All Black Everything for Brunch @ Plum Bistro

Okay, ALMOST completely all black :) Friday Greetings from Sin City! I've been having an absolute blast these last couple of days. I have a post in the works to share my shenanigans in Las Vegas but for now, here's a super basic outfit to take you into your own weekend shenanigans! Shuttling between my home on the east side to Mitch's home on the west side can be challenging when it comes to the constant clothes swapping. Having to plan ahead a couple days' worth of outfits isn't something I'm a pro at, yet. Although, my recent penchant for basics has been super helpful. I grabbed all black everything in anticipation for brunch with my boo, Kara a couple weekends ago.

Kara and I shared a couple plates at my favorite Vegan spot, Plum Bistro. I'm lucky to have carnivorous lovers who are down to go Vegan with me every once in a while. Its not too hard when you go somewhere as yummy as Plum!! I am obsessed with the Mac 'n Yease. This appetizer is similar to the all american favorite, but somehow 10x more delicious! For our main savory course, we had a portobello pesto dish which I almost died over because pesto is basically my main jam. Last but not least, we tried to get through the pumpkin French toast after being completely stuffed. It was so good! And extra lovely for me because as someone who doesn't consume eggs, I never get French toast!

Ah. Now I'm super hungry. Time to hit that Bellagio Buffet :) I hope you guys have had a great wrap up to February. See you guys next week! Love you!

All Clothing Forever 21 
Heels Dolce Vita

Vince Camuto Riding Boots

Happy Happy Hump Day! Starting today, I am in vacation mode for the rest of the week. Viva Las Vegas, Baby!!! I've been counting down the days to this trip :) Getting on planes twice a week for the past month and a half has been absolutely grueling. Mitch and I are no strangers to long distance, but I wasn't prepared for how taxing this season would be. A couple of days dedicated to bae is exactly what I need right meow.

For le outfit today, I am showing off one of the most important finds of the season. RIDING BOOTS. Finally. This is my 3rd pair of Vince Camuto boots but I had to return the first two. I didn't feel comfortable knowing I had spent $300 on a pair of shoes. I found these at DSW while out with my boo, Nini for $100 (Apparently all of my good finds are with Nini, lol). That's still pretty steep for me and twice the amount of my usual upper limit for shoes, but this needed to happen. I've been in search of these for the last 3 years (Kasey completely understands my struggle).

Everyone has price points they're comfortable with and you'll notice mine is basically still at college student status. Although, I have to admit that I have found an appreciation for high quality everyday pieces that stand the test of time. But I'm not gonna lie, I like being inspired by new trends and fast fashion hot spots like Forever 21 and H&M help me explore new styles without breaking the bank. As I mentioned before though, I'm being a lot more thoughtful of my purchases as of late. Shopping has been such a huge part of my life, an almost necessary part of my weekend routine for the last 10 years. It's a little weird to be in this limbo stage, attempting to rethink the way I make purchases and introduce new clothing into my closet. I'll get the hang of it eventually :)

Anywho, that's for another post! Enjoy the rest of your week, y'all! I'll see you lovelies on Friday. Because yes, even while on vacation, I still want to make time for this blog :) I guess that's how you know you're passionate about something.

Coat Jolt via Nordstrom Rack
Tank Soprano via TJ Maxx
Jeans Gap
Boots Vince Camuto

All Black Winter Glam alt title: If I was a Vampire

Greetings, Monday Warriors! I'm kicking off this week with something SUPER SERIOUS. The other day I was thinking about what I would wear if I became a vampire AND THIS IS IT. Please, if a vampire is going to turn me, for the love of all things good in the world allow me to don this incredible faux leather midi skirt/crop top combo first. LOL, jk. I didn't actually create this outfit based on this premise but looking back at it, this would make a killer true blood outfit. Costume designer, please take note!

I was actually thinking of rocking this to a wedding as Katrina's +1 but then decided it was a bit too risky for a wedding crowd I was clueless about. I am slightly regretting not sporting this gutsy winter look because I found out the bride, Bri, has a super fab fashion blog of her own called Work Clothes I Suppose, and I think she would have been down ;) She currently has a slew of guest bloggers featured while she's away on her honeymoon, but if you jump to January, you can check out her on point office wear.

Speaking of office attire, I love the midi skirt trend. I am partial to short skirts and high heels but regrettably, professional work environments are not so keen. I know this skirt will be great for work, keeping me modest while still maintaining an edge. AND as demonstrated in this post, this skirt can easily be used for a look that sizzles. I've slowed down quite a bit on shopping but this skirt made it through the cut last month and I can't wait to see what else it is capable of!

Have the best Monday ever, movers and shakers!

Faux Leather Midi Skirt Forever 21, currently unavailable but I like this one
Crop Top Forever 21, old but I'm feeling this one
Jacket Forever 21, old but I'm swooning over this one
Heels Cathy Jean, very similar

TAPIA x Boston Shenanigans x Tech Company Recruiting Tips

Good evening, pretty people! I'm relaxing at my brother's beautiful home for the evening after an excellent weekend of theme park shenanigans with my bro and my sister wifey in sunny Orlando. Thank goodness for the Wright brothers. A couple hours on a plane swept me away from snow stormed Boston to beautiful, balmy Florida. Last week, I attended the ACM Richard TAPIA Celebration of Diversity in Computing in Boston. It's an opportunity for students to network with industry professionals, academic institutions, and each other. I manned Microsoft's career table for a couple hours each day. I love meeting excited computer science students and speaking with them about Microsoft. Not gonna lie though, I found myself repeating the same information over and over again. So, at the end of this post I've included some tips to help you get recruited in a big tech company like Microsoft. I hope aspiring software engineers find them useful!

I was able to fit in quality time with some of my favorite people in between career fair shenanigans. One of my favorite meals this trip was shared with Hector of Geek-Q, Dara of Love, Darbie and our blogless, but equally as loved friends Bre'Ana and Stephen! I was being incredibly lazy about venturing out into the snow unless absolutely necessary so I suggested ShabuMaru, a hotpot spot inside Westin Copley Square, where we were staying (lol so lazy). Honestly can't even remember what we talked about but I remember a lot of laughing and a lot of shenanning (so many food photos!). I loved spending time with these people and I can't wait until we are all in Seattle again!

A quick note about this restaraunt in case any Boston readers are curious- The decor is lovely and the service is very attentive. However, I can't put my Asian stamp of approval on the food. It just wasn't up to par for hot pot I've had elsewhere, especially for the price. If you're looking for a good hot pot meal, check Yelp or Urbanspoon. You'll most likely find the best within your local Chinatown or International neighborhoods.

After lunch, we braved the cold for 20 minutes to snap some fabulous outfit shots for Dara and Hector in Copley Square. I was scrubbed out, so I opted to play photographer! Dara's camera setup was AMAZING. I had so much fun taking her shots. You can see details of Dara's gorgeous outfit and more beautiful photos on her latest post. For now though, here are a couple fun snaps of the three of us! Thanks, Stephen :)

Kim's Top Tips for getting recruited at Microsoft
Please note that this list is not exhaustive and is completely based on my personal experiences. I have a double degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering from the University of Washington. I had a PM internship at Microsoft, dev internship at Google and a dev internship at Amazon before returning to PM full time at Microsoft. After 1.5 years of engineering, I joined the University Recruiting team and have been recruiting the best and brightest from Duke, Texas A&M, Penn State, and Rice for the last 9 months.

1. Be nice to your recruiter. Your recruiter holds the keys to the company. At Microsoft, there are two ways to get your foot in the door. One way is to have some serious connections to a hiring manager, who is willing to recommend you for a specific position on their team. Most of us don't have that type of connection so your best bet is to get a recruiter to notice you and believe in your potential.

2. Know who your recruiter is. Use this site to find out.

3. Inquire EARLY. This year, I was finished hiring for internship positions by November. At Microsoft, we open opportunities for the new year in August. Mark your calendars now and plan to reach out as soon as recruiting season opens. We hire full time year round but the biggest variety of opportunities are available earlier in the recruiting season.

4. The more I see your face, the more likely I will give you a first round interview. I'm all about the hustle and I appreciate persistence enough to occasionally offer first round interviews based on the mere fact that I remember you. The best way to secure an interview with us is to see us in person when we visit your campus, especially at career fairs. You can use this site to find out when we'll be on your campus. Attend as many events as possible and make sure to say hi and let us know you were there. Remember that there is a fine line between being assertive and being annoying so be aware of which side of the line you are on. While I'm at it, please be aware of the level of entitlement you are excuding. Honestly, nothing a recruiter hates more than entitlement. No joke.

5. Do you go to a smaller school where Microsoft does not visit? Research upcoming regional hackathons and find out if we are sponsoring. If we are, it's almost a guarantee that we will have representatives from our recruiting team attending, use that time to shine!

6. Use your time with me wisely. You should be doing most of the talking. Remember that section in Speech 101 on Elevator Pitches? You need to have one. You have 1 - 2 minute tops with me at a career fair and I expect you to use that time to convince me that you will be an asset to my company. My points of evaluation are simple and straightforward: intellectual horsepower (how well can you code?), passion for technology (are you genuinely excited about this field?), and communication (will you make an awesome team player?).

7. Understand what I am hiring for. Hands down the most annoying question of all time is, "What type of positions do you have available?". Let me be clear, I welcome clarifying questions or inquiries to gain additional insight on specific technologies. However, I strongly dislike it when potential candidates approach me and it is clear they have not done any research on what we're looking for. This information is easily accessible on our college recruiting site.

This list could go on and on, but I think we've made a good dent! Are there any other questions I can help you answer? Sound off in the comments or shoot me an email: hellokimwin@gmail.com

I'm always happy to help out the hardworking! See you guys tomorrow :)

Sporty Spice

YO, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I WANT WHAT I REALLY REALLY WANT! A nap please. But not before I pen this post! So it's safe to say, Boston has been AWESOME. I was pretty hesitant about coming out here earlier this week but my friends have been keeping me more than warm! Thursday was filled with so much amazingness! In order of sequence:

1. Hector was a super trooper and did his first Bikram Yoga class with me at the famous Back Bay Yoga Studio. I've been having so much fun adventuring around Copley square with him, doing a little shopping on Newbury and fighting our way through snow flurries for smoothies :)

2. For lunch, we joined a couple of my favorite Microsoft interns, Bre'Ana and Dara (plus Stephen!) for fancy hot pot. I can't wait for all of us to be reunited in Seattle again and perhaps at NSBE!

3. I met my first "reader" from the blog at the career fair. Hello, Miss Munjela! Our chat was lovely! Thank you for reading and mentioning the blog. It's super exciting to hear from you guys in person!!!

4. For dinner, we hosted Microsoft scholarship recipients for a Brazilian Steak eat out and my end of the table was outrageously fun. Jasmine, Camila, Anita & Antwane- THANK YOU for the ridiculously awesome conversation, putting up with all of my f-bombs and unsolicited advice. Also, CHEESE BREAD. I am so excited to see where you guys take your early careers. Please stay in touch!

5. I ended the night with some quality time with my wonderful friend, Thompson. It's days like this that completely confirm my status as an extrovert. When with the right people, I feel energized and extra high on life :)

Today, I'm enjoying my last hours in Boston with my team and then heading down to warm, balmy Florida. I'm closing out the last look of the week with this super fly "Sporty Spice" inspired outfit. Sporty was absolutely my FAVORITE Spice Girl. Fo sho. I was determined to wear these sparkly leggings that I picked up at Victoria Secret during last year's semi annual. They remind me of Black Milk's vibe which I am obsessed with but it's taken me a while to figure out a good way to wear them in the every day. I find with fashion, I like a good challenge :D I definitely spent 30 minutes remixing pieces in my closet and I couldn't be more delighted with the end result. I feel effortlessly cool (although it took so much effort to put together, lol). The key items to this outfit are the long line coat and these more-than-perfect black sneakers. I can't tell you how long I've been in search of a pair of sneakers that work in my everyday style. I snatched these up from the Adidas company store while they were having a crazy 50% sale last summer while in Portland for a Microsoft soccer tourney. These are dance shoes from the Stella McCartney collaboration. You're really not supposed to use these outside of a studio if you intend to dance with them but I knew I'd be using them more for style rather than their original function.

I hope you guys had FANTASTIC weeks and even better weekends. See you lovers on Monday!

Knit coat Forever 21, exact
Tank Ted Baker
Scarf Forever 21, similar
Clutch borrowed from Nini
Leggings Pink by Victoria Secret, loving these Black Milk leggings here and here
Sneakers Adidas, exact or similar

Almost Work Appropriate or alt title: Rainbow Sheath

Happy Hump Day, y'all! Can you believe the weather we've been getting in Seattle?! I wore this bare legged number yesterday while shenanning around with my dearest Katrina. Last time I checked, it is FEBRUARY! It pains me to leave this gorgeous city for Boston today (totes writing this post from the security line!) Although, I've been looking forward to this trip with Hector for a while now! We're going to brave the snow covered streets of Boston for hot yoga and I'm hoping to take him to my favorite place for Boston noms, Life Alive. Fingers crossed the ubers and the T are still up and running! I shouldn't complain too much about the Boston weather because after this conference, I'm flying down to Florida to visit my favorite brother and sister wifey in Orlando for a couple days!! We're planning on doing all of our faves together: Disney, Universal and the beach! I need to shoutout my boss, Larbear, for allowing "Work from Florida" to be a legitimate thing. It totally counts if you're monitoring email from the beach, right?!

Anyways! On to the outfit part of this post. Not gonna lie, I feel like a total babe in this outfit. It's not really work appropriate but sometimes in life, one must make sacrifices ;) I picked up this colorful sheath dress with my mom and sister wifey the last time I was in Florida! I think I think I'm getting a lot better at styling dresses. I used to be super lazy and stop after picking out the dress and shoes. Sometimes, a dress completely stands on it's own and should be free to flounce. However, this sheath definitely needed something extra and this oversized blazer comes through AGAIN (and again and again)! Oh, and these shoes are another Nordstrom Rack score from last weekend with Nini! $30 and they're SO comfortable and go with everything. Katrina has talked about "elevated basics" on her blog and I think these shoes and this blazer absolutely fall into this category.

I hope this colorful outfit brought a bit of fun to the middle of your week :) Have the best week ever, sunshine lovers! See you on Friday!

Oversized Blazer H&M
Dress Arc & Co.
Heels Dolce Vita
Necklace Macy's
Purse from Vietnam

Mom's Vintage London Fog

Happy Monday, friends! The weekend was a whirlwind. My Valentine's Day Extravaganza with Nini went well! A ton of delicious food, ridiculously awesome decorations and super fun company- can't think of a better way to spend Vday! This week, I'm gearing up for 1.5 weeks of travel (Boston > Florida > Las Vegas). Last week I was on the struggle bus hard! I missed all of my workouts and let my apt turn into disaster town. I'll be using the next couple of days to bust my booty to get things in order before I leave.

With all the moving pieces in my schedule as of late, I feel myself gravitating towards basics. Basics aren't typically my thing but my eyes have been opened to the wonderful world of minimalist dressing thanks to the too cool for school Katrina. I find myself getting dressed from the ground up lately, using shoes as the center piece for outfits. I found these amazing kicks on a Nordstrom Rack run for $25 this weekend! WHAT?! Such a good deal! The Asian within me is so pleased :P

I wanted something classic to finish out this outfit and immediately reached for my mother's vintage London Fog. I recently threw out half of my coat closet, but of course kept this gem from my mom. I discovered this in the back of her closet right before I left for college and it's been on permanent loan to my closet ever since ;) My mom's style in another life was classic prep. I am pretty sure my affinity for white button downs came from her. I am quite nostalgic and am so grateful to have something of hers be a staple in my own closet. It makes me feel closer to her when she's away and I can't help but think about the adventures she had in this coat, back before I existed. Besides, she doesn't have much use for it now anyways as she spends the cold months in Vietnam :)

Thanks for being the best, friends! It's time for laundry, emails, and ALL the cleaning. Hope your week is off to a good start!

Trench Coat London Fog, I like this option
Sweater Hollister Co.
Black Pants Forever 21
Sandal Calvin Klein, exact