Strawberry Loves to Dance....

Kids are so true to their emotions. Ilona makes everyone laugh when she is happy and we would cry for help when she becomes grumpy. At the end, she is still a happy girl.  I am not sure where she gets the idea that carries a stick (umbrella) and walks laboriously is acting like an old woman. She is such a doll, so hilarious. As opposite to her, I sure am trying every possible way I can to stay young and fight the nature of aging. lol... Unconditional asymmetrical sheered top, mini pleated skirt, I' Maxine (Taiwan local brand) metallic bronze patterned leggings, Cotelac' yellow straw fedora, Hermes Picotin, Joey Found  (links here)  custom-made crystals and spikes If you want to be happy, be. -  Leo Tolstoy   xoxo Rachel 

Couple months ago I bought Valentino Garavani 50th anniversary rock studs loafer from Valentino boutique.  Its modest but intricate gold studs is paved around the low heels and on top of the shoes and those studded details are handsome enough to attract everyone's attention, not to mention it's super comfortable to walk in.    This capsule collection is limited and all designs remain the same delicacy from Valentino. When I was browsing the fashion magazine and enjoying a morning spa in Taipei, I surprisingly found this whole collection not only is reserved with Valentino's traditional sophisticated look but also a glimpse of fun with its prints and lace-insert on the dress. There are lots studs and animal prints on accessories as well that you shall get ready yourself to be a little wild this fall(animal prints again). Roar ~~~  The Valentino 50th anniversary capsule collection is just so me, me, me.......  I am not a minimalist thus with such attention in mi...

I didn't forget I have a Giveaway for Miinto  which ended on 7/26.  You can shop on  Miinto US   or Miinto UK for their local boutiques to update your look in a latest fashion trend.  So, here is the winner:   Danielle Villano   Congratulations!!! Please send me an email and I will forward your voucher to you.    Have a good day.  xoxo Rachel 

So happy to see my two girl friends from Canada and LA back in Taipei.  It is the second year that we send our kids to Chinese Summer Camp in Taiwan during summer vacation. Although we talk a lot on the phone in USA in daily basis but nothing is more exciting than meet them up in person, especially back in our hometown.  Leggings, why not try a fancy leggings yourself this fall? (left to right, up to bottom) Topshop, Helmut lang, Christopher kane for Topshop, LnA xoxo Rachel 

Ever since I started Dr. Frank Lipman's detox diet, I finally realized my stomach is sensitive to "WHEAT". After I finished two weeks of detox drinks by Dr. Frank Lipman, I also learned that there are lots of food that I think they are healthy but they actually are not.  And that's the reason of no matter how much or how little I ate, my stomach hurts and I feel bloating after meals.  Now Dr. Frank Lipman's eating choices becomes my guideline thus, mostly Gluten free diet.  I promote healthy eating and healthy life style to all my friends and I know some of them benefit from the same good result as me.  Still, there are other friends of mine joked that they think I am going to be starved in Taipei cause' it seems almost impossible to stick with a diet of no wheat, no egg, no milk diet. Obviously, they are so wrong. In fact, Asian diet is considered to be low fat, and low cholesterol thus healthier.  I even found a tasty brown-rice bread bakery in Taipei. Wo...

For your health!! Watch it and learn for your health.   storyofstuff.org xoxo Rachel 

What's better than friends gather back together at our hometown, Taipei, while talk about our childhood memory?! I embrace life, and I embrace every bit of change in life, that is what makes us grow, doesn't it?  Yesterday evening, Irene, Judy, and me tried French restaurant in a lighter/simpler version style in Taipei: Vincent's Foods and Drinks .  Everything is decent.  I even brought over a Champagne to celebrate Judy's upcoming birthday and the restaurant is kind enough that they didn't charge us the corkage fee. Read here about "What's the rules for bring your own bottle of wine to a restaurant") Happy birthday, Judy!! We all had a prefix menu from appetizer, salad, entree', dessert and drinks.  (The pork in appetizer tastes a bit bland to us.) Appetizer (crunchy toast with cheese/butter spread) Tomatoes thick oxtail soup  One of the main course: FIsh Fillet The abundant flower arrangement displayed...

One thing I especially love about Marni's collection is the colors in every look are always vibrant every season.  This year, the luxe. fur, the yellow patent leather, the oriental brocade are making me want to venture to south pole already just so I can embrace myself in some warm clothes sooner.  Marni edition 2011 printed top, Marni 2010 pants, Dries Von Noten 2012 runway coat, Marni 2012 suede plateform, Hermes Picotin  Carven jacket 2012, Alexander Wang striped tank, Cotelac (link here) pin stripped shorts, Givenchy kitten heel sandals, Hermes Picotin  Those pictures were taken when we strolled at Filoli Garden before the Taiwan trip. Now I am currently traveling in Taipei and the weather is actually not as hot as we expected. Thanks to the rain that cools down the temperature.  ^O^ xoxo Rachel 

I am glad that I can do another giveaway before I take off to Taipei on Sunday. Here is a new online shopping site that I recently discovered and I would love to share with you and all over the world. They will provide $31 gift card to one of my winning readers to spend on the shopping site. How sweet, don't you think? Miinto UK launched last April and it has over 50 British fashion boutiques and over 700 brands available online for fashion lovers.  Miinto UK follows the lead of Miinto Denmark and   Miinto US   both created with the same great concept of giving an online voice to local shops! The concept was created by two very young Danish guys   (Mike and Konrad, both 25 y.o.)   that made their dream come true in 2009 with the launch of Miinto DK. The Miinto crew is very young and excited for this project, they handle everything from customer service and marketing of photographic products for the shops.   The concept of Miinto´s website is fresh an...

This post is actually Part II of the previous, "Be Versatile".  Like I said, I am glad sheer looks are taking up to anther notch this fall 2012 so is the androgynous look. I am not sure if I can even call it "recycled trends" from  La Garçonne  look since fashion does come back in its 10 years cycle or maneuvered by those designers who decide when and how to bring back certain trends or not.  As a consumer, I am happy.  As long as I can  pull out  those clothes from my "previously-outdate, and past-season treasure boxes" and play mix-n'-match, adult dressing-up game, I wouldn't have problem buying new season's pieces while maximizing the usage of old pieces from my existing wardrobe.  Let's embrace Recycled Fashion!! ^O^ A. Wang, Acne, Suno (left to right) - photo taken from Style.com By definition, today I am not wearing androgynous look since the hemlines is way over the knee but I just like how brown h ue on pants can amplif...

The other day, I was talking to my hip hop teacher,  Jessica Johnson   (link here) ,  about her personal style, on stage and off stage.  I mean, not only is she a great hip hop dancer, but she is a great Jazz singer, and a song writer. Pei and I actually went to her performance last Sat. and we enjoyed both her beautiful voice and the outside gym, off-stage charm of hers.  Ah, my point, let's not go astray and get back to my topic: Personal style. Jessica's style is always classic and she carries it with her in performance and off-stage. She really wants to get out of her usual box and try different styles to be edgy, fun, sexy.... chic... Well, she got great body, she certainly has no problem to pull of any look other than being classic. As far as the style is concerned, we all love classic looks.  But life is just too  immensely  fruitful    to stick with one look only.  It's not easy to get out your comfort zone in ever...

We all love a cool attitude that pants can achieve especially when the pants by no means elongate our legs. A pants in perfect draped silhouette can be uber flattering even when we just wear flats. Who would want to look short and fat at lower half body, right??  I was browsing Philip Lim pre-fall and fall looks and fall in love again with his strong cutting in blazers, sleek jackets, and tailored pants. For me, minimalist look is too plain, but I can always inject something like those piping pants, or deconstructed knits to make my look with more details. Glad I can still see those sheered see-through is utilized on his 2012 runway.  That little sexiness always make people wonder.... is that one piece or are they actually separated?  (pic. taken from 2012 PF link here )  2012 Fall (style.com) Zara cropped sheer tank, Carven jacket 2012, 3.1 Philip Lim  Panel trousers with Zipper  ( similar link here )   (and here w...