Personal Style [Vintage]-Color Saturated Handkerchief Blouse a la Retro Versace and Hermes









Handkerchief Blouse: Sunny Girl
White jeans: Zara
Purse: Celine
Sandals: Theory
Rings: Alexander McQueen.Stella Dot
Bracelets: Stella Dot.Belle Noel c/o Glamhouse.Vintage
Watch: Omega

It's hard to tell from the pictures but my handkerchief Sunny Girl blouse is sheer and ultra light making it the perfect top for mildly cool summer nights. To balance the blouse's vivid colors, I paired it with a pair of simple white jeans and nude strappy sandals for a casual summery look. My Celine purse has been permanently glued to my shoulders for the past three weeks as it adds a touch of vintage femininity to every outfit. 

US fashionistas may not be familiar with Sunny Girl as it's a very popular and well-known Australian fashion brand that's making its way to the Northern Hemisphere. The collections are trendy, cute, affordable but high quality. I foresee an inevitable American fashion invasion!

FAB LA Salon Spotlight-A Place to Fuel, Work Out, Shop, Pamper

The ever-so fabulous Nicole Winnaman is kind of a huge deal in the entertainment industry. Like literally. She's put together multi-million dollar endorsement deals for the likes of Britney Spears and Fergie. The girl seems to have the Midas touch! So, when she invited me to the grand opening of VIP Beauty, a posh beauty and hair salon fabulously situated in the back of her popular Rockit Workout studio in Pasadena, I immediately RSVPed.

Nicole's Rockit studio is centrally located in Old Town, Pasadena on the tree lined beauty that is Green Street. Don't be fooled by the name-the space is not just a workout studio as it's also home to Blend 54 Tea Bar and Industry 1212 clothing boutique. With the opening of VIP Beauty Salon, a girl can pretty much spend the entire day effortlessly gliding from one station to the next getting our FWBS (food, work out, beauty, shopping) needs fulfilled!

VIP Beauty houses some major VIP stylists and colorists. Twice a week, Dani Hernandez, whose set of skilled hands are responsible for Victoria Beckham and Rachel Zoe's gorgeous locks, makes the commute from the Byron Tracey salon in Beverly Hills to color the tresses of in-the-know Pasadenaians. I grew up near Pasadena so I'm excited that gals in San Gabriel Valley no longer have to make the trek to LA salons to get LA style!





Pink Tweed Jacket: Zara. Similar to this
Silk Shorts: Cynthia Vincent. Similar to this
Shoes: Sole Society
Purse: Celine 

Inspirational posters can found throughout the space. Girl power!

The black, white and yellow color scheme is fresh, modern and adds a touch of whimsy

The back courtyard space is zen-like and so pretty!

Nicole's 80%20 wedges perfectly match the salon's color palette 

A cozy makeup room completes the salon

VIP Beauty Salon
54 W. Green Street
Pasadena, CA 91105
626.657.2260

FAB Summer Spotlight-Stomach Slimming Swimwear

While glancing at my calendar a few minutes ago, it hit me. I will be in Vegas at least three separate times this summer. This means the many hours spent at the buffets will equal to even more time spent by the pool in my swimsuit trying vigorously and strategically to hide post-buffet bulges. Not an easy task if you've ever seen me at a buffet. It's like a fancier version of feeding time at the zoo as I devour everything in sight. No talking, just eat.

With buffets and poolside lounging placed at polar opposites of the spectrum, I need to find swimwear that can slim, hide and flatten the protruding devastation of my gluttony. While perusing Macy's womens swimwear collection, I found a great selection of swimsuits that can provide an instant tummy tuck.

macys swimwear 1

1. Anne Cole Floral Swimsuit High waist design keeps the tummy rolls from rolling out. The cute sweetheart neckline keeps the eyes focused on the upper body and away from the stomach area. 
2. Jessica Simpson Floral Bandeau Just the cute floral print itself is reason enough to get this two-piece swimsuit. The bottom is adjustable and can be folded up or down to cover as much or as little of the stomach as you'd like. 
3. Kenneth Cole Reaction Floral Ruched Bikini The skirt bottom extends to the lower stomach and hips, providing a slimming cover up when you're not in the mood to reveal too much skin.


macys swimsuit 2


1. Jessica Simpson One Piece Halter Floral Swimsuit The fun floral print and plungingly low neckline will keep all eyes chest...up!
2. Badgley Mischka One Piece Swimsuit The elegant style and criss-cross ruching is simply divine and figure huggingly complementary. And of course, the color black instantly camouflages any unsightly protrusions.
3. La Blanca Ruched One Piece Swimsuit The ruching contracts and slims the waistline while providing ample volume to the chest area, fluidly creating an hourglass shape.


Fab Guest Post-Brightening Up the Office

For the most part, I get to dress freely at work, but if I have to make court appearances, attend licensing meetings or go to intellectual property conferences, I have to look and dress the part. After all, I am a lawyer! So, I talked to the stylists over at Donna Ida, a popular high-end boutique in London to get a few tips on how to look fashionable but professional in the work place:

Whether it's bright jeans, pastel knitwear, bold prints or Aztec jewelry, this season is all about color. Which is all very well if you’re lazing in the park with some Pimms or throwing parties on your rooftop every evening–but what about when you’re confined to the glass walls of your office, and the only sunshine you get is the Vitamin D from your Pret smoothie?


Luckily, the designers behind Current/Elliott have come to the rescue. Their leopard-print pencil skirt is respectable enough to command all attention in the boardroom, but naughty enough to cheer you up mid-spread sheet. Wear with a plain cream blouse for office chic, and add a statement necklace for a day-to-night look.
If animal prints are that little bit too risqué for your place of work, look to Stella McCartney for an office look with a twist. Her blue chambray dress with a Hawaiian print has a classic shift shape (with flattering three quarter length sleeves) but the bold tonal print injects some summer fun into a other-wise simple dress. Team with nude courts for a glamorous look, or dress down with black ankle boots and a leather jacket.
If you want to stick to the neutral tones that saw you through winter, go for some cropped trousers, like these ginger ones from Current/Elliott. You can brighten them up with a burst of color on your top half, and create a statement look by mixing up textures with a silk shirt or chiffon blouse. Throw on a cashmere jumper when the AC gets too cold, and trot around your office in a pair of strappy sandals, showing off your ankles.



When the only appropriate office-wear for you is a black fitted suit and courts, try injecting a bit of color into your look in a way that only you will notice. Think mint nails, coral jewelry, and pastel colored underwear. Even if no-one but you will know its there, you’ll still feel part of the summer trends happening outside. Hanky Panky do a fun selection of lace underwear that come in the brightest of shades, and the thongs are comfortable enough to stop you fidgeting in your swivel chair. Be brave and choose the neon yellow ones!


FAB LA Spotlight-Young Hollywood Awards Red Carpet Musings

Last week, I attended the Young Hollywood Awards at the Hollywood Athletic Club. Presented by Bing, the 14th annual award show continues its legacy and evolution as the premier event for honoring and celebrating the accomplishments of emerging young talent throughout the entertainment industry. Regarded as the "Oscars of Young Hollywood", this red carpet event is a launch pad for the future careers of actors, directors and entertainers. A must-attend for Hollywood's A-list, industry executives and fans alike, it draws extensive media coverage from national and international press.

I got to the red carpet before the celebrity arrivals so I had a couple of minutes to chit chat with friends and take in the moment. The red carpet faced Sunset Blvd, one of the busiest streets in Hollywood which led to many curious drivers slowing down to take pictures. A few fans stood off to the side with paparazzi sized cameras ready to snap away. I'm still a bit baffled by the red carpet phenomenon. It's incredible knowing that the event of having famous people pose for pictures becomes projected, magnified, and glamorized by a thousand when those pictures are disseminated by the media. I'm so grateful I live in LA, where I get to see and experience the behind the scenes ordinariness of the red carpet.



For the event, I channeled red carpet glamour and borrowed a curvalicious cocktail dress from La Femme. I felt like Christopher Columbus in this dress as many newfound curves were discovered that night. The ruching slimmed my tummy and perked up my chest and derriere while the cut perfectly complimented my height and body shape. My hot pink platform stilettos from Sole Society are one of my fav soles and I love wearing them with black dresses as the color contrast heightens the drama of the outfit. I wore my Celine cross-body purse to add an unexpected touch of vintage to the outfit. 



with my girl and super fierce fashion blogger Sydne!

with blogger Aimee of SwellMayde and her friend


Dress: Le Femme
Purse: Celine
Shoes: Sole Society
Cocktail Ring and Bracelet: c/o 2b
Bangles: Belle Noel c/o Glamhouse
Earrings: c/o Live! On Sunset

Walking the red carpet is definitely a job in and of itself as the celebrities' every move and pose are scrutinized by the media. And then there are the interviews. So many interviews. It must be tough to look and sound perky and interesting when you have to answer the same questions over and over again. 


Alex Pettyfer looked quite dapper that night

 Ashley Greene is incredibly skinny and toned. The girl is all muscle, zero fat.

I'm not feeling Whitney Cummings' dress as the muted color washes out her skin tone.

I love Ginnifer Goodwin's vintage inspired Monique Lhuillier lace dress! Her hot pink lipstick and nails perfected the outfit. Josh Dallas's Mad Men-esque slick hairstyle completes his girlfriend's vintage look.

Aubrey Plaza and Chris Pratt from Parks and Recreation! The show is hilarious and tragically underrated.


Asian American Street Style Fashion

With each passing year, the idea of partying takes on an ever evolved meaning. Gone are the yesteryear when I partied hearty for the sheer sake of having fun. Nowadays, I only attend two types of parties. One type celebrates special moments/occasions/milestones in my loved ones' lives. The other is pure business. Regardless of how long the red carpet, how A-list the attendees, how fab the gift bags, or how high the Rosé fountain, I approach business/industry parties as work and as a tool and opportunity  to seek out, discuss, and conquer business. I try not to mix in pleasure at these events.

However, at one such industry event a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Anthony and Tiger (jointly nicknamed Tony the Tiger), two extremely funny and easy going friends of a friend who kept me entertained and energized with their humor and a stockpile of puns. We talked about tae kwon do and spent a copious amout of time "punning" back and forth about the pool. I highly enjoyed their company and was pleasantly surprised to find out that Anthony has a street style blog called Amerasian Fashion, a one of its kind showcase of fashionable Asian Americans from all over the country. I'm featured in today's post so please check it out when you get a chance!

Up until now, I never really distinguished style on a racial level as I always saw it as an individual choice, influenced by a plethora of personal, environmental and geographical factors. What do you think? Is your style influenced by your ethnic background?


FAB Bohemian Style-Fashion Destination In The OC







Dress: Line and Dot
Shearling Fur Vest: Uknown
Flatforms: Yoki Raven c/o Lulus.com
Skull and Flower Ring: Alexander McQueen
Watch: Omega
Textured Nail Wrap: KISS

I wore this outfit to Fashion Destination, an all day fashion show/event held at the St. Regis Hotel in Dana Point. Pulling up to the valet, I was taken aback by the flaunting manifestation of wealth, flash and consumption of Orange County's New Money as the lot was literally littered with rows and rows of Rolls Royces and Bentleys. It seemed like all of OC's sun-kissed social elites were at the event, including several of The Real Housewives of Orange County cast mates. And yes, I'm a fan! The show's resident house-boyfriend Slade Smiley showed up with a new squeeze-a brunette. What happened to Gretchen? I thought they got engaged on the show's season finale? Who dumped who? I NEED to know as Google search is not giving anything away.

The event itself was fashion eye candy. Aside from watching the fashion shows which showcased current collections from designers like Trina Turk and Marc by Marc Jacobs, I also enjoyed heavy people watching. It's easy to spot an OCer as their style is sexier and more dressed up than the LA crowd. They don't layer and tend to accessorize with colorful and heavily embellished jewelry. Many of the attendees wore curve-hugging clubbing appropriate cocktail dresses while others showed up in full length gowns. 

Needless to say, I was under dressed. But I was fine with it. After all, personal style is a personal choice and I'm incredibly in love with my high low floral Line and Dot dress. Inspired by coastal bohemian femininity, the dress is perfect for summer weather. Pairing it with an off-season shearling fur vest adds a layer of chic appeal and needed warmth to combat the cool beach air. 



FAB LA Spotlight-The Rossano Ferretti Hair Experience

Experiences add invaluable value to our lives. After all, isn't it what we ultimately live for on a day-to-day basis? We want to experience the joy of eating a mouthwatering delicious meal, experience the sense of pride in getting promoted at work, experience the queasy butterflies in your stomach feeling when falling in love. There are so many intangible factors that add to the value of a wonderful experience, factors that are hard to predict but become so perfectly aligned when they do come together.

The stars definitely aligned in my favor last week as I had the most amazing cut and color experience at the Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa in Beverly Hills. The pioneer of the patented Metedo Rossano Ferretti, master cutter and master mogul Rossano Ferretti developed a system that focuses on the natural movement of a person’s hair and teaches stylists to move their own body along with the client’s hair, constantly observing and interpreting each section. With over twenty salons in the most exclusive zip codes in the world, Rossano commands $1,000 per haircut, a price that bequeathes upon him the title of "The Most Expensive Hairstylist In The World."



I met Rossano at an event in his salon where color guru Nancy Braun spoke about the new L’Oréal Professionnel INOA ODS2, an ammonia free permanent professionnel haircolor that provides uncompromised comfort, supreme respect for the hair and infinite color power. With the product, hair is left with 6 weeks of intense hydration and nutrition and 50% more shine. At the event, Rossano had just returned from a trip to Shanghai, where he was scouting potential locations for his next salon. We bonded over my undying and his new-found love for my birth city. He invited me to come back for a color and a $1,000 cut experience. I accepted in a heartbeat.

 Rossano and I chatting about Shanghai! I call it Paris of the East while he compares SH to New York.

He's not pleased with what he sees. I look awkward as I'm faltering under the hair scrutiny 

The next day, I was back at the Beverly Hills atelier. Rossano, dressed in a custom suit accessorized with his signature silk scarf (he wears a different one everyday), greeted me in the lobby with Italian charm and panache and introduced me to my colorist. She and I decided to bury my ombre with jet black color. The INOA color didn't smell like harsh chemicals and did not cause any irritation or burning on my sensitive scalp. I'm in my third week and have not noticed any color fading or dullness. In fact, I'm one happy dark haired goth girl!


After the color came the cut. I was led upstairs to the private VIP room where a single chair and mirror stood mounted to the floor, singularly illuminated by the overhead spotlight. Once I sat down, I heard the velvet curtain close behind me. Five minutes went by. Silence. Then, in a single dramatic moment, Rossano emerged. He walked over and took a few seconds to analyze my tresses before lifting the scissor from the palms of his assistant. He then went to work, as the scissor instantaneously became an extension of his hand, wrist and arm. The entire cut took no longer than ten minutes and yet in those minutes a total hair transformation took place. He balanced out my crooked layers and infused movement, volume and lightness to my long hair. Who knew waist length hair can bounce?

It was the cut of a lifetime and an experience to be remembered.


FAB LA Sample Sales-Amber Sakai and Whitney Eve


Amber Sakai’s collections are deeply inspired by the dynamic woman who is “always in motion” with a mix of essential pieces that complete her everyday wardrobe. From body conscious creations to perfected draping skill, the DNA of Amber Sakai’s brand is readily apparent. Each collection is dedicated to women who are passionate about travel, adventure, and luxury. Her pieces can be worn from the bedroom to Sunday brunch and anywhere in between.

A sample sale featuring her Spring 2012 collection is taking place Thursday and Friday at MHA Media, 5150 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 200, LA.


Whitney Eve, the brand child of LA designista and reality star Whitney Port, will be having its first ever sample sale this Friday from 11-3pm. 833 S. Spring St, #202, Los Angeles.