RED

wearing: Sound & Matter leather moto jacket c/o PacSun, thrifted Gap striped long sleeves, striped H&M tank dress, Zara metallic leather booties, thrifted Levis belt

There's something so beautiful about a red lip. Or, more so, the perfect red lip. Since a nice deep red has become my go-to in the last few weeks, it only seemed appropriate, if not necessary, that I try to add more shades into my little family. After spending a good hour or so with a dear friend trying to find the right shade, I had a thought. Finding the perfect color for your lips is just as hard as finding the right someone to hold hands with. Neither of the two comes easy to you (and if it does, I hate you already), it's only through trials and tribulations, some disappointments and a couple of false alarms, that you come out looking through rose-colored glasses in the end. I think it's time that I stop watching and re-watching Sex and the City. Sorry Carrie, it's not you, it's me! At least it's not on a post-it?

P.S. Sorry for the absence, after finals ended and final grades came up, I've been in a self-induced coma trying to forget it all. On top of that, I have misplaced my camera charger, so there's that. Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and here's to a fantastic new years! Thank you for your support and love! Xo

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STUDLY PLAID

wearing: Nollie Bullet Stud Flannel Shirt c/o PacSun {now $20!}, American Apparel mesh body suit, black strapless bra, gifted black skirt, F21 thigh highs, ASOS heels, gifted yellow clutch

I've been known to swoon over boys in flannel, there's a certain je ne sais quoi about it that I just can't enough of. Probably my favorite thing about them is "borrowing" them from manfriends. Like leather shoes and t-shirts, flannel is something that gets better {and way more comfy} with time and wear. But since I'm manfriend-less at the moment, I was ecstatic when PacSun, my favorite brand as a middle/high schooler, sent me a few pieces from their holiday collection and this Nollie Bullet Stud Flannel Shirt was among them. So warm, so chic and so so so weather-appropriate, I've already worn it three times! The studs did it for me; I love the little gold hardware and so does everyone else it seems. Keeping the rest of the outfit monochromatic, I made a leap from whiteout to blackout. Simple and just a little scandy, I think the see-through mesh compliments the heavy flannel well.

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WHITEOUT

wearing: Brandy Melville April dress, J Brand white denim jacket {via Crossroads}, H&M lace bralette, Zara metallic leather booties, vintage Coach satchel

Why is it that, around this time of the year, we all wish for a white Christmas yet white on white layering is so easily dismissed? In my honest opinion, that old rule "no white after Labor Day" was meant to be broken. And to further emphasize on the point, I'd like to add a #sorryimmnostorry and a #YOLO.

Lucky to have been raised in the weather-blessed state of California, I have grown a large distain towards jackets, coats, and basically anything that covers my arms. Yuck. It's not that I hate the way they look, it's that I hate the way they feel. Some people describe jackets as a hug for your body, I see it more as a strangler trying to squeeze the living daylight out of me. I'm not a fan. 

But this J Brand denim jacket has restored my faith in long sleeves. I first spotted it at the Crossroads shopping party {hosted by the lovely Kathleen} and was immediately attracted to the contrast between the deep leather accents and the washed out denim. I was surprised to find that the jacket stretches and molds with each movement, making it especially comfortable and not at all constraining. Let's just say that I'm throughly in love. The peek of the lacy bralette against the airy sheerness of the dress adds just the right amount of tease without revealing too much, which is how I like to play it in every aspect of my life {wink}.

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XOXOBLOOD

wearing: H&M men's burgundy elbow-padded sweater, Jason Wu x Target pinwheel dress, Dolce Vita Jamison booties, vintage Coach satchel

"You are the books you read, the films you watch, the music you listen to, the people you meet, the dreams you have, the conversations you engage in. You are what you take from these. You are the sound of the ocean, the breath of fresh air, the brightest light and the darkest corner. You are a collective of every experience you have had in your life. You are every single second of every single day. So drown yourself in a sea of knowledge and existence. Let the words run through your veins and let the colours fill your mind."

Sitting here at 8:30 AM without a single thought to write, I was aimlessly scrolling through Tumblr when I stumbled upon this quote in big bold letters. And it struck a chord.

The closer I get to the finish line (aka graduation) the more I think about life: what it means, what I want from it, what it wants from me. And, to be honest, I'm at a complete loss like many other twenty-somethings. This has been a semester of procrastinations, distractions and avoidance. I have never been so unmotivated, unstable and not dependable. It's hard coming to terms with growing up, figuring out what the hell the rest of your life holds for you, and how to get where you want to be. I was reluctant to believe that I'm at a point where I actually have to care and think for myself.

But here I am. Hey, hi, what's up? I have a feeling that I'm going to be staying here for awhile.

I've been trying to tangle, trap, and saturate inspiration into my daily life. This is probably the most productive and active thing I've done in months. Something so simple and seamlessly easy can change what seems unchangeable- a stubborn mindset. The quote is a reminder to live, to truly live and not to merely exist. The things you choose to do, the people you choose to see, the experiences you gather from all of the above make up who you are. It's a gentle reminder to fill life with light and love, because, how else can you breed a happy soul?

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PORTLANDIA

wearing: thrifted H&M tank, Zara scarf-print skirt, thrifted black leather flats, vintage Coach satchel, Charlotte Russe sunnies

Although we visited over three months ago, it looks like I haven't quite gotten over you yet. Mason jars, Voodoo Donuts, food carts and more. Portland, get on with your weird self.

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TWENTIES

wearing: Dolce Vita blouse {via StitchFix}, AE black coated jeans, Too Neon pink pumps c/o Two Lips, Lush two-toned moto jacket {via eBay}, H&M pyramid bangle, F21 silver locket necklace, black leather bag {via Taiwan}

Over the weekend I turned the big 2-0. It was a beautiful day spent with beautiful people; I literally couldn't have asked for a better way to say goodbye to my teens and hello to my twenties. From brunch at the sweetest little cupcake spot in the city to dinner in Berkeley with all of my loves, I am glad to say that this was the best birthday to date.

It's a weird feeling leaving my teen years behind and taking on a brand new decade. The past 20 years have taught me far too much and not enough. With so many exciting things planned for the next year, I can't even being to imagine what the next ten will bring. Here's to hoping, to dreaming, and to the adventures that come in between!

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TO THE MOON AND BACK

wearing: Brandy Melville Sadie moon tank {here}, Silent & Noise oversized sleeveless blazer {here}, Zara scarf print skirt, Rachel Comey "Mars" booties {via Threadflip}, gifted yellow leather crossbody bag, H&M bangle

I'm back. & wearing lipstick. So much has changed. Firstly, it's fall! My favorite, absolutely favorite, time of the year has finally graced us with its beautiful presence. You know how people say winter is a magical wonderland? That's fall for me. I love everything about it: the fallen leaves that crunch when you step on them, the brisk weather that's cuddle-friendly, how holding a grande triple shot vanilla latte warms up your entire body, and, of course, the layered yet comfy fashion makes my heart swoon! 

If I look tired in these photos, it's because I am, very much so. I've started a  new merchandising internship at Stitch Fix! With this being my first non-telecommuting position, I'm still getting the hang of waking up at 7 AM and coming home at 7 PM but I'm loving every single moment of it. Between my new internship and juggling midterms, I've been quite the busy little granny; sleeping at 10 PM to waking up at 7 AM to finish whatever I didn't get to the night before {aka everything}. Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches, despite how much you hate, hate, hate mornings.

Wore this outfit to hang with my dear friend Jamie over the weekend. That little nugget can make me laugh for days and days, I love it when we finally find time to get together. Almost every piece on my body is a coveted piece that I waited months before committing to aka waited until they went on sale before snagging. Trying to minimize the amount of clothing I have in my closet, I have been attempting to only buy pieces that I can easily mix and match so be prepared to see these beauties over and over again. Which, brings me to my new loves; I would like introduce my lovely Rachel Comey Mars booties from Threadflip that are infamous amongst my friends. Why? Because they cost half of what my rent does. Forget eating, I'm just going to stare at these beauties instead. Yum!

P.S. Thank you all for sticking by me through this bleak time. Finding time to blog/take photos/not look like shit has been a toughie but I promise to get back to doing what I enjoy most! Love you all to the moon and back <3

And because I'm me and I'm weird, here's a photo just for fun:

Till next time, xox!

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MOMENTS THROUGH A FISH'S EYE

Sorry about the impromptu hiatus, I have not forgotten about any of you! School has been time consuming to say the least. Imagine the clingiest girl/boyfriend you've ever had, now multiply that by 10 and that's what school has been acting like. Clingy, needy, and all consuming, I've been tending to it's every whim. Life has been a whirlwind of changes and it has taken me a while to warm up to them. But now I'm super excited and can't wait to update you lovers on everything! I pinky promise that we'll be back to regular programming very very soon!

Until then, here are some fun photos that we took on my fisheye film over the last couple of months. Yes, I make my kissyface way too much when I'm drunk. And yes, we had a onesie party, jealous?

P.S. Don't forget to enter the $50 Shabby Apple Giveaway, there's only 2 days left to do so!

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