The Huntsman and Her Dog

Here's my first post in America!!! I am so so happy to be home with my family, my friends, and my fur babies. I'm also excited to be able to show you a few winter looks! 

Because I don't have any winter-appropriate clothing in Singapore, I've been borrowing a lot of clothes from my mom's beautifully organized walk-in closet. It's pretty much perfection because she's the same size as me, has exceptional taste (who did you think I got my taste from??) and it challenges me to explore new styles I wouldn't have picked out for myself. 

My mom got this blazer at a consignment shop back in the 90's when consignment stores weren't the thing they are today (like perfectly curated vintage boutiques or Plato's Closet). She said that even when she bought the blazer it was already probably a decade old. And now 25+ years later, this jacket has stood the test of time - in style and in quality. I absolutely love the 1940's British Huntsman vibe it has. The tweed, the pockets, the tailored sleeves and how it cinches perfectly in the waist - sublime. 

To keep the hunting vibe going, I wore my amazing riding boots, a little horn pin, a bird pin, and then my very own hunting dog! 

This is Ricky, one of the three loves of my life, my puppies. He's a rescue dog that's part Jack Russell and boy, does he love to hunt! I'm actually surprised at how docile and calm he is in these photos. All three of my dogs have distinct personalities; Ricky is the sweet, sensitive one that nuzzles his face into mine and barks to get extra affection. I am eating it all up! 

I can't wait to show you more winter and holiday looks while I'm in Georgia. Hope you're having just as relaxing and happy holiday break as I am! 

Blazer: Consignment Shop | Scarf: Korea | Jeans: Cello | Boots: DSW | Jewelry: Mom's 

Instagram | Bloglovin | Facebook

All Bundled Up

Yesterday I woke up to snow falling and I was so excited to finally to do a winter wonderland photo shoot. But by the time I was able to run outside, the snow had melted on the pavement and had stopped flurrying. So here's my (doctored) version. 

When I did see all the snow falling in the morning, though, my first thought was, "Oh, crap! What in the world am I going to WEEEAR?!" and I sent myself into a panic. 

I don't think this Georgia girl will ever really get used to snow.

So I grabbed the warmest thing I had - this gray, wool sweater-dress.  When I first put on the gray sweater-dress, my first reaction was, "oh, wow. That makes me look mega curvy. I don't know..." Especially since I've been wearing a lot of black lately (all my sweaters are in dark colors, I don't know why!) I wasn't used to seeing me in gray. But then I thought,  "That's stupid. I AM curvy. It will keep me warm and I like it." This was the first time I wore it and MAN, it's so warm! I decided to walk a little in the snow when the flurries were coming on strong and while my knees were chilly, the rest of me wasn't. I was impressed.

I figured because of the light color of the sweater-dress, I would continue with this winter's biggest trend - winter pastels. So I threw on my pink hat and (what color is this?!) sea foam suuuuuuuper-long-amazing-scarf. The extra little touch in keeping with the cute, sweetness of it all was my gray bow belt - one of my favorites! I don't wear it as much as I would like; I think in part because the color gray as an accessory throws me off for some reason.

Now while I just "threw on" my darling pastel knitwear, the things under my outfit I most definitely did NOT just throw on. I hiked up - with a lot of effort, I might add - a pair of tights, thick pair of stockings, and thick socks all before putting on my thick black leggings. I also have on a tank top, and long sleeve shirt under my sweater-dress - all carefully tucked into the various tights and leggings in according to Lindsey's method of winter wear OCD. But the long sleeve shirt wasn't just for extra warmth - the wool is a little scratchy so it helped with that.

What tips do you have for winter layering? I'm always learning! 

Sweater Dress: Goodwill | Belt, Scarf : Clothing Swap | Hat: Comma | Boots: DSW

Santa's Little Helper

So this outfit is more loud and obnoxious than actual fashion. I wrote that and then thought, psssh, forget that; fashion is whatever you want it to be. Either way, this outfit was loads of fun to wear for SantaCon up in Seoul this weekend! Because I've been so so busy lately, I haven't been able to really slow down and enjoy the Christmas season (not that it's a very big thing in a predominantly Buddhist country). I was so excited to get out of my city and do something festive! 

I have been trying very hard to not show any double takes on my blog so far. Not because I don't think it's cool to wear things over and over again (on the contrary!) but so many people give me free clothes and I wanted to challenge myself to not get comfortable wearing the same things. I wanted to take advantage of the influx of the swag while I got it. When you're a part of an expat community - especially when people know how much you love clothes -  you get "new" clothes ALL the time from friends who are leaving the country. Also I think the expat community views things in a much different light. Back home, you're encouraged to build a grown-up wardrobe, invest in the basics and fill up your closet, fill up your house. When you're moving frequently from country to country or when you live in a tiny place like me, this isn't always a reality or even a desire. You enjoy the things that you have when you have them and then you give them away. In a way, it's very freeing. However, don't let me fool you. There are some things (more than I care to admit) that I refuse to get rid of, no matter what. 

So back to wearing things more than once on this blog: I finally broke down. You might remember this top from here and this skirt from here. There's nothing like the holidays to bring [things] together, amiright? I wasn't willing to invest in a Santa suit, so I decided to dress up as an elf with things already in my closet. A quick run to the local dollar store supplied me with the additional holiday cheer of the holly garland, the santa hat, and the bows I added to the brim.

What things have you been doing to get you into the holiday spirit?

Crocheted Shrug: Korean thrift store | Green blouse: Forever 21 | Skirt: American thrift store | Sunnies: Target | Belt: Charlotte Russe | Boots: DSW | Garland & Santa Hat: Daiso  

Sweater Weather Begins (Warm Knits, Cool Camis, and $10 Purses)

The inspiration for today's outfit came from Megan of Briar Rose. I loved how she paired a loose-fitting sweater with an A-line skirt. I wouldn't have even though to put these two things together because they don't show off my waist. But somehow it works - the shortness of the skirt balances out the fullness. You can't tell in the pictures but the sweater also has great movement so when I move you can tell there's a person inside it and not a blob. When I found out the weather was going to be 60°F (15°C), I instantly knew I wanted to wear this loose-knit sweater I got from a friend leaving the country. It has that fall, cozy look & feel to it without being too hot. I paired it with one of my favorite trends this fall - plaid. 

Underneath the sweater, I have a camisole. But you can't see it, right? Exaaactly. I bought a camisole that matched my skin tone last year and now I can't believe I went 25+ years without one! (I was most likely a very fashionable baby and probably needed one, I tell you.) I think I literally wear it once a week and am scrounging around in the dirty clothes looking for it all the time. If you don't have one - GET ONE. Mine is this beautiful silk material that feels and fits like a dream and it has adjustable straps. A decent skin-colored camisole is one of those staples that gets over-looked but is always handy. 

One other lil tidbit about this outfit is this adorable purple purse. In Korea, they have these stores we call "man-won shops"; man-won meaning $10 in Korean. They sell all different kinds of bags and they're ALL TEN DOLLARS. It's hard to pass one by without peeking inside. Being that I have a soft spot for things that are purple, lizard-texture and with bows, I naturally felt this bag was made for me. The best part: you can change the length of the chain strap! 

 Sweater: Armani Exchange (Clothing Swap) | Skirt: Forever 21 (Goodwill) | Shoes: Korean Thrift Store | Hat: Clothing Swap | Necklace, Earrings, Ring, Bracelet: Gift | Purse: Eunhang Underground