Author: lensembledujour

Hey there! My name is Meilin, and I'm an undergraduate student at the University of Notre Dame. I'm currently working on my daily fashion blog, L'ensemble du jour - check it out!

May 10, 2017 – It’s Vintage

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I feel like I’m the sort of person to, when asked where I got a particular article of clothing is from, to respond in some sort of super pretentious tone, “It’s vintage.”


As much as I’m not a fan or pretentiousness, I am a huge fan of vintage. I love Goodwill and other thrift shops, but my favorites are those that specialize in vintage clothes. The dress I’m wearing today comes from Street Scene, an adorable little vintage shop filled to the brim with all things 70s. It’s also right next to Coffee Times, which happens to be the best coffee shop I’ve found in all of Lexington.


I feel like people are sometimes intimidated by vintage clothes because they’re afraid that they’ll look dated, but in truth, it’s just a matter of styling. Vintage clothes need to be worn with more modern pieces and accessories, but if they are, they’ll look perfectly trendy and unique. After all, past trends are often recycled into contemporary fashion, meaning vintage clothes can sometimes be just as cutting edge as the things you buy at the mall.


Today’s outfit includes this vintage, 70s era jumper with fun buckles layered over top of a woolen short sleeve turtleneck sweater (lol, it was actually super hot with the turtleneck today; it was like 80 degrees out). In order to stay modern and prevent myself from looking like I walked out of my mother’s closet, I wore heeled black booties. Also, I’m pretty short, and wearing heels makes me feel better about myself.

Dress: Unknown (purchased at Street Scene)

Sweater: Ann Taylor LOFT

And  that’s it for today, guys! Thanks for reading, and don’t forget to give my new Instagram a follow for updates and sneak peaks of blog posts!
Bonus mirror selfie:

May 9, 2017 – How To Wear Your Tourist-y Shirt From Chinatown

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What an absolutely exhausting day it’s been.


First, I had to take my AP Calculus BC exam this morning, which absolutely kicked my butt, but honestly, could have been much worse. Then, I had to take my AP French exam in the afternoon, which absolutely kicked my butt and honestly, was about as bad as it possibly could’ve been.


But it’s fine! Because now all my AP exams are over and I never have to deal with that stressful crap again! Thank goodness.
It was a long, stressful, ugly day, but now it’s done, and it’s basically smooth sailing from here on out until the end of senior year. I have no finals that jeopardize my grades, I have no big projects, and most of my classes have stopped giving actual instruction.


Today’s outfit was, I admit, on the lazy side. But what else was I supposed to wear – I spent my entire day sitting at a desk in a room by myself taking tests and scratching my head nervously when I didn’t know the answer. Comfort was key. So I took this opportunity to not be seen today to wear my corny NYPD shirt I got in Chinatown while in New York. I layered it under a grey utility jacket so things weren’t too boring, and wore it with plain black leggings (with fleece lining!) so things weren’t too uncomfortable.


Along with my police shirt, I wore my mirrored sunglasses, just to keep with the theme, lol.



See you next time!
Shirt: A dinky little tourist shop in Chinatown

Jacket: Forever21
Bonus mirror selfie:

 

May 8, 2017 – Don’t Wear Green Hiking

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Hey again!


Though I almost always look at the end of the weekend with sadness, I’ve begun to look at start of the week more positively. Why?


This blog, actually. I’m not really a preachy, advice-giving sort of a person, so I’m not going to go on too long here, but since I’ve started writing this blog, I find I actually look forward to getting to pick out my outfits for the week and photograph them for you to see. I’ve gotten such lovely feedback from people, in particular on Instagram, and I’d just like to say thanks. It makes getting through school and work a much more pleasant experience.


So blogging makes Mondays less painful, but let’s be honest – Mondays still kinda suck. This Monday in particular though, was actually kinda sweet.


Today was “Senior Shadow Day” – AKA Senior Skip Day. Unfortunately, as the Vice President of my class, I got left behind st school this morning so I could meet with the other class officers for a mandatory meeting about graduation speeches. No, it wasn’t fun, and I was a little bitter I didn’t get to miss the whole day, but it’s kinda hard to complain when you still get to leave at 11:30.


So once my graduation speech work was done, I headed out with three of my good friends for lunch and then hiking at some trails near a local university.


And what does one wear hiking? Not green, I can tell you that! Unfortunately, I didn’t really think things through when I picked out my outfit for today, as I failed to realize that wearing a green vest with a grey shirt would make me rather blend in to the trees and rocks around me. Regardless, even if my photos weren’t the greatest I’ve ever taken, I was very comfortable!


Here’s some pictures from our adventures today:


I love hiking, but this trail definitely wore me out at the end. It wasn’t long, but it was super steep, making it so I was panting and out of breath by the time we got to the car. Still beat going to school though!
Vest: Anthropolgie

Shirt: Abercrombie

Leggings: Forever21

Necklace: Hot Topic
Bonus mirror selfie: 

May 5, 2017 – Derby Fashion

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Happy Derby weekend!


Here in Kentucky, the Derby’s a pretty big deal. There are two weeks worth of festivals and celebrations in preparation of it, schools are closed the day before, and you had better not plan on going out the day of unless you’re willing to spend a long time sitting in traffic. I have a lot of fond memories as a kid of the Kentucky Derby Festival – the Thunder over Lousville fireworks show, the bed races, the balloon glow…there were some fun times.


I’ve moved from Louisville since then, and while I’m no longer in the same area as Churchill Downs, you can still feel the excitement of the Derby here in Lexington.


So what am I doing here today as a Kentuckian celebrating the Kentucky Derby? Going to a party? Betting at Keeneland? Attending the Derby itself?


Why none of those, of course. I’m sitting at home studying for my AP Calculus and AP French exams on Tuesday.


But that doesn’t mean I can’t celebrate the Derby here at home with my choices in clothing! I wanted something distinctively equine-looking for today, something totally different from the ripped jeans with fishnets I did yesterday. With my navy Chaps blazer, blue striped button down, red silk scarf, and white skinny jeans, I definitely felt like I could’ve walked out of a Polo ad.


Even though I’m mostly too poor to afford anything by Polo.


As for horses, I’m betting on Hence. Not because I’ve actually read the statistics and know what I’m talking about – I just like the name. Not all of us Kentuckians can be horse experts 😅
Jacket: Chaps

Shirt and jeans: Abercrombie

Bonus mirror selfie:

May 4, 2017 – Something Edgier

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May the fourth be with you.

Yeah, okay, I’m not really a Star Wars type, but I can still make a reference every once in a while…even if that reference is one everyone knows and has heard a thousand times. Actually, I haven’t even seen the most recent movie – just never had the chance this holiday season.


To be honest, I’m definitely more of a Harry Potter type, but maybe that’s just because of the generation I was born into.


Speaking of Harry Potter, I’m definitely getting a brave, adventurous Gryffindor vibe from today’s outfit. Maybe it’s just the red scarf. Like I said yesterday, I was feeling like my oufits have been getting a little too safe recently, so I wanted to shake it up with something a little more dark and edgy.


And it doesn’t get much edgier than ripped black skinny jeans from Hot Topic. Call me a cringe-worthy emo who can’t get her head out of the early 2000s, but amid the corny nerd culture dresses and overpriced band tees, Hot Topic does have some fun pieces. Case in point – these jeans. I admit, they’re a little over the top with the rips and the fishnets, but that’s what makes them fun. There’s almost a dark humor to how excessive they are and how hard they’re trying. On top, I went for an off-white sweater (also from Hot Topic, funnily enough) with some rips and tears along the sleeves and torso, adding to the grungey feel And to finish it all off, black Converse – go big or go home, am I right?


It was absolutely miserable trying to take pictures outdoors today. Of course, it decided to rain just when I got home and needed to take my pictures for this blog – but on the plus side, it made for some cute umbrella pics.


Thanks for reading, and see you tomorrow!
Sweater and jeans: Hot Topic

Shoes: Converse


Bonus mirror selfie:

May 3, 2017

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You know, I think I’m gonna stick with the pattern of uploading these blogs a day after the outfit is worn.

I don’t know how other fashion bloggers do it, but it seems like the easier thing to me. It’s kinda difficult to take photos of the outfit AND type up the blog about it in the same day – it’s much easier to take the pictures the day before and then write the blog in my spare time as the day goes on. Plus, this way, I have more time to process what I want to write about each outfit instead of just spitting it out as quickly as possible.


Today was a pretty quiet day. Most are, anymore, here at the end of the school year, but this one was especially. There’s just not a lot left to do for us seniors: some finals, AP exams, and graduation preparation. Otherwise, school has devolved to babysitting.

I’m very grateful for the education I’ve received here in this high school, but it’s definitely grown tiresome after four years. Am I really ready to move on? I certainly feel that way, but it’s possibly just fhe senioritis talking. The prospect of moving out still terrifies me.


But on to brighter topics, today was a fun day, outfit-wise. I actually bought this fun dress with an earth-toned print way back at the beginning of junior year, and if I remember correctly, I wore it on the second or third day of school. The hat is also nothing new – if you’ve been following this blog within the last few days, you’ll notice I also wore it out while in New York! As today was much like yesterday – rainy in the morning and sunny in the afternoon – a hat made for a perfect compromise to shield me from the rain and the sun.

Finally, I matched the print of the dress with this lovely necklace that my mother got years ago when Coldwater Creek sold clothes in actual stores, and they catered to people other than old ladies.

As much fun as this outfit was, I’m feeling it was a little tame. Tomorrow, I’m definitely going to go for something a little edgier – it’s been too long since I’ve worn my ripped black skinny jeans.
See you then!
Dress: Forever21

Hat: Target

Necklace: Coldwater Creek


No bonus mirror selfie today. It’s not that I didn’t take one – but by the time I did, it was so late in the day that the lighting was horrible, so you probably wouldn’t want to see it anyway.

May 2, 2017

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Day 2 back from New York, and I think I’m finally beginning to not feel exhausted for once.


Seriously, I never realized, but that trip wore me out. I’ve fallen asleep at 8 or before for the last two nights, and I wake up at like 7 for school. That’s more sleep in one night than I usually get in a week.


All this sleep is actually probably not a great thing, as I’ve got three AP exams coming in the next week or two, and I should probably actually study for once.


Oh well…maybe the sleep will help me remember things better? That’s a thing, right?


For today’s outfit, I was mostly catering to the weather – which was super weird. It was pouring rain this morning and 50 degrees, and within an hour, it was sunny and 70. I didn’t really know how to dress for that, so I basically just went for something that would be tolerable in the hot or cold. I absolutely love this brightly colored crop top that I got on sale from Pitaya, so much so that I thought it was best to keep the rest of the outfit simple. Just some leggings and flats – nothing that would upstage the shirt. That’s not to say they’re boring pieces: the leggings have a fun velvet print up the side, and the flats are a bright neon that pull from the colors of the shirt. Plus, just for the heck of it, I had to add a small, barely noticeable necklace, just to make myself feel a little fancier.


And that’s it for today. A huge thanks to everyone who’s been reading my blog or following my Instagram, and I’ll see you in the next one!
Shirt: Pitaya

Jeans: Abercrombie

Shoes: Target


Bonus mirror selfie:

May 1, 2017

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I’m back!


I don’t know if I’d really call what I took as a hiatus, as it only lasted one day, but after New York, I felt like I needed one day off from blogging. I still took my pictures for the day and everything, but I held off on making the post.


So here we are, with the outfit for Monday, May 1.


So yesterday being College Decision Day, I wore the shirt from the college I will be attending this Fall – Notre Dame! I actually was accepted back in December, but it took me until April to actually choose that that was where I wanted to go. I’m admittedly a pretty indecisive person, so it was a huge relief to finally get the decision made, and it felt great to get to show off to my high school what I am going to be doing with my life.

 

But just because it was a college shirt doesn’t mean I couldn’t still make it a fashionable outfit. I wore my Notre Dame football jersey with leggings and a loose black cotton jacket, and to dress it up, I threw on my layered Francesca’s choker with rhinestones that I like so much. It’s not the most unique outfit I’ve ever worn, admittedly, but it’s kinda hard to work with a football jersey. 


Otherwise, it was a pretty lowkey day. I was exhausted from having arrived back at home from New York at 1 AM that morning, but thankfully, none of my class work was too hard. AP exams are coming up, so most of my teachers have cut back slightly on the homework. Thank goodness.


That’s it for today. Thanks for reading, and see you in the next one!
Shirt: Notre Dame University Store

Jacket: Anthropologie

Choker: Francesca’s 


Bonus mirror selfie:

Also, be sure to check out my new Instagram!

April 30, 2017 – Until Next Time (OOTD #10)

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New York City: Day 4.

I’m gonna keep this one short because it’s getting late and I’m about to catch my plane home. In truth, I’m glad to go. I’ve been raving about how much I love New York, and trust me, that hasn’t changed, but what I love is the city, and I don’t want to leave – but that’s not necessarily true for the people I’m with.

That’s not really anything against these kids – I can’t think of any group of 40 people who I could tolerate spending 24 hours a day with for 4 days. We’ve had a ton of fun together, but I’m ready to get away from them for a while.

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Today was a pretty-low key day. We went to the 9/11 museum, went back to Little Italy for lunch, and then did some shopping around Chinatown and Times Square. The 9/11 museum was easily one of the highlights of the trip. It was such a moving experience, but I didn’t take any photos there – it didn’t seem appropriate.


Outfit-wise, things were pretty low key as well. I went for all black – not for any particular reason, but sometimes I just feel a little edgy. You really can’t go wrong with black.

And that’s it for today. I should be home before too long, and then it’s back to school tonorrow. Goodnight for now.

Top and shorts: H&M

Choker: Francesca’s

Bonus mirror selfie:

Also, be sure to check out my new Instagram! I just started it a day or two ago, and I’d really appreciate a follow! I follow back 😀

April 29, 2017 – On Top of the World (OOTD #9)

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New York City: Day 3

Here we are, with our third and second-to-last Day in New York winding down to a close. In the entire time I’ve been here, the most prominent emotion I’ve felt is exhaustion.

But after exhaustion, what I’ve felt is joy.

I love New York. In fact, it always surprises me when I hear the other kids in my tour group say that they could never stand to live here – for me, it’s more like how could I not live here?

Yes, it’s dirty and crowded and the people are rude, but it’s just the kind of dirty, crowded, rudeness I adore.

Today was spend doing mostly tourist-y things (okay, this entire trip has been pretty tourist-y). We hit St. Patrick’s Cathedral and the Top of the Rockefeller Center in the morning and then the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the afternoon.

The outfit for that part of the day was a pair of loose, colorful shorts and a denim top. It was simple, but practical for the day’s purpose – which was a hell of a lot of walking. To make things a little more interesting, I layered a simple gold necklace   on top for something of a boho look.

That evening, we took a dinner cruise on the Spirit of New York.

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新年快乐 / happy chinese new year !🏮

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I changed into something a little fancier – a traditional Chinese silk qipao dress.

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boom boom (qi)pao

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There aren’t many occasions where I can wear this out (in fact, Chinese New Year is probably one of the only occasions I ever wear it) but I decided to make an exception this time. It looked sad and dejected sitting there in my closet unworn, so I packed it because it’s a crime to not wear a dress like this that fits so well.The boat itself was nothing special, but, with the sun setting and the water sparkling, the marina it was docked on made for some beautiful photos with my friends.

 

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Concrete jungle wet dream TOMOATOOOOOOOO 🍅

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That’s it for now. I’m exhausted, and I fly home tomorrow.
Outfit 1 –

Shorts: Francesca’s

Top: Ann Taylor LOFT
Outfit 2 –

Dress: eBay
Bonus mirror selfies:

Also, be sure to check out my new Instagram! I just started it a day or two ago, and I’d really appreciate a follow! I follow back 😀