light hearted

H&M khaki green button up shirt (Euro 4) // H&M white tank (Euro 2) // H&M ruched bodycon skirt (Euro 4) // 
Forever 21 layered chain necklace and rings // H&M bracelets

Photography: Thomas Roach

It's been a while since an update and I suppose I only have the aftermath of a relaxing Spring Break to blame and boy have I paid for it all this week. My boyfriend and friends explored the city fairly thoroughly after having lived here for the past 3 years and I have so many new memories to add to the college experience that is quickly ending both mentally and temporally. It seems like just yesterday when we were all packed into the AC rattling off our res college chants. It seemed like just yesterday when I first met you.

These photos are a tribute to the beauty of my campus. After all, what sealed the deal in coming here was partially the architecture. As my friend Thomas Roach and I started off from the edge close to the blossoming plum trees at the Physics building, we moved back towards home and back towards time. It seems that my classes have been stretching to further locations, longer walks, more light jogs just to make it on time in the mornings. He got the T2i that I've been wanting forever and a new superflash so we thought we would go try it out. It was super windy and getting colder as the sun set but we shot for a good 45 minutes at least. I ran out of poses by the end and kept doing the same thing oops. He specializes in taking face shots so there was no outfit photo but that's okay. I'll just retake that this weekend but for now, enjoy his talent!

Bee tea dubs, Blogger/Mac combo needs to stop washing out my photos.

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Carrot Top

H&M orange cropped sweater (Euro 4) // H&M knee length ruched skirt (Euro 4) // 

H&M brown felt fedora (M) // Taiwanese teal tights // Taiwanese camel faux fur heeled boots (36) //

Photography: JJ

Startled to see my old hair colour again and missing it lots. Here's what I wore under my trench coat for the outfit I posted two days ago. When I spotted this super bright orange freshly-squeezed-carrot-juice-worthy cropped sweater at H&M for a good price, I had to take some risks with bright colours and thaw myself out of a stagnant winter. With these teal tights I got at a night market in Taipei over break, I looked like a walking, talking Crayola box. Mondays have to be combated somehow, right?

Still working through this backlog of post material. I have some reviews to write about beauty products and still photos to edit from many a shoot. It seems that life doesn't slow down enough to let me catch up on blogging just about what happened today! So much to do, so little time. What I really miss is kicking back with a good book by a sunny window or sitting down with a slice of lemon cake and cup of piping hot black coffee at Borders. Too bad they're closing ... I still don't know what happened there. They will be missed. Any good reads recently? I need a good page-turner!

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Camel & Sable

H&M camel poncho // Forever21 skinny jeans (26) // Forever21 grey LS top (S) //

Merona mustard yellow scarf // Taiwanese camel faux fur heeled boots (36) // 
Thrifted camel leather satcel bag // Claire's beaded feather earrings

Photography: JJ and myself

It's a dreary day in St. Louis. Is there anything spring about this Spring Break? What with the nice disk of snow sliding at a rate of 1 mm/hour off the patio table, the bundled up pedestrians and bland expressionless sky. I woke up to flurries outside my window, still adjusting to DST. Still, we headed to Kayak's for some caffeine and shelter. There's something about editing photos in a coffeeshop and feeling like you have all the time in the world even if the same cars seem to slide across the scene in front of you. I love to people-watch from cafes but instead of seas of businessmen and rebellious teenagers, it's oceans of mini vans, falling-apart sedans, the occasional truck. I did bump into some classmates and introduced the world of blogging to one of them. One more architecture blog in the world would be so rad.

Grainy photos taken in the subway station. The lighting there is crap but at least my auto function made it minimally blurry. I went a little crazy with the Lightroom effects but I like the sci-fi feel. Too many camel pieces all thrown together and the first time I tried the french braid hairstyle (all the talent goes to my friend and suitemate - this is her signature look haha) while trying to stay warm on this "wth weather" day. The two of us are being silly and trying to look like twins. Of course putting the coffee on the top of our heads was my idea, duh. No one else is that weird.

Okay, okay. Now to address the point that I DYED MY HAIR JET BLACK. Yes, I finally tired of the dark roots and upkeep but I pretty much regret it. I miss my light hair SO MUCH I do a double-take every time I step in front of the mirror. However, having my almost natural hair colour back is more professional, and that is what I hope to become for my future's sake. I miss feeling special and weird and carefree. Now it'll be easy to tell which outfits are old, eh? In fact, my hair hasn't been this black since I was 5, so this is really freaking me out. It has been a super dark brown-black all my life, with random brown streaks that were also natural. The ombre idea didn't work out so well so I just combed the dye thoroughly throughout with the help of my friend. Hopefully this is the last time I dye my hair for a long while?

I was reading Rumi Neely's blog today and it was so eye-opening and heart-shredding to hear about the disaster in Japan first-hand. With each new aerial shot and video, I wish that Mother Nature would be more caring, but she is dispassionate about her victims. This is in no way, shape, or form the country or the people's fault. I am deeply embarrassed for my fellow countrymen who have blurted out inappropriate statements about karma or previous politics. My heart goes out to the people.

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My Dear Watson

Merona trench coat (XS) // H&M brown felt fedora (M) // 

Taiwanese teal tights // Taiwanese camel faux fur heeled boots (36) //

Photography: JJ

"Why is she dressed up as Sherlock Holmes?" must be what my entire university thought as I walked past in this strange ensemble. It was a Monday a couple of weeks ago, and no signs of spring yet to come, I decided to throw on my trench and a newly acquired fedora to top off the outfit. It seems like STL skipped straight over spring and summer to eagerly arrive at fall again. A few daffodils sprouted their green leaves - an encouraging sign. 

I will separate this look into two posts because the trench covers up most of the bright inside. You'll see what I mean in two days. I've found that Target is a great place to look for affordable trends. I got this waterproof (but not wrinkle-proof) trench coat for $50 last fall and wore it most of the season, day to day. It does fall a bit too close to the knee for my height (always jealous of those gorgeous models who bare their legs and the hem of the trench falls 4-5 inches above their knee-cap (Vivian Volkoff in Chuck, anyone?) and I have to double-tie the belt so it won't come undone but for the most part, it's a relatively affordable trench that works over many outfits. Now with my new favourite hat, I can feel extra private-eye. The only question is, where do I find the perfect Sherlock pipe? 

(Smoking is bad and will eventually kill you faster than warranted. Don't do it. Pipes are cool props only).

What do you think about the fit of this trench? Any remedies to make it not look like it's eating me?
P.S. Happy pi day! 3.14159265 not quite as delicious as my favourite pumpkin pie though : )

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Comeback

Forever21 navy cardigan (S) // Forever21 Hello Kitty tank (S) // DIY denim shorts (3)

H&M brown felt fedora (M) // Forever21 grey sweater tights // Target knee high socks //

Shop Ruche messenger bag // Converse magenta high-top sneakers (4) // Forever21 rings

Revlon nail polish in Minted and Lilac Pastelle //

Photography: JJ

I'm officially back to blogging in full force! I have been so deprived of non-science activities this semester and bad winter weather that I've been feeling blue and uninspired. I had a life-changing conversation that shifted my plans around a bit but thankfully this gives me more time to prepare myself and enjoy life before med school. Time slows down for absolutely no one so I can't wait until after undergrad or after med school or after residency to start taking things one bit at a time. I like to be busy with a full schedule but I think I've just overloaded every spare minute of my life recently and I would like to enjoy my Spring Break properly, thank you very much!

So there's 5 million posts waiting to be written. Let's start with this one, a true completely unaltered school outfit. I'm going to be motivated in all aspects of life enjoyment and in these hard times I've become more close with my college friends and discovered new people. I am not giving that up but I don't want to give up my friendships through blogging either! Short posts, fast shoots, daily updates or something of the like. I will be super busy focusing on a wealth of things over the summer, so it's time to get haute while the spring lasts!

Today is the first day that the weather has topped 30 Fahrenheit. The sun was out, it was a gorgeous 55 or so and I smelled the first hints of barbecue grilling when coming back from lab. My boyfriend was so nice to go exploring with me and take photos in the beautiful dying sunlight. We're going out tonight with friends and this is the beginning of a beautiful SPRING BREAK. So ready for this I can't even contain myself.

While I was away, I should have blogged about these things. I ...

• Turned 21. It's so weird to finally be legal!
• Submitted 2 grant proposals for summer research
• Had a beautiful Valentine's day with my sweetie
• Didn't go shopping for the longest time ... until my bday weekend
• My bff from high school visited
• Got a netbook from my bf for my birthday (he normally doesn't spoil me like this, which is good. Thank you sweetie) = thank God for Windows 7
• Took outfit photos even though it was cold and unfashionable in STL
• Started exercising!
• Discovered some things about myself
• MISSED YOU ALL ♥

How do you feel about the bigger pictures? I promised myself I would properly learn Lightroom and Photoshop soon and cut down on the number of photos. Leave me some love and I promise to actually keep up with replies hehe.

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