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

The Shopping Diaries: Forever 21

Hey all! Today's post features purchases from Forever 21, both Waikiki and Ala Moana locations. I got these on last, last Saturday. My intention for going to Forever 21 was to get the Guns N' Roses tank since I happen to be a fan of their music and Sweet Child O' Mine has been stuck on repeat in my head. During my hunt for the tank, I ended up picking up some of these other pieces as well hehe.

Half Sleeve Dapple/Black Sheer Panel Top: I got this at the Waikiki location on the top floor. I tend to gravitate more towards the Love21 section of F21. This sub-brand tends to be a little more pricier I suppose, but it's still pretty cheap. The reason why I picked this up was because of the draping black panels on the back. I think the mix of fabrics totally balances casual with sexy. Also, I love basic tops like this so that I can play around with accessories. This was an XS, which I thought was really rare. I had found other tops in XS that I didn't end up getting. I suppose F21 very recently put these out on the floor, so I lucked out on the size.

Layered Collared Necklace: I've been looking for the perfect style of this necklace for a long time. I love the color combination a lot. I'll definitely be wearing this with a lot of my collared shirts. This is the type of necklace that you wear to spruce up a basic top or shirt. It was only $10.80!

Bazinga!: Since the F21 in Waikiki only had size L for the tank, I decided to take a chance at the Ala Moana location. Before finding the tank, I came across this cropped sweater and I knew I had to get it. Despite it being a size M (you know I desperately want it when I'll put up with a medium), I thought it was doable. The sleeves are a bit long, but rolling it up is no problem. The only difficult thing about this top is that the cut is a bit too wide for my shoulders, but I'm still able to work with it! Plus, I absolutely adore Sheldon Cooper and the show all together, so I couldn't pass it up XD.

Guns N' Roses Tank: Finally, the reason why I went to Forever 21! I was only able to find a size M for the tank, but the fit was still fine. It's more of a tank dress because the length is quite long, but it's not incredibly loose around the torso. I paired this with a black bralette and leggings to keep that rocker vibe. I also added the necklace from my previous Charlotte Russe haul, which emphasizes that feel. I'm really happy that I have this tank now!

And that's it for my Forever 21 haul! I just started reading Divergent and it's not bad. I think because I just got done with A Game of Thrones, I'm not used to the change in writing style and I'm favoring the former rather than the latter. But to be honest, Divergent has The Hunger Games type of vibe so I'm still looking forward to the rest of the story.

Thanks for reading!
-LAUREN

OOTM: July 2013

Here are some of my looks from this month!

Lace Top: Free People
Paggings: MURUA
Necklace: Brandy Melville

Knit: Pineapple County
Shorts: Forever 21
Necklace: Pacsun

Striped Dolman: MURUA
Leggings: H&M
Necklace: Forever 21

Ombre Knit: Pineapple County
Shorts: Cotton On
Necklace: Jayro (Japan)

Fishnet Knit: POL (from Fighting Eel)
Shorts: GUESS
Bracelet: Brighton

Asymmetrical Top: romwe.com
Pants: Wet Seal
Bracelets: H&M, Cotton On
Necklace: Macy's, axes femme (Japan)

-LAUREN

TAG: Colors of the Rainbow

Hello lovelies! I wanted to blog about something different before bombarding you with end of the month posts. Actually, it's basically the end of July but I'll stick this post in anyway! I wanted to do a fun tag and so I decided to try out the Colors of the Rainbow tag. Basically, you take each color in the rainbow and pick out some of your favorite beauty and fashion items that correlate with the color. I'm not that major when it comes to makeup. I tend to go for a very natural look with most of the emphasis going to my eyes, which is just eyeliner and mascara. So, I stuck with fashion goods! Some colors were tricky, but I think I got my picks down. Here it is:

1. Red

Miss Sixty Booties: I got these around 2008-2009 when MS was still at Ala Moana. I believe Jason gave these to me as a Christmas gift. I was absolutely in love with the color and I like the texture of the leather. The only downside is that your feet do hurt after walking in these. I need to insert some sole support. Also, I tend to ding the heels hehe. To be honest, because these aren't the most comfortable shoes to wear, I haven't worn them in a long time. That being said, I'm going to try wearing them again!

2. Orange

Orange Tone Salopette: I'm not sure how to describe this pattern. It's kind of damaskish or it reminds me of something Mediterranean. Anyways, I got this from Spiral Girl in 2011. When I was studying abroad in Japan earlier that year, I saw this exact piece at a store and I wanted to get it but I didn't. Then a couple months after I came back, my dad took me shopping and I saw this at SG on sale, which was cheaper than in Japan. This has great shape because you don't need a belt to emphasize your figure. A belt will go nicely with it, but I usually don't wear one :).

3. Yellow

Funky Geometric: This is one of my absolute favorite pieces from MS. I bought this around 2008 or 2009 and when I first saw this, it was love at first site. I was attracted to the vibrant color and it just oozed happiness and sunshine. Also, this was around the time when I was digging billowy sleeves, so when I wore this, I felt like a total hipster hehe! I still get good vibes whenever I wear this.

4. Green

Bon Lapin: This is a purchase from Forever 21 after I came back from Vegas last year in October. I'm a bunny lover, so anything bunny-themed I'm there. I immediately grabbed this when I saw it and I was lucky that I snagged the last size small. I probably would've gotten it in a size medium if they didn't have my original size. In theme with the color, I love this shade of light olive. Olive tones are some of my favorite shades of green.

5. Blue

Blue Plaid Shirt: This is a more recent purchase from Guess at Ala Moana. I had such a hard time deciding which blue item in my wardrobe I wanted to post since blue is my favorite color at the moment. I was surprised that I ended up picking this because while I do admire plaid, I don't think it particularly looks good on me, but I definitely love this piece. I like the studs and the fact that I can wear it as a cover up or an accessory around my waist.

6. Indigo

Billowy Tie Top: Indigo was probably the hardest to find in my closet. I'm not even sure if this really counts as indigo but whatever. It's closer to blue on the violet-blue spectrum. This is another top from Forever 21 that I instantly fell in love with because of 1) the color, 2) the tie, and 3) the buttons bordering the top asymmetrically. Also, I love how the buttons trails down the back!

7. Violet

Lace Floral Plaid Tote: This is definitely an older item of mine that I still love. This was when Betsey Johnson was still under Betsey Johnson and not being overtaken by Steve Madden. I had gotten this a little after Black Friday for only $34. I absolutely love the pattern. I still have this bag but I haven't used it since I graduated from college. I must say it held up for a very long time. It's sad that the quality of Betsey Johnson goods have really gone down the hole, especially with their bags.

8. Pink

Light Pink Ribbed Peplum: I know this color almost borders on nude, but honestly it is my favorite top in a pink shade. The trend for peplums have somewhat subsided but I'd still rock one any day, especially from Topshop. The darts and the basic shape of this top is super flattering and makes you feel like a rockstar any day!

9. Multicolored

Summer Lightweight Stole: When it comes to multicolored items, I tend to gravitate to colorful stoles. This stole came in a set from Ingni when I was in Japan two years ago. Lightweight stoles are still a staple for me during the summer, although to be honest, I haven't been wearing them as much this year. But because the weather is somewhat straightforward in Hawaii, this can be worn throughout the year. The way I like to incorporate stoles into my outfit is to wear something basic and simple so that the stole is my center piece :).

I hope you all enjoyed reading this post. I had a lot of fun picking out items for this tag and you should do one too if you have a blog or a Youtube. Pretty soon I'll be uploading my monthly posts which will be including a shopping, instagram, and outfit of the day!

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 The Weekend After SF Edition: Forever 21, GUESS, Brandy Melville

Hello all!

I'm pretty proud of myself for popping out these posts pretty quickly hehe! So this post will be about my little shopping extravaganza the weekend after coming back from San Fran. I don't know if it was because I restrained myself in SF or what, but I ended up getting more things when I came back. I think my purchases were somewhat warranted since I was on the lookout for more crop tops...yeah lol. Anyways, let's get on with the haul!

BOSS Logo Crop Top: I was immediately drawn to this because of the logo print. Who doesn't want a top that says you're the boss! I do dig the block logo print and I think cuffed sleeves on t-shirts are super chic at the moment. This was $12.80.

Metallic Claw Necklace: I wanted to pick out a cool accessory that wasn't so boho-like since I tend to gravitate towards that. I thought the claw-like pendant was really funky and chic. I like the two-tone metal and this goes great with a lot of monochromatic coordinates, as seen above!

Military Studded Vest: I had actually tried this same vest in San Fran and for some reason I wasn't really feeling it, but I ended up trying it again since my GUESS had it in my size and the extra 50% off was still going on. When I tried it on this time, I still wasn't absolutely blown away, but I figured that I should just get it anyway for the great price and design.

Mr. Bunny Tee: I follow GUESS on Facebook, so the moment I saw a post about their animal print sleeveless tees, I knew I absolutely had to have this. Luckily, I saw the post the day I was going out to Ala Moana and I got it immediately. I love bunnies so anything bunny-print or bunny-themed it makes my heart go a-flutter! Also, I'm digging his little faux collar :D

Blue and White Crop Top: While I admire American Apparel's crop tops, they are $28+ depending on the style and such, so I wanted to see if I could find a cheaper option. I know that Topshop crop tops are quite reasonable and almost half the price of American Apparel's at $16. But my best deal was at Brandy Melville and their's were $15! They fit really nicely and the length is great for a crop top on my torso size. 

Triangular Necklace: When I go to Brandy Melville, I always look at their accessories section because I think they have great stuff for really cheap! It's slightly painful at times because they have such cute rings and with my skinny fingers, I can't fit them :(. But, they also have cute necklaces and I found this cool 3 in 1 triangle necklace. I literally wear this necklace at least 4 times a week because it makes every outfit look so much more boho-chic!

Next post, hopefully up by tomorrow, will be my first ever purchase of LUSH and some reviews about the products!

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN

TSD San Francisco Edition: UNIQLO, H&M, Snidel, GUESS, Forever XXI

Finally another shopping haul and this one comes especially from San Francisco! Now, I usually go crazy when I go shopping but because I was with my mom, I had to exercise great restraint as she does frown upon crazy shopping habits like the ones that I possess lol. But despite that, I was able to get away with some great finds!

Basic Tanks and Seamless Underwear: This first batch was from UNIQLO, a Japanese brand which I liken to the Gap here in the U.S. I really like this brand for their basics, especially their seamless underwear, which are TRULY seamless and goes great with leggings. Of course, I had to snatch up two pairs of seamless undies ($7.95 each I think) and I decided to go for some basic tanks that were $9.95 each. I didn't get a chance to try on the tanks since there was a special event going on that was going to close the store super early. The white and black tank fits really nicely and the fabric is great. The more beigey-tone one on the far right is a little more loose fitted but still a great layering piece.

Black Leggings: I was super tempted to buy a whole bunch of things from H&M since it is such a great store, but once again, I was with my mom and had to exercise severe restraint. Instead I picked up two pairs of their black leggings since I fell in love with them when I got pair in Vegas a month before. They're only $9.95 and I think that's great for the quality of the fabirc.

Logo Print Tank: I actually got this as a furoku (付録) from the most recent issue of ViVi magazine from Kinokuniya in Japantown. It was ViVi's 30th anniversary and so they teamed up with Snidel to create this collab item! I've been a fan of Snidel, but never got anything because it was quite expensive. I was surprised at the good quality of the fabric for being a furoku. This tank encompasses one of the trends happening in Japan, which is block print logos with random English words.

White Fringe Sleeveless: Before leaving for SF, Guess had notified me by email saying that they were going to have an extra 50% off of their reduced prices for the Memorial Day weekend. I was worried I wouldn't find a nearby Guess but there was one conveniently at the Westfield Mall down the street. Everything I picked out was on extra 50% off, so I got a great deal. Also, I applied my $15 credit for being a Guess List member to my purchases! This first piece was from their music festival collection. I got it because I love the fringe detail cascading down the chest into a V-shape. Not too crazy about the actual material, but I figured it's a great piece for the the price.

Sheer Black Shirt w/ Royal Blue Trim: I absolutely love this because of how sheer the fabric is. I do have a lot of sheer black shirts, but this is even more sheer and I think you can tell by the picture. What sealed the deal was the royal blue trim on the collar and inside the sleeve cuffs. Yeah you cannot really see it when I'm wearing it, but I may roll up the sleeve cuff to show the underside. Also, the triangular studs for buttons is a cute edgy detail.

Blue Plaid w/ Studs: Except for one plaid shirt that doesn't really fit me well, I didn't have anything like this in my closet. To be honest, when I tried it on, I was on the fence with this, but decided to buy it because it was in my size and it was on extra sale. Plus, if I truly wanted to return it, I could do so at my local store. I think this ended up being one of my favorite pieces from this trip because it did fit pretty well for a plaid flannel shirt. They usually don't look right on me because of the fit, but this was about 90% perfect. Also, I love using this as an accessory piece by tying it around my waist! Then when it gets a little cool during the evenings, I can easily slip this on.

Star Patterned Knit: Now this was in the Forever 21 store; it was in the Forever XXI store. Now for someone like me, I would be like what is the difference? It's the same name but one is in roman numerals. According to my cousin who goes to USF over there, XXI is supposed to be better quality and more classier. I definitely got the better quality part. I saw this knit and knew I had to have it. While I'm not a big fan of star-patterned prints as I believe they look kind of juvenile on me, which is ironic as I got all star-patterned print items for XXI, this seemed to suit me well. I think that F21 knits are, for the most part, good quality and this did not disappoint.

High-Waisted Star Patterned Denim Shorts: This is my other favorite purchase of the entire trip. This is what got me into the store. Actually, the mannequin was wearing a slightly different star-patterned denim short than this one, but I ended up liking this one much better when I found it. I think the trend of high-waisted shorts and pants is super cool and chic, but when it comes to shorts, all the ones that I've tried had been too cheeky for my taste. When I tried this pair on, it was on the verge of being too cheeky, but I found it to be acceptable enough. The fit and quality is superb and I plan on wearing this for 4th of July!

Thanks for sticking around for this ep of the Shopping Diaries. I have a few more to post, so look forward to that!

Thanks for reading!

-LAUREN

The Shopping Diaries: Forever 21 Waikiki

Okay, so this is my first post about one of my shopping trips! I hadn't been to the Waikiki Forever 21 in a while because I had been busy with my last semester at the University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM) and I'd been focusing on that. Now that the semester is over and I got in my last semester final grades (all A's!!!), I decided to treat myself to a little shopping spree :)

Now, I'm not really a big fan of Spring/Summer trends just because I tend to love Fall/Winter, but when I went into F21, I was pleasantly surprised! Three trends that I'm just loving at the moment are high/low hems, sleeveless tops, and tie tops. Studying abroad in Japan last year was when I first encountered the high/low hems (not sure if they had that in the States yet) and I just fell in love.

I love trends, but honestly if they're not me, I won't be forcing myself to wear them. Trying new trends is fun and I just love it when one works out so well for me, like the above mentioned trends! And believe me, even if certain trends become "last season," you won't see me hiding those pieces in my closet. I'll wear it whenever, wherever because it's what I like. Simple as that!

Sorry for blabbing there! Now I present to you my shopping finds from this past Sunday:

I have two pair of white shorts: one that I love and one that I don't wear at all, so it's more like I have one pair lol. Anyways, I really liked this pair. I thought the skinny, brown cord was a nice accent to the shorts, though honestly it probably won't be seen much of the time since my tops will cover it. But say if I were to tuck in my top or just the front, the cord accessory would be a nice enhancement to the outfit. Another reason why I got this is because the fit was really good. I'm petite so I have difficulty finding things that fit well. Tis' the curse of being a lil' one :)

The color that I'm kinda obsessed about is blue. I tend to like more of the navy blue rather than lighter blues, but overall I like all shades of blue. This top covers my favorite trend right now, which is the tie at the bottom. I really liked this top because of the button details. I like how it extends up to the left collar and falls down the back of the shirt. It's quite classy...

For textile trends, I am loving the polka dots. I got into it when I was in Japan last year. Now I'm more of a monochromatic girl, so I'm always attracted to shades of white, black, and gray. Though pinks and pastels/sherbert/macaroon colors in general are attractive in my mind, I don't see a lot of these colors matching me a lot, which makes me sad because I do adore them. I was on the fence on this one because of the color but yet it's sleeveless, I love the collar, and another trend that I forgot to mention that I love is the tie-around ribbon. So I asked my boyfriend what he thought and he really liked it and actually bought this piece for me!

I'll probably be mentioning my boyfriend in my shopping posts quite often as he is one of my main shopping partners. He has a good eye for fashion and appreciates design despite not being a fashionista like me ;)

Here is a simple, sheer (did I mention I like sheer as well!) high/low white tank with black lining details. I thought it was a nice update on the classic white tank. Love the little pocket as well!

And finally, my last purchase was this gorgeous burnt orange/white side panel tank. I'm also loving burnt orange and I just thought the color blocking for this was perfect. Unfortunately, there were no XS or S sizes left so I bought the medium. The good thing is that because it's sheer, you have to wear something underneath anyway and so the big arm holes don't matter too much. Also, in the back is a black fabric button which cinches in the sides to give a more defined shape. That helped a lot!

So there you have a look into what my shopping diaries will be like! Later on, I'll post other recent purchases that I've gotten this month.

Thank you for reading!

-Lauren