zaBigFatSnoop: P & P @ H&M

P&P. Nope, it's not 'Postage & Packing', 'Plug & Play' or 'Pen & paper'. Not even 'Pride & Prejudice' okay. But it's the prints and pattern that I've seen when i went for a quick snoop at H&M. As I said in some of the previous post, this season all the prints and pattern went on full force. Straight, head on.

So, what do they got in store? This t-shirt which is utterly brilliant. One, I love the scooped neck. Very flattering coz it give that 'lil sexy edge to any bland tee. Two, look at the feathers! No, it's not real feathers - rather, it's just a print. Yet it looks so real. Or surreal? Which one's which doesn't matter coz when i checked closer, it's just wow! At times I think this one look quite 'ethnic' as well. American Indian, perhaps?

Second up is this white tee which is very boho, very gypsy kinda feel because of the paisley prints. The same one that I've tried before but in grey. Yeah, it got the Matthew Williamson feel to it. Oh, let me tell you again that there's skulls on each corner of the 'petals'. When I saw this tee... one thing that sprung to my mind is 'Indian summer'!

Ready for something slightly edgy? In the H&M Purple Label is this pink slimfit shirt with grey print motifs on it. It's cotton, but not just a typical cotton. When i touched the shirt it got this micro-suede kinda feel. Very luscious, very luxe. Oh, did I mention that it's very see thru? Yes, very, very, very see through. (Thank God I'm wearing my nude V-neck down there, ahaks!). Wear this on a hot summer by the beach without any tops underneath, then you can feel the breeze going through you effortlessly. :D Talking about the prints, look closer then you can see it has that geometric, Aztec-esque look which is seen in many pieces at Gucci. Price? Not too bad when it's less than £25! A great bargain with a great design. :)

zaBigFatSnoop: Animal Print @ Topman

Starting last week everybody seems to be very glad that they don't have to wrap themselves with lots of layers anymore. I know some part in the Northern Hemisphere, they still experiencing very chill weather and temperature still in the single figure, but in London it's practically warm. I really can't believe that I can walk in the street in just my 2 layers of clothing, without any jacket anymore (2 layers as in cardi + other top, ;D). Some even wore t-shirts and shorts outside. Hmm... that's a good sign that spring is gonna sprung! Well, it already has, btw. =)

Anyway, what do I tried this time? It brought me back to Topman again, coz I actually wanna find the grey twisted neck t-shirt that I saw in the website a couple of weeks ago. But, hell no... it's already gone. I think it's a big sellout coz of its unique look which sort of a marriage between normal tee and a snood. A snood tee, perhaps. Anyway, that doesn't stop me to try other things that the store has to offer.

Like this slim fit shirt in leopard print. When I saw it I was like, "whoa...Cavalli!!" since Roberto Cavalli is really famous for leopard prints in his designs. This one is in cotton and has the buttoned-down rounded collar which is very mod British. I think the color is not too tacky, and look just like the one I saw in some website like in the other pix below.

Another animal print is this zebra print tee, which is very slimfitting (again) and quite sheer actually. Still, I like the fact that it is very light and 'airy' since the fabric is a little bit 'meshy'.

Wow, this season is truly an attack by the drop neck! Last time I've tried a couple of them, and this time Topman got another one which is quite interesting. The white/grey drop neck tee, which look very feminine. I really like how the 'drop neck' is made which is brilliant. But, yeah.. it look very girlish when wearing one. Ahaks!

Another big trend for spring/summer as what Bottega Veneta and Calvin Klein shown in the previous SS10 catwalk is the baseball jacket. this one from 'Wesc' at Topman is really sweat-type jacket coz it's made of jersey. The fit and the color combo is awesome. It's pretty tight on the cuff and I can't roll it up like I use to be doing before. Nevertheless, it's a great sweat jacket!

Oh, before I forgot, for student or In Genius member of Topman, you'll get 20%-off in store this month. Just print the voucher and handed it out at the checkout. =)

zaBigFatSnoop: Skull, Acid and GQ @ H&M

How can my weekend be a great weekend without a trip to H&M, right? This week H&M got some offers in store where most of the jackets and blazers are at £10 off. So, if you wanna spruce up that wardrobe with new outerwear, then it's time to do so before the offer end (probably already is, ahaks!). Anyway, what's new in store?

H&M is indeed championing the denim for Spring/Summer with the previous (and ongoing) 'The Blues' campaign. Meaning, denims is everywhere. I think I've mentioned about that before. But what I'm trying this time is not just a denim, it's an acid-washed one. A biker jacket in that very funky look. What I love about this black denim jacket is the details - look closer and you can see the tiny little stiches which gives it faux ribbed look. The fit? Awesome. The material used? Awesome. But the too cropped, too high on the waist - not so cool. I think if it just a tad lower, just on the butt - then I'll definitely snatch this one up.

New t-shirts! Isn't it screams 'Matthew Williamson' with these tees? I think so. Especially when the print look like the butterfly motif that Mr. Williamson is famous for (which is even featured in the Butterfly by Matthew Williamson @ Debenhams). But wait a minute. The print are not just an Indian-influence, boho chic, paisley print. Look closer. It's skull on each corner of the 'flower petals'! Isn't it a brilliant? Oh, I love the material used - organic cotton. So, If you wanna be politically-correct, then this tee should be yours. And it's great to do that 'gypsy' look too. =)

What is summer without the sheer shirts, huh? This one is very slim-fitting, very sheer and very cheap too. It's great if you don't wanna be totally shirtless while lounging out in the summer days by the pool or by the beach (or at Trafalgar Square fountains, lol) - coz it's apparently so much breezy itself. And totally breathable!

And if you feel cold due to the summer breeze, then these cardigans in linen-cotton mix is perfect. I only love these two colors - white and grey - coz apparently the other colors is too washed out. Make you look sunken in them. Not cool. Btw, what's great about the cardi? The fit is awesome. Period. Very body-con. And to add to your 'must-buy' list, this one is GQ Recommended and it's featured in the latest GQ issue.

Last but not least, the merino wool sweater in very luscious brown color. When i said luscious, it's truly a wow color to me and so flattering. I love how the yarn made somewhat a textured print (or whatever you wanna call it) on the jumper. The fit? Superb! And since this one is in the premium section, so it's slightly pricey. Still, it's just under £30.

Oh, another thing. Since H&M is the new partner for the GQ Recommends insert this spring/summer, if you made a purchase at H&M you may get GQ mag for free! Isn't it great? You can save almost £4 for that! =)

zaBigFatSnoop: I 'Hate' Zara?

I hate Zara. I hate it that they got new collections in store. i hate it coz they're all awesome. I hate it coz I want 'em all. I hate it coz I can't have 'em all, otherwise my current wardobe would explode to the max! And I hate that.

Apart from H&M, I think Zara is one 'premium' highstreet store that really up to the game when setting a trend for the big masses out there. This time around the new collection is truly amazing. Not just a lot of neutrals, greys and a hint of colors here and there; but there's a new array of brilliantly 'engineered' design which you don't normally found at highstreet stores. From the meshy lightweight knitwear to the chunky one that won't wear you down, to the luscious fabric which is so breathable and felt utterly soft to touch. There's a lot of designers-influenced too like from Bottega Veneta, Marni, Dolce & Gabbana and Gucci. And the cut - you've got selection either the slouchy, relaxed one to the body-con, figure-skimming pieces. In short - they're all splendid!

Some of the clothes that I tried include the short-sleeved cardigan which is amazing. What is interesting is it really look like the one by Marni that I found at Matches Fashion. The fit is brilliant and the fabric is so cooling.

I love this tee which is very cheeky coz they got scribbles like someone's been jotting down some 'contacts' on it, like "meeting this and this at this time", "this person phone number"..etc..etc. So fun.

This cardi which is featured in the February Lookbook is great since dip-dye is a huge trend for spring/summer. I love the fit though it is quite 'hugging' on the sleeves.

Other pieces include the 'politically-correct' statement tee, the vest which i think very Bottega Veneta-influenced, and some stripe long- and short-sleeved tees. But the one that I really like is the knitwear which happens to be the highlight of overall collection though coz they're such brilliant design. Simple but they appear to be quite 'meshy' - some with fish-net feel on the back, other with very light and peeking and some look very high-end, catwalk influenced too.

Overall, the new collections is awesome. And oh, when I said 'hate' what I really mean is I looooove them!! =)

zaBigFatSnoop: New Suits @ Topman

Highstreet stores are being awashed with new collections now. Am I excited? Definitely yes. And @ Topman, apart from the new TM Trench Coat Project, these new suits look devilishly hot too. First up is this brown pindot suit in skinny fit and contrast shawl collar. The color is absolutely fantastic coz it's kinda shimmer, making it look so outstanding (you've gotta see it to believe it!). Very luxe. The fit of the jacket is superb, but the trousers is a bit too skinny for me. I like it to be slim instead - then it goes very well with the jacket. The material? Wool-polyester mix. Price? Expect to pay £150 coz this one is a bit 'premium' quality.

The other one is a little bit different coz it has contrasting color block in light beige and white combo. Similar as the previous one, it is a skinny-fit; that's why the trousers is a bit tight on the calves too. The material is cotton which made it feel so summery. And it goes very well with any light-colored tops worn underneath the jacket. Looking at it reminds me of what Jil Sander used to do in their Spring/Summer 09 collection. Hmmm... interesting. =)

Jil Sander SS09

zaBigFatSnoop: H&M Ready for Spring!

Is spring in the air? Well, at least in highstreet stores... so the answer might be a 'yes'. Like in H&M, since they've started to stock new stuff for spring/summer collections. And if you're aware, H&M kick start their 'The Blues' campaign quite a while ago. Why 'The Blues' you say? Well, not becoz of the previous weather conditions though, rather the new denims collections they got in store.

Oh talking about denim, I love the biker jacket that they got for little girl. I was so tempted to buy for my little niece last weekend cos they're very cheap. Nice design and very edgy for a little princess. :)

Mentioning cheap and denim, I happened to try the new denim jacket in 'The Blues' collection. I am surprised with the price @ just £12.99! Man, where can you find this kind of price with this great fabric except at H&M? I like the color and the denim used. Unfortunately, it was too cropped - so high up there above the butt - so, that's not a good jacket to wear. :(

Oooh, this one piece is what I've been waiting for. If you're regular to this blog, I happen to mention abot red gonna become massive trend for summer since lots of designer did 'red' in their SS10 collection like Bottega Veneta and Armani. And this red blazer is even featured not only in the H&M SS10 lookbok, but also in the current GQ Spring/Summer 2010 Trends booklet. My verdict? Awesome. Superb fit and very luscious gorgeous fabric. It's a linen mix, that's why the texture is amazing. You've gotta feel it to believe it. Am I loving this one? A lot! :)

This one piece, btw is not a new collection. It's last season and on sale. Last time I got the same one in blue (i.e in H&M Purple Label). What i like about this one is the contrast lining which is in darker shade. The fit? Very slim! And florals is also hot trend next SS10, just to let you know too. :)

zaBigFatSnoop: New +J... and Some Straw.

I thought Jil Sander's collection for Uniqlo is gonna stop after its spring/summer release last January. Or perhaps, in February the latest. But, hell no. It's keep on coming into the store again and again. Though I try to shun the collection as it doesn't really up to my expectation, but when I went to the store last weekend I can't help but being lured into the +J section. So what do I found this time?

Lots of new stuff which is more making sense and really give the typical Jil Sander's simplicity chic adage. That includes new blazers which is more slim-fitting and in light, interesting colors. Others include these long-sleeved tops in various delicious colors. Like this light blue tee which I found awesome coz the color is gonna be huge for spring. The fabric is lighter than the fall/winter - suitable if you wanna wear it in the warm weather soon. But one thing that I dislike about it is the fit on the sleeve, which is very 'hugging' coz it wrapped slightly too tight. Apart than that... it's just great.

Other colors in the similar range include this yellow ochre (or dark mustard) - which I think doesn't suit my darker skin tone. :( Btw, the one in pistachio green is great and looks too delicious to be worn, just like a pistachio sundae on a summer noon. Ahaks! Very nice color. Fyi, all the tees come in either crew or v-neck. Price? Quite okay, but if you wait a couple of weeks more, they might be slashed to half price. :)

Oh, what is summer without the trilby, right? These straw trilbies from Uniqlo is not new, coz they've been in store for ages. Still, it's new for me to pick 'em up to try btw. I just love the simplicity of the look, plus the color is classic too and can be paired with anything. Oh, did I said it's 'straw'? Well, not really coz they're made of polypropylene-polyester mix. But it has all the 'straw' feel that we all like. Price? They're dead cheap. Get it while you can coz trilbies gonna be massive too!

One more thing. Uniqlo got some new totes for men. Very simple bags in neo-leather which comes in black and off-white, just like the colors of their neo-leather jackets. :)

zaBigFatSnoop: River Island Went ARTee...

If you ever went to River Island's t-shirts department, you can't help but feeling succumbed into a massive underworld blackhole (there goes the underworld word again, lol!). Why? Coz most of the tees are given those decon look, with raw edges on the neck and the sleeves, and some in boiled cotton, very tumbled look and even with some bling, bling to add to the rock-n-roll edge. I think River Island is trying to compete with All Saints... no? :)

And new to the collection is this tees with some artwork on it. Not a typical printed tee, coz the art is really something to talk about. Like this white tee which has the Japanese art feel to it due to the sketch of trees in monochrome which spans right to the back. And to add to the edgy look, the fabric is partly sheer - coz the 'blotches' give a see-through look to it. The fit is awesome, and I love the notch neck for that extra oopmh! :)

Another tee that caught my eyes is this feather artwork, like it's being sketched with a pencil in the form of a Native American headgear. I think it's amazing, so kudos to the artist though. I like the raw edges on the neck and the sleeves which give it an edgy feel. The fit and fabric is amazing too.

River Island really rocks with those arTee! :)

zaBigLittleSnoop: Shop The Drop @ COS

Aaah... At last, the mercury has risen a bit this weekend. It doesn't really matter if it's raining outside, as long as it's not frickin' freezing cold - my weekend (or simply, any day) would definitely be the best ever. Coz I don't have to worry to wear layers and layers of clothes anymore, which is now become such a sickening thing to do.

Anyway, my quick snoop - a very, very quick one indeed - is at COS. I was so interested to try this new jumper when I saw it on their website last week. Pretty cool. It seems that everyone has been doing dropped neck all the way, huh? From River Island, Topman and even H&M with their version of oversized, dropped neck tee which I tried last week. This one from COS look pretty okay in the pix. And when I saw it in COS @ Regent Street, yes it does look like what in the site. Love the material - wool, making the fit just right. But I didn't try it on coz I hate the color though. Navy blue. Oh, please... you can give me any color except navy blue. Hate that color. If COS made it in other monochrome like black and grey, then there might be a chance I'm bringing one home.

And the price.. £49??! No way, Jose... Another reason not to like it. Btw, I still love the design. :)