forever21 – Page 17 – L'ensemble du jour

October 11, 2017 – Candy Apple Red (OOTD #133)

Published on October 16, 2017October 16, 2017 by lensembledujour3 Comments

You know what I haven’t had yet this season? A good caramel apple.

Okay, so admittedly, that wasn’t the smoothest transition from a blog title to the actual blog that I’ve ever written, but I tried. I thought my outfit looked like it was candy apple red, and I thought about how I liked caramel apples, which are sort of like candy apples, so I thought I would smash them together.

Anyway, caramel apples! They’re wonderful and there are none to be had at the Notre Dame dining halls, neither at North or South. I thought maybe I’d be able to get one when I went to the apple orchard a few weeks back, but alas – no caramel apples. Not even a candy apple.

In my sorrow, I decided to create an outfit out of my desire for an apple smothered in caramel and chopped nuts. Or rather, I created an outfit Wednesday morning out of the fact that I was rushing off to Theology class and I had very little time to put anything together, and then I decided to title this blog out of my desire for an apple smothered in caramel and chopped nuts.

It’s okay though, because my dad and I are headed out tomorrow (at the time of my writing this, I’m on fall break, so I’m presently at home even though my OOTD photos are from while I was still at school) to a pumpkin patch where I know they sell good caramel apples. You readers won’t get to see that post for another week, likely, since these posts are on a delay, but no worries – you’ll see it eventually.

I’m so excited to get and carve pumpkins. Since I was a kid, my father and I have been carving pumpkins together, and each year, we try to do something more and more elaborate. Last year, I did a large pumpkin being eaten my smaller pumpkins, the year before, I did a pumpkin with an exposed brain, and the year before, I did a pumpkin with a split skull.

I haven’t yet decided what I’m going to do with my pumpkin – guess that’s what I ought to do now.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one with more updates on my life here at Notre Dame. Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

Top: Vintage (thrifted)

Skirt: Forever21

Jacket: Vintage (thrifted)

October 6, 2017 – In the Midst of Midterms (OOTD #130)

Published on October 12, 2017October 16, 2017 by lensembledujourLeave a comment

Concept: an AU where I’m never late to post a blog, and I’m not constantly stressed about getting my crap done.

Actually, if such a universe were even to exist, I don’t know if it would be me anymore – I’m pretty sure part of my inborn character to be running late for everything. And by running late, I mean it – I’m not sure a day passes where I don’ have to book it to at least one of my classes. I’ve yet to be late for anything though…let’s not jinx it.

Today, I had my first and only midterm exam of the midterms week – Descriptive Astronomy. It was…eh. It wasn’t the hardest exam I’ve taken in my life, but it was also far from easy. Parsecs far from easy, I guess you could say. It’s whatever though – I’m mostly just glad it’s over. My grade’s not too much in jeopardy, I don’t think, as I’ve raked up a lot of extra credit points already, but still.

I do have one more exam, Intro to Anthropology, after Fall Break, but I’ll worry about that then. Probably, I’ll be cramming for it the night before I had back to school, kicking myself for not preparing for it sooner (like now), and wondering why I’m always late doing things.

But like I said, it always gets done, and it always gets done on time. Well, on time enough. Like this blog – it’s going up later than my preferred 5:00pm time, but at least it’s getting done by the end of the day.

Also like the friend who’s waiting for me downstairs so we can go to dinner together – I told her 10 minutes, and it’s been more like 15, so whoops to that, but at least I’m still going to make it. 5 minutes late is still on time enough, right?

I feel like this entire blog post is just me asking potential future employers to never hire me, lol.

Dress: Forever21

Jacket: vintage (thrifted)

October 4, 2017 – Another Generic Autumn Outfit (OOTD #128)

Published on October 10, 2017October 10, 2017 by lensembledujour1 Comment

And other generic blog title…

Look, I’m going to keep this not-waxing-poetic-about-fall trend going for this blog too, because the world does not need another white girl (well…white enough) yapping about how much she loves fall, but lemme just say – it’s going to be hard.

I put this outfit together with the intent that it embody fall. I mean, just look at that color scheme in the sweater – does that say “spring” to you?

See, this is what I get for wearing two too similar outfits one right after the other – I get stuck with repetitive blog topics. Note to self: keep things more varied in the future.

Well, if I’m going to hold myself off from talking about how much I love fall, how my outfit is so clearly the physical manifestation of my love of fall, or even how much I’m looking forward to fall break so that I can do dumb American fall stuff like carve pumpkins and get high off of the fumes the Bath and Body Works fall candle collection, allow me to give the story behind today’s set of photos:

So my Wednesday photographer is usually my friend, Odalis. Why Odalis over other people? I don’t know, She’s willing and doesn’t seem judgmental, and we’ve established a routine at this point.

After lunch, Odalis heads to class, so I follow her until I pass a building or location that looks good for posing in front of. It’s a super scientific process.

The building du jour (l’immeuble du jour?) here is Alumni Hall, one of the residence halls here at Notre Dame. It’s really quite a pretty building, the only problem is – it’s a residence hall. People live there.

Meaning, people are likely to come walking out the door while you’re standing there posing for your fashion blog. And if you’re not paying attention, some guy might come walking out as you’re leaning against the door, pushing you over and ending your photo shoot session prematurely.

He said sorry, at the very least.

Top: Forever21

Skirt: Abercrombie

Scarf: The LOFT

Hat: Forever21

September 30, 2017 – The Fighting Asian (OOTD #125)

Published on October 6, 2017October 6, 2017 by lensembledujour2 Comments

Look! It’s a Friday blog and it’s going up on time because I didn’t take an four hour nap after classes were over!

Last Saturday was the first game day we’ve had at home for a few weeks, so as you might guess, people were pretty excited – even me, The Social Recluse ™ herself. I still haven’t figured out tailgating, or post-victory partying, or even apparently what things you’re allowed to bring into the dumb stadium (fun fact: metal water bottles are a no), but I like to think I’ve figured out game day fashion.

If nothing else, at the very least I can now show up to a game dressed like a proper Notre Dame fan, I can say the correct chants, and I can sway and sing the Alma Mater at the end. Still haven’t tried crowd pushups though. Guess that’s the next thing to cross off the list.

Another thing to cross off the to-do list should probably also be “find more ND apparel,” because I’m running out of ways to wear the same two shirts. I have this scarf now, which changes things up a bit, but I’m always happy to buy more clothes.

Whoa, a fashion blogger who likes to buy clothes, what a novel idea.

One of the nice things about Notre Dame is that we have a wide range of school colors to choose from. Our official colors are blue and gold, but green is often thrown in there because we’re the Fighting Irish (hence the title, the Fighting Asian). Thus, when making football day outfits, I have a whole range of appropriate blues to choose from, from a bright royal blue to navy, a whole range of gold-tones, from metallic gold to tan to yellow, and a range of greens, from dark emerald to a bright leprechaun shade.

The only downside to that is that the student section doesn’t usually look very cohesive (the exception being the first home game, when we all wear The Shirt), because you have people dressed in a whole rainbow of variations on the same three colors. And as far as I know, we never have something like a “Blackout” or a “Whiteout” (well, how could we, considering that we don’t have black or white in our color scheme at all – but you know what I mean), so I guess the ND section is doomed to look like a mishmash of colors. Not that I mind – it’s more fun to have the variation, if you ask me.

Notre Dame also gets kudos for having a very easy color palette to work with. Navy and camel? That’s a classic combination; you can’t mess it up. Unlike other schools I looked at (*cough cough* a hideous orange and black for Princeton), Notre Dame colors are highly versatile and yet still consistently classy. Plus, we have some really good sports teams, so it’s actually worth it to go out to games decked out in the school colors.

Turtleneck: Forever21

Skirt: J. Crew

Scarf: Notre Dame bookstore

September 28, 2017 – #Artsy (OOTD #123)

Published on October 4, 2017February 14, 2018 by lensembledujour3 Comments

I’d just like to let you know that as I’m sitting here writing this blog, I’m listening to a YouTube video called “the music of memes,” so that’s where the money my parents are spending on my tuition is going.

Anyway, other than getting distracted and wasting my life on the Internet, I’ve been spending a lot of time recently reading. I think that’s about the only kind of homework I receive anymore. I can’t decide if I like this development or not – in one sense, it’s nice not never having to pull out my hair over math problems or chemistry formulas. In other sense, it’s kind of quiet and boring spending so much time in isolation looking at words on a page.

What I probably miss most deeply though is having an art class. I wanted to be placed in one this semester, but it didn’t work out into my schedule. At first, I didn’t think I would even notice the absence – in fact, at the end of high school, I felt like I was getting kind-of burnt out on art classes, and that I needed a break from them.

But alas, I was wrong. Without question, I need art in my life. I mean, it’s not like I’m dying or anything, and it’s also not like I am completely without it either – I do like to doodle a little in boring lecture classes – but I can definitely feel its absence.

Notre Dame’s a lovely school, full of brilliant and talented people, but for whatever reason, it’s kind-of lacking in art kids. I discussed this issue a little in a previous blog, in which I was the most goth kid on campus by simply wearing all-black and Wednesday Adams braids, so I’ll save you the repetition here. Let’s just say that, while I’m very happy here and wouldn’t change a thing about that, I am the teensiest bit jealous of my friends who went to large state schools where the arts programs are more prominent.

It’s alright, though. I’ll make it into my art class next semester, and then I’ll have to find more things to complain about to fill space for these blogs. If you couldn’t tell by the My Chemical Romance t-shirt and billowy burgundy scarf, I consider myself quite the tortured soul.

(Erm…that was meant to be sarcastic, by the way. I assume you could probably tell that, but like, just in case…)

Anyway, my video about the music of memes is over, so I guess I ought to get back to work now. Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the next one with more updates on my life here at Notre Dame. Don’t forget to check me out on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr! For business inquiries, shoot me an email at lensembledujour@gmail.com!

Jacket: Forever21

Shirt: Hot Topic

September 25, 2017 – I Have Pants On, I Promise (OOTD #119)

Published on September 29, 2017 by lensembledujour4 Comments

When will I ever stop posting my Friday OOTDs late on account of taking too long of an afternoon nap?

This time, at least, I woke up early enough to still be able to go to the dining hall for dinner. Last time, I made the mistake of sleeping until 8pm…and the dining hall closes on 7 on weekends. There was a very sad, very hungry Meilin that night.

Actually, I had ramen that night for dinner, so it was pretty chill. I’m never sad when there’s ramen around. The whole “starving college student who can only afford ramen” stereotype doesn’t bother me in the least.

Upon waking about 15 minutes ago, I immediately got to work on this blog – only to realize about three paragraphs in that I was missing the photos I needed for this date. Why? On Saturday, September 23, I went out apple picking with from some people in my residence hall, and I did my photos while out there. That shouldn’t be a problem, of course – except that my photos were taken from someone else’s camera, and I haven’t been sent them yet.

So rather than miss out on a blogging day, I figured I’d switch the dates, so that September 25 will come before September 23 in the order of release. I believe this happened some other time in the history of this blog (I can’t remember quite for what reason, though), so it’s a bit annoying, but not the end of the world.

Anyway, the outfit for September 25 – I swear I have pants on. See, you can tell if I lift up my arms so my jacket raises above the hemline of my shorts. I admittedly got a couple of second-glances today, likely on account of my pseudo pants-less outfit.

It wasn’t even my intent to look pants-less! I’ve actually done that look before, so I have no problem with it, but I found I was self-consciously pulling down at my shorts all day trying to make them look more in existence under my jacket. Eventually, I decided to just unbutton my coat so that my shorts were clearly visible, but of course, I didn’t think to do that until after I’d done my photos.

This post has been a mess…kind-of like my life lately. Wish I could stay and organize it a little more, but I’m scooting out to a pep rally in a few minutes. and I’m already late. Whoops.

Guess I shouldn’t be taking Friday afternoon naps.

Jacket: Forever21

Top: Aerie

Shorts: They’re from H&M…but why bother mentioning it? They’re barely featured in this post 😂<<<
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September 20, 2017 – Wake Me Up When…You Get the Point (OOTD #116)

Published on September 26, 2017 by lensembledujour4 Comments

…when September ends?

I do hope you got the point, at least. If not, then you weren’t a proper emo kid from the early 2000s. Actually, I wasn’t even an emo kid in the early 2000s…I was just a kid. What is my point here?

“Wake Me Up When September Ends” is a good song, I couldn’t think of a better blog title, and it would have been a crime to let September pass without referencing it once in this blog.

September, for a long time, has been one of my least favorite months. Even as a kid, I kind-of despised it – September meant that awkward period after the end of summer break when you were stuck going to school in the sweltering heat, you hadn’t yet established who your best friends for the year were to be yet, you didn’t have a feel for how difficult your teachers and classes would be, and all the stores start putting out their Halloween decorations even though it’s not nearly cold enough to feel like “fall” yet. Even into high school, the same pattern of awkwardness and anxiety stuck around. For my senior year in particular, September was stressful because I was trying to get all my Common App college applications done in time for the November 1 early action deadline.

But guess what? For the first time in years, I don’t hate September. I don’t know what is is, but for some reason, the perpetual background anxiety I would feel for the entire month hasn’t reared its head. Maybe it’s because I’m so busy adjusting to college life that I haven’t had the time to feel sorry for myself? I’m not sure.

In fact, September’s been…almost nice?

At any rate, I enjoy not hating September for once. I hope I don’t end up hating October in its place now, lol. October is too lovely of a month to hate.

In celebration of my lack of hatred for September and of the start of fall, I went for a fall-like outfit. And by fall-like, I mean I just wore an orange dress and brown shoes. There have been, perhaps, less obvious interpretations of the standard “fall outfit,” but that’s for the Project Runway designers to think up, not me. Hey, I could have been wearing leaves and pumpkins, but I’ve got a touch more subtlety than that.

Also, I’m bitter, because the choker I’m wearing here broke when I took off. It was one of my favorites too. You’d think being from Madewell and costing like $15 it would last a little longer than a few months.

To quote the joke that both my mother and my friend Amanda made when I sent them a picture of the broken clasp: “…guess it wasn’t…made well!?!?”

Dress: Forever21

Sweater: Altar’d State

Choker: Not made well

September 14, 2017 – Goth Kid at Catholic School (OOTD #112)

Published on September 20, 2017September 20, 2017 by lensembledujour5 Comments

I spent a decent portion of my adolescence complaining about public school, but I have to give it this – it made for a nice, diverse collection of people.

You want art kids? Public school has those. You want jocks? Public school has those. You want people who fit any racial, cultural, or stereotype imaginable? Public school has you covered.

And the nice thing about my high school was (wow, never thought I’d use those words together…), you never had to stick to any particular group – people were pretty free to float around the different social categories at will. And there was really no such thing as rivalries between the groups – no Jets vs Sharks stories here. Or, I don’t know, maybe we did have gang fights with choreographed dance sequences, and I just never realized. It’s entirely possible that I just never learned the social structure of my high school in the four years I was there – just like I never learned anything about physics or how to pay taxes.

But here I am now at private Catholic school, and gone are the diverse social groups. I mean, I’ve only been here for a month, and maybe I just haven’t gotten a feel for them, but it’s definitely less likely that I’ll encounter anyone in a Black Veil Brides t-shirt or with rainbow hair here than I was in high school. And I miss that.

The typical Notre Dame kid is probably athletic, white, well-dressed (but not creatively dressed…I went to a party once and all I saw were Kylie Jenner wannabes), the son or daughter of an alumni, and from one of the suburbs of Chicago. If it’s a dude, he’s probably named Jack. If it’s a girl, she’s probably a Katie.

(Also, if I hear one more Midwestern kid with that nasally Chicago accent talk about which suburb they’re from, I’m gonna lose it. Why isn’t anyone from like, the actual city of Chicago? Do people even live in Chicago?)

Anyway, fed up with the perceived normalcy of my peers, I just had to go for an outfit that had a darker edge. You know, the commercial, non-offensive version of “darker edge” – basically, nu goth.

Essentially, I dressed in all black and put my hair in Wednesday Adams braids. Simple, but effective – I was basically edgiest kid on campus. Which, if you ask me, if pretty sad, considering a blonde girl in braids and a black hat is hardly edgy or goth. The architecture at Notre Dame is more goth than 99% of the student body, meaning I’m pretty sure the architecture would have the better taste in music than the student body – goth kids have great taste in music.

Top: Unknown (thrifted)

Pants: Altar’d State

Jacket: Forever21

Hat: Target

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September 13, 2017 – My Pants Story (OOTD #111)

Published on September 19, 2017 by lensembledujour5 Comments

Pardon the tragically late post today – I just woke up from a three-hour nap.

I knew I needed one, but I definitely didn’t intend for it to go on so long. I had pulled a late night the night before, so I had every intent of taking an hour-long snooze after classes let up. Then one hour rolled into two…and two into three…you get the picture.

I guess I should’ve set an alarm, but it’s okay – for once in my time here in college, I’m not super bogged down with homework. I mean, I am, but less so than I have been for weeks. I fee like this is probably some kind of “calm before the storm” experience…but I don’t know what kind of storm to expect or when to expect it.

Good thing I have this totally not flimsy scarf to protect me!

Wednesday’s outfit was one of those ones that I did not plan out the night before, and outfits like that tend to be hit-or-miss. This one, I feel, is a hit. It might be a little top-heavy with all the red, but I don’t think it’s too bad. There’s also the fact that I’m wearing my most flattering pair of jeans – I think these high-waisted dark-wash skinnies have the ability to make anything I wear instantly more chic, whether it actually is or not.

There in high school, I was more of leggings kind of a person, but now in college, I think I may just transition back into a jeans person for the first time in years. Perhaps the first time ever, actually – I hated to wear jeans as a kid, growing up. I thought they were stiff and never breathed well, so I had a phase from about 1st grade to 3rd grade where I refused to wear jeans. In fact, I basically refused to wear anything that wasn’t a skort from the Children’s Place.

Then, in middle school, the leggings-as-pants trend kicked in, but it was against my school’s dress code – you weren’t even allowed to wear yoga pants, not even the bootcut ones. At that point, I started wearing skinny jeans from Hollister and Abercrombie, and while they sort-of fell out of use in high school when I realized the joys of leggings, I mostly haven’t looked back.

And, I think I may have arrived at the inception of a new era of Meilin’s pants-wearing history – the revival of the jean. The fact is, jeans always look classier than leggings, and they’ve gotten to the point now with all the spandex in them that they’re almost as comfortable as leggings. Basically, jeggings have taken over the market – though I doubt anyone would call them that. Whenever I think of “jeggings” I usually have war flashbacks to a pair of Justice “jeggings” I had in fifth grade that didn’t even have real pockets, just printed-on ones. I do believe that’s what they call a crime aganist fashion.

Anyway, I should never be allowed to take three-hour naps in the middle of the afternoon. I just used “inception of a new era of Meilin’s pants-wearing history” in a sentence. Something tells me none of my professors would be impressed.

Scarf: Stolen from my mother’s closet (Mom, if you’re reading this, I demand $1,000 paid in cash or you’re never seeing it again)

Jacket: Forever21

Shirt: H&M

Jeans: Hollister

September 8, 2017 – I Think They Call This A Pop Of Color (OOTD #107)

Published on September 14, 2017September 14, 2017 by lensembledujour5 Comments

I don’t usually even like wearing color.

I mean, look at my blog posts – it’s pretty much a sea of neutrals. Black is probably my favorite, followed by camel, grey, white, and navy. Though I’m probably never going to be one of those people who can create a minimalist capsule wardrobe out of only neutrals, I must admit – they do look pretty chic.

Unfortunately for the part of me that wants to rock the all-black everyday emo look, or the part that wants to look like a chic Parisian whose wardrobe only knows the occasional hint of red, I still come from the South. And the women in the South rather like their color.

Just look at the quintessential Southern brand, Lilly Pulitzer. It’s nothing but color. Is black ever a major component of her patterns? Does she even know that black is?

So every once in a while, I have to give into my Southern roots and go for some kind of color vomit outfit. And what better day to do that than a rainy day, when the rest of the world is grey? Talk about a pop of color.

This rain coat is one of my favorite pieces in my wardrobe, even though it’s not 100% my style. I just get so many compliments when I wear it; I can’t help keeping it around even if I personally find it a little too bright for my comfort. I’ve actually had for years, since I was in 7th grade or something ridiculous like that. If I remember correctly, I think it came from the children’s section of Target; I was with my parents, and we were just about to check out, when I glanced it out of the corner of my eye. I just had to have it.

It may be one of the oldest pieces in my wardrobe, but it just never seems to stop getting attention, and it has yet to go out of style.

The rain hat and boots are newer additions to my wardrobe. I’ve been dreaming of owning a yellow rain ensemble – yellow raincoat, rain boots, and hat – for ages, and I’ve finally managed to gather each piece. I have yet to wear them all together though; that’s for another rainy day.