DH said I looked like a "celebrity supporting a worthy cause" in this graphic tee. Yeah, if that cause is all about me, a reminder to live, laugh, and love my life, lol.

Every time I think that all the holes have been filled in my bag family, out comes another that I could make justifications for. I should just give up on this insane notion of the perfect collection. My most recent acquisition is the Coach mini Borough bag in retro colorblock leather in gold/tan white/warm grey (sold here).
Prior to this purchase, the honor of that everyday brown bag went to the H&M snakeskin clutch that doubled as a crossbody bag. Space was extremely limited, but the cheap price won me over. I've actually gotten a decent amount of uses from the clutch, but am now happy for an upgrade. Although the Borough I chose isn't a solid brown color, there is enough in the color scheme (the colorblocking was actually the first thing I fell in love with). So that, along with the mini size, was what convinced me that this bag will work well for casual days.

I've been on a (faux) leather kick lately. First came the dress, and now I find myself the owner of leather pants -- though the pants were not the no-brainer buy like most of my purchases. The main reason being I wouldn't be able to transition them between work and weekend, like I do with the bulk of my wardrobe.

As casual as my work environment is, with no clearly stated dress code, I just feel leather pants fall under the big fat NO category (same as shorts). Leather jackets are ok in my mind, partial leather items (like my dress) are also ok, but tight leather pants? It's probably better to be safe than sorry. I went back and forth on this purchase, but ultimately decided to keep the pants because it's a trend I wanted to try at a discounted enough price (used reward points).

I wore the pants for the first time over the weekend to hang out with my girlfriends. Before I left, DH remarked that he's not a fan because the leather pants looked "so shiny and futuristic... alien-like." Way to make me second-guess my decision before going out in public! Turns out, my friends all liked the pants. I swear, if they weren't all in relationships already, those innocent touches against my thighs could've been misconstrued as something else, lol. One friend loved the pants so much that she wanted to try them on, but sadly, we weren't able to find them at neither Nordstrom nor Bloomingdale's**. I guess the brand isn't popular enough to be sold in stores, only online.

I couldn't resist asking my friends for their opinions on the work appropriateness of leather pants. I figured since I was actually waffling a bit, my stance fell somewhere in the middle. Not surprisingly, two friends who work in a more conservative environment answered with a resounding "No. Weekend-wear only." That left one friend who works in the same type of environment I do. She also didn't hesitate, but said instead, "Sure, why not?" We started throwing out examples of what is "allowable" without crossing the line. We agreed on flip flops and short(er) skirts, but leather pants was just something I felt was too much but she deemed ok.

So, leather pants -- would you wear them to work?

**I have a few extra one-time use codes for Bloomingdale's, valid through 12/11. Please leave a comment if you use any:
20% - X50E174XEMMD
10% - X80YK74DCSYG, X205O74ASSOO, X80CF74ABSMW

DH and I went up to NYC a couple weeks ago to attend his cousin's wedding. Rather than taking our time to enjoy the city for a weekend, we crammed our stay into the shortest amount of time permitted. It was a whirlwind of eating, wedding festivities, and more eating. I stayed awake by guzzling bubble tea whenever I got the chance. Our stay was fun, but exhausting... and I probably wouldn't do it again (no longer as young as I used to be).

I was at my most efficient when it came to packing for this trip. Pats self on back. I managed to fit all the essentials into a regular-sized bag, which allowed me to walk around the city hands-free and with a lighter load on my shoulders. I was only able to do this because I decided to save packing space by wearing my dress for the entire duration of the trip. I figured I'd just switched up the accessories between playing tourist and attending a wedding. All those PFC challenges that called for making do with clothes off your back sure came in handy.

I didn't have good photos from the trip, so I re-shot my daytime outfit [below] when we came home. For the actual wedding, I went for simplicity with just the dress, knot cuff, gold strappy sandals, and a gold/stone clutch.

A quick post in the middle of this work week. Hope you have a good one!

Sale alert at LOFT -- use code FRIENDS for 40% off everything through 4/21.

A few items I've bought recently and kept:
- Flounce hem lace dress - $58.80 with code (I'm wearing size 0 - sized up for hips / outfit here)
- Vaughn t-strap sandals - $17.70 with code (I'm wearing size 6 - TTS / outfit here)
- Pamela scalloped Mary Jane pumps - $53.70 with code (I'm wearing size 6 - review here / outfit here)
- Denim leggings - $35.99 with code (I'm wearing size 24R - TTS / outfits: here, here, here)

A few old favorites from previous seasons:
- Modern skinny jeans - rinse wash is $41.70, dark autumn indigo is $29.99, light autumn indigo is $35.70 (I'm wearing size 24R - TTS / outfits: here, here, here)
- Modern skinny jeans in black - $35.70 with code (I'm wearing size 24R - TTS / outfits: here, here, here)
- Julie linen trousers - $41.70 with code (I'm wearing size 00P - shorter length to wear with flats / outfits: here, here, here)

Also at J.Crew Factory -- use code GETMORE for 30% off final sale items.
- Skimmer pants in wool - $17.49 with code (I'm wearing size 00 - review here / wearing them in today's outfit below)


I'm so behind when it comes to keeping up with social media. One, my basic phone is still alive and kicking. Two, my life is rather boring. Three, there are some people who follow me on multiple platforms and I'd hate to be bombarding them with the same post/tweet/photo/etc on each.

I have made an effort to be more active on Twitter and Instagram. Case in point: four IG photos in the last month compared to the two before that! When it's all said and done, I still am more comfortable replying/commenting than I am at initiating a topic -- kind of at odds with blogging. I'll get there... eventually (probably when everyone else have moved on to the next big thing).

Today's outfit consists of staples from my closet: button-up, turtleneck, jeans, and flats. They're all simple and classic pieces that can be thrown on without much thought.

I saw this Gap email in my inbox and immediately made a mental note to try wearing a scarf with the ends knotted. In its original state, my scarf hangs and looks ridiculously long on me, so knotting the ends was also great for that reason. The looser the knot, the shorter the overall scarf length.

I'm always on the lookout for new ways to wear scarves, so thank you Gap!

Today's outfit was taken a few weeks ago, from when the weather was much nicer. It's been raining all week long (with possibility for snow today!), so I've been on a mini-break with no new outfits to share.

In past winters, I would take photos in my work bathroom. But this year, I've been spoiled by natural lighting and varying scenery, so I don't know if I'd go back to the bathroom route. How do you put up with photo taking in the cold? Always keep a jacket on? Quick snapshots with jacket off? Don't even bother with the outdoors? I'm freezing just thinking about it.

I'm not very adventurous when it comes to color pairings. There's the everything goes with black and white, or red/white/blue, or as of late, adding red accents to every outfit. I do hope that with time, I'll start to expand out of my comfort zone and not be so predictable.

Have a good Wednesday!

Today's look is a departure from the norm. I own a pair of leggings, bought during my feeling-like-trying-new-things phase. It hasn't seen the outside of my closet much, so I figured it's time to remedy that before it gets too cold.

I think the root of my issues with leggings is that I never feel "covered up" enough. Is my bottom hanging out? Is the material too thin? But oh, are they comfortable. Paired with a long tee and the addition of a boyfriend blazer for that extra longer layer, I left the house without the usual leggings worries.

Happy Monday, everyone!

I have a slight obsession with poppies, both in real life and in prints. When J.Crew first released their poppy print in only an iPhone case, I actually considered getting a smartphone, just so I have a reason to buy the cover. That's how ridiculous I am. Thank goodness it didn't come to that when other items in this poppy print slowly trickled in.

A quick search on J.Crew's site on "poppy" yielded a couple items from the women's collection: one-piece swimsuit and a bikini. Kids were luckier this time around, with choices between capris and shorts. Of the four items, I knew the capris would be too short on me and the swimsuits wouldn't get enough wear, so shorts it is!

The crewcuts Girls' chino short in pretty poppies in bright red, size 14 (sold here) are currently $49.50, but since I love the print so much, I figured it's worth buying to try on. If I can't justify the price, at least I'll know my kids' size if it makes it to sale.

There's a bit of a waist gap but the nifty adjustable waistband solved that issue. I'm so used to wearing short shorts that the length of these make me feel old, lol. But really, it's not a bad thing and will just take a little getting used to. The only part I didn't love is the creasing down the front. They felt fine when worn, but photos don't lie. Because the creases look particularly visible, I've decided to return the shorts.

When I was at the store returning the shorts today, I spotted the same poppy print on a silk blended scarf. Woohoo! Not that I need any more scarves, but I couldn't resist. I can finally quit obsessing over this print now. It's lightweight, colorful, and a great addition to any summer and fall wardrobe.

I couldn't find the scarf online, but for those interested, the style # is 85138 and it is marked down to $34.99 in stores with an additional 30% off right now, for a total of $24.49. Please keep in mind that it's final sale.

J.Crew's heart throb print is part of last winter's collection. I remembered seeing a SA wearing a blouse in this print and loved it on her. Of course, said blouse sold out rather quickly. Unlike the poppy print from above, I didn't stalk their website to see what other items were released in the same print. So I was pleasantly surprised to see this J.Crew Pleated jardin skirt in heart throb in red, size 00 (check sale section in stores) pop up online.

The full skirt with its longer length is a deviation from what I normally wear. However, I was attracted to the combination of feminine silhouette with the heart print. I feel like with this type of skirt, it needs to be worn higher-waisted, so to achieve that look, I had to use a belt to keep the skirt in place. I briefly considered having tailors take in the waist, but it's probably going to cost more than I'm willing to spend since the side pockets would make it a candidate for complicated alterations. This skirt was also a return.

Have you bought anything from J.Crew lately?

I'm giving my feet a break today from wearing heels all week. I considered my boat shoes but it doesn't seem to go with the shape of the skirt, so a trusty pair of ballet flats it is. Though not perfect (these H&M flats I've been coveting would be better), gotta work with what's in the closet ;)

Have a great weekend!

I thought I had expertly hidden the belt tied around my skirt into the folds of the scarf. Ummm, not even close. Not.even.close. Bf was too busy snapping away* while I was on the lookout for oncoming cars, so neither of us paid any attention to details. Oh, if only life's problems were so trivial.

Hope your week's off to a good one!

*Photo credit: thanks to my bf

I thought I was trying something new with today's outfit... until I remembered this one from my archives. Same dress, same accessories, a jacket, different top (but worn the same way). Ahhh... chalk it up to faulty short term memory ;)

Today's outfit is inspired by yet another Pinterest image -- the main source of my inspiration lately as my mind's been on grown-up responsibilities. After 3 years of on and off house hunting, bf and I are finally homeowners! We haven't moved yet because although the home is in move-in condition for most people, I'm one of those who like hardwood floors everywhere. Aside from new flooring, I'm most excited about my our new closet. It's bigger than what we have now so I'm willing to share, hahaha.

Currently on the to-do list and my plans this weekend: putting up blinds. My wrist is already sore from installing two, with too many more to go. I can already see it now, home improvements on the weekends for the rest of my life. What did I sign myself up for?! All whining aside, this is what we wanted, so I couldn't be happier. A good start to 2012 with perhaps more exciting times to come? ;)

Today's outfit is inspired by this Pinterest image of sequins paired with chambray. I would have much preferred to go bare-legged as the tights detract from the outfit. This mild winter has been a pleasant surprise, so I better not push my luck ;)

Hope you're having a great Tuesday!

My hair is thick, naturally wavy (borderline curly), and frizzy. The bane of my existence basically. Ok I'm exaggerating, but it's a feature that I wouldn't mind changing. I value my sleep too much in the mornings, so my hair usually gets pulled up into a bun or ponytail and I'm out the door. That's another reason why I crop my head out of pictures, hahaha.

On the days that I'm feeling extra rested, I would attempt to flat iron my hair. In the past I've used a (relatively) cheap Conair, which worked ok. I would spend 30-40 minutes with relative success, meaning the front and sides were pretty straight but the back is still a mess. I'd give up at this point and clip up the back for a half-up/half-down look.

Four months ago I decided to finally upgrade to a T3 Single Pass. Oh my gosh, I've been missing out! This smaller flat iron is much easier to maneuver, which does wonders for the back of my head. The "single pass" name is misleading because I usually have to run it through 2-3 times per section for better results (though this may just be me and my unruly hair). 20-30 minutes later and my hair would be presentable (see below). I have no idea how much longer I have to spend for pin straight hair, but pretty straight hair is already a vast improvement over the Conair, so I'll gladly take it.

I've stayed away from bangs since my pre-teen years due to my hair type. But now I'm rethinking side-swept bangs for spring. Do I dare? We'll see. If you asked me that last year, my answer would've been a resounding NO.

Lately, the weather can't make up its mind, so neither can I. A thin jacket to go with a cowl scarf (thank you SPG for a wonderful post-holidays surprise!)? Sure, why the heck not. With all the spring collection items rolling in, warm weather can't come soon enough.

Hope you're having a great Wednesday!

I took these pictures at a local park where people like to walk their pets. By pets I always meant dogs. Not today though because I had my first pig sighting. Not on a leash, trotting towards me with the owner frantically chasing after it. Too bad I was worried about my tripod being knocked over I could've tried to take a video. D'oh! The cute and funny sight instantly perked up my day.