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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Parkas are for Apple Picking

ASOS biker parka jacket in Khaki (c/o) // Forever 21 ivory lace dress // 

H&M faux leather waxed leggings // Target suede black ankle booties //

Chicwish gold spike chain necklace // H&M apple ring //

Lancome red lipstick in Rouge Baroque // 

Photography: Kristin P, tripod & remote

Casual Friday Snow White picking poison apples? Almost. The girls and I went apple picking Friday morning to savour the chilly beginning that signifies true fall, wearing jackets for a total of 2 days before clinging onto our winter coats with our chattering teeth. It was Fuji day and we totally sneaked a few juicy munches in the midst of the orchard (tee hee). Upon entering Trader Joe's to pick up some groceries afterwards, I discovered my sincere addiction for everything pumpkin, and had to run away before I carted every box of pumpkin pie, cheesecake, and macarons I saw.

You can imagine how ecstatic I was when ASOS contacted me for a collaboration! Best thing about this parka is the utilitarian satisfaction of having a zillion pockets with zippers, a hood, and drawstring to cinch in the waistline. I ordered a size UK 4 since that's what the sizing guide recommended, but probably need a UK 2 since it's quite long and boxy on me (see the petite version on Sydney). I paired this boyfriend-fit, tomboyish outerwear piece with a girly lace frock and waxed leggings to keep warm. Even though my package was stolen off my doorstep, the ASOS Facebook support team sorted everything out and had a replacement package sent to me in a week (works better than emailing support if your package ever gets lost en route from the UK).

So, where the heck have I been? Well ... skydiving, paragliding, running my first 5k, white water rafting on class V rapids, classy-venue a cappella gigs, learning to do front flips and pelvic exams. Though second year is busy and challenging, it's still possible to live unapologetically in between the madness :) It was also really nice to meet up with my friend Jenny, whom I haven't seen for a good two years, and chat about the good ole days over bubble tea. JJ was here to visit and we ate our fill of bibimbap, fancy comfort food brunch, and curry burritos, went to a local pumpkin festival (so much pumpkin everything - fudge, sloppy joes, pizza, and a 14-foot diameter pie!?) to cure my newfound addiction once and for all, and watched the original Carrie and other scary movies to celebrate the Halloween mood. Happy Monday!

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Guest Post: My Top Tips for Dressing to Impress In Your New Career

Today we have a guest post from Victoria M, telling us about how to dress to impress on a new job. Since starting med school, this topic has definitely been on my mind for building a (fun) professional wardrobe!

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I’ve just started a job in a really busy office environment and I love it so far. As it’s my first job, I know that I must make an impact with the work that I do, but also how I present myself in the office. People are constantly watching how I behave and react to situations and other colleagues, and all of this information will be fed back to me during my appraisals every three months. I want a really positive report so I’ve been on my best behaviour and been really thoughtful with what I wear.

I would never advocate dressing provocatively at work as this is the wrong type of impression to leave people with; once you get a label at work it is hard to shake it off. Instead, I am a huge fan of dressing professionally yet in a feminine way. Here are my top tips if you’re just starting out too.

Buy matching sets

If you want a fail safe way to dress for the office, head to the work wear department of a shop and have a look at the matching sets. You should be able to find plenty of skirts and jackets, or trousers and jackets if you prefer. All you’ll need to do is put a smart top on underneath and then its most of your outfit sorted. However once you get a little more confident you might start noticing knee-length pencil dresses that would work well with your jacket, or a high waisted skirt that would look excellent with your favourite work shirt.

Remember the ironing

Speaking of shirts, I’d urge you to iron all of them before you wear them. I know that you can buy many “no-iron” shirts these days but they always look much crisper when you do. And it’d be typical if the one time you didn’t, your boss called you in for a meeting! I try and do all of my ironing on a Sunday when I’m watching TV, it makes the job a lot easier and more bearable.

Invest in some great shoes

Once you’ve got the bones of your outfit together, don’t ruin the effect by putting on a grubby pair of shoes. I’ve bought four pairs of beautiful heels solely for office use. One pair is a glossy black, another pair nude, then I also have dark grey and blue. By having a few different shades you’ll be able to match them better with the suit sets you’re wearing.

Hosiery is helpful

As it’s autumn now, I’d suggest buying some dependable hosiery to keep yourself warm. Stay away from cheap pairs that fall down or snag easily as you’ll forever be replacing them. Buy a thicker denier pantyhose and you won’t worry about getting a ladder when you pick something up off the floor in the office.

Accessorize to complete your look

Finally, don’t forget to pick up some sophisticated accessories to wear with your work outfits. My favourite picks include jewellery sets (pearls work well) and neck ties. You might also want to find some leather belts, handbags and some nicer VDU glasses. Job done!

This article is a sponsored post and was written by the sponsor; it has been reviewed by me. I received monetary compensation. 

NYFW SS 2014: Wine Red Tulle + Leather Accents

Eshakti (borrowed from Elle) burgundy tulle midi skirt // Urban Outfitters faux leather panel top //

Kristin Perry gold rose cat eye sunglasses // Express T-strap nude captoe stilettos //

Melie Bianco camel satchel bag // Wet n Wild lipstick in Wine Room

Photography: Mangue Banzima (1), Pierre Doumenjou (2,3)

DAY 2 MBFW. Still coming off my New York high - daydreaming about textures, colours, fit. These two handsome gents are my friends Rashad (@thestyleguyy) and Amechi (@bowtiemeach), stylist and tie-craftsman, respectively. Aren't they dapper in their fit-like-a-glove suits? We hung out together on our first experience inside NYFW, checking out shows that came our way, exploring the sponsor booths, and meeting fellow fashion influencers. Even a couple of weeks after, we're still keeping in touch and looking forward to bumping into each other at future events. It felt flattering and unreal to be snapped by streetstyle photographers and I tried chatting with each person afterwards to get a glimpse of his/her life story. For example, Pierre moved from France to NYC recently and used the festivities outside Lincoln Center as a springboard to launch his blog.