Personal Style Outfit-The Year of Emerald

Pantone, the arbiter of color trends, crowned Emerald Green the 2013 color of the year. Expect bright shades of dark green to trickle into every faucet of our spring and fall wardrobes, flooding the retail market and drowning fashionistas' style palettes with seas of color #17-5641 as far as the eye can see. I've always liked the color green-partly because it's underused and partly because its color connotations command great variance. 

Green is the color of money. One is green with envy, or can be a green-eyed monster. Green is novice, sophomoric, wet behind the ears. Green is eco-friendly. Green is harmonious. Green is slimy. It's funny how a one-dimensional splat of color can fall into association with such multi-layered ideas and meanings. For me, emerald green emits beauty, glamour, lustre, and a sense of refined opulence. It's also my Mom's birthstone which ups its precious factor by like a hundred.

So this year, while everyone else wears the color of the year, I'll be wearing my Mom's color...which never goes out of style.







top: c/o Mia Melon
skirt: Express (it's been in my closet for eight years!)
shoes: Sole Society
purse: c/o Melie Bianco
ring: Kate Spade (cheaper option here)


{live fabulously}

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Work, Play, Live-Google Office Visit

I had the pleasure of visiting and dining at Google's Santa Monica office on a recent Friday.  It just so happened to be #redpantsfriday, an underground Friday dress code initiated by one of Google's marketing gurus. So, I joined in on the fun, put on my Bella Dahl tangerine red corduroy pants, and spent my lunch hanging out with my Google buddy and marveling at the wonderful world of Google. Calling it an office is quite the misnomer as it's really more of a resort. I mean, there are hammocks and a rock climbing wall.

This is the cafeteria aka buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dangerous.
Endless fun. Endless distractions.
Gym. Personal trainers included.
The courtyard.
Rooftop lounge

#redpantsfriday!


  {live fabulously}

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Personal Style Outfit-The Lunch Table

Even though my Saturday was eventFULL from sun up until sun down, I found myself chained to this outfit as I simply didn't have time to change. It's a versatile look perfect for various day and night functions as the conservative button up blouse compensates for the short and fun bubble skirt while the sleek jacket keeps the look chic and refined.

My day was kick started with a scrumptious blogger brunch with C&C California + Laundry by Shelli Segal at Asia de Cuba (oh how I've missed their avocado and plantain fried rice!). I love the brands' PR team and am giddy with excitement to be working on with them on fabulous projects this year. After the brunch, I headed over to my parents house to shoot a little segment for CCTV, China's predominant state TV network. In essence, it has the reach of CBS, NBC, FOX and ABC combined. They're filming a documentary special on my parents' life in LA. Mom and Dad are such rock stars. In fact, whenever I'm in Shanghai, I rely on their rolodex to get into cool parties. 

After the shoot, I headed back to Hollywood to celebrate the birthdays of two of my high school gal pals at The Redbury. It was such a special night as everyone came out to play. My Arcadia girls! The fab moment of night transpired when we all sat down at a long wooden bench chatting about nothing yet laughing at everything. It took me back to high school, to the days when we would sit at our faded and chipped yellow bench at lunch, munching on chili cheese fries and crispitos while filling the air with nonstop chatter and laughter. Some things never change. The table's fancier, but the girls and the friendships remain the same. 









top: Zara
skirt: Manoush
coat: c/o Juicy Couture
boots: Chloe
purse: Kate Spade "Kennedy" (similar to this)
necklace: Cara Couture (also love this one)
ring: Kate Spade (this is cute)

{live fabulously}

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Personal Style Outfit-Love At First Sight

I left the house in a maroon sequined flapper dress but arrived at the annual Two Point Oh! LA Snowball in this. Instead of leaving it up to Encyclopedia Brown to solve The Case of the Dress Switch-a-Roo, I'll reveal what happened. I fell in love. And that changed everything. 

After leaving the house, I made a slight detour to the Snowball styling suite to indulge in a Bellacures mani and a Joico blow out. As I sat there chit-chatting with friends while enjoying the pampering session, my eyes locked on a pearl embellished white as snow tulle dress softly draped on a velvet hanger across the room. I couldn't take my eyes off it. Mesmerized by its demurely soft fabric and its come hither one shoulder silhouette, I knew I had to get a closer look. I walked towards it slowly but deliberately all the while trying hard to restrain myself from pouncing on it like a puma on a gazelle. I reached out my hand. We touched. My body tingled with excitement. As I gingerly slide the dress over my body and zipped up the back, I looked in the mirror and the deepest of sighs reverberated into the air. So this is what love at first sight feels like. I didn't have butterflies in my stomach. Simply, all traces of my first dress disappeared from my memory bank. 

Special thanks to Lulus.com for their matchmaking services.







dress: c/o Lulus
silver d'orsay pumps: c/o Shoedazzle
fur shawl: vintage
ring: Kara Ross NY
bracelet: transformed from a Loft by Ann Taylor necklace (similar here cheaper option here)
necklace: vintage (similar here dissimilar but stunning here and here)
earrings: H&M

{live fabulously}

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