Monday, June 29, 2015

Recipe: Crisp Tofu Cooked In Tomato Sauce

TofuWithTomatoSauce_SydneysFashionDiary

We took the girls to the Hershey Park in Pennsylvania for a weekend getaway. I got back around 3:00 a.m this morning. Had about 3 hours of sleep and currently feel like a zombie at work =) Since I was away all weekend long, I haven't been able to take outfit photos but I do have a fantastic recipe that I'd like to share. Since Summer is officially here, I am all about eating healthy and this recipe is one of my all time favorites. It's healthy, easy to make and super delicious. If you end up trying this dish, please let me know how it turns out.

Friday, June 26, 2015

An Oldie: Zebra Print Sheath Dress

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While cleaning out my closet last week, I rediscovered this zebra print dress from Banana Republic that I got years ago. Even though the print is not exactly summer appropriate, I still am happy to take it out for a spin. Since the dress already has a busy print, I kept the rest of the look minimal by pairing it with a dainty pearl necklace and a pair of simple black pumps. Have a wonderful weekend, everyone! 

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What I am wearing:
Dress: Banana Republic *old*

Wednesday, June 24, 2015

DIY: Coco Inspired Bracelet


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Being a huge Chanel fan, this bracelet is right up my alley. The combination of leather and chain totally gives it a cool vibe. However, I have a hard time spending that kind of money on costume jewelry. Since it looks quite simple, I decided to try my hand at DIYing it. It took me a while to figure out the right size of the leather cord. Couldn't find anything at the local craft stores, I ended up ordering a small roll of leather cord from Etsy. The rest of the materials I found at a local Michaels. The process itself is pretty simple (take me less than 15 minutes from start to finish). I hope you like the tutorial. Let me know if you have any questions. Happy Wednesday!

Monday, June 22, 2015

Closet Essentials: A Camel Skirt feat. Black Turtle Apparel

Happy Monday, everyone! Today, I am featuring another closet essential - a camel pencil skirt. Read previous closet essential posts here featuring a denim jacket and a striped dress

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Every woman needs a tan/camel pencil skirt in her closet. It's probably one of the most timeless pieces of all time. A neutral bottom is a closet staple and can be worn year around. A few weeks ago, 
the founder of Black Turtle Apparel reached out to me to introduce her collection. While this blog is no longer 100% dedicated to petite fashion, I am always more than happy to spread the love.

Friday, June 19, 2015

Isaac Mizrahi New York: An Everyday Work Tote

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Happy Friday! I don't know about you but the non-stop rain lately makes it a very long work week for me. I am happy that the weekend is finally here. Today, I am doing a quick review on my new work bag. For the past year, I've been using this J.Crew cross-body as my regular work bag. While it works well for me, sometimes, I just need a little extra space for things (such as an umbrella or a pair of folded flats). This tote couldn't be more perfect. As you can tell from the photos, it's ginormous and probably fits more stuff than you would ever need to carry.


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I am the biggest fan of textured leather. Most of my leather handbags have some sort of texture/grain. It plays an important factor in my purchase decisions. I don't think I would ever buy a bag that made of smooth leather. This tote is very spacious, light weight, 100% lined and I can wear it on my shoulder comfortably. The shoulder straps are adjustable to accommodate a variety of lengths. The bag has a large interior pocket as well as 2 slip pockets for your phone. While the bag has some textures, the leather itself is really soft to the touch. This is truly a year round bag that will look great with so many outfits

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Tried and true Father's Day gifts 2015

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With Father's Day coming up this weekend, I thought I would share a few of my husband's favorites. They are not only his favorites but also things he uses everyday. Welcome to his closet =) My husband and I each have our own walk in closet (see mine here). Originally, we were supposed to have the same amount of closet space. However, later in the design process, we changed our mind and wanted to have an upstairs laundry room (makes so much more sense, right?). In order to do so, I somehow convinced him that he needed to downsize his closet to make space for the laundry room =). Even though his closet is less than half the size of mine, he is still able to fit all his clothes with room to spare. As you can tell from the 1st photo, the top rack is full of his dress shirts. He become obsessed with the non-iron shirt from Banana Republic years ago. Each season, he'd add a couple more shirts to his collection. It is slowly but surely growing. I highly recommend them. They are reasonably priced (40% off right now with code BEST), hold up well and available in an array of colors and patterns

Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Fourth of July Outfit Ideas


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Outfit # 1: Dress | Shoes | Bag | Sunglasses
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Outfit # 2: Shorts | Top | Sandals | Sunglasses

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Outfit # 3: Skirt | Top | Shoes | Bag

Monday, June 15, 2015

Hits & Misses # 5: Cold-Shoulder Top & Boyfriend Shorts

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It definitely felt like summer last weekend. This cold-shoulder top is perfect for hot summer days. It's from my last order c/o Sheinside. The quality is somewhat decent. Material is on the thinner side but drapes nicely. I had to shorten the straps (by hand) but other than that, I like it pretty well. Off the shoulder is all the rage right now and this little number is certainly welcome in my closet. This top is available in black and white (exclusively from Sheinside) and currently buy two get one 60% off

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What I am wearing:
Top: c/o Sheinside - Size S
Shoes: Target slip-on sneakers
Sunglasses: ZeroUV
Watch: Michael Kors

Friday, June 12, 2015

Ortiz Industry

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Wrapping up the work week with a look I wore a few days ago. While this outfit seems pretty basic, the fabric is what makes the top and the skirt unique. Orbitz Industry recently reached out and offered a couple of pieces for me to try. I did a little research and feel intrigued. Ortiz Industry is a contemporary fashion brand specializing in fabrics that are beautiful and highly functional with a level of technology not found in most apparel.

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What I am wearing:
Top:  c/o Ortiz Industry (size XS)
Skirt: c/o Ortiz Industry (hemmed - size XS)
Sunglasses: ZeroUV
Watch: Michael Kors
Bag: J.Crew

Monday, June 8, 2015

WalkTrendy & Weekend Floral

FloralSummerDress_SydneysFashionDiary

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Today's post is a quick review featuring items from WalkTrendy. They contacted me last month and offered 3 items. They carry trendy and affordable pieces just like other Asian-based retailers. Shipping took much longer than I expected. Anyway, first up is this floral dress. This dress is flirty and cute but runs very small, I am wearing a size small here and can barely breath. Since the dress is on the shorter size, I paired it with a pair of sandals for a casual weekend look.

FloralSummerDress_SydneysFashionDiary

What I am wearing:
Dress: c/o WalkTrendy - size S
Sandals: Rebecca Minkoff studded sandals
Bag: Chanel medium flap

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Sheinside: Hits & Misses # 4

CuteSummerOutfit_SydneysFashionDiary

Happy Friday, everyone! Today's post is another hits and misses featuring a few items from Sheinside. I thought I had the game down in terms of selecting items but I guess not. Everything reviewed here is a complete miss for more than one reason. All links below are non-affiliate. Click here to read previous hits & misses posts.


First up is this cute ice-cream dress. It was the best one of the bunch. The dress itself isn't so bad. However, there is something about it that I don't like and can't quite put my finger on it (too puffy? too childish?). The fit is decent and it's 100% lined. It might be cute for a picnic at a park but I can't see myself wearing it often.

Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Cargo Vest & Distressed Shorts

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An army vest was on my wishlist for quite a while. Last year, I really wanted the popular Old Navy cargo vest but it's sold out everywhere. Since then, I haven't came across something that worth buying. A few weeks ago, I spotted this little cargo vest on a mannequin at a local JCP store and had to give it a try. This vest is exactly what I was looking for. I love the cinched waist with the string hidden inside, 4 pockets and a slightly cropped length. It's the perfect shade of army green with a touch of gray. I am wearing a size XS regular here and the fit is amazing. If you're smaller than me, this vest is also available in petite sizes. Finally crossed an item off my wish list where I least expected. Not to mention, it's super affordable too (currently 50% off). If you're on a hunt for a spring vest, I highly recommend this one. It gives an instant chic allure to any look.

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What I am wearing:
Vest: A.N.A vest (currently 50% off)
Sunglasses: Zero UV
Sneakers: Target (also available in black)
Watch: Michael Kors runway