Day in the Life

Top: Gap stretch fitted button down, sz sm / Skirt: Zara ($10.00) / Shoes: Target Merona Elliana Wedge Sandals ($24.99, buy here) / Bag: Charles David (Macy's, borrowed from my sister) / Bangle: Bought in England (about $3.00)

I'm training for a new job for these next 3 weeks, which means fun times in business casual. :) This is my favorite look from the past week, which unfortunately didn't involve too many fashion highlights as I was still unpacking most of my things.

I'm happy I finally figured out a nice way to wear this $10.00 Zara skirt. I bought it because there are zero orange clothes in my closet (normally, I think the color looks awful on me), and I wanted to get out of my comfort zone.

I though the skirt could work in my wardrobe because 1) being a skirt, the orange color isn't near my face, where it would have been much less flattering against my skin tone, 2) the blues and burgundys in the flower print are colors I love to wear and have in my closet already, 3) pockets! 4) it's lined and well-made, for Zara, 5) you can't beat the price!

I'm unsure if I have another way to style it as of yet, but hopefully I'll figure it out. Any thoughts?

A Little Bit o' Color

Top: Ann Taylor LOFT sz sm / Shorts: Thrifted from Goodwill outlet (66 cents!) / Belt: Forever 21 (about $3.00) / Shoes: Gap (old) / Necklace: Various charms, put together

Apologies for the lack of posts this past week; I just started a new job (!) and moved in to a new place (!!) so things have been a bit crazy as I've gotten settled down.

And now for the debut of my 66-cent salmon-colored slightly-too-big shorts. They are awesome, for all of the aforementioned reasons (except for the slightly-too-big bit. But they were shrunk in the dryer, and with a belt, you can hardly tell.) Did I mention they were 66 cents?
Anyway, it is still hot as hell here in LA (Fall, where are you??) so I took these photos in about 20 seconds and ran back indoors. Hope you're having a good weekend!

Review: ASOS and PacSun Colored Denim

I have been more than a bit obsessed with the colored jeans trend going on right now. I don't usually (read: never) hop on trends, tending much more towards sticking with classic/simple thing that I know work for me. However, in my efforts to a) add more color into my wardrobe and b) create more interesting outfits on the daily, I thought a pair of colored jeans would be an awesome addition to my wardrobe.

However, I was having the hardest time finding a pair that both fit and didn't cost an arm and a leg. My inspiration was something along the lines of these AG Stevie Ankle Jeans from Anthropologie, but there was no way I was paying $158 for a pair of colored jeans!
Anthropologie AG Stevie Ankle Jeans, $158.

A bit of help from the wonderful Alterations Needed Forum led me to two pairs which I thought were worth a shot, both from brands I'd never tried before:
ASOS PETITE Exclusive Blue Skinny Jean, $60.34

These are definitely on the higher end of what I was hoping to spend, but the pair I end up keeping will actually be part of a belated birthday gift from my parents, so it was kind of ok. ;-) I was also impressed with their free shipping and free returns policy (on everything!), which definitely helped with convincing me to give them a shot.

PacSun Bullhead Black Colored Leggings in Burgandy, $39.50 or 2 for $65.00

These are definitely a bit less jarring in the color department, and I love how I could easily wear these into fall and winter. In reality, I guessed these would be a bit more practical and versatile than the OHMYGODBRIGHT BLUE of the ASOS jeans. PacSun has free returns and online orders can also be returned to any PacSun store.

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In reality...

ASOS:
Pros: Free shipping. Free returns. That's unfortunately about it. Because...

Cons: I couldn't even get these jeans on! Not even kidding. I ordered them in a size 2, and there was no way I was getting them over my calves, they just didn't fit. Unfortunately, any size bigger and I'm pretty sure the waist/hips would be far too large. Too bad. These could totally work for a tinier petite than me, but I guess I have pretty muscular calves (years and years of dancing), so they were a no-go. Plus, in person, they were really quite bright, perhaps a bit too bright for me. The boyfriend will be happy. He was a bit scared of them.

Verdict: Return.

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Pac Sun:
Shirt: Forever 21 sz s / Pants: Pac Sun sz 1 / Shoes: Stolen borrowed from my sister, sz 7 / Necklace: Gift

These were much better in the fit department (i.e., I could get them on in the first place!). I ordered both a size 0 and a size 1, and the size 1 (which I'm wearing here) fit great in the hips and tush, but damn are these some skinny jeans. They are advertised as a "denim legging," after all, and I fear that that actually means they are a...*gulp*...jegging. That word makes me shudder. I don't want to own "jeggings." "Denim leggings," it is then!
Dang, they're tight....
Pros: The color is beautiful, and I could obviously see these working very well in fall and winter. The material is nice and soft and stretchy, and the fit is generally quite good, especially in the waist and hips, and the length is perfect. No tailoring needed! The price, at $32, is pretty reasonable.

Cons: They are so tight! More like leggings than jeans. The fit in the calves is what makes me think they're too tight. But maybe I could get used to that? The front pockets are fakes, which is a bit annoying, but the back ones are real. I feel like you can see every outline of my legs, which is a bit weird? Not sure.

Verdict: I'm not completely sold on these jeans as of this moment. They're just so...tight. Maybe they'll work if I think of them as leggings and not jeans.... What do you guys think? To keep or not to keep?

Also: These shoes:Love.

My sister bought them when she was in Dubai, where she's been living for the past few months. She's home now, and so is her closet. Which effectively means I've doubled the size of my closet. :) I love being (almost) the same size as her!

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Anyone have any cheap colored denim they'd recommend?

Thrifting Finds for under $3.00!

I went to a Goodwill outlet the other day. I had no idea that Goodwill had outlets, but apparently they do. In good outlet fashion, this means that everything is DIRT CHEAP. I mean, you're paying for clothes by the pound, not by the item! Unfortunately, this also means that the clothes are piled in one massive heap and a few various dumpsters in the middle of the room. Which made it kind of like hunting for treasure? Sure, why not.
Anyway, I was amazed that I found FOUR cute pieces in that pile of randomness, not to mention the fact that they were....drumroll please....$2.68, TOTAL. Dang. I should never buy anything full price ever again.
This trip was spurred by a challenge from the boyfriend: Create an outfit for under $20. I think I passed with flying colors, seeing as I got two for under $3.00, but he thinks I cheated because I also bought two other pieces at Ross, totaling $23.00. I tried to tell him those were extra, but, alas, he is a man of honesty. Stay tuned to see my two under $3.00 outfits (after they get washed, shrunk, and washed again, probably....).

Casual Fridays

Image via Instagram.

Shirt: Urban Outfiters men's sz s / Sweater: Forever 21 sz s / Scarf: Forever 21 / Jeans: Gap sz 00

I'm kind of absurdly in love with this uber-simple outfit. Comfy old t-shirt with appropriately nerdy branding? Check. Purple sweater? Check. Skinny jeans? Check. Deliciously soft scarf? Check. I feel like I could take a nap.

My brother and I actually both bought this t-shirt at the same time. Some might say that's a bad sign, for one if not both of us. I, however, think it is awesome. And an indication that my brother has a great sense of style, obviously.

Hope you all have a great weekend! I'm going to be spending it moving into my new place (!!!). Can't wait. :)

Review: Gap 1969 Jeans

Back in high school, I thought that I had to pay a ton for denim ($100+) in order to get anything that fit and flattered my small frame. Of course I still had to tailor the jeans, adding on some extra cost. As such, I have a few pairs of Sevens and a pair of Paige jeans in my closet, that luckily have held up for about 6+ years and are still going strong! So, maybe I got my money's worth in the long run, but a few years ago I discovered Gap 1969 jeans and I don't think I'll be going back.

Top: from a local boutique sz m / Jeans: Gap 1969 jeans, size 24/00 "Always Skinny" (buy here) / Heels: Target Pearce Pumps / Necklace: Macy's, borrowed from mi madre

Gap 1969 jeans are relatively cheap (anything from $34.99 on an average sale, though sometimes cheaper if you hunt for 'em, to about $70), and fit and flatter SO WELL. I don't even need to tailor them if I can find them in the petite length, another great cost-saver.

I have three pairs of Gap 1969 jeans: two skinnies that I've had for a few years (and have hardly worn anything else since I got them) and a pair of bootcuts I just bought when I re-realized that there was more to life than skinny jeans, found on sale for $34.99. It should be said that the Boyfriend just got a pair of Gap jeans for $9.00, so I definitely cannot claim the sale-shopping crown in this case.

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Here are the firt pair of 1969 skinnies, size 24/00 "Always Skinny:"
Gap 1969 jeans, size 24/00, "Always Skinny," saturated dark wash (buy here)

They are suuuppper tight when I put them on straight out of the wash, and maintain their shape (though not their organ-constricting-ness, thank goodness) for many wears. The fit is great all around, and the dark wash makes me feel like I can dress them up a bit.

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Here are my other 1969 skinnies, sz 0R "Straight Leg Stretch:"
Gap 1969 skinny jeans, sz 0R straight leg stretch, medium wash (old)

I'm not even going to pretend I ever wear these with heels. These are my uber-casual jeans, good for a pair of sandals and a t-shirt. They have a medium wash and slightly slouchier fit (0 instead of 00), which makes them feel overall more relaxed. They're also "regular" length and I haven't bothered to hem them, so they're a tad bit long.

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And here are my new 1969 bootcut jeans size 24/00, "Sexy Boot:"
Gap 1969 bootcut jeans size 24/00, "Sexy Boot," saturated dark wash (bought on sale for $34.99, buy here)

I could only find these in the "regular" length on sale, so I did get them hemmed. I asked my tailor to re-attach the original hem so it looks like nothing was changed.
The fit on these, as on the 1969 "always skinny" jeans, is great and snug. They hug through the hips and tush, are fitted through the leg, and flare out ever-so-slightly at the bottom. These are definitely my new favorite "going out" jeans!

Anyone else have some cheap but awesome denim they love?

Dressing Room: Zara and F21

I had an hour to kill at the mall the other day while my car was in the shop around the corner, so I headed over to Zara and Forever21 to see if I could scoop up any late-summer sales. Turns out there was a fair amount to see!

First up, Zara:

1. Orange/brown placket-front shirt sz xs $19.99: Passed. A bit too slouchy overall, wouldn't tuck in well for work outfits, and the color, though pretty and fall-y, didn't look so great on my skintone.

2. Orange floral print skirt with pockets sz xs $9.99: Purchased, but may return. This skirt feels great on, has an interior lining, pockets, and is a color I never wear (hello, orange!) but is accented by colors I do (blue, green, burgundy). I just need to see if it goes with any tops in my closet. If not, it'll probably be a return.

And, Forever21:

3. Orange knit top with ruffle front sz s $15.90: Passed. I was on an orange kick today, wasn't I? I could see this top looking great on someone else, but for me...a bit too girly/ruffly. The material was nice and soft, and it could be a great work shirt to tuck into high-waisted pencil skirts.
4. Beige feather print skirt sz s $14.80: Passed. The material was just ok, though I thought the print was very pretty. The cut just didn't wow me, so I passed.


5. Multi-color printed skirt sz s $10.50: Purchased. This is the perfect skirt for me. Short but not too short, flowy, in colors that can transition through seasons, with a few pops of color that I don't wear too often, and cheap! I'm wearing it to a business/casual day at work today, and am loving it. Also: pockets!