wind waker

Photography and editing: Thomas Roach

New photo from an old shoot last spring with my friend Thomas. See the rest here. Glad my hair is no longer that fried ... never trying to perm it again. Wind and hair in face, flowering trees in the background, basically how "dead week" is. That's what some colleges call the week before finals but WashU just has the lame label "reading period" in which no one really reads. There is exorbitant amounts of TV show and unhealthy snack consumption though. I feel the need to primal scream!! (open up a dorm window at midnight and yell every day this week). See you on the other side of this cell bio final!

$2000 Lens: 85 mm f/1.2

Photography and editing: Thomas Roach (the handsome feller above)

Preview of more photos to come: My photog friend Thomas Roach rented this $2000 lens (85 mm f/1.2 prime) for much, much less than that. It was for a special event but we pranced around campus Thursday afternoon test-shooting each other and our other friend-photog, Vince. It had just stopped raining and there was a decent golden hour, and these photos made me want to pee my pants hot pink skirt. Shooting full-body outfit pics means backing away the length of a small schoolbus, so the benefit of having sexy bokeh may not be practical for personal style photography. Not sure camera remotes even sense that far - imagine running that distance every time you self-timer hahaha. 

Aren't these boys so sharply dressed too? Thomas and I practically live in our brown leather oxfords. Funny thing too, we're all science majors xD

I just took a long swim in nostalgic tears last night at the St. Louis Symphony Final Fantasy concert (Distant Worlds). Going again tonight and ready to see me some more Nobuo Uematsu, the composer himself! He's soooo shy and cute in person. In other news, this week JJ and I watched Kiki's Delivery Service and X-Men: First Class (sooo good!). Hunger Games movie this Sunday if I behave and get my study on. The beautiful 70-80 degree weather makes it impossible to focus anyway ... oh, and second semester senioritis. Have an exciting weekend!

Readers - do you like the ultra-blurry background or prefer more detail?

Glamour Photos 3: Modern & Casual

Photography: Tank, Modern Concept Photography in Taipei, Taiwan

This is the third and final installment of our glamour photos from Taiwan last year (of 3) - see the FIRST SET and SECOND SET. In honour of March and le birthday month (it's madness), saved the most natural and "us" set for last. We worked with the limited clothes we had in our suitcases, which was mostly casual and comfy jeans, printed tees, and my favourite black fitted blazer. Turned out great after they curled and tamed my hair from the hot mess it was in! Thanks JJ for doing this with me - it was so fun and part of an adventurous trip to remember.

Readers - have you taken glamour photos before? Share a link if you have!

Glamour Photos 2: Swan Lake | K-drama

Click to see more pictures → → →

Glamour Photos 1: Sleek and Sexy

Click to see more pictures → → →

They Outfit the Urbanites

BLING-LE BELLS. Day 3 of "The 12 Days of Fabulous" at Urban Outfitters in San Diego. (Yes I realize I already missed Day 2 for cat-lady-crazy-finals, will wrap around and double it tomorrow). I still love window shopping inside UO, though I rarely ever shell out (except for my favourite double face watch). It feels like the perfect picturesque museum of cool stuff.

Lately I've been obsessing over sequins and sparkly things this holiday season. I remember thinking, "oh eww ... gawdy" as endless sheen decorated Forever 21's two years ago, but now it's the new hot thing and I simply can't resist looking like a good Times Square New Years Eve disco ball. Currently hunting for the perfect little gold sequined number ... and there will be some nice therapeutic holiday shopping tomorrow after this horrendous hell week of back-to-back finals.

Pardon my French, but the second photo is my favourite ever. Domokun dinorawr, moustache bunny, Angry Birds, the perfect descriptor of my life sometimes always. P.S. More great news from the med school front!

Readers - what's your favourite place to window shop?

Enter my UNESTABLISH giveaway for TWO $50 gift cards!

Pumpkin

H&M orange cropped knit sweater (S) // Forever 21 chambray shirt (S) //
H&M Pants Collection slim fit hunter green skinny jeans (Euro 6) //

CLAWS Jewelry turquoise tri-stone gold hoop necklace (c/o WhitWatWear) //

H&M plaid tweed coat (Euro 4) // Forever 21 lace up oxford booties (6) //
Eye makeup: Coastal Scents Frenzy Mineral E/S (shimmery light pink)
Wet n Wild Vanity Palette (brown for outer half)
Stila waterproof liquid eyeliner

Photography: JJ

ARCH-ITECTURE. What's one of the only commonalities between October and November? Besides cold, it's pumpkins! In the spirit of the countdown to Turkey Day and being home with family in sweet warm San Diego, today I am a carrot orange & hunter green pumpkin squash. JJ is coming this year too, so hopefully we'll be able to show this Silicon Valley boy around a little better than last time. Squashes are strange but usually delicious. Did you know their cousins are gourds? As a kid I tried to dry one out and fill it with water like the storybooks always depicted xD

What I wore for meandering around campus Saturday, what was meant to be a night of studying and writing papers (11/5), but I ended up watching a singing competition. Did you know one of the reasons I chose WashU was because I have always loved architecture? There is this beautiful arched building called Ridgley Hall that from the side, creates this wonderful series of tunnels that was too picturesque to pass up. Distractions led to 3 mini shoots for one outfit, woops. Another victory for last week: actually getting up quickly at the alarm instead of lazying in bed. Daylight Savings celebrations went *poof* as soon as I started cracking on 4 papers and an exam ... Luckily the day was spent in good company, as misery loves company and legit Chinese food.

Favourite moment: when the sunlight streams through fall leaves at golden hour.

Readers - have you frolicked in the fall leaves?