Baking Time: Holidays Treats Roundup

If there was anything I did more than breathing in the month of December, it was probably baking.

I baked several different recipes that were all very minimal work and super fun.

Here are the best treats that I made in December!

Cookies:

Chocolate-chip cookies

{read more for more!}

Applied to Wellesley!

Just two days ago, I applied to my early decision school Wellesley College! 

FINALLY!!

It took me a really long time to finish up my apps (I started my them in August)

and I am by no means done with the college application process 

(there is still regular decision!), 

but I am both excited and nervous that I have 

submitted everything and now all there is to do is wait. 

Wellesley College {credit}

Last Thursday, I sent in my last supplement essay to my editor.

Expecting to hear back positive feedback on my essay, 

I was met with disappointment and panic when she told me 

she wanted to throw out the whole essay and start over with a whole new idea! 

So that night, I stayed up until 3am writing a whole new essay, 

my editor read it over, and the next day, I submitted my application. 

It was definitely stressful to go through the whole process of applying ED,

but it was a good experience, and as stated previously, all I can do is wait. 

I hope everything is going well, and good luck with your college apps! 

Happy Halloween! 

-Julia

A Pearl of Wisdom

{Gap button-up shirt + Express leggings + Forever 21 necklace}

At school, we got a four day weekend, 

and I had planned to use the time really wisely. 

However on Wednesday, a really bad cold hit me, 

and ever since then, I've been in bed unable to do anything. 

After two days of sweatpants and chicken noodle soups,

I told myself that I needed to get my act together and get things done. 

So I made an extra effort to look nice today. 

After studying for the ACT (it's tomorrow!!) 

for a couple hours at my usual place, Barnes&Noble, 

I went out to the country club with my parents, 

had a nice dinner and came home. 

It was a pretty good day.

It's truly a miracle how much dressing 

nicely has an affect on your mood.

People have the tendency of wearing 

sweats or looking crappy whenever they feel down, 

but I've found that giving even the smallest "oomph", 

like wearing red lipstick or dressing up nicely, to your look can help you feel better.

ps. This whole outfit is $20! (shirt- $7, pants- $11, necklace- $2)

Happy weekend!

-Julia

Applied to U of M!

I just submitted my first application yesterday at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities! (Go Gophers!)

It is obviously not one of my top choices, 

but it felt really good to have at least one application submitted. 

The application was super quick and easy;

it took about 10 minutes to finish the whole thing! 

I plan on applying to University of Madison sometime soon, 

and Wellesley College next week through early decision.

But first, I have to take the ACT for the last time (hopefully) this 

weekend and then the SAT Chemistry subject test in two weeks. 

This whole journey has been really stressful, 

but I hope it all works out in the end. 

(Fingers crossed!)

Credit

If any of you guys have applied to any schools yet, 

comment below and let us know where and how it went!

Good luck with everything! 

Happy applications :) 

-Julia

Falling in Love

{Dress from a boutique in Spain, vintage belt, Nine West wedges}

Fall is my favorite season. (subject to change every year)

Although, this week was not as productive 

as I had hoped, it was a good week. 

The weather was absolutely beautiful, 

and I got a chance to relax.

The gentle weather allowed for a fun photoshoot in the local park with my neighbor,

and it really shows how amazing fall can be. :) 

Have a great week! 

Happy start to an amazing week!

-Julia 

Meet the animals!

This is Toby. 

This is Sophie

This is Mocha

Kiss Me Coral

It has been a little over a year since my lipstick fetish started.

Over time, I collected my fair share of lipstick 

shades from Nude Attitude to Siren Red.

Right around the end of summer, I gave into the 

bright lipstick trend and I've been hooked ever since!

I love that when I'm on the go, I can just swipe on 

the lipstick and boom, I can make a fashion statement.

I'm thinking about doing a tutorial on how to 

have long-lasting lip color, so look out for that :)

These are some of my favorite lipsticks & looks:

Emily from Cupcakes and Cashmere, my favorite blog! 

I think she looks absolutely stunning with bright red/orange lipstick.

(Credit)

The hot pink looks sooo good on Emma Stone!

I just got my first bright pink yesterday. So excited about it!

(Credit)

I lovvvve the dark brows + dark red lipstick look!

Such a statement.

I know the colors all the look the same in the picture, but I promise they aren't! Sorry :(

Left to Right: Revlon Apricot Fantasy, Rimmel Nostalgia, 

Revlon Coralberry, Revlon Kiss Me Coral, Maybelline Fruit Punch

(Can you tell I really like Revlon?)

Happy weekend! 

-Julia

The Journey to College: Part 2

This is the second part of our regular "Journey to College" series.

'The Journey to College' series is focused on documenting our (long and hard) College Admissions Process. (dun-dun-dunnnnn)

Check out Part I: Deciding where to apply, too! 

Part II: College Tours

It feels as though I have been touring colleges all my life. 

Having incredibly academically rigorous parents, I have been touring college since I could talk and walk. (not really...)

Last Thursday, I left school early to take a quick trip to Massachusetts in order to make my final decisions of where I was going to apply.

In two days, I visited Smith College, Wellesley College, and Tufts University. 

Including those three, I have gone to a total of 18 schools.(!!! Don't I have anything better to do with my life...? Apparently not.) 

And from my experience from all of those schools, I can confidently say that I learned a couple things along the way:

1. Always, always, ALWAYS take a campus tour and attend an info session for schools that you are really interested in - your experience during your visit and your impression of the school can be impacted significantly from taking the tours and the info sessions. The info sessions help you really get the inside look at what goes on in the admissions office and the campus tours help you get a pretty legitimate grip on what the social/campus life of the school is like.
2. Take notes! After all, you're at a school - There have been countless times that I have come home with a regret of not taking notes and tons of brochures filled with little doodles. Taking notes not only helps you remember the details later on, but it helps you pay attention to the little things the admissions officers are telling you at the info sessions. The notes also become handy when you want to write in your admissions essay/personal statement about your experience visiting the school to let them know that you have actually taken the time and effort to visit them. So make sure to bring a pen and a notepad.
3. Dress nicely and comfortably - My mom always told me that people should look more pulled-together for college visits. However, that doesn't mean, "take out the high heals and tight skirts!" You will be walking a lot during the tour, so it's always best to wear comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate attire. Most importantly, dress like your usual self. Not only do you feel more confident that way, you won't feel awkward in a dress you never wear. 
4. Do your research & ask questions: Why travel all the way to the college if you can simply look up all of the facts online? Because you're trying to figure out what they don't tell you on their websites. So it's really important to always do your research and ask unique but relevant questions! 

This past weekend in Massachusetts really helped make some of the most important decisions regarding my college choices. I was far more than impressed by all three schools. I have family who lives by Boston, and I was blessed to be able to spend time with them. Overall, it was one of the most crucial and memorable weekends this year.

• Tufts: The atmosphere of the school was great. The school is definitely most research-forward out of the three schools that I visited. The cutest thing I thought about the school was the fact that their mascot was Jumbo the elephant! 
• Wellesley: One word: GREEN. The campus is HUGE, aesthetically impressive and so very unique. The school is one  of my top choices. Although I was skeptical of the idea of going to an all women's college, the visit reassured me into believing that the school would sculpt me into a great women leader if I went there. 
• Smith: Ah, the city of Northampton, MA! It was such a cool urban city, filled with small, quirky stores and restaurants. I didn't get a chance to get an info session because their admissions office was closed on weekends, but the campus was stunning. Oh, and the deal breaker for the school? I RAN INTO MAC MILLER. (Literally!) AS I was walking and texting at the same time, I almost ran into someone. When I looked up, it was Mac Miller. I wanted to ask for a picture, but I was too awe-struck. It was one of the best moments of my life. (sorta?) 

The following are a couple pictures from the trip:

View from the flight over there--it was truly magical and this picture doesn't do any justice!

Wellesley was one of the most beautifully unique campuses I've seen.

Hint of fall at Tufts. 

The view of the sky at Northampton. Magnificent, no?

An amazing used book store I spent almost an hour in.

**These are some outfits that are similar to those that I wore this weekend. The weather in Massachusetts was so random, so I had to kind of play it by ear.  (Created through Polyvore)

Happy (almost) October! 

-Julia 

Lady In Spain

Their street signs are mounted on the walls of each building.

One of my best friends modeled for me as we walked through the streets of Madrid!

Streets of Madrid was filled with some of the best graffiti works I have ever seen . 

Favorite thing about Spain besides the beautiful people and amazing food?
The buildings.

Picture from inside a train!

Sign in Desigual, a really cool urban store in Spain. (I actually got kicked out of the store for taking this picture...)

Happy Fall!
I just got a cold today and it struck me that the warm summer days are now officially over :(
This got me to reminisce about the summer for a little bit.

This past summer, I had the greatest privilege of traveling to Spain with some of my closest friends through a program at my school.
Although this was the third time I was traveling to Europe, this was the first time I was old enough to appreciate and let myself be mesmerized by the beauty of everything around me.

I am a big city girl. Born and raised in Seoul, Korea, I was used to never ending traffic and having the only source of transportation as those two little thingies called legs.
However, this was nothing like I had ever imagined. It was nowhere near comparable to NYC or any other major cities in the States. The architecture was so intricate, people was absolutely beautiful, food was absolutely breath-taking; Spain was magnificent.

Starting in Barcelona, we traveled to Madrid, Sevilla, Segovia, Granada, and a lot of smaller towns.
A typical day would be jam packed with eating, walking, taking pictures, and learning.
Through all of this, we were exposed to and expected to get used to the rich and unfamiliar culture.
It was required that we always speak, dress, and act like the native Spaniards.
This year is my 6th year taking Spanish, but it was still so difficult to think of things like how to ask for a fork at a restaurant on the spot!
In the end, though, I believed this to be one of the greatest experiences of my life.

These are some of the photographs that I took in Spain.
Looking back at these, I hope to go back some day and explore more of one of the most stunning places in the world!

Have a great week, everybody :)

-Julia

Super Easy and Fun DIY Vase Project!

I'm the least crafty person you will find.
As a result, I have never been the one to be interested in DIY projects, but I found this one from The Colorful Living Project on Pinterest and it seemed doable.
It's such a cute little project and made me so happy!

Materials needed:
Any glass bottles (I used IZZE bottles)
Spray paint in color of your choice (I thought white looked best)
Flowers (For some reason, my family has been cursed and can't seem to keep one plant alive for more than a week, so  I bought fake ones for $1 at Michael's)

Happy Weekend!
-Julia

Zara Launches Online Store in the US!

Photocredit

It was love at first sight.

Our affair has been going on for quite a while now. 

Although it is an abusive relationship, I just can't seem to get out of it. 

(The relationship is so high-maintenance, that I'm almost broke)

It's been hard with this long-distance relationship thing... but now, everything will be better...

Because ZARA launched their US online store today!

Due to the fact that our state has more cows and corn fields than humans, 

there isn't a Zara store anywhere in our state, and I have had to drive 6 hours for the nearest Zara. 

As a result, I have shopped in Zara internationally!
To this day, I have shopped at Zara in Boston, NYC, Korea, Spain, and the list goes on...

However, now I have the power to spend hundreds of dollars with the click of one button.

This is the Spanish store's first extension of the online store going outside of Europe. 

But that's not the only exciting news; to celebrate, Zara is offering free 2-3 day shipping to all 50 states! 

Although Zara is, most of the time, over my budget, there has not been one article of clothing I have gotten from there that has dissatisfied me. 

For those unfortunate as us and do not live near a Zara store, let us shop away! 

Happy shopping! :)
-Julia

The Journey to College: Part 1

This is going to be one of our regular "series" posts. 

'The Journey to College' series is focused on documenting our (long and hard) College Admissions Process. (dun-dun-dunnnnn)

photocredit

Part I: Deciding Where to Apply

If you want to go to college, the very first step you have to take is deciding where you want to go. (duh)

Applying to college can be a super complicated and strategic process; you need to pick colleges that would pick you. (When you have straight F's, it's not going to be easy to get into Harvard…)

There are many aspects that people take into consideration when researching schools they would like to apply to, such as:

• ·        Academics: What kinds of programs are offered there? Are they well-known for the program I want to study? How are the professors?
• ·        Environment/location: Where is the city located? Is it located in a rural area where a SuperTarget is 30 miles away? Is it far away from home? Are there any other universities nearby?
• ·        Diversity/Social Scene: Does it encompass a diverse group of students? Would I fit into the social scene there?
• ·        Greek life: Is greek life offered? If so, what is its vibe like?
• ·        Etc!

After I scrutinized all of the schools and decided the ones I liked and didn’t like, I made a list. The list contained three categories: reach, target, and safety. (Reach schools are the schools that are hard for you to get into, but still have a slight chance. Target schools are the ones you have a pretty good chance at getting in, but you still aren’t sure. Finally, safety schools are those you most likely will get into.) Then, I went through each school, looked through all of their admissions stats, and placed the schools in each category. When looking at admissions stats, the key is to look for schools that match your test scores/GPA. If your scores or grades are similar to ones of their other applicants, it means that you fit right into the applicant pool.

It is truly your call as to many school you apply to, it can be as many as you want, but keep in mind that there is an admission fee for many schools and applying to like 24838234234 schools could get costly. 

Although there is no perfectly pre-made formula to find out which schools you should apply for and not apply for, there are resources that can help you get a general idea:

• College matchmaker:  You fill out a quick survey and they recommend all of the colleges that fit your criteria.
• College Prowler: find out the deets on all of the schools! The reviews are written by students who actually attend the school, so it’s more accurate than ever! Not only does the site give you specifics about the school, you can also create a “list” to organize the schools you want to apply to!
• Cappax My Chances: it calculates your chances of getting into certain schools! You sign up, put in your stats (grades, scores, etc) and it estimates the chance you have at the school.
• Another article from one of my favorite blogs, collegefashion is also super helpful! 

The big thing about deciding where to apply is research. The more research you do and the more you know about your schools, more confident you will be about the schools you apply to! And always remember not to stress yourself out too much! Best of luck :)
-Julia

Back to School Outfit Ideas!

Today was the first day of school... as seniors! :)
To mourn about celebrate going back to school, we decided to post Fall back-to-school outfits.
We have been working hard on college apps and studying for ACTs and SATs, but we will definitely get even busier with school on top of that!
With a busy schedule, it can be hard to keep a good style, so we threw together six different outfit ideas for three different occasions to make it easier!
ps. Julia's dog, Mocha, really wanted to get in all of these pictures.

School day: 

 

Julia: 

Button-up: Forever 21 S

Skirt: J. Crew Sz. 2

Sandals: Gap 

Accessories: H&M metallic belt

The combination of button-ups with skirts is my go-to school outfit. 

It looks cute and put-together yet super casual . I tend to stick 

to flats or sandals for school, so I opted for the purple flower sandals

 to go with the "colorful preppy" vibe. To give the outfit

some edge, I also added the metallic belt! Happy schooling!

Grace: 

Top: Express S

Jeans: TJ Maxx Sz.5

Shoes; Kohls, Brand: Elle Sz.6

Accessories: Forever 21 Necklace

For school , I keep it a bit casual with a loose 

gray shirt paired with some dark wash skinny jeans.

If you want a bit of pop, add some heals or wedges

and you are good to go! 

Out with Friends:

Julia:

Blazer: Zara S

Top: Zara S

Leggings: Express Sz. 4

Platform Sandals: Nine West Sz. 7.5

Bag: Target (stuffed the straps in to make a clutch)

Cuff Bracelet: Charlotte Russe

Scarf (tied on bag): Vintage

This outfit is perrrrrfect for going out thanks to its versatility.

The white pants are actually leggings, and the blazer is sweatshirt material-- AKA SUPER COMFY.

One more thing to top this off? A great bright lipstick. :)

Grace:

Blazer: H&M Sz.6

Dress: Forever 21 M

Bag: Target

Shoes: NY&Co. Sz.6

Necklace: Forever 21

 Don't be afraid to dress it up! A black blazer goes with everything so I paired it up with a stretchy skirt from Forever 21. Add a statement necklace and some shoes that match and you are good to go! If I was going to go shopping, i would wear sandals, but if its an event, put some heals on!

Studying!:

Julia:

Button Up: H&M Sz. 10

Leggings: Express Sz. 4

Flats: Target Sz. 7

Metallic Belt: H&M

It is my theory that leggings are an essential part of life, so 

I paired them with an (overly) over-sized button up and belted it.

Super simple, yet so cute!

 Grace:

Top: Forever 21 Sz. S

Bottom: Leggings from Kohls: Sz. 8

Shoes: Forever 21 Sz. 6

Scarf: Charlotte Russe 

You want to feel comfortable while rocking out your style! Loose T and leggings can't really go wrong! Throw on a scarf for a bit of a pop and some shoes that you love. Study hard!

Welcome to Lipstick Mocha!

Hello! Welcome To Lipstick Mocha!
As seniors in high school, we had the greatest, craziest idea to start a blog about the things we are passionate about-- fashion, hair, music, college, make-up & photography. Although we are completely different, sometimes, we are so similar to the point it scares us! Here is a little bit about ourselves:

Julia: 
I am an expressive writer, an incessant thinker, a bargain shopper, a dog-adorer, an irrational complainer, a pessimistic downer (only sometimes!), a Starbucks addict, and a Barnes&Noble goer all packed into one Asian girl's body. English is my second language (Korean is my first) and I am the epitome of a "twinkie". My favorite non-calorie consuming activities are thinking and driving. Fashion, photography, and writing are some of my passions in life. I am addicted to going to Barnes & Noble, getting a Starbucks white-chocolate mocha (with soy milk & no whip), and spending hours studying/reading/thinking. With any questions, feel free to give me a holla!...or visit me at B&N.



Grace:
I am emotionally married to music and physically obsessed with fashion. I love singing in the shower and dancing in front of the mirror when no one is home. I spend more time at home reading blogs and watching youtube videos than I do talking to real life people. I love shopping but I hate spending money. I am 100% Chinese and is fluent in the language. And since I watch Korean Dramas (way too often), I also have a very limited extensive knowledge of Korean. I am addicted to clothes, Tumblr, shoes, make-up, and K-pop. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me... I probably won't be at B&N, but if I am, you can probably also find Julia.

Happy blogging!