The Picnic Girl’s List: 2009 Fashion Favorite

It might be too late to write about anything related to New Year but I had this new-year-eve party that got me terribly frantic and occupied. (And in case you're wondering.. the party went fabulous, the night was warm and friendly and these artist gathering give me art-performance as a gift for my cafe, it's so exceeding my expectation! Yay!)

Yet, I feel somehow guilty for not making list at all about this year-new year issue~ so here I am, writing list in my day off. Writing list has always been my favorite. Since I can’t decide between making a 2010 Wishlist or making a review of the soon-to-be passed-year-2009; so, as always, I decide to make both in two chapters.

Here is The Picnic Girl's 2009 fashion Favorites:

1. Fashion Blog

Alix - The Cherry Blossom Girl

(for sure.. she made me make this blog on the first place. I love the way her photoshot be so dreamy in a fairy tale way and very real at the same time. It's about style, and not always about fashion or trends.)

*****

Evita Nuh - The Creme de la Crop

(I can't believe she was so young when she start blogging! 9, 10, and now she's only 11! But look at her photos and the way she dress herself! How could I believe a girl so young can be so fashion conscious? I had to. She sure has the talent. *smooch*)

*****

2. Photographer

Aimee Ketsdever

(She has this eye for beauty and it can be seen right through her photos. I especially love the tone and the feeling of the photos she took. In plus, she's still 19! If only I was so talented in such a young age. Young talented artists are what it's all about in 2009! She makes reality and real world looks more beautiful as in the story.)

*****

Ella May

("I want to capture bent knees and sunbeams and bones and beautiful lights.", she wrote on her flickr. That line captures my heart the way her photos do. It feels as if she's living in a world of fairies and trying to capture the lights fluttering around her. From what I see, it's no wonder that she's also inspired by fairy tale and bedtime books. She models herself in the photos without meaning it to be self-portrait.)

*****

Dito Yuwono

(Trust me, I put his name here not because he's my bf who always took my photo for this blog but any compliment goes for the photos in my blog (which is numerous) actually goes to him. I personally like his clean and sharp style; and I vote him for great sense of composition he has, his idealism (has I mention he has just published his independent photo-zine?), and his vision on beauty. His photo quality is improving day by day and if I have a 'photographer-to-watch for 2010', it will surely be him. I know he just begin, but I can see he's walking through his path without a doubt. His work can also be seen here, and here.)

*****

Arseto Adiputra-ARS

(I find it really hard to choose between the imaginative ARS, the soulful Davy Linggar, or the edgy Nicoline Patricia Malina- my other favorite Indonesian fashion photographers. In the end, I choose ARS for being the less serious, more playful and down to earth of all three photographers I mentioned. I especially like it when he took photos based on fairy tale or anything sweet like tea party and stuff. It's so festive I feel like seeing a young Indonesian version of Tim Walker. Hohoho.. That's big.)

*****

3. Fashion Muse

Coco Chanel

(It's not surprising that Coco Chanel become my 2009 fashion muse- and maybe eternally. I wrote a review about a movie about her. I stock a pile of bows, and pearls, and jacket to attain her look. Even every time I go for a shopping, I'd grab anything that looks 'oh-so-Chanel' to me, and I'd wear the finding anywhere as my daily look. Oh, yes, I even name my netbook (Gabrielle), my external hard-disk (Coco), and my phone (Chanel) after hers. She's so my 2009.)

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Audrey Hepburn

(Now..now.. Audrey Hepburn is sure a classic and even tough a lot of girls out there musing her, I can't get bored. She's a truly stylista instead of a fashionista. I wrote a lot about her this year and I hope I don't get you bored for reading about her all over again. My writings on her surely deliver my point on how I adore her in 2009. My shopping magic spell that control my impulsive buy are: "Would Audrey approve?" and "Will Audrey Hepburn wear this?". And thus, I find myself buying classic and everlasting items instead of trendy seasonal piece. Too many black-and-white tho..)

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4. Personal Uniform

Dress

(During 2009, whenever I feel insecure about how I look and nothing seem to appear correctly in my closet, I would soon grab a flirty dress- no matter if it was raining or sunny; I just need a simple scarf, jacket, or any other accessory to go with it. It always make my day until I wish I could wear fancy dress everywhere everyday.)

*****


Skinny jeans

(For the times where I can't wear my flirty dress; I'd choose a skinny jeans, towering heels, and of course- flirty top. This one is much more flexible and it never fails me to make me look slightly taller. This is good for my self-esteem when I need to be more sexy that sweet. Ha! In times when I barely able to cope with the excruciating feeling of tightness of skinny jeans that sometimes makes me dizzy, I'd prefer legging instead. But legging is sometimes complicated, skinny jeans never fails me.)

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5. Shoes

LV Cage Shoes

(I've been drooling over this shoes for.. ever! Well, in 2009, precisely. I saw some budget-friendly version of this shoes like.. anywhere! So, one day, I try them on, and my bf hates it! Oh, my! Well, anyway, I might buy myself one in 2010, or I might not be because I'm afraid it will soon be passe and Audrey wouldn't approve (Ha!). It's not classic (yet), it's fashion. Ugh! So should I buy one? or not?)

*****


Mai Lamour Rose shoes

(So this 2009 darling shoes is more likely my kinda-shoes compared to the one before. I can only dream about it for it's utterly costly. But, a girl can always have their dream shoes, right? And I'd loove to delicately step on those rose petal, and accompanied by the real-gold-bee in one of my picnic. Oh!)

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6. Magazine

Amica

(Amica is listed as an Italian independent fashion magazine. And if it's Italian, surely, it's couture we're talking about, darling.. The clothes, shoes to-die-for, and everything in this magazine feels classy and the photos are amazing. I heart it a lot!)

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Swank Glossy

(Swank Glossy is Indonesian and different. I first read it online but finally they made the printed version few months ago. I like the way it become so playful in a grownup-girl fun way. It's not whimsical, it's not classy and clean, but it's fun and doesn't lose the fantasy. The magazine is playing in a very classy way although sometimes weird. So may I say- playful haute couture? How could I not love it!)

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7. Fashion-inspiring fairy tale

Alice in Wonderland

(During 2009, I saw a lot of fashion people using this fairy tale as their inspiration. The fashion blogger, the magazines, the photoshots, and everywhere. Sometimes I feel Alice in Wonderland is overrated, yet, it's still my favorite and I also intended to make a photo session inspired by it.)

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Secret Garden

(It's whimsical and whimsy is trendy now. In 2009, I also found numerous photos inspired by this book and if not, took the title of the book as the title of the photo. I, myself, made a post inspired by it in the beginning of my blogging activity here. The Secret Garden is so romantic and heartwarming, no wonder a lot of people get inspired.)

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8. Music with a dash of fashion sense

Au Revoir Simone

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My Little Airport

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9. Fashion Item

Signature Necklace

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Headpiece

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The Picnic Girl’s List: Fashion Movies

For the last few months, I had been known as the girl who regularly asks for fashionable and best-costume movies in my favorite movie rental. So, one day, the owner of that rental asks me to make a list of movies I consider fashionable or stylish. So here they are, a couple months after he asked me, the list is (finally) written. Be prepared, Ladies.. it’s gonna be a looong post.

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1. The Classic

a. Audrey Hepburn’s Movie
A true elegance herself, Audrey Hepburn’s movies are always timelessly stylish. It’s a crime for a fashion lover who has never watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s ¬– an endless elegance of little black dress and a healthy dose of shoes and jewelries. The movie Funny Face where Audrey performs on the catwalk in Paris, must be the grandmother of any other modern movies about girl-magazine and brain-beauty issue. “Think Pink!” slogan literally makes me think pink and changed the color of my blog from yellow to pink back then. The less popular movie, Sabrina, has also aspire fashion world by originate the famous Sabrina neckline.

b. Rear Windows
Grace Kelly plays a part as a true socialite herself. Never wear the same dress twice, regularly attends fashion and social events, knows how to have a fancy dining at home (call the chef to the house- of course..), never travels without her jewelries and make-ups, and believe at her woman-intuition. Yet, she can climb and jump a high fence to catch a murderer for the sake of her incompetent boyfriend~ still in towering high heels and fabulous dress. Ah, Grace Kelly and her famous grace. A girl like her needs no prince charming to climb up her tower, she would climb his if she wants to.

c. Belle du Jour
Catherine Deneveue as Belle du Jour is the alteration of perfection in upper-class style. Whenever Belle du Jour dress (or even undress), she always look classy and timelessly stylish. Her sexual adventure somehow feels kinda feminist to me, in a feminine way. Her style back then is still very relevant in this modern world, and referred as eternally classic.

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2. The Icons

a. Coco Chanel
Coco Chanel herself is very iconic in fashion world. She brings revolution in fashion industry and, to me, she’s a true heroine as Joan D’arc or even Queen Elizabeth could ever be. The love story of her younger life is being the center of the movie and takes up a big part in it. That’s why it feels rather ‘drama’ than ‘fashionable’ to me. I might expect to see more rivalry between Chanel and Dior back then, and also the part when Chanel accused to be a spy in the world war- how adventurous is that?! Still, it wouldn’t be such a fairy tale if they did put it in the movie and reduce the love story dose, would it?

b. Gia
Gia is a rebellious American supermodel with an attitude that is very special at that moment. She can live up a photograph and translate winter in a supermodel way: dark hair and strong outlook. She’s also very scandalous the movie said she was too beautiful to die and too wild to life. Gia’s style and attitude is rather popular in modern fashion world. Supermodel with attitude, dress like a biker but never talk like one, rebellion- yet very stylish.

c. Annie Hall
Annie Hall and her androgynous style aspire many others. Even if it doesn’t suit my taste, I had to admit that crisp white shirt, boyfriend’s stuff, and man’s tie can somehow look attractive on a girl depending on how she puts them up together. It can also look so sexy to some and it’s so iconic I can still see girls here and there dress the way she does. I remember once Carrie Bradshaw dress that way in the movie and Miranda seems to enjoy androgynous style especially in the early season of Sex and The City TV series: those to name a few.

*****

3. The Labels

a. Sex and The City
Ah, yes.. the sea of labels and love, the very fashionable solid girls troop, the to-die-for closets, the love stories, the moral, the girl’s big book of relationship and how to live trendy life. Yet, it’s so close to real life that it feels like déjà vu. Watching the serial and movie, I keep on experiencing ‘ah, been there’ and ‘I know how it feels’ and ‘my girl friend had the same problem once’ and ‘that’s so … (fill the dots with an acquaintance’s name)’. I cried and laugh and touched in so many parts. I dream of Carrie’s shoes closets all the time, and Charlotte York has always been my personal muse since I first watch the serial- in terms of fashion and in term of living.

b. Confession of a Shopaholic
Being a trendsetter require a girl to shop a lot (hey, it’s trend I’m talking about- not style). This movie sure knows about that and she recognizes labels better than her neighbor. The leading lady surely understands the enlightening feeling of purchasing thing, the pure pleasure of new shiny thing of your own, the ecstasy of sale tag, and the powerful feeling of splurging cash to satisfaction. Every girl has a shopaholic side, I believe so. Thus, every girl watching this movie might feel a friendly reminding poke on her back and even a massive slap on her soft and supple cheek. I, myself, got shaken pretty hard. ;) The thing is, watching this movie doesn’t make you stop shopping, it makes it worse! Argh!

c. The Devil Wears Prada
The glamorous world of fashion magazine. It’s all in the title anyway. The labels, the fashion shows, the party, the brand mix-and-match, the access to anything shiny and fabulous, fame, and glitz. Enough said.

d. The Nanny Diaries
Once again, another movie looking up to the Upper East Side style, their glimmering social life, the shoe closet as big as a living room, the luxurious apartment, and accessorizing children. Yep, and ironic story of Upper East Side mom. Still, their closets are classic and remarkable.

e. The Woman
The movie itself is kinda so-so. Yet, it’s stylish and classic in (again) upper-class-mother’s way. There are not many lines leave a trace in my mind, but this one sure does: “There is one thing you should always remember when you grow up, sweetie: Nobody hates Sacks.” (being told to a 6 y.o. little girl when she has a tantrum during her mother’s ladies dayout at the Sacks fifth avenue).

f. Gossip Girl (TV Series)
The young socialite life of Manhattan elites with all the over-dramas, conflict, and beyond-fabulous outfits! Even though Serena van Der Woodsen is this one-of-a-kind beauty blessed with special ability to look good in everything she wears and truly unattainable, Blair Warldorf’s cute preppy look is somehow feels more lifelike to me. I love it!

g. Hors de Prix
A conflicting love-labels story is being told in a French way: ironic, funny, and sexy. The story is about French gold-digger’s (Audrey Tatou) falls in love with a bartender who later turns into a gold-digger himself and spoil both of them with labels, more and more. Resort style, cocktail dress, and expensive jewelries are glimmering along the whole movie.

*****

4. The Costume

a. The Fall
This movie is all about color and photographic indulgence. The costumes, the places, and the color palette are carefully chosen to pamper beauty-hunger eyes. To me, it’s very fashionable in an artsy way.

b. Down with Love
What good is a costume in the movie but to recapture an era, even if it’s not that long to past?! It’s not only the costume, though. The music, the setting, and the movie effect are a blast from that specific glorious past: the 60’s. And the dresses! Oh, how I love the dresses, and the moves, and the attitude of this leading lady. All of those 60’s beauty was made in year 2000 (translation: the quality of the scene is already good and the outfits are 60s glamourista’s style instead of your-granny-lookalike).

c. The Curse of Golden Flowers
If The Fall indulges beauty-searching eyes with all those colors and angle, this movie is an advance. The costume is extravagant, they try even harder in playing with the color palette and the setting, the details are magnificently taken care of, and the photographic angle they do is jaw-dropping. My heart stops several times, even in the simplest scene such as golden goblet spilling red fluid in a slow motion way that the dropping detail is carefully captured. Ah~ I’m melting.

d. Marie Antoinette
The misunderstood queen portrayed innocently and in a very fun way that only Sofia Coppola can do. The other version of Marie Antoinette’s movies (such as The Affair of the Necklace) gets the popular scandalous idea of the queen. I prefer Sofia Copolla’s version of this queen: fun, lovable, young-hearted, and yet- contemplative. This movie soon makes Queen Antoinette my favorite. Imagine! After a series of pretty shoes, colorful sweets, macaroons, never ending parties, dresses, the highest hairdo ever, champagne, and a castle; she gave it up on a small country-side retreat (that soon become my biggest dream), a Russeau reading on a glimmering prairie, handpicked strawberries, chamber guitar player, floating boats, fresh milk in the finest china, and comfortable peasant-like dress. It’s not her fault that French got bankrupt partly of her lifestyle, she’s still so young~ a girl just want to have fun, right?

e. Elizabeth the Golden Age
Elizabeth is the opposite version of the later Queen Antoinette. Strong, a true solitary feminist, married and devoted herself wholly to the country, doesn’t party that much, goes to the war in shining armor, and conquer even the proudest country. But who says she’s not into fashion.. note this: the costume she’s wearing is including a surrealistic Prada red shoes with golden heels. It’s so beautiful (and utterly expensive), it’s almost a crime.

f. Memoir of a Geisha
High-cultured pretty girls who often mistaken as just-another-call-girl. They are special. They are partly artist, partly poet, partly wife and companion, and very beautiful to look at. The way they dress makes them looks like big blooming flowers walking around the street, untouchable, and unattainable.

g. Angel
a spoiled little girl grow up strong as a rich writer, she accessories herself not only with layering frocks but also with possession such as big beautiful house, a loyal fan, social events, a handsome artist as her man-pet, and everything she might ever dream of back when she was little and poor. This movie won prizes on best costume, so it was said.

h. Pride and Prejudice
Another costume-recapture-era kinda movie. Not only because Jane Austen’s stories are femininely feminist, but also the dresses and the attitude of this young sisters gets them the attention they need. These girl’s dresses reminds me of a parade of delicate white lilies. Innocently flowing with high definition of feminine curve and showing as much décolleté needed of their white rosy skin. Sweet.

*****

5. Others a.k.a. Picnic Girl's Personal Choice

a. Amelie
Amelie is surely not a fashionista, but she is a stylista. It’s all in her mind-set. She has her style, her own way of thinking, and her own way of putting outfits together. She can even manage looking cute in attire that assembles Christmas! Ha.

b. Virgin Suicide
At this point, I might conclude that the style thing is in Sofia Coppola herself. This movie is not meant to be a fashion movie, yet, the whimsical atmosphere of the movie reminds me slightly of Lula magz’s whimsy: romantic, dreamy, and mysteriously girly. Watching the pretty blonde sisters walk together, their life being read aloud by the neighboring boys, and a glimpse of their dream-like life brings springtime to my heart- along with the flowing white dresses, the prairie, the trees, the sea breeze, and the lingering laughter. The girls wears their mother’s too-polite ball gown, yet, they remain being the homecoming queen and everyone’s heartbreaker. How stylish is that.

c. Monalisa Smile
Preppy look, pretty girls, and healthy dose or art is a lifestyle. Period.

d. Cleo from 5 to 7
Cleo is not my favorite girl. She’s so vain, and dramatic, and self-center. Imagine a girl who’s constantly thanking God for her good look, can’t stop admiring herself in the mirror, and make a fuss over everything. Yet, her bedroom completed with a goddess-like swing, over-flowing house-gown, and chic dresses which soon become my desired darling. I need her dresses.

e. In the Mood for Love
Wong Kar Wai’s movie always had this whimsical between-awake-and-asleep feeling, yet, that’s not the reason why I rate this movie here. In this movie, the leading lady always looks great- in an oriental way. The cheong sam’s dresses, the handbags, and the elegant moves are the key point of her Asian perfection. Delicate, mysterious, and somewhat sexy.

f. Suddenly 30
It’s a proof that even when you can wake up seeing yourself already 30, successful, owner of a big closet and beautiful apartment, envied by girls in the office, on top of your life, very popular and cruel, girlfriend of a super hot guy who strip dance for you, and all of these was your dream back when you were 13; you might not be happy with that. And although you are so pretty you can go to the office looking completely assembled in your lingerie and coat~ you might not get the only guy you want in your life: the one that makes you feel comfortable, not the hot shot stripper executive boyfriend.

*****

6. Supermodel

a. Head Over Heels
The story is weird; I had to warn you this before watching the movie. It’s about a serious clumsy art-worker who decides to move in with a group of supermodels. I think it might mean for a joke, but it gives some of us a point of view on how a group of supermodels live: practically not working, never pays the bill herself, needs the spotlight everywhere for they had always maintain their good look, and glamorously having fun all the time.

b. Zoolander
Then again, I wonder why the movies about supermodels are usually meant to be a joke. This one is somehow sarcastic, yet, it’s really funny. Maybe it was because Zoolander is a male-model, not an elegant long-legged supermodel I used to envy. Don’t take this movie seriously. It’s total joke, and it’s funny. It just meant to be simply enjoyed.

c. Unzipped
Despite those two supermodel-jokes above, this one portrays supermodel’s world in a fair way, still, it's funny. It’s a documentary of a real runway preparation. Now, this one will give us the clear vision of supermodel’s life and the way they perform the job. Then again, fashion is a very serious industry no matter how funny a film about it can be. Glamorous, yes, and fun~ but serious.

*****

7. To Watch

these movies below are in my to-watch list. I haven’t had the chance to watch some of them and some others are not yet released in Indonesia. Here they are:

a. Bringing Up Baby (Katherine Hepburn)
b. Blow Up (London mod style)
c. And God Created Woman (brigite bardot popularizing two-piece bikini)
d. Qui etez-vous, Polly Maggo?
e. Garment
f. Bruno
g. Coco avant Chanel
h. Prêt a Porter
i. Femme Fatale
j. My Fair Lady
k. Auntie Mame

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Enjoy, Ladies..

Malila and Pakuna the Little Indian Girls

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Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest

Come taste the sunsweet berries of the Earth

Come roll in all the riches all around you

And for once, never wonder what they're worth


The rainstorm and the river are my brothers

The heron and the otter are my friends

And we are all connected to each other

In a circle, in a hoop that never ends

(Colors of the Wind)

*****

Two little Indian girls, wandering up and down the forest. Making small wishes by dancing a circle dance. Wishing for the rain to come by lifting their hands up and pray to the elder spirit of the universe.

Two little Indian girls, be friend with a small pretty bird: Taipa. Chattering, laughing on the birds’ little news-spread. Pampered by Orenda, the old wise grandmother tree, in which the two little Indian girls ask for protection and wisdom- over and over again. Orenda who always lets them lounge on her big branch and upon the big roots. Their beloved Orenda.

Two little Indian girls, climb the tree, rock on it, jump through it, lay on it, and wandering all the way. The trees, the forest, the wilderness, the animals, the earth, the wind, and all the spirits are their friends. They sing the song of the nature, breath the sweet peppermint wind, and dance through the sunlight. Nothing could ever go wrong in this two little Indian girls’ world. It’s a world of their own.

Two little Indian girls believe that every single thing in this world has a name- and so are they. The Indian girl in the pink loose top and skirt called Malila- means: Salmon going fast up. The younger girl in the sandy-colored loose dress called Pakuna- means: Deer jumping downhill. As savage as that, as simple as that.

But wait! These two little Indian girls are not so savage after all. Look at the high heels and the jeans hot pants they’re wearing! Ha!

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Miy the Malila
Indian Headpiece / Little Garage
Pink Top / Orchid Boutique
Bronze Shoes / Lawrensia
Pink Lacey Skirt / Popperca

feat: Intan the Pakuna
Dress /Friend's Dress
Boots / Thrift Store, Friend's Gift

Photographed by Dito Yuwono

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DreaMiy the Picnic Girl's personal note on The Picnic Pal:

Here they are, my first project of featuring another face in my blog. It called: The Picnic Pal.

My first Picnic Pal is Intan from Mignon Thrift Store. It's not exactly a piece-of-cake at first, for we had numerous dating reschedule before we finally met last week and having this photo-session in an forbidden city-forest. We played hide-and-seek with the security, and fortunately, the CCTV caught us jumping and dancing around illegally when we had the last photo taken. The security got us, but my brave Pakuna saves the scene. We got out save and sound with these photos in hand. ;) Intan, my brave Pakuna, is one of the face I firstly thought about when I consider starting out this project. Up to now, we had two photo sessions: this is the first and the second one would be posted very soon.

So, Ladies, anyone interested in joining The Picnic Pal project, please feel free to contact me by leaving comment in this post. I'd love to be photographed with you. :)

Big hug,

-The Picnic Girl-
xoxo

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Black and White Love Affair

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Lately, I wear black and white again after putting this color combination in a rest for the past few years. Don't get me wrong, the strong black clashed with ultra-feminine white is my everlasting love, but, once I fell into a black-and-white love affair, it's hard to let go and wear my more colorful summer dresses (which is also another love of my life). So I try not to get too attached to black and white no more.

Back in the high school, I had a loong-complicated-teenage-love-affair with this color combination, but I used to mix it up in a more brutal way: spikes, black t shirt, black thick eye liner, punk rock music, and lots of black accessories with a glimpse of white shade. Oh, that young blood. ;)

Now, I like it in a more classic and classy way. I feel like I just find my long lost love. Thanks to Chanel- that's how I call my new mobile phone. Eversince I bought it, I fell like I need to wear my clothes and accessories that just match for it: classic black and white. I also watch a lots of Hepburn's movies and Coco Chanel lately, so, voila! Suddenly, black and white feels just right for my mood. In plus, I'm in love with this bw kitten heels and white feminine bag~ and welcome, my black and white love affair..

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Miy

Black Tight / Centro
Black Cape / (x) sml
Kitten Heels Shoes / Kokowai
Satin Obi / I made them myself
White Bag / Salvatore Ferragamo
BW Mini Dress / Carina Swarovski

Photographed by Dito Yuwono

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