Leather and Florals

by Grace Ko in ,


On a sunny Sunday, I decided to pull together an outfit incorporating my first dress of the year. It was peak cherry blossom season and I was feeling the florals. There was a crisp breeze in the air so I paired this black floral dress with a black leather jacket and black leather booties. To be quite honest, I'm a jeans and a t-shirt kinda gal, at heart. And this outfit was out of my usual realm but I attempted to channel an edgier, "rocker chick" look. 

I'm going to embrace these warm spring days because sooner or later, the heat of summer will quickly approach, followed by weeks of torrential rain during monsoon season. Yes, I will embrace the present.

Jacket: Zara, Dress: TJ Maxx, Booties: DSW, Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Hat: Flea Market

Jacket: Zara, Dress: TJ Maxx, Booties: DSW, Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs, Hat: Flea Market

IMG_4511.jpg

"Olive you"

by Grace Ko in ,


Several weeks ago, Y and I had a lovely day exploring Seoul. We went out to Myeongdong and popped in and out of a few stores and vendors here and there. I discovered this olive shearling and was over the moon when the sales assistant told me it was 50% off! The coat is slightly out of my typical style but I had been seeing various pins on Pinterest that had inspired me. And maybe it's the fact that I'm in a new country and a new city but I felt adventurous and decided to venture out into "unchartered" fashion waters, so to speak. 

Cardigan: Brandy Melville, Tee: Brandy Melville, Pants: H&M, Shoes: Dolce Vita, Bag: Zara 

Cardigan: Brandy Melville, Tee: Brandy Melville, Pants: H&M, Shoes: Dolce Vita, Bag: Zara 

I love the details of the coat - the buckles and zippers; they add just a bit of "edge". I love that you can dress it down with a pair of ripped jeans or dress it up with a pair of heels. And I especially love putting it on because it's thick and warm, reminiscent of throwing on a big plush blanket. I was feeling the olive tones and paired it with a pair of olive green jeggings, threw on a few rings and necklaces. 

Rings: SHH Jewelry, Urban Outfitters, various vendors; Necklaces: Celestine Jewelry, Forever21

Rings: SHH Jewelry, Urban Outfitters, various vendors; Necklaces: Celestine Jewelry, Forever21


The Blanket Scarf

by Grace Ko in ,


I am thrilled to introduce to you a good good friend of mine, Christine from The Belletrist. Christine has been a friend since we were wee-little ones (our dads have been close friends for as long as I can remember) and she was my inspiration to join the blogging world. Her incredible prose, her beautiful photography, her culinary escapades, not to mention her delicious little daughter; in essence, she makes living life look fabulous. It's no wonder why I welcome her as my very first guest blogger! 

Shirt: Madewell, Jeans: Forever 21, Jacket and shoes: Target, Bag: thrifted, Scarf- Zara 

Shirt: Madewell, Jeans: Forever 21, Jacket and shoes: Target, Bag: thrifted, Scarf- Zara 

Giant scarves have been around for a couple of years, but they are making a big statement this year and I have been seeing them everywhere in the form of blanket scarves. My friend told me about this scarf from Zara and all of a sudden the idea of wearing a blanket as a scarf seemed really appealing to me. Most of it probably had to do with the fact that I was feeling cold all the time. 

I worried about the comfort level and practicality of wrapping a blanket around your neck, especially because I am prone to feeling suffocated by too fabric all up in my neck and face, but when I put it on I immediately noticed how much warmer I was and now I'm all in. 

You can wear these like a normal scarf, wrapped around your neck in various shapes, or just drape it around yourself like a poncho. I get cold easily so I love that I have the option to wrap this around my shoulders or over my legs when I'm sitting down, and that it can double as a blanket to sit on. You could also come up with a makeshift hat, drape it around your neck as a statement piece, or use it to wrap up your toddler when it gets extra cold. 

I'm all about figuring out ways to stay warmer during the winter and I'm planning on making full use of giant scarves this season. Here's to a cozier next few months! 

I think the particular one I have on here is out of stock, but here are some links to other options if you want to check it out for yourself: 

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8] 

[1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8


Fall Faux Fur

by Grace Ko in ,


The two weeks before Y's departure to Korea was a hectic scramble to meet as many people as possible. One week, I ended up heading in New York City three times during the week. Three work nights! Let me just say, I was fatigued to say the least.  But it was worth it.

One of those nights, we had a lovely double date with one of our favorite couples.  They have seen us through from the very beginning stages of our relationship to now. 

We enjoyed some wonderful Italian fare and finished off the meal with a cup of coffee. 

It was a perfect evening to pull out my faux fur vest and paired it with burgundy skinnies. 

Vest: Zara, Shirt: Theory, Pants: H&M, Bag: Zara, Shoes: Steve Madden 

Vest: Zara, Shirt: Theory, Pants: H&M, Bag: Zara, Shoes: Steve Madden 

Necklace: Celestine Jewelry, Nails: OPI Do you have this color in Stockholm? 

Necklace: Celestine Jewelry, Nails: OPI Do you have this color in Stockholm? 


Birthday Florals

by Grace Ko in ,


Last week I celebrated my 29th birthday. Truth be told, I was never a fan of my own birthday. Being an August baby, as a wee little one, I felt sad that I didn't get to bring in cupcakes or donuts to school to celebrate with classmates. But as I get older, I have learned to embrace my birthday as a time to reflect on the past year and to anticipate and usher in the new.

It was a wonderful, wonderful day - a day of scavenger hunts, sushi and surprises. 

It seemed like a good occasion to embrace florals so I paired floral pants with a simple, crisp, white shirt, my current favorite heels and a gold necklace I bought at a fundraiser. 

Shirt: Nordstrom, Pants: H&M, Shoes: Steve Madden, Bag: Latico, Nails: Essie Ballet Slippers

Shirt: Nordstrom, Pants: H&M, Shoes: Steve Madden, Bag: Latico, Nails: Essie Ballet Slippers