The Shopping Diaries: Forever 21 Waikiki

Hey all! Welcome back to another addition of the Shopping Diaries. Funny thing is that I had been thinking of trying to make it a resolution of mine to not shop for clothing before going to Vegas in April (I've got tickets booked, so it's official!!! XD), but obviously I break my resolution within hours -_-. If anything, I really like the pieces I picked out hehe! As if that's enough of a justification.

After I had gone to F21, I always make a trip to Brandy Melville because I might as well if I'm paying for parking. I really fell in love with this gorgeous cranberry long knit cardigan that I really wanted to buy, but the $55 price tag was stopping me from getting it. Perhaps if I had gone to Brandy first, I probably would've gotten it. But ugh, it was really hard to part ways with it, especially since I feel red hues aren't really me but this cardigan really worked with it. If it's still there the next time, I think I will get it so that I can use fate as an excuse lol.

Sorry for going off on a long tangent and let's get to my picks from F21!

Flowy Beige-Yellow Specked Top: I'm not sure if you can see the yellow speckles throughout the top, but it's there! Anyways, I first spotted this on a mannequin and it was paired with some grey lounge-inspired pants and I totally dug the look. I couldn't find the pants, but I found the top. It has the slightest bit of detail to still pass as a basic and what I love about basic tops is that you can pair it was a statement necklace. This was $15.90 and an XS so I figured I should get it :P.

Maroon and Black Striped Crop Top: I've been looking for more crop tops to play with and I thought this would be a good one to add to the collection. It's not ridiculously short or tight, which I really like, but I'm still not sure if I want to keep this one. I'm like 60-40 on returning this top. Maybe it's because of the red, which I seem to have a problem with the color lol. The quality is really good in my opinion and it was only $10.80. So we'll see...any opinions?

Gold Geometric Bib Necklace: Now I've been dying to get my hands on a piece like this but I had never found the right one. I love the simplicity yet it really draws the eye. I think this would look fantastic with any collared top or a low scooped top so that it rests nicely on your decolletage. And it's not bad for $6.80!

Gold Charmed Chain: I wanted to get more gold chained inspired necklaces and I found this one! I'm a sucker for anything that is remotely European inspired, especially if reminds me of the U.K. I like the mix of fleur-de-lis charms and Victorian-esque coins. Once again, it'll be great to pair with a basic top, like the one from above, or with collared shirt.

And that's it folks! I'm still on the fence with the crop top, but hopefully I can make up my mind by Saturday since I usually go out on those days. I might take it along with me and if I find something different, I can do an exchange. But hmmm...usually if one is not sure about a top, it's best to return it right? If you don't seem to like it, you don't really need it? Advice please!

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN

TSD June 2013: Forever 21, Free People, Nordstrom, Charlotte Russe

Man I'm on a roll tonight! I just posted my Monthly Gram for June and I've decided to get this post up as well. It's probably from all the tea I drank this evening, so I'm hyped on caffeine hehe. Because I ended up getting fashion pieces here and there, I decided to make this TSD post a monthly roundup rather than separate posts for each brand. Here are my finds for June:

Round Framed Glasses: I've been on the lookout for a pair of sunglasses like this. I was inspired by Youtuber clothesencounters and I thought it looked super cute on her. So, of course, I wanted to try it out. I'm open to trying any trend and I'll go with it as long as I feel comfortable. I ended up finding my pair at Forever 21 for only $5-6! Jason isn't really a fan of these glasses but I'm over the moon about them. I feel so Lady Gaga-esque/retro in them!

White Lace Flowy Top: Jason and I were killing some time at Nordstrom Rack before seeing a movie. They had in some cute pieces from Free People, a brand in which I love their bohemian style. We don't have an actual Free People store in Hawaii, but they do have a great selection at Macy's. The pieces are quite pricey, but when it's at the Rack or TJ Maxx, the price is doable. I got this for $34 and the original price was $88 I think. I love to pair this with my neutral polka dot paggings (a pic will be uploaded in next month's OOTM post).

American Flag Sunnies: Before I found my round sunnies at Forever 21, I was hoping to find a pair at Nordstrom's. While there were a few that I could've worked with, it wasn't the exact pair I was looking for. I tried these on for fun without the intention of getting them, but I ended up liking it a lot. It was super cute on and I thought it would be great for the upcoming 4th of July weekend. There were only two left, so Jason bought the other pair for himself to match!

Sand Colored Sun Hat: Once again, I was inspired by Youtuber clothesencounters to get a sun hat of sorts. I've said it to myself over the years, actually my entire life, that my head isn't suited for a hat. It's probably due to my poofy hair, but I just never really matched in a hat. As I was perusing through my local Charlotte Russe, my eye kept going to this hat. I bought it thinking that I could actually work with this. It's not tight looking, so I think it'll go well with some of my looks.

Semi-Sheer Striped Maxi Skirt: I'm absolutely loving this particular style of maxi skirt. I love the bit of sheer fabric that exposes your leg from the mid-thigh down. I'm more of a monochromatic girl, so pairing this with a white crop top or any type of white top will bring this look together to my liking. It's easy sophistication!

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN

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: 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

The Shopping Diaries: Pineapple County Waikiki

Hey lovelies!

I went into Waikiki during Easter weekend for a quick Nature Republic run (I will definitely make a post about my skincare routine from them!) and to check out the new spring colors from nails inc. at Sephora. After doing so, Jason still had time left on our parking meter. Not wanting to waste it, I decided I wanted to go check out Brandy Melville since they moved from their Ala Moana location (I wish they hadn't done so :( ) but they were closed that day for Easter. So we walked back towards the direction of our car and Jason said I should browse Pineapple County since it had been a while.

Seriously, I don't think I've gone into Pineapple County since my bestie left for Japan a year ago, but I was surprised that they had rearranged the store to not make it look as cluttered and they had renovated the second floor, which I think looks really nice. I noticed that a lot of their stuff was now more on the expensive side, but they still had a selection of reasonable items. So here is my PC haul!

BRAND: Bear Dance

The first thing that I picked up was this basic black bralette. With the surge of muscle tees and sheer tops, bralettes are becoming something of a necessity. What I really like about this bralette is that it is already padded like a regular bra, which is great for someone like me who is quite small chested lol. The straps are not adjustable but it turned out to be a perfect fit for me! 

BRAND: Cecico

The next thing that caught my eye was this vibrant blue ombre knit. It looked like to me something what a guy would wear, but feminine enough for me to wear. I got this kind of cool, edgy feeling from this top, especially with the distressed holes on the side which you can faintly see in the picture. The material is very light-weight so it makes it comfortable enough to wear in Hawaii.

BRAND: Rock Rose Classic

I found this in the sale section for only $10! When I first saw this, it reminded me a lot of Brandy Melville since they do similar knits. Even the design of the name tag was extremely similar to that of Brandy hehe. The silhouette is very much like a loose, boxy dolman shape. I would definitely pair this with the Bear Dance bralette from above!

BRAND: Nissi Jeans

While I was trying on my clothes, Jason suggested that I try this on too. I had seen it as we were coming up from the first floor, but I didn't really bother checking it out. If it caught Jason's eye, then I knew it was actually something really good lol. The cute floral print is perfect for spring/summer and with this sleeveless light-blue top that I got from Spiral Girl, it's a great coordinate! The only downside to this pant is that there are no pockets, which I realized when I tried to put my phone in a pocket haha.

I hope you enjoyed my PC haul! Expect more hauls in the near future as I will be jetting off to Las Vegas in a week and to San Francisco in a month. To check out the Pineapple County website, click here!

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN