Outfit of the Day

Cardigan: Hollister, Blouse: H&M, Jeggings: Hollister, Boots: Jessica Simpson (Macy's)

These last few days have been filled with ridiculous amounts of homework and tests, especially considering how, as a second semester senior, I should be relaxing, writing for this blog, and mainly, not doing school work. I have a biology test tomorrow, but for the sake of procrastination, I'm going to write an OOTD post. I went for a preppier look today with a collared, sheer mint blouse topped with a navy blue cardigan. I wore a black cami under the blouse to stay school-appropriate. In the picture, I look like I have a popped frat-boy collar look, but I promise you that it was not like that in reality. I hate buttoning the top button on all my shirts because my neck feels restricted so I left it open. Buttoning all the way up also cuts off my already-short neck and emphasizes my round face. I really love the stripe-detailing on the sleeves of the cardigan because I feel extra preppy when I wear it (and it also breaks the solid color monotony of the outfit).

Eyes: Maybelline 24Hr Gel Liner, Lips: Revlon Lip Butter Tutti Fruiti

Sephora OPI: Havana Dreams

For my makeup, to complement the preppy outfit, I went with slightly winged eyeliner and no eyeshadow to really draw attention to the dramatic eyeliner and coral/orange lips. I kept my hair out of my face to emphasize the clean, defined look. For my nails, I had been wearing the baby blue color the whole week through and since I'm lazy, I just left it on.

I'm pretty minimalistic when it comes to jewelry. I prefer wearing one statement piece with each outfit. In this case, I wore these slightly retro-looking earrings from Forever21.

So that's all for today!

P.S. Fun picture:

Adorable, right?!?

Celebrating Love with Fashion: Valentine's Day Outfit

     Although Valentine's Day passed more than a week ago, I really wanted to write a post about my Valentine's Day outfit. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), I don't have a significant other, so basically, my Valentine's Day consisted of delivering Candy Grams at school and pampering myself with beauty day at home. (Hey, you have to love yourself first, right?). Nonetheless, boyfriend or no boyfriend, you still have to celebrate Love day!
      So I came up with this outfit:

Please forgive me for the poor quality!
Cardigan: American Eagle, Blouse: Forever21, Boots: Jessica Simpson

A Close-up of the Blouse
Ruffle details and puff sleeves make this blouse feminine and sweet.

       At first, I was tempted to throw on every single pink or red clothing I had, but the little fashionista voice at the back of my head made me reconsider. I didn't want to look garish or like I was in a Cupid costume, which is what my outfit would have become if I had gone with my first instincts. I wanted to look classy and stylish, yet still have that Valentine's Day, romantic touch.
      Going for a vintage-y look, I ended up picking a maroon cardigan and a nude pink, polka-dotted blouse with a cute collar. The two colors are muted variants of the classic Valentine's Day red and pink. I finished up the outfit with black skinny jeans and classic black boots.
        In the end, my outfit kind of reminded me of this character, played by SNSD's Yoona, in a Korean drama called "Love Rain" (I don't recommend it by the way, unless you enjoy seeing pretty much the exact same scenes for 5 episodes in a row. Boring and repetitive).

Vintage-style clothing

So pretty!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Style has nothing to do with fashion

This weekend I was away on a college visit but I had time to style my first outfit featured in this blog. My style philosophy has always been about a balance of colors and comfort. I tend to lean toward classic styles rather than trendy ones, and find that certain pieces have become staples in my closet. Take this dress, for example. Guess when I got it? Seventh grade, for a semiformal dance. I love the tunic length, which lengthens my legs; the 3/4 sleeves, which don't cut my long arms off in an awkward place like so many dresses I've tried on, and the babydoll shape, which is soo comfortable. Over the years, I've found this dress to work really well in casual outfits.

Outfit details: Dress: H&M/ Leggings: Aerie/ Coat: Hollister/ Earrings: Gift shop in North Carolina/ Mittens: American Eagle/ Boots: Nine West/ Purse: Dooney & Burke

Being tall (I'm 5'8'') it can be hard to find clothes that fit me well. Advice for other tall ladies out there: Don't sell yourself short! (pun intended) :) Those shorts may look great on the hanger, but if you try them out and they make you look like you're not wearing any pants, don't buy them. Same goes for dresses and skirts. I believe looking classy should always be a priority.

These Native American-inspired earrings are so pretty. I'll show a better photo of them in a future post - I wear them pretty often in the spring, which is (thankfully) coming soon. I love the winter, but the cold and drying weather can get tiring! I love finding unique pieces of jewelry. I've never really gotten into the statement jewelry style - I prefer small and dainty pieces that complement my outfits instead of drawing all the attention.

This purse was a gift from my lovely mother. I love how spacious yet streamlined it is. I could never carry just a tiny crossbody purse because I carry a ton with me - all "just in case" items such as Advil, tissues, Chapstick, hand cream, water bottle, Neosporin, bandaids, hand sanitizer, sunscreen... Seriously, I should be on a survival show or something, even though I'd probably only last a few days! I like wearing this crossbody on just one side instead of across my body. That's where my height comes to an advantage :)

Here I am with two of my friends. 

I hope this post finds you well and here is a quote for your day. So true! What do you think about this quote? Do you agree or disagree? 

via fixatedonfashion.tumblr.com

Michelle's style story

I remember my first time reading a fashion blog. Once I started reading, I found that I simply could not stop scrolling through the pages and pages of well-thought-out and stylish outfits. I had always wanted to start a fashion blog but I never had a chance - or the guts - to. When Xuewei, a friend from a science summer program, posted an adorable outfit photo online, I realized my dreams could finally become a reality. A few texts and clicks of a mouse away, becoming ladies was born. This blog will not only chronicle our adventures to becoming simple, elegant, and honest ladies, but also feature our favorites in food, quotes, design - whatever inspires us.

So what is my style history? In fourth grade, I made the huge fashion leap of asking my mother to let me plan out my own outfits. Since then, I've been using my artistic experience (I've been studying art since I was 5) to craft outfits that show my personality. I hope you enjoy reading about Xuewei and my paths to becoming ladies!

Becoming a lady

Beautiful, right?

        One look and you can see that this snapshot captures the essence of being a lady. Simply elegant, beautifully refined, the lady in the picture glows and radiates. When I found this on Pinterest the other day, I started to wonder if I could ever be so graceful and lovely. In fact, I wondered  if I could ever be a lady. 

         As a seventeen-year-old girl, I've just left the depths of the awkward, unmentionable years in every person's life. Mysteriously, all evidence of that period has been destroyed. Photos have disappeared, cheesy journal entries have been ripped out and hidden. My obsessive collection of Kpop merchandise on my shelf has been replaced with an ever-growing collection of makeup and jewelry. Gone are the simple hoodies and t-shirts that I threw on without care each morning. Instead, they've been replaced by sheer blouses and high-waisted jeans. I'm moving on and I'm never looking back (or at least until the embarrassment of those years has faded). 

         Now, I'm confronted with a different scene. Adulthood. A land of independence, responsibility, and bills?!? In these coming years, from finding my own style to finding my own path, I'll have a lot to learn. But luckily, I won't be alone.

         Together with Michelle, I will document my journey as I explore the ins-and-outs of fashion, makeup, and everything else while navigating the path to becoming a lady.