Midweek Celebration - Mia Rosa wine

Since I finished my first interview, and my best friend in grad school also had her first interview, we decided to celebrate by drinking some wine as a little midweek break. We both have been super stressed out with trying to balance life, research, teaching, career development, interviews, and writing our dissertations (or thinking about writing, lol).

I was contacted by Mia Rosa Wines to try two of their dessert wines, and I said, why not, and this was the perfect opportunity to try them (Yes we finished both bottles in one sitting, but we took it slow and over the course of a few hours of chatting... Oh and they are both low alcohol percentage wine so you can drink it mid day with lunch or what not and not feel 'drunk').

Mia Rosa Wines are bottled and imported from Gattinara, Italy, but the company that imports and distributes the wine is local, based in Glendale, California. So this is a definite SoCal brand, and I love supporting local businesses!

I love Moscatos, my go to wine is white, and I'm not really a red wine girl. I didn't know what to expect with their red, but it ended up being very enjoyable and not very dry as I expected!

First up, the Mia Rosa Moscato White:

This wine was a little fizzy and bubbly at first sip, and it was very delicious and sweet! It had a very clean finish, and the taste didn't linger. I could taste flavors of apple, cantalope, peach, pear - it was very tasty! At 5.5% Alcohol by volume, I easily drank 2-3 glasses without feeling much! Easily a very nice wine to go to after a meal when you aren't ready for a rather wild night, and pairs easily with dessert, cheeses, or I even thought it would pair well with Thai food or other kinds of spicy food - the sweetness is a good level to counterbalance spice!

Next, the Mia Rosa Dolce Rosso Red: 

This wine was also fizzy and bubbly at first sip, and it was a rather tasty red! It wasn't dry like other reds I have tasted, which I think made it more enjoyable for me. I could taste lots of flavors of berry - raspberries, red berry among others. Again, there is only 5.5% Alcohol by volume, so it is a nice light wine to enjoy during the day. I would pair this wine with some yummy dark chocolate (girls + wine + chocolate, perfect!), and maybe some fresh fruit.

Channeling my inner Boss Lady - Tobi Jumpsuit - Part 3

Happy Friday loves!!!
I'm so glad this week is almost over, I've been a stressball all week, dealing with research, teaching, preparing for an interview next week, you name it, I haven't slept much, but I'm feeling like a #Bosslady for how much I've been able to accomplish.
Today I'm bringing you my final outfit from Tobi.com, this really badass Anisha Midi Jumpsuit, which you can find HERE.
At first I was a little hesitant to request this item, but I thought why not, and step out of my comfort zone. I have not really worn or own many jumpsuits, but I wanted to give it a shot.
While I wasn't a big fan of how this looked on me, I still felt like a boss lady, and it made me feel powerful, especially with those stilettos that I bought from Charlotte Russe. I think what really attracted me to this jumpsuit was the cross back of it, with a lot of sexy back showing! I am a little uncomfortable showing this much cleavage, but I tried to rock it anyway! I paired it with this same necklace that I wore in the previous outfit, and it worked well! I also used a belt I had from Express to cinch the waist, it might also look good without a belt! The good thing about this jumpsuit is that its black so it can be paired with a lot of different pieces and statement pieces! It also cuts at the calf since it is a midi cut, which I don't think is the most flattering for me, but I am just being self conscious! For a taller girl it would be the perfect cut (I'm only 5' 2"...).

Coachella/Casual Inspired Look Part 2 - Tobi Skater Dress

Happy Hump Day!
So glad this week is flying by, so ready for the weekend again!
I have an important week next week coming up that I'm trying to prepare for (two interviews!) but I am trying to keep my cool!
Today I am bringing you another Coachella inspired Casual look from Tobi.com- can be worn to a festival or even just the lab - I think this pretty dress is super versatile and can be worn different ways! It was originally a dress - the Together Forever Skater Dress  in black! It was a really windy day so I decided to wear pants underneath to avoid any windy day mishaps if you catch my drift! But it can be worn by itself or as a longer shirt/tunic over pants or leggings! I like both styles! Wearing it with pants is a lot more appropriate for lab during the week, wearing as a dress is easier during the weekend, for example, going to brunch with friends!

Spring Inspiration - Coachella/Bridesmaid look ft Tobi Skater Dress

Spring is officially here - it is officially May, and I am astounded by how fast time is flying!
We are officially past the halfway point of the academic quarter, and I can't believe it is already May - graduation is next month and it's getting real!
Anyway, it was recently Coachella weekend, and I have always wanted to go a be a hippy child - all of the style inspiration I see from Coachella is so floaty and happy - I wanted to channel some looks this week to bring in Spring officially to the blog, so I am bringing you a 3 part series this week!
I wore this really pretty Tobi.com dress - the Not too busy Dress, found HERE. I really loved the blush pink shade of the dress, and I really adored the off the shoulder sleeves! It was too cute! At first when I saw the dress I was like oh wow way too short, but once I put it on, it was the perfect length!
I decided to pair the outfit with some simple gold sandals, and a floral headpiece I received as a gift from my boyfriend's aunt in Jordan (the country) and the look was complete! I really am in love with this look! It can also serve as a really cute bridesmaid/wedding party look - especially with the flower bouquet - no I am not engaged, but thought the bouquet would be a really cute addition!

Co-chairing a Symposium - Conference Fashion

Hello loves!
I am back with a Conference outfit post!
Sorry for lack of outfit posts, I've been SO scatter brained and swamped since the beginning of the month - I went to a conference in San Diego that I talked about previously, and I co-chaired a Grad Student and Postdoc led session, where I was able to invite two key speakers and selected from the abstracts for student presentations. This is the outfit I wore, it was perfect amount of formal and dressy while still a little casual for drinks for the reception afterward!
I've been a teaching assistant since the beginning of the month and it has been a little (A LOT) stressful, since it has cut up my free time that I can work in the lab. My Tuesday/Thursdays are teaching days, and I have a lot of other commitments such as organizations and other groups I am involved in, so most days I don't find a chance to even sit at my computer! I've been so stressed that I barely find time to sleep nowadays. I'm dreaming of a vacation where I can completely unplug from the world and just relax!
This shirt I received from my aunt as a gift, from Cyprus, the pants are dress pants from New York and Company, simple black heels from Nine West that I've had in my closet, and my large tote back is from Zara.

Episode 2: How to deal with Finances and Giveaway Winner

Happy Tuesday!

Today I bring you Episode 2 of my new Youtube Series, PhD Fashionista's Survival Guide to Grad School, and I'm talking about dealing with finances. I've struggled living in LA on a grad student stipend, but I've made it work! Check out the video for some tips, and let me know if you have any comments or additional tips for how you made it work!

And Finally I selected a Flowerbomb Perfume Giveaway winner randomly from the entries - Congrats to Sarah Klein! I have sent you an email!!

Thanks to everyone who entered, stay tuned for another giveaway soon!

Have a great rest of your week and I will be back with an outfit post on Friday!

xoxo

Andrea

Conferencing it up - Poster Presentation Outfit

Hey loves!

Hello from San Diego! 

It is officially conference time at the ASBMB meeting, and yesterday I presented my poster and talked some science! I have been attending various talks and workshops all weekend, and it has been a really great experience thus far! I have been on the go since Friday, and my plans were to blog each day, but after a long day at the conference center listening to talks, I get back to the hotel and collapse on my bed! I have been chronicling my day to day outfits on my instagram (go follow me there, @phd_fashionista, to keep up to date), but I thought I would actually write a post about my outfit for the poster presentation today! 

I wore this pretty patterned top/blouse that I got from Express, and I paired it with black dress pants I also bought from Express, called the Editor, I really like the flattering cut of the pants! I tried on a pair of their ankle dress pants and with my body/legs, they actually made me look even shorter! So a bootcut pant is definitely my friend! 

I paired the outfit with the same comfy Nine West heels that I have worn in other outfits (and to be honest they have been worn into the ground, time for a new pair soon!), and some simple accessories. My necklace was a birthday gift from a great friend, Dina from Leafandcrown.com, she hand laser cut the necklace as a part of her new zodiac collection! How cool is that?! my friends are so talented! And I also used my black tote bag from Zara, I love how chic it looks and it is big enough to fit a lot of my things! 

I'm a huge fan of wall art, so when I saw this wall I had to take a photo in front of it!

Episode 1: How to deal with Stress and Anxiety, PhD Fashionista's Survival Guide to Grad School

Hey guys!

Hope everyone is having a good week so far! The quarter started on Monday and I'm a Teaching Assistant on top of doing research, so it will be a very busy quarter!
I'm preparing a bunch of conference fashion posts to be posting for the conference I'm attending this weekend/next week, and I will be trying to blog every day of the conference, so be on the lookout for those posts!

But first, I want to post my first episode for my Youtube Series: Phd Fashionista's Survival Guide to Grad School: How to deal with Stress and Anxiety.

It is really putting myself out there and talking about something personal I've dealt with, but I find it rarely talked about and so hush-hush, so I am restarting the conversation. Hope this can help even just one person, it will all be worth it!<3 br="">



Don't forget to subscribe to my channel to get email updates for new episodes!

I would love to hear your comments about this topic, what you think about the videos, and any other topics you would like to hear discussed!

Have a wonderful rest of your week!

xoxo

Andrea

PS. Winner of the Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb perfume giveaway will be announced as soon as I can check thru all of the entries!

PhD Fashionista's Survival Guide to Grad School

Hey Loves!
Sorry it's been some time since my last outfit post, I do have outfits I need to post about, but I've just been swamped lately with school work and not having enough time to do anything!
I have a bunch of projects I am working on - I am heading to a conference in San Diego that I am preparing some Conference Fashion posts, and I will hopefully be blogging fashion during the conference also. I am also working on some fitness posts, that will be up soon also!

BUT! I am finally proud to announce that I kicked my butt into gear and FINALLY got around to starting this youtube series I have wanted to start since Summer, a Survival Guide to Grad School. I will be talking about various issues graduate students encounter, and this is the first intro video in the series - but I will be posting a video a week! These aren't issues just exclusive to grad students but also to life, so if you have anything you want me to talk about, do leave a comment!  Would love to hear some feedback also!






I would love it if you would SUBSCRIBE to my Channel!

Also, I am always active on Instagram right now, mainly because I am always on the go - so definitely check out my posts there if you want some more fashion inspiration (I have recently been posting my daily outfits that I don't get a chance to photograph for the blog!
Follow me on Instagram @phd_fashionista

And lastly, my giveaway is still running, so do check it out and enter to win the Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb full size perfume! It will be running until THIS FRIDAY - so go and enter!!

Enter the giveaway here


Hope you have a wonderful week ahead, and I will be posting again this week!

xoxo

Andrea

Happy Friday - TGIF and Perfume Giveaway!

Happy Friday loves!

I'm soo soo glad it is Friday! TGIF. It's been a long and stressful week in lab, and I am just exhausted. I haven't had time to prepare my outfit post but an outfit post will be up next week!
I have been so busy with trying to wrap up experiments so I can start writing my dissertation and papers, but there's so much data and information to sift through, and so much to still do, it is a little overwhelming, and I am having a hard time balancing everything while still trying to take care of myself.

Well, I hit a milestone for my blog, I finally hit 1000 followers on instagram!!! It is a great accomplishment, and I hope to hit more milestones soon!

Simple Chic work outfit - and a JazzyKreationz Statement Necklace

Hello!
Happy Friday!
Another week, another post! What a busy crazy week it has been, and its only been a 4 day week, with the day off on Monday!
The weather in LA has also been a little crazy, cold, then warming back up into the 80s/90s, to rain, to back to warm... what is this!? I would expect this weather from back home in MA but not in SoCal! Though I can't say I didnt love the rain!! I'm so excited for the weekend to relax and recharge, it has been a really busy week running around to different obligations and experiments/gathering some really great data!
Here is a simple chic outfit I wore to work, featuring the Brown-gold statement necklace, that is a handmade statement necklace from JazzyKreationz - a handmade and customizable necklace and jewelry store I discovered on instagram! This necklace is so simple yet so chic - I love the beaded pattern and detail! It definitely steals the spotlight from the rest of the outfit, which I kept simple to focus on this necklace! I also love the colors, perfect for a conference or simple outfit, have it be the focal point! I got a lot of compliments on this outfit and necklace, so I am so happy with it! Definitely check out Jazzy's store and see her other "kreationz!" She can customize a necklace or make one to order, so if there is something in mind that you want, definitely let her know! I love the other necklaces she makes as well, they are super chic!
I just wore a simple white t-shirt with a sparkly cardigan from a local store, along with my YMI jeans and ankle boots from Target! This is one of my go-to outfits since it is so simple and can be paired with a nice statement necklace to really add some style!

Makeup Monday: Vice 4 Makeup Tutorial, My Valentine's Day look

Hello!

Today I'm showing you another subtle look I created using my Vice 4 palette, this time for valentine's day! It is very similar to the one I showed you last week, but this one has a pop of pink, that is subtle but still super pretty for Valentine's Day!

I spent the weekend relaxing and unplugging from work. I had a great time spending the weekend with friends, having lots of good laughs playing Cards against Humanity, and spending valentines with my boy. Today is a holiday so I took it off and spent it doing things that I haven't had time for, like working on blog posts, watching tv, catching up on skype with my cousins, scrolling on instagram and creating new posts, and more. 

It's nice, and I'm about to head to the beach by myself to catch the sunset and just relax. It's nice to have others to go with but sometimes you just need some alone time!

Here is the look:

Vice 4 Makeup Tutorial: Metallics

Happy Friday!

I'm so glad almost the weekend!

I've had a busy stressful week, and I'm finding myself start falling back into my old ways from last quarter. I am trying so hard to STOP that! I can't go back to how I was feeling last quarter. So I am taking this weekend to relax and chill.

Here is a makeup look I created with my new Urban Decay Vice 4 palette I got as a Christmas gift from my mom!  I really like the pigments in all of the Vice palettes, so I was super excited to try the newest limited edition palette! I created a metallic shimmery look that you can wear on the daily but also dress it up to go out at night! 

Malibu and Glam Necklace - weekend relaxing

Hello!
Happy Monday and happy February! I can't believe it is already the first of the month! January flew by!
I've been super busy with lab work and some outside things I am involved with, which is great because it gives me more of a work-life balance. I've been trying to leave lab at a reasonable time so I can have enough time to relax and workout when I get home. So far so good, and my stress levels are much lower!
I'm also working on rebranding my blog a little bit, adding a fitness aspect to it, because fitness and health has become a big aspect of my life recently, ever since I decided I needed to take care of myself. I am hoping to start writing some blogposts about lifestyle, fitness and health, and also start a youtube channel as well. I have been doing a beachbody program called 21 day fix and I saw results in 21 days, and I feel sooo much better - no more headaches or migraines! I am trying to help people as well so I signed up to be a coach, so if you are interested in doing a program with me, send me an email, I'd love to forward you some info on the program and have you join the challenge group that is starting next monday February 8!! I've started surrounding myself with a lot of positivity in this group, everyone is so great and posts every day to stay accountable, its exactly what I need right now.

Valentine's Night Out on the Town

Hello!
I have been super stretched out lately due to overload of work and starting the last 6-9 months of my PhD (!!!!), so I haven't had a chance to shoot some outfits, but more will be coming soon. Since it is almost end of January (!!! how is time flying so fast?!?), I decided to do a post on my Valentine's Outfit that I am planning - the boy hasn't said anything about plans yet but who doesn't love shopping for new dresses! We don't usually do anything big other than go to dinner sometimes the weekend after, but I'm going to suggest we do something a little bigger this year.

I was inspired by the glam feel of San Francisco Fairmont Hotel - I've only been to San Francisco once before, but I would love to go back and go out to dinner at one of the chic upscale restaurants in the district or at a fancy hotel! If you are looking for great hotels in San Francisco, do check it out and let me know what you think!
I came up with two outfits that I could wear based on my mood and what kind of vibe I wanted to give - both I think are romantic and super stylish, but whether I was feeling like a bad ass (top) or more romantic (bottom), I could choose. I know its cliche to wear red on Valentine's, but I'm in love with burgundy for February. It is a color that I think I look good in.
For bad ass chic (top): I went with a flowy sleeved dress that is super boho and clean. Silver accessories like a necklace and a black bag and heeled boots complete the outfit look. I'm also feeling floppy hats, even though it'll be evening, why not? I've seen people wearing them inside and if we do something before earlier in the afternoon evening, why not wear to dinner? And as far as makeup, I love a classy cat eye with some glitter glam, and some burgundy red lips! So perfect! My favorite burgundy lipstick is a shade from Hikari that I love, so I would totally wear that!

Valentine's Night Out on the Town 

Winter Wonderland - Winter 2016 Fashion Trends

Happy weekend!
I can't believe it is already the middle of January! 2016 is already flying by!
We have had some rainstorms here in California because of El Nino, and it has been a little refreshing. The weather has also been a little cooler and chilly here, but not as bad as in the east coast and the midwest. I got a little taste of winter when I was home for the holidays, but got back to LA just in time for the cold and snow to hit the east coast!
I wanted to blog post about winter trends I have been seeing lots of bloggers rock this season - winter wonderland clothing!
I love love love light colors this season, like beige, white, and metallic! I have seen many a beige jacket and I really want to incorporate one into my wardrobe! I'm also digging ombre style sweaters, especially with lighter colors!
Metallic nails are also something I'm super into this season - I love silver as it reminds me of the holidays and winter!
And something I'm obsessed with now are scarves. I wish it was colder in LA so I could wear them more often. I love lighter patterns and also chunky knit ones! So cuddly and warm! Scarves definitely kept me warm while I was on the East Coast!

Winter Wonderland - Winter 2016 Fashion Trends by andreah227 featuring a beanie hat

Whimsical Ugly Sweater - Dreams and Flying with an old Top Shop Sweater

Hi everyone!
Sorry for lack of posts last week!
I have been super busy with work and working on keeping my stress level low - trying to work until normal people times and not stay in lab late unless absolutely necessary - and I think I was good about that! I am trying to not take any unplanned breaks throughout the day (unplanned as in getting sucked into my phone scrolling on instagram or facebook), and just getting everything done that I need to and not stress out about not finishing everything. I'm only human!
I have also started a workout and nutrition plan, called the 21 day fix, and I am using it as a platform to just get myself back into shape and back into the routine of working out and I can do the work outs at home (it beats going to the crowded gym right now) and also eating healthy (I noticed it has improved my headaches!). So I will probably post an update about my progress in 2 weeks (one week down, two more to go!). If you are interested in talking about your health goals, send me an email!
Well anyway, back to fashion. I thought this was a fun outfit that I decided to wear and the photoshoot was rather fun and silly. I bought this oversized rainbow sweater from Topshop when I was studying abroad in the UK like 5 years ago (another piece of clothing I haven't worn and has been sitting in my closet! I'm shopping for new outfits in my own closet!). It was super comfy and retained the warmth! I wore a plain black tank top underneath, and some black leggings along with my black Sketchers heeled sneakers, and it was the perfect outfit for chilling in lab and then just chilling at home while keeping warm during these chilly LA days!
I originally was going to wear this to an ugly sweater party, as it is kinda ugly, but it is still a little chic I think, if styled correctly!

Makeup Tutorial - Urban Decay Vice 3 Festive Holiday Look

Happy Friday!
I am so so glad it is the weekend. It has been a crazy few weeks in this December with long hours in the lab so I am happy it is finally holiday time and things are starting to wind down and celebrations are starting with office holiday parties!
Today my department is having an "Ugly Sweater" Holiday Party, and I decided to do festive eye makeup to match my ugly sweater (see my instagram @phd_fashionista for a peak at my cool science-y ugly sweater! lol!)

I broke out my Urban Decay Vice 3 Palette that I have been in love with for the past year because of the great pigmented colors, but I haven't used it in a while. Since I knew it had a vivid green and red, I decided to use them to create a holiday look! See the look and take a look at the tutorial below!

Happy December - Fall Tribal Print Dress

Happy December!
I can't believe it is almost the end of 2015! Time is really flying!

I have been struggling these last couple of months with work and school, and the stress just really got to me. I have mentioned stress in my previous posts, but I have figured out the headaches I was getting every day were from a combination of stress, not sleeping enough or resting enough, and actually I think it was a migraine that remained during the last couple of weeks, which sucks.
Thanksgiving break came and I had a 4 day long weekend where I didn't think about work at all, hung out with different groups of friends, and relaxed. It was a great way to reset and my headache is gone! My baseline stress level is down, and again, it could be that I actually had a chronic migraine but I'm going to assume relaxing during thanksgiving did the body good!

I also found out I wasted three months of my research because things didn't work/had some fatal flaws where the protein I was working with wasn't what I thought it was... so that was pretty discouraging as well.

My goals for December, as it is a short month (with all the holidays), is to not stress out! to be happy in the moment, and to just take every task and every thing one step at a time! What are your goals for this month and into the new year?

Well, anyway, onto the fashion. I wore this really cute Tribal Print Dress I bought from Target a few weeks ago (Dress Similar Here) - and it was only $20! I loved the skater style of the dress, as it was flattering on my figure, and I really liked the lace pieces up by the top of the dress! I accessorized with some simple bangles and a statement necklace from Charlotte Russe (Similar Here) and a pair of simple black heels that I have styled before from Nine West (See Black Heels Similar Here). Also, I'm sporting the Apple Watch that I won, I have mixed feelings about it but it is cool to have a smart watch nonetheless!

Fall Style and Lab Fashion - Eclectic Eccentricity Amethyst Necklace and more

Happy Monday!
I can't believe it is almost the end of November and Thanksgiving is almost here! Time is flying by and I can't believe it is almost December! For thanksgiving I usually spend it with friends, as it is too expensive to fly home to my parents, especially as I am going to Boston for Christmas - so why not just wait for the Christmas holidays to see them! It is actually pretty warm again in LA - its been in the 80s all weekend - boo! I was loving the cooler weather!

I have been extra stressed and dealing with anxiety and headaches lately - I feel comfortable enough to tell you guys it has been a real struggle, but I am trying to find ways to combat the stress, such as starting a new yoga program and focusing on breathing and meditation. It is all about balance, and I really have to work on that!

Well, one of my ways to kick back and relax is to shop and put together outfits, and I love putting together outfits from my closet. I bought this H&M dress last year, but the color is still perfect for fall this season. I wore this outfit to lab by adding some black leggings underneath the boots - I have been rewearing these boots with various outfits, they are so versatile - you can wear them with jeans, with dresses, and so much more! I got these boots from Target last year as well. I am also wearing my Apple Watch Sport that I won from a facebook contest from a local news station - so cool! I also curled my hair and I loved how my new highlights pop and make my hair look so much lighter! I am wearing my IrresistibleMe Extensions from my last post, and they look so natural, giving me a darker ombre! I love it! Love my hair!

And to complete the look I wore this beautiful Barock on Gemstone Amethyst Necklace from Eclectic Eccentricity Jewellery, the same company that I got the DNA necklace I posted about a few weeks ago! You can check out the necklace HERE. EclecticEccentricity.com has such a great selection of science themed necklaces, they are perfect for the holidays and a perfect addition for a science fashionista! The necklace comes in different gemstones, but I was drawn to Amethyst as it is my birthstone and I love the color purple! hehe. and I loved the detail of the cold piece and the chain of the necklace - it was perfect! The stone is also substantial and heavy - it is a legit rock! So cool to have a cool piece to wear! Do check out their necklaces and jewellery selection! You are sure to find something cool for yourself or to give as a gift!