the shopaholic {24/7}

Monday, May 6, 2013

Hello Sunshine!

As the weather has been warming up, I've come out of hibernation and begun to soak up the sunshine I am guaranteed as a Southern Californian. It felt like the first time since autumn that my legs have seen the light! I spent my day off visiting Balboa Park wandering through gardens and museums so I opted for some tribal oxfords, a comfortable jersey dress, and a convertible tote bag. I especially love this nylon purse for an outing because it's incredibly lightweight and has a convenient shoulder strap. Plus, it's easy to clean, so I don't have to be as careful with it as I would with, say, a leather one.

My grandparents are visiting from Hong Kong so I took them to the park and my grandpa made a new friend! And, just in case you're wondering, no, unfortunately my 85-yr-old grandpa did not take any of my photos ;P

Clothing: Dress- Macy's (old)

Accessories: Hello Kitty Rock bangle- Swarovski, Sunglasses- thrifted in SF, Dainty necklace- Silpada Designs, Convertible tote- 'Abbey' Gucci

Shoes: Tribal oxfords- Forever 21 (old)

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Homies

Wassup homies?? As a personal style blogger, I think it's important not to take the concept of 'fashion' too seriously. Although I support CFDA and am a proponent of protecting original design against blatant knockoffs and such, I don't find anything wrong with having a sense of humor. That's why I had to buy this HOMIES tee, inspired, of course, by the well-known HERMÈS logo. I am so obsessed with this comfortable & chic cotton tee that I want you to have one too!

Enter promo code SHOP247 before checkout (in the memo section) to get 15% off your purchase! FYI, I am not receiving any commission on any sale(s) made. I just wanted to share a recent purchase I loved, and the seller was willing to give my readers a special discount :) The t-shirts are unisex, so I got mine in size small and it fits me perfectly. You can get each design in a variety of colors as well. Shipping was extremely fast for me since they are located in California. *Click here to see more colors, designs, & sizes in their eBay store*

Here are some more photos from my San Francisco trip with my good friend Ellen of Mint Green Submarine:

Clothing: Maroon ponte pant- Target, on sale $6.98, HOMIES tee- tshirt*amour, $18.88, Boyfriend blazer- Jack by BB Dakota from Buffalo Exchange

Accessories: Fedora- flea market, $8, Mini spike necklace- Topshop, $30, Chainlink ring- Forever 21, $1.80, OUI ring- old, LEGIT bracelet- BCBGeneration from Ross, $9, Sweetie charm bracelet- Links of London, 'Abbey' convertible purse- Gucci, Aviators- Michael Kors from Ross, $20
Shoes: Studded ankle booties- Zara

"I returned to Iraq in 2011 to find the people in my photographs plagued by insecurity, a deeply iniquitous judicial system, failing public infrastructure, and a wariness of foreign intervention. I found men and women haunted by loss and disappointment, and young people, as always, pressing towards the future." -Kael Alford

Croque Monsieur at Butler & the Chef

Quiche at the Butler & the Chef

Spiffy Tiffy aka best sandwich ever (halal chicken breast, mushrooms, avocado, pesto, provolone, pepper jack) on Dutch crunch bread at Ike's Place

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

San Francisco

Clothing: Scarf medallion blouse- a.n.a. JCPenney, on sale $10, Pleather skirt- H&M, on sale $10

Jewelry: Ceramic watch- MK5387 Michael Kors, LEGIT bracelet- BCBGeneration, from Ross $9, Charm bracelet- Sweetie Links of London, Pearl Cross bracelet- eBay, $2.14

Shoes: Pointed heels- Basic Vamp Zara

Hair + Photos by Ellen of MintGreenSubmarine

My good friend Ellen and I took a trip up to Frisco this weekend for a quick getaway from our responsibilities, but we did manage to snap a couple photos for our blogs. I tried to pack as light as possible for the trip, so instead of bringing some bulky jeans, or trousers I'd have to iron, I brought this structured pleather skirt which takes up a lot less space, weighs almost nothing, and is extremely comfortable to wear. I paired it with a loose, bright blouse and some solid- colored heels which, I admit, were a bit hard, but at a height I could walk around in all day.

For traveling, I tend to prefer pleather material because in case I spill something on myself (I'm so clumsy) or get it dirty whilst taking the Muni or other public transportation, I know I'll be able to clean it with a wet paper towel. That's also why I love coated canvas or Saffiano leather (think Louis Vuitton Neverfull or Prada tote) handbags for everyday, on-the-go handbags. Bringing lambskin or cloth/canvas handbags (think quilted Chanel flaps or a Gucci canvas Boston) make me so nervous, unless it's for a short outing where I'm just in and out of my car.

Where do you go for a quick weekend getaway?

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

All of the Lights

I visited Los Angeles to attend LA Fashion Weekend a few days ago and had some time to explore the gorgeous Grove. Balconies reminiscent of a European provincial town, festive lights strung high in the sky, and glowing neon signs make this a must-stop-shopping experience for every visiting fashionista. The Grove is also the newest home to the only Topshop in California (and one of only 4 locations in the US; the others being Las Vegas, Chicago, & New York). I had the chance to (finally) visit Madewell and see for myself what all the fuss has been about. It is like the love child of J.Crew x Gap with fun, preppy basics, but not quite as girly as C. Wonder. Their style gives off a "girl next door" feel, embracing tomboyish yet feminine silhouettes. Hmm...comfort & style= bonus!

my bestie's outfit details:

Captoe ankle booties- Aldo "Ima"// Polka dot cold shoulder top- Mix Nouveau//

Blazer- thrifted from the Hanger-Working Wardrobes

Clothing: White blazer- Forever 21, Galaxy cross tank- Papaya or similar here, Crimson peplum skirt- INC from Macy's
Accessories: Ceramic watch- Michael Kors (MK5387), Metallic satchel- COACH Flagship 70th Anniversary Caroline
Shoes: Architectural wedge- Qupid Luke, I purchased from ZooShoo, $33

Special thanks to my bestie for taking all these photos + for being so patient with me. You're amazing!

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Monday, March 11, 2013

Battle of the Brands: the Basic Sandal

Zara "Basic Sandal" circa 2012, SOLD OUT! $49.90
Heel ht: 4.33 in

Did you miss out on the original Zara Basic Sandal? I sure did, and had absolutely no luck finding them last year. Well it has been about a year later and I have already given up on ever finding them, unless I can go on eBay and pay a few times its original retail value. No thanks, but who says I've got to give up and move on, right ladies?

So... here are some of the closest dupes I could find.