End of Quarter Shopping Spree!

In celebration of the end of our finals, my roomate and I treated ourselves to a shopping spree downtown and here is what we got:
I finally bought the Marc by Marc Jacobs mary janes. They were 30% off PLUS an additional 25%. Bargain!
I thought it would be perfect to match this season's cute dresses, like this one above from Aqua. Unfortunately I tried them on together and it seems that the strap does appear to cut my legs up...... maybe it takes getting used to? My mom thought it looks better worn than in a picture......Oh and isn't this dress super cute? I love the metallic and the simple style, perfect for the holiday season. Only thing is, the cutting is a bit awkward and makes me look pregnant and the hem bit at the bottom is a bit fragile.....
I also finally bought an oh-so-popular beret from Urban Outfitters. It was a tough choice between a good head fit (the cable knit one) or a nice color (this black one with silver sparkles). As you can see, I decided on the nice color one. The cable knit one was brown.... Though now that I look at the pictures of myself throughout the day wearing this hat, I'm having second thoughts. Maybe the beret look too takes getting used to........
Then, there was this vibrant blue silk dress shirt from Barneys with the tie (I finally learnt how to tie a tie!!!). I imagine it would look hot with a high waisted pencil skirt and a pair of pointy black heels- unfortunately I have no occasion to wear such a hot office outfit to. So I was thinking of just casually with jeans. I love it. Only downside though is that it doesn't look very good in pictures because you can't really appreciate the details as well and it just looks like a bunch of stuff..... but its super cute in real life!
Attracted by the super cute window display we went into Express to check it out. On the rack this dress looked kind of slutty, but when worn it actually looks really nice (it also helps that I have no chest...). While in the store I did a mini survey with the corporate office ladies from Express and they gave me a $10 coupon. Then when I was checking out, this lovely lady next to me gave me one of her $25 off coupon (thanks again!). So in the end, the dress was half off! Score! I love it :) though my mom finds it a bit low cut... oh well, it'll be perfect for the holidays!
The other red dress I was considering was this one my friend has from BCBG. Isn't it SO darling? It fits perfectly (and modestly) on top, with the little tie on one side which is so cute. And the dress part is silky and shiny with a a bit of bubbling at the bottom. Two very similar yet very different dresses I know... but I love them both!
Oh and I thought I'll throw in this other dress my friend recently bought also from BCBG (yes, she loves BCBG). I believe HG talked about this some time ago. I just love how sophisticated and elegant it is.

Sigh, so I guess I have a lot of thinking to do tonight and a lot of returning to do tomorrow.... any thoughts on who stays and who goes?

Mary Janes

Ever since I did that post on cute Vivienne Tam dresses a few months ago, I've been wanting a pair of Mary Jane's! They just look SO perfect with all the pretty short dresses floating around lately. Maybe this makes me a bit late on catching up with the Mary Jane wagon since Miu Miu already had that phase last season on their runway, but better late then never right?
So the pair that I've been seriously considering and almost bought is this pair from Marc by Marc Jacobs, probably in Black/Black, but Black/White does seem more interesting.....But Anyway, the point is, that I like the perfectly rounded toe and the platform and how the overall chunkiness works. The only problem I've encountered with this is that the chunkiness of the heels just a little bit off..... so despite the tempting discounts there are online for these pair (down by $100 I think), I have decided to wait until I can try it in person first.

And if those don't work out, I may go and try these from Aldo (left) and Linea Paolo (right). They have a different feel since they're not as chunky and I'm not sure about the peep toe in winter, but I DO like the platform and the heels. Plus I do so love the huge button on the Aldo pair, its the perfect detail to make it funky!
More Mary Jane's with buttons from Max Studio (left) and Dolce Vita (right) although these don't have the platform (platform Mary Janes are SO hard to find!). Though again I think the heels of the Dolce Vita is a bit off, too square with the rest of the design.
Funkier Mary Janes from Tapeet (left) and Marc by Marc Jacobs (right). I'm not sure I like the wide ankle strap but I really like the overall shape of the Tapeet pair.
Girlier and sleeker Mary Janes from Barneys Co-op (left) and Aldo (right). They look nice, but personally I think they're too sleek to go with the dresses this season.


Wow there really aren't that many places with Mary Janes around this season! Anymore suggestions on places to look? I feel like I've been onto all the sites these last few days looking for the perfect pair of Mary Janes and the only one that comes close is the Marc by Marc Jacobs platform ones.

Image Source: Style.com, Barneys, Aldo, Shop Bop and Nordstrom

I Dream of a Lifestyle Involving Many Cocktail Dresses III: Sequined Scarves

One of my favourite ways to wear skinny scarves has been to wear it like a tie. (Emphasise on the 'like' -I still haven't figured out how to tie a tie yet even though I have been taught several times.) So recently I was styling and shopping my friend for her pre-graduation party season For her traffic light party, she already had a basic cotton, round-necked, short-sleeved dress. It wasn't a dress that screamed party so I decided accessories. The obvious choice would be to go for an oh-so-popular wide, patent leather belt, but it didn't really suit her. So I chose her a thin, silver sequined scarf from Oasis (a UK high street store,). I've seen her party photos and believe me, the sequined scarf really adds a sparkly-and-glam factor to an outfit. Here's an imitation of her outfit:

A plain dress from Top Shop. While dresses like that aren't exactly party material, they are good for day-to-night days. Plus -

For night, add a sequined scarf to make the basic dress more fun.

If you have a dressy event and you want to wear a sequined scarf, make sure your dress is pretty plain, like this purple Shelly Steffee slip dress or this electric blue Julie Haus Cha Cha dress.

Even though I haven't tried it yet, I suspect a sequined scarf would also look cool with strapless dresses. The green A-line dress if by Susana Monaco and the black one if by Laila Azhar.

Or a V-neck dress.

This woven beaded scarf is also from Oasis. It's not as sparkly as the all-sequined one, but I can't find the exact photo on Oasis' website.

If sequined scarves are too 'bling' or 'shiny' for you, then maybe go for a metallic scarf and wrap it all around your neck like in this image from Urban Outfitters.

Image credits: www.shopbop.com, www.oasis-stores.com, www.asos.com, www.urbanoutfitters.co.uk, www.topshop.com

I Dream of a Lifestyle Involving Many Cocktail Dresses II: Backless Dresses

So I realised I forgot to explain my 'I Dream of a Lifestyle Involving Many Cocktail Dresses' series. Contrary to the timing, the series is not specificly here just because it's party season. It's here because I've been so inspired by Gossip Girl. If you haven't watched the oh-so-addictive Gossip Girl yet, basically, a fabulous event happens every episode and all the gorgeous characters are dressed amazingly -both girls and guys. (I loved Blair's birthday party: the clothes, the venue, the atmosphere!) Even in episodes that don't have parties, they're all still dressed fashionably.

So anyways, before I feature more dresses and accessories that I like, (such as in my post on Marc dresses last week), I have questions about some dresses. To start off with: backless dresses. I've been seeing a lot of backless dresses online and in high street stores recently, with the revival of a few 80's trends and racer back dresses.

I'm a bit confused how we're supposed to wear them. Obviously wearing no bras is the logical solution. Or perhaps some people would just let their bra show. But honestly, I do not feel comfortable at all even at the thought of not wearing a bra. I guess I'll just have to avoid all backless dresses. Sigh, it's such a pity. I really like some of the dresses that have this problem (like this grey studded dress above.)

How comfortable are you with backless dresses? And how do you wear it?

Image credits: www.asos.com, www.topshop.com

Fun Cropped Jackets

For something more trendy and fun this season (even though they will be dated after a season and will probably not quite as versatile), here are a few suggestions: Bold Colors: Adds instant oomph! This electric blue (right) is especially hot this season! (Both: Anthropologie) Plaid: Yes, plaid is still hot. Plus, it fits right into the Christmas mood! Here we have the more classic cut crop by J Crew (left) and a more edgy crop by LAMB (right). I especially like the wide plaid on the J Crew jacket. More Plaid: For something a little bit more subtle, versatile and less festive I am loving these two plaid crops from Vince (left) and Marc by Marc Jacobs (right). Patent: Well they are everywhere for shoes, so why not for cropped jackets? Yes, it may look like a raincoat, but styled by this way by Robert Rodriguez (left), its a very chic raincoat. And I just thought I'd throw in this crop by Ella Moss (right) even though its not patent just because I think the design looks so smart, simple and CUTE! Metallic: The perfect cover over your party outfit! I LOVE these two by Walter (left) and Express (right). The color and print is subtle and versatile, but the material gives it an extra shine that lends it a more night-time feel.

Image Sources: J Crew, Shopbop, Anthropologie, Express and Saks Fifth

I Dream of a Lifestyle Involving Many Cocktail Dresses I: Marc by Marc Jacobs

Since the SS06 season, I haven't really been loving Marc's collections. The colours were sort of murky and unflattering, and some of the pieces looked more fit for a country bumpkin than a chic city girl. But this FW and Resort season, the Marc dresses seem to have really hit all the right notes.

This tiered hemline dress was the first dress that caught my eye this season. I love the hemline layers. The design combines 60's style (mini dress) with a hint of 20's style (the details concentrated at the bottom). It's cute and very modern -perfect for events like dresses-up house parties.

These two dresses are so cute and classy. Imagine yourself going out to a fancy dinner in winter, wearing stockings with platform heels. Fabulous scene huh?

While these two dresses won't flatter short people at all, I like how the designs are good to go from day to night.

For day, you can layer a long-sleeve t-shirt/ sweater and leggings underneath the dress. And for night, wear the dress by itself (in a hopefully warm venue.)

For office parties, this long-sleeve silk dress can take you from the office to the party without looking inappropriate but still chic.

Contrast these two dresses -the black dress is another office party dress choice, while the vibrant pink dress is great for any holiday/ beachy parties if you're spending your holidays at some beach resort.

For something very party-perfect, this black sequined dress and silver dress is sparkly and oh-so-trendy.

If you want a dramatic flair to your dresses, these two dresses are 'omg, so cute!' (As overheard by two girls exclaiming at Neiman Marcus in LA last August.) I'm not sure how practical they are though. They look like dresses that can only be worn to events once or twice.

The Nix Check Halter dress looks versatile enought for many occasions, (think from bars and clubs to restaurants and house parties), and can be worn many times. I'm definitely keeping my eye out for this dress.

These dresses are the other two I'm looking out for. I love how chic, classy and cute the sleeveless dress (left) looks. And the red dress has a nice flattering A-line silhouette with the purple silk tie high up the waist. Plus it's nice to be in a colourful dress that doesn't look like it's from the 80's.

Image credits: www.shopbop.com, www.saksfifthavenue.com, http://www.net-a-porter.com/, http://www.style.com/

Classic Cropped Jackets

One of the investments I am looking to do this season is in a classic cropped jacket that I can wear all the time this fall/winter. As my mom loves to point out, jackets are the best investment because they are the first thing people see you in on the streets and you will probably wear it more than whatever you are wearing inside. So I figured that a smart classic cropped jacket would be a good choice- they are versatile and very chic.
The volume and shape of it goes perfectly with this season's silhouettes as witness here on the Alice Ritter(left) and 3.1 Phillip Lim (right) runway. Some of the more classic choices out there are these two from Rachel Pally (left) and Sunner (right). The v-neck blazer-like neckline keeps it classic and the cropped style gives it an extra oomph. Another option are these two jackets with the more enclosed neckline thats more coatlike from Ella Moss (left) and Milly (right). The play on the buttons are so cute!

Grey is also a great color this season that is easy to wear but not too black. These two cropped jackets from FCUK are so adorable. I especially like the high neckline and the bell sleeve of the jacket on the left, which gives it more shape.Something a little more edgy, we have this very stylishly tailored cropped jacket by Helmut Lang (who else?, left) and this printed jacket by Milly (right). I LOVE this jacket. This is my favourite cropped jacket of all because the bold print is still versatile being black and white and the feminine cut of the neckline brings edgy and girly together. It makes a statement and is still very wearable. I can totally see myself living and breathing this cropped jacket this season!

Image Source: Elle, Shopbop and FCUK