An AsianCajun Birthday

We are July 1st bebes! So we hope you guys are having a great day too as we commemorate the moment 27 years ago when the doctor said “oh my god, there’s another one.”

Cath is on the left, I’m on the right. We’ve always been really into licking the icing off of candles. We also happen to be wearing rompers and blunt cut bangs in this photo- just 23 years ahead of the trend.

Happy July 1st, Lovely Readers!!!

Stay Cool, ATL

Atlanta gets the kind of heat that just sits on you and makes you sweat. What do you wear when wearing anything sounds heavy– especially at work where sitting in your underwear is not an option? I’ve mentioned the discreet crop top method and the obnoxiously-sized accessories to mask the fact that you are just wearing a tank top. How ’bout more accessories (a belt!) and light, light layers (see embroidered vest).

I went shopping in my closet and found: an embroidered vest from Urban that I usually don’t wear because it’s a little boho for me, a Tara Jarmon for Target tunic, Target skirt (I usually use this as a petitcoat of sorts), belt from Rockit in Decatur, shoes are from Cinti in Florence.

I’m sure I’m not the only one strapped for cash (I feel like I’ve been “shopping” in my own closet for months). Wouldn’t it be nice to have the money fairy deposit a generous sum under our pillows tonight. If that doesn’t happen you can try this:

Atlanta Magazine is holding a fashion contest: upload a photo of yourself here, and you are entered to win $250 and be in Atlanta Magazine! Cath and I are both going to enter. We’ll let you know what outfit shots we choose- and let us know what you enter too!

Midtown Treats

A few weeks ago Lar and I attended a party at 1010 Midtown (my bf was playing music for the event and got us tickets). The party was like a taste of Atlanta, open house and networking event all rolled into one. We had fun eating our way around the open condos and oohed and ahhed over the interior decorating.


Dress Urban Outfitters, necklace from Moxsie (gift from Lar), Dolce Vita shoes.

Note to self: start making more money and buy a place in midtown with floor to ceiling windows and a view of the Atlanta skyline. Also paint the bedroom a blue/gray color with white accents.


Lar is wearing a Forever 21 maxi dress and Nine West shoes.

Speaking of living spaces, I’m still putting the finishing touches on my new place. The painting is done and about half my pictures are hung. Has anyone ever nailed into plaster walls before? Do you find it alarming when you hear bits of the plaster falling inside the walls? Is this normal?!

Also congrats to Maritess for winning this lovely Shabby Apple dress:

Thank you to everyone who entered! We used this random student name generator to choose the winner. We’ll be emailing Maritess soon with the details!

Novica: Guilt-Free Shopping and Pretty, Pretty Things


Decoupage wall art of Frida by Ana Maria Gonzalez from Mexico.

A few months ago, Cath and I got this really sweet email from Novica; an online shop in association with National Geographic that sells gorgeous wares from artisans around the world.

We get a handful of emails everyday with “special deals” or “VIP information” but we rarely pay too much attention to them. If someone sends us an impersonal promotional email or even a freebie, we don’t just automatically snap it up in our greedy little blogger mouths. We have to like it, and we have to think you guys will find it interesting too.

In the case of Novica, we really like what they do. Not only do they represent artisans from around the world and offer a vast variety of beautiful hand-crafted products (from furniture to jewelry), but they also support microfinance loans. Hillary Clinton is for them, Madeleine Albright is for them, and they have the potential to pull families around the world out of poverty.

Even if you aren’t sure about getting involved in a microfinance loan (read more about them here and here), just shopping for yourself supports an artisan from Mexico or Bali or Thailand or West Africa. The prices are super-reasonable and the products are one-of-a-kind.


Leather bracelet by Khun Boom in Thailand ($31.49).


Turquoise necklace by Nareerat in Thailand ($37.95).


Batik scarf by Yuna Kristina from Bali and Java ($39.98).

I love it when my consumerism gets the better of me and it ends up supporting artists that live in far-flung places. It makes me feel like maybe the big bad consumerism monster isn’t always so bad after all. What do you guys say? Would knowing that you are getting something beautiful and supporting global artists motivate you to shop at a site like Novica more than say picking up another overpriced accessory at Urban Outfitters?


Wearing a Bib

I know bib necklaces have been around for a few seasons, but I just got one- from the lovely Cath! She picked up this black bib necklace in Las Vegas. at a store for little girls (which usually means half price from the big girl stores- woohoo!), and I luuuurve it!

Here’s why: it’s yet another way to try to maintain a certain level of stylish creativity when it gets so hot and humid you can’t even be bothered to put on more than underwear. Instead of a drab ole tank and skirt or shorts, slap on a bib and voila! You look like you tried without breaking a sweat (even at 85% humidity)!

Tank and skirt (years and years old) from AA, shoes are Jeffery Campbell, bib is from Kitcath, cuff is from Evolve Boutique (made from reused/recycled metal).

Sharing the wealth, I put it on our resident Puck/Bacchus. He prefers to pair it with just a loosely wrapped loin cloth and pan pipe. To each their own. I’d suggest trying my skirt/tank combo first before trying it his way. Apparently it’s easier to get away with that sort of thing when you are immortal.

Oh! And don’t forget about our Shabby Apple dress contest! Read the post below and leave a comment. We’ll close the comments on Thursday at 11:59 p.m. and the announce the winner this weekend. Good luck, you wonderful people you!

Another AsianCajun Give-Away!

Lar and I haven’t done a give-away in a while, so we’re really excited about this! After discovering Shabby Apple through Dressed Up Like a Lady, we’ve been hooked and now we can get you hooked too.

One lucky reader will get this fabulous Shabby Apple summer dress:

Readers, meet the Shabby Apple Tuileries dress. Gorgeous, non? This is the point where I’d write something impressive in French to stick with the theme, but Lar is the only one out of the two of us who actually took French. So instead, I’ll post another photo of the Tuileries:

To enter the give-away, leave us a comment on this post telling us your favorite item (dress, accessory etc.) on Shabby Apple and why and we’ll randomly pick a winner. Also make sure to leave your email address or a link so we can get in touch with you.

Good luck – and all that!

ps- We’ll choose a winner Friday and post about it Saturday. Comments for this post will close at 11:59 pm on Thursday.

Bits n Bobs

One of the best things to eat in this world: the cinnamon rolls at Ducks Cosmic Kitchen. Locals, go eat one this weekend and you will never stop dreaming of these. Non-locals, I swear it’s worth the plane/car/train ride.


Last weekend at Scott’s Antiques: F21 tunic, Deux Lux purse, necklace from Mingei, sandals from Italy, and my new down pillow.

Great “Porking” signage for the Art-B-Que.

I’m doing a little light hiking in southern Tennessee this weekend, and wish to gawd it was practical to look like a Rag and Bone girl rather than a North Face girl.

Happy End of the Week! (A little sneak peak of a give-away contest to come next week from Shabby Apple. Stay tuned!)

Mean Reds: Crop Tops at Work

I’m standing in Cath’s teeny little kitchen (isn’t it so cute?). She’s painting her (also teeny) dining room and living space this week, so there will be more sneak-peaks of her apartment in the not too distant future. All of these photos were shot with Cath’s new Evo: fancy phone, not so fancy photos.


Top and skirt are AA, shoes are from Payless.

I used to despise crop-tops. I’m not sure why. I don’t hate bare stomachs of any shape or size (outside of the work place and in really warm climates). Just something about them irks me – usually. But I bought this American Apparel crop-top a while back because I thought “Holly Golightly would wear this.” I’m not sure if she actually would, but we won’t let Truman Capote know (hell, he wanted Marilyn Monroe to play Holly and not Audrey- what does he know about his own characters). Anyways, who wouldn’t like this? It’s got zips on the shoulders (the shoulders!) and is more structured than your average crop top – it’s made with a heavier gauged jersey.

While I was at work, I had the skirt hiked up so high you couldn’t see any skin, but it affords just the right amount of ventilation for our Hotlanta humidity- without resorting to anything too scandalous. For the photos, I slid the skirt down just a tad (to my waist instead of my rib cage) just so you could see that the top and the bottom are separate pieces.

I can’t find the zip crop top online, but a looser crop top would work in more informal offices. Would you wear the crop top/high-waisted pencil skirt combo to work?

If crop tops still make you gag (apologies!), here is some distraction: these guys (above) live on Cath’s teeny stove. They are salt and pepper shaker beefeaters we picked up on our first trip to London many moons ago, but we’ve been told they look more like radioactive snowmen. They don’t wear crop tops. Neon green collars, yes. Crop tops, never.

A Few Weekend Suggestions: Art, Barbecue, and Gaga

• Watch Lady Gaga’s latest video directed by Steven Klein, and tell us what you think. It’s my favorite gaga so far, but not everyone agrees. This and this are two interesting interpretations of the vid.


• Locals: 1)hit up the American Apparel Flea Market (prices start at $1) at Atlantic Station; 2) eat barbecue and buy art (delicious!) at the annual Art-B-Que in Avondale; 3) visit world-famous Scott’s Antique market, make like Eddie Ross and score some great deals.

• Drool over some gorgeous set design by Shona Heath.

 

Produced, designed, written, styled and directed by Brian Patrick Flynn with photography by Sarah Dorio

• The AsianCajuns would like to be Decor Demon’s interns. We hope he’s hiring. Check out his stunning stuff here.

Happy Weekend, Everyone! Tell us what you’re up to!

Classic Stripes

Hello dear readers! Apologies for being away from AsianCajuns for so long. Immediately after moving I had to go out of town for work and am still unpacking and organizing. I’m so lucky to have a wonderful twin sister that picks up the slack when I’m buried under boxes and furniture.

Outfit: Bf’s aviators, shirt from Limited Too (13 years ago!!!), American Apparel skirt, H&M belt and Dolce Vita shoes.

I have yet to unpack all of my accessories so my outfits have been a little bland as of late. The photo above was taken before the move when I still knew where my sunglasses and belts were. The shirt is from middle school (it was not as fitted back then), but I can’t seem to part with it because it’s so classic.

Picasso and Hepburn were fans of the black and white stripes:

Same goes for Audrey Tautou as Chanel (navy and white is equally as timeless):

As much as I love my 13-year-old Limited Too version, I’d like a black and white piece that’s a little less fitted. I love this Rebecca Minkoff shirt. It would look great tucked into a black pencil skirt for work or un-tucked with black shorts and a boater hat for the weekend.

It’s a little too warm in Atlanta to justify buying a sweater, but I love the boyfriend cut of this Vince sweater. I’m really tempted to buy the Gemma dress because it has a pocket in it – I love pockets in dresses!

Come to think of it, I’m going hold off on buying anymore clothes for a while. I need to find room for the clothes I do have. The “walk-in” closet in my apartment is more like an entryway into the bathroom. I think I’ll have to store my shoes under my couch – eesh!

I’ll be taking photos of my new place once I paint the walls and get the artwork hung. My goal is to have it all done by the end of the month. Here’s hoping!