I plan on wearing these pants well into the fall and winter, but while it's still warm outside, I've worn these delightfully pleated wide-legged trousers with this va-va-voom itty-bitty structured top. Pleats typically look horrible on any body type, but pleats with a high waist and an exaggerated wide leg? Kinda incredible. And these are a steal, being from H&M.
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This outfit started with the ice blue Shoemint heels. Then I discovered this sheer pleated navy American Apparel skirt hiding in my closet, and naturally, playing to my tendencies towards monochrome & simplicity, I sealed the deal with this vintage low back body suit, in the same navy color. I love a reason to show off some leg. And I find this bright candy apple red building delicious. Actually, now that I think about it, this outfit was born once I saw this brick wall.
]]>I suppose it's only a matter of time before this crop top phenom becomes such a been-there-done-that trend, that shirts will become obsolete. Before we take it to that point, however, let's entertain the prospect of wearing bras as tops, yes? I mean, Selene did it. Madonna did it. Jennifer Lopez did it. Miley and Rihanna are doing it. Why else am I going to spend money on La Perla lingerie if I'm not going to wear it for everyone to see?
Seriously, though, I'm not about to wear my undies as outerwear (not saying that you shan't, because if you can pull it off, go for it). This leathery bikini top from Triangl swimwear, though, is so perfect with this high waisted leather and suede skirt from Zara, that I just couldn't help but to prance around in this.
]]>I've had this BB Dakota onesie for years; it's my traveling outfit, which everyone who travels should have one. It should be a combination of low maintenance, easy to assemble pieces that require little thought, especially when you're figuring out what to pack. This getup is my favorite lounge wear at the moment. My leather crop top underneath, from Intermix, keeps things from looking too childish. And the best part? Did I mention it's low maintenance? I have a two year old, so every once in awhile I enjoy kicking the heels off and running around in crazy cool sneakers (I know, but I swear I haven't given up). Too cold? Throw a sweater on. Too hot? Just wear as is. It's sexy enough that I can go directly from the plane (or the park) to evening cocktails, just put on a pair of strappy heels and wrap some chains up my arm. So easy.
]]>It's easy to over do any look, but if you stick with similar or complimentary colors, then you're less likely to look like a 14 yr old dressed you with all of her favorite Forever 21 picks. I'm new to this pink thing, so I felt safe pairing it with a ton of black. The skirt, from the always trending Zara, is a mix of sweet pink and lace, which gives it a 'lingerie during the day' vibe. The peep-toe booties are Steve Madden, and feature reptile print leather and clear lucite heels. I'm telling you, they are amazing. And of course, what's a little silk, lace, and leather, without some STYLEBONE chains?
]]>Somewhere between last year's wedge sneakers and this season's boyfriend fit everything, I gave peplum a second chance. I found it in this little crop tank from Topshop, in the loveliest shade of pale pink. So, okay, there's a certain je ne sais quoi to this entire look, that I may or may not repeat (probably not), but I'm glad I tried it out. I discovered several things: that I am a fan of pastel pink, and midi skirts (though I've always loved them) are more a friend to me than minis, and this summer, even though I wore some of the highest SPF known to man, I still got a hell of a tan.
]]>And I'll tell you what, I didn't hate it.
I was going through old pictures in a family photo album the other night, and came across my 8th grade graduation class photo. I went to a Catholic school, so everyday was the same getup: navy skirt, white peterpan collared shirt, navy wool vest, white socks, brown mary-janes. The uniform did what it was supposed to do- make everyone look painfully boring and free of distractions. So, any chance we got to dress up or down, we did so with the kind of exuberance one only feels when experiencing true freedom. Of course, I was cursed with the super strict parents who sent me to school in my uniform on dress-down days because they didn't want that kind of attention from the boys. And when our graduation happened, all of the girls wore strapless prom dresses, while I wore a short-sleeved FLORAL maxi with a waist tie. I was mortified at the time. Not only that, but I was also the token Asian of the class, had no boobs, and hadn't quite grown into my large teeth yet.
Anyways, perhaps that's why I have such an aversion to floral printed anything. But I found this dress on ASOS and, much like everything on ASOS, I wanted it. Fast forward to this shoot, and I think I'm looking a lot better than those early years I remember so vividly.
]]>In researching the history of the Canadian Tuxedo, I came across two different stories of how this fashion choice came to be. In one story, taken from a site dedicated solely on the life and stardom of the CT, some French designers, on their way to New York, were rerouted in Winnipeg, where they stumbled upon a singer performing at a bar. They struck up friendly conversation, and before they knew it, they were being invited to her wedding the following day, and they kindly accepted her invitation. It was there that the Frenchmen witnessed the groom's formal getup- an all denim tuxedo- his finest jeans, double-breasted denim shirt, and denim jacket for the special occasion. After the wedding, they went on their way to New York, where the CT garnered its reputation as the newest trend.
In the second story, taken from GQ, Levi's constructed an all denim tuxedo after Bing Crosby was denied access to a hip hotel in Vancouver because he wasn't dressed appropriately. He was wearing denim. Levi's got word of this travesty and made sure it would never happen again by creating a very fancy tuxedo jacket to wear with his jeans, thus making the Canadian Tuxedo.
It's hard to say which story is true. On one hand, you would think that a site devoted entirely to the CT would get its history correct, but you would also expect the writers over at GQ to get their facts checked. Regardless, I think one this is clear. Though we may not wear the full garb- the pants, shirt, AND jacket all at once- the denim on denim trend is here to stay indefinitely, and we can all tip our hats to the Canadians. EH?
]]>Some days, I just want to wake up and get dressed without analyzing my entire wardrobe. I had a moment a while ago where I decided to purge my closet of any obtrusive clutter; an aesthetic cleanse, if you will. Floral blazers, gone. Sequin dresses (because honestly, who wears them twice?), gone. Ruffled shirts, gone. Peplum, I never liked you anyways, so gone. I had a perfect Cher from Clueless moment, when she's going through her closet, tossing every other top and skirt combo into a huge pile on the floor. It felt fantastic. Of course, with great moments of change and clarity, sometimes come great moments of panic and regret. The crying lasted maybe 10 minutes post donation, but I was happier for my decision. I have few colorful moments left in my repetoire, but I suppose I'm getting used to that. I do much prefer a neutral palette, especially when it comes to basics, and boy does this girl love basics. This top, for example. Neutral in color, so it can be worn with anything, but it's leather (I know!) so it can be worn from day to night. As I get older, I'm finding that quality matters over quantity. I want clothing (especially tops) simple in structure and color that can be mixed with a variety of items that I already own. And as for the bright, over the top, wowza pieces? That responsibility I'll save for the dresses. I still have a TON of dresses.
]]>Oh, French Connection...we totally...have...a connection.
Too lame?
Sorry, just wanted to throw that line out there, in part because I am running on little sleep, which means my thoughts are basically mush at this point. But, without straining my brain too much, a look back at my FCUK history will reveal that I've had way more hits than misses with this brand. This brand needs little tailoring, and when you're buying higher end mass fashion, that is a major plus. This structured grid patterned dress was originally a couple inches longer, but I'm not that sweet (insert sexy eye wink, or in my case, a creepy eye twitch), so it's been hemmed appropriately to suit my style. And of course, I'm wearing the Dot Dot Seurat necklace by STYLEBONE.
]]>So many dresses to wear, not enough reasons to wear them. If you've ever thought about blogging, I encourage you to try it, especially if you are the type of person who gets complacent in their choices. It's a reason to be bold, a reason to take chances and if anything, it provides an opportunity to wear everything you've been collecting in your wardrobe. Take this dress, for example. A lovely Finders Keepers number fit for the day or a night out. It was hanging in my closet, waiting for its turn to be seen, and I just hadn't found the right chance to showcase it's wildness, until now.
]]>This shirt is all business up top and party on the bottom, am I right? I couldn't help myself and drank an entire full-fat-100% whole milk latte and suffered the bloatiness that occurs afterwards, so I threw on some high waisted pants to suck everything in. Ha, just kidding. Not about the latte part, I really did enjoy every foamy drop, but I wore these jeans simply because they are the bee's knees. Also, wearing the Dot Dot Seurat necklace and arm swag from the STYLEBONE collection.
]]>Keeping cool means wearing everything a little looser than you normally would. And on a side note, I could live in this outfit. These Current Elliot 'The Boyfriend' jeans are my current favorite, rotating in my closet often.
]]>I'm wearing about 7 lbs of jewelry here. I'm all for minimal jewelry, but I don't think that being minimal means being weightless. I think absolutely layer those heavy chains and large statement pieces! If done right, it can look effortless and cohesive. Work with the same like-colors, such as all gunmetal and silver, and play with layers, being sure to hit multiple points on the body, not just focusing on one area. Make it look like your jewelry is cascading off your body, not like you're wearing large restrictive pieces. The look you're going for is glam, not S&M. Unless that's what you're into, then by all means, wear that chain choker and collar and body chain all at once.
]]>I'm very much in love with my chain+thread look; very bohemian and cool. It's perfect for those days when I just want to roll out of bed, but look presentable to the rest of the world. The combination of heavy chains and metallic threading gives this plain outfit an unexpected edge.
]]>Is there anything sexier than a body chain sans shirt?! I mean, obviously I couldn't wear this outfit to a public function without either heavy duty body tape or at least a bra of some sort... Maybe not. Definitely not a look for the faint of heart, but what's 'fashion' without taking risks?
]]>The full skirt is a little too Stepford-wifey for me. I really think, however, that I balanced prettiness with hard edginess in this outfit. The stark white shoes, tiny crop top, and the Cold Heart necklace from the STYLEBONE collection play together to bring this skirt to my level of 'bad'ness. I don't see myself wearing this all the time, but I'm starting to think that maybe this skirt in every neon color would be totally appropriate in my wardrobe.
]]>That time I wore a super sexy, slinky dress during the day...with Chucks and an Adidas cap. I mean, why not, right? The dress is from Zara, so I didn't mind that I was sweating and getting hot city grime on it. And if I needed to, I could just throw on strappy sandals, throw my hair in a messy up-do, and I'm ready for happy hour.
]]>And artists. And apparently it's a hangout for the 'Twat Squad', as it's clearly been marked by their kind. All are welcome at the skate park. Seriously, though, the skaters weren't bothered at all that I was rolling around and frying like bacon in their ramp. Perhaps it was because of this diaphanous Alexander Wang dress. I'll tell you who will be bothered, however, is my dry cleaner. What the heck is this shit on my dress?! I blame the 'Twat Squad'.
]]>Whenever I wear distressed denim, the elders in town always ask me if I can afford jeans without holes. Which makes me wonder, when I'm old enough to be called an 'elder', what will the youths be wearing, and will it offend me as much as 'hole-y' denim offends the seniors now?
Aside from wearing my most favorite and beloved destroyed denim, I am wearing the xYz necklace from the STYLEBONE collection. It goes with everything (I mean, literally, everything- try wearing it with your pajamas, you'll feel f'ing fab), and it's super shiny- if you wear it, they will come. Umm, they being boys, or girls, whatever you're into...or if you have kids, this necklace will distract them long enough to check you Instagram and Twitter feed.
]]>Sometimes inspiration comes when you least expect it....like, say, when you've had four hours of sleep in the past couple of days, and you've subsisted on only coffee and wine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. New items will be featured on the shop site soon.
]]>1) Wear white whenever you want, though you may want to have a spare outfit just in case of spills.
2) Cheap whites look cheap. Always.
3) The best accessory for whites is appropriate undergarments.
4) A good self bronzer does wonders for an all white outfit; just apply a day or two beforehand, and quality really does matter so as to avoid the 'rubbed off' tan.
5) Sometimes, well, most of the time, a loose fit is best.
6) As a rule, I always avoid white capris. Just don't do it.
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You know those days you stumble into Whole Foods and it happens to be the day they are giving out free samples of almost everything? You want to say no to the fifth sample of aged gruyere, but you can't. You just give in, and when all is said and done, you leave the store feeling fuller and better for having experienced the deliciousness of all that cheese. Birchbox is like that. And because I can't say no to samples, I've subscribed to both the men's and women's monthly box of goodies. I'm always thrilled over the products- tinted spf, magical hair detangler, face exfoliant- even if I've already sampled 20 other tinted moisturizers and hair detanglers. Each box is different, each filled with travel size bottles of things you've heard of but never tried. There are the occasional obscure items, like the beard groomer my husband received, though he is sans facial hair, I can't seem to part with it. Thus I've amassed an arsenal of miniature lifestyle & body products. And as the saying goes, "When faced with samples of cheese, always circle back around for another helping." No, I made that up. But, seriously, If you aren't signed up for Birchbox yet, I recommend you do it before the end of this month.
Ah, three words that probably bares more excitement in all other countries on this planet but ours: The World Cup. I hope that's not the case, because much can be learned from this sport. It has the power to expose our being, our passions, our politics. It reveals our true nature- that we are all animalistic, raw, hard core, competitive beasts. Tell me you're not screaming, fingers gripping hair, eyes bulging, leg muscles tensed up, when your team barely misses a shot...or better yet, makes the shot. Get into the frenzy that is the World Cup.
It's good to be inspired. Sophia Amoruso's book, #GIRLBOSS, will do that. Get ready to want to build your own company from the ground up. And side note, I am currently working on the tees for STYLEBONE_KIDS, a small sample pictured above. Wait for it...#bitchesbebossesnow.
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