versatile, practical and simple

After spending what feels like forever searching for the perfect weekend cross body bag, I finally settled on this one from Fossil. I wanted something that was versatile, practical and simple. I actually really wanted the one in the burgundy color because I feel that fits my wardrobe more but what I like about this one is that the accents are silver instead of gold. Most of their other small cross body bags have gold accents and I don't mind it but sometimes, it's too much. This bag fits all my essentials and is the perfect purse to go hands-free on the weekend. I also attached the signature Fossil key because my accessory needs more accessories.

sparkle party

Of all the bracelets I have, this one is my favorite. It sparkles and has a great story behind it. My Malaysian auntie took leftover crystals and pearls that I had and created this gorgeous masterpiece. I wear it when I want to make a statement, which is pretty much my whole life.

it's all about the sparkle

I have a tradition in my life (made up by me) where I get a new signature item when I get a new job. I bought this watch three years ago when I started working as a long-term temp for a finance company. This is the Fossil 'Stella' stainless steel watch. I'm not sure if the crystals are Swarovski or not but if they sparkle like the stars, that's enough for me. I love this statement watch. I mean, why else would I get it, right? Unlike my other watch, this one is a lot of fun with the green face and all the colorful sparkly crystals all around it. It's even prettier in person. I like wearing it with sparkly bracelets to make the sparkle even more fun! Sometimes too much is too much but hey, a girl can never have enough sparkle.

I'm actually looking for a job now so when I do accept a full-time position, I'm really looking forward to what I'll treat myself to. The idea of a grey diamond ring in rose gold sounds beautiful.

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 handful of rose quartz

I recently bought a 72-inch strand of rose quartz. These beauties sparkle. The day after I bought this necklace, I wore it with a white t-shirt and my olive maxi chiffon skirt. I didn't realize how versatile this shade of pink is, let alone a handful of gorgeous rose quartz. I also love that there are knots in between every single stone. That's when you know you've got something of quality in your hands.

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.

orange and stripes

Orange is my favorite color so naturally I'm attracted to everything of that color. This necklace is no exception. I mean, orange clothing, yes. Give it to me. But orange accessories? Double-yes! When I'm not wearing my pearls or my usual peridot/gold necklace (which I will show soon) and I need to give my outfits a fresh spin, this is going to be the first thing I'll grab. A former manager was moving and giving away jewelry and this was the first thing I took. I feel like sometimes orange could be difficult to match but surprisingly, this goes with everything.

Also, this navy and white stripes dress from Uniqlo might be the best thing I bought for the upcoming summer. I can wear it as a t-shirt dress on its own or tuck it into my midi skirts and wear it as a top. The possibilities are endless. You'll be seeing it to the point that you'll get sick of it before I do.

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?