Christmas Red

Hi ladies! Do you like Christmas red? It's a striking festive color that can't be missed in holiday season, but you don't have to be dressed as an old-fashioned Santa. It actually works really well with black and gold to create an edgy outfit...

BTW I'm already on the road to my winter vacation. Guess where I'm going this time? Hint: somewhere warm... :)

Dress: Searle
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Mink infinity scarf: bought from Neiman Marcus years ago
Leather arm warmer: Vince Camuto
Purse: Chanel Large Camera Bag
Boots: Cole Haan

Holiday Bling

One of the many benefits of holiday season is that you don't look as over-board if you walk down the street in bling bling at day time. Sequin pieces tend to add urban chic to every outfit as long as you keep the rest of the outfit simple and elegant. Now that Christmas is only steps away, strolling down the street with a cute sequin mini skirt sometimes seems just the right thing to do!

Express has quite a few cute sequin mini skirts this season. I picked one with tribal pattern in neutral tone. It absolutely brightened up my past weekend. Check them out!

Silk sweater: Joie (also seen in this post)

Sequin mini skirt: Express (here, similar, similar, similar, similar, similar)

Downcoat: Burberry Brit (also seen in this post) 

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Mink infinity scarf: bought from Neiman Marcus years ago (similar, similar)
Leather arm warmer: Vince Camuto (also seen in this post) 

Purse: Chanel Large Camera Bag

Over-the-knee boots: Stuart Weitzman 5050 in black napa leather (here, here, here, here, here, ) 

Say "Yes" to Blood Red Lips "No" to Bleeding Wallet

Sorry for being absent from blog for quite a while. I have been so swamped with family obligations as well as office deadlines. The good news is: now I'm officially in the holiday mood!

True red is always one of the best colors to wear for holiday parties. Since last winter, however, dark blood red lipsticks have taken the center of fall/winter fashion stage. I'd collected a handful of dark shades from designer brands (e.g. Fire Down Below, Afghan Red, and Scarlet Express are all fabulous dark red from NARS with different tones) since last year. This season I'm so excited at my recent findings: you don't have to break your bank account to get those awesome blood red shades. 

I might be late to the game, but the L'oreal Paris Infallible Le Rouge Lipsticks are impressively creamy, pigmented, and long lasting. If you are willing to do without exquisite packages, they are ideal substitutes for brand name lipsticks.

I bought both 737 Persistent Plum and 741 Bold Bordeaux. The picture below is sourced online and true to color in real life. 737 is a cooler shade with purple/pink undertone, and 741 is a warmer brick red with brown/coral undertone. Both colors are rich and sophisticated, yet not overly vampy. Both can be used for work and fun. As a rule of thumb, 737 works better on cool skin tones and 741 works better on warm skin tones. And of course, if your skin is more or less neutral, just like mine, both colors work for you and that explains why your lipstick collection usually doubles in size! :)

I was wearing 741 in the past weekend. I really loved it! I need to add this to my forever growing list of new year resolution: exploring more bargain lipsticks and sharing them online! :)

Down coat: Moncler (similar, also like this, this, this)

Jeans: DL 1961

Lipstick: L'oreal Paris Infallible Le Rouge Lipstick in 741 Bold Bordeaux (here, here) 

Shawl: Louis Vuitton Monogram Shine Shawl in gray

Purse: Chanel Large Camera Bag (old, current season)

Studded leather gloves: Portolano (similar, similar)

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Booties: VC Signature by Vince Camuto

Finally, the holiday booths in Union Square are now open! It was sheer fun checking out those little cuties. I hope everyone a happy holiday!

Cocoon in Pastel Pink

Oversized cocoon coat is white hot this season. You just can't avoid it in fashion blogs or mainstream stores. This simple boyfriend cut gives you a polished yet laid back look that makes winter layering piece of cake.

Being petite, I don't want to indulge on a cocoon coat as I look way better in a more slim cut silhouette. So I searched up and down to find a bargain piece, until I saw this Express cocoon coat in pastel pink. This coat is so light that I don't think I can survive the brutal Northeast winter in it. But this light texture and soft color do make it a refreshing alternative to my dark sober winter wardrobe on those relatively warm days. When I walked into the subway station at rush hour, this coat stood out so beautifully among the famous New York black.

In summary, it's not the warmest wool coat you'd expect, but it feels soft to the touch and on the body. It feels more like a trench coat in terms of warmth. If you live in an area with mild winter, you may find more mileage in it.

Coat: Express Textured Cocoon coat  in light pink (more colors, thicker version from JCrew)

Sweater: JCrew (also seen in this post)

Pants: Club Monaco

Boots: Cole Haan

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Red Leopard

It felt like winter this weekend in NYC, and I decided to pull out my down coat. To brighten things up, I wore a red leopard sweater dress, a new purchase from Express, under it. I didn't even remember how many years have passed since I stepped in an Express store last time. That said, I am pretty happy with my purchase. It was soft and cute, although a little too short even for business casual. After all we do need a little bit color and fun occasionally, right?

Dress: Express Red Leopard Print Sweater Dress (also available in gray)
Down Coat: Burberry Brit (current season, similar available in Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Saks)
Boots: Cole Haan
Purse: Rebecca Minkoff Mini Perry Wave Embossed Leather Satchel in burgundy
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Burgundy and Green

This is just an experiment of paring burgundy with green. Unlike the risky red and green combo, these two dark muted colors seem to go easily with each other. The warmth of burgundy adds more fun to the cool sober green shade, and together they form an elegant polished look. What do you think?

Shirt: Rugby (discontinued)
Skirt: Banana Republic
Coat: The Row (similar in black, also like this)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Booties: VC Signature by Vince Camuto
Purse: Louis Vuitton Damier Hampstead PM

Casual Friday Basics

Chunky oversized sweater, wool skirt, and knee high boots are my fall/winter staples. Fashion comes and goes, but these basic pieces stay. Stock them up when they go on sale, and save money and headache in many seasons ahead of you!

Have a good weekend, everyone! Stay warm~

Sweater: JCrew (similar)

Skirt: St. John

Brooch: Chanel

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Boots: Cole Haan

Purse: Louis Vuitton Damier Hampstead PM

Winter Accessories

We had a couple of cold days here, reminding you that winter is not that far away. New York is a city of black, especially in winter. That doesn't mean that we do not use colors to spice up our outfit. Warm cozy accessories with a pop of color are our favorites on a chilly day.

This outfit features some of my favorite cold weather accessories.

Missoni scarves explore your imagination of color combos. My red/green scarf has gone quite a bit mileage since I got it in 2007. A couple of my friends also got Missoni scarves after they saw how many times I'd used mine.

This Vince Camuto arm warmer is a recent purchase and I love it! It comes handy when you wear a short-sleeve or sleeveless dress under neath your coat. Apparently it magically makes even the most classic simplistic outfit look edgy and chic.

And of course, don't forget to throw in a purse that you are in the mood for. I have to confess that I'm totally in love with blue bags this season. Blue is such a rich and sophisticated color for cold days that brightens an black outfit without appearing over-the-board. I've got three blue bags this year, and you-know-whom would roll his eyes whenever I pulled out one of them. What can I say? Men are color blind. They think all blues look the same... *_^

Wool coat: Marni
Scarf: Missoni (similar, similar, similar, similar, similar, also like this infinity scarf)
Purse: Loeffler Randall Rider Bag in cobalt leather (also seen in this post, similar, similar, similar)
Leather armwarmers: Vince Camuto
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Boots: Cole Haan

Bir...Bir...Birkin!

爱收藏包包的女人不可能不知道birkin。要说birkin贵，其实也不尽然，现在一只小香包也差不多是birkin三分之一的价格了，而且birkin比小香要结实耐用许多。如果根养房子养孩子比，就更不算什么了，曼哈顿几个月的daycare（还不包括饮食）就够一个birkin。在很多人看来，birkin的地位主要在于它的难买，而我研究的结论则是，birkin的购买本身就有很多窍门。因为价格不菲货源难求，买一只称心如意的birkin是需要花一番心思的。

我今天来分享一下自己购买birkin的一些体会。

颜色。有些人买包的时候只要是有现货就买，不太看重自己的喜好，可是我觉得这是很个人的问题，需要好好考虑，毕竟买一只包很不容易。很多人喜欢鲜艳的颜色，尤其是喜欢爱马仕的标志性的橘红色。其实，根据爱马仕店员的信息，黑色是最难买到的。为什么呢？因为birkin皮质优异制作精良，其实是很好的上班包（我在金融区工作，经常看到拿birkin穿pant suit的女人排队买午饭），这跟大部分小香包的主要用途是不一样的。既然是everyday bag，就不能太招摇。黑色 灰色 棕色 金色（他家管米粽色叫gold），这些低调中性的颜色一来不那么耀眼，二来容易搭配上班的衣服，都是很好的选择。如果是第一只birkin，我个人倾向于买这类低调耐脏的颜色。金属件要么金色要么银色，就没有那么多讲究了。

大小。常见的birkin有30, 35, 40这三个尺寸。像我这样的小个子，拿着30和35都很好看，但是40就太大了。170以上的姑娘，可以在35和40间选择。难怪35是最流行的大小，在二手市场上，35也是最好卖的。不过，30和40更容易在店里买到，因为需求量相对较小。

皮质。这是个很复杂的问题，birkin的皮质选择比小香要多得多，我来多说几句。

我有十来只小香，但是没有一个是用来上班的，一个是因为经典好看的小香普遍偏小，装不了我的那许多宝贝，一个则是因为小香皮质普遍比较娇气。我日常主要背的是Louis Vuitton或者Coach的布包 -- 大妈我年纪大了，不在乎别人看我背logo包有什么想法，就图它们个大轻巧防水耐磨，那个shi黄shi黄的颜色，买来也没多新，用几年也没多旧。但是birkin是著名的workhorse，又能装又耐用，如果你选对了皮质的话，用上10年20年也依旧挺括好看，跟新的差不多（除了边角稍有磨损以外）。大家看过“花儿与少年”吧？如果小香包是许晴，那么birkin包就是刘涛，前者是用来看的，后者是拿来用的。

除开死贵的exotic skin（比如鳄鱼皮），birkin用的主要是牛皮和山羊皮。我见过很多赞美chevre（山羊皮）的，据说比牛皮更轻，但是我个人没有见过实物，应该比较少见。更常见的是用山羊皮做内胆，用牛皮做外层。-- birkin都是里外全皮，所以比较重。

牛皮又分为两大类，一种是textured leather，也就是有纹路的，一种是smooth leather，也就是光面的。如果你跟我一样，希望物尽其用，尽量多用这只包，那么，我建议把选择缩小到texutred leather里面，因为光面皮更容易有划痕，用用就显得旧了。最常见的光面皮是box，建议避免。

Textured leather里面，有的是天然纹路，有的是人工纹路，品种又有许多。最常见的是togo, clemence, epsom 和 fjord。这几个皮里面，epsom比较轻和挺，不容易软塌塌，但是手感不如另外几个厚软可爱。fjord不怕水，也有很多人喜欢，但是似乎是这几个里面最重的一种。Clemence这种皮非常软，手感巨可爱，但是用了几年以后包就渐渐塌了，空包站不住，尤其是大包，我觉得更适合爱马仕别的款型，比如Lindy就更适合用软皮做。Togo呢，比epson手感好，比fjord轻，比clemence挺，也比较容易排到，但是togo容易有vein，是皮子的天然纹理，找到一个没有vein的togo皮包也是很不容易的。

总之选皮子，是比选颜色大小要伤脑筋的事情。有兴趣研究的话，可以看看网上的信息，比如这篇和这篇。

Dress: DVF (also like this, this, this)

Wool coat: Marni

Brooch: Swarovski (also seen in this outfit)

Handbag: Hermes Birkin 35

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Booties: VC Signature by Vince Camuto

Roadrunner's Gear in Spring/Fall

Spring and fall are the two best seasons in the Northeast for running. Crisp air, cool breeze and golden sunlight easily boost up your energy and keep you going, as long as you've got the right gear to keep you warm at the start and wick away the sweat on the road.

My favorite fall/winter running tee comes from Under Armour. I have this Coldgear tee in multiple colors. Its super stretchy material feels silky and soft to the touch, and keeps me dry and warm from start to finish. Compared to the popular chic Lululemon tees, this one feels more substantial and seems more durable with absolutely no see-through. Honestly I just couldn't convince myself to buy those flimsy Lulu long sleeved tees even at sales price.

CW-X compression tights keep me warm and dry, when the temperature falls between 30F and 50F. Those rights are designed to help stabilize muscles and joins, and some people claim that they also shorten recovery cycles. I've never got muscle sore from running (well, I'm slow on the road...), so I can't comment on the second part. But those tights are really tight, and they do keep your muscles in the right place. CW-X have different types of compression tights. I've got Stabilyx, Pro, PerformX and Expert. I personally cannot tell the difference among all these tights. They all feel tight and comfortable. If you pressed me for recommendations, my answer would be: "Go with the least expensive pair in the market unless you are a professional runner or have serious joint problems."

Finally I love my Lululemon Forme II jacket! It is stretchy and body hugging. I've never worn it running, but always throw it on on my way to the gym prior to my long run (I usually drop my gym bag in the locker room, go out for a long run, and stretch & shower in the gym).

Tee: Under Armour Coldgear Infrared Crew in Magenta Shock
Jacket: Lululemon Forme II Jacket (current season, similar)
Tights: CW-X Stabilyx Compression Tights (here, also like Pro, PerformX, Expert)
Running shoes: Nike
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Tote: Coach

Royal Stewart Tartan Updated

Alexander McQueen

In a season of plaids, Royal Stewart tartan is one of the elements that should not be overlooked. It came into full blossom last winter, and continues to be seen in many offerings this year.

Personally I was not a big fan of tartan prints...until I saw this tartan print dress in the Alexander McQueen exhibition a couple of years ago. The somewhat rustic somewhat preppy thick material adds weight and history to the feminine lace and tully. The dress looks so fresh and young.

That's when I concluded that mixing tartan with other elements may create some really interesting outfit that looks both old and new. Tartan should not be limited to prep school uniforms.

In particular, I like the idea of mixing tartan with leather. This is a combo of tradition and modern, country style and urban chic. This February for instance, Rita Ora stepped out in a DKNY tartan dress with a black leather jacket. I simply loved this look!

That is why I was very excited seeing this wool/leather jacket from Karl Lagerfeld earlier this year. This is my first Royal Stewart tartan print purchase after I finished high school. :)

Wool/leather jacket: Karl Lagerfeld
Pants: Club Monaco Carolina Skinny Waxed Pant (also seen in this outfit)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Booties: VC Signature by Vince Camuto

Black and White Leather Jacket

We are now officially in the leather jacket season here in the big apple. The temperature did not drop much, but the wind has picked up remarkably. You may not want to get wrapped up in too many layers yet. All you need is a nice jacket that shields you from the wind.

Black leather jacket is classic, but color blocking is also fun. Do you like this black and white leather bomber from Karl Lagerfeld?

BTW the second picture is a pure show-off of my quads... As I was walking down the street in UWS on Sunday, a guy caught me and asked:"Are you a dancer? No? Then you must have done some dancing before. You have dancer's legs!" Haha, that's weight lifter's legs, babe! // feeling proud

Leather jacket: Karl Lagerfeld (similar, similar, similar, similar, similar, similar)
Striped tee: JCrew
Leggings: Club Monaco Rochelle Faux-Leather Legging
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Boots: DV by Dolce Vita Malika Boots

Feeling Chanel?

There is nothing as ladylike as a classic tweed piece. After borrowing a tweed sportswear from a male friend, a Duke to be exact, Chanel was enchanted by this comfortable and supple fabric that was exclusively used in menswear at that time. In 1924 she enlisted a Scottish fabric factory to produce her iconic tweed fabrics for everything from sportswear to suits and coats.

Nowadays quite a few mass production brands offer decent tweed pieces, but the texture and weight are still the key elements some brands have not mastered. It seems to me that JCrew tweed has done a good job in its price range, with its soft texture, right amount of weight and clean cut. This blue jacket is one of the JCrew tweed jackets I've collected in the past a couple of years. I feel so Parisian whenever I throw it on, either over a skirt/dress or a pair of jeans. This season, JCrew has a similar tweed jacket in stripes that fits just like this one. Check it out!

Tweed jacket: JCrew (similar)
Dress: Theory
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Pumps: Stuart Weitzman

Saks: FRNFAM

Saks is running its friends & family event now with code FRNFAM. What did you get? I'm scratching my head as the excluded brand list is growing longer every year. Well, at least this Helmut Lang jacket is on sale. Last time I paired it with skirt for an office appropriate look, and here is a casual outfit with it.

   

Jacket: Jacket: Helmut Lang Sonar Wool Shawl Collar Jacket (here, here, here, here)   

Tee: Anthropologie

Jeans: Rag & Bone

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Suede oxfords: DV by Dolce Vita

Chunky Blanket Cardigan

Last time, we reviewed the big chunky knit trend of fall/winter 2014. In particular, cardigans are widely used as a soft cozy substitute of over coats for a more laid-back look. I got this Vince piece last winter, but I'm sure you will find many options in the market this season. For the chicest style, stay neutral with colors and go fancy with knit work. Chunky knit and blanket / bathrobe style are the two main elements that will shine throughout this winter.

BTW Shopbop is running its friends & family event with code FAMILY25. Many of the cardigans I listed below are included!

Long sleeved tee: Anthropologie

Cable knit cardigan: Vince (similar, also like this, this, this, this, this, this, this, this)  

Leggings: Club Monaco Rochelle Faux-Leather Legging 

Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength

Scarf: Abercrombie & Fitch

Boots: DV by Dolce Vita Malika Boots

A Not-So-Mad Plaid Coat

If you are looking for a new overcoat for the upcoming winter, you may want to look a little beyond the classic solid colored ones and think plaid. In general, plaids are coming back stronger than ever this winter, especially in the overcoat department.

Key words for this season's overcoat:

• Big bold plaids  
• Oversized in blanket or bath robe style

I found this trend especially challenging on my petite frame. It's much easier to embrace these two elements one at a time: "plaids + slim", or "solid + oversized". I've tried a couple of plaid oversized coat (like this Theory piece), and felt totally overwhelmed. If you check out other fashion bloggers, you will find many of them, except for those tall ladies, only "kind of" wear those new trendy coats -- throwing one on the shoulder is not really wearing it; in winter, we all need a coat that sits nicely on the shoulder when we put our arms through the sleeves and button up. Honestly, although being understated is the new sexiness, plaid oversized coats are really made for taller girls with wider shoulders who have the asset to play a tomboy. I'll try to stay sober in all this madness for plaid.

Here is my not-so-mad plaid coat from Marni. Slim cut and streamlined. Another investment piece I got two years ago.

Wool coat: Marni (more plaid coats from Theory, Polo Ralph Lauren, Free People, Rag & Bone, Sea, Trina Turk)
Wrap dress: Tory Burch
Pumps: Fendi
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Purse: Louis Vuitton Damier Hampstead PM

Grey and Purple

I got this beautiful purple skirt from Anthropologie years ago, but had a hard time to pair it with a proper top. I want something simple to make the skirt the one and only focus point, something substantial (but not too bulky) to balance the weight of the fully lined material, and something neither too long nor too short. The search ended last week when I found this Theory wool and cashmere sweater.

This sweater is the perfect mate of almost all midi skirts. This classic minimalist sweater hits just below the waist, and it's neither too loose nor too tight. The heather grey color goes with almost everything, especially elegant with the deep purple of this skirt. The textured wool and cashmere blend is warm and soft. It's thicker than most light sweaters, but lighter than those chunky oversized ones. The only concern is that it might be a little itchy for sensitive skin.

I've collected tons of compliments on my skirt and outfit when I walked down the street this morning. But I know it won't look this good without this perfect sweater from Theory. Happy with my new purchase!

Sweater: Theory 'Jodi' Wool & Cashmere Sweater in heather grey (available in Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, also available in charcoal grey and black)
Skirt: Anthropologie
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Booties: VC Signature by Vince Camuto

Some Random Ramblings

I like a day like this: sunny and cool outside, no client meetings, boss away from the office, and on top of everything, having a bridal shower at lunch time. What a lovely day!

Women are born lovers. We love being loved and cared, and we love giving love to the loved ones. Unfortunately many of us have been frustrated more than once on the journey of finding a loving relationship. That makes me feel enormously happy whenever I see my friends or co-workers glowing with love, just like today when I saw a beautiful bride in the making. :)

When I look back, I think the key of finding a loving relationship is staying foolish. There are too many books in the market telling you how to attract a man by technique, but the simple fact is that many of us fell head over heels when we were teenagers and knew nothing about love. I've concluded that, except for those "expert love technicians", the more techniques we learn, the more likely we cannot see our heart or feel the beat from the other party. As mentioned in the famous book, The 5 Love Languages, different people have different ways of expressing their love. I'm a strong supporter of life time self-improvement. But things are naturally much easier if two people speak the same language. Stop asking whether he is into you or not; your heart feels it. Stop comparing his love with another guy's; your heart knows what really matters. Stick around when his presence makes your life richer and happier, and leave him when he brings nothing but suspicion and frustration. Live in a simple world and listen to your heart, and you will find your destiny.

Love makes the world go around!

Striped sweater: JCrew
Pleated skirt: Jason Wu (similar, similar, similar, similar, similar, similar)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Oxfords: Ralph Lauren Collection