The Clothing Collective Series: Beach Fun!

Hello everyone! I am so excited to write about today's Clothing Collective post because it is the last in the original series of posts that Katie and I came up with, AND I get to share some great shots of my time in Boracay because today's theme is:

Beach Fun!

It's that time of year, ladies! Get out your favorite swimsuit, sunnies, and cut-offs because the sun is shining and the water is fine! I am definitely a summer girl and I had a blast in Boracay because there was no shortage of sun or beautiful beaches to soak it up on.

I'm not much of a bikini girl and so when I pick out my swimwear I always tend to lean towards a more vintage cut with a halter top or high-waisted bottoms. I can't enough of the classic silhouette and fit of vintage-inspired swimwear and I feel like it's a universally flattering cut for most women. Here are some shots of my swimsuit selections for my summer holiday:

I'm a big fan of hats, can you tell?

Last summer when I was shopping for swimsuits I fell in love with these two hot potatoes on Modcloth and I never looked back! I love how both of these suits make me feel confident and stylish with me having to worry if I'm going to pop out of them (bikinis make me so nervous on account of a possible wardrobe malfunction whilst gallivanting).

I love how the red gingham one-piece gives me a structured top and bottom without making me look dowdy and grandma-ish on the beach. I've been working my thighs out a lot lately, but I'll confess that they have been a trouble area for me and so being able to cover them a bit makes me feel more in charge. It's really important to remember that confidence is 90% of the game when dressing yourself and looking good, because when you feel good you look good!

I can't get enough of this high-waist bikini because of the practical coverage and pretty shape that it gives to me. The suits top and bottoms help accentuate features of my body that I like and I am a sucker for polka dots so it's a win-win situation for me on the beach. ;)

I had a so much fun in Boracay and I am already planning my next beach vacation. I am planning on coming back to this part of the world in December when it's peak season and so I'll be sure to add to my suit collection for my next holiday getaway. A valuable lesson I have learned when purchasing swimsuits is not skimp because you really get what you pay for when it comes to swimwear! Until then I am more than happy with my swimsuits, which you can find at Modcloth. A cheap suit is often flimsy, poorly lined, and offers little support so when shopping around make sure to make a quality purchase. I love Modcloth because I have never been disappointed in the quality or customer service provided and it's into turned the first place I check for suits.

Check out Katie's beach style at The Style Dunce, and let her know what you think of her outfit!

Do you have a go-to swimsuit that just makes you feel confident and chic while enjoying the water? I hope that all of you are having a wonderful summer and hopefully you have your own beach getaway planned! As always let us know know what you think of The Clothing Collective and please, share any ideas for upcoming posts with us because we will have a brand-new set of posts ready to go soon! Have a great day and enjoy that sun, pretty ladies!

Bathing Beauty One piece in Cherry pie, here. Modcloth, $89.99.

Beach Blanket Bingo Two piece in Soft black, here. Modcloth, $89.99.

Garden Party:The Clothing Collective Series

How is everyone? I feel like I have been away from the blog for too long and it has been killing me! Today I am going to get back into the groove with a great fashion post for The Clothing Collective series that my bestie, Katie and I started!

Our chosen theme for this fashion post is: Garden Party. 

I'll be honest I have never even BEEN to a garden party, but even if you aren't heading out to a garden party to nosh on tea and macaroons anytime soon this look would work well for any outdoor event that you just want to look special for.

I love color so I chose to go with one of my favorites for this outfit: royal blue. Something about the color just makes me feel confident and calm, which is perfect for keeping it fashionable during the hotter months.

I also wanted a classic heel and something that wouldn't be too difficult to walk in because outdoor events usually have more walking and standing than usual. You won't want to be the pretty lady with sore feet while trying to look gracious, serene, and perfectly in control of that tea cup or fruit kebab.

Dress: Modcloth. Shoes: Hautelook. Belt: Modcloth. Clutch: Hobo Bags.

I've been growing my hair out for a while now and while I love how I can braid and curl my hair 8 ways from Sunday the rising heat has been making me sweat! So when I'm spending time outside this summer season an up-do is one of my necessities! I chose the princess roll up-do and I love how quick and easy this style is while making it seem like I put a lot of time and effort into it. I'm a bit taller than most of the people in Korea so I have become a bit lazy worrying about bobby pins showing on the top of my head, but I'm glad that you can see where I fixed the pins under the headband. Give this look a try when you want a fast and pretty hairstyle! Birchbox did a wonderful tutorial on creating this hairstyle that I shared on an earlier post find the hairstyle, here.

For accessorizing my outfit I kept things pretty simple because less can be more and it helped keep the overall feel of the outfit casual. I went with a simple floral belt, statement piece necklace, neutral clutch and a bright bow headband for some added color.

I hope you enjoyed my take on an outdoor event outfit! I loved putting together a look that was dressy enough for cucumber sandwiches, but still casual enough to enjoy a plate of BBQ if you choose.

Check out Katie's take on our garden party theme, here.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend and I can't wait to get caught-up on all the posts that I have lined up to share!! What kind of outfit do you prefer for an outdoor event? Let me know how to dress to impress and stay tuned for our next fashion post: summer fun!

Anniversary Outfit: The Clothing Collective Series

Today is the very first outfit post in The Clothing Collective series that my bestie, Katie, and I have created! I am super excited to share what I came up with for my 2 year anniversary with my great husband, Rich. On our anniversary it was pretty gloomy and rainy, which changed our original game plan of a picnic and night market date. Instead we did what any reasonable couple does with bad weather in Seoul, we went to the nearest CGV (movie theater) to have a 4-D experience.

Let me just say that if you have the chance to see ANYthing in 4-D do it, and do it right! We picked the most action packed movie that our chosen mall, I'Park offered: The Fast and The Furious 6.

Oh, yea we did! It was pretty stinking cool and felt like a Disney ride the whole time, especially with all the car chase scenes where I had to constantly remind myself to not throw my hands up in the air. So when I hit my closet to decide on an outfit I wanted something that looked special, but wasn't TOO dressy. Seoul is known for it's high fashion, but I might get a few stares in the movie ticket line if I showed up in my absolute best.

So to the closet I went looking for a casual but special look for a night out with Rich! 

A trend that I have been noticing for the summer is the use of black and white for a clean, but chic look and so that was the main inspiration for my outfit. I went for a casual striped black and white top and paired it with one of my closet staples, an A-line black skirt. I knew that I didn't JUST want black and white though because I am a huge fan of color and so I decided to work in touches of color in my accessory choices. 

I chose to go with a pink belt, floral necklace, and a fun purse to add a bit of color and some whimsy to my outfit. I feel like putting these light-hearted details into the outfit kept it from coming across as too serious and dressy.

For my hair I went with a simple, but sweet look by giving my hair some volume and a light curl with my trusty 1-inch curling iron. I Then took the front part of my hair and did a small dutch braid down the front to add some interest to my simple do. I was really happy with the overall look of it and I loved how quick I put it together!

I am in love with my kitty bag and have had it FOR YEARS. I usually just use it when I am running around in jeans and so I was excited to use it for a dressier occasion. Isn't it fun? I think it adds just the right amount of playfulness to the ensemble and it pairs really well with my simple pink belt.

I cannot say enough about how much I love heels, but I have been shying away from wearing them since I moved to Korea. I am already a fairly tall girl at 5'9, and in heels I am a giant among most of the population in Korea. When I wear heels I get gawked at for my height and so I have worn them with less frequency than when I lived in the states. I love the edginess of these heels and the detail that they bring the outfit. I also feel like a good high heel was necessary with this type of longer A-line skirt because with too low of a heel the volume of the skirt can overwhelm your shape.

My anniversary was a really fun occasion and I can't wait for the "real" anniversary present to happen later this month, A TRIP TO BORACAY! Our low-key 4-D experience was great for celebrating the actual day and I liked how my outfit was comfy and special enough that I was able to focus on just having a great time with Rich. We are pretty silly when it's just the two of us and I love being his wife, can you just tell what goofballs we are?

Make sure to visit The Style Dunce for Katie's take on an anniversary outfit!  Here is a little sneak peek of what she has going on over at her blog!

I hope you enjoyed my very first post in The Clothing Collective series! Let us know what kind of outfits you would like to see next and share your thought via comment! To make sure that you stay up-to-date with The Clothing Collective here is our posting schedule for the rest of the month!

Spring Garden Part June 9th

Summer Fun June 16th

Work Out Outfit June 23rd

Beachwear June 30th

Also, here is all the info one what I wore for this post! 

Skirt: Modcloth, here. $69.99 USD

Top:H&M, here. $12.95 USD for two!!

Shoes: Steve Madden, similar here.

Bag: Loungefly, similar here. $39.99 USD

Jewelry: Ukrainian folk jewelery(THANKS, KARYNA). Similar here. 

Visit Katie's blog, The Style Dunce, here.

The Clothing Collective

Hello everyone! I wanted to update you all on great collaboration that is going on between myself and my best friend Katie! Katie and I decided to put our efforts together to do a weekly fashion post that we have dubbed The Clothing Collective.

Here's what's in store!

We are going to take one outfit concept and give it two different looks based on our personal style and taste. While Katie and I get along super well we have completely different personalities and fashion styles so you'll be in for some great fashion ideas from two separate perspectives.

I can't wait to get The Clothing Collective underway! We will be putting up a schedule so that you can stay up-to-date on content and please let us know what kind of outfits you'd like to see us do. Make sure to keep an eye out for new posts to inspire every Sunday! 

Make sure to check out Katie's blog, The Style Dunce.