Outed

A friend in real life (Hi L!) discovered my blog the other night. Eep! So much for anonymity lol. Though to be fair, it was only a matter of time. Bf did warn me that hiding behind sunglasses is as conspicuous as Ryan Reynolds donning his Green Lantern mask, hahaha. Blake Lively saw right through him in seconds; it really shouldn't have been any different for me ;)

Have a great weekend!

top: Old Navy lightweight roll-up camp (similar)

necklace: H&M with pearls & bow (similar)

ring: Forever 21 delicate etchings (similar)

bracelet: Forever 21 chain link (similar; similar)

belt: J.Crew piped glitter (similar; similar)

skirt: Express cotton sateen mini (this season's version sold here)

bag: Chanel M/L flap (similar)

Rainy Day 2.0

You bet I remembered to test the umbrella this time before heading out. Unfortunately this photoshoot didn't go all that smoothly either. See the blur in the upper left hand corner of the last photo? I thought water droplets fell onto my camera lens, until I saw it appeared in only a few photos. Turns out, it was my makeshift camera poncho using a sandwich bag that was the culprit. Imagine the bag covering the camera, but with a crude hole poked through for the camera lens. I wish I had another camera on me at the time to take a picture of my genius-yet-ghetto creation, hahaha. Hmm... I wonder if I can market this idea to the AsSeenOnTV people.

jacket: American Eagle short peacoat (similar; similar)

top: Gap striped cowlneck (similar; similar)

belt: J.Crew piped glitter (similar; similar)
shorts: American Eagle washed favorite (this season's version sold here)
bracelet: Forever 21 rope/cable bangle (the real deal; similar)
ring: Forever 21 faceted faux gemstone (sold here)
socks: Forever 21 colorblock over the knee (sold here)
boots: Burberry exploded check rainboots (sold here)

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall

I'm a walking contradiction. Fall officially began three days ago but I find myself clinging to the remnants of summer through short skirts. I've also missed scarves, especially worn to serve their purpose of keeping me warm. So here ya go, a combination of the two as I transition between seasons.

scarf: American Eagle plaid lurex (similar; similar)
top: Hollister Clobberstones gingham (similar; similar)
jacket: American Eagle surplus anorak (similar; similar; similar)
skirt: Forever 21 leatherette (sold here; similar)
bag: Chanel M/L flap (similar)
flats: Mossimo Desta ballet (similar)

Comfort Is Key

Who would've thought I'd be reaching for and alternating between two pairs of heels (one, two) this past week?! Besides in my dreams that is. Comfort is definitely not overrated.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

necklace: H&M with pearls & bow (similar)

jacket: American Eagle surplus anorak (similar)

top: H&M with lace sleeves c/o Elle via giveaway (similar)

belt: Express wide (similar)

rings: Forever 21 faceted faux gemstone (sold here);
Amrita Singh Deauville (sold here)

bracelets: Forever 21 rope/cable bangle (the real deal; similar);
Forever 21 rhinestone snake chain (sold here; similar)

jeans: Hollister boot destroyed (sold here; similar)

bag: Chanel M/L flap (similar)

shoes: Ann Taylor perfect patent (sold here)

Achromatic

The color palette today is all neutrals, from shades of beige to gray to black. To keep the outfit from being bland, I mixed in various textures: sequins, crochet, and snakeskin. All could be statement pieces on their own, but surprisingly worked well together in an outfit.

What are some of your favorite combination of textures?

sunglasses: Old Navy round metal-hardware (similar)
necklace: Merona ribbon necklace (the real deal; Etsy)
blazer: Express luxury stretch 1-button (similar; similar)
top: Ann Taylor sequin front (similar; similar)
dress as skirt: Ann Taylor vintage floral (long version sold here; similar; similar)
ring: Forever 21 faceted faux gemstone (sold here)
bracelets: Forever 21 rope/cable bangle (the real deal; similar);
Forever 21 rhinestone snake chain (sold here; similar)
bag: Chanel M/L flap (similar)
shoes: Zara court shoe with snakeskin toe (sold here; similar; peep-toe)

Zara Double-Breasted Coat

I've had my eyes on a couple of coats since fall fashion started trickling in. One is this Zara Double-Breasted Coat in dark red, size S (sold here). Both pictures from Zara's site is misleading: the stock photo shows a model wearing a bright red coat, while a darker red was featured in the promotional ads. The color in real life is somewhere in between, but closer to a true primary red.

For a long coat, I was surprised at how light in weight it was. The fabric is pretty thin so I can only see this coat being worn in the fall and perhaps transitioning into the early stages of winter. Definitely will need something heavier in the dead of winter.

The coat fits me pretty well overall. The shoulders fit nicely and still allows for easy arm maneuvering (I always do the jumping jacks test but it's not like I ever find myself in that position...). I prefer sleeves on my coats to be on the longer end and I found these to be perfect. I did find the coat to hang on me in a boxier fashion when unbuttoned, but not so bad when buttoned. The buttons themselves are kind of cheap looking, but I can live with that.

I'm still on the fence about this coat. What do you think -- flattering enough to keep or return?

coat: Zara TRF Double-Breasted Coat (sold here; similar)
necklace: Amrita Singh Nello (sold here)
shirt: J.Crew boy shirt in Indian voile (similar)
belt: Express wide (similar)
pants: XOXO flared (similar)
rings: Forever 21 delicate etchings (sold here; similar);
Forever 21 love birds (similar; similar)
clutch: H&M snake-embossed envelope (may still be in stores; similar)
shoes: Ann Taylor covered platform bootie (similar; similar)

*Stock and promotional photos courtesy of Zara

Bloomed

Paths through the woods are one of my favorite places to take pictures. It's usually pretty secluded with only a slim chance of crossing paths with pedestrians or bikers. On this particular day, I found myself not too far away from a lady singing opera music. What a voice! The way it carried and resonated through the woods was a treat. Usually I'm the model of efficiency when it comes to taking outfit pictures, but not today. And I've got the bug bites to prove it :)

sunglasses: Old Navy round metal-hardware (similar)
flower pin: Old Navy (similar)
blazer: H&M Divided boyfriend (may still be in stores; similar)
tee: American Eagle deep v-neck (sold here; similar)
rings: Spotted Moth via Kendi's giveaway (similar), H&M filigree (similar)
bracelets: Forever 21 rope/cable bangle (the real deal; similar);
Forever 21 rhinestone snake chain (sold here; similar)
skirt: Express cotton sateen mini (this season's version sold here)
bag: Chanel M/L flap (similar)
flats: Valentino bow ballerina (similar)

Forever 21 Fitting Room Reviews

1) Forever 21 Leatherette Skirt in black, size S (sold here) - I like the flared shape of this skirt without being too poofy. I preferred this type of skirt to sit higher on the waist (below right) than at the natural waist level (below left). Luckily a SA was able to help me track down a size XS, which went home with me.

2) Forever21 Woven Skirt in mustard, size M (sold here) - This skirt I tried on for fun. The fabric seemed very wrinkle prone, so even if there were smaller sizes, I would've passed. The color is a pretty mustard yellow.

3) Forever 21 Short Length Flared Dress in grey, size S (tag; similar) - I liked the overall fit on me, but the armholes were too big, so I passed. I also did have trouble zipping up the dress all the way in the back. One positive is that I could step into the dress as opposed to pulling it over my head.

4) Forever 21 Striped Knit Sweater in navy/cream, size S (tag; similar) - I'm a sucker for stripes in general but I really don't wear a whole lot of sweaters. I liked the weight and feel of this one, but did not like the boat neck, so I passed. The fit was pretty good overall.

5) Forever 21 Long Woven Shirt in mustard, size S (tag; similar; similar) - This top is a great dupe for Ann Taylor's Silk Trench Shirt in terms of color and style, but at a cheaper price. Given its length, I can probably get away with styling it as a tunic, but that just meant more excess fabric to deal with when tucked. I passed.

Distressed

I'm reliving my younger days through these ripped jeans, but dressing it up with heels and a blazer. Did that do enough to take attention away from the rip below my knees? Probably not. Quarter-life crisis is here to stay :D

necklace: Ann Taylor winter sparkle (eBay; similar; similar)

tee: H&M basic jersey (similar; similar)
blazer: theory Bindi Tailored (similar; similar)
belt: Old Navy tie (similar)
bracelets: Forever 21 rope/cable bangle (the real deal; similar);
Forever 21 rhinestone snake chain (sold here; similar)
ring: Forever 21 faceted faux gemstone (sold here)
jeans: Hollister boot destroyed (sold here; similar)
bag: Balenciaga city (this season's version sold here)
shoes: Zara court shoe with snakeskin toe (sold here; similar; peep-toe)

All Tied Up

I have trouble tying ties. This time around, I followed Kimchi Girl's step-by-step tutorial and achieved a better result, but still couldn't get the last step quite right. Happy Monday, everyone!

sunglasses: Old Navy round metal-hardware (similar)

tie: Express striped (bf's - similar)

shirt: J.Crew boy shirt in Indian voile (sold here; similar)

bracelets: Forever 21 rope/cable bangle (the real deal; similar);
Forever 21 rhinestone snake chain (sold here; similar)
belt: H&M skinny belt (similar)
skirt: LOFT abstract floral print pencil skirt (similar)
clutch: Rebecca Minkoff no strings attached
shoes: Zara court shoe with snakeskin toe (sold here; similar; peep-toe)

Casual

Hello weekend! I'm exhausted after a short week (mother nature wreaked havoc with my schedule). Now I can unwind and look forward to 1) hitting up TJ Maxx (thank you Cher for sharing!) 2) lots of tennis (vamos!) 3) footballlll ('Skins?! More like the Patriots) 4) SLEEP (hours and hours of it).

I hope you have a great weekend!

necklace: Amrita Singh Sag Harbor (sold here)

top: American Eagle slouchy v (similar; similar)
tank: Ann Taylor sequin front (similar; similar)
ring: Amrita Singh Deauville (sold here)
belt: Express wide (similar)
jeans: LOFT sage wash modern slim leg (similar)
bag: Longchamp medium LM metal (other colors sold here)
shoes: Nine West Smooch (sold here)

Rainy Mood

There's a few things wrong with this picture:
1) I'm holding an umbrella and the ground's dry. It really did rain earlier!
2) A week's worth of rainy days is nothing to smile about.
3) The umbrella looks awkward. The clasp is broken, so there I am holding both the prongs and the handle so it stays fully open. With three umbrellas to pick from, of course I chose the broken one, lol.

jacket: Esprit trench (similar)

necklace: Ann Taylor winter sparkle (eBay; similar; similar)

top: Ann Taylor cascading ruffle blouse c/o Elle (similar; similar)

sash: J.Crew silk bouquet (similar)

skirt: J.Crew wool bell (this season's version sold here)

socks: J.Crew argyle (similar; similar)

boots: Burberry exploded check rainboots (sold here)

Long Awaited

I'm wearing a couple of Zara's pieces today to celebrate the launch of their US online shop (but why were all the sale pieces removed?!) The jacket is old, but the shoes are current. I spoke too soon in an earlier post, but the shoes do need to be broken in. After a full day of sitting and standing at work and at dinner, I felt a blister on one foot. It's nothing a few days of dressing down and wearing flip-flops won't heal though ;)

I wanted to try this coat in red until Elle mentioned the color isn't available in the US (I thought X-ed out meant it's currently sold out and I was content to wait for returns). Bummer! I'm also eyeing this trench from the adult and kids section. I'll have to wait until more sizes are back in stock though.

Did you do any Zara shopping today?

jacket: Zara jacket with zips (this season's version sold here; similar; similar)

top: Gap striped cowlneck (similar)

belt: J.Crew piped glitter (sold here; similar)

pants: LOFT black modern skinny (similar)

bag: Balenciaga city (this season's version sold here)

shoes: Zara court shoe with snakeskin toe (sold here; similar; peep-toe)

Fall Forward

Summer isn't officially over yet, but with cooler temperatures the last few days, I'm slowly turning to the other side of my closet. There are still many summer-y pieces I haven't worn enough, so hopefully I'll find ways to fit those into my fall wardrobe.

For me, the best part about the upcoming season is the return of TV shows. I'm such a TV junkie that my days are often planned around it (no TiVo or DVR for this cheap dino). Summer shows have kept me busy so I've still yet to fully catch up on the spring episodes (that's what this weekend was for! Ahh! I blame the exciting tennis matches) What are you most looking forward to this fall?

necklace: Forever 21 knotted chain & rhinestone (similar)

jacket: American Eagle short peacoat (similar; similar)

tee: American Eagle deep v-neck (sold here; similar)

belt: H&M skinny belt (similar)

bracelet: Etsy junghwa I Love Knots (sold here)

pants: LOFT black modern skinny (similar)

flats: Mossimo Desta ballet (similar)

Fitting Room Reviews + Labor Day Sales

First, the J.Crew Café capri in wool in camel, size 00 (sold here). I didn't like the pants on me for many reasons: hem hits at an odd spot (petite versions are 2" shorter according to the SA), my butt looks huge (the rise would be shorter in petite versions), and the faux-pockets. The waist fit decently though and I really like the fabric.

Next, the American Eagle Herringbone Blazer in brown, size XS (sold here). The jacket looked better online than it did in person. It's much too short on me and kind of shapeless. On a true petite, the waist area should hit where it's supposed to and flare out properly. The shoulder fit me pretty well and may even be a bit on the tight side.

AE and aerie are both having a 40% off everything in-stores and online with code 28678011 for the holiday weekend.

Next, the Forever 21 Woven Menswear Top in orange, size S (sold here), which I saw on The Look 4 Less that is a great dupe for the Equipment Signature blouse. The top fit me well everywhere, and I would have sized up for the looser menswear look if the store had any of the royal blue color left.

There's an extra 30% off all sale items both in-stores and online.

Lastly, I couldn't walk out of the store without stopping by the accessories section. My only purchase of the day and I bought three bracelets. I don't see them online, so I've included the product code if you're interested in tracking them down in stores. From left to right:

(1) Forever 21 rope/cable bangle (product code: 78967286021) in silver is a great dupe for David Yurman's famous cable bracelet without the jewel tip. I also saw a gold version in stores.

(2) Forever 21 rhinestone snake chain bracelet in silver/clear (sold here). These bracelets vary in size and I went through the entire bowl to find the smallest one (probably one that nobody has tried on). Edit: Thanks to Elissa for pointing out this bracelet's weave being a great dupe for John Hardy's.

(3) Forever 21 chain link bracelet (product code: 00019692011) in gold (similar; similar). Compared to the previous two, this one is a bit harder to put on, but the bracelet was loose enough that I didn't have too much trouble with the toggle clasp.

My East Coast Style

I'm the guest blogger today over at This Life, Redefined, talking about influences on my style. Check it out here to read all about it.