Fashion + Geometry

NEW SITE

2010-05-19T19:20:00.000-07:00

www.fashiongeometry.com

Hi ALL! I am moving out of blogspot and hosting my own blog now. Please visit my new domain, though most of you are probably linking me at fashiongeometry.com already.

For those that are reading my blog through a feed, please update the RSS to:

http://fashiongeometry.com/feed/ to continue receiving my updates! I will have to email couple of feed providers to make that change as well.

See you at my new permanent home! :)

Coming Back Soon!

2010-05-09T11:42:00.001-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Just letting you all know I'm moving hosts and getting things set up away from blogspot, it's Fashion+Geometry 2.0..with a lot more stuff. I should have everything back up and running in a week! I can't wait to start blogging again, it's been awhile and I missed you all! :)

xx Nora

Lanvin loves Acne 2010

2010-03-17T13:50:00.000-07:00

I know I said I was going to take a break, but how could I resist sharing this?

Take a peek at the collection!

Love Lanvin's signature style drawings of the "front row" in the background.

Taking a Break

2010-03-16T23:22:00.000-07:00

I fluctuate between my interests, there's just so much creativity in the world to grasp and I need to explore everything. I've been deciding if I should start a whole new blog all together to include all that I love and find inspiring - fashion, art, photography, film, music, culture, and even in culinary.

but until I make a decision, I'm going on a short hiatus to live a life I've been trying to catch up with lately. see you soon!

After the Rain

2010-03-01T20:58:00.000-08:00

It's always so beautiful after the rain, the clouds part and the sky is bright blue. It's rare in the city that it's this bright because of the LA smog. I've been waiting patiently for a day to go up on the rooftop to test my new lens and filter. all the photos here have not been retouched, thanks to the polarize filter for the beautiful contrast and getting rid of UV haze. It doesn't hurt that I got one of the L series lens too. I better start building some bicep muscles because it's quiet heavy to carry around!

Oh, and I also got a haircut! It's been difficult getting used to not feeling hair around my neck, but also extremely liberating when I swing my head side to side. I feel 10lbs lighter and no more of the curly hair that was difficult to comb through. This isn't the first time I went from long to short, but I never thought I get it this short again.

I've been wearing this new faux fur vest for awhile now. I got it 2 weeks ago at F21 for $6!! I like the contrast of thick texture against something sheer, the blouse is also from F21. Shorts, though you could barely see are vintage 80s Wilson's leather shorts.

The new jeffrey campbell clogs..it's really made of wood and I think hallow too because I can hear every footsteps going, clok clok clok. Super comfortable and easy to slip my feet in and go out.
I can see the Griffith Observatory from my apt!

and some snow on the mountain at a distance

a photo my bf took with the iphone, hehe.

Fall 2010: Fur Trends

2010-02-23T13:41:00.000-08:00

How to wear fur in 2010? We've seen it on the runways and on the streets from seasons after seasons, but designers are noting that there's a different way to wearing them. Where it's incorporated to the entire look that gives off an effortless vibe instead of "look at me, i'm wearing a fur coat and you can't see what else I'm wearing." unless of course, that is all you want people to see. :)

Top to bottom: Gary Graham, Acne, Devi Kroell & Jeremy Laing, Topsop Unique, Oscar de la Renta & Todd Lynn, Anna Sui, Pringle of Scotland

I really like those pants with huge pockets from Pringle of Scotland. Looks so comfy and perfectly baggy too.

Spur Magazine

2010-02-22T13:42:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to scan some of my favorite spring looks from the latest issue of my favorite magazine. Everytime I go to Mitsuwa to buy groceries I always stop by the magazine/bookstore section for the latest issue of Spur. It cost me $15 an issue, but it's so worth it. It's one of the few Japanese fashion/style magazines that doesn't annoy me (I'm a bit picky when it comes to layouts).

Wish I had scanned the cover too, it was beautiful! Everything looks so rich and fresh. Vibrant tea dresses, lace, ruffles, DENIM, big t shirts worn as a dress, and olive greens with pungent red lips.

I'm crazy about the color white. If you visit my closet you would find a load of white/ivory blouses. Fabrics that are sheer, silky, or cotton in all sorts of cut. But this Spring I am in love with the idea of wearing them as dresses. Sexy boyfriend vibe with tan/brown platforms with socks and a straw hat.

Stripes are going to be (as if it isn't already) a huge hit for this Spring and Summer. It's all about mixing stripes with other types of prints and textures. Nautical themes are also coming back, which I'm really excited about. If you knew me in the past, you would know how I would spend my summer days being a beach bum, it's the best feeling in the world. If I had it my way, I'd be living by the sea. Floating in the water, having wet hair while the sun bakes my skin warm, bonfire with friends and cooking crab in beer. It's one of those lifestyles I miss and I want to bring it back...with style.

Bad Romance

2010-02-19T13:53:00.000-08:00

images via fashionrogue

I love Bonnie & Clyde. This makes me want to watch the movie again.

Film style photoshoots are always fun to look at too. It's my favorite kind because it has a lot of emotion, scenery, and a good story. In these photos you can see the drama, hear the gunfire and smell the dirt and smoke. So despite what people are saying about this editorial -- being cheesy and all, I still love it! You can't deny that these are still great shots of the clothes. I love it when they coordinate his and her styles. It's not because I have a boyfriend, it's the act of romance and balance between masculinity and feminininty. We all have those traits in our personalities, and to see it physical in a material world makes me all mush.

There's a side project that I am finally working on...I had this idea floating in my mind for a year now, and with the tremendous support from my boyfriend and friends I am finally pushed out of my insecurities...mostly of whether i will have enough time for it, or if i will fail -- but that's part of the excitement right? I have to keep it a secret until I get everything aligned. I could only say that it's a creative project that I hope would bring me closer to my dreams.

Thanks everyone for your continuing support of my blog. I know I haven't been around much to read all your blogs like I usually do, but I do read your comments and e-mails. My nonresponses are due to heavy work loads, change of location, and added projects. I hope to catch up soon though! I even bought a new zoom lens and filter for better photo quality :)

Save the Peak

2010-02-16T21:19:00.000-08:00

outfit: f21 striped red tunic & tiered lace mini, vintage 40s hat, vintage crystal ring, diy gold chain necklace, and jessica simpson heels.

You don't know how happy I was to find these shoes because there was no way I was able to get the original Charles Anastase platforms! I was swooning for these a year ago (and his entire collection as well). So thank you Jessica Simpson, you made it into my shoe collection because of him. Speaking of shoes, I also ordered the Jeffrey Campbell 'Charli' platform clogs in natural and Cleo lace up sandals in mocha. I'm getting my "tan" on...Black is for winter, Tan is for Spring.

Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year, and President Weekend..what a heavy holiday this past weekend and I was quite busy last week too - working for nearly 10hrs everyday and going into work on Saturday for 12 hrs straight. I was pretty delirious by the end of the night and having dinner at 10:30pm. I missed couple of events while I was busy finishing up lookbooks for a tradeshow. I felt really bad missing out on dinner with my family for Chinese New Year and promised to have brunch with them soon. And for Valentine's Day, the BF and I decided to make Heart Shaped Lobster Ravioli w/Pink Sauce from scratch. It was quite a process that took nearly 5hrs. We didnt anticipate it being that long and didn't actually eat til 1 in the morning! Now that's love :)
rolling the dough to create 2 layers of pasta
ingredients for the lobster stuffing
it smelled so good and we were contemplating on eating some beforehand
letting it cool down for 30mins
sealing the edges with a fork

after boiling them, we mixed it in with the pink sauce
boyfriend getting all delirious at midnight
gotta have rose champagne to complete our meal!
Look at our cute little antique stained table we got from ikea! our very first furniture piece in the apartment. place mats are from anthropologie and the black lace thing was leftover fabric from making the lace bunny ears last year. I was iffy about putting it there at first, but now I'm starting to love it. Plan on replacing those blinds with lace curtains and maybe another layer with vertical stripes to add height to our kitchen/dining area. It feels good to put my interior design skills to task.
by the end of the night i only had 2 pieces of the ravioli and was ready to fall asleep.

My heart sank when I first heard that developers are trying to take down the Hollywood sign and build luxury housing units that look over Los Angeles. How could they take away our only landmark in LA? I have comfort driving up and down La Brea everyday and see the Hollywood sign from afar. It's been here for years and the sign is significant to our city. What would become of San Francisco without the Golden Gate Bridge or New York without the Statue of Liberty??? You can't screw with history without people fighting for it and the only way I can bring attention to this is by taking a photo of the peak from the rooftop of my apt and blog about it. The Hollywood sign has been covered with "Save the Peak" last week in an effort to raise money to buy the acre of land to add to Griffith Park.

New Butterflies by Claire Pettibone layout

2010-02-10T11:13:00.001-08:00

Just uploaded the brand new layout for Butterflies by Claire Pettibone. Just in time for all the Valentine's Day promo and press that's been floating around the first 2 months of Feb. We're featured in couple of other blogs which you'll see in the Press section of the site.

What do you girls think of the new layout?

I wanted to design something that reflected the pretty hues and prints of the lingerie and the boho vibe of this brand. All the colorful artwork are printed onto mesh. I actually replaced all my panties with Butterflies by Claire Pettibone. It feels so soft to the skin. If you're ever in the market for comfortable thongs, you should get them from Butterflies. I'm not even kidding you about how comfortable they are and I'm not even a thong person! I also own couple of hipsters from this line too, very cute and comfy too.

Win a Butterflies by Claire Pettibone lingerie set

2010-02-09T11:56:00.000-08:00

Claire Pettibone x The Nest 3-piece lingerie giveaway

Win this perfect-fit and light-as-air fashion lingerie set which includes a babydoll (valued at $82) and thong (valued at $22) and hipster (valued at $36) in amethyst, violet, and poppy orange, and a Baroque-inspired lacy trellis. To enter, tell THE NEST about the best at-home date..

If you're wondering where to purchase Butterflies by Claire Pettibone we are in select specialty stores across the globe and in major retailers like Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

There's probably a handful of people out there who don't know what I do in real life. I try to keep it that way, but often times the line gets blurred and maybe I should talk about what I do more often? But I'll slowly unwind my work on this blog later :)

Currently..while I blog at work, I'm also in the process of updating our Butterflies by Claire Pettibone page with new stuff. Takes awhile when you have a million things to do, but hopefully by the end of today I'll get the new layout up. My assistant doesn't have a computer yet, so he's been doing administrative/minimal production tasks off a laptop which doesn't get us up to speed for the new season. Long hours for the next couple of days and working on the weekends as well - meaning, I haven't really given much thought to Valentine's Day at all..maybe the bf and I will cook dinner together in our new abode.

I also blog here if you like to check out what I do at work! Trying to give my work blog a little more personality: http://clairepettibone.com/blog

Taste of Spring

2010-01-27T20:28:00.000-08:00

I've been seeing a lot of rainbow elements and colorful photography as of late. It must be that Spring is right around the corner, but last week's rain gave me a cold and I've been sick for a week now. Took this day off to get some good sleep, but I'm always thinking about work and my responsibilities. If I'm not in the office, I'm at home planning the next day.

So often times, when I'm browsing and researching the net..whether its in design, photography, or fashion, I am the most captivated by something that communicates - emotions in a free spirit kind of way, feminine but with a hint of mystery, reminisce of the past, and an answer to a question you subconsciously asked. I guess I try to imagine what it's like being on the other end and feeling what is meant to be felt in a dream world.

images found from various sources. as you may have notice..i love prada!

on another note..my boyfriend and i have been looking for a new place to live for the past month. it's our first time moving in together so it's kind of a big deal. we found a pretty cute place and are moving in this weekend. i semi packed stuff, but after getting sick i really don't have the energy to carry boxes - but at the same time i'm excited! the next post i'll make will be in my new home, promise to update more after the move :)

Roadtrip 004 :: Northern Coast

2010-01-17T15:49:00.000-08:00

We made it back in CA just in time for NYE, decided to skip the partying in SF and headed to Pacifica for a more relaxed beachy celebration. We ate at this nice Japanese restaurant and bought a bottle of champagne and watched the countdown from our beach front hotel at the Lighthouse.

the view from our hotel room

Sometimes I get really eager to wear new items I buy while traveling. This was one of those moments. Zara leather jacket, Bycorpus x UO snow leopard dress, vintage Christian Lacroix belt that I got from Avalon vintage in Portland - a total gem! It has gold hearts and leaves, thigh high suede boots bought from H&M in San Francisco.

I don't really keep track of the things my boyfriend buys, but I do know that silver blazer is from H&M and he made that plaid scarfy thing a long time ago.

Next morning we went over to Nick's which was across the street. I decided to start the day early with a glass of bloody mary. They actually put red pepper in the drink.

This is what the edge of California looks like. Isn't it interesting? It's very hilly and all mountain. We stopped off at one point to take pics of the view.

I got this vintage 80s Missoni cardigan just in time for the trip! Didn't get a chance to wear it until we got back to CA...what a great representation of the bright sunny weather of this place. It was awfully windy too and I couldn't keep my hair tamed. Silk blouse by H&M, High waist skinnies by J Brand, Nine West lace up boots, and Luella x Linda Farrow sunnies.

Happy cows comes from California cows..hehe.

and this completes the roadtrip series! :)

Roadtrip 003 :: Winter Candy White

2010-01-13T19:30:00.000-08:00

Here are a few more photos in continuation of the last post!

We visited Powell bookstore. The first time I wanted to check out the design section to get my study on.

Dinner at a fancy butcher shop called Laurelhurst Market. I had the Tournedoes Rossini..so freakin good! I forgot what that drink is called but the ice smelled like smokey barbeque.

The next day of our Portland trip we headed to see the Pittock Mansion. I only anticipate it to rain and wore my wellies, but couple of flakes came down outside the window of Mother's Bistro (they have the most amazing matzo ball soup ever!) where we ate lunch. Just watching how the flakes fall made me smile.

This was a ceiling of one of the foyers, so amazing.

I love how they had a Christmas theme for the holidays. It was pretty fun to walk around and check out vintage fixtures they restored. Really wish we still use stove like those.

peeking through the window

We were too busy playing with the snow and checking things out that I forgot about taking a full shot of my outfit. Pretty much the same few as the last post except with a Diane Von Furstenburg leopard print leggings, zara silk blouse, f21 houndstooth scarf and vest, and hunter wellington boots. My boyfriend bought the same color too so we had matching boots.
Seattle

After going through couple of rainbows we finally reached Seattle. We only stopped by for a few hours before heading all the way back to CA. The public market center is 10 times better than the farmer's market here..in my opinion. They have 2 levels and lots of unique things.
I found an antique store up the hill and spent the remainder of daylight there. My boyfriend got upset because he really wanted clam chowder, but all the shops closed by the time I was done getting lost in the antique store. We asked a local where we could find good clam chowder and he directed us to Ivar's Acres of Clams.

Little did we know that it was right by the ferry trams. I was so enthralled by the fact that cars can drive onto a boat and drive off on the other side! So it was a semi success of visiting Seattle. BF got the best clam chowder ever made and I had a dozen oysters, and didn't do any sight seeing...but we did walk by this one store....

with lovely window displays! It really made me want to wear candy as art!

I have 2 more posts from my trip before I make any fashion posts from the current times, haha. I hope you all enjoy these!

Roadtrip 002 :: Keep Portland Weird

2010-01-08T18:21:00.000-08:00

After Christmas we headed towards Portland. Passing through Norcal was something new to me. Never driven through it or visited Portland, so we did most of our exploring there. I can't believe we drove for 10hrs. At least the view was amazing.

Voodoo Donuts

My friends kept raving about this little donut shop in Portland saying how good it is. I'm not much of a donut fan but when they told me they put weird stuff on their donuts, I had to give it a try. There were different types of cereal they would sprinkle on top like fruit loops or coco puffs, marshmellows, etc...

Some of the regular but tasty O's

We just had to get the Voodoo donut, so cute! There's actually jelly inside where they stuck the pretzel.

One that really stood out was the bacon maple bar. Strips of bacon on a donut?? Now that's weird. Interestingly enough, they actually taste good. Something about the salty bacon on top of the maple bar balances each other. Good breakfast it was. My friend says it's like mixing pancake and bacon together.

Waterfront Park

I wanted to go to a spot where I can view some of the amazing bridges in Portland. When we were driving on it, I saw the most beautiful city view.

it was soooo cold, as you can see the red on my nose.

peace.
This day I was wearing a brand new Zara leather jacket that came in so handy for the cold weather up north. I got it the day after Christmas sale in SF Union Square. Can't beat half off buttery leather soft jackets. I really wanted a brown leather jacket, too! All I need are some aviator sunnies and I'm all set.
Also wearing a random flannel button dress worn as a long open cardigan, H&M tank underneath, J Brand high waist skinnies, UO scarf, and Nine West "cuzza" boots.
Someone mentioned how they were looking for the perfect walking heels, and if you can get yourself a pair of these boots which came out last year..they are really one of the few heels you can walk in. These are usually my traveling boots. They're the first pair I grab when I know I'm going to be doing a lot of walking and plus they go with every outfit!
We drove some more and wound up on a hill. Such a pretty view that this shot doesn't do justice. That's Mt. Hood in the far distance I believe.

Avalon Vintage

I've heard a lot of great vintage stores in Portland, and Avalon Vintage is one of them. It's not a huge store, but has so much to look at. A really unique experience.

Up in the front is a collection of antiques.

I love prescriptive glasses! They make your eyes look oogaly big and hilarious. The faces he makes doesn't hurt either.
Kinda wish I bought some of these bow ties! I did end up getting something special that I'll blog about later. =)

I love how this store is organized. Menswear on one side and ladies on the other. The middle section are all accessories and jewelry.
I think that's enough to post for today..it's getting quiet lengthy, so I'll leave you with a few parting photos.

Roadtrip 001 :: Neck of the Woods

2010-01-05T18:38:00.000-08:00

On Christmas eve we went to Muir Woods. I haven't been there for a good 15 years so it was exciting to experience the enchanted looking forest again. The tall trees, wood grains on the floor, the smell, and the sound of water flowing under the bridges. The woods make me happy..I feel like I belong. That's what my last name means anyways. Literal translation - "wood wood" or forest. For those who can read kanji or chinese would understand :)

this picture looks so beautiful in a larger format..its my new desktop background :)

This picture looks so creepy, but so cool. The tree casted a nice grim shadow on his face...it also doesn't help that it was getting dark and cold. My favorite picture of him!

Next we headed back to a bit of warmth and walked around Chinatown. I love peach green tea with aloe. My all time favorite drink.
I was wearing a vintage Betsey Johnson Coat, one of my favorite coats in my closet!! Scarf from UO, leopard print skirt by Mirror/Dash for UO, random tee, Boots by Nine West, Olivia Harris bag.

It's hard to pack my entire closet when going on a trip, so I had to plan each outfit to see how many times I can wear the garment. This outfit was set for day or night. Later that night, I threw on a bcbg necklace, added red lipstick and make up and headed to a Christmas dinner. This was taken from the hotel, love the chair!
I must warn you, I didn't realize I packed a lot of leopard print items on this trip. It didn't hit me until my second outfit the following day. I guess I've been animal print crazy for awhile.

Home Sweet Home

2010-01-04T21:00:00.000-08:00

Hi-de-ho, hope everyone had a fantastic holiday! It feels good to be home again and back to the absurdly hot weather of LA. Promise to upload vast amount of photos from my trip soon!! It was some crazy driving in crazy weather conditions. Rain/fog and snow storms high up on the mountains, we could barely see what was ahead, and all those crazy turns and downhill drive made me dizzy and stressed out. Between Norcal and south of Oregon was too crazy. I was really scared and thought we were going to fall off the cliff on our way back. Luckily we're okay as you can see from this post! haha. Despite the crazy driving, the trip was such an adventure! I will have to break it down into couple of posts with the amount of photos we took.

I contemplated on the last decade of my life while on the road..there has definitely been a lot of highs and lows, and I can't believe it's 2010 already!! So you bet I'm going to do that type of post. Here are 10 photos/facts about me from the last 10 years of my life..bare with me as it's not all happy happy:

2009
I couldn't really find anything that beats the trip I just had, so you'll have to wait for the photos!! Best year so far in this 10 year journey. :)

2008

Oh happy days, This was the year when my boyfriend and I officially got together. We've been dating for 2.5 years before then, but nothing too serious. It's about 5 years all together now. wow. Btw, this was taken at the LA fair. I love looking at funny photos. :)

I love jelly fish and I try to capture them with my camera when I went to an aquarium..I have tons more and maybe I'll show them some other time. They're just so free and beautiful..the way I want to be too.

At Thread show in San Diego..first fashion show I've experienced and it was cool to see a lot of independent designers on the floor. The dude in the back was especially excited.

2007

I really loved the fashion from this season. Everything so happy and warm looking. I love socks with sandals.

Halloween with the old coworkers at an ex-boss's house. I was Daria that year..it really sumed up how I felt at the time. My ex-coworkers were the best. We were like family and they're positive vibes really rubbed off on me.

A happier photo

2006

I was at an extremely low point in my life. Probably the worst year ever. All I saw was red. Everything that's bad happened that year. I was also at my highest weight ever but then lost 25lbs 2 years later through a healthier diet.

2005

This was the year I welcomed 2 cute mice to my home. Patches, the one with a grey patch and Master Squinter..who squints a lot...they kept me company for the short lives they lived.

2004

Between 2004 and 2006 were the crazy years of my life. Could it be the fact that I was out of high school and feeling like I could express myself in any way possible? Or maybe I started going to art school? I don't know, but I had all colors possible in my hair at one point. Everything but blue! Wish I experimented with that color before my hair literally died and started falling out. I swore to stop damaging my hair like that since then. Bleach is not your friend. By the way, I cut my own hair too. Sometimes I mess up but sometimes they're exactly how I want it.

2003

It was one of those adrenaline pumping moments when I went to a private shooting range with an ex-bf and his uncle. He had all sorts of guns and I got the chance to test them all out.

2002

my family adopted this beautiful half lab/golden retriever we named Cookie from the animal shelter. She was only 6 months old at the time i got her and she really is a smart "cookie".

2001

this was when i started to take interest in cosplay, lolita and japanese street fashion. nothing beats living a fairytale than to dress up like you're in one :)

2000

bad fashion and fake friends? who knows. it was taken at a safari themed homecoming during my sophomore year of high school. I know...gold halter top with tiger print skirt? What was I thinking? Guess I wasn't, hehe.

Not to sound all melodramatic with this entire post, but that was me for 10 years in a nutshell. Early years were my worst years, but I started picking myself back up and gaining strength again. I'm now where I feel I should be in life and I'm very greatful for what I have and earned.

The reason I'm reflecting in this way is because I rarely talk about my actual life or my past. I want everyone to know that I'm a real person behind that monitor screen. Not just a number or a marketing tool on the blogosphere. I have a past and some of it are great and some not very nice, and I've grown from it all. I'm not lucky or anyone special. Just a girl passing through life and following her dreams.

Up North for the Holidays

2009-12-23T00:00:00.000-08:00

2 months ago I thought vacation wouldn't come any sooner, and now I will be leaving tonight after dinner with my family. I haven't packed or figured out what I'll be doing during my trip yet, so far I only know that we booked 4 days at the Galleria Park Hotel near Union Square. It's from the same property management as the bed & breakfast I stayed at during the cherry blossom festival and it was a marvelous stay. Hope this place will be just as great, if not better. For Portland, we're thinking of just finding a place when we get there so we wouldn't be tied to a schedule in our travel. I love being spontaneous..I want to go everywhere and see everything, less shopping and more exploring. Sadly I won't be keeping up to date during my travels as I sold my laptop recently and haven't got a replacement, but I can still update/keep in touch through my twitter if you're curious of my adventure.

I will be in SF from 12/24-12/27, Portland & Seattle from 12/28-01/02

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday and see you next year!

Wishing & Waiting

2009-12-15T18:48:00.000-08:00

It's never too late for a wishlist! Nobody really buys me anything I want anyways so it's really up to me to make this list come true...

1. Oversized sweater by Dries Van Noten

I've been obsessed with this sweater and all the colors from the Fall 09 runway the moment I saw the collection. I would search high and low for something similar because...where can I even find Dries Van Noten besides ebay?? I thought perhaps 80s oversized mohair sweater would be easy to find, but I haven't had any luck.

2. Triple Bow Embellished pumps by Chloe

Most people here don't know, but I am obsessed with bows. I have a number of items with bows or a resemblance of a bow. They're mostly left over from my craze for lolita styles back in the day (sometimes I still get crazy over anything lolita and I can't help myself).

3. Vintage Leopard print ascot blouse by Wayne Clark

I tore out couple of looks from one of my favorite Japanese fashion magazine, Spur (same story as the picture with the Dries sweater) to copycat some styles. One of the looks had a leopard print ascot blouse and trench coat with boyfriend jeans, and it was so cool and casual.

4. Turquoise Arty Oval ring by YSL (pre-ordered!!)

Like many many people in the world who covet things ring, I too am in love. I couldn't believe it when I found out that Saks is doing a pre-order for new shipments!! Without hesitation I jumped on the list because I don't want to miss out on it again.

5. Vintage Red double breast blazer

Stand out like no other, this bright red blazer with leopard print anything. It's a holiday seduction. Which reminds me, I just recently bought a couple of lip shades. After seeing all the Maybelline commercials on TV..I couldn't resist buying shades of red.

6. Brown wedge lace up ankle boots by Chloe

Sadly, I missed the sales for these..and now they're sold out everywhere! Except on farfetch.com, which priced to kill...as if they bought out all shoes just to resell them at a higher price. *sigh*

I've been doing a lot of online shopping, mostly because I didn't go out this weekend for being under the weather and other reasons that doesn't need mentioning here..but I can't wait to receive these items!
1. Vintage 80's Tan CapeWhat a cool find..and so Chloe-esque!! I hope to get it before my roadtrip. It looks sorta like a rain coat except its a form of heavy cotton and not waterproof sadly...but it sure looks nice.
2. Vintage Gold Costume RingCool amethyst crystal ring with a secret compartment. I wouldn't know what to put there, but it creates a mountain on my finger. Wonder if YSL was inspired by these vintage costume rings or vice versa??
3. Hunter Original Tall Welly BootsSome may recognize these from photos of Kate Moss and find it fashionable. It's also necessary for a winter roadtrip..especially going up north! I originally wanted a light pink color, but it's sold out and was left with not knowing which color to pick, so I opted for a black pair - When in doubt, black is always the right choice (at least for me). I bought them from endless.com, I love the fact that they have free overnight shipping! Perfect for last minute shopping.
4. Vintage Fox Fur BoaMy boyfriend always says to me every time I want fur, "Peta is going to throw red paint at you." And I always justify by saying.."it's vintage!" Honestly though, the only real fur I wear are all vintage. I think recycled fur is fine..but buying new fur is like killing new animal, so I don't know about that.
5. Vintage 80s Missoni Cardigan with all over face printIsn't this so crazy?? Pop art of the 80s! My jaws dropped when I saw this on eBay. I had to buy it for the art...heck I buy clothes for art's sake anyways. One time I explained to someone how I like to collect things, various things, anything amusing and unique. Maybe I don't wear all my clothes, but I do love them for the art. And I guess fashion is how you style the art pieces that you buy...adding/subtracting elements to create masterpieces.

Fashion Muse: Catherine Baba

2009-12-08T21:13:00.000-08:00

I honestly don't have a muse, I am inspired by those around me but never a muse..up until I saw these stunning photos of Catherine Baba on Jak & Jil. How could anyone not love her? She's exquisite and isn't afraid of color (something that I have stripped away and trying to paint back)..plus she also rides a bike in heels! These photos are so outstanding that I am going to print it out and hang them. I mean..look at her, she seems to be the only one alive from the sea of neutrals and monochrome.

The last time I biked was a couple months back, and people were surprised and giving me props for biking in heels..but they were stacked heels so it wasn't too hard at all, unlike the ones seen on Ms. Baba. I would hate to get the heel caught in the petal, but they sure are eye candy.

This is giving me inspiration to ride my bike more, maybe I could add this to my new years resolution..that and getting a gym membership!

Sushi Night

2009-12-04T18:35:00.000-08:00

h&m ruffle blazer, f21 tank and scarf, target opaque tights, balenciaga (pre-fall 08) boots, olivia harris 'baby ball' bag
I haven't worn these boots in awhile, and it's nice to bring them back out of the box! The smell and feel of the soft leather makes me feel all luxe inside. My boyfriend calls them my anime boots, because well..they look like space boots with the slouchy and flair illusion. They are hard to walk in because of the pointy toes and heel without platform (makes it run smaller because it pushes your feet forward to the point). I thought they fit fine when I tried them on and did a little twirl when I first got them, but after walking on the streets for awhile they started to hurt....real bad. Wish I knew someone who has these boots that bought a size too big (38) so we can trade! I could only wish..until then my mission is to walk in pain and possibly stretch it out enough so it molds to my feet.
We craved sushi and headed to NoHo Art District for some dinner because upon arriving to my fav spot on Highlands, it was closed. North Hollywood is probably an area I've never explored, but heard many great things about...especially new lo brow artists, the dance community, and musicians. I should really explore the area more since I have friends living around the area too!
EDIT:By the way, I'm heading to San Francisco, Portland, and Seattle for Christmas - New Years. Do any of you fashionable ladies know of cool local shops, dining, and art exhibits I should visit? I've been to SF many times, but always done the shopping at Union Square and that one road of all the high end shops but can't remember the name for the life of me. Would love to find great vintage stores while up there too :)

Gobble Gobble - Turkey Day!

2009-11-30T19:12:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving! A bit late -- but that's just how I roll. I do think about my blog and all, but I rather spend every second living life and then reminiscing about it. Sorry that I haven't responded to anything. It's not you, it's me. I haven't even responded to a few people I know in real life. I just needed a vacation, after running around and using up all my energy on advertising materials for various magazines the past 2 weeks. I always get nervous sending off my work, even though I've done it so many times. I'm a perfectionist and it's hard to let go without double checking and triple checking. It stresses me out. One day I'll make a post about my design work, but for now I want to bring the focus back to my outfit the past few days...because I went shopping on black friday :)

This was what I wore on Thanksgiving...

Fur vest from Nordstroms, American Apparel henley shirt dress, H&M lace leggings, Miu Miu patchwork wedges, vintage Christian Dior belt.

Yes I take things a bit literal sometimes, but its all for fun. I'm showing my spirit for the holiday, this is my version of a pilgram - though you won't catch me wearing a red/green combo for Christmas!

The great thing about working for a fashion company is that I get all my shopping done fast - so black friday wasn't spent buying gifts for friends and family, but for my own consumerism. My bf and I headed out to South Coast Plaza for some retail damaging at 6pm to avoid all the crazy shoppers. I was pretty happy making that decision since I hate crowded, unorganized places because it stresses me out. By the end of the night I came back with a new lovely bag.

jimmy choo x h&m leather pants, bcbg 'mendel' wedge boots, olivia harris 'baby ball' bag
I love this bag! it's everything I've been looking for - small enough to carry at night, and blends into my wardrobe nicely. People on the streets have stopped and asked me about my shoes a lot, these particular boots I got at the BCBG store when they had a promotion where they'll take $100 off every $300 you spend. These being about $600, I got $200 off which was a pretty sweet deal. I was in awe at the store and couldn't take them off, the cushion pads that are sewn inside makes them so comfortable to wear - fits like a glove and I feel so tall!
Btw, I didn't wear them to go shopping (can you imagine shopping for 4 hrs in 5 inchers?). I wore the jimmy choo x h&m studded alligator brogues instead which I still need to photograph them in an outfit. I'm surprised that there is still a whole lot left at h&m. They're the best shoes on the market right now - go grab yourself a pair!

Cozy Up

2009-11-23T20:47:00.000-08:00

h&m sweater, patch denim jeans, theory silk tank, alice & olivia for payless wedge boots

It's finally cold enough to wear thick sweaters and jackets here in LA. I did some retail damaging this past weekend and pictured here are a few purchases. I love this sweater/bolero thing from h&m. It's so cozy and a bit oversized with interesting shape.
I also love the patch work denim from h&m too. It reminds me of the 70s. The boots aren't new, but it's the first time I took a pic with them. I felt that the sweater material used were so rough and the color was a lighter grey that I didn't like, so I snipped them off and plan to put faux fur in place..or maybe just make some fur leg warmers so I can wear it with other shoes.

I think this would look great as a scarf too.

How do you like my random yellow socks? My outfit didn't really match these shoes so I grabbed my roommate's hand painted frames and cropped in my legs. Live Art Exhibit: Miu Miu Patch-work Wooden Wedges!
I found them 65% off at Barney's and couldn't resist. Maybe it was the patch-work denim jeans that put me in the wagon. But I love them and I can picture a lot of items in my closet that will go well with these babies.

Crazy for BOYY Bags

2009-11-21T14:44:00.000-08:00

Oh the Holidays, it's that time of the year to do some extra spending. This year on my list are these amazing bags by BOYY. The rest of my holiday wishlist to come.

The last I thought about buying a new bag was almost a year ago. Still haven't found the "one" small bag that I can carry at night when I go out and these look amazing!

I love these 2 bags (Saul and Loui). Large and can fit many work related things.

but I'm gravitating towards purchasing this bag, Slash. It's not too big and not too small. Perfect for everyday. Which is also what I'm looking for. I'm afraid my Foley + Corinna bag is slowly deteriorating from throwing it all over the place, but I do like that vintage leather feel that I'm giving it.

Anyways, this bag is calling my name and I'm trying to decide whether I want the Slash Calf or the Limited....

Jimmy Choo for H&M

2009-11-17T00:19:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love these! When I first saw them on hm.com I knew I had to have them. I've been trying to find new stylish flats to wear to work. I had these studded ballet flats from Bakers that I wore to death and needed a replacement. These shoes are perfect! I can think of so many ways to wear them. Don't you just love how shoes can inspire you to come up with new ways to dress?

Ever since I saw the collection from MG Black at the Gen Art fashion show I've been dying to dress with a little more menswear. The unisex appeal has never looked so good. I have collected quiet a few images to further elevate my latest obsession..I'll post them up some day when I stop being lazy...or take an outfit pic for once! I blame it on the weather.

I've also updated my little shop Closet of Geometry with some more old shoes of mine. I'm trying to clean out my shoe closet to make some room. Pretty soon I will stock up some faux fur coats, vests, jackets, cardigans, sweaters..etc =)

PS: look who is on American Apparel? A lovely AA staff contacted me if they could dispay one of my photos. =)

Hello Kitty at Royal/T

2009-11-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

If you're a Hello Kitty fan and live in LA you should definitely check out the Hello Kitty 35th anniversary exhibit that's going on. I think it ends this weekend. It was pretty surreal experience as I've never been to Royal/T. It's a nifty Japanese cosplay tea house and hosts art exhibits.

I'm just wondering why I haven't heard of this until now. I've been searching for a good asian tea house that serves good milk tea around my vicinity for awhile and glad to know that the art district of Culver City is flourishing with neat things here and there.

Katy Perry's outfit

Paris Hilton's outfit

I know this isn't Hello Kitty, but I LOVE this piece. I think it's made of swarovski crystals.

I've been living in this vintage leopard cotton blazer lately. Wish it was thicker so I can actually wear it in the coming winter...knowing me, I'll make it work some how. Maybe add some type of lining inside. Any suggestions?

all the waitresses wore this lolita french maid outfit. so cute :)

we ordered the 3 tier tea snacks and this cupcake had a ring on it

surprisingly good sandwich

made my bf wear the ring and drink tea like a lady..haha

blazer with sweats..the most comfortable thing i've discovered..oh and an android hello kitty

the lady gaga x hello kitty campaign

was playing with the depth of field, hello kitty ornaments, clear cases and discovered how cool of an effect it is....dreamy :)

Gen Art LA Rock Fashion Week

2009-11-04T23:08:00.001-08:00

My apologies for being so late on this, I'm a pretty busy girl! I was invited by a lovely PR girl that was working with Plastic Makes it Possible and Becs of Style with Benefits to attend the Gen Art Fresh Faces of Fashion show last Thursday. Luckily it was in my neighborhood because I was only able to change my flats into heels and grabbed my camera after work, headed to my friend Maeva's and waited for her to get ready. Very last minute indeed, but was so glad I got to finally meet Becs and her equally stylish twin Melanie.

(backstage: Becs, Maeva, Me, Melanie)

Though you could barely see in the photo (credit to becs). I was wearing a vintage Escada tuxedo blazer, black sheer tee from Express, BCBG necklace, F21 jeans and LAMB 'Cho' heels.

It's a bit surreal meeting people who you've only been reading, commenting, and looking at photos behind the screen. Glad that Becs is as fun as her photos portray her to be. It felt like we've already met before. And of course, saying hi to other bloggers that attended like Neekoh of Live Love LA, Raych of That's Chic, and Krystal of What is Reality Anyways? Wished I knew the links of other bloggers that I met that night because they're all lovely people. Though I didn't stay after the show (the boyfriend was waiting for me to go to dinner), I still had a great time!

It's going to be a long post, so I've put some outfits I like from each designers and then the line up to keep it short and sweet.

the cat walk

amazing fur coat during the pre-reception

backstage line up

this girl, who ever this was had a pretty cool blazer on

she looked almost like a mixture of Greek meets Pocahontas

moments before the show

these 2 girls looked important, but not sure who they were.

Layendecker

Layendecker started the show and I really like the mixture of texture in their collection. Very cool cut out leggings that created an illusion it was part of the sandals.

Seneca Rising

I thought that the layering shapes they've introduced in this collection were fun, but nothing that we haven't seen before. Not saying that it's a bad thing, because majority of us go through our basics pretty fast. Overall, I say its a very complete collection.

MG Black

Okay, so I couldn't decide on ONE photo to feature from Erik Hart's new menswear label. When designing menswear, detail is everything while keeping the tailored look as structured as possible and I think this one won my heart. Kept some photos just to show my boyfriend to give him some styling points and I also loved that 2 female models walked the runway (first shot) in this transgenderable collection. I could put a few of these in my closet for sure.

Valerj Pobega

Honestly felt that this was true to what Rock Fashion Week should feel like. Something provoking, intense, and passionate. Probably something that you would see in our Avant Garde designers. Love the converse, bondage, kimono inspired, ink spills, and exaggerated shapes.

At the end of the runway, a dancer came out and gave such an emotionally charged performance. It told the story of her collection without a word.

Rory Beca

Rory Beca brought us back to our sweet spot at the end of the show. These whimsical, flowy, and girly pieces were delicious. I was still eying for shape and movement from Pobega's collection and found a few here that I liked.

Happy Halloweeeen!

2009-11-02T00:00:00.000-08:00

Hope you all had a happy Halloween! I certainly did. Honestly couldn't remember some of the events that took place until reviewing photos from my camera. My friends are crazy hot messes.

I wore the same lace bunny ears I made for my bday with a dress from topshop, necklace (also worn on bday) and wedge pony hair boots from bcbg. I tried to add drama all up on my eye lids, I think it came out better in the black/white photos than in real life. haha. Ryan was my vampire doctor..he created me. It only works when we're next to each other and I say "What's up Doc?"

Birthday in Wonderland

2009-10-29T00:21:00.000-07:00

I promised you all pictures from my bday party and here they are! I made these inspired Marc Jacob's bunny ears for my bday and everyone loved it. Every year I usually make something special. Last year I made these feather hair clips and wore a flapper styled dress..and this year I wore the most gorgeous red dress and necklace from BCBG, vintage fur shawl, and my YSL tribute pumps, though I wish I had the time to go shopping for some gold heels. I also made these bunny ears for my Halloween costume. Can't wait to wear the rest of it to my friend's house party.

Bare with me...this is going to be a super long post!!

after I finished getting dressed and about to leave.

Japanese Tacos..the size of my pinky! :/

after dinner we migrated our table to the patisserie area and met up with the rest of my friends who didn't come for dinner. I felt that the party really started at this place..I couldn't be happier!

when my ice cream that was frozen in liquid nitrogen came with a candle on a cotton candy like texture cake.

I had also ordered some darjeeling tea..I love this shot, it was a nice atmosphere.

I can't thank the friends that came enough for making this so special for me. Pictures were being taken of one after the other..I felt almost like santa claus..in a red dress! haha, yay to being 25!

Towards the end of the night, I was pretty exhausted. Sadly I didn't get a good shot of my outfit. Should have done it in the beginning, but everyone was texting/calling me like crazy. I have to thank my boyfriend for taking such wonderful pictures. I wish he was by my side, but he definitely captured the spirit :)

Selling the Zoe Boots

2009-10-26T21:08:00.000-07:00

Hi guys, after few short months I've decided to part ways with my beloved Zoe. I should have listened to all the bloggers who mentioned them being half a size large..at first I didn't notice, but after wearing them with tights..my feet started slipping inside. So, these are perfect for someone who wears a 7.5 shoes. I'm giving you bloggers the opportunity to buy them straight from me first before placing it on ebay.

you can shoot me an e-mail or leave your comment over at my selling blog if interested!

And now to find something that fits my feet! btw, sorry for being MIA..we had a fashion show in NY 2 Saturdays ago and it was my bday bash this past weekend..though my official birthday is tomorrow! Will post photos soon! xx

Tanja S London Crystal Wedge Boots

2009-10-15T19:09:00.000-07:00

I haven't lusted after shoes since the Ann Demeulemeester ankle lace up boots, so seeing these crystal encrusted wedge boots by Tanja S London got me all stoked! Gorgeous GORGEOUS shoes! Which one to pick? Thigh high boots, ankle boots, cut out boots..?? I cant decide. They are to drop in the next few months and I can't wait try them on.

Into the Wind

2009-10-12T20:02:00.000-07:00

Sunday, the boy and I went to the Annenberg Space for Photography...I was hoping to get him interested in photography since he bought me a new camera. It got gloomy so fast and I really wasn't prepared for it. Quiet difficult to get any shots when I'm freezing to death and the wind is blowing my hair in all sorts of direction.

Say hello to my little friend. Ryan bought me this when we went New Japan (Sawtelle St) to eat. I was delighted because it now matches my gloomy bear bloody claw keychain. I seriously think that no matter how old I am, I will still carry something cute.

Speaking of the boyfriend..here he is..doing a little MJ dance :) He's wearing a Joy Rich cardigan, H&M polka dot tee that i like to call krispy kreme, Levi's Capital E jeans and I don't know who made those shoes..I believe he got them somewhere in Little Tokyo

wearing United Color of Beneton blazer, Express sheer pocket tee, vintage Levi's cut off shorts, Target tights, Sam Edelman 'Zoe' boots, Foley + Corinna bag (which I carry everyday), Luella x Linda Farrow sunglasses

Bazaar Birthday

2009-10-07T20:05:00.001-07:00

Finally sent out my bday invites to the loveS of my life and I'm so excited for my chosen location! I wanted to check this place out for quiet some time now and whats better than to have a dinner/cocktail party there?

images found on Gastronomy Blog

This might be a bold move, but I invite everyone who reads my blog thats from LA to come join me on the 24th this month! This place is too cool to miss. You can read all about The Bazaar from the Gastronomy Blog!

You bet I'll be wearing something fancy :)

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-10-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

I interrupt my runway report to bring you this...the best collaboration yet! Not only is Spike Jonez bringing our childhood book to the silver screens but to real life as well. Speaking of childhood books, I saw Cloudy with a Chance of Meatball last weekend at the IMAX theatre, completely surreal...surround sound but visually surrounded! Anyways...

Dress up in faux fur from jackets, vests to dresses and pair them with tarnished silver or gold cuffs, necklaces and rings by Pamela Love. How amazing is this? I am in love! and I can't wait for the movie.

the texture of the last two white ones are fantastic. it reminds me of a sheep/lamb..which is totally me (my last name) haha :)

this vest by far is my favorite

I wonder how many people are going to dress up as Max for Halloween? I mean, it's sold out! That's one expensive costume, but so cute.

Spring 2010: Color Harmony

2009-09-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

Where have I been? Sorry for delaying my posts. I got quiet busy last week with birthday plans (I'm turning 25 next month!), taking care of an injured boyfriend, running errands and playing with my new camera even though I'm still waiting for my CF card from amazon.

I'm so happy for your positive response from my last post! I had planned to do a series of "runway trends" report for awhile but I always get really busy when fashion weeks arrive. Anyway..on to the trends!

Blue & Orange
Marc by Marc Jacobs, Oscar de la Renta, Brian Reyes, Vivienne Westwood (red label), Jaeger London

This combo seems to be a favorite amongst the designer for spring and it's really refreshing to see different styles across the runway with such bold hues. It's everywhere from patterns, florals, to solids with accessories as accents.

Blush Pink, Beige, and Greys
Chris Benz, Fashion Fringe, Todd Lynn, Erin Featherson, Burberry Prorsum

This is my favorite mix, so much to where I actually went and bought the pink pants I saw on refinery29 last week from yoox.com. I'm probably crazy. Anyway, I really like Erin Featherson's entire collection, but I picked this pink dress because it's cute and sexy at the same time...and I love the new take with Burberry's signature trench coat.

White, Yellow & Black
Dsquared, Bottega Venetta, Christopher Kane, Fashion East, Jonathan Saunders

This color combo didn't catch my attention until Milan fashion week. I tend to stay away from these colors when I dress myself because I always end up feeling like a bee. At least I realize now that you can achieve this color story with minimal effort. Wearing yellow and white at top with black shoes, handbag or sunnies.

There were a lot of other color schemes on the runway, especially monochromatics, neutrals, bronze, and gold..but I'm saving it for the next post that has to do with textures :D

What are your thoughts about the Spring 2010 color harmony on the runway?

Spring 2010: Prints & Pattern

2009-09-22T21:42:00.000-07:00

If you were wondering why I haven't made a post about Fashion Week its because I've been busy on style.com and elle.com checking out all the collections. I like looking at every collection to find something inspirational, but it gets tiring clicking on all the photos...how about you? So I wanted save my own time (and maybe yours) from going through my folders over and over again by grouping the trends I see from the runway into a few posts...

The Print Masters
Thakoon, Carolina Herrera, Zac Posen, Anna Sui

When I think Spring I always think of something cheerful, colorful and floral. But how do you translate the same season into a fresh perspective? I think the designers I chosen really knows about floral and prints. I feel aesthetically pleased when looking at them, and I'm not really into wearing florals!

Angular Cut Out
Zac Posen, Marc Jacobs, Rodarte, Temperly London

I thought this was very cool. I've never seen so many cut out jackets, sweaters, and dresses before. Not sure how one would wear that Rodarte piece but it looks fantastic.

Polka Dots
Luella, Tracy Reese, Devi Kroell, Karen Walker, Josh Goot

I'm a huge fan of polka dots, and to see it repeatedly on the runway gets me all giddy. Luella has been one of my favorite designers ever since I could remember, she always puts out cute and wearable items. Believe it or not, all the other designers are new to me. I've heard of them seen couple of pieces in real life but never put much thought into them until seeing polka dots in their collection.

What are your thoughts about the Spring 2010 prints & patterns on the runway?

Anna Sui for Target

2009-09-20T22:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I wore my new Anna Sui for Target dress for the Crank Mas ride. Unlike most who ride with fix gears and wear the trendy fixie get up..I went for something different, only to match my bike of course. I guess I'm trying to bring a new statement to the party rides in LA. There needs to be more girls doing these rides! And I'm glad last night, a couple of friends brought their girlfriends to come along. It was so much fun. We finally named our crew "Like Yeah! Hot Sauce" because it's catchy and funny. More on the bike stuff later..and on to my outfit...

The night before the ride, I watched Coco Avant Chanel and it got me to dig up some black and whites, so I debut the Anna Sui dress with white tights from Target, Jeffrey Campbell for LF sandals and a F21 black pearls with bow necklace (really old). I couldn't decide on a hat..the american apparel wool floppy, or vintage cream wool ones...I think the black ones go better so it doesn't look like I tried hard to be black/white. I didn't wear it while riding my bike though..it would be against the wind.

Photos of the ride with me and my bike to come, waiting for my friend to post up the pics on facebook :)

Lobster Festival in the LBC

2009-09-14T20:15:00.000-07:00

vintage cardigan from the bohemian exchange, f21 tank & jeans, zara wedges

The Lobster Fest in Long Beach was pretty small. There wasn't much to do besides eat, drink and be merry. I ate an entire lobster to myself. Probably the most satisfying dinner yet. I'm also addicted to roasted corn and always get one when I go to festivals/fairs. After eating, we came upon this cool hat shop and fooled around with interesting things. I love all the masquerade masks!

And thank you for your input in the last post! I went ahead and returned the vest to H&M. <3>

Prior to the event, I went shopping and headed in Bloomingdale to find a foundation. I don't wear anything on my face except for the Dior HydraAction tinted moisturizer that I swear by. I've always heard great things about Chanel and decided to try it out. Anna covered my face and did me all over with Chanel products. I must say..the foundation is amazingly light weight and offers more than a tinted moisturizer..and so I bought the perfect foundation yet. The best part of this whole make over is that the eyeshadow lasted all day and night without creasing! I find that amazing since the eye shadows I use from Stila and Mac leaves crease marks after an hour.

I finally put something in my shop journal! So far I'm putting up shoes that I have stored away for a good while. Check it out and let me know if you're interested in buying anything. I put a lot of boots up since I know people are looking for some this season.

Woohoo, it's almost time for Gossip Girl :)

Should I keep it?

2009-09-10T19:21:00.001-07:00

h&m faux fur trim vest, random blue tee, f21 white jeans, floral docs martens, linda farrow x luella sunnies, pocket chains turned necklace

This was today's outfit after playing around with fur last night. I actually bought the vest awhile ago, but after making the last fur vest purchase I'm contemplating on returning these. What do you think? I'm not really feeling it anymore...looked better in the campaign.

I bought the floral doc martens off eBay awhile back. I was sooo happy to finally get these, they go well with any plain outfit of mine and I can mix them in with work clothes..such as the one I'm wearing in the photo.

Couple months back, my roommate Kaliko gave me these 2 gold pocket chains..and I quickly decided to hook them together to form a necklace. I like the way it drapes and brings fond memories of those dookie gold ones Run DMC sported in the early 90s

In Celebration of Fall

2009-09-09T23:51:00.000-07:00

american apparel floppy hat, nordstrom faux fur vest, vintage christian dior belt, zara cloud slouchy skinny, sam edelman boots

I've managed to get this stupid camera to work partially. Every 5 seconds it will tell me that my batteries are dying and closes on me. Ugh. Still waiting for the new camera to arrive. Wait list sucks.

I guess most of these are considered new for the fact that I never took pictures in them, well I have but they're from my iPhone..and quality doesn't serve them well. The Sam Edelman boots are by far the most comfortable wedges ever..I was surprised at how light in weight they are which means I can stand/walk in them for hours.

My new vintage belt is sooo gorgeous! I was worried it would be too plain and wanted to hook some gold chains around but after pairing it with this fur vest, I think it's perfect the way it is. Though I think I'll hook them on when I wear a different outfit. By the way, I got the vest at Nordstroms for only $50. It was on the sales rack for half off. It's super soft and a much better alternative than the stuffy rough ones going around the same price at H&M. My boyfriend said I looked like a bear when I tried it out at the store. I assured him after adding a belt it would be fine. And so I was right. This is a keeper.

Other news, I'm beginning to clean out my closet to make room for all my fall outfits and will be selling couple of items soon! Wait for it :)

Favorite of the Moment + Shopping

2009-09-02T14:09:00.000-07:00

First two images found on feather hunter, tangled chains by Sid Vintage on Emily Rossum, giraffe booties by Luxury Rebel and leopard wedges from Office

Ahh, what would Fall be without these? I want to go against the usual Leopard prints for Fall and buy lots of Giraffe prints. Firstly because I find Giraffes to be so graceful and beautiful looking. Secondly, when you think animal print you don't normally think of these fellow giants which makes me love them more. Thanks to Michelle of missnonhuman for tipping about these Office wedges called Minky Pinky. They're cute in their own way..and half off the sold out Ashish!

And I'm waiting for couple orders I purchased from the web by the end of this week!

twelve by twelve giraffe cardigan & taupe harem pants..after i get this im going on a safari trip.

vintage 80s gemstone long knit cardigan..can borderline on tacky, but i love it!!

vintage christian dior black onyx belt. this one is so purty!

vintage Wilson high waisted leather shorts.

I'm super excited for this one, been trying to find leather shorts of this length. I don't really like the whole booty leather shorts retail stores are putting out...like how do you even wear it out without some random guy slapping your ass? I don't know what it's like in other cities, but LA guys have no shame.

I also bought many many things from H&M, american apparel, and goodwill (for good ol DIY projects) the past few weeks. Sadly, I don't have a camera yet to show you what I've been wearing. Must steal roommate's camera to make outfit posts!

Quirky Autumn Pieces

2009-09-01T00:27:00.001-07:00

Despite the immense heat right now, I enjoy looking at fall pieces and dreaming about putting together looks and going around town in quirky outfits. I'm not sure what it is about fall, but it makes me feel so happy and warm inside. Maybe it's the colorful leaves, the earthy smell of the rain, the perfect LA weather that's a bit breeze but still warm at night. It makes me want to layer in lots of color combos instead of the neutrals I've been sporting all summer long.

I am in love with the new kate spade collection right now. Super fabulous.

Besides layering with clothes, it's the months where I actually want to play with accessories. I used to be a huge fan of pulling looks with hats, purses, and belts..but right now I'm really into vintage jewelry..especially reworked vintage jewelry. I wish I could afford buying the beauties from The Glamourai at Shrimpton Couture, but I'm afraid I have to find alternatives that still oozes glamour...so obviously it leads me to search on etsy. There are lots of great jeweler that are catching onto this fantastic art!

images: etsy and lolli

These will certainly define and complete any outfit.

PS. Forgive me for the lack of updates & replying to comments..I haven't really been online or inspired to dress up when it's hot, sticky, forest fires burning in the background and spending my hours working and preparing for market/fashion week. But soon! This blog will take full effect after a particular side project :)

Ashish Wedges SOLD OUT

2009-08-26T10:10:00.000-07:00

NOOOOOO!!! I barely found out they were out and it's gone :(

edit: I can't believe the zebra ones are on ebay already!!

Christopher Kane for Topshop

2009-08-21T15:43:00.000-07:00

via refinery29

TASTY! I can't wait till these drop. I love the details of these pieces and that big ol graphic tee & dress. I've been thinking of recreating one myself. Screen printing animals on big black tees.

I'm getting my computer back later this evening so I can start posting regularly again! If you haven't noticed, I moved to blogspot! Still need to fix my layout and everything. AND I've got tons to update on...you know the usual..my shopping addiction, latest inspiration and of course my outfits this past week and other tidbits.

Oh by the way, since I've moved to blogspot, I lost all my links!! If you want to exchange links, leave a comment here :)

Life comes crashing down

2009-08-17T12:55:00.001-07:00

Attemting to update from my iPhone. Last friday my computer, camera and website crashed..almost at the sametime. How weird is that. I think I got a virus that went into my FTP program and hacked my site. It's the only reason that makes sense. As for my camera..it's just old. I probably won't be able to update until I get my computer back.. Maybe in a week. See you soon!

House of Architects Millinary

2009-08-13T13:14:00.001-07:00

via fashionindie

I found my geometric hat fix. Though I don't know how you would be able to wear this, at least it's amazing to look at. By the way, tomorrow I will be hosting a new giveaway. Be sure to check back!! More lovely goodies for you all :)

Lonely Hearts Club

2009-08-11T12:29:00.001-07:00

I love Mayer Hawthorne and asked my boyfriend to buy me the heart shaped record. I didn't know when he was going to get it, but when he did I was delighted! Of course, I don't have a record player, but that'll come soon enough! For now, it will be hung on top of my bed...my bed is for lovers.

I want to thank you for your wonderful comments in the last post. It's good to hear other people's opinions on the matter. Sorry for getting all melodramatic..its not what this blog is for! And I realize I forgot to tag my outfit..oops.

I'm going to start plugging people who leave me wonderful comments. Go and visit Shantee, Ela, and Aimy because they're awesome and so is their blog.

Since my last post, I've been revisiting old clothes that I used to love. I found this Anna Sui top stuffed in the back of my suitcase. Why was this in the suitcase? I love this top! The delicate beads and subtle sequins is perfect. I wore it to work on Monday with a different pair of pants mainly because these harem pants in the photos are way too big and they keep falling off my waist. I'm going to try and reband it so it stays where it should. Also in this series, my new vintage hat that I mentioned in the last post. I love it lots.

Wearing Anna Sui red with beaded blue floral trim top , Zara floral harem pants, vintage white wool hat

bike p0rn & rant

2009-08-09T14:17:00.001-07:00

hello lovers! i've been in a great mood this weekend because I finally got my bike back from Palms Cycle! They do a great job at restoring vintage bikes and really give you more than you expected from a little shop like theirs. It's no wonder people walk in every 10 minutes to check out a bike. I got hooked up with couple of great things. I didn't even know that brooks made leather tape for the handle bars. The owner gave me a 60% discount because he used the other half of the tape and the brooks cork ends. He gave me a chrome one to match my bike and helped me put it on for free. Lovely people that cares!

Will be going back there again to get baskets, a bullet light and a bern helmet. They really have everything you need for your vintage bike. On to more photos...

We were in Venice Beach just cruising around. After it got around dinner time, we biked back to Abbot Kinney and shopped for a bit. I've never been there before and always heard of great vintage stores there and was delighted to check out. Found a high-end vintage boutique called Ms Vintage that sells items such as Dries Van Noten, and Burburry to name a few. I was in love with this 50s skirt but I really cant put a $500 dent into my wallet right now. I must figure out a way to recreate it. Lovely boutique and lovely owner but stuff I will have to pass for now.

After dinner, we walked outside and I saw Bohemian Exchange right across the street. I was in love with the name and knew it would be a wonderful hunt. Walked in and wanted to buy the entire store..but I picked up a super soft and long cardigan that's light weight enough to wear on summer nights. And this white wool hat that looks like its from the 40s where you can tie around your neck so it wont fly away. Perfect for riding! Really lovely store with decent prices. I had a little talk with the owner and she's so down to earth and the fact that its non-profit for the community makes me feel good about buying things from her. Will be going back there again!

I love meeting people like her. Makes me feel warm and welcomed and that I can freely express myself in words, the way I dress, my point of views and my way of life. What a wonderful life that would be which brings me to my next subject...

I'm not sure what its like in other culture and ethnic background, but I often feel so far connected to the Asians in my community. One being the fact that yes, I am the artsy creative type. It automatically puts me in a realm that's different than those who persue academic excellence, but I don't judge them for doing something that's different from me..so why look down on me for the things I do? People have no idea of the money that brings in for a creative. I'm not a broke artist who would only make my riches when I die.

What Im trying to get to is that I notice a lot of people in my own race that falls into this certain category. Am I the only one that sees things differently? Am I defying what it means to be a successful asian..or at least appear as if I am? First I don't want to be a doctor, engineer, or a lawyer. Second, I don't really give a crap about brands for only the face value. What I am after is style. If I am utterly and obsessivly in love with a style a high end designer put out, of course I want to buy it, but I don't go buying things just for the names sake to show off money for people that don't even care about my life in the first place. I love quirky, unusual and cultural things. I like to get lost in the past and relive the life they had through purchasing vintage goods. Now in the fashion world, and all you lovely bloggers would know that vintage does come in a hefty price sometimes.

What irks me is when people of my own race calling me a freak and not because I act weird, but that I don't dress like them or share the same values that they do in fashion. I also don't mean a freak as in I dress in clashing neon colors from head to toe, but as in cheap. Because the fact that I don't dress in BEBE, or Ed Hardy, anything brand name that they can automatically recognize or the fact that I often pick items where the logo isnt apparent doesn't qualify as being cheap. I choose not to be mainstream and trite because it's just so damn boring. Imagine looking just like everyone else or having the exact same thing as others. How is it different than dressing in a uniform? I can't conform to such idea. Coco Chanel once said, “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” and I cannot agree with her more. I love that quote, it means so much to me.

I wish people could look beyond the face value sometimes and stop looking down on those who are different. We should be celebrating our differences as its how new ideas form. To even make a judgment that someone is cheap because of their way of life is so wrong. Just because I choose not to stay in a 5 star hotel, but a bed and breakfast for its cozy and unique atmosphere doesn't mean I am cheap or that I can't afford it. Because I choose to take the bus at night and explore the streets of a different town doesn't mean I'm too broke to take a taxi, for all I know..especially the way I dress, I should probably take a taxi to avoid uncomfortable stares of my baring legs on the bus. But I choose to be different and that is much more awarding than those who try so hard to fake themselves as rich. What an empty life that is.

Okay yes, I may be ranting a little too much about something a "friend" said behind my back that I just found out. How high school did I sound and I should be above all the drama, but it brought up such a point. And for all I know, she has low self esteem and needs to talk crap about all her friends to make herself feel worthy as she has this thing about being snobby because she thinks she's rich.

and for the record, i think rich people are the nicest people out there as they don't have time for all this back stabbing nonsense.

Peek-a-Boo

2009-08-05T12:18:00.001-07:00

a forest peep show..guess who?

I finally wore one of the maxi dresses that I mentioned buying from ebay awhile ago and I love it! Its too hot outside to be wearing all black, but I wore this outfit to check out Dam Funk's dj session at Amoeba this past Sunday. After the show we saw something across the street that was happening near Space 15 Twenty and decided to check that out too. Low and behold it was another Blogger Day event, I did a little twirl around each tent and didnt recognize anyone..maybe its the fact that I'm still new to all this. Haven't gotten to know much fashion bloggers in the area yet. If you saw a girl in an all black maxi walking around aimlessly..it was me! haha. I was probably there for less than 10mins because of the heat. My boyfriend and I left to grab some food and headed to Griffith Park to chill out...

This photo is too great. Caught in between changing poses when he snapped a Jesus pose...with that heart-shaped ray of light included! I name this the "Jesus loves you" picture.

The rings are very special to me, promise rings if you will. Last summer the bf and I headed to San Diego for the Thread Show and found lovely Australian gems and crystals. The turquoise stone belongs to my bf and he wears it on his pinky. Our mismatching rings represents our polar opposite personalities but stem from the same um..silver. I never take the tri-band ring off and plan to inscribe it one day. You may have noticed the ring in all my previous photos. I just never took a close up pic until now! It's just funny that a year later I see an ad from Cartier with this design..and Forever 21 making a copycat version. Oh and that's a new necklace by Figs & Ginger. Too cute! but I have a problem with fake jewelry..it usually leaves me with rashes on my neckline and chest...but for this fawn..it was too cute to pass up.

this could almost be editorial if it was a real model in place

I still find the process of getting my photos taken to be quiet silly. Especially when I try to take a serious photo. I can't help but to laugh at myself and have the urge to do something funny. Don't take fashion too seriously because it will eat away your soul...seriously.

I know this is a lot of photos but I couldn't limit as they were all great in their own way. Sunnies are by Linda Farrow x Luella

Butterflies by Claire Pettibone Spring 2010

2009-08-04T08:20:00.001-07:00

Here's a sneak peak from our photoshoot couple weeks back for Butterflies Spring 2010 collection! Only selected a few out of the lookbook I did last week. I'm very happy with the way they turned out. It was taken at an estate. The home belonged to a famous actress in the 50s that I cannot recall her name for the life of me. I would ask Claire again, but I've asked her 3 times already, haha. That's how bad I am with names.

Not much retouching needed on these photos! Her body is perfect and really showed off our young intimate apparel line, Butterflies in its natural habitat...sort of. My favorite is Zebra (second photo). Which one do you like?

Mink Pink Summer 09/10

2009-08-03T17:53:00.001-07:00

photos via Mink Pink

Midnight browsing and found cool outfits for summer activities. I can't get my mind off that fringe vest, knotted white tunic/dress, animal print anything, cut out top with graphic print skirt and biker shorts..i need lots of those this summer, and of course the wonderful head accessories they have going on here...studded cat ears? too cute!

The Fairy

2009-08-01T16:44:00.001-07:00

I love the Rodarte inspired tights from H&M. First saw these here awhile back. Just love her blog, I find her quiet inspiring. Cropped blazer and tights from H&M, dress is by Yaya and shoes F21.

I think my boyfriend is getting pretty good at taking pictures. i love the way these turned out! the way he catches me in motion and cropping me in. Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend so far.

Sam Edelman bringing sexy back

2009-07-31T09:18:00.001-07:00

sam edelman zoe boots @ akira chicago

This baby is back but selling out quickly as ever. Thanks to the lovely ladies, Lindsay and Melissa over at Akira Chicago for the heads up and giving me a call. I can't wait to rock them! You girls are fantastic!

If Batman was a Shoe

2009-07-29T03:27:00.001-07:00

Pictures from Jak&Jil

Holy batman, these look like they can cut and and fly. New favorite pumps.

Summer Inspiration

2009-07-28T15:31:00.001-07:00

It may be getting really hot to the point of wearing nothing but a bathing suit and hitting the beaches - meaning no jeans, leather, long sleeves and wool, but I love the latest looks shopbop has pulled together. This clearly represents the style I'm going for this summer. Mixing silver and gold hardware with sheer blouses and the color BLACK incorporated in every style. Though I'm very fond of dark brown and anything wood currently.

It could easily be achieved with what I have in my closet right now which is perfect since I'm trying to put my money in things other than fashion at this point. My bike is currently in the hands of skilled bike lovers that can restore vintage bikes in Culver City. I'll be posting photos of my handsome Raleigh in 2 weeks! I can't wait to start riding again, its been toooo long. I'm also sad that I wasn't able to enter the Topshop contest over at Chictopia due to having my bike restored, painted, and modded. At least my bike will be worth the pictures soon.

I need these from Fendi

Other news, I sold my laptop to my roommate so I can get the 5d mkII. yay! Another thing I miss doing - photography. I'm not going to be handicap no more! Wait till I get my hands on the new camera, I'll be shooting for a variety of things. Maybe to further fund this investment, I should sell some items in my closet that I don't wear anymore...vintage from 50s-80s, Marc by Marc Jacobs, anthropologie, shoes, h&m/f21/zara...don't know if anyone would be interested in my closet? I guess we'll see.

Kabobbq

2009-07-27T13:08:00.001-07:00

wearing h&m plaid shirt, topshop marble studded jeans, jeffrey campbell sandals

I sort of altered this shirt. Bought it over a year ago and haven't worn it more than once. Mostly because there were these smock details on the side and puff sleeves that I hated. Whenever I wore it, the top would rise up when I lift my arm. So I took the seam ripper and got rid of both. Cuffed the sleeves and felt good about the way it turned out. May sew the sleeves to stay in that form so it wouldn't roll down like the photos below. I was very much inspired by the idea of mixing patterns this summer. Though it was pretty hot to be wearing jeans, I got these 2 weeks ago and haven't made a post about it. I think they're bad ass.

most of my pics look like this. half opened eyes, closed eyes, or not photo ready. i think its hilarious.

(before ripping out the seams)

For the amount of food photos I put here, I think I should start a separate food blog. We went to the groceries to buy items for a picnic at the beach, but woke up a little too late after a night of my roommates birthday celebration and decided to have a little courtyard fun. We went and bought 2 variety of sausages: chicken & apple and jalapeno & chicken. Others on the skewers were whole mushrooms, cucumber, pineapple and shrimp. It was yummy. Of course, this wasn't enough for the 2 of us..we also had salad from Chipotle.

Balenciaga Resort 2010

2009-07-24T08:25:00.001-07:00

photos from style.com

Resort doesn't have to be boring according to Balenciaga. I'm loving the play on shapes, textures, and volume. Wouldn't it be nice that our skirts stay in that shape all day long? No need to adjust and fluff. The criss-cross color block heels look great too.

Acid Dreams

2009-07-22T12:58:00.001-07:00

zara white tunic, h&m moto jeans, zara wedges, aa sunglasses, random necklace

New moto inspired acid washed jeans from H&M. Another thing that I immediately found the last time I went in for a quick purchase. I love these, but my boyfriend thinks otherwise. Haha, his opinion doesn't stop me from buying "weird" things though!

I rarely take photos outdoors, and I really love a scenic background instead of my white walls. Can't beat the beautiful sun light minus the heat.

I'm tired of not having the camera body that I've been wanting for so long. I've mentioned before that I had my dSLR stolen from me 2 years ago and I haven't bought a replacement since I want to upgrade my camera. Long waited for the 5d mark II to come out, but the price is over my budget. Save for camera, or save for another heavy materialistic purchase? Moving has set me back couple hundred, so it's going to take longer to get the camera of my dreams. For now, putting my skills that I get paid for is all I can do. Can't beat the real thing and the time it takes to manipulate each photo.

Romeo + Juliet

2009-07-20T12:54:00.001-07:00

Saturday turned out to be one eventful day. We slept in and pondered what to eat and what to do. It was one of those weekends where we didn't make plans. The default thing to do when we don't plan is to shop, but Ryan said he doesn't want to do the usuals. While eating at Phobulous, we talked about ballet. I've never seen it in person before so it sounded like a good idea. Ryan searched and found Romeo and Juliet playing at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion that night. I was excited! The only problem was that he didn't have anything formal to wear that night and I also didn't have anything that I felt was fitting for ballet. We ended up shopping 2 hrs before the show started, it was hectic, rushed and under a lot of pressure. Of course, H&M would be the ideal place to find something great. Upon entering the store I found the perfect dress for the evening! My boyfriend then found a dress shirt to match me.

It was so steep, I felt a bit nauseous but it was okay after the lights went off.

end of act I

right after the show. i really wanted a picture in front of the fountain. since we rushed to get there on time we didn't take any when it was still bright outside. I like the ambiance of these photos though.

1st photo: vintage daisy mesh babydoll, f21 dark denim skinny jeans (not shown), zara olive wedges (not shown)
ballet photos: wearing h&m dress and jeffrey campbell for LF sandals. i felt like a rock n roll ballerina.

I know I shouldn't be all gushy when I see a celebrity, but I can't help it. You just don't expect seeing someone on TV to be walking by you or even look at you. I saw Carrie Ann Inaba during one of the breaks and she was limping by me because the heels she was wearing was hurting her. I feel you girl, walking in high heels can be tough but can't deny how good our legs look in them.

French Market Place

2009-07-18T06:30:00.001-07:00

It was pretty warm yesterday and I threw on my new Zara silk blouse for a classy look for work but it's a little risque since you can slightly see the floral black lace of my bra. and I paired it with the skinny jeans that are a little too big. It gives off a bit of the boyfrendish look. I thought cuffing them up like the proper way of cuffing blazers would be extra spiffy on pants. I like it that way a lot, plus it actually stays in that shape without having to re-cuff them. Mornings are still a bit cold, I brought a yellow cardigan to me to work in case. Shoes are by Bakers from a long time ago. And I've never worn them until yesterday!

After work, my boyfriend and I went to eat at the French Market Place on Santa Monica. I never ate there for the fact that everyone sitting outside are much older. We decided to explore and act pompous if we had to..but luckily everyone was cool and the decor was pretty awesome too. There were a few shops inside to check out inside, nothing too fancy though. It's got a bit of a Disneyland vibe to it, but cute nonetheless. The food on the other hand was spectacular.

I ordered a white sangria, looks good and smells good but I really had to mix the fruit around to get that flavor.

my horseradish Alaskian salmon on a bed of spinach and red skin mash potatoes. it was heavenly in my mouth!

Inspired Maxi Dresses

2009-07-16T11:34:00.001-07:00

I love ebay for selling the things I can't find in real life. Can't wait to wear them in 2 weeks. They reminds me of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen. You can wear these all glammed up in the evening or in a casual environment depending on how you accessorize. Either way will attract loads lot of attention! What I like about maxi dresses is the fact that it's easy to wear, super comfy and you become instantly chic (I love the instant part)! My boss has been wearing these super cute floral and jewel toned maxi dresses all week long and it inspired me to get something with print and color, but I really couldn't resist these black and white for the silouettes.

Semi Update

2009-07-13T16:38:00.001-07:00

I can't remember the last time I made a proper outfit post! I swear I'll get back on track very soon and catch up with commenting and reading everyone's blog. I feel so out of the loop! I barely finished unpacking and organizing my closet last night, haha. I just love to organize. The other day I went to the container store and wanted to buy everything, but only left with a new shoe rack that hangs from the door. Pretty awesome. The rest of my room is still a mess, though you could barely see in the photos. The living room and kitchen needs more work. I want my bathroom and room to have an earthy and organic theme to it, so lots of wood, gems especially turquoise, and stones...more on that later.

Lately it's been really hot and I didn't want to wear jeans. The crochet cape has been on my back the past few nights. I'm super in love with it. I also been straightening my hair, I think I'm over having curls. Time to go back to the natural route.

I seem to use photobooth whenever I move into a new place. The above two are photos from another time I moved. PS, how do you like this new layout?? There's much I need to update, but I'll work on it little at a time.

and the winner is...

2009-07-04T22:15:00.000-07:00

Annie of Curiouser & Curiouser!

hailing from Conneticut!

Congratulations girl! These fabulous Current/Elliott jeans are yours to keep :)

(I randomly picked a number in my head and you are lucky #12 from the qualified list)

Thank you all for participating! Hope to do another great giveaway soon :)

Tribute to the King

2009-06-30T12:14:00.001-07:00

we paid tribute to the king and danced the night away of our favorite tunes of his on a hilltop apartment in silverlake, having sips of jesus juice in a porcelain mermaid cup and showing off our favorite michael jackson poses. kcrw played a really good mix of his music in different cultural styles 2 nights after his death. i started to get all emotional in the car as i remininst my childhood. i thought he was invincible. he's too good to die. my sequin obsession all started with him and my mom would find me in her closet trying to fit into her sequin dresses when i was 8. i also thought my mom was the most glamourus person i've ever seen. i envied her closet when i was young and then she gave them all away in donation. wish i had a say in what to keep.

i know i've been quiet abscent as of late, June has been really busy. From finding a new apartment for a month straight, the la film fest, kcrw world fest at the hollywood bowl, to birthdays and holidays...I'm exhausted. I'll be getting the keys to the new apartment tomorrow but I would most likely use this holiday weekend to move. Hope I could squeeze in a day for a "4th of july birthday bbq MJ tribute party." To add more stress to my life, I share a phone service with my brother and he goes and cancel it because he wants a new phone, so this week I'm left with no service. Frustrating but at least I get to buy an iphone now.

And, July 2nd is your last chance to enter to win the Current/Elliott jeans. I'll be announcing the winner on July 3rd...so wait for the good news! while I go and get all my things moved :)

Christopher Kane & Alexander Wang

2009-06-25T03:26:00.001-07:00

I need this Christopher Kane Tee. More here: Luisa Viaroma
and the Alexander Wang Fall 09 accessories collection is looking pretty fierce!

I've been seeing this Brenda bag all over the blogosphere, and hesitated about joining the cult favorite though I'm in love with it. But the broken in, "blizzard" destroyed look of the grey one is too hot to ignore! Makes me feel like I'm in an ice storm, what a great accent to an all black outfit. I am also in love with all the heels and boots in this collection. Great texture, hardware, and "ice" sculpted heels. I am inspired!

Paradise Cove

2009-06-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

Went to Paradise Cove yesterday and had an early dinner to hopefully catch a sunset, but the closer we got to the beach the gloomier it got. SAD but the iced seafood platter made up for it...and WOW I didn't know that wordpress had this gallery feature. Now I can upload a lot of pictures without feeling like I'm making people scroll too much.

I was shopping in Santa Monica last weekend and saw these limited edition look alike by Jeffrey Campbell in the window display at the LF boutique. What a dream come true! I say they look exactly like the Ann D, but just 1 eyelet more than the real deal. I was lucky because these were the last pair of my size, but they seem to be a tad big. Normally I wear a size 6.5/7, but I think a 6 or 5.5 would have worked best for me. Still able to walk great but needs some padding and it'll be perfect.

Wearing vintage tunic that can be worn in a couple of ways (my favorite types of clothing), american apparel black leggings and vintage peach sunglasses, jeffrey campbell for LF sandals, vintage embellished purse. More photos after the jump!

GIVEAWAY - Current/Elliott

2009-06-18T04:03:00.000-07:00

Fashion + Geometry and Chicdowntown.com
teamed up to give away a FREE pair of
CURRENT/ELLIOTT cloud wash destroyed skinny jeans!

How chic would this be with a pair of black pumps like above?? These jeans are so "current" with the trend that it actually hurts not get a pair myself! But I could only award one stylish reader of F+G, please read the info after the jump to enter and good luck!

Contest ends on July 2nd at 12am pst
I will be making a random selection on that day

How to Enter

This contest only applies to US residents (sorry, not my rule!)

Comment with your name, e-mail and blog (optional if you have one) and tell me why you like them.

Don't like this contest but still want to stay chic in recession? Chicdowntown.com is constantly doing giveaways and gift cards. Check out their Facebook and Twitter to enter for other chic prizes. If you don't know already, chicdowntown.com has a wide variety of luxe collections. I look forward in checking out their designer dresses like Alice + Oliva and shoes like Balmain. Other cool brands like Mink Pink, What comes around goes around, and BB Dakota to name a few.

In other news, I'm working on a new layout and migrating this blog on a separate host. Bare with me until I get this going :)

Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner

2009-06-10T16:19:00.000-07:00

Couple of things to note, this past weekend I went to see Dirty Dancing at the Pantages and this was the outfit I wore. Motorcycle jacket from wasteland, h&m babydoll & necklace, white mesh tee from work, ysl tribute pumps, and random leggings. I went to my parents house before the play to pick up a new package with a cool hat and blouse from thrush at etsy. (psst, she's having a sale all this week!) and my pumps to complete this outfit. I hate flash, but to better show off the sparkly leggings. haha. Thanks to the boyfriend for candid shots

This month is apartment hunting month. Our lease is up july 7th and my roommates are not planning to renew. They said they're sick of this place and wants to find a new cute place. I haven't been able to get home till 10pm all this week. So tired. We found a place by Dolce that seemed nice, the only problem is the landlord lives on the same floor..which means no loud music? My roommates found another decent one last weekend by the Beverly Center and it sounds alright...I just need to go check it out too for the final decision. A lot is still up in the air, if we don't find a place in 3 weeks I may have to look for new roomies which I don't want to...

etsy love: corset lace ups

2009-06-08T14:51:00.001-07:00

Just made this fabulous purchase from ancestorvintage over at etsy. I had these sitting in my favorites for nearly half a year, and to my surprise..no one had snatched these glorious boots! I thought its about time I get them before it is really too late. While most are planning their summer outfits, I'm already thinking of fall, maybe its the freak weather we had last week or that I love autumn much more than summer. I feel like I have better clothes suited for the cooler weather than the warm. And Its funny for me to say it this way since I live in southern California where the weather is rarely cold, so I suppose my cold weather items are equivelent to warm weather items in other parts of the world.

The corset lace ups reminded me of the boots from Ann Demeulemeester A/W 08 collection. Except not the triple laced version or have that curved heel, but still beautiful in its own right. Just the idea of saying "corset lace ups" gets me all giddy (i sort of have a thing for lingerie, which is why i'm happily working for a luxury lingerie/couture bridal designer). I feel much happier in finding vintage items that resembles a style that I love from the designer without paying a fortune for the name (unless it is the most essential item to have in my closet and none other can merit the same feeling for its design) and knowing that designers are often inspired from the past, I think its super cool to have a vintage pieces that designers are inspired to bring back to the modern world. Makes me feel like I have stuff that are more authentic than just the label.

shop bottoms at spanish moss vintage

Lately I've been paying close attention to pants with floral prints on them. I've been seeing a lot of floral harem pants in vintage stores and they look intriguing, but I don't think it's worth $70-$100 though. I'm going to hunt for some myself...and perhaps if I find vintage maxi skirts while thrifting I'll reconstruct it into pants. Shouldn't be too difficult right?

Fashion Geometry to the T

2009-06-08T04:40:00.000-07:00

via jak&jil (more on his blog)

This is pure hotness, cheers for great photography and styling with the tees! I need to grab myself one at complex geometries to complete my wardrobe. I love the draping and oversized appeal. A top that can be styled in multiple ways for a fresh, unique look.

On that note, I've been on a hunt for some maxi skirts in black or white..for some reason its taking me forever to find them. I saw one here and probably will buy it there, but I would like to see more variety in shapes. Where have you spotted maxi skirts and dresses?

my hump

2009-06-04T14:54:00.000-07:00

or not! my butt is a disgrace to Brazilian butts BUT horizontal stripes can give an illusion that I have one! hip hip horray! im aware im very punny and my boyfriend doesn't think its funny. oh yeah, did i mention i can also spit rhymes. :)

these leggings are not meant to be high waist and i wish they were so i don't have to wear them so low otherwise i'd be walking around with a camel toe..not cool. and yes i wear leggings as pants sometimes, especially with crazy prints.

i love these pair of shoes and my camera doesn't do it justice..or most of my outfits anyway. they're actually burgundy wine so imagine it without that yellow tint..oh so jazzy.

my hair is a mess, i gave my bangs a trim 2 weeks ago and they were perfectly straight..now they've grown out. so fast!

the aldo shoes were actually my first choice to pair and goes so perfectly, but im trying to break out of my default colors.

wearing french connection angora ruffle cardigan, super soft white mesh top that i got from work (sample top that i used to photograph, which i then photoshop prints on top later), f21 cropped leggings, h&m elastic belt, jessica bennett cut out oxford heels, and aldo grey heels

and for kicks....

im going to be seeing dirty dancing the musical and visiting my parents this weekend, perhaps the reason behind this ecstatic post!

Brighten Up

2009-06-03T13:50:00.000-07:00

temperature has been on the low side these few days and today i nearly jumped out of my seat when the first thunder hit. coincidentally my boss and i walked out of our office at the exact time with glaring eyes. we looked at each other and started cracking up because it felt like we were mirror images of each other. her office is right next to mine and the doors are side by side. you would be laughing too if you were scared shitless by yourself in there and wanted to walk out to talk to someone and then to find the person right next door to you was thinking the exact same thing at the exact same time with the exact facial expression.

this coat is one of my favorite from zara that i got last winter. i love it for the pattern and the fact that i can style it in a lot of ways. above is pictured in its most casual form. and since it's been so gloomy, i find myself wanting to brighten up the weather with colors...which is sadly lacking in my closet. anybody feel that as you get older the less color you wear? i'm trying to bring back my youth this summer...

wearing an elastic belt definitely gives me some hourglass shape. in this photo im wearing it like a scarf/coat

here i put the scarf under the belt and fluffed up the top to imitate giant lapels for a magnificent shape.

you can pull up the back collar to block the mighty wind and give off this mysterious appeal.

and lastly the most quirky of all, wearing it like a scarf head wrap. its got a 60s vibe to it, no?

in these photos: zara wool open coat, american apparel sexualitee & flourescent red leggings, aldo grey heels, h&m elastic belt

edit: and thanks for all your wonderful styling suggestions in the last post! i'm going to try them all out and see how it works for me :D

The Ringmaster

2009-06-01T14:20:00.000-07:00

I was quiet surprised that H&M got a new shipment of the Mathew Williamson line this past weekend. Unlike most that would go for his floral frocks and tunics, I was more drawn to this rich blue/green high waist color block pants. Though the shape and color made me think of the circus and penguins, I couldn't help but buying it! These photos don't do the color of the pants any justice.

The only color palette I could think of paring them is black or white to either make them stand out, or to tone down. I wore a f21 fur trim double breast coat, self cropped black muscle tee by gap, lace one piece from urban, and oxford pumps by aldo. I really need to go to my parents house...to visit them and to bring back my ysl pumps. I miss them both.

If you were to buy these pants, how would you wear them?

Geometry 101

2009-05-30T14:01:00.000-07:00

This may be old news to some, but I just saw this while waiting in line to pay for my groceries at Ralphs. Lately it's been rare for me to browse magazines when it's so easy to be inspired through the internet, but I picked up this issue and saw this editorial. I was particularly intrigued by the bandage "belt" used throughout the pages and decided to pick some up at the drugstore to experiment. How ironic and avant garde to use a real elastic bandage to create the bandage look. More photos after the jump!

elle june 2009 // source: tfs

I'm loving the first image with the Fendi dress with the bandaged sleeves creating the cold shoulder cut out look, YSL wool jumpsuit with crazy vintage platforms in the second and Maison Martin Margiela blazer with pointy shoulders in the sixth.

I'm going to make more posts about geometry in fashion as I want to share some of my inspirations with you lovely readers.

humdi luli la lilulo

2009-05-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

tee h&m, pants babooshka, wool floppy hat aa, wedges (not shown) zara

Hope everyone had a good memorial weekend! I celebrated with lots of music festivities. Started off with a jazz ensemble on Saturday over at the Jazz Bakery. It was an amazing show with the ying string quartet. Then the following day went to the Reggae festival over at UCLA. I mostly went to see Erykah Badu and honesty, I wish she played music from her old album than the new and more experimental rhythms, but she's one hell of a performer. Loved her outfit too! She wore a grey hoodie with leather pants and a black fedora hat. At one point she took it down to reveal a shiny cap underneath.

julia roitfeld

If you didn't notice, I got new bedsheets! Inspired by this photo of Julia Roitfeld on her bed and the time I stayed at Petite Auberge in SF - I fell in love with the 600 count white bedsheets they had. It was so comfortable that I didn't want to get out of bed, and so this weekend I went and bought the same count at target and brand new comforter too! My bed now looks like a fluffy cloud and made my room look even brighter, softer and zen. I just need to clear everything off my tables. There's just something about the lack of color that entices my senses.

Huntington Garden

2009-05-18T14:48:00.000-07:00

me: blouse & skirt h&m, socks & gold daisy cut out flats f21, purse vintage
him: vintage blazer YSL, shirt & pants h&m, shoes..don't know yet.

This was a funny weekend, both of us forgotten our "official" one year anniversary that took place last Thursday. We woke up Saturday morning getting ready to go to the Huntington Library and remembered. The funny thing was that he bought me flowers on Friday "for no reason" he said. I can't believe it's been official for a year. The other 3 years we've been together were quiet dramatic to say the least. We were the on/off couples that would have intense break ups and say we'll never see each other again but come back together in the end.

The Huntington Library was absolutely gorgeous. I haven't been there for awhile and really wanted to check out the new Chinese Garden they installed a year ago. I also wanted to have lunch at the tea room, but you have to make reservations. We tried last minute but it was all booked. You have to at least reserve 2 weeks - 30 days in advanced. So when we got there, we decided to eat at the Cafe, but upon seeing trays and trays of gourmet sandwiches..Ryan asked one of the chefs if he could get one. The guy was kind enough to give us 2 samples. We at least got a little taste of the dream.

Just to warn you, lots of photos ahead that has been altered for the mood of the shots.

Going through the pathways at the rose garden reminded me of old storybook fairytale. I wanted to get lost in the woods and find magical elves dancing afar. I want them to take my by the hand and lead me to a secret kingdom. Everyone there would be as delightful as the flowers and powers that can heal a broken heart.

Peach Girl

2009-05-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

white blazer & peach body con dress h&m, grey heels aldo, vintage necklace fairfax flea market

I've been meaning to post this yesterday but decided to spend my evening watching the latest gossip girl on youtube. Who watches that show anyways? It's my guilty pleasure. I may be a little old to watch high school drama on the upper east side, but I am so caught up with the Blair/Chuck relationship. I cried when he gave her the prom of her dreams. Haha, I'm not even kidding. They need to get together already!

Anyways...lately I've been inspired by light, nude, and peachy colors. I need more light colored heels to match my nudey inspiration. These are my only light pair and it really stands out against a sea of black. Honestly, I was questioning about that body con dress from H&M, I always felt very self "conscious" about those types of dresses. I'm afraid of it giving too much curves and attract a lot of unwanted attention, but then I thought..I get a lot of attention for the way I dress anyways, so why not bring it home and experiment! So this is the first part of experimenting with this dress. There were other colors on the rack, black and hot pink but I felt this one suits me better. Pairing it with a white blazer certainly kept it classy yet sexy. I can wear this anywhere!

I also had a lovely weekend giving back to the community. I donated 8 bags worth of clothes to the nearby Goodwill. I hope these stored away clothes will have a better home than the trashbags I placed them in for months. It's hard to let go, even when I took them all out to see which one to keep and which one to donate. I tried on each one and asked my boyfriend for his opinion, and he certainly was no help! He had nothing but good things to say, "You should keep it, looks good on you." Well, of course it does..thats why I bought them in the first place honey! haha. After awhile I stopped trying them on and started being realistic. I had them in the bags for so long for a reason. I'm never going to wear them again, so I stuffed them all back in the bag and didn't look back. Then, off I went and browsed around the racks.

I found a pretty cream blazer that fanned out on the bottom. The missing buttons didn't stop me from purchasing, it only inspired me to find better buttons to sew on. I pictured it with my aa disco pants and thought how perfect it would look. Next I went and bought couple of mens t-shirts and did a little tie dye action, and they came out great! I plan on cropping them and wear them with white mesh top (will be making from scratch) underneath..a bit funky but I'm in the mood for funky. Last stop was to h&m and bought couple of pretty light and airy pieces. I especially love that grey nylon bubble skirt. It poofs and feels nice.

Karma Electra

2009-05-07T17:30:00.000-07:00

sequins jacket vintage, sheer white tee zara, shredded cut offs levis, oxford pumps aldo

This sequins jacket was such a gem, a little big but I did some adjustments. I got it last summer at this cool vintage store in Westwood for $3!! I've been meaning to go back there for awhile and hoping to make a trip this weekend to score some more goodies.

my photographer

Tonight my boyfriend and I went out for dinner and we passed by this Indian restaurant called Electric Karma and I thought it said Karma Electra. Like Carmen Electra..get it? Yep, I'm a bit dyslexic and I have really corny jokes. Sometimes my humor is hard for people to understand. Last night I spent about 20 mins explaining a joke I made up to Ryan and he was so confused. The more he tried to understand my joke and the more far off he gets from my idea, the more I laugh and say "nevermind, I guess it's only funny to me."

Studs, lace, and pearls

2009-05-05T13:01:00.000-07:00

grey open cardigan h&m, cropped lace vest wasteland, strapless leotard aa, jeans f21, oxford pumps aldo, sunglasses luella for target

i love these aldo pumps, looks sorta like my ysl pumps but with laces. got them on sale awhile ago but only started wearing them now. usually i wear a size 37 or 6.5/7 shoes, but these run a bit small and the 38 were perfect. going to do more work with these jeans along with other projects i plan on doing this weekend.

materials i need to buy - modal or rayon/cotton blend fabric, light washed denim, studs, spikes, crystals, chains, fringes, trims, stretch laces, mesh, leather, faux fur, feathers, sequins and other adornments.

can't wait to get started!

Sandra Bucklund

2009-05-04T16:46:00.001-07:00

"I approach fashion more like a sculptor then a tailor" - sandra bucklund

Recently discovered her work and was smiling through the archives. This is exactly the reason why I named my blog fashion + geometry...well mostly because I'm a graphic designer working in the fashion industry, but also how I've discovered so much similarities in both through principles and elements of design. Entering the fashion world with no technical fashion education, I only have my background to lean on when critiquing and communicating with fashion. I have learned a lot about it by working side by side with this field and it has helped me to see more texture, form, and color among other things that strengthens my design abilities. I couldn't be happier with this sort of experience, but I think I will always feel like a noob since I go mostly with my gut instincts then try to back it up with technical thoughts.

In other news, I was riding my bike yesterday to the bike day LA event held at space 15twenty in a flowy 70s white mini dress with an open v-shaped back and sadly..got sunburned. Totally forgot that the sun is the enemy in the afternoon and that my hair doesn't cover my back like it did a month ago. No photos of that outfit because I was having too much fun riding, but I did ride with heels as usual since the bike is fairly big on me (can't touch the floor). And thanks to my boyfriend, he got me new cream colored tires for my bike. The restoration of my raleigh will be complete after I get a front bullet light, wicker basket in the back, an orange cream paint job and new brooks leather saddle. This will probably take another 2 months since there's so much I want to do with my money right now such as buying new materials to make stuff, saving for the much needed camera, and couple of events coming up later this May. I can't believe it's May already!

Questionaires

2009-04-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

tagged by yuka, thanks! :)

[1] What are your current obsessions?
these green tea noodles that i bought at a korean market..in fact i am eating them for dinner as i do this :D . bleached denim that reminds me of clouds, laces and monochromatic white or nude outfits. been trying to find all the right pieces so i can post my experiment!

[2] What is your weirdest obsession?
being matchy matchy with my outfits..though no one here have seen them yet!

[3] What are you wearing today?

flower clip/headband (fell on the floor in that corner!) DIY, jean jacket thrifted, lace daisy babydoll vintage, black eel legging american apparel, fringe booties f21. i need to buy a slip to go underneath..what i have on is too short!
[4] What’s for dinner today?
read #1 :D

[5] Why is today special?
I went to the Claire Pettibone salon to shoot veils this morning, finally get to finish the veil lookbook. Here's a sneak peak...

[6] What would you like to learn to do?
produce music like my amazing boyfriend.

[7] What’s the last thing you bought?
the lilli ann cape and the lace daisy babydoll..both at the vintage expo

[8] What are you listening to right now?
laura gibson - sweet deception

[9] What is your favorite type of weather?
sunny with blue skies and light breeze

[10] What is your most challenging goal right now?
finishing 2 lookbooks, a banner/postcard ad, cp blog layout/design, and moving old web server to media temple..hopefully by the end of this week! i might be forgetting something...hmmm...

[11] What do you think about the person who tagged you?
i've known yuka since high school and she has always been a true and genuine person. she have always been a real nice person and a good friend! i recently got in touch with her because of this blogosphere! small "world", haha.

[12] If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
i would move to france or sweeden.

[13] What would you like to have in your hands right now?
canon 5d mark II

[14] What would you like to get rid of?
bags and bags of clothes..should give them away to goodwill soon.

[15] If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?
i would love to be in japan!

[16] Which language do you want to learn?
japanese and spanish <-- me too!

[17] What do you look for in a friend?
lately, i don't even know since i've practically lost touch with a lot of old friends. it's strange when you try to reach out to them after all these years to keep in touch but the plans never work out. it's also hard to stay in touch when you have nothing in common and more bummed with the ones you have shared goals and dreams with are too busy to even have dinner or even care for that matter. seeing how fleeting it is, i look for nothing in a friend. just good conversations and laughter.

[18] Who do you want to meet in person?
zooey deschanel

[19] What’s your favorite type of music?
i listen to music with a lot of soul, jazz, blues and funk. lots of spacey, lounge type along with some indie rock that are inspired by the past and a frequent in the scene of dubstep/drum n bass. i guess basically everything, haha.

[20] What’s the favorite piece of clothing in your own closet?
it's so hard to say..i love everything in my closet, which is why i have bags and bags of old clothes that i need to give away but it's hard..haha. i definently love my vintage blazer collection i have in there.

[21] What is your dream job?
the one i have now, but i would like to expand with my side projects in the near future.

[22] Any favorite models?
no one really, i'm not really inspired by models..more inspired by the stylist/photographers that created their looks.

[23] What would you mostly likely spend $100 on?
elaborate meals for two

[24] What would you like an endless supply of?
purified water! i'm always running out of drinkable water. wish my 3 gallon bottle refills itself. haha.

[25] Girl crush?
carla bruni

[26] Do you admire anyone’s style?
i'm a huge fan the street styles of japan

[27] Describe your personal style
i don't exactly know really, it is whatever that inspires me at the moment..it could be an artist, movie, music, travel, my boyfriend or even while shopping. i usually stare at the piece and start layering the way my mood feels, but i do know that i love anything that makes a bold statement and representation of me..whatever that may be. hope to find out through more outfit posts!

(Tag eight other people)

Now I tag:

Kelsey
Jen
Phoung
Ania
District of Chic
Jamie Clare
Sally
Kimmy

Lilli Ann

2009-04-27T14:08:00.000-07:00

vintage 60s cape lilli ann, jeans bdg, lace up booties nine west, hat f21

You have no idea how happy I am to have found this cape! I was walking around at the vintage expo for half an hour, from room to room not feeling a bit inspired. I would see great things everywhere but not one of them was really me. So then I browsed some more and saw this amazing monkey fur coat and started touching it. This lady looked at me and said, the sign says do not touch and chuckled because everyone that walked up to it has touched it. I laughed and said oops! I was just so engaged I had to feel it. Then walked into the booth to check out more items - low and behold..I saw the ruffles with blue trim and had to pull it out to see. It was a lilli ann cape! I've been searching for the perfect one and now I've found it. I asked the lady sitting down for the price of this lovely piece and she asked me to wait while her husband comes back.

This whole time there was this girl standing behind me starring. I thought she wanted me to move out of the way so she could browse, so I took the cape and walked to the mirror to try it on but saw her starring at me still. I fell in love with the cape as soon as I put it on. I told my boyfriend that I have to have it. It's perfect. By then the lady's husband came and told me that he'll sell it to me for $150. I said, I'm sold the moment I put it on! We did the transaction pretty slowly because they had this old school credit card machine where she had to call the bank to verify. The girl said under her breath "I'm going to die." I felt sorry for her since I knew if I was in her shoes I would be really sad too. This cape is perfect!

After walking away with this great purchase I saw Dita von Teese standing right in front of my face. I stopped and so did my heart until I turned to my boyfriend to tell him who that was. I really wanted to get a picture with her, but judging by her body language it seemed as though she wanted to be left alone to shop..so I just admired from afar. She's as beautiful as she is in photos. Perfect skin, make up and clothes..just shorter in person.

This piece really made my weekend...and so did the YSL blazer my boyfriend found. It fit him perfect to the tee, quiet scary how perfect it was on him. And Sorry I wasn't able to take photos of the expo, once I walked in and pulled my camera out..this lady yelled at me and said I wasn't allowed to take any and that it was against the rules. What rules? where were the signs? I didn't see any, but she wouldn't leave until I put it away. Then this lady from Revamped Vintage walked by me and said "Isn't that silly?" yes..yes it was.

Romantic Sailor

2009-04-23T13:18:00.000-07:00

angora cropped cardigan french connection, top second handed from aunt ann taylor, high waist jeans bdg, wedges h&m, purse from the 60's vintage

I was feeling a bit romantic today knowing that I will finally see my boyfriend tonight. During the week he would be 45miles away from me, but the weekends is our time and we're quiet adventurous together. On saturday there will be a vintage expo in Santa Monica that I'm dying to check out. Then later in the evening there will be a party at my place hosted by my roommate. Being a fashion designer that he is, he's doing a little fashion show for our guests and we'll be giving out prizes for the best dressed later in the evening. I'm super excited to see my friends and mingle with everyone.

Do any of you have a relative that's into fashion as much as you do? My aunt bought this top and never wore it because it didn't fit her so she passed it down to me..along other things she was forcing me to take. A lot of times, I don't agree with her fashion taste because her style is completely different from mine, but this top inspired me so I didn't argue with her and gladly took it. The cardigan was such a steal because I got it for less than $50 at French Connection this one time. It's made of rabbit hair/angora and nylon..super romantic and super soft. It's just too bad the only size they had left in the store was a med/lrg, I just couldn't pass up the exaggerated ruffle sleeves.

By the way, that Monroe photo in the back isn't mine...it's my roommates. I placed it there for awhile because we were running out of space in the living room due to his fashion projects, but it's going to be painted over in black/gold for the party. Monroe isn't me at all, I'm more of an Audrey Hepburn fan. :)

Pixie Market on 3rd st

2009-04-22T14:26:00.001-07:00

I'm completely sad that Pixie Market will be closing it's doors on 3rd st. Though I've always browsed them online, it was just so perfect that they were walking distance from where I live... but now I'm going to make an effort to visit the store before they shut their doors for good. Prior to moving out west of LA, I had no idea I would be coming to a city where everything I browsed online would be right down the street. Everyday I would be shocked and extremely elated to find a new cool spot or even to discover how close I now live to places I used to drive 30-45mins...and now it only takes a nice bike ride in the afternoon.

I'm in love with the designers that they put in their stores. Though I can't afford everything, I like to go there for eye candy...I especially love how they style leggings and shoes. I'm going to be doing some diy on my clothes so be prepared to see some new bandage leggings, bleached denim tops (also inspired by Yuka), saftey pinned dress...too bad I can't knit otherwise I'll make my own versions of those Rodarte inspired tights!

Heat Wave

2009-04-20T13:13:00.000-07:00

tank f21, shorts cut offs of secondhand, tweed jacket and wedges zara, necklace and purse vintage

Today was incredibly hot, hopefully the hottest it will get this week. I say that not because I don't like warm weather but the fact that my office faces the sun in the afternoon and the a/c becomes really weak and fans don't even help. I had a taste of the heat wave today and it was no fun. All I did was walk out of my room, went downstairs to get a print out of a current project and walked back up and started to sweat! I don't know how I'll survive the summer heat in this office. I wish the windows could open. That would be a life saver.

I finally picked up this Zara tweed motorcycle jacket this past weekend after contemplating for 2 weeks. I was hesitant due to the fact that it gets super hot here but I was inspired by the mixture of old lady tweed clashing with a motorcycle cut. It's perfect and could probably put it in good use when I go out at night.

Weekend at the Boyfriend's

2009-04-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

top and hat my boyfriends, jeans zara premium aged denim, gladiator sandals nordstroms, necklace vintage from fairfax flea market

Whenever I'm over at the boyfriends, I end up wearing his clothes to sleep. Partly because I forget to bring my own nighties and partly because I love his american apparel tees that I get to sleep in. It started to get really hot here in southern california that I decided to go chop off my hair. At first I wanted to trim the remainder of the damaged dyed/bleached hair but I also wanted to try something different and started reminiscing of having summer waves thus I got a digital perm on top of an a-line bob cut. I seriously need to fix my bangs though.

In other news, I received a lovely package from Kelsey over at Tractordog. I fell in love with the sweater the instant I saw it. It's made of silk, nylon, and angora. Feels soooo good, though totally wrong for this season and the next! haha. I must save it for a rainy day or when the weather gets cooler. I'll pair it with some vintage Levis cut offs to give it some grungy feel. It would look super fantastic for autumn. Thanks Kelsey!!

Shoe Porn

2009-04-17T15:00:00.000-07:00

1. Sam Edelman Women's Sevva Platform Sandal
2. Robert Clergerie Women's Dielo Slide Sandal
3. Gee Wawa Women's Gambit Heeled Bootie Sandal
4. Sam Edelman Women's Kamie Boot
5. Bronx Women's Shani Tall Wedge Peep Toe Boot
6. Pour La Victoire Women's Felicia Open-toe Platform
7. Pelle Moda Women's Kammi Peep Toe Cutout Bootie
8. Modern Vintage Women's Thammy Studded T-Strap Wedge

All from endless.com.

What is it about shoes that gets me salvating? Ever since I saw the cut outs from Mason Martin Margiela, Marni, and Chloe to name a few, I've been looking for cheaper alternatives. It wasn't until I started searching online and found all these amazing pairs! Though I don't know about #3. Perhaps I should just buy the original Chloes since it's not that far from these knock offs.

and I finally changed my header...the last one didn't make any sense for a fashion blog. I hope you like this one. Photos are from Rodarte.

Light Breeze

2009-04-17T11:24:00.000-07:00

The last day of our trip we went to the Legion of Honor museum for the showing of 1900s art nouveau jewelery from Faberge, Tiffany, and Lalique. I was very astonished by all these delicately and expensively designed Easter eggs with souvenirs within. Some contained items like a painting while others had necklaces. This was perfect for Easter Sunday. I also had no idea that Tiffany & Co used to paint stained glass windows. Too bad I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside, so I took a photo of the entrance for memories sake.

My outfit that day was pretty simple and relaxed. I had on an american apparel circle scarf on top of a white linen zara top and a skinny mirror belt with these white studded jeans from F21 that I've been living in for awhile. My boyfriend seems to know how to pose. I guess all dancers are good at posing :)

Tea for Two/Cherry Blossom Festival

2009-04-15T16:39:00.000-07:00

Friday

Again these were from Crown and Crumpets, a charming place I mentioned in the last post. As you can tell we were certainly having a good time. We ordered the Darjeeling Second Flush with a side of soy milk and Momo Oolong Super Grade. It was delicious! My vintage cardigan that I got on etsy awhile back totally matched the wallpapers and table cloths! It was totally unplanned.

Saturday

vintage dress and sunglasses, h&m belt, nine west booties

On Saturday we met up with my friend Bettie at Japantown for the Cherry Blossom Festival. I was quiet surprised that not many people dressed up. I was really excited when I saw couple of people wearing kimonos and a guy in a samurai outfit. Earlier in the day I tried shortening my dress by pinning it underneath my belt but it was really windy and I almost had a Marilyn Monroe moment. I'm still deciding whether I want to actually alter this dress to make it shorter. What do you all think?

I'm back!

2009-04-14T15:38:00.000-07:00

I have to make this post quick because Robitussin is kicking in and I'm getting sleepy. I caught a severe a cold last night and I'm wondering if it's because I haven't slept much the entire trip or eating too many chocolate at work on Monday.

Let me tell you a bit about my trip before I go - It was fabulous. We left Thursday night and arrived 7am in the morning. Everything that day was such a coincidence. I wore my french wallpaper cardigan all the way up there because I wanted a Garden State kind of feel - matching my outfit with the wallpaper, but I fell right asleep after a marvelous breakfast buffet. After we woke up and got ready we headed out towards Fisherman's Wharf thinking that we'll eat there but the instant I saw inside Crown & Crumpets in Ghirardelli Square, I knew we had to have lunch there. It was the most charming luncheonette/afternoon tea ever and it's also one of a kind. They barely opened last September. I told the owner to open one up in LA. It would be marvelous! My cardigan was matching their aprons and I swear it looked as if I was working there. As my boyfriend would call that place - it was quaint.

Photos and more adventure stories on the next post!

Done Deal

2009-04-08T17:26:00.000-07:00

We booked it! We finally found the perfect one: the Petite Auberge in the heart of San Francisco. I can't wait! I'll be leaving after work tomorrow evening and arriving Friday morning. Can't wait to meet up with my dear friend Bettie, the last I've seen here was a few months back. I'll be sure to post lots of pictures from my trip.

I still need to pack! See you all until I get back.

xoxo

OP #003

2009-04-07T03:19:00.000-07:00

top f21, pants babooshka, shoes aldo, belt rock n republic (my roommates)

I love love love the shape of these pants by babooshka. After missing out on the drop crotches from CDG at H&M, I've been searching everywhere for something similar or better. I have a drop black trouser ones from Zara...though I still love them, but it doesn't quiet compare to these babys. The material and cut really does matter in sustaining the shape. I wore this outfit to work today and my coworkers wouldn't stop starring at my pants. haha.

It's been nice and sunny the past few days but the forecast shows that rain will be coming. So happy that I get a day off for Good Friday...it has been forever since the last (Christmas?!) day off. I've been daydreaming about my weekend trip to San Francisco. We're planning to stay at a bed and breakfast. The one I really want to stay at was booked full, so I'm searching for another one thats as equally nice with all that home style country/cottage feel.

Lots of nice things are heading up this month and I'm really excited but I don't want to spoil the fun. :)

Spring with Totokaelo

2009-04-06T14:40:00.001-07:00

images courtesy of totokaelo.com

Ryan says my default outfits are usually cardigans, tees, and jeans. I guess I can't help it because it's the easiest to style when I'm in a hurry - and I'm always in a hurry! Especially getting dressed for work that has a pretty casual atomosphere. So once in awhile I head over to Totokaelo for style notes that works for me in my everyday work life.

Night Riding

2009-03-30T19:45:00.000-07:00

tops h&m, pants, scarf and bracelet f21, shoes zara, glove boyfriend's, bag (barely there) foley+ corinna

Went to the M bar last Saturday to check out the Jazz Punks live performance. I didn't know what to think of them since we went on a whim, but it turned out to be a great show. It was also a nice 4-mile bike ride to Hollywood. On our way back my boyfriend and I came up with an idea. We're calling it Century Club. No, it's not a nightclub or that drinking game..we're going ride 100 miles a month! That's 25 miles a week. I think it''ll be fairly easy to acheive considering the fact that we ride all over Los Angeles.

It felt pretty gangster to ride with my giant studded bracelet and a motercycle glove borrowed from my boyfriend on the same hand. I noticed how well it was used as a reflective item on my body so cars could see me a little bit better at night. This is the first time Ryan approves me with studs (pat self on back). Though you can't see it, I've got studs on the back pockets of my jeans. And besides all the metals, I do like how the ruffles on the top flutters as I ride.

note to self: buy front lights and helmet

1st outfit

2009-03-24T18:00:00.001-07:00

an outfit post!

top bought on melrose, bottom aa disco pants, shoes ysl pumps, hat basiquent from popkillers, bag vintage from etsy

this is my first outfit post on the blog. sorry for the ugly mirror shot, the batteries died after taking this photo. i need a new camera really bad. it's been almost 2 years since my dslr camera was stolen. it's about time to get a new one.

SPR/SUM 2009 Picks

2009-02-20T16:16:00.001-08:00

Wunderkind really blew me away with this collection and the outfits goes really well with the equally chic vintage inspired bike from Velobris:

Rodarte's collection is like a ballerina with an edge so the girls should takes off in a sleek white bike with a 3-speed by Giant because you never know where your adventures might take you:

Charles Anastase reminiscent collection makes me think of a sweet school girl who likes to play by the books. I could picture a happy school girl riding a shabby looking bike from Electra Bicycles: