HAWAII TRAVEL DIARY

Can someone take me back?

Youtube Debut

Hopping from medium to medium, here's why I've probably converted to a new type of media for good...

Figuring It Out

Challenging transeasonal dressing and questioning the complexities of social media all in one blog post...

Fashion Weekend Sydney

Give a girl a pass and throw her into a media pit - here's how I covered Fashion Weekend Sydney.

Lounge

I'm wearing: Topshop Roll Back Crop Tee, Nunui Pants, Nike Black Free Runs, Sportsgirl Necklace 

Although in this outfit I may resemble to that of a back up dancer, I promise you this outfit is so darn comfortable if you could ever walk around in my shoes. Now that the cold weather is climbing up a little bit more each day here in Sydney, I've resorted back to my usual pattern of defiance to the Autumn/Winter weather by stretching out my Summer wardrobe as much as possible. I have a hunch that crop tops and light colours will be worn to the death this year.

LET'S PLAY CATCH-UP

See more on my Instagram @amandajchan

Hey guys! What’s been happening? Apologies for the abandonment but I’ve been squashed under a major uni assignment for the past two weeks. But good news, as of 11:30am I have been set free and am back on the bandwagon for creating content! With the impromptu break, I’ve been umm-ing and ahh-ing on whether I should continue to update, and from hashing it out with friends the decision is unanimous on a YES. This is my little space on the Internet, and I will keep playing in this sandbox of mine.

Tangent aside – I’ll catch you guys up on what’s been happening. What seems like ages ago, I went to the Easter Show for the first time since I was about 11. Only now do I accept that my parents were right about show bags being rubbish and have dubbed the food stalls heavenly replacement. Also last Saturday, a couple of my friends and I held a stall at Glebe Markets and sold a good chunk of clothes on a freezing Autumn day. I highly recommend clearing your closet of old pieces you never wear at the markets (definitely in comparison to my previous attempts at eBay), as my earnings will be set aside for my extensive Sephora wish list for when I head to Hawaii in July. Nirvana by Elizabeth and James – I’m looking at you.

Tonight will be an assignment-free celebratory night online shopping, glueing my eyes to Youtube and consuming multiple cups of Ceylon Tea. Good night/day to you dear reader! New post in a few days x

Warm Water

I'm wearing: Topshop bowler hat, H&M floral longsleeve playsuit, Lovisa silver bead necklace, Topshop denim shirt, Sportsgirl bucket bag, Dotti knee high socks, Urban Soul leather tall boots. 

I've been dreamin' - Coachella dreaming! That event is one engraved on my bucket list to do before I die for absolute certainty. I love seeing how festival looks can be challenged again and again each year with its high rotation of crochet, florals, denim cut-offs and wide brim hats. Not to mention a great time to see top tier style stars give a great burst of inspiration for Coachella dressing  - i.e. Harley Viera Newton in floral Topshop glory, Selena Gomez in that Free People dress and of course Vanessa Hudgens, Bohemian Queen. Music-wise, the line-up isn't too bad…What I would have done to be in the crowd for Banks, Disclosure, Haim, Kid Cudi, Lorde and more….I don't even know. 

Back to base in Sydney, I've been moping in the cold weather that has marked the beginning of Autumn and have been wearing my new knee high boots everywhere. Although my love for collecting black ankle boots comes in all variations, a tall boot is just a classic must-have to jazz up any outfit. Whether it's to utilise a pair of knee high socks or to just pull over a pair of black skinny jeans - they definitely add an extra dimension to your look. At least that's the line of thought running through my head. Personally, I love playing with the proportions when wearing knee-high boots, where pairing the short length of the playsuit on top and adding a layer of grey socks underneath equates to ultimate transition dressing. Coachella 2015, I've got my eyes on you.

Bag Essentials

Cornered from all four sides and above from the torrential rain is basically how you could explain my weekend. But that didn't stop me from marathoning Orange Is The New Black, ordering take out and just chilling at home. An outfit post wouldn't have been useful since I've been a happy hermit crab at home lately, so I decided to have a go at stop motion on my camera. The whole behind the scenes set up for this was pretty painful (Exhibit A), but I'm glad that I finally know how to make GIFS properly and am able to make inanimate objects animate! Google taught me alllllll this.

These are the everyday items I carry in my bag - with variations on show. It's normally just one pair of sunglasses, and one lip balm/lip stick out of the bunch above. Phone, keys and the everyday wallet is a checklist mantra spoken to myself daily - but I didn't realise all the other sneaky essentials until it was laid out all to see. I found out that I always have a pair of eye drops to combat my contacts going awry, have the need to always carry a water bottle with me even if I keep losing every bottle purchased and have become inseparable from my Kindle that it needs to be carried even in the smallest bag I own. Little things such as having a cluster of silver rings just in case I feel the need to decorate myself are subliminal addition, as well as the Redken 03 Powder Grip - my first carry around hair product - which has been a lifesaver in combatting flat hair. I normally throw in a piece of outerwear or a binder + laptop combination if I'm heading out to uni, but this is basically the gist of it!

What are some of your bag essentials?

Comfort Dressing

I'm wearing: Mink Pink White Tee, Elle MacPherson Intimates Bralette, Topshop Leigh Jeans, Sportsgirl Shawl, Windsor Smith Gillie Heels, Miu Miu Sunglasses and H&M Rings.

I used to have a penchant for dressing up back in the days of being a fresh-faced teen. (2009 Luella and Erin Fetherston collections may have contributed to this trail of thought, thanks to D&T lessons glued to Style.com) Wide-eyed and newly eighteen, I would notice the girls who dressed up to the nines on a Friday night in all their high-heeled, dewy-faced beauty. Straight away, I dove into experimenting with the contents my own wardrobe, but realised that I have a hard time when it comes to dresses. And dressing up for that matter.

You see, I’ve come to the realisation that as a university student and a girl who has too many material, food and travelling lusts – my lack of funds require me to have pieces that are versatile as ever. Repeat outfits are frequent and necessary, but I feel like dresses restrict this tangent. Seperates are the way to go for me, at least for now, and layering is what I’m focused on finetuning with in regards to finding my own personal style. It’s a little bit exciting and a great way to see your clothes in a completely different perspective. Dresses, on the other hand are a little bit harder to style and change around, where my ideas fall to a halt at layering a collared shirt underneath, the possibility of wearing leather pants underneath (a la Margaret Zhang) or throwing on a jacket. I think I like and prefer the ability to alter my pieces – roll up my jeans, cuff my tees and hell, tie a shirt around my waist!

The result of this ramble is to basically show you how far I’ve come in terms of dress. That I prefer this – a jeans and a tee combination, where the comfort is off the charts – over a bodycon dress any night. Pair it with an exaggerated shawl and I’ve got an outfit for a casual night out. Minimal make up + a messy bun make some great accessories and don’t mind the Miu Mius, they’re my absolute favourites to top off any outfit right now.

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Wattamolla

Mink Pink Dress / Bardot Long Sleeve Top / Topshop Backpack / First image taken by Nic

I came across this article last week on Concrete Playground - an awesome website that keeps you on your toes in relation to what's happening around Sydney. If you've read my previous posts, I'm a tad bit obsessed with finding hidden beaches, so when the words 'waterfalls' and 'near Sydney' were found in the article title - we just had to go exploring.

Wattamolla Beach is roughly 45 minutes to an hour's drive from the Sydney's eastern suburbs. Get there around 6:30pm and the whole place is yours. We unintentionally arrived just in time for sunset, which was a welcome array of pink and purple hues mirrored perfectly in the waters. Just enough time for a quick run and a dance in the waves. Unfortunately we only spotted this little waterfall behind us since we were scarce on time, but I think there was is a larger waterfall further along the lagoon. I'm definitely keeping tabs on this one, and will be back for some more exploring...

Fallback

I'm wearing: Uniqlo Crew Neck Mens Tee / Eska Alikai Leather Skirt / Topshop Faux Fur Plimsolls / Topshop Faux Leather Bag / Michael Kors Parker Two Tone Watch / My Phone (Samsung Galaxy S4) / House & Garden 'Avoca' Rug 

Hey guys, apologies for the dismal online presence lately. I was supposed to have another outdoor *trial* shoot with Nic but our uni and work schedules having been clashing so much lately that my outfit was eventually reduced to just me and my old tripod/self-timer combo. Black, like for myself and many other females out there, is such a lifesaver of a colour. Especially when running late. The best way to wear all black is to mix and match textures, as many have said in blogs all over the world. Take this mix of a loose tee + mini leather skirt = arriving on to my lecture on time, even though I slept in.

In my first 2014 Girl's Night Out event, I outfit repeated and added a wine lip + swapped the sneakers for some chunky boots - equating to a no-fuss night outfit. Those Topshop plimsolls are also an impulse buy to let me decide if I want to invest in a pair of Vans slip-ons. They have been horrendous to break into, but I think they photograph and match most of my closet pieces so well that I'll risk it to get the biscuit. Lately I've also been more invested in decorating my room - hence the monochrome rug addition and the change in wall location - so I can finally spread out all my uni work on the floor. Four weeks have flown by and I now need to get back to finishing my journal!! Fingers crossed.

P.S. Expect another post this week as I slacked off so much in the last week. Apologies. Thinking of either another Sydney exploration post or trying out Youtube - the possibilities are endless - what do you think?

DISTRACT

I'm wearing: Topshop Denim Button Up Shirt / Bardot Stripe Slouch Longsleeve Top / H&M Grey Denim Shorts / Topshop Chelsea Boots / Sportsgirl Necklace / McQ by Alexander McQueen Leather Tote / Top image taken by Nic 

Quick post today! I've been a little bit overwhelmed with having to adjust back to juggling work, university and my personal life. I've been turning to beaches for a bit of reassurance, where with running along the coast every few days, I've also been channelling my curious side in search of finding hidden beaches around Sydney. Vaucluse is an absolute gem to find these quiet, tucked away beaches (Milk Beach & Kutta Beach are must visits) as well as to stare in awe of some of the most beautiful houses and stunning scenic views.

Nic and I were exploring Parsley Bay the other day - where in the midst of having a go and attempting the whole 'boyfriend-takes-my-blog-pictures' charade, a gorgeous Kelpie ran through the bridge and proceeded to distract us with a game of Fetch. After she went home with her owners, a gorgeous sky etched in shades of pinks, purples and orange accompanied us on our drive back home. Seriously Sydney folks, if you ever get a chance, I highly recommend driving through Rose Bay during sunset - it was the most magical sky we'd ever seen. We were gushing like kids the whole way back.

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GHESQUIERE X LV

Images from the Louis Vuitton Fall/Winter 2014 Runway show taken from Style.com

It has been a while since a fashion show has truly resonated with me in a wholehearted manner. 2008 was probably the year when my socks were getting knocked off left, right and centre by the likes of Luella Bartley, the Rodarte sisters, Erin Fetherston, Christopher Bailey and the newcomer that was Alexander Wang. Take in note that I was a high schooler back then who would fill her USBs with runway shows during Design & Tech lessons (Sidebar: I once got caught out and had to stand up and read aloud to the class the Youtube video that I was watching - "Karlie Kloss Teaches Us Her Runway Walk" - and I was absolutely mortified). But ever since then, there have been one or two good shows each year (Burberry SS08, Balmain SS09, Miu Miu SS10 & Alexander McQueen SS10) that have really caught my eye but nothing to really inspire and help develop my own personal style.

With compliments to Karl and the amazing team that decked out an unimaginable dream set of a Chanel grocery store, Nicolas Ghesquiére's first show for Louis Vuitton hit all the right spots for me this season. And that's after watching the Miu Miu webcast at 2AM this morning, as well as playing all the videos in the #Chanel hashtag on Instagram to the point where I almost drove my boyfriend nuts. In my opinion, I think every item in this collection carries a down-to-earth character but also with comes an unexpected edge that inspires you to want to kick your style up a notch.

I don't know if its the late 60's vibes, the gorgeous brown/black leather tones in the form of belts, tops, pants and coats or the strong silhouette of the modern women that highly reinforces the superior craftsmanship and luxurious quality that is iconic to the Louis Vuitton house. The texture of the coats gleam a certain way, the knits look absolutely plush, and the models carry the demeanour of a woman full of strength, independence and a combined wave of effortlessness and raw emotion. I guess that's to be expected when Freja Baha is chosen to open the show.

I feel like the garments are demanding to be worn by all women, with the versatility of each piece apparent throughout the looks - i.e. styling turtlenecks under zipped jackets, daringly low leather v-necks tucked into a range of beautifully textured skirts, the same v-neck dressed down with a turtleneck layered underneath it, and the strong silhouettes of both the jackets and skirts that are just begging to be worn with the rest of your wardrobe = equalling to great cost per wear. I don't think there's a huge chance of me getting my hands dirty with a piece from this collection, but I look forward to how Fashion Editors get to style the garments from this particular collection. I'm looking at you Russh!

P.S. For more praise on the show, check out Business of Fashion's article on the F/W 2014 show here. 

Chop & Change

I'm wearing: Cotton On Strawberry Waffles Jumper / Bardot La Mar Skirt / Wrangler Trucker Denim Jacket / ShopLoueyMarks Hat / Diva Cuffs / Michael Kors Parker Two Tone Watch / H&M Claw Ring / H&M Chunky Boots / 

Lately I've been a big fan of spontaneous change. Take the night before Valentine's Day, while trying to walk off a feast of ribs at Hurricane's Bondi - stopped by at Bondi Ink and decided to get my nose pierced. Not sure how long that's gonna last, but it's a bit of recklessness that I can add to the beginning of my twenties. Then take a few days later, where I had an overdue haircut at Oscar Oscar salons with an intention of just a trim, Courtney mentioned how a collarbone-grazing length could be a bit of a change to my bundle of hair. And to that I said 'Why not?' and cue jumping to the chance. Now with a few weeks of adjusting to a half-new 'me', I'm liking the weightlessness and loving the layers (...still getting used to the nose ring).

I brought all this change along with my first day at UTS. Transferring from a small college to an actual CAMPUS was a bit nerve-wracking but it included the necessity of walking around in circles and trying to understand the maps/room locations. I do quite like the larger scale of things - i.e, lectures with numbers in the 100s, so many different personalities in one room studying Design = so many different interpretations - but I'm (nerdily) excited about the tutorials and especially the library. Life is good, I have no qualms, and I'm in the mood to start Winter layering. Hope that's the same with everyone!

Maya Beach

I think I've been bitten pretty bad by the travel bug - Thailand got me good this time. These are some overdue pictures from our tour to Maya Beach in Phuket, where albeit swarmed with tourists, was filled with crystal clear waters and super soft white sand. On our ride to tour other islands, we got to jump straight into the water for a dip off the speedboat, as well as snorkel with the fishes for a bit. I feel like the only time Australian beaches are trumped are by beaches like this!!

Calm Before The Storm

I'm wearing: Topshop fitted denim shirt / Terminal 21 polka dot dress / Charles & Keith lace up flats / H&M faux snakeskin shoulder bag / H&M eye ring / Souvenir rope market bracelets

With two feet planted firmly back on Sydney soil, I am sort of getting back on on track with my work/play balance before the uni semester starts again. I've ditched the Australian tourist attire of singlet, sunburn, denim shorts, salty hair + thongs to working on transitioning my Thailand purchases to coincide with my wardrobe back here in Sydney.

This particular dress caught my eye in one of the boutiques in the Terminal 21 mall in Bangkok with its perfect drop-waist shape, where a simple relaxed ruffle added a touch of 'girly' to an otherwise simple and static shift dress. Once I saw this dress, I had that moment of knowing I had to have it - and it was the first item my friends and I ever attempted at bartering for. Looking back, we may have had a shocking first try, but a dress for THB900฿/AUS$30 was not bad at all for a versatile garment that I can keep all year 'round.

Playing around with layering, I added my favourite Topshop button-up underneath, and matched it with my ecstatic find of these perfect patent brogues from Charles & Keith. The H&M bag breaks up the sea of black and restricts me to pack the absolute necessities - no more no less - that consist of keys, wallet, Baby Lips and a phone.

And there we go! Preppy vibes radiating out of this world for you today in this outfit post. Alexa Chung, eat your heart out x

สวัสดี

T-B: Arriving 45 minutes early to CentralWorld and having to kill time by playing with the SLR. (The security guards gave us funny looks) Thanks to Steph and Cristy for your posing/camera wisdom /  Spotting this Hello Kitty themed McDonald's on our way to the Skytrain / Our 21st floor view in Bangkok / The outside of CentralWorld, again / Thomas' photo of the skyscraper / Sunrise on our way to the floating markets / Just outside Maeklong Train Markets / Fresh bananas at the markets / Group photo thanks to our lovely tour guide, Na Na / Taking a speed boat to the floating markets / Best coconut pancakes ever!! / The floating markets from above

Currently typing as we wait for our ride to the airport. We've spent a very eventful four days in busy Bangkok - shopping our hearts out at Terminal 21, Central World and Siam Paragon/Center. It's been very much a culture shock to the four of us travelling together - we've had miscommunications with simple tasks such as ordering food, resulting in a handful of miming gestures and nervous laughs. But we've also slowly upped the ante on the act of bartering - which is both nerve-racking and exciting at the same time - but rewarding as we've stocked up on so many clothes, shoes, spices and trinkets!

Aside from wandering the streets of the city, we did spend one day visiting the train markets in Maeklong, which opened our eyes on how fresh and diverse the food at markets are in comparison to our grocery store lifestyle back in Sydney. We also visited the floating markets and had the best mango sticky rice, boat noodles and coconut pancakes. I feel like Thai restaurants back in Oz will never taste the same ever again...But anyway, onwards to our domestic flight to Phuket - where the real relaxation begins!

Stay Gold

I'm wearing: Wildfox Cherie Skull Tank / Saints + Secrets Reptile Skirt / Windsor Smith 'Gillie' Heels / Sportsgirl Fedora 

After lusting over one of those Lack of Color hats that everyone's been sporting lately, I looked back at this old Sportsgirl purchase a few years back and thought that it might work (?!) On this particular day, I felt like a mix of casual vs. dressy - trying to make a drop-waist shape out this top and skirt pairing. Speaking of this top, I'm finding pieces that I wear frequently are more or less the ones that carry a story behind it. Like how I found this Wildfox top in a boutique underneath our hotel during a time at the Gold Coast hours before we had to catch a flight back to Sydney. I totally had a 'gem in the minefields' moment, (as I was/am obsessed with Kimberley Gordon's blog) and constantly wear this in heatwave conditions.

In other news, I'm prepping for a trip to Thailand next Thursday! So excited to be travelling with my friends and exploring the rest of the world. If anyone has recommendations of where to eat/shop/be a tourist around Bangkok and Phuket that would be amazing. I'm so excited!