City Ballerina

April 28, 2017

WEARING: SAKU NEW YORK BLACK PLEATED SKIRT LINKED W/ SWEATSHIRT | 
RHODA WONG DUSTY ROSE SLEEVELESS TRANCH | MATT BERNSON MEZZA |
VVA IVY CALF GREEN POUCH HANDBAG

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SAKU NEW YORK, RHODA WONG, & MATT BERNSON.

Friday calls for a mixup on ballet-like trends and a bit more feminine chicness! Today's post features two designers from my most recent post (check it out here - major Parisian feels) who are both extremely talented in their own rights. The pleated skirt linked sweatshirt by saku New York is a great staple piece to have in your closet. The adaptability of this piece is incredible, as I can see this being worn all-year round. It's a great combo for layering or just by itself. The vest (comes separately) scalloped collar and lace work are just gorgeous! I layered it with an insanely beautiful dusty rose sleeveless trench by Rhoda Wong, with intricate pocket and collar details. What really caught my eye was what's within the pocket, a handkerchief holder! Like chivalry, it is a rarity - a dying breed if you will...

These Matt Bernson ballerina flats are my latest shoe obsession. You can wear these flats with or without the lace-up straps, whether tying them further up the legs to bring a gladiator/ballet-like feel to a look or even just around the ankles for a more definitive structured look, these versatile flats will be all the crazy this spring/summer season. And you bet I will layer these beauts with some sort of socks/tights come this fall! If you're looking to invest in a really good pair of flats, I really recommend these comfy and chic pair!

What's everyone up to this weekend? I will be working on more content for you guys - coming up on Monday will be a new cocktail recipe with one of my favorite liquors I've been drinking a lot of this year :) I can't wait to show you this spring-y, yummy and refreshing drink! Next week will also feature more sporty athleisure wear, but think more high-fashion, folks! And much more exciting projects in the works, it just keeps getting busier and busier! #forevergrateful

LOVE & XX'S,

SHOP THE LOOK

saku New York Pleated Skirt Linked with Sweatshirt Black

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An American Girl in Paris

April 26, 2017

WEARING: SAKU NEW YORK BLACK LAYERED BLOUSE |
 RHODA WONG BABY BLUE STRUCTURAL JACKET | BROWN HAT KOREA NAVY BLUE LACE HAT | 
GENUINE PEOPLE BELL BOTTOM CROP JEANS | LINEA PELLE SUEDE BUCKET BAG BLUE | 
UO BLACK PATTI LOW HEEL MULE

Happy Wednesday! The weather has been rainy and awfully gloomy here in New York City, so I'm bringing you Paris today! Just kidding, this shoot did take place in New York, but I bet I'd have you fooled if I told you I was in the La Ville-Lumière. And even though we're not in Europe, today's post is definitely Parisian-chic inspired!

Brown Hat is a Seoul-based hat brand with handcrafted hats inspired from classic designs, yet with a finishing touch of wit. The collections are defined by founder and designer Ji Hyang Park’s signature design in creating flexible and sometimes experimental silhouettes, and her mixture of use of the finest fabrics. The navy blue lace hat from this look is so great because I could wear this at a resort but at the same time, I could also be wearing the heck out of it in Paris! Brown Hat aims to offer timeless hats for men and women. Some hats are also available at NYC boutique, Dreams On Air.

Another talented emerging Korean designer is Lissa Koo, for saku. The motif for saku is both the chic New York sense and the easy, breezy West Coast atmosphere. While being a unique, never-seen-before style, saku offers clothes that are ready-to-wear and easily approachable for anyone. Pursuing both sportiness and femininity simultaneously, saku showcases silhouette apparel that greatly emphasizes woman’s beauty along with comfortable fabrics that allow easy movement. The black layered with white lace blouse is by Lissa, and is only one of many more pieces I just can't wait to show you in the next coming weeks! You can find some of her designs at DOA as well.

Last but not least is this crazy gorgeous jacket by Rhoda Wong. What makes Rhoda special is not just her age (which is twenty(!)) but her deep understanding of structural pieces when it comes to fashion. Aesthetically-pleasing with good detail playing on a variety of textures and materials, Rhoda's talent is off the charts! The baby blue oversized jacket is perfect for spring, Paris and/or both, plus more. It's a wonderful color with beautiful metal buckling and subtle yellow stitching on only on side of the jacket.

Watch these women closely, guys. I guarantee you will be hearing a lot more about these emerging designers in the coming years. Lastly, while shopping the look, please note some pieces are not available online yet and need to be inquired within. Have a great rest of your Hump Day!

LOVE & XX'S,

SHOP THE LOOK

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3 Ways to Wear a Bomber Jacket

April 19, 2017

LOOK 1

WEARING: UO SILENCE + NOISE ON TOUR SATIN BOMBER | 
PROUD FEMINIST T-SHIRT | VAGABOND HONEY JAKARTA JEANS | 
FRANCO SARTO ILIA PATENT OXFORDS

LOOK 2

WEARING: FOREVER 21 KOREA EMBROIDERED SATIN BOMBER | 
FOREVER 21 LAKERS GRAPHIC TEE | MOST WANTED USA TURQUOISE BELT | 
FOREVER 21 HIGH SLIT MAXI SKIRT | VVA CLUTCH BAG | ADIDAS ORIGINALS STAN SMITH

LOOK 3

WEARING: JOCELYN THE MORRISON JACKET | ADORE ME ADDELINE TOP | 
GENUINE PEOPLE BELL BOTTOM CROP JEANS | BANDOLINO KITTEN HEELS | H&M COIN PURSE

It is bomber jacket season (okay well, to me, it's always bomber jacket season due to my obsession with 'em) and in today's post, I'm showing you three ways to wear them! What's great about bomber jackets is their versatility - clothing that is easily adaptable is one staple in my closet, amongst other factors such as durability and comfort. And these kinds of jackets are made in all sorts of ways from satin to embroidery and even leather. They are a hot-hot spring trend to have this season and I'm showing you three different jackets that offer a stylish twist on a classic item.

For look one, I went all for empowerment. Girl Power. Case in Point: Proud Feminist. I've had this UO satin bomber since last spring but its quilted comfiness and killer floral embroidery has kept me continuing to wear it throughout several seasons. To maintain a downtown cool and casual chic vibe, I wore my favorite distressed jeans by Vagabond Honey and a sassy blush pair of Franco Sarto oxfords. Wearing a bomber jacket in any casual look can bring a slight edge without going too overboard.

In look two, fierceness is the word! And Korean pride, y'all! I've been looking for a killer Korean-styled bomber jacket for years, but never had one pull at my heart strings like this one from Forever 21! The second I laid eyes on this vision in red, I knew it had to be mine! I kept it true to my roots and wore my favorite basketball team's shirt, the one, and only Los Angeles Lakers! Fun fact: I have this ridic fantasy that if I ever make it big I'm going to sit courtside right next to Jack Nicholson and be at every home game just like him! Ha ha ha! As for my roots, I was born in California. To keep the outfit on the edgy side, I wore a high slit skirt, a western-styled turquoise belt, and old school Stan's. I wanted to keep it pretty LA street style, maintaining my background within this look. You guys, like? :)

Last but not least, look three is all about that sexy vibe us girls feel from time to time. Some more than others because I'm not one to dress up in racy outfits every day, but in some instances, I feel like showing a little more skin or wearing heels. My most recent and latest bomber obsession is this evil eye varsity jacket from Jocelyn. You can find this jacket at Olive & Bette's here in New York or online. The last evil eye I had in my wardrobe was a necklace and because it was so delicate and I'm accident-prone, it eventually broke (enter sad face). I've been looking for a piece for some time just like the Korean bomber jacket, but I never add anything to my collection anymore unless I'm completely and absolutely in love with it. Otherwise, what's the point? (In my opinion.) To keep this look fresh yet cute, I accessorized with a pair of bell bottom crop jeans, a teeny-tiny coin purse, and kitten heels.

LOVE & XX'S,

SHOP THE LOOK

Forever 21 Korean Embroidered Satin Bomber Jacket

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Mixing Prints

April 17, 2017

WEARING: RAILS ROCSI LIPSTICK PRINT SHIRT | REBECCA TAYLOR PHLOX FLORAL PANT | 
GUCCI BELT | CHLOÉ MEDIUM HUDSON BAG | EVALINE WHITE TIGHTS | 
MADDEN GIRL MORGHAN PEWTER

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY OLIVE & BETTE'S.

Happy Monday! How was everyone's Easter (to those who celebrate this holiday) weekend? We kept it pretty low key, and I even did some reading. The past week kicked my ass and I've been exhausted! I have to say it was the first weekend in a really long time, where I wasn't as active on social media. Sure I did a couple of Instagram posts like I usually do but I wasn't engaging as much as I do. It was kind of nice to just step away from constantly being on the phone and to do something else for a change. Yesterday, I laid in bed and read Keats for a few hours because I simply miss the beauty in reading poetry. Reading's hot, if you didn't know by now...

Aside from a relaxing past couple of days, today's post is about the wonderful play of mixing prints when it comes to fashion. Number one tip or Rule of thumb? Always try to mix two different prints together. I'm not a big fan of matching prints such as a pantsuit or even two-piece set of some kind. For example, I played with the ever 'groundbreaking' floral (Laughter cue in for The Devil Wears Prada reference ha ha ha!) print with a pair of pants from Rebecca Taylor. And instead of going with a matching top, I went for a more casual but flirty shirt from Rails, which has an adorable lipstick print! And the material is so soft, I could wear this shirt everyday with anything! Both pieces are from Olive & Bette's, an amazing boutique in Soho (there are other locations in the city) that carries other designers such as AG Jeans, Iro Paris, Yumi Kim, and more! I simply love their friendly staff too! If you're here in New York girls, you HAVE to check them out next time you're downtown.

Accessories from this look are definitely Asian inspired. I've been heavily embracing my Korean background as of late, and because of it I've also begun to dig deep into the cultures (and sub-cultures) of Asian fashion. This year I've been all about the socks and sandals trend. Many would never dare to go for this look (which is all good) but I love how much fun it brings to an outfit! If I wore only sandals or a higher heel with this look, it'd completely change the overall style of it. But with white tights, a few sprouting cherry blossoms in the background, and big Korean hair, I definitely think brings a more daring approach to an already 'busy' look. I'm not saying it'll work every time, but in some instances, it can really elevate or heighten an overall style. Also, my hair is a tad blonder... and I'm loving the slow but big transformation! Color done by the one and only David Adams from Fourteen Jay. I styled my own hair for this post and did it up a little differently, you guys like? Have a killer week! Catch with y'all soon. :)

LOVE & XX'S,

SHOP THE LOOK

STUART WEITZMAN METALLIC GLADIATOR SANDALS

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To Be Adored – 2 Looks for Date Night

April 9, 2017

LOOK 1
WEARING: DRESS LILY LEATHER BIKER JACKET | TO BE ADORED LILAC DRESS | 
STEVE MADDEN BLACK BOOTS 

LOOK 2 
WEARING: TO BE ADORED MESH/GRAPHIC BLOUSE | GENUINE PEOPLE BELL BOTTOM CROP JEANS | 
CALVIN KLEIN RUBY PATENT SLINGBACKS | LINEA PELLE SUEDE BUCKET BAG BLUE

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY TO BE ADORED & LUV.IT.

With crazy work schedules finding the time for 'Date Night' can be rather difficult, especially in this day in age where everything is moving at full speed and we're constantly on the go, if I'm not running around to meetings/appointments and events I'm shooting, editing and designing. I guess you can say I like keeping busy, too much so... And now with MaQ + Suz growing bigger and better than ever, it's getting even more challenging to stop even. I love what I do to no end, and have some SERIOUS dreams, but being so driven can have its setbacks. For example, I don't know when to call it quits. Lately, I work 14-16hr+ days, and as exhausting as the workload can be all together, I still feel guilty when I'm not working. Even though I know everyone needs to recoup and rest, I still have trouble with the idea of just 'veggin' out'. I can't sit still for that long, I always feel the need to be doing something.

But I also think it's healthy to take the time to spend it with the ones you love. We don't do a constant ritual of any kind unlike some of my girlfriends who do a weekly date night of some kind, but we like to mix it up. Some nights we'll just run to some restaurant in our neighborhood for a quick bite, and then some nights like in today's post, we'll play dress up and go somewhere like Indochine (my ALL-TIME FAVORITE restaurant) or somewhere a little fancier. How insanely gorgeous are both of these statement pieces from To Be Adored?!

I wanted to show you guys two different ways to dress up for date night. Like myself, sometimes you want a more chill laidback look and then sometimes something a bit dressier for a different occasion. The first look is a gorgeous lilac dress with black accessories like ankles boots and a leather jacket for those chillier nights. I kept it a little spunky as I love to bring an edge to a girly dress, but you could also wear this dress with a polished hair bun and nude heels... even to a wedding! The dress is that incredible with a great range of ways to style, it's a great addition to any gal's wardrobe. Notice the matching material on the sleeves of the second look's shirt? I was so in love with how well each statement piece complemented each other and how versatile each one was too. Each garment is by London designer, To Be Adored and from their new SS17 collection. I styled the graphic (German cartoon) shirt with a pair of bell bottom crop jeans, patent slingbacks with added flower hair clips to bring a playful side to the look, and a vertically striped blue and gray suede bucket bag. I like to bring out the pop of colors from graphics within an outfit, which is why I chose different blue hues. What's your ideal date for date night, ladies? Are you more inconsistent like we are, where you just try to fit it in when you can, or are you more dedicated to keeping some kind of ritual? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this! Thanks for stopping by, hope you guys enjoyed these two different 'Date Night' looks! Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, catch you Tuesday with a brand new post about MaQ's new diet! Stay tuned! :)