Neutrals & Scalloped Floral Embroidered

This outfit was inspired by stylish and fabulous Pink Peonies. I browse the Forever21 website almost daily to see what they have in their new arrival section. If I see anything I like on the website I will try to track down the item at the store since they have a "return for credit" policy. I usually want to see how the item fits before I make a purchase. Sometimes I'm get lucky and I'm able to find the item in store but, more often than not, I don't have much luck. I've learned to save myself some of the headache of making a the trip to the mall by calling the store first and asking the SA if they have the item in store.  You want to provide the SA with the product code and they are usually very helpful. In cities where there are multiple Forever21 stores, the SA can tell you which stores have the items. 

I saw this Scalloped Floral Embroidered Skirt (currently sold out online) while browsing on the Forever21 website and knew that I just had to get the skirt. I headed to mall during my lunch break to see if I can find the skirt in store. (My husband is threatening to drive me to work so that I can't do this in on a daily basis lol. He says I should be eating lunch because he worries that I don't eat and always end up at the mall instead.) But I digress, luckily I was able find the skirt on my first trip to the mall. 

Wearing: Loft Blouse  sz- XS, ,Forever 21 Scalloped Floral Embroidered Skirt sz -XS, Ann Taylor Belt sz- S, Jessica Simpson Sling Back Pump sz-6

Obi Belt and Vegas

Wearing: The Limited Dress: sz 0, The Limited Obi Belt sz- S/M, Aldo Sandal sz6, C/O Loft Bracelets

I initially bought this Limited Obi Belt  for an outfit I had in mind. As it turned out the Obi Belt didn't work with the outfit. I put the belt away and forgot about it. A few weeks later, I was looking for a belt to cinch the waist of this dress and came across the Obi Belt. I decided to give it another try. The hardest thing was figuring out how to tie the belt. After several attempts of different tying methods I decided to use the belt as a sash.

This past weekend I went to Vegas with my colleagues for the weekend. It was the first trip, in all the years that I have been married, that I had taken a trip somewhere without my husband. My husband and I have always traveled together and have never spent a night apart.  Even during the time I went to Hawaii for a conference my husband went with me. 

Up until the day of the trip, I was pretty nervous about spending a couple nights away, but my colleagues and my husband told me not to worry so much and have some fun.

We were so busy running around that I didn't really get a chance to take pictures.  

I want to say thanks to Michelle for her recommendations of the things to see and places to eat.  

The fountain in front of the hotel we were staying in.

Wearing: Loft Curved Neck Dress sz-OP, Ann Taylor Belt sz -S,  Loft Sandal sz-5.5, Express bag

The temperature was 100 degrees so it reminded me of the temperatures growing up in central California. Weather like this didn't really bother me very much back then but I've gotten use to the weather in San Diego so I pretty much felt like I was melting. (Yes San Diego weather has spoiled me.) 

The view from our room. 

Hello from the M&M store. My boss' favorite store. 

My colleague was sweet to get us tickets to  "Vegas! The Show." The show was about Vegas' past and famous entertainers during that time. It was a fantastic show. I think If there is one thing you should do while you are in Vegas, it is to go see one of the shows. The music and dances were spectacular. The dancers were in great shape and I kept thinking during the show that I really need to hit the gym soon.

 I had a great time in Vegas. I survived the weekend without my husband though, I have to admit, it did get pretty lonely at night without him. LOL I sound like a newly wed.

Hope everyone's week is going well.

Dresses and More Dresses

My closet is slowing being taken over by dresses. Most, if not all, of my recent purchases have been dresses. Since I discovered that they work better for my body shape I have been going dress crazy. And besides a girl's got to have a dress for each occasion right. =) (Or as my husband says "a new dress for each new occasion. God forbid someone noticing a girl wearing the same dress again.")

Banana Republic Graphic Chain Link Dress Wrap Dress sz -0

I was eyeing this dress ever since I saw it on the Banana Republic website. Unfortunately the dress was only available in regular sizing. Thanks to Elle's post on the Banana Republic sale I was able to get the dress for 40% off the full price. The dress is no longer available online but you can still find it in stores. I like the graphic chained link print. The material is thicker than most wrap dresses and help to hide that stomach we busy women swear we are going to work on. The dress has a wide fabric belt that holds the dress together well.  Since the dress is a regular size, the waist sits a little below my natural waist and the length is below my knee. I think the dress would definitely look better on someone taller than me.

Verdict : Return

Ann Taylor was having a 40% off sales one Sunday night so I took the oppurtunty to get a few dresses I have been wanting to try.  Ann Taylor is currently having another sale of 30% off full-price dresses.

Ann Taylor Garden Floral Dress sz -OP

Out of all the dress I got this one is my husband's favorite. He liked the colors and unique black trimming on the dress. But I am on the fence about it. The material is light and perfect for hot summer days.  I like the colors, unique design, and the high and low hem. However I'm not sure if I can see myself wearing this dress out somewhere.

Verdict : Return

Ann Taylor Cotton Voile Floral Print Tie Front Dress sz -OP

There is something about this dress that make me feel "meh" about it. I'm not sure if it's the color, the print, or the sash that ties in the front. I can't seem place my finger on it.  The dress is a stretchy material that clings to my body shape. It feels like a bodycon dress. I think the dress looked better on the model. (Unfortunately, a lot of times, that tends to be the case *sigh*)

Verdict : Return

Ann Taylor Cotton Sateen Sunbaked Illusion Print Split Neck Sheath Dress sz -OP

Here is another dress that I have been stalking ever since I saw it on the Ann Taylor website.  So when I found that the dress was on sale with an additional 40% off I immediately hit the purchase button. I love the fabric, design and color of the dress. Bonus points for the pockets. Little details like pockets really help me out. I don't have to worry about misplacing my phone when I'm at work.  My husband say this dress is so me. The bodice was a bit snug but fit well on my waist and hips. However from the side the dress looked shapeless and I wasn't able to get a good picture.

Verdict - Possibly keeping

See Annie for her review on the dress.

Ladies what is the one item that you cannot get enough of?

Aloha Summer and The Liebster Blog Award

To me the nothing says "it's the start of summer" like a trip to Hawaii. As much as I wish I could say that I started my summer with a trip to Hawaii it wasn't meant to be. Although summer officially began on June 21, my summer started with my annual company summer party. It didn't help that the weather for June has been pretty gloomy.  The theme this year was Hawaiian. I really look forward to the event since it is the only time of year my work place allows their employees to dress casually.  


In the spirit of the Hawaiian theme I decided to pull out the Hawaiian print dress and flowers barrettes I bought during a work trip to Hawaii. 

Happy 4th of July!

 This was the outfit I wore to work in honor of the fourth of July. I didn't have any plans this year since July fourth was  in the middle of week. Plus, my husband and I are pretty tired out since there was party or family gathering every weekend for the month of June. It is nice to have a day off just to relax and rest.

Wearing H&M dress as a top sz -S, The Limited Skirt sz-0, Forever21 Belt -sz S/M, Ann Taylor Pump sz-5.5

I always seem to be in a perpetual search for peplum dresses so I was excited to find this one after many trips to the mall. I loved the designs but I wish it came in another color other than white. White is nice since it is like a blank canvas that goes well with any color but when I wear white I somehow always end up staining it.

A close up showing the pretty embroidery design.

I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful 4th of July.

PFC# 17: Candy Colorize

I apologize for my lack of blogging lately. I haven't blog or been able to read any blogs for a while because I've had so many events that came up recently. It didn't help that during that time my mom, little sister and her husband, and their kids came to visit. I kept telling myself "hopefully I will be able to work on a post tomorrow"...well that tomorrow eventually became 3 weeks later.


There is no greater way to get back into blogging than to do a Petite Fashion Challenge. 

This month's Petite Fashion Challenge is hosted by the creative and talented DIY /Fashion blogger Sew Petite Gal. Make sure you stop by her blog to see the colorful outfits created by the lovely participants. 

The Challenge: Candy Colorized 

Take a bowl full of colorful candies (M&Ms, Jolly Ranchers, jelly beans, etc.), close your eyes, and draw 2-3 pieces.  Now use those colors (+ a neutral of your choosing) to form the basis for your ensemble.

**Extra brownie points if you post more than 1 colorful ensemble or if you add a DIY element **


I had a lot of fun with this PFC. It felt it was a very fun way to have someone experiment and step out of their comfort zone.

For this challenge I use Skittles and drew red, green, and yellow. Unfortunately before I got the chance to take a picture of the Skittles my husband and daughter ate them all. SMH. This was a tough one because red, yellow and green were colors that I didn't have much of. I tried to do the best I could with what I had.




First Outfit 

Wearing: Express Blouse XS, Express Skirt O, Forever21 Necklace, Jessica  Simpson Sling Pump -6


Second Outfit 

Wearing: Forever21 Blazer - S, Forever 21 Dress, The Limited Necklace, Jessica  Simpson Sling Pump -6

Thank you to Sew Petite Gal for hosting this month PFC. It was a fun challenge.

Navy, Red and Polka Dots

Hi everyone. It feels like it has been forever since my last post. I've been so busy I haven't had the chance to blog.

A couple of week ago I went to return a Loft dress I had bought from the outlet and ended up coming home with this dress from the Ann Taylor Factory Store. I was still debating whether to keep the dress or return it and so it sat in my closet unworn.

For once my indecisiveness turned out to be a good thing because the dress turned out to be just what I needed for a party event this past Saturday. Actually it was more of a huge cultural event rather than just a simple party. It was my husband's Uncle's naming party and these types of events usually last all day. They were planning on having over a hundred guests so there was a lot of food to prepare.

I originally wore black pumps and no red belt but had to change into sandals because, as it turned out, I was the designated errand girl. I had to go shopping for all the last minute things that were still needed. The event was good but I was exhausted by the end of the night. The dress is made of 100% cotton and machine washable so I didn't have to worry about ruining the dress if anything got on it. The dress also had pockets which made it so much easier on me because I had a place to put my keys and cell phone.

Have a good weekend. Hopefully I'll have a quiet and relaxing one this time.=)

Wearing: Ann Taylor Factory Dress sz OP, Red belt borrowed from another dress, Jessica Simpson Pump sz 6, The Limited necklace