Rocker Chic | Origami Skort + Denim Vest + Black Lace

Black lace cardigan // Black tank top (underneath) //
Thrifted from Goodwill denim vest // Zara dupe black origami skort (bought from Threadflip) // 

Target suede black ankle booties // Wet n Wild lipstick in Wine Room //

Photography: self; tripod and remote

Believe it or not, I found the inspiration for this outfit from a character on The Big Bang Theory - in one episode, Sheldon's assistant Alex was wearing a lace top underneath a denim vest. While sometimes denim vests can look tweenish, the way she paired this unexpected combination made it look feminine and fresh. I wore this to chill in German Village with my friend Marie, where we tried to study at our favourite French patisserie Pistacia Vera (they have the best sweet potato tart - tastes like a mini pumpkin pie!), exploring the Book Loft, finishing with some rainy day coffeeshop productivity (9/29).

Threadflip has been a successful way to sell my clothes and window-shop others' closets too, and since I had $50 of credit from inviting friends, I tried out the buying experiencing with this Zara look-alike origami skort that everyone in the blogosphere was sporting this past spring and summer. It is an asymmetrical skirt from the front that creates an interesting geometric "origami fold" shape on the legs, and a sensible pair of shorts in the back. This pair pays homage to the glorified times as a 90s kid dabbling in fashion, since skorts were THE thing to rock when I was in the 4th grade. This rocker look reminds me slightly of Kat Von D, the black lace standing in for her tattoo sleeves.

Click to see more pictures → → →

VivaGambita Petite Jeans Review + Giveaway

H&M oxblood cableknit sweater // DL 1961 Toni Cropped Jean in Switch, size 26 (c/o VivaGambita) //

Firmoo round cat eye tortoiseshell glasses (c/o) // Zac & Zoe for Payless penny loafer pumps //

From China black and crystal detachable peter pan collar //

Photography: self; tripod and remote

Today the temperature took a dip into the nippy 50s and a lightweight cableknit sweater from the colder months still left me shivering. Today's outfit was inspired by the hipster librarian - cat eye tortoise shell glasses with a strong cat eye eyeliner, comfy sweater with a little sweet, comfy jeans and "mannish" shoes. I pulled on these fit-me-like-a-glove jeans that are the perfect length for 5'3" petite me and surprisingly stretchy to leave room for my thighs and acrobatics. Getting creative here, I wore my detachable peter pan collar backwards because of the more subtle rounded shape. Popped on some pennyloafer heels and we were good to start off another week of work.

I got lots of compliments on these glasses too and my classmates kept asking if they were new prescription glasses (they're not). Firmoo contacted me again for another collaboration and let me choose 2 pairs (the other one is quite unique - the frames are totally clear) to style and review. As you remember, they offer stylish frames and prescription glasses on the cheap. Whenever I pop on some cat eyes, my whole mood becomes surlier and cattier as the corners of the glasses are tugged past my eyebrows.

VivaGambita is a brand new petite clothing store that I am excited about. From their adorable mint and white logo to their curated inventory, their chief Caroline has it covered. This pair of petite denim came cuffed but when tried rolling it down, I was surprised to see that it was the perfect tailored length. While I can dish out a few bills and get all my pants rehemmed, the fit around the rest of my leg is much harder to manage. This dark wash pair does it all and from the lack of unsightly bunching lines and muffin top, they are finally a true "ready to wear" piece for us petite ladies. We are excited to give away a pair of VivaGambita's legit denim - enter via the Rafflecopter widget at the end of this post.

Click to see more pictures → → →

Hollywood, CA

H&M faux leather biker jacket // H&M chambray shirt // H&M silver metallic sweater //

Faded Glory red tee (underneath) // H&M olive A-line flare skirt // H&M faux leather leggings //

Forever 21 grey knee high socks // Xhilaration black and white oxfords //

Photography: JJ & me

Last weekend JJ and his family and I explored Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara on a spontaneous end-of-year trip (I survived on 1.25 outfits: proud). First stop: Hollywood, home of a bajillion people staring at the ground and snapping photos (aliens must be so amused at the human race). Bundling up in as many layers as possible, with assorted textures and fabrics, we meandered around streets, shops, and eateries like proper tourists. Some of my favourite moments: eating piping hot samosas at Bollywood Cafe, pleased to find the longgg boardwalk in Santa Barbara to be consistent with Psych, wandering around the little Dutch town in the mountains.

I made it home via pimped-out-with-wifi train in time for watching the crystal ball make its flamboyant descent down the pole on TV with my family while sipping champagne. Yesterday was mall day, catching some deals after all the holiday-crazed shoppers are still resting from the battle of 2012 ($1.80 for a big string of white Christmas lights, hollaaa). Today's adventure will be around downtown San Diego with a med school classmate and dinner at Fish Market for my brother's birthday. I hope your new year has kicked off ambitiously and adventurously!

Click to see more pictures → → →

Cruella DeVille

H&M black and white spotted pants (sz 8) // Thrifted @ Goodwill denim vest //

Forever 21 lace trim black tank top // Chicnova spike and chain gold necklace (c/o Chictopia Rewards) //

Arm clusterfuq: H&M, China, Poshlocket (c/o), F21 // Aldo snake coil ring //

Target Merona grey suede ankle boots (get it here) // Hipster glasses pin on collar (c/o Chictopia)
Clinique chubby stick tinted lip balm in Super Strawberry //

Photography: self; tripod and remote

Quickie before bed/stuffing my face with more exciting nucleic acid metabolism pathways ... this is the crazy "I've-worn-pencil-skirts-past-my-tolerance-threshold" outfit I sported to the grand opening of the H&M store at the Polaris mall in Columbus. Long story short, had a blast though waiting for 2.5 hours to make sure we got prizes - my friend and I got $75 to shop with each! Whole bagful of fall essentials. These $13 H&M flashy things attract unwanted attention in the nightlife scene so I have to remember not to wear things that lure drunken undergrad boys - apparently one is safer wearing a skintight short dress. I call 'em my dalmatian pants and a friend pointed out that makes me like an angsty teenage Cruella DeVille. I'll take it. She was so scary as I was obsessed with 101 Dalmatians in elementary school. Whopping size 8 btw - that's how badly I wanted these pants. There was no way my butt was squeezing into a 2 and that was the only other pair left.

Threw on a thrifted denim vest that I got for $5 in San Jose and my hair pulled up into a high side ponytail. Add a golden spiked chain necklace and pile on the arm candy (which I rarely ever do because it's so clunky and in the way of everything productive) and we can call it a day. Last but not least my new kicks - so comfy because the pitch is not high at all. They feel like flats and are actually more comfortable since I managed to get a bleeding blister on my foot heel from new loafers. Man did I exude the badass in these shots. Now I'm getting gutsy enough to park my tripod in the middle of my apartment complex where all my hidden neighbors can see. Sense of shame? What shame?

Yesterday I saw my first real-real patient at the Columbus Free Clinic and had a great experience. Pretending like I know what's going on when I have no clue ... working on that pokerface. Today was a few hours freezing in 55 degree lecture hall, then off to the 100 degree sauna of my car to run errands ironically for my car. Looking forward to seeing JJ arrive tomorrow for the long weekend and going to get infamous ice cream and gallery hopping before Cedar Point!

Click to see more pictures → → →

Denim and Polka Dots

Thrifted Goodwill denim vest // Forever 21 blue tank top // Pitaya polka dot asymmetrical skirt //

Forever 21 black triangle layered necklace // DIY/Converse All Star checkered sneakers //

Bracelets from H&M (gift from JJ's Mom) and F21 //

Photography: Dad

THE ANATOMY OF TONGUE IN CHEEK. I'm backkkk! Those 9 days in Norcal have been a blurry blast, filled to the brim with excitement and adventure. I need this full week before China to recoop and to blog (haven't been on my computer for over a week thanks to my new iPhone being all handy with shiny apps and snap-happy camera functions) about the trip. I'm a little scared to open Google Reader and see the zillions of posts not making it to my retinas because of spontaneous coffee trips, flying kites on the beach, the weirdest donuts and my ever-growing love affair with San Francisco.

Quick post before reading Nickel and Dimed to bed, pics quickly snapped in 2 minutes by my wonderful and careful Dad photog. It was super foggy and almost dark after my afternoon out in a nearby plaza: reading The Power of Habit at B&N, aimlessly wandering through boutiques and picking through Ross (got a belt loop hanger for $2), discovering the oh-so-rich-goodness Dark Chocolate Latte at Coffee Bean. Denim sleeveless vest for summer, seen on fashionable chicas in Santa Cruz and thifted mine for $5 at the Goodwill near JJ's house. Inspired particularly by one girl on the Boardwalk wearing a pleated polka dot mini with hers. Comfy, temperate, a dash of "cool" vibe as I toted around my purse full of coloured pencils and new Anatomy Coloring Book to study via kindergarten methods for my 18th year of education #nerdalert. (Now I realize the angle/poses/layering make me look super stunted - next time I would wear the asymmetrical skirt hi-lo to elongate my legs)

I think my fingers are so deprived from a proper keyboard this turned into one full-on verbal rampage.

Click to see more pictures → → →

ProFRESHional

H&M beige boyfriend blazer (Euro 8) // Old Navy ruffle sleeve top (XS) // Forever 21 skinny jeans (26) // 

Aldo Ruesch nude pumps in Beige (35) (purchase here) (similar here)

Photography: JJ

Here is one epically old work outfit from early October 2010. Yeah, that's like half a year ago. Better late than never, right? I miss the lush green leaves of the Midwest in early fall and now I'm college-sick too. 5 days until I'm back in St. Louis and back to the grind. Speaking of which, my brother told me of a coffeeshop right down our street called "It's a Grind." Isn't that cute and punny? Just the way I like it. It's sad that I didn't notice this or much of anything in San Diego the whole two years I've been here. I'm determined to have a super productive med school application day tomorrow with a good cup of Joe. Life has been incomplete without coffee. 

A shoutout to a true fashionista and makeup artist, Alice. Her flattering paragraph to so many of our university's fashionable girls (and guys) made me laugh and smile. You should definitely, definitely keep blogging and share your chic fashion sense with the world. Congrats on graduating and we'll miss you! Hello and welcome to any WashU peeps reading this too : )

This boyfriend blazer at first seemed to large but when I recently tried it with the sleeves rolled up they didn't look too oversized on me anymore. However, in these photos I'm swimming in it (no wonder - it's a size 8). Also, it's not actually white like the exposure might suggest, but a light beige colour. I love throwing on a blazer for a more professional look but dressing down the look with jeans. I splurged at Aldo too in the fall on these nude pumps (mainly because I was ecstatic they had a size 5). The colour is very flattering but the almond toe shape squeezing my circulation is not. When I took it back to the store to get it fixed on their special leather-stretching machine for a few hours, nothing really fixed. The size 5 is slightly big on me and gaps at the heel, no surprise since recently I confirmed that I'm actually a size 4.5 in women's.

Believe it or not, I woke up at 8 AM today to run errands and let some beautiful sunshine hit my photoreceptors. Hopefully this will shift me from my incorrigible inclination towards nocturnalism. Still have a to-do list of fun left to turn into a to-done list, consisting of trips to the beach, zoo, mall, and possibly Sea World before I head back into the fray of tornadoes and thunderstorms. My heart goes out to those in Joplin, Oklahoma, Arkansas. Take shelter underground and wear your ruby red slippers for good luck in case you're whisked off to Oz!

Bloglovin | Twitter | Facebook | Chictopia