outfitting: cute outfit wasted on lame party

Button-up Striped Dress:
- $1 @ Holy Family Christian Closet
- This dress was one of the first items I bought at the Christian Closet and ever since then I've been hooked. Every time I wear this dress, I get a lot of compliments. It fits extremely well and accentuates all the right curves. The dress actually comes with a matching belt, but I like to wear it with different belts each time.
- See Purple People Eater

Wide Black Elastic Belt:
- $0.79 @ Baras Thrift Store
- You may have noticed that I own tons of belts. When it comes to belts, the more the merrier! This belt could cost me up to $30 elsewhere, so for less than a dollar I had to have it. I like the gold/silver hook buckle and how the belt has plenty of stretch.

Goody Black Headband:
- @ Target
- I think headbands are a princessy accessory because almost all of the Disney princesses wear one! They're the quick solution to top off your styled hairdo whether you decide to wear your locks up or down.

H&M Metal Bangles:
- @ H&M
- See Swinging in Tara Jarmon and Playing with Bits of Gold

Bronze Clutch:
- $1.99 @ Goodwill
- See Swinging in Tara Jarmon

Liz, Thoeun and I went out to Element to celebrate the birthday of Sujit from Skam Artist last night. It sucked big time! Last year, his party was at Prey. It was exclusive, sophisticated and had an open bar. This year it was annoyingly crowded (because it was open to the public), tacky and drinks weren't free. Things only got worse when I forgot to close my tab and the shithead of a bouncer refused to let me back into the club to close it or even have someone close it for me and bring me my driver license and credit card. He was rude and unreasonable. I hope he gets an STD, if he doesn't already have one. And if he does, I hope he contracts them all! EAT SHIT AND DIE!!!

the blonde plastic bombshell

Amy has a devout and very odd obsession with the #1 transsexual in the world, Amanda Lepore. Yeah, I can't believe Amy's related to me either.

When I found out that Kid Robot had just launched tiny toy versions of each of the Heatherette superstars, I knew I had to get Amy her very own Amanda Lepore.

I think the real life Amanda Lepore is scary, but this doll is fabulously cute and such a knockout hottie! I want to get a Heatherette-bot too! Hopefully they're not all gone the next time I visit Kid Robot.

the roof ain't the only thing on fire

To celebrate the upcoming Emmy Awards, GQ Magazine and Guess threw a party (sponsored by Bacardi, Coca-Cola Blak, Helio, Kodak, Budweiser, Trident and Treasure Island) on the roof of the Peterson Car Museum (infamous locale where Biggie was shot). The highlight of the party was definitely the featured performance by Lupe Fiasco. Coming in a close second was the ultra cool view from atop the roof; hence the party's name "Roof is on Fire."

Emil, Thoeun and I were right up front during Lupe's entire half hour concert. His performance was charismatic and solid, but I can tell he was struggling to get crowd response. The audience consisted mostly of folks that probably were there for the free booze rather than to see a rapper. Lupe closed his set with "Kick Push," which finally got the crowd singing and dancing along.

I had a delicious watermelon cosmo and tried a Coke Black (coke effervescence with coffee essence) that had a weird, unexplainable taste. The fries in paper cones tasted really good for some odd reason. There was also chicken quesadillas and miniature nacho cups. Bowls of bread and piles of gum packets were placed at the center of each of the tables.

The Helio room was starch white with glowing blue lights and the Guess room was decked out in denim covered couches and pillows.

Celeb sightings:

- DJ Kid Millionaire (Steve Aoki) was the night's dee jay.

- Travis Barker rolled in with his entourage and Jermaine Dupri

- Omarion and Marques Houston arriving separately

- All three of the Hills girls: LC, Heidi, and Whitney

- LC's ex Jason

- Shawn Wayans

- Derek Luke

- The Lakers' Brian Cook, who Emil pointed out to us

- We shared the elevator going up with Caroline D'Amore and her girlfriends

- Perez Hilton chatting with the aforementioned party gal

- Blu Cantrell

outfitting: good vibes surround aura

Tramp Flower Print Button-Up Shirtdress:
- $16.99 @ Marshalls
- This dress shrank a bit in the dryer, so I paired it with leggings. I like the simple, black rose print. The puff sleeves are cute and the button-up dress style is flattering on gals with wide hips (i.e. me). I wore red heels with this outfit because I think it's an understated way of adding a touch of color to an otherwise black and white outfit.

Express Black Leggings:
- @ Express
- See For You Blue

Black Patent Leather Belt:
- $0.79 @ Baras Thrift Store
- See Party to the Xtreme and Stoked at the Delfina

Red Stuart Weitzman for Mr. Seymour Heels:
- $5.50 @ National Council of Jewish Women Thrift Store
- See Birthday Dinner and Painting the Town Red

After work, I picked up Emil and we headed over to Santa Monica to attend a cocktail party for the grand opening of Aura. Aura is a stylish new boutique that carries designers like Zac Posen, Erin Fetherston, and Peter Som. The boutique's exterior is vacant of a store sign or awning, but inside the store is decorated with art from the Peter Fetterman Gallery complete with a modern/mid-century living room-like space in the center of it all. The party was hosted by Aura's owner, Kristin T. Eberts, and Amy Smart. Shiri Appleby was also there in a like Zac Posen black cocktail dress. She was running around taking pictures with her digital camera with her parents in tow.

We sipped on lychee and peach martinis, bellinis, and glasses of white wine and snacked on mini cheeseburgers, mini caesar salad cups, and goat cheese with nuts and grapes. The boutique was pretty small, so behind the store there was a small tent area set up for guests.

My favorite dress in the store was a doll-like black dress with pink heart-shaped buttons from Erin Fetherston.

death cab for cutie at the greek

My co-worker's friend got a pair of free tickets to the Death Cab for Cutie concert tonight at the Greek from one of her clients, but she fell ill and gave the tickets to me! Woo hoo (not her getting sick, but me getting to see Death Cab)!


Seeing Death Cab at the Greek was a really cool experience. The Greek is an outdoor venue, so it was a bit chilly but being in Griffith Park beneath the stars, tucked between the trees and listening to Death Cab was quite a treat. Death Cab sounded great live. They performed their songs in an upbeat tempo. They totally rocked out! People were out of their seats dancing along. They were successful in transforming their intimate, low-key sound to fit the large stadium proportions.


Working for MTV has spoiled me. I usually get to see performances from the pit, so I thought the seats were extremely far. I could barely see the band. I still enjoyed the show despite the distance. I thought the set lighting and stage background were gorgeous.

We (me and my roomie) missed Mates of State, but caught the tail end of Spoon.

outfitting: yo-ho! yo-ho! a pirate's life for me

Paul & Joe Berry Twist-Front Dress:
- $24.99 @ Target
- This dress looks way better in the ads than in person. The red is not as bright, the length is not as short, and the first dress I tried on had deformed bra inserts. I got the dress anyway because it had potential. With the right accessories, this dress can be a summer treat and in the winter it can be layered with a chunky turtleneck and tights. I do like the dress' empire bodice cinching feature and the jersey fabric is very comfortable.

Skull Print Scarf:
- $6.99 @ TJ Maxx
- Not exactly Alexander McQueen, but this scarf served its purpose. Arrgggh! I'm going to give one of my handbags an update by tying this scarf to it.

Ellemenno Multi-Chain Skulls & Hearts Necklace:
- @ Mervyn's
- The skull and heart charms on this necklace are really cute, but the chain of three strands often gets tangled and is really annoying to fix.

Vintage Anne Klein for Calderon Black Patent Leather Clutch:
- $0.25 @ Holy Family Bazaar
- See Party to the Xtreme and Donna Graduates

Sweta turns one year younger - pirate style baby! Yah! And look how freakin' sexy and booty-ful she looks! Seriously there's a picture where she is totally making love to the camera... check it out!

Drunk girls wearing tube tops should NEVER ride the Saddle Ranch bull. I'd prefer NOT to see your large, saggy breasts!!! Although, it was pretty funny! The entire time I was thinking, "Where are her friends? Do they hate her that much?"

outfitting: milk does a body good

A&F Tie-Back Cami:
- @ Abercrombie & Fitch
- This cami is one of my favorites because of the doily embroidered details and the babydoll cut. I love to pair it with different belts. I also really like this dark, rich teal color.

Purple Leather Belt w/ Gold Buckle:
- $0.79 @ Baras Thrift Store
- The color purple will be huge this season. The purple paired with gold makes for a regal color combination. I think the belt can work for both day and evening looks.

Loop NYC Straw Maryanne Clutch:
- $3.00 @ Marshalls
- See Easter Sunday

Marciano Grape Cordial Shorts:
- $19.47@ Guess
- I still cannot believe I bought these shorts for less than $20! Love’em!

BCBGirls Gold Peep Toe Heels:
- $29.99 @ Marshalls
- See Party to the Xtreme

Peacock Feather Earrings:
- I don’t remember where I bought these earrings. The Forever 21 in SF perhaps?
- I love the vibrant colors of the peacock’s feathers. They shades are bold and vibrant. And these earrings are literally light as feathers!

Lucky Magazine threw a party to celebrate their September issue and LA Shopping Guide last night at Milk boutique. I’m a shopaholic (duh!), so shopping parties are right up my alley.

Milk is a cozy, but spacious boutique filled with the most fashion-forward dresses and separates. The décor is vintage-inspired with clothes spilling out of suitcases and trunks and pairs of shoes sit atop piles of old books. One of the shop’s walls is the map of Cuba circa 1930 and another wall has a giant quote from R. Somerset Vaughn printed on it. The shelves are decorated with empty milk bottles and a park bench is set at the front window.

The party was brimmed with cutely-dressed gals, most with wine glass in hand and munching on brownie bites and miniature cookies. I’m not really a sweets person, but the brownies were yummy! Celeb sighting: Michelle Trachtenberg (her skin reminds me of milk, how fitting!), Zooey Deschanel (in her usual black tights/black shoes), Elizabeth Banks, Jeri Ryan, Shiva Rose McDermott, Shiri Appleby and Caroline D’Amore. I thought it was odd that Lucky's September cover girl, Eva Mendes wasn’t at the event. Perhaps she is somewhere promoting her new movie. The party ended early with gift bags being passed out by eight and the red carpet broken down shortly after. In the gift bag: a very large orange Lucky tote bag, September issue of Lucky Magazine, Lotus Green Tea Pomegranate lip balm, and Stephanie Johnson Sanibel Starfish zip pouches (3).

I fell in love with an Aquascutum dress, but its price tag was way out of my league.

outfitting: sd street scene day two

Xhilaration Sheer Purple Polka Dot Cami:
- $14.99 @ Target
- This is a great summer cami because it's sheer, light, and airy. I'm glad I had worn it on such a hot, sunny day. (I should've worn comfortable shoes with support though. Silly me for not thinking about my poor feet!)

A&F White Bermuda Shorts:
- $39.50 @ Abercrombie & Fitch
- See Casual Saturday

I was hoping to catch more performances on the first day of Street Scene, but it took us five hours (!!!) to get from LA to San Diego! Things got worse when Ashley got pulled over for making a left turn on a one-way street in downtown because a) I told her to and b) I thought Street Scene was at the Gaslamp Quarter. The cop let us go with a warning to be more careful and directions to Qualcomm, where Street Scene actually was taking place. It was an equally hilarious and embarrassing experience.

By the time we got to the stadium parking lot it was pretty late. The folks at the front didn’t give me a media/photo pass, but they let me and Megan inside to catch the last acts. Social Distortion’s set was really good. Mike Ness sounds awesome live! Unfortunately, I can’t say the same for Kanye West. His arrogance was obnoxiously obvious when he stopped the music to complain about the new lighting guy. Then later, in the middle of his verse, he stopped the music to proclaim that he had messed up the line. How lame can you be Kanye? Even American Idol wannabes know never to point out your mistakes! There was also a good five minutes (or was it ten? ‘cause it sure felt like it!), where he was nowhere on the stage and his band was playing random songs that weren’t even his songs!

Day two of Street Scene was an immensely better experience for me. I got a media/photo pass this time around and was able to hang out in the pit for the first three songs of each act. I managed to photograph most of the performers despite the expansive journey from one stage to the next. In between my treks, Megan and I stopped by the Myspace tent to get pictures with some of the bands. I’m so glad that I brought Megan because she’s actually a big fan of the bands and she lugged around the huge camera bag for me! I think it’s a pretty fair trade off … Haha!

Some of my favorites:


Editors’ lead singer/guitarist, Tom Smith, has a uniquely deep, intense voice that’s sexy in a brooding, mysterious way. His performance, albeit very fidgety, is swoon-worthy. They’re songs are hauntingly beautiful and watching them perform made it that much more convincing. I really enjoyed their performance. The guys were also super nice and friendly at the Myspace tent. I’m totally hooked! I must have their album.



The Futureheads rocked! But I wasn’t expecting anything less from an OC Mix band. They’re vocal harmonies were quite impressive live (everyone in the band sings!), especially with their English accents! I love their songs because they’re full of energy and urgency. This made for a very exciting performance to watch.



Charlotte of the Subways was adorable, even if she was jumping around like a manic monkey!



Karen O was stellar per usual. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ latest album is way underrated. It’s freakin’ genius!



Snoop lit and smoked a blunt onstage. Classic. I was a bit annoyed that he was at least half an hour late though.

Others I saw:

- Bloc Party
- The Shins
- Tapes N' Tapes (The lead singer was sporting a Futureheads T-shirt.)
- Donavon Frankenreiter (He seemed like a really chill guy when I met him at the Myspace tent.)
- New York Dolls (Why is that man … I mean girl… I mean man/girl soooo scary?)
- Mew
- Tool (I actually heard them from afar while waiting for Emil to pick us up. We were smart enough to stay far, far way from the madness.)

***ALL PHOTOS BY CHRISSY L. NGUYEN****

outfitting: party to the xtreme

Xhilaration Striped Tunic Tee in Red/White:
- $8.99 @ Target
- This is a very simple and basic red and white striped top. This is a casual top that can be easily dressed up to be chic.

A&F Striped Tunic Tee in Blue/White:
- $24.50 @ Abercrombie & Fitch
- I love the versatility of this top’s longer length. It’s great for layering. For this look, I was aiming for a nautical rock star. I’m not sure if I pulled that one off, but I liked the outfit. I especially like the contrast of the stripes and the shiny black and gold accessories.

Black Patent Leather Belt:
- $0.79 @ Baras Thrift Store
- See Stoked at the Delfina

Mossimo Black Skinny Jeans:
- $22.99 @ Target
- See Polking Around DDCLab, Birds, Bird, Birds Everywhere and St. Patrick's Day

BCBGirls Gold Peep Toe Heels:
- $29.99 @ Marshalls
- These heels have grown to be one of my must-have items. They’re simple, elegant, and matches with everything! I love the metallic gold color. It reminds me of a shiny Willy Wonka golden ticket. BCBGirls makes great heels because they’re high, but still comfortable.

No Boundaries Gold Chain Necklace:
- $7.23 @ Wal-Mart
- See Pretty Badass Princess Skulls

Gold Lightning Bolt Necklace:
- $3.80 @ Forever 21
- Reppin’ Harry Potter love!

Vintage Anne Klein for Calderon Black Patent Leather Clutch:
- $0.25 @ Holy Family Bazaar
- See Donna Graduates

To celebrate the arrival of the X Games, Subaru and DC Shoes hosted a party at Avalon last night. VIP status gave us access to unlimited drinks all night and in/out entry to Spider Club, where I saw Jason from Laguna Beach, John Cho (Thoeun and I both agree that Kumar is way cooler than Harold), and Howie (who?) from the Backstreet Boys (Mike thinks he will be next “out” boy bander).

When Travis Barker and DJ AM took to the stage, the crowd went crazy and everyone from the dance floor to the balcony were dancing and jamming. AM spun an hour long mix of rock, hip-hop, and 80’s while Travis relentlessly banged on his drums. He was so hardcore that by the end of the performance, his hands were all cut up and his drumsticks were stained with blood. Truly an amazing and xtreme performance. Too Short briefly performed during the set as well.

ashley olsen on the cover of nylon

I think Ashley looks great in this spread (I like how her lips are stained red). And her clothes look even better! I love all the outfits. It feels very high fashion with touches of street style. My favorite look is the tweed jacket under the suspender overalls. You can download the entire August issue of Nylon for free here.