The day has come / what to wear to the airport

The day that I've been anticipating for an entire year is finally here! Moving to France. It's a huge step, and although I feel the butterflies, I also feel a sense of calm. The kind of calm that comes when everything feels right - like it's all going to work out. I had a bad week of worry, fear, and anxiety, but I'm glad to say that at this point, I'm feelin' gooood.

Deciding what to wear on an international flight has always been a slight dilemma for me. I want to be comfortable, but I also want to look like an international woman of mystery. On top of that, I have to wear the heaviest and bulkiest things in my wardrobe, since they take up too much space in my limited suitcase space. With all this in mind, this is what I came up with:

My base is some black leggings, paired with a long, oversized tee that has some gray accents. I threw on my warmest and heaviest coat, slipped on my comfortable moto boots, and topped it all off with a gray bowler. This outfit checks all my boxes, plus, it saves my hat from becoming a squished mess in my suitcase.

Can we stop and take a moment to appreciate my new textured coat? It's the warmest I've ever owned, and I love how it adds a satisfying layer of texture to any outfit. All hail TopShop, provider of all things wonderful! I also love how the gray tones in the shirt tie in the gray of the hat; Had I worn all black I think the outfit would have been quite boring.



Black Furry Coat: TopShop Petite
Oversized Patterned Tee: Daydreamer LA at Urban Outfitters
Pants: BDG at Urban Outfitters
Black Bucket Purse and Gray Bowler Hat: Forever 21
Boots: Éram


Next time I write, It'll be from another continent! À bientôt!


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Monochrome + Aluminum Clubmasters

My new favorite color is black. Prior to August 2012, I probably didn't own a single article of clothing in black. I found it boring, mean, depressing, and stark. Instead, my wardrobe consisted of coral, purple, turquoise, lace, blue jeans, tights, and dresses. I was a girl's girl, always attracted to the cute-factor of a garment.

Nowadays, however, it's BLACK all the way, every day, all the time, in every outfit. I love black. It feels as if last year, I dressed as a girl, and now, I identify more as a grown woman. You can go back in time on this blog and see some of my colorful outfit posts! The contrast is quite startling actually.

There is no other color that is as flattering or as easy to build an outfit around. I throw on my black skinny jeans, and the world is my oyster. I can wear them with a graphic muscle tee and moto boots and look bad-ass, or pair them with a white blouse, gray blazer, and heels, and look super sophisticated. Black jeans to me are like water: beneficial to my well-being and necessary on a daily basis.

Can we talk about my new sunnies? Ever since starting work at a Sunglass Hut, I've suddenly felt the need to have expensive sunglasses in my life and adorning my face, and you can never go wrong with a good ol' pair of Ray Bans (my dream collection also includes a pair of mui mui and prada sunglasses...but that will never happen with this part-time income).

These are the black Aluminum Clubmasters: slightly larger than the normal Clubmasters, made with metal instead of plastic, and with sharper corners for an edgier look. They also come in bronze, silver, and gunmetal. Seriously, I throw these on and instantly I feel like my coolness factor increases by 100 imaginary cool points. The only downside is that they're quite heavy and leave red marks on my nose where the nose pads rest... but that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make. They also have a lot of gaps through which the sun peeks, so, their function as sunglasses is slightly negated, but... oh well! Style isn't always synonymous with functionality.





Final thoughts are, I need to work on my posing. Sometimes I can be so awkward!

Do you think expensive sunglasses are worth the cost in terms of quality or are we just paying for the brand name? Also, how do you feel about black?

Pants: BDG cigarette, Urban Outfitters
Tee: Tilly's
Boots: Éram (Paris)
Ray Bans: Sunglass Hut
Nekclace: Forever21/Grand Canyon souvenir shop
lipstick: Revlon Berry Haute





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Tenue du Jour - Black Maxi

Today I'm bringing you a proper outfit of the day, or tenue du jour in French. I was on a wee job hunt today, so I thought this comfy but elegant maxi would be just the right balance. I love the job I have now, and I'd really like to keep it, but I need some more income to throw in a savings account! If I want to move to France next January (oops! spoiler alert!) then I gotta start saving! Plus, I want to fill up my time, and a second job would be a great way to do that.

In about an hour, I'm gonna venture out to a French-speaking meetup, so hopefully others will be there and I can pratiquer mon Français.

This is me attempting to show you the side slit of the dress... I apologize for the intense whiteness of my thigh.




I've been using a new, more luminous foundation for a while now. I really love how healthy and easy it makes my skin look, although I do have to blot it with some powder periodically, or it can end up looking a little TOO shiny. I love that the freckles on my nose show through.



I ended up getting an interview scheduled for tomorrow! Luckily, I know three people who work at this place, so my BFF Natalie is gonna give me some coaching in order to ace the interview.

Until next time! À bientôt mes amies!

Maxi: F21
Sandals: Steve Madden at TJmaxx
Necklace: F21
Belt: Thrifted
Bag: Thrifted
Nail Polish: Covergirl Outlast in Peaches & Cream
Foundation: Benefit Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow!
Lips: Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Charm
Mascara: Benefit They're Real

Quick Outfit of the Day - New Winter Scarf

First of all, let me apologize for the horrendous quality of these images! Let's just call them "vintage" and "cool" instead of pixelated and grainy. ;)

You know those days where everything you wear turns out FANTASTIC? But you have nowhere to go and nobody to look good for?? Well, I had one of those moments today. I then thought to myself, "Hey wait! I have a blog!" So I quickly snapped some webcam photos, edited them Instagram-style, et voila!

{Loving my new knitted burgundy circle scarf} {Seriously, so warm} {A Blazer makes anything look good} {Been belting and tucking my high-waisted jeans lately} {Soft hair and stained burgundy lips}
Scarf: nafnaf (French brand)
Top: Forever 21
Pants: BDG Cigarette High Rise Jeans from Urban Outfitters
Blazer: Forever 21
Shoes: Born
Belt: Thrifted

Source: crushculdesac.tumblr.com via Hannah on Pinterest

How to Pack Part UN - Consistent Color Palette

This is PART UN of my how to pack series! This one is all about packing clothing that is versatile and easy to wear.



I think I have found my Paris color palette! I was organizing my closet yesterday, and suddenly realized a common color theme. Black and dark gray items with corals, pinks, salmons, and rusty medium brown leather or bronze accessories. After seeing this packing guide on Pinterest, I've been mulling over what accent color to choose. I will be in Paris for 5 months, bringing only one checked bag and one carry-on! For me, that is a really frightening prospect. I figure that If I keep everything I bring within the same color family, focusing mostly on neutrals (like black), I can mix-and-match almost anything.

I've really been wanting an iphone lately, but since I'm going to be abroad, buying and committing to it now wouldn't make any sense, so I borrowed my mom's iphone (my Mother is cooler than me), created an Instagram account, and quickly took these photos! It saved me OODLES of time. Using my Nikon, I'd have to take the picture, plug in the camera, upload the picture, edit the picture, export, and then upload once more. Instagram just took twenty minutes off of my normal routine. I think the time it takes me to take and edit photos for this blog have been a major factor in my posting less and less often. Or maybe this simply bears testament to my laziness. One day, when I have my own iphone, I will use the crap outta Instagram!

I bought two new pairs of shoes that I'm super happy about. The only problem is I can't wear them yet because it's usually too hot outside, or I have nowhere appropriate to wear them! I'm all about flip flops and sandals in this desert heat (In case you didn't know, I moved back home to the California desert recently for the summer).

I thought I'd also share with you my favorite perfume: Marc Jacobs Daisy. Also here is my favorite waist belt, which I thrifted at a Goodwill for $2.


Check out Part DEUX of the How to Pack series here!

To Tuck or Not To Tuck?

I've decided to do my outfit post slightly differently today, partially because I didn't get any good full-length shots, and partially because I couldn't decide whether to tuck in my shirt or not. What do you think? Should I tuck, or leave it flying free?

I got this top at forever21 the other day. After trying it on, I noticed there was a hole in the shoulder and I was immediately disappointed, as you rarely can find the exact top in the same size in such a large store. In the end, we couldn't find a duplicate, so I got a discount, and sewed up the hole at home! It was actually much easier than I expected, mending a hole.
Is it just me, or do my eyes look oddly glazed-over in this photo?

In other news, I got a new lamp for my bedside dresser from target. I love the color of the base and the texture of the shade! It goes really well with my Paris map, and it makes my room feel so much warmer and cozier in the evenings.

Tell me about your fashion dilemmas or new purchases!

Black, White, and Color all Over

I've had this scarf for years now, but I never wear it. I don't really know why though, because I really love the colors! I paired it with this lovely dress, and if you look closely, you can see that the polka dots are square, which I think is really quite unique! I wore some opaque tights for a wee bit of extra warmth, as the days are flip-flopping between sunny and warm one day to chilly with an icy breeze the next. I didn't like how any of my cardigans looked with it, so I just left my arms bare.



My favorite thing about this outfit is the mixing of patterns. I love pairing florals with either stripes or polka dots, you can never really go wrong, as long as the patterns don't compete for attention.



I wish I would have tied my scarf differently, it looks a bit too limp. I should have took some advice from this video, all about the nearly infinite ways to tie a scarf.





Dress: Marshall's
Tights: HUE
Scarf: Forever21
Flats: Old Navy
Belt: Thrifted