I've long loved cobalt blue for its virtually universally flattering properties, and the fact that it's eye-catching without being completely 'out-there'. Luckily, since the vivid shade is one of fall's biggest hues, many options in the colour will soon be (and already are) available for our choosing! For those of us who can't quite wait until full-blown sweater weather to hop on the bright blue bandwagon, this cobalt aztec maxi dress fits the bill perfectly: it's the ideal breezy piece to wear in the lingering warmth now, and will be equally fun to transition into fall with a cropped denim jacket.




Wearing: ShopSosie dress (c/o), BCBGMAXAZRIA cuff, Bally bag, Thakoon for NARS Lal Mirchi nails, Chanel Sari Dore lips

{the classics: a new black halter bikini, chanel lotus rouge & gold bfrend bracelet}
Perhaps I had a little bit too much time to over think the last week, but for a good part of it I was pretty down in the dumps. Without going into too much detail, I'm very thankful that following a period of reflection, clarity often comes. Times like these also serve as a perfect reminder to give thanks in all circumstances, and of course to appreciate even the littlest of things... such as the bits of happiness in this post.

{spending an afternoon chatting with D in a new-to-us coffee shop}

{stumbling upon random, positive street art on an afternoon walk}

{hanging pretty blouses to compensate for the lack of a headboard - blouses here & here}

{a few home baked treats to start the day off on a good note - recipe here}

While I've always fancied the idea of dresses with low-cut backs, cutouts, for some reason, had been a completely different story. To me, a low-cut back could be seen as subtly sensual, whereas cutouts typically seemed a little too "look-at-me!" for my liking. As soon as I saw the demure shape and feminine details of this ShopSosie number, however, I decided that I wanted to take a chance. It ended up working out well: the dress fit like a glove and I felt perfectly pretty for a late summer date night (likely the last one of the year... tear!) this past weekend.



Wearing: ShopSosie dress (c/o) - unfortunately sold out but here's a similar style, Zara shoes, MICHAEL Michael Kors clutch (similar), Banana Republic necklace (old), House of Harlow 1960 sunnies, bfrend and Lauren Elan bracelets, Chanel Lotus Rouge nails, MAC lip pencil in Brick

I have (okay, it's self-diagnosed) Seasonal Affective Disorder, and every end-August I start to get upset that the days are clearly getting shorter and that afternoons of I-can't-bear-it heat are quickly fading. Is it sad to say that one of the saving graces for me of the fall/winter season, besides Christmas, indoor dinner parties and cozy nights inside, is that cooler weather outfits are just generally a little bit more fun to put together? Here are a few looks from last year, captured as the weather was turning; I am posting these an attempt to get myself to be a bit less pessimistic, and if you're anything like me- I hope it does the same for you!

Sometimes you just need a super simple, throw-on-and-go kind of look for an equally no-fuss day. Happy Wednesday.

Wearing: YesStyle blouse and jacket, T.Babaton shorts, DKNY bag (similar option by Tory Burch), Zara shoes, BCBGMAXAZRIA cuff (similar for $12!)
photos by Grace Lau
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p.s. Remember this styling contest I was telling you about? I'm excited to share that I was chosen as one of the winners! Thank you so much for your votes & love and I can't wait to share more soon.

My favourite thing about a new season is a rich new palette of colours to get excited about. I am looking forward to wearing lots of wine/burgundy this season, especially paired with leopard (I think it would go equally well with a neutral snakeskin), and touches of gold which are always icing on the cake! What are you excited to wear for fall?



photos by Alicia
Wearing: YesStyle blouse, H&M trousers, Zara shoes, Alex and Ani bangles (c/o), Aritzia belt (similar), BCBGMAXAZRIA headband, vintage earrings

Confession: this dress had been sitting in my closet, untouched, for a very long time. Club Monaco was kind enough to let me try out their online shopping back they first launched in March of this year, and after receiving something that wasn't right for me I went and exchanged it for this gem of a dress in store (by the way, the whole experience couldn't have gone smoother). I'd be waiting for an appropriate affair to debut it at, but since that never came this summer, I decided that a random afternoon of macarons atop a fancy hotel rooftop was occasion enough for me.


photos by Grace Lau
Wearing: Club Monaco dress (c/o), Aritzia belt, BCBGMAXAZRIA shoes & cuff

While it's still only the middle of August, I have noticed in the last couple of weeks that it's beginning to get dark earlier and a cooler at night. As sad as I am to see summer go, fall is also one of my favourite seasons (I'm just not too fond of what comes after it)... especially because it is so much fun sartorially! Click on over to FASHION Magazine's Style Panel to read more about how I, along with other 10 other stylish ladies, are transitioning our wardrobes into fall without bidding adieu to summer just yet.


Wearing: H&M blouse (recent) and jacket (old), T.Babaton pants via Aritzia, Zara pumps, bag from Asia

For a girl who has openly professed a dislike for the beach in the last few years, I've sure visited it a lot this summer (though I've no tan to show for it). I think the fact that the warm weather came so late has made me want to savour every last bit of sunshine. I've also come to love how fuss-free beach attire is: along with a messy bun and casual beach bag, this simple and sweet striped dress has been my go-to piece for lounging by the shore. It's completely comfortable and perfect for throwing on over a bikini, but the knot adds a flattering and waist-cinching pop of detail that makes it sufficiently polished for a sunset dinner afterward.



Wearing: YesStyle dress - on sale! (c/o), Coach bag (c/o) and sandals (both old), House of Harlow sunglasses, Joe Fresh earrings, Essie Topless and Barefoot nails

{YesStyle faux fur vest that showed up on this blog countless of times last winter}
Over the past year or so, I've had the privilege of having an on-going partnership with Asia-based online retailer YesStyle. During this time, I've definitely been able to acquire some amazing pieces for my wardrobe. I've also received quite a few questions regarding how to shop on this site, which is understandable since it can admittedly look pretty overwhelming at first glance! Due to these requests, I've put together a list of several YesStyle shopping tips I've personally picked up that will hopefully make your browsing a little bit easier.

{YesStyle trench / YesStyle blouse, circle skirt and yes, that faux fur vest again!}
- Know what you're looking for. I typically have something specific in mind when shopping on the site as it helps filter through everything I don't want. Often times I'll have a trend in mind and type a keyword into the search bar (e.g. Peplum). The site is also pretty good at dividing products into specific categories. This is one of my favourites to shop!
- Know your favourite brands. I find a lot of great pieces (style, quality and fit) by midnightCOCO, SUVINSHOP, HAPPYCAT and STYLEBERRY. I often visit the pages of these brands to see what new things might catch my eye.

{one of my favourite pieces - a heavier weight tweed jacket}
- Shop New Arrivals. It's the best place to find of-the-moment pieces, and a good tool to find out which brands you are a fan of.
- Worried About Fit? Each item has very precise measurements included which you can measure against a similar garment in your closet. I also like to gauge how the piece looks on the model and mentally compare our body types, to get a better idea of how it will look on me.

{the site is full of pretty blouses! / YesStyle coat, blouse and shorts}
- Need it quick? Shop "Ready-to-Ship". Since YesStyle does not have its own warehouse, it can sometimes take a while for your items to be ready for shipping. If you want it soon, there's a great section of pieces that are all ready to be sent out.
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I hope you've found this little guide helpful! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask in the comment section and I will get back to you there.