TOMIMITO

California Love

Tomi — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:19:23 +0000

I’m back in California for a little while and what’s the first thing I did upon arriving? To get a haircut! To be honest, I was slowly getting tired (just a little bit) of my hair, more specifically the excessively damaged ends due to the bleaching and all… but since I haven’t had a chance to come across a good hair salon in Seoul yet, I figured I’d just go to my stylist here in Los Angeles once I’m back. If you know of a good stylist in Seoul who’s affordable, please do share! I’m loving the bright, warm sunlight in Cali which called for an outfit post that’s long overdue. This was after a quick, healthy lunch (Greek Salad & Tuna Panini) followed by my most favorite hazelnut chocolate cake of all at Susina Bakery in LA (oh, how I missed thee!). While I miss Korea, it’s so awesome see my family and friends again! Asos Pale Pink Silk Jacket, Urban Outfitters Skinny Jeans, Jean Shirt & Beige Crochet Sweater from Korea, Chan Luu Silk Scarf, Jeffrey Campbell Litas, & Chanel 2.55 Reissue

The Value of Life

Tomi — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:38:14 +0000

I came across an article about fashion trends last night which lists four “cool” trends to be rocking right now. While I thought it was overall a compelling list, there was one item I couldn’t agree with: Fur Collars. About two months ago when I was contemplating ways to stay stylish in the cold (I was in midst of a painful war against my first winter in Korea in a very long time), I came across an idea of replacing my not-so-effective wool coats and scarves with fur. While fur isn’t as popular in Orange County, CA where I used to live, it’s easily seen on the streets of Seoul as the temperature almost always drops below 0 degree in winter. I understand it’s also a symbol of wealth and luxury aside from providing superior insulation. After spending an entire day shopping for a fur collar that satisfied my taste, I placed one that looked the most stylish in my shopping cart and gave it some time. I’m not certain why it’s cheaper here (perhaps they have an easier access? not sure) but I was able to find a good one for a really good price. A few days passed, [...]

Culture Shock

Tomi — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:28:07 +0000

The more I learn about the Korean culture, the more my heart breaks. 5-year old kids who are sent to English classes, single ladies who would do anything to get married (including plastic surgery, studying their butt off to get into a good college, etc.), the guys who max out their credit cards to buy American things, kids starting to compete against each other at a very, very young age because there is no way they can survive otherwise… The sad part is that this all stems from their wanting acceptance whether by their peers, family, or the community in general. I’ve noticed that Koreans tend to pay a lot of attention to what others are doing, especially on those whom they have some type of relationship with, or ones they know even slightly. This is much more prevalent in small towns as everyone tend to know everyone which can be both good and bad. It’s not as bad if there is something to celebrate, but if there is something that you would rather keep private, you may easily get hurt as people are so ridiculously nosy here. Ok, I admit it, it’s almost to a point where I’m starting [...]

Lunar New Year

Tomi — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 11:11:08 +0000

I’m on a train back to Seoul from visiting relatives near Busan for the Lunar New Year holiday. I was hoping to be able to upload this post while on the train but the super slow wifi isn’t helping- boo! These photos are long overdue as they were taken a week ago when I was still recovering from being sick (reason why my face is hidden in every pic, my face looked quite terrible, still… I just didn’t realize at the time). Hope everyone had a quality time with family and friends this holiday weekend. Mine was filled with lots of laughter, food, and… more food. It’s very interesting to see so many people carrying gift boxes on the train. Also, most of the shops are closed as many have left Seoul to reunite with their family. Happy New Year! (again… hehe) G-Market chunky mint sweater over a black knit Topshop dress, Uniqlo Heattech tights and down parka, Pink Jeffrey Campbell cheetah Litas, Black wool wide brimmed floppy hat from California, Chanel 2.55 Reissue

Dress, Fedora, and Bow Tie

Tomi — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:32:42 +0000

Hello there. Long time no see. Sorry, I’ve been both voluntarily and involuntarily MIA because of a job that was basically handed to me out of nowhere, and the sickness that eventually made me end up at a hospital. After almost 10 packets of IVs, I’m finally feeling better, thank God. Just when I thought that I was getting used to this crazy cold weather, I get sick. Eh, whatever, these photos were actually taken on the same day that I got really really sick. I was in Myeong Dong for some free food at my favorite department store (aka Shinsegae) and got a little too excited when I got to eat my favorite dish of all time, Omurice. It’s basically fried rice covered with egg and this brown sauce all over it… mmm so good. Well, it didn’t seem so good after I got sick that night but I enjoyed it while it lasted. Myeong Dong is a crazy place, and I mean CRAZY. We had to stop by Uniqlo there so we walked over to the little streets of the town only to be greeted by an enormous amount of people, mostly tourists from all over the world. [...]