Shoes (Pumps and Boots)

Other than the cardigan post, I haven't posted for so long, so I have all of these random topics that I need to organize. Next one up is shoes...I desperately need a new pair of basic boots, which will probably be equestrian-style. And since holiday season is coming up, I really would like to get a cute pair, maybe two, or heels:

These are Coclico wedge boots, which are okay, but they are not as nice as chunky-heeled riding boots. The only reason why I would consider wedges as opposed to heeled is because I have to be practical for school. How could I possibly walk from class to lecture to practice with those on?
These are Dolce Vita riding boots (I worship Shopbop, by the way, as far as online shopping goes), and this flat style is the ideal. Flat riding boots have maximum arch support while still delivering comfort, which is key.
These Frye boots are my favorite, and I'm thinking of actually buying them. They have the perfect heel height, and the leather quality on all Frye boots is amazing. The buckles are a nice little touch, too. The price is steep, but classic boots are a good investment...I'll think about it.

These heels are Marc by Marc Jacobs, and they are absolutely gorgeous! They're simple, but they can work with just about everything from jeans to skirts to dresses. And the heel is not outrageously high.
Joie Mary Janes: I like the look of these shoes, and they would definitely shape my legs, considering they are incredibly thin with no shape...but I'm not sure at all about their versatility.
Again, Marc by Marc, but they are exactly what I'm looking for to punch up a holiday outfit. The heel is chunky, which means that I will be able to do something radical--like walk, for example. But they're a little too trendy in the long run. I'm just imagining them with a whimsical tangerine dress.

My Much-Needed Cardigan List

So winter is fast approaching, but it's not going to be extremely cold for a while. I've been looking for the perfect cardigan for several months now...it's a basic item for any girl's wardrobe, so I think I can splurge a little. Here are some for all budgets: This cardigan is by Gap, and it looks pretty versatile. The only thing is that most of my Gap tops tend to lose their shape after a couple of washes...
By Bop Basics (Shopbop's home brand)...I love the slim fit and cut, but i intend to layer it sometimes. I don't know how chunky it would look over a substantially thick t-shirt.
This one is my favorite cardigan that I have seen so far. It's by Vince, and I love the length of the sleeves. For my unnaturally long arms, this comes as a blessing. And it's oversize enough without being overwhelming to fit a shirt underneath. After all, it's definitely better than a ratty sweatshirt, right? Besides, accessories can make the outfit. Maybe I should blog about a few necklaces or something next?

Modern Iconic....

Balenciaga.

Fashion Week is around the corner, and there is one trend that I really want to see continued on--boarding school prep. It seems perfect for any age, depending on how you pair textures and accessories. So, ode to Balenciaga, the fashion house that brought it back in style.
Here are other designers who have a more relaxed feel on this year's biggest trend:

Lacoste might be the simplest fashion house out there, but I honestly don't know which other brand constantly produces perfect cut, always flattering pieces. Epitome of prep school chic.

This 3.1 Philip Lim creation just embodies the school girl spirit. Plus, this is actually something that I would look towards for a warm, fall buy.

Alice + Olivia, more equestrian, but still has the New England flair to it.

The Reading List

A few books that I really want to read in the next few weeks:

Keira/Chanel and Sigerson Morrison

To be honest, I never really thought that Keira Knightley would go nude for anything...guess I was wrong. But, ignoring the fact that she is nude, Keira looks just as striking as usual in her upcoming Chanel ads.



I started to wonder why her and Emma Watson were walking around in head to toe Chanel. Keira seems perfect for the Chanel face (she looks like model), but Emma simply looks like the hardly-exclusive celeb gracing yet another designer campaign.



Now for my long due ballet flat ad...Sigerson Morrison. I swear, I will start posting more in a few days, I just have to get my ballet flat fetish out of the way.I absolutely hate patent leather in most styles, but this shoe and the one below have something classy that makes me want to buy it. Maybe it's because most patent leather shoes I see are in red, which does not do justice to it. In any case, this version reminds me of Reese Witherspoon's outfit in which she wore a black miniskirt and blue tanktop. This is the perfect ballet flat for a uniformed school student. It also comes in pink, but this is classic-with-a-twist, and I personally think this would pop under almost any light colored dress or shorts. This color, in my experience, will look great with absolutely anything. I wore it one day with a mint green wrap dress with blue and darker green polka dots, and surprisingly, the shoe complimented it perfectly. Plus, since it's so shiny, it really does not need any design to draw attention to it.

Photos: Sigerson Morrison

Dresses with Tights

Where I live, summer is relatively chilly, and fall is freezing without the snow. So, I'm thinking about using the dresses I have with tights. Not the kiddie-buy-at-target-in-bulk kind, but the nicer, ribbed tights that will keep me warm throughout the day. Here are some neat ones:

This Thread Social cowl neck is perfect for cold weather. It looks like something you could curl up in. Also, if you're like me, and your legs can handle the cold, but your arms can't, ditch the tights!

Rachel Pally, perfect with black or dark grey tights. And the plus? Pockets, which make dresses all the more practical. It's also good for a more casual workplace with tights and pumps.

Eh, not to fond of this Marc Jacobs with tights. However, if you're daring enough, the socks look really prim with the youthful buttons on the waist cinch. And for a shabby chic style, put an oversize sweater on for those cold nights.

I have been looking for an understated mod dress this past summer, and I think this Juicy Couture one is perfect. I have swimmer broad shoulders though, so I hope this doesn't make me look boxy when I try it on. But I have to admit, the length and loose cut would make me feel self concious since I have long legs, so I could only wear it in the winter with tights....maybe not a good investment after all, especially for a trendy item.

Source: Shopbop

Recent Buys

This draped cobalt dress was the best steal from Forever 21. And, the draping disguises huge, convenient pockets. So, if cinched with a brown or colored belt, it looks very figure-friendly.

Perfect bargains, but the black ones still need breaking in. Pink flats are from Old Navy, and the yellow buckled ones go perfectly with the dress above. They're from Nine West. And the Tory Burch/Juicy Couture/Roger Vivier inspired flats are from Payless.

Pearl necklace I think was from India, and the earrings I scored for one dollar in front of the Met. Needless to say, I disinfected obsessively.

simple layering tank top from the gap

h&m mini skirt with three big pocket buttons...got it on 5th in nyc; it's meant to be high-waisted, but can be worn either way.

cropped sweater from rugby ralph lauren, one of my favorite brands. They have the most amazing cream dress in stock right now...thinking of buying it. it has two trends: angelic mod and shift dress

got at a designer sample sale near where I live. It's Sweet Caroline by Beau and Eros, and is the best-fitting item I have ever owned. Splurge, but well worth it.

Wide-leg trouser jeans from American Eagle. Pretty baggy, but perfect with heels or ballet flats, for a comfy day in class.

American Apparel sells very simplistic items, but this polo dress is perfect with polka-dotted London Sole flats

Grey, bust-pleated dress. Drapes perfectly, surprising for a Forever 21 dress. with a youthful cardigan, would look amazing. Otherwise, you can dress it up. If you're a little older, it would look amazing with the past season Chloe heels.

By far the comfiest T-shirt i have ever worn. It's J.Crew vintage style, but I love how effortlessly cool it is...especially since it's a timeless piece with the nautical trend of this season.

“You never truly know someone until you've walked a mile in his shoes...”

For those of you who live around the Bay Area, come check out In Her Shoes in Palo Alto.
100% of the proceeds (excluding jewelry) go to the Global Fund for Women, and 100% of the jewelry proceeds go to Single Moms Connect. And most of their products are 10% under market price.

They have some notable brands like BCBG Max Azria, DKNY, and Cynthia Rowley, not to mention a bunch more. And they have a bunch of promising up and comers. A true must-see!

On a side note, they have a manicure/pedicure service in the back with amazing French-decor style chairs. All the better to display those nails with your new shoes :)

Trapeze Performance...and the Olsens

First...I'd like to say happy 21st birthday to Mary-Kate and Ashley. Trust me, the only reason for me to say this is because I loved them on Full House. Not so much now. However, Ashley's clothes, on occasion, do actually ooze coolness. MK's are just gross, sorry to say.

But one thing I do admire is the way they make their petite frames look super-long. Short dresses and cute shorts (perfect for the summer? trapeze shifts and mini shorts with quirky flair)

I just wanted to start out with...what the hell?

I know fashion is art and everything, but even the model looks mad.

It's a little too girly for me, but I love the intricacy of the Peter Som coat seams and lace. The shoes match perfectly too, simple black in contrast with the frosting above.

It's not letting me post for the Oscar de la Renta outfit below, but all in all, he truly sticks with his elegant touch. This entire ensemble is beyond gorgeous and each individual piece can be worn by itself or together. Now if only a student could afford something this luxurious....

I love this Love Yaya sweatdress. It's amazingly casual, and not everyone can pull of a short-leeve thin hoodie look. But this is perfecto! Thinking of actually getting it...

This Ruffian one is by far my favorite. It's kind of dressy, but if worn with a cute cardigan and flats, it's perfect for a casual night out!

P.S. The model is gorgeous (and not too thin at all, which by the way, I am completely against)

And of course, everything by Marc Jacobs and Phillip Lim is perfect also!

All photos from:

www.shopbop.com

www.style.com

Ballet Flats!

So I figured I would start out with my ultimate fashion necessity, otherwise known as the ballet flat. I'm already tall, so why should I sacrifice my feet when I can be the height that I choose to be and look fashionable? Besides, even shorter people can wear them to elongate the their legs (if worn with the right bottoms/dress).

On a side note, I am a preppy girl, but not head-to-toe abercrombie and fitch, so there may be an underlying theme in most of my posts.

These Luichiny Talasi flats are really fancy, but I love the chain decoration and the wine color. They'd look great with a shorter white dress for summer, though. Plus they're cheap!

They look a little old-lady, but the worn out look on the end seams make it much more youthful. Plus they're versatile, and the ruffles would look cute popping out from my Sevens. Fitzwell Ursala: Peep-toe, major trend both for SS07 and FW07! More colors too, but the navy is a good neutral color for such a great design. Personally, I was surprised at the price, considering they look unbelievable expensive. And the heel rise is great so that you don't hurt the arches of your feet, a big problem for dancers like me.

And here's the perfect example of the quintessential celeb...I love Kate Bosworth's outfit, but I'm not sure about the other.

All pictures from:

www.zappos.com

www.shopbop.com

Cloud 9 and Nowhere to Go But Down


I was searching through my wallet frantically for the extra ten dollars I needed for a pair of jeans at Nordstrom the other day. Maybe I should just buy a less expensive pair and sacrifice the initial high that came after purchasing something upscale, I thought. Then the remaining thirty dollars could go to a soft serve and a nice top. If I was lucky, the blouse that caught my eye would also be on sale, in which case I could put the remaining change towards my lunch privileges. So after contemplating the situation, I put the hanger back on the rack, and walked out of the store.

Yet only ten minutes had passed when I crossed the path of a man wheeling a cart of torn blankets and leftovers of the trash can beside the curb. His sign read, "Please help, went bankrupt, have nothing." Yet all around him were people who walked around him, with their stilettos clacking and their shopping bags crumpling together. So, looking down at my wallet, I picked up a bill and put it in his hat.

Here in Palo Alto, less than five percent of residents are under the poverty line। The median income of a family is about $120,000, way above the average American household. Where do the typical middle class families fit in? Though not as pronounced, the United States does indeed have a class system--celebrities, socialites, white collar, blue collar, and all. So what happens when an entire town's population fits in the upper middle class category?

Palo Alto is obviously a privileged town, with a family-friendly location and splurge-worthy boutiques alike. Still, however, apartments and small condos line many streets along the fine areas of Palo Alto. Even though these condos could fetch the same price as a decent house in another city, they are still somewhat less extravagant than homes lining the more desirable roads. To the home buyer, these are simply pros and cons for value real estate. But for the teenager in one of these families, this decision of where to live puts them in a bubble in which their status throughout their high school career matters most.

High school kids are more cunning than that--the new student can't disguise who he or she is by dressing in the latest trend or going to the hippest concert. But since when have teenagers, too focused on their adolescent greatness, cared about "what's inside"? There is no lightbulb in the teenage mind that alerts them to their immaturity, and no program that educates teenagers to be happy with their lifestyle, or feel content living in such a first-class area.

Any other city school will boast the "popular" kid, whose father owns the retail chain that stretches across America। They can hide the fact that another "emo" kid is a transfer to the school due to behavioral problems। No school, however, has thought of whether a child in a less resourceful city shares their experience। Palo Alto, on the other hand, boasts a wonderful school system, family recreation centers, and an abundance of resources for all ages। It truly is a miracle, albeit a sardonic one, that the blessed children of Palo Alto families can worry about the superficial ideas of social suicide and prom।

So next time, when I'm thinking of those branded jeans, I'll step up and take the activist route. The positive outcome truly is more beneficial to everyone, and the superficial side of every girl can wait a little longer.