Sparkles

I'm finally back in SF! I went to the mall yesterday with my bf and we couldn't believe how busy the mall was. I know there are sales everywhere, but I had no desire to really browse. I'm kind of shopped out right now although I haven't shopped in days. I was actually accompanying my bf because he wanted to spend his gift card at J Crew (my gift to him for X-mas), but everything was so picked over. He ended leaving the store empty handed.

I also wanted to take a few minutes to answer questions from the last post.
Angie: I was at a park in Cape Girardeau.
Aubrey: The Via spiga boots run true to size.
I don't really have a skin regimen. I use an Aveno Moisturizer SPF15, Bobbi Brown hydrating eye cream and cetaphil to wash my face. I do always make sure that I take off my makeup at night before I go to sleep. I also believe in popping pimples and I have popped everyone I have ever had. My pimples are more like nodules/cysts so if I don't pop them it will never go away. Believe it or not, I have never gotten a scar from popping pimples.
I am also wearing concealer and foundation in the last post which helps make my skin look the way it does.
Jen: Yes, I am using my new Cannon Rebel. We're still learning the features.


Wearing:
Free People Sequin Tank (Very old). XS. (similar here & here)
Express Graphic Infinity Scarf.
Juicy Couture Denim Legging $98.00$48.99. Color Alexey. Size XS.
Coach Finley Kidsuede Pumps. Size 5.5. (similar here & here)

Happy New Year everyone!!

Fun day at the Park (wearing Free People Lace Trim Thermal)

The surface of the lake was frozen since it's been so cold. I was really fascinated and had to take poke at it. LoL.

Wearing:
Free People Lace Trim Thermal $48.00$29.95. I tried it on here on this post. There's stretch to the thermal and it definitely clings onto the body -- made me feel a little self conscious. It is very warm and I do love the color.

I'm wearing a new shadow compact and it's Dior's 5-Colour Shadow Compact 001. I been using it for awhile and really taken a liking to it. Too bad it doesn't translate through the pictures, but it's pretty pigmented and very sparkly! I'm using the 3 color on the left hand side (black shimmer, silver shimmer & light gold shimmer).

Hola from the Bluegrass State (wearing Free People Herringbone Puff Sleeve Jacket)

Yes, I am feeling as cold as I look.



Wearing:

Free People Herringbone Puff Sleeve Jacket $168.00$39.95. Size 0.
I can't believe the original price was $168--definitely not worth that! The reviews were right about the sleeves, it's definitely fitted but not in a way where it felt uncomfortable. I can see the sleeves feeling tight if you were to wear a thick sweater underneath. I think the torso area is kind of of wide. The proportions are a little weird -- fitted sleeves and wide torso? The jacket was lightly lined. It kept me pretty warm while indoors, but not against the 20 degree snow-y weather. This will be a good lightweight jacket for SF during late spring and summer. The jacket has more pros than cons, so I'm leaning towards keeping since it was so cheap.

The Best X-Mas Gift Ever and Update on Piperlime Purchases

I'm spending X-mas in Missouri with my bf and his family. It's been such a wonderful experience and everyone is super duper nice. I haven't seen snow in a long time and it was so nice that it snowed on X-mas.

My bf asked me recently what kind of camera does most of your bloggers friends have and I told him a Cannon Rebel something. I knew he was getting ideas for X-mas gifts and I told him not to get it for me because I didn't want him to spend so much $$ on me.
We opened presents on X-mas eve and my bf surprised me with a new Cannon EOS Rebel XS. I was of course ecstatic to receive the gift, but he really shouldn't have!
We're not really sure what the camera does, but I'm sure we'll learn as we go.
I braved the cold for 10 minutes this afternoon and snapped a few pictures. I was pleasantly surprised how nice the pics came out compared to my digi-cam.

Wearing:

Betsey Johnson Bow Pearl Drops $25.00. I really like these earrings! They are lightweight and very comfortable to wear. The bow and the pearl combo is just so cute together.

Free People Angora Convertible Glove $28.00$19.95. It's so cozy and soft. Love it!

Aldo Willianstown Scarf. Are you guys tired of seeing this animal scarf? Hahah!

Free People Fall Remembrance Coat. Size 0. It's on sale right now! This is definitely my favorite coat of the season. See Elle from Fast Food & Fast Fashion wear it here.


Wearing:

Juicy Couture Denim Legging $98.00$48.99. Color Alexey. Size XS.
I took these pictures in a dark spot, so I ended up having to brighten them. The jeans are actually darker in person. I love the way they fit and the length is perfect (26" inseam). They are a tad loose in the waist and it stretches out even more with wear through out the day. I forgot to bring a belt so I had to keep pulling my pants up. Despite that, I am keeping these jeggings.

BCBGeneration Tinas $89.00$79.99. Size 5.5. Darker nude (yellow). Sorry no pics, I was too lazy to snap a few.
These pumps run pretty true to size. The color is a little darker in person than the pictures show. The leather was really hard and stiff which made it very uncomfortable to wear. I am returning these.

Anyway, I hope everyone is having a wonderful X-mas. Please do share what you got!

7 Confessions

Sorry this took me so long to put up. I was tagged by a couple of you to do the 7 confessions. I'm the queen of procrastination, so this is why it has taken me this long to do it.

1. This is probably a really gross one....heehee. I am obsessed with popping pimples. I will pop my bf's pimples. I will chase my little pubescent cousins around and pin them down to pop their pimples. Am I grossing you out now? I should have became an esthetician....

2. I love to pick things up with my toes. My toes are very talented--haha! They can pick up the remote controls, change the channel and also pinch my bf's leg or pull his leg hair. LOL

3. I have a very short attention span and get bored of things easily. Often times, I can't JUST watch TV. I have to surf the internet, watch TV and maybe read a magazine at the same time.

4. I know a lot people love kids, but I'm not a kid person at all. I really don't know how to interact with them. I much rather have lots of cute little doggies. Sometimes I want to move out of the hectic city and have a farm with lots of furry fluffy dogs running around.

5. I absolutely hate the cold. My room is at a constant 80 degrees. I have the heater running 24/7. I sleep with a heavy quilt, a heavy comforter (with a duvet) & a thick faux fur blanket (and yes with my heater running at the same time). Although I'm afraid of the cold, I lounge around in my shorts and tank top all year round and that is why I like to keep my room warm.

6. I am also a hypochondriac. It has gotten a lot better as I've gotten older though. When I was in grade school, I thought I was going bald because I saw so much of my hair on the floor. I insisted my mom take me to the doctor and have him check it out. The doctor looked at me like I was nuts.

7. I hate packing like no other. It stresses me out and it makes me frantic. I used to pay my roommates in college to pack my stuff before my trips back home. I'm procrastinating right now by doing my 7 confessions. My bf has bribed/pleaded me already by with picking up dinner for me, getting me dessert and allowing me to take a nap. After writing this post I might have to start packing. Argh...

Piperlime Purchase (Juicy Jeggings, BCBGeneration Pumps & Betsey Earrings) & Lust Items

I feel ashamed for buying more stuff! I am such a sucker for sales. I probably contemplated over 2 hours before checking out these items. I finally pulled the trigger because I have been searching for these items for the longest time. How can a girl say no...*sigh*

Sale Items from Piperlime.com

Juicy Couture Denim Legging $98.00$48.99. Color Alexey. Size XS.
I been looking for a pair of dark jeggings for awhile and thought these might fit. I'm a little worried about the waist being too big, but the length seems like it would be a good fit for my legs. I liked that the jeans are very plain and there are no flashy logos on the butt or weird whiskerings on the thighs.

BCBGeneration Tinas $89.00$79.99. Size 5.5. Darker nude (yellow). I really like the color and that they are patent leather. These got really good reviews and the price is pretty decent. The pumps have 3 3/4" wrapped heel & 1/2" platform. Sounds like they would be comfy.

Betsey Johnson Bow Pearl Drops $25.00. These are absolutely adorable.

From Nordstrom:

Paige Denim 'Verdugo - Chandler Pocket' Jeggings. Mystery Wash. Size 24. I contemplated about buying these jeggings, but wasn't 100% sure about it. They are a tad long for me, but Nordstrom offers free alterations. The price is a little more than I'd like to spend. If the Juicy one doesn't work out, I might come back to this. What do you guys think about the fit?

Tory Burch 'Amanda' Leather Hobo $465.00

This bag comes in white, black & the blue (below). I really like this bag and the blue color is really pretty. I think it's a great size for someone with a petite frame, not too small or big. This is going in my wishlist for future purchases.

Free People Sale I Couldn't Resist

The following items are such a good deal, I couldn't resist. There are so much stuff on sale at Free People right now! I told myself I shouldn't get anything that I don't need. Since I'm going away for X-mas to a very cold place (well cold compared to SF) I thought these would be nice items to bring with me to keep me warm and cozy since I am terribly afraid of the cold!

Image from www.freepeople.com

Herringbone Puff Sleeve Jacket $168.00$39.95. I got the charcoal color. There are so many sizes available and this is such a good deal. Makes me wonder what's wrong with this jacket. Oh well, I guess I'll find out soon.

Ruana Scarf. $48.00$29.95. This is more like a wrap than a scarf. I love how the model wore it with a belt too.

Angora Convertible Glove $28.00$19.95. I got the black ones. I been wanting so gloves to keep my hands warm. These looks so luxurious.

Lace Trim Thermal $48.00$29.95. I got the sky color. I tried it on here on this post. I didn't buy it then for $48, but $29 is more like it!

Review: Ann Taylor Petite Charmeuse Sleeveless Rhinestone Trim Top

Me sitting at my desk.

Wearing:
Bebe Camel Pea Coat. XS. Very old. (similar here)
Forever21 Black Cardigan. XS. Very old. (similar here & here)
Guess Pants. Size 23. Very Old. (similar here & here)
AT Petite Charmeuse Sleeveless Rhinestone Trim Top. Size: XXSP. Color: Glazed Fig.

Where I do begin with this shirt...

What I do like:
I ordered this top during black Friday with a 40% discount. I believe they are offering the same discount off full price items. The shirt looked very promising when I took it out of the box. Everything was where it was suppose to be. None of the rhinestones fell off. I thought the color was really pretty and I thought the top was nice and elegant overall. My initial thought about the fit of the top was not bad...but after looking at these photos, I'm not quite sure anymore.

What I don't like:
I steamed this top before wearing. It had wrinkles all over it when I got to work, I think you can tell from looking at the pictures. The wrinkles bother me a lot! I don't like the way the shirt drapes. When I sit at my desk, the shirt bunches up where it looks like I have fat rolls -- not cute! I tried tugging and pulling at it, but the bunching would not go away.

So I thought this top might look better if I tucked it into a pencil skirt. I was sure that this would hide the bunching and wrinkles. When I got home from work, I immediately tried the top on with a pencil skirt. I tugged and pulled and tugged and nothing seemed to help with the bunching.

I really want to make this shirt work, but I think it's a lost cause. LOL.
I think I am leaning towards returning...
What do you all think??

Ombre Highlights Update and Aldo Leopard Print Snood

This is a follow up from this post. I got my ombre highlights re-freshened last week. If you're unfamiliar with ombre highlights, it's a style of coloring where the roots are darker and the ends are lighters. The maintenance is much lower than your normal highlights.

I wanted a lighter but ashier color than what I had last time. If you look at the last couple of pictures, you can see my hair turned really brassy and bright! OMG -- I did not like this at all. It was exactly what I did not want. Even though after my stylist lifted my natural color shades lighter and toned it, the brassiness did not go away. I went back this weekend to put more toner on it, the result was so much better. If you're in the SF area and are looking for an awesome stylist, I highly recommend Rox from Oxenrose (oxenrosesalon.com). She was more than happy to take me back for the second visit to fix my hair at NO COST.

Wearing:

Aldo Willianstown Snood. $20.00. I'm not sure if this is called a snood or an infinity scarf. I'm a sucker for anything animal print so I had to have this. Animal always adds a sense of chicness to any outfit. But keep in mind a little animal goes a long way. Haha! Some people go overboard with head to toe animal print.
H&M Pink Cowl Neck Sweater. Size XS (also worn in this post). (similar in other colors here & here)
H&M Bomber Jacket. Size 2. (similar for cheap here & here)
Forever21 Twill Grey Skinnies. Size 0. Very old. (similar here & here)
Vince Camuto Amber Peep-Toe Bootie. Size 5.5. (the close-toed version here)

------
Ombre Highlights

The results after the 1st round of lifting the color and toning.
It is probably really hard to lighten dark black hair (especially Asian hair) and not get that orange brassy look. This was definitely too bright for me and I was not comfortable with this. I was seriously depressed for the whole week because I really hated it! LoL.

Wearing:
A|X Faux Fur Collar Wrap. XS. Heather Grey. The other color heather snow is on sale for $99. (also worn in this post) (similar here & here)
Free People Skinny Pants. Size 24. (very similar here) I have two pairs of the pants I'm wearing. The older pair seems to fit more snugged in the waist and the newer pair is loose on the waist. I put all my pants in the dryer. I'm not sure if the older pair is tighter due to excessive drying.
Banana Republic Necklace. (similar here, here & here)
Via Spiga Boots. Size 5.5. (similar here & here)


The results after the 2nd round of toning.
I really like this ashier latte brown color. It's more subtle and blends nicely with my dark hair. This is definitely more natural and it doesn't look unprofessional for work.


My weekend was great after I got my hair fixed. Hope everyone has a nice weekend too.

Work Outfits

Hello ladies. I haven't had a chance to take photos outside due to the weather. Here are some of my work outfits from this week. I apologize for the fuzzy photos. Hope you like them! :)


Wearing:

Fall Remembrance Coat $198.00 - Free People. Size 0. (refer to this post on fit)

Classiques Entier® Twisted Ruffle Sleeveless Mesh Top - Nordstrom. Size XS. (refer to this post on fit)

AX Black Open Black Cardigan. XS. OLD. (similar here & here)

J Crew Petite stretch twill Minnie pant. 00P. Color coal. (refer to this post on fit)

Costume National Boots. (similar here & here)

Wearing:

Oversized Shawl Cardi- Free People - Size XS. (refer to this post on fit)

Ann Taylor Petite Tiered Chiffon Shell --$39.99. Size XSP. On sale at the store for $29.99. (refer to this post on fit)

Marciano Open Cardigan. XS. (similar here & here)

Bebe Stretch Skinny Pant. Size 00. (refer to this post on fit)

Necklace made by SewPetiteGal. Purchase very similar here.

Michael Kors Snake Print Pumps. (similar here & here)


Wearing:

Aritzia Cashmere Blend Batwing Sweater. XS. (similar here & here). Also worn in this post.

Free People Ponte Skinny Cargo. Size 24.

Frye Boots. Very old. (similar here & here)

A quick update on my purchases

Hello ladies,

I been so lazy with the blogging, I blame it on the weather! I just wanted to update you guys with my purchases and the fit of each item. I'll post pictures when I get a chance to wear it all, hopefully by the end of this week.

Classiques Entier® Twisted Ruffle Sleeveless Mesh Top - Nordstrom. Size XS.

I ended up keeping this top. I love how this is really form fitting to the body, but it doesn't feel snug at all because of the material. The mesh is very light weight and it feels so comfortable to wear.

Tarnish Turnlock Flap Satchel $148.00 - Nordstrom.Not on sale on the website, but I got the red color from the store for $74!!

I love the soft leather and the color, but I ended up returning it. The bag's shape doesn't really hold up. Once I put something to it, the front flap tugs at the sides. I just read the review and one reviewer said the same thing. I'll put up pictures later.

Free People Puff Sweater Dress. Size XS. Color amethyst (available here, but for full price). I bought this from Bloomingdale's store for around $52.

This actually fits really nice and the length is perfect, but the color is kind of bright. I can't imagine wearing this too many times because it's kind of flashy. Even on sale, I don't think its wortht the $$ for a one time wear.


Ann Taylor Petite Tiered Chiffon Shell --$39.99. Size XSP. On sale at the store for $29.99. I also got it in the cream color. I can't believe this fits decently! The armholes weren't too big and the shirt was not THAT roomy either. It's a little loose, but I don't think you'll be able to tell.


I got 40% off these items from Ann Taylor as well:
Petite Grosgrain Trim CardiganSize: XXSP. Color: Lilac Smoke.

The color is so nice and I don't have anything like it. The fabric is really soft and cozy feeling. I was sad to return this. The sleeves fit perfect. The torso area was unfortunately too loose and boxy.

Petite Long Sleeve Pleated Scoop TeeSize: XXSP. Color: Asteroid.

This top is really loose around the torso area. Not fitted at all around the waist. It definitely made me look boxy. So i returned this one as well.

Petite Silk Georgette Knot Front TopSize: 00P. Color: Frosted Wisteria.

The blouse is a really pretty color. It's a little roomy on the sides and in the back, but not bad at all. I'd say the length is on the shorter side. I kept this one.

Petite Charmeuse Sleeveless Rhinestone Trim Top. Size: XXSP. Color: Glazed Fig. Color is currently sold out.

This top is gorgeous. I love the rhinestones! There's definitely room on the sides and also roomy in the back. I kept it though and can't wait to wear it.

I'll post pictures soon!!

X-Mas Gifts for Your Men

Hi Ladies-- My bf recently started designing t-shirts on the side as a hobby. They are doing amazingly well and I thought I'd share with all of you. I think they would make amazing gifts for your bf, husband, kids, etc for this holiday. Here are some of the designs and they are available for sale at:
His Marque Shop.

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!