Fan-shion

The things I dream

2011-07-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

I’m inside at the entrance of boutique. I am trying to figure out the name of this place because I swear I know most of the boutiques in Seattle. As I make my way into the boutique I realize from the red strike ink on a few price tags that a sale is taking place. I sale?! I turn to the closest rack and start browsing through some dresses. I realize I actually like most of what I am seeing. I take another glance around the store and this time it seems bigger than before. I return to the rack full of colorful dresses and start going through them, a little faster now and then I hear this loud noise. It's a fire alarm. What the h??? A fire alarm in the middle of a sale? I didn't care. I start picking the dresses I really liked and placed them over my other arm (that's how I roll). I’m making my way through the store kinda in a rush now. I look around and no one is reacting to the fire alarm so I keep shopping and the entire time I am sooo... annoyed! This barking alarm is in my ear at full blast and I want to storm up to a sales associate and tell them to shut it off. Then I hear a voice in the distance. Hey, hey... it starts to get cloudy and I’m hearing the voice more clearly. Hey, you're going to be late for work. The barking alarm is still at full blast and then I realize it's my alarm clock. He reaches over to shut it off. You didn't hear the alarm? It was going off for 5 minutes. Clearly not!

So world, these are the things I dream of - shopping. Even in my dreams I shop and no fire alarm is going to stop me... or in this case, my alarm clock.

Happy Friday!

5 Things...

2011-04-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

I picked up this idea from Emily at Cupcake and Cashmere. I thought it would be a good way to get me to blog more frequently (as we know I’m horrible at doing).

It’s been a rough week for me. Lots of big changes happening all at once and I’m having a difficult time handling it all…

One of my besties moved back home to sunny southern California. It’s only been a day since she’s been gone but all the built up emotions leading to her departure has gotten the best of me. If I didn’t love my job so much, I’d probably pick up and flow her.

I purchased a new car! I didn’t realize how stressful the entire process can be. It took me only a few hours of browsing online to decide on the car I wanted; however, it was all the negotiating on the price of trading in my car to the price of my new car that almost gave me a meltdown. In the end I got my way and am so happy with my new car. I’ve taken two mini road trips and it runs so smooth. Plus it’s wonderful on gas.

It’s time for new glasses! I picked this Prada frame. I look like a Wii character in them though. LOL.

This is my new view from my second home… also known as work. I’m going to be moving soon and got a tour of the new office space this week. I am excited to be close to everything again although it will be dangerous for my wallet.

... and saving the best for last, my new pair of shoes! What does a girl do when she feels sad? Buy a new pair of shoes! These beautiful Rebecca Taylor blue suede heels took my breath away. As soon as I brought them home I put them on and cleaned my apartment with them. They do hurt a little because of the dip but it’s so worth it!

Happy Friday!

Black and Blue

2011-03-28T21:44:00.000-07:00

(Coat: Powder Room, Gloves & Tights: Nordstrom, Dress: Sway and Cake and Shoes: Badgley Mischka)
I'm pretty happy about my coat and jacket collection. I have a fair amount of different styles and colors to match whatever outfit I may wear. This one is by far my favorite though.

For Japan With Love

2011-03-17T16:05:00.000-07:00

Everyone knows I have an awful memory. I can't remember a lot of things and am very forgetful. However, I can tell you exactly what I was doing one week ago today. I was coming home late after 12+ hours of working my full time job and my photography job. I was tired but happy. I decided I wanted to write Friday's post so I mustered up the energy to turn on my laptop, the TV and write. As my laptop was booting, the TV caught my eyes. Live streaming of an aggressive tsunami was swiping Japan. I remember thinking, what movie is this? Then I realized the news was on. I was shock. The first thing that came to my mind was my mom and my sisters. No they don't live in Japan nor do I have relatives who do but I had the sudden urge to make sure my family was ok... and today I can only imagine what the people of Japan as gone through.
There are so many ways to help Japan and here’s another way I am helping… bloggers day of silence. Tomorrow I will not be blogging. If you have a blog, join us if you can… http://www.forjapanwithlove.com/ or donate http://www.shelterbox.org/
Every little bit helps…
xoxo

PS. Thanks to Tiffany for sharing this... For Japan with Love.

Working Girl

2011-03-17T09:38:00.000-07:00

(Kenneth Cole dress, Michael Kors button up shirt, Betsey Johnson tights, Badgley Mischka shoes)

I held my first corporate job when I was 18 and fresh out of high school. It was at a law firm so you can only imagine the shock on my face when I read the dress code. I think it was something like this: nude nylons, black or white button up shirt, dress or skirt (below the knee), etc. As I read this three thoughts came into my head: 1) boring, boring, boring; 2) they want me to dress like an old lady and 3) I wonder if I can get away with wearing the same outfit every day. LOL. Although it was difficult to adjust to this strict dress code as an 18 year old, I managed to stay there through the first two years of college and even grew to liking the dress code. Crazy I know! I moved on to another corporation that had absolutely no dress code and I stuck out like a sore thumb! Looking back I am glad I had that as my first experience. It helped me build a good foundation with my work attire and taught me early on to invest in quality clothes.

Lazy Sunday

2011-03-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

(Nordstrom: diamond studs, rain boots, jacket and pink top. F21 flower (which i turned into a belt) and tutu. Betsey Johnson tights.)
Yesterday, I had the perfect Sunday. I slept in, had dimsum with my favorite girlfriend, went to church, had dinner with a cute boy at my favorite Italian restaurant, Pasta Bella in upper Queen Anne and laid on the couch and watched silly cartoon shows. All in that order. :)
It’s been raining a lot lately making me very unmotivated to dress up or want to go anywhere. I’m even getting lazy with my hair!

Five Things I Need More Time For…

2011-03-11T10:15:00.000-08:00

One. Organizing my shoes… Right now they are a mess! Storage space is limited in my apartment therefore the majority of my shoes are stored in their original boxes on my bedroom floor… not in a neat way either. Badgley Mischka Karlise Bow Shoes

Two. Lookbook photos... Oh my gosh! It’s so much work when you are your own photographer… even with a remote! Sad face. F21 Faux fur vest and the dress I bought in a boutique in LA

Three. Painting my nails… My BFF commented that I need to stop wasting money on getting my nails professional painted every week so I compromised. I paint my own nails one week and the next week I go get them professional done. This week was my week to paint my own nails (which I didn’t have time to do); however, this weekend I am going to take my mom with me for a mani and pedi.

Four. Reading my fashion magazines... Every month they just pile up and look pretty.

Five. Saying yes to shooting more fashion shows… Last night I photographed the Fashion Roulette fashion show for the AIA Seattle and it made me realize how far I have drifted from doing what I love. I’ve been so focused and inundated with my eight to five gig that I forgot about how much I love shooting runway shows. I get this crazy rush, the butterflies and this ridiculous smile… it’s a feeling of its own which is only felt when I am standing in the photographer’s pit (crowded, squished and all).

What do you need to make more time for?

Window Shopping: Nordstrom

2011-03-10T00:30:00.000-08:00

i will have what she's having... all the above please.

Charmed...

2011-03-09T01:00:00.000-08:00

every girl needs a lucky charm...

Little Girl Big Girl Shoes

2011-03-08T10:00:00.000-08:00

Vivienne Westwood baby shoes

Barbie Shoes

Five Things I Love...

2011-03-04T02:40:00.000-08:00

one - the chanel display i spotted at nordstroms (pictured above)

two - my two careers: one gives me the challenges i love and the other gives me the creative freedom i need

three - flowers. esp delivered to my door!

four - my blog

five - fridays!!!

happy friday my loves!

A Rendez-vous with Hermes Craftsmen

2011-03-01T02:42:00.000-08:00

what an amazing experience - getting to watch the craftsmanship of 14 different hermes products including the birkin bag! initially i was excited to see the birkin bag but after watching over 10 print screens with fresh paint create one silk scarf, i had a real appreciation for the beauty of hermes’ scarfs.

Rain Boots

2011-02-28T03:00:00.000-08:00

dressing for the cold and wet weather has been fun especially with my favorite red rain boots! i went to starbucks this morning and a little girl who was in line with her mom behind me was eying my boots. i over heard her asking her mom in her best whisper, ‘mommy, can you ask her where she got her rain boots? i want a pair too!’ i turned around and told her. we converse throughout our time in line about my rain boots and my dress. it was so cute and it totally made my day.

dress: la boutique, rain boots: banana republic, coat: forever21, scarf: vintage

Lighter Hair Color

2011-02-26T03:02:00.000-08:00

this is my second time ever putting color in my hair and i love it!

my inspiration board

2011-02-23T03:04:00.000-08:00

over valentine’s weekend, my sisters and i got together to create inspiration boards. not only is an inspiration board a good way to capture all the beautiful things that inspire you, it’s also a great way to find your style. after observing my board, i learn that i love color, ruffles and dresses. i would define my style as romantic and girlie.

oldie but goodie

2011-02-01T09:43:00.001-08:00

i've had this lace dress since my sophmore year in high school. i don't want to date myself but that was about 10 years ago! i can't remember where i got it (and that's not surprising because i can't remember what i did yesterday). i was pretty darn proud of myself when i learned that it still fits! these pictures are part of a 30 day self-portrait challenge i'm doing but i thought i'd share my happy moment.

currently reading...

2011-01-12T10:30:00.000-08:00

what would audrey do?

All Dressed in Black

2011-01-10T19:04:00.001-08:00

(vintage coat, forever21 dress, nordstrom tights and cynthia rowley booties)

two facts about me: i wear a lot of black and i work a lot. on days i don't have the luxury to put effort into my outfit, i mix and match the different textures of black pieces i have and it makes a polish outfit.

angelia jolie said it best in the december issue of vogue, 'as brad’ll tell you—and my kids—apparently mommy only wears black,' she says. because she was a goth, right? no, she says, it’s utilitarian, it’s practical: 'i like to get up so every pair of pants goes with every top, every dress goes with every shoe.'

Holiday 2010

2011-01-07T13:49:00.000-08:00

I took a blog hiatus during the holidays because life got hectic. However, I want to share with you the highlights…

My white Christmas tree with a personalize ornament I got a few years ago from Girlie Girl Gifts. I change my color theme every year and this year I picked red and gold with my white tree.

If you’re ever in the downtown Seattle area I recommend you checking out the Tiffany’s on 6th and pike. The displays are breathtaking! This one was my favorite from the holiday display.

One of my favorite holiday traditions is to visit the gingerbread houses at the downtown Sheraton. This one was my favorite.

We were snowed in for a few days during the week of Thanksgiving. The cold temperatures hung around several days later leaving everything frozen.

The fifth annual burlesque show at the Triple Door. I was able to grab a photo with Ruby from the Atomic Bombshells. I love these girls! They are so talented and their costumes are amazing!

Posing with Luly Yang at the O'Christmas Tree Gala in front of her tree. Each doll wore a miniature version of her latest couture collection.

My sister had her baby on Christmas morning!

I had 10 days off between Christmas and NYE; however, it was spent sick. :(

Sparkle!

2011-01-05T22:07:00.000-08:00

(nordstrom faux fur coat, forever21 dress, betsey johnson tights and bcbg heels)

Happy new year! I sparkled in a Forever21 sequin dress and kept warm in a faux fur coat I scored at Nordstrom. NYE in Seattle was cold... so cold that my bestie and I canceled going out altogether. However, we were able to have a delish dinner at Pasta Bella in Upper Queen Anne and watch the fireworks at Kerry Park. I hope you had a wonderful new year celebration!

Red Lips...

2010-11-02T16:29:00.000-07:00

I've always loved red lipstick but never thought I could pull it off. After trying on several different shades for my Halloween costume I finally settled on this one I've had stashed in my makeup box for years. Before Halloween, I mustered the courage to wear it out to town for happy hour and got a few compliments. It's amazing what red lipstick can do for you! :)

Stripes and Ruffles

2010-06-29T22:39:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've done a lookbook post. Mainly because two weeks of my outfits were nothing but a bikini (I was in Hawaii enjoying the beach) and the last two weeks were boring work clothes with really cute shoes but I was too busy to snap a picture.

I picked out this cute black and white striped dress at Peridot Boutique . I loved the draping on the hips. Because I hold most of my excessive weight on my upper body (yep, that's my big secret), I loved that this dress took away from that part of my body and focused on my hips.

Here's the detail of my dress. I also love the crazy side zipper.

I paired up my cute black and white striped dress with my new Badgley Mischka shoes! I love the ruffles on the back of the shoes. The material is leather and it's super soft. I've worn these shoes about a hand full of time and I get a ton of compliments every time. :)

Clarisonic Blog Launch Party featuring the Opal

2010-06-23T22:06:00.000-07:00

Tonight I joined my fellow fabulous fashion friends at Spa Scotta for Clarisonic's Blog Launch Party featuring their newest product - the Opal sonic infusion system. Spa Scotta was giving free manis and Clarisonic was giving demonstrations of the Opal. Unfortunately due to my late arrival, all the spots for free manis were taken for the evening which left me free to socialize...

Sydney, Darrah, Shaloone, Tarah, Me, Jessie and Erin.
I will keep you posted on my Clarisonic experience...

P.S. Look at how dark I got from my Hawaii vacation!

Updates...

2010-06-21T17:34:00.000-07:00

Here's what I've been up to the past few weeks:
1) I took a two week vacation to Oahu with my fabulous girlfriends! One of the most relaxing and longest vacation I’ve ever taken.
2) After much thought, interviews and insane moments (which I will spare you the details of) between a career change from HR to the fashion retail industry, I decided to stick to HR.
3) I got a great new job which is keeping me really busy!
4) My photography gigs have been picking up tremendously so I’ve been pretty busy shooting during the evenings and on the weekends which leaves me little time to blog.

----------------------------------------

I read this Q&A in Instyle with Jude Law and thought it would be fun to complete…

Itching to work with… creative people.
Favorite designer… for clothes, I shop mostly at local boutiques but for shoes, I've been lusting over a few Christian Louboutins which I will be purchasing one for myself on my birthday!
Signature scent… Jessica Simposon - my love. Smell it before you judge it!
Cosmetics essentials…M.A.C. cream eye liner
Necessary extravagance… facials and spa days
Happy I bought… my ticket to my next vacation which is in two weeks. :)
Recent splurge… Badgley Mischka shoes!
Wishing I could… be better at working out consistantly and eating healthier.
Craving… strawberries dipped in chocolate and a martini!
Can’t put down… my iPhone.
Listening to… my rhapsody account.
Caffeine of choice… coffee.
If I weren’t in my current career... of HR and photography, I would be doing something creative and probably be getting more sleep. :)

Seattle Fashion Week: Vera Wang

2010-05-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

Last week was a crazy one. I was super busy with my 8 to 5 gig, I was booked four days with photography assignments, and I was scheduled to shoot all three nights of Seattle Fashion Week. But it was well worth it! Besides, I have a little secret: I love being busy. :)

For those of you who missed Seattle Fashion Week, I'd have to say the highlight out of the three nights of fashion would be Vera Wang's collection. The fabulous designer herself wasn't present; however, Apolo Ohno did model in her collection to compensate. While shooting, I couldn't help but lust over each gown. I want to throw a tea party and invite all my fashion friends over to play dress up!

Below is the entire collection. Joy!

PS - All photos were taken by me. If you'd like to use them, please ask. Thanks!

Sex and the City 2

2010-05-17T12:47:00.001-07:00

Photo from SATC2 website

The girls are back!!! Well, on May 28th at a theater near you. :) I am thrilled!

I love Sex and the City and own all the seasons. When I am at home, or at the besties' house, I always have it playing in the background. It's an absolute distraction and I usually don't get much done (housework, editing photos, and such) even though I've seen it a million times. The dating, the girl talks, the careers, the fashion and the correlation of it all to reach your 'happy ending' is what fascinates me. I always feel like I learn a valuable lesson after each episode to reach towards the end goal of finding happiness. You know, whether that happiness be a pair of Manolo or finding your soul mate.

I realized something the other day while I was talking to a friend: None of my girlfriends watch Sex and the City nor are they as crazy about it as I am. Last year when SATC movie came out, I bought all my sisters a ticket and forced them to watch it with me. This year I will be out of town when it releases but I don't mind being a solo midnight ticket holder. :)

In celebration of SATC 2 and for my own overly-excited-little-school-girl-screaming-in-the-inside reasons, here are my favorite quotes from SATC:

Later that day I got to thinking about relationships. There are those that open you up to something new and exotic, those that are old and familiar, those that bring up lots of questions, those that bring you somewhere unexpected, those that bring you far from where you started, and those that bring you back. But the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous.

Maybe some women aren't meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free til they find someone just as wild to run with them.

It's really hard to walk in a single woman's shoes -- that's why you sometimes need really special shoes!

Maybe the past is like an anchor holding us back. Maybe, you have to let go of who you were to become who you will be.

It would be childish of us to deny that our lives weren't changing. But for this night, none of us were going anywhere. That's the thing about really good friends and a really great Manhattan.

I've spent $40,000 on shoes and I have no place to live? I will literally be the old woman who lived in her shoes!

I like my money right where I can see it--hanging in my closet.

No matter who broke your heart, or how long it takes to heal, you'll never get through it without your friends.

When it comes to relationships, maybe we're all in glass houses, and shouldn't throw stones. Because you can never really know. Some people are settling down, some are settling and some people refuse to settle for anything less. Than butterflies...

Lookbook: Ready for Spring

2010-04-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

The sun in Seattle is learning to break free from its shyness. We’ve been getting some sunshine lately but with that comes the big question: what should I wear? Although I love the tights, tunic and boots look I have been sporting all winter, I have to admit I’m getting pretty tired of it. It’s becoming a dull routine to throw it on and not even think twice about. On top of that it’s also gotten me to become l-a-z-y!

I picked up this coat from Queen Anne Dispatch, a boutique on upper Queen Anne awhile ago and I’ve been touching it every time I look through my closet in anticipation for its debut (it is super soft). We got a little sunshine this weekend and I was finally able to bring it out. What I love most about this coat is the girlie affect it gives. I love the way it flows at the bottom and the detail of the hooks to close the coat are beautiful.

I paired up this coat with a simple summer dress and gladiator heels. Thank goodness I keep up with my pedicures and was able to wear open toe shoes! :) The polish color matched my dress but it wasn't intentional.

Window Shopping: Downtown Seattle

2010-04-07T06:36:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to do is walk around downtown with my camera and snap photos of pretty things. I prefer to do this at night because I like the focal lighting the stores provide for their displays and the reflection isn't has harsh.

Manolo Blahnik flats at Mario's.

'If you speak fashion, you speak Italian.' Mario's window display.

The Garden Collection at H&M.

The Butterfly Dress by Luly Yang.

I love this feather skirt at Nordstrom.

Nordstrom display.

Marc Jacob handbag displayed at Nordstrom.

Shoes at Louis Vuitton.

Sway and Cake.

Lookbook: Oh So Posh!

2010-04-05T09:55:00.000-07:00

Victoria Beckham's Fall 2010 Ready-to-Wear collection was one of my favorites! I loved the body-hugging silhouette that created the hour glass look even if you didn't have a curvy body. Overall, I found her designs were simply classic and easy to pull off by accessorizing with the right shoes or jewelry.

I have been keeping my eyes out for a dress similar to the designs of Victoria Beckham and was thrilled to find this number at the Powder Room for 1/10 of the price! It's a simple black dress made with wool. There are two side pockets that pop out on the hips. To accentuate the midsection, I added a black sash.

(p.s. sorry about the dark indoor photo. we haven't had the best weather lately.)

I wore this special number out to dinner at the Melting Pot which is located on lower Queen Anne. The Melting Pot is a fondue restaurant and if you've been wanting to try it, now would be the perfect time. They are currently having a $70 per couple special that includes a three course meal and a bottle of wine.

You mean we have to cook our own food? This is ridiculous!!! j/k! :)

We started our first course with the cheddar cheese fondue. We had apples, bread and veggies to dip. It was surprising good.

Our main course was an herbal broth which we used to dip our salmon, chicken, beef and shrimp. We also had a variety of veggies boiling during the course of the meal.

Dessert is not included so you'll have to order it separately. It was so yummy and worth it! I was so full by the time dessert came but I forced myself to indulge because this was the real reason why I wanted to try the Melting Pot. :)

Winter Kate

2010-03-30T21:09:00.000-07:00

Nicole Richie was at the Seattle downtown Nordstrom this past Saturday promoting her new apparel collection - Winter Kate (which is her daughter's middle names). She is super petite and pretty in person. I loved her brunette hair!

The Winter Kate collection features 40 pieces including maxi dresses, cardigans, tunics and camisole.

My favorite piece is the the wrap maxi dress on the far left. I would love to wear this piece on vacation somewhere warm.

You can find Winter Kate at all Nordstrom location. You can view the collection online here.

Lookbook: Luly Yang Silk Scarf

2010-03-09T09:10:00.000-08:00

I got this blue silky scarf last year in my goodie bag when I attended Luly Yang's Annual Couture show. It's really soft and pretty but I wasn't sure how I'd be able to wear it since I've never accessorized my outfits with a scarf. I went to Romy's Boutique and found this beautiful satin dress and thought, 'maybe this would work really well with my scarf' and it did.

The Look...
Romy's Boutique Dress
Luly Yang Scarf
Guess Heels
Nordstrom Pearls
Charlotte Russel Ring

Oscars: Best dress goes to...

2010-03-08T14:15:00.000-08:00

There were so many beautiful people at the Oscars last night and I think the gowns were a big improvement from the Golden Globes. After browsing hundreds (yes, hundreds) of photos and looking at every detail from hair to jewelry, my best dress award goes to actress Anna Kendrick. I think the photos below will do the justice as to why I picked her. Anna is wearing Elie Saab - one of my favorite couture designers.

I love the color on her skin.

Look at the details of that dress. It has beautiful romantic draping.

I like the flowy train.

She kept her hair and make up soft and rosy which goes very well with the dress and didn't overpower her look.

All her accessories were light and simple including the beautiful clutch.

Photos by Zimbo

What were your favorite looks?

Project Pink

2010-03-04T09:07:00.000-08:00

Last month I made the decision to drop out of fashion school. Long story short, it was too expensive and because I had recently graduated from business school I didn't want to burn myself out again with trying to juggle school and work full time. I did this throughout my five years in college and it took a heavy toll on my health. In the end I came to the conclusion that my health is so much more important to me and I can find other ways for my creative outlet.

At the beginning of this year, I started a Project 365 with my hobby in photography and decided that I should also do that with my love for design. Of course, it would be very difficult for me to try and design or create something everyday (because it's already tough for me to snap a photo a day, yeah imagine that) so instead I'm going to focus on one project per month. Last month I made my Shoe Couture. This month's project I'm calling it Project Pink.

My friend went to Thailand a year ago and brought me back some beautiful Thai silk fabrics. This one in particular is my favorite and I have been saving it for something special.

After browsing numerous patterns at my local Joanne's, I decided this would be the perfect skirt to make with my pink fabric. See letter B.

I've cut the pattern into the necessary pieces and laid them out for pinning.

This is as far as I've gotten these past three days. I'm sure if I was forced to sit down everyday I could get it done within the three days but my busy work schedule has me working from 8am to 7pm so when I get home I'm exhausted. I will keep you posted...

Window Shopping: Nordstrom

2010-02-25T00:09:00.000-08:00

Whenever I need a 'pick me up' and have maxed out of my shopping budget, I take my camera and walk around downtown for some eye candy. One of my favorite places to see is the downtown Nordstrom displays. They always captivate me and draw me in to analyze every shoe, handbag, etc. being showcased. As you can imagine, I look like Holly Golightly (Hepburn) eating her breakfast outside of Tiffany's.

Lookbook: On the Bright Side...

2010-02-23T14:19:00.000-08:00

The Look...
Peridot Boutique dress
Aldo's heels
Nordstrom Coat
Nordstrom Pearl Earrings
I'm not sure where I got the headband

Seattle was blessed with sunshine and warm temperature this past week which inspired me to play with spring fashion. I have been loving all the nude fabrics on the runway shows and when I saw this dress at Periodot Boutique in lower Queen Anne (one of my favorite boutiques), I fell in love with it. The top is a sheer nude fabric and I love the pleating on the skirt.

What are some spring trends you are looking forward to wearing?

Girl Power Hour: Love You Event

2010-02-22T14:17:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday I headed over to downtown's Banana Republic to attend Girl Power Hour, an all women's networking event. The theme was titled 'Love You'. Ten lucky girls were chosen to take part in a makeover and revealed their transformation through a fashion show at the event. The stylist team for the makeovers consisted of local women in the Seattle fashion industry such as Tiffany from iamstyle.com, Rachel from vuesociety.com and Sydney from sydlovesfashion.com.

Here are some looks from the fashion show...

All photos taken by me. For more information about the Girl Power Hour event visit girlpowerhour.com.

Shoe Couture

2010-02-17T05:30:00.000-08:00

I spent numerous weeks obsessing over the exquisite shoes featured in the Valentino Spring 2010 RTW Collection before deciding that I needed to do something about it. Purchasing a pair for myself was completely out of the question ($1,000+ for one) so I decided that I was going to make my own! At first, I wanted to duplicate my favorite design but found that I didn’t have the time to figure out the exact fabric / materials the designer had used plus I didn't want to be a copy cat so I decided the shoes were going to be my inspiration.

Here’s how I did it...

Because I’m a visual person, I put it all onto an inspiration board. (I love inspiration boards and I have one for almost every project I’ve started.) First, I printed off the images of the shoes I loved the most. As you can tell I favored the black laced shoes in comparison to the nudes. Then I sketched out a drawing of how I wanted my shoe to look. Last, I went to my local Joanne’s and picked the fabrics and materials.

Here’s a breakdown of the materials. I had two different pieces of fabric: chantilly lace and tulle. Other materials included pins, scissors, needle and thread and fabric glue. With the chantilly lace, I created two flowers for each shoe, then I glued a piece of the lace onto the front of the shoe.

(Photo by Steve Madden)

I looked in my shoe closet and picked my Steve Madden black pumps that I’ve only worn once similar to this one. I was too excited to start my project and forgot to take a before photo of my shoes.

And here they are!!! They don't look anything like Valentino's but that's okay. I wanted the design to reflect me and I love how it turned out.

NOTE: This is not a DIY tutorial hence the limited details.

Lookbook: Valentine's Day

2010-02-15T18:11:00.001-08:00

The Look...
Forever 21 Blazer
Forever 21 Silk Shirt
Queen Anne Dispatch Lace Skirt
Guess Heels
Nordstrom Pearl Earrings
I'm not sure where I got the Lace & Chain Necklace

Happy Valentine's Day! This year I opt out of wearing red or pink and decided to wear my most loved fabric: lace! I love lace and as I was deciding on what to wear that morning, I realized I had a lot of it in my closet. I absolutely love this lace skirt! I got it at Queen Anne Dispatch, a fashion boutique in my neighborhood. I paired it up with a silky shirt, a blazer and accessorized it with pearls and my satin Guess heels.

P.S. I gained a new accessory: braces. They will be on for the next three years!

Valentine’s Day was pretty low key for me. I was wide awake at 7am (not my norm on a weekend) and was able to go for a run. I then went to church, met up with my best friend and had brunch at Emmer&Rye. I really wanted to do a full day at the spa; however, all my favorite places were booked. I still scheduled my spa day though. Unfortunately it isn’t until the 28th of this month.

What did you do for Valentine’s day?

Beauty is Only Skin Deep…

2010-02-03T09:50:00.000-08:00

Or so I’ve been told but there is some truth to that statement (literally) because there is nothing beautiful about caked on concealer and powder to hide a horrendous breakout! You know the look. It doesn’t matter how well you know how to ‘cover up’ a blemish, look close enough and it’s obvious… obviously there. This year I made a promise to myself that I would take better care of my skin specifically my face and so far so good…

1. Always wash my make-up off before going to bed. I have always been really good at doing this since I started wearing make-up in my teenage years but it’s always a nice reminder. Because I wear a good amount of eye make-up: eyeliner, mascara, multiple eye shadows, and some days false lashes; I use a make up remover to take off all my eye make-up before using my face wash. I do this because it’s less harsh on my already sparse eyelashes and my eyes don’t need the scrubbing my face does.

2. Exfoliate once a week. I love the way my face feels after I exfoliate. It’s smooth and glowing. I’m not always good at remembering to exfoliate because of I am super forgetful but I make an effort to put a post-it on my bathroom mirror whenever I remember it during the week. Clearing dead skin off my face is a good enough reason for me.

3. Maintain my facials. This can get expensive fast but it is so worth it. I use to have horrible skin until I started seeing my esthetician who had way better recommendation than my dermatologist. She was so wonderful I even booked my best friend (who is a male) an appointment and he loved her. I started seeing her and after 3 months my face was completely cleared and under control. Plus it’s therapeutic to me.

4. Take care of my eyes. I have bad dark circles and they’ve always been this way since I could remember. On top of a really good concealer, I use Clique’s All About Eyes in the AM and PM or whenever I need a boost and it helps. However, lately I’ve been thinking of finding an anti-aging eye cream because it’s never too late to start preventive measures.

5. Maintain a healthy diet. It’s true: you are what you eat and if I start eating greasy food and drinking too much soda or coffee, you can easily tell not only in my waistline but my face. I look dehydrated from lack of h2o and I start breaking out. Yuk!

6. Always wear SPF. I will not go outside without wearing SPF. Period. SPF not only is great for preventing skin cancer but it also helps keep my uneven skin tone under control. I try to wear at least SPF 30 on my face.

7. Get enough sleep. When I lack sleep not only do I look tired but my dark circles are horrible (see #4) and I start to break out, etc. etc. so to prevent the downhill spiral, I try to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night.

What are some things that you do to keep your face looking flawless?

Seattle Wedding Expo

2010-01-18T22:00:00.000-08:00

As maid of honor, I've been going to a few wedding expos. My favorite part isn't sampling the food or cakes, it's the fashion show! Since my bride has already gotten her dress picked out, we use the fashion show as a nice break from completing 'the list' of vendors. :)

Here are some dresses that I liked...

I love the simplicity of this dress. It's a classic and any girl would look good wearing it. I also love the feather in her hair. The amount was perfect.

This is the ultimate princess dress!

I like the tiers on this dress. I might add a color sash to it though because my problem area is my mid-section and that would help make it look smaller.

Everything about this look is perfect with one exception - the length. I'm not too crazy about tea-length (gown hemmed to the end of the shin) because for someone short, it makes you look even shorter.
PS - Sorry about the head in the photo. I sat third row behind the runway and was consistently dodging heads for a great shot. :)

Dresses that I wasn't to crazy about...

I love Carrie, you love Carrie but I think I have to agree with Samantha and say, 'I love me more'... and with that I think your dress should reflect you and your style, not Carrie's.

I don't like the dress or the veil; however, I have to say I love the model's big bright smile and the bouquet.

Note: Photos taken by me. :)

Pattern Draping...

2010-01-06T13:51:00.001-08:00

is how I spent my Tuesday night.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T13:12:00.001-08:00

I hope you had a wonderful New Year celebration!

Last week, I was reflecting on 2009 and I couldn’t come to terms on whether or not I would call it a great year or horrible year. However, tonight as I walked pass the beautiful window display of my new school, I decided that 2009 was good to me. I did end the year with the best news ever – I got accepted to fashion school!

Today was my very first day and I had butterflies in my stomach because I’ve been dreaming of this since I could remember...

I know 2010 is going to be a great year!

Fan-shion

2009-07-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

fan·shion: (fansh'ən)
-noun, verb
1. Fan of Fashion.