no one asked: winter wardrobe staples, parallel careers and past lives

16: what i'm reading, watching and re-wearing...

Re-wearing…

This Commando Ballet Mockneck Long Sleeve Bodysuit (pictured here), which I wore every single day in England as a base for all of my outfits. It was a lifesaver. It’s so versatile and sleek and I plan to wear it for my upcoming trip to New York and even here in LA where the weather’s been chillier. Since my trip, I’ve tried my best to be a homebody and with that, have been living in the chicest and coziest Vince Wool and Cashmere Zip Hoodie (which I wore on the plane trip to and from London), paired with these comfy and flattering Wolford Pure Pants that I wear so much I bought two so I can constantly have them on rotation… and they’re currently on sale. I also found myself wearing this 100% Wool Frame Coat I got secondhand nearly everyday on my trip - it’s so warm but lightweight and not overly heavy or structured like other coats. Similar here and here.

For those interested, you can see more winter wardrobe recommendations in a recent piece detailing everything I wore during my holiday in England. So if you’re a paid subscriber, these pieces may have sounded familiar!

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Thinking a lot about…

What really made me happy in 2023 and how I can focus on those things in 2024. Every new year, I journal using various prompts, with these questions included: What made you most happy? What made you most unhappy and took your energy away? What do you wish you made more time for? What do you wish you did less of? Answering these questions always helps me go into the new year with much more intention, allowing me to reset and remind myself what I’d like to leave behind and make room for.

It was so clear what stood out: quality time with friends and family — especially those who I feel naturally at ease with, those I can spend hours with and not get sick of, those who I can text what are you doing today? instead of having to set a date weeks in advance, those who consistently show up and support me. I’ve always been a social person, comfortable surrounded by lots of people whose schedule is filled with coffee dates and hangs. Though I know that can be seen as a strength, especially going away to college and entering the workforce, having to meet new people and make connections, I also see how it’s made me spread myself thin. While I always want to keep myself open to new friendships and interactions, I also want to make sure that I am pouring into the relationships that really pour into me.

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Watching…

Past lives directed by Celine Song featuring Greta Lee and Teo Yoo.

“I liked you for who you are; and who you are is a person who leaves… But for him, you're the person who stays.”

It was long overdue but I finally watched it! When it came out, multiple friends texted me saying that I need to go see it and now I know why. It was so sweet and soft and beautiful. And truly, there is nothing I enjoy more than watching a man pine over a woman he can’t have. My heart still hurts. Go watch it!!!

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Reading…

What You Are Looking for is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama, a book about “the magic of libraries and the discovery of connection,” so thoughtfully picked out and given to me for Christmas by my mother in law. It felt like the perfect first book to read at the start of a new year as it’s heartwarming and positive and light. The book follows several characters who question different things in their lives, hoping for change, and find the answers within the books recommended to them, which is what I always hope to do with Seen Library — sharing covered books with a few clues, waiting to be chosen based on what one needs at the time.

There was one character I really related to — a bookshop owner who has parallel careers, jobs in two different fields that are somehow complementary where neither is secondary. The author compares this dynamic to plants, with plants having an above ground and a below ground, both equally important, working together in perfect balance.

The character says about his store, “Before I had this place, all I ever used to think about was quitting my office job, but now that job is what gives me the means to enjoy running this bookshop. If the bookshop was all I did, however, then I’d have to spend a lot more time thinking about sales strategies and so on… And I don’t really want that… I get more from the shop in terms of mental and emotional satisfaction than I do in monetary profit.”

And that really resonated with me. In 2021, I was burnt out from social media and was on the brink of letting go of all of my clients. Instead, I committed to a year of working less which gave me the time and energy to explore what I wanted to do more of, which then resulted in the creation of Seen Library. Fast forward a couple years and I have a renewed energy with my work because I now have something I love that I want to support. And like the bookshop owner, by not making Seen Library my full-time job, I am able to keep it fun rather than worrying about monetizing it and having to compromise so much of what makes it special.