H&M Conscious Collection 2013 Fitting Room Review

Spring has finally replaced Santa in Ohio. Every year I check out the H&M Conscious Collection because of the unique print and shapes they design. All dresses were 25% off last weekend, surprise surprise at the register. With my life and laundry overflowing with clothing, I think it's about time to be much more selective about buying new pieces and making sure that they can be multitasked for work and play. Somewhere along this process I've become more concerned about fit, which leads to more head shaking and less wallet busting in the fitting room.

1) H&M Conscious Collection plant pattern white cropped pants $35, sz 4 
These pants fit my legs like a glove - now that's rare. Perfectly tapered at my ankles, cinched well at the waist with a little room for dinner in there. However, I knew the water lilies and greenery were too wild for work and I wouldn't rock these on a night out either - more of a leather pants or skirt type of gal. If only they made this in solids! If you're petite/around 5'3" with athletic thighs, these are the pair for you. According to the uber tall model, they're supposed to be well above the ankles but I think they look better on shorties like me. Photo cred: H&M
- Verdict: Passed due to pattern

2) H&M Conscious Collection rainforest tapestry sheath dress $20 (paid 15), sz 2 
Debated for a long time whether to get this dress - the print is impractical and the material very thin and quite sheer. However, since it's blazing 80s suddenly, I figure this could be more highbrow with a white blazer, more tough with my leather jacket, and cute to wear on its own in a park setting, the botanical gardens, Coachella. The fit is quite good on me - have to wiggle in but once I pull it down it sits well at the shoulders, chest area, hips, and gives me some booty.
- Verdict: Purchased but may return - what do you think?

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Supermoon Saturday Snapshots

Photography: JJ and me

THE AVENGERS !!! If you have not gotten your butt to a movie theatre yet, do so because this was 2.5 hours of in-your-face pure awesome. The actors were phenom (everyone loves some Robert Downey Jr and Chris Evans, right?), comedic relief right on the spot, and interesting plot quirks ("ohhhh it all makes sense now") for those who have watched paid attention to all the Marvel movies. Not to worry - I have friends who haven't seen anything besides Ironman and they thoroughly enjoyed and followed the film. Stay after both end credits for two extra scenes.

Also, tonight is the SUPERMOON, the biggest moon this year. It's 15,300 miles (24,600 km) closer to Earth than usual and shining white and bright. Makes me want to track things in the woods by moonlight all folklore-style. Here are some photos JJ took with his mad cam skills (confession: I'm still having trouble figuring out where all my buttons are, let alone using them in manual T__T)

Went to Starbucks to study in an Express denim romper from Goodwill ($3 baby). It was well over 90 degrees and humid today, so lots of sweat was involved. Fear not, half off Frappucino Week is here (May 4-13, 3-5 PM) and we got a hugeee Mocha Cookie Crumble frappucino for free for JJ's bday. Will be there at the crack of dawn to hustle for a good table and get some neuro studying on, full throttle. Found some interesting things at Urban Outfitters too like flamingo flats and a studded fanny pack (nerd meets rocker - awesome). Picasa and Flickr codes don't like each other. After two hours of tinkering with code ... kthxbai

As always, my Instagram username is @pandaphilia. Follow me for foodporn and daily snapshots!

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Vintage Style Backpacks & Cat Eye Glasses

Vintage styled rucksack backpacks from Aldo. I got the blue and purple floral one on the left but the striped grey and white one on the right is cute too ($50). An adorable black with tiny white polka dots backpack that I didn't see in stores.

Grey and white striped tote with a silk scarf attached.

Urban Outfitters cat eye sunglasses. These are the perfect cat eye shape for my face but alas they're clear. Still on the hunt!

Forever 21 Burberry clear raincoat dupe (similar from Topshop). Looked good on their lookbook but this is pretty eww in person.

Filler randomness: these were mall sightings from a few weeks ago. Sitting on the top floor of the library surrounded by panoramic greening foliage and in clear view of the stained glass windows of Graham Chapel. Oh spring, never leave my sight again.

Readers - any cute mall sightings recently?

First Time Thrifting: Scholarshop

Location: Scholarshop in Clayton, 8211 Clayton Rd, St. Louis, MO 63117 (314-725-3456)

I've already lied to you in the title as I now recall that I've been thrifting a number of times in high school, but never with the intention of actually buying clothes and mostly just to look for cheap trash to tinker with at Goodwill or something for swordfighting. I remember getting a cute mini Hello Kitty backpack somewhere for $3 and that red knit beanie for 75 cents. Avalon Exchange barely counts as thrifting, since the Loop location is liable to jacked-up prices from tourism and college students. So this is my first intentional act of thrifting for fashion's sake. And boy was it long and memorable.

As most of you might remember your first time walking into a thrift store: like a Forever 21 filled with strange smelling, unique things gathered in about just as organized a fashion (my mind's already screaming with claustrophobia). Overwhelming. Well, the best way to view it is treasure hunting, as "one (wo)man's trash is another (wo)man's treasure." After a harrowing hour or so, I had it narrowed down to about 8 items for the fitting rooms.

The cool thing about Scholarshop is that all the profits go to fund scholarships for St. Louis kids. If there's anything I want to give back to this city that's housed me during these four years of college, it's a firm education future for the children. I don't just say this in a sappy first world problems sort of way ... there's a lot learned from doing community service for their families, the ones that can't even scrape together enough to pay for electricity and hot water, let alone dream of sending their six kids to college. So, you bring together shoppers with unquenchable thirsts for new thrift finds at affordable prices and voila, it's a start for helping.

What was I hunting for? Mint. Pastels. Clearly in the mind for spring, and mostly mint. I grabbed anything that looked pale-ish green or blue haha as you can see from the nice array hanging behind me in the fitting room. Clearly distracted by the beautiful dresses and gowns and heavily beaded numbers. Thrift stores are a great way to dive into a trend without spending much money at all - this mint blouse and I are MFEO and it was only $7!

Here's the quick breakdown of the Scholarshop experience: the customer service left me alone for the most part, which was nice since I snapped so many pictures (thanks!). The clothes were all in great shape and man were there a lot of racks. The hours aren't that long so they close promptly at 5 PM on Fridays, which is when I went with two of my friends, Alice and Jessi (thanks Alice for taking the photos of me!). The fitting rooms were spacious and the lines are pretty long sometimes towards closing time. Children's and men's sections didn't yield much to me upon first glance. And luckily quite the pick of small-sized pieces if you look hard :)

Would I come back? Definitely!

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insta-glam

Super cute structured bag in fire engine red at H&M. It magnets shut so no buckling involved and is $25. It's a medium size and can fit my Nook just fine. Cute! but don't need another bag. Just love the style. Thanks Alice for letting me "borrow your instagram" haha. Come May, I want to update to an iPhone for hopefully more reasons than simply to use instagram ... :P

Super cute big silver glittery envelope clutch with metal detail $25 at H&M. I'm a frickin barracuda.

This rosy light pink straw fedora (H&M) had a trim that perfectly matched my abstract cocoon wrap! Hats are a fun concept on me but somehow always look funky on my head. It's okay in this pic :)

I like Jessica Simpson a lot more when she's designing shoes and clothes. Mint jeans (crazy about, but only big sizes left and too expensive) and this adorable white one shoulder eyelet frilly top (also too pricey). I am MINT-CRAZY.

A lot more Spring Break fun to share with you guys! Yesterday, my friends and I went thrift shopping for the first time and I took a ton of pictures. Today JJ and I biked to the zoo and had all kinds of adventures. Living so fast it's hard to keep up with it on the blog, still gonna try. Now back to our epic extended edition Lord of the Rings marathon :)

Readers - do you Instagram or what is a good Android substitute?

They Outfit the Urbanites

BLING-LE BELLS. Day 3 of "The 12 Days of Fabulous" at Urban Outfitters in San Diego. (Yes I realize I already missed Day 2 for cat-lady-crazy-finals, will wrap around and double it tomorrow). I still love window shopping inside UO, though I rarely ever shell out (except for my favourite double face watch). It feels like the perfect picturesque museum of cool stuff.

Lately I've been obsessing over sequins and sparkly things this holiday season. I remember thinking, "oh eww ... gawdy" as endless sheen decorated Forever 21's two years ago, but now it's the new hot thing and I simply can't resist looking like a good Times Square New Years Eve disco ball. Currently hunting for the perfect little gold sequined number ... and there will be some nice therapeutic holiday shopping tomorrow after this horrendous hell week of back-to-back finals.

Pardon my French, but the second photo is my favourite ever. Domokun dinorawr, moustache bunny, Angry Birds, the perfect descriptor of my life sometimes always. P.S. More great news from the med school front!

Readers - what's your favourite place to window shop?

Enter my UNESTABLISH giveaway for TWO $50 gift cards!