Photography

I love dressing up and experimenting with different styles but there are 2 comfy simple styles that I always fall back on. Here’s sharing my 2 simple styles with you. On my lazy days or when I’m rushing about you’ll catch me in either one of these 2 styles.

Simple Dress

I’m quite girly when it comes to dressing up and on lazy days or days where I’m too busy to plan my outfit, I usually end up wearing a simple cotton dress. I keep a healthy supply of such dresses in my wardrobe as they require no effort to put on and looks just as presentable with heels or flats.

Dress: Liz Lisa

Hair Clip: Korea

Earrings: Chanel

Eyewear: Glossi

Bag: Korea

Heels: Japan

It takes less than 5 mins to put on the entire outfit and it gives a casual girl next door vibe that is suitable for a coffee run, meetup with girlfriends, casual date or even meeting your date’s parents for the first time. I think by incorporating my Glossi eyewear in this simple outfit it enhances the girl next door vibe.

Shirt & Denim 

Most of my girlfriends will certainly agree that my style is girly and feminine. But my favourite no frills combo is actually a shirt and denim. It could be denim jeans or denim shorts, doesn’t matter as long as it’s paired with a shirt. I do own quite a number of shirts of different material, styles and designs and so far none of them have gone out of style. I absolutely love how comfortable and classic this style is.

Great for running errands, this outfit combination can be once again dressed up or down depending on the types of accessories and shoes you match it with. I always pack a shirt and denim in my luggage whenever I travel. They are on my travel must-have list because not only do they go so well together, they mix and match well with a ton of other things to pull different looks together.

I have a lot of shirts and this white one has been in my top 10 favorite shirt list for the last 3 years because of the peekaboo lace back. You might have seen me wear the blue denim version of this shirt on my blog before. I wish I had bought an extra to keep because they don’t have this design anymore and I wear it so often I’m worried the white well yellow

Earrings: Chanel

Eyewear: Glossi

Shirt: Ching

Jeggings: Topshop

Belt: YSL

Bag: Hermes

Heels: Christian Louboutins

This was also the outfit I wore when I did one of my “Glossi in Cinemagraph”. Have you seen it ? (click here)

So now you know my favorite 2 simple styles. Which one do you prefer?

I’ve been really inspired by stanley kubrick cinemagraphs recently and it’s from this inspiration that I’ve decide to a series of my own. The images reminds me of the moving photographs seen in the Harry Potter series For those who are new to the concept, cinemagraphs are still photographs in which a minor and repeated movement occurs. In some photos it is quite obvious and in others you have to look closer to spot the movement. This is my first time attempting to do cinemagraphs and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I have had creating them.

In each photo you’ll see me wearing either my Glossi prescriptive eyewear or sunglasses as I’m still on my one month “Everyday with Glossi” challenge.

We arrived in the the most prestigious hotel in the whole of Brunei – The Empire Hotel  & Country Club. However, we had rushed here after snorkeling with the fishes and I was slightly embarrass that I had to check in my disheveled state and sea water soaked hair. Luckily I had changed in to a long maxi before arriving instead of remaining in my casual swim sports attire.

Walking into the grand lobby of The Empire Hotel & Country Club, I was immediately impressed. The hotel Atrium soars into the sky to a height of 53.22m from level 1 to the roof. And straight ahead was the dazzling view of the South China Sea and the setting sun.

The service is excellent and delicious signature mocktails were served to welcome us as we got our rooms sorted out. They were so quick and efficient that it took almost no time at all.

The sun rays filtering into the grand lobby and bouncing off the specially imported top grade Italian marble was in itself a spectacle to behold . Later I learnt that all the light fittings in the entire hotel were specially chosen to create the right kind of lighting any time of the day. Many of the chandeliers are made to order with delicate Swarovski crystals.

I would have loved to be able to lounge around in the lobby to soak in the atmosphere and enjoy a cup of complimentary tea (love to try The Empire Blend) but we only had an hour to check-in, take a shower, freshen up and head out for dinner.

We were personally escorted to our individual rooms and it was just as luxurious and impressive as the rest of the hotel.

The room was extremely spacious and there was even a separate wardrobe and luggage section.

Some cakes and a specially hand written card was already laying in wait for me. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen handwritten notes from any establishment and it lent a very warm and personal touch to the whole atmosphere.

The balcony was spacious as well and I stood there for quite awhile lost in the beautiful view of The Empire Hotel & Country Club greenery as well as the setting sun.

I might have totally forgotten that I needed to shower and change if not for the whatsapp messages coming in from the other bloggers checking in on what time we needed to meet back at the lobby.

The bathrooms at the hotel are all clad in 20mm thick marble slabs and at that moment, I felt that I would be happy to stay at The Empire Hotel forever!

Shortly after my quick shower, I receive a phone call from the hotel staff checking to see if I settled into my room comfortably or if there was anything I needed. She also informed me that everything in the minibar and drawers are complimentary and I could ring them anytime should I need a refill! It was the first time I had receive a follow up courtesy check from any hotel moments after I’ve checked out my room and this has formed a solid positive impression of the excellent service at The Empire. I feel pampered and throughly taken care off.

If you ever go to Brunei, you just have to stay at The Empire Hotel & Country Club. It’s undoubtedly the best accommodation that Brunei has to offer and to prove my point, our Singapore President, Dr Tony Tan was also staying at the same hotel as us that night! Incredibly, prices of the superior and deluxe rooms here are cheaper than most 5 star hotels in Singapore! I’ll share more about the hotel and show you even more impressive facilites in my next post cause this post is all about meeting the Brunei bloggers as arranged by Royal Brunei Airlines.

The dinner was hosted in Azhani’s beautiful residence and the homely atmosphere, home cooked gourmet dishes and gorgeously grilled meats by Azhani’s husband lent an incredibly heartwarming experience as we got to know more about Royal Brunei Airlines as well as the Brunei bloggers better. They could have just done the meetup at any restaurant but I’m very grateful for the effort that they have taken to share with us an authentic Brunei hospitality. When I think of Brunei as a country of unexpected treasures, the warmth of the people will be one of them as well.

Maurina : maurina.wordpress.com

Azhani : emmagoodegg.com

 Rano Iskandar : RanoAdidas.com

Reeda Malik : AnakBrunei.org

Kamarul D Ajimain : geekinwhite.com

Top Brunei bloggers @ranoaddidas, @anakbrunei, @marul69, @maurina, @emmagoodegg (Follow them!) were all so friendly and our conversations flowed freely over the sumptuous spread. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to learn more about the Brunei cultures, how the locals think, what they enjoyed, how different Brunei blogging community compared to the Singapore community and more! Most importantly, it showed me that despite my intensive itinerary that covered from city to nature and from the tops of the world to the depths of the ocean, there was so much more Brunei had to offer. Even though it was the first time we were meeting, by the end of the dinner, new friendships were forged and our life experiences have been enhanced.

We were also very fortunate to get a sneak peak into the new collection of sleep masks that are specially designed for Royal Brunei Airlines’ new Dreamliner Boeing 787 aircraft campaign in UK.

Before we left, Royal Brunei Airlines even prepared a little gift bag for us to take along.

Back at my awesome hotel room, I ran a lovely warm bubble bath and spent the rest of the night relaxing with a book as I looked forward to what Brunei brings me tomorrow.

Thank you OMY, Brunei Tourism and Royal Brunei Airlines  for making this trip possible.

If you would like to know Brunei better or check out more Royal Brunei Airlines promotions, check out their Facebook page.

PS: I have a couple of photos that I’ve put up in this post without my usual watermark as these photos are used courtesy of Malcolm Sunny and Rui Long of OMY.

“What to wear on a date?” is one of the most written about topics and yet I see this same question reappearing on many women’s magazines every year in different forms. I totally understand the feeling of opening a wardrobe full of clothes spilling out from every corner and still feel like you have no idea what you want to wear. In the spirit of sharing inspirations, I’ll be showing 4 tried, tested and true outfits I wore for different dates recently.

I have been wearing my Glossi Eyewear every single day for the last 3 weeks and it’s amazing how it fit so well with my date outfits as well.

First up,

Sunday Brunch Date

Nothing says romantic better than a floral dress. It’s perfect for sunday brunches with your significant other especially if you are having it alfresco.

The dress I’m wearing is a vintage piece from Dustbunny Vintage. As some of you might already have known, I’m a huge fan and collecter of vintage clothing as the cut, fabrics and workmanship of the bygone eras are so much better in quality compared to the many massed produced “Made in China” clothes that were never made with the intention of letting them last forever. The additional perks of vintage clothing chances of you running into someone with the exact same dress is almost zilch and they never go out of style (cause they are classics!).

I love the fresh pastel florals, sweet heart bustier and the delicate lace trimmings at the neckline. The dress ends just above the knee so it shows enough skin but doesn’t look trashy or slutty. I think this dress works well regardless whether it is your first date or your 9,999th date. In case you were wondering, this dress was worn on my 3,260th date (approximate) with the same guy.

Since brunch typically lasts past noon time, my Glossi sunglasses act more than just an accessory but a necessary precaution to shield my eyes from the harsh sun. Sunglasses also protect you from skin cancers that affects the eyelids and on the skin around the eyes.

Next we have

Geek Date

Despite my girly appearance and love for pretty feminine clothes, my multi-faceted personality usually shocks most people who never got to know me better. I love adventure and am probably a lot more tomboy then my dainty dresses would lead you to believe. I’m also a closet geek/nerd (I think I have a little of both) that surfaces when I start getting excited about the newest RPG game on the market or start studying the technical tricks that I can use in my next video or when I have board game date nights or when I find obscure facts and trivia highly entertaining or debating about the pros and cons of a new tech gadget. Luckily for me, my partner is able to accept this mishmash and continues to love me for who I am.

Geeky dates usually involves playing games on the PS3, a session arguing discussing concepts, sharing new trivia/news that we read, playing board games or taking a picnic in the park so I can read novels outdoor. For my last geek date, I wore a simple polka dotted blue pinafore dress with Peter Pan collar and lace trim pockets.

I rather not wear contacts on simple dates and my Glossi prescriptive eyewear is extremely comfortable even when I wear it for long hours due to its amazing lightweight composition. I love how the practicality of the eyewear also helps to channel my geek date style.

My next date outfit is for the

Beach/Pool Date

 Although I spend a large part of my time (both work and play) in front of a computer, I love being outdoors and try to get out whenever I can. It helps that I have 2 dogs that would  ”gently” remind me to got some sun even if I had overlooked it. Being able to chase adventures and hikes overseas is a hobby but a rather expensive one so when I’m in Singapore it’s usually a trip to the park or a day at the beach with my partner and my dogs.

Must bring necessities to the beach are sunblock and sunglasses. The Singapore sun is so harsh and we get it all year round. Without proper sun care precautions, it’s very easy to get a sunburn or gain an extra few freckles and wrinkles.

These days I’m more into one piece swimsuits rather than two piece ones. Maybe its because age has placed a slight layer of “protection” around my belly or maybe its because bikinis are too common and I want something different. I honestly feel that one piece swimsuits are more unique and doesn’t have to be frumpy either. In fact, I’m looking to buy a vintage inspired one-piece swimwear in the style of the late 1950s pin up girls. I saw a gorgeous one at Juicy Couture a couple of seasons ago but it was out of my size.

For my last beach date, I wore a green monokini and matched it with an A&F skirt that I had since I was 18. These short skirts are not exactly age appropriate for me anymore and have been relegated to only being used as coverups for swimwear at the beach or pool.

Lastly,

Special Occasion Dinner Date

My dates tend to be simple and casual but every once in awhile, there’s that special occasion that justifies an occasional splurge and your date brings you somewhere fancy.

Usually the perfect special occasion starts somewhere where I can see the sunset while I’m having pre-dinner drinks to unwind and relax. Then after we’ll proceed to the main event and finish really late with maybe more drinks for him and more desserts for me.

If it’s a surprise location, wearing a LBD is a safe bet as you can dress it up or down using accessories. In my last special occasion date night however, I was pre-informed of the itinerary and decided to go for this black lace over nude cocktail dress. I love the extra tulle and flair at the bottom of the dress and it made me feel like a princess without being overly sweet or OTT.

Late afternoon is one of the most irritating time to drive or be in the passenger seat of a car if you are stuck in peak hour traffic and have the strong rays of the setting sun shining directly in your eyes. Thankfully the Glossi sunglasses were with me and I didn’t have to squint the whole journey to our dinner destination.

I hope that by sharing these date outfits, you’ll get the inspiration for your next date outfit as well. I am still keeping  to my personal challenge of wearing my Glossi Eyewear every single day for a month and even though I didn’t take an outfit photo with the eyewear every single day, I do have some that I can share with you in the coming posts. It’s amazing how the 2 Glossi eyewear I have are able to be worn with all my different daily outfits be it for stylish work formal, cute weekend casual or glamourous outfit styles.

Please continue to vote daily for me for the Singapore Blog Awards 2013. I’m in the running for Best Vlog, Glossi Best Modelling Blog, Panasonic Best Beauty Blog and Panasonic Eco-Friendly Blog.

Recently, I got better acquainted with a watch company that has a long history of making premium watches; built to last several generations. Since 1928, Aries Gold has been dedicated to the art of crafting impressive time pieces. It is a Swiss brand that is registered in 42 countries worldwide and focuses on design, quality and durability.

While looking through their 2012 and 2013 collection of watches, I learnt more about their design inspirations and how Aries Gold was one of the first brands to take the plunge in building their own in-house facility capable of testing scratch resistance, water resistance and impact resistance. I love their latest collection which is the “Inspire” range as it focuses on endurance, precision and functionality without losing the sense of luxury.

Although Aries Gold carries both female and male watch designs, I felt inclined more towards their masculine range. For quite awhile now, a lot of females are abandoning dainty watches in favor of mens’ timepieces and I am a huge fan of that unisex trend. When it comes to timepieces, mens’ watches tend to show more personality and are oversized enough to be worn as a statement piece as well.

As displayed by many stars such as Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham, Madonna and Naomi Campbell, oversize watches gives a more casual style to your outfits and shows how you like to take charge of your accessories.

Even though I was down with flu and fever that day, I had such a happy time checking out the various time pieces. Here are two of the newest ones in their collection.

Aries Gold watches have a strictly no China movement so you can be assured that you won’t be buying a mass market made in china product. In fact, every piece is produced in limited quantities and they do not reproduce the designs in order to maintain the watch exclusiveness. 95% of Aries Gold watches uses scratch-proof sapphire crystal which means that you don’t have to be extremely careful about knocking or hitting it when you go about your daily activities. Only a diamond is capable of scratching the sapphire crystal surface.

After countless of difficult selections (the other top contender is the watch on the first photo in this post), I finally narrowed my ideal watch to be the Aries Gold Inspire BOS10-010G-Rose. It’s one of those watches that men fall in love over the sporty classic look and at the same time it makes an awesome arm-swag for women. Great choice if you are one of those who like sharing watches with your other half.

I’m so pleased with my choice and it has become one of my favorite oversize watches in my collection. This flashy “piece of art” helps me keep my ultra feminine outfits a little more interesting and I’ve received compliments from both male and female onlookers on my watch! The hubs stole my watch to wear and while it became a statement piece of accessory on me, this piece looks really classic and exudes a sense of power and elegance on him.

Other than how aesthetically wonderful the watch looks, it’s the mechanical aspects that have drawn me to it. Hailing from the Rally collection of the Inspire range, this watch brings with it cutting edge technology  inspired by the passion for endurance and precision as seen in many motor sports. It has a chronograph movement with date, scratch-proof sapphire crystal, solid stainless steel case, high grade silicon strap and is 100m water resistant. I generally have a strong preference for my chunky watches to have metal straps or silicon straps instead of leather or rubber. Silicon or metal straps allows watches to have a slight slack when worn loosely so it behaves almost like a chunky bracelet.

As you can see on the back of the watch, there is a etch of a cool race car as well! This watch is a limited edition and only 100 pieces was crafted so I’m extremely lucky to own the 64th piece.

To top it all off, Aries Gold has a 10 Years Warranty on movement parts for all their watches! It is probably one of the longest warranties you can find for watches these days. Usually you get a one year warranty or if you are lucky, a three year one. But Aries Gold holds the quality of their watches in highest regards which explains their confidence in giving a whooping 10 year warranty.

It’s so easy to match this watch and I wear it pretty frequently even though I don’t always remember to take “outfit of the day” shots. I’m sharing with you 2 recent outfits I wore together with my Aries Gold watch but I’m sure you can imagine how the possibilites are endless with such a lovely design.

I find that pairing oversize watches with pretty summer dresses helps to offset the masculinity of the watch. I had also paired the watch with a white denim maxi dress and it pulled the whole look together.

Hat: Japan

Earrings: Chanel

Dress: Snidel

Lace crop top: Liz Lisa

Cat Clutch: myjotterbook

Watch: Aries Gold Inspire BOS10-010G-Rose

Heels: Christian Louboutin

With such designs and style you’ll think that Aries Gold Watches are extremely pricey right? Well, most of their watches are actually in the S$199 to S$380 range. The one I’m sporting is a limited edition so it’s priced slightly higher at S$571. Now you can get a chance to own an Aries Gold Watch. Look out for the details at the end of this post.

The first look I shared had a more classic feel but to show you how versatile this watch is, I’ve paired it in another summery and flowery combination.

The Aries Gold watch helps to balance my feminine florals to give my look a more sporty vibe.

Cap: Gift from Sushi

Floral romper: Dazzlin

  Bag: Hermes

Sunglasses : Glossi (also a super versatile piece)

Watch:  Aries Gold Inspire BOS10-010G-Rose

Wedges: Louis Vuitton

Now, as promised, I’ll share with you how you can win yourself a luxury Aries Gold watch. 

There are  the 2 of Aries Watches you can choose from should you be the lucky winner.

Enchant L500 – Bedazzled worth S$328.

- Swiss Movement

- Solid Stainless Steel

- 44 Swarovski Crystals

- Domed Sapphire Crystals

- 50 M Water Resistant

- In Rose Gold White Dial or Rose Gold Purple Dial or Silver & Gold

- 10 Years Warranty

I will be loading up one of my outfit photo on the Aries Gold Watch Facebook Page, Renzze Facebook Page as well as on my Instagram (@renzze). All you have to do is like the photo (like all three posts if possible) to show your support. If Louis could participate he would too! Look how good the watch looks even on him!

To find out more about Aries Gold watches and where to find them visit: