OUTFIT | stripes

Top - Monki

It happened, yeah.
Bathroom photo.

OUTFIT | lana blazer

I've been looking everywhere for a floor length blazer in white/cream, and I finally came across this lana blazer at Monki. I love wearing it because it's so big and out there; it's like dressing up in costume every time I put it on. Fun!

OUTFIT | mesh cowl

My first artist trade! This mesh cowl was handmade by the multitalented Melyssa Yanga of { la lune child } blog. I sent her a small customized pouch, similar to { this }, for my part of the exchange. If it currently weren't so cold in Hong Kong I'd probably be wearing this piece all the time. The cowl features a sort of 'cloak like' fluidity, making it a great summer staple--especially in the more humid climates. It also has a subtle drape in the front--which adds a touch of elegance--and a hood in the back.

Lately I've been very drawn towards transparent/mesh clothing because of their versatility and their play on showing too much skin but at the same time, not. I already own several mesh pieces including a dress from American Apparel and a black mesh crop top from Monki, both form fitting, so it's nice to finally own a top a little more free and flowing, which allows for different styling opportunities. In the warmer months I'll be wearing this cowl as shown above: crop tank tops and high waisted pants, possibly thrown over a dress, or over a swimsuit for days at the beach!

OUTFIT | black

Blazer - H&M // Hat - Topshop

OUTFIT | navy coat

Coat - COS // Hat - Topshop // Bag - Baggu

This coat has been such a lifesaver from the freezing temperatures of New York (not to mention in London, Paris, Berlin, Cesky, Vienna, and Munich as well). I've been missing it so much since leaving Europe as the weather in Southern California never calls for anything more than a light cardigan. 

On this particular day Kelly and I braved the winds and crossed the Brooklyn Bridge to well..Brooklyn. That called for heavy layering since the winds get piercing cold. I've got about 3 layers packed under that coat so my outfit was rather bulky and uncomfortable. But as long as it keeps the cold out and the heat in, I really can't complain.

photos by { Kelly }

DIY | boxy leather jacket

Jamie: Boxy jacket - Selfmade // Top - Asos // Jeans - Cheap Monday // Boots - H&M

Kelly: Boxy jacket - Selfmade // White Tee - Gap // Jeans - Hollister // Dr. Martens

Materials.
001_2 yards of faux leather
002_needle & thread
003_scissors

This jacket was 100% hand sewn

There's always something really rewarding when making DIY projects. Even if it saves you hours of trial and error and multiple needle pricks to just go out and buy whatever it is you're making, you still do it because being crafty is just so much more fun. That, and I've had a lot of free time to myself this past week so I wanted to challenge myself by working on the ultimate DIY: A faux leather jacket.

First problem I encountered was the fact that I know absolutely nothing about making clothes. I don't own a sewing machine and I can barely understand clothing patterns. I thought I'd find something useful on { Pinterest } or { Google } at least, but to no avail--and some where so complicated it made my head spin. So my only option was to take old tee I found in my closet during my closet cleanse and undo the seams to see how it all works. See, before that I had no idea how sleeves of a shirt looked unraveled. It's a good thing I did too because I would've started cutting out a completely wrong shape.

Once I deconstructed the shirt, the rest was quite simple: I traced the front and back portion of the tee on the faux leather, adding an extra inch on each edge for a larger fit and seam allowance. For the sleeves I measured the length of my arm and drew a shape using the sleeve taken from the tee. The rest was a matter of sewing together all the pieces inside out. Simple. Longest part really was measuring out the shape to make sure it fit alright. Faux leather isn't as elastic as other types of fabric so it was crucial to get the sizing right--I must've drawn at least 2-3 rough cuts of the front and back panels.

Cut down the middle of the front panel to create a jacket. Sew on a zipper if you like--I left mine without just to keep the minimal look. Or forego the cutting and wear it as a jumper/sweater.

Inspired by vintage cropped moto jackets
Thanks { Kelly } for the photos

OUTFIT | cashmere jumper

grey cashmere jumper - thrifted // gold bracelet - H&M

For the sake of my upcoming Europe trip and my move out of the country in January, I decided to clear out my closet of a few old things I never/hardly ever wear. I didn't realize how much stuff I had lying around until the end--when I was stuffing 5 bags worth of old clothes into my car. I was successful in selling some (while the rest will probably be donated to the local goodwill) and earned about $50 in the process, so I look a quick look around the store and came across this gem of a jumper! After living in California for the last 8 years and hailing from the subtropics before that gives me little to no reason to buy warm shirts, knits, or jackets. Cashmere isn't hard to come by but has always been a little out of my budget, especially since I never need to wear any more than a light jacket even in winter here in the States. So when I found this jumper--and in incredible condition as well--for a measly $20 (they usually go for $150-$300), I snatched it up straight away. I remember how freezing cold it was in Paris last year in October, but this time this knit under a nice wool coat is how I plan to be spending my early winter days overseas!

OUTFIT | nike free run+ 3.0

Ok ok, I'm about 2 years behind but Kelly finally talked me into purchasing my very first pair of running shoes. I know the 5.0 came out recently, but I wasn't too crazy about the design, so ultimately I went with the 3.0.

So comfy!!!

OUTFIT | summer uniform

Oversized blazer - Zara // White tee - H&M Mens // Workout shorts - H&M

Ahhh! Summer is definitely not my season--it is only just beginning and I'm already dreaming of winter coats and knits. This summer I'm trying to alter my usual wardrobe to fit my current style. When it's 90+ degrees out it's hard to want to reach for anything other than a tank, shorts, and sandals. While most Californians have no problem whatsoever with those summer staples, I on the other hand am quite uncomfortable wearing tanks and shorts--sandals I can handle, though they give you the most awful sandal tan that can take months to get rid of. So it all comes down to experimenting. Instead of tanks, this year I've stocked up on some basic tees in white, black and grey to be paired up with loose bottoms including: boyfriend jeans, harem pants, and trousers. As for shorts, I've recently realized that I don't really like wearing denim shorts (I just don't really feel myself in them), so instead I bought a pair of workout shorts to substitute. They're super comfortable and I find that the plain matte black keeps an outfit clean and crisp. And isn't there a whole sports lux vibe in the fashion industry this season anyways? ;)

Additionally, I've always been all about outerwear, so recently I've been searching for some lightweight jackets (blazers, kimonos, or even large chiffon blouses turned makeshift jackets) to tie an outfit all together. A couple weeks ago I came across the perfect Spring/Summer blazer at Zara and picked it up straight away to add to my summer essentials pile. I like how the peachy/pastel adds a bit of color to my usual black and white palette. Last but not least, I like to put on a simple black heel or my new favorite { Asos atlanta ankle boot } and voilà, my summer uniform is complete!

photo by Kelly

PERSONAL | getty center birthday

I was blessed with some great weather on my birthday: sunny but not unbearable (really not looking forward to this summer's blistering 90+ degree weather. Noooooo thanks.). Kelly and I quickly took advantage of the situation and snapped up a couple exterior shots of The Getty as well as a few portraits of each other. But I don't know. I don't feel very natural in front of a camera; hence the stiff/awkward smile. But I thought I'd make an small appearance on my blog--since I'm usually the one behind the camera.

That being said, I'd like to give a shout out to all my friends who have wished me a 'Happy Birthday'! Your calls, texts, and messages really brightened up my day! I'd also like to give a big thanks to my sister { Kelly } (who happens to be a bottomless pit of corny jokes, sarcasm, and internet humor) for spending the entire day with me. Never a dull moment with that one.

photos 4 + 5 + 7 by Kelly

TRAVEL | the biker life

Jamie: Common Ground jacket // Tee - UO // Jeans - UO // Dr. Martens

Kelly: Sweater + jeans - Uniqlo // Muscle tank - H&M // Free Runs 3.0

Despite walking into the bike rental store thinking "I got this!", it turns out I am horribly rusty at this biking game--it could be that the bike handles were too far apart from what I'm used to or that my feet just barely reached the pedals--either way, the whole experience was rather embarrassing. Not to say it wasn't fun though. I think today was my favorite day since we've been here! The original plan was to walk Stanley Park, but after finding out how large the park actually was (8.8 km or 5.5 miles), I then came up with the new plan: bikes!

Choosing a bike rental shop was easy enough. Yelp was incredibly helpful and we ended up going to { Spoke Bike Rentals } since I read that they offered good bikes at reasonable rates. Our 2+ hour ride came out to $30~ (and we got an additional discount from our hostel).

The trail itself was easy enough to bike on (Kelly and I were nervous at first since we haven't touched a bicycle since 2010). There were a lot of scenic spots for your photographing pleasure, as well as parks and wide open spaces for when you need a break. At one point Kelly and I took a wrong turn and ended up riding waaaaaay south of where we intended to go--this resulted 15 minute delay and extra sore muscles. Can't complain though, we actually ended up riding through English Bay (Beach), a location I had actually planned for us to visit tomorrow. Two birds, one stone. Hooray.