Crochet and Fringe

I found this crochet dress this weekend, and fell in love. It's perfect to dress up or down, simple enough to wear anywhere but sexy enough to get noticed. To say nothing of my blue leather fringe bag (I have it in black as well), which I am currently obsessed with. Sorry the quality of the pics aren't that great, but my SLR is a very old 6 megapixel camera (I realllllllllly need a new one) and the sun was going down, so it's a shock any of these turned out!

{Dress, bag and earrings Thai market; 

Charlotte Russe Shoes that have held up surprisingly well}

Keeping Warm

Although I have absolutely no need to keep warm this winter, as it's a cold day in Bangkok when the weather drops below 70 F, I still have a place in my heart for all the beautiful coats coming out this season. Two trends in particular have caught my eye...

{Images courtesy of: Top Shop; Helmut Lang via Shopbop.com; F21; Stine Goya via Urban Outfitters; ASOS; American Gold via Spanish Moss Vintage; Caplypso-Celle via becomegorgeous.com; Chloe Fall 2010 Lookbook via rdujour}

Urban Jungle

It's Saturday in Bangkok, meaning it's time for another hunting expedition to the markets and malls for new clothes. In preparation, I donned my trusty Frye boots and my casual weekend wardrobe. It wasn't until I got into the elevator in my building that I realized I sort of looked like I was heading out on to a safari or jungle trek. Covered with plots of swamp, overgrown with trees and exotic plants, and teaming with wildlife (seriously, I've seen my fair share of snakes), Bangkok truly is an urban jungle, so I guess I was aptly dressed.

{Outfit: Frye Harness 12R boots, necklace from SF boutique Ambiance, all else Thai market}

{Looking for my trusty steed to take me through the perilous landscape}

{I'm sort of obsessed with the feather accessories sold in Bangkok- I own about 10 of the feather hair pieces}

{Ah, finally found my ride, the scooter taxi man... and yes, I do ride it side-saddle,
one of the many skill's I've acquired here}

Red-y for Fall

Itching for a change of seasons I know I am not going to be able to enjoy in Thailand, I got dressed this morning with dreams of fall wardrobes dancing in my head. It might be too hot to wear all the beautiful leather gloves, plaid capes and army green jackets I've been drooling over, but at least I can embrace the gorgeous red that is popping up all over the place for this upcoming season.


I forced my boyfriend out of bed early this morning to take pictures before I headed off to work, and I think if you look closely you can probably still see the pillow marks on my face. Needless to say, I am NOT a morning person, but I love this skirt so much that I didn't want to miss the opportunity to do a post on it. Like my Frye boots, its a staple in my wardrobe, and sort of defines my style.

{Primark skirt; JJ market blouse and sunglasses; Jest Jewels bracelet; Columbian earrings from San Francisco street vendor; super cheap shoes I bought in a crunch at Number One Shoe Warehouse in New Zealand, which have served me very well}

Drawing from the Desert

I've noticed lots of editorials, styling, and products all drawing from a common theme recently- the desert, american west, old country feel- and I am really digging it! I'm all about feathers, fringe, and earthy stones. I've tried to take some of this inspiration into account when designing some of my jewelry, such as the feather earrings and stone necklaces pictured below. I'm still trying to fully conceptualize a cohesive view for a line, but I think it's off to a good start.

{If you're interested in any of the pieces, check them out on my etsy sight at http://stephaniesoderborg.etsy.com/}

{Images thanks to: saharamet.com; luvaj.com; leeselooks.blogspot.com; studdedhearts.blogspot.com; hillaryrush.com}

Fantastic Chatuchak

I had way too much fun at Chatuchak (JJ) market this weekend. For less than $150 (when converted from Thai baht) I bought six tees, four dresses, shoes, five blouses, three pairs of earrings, two genuine leather bags, aviators, two smoothies, a chicken wrap for lunch, some donuts, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something else! So lots of fun outfit posts coming your way. Has anyone else had some great purchases recently?

{I thought the cotton candy was so fun and colorful}

{Delicious market food- mini donuts that taste sort of like waffle and a dragon fruit shake}

{How cool are the cacti!}

{A necessary for JJ market: hair up-do}

{Dress from Principles in New Zealand; bracelets and rings from Thailand Chinatown; necklaces from Urban Outfitters and Kenyan Market; Frye boots; Ray-Ban sunglasses; Primark purse}

Market Dreaming

It's finally the weekend and all I could think about all week are my plans to go to Chatuchak market tomorrow. For those of you unfamiliar with Bangkok, Chatuchak is the biggest market in the city with everything you could possibly imagine- furniture, vintage, loads and loads of clothes, food galore, fun beads and materials for making jewelry (a favorite pastime of mine), exotic animals - you name it, its there! In preparation for tomorrow, I've been browsing for inspiration of what to wear, and below are two ideal outfits for my day of shopping. I love the idea of bright and ethnic looking prints for exploring the ins and outs of a such a wondrous place. 

Although most of this is simply dreaming I owned these fantastic pieces, I do actually own the harness Frye boots. They are my FAVORITE thing in my closet, and for the last five years have sort of defined my look (because I wear them with everything). They are perfect for the market, because with all the stalls and people, you never know what your going to find on the ground. So tomorrow I'll for sure be putting them on, and stay tuned for the rest of my outfit!

{Style one}

Dannijo 'Ruth Celia' Necklace;Dannijo 'Shai-Shayla-Bellonn' Cuff;Mod Cloth 'Bright Idea' Dress;Steve Madden 'Saahara' Sandal

{Style two}

Mod Cloth 'How Bazaar' Dress;Frye 'Harness 12R' Boot;F21 jewelry

Nasty Gal = Beautiful Gal

I am absolutely loving every look on Nasty Gal at the moment. The styling is phenomenal- every picture is perfectly pulled together and fantastically accessorized. I'm not sure there isn't a thing I wouldn't wear on the site right now. Plus, this model is absolutely gorgeous, so it's hard not to want to wear everything she does. I think I was particularly drawn to a lot of these looks because they have more of a fall feel about them with the darker colors, but can still be worn in hot weather. This is a major plus for me, as living in Thailand I don't really get to experience the changing of seasons! Below are a few of my favorite looks:

source: Nasty Gal

desperately in need of...

I've been on a desperate search for black sandal wedges. I think they are the ideal shoe- comfortable, nice enough to wear to work (my office at least), versatile, great for summer and for winter, if you wear with tights (or live in Thailand, like me, where it is always summer). The problem is, I am having trouble finding a pair here! I'm considering some online shopping, and these are my current favorites. Any other suggestions?

1. Joe's Jeans 'Lou' Wedge Sandal, $179.95
2. Trouvé 'Karli' Sandal, $119.95
3. Steve Madden 'Tuscaan' Sandal, $69.90 (sale)
4. Diane von Furstenberg 'Opal' Wedge Sandal, $295.00
5. Jeffrey Campbell Cutout Suede Platform Wedge, $148.00
6. F21 Pleated Leatherette Wedges, $28.80
7. Aldo Shoes 'Curly' Wedge, $100.00

vintage feel

Vintage clothes are always such a treat- riffling through racks and racks of random clothes, which sometimes smell of moth balls, to find that perfect piece. It's sort of like a treasure hunt for the shopoholic. But what I love even more are the hand-me-down pieces you get from friends and family which have been around longer than your parents. I have some of my grandma's old dresses and accessories, and not only are they gorgeous but its like wearing a piece of family history when I put them on. So building up from my grandma's belt (pictured below), a staple in my wardrobe, I decided to go as vintage as I could this morning when I get dressed.

{vintage dress, vintage bag, hand-me-down vintage earrings from my mom, hand-me-down vintage belt from my grandma, Salvation Necklace by Stephanie Soderborg Designs, Steve Madden Shoes, Ray-Ban Sunglasses}

gentlemen and thais prefer blondes

There is a building not too far from my house which has caught my attention every single time I go by it. Completely desolate and gutted, covered in graffiti, rubble and trash, with enormous rugs hanging along the front, something about it is strikingly beautiful. 

I finally stopped there this thursday to take some pictures, and was asked to pose for a group of photographers returning from a wedding. At first they tried to sneakily take my photo, but it took under a minute for the brave one in light green to ask if I would let them photograph me, and then I was surrounded! Surprisingly, this isn't the first time something like this has happened to me- in Asia, a true blonde is sort of like an exotic and hard to find creature, and therefore I hold some appeal to those who don't share my characteristics. Needless to say, it was very fun, especially in such a great shoot location!

{vintage shorts; Thai market shoes and shirt; ray-ban sunglasses; Stephanie Soderborg Designs earrings}

real life swan lake

One of the best things about living in Bangkok is that the city is always full of wonderful surprises. I work right next to this beautiful lake, but it took me ages to notice the fun swan and duck boats available for paddling around right in the middle of a bustling city. Aren't the boats just beautiful? I also like this park because there are always tons and tons of people jogging around the lake at all times of the day (although how they run outside in the steaming Thailand weather is beyond me), and it sort of reminds me of home, with all the people running through Golden Gate Park.Are there any interesting spots you have discovered in your own city or right on your front door?

{H&M skirt turned dress; Jessica Simpson heels; coach wristlet; ring from Cambodian market; bracelets from Primark and Jest Jewels, a SF boutique; necklace Stephanie Soderborg Designs}