ASBenedict

Wooden installation at Canopy

My first eggs benedict (new fan of poached eggs)

My Alternative Spring Break (ASB) group from the past year had a mini-reunion over brunch at Canopy. I can't say I didn't have anything to do with suggesting the restaurant since Canopy has been on my list of places to try. The ambiance was very peaceful with many green motifs, and there didn't seem to be the typical hustle and bustle among the staff during Sunday brunch, which I highly enjoyed. Overall, I had a great time catching up with everyone as I rarely see most of them on campus. Hopefully we'll plan another group outing sometime before the summer ends. As for what I wore, I decided to stick to the basics with chinos, a silk blouse that I stole from my mother's closet long ago, and my (new) Zara sandals (last seen here).

 Charter Club Silk Blouse, J. Crew Scout Chino (last seen here), Zara Sandals (not pictured)

Romp & Play

  Floral Romper (from overseas), Chelsea & Violet Cardigan, F21 Belt, Call It Spring Sandals

I know people have mixed feelings about rompers/playsuits, but I personally love them. A whole outfit in one piece? Yes, please. I bought this romper at a night market in Taiwan a couple years back, and it's still something I wear every summer. It's also one of the few floral prints I have in my closet. Typically, I'm not a fan of floral just because the colors aren't my taste or the print looks too granny, but this print caught my eye.  It has just the right amount of floral without looking outdated, and the colors blend beautifully together. On top of that, I'm in love with the zipper detailing in the front. To balance out the shortness of the romper, I paired it with a sheer, beaded cardigan.

(Thanks to one of my roommates for these photos)

Sale Sunday

J. Crew Rugby Dress, Zara Sandals (similar), H&M Belt, F21 Sunglasses

My best friend from home visited over the weekend, so I was determined to show all the different facets of Houston (check out what else we did here). We decided to visit the Galleria after brunch at Backstreet Cafe (highly recommended), so I was able to visit the Zara sale. I'd been eyeing a couple pairs of shoes on the website, but most of them were out of my size, so I hoped for better luck in store. Remember this post? Well, I finally found a pair of my own! Marked down from $50 to $30, this pair of low heels has the perfect combination of neutrals. I was extremely lucky to find them (and in the right size) because they were the only pair I saw in the whole store. Additionally, J. Crew was having an extra 25% off sale, so I couldn't help myself but go take a look. At the register, I was surprised with another additional 25% off! It was originally $88, but after all the markdowns, I took it home for $25. I'd say it was a good day to shop. This shift dress caught my attention because it's a thicker material that won't wrinkle or ride up as easily as a thin cotton dress; cinch it with a colorful belt, and it's brunch ready!

 (Photos courtesy of one of my roommates)

Grand Opening

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One of the many activities I planned for my best friend's stay over the weekend was to attend the opening day of the Houston Food Park. I invited a friend from school as well since I knew, as a foodie, she'd appreciate the event. Due to city regulations against propane-fueled trucks, many food trucks aren't allowed to park in the downtown area, so Houston has never had a particular area where food trucks could gather. Houston Food Park provides a space that borderlines the downtown area for people to go and have a wide variety of food trucks to choose from for lunch and dinner.

While I'm an avid fan of food trucks, I also wanted to give my friend a glimpse of the outdoor activities that many Houstonians are willing to brave the summer heat for. There was quite a turn-out with live music, a shaded area from the sun, and of course, delicious street food. I know I'll definitely be returning!

 Admiring the street art

    

American Eagle Embroidered Top, DIY Cut-off Jean Shorts, Cole Haan Crossbody, UO Studded Belt, Call It Spring Sandals, Ray Ban Aviators

Retro Classic

J. Crew Pocket Tee, Levi's 550, Gap Belt

When I'm having the closet-full-of-clothes-but-nothing-to-wear dilemma, I reach for the infallible pieces: a classic white tee and high-waisted jean shorts. I don't think the combination of a simple white t-shirt and jeans will ever go out of style. If only white shirts didn't deteriorate so fast and stain easily or else I'd be wearing them on the daily. Personally, I don't like form fitting t-shirts because I want to feel comfortable and unrestricted when wearing a t-shirt. Since classic fit t-shirts aren't usually sold in the women's section, I ventured to the men's. As for my jean shorts, I simply picked up an $8 pair of Levi's at Goodwill and chopped the legs off! Such a simple but rewarding DIY.

Golden

F21 Knit Sweater, F21 Shorts, Thrifted Belt, Charming Charlie Headband, Fossil Watch, Naturalizer Penny Loafers

Any time I want to keep an outfit from looking too casual, I just add some gold details. The easiest way to do this is through accessorizing. Gold automatically infuses luxury into a look, and whether it's real or fake, no one will know! I wear my watch every day not only because it's so useful but also because it gives whatever I'm wearing that day an extra touch. As a student, it's not always comfortable wearing fashion forward items just because I'm always walking around campus with a backpack or dealing with different climates indoors and outdoors. In result, I tend to keep what I'm wearing as simple as possible but accessorize with metallic accents.

An Exciting Find

I track certain hashtags on tumblr of my favorite celebrity fashion icons (promise I'm not a stalker; just a fashion stalker). One of my favorite people to look to for inspiration is classic beauty Olivia Palermo. She combines sophistication and elegance with a slight edge and always accessorizes to look like a million bucks. She rocks the shoulder-length hair perfectly and was actually my inspiration to take the plunge and cut my long hair short. While she may have been portrayed as the mean girl on the reality TV show The City, I'd like to give her the benefit of the doubt; her taste in fashion is just too amazing for me to hate on her.

While I was scrolling through all things Olivia Palermo on tumblr, I saw this picture (below) and was immediately ecstatic because I wore something similar in my last post (peplum top + leopard belt + capri pants)! I won't lie; I'm pretty happy that I'm thinking on her level.

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Olivia Palermo looking classy and magnificent