must have: denim jacket

detail: buttons

detail: another button

Today I'm featuring one of my style staples: the denim jacket.  A denim jacket screams classic Americana, and depending on the kind you get (fit, details, wash), you can really change up your look from edgy to preppy to urban to anywhere in between.  Denim jackets are perfect for that in-between summer and fall kinda weather, where it's starting to cool down, but not a full on chill, as well as during the spring time where there may be light breezes.

Denim jackets were pretty stylish for men and women during the early 2000s.  During this time, they were often paired with jean bottoms in the same wash.  I was in junior high at the time and I seriously wanted one!  This trend lasted a few years, and by mid-2000s, I'd say it was fading, though I still wanted one! Recently, the denim jacket has come back, and I couldn't be more happy.  It's paired with a lot more items than just jean bottoms. As jean jackets were popping up in more stores, I was able to snag one from American Eagle, though you could probably find one for cheap at a Goodwill or so, and in that case, get a second! 

Though I've worn my jacket with pant bottoms (and shorts as in the picture), my favorite way to style the denim jacket is over a dress or skirt ensemble. Pairing it over a more delicate and feminine outfit adds a nice touch of edginess to it and really toughens it up, also giving balance to an otherwise cutsey outfit.  The denim jacket will pair nicely with all kinds of lengths and fits ranging from short to long, loose to tight. Adding a denim jacket over a body-con dress or skirt is a great way to turn a night-time outfit into a casual, day-time appropriate outfit.

A denim jacket is also the perfect article of clothing to personalize and really make your own.  I like to add some personality to mine by adding pins.  Other options include studding, distressing, bleaching ... the possibilities are endless!

Which of the following looks are your favorite?  How would you style a denim jacket?  Let me know in the comments below!

detalles:
**denim jacket -- american eagle**

outfit #1
top -- express
salt 'n pepper shorts -- express

outfit #2
navy dress -- urban outfitters
skinny belt -- from a dress a own ...

outfit #3
purple bodycon dress -- windsor

outfit #4
printed brown dress -- gap (a $4 steal!)
black cuff booties -- steve madden

buttons
I scored the "bad news" and "make" buttons at a conference.  The other button shows a picture of book spines.  This was made with a button maker on campus.

corporate nature.

specs.

detail.

shoesies.

contrast.

little door.

hello LA!

Recently I went to the Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles. I had a prior engagement, hence my attire.  Though I wasn't quite properly dressed to trek through the trails of the mountain, I did what I could to adapt to the surroundings by switching my shoes from heel to loafer.  A good flat shoe can easily make any nice outfit comfortable and practical without compromising a sharp and snazzy look.

detalles:

floral ruffled top -- express

grey high-waisted skirt -- h&m

black blazer -- yank american (macy's)

black heels -- chinese laundry

loafers -- SAS shoes

green handbag -- fossil

white lucite necklace -- lisner (vintage)

lonely goatherd.

yodel-ay-hee-hoo!

cake, anyone?

mm ... yami in my tummy!

Hey all -- I had some friends come by the other day and we went on a mini South Bay adventure.  Though I hail from the South Bay (310 what what!), I always have trouble thinking of what to do around here.  Despite my fishing for ideas of what to do in the South Bay, we still managed to have a lovely time -- must have been the good company ;).  Lunch at Carson's Mami King was followed by checking out the quaint shops and market at Alpine Village.  Super-K was next as it was nearly a block away ... followed by Yami Tea House in Lomita.  This was my first time here, I ordered a Strawberry Milky Drink with boba ... it *only* came in 32oz size ... luckily, I was able to finish it -- it was tasty!  Our trip ended with browsing around Daiso.  If you ever find yourself in the South Bay, check out these establishments!  

Since I knew I'd be walking around and bumming around, I decided to keep things casual with my outfit.  More so, decided to stay warm ... sure, it's August, but the weather's been a bit whack!  I wore pants and long sleeves and let's just say, though it wasn't wintertime cold, I still didn't regret it.

o0o!  And another thing, I recently got Instagram and have been quite addicted to it!  I've been having fun snapping photos and swapping out filters -- the photos I used in this post are from my account!

Do you have an Instagram?  Follow me!  User name is gummiebear727 =)

detalles:

printed sweatshirt -- express

cropped jeans -- express

white tennis shoes -- vans

round sunnies -- urban outfitters

purple crossbody bag -- kipling

guess that's why they call it the blues

ethiopian food.

trinkets.

oodles of vintage goodies ...

"Hey Macklemore!  Can we go thrift shopping?!?"

outfit

treasure trunks.

Recently I met up with a couple of friends for a little LA adventure.  This brief daytrip took us to Little Ethiopia, on Fairfax, close to LACMA and Miracle Mile.  We dined on Ethiopian food from Buna Marketplace, a quaint little food place and shop.  This was my first time to eat Ethiopian food, and I must say, it was rather interesting -- quite the experience.  After, we strolled through the area to check out a few of the vintage shops.  Though none of us scored any purchases, it was definitely fun.

Outfit: I decided to go with this navy blue floral dress for a day out in the city.  I purchased the dress at a little boutique in Westwood and have been in love with it ever since.  I love the simple and clean lines of this short and flirty A-line dress.  It has a high-cut crew neck, which I feel is very flattering, yet hard to come by these days.  This higher cut neckline paired with the slim, elbow length sleeves (forgot to take a photo with the jacket off!) lend to a more conservative and modest dress, however the higher hem line make it still young and fun.  I also love how versatile this dress is: it can easily be taken from day to night by changing the outerwear, shoes, and accessories.  Scrap the denim jacket, swap the loafers for some heels, add a shiny necklace and some dangling earrings, and voila!  You've got yourself a night-time ready look in no time.

detalles:

navy and tan floral dress -- sweet rain

denim jacket -- american eagle

loafers -- SAS shoes

purple crossbody bag -- kipling

brown sunnies -- ANDM showroom

school girl.

lunch.

happy face!

The District at Tustin.

movie theater.

interior.

Today (erm, yesterday ... ? It's past midnight!) my very good friend and I decided to go to good old Orange County.  Our main destination was Irvine, but we made some stops at Santa Ana and Tustin.  Being back in Irvine is always a trip for me, nonetheless, it was a very pleasant day.  We lunched at Cha For Tea -- I rarely ever ate food here (aside from the tasty crispy chicken).  I opted for the orange chicken, and it was quite tasty.  It is not any Panda Express orange chicken, but it was good.  The day ended with Joss Whedon's latest film, Much Ado About Nothing at the Edwards Cinema in Irvine.  I hadn't read this play (!), but I had seen a movie version before.  Still, the story was rather new to me -- I didn't know it would be in Shakespearean language ... luckily, I was still able to follow!

Sadly, in all the events of the day, I got caught up and didn't take a proper picture of my outfit!  The second picture captures a bit of the top, though the necklace pendant dropped -- will have to feature a detail of that later!

detalles:

brown polo shirt -- ralph lauren

brown plaid jumper with buttons -- speechless (only $5 at a yard sale type thing at school! A size too big, but for that price, I took it! Layering with a shirt helps it fit better)

necklace -- Long Beach arts and craft fair; pendant from vintage pieces

do you remember all the city lights by the water?

matching drink: trader joe's french berry sparkling lemonade

lily pads.

"do you remember we were sitting there by the water? you saw me start to believe for the first time."

posin'

ducks.

landscape.

tree tops.

shades.

summer sun.

descending order.

In celebration of Bastille Day, I met with friends and headed to Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles for a nice picnic.  Though I've passed by the lake various times, I've never actually been to the park grounds.  I've always thought it looked rather nice with the large fountain things in the middle spewing out water, though my mom has always said it's dirty.  Much of the eastside has gone through some changes, and this Los Angeles neighborhood (along with the neighboring Silver Lake) is now considered "hip" and cool ... whatever it is, I did notice that the park really wasn't dirty, but rather, quite nice.  I was a bit upset that the pedal boats were not running, but I'll take a clean park and lake with no pedal boats than a dirty one with pedal boats.  My mom later informed me that Garcetti has been working on this area, on cleaning it up and making it nicer -- the park and lake has undergone rehabilitation.  Job well done Mr. Mayor, I'm liking it.  Last summer however, I visited MacArthur Park, also in LA with a similar fountain thing in the middle of their lake.  Unfortunately, MacArthur Park is still is quite dirty, I would *not* suggest having a picnic here.  Echo Park Lake however was quite pleasant and even had a small playground.  If you're looking for a nice place to picnic and people watch, Echo Park Lake is definitely an option to keep in mind (especially when the pedal boats are back up!).

detalles:
coral striped top -- express
coral skirt with pockets -- urban outfitters
round sunnies -- urban outfitters
rope cuff bracelet -- tory burch
loafers -- SAS shoes
purple crossbody bag -- kipling

must have: classic loafers

bus adventures.

patterns.

I have been obsessed with these loafers lately.  They are my new favorite shoes!  They're actually comfort shoes, or well, I think they are ... so I think they're intended for an older person, but it really doesn't matter to me.

These loafers, by SAS shoes combine function with style.  Being the height that I am, I am quite fond of wearing heels.  I have a couple pairs of flats, but they're not my go-to shoe, they're more for when I need to be practical (though my flat boots are an exception).  I have also found that (ballet) flats can tend to be quite uncomfortable if worn for long amounts of time, and of course ... I gotta take it there, but if you don't wear socks or liners?!?  Well, you know what I mean!  Or am I alone on that one?  I feel my foot tends to sweat and it creates an odor.  Yuck!  These loafers provide me with lots of comfort and support with all that padding, but also give me a nice polished look with a flair of style.  To the up the comfort note: I have even sprinted towards a bus in these and my feet didn't feel any pain or strain at all.  It may be a stretch, but I think they're even more comfortable than a pair of tennis or sport shoes.

These shoes are a variation of the classic penny loafer and have a structured look to them.  I find them to pair quite nicely with dresses and skirts.  As for pants, I like them best with a crop or ankle length style pant.

photo details:

First photo was taken en route to Amoeba Music in Hollywood.  I believe I used the low-sharpening function on my camera, with the natural sun light, I like the way it turned out.  Second photo is at my aparment, the carpet adds some texture and plays nicely with the pattern on the dress.

loafers -- SAS shoes

cropped jeans -- EXPRESS (zelda crop)

tote -- roxy

dress -- vintage

song sung BLUE

waiting for the bus.

cute furniture + carpeting!

detail of the "enchanted woods collection"

sepia. tourist photo!

pretty flowers.

I recently visited the Beverly Hills Public Library to check out their newly re-modeled children's library.  I haven't seen the old children's library (though I have seen the temporary one), but this new one was quite nice!  I was most impressed by the carpeting as well as the artwork and design of the "Enchanted Woods" collection.  Aside from the children's library, BHPL is a great library to check out if you are interested in the arts. There are pieces on the walls, and a great arts collection on the upper level that includes sheet music and artists books!

detalles:

loafers -- SAS shoes

blue & white floral print skirt -- gap kids (1990s)

blue polo -- izod

denim jacket -- american eagle

green beret -- gifted (no label)

kaleidoscope

waiting at the expo line.

USC campus for the LA Times Festival of books.

sunnies.

street art. "forgive someone" by morley.

mondrian-like wall.

weekend read.

Decided to check out the LA Times' Festival of Books on 4.20.  I still remember when it was at UCLA, it was a little disorienting at USC, I'm just not used to the campus, though it was quite lovely (I root for the blue & gold though!).  Also checked out Record Store Day, no pictures from that, and no purchases either, the store my friend and I went to was quite nice though.

detalles:

zig zag dress -- francesca's

denim jacket -- american eagle

geometric necklace -- forever 21

pink clog boots -- gap kids

pink sunnies -- anthropologie