I have been sitting in front of my computer, staring at the iMac's screen for nearly an hour, without knowing what to write in this blog entry. I feel like I have so many things I want to share about 2014, but when it comes down to details, there wasn't anything exactly spectacular other than my New York trip. I'm not even sure that 2014 was a good year, an average year or a bad year. Maybe because I'm too ambitious, I wanted to accomplish a lot more things than I was supposed to do in 2014. It could also be that I forgot a lot of things; I have an impression that I didn't achieve much success. Before my short term memory can erase all the good and bad things about 2014, I must quickly write them down and keep them safely in this digital box. It is always a good reminder to me how I have progressed over a year, even just a little bit.

If you ask me to sum up my 2014 in just a word, I will say it must be GROWTH.

I no longer spontaneously act like I used to; I had a purpose in everything I did. Since last January, I had a plan to focus on producing high-quality content and images for my blog. I spent weekends-after-weekends looking for inspiration, working with various photographers to come up with some fantastic editorial-like work. Black Night was the first editorial shot I did

  
then Keep It Cool,

and the craziest Stoping Traffic idea.

All gave me a great satisfaction of being able to do what I love and love what I do. I didn't blog for any award or title, but somehow my love and passion were rewarded with a nomination (once again) in top 10 Best Fashion Blog, Singapore Blog Award in July. Though, I didn't win (only was one of the top 3 most voted blogs), but I felt very satisfied knowing that my blog was recognized three years in a row.

2014 was also a year that I turned A DREAM INTO REALITY. I have been dreaming of visiting New York for more than ten years but didn't know how to make it happen. Because the crazy New York Fashion Week kept calling, I decided to take a leap of faith to book a flight and made my dream come true. Ten years thinking about New York was enough, it was time to stop the fear and do something about it. Before flying off, I received invitations to many shows during fashion week after I received a media credential from IMG.

Standing outside Lincoln Center, with a media pass in hands, was the most surreal moment that I will never, ever forget in my entire life.

NYFW Day 3 was pretty overwhelming with lots of paparazzis outside Lincoln Center

and the Lie Sangbong SS15 Fashion show.

Day 4 was a little bit chilly in the morning,

and hotter after the Porsche Design SS15 fashion show.

Day 5 was flooded with color block

 Day 6 was Times Square wandering.

 and day 7, having a quiet moment at The Brooklyn Bridge.

 I blogged about the whole journey here in case you haven't read it.

One dream led to another. After New York Fashion Week, it was a dream collaboration with one of my favorite luxury brands: Porsche Design.

I had no idea how this happened, and I thought they made a mistake. But no, the email clearly stated my name. I had to pinch myself twice to make sure that I wasn't dreaming. That's when I knew I had reached an enormous milestone in my blogging career: being able to collaborate with a big brand. At the same time, a new milestone also required me to stretch myself much further, to grow much faster and to be stricter in producing good work for you and my beloved brands. It was hard, but it was all worth it.

Working for Orchard Scotts Dental

Shooting for Invisalign as one of their ambassadors

Partnering with Flopstore Singapore for a giveaway

Promoting for Marks & Spencers "I Like It Perky" campaign

Styling for Glitz and Love

and Herfashionbox (Australia)

Every coin has two sides. Besides the significant growth that you already saw on this blog, there were many GROWING PAINS that I decided to keep them to myself. These were the pains when I had to say No to certain projects that I knew I couldn't deliver due to job mix-match or timeline. Or, the moment when everyone gossiped about me online, out of the blue, for no good reason. I learned how to deal with hater's comments, ignore the negativity, and just focus on my work. I'm glad it is all over.

Regardless, I have to say 2014 was, indeed, another incredible year. I met many wonderful people, made new friends from across the globe, learned new things, and stepped out of my comfort zone. My style has changed and evolved so much over a year mainly because I've changed and I've grown.



















Last year, I was fortunate to meet many amazing people. They inspired, taught me, and motivated me to continue doing what I love.



I also met some people who told me that they read my blog. They made my day. I wish I could meet every single one of my blog readers to personally say thank you. Thanks for staying here with me on this journey, witnessing how much I have grown, and always being here to support. Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart. In return, I have dedicated some of my 2015 Resolutions for you:

1. I'll try to blog more often, on a regular basis, two or three times per week on every Monday- Wednesday (or Thursday)- Friday (or Saturday). 

2. Instead of accepting just any sponsorship, I'll be taking up selected sponsored products or services that will benefit you, and I can add value to the respective brands in return. There might not be a lot of sponsored posts this year, but if there are, they'll be good. 

3. I'm working on my schedule to get back to Youtube video soon. 

4. I'll try to write more Beauty-related content for you. In fact, I'm looking for someone who is in love with beauty and good at writing. If you know somebody like that, please do recommend. Thank you so much!

5. Going to New York again for Fashion Week in September 2015. 

6. This year, my big goal is to go to London, Milan, Paris and Australia for Fashion Week. 

That's pretty much what I have in mind right now. If you have any suggestions or recommendations, please do share with me. I'm dying to know. I hope you had an excellent 2014 and may 2015 treat you even better. Please continue to be awesome, be happy, be different, be adventurous, be fearless, and most importantly, be kind.

Thank you so much for reading!

I just realized that I've been wearing a lot of neutral colors lately. Black, white, and gray are what I've been repeatedly wearing since the start of the New Year. First, it was the corporate outfit with black wide leg pants and white shirt, then a casual weekend white on white. Now I'm rocking white again with gray and silver.

This outfit somehow reminds me so much of my high school days, when I used to wear a full circle skirt with a white collar shirt to my classes. We weren't allowed to wear high heels or pumps, only sneakers. No lipstick or mascara either. Those days, I didn't know (and bother) much about styles, color blocks, or designer handbags. Things, which occupied my mind were the numbers in mathematics, science formulas or English Literatures. There were so many things to remember before the exams, but I NEVER felt stressed. No wonder everyone keeps saying high school is the best time of your life. No worries, no pressure, no survival-of-the-fittest situation. Life is like a beautiful dream! 

I'm in desperate need of the high-school spirit right now, to take my mind away from stress and to look at complicated things in a simple way. I guess subconsciously, my mind is telling me how to dress up. I keep going back to basic with monochromatic colors and simple stylings. Not even a single piece of arm-candy (bracelets, that's how we call it), other than my watch and delicate necklace. 

I can't decide what is it that I love about this outfit: the feminine silhouette, the simplicity or the stress-free feeling that the whole ensemble gives me. But whatever it is, I know I will be dressing in black, white, silver or gray a couple of times more in the next few weeks. I hope you won't mind me being overly obsessed with the simplicity, just for a while. 

Are you having the same style obsession with me right now? 

Photo credits to Jeff Sheldon

Hello everyone! 

After a wonderful weekend, it's hard to get back to work on Monday, isn't it? I believe every one of us experiences the Monday blues, and there is nothing wrong with that. The problem is how to get rid of the Monday blues and to start your day productively. I have some personal tips that help me overcome this, and I thought they'll be useful for you too. 

1. Start your day earlier. 

Photo credits to Chris Sardegna

Get up earlier than you normally do and start your day with some exercises at home. Instead of going to the gym, I usually play some Latin music and dance for 15 to 20 minutes. My favorite dances are Samba or Chacha as they can give me a lot of hips and leg movements. 

2. Having a yummy and healthy breakfast. 

Photo credits to Jeff Deng

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day so don't skip it. My favorite morning food are fruit pancakes with an avocado drink (Like this one I made) or yogurt cereal. What could be a better way to start your day than a delicious breakfast? 

3. Dress for success.

Like I mentioned in the blog entry Getting back to work, having a good appearance is one of the keys to our confidence. When we look good, we'll feel good about ourselves. Whether you are working in a corporate office, in a retail store or even at a Starbucks coffee shop, dress as if you are going to sign a huge contract with a big client today. Do not get out of the house with a crumpled shirt, torn shoes and messy hair. 

3. Have your To-Do list ready. 

Photo credits to Alejandro Escamilla

The first thing I do, when I get to my office, is to jot down a list of the important tasks I need to get done on Monday and for the rest of the week. As a result, I don't feel lost and distracted throughout the day. Believe me, Monday will go by so much quicker, and you won't even have time to feel blue at all. 

4. Talk to happy people.

Whenever I feel like the Monday blues is hitting me, I try to talk to someone who is happy and energetic. My nephew is that person. His cuteness and innocence always make me smile and cheer me up no matter how upset I am. Happiness is contagious, so is unhappiness. If you are feeling down, don't mix around with people who are negative, because they won't make you feel better. Not at all.  

5. Keep reminding yourself "It's going to be a great day today."

Photo credits to Jake Givens

Our mind is so powerful that we can't even imagine. It can control our life without us knowing it. According to the law of attraction, when we think positively, the positive things will come. If you want to have a great day, then you'd better believe that you'll have a good one yourself first. 

I hope these tips will help! Do you  have any other "remedies" to cure the Monday blues? Please share with me in the comment section blow. 

Have a fantastic Monday at work, and as always thank you so much for reading!