I'm off to London and Redecoration

In less than 12 hours I'll be aboard a flight to London to celebrate my sister's graduation. While looking through pictures of my last trip to London (2006), I cringed and realized I have learned many deep life lessons:

1. Don't dress like a dork.

2. Don't get excited about touristy things like red telephone booths. 

3. Buy a better hand bag.

4. A crappy ponytail is not to be worn anywhere outside of a shower stall.

5. If you have no sense of fashion or interior design, find a friend who does. Then go shopping with her.

That is exactly what I did last week. My fabulous sister-in-law visited us and redecorated our living room in...get this...1 day flat. She makes decisions lightning fast and can spot fabulosity on a budget. Check this out:

This is a wall right outside our kitchen and facing the dining table. We can use it as an extra buffet table or to showcase our keepsakes. Pieces are from from IKEA, Pier 1 and TJ Maxx. One awesome tip I picked up from her is to find accessories at furniture showrooms!

This is the wall facing opposite the first picture. She made use of a lot of accessories we already had, such as the console table and all the accessories on the table.  The wall piece is from Pier 1.

This dining table is between the walls shown on the first two pictures. The mirror is from TJ Maxx.

This is our main living area. We already had the furniture and most of the accessories in the built-in bookcases. Most of these items were simply rearranged. These accessories are from our travels, Pier 1, Ten Thousand Villages, and India.

We added a tall vase from Pier 1 in the corner, and placed some fillers in there. 

I feel like I'm all of a sudden in the lobby of the W Hotel. I also clearly understood what style of decoration I really truly love. I always thought I was a fan contemporary, but what I really love is modern ethnic. I love pieces that have modern shapes, but the color palette, texture or print is warm and ethnic. Thanks for making our place so chic Fal! You need to go pro! 

My bedroom makeover wishlist

I've been toying with the idea of scouring the net for my bedroom makeover, which I talked about in a previous post. With online shopping, there are no lines, pushy sales assistants, or crowded parking lots. Besides, any endeavor that does not require the shedding of fuzzy socks and sweatpants for civilized clothing is a tempting offer. But most importantly, I think online shopping exposes you to one-of-a-kind items, or at least items that are very unlikely to be replicated by anyone you know. Here are a few things that recently caught my eye:

 Mmm, what a sofa to curl up and read on. One can dream right?

Or perhaps some Japanese-inspired bedding:

I'd love for this beauty to grace the top of my dresser:

And now over to you. Do you have favorite websites that have designer or hand-made items? They can be any kinda websites, from furniture, to jewelry, I'm just looking for ideas!

Spring Cleaning Part 1: Storing your winter purse

Now that spring is upon us, I love jumping on the national bandwagon of cleaning, organizing, and storing. So I thought I'd do a little series on how to get your act together! Here's tip 1:

Got a dark purse that is gonna be totally out of place on a sunny beach in Nantucket? Worse yet, is said purse is a slouchy bag? Well then, stashing it at the back of the closet will only make it lose its lovely shape. It'll have no hope of surviving till the next fall! Here's how to take care of your investment:

Gather your purse, and all your scarves, hats and mittens:

One by one, stuff as many scarves and mittens into the purse until it is full:

I really love stuffing gloves into my purse because they won't get lost that way!

Et voila! Your scarves, hats and gloves are safely tucked away, and your purse retains its lovely shape until the next October!

You can also take this a step further and insert a piece of cardboard at the very bottom of the bag. You can also throw in a small cedar ball in there to keep moths away.

Now was that easy or what? Best of all, this quick tip has relieved me of a purse. I guess I now have to go purse shopping! ;-)

Bling Bling Storage

Hey girls, I was in a Clean House NOW mode this Sunday and decided to organize my jewelry, hair and nails stuff. Here it is:

My everyday jewelry is kept on top of my chest of drawers in a jewelry box. I picked it up for $10 at a garage sale! Yaaay! The mirror was sent to me courtesy of Brushlove.com.

I've used the plastic drawer insert that keeps your cutlery in good order to house my chunky and long necklaces, bracelets, and watches. Cute no?

I've used a box for bead organization to house my smaller delicate pieces, along with some safety pins.You can find this box at any crafts store in the beading section. I love that there is room to spare. I can buy more! Next to the box is my glasses case.

My nailpolishes are stored in what used to be a jewelry box from India. Sorry I'm not showing my nailpolishes, but its not an impressive collection at all (working on it!)

Next to the nail polish box, I've kept an open basket full of manicure-pedicure tools. Next to that are my hair tools (blowdryer, flat iron & hot rollers)

All my stuff fits into 3 drawers and so I have like 3 more for other stuff (like my poor hubby's clothes lol).

Do you have any suggestions on how to improve my storage?

Gray: Color Tag

Uinisan recently tagged me to do a color tag on GRAY. I took the liberty to interpret gray as inclusive of silver (isn't that just gray with a sparkle? sorta? kinda?) Here are some lovely grays around the house:

My favorite super dangly earrings. They amplify any outfit!

Italian glass necklace from my sister-in-law.

My favorite eyeshadow from the Coastal Scents 88 piece palette (3rd column, 2nd from top)

A great smoky e/s from the Coastal Scents 26 piece palette (1st column, 2nd from top).

Silvery-gray clutch for going out. I mainly use this at fancy Indian parties. I love Indian parties. Talk about getting your color on.

Burt's Bees Radiance Day Creme (complete review to follow!)

I tag these 7 lovely ladies, and the color is GREEN!

http://beaumakeup.blogspot.com/

http://beautyandtheblog23.blogspot.com/

http://www.beautyparler.ca/

http://blovet.blogspot.com/

http://eliza-mclellan.blogspot.com/

http://www.hairsmystory.com/

http://legseleven7.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by! Do leave me a comment as they are always lovely to come home to! xoxo.

I Hit Pan!

Eliza tagged me to list 6 items that I have hit pan on, and have or plan to repurchase. This can be makeup, skincare, haircare, bodycare or scent. Given that there are 5 categories, I'll do 2 makeup, and 1 each for the rest!

1. MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation: even before becoming a beauty junkie, I knew this gem was a keeper. I've repurchased twice, and will continue to do so forever and ever.

2. C.O. Bigelow Lipgloss (Bath + Body Works): Genius. Great color, shine, taste, smell, applicator, everything. It's the Godfather of lipglosses.

3. Biore Ice Fighting Blemish Cleanser: lovely smell and highly effective at getting that squeaky clean face feeling. I love how it feels cold and tingly as I lather it up.

4. Organix Shampoo and Conditioner: my hair feels so thick, healthy, and shiny when I use this stuff. Love.

5. Johnson + Johnson Baby Lotion: great smell, cheap, super moisturizing, and even works on my face in a pinch because its so pure that it won't break me out (also I love smelling my hubby when he uses baby lotion.)

6. Scents: I've never repurchased a fragrance because by the time I finish a bottle, its been so long that I'm dying to try something new (I'm a serial monogamist with my scents. Wierd, I know.). But here are 3 scents I've hit "pan" on: Chanel Allure (feminine, enduring, romantic, garners LOTS of compliments), Lacoste (clean, smells high end, very preppy), Banana Republic Classic (clean, citrusy, perfect for daytime).

I tag all my followers to do this tag! Would love to hear from you guys!

What's on your Day-After-Thanksgiving Wishlist?

Black Friday (or the national Day-After Thanksgiving mega sale) is fast approaching! I'm planning to buy nothing but clothes and shoes, because believe it or not, I NEVER buy clothes except on massive sale days like Labor Day or Black Friday. My normal purchases are makeup and skincare items, so this holiday season, it's all about the clothes baby. Here's my drool list:

Victoria's Secret Boucle Sweater ($39) & Gap hoodie ($78)

Victoria's Secret Sweater Dress ($79) & Victoria's secret off-shoulder boucle sweater ($39)

Northface Down Jacket ($$$?) & Nine West leather boots ($119?)

I've left out the less photogenic stuff like leggings in all neutral colors, staple must-have blazers, and accessories like diamond studs. What is on your wishlist?And more importantly, who is financing it? ;)

My fall purse

I snagged this supple leather purse by Guess at Macy's for around $80. It was originally in the $90 range, but I got a 20% discount with my Macy's gift card. I work in a fairly conservative environment, so I love how this purse is sophisticated, black, and yet has the chunky metal trend incorporated into it. It fits into any environment, and I lohohove it. I think it'll see me through till spring. What do you think?

Who are your style icons?

Style: Pronunciation: \ˈstī(-ə)l a distinctive manner of expression or conducting oneself; a particular mode of living; in fashion: elegance beauty, grace, or ease of manner or technique

So ladies, which women do you want to be like? Not just their clothes and looks, but their presence, everything they stand for, the whole package of fabulosity? My style icons not only guide my clothing decisions, but also how I try to present myself to the world through my actions.

Aishwarya Rai

Crowned queen of the Indian cinema, the former Miss World just takes my breath away. Every single feature is not only perfectly proportional, but each one is stunning in its own right. Her eyes of course steal the show for me, they're just so big and mesmerizing. On top of her looks, I find that her choices in her film roles are always regal, classy, and timeless. If I could look like any one person, it would be her.

Lucy Liu

Lucu Liu is spunk personified. She's got a delicate frame and feminine features, but her roles in films like Kill Bill and Charlie's Angels betrays a tomboy side that is anything but delicate. I just love how she represents the yin and yang equally in these two movies--the yin being her delicate beauty, the yang being her ass-kicking personality.

Padma Lakshmi

Padma has such an approachable beauty. She's just perfectly symmetrical, nothing too crazy in her features. But her height (5'9") really amps up the volume on that quiet beauty. She just commands attention when she walks into a room with those neverending legs and it seems that any, any outfit looks good on her. She would make sweat pants look like high fashion.

Ana Ivanovic

One of the best tennis players in the world, the former #1 has the added gift of natural beauty. I love that beauty is a part of her--she doesn't get dictated by it. It's just there. And that only seems to bring it out even more. Even in her multiple covers of Vogue and Vanity Fair, Ana presents herself as comfortable, chic, and effortlessly beautiful. 

Kate Winslet

Besides the fact that her amazing skin tone and features make her look like a Renaissance painting come to life, Kate is an incredible actress. The roles she chooses are as diverse as they can get (Titanic, Quills, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). But what makes her a style icon for me is that she really exudes intelligence and a sense of mystery. Her celebrity status is only one aspect of her. It seems that there's a whole other side that is far more private. I love that mysterious quality. It's really what makes women, women.

So there you have it. My I'm-secure-enough-to-swoon-over-women list. Now I tag you all to share who are your style icons and why!

Book Rave: Style on a Shoestring

Juggling multiple obsessions with makeup, skincare, and accessories is hard (insert sad violin music). Sure, there are greater obstacles to overcome in life (defend thesis, learn how to do taxes), but when you're hooked on weekend retail therapy, smart-shopping can be a life wallet marriage saver. Enter Andy Paige's Style on a Shoestring. You guys have to check out this book. I devoured the entire thing at Borders over the weekend. This little gem basically shows you how to dress well while landing a great bargain. Here are a few really neat tips:

•  Buy bras in February and bathing suits in May. That's when they are on sale nationwide.
• Go to stores like TJ Maxx on Wednesdays. That's when their weekend markdowns begin, and you avoid crowds. 
• Opt for rich colors like peacock blue or burgundy over paler colors. That way even a bargain find looks richer simply because of the color.
• Accessorize with colors that are complementary to your outfit's color. Like if you wear a coral dress, go for turquoise jewelry or a turquoise clutch. That's a a lot more unexpected and chic.
• When shopping at consignment stores, establish a relationship with the store clerks. That way they will be happy to call you when something interesting comes in. Also, sell your own stuff at the end of a season. That way you can shop there on store credit!

You can also check out Andy Paige's website here. I especially like her section called "Worth every cent". It reviews products that are pricey but totally worth it. I hope this helps all you frugal fashionistas out there. Happy shopping!