Rockin' Weekend

Rayban Aviator sunglasses, H&M military blazer (old), Loft short sleeved black button up shirt (old), True Religion jeans, PS1 bag in Saddle, Banana Republic skinny belt, Love Culture bracelet (worn as choker)

I recently bought this stretchy skinny belt from Banana Republic.  When I saw it on the mannequin at the store, I fell in love with it at first sight, but it was almost $40, so I patiently waited until they had a sale.  My wait paid off, and I basically began pairing this belt with everything I was wearing.  I have yet to find something that doesn't go with this belt, and I'm thinking about getting another one in black.

I bought the medium size in Oxblood (kinda scary name isn't it?), or brown.  I had to go to two different Banana Republic stores in order to score one since they seemed to be going fast.  The reason why I bought the medium was because I wanted the belt to go around my hips.  If I wanted the belt to go around my waist, I would have needed the small.

After putting on my button up black shirt, jeans, and belt, I thought I looked a little too casual Friday office ready (and hey, it's the weekend!), so I grabbed my bracelet and used it as a choker.  It was a little bit chilly today too, so I grabbed this military style jacket that has just been sitting in my closet.  Et voila!  My rocker chic look is born!

I highly recommend this belt, plus there's a 30% discount currently going on at Banana Republic.  Check it out in stores!  ^_^

A Shirt Study

I'm back!  ^_^  Sorry for the long hiatus!  I wanted to say that I've been busy (I have been, really), but the reason why I haven't been blogging is because I wanted to figure out a way to take better pictures.  I ended up getting a tripod and using my brother's DSLR camera.  It just ended up being way too complicated for me, so I'm going back to using my trusty point-and-shoot, and guess what?  I can still use my tripod with it!  So, I guess it all works out!

I saw this beautiful top on Jean, and I really wanted to get something similar.  I really didn't want to pay $42.99 for it, so one day I ended up looking at tops online on Forever 21, and I saw this shirt.  I fell in love with it, and now, I kinda want to get this one too!

When the top arrived in the mail, I'll admit that it took me 5-10 minutes to figure out how to put this top on.  (It was early in the morning, so please forgive me.)  The black ribbon is attached to the collar, so you have to undo the tie and unbutton all the buttons in order to put it on.  There are a lot of buttons on this shirt.

 At first, I actually just threw on my pair of Citizen's of Humanity jeans and asked my parents for their opinion.  My mom really liked it, but my dad said that the jeans don't go with the top.  My dad usually never has an opinion about my choice in clothes, but when he does, he usually has a good point.  Thus, I came up with three different outfits.

 Bag: Chanel small classic flap

Sunglasses: RayBan classic avaitors

Watch: Michael Kors

The shirt is sheer, of course.  I have an Ann Taylor tank top underneath.  The tank top is very smooth and close fitted.  I think having a tank top like that is important for just such a top.  I got this lace skirt from Zara during their annual sale, and it's actually kinda tight and short, so I didn't tuck the top into the skirt.  I really need to stop buying lace apparel though.  It's funny how I always thought of lace as something that my grandmother would wear, and I wouldn't be caught wearing anything like it, but here I am.

 The Waitress Look?

I wasn't completely satisfied with the first look, so I got rid of the skirt in favor of this Forever 21 black short and old Loft vest.  Is it just me or do I look like a waitress?  Note the pondering look.  ^.^'  I also really need to stop buying black and white clothes, but they literally go with everything!  I'm no fashionista, but I believe the Mod look is very in now.

I wear jeans all the time, and I very rarely wear skirts or dresses, so I think I'm most comfortable with this look.  Since my dad said jeans are out, I tried wearing the top with these old Loft pants.  I love the button detail on these pants.  It reminds me of being at sea as a sailor.

Which outfit do you like?

Countdown to V-Day: 1 Day

For all those guys out there, roses on Valentine's is a must.  Personally, I love the classic red roses.  For anyone who is a bit behind on buying their flowers, my local Whole Foods is offering two dozen roses for just $20 a bouquet.

I ended up buying one bouquet for my mom, one for me, and one for my brother's girlfriend.  Yes, my brother's girlfriend.  Yes, my brother is an idiot.

This is the last and final day to prepare for the big day, and I think the most important tip I can give everyone is that you need confidence in yourself. Models on the runway can be wearing the most ridiculous outfits, but they will still look confident, poised, and ultimately beautiful because of the confidence they exude.  The key to being beautiful is to find that balance of a confident attitude but not be overly snobby about it.  Believe that you are the most beautiful person in the world (both physically and emotionally), and you will know that you are beautiful.

Countdown to V-Day: 3 Days

With three days left to go to the big day, you'll want to take good care of your skin and personal hygiene.  It's the weekend, so you really don't have any excuse not to pamper yourself these two days.

 A. Body:  Try dry brushing for the body, then take a shower, shave, and moisturize immediately afterwords.  If you have dry, cracked heels, slather on some Vaseline and put clean socks on before you go to bed.  When you wake up, your feet should be crack free and feel smooth.

B.  Teeth:  Don't forget to floss before you brush your teeth and tongue!  It's one of the causes of bad breath, but remember to take a mint on the big day just to make sure.  Try putting on some Crest White Strips to whiten your teeth as well.
 
C.  Hair:  You should wash your hair two times every week, so I would suggest washing it the day before or the morning of Valentine's.  However, this really depends on how oily your hair gets and how you would want to style your hair the day of.  For some hair styles, it's good to have some oil in your hair to give it some texture.  Plan ahead!

D.  Face:  After cleansing and exfoliating your face, put on a mask.  Then, put on your serum, toner, and moisturizer.  A humidifier does wonders for the skin, especially during the cold, winter months.  Consider taking some Omega-3 tablets.  They've been proven to improve your skin.

It's probably a good idea to start planning on what you want to wear on that day.  You'll perhaps want to take into consideration that Valentine's is on a Tuesday, so you might have to get to class or go to work.  Consider where you'll be going and take a look at the weather forecast as well so you can dress accordingly.  Remember that you don't necessarily need a brand new outfit for the day... but it's a good excuse to go shopping anyway. ^_^

With that said, I'll start off with my first outfit post and bag reveal.

 Hat: old black beret from Talbots

Top: black sleeveless lace top from Forever 21

Earrings: gold hoops from Forever 21

Bottom: petite bootcut jeans from Citizen's of Humanity

I didn't want my head to be cut off in my outfit pictures, so I figured a pair of dark sunglasses would work just as well.  The sunglasses I'm wearing here are from LoveCulture.  They're big and cover my face relatively well.  I absolutely love this lace top from Forever 21.  It makes me feel so ladylike.  Finally, the bag that I'm wearing is Chanel's small, caviar classic flap with gold hardware.

I love my new Chanel bag!  It's exactly what I wanted.  I opted for the gold hardware, because I wanted the classic look.  When it came to lambskin or caviar, there was no doubt in my mind that I wanted the caviar, but what I wavered the most on was the size.  I really love big bags, but I got the smaller version of the classic flap because I figure I would be using this bag mostly for going out.  Here's a picture of the bag below with the dust bag and box:

I apologize for the expressionless face and blurry pictures.  I basically stacked some boxes on top of one another, put on the ten second timer to my point and shot, and quickly rushed to strike a pose.  I want to give big props to those bloggers out there who have such amazing outfit pictures.  It's a lot harder than it looks.

Countdown to V-Day: 5 Days

Sleep.  That's what I'll be doing right after I finish writing this post, but it's also my V-Day tip #2.  While you sleep, your body basically restores itself from your day's events.  If you have been exercising, this restoration process is basically what's going to give you your toned muscles.  It has also been proven that you'll also lose weight if you sleep, regardless of whether or not you do exercise.  Don't believe me?  Take a look at this article here and here.

How many hours of sleep should you get?  The recommended amount is 7-9 hours.  However, some people just can't sleep at night.  Perhaps, it's just too much coffee or energy drinks, but I'd like to share some advice on how I usually get to sleep.

1. Take a shower before going to bed.
2. Treat yourself to a minifacial.
3. Drink some warm milk.
4. Read a relaxing book.

Since it's Valentine's Day, why not treat yourself to a romance novel?  Personally, I've been loving Red Roses Mean Love by Jacquie D'Alessandro.  Here's a summary from the back cover:

Yellow for friendship.
Pink for passion. But . . .
Red Roses Mean Love.

She dreamed of roses....

Orphaned and abandoned by her fiancé, Hayley Albright is determined to care for her younger siblings even if it means having to give up her own dreams. She doesn't expect to ever find love or get married . . . until one moonlit night when she saves the life of a mysterious stranger.

. . . And he wants only to make her dreams come true....

Lord Stephen Barrett woke up gazing at the face of an angel. He was alive. And safe, for now, from the killer stalking his every move. Allowing Hayley to believe he is just a tutor of modest means, Stephen stays on for reasons of his own, never anticipating the passions Hayley would stir in his cold, wary heart. Her innocence is pure seduction. Her touch is sweet temptation. And suddenly the man who has everything is willing to risk it all--for a woman who has nothing to give . . . but all her heart. . . .

In the beginning, it won't look like it'll be a very interesting book, but trust me: you'll be laughing and cheering for each character in the book in no time.  Give it a chance!

Countdown to V-Day: 7 Days

For any of you who are thinking of looking gorgeous this Valentines, like I am, I would like to offer some suggestions.  First off, start exercising.  Yes, I know.  I said the "E" word.  With a week left till February 14th, it's necessary to start now.  A little goes a long way after all.  You won't lose 100, 50, or even 10 pounds in a week, but exercising will make you look better that somehow cannot be defined.  I don't know if any of you have noticed, but after you exercise your flushed face actually looks very beautiful.  To translate that into guy terms, I guess, it looks like you had a great round of sex.  (Saying the "S" word doesn't make this blog rated R does it?)

My brother subscribes to Women's Health Magazine for me at a discount.  He tells me that he buys them here.  I've been reading their magazine for a few years now, and I absolutely love it.  I cut out all the exercises and articles that I love, and I keep them in a binder on my desk.  Here's one that I did today:

Recently, I've been addicted to Kung Fu Panda (yes, I'm a kid at heart), and I've had the Kung Fu Fighting song in my head these past couple of days.  I would be humming it while I'm at work.  When I'm at home, I would put Kung Fu Panda on, and I'll just lift weights.  Hey, whatever works, right?  Find your favorite song or movie that just simply makes you want to move, and just move!  Don't just sit there mindlessly watching it.  With that I'll leave you all with my song of inspiration:

A Thoughtful February

Hello everyone!

No, I haven't forgotten about this blog.  I've actually had to restrain myself a couple of times from posting, and the reason is because I wanted to think a bit more about my posts before posting them.  While it's important to have beautiful pictures (a picture does say a thousand words), it is also important that I express those unspoken words in those pictures to print.  Besides, I started this blog, in part, so I could write more.

I've also been a bit behind on my other resolutions, such as sleeping more, doing more exercising, etc.  But in the time while I haven't been posting, I've been making up for it.  I've also thought about doing some lookbook outfits for everyone featuring myself, but I've still got to think about it a bit more.  How would I take those pictures by myself?  Where can I take it?  Should I even do it?  Those are some of the questions I'm considering right now.

However, while I was looking for some cute Valentine's Day outfits for myself (I have no significant other to speak of, so it really is just for myself), I noticed this beautiful lace top that I've seen Michelle Phan wear a few times.  Michelle Phan is best known for her makeup tutorials on YouTube, and I've been following her even before she became famous, as a spokesperson for Lancome.  Here are some pictures of Michelle wearing the top I was talking about:

Doesn't she look beautiful?  I tried looking for this top a few times on the internet, but I couldn't find it... until now...  Well, at least, I think I did.  It's actually not a top, but a dress, and it's cut pretty low (which is why Michelle is wearing a black tank top underneath I guess).  Here's a stock photo from LuLus.com:

Secret Chord Lace Bright Blue Dress, $39

They also have it in different colors as well.

All these dresses are $39 each.  The sizing for these dresses are apparently juniors, so they should be kinda small.  I ordered the red and white in medium just to be safe.  I simply love the lace up front.  I'll do a review on it when my order gets here.  Enjoy!