High Tea | SugarLips Royal Inclinations Dress Review

Sugar Lips Apparel Royal Inclinations Dress w/ scarf print and sweetheart neckline detail (S) //

Merona for Target dotted sheer black tights // Mossini for Target black suede ankle boots (get it here) //

H&M segmented gold necklace // Thrifted Goodwill vintage belt //

Photography: self; tripod and remote

Sugar Lips welcomed me to my new place with another little number to style, Royal Inclinations Dress.  The sweetheart neckline makes this dress special, aside from the interesting "vintage scarf print." It features a horse drawn carriage? Horse saddle? Golden pipe? Golden lion head pin? Not really sure but it's mighty pretty (and no, I do not condone smoking!). I chose to style it with my "military jacket" to fit the theme of the prints. This is my first time ever doing milkmaid braids, so be nice. I'm actually quite impressed with myself since I never ever do anything to my hair besides wash it (I may or may not even comb it ... :P) Bobby pins are a brilliant invention. After jumping around for nearly an hour trying to figure out how my new official Canon remote works, I kind of favour the old $3 bootleg Chinese version I got off some weird site. The distance is very very close to my tripod which is terrible for prime lens users and i found that it has trouble focusing too close and too far unless I throw it in auto mode (fine by me as long as it's crisp). Eh ... not worth the $23 and the trouble. Or maybe my lens is just bust from humidity for real :(

The material is a lot thinner than I expected, almost like a satin scarf but with less sheen. From the pictures on Sugar Lips' site, it looked like a sturdy cotton fabric. Still, I was adamant this morning to wear it because I have been looking forward to getting dolled up post-exam for class and I froze my butt off. It was below freezing last night and when I left my apartment it was 41 degrees F and my derrière was not happy in this thin summer piece and sheer tights. Where did the end of summer go? We went from giving our sweat glands a workout to sudden polar bearing without a memo. Shakin mah head.

The bust area on this dress was very loose, and fit more like a usual Medium (or the occasional S at Forever 21) so after fiddling with flimsy double sided tape and hiding this hot mess under my jacket, I finally pinched and pinned with a safety pin. Fixed! So basically, this dress runs big. Next time I would go with an XS, which they do have. On their page they suggested styling this with a trench coat and white pumps - can do! That will be my next outfit with this, and I'm going to try throwing a lightweight sweater or chiffon top under it too to save my poor arms in this chilly weather. Finished off my day with kickboxing my guts abs out and tomorrow I will once again not be able to climb stairs without screaming every step of the way. Exercise, baby - make that fat cry.

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Knotty Nautical | Fuchsia

H&M striped tshirt dress // H&M eggshell white cardigan // 

Merona/Target hot pink fuchsia loafers with brown tassels and back detail (get it here) //

Bracelets from H&M and Forever 21 // Revlon Lip Butter lipstick in Lollipop //

Photography: self; tripod and remote

A very simple school outfit that cost me a total of $7 head to toe. Won a $75 gift card from the H&M grand opening last week and this striped tshirt dress and eggshell white cardi would have been $13 + $18 but they were free! Target sales added this bright pair to my collection of flats: hot pink loafers with weird brown tassels and shoe versions of elbow pads in the back in a nice brown. These were hella on sale too but unfortunately gave me big open blisters for a week. Now my ankles are so calloused that it doesn't matter ack. Matching hot pink lipstick, kisskiss.

Having to give strangers the apologetic/nothing-to-see-here-whistling face is so weird when you see someone in the med year above you that you kind of know and it's just awk to Awktown. Anyway, adding to the sweat from 100 degrees Freakinghotheit (definition: noun; a new unit of temperature. Can you use it in a sentence? "Today in the Midwest I soaked two shirts and the thermometer read a zillion degrees Freakinghotheit, no wonder.") was this rightful social discomfort from 10 more undergrads walking by walking their dogs, big and little. Fast forward an hour and I'm sweating so much my pores are practically donating their own version of blood without my permission. Enter kickboxing session, not knowing what to expect, going along the lines of my adrenaline-fueled motto of "DO EPIC SHIfT" ... I had no idea would lay me on the floor like that! Core, crunch, kick, punch! That hour felt like eons and afterwards we went out for froyo and chrysanthemum bubble tea, undoing all that work. Aimless shopping at the Barnes & Noble and the haul consisted of a biochem textbook, medical Spanish workbook and sparkchart, scrubs top, review guide for the next standardized exam (once you think about a career in medicine, you commit to taking multiple choice exams until you're wielding a reflex hammer with a cane attached to it .. so basically forever).

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Navy Brat

H&M navy military jacket with gold buttons/embroidery (Euro 6) // 
H&M olive green cardigan (Euro 4) (underneath) //

H&M black and white striped pleated skirt (S) // Forever 21 opaque mustard yellow tights //

Pitaya/Qupid taupe knee high riding boots (5.5) // Totes pink and yellow polka dot umbrella //

Wet n Wild lipstick in Wine Room //

Photography: JJ

HOW ADMIRAL-BLE. Navy/military-inspired outfit for 2/10, such a long time ago. And that was the day before it happened. It was very cold and even snowing, so thanks again JJ for braving the snow and meteorological indecency to capture this quirky ensemble. Nautical or marching band, I can't quite decide. Either way it's been a longgg while since I've worn this military jacket because it's kind of difficult to style. It's relatively thick and bulky and wraps across the chest tightly and hides the neckline. Wearing it open doesn't seem to be an option because the flaps are simply too big. Popped on some mustard yellow tights and riding boots and we're good to go. Now I just realize that it's horizontal stripes from neck to knee, how interesting.

Bright berry lips cheer me up no matter the weather outside. And no, that isn't dandruff - it's snowflakes in my hair. Happy March, y'all! I'm 22 in 2 days. Isn't that cray? P.S. writing this at 2 AM makes me a little crazy and finally getting back in the swing/mood of posting outfits :) I'm taking it day by day. Thanks for all of your love and sympathy ♥ it really does mean a lot!

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California Dreamin'

Double Zero blue sleeveless romper (S) // Pitaya/ Lovely Day navy tuxedo boyfriend blazer (S) //

Merona calfhair leopard print flats (5.5) // Gifted pearl necklace (old) //

Thrifted Melie Bianco camel satchel bag //

Photography: JJ

I'M DREAMING OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS. As much as I want to roll around and make it a completely lazy Friday, Day 4 of The 12 Days of Fabulous! Can you believe it's only a week til Christmas? One more final and I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again. Winter Break is a much-needed recoup after this trying semester that danced away at a break-neck and yet sluggish pace. Meanwhile, I just beat Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword tonight. Oh man, I already feel nostalgic. We had a good run, Link.

BOYFRIEND BLAZER + A-LINE ROMPER. This blue romper is from the little gem of a store called SKY Boutique, located right by where I live. I remember feeling in awe as I walked around looking at all her treasures but frowning at the price tags. The colour is so perfect for the tail end of summer and the gold buttons give it a nautical feel. Best of all, there are pockets and the shorts part flare out a bit to give a feminine shape. With a strand of pearls on, I got complimented by a fellow WashU gal that I didn't even know. Threw on my navy boyfriend tuxedo blazer from Pitaya to keep warm for a day of exploration in Downtown San Diego (11/23) back during Turkey Break. Just looking at these photos now makes me cold! Just 3 more days of this Midwest chill and I'm back to walking on sunshine.

Drenched in a SoCal sunset, little plaza betwixt Jamba Juice and Starbucks.

Readers - what would you wear for warm weather holidays?

Enter my UNESTABLISH giveaway for TWO $50 gift cards!

Don't Rock the Boat

Faded Glory red scoopneck tee (XS) // Forever 21 red and navy striped high-waisted mini skirt (S) //
Fioni? white low heel slingbacks (5.5?) // H&M white bow fedora hat //
Forever 21 gold chain turquoise pendant necklace // Gifted turquoise ring //
H&M bird print blue sheer scarf // Urban Outfitters double face watch //

Photography: JJ

O.M.G. It's August ( !! ... : | ... D: D: ! My thoughts emoticons exactly). I've been on such a nautical streak lately, digging for the navy, white, and red striped pieces in my closet. If only I had a straw or white boater hat. Something about the slightly vintage pinup look makes me go ga-ga. This is what I wore to a pho linner (lunch-dinner, like brunch is breakfast-lunch) on Saturday (7/30) at Mai Lee, aimless yet fun tech browsing at Best Buy, and a dab of shopping at Tarjay (there's this nude pair of low wedges in 5.5 that keeps nagging at me to take them home ... must ... resist going back). Lots of birthdays this past weekend. Fast forward through go-karting, too much pizza and wings, 10-minute peanut butter sauce noodles, and not enough studying and here we are at the start of a new week.

Yesterday was a relatively productive Monday. I chugged through half the data analysis and outline for my summer research presentation on Thursday, ready for the end of the beginning. Went to the med school library after work and chugged through more pages of MCAT review/problems than my brain can process without sufficient caffeine intake. Today, on the other hand, called for a lengthy lunch at Pappy's Smokehouse "Best BBQ in St. Louis" and home of the Adam Bomb - in honor of the crazy guy from Man vs. Food. That is how much I ate in one sitting - (beef brisket and pulled pork sandwich, full rack of ribs, fresh cole slaw, Frito Pie with hot sausage, big slab of chicken) x0.25. My stomach wanted only to "rest and digest" and so that's what I've done all day ...  

This fall is going to be nuts too. I'm going to need a bigger coffeemaker.

Don't forget to enter my Apothica giveaway! Ending in 2 days !!!

Sailor Mouth

H&M ruffle detail navy top (S) // H&M black and white striped pleated mini skirt (Euro 4) //
H&M apple chunky plastic ring // H&M and Forever 21 bracelets // Forever 21 hummingbird gold layered necklace //
Merona bright orange strappy sandals (5.5) //

Photography: JJ

Today is the last day of July. Holy crap time flies. Quickest update ever in the midst of a clusterschmuck of cramming and work (300th post on Pandaphilia, y'all!). This is what I wore to Kaldi's coffeeshop today (7/31). Had a nice meeting for my community service group, shoved a bunch of chemistry and physics knowledge into my skull, drank several cups of coffee.

August arrives augustly tomorrow - I don't think I'm ready! This means a few days left until the end of my summer research program, 12 days until the MCAT exam, 13 days before I'm flying out to Orlando to see my BFF (first time in Florida - so excited!), 19 days until home in sweet sunny (but not blazing hot/humid TG) San Diego, 30 until senior year starts. This summer is spinning faster and faster out of a normal timescale.

Obsessed with pleated skirts. Can you believe this one was only $10 not on sale? : ) I swear it was dark blue stripes when I viewed it at the store ... Nautical nonsense - my fave. New sandals finally, bright orange and funky for comfortable summer frolicking (my white pair grew mold in the spring o_0). Also, I'm a sucker for quirky rings, if you didn't already know. Chunky apple sauce, anyone?

Last but not least, the giveaway winner for JStyleShopper $100 store credit is ...

[new winner chosen]

Congrats and please email me your mailing address ASAP. A new winner will be drawn in 72 hours if there is no response. Stay tuned for the Alonai Shoes giveaway winner!

Don't forget to enter my Apothica giveaway!