style profile: christina ueunten.

We first met when we were about seven years old, and time for us has not moved very fast. The world has always been our constant playground and we were fearless with our imaginations. Together we created vast fortresses in my living room, staged glamorous tea parties, and organized super kawaii fashion shows together. Her naturally playful spirit always translated so beautifully into her outfit choices, and it is something that I've always admired about her. Her name is Christina Ueunten, but to me she has always been Ai, meaning love in Japanese.

She's spent the past years living in Tokyo studying as a fashion design major, but luckily the gods have brought her back to the shores of the Bay. It was my pleasure to feature her for my very first style profile and ask her a few questions about her experiences living in Tokyo.

You just came back from Japan! Tell me how you liked living there.

While I was in Japan, I switched from living on a little island to living in a big city (Tokyo). Although I liked the simplicity of the island life, I love the convenience of living in a big city. I love the busy night life, there's always something to do and lots of good food nearby.

Do you identify with Japanese or American fashion more?

At first I felt more drawn to Japanese fashion, but now that I've lived there I'm definitely more into American fashion. It's more simple and down to the point.

The younger generation in Japan tend to participate in some pretty interesting trends. What's the weirdest thing you saw there?

They tend to do a lot of strange things with accessories. I've seen a lot of accessories made out of doll hair or wigs. I've even seen one guy wear live gold fish as earrings and in his hair. 

Who's your favorite fashion icon?

Twiggy! I love the 60's and all those crazy prints and mini skirts and tights.

Favorite season to dress for?

I love Spring just because I love floral print and the colors are a lot more exciting.

Right now how would you define your current style?

It's kind of like a little kid entered your grandma's closet... and picked everything that was colorful.

Photos by me and Glenn Halog

www.glennhalogphoto.com

Special thanks to Ai-chan <3

thankful.

Topshop Crop Top, Swaychic Skirt, Boyfriend's cardigan, and Faux Fur scarf by h&m.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all! I hope you were all able to enjoy the holiday accordingly by stuffing yourselves with ridiculous amounts of food in the company of loved ones who have come from near and far. This time of a year is always a reflection of how far I've come over the past months and also to look forward to the upcoming future and all the exciting things that it will bring. As each year comes to a close, I realize more and more how necessary it is to let go of all the little petty issues that plague my life and simply enjoy the now. We will only live in this specific moment just once, so live in it, because soon it will be gone in a blink of an eye. 

I leave you with a quote that I've recently been reading over and over. 

“the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars.” 
― Jack Kerouac, On the Road

Photos by Glenn Halog.

www.glennhalogphoto.com

God Bless the British!

Confession: I am definitely guilty of being one of those girls who literally spend hours on end staring blankly at my laptop screen watching those beauty gurus/make-up artists/fashion bloggers, whatever you'd like to call them, on YouTube. I justify this by saying to myself, "I'm learning something new" whether it be a new make-up technique, styling tips, or product reviews. But the truth of the matter is, I really enjoy watching these girls because they are real and honest in what they do and let's face it: they're damn good at it. 

My favorite YouTubers just happen to be British! I think it's because I enjoy listening to their accents as it reminds me of the time I spent on vacation in England. But it's also because I feel as if British girls often have the upper hand in cutting edge fashion, and they aren't afraid to show it. So here they are, my favorite BRITISH YouTubers! 

1. Beautycrush / Sammi 

www.beautycrush.co.uk

I've been watching this girl for awhile now mainly because she seems like a genuinely lovely person. Her personality is real and often times a bit silly which makes her so personable. Her style and haul videos are my absolute favorite, mainly because I feel like I'd purchase similar things (if only I lived in the UK...) 

2. Sototallyvlog / Lexi 

www.fashionfilth.com 

Literally only just discovered this YouTuber a few days ago, but I've already watched most of her videos and she's definitely become one of my favorites. Her sense of humor is quite similar to mine, so I can relate to her. She's got such a fun sense of style and her make-up always looks flawless! Absolutely love watching her videos!

3. StyleSuzi / Suzi

www.stylesuzi.com

Yet another YouTuber who I've watched for quite some time, mainly because she not only uses basic make-up brands but she also uses Asian brands as well. It's so nice to have insight into skin care from different parts of the world! I appreciate how honest she is in her reviews, and her fashion sense is always so on par.  

4. Pixi2woo / Tanya

www.tanyaburr.co.uk

This girl has some crazy make-up skills and she always has such a wide variety of tutorials for every sort of look you could possibly want. Her personality is so adorable and she seems like such a sweetheart! She's my go-to YouTuber whenever I'm unsure of how to execute a look. 

Please check these lovely ladies out, if you haven't already! I'll probably do an American version of this post soon.