The Best Spots for Cherry Blossom Photos in Vancouver

BERSHKA TOP | BP. SKIRT | ZARA SANDALS | CULT GAIA PURSE


You know spring is finally here when the cherry blossoms start to bloom in Vancouver. They're our first signs that the rain is nearly at an end, and we have sunny days for the next couple of months.

Despite the cold spells (read snow) and rain storms (read wilted and rotting flowers), I've managed to find some of the best spots for all your cherry blossom photo dreams.

Dressed For the Beach

ASOS DRESS | HM SHIRT (old) | ZARA PURSE (old) | GENTLE MONSTER SUNGLASSES

Living out of a Suitcase

Photos taken by Jade Amy Larey.

As some of you may know, I moved apartments temporarily last week right after my trip to Hong Kong, and will be travelling around Asia and Europe before I finally head home to Canada. In other words, I've been living out of a suitcase for the last two weeks, and will continue to do so for the next three. If there's one think I hate about travelling, it's all the packing and unpacking. I packed up the majority of my things and sent them back to Canada with my parents, and left what I would need for my future travels (and probably more). I also forgot about the stuff I needed dry cleaned, so there's even more coming with me to Vietnam than I originally planned for! I'm so last minute, and sometimes it comes to bite me in the butt (I don't even know what I'll be doing in Hanoi yet besides visiting Halong Bay). 

The weather also took a turn here in Korea, and fall suddenly set in. It's sweater weather in the mornings now... and I have... nothing. A lot of beach clothes for Vietnam, but that's about it. Let's just say living out of a suitcase is hard!

On Rotation

All photos taken by Jade Amy Larey

The last two weeks have been a blur, so I'm sorry for the lack of updates. Not only did I spend a week in Hong Kong (stories and pictures to come), but I also played tour guide for my parents who came to visit in Seoul, and had to move out of my apartment (and into my friend's until I actually do leave Korea).

The Sleeveless Trench

Photos by Jade Larey

So who knew golden light was so difficult to shoot in?! Okay, it's not, or at least it isn't when you have a neutral background. Throw in this lovely cedar backdrop though... and everything is looking very golden...orange. My photoshop skills aren't that great, but a little desaturation helped a lot in restoring a normal look to my skin (and not like I ate too many carrots) while retaining that golden glow. So if you have any tips (whether editing or photographing), let me know.

Simple Is Best

All pictures by Jade Amy Larey

Another day, another off the shoulder top. Sorry, I'm like a broken record. My favourite trend is just on repeat every weekend. I swear I'll wear something different this weekend. Maybe. 

Trend on Trend on Trend

Photos by Kyleigh Trott

As a general rule, I try not to follow trends too much. This summer though... that's not happening. I've been loving everything that's come out - off the shoulder tops, culottes, lace up, tassel sandals, and now crop flares, which I didn't actually think would look as good on me as they do. Here, I combined four major summer trends - cropped flare denim, an off the shoulder top, tassel sandals and my new favourite hairstyle, the half up bun. I actually kind of want to buy a neckerchief (probably the one trend I haven't wanted to jump on), because let's face it, it would look awesome with this outfit.

At Long Last... The Beach

Photos by Kyleigh Trott

How lovely is it to live an hour and a half away from a beach? I've been craving some relaxation time, and it's been showing in my shopping – off shoulder tops, sundresses and coverups galore. When I saw this top on the Zara website I had to have it. It didn't matter that it was an extra $20 here in Korea compared to Canada (usually the exchange rate and duties tacked on to Zara pieces are pretty reasonable, but this top... hot damn!). Either way, I had to have it (along with a few other super trendy pieces you'll be seeing soon) since I knew I'd be going to the beach for Memorial Day.

Not "Real" Summer

Work has picked up. It's now halfway through the semester in Korea, and everyone has been super busy. There's a lot more work under my new coteacher and with my new schedule (I don't know why as I teach the same number of classes but at different times, and my coteacher doesn't make me do that much extra, but it feels like I have no time at all!).

Scandalous

Photos by Kat Son

 Want to know how to get a boy slapped  by his girlfriend in Korea? Or have little, old ajusshi's talk amongst themselves in hushed voices? Show some shoulder. PS. Both of these stories are true, thanks to this top. It's the last weeks for cherry blossom viewing though, so obviously looking cute for photos with pretty flowers is worth the gossip that comes with shoulders.

Spring

Photos by Subomi Bankole

 Spring is finally here! Actually, it was here about two weeks ago, when the first blossoms were coming out. Right now, everything is actually in bloom, or green. It's awesome! So much better than the greys and browns of winter (Gongju is looking beautiful again!).

Winged for Seoul Fashion Week

Photos by Kat Son and Byeonggi Jo 

It's now a life goal to work and live in a city with some sort of fashion week. Once again, I attended Seoul Fashion Week (well, more like Seoul Fashion Day given that I could only attend on Saturday). I saw the R. Shemiste show (super grungy, but still appealing to my need for feminine clothing) in the morning, then spent the rest of the day being mobbed by photographers. Last year I wore some very basic outfits and while I was photographed, it didn't happen too often. This year I opted for a beautiful backless shirt that I'll never be able to wear in Korea again. The statement piece got a lot of attention – a group of girls just wanted a picture of me (from the front), and when I turned around (because let's be honest the front of this outfit is boring, and trying to pin it into a crop top was a failed attempt) there were a lot of squeals of surprise and praise. To show this much upper body skin is still uncommon for Korea (even in Seoul!), so anything with thin shoulder straps (let alone my beloved off the shoulder pieces) is a no go. Not that that will stop me, but it is something I consider when go out on the weekends, whether it's to metropolitan and slightly more liberal Seoul, or my more conservative countryside town. I've literally had ajummas come up to me on the street to adjust a wayward shoulder strap so that it once again covers my bra strap. So kind, but so annoying. But back to fashion week... 

Harajuku Girl

This is a deceptive title, since I wouldn't really call it Harajuku style. But I bought these gorgeous pants in Harajuku... so....

They're my new favourites, and pretty much all I wore in Japan and Taipei. They're super comfortable, and look like a skirt (you know how I love flowing silhouettes). And they layer perfectly with the new Asos vest and All Saints Sweater I bought. This outfit is the epitome of my store obsessions - All Saints (there's a store in the bus terminal in Seoul, which means I'm in a danger zone as soon as I step off my bus), Asos, Zara, and now, Goocy. 

Modern Retro

This fall we've seen the return of 70's style. Suede (everything), a-line skirts (in suede, of course!), flared jeans and wide legged culottes, and all boots, whether they be just above the ankle or over the knees. I must admit, while I'm not a fan of mod, I am loving this retro revival. Paired with a classic turtle neck and Burberry trench, retro can easily be made modern.

Seoul Fashion Week Runway Review – J Koo

Sports, lace, water colour prints. That's what J Koo was all about this season. Lace, frills and pleating were strategically placed to give a feminine, almost lingerie feel to otherwise sporty looks. Paired with oversized anoraks, soft jersey dresses and jumpsuits, the bustier details created a perfect balance between separate pieces as well a coherence amongst the rest of the collection.

Seoul Fashion Week Runway Review – Ultimo SS16

Designer Kim Dong Soon of Ultimo proves fashion is all about the details.

The show started off with gorgeous feathered masks among sheer black tops with gorgeous beadwork, and ended with romantic sheer dresses and flowing chiffon skirts with soft floral prints (which could easily be layered over those gorgeous black tops from before). But not everything had such a romantic vibe. Ultimo quickly switched to summer themes reminiscent of a vacation to the white sand beaches of Cuba. Flowing ponchos, over-sized, western belts paired with pepper necklaces and bohemian tasseled blouses were all seen before Ultimo once again moved on to retro inspired work wear. Polka dots, swing coats and red leather detailing made this a memorable part of show, until once again, black and white romantic ensembles came out.

Seoul Fashion Week Runway Review – ROMANCHIC SS16

ROMANCHIC... It almost sounds like "romantic" doesn't it? And let me tell you, the ROMANCHIC show was definitely romantic. All white monotone looks mixed with cotton candy pastels and bold coloured florals against a simple backdrop of black. Basically... all my favourite trends at the moment in one show. In other words, I loved it. 

DDP

All photos taken by Nam Hyunh

Hi everyone! Long time no see. Things have been very busy! I just moved to Korea a month ago, so pictures will be few and far between from now on as I don't have a remote for my camera anymore. Yes, I remembered to bring a tripod, and completely forgot the remote. Silly me. Luckily, Nam Huynh took these gorgeous photos during a weekend trip to Seoul to see the Andy Warhol exhibit at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza.

Rose

I've mentioned before my love for blush tones this year, and these pants were instantly on my wishlist after I saw them on Chriselle Lim a few weeks ago. Luckily, they were on sale on Amazon, in my size (sort of), and my mom had a gift card she wasn't going to use any time soon (seriously, she took two years to use the last Amazon gift card she had). As I'm headed to Korea in a few weeks, I took advantage of asking for an early Christmas gift, and I had a nice little present waiting on my doorstep when I got back from Vancouver last week.

Boardwalk

Hello from Vancouver! Just some quick photos of the Vancouver Waterfront. I'll have a photo diary of my Seattle/Vancouver trip in a few days. Be prepared for a lot of pictures of jellyfish. (Because apparently that's really all I take photos of at the Vancouver Aquarium. Those, and otters.) I'm currently trying to pick and choose which photos to include in the next post. Apparently I took too many photos of animals, and not enough of anything else.