the set. for the. season.

move over two-piece set. today, we’re coming in hot with a three-piece set! i love sets, they make the task of getting dressed effortless — not having to think about matching at top and bottom (maybe that’s why i love dresses). but i mainly have two-piece sets and was looking for a three-piece. giddy with my fashion senses, i’m happy to say, yep, i found it. the set for this season! and there’s a couple things i wished it had, like petite sizing. but i loved it so much i had to make it work (which is unusual for me). you can tell the duster is very long. nothing i could do about that but it actually just adds more drama/movement to the outfit (the kind you want). and the skirt is also long, i tried to fix that by ruching it even more in the mid-section which makes it look even more flattering.

first, this set is SO SOFT (and not ultra body-hugging). i could sleep in it. it’s light enough for warmer months but also thin enough to layer with a thick coat in the colder months. you can also wear the tops, duster and skirt separately. while i styled it here for work, i actually bought another matching off the shoulder sweater top that’ll be great for a night out! you can also style this with pointed toe pumps, but i opted for these new knee high suede boots i’m lovin’!

side ramblings: we are approaching lunar new year (LNY) pretty quickly. year of the rabbit — read more about it here. this year is extra special since it falls exactly on my mom’s birthday (she’s extra excited)! besides all the LNY traditions, i love seeing beauty brands package things for LNY — in red. so naturally, i’m a sucker for it. i repeat. there is nothing special about it, it’s just packaged with red details. here are a couple i’ve seen: BIOSSANCE vitamin c rose oil, Charlotte Tilbury matte revolution lipstick in red-orange, SK-II facial treatment essence (heard they’re launching a year of the rabbit packaging soon!). on a local note, my friends, @thepapercraftpantry & @shopkathyphantastic are also throwing a lunar new year festival on 01/22 — details here. come out and #supportlocal if you can! lastly, i’ve also been on this puzzle-frenzy. during the holidays we did a couple (500 pieces: Austin, Kauai, Waikiki, 1000 pieces: Italy Cinque Terre). and i’ve continued on alone. right now i’m going through a mini-wooden puzzle series. as you can tell, i love @dowdlefolkart puzzles! the details are so fun to look at 🤓 #protip: they sell them at costco each fall for about $12!

currently on my playlist: daydream by Lily Meola

would it even be a blog photo if i didn’t drape a coat?! 😆

top | Express ultra soft mock neck sleeveless sweater tank in grey (wearing size S)
skirt | Express high waisted ruched side midi sweater skirt in grey (wearing size S, could’ve sized down to XS)
duster | Express ultra soft balloon sleeve duster cardigan in grey (wearing size XS)
bag | Senreve maestra in pebbled noir (my work bag) — also avail in mini (great everyday size) & midi sizes
shoes | Sam Edelman uma knee high boots in black suede (these actually fit my wide calves!) — similar
earrings | Mejuri charlotte bold hoops in gold vermeil — also available as huggies!!
sunglasses | Karen Walker number one sunglasses in black/smoke mono - available in tortoise
watch | Michele 29 mm deco diamond watch in gold and silver

cheers to all.the.sets.,
JD

photo credit: @janeyunphoto

time for a #bagtalk.

feels good to be back here. i have so much to SAY/ramble on 😁 first, fashion. always. the @senreve Handbag Revival event is going on and i ended up splurging on the full sized maestra for work (12.25” bottom-16” top L x 6.75” W x 10.25” H). i have the mini maestra and the size is great on my 5’2” shortness while fitting everyday essentials (8.5” bottom-11.5” top L x 5.5” W x 7.5” H).

while there is much to say about this iconic bag, i’m going to focus on why i bought it and sustainability. for semi-large bag purchases like these it’s usually a no-no to buy the same model in different colors so this tells you how much i really love the maestra. i purchased the full sized maestra for two reasons:

i wanted a work bag that fits a 13” laptop — the full size maestra has a side pocket dedicated to just this! you can also fit a 15” laptop in the center (no pocket).
looks chic (> laptop bag) w/multi-functionality — you can wear it so many ways! usually when you add a lot of function to a product it loses its streamlined look. not with senreve. they also consider all the details for the working woman. the inside has pockets galore and i love the outside sleeve that fits your phone for easy access! plus, i like options. being in my 30’s my shoulders can’t carry as much as they used too, they tire easily. so being able to wear it as a crossbody, backpack, or even hold it prevents that shoulder droop! see the mini styled several ways here

this event is still going on and allows you to purchase their bags at a discount. bags that were gently handled i.e., used in a photoshoot or displayed in their showroom. this was my first time purchasing a bag from their event (happens twice a year) and i am PLEASANTLY SURPRISED. i picked the tier with the least amount of imperfections (“Almost Perfect” = 1-2 visible imperfections) and i can’t see one thing wrong with it!! it’s basically brand new! and YA GIRL IS PICKY. it was a great experience and one of the things i try to be better about is sustainability. purchasing this gently used bag made me feel less bad, and this bag gets to continues its cycle into the fashion world vs. being burned (which is what most companies do). the best thing is you can still use my code during the event! use “JANNADOAN” for $50 off $300 at checkout! #SenreveAmbassador

senreve maestra sustainable fashion -- jannadoan.com

i want to be mindful where i’m spending my money and purchase/support brands that are sustainable, are eco-friendly, ethically source items, pay their employees fairly, offer fair pricing — or at least brands who are making a conscious effort to do those things etc… all these things are important when you want to make a difference for the future. and as i always say, it’s the small things that add up to make a big difference. we can all contribute in small ways when we are mindful of where our dollar is spent, even in the fashion world :) ironically, some i visited some of my fave ethical brands this weekend, listed in the side ramblings!

side ramblings: my dear friend @wanderlustanita e-mailed me “There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing” featured in the NY Times, “i thought of you.” i read the article and it hit home. MEH wasn’t cutting it. so languishing it is. sounds classier, i’ll take it. so what am i/you going to do about languishing? small goals. mine is to draw better boundaries with work. AND get out every week, dressed like a normal human (no athleisure as much as i love it), and go do/see something by myself. to acclimate/re-claim some of my old life slowly. safely of course. this weekend i FINALLY checked out Music Lane on SoCo. the weather this weekend was basically BEGGING me to get out. loved seeing all the shops & restaurants down there!! i picked up a prime chirashi bot bowl from @theluckyrobot (i’ve been thinking of this sushi bowl for over a year now). finally got to see the @everlane & @reformation store fronts (both ethical fashion brands i love & support) && i discovered @neighborhoodgoods! this place is a gem. it has an amazing round bar & they serve drinks & food inside. talk about the re-invention of department stores! they feature curated brands you wouldn’t typically see outside from clothes, snacks, sunglasses, leather goods, and even clean beauty products. i was able to pick up the @aesop a rose by any other name body wash (fragrance notes: rose petal, cardamom, black pepper) i’ve been wanting to try! i saw a couple of coffee shops and eateries i wanted to check out so… @musiclaneatx… SEE YOU SOON! 😁

currently on my playlist: anywhere with you by Mat Kearney

home photos are getting SUPER awkward BTW… but this is for the maestra size reference on my 5’2” frame

dress | Halogen asymmetric neck dress in lipstick (a bright orange red, i love the color & unique drape!, wearing size 2 for reference)
earrings | Mejuri charlotte bold hoops in gold vermeil
bag | Senreve maestra in pebbled noir — also avail in mini & midi sizes during the Handbag Revival event. also obsessed with the Alunna! (use code “JANNADOAN” for an additional $50 off $300!)

cheers to sustainability!,
JD