WEDDING GOWNS for PETITES

Hi everyone.  It's been awhile since I last blogged.  I must admit, I used up every second of my free time to prepare for my big day.  It was all worth it in the end to see all the laughters and old friends having a great time.  Now that my big day is over, I wanted to share my journey in prepping for the wedding.  When a girl says YES to the big question, the next thing to do after breathing is finding the dress and venue.  I say this because a dress takes months to make and additional 4-6 weeks to tailor.  As for venues, they go fast like the clearance rack at H&M.

When searching for THE dress, there are certain things to consider.  Your shape and the dress's shape.

Here is a diagram

I am both petite and hourglass.  If you are the same as me, this is how the dresses looked on me.  I tried on MANY dresses.  Below, I have uploaded my top picks from each place.

1. David's Bridal
Vera Wang White (honestly, not the best dress for petites in my opinion)

2. Vera Wang
First dress: Vera Wang FAWN (Classics collection) I feel light like a feather

Second Dress: Vera Wang Leda (Fall 2013) no joke, hand made dress, made out of 10 layers of lace.

3. Monique Lhuillier
Monique Lhuillier's Emma (bottom of dress is more structured because designer used horsehair)

Monique Lhuillier's Peony

Sorry, I don't remember the name of this dress.  But, it's just a softer look than the Emma.

4. Lovely Bride:
Sarah Seven's Powdered Sugar (click on hyperlink on left to see more about powdered sugar)

Watters's Gloria (very affordable) - in my husband's eyes, aside from the train, this is like the Leda from Vera Wang but cost about 10k less.

I have a tip for all the future brides out there.  If there is a dress you know you can't afford, don't try it on.  Once you try it on and falls in love with it, it's very hard to settle for less because no other dress will ever match up in your heart.  If it's not a dress that is from a trunk show, then you can probably find it under Preownedweddingdresses, or Tradesy 50% off or more.  Those are the two most common sites for preowned gowns.

And I said yes to the Vera Wang Fawn.  I couldn't say no to Powdered Sugar so that became my engagement and reception dress :)

You can see the mermaid cutting on this dress and how the overlying lace gives the mermaid cut a softer touch.

I find the cookie crumb catcher chest line to be very unique.  

Every time I wear this dress, I feel like a fairy.  

Thank you for visiting my blog.  If you are a future bride, I wish you the best of luck finding your dress!

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MY SPRING COLORS: GREY AND MUSTARD YELLOW

I  picked out a yellow and grey outfit today.  Perhaps, it was because my wedding is in 2 weeks and my colors are yellow and grey.  But, mustard yellow is one of my favorite clothing color.  For a soft touch, I can pair it with a grey top or cardigan. For a more nautica feel, I can pair it with a navy blue blazer and a white top.  Yellow is such a fun color that adds a bit of life to the neutral basics.

After having lunch with some friends, we crossed by the village and took some pictures before we finished out wedding projects.  Here is what we came up with this weekend.  Enjoy :)

 You will notice a lot of my stuff from Loft in the near future because I took advantage of their recent FLASH sale (extra 60% off sale items).  Note that the top runs slightly large so I had to wear a nude cami inside for extra coverage.  And you are correct, I am obsessed with Sam Edelman flats.  I have them in multiple colors because they are extremely comfortable, and nicely encases my feet with no toe or bunion cleavage.

Ann Taylor Loft Petite Ruffled Bare Bow Tank xxsp

Ann Taylor Loft Factory Grey Cardigan (similar) xs

H&M mustard yellow super stretch treggings size 4

Sam Edelman felicia flats  in camo calf hair (Nordstrom Rack, but also still sold in Nordstrom)

Banana Republic Somerset Small Satchel (bought on ebay), (similar, similar, similar)

Thank you for visiting and have a great week!

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SKINCARE: Hyaluronic Acid - Peter Roth vs. Timeless

Do you have dry skin or are you currently recovering from an eczema breakout?  I was born with lizard skin and am extremely prone to eczema.  So bad that my doctor told me to not shower everyday because my skin would bleed when I was little.  Praise the Lord I can shower everyday now.  I've always pulled out the big guns to keep my skin moisturized.  One of the active ingredients I look for is hyaluronic acid.  Hyaluronic acid is something we have in our dermis, and they fill in the spaces between cells to form a cushion that retains moisture in our skin.  Here is the difference

Moist skin with high levels of hyaluronic acid                       Dry skin with low levels of hyaluronic acid

If you look at the ingredients in your facial moisturizer, most of them will have hyaluronic acid or glycerin or both.  And if it's a good one, it'll be listed as the 2nd or 3rd ingredient.  With that said, let's move on to our beauty battle of the day!

Left: Timeless Hyaluronic Acid 2fl oz ($13.95)

Right: Peter Thomas Roth VIZ - 1000 1fl oz ($65.00)

Percentage of hyaluronic acid: 

Timeless: 100%

Peter Thomas Roth: 75%

Moisture power:

Both had a significant affect on my skin

So why would one buy Peter Thomas Roth's VIZ 1000?  What does VIZ1000 have over Timeless Hyaluronic Acid?  Let's take a look at Peter Thomas Roth's ingredients.

Peter Thomas Roth's VIZ1000 ingredients:
-Hyaluronic Acid: Helps improve hydration by retaining and attracting up to 1,000 times its own weight in water from moisture in the air. 
-Sodium PCA: Helps bind moisture to the skin, preventing dehydration. 
-Silk Proteins: Derivative of pure silk made into a water-soluble form that acts as a powerful skin softener. -Sea Algae: Helps to promote moisture in the skin; soothes. 

Timeless Hyaluronic Acid ingredients:
- Water
- Sodium Hyaluronate - salt form of the liquid hyaluronic acid, retains moisture
- Benzylalcohol - preservative (in plants, fruits, and tea) *They claim on their website that their product is natural.  So this benzylalcohol MAY be separate from the synthetic version (combo of benzyl chloride with sodium hydroxide)  Not sure because I never believe what is advertised completely.
- Dehydroacetic acid - acts as preservative

I've used both and they both made a difference.  The amount of preservative does bother me a little bit because overtime, the benzyl alcohol can stimulate my immune system and cause my skin to act out.  If you don't have sensitive skin, the cheaper alternative maybe okay.  But, if you have sensitive skin or eczema prone skin, it may be worth it to spend the extra dollars on the Peter Thomas Roth VIZ1000.  If you prefer a cheaper alternative that has other ingredients on top of hyaluronic acid, you can check out Matrixyl 3000 by Timeless.   However, make a note to self that this also has preservatives like dehydroacetic acid and benzyl alcohol.

Matrixyl 3000, $22.95

Which one would you pick?  Does preservatives bother you?  

RETRO CLASSICS: H&M Divided Polka Dot Dress

Hi Everybody!  Weather in SoCal has been so warm, hitting 90degrees in L.A. this week.  I occasionally like throw back looks for fun.  I find polka dots to be both cute and classy.  Perfect to go with some pearls for a classic look.  Couldn't help but to add a bow to the outfit with this cute Kate Spade bag I bought back when Kate Spade had a huge 75% off sale.

Dress: H&M (limited edition - available at Ontario Mills) $34, (similar)

Call your local H&M to see if they have it before you make the trip if you are interested.  It's the divided label with the lace trim on top.

Necklace: Bath and Body (old $15)

bag: Kate Spade (old), (just as cute here and here)

Stay tuned for some beauty battles and fashion for less posts soon!


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LADY IN LACE: ZARA Lace Top and Foreign Exchange Lace shorts

Has it been a week already?  Time sure flies by!  This past week has been so hectic with work, wedding errands, and studying for boards, I have completely lost track of time.  I hope everyone had a great weekend.  It has been so cold and rainy this past week, it was nice to finally see some sun!  Here are some pictures from our weekend photo shoot in the Claremont colleges.

Zara Lace Top size XS old (was $15 at Zara last month), (similar here), (equally cute)

Foreign Exchange Crochet Festival shorts size S (yupe, this brand runs small)

Andersen and Lauth Cardigan (gift from mom), (similar) (similar) (similar), (similar)

Sam Edelman Silver Pink Felicia Flats

Kate Spade Bag (old)

This is probably one of the best cardigans my mom ever bought for me.  I love the way it drapes in the back, front, and side.  It's such a beautiful ladylike cut.  Perfect to pair it with lace top and lace shorts.

Have a great week every body!

For those that requested a makeup post, I will try and do one in May.  Stay tuned :)  Thank you for your patience and thank you for visiting!


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