SAME BUT DIFFERENT

The last two people I've met from Instagram have told me that I'm taller in person than they expected me to be. This makes me happy, but also causes me to wonder if everyone who knows of me via the internet thinks I'm 5'1". I know I shouldn't complain. I'm 5'7", which is taller than average, but this does mean that I need to start taking my photos from lower angles. After a couple months of doing that I'll probably have people from Instagram say I'm so much shorter than they thought I would be. You can never win.

In the Summer and Fall of 2015, I took a semester off of school to focus on my well-being and spend time doing things I had never allowed myself to do. Without any academic responsibilities, I was free to spend a period of about 10 months doing whatever I wanted. I've always liked working, so I got a part-time job, but for the most part my days were spent exploring the city, eating good food, enjoying quality time with family, and meeting people off of the internet. I had always been somewhat introverted — I never had many friends and I tended to keep to myself rather than engage in social activities. But meeting people off of Instagram was an opportunity to make friends with similar interests and learn more about the industry that I had always been interested in, but never given myself the chance to delve into.

When I returned to school the following Spring of 2016, I took on a full schedule of classes, work, and content creation, leaving little time to meet up with people as I had during my semester off. Fast forward a year to Spring 2017, and I've met only a few new people in the past 12 months. I'm so busy every single day, going nonstop from sunup to sundown, that my own creative career has taken somewhat of a backseat. Thinking about what I want to accomplish this year, and where I want to be in the next 5, 10, 15 years, I decided that I need to be more proactive about my creative goals. I want to meet more talented people, collaborate with more incredible brands, and learn more about the industry. I was so happy when I got to meet Mire, an extremely gifted photographer based in Downtown Los Angeles, for coffee and a quick photo session. Even though our aesthetics are a bit different we were able to work together to produce some amazing content. 

After getting to know each other and discussing our creative goals we set off to shoot some photos around the Arts District. Instead of sticking to the usual white wall backgrounds I tend toward, we found a cool grid wall, as well as a multicolor steel fence. My outfits may stay the same (Blue jeans, black shirt, black boots. Same old, same old), but I'm committed to learning, growing, and improving my work. I don't want to get stuck in a minimalist rut where I'm scared to post anything without a plain background. I want to try new things, be inspired,  experiment without fear of failure. 

Photography | Mire Yang (@stripescollide)
Turtleneck | Urban Outfitters
Necklace | J. Hannah Jewelry
Jeans | Madewell (similar here)
Shoes | Jeffrey Campbell (similar here)
 

REFORMED AND ALTERED

I don't know why it took me so long to realize the convenience and money-saving power of tailoring. Over the past five years-ish, my weight has fluctuated. Not slightly. A lot. Like size 2, to 000, to 4, to 8, to 2. Negative body image will do that to you. Over and over again. With my weight varying so much, shopping has become somewhat of a nightmare. I never really know what size I am, I end up hating most of the things I try on, and when my weight changes again I have to buy new clothes.  

When I was cleaning my room the other day I realized I had jeans, skirts, and dresses I had purchased sometime within the past year. Some of these pieces were multiple sizes too big, and not in the cool/oversized/boyfriend-look way. Internally crying at the thought of all the money I had "wasted" on items that no longer fit, as I stuffed them into a donation box, I had an epiphany. I could take all of these items to my local cleaners and have them altered! Not only would I avoid having to buy replacements for these items, but I could also support a local business.

Having one dress, two skirts, and a pair of jeans altered cost me roughly $70 (equivalent to half or three-quarters of a pair of jeans from Madewell). In other words, I am now obsessed with having my clothes altered. This green faux leather skirt I bought at ZARA last winter was one of the items I had taken in, and I am SO thrilled that I now get to wear it. I have a love-hate relationship with ZARA. Do I love that they always stock on-trend pieces, and that their shoes are AMAZING and very affordable? Yes. But as a "fast fashion" company, they contribute huge amounts of pollution to the environment, fail to provide workers with safe conditions, and perpetuate waste and a throw-away society. I figured that the least I can do, if I am choosing to support a fast-fashion company, is to be selective about what I buy, and to recycle those pieces in any way I can. 

When I think about it, this look is pretty sustainable. The camel turtleneck I'm wearing here is from Reformation, an LA-based womenswear brand that prides itself in its sustainable practices. If you check out their website, you'll see that on each item page is a breakdown of the environmental impact caused by the production of that piece. Not only does Reformation have a mission statement that I full-heartedly support, but they also happen to make great clothes. This sweater is incredibly cozy, and the perfect camel color. Want something soft and warm to cuddle, but can't deal with a pet? But yourself a fuzzy sweater, instead. Rest assured, I will be wearing mine all Fall and Winter.

I'm heading to New Orleans for Thanksgiving, and I have no idea what I'm going to wear. I would probably wear this outfit to Thanksgiving dinner just because it screams Fall (at least, to me), but I plan on stuffing myself with turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie until I assume a comatose state, so I figure a leather mini skirt isn't the most strategic choice. 

There is no doubt, though, that both pieces in this outfit will be coming with me on my trip. After all, it is already almost Thanksgiving, and my days to wear green leather skirts and turtleneck sweaters are probably numbered.

Sunglasses - Ray Ban | Sweater - Reformation (similar here) | Skirt - Zara (similar here) | Shoes - MissGuided

FINE WINE - DRESSING FOR THE HOLIDAYS

If my memory is correct, I've talked (complained) about LA's notoriously warm Fall weather in the past three or four posts. Rest assured, I'll be continuing that trend today. While shooting this look I was simultaneously blinded by the bright 11AM sun, and sweating through this oversized knit dress.

I was recently contacted by Hi Eleven, a brand that believes in simplicity and affordability. Their high-quality leather accessories, ranging from bags to wallets, are timeless and versatile. Trying to brainstorm holiday gifts? Look no further.

With so many color options for this mini bucket bag it was difficult to decide whether to go with the classic black, or expand my horizons. Inspired by the upcoming holiday season I decided on "wine." I am so impressed with this bag. It's beautifully constructed, feels luxe despite the relatively low cost, and is an amazing alternative to the Mansur Gavriel bucket bag I've been coveting for far too long.

My wardrobe is mostly composed of muted and neutral tones, but accessories are where I have fun with color. This bright pop of wine red is the perfect addition to a simple look, like a chunky knit sweater dress. If you wanted to further emphasize that red accent you could add a red lip, or red shoes.

Holiday dressing doesn't have to be stiff or ultra-formal. As I've said before, comfort is key. So the next time you're invited to a holiday party, opt for an oversized knit and some comfy footwear. Will many guests be dressed in black lacy numbers and teetering heels, with clutches that can't actually hold anything at their sides? Yes. But YOU will be comfortable, and YOU will be able to put anything you could possibly want/need into your bucket bag, including those irresistible hors d'oeuvres you already ate ten of but want to take back home to snack on tomorrow. 

Dress - Zara | Mini Bucket Bag - Hi Eleven

PRIMO PASSO BLUES

I apologize if the photos featured in this post are slightly inconsistent with my current appearance. If you happen to follow me on Instagram, you might have realized that my hair doesn't quite look like this anymore. 

A couple of weeks ago I decided to take a leap of faith and chop my hair to the shortest length it's been since I was a a bowl-cut-bearing pre-schooler. Oh, I also got bangs.

Though my "look" has dramatically changed, I still love these photos taken by my friend Rick Bhatia (no matter how deceiving they may be). 

These photos feel extremely moody. I hope you'll excuse the dramatics. However, this is a pretty accurate representation of what I've looked like over the past couple of weeks. With midterm season upon us, adequate sleep is a rarity. Dark circles are, more often than not, present under my eyes. Not only that, but I rarely have the energy to express any other emotion than exhaustion. It's a beautiful sight to see.

As expected, LA Fall is not measuring up to stereotypical expectations. With 80º days and slightly cooler nights, my go-to outfits have been ones that fall somewhere between Summer and Fall. These transitionary outfits usually include jeans (as do the majority of my looks), a pair of black boots (like this Jeffrey Campbell cut-out heel pair), and a semi-warm top. I absolutely love the earthy and slightly unfinished feel of this flared sleeve white top. 

This is truly a winning look, mostly because it's just a reimagined version of your classic "jeans and a white tee" outfit. Try your local flea market for a pair of distressed vintage Levis! I picked this pair up at an Echo Park boutique carrying strictly women's vintage denim, aka Heaven. One piece of advice — when you go vintage denim shopping, make sure you're dressed in clothes that come easily on and off. And tie your hair up. It's a workout. You'll see what I mean when you go and try it out for yourself.

Photography - Rick Bhatia
Top - Urban Outfitters (similar here) | Jeans - Levis, from Collection | Boots - Jeffrey Campbell

CROP IT LIKE IT'S HOT

NWFY is underway, LA nights are in the 70s (rather than the 80s), and every grocery store is displaying magazines with massive "fall baking" spreads. This can only mean one thing — Fall fashion is here, and we all have to find some way to make our summer pieces work for this colder season. I recently purchased a pair of cropped released hem wide leg jeans from Madewell (my go-to shop for everything, especially denim). Though just a new addition to my wardrobe, this piece is easily one of my favorites. It combines two HUGE trends from this summer — released hem jeans AND culottes. I'm all about efficiency and multitasking. 

As incredible as these jeans are, one of the first thoughts that popped into my mind when I bought them was: "How on Earth am I going to wear these for Fall??"

Very few people, especially college students, have the financial capability to purchase entirely new wardrobes each season. Most of us have to be resourceful and think about how we can translate what we think of as season-specific trends into outfits that work for seemingly opposite seasons. When someone says "Fall fashion," is the first thing that comes to mind a pair of cropped jeans? Probably not. Fall and Winter denim tends to be of a darker wash, and longer in length. This doesn't mean that we can't utilize styling tricks to make that cropped pair work, though! 

Before we get into the specifics of how I styled this look, let's cover some general guidelines for making Spring/Summer pieces work for Fall/Winter!

• summer dresses — layers and boots. Tuck a turtleneck underneath a strappy floral dress, or throw on a wool blazer. Add your favorite pair of boots! 
• silky slip camis — throw it over a long-sleeve knit dress or oversized sweater. Add a moto jacket and some mules.
• lacy bralettes — underwear as outerwear. Wear that bralette over a ribbed knit tee, with slick cigarette pants and a duster coat. 
• cutoff shorts — add leg coverage with some thigh-high boots. Wear a huge chunky knit cardigan over a vintage tee. 

This list obviously doesn't cover everything, but hopefully it gives you an idea of how to style other warm-weather pieces. The key points are to add layers, and to accessorize. Obviously the look pictured here doesn't scream "Fall," but that's because it's still 85º during the day and I wasn't too stoked on the idea of lugging a wool coat around. To take these released hem babies from Summer to Fall, I switched out my usual casual tee for a slightly dressier deep v-neck top, and changed out of my beat-up Stan Smiths in favor of forest green suede heels. 

A slightly dressier top suggests a more formal look, compared to what we might get from a t-shirt and jeans outfit. And suede is always great for fall, especially when in a darker color. These dark green pointed toe heels are one of my favorite pairs — they're extremely comfortable, the perfect shade of green, and not too tall. With these jeans, there are so many beautiful details around the ankle (or rather, the hem, which falls at the calf). We wouldn't want to muddle that beautiful coloring or delicate fraying by wearing a clunky boot.

While I wait for temperatures to drop enough to the point where it will be bearable to wear some of my new coats and sweaters, I'll stick to looks that are somewhere between Summer and Fall. This denim favorite will stay at the forefront of my wardrobe, because no one should have to pack away their favorite pieces every time a new season rolls around!

Top - similar here | Jeans - Madewell | Shoes - similar here | Sunnies - Celine