Rebecca Minkoff Crossbody Leo Bag!

This is kind of a funny story:  When I went to Bloomingdale's a couple weeks ago, I got two awesome bags for great prices - the Coach Madison bag and the Kate Spade Carson cross body.  I meant to get them for my mom and grandma (respectively) as Mother's Day presents.  But then I thought... I really like this Kate Spade bag, let me just keep it for myself and get my grandma a different bag later since Mother's Day was still a couple weeks away!  So I actually took the Kate Spade bag with me to San Francisco and started using it right away.  My grandma saw it, and told me she had been looking for a cross body bag kind of like that, but my mom took her shopping to a bunch of different places and they didn't find anything similar.  Ahhh!!  I felt really bad.  But then she said it was probably too big for her (she's tiny!).  So, I secretly resolved to get her a different and smaller one for Mother's Day as a surprise.

You know, there are so many small-ish crossbody type of bags.  But it is actually quite hard to find one that felt right.  I saw many that could have worked, but they were either too boring, or maybe too trendy for an 83 year old.  But when I saw the Rebecca Minkoff Crossbody Leo bag in mexi flower multi print, I just thought it would be perfect!

I like this bag because the size is perfect for her (7.5"L x 2"W x 5.5"H; 22" strap drop), and it's mostly black on the front with some pop of a fun and colorful print peeking out underneath!  I just think someone my grandma's age should not have a very dark accessory.  Something that is brighter is more cheerful!  But it's not too loud to the point where she won't be able to use it without drawing a lot of attention.  

I do think it looks a bit on the trendy side, but still fine for her!  I hope she likes it!

It is made of saffiano leather, which is a treatment that makes the leather very hard, durable and scratch-resistant.  That's definitely a plus because I'd want it to last her a long time.  I actually thought when I was looking at the pictures that the print part would be made of canvas or some other type of fabric.  But it is all leather!  That was a nice surprise.

Here are some photos of the one I got for her.  Of course each one is slightly different since the pattern placement can't be exactly identical on each piece.  I actually got 3 of these bags... lol!  So I could pick the best one.  Actually now that I have them, I'm keeping one for myself too!  Hehe!

Back

Dust bag is inside, and it is in the same print as the inside of the flap:

 The shoulder strap can be adjusted to make it sit higher or lower:

 

The only thing I am kind of wishing this bag had is the option to remove the straps and use it like a clutch.  The saffiano leather makes it a very structured bag, and it would be a cute little clutch that can stand up!  It probably works better the way it is for my grandma though.  But for me, I'd use the removable strap option.

Oh well, I can still hide the straps inside the bag and use it as a clutch if I want:

So this bag is now on sale from $225 to $157.  Bloomingdale's sent me a 25% off coupon and I was able to use that and get it for even cheaper.  I think I'm beginning to like Bloomingdales better than Nordstrom lol.  That's pretty good value for this bag.  So I don't mind buying two of them!  The best kind of gift is one that you can enjoy yourself too!  =P  But seriously, if you are on the fence, I do recommend this bag!  It's great as a gift or to use for yourself.

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H&M Dress, Skirt & Romper

There is a new H&M that opened near my work.  I have a few things from H&M, but it's not a place that I frequent.  Well, now that there's one so close to my work, it might be a different story!  But I actually went in looking for the Conscious Collection lace dress that's sold out everywhere... I thought slim chance of them having it, but it's a new store so... maybe!

Well, they actually did have 2 of them!  One in size 2 and one in size 8.  I find H&M sizing pretty inconsistent, so I never know what size to wear.  I tried on both sizes, and the size 2 felt too tight across the shoulders, but already very baggy in the body!  Size 8 was of course even baggier in the body, but the shoulder felt much better.  I know it's the style of the dress, but I think it's a little TOO baggy for my liking.  It's truly a dress you could hide your pregnant belly in!  I thought maybe I could add a belt to it, but it is $250 so that's kind of a lot for a dress  (especially at H&M!) if I'm not 100% happy with it!  I also thought it looked pretty cheap on the hanger.  But did think that the quality looked better on.  Soooo... I passed on it.

But I found this other dress that also has the "Conscious" tag - navy striped jersey dress, and it's only $17.95!  Haha.  I do love the current nautical inspired fashion trend.  This dress is very soft and I thought it had a nice cut and fit well in size S.  It's a great casual summer dress, and would be great for vacation as well.  So I bought it!  I like the casual styling for this dress on their website:

I had my Modern Vintage wedge heels on, so this is the dress on me, slightly more dressy look.  I tied the waist around on the back instead of the front like the model:

I actually already have a dress that's kind of similar lol.  The Kensei sidewalk cafe dress.  But whateverrrr...

I also love lace skirts that are quite trendy now as well!  I liked this long white skirt.  I tried on size S in the store but it was kind of tight around the hips.  So I bought the size M without trying it on.  When I put it on at home though, I realized that the waist is a little too loose while the hips fit well.  The inner lining also tends to move up as you walk around.  Argh.  Might have to go try on the S again and see if I want to exchange.  Or maybe I should just exchange for something completely different that fits well.  We'll see.  I like this skirt though.  But I do wish it was a couple inches shorter as well.

I don't like the side view so much, it makes me look short even with 5 inch heels:

Not sure if you can tell, but the waist is very loose, oh and it's rather sheer even with the lining!  As you can see my dark blue underwear underneath lol:

Ok lastly, I got a romper!  I have been trying to make rompers work for me for a long time.  But I don't know if they ever will.  I think I will have to return this one because it is just a bit too short and doesn't really look flattering.  So as much as I love the back, I just can't keep it!  This is actually a size 8!  I tried it on in size 6 in white (the only one left in the store in navy is the size 8 I got), and thought it didn't have enough drape.  I really think I could size up to a 10 in this.  This is why H&M makes online shopping almost impossible.

I love the back though!  But not sure what kind of bra I can wear with it (not wearing one here):

Also, how do you go to the bathroom when you are wearing a romper?  It seems very inconvenient.  I drink 1+ gallon of water a day so that is a real issue lol.

I think I'll take another "lunch break" and go shopping there later this week to see what I can exchange for!  I'm going to Santa Barbara this weekend, and the weather will be real nice.  So I could use some new summer pieces!

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Lululemon Wunder Under Crop Wamo Camo Barely Pink =)

Hehe I got another camo item!  Well at least this time it's Lululemon's new wamo camo so it's different from the others!  I got the wunder under crops, called wamo camo barely pink.  A lovely reader (you know who you are!) actually sent me a picture of them and then bought them and shipped them to me last week!  How sweet!  Lululemon just uploaded these online as well, but selling out very fast.

I think this print is fun!  They are also made of the new denim luon, same as the black camo and milky way wunder under crops.  I really like this material.  It's more compressive, but opaque and great for lower body days.

Here's a close up of the print... 

These are definitely "loud" though!  I'd probably wear them with white, gray or black tops so as to not clash too much with the print.  I think it's funny that I used to only own black/gray bottoms.  If you click on my Sunday Funday label on the side of the page, and go back to the beginning, you'd see that I was so boring lol!  I'd buy bright colors/prints in tops only and wear them with the same black/gray bottoms over and over.  Now I'm kind of the opposite where I'm getting more printed bottoms and having to buy more neutral colors in tops.  But I like to mix things up now and I think I like this new direction.  How has your taste in clothing changed throughout the years?

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Sunday Funday!

I got back in LA mid week, and San Francisco seems to be a very distant memory already!  Funny how that happens.  I miss my suite at the Ritz Carlton though lol.  I think my new life goal is to live there permanently.

I got back to this horribly hot spell we're having - it was mid 90s all week!  I took this picture when I was waiting at a stop light yesterday at 1 pm - 93 degrees... no joke!!!  Also means no "to and from" pictures this week... gosh I can't even imagine wearing a jacket right now lol.

So I continued my "bulking" phase this week.  I think that's funny.  I'm not actually "bulking".  I'm just eating a little more (like 300 more calories a day) and lifting heavier so I can add more muscle.  But not eating enough to really gain weight, since I'm not that hardcore and wouldn't want to end up being unable to fit into my clothes... what a tragedy that would be.  

I think I'm still getting used to eating more, and my last weekend in San Francisco threw me off the track a bit.  So I haven't really been able to figure out whether this is working for me or not.  I did try to be good after I got back into town though, so I just need a few more "normal" weeks to really gage where I'm at.

I was still working out at the Ritz Carlton gym on Monday and Tuesday, which doesn't have the best spot for selfies!  Oh well.

Monday 4/28

What I did:  I tried to do my leg workout.  It's hard to do that at a hotel gym without squat rack.  They do have various leg press machines, so I tried to make due.  But I also forgot to bring my workout gloves, which made me realize how weak my hands really are without them.  Then I did my 30 minute treadmill cardio.

Oh, I am also super sad to say that I had lost one of my versa gripps this week... those grips help me SO much, especially during exercises like deadlifts.  I seriously can't go to the gym without them.  I'm annoyed that I lost them and hence had to shell out another $52 for another pair.  I just hope they get here soon!

What I wore:  Lorna Jane Sunrise tank, with Lululemon Mod Moves crop, and the only pair of workout shoes I brought to SF with me - the printed Nike Free 3.0s.  I get so many compliments on these shoes every time I wear them!

After I worked out, the day's activities consisted of going to Golden Gate park and exploring the botanical garden and things like that.  It was a really nice and sunny day!  I might have been dressed too warm for it.  But I can't say enough about how much I love love LOVE (!!!) my Nike Epic Crew shirt!  They sold out on Nordstrom and Nike.com super fast, but a lovely reader left me a comment saying they are on sale at Dillards!  I already ordered two more... if you are on the fence, they are on sale for $44 which is a great price!

Anyway, I wore it with Beyond Yoga Hyper Stripe legging, Aqua Skull & Studs scarf, and Ash Orchid boot.  I love that all I brought to SF with me were workout clothes lol.  

Tuesday 4/29

What I did:  Shoulder & triceps!  Then 30 minutes of cardio again.

What I wore:  Lululemon jacquard mesh cool racerback over Lorna Jane Kira sports bra.  Lululemon Wunder Groove crops, and same Nike Frees!

Here's a close up of the tank over the bra - I like it that the print of the bra shows through in a subtle way!  Jacquard mesh is so pretty.  Lululemon should bring it back.

Wednesday 4/30

What I did:  I got back to LA so back to my own gym!  I did my glute/back/bi workout, which is super tough.  Then I did 30 minutes of the gauntlet which is pure death.  Haha!

What I wore:  Splits59 Ashby tanks, nude over white, Lululemon free to be bra in very green under it.  Lululemon wunder under crops in wee are from space fatigue green (I think this might be my all time favorite!) and I continued wearing these Nike shoes!  They've stretched out a bit and don't pinch my feet anymore.  Yay!

Thursday 5/1 - Rest day!  It was the first (and one of only two) days I went back to work this week.  So this is what I wore - Calvin Klein two-tone knit surplus dress.  I love this dress, because it's made of very comfortable sweatshirt-like material.  But the style looks nice and professional.  I wore my green suede Gucci wedge sandals that I bought years ago.  I love that I can still wear them!

Friday 5/2

What I did:  Legs!!  Oh squat rack, how I've missed you.

What I wore:  Alo Zen Layer Back tank, with Lululemon free to be bra in spry blue under.  Lululemon Pace Crop, and Reebok crossfit forging elite shoes.

I like that the back of this tank doesn't cover the cool "baseball" effect of the pants!  Hehe.

Saturday 5/3

What I did:  I did my last weight workout of the week, which was upper body supersets.  Then I did 20 minutes of the gauntlet instead of my usual 30.  It was so hot and I think I was kind of dehydrated or something.  But 20 minutes into my cardio, I felt so sick like I was going to fall off the machine and pass out.  So I stopped.  I felt fine after a little bit of rest.  Not sure what happened there!

What I wore:  Splits59 Ashby tank, the granita one over the courage one.  Lorna Jane Clover bra under it.  New Ivivva Rhythmic Space Dye crop that I just got and love!  In zing pink light/power purple/jet set blue.  Same Nike shoes again!

Sunday 5/4

What I did:  Pilates class!  Hadn't been in a while since I've been out of town every weekend.  It was a tough class!  

What I wore:  Splits59 Serena embroidered tank in yucca (I've been wearing a lot of Splits59 sample sale tanks this week lol), over Lululemon free to be bra in faded zap.  Beyond Yoga Gathered Legging in dusk, and I wore the Zigi Kickin wedge sneakers as to and from.

After pilates, I dug out something from my closet that I haven't worn in a long time - this old old old Express lace back tank, like... at least 8 years old!  I got it for like 10 bucks back in the day on sale.  It's actually quite nice!  I feel like I went shopping again lol.  I wore it with G by Guess Calla Lily Linen pant, and Gucci wedge sandals.

I actually love the back of this tank, the upper half is all lace:

By the way, with tanks like this, I wear this awesome bra by Victoria's Secret called Fabulous Multi-Way.  It's the best strapless bra I've ever had!  It stays in place super nicely - my experience with strapless bras in the past has been that I'd have to pull them up from time to time.  But this one just stays put!  I actually don't like to wear it as much with straps, because I think where the straps attach to the bra is made really cheaply and the straps can fall out pretty easily.  But it is really a fabulous strapless bra.  Plus, the entire back straps are covered with lace and it's very pretty (I have the ivory/black lace trim one).  So if you are in the market for one, I'd recommend trying one on!

Hope you all had a great weekend!

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Ivivva Rhythmic Crop Space Dye Zing Pink Light/Power Purple/Jet Set Blue!

Hehe, got my 3rd pair of Ivivva Rhythmic Space Dye crops!  Ivivva space dye prints are so pretty!  I love both the first and second pairs I got.  The third pair I just got is Zing Pink Light/Power Purple/Jet Set Blue.  I think Jet Set Blue is the only color that is not a Lululemon color?  From what I can tell in the space dye, it is a very dark and grayish blue.  It's actually hard to see any blue in there at all, other than the effect that the pink and purple combo creates.

I think in person, the pink looks a lot brighter than the web photos show.  When I first opened the package and saw how bright it was, I was kind of disappointed since I expected more of a raspberry rather than pink.  But once I put them on, I became really happy lol.  I am finding that I just don't gravitate towards hot pink tones as much anymore.  Even though there is this bright pink in the print, I think the color combo does give an overall raspberry-ish tone when you look from a little distance.

It is actually hard to capture the exact color on photos.  I think these are closer to their real life brightness than the web photos though (I got these in size 12):

So I am thinking that there are quite a few colors I can pair with these.  Aside from the white/black/gray neutral colors, they will also go with purples and blues, which I have plenty of.

I am quite happy with all these Ivivva space dye crops, especially for the price.  They are super comfy and I think the quality is really comparable to Lululemon.  I'm glad they keep 'em coming with pretty new combos!

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