Trench Coat for Autumn Rain

Target khaki trench coat // H&M pastel floral peplum top // Forever 21 tan lace pencil skirt //

Predictions for Payless black pumps // H&M croc print faux leather skinny belt //

Lancome red lipstick in Rouge Baroque // Target clear bubble umbrella //

Photography: Cassandra Morecroft King

For this month's Bloggers Do It Better challenge, our task is to showcase our winter coats. While I recently invested in a long North Face puffy-yet-sleek parka for practicality and preservation of fingers and toes, the fleeting fall days are a great transitional time for light jackets like a trench coat. These are surprisingly water repellant to block out the freezing rain.

This outfit was from an entire year ago (10/19/2012), when the foliage in my neighborhood was absolutely striking. The explosion of fiery colours in the canopy above, reflected on wet pavement - one of my favourite images of fall, with natural confetti decorating the ground. Clear bubble umbrellas always seemed like fun raingear to me and make walking around easier when you can see right through them. They even show your outfit better than traditional opaque "rain-pellants." I tied the belt behind the coat to show off my layers underneath and liked the juxtaposition of the soft pastel flowers and peplum that are usually associated with spring against the vibrant shades of red and gold in the glistening leaves on the ground. Pop on a bright red lipstick and voila, fall workday to date night look.

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Wear to Work: Neon Florals + Lace Shoulders

Pink champagne long sleeve top with lace shoulders // H&M neon floral knee length pencil skirt //

H&M nude extra skinny belt // Kristin Perry gold rose cat eye sunglasses //

Aldo nude almond toe pumps //

Photography: self; tripod and remote

Today was my first day of the second year of med school - walking back into the same never-heard-of-a-thermostat lecture hall felt like the entire summer took place in a few nanoseconds. I always enjoyed dressing up for back to school and today was no different, pulling out all the stops with this neon pencil skirt in its classic knee-length cut. Though the print is so bright and busy, the silhouette makes it appropriate for work settings. Because it's long enough to hide my thighs, the skirt gives the illusion that my calves are super thin and lean with the one-two finishing punch of nude almond toe pumps.

Our school also rolled out ipad mini's as part of our educational tools so we spent a good deal of this morning setting them up and of course, goofing around on Photobooth (it's junior high graphing calculator games all over). After a summer running around clinic, I felt more at ease interviewing our patient for an audience of peers, even about touchy gastrointestinal topics (a flashy outfit may or may not add +10 confidence haha).

To another crazy year - as American Authors sing, this is gonna be the best day of my life ... my life-i-i-i-i-ife! (rinse, lather, repeat!)

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Florals and Foliage | Fall Work Outfit

H&M pink ruffle blazer // H&M pastel floral peplum top //

Forever 21 taupe lace pencil skirt // Predictions for Payless low heel black pumps //
Lancome lipstick in Rouge Baroque //

Photography: Cassandra Morecroft King

My bff Cassandra is back in town visiting with creative spark and crazy ideas, like photoshooting in the cold and rain to capture the ephemeral beautiful forest of fall colours down my street. We ran around my neighborhood with 2 cameras, 1 tripod, 2 umbrellas, getting progressively more drenched and frozen while having a blast. This was outfit #2 and what I originally planned on wearing to work on Friday (10/19), but under my white coat the pink blazer and peplum all accumulated to being way too much. The next post will show how I modified this to be more work-appropriate and polished. You can  still be stylin' even when it's pouring (which is all the time in Ohio).

This weekend was a whirlwind of studying for my med block final, celebrating my childhood best friend's birthday at a swank downtown restaurant, dealing with things coming up randomly. Still trying to keep my cool with hazelnut Panera's coffee, spontaneous food outings, catching up with friends old and new. Enjoy your fall foliage! Best part of this season ... besides pumpkin patches, apple cider, cozying up in layers :)

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Floral Inkblots | Summer Work Outfit

H&M bright floral inkblot sheath tank // Thrifted @Scholarshop/Escada bright yellow pencil skirt //

Predictions by Payless white low heel pumps // Med student white coat //
Revlon Colorburst lip butter in Lollipop //

Photography: self; tripod and remote

WHAT TO WEAR UNDER WHITE COAT #1. This was what I wore on Monday (8/27) for my first patient interview: bright peppy colours as a final salute to the (hopefully soon) last days of blistering summer. These sessions are videotaped so we can watch and reflect on what we did and how to improve, so I'm determined to wear extra fresh outfits to distract myself from the anxiety I get from watching myself on tape (I HATE hearing my own voice in these things ... hence not having branched out to Youtube). Keeping it simple and having a base colour of white for my top allows it to blend into my white coat better while introducing pops of fuchsia and green and yellow. I like the straight-cut sheath shape of this tank and decided without much deliberation at H&M, as it's one of my favourite showcased pieces of theirs this summer. The back has a tiny slit that's buttoned, so it's classy with a bit of interesting detail. It was a nice grey semi-rainy day so I was able to photograph outside with the colours un-distorted and vibrant.

The days are flying by in med school. In the past three days, I interacted with my first patient (who praised me for my empathic personality yay!), got a taste of anatomy lab with hands-on exploration, and learned how to draw blood, put in an EKG, test for blood glucose, give shots, etc. Lectures are never-ending inside class and out, and the work multiplies like a drug-resistant strain of bacteria. But I am always finding new fun things to do, like ZUMBA classes with friends, grabbing high class bubble tea, watching horror flicks when the biochem pathways become too serious. Tomorrow I am camping out early for the grand opening of the H&M in Polaris, hoping to get that $300 gift card. This Labor Day weekend, JJ is coming to visit and we're going to hit up Cedar Point for the best roller coasters in the country! If I can describe my life right now in a word, it's "intense." Dressing up every day helps me squeeze the word "fantabulous" in there too.

Scroll down to see a final surprise image ...

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Cowgirl at the Disco

Chicwish lilac button down blouse with watercolor floral sleeves and pearl buttons (Chictopia Rewards) //
Forever 21 light pink tee (underneath) // H&M white floppy sunhat //

Sugarlips white flared disco pants with side lace detail (c/o) (buy here) // Forever 21 leopard print bootie wedges //

Chicnova spiked gold hardware necklace (Chictopia Rewards) // Revlon lip butter in Lollipop //

Photography: self, tripod + remote

DESERT ROSE. So today I feel like a Southern belle dreaming of being taken back in time to the disco era (7/28). Originally I meant to do this shoot by the poolside but when I hiked out there with all my gear and tripod and floppy sunhat obscuring view, a pack of teenage boys (yes I mean pack like Twilightian werewolves) were busy cannonballing and ... yeah I wasn't about to go strike a few poses to get chortled at. Good thing because a deserted desert background actually works better. The sunlight never fails to amuse me with how it basks everything on this side of the planet with an orange glow, turning hair fiery red and kindling all sorts of fanciful dreams. But good thing it does go down because #fashionbloggerproblems my colours would be distorted otherwise.

Tottering around on 5 inch wedges, even pine needles on the ground form a formidable landmine. These unique white disco pants were superrrrr long too made for someone closer to 6 feet tall. However, the extra flared bottom is super pretty and it's made of a soft stretchy cottonlike material instead of denim or leather (oh yeah, 70s). Sugarlips sent me these wayyy earlier in the spring but better late than never. I don't really like the skirt foldover part but it conceals the side lace that extends all the way up to your undies. Not petite-friendly, but every-size fun.

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Mad Men-Inspired: Lilac and Sunny Yellow

Chicwish lilac sheer chiffon button down with pearl buttons and floral sleeves (c/o Chictopia Rewards) //

Escada Margaretha Ley yellow pencil skirt (thrifted from Scholarshop) // 

Forever 21 pearl and crystal bracelets // Claires black pearl necklace //

Predictions by Payless white low pumps // Wet n Wild Wine Room berry lipstick

Photography: DAD

LILACKING IN SUNSHINE. It's been really cloudy and cold (relatively) in San Diego recently, and today was especially windy. I haven't earnestly begun the daunting task of unpacking yet, so my camera remote was nowhere to be found and my wonderful Dad stepped up to the plate to play photographer. Didn't he do amazing?

This unique top is from Chicwish, which I redeemed from Chictopia Rewards. It's a chiffon lilac lightweight material, with long sleeves - perfect for SoCal summers - and features pearl buttons and a fun floral print on the sleeves only. This is a great way to wear the floral trend without being too overwhelming. To contrast the party on bottom, I kept it business on the bottom with a bright yellow pencil skirt I thrifted from Scholarshop for $17, which isn't bad for supposedly designer. It says size 8 but fits like a US 2. This would be a really fun summer work outfit, but this is a case of all-dressed-up-and-nowhere-to-go. I promised myself that I would wear pretty clothes every day for the rest of this summer even if just for sitting around home, no more of my lazy bum sweats that drag down my mood. Recently I have been inspired by Mad Men secretary fashion and threw up my hair into a messy high side ponytail for a modern twist.

The winner of the CLAWS Jewelry handmade designer necklace has been announced here!

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Neon Florals

Thrifted @Scholarshop lightweight sheer mint button down blouse //

H&M neon floral pencil skirt (S) // Aldo nude pumps (35) //

Urban Outfitters double face watch // Forever 21 gold and silver spike bracelets //

H&M gold chain segment necklace //

Photography: JJ

TRIPPING ON ACID ... BASE TITRATIONS. Fresh off the hanger! My outfit for today (4/19): a mint lightweight blouse paired with a crazy neon floral print pencil skirt. Since one of my college bucket list items is "study in the Law School Library," time is a-tick-tocking and today felt right, so JJ and I put on some nicer outfits to try to pass for faux law students. It worked haha. With stern expressions and reverent library study etiquette no one threw us out suspecting we were undergrads. At first I felt the neon flowers were too bold but then I decided the knee-length shape was probably more important than the pattern craziness going on. I love the soft stretchy cotton fabric that makes sitting, walking, even biking in this pencil skirt a comfortable breeze. Well, the biking was more of a struggle and equated to me flashing everyone while dismounting ... there must be a more elegant way of doing this.

Yesterday's outfit was a "remix your style" look, today is a "this is a bunch of new stuff that I haven't worn yet" ensemble. The mint/aqua blouse has a cute peep elbow feature as well which allows comfortable limb-bending. Surprisingly it just fits me well. The power of thrifting! $7 at Scholarshop :) The spiked bracelets are going to be a new arm party fave (for now it's more like an "arm small get-together") - they just came in the mail yesterday. Thanks Ore for your giveaway! Can't wait to wear all the other spring fling things.

Yesterday JJ and I relaxed on the Loop, chilled at Starbucks, did some spring clothes-ogling at Pitaya, finally FINALLY got to try the avocado milk tea, watched Jiro Dreams of Sushi at the Tivoli (a beautiful photography-orgasm of a film), tried a new hard cider and caught up with an old friend. Mischief managed!

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H&M Spring/March 2012 Fitting Room Review

Florals! Leather! Florals! I am cray cray for these things and H&M has been my outlet for these massive sartorial cravings. While you lucky ducks in big cities braved the Marni x H&M collection release this morning, I sat back and enjoyed my birthday haul. So, here's what's in store for March 2012 H&M Spring. See what I found last month in this recent fitting room review. The black pumps are from Payless (size 5). Went a little buy-happy and will probably return/sell most of this xD You should definitely check out my friend Alice's H&M fitting room review for more work appropriate/less crazy pieces she found at the same mall :)

1) H&M pastel floral flare top (size S), $18 USD
I've been eyeing these flared tops for a while now and never thought they'd look good. They're pretty cute to give more curvy shape and it doesn't look bad with tights (though I'm still not going to run around without my butt covered!) and sneakers, as on the left. It skims over the butt nicely. This top is very thin and upon closer inspection not EXACTLY the same colour and definitely not the same texture as the skirt (below). It's full of pastel big flowers and the base colour is a light grey/taupe.
- Verdict: Purchased, wanted to try it out with the pencil skirt I got back in December/January (see below). Maybe return/sell.

Intentionally dark photo to show the floral detail

2) H&M pastel floral pencil skirt with brown croc belt (size 4), $25
Pastel giant flowers, so spring! Excuse the crappy phone pics - my camera batteries were dead that day. The skirt is actually very much knee length but the angle was funky in the photo. It is SUPER tight and runs really small so I should have considered getting a size 6. After wearing it for a day, it always rode up to mid-thigh because of my bulky thighs of mine and wrinkled ugily because of the stiff fabric. The belt is super cute though and a soft texture. It can be detached of course.
- Verdict: Purchased, really was dreaming of spring back in January or so ... considering selling!

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Holiday Coveting: Cream Rosette Skirt

Free People Rosey Holiday Skirt $128 (buy here)

A perfect three-dimensional holiday skirt that could be paired with my champagne pink peep lace shoulder top I'm wearing now. This is reminiscent of the ever-popular American Apparel rosette jumper that has been on my mental wishlist forever. Oh, romance.

Readers - what's on your holiday wishlist?

Image credit: www.freepeople.com. Compilation by me.

Think Pink

H&M pink fitted blazer w/ruffles (Euro 4) // H&M crisscross mesh bodycon dress (Euro 4) //

H&M floral A-line skirt (Euro 2) // Forever 21 oxford lace-up booties (6) //

CLAWS jewelry turquoise and gold necklace (c/o WhitWatWear) // 

 H&M polka dot red trim socks // Aldo snake coil ring (5) //

Thrifted Melie Bianco orange satchel bag // Urban Outfitters double face watch//

Photography: JJ

ROSY GARDEN(IAS). This is what I wore to the closing event of St. Louis Fashion Week (10/15), which seemed like just yesterday! This ensemble felt natural, it felt me, and I can proudly now say my personal style is usually some variation of a skirt (A-line is the best) and a tucked in top/dress with a fitted blazer. I feel polished and cute at the same time. Better yet, I've been hunting down a pink blazer for ages (my trend bane, if you will). After considering many light pink ones that were always too oversized, H&M came out with this perfect fitted one in a dusty pink richer colour and it has ruffles on the sides! I was sold, despite it being $40 after coupon (orig $50). You can read about the other things I found in my latest fitting room review. The bodycon dress I wore before has been recycled as a top and remember, it was only $5? Same with the $5 floral A-line skirt I scored and styled last fall. The cool necklace from Whit and Mal's giveaway is handmade and designed by CLAWS Jewelry and I love how edgy it is while being dainty. Toss in curly hair and we were off to a very good start.

Can you believe it's November already!? The months just fly by - cue calendar-page-flip animation sequence. The transition between October 31st (definitively Halloween) and November 1st (think countdown to Turkey Day) is awkward at best. Nevertheless my November wishes are: to eat as much pumpkin pie/cheesecake as possible (hello, love handles), go to a pumpkin patch, consume as much post-Halloween sale candy as possible.

The best thing about flying out for interviews is all the people that you meet. There's something about just extending your hand and chatting up a storm that makes all the studying, painful classes, MCAT boot camp, endless essays totally L'oreal slogan - because [it's] worth it. And just to top it all off, McDonalds seeing med school in action ... I'm lovin it. My friend Sherri helped me realize the bigger things in life and to be confident in my strong sense of identity and never apologize for who I am. Thus, more time for coffee breaks and catching up with old friends, less complaining and unmotivated slushhhh, more powering through life. I have to remind myself why blogging was fun to begin with - it's because of everyone else in this community. I've been so self-absorbed and just posting to get things checked off ... my play has become work. So, now it's just fun! Very excited about continuing my sartorial set-list documentation, something I'm going to call "365 Days of Cute."

Readers - are you dying for a pink blazer?