Summertime Obsessions: Bikinis!

This is my favorite bikini purchase ever!

Years ago (2-3) I stopped by the Everything But Water store at the Brea Mall and spotted the cutest bikini I have ever laid my eyes on. The one pictured right above. It is designed by Luli Fama and I saved for months to buy this pretty bandeau/brazilian cut ensemble. It was pricey but totally worth it.

So for the entire summer I spent pretty much every single day riding my bike up and down the coast of Southern California with my best friend Michelle while digging into some of the best chowder on the planet from The Crab Cooker in Newport Beach.

Manhattan Clam Chowder, Bread and Shrimp Cocktail. To DIE for. I've been going there ever since my daddy took me as a little girl :D

Michelle and I. (My hair was growing in the awkward stage after I buzzed it into a mohawk. Never ever ever ever ever ever again)

But over time the hardware (Starfish on both top and bottom) began to rust and this summer I had to cut it off! So now my bandeau is sans the starfish and I love the pattern but I miss the star! 

So this summer I acquired a new obsession with swimwear, but swimwear at a better price. (I had spent almost $300 for the Luli Fama two piece. Plus a really cute coverup) And my first purchase was the Time Warp two piece plus vest by Body Glove.

And since we're talking shopping smart...

I spotted this set on Ideeli.com and it totaled out to just under $60 for all three. This was amazing to me because I saw the same pieces for $60 a piece on the actual Body Glove site. I'm loving the adjustable two-way back bikini top and the utility belt bottom. I felt like Ursula from James Bond :D sans the knife... and more modern. It is ALL SOLD OUT. But if you want you can find it on Ebay or other sites. It is called Time Warp in Bumble.

Ursula Andress

But the straps were giving me a weird tan line and I went online to find other bikinis and after searching around I settled on a site called ASOS.com and found a brand based in the UK called River Island. I fell in love because it was so girly yet hipster (I hate that word but for lack of a better term...) and most importantly AFFORDABLE. Check em out!

Both by River Island. I do not know the availability on ASOS but it was on Sale :D

The first one was the turquoise blue with 3D flowers all over the bikini top. It is a shaped top and made my boobs look amazing! It has silver bead accents on the ties and also crystal beads on the flowers... The second was a high rise/bandeau combo like they had back in the 50s, I though it was so cute. Some may argue that it could make one look kind of 'grandma'-ey but I thought it was charming and not at all old looking. Each piece I got for around $10 per piece. The quality is surprisingly good. :D

Here I am wearing the turquoise top at the pool... The girls loved it and wanted to borrow my bikini but because of my paranoia of sanitaryness I refused. NEVER let anyone borrow your underwear or bikini!

Bikini Wants

I love this top! And that stomach :P But it looks like a Luli Fama design. I'm not sure, i'll have to check it out. I would love to design something similar to that one day. :)

I love these two as well for the color and accents :D Not sure where these are from.

I will be posting bikini obsessions more and more throughout my future posts, these are just my current obsessions and inspirations for my designs. (Since I aspire to design swimwear :D) Any questions or comments feel free to post below!

And that's all for this folks!

Now you know a few more places to check out the next time you're on a budget but want cute swimwear. While some can afford swimwear costing upwards of $200 you can pick out cute ones online on sites such as ideeli.com which is like a 72-hr "Boutique" similar to hautelook.com or ruelala.com and ASOS.com which is like a karmaloop.com.

:D Happy Shopping!

xoxoxo Michelle

Welcome to my Blog! I am your host, Michelle Lin

While I do not have dexterity in writing the most compelling blogposts or am insanely gorgeous or have unlimited income or live the glamourous life of Hollywood's finest, this blog serves to entertain, one if its many purposes. This is my life manifesting itself in writing; completely raw and out in the open. And even with its listed purpose, the real intention is created, tended to, cared for, for me. This is my life, what I want for it and how I relate to you, if I do in any way. In the end I think one who is reading this blog will find themselves relating to me in one way or another and in many ways I find that to be very special.

So here is the basic rundown of what will be posted: My personal life (Not a lot, just some cool things here and there :D), Style... my passion lies within fashion, Health (Blame my mother :D I swear it must be the asian culture), Fitness, Career, Lifestyle.

But first, a little (or rather long) intro of me!

My name is Michelle Lin and I am 19 turning 20 in August. I am a full blown Leo and proud of it!

At times I can be hard headed, which stems from my undying compulsion of being prideful. It is both a blessing and a curse and any Leo I think could vouch for it... but they probably wouldn't admit it :D

I love being the center of attention though I have my rare moments of wanting to be a hermit and in those times, I am often vicious. So kindness is a virtue I must work on daily.

I am very single at the moment for many reasons and I am happy to be so.

But I have not always been so keen towards being single because to me, being single was synonymous to being alone, which I hated and felt wrongly inadequate for being so. Ridiculous thinking. Now I am finally breaking through my shell and am very comfortable for being independent of a boyfriend. (I have been engaged once [Twice, I guess, but I do not count that one because I was an idiot for being so blind of the insanity] so in terms of relationships... I was ALL about them!) But I am going to save it all for another blogpost!

Snuggling up with mommy! (I am wearing my dad's vintage USC shirt, he is an alumni there)

In fact, the only one I love and I mean LOVE is my dog ChewChew. In the past three years. (She just turned three!) She has been through everything with me. My partner in crime, a furry body to cry on, and one to tease till the world ends! Even up until this moment animals amaze me by how loving they are. It is so inherent to them. Well, depends. But for my ChewChew, definitely. My first boyfriend (We lasted three years :D) named her after a nickname he gave me! Silly.

Celebrating New Years this year! Non-Alcoholic Champagne of course :D

Prior to this blogpost, I have had blogposts before, but were never successful with them except for one in which I posted self-made Facebook covers for the whole Kony thing. I think a reason why I was never hugely successful in these blog-type internet things was because I was never real. Well now is my chance to bare it all and be vulnerable. (Within reason)

This is a new start for me not unlike the new start I have had in this past year. (This month will be my one year anniversary of being in Florida... I am originally from Los Angeles, California.) There are so many things I could rave about on what happened to me and how I grew as a person but this will be saved for another blogpost! I hope it could another reason why you would enjoy my blog :D (I'm not trying to be propitiative)

I left my old place in California. (My messy room at my Parent's) I know my closet looks full... it is, each year I have to give so much away because I accumulate so much from friends, family, self purchase, etc. I am just starting to learn how to shop smarter and for things I will wear and use for years to come. I will mention more in a later post.

And moved to a new place in west-central Florida! I never knew it, but I fell in love with this place :D (That is my mother in the distance further toward the pool where I now spend my spare time tanning) The people here are so friendly and unpretentious, something I cannot say is plentiful in good 'ol LA but don't get me wrong there is still NO place like Los Angeles. :D

(Left: Where I currently live... Right: Driving in Florida!)

And although I love my new life living on my own, I still miss the most important people in my life... my family! (I have a mother and stepfather, my father, my brother and a nanny who works for my father who has been with my family for years... so I consider her family too)

My mother, stepfather and I :D

It has been so hard nothing having them around because I now am required to figure things out on my own! What a learning experience. It sure is running before learning how to walk.

My beautiful mother and I on Thankgiving at my stepfather's parents'. This was my one visit back to Cali since my move.

Starting a new life

I initially moved across country because I needed a major change in my life. My boyfriend of one year had just broken up with me and I dwindled down to a place in which I could not stand on my two feet any longer.

The change of environment was absolutely therapeutic but it did not come without cost since I have just about had the craziest summer of my life. I regret nothing, but some things I know I would never do again... by choice. There comes a time in which a person must learn to grasp responsibility and in this past year, I have been nothing of it and all for it.

At last...

michellelinTV on YouTube (Clip of a look I decided not to put up)

This is what I love and desire above all else. I love the art of makeup and fashion and aspire to pursue the industry, no matter how cut-throat it is. I am a creative individual like so many and it is one of my goals to leave a legacy one day.

That is all for now! 

As much as I would love to rant to you all night long, I simply cannot! Otherwise I would have nothing to post in the future. So for now, I must be good and keep this as short as I possibly can. Thank you for reading and I hope you come back and visit soon :D