Lei Ann...Off Duty

*neon abstract floral print for a rainy day*

i wanted to wear something fun, flirty & BRIGHT to the marshalls spring #fabfound event the other night.  easily done with another PBxT dress in striking neon colors & abstract “kaleidoscope” type print. 

however, the rains we recently had in boston also put a damper on an *almost* carefree evening.  don’t i always have a clothing item to the rescue though?  hahaha!  this newly found goodwill treasure of a rain jacket fit the bill quite nicely :)  added some equally fun & bright arm accessories & i was on my way.  

whoops, forgot the kicks ^_^  since this was a marshalls event, i took off the shelf, probably still my *best* marshalls find EVAR!  stuart weitzman lavender cheetah print heels, but neutral enough to conform to any outfit…for $75.  oh yeah!

wearing: prabal gurung x target dress || cynthia rowley ruffled coat (via goodwill) || kohl’s multichain bracelet || stuart weitzman heels

*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…  

*the new colorblocking*

i was a big fan of colorblocking waaaaay back in the day…like 2012!  hahaha!  then, it was all about pairing big blocks of color…your blouse, your skirt & your shoes.  i think the spring mix of colors will be like this dress, more a play on form with interesting lines, shapes & patterns instead, but still keeping to a more solid color scheme.  also, it seems *bright*, like neon bright, hues are still legit for the warm weather from what i’ve seen. hooray for that!!! 

wearing: prabal gurung x target mint/orange dress || target sunglasses || UO leather cuff (old) || modern vintage mary jane heels

*navy & mint chevron*

this is what i wore to attend the neiman marcus spring trends presentation the other day.  i thought it was the perfect opportunity to finally bring out this navy with white piping blazer that i got from the neiman marcus x target holiday collaboration….when it was 70% off ^_^

not *quite* warmer weather yet but decided to dress nice & spring-like between snowstorms while i had the chance :)  plus, i learned during the NM talk that blue is a popular color for spring, so hey, don’t i feel all kinds of smart!

wearing: thom browne x NM x target blazer || target chevron dress || pour la victoire pony-hair heeled leather wedges (via gilt warehouse sale)

*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 

*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

*hanging out in hotel rooms*

wiling away the weekend with huge hotel room mirrors which are super helpful when time is limited for full-on formal outfit posts ^_^

wearing:  (L):  thrifted asian print caftan || black silk bathrobe belt || (R): the webster at target flamingo print blouse & skirt || target heels

*paisley dress & patent platforms*

are we in the doldrums of summer now or what?  *pant*pant*  muggy, gross, sticky.  if it wasn’t already pretty much my personal style aesthetic, a printed lightweight dress plus some minimal jewelry are all i can bear to wear right about now.  

oh well, just because i’m going light on my jewelry doesn’t mean i need to lose out on beauty & detail.  if you’re from or spent any time living in hawaii, then you recognize hawaiian style gold jewelry from a mile away.  since i was a little girl, i’ve had bracelets, rings & necklaces embossed with the raised & intricate details of all the flora most popular in hawaii…plumeria, maile, hibiscus.  the last time i went, i also got these cute gold “slipper” stud earrings.  here, you call them flip-flops, but in hawaii, we call them “slippahz“…hahaha! i may like me a massive statement necklace now & again, but these tiny & delicate pieces will always remain special to my heart.

wearing:  liberty of london x target girl’s dress || clear belt (via ebay) || hawaiian gold earrings & necklace || lori’s shoes capsule collection heels

*lei ann loves her lilies!*

remember that dior balloon ad that sent everyone’s hearts all aflutter a few years ago?  then, all the fashion bloggers were doing their versions of it?  yeah, i kind of feel like that right now…hahaha!  these are some crazy huge & heavy flowers!  if you recall from last year, i have a client who is a professional gardener & she always gives me tons of flowers as they come into bloom…peonies, roses, etc. however, the showstoppers of her garden *by far* are her oriental lilies.  she has rows & rows of them & is always extremely generous with the blooms she gives me.  they’re hovering above my head on my desk now as i type & the smell as well as the sight is just overwhelming!  i’m a very lucky girl :)

also, just realized this is my third post featuring flowers!  it’s not on purpose, really!  maybe instead of calling these “outfit of the day,” should be renamed “blooms of the day”…hahaha!  oh hey, how’s about some outfit details as well?  that’d be nice, wouldn’t it?  hardee har har :)

wearing (H2T target!):  thakoon for target abstract print dress || JPG for target white belt || target watch || target wedges (clearance $7)

*dilly dallying in daisy print*

it’s been hard getting back into the swing of things from being gone for a week, but getting there.  acupuncture & kung fu life always take precedence, so blogging tends to fall by the wayside, but slowly back on track with the whole outfit photo taking again :) speaking of being away, the daisies in my garden literally EXPLODED with blooms!  hence, they get to take center stage front & proper while i try to cope with this heat preppy style…in a clean sharp white shirt & pleated skirt ^_^

wearing:  swapped BCBG white blouse || jason wu x target daisy print skirt || thrifted enamel necklace || lela rose x payless navy wedges