It Definitely is Official: SUMMERTIME!

Dearest Dashionistas,

It definitely has been awhile since Dashion has posted and we sincerely apologise for that!

T's been doing all her little summer trips here and there ...

I have been, well, dancing (lol). Well, to actualize the arrival of Summer, I had a haircut!

After years (and years and years ...) of having such long, thick hair, it is now gone!

Long hair will always remain a timeless choice but a change, especially during Summer time, is definitely refreshing and inspiring!

[Picture below: I was wearing my blue, Armani Exchange tank top and shorts and paired it with nude (and super comfortable) flats from a local shop in Causeway Bay and black and white spotted bag from Icon Outlet (Singapore)]

It was also my birthday two weeks ago and, along with T, we had a little dress-up for the birthday dinner.

Surprisingly, or maybe because of the Summer atmosphere, we both opted for floral dresses!

T wore a fitting, navy blue floral dress from Pull and Bear, paired with flats from Staccato. I wore a flowy, pink floral dress  from West One (UK) and gold wedges from DKNY.

The various seasons definitely do influence not just what type of outfits you wear, but also the colouring and style!

Since it is Summer - and as a little special present for not posting as regularly anymore - we venture briefly into the Health, Fitness and Beauty realm today!

Also, we have some special, summer promotions for you at the end of this blog, courtesy of Style by Essenza! (Do you remember the lovely online store that Dashion had a photoshoot with? If not, check out: Dashion Meets Style)

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I came across a Health, Lifestyle and Beauty blog today (http://www.fitnea.com - I recommend reading their blog posts for more healthy lifestyle information!) and two posts captured my attention:

• 10 Healthy Foods that are not that Healthy after all
• 5 Myths About Getting Flat Stomach

As an athlete, I am conscious about my health and physical body as there are physical and mental requirements I need to meet on a daily basis. I found these two posts to effectively communicate misplaced conceptions on the body and 'dieting'. 

Understanding how your body works and uses energy (the digestive system and metabolism) and knowledge on (actual) food nutrition are the fundamentals to maintaining our health in the long-run. 

In a nutshell, if you would like to start to understand the mechanisms of food, the body and health, I would (highly) recommend to you to research and start from this area: SUGAR. 

Yes, the condiment that we come across on a daily basis; the hidden component on many foods that we may not be thoroughly aware of and the effects it has on our physical body (including energy and ADDICTION to sugar, hint: "blood sugar levels") - the worst 'non-food' that people eat everyday (quote: Kat's Food Blog)

To quote William Dufty from a fellow blogger, Kat from Kat's Food Blog:

"After all, heroin is nothing but a chemical. They take the juice of the poppy and they refine it into opium and then they refine it to morphine and finally to heroin. Sugar is nothing but a chemical. They take the juice of the cane or the beet and they refine it to molasses and then they refine it to brown sugar and finally to strange white crystals." - Willam Dufty, Author of Sugar Blues

 Why did I highlight this specific topic area and linked it with the 'Flat Stomach' post?

Simply because, excessive sugar intake plays a major role in storing fat cells in our body - and the storage area is the stomach.

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So there you have it Dashionistas! A little informative post to go along with Dashion's love for Fashion and Dance! Afterall, Health plays a key role in these two realms! :)

Style by Essenza Summer Promotions:

As promised at the beginning of the blog, we announce two special promotions, courtesy of online Fashion & Lifestyle store: Style by Essenza! 

Promotion 1: Style by Essenza Mini Decanter Giveaway:

Head over to Style by Essenza's Facebook page - 'Like' their page and sign up for their Newsletter ('Newsletter Signup' tab) for your chance to win their 'Style by Essenza Mini Decanter' (See picture below)

Promotion 2: Style by Essenza Summer 'Butterfly' Promotion:

A 10% discount is available for the range of Butterfly items when online promotional code 'BUTTERFLY10' is used upon checkout at www.stylebyessenza.com

Hint: Butterfly Items are all by Pineda Covalin and are named: "Papalotl Mariposa" and "Santuario Monarca".

(Papalotl Mariposa scarf range)

 (Santuario Monarca silk dress and tunic range)

(Please note: Promotional photographs belong to Style by Essenza)

Good luck and Happy shopping! xx

Happy Summer to all of you, and see you in the next post!

♥ "It's all about how you put it together" - J x.

Hair-llo! (Get it?)

Hair-llo Dashionistas!

Well, as you may have read T's previous post about her lovely vacation in Malaysia, my summer vacation kicked off with a *bang* as well!

You know, dancing and floor-work and all that.

I was thinking about what I should post this week as the cycle is on a little break and I thought to myself: "Oh why not! Hair!"

It's not much, to be honest - it just occurred to me that it is summer time now (well, Hong Kong is boiling hot now anyways!) and the few hair styles that I randomly conjured up during dance could be quite Dashion-y! (Get it? lol)

Oh! I will also be ending this post with a video - it's a new, little, personal dance project of mine and... I loved the skirt I used in it - AND it would be a nice summer piece as well! (Dashion! Hurray!)

So first off, the hair-dos... (Please note, it is just very common hair-dos, but I like to give it names!)

As you can see, my hair is fairly long and extremely thick. It can be very bothersome at times, especially during the summer as my hair acts as a 'scarf' (and wool-like, that is) which makes it VERY, VERY hot for me. Also, I can't really dance properly with my hair down - I will always have to flip it, or find some way to move it. Really...

A) "The Dancer's Rose" - My most common do when I'm dancing, simply because I've always naturally tied it this way (especially since my hair is really long and tying it in a ponytail can sometimes become quite a task, especially when I'm sweating from dancing!) Also, it does not sway about when moving/dancing!

A worthy summer do and could fit casual to evening events!

B) "The Dynasty" - Well, the name actually was inspired by my dance teacher. I tied it this way during class (subconsciously) and it was actually higher up at the crown of my head. My teacher then commented that I looked like those ladies from the ancient dynasties. For the rest of the class, he called me by one of the maiden's names.

This is perfect for a day out, casual, but spiking it with a little difference! A shopping trip or even beach-fun!

C) "The Doorknob-tail" - This hairdo was actually a result of not having enough time to finish tying my full ponytail, prior to a 'run-through' of a choreography. I ended up really liking it very much and is one of my favourite hairdo selection for my dance videos! (One of them is coming up, soon...)

A cheeky and different look - it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but a good cup of summer tea nonetheless! ;) It holds better than a ponytail and, if you have long hair like me, since it does not sway as much, it would not stick to you (if you live in a hot, humid place like I do) as much!

D) "The Helicoponytail" - There is a reason I called my ponytail that. It started off when I was in England and I was also working as a dancer then. My hair was actually even longer at the time and I could not let it down and dance (thick and long = can't see!) So I started tying my ponytail on the crown of my head, allowing for the length to be shortened. Soon, I started using it as one of my dancing tools whereby I swing it like a helicopter rotor!

Despite it being fussy at times, it remains to be my favourite 'performing' hairdo!

E) "The Anchor" - Quite a bold name for a delicate-looking hairdo right? But besides this hairdo reminding me of an anchor, it does work as an anchor as well! (lol) It is one of my 'dainty'-like styles and I do use it at times. As you may have realised, the above few hairdos are all taut and tight - which isn't good for our hairline in the long run! So this hairdo (which by far, is the quickest to do during dance rehearsals!) comes in handy... and to save my hairline.

Perfect if you are looking to have a more feminine look, yet not want to put your hair down as the heat might melt you. It could become quite flayed at times, and can be quite immovable if you tie it too tight - but since it's so easy to re-tie, it's very convenient!

F) "The Maiden" - I have actually used this hairdo the least, especially in dancing - only because the rose/bun at the nape of my neck can become quite bothersome when I'm doing floorwork! However, it is a very nice style to use for summer - again, it saves the hairline from being tugged at constantly and I love how the shorter bits of hair would naturally fall out (which won't happen when you tie it high up and taut!)

This could act as a more matured, lady-like look as well. Maybe for a summer date? Or when touring around during your summer vacation trip? ;)

So after all those hairdos, here is the video! :) Ironically, my hair is down here. (Ha!) I wanted to create a paranormal/haunting effect. I hope you enjoy this video! Thank you for reading my blog this week!

"A Haunted Heart" - J. J'ng

An experimental, digital project of contemporary dance and improvisational movement.

P.S. Wardrobe essential!

This is the skirt I was talking about! It has been with me for YEARS now! From bellydance, to contemporary dance! 

It is light, floaty, summer-y and versatile! Like the saying of how every girl should have at least one little, black dress in their wardrobe - well, we all should have at least one skirt of this kind as well! *wink* 

♥ "It's all about how you put it together" - J x

Catwalk down memory lane

Cycle 1 - Love is in the Air

In this cycle, Valentine's day was fast approaching! All three of us were at different stages in our lives. T is in a steady relationship where she talks about a date night in Enchant Me. J on the other hand is single, available and ready to mingle! In her blog, Wherefore art thou, mon amour? She talks about seeking love. Finally our little K, talks about Young Love, don't we all remember our first love :) We had our first group post in Be Strong Juliet

Cycle 2 - A-list Fashion

Here we are talking about A-list fashion, what do celebrities do? T talks about glaming up a simple out with accessories in Biglamous. Next J talks about the complete opposite where we dress down in Backstage Pass. This cycle we lost K as she has to focus in school so we did Centre Stage, using our role models as inspiration to our outfits.

Cycle 3 - Party like a Rockstar

The last cycle was close to T's birthday and we have decided to do a party theme! We all need ideas to host a party and T's first one is a masquerade themed party in Lace Love. J's post the week after is an experience all girls definitely share! Chuffin' 'ell, I 'av nowt t'wear!  Finally, we have the big party and wedding where we showcased a lot of different styles from all these lovely ladies in Les Filles de la Mode. So don't miss out!


Here we have the cycle round up of Dashion-hime so far! Do you have a favourite cycle? If so, do let us know at the comments section! 

As we have mentioned in the video above, we are working on something special for you guys! Follow us on twitter: @dashionhime and instagram: @dashionhime for updates! 

♥ "It's all about how you put it together" - T & J.

Be strong, Juliet

“Dear Claire, "What" and "If" are two words as non-threatening as words can be. But put them together side-by-side and they have the power to haunt you for the rest of your life: What if? What if? What if? I don't know how your story ended but if what you felt then was true love, then it's never too late. If it was true then, why wouldn't it be true now? You need only the courage to follow your heart. I don't know what a love like Juliet's feels like - love to leave loved ones for, love to cross oceans for but I'd like to believe if I ever were to feel it, that I will have the courage to seize it. And, Claire, if you didn't, I hope one day that you will. All my love, Juliet"

 

I love the above quote from the movie “Letters to Juliet”, I think it is beautiful and the words are so inspiring. Everybody is afraid, no one likes to take a risk. When it comes to love, we are all afraid. Who wants to be rejected? The truth is, if you don’t make that first step, you will never find out “what might’ve been” and live with the regret forever. It is risk that NEEDS to be taken, it's not good for your heart to keep something like that to yourself. The weight just keeps growing and then one day, you want to burst; kick yourself for not saying anything and now it's too late.

 

Nobody likes to be rejected but loving someone is nothing to be ashamed of. There comes a time when we need to learn that we don't need a partner to feel good about ourselves. We have to learn about self-love and boost our own confidence. Be comfortable in your own skin, love yourself, learn to enjoy the time spent alone.

Juliets, move on from a guy who rejects you. I know you hear it all the time but it really is his loss. Think about this: All you lost is someone who doesn't love you, yet he lost someone who does loves him.

 

It may sound cliché, but before and above all, we have to learn to love ourselves. It is a vital component in the grand scheme of things/life - whether you are in a relationship or not.

Think of it in this sense (again, throwing in some mathematics!): let's just take the example of the saying that 'a romantic bond is the joining of two halves' ...

∴

You = 1/2
Your love = 1/2
1/2 (You) + 1/2 (Your love)= 1 <-- Uh, 'to become whole'

But if you don't learn to love yourself...

0 + 1/2 (your love)= 1/2 <-- it still isn't complete.

  

Of course, it isn't as simple as 1-2-3, but the point here is, when one is in love, we become another's foundation as well as they become ours; it is a 'fulfilling' mechanism - whereby by having our self-love, we fulfill the one-half of the relationship to give to our partners. Personally, I differentiate slightly between self-love and confidence: being confident does not necessarily mean self-loving; but to self-love is to also be confident.

Believe it or not, the way to this is to find your passion. Be it fashion, dancing, jogging, graphic designing, knitting, gardening, baking, etc. - when you find your passion and set your mind to it, you will find that you've opened up another world for yourself: one where you would learn to grow, develop and love yourself, for yourself, by yourself. It is such a great feeling of individuality. When this individuality comes in, your self naturally radiates self-love, self-respect and confidence; of course you would, when you have something of your own, so dear to you, that you would lose if you don't take care of yourself!

Yet, every person wants to be loved, not just in the way your significant other would love you, family and friends provide us with the love we need and deserve. Family and Friends love you differently than how a girlfriend/boyfriend would love you: When you have a girlfriend /boyfriend, you love them, care for them, you think that they are your entire world; but when you break up, then what? You stop loving them, you stop caring for them, you think that they are a waste of time. Love from family and friends are entirely different, they will always be there for you no matter what, they are the ones you can count on.

 

We cannot go through life alone as it would be impossible, which is why we are surrounded by family and friends.  They are the most important people in your life. They are the ones who support you, and take every step with you along the way. They are there for you when you have your ups and downs. Even if you’re angry at them, no matter how hard you try to push them away, they will always stay with you and go through the toughest things in life.

 

Let us take a closer look what each one of us are wearing for Valentine's day.  

T has matched her no brand pink dress with leopard prints to make it more interesting and sassy.  The handbag is from Staccato and the wedges are from Steve Madden. T's hairdo is a ribbon made of her hair to add elegance as well.

The eye shadow and eyeliner are from MAC cosmetics.

 



 J's look is sexy and fun with leopard prints and the bold use of red. Her top is from Tkmaxx, red jeans from river island and red tube top is from Primark. Her shiny wedges are from Steven Madden.

J's makeup is simple and focused on her red lips (Maxfactor red lip tint). Puckerup for Valentine's day!

 

Last but not least, K's outfit is simple but fun with the mix and match of colours. Though her dress from Forever 21 is pink, she has matched it with her blue wedges, also from Forever 21.  That is afterall, her trademark: mismatch, but it works great!

This is the end of our first cycle, we hope you liked it, enjoyed it and got inspired by it! We wish you had a wonderful Valentine's day, whether you spent it alone, with your significant other, family or friends :)

♥ "It's all about how you put it together" - T, J & K.

Wherefore art thou, mon amour?

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." - Toulouse-Lautrec, Moulin Rouge!

Our dear T is one of those lucky ones to be in love. So what about us single ladies? Well, we are lucky as well aren't we? I mean, how can we not be lucky as well? - the world is our oyster, right?

But maybe, just maybe, there is always going to be a little part of us that looks out for love; to long for love.

Maybe you long for the love for loving's sake, or you long for someone specific ... - or, if you are a complicated fool like me then we do indeed long for that specific someone yet loving from afar is a vital component, so even if we look out for love, it is the unattainability and the vagueness that is part of our lo..- I've lost the plot now, but you get the idea: somehow, to love and be loved is an important equilibrium in our lives.

So then, what is the game plan? What is the perfect, 'looking for love' outfit? Like, eye-catching enough to get Cupid to shoot love arrows at us? (no pun intended... seriously.)

J'S OPERATION ACO (Attract-Cupid-Outfit, of course)

C - Carefree

We can't exactly be focused on our love lookout if we're constantly straightening/fixing/shifting/untangling etc. bits and bobs of our outfit!

U - Understatement rather than overstatement

Triple push-up bra with body-shaping, bum-lifting, more cushion-for-the-pushing-padding-adding mechanisms, topped off with 'barely there' top and bottom? No.

P - Peek-a-boo (not peek-it-all!) 

A little from the top, or legs, not both - and not baring it: just a little eye-catcher. Even if it's all covered up, but is body-hugging on your curves - guys do have creative imaginations when it comes to it. And it doesn't have to be the goodies - the magic exists at the nape of the neck or the shoulders as well!


I & D(Mind kind of stopped working here...) - IT doesn't always have to be DOWN!

Let's experiment with our hair - what complements the outfit? Makeup? Although it may seem like guys like the idea of running their fingers through our hair etc. we can 'tease' with hairstyles as well - who says we can't set the bar for who can unravel that loosely-done hair? Or that tight bun crowned on top of those collar bones? *wink*

Following the plan of operation, what 'perfect', Cupid-attracting, love-longing, happiness-seeking and equilibrium-of-life-balancing outfit have I chosen? 

I opted for:

• My sleeveless, gold and black top from River Island
• My (super favourite) flowy, polka-dot, Piccinini trousers 
• THE red Ked's (most comfortable shoes, ever!)

 

• My beige, fur jacket, and finally
• My gold bangle, tribal-like ring, watch necklace and earrings! (Besides the earrings, these accessories have been with me through thick and thin!)

The point here is, I LOVE each piece the most and I feel absolutely comfortable in them - and sometimes, that is what is most important right? As cliché as it sounds, when we feel happy and confident in our own skin and what we wear, there is such an uplifting aura! (or, well, hopefully!)

 

 

At times, we don't have to bend over backwards when it comes to looking for love.

"They say the best thing a girl can wear is her smile." 

Amen to that!  Even if we have someone that we long for and are head over heels for - who says we can't defy the law of attraction and be heels over head?! (lol)

So dearest Dashionistas, whether you are looking/longing for love or not, remember that your self, happiness and confidence are very important. Although they are not material things, I have found that they are important accessories of personal style and fashion! Afterall, we buy what we like and what we think looks nice, right? :)

 

So my question to you is: what's your most favourite outfit that you feel the best of the best in? Send us your snapshots to our Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook and we'll feature it and hopefully get Cupid shooting arrows your way! (Again, no pun intended!)

Happy weekend everyone! Have a lovely week ahead and look out for next Friday, where K will be blogging the #3 post of the cycle!

♥ "It's all about how you put it together" 

 - J x