Jumpin’ in a Jumpsuit

Posted on April 19, 2017 by Victoria

The onset of spring and Coachella has officially kicked off festival fashion season. And that makes me jump for joy – or more accurately, a jumpsuit.

The jumpsuit is a perfect alternative to a dress as a one piece does it all solution to your “What should I wear?” dilemma. Despite the trendy jumpsuits you see today – whether it’s a bohemian floral print or a slimming sexy solid – their history hails more from a function rather than fashion standpoint. Jumpsuits were conceived in the early 20th century, originally designed for utilitarian purposes – think military pilots, skydivers, Tom Cruise in Top Gun, and even our dear gal Rosie.

Jumpsuits: 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9

Much like my beloved maxi dresses, I love how jumpsuits have the magic power of elongating the figure – a big win for my five foot two frame. It’s as comfortable as a set of pajamas, complete with an open back that brings the sexy back. I couldn’t resist donning my signature Chic Vic urban turban to channel the jumpsuit’s bohemian vibes and to disguise my bad hair day. The busy print needs no competition, so I kept my accessories to a minimum. I’m all dressed up with #nochella to go.

The only downside to wearing a jumpsuit is how I’ll have to strip down when nature calls. And that’s the naked truth.

Thrifted scarf (similar) | Daiso sunglasses (similar) | vintage earrings (similar) | American Rag jumpsuit (similar) | vintage Coach purse (similar) | Natural Comfort wedges (similar) | vintage wooden bangle (similar) | vintage enamel bangle (similar) | Forever 21 belt (similar)

Striped Dress for Easter

Posted on April 11, 2017 by Victoria

Pastels are always a spring favorite, and since I’ve already been there done that with feminine florals, ethereal lace, and Sunday-best hats, let me paint a different picture for you this Easter OOTD.

When I was a kid, I avoided going into the basement where my dad kept his tools. It was cold, dark, and dirty. But among my dads’ well-worn hammers, boxes of nails, matted paint brushes, and other dusty gadgets and appliances that are of no interest to a ten-year-old, lay a Kelly-Moore paint fan deck as thick as an old school Yellow Pages phone book. I was enamored by the spectrum colors that were beyond the world of Roy G. Biv that I knew. Oh, the descriptive creative names for each hue, the saturation possibilities, and the dazzling way with which the book fanned out! Nowadays, I still get excited about paint chips, but for more practical reasons – like actually choosing a color to repaint my room.

Though the hues are pretty basic, this bargain of a vintage dress (it was $1!) reminds me of those paint chips I loved so much as a kid.

Seeing Stripes: 1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9

Cotton candy blue, pink, and purple stripes run the show like the traveling carnivals popping up in parking lots during spring break – this dress is everything that is perfect for Easter. A touch of earthy taupe offers a subtle accent color alongside white to prevent me from looking like a unicorn. The rare vertical stripes add a slimming effect to the feminine fit and flare silhouette and are a fresh alternative to spring florals that always dominate as the seasons’ “it” print. A classic shirt dress in every way, the circle skirt flares out like a paint fan deck if I’m not careful.

I couldn’t have painted a better wall with which to complement my outfit. Happy Easter!

San Francisco Getaway // CAAMFest

Posted on April 3, 2017 by Victoria

While the first day of my Napa getaway consisted of wine country relaxing, the second day was all about big city living.

After a well rested night fit for a queen in our respective plush queen beds at Bardessono, my girlfriend and I woke up early, ready to take full advantage of day two of our two-day getaway. The hotel has free bike rentals, and luckily they had just two sunny yellow cruisers that were calling our names. A morning bike ride sounded like a great way to begin the day. With the open road in front of me and vineyards to my left and right, I freely coasted down the road. I never knew I had “ride a bike in wine country” on my bucket list, but I do now, and I’ve got photos to prove it.

Driving back to San Francisco in our Buicks, the group reconvened at The Slanted Door inside the Ferry Building. Just like in Napa, I’ve been to the Ferry Building dozens of times but never once have I ever stepped through the [slanted] door. A fresh, lighter take on traditional dishes, it’s a great place to try Vietnamese cuisine for the first time if you’ve never had it. Although I found myself wishing there was more fish sauce flavor, I can see why this place remains to be a favorite amongst locals and visitors alike.

With the mini road trip now behind us, we wrapped up the getaway in style. After a glam session at Blowology Dry Bar, we were whisked away to the Castro Theater (my first time there!) to view the opening night film, The Tiger Hunter, for CAAMFest. If you didn’t already know, CAAMFest is the largest Asian American and Asian Film festival in the nation, having just celebrated its’ 35th year. The Tiger Hunter hit all the feels – I laughed, I cried, and laughed until I cried, all the while snacking on buttery popcorn. The film was really good, and what made it even better was the Q&A session with some of the cast and crew. You can’t quite make out the actors’ faces from where we were sitting, but I was still starstruck. I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see him with my own eyes, but Napoleon Dynamite is all growns-up.

All in all, it was a fun trip and I’m glad I got to experience this mini-getaway. Despite everything being so local, there were a lot of firsts for me on this trip. It just goes to show that you don’t have to travel halfway across the states (or even around the world, although I certainly encourage that), just to explore new places and try new restaurants – and if you’re lucky, you’ll rub elbows with a celebrity.