Paris Paris Paris

A beautiful city that will truly inspire you. I'm not sure if its the history, the design or just the Parisian air but it's quite the romantic city. Paris makes you want to fall in love or at least be in love. It's also the capital of fashion, I don't know all the reasons but I like to believe it's because it's always been classic & chic. 

This was my first time working with a team in Paris and I had an amazing time shooting this Fashion story. 

Top & pants: Drome 
Mini Bag & Gloves: Azzedine Alaia 
Hat: Laulhere 

This Lou De Betoly dress was stunning. I need this for my next party or just to lounge around in at my house.

A stunning dress or a gown can make you feel glamorous and beautiful but there's just something about a power suit that really makes me feel amazing. Maybe it's because I don't find myself in this type of look very often but this was my favorite look from the entire shoot! Who says a girl can't rock a mans style? 

Oversized jacket: Sadak
Beret: Azzedine Alaia
Earrings: Lanvin

Total look: Off-white
Earrings: Louis Vuitton

Absolutely in LOVE with the dress & bag combo from Off-White. Straight off the runway, fire. 

Top & Pants: Drome
Mini Bag & Gloves: Azzedine Alaia
Hat: Laulhere

Total Look: Azzedine Alaia

Total Look: Off-white

Dress & belt: Azzedine Alaia
Hat: Laulhere

It must be the Parisian Style and team but this is my favorite Fashion Shoot & Video we have shot up to date! Would you agree? 

Give it up for the phenomenal team! 

Photographer: Florian https://www.instagram.com/floriansaez
Sylist: Sarah https://www.instagram.com/sarahcazeneuvestylist
Make up artist: Cyril https://www.instagram.com/cyrillaine
Hair Stylist: Oliver https://www.instagram.com/hairbyolivierlebrun
Hair Assistant: Michael https://www.instagram.com/spraythanh
Video: Eunice https://www.instagram.com/eunibugg
 

It's been a while since I've had a photo shoot. I went back to back from shooting Miss 2059 to the movie Honored so I haven't had a lot of time for photos. But it's always fun to play and shoot. This is an incredibly close up shot of my face. I feel super vulnerable but I kind of like it because it's different. 

This was my first time working with Timothy, love how he shoots! It was super quick and fun. We've been meaning to shoot for a while now. We actually tried shooting in Chicago last year but our schedules didn't work out, so it was great to finally get to work together.

I'm loving this natural clean look by Chloe. I've never seen my face so clean! I feel a little naked without all my moles and beauty marks but I get that it works for the final images.   

It was all very last minute and spontaneous so we had a pretty small team, my friend Caroline helped me style and pick out the looks. She found this oversized sweater and I'm in love with the lace up back. I also love that this look has a boyish feel but the lace skirt makes it girly. I'll always love my sweats but lately, I've been into dresses. 

This is probably my favorite shot out of the bunch. I rarely like photos where I'm looking directly into camera. That always makes me feel uncomfortable, so you'll catch me looking down or away for most of my instagram photos. Maybe because as an actor you're never supposed to look into the lens. I'm definitely more of an actor than a model so looking into the lens always makes me feel like I'm breaking the rules. But here I feel like I actually connected, and not in an awkward way. 

Someone once asked me why we never smile during shoots, honestly... I have no idea and I'm always smiling a bunch but those images never make the cut. I'm not sure why? 

Maybe it's because when we're smiling the attention goes to our face but a lot of these fashion style shoots are to showcase the wardrobe and not the model? I guess I should smile more since we're not really "modeling" the clothing. We're just shooting. *shrug*

Sweater & Lace Skirt: Zara
Boots: Louis Vuitton

Anyways, I'll share more for this shoot later. In the meantime, check out the video below to see what kind of silly things we do on set. We played a game of would you rather and some this or that questions!

Photographer: Timothy Fernandez
Make up & Hair: Chloe Schlossmann
Video: Eunice Lee

I found these candid phone shots my friend Caroline took of me on set. I love that I'm just awkwardly smiling in all of them, of course I included my mean mugging shot on the bottom right because I was looking in the mirror, probably practicing. Pretty different from the final images huh? Photo magic! 

Throwback Thursday To Vintage Dreaming

Remember that vintage shoot I had in New York? I still haven't had a chance to upload all the photos and share them with you. This was my absolute favorite look from the entire shoot. Kaitlyn is amazing, the whole vibe and energy of the shoot was so much fun. I think she sent me about 60+ photos from this look alone. I've narrowed it down to my favorites. 

I love all the colors and textures of this shoot. It's amazing what set design can do to change the environment and feel of a shoot. 

Will be sharing more photos from this shoot... stay tuned! 

Photographer: Kaitlyn Mikayla
Stylists: Ryan & Mandi of Hill People
Hair: Goldy Ilowitz
Makeup: Michelle Singh

Late Night Shoot in NYC

Did a late night shoot in New York after my Leonard & Church event a couple weeks ago. Here are some of the shots as well as the behind the scenes video!

I'm loving this slicked back hair and cobalt blue shadow. So dramatic! I rarely wear bold colors on my eyes in real life but I really like it for photoshoots. Would you guys rock this blue?  

Top Manfredonia NY
Jacket Nicholas K

This Levi’s denim jumpsuit was one of my favorite pieces! I could live in all kinds of jumpsuits. 

This matching two piece from Nicholas K was also a really cute outfit. I love how it's so light and simple, I just wish it didn't wrinkle so easily! 

I really love the lips on this last clean beauty look! This is a fairly easy beauty trend to try, I've been mixing a lot of different lip colors for two toned lips & ombre lips! Do you guys like this trend?
Black top Clavin Klein
Earings H&M

Photographer: Matt Brown 
Stylist: Shay Dixon
Make Up & Hair: Abraham Sprinkle
BTS: Eunice Lee
 

Weekend Getaway Outfit Ideas!

Spruce up your casual denim and tee look with two toned jeans and a colorful backpack!

I'm obsessed with these jeans. I've worn them so much the last few months. It's definitely one of my new favorite trends this year. It easy to style and makes a simple outfit interesting. Not to mention they're super comfortable because they're not that tight. I'm starting to really hate skinny jeans.  

Honestly, I can't wear jeans unless I can sit in them comfortably. I really don't understand how people wear ultra tight skinny jeans. Once again I'm reminded of Beauty is pain - I hate that phrase. When I'm going on vacation I generally only pack sneakers and flats, comfort is my best friend.

Of course I can't leave the house without my Leonard & Church (fyi we might be discontinuing this style, The Park, very soon).

I love this off the shoulder ruffle top I got last year. It's perfect for avoiding those shoulder tan lines! And easy for mixing and matching!

This linen button down is my favorite, I wear it with everything! This is also the same linen button down I threw over the baby tee and jeans (pictured above).

This slip dress is really comfortable and also a great cover up over swimwear if you're headed to the beach. I styled it very casual but you can also throw on some heels and dress it up for the evening!

Look at Chewy photobombing me as usual... 

Maxi dresses are the best, they're comfortable and easy to pack. I really like that this one's fitted at the waist and gives me some shape but it's still light weight and soft. Perfect for vacations, beach or just relaxing! Dresses are great for trips because they're no brainers and comfortable. You just put it on and you're done! No need to "match" a top and bottom, who wants to be thinking during a time you should be relaxing? Not me! 

Always.. every shoot. I must stop to cuddle with Chew chew... 

Karen came out to shoot some photos and hang as well, we joked that it almost looks like an engagement shoot... too funny. 

This is my girl Eunice! She has been amazing in helping me keep up with most of the video content on my youtube channel the last couple months! Make sure to follow her and show her some love! 

Here's a video of all the looks, enjoy!

Cheers! Enjoy the weekend!

Photography by: Robby M
BTS Video by: Eunice Lee

Off the Shoulders Ruffle Top: Nicholas 
Beach Bag: Soeur Du Maroc
Sandals: Soludos
White Linen Top: Equipment
Stripped Dress: Equipment
Printed Maxi Dress: Forever 21 (sold out, here's something similar)
Two Toned Jeans: AG Phoebe
White Graphic Shirt: Forever 21 (sold out, here's something similar)
White Sneakers: Adidas
Red Watch: Leonard & Church
Red BackPack: Vince Camuto
Floral Dress: Alice & Olivia 

Stop and smell the flowers

My friends call me a workaholic, but I like being busy. I feel restless when I'm not productive or stagnant. Sometimes I get so caught up, I forget how important it is to rest and recharge. I actually got pretty sick this last week and almost hit a point of burning out. We're definitely not meant to work 24/7... it's just not healthy.

I've been so busy I haven't even had time to share all the photos we shot over a month ago when my friends Daniel & Rob visited California. We spent a day in Hermosa Beach and I shot a quick video (sharing soon) and some photos.

Daniel aka the violin master snapped a few photos of me with Robby's camera, not bad! My friends are so talented. I'm always impressed and challenged to do better by my multi-talented friends. But I also feel like these days, if you're in the business of the arts. You have to be flexible and be willing to learn every part of the business to survive. So many of my friends who are talented film makers, editors, photographers are also talented musicians and actors.

Being an artist is hard, there's little to no structure, you're often waiting for opportunities and doing a lot of free work. But it's really amazing to look back at the last 10 years and see how much the internet has changed the game. New media and social media has helped people create their own opportunities. I was always a little slow to catch on but I'm doing my best now and learning as I go.

It's quite the grind but we do it because we love it, right?

So with all the pressure of having to do it all, how do we keep up? These days I feel like I barely have time to sleep trying to upkeep my youtube channel, this blog, auditions, filming, recording music, Leonard & Church and social media. Who knew social media would become such a big part of the job. I remember just a few years ago when I refused to start instagram because I thought Facebook and Twitter alone were hard enough to manage.

If you've been following this blog from the beginning you know I attempted a crazy task. I thought I would be able to blog every day. I don't regret trying but I'm glad I let go of that goal. I think maybe once a week is a bit more reasonable. 

I also think as much as I want to do it all. Balance is crucial, I really need to remember to take breaks and recharge.

It's nice to be home, spend some time with my friends and reflect on life. If you just work nonstop, one day you'll be done and you won't even remember how you got there. That's often how I feel about my time on Teen Wolf. It was just so many hours, nonstop filming and it all happened so fast. Honestly, when it ended, I didn't even realize it had been a few years. It felt like I had just started filming the show. I wish that I had taken moments to really reflect on the experiences and enjoyed the experience while it was happening. I feel like that's also what happened to me in college, I was in such a rush to get out and so stressed with all the school work that by the time I left, there wasn't much I remembered from my college life. I was never in the moment.

That's probably my only regret.

But these days I'm actively trying to be very present and in the moment. Instead of just thinking of all the things I need to do or going through the motions of life. This blog has actually been very helpful, it's like a diary that helps me process my thoughts and appreciate the day to day.

I've been a part of my worship band at church for the last 9 years. It's kind of one of the few things that no matter how tired I am, I love to do. It refuels my soul and gets me right back on my feet when I'm feeling exhausted. Last night we were jamming, preparing for Sunday worship and even though it was just a few hours it helped me recharge.

So no matter how busy you are, find something that helps you refuel. We're a little more complicated than machines, we need more than just sleep and food to keep going. I know I need my community, friends, encouragement, love, time alone and my relationship with God. Figure out what it is you need to have balance.

Don't rush through life, regardless of how stressful and difficult your life may be. Enjoy the experiences both good and bad because it's just a chapter or a season of your life and it'll pass before you know it.

I know it sounds cheesy but stop and smell the flowers every once in a while and remember just how amazing and beautiful this life is. I've been noticing the flowers blooming when I'm walking Chewy and it's nice to take a moment just to say thanks for even a simple flower that smells nice.

Photography by Robby M & Daniel Jang

Easy Layers for all year round

This was actually terrifying!! If you follow my instagram, you saw the story when we were taking these pictures, I was shaking! I don't have a fear of heights but this definitely got the nerves going. 

Every once in a while I forget that Los Angeles is quite the beautiful city. I get caught up in all the traffic, pollution, population, angry people and forget that some people actually come here to vacation! I need more moments like this, to enjoy the city I live in. 

I love this infantry jacket over a sweater or a basic t-shirt. It's the perfect layering piece! 

Shooting with Robby is always fun. We stumbled onto this beautiful Japanese Garden. Love that sun peeping through in these shots! 

I was totally tempted to climb this, but I didn't want to break it. Fun fact, when I was little, I loved climbing everything. I had a bunch of tree forts I built as well, I was a total tomboy. 

Change up your basic outfit with a different layering piece. Gives a person a totally different vibe. What do you guys think? Infantry jacket or the Silk Bomber? 

See all the different looks I mixed & matched with layers plus more in my newest video! 

All photography by Robby M
Video by Eunice Lee

Grey Lace Up Sweater: Pam & Gela
Green Infantry Jacket: Current Elliott
Silk Bomber: Equipment
Star Tank: Pam & Gela
 

Floral Bomber & Leathers

Ran around downtown Los Angeles with some friends from out of town a few weeks ago. We shot some photos and video, will be sharing the rest tomorrow! I LOVE these pants, I actually bought them over 5 years ago! I think they're so cool because of the double layer waist, almost looks like I'm wearing leather boxers under these black slacks.

I got this floral bomber in Hong Kong a couple years ago. No label and no brand, would you believe it was less than $25 dollars? I wasn't sure if I loved it, I didn't get to try it on. See, that's the catch of these street markets in Hong Kong. It's cheap, but you're not allowed to try anything on and it's mostly One Size Fits All. Which is the worst, because it definitely "doesn't fit all". Shopping can be discouraging enough as is when clothes just don't seem to fit right or work with your body type. I actually ended up giving away about half of the things I bought in Hong Kong to my friends, my loss, their gain! Most of the pieces were too small. If this happens to you, don't let it bother you! You're definitely not alone. 

Do you guys miss my purple locks? I almost don't recognize myself anymore. 

So for this second look, I just changed my outerwear. You'll see more of the look in my video tomorrow but I love how you can completely flip the vibe and feel of a look with a simple change of jacket. 

Same basic crop tank and pants, I just layered it with a sweater vest and a leather jacket from All Saints. 

I love layering with my leather jackets but sometimes the sleeves feel too stuffy, so vests are always a go to for me, almost looks like a scarf. And as usual, a leather back pack and sneakers. 

I love my patent leather sneakers with this outfit because it gives this fairly monochromatic look a nice little pop! I've had this Alexander Wang backpack for years as well, love all the exposed zippers. 

Will be posting a new video tomorrow including these looks and more! Stay tuned. 

All photography by Robby M

How I style that Oversized Trench

I got this trench last year in Korea at Seoul Fashion week. I really love it, it's a great staple piece to have in the closet. 

I remember when I initially tried on the trench, everyone said it was too big. I was wearing pants, sneakers and a wide top with this trench, so I definitely got lost in the clothes. 

The safe rule of thumb, at least for me, if you're going to go oversized on anything, mix it with something more fitted. I styled it with this top with a tie neck, corduroy skirt and my thigh highs to add some height. Showing a little bit of leg can go a long way. Especially if you're petite like me!

I feel like this jacket makes this fairly casual outfit, feel more sofisticated and dressy at the same time.

It also makes the look appear to be more expensive then it really is. That's something I'm always trying to do, find pieces that look nice, without breaking the wallet. This top was something around $8 from Forever 21 and the skirt was less than $24 from Nordstroms. These Stuart Weitzman boots I've had for a few years and they were expensive but I wear them all the time, well worth it. 

I tried to find a link for this trench but they don't seem to sell it anymore, it was a few hundred dollars - Jain Song is the designer but I know there are tons of great oversized trenches out there!

Video coming soon on the channel so you can get a better feel for how it looks and see how it moves! 

Photography by Robby M 

Instagram life vs Real life

I flew into Syracuse yesterday for my talk today. The city welcomed me with wind & snow so I stayed in the hotel last night. Figured I'd grab some wine at the hotel bar and ended up with a pretty funny encounter.

I was in my typical attire - hoodie, sweats and no make up. Traveling with my assistant so we were keeping it low key.

It was a fairly quiet hotel bar. No more than 4 guests. Most the evening was just us and the bartender.

Towards the end of the night, the bartender asked if I was Arden Cho, his boss had texted him asking to confirm because she had suspicions it was me. I laughed, said yes, then of course we started chatting about work, life, etc. Later one of the other customers chimed in because he was surprised he had found me on instagram.

Wow it's so cool you can have a disguise in real life vs instagram. You look so different. I laughed and said, yes, I don't have my face on. I guess I never considered it a disguise because this is my norm, but it's funny to see the other perspective. I often hear things like - wow, you're SO short in real life or you look SO different. It definitely makes me a bit uneasy and insecure but I realize it's also a perspective. Maybe it's a gift that I look different in different environments and scenarios. But I know I usually feel like I'm invisible - which is probably what you wouldn't expect to hear from me. 

I guess sometimes I don't even realize how far instagram is from the reality. I use it mostly as my highlight reel or sharing my work. Also sharing moments from my life that I think are instagram worthy. I guess it definitely is no longer a reality. I'm not trying to be fake or hide who I am but I feel like I can't share everything or post too much because of the "instagram asthetic". I guess that's why I started this blog. I can be more authentic here. I feel safer on this platform and less judged. My instagram page isn't even aesthetically pleasing, I try to be because it's part of my job but I honestly have no clue how some people make their pages look so perfect. 

I also don't share certain parts of my life, like some of my close friends and their families or loved ones if they're not comfortable with the exposure. Not everyone signs up for this lifestlye or lack of privacy.

Anyways, this made me think instagram is really misleading, social media is also so deceiving. I fall victim to scrolling through and seeing other pages, feeling envious, jealous and sad. But then I know my page might have to same result for others. Which isn't my intent at all. Most of my posts are images from photoshoots where I have a team of people making me look way better than I do in real life.

Instagram is like a live photo album or a memory book of my work. It's not the reality. So I hope you can take it for what it is. If it's affected you negatively, I'm sorry. It's something I hope I can look back at when I'm 60 and tell my kids - mom used to be kind of cool.

All Photography by Luke Rieke
Make Up & Hair by Sara Tagaloa
Wardrobe Styling by Katie Qian
Assisted by Eunice Lee

TGIF!

So happy to share this last look from the shoot with Raul. Do you guys have a favorite? 

I've seen a few comments that I almost seem like a different person these days with my new hair. I actually agree, but I'm not sure it's just the hair. I think it might be the way I'm living life these days. This year has been all about living in the moment. Appreciating more of what I have, being thankful and doing my best to learn!

This attitude has given me a new level of confidence and a renewed zest for life. Turn the bad into something beautiful!

 Or maybe it is just the hair. 

Either way, I think change is good. The same way the seasons change, I think it's important to grow and adjust to your surroundings and your current situation. Things aren't always going to go as planned. Nothing has gone according to my plan. But that's okay. I'm sure when I get to the end of my story, I'll look back and say - God was a much better writer. 

It's hard to appreciate what you have and stay positive during difficult seasons of life. But I truly believe hardships make you who you are. They shape your character and as much as I hate these moments, I know I'll be thankful. These struggles will make the successes that much more satisfying. If it was easy, everyone would do it. 

Enjoy your last work day or school day for the week! I work on Saturdays as well so cheers to those who also work everyday! 

Photography by Raul Romo
Styling by Katie Qian
Make up & Hair by Francie Tomalonis
Bts by Eunice Lee

Comin at Monday like...

I'm ready for whatever this weeks got in store for me! Positive mind, positive vibes, positive life. 

This is how I stare down anyone who gets in my way. 

Photography by Raul Romo
Styling by Katie Qian
Make up & Hair by Francie Tomalonis
Bts by Eunice Lee

Happy Sunday

Headed out early today, so I'll just share one quick look from the shoot with Raul! 

I've had these boots for over a year and I'm so happy I finally got to wear them! 

Curious what it's like when we shoot? Here's a glimpse into our day of shooting! Stay tuned for more photos from this shoot. 

Photography by Raul Romo
Styling by Katie Qian
Make up & Hair by Francie Tomalonis
Bts by Eunice Lee

Every BODY is beautiful.

All through out high school and college, I really struggled with my weight and accepting my body. I've always wanted to be under a 100lbs. Keep in my mind I have not been under 100lbs since I was in middle school. I was really into sports and a healthy lifestyle so I had too much muscle to be that thin. But I still wanted it, because I thought that was what would make me beautiful.

I don't know how much I weigh now but I know for sure - it isn't close to 100lbs. I just stopped weighing myself. The number and size doesn't matter. How you feel matters and you should feel great in your skin and your body. 

In the states I feel like I'm generally still on the smaller side but when I go to Asia, I'm definitely considered large. I know this may seem shocking - it was for me as well. But it's just different cultural standards. Every time I want to work in Asia, I'm told I need to lose at least 40lbs. I physically can't do it and I don't think that's healthy for my body type and frame. I have friends who are rail thin and they eat as much as I do. So it's not about how much or little you eat or how often you work out. Everyone has a different body type. You need to embrace yours and figure out what works for you. I know starving -- doesn't work for me. 

Don't squeeze into a 25 skinny jean if it gives you muffin top and you can't breathe. Find a pair that fits your body and compliments your shape. I'm normally a 26 but in some stores I wear up to a 28 if they run small. I don't think that means I got fat, it's just a number. Some brands I'm an XS and others I'm a M, sometimes I'm a 2 and sometimes I'm a 4. We have all these numbers and labels we look at that constantly force us to judge our bodies. But no one really cares but you. Being a size 0 isn't going to bring you more love. 

I know it's hard not to compare ourselves to the people we follow or see on a daily basis on our feeds. But try not to judge others and yourself. Just enjoy it for what it is, a picture. It's okay to admire for a moment, I do all the time. "Wow, she's so skinny... she's so tall... she's so perfect". But to someone else she might be too skinny or too tall. No one is perfect. Everyone has a different ideal of beauty and you have to accept yourself as beautiful first before anyone else can. 

Dress Wow Couture, Faux Fur Jacket OTT Dubai

Photography by Raul Romo
Styling by Katie Qian
Make up & Hair by Francie Tomalonis
Bts by Eunice Lee

Short Hair Don't Care

I spontaneously chopped off my locks a couple weeks ago. I had a few shoots back to back and was getting really bored of my long hair. I knew I had this shoot coming up with Raul so I figured it was the perfect time for a change!

I feel like the short hair gives me extra height. I know everyone loves long hair and a lot of my friends told me not to cut it but when you're on the shorter side, short hair can potentially makes you look taller. If you're petite and your hair is too long it can swallow you up.

I can't wait to share the rest of this shoot because Raul totally captured my personality. We had so much fun. 

Fashion shoots don't always have to be so serious. A little sass and class never hurt anyone.

I'm FREEEEEE! I feel so light and almost like a new person. 

I didn't tell anyone I was cutting my hair. After I chopped it off, I met my friends for dinner, one of my best girl friends walked in and just kept looking at me. She even took off her glasses, rubbed her eyes and continued looking at me from a distance. She was legitimately confused, it wasn't until I waved her down that she realized it was me! 

Funny how social media is a way to keep in touch with friends. That weekend I said hi to a couple of my friends at church and they also didn't recognize me. I got texts afterwards saying "omg, I'm so sorry, I didn't realize that was you! Your hair is still long on instagram!"

I think social media is a great way to stay connected but I also feel like it's important to be connected offline as well. I love instagram but I feel so limited. I feel like I can't post as freely or as often. I think this is why I'm enjoying blogging so much. I can share more of who I am and I don't have to worry about bothering anyone with "too many posts". 

Jacket Adelina Rusu, Top Masaki Matsuka, Jeans Revice

Photography by Raul Romo
Styling by Katie Qian
Make up & Hair by Francie Tomalonis
Bts by Eunice Lee

Don't wear yellow because you're yellow.

I love shooting outdoors. Wind in my face and natural light. It's like the Universe bringing it all together for the perfect shot. 

This is my favorite look from the series I shot with Luke Rieke. I shared a sneak peek last week and we've got a bunch more coming so make sure to stay tuned. 

Los Angeles has so much character. Sometimes I forget how big this city is. So many souls, so many stories. Everyone busy and just trying to survive. 

I love this UNIF sweater Katie styled me in, I would never think to wear it or buy something like this because it's so bold. But it feels quite empowering. Maybe I should start wearing more primary colors. 

Someone once told me I shouldn't wear yellow because I'm yellow and it's not going to be flattering on me. I think I might disagree. I might actually like yellow on me. Sometimes it's best to take someone else's opinion with a grain of salt. 

I'm working on listening to myself more and caring less about the opinion of others. Especially when it's racist, I'm not actually yellow. I think I hear things like this so often it doesn't even phase me anymore. I don't think that's a good thing, it shouldn't be normal.

Took me 30 years to be comfortable in my own skin and most my life I felt like I was an alien. I never felt like I fit in or I belonged. I'm not sure when that started to change but I know the last few years have been about embracing who I am. Loving myself, even the flaws. 

Don't judge yourself because you're different. 

This skirt from Stylenanda is so fun, the silver grommets are everything! Also another piece I would not gravitate towards naturally! This is why Katie is so good and so necessary. 

I love this shot of my feet dangling but now I wish I could clean my shoes. I always struggle keeping my white sneakers clean. Probably because I wear them every day. 

All Photography by Luke Rieke
Make Up & Hair by Sara Tagaloa
Wardrobe Styling by Katie Qian
Assisted by Eunice Lee

Get that Vitamin D!

If you're feeling blue go outside and get some Vitamin D, sunshine always cheers me up! I walk Chewy 3-4 times a day, that's at least an hour of sunlight and it does wonders for me. Couple times a week we go for a hike as well. I'm more energetic during the days and I sleep better at night. Whenever I'm feeling sluggish a brisk walk outside always does the trick. 

Here I am trying to tie a high pony without a mirror, how'd I do?  

Photos by the amazing Robby M this is one of my favorite every day looks from a fun shoot we had in Downtown LA, video shot by Eunice coming soon on my channel. 

Kisses! Now get off your phone or computer and go get some sun!! 

Sweater: Pam & Gela Lace up (size P)
Watch: Leonard & Church Varick 
Sunnies: Perverse Sunglasses
Jeans: Nobody Geo Skinny (size 26)

Do you have three faces?

Someone recently told me that everyone has three faces. The first face, you show to the world. The second face, you show to your close friends and your family. The third face, you never show anyone. It is the truest reflection of who you are. I found this to be fascinating because I always thought I was just an open book. 

I'm fairly open & honest about my life unless it involves someone else. Respecting the privacy of those I care for is really important to me. I'm also not good at hiding my emotions or lying. If I don't like something or someone you'll see it written all over my face. On the flip side, if I like something, I won't be able to hide my excitement. I either LOVE it or HATE it, no room for the in-between.

Lets take food for example, if it's a hot dish, I like it sizzling hot and if it's a cold dish, I like it ice cold. I hate anything that's lukewarm. This reflects a lot in my life as well. I'm passionate about the things I do and the things I love. So that intensity really excites me and lukewarmness is the exact opposite. I consider it lazy to have a lukewarm attitude towards life. If you're going to do something, do it! Do it with all your heart and be great! Revelation 3:15-17

Now that I think about it, I'm fairly closed off in big public settings or work environments, mainly because it's intimidating and terrifying. I can come off a bit standoffish if I'm feeling uncomfortable. It's an INFP (Myers-Briggs) thing, we're constantly misunderstood. I'll elaborate on INFP struggles on another blog post. I also act a lot tougher than I am to those I'm not as close with. But my friends know I'm pretty sensitive and a total softie. I put less of a face on with my friends so they get to see the real arden. I'm awkward, clumsy, insecure, shy, incredibly forgetful - borderline needing professional help and I talk way too fast. Mainly because if I talk slowly mid sentence I'll forget what I was saying and completely lose my train of thought. Does this happen to anyone else?

I feel like my closest friends see it all. They've seen me ugly cry, they've seen me heartbroken, they've seen me angry and much more. I'm really open with my close friends because I believe your friendships can only be as deep as you allow them to be. If you want real intimate friendships you've got to be vulnerable and open up. Friendships are hard work and you need to invest your time into them but they're so essential to a healthy life. I'm so thankful for my friends that are my community and my family. They keep me accountable and grounded, I don't know what I'd do without them. 

Whenever I dress like this I have a few friends who love to tease me. You look like a boy. But what's wrong with that? Why do guys get all the cool clothes? This is a mans jacket from the mens section but I love it! I can wear this, eat two pizzas and no one would know. All about comfort baby!

I just bought this cap and I'm in LOVE. I usually wear a black cap but since the weather's getting warmer I feel like this off-white colored cap is very fitting for the season. It's become a new favorite. I love hats and covering half my face, it oddly makes me feel safe. Maybe I do have three faces after all. There are definitely times when I feel the safest alone. But I still identify with all three faces, they all make me who I am. 

When you're fixing your hair but it almost looks like dancing. Photography by Robby M 

New York

One of my favorite experiences during Fashion Week last year was shooting with Leonardo Corredor. It took me so far out of my comfort zone. But I loved it. I never got to share all of the photos so I figured I'd do that here.

This was hands down my favorite images from the shoot. I'm not quite sure why but it makes me feel like a painting and I'm honored to feel like my image became art. 

My dreams of being tall come true in photoshoots with long gowns and killer heels. But thank you Leo, this photo gives me life. 

I rarely shoot anything like this. I think it's because I feel vulnerable & naked. Or just plain awkward. But I'm happy we did it, I love how it turned out and I think I'll look back at it many years from now and be happy that I was comfortable enough to take this photo, despite the tiny body suit and snow falling on me in the -0 degree weather. Yes, it was snowing while I took this photo and yes, I was standing outside on the busy streets of New York. Half naked. I got quite a number of funny looks. 

This is probably my second favorite photo of the batch. I love it because it makes me feel so sexy and I rarely feel sexy. I also love the hair naturally falling in my face. I don't know why but I really love hair in the face. I almost wish I always had hair in my face like Violet from The Incredibles. 

I really fear taking photos straight on like this. But when you have a good glam team it sure does build the confidence. Thank you Jonathan for making my face look like this. This photo also freaked me out a bit because people kept commenting that I looked like TOP from Big Bang, I wasn't sure if that was an insult or a compliement. But I'll choose to take it as a compliment. Maybe we can play siblings one day. 

Photography - Leonardo Corredor | Make up - Jonathan Wu | Nails - Sooah | Hair - Kat Koncept | Styling - Allan Troy

Beauty & the Beast

Seems like a lot of people watched Beauty & the Beast this past weekend. I'm planning on watching it this week, I don't really like going to the theaters opening weekend because it's so packed and hectic. I'll go opening weekend if it's a film I really want to help support and make sure they get the best opening weekend stats. But my favorite time to go to the movies is mid-week matinee. It's less crowded & cheaper! 

I covered one of my favorite songs from the movie with my friends Daniel Jang & Jason Chen. 

I always wanted to be Belle, Little Mermaid, Mulan or Jasmine. I remember when I was little I wanted to be Belle for Halloween but my parents wouldn't buy me the dress. Our family didn't really celebrate Halloween or think it was necessary to buy a costume so I was only allowed to wear what I had at home. A Taekwondo uniform, my ballerina leotard & tutu or a Hanbok (traditional Korean dress) were my options. I basically rotated these three outfits every year for trick-or-treating. I wonder if it's an Asian thing? 

Hope you enjoy our cover video. My only regret is not wearing that perfect yellow gown for this video. Although, if I did, I might have been a bit overdressed. One day, I want to wear that Belle gown! 

Of course a video isn't complete without taking some photos. Thanks Robby! A lot of people asked me on instagram where my outfit was from. The top is from this little boutique on Melrose called Timeless and the pants are from this online site called Le Box Blanc. 

I LOVE these pants because they make me feel so tall and I'm a fan of the wide leg. I find ultra tight white pants to be unflattering on 90% of body types. I'll wear form fitted white jeans from time to time but really tight white skinnies can be hard to pull off. I feel it accentuates my thighs and that's not really my favorite body part. So don't feel bad if every time you pull on a pair of white skinnies and look in the mirror you cringe. I feel you girl, I feel you. Plus it probably looks much better than you think. We are our own worst critics.

I really like the cut of this top but it's a little big for me. Medium was the only size left at the store so I went ahead and bought it. Impulse buy. Looking at photos I do think it would have been better if it was the right size. But I don't hate it. I love the wide over the shoulder collar and long wide sleeves. 

This photo below was taken by Jason, he snapped a few while Robby was shooting. This was basically a 3 minute photoshoot. 

This last one was taken through a screen door, not bad not bad Mr Chen.