Hi, welcome back to Eat Your CressPodcast.
I'mCrystal. I'mG-Soo.
I'mEileen. Welcome backEileen.
The lastepisode, Eileen was on withus, was episode182, the evolution of the parentpermission.
Dang, it's been awhile.
We're almost attwo,like, 50now.
Wow, thanks for havingme.
Youthink? But we brought Eileen on because we thought it would be fun to talk about personal style in our modern world of extremely fast-paced trends and lotsof,like, fastfashion.
And I feel like this is something that you're really interestedin, fashion in general and creating your personalstyle.
So we thought you would be the perfect guest to join ustoday.
Yay,thanks. I'm really excited about thistopic,actually.
Dude, I love talking to fashionable people because Itry, youknow,like,mentally, I try to keep up with what is going on in theworld, what looks are trendingand, youknow, what the latest hot new lookis.
But I feel like in terms of incorporating it into mycloset, I just can't seem to keep up my purchaseswith,like, the latesttrends.
I always really have six months behind where I see something on Instagram and I'mlike,oh, that's kind ofcool.
And then it takes me like six months to convince myself to buyit.
And then when I buyit, it's like all of the things in that style are on clearancealready, youknow,like, it's likeover.
And I'm alwayslike,oh,like, how do other people manage to keep up with what's the latest andgreatest?
Imean, I wouldn't say that I'm always keeping up immediately with every trend or hopping on every trendbandwagon.
And I guess we'll talk about it lateron.
But I definitely think there's a balance between choosing what you genuinely like and following and like keeping up with sometrends, but also just leaving some behind andsaying, that's not forme.
Yeah, I feel like it's pretty hard to kind of like what Jesussaid, keep up because all this stuff is getting thrown atyou.
And then you'relike,oh,shoot, what would fitme?
And then maybe it'slike, by the time you'relike,oh, let me try on this new trendything.
It's already four trendsahead.
And you'relike,wait, holdon.
What'shappening? Who amI?
What amI? I guess the hardest part is maybe like owning it and maybe rejecting trends in itself is a wholestyle.
Yeah, I can seethat. But some people even say that developing your personal style can be anti-trendy going against sometrends.
And that is your personal style and not following atrend.
I think it ultimately comes down to what you personally like and what you feel comfortablein.
How that will define your personalstyle.
That's a really interesting point because sometimes I think about having like aspirationalaesthetics.
Forexample,recently, New Jeans has been blowingup.
And I feel like they're very known for their likevintage,retro, Y2K kind oflooking.
And like that is so fuckingcute.
And they work it sowell.
But I've just gone through so many trial and error things in the past for I'mlike, oh mygod, this look is socute.
I'm going to like take the plunge and buyit.
And once I buyit, it just rots in my closet because I'mlike, I don't know if this isme.
It's one thing to thinklike,oh, I can't pull itoff.
But the other side too islike, I wouldn't feel like myself in this clothingitem.
So then why like bother wearingit?
So I think what you said about curating your personal style does require you to in some ways deviate from what's trendy because not everything that looks good on other people looks good on you or makes you feel comfortable in ittoo.
Sometimes when I see some of those retro styles or even I knowlike, Rich Girl aesthetic was really popping up prettyrecently.
It's not trying to like copy and paste the exact product oroutfit, but it's more about identifying what about it do youlike.
So forexample, the Rich Girlaesthetic, I think it's more about like cleanlines, minimaliststyle, certain colors like the color palette that I'm really drawnto.
I try to identify what those piecesare.
And then look at like when I goshopping, try to emulate some of thoseidentifiers, Iguess, in the pieces that I choose and bereally, really picky about the pieces that Ichoose.
So that's kind of how I draw inspiration from trends other than try to copy and paste it exactly for what itis.
Well, I guess I never even thought aboutthat.
To befair, I'm not like super intofashion.
So in mymind, I'm justlike,okay, I guess this seemscomfy, youknow?
Or maybe it'slike, I'll see someone dress a certain way and I'mlike,oh, I kind of like thatstyle.
But tome, it's almost more of like the vibe versus like the actual intricate details oflike, youknow, thelines, the colorpalette, that kind ofstuff.
Imean, I think that is your personalstyle.
Nice. Like if you hadidentified, if you had a few words to identify yourstyle, it seems like it'scomfy, probablyminimalist, probably certain neutral colors that youlike.
I think sometimes I envision someone's personalstyle.
I waslike, youknow, cartoon characters always wear like oneoutfit.
Like tome, that's like the embodiment of someone's personalstyle.
It'slike, if I were to picture this person as a cartooncharacter, what would they bewearing?
Interesting. So if you had to choose yourlike, youknow, iconic cartoon characteroutfit, what do you think it wouldbe?
My character would have a lot ofaccessories.
I think that's like vintagebag.
Maybe some coolshoes, maybe a hat orsomething, but a pretty like a buckethat.
Oh,yeah,yeah, I do like bucket hats andearrings, likejewelry.
Yeah, so maybe a character that's talked about them dressedup.
And it's not just like theoutfit, like the clothingpieces, but it's the accessories and the secondarystuff.
I likethat. What about youboth?
Honestly, mine would be prettysimple.
Probably just like blackpants, whitet-shirt, and like whiteshoes.
Hmm, I'm gonna saythat.
I always picture you in like yourreddish,plumish, like V-neck that you used to wear alot.
And I think now that I'm talking about it outloud, maybe it's because that's what your Venmo photois.
Oh,okay. That'sawesome.
I waslike, I don't think I've owned a shirt like that for a really longtime.
Iknow, I'msorry. I thought I always picture acrystal.
Oh mygod. So we've been sending money to each other alot.
Oh, he's onfilm. She's got thatlike, what isit, visualmemory?
Yeah. Let'ssee, I think mine would be fairlysimple.
Probably just the white Maxie's skirt I've been wearing a ton thisyear.
And then some sort of like gray short sleeve top and Birkenstocksprobably, because I can't seem to let thosego.
But which kinds ofBirkenstocks?
Thecloths, theclassics, theArizona's, theclassics.
She's a classicgirl. You'reactually, I feel like this exercise is really interesting because another like angle you could kind of think about thisis, if you were to try to get like artwork ofyourself, what outfit would you want to bein, youknow?
Now that we're talking aboutartwork, mine would be reallycolorful.
I think forme, when I shop the things that I gravitatetowards, because I go thrifting alot, I could spend hours doingit, but I'm like really quick atit.
Like I'm a very quick shopper because I always look at twothings, it's fabric andcolor.
Oh. And so if it were ourpiece, if it canvass or it would be like a thickermaterial, but then it would also be verycolorful, but the colors would be very complimentary with eachother, that would probably be more my like ideal artpiece.
Mm-hmm. I think that's a really interesting and good way to look at purchasing clothingactually, because we talked a little bit about micro trends and aesthetics that aretrending, whether that's white tocave, richgirls, etcetera.
And I feel like so much of that focuseson, maybe more so like the shape or like that certain look that each piecehas.
And when you're doing a lot of onlineshopping, which I feel like is a little bit more commonnow, it is kind ofhard,right?
Like not everyone goes to like the product details and looks at what the material is made of and what percent of cotton and etcetera, etcetera, versus things like that are probably so much easier to spot and just even like feel with your fingertips inperson.
So do you feel like your affinity towards like thrifting and stuff helps you stay away from purchasing fast fashion thingsonline?
Mm-hmm. I think thrifting has helped me identify things that I should avoid when shoppingonline.
So I actually do look at fabriccontent, breakdowns veryintently.
I'm a very intentionalshopper, I wouldsay.
I feel like with thrifting since thrifting from highschool, I've bought pieces that didn't work out or would break down pretty easily or would rip or pill orwhatnot.
So I feel like over time I've developed an understanding of what fabric or like what styles would lastlonger.
So then when I goonline, I'mlike,okay, from my past experience of that top or thatpiece, I know not to fall into this trap and not buy this piece online just because it's cheaper or it's onsale.
So I definitely think thrifting has taught me to develop that eye a lot more because it's a lot more affordable andaccessible.
You can try on differenttrends, you can try on different colors when you thrift because it's so cheap and like not feel guilty about spending tons of money on something and then have to donate it or sellit.
So I feel like thrifting has definitely helped me curate my closet and be a lot safer with my onlinepurchases, I wouldsay.
Do you guys gothrifting?
Notreally. Ohreally? Only withyou.
Oh, I know Crystaldoesn't.
Why am Isurprised? I've done it like a couple oftimes, but I don'tknow.
I always get like weird buyers who are more after thrifting and then I'mlike,yeah, like I'll like it in store and then I'll come home and I'll belike, actually I don't likethis.
And I don't know why specifically withthrifting.
Maybe it's more so that withthrifting, you can't really like return stuff versus not doingthat.
It is more common to be able toreturn, butyeah, I just don't trust myself to pick things well when Ithrift.
You gethome, you'relike, ohshit, I can't return thisnow.
I suddenly don't like itanymore.
Yeah. I guess the good thing is I had socheap, you may have likewasted, youknow, a few dollars instead of buying something final sale online for a lot more and having it shipped and then not being able to like return it and ship itback.
But that's sointeresting.
Huh, I would have thought theopposite, like not getting as much fire remorse from thrifting because it's socheap.
But. I guess on the topic of thrifting being cheaperoverall, I guess I never thought about this because like yousaid, I don't reallythrift, but I always did wonderlike, oh thrifting feels more and more popular in recenttimes.
And once I started noticingit, I was kind of wonderingwhy.
And I guess that's like a really big aspect toit, the one that you justmentioned, how you know a lot of this stuff is previously used andloved, but still has like a lot of life inthem.
So they're typically a little cheaper and moreaffordable.
Do you think there's any other aspect of it that affects itspopularity?
I definitely think it grew in popularity because a lot of influencers started doingit.
I remember watching Jen in like one of the OGYouTubers.
She started off highlighting thrifting and like all her finds fromthrifting.
So I think it really blew up in social media of just like what you could get when you gothrifting.
So I think that definitely contributed toit.
I think thereis, for mepersonally, there's a thrill tothrifting.
I like going in with an open mind and just spending hours at the thriftstore, discovering things and being like really excited about thriftingfinds.
So I think people just enjoy the act of thrifting and probably just the thrill of thehunt.
And that's probably what has helped it blow up inpopularity.
I also have twotheories.
Maybe mine are like two macros orsomething, but I feel like one thing about thrifting is that it's very like recessioncore.
So when the economy is in flux or maybe just not doing so well or people are getting laid off or etcetera, I feel like thrifting is a good way to cut costs while still maintaining like the quality that you might be lookingfor.
So that could be onething.
And it's like the other flip side or benefit to thrifting is it's like moreeco-friendly,right?
It's eco-friendly and it's very like community oriented whereas something like fast fashion where you partake knowing that there's exploitation and the supply chain can feel like something that you don't necessarily want to participate inyourself.
So then by going to thrift stores where you know it comes for thecommunity, other people have used it before and it's like more eco-friendly in a sense might draw a lot of like young people toit, Ithink.
It's definitely moresustainable.
There is so much clothing waste out there and there's so much clothing to goaround.
Right. There is controversy around resellers like buying thrifted clothing from Goodwill and then reselling it for a higher price on deephop.
So there is definitely that discussion around thrifting but in general I feel like there's so much clothing to go around and we want to reduce waste as much aspossible.
So a great way to do that and try out new things for your personal style isthrifting.
I think it's like one of the most sustainable ways to partake inthat.
Dude, do you think thrifting actually contributes to some of these other trends like Y2K or like more quote unquotevintage, I don'tknow, even like 80s or like retro styles to come back into fashion because people are like thrifting older clothes and then the trend just starts to like kind of move the needle moves of it as more and more people arethrifting.
Yeah,probably. I don't know if this is the right saying but I think they say that like trend cycle every 20years.
Something likethat. I don't know if it's 10 or 20 but in general like trends are verycyclical.
I've definitely seen what you're saying though with the cycle oftrends.
I remember the first time I got like a pair ofconverse.
It must have been junior high or highschool.
And my parents took one look at the shoe and they'relike,hey, what theheck?
This is like the shoe that was popular when we werekids.
And I waslike,wait, what thefuck?
These existed when you were likewhat?
And they'relike,dude,yeah, like the style was superin.
I can't believe it's like in for you guysnow.
You lame oldkids. That'scute.
I think my dad commented about my conversetoo.
And so he playedit. He used to wear a converse when playingbasketball.
Ohwow. InChina.Dude, can you imagine talking to our kids orsomething?
And we see them wearing thoselike,Mazon,Marjola, like the toeshoes.
Yeah. Like all I like people totally used to wear that when we wereyoung.
Oh mygosh. That would becrazy.
I was gonna say another reason I think thrifting is popular is because some people argue that the quality of clothing was better back in theday.
Imean, compared to fastfashion.
So you can find a lot of OG brands with like100% cotton or100% linen clothing versus now where you go toZara, you go to fast fashionstores.
It's like50% cotton or like even less thanthat.
So I think a lot of people go to thrifting to find those quality pieces that will last alifetime.
I think that makessense.
It's like you get more bang for yourbuck.
Just a couple of monthsago, I bought the sweater fromAbercrombie.
And I waslike, oh myGod, it's like the cutest sweaterever.
And then I washed it once and it literallydisintegrated.
It was killing all over anywhere that hadfriction.
After one wash and youknow, I feel like it also makes me think more about what you saidearlier.
I lean about you buy the item and not necessarily like look at the other stuff because I'm very much like a brandperson.
So I feel like in myhead, I have good quality brands and bad quality brands and expensivebrands.
And like I sort it based on like the label or thename.
But even withinbrands, some brands likeAbercrombie, I feel like certain things are higher quality than otherthings.
Or I have a friend who'slike,oh, I got to this brand forjeans, but I like this brand for shirts orwhatever.
I think those distinctions can also help someone be a little bit more intentional with those things versus just hitting up like five stores and beinglike,okay, all of the items in these stores aresafe.
Yeah, every time I goshopping, I'mlike, can I thrift this or thrift something similar tothis?
And if it'syes, I'mlike, I'm not going to get it fullprice.
Ooh,dang, were we just like ungrateful for what we had back in the day when clothes were betterquality?
And now we're chasing our youth bythriftings.
Imean, it's like before ourtime.
Likeclose,like,yeah, somethings.
But I do also want to kind of talk about like this vintage style and like more like older trends in relation tothrifting.
I feel like there's been kind of a big wave of this like more nostalgicvibes, like even inthe, soJesus, you mentioned like New Jeansearlier.
And I feel like they are so interesting because they're like the epitome of GenZ, but also they do a lot of these old school like nostalgic Y2Kstyles.
It's very interesting that that's how itis.
There's a lot of big emphasis on like bringing back film cameras and like getting theselike, youknow, grainyor videos forlike, youknow, thevibes, the style versus now we have this technology that can give youlike, youknow, crystal clearstuff.
But people are finding a lot more joy in exploring these more basically vintage stylethings.
So what are your thoughts onthese?
What is so enticing about the vintagestyle?
So I feel like it's a common thing or common phenomenon for people to romanticize eras that they weren't necessarily borninto.
So even when we wereyoung, the Tumblrera, I felt like I was always romanticizing like the 90s Grunge look orsomething.
You kind of flip back X number of decades and imaginelike,oh, what if I was 20 years old like in thatera?
I feel like that just kind of shifts out a littlebit.
So and that could be one of the reasons why the early 2000s look is so in now because kids that might be going up now were barely born at the cusp of Britney Spears and like thatera, youknow?
It'strue. I know at least formyself, vintage designerbags, I have a collection myself and I've always been drawn to vintage designer bags then current day designerbags.
I think for severalreasons, the price point is a lot cheaper to buy vintage than to buynew.
Example like a Chanel bag can go forlike $15,000.
It's like way out ofbudget, but you can get a vintage style forhalf, for even a third of thatprice.
I think another reason beyond the price point isalso, like I was sayingearlier, thequality, there was just a lot more emphasis on quality and craftsmanshipbefore.
I have a bag that's older than me and it's still really in really great condition and it's awesome to think bag is older than me in age but is still very functional and it's still almost in like pristinecondition.
The fact that has stood the test of time just speaks to the craftsmanship and the quality of thematerial.
And I think the nostalgic factor like you weresaying,Crystal, seeing some of these vintage styles of designer bags in my example are a lot more unique andrare.
Okay, that's not reallynostalgic.
But it's like some of the vintage styles are a lot rare to find and come across than some of the newer ones that you can just find in thestore.
Honestly, I think that makessense.
The factor of having a bit of uniqueness to it versus everyone out there might have the exact same thing during this current trend orwhatever.
But you get to pull something out and belike, oh mygod,yeah, this has so muchhistory.
It's been around for longer than you andI.
I guess maybe there's almost even an element of mystery toit.
If youknow,oh, it's been 20 to 30 years ofexistence, what was the previous ownerlike?
What adventures has this bag or whatever item goneon?
And now it's ended up in my hands and I get to add to itsstory.
That's sotrue. The bag probably has seen more things than Ihave.
The bag has stories and all your bags couldtalk.
I think that makessense.
This is slightly atangent, but it kind of reminds me of when my parents first moved to Dallas and they were househunting.
And my dad had said something to me about house hunting where he said what he looks for is not just the houseitself, but he also looks at the neighborhood and how many tall trees there are in aneighborhood.
Because if there's a lot of talltrees, it means that neighborhood has been there for awhile.
It's not a lot of like new builds and like newer communities andstuff, but it's kind of like a lived in neighborhood with a lot ofhistory.
If the trees are reallytall, then he knows that there is a lot of local history and that's what he's like drawnto.
Maybe that's kind of why we're also drawn to things like vintage items and vintage looks because it's like tried andtrue.
A tested formula thatworks.
And if it has stood the test oftime, then it also speaks to like the longevity of it aswell.
Mm. I feel like when people look for houses and they're looking for like mid-century modernhouses, they look for homes with like exposed beams and all like architectural parts of the house that have stood the test oftime.
I think people definitely get drawn to thattoo.
And I think it's also like maybe a rejection of the ultra-capitalist society that we live in where now everything is like profit margins and how do we cut costs and increase prices and things likethat.
Like I feel like maybe even 30 yearsago, maybe the framework was still like how do we haveprofits, but it was less so and less globally exploitative and things likethat.
So quality of things backthen, like yousaid, we're also just better like better craftsmanship all around quality of ourquantity.
I think this also plays a partin, as you weresaying, rejection of capitalisticstuff, but also I read this interesting article about someone saying this could be like a rejection ofperfection.
As we improve ourtechnology, youknow, things like AI or whatever produce quote unquote perfect things that like are pleasing to theeye.
So I mean outside of AI andtechnology, an example is like people always say if you have a fully symmetricface, that's like veryattractive.
Or like one ofthe, I guess like ultimate highest standard of universal attractiveness orsomething.
So having like more of these vintage things or just things aren't in the modern day are just reminders of like how imperfections are also really nice just because it'snot, youknow, a perfectly round circle doesn't mean that it's still not really cool to look at or aesthetic or youknow, things likethat.
And I thought that was like a pretty goodtheory.
And I can totally see how that plays a part becauseyeah, a lot of things that we see nowadays are like superpolished.
And then youknow, like the architectural digest videos of like visiting celebrityhomes.
Yeah. I feel like so many comments are alwayslike, oh mygod, this house looks toosterile.
Like are you actually even living inthis?
Like it's way toostaged.
But then if we see like a celebrity's home that looks much more cozy andlike, youknow, there's kind of blankets thrown around or like their kids toysaround, then all the comments arelike, oh mygod, like this truly looks like someone's living init.
It looks socomfortable.
Doesn't matter that it's not pristine and like perfectlystaged.
It's actually more attractive that it looks like people are actually inhabiting thishouse.
I think people are drawn toauthenticity.
So that's probably why youknow, people are drawn to homes with character or homes with examples of real life like toys and kids stuff all around rather than something that's sterile and perfectlystaged.
Right.Yeah. I wonder if there's also a slightly more personal nostalgic factor that plays into thistoo.
So forme, I remember flipping through like myparents' old photo albums when I wasyoung, youknow, back then the trends make up trends fashion trends were alldifferent,right?
And I remember seeing old photos of mymom.
And she was probably like her in her early30s.
And I would belike,mom, your lipstick is sobrown.
And your hair is so curly and you're wearing pants that go up to your bellybuttons.
Like this fashion is soold.
And little did I know when I would be approaching the 30 year markish, that would be like exactly what'strending.
I feel like darker lipstick right now is like kind of in and high-waisted pants have been in for the last few years and things likethat.
And maybe part of it is just on a macro level like trends cycle through every couple of decades like we've been talkingabout.
But I think on a different leveltoo, I am now nearing my mom's age that she was in thosephotos.
And maybe I kind of associate being 30 with like that look sortof.
So then it feels less foreign tome.
Youknow, I'mlike, ohyeah, when my mom was thisage, like she had thislook.
So I'm less opposed to it sortof.
I kind of fear the day where I decided to chop off my hair to like the momlook.
Yeah, to the momlook. I'm trying tolike,yeah,no.
And you'relike, per minute and it's a littlecurly?
Yeah,yeah.No. Oh mygod,yeah,yeah.
I think one of the funniest trends that I've seen that is like what you'resaying, kind of the more like mom and like dad look is the wire frameglasses.
Oh. Because that's been like going on for a whilenow.
And the first time it poppedup, I waslike, oh mygod, my mom literally owns theseglasses.
True. That'scute.Actually, I have a funnystory.
High-waisted pants werereally, reallytrendy.
Like I remember wearing them incollege.
Imean, they stillare. People still wear high-waistedpants.
But mostrecently, I found that low and mid-rise jeans and pants have been much more comfortable for my like mid-driftarea.
Just because like when Ieat, I want to be able to feelmy, like I don't want to be suffocated by my high-waistedjeans.
Anyways, I went on a work trip and I brought my like third labeled low-rise or like the Eritreapants, effortlesspants.
And I was trying to tell mycoworkers,yo, like these are reallycomfortable.
Like low and mid-rise jeans and pants are the best thingever.
And they were all laughing at me because they were saying noway.
They were saying how low and mid-rise werereally, really popular when they were younger and they were not going back to thattrend.
So it's just funny how they wanted to reject thattrend, but feel like Gen Z and are like the younger generation is trying to bring back the low and mid-risepants.
I think it's also like dad shoestoo.
Yeah, dadshoes. Oh mygod, I have this story that low-key is on my list of stories that keep me up atnight, but I remember once my parents went to Costco and they like came back with a haul and my dad had bought the dadshoes, like the dadshoe, youknow, like theKirkland,whatever, like really superchunky, all white dadshoe.
And he waslike,oh,jeez,look, I bought these newshoes.
They are socomfortable, sopadded.
Aren't theycute? And I remember sitting there and I was like seeing two paths diverge in front ofme.
And I waslike, I could just belike,yeah, these arecute.
But I could also behonest, elevate my dad's style and tell them they'reugly,right?
So I sat there and I waslike,dad, I'm not gonnalie, like these are reallyhideous.
I don't think you should have readthem.
I feel like it might be a better idea to return them because they're like reallyugly.
And he waslike,oh,okay.
And I'll never forget to look on my dad's face because he looked so sad and I waslike, what have Idone?
So fast forward like twoyears, dad shoes are fuckingin.
They're like therage, everyskinny, 20 year old girl is wearing them on thestreets.
And I was justlike, I feel sobad, youknow?
Like little did Iknow, they would comeback.
And I also just hurt my dad's feelings for noreason.
So don't be likeme. I'mjust.
Oh. It'sokay. You kept him cool for twoyears.
That'strue. That's pretty good as far as how long trendslost.
Seriouslythough. But maybe your dad has been seeing these chunky dad shoes on thestreet.
And he'slike,damn, G-Soo isright.
Like, why the fuck are these in stylenow?
Your dad knew hedid. He's fashionforward.
He wascoming. Andfrankly, maybe he hasforesight.
But also your story about low risejeans, Eileen remindedme.
So I've mentioned thisbefore, but onTikTok, I'm on MillennialTalks.
So I see actually somany, not as muchnow, but for a period oftime.
I saw so many TikToks about rejecting lowrise.
They showed so many pictures oflike, youknow, the panther are too low and like the peeking butt crack atall.
That'sokay. Not thatlow.
We're not going thatlow.
But I do think that like super low rise is pretty accurate to thattime.
I'm thinking of like BritneySpears, like JessicaSimpson, like allthat.
But I do agree with mid-rise being good becausepersonally, I've never bought super into high rise just because I'mlike,dude, I'm trying to sit down and like eat a bigmeal.
So I'm all for bringing backmid-rise.
Yeah, mid-rise is a way togo.
But that I feel like that does kind of relate to what we've mentionedearlier, where like part of a pro of thrifting is that if there's like a style that's not really existing right now in terms of the stores aren't really selling it because it's not ontrend, then maybe you can find it when you'rethrifting.
So maybe during the time where it's just high-waisted pantseverywhere, maybe if you really wanted an alternativestyle, you could go thrifting and see if you could find something likethat.
That'strue. It's almost like a timecapsule.
Find things that are not sold in popular storestoday, but definitely at thriftstores.
Yeah, like what happened to all those circle scars we used towear?
Oh mygod.Oh, definitely can find those atGoodwill, I'msure.
At thispoint, you have to go and antiquemarket.
What if they come back in like 10years?
Like should we be keeping everything in our closet just to wait for the next time the trend comesaround?
No. How one's gottago, I'm justkidding.
I don't even know what was appealing about circlescars.
Maybe it wasjust, it would never fall off yourneck.
Like maybe it was a functional like aspect ofit.
You just wrap it around your neck insteadof, youknow, an annoying scarf that always falls off your neck or yourshoulder.
I would love to seelike, double wearsPrada.
There was one part of that movie where they said that it starts at these fashion houses and then those trends trickle downinto, youknow, what we see instores.
And so I think about will a fashion house bring back circle scars and eventually find its way tous.
So I will look forwardto, and it has someTikToks.
It would be really fascinating if we see like a fashion house bring back circlescars.
Kind of doubtit,but. Oh myGod, I know exactly what senior talkingabout.
It's the one where she'slike,yeah, you just chose a bluesweater, but that blue is like from thisseason, like we have to make a loosedecision.
Yeah, it's not lapis orwhatever.
Which islike, and you just pick that sweater out of like a discount bin like five years after thetrend.
Yeah,yeah,yeah.Damn.
Yeah,iconic. When I watch YouTube videos about trends of2024, they always reference what is shown on therunway.
And so that tome, it reminded me of double wears Prada and that scene of whatever we see on the runway can trickle down into more mainstream or like everydaystores.
I do kind of want to bring us back to like the personal style part of this allthough.
So do you think your personal style developingit, curating it is empowering just because in mymind, I feel like it's veryexpressive.
It's like almost the first impression that you leave onpeople, but I meanpersonally, I don't put that much time into like developing as much of a uniquestyle.
So I wonder like what your thoughts are on it as someone who's like much more into fashion and like curating thisimage.
I definitely think defining my personal style is veryempowering.
Imean, it's definitely something that I noticed when other people also put intentionality and thought into it aswell.
I think personal style forme,yeah, like a reflection of how I'mfeeling.
And if I feel really good about what I'mwearing, I feel like I feel more confident and I can carry myself a lot moreconfidently.
So sometimes when I meet people for the first time or I go to anevent, I will wear something that I know I'm comfortable wearingit.
Like I'mcomfortable. It's almost like secondskin.
Like I'm comfortable wearing that certain piece or I know I won't have to fend it around with it or it willbe,well, it'll make me uncomfortable later in theday.
Or sometimes I might wear a piece where it could be a conversationstarter.
So forexample, recently I thrifted this denim skirt in Japan that I reallylove.
It'scomfortable. I think it'scute.
It also emphasizes my personal style because it's a denimskirt.
I know that if another girly recognizes that and islike,hey, I love yourskirt.
I'mlike,cool. I can start a conversation aboutit.
I could say I thrifted it inJapan.
And that will start a whole conversation aroundlike,oh, you went toJapan.
So I feel like personal style can be a conversationstarter.
It can be a way to connect peopletogether.
Like I met Camille because she complimented me on my pants back incollege.
And that's how we becamefriends.
And I think personal stylejust, it says a lot about you as aperson, Ithink, and in yourtaste.
So I feel like if other girls or people have that sametaste, it's a way to connect with eachother.
I love that because I feel like it can definitely be a form of selfexpression.
I feel like as someone who is a little bit lessfashionable, sometimes it feels like anobligation.
Like I wake up and I'mlike,oh, I have to find an outfitagain.
I feel nottoo. But I think I know what youmean.
There's just certain outfits or certain looks where I'mlike, I know I slate thisoutfit.
So going to an event with that can make me feel like the best version ofmyself.
Or I know that the way it makes me look and feel just gives me a lot ofconfidence.
So definitely some empowermentthere.
Although I will say that sometimes I feel like I look a certain way and then someone has a comment about how Ilook.
And I'mlike,whoa, is that how I portraymyself?
Because once my friend waslike, you always look like you're ready to go to theoffice.
And I waslike, is that really how Ilook?
You're a corporategirl.
Yeah, I'mlike, this iscasual.
That'sfunny. I still remember I felt like when I first joined the corporateworld, or at least even back incollege, corporate work where to me just felt sostale.
I remember early on just beinglike, I can fit the mold in someways, but I want to break out of thattoo.
Solike,obviously, I don't want to show too much skin or like I still want to wearpants.
Butlike, can theybe, youknow, wide legtrousers?
Can they be a coloredtrouser?
And I wear like a belt or change things up a littlebit.
So I always feel like there arecertain, like even for some of those looks like corporateworkwear, there arecertain, notguidelines, but it's almost like there's askeleton, youknow, like aframework.
Yeah, there's aframework, but personal styles when you kind of break out of that framework a littlebit, or you accessorize above that framework oryou, youknow, choose things like color or shape or texture that kind of break out of that typical framework that I feel like helps you identify the personal style of theform.
Dude, but what if you're like trying a newstyle, but you don't feel confident aboutit?
Like how do you grow into thatthen?
I would say either don't forceit.
Just don't doit.Yeah, like if you don't feel comfortable init, don't doit.
I remember there were some cute tops that were like really trending and I was justlike, youknow, with my bodytype, like I feel tooflashy, I feel too uncomfortable withit.
I'm justnot, if I'm not comfortable init, it's toofinicky, like I'm just not even gonnatry.
And then I guess the second tip is if you still want to tryit, maybe add something to it to make it morecomfortable.
So if the top is toorevealing, is there a way to have like a certain part ofit, like another piece to add on top ofit?
So it's not lessrevealing.
I don'tknow, is there a way to style itdifferently?
So you do feel comfortable init?
But I would sayoverall, if you're notcomfortable, don't forceit.
That kind of reminds meof, have you seen the TikTok video where that lady is teaching you how to acclimate to the temperature of thewater?
So she'slike, put your hands in thewater, put your arms in thewater.
And it's justlike, Iguess, easing into the temperature of thewater.
And I feel like that can honestly be applied to a lot of things inlife.
Because there's certain pieces in my closet where I'm like mildly embarrassed to wear it around people Iknow.
But that doesn't mean I can't wear it around strangers until grocery shop or something likethat.
So I think easing into it in that way could alsohelp.
That'strue.Yeah, maybe it's finding the situations or the right context for you to feel comfortable wearing it and trying itout.
I likethat. Do you think you aim to portray a certain thing about yourself through your personalstyle?
Or is it more justlike, this is just a collection of things that I enjoy towear?
I don'tknow. Imean, I definitely like to be portrayed asfashionable.
Oh, I think that'sfair.
Yeah. Imean, all thetime, like when I go out toeat, I'm notlike, I want to befashionable.
I want people to know I'mfashionable.
But I think maybe for certainoccasions, meeting people for the firsttime, I definitely like to be portrayed as fashionable or has an eye forfashion.
I think deepdown, that's probably what Ithink.
But I'm notlike,today, I want to be known asfashion.
Like when I go out at thisevent, they better damn know I'mfashionable.
I think I'll be gettingDMs.
Yeah, Iknow. What would you like todo?
Exactly. Like I'm not trying to dothat.
But I think the inner me islike, if I get a compliment today on this skirt that I chose or like theshoes, that's going to bringjoy, youknow?
I think that makessense.
Forme, I feel like I try to seempolished.
Maybe that's why the business casual opinion was onceshared.
But I think also there's like a certain image that I have in mind based on the setting that I'm goingto.
So like when I go golf orsomething, I like think of like the golf girl look orlike, youknow, like there's something in my head when I put together an outfit or like an ensemble that I gofor.
So maybe it's not always just like a permanent personality that I'm trying toportray, but just specific snapshots of images that I'mlike,oh, this is like the look I want to havetoday.
Sometimes I wonder when I go on work trips and I choose myoutfit, I wonder if people look at me and arelike, that's definitely adesigner.
Oh mygod. Likeshe, like the way shedresses, the way shelooks, she's definitely adesigner.
I always wonderthat. I wonder if people thinkthat.
Because different roles on mycompany, there's definitely like ageneral, youknow, theme that happens like engineers are reallycasual.
Designers are definitely a lot moredressy.
So I want her people see me and they thinkthat.
They clockyou. Iknow.Yeah.
It's because I'm Asiantoo.
I'm not adesigner. I'm justAsian.
They'relike,nah, she's definitely anengineer.
Yeah. But Imean, I think that's getting into stereo time so it's not sogreat.
There's definitely engineers that are really stylishtoo.
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But then I also think back at mycloset, what Brown shoes compliment current outfits that I like towear.
Would it be something that can easilystyle?
So I definitely seek inspiration from external sources aswell.
And also friendstoo. So if I go onInstagram, I see friends with really cooloutfit.
I'mlike,ooh, that just inspiredme.
And I want to try something like thattoo.
Or look out for something like that when Ishop.
So definitely like to seek inspiration aswell.
I think forme, something that I also keep an eye out for is like stapleitems.
Like what is something that can be used across a lot of differentsituations?
I guess now that I'm thinking aboutit, consistency is something that I lookfor.
I think it just makes thingseasier.
Sometimes if there's like too many options orlike, I don't know what I'mdoing, then maybe I'll feel moreuncomfortable.
So ultimately it's like what is going to make me feel comfortable and what is something that is going to be like applicable in varioussituations?
I guess like as anexample, very specifically like imagine you're going to go somewhere and you're going to meet all these newpeople.
But if you get tolike, I don't know where your favoritejacket, then you know you'll feel reallyokay.
Because you have a piece of like you have something of comfort with you versus like you're trying to go all out and like impress everyone and then you'relike, ohGod, I like have never worn this out54.
So I don't know like who I am right now or like what I'm doing rightnow.
So I guess kind of along those likelines.
Yeah, you like things that are tried andtrue.
Now I'm just imagining like a emotional supportjacket.
A lifejacket? Oh myGod.
I'm flyingalone, but you know like people in sports and stuff they'relike,yeah, I wear like my luckyunderwear.
Ohyeah. It's kind of like thatright.
It's like something that'll bring you like comfort and like luck andfamiliarity.
But I also feel like that means you don't over consume like you don't overbuy, which is really goodtoo.
You don't buy more than youneed.
Everything that you have provides some sort of functional value that you don't need to over consume or buy toomuch.
Yeah, but I think there's definitely maybe some moments where I don't know maybe I'm like feeling myself or whatever and then I buy something and I'mlike,wait, what was I on because this is definitely notsomething.
Like youknow, I feel likeyeah, like I shouldn't have bought this like I don't know what Idid.
Like you wake up from the feverdream.
You'relike,okay, we need a head back and returnthis.
Like who authorized thispurchase?
Yeah, you know how they joke around like bury me in this outfit or bury me withthis.
What is one article of clothing your house is onfire?
I have to save one piece ofclothing.
What would itbe?Damn.Wait, I'm not gonnalie.
I feel like most of thethings, ohwait,actually, I do know one of thethings.
So there's like these pants that I wear and they're likediscontinued.
So I literally had to go on eBay and I bought like three or four of these pants because I waslike, I don't know if they'll ever comeback.
So I would probably grab at least one ofthose.
Oh, that'sgood.Okay, so I have this pair of blacksandals, like strappy sandals that I bought yearsago.
I'm talking like made college and then I have gone so many compliments onthem, but it's obviously been over seven years since I've hadthem.
So they're like scuffed on the side andshit, but I can't let them go because they're socute.
And I can't find like a similar qualityreplacement.
So I still havethem, but I think those are mygo-to's.
I was gonna actually say running shoes forme.
Imean, I think it goes down to like functionality at the end of theday.
I realized in the past few years how important running shoesare.
Running and slash walking shoes are for my feet and it can really make adifference.
So even after walking like 20,000 steps a day inAsia, because I had proper walking slash runningshoes, it really made a difference in myfeet.
And I didn't haveblisters.
I didn't have feet pain like I did back in 2017 when I didn't have proper walkingshoes.
So really made a difference in that probably be something I could not livewithout.
Well, this has been super interesting because I feel like all three of us have slightly different styles and slightly different approaches to our personalstyle.
Thank you somuch,Eileen, for coming on and sharing a little bit about your perspective on your personal pursuit of aesthetics and keeping up with the latesttrends.
For any of our listeners outthere, if there's style tips or things that you look out for when you shop or anything likethat, definitely hit usup.
We have Instagram at eEearCrisPod and we also have email eEearCrisPod atgmail.com.
And don't forget to follow us onSpotify, ApplePodcasts, wherever you listen topodcasts, we upload new episodes every Wednesdaymorning.
