sale alerts, vol. 1

There's nothing I love more than a good sale - especially if it's at my favorite store, and the item on sale is something I've had my eye on for the past month. With the holiday rush of shopping and gift giving just around the corner, it's never too early to stock up on presents for her, him, and you ... along with stocking stuffers and treats for family and co-workers. As such, I'm taking it upon myself to be your holiday shopping buddy and share the latest steals and deals at our favorite places to shop. 

First up -- Kate Spade is having a 20% off sale on must-haves through Thursday November 13th! Plus FREE Two-Day Shopping. Can it get any better than that? 

Here are my favorite picks from the Kate Spade Must-Haves Sale:

Second - J.Crew Factory... umm up to 40% everything in store. Also, get an extra 30% when you use CODE: EXTRA30. Offer ends tonight!  

Third -- on the main J.Crew site, save 40% off fall sale favorites with code NEWSTYLE. Plus, get an extra 30% off sale items.

On Banana Republic: Enjoy 40% off your purchase online and in-store with code BRGOOD.

Last but certainly not least -- I hope you didn't miss out on the Nordstrom Clearance Sale! You have until tonight to save up to 40% off, and believe me.. there are some great steals here. I spotted a beautiful Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac crossbody purse and this lovely Michael Kors watch. 

What sales have you shopped this week?
Happy Retail Therapy!
xoxo

The Dream Look for a Rustic Chic Wedding with Lover.ly

Today, I'm beyond excited to share my latest work with Lover.ly - the ultimate wedding planning search engine. For those of you who aren't familiar with Lover.ly - it's basically a dream come true for any bride! Lover.ly is a one-stop-shop wedding planning where brides and grooms find new ideas, people to hire and oodles of things to buy.

To quickly clarify things: no, I'm not getting married anytime soon (not that I know of... haha) BUT when Lover.ly and I both got to talking, we faced the facts -- let's be real, every girl already has some sort of "dream wedding" pinterest board.... am I right? So of course, when they asked me to take part in their "Set the Scene" challenge, I said yes!

Challenge: Create a dream wedding look for a specific themed venue. 
Beach affair, city glam or rustic chic - which did I choose? Rustic Chic. Yes, yes, I know... a lot of my friends would quickly dub me to pick city glam. But for some reason, I love how rustic chic is more simple, romantic and intimate.

Challenge Accepted!

See below for my take on the rustic chic "dream wedding look"!

Since I have tendencies to add glitter to everything... going for a romantic, rustic setting required me to hold back from the glam Vera Wang ball gown. BUT in a weird way, I actually didn't mind at all. Personally, I don't see layers of tulle as a look I'd like for a wedding. I've always envisioned either a sleek satin mermaid fit or the simplicity of a silk empire waist gown. For some reason - simple is just better to me. 

As such, when I spotted this beautiful BHLDN Odessa gown - I just knew it was perfect for that rustic chic look. A simple silhouette, but with a gorgeous lace open back - I fell in love with it. It has a sweet, romantic style with just the right amount of intricate detail in the lace but without overwhelming embellishments. 

For the headpiece - I considered a non traditional look - such as the vintage clip (above) as well as this birdcage veil. Then last but not least... I certainly had to add some sparkle to the mix - hence the touch of bling on the beautiful Kate Spade D'Orsay heels, the box clutch and pave drop down earrings. 

What's your dream wedding style?

Would you do it all big and glam or go for more a simple, romantic look?

Share in comments below!

xoxo

Planning your wedding day look? Shop my rustic chic picks here! 
To find more dream wedding dresses, be sure to visit Lover.ly's Dresses page. 

Disclosure: No compensation was involved in the development of this post. All thoughts are my own! 

my accessory picks for spring.

With daylight savings this past Sunday, my mind has been focusing on all things "warm weather" and what accessories to help spring forward my outfits this season. 

Recently, BaubleBar has caught my eye with their Parakeet Pop Pendant necklace. This beautiful and intricate statement necklace is the perfect "wow" factor to jazz up a little black dress... or take a casual Friday look up a notch for late night drinks.  

Parakeet Pop Pendant Necklace :: Baublebar

Isn't it gorgeous? 

Another accessory on my must-have list are a pair of these classic Tory Burch large logo stud earrings. Totally understand that they are simple and minimalist... but with my new haircut, I think I should be rocking something a little more bold than my everyday go-tos of pearl studs. 

Maybe I'll even experiment with more dangly earrings... Alexis Bittar anyone? 

'Lucite' Long Leaf Statement Earrings :: Alexis Bittar

Looking for new accessories to spring forward your outfits? 

Check out my picks below!

xoxo

sneak peek: happy home.

I've  been a busy bee this weekend with the rest of my unpacking, decorating, catching up with friends and taking care of my main squeeze who got the sickies... even managed to fit in some home cooking (made homemade lasagna feat. pasta & co. fresh spinach lasagna sheets and roasted butternut squash soup). 

But.. I thought I'd share a sneak peek of my home tour!

one of my favorite photos: grandpa and me | styled on a two by two ikea expedit bookcase

kate spade. daisies. oversized diamonds and a creme brulee scented candle.

As I began the home decor styling last night, I reflected on all of the fun recent purchases to make my place a home. Here are a few of my new happy home accessories: 

1. this beautiful, sweet smelling anthropologie capri blue mercury glass candle (above)
2. the cutest and cheerful coasters from j.crew (above) - similar coasters here from sugar paper
3. anything from one king's lane... (addicted!)
4. my brand new coffee table book - kate spade's things we love.
5. my super, comfy new white pin-tucked bedding

Stay tuned this week as I wrap up the decorating and share with you my happy home via video home tour.

xoxo 

fur + sequins.

This past weekend, I celebrated two dear friends as we all roamed the streets of Capitol Hill for their birthday adventures. Cheers to Dhar and Amanda as they celebrated another year of fun, laughs and many adventures! 

{outfit of the night} Vince Camuto faux fur vest | J.Crew sequin colorblock shell similar | Banana Republic black, button-up similar | Two by Vince Camuto leather panel leggings  | Steve Madden lace-up black suede boots | pink patent Tory Burch 'Amanda' satchel | Kate Spade 'Puttin' On the Ritz' statement earrings

Loved mixing the two textures of fur and sequin that night - if it was a bit warmer, I would have rocked it with a pair of leather shorts and patterned tights. Possible future outfit. 

After a night of dancing and starry night fun, a wonderful breakfast at Toulouse Petit was much needed - there we went the next morning. I had the duck confit hash with poached eggs, which was absolutely impeccable. And a bunch of us indulged ourselves with a plate of beignets. obsessed - so sweet and delectable. Highly recommend them and of course, Toulouse Petit's brunch - great choices!

The weekend winded down with a nice walk in Queen Anne on Sunday afternoon to visit Kerry Park and a fro yo date! That outfit would not be documented as I was definitely a little more scrubbed out in my favorite ruffled Lululemon leggings, oversized sorority half-zip and North Face puffer. Oh yes, we can't forget about my lime green Nike frees. :) Totes rocked the sporty look with my Tory and pearls. Baha. Totes ran and skipped around - so carefree.

For this week's fashion inspiration - I'm channeling a more natural look with my makeup and hoping to incorporate more cozy knits into the mix. BUT also blend in some girly sparkle and possibly tulle. I'm beginning to fall more and more in love with tulle, and I'm thinking of getting a fun tulle skirt to dress up with a blazer and pumps or down with a chunky sweater and ballet flats.

Stay tuned for my next post, 

as I share 5 ways to wear tulle skirts...

who runs the world: girls.

Today, I pay tribute to six leading ladies who have revolutionized the fashion industry - bringing new life to the meaning of style, beauty, trendsetter and commercial retail. Cheers to you, leading ladies - we look forward to what you'll bring in the New Year.

(from top left to bottom right)

nina garcia, creative director of marie claire and project runway judge | iris apfel, interior designer, fashion icon and previous contributor to women's wear daily | tory burch, fashion designer and philanthropist | lauren conrad, fashion designer, author and reality tv star of the hills and laguna beach | anna wintour, editor in chief of vogue deborah lloyd, president and creative director of kate spade

In the wise words of Beyonce - who run the world... girls. 

Who are your style icons?

twinkle lights. twinkle toes.

Happy Monday! 

Hope you all had a fabulous weekend. Mine was filled with surprises, cupcakes, delicate macarones from my favorite bakery, Le Panier and tickets to The Nutcracker performed by the Pacific Northwest Ballet! courtesy of my main squeeze. 

Of course no special occasion would be complete without a fabulous outfit, right?

{holiday date night outfit} Louis Vuitton clutch gifted | vintage black velvet and mesh, sweetheart neck-line A-line dress gifted | black on black polka dot Kate Spade tights similar | crystal chandelier Madewell statement necklace purchased in 2010 | black patent Michael Kors pumps similar

The production was absolutely beautiful - what a magical evening! And consequently, I have been playing The Nutcracker's soundtrack on repeat... obsessed. In love with all of the glitter, tinsel and tutus - pointe shoes, delicate and flowy movements... it was just so picturesque. 

What holiday fun have you had so far this season?

a little jingle and a lot of sparkle.

This past Friday, I attended my first office holiday party! Open bar, live band and so much swag on the dancefloor - that would sum up my description of the fun festivities. Held at Barboza on Capitol Hill, all of us reveled in merriment and danced the night away.

Style Update: After my outfit freakout... stressing over a new dress, my hair.. the works for the party - I ended up vamping up one of my favorite dresses with some new accessories for a playful, glittery look.

outfit: J.Crew gold glitter belt | Topshop a-line dress in royal | Kate Spade black on black polka dot tights | J.Crew statement jewels (similar here)

I was especially in love with the gold glitter belt - so many sparkles and it matched my outfit perfectly! Definitely a must-have in the closet.The polka dot tights from Kate Spade are super fun, too. They weren't too loud of a pattern, but added a the right amount of kick to dress up a simple frock. Oh, and did I mention how comfortable my dress was? Comfy and cute are essential to the perfect outfit. I also loved the ruching on the dress - didn't have to worry about wrinkling the fabric. #winning

After dancing my bum off and mingling with teammates, as well as fellow colleagues, we discovered the photobooth... such a great way to capture silly moments! Hands down, best part of the night. 

Love these silly snapshots of the night. Got favorites? Sure do... see below

                                           

yes. reindeer face. classic.

Had a fabulous time that evening, and major kudos to my main squeeze for being my plus one. 

Love love love holiday parties - there's something about getting all dolled up, catching up with friends and tons of twinkle lights that makes the festive season so much better. 

After this past weekend of holiday parties and Christmas festivities - I'm getting even more excited to attend #holidaypARTy hosted by @MollieinSeattle this week! Can't wait to catch up with one of my favorite Seattle lifestyle bloggers. 

Hope everyone's been enjoying the season 

with friends, family and loved ones! 

Happy Holidays, m'dears. Xoxo

what to wear: holiday office party edition.

yup. 

That is exactly how I feel right now... the office's holiday party is this Friday, and I still don't have my outfit lined up. Shame shame on me... First, I didn't want to be over-the-top yet at the same time boring doesn't suit me. As I do some last minute shopping tonight - I'm envisioning lots and lots of sparkles. I'm definitely not the type of girl that would buy one outrageous outfit and never wear it again. The key to always having cute outfits is mix-matching! Fun, statement accessories like this glittered bow belt from Kate Spade or a sparkly sequined collar to spruce up a blouse - give an outfit a lot of pizzazz. 

Here is my Pinterest-inspired look for this Friday's party... I'm thinking of glamming up a simple LBD (that I can wear for other occassions) with patterned tights and tons... tons.. of sparkle. 

image via

If you have holiday must-wear's - send your ideas my way, please!

orange you glad.

Lately, I've been absolutely digging this coral to red-orange hue -- loud, bright and just simply the perfect color for the season. Elle Woods may have been right in  2001 when she said that whoever named orange the new pink was seriously disturbed (loyal wearer of all things pink) but, for summer 2012, it's making a comeback - it's all about the orange, corals and peaches. After all, tangerine tango is the color of the year.

Maxis, flutter tops and and even satchels are making a pop with that color. I loved seeing a little bit of it in Kate Spade's Florence Broadhurst line such as that little Hopper House Shyla clutch (orange and neon pink) and Tory Burch's Mariel dress in marmalade.

Here are some of my pin-spiring picks for this hot color:

love the knit-feel of this poncho-like sweater

gorgeous, pleated chiffon maxi

pleated tulip skirt and fierce with animal print

simple, light-weight jersey racerback tank dress and belted with a woven leather belt
played casual with a top knot

and this one's for the boys....
color on top of a gingham patterned button up

Are you wearing orange this season?

images [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

OOTD: Graduation Style #2 - navy, cream and collegiate

Saturday was the big day.. UW Commencement! So of course, I had to wear a different dress... here is graduation outfit #2! 

Just like my first outfit, I wanted to keep this one simple and classy. With a gold-buttoned, navy blazer, nude heels and pearls, this had collegiate all over it. I'm in love with this dress. It's one of my favorites.. why? POCKETS. perfect for storing lip gloss if you want to go hands-free for the afternoon. I brought my little LV clutch for this occasion though, since I had too much to take with me, which included my umbrella. I didn't want to endure another Noah's Ark downpour like Thursday. 

Thanks to my dearest mother for taking these pictures. They were taken by the Olympic Sculpture and Myrtle Edwards Park. Mama and I stopped by for a quick photo shoot before heading to Century Link Field. Hope you enjoy!!

OUTFIT

Dress: Ella dress in 'Rambling Rose' - classic navy, floral vine print; Blazer: Ralph by Ralph Lauren; Necklace: Nordstrom Bracelets: Banana Republic and J.Crew; Rings: Michael Kors, Alpha Delta Pi sorority and vintage crystal; Earrings: Kate Spade "Putting on The Ritz" studs (wore them with outfit #1, too!) Shoes: Patent, criss-cross nude from Austique (boutique in London); Purse: Louis Vuitton

*Also.. as I'm awaiting for photos from Friday's graduation photo session, I will be delaying my graduation recap until I receive them. Thought it would be best to keep it all in one post. :)

Mama told me to look into the distance? haha

Hope you enjoyed the outfit! xoxo

OOTD: Graduation Style #1 - florals, golds and bling, oh my!

Thanks, mom for the beautiful bouquet!
Peonies are my favorite, and these pink ones are gorgeous
especially with the contrasting neon lime green mums. 

Hello there! For graduation, I picked out two outfits - one for the Department ceremony and another for Commencement. You might remember reading my shopping adventures for these perfect dresses a couple weeks ago - thought I'd share with you my first graduation outfit! Second outfit to post on Monday :)

I wanted to keep the outfit simple classy, but with a hint of "fun" - so I chose a few accessories and went for statement shoes? Haha If there ever was a thing... Played up the bling with my earrings (a birthday present from m'friend Lindzee!) and my favorite Michael Kors pave eternity ring, along with two rings that I wore everyday when I was in college - one from my sorority and a vintage crystal cocktail ring from my aunt. The necklace was a gift from my mother in high school - a vintage treasure that is one of my favorites, and my statement shoes were sky-high, hot pink and purple, color-blocked, peep-toed, patent wedges. loves. 

These pictures were taken right outside the Communication Department on my big day - so happy the sun came out just in time for a quick photo shoot. Hope you all are having a beautiful week! Graduation recap will be posted on Monday!! Can't wait to share with y'all my favorite graduation photos <3

OUTFIT

Dress: J.Crew Ella dress in 'Garden Floral' - bold orange brushstroke floral print, silk; Shoes: Vince Camuto peep-toed wedges; Earrings: Kate Spade "Putting on The Ritz" studs; Rings: Alpha Delta Pi sorority and vintage crystal on my left hand, Michael Kors pave eternity on my right; Necklace: vintage hammered gold wreath from the late 70s; Purse: Louis Vuitton (pictured below, last photo Trench: Michael Kors)

awkward fashion blogger pose.. take 1

Love the detailed brushstroke on the dress. It has pockets, too!

Yay, the sun finally came out!! Just in time for pictures.

Mother, I beg of you... no more photos. please.

maybe just one more? :)

wedges, shorts and sunnies... oh my!

[1] (Petite) Keeper Chambray shirt in "Afternoon Sky," J.Crew $78 

[2]  Bright Spark Hinged Bangle, Kate Spade New York $128 each 

[3] Tory Burch Reva Clutch, $295

[4] Shivona sandal in "Fudge," Vince Camuto $110

[5] Rory Round sunglasses, Kate Spade New York $128 sold out

[6] 4" chino short in "Lemon Zest", J.Crew $45

[7] Baublebox statement necklace, Kate Spade New York $278 $195

As the weather gets warmer, I'm looking forward to trading in the dark colors for some brights, and of course getting ready for wedge season! It's about time we showed off our pretty pedicures! Above is an outfit I'm in love with - it'd be perfect for a fun afternoon with the girls or a casual playdate with the boy. The wedges add height, but are still comfy, allowing hours and hours of walking shopping. The statement necklace and bangles from Kate Spade (obsessed) add an extra girly touch to the chambray and chino combo. Tory Burch's clutch is timeless, especially in that platinum color -- you can't go wrong. Also, metallics match everything. Lastly, you can't go out into the sunshine without protecting your eyes from the UV rays! Love the tortoise shell frame - they are a classic.

Keeping my fingers crossed for more sunshine! Hopefully, it'll be warm in San Francisco when I fly in on Tuesday so I can wear a similar outfit. I really really want to wear shorts and wedges... right about now. please and thanks!

What's your go-to outfit for this summer?

the perfect dress[es]

Graduation is right around the corner... which means another reason to go shopping! After a dozen of shops, hours online and adventures in Portland with dearest Mama Nguyen - I finally settled on two dresses from J.Crew.

Believe me when I say that I tried on every dress possible. My mother's personal shopper, Mary (oh, that dear woman) was the sweetest doll ever... she pulled almost every dress from TBD to Via C, it was a struggle to find a unique, bright summery dress that didn't overwhelm my petite figure. Every dress we picked... it was either too long and if hemmed would cut the print at a weird angle, or my torso was too short, or my neck was too short or worse... they didn't have my size... and of course, I waited until the last minute so shipping plus tailoring time might not have been the best. I was in love with a gorgeous Balenciaga - hot pink printed dress, but that didn't happen... it was too busy, and my mother didn't think it was "young enough." bahaha

Kate Spade New York 'Viola' dress in Cote Azur,  $358

I was also in love with this Kate Spade 'Viola' dress... but again, there was something not right about it. It was blue, and I was set on somehow incorporating my power color (PINK) into my graduation outfit.

Finally, we arrived at J.Crew where I fell in love with the Ella dress! Not only was it girly, brightly printed (had pink in it) but it also had pockets!! I'm a sucker for pockets... they are just so handy. I liked the dress so much... I may have gotten it in two different prints - one for my department ceremony and another for commencement.

lookie - these are my graduation dresses!
[left] Ella dress in 'Rambling Rose' - classic navy, floral vine print, cotton, $148 $99
[right] Ella dress in 'Garden Floral' - bold orange brushstroke floral print, silk, $198

You may be asking... how is my power color going to be incorporated with the "Rambling Rose" dress? Ummm.. strapless dresses pretty much beg to be adorned with a statement necklace or fun, over the top earrings. I'm thinking a bright neon pink necklace.... like this one:

Kate Spade New York 'Bauble Box' Double Row Bib Necklace in Fluorescent Pink, $278

OR

putting my hair up in a loose, elegant chignon and donning these beauties:

Kate Spade New York 'Moms the Word - Posey Park' earrings in Fluorescent Pink,  $58

Obviously in love with both... and to choose between the two will be quite the challenge. 

Ahhh... can't believe it's happening in less than a month. outrageously unreal. Next grad-related post? DIY - Bedazzle your Mortarboard. :)