TSD Vegas Edition: H&M Part 2

Hello all! Sorry for the late posting on this segment! I totally forgot that I wanted to upload all my Vegas hauls before jetting off to SF but hey lol. Anyways, SF was quite fun and interesting. I'll be doing some travel segments on SF and, of course, a mini SF haul....mini because I was traveling with my mom and it's kind of difficult to go crazy on shopping with her there :P. Let's get this over with shall we?

Motocross Inspired Denim: This was probably my favorite pick-up from H&M this time around. During Christmas time, Jason was at Neiman Marcus looking for gifts for me and he had seen a pair of pants like this by Rag & Bone, but they didn't have my size. That pair was at least a couple hundred dollars, but this pair was only $39.95. I looked for the smallest size hoping that it would fit all right and it did! 

Washable Face Masks: I had used all my face masks and I had heard about H&M masks. So, of course, I had to go and try them out! I bought 6 packs, but 3 were for my friend back home for omiyage ^-^. The 3 that I decided to try out are Dragon Fruit, Rhubarb & Lingon Berry, and Dead Sea. I haven't tried the first two, but I'm in the middle of using the Dead Sea mask. The scent is quite spa-like, which I definitely like! It's pretty good so far because I think these masks will last for  at least 4 applications because you don't need to use a lot. 

Turquoise Ring: I've complained time and again that I have ridiculously skinny fingers and therefore can't fit a lot of rings. This one was the type of ring where you could adjust the ring size to your fit. It is still loose but it's the kind of loose where I can work with it hehe. It's better than not fitting at all lol. Plus, it was only $5.95 and I love turquoise ;D

Black Tie-Dye Pants: I was immediately drawn to this because I love this type of tie-dye. It's basically the same pattern as my Brandy Melville hoodie. I had first seen this at the first H&M location, but they didn't have my size. Then I went to the second location and didn't see the pants at all. By this time, I was thinking that H&M was going to troll me again because last year there was a pair of ombre patterned denim that I really wanted and they didn't have my size anywhere. BUT, finally at the third location, I found my size and I was a happy bunny again :3

Turquoise Aqua Patterned Pants: I was a bit skeptical when I saw these and still was after trying them on. It is kind of a loud, out there type of pant. What attracted me was the color, of course, and that they reminded me of resort-wear pants. In the end, I figured why not, even though I wasn't sure about them because it was only $12.95.

Black and White Splotched Leggings: I really was on the hunt for more leggings hehe! I was also kind of skeptical about these, even after trying them on. I asked my dad what he thought and he said it looked nice. Then I got the opinion of Jason and he thought they looked pretty cool. So it must be all right if two men liked it! Anyways, I like to describe the pattern of these leggings as splotched rather than tie-dye. It's different and funky looking!

That's all folks to my Vegas haul! I was attracted to a lot of crazy patterns, especially bottoms hehe. I'm having fun incorporating these pieces to the items that I already have in my closet. I will be able to continue having fun with fashion!

Stay tuned for some San Francisco posts!

Thanks for reading!
-LAUREN

OOTW: May 13-19

Monday, Tuesday

(left) Hoodie: Brandy Melville
Denim: H&M

(right) T-Shirt: Lucky Brand
Shorts: Cotton-On
Necklace: Express
Ring: H&M
Cuff: Adore (local store in Hawaii at Kahala Mall)

Wednesday, Thursday

(left) Skull top: H&M
Lace Shorts: H&M
Necklace: axes femme (Japanese brand)

(right) Tank: Ecote (UO)
Shorts: Aeropostale
Necklace: Express
Ring: H&M
Cuff: Cotton-On
Skull Bracelets: Brandy Melville

Friday OOTD and OOTN

(left) Top: Pineapple County
Skater Skirt: Topshop
Necklace: Charlotte Russe

(right) Crop Tank: Topshop
Gold Ring: H&M

Saturday, Sunday

(left) Muscle Tee: Truly Madly Deeply (UO)
Pants: Pacsun
Necklace: Vanity Fair (Japanese brand)
Cuff: Cotton-On

(right) Long Sleeve: Free People
Shorts: Aeropostale
Ring: H&M
Necklace: JAYRO (Japanese brand)

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN

TSD Vegas Edition: H&M Part 1

Hey lovelies! Sorry for the delay in posts. I just got the Galaxy S4 and I've just been tinkering with it the entire time. It's a really awesome phone and I'm really glad that I got it. But now it's time to get down to business and share my H&M haul! Did you know that we're FINALLY getting an H&M in Hawaii?! It's due to open sometime in 2014. Such a long wait for me though hehe! I visited all three H&Ms in Vegas and got so much stuff that I had to break it down into two separate posts, so here we go!

White Lace Skull Tee: I feel like every time I visit H&M, I come out with at least one skull item. This top was just too cute to pass up! I wanted to go for a sweeter looking skull top instead of the usual hard looking ones. The lace and the heart chakra makes the skull not look intimidating and rather cute!

Light Blue Acid Wash Pants: I really really really love H&M pants because they fit really well and the length is workable for my petite height. I was lacking acid wash pants (I think :P) so I was actively looking for them. The material is also stretchy and on the thinner side, which makes it really comfortable to wear. It's a denim that can be basically matched with anything.

Black Blazer: I wish I found more casual blazer jackets for everyday wear, but I thought I should get some formal ones if I ever need them. These were really cheap at $24.95. You can't go wrong for a piece like this. It doesn't swallow me up like a lot of other jackets and you just don't get a good fitting jacket for the price.

Cream Blazer: Keeping this description short...I also got it in cream :P

Monochrome Symmetry: When I first saw these, it reminded me of the geometrical pattern pants that I got last year at H&M. I found myself liking this one better than the one that I got last year, but I still like both :). I probably like this better just because the pattern is quite interesting. There aren't really any definite shapes but I noticed that they are symmetrical to each other, which I think is cool.

Black Leggings: BEST. BLACK. LEGGINGS. EVARRRRR!!!! Seriously, I don't know why I only bought one pair. Hopefully an H&M is close by in San Fran since I'm going there this Wednesday. But yes, for $9.95, I love the quality of the material. 

White Lace Shorts: Last item for now. I was really happy to have found a pair of white lace shorts that wasn't too revealing sheerness-wise and "cheek"-wise lol. It's high-waisted and I should find some cute crop tops to go with this. I wore this last week Wednesday with my skull top to match the lace patterns ^-^

That's it for now! I'll post Part 2 tomorrow since I won't be bringing my laptop with me to SF. I'll be posting pics on IG and I was looking forward to posting clips on Keek but for some reason, and I'm not the only one, Keek isn't compatible with S4s. It records video and sound with the sound coming out nicely, but the image is streaked with purple and green, so unless Keek updates for my phone, no video footage :(

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN

TSD Vegas Edition: Urban Outfitters

Hello all! This is my first Urban Outfitters haul! My first impression of Urban Outfitters was "I really wish we had this store in Hawaii." It's like Brandy Melville and Pacsun mixed into one with more variety and more edge. The price range depends but I must say they have an excellent sale section.

I went to two UOs located at the Miracle Mile Mall in Planet Hollywood and the Mandalay Shoppes at Mandalay Bay. The first two pieces are from MMM and the latter are from Mandalay. So let's get started!

Light Blue Ribcage Tank: I don't know how many times I've expressed that I like the color blue, so we can obviously see why I was so attracted to this top. This was originally $29, but it was on sale for $19. The thing is that I didn't realize it until later on that they charged me $29 instead of $19 ugh. It was only $10 difference so it wasn't too bad. Actually I should've kept my receipt in hand since I went to the Mandalay location, but I had totally forgotten that they had an UO over there. The brand is called Ecote.

Grungy Muscle Tee: This is from the brand Truly Madly Deeply. What attracted me was the print. It gives off a grungy vibe and the white streaks almost look like some sort of skeletal piece. It's cool in a macabre kind of way! Also, it's a muscle tee (my first muscle tee that isn't from Brandy lol) so I was totally digging that as well. This was $35. Kinda pricey but hey why not?

Tokyo A Go-Go: This top was in the sale section for $9.99, regularly priced at $29.99. The t-shirt says it all as to why I got it hehe. I also love the name of the brand, which is called Lords of Liverpool.

Back Fringed Tee: This was also found in the sale section for $9.99, regularly priced at $46.99. The front of the shirt is just plain with a crew neck cut, but on the back as you can see in the picture, it dips low and has a cascading crochet fringe detail. The fabric of the shirt is super soft. I just love the simplicity of it! This is from the brand Neon Moon.

So that was all my purchases from Urban Outfitters. I can't wait to go back soon, or they can just bring one to Hawaii >_>

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN

TSD Vegas Edition: Cotton-On

Hello lovelies! Welcome back to another Vegas edition of TSD. Today I'll be sharing with you my purchases from Cotton-On. I was quite excited about visiting this store since I had seen a lot of girls on YouTube mention this store. I did my research and found one at the Fashion Show Mall. My first impression of the store was that it was a super reasonable Pacsun-esque store with very good quality. I also wish we had this store in Hawaii hehe.

Faded Light Blue Shorts: I admit that I have a lot of shorts, but I really liked this pair because the faded print reminded me of something watercolor-like. Also, I didn't have a pair of shorts that wasn't particularly in this shade. Yeah I'm probably making excuses to validate my purchase, but whatevs lol. 

Faux Leather Leggings: In my opinion, this is kind of borderline pants because the material is thick enough, but I still consider it leggings. I absolutely love this because of the mix of faux leather and lycra. The different panels make this look very cool and chic. Another plus is that because it isn't full on faux leather, these leggings breathe quite nicely and isn't so uncomfortable to wear in Hawaii weather. 

Monochrome Tribal Leggings: To add to my legging collection, I found this fantastic monochrome tribal print leggings. On a side note, I was looking for leggings that were flexible enough to pair with many tops and while this does have a slightly funky print, because it's black and white, it's more flexible when it comes to coordination. Another factor would be the fabric. These leggings are thick enough for me to not have to cover my bum all the way. I used to be steadfast in saying that girls shouldn't wear just leggings, but now it's all right as long as the fabric is thick enough so that it doesn't look...obscene. 

Wrap Around Black Leather Bracelet: Just as I was checking out, I saw these near the cash register and thought it would make for a nice accessory. I have tiny wrists and this fits me quite well. Plus, it was only $2.95 so I couldn't pass it up!

Thanks for reading!
-LAUREN

OOTW: May 6-12

Just taking a break from the Vegas hauls hehe! I'll try to get these out weekly, so here is my first OOTW post :)

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday

(left) T-shirt: Lords of Liverpool (UO)
Gray Jeggings: ZARA

(middle) Gray Longsleeve: ZARA
Leggings: TOPSHOP
Necklace: Vanity Fair (Japanese brand)

(right) Gray Sleevless: Brandy Melville
Bralette: Brandy Melville
Leggings: Cotton-On
Necklace: Charlotte Russe

Thursday, Friday, Saturday

(left) T-shirt: Lucky Brand
Denim: Miss Sixty

(middle) Jumper: TOPSHOP
Denim: H&M

(right) Chiffon Top: TOPSHOP
Denim: H&M
Necklace: Juicy Couture
Rings: Pacsun

Sunday

Jumper: TOPSHOP
Denim: Pacsun

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN

TSD Vegas Edition: Lucky Brand

Hey all! Here is the Lucky Brand haul from the Las Vegas Outlets North! Funny thing is that I rarely go into the Lucky Brand store at Ala Moana, yet I love going to the outlet one. Also, I feel like the outlet store has way better stuff than the actual retail store. I usually don't like the outlet version of a lot of stores, but I must say that Lucky Brand's one is really good. Here are my purchases: 

Blue Acoustic Guitar Logo: As a lot of my friends know, I love the many different shades of blue. When I saw this, I knew I had to get it. I usually don't like a lot of tops where it says the name of the brand, but because I liked the style and the acoustic guitar (the guitar did it more for me than anything really lol), I thought it was cute and buyable enough hehe!

Blue Elephant Travel Service: If you bought two shirts or more, you got $10 off. I didn't know that until I had picked up this tee. I have a soft spot for elephants, especially blue ones lol! One of my dear friends gave me a blue elephant plushie from Sanrio for my birthday a few years back and he is the cutest thing ever! So that is probably where my love for elephants came from. I think one day I'd like to visit India :)

Blue Streaked T-Shirt: I wouldn't really call this tie-dye, but the color reminds me of something that would be tie-dyed. I only got this shirt because I love the color blue and it gave off a hippie vibe hehe. It'd be fun to wear with some of my more boho-esque jewelry.

Orange-Red Streaked Tank: Same kind of color production as the t-shirt above but in a different color. The tank fitted really nicely, so this would be good to wear alone as is or with a white button up shirt to throw over. This would also look good with boho-esque jewelry piled on!

The people at this Lucky Brand store are really nice! Even last time, they were very friendly and very helpful. I can't wait to go back again XD

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN

TSD Vegas Edition: Free People, L'OCCITANE, Pacsun, Charlotte Russe

Hello again! Welcome back to another Vegas edition of TSD. This post will be included purchases from Free People, L'OCCITANE, Pacsun, and Charlotte Russe. Because I only bought one thing from each store, I decided to compile it into one post. Let's begin!



Pale Pink Longsleeve: I'm a big fan of Free People. I love the whole boho-chic feel, but I'll admit that their clothes are quite pricey. Also, I find it hard to wear some of their things as everyday wear since that's what I try to go for. I found this on the sale rack for $29.95, regular $68. I noticed that these tops were already discounted at $49.95 and then later on dropped to the price that I paid for. Honestly, I wouldn't have paid $49.95 either so I'm glad I got it at a decent price. This pale pink color was my favorite from the bunch and I love the crochet detail on the collar. You can't see it but on the back it has a miniscule but cool stitching detail.



Regard Radieux Eye Roll-On: I got a sample of this in my Fukubukuro bag from this year and I really liked the product. It's supposed to help keep the skin around your eyes moisturized and supple. Because the skin around the eye is delicate, I feel like I should give it some extra attention. I  do feel like this product does its job and my eyes also look more awake!

Rainbow Watercolor Tank: I went to the Pacsun at the Las Vegas Outlets North and this time around I didn't really see anything that I liked a lot. So I only purchased this cute top which I feel like is perfect for summer! Simply pair it with a pair of faded denim shorts and you're ready to go :)

Black & White Crop Top: I suppose this is more of a crop top rather than a bralette, but I'd probably wear it more as a bralette. I may throw over an open white button up shirt if I find a pair of black high-waisted pants, or to give it a more resort look, floral printed high-waisted pants!

Stay tuned for the next post!

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN

TSD Vegas Edition: ZARA

Hello lovelies! Welcome back to the second Vegas edition of TSD and this time I'll be featuring my Zara purchases. This was the second store that I went to at the Fashion Show Mall. The first time I ever visited a Zara was when I was in Fukuoka, Japan, but since I was with friends I didn't really have a chance to thoroughly browse as I do take a long time perusing through the racks hehe. 

Most of you probably know this but Zara is a Spanish based retailer. What I think that's so cool about Zara are their marketing strategies. As a marketing major, I find it so interesting that Zara is able to develop and put out into stores a new product in just two weeks compared to the six month industry average. Also, Zara doesn't advertise. Instead of putting money into advertisement, they create more stores, which amazingly has been profitable in their favor. This is another store that I think would do well in Hawaii. It would be amazing if they would open a location at either Ala Moana or Waikiki. There might be hope since Sears, one of the retail anchors at Ala Moana, is closing and they're going to develop that section into more potential retail space. Gosh! I need to stop rambling and get to the good stuff! Here we go: 

Gray Sweater with Brown Elbow Pads: This is the first thing that I picked up when I entered the store. The style reminded me of the Brandy Melville sweater that I wanted, but it was $56 and I wasn't sure if I was ready to pay that price. This happened to be only $25.90! They only had a size M, which made me worry since I wasn't sure if it was going to fit properly. Luckily, it fit nicely! The fabric is very thing so it has a nice flow in the fabric since it's the slightest bit baggy. Also, it covers my bum, which means I can get away with wearing leggings. My favorite detail, of course, are the brown elbow pads. There's something sophisticated about elbow pads. It reminds me of equestrian wear :)

Fashion Sketch T-Shirt: The print is what caught my eye at first. I love interesting prints like this. The shape of tee is quite boxy, but still flattering to my figure. Also, the sleeves are permanently cuffed, which I like. This top is quite chic for being just a t-shirt. I wore this on Cinco de Mayo with a pair of faux leather leggings from Cotton-On.

Gray Acid Wash Jeggings: I'm so glad that these fit me because during my last trip to Zara, I didn't find any pants that fit me. Because this is a jegging and the material is stretchy, it tends to be more fitted than the normal jean. Their smallest size for most pants is size US 2. Normally the waist would be too big, but this was a much better fit. There was still slight room in the waist, but not where it was obviously too big. Also, at a great price of $25.90, I couldn't pass it up!

Rose (left) and Black Peony (right) Fragrance: When I went up to the register, I saw that they had these two perfumes. I'm not a fan of in-store brand perfumes just because they tend to be too powerful or just generic smelling (no offence!). I'm always curious so when I smelled both of these,  I was really surprised! Rose has a musky scent to it that I would find in high quality perfumes at Neiman Marcus and Black Peony has this wonderful classy floral scent that I wouldn't find for $14.90. Because of the price, I bought both. The only junk thing about these scents is that they don't last for long. They are both Eau de Toilette, which means it doesn't have a lot of alcohol in it. But seriously, for $14.90 I think we can overlook that ;)

And that's the end of my Zara haul! I hope you enjoyed reading and stay tune for the next post ^-^
-LAUREN

TSD Vegas Edition: TOPSHOP

All right lovelies! Get ready for my first clothing haul from my Vegas trip! The first place that I went to was, of course, Topshop at the Fashion Show Mall. It is basically the Motherland for me when it comes to fashion. I love the how British fashion is so quirky and funky and I feel like I don't see that a lot in American fashion. Topshop was having another major sale like last year when I first visited them. Amazingly, except for one item, I got everything on sale! I felt so proud of myself because last year, I think I only got one thing on sale and everything else was regular price yikes! I think my total spent at Topshop was under $200 so I give myself a pat on the back :P. Anyways, to the fashion!

LOVE Monogram Gray Jumper: This was the first thing that I picked up when I entered the store. I suppose a lot of their "winter" stuff was on sale and this jumper caught my eye. It's simple yet funky, giving me a 90's feel. Even though I live in Hawaii, this will come in handy for those cool nights. Also, I'm jetting off to San Fran at the end of this month, so I'll bring this along!

Sheer Floral Lace Crop Top: I love that Topshop has petite sizes since I'm only 5' 1" and that their smallest size starts at US 0 (regular sizing starts at US 2, which is fine in most cases). The size 0 was a great fit, but I wanted a little more length and size 2 did the trick! I need to find a black faux leather high-waist skater skirt with this to complete the look hehe.

Monochromatic Checkered Shirt: This was one of the tops that I picked off the rack and thought that it may or may not look good. My opinion totally changed when I tried it on. I thought it was super chic and cool. It's sheer so you need a black bralette. Another thing that I love about the print are the vines weaving along the front buttons and the sleeves. It's subtle and slightly camouflaged, which I really like. I wore this out this past Saturday with a pair of black leggings from H&M.

Checkered Floral Singlet: Here is another top that I wasn't sure how it would look on me, but once again, when I tried it on, I thought it looked adorable. Plus it helped that I was wearing a black bralette, which completed the look. I love the mix of geometrics and floral. Also, this will be fantastic for those muggy days when you still want to look cute without too much effort ;)

Striped Polka Dot Floral Shirt: That was a mouthful wasn't it! I was a bit apprehensive just because it seemed so busy, but I knew that it would look totally awesome because the mix of prints was just too cool and they really gel together. This was another petite top and this time I got it in a size 0. I've never had a long sleeve top where the length of the sleeve was perfect. I plan on wearing it this weekend! Also, I'll be starting OOTW posts soon so you all will be able to see it on a human form lol.

Blue & Red Mini Check: I had tried this on during my first visit to Topshop, but I returned the next day and decided to try it on again with the intention of getting it this time. It's a long sweater, which covers your bum, so it would look cute with a pair of tights. I think I was a bit intimidated by the print, which is why I didn't get it at first, but when I tried it on again, I thought it would make for a cute geek chic outfit. Also, it was $12 on sale (regular $56) so I just had to get it, even if I really wasn't into it!

White Floral Lace Bralette: This was the only thing that I didn't get on sale, but it was $24 so it wasn't too bad. All my bralettes were black, so I was searching for a white one. Luckily I came across this. I was also happy that I could fit a bra underneath comfortably since it didn't have any shape or support. I'm not busty by any means, but it's good to have shape hehe.

I hope you enjoyed my first post-Vegas haul! Next up will be from Zara!

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN

April Favorites 2013

Hey all! It's been a while since I've posted. I just got back from a week long vacation in Vegas with my dad. I must say that I did a lot of shopping AGAIN and I'll be posting clothing hauls for each store! The weather was bearable, but it did get hotter and hotter as the days went on, but because of the dry heat, it wasn't that bad. Actually, I heard that Hawaii was quite humid that week. It was still humid when I got back though hehe.

Anyways, I thought I'd try out a new segment on my blog of monthly favorites that range from beauty and fashion to music and random other things. I know that this is a popular tag done by a lot of beauty gurus on YouTube, but because I don't post videos, I thought I'd give it a go on here. So lets begin!

Beauty

they're Real! by benefit: I must say that I was never really loyal to any mascara, let alone any beauty brand, but I must say that benefit produces really good beauty products. I came across this product by watching my favorite beauty gurus and I just had to try it. I think this is one of the best mascaras I've ever tried. My eyelashes are thin and straight, so it's hard for me to make them pop. This mascara definitely lengthens and thickens without clumping due to the unique structure of the brush. It's suppose to give the impression of fake lashes, and while it doesn't wholly achieve that on my lashes, it does a great better deal than all the mascaras I've tried. For $23 at Sephora, I would definitely repurchase again!

Hibiscus Tinted Lip Balm by Burt's Bees: I've been in love with fresh's lip treatments, but one stick is $20~+ and I just couldn't bring myself to spend that much. Luckily, when I was at Walmart, I happen to come across Burt's Bees products and saw that they had an array of tinted lip balms for $7. I figured why not try one and went with the hibiscus version. Needless to say, I absolutely love this. I wore this everyday when I was Vegas to not only give my lips color, but to keep them moist. Definitely would repurchase again and try new shades!

Molly Coddled by butter London: Once again, I wanted to try a nail color from the Sweetie collection by butter London due to the positive raves from beauty gurus. The one that I wanted was called Fiver, which is a mint green shade (I ended up buying it online from Nordstrom), but they didn't have it at my Macy's. So I went with this pretty lilac shade. At first, I wasn't used to the color, but I quickly fell in love. The formula for the product is fantastic. If applied correctly, you can get away with just one coat, which is true but I suck at application and need a second coat to cover my mistakes :P. Also, the formula is fast drying, which I was amazed at since I thought the polish was on the thicker side. For $15, although pricey, the quality is worth it.

Fashion

Muscle T-Shirts: I'm absolutely in love with this trend. I feel like the popularity of muscle tees stem from Brandy Melville, an Italian-based brand with a very casual-boho vibe. I should also include that I'm loving everything Brandy at the moment! Wearing these type of tees requires a bralette of some sort, which I'm okay with showing. Whenever I wear this sort of top, I feel so care-free and cool. I get this "whatever" vibe lol! I'll definitely be wearing these throughout the summer as well.

Music

Stay by Rihanna: I'm not a major fan of Rihanna and her music, but something about this song just makes me keep on hitting repeat and I never get tired of listening to it on the radio. It's rare that I like EVERYTHING about songs, but honestly I love the lyrics, composition, vocals, and even the music video. I was super happy to have found the sheet music at Sam Ash in Vegas and I've been playing it multiple times a day!

Little Talks by Of Monsters and Men: I think this song is super catchy and totally the type of music that I'm listening today. If you're not familiar with the band, they're a 6-piece band from Iceland. Although I'm not totally familiar with the band, I've heard snippets and I'm probably going to order their album. I really love the vocals and composition of the song. One person who commented on YouTube said that this song is about a girl who is expressing her feelings of her parents going through a divorce or something like that. I think that's a great juxtaposition with that against such an upbeat tempo.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading! I'll try to get these out every month if possible. I really do enjoy blogging and sharing my thoughts with all of you!

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN