Strawberries and Self Care

Well…it’s been a while since I’ve been back with a blog update. I’ll be honest, I had major plans for the start of the year. I even had a weekly styling series plotted out that just ended up simply not happening.

Basically I hit a creative slump and I was finding it harder and harder to shake off the depressive episode I found myself in during the holidays which ended up lasting far longer than I would have liked.  To the point that I even missed out on sharing any V-day inspired looks this year! And if you’ve been with me since the beginning, you know that has been a “time-honored” tradition for this blog over the last 8 years.

So where does this cute strawberry print pajama/lounge matching set come in? So, here’s the thing –  I’m shopping again. For clothes that is and this major turn of events inspired me to not only create content on my social platforms again, but return to posting on the blog, which I have greatly missed.

I had actually been eyeing this set online for weeks now and only got around to seeing it in person about a week or two ago after I stumbled into an Old Navy in need of some much needed retail therapy after a very long day at work in office. Old Navy tends to be my first stop at the turn of the season to stock up on dresses that would get me through both spring and summer. This is the first time that I’ve ever given their sleepwear more than a passing glance and I’m so glad that I did.

Continue reading

A Bloomchic Spring

Spring has officially arrived and with it so does spring fashion. This time of year I’m always on the look out to add new pieces to my wardrobe as I don’t really own many things that I can wear in warmer weather. (What can I say?  I love fall, sweaters and wearing layers.)  And this is why I was so excited to get a chance to try some of the new spring options from Bloomchic.

I was sent three pieces in total and they really got me embracing the change in season. Check out how I styled them and let me know which outfit is your favorite.

Disclaimer : The pieces styled in this post were gifted for review and feature. This post also includes affiliate links, any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission.

Cami dress

Due in part to my current job search, I have business casual styling stuck in my brain which is also the reason why I paired this dress with a basic white button down shirt in spite of it being a slinky bodycon. Overall it is a monochromatic look that worked well with this emerald green faux leather cross body bag as a pop of color. I find the overall palette of this look to be a refreshing take on spring colors though being bolder than the pastels which usually reigns supreme this time of year.

Continue reading

Oh My Senpai Moonie VIP Box Review

If you’ve been following me for a bit you already know that I love anime, manga and I’m a diehard Moonie (aka Sailor Moon fan). Sailor Moon was the first anime I was ever exposed to back in the early 90’s. I was four years old when my mother turned on the show to distract me while I was home recovering from getting my appendix removed and I’ve been obsessed ever since.  My love for this anime lead to an ever expanding collection of official (and fan-made) merchandise, which has only gotten bigger once I started making “adult money” and I’ve even cosplayed as a couple of my favorite characters at cons.

Just a portion of my collection which includes the manga, video tapes of the original dub (plus the movies) 90’s toys, figurines, enamel pins and more.

Funny enough in spite of this I don’t actually own much in terms of wearable items besides a few graphic tees which can get pretty old fast. So as you can expect I’m constantly on the lookout for more unique expressions of wearable fandom. I would never have guessed that there would ever be loungewear involved as is the case with Oh My Senpai.

Continue reading

Plaid Taste

Lately I’ve been looking into more business casual styling as I’ve been considering making a return to traditional corporate after spending the last 4-plus years in startup realm. For context I got rid of a great deal of my former “professional wear” such as my pencil skirts, blouses and pant suits that made up most of my closet from grad school on, as my job allowed for more casual styling . That is not to say that I don’t have any left in my closet, I still own a decent amount of blazers and blouses though they are far from “traditional” in color and print like this red longline blazer. As much as I love black, I mean I am a native New Yorker after all,  I like adding bold color accent pieces particularly for spaces that tend to discourage that kind of thing. I guess its my way of both expressing myself and rebelling  against norms I don’t embrace. For the last couple of years that has meant reaching for red for reasons I can’t explain other than I got complimented once by a good friend when I wore the color and I’ve embraced it ever since. (Prior to this I would go for pops of pink, my second favorite color.) 

That being said, after  styling this blazer last year, I got it stuck in my head that I really wanted to incorporate some kind of print the next time I wore it out. I’ve been on the hunt ever since for something – a dress or a skirt with a print including this specific shade of red.  Then  one day while doing some shopping recon I stumbled upon some  plaid denim. Continue reading

Big Sweater Energy

Last year I spotted an oversized black and white stripe cardigan on my Instagram feed and fell in love with it. It was just too perfect for those crisp, cool fall days leading into the chill of winter. Unfortunately by the time I learned about this cardigan’s existence it was sold on the Hot Topic website. That is until this summer when it reappeared in two different color palettes along with a plaid knit option; I immediately added one to my cart.

Was it weird to order this in the middle of July? Definitely. But I regret nothing because this is sooo cozy.

I actually debated as to whether or not I should size down because I knew it was oversized,  yet I found myself selecting my size (HT Plus Size 1) instead to ensure that the fit would be oversized on me not thinking about how huge it would end up being. They seriously weren’t kidding when they said “oversized,” but my brother convinced me to keep it because of all the “fall sweater weather cozy” vibes which is all I really want.

The best thing about this kind of piece is that it can be styled to be casual, sporty, dressy and even professional. The oversize fit it, the stripe design and the classic cardigan silhouette offers many different options when it comes to styling this piece and I’ve had a lot of fun coming up with a few. Here are three outfits that I styled with this one cardigan for some fall (into winter) style inspiration. Let me know in the comments which one is your favorite.

Disclaimer: While this specific cardigan seems to no longer be in stock I have included some similar options for you below to consider just in case you’re looking to trying this trend for yourself.

Continue reading