nude pumps and sunshine

The weather today was gorgeous. For the first time, since returning to New York in late March, I went out with bare legs! I wore a navy midi skirt, a crisp white shirt and patent nude pumps. Unfortunately, I couldn't get an entire outfit picture going. It's too bad because I felt pretty lady-like in this ensemble. But we have to talk about nude pumps, these in particular. They're everything I love about nude pumps: patent leather, pointy-toed and low heels (2.5 inches). The shade of nude is also beautiful - these shoes look more expensive than they actually are. I also have to say, these pumps are quite comfortable. Realistically speaking, I wouldn't want to be in these all day but it's definitely an excellent everyday heel for work and commute.

Would you believe it if I told you I got them for $25? I did and they're from Payless. I actually don't like to splurge on nude pumps because they get dirty easily (since I wear them often) and I am constantly replacing them. Payless is great because they offer a lot of stylish and comfortable shoes for great prices. What's even more of a plus is that they come in wide widths! These aren't in wide so I had to size up but when the time comes to replace them, I'll grab the wide.

red accessories

As I grow older, I've come to realize that style isn't just about the clothes you wear or the bag you carry. It also permeates to the accessories, including the ones you don't wear. Since returning to New York, I've been going to interviews in search of a new job. Back in the day when I was job hunting, I carried my resume in a paper folder and I cringe every time I remember that. Why didn't I think about using a more stylish padfolio before? I have no idea. So I started looking for some online. As I was browsing, I came across this mini red one from Leatherology, a company that makes simple, affordable and functional leather accessories. At first, I wanted the full size portfolio but there was no way it would fit in my handbag so I opted for the mini version instead. It comes in a variety of colors but when it comes to stationary, I always go for the red. I am very picky about the shade of red. I was very hesitant about ordering this because I didn't like the color of it on my monitor. I read reviews and people have said great things about the red one so I ordered it anyway. To my surprise, it was a very true red and it looks gorgeous in person. I feel confident going into interviews and taking notes on my stylish little pad. I'm telling you, the details matter.

Oh, and how gorgeous is this pen? It was a birthday gift from a friend and I always carry this with me wherever I go. If it's the weekend, I'll swap out the padfolio with my moleskin but I'm always writing. Physically writing. And having a stylish pen makes me feel that much more badass. Step aside, bic!

Lastly, I have to mention how much I love my tiny pencil case. It fits two pens, a pencil, an eraser and a USB drive. I found this in a small accessories boutique when I was in Vientiane, Laos and I thought it was the perfect size to carry around my writing utensils. And since I'm Japanese, a pencil case isn't complete without a cute umbrella-shaped Swarovski crystal charm. 

inspiration: anthropologie

I saw this display at an Anthropologie a few weekends ago and I fell in love with the peach-colored dress on the left. There are so many things that I love about it. The length of this dress is perfect. I've been obsessed with midi-length skirts and dresses because they're so flattering and classy. The peach color is gorgeous and it's the perfect hue for the spring. I'm not sure if it'll flatter my fair skin so I might need to go with something a bit more vibrant. I really like how the dress was paired with the denim jacket. That reminds me, I don't have a good denim jacket yet so it's my mission to find one. And lastly, just imagine twirling in this dress.

rose salve

I have a million things in my bag (I'm basically like Mary Poppins or Doraemon) but I try to use multi-purpose products so that I limit what I carry. This is what I use as my go-to lip balm, the Rose Salve No. 012 from C. O. Bigelow. It's supposedly an all-purpose product that can also be for dry knees, elbows, cuticles and around the face. I love the smell of roses so I already love this product for that. But I also love how this is very moisturizing and it doesn't require so much of it to get the job done. This has quickly become one of those "I can't live without this" products. I carry it with me wherever I go and when it runs out (maybe in a few years?) I will definitely buy it again.

socks with toes

Wow, this definitely emphasizes how wide my feet are. Anyway, how cute are these socks? I love that they have toes! I used to think that socks with toes are pointless but oh my goodness, they make a huge difference. My feet can feel quite restrained when I'm wearing boots and sneakers but these allow me to wiggle my toes as much as I want. I don't know who invented them but these were gifted to me from a friend in Japan. Now allI need are tights with toes - is there such a thing?

aquamarine cabochon

After sharing what I bought myself for my birthday, let's talk about my actual birthstone: aquamarine. This is by far my favorite aquamarine piece. It's big and makes quite the statement. I got this when I was in Luang Prabang, Laos. This cabochon is so beautiful up close. The store also had a similar ring in sunstone and I really regret not buying it. I can't find a better replacement. It was beautiful and I wanted it but at the time, I thought that having two of the same ring with different stones would make each feel less special. I'm about to book a flight back to Laos and hunt that ring down. That's how obsessed I am with jewelry. 

the paperclip

Let me teach you a quick and useful hack. I used to have a hard time putting bracelets on by myself, especially because I have small wrists and I buy short bracelets. But the paperclip changed all that. You have to hook it on to the end of the bracelet and hold it down on your palm so you can comfortably clasp your bracelet. Much easier. After realizing how easily I can put bracelets on by myself, I wear them more often now. And how cute is this one? I found it in a boutique crystal jewelry shop when I lived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. It sparkles so much. Yeah, this post wasn't to really teach you a hack but instead for me to show off my pretty jewelry. At least you learned something new right?

modern, functional and stylish

These must be the perfect pair of leather loafers. Are they not? They're from Everlane and they come in four gorgeous colors but I chose black because I'm a New Yorker and we only wear black. The tagline for this product is that it "feels as good as it looks." Lies. I already got blisters from them. Maybe they will be comfortable after a solid ten more wears. But I'm not patient enough to go through that arduous process. I still wear them anyway because they're damn stylish, especially with jeans and an oversized shirt. If you plan to buy something from them, let me know so I can get a referral fee and use that as an excuse to buy more. Please?

feet oasis

Birkenstocks: I used to hate them and I still kind of do. I think they're ugly. But these Mayari ones aren't so bad and they're comfortable. That's enough reasoning, right? I caved in. This is a trend I swore I'd stay away from. I used to be one of those girls who would go through foot pain to stay fashionable. I need to change that though because it will cause some serious problems down the road. I've always believed that there's no way to make Birkenstocks look fashionable but apparently they're back in style? Really, now? I don't know when they became acceptable as something stylish but sure, I'll roll with it. And yes, those are band-aids on my toes. I've been suiting up for interviews and strutting around the city in heels. You know what that means.

let's get down to business

Someone once said: "If you accidentally fall into a river and you're wearing that watch, you'll drown because that huge-ass thing will make you sink." Wow, thanks. Yes, this watch is huge (and heavy) but I don't care. That's part of the charm. This is Michael Kors' 43mm 'Bradshaw' chronograph watch and I love it. I'm so glad I got it. I've had it for over two years and it has gone through a lot but I still rely on this baby everyday to look classy and put-together. You can't go wrong with a menswear-inspired watch.

Oh, and how sweet is it when your shirt sleeve peeks out of your jacket? I'm so ready for business.

a birthday present to myself

Every birthday I treat myself to something (it's another excuse to buy something, obviously). This year, I treated myself to a teardrop peridot gold ring. If you know me, you know that my birthday is in March and my birthstone is aquamarine. So why am I wearing this instead? Don't worry, I have my fair share of aquamarine jewelry. We'll get to that at another time. But there's just something about this golden green gemstone that I can't resist. It's simply gorgeous. Three years ago, my mother gifted me a peridot and diamonds necklace set in gold. I got this to match that necklace. I found this gem on Etsy via Belinda Saville and her pieces are stunning. I'm already bookmarking what I want next. What should my next excuse to buy more jewelry be?

pearl rings

Pearl rings. I'm obsessed with them. My left hand middle finger is my "pearl ring finger." However, when I bought some of them, they were too small for that finger and didn't have any more sizes but they were still cute so I would buy them and wear them on my right hand ring finger instead. I never wear two at once, even if they're on different hands. I bought most of them when I traveled to Malaysia (eight out of the nine!) because I've been in Southeast Asia for the past two and a half years and I always find beautiful jewelry there. For me, I've always thought of women who wear pearls as classy so that's partially why I'm so attracted to pearls. And they're pretty. Let's not get started with my collection of pearl strands. Not yet.