I'm not sure if you're sick of seeing me wear this ribbed wool sweater yet, but I don't think I'll probably get tired of throwing this over possibly every kind of bottoms I own when the weather is chilly and I have one of those "I have nothing to wear" moments.

Aside from how chunky and cozy it looks, I personally haven't come across another sweater, which's structure holds up quite like it. I'm speaking from experience since I own the same one in grey that looks just as new (even though it is well over 2 years old and a million times of wear).

Ribbed Wool Sweater: Acne Studios
Pants: GRLFRND Denim
Snake Skin Boots: ATP
Bag: Chanel (vintage options)

Photo by Shun S.

Ribbed Wool Sweater: Acne Studios
Satin Skirt: Pixie Market
Shoes: Common Projects
Bag: Meli Melo previously worn here

Photo by Shun S.

When it comes to clothes, I love versatility. In this ribbed wool sweater's case, it's how easily it goes from grunge/street when paired with raw-hemmed denim and snakeskin booties, to effortlessly casual and soft with a satin skirt and some usual white sneakers.

Now I'm not saying you should get yourself the same sweater just because I'm showing you that it's probably the only sweater you'll need this winter (and more winters to come). I'm just hoping that you'll keep this in mind when tempted with fast-fashion sweaters that you'll be purchasing that are generally 100% polyester this upcoming winter season. They might be affordable, trendy, and "cute" but they leave a significantly damaging effect on the planet. In case you didn't know, regular polyester is made from petroleum (processing oil). Meaning, the sweaters, shirts, and even scarves that you picked up from any mass retailers last year that you thought you'd wear again this year sitting in the back of your closets now take anywhere from 20 to 200 years to decompose.

That said, a sweater's price tag doesn't really determine its eco-friendliness either. But even if that's not in your interest, polyester isn't even worth your money. Invest in wool, cashmere, or even wool-cashmere blends. It's durable, and will actually keep you warm (which is the whole purpose of a sweater, RIGHT?).

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Another Navy / Fall Refresh 02

It’s been quite a rollercoaster of temperamental struggles getting dressed for ‘fall’ these past few days. More so than any other years that I’ve experienced fall in New York so far.

So, despite the 78-degree weather this past weekend, I threw on a few things that I haven’t gotten the chance to wear since last fall/early spring as a continuation of my ‘fall refresh’ series.

It’s safe to say that nothing is more versatile than some really chunky knits. See how I wore this one last April 2016.

Dress: & Other Stories (similar)
Cardigan: Oak + Fort (similar)
Shoes: Aldo (similar)
Bag: Proenza Schouler PS11 Mini

Photos by Ying C.

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Cycle / Fall Refresh 01

With this idea in my head for quite some time now, a series like this one I'm about to share with you is long overdue. I'm calling this my 'Fall Refresh' series, but really, it's more of a recycling set of posts on how I'm restyling some of my favorite pieces again for this fall.

In the recent months, I've been spending more time reading up on sustainable fashion and reflecting a lot on the differences between sustainability in the various methods that have been advocated with the fashion industry. For me, 100% sustainability is just not realistic or possible at the moment, and it has been something that was really hard to come to terms with. However, I've also figured out that while I can't commit to sustainability fully, I can at least contribute.

One of the ways in which I can support sustainability is by choosing more quality clothing and buying less to avoid getting caught up in fast fashion and creating extra waste when it comes to garments and clothing. Quality clothing is quite subjective and can mean a variety of different things to different people - but for me, quality clothing depends on two factors. One, how much wear I can get out of it and two, how timeless is the piece.

If you caught my #OOTD 101 post earlier this year, you're already familiar with how this works. You'll also know that I've been working really hard at this for the past few years. It's simple. I invest in really quality pieces or pieces that I really like and make sure that I'm able to wear them often to fulfill either or both of the standards in 'quality' clothing that I've set for myself.

For the fall season, I couldn't think of a better piece to kick off this series than with a knit that I got through a collaboration with a sustainable fashion brand, Gudrun & Gudrun. I thought it would be a good starting point, as this was a sweater that I wore at the beginning of this year while I was visiting Kyoto in the cold.

When it comes to sweaters, it can be quite tempting to have as many as possible. I totally get it. They're soft, cozy and comfortable. But for me, I've learned over the years, that no matter how many sweaters I own, there are just a few that I tend to wear over and over again. Keeping this in mind, I'm constantly turning myself away from another black or grey sweaters, and even camel as of late. The trick is to find a really unique one so that it stays fresh and does not collide with trends and easily go out of style. Most importantly, go for a sweater that you just feel good wearing and one that you wouldn't mind wearing over pants, skirts, and any kinds of denim.

I'm a sucker for monochromatic creams and beige when it comes to knitwear in the colder months, so this look is pretty much my first outfit, but for a warmer fall day.

The whole point of this series is basically to show you something that the fashion industry really doesn't highlight on because it could possibly hurt the business aspect of fashion. There aren't many fashion 'bloggers' out there, that I've seen, happily flaunting something that they wore more than once. But I think personal style is different. There are already so many walking mannequins out there that instead of trying to get the latest designer items or the trendiest pieces, it's more important to add value to the money you spend and the time you invest into fashion if you care even just a little.

You can catch this sweater I'm wearing here in a previous post from Kyoto earlier January this year.

Knit: GUÐRUN & GUÐRUN
Skirt: Aritzia
Shoes: Common Projects
Bag: Givenchy

Photos by Christina L.

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Cozy Cashmere

If the word cashmere doesn’t ooze with warmth and coziness melting in your mind, then you haven’t really experienced the joy of winter. There’s a saying that goes “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.” This could not be any truer for winter dressing. For one thing, as much of a summer-spirited person as I am, I would take cold feet and hands over sweaty and sticky ones any day but that doesn't mean I don't like being warm either.

Not all cashmere are made equal, though, and it’s important to know that your cashmere is worth the price that you paid for them. GRANA is an e-commerce that aims at providing the finest quality materials to create several lines of basics that not only look good but feel good as well. To learn more about GRANA’s cashmere which is sourced from Mongolia, click here.

To emphasize on the versatility of basics and the quality of materials, I've styled two looks using 3 items from GRANA for reference. This Chinese silk slip-dress was delicate enough to be tucked into my joggers without feeling chunky and uncomfortable. On its own, it is soft and pure, retaining heat when it touches my skin and moves effortlessly under an oversized cashmere cardigan.

If you’re interested in giving Grana a try, please feel free to use this special promo code (VANNYxGRANA) for 25% off.

Cashmere Cardigan: GRANA
Cashmere Joggers: GRANA
Silk Slip Dress: GRANA
Shoes: Tibi Jack Feather Slides(in maroon here) also worn previously here.
Bag: Celine Belt Bag


Photos by Grace J.
Styled by Van L.

This post is sponsored by GRANA. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Lauren Manoogian Knit Skirt Two Ways

I don’t use Twitter often, but when I do, it’s not one of those generic quotes you can find on Google. "If you think you can do better, you probably can. If you think you deserve better, you probably do.” - 7/6/16.

I may not write blog posts as often as I’d like to, but when I do, I hope it’s not a waste of your time.

Most people have great taste, but no sense. It is unrealistic to own 5 Chanel living paycheck to paycheck, or having to restrain from eating well and living well. “Passion for fashion” was never about how many brand name things you can acquire, despite Pokemon Go convincing all of us that we "gotta catch ‘em all" to be the greatest ever was. In fact, the best interests in fashion actually come from our inability to have it all. It is rooted in the idea that fashion is endless, that helps us curate our style by being focused and selective. And why having nice things doesn’t always translate to having style.

In our highly commercialized and consumeristic society, we are encouraged to spend and buy as much as we want in order to obtain temporary gratifications. We debate about environmental issues and we show sympathy for unethical labor, yet many of us fail to think about how we can make a difference before directly blaming a bigger source.

It is unfortunate that we live in a world where creatives are always undervalued. Of course, it would be nice if we could all casually afford all the luxuries that we desire and justify a $500 pretty lace dress to wear groceries shopping. Maybe if we regard artists and designers as highly as we do for doctors and lawyers, Chanel and Celine could be prescribed and Zimmermann and Dion Lee could be afforded over the counter.

There’s nothing necessarily wrong with fast fashion, but there’s also no need to buy a new shirt every day. If one is really conscious about their clothes, one should treat their closet like a boutique. There’s no need for every single color of the same thing or an entire collection of a designer, but rather compose the entire thing with pieces that represent your style, that you can display season after season without worrying if it’s old.

Clothes are, in a sense, kind of like people. And I like to think good people never go out of style. A knit skirt like this is probably the least sensible thing to wear in New York’s relentless summer, but on cooler days I can get away with it because it has a tied waist that’s still relevant and a midi length that I just know will continue to last past fall. Plus these two outfits are just the bare minimum that this skirt can do. I can already see it turning into dresses and becoming a great layering piece for delicate knits. And I like to look at clothes the same way I look at people, I always try to see their utmost potential.

Look 1
Top: Aritzia (similar)
Skirt: Lauren Manoogian (similar) via Totokaelo
>Shoes: Chanel
Bag: Celine

Look 2
Top: Demy Lee NYC
Skirt: Lauren Manoogian (similar) via Totokaelo
Shoes: Common Projects
Bag: Chanel

Photos by Kara Ng.  (Look 1) Shun S. (Look 2)
Styled by Van Le

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Velvet Slip and Jacquemus Knit Layering

If I had to sum up this year in a few words, I would say “It was fun while it lasted.” The view, from where I am, looking back, is quite nice.

That’s why I’m getting a little more festive this time and throwing a dress over myself to ring in the new year.

For someone who likes recycling clothes as if I’m on a mission to milk the most out of everything I own - I couldn’t just buy a dress to wear it once. This velvet slip however, had me at pockets!

In New York City, it’s always cold for New Years, and luckily turtlenecks are in this year because I love how they look under a cami silhouette. But just incase it’s a little warmer, I opted for a lace bralette under, a slouchy coat and over the knee boots for a sleek touch.

LOOK 1:
Coat: Zara (similar here)
Dress: & Other Stories (similar here)
Bralette: Aritzia
Shoes: Aldo Shoes
Bag: Proenza Schouler PS1

As the year comes to an end, there’s this feeling of excitement that comes over me. 2015 has been such a great year, and I think it’s the first year where I was able to fulfill some of my resolutions, which I generally forget easily a few days after all of the celebration.

2015 closed a really important chapter of my life. As I turned 22, graduating college, and finding my very first full-time job was two of the top things on my to-do list as they will pave ways into some of the things that I have in mind for 2016. I was lucky enough to travel to several places this year, Italy was definitely a highlight and I can’t wait to explore the rest of it in the near future. As I get older, the list of things that are important has definitely grown shorter, but traveling has somehow made it’s way up that condensed list of priorities.

For now, 2016 will be a year where I will have the opportunity to start fresh. First up on my list will be to kill all of my student loans, and of course, the second, is to collect more stamps in my Passport.

Were you able to keep some of your resolutions this year? And what are your resolutions for 2016?

LOOK 2:
Sweater: Jacquemus
Dress: & Other Stories (similar here)
Tights: Aritzia
Shoes: Acne Studios

Photos by Shun S.

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