the sweater body contour set

January 16, 2023

#setlife

another day. another set! surprisingly, i was in-store at @Express making a return (the only thing that will get me to a mall these days) and spotted this two-piece set. i loved how it felt and was shocked that it was part of the body contour line (which i have tried a piece and felt like it was just. too. tight. for my taste). i loved how the sweater material felt and how forgiving it was. the skirt was also so classy in length (a maxi on my 5’2” self) and the shoulder pad bodysuit added the right amount of drama to balance out the long skirt on my short self. this could even pass as formal attire if you ask me, which is exactly how i styled it — strappy heels, hard frame box clutch, and a pearl barrette for good measure. but again, what’s great about this formal set is that you can also wear them separately.

#styletip: to wear these separately, i’d style the shoulder pad bodysuit with a pair of straight leather pants or even black skinny jeans with a skinny belt. for the skirt, i’d style it with a cowl neck cami.

side ramblings: this one is going to be about food & skincare. i got into the food scene quite a bit this past week by finally marking off @este, @daydreamercafe (note: no public wi-fi which is a huge bummer because the space is BEAUTIFUL), @luckylabatx, @insomniacookies (the salted caramel was amazing!), and re-visited an old favorite, @barletts (grilled artichokes + prime rib is my go-to. every. time.). i’ve been using the @SolaWave red light wand that’s been all over my IG and it’s way to soon to see if it’s doing anything but i will say, it feels really good — the warmth and the slight vibration of the device. it’s at a really good price point for everything it claims to do. for now, the conductor serum i’m using is also the SolaWave renew serum (blue tansy, hyaluronic acid, aloe vera). i also received the glycolic renewal cleanser from one of my favorite skincare brands, @Skinceuticals! i’ve used this a couple time and it’s very gentle, even on my sensitive skin. so far, so good! venturing more into the skincare device world, i’m eyeing the new GLOfacial by @beautybio (use code: 231BB20 for 20% off) — basically a hydra facial at home that sucks out all the blackheads and junk in your pores into a water chamber that you can actually see! i think it’s pretty satisfying in a gross way. they’re known for their at-home GLOPro microneedling devices which i see the science behind and will probably be my next purchase after the GLOfacial.

currently on my playlist: flowers by Miley Cyrus

top | Express body contour v-neck padded shoulder sweater bodysuit in black (wearing size S)— also another great top option with a cut out in the back
skirt | Express super high waisted body contour midi sweater skirt in black (wearing size XS)
shoes | TOPSHOP strippy heeled sandals in black (old) — love these!
bag | DVF lytton clutch in quilted black leather (old) — similar // love this one
hair barrette | H&M pearl barrette (old) — similar
earrings | Mejuri charlotte bold hoops in gold vermeil — also available as huggies!!
rings | gorjana diamond row ring in 14K gold // gorjana diamond stacking ring in 14K gold
watch | Michele 29 mm deco diamond watch in gold and silver

rock all the sets!,
JD

photo credit: @janeyunphoto

the Express three-piece set

January 9, 2023

the set. for the. season.

move over two-piece set. today, we’re coming in hot with a three-piece set! i love sets, they make the task of getting dressed effortless — not having to think about matching at top and bottom (maybe that’s why i love dresses). but i mainly have two-piece sets and was looking for a three-piece. giddy with my fashion senses, i’m happy to say, yep, i found it. the set for this season! and there’s a couple things i wished it had, like petite sizing. but i loved it so much i had to make it work (which is unusual for me). you can tell the duster is very long. nothing i could do about that but it actually just adds more drama/movement to the outfit (the kind you want). and the skirt is also long, i tried to fix that by ruching it even more in the mid-section which makes it look even more flattering.

first, this set is SO SOFT (and not ultra body-hugging). i could sleep in it. it’s light enough for warmer months but also thin enough to layer with a thick coat in the colder months. you can also wear the tops, duster and skirt separately. while i styled it here for work, i actually bought another matching off the shoulder sweater top that’ll be great for a night out! you can also style this with pointed toe pumps, but i opted for these new knee high suede boots i’m lovin’!

side ramblings: we are approaching lunar new year (LNY) pretty quickly. year of the rabbit — read more about it here. this year is extra special since it falls exactly on my mom’s birthday (she’s extra excited)! besides all the LNY traditions, i love seeing beauty brands package things for LNY — in red. so naturally, i’m a sucker for it. i repeat. there is nothing special about it, it’s just packaged with red details. here are a couple i’ve seen: BIOSSANCE vitamin c rose oil, Charlotte Tilbury matte revolution lipstick in red-orange, SK-II facial treatment essence (heard they’re launching a year of the rabbit packaging soon!). on a local note, my friends, @thepapercraftpantry & @shopkathyphantastic are also throwing a lunar new year festival on 01/22 — details here. come out and #supportlocal if you can! lastly, i’ve also been on this puzzle-frenzy. during the holidays we did a couple (500 pieces: Austin, Kauai, Waikiki, 1000 pieces: Italy Cinque Terre). and i’ve continued on alone. right now i’m going through a mini-wooden puzzle series. as you can tell, i love @dowdlefolkart puzzles! the details are so fun to look at 🤓 #protip: they sell them at costco each fall for about $12!

currently on my playlist: daydream by Lily Meola

would it even be a blog photo if i didn’t drape a coat?! 😆

top | Express ultra soft mock neck sleeveless sweater tank in grey (wearing size S)
skirt | Express high waisted ruched side midi sweater skirt in grey (wearing size S, could’ve sized down to XS)
duster | Express ultra soft balloon sleeve duster cardigan in grey (wearing size XS)
bag | Senreve maestra in pebbled noir (my work bag) — also avail in mini (great everyday size) & midi sizes
shoes | Sam Edelman uma knee high boots in black suede (these actually fit my wide calves!) — similar
earrings | Mejuri charlotte bold hoops in gold vermeil — also available as huggies!!
sunglasses | Karen Walker number one sunglasses in black/smoke mono - available in tortoise
watch | Michele 29 mm deco diamond watch in gold and silver

cheers to all.the.sets.,
JD

photo credit: @janeyunphoto

how to wear hot pink pants

January 24, 2022

well, howdy 2022!

my word this year is COLORFUL. for so many reasons. color isn’t something i wear much of or gravitate towards. i love neutrals. because neutrals are easy to wear and my love for black is infinite. color on the other hand is… different. it takes some thinking to combine color combinations that complement one another without being loud or clashing. this year, i want to embrace and add more color into my wardrobe whether it’s mixing colors with neutrals or mixing them together and wearing them boldly. i’m pretty excited about it! like a little re-invention of JDC. it’ll be a challenge for sure. but i’m okay not-playing-it-safe this year. plus, there’s something about color that just makes people happy. and we can all use more of that in our lives, i know i can!

yes, you saw it right. i, janna doan am wearing hot pink LOL. here, i’m going to showcase the color combinations that i think go with these hot pink pants (you’ll surely turn some heads). for this post i choose to pair it with work appropriate tops. these pants are one my favorite fits: high-waisted, slim ankle fit — i own them in three or four colors. they run slightly small so size up! more after the jump!

side ramblings: before the world was taken over by the depressing omicron, i celebrated my 37th birthday with all the shenanigans. it was the best. i really am blessed to live this life. i re-visited @redash and can’t figure out why i keep forgetting about that place?! speaking of FOOD, guess what?! by now i’ve written a two food-related posts as a contributor for @thesavvylife.co! check them out here: 1. Cavatelli Cravings and 2. Matcha Madness 😊 more coming soon!

currently on my playlist: easy on me by Adele

combo 1 with pastel — feels like a watermelon to me! haha. but nonetheless, i do like the colors together. maybe if the mint was a little more pastel (but hey this is all i had!). this is a brighter mint so it’s a pretty bold look. i’ve been loving mint lately and here’s another cute blouse in mint i’ll need one day! combo 2 with a dark color — navy!, ah i consider it a neutral but i goes so well with the hot pink for some contrast. combo 3 with patterns — similar to combo 2, i really like the prints to break up the color and this striped button down did the job! the bright blue complements the hot pink perfectly. combo 4 with a bold color — wear it boldly with RED! i think this might be my favorite combo. the pearl button detail adds a touch of elegance too. combo 5 with good ol’ black — when all else fails, good ol’ black has got your back!

combo 5: and if all fails, there is always trusty ol’ black!

combo 1 //

top | J.Crew cashmere classic-fit crewneck sweater in wintermint (wearing size small, such a great capsule top since the style goes with everything!) — similar for $50! (just discovered this brand and love the ethical pricing)