tanfizzle's blog

My favorite shirt right now. It’s both floral and flannel…AND it has secret pockets on the side!

Found the best tights ever on clearance at UO. I almost put them back cuz the line was so obnoxiously long. Glad I didn’t! They are so comfortable too.

When I picked this floral tunic thing off the clearance rack at Forever 21, my shopping companion raised her eyebrow, wrinkled her nose, and asked if I was sure. To be honest, I wasn’t, the length was awkward (too short to be a dress, too long to be a shirt), it was a size too big, and the shape was not very promising either. But the florals and the ruffles beckoned to me and I could not turn away…! The colors of the dress appear a bit muted in these photos I think, it’s actually brighter in person.

I wore a slip dress underneath and belted it for some shape. Because it’s a bit nippy out, I wore it with knee highs and riding boots and a big warm jacket…though my thighs still suffered, let me tell you! When spring finally comes I think I’ll wear it with some gladiator sandals or maybe my Minnetonka trampers…I do love how bohemian flowy dresses look with boots ::sigh:: SPRING COME FASTER!!

I’m the only person I know (in real life) who really wears and loves armwarmers. I have four pairs and I probably get more mileage out of them per dollar spent than any other items in my wardrobe, I wear them so much. They are so warm for those sweaters and jackets with big sleeves that still allow cold air to seep through. I also love adding an unexpected splash of color to my outfits so these yellow ones were right up my alley.

I thrifted this grandma sweater a while back but it sat forgotten at the bottom of my hamper for the longest time. It’s lined on the inside so it’s really comfy and warm. Finally I got around to washing it yesterday and I was so excited to wear it that I didn’t even care that it doesn’t have buttons yet!! I just won some buttons on eBay though so that will be remedied soon…

Same thing with these jeans, I was also too excited to wear them for the first time. The next time you see them they will be properly hemmed!

When I was growing up, my wardrobe pretty much consisted of hand-me-downs (from my three older BROTHERS) and clothes sewn by my seamstress mom out of leftover fabrics she got from work. In my family, fashion has always been considered a very frivolous thing to fancy. My parents grew up living very simply in the Vietnamese countryside. They are the most un-materialistic people I have ever known, and they have never understood my need to own more than seven outfits (you can do laundry every week, after all) or multiple pairs of shoes (why not just wait until your shoes wear out and then buy a new one?) My dad did not even like the fact that I read fashion magazines, which he thought were garbage, so I had to hide them under my bed.

It wasn’t until I got to college that I could really develop my own personal style. But even so, I didn’t have anyone to share this new journey with. Although my friends always complimented my style, they were passionate about different things and couldn’t relate to my love for clothes. They simply weren’t as passionate about what they wore as I was. Finally I discovered Chictopia, which I found was a real community made up of people who put just as much thought into what they wear as I do. Not only could I document the evolution of my personal style, but others could witness it as well. I can’t tell you how much the supportive comments I’ve gotten here have really made my day sometimes.

PS. The mess in the background is the reason I haven’t taken any pics in so long!

My face looks dirty in this picture. Too much bronzer.