Sunny Days and Sundresses, and Tips to Not Overwhelm Yourself

Happy Monday!

I honestly can't believe its the end of July! This month was a whirlwind with moving, travel, winding down with experiments, rediscovering my motivation, lessening stress, and getting things done from my to-do list. And also, my moving-across-the-country-again is quickly approaching, and its a bit terrifying. I'm trying to soak up the sunny days and good weather before I head east to the winter.

On the weekends I have started wearing more and more of my sun dresses, of course with a floral print, to run errands, get brunch with friends, hang out at the beach, or even to go out at night. I really like white as it is a chill summer color, and the details of this dress are just so pretty! I really liked the details of this dress from SheIn, and it was so comfortable - this Floral Print Drawstring elastic Waist Cami Dress comes in just one size, and it fits perfectly! The drawstring detail in the back with two little pearls was also just darling! Also was a great price, definitely fits into my budget right now, and totally affordable for grad students or anyone on a budget.

July Sizzling Fashion - The Asymmetric Maxi Dress

These last couple of weeks have been such a whirlwind and so busy; these last three weeks (how is it three weeks into July... time is flying!) I moved apartments, did a lot of experiments, and traveled to New Orleans for a Beachbody fitness conference! It was a lot of fun, and it left me with a lot of inspiration. It was also SO humid and hot, which I wasn't used to - in Los Angeles we have a dry heat. 90 degree weather with 90% humidity was unbearable. I still had a good time nonetheless - and I will have a travel diary post coming up soon! With such heat, had to adjust my outfits to pieces that were flowy and breezy - and what better than some maxi dresses? I packed two, and I wore one because the rest of the time I was in workout gear, but I am really loving maxi dresses with floral print and asymmetric hems for summer!  The dress I wore was a floral/leaf print with an asymmetric hem, and it was so flattering! I did a search for other women's fashion stores online, as I wanted to change up my selection of items - among my usual websites, I came across Yoins.com - I thought their site name is really clever and cute - stands for Your Inspiration! How appropriate and relevant for my current mindset!

I came across a really pretty selection of floral print and really trendy women's stylish dresses, and I picked a few of these down below (clickable images to shop). They also have a wide selection of dresses and grad student affordable fashion sexy tops, skirts, bottoms, etc. Ive been having fun scrolling through their dresses section, and trying really hard to not spend a fortune! Yoins also have a selection of activewear, bags, accessories, and shoes! I always have to take a look at the fitness selection; I can never have enough sports bras or leggings!

Prime Day - My Amazon Picks!

Hi loves!
Happy July!
This summer is flying by! I've been so busy with finishing up experiments, moving, fixing up my blog images, preparing for my new job, and preparing to move across the country. I've been selling a lot of things and still am, but I'm always buying things off amazon. Since I don't have a regular address right now its tough for me to order things - I order things like cat litter, cat food, shoes, clothes, exercise gear, and other random things I want (I bought popsicle molds last! haha!), especially because I'm a prime member, so I get free shipping and there's usually good deals. I literally furnished my entire first apartment ordering things on prime - I bought my TV, kitchen things, side tables, patio tables, bedroom things, home gym gear, you name it. It was really easy for me when I didn't have a car to go to the store! And if you are a student, there is a Prime Student Rate if you have an .edu email! If you see you shop on amazon frequently and don't want to pay for shipping, you can join Prime HERE.

Every year there's Amazon Prime Day, and theres basically 30 hrs of deals. I try not to spend too much, but I'll check out what the lightning deals are. I bought a 2 GB flash drive for pretty cheap last prime day! It starts at 9 pm EST on July 10th (or 6 pm PST!).
Here are some of my picks for Prime Day!

1. Watches - JORD wood watches
I just realized JORD now sells their watches on Amazon! I reviewed their watch previously, and you can find it on Amazon with free shipping! I loved the simple, turquoise wood watch! It was so beautiful and unique! I personally love the darker wood color, find the link below:

Post PhD Summer Trends - Bandeau Bikinis and Cape Dresses

Hi loves!

Hope your week is off to a great start! I'm bringing you the next Summer 17 Trends on my list, featuring Bandeau Bikinis and Cape Dresses! I'm seriously wanderlusting lately, wishing I could be on the beach in the mediterranean without a care... and these trends are totally those vibes! The next trend on my list is the Black Bandeau Bikini, although I need more support up top, so I tend to gravitate towards tops that are strapless but come with straps so I can easily convert it to more support if I need it! These two are two of my favorites right now. I love mix and matching solids and prints, and especially love the colors of the bottom. I also love the molded cups, helps keep the top up! The second one is very scrappy, which I love right now too! I have a very similar swim suit right now in my rotation!

Post PhD Summer Trends - Embroidery

Hi loves, Now that the PhD is done, I have been pretty busy trying to plan and finish up some experiments, attending a conference, and moving. Things should hopefully slow down at the beginning of the month, and I'm looking forward to relaxing a bit. Today was the first day of summer and the longest day of the year, and I am just loving the weather here in LA! It's been quite nice and I love that daylight is longer, I love leaving lab and still seeing sunshine! It really improves my mood, even if I've been in lab late! I have been wanting to go shopping, but I have been trying to clean out my closet as it is packed full, and with my upcoming move across the country, I need to get rid of some old clothes to make room for the new! I have been eying some of the Summer 2017 trends, and one of my favorite trends right now is floral embroidery! And one of the funny things about this trend is that it's totally 90s, am I right?! The 90s trends are coming back!
I have hand picked some of my favorites pieces with embroidery from SheIn.com, and they are all really affordable pieces, perfect for a grad student budget. These pieces can easily be worn on the weekends for summer brunch with friends, heading to the beach, or even dressing up to go to work or a conference (if its appropriate that is!).

    

        Embroidered Dress                           Sheer Mesh Panel Embroidered Shirt

10 Things I wish I knew before going to Grad School

Hi loves,

Well, the thesis defense has come and gone! I will recap the experience in another post coming soon! I did live stream it, although I never got around to announcing it on here, but if you follow me on social media, you should have seen the announcement! It was saved to my Facebook page, so you can replay and take a look! I refuse to watch it again...hahah!
These last couple of days post defense have been a lot of reflection and stressing out about the things I have to finish up before moving on to the next stage, which includes finishing some experiments with whatever time I have left at UCLA and moving two times.
I'm also showcasing an outfit I put together as a conference or social look - with a blouse and a skirt my aunt sent me from Cyprus! I decided to pair orange with a black, patterned top, but I would also just go with a solid black top!

I wanted to share some tips with you, 10 things I wish I knew before going to Grad School, as I feel like I have a lot of wisdom I can share, and help people with things I had to learn the hard way! I wrote a similar post on ways to take care of yourself in grad school, which you can also check out for some tips!

1. You are among the best of the best. 
Something I struggled with was not being the smartest in the room, and putting myself down for it. In order to even get to graduate school, you had to go thru an interview process, and were hand selected to join a few others in a cohort class for whatever department you are joining. You are among the best of the best. And it's ok to not be THE best. It's impossible. At times I felt stupid for not understanding topics as fast as my classmates, and just know that its ok. Everyone learns things differently and at different rates, with different methods. When I did study groups, others would catch the material fast and I would still not understand it. I studied better on my own.

The Elegant Dress from SheIn - and ways to take care of yourself during Grad School

Hello lovely people!

Today I am bringing you an outfit post and also some tips on ways to take care of yourself, especially during times of high stress as in grad school or a stressful job!

I received this really pretty Contrast Fit and Flare Mesh and Lace elegant dress from SheIn and I just love love love the lace detail! It is such an elegant dress, that can be worn to a formal event, formal dinner, or an awards ceremony! It was also very affordable on my grad student budget, can you believe this dress is less than $30 on SheIn ? Totally my jam! I really enjoyed styling it, and kept my accessory details simple to keep the focus on the dress! I also put my hair up in a messy bun, which I never usually wear my hair up, so it was a nice change! I paired the outfit with simple black heels and some dangling pearl earrings, as well as simple glam makeup and some red lipstick! 

I enjoy dressing up to go to lab (well, not in this dress obviously!) but it is so nice to get glam every once in a while - helps me feel like a human being :) 

Keep reading for my tips on staying sane during really stressful times in grad school....

The Everyday Bodycon Cold Shoulder Dress - SheIn

Hello!

Today I am bringing you an Everyday Grey Open Shoulder Ribbed Bodycon Dress from SheIn! I fell in love with this dress because it looks so comfortable and soft, and mostly because of the cold shoulder cut out look I have been so into this winter! I have a couple of other tops with the cut out shoulder look, and when I saw this dress had it - I fell in love! It is a ribbed/sweater dress, that is in bodycon style, so it hugs the curves, but it also has long sleeves, perfect for going out on cold nights!
I can really see my results from all my working out, especially in my legs and glutes. I have been really bloated lately, so I am critical of myself in bodycon dresses, but you just have to rock the dress! This Open Shoulder Dress is perfect for cold nights, and can also be worn with knee/thigh high boots! I paired it with some pointy heels for a more formal event, but would actually wear it out with some boots instead! It is super affordable too, so even better on a grad student budget!

Business Casual - The Interview Dinner Skirt from MakeMeChic

Happy Spring!
Today marks the first day of spring, and here in CA its been pretty nice these last few weeks, although we are expecting some spring showers this week!
I managed to get an second interview for a job next week, and have started writing my dissertation, so it has been a pretty crazy time lately, so I apologize for my lack of posts! I have also set a dissertation date (early June!), so the clock is ticking! I have a couple of outfit posts for this week, but not sure when I will have time to update again after!

Anyway, Today I bring you a business casual outfit to wear to an interview dinner or conference, featuring this High Waist Pleated Skirt from Makemechic.com!
I was very impressed with this skirt, and found it very flattering! It is high waisted and I was worried it wouldn't fit, but it zipped up perfectly! It has an A-line fit, and I am just so happy with the look! It is also only $20, which is a great deal for a quality piece, perfect for a grad student budget! I paired it with a wine floral top I got from Rue 21 at the mall, and some wine colored accessories to complete the look! I loved the pleats of the skirt and found it can be paired very nicely with various tops and colors; very versatile since it is black! I am all about capsule looks, and since I am going to be flying across the country, I want to not have to pack much but also bring pieces that I can mix and match - If I was to wear this skirt for the actual interview I could wear a silk blouse, and some other heels! I would totally wear this skirt and top combo to a conference networking event, poster session, or an interview dinner!

Spring is Blooming with JORD

Happy March!
It is almost time for Spring, and I am counting down the days for warmer weather and blooms! LA is year round nice weather most of the time, but we've had an actual "winter" this year, with lots of rain to help get most of the state out of a drought, with the exception of some parts of southern California!
In addition, I am entering the final months of my PhD and while it feels like its been forever and time is going by slowly, May/June will be here before I know it! I am going to start writing the last parts of my dissertation come April! I am currently looking for research jobs but also exploring other options like science writing! 

Here is a lab friendly outfit I put together, with this really pretty cold shoulder top. I am in love with this trend for Winter/Spring, and I love that this specific top can let some color peek thru, as I have paired with with various colors. Some dark jeans and some boots, and the look is perfect for the lab! But we can't forget about accessories - and for this outfit, I based my outfit on my accessories! Does anyone else ever do that??  I purposely looked for an outfit I can match with my new women's watch by JORD Woodwatches, mostly because of the really cool Mint watch face.

Conference and Interview Looks on a Grad Student Budget - Shein

Hey loves!

Happy February!

It's been a rather hectic couple of weeks since my last post, but I have finally been able to get some more inspiration! I went thru a dark period of helplessness and sadness about current world situations, but I have finally found my way to deal with it, by being active about issues that are important to me... but it is draining my energy!

This weekend I was finally able to recharge and relax, and prepare for an interview for a job post-PhD!

Here is some inspiration for outfits to wear to a conference, interview, formal networking event, whatever, and you can be fashionable while at it! And in addition, they don't break the bank! Thanks SheIn for great deals! I picked dresses, tops, and a lot of blazers - blazers are very versatile, and can be reborn with multiple pieces, so you can get one staple piece and pair with multiple tops and bottoms! This is especially helpful if you are traveling for conferences, minimizes the amount of clothes and outfits to bring! A good blazer is always a good thing to have as a part of a capsule wardrobe! 

These dresses are simple and flattering - with some cool detail like bell sleeves, fun patterns, and special hems! I want all of them in my closet, and with the prices, I'm sure I could afford them!

I really like the detail of the tops, especially the scalloped white top - such a pretty top to pair with a nice pair of jeans or dress pants! Could see myself wearing that to lab or a special event!

Dresses
Bell Sleeve Pencil Dress	Porcelain Print Pencil Dress	Black Scalloped Hem Keyhole Dress

Pearl & Clasp - Beautiful Elegant Earrings

Hey everyone! 

Happy Monday!

I wanted to feature a classic accessory I styled in my fashion post last week - when I styled this MakeMeChic dress, I accessorized with some simple white and blue pieces that I featured, but I wanted to focus on these classic Dangling Freshwater Pearl earrings from Pearl & Clasp.

They have a huge selection of freshwater pearl stud earrings to choose from, but I felt that these dangling earrings were in my style as I don't wear many studs, and these ones were perfect. These little pearls are 5-6 mm and are "A" quality as far as pearls go! They are super pretty and just a classic addition to any outfit, for going out, for lab, or even workwear/conference wear! I even wore these during the holidays, was a really nice and classic look along with simple and dressy outfits!

Spring and Winter in LA - MakeMeChic

Hello!
Can't believe we are already halfway done with the month! Time is flying by!
The weather in LA has been rather up and down... we had some big storms, with much needed rain that helped our state come out of Extreme Drought, and then the sun popped out here and there for a beautiful clear day! This weekend it was rather nice, but still chilly.

Since I have been all covered up in lab and because of the cold weather, the first sign of clear weather I put on this really pretty Floral Print Scoop Neck A-line Dress from Make Me Chic. I adored the floral print, and I really loved that it was white with a blue pattern, it felt very classy and chic. The material was also really soft and comfortable, and I loved the sweetheart neckline, I feel like it is very flattering on my body type. It was also a sleeveless dress, which looked really pretty with the design of the dress - I really liked the shape of this dress! Hitting right above the knee, it was the perfect length for me, especially as a petite girl, and along with a pair of heels, made me look a lot taller! The dress also had an invisible zipper on the side, which made it easy to put on.

To keep warm when the sun went down and the temperature dropped, I wore a long black cardigan that you can easily wrap around yourself.

How to pick the perfect Maxi Dress for Petite Women - StyleWe

Happy Wednesday!

I'm back into my regular routine of lab work and working out/eating well and trying to find time to relax, but I just got back my paper reviews, so I have some work to do. I also have a committee meeting to discuss graduation/defense plans, and hopefully set a date... so I have a lot going on outside of the blog, and I'm trying to get my fitness business up and running... so you can say I am a bit stressed!

BUT, I have been doing some online window shopping (I can't really spend money right now, I am under a lot of financial stress with bills, if you saw my credit card bills you would be horrified!), and I have noticed certain trends that I like for going into Spring/Summer! 

I am particularly fond of maxi dresses, even though I am petite (I stand at only 5' 2"!). Most maxi dresses I have tried on before and have bought are way too long and I have to get altered, otherwise I am stepping all over the bottom of the dress. Even heels sometimes don't do the trick! 

A caveat - Maxi dresses/skirts are considered lab appropriate, as long as they cover the entire leg and are paired with shoes that cover the entire foot - I've worn maxis a couple of times to lab as they are more comfortable than pants, and when you have the right shoes, can be very stylish! A lot of times you can wear boots too, that's an easy and stylish fix!

Here are some tips I have come up with to help you pick out a maxi dress that is flattering, and some of the "trends" I am loving in terms of style of dress! I picked out these dresses from StyleWe's huge selection of Petite Maxi Dresses, so you can take a look at the variety of styles of maxis! 

Holiday Gift Guide with Minu Jewels!

Hello loves!

Happy Friday! Are any of you shopping today for Black Friday deals?  I can't believe its already almost the end of November, and thanksgiving has come and gone! Now to the December holidays and the new year!

I am trying my best to not spend money, as I am on a graduate student budget and my credit card bills and utilities are through the roof, and I have to save money for my upcoming trip, but a girl can dream right?? So making a wishlist/gift guide is what I am doing instead!

I am gearing up for a trip to visit my boyfriend's family in two weeks, and I am flying to Jordan, my first time in the middle east! I am really excited because it is the first time I have ever not spent Christmas time with my family, but it will be worth it to explore new things and places! My wanderlust bug is in full effect!! And what better way to prep for a trip to the middle east than by indulging in some mediterranean inspired jewelry from Minu Jewels. 

I was introduced to this brand by my good friend Chantal from Boyajian Trend Gallery, who curated a selection of jewelry from various designers, including Minu Jewels. I instantly fell in love with the various collections, handmade by the designer herself, Mina. And those of you who have been following me from the start, know about how much I LOVE statement jewelry and pieces; it is part of my identity at this point.

Here are some of my picks, for those of you who need gift ideas for that special fashionista, and not quite sure what to get. These are so pretty and fashionable, excellent statement pieces for any occasion, even wearing to the lab! 

           

STATEMENT NECKLACES
Tye Necklace	Turquoise Slice	Egyptian Turquoise Necklace
Rasha Necklace	Felisa Necklace	Bedouin Turquoise Necklace
Hala Necklace	Daria Necklace	Druzy Necklace

Fabulous Accessories for the Holidays - Accessorize with Montana Silversmiths

Hello!
Happy Thanksgiving! Here in the US this week is all about giving thanks, and appreciating what you have. And more importantly, its about taking some much needed time off from the lab!
I just finished some long days/late nights of just writing writing writing, and sent off a final draft to my labmates for revisions before sending off to the journal for *hopefully* acceptance for publication! So I left lab early on this pre-Thanksgiving afternoon, and I jumped right on to get some blog posts written for you that I have lined up!
I have a small holiday wishlist, and a lot of those things on my list are accessories, and pieces I can match with clothing and outfits I already own. A great way to spice up your outfits is by adding some extra bling and pizzazz with your accessories, including earrings and necklaces!
I am a big lover of dangly and sparkly earrings, in addition to pendant necklaces, so when I discovered Montana Silversmiths Jewelry, I was a huge fan of their selection of really pretty pieces. They have a lot of timeless, classy earrings and necklaces, and it was hard just choosing a few to style!
Here are a few of their pieces I was sent to style, and they are my favorite! I fell in love, and they are super affordable and great quality pieces that will last.

First, I styled these Retro Flair Open Fan Earrings with a casual outfit I wore to the lab, and they were super pretty and stylish. In addition, because they had some bling on them, they really stood out in contrast with my dark hair!

#BossLady Chic with Romwe - Conference Outfit

Happy Friday!!
It's almost the weekend and what a week it has been!!
With the results from the recent elections, I'm still trying to process the results and what that means for us as a nation and for science.
I am on a twitter party right now for Science Communication, every week called #sciparty, and we are discussing just how important it is for us scientists be able to communicate our science and research effectively to the common person. It is so important we have the skills to be able to explain our findings to everyone, so everyone can understand that without research, we can't make advances to cure diseases and cancer! If you have any questions about research and the importance of funding research, please contact me, I'd love to chat!

Which leads me to this weekend, I am attending an on campus symposium tomorrow, all day, and I am presenting my research at a poster session! I jump at every opportunity to present my work, whether its on campus symposium, national or international conferences! The dress code is business casual, and I am going to wear this Black Floral Print Sleeveless Bodycon Dress from Romwe.com. It is the right length, midi length hitting right at the knee and slightly below, so its not too short, and also covers up on the top!  It is Bodycon style though, which for some might think it will be too tight, but that is why I ordered it a size up in Medium, and I think it fits perfectly. It is not uncomfortable while still showing a silhouette and still being classy! And this floral print is amazing! I am in love with it! I can't wait to present my research in this outfit! It is also a good #bosslady outfit for oral presentations! AH I'm in love!

Practical Lab Fashion with Shein.com - Criss Cross Crochet Lace Blouse

Hello! Happy November!

Things have been quite busy, and with the election yesterday, I was glued to the TV! I've been busy with lab and started writing my last chapter of my dissertation which will be submitted as a publication hopefully soon!

Since I am working at the computer mostly nowadays, I still want to look fashionable and cute, and I can wear cute pieces and not worry about them getting in the way or being uncomfortable in the lab! A pretty blouse with some light wash jeans and some booties is my go-to right now. I really love this Royal Blue Criss Cross Back Crochet Blouse I received from Shein.com, and I was obsessed with the lace detail! The top also has a really pretty crochet back detail, which you can see below. It is also very flowy, so perfect for those days I feel super bloated. This gave me the opportunity to wear something more form fitting on the lower part of my body, like these light wash jeans I bought from American Eagle Outfitters. The contrast of the dark blue top with the light blue of the denim was just classic! The top was comfy and soft, and it's definitely one of my staples this fall going into winter!

Bridesmaid Dress Shopping on a budget - Edressuk

Hello lovely people!
I can't believe how fast time is flying.
I have been super busy with lab trying to finish up my projects so I can defend my dissertation, but I had to redo a lot of experiments and I can't believe it's already November! This year flew by! I was hoping to be done by December but still have so much to do... but hopefully I will be done by this coming Spring quarter the latest!
In the Spring I have 2 different weddings coming up, friends getting married, and then in September my cousin is getting married in Cyprus also. So next year I have a total of 3 weddings to attend, one of which I will be a bridesmaid.
When I went home for another wedding this past September, we went dress shopping with my friend Angela, the bride, and we tried on various styles of dresses, various colors, and we decided on a palette of light purple/lilac colors and chiffon style dresses. It was a tough choice because there were a LOT of dresses to choose from, every girl had a different body type, whatever it was, you name it!
And then you look at the prices... As a grad student on a budget, I reallyyyyyy didn't want to (nor did I have the funds to) drop 200$ on a dress I will wear once at a wedding! When you are living on a grad student budget where your rent is 65% of your stipend, every single dollar matters!

#FWLA - Shop the Runway!

Hey guys!
Sorry for my disappearance here, I have been so stressed out with lab work and trying to finish up my project so I can finally defend my thesis, but I do have a lot of blog things in the works, including more youtube videos (continuing my Grad School series as well as more tutorials and reviews) in addition to more travel Diary and outfit looks and collaborations!! So I haven't forgotten, I just haven't had much time to sleep!! I am also planning a couple of really cool trips so stay tuned and updated with whats going on!!
If you want to check out my daily goings on, I am posting daily to Instagram, so go give me a follow over there!!

I got invited to Fashion Week LA (FWLA) by Fi from the Nifty Fashion App, and I had mixed up the days... for some reason I thought today was the 16th, so when I looked at the invite, I was thinking its tomorrow and Wednesday, then I realized, shit, thats today!
I am currently running lots of samples in lab so I am unable to make it downtown to the Fashion Runway event, but I am going to be watching it live streaming here on the blog!! Someone I know has a friend who is presenting her collection today so I am really excited!