White Swan x Halloween

Self-made feather headpiece, Nasty Gal sequin tank, BCBG tutu tank dress, D&G gold flats

I've never bought an actual Halloween costume (like from the packaged box). Maybe it's more embarrassing that I've always just had the random pieces to put together something last minute. I bought this tutu tank dress from BCBG a while ago even though I'd have no practical occasion to wear it.. except for Halloween.. I made a version of the gorgeous feather headpiece from the movie Black Swan seen here. Hope you all had a fun Halloween weekend!

 If you have instagram, find me! @carolynyuen

Skillet Diner - Seattle

Mobile food trucks have been the rage for a while now, and Skillet started out as one known for their bacon jam and burger. After a couple years of success, it recently went brick and mortar serving breakfast and modern comfort food all day until late. New American diner.. of course I would be all over that.

Water in mason jars, always a cute touch.

Lamb sloppy joe sliders.

Mac and cheese with roasted butternut squash cream, candied walnuts, and blue cheese. I love when new American restaurants upgrade basic mac and cheese, and I have a particular soft spot in my stomach for those three ingredients.

Southern fried chicken with black pepper honey drizzle, potato salad, mustard vinaigrette and cornmeal waffle (which tasted basically like cornbread in waffle form.. so amazing with some maple syrup).

Have a fun Halloween weekend! I'll post up my costume Monday. :)

Hey Pretty Thing x Michael Kors part 3

Michael Kors drop-shoulder cardigan, cowl neck top, sequin pants, cross suede heels, clutch, link bracelet and watch

This is the third installment of my photoshoot with Michael Kors at the Bellevue store (here's one and two). The fun part of not styling yourself is wearing outfits you typically wouldn't. I appreciate sequins but have always found them too glam for daily wear, so I'm glad these sequin pants are appropriately subdued by a simple black and white color palette.

Walking on a dream

T by Alexander Wang knit blazer, H&M striped tee, Forever 21 destroyed jeans, Alessandro Dell'Acqua heels, necklace from a market in Bangkok, Thailand

I found these heels in Hong Kong (the city where all your obscure fashion desires can be procured) and loved the fuchsia satin and nude combo, but mostly the unique cord ankle ties. Too bad the brand is hard to track online, they have satin envelope clutches with the same cord wrap closure I'd love to get my hands on.. So I got sick of my swoop bangs and decided to part them. Change always takes getting used, so I reverted back to my regular style the day after.. I haven't been able to shake bangs since I first got them in like the 7th grade. Maybe one day..

Finish each day and be done with it

Shipley & Halmos trench coat, Dries Van Noten python heel booties, Balenciaga clutch

This is the coat I wore over my outfit in the post I wrote earlier this week about meeting the designers of Shipley & Halmos. I've been on a hunt for the perfect trench and was close to buying this one from Rag & Bone but I also wanted some variance on the classic look. I got this S&H trench just in time for fall, and liked the flared skirt, elbow patch details, and the mini cape in the back that wraps around to tie in the front, but it wasn't until I asked for my boyfriend's opinion when he pointed out the buttons down the back that I was completely sold.

Anyway, it's the boy's birthday and I have one long weekend of festivities planned. Hope you all have a fun weekend too!

Hey Pretty Thing x Michael Kors part 2

Michael Kors leopard top, zip leather skirt, booties, clutch, wrap bracelet and watch

Here is this week's continuation of the shoot I did with Michael Kors (first one here). I got to style this outfit, and it was pretty easy to pick out this silky leopard print top to pair with leather. I am currently looking for an a-line leather mini skirt (like this and this). Think it'd be so versatile to wear this season with an oversized sweatshirt or mohair sweater over it, or a button up tucked in. Also, I'm loving the MK gunmetal wrap bracelet, I can imagine it feeling right at home stacked with a big watch and some arm candy.

Meeting Shipley & Halmos

Étoile Isabel Marant corduroy shirt, Rag & Bone leather panel skirt, Dries Van Noten booties

This past Saturday, I got to meet Sam and Jeff of Shipley & Halmos at Nordstrom. They drew "no look" sketches of all the people they met in S&H x Moleskine notebooks that everyone got to keep (check the scans on their blog). I was only able to make it to the tail end of the event and they ran out of notebooks, but it was awesome being able to chat with the guys for a while without a huge crowd, they're so genuine. Anyway, I wore a trench coat of theirs that I picked up in San Diego (a post on that to come) over this outfit. Currently obsessed with the mix of corduroy, navy and black together, and leather for fall so why not mash it all together in one look..

PS: I recently joined Instagram, add me! @carolynyuen

The Cottage - La Jolla

I heard yummy things abut this cute house restaurant, so I had to check out The Cottage while my boyfriend and I were in San Diego a couple weeks ago. As always, there was a wait, but it was not so bad since they supplied free coffee and amazing coffeecake that I may have gone back for two or three or more times than I'd like to admit.

We were seated on the patio, which is a nice treat because patio-weather is definitely over in Seattle. My daily coffee is an Americano but since we were on vacation and it was a weekend (calories don't exist on either of those occasions), I got a Mexican mocha.. with whip.. sure, why not. This is one of those very rare times when I wear lipstick (Stila Outrageous), which is always in vain since I eat so frequently it never stays on.

French toast stuffed with mascarpone and fresh strawberries.

Dungeness crab eggs benedict. My bf and I always get two (or more when we're feeling really fatty) items and share so the palette gets a taste of multiple flavors, plus it's fun to try more items.

Btw, this was the outfit I wore in this post. Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Sail away with me

Ralph Lauren sweater dress, Topshop leopard belt, boots from Hong Kong boutique

These were taken on a ferry ride to a wedding couple weekends ago with the beautiful Seattle skyline in the back. I've never worn a sweater dress to a wedding before, but it was so cold and dreary that this thick knit thing made more sense than any typical floral wedding getup in my closet. It was later called a beekeeper's outfit by a guy friend in good humor even though I think it looks more like winter Jesus attire, but I dig it.

Sometimes, if you lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known

Sheer sleeves blazer from Hong Kong boutique, Flesh Imp tank, Adam silk shorts, Zara sandals, Balenciaga Arena Giant Envelope clutch

These were taken at La Jolla Cove after brunch at Nine Ten when my boyfriend and I were in San Diego a couple weeks ago. I could sit on that ledge for hours just watching the ocean swell and slam into the rocks below eroded smooth by constant crashing waves. If there was public Wi-Fi access, I'd be out there with a lawn chair (or probably something more comfortable if I thought it through) and my laptop writing and working.

Anyway, about the clutch, I was debating between this color or black, but I like that this dusty blue is muted just enough to go with everything. Btw I wore this to the Gilt City Seattle blogger luncheon I posted about. Yes, I'm a frequent outfit repeater and will wear something almost a week straight if it's comfy and I'm lazy enough.. probably too much information and now you're all kind of grossed out but tis is my life. Except I dressed it up for the luncheon with some half metallic/half mesh/full awesomeness Maison Martin Margiela heels I'll have to post up another time.

Car is parked, bags are packed, but what kind of heart doesn't look back

Shipley & Halmos mesh blazer, Helmut Lang cutout tank, Forever 21 jeans, Givenchy boots, Alexander McQueen knuckle clutch

Here's what I wore to the fashion show I posted below. Pairing bright pants and black classics with a little intrigue, which goes to show my general nonacceptance of anything too conventional. Side story: I brought this clutch on a carry-on to San Diego and got stopped by security who asked if I was carrying a weapon like brass knuckles. Flustered, I responded something to the likeness of, "No, of course not..... actually, sort of." Luckily I got through, but learned to place it in the luggage next time.. Anyway, my nail polish is OPI's Strawberry Margarita with black Shatter that my bf bought me, he said he saw it and thought it was cool. haha Cute.

Zebra Club fall fashion show

This past Friday, Zebra Club invited me to their fall collection runway show "Boudoir" at Piano Bash. The night was upbeat and energetic, showcasing the boutique's fun, urban looks coupled with spunky musical entertainers like DJ Blendiana Jones (just his name alone makes him pretty awesome). A full outfit post to come!