"Oh! Let's Get Lost"

Playing: Daydreamer - Bipolar Sunshine
Reading: Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald

After seeing so much of the Costume Institute on Hamish Bowle's Instagram, I couldn't hep but want to see it for myself. However, I never got the chance during any of my family jaunts to New York. Consequently, it was one of the first places I checked out when I started at NYU. At the time, it was their "Death Becomes Her" exhibit, which chronicled mourning clothing. Interesting but not what I expected at all. Half a dozen Met trips later, I made a point of seeing the "China:Through the Looking Glass" exhibit before heading back to SoCal. It was amazing how the Met set up labyrinthine pathways that took you from traditional homes to mirrored hallways all showcasing Chinese influence on Western design. Overall, I enjoyed the exhibit and the chance to see so many pieces from John Galliano, Tom Ford, and Jean Paul Gaultier. Even though the exhibit did include pieces from other brands like Valentino and Rodarte, I would have liked to see more from other designers other than the three previously mentioned.

The Top 7 Moments of SS15

Playing: No Shows-Gerard Way
Reading: The Ramayana by R.K. Narayan
With the oncoming of midterms and numerous essays, it was hard for me to digest everything that went down during the whirlwind that we like to call fashion month. If you're having trouble getting through all of SS15, don't worry; I came up with the top seven moments of SS15 for you.

1. Although I still prefer Marc Jacobs leading Louis Vuitton, I have to admit that Nicholas Ghesquiere isn't doing a bad job at all. However, this season what caught my eye (and admittedly, stole my attention away from the clothes) was the dramatic eye makeup, half doll-like in its cartoon-ish proportions and half grunge '90s girl.

2. For those of you that prefer a more romantic approach to makeup and accessories, Valentino killed it with their delicate gold hair pieces, reminiscent of the laurels Greek goddesses wore. Whether you pair it with a floor-length gown or dress it down with a cozy sweater, be prepared to receive massive amounts of hair envy.

3. Dries Van Noten has a history of creative runways (Example? SS05's chandelier extravaganza!) and this season was no exception. Models casually relaxed and posed dreamily along a mossy runway, while displaying an offering of flowy clothes and mixed prints.

4. As much as I love the newer faces on the catwalk like Lindsey Wixson and Yumi Lambert, I have to admit that my favorite models are mostly the queens from the mid-2000s. Consequently, Gemma Ward opening for Prada plus Freja Beha Erichsen (Louis Vuitton), Jessica Stam (Jean Paul Gaultier), and Vlada Roslyakova (Ralph Lauren) all returning to the runway had to make the list for the best moments. While Freja still reins as queen of everything cool, Vlada, Jessica, and Gemma prove that the doll era is back. (Sasha Pivovarova even took a walk down the runway, but where was Lily Donaldson?)

5. Jean Paul Gaultier announced that SS15 would be his last pret-a-porter collection and that he will be focusing mostly on haute couture and costumes from now on. While I hate to see him go, I think his exit from the world of ready to wear begs a few important questions: Where is the balance between creativity and marketability? Is it too demanding to ask designers to come up with hundreds of looks a year? Will other designers follow suit?

6. Although this wasn't announced until after fashion month, it's still deserving of making the list of top 7 moments you should know. John Galliano, after leaving Dior and his namesake brand, will be taking over at Maison Martin Margiela. Will he be bringing his love for historical fashion to the brand or will he follow Margiela's sleek modernism? We'll just have to wait and see.

7. Hedi Slimane killed it once again with his collection for Saint Laurent. Somehow he manages to bring all of my favorite things together - sparkly shoes, military-inspired jackets, miniskirts, impossibly cool girls, etc.- and nail it every time. It didn't hurt that YSL also had the coolest models from Hanne Gaby Odiele to Grace Hartzel, stomping down the runway among rainbow prisms.

Photos 1, 2, 3, and 7 from Vogue.  Photo 5 from New York Times. Photo 4 from Style.com but collaged by me. Photo 6 from Telegraph.

winter appropriate

Playing: Beware the Dog-The Griswolds
Reading: The Human Comedy by William Saroyan

Preparing for my move out to New York was kind of hard mostly because I have no idea what to expect from New York winter. California winters are all pretty mild as in I can wear a tank top with a denim jacket and feel just fine. During my hunt for warmer clothing, I had to pick up a few jackets and sweaters. The quilted jacket I thought would help dress up my jean outfits and the holographic overlay on the geode sweater is what got me. Both are from Zara.

I also picked up a baggy BP sweater, an ASTR scuba skirt, and a Topshop cropped sweater all from Nordstrom. I've been relying on the cropped top and skirt combo lately, so I'm hoping that with a pair of warm tights and a good pair of boots, I can pull the look into colder weather.

While in Japan, I didn't pick up a whole lot for myself. The only other things I bought that aren't pictured is some food and stationary. I'm super psyched about the CC Cream and the perfume-shaped phone case, which is the only one I could find without the Chanel name on it. (Chanel doesn't make these, so all of the ones you see are fakes. I liked this one because it wasn't trying to be something it's not.) The Wego cropped sweater is a nice shade of Slytherin green like the BP sweater and the Topshop crop top is really easy to pair with everything. In terms of shoes, I got an odd pair of sneaker platforms and a pair of ugly yet great Bershka boots.

Back to the winter appropriate clothing. I walked into Nordstrom with the intention of getting a pair of Hunter boots, but walked out with a pair of Valentino boots. The Valentino pair had a deeper tread than the Hunter pair and let's face it, the Valentino ones are prettier too. Even though they aren't lined, I'm hoping that I can wear these when it snows too. Maybe a thick pair of socks will help with that?