Friday Favourite

It has been an anxious couple of months in my neck of the woods. This year brings different challenges to my life - some welcome, others not so. The juggling act can get quite tiring frankly and I admit that I sometimes struggle in the quest to quell my fears. 

An instant stress-reliever has been, quite predictably, retail therapy. While I am well aware this can not be a permanent solution, and to be honest, doesn't reconcile with my aggressive savings goals for the year, SHOPPING MAKES ME HAPPYYYYY!!

In spite of my style veering away from extreme-frilly-girliness, I find great joy in frocks - pretty, pretty frocks. So in taking advantage of the great promos in my favourite stores this past week, here is what I ordered:

J Crew: 25%/30% orders above $150

The Scalloped Dress is a wonderful addition to my shift collection. I love the sweet scalloped edges and the red version was my choice over the citrus or navy since it works for both work (everything becomes a little more corporate with a crisp blazer, no?) and play. 

Polka dots are classic - says the gal with plenty of them in her wardrobe. Though none with glimmering silver circles, which is what I told myself when I purchased this dress. The weight of the Sparkle Dot Dress may veer on being too substantial for the high heat of summer but would make a great transition piece for the coming months. 

Anthropologie: 20% off all dresses

These following dresses are just why I will never stop shopping at Anthro. I mean, I need another striped dress like a hole in the head but those three bows kill me. I love the puff sleeves too and the price is a winner even without the promo. 

Conservative in the front, party at the back. I love the lovely twist to something as simple as a shirtdress. Also, the peach colour reminds me of watermelon (peach?) cocktails on the beach.  

The Lalina Dress is a bit of a splurge but easier to stomach due to the promo. Part of the Made in Kind - India collection, this silk dress was designed by Pankaj and Nidhi Ahuja. I love how the simple fit and flare style lets the vivid South Asian pattern take precedence. I see this with nude pumps for a business casual day at work and then tan (or even sunshine yellow) sandals for brunch.  

Now that I have all these new things for Spring, I best be looking into less-expensive forms of therapy. I am thinking I should start reading again. Especially since I'm still stuck on book 2 of A Song of Ice and Fire (aka Game of Thrones).
Have a wonderful rest of the week and hope you took advantage of these promos. And to those celebrating, have a blessed Good Friday and Happy Passover! 

Friday Favourite

This blog has fallen on the wayside lately - I blame the early stages of wedding planning and falling into the black hole that is Pinterest). I have a couple of posts in the pipeline, including finishing off my Asian-holiday recap (laughably overdue) and telling you about our quick sojourn to Miami last weekend. 

But first, since it's Friday, I wanted to show you the inspiration for my favourite for the week:

I can't help but see leopard/cheetah faux fur coats everywhere. With good reason I admit - as they seem to elevate any outfit to some astronomical level of chic. With the speedy pace trends trickle down to high street brands, you would think a reasonably-priced yet decent-looking version would be easy to come by, but alas. 

However after weeks of looking, I believe we finally have a winner:

I received this today and can report that this coat (less than $70) looks better than the photo above (don't you think the collar and lapel looks a little off? me too). The faux cheetah fur on this one is super soft, feeling and looking far superior than this other ASOS one I ordered. 

Too bad it's far too cold to bust it out this weekend.

Hope you are having a great Friday! 

Image sources: (from top) Cheetah is the New Black, Atlantic-Pacific, unknown, unknown 

Friday Favourite

Due to recent events, I have spent an inordinate amount of time indoors and on the computer this week. A long-standing item on my to-do list was to fix up the Pages at the top of this website. I am particularly proud of the Food page where I have listed my favourite restaurants and bars in New York by neighbourhood. it's still a work in progress but I urge you to come take a look whether you are visitor to the city or just a resident looking for a solid suggestion.  

I have otherwise also trawled through the many pretty things currently on sale at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus. I have colourful prints and texture on my mind - which is reflected in the following closely-edited list of items I would love to get my hands on. 

Have a great Friday. We are having a low-key weekend in light of the past week. With power only scheduled to be restored to friends downtown late Saturday, we will stay close to home in case our apartment is needed for people to recharge and recoup. I would take this opportunity to urge you to support Sandy recovery efforts in any way you can. 

Friday Favourite

I wasn't planning on posting a Friday Favourite today since I have found it very detrimental to the shopping hiatus I am on. 

Case in point: after extolling the virtues of the items on last week's Friday Favourite, I convinced myself and prompty purchased the Minnie's and BOTH Target boots. The only reason I didn't order the Zara jacket is because it is yet to come back in stock online *facepalm*. At least I can't say I don't believe in what I write. 

Anyhoo I wore this outfit today and I was surprised at how well-liked it was at work: 

J Crew sweater (sim and sim), Ann Taylor skirt, J Crew Valentina pumps (sim, sim and sim), Hermes Kelly Double Tour Bracelet

I bought mine a couple of months back so I poked around the Ann Taylor site on behalf of eager co-workers to check if it had popped back in stock. Lo and behold - ALL SIZES AVAILABLE. Not wanting to keep this find to myself, plus it would do me some good to only shop vicariously, I bring you this: 

Ann Taylor Flounce Skirt

I love love love how flattering it is. Don't be mortified at the how short it looks on the product page (Sidenote: do you read this? HILARIOUS). The slight stretch allows me to wear mine on my hips to be at an acceptable length for work; and don it on my waist for a weekend look (and still not be a candidate for that aforementioned website). The sturdy, solid cotton is a big win in my books too as I like things that look heaps more expensive that they actually are. 

For $50 (this weekend only), I say YES to the flounce and YES to another Friday Favourite!

Happy Columbus Day!

Friday Favourites

Happy Saturday everyone! Hope you have lovely things planned for the weekend. I have one of my best friends visiting from Hong Kong. We have a lot of fun things planned, including a lot of shopping (alas only for her, not me).

As mentioned previously, I am saving up furiously for my end-of-year Asian trip but please indulge me while I show you items that are high on my wish list this week:   

This blazer:

While some of my other Zara items are of questionable quality, the jackets I have have held up amazingly well. This wool/faux-leather option is so chic. I would wear it as I would wear my leather jacket - with skinnies, pencil skirts, shifts, mini skirts etc. The blazer is not online yet but you can sign up on the product page to receive notifications when it is available for purchase.

These pants:

Yeahhhh these J Crew Minnies have been talked to death on other blogs but I genuinely like them. I have a pair of the cotton twill Minnies in Navy and have worn them at least twice a week since purchasing them a month ago. They are very flattering and this season's wool pair will be a great way to embrace the oxblood (awful word by the way) trend, I am thisclose to ordering these while the 25% promo is on till the end of today. 


These boots:

I am usually not a fan of suede since I don't have the patience to care for them properly. I like these Target boots because they are faux-suede and have a 3" heel - perfect for walking the grimy streets of New York plus I won't be too upset if I wreck them prematurely. For the rest of today, Target is offering a $15 gift card with every $75 purchase. These boots are so cheap, I actually have to chuck these chelsea boots in 2 colours to my cart to get to the threshold ;)

Are any of these on your wish list too? Let me know and have a great rest of the weekend!

Friday Favourite

Topshop released it's new collaboration with J.W. Anderson today. After the crraazzzyyyy shopping I did in Europe, I only have a budget for one item in this release:

Bat Hand Knit Sweater

While the collection is frankly non-cohesive and comprises a random mishmash of beach items to kitschy animal prints, there are a few standouts. I particularly like the long pleated skirt and (ghastly name aside) the french maid dress. Will you be picking up anything from this collection?


Hope you have a fabulous weekend. I am off to Philadelphia tomorrow, first for a dance performance and then to spend the rest of the weekend with Sonia. Can't wait!

Friday Favourite (Ta ta for now!)

I am so thrilled to say that I am currently flying over the Atlantic for a quick getaway to Europe! My first stop is San Sebastian in Spain for a dear friend's wedding. Then I head off to Biarritz, a glitzy beach town in the South of France before I end the holiday with a week in Paris!  

via

As a lot of walking is on the cards this trip, today's favourite is the comfiest pair of flats I own, beating out even classy Repetto -- Ferragamo My Joy Ballet Flats. Since I can't fathom the thought of having to break in a shoe that is fundamentally meant to be comfortable, I am happy to say these need zero breaking in and they mold to your feet instantly. The soles are soft so you feel like you are walking on a plush carpet. I have had mine for over a year, wearing them nearly every day and they still look like new - well worth every penny! Several thumbs up on this one.

Anyhoo, I have drafted a couple of posts that will go up whilst I am away but I do welcome you to follow me on Instagram (@UshaJoy) where I hope to update with lots of pretty pictures of my travels. 

À bientôt!

Friday Favourite

Today's Friday Favourite is an all-time darling - the Outnet. A fan since day one in 2009, The Outnet has allowed me to gradually amass a collection of amazing designer pieces I once only dreamed of owning. 

Each Friday at around noon, the Outnet launches a "flash sale" of sorts that runs through the weekend, usually an extra percentage off items that are already a fraction of its original price.

For the next few days, take a further 40% off dresses. For someone who has more frocks than any other item of clothing, this is music to my ears. With over 300 items on sale, here are some that I particularly like:

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania ($66)

I have always wanted to own a piece of Vivienne Westwood.  Whilst some of her items are too punk for my aesthetic, I love this dress and would wear it to work with a long cardi or blazer; and take it off for a night about town.

Vivienne Westwood Anglomania ($78)

Another of Dame Westwood's. In my books, stripes are as versatile as neutrals so you can't have too many. I like the idea of wearing a loose sweater or white shirt over this to break up the stripes. A great item to take travelling. 

Vince ($150)

I can't believe I am saying this in August but this will be perfect for the holidays. I like the styling with black leggings in the product page and I am confident the more petite among us can get away with wearing this as a flirty dress.

Thakoon ($210)

This dress reminds me of this Carven number, which is still prohibitively expensive even after the markdown. I like the softness of the Thakoon, and I would pair this with a long necklace. I might even wear the white blazer again for a work-friendly alternative.  

Missoni ($136)

A lovely interpretation of Missoni's trademark stripes, this would make a perfect weekend outfit. I love that the loose design is conducive to the big meals I usually partake on Saturday and Sunday. The length, demure neckline and sleeve design also make this dress perfect for the office.

The sale lasts till Monday. Happy weekend shopping!

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P.s. On a slightly serious note, the shooting that took place this morning struck a little too close to home. Literally. Gun control laws in this country leave me in constant disbelief. Maybe I should count my blessings that the state of New York has tougher rules than others. Or maybe not.

Friday Favourite

I think Harry Allen pigs are great but a piggy bank at that price is ridiculous. While flipping through the latest CB2 catalogue, I came across these:

 

At $35 with shipping, I am determined to find a spot for them in our tiny apartment. I am confident we have space for another tchotchke...

P.s If you prefer a pig pillow instead.

All images via CB2.

(Belated) Friday Favourite

This week's late favourite is brought to you by Hollywood.

It's rare that I covet something worn by a celeb - but Emma Roberts' tee and denim outfit is a look even a girlie-girl like me would be comfortable in:

Dare say these words will come in handy on my upcoming trip, qu'en pensez-vous?

Urban Outfitters Muscle Tee

Use NEWSKOOL for 10% off!

Friday Favourite

A quick check-in to say howdy and to show you my favourite purchase this week (and hopefully only purchase this month before I fly out to Europe in a few weeks!)

J Crew Lucille Dress (take 30% sale items)

After a long week, I am looking forward to ushering in the weekend with a cocktail on the Met Rooftop this evening.

Happy Friday to you and yours!