Jumpin’ in a Jumpsuit

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)

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)

Boho FOMO

IMG_8511 copy Rarely do I ever suffer feelings of FOMO (fear of missing out), yet when I found out a couple of my good friends were planning to lose their Coachella virginity this month, I admit I felt just a tinge of jealousy. I still remember vividly my experience from last year: the flower crowns, flowy dresses, fringe, and colorful prints. Yes my friends, I have festival fashion FOMO and the only cure for it is more boho.

thrifted scarf (similar) / vintage dress  (similar) / thrifted bangles (similar here & here)
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Luckily I found my fix right under my nose, hanging in my closet. This handmade vintage dress makes me feel groovy but elegant, youthful yet mature. With a stylized paisley floral print bursting in a melange of vivid colors, it only seemed right to accessorize accordingly, else do the dress injustice. An urban turban and an arm chockfull of bangles fit the boho bill quite nicely.
IMG_8524 Sometimes I wonder about who made and wore this dress, and to where did she wear this psychedelic beauty? Perhaps to a music festival in the 60s or 70s? Whoever she was, she is my body twin and style soulmate.

Wearing this dress takes me back into time and that’s better than any overpriced Coachella weekend. Peace out FOMO!

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Beautiful Little Fool

That’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool . . . ” – Daisy Buchanan

I guess you can call me a beautiful little fool for attempting to rival the looks of Ms. Daisy Fay. After all, she wears the finest pearls that money and buy and has two men vying for her love. Who wouldn’t be jealous?

Perhaps one of the most popular fashion decade amongst vintage experts and amateurs alike is the flapper style of the Roaring 20s. The style of this decade consisted of shapeless shift dresses with boxy straight cut silhouettes. Gone were the constricting corsets of past eras, and this was the first time there was so much exposure of the arms and legs. Shoes also became important in the outfit, as they now were visible because of the shorter hemlines. Mary Janes and T-straps were the popular shoes of this era, with their aesthetically pleasing design and practicality for dancing.

After watching The Great Gatsby, I was inspired to get jazzy and celebrate the 20s while I am still in my 20s. I got this awesome sequined wool top during my solo trip to Toronto a few months back. Not only does it shine and sparkle under the lights, but also when I move, the sequins rustle like the sound of leaves blowing on the treetops during a breezy autumn day. I wore it over my LBD, and with my already boyish figure, I suddenly created a flapperesque silhouette of a dress. Add some gold T-strap heels and a velvet turban headband (I used a strip of fabric scrap), and I am ready to do the Charleston all through the night. I probably could’ve used one strand – or ten – of pearls, since the 1920s look isn’t complete without tons of costume jewelry. Oh, what a fool I am!


vintage sequined tank (sequin option here) / We Who See T-strap heels (similar) / DIY velvet turban headband (tutorial here)

What’chu talkin’ ‘bout, Willis?

Itemize deductions? Report investments? Self-employed? Tax season can be quite taxing. Luckily I have my own CPA to take care of the nitty gritty for me. This year I actually got a refund from the IRS. Which means its time for some IRS -Impulsive Refund Shopping.

I’ve been on the hunt for a vintage Coach handbag for some time now, in particular, the Willis style handbag. My weapon of choice: Ebay, the world’s largest thrift store. To be an Ebay bidder, one must have incredible patience, be willing to ask questions, cross-examine photos, and be able stay calm in the event you are outbid. But how much am I willing fork over? With my refund directly deposited in my bank account, I sought out many sellers, lost some bids, but finally my patience paid off. When my baby Willis arrived in the mail I actually jumped for joy and immediately transferred all the contents from my old purse into my new old purse. It’s the perfect size, and the handle + long cross-body strap is so functional.

Still afraid of shopping on Ebay? Don’t worry; Coach has got your back. Called the Legacy Collection, Coach has brought back these old styles – but you will have to pay a pretty penny of course. My favorite style is the Willis because of that little handle at top and its “just right” size, but I love all their other designs as well.

olive green jacket (similar here) / oversized cardigan (similar here and here) / graphic tee (similar here and here)

I recently went on a shopping trip with some gal pals in San Francisco’s Mission district. In usual San Francisco fashion, the weather was slightly overcast and windy with a chance of rain. The key to dressing for this is to think like an onion: dress in layers. Start with a casual tee, then a chunky middle layer (I chose an oversized cardigan), and finish with an outer shell. Since it wasn’t too cold, but I needed to be concerned about the possibility of rain, this olive windbreaker was just the right fit. Still riding on the high of my urban turban, I pulled a leopard version of it to disguise my unruly hair. Finish with the perfect Willis handbag.

That’s a good one coach! Now go do your taxes, you procrastinator you.

Rainy Day

The (flower) Power Suit Part 3: Totally Tubular Turban

You’ve read part 1 and part 2. And now, I present to you the highly anticipated concluding chapter to my three part flower power suit saga that you will want to sink your teeth into Twilight style. 

A couple of weeks ago, a friend asked for my opinion on the turban fashion trend and whether or not she could pull it off. Having never tried one, I scoffed at the idea, and naively advised that it only looks good on those with modelesque facial features, and not on the average Josephina.

Fast forward to the present: I’m eating my humble pie and boy does it taste so fashionably good with a hint of style. I recently gave the turban headband a try, and I love it. I often have trouble with scarves slipping and sliding off my head, but there is something about the cocoon like wrapping of the turban that alleviates this issue. I now have the perfect solution to bad/dirty hair days! Oh happy day.

Although turbans have long existed in many cultures as customary headwear, it made its first appearance into the fashion world in the early 1900s with the help of designer Paul Poiret. It eventually became quite popularized in 1970s and morphed its way into a looser fitting hat. Since then, the turban has remained totally tubular on the fashion radar, even making its way onto the runway in past ready-to-wear shows.

Since I created a ladylike outfit with the flower power suit’s skirt, I decided I wanted to go a little less dainty and feminine. I wanted my next look to be cool, hip, and funky. My green silk scarf matched the suit jacket perfectly, and I decided to give the turban headband a shot. While there are many ways of wrapping a turban/turban headband, I stuck to the simplest method: 1) hold a long scarf behind your head, holding the ends; 2) bring the ends towards the front of your head and single knot in the front, but keep the original left end on the left, and the original right end on the right – do not swap sides; 3) bring the ends to the back of your head and tie together; 4) add some pizzazz to your turban headband by pinning a brooch in the front.

Oh, how the urban turban transforms this outfit! Suddenly the suit jacket doesn’t seem like a conservatively boring 80s jacket. I bangled it up with a ton of colorful cloisonné arm candy that I’ve had in storage, and the look wouldn’t be complete with a pair of studded booties – my go to shoes when I don’t want to be a goodie-two-shoes.

Wasn’t that totally tubular? Now be like Willow and wave your hair back and forth. But not too hard, cause that turban might fly off your head.