5 WAYS TO WEAR YOUR HERMÈS SCARF

April 12, 2019

Happy Friday! For my birthday this year, my husband gifted me an accessory I’ve been wanting for quite sometime: An Hermès carre scarf. Timeless, classic, utter perfection. The story behind the scarf: Artist Pierre Marie pays tribute to the "Les Amoureux de Paris" scarf, designed by Maurice Tranchant in the 1950s, on which several famous couples silhouette against a map of the City of Light. A marriage proposal on the Right Bank, a couple dancing on the Left Bank, love is alive on both sides of the Seine in Paris, the most romantic of cities. A jogging couple head for the Tuileries Garden, two cyclists embrace near the Madeleine church, a pair of skateboarders meet up in the Quai de la Gare quarter. The new interpretation is illustrated by contemporary lovers, straight out of everyday life. It holds such a beautiful message on top of such a beautiful piece. And what I love most about this scarf is its versatile abilities when it comes to styling. The possibilities are endless. Which is why in today’s post, I’m really excited to be sharing 5 different ways to wear your Hermès scarf! I could have worn it in so many other ways with this particular piece, but I chose to go with styles that I’d wear often, are practical and chic. Continue reading to see how you can achieve the looks along with where to get this beautiful scarf!

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THE CLASSIC HEADSCARF

Head scarves can be dressy and classic - think Princess Grace of Monaco or Audrey Hepburn - or sporty and casual... and an excellent solution to 'bad hair' days! I tied it in the front under my chin here but you can also try crossing the ends of the scarf under your chin, then take them round to the back (or side) of your neck and tie them. Pair it with some sunnies for the French Riviera look!

THE HEAD WRAP

A street smart update on the classic headscarf. I actually refer this the pirate/painter way as these are the types of people wearing the scarf as such, lol. Fold your scarf into a triangle and drape it over your head with the long edge of the triangle across your forehead. Take the two ends back across the sides of your head and tie at the back in a square knot.

THE BELT WRAP

Tie the silk scarf around your waist, swap ends to the opposite hand, then tie at the back to secure. It instantly adds a pop of color and pattern and is an unexpected detail that can totally make a basic outfit look so much more polished and stylish. Wrap it through your belt loops and knot it in front, or wrap it around your waist to carve out your shape in a billowy dress or top. So easy, so chic.

THE PONYTAIL WRAP

A glamorous way to accessorize a simple ponytail. A ponytail is not just a ponytail when accented with a beautiful scarf! This style can employ either an along-the-length folded oblong scarf or a square scarf in a bias-band fold.Fold your scarf on the bias, then wrap it twice around your ponytail, finishing with a square knot. For a very dressy look for evening, tie the ends in a big bow!

STANDARD SCARF WRAP

I could have shown the Lady Lavallière - silk ties for the butterfly effect. (Looks like a huge bow) but I could not see myself wearing it this way as every day use. So I went with the standard scarf wrap, except I kept the triangle end unfolded to create a little more flair to something that is quite traditional. What do you think? You can also styles scarves around handbags, wrists, tops and so much more.

LOVE & XX’S,

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Lilac is the New Neutral

April 10, 2019

WEARING: LILAC TRENCH | SILK BLOUSE | JEANS | TWO-TONE SANDALS

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY NATURALIZER BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

If there’s one color during spring that I can never say no to, it’s the beautiful lilac shade. It’s light and strong, pure and elegant, but playful and intriguing. This color has really been making a scene, especially since last spring season in ‘18 - so much so, that’s it’s become an acceptable color for all seasons. There are several color schemes/combinations to work with lilac, and in today’s post, I’m keeping it very casual with a pop of extra color in the footwear. Continue reading to see and find where you can shop these pieces online!

#TodayWeWill share our stories - to remember and enjoy, as we should every day. 💜🌸✨ My mother always had difficulty finding a shoe brand that carried her size (she was a US 4.5!) I too, have trouble, like mother, like daughter, when it comes to footwear; we’re both very petite. Naturalizer was one of the first shoe brands that my mother loved and wore, since they were one of the first brands to have her size. Now, here I am following her footsteps in comfort & style. These two-toned ankle strap sandals are only $90 and come in a variety of colors! I think my 엄마 would’ve chose white or a lovely shade of pink for spring.

This stretch silk charmeuse blouse features a hand drawn artisanal floral print for feminine style and charm. Side slits allow for flexible movement throughout your day. That’s why I love wearing it with a pair of trousers, or in this case, a pair of jeans. I’m such a denim-loving gal, literally cannot live without jeans! I loosely tucked in the silk blouse to give it a more casual vibe with the trench. Unfortunately the lilac trench I have on is sold out in the US and Japan, so I’ve linked very similar lilac trench coats above, in the beginning of this post.

The jeans I have on are also sold out, but I’ve linked a very similar pair from the same brand. They’re the perfect boyfriend jeans. I really love any style when it comes to jeans, but a frayed or distressed hem really gets me going, I always think it brings a bit more edge to a casual look. What do you think? This look could be styled with a skirt or trousers as well. I’d probably go with black to keep is less busy since the blouse is great on its own with no other prints.

Stay tuned for Friday’s post where I’ll be styling an iconic accessory in five different ways. It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time, so it is a special kind of post. I hope you’ll enjoy it along with today’s post! As always, shop at the top, middle and end of each outfit post with direct links, with the exception of the trench today as I have said the one I’m wearing is sold out. Thanks for stopping by, I’ll see you guys soon!

LOVE & XX’S,

SHOP THE LOOK

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10 Ways to Be a Badass

March 25, 2019

Normally when one thinks of a badass, one doesn’t usually come across an image of myself but more so along the lines of ‘The Terminator’, ‘Rocky’… even Lara Croft. Or perhaps a pick-up artist or someone who is all about getting ‘ripped’. My physique is petite more than anything else. But it’s what you carry on the inside that truly resonates who you are. So after my birthday weekend, I had some reflections as to where I am in life and who I really am as well. And I can assure you, I’m one hell of a badass for many reasons. So continue reading to learn more on ten ways to be more of a baddie in your life as well!

1. STOP GIVING A FK ABOUT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK OF YOU!**

As a trained figure skater, I was criticized on a daily basis (and then some) which became part of the norm in my childhood. Good and bad, the latter proved to toy with my insecurities for years. But what it has also taught me is discipline, perseverance and most importantly, the only competition that I’m up against is with myself. Do you really think, with the career I’m in now, that I’d have any real fighting chance if I spent my days trolling Instagram worrying about other people and what they think of me? I’d never leave the house! So throw caution to the wind in this case - once you really don’t care about what others think of you and are only worried about yourself, it is forever life changing. And yes, a complete badass in doing so!

2. TAKE ACTION IN SPITE OF FEAR

We are human after all, we all become afraid of many things throughout our life. But it’s how we manage that fear is what counts. To lead an exciting life, one must be open to new experiences. Jump with a leap of faith instead of waiting for something to happen. You just got to go for it, remember that you are uncomfortable because you are simply traveling out of your comfort zone, which is a good thing. Overcoming fears equals personal growth, and badasses are far more capable than what they ever imagined to be. Better to have tried than not try at all.

3. BE COOL TO EVERYONE

Not to say one should be a doormat, but it never hurts to be kind. We are all in this together, meaning we are all going to go down just in different ways so while we’re here we should at least try to be nice to one another. Don’t get me wrong, once a boundary has been stepped outside of its line, I won’t be as cool. But to me, a badass isn’t a ‘mean girl’ or a beyotch with an attitude, but more so someone who is diplomatic, cool, calm and collective throughout many different scenarios. Treat others how you’d like to be treated. The cooler you are to everyone else, the cooler they’re gonna be to you.

4. STAND UP

Whether it’s for yourself or someone else, do it for the right reasons. Not for an ego boost. When you see someone being taken advantage of, abused, or wronged who may not have the strength to stand up for themselves, do whatever you can to help. Don’t go getting yourself into situations you can’t handle, but if there’s any opportunity to fight some sort of injustice before you, stand up and do something about it. Rise up for yourself because if you can’t do that, you’re not going to be able to help others either. But you’ll never regret doing either or the other!

5. SAY NO

Of course, it’s important to learn when to say yes but I believe it is even more important to learn when to say no. And rather frequently. You can’t please everyone, and even if you tried (which I have in the past) you will never win over everybody. Quickly saying yes to everyone and everything will consequently have you lose your focus and dilute your power. Be selective, take time in your decisions, and definitely be down to say NO AF. Lol.

6. STOP TALKING, AND START DOING

If I have to endure one more conversation amongst ‘bloggers’ as to what I have in store for summer plans, future content ideas, etc; I’m going to die of exasperation. Less talk, more action. Like a writer, don’t tell me… but SHOW ME. One of the best ways to stay stuck in your life is to constantly talk about things and never take action. If you want to really change your life or achieve a big goal, then commit to being someone who takes big action and does something about it after rather than the other way around. It kind of coincides with #1 but it’s all about delivering what you plan on doing. GET IT DONE!

7. KEEP IT MOVING

Life will try to beat you down, others will try and take what you have, and your own mind will tell you that you’re not good enough, but… guess what? The world doesn’t revolve around you and you have to maintain at not relenting. Don’t give up. Keep plugging away at it and go after it single-mindedly. Don’t let anything get in your away. Remember why you are doing what you’re doing and don’t let go of that.

8. ADAPT

Stay on your path and trudge forward with big strides, but be flexible and adapt to the conditions of the road. If you want to make the universe laugh, just tell them your plans. Things will go awry. If you’re too rigid, life will feel like it’s against you, so sometimes you got to adapt a little and go with the flow. Be like water, not cement.

9. FOLLOW YOUR GUT

It’s there for a reason, and believe me when I say this, it knows much more than you do! ;) If someone or something feels wrong to you, or a project just doesn’t feel right…listen to what your intuition is telling you. There’s a good chance that it’s right and you should at least consider what is going on. Don’t have a knack for it, or so you think? Meditate, take long walks, do things that will open your inner compass and guide you to do what is best for you.

10. KNOW WHO YOU ARE

We all have different sides to ourselves, but more so of what we project to the outside world, and then who we are - as in… who we really are deep down inside. In my profession, it’s easy to just think I’m this or that, depending on what’s in a person’s ‘about me’ page, outfit, tweet, and then some. None of this makes a person. What’s in your heart and what actions you take definitely take hold over who you truly are as a person. And it’s all about being able to look at yourself in the mirror every morning and be very accepting with yourself. Because if you can’t even face yourself, how do you really know yourself? Be happy knowing your true self, a badass at heart all the way!

LOVE & XX’S,

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NYFW AW19 Outfits

February 13, 2019

Wrapping up on Day 6 of New York Fashion Week this season, I’m starting off with a week of outfits! I wanted to share a range of my personal style for you guys! Staying true to my maximalist rebellious tendencies, I played print on print, bold vibrant color and different era contrasts, for example: The 40s with a modern vibe. And lots of different fabrics, such as sequin, tweed, velvet, cashmere and more. So stop for a few - take a peek and let me know what what your favorite look from the past week! Stay tuned for more fashion week content, my regular roundup of the shows I attended and this year I’ll be sharing a beauty trend report from what I saw backstage! Keep your eyes peeled, it’s all going down in the next couple of days before I head off to London Fashion Week! xx

WEARING: FLORAL PRINT DRESS | HOUNDSTOOTH JACKET | WESTERN BOOTS | TRI-COLOR BAG | MARBLE HOOP EARRINGS

LOVE & XX’S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

5 Reasons Why You Should Take a Social Media Break

January 14, 2019

WEARING: MINT GREEN CARDIGAN | WIDE LEG JEANS | WHITE ANKLE BOOTS | BLACK & WHITE BAG

When I first was building MaQ + Suz, which I still am, times have changed in the past three years. And even though I have remained consistent throughout this time, it has come to my realization now more than ever that as a creative person, it is vital to my well-being to un-plug from the social media world. I’m constantly on it for work, and lately the daily cycle of cranking out content has felt like it’s never-ending and yes, everyone can burn out! When everything is all about instant-gratification these days, I still think it’s completely acceptable to take a detox/break from something that isn’t always necessarily beneficial to you. As much as I love to share my life on social media, I also can really appreciate when to say no to certain things when it comes to what I do for a living. So in today’s post I’m sharing 5 reasons why you should take a social media break from time to time. Continue reading for more.

1. IT HELPS YOU SET BOUNDARIES

For many of us, social media can feel like an anxiety-fueled space, and it’s up to us to decide when to say enough is enough and not let any form of negativity into our personal space. Even on an everyday basis, I try and restrict myself to about 2 hours of social media postings and scrolling. But by setting a daily routine like a time limit of my time on my phone and taking mini-breaks even this way can be the healthiest boundary you set for yourself , which is the ultimate form of self-care. This weekend, I forbade myself from posting on social media, no matter how guilty I felt not doing so. I am exhausted, sick (migraine all day Sunday) and in need of recuperating from my job where there are literally no days off. And you know what? It led to learning other reasons why this is great to do every so often. (or as much as you like… you are your own boss, no?)

2. GET YOUR CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING

Whenever I really start to feel burnt out, I will go off the grid for a couple of days. I also have a tendency to do this when I’m suffering from writer’s block. This doesn’t bring forth my creativity per se, but you’d be amazed how great you’d feel after a full weekend of rest and just doing things you love to do, like read a book, go to the museum, have a phone call with a friend, taking a long walk with my dog, these mini-breaks not only take my mind off and recharge my batteries, it is then when these types of activities help influence my creativity. Sometimes freeing the mind and not trying to think so hard about the next amazing photo shoot actually will bring the next amazing photo shoot. Trust in the retreat your mind and body absolutely need to take every now and then.

3. RECLAIM YOUR TIME

You know you can’t buy back time, but you can reclaim it. With Apple iOS 12's “Screen Time” feature, you can track your social media usage. I'm currently using this tool and discovered that I could have likely read Murakami’s new novel in the time I spent scrolling Instagram last week. YIKES. Which in turn gives you more time for other things in your life aside from social media. Because I guarantee this is not the most important part of life by any means... it doesn’t define you as a person. Life is short. Spend it wisely.

4. KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE

Others’ comments or who has viewed your Insta-stories, or what’s currently trending… Yet another distraction when it comes to social media. It all leads to nowhere. I always remind myself why I started the blog in the first place. And I think the immense desire to someone’s “15 minutes of fame” is more and more outweighing the desire to create quality content and/or visual story-telling. So when whatever I see online all starts to become white noise and very little is inspiring me, it’s time to take a breather from the overly saturated social media world. When I de-tach myself from it temporarily, it always brings me back to where I started and why. Which is really important if you want to continue visualizing the big picture, too. Remember why you started.

5. RECONNECT AND COME BACK STRONGER

This kind of coincides with number 2 in this post. But this is more about our inner work. As I just said, social media is not the definition to life, nevertheless, it doesn’t define you. It’s a brand, a label, a front to what really is reality. Because in the world of advertising, not everything is ever the complete truth. And the same goes with what I do. Every photo is staged. Choreographed with makeup, hair, clothes, location, a lens, etc to end the final result with a quality image and a story behind it. It’s simply never just a snap. So when it comes to comparing yourself to others, for example, be clear about your goals and do the self-work IRL to come out confident; it will help curb the anxiety that the Instagram comparison game creates. Focusing on other parts of your life aside from social media/work isn’t just a simple “distraction” from the other not so glamorous side to what I do, it’s always a resetter. It helps me regroup and reconnect with loved ones and yes, myself. Sometimes a little self-care goes a long way, and if you’re feeling a bit unsure about what you’re doing online, it’s time to take a step back and regroup, reset and reconnect. And in the long run, you will always come back stronger. Remember this too… social media isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.