According to Lana

Earth Tones With a Pop of Red

2015-02-08T11:54:00.000-08:00

Howdy! I've been MIA because of my busy schedule lately. Here's a quick outfit post before I finish cleaning up and head to the gym.

Gap Sweater | Gap Pants | Gap Beanie | Jeffrey Campbell Shoes

This sweater made an appearance in my last post, and I'm wearing it again here! Slouchy sweaters are a no-brainer when it comes to incorporating them into your outfit. You can wear them with everything: mini skirts, pencil skirts, a-line skirts, jeans, trousers. Since my ensemble is mostly earth toned, I opted to wear a bright red beanie for a pop of color and extra warmth.

I've been thinking about the act of multitasking, and its effectiveness. Some say that it's not really multitasking but task switching, and that multitasking actually results in lower productivity because you're not entirely focused on one thing. What do you think? I'm always multitasking because I often feel pressed for time, and feel that things get done faster if I do several things at once. I eat breakfast while getting ready in the morning or while walking to the train. Sometimes I exercise while watching tv at home. I cook, clean, and do laundry at the same time. But now I'm rethinking this whole multitasking strategy. Sometimes I find that if I start several projects at once, I get sidetracked and then the projects are halfway done. And this is only my personal life.

At work, the multitasking increases tenfold. I always have a list of things that need to be done for the day. But there's also emails that need to be answered. People coming to you in person with questions all day. Last minute requests, deadlines to be met, tasks to delegate. Does this sound familiar to you? I'm sure you can relate. So, do you multitask and if so, do you find that it's effective? I'm really interested to know!

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Textured: Cozy Sweater and Suede Skirt

2015-01-06T21:12:00.000-08:00

Gap Sweater on sale! | old Forever 21 Skirt (similar) | Apri Booties via Marshalls

There was a period where every single top I picked up in stores was part of the cream, off white, beige family. I would see tops in other colors and think "this sweater in red is so pretty. But the cream, the cream goes with everything!" And as much as I like color, sometimes I just dig the good ole' neutrals more. They just make any outfit look, well, classic. They look great when worn with a rich, vibrant color like the cognac skirt I'm wearing. Check out this post to see how I last styled the same skirt.

It's a New Year!

2015-01-03T14:04:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!

old Zara Dress (similar) | Gap Maximum Heat Tights | Gap Boots

Collared Top and Pleated Floral Skirt

2014-12-29T20:03:00.001-08:00

Gap Top on sale for $24.99 | Gap Skirt on sale for $31.99 | Zara Shoes (old) | Gap Clutch

Merry Christmas!

2014-12-24T20:37:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas ya'll! It's only the best holiday of the year. I've already finished my Christmas baking, and I can't wait to spend tomorrow cooking and watching Christmas movies. I wore this Taylor dress last year as a skirt. It's one of my favorite party dresses, and the fit and flare style is quite flattering. Check out other dresses from Taylor here. Have an amazingly festive Christmas!

A little behind the scenes outtake. My timer went off as I was tossing my camera bag aside.

Christmas Shopping for Him

2014-12-22T20:06:00.000-08:00

Christmas is only 3 days away! Have you crossed everyone off your shopping list yet? If not, here are some last minute gift ideas for the men in your life or for yourself.

1- Three in One Leather Backpack can be worn as backpack, messenger bag, or carry as briefcase.

2- Love this Fossil watch. I almost bought one for myself.

3- Hershel Backpack.

4- Band of Outsiders Tie

5- I own and love this Timex Weekender Watch. I wear it with everything, and get compliments on it all the time. It comes in other colors, and the best part is that it's under $40 on Amazon.

6- Asos Desert Boots with shearling lining to keep warm.

7- Hemetic Utility Wrap Organizer. The photo on the right is what this Utility wrap looks like rolled up. I stumbled across Hemetic Trading Co. at the American Field event a month ago. You can store random items neatly with this organizer and keep them from getting wet, since the material is waterproof. The entire site is 20% off, and all of their products are American made.

Slouchy Knits

2014-12-15T21:03:00.001-08:00

Although my busy schedule has me running around, I always make time to look presentable. It takes the same amount of time to put on a nice outfit as it does to put on a crummy outfit. When I'm pressed for time, I gravitate towards pieces that are easy and casual, like this slouchy top from the Gap that I'm wearing. I paired it with this a-line skirt from Loft. I had been stalking this skirt, debating whether or not to purchase it, and I'm so glad that I did. My favorite part about this skirt is the soft, stretchy knit material. It's too bad that the store ran out of my size though.

Do you have a go to piece for the days when you're in a time crunch?

Gift Guide For Her: the Gap edition

2014-12-11T21:22:00.000-08:00

Still working on your holiday shopping list? I'm here to help! Here's a Gap edition of the gift guide for her. All regular priced items are 30% off their website and stores right now!

1- Love love love these boots. Black, leather, low heeled, and practical. Wear them with EVERYTHING!

2- Burgundy calf hair tech gloves are perfect for the busy career women on the go.

3-Festive pom-pom honeycomb beanie. I own this hat and it keeps my head and ears super warm.

4- Chunky Fair Isle Scarf

5- Calf Hair Wristlet Clutch. I saw the black version of this clutch on a heightened display shelf and couldn't find it in on the sales floor. But a salesperson found the burgundy version, and let me tell you, I SWOONED when I saw it. Burgundy calf hair on one side, black leather on the other, strap for your wrist, pocket and card slots on the inside. SOLD.

6- Quilted slippers to keep those tootsies warm.

7-Every woman needs a leather tote bag. This Gap one is lightweight and come in a variety of colors.

8- These Maximum Heat Tights are a must have! They will save your legs from the frigid temperature when wearing skirts and dresses. I wore these tights today in 30 degree weather, and barely felt the cold.

All regular priced items are 30% off on the website and in stores. Happy Shopping!

This is not a sponsored post.

Rich Hues

2014-12-08T09:58:00.000-08:00

If plaid, tweed, and red velvet flats with bows doesn't scream preppy office attire, I don't know what does. I purchased the top I'm wearing over a year ago from Loft, and never wore it till now. I forgot that I even owned it till I found it when I was cleaning my closet one day. Ten points to Gryffindor for rediscovering clothing in your closet! And let's face it, dress pants can be boring sometimes. Try a pair of printed pants with festive, textured flats for a spin on your office look. Check out my previous posts here and here to see how I wore my plaid pants.

The Five Dollar Top

2014-12-01T21:09:00.000-08:00

Hey there! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I spent my Thanksgiving eating too much food, catching up on The Walking Dead and making Chocolate Cornflake cookies. I found the recipe in Saveur Magazine. Apparently, chocolate cornflake cookies are popular in Iceland during the Christmas season. They didn't turn out how I expected them to, but everyone enjoyed them and they sure were crunchy, chewy and sweet.

I wore this Free People Tunic on Thanksgiving. I scored it for FIVE DOLLARS at Marshalls during their Labor Day clearance. When I saw the price tag, I thought I was reading it incorrectly. FIVE DOLLARS! WHOOO!

Free People Tunic | Gap Hat | Apri Boots

Leather you will or leather you won't

2014-11-17T09:20:00.000-08:00

gifted Bebe Jacket | Gap Dress | Apri Boots | Top necklace:DIY | Bottom Necklace: Lucky Brand

Last week, you could still get away with rocking bare legs, but now all I can say is brrrr! You'll freeze your tootsies off.

Every woman should own a black leather jacket. They make you look instantly cool and chic. But owning a light colored leather jacket was something I never gave a second thought to. My friend had this jacket that I'm wearing in these pictures. I thought it was kind of cheesy when she showed it to me, but after some convincing I thought "why not? There's no harm in just trying it on." I was sold! It fits well, it's real leather, and surprisingly, I reach for this jacket more than my black one. Moral of the story: Step outside of your comfort zone because sometimes your friends know best. Happy Monday ya'll!

Balancing Act

2014-11-16T21:44:00.001-08:00

As I type this post, I'm making dinner, wearing a face mask, munching on torrone, sipping on green tea, and making a list. This is my downtime on a Sunday night. Maintaining a work life balance has been difficult lately, so I took a few days off to de-stress. Unfortunately, I'm not completely MIA because I've been checking and responding to work emails.

It's often hard for people to step back and realize that they're pushing themselves too hard mentally and physically. We work ourselves this hard because we feel we have to, and hard work is necessary in order to strive towards a goal. But at some point it begins to feel burdensome and you start to feel worn out. There comes a point when you have to set personal boundaries and take a step back. It can't be "go go go" all the time or else your mind will get overworked and shut down.

Overworking yourself physically is also detrimental. You have to know your physical and mental limits. I started indoor bouldering two months ago. Since then, I've made great progress without realizing until someone pointed it out. I'm able to master bouldering problems that take some people almost a year to figure it out, which is pretty amazing. But in pushing myself so hard, I've put a strain on the pulleys in my fingers. It's an uncomfortable sensation and hurts when I press on my fingers. No matter how many times I fell off the wall, I kept going and would tell myself that I could do it, and that I was going to dominate this climb. The problem was that I was approaching bouldering as if it was just like any other exercise, but it isn't. If you put stress on your muscles in weight lifting, your muscles will grow, but it doesn't work that way with bouldering. The tendons in your hands strengthen at a much slower rate than the rest of the muscles in your body which was something I didn't realize.

It sucks because now I have to slow down and climb easier bouldering problems. But it's okay though because I need to work on my technique anyway. And I'm doing other exercises to train my body so I can become a better climber. Patience is key. I was reading a climbing blog the other day, and I started laughing when I read "There is only one way around it; stand back and realise that you are just training. You are just pulling on plastic blobs. Who cares what the number is? If you think other people do, you’re kidding yourself." Plastic blobs are exactly what they are. All of this physical and mental stress has taught me that I need to recognize when my body and mind is telling me to slow down.

Step back and breathe. Pace yourself. Take care of yourself. Eat better and sleep better.

Sweater Weather

2014-10-28T20:46:00.000-07:00

I have always preferred wearing knits over chunky wool sweaters. There's something about the bulkiness, the weight, the heat trapping material that has always made me uncomfortable, so I'd say that sweater cardigans are a compromise. This one from Gap is soft and cozy, and since it's a cardigan, I don't have to worry about getting too hot since it's open.

This picture makes me think of TLC's song "Creep."

Ombre + Knits: The Gap Edition

2014-10-24T12:30:00.000-07:00

Gap Cardigan (similar) | Gap Girls Dress (cute one here) | Gap Boots | Free People Belt worn as necklace

TGIF! It's been a long week, and I can't wait to unwind with some tea and catch up on episodes of Californication. You know how most people dress down on Friday's? Well, I do the opposite. Friday's are the day I put in a little more effort and finally put on some makeup. It helps to lighten my mood and makes me look forward to the weekend.

Simple pieces like this Gap Kid's ombre dress I'm wearing can be dressed up or down. Since my black booties and awesome statement necklace add a little bit of edge to the outfit, I threw this cream colored cardigan on to soften up the whole look. Also, my necklace is actually a belt from Free People.

Remember to always accessorize and have a terrific weekend folks! Thank you so much for stopping by!

This post is not sponsored by Gap. I am just obsessed with their clothing.

Ladies who lunch: Paisley Tunic

2014-10-15T20:58:00.001-07:00

There's something about this Zara dress that always makes me think of ladies who don floppy hats, and lunch on a patio overlooking a marina. This is an incredibly easy piece to transition from day to night. The silk material and paisley print already make this dress festive, so for night time I would just pile on some gold bracelets, and freshen up my lipstick.

Crochet Sweater and Floral Shorts

2014-10-05T21:00:00.001-07:00

I wore this a few weeks ago when it was still warm enough to wear shorts and too hot to wear a sweater. I almost forgot I had these shorts. I found them in the back of my closet, and figured the bright floral print would compliment my crocheted sweater, and GH Bass oxfords.

Gap Sweater | Zara Shorts (cute ones here) | GH Bass Shoes

Chiffon Tank and Floral Pants

2014-09-28T11:53:00.000-07:00

Everly Tank via Marshalls (cute one here) | Lucy & Laurel pants via Marshalls (love this one)

Textures

2014-09-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

Joe Fresh Top | Gap Shorts | Ann Taylor Purse | Lucky Brand Bracelet | Talbot Shoes (cute ones here)

Although this was a mild summer, it feels as if fall came out of nowhere with its' cool temperatures. And while everyone is slowly dressing in light layers, I'm still in denial that summer is over. I'm rocking shorts and sandals for as long as the weather allows. Summer forever!

My new, sweet ride thanks to Hector!

Snaps of random abandoned places and the golden hour.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

All Striped Everything

2014-09-14T12:45:00.000-07:00

Wearing an all striped outfit from head to toe in Gap. I threw in a sparkly clutch for some extra fun, and these Clarks sandals are all I've worn all summer. They are hands down the most comfortable sandals I've ever owned.

Gap Shorts (similar) | Gap Shirt | Gap Clutch | Clarks Sandals

Wedding Guest in Floral

2014-09-03T20:38:00.000-07:00

Summer isn't just beach season, it's also wedding season. A time where couples proclaim their love for each other and say their I do's. Recently, I attended my friend's wedding. I'm so happy that I had the honor of celebrating Dana's big day with her and Joey. She made a beautiful bride and looked like such a princess! I kept expecting a horse drawn carriage to pop up any second like in Cinderella.

The colors for the flower arrangements were summery and tasteful. The food was really delicious, and the meals just kept on coming. It was a feast, truly an Italian style wedding in regards to cuisine.

Zara Dress (same one from Choies here) | Zara Heels (similar here) | BaubleBar earrings | gifted ABS Schwartz clutch

I opted to wear this bright floral dress since it was a summer wedding. Not only did the floral pattern of this Zara dress catch my eye, but I was also drawn to the extra panels of fabric of the skirt portion. The pockets are also a bonus!

Congrats Dana and Joey! May you both have a loving and happy marriage! And thanks to Aarong for the outfit photos.

Black And White For Those Breezy Summer Nights

2014-08-23T16:41:00.000-07:00

Dolan top via Marshalls (similar) | Random pants via Marshalls (similar) | Madewell Necklace (old, cute one here) | Lucky Brand cuff (similar) | Target Clutch (old)

As clean and chic black and white look together, I tend to avoid wearing it together. It brings back memories of having to wear a uniform through all of middle school. I used to count down the days till the next uniform free day, and I would be in such a dilemma as to what to wear. When you wear a uniform constantly, you want to wear your best clothes on a non-uniform day. But what if you can't decide between two of your favorite outfits, you know? Girl problems.

But this time I couldn't resist wearing black and white together. The twist detail of the top dresses up these casual pants, don a floppy hat, a woven blue clutch for a pop of color, gold accessories and I'm ready for a breezy summer night out.

Birthday

2014-07-15T19:32:00.000-07:00

Cheers to another year! My birthday was last week, so in honor of my birthday, it was only appropriate that I don a pretty outfit and some balloons.

BCNU Top via Marshalls (similar here and here) | Zara Skirt (similar) | Vintage Daisy Bracelet via Etsy (similar) | Arturo Chiang Shoes

Can you believe that this is the first time I've worn this crop top since buying it a year ago? Crop tops can be intimidating for those who don't like exposing their midriff. But they work so well when paired with a high waist bottom like the skirt I'm wearing. Make sure to choose a high waist bottom that is a little longer in length. You don't want to wear a short top and a short bottom. It's all about juxtaposition. I almost forgot to mention how I made a mad dash for the closest Zara when I saw that this skirt went on sale. It was definitely too pretty to pass up.

The groovy chick is my friend Aarong. We spent college dancing to funk music while cooking in down jackets and gloves. We went on adventures around campus at 3am in a foot of snow. There wouldn't be a single soul in sight except for deer, and our footprints. And we'd marvel at how beautiful everything looked covered in a blanket of snow, and listen to the sound of the snow crunch under our feet. And how could I forget her sense of artistic vision and shared interest in fashion? This girl has casual, effortless style down to a science. I'll never forget the day she rolled out of her room wearing a hoodie, a chiffon dress, gray tights and sneakers. I took one look at her, and was confused by her outfit, but somehow it worked. Only Aarong could pull something off like that and make it look cool.

Aarong dresses up her casual outfit with her Dannijo necklace, and DVF bag for a pop of color.

We met this sweet pitbull who was all about rolling in the grass. Look at that face!

I had a case of the butterfingers and the balloons slipped from my grasp. It was a tragic moment with lots of yelling.

Well folks, that's it for today. Thanks for stopping by and reading! I hope you enjoyed reading this post as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Photos taken by Aarong.

Road Trippin' Pt. 2

2014-07-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

What better way to celebrate July 4th on the blog than to feature more pictures from my mini road trip of the US?

Ridgeway, SC, the "World's Smallest Police Station." Apparently this was the town well before they built a police station over it in 1940.

In 1990, they expanded their police station and moved into a different space. See photo of new police station below.

Olar, SC, population of 257 at the 2010 census.

Buford's Bridge, SC where my friend was excited to finally see a Confederate flag.

God's Acre Healing Springs, SC. The spring water here was so good that we dumped out our store bought water, and filled up our bottles with the fresh spring water. Read more about God's Acre Healing Springs here.

Hilda, SC aka The Palmetto State.

We saw a lot of forest fires and burned down/charred land. I wondered the reason behind it. At one point, I thought that maybe people were starting fires to erase traces of meth labs. My imagination is running wild after too many episodes of Breaking Bad. My friends and I saw one fire up close and personal. We were freaking out at the blazing flames, rolling up the windows so the smoke wouldn't come into the car, and driving fast to get away, so it was difficult to focus on switching my camera settings to get a clear picture.

Wally's Collectibles in Fairfax, SC.

Thank you to all those who have served our country, and a big Happy Birthday to America! Hope everyone had a day full of BBQ and fireworks! Stay tuned for more road trip pictures.

The Magic Hour in a Free People Dress

2014-06-30T20:51:00.001-07:00

This Free People dress was the perfect thing to wear after I was covered in mud and dirt hours before these photos were taken. This was my second year taking part in the Rugged Maniac race. Hector and my sister joined me this time. I'd say that my favorite obstacle this year was running up and over the half pipe. I just have so much fun doing the race, that I'm certain I'll do it again next year, and the year after that until I get bored or physically can't do it anymore.

I still had a lot of energy left after the race, so I threw on this effortless dress, and biked towards the sunset. The volume of the dress makes it great for twirling, but can also make me look pregnant which is the downside. The week just started but I'm already looking forward to this July 4th weekend! I'm hoping I can see some fireworks up close this year. What are your plans for July 4th?

Sunset Boulevard: Floral Slip Dress

2014-06-23T21:35:00.001-07:00

The weekend often flies by so fast that I can barely recall the details unless I really think about it. My weekend consisted of lightweight, twirl worthy dresses, indulging in a really tasty brunch, sending my friend off on vacation, getting bitten by bugs while taking pictures, going for a run in an old airfield at sunset, and biking. Isn't this what summer is all about? Biking home at dusk with the wind in your hair, singing R Kelly's "I believe I can fly" as dramatically as possible.

Wearing Chloe K Dress via Marshalls (similar here, and here) | Sam Edelman Sandals

Photos taken by Hector. Thank you!