Cozy & Cloudy

November 20, 2013

Beverly Hills, CA

After a week of sunshine and unseasonable warmth, it’s finally become a bit chilly over here in Southern California and therefore, I finally have reason to wear this oversized, comfy, sweater from Urban Outfitters.  I picked it up on one of my recent trips back to Boston and I’ve been waiting and waiting for a day like this to be able to wear it!

It was back in early September, but on this particular day, it was already windy and chilly (and I was still dressed for summer) when I set out for an afternoon lunch with my Mum in Harvard Square.  Unwilling to sacrifice my favorite lunch spot because of the cold, I was totally frozen by the time we finished our sandwiches at this adorable deli with outdoor-only seating.   It was my Mum who actually saved the day (like she always does) and found this sweater I now so adore.  How is it that Moms always know exactly what we need?  After that, we went over to Starbucks, sipped on some hot chocolate, shared some wonderful time together, and I was warmer than a fireplace by the time we started walking again.

I plan on living in this sweater this season (especially when I go back east).  My entire outfit today is preppy and inspired by that day I spent in Harvard Square with my Mum.  Perhaps it’s because I am spending Thanksgiving away from my family for the first time ever, or perhaps the cloudy cold weather reminds me of home... either way you spin it- I’m a bit homesick today and so I let that come through in my wardrobe too.  As you can see, this outfit is very fitting for an east coast stroll around campus or also a cozy cloudy late afternoon lunch date with friends over in Beverly Hills, which is where I'm off to now!

Sweater: Urban Outfitters

Button up: J. Crew (Similar)

Boots: Forever21

Purse: Marshalls

Photos Taken By: Jennifer Biswas

Throwback Thursday.

November 14, 2013

Los Angeles, CA

So far the highlight of my week, and quite possibly my year, has definitely been the Q&A session I was able to attend on Monday night with Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Juliet Luis, Chris Cooper, & Dermot Mulroney.  It was after a screening of August: Osage County, a truly phenomenal film, adapted from the play (which I never saw) but it’s honestly been a while since I’ve felt so truly excited about a movie.  It’s the definition of a dark comedy and I loved every second of it.   Perhaps it’s inevitably phenomenal because Meryl Streep is once again brilliant as is my girl Julia and the rest of the Oscar-deserving cast.  

Hearing them all talk about their days of shooting together so candidly afterwards, just a few feet away, was just another reminder of why I love living in Los Angeles and it’s times like those that I feel so grateful for my time here.  Although it was certainly exciting to see the studly George Clooney, I nearly had a mini-heart attack when I heard Julia Roberts speak for the first time.  I grew up idolizing her and in many ways decided to pursue acting because of her.  Whether you think that’s corny or not, it’s truth and I adored hearing her speak, it was an absolute treat!

The screening took place back in my old college town of Westwood, where they still have many of the old beautiful theaters intact.   These gorgeous theaters are able to house thousands of people for screenings and premiers similar to the one I attended this week.  It’s been a while since I walked around what was my “college town” and it was great to be back.  It brought back a ton of wonderful memories and actually inspired today’s outfit!

Usually, I’m wearing outfits that are comprised of articles that are current and new.  However, in honor of my return back to UCLA’s stomping grounds, I started looking through some old college photos, and my closet this week and realized that reinventing old classics can actually be more fun than wearing new pieces all the time.  And let’s be honest, it is simply unrealistic and not cost effective to be buying new clothes all the time. 

While some items undoubtedly go out of style over the years, there are some articles worth hanging on to.  The other thing to keep in mind is that fashion is never perfect.  This outfit I put together today is made up of garments that are all at least 3 years old (besides the purse) and hey, maybe you think it looks silly, but I definitely had fun reminiscing and putting the outfit together.  Check out this picture from my junior year at UCLA wearing this H&M top ha! (I hung onto the shirt, and my pal Arthur, who's still one of my best friends, for six years! I'm telling ya, when you find the good ones, you have to keep them around.)

 I realize that this look is a bit summery for this time of year, but it’s well into the 80’s today in Los Angeles so you could do something similar with tights and a jacket if you live in a colder part of the country but like the look.

Top: H&M (throwback)

Skirt: Forever21 (throwback)

Belt: Boutique on Melrose (throwback)

Boots: Aldo (throwback)

Purse: Marshalls

I hope this outfit  (and my back-in-the-day go to pose) inspires you to dig through your closet and get a little creative on this throwback Thursday!

Photos taken by: Jennifer Biswas

Feeling a Bit Festive.

November 12, 2013

The Grove. Los Angeles, CA

I hope that you all enjoyed the long weekend.

I went on a nice long hike, caught up with some girlfriends I haven’t seen in a while, and even did a little pre-holiday browsing over at The Grove.  For those of you who aren’t local to the area, The Grove is a beautiful outdoor shopping center with great restaurants, a local farmers market, and grounds that are groomed so well,  they may actually be able to rival those at Disneyworld!  Oh yea, and did I mention, it’s already decorated for Christmas?  It is! It’s pretty magical over there and it’s basically walking distance from where I live so I try to pop over whenever I have free time.

Just so you know, I am not one of those over-eager holiday people -not that there is anything wrong with that- who already have the house decked out in Christmas lights- but I certainly do love the holidays.  I’m more of an after-Thanksgiving decorating kind of gal and when it comes to shopping, I’d even call myself a procrastinator.  Ok and not I’m not proud of it, but if I’m being totally honest, I’ve definitely spent a Christmas Eve or two scrounging around the mall for last minute finds- oops!  But in an effort to be more on top of things this year, I’m getting a head start- finding my go-to holiday outfits and gifting ideas ahead of time.   I’ll let you know how it goes, but so far, I have a good feeling.

I also got a new haircut. Sometimes a healthy chop can make you feel a thousand times lighter! (Oh and lightening your hair can also make you feel lighter).  I decided to add some highlights, which are certainly subtle yet newsworthy since I’ve only died my hair one other time in my life.  So I decided to live a little and go with some honey-blonde tones! Even though we’re heading into winter and most people tend to go darker this season, I think with my paler skin and darker clothing, I could use a little lift now more than ever.  What do you guys think?

My outfit today has a touch of a holiday party feel to it, but I’ve been wearing this black and white number for the past couple of months.  This adorable peplum off-white top from Forever 21 is so easy to throw on (it never wrinkles) yet it dresses up your jeans for a night out on the town with the girls.  I added the beautiful white big pearl necklace that I just got over the weekend from Loopsway.  This unique take on the classic pearl necklace adds that extra festive, holiday look to the outfit.  I just discovered this boutique online and the jewelry is gorgeous yet remarkably affordable- my kind of place! If you haven’t already, you should go ahead and take a look at the adorable pieces they have to offer!

Necklace: C/OLoopsway

Peplum top: Forever21 (Similar) 

Black Skinnies: H&M (Old) 

Hope you’re feeling festive on this Tuesday morning!  Although it may not quite be time to decorate just yet, it's certainly never too early to get in the holiday spirit.

Photos taken by: Jennifer Biswas