Flower Power

H&M jacket, Urban Outfitter dress, Topshop skirt (worn underneath), H&M bikini top, 

Asos bag, Boots from Taiwan. 

{Image credit: Allison Hill}

I haven't been motivated to post any outfit shots pre-purple hair but now I see my wardrobe in a new light. It's amazing how such change can shift your entire perspective and lift your mood in many ways. Sometimes I catch my reflection in the mirror and it hits me that my hair is a completely different shade now, obviously I'm still processing this. I like it though, so I highly recommend change whenever you feel unmotivated or in a rut. Start small if you're afraid, even a simple hair cut is bound to make an impact. Coloured hair makes me feel like myself again, it's been awhile.

Also, I'm having way too much fun editing my photos. So far, as predicted, Digital Techniques for Fashion is my favourite class because we have so much power to create something out of nothing. It's so much fun experimenting with Illustrator. Once I get the hang of it, I'm definitely going to incorporate those elements into future outfit shots.

Till then,
Hang in there fellow midterm stragglers.

Running Through

Hi. It's been awhile.

I have been thinking about social media platforms for awhile now, how it affects our mannerisms and our everyday habits. There are definitely pros and cons, like many aspects in life, but after an experiment of sorts, in which I went cold turkey for 2 weeks, I found out that I'm significantly more productive without it.

Yet I feel like I miss out on a lot of things, especially when it comes to in the moment happenings or random things that my friends do that they don't particularly bring up during conversations. Without social media in the way, I read more, cross things off my list more and feel free in some ways, as if the pressure is off. Social media definitely has a certain amount of pressure on its users, in which people say shit like "if it isn't on Instagram, it didn't happen". I do see where they're coming from, but I think it's a great way to keep track of certain moments in your life. I for one tend to forget days easily as everything seamlessly meshes together into this huge whirlwind pool that I cannot detach individual moments from. But yeah, certain expectations are held in high esteem when you have been active on social media.

By David Shrigley

Where I stand now in regards to social media are 1) it shouldn't be on the main page of my phone, instead I have Duolingo (language learning app), so that I think "do I really need to scroll through Instagram/Twitter right now" before I actually do so. 2) I like how you are able to connect with people who are a million miles away on it/find new interesting people/learn new things/be inspired. At the end of the day, it all depends on how you use it, or should I say, abuse it.

This brings me to my next point, I'm not cut out to be a fashion blogger. I don't like posting outfit shots as it is because I find that really uninspiring. Maybe because there's a plethora of people out there doing the same thing, but I know that I'm unmotivated to jump on that particular bandwagon. This doesn't mean my love for fashion has diminished, instead my love for art has been heightened, as I wish to incorporate art, in all its glorious media, into fashion. Opening Ceremony is a good example of that, read: Opening Ceremony 100% Lost Cotton. Leon and Lim collaborated with Spike Jones and Jonah Hill to come up with a play instead of opting for your conventional runway show. The blend of different artistic media colliding into this massive unit blows my mind sometimes, significantly in terms of Childish Gambino's screenplay & album work for Because The Internet. (I can go on forever, ask any of my friends or poor soul that brings up rap/Donald Glover, but I won't.)

What I'm trying to say ultimately is that I'm still on the path of finding what I want to contribute in terms of fashion and art, so bare with me as I experiment, fuck up and dust myself off. My inspirations now are Where Is Frank, Maya Goo, Caitlin Hazell and Eryn Lou. They're extremely creative folks that deserve so much attention for their work. 

As of right now, life has been a turbulent ride with a lot of uncertainties and emotions arising at random intervals in a day. It could be an identity crisis of sorts or just the stress of having to work on midterms. You know how it is. I'm trying to do so much that sometimes I feel stretched out and then I give up completely, resulting in a day binge watching movies on Netflix. I do handle my shit, but it takes time to get to them. There's a lot of thoughts in my mind and my words can't seem to encompass them fully, but right now, it's all good. I enjoy sitting on the fire escape with cigarettes in the air around me accompanied by fascinating people with interesting thoughts. It feels very much familiar to me. (You know who you are.)

Till then,
I'm on my way.

Look At All Your Stuff

Levi's vintage jacket, Hellz Bellz mesh top, Skorts from Michelle, Nikes, Socks from Taiwan,

Hype backpack, David Shrigley pin from MoCA, Noah Lyon pin from LACMA.

Long weekends spent procrastinating results to 4 hours worth of sitting in a cafe finishing up our Digital Techniques for Fashion assignment, in which we have to create a mini linesheet using any product we like. I decided to go with Nike's Air Zoom Pegasus 31 because they're so pretty to look at. Also, it wouldn't be wise to pick a garment because how often does an interesting piece come in multiple colours? Shoes are always wise for multiple layouts, I think. Fingers cross that by the end of the semester, I would no longer be as intimidated with InDesign and Illustrator as I am now. 

To dress for the long hours of labor, I decided to coordinate my outfit around my Tweety Bird mesh top from Hellz Bellz that I bought at 8 a.m on Cyber Monday because that's when it went on sale. Jenn Im of ClotheseEncounters has the exact same top. Great minds, I tell you. Instead of throwing on my choker, I decided to accessorise with my art related pins. David Shrigley's comics are so odd and lovely that everyone should read them at least once to enter a whole other way of thinking. 

Also, thank you Tasha & Ashley for recommending 13 Reasons Why. I'm halfway through. Will my emotions end up bouncing off the walls? I don't know, but I need to find out ASAP. 

Till then,

Reading 13 Reasons Why till 4 a.m.

(Oh how I miss skipping sleep for books.)

Dear Tasha: Rainbows, Sunshine

Universal Walk in LA, the first night we actually went out after bumming around the house for a good day and a half binge watching Friends. (The day we choose to go out is the day it rains. It's California for goodness' sake, it rarely rains!)

 That same night, we went to Griffith Observatory. It was beautiful. 

 The museum inspired us to watch Cosmos that very night. That show blew my mind. 

Trina is the best person to hang out with. 

That time we got lost and heard coyotes howling only to encounter one face to face. You were there, digitally. 

Nature and its beauty.

En route to Salvation Mountain. 

Mars replica. 

Salton Sea, an interesting piece on Vice that you have to read titled I Went to California's Post-Apocalyptic Beach Town. Intrigued? You better be. 

 

Crossed this magical place off my bucket list. 

 Pour vous, Tasha. 

 Salvation Mountain, Slab City. 

Running after sunsets after Salvation Mountain. 

In response to Tasha Iman.

My winter break is finally over and it was definitely an eye-opening experience. I thought I would have more time to do the things I wanted to, but when living with other people, you have to put into account of their time, which leaves little for you to do your own thing. It was possible, but incredibly hard to do. That's why I feel so much better to be back in my dorm, because it's my very own space that is solely mine.

You know what is going on in my life right now and it may seem extremely worrisome, but do trust me when I say that I'll be fine. I take challenges like these as lessons and I don't believe in being defeated. Striving to be the best that I can be is always my priority, especially when it comes to my well-being. You know that. If life isn't filled with rough patches, what's the point right? We're here to learn and grow, so that's what we are going to do, together.

Distance may be a bitch and a half, but the thought of having you a message away is incredibly reassuring. After the conversation we had, I'm feeling so much better. Just the thought of knowing there's people back home I can always rely on is extremely comforting, so thank you for standing by me. I've been reaching out to people here, so hopefully I start letting people in. Friendships, as we have discussed before, is extremely important to me. I'm trying to view people in different lights and not shut them down so easily by marking them off as incompatible. After all, everyone is going through something in their lives, so I may as well get to know them better instead of writing them off so easily.

People skills, which I lack, need to be strengthen. That's for sure.

Till then,
Hoping for the best.

Change

Vintage Levi's denim jacket, Urban Outfitters dress, Earrings from Markets, 

Hype backpack, H&M boots. 

I like the idea of documentation. Of keeping a journal that is filled with memories, both significant and insignificant. Yet the idea of having it look pretty and up-to-par with so many beautiful journals you see on Tumblr stresses me out. I feel unworthy of posting anything that I create. With resolutions all around during the end of 2014 and beginning of 2015, I decided to cut myself some slack this year and just create as much as possible. I have to start somewhere no?

So this is me attempting to create content that I can be proud of, emphasis on attempt.

It is the second week of the spring semester and things seem to be going good so far. I have ideas churning in mind during class, as I walk to dinner, on the bus, in the shower; anywhere really. I want to do this, no more pushing it away. It has been two decades of doing so, it's time for change.

Till then,
Bear with me.

Ideé Fixe: Sneakers with Everything

{Image source: style.com}

After clicking through a ton of street style looks for the past few days, my infatuation towards sneakers in replacement of boots and heels have escalated to a whole new height. They look so effortless yet casual. I don't think sneakers necessarily downplay a look, instead they elevate it to a refreshing urban look. Not only do they go well with a lot of outfits, they are also extremely practical. Walking around San Francisco in a midi dress with my pair of white Nikes and my ankle grazing coat feels amazing. A post on how to incorporate sneakers into your everyday wear will be up soon.

Till then,
Be inspired.

Dear Tasha: Reflections

{Image credit: Ashley Fenison}

In response to Tasha Iman.

For the past few days, I've realised how insignificant New Year's Eve, New Year's Day and my birthday can be. The weight in which we personally bestow upon these days can be such a huge pressure that is at the end of the day, really unnecessary. Any other day can have that weight of significance to it, I believe. If you wanted to do something so badly, you would have done it already instead of waiting for another day to go by. I know certain things can't happen immediately, but there are steps leading up to it. Instead of waiting around, I want to start doing things in the present, which I think I have been doing in the year 2014. By doing so, positive things came out of it, so I shall do so more in the future.

2014 was a great year. There was a lot of personal growth and achievements. Although, towards the end of it I seem to have lost a sense of being momentarily. I think it's only human to be in doubt of what you want and to fear time. I'm always afraid that I'm not achieving everything I possibly can at this age. That after a certain time, all opportunities will pass me by and I'll regret never doing enough. That's one of my worst fears: not doing enough. That is how I ended up with two internships this semester and two contributing roles for online magazines that I hold in high esteem.

As I read The Happiness Project, it reminded me that I don't have to be good in everything nor do I need to "catch up". The feeling of lost has not completely passed, but I'll figure it out in the long run. A contributing factor of this feeling is not having a place I can go to and call home. Being in a new country with no permanent residence is frightful and before winter break, I had no idea where I was headed and whether I would have a place to stay. I'm lucky in the sense that three lovely people decided to have me during this nomad period. It has been two weeks of living out of a suitcase and certain people and places have started feeling like home.

The future is uncertain and this would all be good stories to tell later on. So, I shall not fret and just embrace what I have, because it's the only thing I really can do.

Till then,
Live.