It's getting veeeeery dangerous out there!

Platform heels are everywhere! Sprouting like mushrooms and to my horror, I saw platform clogs among the platform heels. 

 

Imagine this, but without the peep toe. Platform clogs are by far the most hideous looking platforms out there. 

I gotta say, the usual platform heels aren't too bad looking, they're pretty nice if done right. 

However, I have to admit, nothing freaks me out more than seeing platform shoes. 

Is it getting really dangerous out there that women have to wear a form of weaponry to defend themselves? Cause those shoes could kill! I don't think any guy would ever mess with a woman in platforms, coupled with killer heels. We're talking a big whack between the legs with the platform sole and once you're down, a deep stab in your eye with the pencil thin heel, and you're a goner. Down long enough for the woman to get away from you or to teach you something you'll never, ever forget!

(credits: clog - http://www.shopstyle.com/browse/mules-and-clogs?fts=jeffrey+campbell+shoes, heel -http://www.charleskeith.com/shop/productinfo/SL1-60280013/hwindex.htm#)

Winter bride or the wicked witch gets hitched?

I came upon this window display at Ion Orchard a couple of days ago... 

I can't decide what the theme of this window display really is. I'm thinking "Winter Bride"?  Or "The wicked witch gets hitched on Christmas"? What do you think darling?

Either way, the little fake Chihuahua is quite adorably malicious. 

SB xx

The stamp cards

Hello darling,

I want to talk about the ever so popular stamp cards that shops love to give out as a form of loyalty marketing. "Get a stamp for every $30 spent!" And four stamps later, you land on a circle that entitles you to a $10 voucher. 

How fun is that? You look at the card and think "Only one more to go to a $10 voucher! :D"

Now my dears, before we get too excited about this, let's not get carried away. What are we really getting back here? After spending $120, (Four stamps of $30) you get $10 back? That's 8.33%. Would you seriously shop in a place that gives you a rebate of 8.33% after visiting them four times?

I'm not saying it's bad, but have you ever stopped to realize this?

TANGS gives its members a 6% rebate with each item you purchase, regardless of price. And during special sales that happen quite a few times a year, members get a 12% rebate. And that is exactly why I am a TANGS member.

-SB 

Velvet in the tropics

Hello my darling,

I was shocked to see a collection of different colored velvet slacks and pencil skirts in a particular shop that has outlets in many places in Singapore. (Velvet in tropical weather? It's true that this brand isn't local, but did they not bother to do any market research?) Unfortunately, I was unable to take a picture of this nightmare for your entertainment. Oh no, don't get me wrong, I'm not mistaking corduroy for velvet. The slacks and skirts I saw were velvet darling, VEL-VET.

I like velvet sweatpants, I think they're fun and comfy. But velvet slacks and pencil skirts are just passe. Has been. Finito.

And as I walked out of the store, to my horror I saw a collection of shocking, electric, hot pink long sleeve tees, tank tops and turtles necks. The long sleeve tees had a very shiny, silver threading tracing the round neck collar. Erm, honey, blinding much?

This shop will from now on, affectionately be known to me as the little shop of fashion horrors.

Till next time my darling.

Shopping Biatch

Tis the season to be fancy

Hello my love,

And the Christmas season is here, malls and Orchard Road are decked in glitz and glamor. No such thing as a simple Christmas, oh no, the glitzier, the better.

I gotta say, Orchard Road, the deep pink, shiny wind chime looking things that hang off each Christmas tree wire formation that line the road, twinkling in the light as the wind blows at them, along with the silver....Wait a minute, is this Christmas or Deepavali decor? (Purple Christmas tree picture credit: http://hoflich.com/Peter/blog/)

Metro at City Square Mall has several Christmas tree displays, lavishly decorated according to different themes. And how is it that the trees have not fallen under the weight of the over the top decorations? There's always tasteful and the other extreme, gaudy.

The trees are covered with ornaments and streamers, pretty large ornaments, glittery balls and masquerade masks just to name a few. The first thought that struck me was - Oh My God. Simple as that. Who puts masquerade masks and feathers atop a Christmas tree?

Oh puhlease, I'm no prude. But feathers, masquerade masks, big bells, streamers, glass balls - All on the same tree at the same time. There are just no words....

Happy Holidays my darlings, don't forget the glitter nail polish. ;)

Shopping Biatch XOXO

Battle of the nail polish

Hello my darlings,

As you know, nail polish is a staple in a woman's beauty regime. We all yearn to have a nice, wide array of colors to choose from - Same philosophy for lip gloss.

But lately, there have been, I feel, a madness for overpriced nail polish which are obviously overpriced because of its high demand due to branding.

I've never been a strong believer of the school of thought that expensive stuff is good stuff. I'm more concerned about looking for value for money. If the expensive stuff really is better, then I'm getting my value for money. But if it's just grossly overpriced, then I'll most likely give it a pass.

So what I'm trying to say here is, the overpriced nail polish isn't bad, but it isn't worth its value.

Let's take for example, Revlon. I was so unimpressed with the thin brush, lousy consistency of the polish and it chips after just one day! The nail polish is so thin and the thin, stiff brush results in lousy application.

OPI is all the rage now. Great stuff, but the matt colors disappoint. They are clumpy and too thick. Very difficult to apply. The issue I have with OPI is the crazy price. Going at $23.50 per bottle on an average. That's as much as a bottle of nail polish from Estee Lauder, which by the way, isn't impressive.

I tried nail polish from MAC and though the colors were great (as expected), the consistency was way too thick and it took forever to dry.

I got sick and tired of these expensive, over priced nail polish (I even saw a Japanese brand, half the size of an OPI bottle, going for S$18! At Far East Plaza. Now that's day light robbery)and decided to give the cheaper contenders a try.

What I really am looking for and what is really important in looking for a good nail polish is color, consistency, richness, brush, lasting anti-clumping abilities and fast drying.

THEFACESHOP has awesome value for money nail polish going at S$2.90. Great selection of colors. However, the consistency becomes awful after 3 applications.

Etude house - Good stuff! It isn't cheap, but it isn't expensive either. It's a reasonable price of $5+

I couldn't stop myself when I went to Aries and looked at the amazing selection of colors for their house brand and one called "Bisque" with beautiful packaging! Ironically, Bisque did not have a shade of bisque.

Aries wasn't bad for the price of S$2.90. But what really blew me away was Bisque.

It was only S$2.90 and the brush is soft and of the right size. The consistency is amazing! I bought a pale purple. With just 1 coat, I was able to have a nice rich color. And it was so smooth and so easy to apply, it looked as thought I grew purple nails! Amazing stuff. I bought two other colors - a light pink and a dark, tinted brown. Beautiful consistency. Just beautiful.

The darker colors can last up to 4 days without major chipping and the light pink lasted about 3 with major chipping.

I'm not saying that all the cheap stuff is great, I've tried some pretty bad, cheap crap. But you shouldn't give the cheap contenders a miss. You might just find a rose among the thorns. Your true answer to getting value for money.

SB out.

My October entry

Hello my darlings,

Yes, it has been a while. A long while. Believe it or not, I decided to give malls a rest. That's right. I wanted to refresh my mind, rid of all the comments and feelings I had, from the very beginning I started this blog.

But do not fret my shopping darlings, I am still THE shopping biatch. Rest assured, the bitching will keep flowing. For as long as I am passionate about shopping, I will keep nagging about the flaws and praise the well deserved praises to the high heavens. Nothing excites me more than to find something to sing praise about! And yet, nothing makes me madder and more sarcastic, than to come across something that disgusts me.

The shopping biatch is back. XO

-SB