Casual Sophistication

How to still look so chic when going for casual.

                                                                                                                                                   Photographed by

Marcus Annable

 //  Downtown Seattle

TOP ::

TOPSHOP 

CARDIGAN :: H&M (sold out, similar

HERE

,

HERE

,

HERE

)

SKIRT ::

Bliss

 (Similar

HERE

,

HERE

)

BOOTS :: Gifted from Mom ( similar

HERE

,

HERE

)

BAG :: Steve Madden

ACCESSORIES :: c/o

Mirina Collections

 Necklaces, c/o

Polette

Sunnies,

NARS

lipstick

_________

Hi LOVEs!!!

It's finally Friday, and I couldn't be happier because the weather is looking like it will be so nice and sunny for the next three days! No more gloomy weather! (for a while at least! )

It's crazy how much the temperature is dropping down day by day.  It's so hard to get out of my bed every morning because it is so snuggly. This chilly weather sometimes drives me nuts, and don't wanna think too much about what I am going to wear for that day. I figured that an easy solution is going for a casual look with a basic combo. But you still want to look chic and fab, of course! This is what I ended up wearing. A plain

white tee

,

leather mini

,

chunky cardigan

, and

OTK boots

-- These are my current go-to basic pieces because they are amazingly versatile items that you could style with almost anything!

To my surprise, I didn't own a

black chunky carding

until recently. And having it in my closet has  seriously been saving my life. I can layer another cardigan underneath, for great chemistry with a cozy scarf, and I really like the oversized silhouette that balances out my short height, especially when I wear flats. Then styling it with a pair of

OTK boots

is totally trendy and on point!

If you are opting for a casual yet fashionable look, make sure to add something eye-catching like a statement necklace, killer sunnies, or pop of color. Imagine this look without these gorgeous

statement necklaces

(yes, I double-layered! ), it would end up as a completely plain outfit. I also decided to elevate my look with my new

cat-eye sunnies from Polette

and my all-time favorite

NARS red lips

. Not only are they a great finishing touch, but I also covered my too-tired-from-yesterday face. It's a double win!

Don't forget to use "AIKAS20" at

Mirina Collections

for gorgeous statement necklaces! Their necklaces are just so perfect right now for a party occasion or a holiday gift for any woman!

Hope you have a wonderful & fun weekend ahead, beauties! 

♥

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_________

Thank you for reading!!!!

XOXO

♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ - STAY FASHiONABLE, STAY UNiQUE - ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥

Embroidered Crop Jacket

Such a fun fall jacket that I newly added to my closet!

Photographed by

Jason Reynolds

 //

George Town

TOP :: c/o

DressIn

(similar

here

&

here

)

JEANS ::

H&M

( already ripped pair

here

,

here

,

here

)

JACKET :: c/o

She Inside

SHOES :: JustFab (adore these pairs

here

&

here

)

NECKLACE :: c/o

Mirina Collections

(

use "AIKAS20" for 20% off sitewide

)

HAT ::

Forever 21

 _________

Hi LOVEs! HAPPY MONDAY! I hope you had a lovely weekend!!

As you may have noticed already that today is all about these two colors: black and blue.

Jason

is my new photographer friend, and it was so cool that we spotted this neat place with the blue shutter as backdrop! Since I was wearing blue already, I wasn't quite sure if it worked or not, but it totally did! So glad I trusted Jason's intuition! Doesn't it nicely contrast with my look, does it?

When the fall hits on us, it's the time to hunt for a new outerwear, right? I recently got

this lovely printed embroidered cropped jacket from

She Inside

. I adore the print, of course, and it comes in double pockets! The material is cotton blends, so it IS actually warmer than it looks! I like a jacket like this one because you can definitely dress up or down.

Underneath of the jacket, I went for just black and blue to keep the same hue going on, also because I have been into all-black ensembles more than EVER!!! I DIYed these

skinny jeans from

H&M

because that way, it gives a cooler vibe. I unhesitantly grabbed sizers, and made holes, then ripped them!  Instead of wearing a simple black top, I switched to

this lace chiffon top

, which I like it a lot! A top like this one is such a great substitution for regular tops you wear all the time! When you wear all black, adding a statement jewelry is a must, to make it more appealing.

This gorgeous oversized necklace

is something you appreciate having it! Without a single doubt, this will be my top statement necklace for a while!! If you haven't owned one yet, you can get it at

Mirina Collections

with a code "

AIKAS20

" to get 20% off sitewide!

Hope you enjoyed the look! 

Have a great start to the new week, dolls! ♥

SHOP THE LOOK HERE:

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_________

Thank you for reading!!!!

XOXO

♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ - STAY FASHiONABLE, STAY UNiQUE - ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥

New Year's Eve

Photographed by Marcus Annable // West Queen Anne

DRESS :: c/o TOBI

COAT :: Forever 21

SHOES :: Charlotte Russe (old, but adore these and these)

CLUTCH :: From my mom (similar here or here)

ACCESSORIES :: Gifted EXPRESS choker necklace (similar here or here),

c/o Charlotte Russe bracelet, Forever 21 earrings, NARS lipstick 

______________

Hi LOVEs!!

Can you believe that we are already celebrating New Years Eve tomorrow!?!? I definitely can't believe it, but I am really excited and ready for the new year! What are you planning on wearing tomorrow for New Year's Eve?

 I shared a girly and sparkling party look in

 my last post

, and I hope you liked how I styled the dress with a fur vest! Here is my second party look with

Tobi

again, and you can see that it is much more elegant with plenty of sex appeal!

I am so happy to have this

super lovely LBD

from

Tobi

, and this might just be the perfect dress for NYE! This is certainly one of the best LBDs in my closet, to be honest with you. Since I have small breasts, I usually feel uncomfortable wearing a strapless dress, but I chose this one because it has little cute off-sleeve cuffs that help draw your gaze away from my chest area. At the same time, they provide added support to keep my top in place, even when dancing! These sleeves make this dress even more appealing and alluring.  I love how the dress looks from the back, too.  It is a low & open cut, yet it does not give too much away. I just can't get enough of this dress!

I decided to pair this dress with my favorite black platform pumps that have gold and leopard print details. Whenever I wear a dress, I tend to wear platform heels to balance out my height, since I have a long torso with short legs. The reason I chose this pair of pumps is that I could match them with my gold accessories and

leopard coat

 that I recently scored at

Forever 21

.  Even though you will take your coat off at a party, you want to keep that wow factor even when you are headed to the party, don't you? Well I do! So it's great to throw on a statement coat over your lovely party dress. That way you can definitely provide double WOWs!! This leopard coat is super duper cozy and its plush texture is beyond amazing!

I tried not to over-accessorize; I just added a statement pearl chocker necklace that I got from my friend as a birthday gift, along with

simple hoop earrings

,

one bracelet

, and a gold clutch from my mom to store my belongings. For my hair, I did a messy up-do with curled one-side bang, which is my go-to party hairstyle. And of course,

bold lipstick

 always provides the perfect finishing touch!    

I hope you love/like my NYE look, and hopefully you got some inspiration on what to wear tomorrow!!

By the way, if you follow me on

Instagram

, you probably know already that I dyed my hair in

S I L V E R

!!!!!! Yes, Asian Frozen! Finally one of my dreams came true right before 2014 ends! I'd wanted to try this color for 8 years, so you have no idea how thrilled I have been to have this hair! I still can't get used to it, though. haha...

I am really excited to show you my new hair color here on ALC with my winter outfits! Look forward to it!!!!!!

Have a great last Tuesday of the year!♥

______________

Thank you for reading!!!!

XOXO

☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ - STAY FASHIONABLE, STAY UNIQUE - ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆

A Little Yellow Dress

Photographed by Bryan Lee // West Seattle

LITTLE YELLOW DRESS (Similar Here. Here or Here) : Charlotte Russe

BOWLER HAT (Similar Here or Here): ALDO
FLOWER MOTIF NECKLACE: Buffalo Exchange
BELT: H&M
NUDE PLATFORM SANDALS (Similar Here)& GOLD RING SET: Forever 21
LEOPARD WATCH: JustFab

BAG: Steve Madden 

______________

Hi LOVEs!!!

I generally adore wearing bright colors all year around, not just during summer, and this little lemon color dress is definitely one of the favorite dazzling dresses in my closet! In addition to its color, the flirty flare of the skirt and the open back cut-out design is just so irresistible! I love the way the whole thing just screams, "Hey, look at me!"

I wore this outfit recently when I spend some time with my best friend. We had not been able to meet for a long time due to our mutually crazy schedules! So I wanted to dress up to celebrate a quality night with my bestie!  Summer is almost over ( So sad, isn't it? :(( ), so I decided to wear this dress before fall arrives. A skater dress like this is so cute by nature and there is no effort required to make yourself look extra girly! Such an amazing dress for a special occasion, especially for a lovely date or girl's night out. In cooler weather, just throw on either a chunky cardigan or a biker jacket over it, and you are good to go!!

I dressed it down a bit by putting on a bowler hat, tucked my hair into it and roughly curled my bangs because last time I wore this dress was with my hair in a bun and I wanted to wear it differently. If your hair is being uncooperative, this way of wearing a hat could help you look stylish while covering your untidy hair. Also, hats are one of the great transition items that you can't go wrong with! I paired the dress with nude sandals that completely match with my tanned bag, plus they are magical for elongating my legs! Adding a statement necklace is always a great idea to elevate your look, so how about this adorable flower motif collar necklace?


 I am going to a photoshoot today with a photographer from LA! I never get tired of working with new talented people... So excited!
I hope your week has been going incredibly good!♥

______________



♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ STAY FASHIONABLE, STAY UNIQUE ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥

Thank you for reading!!!!

XOXO

City Sunset and Jean Stripes

Photographed by Erci Paguio of TypeNameHere.com // Jose Rizal Bridge

STRIPED TOP: ZARA
SKINNY JEANS: Free People
PLATFORM PUMPS (similar here): Steve Madden
'DEEP BLUE SEA' NECKLACE: Bad Kitty Accessories
SATCHEL BAG: JustFab
WATCH: ALDO

 

____________

 Hi LOVEs!!!
I hope that you had an amazing weekend! It's about time to ready for the next weekend. Only a few left this summer -- make them count! For some time now, I've longed to work again with one of my beloved friends and most talented photographers I know in Seattle, Eric. He had been taking a break from pressing the shutters, (Yes, I'd been very sad...) but he recently decided to get back on in the saddle and resume photography! The moment he responded to my request for a photoshoot with a 'Yes, let's do it', I was so excited! As always, I had a lot of pleasurable moments shooting with him. So glad to create some magic with him again!  

As a perfect backdrop for this outfit, he took me to one of the popular spots in Seattle known for capturing the Seattle's spectacular views. When we got there, we were right on time to come across a beautiful sunset. I was literally speechless for a little while....

I think the last time I wore these jeans was like a decade ago. Yeah... it's summer, it's better to wear shorts or sundress to keep it cool, and I totally agree with that. But you know it's always fun to change the things up, right? (Of course in a good way!) I really like this summer look with these skinny jeans! Since they are low-rise, it makes the top look like a crop top, showing a little bit of skin around my tummy, and letting in a bit of a breeze.  I also hadn't worn these beautiful pumps for a long time, and they always make me incredibly happy. I can't just get enough of shoes that give a plenty amount of height yet are very comfortable to walk around!
Because the top is blue stripes, I styled it up with a gorgeous "Deep Blue Sea" necklace! I am very fascinated that a single statement necklace can instantly add such an impact to an outfit. If you live in the Seattle area, I highly recommend checking out Bad Kitty Accessories in Southcenter Mall. They are a very new jewelry store, but they carry a vast selection of wonderful pieces that surely add that WOW to your look. As a case in point, my necklace is from Bad Kitty Accessories and you can't deny its effect! <3

To speak a little bit about a hairstyle, the 'pompadour ponytail' is an easy yet versatile hairstyle for summer. It makes a simple ponytail look dressed-up, is flattering to most face shapes, and most amazingly, helps you avoid the heat around your neck while looking elegant! If you are tired of your everyday ponytail and are looking for a little twist, it is also a perfect updo that is not too complicated!!

I hope you enjoyed how I wore jeans in this summer look!
Have a lovely Tuesday ♥

____________



♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ STAY FASHIONABLE, STAY UNIQUE ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥

Thank you for reading!!!!

XOXO

Suit It Up Oceanic Blue & White

 Photographed by Teban S, of Asian Impressions Photography

STRIPED TOP WITH ZIP, STRIPED MINI SKIRT & POINTY HEELS: Zara
STATEMENT NECKLACE (similar HERE), EARRINGS (similar HERE), & WATCH: Aldo
TWO-TONE BAG: Kate Spade
BLUE CRYSTAL BRACELET (similar HERE): Charming Charlie
WRAP BRACELET: Sea Samdar Eliasaf
SUNGLASSES: Crossroads Trading Co. 

_____________________________




Hi LOVEs! Happy Friday <3

How's your week been going? :) Today, we have gloomy and cold weather in Seattle. Sad, right? How about in your area? If the weather is sunny unlike here, I am so jealous, but if it is just as bad as here, I hope I can bring some brightness from today's post!

If you follow my blog and my Insta (@aikaslovecloset, if not please follow me for the daily updates!), you may remember that I hosted a trunk show at SEE Eyewear in Downtown about a month ago. It was very fun and I was very happy it was successful, considering it was my first EVER event! So I decided to treat myself a little bit and went for shopping with one of my besties! On our last destination, we stopped by ZARA, and we hunted a few great pieces, which I am wearing on today's post! He found these gorgeous and super fashion-forward matching set (get yours! TOP & SKIRT) while I was trying others on. He has a quite good eye, doesn't he? :)
It didn't take even a few second to fall in love with them! My love of matching sets is definitely growing, and they are just so fa-bu-lous!!!!! The crisp and fresh color of blue and white totally wowed me, and they're STRIPES! The print is so playful and never goes out of fashion! What I love the most about these pieces is how the top is simple in front but the back has an interesting yet lovely look because of the zip and twin folds. On top of that, the skirt blew me away with the overlaid design, having a different style in front and back! What a fun matching set! They of course will look good separately in other looks! I can't wait to try them in a different ensemble!

I styled them with white pointy heels to keep with the same hues and to add extra crispness. The colors blue and white represent the wide blue sky, unfurled white sails, and the azure sea, and I already have a breathtaking statement necklace that rides the oceanic theme. Then, I like the earrings give a touch of antique-look.
At the first attempt assembling this look, I paired with a black bag. However, we have to change ourselves to ditch a dark color and incorporate more brighter shades into our outfits! I decided to switch the black bag to the two-tone bag with a vivid green! Challenge succeeded! :)


Do you like these lovely striped matching set as much as I do? How would you style them?
I hope your Friday finishes amazingly and launches you into a fabulous weekend! ♥



_____________________________

♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ STAY FASHIONABLE, STAY UNIQUE ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥

Thank you for reading!!!!

XOXO

Floral in Spring Colors

 Photographed by Justin Swain

RED OVERSIZED COAT: Thrifted
PINK SWEATER TOP (similar HERE): H&M
FLORA PRINT SHIRT: Forever 21
PURUPLE COLLEEN PANTS: c/o ZAMRIE
CROSS-BODY BAG: JustFab.com
FLORAL STATEMENT NECKLACE: Buffalo Exchange
FLOWER EARRINGS: Japan
CAT EYE SUNGLASSES (similar HERE) & WATCH: ALDO
BRACELET: Charming Charlie
RINGS: ALDO, Urban Outfitters, H&M


____________________

Hi LOVEs!!! Happy weekends! :)

Here in Seattle, we finally have amazingly beautiful weather that makes us feel like "spring is just around the corner!!" While I love winter's snow, bundling up with layers and layers, and wrapping in blankets,  I also love the colors of spring, feeling the summer sunshine, and waking up with the beautiful sunlight. Compared to Japanese weather during spring and summer, Seattle is just insanely AMAZING... To me it's breathtaking.... The clear blue sky continuously spreads out so beautifully, the winds are so fresh and clear, and I can literally "smell' the summer breeze... Ummmmm picturing them in my head is just as thrilling, and I can't wait for that!!!

Today's outfit is all about the spring colors! How lovely are these floral purple pants? They are from ZAMRIE, who has launched a brand new website along with a brand new collection for 2014! I teamed up with them to showcase their collection and I picked these fabulous pants! Not only are the colors are great for spring, they are also really comfortable fitting. Because of my height, I am not a big fan of a wide-length pant, yet these are surprisingly good for petite people with platform shoes! So if you have been looking for perfect wide pants for spring and summer and haven't spotted them yet, these are what you should go for! It's also available in two different colors: Peach & Blue.
The brand creator, Ashley Zygmunt, decided to introduce a season-less approach to design and abandon the status quo "SS/FW" norm. She wants women to experiment with new fashion finds without discarding staid classics and have the flexibility to wear them year round.
I really appreciate her will because these pants are definitely wearable for girls of  any height, like I mentioned earlier and proved by how I styled them as a petite. They absolutely could be worn during the fall and winter time with knits and layers for outerwear!!

Besides the spring colors, floral prints are also big trend for SS. So I wanted to mix up more floral items to nicely go with the pants. I decided to team with a bright pink top and flower print shirt underneath. Then I picked my new statement crystal flower motif necklace that I got from Buffalo Exchange and a pair of pretty flower earrings as if they are matching pieces. It was still chilly without a jacket or coat so I threw on a brilliant red colored coat (It was only$4 at a thrift store, btw! What a score!) to add extra color hues. I haven't worn color-blocking outfits in a long time, and I really love how I achieved it with my spring-inspired look. This black cross-body bag is my current favorite of all my bag collections. I found it at JustFab.com, and it's perfect for any occasion. Plus, you can use it in multiple ways - obviously as a cross-body bag, a shoulder bag, a handbag by taking off the strap, and a clutch. I love a bag with an affordable price, that doesn't look cheap or poor quality, and can be enjoyed because of its versatility!

I am totally obsessed with floral print trend. It's pretty and feminine, so you can never go wrong with floral!  You will be seeing me a lot in the trend this spring and summer, so hopefully you can get some inspiration from whatever I wear as I show you how you can rock the trend!

Have a wonderful and stylish weekend sweeties! ♥

____________________

♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ STAY FASHIONABLE, STAY UNIQUE ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥

Thank you for reading!!!!

XOXO

Reminiscing of Hawaiian Summer Breezes

 Photographed by Eric Paguio

TROPICAL PRINT TOP & INITIAL 'a' WATCH: Nordstrom
ORANGE LACE PELMET SKIRT & LEATHER DIAMOND EARRINGS: Topshop
MS BROOKS SUNGLASSES: Free People
HANDBAG: Steve Madden
HIGHGATE HEELED SANDALS: ASOS
DOUBLE CHAIN CURB NECKLACE: Tobi
RINGS & BRACELETS: H&M
HIGH/LOW CHAIN DOUBLE RING: Urban Outfitters

----------------------------------------------

I am very pleased with this beautiful weather in Seattle lately, as sometimes the temperatures are hitting over 90 degrees! Since fall is soon approaching, I want to enjoy Seattle's short summer even more with some bright outfits in these final few weeks.

My theme? Let's stay cool yet fashionable during the remaining summer!

I can't take my eyes off how this tropical print top goes perfectly well with my lace skirt. Orange is one of my favorite colors in summer and when I ran into this amazing lace skirt as browsing TOPSHOP, it blew me away!!!! What an great skirt to make a statement!

I am such a big fan of lace, yet I don't have much lace in my closet. So I was super happy I could get this beautiful lace skirt. Also, as fall approaches I can still rock this skirt mixing it up with some fall items, such as a motorcycle jacket, a cropped sweater, a plain shirt, a tailored blazer, and MORE!

Until this summer, I'd never tried out a tropical print. But you know what? Now I feel obsessed with tropical prints because just wearing one can  instantly add a summer vibe to my look. This top is especially amazing. The print is not a plain design; it looks like a bunch of summer evening beach shots of Hawaii have been randomly combined. Not only that, the back is very attractive because of the cutouts, which I like the most about this top.

When it came time to choose my heels, I picked my new barely-there-heels to tone down my look since both top and bottom are bright and really stand out. Although these are simple black heels, I really love the details of them. The chunky cylindrical heel makes the heels especially interesting

.

One last thing. How wonderful is this double chain necklace? It's from TOBI (you can buy it HERE) and I really appreciate that it's double chains, not simply a single one. This necklace definitely is a perfect piece for any occasion, and every girl needs a simple necklace that can make a bold statement all by itself.

Hope you like/love my "let's-enjoy-summer-more" look as much as I do!

What's your essential piece(s) to enjoy the rest of your summer?

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♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ STAY FASHIONABLE, STAY UNIQUE ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥ ☆ ♥

Thank you for reading!!!!

XOXO