Look of the Day: A Vintage-Inspired Affair

One time I walked past a newsstand and learned from the jazzy covers of magazines that the 70's are back. If fashion is technically cyclical, then given the principles of the laws of causality, conditions revert resulting in multiple possibilities, quite similar to a collapsing wave function. Therefore, we are time traveling! ***

(***Taken from a film project I was so lucky to be a part of, go check out The Observer Effect directed by Eric Hayes to see what I mean.)

But time travel aside, let's get real for a second here, and let me just complain about "trends." I am a huge proponent of developing your own unique sense of "trendiness." How is dressing the way "The MAN" says you should enjoyable? Trends are fun to keep up with, but at the end of the day, it's about embracing the style that's right for you. But enough of that rant....

What I'm Wearing: 

First off, I'd like to say that my love for rompers extends to love of all suspender-type of clothing, like these pair of suspend shorts. They're just a super easy way to spruce up an outfit. The mock neck and muted green/orange stripes of the top give it a slight 70's vibe. A cheap flower bracelet thing like the one I'm wearing is also a quick reminder to anyone you see that you are DTC (down to chill), and that you're just the right amount of environmentally conscious plus fun chic hipster kind of gal. 

Also, as I write this, I feel the need to sort of make a disclaimer as I figure out my "writing style." I'm a sarcastic robot sometimes, with lots of sass and feist. Other times, I'm very serious. Come with me on this journey as I figure my sh%t out. 

Posted on May 7, 2016 by Victoria Lee.

Look of the Day: A Taste of Spring

Weather Forecast: Cloudy, somewhere around 57°F plus or minus 10°

Why is it so cold, cold, COLD? Because I'm the world's biggest baby and hate being too cold or too hot, how I dress in the morning is almost entirely dictated by my trusty iPhone Weather app. Full disclosure: the outfit depicted here was not warm enough to last me the entire day. I forgot the cardinal rule of springtime, i.e. always layer up! If the weather would cooperate, I think I would have gotten full marks on functionality and warmth. Curse you, weather!

What I'm Wearing: 

 

I'm love that mock turtlenecks are so in right now because they keep me much warmer. The high neckline yet cottony feel of the dress means I am comfortable all day, which is so important if I'm out and about. Paired with a brown heeled bootie and my go-to jean jacket, the outfit is casual but still polished. Finally, a decorative scarf adds a pop of color and an additional protective layer. I had dinner in a very nice restaurant without feeling underdressed, while I was able to go about my day around campus without feeling overdressed. 

God, it is so freakin' important to find the perfect jean jacket. It's one of those long-term investments that never go out of style, and something you'll find yourself reaching for over and over again. It took me a while to find mine, but I am finally satisfied with Levi's Boyfriend Trucker Jacket in Sunshine Indigo. Essential for spring, summer, and fall, a good denim jacket keeps you warm and adds more to the outfit, instead of covering it up. No longer do I "borrow" my boyfriend's denim jacket when I seek a comfy, casual outer layer. 

 

 

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Victoria Lee.

Look of the Day: A Misty Wednesday Afternoon

Weather Forecast: Rainy and Windy, 48-52° F 

It's crazy that it's already May, and not only did I wear a hat and jacket today, it was also drizzling all day just to add just an extra dose of weather blues. 

IMG_5420.JPG

What I'm Wearing: 

The slouchiness of the jumpsuit makes it comfy and cozy, yet still provides that sleek boost to the outfit. Paired with a long-sleeve tee, the jumpsuit combo gives a wind-proof layer of protection against the blasted weather. It might be raining and bleh outside, but inside we be chillin'. 

Finally, my Jeffrey Campbell rain boots give me a stylish yet functional finish to the look. I am not one of the people who dress like they purposefully ignore the weather report, but I also hate sacrificing (a) mobility and (b) aesthetic. These black, patent leather boots go incognito indoors are just another pair of chelsea boots, though they have magical, water-repelling properties. Finish off the look with a pair of colorful, long socks and a snuggly hat and you are good to go! 

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Victoria Lee and filed under Fashion and tagged outfit fashion rain ootd.

Look of the Day: Flower Power Fully Loaded

Weather Forecast: Sunny, 73°

Ah, 'twas a beautiful day. What a day to be alive to be PTL and eat some gelato with your bff in the sun while enjoying the beautiful landscape around campus. 

What I'm Wearing: 

Prospect Garden is a flower child's wet dream yet a nightmare for anyone with seasonal allergies aka me. 

Prospect Garden is a flower child's wet dream yet a nightmare for anyone with seasonal allergies aka me. 

As graduation draws nearer, I have been becoming more sentimental about parting with this beautiful campus. It really is quite stunning, with it's architecture and foliage, especially during this time of year. No wonder hordes of tourists deposited on campus by the busload roam all year round. Taking these pictures today, I fit right in with a group of Chinese tourists. No matter how busy life gets, it's important to take some time out of your busy schedule and just appreciate the space you're in. 

And now that I'm done being sentimental, it's time to kick my butt into gear and go find a job. Someone, please hire me! 

Posted on April 21, 2016 by Victoria Lee and filed under Fashion and tagged ootd fashion spring.

Look of the Day: PTL (Post Thesis Life)

Many universities, like Princeton, require their seniors to submit a thesis in order to graduate. And every Princetonian knows that the month of April is filled with desperate seniors in agony scrambling to finish...until that fateful day when they officially become PTL. They day you turn in  your thesis is special, because after weeks of hibernating in the library, you suddenly emerge from your cave, don your best outfit, proudly pose with your newly printed thesis in front of some iconic Princeton landmark. 

My Economics thesis (titled: The Impact of Media on Teen Pregnancy, Abortion, and Birth Control, in case you're interested) was turned in on April 13th, 2016. And that day was glorious indeed! The weather was beautiful, and I awoke with a sense of purpose as I got dressed that morning. 

Posing with thesis in front of Nassau Hall.

Posing with thesis in front of Nassau Hall.

Posing with thesis with tiger statue.

Posing with thesis with tiger statue.

Jumping with thesis in front of Nassau Hall.

Jumping with thesis in front of Nassau Hall.

Selfie with thesis.

Selfie with thesis.

Yes, I was excited to turn in my thesis. Yes, I am still excited to be done. 

 

 

Posted on April 13, 2016 by Victoria Lee and filed under Fashion and tagged fashion ootd.

Hairstory: Asian Hair and Balayage???

A young Victoria in elementary school used to resent being Chinese American. I hated being different, always cringing when speaking Mandarin with my parents in public or despising going to Chinese school on the weekends. I just wished I could be a normal "American" kid who brought ham sandwiches and not some strange-smelling concoction of pig ears, stir-fry egg and tomato, and rice. However, very soon after, I came to terms with my bicultural identity, and in fact, became quite proud of my unique ability to assimilate in American as well as Chinese culture. 

While I have come to terms with my cultural identity, the one thing I haven't quite been able to get over is my hair. Don't get me wrong, I love my hair. But, because of its dark color, experimenting with color has never really been something that I've been able to do. Anything trendy like pastel or unicorn hair requires massive amounts of bleaching, and thus irreparable damage to my follicles that I'm not willing to endure. Wigs and fake hair are always options, but not the most comfortable options. 

The first I dyed my hair was the first year I left home after high school, where I experimented with some light brown highlights. Not satisfied, I decided to go full brunnette a few months later, a look on which my mom commented made me look like a Korean pop star, and I honestly didn't mind. I enjoyed the feeling of "difference" from my usual look of straight, black hair. Two years and much hair growth later, I was determined to grow up my damaged hair, leaving me with mostly black hair and some random, neglected bits of brassy, copper hair.

This is what "growing out" looks like. 

This is what "growing out" looks like. 

Unable to bear the brassy bits but also unwilling to part with my length, I decided to give coloring one more shot. I was determined to find a look that works on Asian hair! So, I arrived at Hair Philosophy, a cute little salon in Little Italy in New York, where most of their hair stylists hail from Asian backgrounds, originating from Hong Kong and Taiwan. My stylist, Nicky, took one look of the picture I provided and said, "Okay, balayage. How light do you want to go?" 

I told him, "Light, but still natural-looking for my natural color." After a lot of discussion over color swatches and processing my hair would be undertaking, we came to the conclusion that we would lighten my base ever so slightly, and then apply balayage to the ends. 

First, he applied a dark brown toner to my head, and especially my roots to lighten the whole base. Next came the longest, most painstaking step, which was actually doing balayage, which involved a whole lot of bleach, foil, and carefully picking which bits and pieces were going to be lightened. After the bleach was done, finally came toning the bleached bits to a light and natural shade to complete the gradient. 

The finished product!

The finished product!

When Nicky was done with the color, trimming, and drying/styling, I was pleasantly surprised to discover my hair gently transitioned from a subtle dark brown to a lighter brown shade. He said, "I think you can even go lighter next time." 

What I learned from this process is that Asian hair stylists generally have a much easier time styling Asian hair. Once, this blonde lady in Princeton tried to give me highlights, and I came out looking like a tiger. What works on light hair DEFINITELY does not work on dark hair. 

Ladies with dark hair, remember: in order to avoid a stripe-y disaster, ask for subtle balayage, where your colorist should be gently allowing a gradient to occur. Too much bleach near the roots is the fastest and easiest way to end up looking like an unnatural disaster. Finally, asking for peek-a-boo highlights is also a great way to have natural, light hair. Under the top layers, I have some pieces that are lighter, but because they are covered and only occasionally peek out, I can have that sun-kissed look while still maintaining a natural vibe. 

This is not to say girls with Asian hair can't pull off light hair. In fact, so many bloggers/vloggers like Wengie, Aimee Song of Song of Style, and Eugénie Grey of Feral Creature have rocked lighter hair. The list of examples goes on. Honestly though, f@*% whatever people think about "natural" or "unnatural" hair. If you have a job that allows you to go nuts with your hair, why not? As graduation draws nearer and my search for employment continues, I regret not doing some more dramatic earlier in my college career when I did not have to worry about employment.

Life's too short to worry about whether you within a box or a label. I am Chinese American, and i was born with black hair, but I reserve the right to express myself through my hair! 

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Victoria Lee and filed under Hair and tagged hair.

Sweat-proof, Dance-proof, Rave-Appropriate Makeup Look

It has taken me years of smudged eyeliner, smeared lipstick, and cakey foundation to do something about makeup that just does not want to last. Below, here are the steps I took to achieve a makeup look that lasted me through one of the sweatiest and makeup-unfriendly nights of the year: a rave. 

1. THE BASE

Products Used:

Steps Taken: 

  1. PRIME: Apply primer all over clean and moisturized face. 
  2. FOUNDATION: I use two different shades of foundation, one lighter and one darker than my skin so I am always able to mix and adjust the shade that fits my skin tone during any seasons. Using a brush to mix the two shades together to form the perfect color for my current skin tone, I brush generously over face and then blend with a damp beauty blender. 
  3. CONCEALER: Apply NARS Creamy Concealer over blemishes, and any areas of redness. Use the luminizing pen under eyes and down the nose bridge. 
  4. (OPTIONAL CONTOUR): I like to give my nose bridge a little definition and depth, so I used an angled brush dipped in any light brown/taupe eye shadow, and brushed two thin lines along the left and right of my nose, and then blended it in with my beauty blender. 
  5. BLUSH AND BRONZE: Using just the bronzer, brush along temples, down the jawline and chin line, and down the neck to give a very subtle contour and a smidge of color. Then, dippng the brush in all three colors (bronzer, blush, and highlighter), brush along apples of cheeks very lightly to give just a bit of a more natural glow. I use minimum blush because I have a tendency to get very red in the face when it's hot or when doing anything physical. And since I'll be dancing all night, less blush is fine. 

2. BROWS

Products Used: 

Steps Taken: 

  1. Gently outline brow shape with Brow Wiz pencil, and then fill in completely. Then, using the spoolie on the other end, brush on the color for a more even and natural finish. 
  2. I use a Brow Gel not only to give my brows a more resilient finish, but also because to lighten my brows since my hair is also lightened. Lightly brush on the product, and continue brushing until all the hairs are in place. 

3. EYES

Products Used: 

Steps Taken: 

  1. PRIME: Apply NARS Eyeshadow primer all over lids. Super important so your shadow doesn't disappear throughout the night!
  2. SHADOW: Using the Naked2 palette, apply shade Foxy all over lids for a matte finish. Then, apply shade Half-Baked over lids and creases for a gold shimmery base. Apply shade YDK on the lids, but under the crease. Apply shade Snakebite to outer half of the lids, going just slightly over the crease. Finally, use the shade Chopper on the crease to blend the colors together. 
  3. SHADOW II: Using the Gold Nugget glitter shadow, dab all over lids to give a golden, glittery finish. 
  4. LINE: Using an angled brush and the shade Blackout in the Naked2 palette, line the lower lash line. Then, using the Stila Liquid Liner, line the entire eye, winging it out at the end for a dramatic winged effect. 
  5. LASHES: Curl your natural lashes, then apply Eyeko Sport Waterproof Mascara as a "primer." This mascara is great for my tiny, sparse, Asian lashes as it catches the tiny pieces and gives length and definition. Use on top and bottom. Then, using the Dior Blackout mascara, apply second layer mascara on bottom lashes to give volume and more length to the bottom lashes. Finally, apply Demi Wispies to the top lashes using adhesive. 

4. LIPS

Products Used: 

Steps Taken: 

  1. Using the edge of the wand, line lips with Colour Pop's London Fog. Once lined, fill in lips generously and let dry. 
  2. Because we used a more matte lipstick, I applied a layer of lip gloss in a light shade of pink to start the night off with a more dramatic lip look. As the night went on, the gloss dried, and I was left wth the original matte color. 

5. FINAL TOUCHES

Products Used: 

Steps Taken: 

  1. It's a rave, which means glitter time! Apply glitter gel over the eyelids, along the temples and on the cheekbones. 
  2. I put my hair in these nice space buns so I wouldn't have to worry about my hair turning into a giant rat's nest from all the dancing and jumping. I have a lot of baby hairs, so I secured the hair style with some hairspray. As another glitter touch, I added the glitter gel down the center of my part as well. 
  3. Then, I sprayed my hair with some hair perfume. While I do not smoke, a lot of my friends and other go-ers do, so preemptively spraying my hair with some hair perfume is meant to combat the immediate absorption of the smell of tobacco on my hair :( 
  4. I always save mattifying powder for the end, because who knows what smudges or random product patches might appear during this whole process. Pat the color correcting Mousseline Pastel powder all over face, especially focusing on the nose and T-zone area. 
  5. FINALLY, now that we are all done, set everything with the All Nighter Setting Spray! 

What I'm Wearing: Dinosaur Onesie 

Posted on December 10, 2015 by Victoria Lee and filed under Makeup and tagged makeup waterproof.

Look of the Day: Lawnparties, Fall 2015

Ah, the start of a new school year, and it's the last one, too! September is always so full of hope and excitement, as old friends reconnect, new acquaintances are made, and habits have not yet settled. Lawnparties is the bi-annual celebration bookending the school year, with tons of musical acts at the various eating clubs. It's also an entire morning/afternoon of picture taking with all your friends. 

L to R: Me, Erika, and Helen

L to R: Me, Erika, and Helen

What I'm Wearing: 

L to R: You You, Joan, Caroline, and me.

L to R: You You, Joan, Caroline, and me.

There's this running joke that I'm always wearing a romper whenever I go out. It's not too far from the truth. First off, I one one-pieces. They're so easy to pick out, and almost always make a statement. And the best part is, you can dance however crazily you like, unlike dresses. Rompers are made to romp about in. The only downside though, is peeing, which can be an absolute nightmare if you're a cramped stall with dim lighting. But personally, I think the benefits outweigh the tediousness of peeing. 

I can't believe it's my last Fall Lawnparties! And with that, here's the start to my last year of college, with the pics to prove my beautiful friendships and forever love of rompers. 

Sass and Flash Tats. 

Sass and Flash Tats. 

 

 

 

Posted on September 20, 2015 by Victoria Lee and filed under Fashion and tagged ootd fashion look of the day.

You work hard at the office. Your shoes don't.

Here I am, another faceless college student, doing the whole summer internship thing, trying to make a meaningful impact in the world. The hardest transition from school life to work life isn't even the fact I sit at a desk for more than 8 hours a day. Honestly, I'm pretty used to that lifestyle. College is all about working in the library for hours on end, only to realize that you spent the last 3 hours re-organizing your iTunes library in an attempt to optimize your study playlist instead of actually just writing the paper. 

What I don't want to have to stress about at the office is footwear. So the choice you have to make is: do you bring a pair of sneakers or flip flops with you for easy commuting (unless you have the luxury of driving) or do you find a pair of comfortable and work appropriate shoes?

Shoe game en pointe. Heh. 

Shoe game en pointe. Heh. 

If you're like me and want minimal hassle, you would have gone with the latter choice of comfy, work shoes. But if you're also like me, you wouldn't want to sacrifice style. These chic ballet flats cost me $30 at Urban Outfitters, have super comfy elastic straps for a ballerina look but serve a dual purpose of extra support. Win win in everyone's book. Best of all, they're super comfy I don't need ever change. 

My advice for any internship or job? Find yourself a pair of work shoe staple flats: the kind you can confidently rock to complete any outfit but are so comfy you don't avoid getting up from your desk. Heels might seem like a good idea in theory, but your toes are gonna disagree after your 3rd coffee break to the Starbucks two blocks away. Because flats like these don't deserve your sedentary life: they deserve a good wearing and an audience. 

Posted on August 25, 2015 by Victoria Lee and filed under Fashion and tagged shoes fashion advice.