Self-Love

I have come a long way these past few years of my life as far as confidence goes. I was always the shy girl in school who was often forgotten about and was left to fade into the background, but somehow I summoned the courage to change this. I learned to appreciate every part of me – inside and out. This is certainly not an easy task, especially in today’s modern age.

These past couple of months, I found my self-confidence quietly slipping away. Yes, I was still happy, but I felt a sort of mild anxiety bubbling beneath the surface. I was weeks away from graduating university and although I was ecstatic to be done with my education forever, I did not have a plan and it absolutely terrified me. Friends and family were asking what I was doing after I graduate and all I could do was merely shrug. This is where my self-confidence faltered and I started to question everything. What if I chose the wrong major? Attended the wrong university? Didn’t study enough? Should I even pursue fashion?

This quietly went on for the past couple of weeks and I thought I should just come to terms that I would be unemployed forever (Dramatic, I know). I continued to half-heartedly apply to jobs online, hoping for a miracle. Finally, after what felt like ages, I received a couple of requests for follow up interviews from a few companies. I rejoiced and I finally received an offer last week. I felt so relieved that I could finally provide an answer to those asking about my future plans. My incessant worrying and fears seemed so silly.

Self-confidence is a tricky matter and something that needs to be continually worked upon. It may be diminished with FOMO or scrolling through an instagram model’s feed or from being temporary unemployed and feeling lost. I have come to realize it is just a part of life, but we should collectively do all we can to love ourselves. Here are some of my self-confidence tips:

1. Compliment yourself when you look in the mirror everyday!

2. Play dress up. Find a cute outfit and go out for the day. After all, enclothed cognition is a real thing! What you wear does affect your overall attitude and confidence.

3. Do something you love. Make time for your hobbies!

4. Spend a few hours during the week to spend some time alone and focus on yourself. For me, this is my Sunday night ritual where I like to spend time pampering myself. This means painting my nails, doing a face mask, and listening to my favorite music.

5. Surround yourself with at least one good friend. 

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Favorite Books

Good morning, friends! I really wanted to have another outfit post up, but yesterday was my day to shoot and unfortunately the weather was not very permitting. However, it did make for some perfect lazy reading weather. Thus, I compiled a very short list of some of my favorite books at the moment.

Lifestyle

Estée Lalonde is my favorite Youtuber and Beauty Blogger and my boyfriend knew that, so he surprised me with her book, Bloom, for my birthday. It was a relatively quick and easy read, but pleasurable in the sense that it flowed at a nice pace and was also extremely aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Estée took extreme care into the physicality of the actual book itself and almost every page is adorned with a picture that was carefully chosen to accommodate the text. 

As far as the content itself, it was really interesting to read more about Estée and her thoughts on life. She navigated through deep, personal issues such as body image and her experience with depression, which are topics that are typically not discussed in the YouTube sphere. She also touched on fashion, beauty, and interior decor, 3 passions both her and I share, so I really enjoyed these parts as well. I definitely recommend this book if you enjoy watching her videos or if you enjoy reading about life and style through a genuine voice.

Cooking

If I could choose to meet and have a chat with anyone in this world, it would be Anthony Bourdain. I think he is an amazing human being who has so much insight and wisdom about the world. Often times, I will grab a snack and throw on an episode of Parts Unknown – my ideal way to spend the day. His latest cookbook is Appetites, which is a hybrid of his professional experience as a chef and his worldwide travels. It’s a collection his favorite dishes that he believes everyone should know how to prepare. Although, I have not cooked anything from it yet (a future blog post, perhaps?), I quite enjoyed flicking through the pages and reading his personal anecdotes and absorbing the unique, eye-catching photographs inside.

All-time Favorite

It honestly would not be a favorites book list if I did not include a novel by Haruki Murakami. One of my goals in life is to read every single one of his books. This was actually the first book I read by him, but I decided to include it because I recently reread it and fell in love all over again. Murakami’s works are always reminiscent of a dream you might have had in the distant past. I think this particular story is a great first read if you’re new to Murakami because it totally draws you into his world and instantly hooks you.

Kafka on the Shore is about a teenage boy who runs away from his father in order to locate his mother and sister. Somehow, he finds up staying at this library with a woman named Miss Saeki. The book also tells the story of Nakata, an older man who locates lost cats. As the story unfolds, the two characters’ stories converge and their paths intertwine.

Memoir

Unfortunately, I do not have a photo of Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, because I rented it from the library a couple of months ago. However, I needed to mention it because it was the best non-fiction book I have ever read in a long time. Phil Knight relives his early life as a runner and how this passion lead to the creation of multi-billion dollar company, Nike. I absolutely love the way he wrote and how there was never a dull moment in the storyline. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is passionate about the brand like I am or who enjoys s good success story.

Leave a comment below and let me know what your current favorite book is:

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Wishlist: Window Shopping

*Click product to shop it!* Lately, whenever I go to a physical clothing store, I have such a hard time of finding anything I really like. Granted, I have gotten pretty picky and one could even say frugal over the years, but it’s getting pretty frustrating! That is why I always gravitate towards online shopping in the end. I just like how everything is laid out plain and simple and there is no need for scourging through full racks of clothing just to find hidden gems. Thus, this little online shopping wishlist I put together. I was definitely in the infamous shopping mood the other day and here are some things I happen to have my eye on. How gorgeous is that printed kimono in the bottom left corner? Would that be too Asian of me? LOL.  Where do you like to shop online?

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Crop It

If you saw on my Instagram story the other day, I found this $7 mustard denim jacket at Goodwill and decided to hack it into a similar jacket I really wanted from Urban Outfitters. However, this BDG version is $79, so I was so happy to find a much cheaper alternative. All I had to do was hack off half of the bottom and it was good to go! I paired it with a simple black tank top and these gorgeous green satin shorts (similar).

As of lately, I have had quite a difficult time shopping for clothes. As I grew older, I started spending less and less on clothes because I got more frugal as time passed. That is why I love going thrifting. If you look hard enough and maybe with a little DIY, you can find something similar to the piece you were eying in the store for a fraction of the price. I essentially saved myself $72 by patiently waiting and not purchasing that BDG jacket although I really wanted it. It is definitely a lesson to be learned!

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BFFs

Best Friend

              

May 19, 2017

Photos by Alex Choi

Today’s post features my best friend and derby boyfriend. We met up with Alex in Center City to shoot some couple photos and judging by my boyfriend’s face, you can see we had a good time. To be honest, I have never really had someone professionally take my photos, but Alex made the whole process easy and comfortable. I definitely want to start working with more photographers in the future, so if you’re based in the Philadelphia area, give your girl a holla.

I wore the same jogger pants I featured in my previous outfit post and this gorgeous mustard top. I thought both the dark green and yellow complimented each other well. As far as accessories, I also wore a western style black leather belt I thrifted years ago and these brown wedges I scored from the Forever 21 clearance section. I realized once I was looking through the photos, I committed a fashion faux pas by wearing both black and brown leather. But, life’s all about not following the rules, right?

Be sure to follow Alex!

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Borrowed from the Boys (literally)

Happy Monday, babes! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. This past weekend, I spent the day with my family in honor of Mother’s Day. Did you guys do anything fun for the holiday?

Today’a outfit is rather casual and boyish. I have been absolutely obsessed with these green jogger pants I recently got. Before you click on the link, you should be aware that these are boys pants LOL. I got them in XL and they are the perfect cropped length for me. Not to mention, they were only $15. The perks of shopping in the children’s section is that the prices are a lot more reasonable, haha. I paired it with a Fact graphic tee and a long-sleeved stripe shirt for the ultimate casual look!

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Sheer Polka Dots

When it comes to fashion, one of my weaknesses is anything sheer – especially if it comes in black. Hence why I fell in love with this gorgeous mesh polka dot top. It is a perfect option if you are going out. All you need to do is throw a lacy bralette underneath and you’re set for the night.

However, I wanted to make it a bit more daytime appropriate, so instead of layering underneath the sheer top, I pulled on a black cami on top. Now, instead of being overly sexy, it is more demure and appropriate to wear to my boyfriend’s family dinner (which I did, haha). To finish off the look, I wore my favorite grey flared jeans (similar) and black sandals.

Last but not least, I graduate tomorrow! So, next time you hear from me I will be officially out of school and a “real adult”…!!!

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Shofuso Japanese House & Garden

Happy Friday, loves! Earlier this week, I dragged my boyfriend to Shofuso, a Japanese house and tea garden located in West Philadelphia. I have been wanting to go for the longest time and we were finally able to find a day to visit. Walking through this traditional house was honestly a dream because I absolutely live for Japanese aesthetic.  Not to mention, Japan is number 1 on my list of places I want to travel, so this kind of satisfied my desire (just for a little though).

It was such a beautiful location and it’s crazy to think it is just a 10 minute drive away from Center City, Philadelphia. I highly recommend visiting if you are ever in the area. It is worthwhile!

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Ninja

Happy hump day, babes! A week from tomorrow, I will be graduating university? I am in this state of half-denial and disbelief at the fact that my educational career is coming to an end. After 17 years of schooling, it’s hard to be believe I will be released from exams and homework and essays for the rest of my life??? How? Is anyone else graduating this semester?!

In today’s outfit, I am wearing this gorgeous asymmetrical strap skirt and I was joking on instagram how it gave me ninja vibes. I love the strap detail on the side and thought it was rather sexy. However, I wanted to make it wearable for everyday so I paired it with an oversized men’s tee and a camo shirt. As far as footwear, I went with my brand new Nike Air Max 1 Ultra 2.0. I bought them for myself for my birthday and am so obsessed with them. The university red in them gives the whole outfit a nice pop of color.

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