It's all in the family.

I received a special bday package from my loverly lil sis who is currently in Thailand. 
Inside: Printed tee with a forest scene + a girl who (according to my sis) is supposed to look like me, Audrey Hepburn dark purple tee, pad thai and green curry paste, my two favorite Thai dishes. She sure knows me well...gosh, I miss her.

Been thinking a lot about the people in my life whom I value, and family is still at the top of the list. My mom used to always tell me, "friends come and go, but your family will always be there...that's why you have to treat them well." Her words remain true to this day, and I see it being played out in my huge, but tight-knit family. 

Two of the loves of my life.

Spotted shadows.

Hot dog.

Who needs friends when you've got a dog that will stay by your side?


To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must cultivate our personal life; and to cultivate our personal life, we must first set our hearts right. - Confucius

Gray ruffle bib tank

My friend Alison asked me to create an outfit based on this top from Urban Outfitters, and I thought it would be a fun challenge. It's a gray ruffle bib tank by Kimchi Blue and it was on sale via their website. Unfortunately, it was sold out by the time I tried to view the tank, but I still thought it would be fun to work an outfit around this top.

What to wear with gray ruffle top featuring Christian Louboutin shoes

I decided to go with a tougher look to balance out the youthful and feminine ruffles. Since the top is rather long, I found this Alexander McQueen belt to give it more rock n' roll. With the detailing on the shirt, I wanted to find a simple necklace that wouldn't distract your attention away from the top, so I chose a multi-strand crystal necklace. The jacket is by ABS and it reminded me of the much-coveted Balmain crystal studded "Michael Jackson" jacket. Since the outfit and accessories were all pretty much monochromatic, I picked a red Lanvin bag and red sole Louboutins to give the outfit some added color. Soo...this is the end result, enjoy!

Another outfit for less than $50.

Gray tank- $3.99, white skirt- had it since I was 16, forgot the price($8?)EXPRESS, faux croc belt- $7.99 F21, faux onyx necklace- $5.99 F21,blue-silver bracelet made into a necklace- $1 made by me, silver wedges- $23 Faryl Robin  

By request, I have posted another thrifty outfit of the day. It's kind of fun to come up with an outfit combo that costs less than $50. I was in the mood for white, gray, black and dark silverish color tones today. Perhaps it's a nice contrast from the blazing hot sun outside. Oh what I would do for cloudy weather...

Summer Stuff

After several months of not wearing my Alexander Wang vested shirtdress, I've decided to put it up on ebay to make some extra cash this summer. It's a size 2, but unfortunately, it's a bit too large on my shoulders since I'm petite, so hopefully I'll be able to find it a new home! If you're interested in purchasing, feel free to contact me for the listing info!

Warm weather make-up necessities:


Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion in champagne shimmer. I ran out of the the original sheer primer from 2.5 years ago (yes, it lasted that long...though I didn't use it daily) and finally went out to buy a new one because this stuff actually works. I wore it on my wedding day and my eyeshadow and liner stayed put ALL day. I had tried to replace it by buying a cheaper primer by Sally Hansen and it did me no good. Sometimes you get what you pay for, right? So now, they've come up with a new version of their primer potion. This one comes with shimmer! So really, it's like paying for eyeshadow AND primer in one. Genius.


MAKE UP FOR EVER aqua creamliner. This is a waterproof/creaseproof gel eyeliner that stays put until you take it off (I recommend using a primer for longer-lasting results). I used to use the MAC version of this, but it would smear and so when I ran out, I decided to try this one instead. MAKE UP FOR EVER is a brand developed in Paris, which is known for its high-performance formulations.

Eye-candy

Tiny Dancer by duhveenah featuring Miu Miu shoes

I'm loving the ballerina tutu skirts that have been so popular lately, so I created a look featuring a layered pink ballerina skirt and several other accessories and items to go along with it.

Some eye candy:

Dulce de leche cupcake from Dots cupcakes in Pasadena. This is my most favorite cupcake shop, ever. Take that, Sprinkles!


Strawberry custard cream puff from MILK in West LA. My friend Ericka's brother opened up this creamery and they specialize in pastries, homemade ice-cream, shakes/malts and cafe-style food. Pretty much everything there is excellent, but they really do have a killer blue velvet cake that's laced with real blueberries.


Blue velvet cake from MILK


On Monday, we went to see "The Tonight Show" featuring Conan with my cousins and it was incredibly hot. Thank God for the mist-o-fan! 

Also went to see 500 Days of Summer, featuring Zoey Deschanel, one of my favorite actresses- only because she always looks so vintage-y and classic...that and she has such a soothing and pretty voice (She & Him)! It was a cute movie, not your typical romantic chic-flick, but in a good way. I'd recommend it, but it's only playing in select theaters at the moment.

Yes, today is my random cluster of "stuff "

Monday Monday, so good to me....

My new wedges by Faryl Robin, I happen to have three pairs of shoes by them, only because I've been drawn to their unique styles and super comfortable shoes. I was drawn to the crinkly dark silver and leather straps. Loehmanns was having a ginormous sale and I gave in. They ended up being about $23, retails for 150+. I'm such a sucker for a good bargain. Loehmanns is currently having an additional 25-50% off sale. I love that store because it's stock-full of designer brands for at least 50% off the retail price!


This photo is my latest photo submission for One Two Squeeze, a collaborative photo blog some of my friends started. It's a way for us to stay inspired and to have fun with new topics. Check it out!


Taken from my surprise birthday party a few weeks ago. Moments like these cause me to remember all the blessings God has placed in my life. Friendships remain towards the top of the list.

Friends + Fashion + Food = Fun

Spent yesterday with these two fashionistas.

Gladiator sandals and studs!

Jewel and her fleur de sel caramel macaron.

Regina & her cute outfit of the day

I had to be pried away from these shoes from Zara. They were on clearance for $39.99, but I resisted!


And then Urban Outfitters had their additional 50% sale...this was taken after all the damage was done.

Ended our adventure with a homecooked meal.

Urban Outfitters earrings I got for $2.50 a piece!

Jewelry stand for $5.00, orig. $28. Now I have a home for my oversized accessories! Go shop the Urban Outfitters sale, pronto.

Split Personality

Top: Banana Republic, $30 Leather skirt: Consignment store, $3.50 Shoes: Franco Sarto, $30


When I saw this top at Banana Republic, I fell in love. There was something about this shade of subtle blue, and the delicate, sheer adornment on the sleeves that drew me in. For me, it was a bit of a splurge, but with a 40% off BR coupon, it was mine. Plus, it was considered part of my early bday gift from the Hubby, heheh.

Since I bought this a little over a month ago, I was playing around with what I could wear with it. I decided to pair this feminine piece with something edgier to balance it out. I went with my leather skirt, which I found at a consignment store in Costa Mesa. I can never really determine what "style" I want to go for anyway, so why not be bi-polar? :)

Eye spy with my little eyes...

Been feeling under the weather for the past week, which is forcing me to "try" and rest up, which is actually quite hard for me to do. Sitting still all day isn't in my dictionary, so I tried keeping my eyes busy with eye candy to oogle at. Here are some things that caught my attention:


Left: Moschino pencil dress Right: Lanvin embellished patent sandals from Net-A-Porter.com

Bows: I've always loved bows, whether they were in my hair as a child, tied as a ribbon on my dresses, on my flats, etc. etc. I find myself attracted yet again, but this time in a more grown-up manner.


Boots. I can never get enough of them. Since I was literally nine, I've been wearing boots because I love them so much. These suede studded boots from Urban Outfitters shout simplicity, while the studs give it an added boost!



I also like these semi-boots by Christian Louboutin, its got some crazy fringe action going on, which makes it special. It's a shame a pair of these cost 1K+.



Accessories from Urban Outfitters. I love how unique the brass bracelet looks, I'm sure it's crazy on, but what a great statement piece! The filligree ring is also very dainty and charming. I think filligree anything always looks fantastic. The last item on the bottom right isn't from UO, but net-a-porter.com. It's a Roberto Cavalli stone ring that reminds me of my field trips in elementary school, when we would visit science museums and I would bring polished stones back from the gift shops. What a treasure that was.


Faux leather vest from Urban Outfitters

Blush-beige pink: I love pink, but it is such a hard color to pull off sometimes. I always fear looking like a middle school kid when I wear it, but this shade of pink has become my fave. It looks grown up and sophisticated in an Audrey Hepburn kind of way. Mix that with leather and you have perfection!