Under the San Francisco Sun

Happy Tuesday after Memorial day everyone! Back to work today woohooo. ;)

The boyfriend and I went for a mini getaway to SF this past weekend. Although I have been to this lovely city several times, it's always been very short trips so I still haven't seen all of its beauty yet. But I guess that's part of the charm; keeps me coming back for more huh?

Wearing: H&M blazer; Zara blouse; Gap cropped pants; Target sandals; LV pochette

The above photo was taken outside of the Jewish museum. I love the unique washed-out quality of it, and of course, the modern cubic design of the building. I know we have many bloggers from the Bay area so please bear with me as I post touristsy photos of your city hehe.

1. Walking around Union Square early in the morning while the rest of SF is still asleep. I love any city that allows me to travel by foot. Here in LA, we use our cars for everything, even just to get a block down the street!

2. Hidden identity. Have any of you seen the show "Home Improvement" way back when? Tim's neighbor, Wilson, always had part of his face covered by either the fence or other objects throughout the whole series. I totally thought of him when I took this picture lol.

1. Standing "tall" in Jessie Square, right behind St. Patrick church & the Jewish museum

2. Is anyone home??? Please let me in, I need some food!

1. Inside St. Patrick church. I've been to a few churches in SF and I absolutely LOVE all of them. The intricate designs are truly reminiscent of European churches.

2. Cute homes on Lombard Street. Really wanted to see the Painted Ladies (row of Victorian houses featured on "Full House") but we didn't have time.

3. Fisherman's Wharf--I'm in there somewhere.

4. Our first time riding the cable cars and it was so much fun! Well, except for the rude conductor.

1. Endless stairways to Coit Tower. Seriously...my legs died. I died too.

2. View of Golden Gate bridge  from Coit Tower.

1. Popover at Rotunda. Ms. Lisa of Cocobella Ballerina recommended this shopping eatery and I just had to try it. Look at my cheesy smile and you'll know how excited I was haha.

2. Crab salad + lobster club. Yes, we had exactly what she & her hubby had. Yummm! Me + seafood = heaven. So right after we finished our meal here on Sat afternoon, SF decided to shower us with some pretty heavy rain. But fear not, we put a jacket over our head and continued on with our shopping lol. When we got to Zara, bf picked out a bright orange umbrella for me and I was so eager to use it...and then it stopped raining. Boo!!!

3. Dungeness crab, clam chowder, and calamari from Fisherman's Wharf. Seriously, bf and I would drive 6 hours to SF just for the clam chowder. *drool*

4. Tiger prawns with garlic noodles and roasted crab from Thanh Long. Crustacean (sister restaurant of TL) is my favorite restaurant here in LA so I've been dying to give TL a try. Although the food was pretty good, I still prefer Crustacean. Go there when you're in Beverly Hills and try the lobster with garlic noodles. Oh, there's a Sprinkles Cupcakes right across the street too. Need I say more?

And I shall leave you with this...a portrait of me & bf. We had a wonderful time in SF! Thank you for having us and we'll see you again. :)

Unleashing the Animal(s)

If you bump into me on the streets during non-business hours, this is me. Very casually dressed and kinda young for my age. :/ Although I'm no grandma, I am in my late twenties and sometimes I question whether my look is age-appropriate. The problem is...I feel young...so if I were to dress any older, I wouldn't feel like myself. *Sigh* the dilemma!

Top: H&M

Jacket: Forever 21

Jeggings: American Eagle

Shoes: Coach

Handbag: Louis Vuitton (Special Edition)

Belt: Via Spiga

Necklace: Boutique; Ring & Bracelet: Amrita Singh

Speaking of dressing "youthfully," Reese Witherspoon is one actress that can pull off the younger look without coming off childish. A lot of her casual clothes can be seen on people a decade or two younger, but she wears them so well! With that silver lining in mind, I hope I don't look too foolish either. :D

Funny story about this jacket. It costs about $20 but it's one of bf's favorite jackets. When I visited a convent last month (yes I did say convent lol), I absentmindedly left it behind. One of the sisters called to let me know but I was already home. I sadly thought...gosh...there goes my jacket! Chances of me going back there are very slim unless I decide to become a nun in the near future lol. So, being the sweet bf that he is, he volunteered to go get it for me. Imagine the sisters' surprise when a *male* showed up at their front door! They were so confused and kept asking him if he got the right address haha. But here I am, reunited with my Forever 21 jacket lol. Thank you, bf! <3

Ok, another story about this purse haha. I'm full of anecdotes (or something) today. I'm not a fan of the crossbody look, but I desperately needed one for traveling. My traveling bag has to be lightweight, small, but enough to hold the essentials. During the Bloomingdale's 20% off with new card purchase, I went out and got a WOC. To my disappointment, it was much much too small. I can barely snap it shut after putting in an iPhone + small camera. So back it went. In retrospect, I should have gotten a Chanel mini! Why didn't I think of that arghhhhh?!?!!

I have this little pochette in my possession for a long time now. Best friend convinced me to get the special edition instead of the regular monogram. I didn't like it at first but I do now because the panda is so cute and unique. I love LV leather for its durability. It can take a good beating and still looks great so it's probably better for traveling anyway. I took the long straps from another LV and attached to the pochette and there you have it! Still want my Chanel mini though lol.

My wild side... ;)

Such a flattering picture of me running *sigh*. Delusional bf would like to think that I'm running into his arms, but I just wanted to avoid getting hit by the fast approaching car lol.

Wishing you all a wonderful, long weekend!

Rosy Outlook

Helloooo there blogging world! Yikes it's been almost a week since I last posted. I guess we can call it "life interrupted," something we all must experience as adults, huh? Oh joy! ;)

Top: BCBG

Shorts: Forever 21

Shoes: Chinese Laundry

Handbag: Louis Vuitton

Necklace: Amrita Singh; Rings: Forever 21

But...let's continue to live life with a rosy outlook, shall we? At least that's what my shirt is telling me. Every time I look at this shirt, I really see roses blooming everywhere. Happy happy thoughts. :)

Hope you are doing well. Alright this is all I can muster up for today, going back in my cocoon now. I've missed you though. ;)

Hugs.

Spring Trench

The weather's been extremely cuckoo lately. One minute it's scorching hot, the next it's cold and rainy blehhh. LA's mild weather is long gone and Mother Nature is throwing me all off with her PMS! To cope with her moodiness, I raided my closet and brought out this spring trench to add some sunshine to a gloomy day.

Coat: Forever 21

Top: Ann Taylor

Pants: Gap Slim Crop Pants 

Shoes: Ann Taylor

Belt: Ann Taylor

Purse: Chanel

Jewelry: all Amrita Singh (obsessed much?)

See that picture up there? That's a very attractive photo of me covering my mouth and sneezing like crazy. I am extremely sensitive to "coldness" so even a slight breeze will send me into a sneezing frenzy. My body reacts so quickly; it's probably more accurate to rely on me to predict the weather than all those fancy equipments like doppler forecasts lol.

I saw these cropped pants online and was drawn to the clean and sleek silhouette. But I'm not big on the cropped look so I opted for regular sizing for that extra length. I wanted "cigarette leg" pants but didn't quite achieve it with these. The leg opening is a little wide for my taste. I would like it more if it were slimmer and more tapered.

These pants are super comfy but what's up with the bunching? Ughhhh! Are they keepers or not?

Close up look of the shirt and necklace. A girl in my class wore a similar shirt while doing a presentation and I was definitely paying more attention to her shirt rather than what she had to say lol. I was too shy to ask where she got it from...so when I saw this shirt at Ann Taylor, I just had to have it!

Warm weather, please come out and play! <3

Bold Prints

If I were to walk into a store and see this skirt, I would never pick it up in a million years. My brain wouldn't even register it because it's that far off my radar. But here I am with a very bold printed skirt in my possession...

Top: J Crew

Skirt: Mango

Purse: Chanel

Shoes: Coach

Belt: Via Spiga

Necklace: Amrita Singh

Ring: Forever 21

A couple of years ago, my sister got a job at Mango so (of course) I asked her to buy me some stuff. Although her taste is much different than mine, I kept most of the pieces she picked out for me. Wearing this skirt today makes me think of her very first day of work. Seriously, it was like having your child sent off to her first day of kindergarten. At the time, Mango required its employees to dress all in black from head to toe. My sister didn't have any comfortable shoes so she borrowed my cheap Payless flats and somehow managed to stand on her feet for 8 hours straight. When she came home, bubble blisters have formed all over her feet and they were raw from pain. I wanted to cry. How I wish I knew about AGL flats back then. :'(

On a happier note, look who wanted to get in on some of the photography actions today! Meet boyfriend's dog, Milol. I prefer him more furry but this is how he looks like after a furcut lol.

I don't buy your puppy face at all! :P

Are you afraid of bold prints as much as I am? 

Do I look like a walking graffiti wall? :P

Girly Girl

I've always been a girly girl but I didn't know just how girly. That is until I looked at my blog photos and shockingly exclaimed to the bf "omigosh my outfits are so freakin' girly!" His response was a sound "DUH!" lol. My closet really holds a ton of ruffles, chiffons, laces and the likes. So...here's another one for ya. :D

Top: Bebe

Skirt: Forever 21 (buy)

Blazer: H&M

Shoes: Naturalizer

Purse: Chanel

Belt: J. Crew

Bangles: H&M; Ring: Forever 21

A lace skirt is rather difficult to style because on its own, it's a busy design. The safest bet would be to wear a plain shirt tucked in, or a cropped top would also be cute. Against my better judgment, I tried something new and paired it with a floral top, untucked. *gasp* That's pretty much all the fashion "risks" I can take in one day lol. Although I like the cheery floral top, the bf mentioned that the untucked part makes me look short and frumpy. I think he's actually right. *gasp again* Better luck next time, I guess.

Now, a bit about blogging and personal style. Blogging is hard. I already knew that before I started; that's why it took me so long to finally get here. Honestly, the thought of deleting this blog and going back to being an anonymous reader crosses my mind at least once a week. I truly, truly admire all the ladies who have done it for months, years and always manage to bring us readers so many fun, informative posts and inspire us to look our best every day. THANK YOU!

I am not a fashion blogger; I am a blogger who likes fashion. I know my style, what I like and I rarely stray afar... To sum it up, I'm pretty boring. Not to say that I don't like my clothes--I LOVE my clothes--but I think I'm too safe. That's the main reason why I started this blog, to push myself...and I hope that once in a while, I will take some risks (probably very calculated risks but better than nothing lol). And when I do, there will probably be as many (or more) failures as there will be successes. But live and learn, right? Fashion is fun, who needs to be so serious all the time?

I'm still trying to figure out where to go with this little blog. I know its main focus will be on clothing...but once in a while I will sneak in a post about other stuff. I love food; I love to travel; I love to read; I love to volunteer...so you might see bits and pieces of me here and there. But one thing remains: I will blog anonymously lol.

Close up of the lace & crochet... Not sure if I like this skirt or not. :/

That's more than enough ranting for today. Please note that I am not complaining; it's just a little self-reflection. ;) Once again, thank you to all the bloggers out there, especially petite bloggers who have inspired me so much.

...And thank you for reading. :) Cheers! <3

A New Chanel

With the looming price increases, Chanel is spreading panic and outrage among its purse lovers. However, Chanel's business strategy must be working beautifully because many of us are flocking to buy more purses before the inevitable happens. Yep, I am one of those suckers. I told myself this will be the last Chanel for awhile (promise!) and brought home this beauty...

Purse: Chanel m/l Flap 

Shirt: Forever 21

Skirt: Forever 21

Shoes: BCBG

Belt: Ann Taylor

Ring: Amrita Singh, Bracelet: eBay

I tend to gravitate towards neutral colors when it comes to pricey stuff because I know they'll last me a lifetime. Hence all the beiges and blacks. But I have enough of the classic items for now; my next Chanel will be either red, pink, green, or purple. Yes, most definitely. ;)

I got this top from Forever 21 but it was way too long. I think it was meant to be a tunic of sorts. Didn't like the length at all so I took my scissors and chopped off a good 6 inches. Now it's too short and the back is uneven. Oh well, I'm convincing myself that it looks ok and the uneven/choppy look adds characters. :P

Oh yah, do you like my cute little pearl bracelet? It costs me a whole 99 cents! I heart heart heart eBay.

Overall, I am happy but still uneasy about this splurge. Boyfriend and I are saving for the future so I feel extremely guilty for spending this much money right now. For the next couple of months, I'm banning myself from shopping. I have compiled a small list of items that I need and may purchase... other than that I'm putting my credit cards in the freezer!

1. shells for work
2. a pair of summer sandals
3. (maybe) a pair of comfy flats

I hope I can stick to this goal and not be too tempted by the things I see on you beautiful ladies. Gotta practice self-control! I will probably be posting some stuff for sale to recuperate a fraction of this cost. That is if I'm not lazy. :P

What about you? Are you considering any Chanel before the price increases? And will you continue to buy Chanel after?

Under the Tuscan Sun

When I saw Kelly's post earlier today, I squealed with delight because our subconscious must be talking to each other! I have planned an "Under the Tuscan Sun" post for sometime now, and I was so excited to see her take a fashion cue from a movie featuring one of my favorite cities. Although I haven't seen the movie, I've been to Siena, Tuscany and it was beautiful beyond imagination. It has the quaint, small-town, historic, peaceful, rustic feel that one can only find in the European countryside. I was in love...

(I purposely made the resolution of  this pix very low so
you won't be able to see my face clearly lol.)
Dress: BCBG

Sweater (below): American Eagle

Sandals: Target

I have dreamed of traveling to Europe after college graduation but it didn't happen because no money at the time. So when I went back to school, I was determined to make it happen this time around. Last year, right after my graduation (litterally right after--we left that same afternoon), my boyfriend and I went on a 2-week trip to Europe. We visited London, Paris, Venice, Siena (Tuscany), and Rome. As you may have guessed, Siena was our favorite destination.

When Kelly mentioned the "fanny pack" and "frumpy American," I LOL'ed. :D I'm so glad I wasn't one of those tourists haha. I learned to pack light for every trip: a couple pair of jeans, tops, some sunny breezy dresses, and these comfy sandals that took me everywhere. I'm wearing one of my favorite dresses ever. Alexis Bledel wore this same one in "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," so I told bf that I wanted to go to Greece and sit on a donkey while wearing this dress, just like she did! Unfortunately, Greece was a little out of the way...but one day, one day I will.

1. piazza del Campo

2. duomo (Siena cathedral)

3. picturesque houses

Everywhere we turned was a picture-perfect spot. None of the photos in this post requires editing; everything is left as is. Boyfriend really has an eye for photography huh? ;)

1. shopping for dried herbs & spices

2. broken wooden door
3. old man smiling at us. Love the outdoor laundry haha

4. walking to St. Catherine's Sanctuary

1. clams linguine--omigosh soooooooooo delicious, the I-want-another-plate kind of delicious!!!

2. bf is a carnivore--HUMONGOUS & RARE piece of steak florentine

3. more yummy food: pork chops, potato frites, rigatoni

4. gelato! ahhhh gelato! Venice & Siena have the best gelato; we seriously had gelato for breakfast.

bf doesn't love me lol...

sunset over Tuscany

If you like quaint & historic towns, Tuscany is definitely worth a visit. Most of its cities are very small but full of character. Bf & I agreed that next time we're in Europe, we'll travel all through Tuscany. (Well, we have to stop by Greece too. :P)

I think I'll dub all my travel series "Under the ______ Sun." So I guess the next one is "Under the San Francisco Sun" because we're heading there in a few weeks lol. I hope you enjoyed these pictures. :) I want to go back pronto!

Petite Custom Suitings

A little background about me...

I started working in a corporate environment since 16 so I was exposed to suits and heels at an early age. Back then, my go-to brands for work clothes were Express and Victoria's Secret (clothes, not lingerie lol). Mi gosh, they were so incredibly big--at least two sizes too big but I couldn't find anything better. (I was a very skinny kid, 5'2 and under 90 lbs.) After college, I started to put on a few more lbs but still not enough to fill out the smallest size from those two brands. This skirt was one of my purchases then...it was huge on me before but the fit is actually decent now.

Top: really old, don't remember brand

Skirt: Express, XS

Lace Pumps: Ann Taylor

Ring: Amrita Singh + H&M; Watch: Omega

Handbag: Louis Vuitton

When I got my first "real" job upon graduation, I decided that I looked ridiculous in store-bought clothing so I started looking into getting them custom-made. I headed down to Orange County, bought tons of fabric and took them to a recommended tailor. I remember blowing $1200 in that one visit alone. (I used to be a big spender but I'm much more frugal now lol.) Plus, it takes up to 4 visits to have the suits completed (2 for drop off/pick up, 1 or 2 for fittings) and I'm not that close to OC so I wanted to make several suits at once. Below are some of my custom-made blazers...

I have matching pants for each blazer above but it was over 90 degrees here today so I couldn't stand to put them on. I rarely wear a full suit to work so my pants are much more loved than their counterparts. I think I should start wearing the blazers separately so they don't feel neglected.

And here's a close up of the gorgeous lace pumps. I got them on super sale so I was beyond excited. I've heard that Ann Taylor perfect pumps run big so I never bothered to try them...but I took a chance with these and they paid off. They run true to size so I only had to put in a couple of inserts and they fit perfectly!

A well-fitted blazer...

Ladies, I know several of you have experience with alterations...but have you had anything custom-made before?

Scalloped Skirt

Scalloped-anything is a hot hot trend this season and I can see why. Its youthful appearance combined with feminine design add the perfect touch of girliness to any spring/summer outfit. I have been drawn to these round edges long before I knew they were coined "scalloped." Although my perfect pair of scalloped shorts have yet to be found, I was able to acquire a few other pieces along the way...

Top: LOFT, PXXS

Skirt: Forever 21, S (buy)

Shoes: Chinese Laundry

Clutch: Juicy Couture (similar)

Necklace: eBay; Ring: Amrita Singh (buy) & Forever 21 (similar); Bangles: H&M

Manicure: Essie, Guchi Muchi Puchi (buy); Pedicure: Essie, Haute As Hello (buy)

I saw this orange skirt at Forever 21 and instantly fell in love. I have a thing for cute, adorable pieces... hence my closet holds much more "fun" clothes than "work" clothes. Size small is still a bit big on me so I wouldn't recommend it for any petite ladies smaller than I am.

Although I'm not afraid of colorful clothing (as long as it's not toooo colorful), I have never thought of myself as a vibrant accessorizer (yeah...made-up word). I got sucked into the Amrita Singh hype and ordered a few pieces off her collection. This honey gold ring is one of them. At $10 after discount, it's really a steal!

I am an avid eBay shopper and have been for years. I used to be able to find really good deals but it seems like everything is getting more expensive these days, even on eBay. But once in a while, I still score some amazing deals...such as this coral and citrine necklace. I bought it for a whopping $1.50! LOVE.

By the way, it is quite difficult to pose for pictures without showing one's face. Every time I request a "full body but no face" photo like the first one in this series, my bf calls it the "emo" pose lol.

I think by now, you probably know that I live for warm weather. Ladies, what are some of your favorite trends when it comes to dressing for spring/summer?