Black magic.

All items from forever 21

I've been attracted to a lot of black, lace, tweed, suede, leather and dark metals lately. Perhaps it's because Halloween is just around the corner. My Halloween night will most likely be spontaneous this year, I don't even know if I'll be dressing up (other than being a "burrito" to get a free meal at Chipotle.

As the month of October is ending, I am proud to say I have not purchased a single clothing/shoe/accessory item! The feeling is sort of empowering, but who knows if I'll continue onto November. I'll be traveling here and there and I always tend to break my monthly budget when I travel, tsk tsk.

A chock-ful weekend.

My friend and I found out we both had a black sequined skirt/dress, so we decided to be like little girls and coordinate around the item just for kicks.

Wearing: Sequined dress from Target, gray vest from H&M, Rough Justice boots, vintage Christian Dior sidebag

Had an eventful weekend full of random happenings. Friday night, the Hubby surprised me by taking me to Wolfgang Puck's flagship restaurant, Spago, in Beverly Hills. DineLA had a special 3-course prixe fix menu, which allowed us to sample a variety of dishes for nearly half the price. I was definitely impressed by the service and flavors of the food, especially the chocolate purse at the end.







Outside the restrooms stood a sculpture piece displaying a rack full of shoes holding spices, which gives the term "spice rack" a fun flair.


Finally got to wear a top/dress I bought while in Paris. Been saving it for a special outing and I guess food + my Hubby are good enough reasons, heheh.


Helped a friend get ready for her homecoming dance. Gosh, this brings back high school memories. I feel old, haha.


Then, went to see a Chinese Cultural Dance fundraiser for our church.

Had a Croque Madame for lunch today at the local french deli..pretty good, but it doesn't beat Paris : )

And that concludes my weekend.

Fall fashion picks.

Due to the ongoing recession, I decided to post some affordable picks for the Fall/Winter. I usually tell people to invest in shoes, bags and classic items. Super trendy clothing pieces such as tops, dresses and accessories aren't worth spending a ton on, which is why Forever 21 is such a great source.

Forever 21 Fall picks

Ponchos, fur, stripes, military= love.

Forever 21 accessory picks

I'm an accessory hoarder and seeing all these beautiful finds on the F21 website is making me drool. 

Cold-weather boot selection


L-R: Piperlime/Aldo/Aldo, Bottom row: Piperlime

People have been asking me questions on buying boots, so I've decided to put in a few tips:

• Boots are an investment. Go leather, Pay more, feel better and wear them longer. Expect to spend at least 80+ retail. The key is to find them on clearance.
  
• Try shoes on at a local department store and then find them cheaper online. At least now you know how they feel/look on you.
  
• Go for classic colors if you intend on spending more for your boots. Neutrals, black, grays, red, you'll never get tired of these shades and they go with everything!
  
• Properly store your leather boots back into the box when you're done wearing them for a season, otherwise the leather will start to dry out.
  
• Get over the UGGs. They have and never will be considered chic. They're only practical when there's snow.
  

 Bags. Spend more, buy fewer and they will last longer. I'm not a huge fan of designer monogram. Small logos are okay. Go for all-leather if you decide to buy a classic bag that you will keep for years. Loehmanns, TJ Maxx and Nordstroms Rack are excellent choices for a variety of designer bags. 

Alright, that is all for today. TGFCW (Thank God for cooler weather) !!

When in Paris...

Thrifty outfit of the day: striped top from U.O- $10, blood orange shorts-gift from a friend, cowboy boots-$3, isaac mizrahi leather sidebag- $6.99, f21 chain necklace, sunglasses by ben sherman

This is what they use to make moscato sweet wine. I love the flavor of muscat grapes!

Had an unexpected "Parisienne" day  (striped shirt also unplanned, heheh): Went to the local farmer's market, found a charming little French deli/cafe, complete with French workers with heavy accents, had a crepe, baguette with frommage, tiny glass of Bordeaux and a macaron for dinner, heard Boum by Charles Trenet, one of my favorite old school French songs, and then heard a little boy speak French to his father at Trader Joe's. For a moment, I felt like I was in Paris again...sigh. 

Raindrops keep falling on my head.

Wearing: fur-trimmed jacket from AE, long gray cardigan from macy*s, chiffon scarf from mom, knee-high socks from gap, hunter rainboots

In honor of the rain, I decided to take our camera out to shoot photos of the beautiful raindrop remains:





Since I'm on a shopping freeze, I created an "imaginary list" of items that caught my eye, I think imaginary shopping actually helps!

Items found on: net-a-porter

Autumn, I love you.

Thrifty outfit of the day: vest from kmart- $3, thrifted leather skirt- $3.50, black top from paris- $10 thrifted leather belt- $2, f21 bangles, leopard tights- $1, nine west ankle boots- $50


The few trees with autumn leaves are starting to fall and change color here in Southern California. The air has turned into a cool, crisp fall treat. The sky is scattered with fluffy gray clouds as the rain is drizzling sporadically. Homes are decorated with fall wreaths, pumpkins, ghosts and other spooky creatures. Every so often, you may come across the smell of burning logs, traveling up the chimney and into the sky. Autumn is here and I'm in love.

Autumn highlights:

Homemade butternut squash soup

Honeycrisp apples: crispy, juicy, fragrant, sweet - how all apples should taste.

Making sun-dried tomato hummus

Balloons

Leather jackets

Came across this clothing brand called dear creatures. I love how creative their lookbook for Autumn09 is. It has that 60s vintage girl scout feel to it.

Chanel-inspired

Wearing: sheer blouse- INC, sequined vest- f21, tuxedo pants- urban outfitters, suede boots- dansko, glasses- chanel, pearls- hawaii

Mocha, is sporting a tweed jacket she received as a gift from a generous family. How suitable for the occasion : )

Finallly went to see Coco Avant Chanel with Jewel. I loved the cinematography, storyline, Audrey Tatou and so much more. Anne Fontaine did a wonderful job in depicting one of the most important women in fashion history. It's astonishing to see how Gabrielle "Coco," an ordinary woman, build her dreams from scratch. Fashion was a lifestyle for Coco and her simple style lacked the gaudy-ness that was often seen in the high-class society of her time; such a contrast from the modern-day Chanel.