A Day in my NYDJ Maternity Jeans

October 25, 2016 by Patricia Chang in Family, Fashion

At 5 months pregnant I may be just starting to "show", but I'm in full swing maternity pants mode! My friends used to notice how I never wear jeans. In my 20's I realized how uncomfortable jeans were and naturally phased them out of my wardrobe. This ALL changed with my first pregnancy with Chase. Discovering maternity jeans was like tasting a donut for the first time. It's a whole new world with the elastic waist band, I honestly wonder why we don't wear them all the time! I wore them for at least a year after birth as it was too hard to let them go just yet.

Working from home, I can get away with pjs all day. But on the weekends, my husband and I like to go out for a little adventure. Here's a day in my NYDJ jeans running after Chase and staying comfy all day long at the Botanical Garden!

Another successful play date with Charlotte and her family filled with lots of hugs!

I learned an awesome trick to fold the bottom of the pants long-ways, and then rolling them up for a more fitted ankle. — I learned an awesome trick to fold the bottom of the pants long-ways, and then rolling them up for a more fitted ankle.

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I like skinny jeans because as you are expanding, it helps give you more polished look. I recommend getting a size smaller than usual as they run a little loose.

You can be casual, put together and playful all in one look - I styled my jeans with a neutral palette as this pregnancy is really making me feel neutrals these days. But I'm always one for a little touch of whimsical!

Pumpkin Patch

Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard

October 18, 2016 by Patricia Chang in Family, Fashion, Food, Travel

IF YOU PLAN ON TRAVELING HERE READ THESE TIPS FIRST:

Over the weekend we took the Metro North from Grand Central to Croton Falls station for a fun day at Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard up in North Salem, NY! Wear comfy shoes and be warned - they only have porta potties.. You can use the bathroom at Gordon's Deli as soon as you get off the train from Croton Falls station where they happen to have yummy sandwiches! We envisioned a quiet day in nature. Not so~ There's loud (fun) music and dust kicked up by what reminded me of a "Times Square crowd" if you go on a weekend. Last year we were faced with a lot of traffic (from the station to the orchard) and long lines for everything, so we went earlier in the morning this year and it was much better traffic wise. Also prepare to stand still often, there are quite a lot of bees. Lastly, bring cash.

First things first! I've learned that as a parent, your greatest joy comes from watching your child have a blast. Chase quickly spotted the row of bouncy castles in the back so we zipped there first. At 2.5 years old, he was only allowed on 2 of the 3 inflatables. We paid $3 for the bouncy castle where Chase waited patiently on line. Once he got in he realized it is not connected to the slide he saw and stayed for less than 30 seconds. I pushed him back in but he wasn't interested in jumping. So to the big slide we went! It was $2 per turn or $5/3 turns. I paid the $2 to see if he can handle it and he LOVED it! I got him the bundle ticket and let him go 3 more times in a row. I thought it was worth it because he rarely comes across such a giant slide and laughed the entire time. Plus I really enjoyed watching him come down in an "X shape". The 3rd inflatable was an obstacle course for kids older than 6 years.

Pumpkin picking! Got one!

Dancing with his friend Charlotte to the live music during our (second) lunch break! I'll share a video on Instagram - they were soo cute!!

The tacos were pretty good! Do'h - Don't forget to try the homemade cider donuts like we did this time~ Had them last year and they were really good.

Apple picking: Apparently due to many circumstances such as an extremely hot summer, apples (and pears) were no longer on the trees and only in bins. You can only enter this "picking" section if you are buying a $20 bag. It's worth the short, but steep hike up because there is a great view, fresh air and you can get away from the crowds.

I'm including this because they had the longest line of all. Just FYI: might want to go early if you're interested!

We only picked a couple of mini pumpkins for easier traveling. I would have picked some larger pumpkins had we drove. Grab a single serving cold apple cider while you're paying inside the store - it's so fresh!

Once we got back to Grand Central Station my friend Nancy (Charlotte's mom), whose family spent the day with us, pointed us to Joe & the Juice. I ordered "Joe's Green Mile" and guess who stole it from me. I was happy to share it because he has gotten pickier about his vegetables and it has spinach, avocado and broccoli! It was one of the tastiest juices I got so I am curious to go back and try every flavor. I was a little surprised when I was paying because at $10, it was pricier than Juice Generation which I already find a bit expensive. It will be the occasional treat!

Memory Lane from exactly a year ago at the same place - looks like we are starting a tradition!

I can't believe he was small enough to put in the bin. Today, those pumpkins would have been squashed to pumpkin pie!

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I got this pumpkin costume last year for the same event and it still fit~ Milking it ;)

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Castle Dreaming

May 23, 2016 by Patricia Chang in Fashion, Food, Travel

During the middle of our Spain trip, we got to sneak away to a romantic Languedoc France. We took the train and as we got closer to Languedoc, the scenery become more tranquil and stunningly serene. The high speed train was so smooth and we whizzed by horses, vineyards and a large lake. It's funny - I think the freshest baguette sandwich I ever had was at a train station during a transfer in France. I had no idea Hank planned a Michelin star lunch so I accidentally spoiled my appetite a bit with 2 of those sandwiches (no regrets). We stayed in a fortified town called Carcassone in the south of France. We stayed at Hotel de la Cite which is the most charming hotel straight out of a medieval fairytale. You step outside the hotel and the basilica is right there. Because the bulk of the people there were tourists, the town felt a bit like Disney World's Epcot except everything is actually authentic. Nonetheless, we admired the church and headed out to edge where we got hit by the wind and soaked in the views. There was something so fresh and exciting about being here with my husband, I was excited to see him in his element during this leg of the trip and spontaneously go out to explore with my "adventure buddy". He was especially excited for our wine tasting tour that took us out to a couple local vineyards and another picturesque town, Minerve. I wish we had taken our time to explore it since it is known as one of the most beautiful towns in France and some of the views reminded me of the Grand Canyon. Because we were with a group and it was unfortunately a bit rushed. During our tour it was my first time trying organic and live wines (In case you are wondering, I am not pregnant yet so it was safe to try the live bottle - which I liked and learned I like "tannin"). Ugh, without a doubt the best part of France was the price of their wine. It's ludicrous how expensive a glass is here in NY compared to their 2.5 euro. A side note: Feeling a bit adventurous I ordered "black pudding" and apple salad - turns out it means "blood sausage"! Being Korean we have something similar so it wasn't bad, but it was definitely not what I anticipated. I think my husband knew what I was ordering and gave me no warning, haha.

Packing wise - cute outfits are fun, but hey I'm on vacation and nothing feels better than stealing my husband's cozy cardigan come the moment to put an outfit on. I noticed I wore the buttons unaligned when I was uploading these photos - a sure sign of a relaxing time~. It's always a good idea to pack a set of comfortable clothes for back up because at the end of the day, you want to feel good and enjoy yourself! Lastly, you're in luck~ I found the embroidered blouse I'm wearing at a market from our last trip to Korea- I typed in "bohemian top" to find something similar since I figured some of you might ask about it- and I found the exact one! (Korean markets often sell wholesale to brands). It happens to fall under both "cute outfit" and "comfortable outfit" so it's a winner! Well, that's the last of our week and a half in Europe - next stop, Paris!

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Post cards from Barcelona, Part 2

May 16, 2016 by Patricia Chang in Fashion, Food, Travel

Ciutadela Park, wearing Shopbop — Ciutadela Park, wearing Shopbop

Welcome back for Part 2 of our trip! I mashed together some of my "naturey" photos and ended up with a parks list. I have come to realize I have a soft spot for parks when I travel. When you're running around seeing all the sights, it's especially relaxing to sit and listen to some water trickling while soaking in the surrounding culture. My favorite place was Ciutadela Park, as we went back twice by choice. There's something about this park that brought out a sense of home away from home. It reminded me of a condensed Central Park in NY, except this park has palm trees galore!

We also went back to the beach for a second time. The first time, we stumbled upon it on our way to the cable car that takes you up to Montjuic. We saw people selling blankets and decided to come back for a picnic if we had time. On our last day we happened to walk by the beach again. Before making it to the sand, we got distracted by some people making large bubbles for the crowd. It was then I noticed groups of people buzzing around on electric bikes and scooters of all kinds. Right there in the middle of the board walk we spotted a rental place and had a spontaneous ride! I definitely recommend going along the entire boardwalk this way. It was so fun that had we discovered it sooner I may have convinced my husband to do all day rentals everyday~

El Nacional is a gem! There are multiple restaurants in one large open space with THE most fabulous interior. Our Airbnb was just around the block and I would have missed it had I not just seen it on my friend's instagram (@mjtraynor). I think we tried most of the sections and I can't really recommend one over the other. The tapas section was a unique experience because they come around announcing available plates in their hand (kind of like dim sum carts). Definitely check out this space if you're in the neighborhood!

cocotrish style denim patricia chang sokophotos lookbook

How To: Style a Denim Shirt

March 02, 2016 by Patricia Chang in Fashion

In this post, we’ll show you how we styled the classic denim shirt. Maybe you’ve been playing it safe with white shirts, or you just don’t own one …yet! Here are four examples from a combination of endless styles.

1. Easy Layers

cocotrish style denim patricia chang sokophotos sweater casual

cocotrish style denim patricia chang sokophotos valentino bag

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cocotrish style denim patricia chang sokophotos flatlay casual

First, let's start with a casual look for one your comfortable days. You can throw on a textured sweater over your denim shirt, and wear it with a pair of boyfriend jeans. For the bag, go with a big slouchy one because it’ll give it that easy-going feel. A neutral tone will keep the look simple and clean. There's a fine line between "casual" and "lazy", so refine the look with a polished shoe and top it off with a neat hairstyle.

Where to wear: Shopping, Class, Lunch, Stroll, Airport

2. Denim on Denim

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cocotrish style denim patricia chang sokophotos chanel pink

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For the next look, don't be afraid to pair denim with denim. The denim will recede and act like a canvas for any bold accessories. This way, your favorite accessories will stand out. Not only is this look effortless, but it also feels put together and chic.

Where to wear: Lunch, Vacation, Date, Dinner, Park (swap out for comfy shoes)

3. Serious Meeting

cocotrish style denim patricia chang sokophotos work

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If you have a casual business dress code, try this look. Swap out your predictable shirts with a denim one. Give life to your outfit by adding brooches to the lapels or pairing it with a unique bag, or printed shoes. With this look, you won't blend in or feel dull!

Where to wear: Meeting, Office

4. Tropical Blues

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Last, the relaxed fit of the denim shirt compliments a form-fitting pencil skirt nicely. For this look we played with the blue hues of the shirt. Pencil skirts can be a bit serious, so this hand painted print gives it just the right balance of softness. For an airy feel, tie the ends of the shirt and pair it with open shoes. The Guinea pig bag also has the right balance of polished and playful to finish the outfit.

Where to wear: Lunch, Date, Vacation