Was it Carry Bradshaw that started the whole tulle skirt trend back in "Sex and the City"? She definitely knows how to wear her tulle and looks oh-so-fab in it! And 13 years later, the tutu is still rocking the fashion walkways, and on websites and forums of fashion bloggers and influencers. Styling Tulle can sometimes be tricky. Small mistakes and you could end up like a little girl at a ballet recital. How do you incorporate your childhood dress-up fav into every day and night looks?

1. The Casual

There are many ways to style the tutu. Let's start with the basics!

Put on a graphic tee tugged in or cropped with your tulle skirt and you have yourself a casual look that lasts you all day without appearing over-the-top. Style it with a leather jacket to throw an edgy impression.

Denim shirt combo? Yes! Pairing a denim or chambray shirt with a tulle dress for a contemporary chic look.

Breeze is a little too cold for you? Layer a mini tutu with sweater on top and over denim jeans or leggings to show off your flirty vibe.

2. The Vintage Classic

Add lace to your outfit. Black lace top with a black tulle skirt would make up your "little black dress" that goes a long way.

Striped shirt works well too for more causally expressed vintage-ness.

Complete your look with vintage-inspired accessories like a pair of cat-eye sunglasses and thin belt with a small bow detail to spike up the classiness.

3. The Glam

A night out with your tulle skirt is always fun. Throw in a bit of sparkly glam with metallic. Try a gold sequin top or jacket for the vocal point. Bold accessories would make a statement in the outfit. Your tutu will soften up the harsh glare of the sparkles.

Feeling daring? Experiment with a full length tutu. A skirt running down to the ankle instantly glams the outfit and make it more formal, more so with a puffy tutu! It is beautiful on its own and ramps up your sophistication and elegance.

4. The Work

 

 

This past Saturday was my hubbie and my wedding monthversary and we thought it would be a fun to have a fun-packed budget-friendly date. We had free tickets from collecting Scene Points. So first, we headed to SilverCity Riverport Cinemas to watch the much anticipated Guardian of the Galaxy Vol. 2 . We loved the first one and couldn't wait to watch the second one! It was very enjoyable as it was humor, drama, and action all in one! Just like the first one, the soundtrack was pretty awesome. Not going to spoil it for those who'd like to see it but it is definitely a must-see. Then, we had a nice relaxing afternoon on Sunday at the Fairmont Airport Vancouver enjoying their signature afternoon tea. Thanks to Groupon Vancouver, it was at a much discounted price. Don't you just love free and discounted stuff? This afternoon tea never disappoints! I've been there a few times now. The menu is a little different every time and it's always soooo good. I can go there every day. We had a table by the window and a gorgeous view of the airport ramp with beautiful blue skies and sunshine as the background. Although the runway was a bit far, we were able to see planes taking off and landing right from our seats. It was the perfect day for plane glazing while sipping quality tea and house-made sandwiches and pastries. It makes me want to go back there just thinking about it!

The hubbie wants to dress casual and comfortably for the day. Grr... I was half-waiting to dress up for a date! Although I went with the flow, I wasn't going to let go of dolling up easily! I decided to dress down a pleated midi velvet skirt. I styled it with a cute cropped graphic tee and a denim vest. The casual top and vest balanced out the dressiness of the pleated skirt making it an easy and effortless yet stylish outfit for the day.

From skinny knife pleats to wide paneled pleats, many find it intimidating to wear pleated skirts as they are often considered "high-fashion", mature, maybe even old-fashion. They used to only live among the preppy school girls. Please read on to see my opinion how to find a pleated skirt that suits you best!

1. Highlight the waist

I believe the key to streamline a pleated skirt is to show off your waist. Pair your pleats with a cropped top or have it tucked in. This will allow you to achieve the most slimming look. Loose long tops can make you look baggy and shapeless.

2. Pick the flattering pleat

The folds of knife pleats are all pressed to one direction. This style minimizes the volume of the skirt. Best suited for those with larger hips and bums.

Big belly? Post-baby belly? *ahem* Try stitched down pleats. The stitched part of the skirt lay flat against your tummy and minimize the volume in that area and then flares on the bottom.

Accordion pleats are great to show off your hourglass-shaped body with fuller volume.

3. The texture

Nowadays, pleated skirts can be made in all sorts of textiles to create very different looks.

Soft, flowy, silky fabrics are light and airy and won't add bulk to your hips. They are very feminine and great for Spring and Summer.

For an edgy rock look, go for leather, metallic or silky shiny fabrics! They are eye-catching and fashion-forward. You will be the center of the attention with these chic babies! 

Do you pleated skirts? How do you style them? Let me know in the comments below! Till next time!

Pleated skirt: Zara - Similar here

Top: AliExpress - ABC2015 - Here

Vest: Urban Planet - Similar here

Shoes: Valentino - Here

Bag: Jessica Simpson - Similar here and here

Sunglasses: Armani Exchange - Similar here

Bangle: Pandora - Here

Who was teased with my Instagram post about my plan for high tea with the hubby? I promised that will be coming up next! Stay tune!

This Spring and Summer is all about the loose cropped trousers. Culottes are made to hang on the body like a skirt, except they are pants! That's pretty awesome isn't it? They are generally just below the knees or at midi length and can be tricky to style. But with culottes done right, you can wear them for both play and work! So how do you master wearing culottes like a pro?

First off, because culottes are loose and flowy, pick a top that is more form-fitting or cropped. Loose against loose is hideously baggy and makes you look drowned in fabric. Tuck the lengthy tops or tide them at your waist. Cinching at the waist gives your body shape by showing your silhouette and offsetting the volume from the culottes. Elongate your legs with a pair of heels or pointy flats!

1. For Play

Although culottes look fantastic and feminine with pumps, doesn't mean you can't rock them with sneakers or loafers! An easy way to dress down an outfit is to keep the shoes casual. A graphic tee with culottes and sneakers are great combo as a cool easy summery outfit.

Draw attention to your outfit with patterns and prints like stripes on your culottes. They create fun effect to your look and add personality to your look.

2. For Work

Safest to keep your culottes a solid color for a more professional clean look. Pair them with a fitted button up shirt tided at the waist or tucked in. Throw on a short crisp blazer to be more conservative yet chic and stay warm under blasting AC. 

Try experimenting with different fabrics for dramatic effect. Culottes make leather appropriate for work with its length and cut. Make it a statement by keeping the rest of your outfit simple.

Have you tried the culottes yet? Let me know in the comments below! Till' next time!

The overall has made its comeback and is popping up everywhere! It looks very cute if worn properly. However, be mindful of the slightest missteps that can make you wind up looking like a little girl or you've just walked out of a farm. I chose an overall with spaghetti straps and all buttoned front. These details make this overall appear more contemporary and modern. I pulled two looks today with just a change of shoes! I dressed up my overall with a pair of high heel mules. These neutral color of these heels pull the whole outfit together by adding grace and elegance without overdoing it. A denim overall is a very casual piece - shoes that are too dressy will make it appropriate and awkward to look at. I switched it up to a pair of sneakers for a more relaxed feel. Together with the overall created a perfect outfit for a date out with my little man when I have to run around chasing after him. Any thoughts? :)

Here's what to watch out for when picking out an overall that suits you:

1. The right fit and cut

Overalls come in different cuts nowadays - long pants, shorts, skirts, etc. Choosing a fit that is flattering to your body is key. 

Find a pair with adjustable straps to fit your torso and avoid gapping or pulling at the crotch. If you like your overall a little bit of a looser fit, pick a feminine top to go underneath like laced, ruffled, or fitted tops. A loose cut overall is more masculine and the girly top acts to soften up the outfit.

If you are a short girl like me, either opt for shorts and skirts, or legs that are cropped and cuffed. There are now also the design without the flap covering the front and back! Try the new overalls with full length suspension straps. The traditional overall cut can make you look stumpy.

2. Color it up

For a more modern look, choose a colored overall. 

Try the black and white to stay on the safe side. Neutral colors are easy and versatile to style, making your look effortless. Monochrome looks are the easiest way to dip your toes in to new trends. 

Be adventurous and experiment with other colors to create interesting sparks. Since pink and blush are the colors of the season, it's a good area to start! Experiment with pink and blush overalls. They are very chic and adds a bit of elegance to the relaxed piece. Stay current with bold and brighter colors like red and royal blue and make a statement!

How do you style your overall? Let me know in the comments below! Till next time!

Overall: GUESS - Here

Top: American Eagle Outfitter - Here

Handkerchief sweater: Aeropostale - Similar here and here

Mules: Christian Siriano - Similar here

Sneakers: Superga - Here

Bracelets: Forever 21 - Similar here

Happy Mother's Day everyone!

What better time it is to talk about moms than Mother's Day? Mothers are such strong and capable people. Working on a Perinatal unit as nurse, I witness the selflessness everyday as mothers go through painful labor to deliver their babies and tiring feeding schedules for newborns. Not to mention the lifelong commitment to care for her babies as they grow. Birthing a baby also comes with the changes in women, both physique and the mind, in which they embrace with pride. Women are marvelous; and mothers, amazing. You are all super women. So to all the mothers out there, rather or not you feel like you are struggling, you are doing just fine. As the popular parenting mom blogger Kristina Kuzmic said in her recent video, I notice you - and you are not alone. I really like how my nursing colleague and mentor, Erin, put it "Strong women - may we know them, may we be them, may we raise them". So so meaningful!

Even with all the chasing around and feeding your little grower, there's no reason why you can't look fab at the same time. Sweats and yoga clothes aren't the only dress code ;) Mom's are bosses, we can and should dress like one.

When I saw this sleeveless duster from Zara, I instantly fell in love! Photos just can't do its justice. With the drapery front and pleated silky flowy back, it calls "boss" to me. I can foresee myself  buying more sleeveless dusters and vests in the future already once I figured out how cute and easy it is to style them! The length of this duster almost gives it a Van Helsing Vampire vibe to it, which I find pretty cool. Usually when I choose my clothes, I go for the shorter version. Lengthy clothes can weigh down on vertically-challenged people like me and make them appear shorter than they are. However, with this particular duster, I think the light-weight flowiness and drapery front at the right height eliminated that problem for me.

Here's a couple ways how to choose a sleeveless duster:

1. Play safe, go neutral

Dusters are kind of like mini-blazers, especially if they are made of heavier fabrics. They are an excellent choice to pair with the blouse and pants combo, especially when they are in neutral colors like black or white. They make a chic, contemporary outfit without being too formal. Wear these little cuties with jeans to make them more casual and versatile. I chose to make a pop to my outfit with a pair of red denim. It creates contrast with my black duster to add an interesting twist. The strappy shoes pull the whole outfit together. What do you think?

2. Go wild, play with prints and textures

To spice up your outfit, experiment sleeveless dusters in different prints such as plaid or gingham. Printed dusters gives one a more youthful look. Pair them with a graphic tee to show off the sporty street style chic.

Different textured dusters emit different styles. Don the rock star approach in a leather duster. The more structured fabric gives a duster a clean trendy feel. Denim is the Canadian tuxedo. Try a denim duster with frayed edges for a punk cool look.

How do you style your sleeveless dusters? Let me know in the comments down below! Till next time!

Sleeveless duster: Zara - Here

Shirt: Zara - Similar here and here

Pants: Urban Planet - Similar here

Shoes: Brash - Here

Necklace: Forever 21 Similar here

Bracelet: Forever 21 - Similar here