Classic Vintage, Timeless style

If I were to marry again, I'll definitely have a classic vintage wedding. I was actually thinking to use this theme with any of Bella's occasion, her 18th birthday perhaps? But when she reach that certain age that she can already decide for herself, she may want something else so I'll just hold on to my thoughts and hope that we will want that for her debut, or if one day, Far-ouT decided to marry me again on our 25th year anniversary, then I will make sure everything would be classic vintage. I was able to read a few things about this style and would like to share it with you.

Close your eyes, take a deep breath and then imagine the phrase ‘Classic.’ What do you see? Perhaps it is a red 1965 Ford Mustang convertible zooming around a two-lane road near the ocean being driven by Steve McQueen. What is he wearing? It might very well be a snap-button Western shirt, Levi’s 501 jeans, cowboy boots with a story to tell, and distinctive sunglasses. Who’s in the front seat with him? Imagine it’s his co-star from the movie, “The Thomas Crown Affair,” Faye Dunaway. She’s wearing a classic 1970’s dress highlighting her curves; her headscarf prevents her blonde hair from being taken by the wind. She also is wearing a unique pair of sunglasses.

Their style is something that is timeless. And each decade has many actors and actresses who have epitomized this timeless style. In the 1970’s you might think about the hip Richard Roundtree dressed in a slim turtleneck, polyester pants and leather jacket from the classic movie “Shaft.” While 1989 brought a slightly different type of style full of teen angst from the movie “The Breakfast Club,” starring Molly Ringwald in her 1980’s women’s blouse or top.

What if a certain look or item of clothing could capture the feeling you continue to get from watching these films? You just need the original clothing! Since you are unable to walk into your nearest department store and newly purchase the same outfits each of your screen icons were wearing ‘back then,’ you have to take a more unique approach to acquire this vintage clothing. By the way, any item of clothing that is older than 15 years is considered ‘vintage.’

By combining ‘classic’ and ‘vintage,’ you now have the ability to wear the original clothing from the big screen or even transfer the feelings you had from watching these classic films to a unique and distinctive item of clothing. Perhaps you had a parent or another person you admired who always wore just the right outfits from the 1960’s, 1970’s or 1980’s. Maybe you were born in the wrong decade and you need to wear the right clothes to get you back ‘home.’ Classic vintage gives you the outlet to pull off your ‘look.’

Classic Vintage is really a ‘call to action’ for people who want to have limitless self-expression. It means being dedicated to the art of creating a unique, distinctive and timeless look that can’t be duplicated. By taking classic vintage clothing from one decade such as dresses, groovy jeans, a western shirt or maybe a cool vest, you can combine items from other decades, such as the 1970’s and 1980’s to create a one-of-a-kind look! Classic vintage means you are wearing clothing that is gently used, full of rich and colorful past all the while allowing you to maximize your self-expression.

The next time you think classic, think classic vintage. Classic Vintage really is timeless style. - By Mark Sincevich

See how amazing this style is? Far-ouT, Bella, Mame and yours truly went to the City Centre today and I saw these shoes that I can't get out of my mind. I am having second thoughts though on the high heels as I am not use to wearing one but these style are definitely a beauty, in light brown and yellow color. I like the yellow one better but it would be a choosy on wardrobe.

I will not reveal yet the brand, as I am thinking hard if these will be on my purchase list in next few days to come or I will just let it pass by, which I think I cannot resist the urge. I am already imagining the shoes on with the perfect dress but well, let see. It may just be another spurt of the moment.

Its not a bag; its a f*cking Birken!

Quoting Samantha's Jones' famous line from Sex and the City. I searched a lot of sites for these bags out of curiosity. Found several but most are faux and the own website are not so helpful at all or I just don't have an idea on how it works. This one and this one as well seems authentic on selling Hermes bags. I made quite a read on these famous bags from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and I posted the history below. Read on:

The Birkin bag is a handmade purse by Hermès and named after actress and singer Jane Birkin. The bag is a symbol of wealth due to its high price and elusiveness to the public.

Its prices range from $9,000 to $150,000. Costs escalate according to the type of materials. The bags are distributed to Hermès boutiques on unpredictable schedules and in limited quantities, creating scarcity and, intended or unintended, exclusivity.

History

In 1981, Hermès chief executive Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to Jane Birkin on a flight from Paris to London. She had just placed her straw bag in the overhead compartment of her seat, but the contents fell to the ground, leaving her to scramble to replace the contents. Birkin explained to Dumas that it had been difficult to find a leather weekend bag she liked. In 1984, he created a black supple leather bag for her, based on an 1892 design. She used the bag for herself then later changed her mind. Nevertheless, the bag has since become an icon.

Birkin bags are sold in a range of sizes. Each one may be made to order with different customer-chosen hides, color, and hardware fixtures. There are other individual options, such as diamond-encrusting.

Design

The bag also has a variety of hides such as calf leather, ostrich, crocodile, and lizard. One of the most expensive is saltwater crocodile skin. Bags with smaller scales cost more than those with larger scales. The bag is lined with goat-skin. The color of the interior matches the exterior. Prices for the Birkin bag depend on the color, hardware fixtures, and skin.

Sizes are 25, 30, 35, and 40 centimeters. The 50- and 55-centimeter bags are meant for travelling. It also comes in a variety of colors such as pink, red, brown, baby blue, navy blue, orange, white, black, and golden tan.

The bag has a lock and keys. The keys are enclosed in a leather lanyard known as a clochette, carried by looping through a handle. The bag is locked by closing the top flaps over buckle loops, wrapping the buckle straps, or closing the lock on the front hardware. Locks and keys are number-coded. Earlier locks only bore one number on the bottom of the lock. In more recent years, Hermès has added a second number under the Hermes stamp of the lock. These numbers for locks can be the same for hundreds of locks as they are batch numbers in which the locks were made.

The metallic hardware (the lock, keys, buckle hardware, and base studs) are plated with gold or palladium to prevent tarnishing. Hardware is updated regularly to maintain the top quality available in the industry at time of production. The metal lock may be covered with leather as a custom option. Diamonds are another custom addition.

Hermès offers a "spa treatment" – a reconditioning for overly used bags.

A "Shooting Star" Birkin has a stamp shaped like a shooting star adjacent to the "Hermès, Paris Made in France" stamp; this is in gold or silver to match the hardware and embossing. Rarely, the stamp is blind or colorless, if the bag is made of one or two leathers on which Hermes does not use metallic stamping. Birkins or other Hermès bags can sometimes be made by independent craftsmen for "personal use" once a year. Every bag bears the stamp of the craftsperson who made the bag. These identifications vary widely but are not different for every bag made. More than one craftsman's stamp on a bag is not uncommon because the stamp is not a serial reference. Fonts and stamping orders may vary depending on the craftsman.

Craftmanship

The bags are handmade in France by expert artisans. The company's signature saddle stitching, developed in the 1800s, is another distinctive feature. Each bag is hand-sewn, buffed, painted, and polished, taking several days to finish. An average bag is created in 48 hours. Leathers are obtained from different tanners in France, resulting in varying smells and textures. Because of the individual craftsmanship, other details of the bags may not all match. The company justifies the cost of the Birkin bag, compared to other bags, based on the meticulous craftsmanship and scarcity.

Although the Birkin bag is free of logos, it is one of the most recognized bags in the fashion industry and by the public.

Demand

It is highly coveted and, for several years, was reputed for having a waiting list of up to 6 years – the longest wait for any bag in history. As a result of the strong demand, the Birkin bag has a high reselling value in many countries especially Asia. [10] In April 2010, Hermès announced that the waiting list would no longer exist, implying that it is potentially available to all. -

Hermes's iconic Birkin bag in royal blue is a timelessly elegant piece of fashion. Pair it with tailoring during the week or with love-worn denim on weekends for a touch of classic luxe.

Hermes Royal Blue Silver Padlock Birkin L Bag features:
Two handles
Buckle closure with padlock
Silver hardware
Four metal feet to protect bottom
Interior zip pocket

Color: royal blue
Size: W40×H28×D20cm

Hermes Royal Blue Silver Padlock Birkin L Bag comes with serial number,dust cover, receipt, certificate card and care booklet.

I personally like the royal blue colored Birkin. Well, its free to dream, right. But I have no plans whatsoever to even think of buying. The price is unbelievable! A price of a condo or car. Hahaha! But if for the love of God, someone will be generous enough to donate one, then so be it. I am more than happy to accept it. Besides, I would love to say exactly the same famous line, its not a bag; its a f*cking Birken indeed. 

Nasi Goreng at Wild Ginger

Few days after our Wild Ginger food trip, I couldn't help but come back again and order my very own favorites. I asked Far-ouT to try it too.

I wasn't able to check the other highlights of the restaurant. Like this table and chairs.

The white and brown was a nice combination. Clean and pleasing to the eyes.

The bamboo placemats is also a good addition to the overall look of the table set-up.

The ambiance was neat.

Moving forward, instead of ordering the lemon and mint drink, Far-ouT and yours truly chose their fresh flavored Iced Tea (Dhs 12/each). I wonder what was fresh about the iced tea.

Anyway, the usual flavor is a thirst quenching nevertheless.

I came back for 2 menu, their california maki was one of them. This time I get to enjoy more,

Far-ouT also ordered chicken dimsum (Dhs 16)

Mix of cabbage, spring onion, sesame oil, with minced chicken wrapped, steamed, and pan fried, served, with homemade dumpling sauce.

For the main course, Far-ouT ordered buckwheat noodles (Dhs 28)

Japanese wheat noodles mixed with spinach, capsicum, leeks, and topped with deep fried tofu.

And the other reason why I came back is because I want to eat my very own Nasi Goreng (Dhs 32)

Indonesian styled fried rice with fried chicken, chicken satay, prawn crackers, and topped with fried egg

Thank goodness that my cravings has been fulfilled that I don't have to come back again.

Sugoi - sushi and robatayaki guilt

I wonder what they mean by sushi and robatayaki guilt. So I went to my ever reliable google friend and found out that Robatayaki is the art of grilling Japanese style. Sushi, of course, is a Japanese delicacy consisting of cooked vinegared rice (shari) combined with other ingredients (neta). Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari. The most common neta is seafood. Sushi is the most famous Japanese dish outside of Japan, and one of the most popular dishes among the Japanese themselves.

I don't want to go further into details as I will only tell you about my experience with Sugoi. Well, nothing much actually, its just one of the lazy days that we opt to go to foodcourt and just randomly select from the wide range of restaurants and fast foods. One of the lazy days means most the time.

Anyway, I wasn't up to fancy restaurant at the moment, just want to grab a bite and appease my grumbling stomach.

But if this is what you call grab a bite, I don't know what "I want to eat" would mean. Haha!

With of course, something of their maki

That made me want to hit myself for ordering the wrong one. I did not enjoy it that much

And the last but not the least,

You may be wondering what Far-ouT had ordered, well, chicken from KFC.

So if there come a time when you don't know what food you wanted to eat and you don't share the same liking at that particular moment, then food court is the best place to go, if you don't mind the styro and using plastic spoon and fork that is.

Happy eating!

The BAG

I am beginning to be passionate about bags. Something I was not, I am contented with a few ones without the big names but recently, just recently, with some influences, I am seeing bags in a different perpective...bad. very bad. Well, I have a few likes that I really wanted but have no plans of buying as yet. Until recently.

This elegant YSL muse bag captured my eyes few months back, never really left my mind

Then a colleague of mine, mentioned about the same design from Louis Vuitton and my like on the bag became love and I'm never, ever the same. Yes, I am inlove.

Feminine in understated Damier canvas. Its elegant curved shape, shiny golden brass details and smooth leather trimmings embody classic city style.

Size (LxHxD): 12.8" x 9.4" x 6"

-Leather key tag
-Double zip with padlock closure
-Optional shoulder strap
-Wide opening for easy access
-Interior patch and phone pockets
-Textile lining
-Protective bottom studs
PRODUCT ID: N53151

My mom and yours truly, went to Dubai Mall yesterday and saw the bags of  LV, we almost decided not to get inside the store as the security was tight, all customer were only allowed to enter in 1 door and exit in another. Even locals were not spared of queuing as they limit the people coming inside the store. Seriously! I was almost embarassed carrying my Aldo bag. I realized that I do not want bags with the name brands as design anymore. Now I am torn between the damier and noir electric.

The classic Alma shape has been contrasted with Epi leather in a glossy finish to create a surprisingly dynamic and edgy look. Perfect for stylish women, this bag will light up any outfit.

Size (LxHxD): 15.1" x 11.2" x 7.3"

-Refined microfibre lining
-Shiny silvery brass metallic pieces
-Rounded handles for hand or elbow carry
-Interior phone and patch pockets
PRODUCT ID: M5289N

I think, once I have the money to buy THE Bag, I will be able to decide on which design to choose. Am I able to afford it? I don't know but for the meantime, I am making an effort to save for it. Far-ouT was beginning to get  annoyed because I am almost afraid of using my allowance which is not so me. I am on the verge of even writing every single cent I spent. Haha! Funny. The question is, when I am already up to it, Am I brave enough to buy it?

Energy Vampires

I have lots of plans that gave me inspirations to face each day with a positive outlook in life but like all plans, not all of it are bound to happen, at least not for the near future but just a little farther away. Sometimes its frustrating, as reality bites, especially when there are people who stops you from doing so and others who just love to burst your bubbles. I cannot ignore them, though they may think that they are only after what's best, still they are like the energy sucker of your life. Admit it or not, they affect me one way or another. They had me thinking...I know, which something that I shouldn't allow.

I had to postpone some of my dreams right now. I am demotivated. depressed. sad.

But no matter how this is affecting me, I know I should just continue to plan. to dream.