Schoolgirl Tulle

H&M mustard knit sweater (XS) // Forever 21 chambray shirt (S) (underneath) //

Forever 21 light pink tulle skirt (S) // Merona faux calfhair leopard print flats (5.5) //

BCBG silver metallic foldover clutch (c/o ReallyPetite) // Forever 21 burgundy tights //

Bracelets: Poshlocket (c/o), Forever 21, H&M // Forever 21 white plastic bow ring (S) //

Photography: me, tripod and remote

TUTUS, NOT VOODOO. As much as I like the idea of bravely going where no fashionista has gone (on campus) before, the last few times I pulled out my pink tulle skirt for styling, I've chickened out and reluctantly put it back in the closet. One day while surfing Lookbook, the perfect inspiration scrolled across the screen - a girl wearing an orange sweater with a collared shirt underneath and a tulle skirt very similar to mine (sorry can't remember exactly who). This was the toning-down solution that escaped me and I gleefully stored the image in the back of my mind.

Friday (2/3) was the perfect day (mid 50s and cloudy) to throw on this ensemble for my one class. Even in a class full of pre-meds and biomedical engineers, I felt fun and flirty but not crazy. Mustard and chambray are a match made in heaven and I love how the bright yellow pops against the grey skies and is reminiscent of a schoolbus. JJ was gone for a grad school interview so I fumbled with my self-photography equipment and raced the wind and impending rainstorm. This weekend has been pretty tortoise-paced in a pleasant way - hanging out, sleeping, playing racquetball, feeling out some Legend of Zelda tunes on the piano/violin, eating exorbitant amounts of pho, green onion savory pancakes (congyoubing), Chipotle, hot dogs. No, I did not watch the Super Bowl (but glad a Manning won) nor join the fray for Jason Wu x Target. Now for squeezing a big dollop of catch-up on my work. Have a great week!

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Snow Bunny

H&M taupe button neck turtleneck LS top (XS) (gift from JJ's mom) // H&M faux leather biker jacket (Euro 4) //
H&M plaid tweed coat (Euro 4) //

H&M leather camel belt (31-32") // Forever 21 ankle zip skinny jeans (26) //

From Taiwan furry camel chunky heeled boots (36) // From Taiwan white rabbit (?) fur ball scarf // 

Photography: JJ

TAUPES & FUR. Happy belated Chinese (Lunar) New Year everyone! I've been gone from the blogosphere for a mere 3 days yet it's felt like eons - I would blame it on schoolwork but honestly for once I'm caught up and even ahead in certain courses and spend most of my free time catching up with old friends. This is such a sharp contrast from last semester and despite a crazier courseload now, day-to-day is much more live-able. So 'scuse me if I was off writing poetry or having an afternoon coffee to relax (versus to prop up my eyelids) or playing racquetball.

This was what I wore for the Lunar New Year festivities on Sunday (1/22): a twist on the turtleneck theme, leather jacket, and boots with the furrrr. To accessorize, an interesting scarf from Taiwan last year - actually a replacement one bought on the street near a night market because I somehow lost the one I got for ultra cheap (like $4?) at a department store. It's fuzzy and soft but smells kind of funky, so I worry what it's really made out of ... We snapped these shots in the dim lights of the business school after the event, but the T2i picks up light from absolutely nowhere and makes pictures bright as day - still in awe.

Meanwhile, today was a strange day of days. It rained the entire day and I was alternating between sopping wet/drying/sopping wet. I found $11 on the ground outside a bar on my way home (it too was sopping wet). Cold is not my friend, but it keeps insisting that we get to know each other better. Can it be spring already? There's only so much layering permutations my winter wardrobe can handle. Hope y'all have been having a wonderful year so far and keeping up with all those resolutions *wink* : )

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Cape Abilities

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

H&M Cape // H&M Long cowled sweater in Camel (XS) //
H&M white tank // Forever 21 Houndstooth pencil skirt (S) // 
Merona Blue sweater tights (S) // Forever 21 Lace-up Oxford booties (6) // 
Rain Totes giant rainbow umbrella //

Photographer: Tripod & self-timer; Boyfriend helped with umbrella photos

Trying to write a post in record time, as this week sets off to a running face-plant with much more work than anticipated. There's something about fall and winter that evokes some giant mammalian hibernation potential from within, namely I want to sleep sleep and sleep some more. Especially when days are gloomy and the sky leers with ominous clouds, the wind lashes at 25 mph and the temperature jumps from 70 to 30 in an afternoon.

That was two days ago, when I was adamant I wanted to take pictures of these new sweaters from H&M. They were a buy one get on free deal (normally $34.95 for cape, $24.95 for sweater) but for some reason I just can't see myself wearing them all the time. For one, the cape is great and high fashion but I look like an armless alien. Good for photography, bad for walking around campus and trying to write. The cowled sweater features a shapeless blob of a neckline and I either have to fold it over my shoulders or let it drape like a mushy uncooked donut/doughnut. XS is also surprisingly too tight to breathe on me, so maybe extra petites would have better luck with this. So I went back after risking frostbite in uncomfortable areas and trying to photoshoot without my tripod blowing away in the parking lot a few stories above. I picked up two more sweaters that I'll show you soon - one I'll keep, another that still won't do. The red one with the big cowl keeps nagging at the back of my mind. You think I would learn.

Most of these pictures are sideways because my tripod was having a fit in the wind. Gives it a cool sideswept effect though. My favourite part was being blown away with my umbrella, which I lugged around expecting rain but none came. Super big comfortable umbrella my Dad bought me that flies open with the press of a button. When it's gloomy and it doesn't rain, it feels like having something that you can't get off your chest. It's like missing a step when you walk down the stairs.

When the sun sets at 4:30 PM ... I want to sit underneath the yellow gingko trees by the library. I want to enjoy a cup of coffee unperturbed, unrushed, people-watching to my heart's content. I want to be able to feel a minute pass, feel a tangible time. Something strange happened in Physics class today. I felt love. I felt undeniable love for a subject I abhorred for the longest time. Relatively is some pretty cool jazz and it finally gives the dreamer in me a chance. Oh the crazy things that happen the week before turkeys, pumpkin pie, and family.