Sunny Days and Sundresses, and Tips to Not Overwhelm Yourself

Happy Monday!

I honestly can't believe its the end of July! This month was a whirlwind with moving, travel, winding down with experiments, rediscovering my motivation, lessening stress, and getting things done from my to-do list. And also, my moving-across-the-country-again is quickly approaching, and its a bit terrifying. I'm trying to soak up the sunny days and good weather before I head east to the winter.

On the weekends I have started wearing more and more of my sun dresses, of course with a floral print, to run errands, get brunch with friends, hang out at the beach, or even to go out at night. I really like white as it is a chill summer color, and the details of this dress are just so pretty! I really liked the details of this dress from SheIn, and it was so comfortable - this Floral Print Drawstring elastic Waist Cami Dress comes in just one size, and it fits perfectly! The drawstring detail in the back with two little pearls was also just darling! Also was a great price, definitely fits into my budget right now, and totally affordable for grad students or anyone on a budget.

Post PhD Summer Trends - Embroidery

Hi loves, Now that the PhD is done, I have been pretty busy trying to plan and finish up some experiments, attending a conference, and moving. Things should hopefully slow down at the beginning of the month, and I'm looking forward to relaxing a bit. Today was the first day of summer and the longest day of the year, and I am just loving the weather here in LA! It's been quite nice and I love that daylight is longer, I love leaving lab and still seeing sunshine! It really improves my mood, even if I've been in lab late! I have been wanting to go shopping, but I have been trying to clean out my closet as it is packed full, and with my upcoming move across the country, I need to get rid of some old clothes to make room for the new! I have been eying some of the Summer 2017 trends, and one of my favorite trends right now is floral embroidery! And one of the funny things about this trend is that it's totally 90s, am I right?! The 90s trends are coming back!
I have hand picked some of my favorites pieces with embroidery from SheIn.com, and they are all really affordable pieces, perfect for a grad student budget. These pieces can easily be worn on the weekends for summer brunch with friends, heading to the beach, or even dressing up to go to work or a conference (if its appropriate that is!).

    

        Embroidered Dress                           Sheer Mesh Panel Embroidered Shirt

The Elegant Dress from SheIn - and ways to take care of yourself during Grad School

Hello lovely people!

Today I am bringing you an outfit post and also some tips on ways to take care of yourself, especially during times of high stress as in grad school or a stressful job!

I received this really pretty Contrast Fit and Flare Mesh and Lace elegant dress from SheIn and I just love love love the lace detail! It is such an elegant dress, that can be worn to a formal event, formal dinner, or an awards ceremony! It was also very affordable on my grad student budget, can you believe this dress is less than $30 on SheIn ? Totally my jam! I really enjoyed styling it, and kept my accessory details simple to keep the focus on the dress! I also put my hair up in a messy bun, which I never usually wear my hair up, so it was a nice change! I paired the outfit with simple black heels and some dangling pearl earrings, as well as simple glam makeup and some red lipstick! 

I enjoy dressing up to go to lab (well, not in this dress obviously!) but it is so nice to get glam every once in a while - helps me feel like a human being :) 

Keep reading for my tips on staying sane during really stressful times in grad school....

Fitness and Fashion - Conference Looks and Workout Leggings

Happy new week!

Today I'm bringing you a quick post about two things I'm currently obsessed with - Conference/Interview looks and fitness. 

Since I have been interviewing and networking for jobs Post-PhD, I've been really looking at pretty dresses that can be worn during the hotter spring/summer months as well as some really pretty floral prints. I found these three on SheIn - and they fit right in with my current grad student budget. They are long enough and stylish to be acceptable for conferences, networking, and perhaps a more casual interview, when paired with a blazer. 

I have also been so into fitness clothes lately as my life has revolved around working out in order to help deal with stress of dissertation writing, planning March for Science LA, blogging, experiments, and everything else that I have on my plate! As I mentioned in my previous post, I started doing doubles after finishing two months of an insanity program, and I have been seeing really great results!

As a grad student, the last year and a half of making my health (both physical and mental) has been such a great relief and helped me feel more like a normal human being. I have made working out like a required meeting with myself, because without my health, I can't do everything that I want to be doing! I'm also always motivated by new workout clothes, especially affordable and cute leggings. I've been digging mesh panels too, as they allow a peak of skin! Take a look, and they're at a great price.

Conference Looks
Black Scallop Off The Shoulder Ruffle Dress	Navy Flower Print Cutout Back Pleated Dress	Multicolor Floral Cutout Sleeveless Shift Dress

The Everyday Bodycon Cold Shoulder Dress - SheIn

Hello!

Today I am bringing you an Everyday Grey Open Shoulder Ribbed Bodycon Dress from SheIn! I fell in love with this dress because it looks so comfortable and soft, and mostly because of the cold shoulder cut out look I have been so into this winter! I have a couple of other tops with the cut out shoulder look, and when I saw this dress had it - I fell in love! It is a ribbed/sweater dress, that is in bodycon style, so it hugs the curves, but it also has long sleeves, perfect for going out on cold nights!
I can really see my results from all my working out, especially in my legs and glutes. I have been really bloated lately, so I am critical of myself in bodycon dresses, but you just have to rock the dress! This Open Shoulder Dress is perfect for cold nights, and can also be worn with knee/thigh high boots! I paired it with some pointy heels for a more formal event, but would actually wear it out with some boots instead! It is super affordable too, so even better on a grad student budget!

Conference and Interview Looks on a Grad Student Budget - Shein

Hey loves!

Happy February!

It's been a rather hectic couple of weeks since my last post, but I have finally been able to get some more inspiration! I went thru a dark period of helplessness and sadness about current world situations, but I have finally found my way to deal with it, by being active about issues that are important to me... but it is draining my energy!

This weekend I was finally able to recharge and relax, and prepare for an interview for a job post-PhD!

Here is some inspiration for outfits to wear to a conference, interview, formal networking event, whatever, and you can be fashionable while at it! And in addition, they don't break the bank! Thanks SheIn for great deals! I picked dresses, tops, and a lot of blazers - blazers are very versatile, and can be reborn with multiple pieces, so you can get one staple piece and pair with multiple tops and bottoms! This is especially helpful if you are traveling for conferences, minimizes the amount of clothes and outfits to bring! A good blazer is always a good thing to have as a part of a capsule wardrobe! 

These dresses are simple and flattering - with some cool detail like bell sleeves, fun patterns, and special hems! I want all of them in my closet, and with the prices, I'm sure I could afford them!

I really like the detail of the tops, especially the scalloped white top - such a pretty top to pair with a nice pair of jeans or dress pants! Could see myself wearing that to lab or a special event!

Dresses
Bell Sleeve Pencil Dress	Porcelain Print Pencil Dress	Black Scalloped Hem Keyhole Dress

Fabulous Accessories for the Holidays - Accessorize with Montana Silversmiths

Hello!
Happy Thanksgiving! Here in the US this week is all about giving thanks, and appreciating what you have. And more importantly, its about taking some much needed time off from the lab!
I just finished some long days/late nights of just writing writing writing, and sent off a final draft to my labmates for revisions before sending off to the journal for *hopefully* acceptance for publication! So I left lab early on this pre-Thanksgiving afternoon, and I jumped right on to get some blog posts written for you that I have lined up!
I have a small holiday wishlist, and a lot of those things on my list are accessories, and pieces I can match with clothing and outfits I already own. A great way to spice up your outfits is by adding some extra bling and pizzazz with your accessories, including earrings and necklaces!
I am a big lover of dangly and sparkly earrings, in addition to pendant necklaces, so when I discovered Montana Silversmiths Jewelry, I was a huge fan of their selection of really pretty pieces. They have a lot of timeless, classy earrings and necklaces, and it was hard just choosing a few to style!
Here are a few of their pieces I was sent to style, and they are my favorite! I fell in love, and they are super affordable and great quality pieces that will last.

First, I styled these Retro Flair Open Fan Earrings with a casual outfit I wore to the lab, and they were super pretty and stylish. In addition, because they had some bling on them, they really stood out in contrast with my dark hair!

Practical Lab Fashion with Shein.com - Criss Cross Crochet Lace Blouse

Hello! Happy November!

Things have been quite busy, and with the election yesterday, I was glued to the TV! I've been busy with lab and started writing my last chapter of my dissertation which will be submitted as a publication hopefully soon!

Since I am working at the computer mostly nowadays, I still want to look fashionable and cute, and I can wear cute pieces and not worry about them getting in the way or being uncomfortable in the lab! A pretty blouse with some light wash jeans and some booties is my go-to right now. I really love this Royal Blue Criss Cross Back Crochet Blouse I received from Shein.com, and I was obsessed with the lace detail! The top also has a really pretty crochet back detail, which you can see below. It is also very flowy, so perfect for those days I feel super bloated. This gave me the opportunity to wear something more form fitting on the lower part of my body, like these light wash jeans I bought from American Eagle Outfitters. The contrast of the dark blue top with the light blue of the denim was just classic! The top was comfy and soft, and it's definitely one of my staples this fall going into winter!