A Snippet of Style

Archive for April, 2009

Pi = 3.1415926535789

Wow — I actually remembered pi off the top of my head! I’m surprised I still remember it after all these years. Back in 6th grade we had this competition to see who could remember the most digits of pi. And the winner received a pie (one you can eat that is). I managed to memorize 20 digits, but was totally beat out by the nerdy guy (you know the type!) who remembered a 100 digits of it. Or something like that. In the end, at 24 I’m left with this useless piece of information swirling around my head bumping along with loads of other bits of nonsense.

Pi, of course, is one of the key numbers used for mathematics, if you remember back to the good ol’ days? And in particular for geometry, as in figuring out the area of a circle and etc. Geometry is all about shapes and whatnot (I can barely remember it to tell the truth, except for pi of course).

Enough about math as I doubt anyone actually wants to read more about it! Geometry has taken on a new far more interesting shape these days in the fashion world. One of the hottest new trends for the season is the geometric print. Triangles, squares, checks and lines abound these days both in tailored looks and stylish prints. We’ve been seeing this both on the runway and off. Without further ado, I present to you some hot new looks and how you can make them work in your own wardrobe!

The runway for Spring/Summer ‘09 featured several lovely geometric silhouettes. Two of my favorites above: one is a colorfully tailored look from Missoni. I’m loving the abstract shapes and bright colors in the outfit. Pair with a solid colored bag and shoes to offset the vibrant shades! Jean-Charles de Castalbajac’s fanciful lego-style dress is both fun and playful at the same time. Bring out your inner child by using bright colors and playing with geometry!

It looks like the geometric trend is here to stay for the year with Fall/Winter ‘09 shows also putting up several shapely styles. This black ‘n’ white look from Nicole Miller has lovely red accents and looks tres chic in the minidress style. The bold and eye-catching geometric look is being worn by celebrities as well. Mischa Barton’s polygonally inspired look (above) gives off a funky 60s vibe.

These funky geometric leggings would look absolutely wonderful paired with a solid-colored top. Loving the abstract shapes, especially in the black ‘n’ white pair on the left.

You can try out some of these So[phis]tiX pieces on for size! Accessorize your solids with the above shapely necklace. Or try to stripe it up with a lovely pink satin headband.

Try out some satin-y geometric styles with lovely squarish or circular shaped prints. Tank tops and sleeveless blouses or else a loose fitting kimono-style blouse or satin dress.

Abstract style more your thing? Check out this funky striped and dotted dress for your collection. Or a more simple striped blouse that will be perfect for so many occasions!

Whatever your style there is something for everyone with the geometric trend. Looking for more variety? Check out www.arohasilhouettes.com for some lovely geometrically inspired accessories to add accents to your wardrobe! Geometric home accents are all the rage at the moment as well. Check out some style tips here and here. With this new mathematical trend for 2009, maybe we all should have paid more attention back in math class.

I’ll leave you with two lovely geometric home accents: a geometric dinnerware set to get some brain power, and geometric wallpaper to surround your genius self with pre-inscribed doodles.

fashion style trends

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sue on April 29th 2009 in trends, spring 2009

bandung shopping expedition (part 2)

A continuation of our Bandung shopping trip from my previous entry.

Our next stop in Bandung was at Level Fashion House. This outlet is really big. When you enter you will first see one whole floor of menswear. The second floor is entirely womenswear. There is a huge selection to choose from. We were wandering around in this store for quite a long time. I picked up a pair of Old Navy pants @ RP 99000 (US$10), a red Esprit shirt @ RP 89000 (US$9) and also an unbranded purple tissue tee with these lovely diamante wings on the back! Great color and awesome design.

Next stop after this was at a so-so outlet called Raffles City, where most of the items appeared to be fakes and/or unbranded. The quality was not very amazing either. However, even here I was able to find a totally cute heather gray Tinkerbell tee with the words: “Spoilt Brat” emblazoned on the front. Adorable! The prices at this outlet are on the lower end as well.

Our fourth stop was at Rich & Famous (or Happening, not sure of the name) which is a famous old outlet that has been around for quite a while. I remembered this one from my previous visits. However, the quality and variety seems to have decreased in the years since my last visit. I did still manage to pick up an awesome pair of great-fitting basic Old Navy bootcut jeans at RP 99000 (US$10), which I am wearing today, and a striped shirt with a belt! On a side note, I’ve noticed from time to time in my visits to these outlets, that on each visit a new outlet seems to have the best variety as compared to others. Usually the ones that were the “best” on a previous visit will have fallen out of favor by my next visit.

Our final stop before having to head back home was at The Secret. I think this one is my second favorite (from this trip) after Rumah Mode. It is a really massive outlet, that I believe is relatively new — the last time I visited there was a run-down old outlet here. Their selection is also quite unusual and well-priced. I picked up a lovely deep purple eyelet embroidered shirt as well as a formal work-type grey Esprit blazer. The blazer cost only RP 150000 (US$15). There was also this rather nice long maxi dress I tried on that I debated with buying but decided not to. Thinking back, maybe I should have — it was pretty nice. Behind The Secret, they have a nice outdoor sitting area and cafes with great decor. There is a cute little store called Chocolate Deli as well as a children’s playground area. Very nice place to hang out! Though Rumah Mode was definitely the superior hangout and shopping spot of the two.

Another famous old outlet that I have visited before is called Heritage. They certainly have a huge selection of clothings from what I remember. But honestly it is really quite over-rated — the clothing is not that nice at all, and a lot of it seems to be fake (to my eye at least). Another great place to visit (more for ambience) is Cihampelas Walk on Jl. Cihampelas. The road this compound is located on is also known as Jeans Street (for obvious denim related reasons). Cihampelas Walk is an excellent place to visit for food as well as some boutique-shopping.

Factory outlets are kind of spread out all over the city but the highest concentration can be found on Jl. Riau, Jl. Ir. H. Juanda and Jl. Ll. Re. Martadinata. There is a long list of outlets you can check out over here. I believe there are actually far more than on this list, however, so don’t take it as the final say (e.g. The Secret is missing from this list altogether!) You can also check out more info about shopping in Bandung here and here.

My Personal Overall Outlet Ratings