I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

H&M white pearl studded beret // Forever 21 lace dress // Ralph Lauren cable knit sweater (gift)

H&M 200 denier black tights // Mossimo black suede ankle boots //
Lancome red lipstick in Rouge Baroque //

Photography: self, tripod and remote

Today our a cappella group had a performance for some influential individuals of the med center, so I put together this ensemble with my white coat and black pumps. I layered my ivory cable knit sweater underneath to keep warm on the walk to campus - my white coat only shows a peep of the dress so as far as tops and sleeves go, you can be as wild as you want. After a pasta lunch though, this began to feel a little more frumpy and tight. To cozy up with some coffee at home, this pearl-studded white beret and red lips are perfect for a winter wonderland feel and prancing around in the snow. Au contraire, the weather outside was indeed frightful, drizzling in this relatively tepid rain nonstop. That didn't stop us from having a spontaneous girls' night at Cheesecake Factory after reading about how their system can teach us how to standardize and improve health care in surgeon/storyteller extraordinaire Atul Gawande's New Yorker article. Food for thought leads to thinking about food! By the way, their Fresh Banana cheesecake is heavenly - light, frothy, a perfect dessert.

It takes years to develop a sense of personal style, and that's still an ever-changing one. Being a style blogger makes that hard with trends and staying relevant, wandering around boutiques and malls for the sake of doing your research, sponsored pieces to incorporate. After brewing many sartorial concoctions, it seems like my life outfit is not complete without a pancake atop my head (one of 2 H&M new additions to my collection). Back to my true francophile roots - beret, flared dresses, streamlined black bottoms all the way down to my hallex (fancy Latin word for big toe). This forecast for this weekend is plenty of studying, since finals for the muscle & bone block are coming up and it's time to get down to business. Looking forward to a holiday potluck dinner tomorrow with good eats and jingling along with Christmas tunes. Best of luck on your exams/work and break is almost here!

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Sweet Patisserie | Pistacia Vera

H&M mint green skater dress (buy) // Goodwill thrifted gold tip white belt //

Forever 21 black wool beret with stud detail // Predictions for Payless white low heel pump //

F21 gold spike bracelet and pearl bracelets // Revlon Lip Butter in Lollipop //
Black faux leather purse (gift) //

Photography: Cassandra Morecroft King

Catching my breath after hours inside anatomy lab to bring you an outfit inspired by my favourite things: pastel mint green & kitschy French things (10/21). This beret my Mom gifted me two Christmases ago as part of a French-inspired outfit, my college graduation dress in my favourite shade mint green, white and gold accents. Committing "me time" is important to enjoy every day even if it's hectic, feel excited about discovery like watching my first DIY crystals grow in elementary school, be thankful for my supportive friends for propelling me forward after setbacks. The best revenge for the baseball cannons pelting you with lemons is to get up, add sugar to the wounds, and live a really good life. There will always be someone who you wish you could trade with because of their success, intellect, birthright, material wealth. But you will get to where you need to be by not forgetting who you already are.

I am grateful for spontaneous giggling fits about wishing our arms were 6 feet longer to avoid smelling eau de formaldehyde, childhood best friends still being here for each other even as we traverse into the daunting new chapters of our lives, JJ coming to visit this weekend and share more adventures, catching up with an inspirational old friend with hovering mustaches and laughter, late night reliving the 90s kid experience of Power Rangers/Ultraman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle shenanigans with the best faux-bro I could hope for (conspiracy theory blood relation pending). Cassandra's selflessness and good company, taking the time to drive up and put up with me and my fanciful ideas that usually involve pointing a camera in front of every half-decent tree, house, fire hydrant, younameit. I had been wanting to check out a French pastry shop in German Village called Pistacia Vera to try out their macaron selection, and boy were they tasty! My favourite flavour was their namesake pistachio, sweet but savory. My goal by the end of this first year of med school is to make my rounds in the coffeeshops around town, portals to my happy place.

Laughter, singing, writing are powerful healers.

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What's Black and White and Red All Over?

H&M black fitted blazer w/ red lining (Euro 4) // Rue 21 "Le Moustache" print tee (L) //
H&M black and white pleated mini skirt (Euro 4) //

Forever 21? black leggings // Wild Diva peep toe suede ankle booties w/ bow tie accent (5.5) //

Thrifted red knit beret // H&M red gems and baubles statement necklace //

Claires black faux shiny croc bag // From Taiwan black frame glasses //

Photography: JJ

WORK IT, QUIRK IT. Hello lovelies! Been off the web for a few days, spending time with family in hot-hot-hot (relatively) San Diego. Had my computer off, finished reading The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, started another page-turner on my Nook: Brandwashed. It reveals the psychology behind how companies fool us into buying, buying, buying and as a blogger, it's certainly pertinent. Since I started 2.5 years ago, my closet has rapidly divided and colonized my life like some unruly E.coli. The pressure to consume, to buy the newest hyped lipstick, to online-browse the incessant discount offers, to hand over that hard-earned money. There haven't been many times when I've come home and not felt guilty about purchasing something. Up until high school and even through some of college, I refrained from consuming materialistically and was all about saving. What happened? Btw Day 7 of 12 Days of Fabulous (need to catch up I do)

This was my outfit for a day of finals studying at Kayak's Coffee (12/17). I spent more time eating and enjoying my gingerbread latte than chugging through 400 pages of boring academia, books, and journal articles, but it all worked out. My never-ending obsession with all things that are magically (in my head, at least) French, including BLACK/WHITE/RED colour schemes. In fact, standing in front of my closet I meant to do an all black/white outfit but with the hint of red on my blazer cuff, the red just kept piling on in the form of accessories. Got the red beret for 50 cents I remember at a thrift shop. It gave off an aura of grandma-knitted-it and head lice, but still, it has been one of my favourite pieces conducive to playing Parisian dress-up. Black tights with ankle booties elongate the legs, a readers' favourite H&M pleated skirt that was only $10 not-on-sale, and a $6 snarky print tee that fed my moustache obsession starting all the way back in the sweltering summer at the Lake of the Ozarks. Can you believe it's a large? Yeah, makes no sense. 

Right now: attracting the bewildered attention of many a neighbor as I hurdle, jump, squat, pose, laugh in front of my tripod and remote/self-timer combo as the best boyfriend-photog in the world is on the other side of Cali. Also, forcing myself to finally get that blog shop running, which will include these booties :) Last but not least, making ambitious lists and resolutions as always. You can guess what's on there: get off my butt and exercise, stop being a hermit and enjoy college, stop picking my pimples. Realistically, let's aim to do at least one, mmkay self? 

To Peace. Love. And really long blog posts. Happy Holidays !

Readers - what's your favourite colour combo?

Enter my UNESTABLISH giveaway for TWO $50 gift cards!

Fairest Paris

Forever 21 Eiffel Tower cropped top (S) // H&M black and white pleated mini skirt (Euro 4) // 

Thrifted red knit beanie (old) // Merona orange strappy sandals (5.5) // 

H&M red chunky jewels necklace //

Photography: JJ

WHY ISN'T IT CALLED NO-LABOR DAY? My Labor Day started out Daniel Powter style but eventually got better. First, woke up a little behind schedule. Next, printer refused to print my coupons and my old Macbook flopped trying to update drivers and software. I had an angry meltdown at the rebellious technology ugh. Wore this outfit to class last Wednesday (8/31), minus red beret. I remember it was still blazing hot that day when I decided to walk the whole 20 minutes to class and now this weekend, it's chill as the North Pole.

Mall trip delayed for hours and no salary won from Banana Republic (of course). But H&M's Pants Collection had some great finds - 2 pairs for JJ, 1 pair $13 for me. Will have fitting room review on those tomorrow. Urban Outfitters involved the usual ogling at all the quirkiest and coolest things and books - they should charge admission like a museum because I can't afford to do anything but stare lol. After meandering around the mall, we went to Borders for some cheap literature thrills-hunting. I picked up a Photoshop CS4 Studio handbook at 60% off and we crazy kids brought back an 8-foot-long "ANIMALS AND NATURE" sign. Yup Borders is even getting rid of all their bookshelves.

Meanwhile, fun things: Saw a big fox tail at Aldo but they sold out, so I ordered one online ($12). If you play their games you can win Aldo shoes for life and get 15% off your purchase with this coupon code: getlucky75985 (in store option: print)

Readers - did you go (Labor Day) shopping? Tell me about your haul!

Enter my Highglossfashion jewelry giveaway

French Toast

 

F21 French Toast t-shirt (S) // F21 bow ruffle skirt (S) //

F21 studded beret // Xhilaration for Target Sparkly Dorothy flats (children's 3)

Photographer: My boyfriend

Hello lovelies! This week has been crazy with classes approaching midterms, living and breathing lab work, and dance auditions for my university's Lunar New Year Festival. Though I'm still flailing about like some sightless, unwieldy banshee, I see improvement from last year. Blogging and posing for a camera has increased my awareness of my body somewhat and I feel a little more feminine and confident. Oh how I envy people who did ballet since they could walk, people who are so naturally cool and hip-hop, as I try to move my arms and legs in the mirror in some coordinated fashion.

A couple of weeks ago I decided to shoot a backlog of outfits that I had worn but not found the time to set up camera between classes and work and the minimal sunlight entering the colder season. This is one of my favourite shirts because it's super soft and cheap since F21 has raised their prices ($8.80 USD). It features a kawaii toast wearing a beret and super pink blush, with a curly mustache made of felt! Hehe it attracts lint and all sorts of fuzzies but it's still fun. I unintentionally became a doppelganger for this little fellow by wearing my beret, favourite Parisian skirt, and matte pink blush to boot. My trusty Dorothy flats jazz up all the black and grey. Am I the only one who is amused by sparkly stuff especially under street lights at night? It glitters like crazy and I'm constantly staring at my feet in distraction. Either way, welcome to the third installment of The Battle of the Print Tees! Tuck your favourite print tee into a high-waisted skirt and add spark to your outfit with a cool hat. I am hoping to compile all these outfits when I reach 10 or so into a big post on how-to style a simple tshirt.

Have a great weekend! I watched Robin Hood: Men in Tights and had many a great laugh with friends last night. The next few days are jam-packed with auditions, writing manuscripts, studying brains brains brains, and attending an anatomy lab. I have a few outfits to shoot too - thank goodness for fashion to propel me through this madness. Meanwhile I've also started hitting the gym and eating healthier (I have a strange newfound attraction to beets) to slim down my figure in preparation for Winter Break in Taiwan - girls are so tiny there, I'm afraid I'll be too big to fit into some of their clothes D: That's a problem we never encounter in the States, eh? Thanksgiving break is also approaching and I'm so xcited to go home and see my family and enjoy some beautiful SoCal sunshine in less than a month!