Working Girl

Photo courtesy of Sung Shin

Blouse-Ann Taylor (great fit, use code FRIENDS40 for 40% off)

Cardigan-J.Crew

Pants-Banana Republic

Pearls-J.Crew Outlet (old)

Sunglasses-Karen Walker

Happy Monday! You were probably expecting my usual Monday Weekend Snapshot post but I'm going to skip that today because I completely forgot to post today's outfit that was supposed to be scheduled for Friday last week! I think that the first week at the new job tired me out and for some reason I thought I saved this post for Friday to publish, but I guess I didn't. Oops.

I wanted to post one of the outfits I wore to work last week to hopefully give some work wear inspiration to you. I've been on the look out to add more work pants to my wardrobe (I've had to return many work pants I ordered online due to the loose fit though it was labeled petite) and was curious about the Banana Republic Sloan Fit Ankle Pants after reading a review from fellow petite blogger, Extra Petite. My curiosity peaked after seeing that she wore it often so I ordered the pants online and was relieved to find out that no hemming is required and that the fit is slim, not too tight around the leg area, and the material has a stretch to them which helps with comfort. I do want to mention that the waist is slightly loose on me and it's a little baggy in the knee area so I might consider shrinking these in the dryer. Fingers crossed. 

I'd love to hear any suggestions you may have with buying work pants for petite ladies. Xo.

A Fall Stroll

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Shirt-Old Navy (also bought it in gray)

Jeans-Blank NYC

Blazer-Banana Republic (camel color sold out online but love this color here)

Shoes-Enzo Angiolini (similar style here)

Purse-Chanel

Sunglasses-Karen Walker (last day to use code FAMILY25 for 25% off)

Hi everyone! I just got back from my trip to Hong Kong and Seoul and am trying to get back to the groove of things. The first couple of days are always the toughest after a vacation especially when you're trying to get over jet lag. The absolute worst. 

The trip was so much fun, especially revisiting Seoul, my birthplace. It's been about 12 years since I've been back and I still have several relatives living there and it was so good to see all of them and spend quality time together during the trip. Hong Kong was great in its own ways because it was a new city to explore which had awesome (and cheap!) food and shopping--my two favorite things;) It felt like summer in Hong Kong though with temperatures reaching the mid 80's, so coming back home to this Fall chill was a drastic change. More on the trip on an upcoming post.

I recently purchased this blazer and button down shirt several weeks ago and both items have been on constant repeat since the purchase. The petite sizing on the blazer is the perfect fit (sleeves actually fit in length!) and I just love me a striped button down shirt that can be worn for both office wear and casual pairings (not to mention the hard to beat price at $10!).

Though this is a little off topic, I think it's worth mentioning. Last night I had the opportunity to attend Saks Fifth Avenues Annual "Key to the Cure" kickoff party who has teamed up with the Tigerlily Foundation, a non-profit that raises money for women 15-40 years old for support before, during, and after breast cancer.  The charity shopping weekend begins today until Sunday 10/19 at all Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide and online (www.saks.com and www.saksoff5th.com). During that shopping weekend 2% of participating vendor sales will be donated to Tigerlily Foundation and 100% of the proceeds from this years shirts (retails at $35, designed by Rag and Bone) sold at Saks stores and online, will be donated to the foundation. I have to admit that I forget to do at home breast self-exams and this event was a stark reminder to start making it a habit. I hope that you will make it a habit as well.

Wishing you guys a fantastic week/end. Xo.

On Repeat

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Sweater-Vince

Button down-Banana Republic (old, similar style here)

Skirt-F21

Shoes-Kor Michael Kors

Purse-Balenciaga

Sunnies-Karen Walker

Necklace-Alexis Bittar (similar style here)

Happy Wednesday everyone! It's been a busy past couple of days which is a contributor to my lack of post on my usual Monday weekend snapshots (sorry!) and a special thanks to Mel for watching my little Mandu for a couple of days:)

When life gets busy, I am a repeat offender with my outfits. I might add variations to my outfits (change out pants to a skirt or vice versa or add different accessories) like I did when I initially wore this sweater HERE. But now that the temperatures are starting to drop, I decided to layer the cropped sweater with a long sleeve button down instead of a tank to add more warmth. I'm a huge proponent of recycling the items you already have in the closet and remixing it...trust me, your wallet will thank you.

Have a great week. Xo.

Merci

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Sweater-Banana Republic

Denim shorts-Zara

Shoes-DKNY (old)

Purse-Chanel

Sunnies-Karen Walker

Ring-David Yurman

Hi everyone! There's only a couple of days left in August and pretty soon the temperatures will be much cooler and the air much crisper. Before Fall comes at us full force, I'm still going to be wearing shorts and summer clothing (weather permitting, obviously). This past weekend was the perfect opportunity to wear shorts and a sweater which is one of my favorite things to wear when I want to keep my outfit low key.

Hope you guys have a great rest of the week. As you read this, I'll most likely be on the plane to Cancun, Mexico so I am signing off for a week! Vacation mode is on. Xo.

Summer Brights

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Blouse-Loft

Shorts-Banana Republic (old)

Sandals-Jessica Simpson (old)

Belt-J.Crew (similar one at J.Crew factory here)

Purse-Celine

Sunnies-Celine

Hi everyone! Summer in the east coast could be brutal (humidity here is no joke) so comfortable, light weight material clothes are my go to staples. This recently purchased button down shirt is the perfect blend of cotton/silk so the fabric is very light and breathable. Pairing it with stark white shorts adds just the amount of bright punch for the summer;)

Hope you're staying cool in this heat. Xo.

Black and White

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Sweater-J.Crew (buy here)

White button down-Banana Republic (buy here)

Skirt-Maje (love this version in lace here)

Shoes-Pour La Victoire (buy here)

Bracelet-Hermes

Ring, watch-David Yurman  

One of the biggest trends for this Spring is black and white. This timeless color combination has been ubiquitous on all the runways for Spring 2013 and will surely be one of the most popular trends among people this season. Whether it shows up on mod prints or classic dresses this Spring, one can never go wrong with this favorite (and safe) color palette of many. 

Have a great week. Xo.

Dressed up White Tee

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

White shirt-H&M

Tweed skirt-J.Crew (recent)

Scarf-Banana Republic (old)

Shoes-Loeffler Randall

Purse-Prada

Cuff-Kenneth Jay Lane

Happy Friday! One of my (many) purchases from the J.Crew sale (still going on) was this beautiful tweed skirt. I'm a huge fan of tweed and always looking to add more classic pieces to my wardrobe. I wanted to pair the skirt with the classic white tee. The white tee is such a staple item that needs to be in every girl's closet because it's so versatile. I have to admit though, I'm pretty picky when it comes the white tee because I look for specifics (v-neck, pockets, loose fit, form fit, etc). This white shirt I bought last year was about $6 and has had many uses from it, especially when worn repeatedly with jeans or underneath blazers. I love the idea of dressing a plain ol' white t-shirt with a tweed skirt because mixing hi/low pieces is something I enjoy doing.

 

Have a great weekend. xo.

Upper East Side

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Shirt-Banana Republic

Shorts, belt-J.Crew 

Cuff-Kenneth Jay Lane

Shoes-Jessica Simpson

Necklace-Alexis Bittar

Happy 4th everyone! I apologize if you were expecting a red, white, and blue related outfit post because that's not gonna happen today haha. I tend to shy away from themed posts because I know that a lot of people will dress the part already and I feel more comfortable dressing the way I want to dress on any given day--holiday or not. 

I wore this outfit in NYC this past weekend while exploring a gorgeous park in the Upper East Side as it's simple, comfortable, but still polished. I bought this belt and shorts last week at J.Crew during their final sale and fell in love with the pale shade of purple and the pop of yellow that came from the belt--it's something that could be the center of attention in an outfit;) I wanted to keep my jewelry in the same color family of the belt so I accessorized with gold jewelry.

Hope you have an amazing and safe 4th of July surrounded by friends/loved ones enjoying delicious food. Talk to you soon. xo.

Back To the Daily Grind

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

 

 Gingham shirt-J.Crew

Skirt, belt-Banana Republic

Bracelet-David Yurman, Neiman Marcus

Shoes-Loeffler Randall

Clutch-Lauren Merkin

Hi everyone! I'm back from a well rested vacation and ready to re-connect with you again. I'll share photos from my travel on Friday so please stay tuned=)

I recently purchased this gingham shirt from J.Crew and have been loving it so much because I see it being worn in so many different ways. Just like my love for my chambray shirt in my previous outfit posts, I see the gingham shirt being versatile, so you will be seeing the shirt show up several more times (weather permitted, of course). The gingham shirt can look fun and casual yet still look work appropriate by styling it with a pencil skirt/trousers because the pattern and bright colors gives a nice punch versus a plain, solid button down blouse.

Readers, do you have any other suggestions on how to style a gingham shirt to be work appropriate?

The Cape

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Cape-Alice&Olivia

Shirt-Theory

Pants-Banana Republic 

Shoes-Pour La Victoire

Hat-F21

Sunglasses-Stella McCartney

So I have a slight obsession with coats/jackets/blazers. The one thing I love about having four seasons where I live is that I have an excuse to buy coats;) I bought this cape last year after my sister convinced me to buy it because I was initially a bit unsure if I would really wear it. I'm so glad she did though because I love how it's so different from the rest of my conventional looking coats. You can't tell from the picture but it come with sleeves so you have the option of adding another layer to whatever you're already wearing. The cape is also designed so that if you don't feel like doing that, the sleeves won't hang and show. It's a win win situation;)

Is everyone ready for the weekend? My weekend will consist of working, meeting with friends for dinner, and an event at Neiman Marcus I was invited to that I'll share with you on Monday in my weekend updates=) Regardless of what your plans are, I hope you do something fun and relaxing and I'll talk to you on Monday. Have a great weekend.

Red+Stripes

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Sweater-Banana Republic

Skirt-H&M

Leather jacket-Andrew Marc

Shoes-Pour La Victoire

Is it me or does it feel like February flew by? Pretty soon we'll be entering March in about a week and half which is kinda crazy. This winter has been very mild (with the occasional blast of cold weather), compared to what the DMV area experienced last year and hopefully it will continue to stay that way. When the weather is cold and not bitter cold, I like to either wear something thick such as a sweater or wear lots of layers underneath a light coat and vice versa. Today I chose to wear a warm sweater and pair it with a leather jacket, which has just enough thickness to keep me warm with the mild winter temperatures we've been having. I love leather jackets because they have just enough of a rugged look to it that can help downplay the girliness of an outfit.

I felt like this outfit didn't need any jewelry because the bold red sweater worn with the stripe skirt would be sufficient. Sometimes I like to keep the overall look simple and unadorned so I can let the clothes be the focus of the entire outfit.

Hope you're having a great week so far. Thanks for stopping by=)

Winter Accessories

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Blazer-Alice & Olivia

Sweater-Banana Republic

Skirt, Hat-H&M

Bag-Hayden Harnett
Sunglasses-Stella McCartney

Shoes-Via Spiga

Last year around December, I took a trip to Vienna, Austria and was greeted with a winter wonderland. The Christmas markets were breathtakingly beautiful and festive, the food was amazing, but the weather was blistery cold. Vienna is a very walkable city that doesn't require taxi rides/subways to get around in, but during the time I was there, it snowed unexpectedly on most of the days. At that time I didn't own any winter hats, so the first thing I wanted (and needed) to find was a hat to keep me warm. I walked into a nearby H&M while exploring the city and was immediately drawn to this hat because it had flaps to cover my ears (function rather then style was more important to me at that point) and I loved the faux fur element to it. I ended up paying about $15 for the hat and served its purpose because I wore it constantly throughout the trip=)

The east coast was greeted with below freezing temperatures a couple days ago which prompted me to take out that hat. It's not exactly the most fashionable winter hat to wear like those big, floppy ones you see in clothing shops and magazines, but wearing it with a fitted blazer versus a winter coat can help it look casual chic.

Do you have any winter accessories that help adds a bit of style to your outfit?

 

Casual Layers

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Sweater-Banana Republic
Chambray shirt-Old Navy
Jeans-Gap
Vest-North Face
Shoes-Pour La Victoire
Necklace, ring-David Yurman

Happy February! For some reason I feel like this winter season is flying by or maybe I feel like that because the past couple of months have been incredibly busy for me. No complaints here though, because I am counting down the days until spring=)

During the winter, I love wearing layers underneath sweaters for the extra warmth for those blistery, cold days. Layers gives you the ability to work with different colors, patterns, or textures to add a little flavor to that sweater, shirt, or whatever else you are working with. I usually wear a button down shirt underneath a v-neck so the collar of my button down will show, but I decided to add a button down under a cowlneck sweater. The collar doesn't show on these type of sweaters but the shirt peeks through other ways (the sleeves and the bottom of the shirt) so it gives an unintentional but really intentional look;). I added a vest as another layer of warmth because I wanted the sleeves to show and wearing a coat would cover that up. 

Do you have any fun ways to add layers to your outfit?

New Years Eve

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Leather jacket-Andrew Marcs

Shirt-Splendid

Jeans-Gap

Shoes-10022 Saks

Bag-Balenciaga

Scarf-United Colors of Benetton

Sunglasses-Stella McCartney

Necklace-Banana Republic

Hi everyone! I just wanted to do one more quick post before the new year is upon us. I have lots of errands to run today before meeting up with friends tonight to celebrate NYE and wanted to share the casual look I'm wearing while I run my errands. I bought this scarf a couple months ago and was immediately attracted to the bright, cheery color it exuded (not to mention the soft texture of it). I love using scarves to brighten up an outfit because it can immediately spruce up a plain white shirt. The color is fitting to the mood I'm currently feeling because I'm pretty happy and excited to see what 2012 has in store for me. This year was definitely a great year for me for various reasons and I feel blessed for the things that has happened so far, whether good or bad. I'm a firm believer in that everything happens for a reason.

I sincerely wish you a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year and as always, thank you so much for reading.

Holiday Office Sparkle

 

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin 

Blouse-Ann Taylor Loft

Cardigan-Ann Taylor

Skirt-Express

Belt-Banana Republic

Shoes-Pour La Victoire

Purse-Chanel

Ring-David Yurman

When it comes to office holiday parties, there are things you can do to change your outfit to make it look more festive.  Some ladies like to either change their shoes or add an accessory to their outfit and still look work appropriate. I mentioned in my previous outfit post that I wanted to show you a couple of different ways to style a sequin skirt and today's post is a follow up from that and how you can incorporate it into work, after hours obviously. Changing from a conservative pencil skirt/trouser into a sequin skirt can help give an outfit a fun, flirty, but still work appropriate look. 

I love wearing cardigans because they are thin enough that I could stuff in my purse for that extra layer I need at times and it's just a staple item that won't go out of style. Some may say that cardigans make you look dull or should only be limited to older women, but a stylish way to wear it is to tuck them into your skirt/pants. For me, it looks more polished and pulls the overall look together without appearing sloppy.

Ladies, do you have any fun ways to dress up your outfit for your office holiday party?