Tag Archive for 'Vintage'

Tokyo! Day 1: RAGTAG in Ginza

IF you’re into secondhand or even overstocked luxury goods, you’re gonna love RAGTAG. I heard about all the awesome vintage shops around Japan, but so far – I’m lovin’ this chain of secondhand goodies. You can buy designer clothing and accessories at a fraction of the original price. Apparently, the Tokyoites are a trendy bunch – so they buy and sell their luxury items very quickly. So if you’re on a budget, you’re in luck! Sounds too good to be true? Fash-E went snooping at the 5-storey RAGTAG store in Ginza – so far, I’ve spotted some cool stuff. I found Marc Jacobs top for under $100, Christian Louboutins & Marni for under $300 and a sharp white trench by 3.1 Philip Lim for $200. What do you think?

In case you’re wondering how it looks like, fret not! Here’s the store front.

A glimpse of what’s in store: COMME des GARCONS, LV, Chanel, Hermes etc.

1st floor: Women’s Casual Wear. This is only the beginning of 3-storeys of women’s clothing.

Bags, accessories & jewellery. My favourite section! You’ll see alot of new ones around.

I’ve never seen so many Birkins in a single place before! WOW.

I was tempted to buy these Hermes scarves but… it was only day 1, I didn’t wanna splurge. Oh well, it’s near my hotel. If I change my mind, I can run back there!

Did I tell you I saw Chanel 2.55 for less than $2k?

Visit RAGTAG at 3-3-15 Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo. Opening hours: 1100am to 800pm.

Granny’s Day Out Goes Online!

Dear vintage fans, you’ll be pleased to find out that Granny’s Day Out from Singapore has recently went online! Their fabulous website gives you the 411 on vintage, blogs about their latest store items and also an e-shop for vintage jewelry. If you haven’t heard of GDO, you should check out their physical store at 3 Coleman Street #03-25 Peninsula Shopping Centre – it’s a vintage haven!

I prolly can’t carry this off. But, the models looks great.

Sailor-ish jumpsuit, anyone?

Ooh, love that belt!

Can you rock that blouse?

L.O.V.E. :)

source

I’m Spinning… Camera Obscura

Camera Obscura’s “Let’s Get Out Of This Country”

Honest Confession: I sold my Camera Obscura concert tickets yesterday to a stranger. WHY? Because I’ve sold my soul to Kanye West’s Glow in the Dark tour instead (why must they perform on the same night?) I know, very unlike me. The funny thing is I don’t even listen to Kanye West – I mean, I’ve heard of his songs on MTV and yeah, they’re quite catchy. We all know Kanye has impeccable style for a man – I think he dresses better than P. Diddy. On the other hand, I’ve been listening to Camera Obscura since their Underachievers Please Try Harder album. Don’t get my wrong, I love their music very much. I just feel that Kanye will put on a better show (in other words, bigger budget). I think concerts are suppose to be experiential you know – so Kanye wins this time. All my friends will be at Camera Obscura, and I’ll be hip-hoping with Bubster at the Singapore Indoor Stadium tomorrow.

Just a mini introduction to those you’ve never listened to Camera Obscura: If you listen to Belle & Sebastian, you’re prolly going to dig this six-member Scottish band. They’ll be playing at Esplanade Concert Hall, Singapore tomorrow after a failed mission to open Baybeats 2007.

You may be familiar with their 2006’s album, Let’s Get Out Of This Country with catchy pop-tunes like Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be HeartBroken (which is actually a response to Lloyd Cole and the Commotions‘ song “Are You Ready to Be Heartbroken?”) and If Looks Could Kill.

Tracyanne Campbell is the one of the voice behind the band and she also plays the guitar. Her 60s pixie hair sets her apart from her fiery female band member, Carey Lander. They have a very individual, and eclectic style which I absolutely adore. Tracyanne has a fascination with swans, scarves and vintage dresses.

Carey Lander also sings and plays the piano and organ. She wears glasses, and dresses in vintage as well. Floral prints, stripes and blazing red hair seem to be her signature style.

Another scarf, another swan. I’m thinking of making a DIY felt swan.

Carey leaves her geeky glasses at home. Love the colours – hair and dress.

If you’re in Singapore, you still have a chance to catch them live at the Esplanade! I believe it’ll be a good intimate showcase. Also, you’ll prolly see a lot of pretentious indie kids around – haha. I’m sorry, but some can be really pretentious. Anyway, you’ll have a great time nonetheless. I wish I could be in two places at the same time. Ahh well.

This is the music video for Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be HeartBroken - one of my faves. It’s a cute video and a dancy song. Enjoy the music!!

source: MySpace, Pitchfork, dcist.com

Yearbook Yourself: Blast From The Past

I know. I know. I haven’t been blogging for this week. My friend, Terence was helping me to move Fash-E to a U.S. server, and finally it’s all done! I’ve been having bandwidth problems – and finally, this should help me a little. Now, we’re back in business. Janice sent me this link to Yearbook Yourself, which you can plaster your face on ancient yearbook (or cliche) styles. We had a lot of good laughs at each other’s retarded faces. Here’s the GREATEST HITS from my Yearbook faces all the way from 1950s!

I think I can actually do AFRO!! How about butterfly glasses ala the late Lydia Sum?

Haha, this is hilarious! Which is the best look? Or most retarded? Can’t decide!

Shop, Eat Guide to Hong Kong: Vintage in Soho

Soho at Central, HK is famous of its stretch of vintage and antique shops. Don’t miss this quirky, striking vintage shop, Select-18 (57-59 Hollywood Road, Central) as this hippie-like store has one-of-kind clothes, accessories, bags, lamps, furniture and random stuff. I was attracted by its bright coloured store and I was immediately drawn into it.

This shop is not cheap, so don’t expect to get a good bargain here. However, if you love treasures – you will find yourself digging through the stuff and even trying on vintage Ferragamo shoes and kooky old glasses! You may also check out the jewelry and designer stuff at its consignment section by local designers and artists. This is not your typical HK shopping experience but it will be remembered.

Here’s a video of Select-18 which I found on Youtube!

This shop’s name says it all: Low Price Shop. It sells secondhand items which are really really old (vintage, of course) and crazy Chairman Mao’s merchandises including watches, posters and etc. This shop can be found along Soho area. You can’t miss it.

When you’re around Soho or Central, do walk along the famous stone steps of Pottinger Street. Along the way, there are cafes, stalls selling random stuff from costumes to all kinds of random buttons. Better known as ‘rocky road’, these granite stones are rare and also quite an experience to walk on. It feels like you’ve been transported back in time. Enjoy.

Let’s Have Conversation Pieces

It’s about time. The ladies at Conversation Pieces made a comeback with these lovelies. This time, they’ve stocked up on more dresses, tops, accessories, and even home & living pieces direct to you from the States. Fash-E will give you a sneak peek at what’s in store for you to grab. Hurry, because these pieces are limited!

Stacey Dress

I love this dress. The colours are vibrant and really pops! It’s great to hide that tummy and perfect for our sunny Singapore weather. I love heart the square-neckline as well.

Milly Dress

Bring out the girl in you and twirl around in this beautiful ethereal ivory dress with unique cut-out flowers and ruffle sleeves. It also comes in gem blue colour.

Crimson Clutch

Wanna play old Hollywood glamour? This clutch is all you need. It’s perfect for a casual weekend, and also a classy night-out.

Lucy Blouse in Teal

This is a versatile piece which you can wear it as a long top, or a mini-dress. I love the teal colour and the bow detail on the puffy sleeve. Very romantic and flirty at the same time!

Bone China Teacup Set

Tea-time can be fancy as well when you have the right home accessories. This lovely teacup set will ring you back to the English old days as you sip your brew of Camomile tea.

Starry Necklace

We love statement accessories and this is definitely in our books. This gorgeous necklace will look lovely with a simple top that you can show off on a girl’s night out.

(Photos: Conversation Pieces)

Blog Shop: Bamboo Stereo

Have you blog-shop before? I certainly have! It’s amazing how it has become such a phenomenon in the recent years – it’s a cheaper alternative to eBay (without the insertion fee, and commission) and an easy peasy way of updating your own shop (without the hassle of managing your own domain). Here’s an idea: I’m going to feature some of my favourite blog shops and key pieces that you should kill for:

If you love vintage-hunting on eBay or avant-garde looks, try Bamboo Stereo for a change. This hidden gem is started by three bamboo junkies from Australia: Tats, Yee and Chelle who love treasure-hunting and share their ‘Powerfashion’ with the world. Well, I’ve to say I’m pretty impressed by their skills and of course, their eye for style. Thanks to Cryst where I discovered this. And, you’ll see what I mean:

I love I love I love. Doesn’t the girl on the left reminds you of Lulu from EverybodyIsUgly? I love the whole look of it – do you know it’s a old skool purple polka dot dress? The bamboo junkies will show you how versatile the clothings are. Plus, that vintage oversized multicolour dress is such a cutie! Sold, unfortunately.

Lookin’ sophisticated in this vintage navy blue and yellow pleated dress with marble motif? This dress is still available for grabs at AUD$40. This vintage black and white tent dress which is uber-cool! I had my eyes on this but it has been reserved, dammit. I like how kooky she looks in the dress, man – I want oversized glasses too!

Floral is the hottest thing this summer. You can look absolutely hippie in this green/multicolour maxi dress or boho-cool in grandma dress with denim vest. Nice pairing.

These are their latest pieces. Somehow, I kinda dig the black and grey checkered shirt. Hmm, must hunt for this somewhere in Singapore (since it has been reserved!). Or get playful in vintage Mister Fred mint cotton dress – I like the flap across the chest. Makes it very different.

I’m surprise this vintage white and blue nautical dress is still available – it would be a bidding war on eBay. If you dig stripes or have sailor-fantasies, you better grab it fast! The other grey dress has an interesting detailing on the back. You know what else is charming? You’ll listen to Apples in Stereo while blog-shopping here – great music, awesome shopping.

(Photos: Bamboo Stereo)

Vintage Spotting: Cherries @Anchorpoint

I passed by Cherries at Anchorpoint shopping centre, almost every weekday during lunch hour. I never had the time to pop into the quaint vintage shop (because I always find myself immersed in glossy magazines in Times bookstore!) until yesterday. Surprisingly, this shop has been around for almost 4 years! The owner who is a lovely lady, has been collecting vintage clothing for the longest time, before starting her cute lil’ shop. The vintage clothes are mainly imported from the States, and you can find really pretty vintage and also kooky stuff!

You can find unique, or even never-been-worn before vintage apparels and accessories! It’s like a blast from the past – I am eyeing the black & white chinese fan brooch. I can’t think of what to do with it, so it’s still there. Cherries have quirky clip-on earrings that totally reminds me of my mum’s collection in the 80s. Now I wish my mum didn’t threw them away!

I like the wallpaper in Cherries, which is a white background with forrest green paisley-like motifs. There’s this cute black blouse with zigzag trims and adorable flower embroidery. They also carry a vintage Celine bag and some classy vintage flower-designed summer bags which I absolutely heart. You might have to dig around to find some awesome clothes, and goodies. It’s like treasure-hunting, you know!

Finally, I got a really bright, flower power midriff top – but I’ve no idea what to do with it. At first impression, I thought it was the most ‘aunty’ top ever – then I tried it on and I was completely sold. I know, more shopping. Haha. The boy hasn’t seen it yet but I’m sure he’ll get a shock. I’ll post it up on my Look Book when I decide to wear it. Hee. Do check out Cherries, if you happen to be shopping at IKEA – just hop over the Anchorpoint, the land of outlet shops.