CLOSETBUG

Dec 3rd - Monthly Update?

2010-12-04T03:02:00.000-08:00

It seems almost like my efforts in outfit posting come only once a month, and this time it was because I was reminded to finally take a few photographs after my new hair trim.

I'm quite pleased with the trim, although some of my roommates insist the difference is negligible. And my efforts to include more color into my wardrobe was not in vain! During Black Friday insanity at Urban Outfitters, I picked up this neat red piece for the more-than-enjoyable price of $5. I now simply refer to it as my five dollar dress.

Yes, I'm aware I wear this coat a lot. Sadly it doesn't get very chilly in southern California.

Dress - Urban Outfitters $5
Jacket - Metropark $20
Boots - Nine West Gifted
Dotted Tights - Ebay $8
Beret - H&M ~$15

Nov 9th - Out of Season

2010-11-10T00:21:00.000-08:00

That promise to wear more color is going absolutely horribly. It can't possibly be me, can it? Do you all find it simply easier to deal with dressing in simple monochrome than in a beautiful mess of colors?

I honestly think my hat is meant to redeem that somehow, but in a rather poor fashion.

I'm not much of a fan of wearing non-black flat shoes with my black thigh highs, but today just happened to be one of those days where I throw up my hands and go "why not?" and went a point or two up on my spontaneity scale. Of course it's not quite Style Bubble status of eclecticism, but at least I'm slowly making progress.

It feels good to simply try again.

Lykke Li - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? (The Shirelles cover)

White Ruffled Blouse - Urban Outfitters $20
Leather-esque Waist Skirt - Buffalo Exchange $14
Black Coat - Metropark $20
Vintage NineWest Brogues - Salvation Army $9
Vintage Straw Hat - Salvation Army $3

Winter Inspiration Board

2010-11-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

With funds running so short in my life, it's difficult to really expand and creatively work with my closet. Maybe it's a mental stump, where inspiration and resources at hand don't quite match up the way I wish for them to. Whatever the case, I feel like starting with an inspiration board will really help boost the neurons into kicking up some really neat winter outfits from pieces that I've had and worn for years now.

70's period makeup and styling inspired by Angelica Huston

Elegant floor-length gowns

Sequins and flow

Lauren Moffatt's 60's aesthetic for her Honeymooner's collection

Sweet longer-sleeved day dresses

Large cape-like outerwear pieces

Fur, military, and thigh-high socks

Let the experimenting begin!

Sept 28th - Returning to Closetbug

2010-09-29T00:12:00.000-07:00

It's been forever and a day since I've last been able to bring some life and activity to ClosetBug. Once again summer and come and gone, bringing in a fresh clean slate for my fourth year here at UCSD and a fresh fall haircut. I'm not entirely sure how many inches exactly I cut off (7 would be a fairly good estimate), but I did it a few weeks ago and have loved my hair ever since. While it's true that there isn't nearly as much to do with hair of such short length, I feel like keeping it in curls really brings out a more romantic aesthetic. And it doesn't look half-bad straightened either, so it's just a pleasing overall change.

My first dive back into documenting my outfits comes with the arrival of Vampire Weekend at SOMA in San Diego with Beach House and The Very Best opening for them. It was a rather mediocre set, at least in comparison to my last run-in with Vampire Weekend back in April for Coachella. But it was a great way to just dress up and have fun out.

Floral Bustier - Buffalo Exchange $15
Black Waist Skirt - Banana Republic $12
Lace CoverUp - Thrift Trader $5
Strappy Sandals - Macy's $40

Hope to keep up the blogging streak!

Autumn Beauty

2010-08-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

It's unbelievable how fast summer is going by. All I want to do with my day is just relax on a couch with my kitten sleeping nearby and read The Art of Loving by Erich Fromm. (A lovely book that I would recommend to anyone, as his concepts of love seem almost perfect and universal to all.) Although I do have summer school and I am obligated to spend much of my time and attention to the mundane activities of my education, summer feels the most liberating in the sense that the weather is just too perfect and warm here in San Diego.

But despite summer fantasies, I've got my own inspiration board in line for this Autumn season. The most notable change I've made to my wardrobe to accommodate changing trends is the reintroduction of pants to my wardrobe. Although not very many, I've stuck to ankle-length black slacks and dark boot cut jeans in order to bring in a warmer and more casual alternative. And now that my hair has grown much longer in length and shorter in fringe, I've been really looking into diving into the "undone updo" look, although I'm horrible at creatively achieving it. Anyone have any ideas on how to make it work?

As for the last two images, I thought the ruffles and the light airy fabric was just so lovely. Despite what some people may think about it's appropriateness for the fall season, I find it to be lovely and just right for layering and staying feminine.

Josephine Baker

2010-07-20T09:10:00.000-07:00

We all have our own inspirational historical heroine, from the fast and furious Edie Sedgwick to the timeless and classic Audrey Hepburn. But what ties these women together is that they continue to inspire countless girls who grow up fashioning themselves after their own icon.

When I took a History of Paris class, I was introduced to one particularly lovely and amazing woman by the name of Josephine Baker. She started off as a simple American entertainer, but helped the French Resistance during World War 2 by using her status as a European celebrity to smuggle information past Nazi soldiers in Paris. Beyond that she was an active speaker for the Civil Rights Movement, refusing to perform in any segregated venue, and shames the Angelina brood with the adoption of 12 children from all across the world.

To me, she is an example of the few women in this world that can really used her status to create a name for herself in history for more than her looks and talent. With the cheeky smile and charm that seems to resonate from every photo, I was so immensely inspired that I wanted to share her influence with everyone out in the blogosphere.

Photo Credit: Josephine Baker Website
Learn More @ Wiki

kitten love

2010-07-09T10:06:00.000-07:00

First off, I have to thank Wasn't A Fairytale for the shoutout to Closetbug. I'm glad you enjoy my blog so much, Eugenia!

I've had a fantastic and amazing birthday! After spending a day out with close friends then my mother, I ended the night on a high note on the VIP Deck of the Troubadour watching Stars perform an amazing set of their new music and their fan-favourite songs. I felt like I was on air as I watched Amy Millan and the rest of the band croon to songs I've spent so much of my younger high school years listening to.

To top it off, I was off to Vegas with my family and my close crew of friends. We stayed at a condo suite at Bally's and ate the most decadent of dinners. It was full of fun times and great memories. And as a note, I would advise any passerby's of Vegas to stop by the Revolution lounge. The lounge is designed by Cirque de Soleil and inspired by the Beatles, lovely!

And finally, a picture of the latest addition to my love life.

Leopold, my little 9 week old baby

Life has been good and wild, and I've been loving every minute of it. Since my birthday came with some extra flow of extra money, I've been browsing and stalking the pages of Modcloth for an extra boost in fashion fun. I'm ESPECIALLY in love with these pieces...

In looooove. Hope to have an outfit post soon! Ciao!

June 3rd - lights, camera, and action

2010-06-21T14:48:00.000-07:00

I may have mentioned this before, but my old Sony Cybershot camera decided to fall into gadget heaven right around my Coachella trip. Luckily I was graced with a new Cybershot (a more upgraded one, thankfully) as a premature present for my birthday, something I was really anticipating for a small amount of time. After much bargain hunting and Best Buy looting, not to mention a little side trip to the park by my townhouse, I finally have an outfit update for all you lovelies.

Vintage White Slip - Jet Rag Vintage $10
Vintage Floral Robe - Buffalo Exchange $4
Vintage Brown Purse - Thrift
Brown Braided Belt - Thrift
Silk Hair Clip - H&M $5

It's surprising how black this camera makes my hair look. It's really more like a dark brown, even without the sunlight. Hope you all are having a lovely June! I'll see you again after my 21st festivities!

to lust is so painful

2010-06-17T01:34:00.000-07:00

After a magical afternoon cruising through the streets of Alhambra CA, I found myself truly experiencing the waves of a heated California summer. While I'm basking here in Orange County, I'm counting to the days when I'm back in San Diego and into the waters. I always feel so at ease in the water. Perhaps it's that feeling of freedom, of release, that sense of weightlessness that seems to be lacking in my life on land. Not that I insist on being melodramatic, but it doesn't hurt to enjoy the occasional release from even the slightest of stresses.

My 21st is creeping up soon. It's eerie how quickly this entire year passed by. It feels like yesterday that I was fresh out of my Sophmore year of college and now I'm simply a year away from leaving San Diego and onto bigger endeavors.

For a brief moment tonight, I think I'll put aside my heavy thoughts and indulge in some (slightly) painful lusting.

Zooey Deschanel by Ellen von Unwerth
Vintage-inspired one-pieces, cute little updos, and the perfect beachy eyewear

Julia Stegner by Carter Smith
Light airy neutral fabrics, beautiful updos, and ruffles

Sasha Pivovarova/Natasa Vojnovic by Craig McDean
Romantic beautiful lingerie-inspired pieces

Time for me to swimsuit shop! I can't seem to find any place with a wonderful variety of affordable vintage-inspired swimsuits. Anyone have any suggestions?

A Bug in the Flowers

2010-05-29T16:44:00.000-07:00

It's been such a while since I've been in the blogging block. My last outfit post, if you could really count it as a significant one, was a fluke in which I was able to find a photo of Coachella that actually had an outfit on it. (One outfit out of a three day fest?! Horrible horrible me!) About two weeks ago, I got together with an old high school friend of mine for a nice little Closetbug photoshoot, featuring yours truly as well as some clothes I plan on selling off some time soon.

It was situated in the Long Beach Nature Center, which was so much more than what I had expected. Everything was so lovely and fresh, even if we were stuck on a trail and weren't really allowed to wander all that much. It was hilarious to jam some random music while quickly and discreetly changing in between branches and bushes.

Definitely something I plan on doing again. I also received a new camera just yesterday, so that should be amazing to play around with. It's a Sony Cybershot H55, which is a more advanced point and shoot camera. I'm so thrilled to try it out, and I honestly feel like this calls for another photoshoot of some sort.

Here's hoping for a refreshed new blogging career!

Photos by STEPHANIE LIM, modeled by Heather Choi & Christina Pham.

Most clothing modeled by Heather will be available for purchase. She's wearing (in order of appearance); Black Rodarte for Target halter dress, vintage gold chain white quilted purse, vintage floral country dress, vintage pink floral dress, and a vintage crop top.

I'm wearing (in order of appearance); Vintage floral babydoll dress + gap denim jacket + forever 21 bowler cap + vintage black booties, foreign x-change one shoulder dress, civvies floral dress.

If you guys are curious about anything, let me know!

Spring Dreaming

2010-05-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

It's been forever since I've updated and needless to say I've been going through withdrawls from the lack of blogging. (What happens? Life simply creeps up on me and surprises me with multiple activities!) Things have been going well, although with my camera on the fritz since Coachella weekend it's been difficult to take photos of my spring wardrobe. However despite those setbacks, I've got a pleasant surprise for my blog and my readers in an upcoming blogpost that I hope you all will enjoy.

Until then, I present to you a "spring dreaming" feature.

A DIY tutorial on the Martha Stewart site on how to make these lovely hanging paper flowers from paper bags. Given the right colors and cut, I can imagine a real shower of gorgeous flowers dangling from the ceiling of my room.

I hope you all are doing well. ♥

Coachellie Weekend

2010-04-21T09:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been so absent as of late! My camera has been making it a hassle to consistently document my outfits, and school+spring break has been a rush of activities. (Georgia, I must mention, was magical! Shopping was fantastic there, and did I mention the 7% sales tax??? Yes please!)

This past weekend was Coachella, and I got to attend all 3 days of music and fun. Although no photos were taken, there was such an amazing crowd of fashionistas just out to have fun and relax in the sun. It was like being in heaven!

My outfit for the first day. So very comfortable and form-free.

Sleigh Bells

Zooey Deschanel for She & Him! She was such a doll.

Vampire Weekend put on one of the best shows in the weekend.

Alexander of Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros.

There were so many more that I was lucky enough to see such as Muse, Gorillaz, The Temper Trap, The xx, Hot Chip, Yann Tiersen, Julian Casablancas, Grizzly Bear, and many more!

Overall, a pleasing weekend indeed.

blessa

2010-03-19T21:39:00.000-07:00

Toro y Moi - Blessa

so transient

Relaxing in Georgia,
checking out the antiques and the history and the vintage clothes.
These pictures pretty much reflect how I feel right now

Mon Feb 22 - You've Really Got a Hold On Me

2010-02-23T10:18:00.000-08:00

My new fur just arrived. FAUX fur, anyways. I'm so pleased with it, it goes with almost everything and it's amazingly soft to the touch. Quite the $20 ebay investment, if I do say so myself. :)

In my last post I told myself I would wear more color. After a small venture through H&M, I emerged with this red red dress (which I opted for over an exact navy one due to my dedication to more color) and I'm enamored by it. I have to admit, I was influenced a bit by Erin Fetherston's Fall 2009 red palettes.

Ah, absolutely lovely. In case you haven't noticed, she's absolutely my most beloved designer!

Red Dress - H&M ($10)
Faux Fur Collar - Ebay ($20)
Dean & Ozzy Heels - Urban Outfitters ($10)
Marc by Marc Jacobs Bag - boutique ($28)
Eiffel Tower Earrings - Marc by Marc Jacobs ($7)

Tues Feb 9th - Modern Day Alice

2010-02-10T22:07:00.000-08:00

I've told myself again and again for the past year that I would wear more colors on a daily basis. Judging from my posts throughout the past year, the results are generally unsuccessful. Although in my defense, I've been fancying powder blue and general pastel colors lately when I head out through the farthest corners of San Diego.

Speaking of my shopping splurges, I recently found two simply amazing stores to stop by during my San Diego sprees. Every Wednesday the Salvation Army by my area has a neat 50% off sale their entire store, which is already a treasure trove of neat little pieces. Then there's Flashbacks, an amazing affordable vintage store in Hillcrest that I simply melt for. Of the many pieces I purchased, these three vintage pieces captured my heart.

My new goal is to wear more color! I suppose it doesn't help that all of my major outerwear pieces are black, but I must work around it!

Powder Blue Dress - Buffalo Exchange ($21)
Black Boyfriend Blazer - Foreign Exchange ($20)
Vintage Purse - Nine West, Salvation Army ($9)
Black MaryJane Wedges - Urban Outfitters ($30)

Inspiration: James Jean

2010-02-08T21:45:00.003-08:00

Ever since I saw his artwork on the cover of the comic book series Fables, I was instantly in love. His work is fluid, romantic, creepy, organic....it's got so much soul and imagination to it that I'm just constantly mesmerized by the work he does. I definitely would not mind having my walls covered in his prints and my room littered with his gorgeous journals, although it seems as if a lot of his collected art books are ridiculously priced. ($300 for the collection of Fables covers?! Give me a break!)

I'm hoping you all will be as inspired by him as I am! More of his lovely work can be seen at http://jamesjean.com, including some work he did for the Prada store. (Oh, and did I mention he integrated some of his artwork into Prada merchandise like scarves and dresses? If only I could wrap my hands around one!)

As a sidenote, I do plan on redoing my ClosetBug layout. I've had this for nearly two full years! It's time for a change, and fast.

Monday Jan 25th - Lost in Wonderland

2010-01-28T01:46:00.001-08:00

As some of you may know I was rehired back onto the Fashion Quarterly staff, which is this fashion and lifestyle magazine on campus. I figured it would be a great opportunity to start writing again and network with a bunch of other students that would share the same interest in the general fashion world.

Last Monday, we threw together a little launch party for our Winter 2010 issue, and it was quite the experience! Not to mention I was exposed to this amazing designer by the name of Eleanore Santos for her Garden Party Clothing line. As the name suggests, the clothing is all sorts of sweet, romantic, and feminine. I was in love! I'm definitely going to be custom ordering some pretty dresses and pieces from her.

Night was filled with new friends, gorgeously dressed ladies, and many comments on the "Alice in Wonderland" vibe I was giving off. I would have to say I was pleased with the comparison.

Blue Dress: Rodarte for Target $40
White Cardigan: Forever 21 $$Gift
White Purse: Vintage Working Wardrobes $5
White Kitten Heels: Vintage Salvation Army $7

You can check out more photos from the launch party HERE

Thursday January 21st - Birds of a Feather

2010-01-22T02:23:00.000-08:00

It's been raining cats and dogs this week! I don't think San Diego has seen such horrific rain...at least while I've been a resident here. But this weather phenomenon provides opportunities for other leisurely pursuits, such as indulging in Orson Scott Card's Enchantment, which is this lovely book concerning magical realism. I absolutely adore it!

On a side note, the lineup for Coachella came out the other day, and I'm utterly excited to attend! My plan is to go for all 3 days this year, so there's much to look forward to. (I'm especially excited to see She & Him! What a thrilling experience it must be finally see Zooey Deschanel sing!)

Tomorrow calls for a rushed trip to Joann's Arts & Crafts in order to pick up art supplies for a much procrastinated art project, as well as some craft projects I've had in mind for some accessories. One of them includes possibly making some clips with small origami cranes. It seems charming, no?

Leather Jacket - Foreign Exchange $22
Pink Blouse - Vintage Salvation Army $5
Black Skirt - Buffalo Exchange $7
Black Boots - Vintage Working Wardrobes $15
Tights - Target $5

Oh, and if you take a closer peek, you may see some of my loots from my flea market raid last week! An Alphonse Mucha print, a dainty vintage purse, and a little golden jewelry/stamp box.

Thursday January 15th - From Day & Night

2010-01-16T02:06:00.000-08:00

The alarm goes off. I wake up feeling refreshed, energized, and slightly amused at how little time I have to actually get ready for the daily work grind. Once I began to throw on my work-ready ensemble (which consisted of a pair of pants...something I haven't worn in MONTHS), I realized how fun it would be to have a small blog feature about transforming my basic "look" from daytime work wear to night time fun. It did take me some thinking time to plan out a basic night time look for a concert I was headed to that night, but throughout the day my plans just fell right into place.

Day: Blouse-Gap ($12), Blazer-Foreign Exchange ($22), Jeans-???, Brogues-Salvation Army Vintage ($19)
Night: Blouse-Gap ($12), Blazer-Foreign Exchange ($22), Skirt-Urban Outfitters ($10), Wedges-Urban Outfitters/Dean&Ozzy ($30), Bib Necklace-Gift/Etsy ($19)

Staple pieces in my work outfit were the blazer and the white top. These were both recent purchases over my winter break in Orange County, and loved the combination! It was just baggy, loose, comfortable, and the little pleating details just add so much girliness to the other bold basic pieces. Paired with a demure braid-bun (in which I braided my hair and flipped it around to make a sweet little back bun), I had a very comfy and heart-worthy work outfit.

Inspiration: Asobi Seksu - Thursday (YOUTUBE)

Switch over to the night scene, I was getting ready to head out to an Asobi Seksu concert. (If you haven't heard of them, you must check out their music! I provided a youtube link prior to this paragraph!) I kept the key top and blazer, and instead substituted it for a girly skirt, tights, and my new Dean & Ozzy wedges. All together it was a very minor wardrobe change, and I darkened my makeup and threw on some fiery lipstick. (In detail, I mixed Taihiti Red and Scarlett from MAC to create my color!)

Overall...excellent day. And my dear partner-in-crime helped take photos of me like a "mini photoshoot" right after the show. It was so silly and fun! Especially when he started following me and taking photos of me just walking about.

Me being silly (photo thanks to Rachel)

I hope you all enjoyed my post! Honestly, it may seem most advantageous for me to resolve blogging more. Hopefully this may yield fruitful results! Ciao!

Designer Loves & Zooey Deschanel

2010-01-11T23:57:00.000-08:00

I recently saw this video, and am utterly in love with it! Of course, the bias of Zooey Deschanel is a part of why I adore it so much, but really it's just a well put together video. And isn't Matt Costa just adorable? I saw him before during a music festival at school, and he's just utterly a doll. But that's besides the point. The point is, all these costume changes and hairstyles and Zooey being utterly adorable just makes me giddy and ache for her wardrobe.

On that side note, I had considered buying a form mannequin for the future use of sewing. Unfortunately, it dawned on me that my current talent for sewing is rather poor and that I should really focus on advancing my technique with the machine. But it was an exciting fleeting thought!

While I pondered over the purchase of the $50 form mannequin, I also browsed though a mess of pretty seasonal clothes from various designers such as Wren and Secret Squirrel. I'm simply in love with these pieces!

Eco friendly fashion at Sublet

Beautiful pieces by Willow

Fun prints at Secret Squirrel

Inspiring photos by Dear Creatures

so this is the new year...

2009-12-29T22:00:00.000-08:00

As this new 2009 year is closing, I feel like it's really important to really look back on the year and see how one has grown as a person. I know for sure that a lot has happened to me in the past year.

Things seemed to have really flown by for me, it seems just like yesterday I was having my New Year's kiss in Downtown Disney, that I celebrated Valentine's Day at Disneyland, that I relaxed under the sun and sounds of music at Coachella and SunGod, and that I started a new life in my new San Diego townhome. Yet here I am at the tail end of 2009 musing over other trivial things such as how my style has changed over the year.

Although the only real change I can see is that my look seems to have refined a bit, no? However some fascinations never seem to die out. (Note the ever persistent presence of the skirt, and the unwavering silhouette!)

And with that, I hope you all had a fantastic holiday season and a happy new year!

Tues Dec 1st - Back on FashionQuarterly!

2009-12-03T23:52:00.000-08:00

I'm so glad! Last quarter I was a part of an on-campus fashion & lifestyle magazine called Secret Scholar, and I was a print writer doing little things such as study upcoming trends and give recommendations. However, due to my time constraints I dropped out, only to rejoin again this quarter. Luckily I made it in! So although they renamed to Fashion Quarterly, it's still the same flavor and style of how it used to be. I'm currently a web writer, so it'll be very neat to write up some articles for the website.

Hopefully this is a beautiful step closer to really landing an internship in fashion journalism somewhere. Keeping my fingers crossed for the best!

Finals week is looming up, and although finals have never stopped me from doing my daily life activities...I have a feeling there will be many bummy days studying indoors and very little worthwhile outfits to post up. I'll still be around blogging up a mini storm though!

Black Coat - Forever 21 ($40)
Blouse - Urban Outfitters ($10)
Black Skirt - Buffalo Exchange ($7)
Dotted Tights - Ebay ($5)
Silver Wedges - Seychelles (???)

Wed Nov 25th - Pre Turkey Day

2009-11-25T23:57:00.000-08:00

Sometimes it just gets really difficult to remember what your spending limits should be. In my case, I realize that I do have spending limits, but seem to forget about them in a moment of retail lust. For example, lately I've been on a binge for accessories and just nice little ways to play up my many many dresses. This includes, but are not limited to: gloves, tights, jewelry, headbands, books, videogames, and amazing macaron snacks.

blackcurrant macarons and fresh black nail polish

green tea and strawberry macarons - my favourites!

With the Christmas season creeping up right after the glorious Tryptophan day tomorrow, I realize that expenses are just going to go apes with all the Christmas shopping happening.

But I'm sure some of you girls know what I mean when I say that there are just some things that are too good to pass up. This dress was a steal at H&M for only $15, and the gloves were an amazing ebay find for $8!

Dress - H&M ($15)
Sweater - Forever21 ($28)
Belt - H&M ($10)
Gloves - Ebay ($8)
Flats - Dean & Ozzy for Urban Outfitters ($10)

Tues Nov 10th - Blustery Days

2009-11-12T02:16:00.000-08:00

I've been spending copious amounts of time looking for inspirational and lovely photos. Maybe it's the chilly weather, but I love just imagining how I could reinvent my space into something new and different.

In the mean time, I'll just go about my day as usual with starry eyes and look for anything fun and crafty to make.

For my outfit posts, I'm thinking of putting in the prices I paid for each piece. I think it'd give a nice look into my little world of fashion, no? I might stop for after a while...but for now I think it'd be fun to see how thrifty I can get!

Blouse - Gap ($20)
Skirt - Forever 21 ($13)
Coat - MetroPark ($20)
Tights - Ebay ($5)
Booties - Ross ($20)
Clip - H&M ($5)

Total: $83

magazine spreads

2009-11-09T02:23:00.000-08:00

Instead of making a regular post with a bunch of pictures, I decided to instead do this post a little differently.

I recently drafted up some magazine spreads with some small stories I threw together. It's nothing serious, but I figure it gets my point of view across as both a graphic designer and a fashion-minded individual. So without further ado...

Enjoy!

Mon Oct 19th - I'm just a child sometimes...

2009-10-19T22:06:00.000-07:00

I'm generally pleased with how things are going in life right now. Schoolwork tends to be a little overbearing, but not so much where I'd have to tear my hair out.

How has autumn been treating everyone so far? Here in San Diego things are getting warm and bright, but unfortunately I do wish there were much more creative weather patterns than just the simple bright and consistently sunny. I dream of what it's like out in Europe, whether the chills are biting at the apples of people's cheeks or if folks are cuddling up to a warm cup of hot chocolate yet. I honestly can't wait for the weather to dip down low!

Floral Embroidered Dress - Betsey Johnson
Black Cardigan - Kimchi & Blue, Urban Outfitters
Braided Belt - Thrifted
Black Ankle Boots - Thrifted

Still trying to experiment with the lighting in my room! Bear with me as I proceed to give out poor quality outfit shots!

Wed Oct 14th - Denim Mess

2009-10-15T03:04:00.000-07:00

How silly is it that the exact day after I start raving about my hair, it decides to really let loose and go wild with volume? Well, that's what it did today. Although it was most likely due to poor styling on my part.

As San Diego weather gets slightly chillier, with extreme emphasis on slightly since the sun still shines painfully bright, I figure it's about time to bring out the outerwear. Granted, I didn't bring my whole set back from Orange County in the process of moving, but right now I only have eyes for my lovely denim jacket from Gap. It fits me so well, the texture is soft and easy on the skin, and the dark color is just absolutely perfect. I must truly thank my sister for such a generous "give" on her part! (For you see, it was originally hers before she decided to rid of it!)

Denim Jacket - Gap
Frilly Dress - Forever 21
Heels - Ross/Dolce Vita

And as a side note, last time I will ever be wearing those heels on campus again. Miles of trekking with those heels-of-death has got me weary on such high schoes at school. I would be fine if only I were stationary most of the time, but I've been active going out and being simply outdoors!

Tues October 13th - I Turn my Camera On

2009-10-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

Finally, an outfit post! I somewhat dressed down today, since I've been cranking out late hours just trying to get outlines done and art papers out of the way. (And have I ever mentioned how Physics will be the bane of my existence?) So weariness has become my new best friend as of late.

And should I mention how much I'm enjoying my longer hair? I haven't had my hair this long since my Junior year of High School, which was a good 4 years ago. (At which point in time I chopped it entirely off in favor of an extremely short bob.) This renewed interest in my lengthy hair comes at just the right time as I was inspired by side braids from the Spring 2010 Wang show, pigtail updos inspired by Alexa Chung, and loose chic buns. I'm anticipating its continued growth, since I'm hoping to grow it out to obscene lengths before donating to Locks of Love.

For those who noticed, my title does indeed come from Spoon's classic upbeat tune although it also has relevance as well. Here are some varieties of photos in different modes and settings. I'm trying to find my best fit!

Turtleneck Dress - Forever21
Wool Vest - Thrifted, Gap
Black Booties - Ross

ban.do the black line

2009-10-10T01:47:00.000-07:00

School and social activities have really been eating up my time. Luckily the weather here in San Diego has stayed beautiful but still wonderfully chilly. I'm finding myself in search of perfect light sweaters and cardigans and pairing it with just the right casual dress.

My wardrobe's been looking slightly spare though. I didn't get to haul a whole lot of clothes back from Orange County, and I haven't gathered much funds for actual shopping purposes so I'm left to really be creative and recycle clothing...again haha.

No real outfit photo yet, but I ran into beautiful and inspiring headpieces from ban.do and I absolutely had to share! They're all mostly very flapper-inspired headpieces, and normally I'm not big on these styles of headbands, but they're so elaborate and elegant that I can't help but lust for them.

Come on, you guys must admit these are pretty...even if some would find it quite unwearable!

Thursday Sept 24th - A New Start

2009-09-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

Oh dear, I know it's been forever since I've had an outfit post. A lot's happened since the end of July, all a mix of good and bad, but now that school's started again I really feel like I can get back on top of things!

This picture's a little blurry. Unfortunately I didn't pack my tripod so I have to make due with what I could. Also, there aren't any NYC photos since I was just caught up in the whirlwind of Fashion's Night Out and touring the city with my friends.

On that note, NYC was fantastic! It could've ended better, but Fashion's Night Out was so much great fun. Unfortunately I wasn't fully geared (fashion-wise) to be strutting out on the town, but it was amazing to really mingle with others that were dressed to impress.

I'm hoping to really stick around much much longer!

Floral Dress - Kensie / Ross
Denim Jacket - Gap
Studded Belt - my sister's closet
Boots - Working Wardrobes thrift

slow times in life

2009-08-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

Life has been slow for me since the last time I updated. But in better news...I'm back!! Well, kind of anyways.

I'm heading out to my annual New York City trip next week, and I'm a mixture of thrills and cold anxiety all at once! But I'm sure the moment I'm there relaxing in the streets of Manhattan all dolled up, it will all be peachy keen again. I'm hoping to have many more outfit posts from Manhattan street-walking...or so I'm planning.

A little update on what I've been wearing out to the LA nightlife! (Psst! I'm the one on the far right!)

Top: Vintage lace corset
Skirt: Buffalo Exchange (H&M)
Belt: Working Wardrobes Thrift
Purse: Working Wardrobes Thrift
Shoes: solesruck (Steve Maddens)

Cirque 21

2009-08-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

I've been having a rough week, so I may be a little more inactive than usual. (If that's even possible!) But here's a reason to love Forever 21...

Sorry the thumbnails are so teensy! That's the only size they really have

Their new original designs called Forever 21 Twists feature really great detail and at actual reasonable prices. The theme for this cycle is known as Cirque 21, obviously circus and child-themed. I love it! My wallet's is starting to look a lot more empty...

YSL Cage Booties

2009-07-19T20:42:00.000-07:00

I've always been a shoe fiend. I fall in and out of love with shoes so often I can't even count the times. I always try to find the most fascinating shoes to wrap my little fingers around, and I find many quite fascinating! From granny booties, to brogues, to classic little oxfords and strappy heels, I always find myself in great lust for new shoes.

My newest want would definitely be the Yves Saint Laurent cage booties. I don't know if this is fleeting lust, but right now I am definitely all over these shoes.

The best part is, it seems like a lot of other retail stores seem to be picking up on the trend! While these sweeties are going for a cool $1,500 other places like Bakers are selling out theirs for a fraction of the price. ($70, I believe?) And just today I saw Forever 21 selling a pair exactly like these Baker ones for $27! But I don't know...it's still a little pricey for my blood considering I don't know if it's overwhelming lust or true shoe love.

What do you guys think?

What to do what to do...

2009-07-17T02:21:00.000-07:00

As a belated birthday present, my sister from NYC decided to mail me a sweet sisterly-love card as well as a nifty $50 Forever 21 gift card. Now unfortunately I've been weening myself off of retail clothing that would cost me more than $10, so I haven't been looking through the stores very much. I'm also very wary of the quality of clothing that comes out from there, they tend to be a little less than reliable.

So I decided to go through their site and look through potential instant-love pieces. None of them struck me as so, especially for the price they're at, but I thoroughly enjoy these certain pieces...

See I'm always fond of the TwelveByTwelve pieces, but they're always terribly overpriced, even if the quality is significantly better. I'm also in the dilemma of the fact I love dresses and heels, but I have too many of them! (About 30+ dresses and 30+ shoes!) Oh, to make this precious card last...

On a side note, who here knows that Anna Sui is totally doing a collection for Target? It's really quite lovely, and supposedly all of her pieces are directly influenced from her past collections! (This could be interpreted as letting us poor folk have a bite at her distinguished line, or that she was possibly lazy to design. I'd like to not think it was the latter.) Here are some highlights from her new Target line arriving soon.

Are they not darling?! I'm excited for it!

ClosetBug@Ebay

2009-07-12T17:58:00.000-07:00

It has literally been FOREVER since I invested time into my stuff at Ebay. Well recently I thought I would really put things back together again since I had the time to dedicate myself to this project again.

So, without further ado....ClosetBug@Ebay reopens!

Please do check it out! You can click on the image, the little ad spot I have on the left, or just CLICK ON THIS. Lots of random vintage stuff that I wanted to share with those who love and appreciate vintage fashion! Starting bids don't go over $9.99, and it's very unlikely that you'll have to auction too competitively for pieces so go on ahead and check things out!

Thursday July 9th - The Boyfriend Birthday

2009-07-10T09:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday night was my boyfriend's 21st birthday and had his celebrations at Dave & Busters so that all us underaged folks could get in. (For those who don't know, Dave & Busters is a bar/arcade place where people can just drink and play!) It was an exciting night, and I was so happy to be there and take part in it!

It was also noted somewhere else that I was kind of a clothes snob...and I admit I am. I honestly feel like I wouldn't be where I'm at now without being highly selective of what clothes I wear and buy. In my head, if I'm not really selective of what clothes I wear and how I present myself with my clothes, I wouldn't have a fine-tuned sense of my style and aesthetic. Is it terrible of me to be a "fashion snob"? Am I the only one in the fashion blogging world that thinks like this?

Anyways, here's what I wore to the celebrations. It was between this get up or a fancy black cocktail dress, except my boyfriend insisted that I dress "casual" for the night. So, believe it or not, this is my "casual" way of dressing haha.

Black Blouse - Gap
High-Waisted Shorts - Gap
Gold Chain Purse - Thrifted, Working Wardrobes
Derby Hat - F21
Cami - Borrowed from the sister
Lace up Heels - Ross

Tues July 7th - Black Black Black

2009-07-08T20:28:00.000-07:00

Oh dear! I feel like I've been thrown into a hurricane of monotone colors and can't escape! As usual my usual palette has been going back to it's usual and somewhat lazy black and gray ensemble. I'd like to think it has its own chic twists to it as well and it isn't just lazy way of dressing.

This lovely breath-easy dress was found miraculously on a thrift store rack. It's delightful, modern, but still very much romantic and summery despite its dark color. It's also surprisingly from American Eagle Outfitters. Now I will be the last person to be found back at that store (I used to shop there in my early tween days! Oh the horro!) but I was delighted at the quality and affordability of this dress. Three dollars? Oh yes please!

(I also apologize for the shots being taken in my room! It was simply too hot to be taking forever taking shots outdoors!)

Black Babydoll Dress - Thrifted, Salvation Army (American EagleOutfitters)
Buckled Sandals - Macy's, Nine West
White Straw Purse - Thrifted, Working Wardrobes
Peacock Necklace - A gift from my jester ♥, Urban Outfitters

Friday July 3rd - Thrift Happy

2009-07-04T01:59:00.000-07:00

It's been forever since I had a proper outfit shot, for which I apologize for! My tripod was in storage for a while, and life has been either a rush or a complete standstill so things are just kind of wild so far.

My thrifting has been non stop lately though! Every Saturday is like a gold mine waiting to be harvested, as at least 3 thrift stores down ONE street always go half-off their clothing. It's so much fun! I've raided and looted and always come back full of nifty fun clothes. I'm also preparing for my reopening of ClosetBug@Ebay, so that'll be exciting.

Happy fourth of July as well! I realize I'm blogging this into the early peeps of the holiday, but I hope you all enjoy your outings!

Hat - Thrifted, Salvation Army
Dress - Thrifted, Salvation Army
Belt - Thrifted, Salvation Army
Denim Jacket - Gap
Purse - Thrifted, Working Wardrobse
Shoes - Steve Madden, Solestruck.com

Spotlight On: Seychelles

2009-06-28T00:06:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the slight inactivity. My birthday came and went as I turned 20 and the celebrations lasted a little too long. (3 days, really?) I've also been immersing myself in my newly obtained The Sims 3 game as well as having fun being free. Although a job search is in order, I'm glad my summer at the moment is going fairly well.

I am absolutely in love with Seychelles right now. They're rather out of my price range most of the time, but there's no denying the love in the air as you grab the perfect Seychelles at a discount that can't be beat. (I would have to thank Urban Outfitters for that about 40% of the time!)

Some lovely examples of Seychelles that makes summer seem so much finer. I really adore their scalloped detailing and clunky heels. Whenever I search for shoes, the heels are ALWAYS the deciding factor between a yes or a no, I just can't win with thin stiletto-like heels!

Get Outta Town - $84

First Class Ticket - $84

Teardrop Slingback - $88

Proper Etiquette Platforms - $79.99

Perforated Heels - $59.99

May Platforms - $69.99

Ankle Wrap Heels - $69.99

A girl can dream, no?

Thoughts on Turning 20

2009-06-10T11:27:00.000-07:00

Of course, here in America you're technically an "adult" at the tender age of 21, but I always felt like 20 was monumental in its own way. As I'm nearing my own birthday a little over a week and a half away, I just really started thinking about what I've been able to accomplish and get done within the last two decades of life given to me.

It also led me to think about goals I set for myself some time back, although most have changed dramatically as interests and wants evolved. In the end I'm satisfied with how life turned out for me. A lot of opportunities have been missed and a lot of goals cut out, but perfection is not easily obtained.

I suppose these thoughts were spurred on by my move out from my room which I've lived and occupied in for the past 9 months. I embark from my settled dorm-room life into the real world, and although it's frightening I think it's about time I flew away on my own wings, no?

On another note, an unpractical birthday wish list! (Mostly because I never truly ask people for things!)

1. An external hard drive
2. Money would be delightful
3. The Sims 3
4. A nifty hat, like a REAL beret, top hat, or boater hat
5. A bunny ♥
6. A tea set

This was meant to have an outfit post, but I couldn't find an opportune time or place to take it!

Ciao!

I want it all!

2009-06-06T07:04:00.000-07:00

The other day my friend had forwarded an e-mail to me concerning a Modcloth contest for bloggers. It basically asks that you wear a Modcloth-related article of clothing. Unfortunately Modcloth is way out of my poor-student budget which usually discourages my visits on the site.

However I decided to actually venture within their domain for a bit and was blown away with how jealous I am that I can't afford some of these adorable dresses and shoes! Yeah I couldn't literally buy anything with my poor budget and all, but it was great fun to just browse their wares!

Ah; luckily my birthday is coming up in a few very short weeks. Time to make a wishlist, I suppose?

Visit; ModCloth Website

Tues May 26th - Trinkets and Flowers

2009-05-26T18:04:00.000-07:00

I'm planning out a great event-packed summer for me and my friends. On the to-do list; New York trip, conventions, mustache-themed tea parties, and my overextended 3-day birthday bash consisting of Disneyland, a day through LA, and a quaint family party.

And I definitely need a hairtrim!

Sigh, if only the memorial weekend wasn't over. It was actually a pleasant weekend and I dread going back to the books.

sweet trinkets from my prince to me

Vintage White Dress - Jet Rag Vintage
Vintage Brown Vest - Ebay
Black Oxfords - Macy's
Floral Hair Clip - H&M

fast and sweaty times

2009-05-24T00:07:00.000-07:00

I've been out and about doing A LOT this past month. (Yikes! It's been a month since I last updated completely!) Some stuff have been bought, places have been visited, and good music have been heard. Overall it was a great rollercoaster of a month, but I think it's time to settle down a bit and start focusing on the end of the year stretch during school. (I still have a good 3 weeks until it's OVER!)

So here's what I've been up to.

Disneyland
Great fun! Me and Danny went out on a casual date some time ago and I really wanted to be comfortable while still looking nice and sweet. The dress was a classic choice for me. (Just as a little black dress would be a staple for others!) Even though I got it ages ago, I feel like it's still just as versatile and pleasing as any one of my other newer dresses.

Dress - Forever 21
Flower - H&M
Sandals - Urban Outfitters

Dave & Buster's
That night, raided a Dave & Buster's for a birthday bash. Wanted to dress up a bit and really wear a little black dress. So I pulled out this nifty little feathered number from out of the depths of my closet. I had to be particularly careful about the feathers being destroyed though.

Dress - Forever 21
Jacket - Urban Outfitters
Flats - Urban Outfitters

Sun God Music Festival
UCSD had their annual music festival this year. The amazing lineup included The Cool Kids, Girl Talk, Sarah Bareilles, Motion City Soundtrack, Iron & Wine, and N.E.R.D.! It was an exciting moment for me, and generally very relaxing as tents and activities were enjoyed.

Dress - Crossroads Trading
Halo - Michael's
Flats - Urban Outfitters

Sorry for being AWOL!

2009-05-19T01:12:00.000-07:00

Sorry I've been gone and about! My laptop has been on the fritz and it's difficult to do anything at all without a laptop!

But I promise once I get it back (hopefully this weekend! I got the hard drive replaced!) updates will be coming much more steadily, and I'll be able to catch up on all the things you lovely birds have been up to.

I'll be back soon!

Wednesday April 22nd - Stripey

2009-04-24T01:33:00.000-07:00

While most people are grinning their faces off to have summer around in their lives again, I'm as sulky as ever. The weather's warmer, but much too warm as usual for Southern California. There must simply be a place out there where perfect weather doesn't have to come at the price of something else. Yesterday, Wednesday was a fairly nice day. The sun was out and shining, but the chill winds kept you on your toes.

So I haven't worn this dress...well...ever. It has been decomposing in my closet since the day I bought it, and because I'm such a bug of the closet variety, I brought it out to try out. It was dreadfully long for my standards, so a bit of belt-play really helped with that. I ended up looking very nautical. Of course, the comfort was compromised a bit as all belts do with me, but it was still amazing to be in.

Dress - Thrifted
Sweater - Vintage, No Relation Vintage
Hairpin - H&M
Shoes - Macy's

Coachella 2009

2009-04-22T12:50:00.000-07:00

So I went to Coachella over the weekend! Although really I only got to go on Sunday, but it was still a blast anyways! I got to see such bands as the Vivian Girls, No Age, Okkervil River, Lykke Li, Peter Bjorn and John, The Cure, and of course my all-time favourite the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. It was such a blast! I present to you pictures, as well as my own ridiculous outfit for the day!

Blouse - Thrifted
Shortalls - Thrifted
Hat - Thrifted
Purse- Thrifted
Shoes - Urban Outfitters

Lykke Li

Lykke Li with Peter Bjorn and John to perform "Young Folks"

My guys, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Karen O is so fabulous, no?

And that was my weekend! :) I'm hoping to be able to find time to take more outfit shots, but things have been nonstop madness for me!

Be Still My Heart....

2009-04-17T23:51:00.000-07:00

It's a big weekend for me. Hopefully lots of things to come.

By Thread Social Designs

Fri April 3rd - Feather Preening

2009-04-04T03:21:00.001-07:00

Spring break has come and gone, and now I'm back to finish up my second year of college. (Although "finish up" is a stretch. I've still got 10 weeks left to deal with!) I've been waiting anxiously for the whole lent thing to be over, but even without those restrictions I really shouldn't be spending money. Once again I'm headed out to New York later this year in September and I need the spare expenses to spend the entire time in a happy shopping spree!

For the school's fashion mag I've been assigned to write about upcoming summer trends. I'm trying to do some research throughout the fashion blogosphere such as The Fashion Spot and LookBook. Anyone have any suggestions for that?

My dear sweet guy Danny decided to help ease the no-shopping pains by surprising me with this lovely feathered necklace from Urban Outfitters. It was such a dear gesture and I was thrilled to open up the package and see a lovely set of peacock feathers.

Shirt - H&M
Vest - Thrifted, Salvation Army
Skirt - Urban Outfitters
Socks - Urban Outfitters
Shoes - Ross
Hat - Forever 21

(500) Days of Summer

2009-03-31T00:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a shoutout to my dearest Zooey Deschanel and her upcoming movie, (500) Days of Summer. Besides the fact she looks damn adorable and every time I rewatch the trailer I instantly fall back in love with her, Joseph Gordon-Levitt actually looks promising in this movie and the plot is so very charming! I'm curious to see how the movie will be received, but out of sheer bias and my own hype I'll definitely go catch it!

And just look at those neato little outfits in almost every scene! Oh, what a happy girl I'd be!

making me go ga-ga

2009-03-24T13:10:00.000-07:00

You know, this whole 40 days thing is driving me NUTS. I'm literally counting down the days before its over just so I can raid a few stores! (Especially the thrift spots! Who knows what treasures I could be missing out! Argh!) There's been a few loopholes in the deal, mostly concerning my mom buying me stuff all the time (although I only really keep less than half of them) and my guy getting me this delightful Erin Fetherston for Target dress from Buffalo Exchange. They're slowly weaning me off of my shopping addiction, but oh dear! I went online browsing and couldn't resist but make a little collage of things I wish I could own for Spring!

Top Row : Tree & Kimball
Second and Third Row : Urban Outfitters
Last Row : Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie

Are these not lovely?! I need me some girly dresses, ASAP!

Tues March 17th - St. Patty's Day!

2009-03-20T01:04:00.000-07:00

Boy oh boy. That whole 40 days without shopping thing is really taking a toll on me. I'm going through those phases where I feel like I've worn everything a million times over in so many different variations that there possibly couldn't be more that I can wear! Of course, this isn't true but it's an extremely trying process.

But I'm surviving! I've been really busy lately with finals and whatnot. Also been out actually exploring La Jolla and having fun with the area, so that's a nice change of pace!

This outfit was a little on the playful St. Patty's Day side. I looked really young going around a college campus looking like this, but I got quite the amount of looks (both good and bad!) and a fair amount of compliments on my silly fun look. Why dress for a holiday if you can't have fun, am I right?

Dress - Thrifted, Salvation Army
Vest - Thrifted
Tights - Capezio
Heels - Thrifted, Lincoln thrift
Hairbow - H&M
Belt - secondhand from sister

The Pains of Constraints and Inactivity

2009-03-08T12:24:00.000-07:00

Sorry I haven't been much of a blogger! Part of the reason why will be explained shortly, but other than that I just simply am running out of time during this time of the school year. (Argh! Papers, Finals, and other blah assignments! Bah!)

Well, a large reason why I've suddenly been lingering in creative deadzone was simply because of a religious event....despite the fact I'm not religious at all whatsoever. Lent started a week and a half ago, and a good portion of my friends (who are also equally not religious, but doing it for the sake of their own well-being) decided to give up something they love. For the sake of my wallet, I've decided to give up spending money on clothes for 40 days! Phew.

And I'll tell you, after a week and a half already it really takes a toll on you! Fashion is constantly changing, moving, and evolving. There has been so many times where I wanted to cave in and just buy something I completely loved. (It doesn't help that I have two friends that are complete fashion-forward lovelies.) Of course, I suppose that's where the industry gets you. Looks change and innovations keeps you on your toes for what's new, and you have to buy more and more to work that out.

The upside to this is that it really challenges your ability to rework your clothes into different outfits and looks. Unfortunately I have been under a creative dry spell, but I'm hoping to pick it up again. To all those who enjoy challenges, I really would urge you to try out this 40 day stuff. It's kind of insane, but in a love-hate way.

Fri Feb 20th - LaceFrills

2009-02-20T22:34:00.000-08:00

Ah not much has been going on guys. I'm seriously cutting down on the shopping and money spending. I'm still going through my intense neutral phase, so I'm wondering when I'm going to reinject some color into my wardrobe.

But I've been keeping up with the New York Fashion Week! So look forward to some inspirational slides later on.

Dress - Ross
Vest - Salvation Army
Tights - Target
Shoes - Charlotte Russe

valentine's love

2009-02-13T18:50:00.000-08:00

Share some love on this love-filled day with Kate Spade's E-cards! They're handmade and are just adorable.

So although I'm taking this day's interpretation differently, let's all just spread and give some love to everyone.

Happy Valentine's Day ♥

Fri Feb 6th - Lace Fetishes

2009-02-07T00:17:00.000-08:00

This darling lace dress has got to be the best spontaneous find in a thrift store! It had its tags on and everything still, and...surprise! It's from Kmart! It's actually a children's size dress, but somehow this ended up fitting me perfectly. Great find, although the winter weather covers up the best part of the dress...the sleeves!

It's been raining like crazy lately, so I've had to bundle up and stay warm in this chilly weather. I do welcome the rain though, I love the feeling of splashing through little puddles and dancing in the rain. I still ran out for a bit to have fun in the rain, and it felt amazingly liberating. I really wish lazy days could last forever, but alas they cannot. But it's always nice to dream, no?

The rain let up a bit for me to take a few more shots than normal. All without the help of a very handy tripod. (Instead I used a shoebox!)

Lace Dress - Thrifted
Vest - Vintage
Shoes - Steve Madden

Friday Jan 30th - A Night Out

2009-01-31T13:39:00.001-08:00

My outfit for a night out to a Vietnamese Festival! I felt like I stood out quite a bit, considering I dress in a much more unconventional manner than most Vietnamese people I know. I'm an anti-jeans girl, what can I say? But it was a very comfortable outfit. Nothing too clingy, and the night out was relatively warm so outerwear was not needed. (Wait a minute, aren't we in winter still?)

I also got accepted into The Fashion Spot! I applied for it about a month ago and I finally got word back that I'm in! I'm so excited, especially to really interact with the other people on the forum itself.

Stalking the pages of TFS would really help with an upcoming interview I have. I'm hoping to be a writer for a fashion mag at my school and I needed some sample work to present alongside my resume. So I'm hoping this will work out for the best and I can do some research over at TFS. Wish me luck!

Dress - Urban Outfitters
Blouse - Gap
Socks - JCrew
Purse - Thrifted

Mon Jan 26th - Lunar New Years

2009-01-27T17:40:00.001-08:00

It completely slipped my mind that it was New Years yesterday! (I suppose the festivities of the weekend beforehand made me forget the actual date hehe.) I'm always thrilled to get some extra green to have around, but I'm really hoping to save it up and stop spending! My wardrobe is huge, and I really have no room for anything anymore!

But I did grab myself a pair of vintage Nine West brogues over at the Salvation Army. Their vintage-wear always end up pricier than expected, but because there was a nifty 50% off sale, I took full advantage of it. It's such a great addition to my shoe rack!

Top - Urban Outfitters
Skirt - Urban Outfitters
Thigh High Socks - JCrew
Brogues - Salvation Army, Vintage

McQ for Target

2009-01-24T13:46:00.000-08:00

My laptop's been on the fritz again! For those who are looking into laptops, HP's are really not the way to go. Or they may be, but me and my friends who have had HP laptops all have had problems within a small time after the warranty expired. Just to let you all know!

So I got an email from Nylon that discussed the new International Line for Target. Guess whooo it is?

Alexander McQueen - McQ for Target

SO very excited! I haven't been this thrilled since Luella came in for the international line.

I was looking through all the pieces they put together and although all of them aren't really winners per se, a majority of the pieces show great promise to land in my wardrobe.

Here are some of my favourites;

♥ the whole outfit

♥ the dress; the vest

♥ the dress

♥ the dress

♥ the coat

As you can see, I'm still as much of a dress fiend as ever. I love the masculine pieces though, I don't have enough of them!

To see the entire lookbook and Nylon article, go HERE

Thurs Jan 8th - Bad Quality, Booo!!

2009-01-08T17:26:00.000-08:00

I dressed today. Rushed around in order to get lunch before my late afternoon Bio class. Took a photo. Two hours later, I realize it's awful in quality!

I'm in need of a photographer! Who's willing to help? :)

Although in all common senses, I might as well ask one of my roommates to take it for me. Although I'm slightly sheepish to ask, in fear of coming off as "narcissistic" in some way. (I keep my little fashion exploits a gleeful secret from most people I personally know!) I've asked them before, so I guess it wouldn't be such a bad thing! Now I know that I should really invest in bringing my tripod back to San Diego next time I stop by Orange County!

Blazer - Thrifted, Lincoln Thrift
Dress - Thrifted, Salvation Army
Black Tank - Forever 21
Leggings - Ross
Heels - Macy's

Mon Jan 5th - The First Day of School

2009-01-06T03:16:00.000-08:00

Sigh, here I am back in La Jolla ready for another quarter of tedious hell. During Winter Break all I could think about was going back to school and staying in my cozy little apartment and relaxing with all my friends...but unfortunately I take it all back once I'm actually here. All I can think about is Spring Break and not dealing with school!

So I wore this out to my first day of classes. I wanted something a little fun and of course, still a little muted. I'm really starting to dig this blazer a lot more than I used to. I really do need to bring out some of my underrated pieces and wearing them in my everyday wardrobe rather than being lazy and rehashing the same pieces over and over again. (You all know! I'm sure we've all been afflicted by lethargy at least once in our fashion lifetimes.)

And I'm getting a little more used to my reformatted computer. The interface is a little wonky, and I dislike having to redownload everything, but at least I have photoshop again. ♥

Blouse - Buffalo Exchange, Vintage
Blazer - Thrifted
Shorts - Old Navy
Tights - Target
Shoes - Macy's

happy new years!

2009-01-01T09:55:00.000-08:00

Happy new years, everyone! Let's hope 2009 will be a great year to remember! Will I miss 2008? Kind of. It's been a year of tumultuous pros and cons, but what year isn't?

I wore this today as a pre-new years celebratory outfit. I really just raided a Salvation Army and ran some errands today. I got this really nifty blazer from Urban Outfitters, and it was a leather-lookalike jacket so I just had to have it! (And for $20, I can't really complain.) I feel like I'm due for a hairtrim soon, so I hope that comes around before I go back to school in San Diego. And stuck with this mane for another few weeks, ick.

Oh and those pumps are killer. Literally. They look terrific, but after 4-5 hours in those shoes my feet could hardly handle it. Curse you, wide feet!

Shirtdress - H&M
Black Blazer - Urban Outfitters
Black Tank - Forever 21
Liquid Leggings - Ross
Black Heels - Thrifted Ferragamo

Sun Dec 28th - Happy Post Holidays!

2008-12-28T21:51:00.000-08:00

Oh my! I haven't posted in so long! Well the holidays has been a crazy rush of events and gatherings for me, among other things. I really hope that everyone out there has enjoyed this season with the ones they love and cherish the most! (Even if it doesn't turn out to be as ideal as it may originally sound.)

Christmas for me was uneventful. But it was almost exactly how I would have preferred it to be. A nice relaxing night with my siblings (and my sister who flew in from New York!) making a gingerbread house and mulling by the Christmas tree.

In terms of my own fashion, I've been a bit on the lacking side. The chill, as much as it may be mild in comparison to other climates, has gotten me lethargic and unwilling to move out of the comforts of my own cozy home. I did get some considerable shopping done at Urban Outfitters luckily, and I'm planning my next thrift raid before heading back to San Diego next week. So hopefully more updates are to come! I hope you all are having a great and fashion-forward holidays!

Coat - Miu Miu, Thrifted
Top - Urban Outfitters
Skirt - Urban Outfitters
Socks - JCrew
Hat - Forever 21
Shoes - Macy's
Purse - Thrifted

♥ Thanks to Kalvin for the photo

Such Poor Udating Skills, Bug!

2008-12-15T00:37:00.001-08:00

Yes yes, I know. My updating has been poor and commenting next to none.

But my laptop's hard drive pretty much fried last week and it was such a disaster in some ways, and a blessing in others. It was finals week so I had to get the distraction away anyways, but it was a hassle to lug around a dead 'top. It's getting fixed now, and it's only a matter of time before I'm back with all the free time I previously had!

How has everyone's winter fashion so far? It's actually getting relatively frigid here in California, so I can't even imagine the chill that's penetrating the other parts of the world! Personally I'm cozying up with scarves and thicker coats, although I still stay true to my vintage blue Lacoste cardi. (I'm planning on taking advantage of my thrifted black Miu Miu blazer though!)

And to part you all with at least some form of small inspiration, I present to you Alessi's Ark.

How utterly quaint is this music video?!

Post Thanksgiving Weekend

2008-12-02T18:32:00.000-08:00

Finally I'm free from schoolwork! Unfortunately my quarter isn't over yet, but I've gotten most of the stressful work done and over with.

How was everyone's thanksgiving weekend? For everyone in America, did you guys get any good Black Friday loot?

I went on kind of a binge with everything. Stopped by various spots including Urban Outfitters, Jet Rag vintage, Forever 21, and of course my typical thrift shops. Overall I did spend a lot of money, but I do love my loot! One of my better finds is this darling black Miu Miu blazer for only $2.50 at Working Wardrobes. And of course, my mother found it first and thought that it'd work with my wardrobe. My biggest disappointment was in Forever 21. Their sales were hardly considered sales. Buy One get One Free on SALE items? Their sale items are always of poorer quality, whether through abuse of just neglect, and there was not much of a selection at all. Urban Outfitters had some nice goodies for $10, including leather skimmers and this adorable printed romper.

But the weather over the weekend was nice. It was chilly at some point, but it was also very warm in the way that makes you glow, rather than sweat.

Sat Nov 29th

Scarf - Urban Outfitters
Dress - Forever 21
Cardigan - No Relation Vintage
Tights - Forever 21
Shoes - Vintage

As for today, I decided to really dress down. I've been so tired and stressed with all my papers being due, but luckily all I have left to deal with are finals.

Tues Dec 2nd

Shirt - No Relation Vintage
Leggings - Ross
Heels - Urban Outfitters

Mon Nov 24th - Chills

2008-11-24T23:38:00.000-08:00

I've been such an awful blogger lately. :( and I really wish I had the time to sit down and make more thoughtful posts. Today was actually the first day I managed to take a shot that wouldn't have involved pajama's or a half-assed outfit. School is such a menace, especially during this time of the year!

Luckily the weather here's been much cooler. There was an odd warm spell last week, which luckily disappeared some time over the weekend.

Bundling in coats and scarves always feels so...comforting. I love this warmth that hits your skin as a chill bites your cheeks. Then again, it really doesn't get too chilled in San Diego like it does in other places, but I take what I can.

Coat - MetroPark
Dress - Forever 21
Scarf - Urban Outfitters
Shoes - Urban Outfitters

Thu Nov 13th - Lace Loves

2008-11-14T23:56:00.001-08:00

A bit of an overdue post, but I've been busy traveling and doing other random business at school.

Now that midterms are over, I have this breath of fresh air that's engulfing me and reassuring me that it's all done with. Of course, I have papers to write and other dabble to deal with, but a momentary relief is in order.

This is actually the first time I've been able to wear this lace number out despite owning it over most of summer and having it over around my closet. Generally the sleeves are very detailed and sequined in typical vintage fashion, but because I thought they may have been a little too much for this look, I just folded them inwards and went out with a "sleeveless" lace dress.

I'm still deathly in love with it. The length is perfect, the condition is AMAZING, and I got it at Salvation Army for a keen under-$10 deal. What more could I want?

Dress - Vintage, Salvation Army
Vest - Trifted, Lincoln Thrift
Shoes - Steve Madden Madalyn's, solestruck

Steve Madden Madalyn's

2008-11-08T21:34:00.000-08:00

So the other day I got this nifty email from SoleStruck, an online shoe boutique with this great selection of shoes. They offered me this deal where I got to nab a pair of shoes, so I stopped by and got a pair of Steve Madden Madalyn's and they are fantastic!

They're absolutely lovely! They work with so many outfits in so many different ways.

Which leads to my second point. For my 100th post here at ClosetBug, I decided to do a 4-outfit photo post featuring these lovely shoes.

Outfit 1 - I actually wore this on the day of the mini-shoot. It was a nifty preppy look, and I thought I'd actually bring out a blazer I haven't touched in a couple of months.

Blazer - Thrifted
Top - Urban Outfitters
Denim - Forever 21

Outfit 2 - Wanted to play with something a little more masculine and slightly soft. It just happened to look quite business-exec in overall composition.

Romper - Forever21
Blazer - Forever21
White Top - Urban Outfitters

Outfit 3 - Romantic and Soft with a slight bit of structure. These shoes worked surprisingly well with it, I may have to really wear this out sometime!

Dress - Steve & Barry's
Vest - Urban Outfitters

Outfit 4 - I love denim jackets, so I decided to mix it up with my vintage dress from Jet Rag. It worked out fine, it's a little odd and eclectic.

Dress - Vintage (Jet Rag)
Denim Jacket - Gap

I've been branded!

2008-11-06T10:30:00.000-08:00

Denims are probably one of my least favourite things to wear. I have to admit, sometimes its simply just too casual-chic when I want to dress up in a romantic manner or something a little offbeat and kooky. Not only that, but I have more skinny denims than anything, and after months of wearing dresses and tights and shorts having skinny denims cling so close to my calves is an odd feeling.

But despite my own aversion to denim, I took up a challenge where I had to style myself into a pair of jeans.

So I entered Painfully Hip's little side-contest for the Lucky Magazine Denim Makeover Challenge, and the most awesome webmistress Amber chose me as one of the winners for a $250 goodie bag with lots of misc. beauty products and even tic-tacs! So I giddily present my badge of honor Amber has given me....

and present to you the outfit (that I'm frankly surprised did as well as it did! Thank you so much Amber! ♪)

Hat - Forever 21
Scarf - Urban Outfitters
Blouse - Urban Outfitters
Blazer - Thrifted
Jeans - Forever 21
Heels - Michael Kors

Election Day

2008-11-04T10:55:00.000-08:00

I know not everyone out there is an American, and some of you out there just can't vote yet.

But for all those who are able to, I sincerely hope you exercise your right to vote. Countries out there have killed for the right to vote like we have, and even if some may argue that there's "no point" or that politics "is corrupt anyways" I believe that it's still important to perform this simple task that is so thoroughly desired in some other places.

And for those who are going to, I hope you trust in your own opinions and beliefs and vote for who you want to. Don't listen to peers, media, or your parents.

That'll be all. May the best man win!

Everything is Illuminated

2008-10-28T17:48:00.000-07:00

I watched this movie over the weekend and was thoroughly charmed by it. I'm glad I finally got a chance to see it, it's been on my "to-watch" list for much too long now. It's such an enchanting movie, full of wit and humor.

Directed by Liev Scheiber and starring Elijah Wood, Everything is Illuminated is about a young man who goes to the Ukraine in search for a woman who helped save his grandfather in WW2. Along the way he's escorted by a "deranged seeing eye" dog, a man who tells everyone he's blind and his grandson whose fascination with American pop culture brands him as the lunatic of Odessa.

The movie itself was adorable, and so as a little tribute I thought I would make an outfit inspired by the main character himself, Jonathan Safron Froer.

Jonathan Safron Froer by closetbug

Mon Oct 27th - Messy Hair!!!

2008-10-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

I woke up with a mop of messy hair on my head, and absolutely late to my class!

Unfortunately I ditched out. But I'd like to think that I can catch up at some point if I put my mind to it.

I've got a Roman Art midterm to study for, and I am absolutely too lazy to be bothered. I even am lazy enough to mull around and dabble with a notebook I just bought today. I'm planning on starting my own look book, with magazine cutouts and all. It should be fun, and hopefully a project I start and finish thoroughly. (I'm a bit known to start projects and never completely end them...)

So I got this lovely dress over my weekend home in Orange County. It was only $14 at Crossroads Trading Co in Costa Mesa. I was stoked! That store never fails to please me whenever I want to find something for Buffalo Exchange prices and The Wasteland quality.

Dress - Crossroads Trading Co.
Cardi - Banana Republic
Tights - Target
Boots - Vintage

Thur Oct 23rd - A bit Frilly

2008-10-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

Lacking a little originally.

I thought of yiquin as I threw this together. She always mentions my use of vests, and I agree! I love layering pieces, always and forever.

Blouse - Vintage, de la Renta
Vest - Vintage
Jeans - Forever 21
Sandals - Urban Outfitters

Evolution of Hair

2008-10-22T13:39:00.000-07:00

I got a bloglovin` too

Thought that would be interesting to share! :)

For some reason, the length of my hair suddenly hit me. It was getting significantly longer. Maybe not in comparison to earlier photos of me, but surprisingly this is the longest I've had my hair since I was a Junior in High School! Since then I had a fetish for short hair, but didn't realize the restraints in terms of my ability to style it, and it generally looked wonky with my ever-curly hair anyways.

It's just a nice realization that my hair is soon hitting the desired length. I miss having a lot of hair to touch, even if I take minimal effort to really style it. Plus I get to play so much more with braids whenever I get a chance to. French braids, pigtails, simple braids, the works!

I'm also on a much more romantic high than usual. Watching Paris Je T'aime on repeat sure doesn't help either. But this translates quite easily into my preferences in clothing.

Sigh. How I yearn for the perfect thigh-high socks and loose-fitted tops/dresses.

@foto_decadent
Dazed & Confused, Oct'o5
Richard Bush - We Are the Citizen's Band

Mon Oct 20th - Chilly Weather

2008-10-21T19:42:00.001-07:00

Looks like the beach weather has finally affected the winter seasons of La Jolla! Although our version of "chilly" hits the low 60's, the wind is quite biting. I'm so excited to bring out the oversized cardi's and the sweaters! And all my scarves are still at home, so I need to go fetch those. It's so nice to finally have weather that runs parallel to the rest of the fashion world!

Dress - Forever 21
Cardigan - Vintage Lacoste
Tights - Forever 21
Granny Heels - Vintage, thrifted

And on a side note, a few months ago I got a notification asking for my permission to use one of my outfits for a local european street fashion book. Although I got this about a month ago, I thought I would share with you all!

All material taken from What I Wore Today: Fashion Remixed Online From
Beijing to Berlin is (c) Graffito Books 2008.

Sat Oct 11th - Schoolgirl Fancies

2008-10-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

I somehow found myself home again in Orange County. I had so many errands to run while I was in the OC that I ended up finding myself in Costa Mesa and running into this nifty store called Crossroads Trading Co., which is this splendid little store with clothes traded in for reselling. Basically it's the equivalent of Buffalo Exchange, or The Wasteland for those who know about those stores. Although I have to say it has the quality of The Wasteland, with the prices of Buffalo Exchange. Love it!

So I indulged and bought myself two dresses for a keen $20. Both were relatively basic in brands, one being Lux from UO and another named Dahlia. I thought they were perfect for layering and playing with for the increasingly chilly weather California is bringing. (It finally hit the high 60's and low 70's!) And they were both mini's, which I have pining after for the longest time.

This outfit was surprisingly fun to wear and play with. It looks generally conservative and schoolgirl-inspired, however the jumper itself is surprisingly short!

Jumper - Urban Outfitters
Blouse - Vintage de la Renta
Socks - ????
Shoes - Macy's
Frames - Thrifted
Bag - Mom's closet

Mon Oct 3rd - Colorless

2008-10-06T20:36:00.000-07:00

I was rather drab today. I realized I haven't posted in a while, and it was interesting that I finally chose to start off my outfit streak with a relatively plain look inspired by not much.

Morning was promising with cloudy and gray skies. Unfortunately things got a little warmer and I ended up a little too warm in my black long sleeve top but I was still able to enjoy the beautiful breezy day.

If only fall weather would come sooner! The prospects of colder weather just excites me to the point where every sunny day is a disappointment. Although I should be used to by now, living in La Jolla and all.

Romper - F21
Long Sleeve - F21
Boots - Old Navy

On the Road

2008-10-02T17:05:00.000-07:00

I was digging through foto_decadent, and I found a photoshoot from Fall 2007 that really got me going for fall. Lots of layering, long sleeves, prints and patterns, and ughhh the model's long hair just makes me want to grow mine out faster. I can't wait to be able to play with some braiding techniques.....

How can you not fall in love with these?! Even if they are technically "out of season", I see so much potential and romance in these photos that it's almost overwhelming. The most unfortunate thing is that California doesn't get nearly cold enough for this type of fashion until much later in the year, however I will be planning accordingly.

My Break.....

2008-09-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I haven't really been as active as I should be. I've been busy the past two weeks or so getting everything together for my move back to San Diego. I'm partly settled here, but I definitely do not have the wardrobe to go with it. I'm hoping to get all my clothes and possessions settled in by next week since I'll be able to go home and grab the rest of my clothes. Until then, I'll try to make an outfit post and check up on what's new in the style scene!

Fall Direction

2008-09-13T23:29:00.000-07:00

Ah, fall is approaching for us in California. It's still quite some ways away, but the idea of the upcoming fall fashion thrills me. I'm brainstorming what I really want out of my fall fashion ideas, and I'm imagining chunky tights, thigh high socks, dresses and masculine blazers or even chunky cardigans as well. I've also been much more fascinated with rolled up trousers, button up shirts of all varieties....and ahhhh there are just so many directions and options to choose from! I guess it'll depend on my mood for the day? Girly or masculine.....sigh. I sometimes wish I had a more definite signature style, but my own inability to choose a consistent "look" has me more into a shapeshifter than anything else.

Of course, it being California and all, I would have to find cooler alternatives.

Also, as a curious question for you all; What're your plans for fall fashion? Anything you're all looking forward to throwing on or purchasing?

Wed & Thu - Sept 10th & 11th

2008-09-11T17:55:00.000-07:00

Alright so what I wore today and yesterday are extremely similar. Hat and all. (What can I say, I'm in love with this hat!) So I decided to merge the two posts together, since they're so alike anyways.

Sept. 10th

I was inspired a bit by A Clockwork Orange. Such a riveting movie, and although the influence isn't too....striking, I'd still like to think my mindset can be seen.

Vest - Vintage
Blouse - Vintage
Shorts - Forever 21
Tights - Target
Boots - Vintage
Bowler - Vintage

Sept 11th

This was a more lazy laid-back look for me. Since I was literally spending the entire day by myself, since my sister flew out to Chicago, I decided to get comfy while having a delightful dinner of raw oysters and french fries. (Odd combination, much?)

Tunic - Urban Outfitters
Slip - Urban Outfitters
Vintage Cardi - Lacoste, No Relation Vintage
Belt - Thrifted
Tights - Target
Boots - Vintage

Tues Sept 9th - Day 5

2008-09-09T19:02:00.000-07:00

I haven't been updating as much lately! Just a little preoccupied and lazy to take photos to be honest.

Nothing's been going on as much. Just relaxing and enjoying my time here. I've been keeping up to date with what's being presented at Fashion Week, although I don't feel the need to post up any musings on it as of right now.

Wearing this was surprisingly comfortable and fun. The boots were a dream to walk in, especially throughout long distances. (Like the song, "These boots were made for walking", indeed!)

Romper - Thrifted
Floral top - Thrifted
Tights - Target
Boots - Vintage

Sat Sept 6th - Day 2

2008-09-06T21:07:00.000-07:00

Today it rained and rained and rained right onto my parade! Well, to be honest, it was a typical nice day. I was headed towards No Relation Vintage, which was AMAZING by the way. Great selection with reasonable and affordable prices. I got a nice blue Lacoste cardi and a nifty 80's sweater for $25 all together. It was a nice gathering of clothes, although I didn't go as overboard as I wanted to.

I was ready to raid more, but then it started pouring and silly me...forgot to bring an umbrella. I scuttled into a nearby pizzeria and lounged about for a few hours. Although my day ended with that note, I still got my taste of New York vintage shops for this year.

And yes, white and slick-slippery sandals were a bad idea.

Sorry for bad image quality. I don't really know what happened. Probably the wrong camera option without me even being aware of it.

Blouse - Thrifted, de la Renta
Pants - Forever 21
Purse - Thrifted
Tank - Forever 21
Sandals - Forever 21
Hat - Forever 21

Fri Sept 5th - Day 1

2008-09-05T21:12:00.000-07:00

So today was my first official day of my Manhattan trip! It was....painful? I still don't know how women can do it so easily! Walking around blocks and blocks and blocks in heels must be a nightmare for me, yet it's already a nightmare with just little kitten heels that I previously deemed "My most comfortable heels." So, walking dozens of blocks is just not working out for my shoes, so I have to figure out what to wear with my outfits in the following days. (and with my blisters, ugh.)

So this was the first time I've ever worn this cute vintage number. I got it from Jet Rag Vintage over on Melrose, and it was a dream to wear. The only problem I had was from the zipper. It seemed to have difficulty actually STAYING up.

But for my first day in Manhattan this year, it was enjoyable. Unfortunately, I didn't get to go see any shows for Fashion week. (My sister's friend, who had connections, wasn't able to get me in...although my sister has the luck of attending an after party. Of which designer, I'm not sure yet.) I spent a huge amount of my time wandering around East Village, looking for little vintage and thrift shops to devour. I did indeed find a couple, however they were all closed. For what reason, I'm not sure...it was only 11am. But it was still enjoyable. I had too much fun people-watching and eating delectable cupcakes.

By the way, is it just me or does this photo look nothing like me? Curious....

Dress - Jet Rag Vintage
Belt - Thrifted
Shoes - Thrifted

Inspiration Before Departure

2008-09-02T23:07:00.000-07:00

It's almost time! My Manhattan trip is looming up on Thursday, the 4th of September. I'm thrilled beyond words, although I've already visited last year. As I'm packing, I'm considering all the possibilities and outfits I should and can wear for the streets of NYC. I'm not bringing my tripod due to size reasons, so I'm hoping I can sneak in a couple of outfit shots via makeshift forms of a tripod.

So while I'm packing and brainstorming outfits, I figured I'd get in some pre-trip fashion inspirations from others just like me; simple street walkers!

The slouchy pair of pants, blazers, cardigans.....although I'm not sure, the weather may not be the best for the latter two accessories. But I do look forward to lots of layering and having fun with dresses and pants.

Need I mention that I'm looking forward to NY Fashion Week? I'll have so much fun people-watching the walkers around Bryant Park.

Thurs Aug 28th - Blank....

2008-08-29T00:01:00.000-07:00

Somehow the days seem to just go by faster and faster as my trip to New York looms closer. I'm utterly excited! I can't wait to fill my days with aimless strolling, thrift and vintage scouring, sips of thai tea as I silently watch people walk by, and neat little pastries from various bakeries all around Manhattan.

I'm still looking for interesting places to lounge about in Manhattan, whether it be a nifty cafe or a neat little live music venue. All suggestions welcomed!

I spent the entire day mulling about with a fellow geekfriend in Pomona today. It was epic and full of laughs, including much jesting of my newly obtained bowler cap. Despite what he says, I am absolutely enamored by it!

Vest-Dress : Thrifted
Blouse : Jet Rag Vintage
Heels : Macy's
Hat : F21
Purse : Thrifted

Tues Aug 19th - Funny Faces

2008-08-23T14:46:00.000-07:00

This has been a longggg overdue post. I left my camera at my friend's house after some barbecue fun on Tuesday, and really didn't get it back until recently.

As for the day itself, it was awfully fun. I love mulling about with old friends, and it's always nice to dress up a bit for any old occasion. Although I didn't want to look too dressy, so I ended up throwing together my chucks with my look for a more casual twist. I have to admit, I will be wearing them much more often, I forgot how comfortable they could be!

Dress - Forever21
Tights - Urban Outfitters
Shoes - ???
Purse - Thrifted

Flashback to the 60's & 70's

2008-08-18T00:11:00.000-07:00

Been so busy lately, I apologize for the lack of real updates. To be honest I've been pretty drained of inspiration and motivation in my outfits as of late. But I'm hoping this week will look up!

On Wednesday I was able to stop by a vintage spot named Jet Rag over by La Brea in LA. It was pretty awesome, wall to wall affordable bits of vintage pieces from all sorts of decades. I nabbed myself about 3 dresses and a top for about $75, which isn't too bad. That's less than $20 per dress, and the top was only $12!

I really do have to thank Painfully Hip for the link to this wonderful collection of photos from the trends of the 60's and 70's. I spent hours this night looking through the images and daydreaming of such tumultuous and exciting times.

This definitely called for an inspiration board....again. I couldn't help but juts fall in love with everything. Even my typical skepticism for platforms and extremely high boots have been demolished in light of these images.

The site can be found HERE. Enjoy if you have some spare time!

Mon Aug 11th - Frills & Lace

2008-08-11T21:14:00.000-07:00

You all may have remembered my small tribute to Cabaret in the other post. Well, today I decided to actually put that inspiration to use!

I didn't want to wear anything too revealing, so I opted for jeans for the first time in a long time. It was pretty uncomfortable I have to say, especially since I've been living off of dresses, skirts, and shorts all summer.

It was fun trying to piece the outfit together while still trying to keep the influence in view. I took a lacy and frilly black top that I had thrifted, worked it in with a slightly masculine vest, and then just paired it up with some more casual pieces like the jeans and the granny heels.

Lace Top - Thrifted
Jeans - Forever 21
Vest - Urban Outfitters
Shoes - Thrifted
Accessories - Forever 21, handmade

Sun Aug 10th - Hello There

2008-08-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

I found the perfect pair and cut of shortalls in a local Goodwill recently. I knew immediately that I had to get it. It was the pair that I always dreamt of. Although, the only real downside is that it is very short, and it's a little problematic since my shorts usually never cut up that short. Seeing my tanline in the mirrors and photos make me laugh to myself.

I'm also wearing new frames that I thrifted at a store. However, I had to pop out the lenses since they were prescription glasses and were too strong for me. I'm hoping they don't look too silly since they do lack lenses.

I don't have much to do today other than run errands and catch a flick with my family.

Shortalls - Thrifted
Plaid Button up - Thrifted
Glasses - Thrifted
Shoes - Urban Outfitters
Accessories - F21, Mexico

Photog Session

2008-08-09T01:24:00.000-07:00

My friend Vivian came over today to help me model and take photos of my batch of ebay materials. It was really nice catching up with her again since I haven't seen her in a while, and our adventure taking photos today was even more fun!

I wanted to take all of the photos at an abandoned railroad track, since there's a huge section of it cutting across various areas by my house. So me and Vivian packed up our stuff and headed out. It was a little shady admittedly, since the closest we were able to park was by a liquor store. There were also a few bums here and there, which wasn't a problem until a few of them sauntered over to our "shoot" and started watching us. It wouldn't have been so bad if the area were more....populated? But like I said, it was abandoned and we were actually changing in the bushes so the rest of the shots were then taken back in my front yard.

Although it didn't go entirely as planned, it was still fun anyways. Here are some group shots me and Viv decided to take together, and a few shots of pieces that I'm throwing onto ebay.

Haha, this last photo made me laugh so hard.
with a 10sec timer, I still couldn't scramble into place in time and still pose properly. A tribute to the failure of timers!

Here are some things that I planned on throwing onto my ebay account sometime tomorrow.

Vintage pink party dress, floral high waist shorts with vintage cathy jean loafers, vintage polka dot dress, and finally a leopard print body suit. I'm very excited to finally share them with everybody!

Must love Cabaret

2008-08-08T00:39:00.000-07:00

So on one of my boring mornings where I didn't have much to do, I somehow found myself venturing into the Wikipedia page of Liza Minelli. (Admittedly, this spontaneous act of interest was a mix of influences from Family Guy jokes and Arrested Development cameos.)

From there I was able to find myself on google, searching for random pictures of her role in Cabaret. I just happened to be stunned by the bold features that Minelli was infamous for in these photos. The long prominent lashes, the ruby red lips, her jet black helmet hair, and of course the black sleek outfit of a Cabaret girl. There also happened to be amazing images of Marlene Dietrich as her role in The Blue Angel and Amanda Lear posing a la Blue Angel in another photo as well.

Excited by this newfound influence that was obviously much more dramatic than usual influences, I dug through my closet and found a curiously whimsical black lace top with a frilly tutu-esque frill and a corset-fit bustier. All I was missing is the bowler cap, which Forever 21 conveniently had at my last visit. (Although the purchase was not done. For $16, a bowler cap needs to be thought on.) Although very over the top, I would love to go out strutting like a Cabaret girl.

Sun Aug 3rd - Come thrifting with me!

2008-08-03T20:33:00.000-07:00

I spent this morning raiding some more thrift stores. I actually got some things from Goodwill, which is rare since I usually don't like their prices and selection of goods. I was pleasantly surprise this time around. I'll actually post some photos of stuff I've gotten recently, since I actually took the time to photograph them today.

My outfit for today wasn't exceptionally special or great. I just wanted to throw something on that I haven't worn yet, and this dress came to mind since I just rehemmed the length. It was originally ankle-length, and I can't stand having a dress that long tangling me up as I walk.

Dress - Thrifted
Purse - Thrifted, Vintage
Belt - my sister's closet
Shoes - Urban Outfitters

And here are some things I've bought in the past two days. There's actually quite a bit, so I'm not going to post all of them, but it was great having all these sales come in at once. The Salvation Army around my area is always pumping out 50% off sales, so it's fun to just randomly raid them for goodies.

Thrifted - Oscar de la Renta secretary blouse, vintage high-waisted shorts

Thrifted - dress, straw hat, vintage t-straps

Thrifted - ethnic knit vest

Devendra Banhart - Carmensita

2008-08-03T14:06:00.000-07:00

I finally got to peek at Devendra Banhart's new video for "Carmensita", a track off of his latest album Smokey Rolls Down Thunder Canyon. I have to say, it's been a while since such a funny and humorous music video actually got to inspire me artistically. But then again, Devendra's vision as an artist mixed with the smooth catchy ambiance of his music would inspire anyone.

The use of bright bold colors and motifs from old 60's/70's Bollywood films was such great fun. And of course, seeing Natalie Portman was a definite bonus. (For those who don't know, Natalie is actually dating the musician himself.)

I now present you all with my musical inspiration of the moment, Devendra Banhart's "Carmensita".

Fri August 1st - F21 Does it Again

2008-08-01T12:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry for my lack of updates lately. I've been really busy trying to sort things out in my life, and taking photos of my outfits just wasn't my highest priority.

I was actually able to go shopping yesterday in an actual retail store. I feel like I haven't been in F21 in so long, although I'm sure it wasn't as long as I may have thought. I didn't expect to really enjoy or buy anything, but two dresses just caught my eye and I couldn't resist. (I'm turning into a genuine dress fan! Good-bye to my jeans indeed.)

There was a nice sale going on in the surrounding Salvation Army stores, so I decided to go and pick up some things for me. I ended up getting denim patch shortalls, a sweet little country dress, a floppy straw hat, this vintage black chain purse, a button up short sleeve, a floral embroidered cardi, and this black lacy frilly top. I'm so excited to wash them and try them on!

Dress - Forever 21
Denim Vest - Thrifted
Boots - Vintage Ebay
Accessories - F21, Mexico

Project Runway Recap --- SPOILERS

2008-07-27T18:22:00.000-07:00

If you haven't seen any of the first two episodes of Project Runway yet, please skip this post! I would hate to spoil anything for you guys.

Project Runway - Episode 1
I have to say, considering the availability of all the products and the amazing results that came up in Season 1.....these designer's were a bust. A lot of them lacked originality while still maintaining a great look. And the amount of tableclothes being used was obscene. I wonder if it occurred to any of the designers who used them that using it would be the easiest way of getting a dress thrown together?

Hits - Although the dresses aren't exceptional, I do admit that these two by designers Emily and Jennifer were at least relatively visually appealing. Although the huge green collar of Emily's dress is a bit of a stretch, I can't deny that a large collar on such a simple silhouette + skinny belt would be adorable paired with the high boots. Jennifer's sweet and simple design with multi-tiered ruffles isn't much out of the ordinary, but it's extremely wearable and the kisses add a little playful touch.

Misses - Pattern overkill, much? Suede and Joe tried to really work with the materials given, and I absolutely detested the overuse of the patterns on the eye. Not only that, but Suede's dress had an awful silhouette; she looked like a lego-woman. Joe's skirt was awful, and although he created an interesting pattern I would've liked to see a bold skirt with a creative design to offset the heavy patterns of the bodice. And don't even get me started on Blayne's piece. Blue shoulder pads and an awkward white furry thing on the crotch. Unsexy.

Project Runway - Episode 2
I literally freaked out and flipped shit when I saw Natalie Portman guest judging. I adore her so much, and seeing her there was exciting for me. I do notice a trend in how Blayne is trying so hard to get "girlicious" started. (The next wannabe Christian Siriano?) It's rather irritating, and I'm honestly just waiting for someone to say something about it. It's painful.

Hits - Although I'm still unimpressed with the work these designers have put out, I really enjoyed these three dresses the most. Blayne's pink asymmetrical dress has a great party quality to it. Add in some Lamé black tights, some trashy 80's makeup and accessories and you've got yourself instant outfit. The other two are mediocre in dress quality (to be honest, Leanne's satin dress didn't rub me right in terms of material, but the design was clever I thought) but the styling was just too adorable to not mention. Jennifer's sweet Grecian inspired look caught my eye, as well as the Peter-Pan styling of Leanne's model.

Misses - I cannot be the only one who thought Jerrell's dress had terrible fit? The eastern Persian influence is beautiful, making me reminisce of Ingres's Grand Odalisque, but the fit and the actual styling of the model herself was terrifying for me. Korto's odd idea of the dress looking more "inside-out" didn't appeal to me either and had no real connection to the African-Queen image the model seems to be portraying.

Maybes - Suede's and Terri's were merely a maybe. Suede's use of the tutu and the silhouette was nifty, but I'm skeptical of the fact she looked like an apple pie on top. Terri's had a gorgeous collar and a nice cinched belt, but I guess I would've preferred it to look a little edgier.

Tues July 22nd - Grandmother meets Farmer Joe

2008-07-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

The weather's been cool lately, and I'm surprised it's already been a month since my birthday! Time flies, although unexpectedly since I haven't done as much as I would've hoped for during my short time in Orange County.

Later on there's a barbecue with a group of friends from high school. I'm a little excited since I haven't seen them in so long, I wonder if they've changed much since college started for everyone. Things like that worry me at times, if people changed so drastically that they aren't exactly the same person anymore....but despite that I'll be thrilled to run into them all again.

Decided to dress a little up and down for tonight's gathering. It's comfortable, a little kooky, and I've been really enjoying this light color palette, if you didn't notice from my previous entry. Also was able to play with my tripod a bit today, although in a slightly uncreative manner.

Did I mention I'm heading to Manhattan towards the end of summer? I went last year, but this year it perfectly encompasses New York Fashion week, so I'm considering taking some candids here and there. If anyone is a New York native, any suggestions on interesting places to hang out during night/day time? I've already been suggested The Cake Shop, Prince St., and of course Soho is a place I plan to visit again. I'm particularly looking for music venues, or cafes, or any general hangout spot.

Lace Tee - Forever 21
Overalls - Thrifted
Shoes - Thrifted
Accessories - Thrifted

What size does fashion come in?

2008-07-19T01:41:00.000-07:00

Lately it's been bothering me how fashion and ideal of beauty seems to come in a size 2. Me and my cousins were chatting about clothing and fashion the other day, and all I ever hear from them is the admiration for the models and actresses who come in obscenely small sizes. Curious, I asked them, "Why do you adore them so much? What is it about being thin that's so appealing?" And they simply reply, "because clothes will look better on us."

Is that really the case? Has society nowadays officially thrown themselves into the depths of "skinny-chic" for fashion? This hasn't been a recent problem, it's been happening at an increasing rate since skinny models and icons became the new norm. And I know this isn't the most original topic to be musing about, but as a person who is far from the ideal size 2 and who packs in extra meat here and there, this is something that bothers me as a blogger who puts herself out into the public sphere.

It's funny to think that clothing supposedly looks better on skinny people. The way oversized clothing drapes and the way the skinny jeans just seem to elongate legs is just so tempting and desirable. That's how society is trying to sculpt us into believing, and it's working pretty darn well. In smaller-scale outfit presentation threads (on forums and such) I tend to see a gravitation towards the skinnier girls who show off their outfits. They get more praise, clothes supposedly look better on them, and people always comment on their size as being a subject of envy.

But I coincidentally ran into an old friend from high school, now named Maricelle for privacy purposes. It was at this moment I realized that everything my cousins had just said was completely wrong. Here is Maricelle, with full breasts, curves, and a little extra meat on the side looking fashionable, unique and herself in her clothing. Everything about her was charming, charismatic, and cool. She wore cutoff shorts (although her legs are not a perfect proportion) with an elaborate sequin tube top layered under button up tuxedo shirt. Looking at her you could tell she was a full girl, but she was so content with what she was wearing.

Which brings me to another point of importance. Confidence. Confidence just seemed to be the missing ingredient that seems to avoid women all across the world. It is with confidence that I realize size doesn't matter when it comes to fashion. It's how you present yourself to the world that really matters. So although it's time I retire for the night, I feel certain that no outfit is going to be restricted from me from now on as long as I hold the confidence to proudly walk out in public.

Thurs July 17th

2008-07-18T00:45:00.000-07:00

Nothing really occurred today other than running bland errands and bumming it out with another high school friend.

Although I did find my outfit humorous. I felt like I was straight out of the early 90's.

Top - Urban Outfitters
Shorts - Thrifted @ Salvation Army
Granny Booties - Thrifted @ Lincoln Thrift

Inspiration and Wants

2008-07-17T01:01:00.000-07:00

got the Fall catalog for Urban Outfitters today, and I was slightly surprised by their new preppier approach to clothing. Much more tuxedo shirts, cardigans, and loafers. But I did see quite a few pieces I liked, so I decided to scour the internet for other things I must keep an eye out for. Now, since I am so impossibly cheap, I'll have to hope that I can hit these up at a local thriftshop. (Which has been partially successful. Red plaid oversized Diane von Furstenberg, thrifted for $1.50, and a fringe brown hippie vest for $1.50, such great deals that I couldn't resist.)

I'm in search for....
- Acid wash denims. Jeans, shorts, overalls, shortalls, whatever.
- Jumper pieces. Something fun to layer with and all.
- Leather jacket!! Preferably faux leather, since I don't want to wear the real deal.
- Rompers. Something a little snug and fun to throw some accessories together.
- Soft romantic neutral dresses. Something for me to play with contrasts.
- Colorful tops/bodysuits. Once again, for contrast with more neutral pieces.
- Floppy sunhats and a cute 20's inspired hat.
- Indian inspired mocassins, woven cutout flats, and loafers!!

Now, inspirations! These are just random photos here and there from foto_decadent that I thought inspired me to dress a certain way or try something out. Like, flowers and braids in my hair, wavy hair days, and just being comfortable in one's own body.

I just get all sorts of great vibes from these photos. As hot as it gets here in southern California, I hope summer never ends.

Tues July 15th - Flower Child

2008-07-15T21:39:00.000-07:00

So I bought myself a tripod today so that I wouldn't have to rely on other more...undependable means? Unfortunately my dad insists I use his old one rather than my new one, and although his is more advanced and of a better brand...I'd feel more comfortable using my own simple tripod. I haven't opened it yet, but I'm still debating on whether I should keep it, although my dad is extremely insistent I just use his.

But I had a nice lunch today with an old friend from High School. It was interesting to see how we both had changed since a year ago, gossiping as we ate sushi and played with her adorable 3 kittens. This weekend I should be having a mini-picnic with another friend, which should be a great afternoon filled with animal crackers and pictures.

Dress - Thrifted, The Salvation Army
Socks - Ross
Shoes - Thrifted, Lincoln Thrift