I'm Off to London!

Hi everyone!

You must be wondering why there was no Sunday Style Showdown last week.

The sad news is....Christine and I have agreed to put our fortnightly Sunday Style Showdown segment on hiatus till end of December.

This is because I'm in London on an exchange program till December! My wardrobe's pretty limited during this period hence it would be difficult to coordinate outfits.

Anyway, going on exchange is a super exciting yet incredibly daunting experience for me (so far). I've been feeling lonely, homesick, lost, confused, scared...... but I definitely am hoping that this will turn out to be one heck of an amazing and unforgettable experience for me *fingers crossed*.

I'll be writing excerpts of my experience as an exchange student and travels here occasionally! Check back and see what I've been up to next time ^^


Till next time
Love,
El   xoxo

5 Beauty & Makeup Essentials to Look Fresh Faced for School!

Hi Everyone!

  Hope you're having a great week so far. It's said that it's the clothes that make the man, but don't neglect your face! All the cute clothes in the world will not make you look any better if you've got dull skin and dark circles. So here I am, sharing with you 5 makeup and beauty products in my arsenal that I find to work well and are budget friendly.

#1// Eye Roll On

  Frequently stay up late? You probably have to deal with puffy eyes and dark circles in the morning. Personally, I really hate it when my eyes get so puffy that I find it a pain to fully open my eyes.

  A solution to easing the puffiness is to massage and cool down the eye area, improving the circulation there. This will help to ease the fluid retention which causes puffy eyes a well as help lighten the dark circles. I recommend using a eye roll on which usually has a metal ball roller which helps to massage the serum into the eye area as well as cool the eye area.

  Personally, I use a small tube of Clinique's All About Eyes Serum which has a metal ball roller inside. I got this while I was overseas. There are cheaper alternatives from other brands like Garnier.

  No spare cash to buy an eye roll on? Fear not! There are many home remedies that can be found online (do research well though). Personally, I like the cold spoon trick and doing the eye massage myself. For the cold spoon trick, just place a metal spoon in your freezer before you go to bed so that in the morning, you can use the cold spoon to press against the eye area to help with puffiness.

Sunday Style Showdown | Black Boots

With the start of September, Summer is officially over *cue Just for Laughs ending theme*
This signals the start of the monsoon season in sunny Singapore. But fret not, these are what boots are made for: the rain. Get inspired with this week's Black Boots edit, our bid to welcome Autumn~

The BLACK BOOTS Showdown
El	Christine
Black boots are like the autumn/winter season version of sneakers-- easy to match and come in many different styles. This week's outfit I chose to wear a pair of chunky boots because this is the pair that I would wear frequently. I like the blend of feminine and masculine elements in the boots. The chunky heel and the sole of the shoes give them a strong masculine edge whereas the heels and cut of the boots make them look feminine and polished. To go with this idea of a feminine+masculine feel, I decided to go with a simple black cutout dress which has a feminine A-line low neck cut but in an edgy black colour. Going along with the style is the cropped jacket which shows off the feminine curves but has a boxy cut which contrasts against the curves of body.	I love my boots; in fact, I have several pairs of them. I'm a huge fan of black boots because they go with almost everything - but you still have to keep in mind your body shape to choose a cut that flatters you! For this week's theme, I chose these black ankle boots with a low stacked heel. This gives me a sorely-needed boost in height but yet, is comfortable enough for me to walk a whole day in them without breaking a sweat. And because they are plain black boots, I went for a graphic print dress to add character to the outfit. The end result? A chic city girl vibe.
Can you tell there's a triangle pattern going on in my outfit and accessories? Haha. I like geometric stuff so I've reflected it in my outfit too. My dress's cutout in front is actually a triangular shape. To continue with the trend, I wore my black geometric H&M earrings and my happy green socks with colourful triangle pattern. On my neck is a necklace with my name's initial (E) which I feel helps to make my neck feel less bare. **If you look very closely (>.<) at my eye makeup, you can see that I've added a turquoise wing tip on top of my usual black cat eyeliner to add a pop of colour for fun too.	This week, my chambray shirt holds a very important role in the making of this outfit - protecting my modesty. Hah. I love this dress, truly I do, however, it is a little on the short side (even for me). By tying the chambray shirt over it, I avoid any wardrobe mishaps and at the same time, add a little chic touch to the overall mood. Also, how unique are the sunglasses! Love the fact that it's in a matt green colour~
El's Outfit Details Boots: H&M Dress: H&M Jacket: H&M Triangle Earrings: H&M Socks: Hong Kong 'E' initial necklace: ASOS	Christine's outfit details Boots: H&M Dress: Cherish @ Far East Plaza Chambray: H&M Necklace: Forever 21 Giraffe Ring: Korea Sunglasses: Korea

What's your verdict on this week's Sunday Style Showdown? Whose look did you like best?

Do share your views with us :) Comment below, tweet us (@ChapalangGirls) or drop a line on our Facebook page!

We would love to see your take on black boots too! How would you style them? Instagram a photo of what you wore and use #SSS so we can find them (tagging us works too - Christine's and El's)

Autumn is by far our fave season but sadly, we only ever get rain or sun in Singapore. How is Autumn like in your country?

Till next time
Love,
El and Christine xoxo

Wedding Lunch OOTD

Hi everyone!

 How have you been? Recently, I attended a wedding lunch celebrating the union of my uncle and his wife at the Regent and had a great time! It was my first time attending a wedding lunch since usually couples host dinners at hotels/restaurants instead of lunches. Hence I was slightly unsure of what to wear. With dinners, I'd usually try to glam myself up and go all fancy. Lunch feels like a more casual affair since it's in the day time and after the lunch I probably will have other activities to do. Thus I feel that the dressing should be leaning towards casual formal but still have that "special" aura about it.

  After trying on various combinations and outfits, I decided on the combo below:

Outfit Details: White caped top: Taobao; Camisole(inside): H&M; Striped high waist skirt: Zara; Bag: Korea; Shoes: Tracce; Bracelet and rings: Lovisa.

  Personally, I adore this outfit. The white cape top is cropped and I like how the cape conceals a part of my arms, making them look slimmer while making my shoulders more structured simultaneously. Basically it's really flattering and chic top. I also felt like a superwoman with my "superhero cape" in this <3

  As it's cropped, I decided to pair it with a high-waisted skirt that I recently got from Zara during their sales. The light pink colour and the cut of it makes it ultra feminine yet chic as it hugs my curves. The two strips of cloth that are tied at the top of the skirt helps to hide a bit of my bulging stomach and also makes the skirt look more casual. The skirt looks amazing but it was a pain to walk in them because the hem restricts my movement.

  For some casual elegance, I wore my sandal heels that have quickly become a favourite since they're so chic and comfortable! They go with alot of outfits too thanks to the neutral colours. For accessories, I decided to go with gold coloured items because it flatters my skintone plus look expensive. For bags, I chose to bring my red purse with the gold chain sling which complements the chic look.

Here are some more pictures that I took at the wedding:

Me at Regent Singapore! It was a beautiful hotel with a simple elegance and lush decor that evokes memories of the old world's grandeur. 

  Makeup wise, I did a neutral eye and bright lip. I was also trying on this new pair of false lashes for the first time because 1- I wanted it to be special and 2- I like the idea of having long lashes without having to put mascara.

  It's a new brand of lashes I'm trying and I was blown away by how it felt like I was not wearing any falsies. Indeed spending the money to buy better quality lashes is worth it. I occassionally wear those cheapo 10 pairs of lashes for $10 and the lash bands of those lashes are stiff. I end up getting irritated when the bands poke at my inner eye corners.

Diamond Lash-Nudy Couture/ Elegant. That's the name of the lashes I got. I guess you're supposed to look very natural with it. Retails in Watsons for around $23.

The lashes have the slight flare at the edge which gives my eyes a more defined feline look. They're not overly dramatic looking despite the length of the lashes. The lashes are super soft and fine, making it possible to wear it for long periods and also to layer with other lashes.

Here's a quick look at all the makeup products used. Personally, I'd recommend a waterproof eyeliner like CLIO's Kill Black liner since there might be some waterworks happening. Like when I tear up looking at couples' montages (I get emotional easily).

Clockwise left to right: Benefit Brow-zings Palette (Medium); Shiseido Perfect Refining Foundation (O40); Majolica Majorca Skin Remaker Compact (OC10); Diamond Lash False Lashes (Nudy Couture-Elegant); CLIO Kill Black Brush Liner; Revlon Colorstay concealer (03 Light Medium); Etude House Kissful Tint Choux (#1); Benefit Box Blush (Coralista)

If you're curious about what I ate for lunch, I've got a shot of the menu here:

The roast chicken dish and the broccoli dish were superb! I also loved the braised lobster soup, which is a great alternative to the highly popular but cruel shark's fin soup dish.

Some shots of the food:

Left: Steamed Black Garoupa. Right: Pan-Fried King Prawn.
Funnily, I only took photos of the two dishes that I was not impressed with. The seafood dishes were overcooked :(

I love the little gifts given at the wedding this time because I got chocolates and a brownie. Specifically because they're edible and yummy to boot!

This had heart shaped chocolates in them. I love the simple elegance of the packaging.

All in all, I had a great time at the wedding even though I was seated with a few people that I was unfamiliar with. I was super bloated from all the food I ate XD. I love weddings since they bring families together and I get to eat good food. Plus, I love it when I see people who are in love with each other get married. I hope you've enjoyed this post!

Till next time,
El   xoxo