coat your blessings

Throughout December, I was captivated by so many different coats. 

It didn't help that the past December was oddly summer-hot. Neither did the fact that I no longer had my winter-cold office to wear coats to. 

But because I promised to be thankful here, let me recount my coat-blessings: I am thankful for all the gorgeous coat eyecandy that filled this post - they did make me smile. I am thankful for our winter-cold church that allowed me to wear a coat every Sunday morning. And I am thankful to my friends M & C for hosting our recent Tagaytay vacation that let me chill in a coat.

Especially since, on my last trip to Hong Kong, I luckily found this jacket of Olivia Palermo I had been pining for from here!

Photos from americanhoney & manilafashionobserver.

Click here for a previous post about more of Olivia Palermo's gorgeous coats.

my pretend closet: Olivia's jacket

I've been smitten with this jacket of Olivia Palermo. I love that the olive safari bodice is paired with leather sleeves. But I have no idea what brand it is or where to get it.

I actually saw a similar one on sale in Zara during my recent trip to Hongkong. My shopping buddy K even tried it on.

But I wasn't very happy with the collar and the length of the Zara version. I just looove how Olivia's jacket can be buttoned up all the way to her chin. I also like that the leather sleeve is longer than the olive bodice.

Maybe if this older Zara version were available, a jacket inspired by Olivia's would be hanging in my actual closet now. 

But it wasn't. So Olivia's jacket will just have to remain in my pretend closet.

Photos from manilafashionobserver, zara and here.

Click here for a previous post on Olivia Palermo's style. Click here for previous posts from the My Pretend Closet series.

where do you like to be held?

For those of you in a relationship, is there a specific way your partner holds you that never fails to make you feel warm & tingly all over? Like you're a teenage girl getting kissed ever-so-gently for the very first time by your highschool crush?

I find a light touch on my knee quite comforting.

A gentle stroking of my fingers quite sweet.

And a tender touch on my side quite endearing.

A firm grasp of my back makes me feel lovingly safe & protected.

And hands clutching my face in a kiss, so romantic.

And finally, noses touching, so real, honest & playful. A warm-and-tingly meant to last forever.

What about you? Where do you like to be held? Is there a special way he holds you that makes you feel even more loved and in love?

Photos from pinkwallpaper and annnniegirl.  

where are you on leopard print?

Are you bold enough to wear a leopard-print dress?

Honestly, I'm not there yet. I might be able to wear a tinted leopard print like this green one...

I can definitely wear it as a belt accent. Both thick...

or thin...

But right now... only on solid ensembles. I struggle with this mix of floral & animal print. You might know my struggle from here and that I just started to push myself to mix prints here - in the same color palette. These aren't even in the same palette!

But maybe because I've always liked Olivia Palermo's style (see related post here), I find this mix of floral pants & leopard print pumps quite chic.

I'm not 100% certain I can actually go through with it or even pull it off the way Olivia does so well. But what-the-heck, it's summer! The perfect time to mix it up & make dressing up for work fun & exciting!

What about you? Where are you on leopard print?

Photos from annnniegirl, streetfsn and garancedore.  

some polka dots i spotted...

Dots or no dots, I have always loved Olivia Palermo's street style.

She effortlessly does that thing that takes so much effort for me to do -- mix warm browns with cool black or gray (see related post here).

She pulls off the wide-leg-pant-look so well and wears bows without looking too girly.

She has the most fabulous coats. Seriously, if I were at the same party as her in NYC, I'd ask to take her coat at the door and ruuun! Yes, literally TAKE her coat! I love, love, love that hooded coat. The orange coat finishes off her already-fabulous outfit perfectly. I am smitten with the leather edging on that camel coat from her ASOS shoot (so Resort 2012 edging! see related post here). And am loving that long inner to that lovely cream short-sleeved coat (so Chloe! see related post here).

And finally, Olivia Palermo reminds me that you don't need to wear heels to look amazing. I love that she rocks a pair of flat sneakers, oxfords and ballerina slippers! My absolute fave are those Sergio Rossi silver brogues! Especially paired with that striped tee! So effortlessly elegant!

Photos from everythingfabtumblr, heritage, denimblog, scarfqueen and oliviapalermofashion.