Between taking a few days off and a near-empty office due to the holidays, this is the outfit that I practically lived in over the past week. Every other day, if I'm remembering correctly? If anyone noticed, nobody called me out on it. All good things must come to an end, so back to reality as the first work day of 2016 sets in. Have a good one!

Today's feminine twist on a military inspired outfit is thanks to Maje via The Outnet. Remember how I was recently talking about not having worn my floral lace dress in awhile? Well, turns out it was more than just a fleeting thought because I knew the dress would be the perfect finishing piece for my outfit recreation.

Today's navy + plaid + graphic tee combo is inspired by Marissa Webb. I usually steer away from wearing navy and black together (hard to differentiate between the two colors sometimes), but really liked how my last outfit turned out. As for today's look? I'll give myself an A for effort... probably should've swapped out the faux leather pants for jeans instead.

My obsession with gingham has finally waned. Taking its place are larger check patterns, ie: buffalo check (shirt below, ordered pants to try), Burberry-esque (scarf below), a mix of plaid with buffalo check (shirt here). Perhaps due to a few unseasonal winter-like days, I've been gravitating towards flannel fabric often, and as a result, been quite picky about the pattern as well as the fabric.

Speaking of flannel, I recently discovered microfleece sheets, which are amazing to sleep in! I stumbled upon them by accident and was sold when a few reviewers preferred them over even flannel sheets. I don't have trouble sleeping, but do sometimes get cold periodically throughout the night. We've been using regular ol' cotton sheets and just doubling up on blankets once temperatures drop. The microfleece sheets have been a life changer. Seriously.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone who celebrates!

The title says it all -- keeping it simple and classic in black, camel, and gold tones for an outfit to run errands in recently. Along with all the other "fall" favorites (colorful leaves, pumpkin flavors -- only in donuts, football season, wearing layers), I'm so happy to also add (faux) leather pants to the list!

Have a good Monday, everyone!

I'm back from abroad! The days sure did fly by, but at the same time, I'm also glad to be back home. Nothing beats sleeping in my own bed... and a Chick-fil-A peach milkshake (the first meal we ate since landing). I took close to 1000 photos on the trip, so hopefully I'll finish weeding through them in the next couple of weeks, then write up an accompanying post. For now, back to our usual programming -- outfit posts!

Same outfit, different days, swapped accessories. If there is one thing I'm consistent with, it's my gazing-with-fascination-at-the-ground pose... which apparently I overuse without thinking twice about. Time to pick up a new "acting natural" pose?

** 9/15/2014 update: see here for a review on the Everlane swing trench **

Keeping it short and sweet on the blog today with one photo and one sentence that wasted 10 secs that you'll never get back ;) Have a good one!

I'm what you'd call a skinny-fat girl -- someone who looks skinny from afar, but without any muscle definition whatsoever. Regular exercise isn't high on my priority list, but watching sports is, so the only names on my radar are the big ones like Adidas, Nike, and Under Armour. I have no familiarity with the market geared specifically towards activewear for women. So thank you Caroline for introducing me to lucy and more specifically, their wrap top! Perhaps if I wear this top more often, I'll start leading a healthier lifestyle. Motivation by osmosis.

Nothing says 'tis the season like tartan. I've been wearing this top quite often as of late, so here are two outfits that have been on repeat.

Hope you had a great weekend!

Today's outfit is inspired by copied from this image. An oversized bow adds instant cuteness to an otherwise average look. I only have so much time left to wear "cute" outfits, so gotta make the most of it now :) I digress. Since I chose to pair a necklace with my outfit, I tied the bow in the back (didn't want too many competing items in front).

Happy Wednesday!

I went to Woodbury Common for the first time last weekend. It lived up to the hype; outlet shopping won't be the same for me again.

After walking around for a ridiculous eight hours (have to get our money's worth on gas, lol), I left with a single item, a theory Richia W dress in navy/natural polka dots (may still be at outlets - tag info). It was marked down to $79 with an additional 25% off dresses that weekend. Not bad for a dress that's 100% silk.
The smallest size left at the store was a 4, which I eyeballed and concluded may work for me. My friend K took one look and said, "no way, it'll be too big". Unfortunately, K was right and I need to get my eyes checked. The armhole was big, v-neck a bit low, and the waist loose (sorry for the lack of photos). K and I talked about potential alterations: slimming the sides (vetoed, too costly due to side zipper), raising the neckline and armholes by shortening the straps at the shoulders (no, would leave a visible seam), and shortening the straps from the back (see pic below) where the two pieces of fabric met (best idea because seam would remain hidden due to the design and shouldn't be too costly). Sigh, I know I should already be seeing these problem spots and potential solutions myself, but it's much easier (and more fun) shopping with a friend who sews :)
While I mulled things over, K suggested that I go stalk this other girl walking around with the same dress in case she puts hers back on the rack (tempting, but the only subtle stalking I know how is online) or ask an SA to check sizes at other stores across the country (can't believe the style finder option completely slipped my mind). The only issue with the latter is that I wasn't sure if a size 2 would still be loose or if a size 0 would be too tight. K recommended a size 0 and well, after my eyes misjudged a size 4, I shouldn't be trusted. Luckily the SA was able to locate the last size 0 in the entire country for me. Hallelujah! Shipping was $15 (high, but I really wanted the dress), so I figured it essentially canceled out the 25% off promo. If you're my size and interested in the dress, it wouldn't hurt to call a store in case there's been returns.

The dress in size 0 fit me so much better than the 4 (neckline: perfect, armhole: still a teensy bit big, waist: just right). Thank you K for your awesome eye for detail. This dress' style is a bit maternity-ish, with the higher waistline flaring out slightly to a tulip skirt. When the wrong gust of wind blows by, it certainly looks like I could be pregnant (need proof?) For that reason, it may be hard to pull off, but I'm determined to try. I just couldn't pass up the adorable print. I like the size of the polka dots on me, it has pockets, the colors are classic and neutral, and it's just a fun dress overall to wear throughout spring and summer.

I know, polka dots are everywhere, and I'm probably the last person to hop aboard the bandwagon, even if it was accidental. Are you a fan or are you ready for the next trend?

I was eyeing two pairs of sandals during Shopbop's 20% off Friends & Family sale last week. I took too long hemming and hawing, so by the time I was ready to buy, my sizes were sold out. Luckily LOFT's 40% off Friends & Family sale occurred a day later because I found dupes for both pairs. Thank you, shoe Gods!

Sam Edelman Gigi sandals [left] vs. LOFT Vaughn sandals in white snakeskin print, size 6 [right]:
I like how the Gigis have the signature (I think?) Sam Edelman cushioned padding. They certainly helped with comfort in my one prior experience with the brand. The LOFT pair doesn't have the same padding, but otherwise looks the same as the Gigis.

I found these sandals to run true to size. The footbed isn't the most comfortable, but that's to be expected without padding. I would compare the the type of material used (thickness, flexibility, etc) and level of comfort similar to J.Crew capri sandals (which I used to own) and Old Navy Faux-Leather Capri sandals (currently own).

The buckle closure was my biggest issue with these sandals. There's an elastic portion right next to the buckle, so every time I pulled, trying to undo the closure, the elastic part stretched but the buckle wouldn't budge. Am I just a n00b with chubby fingers? I can already see myself struggling with the closure every morning, so sadly, this pair will be going back to LOFT.

Sam Edelman Sophie sandals [left] vs. LOFT Frances color pop wedges in safari tan, size 6 [right]:
I wanted a pair of sandals with two thicker straps across the front and a thick/wide wooden heel. Though neither fit the heel requirement, I felt the lower heel (~2") was a good compromise and didn't look too clunky. I also liked the nude color of the top strap -- doesn't cut off your legs. I can see these wedges being dressed up with skirts and worn casually with jeans.

I took my usual size 6 in these wedges and felt they run a bit long in length and on the narrow side in width. My foot wasn't hanging off the side edges, but my toes do look a bit squished (pic below). The roominess in front didn't feel as significant as it looks in photos -- though I do wonder if the extra space will bother me over time. Sizing down probably wouldn't work because of the narrow width. The ankle strap could be slightly more snug (top strap isn't adjustable), but so far, no almost-twisting-the-ankles while briskly walking around at home.
The best feature is the back zipper. I struggled with the buckle closure of the Vaughn sandals, so it was a relief that I didn't have to fiddle with the strap on this pair. If I had to nitpick, the zipper doesn't glide as smoothly as I'd like, but using one hand to pull the material taut before unzipping helped.

I wore the wedges around the house and barely noticed I had shoes on. They're comfortable and it helped that the material is lightweight. I can possibly see a need to break in the ankle straps as they might cause blisters. But for now, I'm leaning towards keeping this pair because I love the colors and style. Please help me decide -- should I keep or return these wedges?

In the previous post, I mentioned my surprise at this bag's smaller-than-expected size in person. Well, I'll have to semi-retract that statement. After arriving at work this morning, I couldn't figure out a way to store the bag in my usual cabinet without bending/twisting/deforming the handles (and this is coming from someone who enjoys a good puzzle). To save my coworkers from hearing more clanking noise (metal feet on bag + metal cabinet = that annoying coworker), I plopped it right next to my monitor. What a great sight to see whenever I took a break from work. The bright red color never failed to bring a smile to my face. #enjoyingthesmallthingsinlife