0 - WELCOME

Bonjour, mes amis

As you may be able to tell from the greeting, I am in Paris! I’ve been here for the past week for some rest and relaxation. Unfortunately it has been cold and rainy every day, which is rather annoying. Either way, I am making the most of my trip by stuffing myself with croissants and watching lots of tennis. I feel right at home here… perhaps I should consider a move for a few months?

Anyway, June will be a little quieter on my end. I have a few work trips, but I will be staying put in NYC. I’ve also been working closely with my Spring/Summer styling clients, which is very exciting. It’s not too late to refresh your wardrobe, so just reply to this email if you want to learn more!

1 - FASHION

Wishlist

As a serial window shopper, I always have many things on my wishlist. I love browsing online and offline, and finding the best deals. I’ve felt like branching out of black and into colours for some time — browns, reds, greens, blues, and even prints are all fair game. Here is what I would not mind adding to my closet:

Stripes

Maybe this is the Parisian influence, but lately I have found stripes rather pleasing. I remember when I was obsessed with Play by CDG years ago and wore a striped long-sleeved t-shirt all the time. Since then, I have pretty much retired stripes from my closet, but in the past year or so, I’ve slowly come around to liking them again. I like using stripes to add dimension and break up an otherwise dull outfit. Below are some of my favourite striped clothes in the market right now:

Styling Advice

It’s always a good time to revisit some of my style guidelines. Here are the tips that I try to follow (and share with my clients) so that we all look good, and more importantly, feel good:

• Know your body type: The sooner you know your body type and how to dress for it, the easier sartorial decisions will be. Fit is everything when it comes to clothes. Don’t underestimate the value of a tailor if something doesn’t fit right

• Consider colour analysis: “Colour analysis” (i.e. the colours someone looks good in based on their skin tone, hair, and eye colour) has become quite popular. I personally have not done mine (I’d rather experiment than have someone tell me what to do), but friends have done it and found it somewhat useful

• Have a few go-to looks/pieces: The key to every wardrobe is to have a set of foundational pieces, and build upon it with more seasonal items. I tend to wear the same looks, and freshen them up by rotating the accessories. Maybe it’s wearing a different pair of shoes or necklace — the small details make a difference

• Quality over quantity: Investing in good-quality clothes is important. You’re probably better off spending $100 on a sweater than $25 on 4 sweaters

• If something fits great, buy multiples: A great fit is hard enough to come by — if something fits, stock up! For example, I have the same t-shirts from Flore Flore in different colours because they fit well and the material is great. Don’t be afraid to double down on what works

• Prioritize investments in most-worn categories: It takes a lot of time (and money) to update a wardrobe. Figure out what category of items you wear the most, and invest in those first. For example, if you wear jeans all the time, invest in one/two great pairs and wear them all the time! There’s no need to spend $$$ on a nice dress or pair of shoes if you’re only going to wear them once

Five Things I Bought

Below are five things that I bought and loved last month:

2 - BEAUTY

Lip Balm Favourites

A few weeks ago, I had a minor meltdown at home because I couldn’t find some of the lip balms that I had purchased and wanted to review. Eventually I found all of them (1 was in a bag, 1 was in a jeans pocket, and 1 was in a coat lol), so the story has a happy ending. But anyway, here are my latest lip balm favourites:

• Sisley Phyto Lip Balm in Transparent: I’ve been using this non-stop since I got it a few weeks ago. I love that it’s sheer and not sticky

• Augustinus Bader x Sofia Coppola The Tinted Balm in Tints 1 & 2: I was addicted to the clear lip balm a couple months ago, and this tinted one does not disappoint. The colour is sheer, but definitely buildable after a few swipes

• Aquaphor Healing Ointment: I know this is nothing new or radical, but I bought this in a Parisian pharmacy yesterday as I am running low on my Sisley lip balm. I’ve been using it all day and am loving how hydrating it is

• Tower28 LipSoftie Lip Treatment in Clear: I like the rounded applicator and consistency. The vanilla smell is not overpowering, which is always a plus

3 - OTHER

4 - PARTING NOTE

My favourite thing to do on long-haul flights is to watch foreign language films. On my flight to Paris, I watched Chittha and was not disappointed. If you have any recommendations, send them my way!

Until next month, friends.