Author: Vera Leng

In an attempt to keep things light this trying Coronavirus season, retailers have been pulling out all the stops to spread cheer yet stay relevant, like these Masked Sanrio Character Charms, for example. In a similar fashion, Instagram accessory shop Twenty.sg has launched a series of Handmade Mask Earrings to help raise funds for China amidst the COVID-19 situation. Each pair of earrings bear a unique design, and no two are alike as they are completely handmade from scratch. 50% of the proceeds from sales of the earrings will be donated to the Singapore Red Cross Society who is collaborating…

When I relate my 5-month extended overseas stay in South Korea with my boyfriend to other friends, what I often get in return are looks of envy and yearning. “You’re so lucky. It must’ve been a dream,” many often reply, but was it? Sure, an entire semester in a foreign land with the one you love—what could go wrong, you may ask. But there’s only so long before the high of the honeymoon wears thin, and even the simplest of actions trigger frustration and vexation. The truth is, living overseas with a partner can be both a dream and a…

With Singapore’s micro influencer culture on the rise, we’re starting to see more model wannabes pop up on our social media feeds—for most of them, Instagram is their choice of weapon. And if you’re wondering just what lengths these ‘influencers’ go to for their money shots, you’re not alone. This Instagram account, @InfluencersInTheWild, has made it their life’s work to expose what truly goes on behind the scenes of the sometimes ridiculous-looking influencer ‘photo shoots’ that more often than not get our eyes rolling. https://www.instagram.com/p/B7i6D4tFOHR/ https://www.instagram.com/p/B7kAztYFhru/ https://www.instagram.com/p/B7n-I0OFmoT/ The account is founded and run by social media personality Tank Sinatra, who…

It’s 2020, and we’ve seen everything extra there is to be seen, right? Wrong. Our problems are getting bigger, and our bags, well, they’re getting smaller. It seems like as fashion trends evolve, I have to throw out one item from my bag with every passing season. Now I know micro bags have been all the rage as of late, but Fendi’s Pico Baguette Charm Bags take the word ‘small’ to a whole new level. The nano-bag measures 4cm by 4cm, having made its debut on the runway of Fendi’s Spring/Summer 2020 show. Claiming the title of the smallest bag…

As evolutionary psychologists would say, love and attraction are constantly evolving and changing because we, as humans, do. The affection that Neanderthals once knew was definitely miles apart from the love that we now experience. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves—we already have a case worth looking at even in Singapore’s recent years. It felt like ages ago when the family planning agenda was on just about every signboard ever—first warning Singaporeans of the perils of teenage marriage, and then, following the post-war baby boom, telling us to stop at two. Ironically, it wasn’t long after when the Graduate…

In the climate of Coronavirus, life as we know it has had to be tweaked in more ways than one. Events are being cancelled, travel is put on hold—you know the drill. It seems like retail companies, too, are getting on with the times, and the ever-so-creative Sanrio brand has come up with a new line of mask-donning plushie keychains that couldn’t be more relevant and timely. The Mask Series Charms Collection features Sanrio’s signature characters—Hello Kitty, My Melody, Pom Pom Purin, Cinnamoroll, and Pochacco—all equally irresistible in their own right. Armed with a miniature mask, each character looks ready to…

In the sea of rising local artists, Jean Seizure stands out from the rest with her triple-threat persona. Some of you might recognise her from local A Cappella group, The Apex Project, while others may find her familiar from Toggle’s I’m Madam. The singer-songwriter has released her latest single, ‘I Know⁠’—what she calls the “most honest song she’s ever written yet”. Available on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube, ‘I Know’ is a piano-driven song in which Jean acknowledges the fragility of modern love and the unpredictability of life. “Hey, I know, I can’t give you everything,” she honestly sings, a…

Come 15 February 2020, the much-anticipated, exclusive Cherry Blossom Merchandise Collection will be made available at all Tokyo Starbucks Reserve Roastery outlets. And while the rest of the world is busy peppering their Valentine’s Day merchandises with lip symbols and hearts, it’s only natural that Japan makes cherry blossoms their weapon of choice—I don’t make the rules. The collection features baby pink and dusty rose accents that give the merchandise a subtly sweet appearance—perfect even for the daintiest of girls. The Cherry Blossom Merchandise Collection is also integrated with the Starbucks Reserve line, embossed with its signature ‘R’ logo that…

Following the success of previous collaborations, Japan’s two major icons—Hello Kitty and Gundam, have once again combined forces to release 2 Gundam-inspired Hello Kitty Mecha Figures under the Gundam x Hello Kitty: Love & Peace Collection. A Mecha Figure is one that’s typically sculpted after humanoid mobile robots—I don’t know about you, but they remind me strangely of the Bear Brick collectibles that I, too, own a couple of. Titled ‘Peaceful Figures of Friendship’, the Hello Kitty Mech suits are modelled after the traditional Gundam unit and the Zaku unit belonging to Char Aznable, one of the main antagonists in…

Amidst the madness and fear this Coronavirus season, I hope everyone’s holding up just fine. In the words of Taylor Swift, you need to calm down. Halt the panic-buying, hold back the masks, and just remember to be a decent human being even during the crossfire of the pandemic. 1. Don’t be a hoarder We may poke fun at the wave of Singaporeans who flooded supermarkets and stores, determined to wipe out every packet of toilet rolls, instant noodles, and rice in existence, but some of you might be equally guilty of being part of the Stormtrooper-esque operation that happened…

In a celebration of their all-star brands, Uniqlo Singapore is bringing back the greatest hits equivalent of T-shirts in their latest The Brands Masterpiece Collection. If you missed the opportunity to get your hands on the collaboration tees that were launched previously, you can thank your lucky stars that Uniqlo has made the decision to revive them one last time. We’re looking at brands such as Nissin, Canon, DeLonghi, and even Tobasco. Yes, it’s a mishmash of big names from all over, and they are already flying off the shelves. The t-shirts are available in both male and female fits,…

Come this time of year, almost every boyfriend is left scratching his head, tasked with the nerve-wrecking mission of gifting his girl the perfect Valentine’s Day present. Not to brag, but there’s hardly any better advice out there than advice that comes straight from a girl herself. No matter the profile of your significant other—the fitspo, the caffeine junkie, the makeup guru, or the fashionista—there’s surely something in this list for her. 1. For The Girl Who Loves Her Trinkets Pandora Valentine’s Day Collection Queen of all things coveted and dainty, Pandora never disappoints with their adorable yet fashionable charms.…

Being the only country with a DisneySea theme park, Japan’s Disney landscape is constantly evolving and updating. I’m just going to cut to the chase and say this—Disneyland Japan has just announced its latest expansion, New Fantasyland, and the internet is loving it already. The New Fantasyland is themed to the well-loved Beauty and The Beast series, featuring attractions such as Maurice’s Cottage, Gaston’s Fountain, Belle’s Village, and The Beast’s Castle. The breath-taking tower has been created in the image of The Beast’s actual castle, as seen in the movie. It’s a sight to behold indeed—quite the opposite from the…

Famed party cruise IT’S THE SHIP recently announced 2 exciting destinations—South Korea and China. Now, I know it’s hardly an opportune time for the latter, but hear me out. Asia’s largest party at sea will be launching their very first sailing with Busan, South Korea this year, kicking off their 5-year partnership. Departing from Busan, the 4-day, 3-night affair promises non-stop partying and festivities from 28 August to 31 August 2020. Midway, the Costa neoRomantica cruise ship will stop over in Fukuoka, Japan before returning to Busan. Read more in-depth about the daily itinerary here. The Ship-cation promises days of…

The Hello Kitty craze just never seems to end, with cuter, newer, and fresher merchandise hitting stores every now and then. Following the influx of Hello Kitty Merchandise just last month, 7-11 Thailand is once again here to please fans of Sanrio’s well-loved cat with 4 new Hello Kitty bottle designs that scream nothing but cute. The collection features four transparent, sparkly, and pink-centric plastic bottles—and I’d expect no less of Hello Kitty merchandise. Adorned with glitter and mini baubles, each bottle also features a tiny figurine of Hello Kitty herself in different positions. Talk about kawaii-desu. The bottle caps…