confessions of a shopaholic

[alexander wang dakota | orig. $650 | purchased $190]

[alexander wang constance | orig. $675 | purchased $86]

[united nude block ankle strap | orig. $315 | purchased $95]

All purchased within the past 30 days.  I think it's about time I admitted that my working income has gone a bit to my head and I've been indulging in too many goodies lately.  Worst of all is I haven't gotten around to wearing many of my new purchases, as I've been throwing on the first couple of things that look wearable and office appropriate every morning because I've gotten too lazy and pressed for time in the mornings to actually craft an outfit.  But enough excuses.

Most people would do the logical thing and stop shopping, at least until they've worn all their purchases.  Some especially clever people would trade their old pieces for bandwidth for new ones.  Me?  I've carefully evaluated both options.  But the truth is, I haven't and will never lead a minimalist lifestyle.  Sure, it's fun to dress like one some days.  But that's the thing with me.  I dress like a minimalist one day, pose like a Japanese schoolgirl the next day, transform into an elegant office lady the day after that, and throw on some kick ass heels and some dark makeup like i could take on Lisbeth Sander the next one after that.  I wouldn't say it's because I haven't an idea of what my personal style is, but that my style itself is constantly evolving and iterating.  So can I throw away all those a-line mini skirts? Nope, need those for the schoolgirl days.  How about those blazers and blouses and sleek trousers? No way, I need something to satisfy my lofty professional look.  And those chiffon dresses?  Certainly can't take the girly from the girly girl.

So a large and growing closet it is.  While it'll take a while to make my way to certain items in my closet, at least I won't ever regret giving away a tutu skirt when I decide to be a ballerina for Halloween.  As for the reckless shopping?  Money spending will have to be put on hold for at least a month.  Going back to my old ways of ooh and ahh-ing at bloggers and their outfits and getting inspiration for my own.  Time to be more creative with what already exists - because there's a shit ton of it.

P.S.  Parents are coming this weekend to visit for the first time since they helped me move in.  This means taking mom to the Botanical Garden at Zilker Park.  This also means mom will insist on taking pictures of me in cute outfits posing next to a bonsai tree.

minimalism, makeup, and movember

on me: [vest | people's liberation | $6] [skirt | rainbow | $5] [shoes | gunmetal | $10]

on boyfriend: [shirt | no excess] [vest | 21men] [jeans | american rag] [shoes | 1901]

So I've updated twice this month, which is the most I've done since moving to Austin.  Black Friday just passed, but much to my dismay - the sales really weren't that great.  I got a skirt and lace shirt at F21 for a total of $11...and that was the extent of my shopping spree.  I did check out some boutiques today.  Mint had a sale for Small Business Saturday.  I got a four finger ring that I can't really move in, but is freakin' awesome and actually fit my fat digits, as well as a necklace with a gun on it with a very thick chain.  I don't know if it's supposed to be "gangsterish" or not...because it kind of resembles those necklaces you'd see on rappers and what not.  It will definitely be a fun piece to incorporate into my wardrobe in the future.  I'll feel slightly more badass (or like a poser) when I wear it.

Included a picture of the boyfriend.  I always thought it was really cute how fashion bloggers got their boyfriends to take pictures of them, and insisted that mine do the same.  But with how picky I am about photographs and how fat I look in each one of them, he sure puts up with a lot.  I'm incredibly grateful for how he shamelessly takes pictures of me in all sorts of areas (though I'm sure both of our neighbors think we're strange), encourages me to pursue fashion, photography, and blogging, and gifted me with this DSLR that takes photos the way I want them to look.  In the meantime, I've also gotten him to dress up a bit more and participate in my lunatic photoshoots.  I secretly think he enjoys them.  Oh, ignore the mustache in the pictures.  As much as I support Movember as a great cause, definitely not a fan of one on Hai.  It's prickly, to say the least.  4 more days.

Oh one last thing.  The shoes I have on by gunmetal?  Used to be $140.  Got them at Nordstrom Rack for $10. :D

chilly days and cozy sweaters

[sweater | cotton on | $9] [maxi skirt (turned into dress) | speechless | $14] [clock necklace | ebay | $3] [bird necklace | gift from eva] [boots | steve madden | $70]

Probably my favorite combination since peanut butter & jelly. This season, I've been really drawn to oversized cropped sweaters that have a tendency to make me look a lot bigger than I am (usually very undesirable) - but gives me excuses to hide the extra weight I've gained since moving to Austin. This city is not doing my body very well. Too much good food, and well - very little motivation to exercise. I need to get on that - considering I spent almost $200 on quality exercise wear/shoes. These pictures were taken two weekends ago, when the last cold front hit. I really wanted to give my new Steve Maddens a wear.  My first pair of real suede boots.  Officially convinced to stray away from cheap shoes forever.  Also, this kate spade bag from the boyfriend is marvelous.  I can't count the number of compliments received since I've put it to use.  I'm going to be sad when it gets worn.  I doubt I can find a similar replacement.  But who knows?  Maybe something else will catch my fancy then. :)

happy birthday to me

This past weekend was a pretty hectic, but in a really good way.  It was my long awaited 21st birthday, and I had a blast with great friends.  Several highlights included carboloading before drinking at a nice Italian restaurant, partying with coworkers and the boyfriend, and then heading to Dirty Sixth to get really wasted, and puking on the peddiecab to the car, and then into my toilet.  Just what a 21st birthday should be.  Some selective photos of the night may be posted at a later date.

The next day, my boyfriend took me and my amazing girl friend/party planner out to the San Marcos outlets - where I was instructed to go wild at Kate Spade (only my new favorite store).  Before that, we snapped some outfit shots of my birthday suit (no, not that kind) with the new DSLR he gifted me.

I am loving the quality on these photos.  I can't wait to take it for a ride to Europe or something.  Although that will probably be a while.  In the meantime, I've yet to uncover lots of photoshoot-worthy places in Austin.

This was my first time wearing my Kate Spade purse out, as well as one of my favorite screen tees.  I used to not be a huge fan of screen tees, especially if it said something stupid like "Live Laugh Love" or "Holla At Me!" (second one being a given), but they definitely add an extra touch to a boring outfit.

[shirt | zara | $8] [skirt | charlotte russe | $5] [bag | kate spade | $103] [watch bangle | ebay | $3] [orange bangle | f21 | $3] [gold cuff | duo boutique | $18]

This is my classic "But which one?!?" face.  Eventually ended up deciding on the black one for my mommy's birthday.  Giving it to her this upcoming weekend.  Hope she loves it!

I've also decided to start a Kate Spade idiom bangles collection.  The purple one has "Lay in Lavendar" engraved on the inside, whereas the black/white one says "Have Courage".  So cute.  I die.  I love how a bunch of these piled together looks.

Lastly, I took this whimsical trompe l'oeil burlap clutch from Kate Spade home.  I've been carrying it to work everyday since.  It's the perfect size to carry all my things without dragging a bowling ball bag around. :)

lazy sundays and 10 years

After a pretty exhausting week of work, this weekend has really been what I needed: lots of sleep, lots of shopping, some working out, and lots of good food. :)  I paid a long-awaited trip to San Marcos on Saturday and went wild.  One of the things I got was this gorgeous Kate Spade purse, which I couldn't wait to wear.  It's my first over $100 bag (okay, it was $103 including tax), and boy, does it feel great.  There is something about quality items that make you want to wear and wear them again.

So besides lazying around today, I keep getting humbly reminded that it's the 10th anniversary (if we can call it that) of 9/11.  It's kind of crazy thinking that it was 10 years ago.  I actually remember the day really well.  I was in 6th grade Tech Ed. class at the time, when the PA announcement came on informing us of what had happened.  We all thought it was a joke at first, and even when we got that it actually happened, we were too young to understand the gravity of the matter.  I'm not going to pretend I know the first thing about politics or keep up with current events, but it's always humbling when you're reminded of people that you knew that have been affected or could have been affected by the event.

So I'll be honest:  I probably saw a total of 3 minutes on the news covering 9/11.  The rest of the day so far?  Being treated to brunch, going window-shopping in Soco...and waiting to go to the pool as it's currently way too hot for that right now.  In the meantime,  I had these shot outside my apartment in the morning.

I always wanted one of these candid "walking away" pictures.  Only I'm not 5'11", 120 pounds, and poised enough to look like I belong on the Sartorialist. :(  And this is only...somewhat candid, haha.

[shirt | h&m | $10] [skirt | zara trf | $10] [shoes | payless | $15] [watch bangle | ebay | $5] [porcelain bangles | vintage | from mom] [bag | kate spade | $103]

I love this bag.  Did I say that already?  So I'm thinking, I'll probably do 1-2 outfit posts every week at best, but I'll try to post more thoughts on fashion-related things/news/etc. in the meantime to keep this blog running. Slightly embarassing linking this to Facebook in retrospect, especially when your coworkers are experts at the product. Oh well, it's been too long since I've paid super-attention to fashion anyways.  Bringing the girl that could name the designer, the season, and everything about a piece of clothing back.

New City, Old Heat

So these past two months have been insane.  I moved to Austin from Houston, got a new apartment, started a new job, among many other new things.  One thing that has been particularly exciting is being able to wear the things in my closet I've been longing to wear.  I'm also fortunate enough to have "no dress code" at work - granted, I'm not sure how my coworkers would take black lipstick, lacy stockings, and all that other jazz.  Probably not very well.

The heat has been the worst it has been - ever.  Over 73 consecutive over-100 degrees days.  Yeah...not much we can do with fashion.  In spirit of my first fashion shoot at Austin, I put on my favorite dress, my favorite bag and braved the heat.

The flowers are from a lovely boy.  I decided to take my favorite one out of the bouquet and use it as a prop. Ridiculously cheesy.

These gorgeous shoes are from Deanne.  They go so well with everything and I've been wearing them a whole lot.  Deanne, if you're reading this, thanks a bunch. :D

New bag from Zara.  I've been wanting a small crossbody for the longest time, and I immediately fell in love with this one.  It's too small to hold everything I usually carry, but I said screw it, I'm buying this sucker.

[dress | mint | $30] [belt | from mom] [bag | zara | $50] [shoes | bcbgirls | from deanne]

it's official, jason has stolen my heart

...and by Jason, I mean Jason Wu, of course.

It takes a lot for me to say someone is "one of my favorite designers".  Just like figure skating (my other obsession), consistency is the most important thing to me.  After 4 seasons of closely observing Jason Wu's lines, however, he hasn't disappointed me yet.  

Some of my favorite looks from his Resort 2012 Collection:

I'm loving short suits, shirts buttoned all the way to the top, and collar details.  A little late to the trend, but I'm all on board now.

feeling demure

So, I've come to accept that I'm indeed sick.  I always go through this day or two of denial hoping it'll go away by itself but nope - only gotten worse.  So what do I do when I'm stuck in my room with tea and soup and korean soap operas?  Put on pretty clothes and take photos.

I've been looking for the perfect two-tier pleated dress since I saw Carrie's Halston Heritage one in SATC 2.  I really try hard not to covet things because a celebrity wore them because I think it becomes popular for the wrong reasons if that makes sense - but this dress is an exception.  I think I'd love it regardless of whether or not it's famous.  I found this perfect gold one with a sheer racerback cutout from H&M when I went to New York this past weekend.  I wanted to wear it to my last dinner in Jersey with friends but I couldn't find a bra to go with it.  Solution?  No bra.  Okay, maybe a little TMI.

[dress | h&m | $35] [shoes | bass | $25]

Interesting story about this origami daffodil.  A very good friend, knowing my favorite flower is the daffodil, made it for me as part of an apology package after a fight.  I wonder if he would have done it had he known that we would stop talking forever only a few months later.  There is something beautifully sad about this daffodil.  I miss him a lot.  

how to deal with heartbreak

I just came back from a week-long trip to New Jersey to visit my old high school friends.  It was a fun-packed week for sure - it was so wonderful being able to hug everyone again, to talk to everyone in person, and go places together - the things that webcam, online chatting, and texting just don't allow.  Now, I'm going through serious Jersey withdrawal - even my throat hurts.  Boo.  I miss everyone and everything so much already.

While there, I hit up my favorite store H&M a total of 5 times - 4 times in the first 50ish hours.  I packed lightly, so my outfits are all pretty simple.  Here are a few highlights.

In front of my old house here.  It's a lot smaller compared to my texas one, but there's nothing like the house you grew up in.

[dress | image | $12.00] [belt | wetseal | $3.00] [sandals | mossimo | $8.00]

In the heart of SoHo.  My best friend Jim took me around New York this day, and I had a blast in SoHo.

[shirt | charlotte russe | $4.00] [belt | forever 21 | came with shorts] [skirt | papaya | $7.00] [sandals | mossimo | $8.00] [bangle | ebay | $1.00] [bag | deux lux | $20.00]

In the middle of Central Park.  I went with my best friend Jen and her boyfriend Jeremy this day.  It was quite hot.

[top | h&m | $10.00] [dress | h&m | $13.00] [sandals | mossimo | $8.00] [bag | deux lux | $20.00]

I didn't end up finding the perfect white shirt that I wanted, but that's okay there's still time.  I did find an amazing Halston Heritage-ish tiered dress in a gold color and a sheer low-cut back at H&M then.  Will soon make an appearance on this blog (for you, Jen!).

Now back to soap opera watching, apartment hunting, and being a bum.

bye bye sanguinity

Time off from school has given me time and space to work on personal style - and it has been wonderful.  Just being home and seeing how enormous my closet already is has encouraged me to stop buying things I don't need and focus on polishing my outfits with the things I already have.  It's a bit difficult since a feel another style change coming on.  The past 3 or so years, I've been obsessed with all things girly, over-the-top sweet, and childish.  I'm not denying that feminine touches are still very much part of my personal style, but it's been hard to work around the lace and the ruffles when I just want something more simple.
I've stopped buying mini A-line/circle skirts and chunky heels and floral chiffon.  That's not to say I'm not drawn to them - especially since my closet is filled with stuff like that - but it's just not worth my money, at least not now.  I've been drawn to basics instead.  No, not the racerback rib tanks or the crew neck tees that practically flood Forever 21, but modified basics.  I haven't bought anything like the stuff I've been fawning over recently - because I want to wait for the perfect one.  Hopefully my trip up north in a few days, the land of H&Ms, 5th ave., and lovely New York fashion will satisfy my craving.

[sleeveless blouse | cheap monday | on modcloth for $42.99]

[pleated dress | asos white | $203.12]

[chiffon oversized blouse | just female | on asos for $120.02]

[cropped shirt | asos | $12.93]

okay, so maybe i'm also craving white things.  in the meantime, i just need to be happy with my current wardrobe.  i usual feel a closet cleaning session, but it just isn't time yet.  

back to packing for ny/nj.  hopefully i will flood this blog with loads of outfit pictures - although they'll probably be super simple since i can't pack a shitload.