Pretty China Doll

Shoe Haul: Prabal Gurung for Target

2013-02-14T18:18:00.002-05:00

Yay! I love the Prabal Gurung for Target collection! I wish I could buy everything, but I settled for 2 of the shoes.

I got the Lace up boots in the Nolita Print, and the Meet the Parents heels as well.

I can't wait to wear them! I gotta wait until the weather gets warmer.

Outfit of the Day: Extra large please

2013-01-19T19:21:00.001-05:00

I really like the oversized sweater look. It's especially nice when it's freaking 30 degrees outside.

Boots: Target, Jeans: Old Navy, Sweater: present from my sister! Came from Taiwan!

As a bonus: I did a super colorful eye makeup!!

Inner tearduct: Visionary: L'Oreal HIP pigments (discontinued i think)
Inner 1/3: California: Nars
Outer 2/3: Golden Olive: MAC
Corner: Green from the UD Show Pony Palette (discontinued)
Mascara: Rimmel London Sexy Curves (volume one)
Eyeliner: Annabelle

Outfit: Pink Shorts

2013-01-15T14:18:00.002-05:00

I was feeling a bit asian today by combining shorts with knit tights. I love pink shorts! Tights, shorts, and sweater from family. Boots by Nine West (bought at Macy's)

DIY: Drop waist dress

2013-01-09T14:41:00.003-05:00

I made this dress for my sister. It has a zipper down the side. It is extremely easy to do. It's literally just a tank top attached to a rectangular ruffle skirt.

Easy as pie.

DIY: Belstaff PF 2013 Dress

2013-01-02T17:49:00.000-05:00

I recently saw this dress on Style.com. It's from the Belstaff Pre-Fall 2013 collection. It's insanely classy and I LOVE it so much.

Style.com

I made it a touch simpler (less lines) for the sake of sanity, and removed the sleeves. I didn't like the sleeves once I pinned them on. If I were to do this DIY again, I would have made the front panel thinner for a more slimming effect. It's pretty obvious that I didn't cut the pattern exactly how I wanted it, but it's a pretty good effort so overall, I'm ok with it.

This type of dress is pretty easy to do. You want to get a simple sheath dress pattern, then cut it up. It's the easiest way to do colorblocking and I find it to give you clean lines.

It's a bit crooked, but I think that it's something only I can see =.=;; I'm kind of a perfectionist.

DIY: Furry Earmuffs

2012-12-27T22:00:00.001-05:00

I friggin LOVE earmuffs! I also have leftover fur from my fur vest project.

Cost: 3$ (Bought the headband on sale from payless)
Time to Make: 1 hr (not including glue drying time).

1. Cut out circles of fur and lining. I used a foam cup as a guide.
2. Glue the fur to the outside of the headband. Then glue the lining to the fur, like a little sandwich.

3. You want to wait for the glue to dry completely. I used Aileene's Jewel It Glue so it took like 3 hours to dry completely. If you use hot glue, then it'll dry in like 1 second.

4. With another round of fur and lining, whip stitch half of it together. Then, stuff it with a big of fluff, then sew it shut.

5. Sew it onto the headband. This should be on the inside of the earmuff. It's like a little pillow that protects your ears from the headband.

Finished project: I promise to do an outfit with it!

Inspiration for Always

2012-12-24T15:40:00.001-05:00

The cover of Vogue is GOLD. I love gold. I love gold everything. I love Gwen Stefani.

I'm going to make that gold sequined jacket.

Coach Gramercy Coin Purse: Thanks to my sis

2012-12-20T16:11:00.001-05:00

Thanks may may! I love my little sis! She recently gifted a small coin purse to me.

My sister has excellent taste. I generally don't like Coach because of it's splashy bag designs. It's really not necessary to display COAAAACHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH IIII WEEEARRR COOOACHHHHH on your clothing. However, this is more understated because the logo is embossed on, it doesn't scream Coach logo.

Black Friday Haul

2012-11-24T11:53:00.000-05:00

It's been forever since I lasted posted, but that's because I've been really busy with school. I promise that I'll post more often during winter vacation!

But I got Nine West Boots on sale at Macy's during their massive boots sale. Genuine leather uppers never felt so good.

nuNAAT Review: Karite with Shea Butter (Shampoo/Conditioner and leave in detangler)

2012-08-31T15:46:00.001-04:00

A couple weeks ago, I got this Karite Special with Shea Butter hair set from nuNAAT. I didn't really use the hair mask and frizz thing so I'm not reviewing that. This is only for the Shampoo/Conditioner/leave-in. I think you're supposed to use all three after you wash your hair so, yeah.

I DIDN' TAKE PICTURES BECAUSE I'M LAZY.

Smell: It's.. kinda gross actually. I don't like the smell of shea butter. But over time, I was pretty meh about the smell.

Texture: It's pretty smooth. My hair feels REALLY smooth. I used it over a period of 3 weeks (with all three products) and my hair feels a lot better. It's not oily, but it feels smoother, but not heavy at all. I like that A LOT. Even though it's supposed to moisturize your hair, it doesn't feel oily at all. Okay, nothing more to say besides: it's good, smooth and shiny hair, not oily.

Price: This shit exists in walgreens and discount stores. It's not expensive (even though the walgreens website says "priced per store", whatever that means". It's probably like a higher end drugstore product (meaning 10 dollars?).

Recommended: Yes, I like it. It's probably not good for people who have oily hair or for people with serious hair dryness problems though.

Sorry for the short review. I'm kinda busy and.. yeah.

Late Haul from Sephora and MAC

2012-08-16T19:10:00.003-04:00

When my friend Shanna came over, we went to the MAC store and Sephora. I bought Up the Amp lipstick (a purple), the Sephora favorites rollerball set (gave 2 to my sister), and Leotard Optional by OPI for Sephora.

It's more pink that it shows here.

so blurry. so fuggy

I've been looking for the perfect nude. This seems to be it for me.

Top with a peplum

2012-08-10T11:00:00.000-04:00

I screwed up a bustier big time. I had to pick out the boning and lining and try to salvage it.

Making a peplum is easy. It's like.. a mini circle skirt. I hate sewing chiffon. Get a scroll foot to hem.

Really awful shots. I have to do a outfit with it eventually.

DIY: Miu Miu Inspired Tights

2012-08-02T21:00:00.006-04:00

Everyone is obsessed with the swallows on Miu Miu's stuff. I love it too. I used nylon tights, acrylic paint and clear nail polish.

Obviously I used stencils.

After everything is dry, just peel off the tights, wear them backwards and paint on your stuff again.

Firmoo Glasses: A Review

2012-07-25T18:15:00.000-04:00

Recently, I got a new pair of prescription glasses from Firmoo.

What a ugly lens case. I like the world thing but the logo is in a terrible color

Shitty construction. It doesn't close well.

Nice shape. But what the fuck the lenses aren't very opaque

I like gold.

Contrast altered so I look like I'm part of the MIB. Bad ass MOFO.

Overall, I'm okay with the service. I think their customer support is all in China because I got these half-assed, weird grammar customer support emails. Also, it's shipped from China. They also told me that "my order is very complicated and it would take 3 extra days". Why not say "it'll take 6 days"? That makes so much more sense.

Right now, they're a bit strong for me. I recently went to the optomologist and after an eye exam, he said he could give me a prescription for a pair of glasses that were a bit stronger. I didn't want it. Then a week later, I went in for the prescription for these glasses. I didn't realize that it was going to be stronger. Damn! I'm going into the office tomorrow to get them checked out. I'll probs try them out tomorrow when driving or something.

Etienne Aigner Bag from Listia

2012-07-21T18:45:00.001-04:00

Wow. I'm such a shitty blogger. It's not even that I didn't have time to blog. It's just that I'M LAZY AS HELL.

New Etienne Aigner bag:

Egg Tarts

2012-07-08T15:56:00.001-04:00

Today, I made Egg Tarts (Cantonese style) with this recipe: http://bakingquinn.blogspot.com/2010/06/cantonese-egg-tarts.html

The crust is fugly and it's not that thick. However, it tastes fine. The recipe isn't too sweet and I like it a lot.

Firmoo Giveaway Winners!

2012-07-07T09:04:00.000-04:00

Congrats to Nida and Lisa!! I have personally sent you two ladies emails and sent your contact info to Firmoo.com who will be sending you your prizes!

Listia Wins!

2012-07-04T12:30:00.003-04:00

I recently heard about this new thing called "Listia". At first, I was pretty skeptical. However, it's basically like a "free ebay" or "freebay". You auction with "credits". I mean you can get credits for free (i.e auction your stuff and do free promotional stuff and randomly) or you can buy credits. It's up to you.

Personally, I think that it's okay. The items range from really shitty to high end. I think that if more people were to join, then you could find cheaper, nice items.

Some complaints I have is that the support team is useless. They just quote their policies. It's retarded. Besides that, it's buyers beware. I've seen some "I HATE LISTIA. I KEEP GETTING OUTBID" or "SELLERS WERE FAKES". Well... yeah. It's like ebay. They have proxy bidding and scammers out there. It's called the internet.

I recently won a Victoria's Secret Tote thing for 2300 credits or so. I think its like 1500 credits for about 5 dollars or so. If you base it on that, then you can get this bag for like 10 dollars. Considering how VS charges 35+ per bag (ridiculous), it's a good deal. I'll let you guys know when I receive the bag. For now, here's a pic:

A late haul

2012-07-02T20:08:00.001-04:00

I'm poor. And yet I still buy stuff. My life is a mess.

I bought Rebel Lipstick from the MAC store in Soho, Guilietta by Tocca rollerball from Sephora near Macys (with 2 samples) and also Helping Hands (or whatever its called) from Lush with the body butter tin. I friggin hate the tins. They're so hard to open. I keep chipping my manicure.

Sashimi Lunch from Wasabi, in Orange, CT. We went to Cape Cod for the weekend. Delish

DIY: White Dress

2012-06-26T17:41:00.002-04:00

I lost my goddamn USB thing for the camera. I'm an irresponsible piece of shit. I found an old graphing calculator USB cable which fits.

New DIY. It's a circle skirt attached to a simple bodice.

Review + Giveaway: UTATZ Airbrush Tattoos

2012-06-21T17:47:00.000-04:00

I recently got a sample pack of this airbrush tattoo by UTATZ. Normally, I don't spring for airbrush tattoos because.. I'm not a tattoo kinda person. However, I like reviewing stuff for companies and hosting giveaways, so I decided to give this a shot.

Image courtesy of Utatz

This is actually pretty great. The instructions are simple: wipe area clean with rubbing alcohol, paste on the stencil, spray and then remove the stencil. I got a really rich, black, non drippy tattoo that I would have taken pictures of, if I didn't put it on my thigh. It's kinda hard to tattoo yourself you know.

The spray feels cold, but dries really quickly. The stencil sticks to your skin, but doesn't rip any hair out. Honestly, if you're going to tattoo yourself, just give the area a quick shave. It's not going to look nice on a hairy arm or leg. I think it's like some powder because it "cracks" a bit when you move. It doesn't come off too easily in the shower (provided that you don't incessantly rub it), stays on for 3+ days. Anyway, I used this one:

Courtesy of Utatz.com

Each individual stencil is around 2 dollars and the spray itself is 15 dollars. Currently, there's only black but I was told that in the next couple months, they will be releasing new colors (gold, glitter, silver, white, pink, brown etc). That sounds exciting! I would actually like a gold one, but that's because I'm obsessed with gold.

Recommended: Yes. Pick one up for that person in your life who loves tattoos, someone who is scared, but wants to try it out and that special child in your life who just.. like tattoos. What kid doesn't like tattoo? Hell, I used to draw on myself with marker.

ANYWAY, I will be giving one lucky reader a chance to try out a value pack! This is a special blogger pack and it is valued at 20 dollars. Just enter in below! This ends on 7/21/2012.

And POOP I didn't realize that the stencils were multiuse. I threw mine out after 1 use. Just replace the backing and go again.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review: Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Detoxifying Scrub

2012-06-19T20:44:00.002-04:00

I got this mini sample of the Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Detoxifying Scrub in the Target Summer Beauty Bag. It's actually pretty nice.

Let's get started.

Consistency: It's white, grainy, and like a softer wet sand. I like how it exfoliates without ripping half your face off.

Smell: It smells nice, almost floral and clean.

Result: I really like the results. I had a bunch of little ones between my eyebrows, under my lip, under my nose, blackheads, gross shit. It basically cleared out everything in about a week. It's also good for sensitive skin. My sister didn't get an allergic reaction to it and she gets a reaction to EVERYTHING (Biore, Garnier, Dove, Suave etc).

Price: 7.49$ at major retailers.

Recommended: Yes. I like this. I already bought a full size at Target.

DIY: Adam Lippes Inspired Maxi.

2012-06-15T09:48:00.000-04:00

If there is only 1 thing that is super cliched, I think that it would be the maxi + the tight belt. I'm so tired of seeing all these super flowy maxis with the tight bodice or with the cinched belt: especially the strapless maxi+straight cut on the bodice+belt. I'm so sick of seeing that style. So, I was really happy to see a really long column maxi by Adam Lippes and it's actually really easy to make.

Adam Lippes

My interpretation

Step 1: Cut out a long denim strip that fits right above your boob. It should wrap just around the top of your boob.

Step 2: Pin fabric to the strip, pleating it slightly as you go. I used about 1.5 yards of silk. Sew that shit down.

Step 3: Then, fold the denim strip over once, and use a herring bone stitch to stich it down.

Step 4: Pop in a zipper. Use this tutorial to make an non invisible zipper look like an invisible one: http://www.costumedesignblog.com/?p=37

Step 5: Since most people look like shower curtains when they wear maxis without some sort of waist, then we're going to add a pseudo waist. What you basically want to do is pin together folds of fabric and regular intervals. This will create a fake waist without being too tight. It will still be super loose and flowy. Sorry for the shitty picture.

Step 6: Add a pseudo belt. My belt is super thin, only goes half way around the dress, and is used to hide seams. If you have some puffy areas, just sew that down.

DIY: Bustier-top minidress

2012-06-13T16:19:00.001-04:00

Finally back with a few DIYs.

Ew the mirror is so friggin gross. Here are instructions to make the top:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJTg7Oh6h74

The only thing I don't like about this tutorial is the way the pieces are cut. It makes you look thick in the waist. Something I would recommend is to make the thing out of newspaper, then recut the pattern pieces. This isn't actually a hard project, but you need to be accurate. If you make the lining first, sew yourself in, adjust to fit (aka seams and shit), then use the lining as "pattern pieces" for the outside, it'll work a lot nicer.

Target Summer Beauty Bag: Why is this not a beauty box?

2012-06-11T10:21:00.002-04:00

I FINALLY got my Target summer sample bag! It's so friggin awesome.

The only sample I'm not happy with is the revlon lip butter sample. I expected a mini tube of it! It would have been so awesome. Besides that, I I love everything, even the coupon book. Even though these are all drugstore products, I really like everything.