INSPIRATION # 9

I'm going to be very random and just post some things that I've been pinning on my Pinterest page. Somehow, running between my job at YUM, tutoring kids, gym and being home before Amal goes to sleep has not given me time to relax and update my blog. But that's fine; that's life and this is what I'll see when I look back on these past few months: a very hectic busy yet satisfying schedule :)

I thought this cat shaped pre-school in Germany was really, really cool...The kids must be ecstatic to be in a school like this.

My eyes keep coming back to this outfit on my Pinterest page.... love the orange skirt paired with that flowy grey top..

I wish Amal were still at an age where I could dress him up.... This is an outfit that would totally fit him!

What can I say more than what the quote says? :)

THREADLESS FOR A CAUSE

Yayasan Usaha Mulia, the NGO where I work, is currently looking to create a t-shirt that we could use during events and also to sell. I've been looking around several websites and fell upon Threadless which is an online shop for t-shirts but the shirts are designed by the public so anyone can submit a design. But the great thing about Threadless is that it has a special page for t-shirts designed for causes, such as Unicef, CARE, etc. I think it's an amazing idea and wish YUM could team up with them though I don't see any NGOs outside the United States.

Anyway, I just wanted to share what I just discovered, and if by chance you're a designer, we'd love to have your design for a YUM t-shirt! Email me: vanessa@yumindonesia.org if you're interested :)

This design was under the theme "Empowering women to change their world". You can see more t-shirt submissions at: http://atrium.threadless.com/CARE/

This design was under the theme "Freedom". You can see more t-shirt submissions at: http://atrium.threadless.com/dnafoundation/

This design was under the theme "Childhood". You can see more t-shirt submissions at: http://atrium.threadless.com/unicef/

SO INSPIRATIONAL

There's something about this video which completely left me speechless... I definitely wish I were in her shoes, not literally but her life seems so simple and classy. I especially love the scenes at the market and the breakfast table (of course!)... Enjoy!

NO MORE WATER

image by Garance Dore

This week, I'm trying something new which I hope will completely change my life. I'm going to try to: never use water (and soap) to clean my face ever again!

You probably think this is crazy (or if you don't and have proof of success, please let me know!) but as I was reading Garance Dore's blog, I had some sort of epiphany and realized that yes, in the last year or so where I've been cleaning my face only with water & soap, it has actually gotten worse! And I'm not the type of person to wear lots of makeup, foundation, powder, etc and I put on a moisturizer daily, so why was this happening?

Then I realized that the only time when my face was smooth was during my stay in Paris. Ok you can say that the air there was probably much better, but I was never washing my face with soap & water, I was using a milk cleanser & a tonic, which is exactly what is recommended by Garance's dermatologist. 

As I am in no capability to buy the 3 items on the list: 1/ The milk makeup remover Hydrabio Lait 2/ Avène’s Thermal Spring Water and 3/ The moisturizing cream Ictyane H.D. “for severe dry skin”, I am using locally made products, making sure they don't have too many chemicals or alcohol in them and hoping they'll do the trick.

I'll keep you posted! :)

INSPIRATION #7

This outfit is so 1990s but somehow I like it a lot: simple, cozy and stylish. Photo found via The Sartorialist

Stephmodo just did a blog post about this new French magazine called Doolittle and seriously, it's too cute... Love the t-shirt with the face!

Amal's a big fan of making cookies and when I saw these from this blog, I knew I'll be doing them for Christmas :)

25 WAYS TO WEAR A SCARF

I love scarves, I especially love them when I'm feeling "blah" and don't know what to wear so I just put on the most comfortable but boring thing I have.... then suddenly wear a scarf and "hey, it's not so boring after all!" :)

This video below is for all you scarf-holics out there... It's incredibly inspiring and I only realized after seeing this video how a simple piece of cloth can completely transform you. Enjoy!

Found via Stephmodo

GARANCE DORE

I've fallen in love with a new blog by Garance Dore, an illustrator from France who is now living in the US with her famous blogger boyfriend, Scott Schumann a.k.a The Sartorialist :)  

The way she writes is hilarious! You have to read her advice category which is so much fun, and I especially love a blog-post she did about a hotel in Paris she and Scott stayed in called Hotel Thoumieux. Her photo article is awesome; I especially like this shot below just cause I'm crazy about a good french breakfast...

H&M SINGAPORE (part deux)

I can't wait to go to Singapore! I'm leaving in 2 weeks time and you have no idea the excitement I'm feeling about going into the new H&M store there... I've been browsing through their online catalogue and there are so many things I want ;p

CATE PARR ILLUSTRATIONS

I find these fashion illustrations just absolutely breathtakingly gorgeous! By Cate Parr, found on thecoolhunter's website...

H&M SINGAPORE

Oh my God, I'm such a huge H&M fan and they're finally coming to Singapore!! This is gonna be such a huge trial for me to not go to Singapore every 3 months...hahahaha... :)

Their clothes are fashionable yet wearable... and price-wise, they're affordable, which is the most important factor for me! But we'll see when I get there if prices are as reasonable as elsewhere.

When I was living in Paris, my wardrobe consisted mostly of H&M (and mostly clothes on sale!). Some of my weekends would consist of going around the different H&Ms in Paris because each store had a different collection. Aaaah happy memories :)

The Singapore store will be located in Orchard Building, not far from the Singapore Visitor Center.

Visit the H&M Singapore site here.

PARISIAN CHIC

Do you also feel frustrated when you see how effortless french women look? It's as if they didn't even take a minute to think what they would wear today, yet they look fabulously chic, even when wearing just jeans and a t-shirt. Well, that my friends, is called parisian chic :)

It's actually quite simple and that's why French style icon Ines de la Fressange wrote this book to give you a few tips she's learned throughout her life as a model, mom and parisian: "No complete outfits. Don't look "rich". Wear two scarves. Make sure you own the following: a man's blazer, a trench coat, a navy sweater, a tank top, a little black dress, jeans and a leather jacket. And Converse sneakers. And flats: "Some people think that shoes are ladders. No man is going to say, 'I would love you so much more if you were 10cm taller.' Women are suffering, you know. Elegance is about feeling nice."

All the photos you see above are from her book, which mostly includes photos of Ines and her 16 year-old daughter, Nine d'Urso, who I find absolutely gorgeous. Her hairdo and look is so laid back, which I know she's inherited from her mom. You might already know all the advice she's giving in the book, but it's a nice reminder :)

LATEST ON THE SARTORIALIST

I've been a bit overwhelmed by work and other activities lately but I got my usual e-newsletter from The Cool Hunter and found some cute pics from The Sartorialist blog and had to go see. I found some amazing pictures, starting from this super cute little boy, then the young woman from Milan and her amazing striped t-shirt, and ending with a photo of two women laughing their heads off, which I find very well captured!

LITTLE BLACK DRESS

Everybody needs a little black dress, right? So if I had to make a choice, this would be my pick for the perfect little black dress :)

FINGER IN THE NOSE

Finger in the nose is a trendy French kids fashion brand with rock and roll attitude. I could definitely see my son wearing one of these outfits (especially the top right one)...

So far, I haven't found anything like this in Indonesia but who knows, maybe one of these days, someone will think of making trendy rock and roll outfits for kids? Indonesians are super creative and new products are born every day :)

In case you're in Paris for work or holiday, here's the address:

60 rue de Saintonge

Paris 75003

+33 1 42 71 43 40

[as seen on the Cool Hunter]