/Style/ President's Day Shopping

In the U.S., today was President's Day. As a holiday of sorts, most people spend the day off doing relax-y things. For me that meant shopping. I went to Ikea because they were having a sale on back-sleeper pillows (I really like firm pillows) and while I was there I found a really cute decorative plate. It has the most lovely pastel mint color that I ardently adore (though it doesn't quite show up in the picture). I paid $2 for it.

It's supposed to be used with candles, but it looks just as nice holding jewelry or keys. The earrings (purchased today, too) on the plate are from Old Navy as are the other following items.

I stepped in there on a whim and was surprised to find out everything in the store was 30% off (35% off with an Old Navy credit card). Dresses were 50% off so the one you see above was around $12. Stripes are hard to resist for me.
I quite like the D'Orsay flats. I think I became slightly obsessed with this shoe style after receiving an email from Madewell featuring their new shoes.

I'm having a serious red shoe phase. I don't know why, but I like red shoes a lot. Anyway, I think these will be nice for spring and summer (or even now, considering the warm weather we're having in L.A.).

/Etc/ Valentine's Day

It's that time of the year for lovey-dovey stuff. I'm not against it or anything...I simply happen to be alone because my boyfriend & other potential love interest (it's a first real-life drama situation for me) are far away. At least this year I have real Valentines, even though I did't exactly receive anything--.
Anyway, if I were going out on a date or something this evening, I might do a make-up look like this:

with flash
I'd go for a very natural and cute look, especially since my boyfriend prefers me to look natural (i.e.: without any make-up...but I don't always do what he wants). These are the products I used:

Face
Tarte Poreless primer
Etude House Bright Fit BB Cream in Natural Beige
Almay Clear Complexion concealer in Light/Medium
Homemade setting powder (more on this in a future post)

Cheeks
Bonne Bell Blush 'n GO in Petal Pink

Eyes
Physician's Formula Classic Nude eyeshadow palette
Physician's Formula Eye Booster Eyeliner in Deep Brown
NYC High Definition mascara
Urban Decay shadow pencil in Juju

Lips
Smith's Rosebud Salve (to moisturize & prep)
MAC Lipstick in Chatterbox

Lenses
GEO Bambi Princess Mimi in Almond Brown

In addition to a sweet Valentine's Day look, this is a cute everyday look. I think I basically do make-up like this everyday anyway....

hello^^
Even though I didn't have a date...or whatever...I wore this little outfit today. I know it doesn't exactly scream romantic, it's super casual, but the heart displays a little Valentine-ness. Since the weather's been warm in L.A. these days, I was able to wear a skirt and not feel tremendously cold. Because I'm always cold. It was a little strange wearing a skirt, though, as I don't normally wear them.

Sweater: H&M
Shirt: Banana Republic
Skirt:F21
Bag:vintage Etienne Aigner
Shoes:Converse

In an unrelated note, I'm glad my hair color has been gradually fading. It's not as dark as it was and it's become a very nice brown.

/Style/ Un Nuovo Cappello

I happened to be browsing places yesterday and I went into Marshall's. After fluttering around shoes and the beauty section, I chanced to spy this little woolly hat. On a whim, I tried it on:

It looked cute. I held onto the hat throughout my time in the store, really liking it yet unsure if I was willing to spend $15 on it (the discounted price was still high for me...). In the end, this happened:

I ended up liking the hat too much to go home without it. Supposedly, the hat was made in Italy and it's from a mix of some alpaca and wool. I simply think I look cute when I wear it.

Since I live in L.A., though, I might not have the opportunity to wear it often. It doesn't exactly get cold here in the autumn/winter months and my hair is so thick it basically acts like a natural hat....Oh well. This hat might be useful if I ever venture to the Midwest/East Coast, Europe, or South Korea again.

/Style/ Words Brand

Customized Eco-Friendly Cotton Tote

via wordsbrand.com
This was a featured mini post on Notcouture and I fell in love with the words and the concept. Words Brand focuses on witty phrases printed on bags, apparel, and other miscellaneous items (mugs, iphone/ipad cases). The majority of the designs and witticisms and printing is made in the U.S. (things sold in the EU are printed in Germany). Another awesome feature of the website is customizing your own products. I would love to get the tote bag I "designed" (that was a pre-made phrase; it is hilarious). This reminds me of another company that can customize apparel to your liking...I totally forget the name of it, though. (It was L.A. based...ugh...I went to it once, too.)
Update: The other store that customizes stuff is Neighborhoodies !

/Style/ Zara Sale Swag

In case you didn't know, Zara started its S/S sale.

/Style/ Thrift Store Finds

I have no shame admitting I frequent thrift/secondhand stores. I remember going to them as a young girl and reveling in the mountains of used toys. The only thing I really dislike about these type of stores, though, is that they can smell rather musty...But the thrill of shopping at thrift stores lies in the hidden treasures to be found with careful foraging. If you're lucky, there can be YSL, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Tod's waiting for you (pending it's your size and if you're willing to pay for some fixing-up) for cheap. There are also a slew of high quality leather shoes made in places like Italy, Spain, and Brazil.
I went to a Salvation Army earlier today, there was already a line of people waiting for the store to open. On Fridays, this location has 50% off everything (except mattresses and coffee). I was able to find these shoes:


They are Bally green and black suede shoes. I adore the little bow accent on the cap toe. I did not buy these, perhaps they'd fetch a nice price on ebay, because they were much too small being size five and all.




I saw these shirts and I instantly thought Urban Outfitters. One might see these exact shirts on clothing racks at UO for 10x the price. I have nothing against Urban Outfitters; I actually shopped there all the time in my high school/early college years, but its appeal is lost on my now. If you're looking for UO-ish clothes and on a budget, seriously check out a thrift store (or your mother's closet). Even though thrift stores aren't blaring "indie", experimental, or old-skool hip-hop while you shop and everything kind of smells awful, with patience you'll most likely find exactly what you've been looking for. Case in point, here is an outfit I was able to come up with rummaging through the store.


I'm not sure if you can see (sorry as all these pictures were taken with my phone and all the individual elements are difficult to discern in this particular one), but I put together a floral shirt, brown shorts, a purse, and sandals. I find this ensemble very summery, it's something I would definitely wear. The purse and sandals were real leather, too, so they'll last a while longer and be genuine vintage. I loved those sandals (made in Brazil), yet they, too, were size five...The only thing I came home with were a pair of shorts (not seen above) and a bunny toy.
Thrift stores can be fun to look through. You could find something great that you'll end up treasuring. It's lot better for the environment as clothes get recycled and the clothes there won't support foreign sweatshop as the clothes aren't (directly) made in them. Granted, it's not a very glamorous place to shop nor is it organized, but check them out once in a while for vintage things or to get stuff for cheap.

/Style/ Earrings for Cheap

Earrings are something I've been avoiding for a long time. I wear my hair down 96.8% of the time so they wouldn't be seen. And my ears are quite sensitive; if I put on earrings with unorthodox components my ears turn red and it's uncomfortably painful (H&M earrings tend to do this to me). My desire to wear earrings again most likely stems from watching a certain Korean drama lately. the main, younger woman characters are always impeccably dressed (though, they do come from a wealthy family on the show). I suppose I'm inspired to be more frivolous with accessorizing.


The only cheapie earrings I've tried that have been relatively non-irritating are the ones from F21. You'd think that they'd hurt considering how cheap their wares are, but I was really surprised I could actually wear them. I picked up three on Saturday. The two on the left were on sale for $1.99 and at the Forever 21 I was at had an additional 30% off all sale items (more on that later). The pair on the right were about $3/4. I just lurve how sparkly they all are.

/Style/ Ann Taylor Surprises

As I'm still a young person, I don't often venture into stores targeted for those ten years younger or older than me (with some exceptions). I'm very picky about the clothes, shoes, and accessories I wear. At this point in my life I know exactly what I want, but hold reservations if I need it or not (which, when done correctly, often results in me saving money and coming home without something unnecessary). It's a different scenario with quality, high-end pieces, but this post is not about that. This is all about how fab Ann Taylor is.


When I think of a store like Ann Taylor the immediate image is of a middle-aged lady who may or may not be a business woman shopping there. Someone like my mom if she were taller and liked to buy more expensive, Hamptons-esque clothes. I happened to go in an Ann Taylor store two days ago, slightly allured by the additional 50% off sale prices. I was immediately drawn to the sunglasses. The store was having a promo for them, offering two for $34 or one for $24.95. I found a great pair (see picture above) I really liked and the quality of it seemed higher than that of something from F21 or H&M or UO. The accessories in Ann Taylor look super nice (see the clutch above???), high-end and on-trend. Even though I didn't get the sunglasses (yet), I was able to find this adorable bracelet for around $13.

If you haven't checked out an Ann Taylor near you, I encourage you to do so. There might be a surprise waiting for you.

/Style/ brevity. Signature Necklace

©brevity via notcot
This is pretty much as awesome as it gets with customized necklaces. You actually get to wear your signature, not a generic font bearing your name, around your neck. Granted, my signature looks kind of terrible, but it might improve when it's silver plated and shiny. The price is a bit deterring...though for the uniqueness of the necklace it's worth it. This is going on my wishlist.

/Style/ Summer Clothes

L.A. has started to warm up. With the sun shining and temperatures rising, I can't stop thinking about the changes to be made for my wardrobe. I've made a pinterest board about things I would wear on end this summer (I really like the Kate Mouse/David Bowie mash-up tank). ...A girl can dream about these things..right?
One thing I'd really like to get this summer is a pair of cut-off, utterly distressed denim shorts. Surprisingly enough, I don't have a pair in my arsenal as I generally prefer clean, stream-lined (usually) chino shorts. I thought of them as uncouth--the way they're all tattered and too short, the kinds of girls I saw wearing them didn't seem like people I could ever associate myself with. I took a second look at cutoffs, they're too irresistible, and decided that with the right styling they could look laid-back cool rather than frat house party-ready. Having scoured the internet and some stores in real life, these pairs from Zara have caught my attention:

ripped faded denim shorts in light grey ©zara


ripped denim shorts in navy ©zara


ripped and faded denim bermudas in black ©zara
These standout because they have the right amount of authentic destruction in my eyes and are probably better quality than something from, say, somewhere like this? The price for the Zara shorts are a tad too high, though, they're better made and not as expensive or tacky as this from Urban Outfitters. Although these, for their price aren't too bad for UO. Of course I much like Zara's selection and quality of clothes over other mid-range priced stores. I'll plan an outing to check out all these shorts in person and try them on. I'll be damned if I go another summer without decent cut-offs!
Other things I hope to put on during the summer:

my bright & shiny jewelry

shopped-from-my-closet sandals

tie-dye cap

and these dresses.

marni for h&m


bunny print maeve from anthropoligie i got sunday
Yep. I'm so almost ready for summer.