Going back in time

(Levi's denim shirt, JBrand jeans, Theyskens' Theory bag, Halogen flats, Barton Perreira sunnies)

Quick outfit post from earlier today. I can't remember the last time I wore a denim top of any sort. I do remember vividly that denim jackets were one of my favorite items back in high school. Seeing the trend coming back now a bit nostalgic for me. I can't help but admit that time does fly, and I wonder about those high school days so long ago.  I was a bit reluctant to get back into the denim trend, but when I did, the familiarity was comforting. So is the style as a whole. I got this shirt from the Levi's outlet last weekend, and decided that today will be the day I took a trip down fashion memory lane.

A lesson or two

[Photos by Marcus Lam www.marcuslam.com]

I've always admired people who could capture the stunning "moments" in photography. When I first began to follow blogs, I noticed the quality of the photography was what really captured my attention. Now that I'm creating a blog of my own, I noticed I am particularly mindful when it comes to the pictures that I select for the individual posts. For any given post, my boyfriend and I will typically have about 100 shots to choose from. And on average, only about a handful of pictures will actually make the cut. To me, this blog is as much about my journey to learn about my own style as it is about improving my technique in photography.

I met Marcus about two years ago. One of the first things I learned about him was his passion for photography. When you get him to start talking about cameras, believe me that he can talk for hours (and then some more if you let him)! Through out the last two years I've known him, he has become one of my favorite people (despite his extreme cheekiness) and closest friends. When I first started this blog, I secretly plotted ways to get Marcus to take some pictures for me. This past weekend, with barbeque and pool time as bribes, I finally got him to come to my house for a photo session! Because I have been obsessed about how lighting can impact a picture, we decided that his focus would be to teach me as we went along. Above, are some of the end-products. Huge thanks to Marcus, and be sure to visit his website and flickr! 

Tuesday Favorites

(All pictures from Napa aside from the lovely red velvet cupcake, which was from Kara's Cupcake truck)

When I looked at my photo selection for today's post, I can't help but chuckle at the fact that all but one picture was taken just this past weekend. From delicious food, to family time, hanging out with friends,  pool time, to retail therapy, and relaxing quality time with the boyfriend, the weekend was simply perfect. Weekends like this always leave me feeling completely refreshed and ready for the week ahead of me. Here's wishing you all a Fabulous Tuesday!

Keeping it simple

 (Zara shirt "last seen here", JBrand shorts, Sam Edelman shoes, Karen Walker sunglasses, Balenciaga, random jewelries)

The weather this past weekend was simply amazing. We decided to take the best of the heatwave and head to wine country. The temperature was reaching 90 degrees, so I decided to keep the outfit light and effortless. 

The itinerary for the day consisted of grabbing lunch at Addendum. The boyfriend had their famous fried chicken, and the first word out of his mouth was, "Wow". Enough said. Then we browsed around the nearby stores, which led to some delicious wine tasting, followed by my a visit to my all-time favorite macaron place, Bouchon. As if the day wasn't great enough already, we also hit up the outlet mall on our drive home. This is what I would call my ideal weekend; spontaneity, delicious food, relaxing pace, and a great time.

Heatwave

(Club Monaco shirt, JBrand shorts, Mint hat, Urban Outfitter bag, random accessories)

 A few days ago, Shopbop had a Just Friends and Family sale of 20% off for 2 days on their entire store (I only wish this happened more often!). Needless to say, I put the coupon code to good use, and got a pair of shorts that I have been eying from JBrand for some time. I received the shorts in the mail yesterday, and everything about it fit my expectations and then some. Which worked out well, because I desperately needed an alternative to my favorite pair of shorts from American Eagle (last seen here, here, and here).

Baker Beach

(BCBG sweater, American Eagle shorts, Jeffrey Campbell booties, Balenciaga bag, H&M ring, other miscellaneous accessories)

Over the weekend, I had the privilege to be at a dear friend's engagement photo shoot in San Francisco. I was suppose to be there to "help", but between the couple's natural adoring chemistry and their awesome and perfectionist photographer (who happens to also be a dear friend), I was really quite useless. LOL. But needless to say, it was just great to be there for my friends. The engagement photography was a lot harder than the pictures made it out to be. Kudos to all the couples and photographers out there that made the process seem so effortless and captivating.

I got this sweater from BCBG over the weekend, and wasted no time rotating it into my wardrobe. I love the color of the sweater right off the bat, but it was the slashed back that sealed the deal for me. I decided to pair the sweater with my go-to laid back look, the shorts, tights and booties combo. I took the opportunity of the gorgeous (yet extremely windy) day during my friends' photo session, and goofed around on my own. In my opinion, fun photo sessions are not complete without jumping poses!

Tuesday Favorites

(Left to Right, Top to Bottom: OOTD and armswag, some afternoon snacks, Golden Gate Bridge, Umami Burger, Zara Shoes collection, Puggy, suitcases at Antique show, necessities of my Sunday morning, rainbow through the rain)

My Monday didn't get off to a great start, mostly because I got sick over the weekend. I was at the beach with friends on Saturday, and was fooled by the gorgeous sunshine and got completely blind sided by the  freezing wind. The result? A very scratchy throat, mild headache, slight achy body and a lot of moodiness. Thank goodness for my patient boyfriend and cuddling pups. Needless to say, jump starting Monday was a little more taxing than normal. I don't know about you guys, but whenever I am sick, my cravings for macarons and cupcakes always seem to increase by ten-fold. Am I the only one? Boy, some macarons sounds oh so perfect right now. Anyway, I hope you all had a better Monday than me, and I wish you all a Fabulous Tuesday! 

If the shoes fit.. buy it in every color or every style

(Shoes, ALL from Zara)

I love shoes, plain and simple. Though I will say, I have never bought this many shoes all from one place before. And, I plan to get more. The best part about my growing collection from Zara, is that every single one of them are all SO comfortable! I was skeptical about what people were telling me at first, but as soon as I got my first pair, I was hooked. I'm not complaining, though. There is something so magical when fashion meets comfort, and style meets practicality!

Splash of Blue

 (Olive & Oak sweater, J Brand skinny jeans, H&M scarf, Michael Kors watch, Tory Burch Robinson Chain Mini bag, Gucci sandal, Karen Walker sunglasses, Essie Nail Polish: steel-ling the scene)

 To say that I am obsessed with Tory Burch's new Robinson Collection would be a complete understatement. The gorgeous design offers a huge variety of options, so that almost everyone can find something they love. The collection offers a wide array of eye popping color choices and design ranging from a satchel, to totes, cross body bags, wallets, and the list goes on. 

I first fell in love with the Robinson tote (see the post here) that I happily brought home with me. Then my lovely boyfriend surprised me with a soft sky-blue satchel (see the post here), that I can't seem to part from these days. Then my family got my mom this beautiful chain bag for her birthday, which she then loaned to me to complete my outfit over the past weekend. There's something so magical, when a truly talented designer gets everything right in one collection so the only decision I need to make is in which order I should bring them all home. Check out the entire Robinson Collection here.

Late night dreaming

Have a little free time on my hand right now, so what do I do? Browse online of course. I came across this beauty from Theyskens' Theory collection. How would I would love to get my hands on this dress. I am continuously amazed at just how brilliant all of Theyskens' Theory collections are. In my perfect little day dream, I would walk into my closet with all of Theyskens' pieces perfectly hanging off of my hangers. A girl can dream, can't she?

Tuesday Favorites

(Left to Right, Top to Bottom: bold print pants from H&M, Pizza Antica, arm candy, Tory Burch satchel, mint converse and new Essie polishes, Tory Burch chain bag, OOTD, Tibi sandals, Miette macarons)

This week, I literally have pre-committed social plans for every single night. While I am excited to see my family and friends, knowing myself, I knew I had to do some pre-planning to make sure I could get some "me" time as well. It is all about the art of balancing after all. Here's to a Fabulous Tuesday, and hope you are all able to find some of that treasured "me" time!

A little bit of softness

(Madewell sweater, J Brand skinny jeans, Converse, Michael Kors watch, Tory Burch satchel)

Lately, I have been gravitating towards bright and bold colors. So today, I thought I would switch things up by bringing in a little bit of softness for a bike ride around town. The result? A whole lot of pastel! The great thing about this palette selection is that the gentle colors just seem to go well together without competing with one another. The mint Chucks was an unplanned and impulse purchase that made all the right sense. And I plan to put them to great use in the upcoming months.

Silk Scarf

(Zara blazer and shoes, H and M pants and ring, Club Monaco shirt, Karen Walker sunglasses, Vintage Chanel)

I have been itching to test out the scarf print pieces for a little while now. This scarf printed blazer from Zara stood out to me. The print, color, and perfect cut were made up of all the right magical ingredients. The blazer actually hung in my closet for a few days, as I was trying to figure out which items were worthy of its company. In the end, a muted shirt from Club Monaco, and my bright pink pants from H&M made the cut. The seemingly competing combination turned out to be just right. 

On a side note, having this little blog of mine has really been a fantastic creative outlet for me for the past month and a half. This personal space allows me to push my own boundaries and test out things I probably wouldn't have before. So, for those of you who are reading this blog and sharing my little style journey, I just want to say thank you!

Tuesday Favorites

(Left to Right, Top to Bottom: Cheesecake Factory, rainy day, Krispy Kreme donut, pastel and glitter nails, In and Out, outfit of the day, brunch with mom, new treasure from Kate Spade, my puggy)

Here are image captures from my trusted iPhone that will keep me inspired for the rest of the week.

Today, my baby Pug turns four years old! Four! Oh, how time flies. It seems like it was only yesterday that we brought him home in a big old sweater, snoring all the whole way home, and has not stopped snoring in his sleep since. I absolutely adore my little pug, and love how he taught me the meaning of unconditional love. I once read this quote, and still to this day is one of my favorite quotes. "Love is when your puppy licks your face even when you left him alone all day." That quote was probably meant and written for my little boy. So here's to a Fabulous Tuesday, and some extra hugs and kisses to my little birthday boy!