French Charm

By far my favorite thing trending at the moment is the "french charm" look. Lace, bows, and subtle details. Once again Thailand was ahead of the fashion industry with these items popping up in markets for the past few months. I found an adorable pair of bow earrings online- these are Marc Jacobs. Comparably at the market I bought a similiar pair at 3 for 50 Baht in January.
Denim dresses and shirts are a wonderful part of this trend. A dress similar to this can be found in the market for a few hundred Baht. Now there's the sizing factor to consider here, however with enough hunting you can be successful.
It's wonderful to see things on expensive American websites that can be found at any Thai market, are on point with trends, and have been available for months. Puts things in perspective for how much we may be overpaying.

Spring Trends

Spring trends are popping up everywhere, as always, stores get in their Spring lines beginning of February, and sometimes sooner. Here in Thailand we are approaching Summer, also known as "The Hot Season". The trends appearing are all in line regardless of what time zone you live in.

Pastels and floral prints as a Spring trend you say? Like we've never seen that before?! Well here are a few things that caught my eye and I will tell you why:

Woven Pumps- combining patent leather with a woven wedge brings a little extra detail into a spring/ summer staple. I actually saw "rose gold" sandals and wedges on Piperlime. Don't be afraid to put color on your feet! It's also a good excuse to have to find an outfit to match.

Color Blocking: If you are like me, having a bright color on your bottom half draws some unwanted attention to certain areas. Absolutely loving the mint colored pants. If you find they are not flattering, try the same color in a top or skirt. We have seen the color blocking trend go from bright colors to more subdued pastels. A new take on an old springtime palette.

Pleated skirts: These first started appearing in the markets here in CM. Then low and behold they show up in Nordstrom's spring line. I particularly like this longer version. Our first instinct with mid- length is that you have to have a lot of height to wear it. Well I say if a Thai girl can pull it off, (Cause they are short too) so can I. You can also go with a shorter, more girly version.

Chambre: The Denim Shirt. So fantastic it has transitioned nicely from winter to spring. Love the combo when paired with a soft and sheer skirt.

Colors: If you are feeling like you just don't have the budget or time to seek out these ideas try picking up a brightly colored scarf. It's amazing what it can do for a regular jeans and tee shirt day.

Attention to Detail

Having personal style is not about spending a lot of money, or living in a country where the clothes actually fit you. It's about the little things that make you feel good. Instead of throwing on your fav jeans, a t- shirt and flops, try adding heels and a fun necklace. Or a scarf. Or a funky pair of earrings. You don't have to be flashy and you certainly don't need to buy high priced items. Less is more.
When all else fails, accessorize. There have been plenty of times I was out shopping and became discouraged as nothing fit properly. Redemption came in the form of jewelry and shoes. Take for example these bow tie earrings- purchased at the local market for 20 baht each, or 3 for 50 baht. That's 1.62 for 3 pairs of handmade earrings. Pretty sure this will lift any woman up from the "I am not Thai sized" self esteem blow.
It's really about you wearing the clothes, and not the other way around. Own. It. If you are confident and feel good that will shine through. Don't be afraid to take a risk or copy an idea from someone else. Seriously girls, get over yourself if you have a problem with this. In the immortal (paraphrased) words of Ben Stiller: "Ok, well don't you think that in some crazy scheme in order to make a profit, they made more than one!?

For the Love of Color

We are all guilty of falling into a color rut. I once went an entire season only purchasing garments that were grey. A rule finally had to be made- I was not allowed to even look at it in a store.
It can often be overwhelming when I am out shopping. How do I know which color looks good on me? How do I figure it out without trying on the same top ten times? I recently read that coral is a universal color. It is flattering on all skin tones, pale to dark. I opted to buy a scarf and have been amazed at how often I wear it, and how much it goes with. This is a fail proof color to use to liven up your wardrobe.

The other set of colors I love are jewel tones. They are notoriously flattering. From cocktail parties to tees and scarves. Try out a deep purple or emerald green. Recently I have seen some fantastic heels in jewel toned blues and greens.

When dealing with basics it can be nice to change up your neutrals. I somehow got the idea in my head to incorporate navy stripes with a mustard yellow. Success came with a brown and navy striped sweater, and tee in the shade I was looking for. At the same store. In Thailand. AND they actually fit.

Score.

The Tourist Uniform

So there is something I have wanted to get off my chest for a while...

Why is it that tourists come here and dress like slobs? Baggy pants, and a tank top. I call this the "Tourist Uniform." My question is, have you ever stopped to look around? Thai people DO NOT dress like that. They are put together and don't look like they just rolled out of bed, even if they do wear the baggy pants. Have some respect and pay attention to you surroundings. I get it. It's hot. Pretty sure some cotton shorts or a dress will do just fine. Be warned, if you come here and dress this way, I will judge you.

The other one that gets me is foreigners dressed like they are at the beach. Pretty sure walking around the city in a swimsuit top, or swim trunks without a shirt on is frowned upon in a Buddhist country. Clearly they never got the memo, Chiang Mai is surrounded by Jungle.

Just sayin'

Maintaining Your Style in a Land Where Everything is "Thai Size"

Thailand is any shoppers dream come true. Markets full of treasures just waiting to be discovered. Shoe and accessory stores everywhere... with cute, often well made sandals, heels and pretty much any handbag or piece of jewelry your little heart desires. Prices range from 100- 300 Thai Baht, which is $3- 9$ US dollars.

Department stores and some boutiques will be pricier, however there are so many cheaper alternatives it hardly seems necessary to spend the money.

Sounds amazing, right? Well here comes the catch: Almost everything is "Thai Sized." By this I mean an XL is the equivalent of a M anywhere else. Let's be honest, no woman wants to be an XL or XXL, but you get used to it (sort of). I have learned to compartmentalize the sizing here. There is one category for Thai Size, and then there is everyone else.

Trends are everywhere, and street style is amazing. I love to watch what the Thai girls wear. I often find myself thinking: she looks so cute in that, but not many western woman could pull it off. For example, at the markets there are these super cute wide leg pants, with suspenders. I have seen Thai teachers wearing them at school with a blouse, and proper accessories. Anyone above a size 2 would be hard pressed to pull that off.

There is a fantastic market that runs weekly on Monday and Tuesday just down the road from NIS. There are so many great finds, it's overwhelming- and the trends are on point. Yesterday a friend and I each bought a nautical inspired tee for 170 Baht. As you can see Anthropologie has similar versions for $68- $78 and we each paid $5.48. I opted to pair mine with wide leg jeans, chunky jewelry, and a cute pair of wedges. The market had more over-sized versions that would be good with skinny jeans, and a longer necklace.