Notice anything different about these pictures?  I acquired a 50mm lens for my camera, and a tripod… can you see where I’m headed?  A self portrait with a distinct lack of mirror.  I was testing the lens for a ’self shot’ photo story to go along with a ’self written’ article for Hanger magazine (I’ll let you know when it’s out).  Apparently this lens makes me all emo, but hey, what can you do.  Go listen to Eels and cut some impractically long bangs that’s what.

p.s. After writing this, I actually did go listen to Eels.

What to do with the unused footage from a video, a tutorial perhaps, who’s remnants are just taking up bytes on my computer… reduce, re-use, recycle.  I really do owe you this one for being ever so patient with me and my lack of posts. Once again shot by Ahmad Faris of IkanPaos Collective and edited by me.

just because.

You can also watch on YouTube if that’s your thing.

CREDITS
IkanPaos Collective

MUSIC
Star Slinger// May I Walk With You?

Meet Shida Davis… Randomly stalked her off of my new Facebook page. Aside from being stunning, this photo is just love.

Credit// Shida Davis

I’ve kept you waiting more than long enough, so here it is, the Hana Tajima style scarf tutorial.  The video was shot, edited and directed by uber creative Ahmad Faris of IkanPaos Collective.  And the soundtrack is Lady Daydream by Twin Sister (there’s an awesome acoustic version of it here)

You can also view the tutorial on Youtube.

The Scarf

• An off-cut of lightweight silk satin
• width: 60cm / length: 90cm  although ideally I’d say width: 70cm / length 100cm
• All the edges are raw, the front edge (i.e. the visible one) is the selvedge
• The other edges may start to fray at first, but after it’s been washed a couple of times, and you’ve let the threads come out it should stop.  I quite like the unfinished look, but if you really can’t stand it then you can always hem it.

WARDROBE CREDITS

Chiffon scarf snood / MAYSAA
Black crew neck / MAYSAA
Denim shirt & necklace / Vintage
Printed trousers / ASOS
Scarf / Self made

When is a shirt not a shirt?  When you wrap it round your head as per the previous post.  But out of my McQueen fantasy and back in the mostly real world in which I reside, this shirt is one of my most worn pieces out of the new collection.  It’s strange actually, because it really is a statement piece, but there are options to make it more versatile.  Because it’s a shirt, it comes with all the shirt perks, i.e. Buttoned, unbuttoned, belted, loose, tied, open, tucked in.  And because it’s a shirt (part 2) it also means you can wear it with a variety of bottom halves from jeans to full length evening skirts.  Needless to say, I’m sure you’ll see this shirt again, perhaps in another incarnation.

I spent a lot of time working on the details for this shirt, I wanted the silhouette to be fluid and have movement, but to give the piece focus with textural details in the covered buttons, plaited sleeve cuff, and ruched shoulder seam.

Maysaa Jersey Maxi Dress

A silhouette is an idea of an outfit, a chalk outline, with no detail to hide behind, the simplest of things.  And that is that.

Here is my dress.

Hana Tajima with Tala Raassi

I was kind of holding my breath on this one, after the interview I very carefully placed it’s existence somewhere in the back of my mind in a box labelled: ‘HOPES- not to be lifted.’  But now that it’s in print, a bone-fide ink on paper 3 page article, I feel a little more justified in being immensely proud of myself… that is prior to shrinking off before anyone notices I’m literally trying to pat myself on the back.  I considered being blasé about it, but taking into account the shaking before and after the interview, the waiting with bated breath, and the mentally jumping for joy with a fist in the air manga style, on its publication, it’s fair to say I’m a wee bit excited. (that “wee” is in honour of my sister who’s convinced it’s acceptable to use that word south of Scotland without me pulling a face, it might also be noted that ‘wee’ is a Scottish parlance meaning ‘a little’ for those of you who may well be wincing by this point.)

The fact that people may indeed be reading my words hasn’t quite struck me, so I’m yet to be filled with a nagging anxiety at my adequacy or lack of it.  Well at least I’ve not got spelling and grammar to worry about, so lala lala laa I’m a very happy bunny, happy to share with you.  And if you are in Canada please go buy a copy, There’s much more besides my little words to keep you interested.

Congrats to Tala Raassi too, who was far more calm and collected than I, it was great to be a part of this with you.

Content from ELLE Canada April 2011

Bring the Swish

The thing about having about 10% of my usual wardrobe means I’m rediscovering my own designs (self promotion? no no, this is purely out of necessity you understand).  I saw this on my good friend recently, and she looked freakin’ amazing. So naturally I decided it was high time I aim for that level of fabulosity.  I decided to go boho.  You have two options to make this day wear, go grunge or go boho, so I went the floral and vintage route.  I just love the way the layers of fabric fall about your feet as you walk. This is why I named it the Maysaa Swish Side Panel Maxi Skirt (not because I just like ridiculously long names for things). The fabric is lovely, and it’s lightly lined, and a snip at just £29… ok that was pure advertisement.  Looks amazing on people with actual hips too (I almost considered padding out my non-hips just to get the look.)

P.S. Oh, and I’m standing on a stool in that first picture, I’m not just massively tall.

…card

Have been shockingly obsessed with palazzo pants of late, to the point where I stay up late adding endless pairs to an overflowing shopping bag… you understand, this is all in the virtual online world, I’m not actually crazy.  Or maybe I am, because I realised that I already have a perfect pair, and on remembering this I have become re-obsessed with them.  Mais oui, they are my Maysaa pair. Only this time I’m wearing a size 12 (2 sizes too big) and I’ve rolled over the waistband a) so I don’t trip over them (not a good look), and b) because it gives you that oversized DIY vibey thing.

Also, the reason the photos are of iphone quality is because I am memory card-less, something about photographic amnesia (I’m too lazy to formulate that into a real life joke.)

p.s. Palazzo pants are one of the very very few occasions on which I will refer to trousers as ‘pants’

You can get your own perfect palazzo’s, in any size you like right here. x

Image: maysaa.com

All that went on before

Just a little look at the fun (if a little stressful) preparations for the Maysaa Bloggers Tea Party.  I have been toying with what exactly the event was called, ranging from ‘StyleCovered presents the Maysaa London Bloggers Tea Party With Hana Tajima’ (very informative) to ‘Time for Tea’ (almost entirely uninformative).  I was convinced ‘The Tajima Who Came To Tea’ was a good idea until I realised that ‘The Tiger Who Came To Tea’ may not be, though it should be, part of everyone’s childhood.  You may have guessed by now that I’m no closer to a name.

It was an amazing day, and an amazing feat of dedication and prep from the ladies of Blush & Brush, Rumah Tanjung Spa, and the Maysaa Pop Up Shop girls, not forgetting my amazing Puteri, and Ikanpaos a.k.a. guy with camera.

And the most thank you-est of thank you’s to the lovely girls who came to the event.  Check out their beautiful blogs.

Adriani

Aimie

Aishah

Ami

Emmy

Eyqa

Farah

Fira

Jezmine

Lyna

Maria Elena

Moon

Nor Fatin a.k.a. HoneyPokaPoka

Nurul (who was missed very muchly)

Shahirah

Shea

Sue Anna Joe