How much do we disguise?

This is half of the foundations I am using this year.

For those of you who know me, I have bad skin condition. Sensitive and dry and a lot of acne scars. Foundation is what I cannot live without. Layers and layers we cover up the imperfections on our faces, creating the correct skin tone and the flawless complexion.

But how does the face beneath the paints look? How much of ourselves are we hiding from people around us? Are we just covering the freckles on our cheeks or are we concealing more? 

Ok enough random fuss. What I was trying to say is, there’s so many different types of foundation available in the market and it is very important to choose the one/ones that are right for you. Some friends have been asking me for suggestions on foundation brands and seriously, I really cannot comment – the slightest difference in skin condition can make a big impact on the results of one compact. So go and try them on! I would say a bottle of liquid foundation and a compact and a can of loose powder would be enough for everyone, but then again you may need your good-skin-day set and your dry-skin-day combinations. Have fun choosing your next skin!

To love and to share

I was raised in a Christian school and was brought up with good Christian learnings. We love and we share. 

But sometimes things just do not work the loving way. There are things that cannot be shared. A hard candy. A pair of heels. A mobile phone. A ring. Some things just cannot be broken down and given out in pieces. They are no longer complete, and are destroyed when you try to share it with someone else.

And there are men that we cannot love. Men that does not love us. Men that are stupid to guts. Men that are bad for our health. Men that are someone else’s.

Lesson to learn and to remember. 

Ready to go nude?

DYOS nude open toe platforms

Excuse my un-matching nail colour. 

I’ve been wanting nude toned shoes since they were on YSL 2007 fashion show.  They weren’t big back then and I kept postponing the plan to get a pair and eventually forgot about it. Then the nude trend came back this year in spring. I visited almost every brand available in London to get a pair but still failed – the Jimmy Choo one was too pale for my skin, Valentino was adorable but too delicate to wear for everyday occasions, Louboutin was perfect, except they didn’t have my size in Selfridges and Mount Street.

Now winter is approaching and I know it’s my last chance. Get it now or it’ll be too late to wear, or the trend will be gone again. So I have a pair of nude shoes tailor made.

DYOS is one of my favourite shoe-place in Hong Kong. They have hundreds of styles and materials and fits, and even if you can’t find anything you like, you can design your own shoes and have them made. LOVE the idea. Only problem is the waiting – it normally takes a month to have a pair made.  I wanted my nude shoes so badly I ordered a couple of months ago, and now here they are -  the right design, the right height, the right shade of beige, and the right size. Cannot be happier.

Except how many times can I wear them before winter arrives?

Hello Miuccia, I want to wear you to work

Miu Miu's 2011 Resort collection

Miuccia Prada is my favourite designer (well as least one of my favourite designers, alongside the late Alexander Mcqueen, Karl Lagerfeld, Alexander Wang, oh and Dolce and Gabbana when they were still together). Miu Miu is always fun and girly, giving an image of a spoiled kid who's extremely fun-loving (and this bring up the question of whether Miuccia Prada has a second personality, i mean, look at Prada).  

I always think what you wear is what you are. It’s not like I judge people from the values of their clothes but the effort you put into your outfit to work can really show your personality. Well or at least your mood. I want to stay chic – thank god I am in an industry that allows me to put in my creativity in what I wear.  Yet somehow I am a bit lost between being professional and creative. What is appropriate and what is not? How do you define ‘formal’?  And should I opt for ‘elegance’ or ‘smart’? The question marks are endless when it comes to fashion, there are way too much to explore and to experience.

When I was in Milan earlier this summer I noticed a variety of people’s work attire – the Italians are generally full of ideas to spice up their outfits, layers of cardigans, a nice scarf, pearls and gold, even for those who need to wear suits their outfits are still inspiring, short-suits, perfectly fitted sleeves, good quality shoes, the list go on. It’s almost like a walking display of the Milan in  The Sartorialist 's blog. (Not so lucky for my dear friend Giampi who can only wear a certain shade of blue - honey i feel a need to point this out, I truly think you should be given a bonus for your wonderful fashion sense)

Vorrei che Hong Kong è più simile a Milano.

A place where no one sleep

Midnight under a thunderstorm and the roads were still bright. Welcome to Hong Kong everyone.

I always feel pressurised in Hong Kong. It’s so vibrant here, everyone is hyper and energetic. The bunch of friends that I hang out with are super humans that do not need such thing as rest, they’ll work all day and go drinking and go back to work again and still look fresh. I wish I were a workaholic like them. I wish I had endless energy like them. I don’t act fast like people in here, and the whole atmosphere is making me feel I am not good enough and being an unproductive layback dumb blonde.

Oh well. Can a Chinese be a dumb blonde? 

Chicly graduated

reiss black straight neck dress, KCL graduation gown by Vivienne Westwood

Everyone one from my school was a fashion diva on their graduation day. I mean, who isn’t when you are wearing Vivienne Westwood on your graduation day?

I graduated a month ago from King’s College London. I know this is a piece of old news but I am trying to get my blog running and this is the main thing that happened since my last entry. I had been travelling around Europe for a bit ever since I finished my finals in June, and now I am back in my hometown, Hong Kong and all settled – I have a job, a home, my friends and family around me, now all I need is a husband, then I’ll be all middle age and full of crisis. In fact I’m already feeling middle age. I can tell it’s the end of my spontaneous lifestyle the day work started. I miss school. I miss parties. I miss London.

May I delicate this post to my favourite city in the world. 

Random old song

This is the way you left me,

I'm not pretending.

No hope, no love, no glory,

No Happy Ending.

This is the way that we love,

Like it's forever.

Then live the rest of our life,

But not together.

People leave traits. Everyone I met left me something. He told me the truth. He put a smile on my face. She showed me reality. She brought me surreal imaginative energy. He broke my heart. He ate my brain.

These people. Do they have any idea how they have impacted my life? Will they even remember me?  

Do you know what state you have left me at?

Caught in a bad romance

Don’t judge me just yet. I put on the ridiculous wig and gloves because I went to see Lady Gaga’s concert:D

The concert was fun. I was dancing/jumping through the entire time (mainly because I was in the standing ‘seats’ under the stage, which was great) and my feet were sore but with no regrets. Gaga was AMAZING.  She’s a talented performer and I love her more now I’ve seen her live.

So she said, the monster ball is about setting yourself free. Free from reality, free from money, free from whatsoever that makes us feel rejected. 

If only that can be as easily done as said.
Lately there have been so many things and people that make me feel I’m not good enough, not smart enough, not pretty enough, not thin enough.  Man if I can ignore them all. If I don’t have to face the real world.  If I can forget my bad romance. If only I can get all those off my mind and say ‘you mother fucker I am fucking amazing’ like Gaga does.  

Oh wait. Actually why not.

PISS OFF. I AM FUCKING AMAZING. 

Oh my Melissa

J Maskery for Melissa Couture

Here they are my Nightsky edition of Ultragirl! I walked to Covent Garden in them this morning and guess how much attention they had gained – I was stopped 4 times in 25 mins! Love the sparkles - I can’t resist shinning things!


For those of you who know I am a fan of Melissa Plastic Dreams. Huge fan - I love shoes but at the same time I feel guilty killing animals for their skin (no I don’t wear fur. No I don’t own anything made of fur).  Plastic is the new leather! Oh and can I tell you how much Melissa is involved in CSO activities, they care about animal rights and environmental issues and technologies, making this brand absolutely adorable.  I’m not saying here I’m vegetarian or PETA advocate and all (sorry I am such a hypocrite. I say I love and care about animals but at the same time still eating them. And I can’t really abandon my superficial wants for nice leather goods) but then what if we all see animals a little more than just resources? What if we all pay a little more attention to the environment? What if we all appreciate the world we live in a little bit more and not take everything for granted?

PS. Was testing ISO and shutter speed with cameras the other day with flatmate. FUN. 

where is the sun?

VictoriaSecret floral maxi dress, tied-dye scarf from Thailand, cowboy hat from Brighton, Colin Stuart White Flipflops

Three weeks ago London was extraordinarily sunny. People were sunbathing everywhere and wearing their summer clothes. I cleared out my winter wardrobe and filled it with tee-shirts and sundresses.

Except a week after it’s all rainy. The sun was gone and acid rain poured. And this week the rain stopped. Except the sun is not back and it’s cold. The sky is always grey, as if exam season is not gloomy enough.

Yes it is exam season now, my least favourite time of the year. I always think of exam as the testing of your reciting ability and handwriting speed, which is quite pointless in my opinion. I mean when would you ever need those two skills in real life?  But as the exam system is long established by authority (don’t be surprised. I am the kind of girl that respect authority and social hierarchy) we’ll all have to bear with it, at least until the education people become innovative and reform the whole thing. (when would that happen though if it really is to happen?)

Exam sucks. But life is still good J

I am homesick

By home I mean my shared little flat in Holborn.

I guess after six years of living in England my concept of home and abroad is somehow messed up. I feel more at home in England while Hong Kong is becoming my favourite vocation destination. I love Hong Kong I really do and I have great fun here with amazing friends. But I’m just more attached to London.
Maybe it’s because I know the time I got to spend in London is limited and I start to linger the city. I cannot even sum up how much precious time I had spent in here. Just the thought of leaving is upsetting enough to make me cry. And this whole volcanic ash thing! Please don’t stop me from going home. I miss it sooooooooo much already :(

stepping into wedges

Have been looking at spring fashion and am haunted by wedges, especially lace front ones. Something like this.

ACNE Pose Lace Front Wedges, 290GBP

Time to look for cheap substitutes.  

New clothes in an old wardrobe

Abercrombie&Fitch knitted net top, Mystey white ruffle skirt from i.t., Salvatore Ferragamo Varina flats

Dug up this spring top from 2008 which I’ve only worn once.  There’re so many pieces in my wardrobe that I hardly wear not to mention a few entirely new tops. The bad thing about clothes is they go out of shape if you don’t wear them. No I am not kidding. My mother owns a garment factory and I grow up with fabrics. If you put a pair of jeans aside for long enough they’ll shrink.  Same thing happened to this top. I remember it was rather loose last time I wore. Now it’s totally slim fit.

Another thing about not wearing your clothes is they’ll go out of fashion! Don’t wear it when you can and the chance is gone, you’ll have to wait 5 years for the trend to come back. When I brought that netty top it was the end of the trend but I am lucky nets suddenly come back this spring and I can wear it more I guess? Oh well if I am done with the other clothes in my wardrobe.

Oh and the shoes. They’re bought for a while and still new (ok I am starting to overwhelm with guilt). Don’t worry I WILL wear them I just need the weather to get a little bit warmer and pair them with my spring clothes….

found this little fellow on my balcony when i am done taking photos. poor koala is abandoned by his owner and kind-hearted Bel here is adopting him :D

fresh start. stereotyped mind.

Recently there have been a lot of unpleasant surprises in my life. I was busy dealing with them and haven’t really spent quality time on basically anything I enjoy. So. The crucial mess is over now and life is getting back on track and I really have no excuse to delay blogging. Hello people, I am back :D

This is going to be a lack-of-focus post since I actually haven’t got the time to organise the bits and pieces floating in my mind. And after all it’s been half a month since my last entry and you know that feeling when you left somewhere and have to find your way back? This is what I feel now. Haven’t paid attention to things around me and now when I want to type I don’t know what to.  I guess I need some time to get back to that fashion fever mood. So maybe I should just tell a bit about the major change in my life for now?

The last roses you sent. Lifeless as you were with me.

I am back to the prestigious and fabulous single community. The guy that I spent the past 3 years with finally realised he does not love me anymore and left me. Don’t worry it was peaceful and mature breakup and I am fine, although I did spent some time grieving over the lost love. I remember when the same guy left me for the first time I was devastated, woke up from tears every morning and wonder why my love for him wasn’t dead with the romance he gave me. Romance is long gone. Now so is love.  This is the official end between us. We both deserve someone better and more love.  All the best to you J.

(this is so weird. I am not sad but I have this feeling that some parts of me left with him. I guess I need time to get used to the fact that I don’t have someone to rely on anymore. )

Life goes on.

I spent most of the past week with my master application (which took me ages) and looking up wikipedia (now I sound like a nerdy freak). And I realised I am interested in a lot more things than I thought I did. I want to see more of the world. I want to see more of the beauty of the earth. I somehow want to leave city for a while and explore the wild (I told my darling Ivan about this and guess what he said. “you want to see animals? Go to the zoo.”) and places that I haven’t been to. And I want to do something beneficial to someone if not everyone. I want to volunteer in a third world country (ok now this is turning into a Paris Hilton show….) so I went to Unicef’s career page and this is what I saw.

General Requirements


Following are the basic requirements for a professional position with UNICEF:
• Education: Master’s Degree in a field relevant to the work of UNICEF or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience: Relevant professional work experience, some of which has been obtained in a developing country, at least five years for mid-career and two to three years for an entry-level position.
• Language: Proficiency in English and in another UN working language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish). Knowledge of the local language of a duty station where the position is based is an asset.

Totally put me back on the ground. Is a master degree really necessary for helping children in the third world!?!?! Oh well at least now I have a motivation to get my master offer. Darn should have found this out earlier so I could have a little bit more to blah on my personal statement…..

My death. My killing.

The suffocation is back.

Some of you may remember the nightmare I had throughout October 2007.  In the dream I was wearing a white long dress standing in the middle of a lake with a baby in my hands.  The layers of my dress floating in water, slightly strangling the baby.
I was holding her tight. I loved her.

And then I drowned her. I could feel her little limbs struggling and the movement slowing down. Just when she stopped moving I realised she was me.  Suddenly the dead baby became so heavy she drowned me with her. The suffocation was so real I woke to it every single time.

And I had this dream again last night. The horror and the shock remains, the agony so concrete.

And guess what.

I saw the dress I wore in the dream. The dress I killed in. the same dress I died in.  It was right there on Pronovias 2010 collection.

Great to know it was after all a wedding gown. Oh Belyndia you are gonna murder yourself when you wed. ….

belated happy valentine's day

First of all I have to say thank you to my boyfriend Johnny who sent me roses and my darling Ivan who sent me Tiffany.  I was out of vase and called up both of them to stop them from sending me flowers on vday and see what happened.  Boyfriend insisted on sending roses (which I cut myself when trimming….not that I’m complaining) and best friend opted for diamond (although it was tiny….and no I’m not complaining neither). Who knows me better lol.

So. My vday. Maybe you spent the day with your cute boyfriend and you’re overwhelmed by romance. Maybe your long time crush asked you out and you had a great time. But mine was better. Cos I had my best girlfriends.  Went to Topshop again with the girls and may I say shopping is a lot more fun with your friends because no.1 you got to bring a lot more clothes into the changing room, no.2 it’s easier to take photos, no.3 everything is better with friends!

Pink ruffles top on me, Rose print body con on Shella

Lace ruffle sleeves 2in1 dress on Aegean

Look at the dress on Shella. The ribbon is so extravagant I love it

Pink cut out back dress. my fav piece. 

Topshop’s got a really nice collection this season. There’s so many pieces we tried on and like and so many I want to buy, except it’s mid February and I’m already in the red budget zone.  And regardless of that I still went to have a posh high tea with the girls. But it was very nice so totally worth it.

 Winter Garden in Landmark Hotel

By the way am thinking if I should perm my hair so had a little try out at home.

Shall I keep my hair straight or curl? 

 It’s the 4^th day of Chinese New Year. A bit late but happy New Year everyone! 

We always want more flowers….

I am talking about floral print (but then v day’s coming. More roses won’t hurt ;P). It's ridiculous how fast the weather is changing – last week I was so hyper about spring approaching and now it snows. Crazy global warming. But that doesn’t kill my crave for spring fashion. FLORAL PRINTS!!

ASOS floral print scarf, People'sMarket navy wool swing coat, White lace top from Japan, ASOS petite Kate jegging, BreadnButter red pumps, Sasa leopard print ruffles unbrella

The scarf is 100% cotton so quality is not amazing. But I love the sharp colours. Spring/Summer 2010 is all about creamy colour and floral print is like the only channel I can express the loud dramatic side of me.

can you see the butterfly on my bun?

not sure if you can see it on my hair but this is it. vintage butterfly hair claw from Barcelona

Looking at scarves I want a leopard print scarf! Animal print is kind of a winter thing but I still have a month to wear it right? Or maybe I should just stick to flowery spring…..