Again in April, I landed in Japan at 3 a.m. after an extended flight from New York—and awoke three hours later to start my first (jetlagged) day in Tokyo. Fortunately, greater than some other vacation spot, Tokyo has at all times had the exceptional skill to reinvigorate me—and simply as importantly, how I dress. It’s a metropolis of contradictions, with subway supermalls only some steps away from a serene neighborhood shrine, or charming streets with native ramen and third-floor monjayaki spots situated throughout from a seven-floor TGI Fridays. Which as a substitute of complicated me, makes full sense—contradictions and contrasts have at all times been the bedrock of my strategy to fashion.
Recontextualizing an merchandise in an sudden method was how I initially discovered my place inside the vogue trade. A pair of observe pants with a ruffled female prime, an anorak with a tender chiffon skirt, pastels with a touch of neon. It’s a fragile balancing act that I felt I’d misplaced over the previous few years in New York Metropolis. I had began to query if I used to be overcomplicating the objects in my closet—even items I cherished—after spending an excessive amount of time on social media.
So, I began planning this journey. There are some holidays which are meant for stress-free (by the seaside, cocktail in hand) and different holidays which are meant for difficult your self. Traditionally, Tokyo has pushed me out of my consolation zone—however I’ve at all times come dwelling feeling reinvigorated creatively.
Picture: Courtesy of Michelle Li
Picture: Courtesy of Michelle Li
This is able to be my third journey to Japan. The final time I visited was in 2019: I used to be a vogue assistant at {a magazine}, my hair was pink, and in all honesty, I nonetheless didn’t have my private fashion fairly discovered. I packed my common on a regular basis objects: a puffer coat, some straightforward snug pants, a number of sweatshirts, and a pair of Skechers. However after returning dwelling, I felt a sartorial shift after observing how authentically everybody dressed for themselves in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Folks wearing outfits that felt actually lived in. Thoughtfully tailor-made to be worn for a lifetime. Making a convincing case for placing care into the clothes you already personal. I bear in mind clearly pondering: That is the way you translate these vogue editorials into your actual, on a regular basis life.
