The time I wore an old favorite cheongsam blouse casually in the spirit of the upcoming Lunar New Year and ogled leaves on trees. Yes, I have a thing for trees.

Besides trees, I love mandarin collars. This, I’ve said too many times. I think there’s something about the stand collar, with that side neckline slit and the knotted embroidery that lends a curiously charming appeal that makes me a fan of cheongsam blouses and dresses in general. The high collar can seem conservative almost, but a cheongsam dress can carry a really daringly high slit so that the wearer can show off quite a bit of leg.

But I’m talking about this blouse, soft pink stamped with tiny floral motif in a delightful lightweight cotton which is a hand-me-down from my mother. And it could well be over more than a decade in age, and still remains pristine. The key thing that makes this my favorite cheongsam blouse is the breathable fabric. It’s hard to find one in this casual fabric, as the ones in the stores are made for evening wear, in fabric that’s quite thick and shiny you don’t want to be caught wearing outside, when it’s usually boiling hot and humid here in Malaysia.

I hope that the cheongsam blouse will get a fashion makeover soon so that we can all wear them casually.

I chose to wear it with a grey midi pencil skirt. And I’ve always wanted to do a pink and grey combo and was thrilled that I got to do it, with an oriental touch. To keep it on the brutally casual front, I wore with my beaten-up brown cutout shoes that have grown bigger, making my big feet feel like they were slipping out each time I walked. That bag has blue and purple colorblock detail and is actually mom’s. She wanted me to carry it instead of my brown bag, so that was a last-minute creative spin.

The bag was heavy because my mom carried everything (and possibly a rock) inside it, my poor shoulder nearly dislocated. The photographer on duty was my lovely sis who endured my monkey business. I climbed the rail once again, the wind was so strong I nearly toppled over but my strong arms and bottom anchored me down. I decided not to show how nutty I looked but my sis said she wouldn’t be as daring as to climb the rail and said congrats I got the most-adventurous award. So yay!

Well, let’s just eyeball the photos now!

The strong breeze helped to give my mane a windblown look. Thanks, wind.

That bag could kill someone, it’s that heavy and it’s not mine!

The sun giving me love, oh my!

I love getting sunkissed by the evening fiery ball of life. The wind made me feel like I was by the beach only that I was at this sweet spot in my small town. Feels like a vacay but it’s just me acting touristy in my own backyard.

This is a face that says: Never met a tree I did not like!

Feeling the vibe of the greenery, oh my leaves!

When a tree is this intricate, wild and lovely, I can’t help but to feel happy standing next to it.

The sight of the dragonfly brought back childhood memories. I used to be able to hold a smaller version of this with my hand! I grew up in the countryside when you still had to go to people’s house and knock on their door to call them to go out and the landline telephone was a luxury. My sister was not amused by the fact that I had been holding small dragonflies in my hand. She made faces like she’d sniffed something rotten.

Always a good time to play hide-and-seek the eyeballs with leaves.

This dried leaf was huge and gorgeous, I wanted to bring it home and preserve it. Maybe I will!

So folks, how have your 2017 been? A week of January has passed, gosh, time flies and I'm old! What do you think of my casual oriental outfit? Share your thoughts down below, you know I’m going to devour each one and stalk you right back.

A quote by Anita Moorjani to touch your heart:

"In the tapestry of life, we're all connected. Each one of us is a gift to those around us helping each other be who we are, weaving a perfect picture together."

A Normality Lenscape