fall florals.

florals are back again, and while the typical florals are flirty and fun, i can't help but feel like a little girl in them. instead, i favor prints that are more abstract and styles that aren't typical of a sundress. i also lean towards deep, rich colors or darker neutrals rather than pastels. this dress combines some of those elements into something totally wearable and grown-up.

(dress, collective clothing (oomph.))



love.

 alexander wang

(photos: opening ceremony, shopbop)

animal instinct.

leopards, tigers, and zebras have inhabited my home for some time now...in the form of clothing, shoes, bags, jewelry, swimsuits, and bedding even. just a hint of these primal prints evokes those good-but-oh-so-bad feelings. while i normally aim to toughen up a look, i find these bold prints easier to wear in lighter fabrics with feminine touches like ruffles or pretty buttons. so whether it's a pair of shoes, a bag, or an article of clothing, small doses of these animals never go out of style.

(top & cuff, f21)



don't shred a tear.

feeling a little ambitious this weekend, i decided to give the DIY shredded t-shirt a try. back in the day we used to cut, tie, tear, dye, bead, bedazzle, and safety pin our t-shirts...but never did we shred! if by accident we did, we threw out our "mistakes" and started over. after three or four ruined practice shirts, a lot of holes, sore arms, and silky smooth fingertips, this was the outcome. i started with two side panels, but i could see endless possibilities.

pretty tough.

the rocker/biker chic in me always wants to toughen things up.  so while i love all things pretty, i often delight in seeing a hint of bad girl. this silk dress screamed for something like a spiked cuff or leather boots. by the way, i love that this dress has pockets.

(dress, voom (island edge); boots, chinese laundry)

savor the moment.

it's when the chilly morning air meets the warmth of the rising sun. there's dew on the grass, birds chirping, and coffee brewing. it's the moments before the neighborhood comes to life. the one morning i can slow down the pace, clear my head, and just...breathe. i look forward to sunday mornings.

(shirt, joe's jeans; shorts bcbg; shoes, aldo)

whadya-call-it list.

what do you call a list that is not quite as urgent as a to-do list, but not necessarily a bucket list of things you need to do before you die? things you hear about and make mental notes to try sometime. more like an always-wanted-to-try-that list. this weekend i had the opportunity to check three off of my list:

#36: ono pops

a friend mentioned these in several FB posts and it was the unconventional popsicle flavors that caught my attention. tried the butter mochi, which seriously tasted like frozen mochi on a stick. strangely addictive chewy texture. what flavor should i try next?

#12: pu'uo mini park

been dying to check this place out, home of the lighted Christmas tree we see from the freeway. cool and breezy. grass and trees are green and maintained. clean except for a few random items and graffiti on the electrical shack-hut thing. 360 views are amazing. even a small room or patio thing hidden in the back. wonder what that was used for?!

#29: $1.31 ice cream cones at the pill box pharmacy

same friend that mentioned the ono pops. this place has been here for as long as i can remember. never went in for reasons that i thought it was a pharmacy! apparently it's a drugstore/ice cream counter too. nothing fancy, but hits the spot on a hot day.



four weddings & a funeral.

actually, it's four birthdays and an anniversary.  this is the birthday week for my family.  sister, niece, dad, brother-in-law, mom...all in a row.  it has been a non-stop, high calorie sugar high.  need to exercise.  will start next week.  promise.

wish i had a closeup.  we were cracking up - the chocolate shavings looked like
elbow macaroni. chocolate cake & cupcakes...sinful.

we were also cracking up at this one...who was the creative director?!

dobash for the parents' anniversary...heavenly.

chocolate dream cake from Elvin's...exquisite.

anna miller's strawberry pie...delectable.

chocolate covered fruits from edible arrangements...mouth watering.

pencil me in.

a fitted, black skirt that hits just above the knee is a staple in my work wardrobe.  super high heels gives it just the right amount of oomph...a sort of conservative sexiness?!  Makes for a fool-proof outfit every time.

(skirt, bcbg; shoes, marc by marc jacobs)



who says they're for men + happy happy joy joy.

headlines today say: "Don't bother with the heels ladies, men don't even notice!"  i don't buy shoes thinking it will attract a man.  i don't buy shoes thinking it will improve my posture.  i buy shoes because they'll look amazing with my new dress.  because i feel good in them.  because i just want it!  most women wear shoes for other women...a kind of unspoken competition amongst us?  but just to make a point...today a consultant walked into our office and his first question was: "Are those new shoes?"

nothing like a pop of color to get you thru the mid-week blues.  found at some store in L.A., this sweater's bright yellow color, its asymmetry and the gathering at the derriere make it one of my favorite finds.  i usually wear it wrapped and tied over jeans or leggings, but today's warm weather commanded a much cooler combination.

(shorts, express; belt, urban outfitters; shoes, aldo; top, deep deep in my closet!)



same difference.

whenever i show my sister a new pair of jeans, a new dress, or anything new for that matter, her response is always the same: "it looks like your other ones."  hello...can you not see the difference?! an oddly placed zipper, contrasting stitching, an unexpected button...it's all in the details. the peek-a-boo lace on the back of this tee and the stitching at the knees of these leggings gave a little oomph to these otherwise ordinary basics.

-

 

(leggings, express; tee, old navy; boots, chinese laundry)



back in black.

the over-abundance of polyester tops being sold in stores, in unappealing prints, that ties in the back...you know the ones...was a major turn-off for me. month after month they filled up the racks, and i was beginning to think there would be no end to these.  so you can image my joy when i visited the mall recently and saw a multitude of darks, neutrals, and deep colors, as well as knits and leathers even.  actually, i cheated by browsing online first, but to see the colors and feel the textures in person was pure bliss. now there is an over-abundance of blacks (in varying textures, of course) in my closet.  i'm excited for fall.



(denim leggings, f21; sweater, express; shoes, aldo)



premonition of sorts.

funny how some mornings you wake up knowing exactly what you're gonna wear. last night a photo of a girl donning the full skirt/jacket ensemble caught my eye, maybe explaining why i robotically reached for and dusted off this skirt. (now i can't remember the who, what, and where of that photo...damn.) bought this skirt for a Christmas party years ago and haven't worn it since. it's actually too big now, making the pouf uncomfortably full for my liking when cinched with the belt, but the sweater balanced it out. opted for this bandage-y wedge to toughen up the look. found it on the sale rack, in my size (5)...rare. fits like a glove and so comfortable too...thank you, Aldo!

(embroidered skirt, guess by marciano; shoes, aldo; bag, sonia rykiel; sweater, f21)

the ball's in your court.

niece's surprise birthday party today.  day before yesterday i was asked to pick up a cake.  sure, no problem!  yesterday morning i was informed that i was in charge of decorating the house. ok, no problem!  decided on a tennis theme and shopped most of yesterday for all the accoutrements. even came up with a fun idea for party favors...candy-filled tennis balls!  well, this great idea left me with the pain-staking task of sawing, slicing, poking, jabbing, and cutting open 20 balls, wiping the insides, and filling them with her favorite candies till wee morning hours.  almost lost a few fingers and came away with fists full of blisters...man those tennis balls are hard to cut!  today, arrived at the house to set up when i was asked to order the pizzas.  what?!  sure, no problem.  make a salad too?  ok, no problem.  i think the surprise was on me.

city spin.

something about suspenders. kinda makes me feel like a kid. on a farm. frolicking thru a meadow of tall grass. haha. now take away the farm and meadow, add buildings, busy streets, and hustling and bustling instead of frolicking...this is what you get.  kept it casual by rolling up the jeans, and, so as not to feel too boyish, added a silky shirt and some oomph-worthy heels.

(shoes, nine west; jeans w/suspenders, forever 21; top, eden in love)

rock on.

my association of skin tight black jeans with 80s music had me feeling a little rock 'n' roll today.  i rocked the black jeans and (my new) black boots but softened the look with a loose, white tee.  i'm sure if i dug deep enough i'd find a black rock band t-shirt...but i'll leave that to the true rockstars!

(jeans, hurley; boots, chinese laundry; top, metropark)

higher please.

while cleaning out the closet this weekend, i came across some belts i got for Christmas a while back.  at that time low-rise jeans and low-slung belts were on the rise.  needless to say, i was a little disappointed that these pretties didn't fit around my hips!  finally put them to good use, this time around my waist. i love the color of this dress, but it was pretty shapeless.  this python belt gave it just the oomph it needed.

(belt, coach)

two-faced.

i think this is my new fave LBD, or just LD!  while browsing American Apparel's website for that impossible-to-find perfect  t-shirt dress, the oomph-worthy back of this dress (or lack thereof) immediately caught my eye. i'm a sucker for simple tank dresses that i can dress up or dress down.  case in point: was in more conservative company for dinner that night so i threw on some jeans, but took them off later for drinks. worn here with a swimsuit top, although i would have preferred something less distracting. perhaps a simple strap across the back if anything at all... 

(dress, American Apparel; belt, Urban Outfitters)

mixed feelings.

was a little out of sorts this morning. couldn't decide whether to build around my new black boots or my knit leggings, so i threw them all together.  by the time i left the house, i was feeling a little too "fitted" so i threw on a cropped wool jacket.  all the textures added some much needed bulk.  luckily, it started to rain and i could justify wearing all of this.  i'll probably die of heat on the drive home...but then again there's always a price to pay.

(leggings & boots, Forever 21; jacket, Calvin Klein, top, bamboo sky; rings, Tiffany & Erica Anenburg)