Money can't buy you good taste

When I went shopping with Rachel during one lunch time and while waiting for her to try her tops (see Fashion stylist for a lunch time entry), I noticed a fellow customer browsing through the clothes at Bebe.

You can tell she's quite rich - she was carrying an LV bag and a recent purchase from a jeweller, plus she was shopping in Bebe and the clothes there aren't cheap.

But her hairstyle, clothes and shoes really need a makeover. She had a frizzy perm, and she wore a rather cheap looking top with tight white pants and garish gold wedges.

There were also a couple of working aunties who were ploughing through the sales items. I can't remember exactly what they wore but the combis were erm terrible.

This goes to show that money can't buy you good taste.

That said, I checked out Mango tonight. Saw a black jacket with a ruched design that I felt I had to get. Also tried on this grey puff-sleeve top with printed blue peacock feather detail. I stepped out of the fitting cube and was rather convinced to buy it. Until an auntie from another cube who was trying on jeans asked me where I got the top from.

The auntie was quite bold in her fashion sense - she was trying tight jeans, mind you. But when she said she wanted to try the top, (and she did) I just lost all interest in it. No way I'm going to end up wearing the same top as an auntie in her 50s, fashionable she may be. :-p

I bought the jacket eventually. And I love it.

Something else to chuck: the plain polo tee and jeans combi

A fashion combi I can't stand on women: the plain polo tee and jeans combi. I know why there are times when women have no choice but to wear this combi, e.g. at work, roadshows, company kickoffs. But I don't understand why women would want to wear this combi on off-work days. Worse when the polo tee is a bit loose. The combi is so totally unflattering.

There are so many options to that polo tee:

• a cool tee (I like Animal and Split) - time to ditch that Hanks tee!
• an embellished tank top
• a funky/embellished top
• a button front shirt with details
• just look in the shops and you'll find

How do you get Ultra good skin?

Beauty specialists of any sort (skin docs, makeup artistes, celebs) always say that nothing beats having adequate sleep to give you beautiful, glowing skin, no matter how good your skincare products are. How do you have enough sleep as a mother of a young child, I wonder?

I've read in articles that Fann Wong loves her coffee, drinks lots of green tea, and of course everyone knows that she has bird's nest everyday. Top those with her Bella skincare treatments. So you need a combi of all four to have glowing skin? You may not like Fann but you got to admit she has beautiful skin.

How about skin supplements like Imedeen and Fancl? I've been tempted to try these but I don't like the thought of eating more supplements other than Vit C and Calcium.

What works for me? I think fairly good skincare and sufficient sleep helps. I'm blessed with good skin genes. Now if only I can get enough sleep everday...

Since I'm on the topic of skincare, I use Kiehl's (and Simple cleanser) and I like it. They recently brought in the Ultra Facial range of cleanser and toner to Singapore. But I was appalled at how much they cost here. I paid only USD17.50 (about SGD24) thereabouts for each when I went to the US in March, and it was good thing I bought a few bottles of each to keep. Because they cost SGD41 each here! SGD41 for an all-skin-type cleanser?! I'll have to switch to another brand of cleanser and toner after I'm done with my existing stash.

Just Alv and I

Some women would remark “how can you bear to leave your son behind?” when I tell them that I am going away on a holiday just with my husband.

Yes, I definitely miss my son very much every time I’m away. During our first holiday away from him in 2006 when we went to Tokyo, I panicked when I couldn’t call home for two days because an earthquake in Taiwan had destroyed most of the underwater cables. It was very hard to not let my heart be troubled and totally trust that the Lord takes care of him.

But it is also important that I spend alone-time with my husband. During a typical working day, we’re both so busy and communicate mostly through text-messaging. Once we get home, I’ll be preoccupied with spending time with Ian, and there really isn’t much time left or I’m too tired to talk to Alv after I’ve tucked Ian into bed. So our weekly Friday pak-tor nights and yearly holidays are really precious. It’s so easy to focus all our attention on our child that we neglect each other, and we don’t want that to happen.

When our children grow up and lead their own lives, it will be Alv and I alone again. We don’t want to end up having nothing to say to each other then! And one of the best ways to love your child is really to love your spouse.

So, I’m really looking forward to the two short holidays to Bali and HK that we are planning. After that, it will be to Tokyo with our little boy.

Nothing beats a leisurely shower

This is my Grohe rain shower. Where it now stands is where the bathtub (from the previous owner of my home) used to be. We decided to remove the bathtub and build a big shower stall in its place because

1. we'll probably hardly use the bathtub anyway - especially not when I'm so busy with my son during my free time

2. we wanted more storage space in the bathroom, so with this shower stall, we can get rid of the original shower cubicle and build a storage cabinet in its place

3. showers are easier and faster to enjoy anyway

I always enjoy my showers after a hard day's work. I remember during my maternity leave, long showers were also a rare treat - I had to quickly be done with showering before my son woke up!

Which was why we decided to splurge on this $1.2K Grohe shower head. The ROI from years of use to come and the joys of leisurely showers just makes it worth it.

I had a ledge built on the other end of the rain shower. It was meant to be a sitting area for me as I get my mask done or do my scrubs while the smells of aromatherapy fill the bathroom - like what you get in a spa.

I haven't got down to using it for that yet. Meanwhile it has become a "shelf" for the family's toiletries and Ian's container "toys". How glam is that. But I suppose this is what a home is really about. Homes don't look anything like show flats when you have a young child. And I certainly don't mind it at all.