

back in black

Wearing: Topshop Boutique silk shirt (similar) and shorts (similar) / Ray-Ban sunglasses (high street alternative) / Zara clutch (similar) and mules (similar) / Kure Bazaar nail polish in 'Le Blanc' (similar)

♫ Lykke Li - No Rest for the Wicked

Apologies for the long absence from the blog! Second year of University had been extremely hectic and stressful. After my final exams ended, I intended to resume blogging but put that off to go travelling for a month and a half instead. I've been back in KL for half a month now, which was consumed with catching up with friends and family. Now that I've eased back into life at home, I plan to get back into the swing of blogging during the remaining two months of my Summer break.

If you're feeling a sense of déjà vu from this outfit post, it's probably because I posted an all-black outfit last year that featured the same silk shirt and was shot in the same location. "When in doubt, wear black" are words that I live by. I don't wear a lot of colour and naturally gravitate towards neutral colours, mainly black, white, grey and navy. Black isn't a suitable colour to wear in the Summer because it absorbs heat, but I honestly can't imagine myself not wearing at least one black item. My tricks to wear black in the Summer without melting from the heat are to wear loose lightweight layers and bare some skin. I usually wear a loose top over a fitted bottom, but lately I've been into loose layers on top of each other. My mum thinks that this outfit looks like pyjamas and I can see why because both the shirt and shorts are made of silk and have an oversized fit. In my opinion, the fact that the outfit is an all-black one makes it smart and appropriate enough to be worn out in public.

When it comes to mules, you either love them or hate them. I was initially against them but slowly warmed up to the idea. I prefer a round toe over a square toe and a slim stiletto heel over a chunky block heel, both of which the Zara mules have. I was eyeing them when they first came out but couldn't justify paying £60 for a pair of shoes that aren't very comfortable to walk in. Fortunately, I managed to snag a pair on sale for £25! I love that the satin texture makes them look so sleek. Since the shirt is made of a shiny type of silk, it matches the satin texture of the mules.

spring fling

Wearing: ASOS leather jacket (similar) / H&M t-shirt / & Other Stories jeans / Sunday Somewhere sunglasses (high street alternative) / Vans sneakers

♫ NONONO - Pumpin Blood

These pictures were taken in Amsterdam where I recently spent 4 days taking in the sights and sounds of the Dutch capital. The weather was amazing in Amsterdam, so I was able to get away with wearing just light layers. However, the weather was horrible the day I returned to the UK: cold and foggy. Hopefully, Spring will come around because it's one of my favorite seasons (the other being Autumn). This outfit is easy, casual and comfortable, which is practical for a day filled with walking and visiting museums. It also consists of several of my wardrobe staples: leather jacket, white t-shirt, blue jeans, oversized sunglasses and sneakers. Sneakers and slip-ons have been very popular for a while now, which, unlike Birkenstocks and slides, is a trend that I can actually get behind, so expect lots of sneakers and slip-ons in future outfit posts!

I struggle to find jeans that fit me. Most high street stores sell jeans in various inseam lengths but the shortest is usually 30", which is still a bit too long for me as my ideal length is 29". I find getting jeans altered inconvenient, time-consuming and expensive in the long run, so I tend to buy jeans from the petite sections or ankle length and cropped jeans. That way, I don't have to go through the hassle of getting them altered. These & Other Stories jeans are meant to be cropped and they should be for most people, but on me they hit slightly past the ankles and are the perfect length. I'm in love with these jeans: they fit well, feel comfortable and the vintage blue wash is stunning. I religiously wear skinny jeans but these are more of a straight leg style, which is something new for me and is a great addition to my wardrobe. Now I'm tempted to get them in a darker wash and in black...

nautical

Wearing: H&M coat (similar) / Topshop dress (similar) / Marks and Spencer tights / Céline sunglasses (high street alternative) / Comme des Garçons pouch (worn as clutch) / Whistles boots (high street alternative) / ILIA Beauty lipstick in 'Wild Child'

♫ London Grammar - Nightcall

This outfit is basically the Winter-Spring-hybrid version of a Summer outfit that I posted last year. For the most part, I've stuck to the same colour palette of red, white, black and navy blue but with the bonus addition of gold accents. It was a pretty sunny day at the time these pictures were taken so I could wear a dress, but with a wool coat and opaque tights to keep the outfit weather-appropriate. I can't wait to wear the dress with bare legs and sandals in the Summer! As I've said before, red lipstick and stripes is a combination that has always struck me as French, so I wanted the outfit to be classic and simple. The navy blue coat with gold buttons, red clutch and red lips are the focal points, so I kept everything else monochromatic and streamlined: black and white striped shift dress, black cat eye sunglasses, black tights and black Chelsea boots. The outfit turned out more nautical than I expected, which I actually prefer.

blackout

Wearing: Topshop Boutique silk shirt (similar) / Zara skort (similar) / Ray-Ban sunglasses (high street alternative) / Proenza Schouler bag (high street alternative) / Topshop Unique heels (similar)

Ah, the ubiquitous Zara skort. Unlike dungarees/overalls and Birkenstock sandals, skorts and heeled sandals are the only trends that I'm into this Summer. I like the concept of skorts because they're practical in that you have the same comfort and ease of movement which you would have if you were to wear shorts, but they smarten up your outfit as they look like skirts from the front. I practically live in shorts in the Summer and skorts add some much-needed variety to my Summer looks. They allow me to not look like I'm wearing shorts all the time even though I am technically wearing shorts (all the time). That's a win-win in my case. Anyway, I really like this Zara skort: the asymmetric design looks striking and the geometric structure is oddly flattering. As for the silk shirt, I consider it as much of a wardrobe staple as the basic t-shirt. I prefer loose or oversized ones because they're comfortable and effortless. Both the skort and silk shirt look formal and dressy but are actually easy and comfortable pieces to wear. In my opinion, an all-black outfit creates the illusion of a polished and put-together outfit when, in fact, you put in minimum thought and effort. There's just something about all-black outfits that instantly make you look more chic. This is perfect for lazy days when you're not in the mood to dress up but still want to look good.

may the force be with you

Wearing: H&M t-shirt (similar) / Zara skirt (similar) and heels (similar here and here) / ASOS sunglasses (similar) / Proenza Schouler bag (high street alternative) / Kure Bazaar nail polish in 'Caicos'

I did a short internship at a law firm in KL a few months ago and had to go shopping for office wear because I didn't have much that were suitable for a professional environment. I picked up this Zara pencil skirt in the sale and frequently wore it during my internship. After my internship ended, I wanted to continue wearing the skirt and was thinking of ways to incorporate it into my everyday looks without looking like a career woman instead of the student that I am. The skirt looks very formal and I wanted to tone it down, so I wore it with a loose graphic t-shirt because I like the contrast between smart and casual. I usually don't wear knee-length skirts because I find that they make me look shorter than I already am. To avoid looking stumpy, I wear shoes that: (a) give some height; (b) don't cover my ankles; and (c) show as much of my feet as possible. Boots and flats are instantly ruled out. The ideal shoes would be single-sole heeled sandals with thin straps, which are my trusty Zara ones. Since the outfit is pretty much monochromatic, I thought that a pop of colour would jazz it up and this was achieved through the bright blue mirrored sunglasses. I was chuffed when I saw them while perusing ASOS because I was looking for such a pair but didn't want to splurge on an ephemeral trend piece, so they satisfy my sartorial craving without costing too much.

we'll always have paris

Wearing: Zara top (similar) and heels (similar here and here) / H&M skirt (similar) / Céline sunglasses (high street alternative) and bag (high street alternative) / ILIA Beauty lipstick in 'Wild Child' / Kure Bazaar nail polish in 'Caicos'

Red lipstick and stripes is a combination that has always struck me as French. Ergo, the title of this post, which is a famous line in the film Casablanca. Stripes are versatile: they can be dressed up or down and either way, they look chic. I deliberately picked a top with navy blue and white stripes rather than black and white stripes. This is because I didn't want the outfit to be too matchy-matchy as the sunglasses, skirt and shoes are black in colour as well. The bright red lipstick and bag add some pops of colour that break up the monochromy of the outfit. In accordance with the French theme, I wanted to keep the outfit as classic and simple as possible, so I opted for fuss-free accessories that aren't flashy but still beautiful in their simplicity. Hence, the cat eye sunglasses, streamlined bag and minimal heels. I'm really into single-sole heeled sandals with thin straps at the moment. They're elegant yet effortless. These Zara ones look like the Saint Laurent Classic Jane heeled sandals but cost a fraction of the price. Although they're not the most comfortable to walk in (heels without platforms usually aren't), I'm hoping to break them in. The bright mint nail polish on my toenails is a bit jarring in relation to the red, white, black and navy blue colour palette, but sometimes it's the little unexpected surprises that end up making an outfit.