True blue, baby I love you

 (Uniqlo blouse / Silence & Noise skirt / Vintage belt / Ardene necklace / Aldo wedges)

I received good (no... GREAT) news last week, so I treated CL for some good ol' baby back ribs dinner to celebrate. Yes, I pay for our meals... once in a blue moon ;) The blouse left me feeling breathless (literally).  Lets just say, I learned my lesson NOT to wear polyester when it's hot and humid outside. I can't wait to start my long weekend. A couple of friends, CL and I are going to take a day trip to Buffalo tomorrow and hopefully the weather will hold up nice and sunny. Any suggestions on where to shop and eat in Buffalo? Worse come to worst, we would probably just hit the mall (That's right, I just said 'hit'. I feel  so much cooler now :p).

On a more blogging note, I would like to welcome a bunch of new readers to my blog. Thanks so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to visit and read my little blog :) And I hope you are all here to stay!

Last chance to enter a $50 gift card giveaway from Alainn Bella. I'll pick the random winner tonight (9pm EST)! THE GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. I WILL ANNOUNCE THE WINNER SHORTLY :D

xx toodles.

Monochromachic

(UO cardigan & purse / Bluenotes tank / ZARA jeans / Shopbop & Ardene rings / F21 bracelets / Dolce Vita pumps)

I think it's the first time I wear an outfit that I feel reflects my blog name. Obviously this outfit is not entirely monochromatic, but do I want to wear all black under the scorching Summer sun? No thanks! The cardigan is a great coverup piece for the Summer (when it gets a bit chilly at night). The studded drapey lapels are my favorite part. I tried to mimic the studs by adding the gunmetal pinky ring that I received from a DesignerApparel.com giveaway hosted by Issa (THANK YOU!!!). I just have to be careful with it because the pointy ends get stuck on clothes easily and I have a tendency to just yank it out :( I have to be extra careful with tights!

And yes, I had to cuff the jeans because... I have short legs. Is there a Short Legs Anonymous around? I really think we should make one :p

Don't forget to enter the $50 Gift Certificate from Alainn Bella HERE. It will end on Friday! :)


xx toodles.

Guu is guuuuud

Guu, a Japanese 'izakaya' restaurant has been a major hit in Toronto since its opening day. Originally from Vancouver, this chain finally reached the East Coast last Fall and we're definitely not taking it for granted. I heard from friends and reviews that the line up on weekends can go very long (both length and time-wise). Luckily, I have yet to experience standing in the line with growling tummy and salivating mouth (I came in as soon as they opened!) The portions were small but the dishes were bombastic! Feast your eyes on these:

Kabocha Korokke: deep fried kabocha pumpkin croquette with hard-boiled egg inside. 

The mayo sauce was very guuuuud!

Yakiudon: pan-fried udon with seaweed, scallions, and beef. 

The peanut sauce & sesame oil combo was yuuummm-o!

Gyutangue: grilled beef tongue. CL liked this, I thought it was ok.

Tontoro: grilled pork cheek. Too salty for my taste buds :(

Hotate Butter: so yummy! The scallops were buttery and soft and the dressing/sauce was delish! 

Kakimayo: saving the best for last! Grilled oysters with spinach, garlic mayo, and cheese on top. 

Aphrodisiac? Aphsolutely!! :D

Inside: cool decor, (very) friendly and (very) loud staff, happy customers.  They provide a giant bottle of Listerine mouthwash with mini disposable paper cups in the washroom so everybody can leave Guu with minty-fresh breath ;)

Location: 398 Church Street, Toronto

ITADAKIMASU! :D

ps. Don't forget to enter my $50 gift card giveaway from Alainn Bella HERE! 

xx toodles.

Lets Get Loud

The lovely Sybil from Animated Confessions and Bestie from the capricious club invited me and Kookie from Death by Platforms to join their "My Way, Her Way" edition on the print-on-print trend. As you might have noticed from my past outfits, I'm not a print girl. Yes, I own a few printed skirts and dresses but my wardrobe mainly consists of solid colored pieces. I guess that's why I named my blog Monochromachic. Go figure! :p When I excitedly said YES to the collaboration, I didn't think that it's going to be difficult. I thought: "I will just wear a printed top with a printed bottom, maybe add some colorful accessories, and that's it!" But of course when I put them on together, I looked horrendous. Rainbow vomit was a major understatement. So I went back to my monochromatic root and came up with this ensemble:

(H&M blazer & bangle / F21 skirt / Kimchi Blue top / Aldo shoes / Payless clutch / Costa Blanca necklace)

Lets check out what the other lovely ladies did for this collaboration:

1. I love Sybil's casual take on the trend. The striped top injects enough dose of print to the overall look without overpowering the scalloped shorts, which I think are the centre of attention in this outfit. I'm sure everybody is coveting her shorts, yes? :D

2. The yellow-themed outfit by Bestie is very tropical chic. I love how she focused the prints on her top half and kept the bottom half clean. She's definitely one chic news reporter and seeing her in this outfit makes me want to sing "You're my sunshine... my only sunshine... you make me happy, the sky is bluuuueeee..." :D

3. Kookie always surprises me with her outfits (in a good way!) and this one is no exception. The prints go SO WELL together and the necklace is just a cherry on top. I would never thought of mixing these prints together and she totally made them work :)

Thanks Sybil and Bestie for making me a part of this fun experiment :) I'm up for more challenges, so do consider me (again) for the next "My Way, Her Way, and Their Way" collaboration ;)

xx toodles.

Maybe I'm too old for this

 (Kimchi Blue tunic / ZARA jeans / H&M wedges / Forever 21 accessories)

This tunic was another piece from my UO order. I was contemplating whether I should get this or not, because A). It looks feminine and romantic but B). The frills might be a little too young for me. As you can see, I decided to get it despite my initial doubt. After looking at these photos, I realize that it does look a little too young for me (the frills! I blame the frills!) I guess I just need to style it in a way that can reduce the froufrou-ness. I already have an idea in mind, but it'll only work for colder months. So watch out for this tunic, people. It'll be back in 3 months. In the mean time, I'll take any styling tips that you can give me ;)

And yeah, I noticed the loose thread. Now where are the scissors?

Enter my $50 gift certificate giveaway HERE :)

xx toodles.

Blistering Barnacles

(BEDO top / River Island shorts / H&M belt / UO purse / Aldo shoes)

What I wore to see the late night show for INCEPTION. CL and I decided to go to a quiet theater so we could get a couple of good seats. But apparently most people thought the same way. The theater was packed, which was quite a surprise because it was late! Anyway, like most people have said, the movie was amazing. Christopher Nolan definitely got that IT factor. What's NOT amazing was sitting beside this tiny but VERY CHATTY girl for 3 hours.
* First, she took off her shoes and sat cross-legged. Duh, stinky toes much?
* Second, she kept on chatting (in a high-pitched voice) with her friend about why she liked frapuccino better than a latte.
* And then she continued on talking about her debauchery nights and how she could throw up "graciously".

What the heck does that even mean?? 

You might think, "God Kristy, you're such a eavesdropper. Get a life!" Well, it's HARD to ignore her when we're only less than 1 foot apart. Anyway, INCEPTION was great. And on a more fashiony note, one of my looks was featured on Modcloth's blog. Yay! :D

ps. I know, the shorts could use some ironing :( ... And I have a giant camel toe in the second photo!

ENTER THE $50 GIFT CARD FROM ALAINN BELLA HERE!! :)

xx toodles.

Alainn Bella GIVEAWAY

One of the things I love about blogging is discovering new online stores. These stores usually sell unique and trendy pieces in small quantities, which means there's a very small chance of you bumping into a girl who's wearing the exact same dress/top that you have (yes, I mean H&M, ZARA and Forever 21 stuff :P) So when Megan from Alainn Bella contacted me for a collaboration, I couldn't be more excited :) Here's what you need to know about her and the shop:

K: What made you start your own business? 

M: The main reason I started my own business was so that I could be my own boss-lady. An online fashion store just seemed right for me because I love to shop and now, in a way, I get to shop for other people. (editor's note: Such a dream job <3)

K: What’s your personal style and how does Alainn Bella reflect your personal taste in fashion? 

M: I will pretty much wear anything provided I like it, it fits and I feel comfortable and confident in it. The store reflects my personal tastes a lot considering I do all the buying and I only purchase things that I would wear myself. 

K: What are your hopes for Alainn Bella? 

M: My hopes for the store over the next few years is to get to a point where I can open a brick-and-mortar store in Manhattan and then continue the store online for those who are too far to come in to shop. 

K: What do you do for fun? 

M: I’m a major TV/movie junkie. I could spend hours/days/weeks watching nonsense on TV. 

K: Who is your fashion icon? 

M: I don’t really have any person in particular. I like to observe what everyone wears, including just passers-by on the street, and I take mental notes on the things I like so that I can try them out myself (editor's note: ME TOO! :D)  

K: What are your thoughts on affordable fashion? 

M: I don’t think anyone should need to spend a fortune to dress fashionably. I think there are plenty of options available at a lower price point. I do believe, though, that you do have to sacrifice quality for a drastically cheaper price (ex: $80 top vs $8 top). But for me, personally, that’s ok because most trends are long gone before that becomes an issue. However, when it comes to classics...classics I believe are investment worthy!! 

K: Any fashion tip for the readers?

M: I think the single most important aspect of any outfit is fit. It has to fit you and your body’s proportions—perfectly. That doesn’t mean you can’t wear loose things, but when you do, there should be some indication of a body shape underneath! (editor's note: I couldn't agree more!)  

And this is the moment you've been waiting for... a GIVEAWAY courtesy of Alainn Bella :) Megan was kind enough to offer my readers a $50 Gift Certificate that you can use to purchase anything from her store :) On top of that, you can also get 20% off your purchase when you use the code kristy during checkout (this code also works even if you didn't win the gift card, for regular-priced items only). Here are some of my favorites from her store: 

To enter this giveaway, you have to:

1. "Like" Alainn Bella on facebook. 

2. Visit the store and pick your favorite item.

3. Leave your name, email, and favorite AB item in the comment section.

4. For EXTRA ENTRY (comment separately): Sign up for their newsletter.

Alainn Bella offers worldwide shipping, so this giveaway is open for EVERYONE. I will pick the lucky winner on Friday, July 30. Thanks Megan for this collaboration and good luck to you all :) 

ps. My apology for the lengthy post >.<

xx toodles. 

 

Lucky Duck

 (AA tee / UO skirt / H&M belt / SPRING sneakers / Random fedora)

In the past month, I was lucky enough to win several giveaways that were hosted by fellow bloggers. As corny as it sounds, I feel so... very... super... absolutely... blessed!:D The chain of luck started out with Jasmine's giveaway. I remember my jaw dropped when I received her email with "Congrats on Winning My Giveaway!" in the subject title. That totally made my day :) And I finally received the care package yesterday. To my surprise, she added a couple of items as bonus! Oh Jasmine, you're such a sweetheart :) Anyway, I decided to wear and take a few shots of the pieces she sent me. I tried my best to copy her signature looks, like the bow belt. I hope she approves ;)

ps. My apology for the subpar picture quality. It was way too bright outside and my shadow ruined my initial shots :(

xx toodles.