The Belted Pear for Modcloth's Travel Bug Series

Modcloth asked me to do a post for their Travel Bug series a few weeks ago and it's finally up! I'm so excited and loved how it turned out. Please go and check it out here! Let me know what you think! 

Also, stay tuned for more on The Belted Pear. I can't wait to put up the full-length posts on some of the new looks that were featured.  

A special thanks to my friends Lauren from Fried Green Kimchi and Dominika and my boyfriend, Stephen for taking all the photos of me! <3

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Off the Shoulder Top // Turquoise Ice Cream

I learned 3 things while wearing this outfit and shooting these photos: I don't look cute while eating an  ice cream cone (Tyra is currently yelling at me to eat pretty and smize), people think I'm pregnant in this skirt (keep in mind I live in Asia), and tassel earrings stick to you when you're dripping in sweat. Guess what? Don't care. I love this outfit and these photos. 

Especially obsessed with this top - I think I have nice shoulders (is that a weird thing to think…?) and when the off-the-shoulder trend came out, I was rejoicing from the rooftops. Okay, I'm exaggerating. But only a little. 

Btw, how fun is this wall? I wanted to wear an outfit that matched the spirit of a colorful paint-splatter mural. And a red and pink outfit just didn't push the fun envelope enough for me until I added the pops of turquoise (and the purple purse for good measure). 

What do you think about off-the-shoulder tops? There's so many styles to choose from! Which is your favorite? 

Shirt & Sunglasses: Cotton On | Watch: Lovisa | Skirt, Purse & Shoes: Thrifted | Earrings: Bugis Market 

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White Scalloped Top and Nude Pleated Skirt

Why haven't I worn this outfit sooner?? I was toying around with the idea of playing with this season's hugest trends - whites & nudes. And then it seemed like the outfit made itself. It's such a simple look but has so many beautiful details that I love! 

First of all this, this top. My mom pulled it out of a Goodwill rack and thank heaven's that that woman can spot quality from a mile away. This beauty has stunning embroidered flowers and scalloped edges. I resisted the urge to tuck it into my skirt (old habits die hard) and I'm glad I did. It would have been a pity to cover up any inch of this darling. 

I was kinda over this skirt for a while, thinking "Why in the world did I buy anything beige?? It's so not my color." But I think pairing it with white brings new freshness into an actually precious skirt. I love anything with pleats and it's got the extra clever little ruffled layer at the bottom.  

The shirt and skirt were a great canvas to wear some of my new favorite accessories. I found this gold pineapple necklace and I cannot stop wearing it - same goes for this tasseled-colorful-gold-chain-beaded collection of bracelets.  I wrapped a scarf around my bag for another pop of color, added a belt to accent my waist, slipped on a pair of nude heels (utterly and always obsessed with these) and voila! 

How are you wearing the white & nude trend these days?

Skirt, Shirt & Scarf: Thrifted | Shoes & Belt: Target | Bag: Coach | Pineapple Necklace & Bracelets: Lovisa | Sunglasses: Cotton On 

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12 Different Ways to Wear a Crop Top

It's no secret that I'm obsessed with crop tops. And anyone can wear one! Before I show you my favorite crop top outfits, here are my two easy tips for showing some tummy skin.

First you've got to find your "sweet spot". I'm not gonna lie, I've got a little belly on me. But I hide it with high-waisted everything. My sweet spot is where my stomach is the smallest, right above my belly-button and love handles. For some, it might be a little higher or lower. Play around with lengths and find the area that you are comfortable showing off. 

Second you only need to show a little of your stomach to get the job done. I usually only bare about one or two inches. I'm not trying to go for Britney Spears circa 2000. I might wear a crop top that shows a little more skin that hits right under my bra line but I never go down past my belly button. 

Now that we've got that covered (pun intended!) let's move on to 12 of my favorite ways to style a crop top. There's only about a bizillion ways!

Baby, We're the New Romantics

1 If you're still a little shy about showing your belly, add another layer, like this crocheted vest. Also wearing a statement necklace will put more emphasize on your face than on your stomach. 

Mixing Prints

2 Add a slouchy cardigan. Play with prints. Find crop tops that have interesting details, like the pom-poms on the edge of this one. 

Belly Dancer

3 Keep it simple, casual and comfortable with an all black, boho vibe. Add interesting details like long earrings, embroidery on a skirt and a great rugged leather bag.

Red White and Tokyo

4 Go for a crop top in a graphic tee style. Pair it with some casual shorts. I love matching stripes with polka dots for a sweet look but you could also go for a sporty style with this tee. 

The Secret Garden

5 With all those adorable, high-waisted, full circle skirts, it only makes sense to take a crop top vintage! Extra bonus: add a petticoat underneath - it will make your midsection look even smaller. 

Le Freak C'est Chic

6 Take a graphic tee you already own and knot it! Instant crop top! Where you knot it is up to you (side, front or back). 

Rainbow Bus

7 You can also take a regular button-up and tie it. Only button down the shirt half-way and then tie the remaining fabric. Make sure and fluff out the tie for that finishing touch. 

Festival Ready

8 Again, this is just a regular tank top I knotted in the middle. Another thing to think about when wearing crop top is how your bottoms will fit. Make sure they aren't squeezing you too tight! This maxi has an amazing forgiving, wide elastic top.

On the Carousel

9 Try a looser-fitting crop top. So that my waist didn't get lost in the fullness of the shirt and the skirt, I added a brightly colored belt. 

Mixing Prints and Getting Ready in 10 Minutes

10 Find an actual button-down style crop top. It will give you less fabric to deal with the sides and back but still give you a polished, lady-like look.

Eating Praying and Loving in Ubud Part 2

11 Breath new life into old, slumpy t-shirts. This one was just a little bit too short and too wide until I knotted and cropped it! 

Coming Up Rosy

12 To me, nothing is better than a crop top (with no bra!) and a flowy maxi for a easy, breezy day at the beach. 

*Whew!* So which look was your favorite? 

And please tell me, how do you wear and style a crop top? I'm dying to know! :) 

Thanks for stopping by! 

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Bandita

Eek! These pictures were taken in February, for heaven's sake! Somehow they got lost. BTW, how in the world is it now June??? 

Anyways, for Chinese New Year my boyfriend, some friends and I rented a house on AirBnB in Batam, Indonesia . The house and grounds were great - we spent most of the time swimming in the pool and playing card games (and eating delicious cheap pizza!) at the nearby cafe. We've all been to Indonesia before and Batam island is mostly filled with resorts so honestly, we were terribly lazy about exploring.

This little dress is great because it does what I love - mix prints and the empire waist is incredibly flattering. A perfect dress to throw on and lounge around. :) 

Hat: H&M | Dress: Uptown Cheapskate | Purse: Ecuador
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