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

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

Chicwish: A Not So Romantic Experience

I follow quite a few fashion bloggers, but I rarely go with their recommendations. Inspiration is good; copy cat is no fun. More importantly, my training and experience as a finance professional make me extra aware of conflict of interest. If a fashion blogger profits from her follower's purchase, chances are she is willing to compromise her integrity to collect every penny. Photogenic items may turn out to have crappy quality, the blogger may use hidden pins to fix the goofy fit, the photographer may shoot from a specific angle to make the picture look nice, and there may be many other details not disclosed even in the fine print. After all, blogging is a grey area that is not regulated.

That said, once in a blue moon, I do fall to my knees at the beauty of those carefully edited pictures and take the bait.

Chicwish is a brand that has apparently launched a marketing campaign through collaboration with many fashion bloggers recently. Their midi skirts in dreamy prints wowed me with every picture. After months of resistance, I decided to give it a try. As this was the first time I purchased from this brand, I did consider two important questions: 1) what is the shipping/return policy? 2) what is my size?

Chicwish offers free shipping, but the customer has to pay the return shipping label. The "About Us" page states that, although their headquarter is in Hong Kong, they do have an office in California. The address of this California office is shown at the bottom of every single page (CHICWISH STUDIO, 612 Alabama street, San Francisco CA 94110, United States). OK, shipping back to California is no biggie. $11 flat rate priority mail would be the maximum shipping I have to pay. I was fine with that. So I ordered midi skirts in two prints. I like this Turn Back Time Scenic print so much that I ordered both XS and S (because some online review suggests sizing up), just to make sure that I got the right size.

Two weeks later, I received nothing.

I contacted Chicwish through their website. They apologized for the delay and promised that the package was on the way.

Another week passed, and I finally got the package. The shipping label said it was originated from China. My heart sank.

I opened the package. Three skirts of two prints and two sizes were all wrinkled from the packaging and shipping, but the prints were as beautiful as what I'd seen online. The fabric was not the best, but did maintain its puffy retro shape as desired. Size XS and S were not that different, although size XS did fit me better than S.

So now I needed to return one of the two Turn Back Time Scenic Print Midi Skirts to Chicwish.

The invoice had the return address. It was not in California, not even in Hong Kong. It was in Shenzhen, China. And the invoice stated very clearly that all returns must go to China.

Did I want to pay international shipping to return a $43 skirt? No. I guess no one would even bother. I listed the skirt on mitbbs and poshmark, and sold it at a marginal loss. And I truly believe that this is exactly what Chicwish wants me (and other consumers) to do. You've got an item you don't want? OK, sell it to others. Don't ship it back to us.

I'm utterly disgusted by this business strategy.

And I'm equally disgusted by the fashion bloggers who've sung the praises for this shady online retailer.

Don't tell me that this is normal for international shopping. I've made purchase on stylebop before, and the online retailer: 1) never pretends to be a US-based company, and 2) covers the return international shipping cost to Europe.

Here is my full disclosure of Chicwish shopping experience:

• Colors and prints - as shown online;
• Fabric - you get what you pay for;
• Shipping - expect delay due to international shipping;
• Online customer service - submit your request online and they will get back to you within 24 hours;
• Return - given the expensive international shipping cost, all sales are essentially final. 

Top: JCrew Bateau Tee in Stripe
Skirt: Chicwish Santorini Print Pleated Midi Skirt (also bought this Turn Back Time Scenic Print Midi Skirt, more amazing prints: poppy field, London eye, neon lights)
Necklace: Anthropologie
Sandals: Pedro Garcia Xola Ankle Strap Sandals in almond/white
Clutch: Prada

Pre-fall Colors and My Poshmark

We had a couple of cool days here in the city, and I was consequently drawn to rusty colors. New outfit, old pieces. :)

Despite my ongoing effort of dumping things to Goodwill, my closet is once again exploding. So I registered on Poshmark last night and decided to put some excellent/good condition pre-loved items on the market. My username is "zisu" and has just uploaded one Rebecca Minkoff MAB this morning. More items will come. Please follow me. I will also start a thread on mitbbs once I have collected the items. Keep posted. :)

Tee: JCrew Perfect Fit Tee
Skirt: HD in Paris, from Anthropologie
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Necklace: Anthropologie
Pumps: Nicholas Kirkwood

And here is the MAB for sale...

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

True Tea Length Skirt

As I mentioned in April's post, tea length hem line is big this season. However, I had a hard time finding a true tea length piece. Longer than a midi and shorter than a maxi, the tea length hem line should hit right above the ankles. Many tea length skirts turn out to be midi skirts, just a bit too short.

Here is an outfit with my best tea length skirt. Guess when and where I got it? I got it eight years ago from Club Monaco's sales shelf at discounted price. Apparently that was not the most trendy piece at that time, but I just fell in love with this retro style and couldn't let it go. The flared silhouette, silky satin texture, and luxurious plum color makes every girl feel like a lady ... from last century. What do you think? Does it look outdated or not?

Click for large pictures.

Top: Anthropologie
Skirt: Club Monaco
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Sandals: Pedro Garcia Xola Ankle Strap Sandals in almond/white

Go Sailing

The nautical trend always has its cache on hot summer days, and you don't have to go to Hamptons to sport this crisp style. The nautical look is synonymous with European sophistication and its elements will always work with denim, making a casual outfit look elegant. Accentuate your outfit with sailor stripes, anchors, sailing boats, or even polka dots. Or, just like me, once in a while, get loaded with nautical pieces -- trust me: it will make your day in front of the computer goes faster. :)

The top and pants are both from JCrew. This brand tends to carry neat nautical pieces every summer, and their sale prices are just irresistible. These pants are actually from Crewcuts girl's collection -- yet another reason to stay slim? haha! Mine is size 14, and I had the waist taken in a little bit for a better fit. As I checked the item last night, it is NOT final sale and has an extra 40% off with code HOTOUT. Golden opportunity to order a couple of big sizes and try them out if you are interested.

To avoid a matchy-matchy look, I also threw in a tribal necklace bought from Anthropologie quite a while ago. "Nautical and tribal?" You may ask. Well... sail to Africa! That makes perfect sense to me... :)

Top: JCrew Bateau Tee in Stripe in ivory/navy
Pants: Crewcuts Girl's Cafe Capri in Sailboat Print (extra 40% off with code HOTOUT)
Necklace: Anthropologie
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Shoes: Cole Haan Air Carma Open Toe Pump in black patent leather

Maxi Dress with an Oriental Touch

Dreadful weather in NYC these days. Maybe it's the perfect time to dig into my old pictures. :)

This is one of my favorite maxi dresses. The slim and long fit reminds me of Cheongsam (or qipao) from those good old days when China managed to incorporate western body-hugging silhouette into our traditional modest yet elegant fashion style. The muted grey color (with bright yellow trim) and the cotton fabric also resonate with my Chinese heritage deeply. And, guess what? I bought this dress from an American brand in an American online store! That left me wondering what OUR designers had been doing... We all know that there is a 唐装/汉服 movement in China, which encourages us to go back to our traditional attires. So far it seems more focused on special occasion (e.g. wedding, graduation ceremony) attires. I see its future as bright as the kilt. Let's face it: fashion evolves. Our fashion heritage can only survive and thrive if it adapts to modern life style. I'd be more than proud to wear a Cheongsam in my everyday life as long as it is both comfortable and fashionable. 

Click for large picture (taken in 2012).

Dress: Monrow (current season)

Sunglasses: Tom Ford

Flip flops: Havaianas 

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

Ex Boyfriend?

We all know the so-called "boyfriend shirts" or "boyfriend jeans". These oversized pieces usually create a slouchy laid-back look. Now Madewell offers "ex boyfriend shirts", and I got one out of curiosity. Honestly I didn't see much difference between boyfriend and ex-boyfriend. This is also an oversized shirt. Anyway I like its color and soft material. Also, this shirt does not have the usual peek-a-boo problem in the chest area, which is a big plus for me... :)

Have a good weekend!

Embellished tank top: JCrew
Plaid shirt: Madewell Ex-boyfriend Shirt in persimmon plaid (also available in porch plaid and indigo weave)
Shorts: Abercrombie & Fitch
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength in black
Sandals: Birkenstock Curacao by Birki in black stretch cork (also available in rainbow stripes)
Purse: Louis Vuitton Damier Hampstead PM

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)

Encore: Colors of Independence

All right. Someone said the colors were off in the last post. Let's have another try with blue, white and red... I love this Cynthia Rowley sheer skirt that plays skillfully with texture and patterns. I bought it quite a few years ago, and now it fits right in the sheer trend. Sometimes you just need to buy whatever catches your eyes. It may not be in right now, but eventually fashion goes in cycles. :)

Happy Independence Day! This is the beginning of real summer sale. What's on your list?

Tee: Jcrew
Skirt: Cynthia Rowley
Necklace: Fenton, from Barney's (also seen in this post)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength in black
Silver flats: JCrew Viv mirror metallic bow flats (similar, also seen in this post)
Purse: Louis Vuitton Damier Hampstead PM

Colors of Independence

Promotion alert: JCrew now has extra 40% off on sale items with code SHOPMORE. Can you imagine that this schoolboy blazer only costs less than $60???

Happy Independence Day, everyone. Here is an outfit of blue, white and red. The top is a new purchase from Anthropologie last weekend. It so happened that I stopped by the store on my way home... *_^

Well, it's a very light and comfortable top that gives you extra breeze on hot humid days. It has two layers. While the flowy top layer gives you the free spirit look, the soft under layer prevents awkward moments on a windy day. Some online reviews complain that it is too baggy and looks like maternity apparels. I guess I'm in the mood of loose cloths this season, so I don't find it bulky at all. You may see in the picture how it flows with the breeze. Oh yeah, the pictures were taken on a windy summer afternoon... so windy that I had to pull my hair away from the face. LOL!

Click for large pictures.

Top: Merlon Tank by Meadow Rue from Anthropologie in blue motif
Shorts: JCrew 3" linen shorts (similar in cotton)
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Sports bra: GapFit Racerback Pullover Bra
Sandals: Pedro Garcia Xola Ankle Strap Sandals in almond/white (30% off now,also available in high heels)
Purse: Louis Vuitton Damier Hampstead PM

Tribal Pencil Skirt

Promotion alert: Zoya is offering free nail polish. Add 3 colors to cart. Apply code THREEDOM. Just pay promotional S&H of $12. Redeem the offer online by clicking http://www.zoya.com/. 

Most women have mood swings from time to time, often associated with their biological cycle. Recently I'm in the tribal mood, and my fashion mood seems more enigmatic and unpredictable. That may explain why my wardrobe is exploding even when I throw things out almost every month. :)

Anyway this is a pencil skirt I bought a couple of years ago from Anthropologie. High-waisted and neatly cut, it is a great piece to show off some curves. The only drawback is the fabric. The cotton fabric tends to bulge in the front and wrinkle after a day's wear. I've learned to ignore it, especially on days when I crave for some tribal touch in my business casual attire. Life is not perfect and we've got to deal with it...

The black silk blouse is from BCBGMAXAZRIA. Also an old piece. This is the first time I tucked it in. And I noticed that the hidden zipper on the side sticks out and refuses to stay under the skirt. New lesson learned today: don't tuck in a top if it has a zipper at the waist. Again, a black GapFit sportsbra is used here to cover the deep V cut. Camis will also work for this purpose, but sportsbras feel better in summer.

Complete the look with some tribal accessories: a knit necklace from Guatemala (used as bracelet) and a golden necklace I got from Anthropologie last weekend.

Click for large pictures.

Blouse: BCBGMAXAZRIA
Pencil skirt: Plenty by Tracy Reese from Anthropologie
Sportsbra: GapFit Racerback Pullover Bra
Necklace: Flecha necklace in gold from Anthropologie
Bracelet: handmade knit necklace from Guatemala
Sunglasses: Karen Walker Super Duper Strength
Flats: Salvatore Ferragamo Varina flats (here on sale, here on sale, here, here, here) in lava, patent calf