eShakti Review and GIVEAWAY!

Posted on July 28, 2014 by alexnguyen

Happy first day of the week! Yes, I think I’m a little too cheerful for a Monday, but it’s the last week of summer school! I’m looking forward to my week off doing nothing but planning for this next school year. I know, not much of a summer break. But honestly, I’m excited for my second year teaching at the high school level.

This year is going to be full of fun and excitement! I am…
1. Finishing up BTSA this year
2. The freshmen class advisor
3. Club advisor for 2 clubs

**If you are a fellow teacher, any advice for the newbie? 🙂

OK, enough about me and let’s take a look at this outfit.

I am currently obsessed with the brand eShakti right now. I mean, what store let’s you customize your purchase to your liking? Depending on the design, you can decide on a variety of sleeve type, the length, and the neckline.

How awesome is that? With this particular top I decided to go for the cap sleeve (work appropriate but still flattering to the arms) and kept the length right at my hips (balances my proportions). I’m sad to say that this top is not available anymore on their site, but they have a multitude of other great designs that I am positive you are going to love! Check out their New Arrivals and keep scrolling for a Giveaway!

Top: c/o eShakti {sold out} // Jeans: Gap {on sale for $28!} // Shoes: Talbots {sale for $50!} // Necklace: Talbots – Similar {use code SAACODE20 for 20% off entire order!} // Bracelet: J. Crew // Cuff: Crystal Hexagon Cuff from INPINK ($18) // Ring: Double Druzy Ring {$35} c/o Wrenn Jewelry // Clutch H&M {sold out} – Similar

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GIVEAWAY TIME!

EShakti was generous enough to offer TWO $25 gift cards* to two lucky readers**. Giveaway starts NOW and goes until Tuesday, August 12th at 12AM PST
Click HERE for the rafflecopter page! — You will automatically get $25 just for entering!

Good luck!

*Note: Unlike a gift coupon, a gift card is as good as cash. It can be used over and above any other promotional offer / gift coupon in the same order
**Giveaway is only for U.S. and Canada residents only.

***This post was sponsored by eShakti. All opinions are my own.

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Anticipating Fall

Posted on July 16, 2014 by alexnguyen

For some reason the weather here in the Bay Area has taken an odd turn — gray skies and less sun. These gray skies do not help my itching anticipation for fall at all. Remember this dress that I wore this past fall/winter? Well, I decided to take it out again but added a colorful scarf to brighten it up a bit and make it season appropriate. My shoes on the other hand…sorry, I couldn’t help but break these out.

Waiting till fall was like having a bowl of mint-chocolate-chip ice cream on the table in front of you. My advice: just have the ice cream.

Dress
Wearing: Urban Outfitters
My Picks: ASOS $38 (3/4 sleeve) // ASOS $38 (sleeveless)

Scarf
Wearing: Talbots
My Picks: ModCloth $18 // Fashion Confections $18 // Stella Dot $58

Oxfords
Wearing: Aldo

Earrings
Wearing: Anthropologie
My Picks: Shop Lately $7 // Anthropologie $38

Purse
Wearing: Vintage Coach

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Oh and did you notice that I just started a Pinterest? 🙂 Right now my following number is at a measly number of ZERO, so give a girl some love and follow and pin away! 🙂

Thanks for taking the time to read! 🙂

Don’t forget to enter the $300 J.Crew giveaway! Click HERE for the RaffleCopter page!

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Classy with a Splash of Blue

Posted on July 14, 2014 by alexnguyen

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend that prepared you for another week!

At the age of 24, sometimes I feel as though I need to dress a little more professional to reflect my age and to compensate for my high-school-looking face. So here it is folks. 🙂 Funny story about this outfit…I went to do some errands with my mom and she needed to return something at Talbots so we went. I told her that I would wait in the car because I didn’t want to be tempted into spending more money. She says, “Oh we’re only going to go into ONE store, and it’s Talbots! Not really your store.” So thinking that my wallet was safe, I decided to go in with her. Sure enough, just like Rebecca Bloomwood in Confessions of a Shopaholic, the racks were calling my name and yes, I came out with a full outfit.

Justifiably though, I do need to look more professional at work because who wants to show up to school with the same outfit as your student? (Which has happened by the way).

**By the way, I really do like Talbots. I usually am able to find a handful of pieces that work with my style and the quality of their clothes are quite decent. I am especially fond of their jewelry and shoes.

I also walked out of Talbots with a pair of really cute wedges, but it was a grey tone. Since this outfit was pretty neutral, I wanted to make it a little fun with a pop of color so I opted with my favorite bright blue heels from J. Crew.

Top: Talbots {sold out online} – Similar // Skirt: Talbots {sold out online} – Similar // Shoes: J. Crew – Similar // Purse: Vintage Coach // Bracelets: J. Crew – Similar // Earrings: Crystal Petal Studs c/o Trendy Trinkets // Rings: Vintage // Necklace: Talbots – Similar

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Lesson learned – Stay in the car. 😛

Don’t forget to enter the $300 J.Crew giveaway! Click HERE for the RaffleCopter page!

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Go Get ‘Em Denim

Posted on June 16, 2014 by alexnguyen

Hello there! Thanks so much for everyone’s vacation good wishes! I did have a wonderful and restful vacation, so much so that I feel excited about this work filled summer! I won’t bore you with the details, but just know that if you are feeling close to burning out, take a week off, follow these guidelines, and you will come back with no more dark circles, a straighter back, and a recharged battery.

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Any-who, it’s outfit time. I’ve always wanted to try the all denim look so here it goes!

Dress
Wearing: Gifted
Similar: Forever 21 $25 // ASOS $66 // Anthropologie $128

Jacket
Wearing: Hand-me Down
Similar: Gap $70 // Nordstrom $75 // J. Crew $150

Shoes
Wearing: J. Crew $98 {different colors}

Bag
Wearing: Free People
Similar: DSW $40 // Fossil $63 // Marc by Marc Jacobs $138

Necklace
Wearing: Talbots
Similar: Izaro $17 // Charming Charlie $18 // Francesca’s $20

Bracelet
Wearing: J. Crew Factory $20

So here are my tips on pulling off a denim on denim look..

DENIM ON DENIM if you dare

1. Different Shades of Denim
Make sure that your denim pieces are of a different shade BUT ALSO that the shades mesh well together.

2. Different Denim Weight
Make sure that your denim pieces vary in fabric weight to balance the look as well as keeping it interesting!

3. Simple Accessories
All denim will already turn heads, so play down the accessories and keep it simple!

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Thanks for stopping by! Happy Monday!

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Oak and Florals

Posted on May 27, 2014 by alexnguyen

Three day weekend are nice aren’t they? If only society changed the work week to Tu-Fri instead. 🙂 Sadly, it’s time to get back to work but lucky for me there are only 9 more days of school left! In the mean time, you can find me chugging coffee trying to push through. Ha.

Today I bring you a spring look full of florals and color!

If you haven’t heard of Oak 73 yet, let me be the first to introduce you to this online brand. They focus on the classic shapes but they put a twist on them that makes the apparel anything but boring. Also, I love how all their products are made in the U.S.A. Fabulous designs + Quality make = Happy Girl

I’m wearing their Painted Floral Dress which is the perfect summer dress as the weather continues to warm up. It’s sleeveless but I wanted to wear it to work so I decided to throw on a blazer to make it more appropriate.

Dress
Painted Floral Dress c/o Oak 73

Blazer
Wearing: J. Crew Factory

Purse
Adele Satchel c/o OraDelphine

Shoes
Wearing: Talbots (Similar – ShoeMint $40)

Rings // Necklace
Double Druzy Ring c/o Wrenn Jewelry // Vintage // Vintage

Thanks for stopping by and don’t forgot to follow Snippetswithalex on other forms of social media! 🙂

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Itty-Bitty Polka Dottie

Posted on April 24, 2014 by alexnguyen

It’s just one of those weeks where I feel like I just have to keep running or else I will be overthrown by test papers, lesson planning, unread blog posts, unfinished card orders…oh wait, I already am. Ha. Hopefully this weekend I can take a breather.

But before that happens, I want to introduce you to Crystalie, an online boutique based in Canada. I saw the Russian Roulette Dress on their online shop and I fell in love with the shape, color, and soft polka dots. Knowing already that it was going to be too short for me, I purposely decided to go with it because I thought it would make a cute top!

This dress was made of a heavier fabric so I wanted to make sure that my look was more SPRING than fall. What better way to do that then to pair this dress/top with white skinny jeans, a light denim jacket, and some wedges? 🙂 My next idea is to go get myself a cute skirt extender so that I can ditch the jeans.

Just so you know, in case you wanted a gauge for this dress, I am 5′ 4″ and usually a size 4/27.

Dress / Top
Russian Roulette Dress $40 c/o Crystalie

White Jeans
Wearing: Gap – Similar

Denim Jacket
Wearing: Thrifted (Gap)
My Picks: Gap $79 // Lulu*s $129

Wedges
Wearing: Talbots
My Picks: DebShops $27 // Dolce Vita $59

Necklace
Wearing: Anthropologie

Rings
Double Bear Head Ring // Bow Ring
c/o Rings and Tings

Bracelet
Wearing: J. Crew // Similar

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Until next time…

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Trend: Kimono

Posted on April 10, 2014 by alexnguyen

I’ve always been reserved about trying out the kimono trend, but when I saw this (On sale for only $10.95 now!!!) on Deb Shops, I knew I had to try it out, especially since festival season is here! I usually see kimonos paired with shorts, but seeing that I needed to go to work, shorts were not really an option so I decided to pair it with a maxi dress and tied it in the front for a different look.

My students approved. Do you? 😛

Here are a couple of shots without it tied.

Dress
Wearing: Forever 21
My Picks: Forever 21 $11.80 // Old Navy $34

Kimono
Wearing: Chiffon Floral Print Kimono c/o Deb Shops

Sandals
Wearing: Talbots
My Picks: Deb Shops $18 // Urban Outiftters $69

Rings
Wearing: Souvenirs from Hawaii and Nepal

Sunglasses
Wearing: Thrifted
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You only have a couple of days left for your chance to win the necklace below from Kay & Kompany! Just click here to go to the Rafflecopter page.

Social Media
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Lastly, I know it’s Thursday and I should have a Thrift Style Thursday post, but I’ve been so busy and I haven’t had time to go thrifting. Hopefully, next week!

Check out the other TST girls!

Zhenya // Being Zhenya
Martyna // Spoolish
Miche // Buttons and Birdcages
Nout // Sandpaper Kisses
Justine // The Two Cent Chick
Jackline // Sincerely Miss J
Megan // Eclecticity
Sheri // Confessions of a Refashionista
Jacki & Lesli // Sistas from Cali
Erika // Erika’s Style Diary

Tough Stuff

Posted on March 24, 2014 by alexnguyen

I may look like a girly girl on the outside, but deep down I’m a tough cookie with an attitude…at least that’s what my mom says. 😛

I bet you can’t guess what that bracelet is made up of … the INNER TUBE OF A BICYCLE WHEEL.

Yes, you heard me, it’s made from a bicycle wheel. Urban Lace Jewelry thought of a way to turn trash into something absolutely gorgeous. With a variety of designs and sizes to fit your personal style, you can promote eco-friendly stylish jewelry.

{I’m wearing the Reflection in a size small}

Pants
Wearing: Gap $70

Tee
Wearing: Gap $20

Vest
Wearing: Thrifted from Crossroads
My Picks: OASAP $31 // Lulu*s $49 // Macy’s $109

Necklace
Wearing: Talbots
My Pick: PiperLime $15

Bracelet
Reflection c/o Urban Lace

Shoes
Wearing: DSW
My Pick: Deb Shops $36.90

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For those who don’t believe my claim…

Ways I am more of a “Tough Cookie”
1. I have perfected the evil eye that gives my students the shiver from head to toe.
2. I’ve killed countless of cockroaches.
3. I can hold my bladder for up to 9 hours straight (I know, probably not a healthy thing)
4. I can craft for 8 hours straight while withstanding the pain of paper cuts and hot glue burns.

Have I changed your opinion? 🙂

What makes you tough?

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Keep Holding On

Posted on February 27, 2014 by alexnguyen

Shirt
Wearing: Old Navy – Similar $20
My Picks: H&M $10 // Gap $27

Pants
Wearing: Gap

Shoes
Wearing: J. Crew Factory – Diff Colors $79 but EX 30% off!
My Picks: Lulu*s $18 // J. Crew $125

Necklace
Wearing: Talbots
My Picks: Benevolent Jewels $36 // New Look 15 euro … maybe $25? I’m guessing Ha

Bracelets – Gifted

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I titled this post “Keep Holding On” because that’s what it feels like these days. But don’t worry, it’s NOT in a bad way thank goodness. There’s just an enormous amount of awesomeness that I want to be a part of. Haha. If you didn’t already know, I have the tendency to overindulge in hobbies/jobs.

1. Teaching high school math
I have to make a living somehow right? 🙂 Teaching has been my passion since I was a young wee little one. My students keep asking me “Why did you want to be a teacher? You have to stay in school all day!” Well kiddos, I actually enjoy school and have been enjoying it all my life. Some may say that’s nerdy, some may say that’s weird, but I say what’s life without continuous learning and knowledge? But really, the actual reason why I love teaching is because it’s my way of serving and giving back to the community and making a positive impact in these kids lives (at least I hope so!). And I can’t lie…having summers off is a plus. 🙂

2. Blogging
A girl’s gotta have a separate life from her job right? I’ve been working really hard to collaborate with different retailers to bring you all some special goodies. Be on the look out for an awesome giveaway soon as well as some awesome discount codes to freshen up your wardrobe in time for spring! 🙂

3. Wedding / Bridal Shower Invitations
If you didn’t know already, I am trying to get into the handmade stationary/invitation designing business. I am currently working on a wedding right now and am really excited about the design. Hopefully I will get pictures up soon!

4. Vacation Bible School Director
Just recently, I decided to volunteer for the position of VBS Director at my parents’ church. If you’re not familiar with VBS, it’s basically a one-week “camp” or 3-hr session during the summer where kids come to learn more about Christ through music, various fun activities, and bible stories. It’s a big job that I’m excited, anxious, and overwhelmed by. It’s my first time! Wish me luck! 🙂

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Red and Brown

Posted on February 16, 2014 by alexnguyen

Yes, I bought something, but luckily it’s technically something old and used, but still in the utmost prime condition! Therefore, I have yet to break my New Year’s resolution.

STORY TIME: I went into Crossroads (a thrift/consignment shop) hoping to find an outfit for this secret event that I was invited to…Oh heck, let’s be honest, I was just trying to satisfy my shopping crave! Haha. Anyways, I was about to pay for a couple of items when I saw these amazing brown boots which were exactly what I was looking for —chocolate brown, with a heel, and is versatile. Tried them on, fell in love, you know the drill. Then I discovered they were Loeffler Randall boots. I apologize ahead of time if this discredits me as a fashion blogger, but I have never heard of Loeffler Randall before. Whipped out my smart phone to see what the damage usually is and found out their boots usually costs a whopping of over $600! Well, guess what price I got them for? A mere $60. Not bad for a pair of barely used, good quality, leather boots! 🙂