Hello, Hotel

Again, a delay in posts. I haven't had much of an opportunity to take any pictures lately, nor update my wardrobe. Sad life. Anyways, these were taken also in Chicago some many months ago, I just hadn't gotten around to writing about them. We took them in the lobby of the hotel (the people working there were probably confused by what we were doing), and the colors of the hotel were really fun to shoot with. However, my wind-ravaged hair kind of had a mind of its own. Darn you, hair.

As for the outfit, one-shoulder tops are some of my favorite things. Something about the lack of symmetry makes the outfit so much more interesting. Darker colors, like navy, are also something I tend to use if wearing color at all.

***Photo Credit: Jimmy Wu***

A Breeze in Chicago

Went up to Chicago a couple months ago with a friend (again, sorry for the huge delay). There wasn't really a purpose to this trip except to eat pizza and hot dogs (more on that later), and the rest of it was just sort of exploring and taking photos. It was relatively warm, but I still took the trip as an excuse to wear the winter clothing that I would normally never touch in LA. 

As usual, tackling everything in black and white with a splash of color. I actually really like the way the blue from the purse and beige from the scarf work together. Not normally a common color combination for me, but one that I think I might utilize more in the near future.

Also, leg warmers combined with combat boots have the effect of making my legs look thinner... something I would be happier to use if it didn't involve me roasting to death in LA.

***Photo Credit: Jimmy Wu***

Cloudy Days

(Calvin Klein Blazer, H&M Shorts and Tights, Pussycat Top, Michael Kors Bag)

First things first, sorry about the lack of posts for the last couple months! Life has been a little crazy recently, and will probably stay a little crazy for the next couple months as well. Anyways, moving on.

So we were up in Santa Barbara for some wine tasting a couple months ago (yes, it took a while to get these up, shhh), and ended up tasting very little wine and mostly wandering around. We came across some train tracks that we thought would be fun for photos (and so did the people in the background). 

Boots and blazers are pretty standard for me, but what I don't normally wear would be this top. My mom bought it for me when we were in London several years ago, and I never really knew what to do with it. Finally decided to put it to use, then immediately got a black smudge on it. This is why I can't wear white things.

***Photo Credit: Jimmy Wu***

On Melrose and Knick Knacks

(H&M Beanie, Target Vest, Macy's Skirt, Forever 21 Shirt, Bag from a random stand in the night markets of Taiwan).

Decided to go 'splore the Melrose Trading Post, a flea market in the lot of Fairfax High School. We kind of dilly-dallied, so we didn't actually end up getting there until about an hour or two before it closed. There was a $3 entrance fee, but the actual market was quite a decent size. I found some incredible clocks made from old books that I REALLY WANTED, but really didn't need. Sigh. Maybe next time.

Anyways, I had been talking to my cousin about how I owned too many hats, so it seemed appropriate that I actually wear one of them out for once. Since the bright orange of this particular fox-beanie was kind of hard to match with other colors, I decided to go with my faithful black-and-white concept, as usual.

Wrapped in Gold

(Express Shirt, H&M Shorts, Target Tights, H&M Bracelets, Charlotte Russe Bracelet)

Not much going on, just messing around with the lighting. Pretty simple outfit. I have three shirts similar to this one, all in different colors. I don't wear jewelry that often, but I do like wearing a lot of things on one wrist (sometimes I'll throw in a watch to add some extra bulk). Asymmetry aw yis.  

The Colors Don't Touch Me

(Tally Weijl Blazer, Charlotte Russe Tank, 2b Bebe Shorts)

Re-installed bangs! I've had bangs most of my life, so without them my face felt kind of... naked. Also layered my hair, and now my head feels a couple hundred pounds lighter. Brushing is no longer a thing.

Had afternoon tea at the Huntington Library, then explored the gardens for the next couple hours. I'm not usually one for the wild outdoors, but I love botanical gardens. Tame, man-made, outdoor excellence.

As for the outfit, pretty standard for me. Black and white and loose. I've got four blazers and this is my favorite.

In Men's Clothing: Argyle Sweaters

(Ann Taylor Loft Vest, Kohl's Sweater, F21 Shorts, Target Tights)

I buy a lot of clothes from the men's sections of stores. Like, a lot. My brother and I actually loan each other clothes occasionally because I enjoy business casual men's wear so much (vests, sweaters, etc). Just because it's men's wear, however, doesn't mean it has to look manly. This is probably one of my more feminine looks involving men's clothing, as I've contrasted the potential manliness of the sweater with tights, heels, and makeup. I stole this particular sweater from my cousin during a white elephant event (and he in return got a flowery yellow blouse and purple leggings, sorry!), and have worn it several times since. Since I don't want to distract from its argyle pattern (I love argyle, it's so... geometric), I usually match it up with plain bottoms. Sometimes I wear it with a collared shirt, sometimes I don't.

Also I'm really excited in the second to last picture because I found a slug.

Those Warm and Fuzzy Days

(Forever 21 Jacket, Charlotte Russe Tank, H&M Shorts, Sperry Top-Sider Boat Shoes, Target Sunglasses, Bag was a gift from my roommate while we were studying abroad in Paris)

Vivi's not getting any younger, so I've been taking her to the beach whenever I can. One of my friends visited from the East Coast to enjoy the weather, so it seemed like a good opportunity for another beach stroll (and mojitos). The weather is warming up some more (is that even possible? I honestly think we skipped winter in its entirety), so soon I'll be back to shorts 24/7.

I've had this jacket for years, and its cropped length works perfectly with over-sized tanks. I also like that its plaid-like pattern sort of matches the plaid on my shoes (I'll put some better pictures of them up later). As old as Vivi is, she still manages to drag me around, so flats are necessary to avoid breaking my ankles.

Overall, one of my more casual outfits for what turned out to be one of the most ridiculously serene days I've had in months. It's been a hectic year, and this was very necessary.

Costco is for Coats (and Polish Sausages)

(Calvin Klein Coat, AE Jeans)

So I normally go to Costco to buy polish sausages. And I usually buy two at a time because I'm addicted to eating. Once I had a friend (she loves eating as much as I do) buy two of them, and the cashier skipped me afterwards thinking that my friend had bought one of them for me. When she apologized and explained her mistake, we both laughed. Like one polish sausage each was enough for us.

Anyways, point is I never think, "Oh, maybe I'll stop by Costco for some clothes", even though I'm fully aware that they sell them. But this Calvin Klein coat has been one of my most practical purchases. It's probably the warmest coat I own (taking into account that the areas where I've lived have no weather), and it works with anything from jeans to dresses because it's so simple.

And the label on the sleeve, for whatever reason, makes me really happy.

There's Nothing in Between

(Ann Taylor Loft Vest, H&M Top, 2b Bebe Skort, Target Sunglasses)

Took these on the road somewhere between SoCal and NorCal. There's such a long stretch of nothing going on between the two areas, aside from the occasional smell of cows.

This vest is the puffiest, most comfortable thing. I'm basically wearing a pillow with a super-soft fuzzy hood. The best part is that the hood is removable. And yes, sometimes I walk around with the fuzzy hood on my head without the vest attached. People do that, right?