Easy layering essentials

1. Sleeveless dress: for the hot flashes; let those sweaty arms air out after running around town

2. Cardigan: to stay comfy in air-conditioned environment
3. Long coat: for the chilly walk in the early mornings and late evenings

Do share your favorite layering pieces.

The lengthy debate

The usual guideline is if you're petite, shorter hemlines are preferred to lengthen the legs. However, I'm always debating this because shorter lengths are not always appropriate and sometimes the legs just don't look that great (flabby thighs, cellulite-showing, pasty, crooked, bruised, veiny, etc.). So here's me attempting different hemlines to see what really is the best length? 

A) MINI-SHORT SHORTS - not appropriate for work, but good for hot summer weekends

B) MID-THIGH - shhh, actually wearing an underslip dress here

 C) KNEE-LENGTH - this is realistically how I normally dress to work

D) MIDI-MID-CALF - the only midi-length items I own now are gaucho (or culottes) lounge pants

  E) FLOOR-LENGTH - wish I had a black maxi-dress for more consistency

Hmm...after looking at these photos, I really can't decide what looks better. The infamous midi length is probably the least flattering. However, there are probably ways to make midi-length more pleasing like wearing heels instead of flats. Anyhow...

Does length really matter?

What do you think is the best or worst?

(Featuring customize whale-print tote from my favorite Etsy tote-maker: NancyPKdesigns)

What's with Anthropologie?

I grew up wishing to be an "Anthropologie" girl, that someday I would make enough money to afford their beautiful depicted items. The wonderful catalogs made me believe their style was a cut above the rest with the unique details and sumptuous colors. In my small world, Anthropologie meant luxury. In a way, I'm also grateful that Anthropologie has been a huge factor in shaping my own personal style.

Although I still find their catalogs art-worthy inspiring, I've been disappointed almost every time I've shopped in-store or online. Their items never seem worth their price tag....mostly due to crappy quality in person and bad fit. It almost feels like they tricked me with their catalogs. I admit they have a knack for choosing "interesting pretty" things to put in their store and catalog. But after shopping from them these past 6 years, I'm starting to think their inventory sources are probably the same stuff as Forever 21, but with hiked up prices...so they can maintain a really cool catalog each month and a really cool interior design in their physical stores.

For instance, I noticed this scarf today...

Veracruz Scarf $48

I knew I saw this somewhere before. Aha, Ping of All About Fashion Stuff bought this exact scarf from Forever 21 last year! It was probably around $12 or less at the time. 

I'm sad to say that I'm slowly "un-friending" Anthro...

Also disappointed of them after reading this incident from one of my favorite blogger, Life Unrefined.

When on vacation mode

1. Palm trees: sometimes I forget there are palm trees where I live. I was at my ophthalmologist's office the other day (to check on my first noticeable eye-floater...I'm getting old), and thought these palm trees outside the building were striking with the vivid blue sky and a light breeze. 

3. Pretty desserts: there's a bakery less than 10 minutes away from where I work that has homemade macarons. Their macarons are expensive, so I don't often eat there. But eh, when on vacation mood, you splurge right? Pictured are lemon and pumpkin spice flavors. I'm always attracted to pumpkin flavors!

The only thing I'm missing here is a cool architecture picture. For that stuff, I'll just spend time reading other people's travel adventures. My favorites so far are from Feather Factor. I feel like I'm there when I read her travel posts :) 

What travel blogs do you read? Do share! 

Sequins

I blame it on those sequined ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz for turning me into a little girl attracted to all things glittery...and the sparkly love affair continues as an adult!

Of course, being older and wiser, I've been trying to only add "neutral" sequined items in my wardrobe. Sequins are most wearable in black, pewter, muted gold, silver grey, blush, dusty lilac, and ivory in my opinion. The most memorable sparkly items from my favorite fashion bloggers include: I am Khatu's shorts, Extra Petite's skirt, Dress Up Files' dress, Confessions of a Call Center Gal's top, and maybe Classy Girls Wear Pearls glittery heels. 

So my recent sequin purchase was this Forever21 Sequined Sheer Back Top. I'm still debating if it's a keeper or not due to loose fit. Perhaps I can pull it off...

 Sequined Sheer Back Top

$19.80

Size Small - Gunmetal

The sequin top would be great for holiday parties, girls-night-out, or in my case...dancing Xbox 360 Kinect Michael Jackson style in my brother's gaming room (by myself, haha).

Also, here's some old magazine/catalog clippings I saved in my personal scrapbook, reminding me how timeless sequins are...