Thursday, March 29, 2012

DIY: Leather wrapped chain bracelet

I've been looking for leather wrap bracelets for quite some time. I've found many that I liked but they were way too big for my wrist. After many attempts, I thought "why not make my own". I found this useful tutorial and decided to give it a try.



My local Jo-Ann's has a very slim section for chains and I couldn't find anything I really liked. I was so happy to stumble upon this Forever 21 chain. The style/size is exactly what I was looking for. It's available in silver-tone as well if you don't like gold-tone. I followed the tutorial and below are step-by-step instructions.

Monday, March 26, 2012

Hello, Spring!

These photos were taken just before I got my haircut. The weather was so warm last week that I couldn’t wait to wear some of my spring pieces including this newly purchased floral skirt. I was happy to grab the last size 2 of this BB Dakota skirt on PLNDR. Normally, I'm not a floral kind of girl but I do enjoy a small dose of floral print. I think anyone can rock this trend as long as it is not a full floral commitment. It definitely feels a lot cooler this week. It's time to get out the winter coats..again =)



What I am wearing:
Skirt: BB Dakota Kiley skirt - size 2 (buy similar)
Top: A&F girls - size L (buy similar)
Clutch: DIY (see my tutorial here)
Shoes: Report via TJMaxx (buy similar)
Watch: Michael Kors 5128 in rose gold

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Chopped!

..and I finally chopped my hair off (about 12 inches to be exact)! I usually go through this cycle every 2 years or so. I let my hair grow out till it gets really long, then I chop it off.


My head feels so much lighter now and it takes less time to get ready in the morning. On the other hand, I can't do much with my hair anymore. Bye bye, soft curls! Bye bye, sock bun! I won't see you for a while =)

Monday, March 19, 2012

Paisley and Camel

One of the items on my Spring/Summer wishlist is “something paisley”. I will share my list once completed. Finding the right paisley print is hard, finding a paisley item that fits is even harder. Lucky for me, I stumbled upon this J.Crew perfect shirt at the factory store a few weeks ago and fell in love. This shirt runs smaller than typical J.Crew shirts. The print is understated enough for every day wear. Paisley is a fun and busy pattern that adds vivid interest to an outfit. However, if you are going to wear paisley, make it the only pattern in your outfit. In this outfit, I paired it with a solid skirt for work. On the weekend, I can see myself pairing with shirt with a pair of white skinny jeans for a chic spring look.



What I am wearing:
Shirt: J.Crew factory perfect shirt (buy non-outlet version)
Skirt: H&M - size 2 (buy similar)
Shoes: Steve Madden Ulltra blush patent
Watch: Michael Kors 5128 in rose gold







Readers, what do you think of paisley prints? Would you wear it?
Sydney

Friday, March 16, 2012

Friday Afternoon Shopping Recap

I took half day off today to attend an event at my daughter's school. I had some time to kill before the event started so I decided to stop by the mall for a quick shopping trip. I didn't find a whole lot worth buying/trying but I want to share some fitting room pics with you guys.

Old Navy: I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw this Old Navy printed wrap dress, which was $32.94, now marked down to $10.99. It is still full-price online (see this dress on Jean). I am wearing an XS regular and the fit was great. The length is also perfect for my height. My store still has quite a bit left in both colors.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

One Shirt - Two Ways

T-shirt is not something I buy on a regular basis. However, I'm always on the lookout for a good one. When shopping for t-shirts, I always look for unique details. This perfect shirt sold by Conversation Pieces has a few things that caught my attention.



Thursday, March 8, 2012

Hot Pink and Tweed

I am head over heels in love with this outfit. J.Crew is definitely killing it with all their new stuff and I am loving every single thing I saw in their catalog. Unfortunately, those particular pieces were clearly out of my price range. I decided to take the plunge and find ways to recreate this outfit using items that I already have in my closet.

Sunday, March 4, 2012

DIY: No Sew Oversized Envelope Clutch

A few months ago, my MIL who works for an upscale furniture store gave us a few rolls of beautiful leather. They've been sitting in the basement unused. Yesterday, I decided to make myself an oversized clutch. I made a few minor mistakes here and there but overall, I like the way it turned out. I was going to do a video for you guys but I know it'll take a long time to get it done. No video this time but I hope my pictures make sense. If you have any questions, I am more than happy to answer them.



What you'll need:
- 18x24 poster board
- 2 pieces of foam (for the lining)
- A bunch of binder clips
- Fabric glue
- Magnetic snap
- A cute button



This is the dimensions of my clutch (18 inches wide and 8 1/2 inches high). I draw all my measurements on the poster board and cut it to the actual size. You can adjust whatever size suits your preference. I used my husband's razor blade for all my cuttings. Razors work much better and faster than scissors

Glue 2 pieces of foam onto one side of the drawing. You can buy a bigger piece of foam but my store ran out of them. 2 pieces work just fine for me. After you glued them together, wait a few minutes for the glue to dry then cut the excess foam off. One side of your drawing is now poster board and the other side is foam.






Now, it's time to glue the leather (or vinyl) onto the poster side of your clutch. After the glue has dried, cut the leather 3/4 inches larger all around than the drawing. Then you want to fold in the excess leather, glue and use the binder clips to secure. Wait about 15 minutes for the glue to dry then fold 2 flaps together and glue again.



Now it's time to put in your magnetic snap and your button. You can be done at this point. However, I'd like to add a bit of character to my clutch by adding leather trim all around. At first, I wanted to sew decorative stitches around my clutch but my sewing machine couldn't handle the thickness of the leather. After breaking 2 needles, I gave up. I went to the store and bought a roll of leather trim. I used the same fabric glue and glued the leather trim around the outline of the clutch.



This is the final product. It took me about 3 hours from start to finish. I am happy with the way it turned out (even with a few minor mistakes). I am thinking about making another bright one for summer. You don't have to use leather, vinyl should be just fine. I hope you enjoy the tutorial. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave me a comment.



Have a great week!
Sydney


Thursday, March 1, 2012

Guest Post: How to pack for a cruise

The winner of LYLIF's giveaway announced here. Recently, I received an email from a reader asking “what clothes should I pack for a cruise?". I've been to 4 cruises in the past but have always overpacked. I could use some tips on how to pack efficiently myself. I know the lovely J of J’s Everyday Fashion just came back from a cruise. I asked her to share some tips on how to pack with us.
________

I recently had the opportunity to take a cruise to the Bahamas with a good friend , and Sydney asked me to put together some packing tips for you guys! Packing is one of my least favorite activities (what do you mean, I can’t take my entire closet?!) and I learned some good lessons on this trip that I’m excited to pass along. Here are my tips, tricks and past mistakes in hopes of helping you become a better packer!

1. Pick your shoes first.
So… where to begin? With your shoes, of course! My #1 packing tip is to start with your shoes. These are by far the biggest and bulkiest items in your suitcase, so I always start there first. Often, I will pick either black or brown shoes and stick with that same color theme for the whole trip. Another tip: wear your bulkiest pair of shoes during your trip to travel to and from the boat to save room in your suitcase.