The Long Distance Relationship - a Malaysian short film

Rudi & I have not been updating here lately due to work and study constraints so for that we're truly sorry!

A while back, I wrote a post on Surviving a Long Distance Relationship but recently a short 7-minute film (regarding LDR) made by a few Malaysians has been circulating on Youtube and Facebook.

The movie reminds one of PS: I Love You...

Spoiler alert to the ladies: Bring out the tissues!

Cheers,

Saran

xx

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Keys on Suits: Part Two

This is the second part of guest writer Keys miniseries on Suits. Hope it suits you!

 

Part II – The Style is in the Detail

Right. Here we are. Style. And what's style all about? DETAILS. 

So get comfortable and pay attention, because this will change your….well, if not your life than at least (hopefully) your wardrobe.

Let’s start things off with a little lesson in suit classification. There are generally three types of suits, each classed according to country. 

The American presents a young, chic and classy look.

The British portrays a proud and confident look. 

The Italian betrays the modern, individual fashionista. 

I’m personally a fan of the classic American, as its timelessness fits (almost) every occasion (otherwise known as the safe choice).

[The Mad Men. Otherwise known as the madly well dressed men.]

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Let’s kick off from the very top: LAPELS. . Lapels are divided into peak or notch lapels. There is also a less common third type: the shawl lapel.

Notch lapels are generally considered less formal and are classic and all-purpose, be it an evening dinner or a meeting with a client. Peak lapels are always reserved for social and formal events: proms, evening galas etc. and have no place in the business world. Shawl lapels are in the olden days used in informal suits ala dinner jackets but have since found a place in the formal society. However, they still remain an acquired taste and are not easy to pull off. If in doubt, always go notch.

Then there’s the question of single-breasted or double-breasted. Single breasted suits have one row of buttons. Double Breasts have two rows. For me, unlike how I pick my women, single breasted varieties are always the way to go - Double Breasts can be slightly old fashioned and tend to make the wearer look stockier. Though, Double Breasts add bulk to the figure (ha ha), which could be a positive thing if you're on the skinny side.

 

But how many buttons? A Brit suit fits itself with 3 buttons. I think this is slightly more traditional but it does have the advantage of accentuating height. American suits have 2 buttons and are currently the most common style among the young and modern. Unless you have beautiful cheekbones and great facial hair come i latinos, avoid the Italian one-button suit at all cost. It’ll look cheesy - like you’re trying too hard.

    

If allowed the option, always get your suit slightly tapered, unless of course, you’re one of the following:

• Rake thin - get tapered (and not just slightly!); 
• Arnie Built/ Buff/ Well endowed - no tapering…EVER!!!

Moving on to the back of the jacket, A British suit is usually found with double vents (or side vents) while an American has one (centre vent). Again, both have their purposes and remain a matter of preference. I find a British double vent more elegant and better in terms of mobility and flexibility. Italian suits are not outfitted with vents at all and are, again, an acquired taste. 

 

One detail that not everyone pays attention to are the pockets. There are breast pockets and lateral pockets (two pockets by your side). The laterals come in two styles: flap or besom. Breast pockets are ALWAYS besom. Flaps are the most common but are less formal. Besom are usually very formal, like for tuxedos. There are even options for flap/besom interchangeable pockets! (though I REALLY wouldn’t go there…)

Oh, and avoid the patch pocket like the devil. Again, we’re talking suits here, not dinner jackets.

                
 

Moving a little to the south, we (finally!) get to the trousers (or pants!).  First thing to consider is flat front, or pleats.  Flat fronts, a modern fashion, provide a slimming effect and are good for thin folks. Single-pleats provide more room and movement freedom. Double-pleats are…let’s just say they’ve gone with the times. And let’s not even talk about triple or quadruple pleats. (yes they do exist…sadly.)

 Single Pleat(left) vs Flat Front(right)

Second thing to decide is whether you want your pants cuffed. Cuffed are more formal but makes the leg looks shorter and vice-versa for the uncuffed.  There is one rule here: Flat fronts= no cuffs

    Cuffed(L) vs Non-cuffed (R)

Now that you’re (I hope!) educated in the different styles, in the next episode, we’ll find out how a suit should SIT on you -so that you know what to look for when you go to the malls, instead of having to be completely dependent on your tailor! Stay tuned!

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Feel Free

Fellas, if you have an upcoming date with a fashion forward chick, read this article to delve into understanding the mind of a fashionista. This is guaranteed to increase your chances of scoring. 60% of the time it works. Every time. Courtesy of Li Yen @ Kaitlin & Summer

 

www.kaitlinandsummer.com

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"I never look at labels when I buy clothes... What really grabs me is whether clothes are comfortable or not. I like to feel free" Audrey Tautou, Vogue UK, August 2009.

First of, I have to say that as hard as we try to forget our labels, truth be told, people (girls) do not forget. Especially our favourite labels. But what I'm talking about today is comfort-amnesia - when we forget to consider whether we're going to be comfortable wearing or donning our purchases. 

I can honestly say there have been too many times in my life when I thought that I could walk in those shoes (explaining that pile of shoeboxes in my closet) or wear that dress simply because I liked the shoes or the dress and didn't think much about the way I was going to feel in them. 

Yes, the final result would presumably look stylish and attractive, otherwise I wouldn't have put those things on to begin with... but more often than not, the clothes in question were chosen for ideal situations where the roads are flat and spaghetti is not a menu item. 

What real life mannequins we all can be. As the quote goes, 'Women suffer for fashion' (and men suffer for women) - funny how we are all sadomasochists at heart.

As I got older I realised that no matter how much I like a certain item it is never going to work if a) it does not fit perfectly b) it requires me to change my (life)style in order for me to wear it.

I still vividly recall the horrible feeling of walking in very uncomfortable shoes (especially those that cut!) simply because they looked good with the outfit I planned in my mind. I did look good... but what excruciating pain I experienced a couple of hours later.
 
Another silly situation is to go out in a dress or top that's not a perfect fit. The glamourous and sensual look you're after goes down the drain from repeated costume adjustments and fidgeting all evening.

My advice to all the girls is to remind yourself of how important it is to choose clothes that suit you AND fit you and your personality. Wear heels, but spend the money on the perfect pair, aesthetic and fit-wise. 

Girls (and Boys), buy clothes that make you feel confident and stylish at the same time. Don't pick up pieces that require you to change your lifestyle, go on a diet, or sell your grandmother. 

Buy clothes that make you feel...
what's the word?
oh yes.




free. 


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Li Yen is the co-proprietor of Kaitlin & Summer - a dream boutique for like-minded shopaholics.

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Keys on Suits: Part One

 

 

Let's give a good ol' warm welcome to our newest, freshest, off-the-vine guest writer - 

He's hip. He's bold. He's stylish. He's straight. And he's our in-house authority on all things suit-able. 

Ladies and gentlemen... we proudly present Keys - reporting on Suits.  

 

SUITS – Part One

So you’ve reached that age, where hormones rage and nerves wrack.  (If you haven’t, feel free to steer away from this page.) 

Prom is around the corner. You’ve got that first job interview. Either ways you need to dress to impress. In the very words of the legend, it’s time to…

Learning to suit up is a sign that you’ve turned that corner. You’ve said “farewell” to adolescence and “welcome” to adulthood. Unfortunately many approach this phase haphazardly, picking up the first blazer off the rack, trying it on and taking it straight to the cashier. Your first thought was that all suits look the same anyway, so it won’t matter. Then you go home, try it on one more time and wonder why the model in the picture looked so much better.

Sound familiar? 

No, it’s not entirely because the model’s 50 times more ripped or that he’s just so hot it doesn’t matter what he wears. It’s simply because he has a wardrobe department that knows its stuff. The awesome thing about a suit is that if it’s well-fitted, it hides all flaws. Heck it can even CREATE an illusion of a well-toned body! (cue the nodding, disappointed girls…)  

Ol’ Stinson might have left out a few pointers, so here’s the 101 to owning a suit. To put it in a nutshell, it’s all in the details. 

First things first, define the occasion: If you’re dressing up for a formal occasion, go all out and don’t be afraid to shine. Think tuxedos or even possibly morning coats. An exception would be a wedding party, where it’s an unspoken rule (the “bro code”) that you should never, under any circumstance, outshine the groom.

Find out how awesome (or not) he’s going to be and dress accordingly (if you can). Same thing goes for a job interview. Dress down as to not outshine your future boss, yet at the same time remaining smart. A smart, navy blue business suit would be most appropriate. If you’re skint (or just can’t afford multiple suits), settle for an all-purpose, classic black business suit. Remember, subtlety is key.

Rule 2: Honour thy tailor. Tailored suits are more expensive than off-the-rack suits, even if they’re not Hugo Boss or Armani, and for good reason. They’re MADE for you. Thanks be to a God who made us all individuals, but that also means that there is no such thing as a standard cut, no free size. We all have different bodies, so an identical suit will sit completely differently on 2 guys, even if they’re similarly built. So, if you can spare the extra cash and can’t be bothered with learning about the various suit details, find a good tailor and tip him well. Even if an off-the-rack is all you want, you will still need the tailor to shorten this and tuck in that. A good tailor is as hard to find as an honest mechanic, so if you know one, make him your best friend. Because he WILL make you look good.

Rule 3: Know your suit. These pictures below are a small rundown of every single part of a suit. Remember them well. Even if you have the best tailor in the world, you still need to know what style you want it in. This knowledge is also especially important for the next part of this series, where you’ll find out how suits differ and how they’ll… suit… you and make you, the man! 

Front	Back

Rule 4: Comfort. If it’s not comfortable, it probably doesn’t fit. And no, oversized suits are NOT comfortable, no matter how you argue it. And skintight suits? Let’s not go there. Ever. 

Rule 5: Don’t mix and match. It’s not even funny. Make sure the jacket and pants you buy come off the same piece of cloth. SIMILAR IS NOT THE SAME. And the colours of your entire suit MUST be EXACTLY the same unless intended otherwise (and I mean intended by the designer, NOT YOU). We’re talking suits here, not dinner jackets.

These are the first five basics all men should know. In the following parts, we’ll analyze the finer details of suits that will make you an Adonis equivalent as well as the faux paxes to be avoided at ALL costs. Stay tuned!

Keys.

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