pandaphilia

Spring 2012 H&M Fitting Room Review + 20% off coupon

2012-02-11T11:34:00.000-06:00

Are you ready for a massive fitting room review? Last weekend I went to the mall and H&M to scope out the leftovers of their massive and still-ongoing winter sale and check out new spring clothes. There weren't that many interesting items that screamed spring, but plenty of neutrals and versatile cross-seasonal pieces. H&M also sent out a 20% off one item coupon via email for use 2/9 to 2/14, so I might brave the 17 degree temperature to grab something that I passed up from last week. If you want pictures of the tag bar codes for anything shown here, just send me an email.

1) H&M mint green cable knit sweater (size S), $20 USD
This lightweight mini cable knit sweater in a delicious pastel spring mint green would be a perfect spring transitional item. Paired with the pastel pink tulle skirt I had on when I went shopping, it's a dreamy colour palette! They also have this in other colours, including carnation pink.
- Verdict: Pass, too many sweaters and a little pricey for such a thin sweater

2) H&M faux leather leggings/tights (size S), $25
Found these on a return rack somewhere and thought I'd try them on. Breaking my rule of no attack-of-the-uncovered-leggings-butt just to show you the fit and material (seriously, worst fashion faux pas ... badonkadonk hanging out, no shorts or skirt over it, leggings and Uggs/boots). The material is quite thin and very stretchy - I thought that these were Medium but in fact they're small and even have a few creases (indicating too loose), which surprised me and my non-toothpicky legs. The style gives any outfit an edge, moreso than simple cotton black tights. These are probably more comfortable than leather pants, but definitely less structured (of course) ... may have to look into pants too.
- Verdict: Purchased, despite the price tag, this piece is very versatile for building a minimalistic wardrobe that still packs punch - in a week I already wore them three times!

3) H&M purple velvet ruched dress (size S), $7 ON SUPER SALE
This velvet material caught my eye in the massive sale rack, then when I saw the price tag I ran to the fitting room. The Small is even a bit loose on me, and it's actually a flattering classy length, hitting mid-knee on 5'3" (160 cm) me. The rucheing makes everything drape elegantly and I like that you can wear the sleeves off the shoulder or on. I've included the tag too in case you're interested in finding it at your H&M - I know there were like 10 of these left at the St. Louis Galleria (click to enlarge).
- Verdict: Passed, reluctantly. Didn't feel like I needed another dress, and where would I wear something this mature/classy to? I think I'll go back for it this weekend.

4) H&M gold snake chain necklace, $6
It's more gold than the picture suggests, and I like the segmented plates stacked against one another. It sometimes has trouble staying down flat but I'm sure if it's clasped properly in the back it won't happen as much.
- Verdict: Purchased, it's so versatile as demonstrated by working well with each of these outfits in the fitting room

5) H&M flats with chiffon bows in black and nude (size US 5/Euro 36), $15
These flats do feel pretty cheap but at least it fits. It's much more flexible and reminds me of those kinds you can fold up and throw in your purse but the chiffon bows are cute.
- Verdict: Purchased the black pair. If you remember my poor black ballet flats that finally fell apart in the fall after 6 years of use, they were finally replaced. I really liked the nude ones on the shelf but they looked gaudy on my feet.

6) H&M navy velvet small dot mesh top (size S), $18
This polka dotted piece caught my attention with its mesh and velvet texture. The front and back's solid navy parts go straight across the chest and back horizontally (better with a sweetheart neckline?) I love the mod-ish look and everything about it, but couldn't justify shelling out for this fun top. Also, the fact that you need a strapless bra for this is annoying.
- Verdict: Passed reluctantly, due to price

7) H&M black over white tulle midi skirt (Euro size 2), $7
Couldn't zip it up in the back, awkward length and just all around unflattering on me. Tried it on because it was so cheap. Some intricate detail though.
- Verdict: Passed

8) H&M bending coils gold knuckle ring (size S), $6
This is a really cool ring - I have one that's like a piece of armor but it's too big. It has two segments that is hinged at the middle and bends right at your knuckle. When you hold it straight, it literally looks like an awesome gladiator finger splint. This one is so small that when I put it on my hot little hands (middle finger), it wouldn't come off! So I pulled and panicked and finally decided to wait a while to try to twist it off - whew, disaster averted.
- Verdict: Passed, don't wear that many rings (though I like to believe I will)

An interesting corn blue blazer with nautical gold buttons. The material is very thick and textured cotton. $60 - priceyyy

Floppy sunhats are always in - wool/felt materials are the best-looking in my opinion and this tan colour is suitable for all-year-round fashion adventures. $13-15?

This mannequin had on an interesting mix - bunny cardigan, small floral print, crossbody bag, but mostly the perfect pleated leather skirt! It's sooo structured but I honestly didn't need another $25 pleated mini skirt (even though I'm currently leather-obsessed)

Bowler hat: in cobalt blue, orange, black $12-14? The shape is so comical and cute!

Pink boyfriend blazer only $25, can you believe it? I've learned my lesson with funky coloured blazers - I'm shy with them, so best for ogling from afar and not for wardrobe assimilation.

Bunny print peter pan collar top

Bunny print dress - not in love with the shapelessness of the actual piece but the print is super adorbs

Bold blue lacquer and silver stretch bracelet - a statement piece $6

Gold sequin mini coin purse/cardholder $4 - purchased!

Readers - any recent finds at H&M/while shopping?

Glamour Photos 2: Swan Lake | K-drama

2012-02-09T15:05:00.000-06:00

Photography: Tank, Modern Concept Photography in Taipei, Taiwan

In honour of Valentine's Day coming up, this is the second outfit (of 3) of our glamour photos we took in Taipei last year (see the FIRST SET here!). Since we were working with the limited/unprepared wardrobe in my suitcase, the photo studio let me borrow this white strapless satin top and feather skirt (actually a bunch of feathers glued to an old denim skirt - genius!). This was also the only pair of heels that remotely seemed to fit (5.5) from their collection, but it worked out perfectly with the theme. I thought it'd be interesting since at the time, the movie Black Swan was all the rage. This resulted in showing wayyy more leg than I'm comfortable with, but the photos turned out nice and JJ and I look like we popped straight out of a K-drama hahaha! (check out that hot pink background!). Not gonna lie - that blue tub/sofa was an awkward prop. And if only my hair could look like that every day ... life would be complete.

Readers - have you taken glamour photos before? Share a link if you have!

Don't forget to enter my BagBeautiful Handbag Shaper giveaway!

Animal Farm

2012-02-08T16:42:00.000-06:00

Forever 21 sheep jumper/sweatshirt (S) // Pitaya bunny print peter pan collar top (S) //

H&M pastel pink bird print pencil skirt (Euro 2) // Forever 21 burgundy tights //

Xhilaration wingtip oxford flats in Cognac (5.5) //

Photography: JJ

SHEEP + BUNNIES + DOVES. You guys don't know how long I've been waiting to wear this outfit! (1/30) A few things barring me from just throwing on a massive animal pandemonium: this is a size 2 H&M skirt, meaning it's like a 00. My intake of half chicken tenders/half fries (we call them half and halves here) and other heart-stopping meals makes fitting into that a sick joke. Second, it was "oh ... there's my butt, I suppose it just froze off"-cold. But last week, St. Louis was really dishing out the beautiful weather - 60s to 70s and sunny. What!? in a very, very good way! Alas now it's back to mediocre attempts at snowing and being unjustifiably cold.

I'm not a fan of the way this skirt looks on me - my thighs push up the pencil-skirt-like part on my thighs and there's a poofy balloon thing going on in the front. Either way, at the time a $25 bird print skirt was irresistable for my Miu Miu dupe-hunting craze. The navy shorts with the same print looked way cuter on Jen (herwaisechoice) but never caught them in stores here last spring.

This semester has been utterly fantastic - hanging out with a different group of friends everyday, almost always spontaneously. Classy wine in plastic cups, making a scene in the library cafe at night, laughing and more laughing. Viva esta vida loca. Second semester senior also translates to "more time to ogle architecture on campus" - after all, this is one of the deciding factors for choosing my specific university. Side note: it's already February and I'm still writing my dates like 2.8.11. It's 2012 and my brain is a little slow on the gear-turning process for this factoid. Cray.

Readers - do you ever wear themed prints?

Don't forget to enter my BagBeautiful Handbag Shaper giveaway!

Matcha Green Tea Kit Kat

2012-02-07T10:35:00.000-06:00

Thanks to my friend Mike for bringing back these delicious matcha green tea Kit Kats from Japan! They taste like green milk tea and even have green filling between the wafers inside. Excuse the face - it was a lazy weekend no makeup day. Big shocker: I actually look like this most days, the glasses/eye bags/pimples look in vogue, the battle scars of many nights of studying late. So much green in these pics, right? It's my favourite colour and almost everything in my room (yes my desk is lime green!) - desk, lamp, edamame peas plush - is this vibrant and lush colour. Enjoy this edition of Tuesday Treats!

Readers - have you tried new candy recently?

Don't forget to enter my BagBeautiful Handbag Shaper giveaway!

Schoolgirl Tulle

2012-02-06T09:30:00.000-06:00

H&M mustard knit sweater (XS) // Forever 21 chambray shirt (S) (underneath) //

Forever 21 light pink tulle skirt (S) // Merona faux calfhair leopard print flats (5.5) //

BCBG silver metallic foldover clutch (c/o ReallyPetite) // Forever 21 burgundy tights //

Bracelets: Poshlocket (c/o), Forever 21, H&M // Forever 21 white plastic bow ring (S) //

Photography: me, tripod and remote

TUTUS, NOT VOODOO. As much as I like the idea of bravely going where no fashionista has gone (on campus) before, the last few times I pulled out my pink tulle skirt for styling, I've chickened out and reluctantly put it back in the closet. One day while surfing Lookbook, the perfect inspiration scrolled across the screen - a girl wearing an orange sweater with a collared shirt underneath and a tulle skirt very similar to mine (sorry can't remember exactly who). This was the toning-down solution that escaped me and I gleefully stored the image in the back of my mind.

Friday (2/3) was the perfect day (mid 50s and cloudy) to throw on this ensemble for my one class. Even in a class full of pre-meds and biomedical engineers, I felt fun and flirty but not crazy. Mustard and chambray are a match made in heaven and I love how the bright yellow pops against the grey skies and is reminiscent of a schoolbus. JJ was gone for a grad school interview so I fumbled with my self-photography equipment and raced the wind and impending rainstorm. This weekend has been pretty tortoise-paced in a pleasant way - hanging out, sleeping, playing racquetball, feeling out some Legend of Zelda tunes on the piano/violin, eating exorbitant amounts of pho, green onion savory pancakes (congyoubing), Chipotle, hot dogs. No, I did not watch the Super Bowl (but glad a Manning won) nor join the fray for Jason Wu x Target. Now for squeezing a big dollop of catch-up on my work. Have a great week!

Readers - how do you tone down crazier pieces for school/work?

Don't forget to enter my BagBeautiful Handbag Shaper giveaway!

H&M giving out $5 gift cards!

2012-02-03T22:19:00.000-06:00

After my mall-therapy and careful pruning of H&M today, the SA surprised me at the register with a free $5 gift card to use between 2/23 and 3/7. Run, don't walk, to your local H&M and take advantage of this! Not sure about the minimum purchase so you should ask. Also, say hello to my new badge proof of glitter obsession: a $4 gold mini envelope clutch cardholder. It's so adorable!

Edit: After reading angry comments on H&M's Facebook fan page ... shame on them for not admitting stealing an independent artist's graphic. You can read the story here.

Don't forget to enter my BagBeautiful Handbag Shaper giveaway!

Giveaway: BagBeautiful Medium Handbag Shaper

2012-01-31T08:54:00.000-06:00

In celebration of 100,000 pageviews on Pandaphilia (WOOHOO!) I have an exciting giveaway for you today. Erin, the co-founder of Bagbeautiful, reached out to me and wanted to give Pandaphilia readers an opportunity to win one of their products: a Medium Handbag Shaper. It keeps the shape of your beloved bags so you can keep flaunting them for many years to come (like a shoe tree but for purses). It retails for $14 USD and measures 10 x 13 inches. I know that some of my less structured purses could do with a bit of support and pillow-lovin' (doesn't it look like a comfy satin pillow for your purse? haha).

THE GIVEAWAY: Requirements are listed inside the widget below - you must complete ALL of the requirements on the first page of the widget to be entered (these are mandatory). The widget may take a few seconds to load and you need to have Javascript enabled. Rafflecopter makes counting and verifying entries much easier, so the winner get chosen faster. If you cannot use the widget, send me an email and I'll give you the instructions to enter via commenting.

This giveaway is for United States only (sorry international friends - there will be more giveaways for you soon). Please ask parental permission if under 16. The winner randomly chosen using Random.org. Giveaway ends at 12/11/2012 at 12:01 EST. The winner will be drawn and contacted by email. If there is no response within 48 hours a new winner will be selected.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

1 Medium Handbag Shaper will be provided by BagBeautiful. I am not otherwise affiliated with the company. Image credit: BagBeautiful.com. Compilation by me.

Maxi to Hi-Lo Hem

2012-01-29T18:34:00.000-06:00

H&M lace chest sweater dress (S) // Pitaya/Solemio sheer pleated maxi skirt (S) (tucked in as a hi-lo hem skirt) //

From Taiwan opaque teal tights (M/L) // Pitaya yellow patent skinny belt (S) //

Fioni for Payless zip up black cutout booties (5) //

Photography: JJ

BUSINESS IN THE BACK, PARTY IN THE FRONT. Hi-lo hem, fishtail skirts, mullet skirts - there's a different name every week for this style of skirt. What makes sense to me is the fact that it's high in the front like a mini/knee-lengther and long in the back like a maxi. It shows off your legs, shows, and you get a big tail trailing behind you when you strut. While I've been hunting high and low for these all season, I decided to faux it by tucking in the front of my sheer maxi skirt into the waistband and secured with a bright yellow skinny belt. It's not exactly the same thing, but it's more like a really long tulip hem and shows a bit of leg (which I dutifully covered with bright tights to vibe up the black-black block). This also made it slightly easier for shorty me to walk without tripping.

JJ helped me snap these shots in the walk of naked gingko trees quickly after a delicious carvery wrap lunch at Holmes Lounge (1/27). Their house sauce plus a tad of spicy barbeque makes my mouth water just at the sound of it (like right now ... man I feel like one of Pavlov's dogs). It was freezing, so campus bystanders onlooked quizzically while I threw off my coat and pranced around for a few minutes trying to look as un-cold as possible. This weekend consisted of hanging out, attending the best ever Lunar New Year Festival performance, eating dim sum, pho, bubble tea, and Asian supermarket shopping. Somewhere in the fun, there's work to be done. One is as a poet, in the mood before you know it. (Ima dork, forgive me)

By the way, I announced the winner of the Poshlocket giveaway in the original widget. Congrats! Don't worry there's another giveaway for you lovely readers tomorrow!

Readers - do you get creative with your maxis?

Year of the Dragon

2012-01-27T10:11:00.000-06:00

Photography: me

EYE OF THE TIGER. Happy Lunar New Year Festival 2012! All of the Asian multicultural student groups had a big preview party last Sunday for the sold-out performances tonight and tomorrow. There were sneak peeks of acts, free snacks and games, bumping into old friends, and a re nao firework display outside at the end. I'm very pumped to see this year's show - JJ is choreographing Chinese yoyo and many of my friends are getting their dance on. Thank you event-goers for bearing with me as I shamelessly walked up to you and asked if I could snap pictures of your body parts (erm ... not quite as creepy as that sounded). If you hover over each photo, there's a strange and telling title for each.

Whew editing these photos took a lot longer than I thought they would. Early morning bloggin' sans coffee (7:30 AM what what), after dropping that horrid anatomy lab which single-handed threatened to turn my sociable and fun last semester into a raging nightmare. Imagine Caveman Angie, holed away somewhere mumbling things like "arbor vitae" "trochlear nerve" "posterior commisure" to herself while prodding at some plastic model labeled with miniscule smudged numbers. Given, I do enjoy learning anatomy a lot but this is all too much too soon. Isn't that what med school's for? My other 6 classes should keep me happily busy instead of stressed to the limit. Happy weekending!

Readers - do you celebrate a cultural New Year?

Snow Bunny

2012-01-26T08:55:00.000-06:00

H&M taupe button neck turtleneck LS top (XS) (gift from JJ's mom) // H&M faux leather biker jacket (Euro 4) //
H&M plaid tweed coat (Euro 4) //

H&M leather camel belt (31-32") // Forever 21 ankle zip skinny jeans (26) //

From Taiwan furry camel chunky heeled boots (36) // From Taiwan white rabbit (?) fur ball scarf //

Photography: JJ

TAUPES & FUR. Happy belated Chinese (Lunar) New Year everyone! I've been gone from the blogosphere for a mere 3 days yet it's felt like eons - I would blame it on schoolwork but honestly for once I'm caught up and even ahead in certain courses and spend most of my free time catching up with old friends. This is such a sharp contrast from last semester and despite a crazier courseload now, day-to-day is much more live-able. So 'scuse me if I was off writing poetry or having an afternoon coffee to relax (versus to prop up my eyelids) or playing racquetball.

This was what I wore for the Lunar New Year festivities on Sunday (1/22): a twist on the turtleneck theme, leather jacket, and boots with the furrrr. To accessorize, an interesting scarf from Taiwan last year - actually a replacement one bought on the street near a night market because I somehow lost the one I got for ultra cheap (like $4?) at a department store. It's fuzzy and soft but smells kind of funky, so I worry what it's really made out of ... We snapped these shots in the dim lights of the business school after the event, but the T2i picks up light from absolutely nowhere and makes pictures bright as day - still in awe.

Meanwhile, today was a strange day of days. It rained the entire day and I was alternating between sopping wet/drying/sopping wet. I found $11 on the ground outside a bar on my way home (it too was sopping wet). Cold is not my friend, but it keeps insisting that we get to know each other better. Can it be spring already? There's only so much layering permutations my winter wardrobe can handle. Hope y'all have been having a wonderful year so far and keeping up with all those resolutions *wink* : )

Readers - what's your most unique accessory?

Ice Cream and Planets Nook Covers

2012-01-22T12:14:00.000-06:00

Ice Cream Shop Nook Cover: Oh. Ma. Gee. I want this one so badly! The turquoise/orange and graphics are fun and perfect

Inside: no pocket but lotsa orange.

Planets Nook Cover: It'd be cool if the dots glowed in the dark. I like the simple line graphics and nerdy -little-boy feel.

Image credit: BarnesandNoble.com

Readers - do you like cute covers for your tech?

Don't forget to enter my Poshlocket jewelry giveaway!

Seeing the Beautiful You by Jackie Clark

2012-01-21T14:42:00.001-06:00

Today's post is going to be something different, more personal, and hopefully eye-opening. I am happy to introduce my first guest blogger ever, Jackie Clark. Jackie does outreach for the Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance, an online resource for mesothelioma cancer. She contacted me to discuss a serious issue, one that has unfortunately touched many of us in this world. Some of you may silently be caretakers, loved ones, or cancer warriors/survivors. Jackie's knowledge of the disease and advice on living a full life despite the diagnosis can give us empowerment through knowing. I might emphasize that physical appearance is important in self-esteem but hair is just hair. Having a strong inner strength powered by loved ones and hope shines through to the outside. If you have any questions or want to talk, don't hesitate to email me. Thank you Jackie for writing this article. You can read her latest post here.

____________________________________________________________________________

Seeing the Beautiful You

By: Jackie Clark

According to medical researchers, emotions play an important part in our physical health and well being. While it is always traumatic to deal with a physically debilitating illness, scientific studies support the theory that a healthy state of mind and self-image can help promote healing and faster recovery times. Likewise, even if the disease is a recurrent or chronic one, a high level of self-confidence can help a patient deal with chronic illness and live a better quality of life.

Women diagnosed with illnesses such as cancer have a particularly challenging road ahead of them. For example, women who are diagnosed with mesothelioma cancer due to asbestos exposure know that one of the most effective mesothelioma cancer treatments is chemotherapy. This treatment, however, often causes physical side effects such as hair loss. Likewise, cancer treatments also cause weight loss or gain, and the disease itself can sometimes change a patient’s physical appearance, particularly if radical surgeries are involved.

This is why it’s so important for women with mesothelioma cancer and other cancers to find a way to look as good as they can on a regular basis. Pursuing a consistent regimen of outer beauty can give cancer patients a healthy dose of self- confidence, which in turn will empower them to take control of their disease. This empowerment is crucial for women who are trying to maintain a high quality of life while battling cancer.

Clothes, scarves, hats, wigs and shoes can help cancer patients to attain their optimum physical attractiveness. While going out to shop may be difficult for some patients, most clothing retailers have online catalogs offering a wide variety of colors, sizes and styles. In addition, some specialty sites feature wigs, hats and scarves made especially for cancer patients. These are not only flattering but also fashionable, so a woman need not be afraid to be seen because of the hair loss she may have suffered due to radiation treatments.

Makeup is also important to a woman’s appearance, and makeup kits can be a fun way to experiment and try a new look. In addition, many makeup stylists are also willing to make house calls for those patients who aren’t yet able to get out and about.

While clothing and makeup may seem the last thing a person with cancer wants to think about, doctors advise that the most important thing a cancer patient can do is to try and return to as normal a life as possible. This means taking the time and effort to do all the things one would ordinarily do in order to look good.

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer and are contemplating or undergoing treatments, remember that it’s crucial not to lose sight of yourself in the fight. This means that you may have to dig deep inside in order to find the part of yourself that existed before cancer. By holding on to that part of yourself, you’ll be better equipped for your cancer journey. Finding your own inner and outer beauty serves as a reminder that after all, you’re still you.

Image credit: webclipart.about.com

Checkmate, Metallica

2012-01-20T10:01:00.000-06:00

Forever 21 checkered peacoat (M) // H&M sparkly metallic silver light sweater (XS) //

H&M light pink lace shoulder LS top (S) // H&M black and white striped pleated mini skirt (Euro 4) //

Forever 21 burgundy tights // CLAWS jewelry turquoise trio gold ring necklace (c/o WhitWatWear) //

From Taiwan fringe heeled boots with bling (35) // H&M super chunky long beige scarf //

Photography: JJ

CTRL+P MIX. So it was freeze-my-butt-off-like-a-wart cold today. And yesterday. And tomorrow. Thank you JJ for braving the bitter temperature to snap these pictures outside (1/19). Oh what I won't do for fashion. Last night, as I tried picking out my outfit in advance for once, the sparkly thin knit came back to mind, along with the lace top and burgundy tights from the pink blazer outfit, yielding a remix of what was in my Winter Break suitcase. While I had plans for my pink tulle skirt again, it just looked downright silly for a day of science madness, so my favourite go-to pleated skirt took its place. Better luck next time, tutu.

OFF THE SHOULDER, PEEP LACE. I remember getting the inspiration for peeping lace shoulders in the H&M dressing room during my pre-Christmas sale hunt. Pulling down the lightweight sweater to reveal a bit of dainty femininity, I tossed on a favourite small statement necklace (if there is such a thing) to top it off. To cover everything up and switch things up, this checkered coat rotated to the forefront to temporarily replace my plaid one I've been wearing daily this year. It was purchased on sale for about $13 last last winter, on a whim of course. I liked its dolly shape and potential layering space for a medium size. Like is to chunky as my scarf is to soup.

Meanwhile, I LOVE second semester senior year. I LOVE my science classes (never thought I'd confess that aloud), and I love having free time to catch up with old friends and do the things I love. I also enjoy sitting in a room bursting with intense neuroscience majors and feeling like I know something for once ; )

Readers - do you wear the same coat everyday in winter?

Don't forget to enter my Poshlocket jewelry giveaway!

[SOLD] Urban Outfitters Blue Velvet Loafers

2012-01-19T22:49:00.001-06:00

Do you remember these blue velvet loafers (size 6) that I picked up from Urban Outfitters a month ago? I'm selling them for $28 + shipping (United States only) - I paid $36 for them and they're sold out on UO online. They simply won't fit my little feet after a lot of trouble hunting down shoe pads and trying all sorts of methods. After all this stretching, it will probably fit size 6-7 no problem. Otherwise, they're quite new - I wore them to school once and for outfit pictures another (total 2 times). If you're interested, email me at angie [at] pandaphilia [dot] com.

See more pictures here. See my styled outfit post with them here.

Biker Ballerina

2012-01-17T16:29:00.000-06:00

Forever 21 leather panel strapless mini dress (S) // Forever 21 light pink tulle skirt (S) //

Aldo nude pumps (35) // Poshlocket Celeste Silver Roped Bracelet (c/o) //

Rings: real pearl silver from Epcot Japan (4), green topaz from medieval fair //

Forever 21 birds double gold chain necklace //

Photography: JJ

TOUGH LOVE, BABY. It was freakishly warm for a St. Louis January day yesterday (1/16) so I took the opportunity to style an outfit that was meant for frolicking around in SoCal sunshine: LEATHER MINIDRESS + TULLE SKIRT. With a strong breeze, it was too chilly to run around in this all day so it was a play-dress-up-and-change kind of outfit. Good thing too because it started hailing soccer balls at my windows at 2 AM - geez, Mother Nature's mood swings are scary as *@$! sometimes. I love paradoxes in life, and pairing leather and girly tutu skirts makes for the perfect oddity. This dainty pearl ring is actually a real pearl I got out of an oyster at Epcot Center Japanworld. I had the 7 mm yellow beauty set in a sterling silver band, size 4. Pretty costly, but for the experience and magic, right?

Today was the first day of my last semester in college, but I didn't go to class (bad kid, iknowright?) Nah, I was at an interview. It's weird being at two different stages of your life at once - it's like being two places at one time. Awkward moment: when you realize that the doctor sitting across from you actually knows more about fashion than you do. Karl Lagerfeld what what?

I have Selena Gomez's "Love You Like a Love Song" stuck in my head on re-peat-peat-peat-peat

Readers - do you like polar opposites in fashion?

Don't forget to enter my Poshlocket jewelry giveaway!

Threaded Comment Replies for Custom Templates

2012-01-17T14:30:00.000-06:00

If you keep up with Blogger Buzz, you'll know that FINALLY they have threaded comment replies enabled for Blogger (similar to Disqus, how you can reply directly to comments on your posts and have it appear indented like a thread)! You can read the original article. Before, I had inserted a reply button script that allowed me to reply but it wouldn't be attached to the original comment, so that was annoying.

Now you can have threaded comment replies with the touch of a button. Simply go to Blogger Dashboard -> Settings -> Other: set allow blog feed to "full," then Settings -> Posts and Comments: comment location to "embedded" and voila - everything's set. BUT if you have customized templates like me, things get hairy. I found this very helpful site that's unfortunately in Malay, but with the help of Google Translate, you basically need the first two lines. I'll translate briefly here (code credit: www.themasdoyok.com )

0. Go to Blogger Dashboard -> Template. SAVE YOUR TEMPLATE FIRST ("backup/restore" in upper right corner)
1. Edit html -> Proceed -> check the box that says Expand Widget Templates
2. Control+F and search for this line

<b:include data='post' name='comments'/>

3. Everywhere you see this line above, replace it with this (it appeared 3 times in my code):

<b:if cond='data:post.showThreadedComments'>
<b:include data='post' name='threaded_comments'/>
<b:else/>
<b:include data='post' name='comments'/>
</b:if>

4. Easy, right? It should look something like this:

Lemme know how this works for everyone and happy replying! If only Blogger came up with a better way to notify commenters of replies like Disqus thus and then everything would be peachy.

Readers - what commenting system do you use?

Don't forget to enter my Poshlocket jewelry giveaway!

Leprechaun

2012-01-16T18:39:00.000-06:00

David & Goliath "This is How I Roll" print tshirt (S) (gift from JJ) // H&M olive green cardigan (Euro 4) (old) //

H&M forest green colored skinny jeans (Euro 6) // Urban Outfitters/Cooperative blue velvet loafers (6) //

H&M multi bracelets // Rings: turquoise - gifted, green topaz - medieval fair

Photography: JJ

GREEN MACHINE. What I wore to a delicious brunch at The Creperie in Clayton with JJ (1/15). I absolutely love quirky and punny t-shirts and he got me this cute sushi one that says "This is How I Roll" when he went up to San Fran with friends last week. Why stop there with the green? On goes different tones of my favourite colour and it's just downright silly. Looks like St. Patty's Day came two months in advance. Took these pictures today though because it was so much warmer (67 degrees what STL? Stay like this forever baby).

Monte Carlo is the best dadgum crepe I've ever tasted. It has fresh strawberries, coconut, walnuts, and this ice cream/whipped cream-like cream to go with. Biking uphill in super-wind was actually worth it. I love the ambiance of The Creperie because it's loud, crowded, and has a kind of coffeeshop/Euro cafe feel. The outside sunroom is well-insulated, warm, and gives a nice street view out into the business district. This is how I roll.

Having a nice clean room is a huge accomplishment pre-semester. We vacuumed (nothing more gratifying than listening to the crackle of dirty junk getting picked up by a veritable vortex), unpacked, packed up last semester's things, and now have massive amounts of floor space. My last first day of college tomorrow - a mixed bag of feelings.

Readers - do you ever wear an outfit of all the same colour?

Don't forget to enter my Poshlocket jewelry giveaway!

Baby It's Cold Outside

2012-01-15T20:32:00.000-06:00

Forever 21 brown shearling jacket (S) // H&M cropped knit turtleneck sweater (XS) //

Forever 21 navy and grey striped shirt (S) // Forever 21 zip ankle skinny jeans (26) //

From Taiwan furry chunky heel camel booties (6) // Red frame glasses //

Photography: JJ

SURELY, SHEARLING. While everyone else is glued to the tube watching the Golden Globes, I'm huddling inside as close to the heater as possible, sorting out my final college semester schedule. 2012 has been a great start for me so far, and my first 24 hours back at the ~~North Pole~~ St. Louis have been productive, try-new-things-fun, and bloody COLD. Going from 80 degrees to a sharp dunk into snow-covered 30s is not pleasant, and riding my rickety bike uphill on a particularly windy day is even less pleasant. Either way, it's nice to be a busy bee again.

This is an old pre-break school outfit (11/28): SHEARLING + TURTLENECK. Can't even remember what I was doing that day but it was right after Thanksgiving. This jacket was $10 on sale in the spring and my homage to the raging shearling trend last year. Layered with a cropped turtleneck sweater, it's pretty warm. Nothing to write home about. While it's nice to dream fantastically and imagine myself swathed in light chiffon and bohemian layers, true winter necessitates warmth so hopefully this is the year when miraculously I learn how to layer without looking like a mid-hibernation bear.

You remember my previous giveaway sponsor, Unestablish, right? They're introducing an Australian line into its store: Finders Keepers. They have romantic neutral light grey, cream, black tones with a nice spring coral thrown in. I also see interesting cutouts. Check it out here. (Image credit: Unestablish)

Readers - do you prefer warmth over fashion?

Don't forget to enter my Poshlocket jewelry giveaway!

Jonathan Adler Nook Cover Review + Nook Tablet Update

2012-01-14T01:49:00.000-06:00

Part of the explanation of why I've been MIA from the web lately: been flipping through finger-licking good books lately and on my way to my goal of finishing 10 books during 2012. One thing I used to pride myself on is being a bookworm, but since college, reading for pleasure never seemed a convenient option anymore. Since purchasing the Nook Tablet less than 2 months ago, I've completed 3 books (one of which was over 1000 pages) - not bad, eh?

After a while, I decided my Nook should be protected with a cover, one with a cute design that makes me want to pull it out of my bag in public. After a bit of searching, I decided shelling out $30 for the Jonathan Adler Pink Circles designer cover was worth it and so far it's held up nicely (sold by Barnes & Noble). The design features pink and purple circles and is made of this vinyl-canvas-like material on the outside, and thick hot pink canvas on the inside. It opens just like a book and has a convenient built-in pocket on the left side with a clear case for an ID card or a picture (below "This Nook Belongs To:"). How cute! The Nook snaps right in on the right side and the cover folds back to allow for easy reading. An additional plus is that it can bend over to form a tent shape that doesn't slide on some surfaces, so good for reducing glare and watching TV comfortably. The other cover I was contemplating was the Kate Spade black and white striped one with red inside but it was $80 so no way. Unfortunately it seems that neither cover is available anymore on the B&N site, but check in your local store - there may be some left.

Here's an animation depicting one of my favourite features: touch-to-search. If you're like me and are too lazy to look up an unfamiliar word in the dictionary every time you run across one, this is true immediate gratification at a single touch. The "look up" button is connected to Merriam Webster dictionary and defines all sorts of terms and phrases.

Readers - do you have cute cases for your tech?

Don't forget to enter my Poshlocket jewelry giveaway!

Burgers and Nails

2012-01-10T11:02:00.000-06:00

Five Guys heck yeah. The best burgers on the planet - double patty, barbeque sauce, mushroom, bacon goodness. Inspired by the infamous tumblr: Burgers and Nails. This was from a mall trip a while back, pre-Winter Break. Triumph of the day: learned that simply inputting a width upon export on Lightroom resizes my photos automatically. The easy button does exist!

Headed to LA for two days. Taking the train for the first time - I'm prepared to get me some snack cart action and pretend it's the Hogwarts Express (chocolate frogs, you bet!)

Readers - what's your favourite burger joint?

Don't forget to enter my Poshlocket jewelry giveaway!

[CLOSED] Poshlocket Jewelry Review + Giveaway

2012-01-08T16:19:00.000-06:00

You guys all know that when it comes to jewelry I like pieces that people can see from miles away, with an edgy-yet-pretty feel. Poshlocket is a small jewelry company based in New York and they have all kinds of styles, from dainty and ladylike, to big statement brights, to hefty metal wardrobe staples. They even offer free shipping and returns on all their orders (US only). Today they're so kind to sponsor a giveaway for $25 store credit for their jewelry!

At first glance a lot of their pieces remind me of what I see on Jewelmint, but their average prices are $18-24. They do range up to $50 for certain pieces, so it all depends on the individual product. Each piece is named after girl's name, and there is a necklace with my name too. When I received the Celeste Silver Roped Bracelet, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the material and how beautiful it looked in person. See how I styled it in this outfit post.

I made a set on Polyvore with my favourite gold jewelry from Poshlocket:

Golden Girl by pandaphilia

Chloé bracelet, $36
White pearl jewelry, $35
Celeste Silver Roped Bracelet, $38
Flo Necklace, $25
Tate Crystal Cross on Black Studs, $26
Nikki Cone Cuff, $20

Now onto a quick review of the Celeste Silver Roped Bracelet: it came in a pink scallop edged soft felt bag - I just adore the cute packaging. The bag smelled strongly of cinnamon as well. The bracelet itself is a sturdy piece with good weight to it. It fits just loosely enough on my wrist so that I can slip it on without undoing the tiny clasp (worried that it'll snap) and tight enough that it doesn't slip right off randomly. I look forward to styling this with many more outfits, since one of my more concrete resolutions this year is to accessorize more on a daily basis.

THE GIVEAWAY: Requirements are listed inside the widget below - you must complete ALL of the requirements on the first page of the widget to be entered (these are mandatory). The widget may take a few seconds to load. If there are any bugs, please leave a comment letting me know! Rafflecopter makes counting and verifying entries much easier, so the winner get chosen faster :) For an optional +3 entries, you can post this picture to your sidebar (blogs made for giveaways will be disqualified)

a Rafflecopter giveaway This giveaway is for United States only (sorry international friends - there will be more giveaways for you soon). Please ask parental permission if under 16. The winner randomly chosen using Random.org. Giveaway ends at 1/26/2012 at 12:01 EST. The winner will be drawn and contacted by email. If there is no response within 48 hours a new winner will be selected.

If you're interested, sign up for Poshlocket's mailing list for exclusive discounts/store credit.

$25 store credit will be provided by Poshlocket. I am not otherwise affiliated with the company. Image credit: Poshlocket. Compilations by me.

Little Miss Sunshine

2012-01-07T11:53:00.000-06:00

Kohls yellow halter sundress (S) // Mossini strappy gold strappy knot heels (5.5/6?) (old) //

H&M white floppy sunhat // Charming Charlie pink bauble and gold chain statement necklace //

Poshlocket gold metal Celeste Silver Roped Bracelet (c/o Poshlocket) //

NYX black round lipstick in Snow White //

Photography: self-timer/remote and tripod

NEW YEAR, NEW ARM CANDY. My outfit for yesterday (1/6), first worn for dinner at a family friend's house over the summer. This yellow lighthearted sundress was a spontaneous purchase at Kohl's when I visited her in Florida in August. We were searching for princessy clothes for Disney and this happens to be a Snow White skirt-ish piece, but we went in relative casual wear anyway. By the way, booby cups freak me out on dresses and tops. This one cuts a little close .. I believe I got the heels from Target eons ago (high school?) when they were on clearance for $7. This is my first time wearing them ever.

The newest piece is from Poshlocket, my newest sponsor. This online jewelry store was so kind to send me their beautiful light gold with silver striped Celeste Silver Roped Bracelet for styling and review (thanks Camile!). We also have a little something something cooked up for you lovely readers tomorrow (hint: starts with a "g"!). It's a sturdy bracelet and has a bit of weight to it, which I like in my jewelry. It is easy to match with anything, dressed up or down and is small enough that it doesn't slip off my petite wrists. The only thing that concerns me is the tiny tiny clasp holding both sides together, but luckily this slips on and off with little effort. I'll have to be extra careful - but you know me, I'm a klutz and rough with my jewelry/bags.

Keeping it short and sweet today and soaking up my last week of SoCal rays. 80 degrees in the winter and lovin' it. 1Q84 by Murakami is my new read and Peet's Coffee is the place to be, trying out new teas and daydreams.

Readers - do you ever discover old but good things in your closet?

Sweet Sixteen

2012-01-05T02:57:00.000-06:00

Photography: me

LITTLE MAN. My not-so-little brother turned sixteen on 1/3 and we went to Fish Market on Harbor Drive the night before to celebrate. A simple celebration complete with an Asian cake with fruit (very different from fruitcake connotations as this was quite tasty) from 99 Ranch, now he's all grown up *tear* Mom's a bit internet-camera-shy right now, so this silly picture of my Dad wearing the Fish Market bib should suffice :D hahaha!

Taking pictures in raw and actually editing them was a pain. The process for editing photos 5000x3000 pixels or so took 3x as long to get through my usual process. I need to figure out a workflow or some trick to make this go by faster or I'll never get off the computer. My old Lightroom presets also seem to have different effects on jpeg versus raw files and they're not as cool. If the photos don't look that much better after an outfit post, I'm going back to nooby jpeg for the sake of simplicity xD Is it just me, or do the photos actually look grainier? o_o If any of you photography buffs are reading this, halp!

Readers - what's your birthday tradition?

Glamour Photos 1: Sleek and Sexy

2012-01-03T01:59:00.000-06:00

This first set (out of 3) of glamour shots were from Modern Concept Photography in Taipei - an opportunity while we're still young and free to revel in costumes and over-the-top scenery. It was difficult because I brought a suitcase full of warm-weather clothing and didn't know that it was bring-your-own-clothing, so we worked with the bare minimum. I still loved every moment and the makeup artists really knew how to transform people. That looks nothing like me, right? xD JJ also did such a wonderful job considering he didn't have any glasses on during the whole thing. Thanks to Tank, the photographer too, a man with many cameras and endless skills, and the rest of the gang at Modern Concept! Stay tuned, as the next two sets are princess and casual!

Readers - have you ever taken glamour shots?

Best of 2011 | 2012 Resolutions

2012-01-02T01:34:00.000-06:00

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While it seemed like the entire summer and most of 2011 was Year of the Colorblock for me, I discovered my personal sense of style and realize that I don't have to apologize for not wearing what everyone else is. 2011 gave me the opportunities to earn that Canon T2i that I love so dearly, and these ginorm photos.

Wonderful moments: Taiwan with JJ, met Harry Shum Jr, met Wongfu, published in Style Yourself book, covered STL Fashion Week, raising Chickee, started reading more
Finally, I can't thank my wonderful sponsors enough for all their support and generosity!

2011 was filled with all sorts of exciting ups and downs from the moment we watched the fireworks burst out of Taipei 101 and the dragon slithering up the grandiose tower to the finishing moments with family and vino in San Diego. This year saw my best semester in college, some of the most stressful periods of time, and this was the year I finally accepted who I am: human. Not invincible, not limitless, but full of dreams and passion. We're on the brink of uncertainty, the brink of possibility.

2011 witnessed the whole journey of being accepted into medical school. 2012 will witness me graduate college.

If there's anything I learned from my studies in Chinese literature/culture, it's that time is circular. I believe in balance, and where there's the good, the bad, and the ugly, there's also the worst, the best, and the beautiful. At the beginning of 2011, I realized that I don't need this blog to be happy. At the end of 2011, I realized that just because I don't need something to be happy doesn't mean I can't enjoy it. Where will 2012 take us? With so much support from my friends, family, and you readers, this blogging experience has blossomed. Even if it's time to turn over a new leaf, it doesn't mean we can't use old trees to do so.

Here's to a simplified list of my 2012 Resolutions:

1. Live, laugh, love to the fullest. "Just do what you feel," in the words of a friend.

2. Take care of my body, it's the only one I have. This means sleeping, eating, and skincaring right.

3. Constantly remember my motivations in life.

4. Be nicer to myself. That inner critic can take a vacation every once in a while.

5. The most exquisite things in the universe will never replace the people around you - remember that.

Readers - what are your 2012 New Years Resolutions?