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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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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Back to Basics

(motorcycle jacket and denim shorts from H&M, thrifted knit crop top, harness boots from GoJane)

When I don't have the energy or willpower to dress up, I throw on a bunch of basics, as you can see here. Aside from my new leather biker jacket (which I will style and blog about soon), this jacket from H&M is my favorite. Adding a knit top, denim shorts, and ankle boots created an easy, comfortable, and very "me" outfit.

Have a wonderful week!

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Summertime Sadness

(thrifted floral button-up from Crossroads Trading, cowl neck top and high-low skirt from Forever 21, heels from Zara)

I apologize for the long hiatus! I just moved into my new apartment in Berkeley last week, and it's been quite hectic adjusting to university life again. I'm still in summer mode, and, despite being a junior, I think I'm experiencing a premature form of senioritis.

I've actually had this accordian-pleated high-low skirt for awhile, but I've never really worn it. Despite my expansive closet, I had a really difficult time trying to style this skirt. In frustration, I threw on this cowl neck top and hastily tucked in this unbuttoned floral shirt into the skirt and voila—an outfit.

I'm still working out a schedule for shooting outfits (while balancing this with several other obligations), but I'm planning a lot of new content for the blog. :) Stay tuned!

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Night Skies

(blazer and sequin top from Forever 21, white denim shorts from H&M, thrifted pointed patent pumps from Crossroads Trading)

I added a navy blazer and pointed patent pumps to an otherwise casual outfit to create a more "formal" look. This look was aptly named "Night Skies" because I thought the combination of the blue blazer and sequin top looked sort of like a starry night.

This is my last post from home before I go back to school. It's crazy how quickly August went by! Soon, I'll be back in a lecture hall learning about various statistical distributions, among other things. I am definitely experiencing a mixed bag of feelings regarding the new school year, including excitement and dread. But cheers to novel experiences, a fresh start, and a new adventure.

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Snap Back

(baseball jacket and ankle zip pants from Forever 21, thrifted leopard crop top from Crossroads Trading, lace-up heels from Charlotte Russe, faux leather cap from Asos)

Looking sort of like a juvenile delinquent here with the faux leather cap and baseball jacket. I really like this jacket because of its unique color combination; usually, baseball jackets come in red, white, and blue, but this one comes in a beautiful forest green color. I decided to "glam up" the outfit a bit by wearing these amazing lace-up heels from Charlotte Russe.

Lately I've been extremely motivated to work on my blog...and my life. I've always been interested in personal change and transformation, but only in the last few months can I honestly say that I've experienced personal change through consistent effort. I'm still working on it, but I've really learned to accept life as it is without craving anything. I'm really starting to fall in love with the process instead of focusing on the results. This definitely applies to my blog; instead of worrying too much about what others think and trying to win approval from others, I blog for me. I blog because I truly enjoy it and want to improve my ability to develop a personal style.

On that note, I leave you with this quote:

"One does not have to be evil to be hated. In fact, it's often the case that one is hated precisely because one is trying to do right by one's own convictions. It is far too easy to be liked, one merely has to be accommodating and hold no strong convictions. Then one will gravitate towards the center and settle into the average. That cannot be your role. There are a great many bad people in the world, and if you are not offending them, you must be bad yourself. Popularity is a sure sign that you are doing something wrong."

- Adrian Tan

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Easing into Autumn

(beanie, jacket, and button-up shirt from Forever 21, thrifted acid wash top from Crossroads Trading, bodycon skirt from H&M, boots from GoJane)

Usually, I dislike overcast lighting, but I think the lighting worked really well with this outfit. Summer and spring are usually my favorite seasons for dressing; I love wearing loose layers, light colors, and denim shorts. On the contrary, I typically hate dressing for fall and winter. It's always seemed cumbersome to wear layer upon layer, and, in general, I despise cold weather far more than I despise hot weather (Yes, I've been a spoiled Californian all of my life). However, this year, I'm going to try to get over my hatred of dressing for colder weather. One of the things that I'm challenging myself to do is to work on layering. I decided to "dress up" a typical outfit by adding a collared shirt between my khaki jacket and acid wash sweater. The baby blue adds a nice pop of color to an otherwise neutral outfit.

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Summer Love

(thrifted lace cardigan from Crossroads, lace bustier top from Foreign Exchange, skater skirt from Forever 21, thrifted platform sandals from Crossroads)

I wore this when I went out with my best gal pal last week to talk over some food and drinks. A very girly outfit that reminds me of summer romances, warm nights, and good talks with good people. Alas, my summer is drawing to a close, and I will surely miss the leisurely lifestyle that I've been living for the past couple of months (even if I did wake up at 6AM everyday for six weeks for summer classes...). No matter, though. I'm honestly looking forward to taking upper division classes for my major, even if it means I will have to strain my mind to understand concepts of probability and learn how to program in R. The fun part is the challenge.

Also, I can't stop listening to Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle." These are some lyrics that have really resonated with me recently:

"Hey, you know they're all the same.
You know you're doing better on your own, so don't buy in.
Live right now.
Yeah, just be yourself.
It doesn't matter if it's good enough for someone else."

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Wildest Moments

(cropped jacket from Wet Seal, thrifted cheetah top from Goodwill, draped asymmetrical skirt from Foreign Exchange, leopard lace-up heels from Charlotte Russe) 

Ahh, the infamous Helmut Lang-inspired draped skirt. I wore the taupe version in a previous post, as you may recall. I decided to style the skirt differently this time, making it more edgy and modern with denim and animal print. Also, these lace-up heels add some instant glam to any outfit. This year, I've been a big fan of minimalistic shoes, but these lace-ups were hard to pass up, especially with a discount.

In other news, this is my last week of summer school! I'll have about two weeks of academic-free vacation before going back to school again. At the beginning of summer, I was pretty ambivalent about my feelings about the upcoming junior year. I definitely experienced the sophomore slump last year, so initially, I cringed at the thought of going back and returning to the grind. However, if there's anything I've learned this summer, it's that perspective is everything. Despite the adversity I've faced in the past few months and the difficulties I'm currently facing, I'm much more happy than I've ever been in a long time. Now, I'm really looking forward to next year's opportunities, experiences, and even the challenges, which I know will teach me to be more resilient and positive.

Have a lovely week! xx

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