If you find yourself in a position to visit Hong Kong, I say, please do yourself a favor and go. If you’re lucky enough to be heading there soon, I suggest you take my advice seriously and pack your airiest and lightest clothing you own. Hong Kong’s humidity is just like it’s people’s attitude-- unforgiving, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

It's been a little over 2 months since my visit to this crazy city, and between New York and Tokyo, my yearning for Hong Kong grows deeper every time I feel lonely-- which overcomes me quite often these days.

Life's been moving rather quickly, which leaves little time to myself. I guess that always makes me feel alone since I find that I'm my best company. When I'm in Tokyo, I'm a tourist, a girlfriend of a pretty decent Japanese guy, which leaves me little room to f*ck up-- it's already bad enough that he has to apologize to people around on my behalf for speaking too loud when I'm already using my indoor voice. In New York, my phone doesn't stop ding-ing and there are always emails to answer and strategically compose. I go to bed telling myself I'll find some time to go through a few of my personal photos to edit, and block out a few minutes to write - but as soon as I'm relatively done with the majority of the tasks that I needed to complete for the day, I find myself feeling sick having to keep staring at a computer screen. I do really enjoy working from home though, in fact, this new gig has been so great that I haven't complained about it since I started and everyone thinks I'm really just unemployed (oh millennials problems).

For me, Hong Kong is an incredible city, for how raw it remains while thriving as one of the major cities around the world yet still so characteristically unwavering. It's a feat that not even many people can to do these days faced with the mass saturation of social media channels and the constant need to validate one's existence with a numeric profile and maybe two lines of self-proclaimed accomplishments.

I miss Hong Kong for its undiscriminating vibe. Surprisingly in a city where I know no one, knew no more than 3 facts and not a single Cantonese word, my loneliness ceased to exist. Hong Kong didn't care about who I am, where I'm from, how old I am, what's my job, or how much money I have or seem to have. Hong Kong evaporated my identity and hid it somewhere among its monstrous puff of smog. For the time I was there, Hong Kong made me feel like I belong while being lost at the same time.

Dress: RAEY via Matchesfashion
Shoes: Common Projects
Bag: Proenza Schouler PS11
Accessories: Fendi Bag Bug (similar)

Photos by Shun S.

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All Recharged in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has been on my list of places that I needed to visit as of late. Mentally, I’ll be honest, things just haven’t been the best they could be for the past few months or so. New York City was getting dull, and I feel like I’m always in Tokyo these days. It was like my battery was at 20% and I was desperately in need of an energy outlet to recharge my mind.

When it comes to traveling, I love cities that are a mixture of old and new. While the thoughts are still fresh in my mind - here are a few things that made Hong Kong really memorable for me.

I won’t sugarcoat it, Hong Kong is quite intimidating. Even as an Asian person, some of the mannerism can really throw you off. People in Hong Kong will coldly tell you no, go away, and even shrug you off to your face, but don’t let that get to you. That’s just how it goes and keeps moving along here.

The people here don’t treat visitors like gods, unlike most places. If you can’t figure out how to order, your loss, and if you can comfortably get what you want, chances are you’re not in the right places.

If you’re lucky like I am, you’ll be able to find a lot of help though. Quite an introvert, I completely change when I’m traveling. You’ll be amazed at what a simple hello, how are you, and an interest to learn about someone else’s culture or life can open your experiences.

Straight off the airport, I hopped into a signature red and white Hong Kong styled taxi cab, not even knowing what area of the city that I was headed towards. I got comfortable and put on my seat belt (yes, even in the back of the car because it’s required by law here) and mustered up a little courage to ask my cab driver “it’s my first time here, what do you recommend I should do today?” To my complete surprise, he let out a quick chuckle and proceeded to say, “you asked the right person, I actually give tours in Hong Kong sometime!”

The cab ride from the airport to my hotel was 40 min long and when I arrived, my taxi driver was a new friend, KC Chen.

These photos were actually possible because we ended up getting KC’s contact and he was kind enough to let us do a few shot with his ride when he came to take us back to the airport a few days later.

KC wasn’t the only friend I made, but I’ll tell you the rest in a few more Hong Kong posts to come.

Top: GRANA
Corset Tank: Callipygian / Opening Ceremony
Pants: Aritzia
Shoes: Common Projects

Photos by Shun S.

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Springing / 032019

It's better late than never, is not one of my favorite sayings, but one that I use pretty often on this journey of trying to document my life in a series of monthly blog posts. Here we are in June and I'm embarrassed to say that these are the things I did, wore, and digitally collected back in March. I'm not sure what exactly happened to most of my motivation for keeping these things consistent, but somehow I'm where I am now - and all I can do is try and catch up. With that said, I hope April and May's posts are coming soon to a screen near you.

March marked my very first Spring in Tokyo official, and I was actually looking forward to experiencing a local cherry blossom season that I generally miss when I visited late April previously. It also marked the calm before the storm as the events leading up to April seemed heavily packed, physically and emotionally.

Outfit

March 16, 2019

Coat: United Arrows JP
Sweater: LNA via Shopbop
Pants: GRLFRND Denim
Shoes: Chanel Espadrilles
Bag: Chanel (similar)

Photo by Shun S.

Travels

Hong Kong
March 17-24, 2019

Shun and I did manage to take a quick trip to Hong Kong again (I know we said we'd be making the most out of our Asia location to explore other SEA countries, but we couldn't resist when tickets were dirt cheap last minute.) I've been meaning to put together a travel diary from our time there as well, but as you can tell- I'm in no position to make promises on when, or if that's even happening. It was definitely a much slower paced trip than our first visit a couple of years ago, and we also managed to finally cross off some photo spots that we skipped out on the very first time. Just writing about Hong Kong is making me crave a cup of milk tea from the grandmas and grandpa's shop on the corner. Oh ,and I definitely could go for another order of tea-smoked chicken from John Anthony's too.

Outfit

March 24, 2019

Coat: Mute by JL
Top: Uniqlo
Dress: Topshop via Nordstrom (similar from Réalisation)
Shoes: Common Projects
Bag: Chanel

Photo by Shun S.

Travel

Tokyo Roadtrip to Nagoya, Nara, and Osaka
March 28, 2019

Towards the end of March, we got a spontaneous visitor (my old friend Brian from SF). He came on a whim, and since the cherry blossoms barely bloomed in Tokyo, we decided that we would do a road trip from Tokyo all the way to Osaka to spot some in more quaint areas. It was only a three-day trip, but it really made me fell in love with Japan, and Tokyo even more. I couldn't help but feel super blessed to be where I am coming back from that trip. I mean, have you guys seen this photo that we captured of Mt. Fuji by a random lakeside (since we missed golden hour due to traffic).

Anyway, I'll end this month here since my thoughts are diluted by how long it has been since - but hopefully I'll be able to share more updated things from here on out.

Wearing

All pieces in this post

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Gold

Everyone somehow confuses me for someone who’s “minimal” because of how selective I am about the things I choose to own and wear. Living in a big city doesn’t allow you to have much because your apartment bedroom is the size of a regular closet compared to 80% of other cities in the world with exception to Tokyo or Hong Kong and a few other cities I’ve yet been to.

They said traveling teaches you a lot, and while that’s true — travel also changes the way you live and your perception of personal belongings and their values. Material wise, gold has always been the standard monetary currency for centuries, but that’s relatively no longer true. At one point, you were highly regarded in the bubble of social media if your ‘aesthetic’ was minimal - but that’s all b*llshit to me, and you all know that.

To be honest, I really have no idea where this blog has been going these days. At times I find the outfit I’m wearing quite generic, and I really miss creatively thinking about how to style things. The more I force myself to blog, and document these outfits and photos, the more I’m confused as to whether what’s my personal style is anymore. But while I’m lost, I’m telling myself that I’m still finding my way, especially when I recognize that there’s something about this and that, that I don’t feel fits me.

So yeah, you might be thinking - floral top with cutout shoulders AND ruffles AND a metallic gold pair of shoes? Are you even on the right blog? Well, welcome to one of the outfits in which I too surprised myself I walked out of the house with.

Growing up, my mother has always taught me this one saying real gold does not fear the test of fire.

And as I’m turning 24 this month, this statement’s meaning becomes more refined for me. It’s a saying about being true to yourself and testing yourself over time because adversities are what makes you better in your very own ways. As a shoe person, I just couldn’t help but gift my self a gold pair of shoes that’ll walk me through to some bigger travel adventures this coming year.

Top: L'Academie
Pants: GRLFRND
Shoes: Valentino Tan-Go Gold
Bag: Chloe Faye Motty Grey
Accessories: Daisy Studs (similar here)

Photos by Hardy T.

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Crossing The Lines

You “crossed the line” versus, I “crossed the line”, versus ‘Crossing The Line’ all have different connotations to me. The first one usually means that I’m ready to cut you out of my life, and the second one means I really fucked up (since I usually don’t know when to stop and go overboard and rarely admit something’s my fault) - but crossing the line this time is just me trying to be a smartass about my laced up corset over striped shirt.

I’ve always been quite an underachiever that’s hard on myself (if that makes any sense). At the beginning of this year, I was out of a job and wasn’t quite sure how this year was going to unfold. I told myself I’d go easy on me for a while and let things happen. Pass forward to September and I had probably my most exciting NYFW so far with my work opportunity. If you’re an older reader of this space- you’ll probably know I like to refer back to old happenings quite often. I literally celebrate every small win because that’s just how I like to keep moving forward (I do it kind of quietly though, I think - I can’t help it, I’m a Leo). But I feel like, in the last few months, I’ve crossed some lines I’ve been dying to get through.

I’ll warn you now that there’ll probably be a lack of styling posts for a while as I’ve just been crazily working and preparing for a month long trip in Tokyo this coming October. Finding new ways to wear old things, like this corset top I last wore in Hong Kong, has been the only thing that's been keeping me trying to blog. Totally forgot about these studded Isabel Marant flats in their dustbags 'til now too. Besides, summer fashion has never been quite my forte, so I hope there’ll be some interesting things to put together for fall. 

Top: Fame and Partners shirt / Callipygian via Opening Ceremony
Pants: Oak + Fort (similar here)
Shoes: Isabel Marant (new season)
Bag: J.W Anderson Mini Pierce Velvet Bag

Photos by Ryan C.

Below are some of my photographs that I was able to capture at NYFW for SS18.

ZIMMERMANN SS18
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PUBLIC SCHOOL NEW YORK SS18
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TOME NEW YORK SS18
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JONATHAN SIMKHAI SS18
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