My newly claimed trademark.

Since my freshman year in college, my friends have brought to my attention something that wasn't even apparent to myself--my affinity towards scarves. I don't know what it is about them, but I love to wear scarves. Perhaps it is the easy subtle way they add interest to a wardrobe, or it may be some deeper explanation of my subconscious--who knows?? It's also a part of why I love winter time so much. I love the cold weather because cold weather allows for cold weather clothing, and cold weather clothing include SCARVES! I also love coats, boots, and hats, but scarves are much more affordable and hats are harder to find. In my book, scarves can do no wrong. I wear scarves about 2/3 of the year--from when the first cold front comes in October until the very last cool breeze blows away in April. My favorite place to find a great scarf is Urban Outfitters. They have great scarves for under $30! Btw, Urban also has some pretty cute affordable boots too!

Holiday season is in our midst.

Christmas carols always put me in a cheery mood and 103.7 KLUV has decided to start playing them early this year! If I'm not mistaken, don't they usually start playing them on Thanksgiving so not to rob Thanksgiving of its own celebratory joy? It is probably just a way of boosting their ratings earlier in the holiday season. Although I can appreciate the many remakes of the classic Christmas carols, I am really looking for someone to write a brand spankin' new Christmas song that can arouse the same kind of cheer as the classics do. I know its easier said than done, but seriously... out of all of those artists out there in the world, is there no one that can write a great Christmas carol?? If you know of any, please let me know.

Addicted to prime time online.

ABC prime time television has got to be the best station out there right now. I am hooked on all of their shows! Pushing Daisies is the newest one. It's delightfully refreshing, romantic, and funny. Grey's Anatomy is still one of my favorites for drama. Ugly Betty is still funny and clever. OH! And Big Shots is really good too! It stars Michael Vartan, so you know it can't go wrong. I spent four hours catching up on all of these shows last night on ABC.com.

Time management...

I really need to brush up on my organizational skills. I used to be so on top of everything. It seems as though, lately, I've forgotten how much I used to rely on my planner. I checked it every day and wrote notes in it every chance I got. My memory, or should I say lack of it, is probably my greatest flaw (one of many). The year is almost up and I am almost due for a new planner. Maybe a new planner will motivate me to be more organized again.

The sun is shining.

Yesterday was a particularly pretty day. I woke up Sunday morning to a ray of light seeping through my blinds and shining in my eyes. When I finally made it out my door, I could see the clouds like cotton balls thrown across the clear blue sky. The green leaves of the trees seemed especially green, almost luminescent. It was like I was driving into a painting. It was gorgeous. I don't know why, but I just felt like I needed to share that with you.

So I finally went to Kohl's to check out the Simply Vera line by Vera Wang. I must say that I was extremely dismayed at the cost and quality of the merchandise. It looks like someone, other than Vera, just picked out a few inspirational pieces from her main line and threw it up on some fabric then made shoes and clothes out of it. The magazine ads were extremely misleading. The clothes looked fantastic on the models and the ads, but once you touch them and wear them, you realize that its just Kohl's. I apologize if this sounds harsh. This is of no direct offense to Vera's own creativity, but who ever is in charge of her label and branding should have really thought twice about affiliating her name with Kohl's! She is already an established, well-known, highly esteemed designer. In my personal opinion, creating a permanent line for Kohl's really depreciates her worth. I'm really not as materialistic as I may seem, I just recognize and appreciate quality and value, as do most people I know. That is why you probably wouldn't be very pleased with the Simply Vera line.

Lastly, I finally visited Berry Berry Yogurt in Addison. No matter how much they try to tell you that they didn't borrow the idea from Pink Berry, you should realize how much they actually did borrow. Sure, they have more flavors of yogurt, but really... if they were really good, they wouldn't need so many flavors. My sister always says that a good restaurant will never have a big menu. Places with big menus and lots of options are just compensating for something they're lacking, taste. Berry Berry yogurt tasted alright, the black berries were all crushed, and they didn't really give enough fruit... definitely not as good as Pink Berry, or Red Mango, but its the only place in Dallas like it, so cheers to Berry Berry for finally brining it to Dallas. I hope Pink Berry will change their minds about opening in Dallas. I could really go for some right now.

Light the candles

I used to consider myself a pretty decent friend. I remembered everyone's birthday and I'd at least give them a call on their birthday to wish them a happy day. I always tried to make sure that my friend had a good day to remember on their birthdays. However, as I've gotten more involved in work, I've become more focused on my aspiration and forgotten that I had friends, I've become quite oblivious of the fact that my friends are still a large part of my life. This is a public apology to all of my friends for forgetting your birthday, whether it has passed or whether it is coming up.

This brings me to another thought. Why is it that the older we get, the less sensitive we get to the presence of others in our lives? We are always so involved in our own lives that we forget about the people around us, who care about us. I may actually just be speaking for myself, but I really feel that I have become insensitive to those around me. Its tough having to grow up and maintain the relationships you had before the real world slapped you in the face. In college, my idea of fun was just hanging out with friends, whether we were playing boardgames until 3am or on 6th street until 3am. Now, I'm lucky if I have the energy to even drag myself out of my room to meet up with friends for a drink. Maybe yoga may help...

The truth about style...

People often ask me what rules I follow when it comes to my wardrobe and sometimes I can bullshit something well enough that it sounds legit, but honestly, I don't think their are set rules to having style. The rules change so often, that ignoring one or two can be the start of a new trend. It used to be that black never went with brown, or gold never went with silver, and big flashy jewelery should only be worn with elegant gowns. Now, black DOES go with brown, two-toned jewelery is versatile, and big flashy jewelery can even be worn with a tshirt and jeans. I think the most important factors in determining the quality of style is color, fit, and poise.

Color is such a crucial factor in my daily life--not only in what I wear, but also in what I look at, and what I find beautiful. I like to mix complementary colors in my outfits in subtle, understated ways... maybe a turquoise necklace with a red sweater, or purple drop-earrings with an orange dress. However, I can't begin to emphasize how important it is to know when you're over-doing it. I wouldn't be caught dead walking down the street wearing a big green hat with a red tshirt, green pants and green boots.

Fit is so extremely important, it's not even funny. You wouldn't believe how many girls I see every day wearing clothes that are just not the right size. I am guilty of this myself. I admit that there are times that I just don't want to admit that I've gotten fatter and I need to go up a size. As we speak, I am wearing a cookie monster tshirt I got for my birthday two years ago that my boobs have rapidly outgrown due to my post-college weight gain, but I love this tshirt and I will most likely be wearing it for the next ten to twenty years. However, this is no excuse for wearing it out in public. You can still flaunt the goods without wearing something that is two sizes too small.

The most important thing in possessing style is possessing confidence--confidence in yourself, in how you look, and how you feel in your clothes. If you feel good in what you wear, you'll more than likely look good in what you wear--not because of what you're wearing, but how you're wearing it. You could be wearing a $10,000 Versace gown and still look hideous if you don't feel good in it. You could be wearing a plain white tee with jeans and look ravishing because your confidence illuminates.

Elizabeth and James

Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen's new line recently showed up on NM floors and I must say that I am extremely pleased with the product. The pieces are classic and versatile and a great advancement from their last attempt at breaking into the fashion industry. I've always been a big fan of their vintage-chic style. I think the line really speaks for itself.

Keep it together.

Anywhere you go, you'll run into a conflict. I've decided that it's human nature. There are just certain people who will never get along no matter the circumstance. It's just a matter of what action you choose to take regarding this conflict. When you're faced with an uncompromising opponent, you enter fight or flight mode and you have to choose your battles wisely. I've chosen to fight this battle. It seems lately that I've had many battles to fight and it's exhausting. I have to continue trying to keep it together and focus on the big picture. Anywhere I go, there will always be people who have ill-will towards me and if I continue allowing them to bog me down, then I will get nowhere.

My favorite fall designer, as of today, is Phillip Lim. I am in love with the 3.1 Phillip Lim Fall 2007 collection. His collection consist of articles that are comfortable and ready-to-wear. I tried on most of his new pieces and they felt equally good on as they looked cute. The tailored pieces hugged my body in all of the right places and fit like a glove. I didn't feel like I had to suck my gut in when I had any of them on. In addition to being comfortable, his designs retain a moderately conservative, clean cut, feminine look. His oversized tops are made of delicate fabrics and his more masculine fabrics are used in his more tailored designs. Its an equal balance of feminine and masculine which I think is very representative ofwomen today in general. The best thing about his line is that you'll never feel guilty about paying so much for it because you'll always want to wear it, so you'll definitely get the most out of them. My favorite piece is this navy blue dress because its so wearable! I could see myself wearing this anywhere, anytime... which is what I look for in my clothes... most of the time. If I could afford it, this would be in my closet in a heartbeat.

I got a great deal of this new Rebecca Taylor coat I couldn't pass up, even though I probably won't be able to wear it for another couple of months. It is absolutely gorgeous. If you haven't picked it up, I have a very distinct style. I like clean classic looks with a touch of girlie. This coat is the perfect example. The a-line cut is clean and classic while the large puffy collar and powder pink tint make it girlie.

Another coat I found that is extremely adorable, but not so much on the feminine side is this blue cord Marc by Marc Jacobs coat. I know I'm supposed to be partial to NM, but seriously, Barney's has a lot of better contemporary items than I've seen at NM lately.

Now for shoes... I've been searching far and wide for the perfect pair of shoes to match my black strapless DVF dress that I'm wearing to a wedding in October. I've got time, but its more like a fuse thats quickly reaching its end. I spend so much time at work, I barely have time to even think about the shoes, so I've started looking online. I am a very skeptical person, so I don't buy certain items online, such as jeans and shoes, because these are things that need to fit perfectly, and how would you know if you don't try it on? So I'm basically just getting ideas.

This is a 12th street by Cynthia Vincent dress that doesn't exactly look like mine, but its the closest thing I could find to show you all.


I would love to be able to wear any of these with it (especially the Valentino ones on the right).


And these are a more affordable and completely suitable alternative.

Have a date with yourself...

You may think it sounds sad and pathetic to have a night alone with yourself, but I actually find it extremely refreshing to be able to be in the comfort of home all by myself, snuggling up with my favorite pillow and throw, sipping a glass of fruitful red wine, and watching a delightful, semi-honest indie film. Some of my favorites have been 'Annie Hall' and 'Scoop' by Woody Allen. Recently, I've developed a taste for Woody Allen's quirky and witty sense of humor. However, my favorite rental this summer, has to be 'Broken English' with Parker Posey and Melvil Poupaud [a handsome French actor]. This movie first caught my eye because of Parker Posey. I love her. I think she is adorably quirky and her fashion sense isn't too shabby either. She plays a neurotic, desparate woman looking for love in all of the wrong places. Her lonliness is, in part, due to the fact that when she finds something good, she pushes it away. When she begins to give up on the hope of finding love and romance, the love of her life finally appears, but she is skeptical and resistant because she never imagined that something this wonderful could ever happen to her. Sounds cliche to you? Well, this is in no way a typical chick flick. This woman is seriously disturbed and depressed and you really start to feel her pain, which makes it an honest film. The only thing that seemed too good to be true was the fact that Melvil's part is completely empathetic and understanding of his love interest and the ending is a bit of a stretch. However, it never exactly gives you a happily-ever-after ending. You should see it for yourself.

Long overdue...

Wow, I can't believe how long its been since I've posted. I started my new job the day after I got back from California and I've been so busy/tired. Anyway, to those of you who actually read my blog, I would like to extend my deep heart-felt apologies for neglecting to enlighten your lives with my thoughts these past few weeks.

The first thing on my mind is... the red patent leather Valentino bag I posted in an earlier entry. I love that bag, and now so does Angelina Jolie and Clare Danes because they've been spotted sporting it around town. Normally, I guess something like this would upset me because I hate people having what I have or what I want... but in a way, this gives me some kind of validation that I have good taste, so that means I actually have a running chance of making it in this industry.

Second thing on my mind is Chloe. The first one is a mid-sized, lambskin tote that I will be a proud owner of in about five days, and the second is a leather shoulder bag with braided handles that I wish I could adopt as well. However, sadly, my finances can barely handle just one and I just got a red faux-leather handbag from H&M when I was in SF a few weeks ago. Its not as fabulous of course, but its just as functional.


The third thing on my mind is how I've been completely MIA the past few weeks. I never realized how hard it was to work 40hrs + a week. But I also never realized how rewarding it feels to put those hours in when you actually feel good about being there and really believe that you're good at what you do. My ankles are swollen and my bunyon looks like a sixth toe (I know, sorry for the graphic mental image, I just had to get the point through), but I feel great because I walk away from work knowing that I helped an old lady and her grand-daughter find the perfect dress for a first date with her boyfriend's family, or a young self-conscious pre-teen girl finally find the perfect fit jeans to start high school in after searching all day all over the mall or even the new mom in her mid-thirties feeling sluggish and frumpy find an outfit that she can feel comfortable in. They find confidence in the things they wear and I feel like I contribute to their new-found confidence by helping them find the outfits they can feel good in.

Let's talk shoes.

My latest obsession is over shoes. Autumn in Texas is really like summer everywhere else. With the weather being much cooler this summer than it has been in years, I expect the summer will last well into autumn. It's such a shame too, because I love autumn weather! It's really beautiful for a brief period of time when temperatures are cool, the breeze brushes gently against the aging trees, and the leaves change colors. This only lasts about month, though, before we start fighting the frost bite and sleet.

That was so way off subject. Back to my shoe fetish... So I've been looking around for good fall shoe trends. .. Thats how I got off subject. I really do like to pay attention to what the latest buzz is all about, and I often give into the latest fads, but most of the time, I stick with the good old-fashioned classics so that I can buy one great item and really get my money's worth year after year. I usually look for pieces from last season that can easily transition into the next season, or even all year-round. The best part is, they're on sale by the time the new season starts!

Starting from the top left:

1) Nude pumps are a must. I've always liked to have a pair of nude colored pumps/heels at hand. I had a pair in high school that I wore all of the time, but I've moved around so many times since then, I have no idea where they went. Luckily, I found these Michael Kors pumps on sale at Neimans.

2) Booties are the latest trend. These are Michael Kors also. They're pretty classic and versatile. Besides the fact that they are extremely easy to wear with just about anything, I didn't really find anything extraordinary about them. The real trend is with lace-up booties.

3) These are great. They're on clearance at Steve Madden. The color is extremely suitable for fall. They are super cheap too!



I have pretty flat feet, so I can't wear heels all day, every day. Comfy flats are a definite necessity in my life.

1) These mary-jane strap flats are from Chloe. Just because its autumn, it doesn't mean you can't add a little flare to your wardrobe. I usually like to keep the bling and bright colors to a minimum in autumn, but there are definitely ways to keep it subtle and tasteful.

2) These flats are from Lanvin. They're satin. I'm loving satin shoes right now. I think it might have something to do with the red satin heels that Reese Witherspoon wore with her yellow strapless dress. Just FYI, I idolize Reese Witherspoon's wardrobe. If there were any celebrity I would say depicts my style the best, it would be her. Okay, off subject again... Lanvins are also supposed to be really comfy too, so these are just great for everyday.


We'll talk special occasion and winter shoes later.

Talk about irony...

I left Medical Technology in the pursuit of a career in fashion retail. I get a job at one of the best fashion retailers in the nation and what do you think sets a road-block right in the middle of my way??? My DRUG SCREEN! HA! HI-LAR-I-OUS! I'm laughing inside--really, I am.

My managers urged me to get it done ASAP, so I went there right after my interview. The clinic LOST my specimen, so I had to go submit another one on Saturday and the result hasn't been sent to HR yet. Now I can't start training until I get back from California! GREAT! just... great. I was really hoping to have my discount so I could use it at Cusp!

New endeavors.

I got a job! I can't believe it. It's actually happening. I am actually living my life for myself for a change! I am super-uber-duber excited about starting on Monday even though it has absolutely no relevance to my degree and experience. I start at the bottom of the line [sales], but ultimately, I want to become a buyer for Neiman Marcus. Yay for me! So many things I want to buy... :-D

Back in the game.

I've been a bit off course this past week, but I promise, I think that I'm much better now. I didn't realize how much catching up I had to do after only missing one week of reading fashion, beauty, and celeb gossip blogs!

So, I've recently made the decision to leave my science career behind me and pursue something completely different--something I've been dreaming of since I started college--FASHION! No, not design. I'll leave that to my sister. I LOVE to shop, and lately, I haven't been able to put my mind on anything but, so I decided to pursue fashion merchandising and buying! This was by-no-means a spontaneous decision. I've spent long hours of being miserable in my lab coat and reading my healthcare books and dreaming of what I will wear tomorrow under my lab coat. Wish me luck!

For those of you who are broke with an addiction to shopping like me, here are a few pretty things I've found at exceptional prices. I still can't afford it, but I hope everyone else can find them useful!


So one color I've always been fond of was turquoise. The color is bright, but still feminine. It goes well with a lot of other colors even though itself is so outstanding. Modish found this really great pair of turqoise drop leaf earrings from Miss Misa. I just love the simplicity of the drop earing and the rustic detail to the leaf makes it look delicate and antique. It's only $24! I'm not usually an earring-wearer, but I can imagine this pair of earrings going with many pieces in my closet.









Next, I've been eye-ing these blue bangles from Target for a very long time. They're only $9, but I am currently unemployed, so $9 for an accessory is a bit steep for me at the moment. They're simple, light-weight, and bold.







Now these peeptoes are from PAYLESS! can't you believe it? Payless is really impressing me lately. They're really trying and its beginning to show. These are faux croc-skin peep-toes for $19.99.

Where, oh where...

On my way home from work today, I recieved great news from my former college roommate.

You see, exactly three weeks ago today, a small black puppy wandered up to my front door and scampered right through as soon as I cracked the door open. She was tiny, precious and hungry. I didn't have any dog food, so we had to just feed her human food. I took her to get vaccinated, fed her, played with her when I had time, and named her Phoebe. My mom wouldn't let her inside the house, so I had no choice but to leave her outside in a small sitting area my dad built. I wanted to keep her so much, but knew I couldn't provide her with the best home. So my friend suggested I surrendered her to the SPCA where she could find a real home with people who would care for her properly and love her for years to come. This brings us back to the good news...

My friend called me to let me know that she was able to save a kennel for Phoebe at the SPCA and that we could bring her in tomorrow! I was exstatic! Since she volunteers there everyday, I wouldn't worry about Phoebe being neglected or mistreated. But when I got home to tell Phoebe the great news, she was nowhere to be found. She typically runs out the fence to take care of doggy business and comes back to eat, sleep, and play, but today she didn't come back.

On my drive home, I contemplating dedicating an entry to her. I wanted to introduce you to her and share the good news to everyone. However, sadly, there is no good news today. I hope Phoebe comes back.

The Lady Bird

For those of you who were trapped in a hole for the last week or so, Texas and the US recently mourned the death of former First Lady, Claudia Taylor Johnson--better known as Lady Bird Johnson. Unfortunately, I was born several years after their time in the White House and never learned of what significant contributions they had in office, except that LBJ was scorned by many and blamed for the Vietnam War. I am much too ignorant of these matters to have an opinion of my own, but I have developed a great fondness for them both. If Mrs. Johnson had never passed away, I wonder if anyone had mentioned any of her contributions to environmental conservation.

I can honestly attribute my fondness for flowers to Mrs. Johnson. Anyone who knows me knows that I love flowers and plants with a great passion [even though I may not have the greenest thumb]. This was due in large part to all of the beautiful flowers I'd see along the highways between family road trips to visit relatives. When I was a child--and up until last week--I'd look out the window of my car and catch every glimpse of every flower I zoomed past. I'd ask my parents to pull over so that I can pick some to bring home with me [but, of course, we never did]. I always wonder how they got there. Who put them there? Why were they there? Growing up, I never learned of the Lady Bird Act, and being so young and naive, I just assumed that they were there to begin with and the road workers just tried to build the highways around the flowers. Then as I grew older and wiser, I figured, someone must have put them there or that the wind brought them there and they just spread like weeds. Up until last Wednesday, I believed this to be true. Now, I know that First Lady Johnson pushed to have this act passed and worked hard to conserve the natural beauty of Texas Land, and consequently the nation followed.

I am scrutinized by my friends and family because they think that I waste my money buying flowers. Many people think this because flowers wilt fast and you can only enjoy them for very short period of time, but I feel that [real] flowers and plants really change the mood of a room and its inhabitants. A small arrangement can have the ability to brighten up a room, turn a bad day around, or even make people more likeable--and anything that can do that so easily is well worth your money and time. I say time because I like to invest as much time as it takes to find the perfect flowers to make a beautiful bouquet. And my selections always depend on the person I am buying them for or my mood.

If something like this can have such great powers over a room or even a person's attitude and personality, think of what an impact it can have if it were spread across the land to grow and brighten everyone's day. I've always felt this way and apparently, so did Lady Bird.

New obsessions.

Every few months, I develop a new obsession--a color, an article of clothing, a type of accessory--and I just can't shake it until I find the perfect item. This month's new obsession... drumroll please... big leather handbags. I used to think they were ridiculous because I would lose anything I dropped into one. But today, I come to you with a refined interest in the perfect casual leather handbag that lasts all seasons. I've found some pretty good prospects thanks to my rigorous search over the world wide web. Allow me to demonstrate:

Exhibit 1: Miu Miu Quilted Leather Hobo
Its casual, sophisticated and unique. It looks great in just about any color. The leather is carefully quilted and the gold detail adds a bit of bling to color. I just love it! For a mere $1,445, I can be a proud owner of this fabulous Miu Miu handbag. Although I do recall seeing a pretty good knock off of this very bag at Urban Outfitters for a tiny fraction of the price. But who are we kidding?? How can any knock off give us the same satisfaction of having the real thing?


Exhibit #2: Another Miu Miu handbag, but this time, its compact, light, and versatile--its the Nappa. The overlapping face and skinny strap is totally retro. This beauty will only set you back $1,385.


Needless to say, I love Miu Miu handbags and wish I had a few grand to spare. I must seem so dull to be picking such understated colors. Subtle colors complement louder ones. So you can wear this bag with a bright red shoe or sweater and not look like you're craving attention.

I won't blabber on about my next picks. You get the idea. The black bag is the Jimmy Choo Skinny Hobo and the red is a Valentino Histoire Patent Leather bag. There are also some great Chloe bags I absolutely love, but I can't seem to find a downloadable pictures, so I'll post it at a later time.





Until next time...




peace, love, and fashion!

A cardboard box and a friend.

Thats all I needed when I was a four. My cousin and I pushed each other up and down the 10ft. long hallway at our fabulous, antiqued, connected duplex home in a big cardboard box for hours until we were both out of breath. Time was never an issue. We never had to rush anywhere or do anything of relative importance because the most important thing to us was that box and whose turn it was to sit in it. It wasn't always a box. Sometimes it was a laundry basket or my brother's skateboard or even a beach towel. We got pretty creative after a while. It didn't take much to make us smile.

Right now, I'm at my desk sipping tea out of my big white mug. This is my first blog entry. I should be studying for my clinical chemistry exam tomorrow, but instead, I've invested 3hrs of my time in creating, designing and writing in this blog. Was it worth it? Ask me again tomorrow after I've taken the exam.