how to style the sezane will jacket

March 4, 2024

the jacket for all seasons

luckily, my partnership with Sézane continues I decided to go with the Sézane will jacket #gifted that i’ve been eyeing for a while now and it comes in so many colors to choose from! i wasn’t sure how it would look on me due to length. turns out, i had nothing to worry about 🙂 it reminds me of a utility jacket but more sleek and structured. BTW, the utility jacket is my go-to travel jacket. i take it on every. single. trip. with me because honestly, it goes with EVERYTHING and it has functional pockets. i was hoping the will jacket would do the same in a more elevated way and it did not disappoint. the pockets are very deep and i love how the material keeps its structure since it is denim-like.

here, i decided to style it a couple of different ways. it’s all about versatility #amirite! i’ve always wanted to belt something like this and i love how it turned out. you can layer it (even over a dress which i have always wanted to try), belt it, and wear it as a top itself like a button down. you can dress it up and you can dress it down. check out all four looks after the jump!

side ramblings: 2024. it’s been a slowwww start here full of self-care. i’ve been enjoying spending time at home working on my paint-by-numbers, upgrading the home office, reading, playing mah jong, watching Modern Family with my parents, going down reddit thread rabbit holes about mechanical keyboards (new hobby) and trader joes (of course). it’s been a grand time!

invites + on the radar //

with this timely post, Sézane’s Austin pop-up opens on Friday, 03/08 at 1011 S. Congress Avenue Suite 130 (between Everlane and All Birds at Music Lane)! i was able to preview the store this past weekend and it is gorgeous. makes me miss Paris! i hope it becomes a permanent boutique in Austin🤞 hours of operation: Open Monday to Saturday: 10 am to 7 pm and Sundays: 11 am to 6 pm. stop by and check them out! it’s also a great way to try on their sizes if you are unsure and feel all their luxe fabrics and textiles!
i was invited into The Guest House // @welcometgh earlier this week and i gotta say, it was an AMAZING experience 💯 i loved all. the. dishes., the service, and the ambiance was 110% swanky. i’ll be returning soon! dishes ordered: complimentary brioche (OMG LAYERED GOODNESS), steak tartare, traditional caviar service, parmesean truffle crusted filet, miso mushrooms, the garden dessert (a must), and the tres leches x tiramisu dessert! they will be opening the take away section soon (and i hope they have that brioche available!) and the little outdoor wine garden! so happy to see this space filled on 2nd street!

other notable eats lately //

@mysweetishfriend — the swedish tosca almond cake is life changing i tell ya
@kpotbbqandhotpot — finally a korean BBQ and hot pot place down south!!
@tareaustin — omakase for life. slowly trying all the omakase offerings in ATX, next on the list is @craftomakase
@yuki.atx — yes, it’s known for its handrolls, but the nigiri is where it’s at
@uchibarestaurants — a diff uchi-vibe but i’m here for it!

currently on my playlist: headlights home by Mat Kearney

currently reading: hook, line, and sinker by Tessa Bailey

LOOK 1 - layered over a t-shirt or layered over a t-shirt and belted

LOOK 1: layered openly over a graphic t-shirt

LOOK 2. as a top itself. for good measure, just three buttons only + an ever so slight pop in the collar

jacket c/o | Sézane will jacket in khaki (sized down to a XS)
dress | Old Navy eyelet midi dress (very old) — similar but a maxi with classy cut outs!
denim c/o | Everlane kick crop jeans in white (very old) — similar by Madewell // similar by J.Crew Factory // loving these wide leg ones!
top | J.Crew Factory le weekend t-shirt (so old) — similar Paris one! // this striped one would go so perfectly too!
belt | Ann Taylor waist belt (old) — similar and love the one by Sezane
leggings | Athleta salutation stash 7/8 tight in black — similar on Amazon for $29
sports top | Amazon high neck sports bra crop top in white

until next time,
JD

the sezane barry cardigan

November 20, 2023

thankful.

howdy friends! gosh it has been a while and i can barely believe we’re here. Thanksgiving week already!!!! it’s so shocking. this year flew by a little too quickly - maybe a sign of age 👵side ramblings after the jump.

i’m thrilled to continue my partnership with Sézane! here i’m kicking off sweater weather (feels so good and normal to wear these now!) with the barry cardigan. while i own the iconic gaspard cardigan, i picked out the sister style; the barry cardigan in this beautiful lilac color. sometimes lilac can be tricky but the tone (not too cool) on this one is perfect for my fair skintone. the only difference between the gaspard and the barry is the neckline, the barry has a v-neck button front — which can also be worn backwards as well for a subtle sexy v-back look. i did try it and while no photos, i can ensure you that it’s a good look to try! i opted to pair this with some navy wide leg pants (looks black in the photos though) and really love the contrast of the colors together — def give this color combo a go sometime! if you’re feeling bold, i’d style it with green or light pink pants as well! as always, picking the one color in this cardigan was H A R D. because there are so many pretty ones for all the seasons! #lifedecisions ya know?

lately i’ve been going for tops over dresses at Sézane for some reason! i’m a total dress gal. but i’ve been gravitating towards their sweaters, shirts, and jackets lately. some others i picked out include, c/o Sézane:

betty cardigan (in black/ecru, size S) — HELLO CLASSY LADY. that’s what this cardigan screams! i also have this cardigan in rosewood… so that tells you something 😁
will jacket (in khaki, size XS) — this is such a unique and versatile jacket (with DEEP pockets which i LOVE). i wore it out this weekend with white jeans + white graphic tee, and i can see it draped over an athleisure outfit or even belted over a skirt or dress (will be trying this soon!). it comes in all sorts of textures, colors, and patterns. so again, good luck choosing! i did size down to an XS on this one though :)
tomboy shirt (in ecru/camel stripes, size 4) — one of the Sézane reps wore this when they were in Austin this summer and i loved it on her. it’s such a classic button down that i’ll be styling with white jeans!

also, check out the Sézane parisian gift shop here!

#blackfriday: alright alright alright. here we go with some black friday sales. i think i’ll continue to update this section as the week goes on but lots of sales have already started, much earlier this year if feels like?! i’m keeping it pretty slim this year, there’s not a ton i really want (or need; but that’s a fine line right?!) so here are some that top my list:

Abercrombie & Fitch — 25% off everything. would love to finally try the YPB neoknit line with these joggers and half zip hoodie combo in the prettiest evergreen
Ann Taylor — 50% off everything. eyeing this feather cuff mock neck sweater! haven’t seen a mock neck and feather combo yet. this is going to pair so well with some festive red pants for the holidays!
BIOSSANCE — 30% off everything with code: GIVE30 at this point, i use almost the whole line it feels like! also, with orders over $85 you get a 8-piece gift with purchase (sizes are great for traveling!). ☀️ staples: squalane + vitamin c dark spot serum, squalane + copper peptide rapid plumping serum. 🌙 staples: squalane + 10% lactic acid resurfacing serum (1x a week), squalane + retinol night serum (every other night), squalane + marine algae eye cream
gorjana — $25 off $175, $50 off $300, $100 off $500
H&M — 30% off everything: no code needed. this pile coat looks so cozy & neutral to match everything
J.Crew — up to 50% almost everything: no code needed. i’d pick up another emilie lady jacket (similar to Sézane betty cardigan but without the collar). also the perfect time to pick up the lady coat (or anything labeled as “lady” for that matter) look at the FUN colors!! that purple!! the buttons are hidden in this year’s design and i’m kind diggin’ it
MEJURI — 20% off with $150 purchase: no code needed. i’ve been eyeing the charlotte hoops in 14K solid gold since my charlotte bold hoops in vermeil are already rusted 😒 #realgoldera
Quince — 5 days of savings that change daily for 5 days!

currently reading: something wilder by Christina Lauren

currently on the playlist: times like this by Mat Kearney ft. Devon Gilfillian (there is always a Mat K song for every season on life!)

side ramblings: life has been a little rough lately, not gonna lie. everything kind of piled on top of each other all at once it felt like. hence, my absence. in fact, when i look at the blog posts for 2023, it’s an all time low for me and slightly disappointing. i know life/things get in the way, but this year i really let this piece of the internet slip away; by my own doing. this weekend i spent time making a list of small changes i’d like to make to change my circumstance. not that things change overnight, but i find that if i show up and hold myself accountable for something on my list (like publishing this blog post), i’ve made some progress. and progressing we are! 💗this is timely as it’s Thanksgiving week. the past couple of weeks were a good reminder of the support system i have and the people who have come thru for me during this time (thank you). i am pretty dang blessed beyond words. really. and hey, what would life be without ebbs and flows right? #cantstopwontstop actually it’s funny my dad reminded of this hashtag recently. he just knew 😉

top c/o | Sézane barry cardigan in lilac (wearing size S) — similar but the gaspard style (link to blog post on how to style it here)
pants | Ann Taylor wide-leg kate pants in navy (old)
necklace | gorjana diamond cluster necklace in 14K solid gold
watch | Michele 29 mm deco diamond watch in gold and silver
rings | gorjana diamond row ring in 14K gold // gorjana diamond stacking ring in 14K gold

until next time (but not too long 🙂),
JD

the maxi cutout dress

September 7, 2023

cutouts. but classy.

cutouts can be tricky sometimes! anyone else agree? while i love cutouts, most clothing pieces have too many cutouts or the cutouts are in places that would require too much thought in terms of what kind of undergarments to wear — ain’t nobody time got time for that! i was looking for an elegant yet tasteful piece and …enter this maxi dress! the colors captured my eye, bold & bright, reminds me of a piece of watercolor art. thankfully it falls right at my ankles so perfect on my 5’2” short self. no hemming needed, the back is actually attached!!! && the best part is you can wear normal undergarments + regular bra with it! whoo #thisis38

side ramblings: this past weekend was a blast! we celebrated my dad’s 70th birthday and it was so great to see family i haven’t seen since the pandemic!! it made my little heart so happy. we used to get together all the time. family gatherings were always a big thing in my life — asians love to make excuses to get together and eat! confession: i’ve been on a little shopping spree lately. for a awhile i was soo good about not buying anything but as we start to enter fall (my fave season of fashion), it’s pretty much all downhill 🫠

currently on my playlist: nobody knows by The Tony Rich Project (taking it back to the old school jams! the best IMO).

currently reading: the people we meet on vacation by Emily Henry

dress | petal + pup laquin long sleeve maxi dress in pink (wearing size S) — similar in a mini version // love this white one with eyelet details // similar with short sleeves
bag | MANGO straw bag (old) — similar on Amazon
shoes | shein cut out sandals in cognac (old) — similar on Amazon // similar by Steve Madden
watch | Michele 29 mm deco diamond watch in gold and silver
rings | gorjana diamond row ring in 14K gold // gorjana diamond stacking ring in 14K gold // Quince pave slim signet ring in 14K gold

until next time,
JD

photo credit: @janeyunphoto

the coral & chartreuse combo

August 21, 2023

cue the ‘watermelon sugar by Harry Styles’ for this post.

this color combo was so fun to put together! originally i wanted to style the coral pants with a white or cream top. at the last minute i decided on a more bold color combo and BAM! it all works out in the end amirite?!

the Ann Taylor kate wide leg cropped pants are a closet favorite of mine. the design continues to improve and launches in FUN colors ALL. THE. TIME. tbh, it’s hard for me to restrain from buying every color (me, hiding from the fall colors). there have been improvements over the years with these pants and i think this year is perfection. it’s finally a high rise (past my belly button) and the pocket placement and opening are perfect — before they would bulge out a little too much. i love that they come in a petite length because they fall just right on my 5’2” self. the material and amount of stretch is perfect. since they are high rise so they go so well with crop tops like this fun chartreuse one here. on the flipside, for safer-not-as-bold looks, i’d pair chartreuse with navy or white!

side ramblings: it’s crazy that summer 2023 is coming to a close. it only feels that way with school in session, but other than that, it’s still summer to me until i can put on a jacket (at the very least — and that… in TX is late OCT)! watching my niece & nephew go to school was bittersweet. they’re growing up so fast and with that means changes to our family time schedules due to all their extra circular activities! we spend SO. MUCH. time. together. but i wouldn’t have it any other way! #beyondblessed

currently on my playlist: watermelon sugar by Harry Styles

currently reading: the seven husbands of evelyn hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

top | Line & Dot v-wire top in chartreuse (old) — love this new tank from Madwell in artichoke (similar tone) // similar w shoulder ties // similar in terms of color // similar in terms of cut // similar
pants | Ann Taylor the kate wide leg crop pant in deep coral (wearing size 2P)
earrings | Mejuri charlotte bold hoops in gold vermeil — similar for $49 by Quince // also available as huggies
bag | lulu's essential style natural woven knot handle clutch bag — similar on Amazon
shoes | Target A New Day basil mule heels in cream — also available in a platform style // newer version // also love these new strappy ones!
watch | Michele 29 mm deco diamond watch in gold and silver
rings | gorjana diamond row ring in 14K gold // gorjana diamond stacking ring in 14K gold

until next time,
JD

photo credit: @janeyunphoto

the sezane doll blouse & tailored shorts

July 17, 2023

gimme all the shoulder tie tops.

HOWDY! ‘write blog post’ has been on my to-do list for a while now. since the last post, life was coming back to normal with work but i ended up visiting Japan! recovering from jet lag took longer than expected and finding life’s normal rhythm again took some time but it now finally felt like a good day to sit down and put something together that i’ve been meaning to put out there! and it FEELS SO GOOD. this is my happy place right here.

usually before summer hits, i take a couple of outfit photos to get me through the summer months. thank goodness because summer this year has been BRUTAL 🥵 it’s so hot to even be outside for more than 5 mins! scary what August will feel like. hopefully all the backlogged & Japan content will get me through to fall (my favorite season of fashion) 💯

i am pretty much a sucker for all shoulder tie tops and dresses. why? the bow/tie adds a fun-flirty-feminine detail to the outfit and this particular one, the Sézane doll blouse in cara red was the perfect shade of bold red (also avail in a matching skirt!!). the material (100% silk) made this an elevated top, so i styled it with some tailored shorts. while i love chino and denim shorts, they lean on the casual side and sometimes you need a pair of shorts that are good enough to wear to date night with tops such as this one that pulls the whole outfit together.

taken at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in the Theme Garden which is easily my favorite area. i love the arches, the vines, walkway, greenery. @janeyunphoto did an amazing job!

side ramblings: i’ve been back from Japan for a little over a month and every week i find myself missing it! if i could put Japan in one word, i’d say orderly. people actually follow the rules there, it’s so clean, people are nice/respectful. i LOVED Japan and plan on going back sometime in my future. dedicated Japan posts coming soon! on another note, i saw Past Lives and it had been forever since i went to a movie theatre — the movie itself was very good and thought provoking. the more spiritual/woo-woo side of me does believe in past lives and an afterlife in the sense that sometimes we meet people that we feel we’ve known forever, some sort of connection you can’t quite put your finger on/identify. it also made me think about people who have also touched my life for a season and didn’t really stay around for other reasons — maybe i’ll see them in a different life with different lessons. either way, it’s all comforting to me at the end of the day.

currently on my playlist: monster by Shawn Mendes & Justin Bieber

currently reading: 8 rules of love: how to find it, keep it, and let it go by Jay Shetty sometimes i spend time scrolling, before bed… and i’ve come across a lot of Jay Shetty clips. he always says things that resonate, that make me grab a pen and write it down. so i ended up picking up his latest book to read. it’s very interesting with exercises to practice on. much to unpack here and i’m only halfway through! it’s a great book for everyone at any stage — single, in a relationship, or married. it makes you ponder past experiences, how you could’ve approached it better and the future in terms of what you plan to do differently by working on yourself. it’s always about learning & improving, amirite?! 💗

top c/o | Sézane doll blouse in red cara (wearing size 4 USA) — the red cara print is also avail in a matching skirt too (regrets not getting it!!)
bottoms | Aritzia Wilfred the effortless short 5” in light birch (wearing size 6) — similar from A&F // similar in linen
hat | GIGI PIP faye boater hat (old) — newer version // similar
earrings | Mejuri charlotte bold hoops in gold vermeil — similar for $49 by Quince // also available as huggies!!
bag c/o| Sézane mini farrow bucket bag in natural raffia
shoes | Sam Edelman gigi sandals in cognac (old) — newer version
watch | Michele 29 mm deco diamond watch in gold and silver
rings | gorjana diamond row ring in 14K gold // gorjana diamond stacking ring in 14K gold

until next time,
JD

photo credit: @janeyunphoto

the green & navy combo

May 29, 2023

green + navy combo

staying true to more color i picked out this beautiful green embroidered button down from Sézane! the details (and quality) are so good - as expected from Sézane. from the delicate ruffle to the scalloped hem of the sleeves. YES. i LOVE a kelly/bright green and navy pairing so these pants were perfect. what’s too many wide leg cropped pants? asking for a friend. i finished this outfit with standard timeless pieces such as tan cut out sandals (a hermes dupe) and a tan everyday bag. here are some other ways i’d style the Sézane dalhia shirt:

white straight or skinny jeans
tailored white wide leg pants
tailored white shorts

side ramblings: this hiatus was unexpected. work took over all aspects of my life, leaving me feeling exhausted at the end of the day. too tired to get on socials or write a blog post or connect with friends which in turn made me feel more disconnected from everyone and my passion = dark place. the good news is that the end is in sight. thank goodness. it’s also ironic how when it rains it pours right? life is about the peaks and valleys and sometimes the valleys can be hard. those are the times i’m reminded that so much of life is out of my control. that life is easier when i just let it flow and lean more into grace & gratitude — or at least i try; i am only human after all 🙂

currently reading: the soulmate equation by Lauren Christina - a really cute book about opposites attracting! since the last post i managed to finish the unhoneymooners, it ends with us by Collen Hoover and beach read by Emily Henry. so happy about this re-kindled hobby!

currently on my playlist: 13 by LANY

top c/o | Sézane dalhia shirt in green (wearing size 4)
pants | Ann Taylor cropped wide leg pants (old) — similar and i have these in so. many. colors
bag | Senreve mini maestra in chestnut — avail in a medium and large version
shoes | Shein cut out sandals (old) — similar on amazon // similar by Steve Madden
earrings | Mejuri charlotte bold hoops in gold vermeil — similar for $49 by Quince // also available as huggies!!
watch | Michele 29 mm deco diamond watch in gold and silver
rings | gorjana diamond row ring in 14K gold // gorjana diamond stacking ring in 14K gold

until next time,
JD

photo credit: @janeyunphoto

the sezane asianne dress styled two ways

March 27, 2023

the first floral print of the season!

option 1 // casually styled under a bright blue fisherman sweater (hello texture & COLOR!) with white sneakers

seriously pinching myself writing this blog post in collaboration with no other than @Sézane! Sézane is one of those brands where you just say OUI OUI (french for yes) as you check out all the items on their site. the parisian brand makes the most fabulous pieces (quality over quantity based on the number of pieces on their site) so you can imagine how long it took me to pick an item! life decisions i tell ya. it’s impossible not to add everything to your cart and ponder another trip to paris at the same time. i miss paris so much!

this post kicks off a three part series with Sézane, all featuring pieces from their spring collection. and spring is such a fun season, despite the allergies, flowers start blossoming, temperatures are ideal/perfect, and it’s when we start bringing out those spring dresses, floral prints, shorts, etc. the Asianne dress in cara print was such a pretty blue that i needed in my life and the floral print justified it even more. the TX weather is still fluctuating so i saw this dress as an opportunity to style it under a sweater and by itself for date night/brunch! i’ve seen the sweater over a dress styling hack and instead of going with a neutral cream color… i decided on a bold pairing — a bright blue! i loved how it turned out. no need to invent the wheel, so here’s a great video by @merricksart on how to style a sweater over a dress! she did a great job and i just tucked the sweater under the wrap of the dress.

currently reading: beach read by Emily Henry

currently on my playlist: easy lover by Ellie Goulding