River Island Mega Fashion Hall

Ever since Jam and I found out that there would be a River Island branch opening at the Mega Fashion Hall, we've been waiting patiently (or at least trying to be) on the edge of our seats, biting our nails, and getting our wallets ready for the inevitable splurging that would ensue. Every single time we went to Mega, we'd gaze longingly like insane shopaholics at the massive 'coming soon' sign printed over one of their look-book photos, asking each other, "Just when will it open?" We wanted to be there on the first day like rabid dogs being fed their first meal, but alas, we missed it. Luckily, however, a trip to the store was planned for me at the last minute, and so my adventure begins. Lots of love to River Island for inviting me, being so accommodating, and for letting me play around the store styling things and myself! See the outfit I came up with under the cut. :P
Upon entering, I headed straight for their shoes section. Jam owns a few pairs from River Island, and I own black leather slip-ons that I got at a bargain price (did I mention that their sales are the best?), so I'm no stranger to the amazing quality their shoes have to offer. I'm a big advocate of combining comfort and style—nobody should ever have to sacrifice one for the other, I'd like to believe—so it's a real thrill to find a brand that perfectly captures that in their products. Even their tall heels (seen in the first picture) and booties—aka probably one of my favorite pairs they're selling right now—are comfortable; what more their flats and sandals? The same goes for their bags and accessories; I styled a coral pink sling bag that turns into a clutch, which you will see at the end of this post.
The first thing that caught my eye was this pale blue romper with cut-outs. There's a black version of it, but considering I'm almost always wearing monochromes, I opted to go for this light, girly piece. I like that it's classy and sophisticated, but could still be dressed down. You could wear a simple circle skirt over it, and it would still look as stylish as it did on its own.

The printed shorts, on the other hand, had a flow-y feel to it. It sort of reminded me of origami skorts but with rounded edges instead of the usual pointed ones. It was made out of a soft, chiffon-like fabric that was silky to the touch, and like the romper, you could dress it up or down with your top, shoes, and accessories. For a more put-together look for when you're not feeling lazy, I'd wear it with a cream colored top, preferably made out of similar fabric; gold accessories, and flats.
Just looking back at these photos now is giving me plenty of outfit ideas. I was told that River Island's AW14 collection is being exclusively sold at their Mega Fashion Hall branch, so if you'd like to get your hands on their latest styles, then I would definitely suggest dropping by and having a look-see. The tee pictured above in the top left corner goes well with the denim shorts to its right—it's something I would personally wear with my Birks or slip-ons—but to tell you the truth, you could mix and match that entire section and still get a stylish yet casual and comfortable ensemble.
This top, on the other hand, reminded me a lot of Jam and her older sister, who is obsessed with cats (even more so than me). Aside from that, Jam is really into simple graphic tees with folded sleeves—very normcore, I would say—so for anyone who's interested in copping my best friend's style, this shirt is for you! Jam's better at dressing graphic tees up than I am, but if I were to take a guess at how she would style this on the opposite of a lazy day, she'd match it with a white origami skort with a lazy half-tuck, and her River Island sandals. Of course, a Jam outfit wouldn't be complete without the shades resting on her head, but don't fret, because pictured below are sunglasses that would go well with the outfit!
(P.S.: check out that biker jacket hanging in the background. I am in love.)
And finally, the outfit I styled. Considering the romper had a really light color, I wanted to add a pop to the ensemble to liven things up, which explains the coral pink leather sling bag that I used as a clutch. The colors really did complement each other without clashing or being too hurtful to the eyes, and the white and gold accessories added a really nice touch—a little more oomph—to the entire get-up. It's a simple outfit that's comfortable enough for semi-formal events or dates (not that I go on any...).
This gold bib-like necklace was the first accessory that caught my eye, what with its jewels and rose gold embellishments. I remember staring at the outfit in the mirror and feeling like it lacked something before I put it on, so I can definitely say that this necklace completed the look. It's not as heavy as it looks either, nor was it irritating, so another round of applause is in order for River Island's capability to design products that are both comfortable and stylish.
And finally, the shoes. It was actually the sales associate helping me around the store who chose this chunky white pair, and Oh my God she is brilliant. It's nice that not only are their sales associates helpful, but they also have their own sense of style, and so for anyone who feels clueless as to what goes with which while shopping at the store—especially since they launched #RIootd, a giveaway in which you style an outfit and get a chance to win it—I advise you to consult the employees for their opinion/s! All in all, I had a wonderful time going around the store and picking items for the look, and look forward to more visits in the future (hopefully with Jam this time)!