Month: December 2013

Office Holiday Party

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Black Princess Coat Steve Madden | Red Sweater Alexander McQueen | Demask Black Pants Alice + Olivia | Ring Forever 21 | Black Scarf Marc Jacobs x Target | Suede Black Booties Nine WestI wore this outfit to our office’s holiday party which happened 2 days before I left to Japan. I found/thrifted both the red Alexander McQueen sweater and demask print Alice + Olivia Pants at Crossroads Trading Co. I won the festive, Christmas headband at a holiday event the week before and knew I had to wear it to my office’s holiday party. We had it at a restaurant down the street from our office at the end of the work day, so I tried to dress festive but still be work appropriate.
It’s amazing to me how quickly the month and my trip went by. I’ve been absent from blogging not only because of the travel back to the U.S. and then to my hometown, but also because of some unfortunate tragedies that occurred while I was gone. To start, Armando’s car was broken into and his bike, his alternate mode of transportation, was stolen. That bummed me out to hear when I returned back because although he wasn’t hurt physically, I could tell he was affected by it as evident as the broken window of the car. As we cleaned the glass out of the car it made me reflect on how lucky we have been these past years together. Bad things happen sometimes, but we have each other and are lucky that we are okay physically.
The worst thing that occurred while I was in Japan was learning that someone from our office had passed away. It was completely unexpected and I am still in disbelief over the news. He was fairly young, about 39, and I had made cupcakes for his wedding in June of a vegetable garden. He was also part of the paintball team. My office environment is like a big, extended family and since I have been out of the office I can only imagine how devastating a blow this been to everyone who heard the news firsthand. It feels only fitting that this post is also one of those memories of him because I vividly remember him trying to convince others to “steal” his white elephant gift at our holiday party. 
His sudden and unexpected death has made me very aware of how short life is and that tomorrow is not guaranteed. I spent the holidays with my family and I can honestly say that I treasured just being able to be with them. 
I hope you had a Merry Christmas surrounded by family or close friends. With that in mind, please also send your thoughts or prayers to the family and friends of my beloved coworker and friend, Steve Maranzana.

Brandy
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Winter in Japan

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Red and Black Checkered Jacket and  Black Pants Forever 21 | Black Merino Wool Sweater Banana Republic | Black Long Sleeve Heat Tech Shirt Uniqlo (Worn Underneath) | Leggings Wet Seal (Worn Underneath) | Scarf Marc Jacobs x Target | Brown Boots Ugg Australia | Black Leather Cross-body Marc by Marc Jacobs | Photos by Nicole S.Finally an outfit post from Japan! This was Wednesday’s outfit and I must admit I was not entirely ready for he really cold weather and rain in Japan. My previous visits have always been in the summer, and that can get extremely hot and humid. While I packed most of this outfit, the jacket and boots are borrowed from my sister’s closet. The rain and Ugg boots do not get along, unfortunately, so I have dully noted that if I visit Japan in the Winter I should make sure to bring weather proof boots or short rain boots. (I did bring an umbrella so I wasn’t completely unprepared for the rain, but umbrellas are really cheap and can be bought anywhere.) Layering is key and I would recommend having thermals to wear under your tops and fleece-lined leggings to wear under your pants.
Tomorrow I’ll be visiting Disney Sea in Tokyo with my sister and two friends. I am hoping it doesn’t rain, but if it does I am prepared since I spent my day browsing a couple of department stores and found a good pair of boots for this weather. They were also 2000 yen which is roughly $20. If they don’t fit in my suitcase I think my sister can make good use of them here since they are pretty warm.
I am not too sure what they plans are for the weekend, but if I have time while I am here I will post a recap of the things I’ve seen and done so far in Japan. I will admit not a lot of sight-seeing has happened. I’ve visited the surrounding cities (districts) and my sister’s school, Chuo University. I’ve even attended a few classes and even this photo shoot occurred on campus. Most of my photos that I’ve taken are of the university so it will be difficult deciding what to share on the blog. The campus reminds me of Berkeley and it makes me a little homesick, but I know I will be back home before I know it.  
Good Night from Japan and until next time!
Brandy
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Metallic Stripes

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Metallic Sweater Borrowed from Sister | Sweater, Pants, Knit Beanie, Rings, and Belt Forever 21 | Zeda Boots Madden GirlHello from Japan!
I flew in last night to visit my sister for the week before I head down to my parent’s house for Christmas. It was kind of a last minute trip meaning I had to pack my winter essentials and finish up a lot of loose ends at work before our holiday break.
I have not had a chance to take any photos yet, but I managed to take two outfit photo posts last week in spite of all the madness. This post features a sweater that used to belong to my sister. Before leaving to study in Japan for the year, she cleaned out her entire closet and gave me two huge bags to either sell or donate. I donated a bit, listed some items for sale on Poshmark, and I kept a few pieces. I love the stripes, shape, and sparkle it has. It adds a lot of interest to an all black outfit.
I love how there is symmetry with the asymmetrical striped cardigan and the architecture of the building behind us. Armando has some pretty great skills and I love how he has an eye in making a picture just a little bit more interesting. I am hoping he can let me convince him to be the one behind the lens and feature his personal style. He is claiming more space in our closet with some great sweaters that I might just have to borrow as it gets colder in the Bay Area. 
It is also pretty cold here in Tokyo, and I hope to share a post soon of what I am wearing here. I am also interested in sharing what I packed (in a smaller suitcase than last time) for a week and what I would have done differently. Stay tuned for food photos on my instagram account as well! (@willbakeforshoes)

Fashionista of the Week!
On a side note: I’ve also won the title “Fashionista of the Week” thanks to Kimberly of Sensible Stylista. Thanks to everyone who voted for me via Facebook! You can read about in her post here and also checkk out the great giveaways going on every Sunday! Her style is also pretty sweet so I would recommend following her for some lovely style inspiration too.
Talk to you soon and I guess good night to those of you in the States.
 Until next time,
Brandy

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Holiday Red

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Black Princess Coat Steve Madden | Red Basuto Dress Diane Von Furstenberg | Rhinestone and Chain Bracelet Forever 21 | Silver Sederaby d’Orsay Heels Manolo Blahnik It is time for the Holiday Reds in your closet to come out for the parties and dinners happening this month. Jennifer from Just Add Glam invited me and a couple of bloggers to a holiday event she was hosting in Marin. I dressed up in this Diane Von Furstenberg dress and invited my arm candy aka Armando to “Meet Me Under the Mistletoe.” Armando and I had a blast on this date. We took our photos in a booth, won gifts in a raffle, and even had our tarot cards read! And we ate yummy mini bundt cakes from Nothing Bundt Cake. The best part was hanging out not only with Armando, but also with my blogger friends! We were the loudest group during the whole event and we were joking and laughing the whole time (and it was a dry party!) 
I went to a flower shop to buy some mistletoe earlier that day, but they did not have any in stock yet. I tried a Christmas tree lot later that evening and still nothing. (It’s almost Christmas, these places need to step it up pronto!) Instead I came out of the flower shop with the red Poinsettia flowers. Back home, my mom will buy a big pot of Poinsettias around the holidays, so to me these flowers really do say Christmas and are part of my family’s tradition. I put them in the center of our meeting table to spread some holiday cheer in the office after using them in my outfit shoot.
I painted my nails with the Dimepiece silver nail polish by Floss Gloss. I’ve tried it before when I’ve had a mani/pedi at Beauty Company and love how it reminds me of the glitter on Christmas ornaments. I never would paint my nails before and it is now something I don’t mind trying on my own. All my money would be directed to clothes but I like that I’ve discovered a beauty product that makes a statement and is inexpensive. I should note I am not getting paid for sharing this product, but it is something I genuinely love. Who doesn’t want sparkle in their day-to-day life?
Hope that you are having fun dressing up for your holiday parties! My office will be having is Holiday Party this week and I am already planning my outfit. 
Until next time,
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Remix Inspired by Allergic to Vanilla

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Dress worn as Coat Phillip Lim x Target |Scarf Marc Jacobs x Neiman Marcus x Target | Grey Sweater August Silk | Jeggings 7 for All Mankind | Mint Silver Capped Luna Flats DV Dolce Vita | Peacock Ring Forever 21I wore this dress last week here and remixed it as a coat thanks to the inspiration from Carlina’s post here. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the dress on me. It is a gorgeous piece but somehow I didn’t feel completely comfortable with all the layers and the unique hemline. I have to admit, I love this as a coat a lot more and so did my coworkers. Everyone asked if it was a souvenir from my trip to Japan and were surprised I told them I bought it from Target and that it is really a dress. This gives the jacket major style points for being this versatile, so it is safe to say this is staying in my closet.

This photo shoot was fun – Armando and I were greeted by a few squirrels checking to see if we had snacks. They left once they realized we had nothing but Armando took a few photos of them as they approached us. Loved the way these photos came out as well as the ones we took at the Marina in my last post for the Banana Republic Factory Store and Monogram collaboration. It feels like whenever the background is gorgeous the photos tend to look effortless.

If you missed my last post featuring the collaboration with Banana Republic Factory Store and Monogram you can check it out here or on Monogram here. Enjoy taking a look at some of Bay Area friends Jennifer from Just Add Glam and Elise from WTFAB! too! Don’t forget dresses are 50% off at the Banana Republic Factory Store, so make sure to grab your holiday dress before it ends December 12th!

Until next time,

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Jewel Tones

Posted on by Brandy Saldana

Dress, Statement Necklace, and Clutch c/o Banana Republic Factory Store, Love Ring and Bangles Forever 21, Blue Suede Heels Enzo Angiolini via Crossroads Trading Co.Happy Cyber Monday!
I’ve partnered up with Monogram and Banana Republic Factory Store to share an outfit I styled from a sponsored shopping trip I made a few weeks ago. I needed an outfit that I could wear to a wedding reception so I immediately made my way to the dresses. I tried on a few and picked this purple dress because of the rich color and shape. I felt like it really flattered my body and it easily works for the holidays dinners and parties coming up this season. 
Before making my way to the register, I spotted the gorgeous necklace and the shades of green and blue stones really complimented the dress. The clutch was calling my name when I made my final lap around the store and it was great how everything fit together. The suede texture of the clutch reminded me of blue suede heels I had at home and they also worked with the blue from the necklace. I love how easy it was building a complete outfit at the Banana Republic Factory Store considering it was my first time in one. I admit I am a little obsessed and went back yesterday to purchase another dress while they had their 50% deal for Black Friday.
Their Black Friday Sale of 50% off their entire store ended yesterday, but you can still take advantage of 50% off dresses from 12/2 – 12/12 (excludes clearance items). A midst all this Cyber Monday madness, take a break from your computer to make your way over to your closest Banana Republic Factory Store and pick up your perfect dress for the holidays!
P.S. +Elise Armitage  of WTFAB! is also collaborating with Monogram and BRFS. Check out her outfit on her blog here. (Spoiler Alert: We have similar taste!)
Until next time,

Brandy| BLOGLOVIN | FACEBOOK |  INSTAGRAM |TUMBLR | TWITTER | 

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post  but the opinions are entirely my own.

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