When you think about it, no day in New York is ever the same. No matter how long you’ve lived here, how many times you’ve taken the same train, or how many times you frequent the same coffee spot-it’s different every time, even if you do absolutely nothing. While New York is top of the list of cities anyone can dream of living in, for me, it’s a thought that’s ever-changing. Some days New York is really really good, and some days, it just couldn’t possibly be worse. I know that for many people, a bad day in New York is still a better day anywhere else. But I haven’t reached that point of denial yet. One thing I do appreciate about New York, though, is that it never fails to surprise you. And in a way, that forces you to always be prepared.

For one thing, someone is lying to you when they say they are always on time in New York. One is always early, or late here because the MTA is never on anyone’s sides. Regardless of whether one is too early or late, you can assume that anyone in New York prepared to leave their house at least 15min before they actually need to leave because that’s just how much we rely on public transportation, haha.

New York is so big, that it makes you feel that much smaller, and I just don’t know anyone who doesn’t feel like they are ever doing enough here. I guess, maybe that isn’t such a bad thing at all. Like life, in fashion, it’s always better to be overdressed than underdress. And in everything else, it’s better to do a little more than what you intended to do. If everyone can just put a little more passion in something that they want to do, how much better do you think the world would be, collectively?

Look 1:
Sweater with Tie Sleeve: Zara
Pants: Topshop
Shoes: Common Projects
Bag: Proenza Schouler PS11

These days, one’s collar color no longer determines their status in life. So why should we let the size of our sleeves, the price of our bags, and the season of our shoes determine how “fashion-forward” our styles are? Hard work definitely yields its share of returns, but a little harder can make all the difference. That’s why the details on our clothes matter. The color of the stitches, the material of the buttons - and in a more perfected world, we would care if the people making our clothes have the means to wear it, too.

With everything said, this blog post just felt lacking if I only showed you one way to wear a 50$ sweater. So I went out and attempted some self-portraits to take it a step further with the second look. A bit rusty with the focus and composition, but not mad about it since it gave me the motivation to get back into the zone.

'Till next time.

Look 2: Sweater with Tie Sleeve: Zara (similar)
Dress: Magali Pascal
Shoes: Aldo Shoes
Bag: Proenza Schouler PS1 Chain Crossbody
Photos by Shun S.(Look 1), Van Le (Look 2)

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Isabel Marant Double Denim

Can you believe it’s already October? I mean, I say this every calendar page flip, but it just doesn’t feel like time is slowing down at all these past couples of months. My birthday fell dead in the middle of August, and like every year, that’s the month I find myself spending the most money because, #treatyourself - and when I spend a lot of money, time passes by quickly, because bills just find their ways to me, ASAP. September was a blur, but it was definitely a great blur. I got spoiled with an impromptu 2 days trip to Italy with/by my friend Minnie, and then came back for a week to head off to Spain to celebrate my belated with Shun. Here I am on October 5th, re-reading this as I’m about to publish not knowing where to even begin telling you all of the wonderful life lessons and interesting facts I’ve accumulated this past short 50 or so days of being 23.

For one thing, traveling really nurtures you to grow. Traveling by yourself, traveling with a friend, and traveling with your significant other.

I never knew how sweet Moscato grapes were until I tasted some right off the grapevines that cut with my own two hands in Piemonte, Italy about 3 weeks ago. As a kid who never really liked grape juice growing up, I chugged like a whole wine glass down when I found myself inside a canteen.

I don’t know how it took me 23 years to discover how good toasted bread and fresh tomatoes could taste with a sprinkle of sea salt and olive oil in Barcelona, Spain just last week. If you know me, you’d know that bread is probably my least favorite food - but Catalunya style tomato bread was the first thing I’d order every meal - jamon (aka Iberian ham), came right after, of course!

With the people that I’ve been blessed to travel with, they like to know the big picture. Why something is famous. What makes a tourist spot so significantly important. And if I’m being honest, those kinda facts really bore me. For me, I want to know the more trivial things, what are the rules to crossing the street - speaking of this, I hated walking to every corner to wait for the light in Barcelona.

I want to know what kind of breakfast people eat where I’m visiting. Food, in general is really a huge part of any of my travel plans. 

Maybe it’s just the sociologist in me, but I really like observing people, how they live, and little things that you can’t get answers to from a tourist pamphlet. 

It's all about our outlook on what's really important. And while I often never get to stay in a place as long as I want to, traveling is the best cure for any syndrome of lack-of-motivation. I guess knowing these little things doesn't make me feel any more intelligent in terms of growth - but I'd choose to be more cultured than smart anyway. 

Oh, if you're not sharing food with your friend on trips to maximize the different dishes you'll try - and if you're not stealing shirts from your boyfriend: life is cheating you.

Top: Boyfriend's (another option that I LOVE)
Patchwork Denim: Isabel Marant
Shoes: Common Projects
Bag: Proenza Schouler PS11

Photos by Shun S.

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Hi, Hey, Hello, Hola.

It’s me.

There have been many times in the past few weeks or so that I wanted to share some of the thoughts that I often draft up in my notepad while on-the-go as I do for many of these blog posts that end up being published here. I know, my sentences can be quite a mess as I can’t decide between run-ons or incomplete clauses. Some people can easily wrap the unfinished up and claim it as something that’s supposed to be complete. I’m always contemplating about publishing a 5 paragraph post with a single image that meets my standards for this blog and accepts that it is what it is. But effortless shouldn’t be attempted literally. Yes, everyone tells me, don’t think about it too much. But what if too much is only just enough, for me?

I think too much about thinking too much that I forget how to say hello sometimes and respond to other people’s “thank you” with thank you as well. Does anyone else do that too? I promise it’s not because I’m nervous. One of the cool things I observed while I was in Barcelona this past week was, most people don’t really say “you’re welcome” either - “gracias” is often followed by either with gracias or simply acknowledged with “si.”

But in a way, that makes some sort of sense right? Since we would hope to hear “I miss you” back or “I love you", too.

A sign of acknowledgment is enough for certain, but definitely not for me. I like being reciprocated with the same amount of efforts, and many times I expect more - but that speaks to only the level of thoughtfulness I deem myself and my actions in how I say, and what I show.

In the past few weeks of my lack of presence here in my little corner of the internet universe, so much has happened, and so much I can’t wait to share both literarily and visually. Yep, I'm into floral prints now, and I'll probably be wearing it all Fall through Winter long. With that being said, if you’re reading this: I missed you, and I hope the feeling's mutual too.

Top: Mark and Spencer
Pants: Aritiza (similar here and here)
Shoes: Nicholas Kirkwoods
Bag: Celine
Accessories: Jennifer Zeuner Bar Necklace

Photos by Shun S.

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Pop + Fine Jewelry Giveaway

It’s been a really long time since I added some new fine jewelry to my rotation. I always have a really hard time since my skin is sensitive to nickel filled jewelry.

I get a lot of questions all of the time about the set of rings that I’m currently wearing and I always feel bad when I answer that they’re my mothers, meaning you guys won’t be able to get them.

Fortunately for this partnership with Mejuri, one of you guys will be able to win one of these 14k chain rings with a color pop of your choice! It's funny actually, how much of a black and white person I am, yet yellow just never fails to make me happy. Yellow is one of my favorite colors, so having this set on my hands have really lightened my mood every time that I see it. 

I hope you guys enjoy this photoset that I worked on for this collaboration and enter the giveaway. If you see anything else that you like please feel free to use this code: [Van10] for 10% off your order until 8/29/2016.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Photos by Sandra L.
Concept by Van Le
Giveaway sponsored by Mejuri

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Forever At A Time

It’s really funny how things work out sometimes. Times where you’re not even aware that time’s passing by. Times where nothing really moves forward or backward. And times where everything happens all at once.

If I’m being honest, Summer isn’t half as bad as I make it seem like, but sometimes I’m too used to dreading it that I can’t seem to find any reasons to like it. As much as I prefer Fall over Summer, I always take for granted that I am able to twirl around in a pretty dress when my birthday comes around thanks to the appropriate no-pants-allowed weather.

When I had to shoot this outfit in 104 degrees for Forever 21’s Pre-Fall launch was when I realized how difficult the transition from Summer to Fall actually is. It was the first time I wore pants in the past month, and I can’t even imagine how much getting used to it I’ll have to bear in a couple more weeks when the temperature starts to drop. Yes, laced tops will probably continue to be seen everywhere but not sure how my nips will handle the cold breeze without a bra underneath (tmi?). Of course, I'll miss the mini skirts and short shorts, but I'm definitely excited for the long oversized/ruffle sleeves like the Forever 21 top I'm wearing here lazily tucked into classic black cropped jeans. Watch this space, to see how I'll be layering this in a couple months.

I just feel like I’m constantly in a long distant relationship with everyone and everything that I love. My boyfriend is halfway around the world. I see my best friend once a year. And Fall is always far away and fails to never stay long enough. Yet when I get to see my significant other, my best friend, and even fall - it seems like I could spend forever at a time with them.

Top: Forever 21
Pants: Forever 21
Shoes: Forever 21 (similar here)
Bag: Chanel WOC

Photos by Sandra L.
Styled by Van Le

This post is sponsored by Forever21 for Pre-Fall 2016

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Celine Belt Bag Black Mini

I’ll probably never get tired of black bags honestly, and this Celine Belt Bag is a testament to that. Originally I had a hard time choosing between a white one and this black one, but even my sales associate told me, on multiple occasions, that the black just fits so much better with me. Regardless, I wholeheartedly believe that this is one of Celine’s most underrated bags, and it is beautiful in any color.

Like what I usually do with all my bag reviews (I know it’s been a really long time since the Chloe Faye), I’ll be talking about what I like and don’t like about this Celine Belt Bag (although it’s pretty much almost flawless, to me)

I actually got this one a few months ago, but already have been wearing it as often as I can!

To begin, one of the main reasons that I was attracted to this bag in the first place was it’s unique shape (which has kind of lost its appeal to me as my current boyfriend pointed out that it looks like a catfish, haha - stupid boys). I’ve always been a fan of small bags, but this one was just big enough to hold a decent amount of things without seeming too oversized. The fact that it wasn’t lined was something that I was not used to, but I really like the suede inners. The width of the bag allowed me to carry my DSLR, a laptop and a small makeup bag without it being too stuffed. FYI, there’s a larger version of this Celine Belt Bag -it comes without the shoulder straps and a slightly longer top handle.

Another part that I really adore about this bag is the tiny gold hardware all over the bag including the small Celine stamp at the bottom in the front. I really appreciate the fact that Celine decided to add feet (the metal parts on the bottom of the bag) to keep the leather from being worn out on the base.

Although the Celine belt bag is near perfection in my opinion, and as much as I love the versatility of the front flap going under or over the belted front, I do find that I often have trouble closing the flap when the bag is more full. I would suggest testing out if this would be a problem for you before you commit, since even closing the zipper wouldn’t really help if you want to carry the bag on your arm. Fortunately for me, the messenger strap drops the bag just enough for my hands to reach the clasp and close it with minimal effort.

Overall, I really appreciate how minimal this bag is and one that is unique to Celine’s handbag line as many people wouldn’t even be able to recognize it. Compared to many of Celine’s classic styles, it is also one of the lightest bags at a decent price point - making this one a must have in my life.

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