Floral Inkblots | Summer Work Outfit

H&M bright floral inkblot sheath tank // Thrifted @Scholarshop/Escada bright yellow pencil skirt //

Predictions by Payless white low heel pumps // Med student white coat //
Revlon Colorburst lip butter in Lollipop //

Photography: self; tripod and remote

WHAT TO WEAR UNDER WHITE COAT #1. This was what I wore on Monday (8/27) for my first patient interview: bright peppy colours as a final salute to the (hopefully soon) last days of blistering summer. These sessions are videotaped so we can watch and reflect on what we did and how to improve, so I'm determined to wear extra fresh outfits to distract myself from the anxiety I get from watching myself on tape (I HATE hearing my own voice in these things ... hence not having branched out to Youtube). Keeping it simple and having a base colour of white for my top allows it to blend into my white coat better while introducing pops of fuchsia and green and yellow. I like the straight-cut sheath shape of this tank and decided without much deliberation at H&M, as it's one of my favourite showcased pieces of theirs this summer. The back has a tiny slit that's buttoned, so it's classy with a bit of interesting detail. It was a nice grey semi-rainy day so I was able to photograph outside with the colours un-distorted and vibrant.

The days are flying by in med school. In the past three days, I interacted with my first patient (who praised me for my empathic personality yay!), got a taste of anatomy lab with hands-on exploration, and learned how to draw blood, put in an EKG, test for blood glucose, give shots, etc. Lectures are never-ending inside class and out, and the work multiplies like a drug-resistant strain of bacteria. But I am always finding new fun things to do, like ZUMBA classes with friends, grabbing high class bubble tea, watching horror flicks when the biochem pathways become too serious. Tomorrow I am camping out early for the grand opening of the H&M in Polaris, hoping to get that $300 gift card. This Labor Day weekend, JJ is coming to visit and we're going to hit up Cedar Point for the best roller coasters in the country! If I can describe my life right now in a word, it's "intense." Dressing up every day helps me squeeze the word "fantabulous" in there too.

Scroll down to see a final surprise image ...

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Announcing Petite Fashion Challenge #19: Trend Benders

Today I am excited to announce the 19th PFC: Trend Benders. Pick your favourite Summer or Fall 2012 trend and make it work for you, whether it's going all-out, incorporating it into a professional outfit or using it in moderation. For example - how would you bend this neon brights trend into something in sync with your personal style? Challenge yourself - you might even take something you think would never work on you and get creative! Extra brownie points if you can use your trend in more than one look.

To participate:

1. Leave a comment with your blog URL to express interest

2. Schedule your post for September 18 at 8 PM Eastern Time

3. If you're a non-blogger, just comment with your name and email. Email me your photos at angie@pandaphilia.com before the due date

4. Check back on 9/18 to see everyone's outfits. I'll have a new post up revealing my outfit too. I'll try to Linkytools everything for better visuals too.
[SEE THE LIST OF PARTICIPANTS AND MY OUTFIT HERE]

Have fun and let the trend bending begin!

Paisley Pleats

Forever 21 sheer black top with lattice detail // H&M nude slip dress (underneath)
H&M paisley pleated skirt //Pitaya yellow faux patent leather belt // 
Thrifted @ Scholarshop basketweave nude loafers // Poshlocket gold and silver striped bracelet (c/o) //

Photography: self; tripod and remote

At long last: a new outfit post! So maybe med school is as time-consuming as everyone says it is ... the great news is for every outfit I've worn since school began, I've taken pictures and they're all nice and cozy on my SD card. But after all the additionally lectures we're required to learn each day outside of class, I have -5 hours of free time, which ends up stuffed in my piggy bank as rain checks for "sleep, what is sleep?" Moral of the story is: time management is everything and life just started fast forwarding at 3x speed. Second moral: dressing cute is the one thing stringing my sanity together. This is what I wore for running around during the undergraduate activities fair (hot summer weather), ziplining on my lunch break (yup, always in style), and meeting the dental students who are our partners for anatomy dissection. Business ultra-casual? The skirt was a $7 on-sale thingeemajigger that I grabbed before my China trip and the best thing is it has pockets; the second best thing is the pleated flap covers more leg when you sit down.

In the past 2 weeks I have learned how to perform CPR, place EKG leads, how to take a patient history, the clinical side of sickle cell anemia, and lots more. Between all this I finally settled into my apartment and got internet, drove to Pittsburgh for the weekend to visit JJ (he's starting grad school), ate my weight in free food. This is an exhilarating change of pace, because I'm finally learning all the things I wanted to since the beginning of college and we get hands-on clinical experience very early on. Also, at least twice a week I have to dress professionally, so time to start crash-coursing petite friendly outfits for young-people-forever-stuck-in-and-pencil-skirts-and-pantsuits. It's so strange having to wear pencil skirts instead of for whimsical I-feel-fancy-schmancy days.

More random thoughts uncategorizable for paragraph form:
1. There are so many undergrads everywhere (50,000 to be exact-ish?)
2. IKEA is heaven on Earth. Confirmed by scientific studies. Their Swedish meatballs are also food of the gods. Also confirmed by science. Okay maybe not ... still. LINGONBERRIES
3. Being an "adult" is soooo weird. Not sure if I like it. Can I return after 30 days?

Thank you Underrated Gems for featuring me alongside Youtube fashion and beauty gurus. I'm beyond flattered - check it out! Good luck to everyone going back to school - snap a pic and show me your outfits!

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Pandaphilia, Doc-in-Training

Ohio State College of Medicine white coat // Thrifted Scholarshop mint blouse //

Anne Klein black pencil skirt (part of my interview suit) // Predictions for Payless/DIY Christian Louboutin red-sole black pumps //

H&M gold segmented necklace // Thrifted Melie Bianco camel faux leather satchel bag //

Island Girl Hawaii neon yellow nail polish (forgot to remove oops) //

Photography: Cassandra (with her new Canon T3i woot!), Dad

MD-To-Be. Welcome to the brand new chapter of my life! As of last Friday I moved to Columbus, Ohio to start my journey through med school. So far Orientation has been extremely tiring and exhilarating - meeting special people and new friends and faculty who come from many backgrounds with remarkable stories and personalities. It is exhausting to say your name and where you're from over and over again - it's like we already have to start memorizing material haha.

The White Coat Ceremony was Monday and this is it! This is the moment we've all worked towards for so long! I went through the whole thing not even processing what this entailed. Yes my coat needs to be shortened and taken in just about everywhere (the Dean even said "yeah ... we'll shorten those for you" as he shook my hand) but it's my passport to the hospital! We get to work with actual patients in just 2 months, making our new curriculum at Ohio State space age and relevant.

I am blessed by every kind of spiritual being that ever existed, because my Dad helped me move in and did everything basically (color me spoiled), and my dear friends from childhood and high school came to visit. I'm adjusting surprisingly well to the environment and running errands all the time. Next Monday the lectures start - wonder how that's going to turn out! Columbus is a unique city with lots of opportunity and fun places to explore. So far I've had the best Mediterranean food on this continent (imo) and late night pizza with an inappropriately named sauce (four letter word that begins with an sl and ends with t if you're curious ... it's Sriracha and ranch). There are thrift stores and little boutiques and a mall but I doubt I'll be spending much time and money there for the next four years! However, I'm doing a fair job of getting dressed well every morning and snapping a few outfit pictures in my apartment. Those posts will regularly be posted in my now regularized life schedule once I get internet next week. For now it's sitting in the library and using their wifi after hours xD

YES, I am going to keep blogging. YES, I still love pretty clothing. YES, just like Professor Oak says on Pokemon - there's a time and place for everything! Of course I won't wear mini skirts with my white coat and Daisy Dukes in clinic, but doesn't mean I can't rock floral pumps like the petite lady doc who coated me (she and I are already developing a connection over this). More than ever I need this passion to keep me going and to destress. More than ever I like to hear from you wonderful readers! And I will never lose this goofy fun-loving make-other-people-laugh nature of mine because the healthiest people in the world have a sense of humour. Laughter is the best medicine.

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Statue of Liberty | Beijing Streetstyle

"This is How I Roll" sushi shirt (gift from JJ) // 

Francesca's Collections black matte sequin skirt (gift from JJ's mom) (similar)//

From China black bead and white crystal detachable peter pan collar 

(similar here, here, here, here, here) //

From China gold spike headband // Thrifted Goodwill/Ann Taylor strappy wedge sandals //

Photography: Dad; thanks uncle for helping out!

WORST TITLE EVER. So, the only time I lugged out my SLR during my China trip was for this outfit photoshoot (sad, I know). My eldest uncle is into photography too, so we went all around our neighborhood in Beijing, posing in front of fruit stands, in parks, even stopping in an underpass (7/2). Thanks Dad for taking these photos! Something about the kelly green and spiked headband makes me think of the Statue of Liberty ... creativity bust.

I must have felt extra punny and cheeky that morning once I dug out the laugh-out-loud sushi shirt JJ got me from San Fran from my suitcase (which I have effectively been living in all summer). Then I got all matchy matchy and whipped out the trusty then-new detachable peter pan collar ($7) to balance the sequined black skirt on the bottom ($7). I like that the sequins create a hidden design and are matte so it's not too overwhelming during the daytime. Because it was so on-sale for a boutique item, JJ's mom bought it when we were shopping in Los Gatos and later surprise-gifted it to me.

I don't even understand why they're called "Peter Pan" collars - they look more like something wendy would wear. And if you can't remember, the little flying fella actually wore V-NECK POLOS ... if that's not a faux pas then I don't know what is. Still, ugly yet shocking things like Lady Gaga's meat dress go down in history along with George Washington's fake teeth (you do remember our childhoods' rendition of Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, don't you?). These detachable collars probably aren't a good idea during the heat of summer, because as I remember Beijing was entirely muggy and a zillion degrees the entire time, making accessorizing impractical.

So scatterbrained today. Should be packpackpackpacking.

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