In the Mood for 2013 in Style

New Year's Eve may just be another night but for us it's another excuse to look our best! We wanted to share some inspiring outfits that we can see us ringing in the new year with. Whether you're sharing an intimate night with your closest loved ones or braving the crowds to catch some fireworks, we've you covered with an outfit that will help you face the new year in style.

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Xiang

"There's no better time than New Year's Eve to dress well - and be noticed! It is the best opportunity to experiment with fashion styles that we might feel too shy to try, such as bright colors, studs, over-the-top accessories, and sequins."

Holiday Gatherings

Don't be shy to dress up for gatherings this holiday season! It is a big deal that the world has made it pass Dec. 21 2012 :p. Bust out fun patterns with bright colors and be a cheerful funky fashionista.

Top: Need Supply Co.
Leggings: Madewell
Earrings: UO
Shoes: Valentino
Clutch: ASOS


Dance Party
If you are going to a dance party, then you should really dance, not just tap your feet or nod your head with a smile. Wear something that allows lots of body movement and a pair of comfortable shoes. As for colors, red and gold add warmth and cheer to the party atmosphere. Accessorize with a bit of shine to make the holidays bright.

Jacket: Max Mara Pianoforte
Dress: ASOS
Diamante Tights: Jonathan Aston
Shoes (Red): Madewell
Shoes (Black): Chicnova
Earrings: BCBG
Nail Polish: Zoya


Intimate Dinner
Some of us might not want to invest in a brand new outfit for NYE, so the trick to look festive is to leverage the right kind of accessories. Find some body-draping jewelry that you can easily layer on top of a simple black dress or top. Also, the add-on collars seem to be lots of fun to play with. The best part of draped jewelry or collars is that they make a great impression at the dinner table (people are just looking at what is above the table right?). Belts and clutches are worth investing too - they can make any outfit look upscale and sophisticated.

Collar: Maciano
Draped Jewel: Akira Jewelry
Necklace: BCBG
Patterned Belt: BCBG
Faux Fur Belt: Top Shop
Skinny Bow Belt: Ted Baker
Gold Clutch: Clare Vivier
Black Clutch: Lulu Guinness
Patterned Clutch: BCBG

Outdoor Fireworks
If you are going to be outdoors in winter, like waiting at Times Square for the ball drop and snapping pictures of your friends, family, and the crazy lights, bundle up with hats and special gloves. Many gloves now have the "tech fingertips" so you can still be swift taking photos of fireworks using your phone. I'd also recommend knitted, over-the-knee dresses to layer inside a long coat. Knitted dresses are the bests for cold weather: they are usually slightly over-sized, so you can wear an undershirt inside (Uniqlo has many fitted undershirts with HEATTECH). Also opt for a pair of comfy boots instead of heels for the best and most comfortable evening of 2013.

Coat: Chichnova
Hat: Accessorize
Gloves: Modcloth
Sweater Dress: SheInside
Leggings: Uniqlo
Boots: Sperry Topsider


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Jen

"Do I believe in casual gatherings for New Year's Eve? Of course I do. However I don't believe in dressing casually for New Year's Eve. Everyone should start off their new year with their best and sparkliest foot forward! So the outfits I put together have plenty of sparkle to last year round. "

Casual Gathering

Dress: All Saints
Necklace: Zara
Clutch: Clare Vivier
Shoes: Alexander Wang

Dance Party

Dress: Free People
Wrap: John Lewis
Earrings: Kenneth Jay Lane
Clutch: Anya Hindmarch
Shoes: Guess

Intimate Dinner

Dress: ASOS
Earrings: Philippe Audibert
Clutch: ASOS
Shoes: Pyramid

Outdoor Fireworks

Sweater: Nasty Gal
Skirt: All Saints
Tights: UO
Scarf: Top Shop
Shoes: Sole Society

In the Mood for Snow Play

Jen shot these during my visit to Seattle back in July 4th weekend. We took a trip to Mt. Rainier, prepared to do a shoot in the beautify mountain with flowers and waterfalls, but who knew Paradise hiking tails were still all covered in snow! Luckily the weather was still warm and we brought our sunglasses and sun screen. It was impossible to go without sunglasses because of the light reflecting from the snow all around us. 

So our casual hiking plan turned into a snow shoeing session in the summer. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking. It was also a fun experience walking in the snow in our summer outfits but not feeling cold.

This season high-low skirts are definitely one of the hottest trends: you can easily spot them on the streets, also in pretty much every shop. (Jen did a post with a beautiful high-low skirt back in February). I found this skirt in Akira when I visited Chicago. It has nice cuts on both sides, instead of a regular front-high / back-low design. This cut creates a lot more movement when I walk. The bright-colored pattern also adds more playfulness. Because the skirt itself is pretty attention-catchy, I try to play down the rest of the outfit by keeping them mostly black.

What I'm wearing:

Top: Urban Outfitters (similar)

Skirt: Akira (irregular cut in black)

Black tights: Uniqlo (similar)

Shoes: BCBG (similar)

Sun-glasses: SUPER (seen here)

In the Mood for a Monster and Mischief

Hiding under the Aurora Bridge in Seattle, the Fremont Troll, made of steel, wire, and concrete, poses with me for this photo shoot. It is in Seattle's quirky and cute Fremont neighborhood, where we also found the Mischielf Distillery and Tasting Room, another hidden gem for the photos in this post. 

This outfit has a crazy, retro color palette and this season's trendy neon yellow. The ASOS pencil skirt is seriously skin tight! Wearing it makes me feel like a mermaid :p. The high "flatform" is not only extremely comfortable, but also light on my feet.

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What I'm Wearing

Blouse: from Akira Chicago

Skirt: ASOS

Shoes: Michael Antonio

In the Mood for Gummy Colors

I visited Jen in Seattle memorial day weekend (see our adventures in the previous post). It was great being reunited! During the short visit, Jen photographed me in 4 different outfits. We are very excited to put them up for you guys! This is the first shoot we did. It took place at the famous gum wall (one of Jen's previous posts also took place there) near Pike Place.





The gum wall, as the name implies, it is a wall full of gums! I personally love it. It's so quirky and fun. The best part I think is that everybody can contribute to it easily.

The color palette of my outfit somehow resembles the color of some parts of the wall: bright yet a bit muted. I love this neon yellow shirt I got from a trip to Chicago. The black collars, front pocket and back seam add a bit retro "star war" feel to it. 

Hope you enjoy this post. There is more to come! Also follow us on Instagram (inthemoodforheart) and get more inside scoops of x&j.

A little extra... :)

What I'm Wearing

Blouse: Akira Chicago (similar)
Belted Trousers: Forever 21 (similar in Amber, similar in blue with belt)
Shoes: Modcloth also seen in In the Mood for Polka Dots