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By Amy Zhang March 2, 2017 in Style 22 Comments

Jazzing Up an Everyday Look – How to Style a Long Kimono

How to Style a Long Kimono | The Luxi Look wearing House of Harlow Yoselin Bed Maxi

Hii! Another week is just flying by. Between being sick and getting a puppy (he has seriously stolen my heart), this week has been busyyyy. I have been super antsy to get back into my usual routine… On the bright side, I am honestly so excited the sun peeped out again this week. Getting more into spring trends, this kimono/duster is one of my favorite pieces in my closet at the moment. I just want to wear it all the time, so I had to figure out different looks and how to style a long kimono.

Duster jackets were super on trend all fall and winter, but you don’t need to retire the look just yet. Once your duster jacket becomes too heavy for the warmer weather, just replace it with a long kimono. There are so many ways to style a long kimono and dress it up or down.

Here’s how to style a long kimono

+ With a bodysuit and shorts. Now that it’s almost time for festival season, a long kimono is a great accessory to pair with your outfit. Layer on all the chunky, crazy jewelry you can find.

+ With a crop top and trousers. If you’re already wearing a loose, flowy kimono, don’t be afraid to bare a little midriff and pair with trousers or some sleek black denim. Very Kardashian esque. It’s great to balance the looseness of the robe with something more form fitting underneath.

+ With flared denim and round sunnies for a 70’s inspired look.

+ Over a swimsuit. Kimonos make fantastic swimsuit cover ups.

+ With jeans and a tee. I kept it simple here, because my day to day style is very simple. I’m all about no fuss, throw on and go outfits.

I absolutely adore this House of Harlow long maxi robe. The print caught my eye instantly and it’s just so easy to wear. I threw it on over these super comfy GRLFRND jeans (if you’re on the fence about their denim, totally go for it because they are just the bomb) and a graphic tee (“the future is female“).

Okay now I’m off to play with the pup – and sip an apple lemon triple ginger (<< the best if you’re fighting a cold/flu!) juice before dinner!

xx, Amy

kimono: house of harlow | tee: otherwild | jeans: grlfrnd

shoes: isabel marant | bag: gucci

By Amy Zhang February 27, 2017 in Style 55 Comments

Florals for Spring? Groundbreaking – a Little Spring 2017 Trends Forecast

Spring 2017 Trends by The Luxi Look wearing ASTR Selma Floral Dress

Hiiii! How was everyone’s weekend?! I caught the nasty flu (motivation for me to get the shot every year from now on) and am still recovering, chugging fluids all day and eating tons of garlic, ginger, and lemon. BUT on the bright side, we also got a PUPPY (!!) which has been one of the best things ever. Naturally, I’ve been a little distracted from the blog – can you blame me?! So today I wanted to quickly put together a list of spring 2017 trends, (florals for spring groundbreaking!) to keep an eye out for in the coming months while I work on shooting looks for you guys. It may not feel like it yet but spring is fast approaching!

The top spring 2017 trends you need in your closet right now:

Fishnets

We’re seeing a lot of the hot fall and winter trends continue into spring and summer of 2017. Expect to see more fishnets under ripped denim, paired with skirts and dresses, and even fishnet tops! Basically, you can make this trend as daring as you want it to be.

Corset details

We’re seeing the pajama/lingerie trend linger, but moving past slip dresses and pajamas into bustiers and corset details. I am loving the corset details I’m seeing on tops, dresses, and jumpsuits! I also love the look of a corset or bustier layered over another top – it even works over a simple loose and baggy tee. Not only is it a fun styling twist, a little corset detailing also emphasizes the smallest part of your waist and helps add curves, which never hurts!

Statement Sleeves

Another carry over from last fall and still going strong. There are so many great variations of this trend, I’ve rounded up some of my favorites below.

Ruffles

This romantic trend is back for spring and better than ever. Ruffles are especially great if you have a more feminine or romantic style, but they can also work with a more edgy or urban look. It’s all about how you mix and match them. You guys know I LOVE ruffles, remember this starry-eyed Diane dress?

Embroidery

Seeing a lot of little details for spring. Another feminine touch that goes with almost any look. I love embroidery detailing on almost anything, but I especially love the way it looks on denim.

Florals

And of course, what’s spring without some florals? Believe it or not, florals are trending for spring (shocking) and since it’s one of my favorite trends every year no matter the season, I’m already on board! I paired this floral wrap dress by ASTR with my new favorite B-Low the Belt wrap belt (seriously, how good are their belts?!) and kept it still winter appropriate by adding burgundy suede booties and layering a light jacket over (not pictured).

Stay tuned for more looks featuring all the best spring 2017 trends!

xx, Amy

dress: astr | belt: b-low the belt (similar) | boots: steve madden | bag: gucci

By Amy Zhang February 21, 2017 in Style 48 Comments

Why You Should Adopt a “Fake it Till You Make It” Attitude

Pros and Cons to "Fake it Till You Make It" | The Luxi Look in Minkpink Sweater, Forever 21 Skirt

We’ve all heard the phrase “fake it till you make it.” Truthfully, it always sounded like a bunch of BS. But when I started thinking about it and read more into it, I came to realize that it might actually be a key to success. Not buying it? Hear me out.

“Fake it till you make it” can be confused with lying, being manipulative, and overall being full of BS. On the one hand, it’s true that you don’t want to be someone you’re not, and you certainly don’t want to be deceitful. On the other hand, sometimes we all need a little boost of confidence that might come in the form of “faking it.”

It turns out that there is some research out there that backs up the psychology of the “fake it till you make it” mindset. Here are my thoughts:

Why you should “fake it till you make it”

You’ll believe in yourself and be more confident.

The way I see it, it’s all about conveying confidence. I wasn’t comfortable calling myself a blogger for a long time. In fact, there are some days when I still don’t feel like I’ve truly earned the title. I work a full-time job and don’t even dedicate the majority of my day to my blog, so it can be tough to identify myself as a blogger, just a part-time blogger. But then I realized that other people won’t take you seriously unless you do, and if you can’t even believe in yourself, you can’t expect anyone else to. After all, what we think, we become.

It can help in social situations.

Socially, it also helps to “fake it till you make it” – especially for us introverts!! As a blogger, it can be hard attending events alone when you don’t know anyone. Over the years, I’ve learned that it’s ok to “fake” being an extrovert in these situations. At work, it can help to fake “it” (confidence) when you’re in meetings or giving a presentation.

You’ll be taken more seriously.

Ever heard the phrase, “dress for the job you want, not the job you have”? There may actually be some truth to that saying. You shouldn’t completely change the way you dress, but it doesn’t hurt to look put together at work or when you’re meeting someone new for the first time. First impressions matter, and oftentimes they last, so why wouldn’t you want to put your best foot forward?

When you should NOT fake it

If you can’t ever be yourself.

If you’re constantly faking it, when are you presenting your true self to the world? Can you truly be honest with yourself?

If you can’t back it up.

As with all things in life, if you want to succeed, you have to be prepared. It doesn’t matter how much you “believe in yourself” or “fake it” – if you don’t do your homework and don’t have the skills to ultimately support your claims, it won’t do you any good.

At the end of the day, the goal is to become the person we are trying to be. There’s a great TED talk on this topic – specifically, the power of our body language in conveying our confidence. Social psychologist Amy Cuddy says: “Fake it till you become it. Do it enough until you actually become it and internalize.”

What are your thoughts on the fake it till you make it attitude?

xx, Amy

By Amy Zhang February 17, 2017 in Style 65 Comments

Blogger Tips: 5 Ways to Get Noticed by Brands

One of the questions I get asked a lot is how to work with brands. Blogger tips on this topic can be hard to find, but they’re seriously important. Getting noticed by brands and building a working relationship with them takes a lot of time and energy. While there’s no right or wrong approach and I’m by no means an expert (I’m still learning about blogging + life every single day!), I wanted to share some “blogger tips” I’ve learned along the way, beginning with how to get noticed by brands.

What are collaborations?

Let’s start with the basics. Bloggers are constantly talking about collaborations or special projects they’re working on. Before I started blogging, I never knew exactly what that meant, but it’s really just a somewhat cryptic way of describing a partnership between two parties. The brand may offer the blogger free product or even payment, in exchange the blogger may promote or feature the product/brand.

Collaborations are really the bread and butter of many bloggers/social influencers, especially those that work on a full time basis. Securing consistent collaborations is key to their success and while sometimes a brand may reach out to you directly, often times you may need to do a little leg work in advance to get noticed by them.

Blogger Tips: 5 Ways to Get Noticed by Brands

Content is king.

Always. At the end of the day, your images and quality of work have to speak for you. While your media kit may be more of your resume, your social channels highlight your portfolio. If you’re mostly active on Instagram, it’s important to make sure your photos are of high quality, in line with a brand’s aesthetic (and yours!), and tells a cohesive story using your voice in the copy.

Be proactive.

Instead of waiting to get noticed, take the initiative and reach out to them! Think about your own inbox and the amount of emails you get a day – it can be SO overwhelming. Bigger brands especially receive countless messages a day and have people lining up to work with them. If you don’t reach out to them, they may never even realize you exist! Besides, who doesn’t love a self starter?! You might be scared to reach out – I know I was and that held me back – but once you do, what’s the worst thing that could happen? Maybe they say no, or they’ll more likely just ignore your message (again: overwhelmed in the digital age!). There’s nothing to lose in reaching out to a brand you love directly.

Do your homework.

When you do reach out to a brand, do your homework. You wouldn’t go into a job interview without knowing anything about the company you’re interviewing for, would you? Same thing with brands. A little knowledge goes a long way. You also want to target brands that you already love, or are a good fit for your audience and aesthetic. You never want to work with a brand that doesn’t fit your image – there’s no faster way to lose your credibility and the trust of your followers.

Be willing to do favors.

I’m a huge believer in giving more than you receive. It may be a the taboo thing to say, but I think you should be okay with doing things for free – especially for brands you really love and want to work with – because you never know what that might lead to. I totally get it – a girl’s gotta eat, and free shoes and clothes don’t pay rent. We’ll talk about payment in another post, but I really, really believe that sometimes you have to be okay with doing things for free. Of course, there’s always the chance that a brand will take advantage of you, but you live and you learn, and you move on. I’m not saying you should do everything for free – it’s up to your judgment when to do so.

Be persistent.

Okay, so maybe don’t send them an email every single day. You know that annoying guy that won’t stop texting you? Don’t be that! Unless it works for you? In all seriousness, when it comes to qualities I admire, a little persistence isn’t such a bad thing. If you want to get noticed by a brand, it might take more than 1, 2, or even 10 tries. If you’re absolutely hellbent on collaborating with someone, it’ll be worth the wait. Be patient and be persistent. I featured one brand on my Instagram consistently for over a year before they reached out. They were so appreciative and grateful for my continued support and loyalty, and now we have a working relationship!

Show brands that you know and love them. Follow and engage with their social media accounts. Give them a tag or a shout out in your social feeds – if they like what they see, they may even reach out! As with any relationship, good ones take time and hard work. Be patient and let them grow organically.

By the way – how cute is this dress from Tularosa?!

I’m jumping the gun a bit, but I can’t help it – the arrival of spring and summer collections makes me so excited for warmer weather! I pretty much want everything from Tularosa right now!! I always like to keep a light layer with me to throw on when the temperatures dip at night, so this suede moto is a perfect lightweight option to keep on you when you’re on the go. It’s also on sale : ).

I hope this was helpful! I know when I started blogging, I struggled to find good blogger tips or resources to show me the way. With that said, I would LOVE to hear how you secured your first brand collaborations, and if you have any other blogger tips or advice for getting noticed by brands.

xx, Amy

dress: tularosa | jacket: lovers + friends

By Amy Zhang February 14, 2017 in Style, Wellness 40 Comments

A Little Love Letter on Loving Yourself

Happy Valentine’s Day!! I’ll admit it – I’m a total sucker for love. But rather than focus on the kind of love we give to others, I wanted to focus on the kind of love we give ourselves today. In other words, loving yourself. Regardless of your relationship status at the moment or thoughts on Valentine’s Day as a holiday, I think it’s a great reminder to take a minute and give yourself some major love. Take a minute today and write a little letter as a reminder that you should always be loving yourself first. After all – there’s no relationship in the world that is more important than the one you have with yourself.

We talk all the time about empowerment. How important it is to empower and support those around us. But what about empowering ourselves? We put the needs and wants of others constantly before ourselves. It’s time to love ourselves. Put yourself first. Be the selfish (the good kind!).

A Little Love Letter on Loving Yourself

I just finished I AM THAT GIRL by Alexis Jones (HIGHLY recommend!!) and I absolutely LOVED her message on self love and putting yourself first. Alexis says:

“Learning to listen to yourself and knowing what you need and when you need it is step one to becoming the good kind of selfish. Asking for it is the next step… when you put your needs last, you’re like a plant without water that’s worried about providing enough shade for others. But if that plant doesn’t have water to grow, it will shrivel up and die, providing no shade or comfort for others anyway.”

Whoa. That is so spot on. Think about it this way:

How often do you commit to something because you want to be a “yes woman,” only to realize later on you over-committed yourself or didn’t want to do that thing to begin with. You know that friend that always flakes? Or the times you’ve flaked on your plans because you realize at the last minute you totally overwhelmed your schedule with too many plans and commitments? If we learn to be honest with ourselves and set realistic expectations for what we can do and how much energy we can exert, we’ll be better people for it. She goes on to say:

“Remember your time is precious, as are you, so start acting like it. Your time is important, your energy is finite, and your attention is precious, so value who and where you spend it accordingly. You are the only one who can set those kinds of expectations and teach people how to treat you. Be selfish, and I promise everyone will benefit.”

Start by taking some me time. A little bit every day. You deserve it.

Call me a romantic, an optimist, or delusional, but I think love should be celebrated every day. Especially love for ourselves.

Take a moment for yourself today and say thank you to yourself. The practice of self-love doesn’t always feel natural, but over time it will feel good. At the end of the day, the way you treat yourself sets the standard for how you treat others.

Whatever your plans are today, make it a good one – and be sure to spoil yourself rotten, even if it’s just with a little self-love, gratitude, and me time!

xx, Amy

dress: vici | hat: lack of color (similar) | belt: b-low the belt

shoes: isabel marant | bag: gucci