Austinasian Bride on a Budget: Episode 1

by Sha-Lene

Hi Your Shopping Kaki readers! Greetings from Austin, Texas!

I hope you had a good and safe Hari Raya celebration -- I've missed you guys and the blogshop-sphere community so much. Those of you who know me personally will remember me as the founder of YourShoppingKaki and that I've relocated to the U.S. for my studies. And now, I've got some news that brings me back to blogging on a limited scale...

I'm engaged! :D

And I'm here to share my experience with you through a series of blog posts and videos -- which, trust me, involves a lot of shopping and budgeting strategies! And we all know that's our favorite topic to share. ;)

The series is called Austinasian Bride on a Budget -- because my fiance is from Austin, Texas while I'm originally from Malaysia. I'll be sharing DIY tips as well as shopping for service providers and wedding rings.

To start with, the video above is about our engagement rings and our DIY wedding invitations. Darren got me a rose quartz engagement ring, and then I got him a tungsten ring from TungstenRings.com.

Who are they?

TungstenRings.com is a small father-and-son family business based in Utah. They've been in business for 7 years, selling mens' rings. And now, they're expanding to reach the Southeast Asian market, because Malaysian, Singaporean and Australian customers are expressing more interest in tungsten rings in recent years. You can call them at +1-(801)-755-1661 (that's a U.S. number so bear in mind international call rates, or use Skype credit) or email them at ringsales@live.com.

What are tungsten rings? What ever happened to good ol' gold?

Tungsten carbide is chosen over gold, platinum etc because of the durability of the metal. Mr. Johnson, who manages the company's email correspondence, has personally had his ring for 3 years and it still looks brand new. My fiance's ring has also endured a lot of clanging against pots, pans and other metals and looks way better than if he had been wearing a gold engagement ring.

What are the prices like?

Trust me when I say that they are very affordable for mens' rings. To top it off, they have promotions on their rings every month. Sometimes they offer a 35% discount, sometimes a buy one get one free. Currently, they are having a $100 off discount from their rings. They also offer affordable shipping rates to Malaysia, where they regularly mail rings to customers. The prices of the rings range from $150 - $800 for a high end tungsten or titanium band with diamonds. They also accept international payments via Paypal (which in my opinion is one of the safest ways to shop online internationally!).

How do you know your ring size?

The best way is to go to a jewelry store and get your ring sized by the store. That's what we did. There are "home methods" you can do by yourself such as using a tape measurer. But to save yourself the trouble of returning the ring to get it resized, I would just recommend going to a store and getting your man's ring size!

Why should you buy from them instead of a local store?

Because it's something different. I've reached the point in time where everyday someone is getting engaged or married - or having a baby! - on my Facebook news feed, and the last thing I want are rings that look the same as everyone else's! Also, while I'm not very familiar with local jewelers in Malaysia, I'm pretty sure tungsten is not a commonly available material. Most people go with gold -- but there's a surging popularity for tungsten! :)

What do you think? Would you try giving a tungsten ring to your man? TungstenRings.com sells engagement rings, wedding bands as well as general just-want-to-give-your-guy-a-gift rings!

Happy Shopping!

Your Shopping Kaki :)

Summer Styles: Maxed Out!

By Wei Ni (Guest Blogger)

Because Your Shopping Kaki's lovely founder Sha-Lene said so, and so it is to be! If you haven't already heard or you're brand new to our online fashion portal, welcome & take note that we love all things fashion! The first thing you have to know is that every year on the 7th of January, it is MAXI DRESS DAY! We won't get into full detail on this post on the founding of Maxi Dress Day, but feel free to check our our comprehensive article on 'Why 7th January is Maxi Dress Day'. :)

At Disneyland: Sha-Lene's current favorite maxi dress!

Started in the 1940's, where stylish socialites and Hollywood's hottest starlets would wear these absolutely stunning floor length dresses with gorgeous full skirts for fancy parties & posh tête-à-têtes. Sadly the trend kinda died off during the 60's & 70's when the famous super short mini skirts came in.

It wasn't until the early 21st century that these gorgeous floor sweeping dresses came back into season and we are very happy to say that it is now a permanent fixture in our daily lives. :)

There ain't nothing wrong with dressing up all fancy like in a maxi dress in the day! 

Maxi dresses are a great piece to quickly throw on & look put together in an instant! Whether you're going for an edgy boots & beanie look or a casual flip flops & oversized bag laze, there's a maxi out there for you for every occasion. 

Because, scarves. For windy days, cold days, any day really where you feel that the weather can get a tad unpredictable or when you're shuffling between the icy cold malls & walking along outside. Incredibly helpful when you're flying as well! Gotta keep those airplane chills away. 

A maxi dress at the beach is your perfect companion. Flowy, beautiful & fuss free, these dresses are made for the seaside. 

While Sha-Lene is bummed she couldn't bring her massive maxi dress collection with her to the U.S., her maxi-grieving hasn't stopped her from amassing a new collection! 

And now, because we are YOUR Shopping Kaki, below are our picks from around the Malaysian online fashion market! Take a peep below, and let us know what's your pick? :)
Don't forget, clicking directly on the pictures itself will direct you to the actual link of the product. :) 

Corshacomo: Holy Ops | Zion Ops | Caramel Ops

Tanks for 5: Highneck Basic Maxi Dress | Cut In Shoulders Maxi Dress | Floral Maxi Dress

Dress Sisterz: Aztec Print Maxi Dress | Charlotte Maxi Dress | Bella Maxi Dress

Peep: Zebra Maxi Dress | T-shirt Maxi Dress | Dia de Muertos Maxi Dress | Luxe Tea Party Dress | Daphne Maxi Dress

Hanajae: Scoop Back Bow Maxi Dress | Hamsa Fringed Dress | Navy Pleated Maxi Dress | Floral Off Shoulder Maxi Dress | Tribal Print Maxi Dress

Are you as obsessed with maxi dresses as we are? Which of these are your favourites? :)
Let us know by leaving a comment down below or have a chat with us on our Facebook page. ;)

Take a peep at our previous Summer Styles file:

Week 1: Top of the Crops

Week 2: White Out

Week 3: Swimmingly Summer

Week 4: State your Tee 

So ends our Summer Styles series, let us know if you enjoyed it and would like to see more of these kinda posts by dropping us a comment down below or just post it directly onto our Facebook. :) 

Looking forward to hear from all you lovely readers out there! :* 

Till next time,

Wei Ni out! ;)

Happy Shopping!

Wei Ni (a.k.a Guest Blogger for YSK)

Edited by YourShoppingKaki :)

Summer Styles: State your Tee!

By Wei Ni (Guest Blogger)

Hi guys! Welcome back to our 4th instalment of Summer Styles! We've previously brought you, Top of the Crops, White Out & Swimmingly Summer. We are one who are obsessed with themes, so just sit back & relax while we bring you our top picks for Summer from all over the Malaysian Online Shopping market! :) 

This week, it's all about the statement/graphic tees. In our hot, humid South East Asian weather we can't escape a good t-shirt. A lot of people have the impression that you can't style up a tee for work, but we believe that if done right, anything is possible! After all, fashion is supposed to be fun so don't be afraid, go break some rules! ;) 

Casual in a tee. 

Because that's what these tees are made for! Casual days are made of these! A fun graphic tee with your favourite short, short, short skirt or shorts! :P

T-shirt corporation. 

We find that for work, you can rock a good statement/graphic tee if paired with nicely tailored midi skirts or pants, a good pair of heels and a blazer thrown over. There's just something about a midi skirt & blazer combo that makes you look instantly pulled together! 

Denim does it. 

Best buds for life. The tee & denim combo is a tried & tested timeless look that ANYONE can pull off! Whether you love them skinnies, bootcut or boyfriend jeans, this is one look you'll be able to rock time & time again. And hey, we love things that are convenient and make us chic in a pinch!

And everything in between. 

Still needing more ideas to style up your tee? We are loving these! Tutu skirts or cool leather pants, however you choose to rock your graphic tee, there's no right or wrong. Pick whatever style you're feeling at the moment and let the wild side take you!

Now it's time to go SHOPPING! 
Because I am ALL about convenience, clicking on the photos below will lead you directly to the individual product page (applicable for all our Summer Styles Series). :) 

Milktee You Me Oui Tee | Donald Tee

Kiss & Tell Vogue Tee in White | Celine Tee in Black | Peep Celfie Tee

Hanajae Good Vibes Top | Antisocial Crop Top | Peep XXX Top

Azorias Be Classy Tee | Hanajae Best Bitches Tee

Tanks for 5 Watermelon Tee | Geek Tee | Floral Skull Tee

Let's Tee Ramblings & Yer Tee (April Collection)

Tell us, what's your favourite statement/graphic tee, and how would you style it up? :) 

Let us know in the comments down below, for we'd love to hear from you! :) 

Take a peep at our previous Summer Styles file:

Week 1: Top of the Crops

Week 2: White Out

Week 3: Swimmingly Summer

Stay tuned next week for our FINAL Summer Styles instalment! :) 

Till next time,

Wei Ni out! ;)

Happy Shopping!

Wei Ni (a.k.a Guest Blogger for YSK)

Edited by YourShoppingKaki :)