Summertime Melancholy

August 3, 2020

WEARING: CRISSCROSS TIE BACK SHIRRED WAIST CROP TOP | FOLD PLEAT WIDE LEG PANTS

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

All dressed up with nowhere to go! Sounds about right these days… but I have definitely been enjoying these ‘studio sessions’ of self-portraits at home. It’s not the same as street style photographs, where somewhere like NYC, there’s a million and one locations to go shoot at. But just at home? It’s like a blank canvas and not much noise in the background. My style has evolved into something more minimal and I’ve been loving how I incorporate that into the styled image. So in today’s post, I’m sharing a small series I did over the weekend wearing my new favorite matching set. The dusty purple color has me swooning, along with the quality and fit of the pleat wide leg pants and crisscross crock top. It is quite simple, yet understatedly chic. Just the way I like it. And the price is nice. Less than $40 for the set. Would be cute to mix and match, such as wearing the halter top with jeans or the trousers with a different colored top. You can shop the look throughout this post. Wishing you a lovely and safe week! See you soon, friends. x

LOVE & XX’S,

SHOP THE LOOK

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

Belted Scarf Outfit

September 30, 2019

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY AMEDEE PARIS AND CHICWISH BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

Happy Monday & Happy Fall! One of my favorite seasons weather-related aside, it is one of my favorite seasons in fashion as well. Layers after layers, boots galore, and a personal obsession with outerwear, I’m all for it. One accessory for the season that I’ve been really into lately is scarves: All shapes and sizes. And with the colder weather approaching, I love a good scarf that can keep me warm! So in today’s post, I’m sharing one way to style your scarf to look extra chic! Easy peasy, on top. Come check out the full story and continue reading to find out where you can get this look for the fall season!

When it comes to any type of accessory there are two qualities I’m seeking. One, the level of craftsmanship; and two, and the environmental requirements that are necessary for this day and age. Amédée Paris’s Signature hand-roll finished square scarf completely embodies this. Screen printed by French artisans. these scarves are 100% ethically-made & sourced Merino wool from New Zealand. Dimensions: 135cm x 135cm and can be styled many different ways, but a recent favorite of mine is the one-shoulder belted scarf look. It looks strong with a structured blazer or wide-leg pant, but it is the cinch of the belt that seals the deal if you will.

This look has an emphasis on masculinity, but just like any outfit, I love putting a twist on things, and the juxtaposition of feminine vs. masculine is something I do quite often in terms of my style. To complement with the scarf as well as bring a feminine touch to this look, I went with red strappy sandals and a couple of hairpins to soften up the more boyish side to this outfit. I love burgundy/maroon mixed with navy blue for fall, so I opted a beautiful white crossbody bag from Unitude that had hints of blue suede on the handle that goes well with the belt. Would you wear this look to court? How about if you were some sort of “Boho Lawyer”? Thanks for stopping by, I’ve gathered links down below and at the end of the post for future reference. Wishing you a wonderful week! xx

LOVE & XX’S,

SHOP THE LOOK

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

5 Ways to Style A White Shirt Dress

June 24, 2019

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY STYLEWE AND THESIS CRISIS BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

Happy Monday, everyone! How was your weekend? Over a month ago I had styled an indigo shirt dress to which many of you went crazy over the dress. The blue color is a shade I wouldn’t wear everyday, but white I definitely can! So, today on the blog, I’m sharing 5 different ways to style a white shirt dress for the summer season. I’ve switched it up from casual to more dressy, but these looks can definitely be carried throughout the rest of the season. There is also a video I’ve posted on my Instagram channel showcasing the five looks. Check it out here. Continue reading to see full visual story and also to find direct links to each piece from every individual look.

WEARING: WHITE SHIRT DRESS | MELON BAG | BEIGE PEARL HEELS

The first way is to wear the white shirt dress by itself. No belts, no jackets, nada. Just solo. This type of dress would also work great as a beach cover-up aside from wearing it in the city during a hot summer day. Since wearing white alone keeps the look pretty plain, I thought it would be best to style the dress with bold, luxury statement pieces to bring the outfit to life. I paired it with my new favorite bag from Thesis Crisis and these luxurious slingbacks from YUUL YIE. I also wore a pair of resin hoop earrings, to balance with the accessories.

WEARING: WHITE SHIRT DRESS | RED BAG | WHITE LACE-UP SANDALS | BERMUDA SHORTS JEANS | PEARL HAIR CLIP

The second way I styled the white shirt dress is a variated criss-cross top. It’s a little sassy and a little business-y, which makes it a perfect look for an afternoon filled with meetings even through the evening should you have other events to attend to. I like that I feel like a boss even though it’s a more casual vibe. The bermuda short jean is super trendy this summer. If you want a more serious type of look, you can style this shirt dress and jeans with a sleek black blazer. Other accessories in this look are my favorite red Furla bag, white tie-up sandals from Linzi and pearl hair clips from Atelier des Femmes.

WEARING: MUSTARD YELLOW BLAZER | WHITE SHIRT DRESS | YELLOW BAG | WIDE LEG JEANS | RUBY PATENT SLINGBACKS

The third look is all about my favorite summer color at the moment: Yellow! Inspiration from this look? Lakers girl! I’m a die-hard fan and also kept my California roots to this outfit. Casual, slightly boho, chic and fun. Very L.A. kind of gal. The yellow blazer is from Akira and the bag is from Forzieri, the brand: Le Parmentier Paris. You can get your Peyote bag from Forzieri. Use the code name: SUZANNE15 for 15% OFF on Le Parmentier bags collection at forzieri.com valid until July 4th. The white shirt dress is styled in a very similar way like look 2 except instead of the tie being criss-crossed to the back, I took it to the front and did a simple tie around. I also unbuttoned a few more buttons located in the back which opened the dress a bit more to show off the wide leg jeans. Other accessories include bold statement hoop earrings and vintage Calvin Klein ruby patent slingbacks.

Another great way to style a white shirt dress is by making it into a cardigan/kimono/beach wrap. In look #4, I went with an all-white look. Perfect for a beach day, picnic, or an all-white party (just hold the marinara sauce away from me LOL) this casual look is a recent fave and will definitely be a repeat offender this summer. The trick to an all-white look is wearing different shades of white. This will help to not have you look washed-up and creates more dimension to a simple look. That and play on textures and materials, such as this headband scarf from Atelier des Femmes and these chunky sole buckle detail sandals in white from Ego Shoes.

WEARING: WHITE SHIRT DRESS | POLKA DOT HAIR SCRUNCHIE SCARF | BLACK MERMAID SKIRT | BLACK MARY JANES | GOLD STATEMENT EARRINGS

Last but not least is the most dressy of looks. I got the inspiration from sonatas in classical music as they are one of my favorites in this genre. Chopin, specifically. So I wanted to style the white shirt dress in a more refined, polished up look. First thoughts that came to mind was black and white, gold accents, and a bold vampy lip. I chose to tuck in the front of the dress shirt - you’ll need a skirt that has breathing room like this black mermaid one I’m wearing that’s perfect for date night. The back of the shirt dress has a simple but chic bow tie that I feel works wonderfully with the polka dot hair scrunchie scarf and gold statement earrings. The black mary janes seal the look with its gold accents and sleek fit. Another favorite look. What were some of your favorite outfits from this post? I’d love to hear from you - leave your thoughts in the comment section down below!

LOVE & XX’S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

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

8 Things I Learned From Traveling Solo

March 6, 2018

WEARING: SAKU NEW YORK LONG CLASSIC WOOL GREEN COAT | SHEIN FRINGE PATCH MESH TOP | 
SAKU NEW YORK TWO LAYERED WIDE SLIT PANTS | STELLA & DOT LAYERED FEATHER NECKLACE | 
GUCCI BELT | EGO NASH BACKLESS ANKLE BOOTS | THACKER NYC SAGE TOTE | 
ACCRUE BONNIE SUNGLASSES

photos by: Rowben Lantion

A couple of weeks ago I traveled solo internationally for the first time in my life. Yes, I've traveled here and there, even to Ukraine with a group of college students and such, but I've never gone anywhere outside the states completely alone. Now, it wasn't anywhere super exotic, as there was no language barrier or extreme culture shock, but I did want to start off somewhere and challenge myself. One of my greatest pleasures in life is doing things people tell me I cannot do. Not to prove them wrong, but to prove to myself that as my dad had always said, "You can do anything you set your mind to." Is this the craziest thing a person has set out to do? Of course not. However, everyone has their own personal journey and going on that road to find whatever it is they are looking for, I think, is courage enough. You see, for one, I have never set foot in London, let alone the UK - and two, it has been a dream of mine to attend London Fashion Week - so to set this into notion and actually have it take place has been a dream within itself. So in today's post, I wanted to share a reflection of my thoughts about what I learned from traveling solo.

1. LOOK IN THE MIRROR... THAT'S YOUR COMPETITION

More than anything else, what I learned about myself from this trip, is that no matter how hard you may try to not compare yourselves to others, it's inevitable. Especially the digital world we live in, where observing others is constant. I've been making changes since London, and it's teaching myself how to monitor my habits as such. For example, I'm an Insta-Story watching addict. Like Pringle chips, once I 'pop' I can't stop. So now instead of watching them every time I'm on the app, I only try to watch once during the morning, afternoon and evening. Even to how much time I spend on Instagram, which is an atrocious amount, I am cutting down on how often I check to see what's happening around me. Of course, it's important to know what's going on in terms of trends and current events but I also find it healthy and quite balanced to sometimes stop looking, keeping the phone out of my reach and focusing on my own sh*t. Remember... everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses, and own pace, and it's only when you accept everything you are and aren't that you'll truly get anywhere with yourself. And the more I've been doing this, the better I have been feeling not just about myself but with my work. The creative juices are flowin' and I'm excited and a little nervous to start a few of them! But onward we shall go :)

2. ABSENCE MAKES THE HEART GROW FONDER

This isn't something new to me but still felt the need to share the importance of this. Sometimes getting away is the best thing to do when feeling unsure about things. Since traveling as a kid, I found that the ones you miss the most while away are the ones you truly love. Being apart makes me appreciate what I have with others and also always reminds me of what's important and who is important. Especially when traveling alone, it gives you the time to reflect and shows you what and who really matters in your life. It's like how the French say, "Tu me manques" which literally translates, "you are missing from me", and that's exactly how I feel to those while being away from home.

3. I'M STILL VERY PRIVATE ABOUT MY LIFE & I LIKE IT THIS WAY

As much as I still love to share with you guys more and more about my life, there's a time and place for everything. I'm not one to show all my cards up front. Because the more involved I become in the blogging world/public eye, of course, I am aware that life may not always be as private as it once was. People love to talk, rumors get spread, and yes, many are nosy. And that shouldn't get in the way of sharing my life with you, but I think leaving a little to the imagination never hurts and quite frankly protects you from those that do want to cause harm to you. I have always kept my inner circle extremely close-knit. When others ask me what I'm up to these days, I'm rather brief. Why? I'd rather show you than tell you.

4. YOU ARE CAPABLE OF WAY MORE THAN YOU EVER IMAGINED.

I'm telling everyone my new secret remedy to feeling unconfident. Just go somewhere alone for a few days. It doesn't have to be overseas, but it should be to an unfamiliar place or includes something you've never tried doing because doing it alone will not just build that self-esteem, you'll learn to discover something about yourself while doing so. Never have I challenged myself did I end up with a disastrous outcome. It may not always go the way you imagine, but if you stand strong and get through it, you will be better from it. And traveling is one of the best ways to learn and grow. I definitely feel like me again and I have never felt more confident than I do now!

5. STAY CALM AND CARRY ON AS THE BRITISH DO

Keep calm and carry on? You betcha. I sometimes tend to get anxious but what I definitely learned while traveling alone to London was how better off you are if you keep your cool and stay focused on the problem at hand. If you freak out, you'll just make the problem worse. Easier said than done to others I'm sure, but to someone like me who's impatient and a slight-control freak, it's not. A more subdued manner in one's self while being aware carries a certain sophistication. I definitely find this more apparent than in America.

6. LET IT GO, LET IT GO, LET IT GO...

Try not to plan your itinerary right down to what time you get up to when you're having dinner. The best part of traveling is no plans, no map and wandering... getting lost and discovering new hidden gems that you'd probably never cross paths with otherwise with a plan of any kind. And with traveling, something can always go awry so be prepared and be willing to go with the flow because not being in full control is something one has to face when traveling, especially alone. And the more accepting you are of this, the better the experience your trip will be too!

7. FACING FEARS ARE NOT AS SCARY AS THEY APPEAR TO BE.

I think what freaked me out the most was attending my first Fashion Week overseas with no assistant or helping hands of any kind. I was all by myself. So of course, when you’ve got to figure everything out yourself, you may feel anxious. Maybe you’re nervous about talking to strangers; maybe you’ll feel awkward by yourself in a restaurant or museum. From little fears to big ones, once you decide to face them, the truth shall set you free! Things quickly become less frightening once you step up to face them and will quickly realize there's not much in life to be afraid of.

8. MAKING NEW FRIENDS ISN'T HARD TO DO

It’s true. You will build new relationships on your journey, even if you’re shy. It doesn’t take much. A friendly smile. A helping hand. Or a shared fear. Indeed, nothing brings people closer than fear. You'd think people in the fashion world are not the nicest people, which can be true to a certain extent, but overall, even just sharing a commonality like sleep deprivation while waiting in line for coffee or to a show can spark a wonderful relationship. It could be friendship or a building working partnership, or both, either way, I find traveling to be one of the loveliest ways to meet new people.

How about you guys? How many of you have traveled solo? I'd love to hear your experiences so don't forget to drop a comment down below and share your thoughts. Lastly, if you're ever in need of a street style photographer while in London, please go check out Rowben with whom I shot this look with while there for Fashion Week. He is an absolute sweetheart with some serious skills. Rowben, darling, please come to New York soon! As always, you can directly shop my look at the end of each outfit blog post. Don't be shy to leave any questions about this look too! Catch Y'all soon!