Too much work and not enough play

My heart breaks for my neglected blog. I promise there will be posts to come!

Bargain shopping

A few weeks ago, I saw on Elle.com, a beautiful quote by Dior expressing what I feel is the essential ingredient to looking great. Its not about how much money you have but about understanding.

Tips to getting amazing stuff without skipping lunch
1. Only buy things on sale. You know what looks good and what is beautiful. Designers and store have to get rid of product not because the product isn't good anymore but its no longer profitable. They take advantage of the fact that people don't always know what looks good or whats in style, but just what other people tell them is stylish. Which is why they are constantly updating their line with the same basic pieces with little to no change.
2. Buy things on sale on sale- this is where it gets tricky, the key is to find the LAST piece of the entire collection for 70% off. Its just as perfect as everything else but since theres only ONE piece, the stores need to get rid of it! This can get annoying because things are rarely ever in my size- but if you have the time, you can save tons and tons of money!
3. Only buy the piece if you love it so much you would have bought it at full price. People often make the mistake of buying items because its cheap. Only buy items you love or else it'll just sit on your closet collecting dust.


Things I bought yesterday @ Loehmann's
By Green Envelope- Original cost $100 bought for $10

By BCBG- Original cost $70 bought for $13

By Soprano- original cost $40 bought for $9

By BCBG- original cost $70 bought for $13

And the shorts are made by Citizens of Humanities which I bought this winter for $15

The universe loved me yesterday- I did a happy dance :)

Notice everything is grey (and black)- I've been inspired by Club Monaco and I love thick ruffles

(Everything is styled with the shorts that I already had on since my girl friend Jess Chou (currently interning at Bon Appetite Magazine) took the pictures for me. I just wanted to show you the items, not necessarily how I'd wear them)

Club Monaco: My Shade of Grey

Club Monaco rocked my world with their new line! I kissed the bright goodbye and welcomed home the neutral!

I can't wait until fall! I love the summer because of shorts and tank tops but I am seriously tired of the baby floral print. I've been protesting color and prints for a while now and I am so glad that the fashion gurus have decided to bring solid back in!

Jessica @ LAMILL

My cousins from New Jersey are here for the summer! We had a coffee date at LaMill in Los Angeles. Although its a bit pretentious and over priced, LaMill really does have AMAZING coffee. Tiffany had a Creme Brulee Latte- there is literally a thin, torched layer of brown sugar on top of the latte. Melanie had a Peanut Butter and Jelly expresso shot- its crazy strong and crazy good. I had a boring ice coffee because if a cafe can make a good ice coffee its a good sign that everything else is wonderful.

My accessories for the day :)

Role Model: Christy Turlington

Last year, I read a beautiful article about a beautiful woman. Having a big heart and truly helping others without asking for anything in return is something that will never go out of style. This super model has committed her life to helping pregnant women in 3rd world countries seek better living standards and social justice. We aren't talking about designer diaper bags but fresh water. The world needs heroes or heroines, and Ms. Turlington is mine.

Food first, fashion second

I must confess- food is my weakness. My boyfriend told me he has accepted as beautiful as I am now (kiss ass), he knows I will inevitably be fat. Though I might not have enough money to buy a new five dollar shirt, I can always scrap up enough change to enjoy a three course meal at Marche Moderne in the South Coast Plaza (right next to a Christian Louboutin boutique).

Gwyneth Paltrow has timeless beauty. She is the essence of sexy yet classy. And she cooks! Vogue's Jeffrey Steingarten writes a beautiful article about Ms. Paltrow. Can't wait to try out recipes from her cook book!

Pink

I don't know why I had my blog pink for a while. I rarely like pink but I love peach.

Though Valentino makes everything right. I still can't believe they designed flipflops.

Street Chic

Inspirations

When is it good to wear heel and when should we just wear flats? It's really all about comfort- can't be sexy and attractive if we're limping now can we?

Timeless in my heart

If I lived in a world by myself, where I only ate oatmeal, I would wear this out fit everyday. Cowboy chic with a touch of elegance is so timeless, at least it is in my heart. This is an outfit that my younger 7 year old self would have loved and my bad ass 16 year old self would have worn. Now that I have aged to 20, I have much too much respect for myself to indulge in such a luxurious treat. To wear what I love without fear of condemnation from my peer, my family, and strangers is a gift I no longer grant myself.

Cheers to growing up and losing passion in what we love. Or being too scared to stand by it.

Just Pretty

I know I've been on a crusade for Pretty gone crazy but I am still a sucker for just plain pretty

Russian Vogue

Edun's

Edun's

I know it's only the summer but we can start looking forward to the fall!

Simple, classy, hit of sexy, & organic.

CLOGS!

I was reading this adorable blog about clogs and decided to put together a quick list for everyone who can't afford $300 dollar shoes :) (Most everything will be onsale- I don't believe in buying things for full price haha)

Expensive to cheap!

Maxstudio Abba Clogs $89.21 %25 off from original

DKNYC Elim Peep Toe Clogs $65.98 45% off from $120

Bronx Copper Slingback Clogs $54.42 off from $84.84

Endless.com is an online shoe store with a bazillion pairs of shoes- most of their stuff is ugly. BUT! they have free shipping and return so who cares!

I have mix feelings of about the Bronx Copper pair because initally they vibe old person. However I used my imagination and selected a dark pair of umbrella jeans with a loose sheer peach shirt ontop with a leather bag and a cute hair band with long gold earrings and necklaces

One sexy SUMMER outfit!

Black & White & Gone

Black and white photos, to me, have always been the most beautiful. There is something about nothing that gives me the chills and forces me to keep looking. Singer Sky Ferreira was featured on Elle in her own "pretty gone crazy" style that's making me go crazy. To be honest, I just watched a youtube video of her and she isn't that attractive. But her style really bumps her up a few notches.

Naked

The issue with shopping in the States is that you are truly limited to what is in style. I remember for a long period I was unable to go shopping because my style was not what was "in".

That is all changing this summer! Say hello to nude!

I love nude/brown because of how simple and organic the colors make your outfit. As much as I love beautiful clothes I still believe that clothes should NOT hide who you are but enhance what you are all about. Nude has always been put down because of nude "does not have a personality".

Quite to contrary, nude is elegant, simply, sexy, and timeless because it mimics being bare. That bareness allows you to express yourself instead of transforming you into a moving clothing rack.

Picture of me shot by Photographer Cindy and styled by designer Ashley

This kind of sexy

White + flowers + drugged out= my favorite look

I have never been one to follow rules but I am definitely not a bad ass either. For me, seeing this simple, elegant, girly look tranformed into a sexy good girl gone crazy look is so mysterious.

Say yes to the pretty white dress and with black eye make up, bed hair with mousse, and dark nail polish.

Obsession

I know what I love in fashion but I don't know anything more. So I did some googling work and found that I am obsessed with trends originating in the 50's. Although the styles might not be "super in" there are designers who also believe in high waste lines with natural flowing skirts. In the same decade, the hobble skirt was made more skin tight and inches shorter, creating the sexy pencil skirt.

I believe that it is important for me to identify what styles I am naturally drawn to. I want to resist confirming into what is fashionable and sticking with the style that I LOVE.

Inspired by Betty

This French fashion blogger, Betty inspires me. Not that I adore her style but her passion. In writing this blog, I can find myself trying to "be" like other fashion bloggers and like what other fashion bloggers like. Truthfully, I love the top on her but I don't love the top. To much "bling" on a shirt is gaudy and overwhelming. But reading her blog inspires me to believe in what I love & not to try to be someone else.

Tiny II

A personal note.

I titled my post about small purses as "Tiny" which is funny because that is how I am feeling about this blog and myself. I've spent the last few hours reading, admiring, and jealousing (aka hating) on the many established and amazing fashion bloggers. How can I compete with such greatness?

Self doubt always encourages passion- the secret ingredient missing in my blog. Can't you taste how bland it is?

Heres a bit of passion for a long time ago

Photo by me Model Ms. Hu

Tiny

Why hello sexy small bag. Thank you for entering my life again!

We used to love big purses because

1. we were told to love it

2. they were big and literally contained everything we owned

We now all LOVE SMALL purses because

1. no more shoulder bruising and dislocation

2. its just a really really big wallet that holds your phone & camera

3. who doesn't want to look like Nataliia (featured sexy model)?

Patent Quilted Shoulder Bag for just 10.80! Same small size and vibrant bold color

Simply simple

The most attractive quality any girl can have is self confidence. Nothing screams 'I am beautiful' more than dressing casually. Mathilde Franchon was featured last week on Vogue's blog and she caught my eye because everything about her screams confidence. There is nothing sexier than a girl who can just wake up in the morning, throw on a loose shirt with a pair of simple jeans and sandals and look stunning. She does not over accessorize or wear too much make up. She is the essence of model perfection.

Find me on Polyvore

shirt
jeans
bracelet
sandal only $13!

Black

Black will always be the new black and I am IN LOVE with the prim and proper little black dress. And it seem that no one is doing it better than Giambattista Valli. Ester Adams from Vogue says that "Giambattista Valli is one of those designers who likes a woman to dress like a woman an unreconstructed, pre-sexual revolution, prim and proper vision but updated to resonate in the 21st century".

And who can argue with elegance with a hint of sexuality?

So you can imagine my excitement when I found this from PinkIce. For those of us who can not afford a Giambattista Valli dress, this piece gives me the same elegant, delicate, yet sexy modern feel. I like that the dress comes in at the waist line yet it still flows naturally. This is a practical and affordable approach to contemporary prim and proper.