Moschino & tulips

(Free People lace dress, Zara blazer, H&M hat, Moschino belt, Kelsi Dagger shoes, Elizabeth Wahyu ring, Banana Republic bracelet, Sarah Aghili giraffe necklace)

























Photos by Catharine Acurso.

I just had to jump on the Moschino belt bandwagon. After a bidding war on eBay, I scored this vintage Moschino belt and have had a hard time prying it off ever since. The blocky, gold letters against the sheen of black leather make this one accessory that can completely transform an outfit. So I kept the rest of my look simple and sleek with a black lace dress and tights.

The sculpture I'm posing in front of, "Hymn to Life: Tulips" in Beverly Hills, is by Yayoi Kusama and has special meaning to me. I lived in Japan for a year, and spent many weekends traveling throughout the country. The most memorable place I visited - aside from the exciting bustle of Tokyo and the wondrous serenity I found in Kyoto - was a small island in the Seto Inland Sea called Naoshima. The island, every art lover's dream, is littered with open-air sculptures, including a massive yellow pumpkin by Kusama. The fiberglass pumpkin is perched on the edge of a pier by the ocean, and the sight of it against blue skies is awe-inspiring. I visit Kusama's sculpture in Beverly Hills every so often, and whenever I see the whimsical dotted flowers and bright colors, I feel like I'm right back on that beautiful island.

If I ever feel better

(Banana Republic trench, Free People tutu skirt, DAVIS by Ruthie Davis shoes, TNA tee, J.Crew socks & necklace, vintage earrings)

When I first spotted this tiered mesh tutu at the Free People store, I gravitated towards the hot pink immediately. A pink tutu skirt is probably not high on anyone's practical shopping list... except for mine! Thank goodness my workplace allows me to wear pretty much anything I want.

The skirt is everything I look for in a standout piece - it's obnoxiously bright, frilly, feminine and just a little too much. To temper its girliness, I paired it with a white tee, trench coat and a layered necklace of faux pearls and rhinestones. And I couldn't resist topping it all off with my DAVIS by Ruthie Davis booties. They're my favorite shoes of the moment, oozing sleek minimalism with perforated patent leather, mirrored chrome heels, a modern shape and rounded toe.

If you have a minute, please vote for my outfit in the H&M Style Eye contest - and feel free to upload your own look as the deadline isn't until March 30th. The prize sounds pretty sweet: 3 winners are flown to NYC, given a $500 H&M shopping spree and featured in a Lucky magazine spread! I've also been busy attending Los Angeles Fashion Week events and meeting dozens of amazing Los Angeles-based bloggers, so stay tuned for updates on the shows and parties.

Photos by the enormously talented Catharine Acurso.

Down to Urth

(Free People dress, J.Crew socks, Jeffrey Campbell shoes, Fallon bracelet, F21 necklaces, Alice + Olivia cuff, MM Couture by Miss Me blazer)

A night at the He-Man art show at Gallery 1988, then Urth Caffe in Beverly Hills. Urth is one of my favorite places in Los Angeles for a late night bite; I never tire of their desserts, particularly the pistachio tart and deep dish blueberry pie, and tea lattes.

I've been wearing this comfortable floral dress all week, even to a recent work event where I got to mingle with the cast of Glee. I'm a tad obsessed with the show so I simply had to post pictures of the talented Lea Michele (wearing Isaac Mizrahi) who plays Rachel Berry and the brilliant Jane Lynch who plays Sue Sylvester. The entire cast was so humble, kind and unbelievably down to earth despite the huge success of their show. Is anyone else out there a Gleek? :) Unfortunately, I don't have a jumping shot in this outfit (didn't want to disrupt the art show!) but hopefully the beautiful Lea Michele will make up for it!

Most photos were taken by the very talented Henry Bow and Vincent Chan! Thank you!

25 in The City of Lights

(Alex & Chloe Paris tee, DKNY sneaker heels, Free People necklace, H&M skirt, cuff from Thailand)

A heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who has given me suggestions on where to shop in London and Paris for my upcoming trip! I especially want to thank Haute World for her amazing, comprehensive list of recommendations! I've visited the two beautiful cities in the past as a teenager but in those days, I certainly didn't possess the same appreciation for fashion, food, culture and history that I do now. I'm grateful that my work has given me this thrilling opportunity to revisit Europe... with a more mature perspective of the world!

In anticipation, I've been sporting my Alex & Chloe Paris tee, picking up useful French phrases, and struggling to decide what to pack! As you all know, I've been trying to find the perfect bday dress, but as it turns out--I'll be celebrating my 25th in The City of Lights. I plan on finding The Dress and wearing it that night at some pretty restaurant with a view of the Eiffel Tower. There's no better place to usher in my quarter life crisis! :)