Lei Ann...Off Duty

*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

*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.

*prabal gurung for target sweatshirt*

i am in love, LOVE with this sweatshirt from the prabal gurung x target collab.  it’s just so bright & FUN!  in fact, i also like the proenza schouler one from a few months ago as well.  these are such easy pieces to wear…the comfort of sweats, yet not too casual or boring or covered with some high school/university logo :)  plus, more groundbreaking news…i wore pants!  i so hate pants, but these ann taylor ones gifted to me fit excellently both waist-wise & lengthwise.  some days just call for pants as well.  as much as i love tights & knee high boots & the whole rigmarole…there’s also the simple ease of pulling on a pair of pants, slipping on ankle booties & then just go :)

a side note on this sweatshirt…i wore it when i was in florida recently visiting my brand new niece.  my youngest brother said to me “the baby can’t hear you…your shirt’s too loud.”  so funny!  that’s my brother…gotta be such a goofball XD

wearing: prabal gurung x target sweatshirt || moda international striped shirt (very old) || c/o ann taylor black curvy wide leg pants 

*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! 

*one florida trip…several outfits*

i was in florida this past weekend for two very special occasions.  first off, my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary which my brothers & i were able to successfully throw a surprise dinner for them & 40 family members & friends.  it was the perfect surprise!  my parents never even knew we were in the state at all & my mom wouldn’t stop crying, she was so happy!  SUCCESS!  party #2 was the baby shower for my niece coming in march.  i was able to surprise my sister-in-law there with the baby stroller she wanted, plus i gave a hello kitty blanket (of course).  no time to take proper outfit photos, so here’s an amalgamation of what i wore the past few days :)  

anniversary dinner:  erin fetherston butterfly cape sleeve archive dress (similar)

baby shower:  h&m striped sweater & neon striped skirt

other dinners/outings: h&m glitter cardigan, viparo leather skirt, magenta sequined cardigan, & asianicandy shredded heart sweater

*green/grey stripes plus a special guest star*

well, well…look who i found lurking about, trying to avoid his bath!  sorry little man, you can’t fight me when you’re such a little stinky poo & you know you have to go right into the tub as soon as we’re finished with these photos!  (sorry, please excuse the crazy dog lady as she actually talks to her puppy…back to regular programming tomorrow…hahaha!)

wearing:  swapped koan grey short sleeve cardigan || green/grey/black dress (random canal street NYC shop) || silver metallic heels (via ebay)

*stripes galore*

stripes, stripes & more stripes!  sheesh…i’m not even a big fan of stripes, but i guess there’s really no other print that’s such a ubiquitous summer staple like stripes!  there are more striped items lurking about in my closet that i’ve forgotten about i’m sure…much like this rogan dress.  however, it’s simple & easy for a busy workday after a lazy holiday weekend.  jazzed it up with eye-popping red shoes (which a client complimented me on & i’m always appreciative of someone noticing my little details) & i’m good to go!

wearing: swapped striped rogan wrap dress || skeleton cameo pendant (via ebay) || red rubber melissa wedges (edsa robinson mall, manila)

*more summer stripes*

hahaha…wasn’t i just talking in my last post about starting in with the pre-fall fashion?  now, i’m back into full on nautical-like stripes & looking waaaaay too summery.  ah well, gotta use up all the warm weather clothes while i still can right?    plus, i had been wearing this very easy & very comfy t-shirt dress all season & only now have photographed it…it needs camera love :)

wearing: jason wu x target striped dress || michael kors men’s watch || ebay skeletal cameo pendant || isabel toledo for payless wedges

*red stripe (no, not the beer)*

i’ve never considered stripes to be a staple in my wardrobe, but i sure do seem to be wearing them a lot lately…hahaha!  at least red & cream stripes are a little bit more off the beaten path than the general black & white or navy & white stripes.  stripes or no stripes, i just need another sleeveless, not too tight dress on for today.  dang, it’s blazing hot outside!

wearing: striped dress (divisoria, manila) || gifted bronze cuff || wah lum temple bead bracelets (guangzhou, china) || isabella gardner museum gift shop murano ring || ross simons bamboo gold bracelet || target heels

*mixing black & grey print*

weirdly into the ladylike silhouettes this days, i guess, with the more demure & longer length skirts.  am i feeling all right?  hahaha! also, here we go again with more basic tones & not a lot of color.  i’ll be honest that i’ve been feeling a bit out of sorts.  some random weekend houseguests, other people popping into town, unsettled weekend schedules with either going out of town or staying…i hate when my normal routines are pushed off to the side & right now i’m playing a lot of catch up :(  what happened to my lazy, hazy last days of summer?

wearing:  striped top (baclaren, manila) || express floral skirt || swapped earrings || zombie pendant (comic con vendor) || melissa egg wedges