Island Style: The Perfect Palm Print

Aloha, friends! Did y'all have wonderful Thanksgiving breaks? I'm feeling pretty thankful for time with friends and a chance to recharge on the unbelievable island of Oahu. I didn't mean to take a break from the blog but I was just enjoying time away from my laptop so much. I couldn't stay off my phone though. I basically flooded my insta feed with crystal blue waters and palm trees galore. I'm putting together a post to share recommendations on all my favorite outdoor activities from this week but first, a style post! Shall we?

I found this perfectly pink beauty and these amazing wedges at Nordstrom rack a couple weeks before the trip! I'm basically obsessed. My favorite pair of espadrilles gave up on me at the end of summer when one of the straps snapped. So I set out on a mission to find a replacement for this trip and couldn't be more delighted to have found this pair for $30! 30 must be my lucky number because I also scored the dress for $30 (originally $143!) :D I feel super A+ in this combo and can't wait to wear it more this summer.

Bae snapped these photos for me while we were at the Dole Plantation. We took a train ride and then grabbed some yummy dole whip. A perfect treat for a warm day. I felt like I was I was in a real life tiki room. The only thing missing were the singing birds. We fly out tonight on a red eye. I'm going to miss the balmy breeze but I'm looking forward to returning home! See you on the other side!

Crab Claw Dress in Bungalow Whitney Eve via Nordstrom Rack, exact
Wedges Ninewest via Nordstrom Rack, similar
Dragonfruit Bag via night market in Vietnam

PNW Puffy Layers

FRI.YAY! SO STOKED, GUYZ. The holidays. It's happening!!!! Today I'm coming at you with a photoset made possible by the lovely Nini. I think I've found a new favorite backdrop for outfit shots. And hello, post-shoot nachos?! Can't go wrong.

I'm feeling full on PNW (again). What do we think about using jeans as leggings for under dresses? I definitely think it works here but I'm trying to decide if this is something I should do on the regular, but I think it's a fair strategy for cold weather dressing. Thoughts? I'm still SUPER HAPPY with these duck boots. They are turning out to do be an A+ cold weather staple. I'd say the same of this olive puffer. Looking back on the outfits that I've posted over the last few weeks, I gotta pat myself on the back for my commitment to weather appropriate dressing so far this season :)

This weekend, I'm preparing for our trip to Oahu, woooooooo! You guys feeling the T-gives vibes? I'll catch you next week, fo sho!

Michael Kors Layered Puffy Vest via Nordstrom Rack, similar for $20!
Contemporary Hooded Funnel-Neck Dress Forever 21, exact
Knit Sweater Vest Forever 21, similar
Tommy Hilfiger Russel Duck Boot via Nordstrom Rack, exact (additional colors)

His & Hers: Burgundy & Flannel

Happy Hump Day, friends :) Today I'm bringing you a special collab post with my handsome friend, Hector of Geek-Q. We showed up to an outfit shot exchange wearing complimentary outfits and had to get a few snaps together! Conveniently, we were shooting in one of my old favorites, the stairwell of my old building and one of my former teammates obliged us with a few photos. Thanks, Jefffffff!!! :)

We were both channeling Nini that day and opted to feature burgundy in our outfits, or as she would call it, oxblood. And for whatever reason, we were both feeling dat flannel/PNW vibe so, here we are :) This week I'm all about GETTING IT DONE. Last week before Thanksgiving break, y'all! Next Monday, I'm heading to Hawaii (for the first time!) with bae for a whole week! I am seriously looking forward to sunshine time with him and friends. We'll be on Oahu so let me know if you have any favorite must-do's and eats!

Only a few more days to the weekend, WE CAN DO THIS!

PS. It's too bad that I already have a beautiful man friend of my own, or else Hector would be MIIIIIIIIIINE! No but seriously, how cute are we?

Stripe-Patterned Frayed Scarf Forever 21, exact
Pink Trench from Katrina, similar options (1, 2)
Flannel Aeropostale, similar
Baroque Skirt Forever 21, exact style (color soldout), similar options (1, 2)
Lace-up Booties DSW, similar



Fleece Jacket Uniqlo, exact
Plaid Flannel Shirt Uniqlo, exact
Cashmere Scarf Uniqlo, exact
Burgundy Joggers The Rail @ Nordstrom, exact
Sneakers Creative Recreation @ Nordstrom, exact
Hat H&M, exact

Better from the Back

Hey y'all. So to be real real, I've been pretty bummed about world events over the last couple of days. I've been doing a lot of reading, watching news/discussion clips and talking things over with bae. It's a lot to process and something that's at the forefront of my mind, but not something I am going to discuss on the blog. I think Garance Dore, one of the chicest Frechwomen alive, expressed some of what I'm feeling quite eloquently.

So, we'll just keep moving forward, shall we?

Today I am channelling Katrina's mantra of "elevated basics" and going with longlined layers of black and heathered gray for a simple, pulled together look. I hate to admit it but this outfit took me 20 minutes and a complete decimation of my closet to pull together. I wore it for a blogger brunch/meet-up and wanted to go for a chill but chic vibe. It's funny that such a relaxed outfit took so much to pull together but I felt cool so I guess the closet cleanup was worth it :) I LOVE the way this outlook looks from behind. Dat split-back vest tho, y'all!

Alright my loves, I hope Monday is a blast! I have something special with Hector coming up on Wednesday, so see you back here on Hump day!

Heathered Longline Knit Jacket Forever 21, very similar
Split-Back Longline Vest Forever 21, exact
Black Midi Dress Forever 21, exact, additional option
White Oxfords Urban Outfitters, similar (love the vibe on these!)
Checkered Scarf, Forever 21, similar
Quilted Backpack Olivia+Joy via Ross, love both of these moderately priced options (1, 2)

Eye of the Tiger

YAS IT IS FRIYAY! What a crazy week, y'all. I think I had 30+ students from my schools come through for interviews this week. I am definitely down for the weekend, which will inevitably include catching up on all the work I wasn't able to get to this week, but I don't hate it :)

I'm feeling the Madeline vibe from my outfit post today. It's totally the boater hat. I threw this outfit together to run errands and catch up with Katrina last weekend. I am really pleased with how everything came together. This tiger sweater is one of the most eclectic pieces in my wardrobe and it's been so much fun to rediscover old favorites like this gold buttoned coat from my early college years now that the weather requires outerwear. I love it when an outfit feels effortless, but super polished! And dang, I forgot how picturesque the residential streets of cap hill can be! This photo set just works!

I hope y'all have an amazing weekend. Stay warm and dry, my PNW friends! I'll see you next week :)

Wool Boater Hat Forever 21, exact
Double-Breasted Coat with Gold Buttons Forever 21, similar
Tiger Sweater Forever 21, similar options (1, 2)
Striped Dress Target, similar
Brown Riding Boot Vince Camuto via DSW, similar

Little Red Riding Hood

Okay, so the color of the coat is really burgundy but it's such a nice title, right? Happy Hump Day, y'all! Today I'm showing off one of my favorite purchases of the season, this beautiful coat! I picked it up at my fav, Forever 21, while recruiting in cali in October. At $55, I couldn't believe it was still on the racks! It's gorgeous and the material feels way more quality than $55, but then again, why would anyone in socal need a longline winter coat? :)

Keeping it short today! Hope y'all are enjoying your weeks so far!

Contemporary Hooded Longline Coat Forever 21, exact
Ribbed Knit Sweater Dress Forever 21, exact
Brown Riding Boot Vince Camuto via DSW, similar

Borrowed from the Boys

An alternate title for this post would be "100% Authentic Seattle Asian Hipster Barbie!!!!", lol. Happy Monday, my friends! I am super obsessed with my photo set today. Huge thanks to Dara, my real life Barbie for snapping these ridiculous photos. One of my favorite things about having this fashion blog is having an excuse to spend time with beautiful, creative souls. This weekend I got to hang with my girl Katrina while we ran errands for her new jewelry line. Today I get to catch up with Hector, so I know I'm going to have a good day :) Also, this morning I woke up to Nordstrom Rack regramming one of my photos taken by Dara. So it's safe to say I am LIVING DAT STYLE BLOGGER DREAM, YO. Friends, fashion and a tiny touch of instagram fame, what more is there to want in this blogger lyfe?

Lols okay jokes aside, today I bring you the most PNW post I have ever made. I purchased this amazing olive puffer and these waterproof duck boots at Nordstrom Rack last weekend and after picking up some flannel and my first beanie EVER at Uniqlo a couple days ago, I was just really feeling those Seattle vibes. I am going to make a legitimate effort to figure out cold weather dressing this upcoming season. Last year, I featured a lot of festive looks that were wonderful for parties and work days spent inside, but none of it was suitable for adventuring outside. Don't get me wrong, I'm still going to go all out with my holiday crop tops, but I also need to figure out how to stay fierce in the winter without sacrificing my body heat! Any style bloggers from colder weather areas have tips?

Alright, pretty people, it's time to kick Monday to the curb. See you guys back here on Wednesday :)

Big Pom Pom Beanie Uniqlo, exact ($13!)
Michael Kors Layered Puffy Vest via Nordstrom Rack, similar for $20!
Flannel Pullover Tunic Uniqlo, exact
Red and Blue Checkered Plaid borrowed from Mitch, similar
Long Line Linen Dress Forever 21, exact
Tommy Hilfiger Russel Duck Boot via Nordstrom Rack, exact (additional colors)

Sweater Dress Weather

Hooray for Fall Fridays! I'm coming at you today some cheery photos I took with Hector while frolicking around campus when I first returned home. Not gonna lie, most of the leaves have fallen from their trees by now but I'm glad we got to capture the vibrancy of the season! In this short post, I'm breaking out all things cozy including my fave mock turtleneck sweater from last year. Forever 21 brought this item back this year in black and a beautiful burgundy, so I picked up another one! I'm staying on that basics + giant blanket scarf combo today. It's just too easy, you can't go wrong.

My weekend is going to consist of "How to Get Away with Murder", catching up with girlfriends and cleaning out my inbox. I hope y'all have wonderful weekends planned (or unplanned)! See you next week!

Ribbed Knit Sweater Dress Forever 21, exact
Green Plaid Blanket Scarf Amazon, very similar ($12!!)
Brown Riding Boot Vince Camuto via DSW, similar

Affordable Blanket Scarf

Hiiiiiiiiiiii loves. Happy hump day, one and all! So, now that it's past Halloween, we can skip Thanksgiving and move on to Christmas, right? JK, who would want to skip T-gives? Not this girl, that's for sure! But I love bundling up in Christmas reds and greens. My body is ready. I submit my evidence below.

Tis the season of the blanket scarf, y'all. These giant pieces of neck fabric were all the rage last year and I got on board real quick. What a wonderful way to wear festive plaid! I was able to find a couple for a CRAZY STEAL ($13!!). Obviously these can't compare to the quality of their peers in the $150+ range, but they get the job down and are actually really decent for the price. Scarves are such an easy way to add an element of interest to any basic outfit. THANKS, SCARVES!

Alright alright, that's all I got for ya. I'll be back on Friday to show you my other super cheap blanket scarf!

Red Waterproof Trench Anne Klein via Nordstrom Rack, similar
Marled Sweatshirt Dress Forever 21, similar
Plaid Blanket Scarf Amazon, very similar ($13!!)
Brown Riding Boot Vince Camuto via DSW, similar

Two Dress Layering

Hey friendz! I'm back in the OOTD game for November and feeling fall strong! Thank you so much for your interest in my last post about recruiting. It was really therapeutic for me to write about my job, acknowledging the tough things but being able to be thoughtful about what I'm grateful for as well. It helped me reenergize! Did you guys have an awesome Halloween? Mine was spent editing photos and netflixing the Voice until irresponsible hours of the night with bae. Much needed lazy time!

Today's post marks the kickoff to actual fall for me. It was amazing to bask in that California sunshine last month but maybe Endless Summer isn't something that I want for reals :) I have gratefully welcomed the cool, crisp air of the PNW back into my life. And let's be honest, what a ridiculously gorgeous setting, am I right?! I have to admit though, I'm not ready to give up my summer favorites, yet! This bird dress is actually really on the short side, even for summer. So I was actually already looking forward to layering it with a longer dress for the cooler seasons. I'll be using this trick a lot this fall and winter! Not only is the extra layer nice for warmth, but it adds an extra element of interest to an outfit.

That's all I got for you today! Catch you guys later :)

Heathered Longline Knit Jacket Forever 21, very similar
Birds Print Loose Dress Romwe, exact
Black Midi Dress Forever 21, very similar
Lace-up Wedge Booties Tesori via Nordstrom Rack, similar
Checkered Scarf, Forever 21, similar