In the glow of the aftermath

 Dress: Sag Harbor, vintage, thrifted; Shoes: Zigi Soho;

Belt: BR, from Marilou; Sweater: Banana Republic.

These photos were taken Thursday, just before I cut off six inches of my hair. I suppose with all the good change in my life, it felt right to celebrate it by embracing change in my appearance as well. Big reveal tomorrow ...

This weekend was wonderful -- J and I dove straight into another Oscar movie marathon Saturday, spent some time with family and watched the Oscars Sunday. As for the Best Picture nominees, I thought some were even better on second viewing ("Black Swan," "Inception") and others were rightly hyped and awarded ("Social Network," "King's Speech"). I've been slowly digesting the 10 films over the last couple days and it's been extremely hard for me to pick a favorite, because this felt like a really strong year for movies. My favorite performances, though, were Colin Firth's in "The King's Speech" and Hailee Steinfeld's in "True Grit."


How was your weekend?

Remixed: Aeropostale anorak jacket

Whenever I need to infuse a little bit of toughness into my outfits, I wear this thrifted jacket. Its neutral color and hood ensure that it will always be a practical piece, while its weathered detailing and bomber design offer a rugged attitude.

Reel style: Life imitating art

With the Oscars around the corner, it's no wonder that my thoughts of the cinematic and sartorial collide. Below is a retrospective of past looks alongside the brilliant movie costuming that inspired them.

Movie photo credit: Atonement, Gone with the Wind, 

Batman Begins, Casablanca.

Movie costuming can be just as important as the dialogue and action in a movie, so much so that the clothing becomes an explicit expression of the character's psyche and actions. And some clothing will always be synonymous with its movie title. Where would  "Annie Hall" be without Diane Keaton's menswear, or "The Seven Year Itch" without Marilyn's white halter dress, or "The Graduate" without Mrs. Robinson's fur coat (or ahem, pantyhose)?

Do you find inspiration from movie style, and if so, which films? Will you be watching the Oscars this Sunday? 

Here's looking at you, kids,

Mr. Blue Sky

 Dress: Connected Apparel; Sweater: Loft; Shoes: Zigi Soho.

These photos by Jeremiah.

It's been an incredible week. I got my first acceptance to graduate school yesterday. I'm almost too overwhelmed to talk about it, knowing that my life is going to change and take a different shape come August. I'll spill more details as these plans become more clear in the coming weeks, but for now, I am just full of hope and giddy-excitedness.

Add to that getting profiled by Collette and watching an Oscar movie marathon this Saturday, and at this rate I'll be twitching from happiness overload by week's end.

Here is what I was wearing yesterday -- it seemed appropriate that I matched my blue-sky surroundings.

To my mother

Happy birthday to the kindest, strongest, prettiest woman I know, whose sacrifice, wisdom and love are examples to all. 

Maligayang Bati, Mom!

Short skirt, and a long jacket

 Blazer: Donna Karan, salvaged from Aunt P.;

Dress: BR, gift from Marilou; Heels: Aerosoles.

I have been interviewed by Collette from Statements in Fashion for her Twitter Tuesdays series --- check it out over there. And check out Collette's style as she participates in the 30 for 30 Remix Challenge -- tons of outfit inspiration to be sure!

Here is what I wore for an entire day at the movies Saturday for AMC's Best Picture Showcase. It might seem counterintuitive to dress up for the movies, but since this was my sixth time going, I've found that wearing nicer clothes makes me feel less sluggish throughout the day (it usually starts to happen after the third or fourth movie). I also brought an extra sweater and heels to stay warm and to navigate going up and down stairs between breaks.

As for the movies, I saw "Toy Story 3," "127 Hours," "The Kids are Alright," "True Grit," and "The Fighter." I'll be seeing the other five next weekend before the Oscars air on Sunday. My favorite movies from last weekend were "127 Hours" and "True Grit" (loved the realism in both, and Hailee Steinfeld was phenomenal in "True Grit"). I am really excited about this year's nominees, as this looks like a really strong year for the Best Picture category.

Do you keep up with nominated movies, and will you be watching the Oscars this year?

To see my past visits to the AMC Best Picture Showcase, click here.

Alter-egos: An LBD's journey into the night

Inspired by my resolution to let my photography do more storytelling, I set up my first story photoshoot based on my daily outfit. Here is a day-to-night transition of the same black lace dress. As I am a huge Marvel Comics nerd, this is an homage to the duality of the superhero, specifically Bruce Wayne's metamorphosis into Batman. Just imagine a practically-heeled superheroine being called to action by Gotham's signal lights  ...

Albeit its technical difficulty (some shots were difficult with lighting and angles), this was a fun project, so hope you enjoy!

Dress: Hannah Hardy, vintage, thrifted; 

Trench: Banana Republic; Shoes: Naturalizers; Mask: Party City.

Remixed: Plaid shirt

This shirt was an anomaly among my floral-heavy closet. But this secondhand Arizona Jeans Co. plaid variety has seen a lot of wear, and it's become a good rotating piece. The plaid pattern is in one of my favorite colors (red), and its sturdy cotton ensures that it will last for a really long time.