DIY studded top

top, SILENCE AND NOISE + DIY. skirt, H&M. clutch, CLUB MONACO.

photos by Rosanna

I thought it was funny when I showed my mom this DIY top, she said it reminded her of Elvis. Then I took a second look at it and thought to myself "heh, she's right." haha. Studding is probably one of the easiest forms of DIYs and not to mention the endless possibilities our creativity could bring us. When I first saw this blouse, I knew that it would be the perfect 'stud it yourself' project. I always feel that studs automatically put the cool factor to any garment. There's really nothing fancy needed here, just a plain top, vast amount of studs, and a sprinkle of imagination :) Vision the pattern before starting because there's no room for mistakes [the teeth of the studs will leave holes]! Read my previous DIY post for more ideas.

tip: Studs could get really heavy, especially with the 200+ I've used, so make sure to pick a thicker fabric to avoid it from scrunching.

embrace change

dress, T BY ALEXANDER WANG. shirt, H&M. shoes, ASOS. vintage belt, MOSCHINO. watch, MICHAEL KORS. jewelery, F21.

photos by Rosanna

October weather in Vancouver has been surprisingly and unusually nice to us this year, allowing me to wear these shoes I bought last month a few more times before it gets too cold. I often find myself caught in seasonal footwear dilemmas: inappropriately wanting to wear knee-high boots on warm sunny days and sandals in the freezing winter. I guess we always want what we can't have :) I'm currently working on a DIY project so stay tuned for my next post [hint: studs and a lot of it].

must fall

TOPSHOP wool oversized boyfriend coat, ASOS trecker lace up boots, WILFRED leopard scarf, TOPSHOP lace strappy dress, vintage CHANEL earrings, UNIQUE bobble knit jumper, ASOS faux croco leather bag, TOPSHOP lace trim back blouse, JEFFREY CAMPBELL meeker wedges, ASOS peace sign charms bracelet, WILFRED pleather shorts

The classic camel coat, aviator inspired pieces, leopard print accents, leather bottoms, chunky wool sweaters, and feminine button-downs are all to fall for this season.

black out

top, TALULA. skirt, NOISE + SILENCE. shoes, ZARA. socks, AA. jewelery, TIFFANY & CO, MARC BY MARC JACOBS, CLUB MONACO, F21, and random kiosk in Venice Beach. bag, unlabeled.
photos by Rosanna

Love love love the new black jewel ring I bought in Venice Beach. Every time I look at it, I feel that it's telling me a story behind it. Definitely one of my favorite purchases from our LA trip. Bought this Talula sweater on sale for 50% off a few weeks ago and finally had the chance to wear it last week when the temperature dropped. It's more comfortable than I imagined and the perfect go-to sweater for lazy fall days. The Raw Diamond is going to the Talula Babaton F/W Trunk Show tonight and we can't wait to share our good finds. As excited as I am for a change of wardrobe and season, summer never feels long enough. Enjoy what's left of it everyone! xx.

Aritzia fall/winter 2010 collection

TNA, TALULA BABATON, WILFRED, and LE FOU.

blurry photos by me

Was at the Aritzia fashion show on Thursday and I must say, me and my fellow bloggers went home with quite a few inspirations in mind, along with a very generous goodie bag :) Saw a lot of carrot pants/trousers, feminine silk blouses, open back body-hugging dresses, shoulder-padded boxy blazers, and over-sized clutches on the runway [all that I love!]. J'adore the second last outfit the most with the combination of high-waist, bustier, and long grandpa cardigan! What do you guys think?!?

The Raw Diamond is going to LA in 3 days!!! We're all unimaginably excited for this long-anticipated trip and we can't wait to tell you all about it when we get back. Have a lovely week everyone :)

brighten up

t-shirt and shoes, ZARA. skirt, SILENCE AND NOISE. watch, MICHAEL KORS. jewelery, TIFFANY & CO, CLUB MONACO, H&M, and FOREVER 21. unlabeled bag.

photos by Rosanna

I know I've worn this t-shirt before but its versatility just amazes me. I tend to drive away from graphics but this top is definitely an exception that goes straight to my list of summer favourites. This skirt is slightly out of my character as I haven't own something this bright with such a wide spectrum of colours for as long as I can remember; yet, I like the fact that it reminds me of retro-looking curtain patterns :)

Only 16 days till The Raw Diamond goes to LA!!

little red purse

dress worn as top, H&M. trousers, AMERICAN APPAREL. blazer, FOREVER 21. vintage bag, CHANEL. vintage belt, MOSCHINO.

photos by Rosanna

Aside from Rosanna having to battle her allergies/constant itchiness and I dodging from passing cars every other minute, the road to Iona Beach is definitely one of the best photography locations to capture the Vancouver sky. The weather wasn't as sunny as we hoped; nonetheless, still a gorgeous day to be outdoors [minus having to swim through clouds of mosquitoes]. I wore my new pleated trousers from American Apparel and I must say it's one of the most comfortable pair of pants I've ever owned. Plus, it's high-waisted and that's always a bonus because anything with a higher waistline creates the illusion of having longer legs. I paired it with a stripe shirt and my mini red Chanel, which my mom spoiled me with over 20 years ago when I was a little girl. Though the fact that it literally sustains nothing more than just my iphone, the colour makes it a perfect accent piece for any outfit. J'adore :)

The many ways to wear a denim shirt. Well...3, that I can think of.

(fig.1)
• Semi-dressy by tucking it into high waisted trousers, shorts or skirt

(fig.2)
• Casual by wearing it over a flow-y floral dress or something figure hugging (to cover up the wobbly bits)…Basically, wearing it the way you’d wear a cardigan.

(fig.3)
•Super laid back by wearing it over t-shirt and trousers or leggings (no jeggings)

I’ve yet to condition my mind to accept denim on denim. It works in editorials but in real life, I dunno…it’s not easy to pull off.

Seee? All the fun ways to wear a denim shirt. Definately a summer staple for girls and boys.

I was able to buy one at *druuum rollllll* Forever21! I think it's safe to say that my waredrobe is 50% F21, 30% Zara, and 20% miscellaneous. I swear these numbers will change significantly once Richmond Ctr opens their own Forever21. I fear for my wallet. I really do. Anyways, back to my denim shirt, I was lucky enough to snatch the last one, but unlucky that it’s one size too small. It looks exactly like the one from Zara (see fig.1), but cheaper; so of course I had to get it.
My justification was that with wear, denim will stretch to fit ones body. So far so good.

Oh! And happy belated summer solstice.
Summer has finally found its way to beautiful Vancity.

Rosanna

lace x Moschino

top, LUCCA COUTURE. shorts, ZARA. vintage belt, MOSCHINO. bag, MIU MIU. jewelery, TOP SHOP, BANANA REPUBLIC, AND H&M.
photos by Rosanna

Shorts are finally an option now that it actually feels like spring, though the weather is still not quite summer-ready yet. The Raw Diamond decided to take a field trip down to Dressew on Saturday and we spent a good two hours there. Rosanna and I combined [mostly her] probably bought worth a year supply of studs...seriously. That place does wonders for us. DIY post to follow soon! Found this vintage belt while going through my mom's treasures and I must say I was surprised by two things: 1) my mother had an unimaginably small waist even after giving birth to two 2) certain styles can really stand the erosion of time; even up until now, this belt goes with practically any outfit!

Summer in Japan

I'm currently on a trip visiting different countries in Asia.
First Stop: JAPAN!

Japan is one of my favorite-est places to shop... I have always felt that Japan is an extremely fashion forward country.

The Japanese aren't afraid to wear whatever they want. No one judges anyone, and no matter how "weird" you think you look, there will always be someone who is dressed much crazier than you.

It's funny, because the country itself is still very traditional in a lot of ways, but in terms of fashion they are way ahead in many respects.

I often purchase clothes from Japan, only to see it come into style more than a year later in the Americas.

The trouble with buying clothes in Japan is, I mostly buy jackets, tops and accessories. I RARELY find pants or skirts etc, which fit me, because Japanese girls are tiny! Something that fits like a dress on them becomes a shirt on me. (ok, maybe im exaggerating a bit) But yea... I'm a giant...

Before I come to Japan, I always buy ViVi Magazine, which is a fashion magazine for 20-somethings. It features all the latest fashions, and lists the stores where you can buy them... plus the ViVi models are very cute, so they definitely help to up the appeal of the clothes...

Some recent fashions from the mag.....

Must haves right now:

• LACE! Lots of it, lace vests, lace shirts, lace rompers etc
• Wedges of all shapes and sizes!
• Anything Bohemian
  
• Floral prints
• Rompers, short and long
• Decorated vests or vests made from different materials
  
• Straw hats in all different shapes and colors
• Long flowy dresses

I can go on and on...

Great places I have been shopping at in Tokyo are Shinjuku, Harajuku and Shibuya.
But obviously, these places don't do Japan justice at all. There are TONS of places in Japan one can just go and get lost in... I plan to do more exploring in the future.. I just need a partner in crime *hint hint*

Another thing I absolutely LOVE about Japan is their endless supply of cosmetics. I always feel like a kid in a candy shop when I visit their cosmetic stores.

They have all these colorful palettes in these cute little boxes that tells you where to use each color. I could spend all day there...
I see many girls go to these stores and they actually put on a full face of make-up from the samples and then leave.... ummm hardly sanitary but yea... whatever makes you happy =D


Anyways, if you visit Asia, be sure to hit up Japan for a few days, definitely worth the visit!!!!


soo where to next.....
Sherry

stripes x floral

top, T by ALEXANDER WANG. skirt, FOREVER 21. tights, H&M.
photos by Rosanna

Welcome to my first [official] fashion post :) Currently, really like mixing and matching stripes with floral (and stripes with stripes). Something I quickly put together as I rushed off to photography class. We had models come in for a practice photoshoot and of course, we took advantage of the set and complimenting lighting after class. Rosanna said something funny to make me laugh and managed to capture a few odd but great candids of my awkwardly positioned legs. Though my creativity in the art of posing was limited, we all surprisingly had a lot of fun.