Sunday Best

Top: Forever 21 || Pleated skirt: Forever 21 || Gladiator sandals: Nordstrom Rack

Dressed in my Sunday best. 

PCN 2013: Walang Kapalit

Black leotard: Forever 21 || Black sheer tank top: H&M || Black maxi skirt: Papaya || Vintage glasses frame: Father's closet || Watch: Target

All in black to play in the Rondalla (Pilipino stringed instrument ensemble) for my school's Pilipino Culture Night. Sporting some dated frames to match with the 60s theme of the show. Later on changed into a pink polka dot dress to keep with the time period. An amazing, empowering, inspirational, groundbreaking show that I am so blessed to have been a part of. Definitely excited for future shows to come.

Knee Lengthin', Star Seein', Platformin'

Top: Forever 21 || Cardigan: Old Navy || Shorts: American Eagle Outfitters || Belt: Forever 21 || Watch: Target || Black knee high socks: Cotton On || Platform sneakers: Urban Outfitters

Last week's outfit. Broke out the platform sneakers and kept the look fun and casual with knee length socks, distressed jean shorts, and a muscle tee.

Haul: Clothes Encounters Closet Sale

The pieces I purchased at Jenn Im's closet sale a couple weeks ago.

This first piece is a sheer, black and white spotted collared top. Definitely a great basic to have. Can be dressed up or down. A great piece to add to my collection of collared tops, because you can never have too many.

This crochet vest popped out at me because I've been wanting to add another vest to my wardrobe. This  one is great because it can add a quick touch of Bohemian to any look. A perfect layering piece, and it's as simple as slipping it on.

This last piece I was actually hesitant to purchase. I grabbed it because 1) It's the perfect, simple black blazer that can be paired with almost anything and everything 2) The red sticker indicated it was only $5 (I was actually dubious about the price, because, $5. For this treasure?!) and 3) Jenn Im owned this. I decided I couldn't leave without it because of the previously stated reasons.

Back on that Study Grind

Top: Ross || Vest: thrifted || Shorts: Kohls

Monday. Starting back on the cycle. Wake Up. Class. Food. Study. Sleep. Repeat.

Birthday

Top: Forever 21 || Blazer: thrifted || Shorts: Forever 21 || Gladiator Sandals: Nordstrom Rack

Celebrated a friend's birthday this past Saturday. Full of good company, delicious food, and hilarious future inside jokes.

Featuring my dinner: personalized salad with a side of a slice of Foccacia bread.

Catch Up

Top: Abercrombie & Fitch || Cardigan: Mango || Jeans: Forever 21 || Gladiator Sandals: Nordstrom Rack

Back logged. Posting up photos from the end of last week up until today. Sorry about the flood of late photos! Hope today's overflow of photos will last you all until next week! This week will be a stressful one.  Hopefully after this weekend, everything will go back to normal. 

Clothes Encounters

A great way to end last week. After taking a look through Jenn Im's closet sale and made my purchases, I went up to her to say hi and take a picture. When I finally went up to her and I said hi, she instantly recognized that I seemed familiar! She remembered my face. How amazing is that, when one of your role models can remember you, after meeting one time. Life is complete.

The flea market opened at 11 am, and my friends and I arrived probably not even thirty minutes into the hour. I guess other fans got the memo. It was obvious where her booth was located with a crowd of fashionable college girls surrounding it.

It was surreal to actually sift through a portion of her closet and actually purchase a few pieces for myself. My clearance shopping with my mama and my few instances when I thrifted trained me for this day. As a college student, I only focused on the cheapest pieces, which were the clothing labelled with a red star sticker indicating it cost five dollars. I scanned the racks quickly for red stars on hangers or the clothing itself and picked out all potential purchases. I finally narrowed it down to my final three pieces (which will be featured in another post soon)!

At the beginning of the sale, as I started to sift through the racks, I overheard Jenn talking to other fans as they went up to chat or take pictures with her. It was incredible to hear where some people came from. I believe one came from Southern California, and another was a boyfriend of a fan who travelled far to buy something for his girlfriend. He told Jenn this, and she responded, "Aw, you are such a good boyfriend!" and he asked if he could get a picture with her, and of course she agreed. 

I also overheard another conversation of her and another fan about a pair of Jeffrey Campbell shoes she was selling. Apparently the conversation started out with the fan probably asking advice on if she should purchase a pair of shoes Jenn was selling. Jenn asked about her shoe size, something about wider or not, and Jenn was polite in advising her not to get the pair since they didn't seem to fit her well. It was great to hear that she isn't the type to just sell her pieces just for money, but really cares where her fans put their money. 

Anyway, the conversation somehow led to Jenn bringing up how earlier that day, an older woman came by and wanted to buy a pair of her shoes. When Jenn told her it would cost about fifty dollars, the woman was in disbelief and exclaimed, "What, fifty dollars? But they have scuffs on them!" Jenn was probably in shock and appalled, because all she was able to respond back was, "But they're Jeffrey Campbell..." and I guess the woman repeated herself and said, "So what does that even mean? They have scuffs on them!" This woman needs to know her brands and check her manners before going around attempting to haggle prices. 

Anyway, the morning was perfect for this flea market. Breezy, sunny, calm atmosphere, perfect for an outdoor closet sale and a meet and greet with Jenn Im.

One last conversation I overheard was about how this quarter is Jenn's last quarter before graduating. A fan asked about her plans for after college. Apparently Jenn is planning to travel and just have fun and enjoy being a graduated college student. Exactly what I had in mind for myself.

There were a lot of great pieces for great prices, surprisingly. However, I had to think practically and what I would get my wear's worth out of them. Some pieces I actually recognized her wear from videos or show off in hauls, such as her velvet, maroon dress, Mickey Mouse crew neck sweater, and pleated pleather skirt.

Hint: what I purchased that day are in my hands in the above picture. More details to come!

 Photo credits (the photos that include me) to my friend A. Dang. Thanks for sticking it out in the heat while us girls shopped! The other photos of the event itself were taken by me (on my terrible phone camera, sorry)! 

Hope you all enjoyed reading about this closet sale hosted by Jenn Im of Clothes Encounters! Definitely a once in a lifetime experience.

Oh yeah, and Jenn Im actually liked my photo on Instagram. Unreal.

Play Hard, Work Harder

Oxford top: Gap || Vest: vintage || Shorts: Aeropostale || Necklace: Forever 21 || Rings: local flea market || Studded flats: Nine West

Still not used to having a "job" (my internship), so still playing around with the idea of work-wear (even though there is no uniform or dress code for where I am interning). However, first impressions are important and the way you are dressed can change one's opinions about you and your work ethic. 

Kept it looking serious, yet played down with the fun shorts and casual vest. Dressed it up a bit more with hints of jewelry and some studded flats.