After Eight Months...

To begin: I know this post is extremely long, but it's pretty important to me. It's different than every single post I've made, but it would mean a lot if you put time into reading it.

This post was going to be one showcasing my outfit from last night, but I realized that it really wasn't worth it. I'm not saying that this blog isn't worth it, but at times, I feel like I'm always saying the same thing with my posts. There's a formula: take photos of your outfit, introduce the post with a trend, explain how you showcased that trend in your outfit, and complete it with an ending statement that inspires readers to go out and try that trend. Some of my posts have been successful with this "formula", but I sometimes feel like most of it is dull and all of my views just come from people clicking on the post to just scan through the photos. They may start to read it, but maybe hardly anyone actually puts time into reading the posts I put time into writing. This may be all in my head, and maybe people love to read my blog on a daily basis, but I recently realized that [most of it] is all the same. I use the formula, and I get a few comments and the same amount of likes for each post. There's not much variety, and maybe my readers don't get bored of this consistency, but I know I do. 

What I'm trying to say is that I want to make a change. I started this whole thing because my mom and sister told me I should. I wanted to do something fashion related, and starting a club at my school was too difficult (it's a sports based school, we practically hate the arts). My mom suggested that I should start a fashion blog, so I did last November. It started as a thing I didn't really care about -- it was only on Tumblr, I only had 10 followers for two straight months, and I only took photos with my iPhone. Now that I look back at those posts and read them, all I can do is cringe, but also realize how much I've grown. I started gaining more followers on Tumblr (I now have 150), I started to take quality photos, and then I decided to move it to a more professional (and free!) domain, aka Blogger. I actually put effort into my outfits and posts, and I was feeling way more achieved after a few people at my school told me that they always read my fashion blog whenever I update it. I did feel successful. But for about three months, nothing changed. I may have gained only five followers on here in that time span, and hardly no one is recognizing the work I put into this. After reading the several stories of people starting a blog just for fun that soon turn into careers, I felt inspired to do the same. And just today, I realized that I was not on that path. Some famous bloggers get recognized in the first month that they start blogging. Some have thousands of followers, even hundreds of thousands, and it seems like they just have a natural talent with gaining connections and getting attention from the blogging world and the general public. I then realized that it's almost impossible to make it in the blogging world. You need to have a unique voice, a good eye for how to get viewers and fans, and hell, you even have to have a good enough physical appearance. If people don't like the way you look, they won't like your posts. It's that sad but also that simple. I like to think that my posts are worthy of views and unique enough for people to notice them, but maybe they're really not. People like to see fresh faces that write different and inspiring posts. Sadly, I may not be one of those fresh faces. They don't want to see the same thing every time. They want variety, but also more than that. They want posts that they've never seen before, and not just by the same blogger. The blogging world is huge, and 80% of this world may be writing the exact same thing. I may be part of that 80%.

After reading the hundreds of articles in magazines like Nylon and Teen Vogue about the new, up and coming fashion bloggers that already have the hearts of important people and companies, I noticed something. None of them say that they are strictly a fashion blog. One blogger I just discovered, that goes by the blog name Shine By Three (her name is Margaret Zhang), does exactly this. She combines her thoughts on fashion with her own experiences, which I believe is what makes them unique. People can dress the same way, but people cannot have the same experiences. This is what makes bloggers stand out, and this is what my posts are lacking. So I'm going to make a change. I'm going to make every post meaningful by connecting it to my own life, or even just the lives of others. Even changing my backdrop can make all the difference (I know no one is inspired by the same window in my room or the same car in my driveway). Instead of just talking about fashion, I'm going to discuss my own personal inspirations, revelations, and experiences that I want to be heard. I might even change my domain to Squarespace, which is expensive, but I believe that it's worth it. Making it in this world requires effort. 

But then I also realized something else, something completely contradicting to what I just said above. Today, I was reading Rookie Mag online, and I stumbled upon this one article that is specifically about getting your writing/art published (which you can read here). It did pertain to me because I have tried to get my poetry published (which I have failed miserably at, I literally submitted my work to 20+ places), and I have also gotten my photography published in two journals. Right after I finished the article, I also realized that it pertains to this blog as well. The article explains how it takes time to get your work published, or even noticed after it's published. It says how it's okay if people do not notice your talent at first, because the feeling of self-achievement by knowing that you wrote an excellent piece is just enough in the beginning. It quotes Ira Glass, who says, "For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not [...] If you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions." This is the best advice I've heard in years. I realized that I need to keep writing for me, and that's the entire reason I started this blog. I'm only 17. I don't need money or a career just yet. I write these posts because I love writing about fashion. Writing for this blog made me realize that I want to major in journalism. It's one of the few things I absolutely love doing, and I may realize that some of my work sucks. But I'm going to keep doing it, because I know it will get better, just as Glass says. But that doesn't change my plan -- I'm still going to make a change. But that change is mainly for me. Writing about the things that interest me instead of following a silly formula will make me feel better as a writer, and maybe a few extra followers and recognitions from important people will come along. It's a tough time for me to gain blogger fame -- I'm still in high school, and I have to start applying to colleges soon and worrying about AP classes. I'm not a superwoman like Tavi Gevinson, who already had three Rookie Magazines published by the time she was 18. I have a normal teenage life, but I also happen to write for this blog. I wish it was my entire life, but sadly it can't be. I know that the time to make it in this world is not now, but I know it's coming. I know that if I keep writing, I will get better, and that someone will notice the talent that I have. For now, I'm going to write for me. And I hope you guys enjoy that just as much as what I've been writing before.

California: Day 4

I spent the last three days in San Francisco, but because my dad had a skating race in Napa, my family and I went up to Napa for a few days. Napa is so beautiful that it could be mistaken for a small town in Italy, like Tuscany, just by looking at its rolling hills and hundreds of wineries. However, it's really not the place for people under 21. People literally come up here just to drink wine at the famous wineries Napa is known for. Other than that, there's not much to do, so you can probably assume that it's not the best place for me because I'm only 17. However, I still wanted to make the best of it with fashion. The only fashion up here is the looks of the thousands of "wine moms" (as I like to call them) and the swanky 20/30-somethings that travel up here just for the famous French Laundry restaurant. But because we were going out to dinner at this nice Italian restaurant, I wanted to look my best and use this as an excuse for a blog post.

(First off, I apologize for the low quality pictures -- I didn't have my camera with me)

While I was still in San Francisco, I was walking around in the famous Haight Ashbury neighborhood that is known for its "hippie culture" (The Grateful Dead and Janis Joplin lived there), quirky shops, and vibrant street art. The only downside is that it's filled with "gutterpunks", aka the people who choose to live on the streets and be homeless even though they come from decent home lives. They are basically the white people with dreads who are "homeless" but wear Birkenstocks, so they're not the kind of people I want to be around. However, the shopping was pretty awesome, and I got the shoes I'm wearing in the above pictures for half off in one of the shops there. 

To continue back to my Napa outfit, I noticed that the weather was way warmer here than in San Francisco. SF is a little bubble of cool air, and almost everything around it is at least 10 degrees warmer. However, it wasn't boiling hot, so I could wear a light sweater without being uncomfortable. To meet these 75 degree weather expectations, I wore my favorite green skirt from Urban Outfitters to let my legs breathe, but layered my black sweater from Madewell over it due to the slight breeze in the area. I finished the outfit with the new metallic shoes I bought, which completely contrast with the sweater due to its summer vibe. However, I really liked the balance between the fall/winter sweater and the summer shoes because it definitely fit in with the weather here in California.

With my makeup, I went for a natural look again by just using a rose eyeshadow. I noticed that in San Francisco (and in Napa), people wear way less makeup, especially eye makeup, so I wanted to fit in by lacking the bold eyeliner I usually wear. However, I still wanted to make a statement with my makeup, so I completed the look by using a deep red Nars lip pencil, which, by the way, is definitely worth the money.

San Francisco: Day 1

I forgot to tell you guys, but yesterday I flew out to San Francisco with my family. This is my first time on the west coast, and all I have to say so far is that I'm absolutely in love. Maybe not with all of California (I haven't heard the best things about LA), but at least with San Francisco. I'm staying near the Castro, which is the famous LGBT neighborhood, and it's filled with interesting people, the coolest-looking houses, tons of organic coffee shops (and any type of food), and this vibrant culture that you can't find anywhere else. So basically, if my dream wasn't to live in NYC, this is my second one. And I haven't even been outside this little area of SF, so I know it's going to get even better. However, what I've noticed is that they don't have that big of a fashion scene. It does have the shops with the expensive labels (like Prada, Louis Vuitton, Betsey Johnson, etc) in Union Square and Fillmore Street, but that's about as far as it goes. There have been few instances of really cool street style, but most people in this city just dress the way they want to dress, even if it means leggings and t-shirts every day. I'm all for that mentality, but it is definitely not the same in NYC, London, or even places like Chicago (if only SF had something like Michigan Avenue). However, the lack of a huge fashion scene does not stop me from loving it. I made the best of this fashion-lacking city by being one of the few people who actually try with their outfits. This place has really cool weather that is perfect for experimenting with fashion. It's July, but the high gets to be around 65 degrees, and it may drop to 50 at night. I'm definitely a huge fan of this climate, but it definitely calls for some different summer fashion choices. During the day, I was wearing my ripped jeans with a tank top and sandals. The jeans ended up being the only thing I needed to keep warm, but then the sun came out, and everything changed. I had to change into shorts, but then I grabbed a sweater just in case the weather dropped again. The weather here is always changing, so that's the biggest fashion choice you need to make -- be prepared. In my mind, this means layers.

This is what I wore at around 7 when my family and I went out to a delicious seafood restaurant. I started with a sleeveless, turtleneck dress, then I added thigh-highs to keep my legs warm. I finished the outfit by tying my blue striped shirt around my waist. This added color to a black-and-white outfit, but it also served as an extra layer when it got to be colder. I brought a light jacket along, which I ended up wearing on our 10 minute walk there. As for makeup, I opted for a natural look by using a rose eyeshadow by Urban Decay to accentuate my eyes and a neutral lip pencil by Nars to add a touch of color. My outfit was perfect for the weather but also unique enough to make a statement, which was my goal. I can't wait to see what other outfits pop up on this trip, and I can't wait to tell you guys about them! Instead of saying that I won't be able to post for a week because of this trip, I wanted to make the most of it and use this trip to create even better posts.

Here are more photos I shot of this beautiful city:

How to Make Basics Interesting

Basics, like the plain white tee, are crucial in every fashionista's wardrobe. They simplify overly-complex outfits, and they can complement almost every item in their closet. However, these basics can get to be too simple or too boring. A simple white tank can match with almost anything, but it could make a potentially cute outfit just a disappointing look that has no charm. Basics will always be necessary, but there are ways to make these basics ten times more interesting. Instead of choosing the basics that have no detail or unique character, find the items that have a little more, but just enough to where the item is still considered a "basic". I've been struggling to find the "plain white tee" that is more interesting than the simple ones you'll find at places like Target. To satisfy my want for a basic white tee that can still bring something interesting to the outfit, I went over to J. Crew because they have the best detailed basics. Their store is filled with simple tees that are detailed with jewels, fresh patterns, or even metallic stripes (like the one in my outfit today), which is exactly what I was looking for. I ended up getting a white "muscle" tank with vertical metallic stripes running down both sides. This top is still simple enough to be paired with almost anything, but the metallic detail adds a cool, modern twist on the simple white tank. What I love about this top is that it can be dressed up or down, depending on what I wear. Because I had to dress on the nicer side last night (I was hosting at the restaurant I work at), I paired it with my maroon skirt from American Apparel and my cut-out boots. To make the outfit more edgy and to match the metallic detail on the top, I wore my new grid socks from American Apparel. I could have made the outfit even nicer by adding a statement necklace and heels. To dress down the top, I could have paired it with my ripped boyfriend jeans from Urban Outfitters and sandals. The best thing about basics is the versatility a single item of clothing can bring to your wardrobe, but your wardrobe can be even more interesting if you upgrade these basics to the more detailed and unique ones.