Autumn Audio

October has arrived- which means it's finally the perfect temperature for afternoon bike rides and evening strolls. Autumn is without a doubt my favorite season because of the amount of time I spend outdoors. Music is my preferred walking companion, so here is a small collection of songs that I enjoy listening to on my morning commute to work. Give them a listen. xx

Besos, 

Erika 

Fall Favorites

Fall is upon us! After a humid summer of damp clothes and frizzy hair, we can finally pack away our crop tops and sandals to make way for oversized sweaters and leather booties.

 

I am channeling my inner Gothic Princess with my favorite items for fall. 

First of all, I love everything with a little pleather, but especially a good pair of pleather leggings. They add a stylish, playful touch to any outfit. I really like to pair mine with a black blouse or oversized sweater. 

Speaking of, have a peek at that "Province of Canada" sweater! I've had my eye on this piece for a while now; I like it's simplistic design and how perfectly it would go with my pleather leggings. 

Next up, a black floppy hat - they're just so chic... I can't wait to wear mine out this fall! 

Let's talk lipstick. I love wearing loud, vibrant colors during the spring and summer, but it's just as fun to wear rich, deep colors in the colder seasons. Wine-colored lipsticks are my favorite thing to complete an all-black outfit.

The last "must-have" of my fall favorites is a pair of stylish running shoes. If you live in a city like I do, a pair of comfortable shoes is essential to someone who walks everywhere! 

Let us know what your favorites for fall are, too!

Bisous,

Marie-Anne

Metro Mania

If I were living in North America, I would never associate the words "subway station" and "fashion". That is definitely not the case in Seoul. Countless stations have incredible underground shopping centers that are not only stylish, but also very convenient.

Some of my favorite unique pieces that I've acquired while living in Korea have been purchased at one of these stations. They sell a variety of items including: clothing, accessories, makeup, shoes, cell phone cases, food, coffee and even selfie sticks.

Affordable, trendy items don't have to break the bank. You are able to pick up a variety of styles at a minimal cost. I've been able to buy cute, functional purses for roughly $10, dresses for under $15 and tops for about $5. Picking up trendy items at subway stations has cleared my budget to buy higher quality staple pieces.

Stay posted to see some of my favorite subway station finds.

Besos, 

Erika

Instadaily

Thanks to the Chuseok Holiday (Korean Thanksgiving) we had a very long weekend at the beginning of September, so I took the opportunity to visit Taipei, Taiwan! 

Taipei has always been at the top of my list of places to visit and I am so excited that I finally got to go!

Here is a roundup of some instagram photos I took during my visit!

The Hawaii of Korea

Back in July we went on a beautiful trip to one of Korea's most famous tourist destinations: Jeju Island.

We visited waterfalls, ate black pork, explored the island, and got heavily bloated from eating so much good food.

We cut the legs off of our pants...

Oh, the humidity! Despite Korea’s sweat-tastic weather at the moment, I am in the highest of spirits! Erika and I have a very exciting few weeks ahead, including a trip to Boryeong Mudfestival and our vacation to the “Hawaii of Korea,” Jeju Island. We’ll be sure to share our adventures with you, but for now, here is a list of my current summer must-haves.
 

(Clockwise from left to right)

1. Anything and everything cut out. Anything and everything monochromatic. I am a huge fan of white on white with a bold lip.
2. Matching sets. Erika and I have been scouring the boutiques of Seoul for the perfect cropped combos. I’m also loving the palm tree prints gracing stores this season.
3. Loose. Ripped. Boyfriend. Jeans. I like to pair mine with a fitted tank or a crop top to offset the bagginess of the jeans. They’re so casual, I’m in love.
4. Blue-hue nail polishes! Okay, yes, paired with the metallic sandal, they’re a bit ‘90s... but they look so great together, I can’t say no!
5. Cat-eye sunglasses. That is all.
6. The Metallic Sandal! Are you even mad at this? I’m also loving the chunky heel on this particular pair. Throw these on with your boyfriend jeans or a monochromatic combo to complete your look.

Let me know what some of your summer must-haves are in the comment section!

Bisous,

Marie-Anne

Summer Life Hacks

 

1. Maxi Skirts:

Ditch the denim this summer in favor of a flowy maxi skirt made from a light material such as jersey knit or a nice cotton blend. The modesty of the maxi allows you to comfortably wear a crop without feeling over exposed. A maxi skirt is flattering on most body types and they can easily be transitioned from day to night with the right accessories and coordinating pieces. Statement necklaces are a great addition to make your look feel less causal and more sophisticated.  

2. Ice Cube Trays:

It never ceases to amaze me how cute ice cube trays have become. Some the most affordable ones that I have found have been at Target and Ikea. Instead of adding water to the trays, I have been adding different varieties of juices to get great flavor combinations. My favorite combination lately has been raspberry tea flavored ice cubes added to lemonade. 

3. Milk:

Ever get unbearable sunburns that make it difficult to sleep? Being fair skinned means that I get those kind of sunburns if I even look at a picture of a beach. My skin blisters and the pain seems to spread to every inch on my body. An old, Southern woman taught me a trick that I will use for the rest of my sunburned days. She told me that putting milk or plain yogurt on a sunburn takes away the sting. I don't know the science behind this gross trick, but it has worked for me for many summers. 

4. Lemons:

Not only are lemons delicious to drink in lemonade, they are also quite useful. I have bleached and highlighted my hair to get it my color blonde, however lemons are a great natural alternative to hair dye in the summer. Spraying a mixture of lemon juice and water can bring out your natural highlights. If lemons weren't already cool enough for being a natural hair dye, they also can clean your clothes. Arm pit stains are as embarrassing as they are disgusting. By rubbing lemon juice and 1 tsp of salt on your shirts underarm, deodorant and dark coloration stains are lifted. 

5. Hand Fans:

In Korea, many people believe in something called " Fan Death ". Motorized fans are replaced by adorable hand fans that are as practical as they are cute. They are incredibly light weight and very easy to carry around. My fan is an shaped like an elephant and was purchased at my local Daiso (very similar to Dollar General) for 1,000 Won (around $1). Hand fans are not very stylish in North America, but I think it is time for them to become a new trend. 

6. Deodorant:

 

Who says that deodorant can only be used on underarms? No me! Deodorant is by far my favorite summer secret. I don't sweat profusely, however I still like to keep a deodorant stick in my purse just to be safe. Not all girls were born with a thigh gap, and that is okay. Being one of those girls whose thighs rub together means that summer time = chafing time. Every summer, I would get horrible blisters until I learned that all chafing could be eliminated by putting deodorant on my thighs. Deodorant is also very helpful to break in a cute, new pair of flats. A little bit of deodorant on your heel can help the breaking in process become significantly less painful. If you are worried that the deodorant will stain your clothing, a little lemon is an excellent solution. 

I hope my summer secrets work for you as well as they have worked for me. 

Besos, 

Erika