So this has probably been the longest hiatus this space has seen. I've taken a break from the whole fashion blogging thing mainly because the last few months has been the craziest whirlwind of a ride and I've had to shift my priorities a little. I may or may not do outfit posts from here on, but I'll continue updating this space as and when the mood strikes, mostly because I miss this kind of writing! I don't know if I'm trying to 'revive' this space per se, but we'll see where it goes (god knows if anyone still even comes here anymore!)

July has been extremely fun, to say the least. Remember that special project I was talking about in my last post? Well this is it!

My blood, pride, sweat and tears and all that- made real as of the start of July! I've always had a thing for menswear (Christopher Kane SS15. Nuff said) but I've never been able to pull it off as well as some of the other girls so this was the next best thing. I'll do another blog post about it properly (with our Lookbook photos- so fun to shoot) another time. It's surreal telling people that yeah, I've a small business because honestly, I don't know what I'm doing half the time but I suppose its one of those things you figure out along the way. If you like, check out Ordinary Gold by clicking the link!

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Anyway! July also saw me in Europe, which you'd probably have caught glimpses of if you follow me on Instagram (@modemayhem). I've been to Europe 3 times now and this was the craziest experience yet, I mean, I literally nearly died 3 times on the trip? It's always been the whole shopping-cafe-sightseeing-proper hotels every time I go but this time we did a road trip from Germany to France and it was truly an eyeopener. A completely different experience that I don't think I'll have again for quite awhile! So, photos.

This is my friend's place in the German countryside. I mean, wtf how is a house this photogenic?
 
And how does someone's backyard look like this?! I'm a 100% city kid so this was completely amazing to me.
 




In Lyon, a hellish 6 hour drive with barely functioning air-conditioning.







So at the start of our trip, begin the alcoholics that we are, we stopped by a vineyard and literally bought cases of amazing wine. This is one of those things I grew up reading about so again, surreal.



We drove up the vineyard and had a picnic. I mean wtf this view? WTF.









Also stopped by many scenic spots en route to our campsite (I know, me camping?)
 

Ok there were beds but still.


Getting wasted a bar in the village nearby? A must.


Cooked out by the lakeside near our camp. The perfect hangover meal.
 

Another thing that completely fascinates me about Europe is all the random abandoned castles dotting the landscape.



Our ghetto highway side cookout because we were losing light and had to just pull over. One for the memories, for sure.


This kid is only 21 and has been living in Germany on her own for the past I-don't-know how many months.




The state of my hair for like, 2/3 of the trip.



SO BLUE ITS OUT OF CONTROL.






The Grand Canyon of Europe!




Off to Frankfurt for some city livin'.



Naturally, we went bar hopping and ended up in this incredibly posh, gentlemen's bar-type place where the bartenders have been around for 39 years! Needless to say, the cocktails were incredible. As were the cigars. And because I was so hungry by then, the bar snacks get a huge thumbs up from me too.

And that was my trip! I could wax poetic about how freeing the experience was and how grateful I am to have made new friends who took us around (I am, though) but I won't because no one cares to read that kind of crap. I'll just say that I would do it again in a heartbeat, and leave it at that.

Coat China Shirt Uniqlo Sweater Zara Skirt Topshop Necklace H&M x MMM Bag Alexander Wang

A quick OOTD shot at the top of the Arc de Triomphe- the OOTD to end all OOTDs of the trip haha. Ascending it was a nightmare in a pencil skirt, fyi. Decided to try something preppy-ish, because I don't really get to do the sweater-over-a-collared-shirt thing back home without losing like, 40% of my water weight.

We visited a flea market! I've always wanted to rummage through the Portebello flea market in London ever since I read about it in a book so this was my chance to do so without having to cross the Channel. There were tons of things ranging from books to clothes to crockery- some possibly antiques but unfortunately I don't know how to spot them!




Then it was off to L'atelier de Joel Robuchon for lunch! I dined at the one in Hong Kong several years back and I've been meaning to go back with Ben, because he is such a potato freak and they do the most fatteningly incredibly mash.



At this point, one of the waiters (who is funnily enough, moving to Singapore to work for the outlet here) took my camera and went shooting in the kitchen. Lucky me, behind the scenes at L'Atelier!




And this post marks the last of the Paris series! We had one last day because we had a late flight, but I just didn't feel like lugging my camera around anymore haha. Paris is a truly beautiful city, the perfect amalgamation of old world charm and modern conveniences. I absolutely loved every minute I was there and I already have plans to go back in 2014! There's still so many streets I haven't explored, so many brasseries I haven't dined in and pieces of history I have yet to properly absorb (also, I have yet to buy Chanel from Paris). The next time I'm there though, I aim to be as fluent as possible in French!
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Back in real time, I had the best Christmas dinner last night and I hope everyone out there had a Christmas that was filled with love and all the other fuzzy warm feelings associated with. Will be blogging about it soon!

xx