Lightweight Trench Coat

It's sometimes tricky to dress smart as the weather slowly transitions from summer to fall. Last weekend, mid-day temperature went as high as 80F, but the cool breeze in the morning and evening totally justified use of a trench coat. My weapon on days like that is a lightweight trench coat that can be easily folded and tucked away in my handbag.

I got this midnight blue mid-length trench coat from Burberry Brit last season. Unlike those classic pieces, this coat is made of feather weight wrinkle-free fabric with subtle satin luster. The showerproof trench coat has a relaxed fit and a belted waist that gives a more feminine silhouette if desired. It also comes with detachable leather details on the shoulders, collar, cuffs and belt, which make the look more military and structured. Here I removed all of them for a more laid-back look.

This season, a very similar lightweight trench is offered by Burberry Brit, in short length with no leather details at a lower price. You may want to check it out if you are looking for a super light and low maintenance trench coat that you can wear for many many years. I also like this mid-length hooded version although it looks more casual than most Burberry styles.

Trench coat: Burberry Brit (from last season, similar in short and mid-length)

Top: Tibi

Shorts: JCrew

Sandals: Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Purse: Louis Vuitton Damier Hampstead PM

Let's Go Shapeless!

Here comes my new casual weekend dress from Free People. I've been a big fan of Free People's free spirit and fluid material for years. Its Boho style easily tunes me into the weekend laid-back mode. And you know what? This dress has a funny name -- Peacemaker Print Shapeless dress! Perfect, let me go shapeless and reckless when I have a luxurious warm early-fall afternoon... :)

That said, I received an official complaint from you-know-whom yesterday. "Babe, when we first met, you were always in body hugging silk dresses and heels. Now look at you! A shapeless dress and a pair of Birki's... AGAIN? Are you officially a hippie now?"

Honey, this is called couple life... Comfort rules. Go get a pair of Birki's and rock with me. LOL! xoxo~~~

Dress: Free People Peacemaker Print Shapeless Dress in black
Sandals: Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Transition From Summer to Fall

Labor Day officially announces the arrival of fall in the Northeast. We still have the luxury of summer warmth around noon, but cool breeze keeps reminding us that fall is around the corner. You may not want to put away your flowy summer dress yet. If that is the case, a well tailored jacket will help you to make a smooth transition from summer to fall.

Dress: Galen Dress by Maeve from Anthropologie
Jacket: JCrew Puff Sleeve Blazer (available in triangle dot, seersucker)
Sandals: Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Long Overdue Silk Floral Pants

Well, I'm not sure whether it happens to you or not, but occasionally I simply forget my purchase and let it sit in my closet for months. And that makes me feel guilty! No, not because I've spent the money on something I might not need -- honestly most of us girls are able to survive on a small fraction of our cloths without looking too crappy. I've concluded that fashion is a necessity only to our psychological health. That said, I do feel sad when I notice a beautiful piece that has been sitting in my dark closet and had no chance to see the light yet. And that was exactly how I felt on this pair of Joie silk floral pants. Summer is almost over; I have to give it a chance to shine!

It's indeed very nicely made. Its relaxed fit and refreshing prints speak for itself. Pair it with something really simple and let it pop!

Top: Madewell V-Neck Slouch Tee in black
Pants: Joie Theron B Pants
Sandals: Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork
Purse: Chanel Le Boy medium
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Maxi Dress in Retro Floral Print

Hot and humid. A breezy maxi is all I want. A cup of smoothie will also help.

One of the great benefits of living in NYC is that you can always find one-of-a-kind pieces that are not available in mass production brands or department stores. I'd never heard of Aoyama Itchome before I saw this skirt in Soho, but its retro floral print and super light flowy texture caught my eyes immediately and has won tons of compliments since then.

BTW I am leaving for Europe today on business and won't be back until the 10th. Don't miss me too much. See you when I get back. xoxo~

Dress: Aoyama Itchome
Sandals: Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Goodbye, Summer

Labor Day. Time to say goodbye to summer, the season of bright colors, craziness and fun.

Goodbye, lychee.
Goodbye, peach.
Goodbye, watermelon that cools the beach.

Goodbye, crops.
Goodbye, flowers.
Goodbye, skirts in pastel colors.

I will miss you all, till next year.

Cropped top: Free People

Maxi skirt: Minkpink
Purse: Chanel Le Boy medium
Sandals: Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

A Posh Puzzle

As I mentioned before, I'm now selling some of my stuff on Poshmark. This website charges 20% fee to the seller, so stuff are usually not as cheap as you might think. I figured that out. What really amazed me is some people are selling brand name paper bags, including Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermes, Prada, Gucci and many more. And they are not cheap! Dude, who will pay $10 or even $20 for a free-with-purchase paper bag? I always trash my shopping bags, and now I know I've been throwing $$$ away! Oh, my peanut-sized brain cannot figure this out... Calling for help: is anyone able to explain this to me???

BTW, this Minkpink floral skirt is on sale... :)

Tee: Madewell Linen Timeoff Tee in Brandy
Skirt: Minkpink (I'm selling it on Poshmark and MITBBS)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Purse: Rebecca Minkoff MAC Mini in Green
Sandals: Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork

Small Town Girl

I love small towns in the Northeast. They are clean, old, quaint and cozy. All you need to bring is laid-back attitude. Summer summer, please stay!

Top: Ella Moss from Anthropologie
Shorts: Rag & Bone
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Purse: Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote Mini in hot red
Sandals:  Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork
Necklace: Stellar McCartney

Gem Over the Shoulder

I'm absolutely in love with this Rebecca Minkoff MAB mini tote. Yes, it may appear a Celine-wannabe, but its textured saffiano leather and magnificent hot red color simply make it hard to pass. Being dressed up or down, it is indeed a little gem swung over the shoulder. Don't get fooled by its petite size at the first glance. It easily holds all my everyday essentials: compact wallet (this size), key wallet, cell phone, compact camera, sunglasses, lipstick and compact mirror. It's a lot more functional than the cool-looking RM Craig camera bag and many other more expensive cute mini bags, including the white-hot Chanel Le Boy medium.

MAB totes, mini or medium, are spotted quite often nowadays in NYC. Loyal RM fans may miss those signature slouchy bags in buttery soft leather, but MAB tote, Hudson Moto, Amorous satchel and other recent saffiano leather bags have signaled RM's march into the more structured styles that dominate the handbag trend these years. For me, a nice bag is a nice bag; branding is secondary. I own several RM classics (MAB, MAM, MAC, MAC mini), but it doesn't prevent me from embracing the new structured styles.

The dress is from Ralph Lauren's discontinued line Rugby. It left me with a void that I seem unable to fill. If you know any other brands that make you feel so British preppy, please let me know!

Dress: Rugby
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Purse: Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote Mini in hot red
Sandals:  Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork

Walking in the Green

Summer is an interesting season. The city is packed with tourists from all over the world while the local residents all rush to the countryside or the beach to escape the hustle-bustle of city life. Nothing is more therapeutic than a walk in the woods or a splash in the ocean.

In recent years, my weekend outfits have grown more and more relaxed. Madewell oversized tee is one of my must-haves for the summer. This basic linen timeoff tee, in particular, has a really nice drape and feels super cool on hot summer days. I have it in multiple colors.

Here I paired the oversized tee with a midi skirt from ASOS. It's made of a drapery fabric that's soft to the touch. The baby pink color is slightly more pinkish than shown on the website -- and I like that. My pictures have done a better job in capturing the color in different lighting.

Click for large pictures. 

Tee: Madewell Linen Timeoff Tee in heather grey

Skirt: ASOS Midi Skirt In Heart Print With Pockets in pink

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Necklace: Stellar McCartney

Purse: Rebecca Minkoff MAB Tote Mini in Hot Red

Sandals: Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork

Here is the closeup of my Stellar McCartney necklace. I bought it in Italy two years ago, and it has become one of my favorite pieces of fashion jewelry. And yes, you may play with the golden ball and make it spin. :)

TGIF: Heading Out of the City!

I'm dying from this busy week! I need a weekend trip as much as fish needs water. The ambitious may live to work; I work to live. Maybe that's why I will end up being a mediocre. But, if it's a happy mediocre, be it! :)

Have a good weekend, everyone! Don't let the summer slip through your fingers...

Maxi dress: C&C California (current season)

Sports bra:  GapFit Racerback Pullover Bra

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Purse: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC

Sandals: Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork

Necklace: Stellar McCartney

Classic Denim Shirt

Lighter than a jacket and thicker than most cotton shirts, a soft denim shirt is always handy in summer mornings and evenings when you, in that cute sleeveless dress or tank top, cannot help rubbing your shoulders. So I got this denim shirt from JCrew in May, and it has already gone quite some mileage. The color goes with almost everything, and the fabric is soft to the touch. I believe it will be one of the staples that stay in my wardrobe for many many seasons.

Today JCrew has a sale: 40% off hot-weather styles and extra 40% off final sale styles. Code: HOTOUT. And, this shirt is included!

Click for large pictures.

Denim shirt: JCrew Denim Western Shirt in Pale Indigo
Silk Dress: Madewell
Skinny belt: JCrew
Sandals: Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork

Summer Color Splash

Fashion police may tell you: No more than three colors in an outfit unless you are five years old or younger.

Rules are meant to be broken.

And summer is the time to break one or two just for fun... :)

I've been eyeing this pair of JCrew shorts in Gemstone print for a while. Finally it went on sale and I immediately snatched one. The original fit sits quite loose in the waist (size 00). So I had to take it to a tailor first. No complaints other than that. The material is substantial and comfortable, the fit around the hips is preppy and modest, and the pattern is simply fun!

It could be the center piece of a modest preppy outfit if paired with white, gray, blue, nude/blush/peach or denim tops. But this time I decided to go a bit crazy and throw in a neon yellow slouchy tee, a bright green purse, and a royal blue baseball cap with yellow embroidered crest. The outfit doesn't look too bad, right?

Click for large pictures.

 

Slouchy tee: Free People in neon yellow

Shorts: JCrew Cotton Pique Shorts in Gemstone Print (same print in skirt)

Baseball cap: JCrew Cotton Twill Embroidered Crest Baseball Cap in Deep Sea

Crossbody bag: Rebecca Minkoff mini MAC 

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Sandals:  Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork
Necklace: Stellar McCartney

Hippie or Preppy?

Dude, Brazil's catastrophic defeat in the semi-final left me with a blank brain. I'm still trying to recover from the concussion... So this is gonna be a super short post.

OK -- an outfit over the long weekend. I was trying to include this Birkenstock in my casual playbook. I think those hippie babies make the look less preppy and more relaxed. Somehow I like the way these two styles blend... What do you think?

Top: Peter Pilotto for Target (also seen in this outfit)
Denim shorts: Abercrombie & Fitch
Sunglasses: Miu Miu Cat Eye (also seen in this post, new with cute embellishment, more colors, summer glitters)
Purse: Chanel Le Boy
Sandals:  Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork (also available in rainbow stripes)

Birkenstock Curacao By Birki

Did I swear that I will never buy Birkenstock? Yes, I did. Back in February when I was tortured by plantar fasciitis, I wrote: "If I were given two options, walking happily in a pair of bulky Birkenstock or sitting in a wheelchair in a pair of Blahnik, I would jump to the second without blinking my eyes. In fact, I don't believe I would ever walk "happily" in that chunk of ultra ugliness. " Hmmm, we were told "never say never", and there is a, if not quite a few, reason(s) for that.

First of all, those Birkenstock babies are white hot this summer. You basically cannot shun from them if you follow fashion bloggers and Instagramers. But, that's not the reason that I got mine. I simply didn't see Birkenstock fit into my fashion style.

It is my Central Europe trip that changed my mind. I brought two pairs of sneakers on the trip, Converse and New balance. No heels. I'm a minimalist when it comes to packing and travelling. Dragging along 8 pairs of shoes or 10 handbags would drive me nuts. Two pairs of sneakers and two Longchamp nylon bags (in medium and large, respectively) were more than enough. One would imagine that sneakers are good enough for extensive walking, right? No, not for those with foot injury. I had long thought that I was over plantar fasciitis since it had not bother me for quite a while, not even after my half marathon race. The bloody truth is: it is still there, like a monster lurking in the darkness and waiting for its time. In the last a couple of days of my two-week trip, my injured left foot started to hurt, and the condition only got worse with time, given that I didn't bring any treatment with me. The condition worsened after I ran a 5k race in mid June.

So now I need a pair of supporting footwear to deal with this damned PF again.

Birkenstock is made for this purpose. The famous cork footbed contours to your foot and supports the arch exactly where it is needed. After biting my fingers for two weeks, I finally decided to get a relatively sleek style -- Curacao by Birki. Unlike the more classic Arizona, Curacao features elastic stripes with no buckles, very much in line with my minimalist taste. Honestly, when I received the shoes from Zappos, they didn't look that enticing in the box. But as I put them on, my feet fell in love immediately. Plus, Curacao looks way better than those boots I got in winter. I can make it work in my casual lookbook. Most importantly, my left foot needs it. If you are suffering from PF, maybe your foot needs it too. And, it's unisex. :)

Here is how they look on me. Click for large pictures.

你是我的小呀小苹果。。。

Tee: Zara
Denim skirt: Abercrombie & Fitch (also seen in this post)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength in black
Sandals: Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork (also available in rainbow stripes)