biker short

Free People So Chic Biker Short;

ZARA Embroidered Top (love this, this and this one);

Urban Outfitters Fedora (similar here)

When I first saw that biker shorts were a trend, I thought it was a joke.  And then I started to see it more and more and thought, oh no.  I was not on board.  At all.  But then of course Free People made a denim version and it brought me back to my pedal pusher wearing days, which are actually available here at Anthropologie and here at Shopbop, so I thought I would give them a try.  Only because they were denim.  I will definitely not be rocking the spandex kind.  Except maybe at the gym (I love these leopard print ones).  You will not see me rocking spandex biker shorts with heels, I promise you that.  (I am, however, feeling these faux leather ones by Blank Denim.)  I'm really happy with these Free People denim biker shorts.  They are basically just long shorts and perfect for those days where you just do not feel like rocking short shorts.  I paired these biker shorts with a black and white embroidered top I purchased at Zara last summer.

Happy shopping!

Mx

sweater & sandals

{For Love & Lemons x KNITZ Clemence Sweater (also here);
One Teaspoon Junkyard Skirt (sold out colour);
Schutz Gloria Tall Gladiator Sandals (similar here and here, love these shorter ones and have them in two colours);
Urban Outfitters Fedora (similar here);
Prada Sunglasses}

I never quite understood wearing a sweater with a skirt (or shorts) and sandals...until I moved to Myrtle Beach.  The weather has been gorgeous lately and we headed to the beach this past weekend.  Rather than jump into wearing an off-the-shoulder top, which I'm SO happy is still a trend, I'm easing my way into Spring and decided to start with a pair of tall gladiator sandals.  I paired them with my favourite One Teaspoon denim skirt and this For Love & Lemons sweater, which was perfect for when there was a breeze.  (Tip: if it's not quite sandal weather yet where you live, just add a pair of over-the-knee boots or booties!)

Mx

black & white boho

 {Tularosa Huxley Top in Ivory Striped Tribal (also in a tank dress here and off-the-shoulder here);

Free People Lacey Denim Cutoff Shorts;

Urban Outfitters Hat (similar);

ASOS FLEUR Suede Tie Leg Sandals;
Prada Sunglasses}

My #OOTD post on Friday was also a black and white combo post, which I usually save for fall or winter since I'm more of a bright colours kind of gal in the summer, but I had ordered this Tularosa top and the combo was on my mind.  I am obsessed with the Tularosa Huxley top.  There have been different versions.  But this black & white (erm, ivory) one is my favourite.  I love the boho vibe.  Flowy so you can eat whatever the hell you want and not feel uncomfortable... although after the Italian feast I had with my sister at Ducatis Pizzeria & Trattoria (my new go-to for Italian food in Myrtle Beach), these shorts did need unbuttoning in the car.  But this top covered them.  So that's enough of a reason to buy it, if you ask me.  Oh, also because it's super pretty.  I love that you can wear the braided tie a few different ways too: tied (it came that way and I was rushing out the door), untied completely, or hanging loose and tied in a knot.

#OOTD / fall ready in black & white

It's that time of year already: the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale.  It's not your typical sale because these are new items that will go back to regular price in a couple of weeks.  I usually take advantage of the sale to buy key essentials for fall: a jacket, jeans, booties.  This Topshop Leather Biker Jacket is my pick.  A must-have for fall.  You can dress it down with jeans or throw it over a pretty dress.  I've been eyeing this striped off the shoulder top at Nasty Gal this week, but now my size is gone (boo).  I love black and white for fall (really the only time I wear black) so I paired the striped tee with black skinny jeans which, to me, are a must-have for fall.  I am obsessing over these L'Agence Margot Skinny Jeans.  They have a high rise and are cropped, which are the two things I'm looking for.  Neiman Marcus is also having a killer sale on shoes.  These Maison Margiela Open-Toe Booties are over 50% off.  They're a great buy since they'll easily take you well into fall.

Happy shopping!

Mx 

the sweaterdress

{Free People Love Fool Swit Dress (also love this, this and this one); sneakers: Converse;

hat: Urban Outfitters; sunglasses: Prada}

I instantly fell in love with this sweaterdress because 1) I am obsessed with sweaterdresses.  In fact, I refuse to separate the words "sweater" and "dress" because it is in fact one item (spellcheck tells me I'm wrong), but nevertheless it is the best of both worlds - a piece you throw on and go and keeps you cozy warm; 2) black and white is always chic; and 3) I love that it can be worn casually but would also look great with some boots.  As happy as I was getting a cool enough day to wear this dress (the day before the historic rain began), I am happy to have sunshine again.

Thinking of those affected by the floods in SC.

black & white (summer edition)

{sweater: GAP (bought last summer, love this one); shorts: J.Crew; bracelet: BCBG (similar styles);

sneakers: Converse; hat: Roxy; necklace: Juicy Couture (old); sunglasses: Prada}

We headed to the beach yesterday evening for some ice cream and the weather has been all over the place so I figured I would be safe with a sweater/shorts combo.  I have been living in these J.Crew shorts.  They are so cozy and comfortable to wear.  Instead of going for a basic black sweater, I paired them with this cozy GAP striped sweater I bought last summer (last seen here paired with polka dot shorts), which is perfect for cooler nights (and mornings).  (You want to get something lightweight like the Free People one I linked above.)  I kept the black and white theme going with this Roxy fedora and Converse sneakers.  An easy breezy outfit that looks put together that really took no time to put together.

black, white & red

{blouse: J.Crew; skirt: MinkPink (sold out, love this one); shoes: GUESS;

bag: MICHAEL Michael Kors (similar larger version here); bracelets: H&M; sunglasses: Prada}

It has cooled down over the past couple of days, which gave me a chance to wear this J.Crew blouse I bought a couple of weeks or so ago.  It has a subtle polka dot print and a pretty front tie.  (It will also look great dressed down with a pair of shorts!)  When I wear black and white I always tend to pull out this red MK handbag because black or white would be boring (to me) and any other colour would just not seem right.  Black and white is a classic combination and red just adds more class.

sick day + cozy shorts

     {J.Crew Embroidered Cotton Gauze Short; Denby Fire Large Curve Mug; magazine: Marie Claire}

Yesterday I was talking about how I became sick on the first day of summer.  Well, I attempted to go to work on Monday, only to feel worse by the end of the day.  So I took yesterday off and slept until around 11:30 a.m.  I made a tea and sat down with my mail: a new issue of Marie Claire and my $500 gift card for winning Holt Renfrew's #HoltsHappy contest on Instagram (see here).  I may be sick, but there's nothing like a new issue of a fashion magazine and free shopping money at one of your favourite stores to put you in a better mood.

p.s. These J.Crew shorts are SO cozy.

black & white

{MINKPINK Cheerleader Skirt; shirt: Madewell (old); blazer: Marciano (old, similar);

shoes: GUESS; cuff: Chanel (vintage); sunglasses: Prada}

 

Well, it's snowing today.  But up until today the weather has been gorgeous (look, no tights!).  I've been wearing a lot of colour lately, but when I bought this adorable MINKPINK skirt (love the trim!) I wanted to stick with a black and white theme.  I've had this gorgeous Marciano blazer for years now and it's a classic piece.  It reminds me of Chanel of course and when I wear black and white, I always pull out my Chanel 'COCO' vintage bangle.  It's a perfect match.  Just like black and white.

muumuu

{dress: Marc by Marc Jacobs (similar, also love this yellow one and this leopard print one); 

sweater: Madewell (similar); beanie: J.Crew (in-store); boots: MICHAEL Michael Kors (similar); 

bracelet: BCBG; sunglasses: Prada; lips: Smashbox 'Fuchsia Flash'}

I was looking for something cozy and casual to wear over the weekend and stumbled across this striped Marc by Marc Jacobs dress in my closet that I purchased last winter.  I believe it was last winter.  Then I got upset at myself for forgetting about this dress because I've only worn it once and it's an amazing dress to wear over the weekend because it's cool and casual.  But I'm petite and this dress is an XS/S and usually when that's the case, the dress (or whatever item) is a bit too big for my petite frame (normally I'm an XS).  But I actually really love that about this dress.  Sure, if I follow the rules, I should belt this dress, but what I love about Marc Jacobs is his quirky style and so I said 'forget the rules' and wore this dress without a belt - muumuu style.  It may not be figure flattering (without a belt), but it's the weekend and I like to pig out.  Plus, it's just fun to break the rules sometimes.

black & white / blue & orange

{sweater: Madewell; skirt: ZARA (last season, love this and this one); clutch: GAP; sunglasses: Prada; 

cuff: Chanel (vintage); boots: MICHAEL Michael Kors (in-store; leopard version here)}

I wrote about my love of blue and orange here.  I said it was my new favourite colour combo.  Nothing beats fuchsia and orange, but this comes pretty close.  The colour of this sweater is so beautiful and it's super soft and cozy.  Thankfully I also bought it in black because it's a must-have for fall (it's now on backorder).  It's merino wool so it's warm for the cool mornings, but it's also light enough for when the sun does come out in the afternoon.  I immediately thought of pairing this outfit with this clutch I bought this past summer, which I never got around to using because I'm lazy when it comes to holding a clutch.  But I actually didn't find it that much work and the double pop of colour brightened up a gloomy day.

coco

{Madewell Heartdot Boyshirt; Wilfred Free Natalia Skirt; cuff: Chanel (vintage);

booties: MICHAEL Michael Kors (old); sunglasses: Prada; nails: Essie 'Chinchilly'}

My first Chanel piece.  Many years ago I ripped out a page from Instyle with these amazing Chanel heart shaped rings on it that I regretted not getting.  I still have the page up on my bulletin board.  So when I came across a similar vintage cuff to mine online, I thought it was the perfect piece that would help me get over not buying that ring, but someone had already added it to their cart.  It said 'check back in 3 minutes'.  I waited anxiously, but it was gone.  So I stalked the LXR&Co. website until I spotted this cuff and immediately added it to my cart, jumping for joy that I was able to get to it before anyone else.  It fits perfectly with the black & white trend, but it's also a piece that will never go out of style because, well, it's Chanel.  I also love that it could be worn with a dress, or with jeans and a tee.  It might be time to take down that page off my bulletin board.

A picture I posted earlier on Instagram showing more detail of the cuff.  Follow me @marikachi!

black & white / stripes & polka dots

{sweater, shorts: GAP; booties: Topshop; hat: Roxy (similar); 

bracelets: H&M (recent, in-store); sunglasses: Marc by Marc Jacobs}

I saw this outfit on the GAP website and fell in love immediately.  I love my stripes and I love my polka dots + mixed with black and white = perfection!  Now yesterday's weather escalated quickly and it became very hot.  So I guess that's what I get for my post yesterday.  But I'm still not diving into summer gear and sticking to my sweaters.  I'll just ease into it by pairing them with shorts and my favourite new booties.