Ripped in LA

Photos courtesy of Elle Choi

Sleeveless chambray-Express (similar here)

Ripped denim-Collection J

Purse-Mulberry

Necklace-Alexis Bittar

Sunglasses-Karen Walker

A couple of weeks ago I went on a mini vacation to Los Angeles and also visited my friend Elle who recently moved out West. She was gracious enough to open up her place for a couple of days and show my sis and I around town during our stay. She's currently working as the fashion director of an online female/male clothing shop, Collection J that recently launched this week, which is where these ripped denim jeans are from. I'm usually a bit weary when it comes to denim with labels I'm not familiar with but I was pleasantly surprised with the fit, comfort, and the perfectly placed rips on the denim. 

Thanks again, Elle for being so hospitable and best wishes to you on your new endeavor! 

Have a great weekend. Xo.

Fresh

 

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Shirt-J.Crew

Skirt-Boundary & Co

Purse-Mulberry Alexa

Shoes-Stuart Weitzman

Bracelet-Alexis Bittar

Sunnies-Karen Walker

Hi everyone! After getting a lovely blowout from Blowout BarDC over the weekend, I took that as the perfect excuse to dress up a little before going out to take full advantage of my fresh, bouncy curls. I think I need to learn how to recreate these curls, no?;)

Have a great rest of the week! Xo.

A Few Favorites

  

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Blazer, pearls-J.Crew (buy here and here)

Pants, chambray shirt-H&M (affordable option for chambray shirt here)

Shoes-Pour La Victoire (buy here)

Purse-Mulberry Alexa

Happy Wednesday everyone! The beautiful weather we've been having as of late makes me gravitate towards my favorite pieces I tend to wear when it starts become warmer such as a chambray shirt, light blazers (striped ones are a bonus, obviously) and pastel colored anything. I wore this outfit before Mother Nature decided to give us a preview of Summer yesterday and am hoping we will revert back to Spring before transitioning into higher temperatures.

Enjoy the beautiful weather this week. Xo. 

Coral+Cobalt

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Blouse-H&M (from last year)

Coat-Derek Lam NYC

Jeans-H&M (recent)

Bag-Mulberry Alexa

Hat-F21 (similar style HERE)

Ring-Alexis Bittar (buy HERE)

Shoes-Pour La Victoire (buy HERE)

Happy Wednesday! I don't know about you but I am so ready to welcome Spring, especially since today's warm weather is acting like a teaser for a new season. In a coat closet full of black and neutral colored winter outwear, this one sticks out like a sore thumb and I've found myself reaching for it constantly. I wore it here first but couldn't help wear it again on the blog to show how versatile the beautiful cobalt blue color can be when pairing it against another color.


Hope you're having a fantastic week so far. Xo. 

Fall Layers

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Sweater, jeans-Gap

Polka dot shirt-Uniqlo (similar style HERE)

Boots-Saks 10222

Bag-Mulberry (similar color HERE)

Leg warmers-shop in Portugal

Bracelets, rings-David Yurman

Happy Wednesday/Halloween everyone! Hope you survived Hurricane Sandy if your area encountered it. The East coast got hit hard with the hurricane and the DMV area suffered from it with flooded roads and lost electricity. I keep reading and seeing these updated reports and horrifying images from the major impact the hurricane had on NY/New Jersey and it's a definite wake up call to be thankful that this area wasn't on that same level of disaster. Praying for those that the road to recovery is a fast one.

Wishing you a safe and warm rest of the week. Xo.

 

Easy Weekend Wear

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Sweater-J.Crew outlet
Boyfriend jeans-Zara (similar style HERE)
Scarf-H&M
Bag-Mulberry (similar color HERE)
Shoes-Vera Wang Lavender
Cuff-Hermes

Happy Friday everyone! It's rainy and dreary today which is a total change from the weather we had a couple days ago. The weather has finally started to feel like fall with the crisp air but some afternoons are warm enough where you can forgo a jacket and be comfortable in a light sweater. I bought these Zara boyfriend jeans while shopping in Portugal and have been trying to get much wear out of them before the weather turns frigid. I love boyfriend jeans because they give off such a relaxed look that is perfect for running errands, meeting with friends, or walking around the city. 

I'm heading to NYC this weekend with Mandu and company because I have some vacation days to use up, so I'll be staying there until early next week. I'm very much looking forward to eating, museum hopping, shopping, and just relaxing in one of my favorite cities. 

Hope your weekend is filled with fun filled agenda as well. Xo. 

Safari Chic

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Vest-Old Navy

Maxi dress-Splendid (similar style HERE)

Scarf, belt-J.Crew (similar style HERE)

Bag-Balenciaga (similar style HERE)

Bracelet-Mulberry 

Happy Wednesday everyone! The weather has finally started to cool down which means I've been layering my clothes and adding one of my favorite accessories to my outfits: scarves. I love using this vest as a layering piece to my outfits and that it reminds me of being on a safari which is something on my travel list;) I layered it on top of a maxi dress and couldn't resist adding a leopard scarf to the mix.

A couple of days ago, I was invited to the private sneak peek preview party for the new Nordstroms Rack in Tysons Corner, VA. I was contemplating wearing today's outfit that night but decided to wear something else that didn't require layers for efficient fitting room changes if necessary;) It was a great night of shopping and noshing with bubblys being served constantly.Who doesn't love that? The 2 floor store has a huge selection of designer goods for both men and women. I managed to snap a couple of photos from the event in the midst of my shopping/munching. Enjoy. xo.

Into the Blue

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Blazer-H&M

Jeans-American Eagle (similar style here)

Necklace, ring-David Yurman (similar style here)

Bracelets-David Yurman, Mulberry

Sunnies-H&M

Shoes-Pour La Victoire 

Happy Friday! For the majority of us, we have a 4 day weekend ahead of us which also means it's the official send off to summer. I haven't been to the beach all summer and ironically I'll be heading to Delaware today to relax at Rehoboth Beach for the last weekend of summer. Beach, seafood, and outlet shopping are things I'll be looking forward to. Do you have any plans for the long weekend ahead?

Whatever you do, I hope it involves good food and good fun. Have a great weekend. xo.

Green Summer

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Chambray shirt-Old Navy

Skirt-H&M (recent)

Scarf-J.Crew

Purse-Mulberry

Shoes-Pour La Victoire

Bracelets-David Yurman, Mulberry

Hi everyone! I'm back from my brief weekend trip to NYC and have been trying to rest and gear up for the rest of the work week. I recently pulled out my favorite chambray shirt (one of my favorite items to wear during the fall) and wanted to pair it with this recently bought skirt from H&M. I was initially on the hunt for a green blazer actually but I couldn't pass up buying this skirt for the fit, price tag, and color. This skirt will suffice for now;)

Hope you guys have a great rest of the week. xo.

Summer Dress

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Dress-Abercrombie&Fitch (recent)

Purse-Mulberry Alexa

Jewelry-David Yurman, Kenneth Jay Lane

Sunglasses-Ray Ban

The hot weather has reared it's ugly head again and nothing says summer like wearing an easy, light fabric dress. I haven't stepped into Abercrombie&Fitch in forever until recently, but I've been on the hunt for boyfriend jeans and looking for it at stores I usually don't shop at since I can't find them in the stores I normally do shop at. I was initially enticed by the big red SALE sign in front of the store but was hesitant to go in there because I always feel like I'm transported back to some nightclub with their music blaring and quite frankly, I feel old shopping in that store! Anyway, I decided take a quick look to see if they had any boyfriend jeans on sale and instead saw this cute dress on sale ($20!). I love the vibrant green shade and the fun wide stripes to the dress that I also couldn't resist buying the skirt version they had on sale as well.

I love wearing dresses in the summer whether it be short or a maxi. Do you have a favorite go to dress for the summer?

BlingBling: Mulberry Alexa and Tips on Saving

Hi everyone! I want to introduce you to my latest addition to my purse collection: Alexa. I've been eyeing the Mulberry Alexa for over a year now after falling in love with the relaxed yet chic schoolboy look to it and the fact that you have the option of wearing the bag two ways. It comes with a long strap so you can wear it as a cross body bag and if that doesn't suit you, you can tuck it away and wear it as a hand purse. I personally love cross body bags because it's more comfortable for me when I run errands to have two free hands and the weight of a purse isn't emphasized on one shoulder.

I initially saw this snakeskin purse at the Intermix store in D.C. about a month and a half ago and fell in love with the texture of it. The Alexa's I've encountered up until that point all had the smooth, soft leather texture which I really liked but then I saw this snakeskin bag and it was game over for me. I loved the fact that it was a bit different. It is more expensive then the traditional leather so I was hesitant about purchasing it and I walked away.

A couple of things I consider when purchasing designer purses or high end jewelry is that I ask myself, is it a classic item that I can see myself wearing years down the road and is the the price worth it. I personally don't like spending money on trendy or cheap accessories because to me, it's sort of a waste of money. I'd rather save that money and spend it on one big investment piece that I know I will absolutely love. Classic Chanel, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton bags will never go on sale BUT there are ways to go about saving money on them and I want to share with you some tips on what I've done in the past.

1. Look for special events such as Friends and Family or gift card events. Usually high end department stores such as Saks and Neiman Marcus will have biannual Friends and Family events where designer items will be included and a 20% discount will be given. This is the prime time to buy those designer items you've been coveting. Sadly over the years, I've noticed less designers have been included in these events but it never hurts to check/ask. I know that David Yurman will participate ONLY in charity events held at department stores, so that would be the best time to buy Yurman jewels (all of my David Yurman jewelry have been bought during the charity event). Another event to look out for is the gift card events. There will be times when department stores will announce a "spend some give some" event where for example, if you spend $1000 on an item, they will give you a $200 gift card. That is another way of saving money on an item because you can see it as a 20% discount. These are way better then walking away paying full price for that item and not saving money in some way.

2. Choose shipping over tax. Whenever you go to an actual designer store versus finding the item at the department store, check to see if that store exists in your state. This Mulberry bag I bought happened to be in NYC. I wanted to check out the store while visiting my sister because Mulberry isn't sold at Saks or Neiman and there isn't a stand alone store in the DMV area. I wanted to window shop while in NYC and I happened to see the SAME snakeskin bag I saw at Intermix and on top of that it was on SALE. Needless to say I was overcome with joy and bought her on the spot. I knew that the DMV area didn't have a Mulberry store so I asked the sales associate (SA) how much shipping would cost and she said $20. Now NYC has about a 8.8% sales tax rate and the tax on a bag over $1000 is way more costly then a $20 shipping, so if you can, just have that item shipped. I was able to avoid tax on the bag and saved money because she was discounted to 20% off the ticked price. Patience is key. I didn't think the snakeskin would go on sale (the SA said the traditional colors such as brown and black will never go on sale) but it did and I am so happy that I waited.

Hopefully these tips have helped you and given you insight on ways to save if you're on the search for a designer item. I would love to hear you share any tips/suggestions on how you go about saving money on big purchase items.

Have a great weekend.

Weekend Snapshots

This weekend I....

1. Finally received my Mulberry bag in the mail! I took her out this weekend and will post pics soon=)

2. Went to BonChon chicken for dinner because I was having a craving for it. For those of you who haven't heard of the greatness that is BonChon, it is Korean fried chicken (most crispiest, flavor infused skin) done right. Locations in the DMV area include Virginia and now Maryland. Get on that.

3. Received another package I've been waiting for in the mail--my Vera Wang sparkly shoes I purchased on sale from Neiman Marcus. Who doesn't love adding a little bit of sparkle to their shoe closet?

4. Dined at Little Serow located in Washington, DC. It's a recently opened Thai restaurant that has very limited seating (about 28 seats) and reservations can NOT be made. It's a fix prixe menu (7 courses involved) that is basically a hidden treasure. We got there around 5:20pm (doors open at 5:30pm) and a line was forming already. When we got inside the restaurant, we were told that we wouldn't be seated until 7:30pm! If you are a Thai food lover, I highly recommend this place. There are dishes I've never tasted before and the flavor profiles on each dish is beautifully aromatic, pungent, sweet and salty. I asked our waitress (btw the entire waitstaff we encountered were so friendly, including the chef who came over to our table to explain one of his dishes to us) how often the menu changes and she said every 4-5 weeks, so I will definitely be back.

5. Watched the Amazing Spider-Man. I love the whole series on Spider-Man and was doubtful if it would be good this time since the cast changed, but I LOVED it. This time around, the movie focused less on battle scenes and more on character development. Andrew Garfield did an amazing job portraying teen angst and well, I just wanna be bffs with Emma Stone. I loved her since watching her in Easy A and it's easy to see why Peter Parker is smitten with her character. Two thumbs up.

6. Stopped by Saks to check out their designer sale and am so glad I did because I found this Ali Ro trench coat for $69 (original $320)!! I love finding interesting twists on classic pieces and this is the perfect example of that.

How was your weekend?

Weekend Snapshots

This weekend I...

1. Went to NYC again with my parents to help my sister with her big move. She''ll be in NYC for at least 3 years doing her anesthesia residency. Good luck boo, you're going to be great and do great things.

2. We spent all day waiting for boxes of new furniture to be delivered and her clothes from MD to come. It was a very productive but tiring day. Mandu passed out easily from him...helping.

3.Took Mandu to Central Park everyday since my sister lives a stone throw away.

4. Went to Korea town to help stock up her fridge with grocery. We ate dinner at Shila Restaurant because I read it got good reviews on their mool naeng myun (buckwheat noodles in a cold broth) which definitely led up to it's hype. The weather was extremely hot this weekend so this cool, refreshing dish hit the spot. After dinner, we went to a nearby Korean bakery to pick up some dessert and breakfast pastries for the following day.

5. Came across an outdoor flea market that was selling Greek and Middle Eastern food, along with handmade jewelery. It was a great, unexpected, lively sight to stop by and look around.

6. Stopped by the Mulberry store to take another look at the Alexa bag, which has been on my wishlist for over a year. I had no plans on purchasing anything at that store--just window shop (personal torture, I know) until I saw that they had some of the Alexa's on sale! There's a story behind this but I ended up buying the color I've been eyeing (not shown) and the rose gold bracelet (on sale too!). Both are being shipped today from NYC and should arrive at my place by the end of the week. So excited.

7.  Passed by several flower shops everyday because my sister has many that are located near her apartment. Loved seeing fresh flowers every morning.

8. Wanted to try New York pizza so I picked some up from Don Antonio. The size of their pizzas is about a personal size so I ordered several to try for my family, friend, and I and we unanimously agreed that their Montanara Starita was the best. It's a lightly fried pizza dough. Enough said.

How was your weekend?