Little Black Boots

(hat from Forever 21, thrifted cardigan, dress, and boots from Crossroads Trading, sunglasses from Asos) 

This is the first outfit post that reflects the new changes I've made to my blog. I really want to focus on improving my styling abilities, so I plan to spend more time putting together outfits than photographing them. This means that I'll be posting fewer photos per post, but that I'll be posting more often. My goal right now is to document one outfit per day (as long as school doesn't interfere!).

I just thrifted these lovely Kenneth Cole lace-up boots for just $18.50 at Crossroads last week. Lately, I've been obsessed with the wide variety of fall and winter boots, especially those from Zara. I had contemplated splurging on a pair before I found these.

Have a great day!

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Change

It's been almost a month since I last updated, which is an eternity in the blog world. I wanted to write a post concerning my month-long hiatus and the new direction that my blog is going towards.

There are two reasons why I took such a long break from blogging. First and foremost, the more understandable reason—I've had nonstop midterms for the past couple of weeks, so academics had become the center of my life. Fortunately, I've finished with my first round of midterms, so my life has (temporarily) become more balanced.

It's not something I really want to admit, but my second reason is that, this month, I became very unmotivated to blog. While I love fashion, I started to see the darker aspects of personal style blogging in the past month. It seems to me that, with the proliferation of personal style blogging, the industry has become incredibly commercialized. I feel that, as many of my favorite bloggers gained fame and large followings, they became increasingly impersonal to me because I could no longer relate to their lavish lifestyles. 

Thus, for a while, I considered quitting, because I felt that my values did not coincide with the lavishness and excess that this industry has become. However, upon some careful introspection, I realized that I did not have to conform to the "standard." Why don't I just blog for the hell of it? Why don't I just blog because I enjoy expressing myself through my personal style, even if no one else likes it? My style is my own.

Thus, I'll be making some changes to the direction of this blog. As you can see, I've already updated the layout of this blog to reflect these new changes. Instead of just blogging about personal style, I also plan to blog about my ventures into the world of photography. Ever since I got my DSLR in my junior year of high school, I've been experimenting, but I've never formally learned about photography. I hope to practice lifestyle photography on a more regular basis so that I can visually record my daily experiences.

In addition, I created a new instagram account just for my personal style and photography-related work. You can find me at @honeyplusmilk. 

I can't wait to see how my aesthetic journey will reflect my personal growth. 

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Olive

(beanie & denim shorts from H&M, jacket from Papaya, lace crop top from A'gaci, booties thrifted from Crossroads Trading)

I'm excited to say that after a month of experimentation and frustration, I've finally found a spot that has consistently good open shade. No more unflattering lighting (I hope)! I'm still trying to experiment with a few locations, but I'm glad that I have a fairly consistent spot for taking photos now.

I think I've mentioned this in a previous post, but I really used to hate fall and winter dressing. It just seemed so cumbersome to put on so many layers. However, I'm starting to appreciate the beauty of being able to layer different pieces into one cohesive outfit.

That being said, I also love all of the things that are associated with fall—military jackets, pumpkin spice lattes, plaid, rich autumn colors, among other things. October is going to be a crazy month, as I have at least one midterm every week for the next month, but I'm looking forward to working more on my blog. I'm grateful that it provides a creative escape from the more mundane aspects of my daily life.

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Madewell Fall 2013

(reblogged from RDuJour)

Madewell is definitely out of my price range, but I love looking at their lookbooks for inspiration. Their Fall 2013 lookbook is the epitome of effortless chic. I've been trying to challenge myself to incorporate different textures and prints into my looks for fall, and I really like how Madewell has layered a lot of contrasting elements together (for example, the leather jacket and the soft knit in the last photo on the left) in an aesthetically pleasing way.

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Monochrome

(striped button-up from Forever 21, asymmetrical moto skirt from GoJane, booties thrifted from Crossroads Trading)

I really should be studying, but blogging is so much more fun. I'm starting to get the hang of taking photos in Berkeley, but I'm still trying to figure out how to get good lighting. 

I just wanted to post a simple look with my new moto skirt from GoJane. Before this year, monochromatic looks were my comfort zone; my closet consisted almost entirely of black, white, and neutral pieces. This year, I've gotten better about incorporating color into my looks, but it's still something I need to work on. 

Have a good weekend! School is currently kicking my ass, but I'll try to post more frequently. :)

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Basic Space

(thrifted cheetah print blazer, mesh top, and platform booties from Crossroads Trading, lace bustier top from Foreign Exchange)

Man, it's been a while since I've blogged! I must admit that I've been a little unmotivated to blog recently. In the past year, I've gravitated towards living a more minimalistic life and stepped away from excess. Sometimes, I think the fashion/blogging industry has a tendency to promote materialism and the "keeping up with the Jones" mindset. It's easy to become resentful when you see bloggers buy $200 shirts, eat pricey meals, and travel the world while you're struggling to get your degree at a competitive university to pay the bills in the future. I often have to remind myself that everyone has a different life path and that I have to do what's best for my own long-term fulfillment. I remind myself that I blog because I enjoy it, not because I'm trying to impress anyone.

Onto the outfit! This is just a simple look I put together with my newly thrifted pieces—the bold animal print blazer, meshy top, and metallic-tipped platform booties. It's getting colder in Berkeley, which means I'll have plenty of chances to practice layering in the near future.

Have a lovely weekend!

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The Long Run

(motorcycle jacket from H&M, lace bustier and asymmetrical drape skirt from Foreign Exchange, thrifted ankle boots)

This is my first outfit that I photographed since coming back from Berkeley, hence the change in scenery. I had been looking for an affordable motorcycle jacket for awhile, and I finally found one at H&M. FYI, if you sign up for H&M's online newsletter, you can get a 20% coupon.

I think the tough look of the biker jacket and ankle boots is balanced by the softer appearance of the drape skirt. I like this outfit because it balances a bunch of textures: matte leather, lace, soft knits, patent leather, and suede. In addition, the zippers on the jacket and the boots (I love double zippers) add a nice touch of metal without having to accessorize.

I'm trying to shoot more these days. I've been getting faster at completing these photoshoots, so it's fairly easy to photograph an outfit before I head out to class. 

Have a lovely day! xx

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