Street Style Sovereignty + Freebie Giveaways !!

_________________________________________________________________________________ 

Sidenote: Read till the end to find out how you can win FREE Pantene hair products, sample perfumes from local avant-garde perfumer Code Deco & Exclusive Dead Sea Salt Skincare product packages!!! If you're interested in the freebies, skip the beginning and go straight to the giveaway section.
_________________________________________________________________________________

So far, blogging has had its ups and downs. I’m either suffering from severely mind numbing writer’s block or totally overwhelmed by a frission of inspiration and as you can tell from the lack of updates, I haven't had any lately :( With the passing of time, I've learned to pace myself without churning out mindless articles about useless trends or pictures of "street style sweethearts"

 There’s a lot of information sourcing and back-story coverage that goes behind every article. After all, you’re only as good as your last cover story! I guess what I'm trying to say here is that this takes a lot of effort. Personally, I'm starting to feel as though the local street fashion scene has gone through "Botox(it feels plastic)" The integrity of bloggers have long been compromised by those who seek only to expose themselves for publicity instead of sincerely appreciating fashion without falling for the “facade”. 

StyleXstyle.com calls it “being a style influencer”. I’m quite tickled by this since it’s implying that anyone is entitled to such an accolade by just being well dressed. Maybe I'm just“ old fashioned ” but doesn't this criterion seem a little too low for something a lot of people hold in high esteem?
 How does dressing up pretty make you one of the elite? Do you have any idea who Nicola Formichetti is?(don't bother googling ) How good is your critical eye when it comes to spotting Rei Kawakubo' recurring influences for Comme Des Garcons? Is the prerequisite for being a Style influencer set so low, such that you only need to be good at posing for street style shots? This isn't some mindless gamplay. It's a US$30+ billion industry. Even Tommy Ton knows better. 

I can't blame everyone aimlessly though. Fashion does look like an easy world to mould into. 

I’m not trying to be an elitist but this basically says that anyone can jump on the fashion bandwagon and ride the tidal wave of success. If so, then its a slap to the faces of people like Anna Wintour and Grace Coddington who've worked so hard to take this industry out of the 20^th century and in to the new era of chic. Suzy Menkes was the only one to see through the smoke and expose the fact that fashion has now become a circus; one that is infested with "obnoxious peacocks" that flaunt without first “paying their dues”. All this may sound angsty and blunt but hey, its been on everybody's minds so I might as well come out and say it. 


About 3 months ago, I attended the luxury fashion segment of Social Media Week and what struck me as offensive was when one of the speakers at the dialog said that bloggers are easily bought over ( with free stuff ) and aren't reliable enough to make informed judgments when it comes to marketing a brand. At first, I wanted to rip his head off with my grubby little hands . The urge to jump out of my seat and slit his throat with my mastercard was overcome by the realization that sadly, bloggers have lost their rep. Take a good look around and you'll notice we no longer embody that intuitive side of fashion anymore. It isn't so much about the passion for fashion but rather, the usage of fashion to maintain a certain status-quo or street cred.  Maybe I'm overly sensitive but don't you think we're selling ourselves short here?  

While I adore well-dressed OOTDs (outfit of the day)  as much as the next person, when does this get out of hand? It's starting to be all about the clothes they wear and nothing about their "fashionistic" opinions. I know saying this is like preaching to the choir but it pains me to see how people idly throw this title( style influencer ) around ; a title that previously held so much more substance and prestige. I guess it’s safe to say that Chivalrous style has died and it’s going to stay dead for a long long time. I'm just glad we still have writers like mymomhatesfashion.com and onesixtynotepad.com who actually have sensible views on fashion. It also helps that they have immaculate taste when it comes to dressing up :)

a round of applause to you my wonderful "style influencers" 

So for those who think that having "street style" makes you an Alber Elbaz, I applaud you.   Nevertheless, somewhere in the grand scheme of things, the powers that be will eventually side those who serve as a beacon of excellence over the rest who merely prance around in their new Giuseppe Zanotti sneakers and Nudie Jeans (no offence if you own a pair. I'm guilty myself).I admit that sometimes, I resort to these tacky tactics too.Fashion is visually oriented but that doesn't mean it's all bark and no bite.We all want to express ourselves but just because I walk around with a Leather Gucci wallet doesn't make me filthy rich.If you understood where I was going with that analogy, this article has done its job.

______________________________Freebie Giveaway Section__________________________




March is jam-packed with fashion events that sometimes I have 3 events in one day that I have to hop back and forth from!! It's quite the adrenaline rush really ! Some of the fashion gigs that have recently happened were Pantene's New Hair product line showcase, Guess' Bag show , Code Deco Fragrances' Exclusive Press Release and Aveda's Catwalks for Water amongst other things.  Here are a few picture to help you visualize what I've been up to !


Atelier Swarovski's Autumn/Winter Private Preview

I seriously have no idea what's going on with my face. 

  

Guess' Spring/Summer 2013 Private Bag Showcase! 

More pictures available at my Guess-centric Instagram account @samybonbon :D

Pantene's Press Preview Event! 

Again, I have no idea what is going on with my face

Code Deco's Exclusive Media Meet-and-greet!

Backstage at Aveda's Catwalks for Water!

  

Along the way during these events, I've picked up a few freebie products given to me by the wonderful PR teams to take home and try out but by now I think you guys should know that I prefer to give them away to my readers who mean the world to me. Without you guys, I wouldn't be here blogging or continuing to do what I'm passionate about ! ( and also because I'm fabulous with or without stuff, but it doesn't mean i don't like getting them :3 ) This is why I've decided to do a little giveaway and since I don't like difficult quizzes , I'll make this really simple. Every Week , I'll be announcing the winner of each package and Since there are 3 packages to give away, it'll be a 3 week affair ! For each package, there will be a question attached to it and the most quirky answer wins !! Here's whats up for grabs!  Don't worry if you don't win! There are (hopefully) a lot more giveaways in the future so don't throw in the towel just yet!

_________________________________________________________________________________

PACKAGE NUMBER ONE) A full Collection of Pantene's Colour and Perm Protection Products that are formulated to help maintain your hair's colour and perm for up to 6 weeks .This includes Shampoo, intensive daily conditioner, weekly conditioner and leave-on cream for those aggravatingly humid days. Also, as an added bonus, I'm throwing in 3 bottles of Aveda Rosemary scented Bodywash, shampoo and conditioner!



_________________________________________________________________________________

PACKAGE NUMBER TWO) A complete set of Premier's Dead sea Salt Quartz Crystal facial wellness collection. This product line harnesses the energy in Quartz crystals( commonly used in watches as power-sources ) and uses it to re-energize the skin from within. These products currently retail from anywhere between $230-$450. The package includes a customized Premier Cosmetics Bag, 2 concentrated eye creams, a dead sea salt facial mask set and a set of 5 quarts based creams that are to be used daily for maximum effect. 

_________________________________________________________________________________

PACKAGE NUMBER THREE) This is something I'm sure you'll appreciate :) As a parting gift, The gracious people at Code Deco presented me with a sample kit of their perfumes before I left their media meet-and-greet. Code Deco is an up-and-coming avant-garde fragrance brand that has all the makings of an international success and it's very affordable considering the quality and craftsmanship they offer . 

It was love at first sniff when I took a deep breathe of their Masculine "B-Minor" fragrance . The warm sandalwood left a wonderful after-smell while the immediate hint of pepper was enough for me to proclaim my everlasting devotion to the brand. It resembles the famous fragrance  "Terre de Hermes" but much better ! Inside the sample kit are 6 vials containing a mix of my personal favorites from their collection.

The smell ranges from sweet notes of rose to light-hearted hints of Citrus. I know I'm a blogger and people think we bloggers immediately support a brand that gives us stuff but I'm dead serious when I say I think this brand is sensational. Definitely something I will be patronizing in the near future :) You can visit their website for info on their product range !!

_________________________________________________________________________________

And the questions are.....

For Package no:1) How many Mini burgers are there on the refreshments counter during the Pantene event *** refer to the pictures above ***

For Package no:2)  What's the name of that royal-blue tube of facial cream in the pictures above ***hint: it starts with the word "instant" ***

For Package no:3) Who is the founder of Code Deco Perfumes? *** hint: Visit the Code Deco Website to find out ***
_________________________________________________________________________________


And Btw .... Earlier this month, I was invited to shop at H&M's Exclusive Sample sale and look at what I nabbed for just under $10 !!!! I decided to grab a truckload of shoes and since I can't keep them all, I've decided to do a giveaway for a pair that I can't fit.

These size 41 Maison Martin Margiela for H&M ivory painted leather boots worth $399 could be yours if you answer this simple question about Dream Of Dior correctly !

Question ) Out of all the articles I've ever posted on dreamofdior, which post do I consider to be my Magnum Opus ? ***hint: it's in the "Popular Posts" section*** 


_________________________________________________________________________________

 Email your answers to dreamingofdior@gmail.com stating clearly the package prize your interested in as well as your answers. Winners will be announced every wednesday ! The response from the previous Toni&Guy Giveaway was really great so I'm hoping this time around will be even better :]

 All in all, It have been quite a ride for me especially since I've started writing for Poachedmag but that doesn't mean that I'll forsake my blog completely. To be honest, the one advantage that you have when you write for yourself versus writing for a bigger publication is that you have complete control over everything. At times, I feel as though I don't have an individual voice and that's when I depend on DreamofDior as an ego booster. PS: A big shout-out to Singapore's infamous style sensation Bryan Gohey !!! It truly is an honor having people like you tell me how much you like what I do.  

Also, don't forget to mark your calenders for15-19 of may for Singapore's Annual Installation of the Audi Fashion Festival! Instead of its usual locale, the event will be hosted at the Marina Promenade! ( its about time! Orchard was getting derivative!) How Chic is that!  Some noteworthy designers that will be strutting their stuff include Carolina Herrera, Raoul , Ashley Isham and Zardoze. Victoria's Secret angel, Erin Heatheron will also be gracing the catwalk for the Raoul show. For the entirety of next week, Paragon will be having their seasonal fashion shows with regulars like Guess and Mochino showcasing their latest collection and I'm gonna be there to catch all the action !!!


Follow me on instagram @samybonbon to see live pics of the fashion shows as well as some backstage action with the models and stylists ! I really can't thank you enough for sticking with dreamofdior after all this time. It really means a lot to me that people continue to read my insane rants & for that, I am really grateful. To all the Polytechnic students out there, happy holidays! Spend your time wisely but don't forget to let loose and have fun! As for my Singapore Poly readers, don't forget to catch Theatre Compass at their next theatrical performance of "Inside out 2.0" in April where I'll be acting as an old maniacal Pak Cik( malay Man ) plotting to overthrough a Community Centre xD

Once again, I thank you for reading Dreamofdior . Here's to a great week ahead!