New Year, New Clothes, New Hair

Isabel Marant Samuel Sweater and cords, Isabel Marant x H&M boots, Alexander Wang x H&M backpack and sunglasses

It's not saying much considering my recent splurges on Hermes, Chanel etc, but this Isabel Marant Samuel knit is the only piece of clothing that I've bought this winter (since Alexander Wang x H&M). Usually I buy several pieces of Isabel Marant mainline / Etoile every season but fortunately this winter, there wasn't really anything on my must have list. I'm definitely more into her spring / summer clothes, given that I live in LA, and I still love and wear a ton the knits from a few seasons ago as well as the H&M collection. I do love this oversized Samuel sweater, it's one of her signature looks from the runway and I find the cream and bold wave graphic to be a refreshing pop amidst the usual dreary winter hues. Especially on second markdown from Barneys, it was a great score. Worn with a pair of her patchwork cords from several seasons ago, the fringe boots from the H&M collaboration, as well as some Alexander Wang x H&M: the leather backpack (that is actually K's christmas gift) and sunglasses.

Chopped off all my hair before Christmas. Every few years I get sick of the long hair and chop it off. Got a Sephora curling iron for Christmas which I've been using regularly along with some texture powder and / or dry shampoo for some waves, choppiness and texture for the longer front locks to keep it from looking too prim and proper.

Alexander Wang x H&M leather backpack

I have to admit that I overpaid on eBay for this Alexander Wang x H&M leather backpack before Christmas. Kicking myself because I could have bought it on launch day but didn't. In the end though, even with overpaying on eBay, it's still cheaper than any leather backpack out there this season. I've used it about as much as K has, it's really handy for all the toddler stuff I have to lug around without being overly heavy, plus both K and I can carry it (as opposed to my usual purses). The little rain cover has even come in handy as we were caught in an unexpected downpour over the weekend.

Logo Happy

Alexander Wang x H&M jacquard leggings, topshop tunic, Isabel Marant sneakers

I know I said I wasn't into the logo'd pieces from the Alexander Wang x H&M but I'm kinda loving these logo happy leggings from the collaboration. With little k in preschool a few days a week, I'm finally able to work out on a regular basis so a new pair of workout leggings was a practical purchase.  Had a great thanksgiving with the family, made a truffle turkey, cauliflower mashed potatoes with turkey gravy, apple chestnut cornbread stuffing, roasted root vegetables and a terrible icebox pumpkin pie (no thanks to GOOP). These nice compression leggings were perfect for the typical overstuffed thanksgiving feast.

Sporty Chic: Alexander Wang x H&M Perforated Top

Alexander Wang x H&M Perforated top, Lululemon leggings, Isabel Marant Prescott boots

The one Alexander Wang piece that I am keeping from my online purchase on launch day: the black perforated mesh long-sleeve top. I find this piece quintessentially Alexander Wang, sporty with a little bit of edge. Kept it simple and toned down for a casual family outing with black leggings, but would look great dressed up with a black short skirt and boots for a night out. I returned the t-shirt and tank top from my online purchase already; I didn't like the feel of the fabric and the drape of the tops. Most of this collaboration didn't work for me as I don't need sporty outerwear and can't see myself wearing clothes with "wang" plastered everywhere, so I'm quite content with the two pieces that I'm keeping from this collaboration, including this top. Pics of the other piece to come...

Alexander Wang x H&M Perforated top, Lululemon leggings, Isabel Marant Prescott boots

It's that time of year again...

My favorite time of year: the launch of the H&M Designer Collaboration. I didn't queue up before dawn as I did last year for Isabel Marant, but I managed to pick up a couple of items online from the comfort of my home as well as one piece in store after dropping little k off at preschool. I didn't go as crazy for this line as with previous collaborations, notably Isabel Marant and Lanvin, two of my favorite all time designers. I still wear pieces from those collaborations all the time. I definitely was not into any of the loud logo-d pieces of this collaboration, and my style isn't particularly sporty (unless I am actually working out). Nevertheless, I picked up a couple of pieces which are distinctively "Alexander Wang" albeit without the logos. Pics to come...

Alexander Wang x H&M

Roland Mouret for Banana Republic Review

Roland Mouret for Banana Republic colorblock One Shoulder dress, Isabel Marant Poppy pumps and Prada sunglasses

I have been a fan of Roland Mouret since he first shot to fame and one of my favorite dresses of all time that I own is from his Galaxy dress days. In fact, I remember trying on the infamous Galaxy dress at Bergdorf Goodman; gorgeous dress, but I could neither breathe nor sit down in it. I noticed his dresses again this last season at Neiman Marcus, and was intrigued when I heard he was doing a collaboration with Banana Republic. I hadn't set foot in a Banana Republic in several years, but stopped by the Third Street Promenade store the day the collaboration launched last week. This one shoulder dress was my favorite, the cut is relatively flattering and with an identifiable "Roland Mouret" silhouette and details, and I like the fun but tasteful colorblocking. It's not a perfect fit, a little too big in the rear and bunchy in the chest, but I can't really expect it to fit seamlessly. This is a size 2, probably my regular designer size these days. Size zero fit, but was a little hard to breathe in. I liked the bright pink strappy sheath dress online (the only style dress which struck me as identifiably Roland Mouret), but the bunchiness with the darts in the chest area is exacerbated with the lighter colors like the pink. The sheath dress runs a little larger, I am definitely a size 0 in that dress. Not really a fan of any of the other styles in the collaboration; they seemed more Banana Republic and less Roland Mouret. I wish the dress had been released earlier before the series of weddings that we attended this summer; I had been shopping endlessly for a wedding appropriate dress before settling on a lovely but plain blue Chloe dress, but this dress would have fit the bill quite nicely (at a far more reasonable price).

Spring Forward

Prabal Gurung for Target sleeveless blouse, Zara white mini skort, Swedish Hasbeens for H&M white sandals, Prada sunglasses and J Crew panama hat

Even though there's still a few more days of winter left here, it feels like spring already with the 80 degree weather over the weekend. Time to break out the whites and florals! I have this bucket bag in black (with red lining) already and just got this beautiful camel  (with an orange lining) color as well, perfect for spring! Can't believe I have two of the same bag, but I love it, it's roomy enough to carry all my toddler essentials and fun enough to wear out, I have been alternating between the two colors everyday!

Hello from Ximending

Zara jacket and mini skort, Peter Pilotto for Target tee

Just a typical morning in Taipei, strolling the streets of Ximending where we are staying, eating some oyster squid intestine noodles from the famous Ah Chung Mian Xian noodle stall. More love for this Zara skirt, perfect for traveling. I also really like this long sleeve tee from the Peter Pilotto for Target collaboration; the print is bold but not too overwhelming that goes with a lot and it's a soft and comfortable piece for layering.

Peter Pilotto for Target tee, Zara mini skort, Nike Frees

A Lotta Pilotto: Testing out the Crop Top Look

Peter Pilotto for Target cropped sweater, T by Alexander Wang skirt, MMM x H&M plexi heels and Prada sunglasses

I haven't worn a crop top in like 20 years, since the early 1990's, and maybe I should keep it that way. The crop top trend has been around for quite a few seasons now, at least back to the Spring 2012 runway shows, notably with Prada. Fortunately this time around, there are no exposed navels, that would just be way too Britney Spears and I am way too old for that. I guess it is not a fleeting, single season trend, so I decided to give it a shot with the Peter Pilotto for Target collaboration. This is the cropped sweater that caught my eye from the collaboration from an early look in Vogue, and it finally arrived after almost 2 weeks in transit (boo Target). It's not bad for $30, I like the simple blue white black pattern, and the lightweight knit is comfortable but even in an XS it is slightly big, slightly baggier and longer than I would like (the skirt waistband is right at my navel and I also have a long torso; surprised the sweater is still so long), but given that it is mostly cotton, I should be able to carefully shrink it a bit. I don't find high waisted pants / skirts comfortable, so maybe this is not the right look for me. Still not sure I would actually wear it out, but at least I gave it a shot.I think it's a little too much pattern with a Peter Pilotto x Target pencil skirt, would keep it simple with a black pencil skirt.

Peter Pilotto for Target Cropped Sweater and Pencil Skirt, MMM x H&M plexi hells and Prada Sunglasses

Some More Pilotto: Working Girl Flashbacks

Peter Pilotto for Target Pencil Skirt, Maison Martin Margiela x H&M sock sweater and plexi heels, Prada sunglasses

In honor of Peter Pilotto's FW 2014 London Fashion Week show, another Peter Pilotto for Target look. This would be a perfect work outfit; too bad I don't work in an office anymore. I pretty much wore a pencil skirt everyday to the office, and haven't worn one since. I just associate pencil skirts with work, not something I would wear everyday or even out to dinner / drinks. Despite that association, I like this skirt more than I thought I would; the fabric is a thick cotton that shows off the vibrant print well. Unfortunately, as mentioned in the post above, there's too much extra fabric in the back so it's not a keeper.

Interesting LFW show by Peter Pilotto today with some of the signature clashing prints, similar to this collaboration. Not sure how I feel about furry turtlenecks but I like some of the slinkier silhouettes in the collection.

A Little Pilotto + Rules for Shopping Designer Collabs

Peter Pilotto x Target colorblock cotton and mesh cardigan, Helmut Lang tee, Isabel Marant x H&M kids sweatpants, Isabel Marant Betty sneakers

So I know I said I wasn't staying up for the Peter Pilotto x Target release as there were no must have items for me from the collection, but k was working late that Saturday and woke me up when he came in around 1am, so I hopped online to check it out on first Net-a-porter then Target.com. The styling and descriptions were much better on Net-A-Porter, plus I trust that the buyers at Net-A-Porter bought only the best pieces from the collaboration so it was a good starting point. A couple of the items were more expensive on Net-A-Porter than on Target so I ultimately ordered a bunch of items from Target.com, just so I could check out the quality, fit and style in the hopes of finding them on sale. Only half of my order has arrived, the rest is delayed "due to weather." Now that I've shopped a bunch of these collaborations, I have a couple of rules that I try to stick with. First of all, especially with the Target collabs, I try to buy pieces that are at least 50% cotton. The 100% polyester pieces just feel a little icky, they are usually staticky, wrinkle easily and cling in the wrong places. Second, also with the Target collabs, always go with the smallest size; Target sizing always runs big for me and sometimes even the smallest size doesn't fit, and I don't consider myself particularly "petite." Third, keep only the pieces that you love that are sold out online, as the Target collaborations are often found on the clearance racks; I've scored several pieces in the past from Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung for up to 70% off. Fourth, be wary of matronly cuts; a lot of the dresses are knee length and high necked which may look cute on 5'10" models but just matronly on ordinary beings. Finally, with these collaborations, I try to buy pieces that are "signature" designs / style of the brand, otherwise you are just buying a regular Target piece of clothing (of course there's nothing wrong with that either). To be fair, this cardigan doesn't really scream "Pilotto" to me as I usually identify Pilotto with bold digital prints; this is probably one of the most subtle pieces of the collaboration.

This mesh colorblocked cardigan didn't jump out at me online, but I saw it in store at Target and thought it was quite cute. I really like the sporty mesh details on the sleeves and back, reminds me of Alexander Wang. I bought it to "contemplate" it further but ended up taking off the tags and immediately wearing it out to dinner as the A/C in the restaurant was on full blast. I really like the cardigan, it's quite versatile and I can see myself wearing it a lot, goes with my very casual lifestyle. As for the other pieces that I have received so far, I like the long sleeve printed tee; a good easy to wear basic that I will get a lot of use out of. I like the pencil skirt, as with most Target items for me, it runs big; the size 2 is still too big for me in the back. Plus, I just don't see myself wearing pencil skirts that much; too dressy for my everyday life with little k, a little too buttoned up for when I actually want to dress up and go out for a night on the town.

Little k is wearing a RH baby and child faux fur vest, Tea Collection dress, Splendid Littles leggings and Stride Rite Mary Janes

Red + White Valentine

Lanvin x H&M tee, white Zara mini skort, Maison Martin Margiela x H&M pumps and Prada sunglasses

Outfit for a casual dinner out on Valentines. It's so warm in LA that it feels appropriate to wear a white skort in February. Love this Zara skort, scored it on super sale a few weeks ago. I even got complimented on the skort by a guy while waiting for a car wash. Slightly creepy, but flattering I suppose. The tricky thing with the white skirt is to prevent it from looking like I'm wearing my tennis whites. I think this embellished Lanvin (x H&M) tee does the trick; I first paired the skirt with a white Helmut Lang v-neck tee but it looked like I was on my way to the country club. With the Lanvin tee and a pair of patent red heels, just dressed up enough for Valentine's day.  Sidenote: white is so hard to photograph especially in the blazing hot afternoon sun

Peter Pilotto for Target

from February 2014 issue of vogue

Peter Pilotto for Target launches tomorrow. This is the first Target collaboration in awhile that I won't be waiting up for the online launch for (in contrast with the last two major collabs: Prabal Gurung and 3.1 Phillip Lim). While I usually like digital prints a la Mary Katrantzou, these prints aren't really speaking to me, a little too busy and I don't like the color palettes. The styles aren't my favorite silhouettes and judging only from the pictures, I think there will be high polyester rayon content, which is usually my gripe with the Target collaborations. My favorite look is the one above shot by Vogue, but wish the skirt was a simple pencil skirt as opposed to a more flared shape. I can definitely wait til this collab goes on sale to see if there's anything worth trying.

Back to the Future: Fur, Fringe and Zig Zags

Isabel Marant x H&M black and white silk blouse, Isabel Marant x H&M fringe boots, Lanvin x H&M fur vest, Lululemon denim leggings, Prada sunglasses

A casual brunch outfit for Sunday, when we had the P family over. A bit more of a 70's (60's?) vibe than my usual style, with the patterned peasant blouse, fringe and bucket bag, but comfortable and easy. It's actually sorta chilly (in the 60's) so the fur vest was a cozy and necessary touch. Actually both the Lanvin x H&M fur vest and Isabel Marant x H&M black and white silk blouse are borrowed from my mom, not sure I want to give them back!

Winter Lite: Layers of Grey

Etoile Isabel Marant Lexy Jacket, Helmut Lang tee, Isabel Marant x H&M kids sweatpants, H&M x Maison Martin Margiela heels, Prada sunglasses

First blog post of 2014! My go to comfortably loose look lately, based around knit sweatpants and a t-shirt. In the absence of true winter weather and being able to embrace my typical winter attire, I haven't been able to muster the effort in getting dressed up; been gravitating towards lots of greys, whites and blacks lately. This bag however is my latest obsession... Been a great start to 2014, lovely family time, tons of shopping, tasty home cooked meals, even some yoga and exercise!

Leather, Lace & Snowmen

Ugly Christmas sweater bar crawl outfit: third-hand snowman cardigan from the Fairfax flea market, Isabel Marant x H&M boots and lace top, Maison Martin Margiela x H&M leather leggings, Prada sunglasses

This year, I attended not one, but two ugly Christmas sweater parties, plus I get bonus points for having two different ugly sweaters. First outfit was for a rather fancy bar crawl in Santa Monica, so I had to class it up with a real going out outfit underneath just in case. I can't remember the last bar crawl I've been to, but it was loads of fun; we hit up Bungalow at the Fairmount, Hotel Shangri La rooftop for sunset, Copa de Oro and King's Head for the best fish and chips (an opinion likely heavily influence by the numerous cocktails consumed prior). Definitely less fancy as the night progressed. I actually came home with this snowman cardigan from the first ugly sweater party; I was complimenting another guest on this sweater and he insisted that I take it home. I actually think it's kinda cute, snowmen juggling, making snow angels... I've been wearing it around even at non-ugly Christmas sweater related events.

Ugly Christmas sweater party #1: matching H&M reindeer and snowflake sweaters

Girls Night Out

Isabel Marant pour H&M lace dress and fringe boots

Love any chance to get a little dressed up. A pretty much all Isabel Marant x H&M ensemble for a dinner and drinks with the ladies in Brentwood. Can't go wrong with a little black dress; I bought the black lace top from the collaboration at launch, but the dress, in my normal size 4, fits better, plus is lined. These boots are great, quite easy to walk in, even for someone that is not accustomed to heels. I've had this Chanel purse for 5-10 years now, one of my most enduring purchases.

Isabel Marant x H&M loop cardigan, fringe boots, Chanel reissue

Holiday Party Season

Etoile Isabel Marant Prewitt Dress in Midnight, Isabel Marant x H&M fringe boots, Prada sunglasses

I've been loving this Isabel Marant Prewitt dress all season long and finally bought it a few weeks ago, one of my two regular Isabel Marant purchases for the season, since I spent way too much on the Isabel Marant pour H&M collaboration. I don't wear a lot of blue so it was a nice addition to my wardrobe. Plus the color and style is workable into spring, even though its from the fall / winter season. Perfect dress for K's company holiday party with little k, not too revealing for a daytime corporate holiday party with families but maintaining at least some semblance of style. While I wore the dress with the fringe boots and the PS1 for a baby shower in the morning, I changed to regular Dicker boots (and a diaper bag) for the holiday party to tone it down a bit.

Etoile Isabel Marant Prewitt dress, Proenza Schouler PS1 in raspberry, Isabel Marant x H&M fringe boots and Prada sunglasses

Winter is Coming

Isabel Marant for H&M hooded cardigan and knit sweatpants, Madewell sweatshirt, Isabel Marant Betty sneakers

It's about as cold as it gets here in Southern California. I've been wearing this hooded cardigan from the Isabel Marant for H&M collaboration pretty much non stop. As much as I love the looped black and white cardigan, this one is a lot more practical and easy to throw on over any outfit for any occasion. And I know I will be living in these knit sweatpants from the same collection, so comfy! At first I balked at paying $35 (or especially $59 for the women's version) for sweatpants, but now I get it.

Blinded by the Light

This shiny silver pilot jacket from the Isabel Marant for H&M collaboration is a pretty awesome piece. The reversible silk side is super soft and puffy and the jacket is just the perfect weight with a little flash for LA. I actually got it for my mom, who has been wearing it nonstop, but will be borrowing lots. It runs oversized; I like the fit of this size 2 the best. I also love these kids knit sweatpants from the collection. So soft and cozy. This is the kids size 10-11; I would probably prefer one size up for a baggier sweatpant like fit, but I'll be keeping these as I doubt I will find them in a larger size. I tried on the women's version was nice, but not enough for almost twice the price. Obsessed with this collection...

Isabel Marant pour H&M silver pilot jacket and knit sweatpants, Toms Nepal Boots

Smile! Like You Mean It

Some items from the Isabel Marant for H&M kids collection, including the Smile sweatshirt, embroidered "Renell" jeans and fringed "Yuli" scarf. I ordered the Smile sweatshirt online, picked up the fringed scarf at a random H&M that didn't carry the collection and JK brought the embroidered jeans all the way from NYC for me. The Smile sweatshirt (size 12-14 kids) is very soft, better quality than the 3.1 Phillip Lim x Target Boom sweatshirt and the jeans (size 13-14 kids) are also very comfortable (even after a thanksgiving meal!) and love the embroidery detail.  A very typical hang around the house outfit with little k. I love these Toms Nepal Boots: cozy, cute mix of patterns and fabric and easy to walk in.

Isabel Marant for H&M kids scarf and embroidered jeans, Isabel Marant Betty sneakers and Capu belt

Isabel Marant for H&M kids Smile sweatshirt, Uniqlo jeans, Isabel Marant belt and Toms Nepal Boots

Toms Nepal Boots Mixed Woven