Blockbuster Vegas

Vegas was epic, and it was a weekend I'll always remember. To celebrate our 25th birthdays, Jess and I organized a group of 39 people who stayed in 6 different suites/rooms to party it up in two nights of clubbing and one daytime pool party. It was the largest group I'd ever gone to Vegas with, and probably the last. Planning was really stressful but in the end, was SO worth it because everyone had an amazing time and all the logistics worked out!

Despite my eagerness to try out Rent the Runway since this post, I ended up not wearing dresses from the company, because the two dresses I would want to wear, I saw on friends in Facebook albums from their Vegas trips! There's a certain "look" to Vegas dresses and I suppose a lot of people had the same idea about RTR. Another time!

Instead, I went on multiple frantic last-minute shopping trips for Vegas two days before my flight, yikes! Vegas really creeped up on me - I'd been studying for GMATs, adjusting to a new job, hunting for a new apartment, etc. The weekend beforehand, I was too unmotivated to dress shop. And even though I had started looking for dresses as soon as tickets were booked, nothing in the past 3 months cried out to me.. I was searching for dresses that were eye-catching in some way... tight, colorful and/or mini (many girls opt for low-cut but that doesn't work for my body type!). Thank goodness for living in NYC, because in two days I went to 3 different Bebe stores, scoured Soho (H&M, Zara, Marciano by Guess) and found all I needed for the weekend. Funny enough, Jess and I ended up wearing Bebe dresses for BOTH nights!

My first night's dress (store link) I actually bought in Vegas an hour before clubbing! My friend Linda and I were shopping for straw hats for the next day's pool party, and stopped at Bebe when I saw this bandage dress hanging on the rack. The sales associate said it had just come out that day (I now know it was a re-promote) so fewer people would have it. The dress runs small (XS was teensy) but fit well and I had been wanting a bandage dress so this was a keeper!! At $98, the dress was less than renting an Herve aaaand I got to keep it. This dress replaced the original Bebe pink and purple ombre bandage dress which was a little long and didn't fit as snugly. 

What the sales associate mentioned about fewer people having the dress stayed with me that whole weekend, because I counted no fewer than 15 girls who were wearing Bebe dresses I recognized, even one that was the same as my 2nd night dress but in a different color. Their styles are very Vegas-appropriate! 

People got tired the second night, because there are only a few pictures taken, and fewer still of my dress. My camera battery died after the pool party so I didn't take any of my own. My dress is now sold out on the site but I loved the fluttery fabric and zing of neon! There is another version made for the Kardashians earlier this year that had orange on the bottom, which I prefer but can't find anymore. I got an XS but it was slightly big and I had to tape the top to prevent gapping...a far cry in sizing from the above bandage dress I had to squeeze into.

Stores that are great for Vegas dresses (any others?):

- Bebe

- Marciano

- Guess

- Asos.com (make sure to buy early before small sizes sell out)

- Shopbop.com

- Frederick's of Hollywood

- BCBG

- Forever21

- Lulus.com

And a few fun shots from Wet Republic pool party

So packed!! Avicii was DJing that day

Our cabana against the packed pool party

Straw hats were definitely on trend!

Avicii spinning, crazy high energy I LOVED it!! I'm in the front with the white hat =)

Dabbling in Baubles

Since working in a startup, I find myself being hyper aware and appreciative of other up-and-coming businesses, all the more so if they cater to me as a potential customer! Companies like Rent the Runway, Birchbox and my latest favorite, Bauble Bar, all make it easier for women to have increased access to quality goods at discounted prices. This era of online retail has given girls across the nation opportunities to buy things that previously were available only to the lucky few who lived in metropolitan areas and had select access. Sample sales that used to only be held in NYC are now online at Gilt, RueLaLa, etc. It's wonderful that businesses are democratizing fashion and luxury goods, making them available to a wider audience.

Bauble Bar does exactly that - it brings Henri Bendel-level costume jewelry online at amazing price points (ranges from $20 - 200 when it would go for a lot higher in stores) and I'm SO excited about it! The photography and layout of the site is clean and shows off the quality of each piece beautifully. In person, the pieces look great and feel well-made and long lasting. When shipped, each item comes in its separate pouch. I got a chance to visit the BB headquarters this week, see and touch some items and put in a large order! The girls are super sweet and got me obsessed with their products and business!

Bauble Bar is virtually the online extension of the Young Designer's Market in Soho, NYC. The YDM is one of my favorite places to shop in the city, and I always recommend it to visitors because they can find unique pieces from local designers at great prices. Jewelry and clothing is sold without expensive department store markups, and I rarely purchase my jewelry anywhere else anymore. Looking in my collection, I'd say 85% of all my bling come from YDM. From now on, I know it will be apportioned heavily toward purchases from BB! Since YDM is only open on the weekends, I'm restricted to going in person, but now I can browse online at BB throughout the week.

Onto the pictures, here are a few shots of what I got (also waiting for a yellow wrap bracelet that should arrive in a week):

I love gems and stones! Color-ready for summer =)

These bracelets have heft and feel so much more expensive than they really were

Love the coral pop against neutral colors

Not everything I got is available on the site yet, but hopefully they will be soon because I am definitely stocking up on the bangles in different colors. They're super pretty. I'm in love with everything I got, and want more! The site's offerings are well curated and you're bound to find something that suits your style (the founders personally select jewelry they want to sell).

Some others I'm really liking:

• Ice Sparkle Drops
• Neutral Bangle Set
• Nautical Bangle Stack
• Jewel Tone Pearl Necklace

Check out the site HERE (disclaimer: my invite link).. hope you find something perfect for you! Let me know if you find any new favorites! 

Bringing May Flowers

Many changes have taken place in the past few months! I've heard of people sometimes requesting for a "Pause" button in life that they can press, and take a breather. That came true for me these past few months, as I got an opportunity to slow down, look around me, and take my time in deciding what next steps to take. It's been refreshing and productive, and I'm fully prepared and desiring to fully rev back up again. Life keeps moving - you make the best out of what you're given, and sometimes you end up with something better than what you thought you could find.

Since the beginning of the year, I've moved out of the finance world and into the spunky and frenetic energy of start-ups. It's been a fantastic experience so far, and the flexible dress code only scratches the surface of its awesomeness. On the other hand, I do have almost three years worth of corporate workwear that I don't want to go to waste - and figured, why let it? I've realized I like putting an effort into looking presentable and working in a startup environment doesn't mean I have to wear jeans + a tshirt all day. Putting an outfit on that makes me feel good actually helps me get into the "working woman" mindset and feel more productive.

Some recent photos via iPhone since I rarely tote around a real camera:

DVF New Julian wrap dress in Sun Dial. Size 0

Picked up my first DVF wrap dress during the Bloomie's Private Sale! I am ecstatic about this purchase - the print is super fun and part of the Vintage collection (she brought back some of her best-selling prints from previous years), the material is silky soft and feels amazing against the skin, and price was 30% off! I'm now sold on the legendary DVF dress, a firm believer in the cuts and quality of her clothing.

As a petite girl, I will say though that the dress tends to gap in the chest area and I use tape to ensure closure up top as well as on the bottom, particularly on windy days. Googling around, I've read this is a typical issue with wrap dresses in general, so I wear a camisole and shorts underneath for work.

Another gorgeous silky dress I loved but didn't end up getting. Size 0 fit pretty well but could be taken in for better fit.

My valentine-y bracelet, along with two bead pieces that my roommates made for me =)

My first foray into DIY jewelry (not counting macaroni necklaces and plastic lanyards in elementary school). My roommates and I spent a few hours one night making our own bracelets. I'd been so excited to try this out after seeing the idea from our friends at for your inspiration! The preparation and production process was not as easy as I'd expected, but it was worth it for our colorful and unique wrist candy! I bought gunmetal chains and clasps at a jewelry crafts store, and 9 different colors of thick thread from a sewing shop. The hardest part was using pliers to grip open the chain links and force the clasps in (there HAD to have been an easier way, sheesh!). We used the tutorial from here if you'd like to give it a go.

And lastly, tulips have been popping up all over Manhattan! Must be part of a beautification campaign. & it's working, the neighborhoods and parks of NYC have never been so pretty this year!

In A Flash...

Apologies for our absence! Janice has been settling into a new job and after finally getting a steady pulse on mine, I've been focused on getting more involved with some extracurricular projects I've been meaning to get to since moving back to LA. It's been a fast few months, but I've been loving every moment of it! There are lots more exciting things coming up for the rest of the year and we can't wait to start tailoring the blog towards more of a city-centric featurette. We'll be featuring places we're going, things we're doing, and what we'll be wearing while we're at it!

For now, here are a few snapshots of the past few months of my life!

Lately, I've been...

Skipping down Embarcadero St. in SF:

Catching some Cal band tunes on Sproul Plaza:

Soaking up the beauty of LA art exhibits 

(that feature amazing shots of SF--the best of both my worlds!):

Eating some yummilicious Paulette macarons:

Sipping mojitos on vacation in the Dominican Republic
(in my fave new F21 summer dress, J.Crew belted for a perfect fit):

Enjoying some sun and fun on the shores of Punta Cana (with China Glaze High Hopes covered toesies):

Attacking a helpless (but scrumptious) grilled lobster (in the cutest dress I found at Target):

Inhaling the prettiest and tastiest sweets at POP Champagne & Desserts

(while learning how to do nifty tricks on my new Canon S95):

And of course... drinking lots of wine and champagne!! :)

Renting the Runway

I have a big Vegas trip planned for May and, after settling the issue of which hotel to stay at, the next logical question was "What am I wearing?!" The thing about Vegas dresses is that after you take a gazillion pictures posing every which way and the outfit is immortalized in multiple Facebook albums, it's tough to recycle them again. Unless the dress is black and you can accessorize differently, you want something new. I perused the usual suspects in search of Vegas dresses (read: on the very short side and clingy), but also remembered another option I had read about, Rent the Runway, and think I'll be using this service for my trip later in the year.

Rent the Runway is like Netflix but for dresses - you browse for dresses by occasion ("genres", if you will), by designer (searching by actor or director), or what the latest arrivals are. Depending on the retail price of the dress, rentals range from $50 - $300, which on the high end sounds a bit spendy for a dress you can't keep, but you get access to high end designers like Herve Leger, D&G or Proenza that you might not otherwise. The rental period is 4 days, perfect for a weekend, and then you mail back the dress and RTR takes care of drycleaning costs. For peace of mind about spills and snags, you can get insurance for $5, which is a good policy to have in place for the accident prone.

RTR also addresses two possible worst case scenarios - 1) the dress not fitting and 2) another girl wearing the same dress. They send a backup size for free, and also let you choose a second style for $25 more. The mirror image situation actually happened to my friend Michelle at Vegas, both she and another girl rented the same dress for Vegas but one of them had taken advantage of the backup option so they avoided being twins for the night. This is also ideal for Vegas, because you can get two dresses for Friday and Saturday night for less than cost of rental for two nights!

I think this idea is super valuable for special occasions like weddings, opening nights, or birthday weekends in Vegas - you want to be able to wear a fantasticly glamorous, dreamy dress but may not want to pay a premium for a designer piece you wear infrequently. RTR expands your closet into virtually endless options. Of course, there are some dresses that you may want to invest in and keep in your closet forever, but for occasions where you'll probably wear the dress once, RTR is perfect.

Another great aspect of this site is its up to date selection, constantly being replenished with the latest season's offerings, so you can check back in a few months and there will be new options to choose from. RTR sells dresses at a discount that start looking old or worn. Recently, they've also added accessories so you can complete an outfit with statement jewelry.

Personally, I love the Herve Leger section (can't resist the body-con style and colors!) and am leaning toward these dresses for Vegas:

Bright, eye-catching colors are great, and I love the back of the Sunset dress (left). I'll blog more about site when I actually go through the rental process and let you know if service is executed as well as the idea is.

Chilly Days in NY & LA

Brrrr, LA, you've been cold lately!! With a series of low 40 degree weather days out here in SoCal over the holidays, it's been chilly! You east coasters are probably laughing at me, but I don't think I can remember it ever being so cold. I spent my short vacation roaming around the city and of course caught a nasty cold that's kept me quite miserable for the past week and a half. Between feeling lazy about returning to a very busy time at work and battling a congested immune system, it's been hard to gather up some motivation to get up and put together some decent outfits each morning. My apologies to my poor coworkers who have had to see the disaster that I've been looking like lately. :)

Still, as I sit here whining about how cold and sick I've been, Janice has been battling the fun blizzard-filled days over on her side of the world. Unlike me, she's probably had to bundle up a little more to get through the 27 degree snowy weather! So let's see what we've both been wearing...

Janice: Zara sweater (S), Forever 21 vest (XS), Club Monaco pants (0)
Michelle: Madewell chilly days cardigan (XS), Target Mossimo long and lean tank (S), Gap slim crops (0)

Okay, so we kind of dress the same... our three-piece outfits consist of the staple grey cardi/sweater over a white basic, pants, plus our beloved grey suede pumps!! However, as Janice keeps warm with a thick sweater under her heavier vest (and probably a ginormous outer coat), I opted for my favorite Target tank and wool Madewell cardigan. I'm sure many of you are quite familiar with the long and lean tanks at Target, but I can't help but rave about how much they are the best ever. The material is the perfect kind of comfy stretchy and complements the overall flattering cut of the tank. The neckline is not too boyishly high cut and the long and lean length makes for easy layering under anything. I wear these on a regular basis--for work and play! The best part is that they don't stretch out throughout the day from wear and don't shrink in the washer/dryer. Paired with my super, duper cheap and rather thick and insulating Madewell cardigan, I was surprisingly warm throughout the day. I also wanted to give Gap some credit for their slim crops. I'm a little behind on what the blogger buzz is on these, but I picked them up recently during a 45% off sale and am decently impressed by them. At 1/3 of the price of the J.Crew Minnie's, I like that the slim crops are made of a slightly thicker material and thus, give me a little extra warmth without too much bagging. Being short makes it hard to really buy a pair of crops and expect them to fit properly in length so I usually aim for more of an ankle pant by sticking with the regular inseam versions (I actually wonder why Gap would even use a model that is boasting the "awkward" length on the product page...). They're not the perfect pair of pants for my figure, but pairing them with heels helps me stay away from the stumpy, kiddy look that I'm usually guilty of. For $27ish dollars, it was a completely worthy buy and has been in constant rotation! So yes, it's been cold, but with some rather warm materials, I've still been able to get away with wearing cropped sweaters and pants.

And as a bonus and proof that Janice can still wear pretty normal outfits to work despite the snow, see below for a quick way to liven up winter outfits:

Club Monaco ruffle blouse (XS) and the infamous J.Crew placket cardigan (XXS)

It's always a great idea to inject some color into an otherwise grey/black ensemble via a vibrant top. I've been guilty of not taking advantage of my ability to wear some pretty fun things to work, but will be making more of an effort to be more creative once I'm fully recovered! New Year's resolution is to take more risks with my clothes, so hopefully my outfits won't be as boring anymore... Cali and NYC girls, what are you wearing to stay warm these days?

Resolute Beauty 2011

Some people don't like writing down new years resolutions but I've found them pretty effective, personally. They need to be specific and countable ("read 7 books" instead of just "read more"). In addition to my normal resolutions, I also have some beauty resolutions that I wanted to share for 2011:

1) My undereye area has been irritated a lot recently; the skin is dry and sometimes takes on a slight rashy look. Concealer can crease in the cracks of skin and makes me look tired and old. I need to figure out why this is happening and find a sensitive eye cream that both provides moisture and doesn’t irritate the skin.

2) My acne has been under control ever since my drastic lifestyle change last year, but some red marks and scars still remain. This year, I am determined to find effective creams or serums to lighten the marks, smooth out my overall skintone and also prevent new ones from appearing

3) Build up a small but useful arsenal of nail polishes (~5) for at-home manicures. I've got my eye on Essie's Wicked (vampy so-dark-red-its-practically-bruised), Eternal Optimist (pink-rose beige that is really pretty against my skin), and Jazz (milky greige). Maybe a few Chanel polishes too =P

Suggestions are welcome to help achieve my resolutions!! Does anyone else have any beauty resolutions for 2011??