Little White Dress

(hat from Forever 21, thrifted crochet babydoll dress from Crossroads Trading, heels from Zara)

"Do not confuse dreams with wishes. There is a difference. Dreams are where you visualize yourself being successful at what's important to you to accomplish. Now dreams build convictions. Because you work hard to pay the price to make sure that they come true. Wishes are hoping good things will happen to you. But there is no fire in your gut to put everything forth to overcome all the obstacles. So you have to dream more. And never ever ever blame somebody else if it doesn't happen. That is in your department."

- Dolly Parton

bloglovin | chictopia | instagram | lookbook | polyvore | tumblr

Summer Grunge

(beanie, acid wash denim jacket, basketweave bodycon skirt, faux leather wedges from Forever 21, crochet top from Urban Outfitters

This is my first time shooting in the early morning in a while. I miss the soft, cool light of the morning that differs from the golden light of the late afternoon. I have early classes three days a week at 7:30 AM, so I usually opt to take photos in the afternoon instead. However, I took advantage of a rare free morning to take some quick shots.

Speaking of classes and summer, I can't believe my summer is almost over! I'll be going back to Berkeley in about a month, and I'm feeling a sense of both excitement and dread. Excitement for new opportunities and beginnings, and dread for difficult problem sets, late nights, and stress. We'll see how it goes.

This is sort of a laid-back, grungy look. It reminds me of my mood and lifestyle these days, trying to relax more yet working harder than ever before. The week is half over and I'm excited to work on some personal projects after this week's set of midterms are done with. Have a great week everyone! xx

bloglovin | chictopia | instagram | lookbook | polyvore | tumblr

Earthy Hues

(jacket from Forever 21, hand-me-down twist top, pants from A'gaci, leather sandals from Zara)

Definitely enamored with white pants as of late; I love how effortlessly chic they are. I decided to pair these off-white pants (yes, they're off-white! The photos make them look bright white) with earthly tones, such as the taupe of the faux leather jacket and the moss/celadon-colored top. Btw, can I say how much I love this top? My mom passed this down to me. I love the simple but elegant twist; it adds a little oomph to an otherwise plain top. 

I've been up since 5AM today, so I really can't wait for this school day to be over. My Fridays are free, so I have some weekend plans to relax and get some errands done. :) Have a lovely day! xx

bloglovin | chictopia | instagram | lookbook | polyvore | tumblr

Young Hearts

(thrifted leopard print crop top from Crossroads, wrap skort from SheInside, buckle sandals from Zara)

I'm excited to post these photos because, amazingly enough, this was my first attempt at shooting in RAW. I still shot a lot of these photos in JPEG, but I did get a few good RAW shots! Even though I've had my Canon 1000D since 2010, I'm still learning how to use it to get great shots. Practice makes perfect, right? 

I tried to mix retro with modern in this outfit by pairing the cat eye sunnies and crop top with my fav geometric wrap skort. I seriously don't know if I'll ever get over this skort. Of course, I had to finish off the look with some sleek buckle sandals.

Enjoy the rest of this week! Leaving these quotes that I stumbled upon in my current novel, Maya's Notebook by Isabel Allende, because they inspired some introspection:

"Love makes us good. It doesn't matter who we love, nor does it matter whether our love is reciprocated or not or if the relationship lasts. Just the experience of loving is enough, that's what transforms us."

"I wanted to make a good impression, erase my past and start fresh on a blank page. I wished I could invent a better version of myself, but in the intimacy of shared love, I understand that this was neither possible nor advisable. The person I am is the result of what I've through, including the drastic mistakes."

"Everyone regrets the love letters they've written."

bloglovin | chictopia | instagram | lookbook | polyvore | tumblr

Sparkle

(thrifted chambray jacket and white jeans from Crossroads, sequin top from Forever 21, nude leather sandals from Zara, watch from Michael Kors)

I apologize for the mini hiatus! I'm still figuring how to consolidate my full-time summer school schedule with blogging. I've learned this week that I'm usually too ragged and tired to take outfit shots on my full school days, so I'm taking advantage of my weekends and shorter days to work on blogging.

Ahh, the joys of thrifting. I found this fabulous chambray jacket at Crossroads last week. I love how light and casual it is; it makes for easy layering in the summer. Also, I was really excited to find this pair of white jeans at Crossroads for only $8.50! I've been looking for a pair of white jeans that fit me well (having short legs makes this search more difficult than it needs to be) and I was ready to break the bank to invest in a pair, so I was very glad to find these at Crossroads. These days, I've been trying to buy less retail and, instead, thrift more. Not only is thrifting great for your wallet, but I think that it's an easier way to find your own style since you're not being pulled in by the "fast fashion" of retail stores.

Have a lovely and restful weekend!

bloglovin | chictopia | instagram | lookbook | polyvore | tumblr

Retro Floral

(thrifted floral button-up from Crossroads, bustier top from Foreign Exchange, ankle zip jeans from Forever 21, platform sandals from Payless)

Taking a break from my class readings and assignments to write a quick blog post. I'm glad that my blog and other creative pursuits provide me with a sanctuary from the mundane-ness that academics can be. I've been really driven to take on new projects and try new things these days, but what I lack are time and work-life balance... I guess that's one more thing I need to work on.

The heat wave has finally come to a halt, and the Bay Area has been experiencing more moderate and comfortable temperatures these days—much more suitable for me. In an effort to stop wearing black all of the time, I decided to wear this bright floral button-up and these cotton candy pants. A tie-front top feels really retro to me, so I augmented the "retro-ness" by adding these sky-high platform sandals (they're actually super comfortable despite the height).

Back to the grind! Hope you all enjoy the last bit of the weekend xx

bloglovin | chictopia | instagram | lookbook | polyvore | tumblr

Summer Glam

(Nicole Farhi summer cardigan, Jigsaw pattern skirt, lingerie bra, Zara ankle strap high heel sandals, Charlotte Olympia clear pouch, vintage circle sunglasses, Essie nail polish)

Hey guys! I just started a Polyvore account, which you can view here. I think it's a great and fun way to test your styling skills with a virtual closet in which the possibilities are endless. I'm hoping to make these collages a regular segment of my blog, so look out for more collages soon!

I'm really trying to push past my comfort zone in terms of personal style, which is part of the reason why I'm challenging myself to make these collages. For this collage, I chose an item that I would normally not be instantly attracted to, the floral pencil skirt, and built a look around it. I decided to balance the bold floral print with a mint draped top and simple accessories, including retro tortoiseshell sunnies and a clear clutch (I plan on DIYing one of these soon!). I completed the look with a pair of Zara's effortlessly sexy ankle strap heels.

bloglovin | chictopia | instagram | lookbook | polyvore | tumblr