Birthday Vibes

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 Frank Jerky and I got together and shot two videos in a day.  It was the first time we were working together and the first time I did any video content.  We had a lot of fun and I look forward to doing more! What do you think about video vs photo content?

Anyway it also happens to be my birthday and to be honest there isn't much for me to ask for.  I've got amazing friends and family that I'm very thankful for, and can only hope to improve myself with another year of great experiences in the books.  Thanks to all who have been a part, big or small! 

Looking forward to the next. 

 

Thanks to Cutler Salon for giving me a Redken HeatCure treatment- if you have colored (especially highlighted!) or damaged hair, this treatment is amazing.  Hair felt like it was transformed to silk, a contrast from its almost straw-like state after all the bleaching!!   I linked above so you can read about it if you're curious.

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Dress - Layana Aguilar

Shoes - Valentino

Hair styling by Hayde Georgakis at Cutler Salon for Redken

Filmed by Frank Jerky 

Season's Trends: Current Favorites

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Tunic Dress - Tobi 
Chunky Cardigan - Zara
Hat - Asos
Boots - Zara

Two of my favorite trends of the moment are oversize, and over-the-knee.  I guess you could say more is more right now when it comes to shapes and silhouettes! Who doesn't love the idea of a big, snuggly oversized cardigan to wrap yourself up in, through this cold, cold winter? 
Over-the-knee is really a trend that's currently widespread more in the form of the boots you're seeing everywhere, so I figured I'd put a little variation and do it with socks.  Knit ones, so nearly as warm as wearing the boots.  

I wore my cardigan over a simple tunic dress from Tobi, which I got recently (a steal at $16 right now!) and am loving because it's one of those basics that will go with everything.  I can throw it on by itself when I have nothing to wear and am rushing out the door, or I can use it as the foundation of an outfit and style it various ways.  It was the perfect pairing to my cardigan because it's a thinner, t-shirt like material (read: comfy!), and balances out the chunkiness of the knit.  I love chunky but don't want to come out looking like a marshmallow.

Trends that are functional are the best, especially when it comes to keeping warm in the winter. (And something I probably should focus on even more, since I just got over the flu.  It was pretty unpleasant.) 
What are your favorite trends of the moment? 

Chocheng

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Knit set - Chocheng
Boots - Dr Martens
Faux fur scarf - Zara

I met Chocheng Char back in September at New York Fashion Week.  We sat down over tea in the setting of a lovely loft space where he was presenting his Spring/Summer collection.  Freshly impelled by the close-up viewing of his attention to detail and impeccable tailoring, I had know more about his line and background.  

For starters, he was born in Hong Kong but is of Mongolian descent.  Chocheng has a store in Beijing but his flagship is right here on Madison Avenue, which he is very proud of.  If you are lucky to stop by, be aware that the whole space was built from scratch by him-- even the furniture design.   

We both had something in common: inspiration from our grandmothers.  Betty Char-Nuis Clemos was a renowned fashion designer who started her career as a successful tailor in Shanghai (hence those incomparable skills of his own) and also the first Asian retailer to import licensed Paris Haute Couture to Hong Kong.

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With ownership of coveted sources from within fashion houses such as Chanel, her success was clear, and life's work valuable.  Thankfully for her legacy, her grandson had innate skills that were clearly inherited from her.

I'm wearing Chocheng's knit top & skirt set, which is designed to give the illusion of pleats, much like the pink skirt in the above photo.  The skirt is pleated but the top is not.  Incredibly comfortable and high quality, which are two things you look for in a collection in addition to aesthetics.  You can tell Chocheng truly knows the female body.  

Shop the look below.

What's inspiring you this year? 

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Streetstyle Photos by Dennis Christians

Soho Streets in Fall-to-Holiday Style

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Gita, Jenna, and i

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Nomo Soho

Nomo Soho

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Tunic - Shein
Vest - Laundry by Design
Tights - Item M6
Scarf - El Voyage
Sunglasses - Polette

This past weekend I was out at brunch with my lovely blogger friends MimiandChichi, Trendy Not Spendy, & The Style Theory.  We had a lovely time catching up and discussing each of our projects of the moment.  It's such beautiful thing to be surrounded by intelligent women who constantly inspire you.  

As for my look - I actually listed this vest on my blog last year, it was one of the really great options that was similar to my look, and at an incredible price ($27!!)- so much so, that I went ahead and purchased it myself.  The tunic is from Shein.  I finally tried something from this site and I love it- they have so much fun clothing for really cheap.  I don't know why, but I'm currently having a serious burgundy moment right now.  It's such a perfect fall color and can also transition right into holiday style looks.  Between this gorgeous color and the vest, I've got two outfit patterns apparently on repeat this fall!

I've listed some similar colored faux-fur vest options below, also at great price ranges (around or below $50) so that you can get the trend for yourself without breaking the back.

Any particular outfit looks you have on repeat lately?

 

Travel Diaries: Colors of Hong Kong

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Hello all!

It's time to share some of my current travels with you.  I have been enjoying my first few days in Hong Kong this past week.  I haven't been back here in seven years, so there is plenty to see and do that is fresh and new to me.  It's actually been nearly a week here, but the flight is so long that the jetlag takes quite some time to adjust to. 

As you may know, Hong Kong is a huge city, bustling with people and sometimes even more crowded than New York City.  The food is certainly a main highlight, as well as rich history and culture.  I do have some relatives and friends of family here, so we started the first couple of days having meals together and catching up.  On our third day, we visited a great island called Lai Chi Wo, more about which I will write about below.  Enjoy part I of my Hong Kong travel diary.
 

Victoria Peak

A must when visiting HK.  The tallest peak in Hong Kong, naturally you will enjoy the best views in the city, with options of doing so by hiking up to panoramic views, or sitting at restaurants for dinner and dessert, or, like I did, visiting the renowned Tsui Wah for traditional breakfast toast and milk tea.

Pottinger Street

One of the oldest streets in the Wan Chai area, you enter by walking up centuries-old stone steps, and pass the many stands selling everything ranging from threads & ribbons to Halloween costumes and shoes as you ascend.

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The Look

As for what I'm wearing: the weather here is still quite hot, but luckily when we arrived, the rain cooled things down a bit.  However this time of year here, it still feels like summer.
Knowing this, I had to pull my sandals and shorts back out from my summer clothes, which was something I was happy to do.  Also, in case you were wondering, the sleeve trend is not going anywhere anytime soon, so you might as well embrace it.  There really are some great options though, take a look at some I've listed below, and let me know if you don't find one that you like :)

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The Island: Lai Chi Wo

This 400-year old UNESCO Heritage site is an island off the coast of Hong Kong and closer to China where the ancient Hakka people chose to settle, and somehow to this date have been able to preserve their land and culture with minimal outside disturbance.  A total of 20 people live on this entire island.
The only time visitors are allowed typically is on weekends.  It's amazing to see how they continue to get along without the disturbances of the technology and noise the rest of the world has developed in efforts of becoming more efficient with time.

Living Quarters

They do have electricity, but after dark still rely on gaslamps if they need to get up in the middle of the night when nature calls.  And I do literally mean "nature," if you catch my drift.

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The Meal

An incredible lunch prepared by the local chef, consisting of the locally and organically farmed ingredients they typically consume.  The dishes were cooked in sauces similar to what we often use in Chinese cuisine, but with the chef's own style, and much lighter than what is typical.  The meats and vegetables were so fresh that the quality minimized the need for further seasoning.
Afterwards he came out to talk with his satisfied patrons, and to answer the many questions people had about his ingredients and preparation methods.

Getting to the island required a ferry ride that took an hour-and-a-half each way.  Though as you can see, the views were lush and scenic, and the destination was well worth the time.

More to come, stay tuned.

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