2.28.2013

Dressing For My Husband


Soooo, it's pretty clear that men have a different take on fashion and style for women.  Yes, yes - the men of this generation and most likely the next 10 generations have a firmer grasp on fashion as art and what is "chic", "classy" and "cool" thanks to GQ, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Gosling, Kanye West and the James Bond franchise 

BUT

As much as I believe men's fashion has evolved to be more intuitive, sophisticated and tastefully creative, 
men still love women in simple, one-dimensional ensembles.  

Short skirts, tight pants, form fitting dresses, high heels and/or that je ne sais quoi-Victoria's Secret-sex pot-look will always be a head turner for the opposite sex and perhaps the eye-rolling-enducer for the same sex...  Now I know I'm generalizing heavily and you may be saying to yourself, 
"Well my man loves me in sweat pants and a tank".  Yes.  

But he'll take you in heels and a super tight dress before some sharp brogues, a tweed pencil skirt, and a cropped silk tank with a leather satchel any day, okay?

And that's cool.  But, in my experience in dressing for a man it doesn't necessarily align with my comfort and ease.  And when I say dressing for a man, I mean for this case, my man.  And I do it as an endearing gesture to his eye-rolling simple taste in what he loves to see me in.  But I make it worth my while!



Rather than try hobbling around in f*** me heels and wearing spanx up to my ribs for that Mt. Everest of bodycon dress, I have learned over the years how to mesh my comfort needs with his indulgences.  Spanx not necessarily required :)   

A comfortable woman is a sexy woman and I think men agree.  So I have found that what I lack in tight clothing I more than make up for in sultry, slouchy attitude with my drapey, oversize tops.  And to offset the loose fit, I remind him I have legs with a clingy but super soft-for-me skirt.  Preferably by a designer I adore and a length he adores.



And lastly, I more than usually choose heels when my husband is in mind so I make sure they are simple and to the point.  Not girly.


I love this outfit.  It's easy, feminine and makes me feel so sexy!  I can walk around in it all day without the yearning visions of changing into harem pants haunting the back of my mind.  Walking home at night sometimes I see women outside the nightclubs clutching their arms from the cold and walking like they're on stilts.  Even though their bodies are at times, quite enviable, I can't help but feel their discomfort just from looking at them!  I wonder if men can tell?

top: Asos / skirt: T by Alexander Wang / sandals: Nine West / sunnies: RayBand Wayfarers / bag: Rebecca Minkoff / necklace: Heavenly Couture

When dressing for a man, I feel a woman needs to find a happy medium.  Otherwise, he totally has the power at the woman's expense and she no longer owns her sex appeal.  That's when it can begin to look predictable and cheap.  When a woman owns it and makes it hers, I think that's when she looks sexy, confident and one of a kind.  

Our imaginations are so much more tasteful then theirs!!


Thanks for reading!
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2.27.2013

Burger Night For Two

Having had our fill of amazing Mexican food for the day (we'll be back to it tomorrow), we decided on a good ol' fashion Burger Night in :)


So off to Ralph's we strolled and on the way, took some photos of my errand-friendly getup.


 I love this Boracay tee because I am pretty darn sure you can only get it when you're on that tiny little island!


I am also loving my new F&F leggings.  They are super cheap but a dense nylon that lays well and doesn't fade or pill easily.  Btw, I really need to start looking for a new bag...


Since it was a warmer night, I decided to sport my 3/4 length sleeve leather bomber from Ever.  I've had this jacket for years and even though it's not the newest jacket in my closet, its design is still to this day so unique.


Some quick photos, a jaunt to the store, then a jaunt to a burger joint because we forgot to get potatoes for the fries, and two fried eggs later, we arrived at the climactic point of the evening.  

Voila!


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2.26.2013

Simplicity


 Wardrobe wise, I crave simplicity and minimalism.  But for the sake of my blog and how it all came about in the first place, I've tried to stay away from it for the most part.  In my attempts to branch out and be more creative and dynamic (to be more interesting), after a year or so of chronicling my adventures in style, simplicity hasn't budged a bit it seems.  It's still where I live and what I ultimately want to feel and see in my closet.

Eh, what are you gonna do?  So be it :)


I love a good pair of thin, tight super black leggings.  Ahhhh!  So chic.  A lot of people think leggings are leggings right? They're all the same.  They're totally not.  A great pair of leggings are amazing and can make an outfit, rather than just stand in for pants or denim.  Faded, ill fitting leggings fuel the reputation of leggings being obnoxious or just plain not fashionable.  

When worn well, they're incredibly fashionable.  Even classic.



sunnies: thrifted / top: Tiny Closet Collection / leggings: F&F / booties: Jessica Simpson
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2.25.2013

Wear Your Power Colors


After several posts I've done over the year about color (I Love Color In The Springtime / Pop! / Colors)   I wanted to talk a bit about POWER color! 

Earlier last year, I admitted that wearing vibrant colors had never been quite second nature.  Until I traveled to the tropics (Asia specifically) wear color was everywhere and I couldn't help participating.  

And even though I'd known that power colors existed (a color that identifies and magnifies one's personality or signature essence) 
I just always thought mine was black.  

It's not.  

Just because you feel most comfortable in a particular color doesn't necessarily mean it's your power color.  


Usually a power color takes guts to wear.  It takes you a bit out of your comfort zone... 
because it highlights your power zone!



Obviously, I don't wear puce or fuchsia a lot.  But when I do, I feel different and my environment feels different as well.  People react differently.  In a positive way.  And while I believe that every single one of us looks fabulous in many different colors, we all have just a few power colors.  

blazer: vintage / top: Tiny Closet Collection / denim: United Colors of Bennetton / heels: Aldo 

 Anyway, for the past few days, I've been feeling slightly deflated so today I wanted to get back the vibrance and wear a color that could help me do just that.  
Just some food for thought :)  

What's your power color??

Happy Monday!
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2.22.2013

Ramen Time! And I Wore My Harem Pants.



Since I can't afford to have amazing ramen everyday, Theo rations our visits.  In the past, we have orchestrated entire trips to Canada just to sit down for some really really good ramen (Seattle really needs to get some good ramen houses btw) but now that we're a 10 minute walk from Tokyo Town here in L.A., I'm kinda goin' bonkers, guys.



So I decided to save a few memories of our new ritual - without robbing other restaurant patrons of their private meal time - and I snapped a couple pics.  Pics of the place we go, the noodles we eat and my obviously unkempt eyebrows.  Sorry about the last one  :-/



I love high-lo layering - meaning, my cropped denim jacket with my maxi tee is a casual duo that go perfectly together.  My Bottega Veneta harem pants are a delicious go-to as I loves me harems.  Did you know?


So happy happy Friday!  Do something indulgent today and love it!
I'm preparing to do the same :)

See ya back here on Monday!
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2.21.2013

What I'm Living In

There's been a freezing chill in the air recently.  Thank goodness I had decided to make a deliciously comfortable long sleeve double-knit maxi top to keep me warm.  At the time I was designing my tops, I didn't think there would be a need for a long sleeve version.  This is a good tester


There's this quirky little trolley, Angel's Landing that ascends you in kind of a jif to the next block up.  It's such a cute little small town cart in the middle of downtown that, instead of just walking a block, I pay the 50 cents to sit pretty and watch the scenery as I rise... kind of like the stair assist chairs for seniors.


And of course I am also living in my drop crotch All Saints jeans.  It's a phase I'm going through.  Or is it?  Whatever, please bear with me.



Sooo I am loving this outfit for dog walks, trolley rides, fabric trips and everything else in between.  I feel like the love child of All Saints and Eileen Fisher.  Omg, that's exactly what this is!  Sigh :)

scarf: Zara Man / maxi top: Tiny Closet Collection / denim: All Saints / shoes: Converse Chucks

Thank you for visiting!!
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2.20.2013

The Juice Makeover


For the past month or so I've been juicing daily...hourly, whenever.  

I'm addicted!

I'm not really into cooking and since I'm really busy anyway I decided to start drinking meal replacing fluids.  THEN I started getting into the veggie drinks as snacks and all of a sudden my face and skin have really improved and I've got tons more energy.  Total confidence booster :)


This juice I drink every day: 
kale / 2 apples / ginger
Specifically for my face, I drink carrot/ginger juice too!

bangles: Old Navy / top: Tiny Closet Collection / nail color: Covergirl "Coral Silk" / denim: All Saints

Which leads me back to my very first post where I talked about what I've always felt are the preliminaries of dressing: health, diet and feeling amazing!  

Simply essential.  Going shopping when you're feeling insecure and crappy is like grocery shopping on an empty stomach...during your period...after getting dumped.  Basically it's not good. 

When you feel good, you look good and that's for damn sure.  
It's just easier to wear clothes and have more fun with it all!

So I've been dressing simpler and going back to the roots of this whole operation.  While I continue designing my lil collection of basics, what fuels me is the inner beauty and simplicity of not fashion but style.  Wearing the clothes you wear and not letting the clothes wear you.  Ya know?

Anyway, getting ready to have coffee with my dad, he immediately complimented me, in his own words of course, saying "Wow, you look like a shiny new penny!" ....eh, I would've preferred Kerry Washington but thanks, dad.  I feel like it too.  
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2.19.2013

Events & Interests


I've been a homebody lately.  From the end of last week through the weekend, I sewed, sketched (poorly), set up an eating/drinking/reading/design station on my island of a bed and witnessed a few highlights (one of course being Fitz's new and unfortunate attitude....wtf is right.  Sigh).


But anyway, my uniform as of late has been a pair of drop crotch All Saints denims and sumptuous tees, if I do say so myself(!), from my new line of jersey tops I've created:   

Think James Perse meets Eileen Fisher.  Both have understated quality and luxurious comfort.  For now, I am designing and sewing them for myself and testing them out.  You'll see me sporting them soon, I practically live in them now!


On Valentines Day, I had spent the entire day at the fabric store and Theo was in editing so it wasn't until the evening that we began to celebrate our first Vday as a married couple (as my friend pointed out, incidentally reminding me that I should probably do something).  Does watching Hulu together count??

As Theo went to take the dog for a walk that evening, I asked him to grab me a chocolate bar from the store.  This is what he came back with...


The lil treat that night was such a wonderful surprise as I was expecting a good ol' Snickers.  But I had to take some pics before I gobbled it down so I waited til the next morning.  

Bottega Louie is my most favorite posh patisserie.  It is soooo girly and pretty!!  Mark my words, I will do a shoot there.  It's not a huge deal to Californians I've observed but the place is always packed and the aesthetic is absolutely gorgeous.  Palace like.  They also have an incredible selection of macarons :)





I am wearing a new nail shade, Covergirl in "Coral Silk".  The charcoal grey top is a Tiny Closet Collection piece.


Before heading to bed that day, we took a jaunt downstairs to see what the Art Walk happening that night was like...  It was definitely on.



Can you tell I was hesitant to partake?  Since leaving the couch was inevitable, comfort that night was first and foremost on my mind.  Behold my suuuuuper comfy ensemble:
oversize sweater: Lane Bryant / top: Tiny Closet Collection / harem pants: Bottega Veneta / brogues: Bass



The streets are pretty magical looking at night.  We love walking through them and we love living here.

More interests and current events coming up on Wednesday so please come back and visit!!

Have a wonderful week :)
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2.07.2013

Navy & Coral

What a pleasant match I came across this morning as I prepared to step out for an early appointment.


One of my favorite finds from Driftwood, my Ralph Lauren striped sailor top.  And my skin tight coral pants from Zara.  Because this particular coral has a nude undertone, it goes well with the cream and navy stripes in my top.


 top: Ralph Lauren / pants: Zara / heels: Aldo

I wear glasses when I don't feel like putting on concealer or mascara.  I find glasses lessen the pain of looking at me in the face when I've skipped my beauty routine, ha!

If you're like me and can't leave the house without eye makeup, try wearing glasses (real or fake) on those lazy days.  It works!

Going to a block party in my new neighborhood tonight!
I'm excited :)
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