Summer Styles : Hints of Bohemian

P o s t . b y l M i m i 

Summer's solstice is just around the corner and California is heating up for it. In preparation, we created casual summer looks paired with our current favorite trend - Bohemian - for those long warm summer days.  

dress: white lace-lined cardigan: light pink lace  boots: brown suede booties accessories: flower pendant, tassel necklace, rings & midi-rings

For my look, I paired my favorite lace cardigan with a white laced lined dress and some drown suede booties for a casual look. Topping off the look, I mixed in a flower pendant and gold tassel necklace along with some rings.   

Yet the main things I love about this trend, has got to be the effortlessly tousled hair and its carefree nature.

Styling with the Stars - {Griffith Observatory}

This past weekend, Mimi & I escaped a bit of the high heat wave in SoCal by making a trip Griffith Observatory, which sits on a slope of Mount Hollywood overlooking the LA skyline and infamous Hollywood sign. If you're (ever) in the LA area, this is a must-see, free and gorgeous attraction! 

We couldn't get enough of the clear, scenic views from the hilltop. 

It's awesome to be able to access so much knowledge and a unique perspective,

 thanks to this grand spectacle. 

In fact, this was the primary purpose of building this particular observatory. According to brochures, founder Griffith J. Griffith (yea, an interesting name!), "believed that astronomy and observation could alter perspective, and by doing so, could improve people's lives."

Lace blouse: Free People (thrifted at Crossroads) / High-waisted shorts: My Story (thrifted at Crossroads) / Booties: Lucky (Hautelook) / Sunglasses: Anthropologie 

Ritika & Mimi's Crossroads Photography Contest Entry

Recently, Mimi and I entered our first photography contest ever: The Crossroads Photography Contest 2013.  We were one of thousands of entries from around the world. Although we didn't win, the best part was letting our creativity run wild. Mimi and I came up with a few artistic visions and it was blast bringing them to life. Check out some our photos from our shoot and some behind the scenes photos as well!

Korean Fashion is Dainty, Detailed and Divine!

P o s t . b y    l   R i t i k a

Molangg Tumblr 

Lately I've been inspired and intrigued by Korean fashion. I started fancying their style ever since I stumbled upon a brand new quaint boutique called Alice's in my parent's hometown of Hacienda Heights, CA.

The owner, Alice, is very cordial and explained that she takes a trip to Korea once every 1-2 months to handpick new trends, styles and accessories and display in them in her store. I just loved everything. The clothes are so much more intricate than a typical American Forever 21 or even Nordstrom. It's pricey, but I think it's worth it.

You can find clothes here that no one else will have -- from dresses, maxi skirts, flannel shirts, tops, t-shirts, blazers and everything in between! The style is actually very similar and cohesive. It's very girly, preppy, detailed, whimsical and chic. Korean styles are also perfect for smaller frames (though Alice stocks for larger sizes mostly!).

I loved the collection so much that I insisted Mimi check it out. And she loved it too! In fact, we're planning on an upcoming collaborative post showcasing our awesome finds from Alice's. It's so new that it doesn't have a proper Yelp page yet. I'm going to change that!

Until we get a chance to get together and create a mini fashion show for you all, here are some of the similar Korean styles I found around the web. Note the intricate details!

 Hye-Jun Tumblr

I love the brown, black and white mix of neutrals.
It's probably one of the few black dressed I'd ever wear in the summer!

Inspiration : Get the World Moving

P o s t . b y    l    M i m i   

Today, I wanted to share something that I committed myself to doing for the next 16 weeks. Through a program called Global Corporate Challenge (GCC), I pledged to walk an average of 10,000 steps a day for 16 weeks.

This program is hosted by Get the World Moving. What they do is provide companies and their employees with accelerometers to calculate each step that is taken. With these steps and 6 other teammates steps, it calculates the distance traveled and by the end of 16 weeks each team would have traveled around the world if the team averaged 10,000 steps.  This year, everyone started off digitally travelling in Rio De Janeiro, Brasil. Not only do they provide facts about each destination stumbled upon, but they also share some fun and interesting local knowledge to enhance our digital traveling experience.

Prepping for Summer: Unique Beach Style

P o s t . b y    l   R i t i k a

It's not  quite summer...but here in SoCal, we're already feeling strong summer rays! In order to prep for the upcoming season, I wanted to share with you my absolute favorite beachy look:

This summer outfit is breathtaking! I'm so inspired by this outfit found on Pinterest here, found first by my friend Smriti. Unfortunately, I'm not quite sure who to credit this photo? The Stylet.ag link fails to take me to the correct page. If anyone knows the proper credit, please do let us know. 

The high slit white skirt + low-cut one piece black bathing suit works so well together. It's different than the 100+ bikinis you'll see on any given beach on a sunny day. Yet it's still very sexy. 

The belt adds a fun, stylish touch as well! 

Here are cute, affordable pieces to replicate the look.

DIY Bow Hair Tyes and Clips

P o s t . b y    l    M i m i   

Latest obsession:  Bows! From wearing them in my hair to tying presents in bows! Not only are they great accessories for girls of all ages, but they also look dashing on most guys with collared shirts! There are so many ways to dress up and dress down bows that makes them so versatile and fun to play with.

Today, I wanted to share my this obsession with you guys through a small DIY! ...So, let's get started!

 . . . Materials needed . . . 

Fabric scraps (at least 5" x 7")

Scissors

Glue Gun or Sewing Kit

Hair Clip or Hair Tye

Things To Consider Before Ombre-ing Your Hair

P o s t . b y    l    M i m i   

Ombre is one of the hottest hairstyles for the spring and summer time. It brightens up ones face and brings depth and dimension to your hair. And since it is spring, I decided to try out this trendy hairstyle myself. Below are a list of things I thought that everyone should consider before trying out this hairstyle.

• Beginners problem:
  If you've never dyed or bleach your hair before, to get the best result you should consult a hairdresser. I've dyed and re-dyed my hair for years and years now, so I understand how and what these chemicals will do to my hair. For beginners, going to a salon and getting it professionally done will ensure you get the results you dream of.
  
• Ombre = Bleaching hair:
  Whenever you are changing up your hair color, you are adding chemicals to your hair, which in turn will damage your hair. To achieve the ombre effect, bleaching and/or lightening your hair is required, this will damage your hair. If you don't want to damage your hair, you should reconsider trying out this hairstyle.
  
• In for the long haul: 
  You should always consider if a type of look is age, work, and school appropriate. Bleaching your hair means stripping your hair of its natural hair color which means it is permanent. Therefore, you should consider if it is okay to have this hairstyle in your current environment.
  
• Different Shades of Ombre:
  Not everyone has the same color hair or skin tone, therefore decide how light or how dark you want your ombre to be depending on your skin tone. Also, picture the type of ombre you want, is it the subtle type, or the more dramatic type? Whichever one your consider, know that it'll work for you and your skin tone beforehand. 

Now, check out my personal experience down below. . .

Light Floral Notes

   P o s t . b y    l    M i m i                    
                                                                                                      

 marc jacobs watch . j'adore dior perfume . pastel lacquers . kate moss spray . handmade jewelry 

Spring's official debut is in a week, but some of the flowers in my garden are already up to welcome in the new season. One of my favorites has got to be the cherry blossoms. They always serve as a reminder to splash on my favorite floral fragrances, nails lacquers, and sparkling accessories to toast to the coming of Spring.