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THE MEGA BABE

by Chloe Xiang

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Trespassing

// THE LOOK // Jacket: Thrifted Zara (similar), T-shirt: Brandy Melville (similar), Skirt: Urban Outfitters, Accessories: Sunglasses– Ray-Ban, Earrings– Shop Demure, Shoes: Doc Martens

This outfit is inspired by the Renaissance (note the cherub skirt). I find myself extremely inspired by this era, one lauded today as the most glorious, inventive of eras. Some of my favorite paintings originated during this era, such as those on the Sistine Chapel and The School of Athens. They are so elegantly oil painted and captivate me with their detail and expression. Perhaps with this skirt on, I am a walking work of art.

While taking photos of my outfit, I was simultaneously taking photos of the setting around me. After compiling both sets of photos, I noticed how there were overlapping themes in both: brick walls, playful shadows, similar color palettes, and ultimately the concept (and irony) of trespassing—with all the “No trespassing” signs glaring at me, after having entered an abandoned train station.

I am fascinated by such parallels in life, drawing us closer to one other and to the world around us. As humans consumed and enclosed by our own inventions and artificial reality, we sometimes forget our belonging and connection to our surroundings. But like a Renaissance painting, we each are small figures in a greater landscape.

Photos by Larry Yu and Chloe Xiang

Grocery

THE LOOK: Sweater– Brandy Melville (similar), Jeans– Tiger Mist (similar), Jacket– Urban Outfitters,  Shoes- Nike, Accessories: Earrings– Luv AJ, Necklace– Frasier Sterling, Hair Clips– Amazon

2019 is all about color. In previous years, I have always stuck to a very limited color palette of grays and blacks, as if I was trying to hide from being seen. As I observe strangers walking by, I realize that black is the universal color, the safe color that everyone wears as not to draw attention to themselves. But why? After discovering the beauty of color in apparel and accessories, I have not looked back. From my pink shoes to my gradient blue clips, I realize that colors you may think don’t go together on paper actually do. It’s true that it’s very easy to get carried away with colors until you end up looking like a peacock. However, sandwiching neutral, colorless tones in between colored pieces allows me to avoid being too dramatic.

This photoshoot allows me to see the beauty of an outfit being used in a casual setting. Because it is so cold where I live, it’s impossible for me to showcase an outfit outside, where I am not being swallowed by my jacket. It seems impractical to dress stylishly when the temperatures are below freezing. However, once my jacket is peeled off in the warmth of my school, the supermarket, or wherever I go on a routine basis, I am able to reveal my real look. While in the spring, summer, and fall, nature serves as the backdrop for my outfits, it is in the winter that indoor settings transform into accompanists of my art. Through this shoot, I realize the beauty of somewhere as common as a supermarket—from the bright colors of the fruits to the symmetrical aisles.

Photos by Larry Yu.

New York Fashion Week (NYFW) AW 19 Diary

This past week was New York Fashion Week during which the fashion season Autumn/Winter 2019 was showcased. I was fortunate to have been invited to a few shows and documented my experience in the following video.

Some of the most popular trends I noticed include hair accessories, such as clips and barrettes, and the either you love-it-or-hate-it neon color palette. I will be posting more specific show reviews in the upcoming weeks so stay tuned for that!

Hope you enjoy my visual diary and don’t forget to subscribe!

90s Blues

The Look: Jacket– Topshop, Sweater- Aritzia, Jeans– Topshop, Shoes- Doc Martens, Buttefly Clips- Amazon

My outfit seems like the uniform of the 90s: platform Doc Martens, butterfly clips, a leather jacket, and mom jeans.

I am inspired by the rebellious and grunge attitude of the decade that became manifested into classic high school movies, from Clueless to The Breakfast Club (whose quotes are featured in this photo set). Growing up in the suburbs of another decade, it seems that we have lost the laid-back, yet edgy feeling of a 90s teen. In a world now dominated by the quick pace of technology and competition, we rarely see the same poetic nonchalance as projected by 90s pop culture. Wearing 90s inspired clothes allows me to tap into that relaxed attitude, as I stomp around in my platform boots. With the loose fit of 90s clothes, I am able to ditch the contemporary comfort suit of sweatpants and sweatshirts for a pair of mom jeans and an oversized sweater.

The common setting of many famous late-80s, 90s, as well as indie films take place in a suburban town, featuring high school teens. I am fascinated by the intricacies of such a setting. Because of the lack of surface excitement as a city would provide, the suburban teen entertains herself. With neighborhoods filled with the quiet echo of a birdcall and lined with similar looking houses, it becomes the perfect brooding grounds for different drama and creates a unique dynamic between people.

Through this photoset, I want to embody the classic 90s teen—independent yet frustrated.

Harvest

The Look: Top – Urban Outfitters (similar), Jacket – H&M, Pants – Forever 21 (similar), Shoes – Doc Martens, Hat – Amazon (similar)

I see the seasons reflected in each day. The bright, energetic day reminds me of the sunfilled summer, and the silent, cold night is representative of a frozen winter. Autumn is like the sunset of a day—the transition between day and night. Like the warm colors of red, orange, and yellow that color the sky, these hues paint the autumn trees who carpet the earth with their leaves. Needless to say, I love this beautiful sunset season.

Autumn is full of harvesting, carrying out this process of reaping what you have sown and collecting the profits of your hard work. Although I am not a farmer, I see this process being played out throughout my life. As one chapter in my life closes to open another, I see my efforts providing me with closure and sometimes even a reward. In a sense, you could say that nature is rewarding us with beautiful colors and scenes after a long year of growth and labor. 

For fashion, autumn is a great transition season, because this is the season in which you can style a variety of clothing. Unlike summer in which we are dying to strip ourselves of any clothing, or winter, in which we sacrifice our style to layer heaps of jackets and sweaters, fall is the period in which we can play with different styles of pants, light jackets, and blouses. In my outfit, I have chosen to embrace a monochromatic color palette in order to balance out the vivid colors in my background. I really like how simple the pieces seem to be, yet still contain an added dimension, through texture in the weaved jacket, contrasting the velvet top, and pattern in the striped pants. 

Despite being one of the most beautiful seasons, fall is one of the shortest seasons. With its transience, be sure to enjoy seeing the fiery leaves dance in the cerulean sky before all that’s left are brown branches. 

Powderpuff Girl

outfit
street style
checker crop top
adidas trackpants
athletic outfit

The Look– Top: So Fetch!, Bra: Calvin Klein, Pants: Adidas, Shoes: Puma

One of my favorite things about fashion is the flexibility it gives me to express my different moods and try different styles. One of my favorite styles is athleisure: using different sportswear pieces to create a wearable everyday look. The Adidas track pants I am wearing are so comfortable and functional, but not too simple with its three stripes—causing them to be an extremely popular piece lately. It is so interesting how a piece of clothing once dedicated to running and practicality has been transformed into something almost completely aesthetic. With my top, the checkers added to the simple, linear patterns of my outfit, while also incorporating the racing sports vibe. I love pairing cropped tops with long pants because it creates an elongated leg effect and also gives the outfit contrast and variation. The final piece, my Calvin Klein bra helped transition the shirt into the pants with its white color as a divider and gave my outfit an extra element of style. I guess you could say I pretend to play sports in #mycalvins. 

Photos by Larry Yu.