Lei Ann...Off Duty

*last call for leather boots*

long coat…leather boots…in springtime?  the torrential rainfall we had on friday necessitated such drastic change in attire & it was FINE BY ME :)  this outfit is *all* about these leather boots i got severely reduced at an end of season sale.  i didn’t even think i’d look at them until fall.  so, i was practically gleeful i could test run them at least once before they’re put away for good.  oh, they’re everything i wanted in thigh high boots…tall enough yet comfortable heel height, enough stretch to go over my muscular thighs & high enough to wear even under the shortest of my skirts & not peek under.  kind of my reverse way of wearing leather pants, because as you may recall, i hate pants!

wearing: express turtleneck (old) || asos neoprene skirt || cynthia steffe coat ($16 via goodwill) || jeffrey campbell boots (via karmaloop)

*black florals & yellow shoes*

i don’t know if it was the cloudy day or the light was odd the early afternoon that i took this picture, but the color cast seems to be a bit off & a tad overexposed.  i ended up liking the photo though.  in this weird “instagram-y” world we live in, it’s almost odd *not* to see a photo with some type of kooky filter applied to it.  am i right?

or, maybe i’ve been used to my pear tree behind me being so bare of leaves all winter that now the brilliant display of green is throwing off my camera…hahaha!  no matter, it’s spring & we welcome all the green & other super bright colors ^_^

wearing: thrifted black dress || calvin klein belt (via second time around) || versace x hm jean jacket || IT x payless yellow wedges

*black & white kentucky derby party outfit*

truth…i’ve never attended a kentucky derby party.  i know right?  i loves me any excuse to wear decorative headgear, but it was just never anything i really got into.  my husband had a work-related party though, so i was happy to oblige.  as i recall, the way MDH RSVP’d for us was…”oh don’t worry!  any excuse for my wife to wear a big ass hat, we’ll be there!”  hahaha!  he knows me so well.

wearing: target black/white floral dress || h&m hat || assorted flower hair clips || gucci leather handbag || bebe black platform pumps

*favorite spring outfit ~ black & white striped dress*

ever since i saw *that* oscar de la renta striped ballgown, i had been goo-ga-ga for a similar outfit.  granted, floor-length, full skirted gorgeousness is not practical for *everyday* wear, so, i’m glad i found this little swishy, bubble skirted lovely to tide me over :)

accessories:  hello kitty ring (SF flagship store) || h&m black flower ring || swapped silver filigree bracelet || opal/silver dainty ring

funny how black & white stripes are nothing new for spring, but something about altering the direction of the stripes feels so fresh & new.  forgive me too…being a child of the 80s, i can’t *not* love a bubble miniskirt as well.  can’t wait to style this dress in different ways come (warmer) spring & summer weather :)  

wearing; alythea striped bubble dress (via ebay) || contempo casuals satin blouse (that old!) || F21 earrings || aldo outlet ankle boots

*black & blue*

as a kung fu instructor, i typically have bruises *somewhere* on my body at any given time…either from training with the students or admittedly self-inflicted with weapons work.  wearing black & blue today then would probably be a more *accurate* representation of my true personal style…bwahaha!

wearing: zac posen for target snaps dress || vintage brocade jacket via oona’s $5 bag sale || isabel toledo x payless mesh heels

on a final note about the past few days, those of us in boston have all been feeling a bit bruised.  the physical scars are evident for the bombing victims, but in some way or another, we all have the mental, psychological and emotional scars.  it still feels a bit frivolous to me to post my daily outfits & be happy about new shoes, but we also just have to get back to our normal routines, back to our regular way of life to see ourselves past these tragedies.  let the healing begin…  

*for the love of boston*

what can i say?  it’s been a very difficult week for boston & will continue to be for a long time.  my heart breaks for this city that i love so much.  aurora…tucson…newtown…us.  we’re now a part of the current landscape of national tragedies.  never thought it would happen.  however, to reiterate the sentiment, we’re boston, we’re strong, we’ll endure & we’ll heal.

*style crush ~ tabatha coffey*

i spent the easter holiday weekend in florida with my family.  i have a 2-month old niece & i’m *perfectly* content to sit, hold, feed & coo her all day while my sister-in-law showers, naps or just does what she needs to get done.  one of those days, i spent watching a mega all-day marathon of tabatha’s salon takeover and tabatha takes over.  i vaguely remember her from that shear genius show.  can i tell you though…her head-to-toe opaque black ensembles are truly enviable!  these aren’t even the best of the outfits that i watched during those episodes.  her penchant for leather, knee-high boots, dramatic fit & flare jackets with ornate shoulders & minimal embellishments, I LOVE!  for someone whose own personal style involves lots of color & print mixing, it’s quite ironic that most of my style icons are those who wear solid black.  *or* it could also be that tabatha reminds me of another one of my favorite ghost-haired, gothic black-wearing beauties…hahaha ^_^

images via bravotv.com & imdb.com

* of dark lace, hearts & sunbeams*

ironically, whenever spring rolls around here in new england & my other blogger pals are relishing being able to finally bring out their colorful clothing, i draw back somewhat.  

as much as i love color myself, i also do like dressing for winter — furs, leather, wool coats, thigh high boots, etc.  it’s like i know with spring & more sunny days just around the corner, i have to wear my darker, more somber clothing with renewed earnest before they get banished to the back of the wardrobe. like the byrds sang…to everything, there is a season :)

wearing: express (really old) colored lace top || thrifted hearts print dress || DIY fan earrings || dsw black suede witchy buckle heels

*wearing rodarte gold in NYC*

i’m traveling again & it’s crazy how i’ve already shifted from one phase of my trip to another.  i was in NYC for a crazy weekend filled with kung fu, fun, friends…and of course, FOOD!  now, i’m in florida visiting my 2-week old niece & enjoying a lot of leisure fun time with my family.  still taking a lot of outfit photos…but only of my cutie patootie niece!  hahaha!  so, here’s an “old” outfit of me from just a few days ago :)

wearing: rodarte x target gold lace cardigan & tulle dress || faux leather & acrylic belt || target tights || christian siriano x payless booties

*3 favorite trends for spring 2013*

i was perusing glamour’s top 10 most wearable trends for spring since having lived through 2 snowstorms in just the past one week, i needed a bit of warm weather inspiration!  i was thrilled to see that a few of my favorite trends are featured & some of my outfits have already gotten a head start…even though the weather has not ;)

1.  bold stripes:  stripes for spring is always recurring.  it’s almost a non-trend as it’s never not relevant.  i think the key though is switching such a ubiquitous trend up in a different way.  i love this old black & white H&M sweater, but instead of pairing it with just black pants or a black skirt, i took the whole stripes theme to another level with this matching pleated skirt in bold neon-hued stripes.

2.  beading:  i’ve never been a big fan of sequins or paillettes.  i seem to get them caught on everything.  so, i’m thrilled that beading is making a comeback, as i find it’s more subtle than sequins, but still special enough to make any outfit a standout.  like this old vintage indian fabric jacket i got from ebay.  i could wear it with leggings & a t-shirt or take it up a notch for valentine’s day :)

3.  black & white:  is there any easier color palette to pull off than black & white?  i like how for this upcoming spring season though, it’s more about using them in graphic lines & bold patterns.  my simple black & white dress would have been boring if not for the subtle elephant silhouette print.  i might even indulge in some black & white pattern mixing by wearing the striped sweater above with this elephant dress!  how’s that for switching things around & getting even more mileage out of these spring trends? hahaha!