Thursday, March 13, 2014

Playlist | Inconsequential Ranting

Hey readers! 

I apologise I haven't blogged in a horribly long time. Um but I haven't returned with any photoshoots either (not that it matters all that crucially). I get kind of rant-y whenever I blog, like it's just my babble and stuff so just take it as if I'm ranting to you. Well, how has life been to you lately? I've had a pretty conflicting week so far, but it's been interesting and thought-provoking. But my conclusions are as thus far: I need to decide who I am. 

No one's perfect, but still, I consider it relatively astonishing that after 18 years of my life I've yet to resolve my identity. Sure, I can always go back to the root of it all: child of God, loved and cherished by Him, yet something has yet to click in between to bridge my identity gap. Sometimes, I don't even think I know myself very well at all, and I'd like to just take someone who might somehow know me from the inside out to tell me what I'm like or who I am. You know, something to define me. I've got a deficit - a lack of a dream, passion and drive; I witness these values in the least expected places/people, where so unsuspectingly, the unobserved success stories slip past.

I've been thinking. I've been relative, not absolute. Well, not in my moral system (it must stay intact), but in terms of my passion and drive. Be it in dance, music or fashion, I can't cleanly say that none of them have been tinted and tainted with the desire to be recognised by others. Well, recognition is not exclusive to our affection for our sport, but the question I've been bouncing off the walls of mind is this: without the applause, without the acknowledgment, would you still do it? Would you still continue with this thing you call your passion and your love? That, for me, is where someone's drive lies: it's intrinsic. It's absolute instead of relative to let's say, other's persuasion or dissuasion. But what if my very passion is aggrandised by the salute received? Perhaps none of those three things are my root passion; rather, they are mere manifestations symptomatic of my root passion - the sprouts of my buried genesis. Even as I pen this (or rather jab at the keyboard), I think I've just been reminded that my root passion could actually be the love of performing. 

And that comes with its horde of concerns and considerations.

How do I even begin to dissect that???

For now, I think I think too much; raising way too many questions with too few answers. [Disclaimer: I love to play with my words, it does not always mean that I'm convoluting my thinking.]

Meanwhile, enjoy some music from my playlist, aptly titled 'Thingamajigs I Hope I Do Not Get Sick Of' //


I sound so unsure of myself right now. 
As is captioned for this picture below: I miss clear skies, I miss definition, and I miss surefooted-ness | caught up in the grey areas I refused to step foot in at the start.



On a side note, I tried to write with a little more care and standard. Been inspired by a certain blog written by someone of my age. And lately I've been writing another song. Hm. 

Much Love, 
Jubitai


Saturday, February 01, 2014

Vintage Reclamation | CNY

Hey readers!
So whether or not you're living in my area of the world, I'm sure you'd have heard it's the Lunar New Year. Just saying, I'm perfectly happy to be chinese, although I do admit sometimes I forget that I'm chinese (I mean, speaking English pretty much 24/7 and having lost touch with the language since a year ago). Chinese New Year, or as I will affectionately term it, CNY, is one of the most awesome occasions/holidays ever, especially because of the food. Pineapple tarts, bak kwa, roasted cashews, salted egg butter cookies, tapioca chips etc. Oh drools. 
Anyway, this year I've done something different for my CNY; it's what I'd like to claim as vintage reclamation. So last year end I went for a short trip to Japan and had a haul of vintage stuff from the thrift store there, one of the pieces being a midi (or maxi for the uh petite ones) dress with a bishop raglan sleeve. I tried it on and it felt so old, both literally and in terms of the age at which someone might be seen wearing it, so when I brought it back I knew I wanted to edit it somehow cause after all I really liked the print and the colour. And not to mention, I have a terrible habit of not wanting to take a photo of the original piece whenever I do DIY-ing, so here are pictures to show the piece now at least :)

(Yes, photoshoot time.)

I particularly loved the styling for this outfit as it seemed to all just fall into place nicely, although it's probably ironic that for a CNY outfit I'm taking on a vintage style since people usually anticipate and love buying their new clothes just for the Lunar New Year. Doesn't matter to me really, DIY-ing makes my clothes re-newed + perfectly unique => fabulous, as summed up by my first picture.





Honestly, the most time consuming part of this DIY session was probably the beading. Now I know why embellished stuff are so expensive; it takes time (and bruised fingers).





To describe my styling for this outfit, it's definitely be along the lines of my own take on vintage. The trendy halter neck style dress meets the bold prints that function both on the vintage side and the modern. The complementary blue-green and cool silver beads against the red of the dress add a different dynamic without clashing. Shoes were self-explanatory: cut-out brogues take a fresh spin on the vintage look too. Tortoise-shell sunglasses? Check. Ladies' bag? Check. And not to mention, the simple studs kept the look young, so no over dramatised accessorising to take the attention away from the beading. 
Decided that hair-wise I was always slacking off by just letting it down, so I tried to be vaguely more hardworking this time round. Nah, just kidding, a messy dutch braid was all it took to neaten the look. In terms of make up, I did my usual eyebrows and brown cat-eye, but this time round, I tried a darkish lip so as to balance out my face with the strong print of my dress. 




What I'm Wearing: Vintage DIY Dress, ASOS Marzie Leather Cut-Out Brogues, Metal Detail Bag from Hong Kong, Studs (own), Tortoiseshell Sunglasses from Japan, Estee Lauder Hot Kiss Shimmer Kipstick

Have a blessed CNY! :)
Much Love, 
Jubitai



Saturday, January 25, 2014

The Minimalist Pursuit

Hey readers!

Haven't blogged in a mega long time; should be doing my work now, but decided I could afford to take some time out to blog today. Plus I recently got these gorgeous brogues from Shoecult by Nastygal; well, I needed new shoes cause my two old pairs of creepers are dying out like dinosaurs. Plus another few buys from Feistheist (love their minimalism btw)~


Today I've gotta go out again, so may as well do a mini-shoot eh :)





Pretty informal, but here's to an awesome #ootd :) Ignore the bedhead I slept with wet hair :( 
What I'm Wearing: Feist Heist White Mimosa Blouse, Bershka Skinny Jeans, Nasty Gal Charlie Oxfords, Forever 21 Silver Rings and Tear Drop Necklace


Makeup: Did my brows, dabs of concealer, a subtle cat eye with brown eyeliner, and staining my lips with sephora matte red lipstick
I personally really like the idea of staining one's lips cause it adds a subtle pop of colour without going overboard for daily wear, though someday I do want to wear my (full-blown) dark purple lipstick out. 

Hope you've enjoyed the outfit in this post, cause I'm loving' it; always keeping in mind comfort + style + class.

Love, Jubitai






Sunday, January 05, 2014

When Inspiration Hits | Music

Hey readers!
I've been wanting to update my blog for so so so long, but haven't gotten down to it cause photoshoots just take so long, especially since I don't have a photographer as of yet (I rely on self-timers); it' super time consuming. But that aside, today, inspiration hit and I wrote a song :)
Watch the vid below to check it out!


I know I'm still quite raw at this, so do pardon any mistakes/nonsensical lyrics and stuff (especially the last part :( )! Meanwhile here're the lyrics for you to follow while watching the vid~ 

Here's What I'm Not

Verse 1:
I'm not just here for your entertainment, your clown of five years
I'm not just here; your thrill ride seeker, dream spurrer
I'm not just here to take your burdens 
Here's what I'm not, not for your mere expectations

Chorus:
Here are my thoughts of little consequence which may not mean a thing to you
Here are my overridden voices taking centerstage, take the mike from you
I'm drawing the veil, breaking the heart ache,
You left in your wreckage

Verse 2:
I'm not just here; your wine glass partner, turn the corner
and I'll be there no matter how or why
I'm not just here to take your burdens 
Here's what I'm not, not for your mere expectations

[Chorus]

Bridge:
I wasn't kidding when I said promises are meant for keeping
I wasn't kidding when I said forever is forever
I wasn't kidding when I said promises are meant for keeping
I wasn't kidding when I said promises are meant for keeping

[Chorus]

What I'm Wearing: F21 Velvet Skater Dress, Sephora Matte Red Lipstick

And as usual, the happy shots to end off!

Much love,
Jubitai