Today

Sometimes you are looking for something you don’t even know yourself. Wandering around this evening, window shopping, checking bookstore and buying dinner:

Attending classes

To repeat a cozy look when it is getting (finally, thankfully!) a little chilly but changing a few details:

And the problem still remains, what to wear tomorrow?! See, this is why I don’t like taking classes. Everyday you have to wear something different and creative and casual!

A quite dinner party

My kind and wonderful friends had invited me for dinner which was super delicious. Yum!

SO this is Indian Summer!

We are struggling with a heat wave and temperature is between 85-96 everyday! Wasn’t it supposed to be Fall?! My solution to this weather is something like this:

Evening outings!

I have become a night owl, leaving the house in the evenings only. I guess something is seriously wrong with me!
Dinning with a friend last night:

Coffee shop and reading and grocery shopping tonight:

Summer or Fall, which is which?!

The weather is confusing. You check the temperature and it is 86 but when you dress accordingly and go out it is windy and a little chilly. So you get to shiver walking around and bake in your car! What a nice day!

On a positive note (or not so positive one for my credit card!) I finally gave to temptation and went to target to check their Anna Sui’s collection. It was a disappointment after all the talk and the advertisement really! I only liked these two pieces. But the skirt was too short for any self respecting woman to sit in and the tee wasn’t worth the price!



But my dear faithful Merona brand didn’t disappoint. Check out my new purchases and I’m thinking of getting the skirt in wine/purple too! Also the hat is more green than blue!

Sleepwear wanted!

How many times a day you change? How many outfits you need for a day? For me it depends on how many times I go out! Let’s start from the morning; I change out of my pajamas into my “House Dress”. My “House Dress” is not necessarily a dress it can be my yoga pants and a tank top if it is chilly. If the weather is hot, it is probably a cotton strappy mini dress which is a little loose and very light and (very) short! If it is winter it is a pair of jeans or leggings with a thick oversize chunky sweater. Not so hot it could be a pair of cotton shorts and a tank top.
Then if I go out I have to change out of my “House Dress” into my planned outfit for the day and when I come back, change back to my “house Dress”. Now if I go out in the evening or at night I have another change of outfits and the back to “House Dress” or if I am lucky and I get home really late, straight to pajamas! So how many times was that? At least four times a day! Wow, extra time anybody?!
But the best part of my day is changing into my pajamas. It is when I feel the most relaxed. It has become some sort of ritual for me and I’m paying a lot of attention to my pajamas. If it is chilly or cold I wear a tissue tee with cotton pajama pants and if it is hot and summery, a cotton short and tank top. But all should be 100% cotton and very soft, little ribbons and lace trims and pretty patterns are a bonus.
These past couple of years I have been buying my sleepwear from Gap Body and tissue thin tees from Old Navy but this year for my birthday I got a coupon from Victoria’s secret and thought to pamper myself with something extra special. What is better for a spoiled clothes-horse than a soft luxurious pair of pajamas, right?
Wrong! I checked their website and their sleepwear (no, I’m not talking lingerie here!) is bland! Lots of patterns but not enough detailing, no dainty lace trims, no tiny flowers, no ribbon, nothing! Their cotton pajamas look like prison wear! Ok, not that bad but not feminine either! Their satin pajamas are polyester. Imagine sleeping in one, yuck! And my dreams of a silk robe were all shattered when I didn’t find anything silk on their website!
Now I’m the first person to sing their praises when it comes to underwear. They make the best bras ever and their lace is not scratchy and their patterns are cute and there are lots of varieties but sleepwear? Nope! Apparently that’s their Achilles’ ankle!
So what am I going to do with my birthday discount? Have a week to figure it out!

A Lazy Saturday Evening

I am starting to like going to the coffee shop in the evening better than at night! There are so many more people there which means more people to watch! Also all the stores are still open and you can go shopping!
I also love the window shopping after having my snack, I can concentrate on the merchandise more and not thinking about something to eat!
My dear friend had me looking at (and smelling) so many beautiful leather bags I am tempted to go shopping for one! You are such a bad influence!

Supporting our brothers and sisters in Green

Our thoughts and prayers are with you, our brave heroes!

I’ve been wearing green these past couple of days but when I went out tonight to buy phone cards and dinner and hangout in the bookstore I wore green intentionally! Oh, the green I wore was more sage than Kelly but these photos don’t show the color well!

Coffee shop

I spent a wonderful evening catching up with friends in our neighborhood coffee shop. Although my iced caramel macchiato wasn’t as wonderful as its hot version! Lesson learnt: Not all drinks taste the same chilled!

It was interesting, all three of us wearing variations of the same look: chiffon tops, skinny jeans and platforms!

Dinner and Shopping

Imagine sitting at your table in the restaurant alone and on another table six or seven women are gossiping and husband bashing at the top of their lunges. Your only comfort is when you are leaving you look much better than any of them!

I was so in need of a little pick me up after dinner that I had to go shopping. In a cute little boutique I found a silk asymmetric top with caped sleeves. It is like two tops in one, you can wear it as it is with an asymmetrical front ruffle or remove the ruffle-y part and you get a normal cap sleeve button down. Very cute and useful for just 20 bucks! Shopping gods adore me!
It looks a little like this top but the sleevs are caped and ruffle-y too:

p.s. By the way, my tunic for dinner was light green not gold! The photo doesn't show the color well!

Day at the Library!

Sometimes you go into the trouble of getting ready or even leaving the house but you can’t make yourself stay at your destination! I planned to stay in the library for a couple of hours. But when I got there I was so depressed and the library was so crowded that I turned and left!



Although it was a good opportunity to test drive my new vintage red handbag. It is not roomy enough for all the junk I carry with me and the bare minimum had to be placed inside with care so it won’t bugle!

Being Autumny!

It felt like Fall today all cloudy and windy and gray and cool. I loved it! In honor of Autumn’s arrival I dressed up!

Looking for warmth!

It is getting chilly and I have this insane desire to layer up and wear fuzzy knits!

Wandering in the bookstore Saturday night:

Walking, talking and shopping Sunday evening:

New bags, Love them!

The first three are vintages and I’m very proud of them.
And the last one is a charm. At South Bend, IN, I found this cute little charm bag attached to a keychain and of course I had to have it!

Last days of Summer

I’m taking full advantage of these last summer days and wearing my sandals and summer dresses as much as I can! I know once the warm weather is gone, I’m gonna miss wearing light dresses!

Fall Fashion

When is officially the time to change to our Fall/Winter wardrobes? Some people did it this weekend right after Labor Day. I prefer to wait for the First Day of Autumn September 22 for sentimental reasons. However here in Southern California the weather doesn’t change that much until mid November so whenever you want to go Autumnal I assume it would be OK!
The top trends for Fall:
- Animal prints and Snake/ Crocodile bags and shoes
- Black leather for jackets, skirts, pants, leggings, shorts and any other thing you can imagine!
- Neon colors, especially hot pink and orange (Blue is finally out!)
- Metallic and rock chic influence: studs, zippers and tough accessories
- Classic Camel coats but a bright color coat will be on trend too
- Floral prints for dresses and skirts and shirts
- Feminine soft touches like chiffon and silk top in soft/ nude or neutrals
- Furs in vests, collars, hats, scarves and anywhere else!
- Big shoulders! (Yuck!)
- Skinny slim silhouettes, skinny pants or leggings, short slim jackets, high heels!
- Pencil skirts (when were they out of style?!)
- Lace, ruffles and girly touches
- Hats: cloches, Berets, or large brim wools with bows and whistles!
- Top looks: Modern 40’s, Aviators and 80’s influence
- A brave new lip color: Classic Red or an eye catching Berry!

If you check your closet you will find many of these pieces already there! Basically everything is a repeat of last three Fall’s! Give them a new twist with a couple of new shoes and trendy combinations and maybe a new top or two! Take advantage of Sales and pick some trendy pieces to give your classics a fresh look! Or go totally out and buy a head to toe new look! Why the heck not, it is autumn; my favorite season!

Sight-seeing at home!

You know when you are tired and just want to sleep and it is not possible? Well, these couple of days were like that!

Chicago, last day!

Going sight seeing, then collecting carry on and lap top bag from the hotel and heading to airport and home (finally!).

Chicago!

Going to Chicago, staying in the Loop and leaving tomorrow.
If it is not too cold I will probably look like this both days:

p.s. I’m really missing my dresses and sandals! A week in sneaker was more than enough for me! The first day my feet were feeling weird, like they don’t have enough room in the shoes and are being suffocated! Now I’m almost used to it and admit it: these sneakers are really comfy! What other shoes I could wear for 15-16 hours straight and not feel any feet or back pain?! Although I still think my Tan Naturalizer kitten-heel strappy wedges could have stood it if they were allowed in the lab!

A Total Lab Lady!

Necessity and invention and all that!
One tip: If you are wearing three or four layers make most of them in the same color or same color family. It looks more pulled together. Not that I do look pulled together these days!

Bag lady in the Lab!

I hear Grunge (Bag Lady) is in style again and that’s the only reason I’m looking like this:

Yeah, sure! Wish I could believe it! It is 65 degree outside and at least 10-15 degree lower here in this basement lab! I’m freezing! I think I’m catching a head cold and my fingernails are turning blue!

… and Cold created layers!

My way of dealing with colds of Indiana without having a coat:



I feel so heavy I wonder how I can walk!