Let’s face it, women are under pressure to always look good, either by society, media or even ourselves. And, in all honesty, it’s a lot of effing work, ain’t it? Who always has the energy to constantly have the perfectly coiffed and turned out hairstyle, flawless skin, glowing makeup and well-chosen clothes? And that’s just the surface stuff! What about the energy and time invested into the maintenance of it all? We have to treat our skin and aging concerns, tweeze those eyebrows, file and manicure those nails and shave those legs. Seriously, it’s a ton of work and, while it often has a great effect on our psyches, it can take a toll on us from the sheer amount of effort required.
Sometimes you just want to cut corners!
{ Architecture of an Outfit / OOTD: Lazy Day Essentials – How to get away with not shaving your legs! }
{The Lazy Girl’s Guide to Getting Ready: Skip the shaved legs with a maxi skirt!}
{OUTFIT ARCHITECTURE/DETAILS}
Vintage cropped acid wash denim jacket. Target Inc basic white tank. Forever21 nautical chevron print maxi skirt. Rebecca Minkoff MAC Mini bag (exact). JewelMint rings and birdcage bracelet. Marc by Marc Jacobs heart locket watch.
{Lazy Day Essentials: Printed maxi skirt, basic white tank, acid wash denim jacket, punchy hand bag, gold accent jewelry.}
I’ll let you in on a little secret: I hate shaving my gams. I have a depilator, whose effects of hair removal can last for a good week to two weeks before hair regrowth, but the time to depilate is exponentially more consuming than a quick shave. But even shaving? I hate it. That extra 5-6 minutes in the shower is a lot of wasted water (even though I usually turn off the shower), time and energy trying to maintain my balance.
This is why you will catch me in a maxi dress, maxi skirt or leggings more often than shorts and shorter skirts. This is my secret to cutting my beauty corners and shortening time spent in the bathroom. I don’t shave my legs unless I have a pair of shorts or skirt I’m dying to wear or my family and I are going to the beach. The rest of the time, you’ll find me in leggings, jeans, or a maxi dress or skirt!
WHEW! That’s a huge load off my chest.
So, next time, when you’re pressed for time and energy, and you just want to forgo one of those stupid steps to getting your perfection on, just get back to the basics and put on some jeans or a maxi with a fantastic print. You’ll be glad you just shaved by! HAH!
Rock on, Lover! Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx
Find out how I earn cash back from 95% of my online shopping! Click here to learn more: http://bit.ly/YB8oHX
Bunny Ear Headband + Muscle Tank Maxi Dress = A little playful, a little skanky, a little boho, a little out of date and totally out of season. It’s my…
{ Architecture of an Outfit VIDEO: Boho Summer Bunny }
My OOTD: Marc by Marc Jacobs East West tote, American Apparel Bunny Ear headband, Bamboo Sky bra, Cheap Monday Muscle Tank maxi dress, HRH Collection arm swag.
Wire headband allows me to do bunny ears, bows, and other quirky styles.
Room for muffin top… if you don’t bend over so the muscle tank part shows. ^_^
My trusty MJ briefcase carries my computer, iPad, iPhone and my girly daily essentials and has weathered 2 trans-ocean trips.
OOTD: Cute dress, but totally quirky
Arm Swag: (L-R) HRH Collection Luxe bracelet, random polka dot watch, vintage, HRH Collection Ombre bracelet.
Random rhinestone drop earrings.
Built-in air conditioning with side vents in the “muscle tank” part.
Dork.
HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!
Rock On, Lover. Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx
Find out how I earn cash back from 95% of my online shopping! Click here to learn more: http://bit.ly/YB8oHX
Bunny ear headband trend… always late to the party.
I’ve been loving wire headbands to create bunny ears. These are so circa end of year 2011, it’s not even funny. But I’m always, always late to the party, so who cares what was a passing trend here or in Asia however long ago? If I like it, I like it.
Do you ever feel that way?
More details and video coming tomorrow or Saturday.
Rock on, Lover! Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx
Find out how I earn cash back from 95% of my online shopping! Click here to learn more: http://bit.ly/YB8oHX
There’s nothing wrong with wearing red, white and blue. You won’t look like an American flag or look like a Union Jack if you don’t want to. So, what’s red, white (cream) and blue, striped, cut up to there and super, duper late?
My…
{ Architecture of an Outfit: How not to look like an American Flag–Red low-back tank, nautical stripe slit maxi skirt, nude platforms and a Christmas Wreath }
Always, always, always late. How to wear red, white and blue and not look like an American Flag.
Our winters here involve wearing light jackets, but even that sometimes feels super cold for us.
I love the look of red, white and blue, especially with nautical stripes. It reminds me of something Parisian, with the combination of the red and the stripes… but it’s hard to wear the colors without feeling a little patriotic or feel like you’re wearing an American flag on your body, and that is the binary opposite of chic, yeah?
I think the first thing to do when you wear red, white (or cream) and blue is to be confident that you aren’t a walking tribute to your country. While it’s not necessarily a bad thing, if you think you’re dressed for Independence Day, you will not have the fierceness and bravado required to pull it off. The next thing is to have a grounding color… I prefer to go with neutrals. They’re less distracting than another bold color and will help, well, neutralize the erm, flag-i-ness of the ensemble.
I went with nude. You can never go wrong with nude. And denim, to keep me warm during our “cold” winter season. Hey, it’s all relative. But yes, I know we in Hawaii are terribly spoiled.
And yes, I know I’m horrendously late. I shot this during the holidays and just never got around to posting the pictures… Husby’s computer died and he’s been using my laptop (on which these photos were loaded) all this time (still is). I’m still catching my breath and looking at the calendar thinking, How is it almost spring already? I don’t know where the time goes. Does that happen to you?
We decorated a wreath in lieu of a tree due to lack of space in our house.
Back cleavage. I love the low back of this silk tank, but I don’t have the right bras for it.
One of a kind crochet lace earrings I snagged at a now defunct boutique in Decatur, Georgia.
What’s red, white and blue and debuting super late? My Outfit of the… Holiday.
It’s not Aloha Style to wear shoes indoors, so I carry my shoes to wherever I shoot, put them on on the spot and tread carefully with the timer. Not very Aloha…
It’s customary in Hawaii homes (and most Asian homes) to remove your shoes outside the house or in the foyer. So it is considered so not Aloha style to be wearing shoes in da hale (the home). Doing so is a sign of disrespect to that person’s residence. But because I usually shoot my outfits mostly indoors because of the light conditions or because it’s afterwork and there’s no light outside, I usually tip-toe from my shoe rack barefoot, put on my shoes only when the camera’s focused and almost ready to shoot (or I’ll do the same if Husby is shooting me). Then when I’m done shooting, I immediately remove my shoes on the spot and put them back in my shoe rack. It’s not so very Aloha of me, but you do what you gotta do for fashion, I guess. I’ll always be a Mainlander like that, maybe. LOL.
{ Would you wear red, cream/white and blue? Is it something you would pull off? Do tell, please COMMENT below! }
Rock On, Lover. Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx
Find out how I earn cash back from 95% of my online shopping! Click here to learn more: http://bit.ly/YB8oHX
My latest OOTD was actually shot during the holidays, hence the title, “Always, Always Late.” Because, well, I AM always, always late.
{ Architecture of an Outfit / OOTD Preview: How to Wear Red, White and Blue and Not Look Like a Flag }
Always, always, always late. How to wear red, white and blue and not look like an American Flag.
And, because I’m always late, it is by far much too late tonight for me to do a full-blown post, so I’ll leave you waiting for the rest of the pics and the details of the outfit for tomorrow. [I always try to write/schedule posts ahead of time. As we speak, it is almost 2AM HST/4AM PST. I.e., LATE.]
I hope your Tuesday is as fabulous as my Monday was. It’s always great to start your week off right, yeah?
Rock On, Lover. Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx
Find out how I earn cash back from 95% of my online shopping! Click here to learn more: http://bit.ly/YB8oHX
Aloha, Lovecat! This is how I dress when it’s cold and rainy during our “winter” in Hawaii. And I address the question: “Are luxury tees like James Perse T-Shirts worth the money?“
{ Architecture of an Outfit VID / OOTD: All black James Perse V Neck T, Lace Tights, High Waisted Bandage Pencil Skirt, Suede and Rubber Wedge Booties, Bomber Jacket and Gold Armswag. }
I wore this a couple weeks ago when the weather was booty here in Honolulu. It’s not cold for most of you, but it was freezing for me. So glad I saved my lace stockings from when I used to live in Detroit. WIN.
EDIT: Are Luxury Tees Worth The Price?: A Quick Review of my James Perse T-Shirt
So, after winning a ShopBop giveaway last month, I was finally able to snag my first James Perse T-shirt. Given the $50-65 price tag, I’d never justify nor entertain the idea of buying one. Why you try to gut me, luxe T designers? I’ll cut you.
But seriously, dude, why so expensive?
If you never feel one or try it on, you won’t get it. They are, just as the description and label infers, luxuriously comfortable and soft. Immediately out of the packaging, I could feel a difference between my $5 regular cotton Ts and my slightly more pricey $20 American Apparel T. The weave is more delicate with finer thread, so the cotton feels more silky or creamy against the skin. Think a smooth pudding versus a creamy oatmeal. Or satin versus muslin. That’s the difference between James Perse and a normal Hanes T.
Question: Are James Perse Tees worth the money? Let’s see.
Secondly, the shirts are manufactured Stateside. Not in some cramped, dark, horrible factory in Bangladesh or China or Southeast Asia. (Granted, there may be issues concerning the working conditions of American clothing manufacturing facilities which need further looking into… But US made is important.) US made products are usually more expensive, especially from luxury brands. However, some of that high price tag goes to supporting American manufacturer jobs. At least you’d hope.
Thirdly, after 3 wears, the fabric still didn’t pill or ball up even with friction of my tote bag and wearing jackets over it. This means high marks from me, since Ts Ive bought from other companies that charge $60+ for Ts (Ahem, MinkPink!) ended up pilling and showing wear in the pit region after only two wears.
With how amazing the fabric feels on, and against my skin, I feel like I understand the high price tag of some of these T Shirts. Will I pay $65 for a plain T if I didn’t have a gift code for it? Probably not without great debate… And I’d probably super lurk and cyber stalk the item until it goes on sale and snag a couple instead of paying full price. But the bottom line is that I get it. Would I pay $100+ for a basic T? Absolutely not, but at the $45-65 range, it’s reasonable. And besides, if its something you’ll wear regularly, you might as well get something of quality that will last and wear well, rather than something cheap like a $10 T shirt that will start looking grungy, worn out or gross after 6 washes and you have to demote to cleaning rag status or donate. (What chic thrifter will want a worn out T, anyway?)
One con to these luxury tees, price notwithstanding, is the care involved. My James Perse T is no throw-it-in-with-the-socks type. You have to read the care label and wash accordingly and with care. I put my tee in a lingerie mesh bag and washed it on gentle cycle with my lacy unmentionables and bras. And, instead of throwing it in the dryer, I hung it on a velvet flocked hanger and let it air dry. (Lying flat would’ve been better, but we don’t have space for a drying rack in our house.) It should be steamed, not ironed, to preserve the integrity of the tissue-thin cotton.
James Perse Tee, Bamboo Sky Collar Necklace, Mikinola Bandage skirt, Sketchers Booties
Most people will not go to these lengths to care for their Ts. And, in that case, I’d say your shirt won’t last as long. But is it still worth the price? Mostly.
For those whose throats constrict just thinking about splashing out that much for a mere T-shirt, but still want a good quality USA made T, American Apparel shirts are pretty good and only cost $20ish. I’ve had my deep v cotton T for ages (maybe 5+ years?), and it still feels great, but that piece is pilled to sh*t and the v is too sexy-deep for a busty girl like mahself to bust out without a tank under (a whole OTHER problem with Amurrican Appurl altogether). If you can’t justify either of those for a T-SHIRT, stick with Fruit of the Loom. They’re comfy. But they’re still lumpy oatmeal and not silky chocolate pudding. Just sayin’.
Point is: yes. I can see the reasons behind the price. Will I be willing to pay it for real next time, yes, if it’s in the budget. But I’d rather wait for it to go on sale. Do I want more James Perse Ts? You bet your ass I do, toots.
OUTFIT ARCHITECTURE
Luxe T, James Perse. High Waisted Bandage Pencil Skirt, Mikinola Boutique (@mikinola on Instagram). Bomber Jacket, Chloe K (?). Lace Tights, Target. Suede Wedge Booties, Sketchers. Gold collar necklace, Bamboo Sky. Gold Tribal earrings, Bamboo Sky. Screw bangle and mini spike bangle, CC Skye via ShopBop.
Find out how I earn cash back from 95% of my online shopping! Click here to learn more: http://bit.ly/YB8oHX
FTC Disclaimer: Not a sponsored video, contains affiliate links. Any opinions expressed in this video are mine and mine alone, and are my personal and honest opinion. This video is not intended to influence any viewers or to malign any of the manufacturers or product companies mentioned. Any representation, statistic, quote or product claim should be verified by the party in question. Video creator is not responsible for the content in any comments on or responses to this video. Music obtained from http://freemusicarchive.org – Music is all royalty free and approved for use by artists through the Free Music Archive user agreement.
Aloha, Lovecat. I’m too tired to write a real post, so this is one of my “Preview” type OOTD… except I won’t post the full outfit post for a couple of weeks, since I need to shoot the outfit still.
If you want to stay up to date on my goings on and what outfits of the day I’m rocking more frequently than I show here, add me on Instagram (username: @maluu)!
Grecian style dress from Eden In Love Boutique at The Wedding Café, Ward Warehouse, Honolulu.
Snagged this Grecian style dress with split front slit at Eden in Love Boutique at The Wedding Cafe at Ward Warehouse Mall in Honolulu. So cute and comfy. Went barefoot in the office… kicked off the gladiator sandals and went Aloha Style. But I have my yellow Zara heels in the car which I forwent for the day since the Hawaii News Now weather report app was horrendously off on their prediction of “scattered clouds, low chance of rain.” Um, it was raining torrentially for hours on and off and the sun was nowhere to be found. #MeteorologyFAIL, guys.
Well, that’s it. That’s what I wore today. Do you like? What sort of jewelry or shoes should I wear with this?
Edgy and casual chic winter style inspiration taken from Street Style snaps. Sweatpants in public? Crazy faux fur? Asymmetrical hemlines? Yes.
{ #StyleInspo: Get Creigh with Cocoon Coats, Super Insane Faux Fur and Sweatpants, Asymmetrical Sweatshirts and Comfy Sweaterdresses – Inspiration from Amazing Street Style Mavens }
Loving the asymmetrical hemline of the sweatshirt. I’d wear with crazy leggings or a bodycon mini and bright tights.
Aloha, Lovecat. It’s “Winter” here in Honolulu, but it is probably more akin to a summer or warm spring for most of my audience. While I admit most of the Mainland US, the UK, Canada and France (my top readership) is probably suffering through awfully low temps, what you consider still warm, I sometimes consider cold. In Hawaii, we are spoiled by warm temps all year round, so when the temperature drops below our steady little window of 74F-84F (23.3C – 28.9C), we feel like we’re freezing to death. The other night, it dropped down to 59F (15C) and a ton of us were crying about how cold it is. Yes, I know: We are terribly spoiled. But it’s all relative to where you live, right? If you’re used to year-round average 80F, if the temps drop 20 degrees, that’s a drastic change for you.
Anyway. As you’re sitting and shivering in -10C and 32F temperatures wherever you are, here I am shivering at 72F…
These street style snaps have me inspired for winter fashion, regardless of where you might be located. Really loving all of these and wish one of my 2013 resolutions wasn’t to cut back on shopping for a year. So feeling the mood, attitude and cuts of these outfits…
Voluminous and creigh faux fur + skinny sweatpants + heels … in public? Yes, yes and yes. I would do all the above. Maybe with sneaks, to make it less insane. But heels work, too.
Sweaterdresses aren’t the most practical here in Hawaii, since I can’t wear it year-round, but this look is pretty comfy and feminine without being over the top girly.
Corrine Bailey Rae in a gorgeous belted cocoon coat (to define the waist and minimize the shape-losing quality of the cocoon) in a perfectly spring-y mint blue – one of my favorite colors for the last 12 months.
Are you inspired to infuse a little attitude and edge into your winter wardrobe? I am. If only I could shop a little. Maybe there’s some inspiration hiding somewhere in my existing wardrobe? Hope so.
Me ke aloha ~ With love + aloha,
Mae Xx
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Getting wind-whipped by a draped wrap cardigan next to a crazy Christmas House on a mountainside Hawaii neighborhood, while walking a stubborn Wheaten Terrier that looks a lot like a teddy bear… It’s my…
{ Architecture of an Outfit: Drape Wrap Cardigan, Thigh Highs, Body Con Skirt, Paisley Blouse, Sam Edelman Booties, Getting Whipped by Wind, The Christmas House and a Dog That Looks Like a Teddy Bear }
Hawaii Life: Epic Light on Koko Head at Golden Hour
Aloha Kakahiaka ~ Good morning, Lovecat! How’re you today?
I’m fabulous. Yesterday’s sunset was absolutely gorgeous. As I was coming home, Golden Hour was in full swing and hit Koko Head just so. The evening felt magical and full of promise, which I of course squandered by taking a long nap once we were done with our family walk.
“Winter” is weird here in Oahu. It can be completely hot and dry on one side of the island, and on the other, it’s 10 degrees colder, windy, blustery and raining off and on like crazy. Living on the side of the mountain makes the weather difference more punctuated as well. It can be about 5 degrees cooler and much wetter and windier in our neighborhood than in the neighborhoods out near the water. Hence, I hardly ever take outfit shots outside near my home.
I tried a few shoots on a couple of Family Walks before Christmas. It was an experience–my clothes whipping violently against my legs and my hair slashing my eyeballs.
Down the street from The Christmas House – Husby (N) and Max the Bear[Dog] and I on a “Family Walk”.
Wind Whipped
Stubborn Bear[Dog] pulling me.
Max and I at the Christmas House.
Inspired by Harry Potter. Without the drape cardigan. and I’m pouting because I’m cold.
OUTFIT ARCHITECTURE / DETAILS
Victoria’s Secret drape wrap cardigan. Club Monaco paisley print button down. Tiered body con mini skirt, unknown. Sam Edelman Zoe Bootie. Random locket watch. CC Skye Gold Screw Bracelet. JewelMint Golden Goose Bracelet.
Harry Potter chic?
My Armswag
Random… got it off Amazon. You can probably get a similar one from Clair’s for, like, $8.50.
Wrap Cardigans are perfect for letting wind whip you around.
I love wrap cardigans. They’re just perfect for movement and texture when the high trade winds blow around Oahu. Plus they keep me warm without getting all hot and sweaty when Hawaii “winter” is upon us.
Full detail and overly gratuitous outfit shots tomorrow.
How to Mix Prints with Stripes and Leopard… a cute vegetarian cafe and tea house… Christmas + French cottage decor? It’s my….
{ Architecture of an Outfit / How to Mix Prints: Leopard and Stripes Go Creigh at Venus Sophia Tea Room and Vegetarian Eatery }
Aloha, Lovecat! I was in Canada for 10 days during the winter break for an unexpected, last minute family holiday of sorts. When I say of sorts… well, it was a mixture of happiness and sadness, but I will expound more on that later when I have the fortitude for it. If you follow me on Instagram (@maeluu – add me!), you know what had happened.
Even though we were in town for an unexpected reason, we still tried to enjoy ourselves and get a decent, vegetarian-friendly bite to eat. Which is why we found ourselves at Venus Sophia Tea Room and Vegetarian Eatery. This delight was a visual and sensual morsel hidden in the midst of Chinese groceries, street stalls hocking random wares, touristy Chinese kitsch novelty stores and hipster boutiques–a kind of oasis in the heart of Victoria’s tiny little Chinatown.
The cutest cafe I’ve been to in awhile – and all vegetarian! Venus Sophia Vegetarian Café and Tea House, Victoria, BC
More on the café in the next post.
This is what I wore on our first full and decent day of non-harried travel. Creigh mixed prints with stripes and leopard. I probably could’ve done with a larger leopard print against the small stripes, but whatever. I’m OK with being busy and loud. It goes hand in hand with my personality. Though you’d probably be surprised at the outright, undisguised stares from the The North Face and Patagonia-clad Pacific Northwest hiker and camper types in the cafe and all along the streets. C’mon, Victoria’s a small down, but it’s got a decent amount of well-dressed people. You can’t tell me Mixing Prints is the weirdest thing you’ve seen, people. But whatever.
Mixing Prints: Stripes and Leopard. It’s a bit busy. It got crazy stares.
OUTFIT ARCHITECTURE
Chinese e-boutique structured shoulder blazer. J. Crew leopard button down shirt. GAP skinny jeans. Sketchers heeled booties. Target belt. Random pendant watch.
Aloha kakahiaka, Lovecat! Wow! This is big kine moment for me (sort of). Debuting a new combo in my How to Mix Prints series: Stripes and Floral Print! Sh*t be creigh. Love it.
{ Architecture of an Outfit / OOTD / How to Mix Prints: Stripes on Floral Print High Waisted Shorts and Dolman Top }
How to Wear Mixed Prints: now that I’ve mastered stripes on stripes and the cray stripes on leopard, I’m tackling stripes and floral print. The hat just adds extra pizzazz (and anti-aging sun protection).
Hats are healthy. Especially ETSIS Hats. They help me save on sunscreen. Some mornings, when I’m running late, I just put sunscreen on my hands, arms, feet and décolleté, wrap those UPF50 protection panels around my face like an Asian grandma all wrapped up like a ninja to protect against the sun. This is just an added bonus, though. I’m a hat girl. I just love ‘em. Living in Hawaii just kind of concretizes it all. (i.e., you just HAVE to wear hats here–cold, hot, wind, rain or shine.)
Heh.
Felt hat customized into ETSIS Sun Protection Hat. I love hats. Great for summer, but perfect for fall and winter.
View from the back. ETSIS SunEscape Protection Panels (UPF 50) tied back… Dolman shirt has contrasting direction stripes on the back. It actually looks better in a half tuck. This is a full tuck, though. :T
On floral… um. I’ve never been much of floral fan. I may be a little diva-esque, a little over the top, even sometimes a little girly, but not THAT feminine. I’d like to think my style is a cross between slutty librarian, punky office lady, feisty nerd and Korean street style… or at least leaning that way. (Yes, more labels–I love defining things.) So floral is just really, really not my thing. But as a Christmas bonus/present, my boss gave me an insanely generous shopping spree at a local boutique that just opened up in Hawaii Kai, my ‘hood… and it was at MikiNola Boutique that I discovered a hidden love for bold florals. Store owner Dara handed it to me in the fitting room, knowing my love for stripes and mixing prints… and the moment I put it on, my jaw dropped and Dara and the sales associate (whose name I totally blanked on–I’m sorry!) both gasped to me, “omigod, soooo cute!” And I don’t think they were just trying to sell it to me.
Ecstatic,I wore the striped dolman and floral high waisted shorts the next day to show D, my boss, the MikiNola haul she so amazingly gifted me for Christmas.(Mahalo nui loa, D, I don’t deserve being this spoiled, but thank you so-so-so much!)
I think this outfit could work in colder climes if paired with opaque or wool tights and booties and a warm cape for faux fur coat for a fun holiday/Christmas party. But, thankfully I don’t have to worry about that until I go back to my hometown, San Diego, for Christmas.
The high waist is perfect to the vintage chain waist belt. It’s slightly OTT (my steez), but also draws the two disparate prints together with the black grounding color.
OUTFIT ARCHITECTURE / DETAIL
MikiNola dolman stripe top and floral print high waisted shorts. ETSIS – Escaping The Sun In Style customized floppy felt hat. Marc by Marc Jacobs nylon tote (briefcase). Matisse python platform sandals. HRH Collection Ombre bracelet ARM PARTY! Target watch. Vintage chain waist belt. House of Harlow antique key ring. Bamboo Sky tribal earrings.
SERIOUS ARM PARTY: Target watch, HRH Collection Ombre bracelet, and Butter London glitter nail polish
Shoe Porn. These are my third favorite pair of shoes. They’re sexy, but not painfully tall. And totally appro for Hawaii’s almost year-round summer season.
FTC: There were some affiliate linky-links above. I’d appreciate some clicky-clicks, but it’s not a big deal. Shop or don’t shop. I’m not trying to push anything. It’s just a nice bonus. So not a sponsored post.
How to Mix Prints Question: “Can you wear stripes with leopard?” Answer: Yes. You just have to be insane enough to think you can. You’ve gotta be an animal.
{ Architecture of an Outfit / OOTD: How to Wear Mixed Prints – Leopard Leggings and a Striped Blazer for a Fall Day }
Oh hai.
Aloha, Lovecat!
Your mama’s fashion rules said mixing prints was a big no-no. Well, your mama’s fashion rules can eat it. Mixing prints is one of the most daring style moves you can pull, and one of the most visually impactful. Once you figure out what works for you and your comfort level, you can dramatically increase the versatility of your wardrobe, unharnessing dramatic potential and maxing out the number of combos.
Here’s how I wear mixed prints. Worn on Election Day.
Yes, I actually wore this entire outfit to work and then to our polling station. Did voters stare? Yes. Did I care? Nope. Revel in your uniqueness.
How to Wear Mixed Prints: Bold stripes and leopard pants. Over the top and totally crazy. Love the crazy.
My staple is to mix stripes with almost anything else. Pick a bold print, find a stripe with a matching color element (try black, it’s easy to start with) and then go to town. Avoid wearing a third print. If you’re wearing more than two pieces, make sure your pieces are neutrals or solid colors from the palettes of your prints. Does that make sense?
So, I made sure there was a unifying, uniting color within both prints–in this case, black of the spots and black of the stripes–then made sure my third piece was a plain solid black tank. I made the rest of the outfit pop with my accessories: sexy shoes (not office appropriate, but I manage a two-woman creative office, so I have a lot of freedom), gold arm party, fun earrings and a neon bright clutch.
Animal Instinct: loud striped blazer with loud pants and loud pops of color.
I wore this on Election Day. I woke up energized, happy and excited, ready to do my American Duty in my first presidential election. Although I grew up in California, I was a US National (Permanent Resident aka Green Card Holder) until I was 26. I’m a dual citizen of Canada and America. Finally being able to include my voice in the national races (and, local races and ordinances, of course) gave me an intense feeling of pride and a sense of ownership, if that makes any sense…? Like, a feeling of patriotism mixed with responsibility and feeling like a part of something great outside of my little bubble of existence.
When I actually wake up happy, I’ll end up wearing something other than leggings and a tank or button down or a simple dress and do a full face of makeup. It’s superficial, I know, but looking bold and fabulous makes me feel good about myself and then I’m happy with my life and myself. When you feel good, you look good and vice versa; it’s a self-perpetuating cycle. Do what makes you happy if it fulfills you and makes your everyday world a better one.
Wearing mixed prints in this fashion isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but you can try something less Out There. Lauren Conrad and Refinery 29 offer good tips for wading the waters of print mixing.
Watching early evening election returns on CNN and feeling a little nervous, hence the hydrogen psychosis (Crazy Eye).
Red lips, the perfect red lipstick for all skin tones… the perfect red lip for Asians: MAC Ruby Woo.
My usual crazy arm stack: mixed metal hardware by HRH Collection – the Ultra Luxe Bracelet and the Ombre Bracelet. <3
Beautiful red and bold lips in honor of election day (the blue is on my nails). Loving the election returns so far.
What makes YOU feel good about life?
DON’T FORGET!!
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Me ke aloha ~ With love, Xx
Mae
If you dug this article, be sure to check out my entire series “How to Mix Prints” for ideas, tips and overall craziness.
A striped maxi dress, an adorable Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier, a vibrant urban setting, and a casual, awesomely health date night… It’s my…
{ Architecture of an Outfit: Comfy striped maxi dress for yuppie vegan date night }
Aloha! Nautical stripes, my Wheaten Terrier Bear[Dog], an 80s jean jacket, my MiniCooper Boris and pops of neon.
Are you a big fan of easy dressing? I am. My lazy day style involves putting on leggings and a button down or a maxi dress. So when I found this amazing nautical stripe maxi dress on Piperlime at almost 50% off, I snagged it, even though I was supposed to be on a shopping ban. (Bad Mae!) Like I said in the preview post, I call my lazy style “low effort, high impact” because either the print does all the work or I pile on accessories with a punch, even if the outfit itself is totally lazy or just kind of mundane on its own… like a neon colorblock clutch and a ton of over the top gold accessories (as per usual).
Maxi dresses hide a wealth of flaws (we talked about this before), allow you to walk out the door without shaving your legs, and look pretty sleek. I think maxis elongate the body line, so are usually good for petites.
“Aloha, Max[Bear]!” “Sup, moms!”
Cool backdrop for night pictures with a Bear[Dog] named Max.
Boris, my car, my Bear[Dog] Max, and a really awesome parking garage near our new favorite vegan restaurant.
Husby N is a vegan, and I’m a pesce-vegetarian, so when we found out that one of our favorite raw-food vegan caterers at the Kailua Night Farmer’s Market, Licious Dishes, was opening up a brick and mortar restaurant, it made us extremely excited! Hawaii is a place where it’s pretty tough to eat an almost entirely plant-based diet. Honolulu is well-known for amazing eateries, but most of them capitalize on the abundance of fresh, tasty seafood available in nearby waters. And local fare, being a combination of many Asian cuisines and Hawaiian traditional cuisine, is not exactly vegetarian-friendly, and most definitely not very vegan friendly.
Last Thursday, N asked me out to dinner after a rough week for the both of us, and we jumped at the chance to grab a bite at the newly opened Greens and Vines. Everything was amazing, let me tell you.
Being a former rabid carnivore, I was MAJORLY SKEPTICAL about raw-food veganism. (RAW? Isn’t it already rabit food? C’mon!) It just seems counter-intuitive, you know? Though we know nutritional value of food decreases the more its cooked… Anyway, the flavors of the food were so different and vibrant! Most people are quick to write off vegan food, but I caution you to at least give it a try before you brush it off as crappy rabbit food. I had a lasagna that blew my mind–it actually had this strong cheesy flavor and a dynamic herbal kick! And the cocoa torte for dessert? Decadent.
I went away with a full stomach without that nasty, greasy, tired feeling afterward. I highly recommend Greens and Vines for dinner if you live here, or ever plan on visiting Honolulu.
We took these photos in the parking garage. Of course I had to beg N to take them, and I greatly appreciated him snapping away without the usual haphazard, grudging disinterest. Thanks, Husby!
Close up details: pop of color and serious hardware arm swag.
Our humble little living room, a work in progress.
We’ve been here for six months now, but the house is still a work in progress.
So, what’s your go-to for lazy days? Maxis, jeans, leggings, shorts?
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