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.

It's a girl thing

Dear all, 

I am just going to say it out loud and admit it. 

I'm a shopaholic. There, I said it. 

I went on a shopping spree today for my upcoming trip to Kota Kinabalu.  Initially I just planned to have lunch and go watch Iron Man 3 with my boyfriend, which by the way was really good. But since we had two hours in between lunch and movie, my dear boyfriend suggested we go shopping for our upcoming trip. At my three most favourite places - Cotton On, H&M and Zara. 

I walked into Cotton On and all hell broke loose. 

I was on a mission and there was no stopping me! After spending nearly an hour in the store, I walked out with my prizes and $1,000+ less in my bank account.  Here I was thinking "Okay, I am done for today." But the second I walked into H&M, that thought was out the window. Finally after another hour, it was almost time for the movie, and my boyfriend thought it'd be best to keep me out of Zara since I spent another $1,000 in H&M.

Nonetheless, I love all the stuff I bought today and I keep saying, its not JUST for the trip, some of the things I can wear for work too! So it will be worth it :) But below are a few outfits that I have purchased for my vacation.

 This blue denim dress is from Zara. I love the details of the dress at the back. It is simple yet classy! 

This black tiger sleeveless caught my eye the minute I walked into H&M. It could be paired with leggings. 

This top is from Zara and the shorts are from Cotton On. This outfit is going to be perfect for the summer heat in Kota Kinabalu.

 I love this long floral dress from Cotton On, the fabric is light and comfortable. The length of this dress elongates your entire body and make you look longer, hence taller and leaner. 

 The top and skirt are both from H&M. The top is just a basic tank for like 30 bucks. The skirt is silky with a tribal pattern.  I decided to pair it this way for a more casual and light look. It also says "I'm ready for my vacation!!"

This comes to the end of my shopping spree. For this week. I hope. But hey! Loving clothes and shopping is just a girl thing! "Discover the joy of shopping and you will find happiness." says the shopaholic. On a serious note, to be able to buy something that you really like when it is affordable or unbelievably cheap, is really satisfying.  I once went to Cotton On to buy a blazer, thinking its like $200. When I got to the cashier, turns out it was on sale for $25!! That kind of satisfaction just cannot be explained. Anyhow, you now have a glimpse of me being a shopaholic.  Shop-away dashionistas!

Follow us on twitter: @dashionhime and instagram:@dashionhime for more updates! Also hashtag us at #dashionhime if you want to show us anything or be featured! Happy weekend :)

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