the perfect marriage

I am rarely on my laptop, which is why I don't update this blog enough. For a long time now, I've wanted to couple up my peridot necklace, which I first featured here, with something. I wasn't quite sure what that something was. Then a few weeks back, I found this baby ruby necklace and thought it was the perfect layering thing for my peridot one. I think this is a beautiful marriage. I don't wear this combination everyday but when I do, it feels extra special. The two stones are stunning when together.

my daily pearl ring

Out of all the pearl rings I own, this one is my favorite. That's why this baby alone is getting a blog entry. I bought it in a popular jewelry store in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (either Poh Kong or Tomei) and it was the first time I've ever put down a hefty sum for a piece of jewelry. They even customized the ring size for me for free. I love how elegant and classy this ring is. Since my personality can be too fiery, I need accessories like this to balance the intensity. It's actually deceptive, I know.

Oh and how nice is my manicure? It's the only color I wear now. Yes, I love it that much.

a whisper of green

My jewelry is serious business. Let's talk about this one, the only piece I wear on a frequent basis. I mentioned in this post that I had a peridot necklace that my mom gave me as a memento. I think that green gemstones in general are beautiful but I am especially in love with the shade of peridot. Apparently, my mom had this necklace for over ten years before she gave it to me as a gift three years ago. The story that I'm told is that back in 2000, we visited our family in Japan and my aunt gave this to my mom as a gift. She never really wore it and thought that such a nice piece was a waste to have so she gave it to me. I wear it everyday and it's become a habit of putting this around my neck but seeing it in this picture makes me realize how beautiful it really is.

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. 

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.