A couple months ago artificial intelligence (AI) really freaked me out. I associated it with high-schoolers cheating on their essays, and podcasts featuring regretful AI founders who were coming to terms with the overly powerful and occasionally racist beast they’d created. So when Try it on AI, a company specializing in AI-generated headshots, reached out to me, I was hesitant to say the least.

I’ll admit it—I have not been at my best recently. In the weeks following my trip abroad I’ve found myself plagued with the nagging feeling of “needing a vacation from my vacation.” While my body begs for deep rest, the pressure to dive back into my productive routines has lingered above my head, ever so persistently.

Ten years ago I was preparing to graduate from Taipei American School to begin a new chapter that would consist of college, internships and a whole lot of “real world” bullsh*t. At the time I was thrilled to be repatriating. Despite how much I had loved growing up in Taipei, Taiwan the experience had left me with deep insecurities about my appearance that I had not yet confronted.

I spent last week in Tokyo, Japan getting connected to my roots, aiming to feel comfortable while not looking too much like a tourist. Among my key considerations when packing were wearability, style and suitcase space. Easy enough, right?

March gets such a bad rap. When we find ourselves in the “in-between” months it seems everyone has something to say about the hardships of getting dressed. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Now is the perfect time to be spontaneous and experiment with all the clothing that falls victim to only being wearable a few fleeting weeks out of the year.

“Fashion knows not of comfort.” Whenever I slip on a stiff new pair of leather shoes or see a video of Dua Lipa struggling to sit in a cinched-to-perfection dress, this Gossip Girl quote comes to mind.

As the internet floods with fashion month recaps I'm beginning to see a theme emerge: The end of stealth wealth. Apparently understated luxury is making its way out and more maximalist, in-your-face looks are on their way in. Exaggerated collars, bright red eye shadow, patterns that are impossible to miss, etc.

The first time I attended New York Fashion Week was in 2022. When I received an invitation I was genuinely surprised. They’re inviting me to attend?! It was that rare opportunity to get to know the faces behind the brands. You know—a chance to make authentic connections with the people we emailed with every day.

In 2018 I was working as an intern at Boston Neighborhood Network, a community-access broadcasting non-profit where I was a production assistant, or PA. After another day of micing-up guests, breaking down sets and washing mugs, a host who was known for her particularly crotchety demeanor said to me, “You’re in the right industry. What do you want to do?”

Last week I received a surprising and exciting invitation to Uniqlo’s spring/summer 2024 LifeWear collection preview. When I told my brother I was going he asked an excellent question: What is it about Uniqlo that makes it that one fast-fashion brand we can all kind of stand behind?

There’s something about a structured, sexy, sophisticated blazer that never really goes out of style. By the same token though, they run the risk of being taken for granted and…boring. Our blazers don’t deserve to be the predictable choice in our closet and deep down we all know it! Here are some ways to honor the sacred, centuries-old piece:

I spent the better part of two years feeling like an imposter in the fashion industry, and in honor of Black History Month, we’re going to talk some more about that in the next post, but let’s stick to the main thing—why you’re here.