New Adventures

I've just returned from my trip with my family - it was great! We visited the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Salt Lake City, and Mt. Rushmore. Now that I'm back, I can pack and get everything ready for college. Xuewei and I have decided that we'll put blogging on hold while we're in school, to give us more time to transition to the new environment. As a parting message, here's one last outfit post, from earlier this summer. I've been making friendship bracelets nonstop - it's so fun and rewarding when you can wear your own creations. I get my designs from friendship-bracelets.net. 

Outfit details: Shirt: American Eagle / Shorts: LOFT / Necklace: DIY / Bracelets: DIY / Sandals: Merrell

The top bracelet was made by my friend. I made the bottom two bracelets.

It's been a great experience writing this blog and I hope to continue blogging in the future. 

Have a lovely day!

Chopped

On the day of prom, my hairstylist took one look at my long locks and said, "I'm going to have to cut some of this if you don't want to be waiting here for hours while your hair curls!" I was thinking about getting a haircut to help me cope with the hot and humid days of summer, but I wanted to keep the length for prom. But since I was getting a side bun anyway, I thought, why not? It's time for a change. I hadn't gotten my hair cut in more than a year! Here's the end result...

This photo was taken at my senior luncheon a few weeks ago. 

And here's a clearer picture of the outfit I was wearing for the luncheon:

This photo was taken at an awards breakfast for a scholarship I received earlier that month. I liked the outfit so much it had to be repeated!

Outfit details: Dress: Darling via T.J. Maxx / Belt: Store in China / Necklace: Forever 21 / Sandals: Franco Sarto 

I love how this necklace, a gift from one of my best friends, matches everything - it's the perfect accessory to dress up or down any outfit. This dress was an amazing bargain find at T.J. Maxx. I love the retro yet elegant fit and the timeless floral pattern. The colors suit my skin tone well! 

It's been fun finding ways to style my shorter (and undeniably more comfortable in the summer) hair. Sometimes, a little change is necessary. 

Hope you're having a fantastic day! Happy Fourth of July :)

Pinstripes with a Bow

This outfit was sweet and comfortable - I played up the volume of the boyfriend shirt with skinny white pants. My favorite part about these shirts is the fit - I feel like I'm wearing pajamas! I added a bright green bow to complete the preppy look and my blue handmade necklace for some sparkle. 

Outfit details: Shirt: Gap / Pants: American Eagle / Shoes: TOMs / Necklace: DIY 

Have a beautiful day! 

Bohemian Maxi

In Xuewei's last post, she styled a pretty maxi skirt with a chambray shirt. Here's how I styled my maxi and chambray. My outfit features a  bohemian, relaxed style. I wanted to be comfortable yet stylish for school.

Outfit details: Chambray shirt: American Eagle / Printed shirt: Delia's / Maxi skirt: TJMaxx / Shoes: TOMs / Watch: Citizen / Belt: Vintage / Necklace: The Hot Jewelry Box (local store) 

The printed top contrasts with the simplicity of the black skirt and the chambray added another layer of comfort and warmth.

I had no idea how to style this black maxi skirt, so I browsed Pinterest for ideas. Whenever I get a new piece of clothing, I always look at Pinterest for inspiration. It's great to see how other ladies have chosen to pair clothes together. Sometimes I come across some ingenious solutions! 

Hope you're having a great day.

Crystal Collar

I planned this outfit around the shirt. I haven't gone clothes shopping in a long time, so when I saw this affordable, trendy and sophisticated blouse at Forever 21, I knew I had to get it! Thanks to Xuewei, I've been looking at brands I normally wouldn't shop at. I don't have anything in this cornflower blue color. I usually buy clothes in only cool tones so that they will blend in well with the rest of my wardrobe. My favorite part about this shirt, however, is the crystal collar. It's just a tiny bit of glam - perfect for days when you want to play up the dressiness. The dark jeans serve as the canvas for the shirt and the leopard flats are just another pop of fun. I'm looking forward to wearing these flats as neutral statement pieces in Spring - neutral because of the coloration that matches everything from black to white to neon and statement because of the cute animal print. 

Outfit details: Blouse: Forever 21 / Cami: American Eagle / Jeans: American Eagle / Necklace: LOFT / Earrings: Gifted / Flats: Nine West

My necklace is actually a lariat from LOFT. The gunmetal color contrasts with the dark silver of the crystals. My earrings are also a matching gunmetal color. I looked for balance: A sprinkle of match and mismatch.

I changed it up with the hair this time! Since the collar is the focal point of the outfit, I didn't want to take attention away with my hair. However, since the collar cannot be seen from the back, I took the opportunity to braid my hair a little differently. Here's the amazing Pinterest tutorial that inspired the look. Some modifications I made: After I made the two Dutch braids (you have to be careful when making the top one not to use too much of the hair - start higher than you think and section off the bottom hair), I combined them into a single side braid. Hope you like the hairstyle! It's a more intricate look and keeps the hair out of my face. Most of the time Pinterest tutorials seem too complex (i.e. involve too many bobby pins) so I don't try them, but from how this one came out, I might want to try some more! 

Going back to shopping again - Since I don't shop often, when I do go clothes shopping, I am pretty selective. What I've found helps me the most is having developed a more cohesive style. Since middle school, my style has become more sophisticated and feminine. Therefore, anything that fits into those categories are easier to incorporate into the mix - florals, jewels, and classic staples are all great. Have any of you found that having one or two style "themes" helps when building your closet? 

Hope that you have a great day! The sun and bright blue sky, combined with my clear blue shirt, lifted my mood today :) 

Sparkle and Shine

In this post I'll be featuring my new handmade necklace! I love how it added a little color to my otherwise neutral outfit. I had been wanting to get a statement necklace in my favorite color family - blue - for a while, but I never saw any in stores that I thought I would actually wear. Enter an oversized blue bracelet. I wish I took before and after and process photos, but sadly, all I have is this final photo of the necklace. Since the chain is relatively chunky, I can knot it to adjust it. It's actually longer, about 30 inches long, but in this picture, it appears to be about 20 inches long.

The way I made it was pretty simple. I took a bracelet on stretchy string made of sapphire beads with rhinestone spacers. Originally this bracelet was too large for me (I have small wrists) so I had shortened it and restrung it with clear stretchy string. But I generally don't wear bracelets, so this pretty blue bracelet never was worn. I decided to cut the bracelet, remove a few beads, and tie the clear string onto the two ends of a necklace chain. I removed the clasp from the chain beforehand. This chain came from a necklace that I repurposed as well - originally it was one of those fun fair prizes and came with an odd pendant on it - I removed the pendant, and kept the chain but never used it! I'm glad this new necklace allows me to take two things I never used and make something useful :)

Next time I do a DIY project I'll make sure to take step-by-step photos! 

Now onto the outfit...This outfit was simple and sweet. 

Outfit details: Top: One Clothing via TJMaxx / Tank top (worn underneath): American Eagle / Jeans: American Eagle / Belt: Store in China / Boots: Luxury Rebel / Necklace: Handmade / Earrings: Gifted 

Here's another shot of the necklace! 

And lastly, a curtsy for you :) Enjoy!