Tiredness is a State of Mind

Hmm...this looks a lot like what I wore here. I obviously need more color in my wardrobe! Unfortunately the only other colors besides black, white, and blue, is pink...which has already been shown twice. Possibly others, I don't remember.

Wearing Gap cardigan ($12), J.Crew ruffle top (gift from my mom), husband's belt ($10), and secondhand BDG jeans ($17).

Our Philly outing was great, but tiring...hence, the title. We stayed at the Museum of Arts for HOURS. There was so much to see! And we went to check out UPenn's architecture school but everything was closed. Also, for the architecturally aware, did you know Robert Venturi's Vanna Venturi house is in Philadelphia? My husband had learned about it in school and wanted to check it out. We talked to the owner and even saw the interior. At first glance, it is an odd-looking house but it plays an important role for post-modern architecture. AND, we were able to see the Nowhere Stair in person!

Happy New Year's Eve! What are your guys' plans for the New Year? We'll be spending it with friends and family and with lots of Korean food!

S'TAP

Waiting for our pizzzza...

This is actually from Tuesday. I skipped out on Monday's outfit because we just stayed home all day... hehe :) And my outfits for staying indoors consist of leggings, big tshirts, and thick socks! Definitely not something I'll be posting online.....EVER. What do you wear at home?This is actually from Tuesday. I skipped out on Monday's outfit because we just stayed home all day... hehe :) And my outfits for staying indoors consist of leggings, big tshirts, and thick socks! Definitely not something I'll be posting online.....EVER. What do you wear at home?

Wearing Collection B faux leather jacket ($55), Shade Clothing graphic t-shirt (free with gift card), Gap cardigan ($12), husband's belt ($10), J Brand jeans ($158), and MIA brogues ($43).

All the World is Green

Usually, I don't buy clothes priced over $15 but $17 is pretty cheap for J.Crew and nobody can resist that...come on! I love it so much, I even got it in white!

I'm off to get my hair trimmed later. But you know, when you go in to get a trim it's almost like they just hack it all off! At least that's what it feels like each time for me...

As you can see, the snow is ALL gone!! There was 20 inches there just a couple of days ago. Crazy. But I'm not complaining about the warmer weather we've been having here either! ;)

Wearing J.Crew ruffled top (gift from my mom), thrifted belt ($1), Shade Clothing white skirt ($12), bracelet (won from Emily's giveaway), Target lace tights (gift from my SIL), and Ros Hommerson oxfords ($25).

Thanks to everyone for the recommendations for NYC and Boston!! :) They were all much appreciated!

Saturday Night Fever

Doesn't this look a bit Indiana Jones? All I need is the hat and a whip. But I like it. It's all classic pieces: black jacket, white button-down, blue jeans. It never fails, really.

Wearing Collection B faux leather jacket ($55), Gap white button-down ($12), husband's belt ($10), secondhand BDG jeans ($17), and MIA brogues ($43).

I'm still looking for recommendations for hot spots in Boston and NYC if anyone knows any! We're planning on going next week. We're also going to check out Philly in a couple days because my husband's never been. We briefly went there before our wedding but it wasn't enough time to see everything.

Mother of Pearl

This is what I wore for our family's Christmas Eve dinner. Yum! My husband made roast and yams and I made the mashed potatoes and my mom made everything else.. hehe ;) Hope you all had a great Christmas!! My husband and I were able to skype with his family in California. It was our first time using skype. (To learn about skype and how it works, take a look at the VOiP reviews on NextAdvisor.) I can't believe we haven't used it before...

I'm not a fan of jewelry, but when I saw that Emily from Le Quaintrelle was giving it away, I had to have it. It is SO gorgeous!! I love it's imperfect circle and the different colors. Definitely a statement piece!

See all that snow in the background? It's all gone now. The rain washed it away! I normally don't like the cold but seeing all that snow outside made me want to go out and build a snowman! I guess I'll have to wait until I get back to Utah.

Wearing H&M pink top ($11), bracelet (won from Emily's giveaway, J Brand jeans ($158), and Tsubo boots ($160).

Cupcake Fedora Boutique Giveaway (CLOSED)

A Night's Flash

I would've preferred to wear my Geox flats or some high heel boots but I have none. I only brought three pairs of shoes for this vacation. I thought that was pretty good considering I'll be away from home for three weeks! I did plan out all my outfits and will be wearing each item at least twice. I am so amazing...just kidding. But, seriously, I hate packing... I wish I could take my bed, my bathroom, and my whole wardrobe with me wherever I go... hehe :)

Anyone have any more recommendations for Boston and NYC?? ;)

Wearing Tulle coat ($44), H&M dress ($15), secondhand belt ($6), Target tights (another Christmas gift from my SIL...thanks Kally!), and Tsubo boots ($160).

East Side

Sorry for the blog hiatus. It was an altogether internet hiatus - it was nice, but it's also good to be back! If you couldn't tell from the change of scenery, we finally made it to the east coast yesterday! Our flight was canceled on Saturday morning because of the big snow storm here but we're glad the airline let us know before we got stuck at some airport in the middle of nowhere.. I hope everyone's enjoying their winter break! I feel like I have more to do than during the school year... not sure if it's good or bad yet.

H&M Gift Card Giveaway (CLOSED)

Little Teas

I've promised myself a long time ago that my kids are going to look smashing. Yes, I just used the word "smashing." They will not be adorned with cheezy cartoon characters nor will they wear graphic tees. Instead, my girls will definitely wear cute dresses like these...

Seriously, how adorable are these?!? I came across this online store of Children's Clothing and had to share with you. And guess what? They have a Seoul, Korea collection!!! .....I KNOW!!!! So cute right? Apparently, the clothing designers went to Korea for some inspiration for their new collection. The pictures on their blog make me wish I were back there! You know what else they do? They send 50% of their profits from their "little citizen" collection to the Global Fund for Children, which helps children literacy and well-being around the world.

GUILTY

Last night was Maurices' splurge party! I brought along a few of my friends and it was great to have a little GNO while all our husbands were at school (boo). There was also talk of a snow storm so we headed out of there pretty quickly... I'm not a very competent driver in the snow....for reals. But I did get a sequin blazer that I'm still a little iffy on.... I'll show you guys later ;).

I'm so guilty of repeat outfits lately, hence the lack of outfit posts! But there's something about BF jeans and cardi that is so appealing when you're tired and feel like blah. At least this is a little different with the beanie (can you tell how much I love this beanie?!?), BF jeans, and the "effortless" half-tuck of the cardi.

Wearing SLiM Motif beanie (courtesy of SLiM Motif), Collection B faux leather jacket ($55), husband's Heritage 1981 cardigan ($20), DownEast Basics tee (gift from my MIL), husband's belt ($10 that I bought for him 2 years ago), Aeropostale jeans ($20), and MIA brogues ($43).

Update: Just wanted to clarify... Yes, my ankles were freezing! I have a thing about wearing socks when going shopping...especially when I am going to try on shoes. I always make sure to have a pair of socks in my bag when I do go shoe shopping. But, yes...I am still cold looking at this picture.

How to look good in duck boots

I have a secondhand pair of duckboots that I've had for a while but only wear them for functionality. I want to be able to wear them with my everyday outfits but didn't know how. I remembered J.Crew's recent catalogue and thought it was a great place to start looking for inspiration. I love the outfits but if I wore any of these in Utah, I'd die...

What Not To Wear

If you haven't noticed, I have short legs and am a little bigger in the thighs. I know I'm not model-esque. I wish I had lean long legs but God gave me these short ones and it's my job to make them look good! So after some trial-and-error, I've realized what looks good on me and what does not. For instance, like today.

Exhibit A

red beanie (c/o SLiM Motif); Shade Clothing t-shirt; thrifted boy's blazer, $3; Tommy Hilfiger coat, $100; secondhand BDG jeans, $17; MIA brogues, $43

If you're like me and have short legs, you want to make them look longer. I did not do that here. I'm wearing a shirt that stops right at my hips. I am also wearing a big puffy coat that stops right below my hips. It just accentuates my hip area....specifically my thighs, which I don't want accentuated. The easy answer is to wear shirts that stop above your hips. So for me, I should've worn a shirt probably 2-3 inches shorter. As for the big coat, I'm gonna have to get rid of it. It is so big, it swallows me up. It also doesn't give my body any form. I'll need to find a shorter coat or get a longer one that stops at max mid-thigh and that belts or ties at the waist.

I've picked a few out from Forever 21 that I wouldn't mind sporting this season....

Extra Tips

• Wear darker bottoms (dark pants and dark shoes).
• Wear heels.
• Wear skirts to hide thighs.
  
• Tucking in shirts...depending on the type of shirt and jeans you wear.
  
• Work out those legs.
  
• ....that's all I've got.

What are your tips and tricks for evading short legs/looking taller?

Street Style #5: Winter Edition

I know I haven't done street style features in a while but with school, it was hard!! And now that winter is upon us...it is even harder!! But I've slowly accumulated some pics over the past few weeks.

Meet Michelle. We have a class together. That's how I discovered this classy lady. She always looks put together and comfortable, which is a must for college! I love her pink and gray color combo here!

This is my friend, Hayley. I love her to bits! We used to work at the Gap together. Isn't she so cute?? And guess what....her sneaks are from Gap Kids....boys! She's always creative like that. I didn't get a shot of what she was wearing under her coat because it was too cold and the restaurant we were at was too full for a photoshoot ;).

This is a friend of mine too! and a fellow blogger! We haven't met yet but we're already set on meeting up one day. She emailed me this outfit back when I did the YOUR Fall Outfits feature. I absolutely adore this outfit. Isn't that jacket amazing?!? I love the color and it shows off her nice figure!

Snow Leopard

I can't tell you how many times I've been tempted to just go to school in sweatpants and a tshirt with no makeup. But then I'd feel gross at the end of the day so that's definitely not gonna happen. I wish I could have winters where the cold doesn't chill me to the bone! Utah, you disappoint me :(.

This week is full of presentations, papers, quizzes, and tests. Oh, the joys of being a college student! I can't wait to be done this year! And then the husband and I are heading east for the holidays for three weeks. We'll definitely be traveling to NY and possibly Boston. Can't wait!!

Wearing Tommy Hilfiger coat ($100), leopard print scarf ($7), thrifted blazer ($3), DownEast Basics tee (gift from my MIL), J Brand jeans ($158), and MIA brogues ($43).

I also had the opportunity to do an interview for Unsystematic Style so if you want to learn more about me (or not?) ...head on over! Thanks Lloyd!!!

Time Yourself

I wore this to the Christmas Devotional that I went to with a fellow architecture-wife tonight. It was SO amazing!! I often forget how good the Tabernacle Choir is. And to hear the First Presidency speak is always a treat, especially from our prophet, Thomas S. Monson. If you'd like to watch it, please click here.

My husband's been at school for 36 hours straight. Poor guy... :( ..which explains these self-timed pictures in our apartment. It took me forever to get good lighting and focus! It is HARD! Hence, the look on my face.. Now I empathize with bloggers without photographers.

Wearing Tulle coat ($44), secondhand scarf ($33), Ann Taylor Loft black embellished top ($9), thrifted belt ($2), skirt from Korea ($10), F21 tights ($8), and Seychelles maryjanes ($15).

Mad Hat

SLiM Motif sent me this gorgeous beanie! I told her what kind of hat I wanted and she was able to make and send it out to me in just a couple weeks!!

Wearing SLiM Motif beanie (courtesy of SLiM Motif), Tulle coat ($44), Gap white shirt ($12), secondhand BDG jeans ($17), and Seychelles maryjanes ($15).

Right now, SLiM Motif is offering free shipping for a limited time and with the low prices already, they would be great as Christmas gifts, especially because she accepts custom orders!! I already got one for someone in my family...not saying who just in case that person reads this! :)

Bibbed by Ela

I just got my bib necklace from Ela that I won from her giveaway!! I LOVE it. I seriously want to wear it everyday. And yes...this is another repeat outfit! 

Wearing Tulle coat ($44), Steve & Barry sweater cardi ($10), DownEast Basics white tee (gift from my MIL), bib necklace (won from Ela's giveaway), thrifted brown belt ($2), J Brand jeans ($158), and Nine West boots ($65).

I wanted the necklace to look like a part of a fancy shirt peeking through. I'll have to get a better picture of it next time... My husband only had time to take one picture yesterday! I know.....so not fair. ;) But this will certainly not be the last time you'll see this necklace! Thank you so much, Ela!!!! :)

Dark Romance

These are one of my new boots. Except they're being returned tomorrow. I have wide feet and sometimes regular shoe widths will fit me and sometimes not. These were definitely a NO. It was so narrow for me, my feet became numb after walking a few minutes!! And there was no arch support. So for a person with wide feet and high arches, it didn't work out. It's too bad... I really liked how they looked considering I don't like side-zip boots.Wearing Tommy Hilfiger coat ($100), secondhand Ann Taylor shirt ($8), sweater from Korea ($10, three years ago), J Brand jeans ($158), Nine West boots ($125).

 I love this new shirt I got! I love the Peter Pan collar and there are slight ruffles down the front. They actually go right down my boobs and with a sweater over it, it looks rather ruffley.... Hm. Now I'm going to get pervs on my blog who google "boobs."

Thank you Jen for the award!!


I was also tagged by the lovely Rebekah of Shell for this fun little quiz! Psst...she was also the one who sponsored the Stella & Dot Jewelry giveaway here!

1. Your hair? I used to have wavy hair when I was little, which is weird for Asians. Now it's straight sometimes and crazy the other times.
2. Your favorite food? I love all foods! I'm willing to try anything at least once. As long as it's not alive. Noooo thank you.
3. Your favorite drink? It should be water...but I like Coke Zero.
4. Your dream/goal? To be truly happy and successful in anything and everything I do.
5. Your hobby? Unfortunately, I don't remember the last time I've "hobbied"...
6. Your fear? Right now? Falling down the stairs face first. I fall a lot....
7. Where were you last night? At my first aerobics class with a friend. It was SO hard! When I tried to stand up this morning, I kept collapsing on the bed!
8. Something you say all the time? I say a lot of things!
9. Something that you're not? Chinese.
10. Wishlist Item? A pair of NICE, COMFORTABLE boots. Why are they so hard to find?? :(
11. Last thing you did? Picked up the phone.
12. What are you wearing? You'll find out tomorrow! :)
13. Your pets? I want a dog!!!!
14. Friends? YES.
15. Missing someone? My husband. I know...cheesy!
16. Something you're not wearing? A scarf! (Gasp!)
17. Your favorite store? Uptown Cheapskate...and thrift stores.
18. Your favorite color? I like all colors! Except purple..
19. The last time you cried? This past weekend.
20. When's the last time you laughed? This morning. I have some fun coworkers!
21. One place that I go to over and over? School...and work. Yeah, I'm boring!
22. Where do you eat? Everywhere. I'm always eating... :X

Crazy Eyes

I didn't realize my eyes were crazy like that until I put it on here.... I'll be honest, I don't really like this outfit. I never really liked that purple sweater. I always have trouble styling it because it hits right at my jeans and I don't like short tops. I don't even remember why I bought it in the first place! Wearing Tulle coat ($44), F21 purple sweater ($10, last year), AE striped tee ($7), J Brand jeans ($158), MIA brogues ($43), and secondhand scarf ($3).
 How else would you style this?

Practicality and Comfort Always Win

I know, I know... This looks like what I wore just a few days ago here. But you know how it is when you wake up and it's cold and you're tired and the last thing on your mind is to wear a skirt and get dolled up. Especially since it's crunch time...for school, I mean.

Did anyone do any Cyber Monday shopping? I am SO guilty. I bought three pairs of shoes. But I think it was legit because two were boots that I desperately need. That's all the reasoning I've got. My purchases are probably good enough for two Christmases...or four.

Wearing Collection B faux leather jacket ($55), leopard print scarf ($7), husband's cardigan ($20), DownEast Basics tee (gift from my MIL), secondhand BDG jeans ($17), and MIA brogues ($43).
Thank you to The Owl's Closet and ALWAYS CHASING for the blog awards!