the coral & chartreuse combo

cue the ‘watermelon sugar by Harry Styles’ for this post.

this color combo was so fun to put together! originally i wanted to style the coral pants with a white or cream top. at the last minute i decided on a more bold color combo and BAM! it all works out in the end amirite?!

the Ann Taylor kate wide leg cropped pants are a closet favorite of mine. the design continues to improve and launches in FUN colors ALL. THE. TIME. tbh, it’s hard for me to restrain from buying every color (me, hiding from the fall colors). there have been improvements over the years with these pants and i think this year is perfection. it’s finally a high rise (past my belly button) and the pocket placement and opening are perfect — before they would bulge out a little too much. i love that they come in a petite length because they fall just right on my 5’2” self. the material and amount of stretch is perfect. since they are high rise so they go so well with crop tops like this fun chartreuse one here. on the flipside, for safer-not-as-bold looks, i’d pair chartreuse with navy or white!

side ramblings: it’s crazy that summer 2023 is coming to a close. it only feels that way with school in session, but other than that, it’s still summer to me until i can put on a jacket (at the very least — and that… in TX is late OCT)! watching my niece & nephew go to school was bittersweet. they’re growing up so fast and with that means changes to our family time schedules due to all their extra circular activities! we spend SO. MUCH. time. together. but i wouldn’t have it any other way! #beyondblessed

currently on my playlist: watermelon sugar by Harry Styles

currently reading: the seven husbands of evelyn hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

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the sezane doll blouse & tailored shorts

gimme all the shoulder tie tops.

HOWDY! ‘write blog post’ has been on my to-do list for a while now. since the last post, life was coming back to normal with work but i ended up visiting Japan! recovering from jet lag took longer than expected and finding life’s normal rhythm again took some time but it now finally felt like a good day to sit down and put something together that i’ve been meaning to put out there! and it FEELS SO GOOD. this is my happy place right here.

usually before summer hits, i take a couple of outfit photos to get me through the summer months. thank goodness because summer this year has been BRUTAL 🥵 it’s so hot to even be outside for more than 5 mins! scary what August will feel like. hopefully all the backlogged & Japan content will get me through to fall (my favorite season of fashion) 💯

i am pretty much a sucker for all shoulder tie tops and dresses. why? the bow/tie adds a fun-flirty-feminine detail to the outfit and this particular one, the Sézane doll blouse in cara red was the perfect shade of bold red (also avail in a matching skirt!!). the material (100% silk) made this an elevated top, so i styled it with some tailored shorts. while i love chino and denim shorts, they lean on the casual side and sometimes you need a pair of shorts that are good enough to wear to date night with tops such as this one that pulls the whole outfit together.

taken at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in the Theme Garden which is easily my favorite area. i love the arches, the vines, walkway, greenery. @janeyunphoto did an amazing job!

side ramblings: i’ve been back from Japan for a little over a month and every week i find myself missing it! if i could put Japan in one word, i’d say orderly. people actually follow the rules there, it’s so clean, people are nice/respectful. i LOVED Japan and plan on going back sometime in my future. dedicated Japan posts coming soon! on another note, i saw Past Lives and it had been forever since i went to a movie theatre — the movie itself was very good and thought provoking. the more spiritual/woo-woo side of me does believe in past lives and an afterlife in the sense that sometimes we meet people that we feel we’ve known forever, some sort of connection you can’t quite put your finger on/identify. it also made me think about people who have also touched my life for a season and didn’t really stay around for other reasons — maybe i’ll see them in a different life with different lessons. either way, it’s all comforting to me at the end of the day.

currently on my playlist: monster by Shawn Mendes & Justin Bieber

currently reading: 8 rules of love: how to find it, keep it, and let it go by Jay Shetty sometimes i spend time scrolling, before bed… and i’ve come across a lot of Jay Shetty clips. he always says things that resonate, that make me grab a pen and write it down. so i ended up picking up his latest book to read. it’s very interesting with exercises to practice on. much to unpack here and i’m only halfway through! it’s a great book for everyone at any stage — single, in a relationship, or married. it makes you ponder past experiences, how you could’ve approached it better and the future in terms of what you plan to do differently by working on yourself. it’s always about learning & improving, amirite?! 💗

#artisticPOV = fave

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top c/o | Sézane doll blouse in red cara (wearing size 4 USA) — the red cara print is also avail in a matching skirt too (regrets not getting it!!)
bottoms | Aritzia Wilfred the effortless short 5” in light birch (wearing size 6) — similar from A&F // similar in linen
hat | GIGI PIP faye boater hat (old) — newer version // similar
earrings | Mejuri charlotte bold hoops in gold vermeil — similar for $49 by Quince // also available as huggies!!
bag c/o| Sézane mini farrow bucket bag in natural raffia
shoes | Sam Edelman gigi sandals in cognac (old) — newer version
watch | Michele 29 mm deco diamond watch in gold and silver
rings | gorjana diamond row ring in 14K gold // gorjana diamond stacking ring in 14K gold

until next time,
JD

photo credit: @janeyunphoto

the green & navy combo

green + navy combo

staying true to more color i picked out this beautiful green embroidered button down from Sézane! the details (and quality) are so good - as expected from Sézane. from the delicate ruffle to the scalloped hem of the sleeves. YES. i LOVE a kelly/bright green and navy pairing so these pants were perfect. what’s too many wide leg cropped pants? asking for a friend. i finished this outfit with standard timeless pieces such as tan cut out sandals (a hermes dupe) and a tan everyday bag. here are some other ways i’d style the Sézane dalhia shirt:

  1. white straight or skinny jeans

  2. tailored white wide leg pants

  3. tailored white shorts

side ramblings: this hiatus was unexpected. work took over all aspects of my life, leaving me feeling exhausted at the end of the day. too tired to get on socials or write a blog post or connect with friends which in turn made me feel more disconnected from everyone and my passion = dark place. the good news is that the end is in sight. thank goodness. it’s also ironic how when it rains it pours right? life is about the peaks and valleys and sometimes the valleys can be hard. those are the times i’m reminded that so much of life is out of my control. that life is easier when i just let it flow and lean more into grace & gratitude — or at least i try; i am only human after all 🙂

currently reading: the soulmate equation by Lauren Christina - a really cute book about opposites attracting! since the last post i managed to finish the unhoneymooners, it ends with us by Collen Hoover and beach read by Emily Henry. so happy about this re-kindled hobby!

currently on my playlist: 13 by LANY

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top c/o | Sézane dalhia shirt in green (wearing size 4)
pants | Ann Taylor cropped wide leg pants (old) — similar and i have these in so. many. colors
bag | Senreve mini maestra in chestnut — avail in a medium and large version
shoes | Shein cut out sandals (old) — similar on amazon // similar by Steve Madden
earrings | Mejuri charlotte bold hoops in gold vermeil — similar for $49 by Quince // also available as huggies!!
watch | Michele 29 mm deco diamond watch in gold and silver
rings | gorjana diamond row ring in 14K gold // gorjana diamond stacking ring in 14K gold

until next time,
JD

photo credit: @janeyunphoto

the sezane asianne dress styled two ways

the first floral print of the season!

option 1 // casually styled under a bright blue fisherman sweater (hello texture & COLOR!) with white sneakers

seriously pinching myself writing this blog post in collaboration with no other than @Sézane! Sézane is one of those brands where you just say OUI OUI (french for yes) as you check out all the items on their site. the parisian brand makes the most fabulous pieces (quality over quantity based on the number of pieces on their site) so you can imagine how long it took me to pick an item! life decisions i tell ya. it’s impossible not to add everything to your cart and ponder another trip to paris at the same time. i miss paris so much!

this post kicks off a three part series with Sézane, all featuring pieces from their spring collection. and spring is such a fun season, despite the allergies, flowers start blossoming, temperatures are ideal/perfect, and it’s when we start bringing out those spring dresses, floral prints, shorts, etc. the Asianne dress in cara print was such a pretty blue that i needed in my life and the floral print justified it even more. the TX weather is still fluctuating so i saw this dress as an opportunity to style it under a sweater and by itself for date night/brunch! i’ve seen the sweater over a dress styling hack and instead of going with a neutral cream color… i decided on a bold pairing — a bright blue! i loved how it turned out. no need to invent the wheel, so here’s a great video by @merricksart on how to style a sweater over a dress! she did a great job and i just tucked the sweater under the wrap of the dress.

currently reading: beach read by Emily Henry

currently on my playlist: easy lover by Ellie Goulding

option 2 // dressed up with some neutral colored high heel pointed toe booties! #datenightready

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dress c/o | Sézane asianne dress in cara print (wearing size US 4) — avail in a slip dress // button down // midi skirt // mini skirt // tie front dress with short sleeves // shoulder tie tank (yes, i did get this too #comingsoon!)
sweater | Quince 100% organic cotton fisherman crew sweater in blue (wearing size XS) — similar by J.Crew
shoes | Keds ace sneakers in white leather // Ann Taylor kody suede heeled booties in modern taupe (old) — similar
earrings | Mejuri charlotte bold hoops in gold vermeil — similar for $49 by Quince // also available as huggies!!
bag | J.Crew bucket bag (old) — similar
watch | Michele 29 mm deco diamond watch in gold and silver
rings | gorjana diamond row ring in 14K gold // gorjana diamond stacking ring in 14K gold

cheers to floral print season!,
JD

photo credit: @janeyunphoto

the hoodie sweater dress

hello, spring!

SPRING HAS SPRUNG! whooo here we are.. hopefully on the other side of TX winter storms… but now worrying about hurricane season. it’s always something! i’m a little late on this post but i thought it would be fun to style a hoodie dress! i've always like the look of a hoodie under a blazer combo so when i saw this sweater dress i thought it’d be fun to style it under a coat for a dressy outing but ALSO, it can be styled casually like sporty spice!

to style this sweater hoodie dress casually, pair it with some white sneakers and a belt bag to make it fun. this one adds additional texture with the sherpa! for hair, i’d put it up in a high ponytail and aviator sunglasses. to style it for a night out, trade out the sneakers for some knee high suede boots (again, more texture adds dimension!) and layer it under a jacket with hoodie out! also trade out the belt bag for something more elevated like a leather bag.

i have always wanted photos infront of “Austin” and lucky me, @janeyunphoto agreed and made it happen (she’s great!) despite all the construction going around there with the Blanton Museum.

option 1 // casual style/sporty spice with white sneaks & sherpa belt bag for added texture!

side ramblings: UM, so much. first, i think the universe nudged me pretty hard to stop talking about launching my styling business and to actually do it. the time is now, right?! thanks universe! haha. i turned in a couple of “deliverables” over to my first two clients and it’s been a process. coming up with tools and workflow processes (while over-thinking it all, the INFJ in me). nonetheless, i found myself looking forward to it — i’ve missed it. second, home improvement projects have commenced (i’m telling you, it’s something to do with spring that makes you want to get back to work!). team daddy & i changed out the dining room light and in the process of replacing hallway and bedroom lights to recessed lighting! lastly, some #hellyes collaborations opened up with

  • @Sézane — french clothing brand, i LOVE everything and choosing an item made me miss paris so much! i picked out the Asianne dress! it’s a pretty blue floral dress and looking forward to styling it two ways. i’m all about the versatility!

  • @DavinesNorthAmerica — hair product company known for sustainability. they sent me one of the biggest PR packages i’ve received in a while!! here are a couple of hair care products they sent me to try (the whole box smells so divine!):

currently on my playlist: all for nothing (i’m so in love) by Lauv

currently reading: the unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren! i also finished black cake by Charmaine Wilkerson since the last blog post and it was so good. reminded me of real hardships our parents faced back then. in my 30’s i have an even greater appreciation for what my parents went through. it’s funny i planned on documenting their life story and this book was yet another gentle nudge by the universe to DO IT!

option 2 // date night. styled under a coat (hoodie out), knee high suede boots and a leather bag (so much textured goodness!!)

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option 1 // sporty spice

dress | Amazon ribbed and hooded sweater dress in light brown (wearing size S)
bag | lululemon everywhere belt bag in light ivory — great amazon dupe for $23 // non-sherpa amazon dupe for $15
shoes | Keds ace sneakers in white leather — also eyeing the Veja // target ones with a little platform for $35!

option 2 // date night

dress | Amazon ribbed and hooded sweater dress in light brown (wearing size S)
bag | Red Dress Boutique polished and poised bag in black — similar on amazon in a more classic leather pattern
shoes | Sam Edelman uma knee high boot in black suede (i also loved them so much i got them in the bootie version) — similar in the Ursula on Zappos // similar in the Ursula on Sam Edelman

thanks for stopping by!,
JD


photo credit: @janeyunphoto

the amazon lounge sets

all. about. the. #loungesets

lately, i’ve been on am amazon streak! esp with athletic and loungewear sets. this post is dedicated to THREE comfy sets with shorts (ALL WITH POCKETS! yes, in caps because. IYKYK) that are good for lounging in at home or running errands around town. shorts are usually a safer bet for me than sets with pants since, well… #shortgirlproblems at 5’2”. i was shocked how much i loved these sets. the great news is that they range differences in warmth coverage, so great for the whacky Texas weather! in this post i’m sharing three lounge sets i purchased from Amazon and love. all sets will transition you from winter to spring and summer because got chu! 🙌 see set 2 & 3 after the jump.

side ramblings: this year i want to commit to more reading. yep, like actual books. i used to be a huge bookworm and over the years i’ve gotten so caught up in media and all.things.electronic. it’s part of the job but i just finished my first book of the year, Every Summer After by Carley Fortune. it was a cute book, 7/10 rating for me. it makes me wonder what it would be like to fall in love at such a young age and with someone you grew up with who really really knows you. i miss getting lost in a book, being drawn in my interesting characters and/or storylines. anyways, i’m hoping to reach a goal of 12 books in 2023 & linking my next read below!

currently reading: book lovers by Emily Henry (about to finish this one already!!)

currently on my playlist: best part by Daniel Ceasar ft. H.E.R.

set 1 // FLEECE lined so perfect for colder temps and i am loving the half zips right now. out of the three sets here this has the most warmth/coverage

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set 2 // waffle knit material but light enough for spring with long sleeves

set 3 // also a waffle knit material but cropped tank for summer

how-to style brown wide leg pants

the wide leg pant obsession.

wide leg pants have always been in my rotation, but mainly cropped ones. i didn’t really have any regular length wide leg pants …until recently. and somehow managed to accumulate… many pairs in the last couple months. regular wide leg pants can be tricky to style IMO. esp if there are pleated details in the front. while the pleats look good, sometimes it can pull a little masculine so you want to be sure you’re styling these types of pants with a feminine top — even showing a little skin in a tasteful way helps! here i’ve styled these brown wide leg pants two ways. look 1 features a crop top to wear more casually during the day. look 2 features a little shoulder action for date night.

#styletips: other tops i’d style these brown pants with include a cream lace cami or satin cowl neck cami, an off the shoulder bodysuit, a sweetheart neckline tank or long sleeve sweater. in terms of color, i’d pair this with cream colors or heathered oatmeal, black or white would even look nice too if you’re going for contrast. i also would even play on the brown hue and go with a tan/light brown shade too. add a belt for good measure or even drape a half zip sweater over the shoulders.

side ramblings: i randomly stumbled upon the 28-day ab challenge by @lazygirlfitness and thought to myself… yea i could do that. without realizing there are 100 crunches at the end of this thing. #sendhelp. the 2nd annual lunar new year festival was so much fun & it was also a special holiday since it fell on my mom’s birthday as well. 2023 is year of the rabbit which symbolizes peace, longevity, and prosperity. you can read more about year of the rabbit here and see which chinese zodiac sign you are! in asia it’s a celebration that goes on for two full weeks! so it’s serious business. some things we do for lunar new year: honor our ancestors, clean our house before LNY, wear red for good luck, & smile/be happy because it sets the tone for the entire year ahead!

currently on my playlist: easy lover by Ellie Goulding

LOOK 1: styled with a sleeveless cropped sweater. for shoes i’d go with flat sandals, or even white sneaks depending on casual you want to wear this/the vibe you’re going for!

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LOOK 2: styled with a long sleeve off the shoulder sweater. for shoes, a pointed toe pump goes perfectly, but also so does a strappy sandal with a kitten heel.