No Great Expectations...

Hello, hello, hello friends! Good job if you get the Dharles Cikins reference (I really, really do not like the man). It'll make sense if you keep reading. Anyways, with graduation approaching so soon, I finally got the opportunity to get my senior pictures taken by Diana! I'm excited to share these photos with you because the pictures turned out so lovely. When I look back at these 5, 10, 20 years from now, it'll bring back so many memories of high school. I'm sure you won't be too surprised with the floral, nature aesthetic going on. Aside from sharing these pictures, I also want to tell you a few things that I've really been soaking and thinking about. Enjoy!

I am finally graduating next week...yayyayyy!!! I honestly could not be happier with the timing of graduation. I have become so comfortable and familiar with the routine of high school that it is indeed time for change. That is not to say that I am totally ready either...but I think that's what makes change so thrilling and nerve-wracking--having to embrace the unknown.

I try to picture myself five months down the road, and it's hard to grasp. My mind intrinsically wants to set expectations but my heart tells me otherwise. Seeing my family everyday, eating dinner at home, practicing piano everyday... all these parts of my life will change. But then again...when have I ever been able to grasp the future? All throughout high school, I've been in a constant "think about the future" mode. I immersed myself into different teams and programs with the hope and mentality of it meaning something more in the long run...and they all did. In the end, I gained more than what I had to put in. Whether it was Piano, Wolfcast, IB, or anything else, they all taught me something that I otherwise wouldn't have learned.

Beige Peony Dress: Nectar Clothing // Off-the-shoulder Blouse: Nectar Clothing

I took each day one by one, while at the same time, I had hopes that eventually turned into goals. My goals throughout high school ranged from being more thankful to finding balance between work and play to being a positive role-model in certain activities. These hopes motivated me to stay up when I was exhausted and to work harder when I disappointed myself and/or those around me. So what I'm trying to get at is...I find it unnecessary to set great expectations for I'll be doing next week, five months, or ten years from today. I think there is a subtle difference between expectation and hopes that can turn into goals; hope unifies the heart and mind in place while expectations can lead to one of two things: success or disappointment. As for goals, they serve as a motivate force that will come as a result of hope preparing heart and mind.

At this time, I just want to thank all my friends, classmates, and teachers. I've grown a lot these past years because of you all. One of my biggest takeaways is that I don't need to take everything too seriously. Spend time doing the things that you love; it's not a waste of your time if you're enjoying it. I allocated a lot of time playing piano (to the point my parents were extremely concerned) but I chose to do that because that's what felt right, and it was the right choice. When I say don't take things to seriously, I also mean that there should be a healthy balance of being studious and procrastinating/being busy and relaxing. That's the way life is; work hard but also step back and breathe.

Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed reading and seeing the pics. Thank you again to Diana for taking these pictures!!! Je t'aime <3

To all the 2016 graduates, CONGRATULATIONS!!! Your futures are so bright and full of wonders! May your lives be full of great joy and love.

Cheers to a Milestone: One Year of legendary, leTRENDary posts

Celebrating Letrendary's 1 Year Anniversary!!!

WOW!!!!!! I cannot believe that we began Letrendary one whole year ago!!! Letrendary has been such a wonderful part of our lives this past year. Despite the time it takes from each of our busy schedules, it has been such a rewarding experience to create content. We send our sincerest "thank you"s to all of our readers around the globe. We endlessly appreciate and love you guys!!! We are ecstatic to take on 2016, and we are challenging ourselves to bring you even greater content this next year. As a token of our gratitude and excitement, Diana has a new Nikon camera, which means the photos from here on out will be of even higher quality!!! Woohoo, go prime lenses! 

3 ways to style boyfriend jeans

1. patterned collar + sweater

This is the most simple and classic way to style an outfit with boyfrend jeans. I chose to wear a collared tank with a graph pattern on it just to make the top a little more fun and less bland. It's important to buy sweaters that have the right neckline for a collared shirt. Lots of sweaters don't look good with collared shirts underneath, so make sure to check that.

I wore these brown oxfords to make the overall style a little preppy. I like this look because it's casual and proper. I'd say this outfit reflects one of my fashion styles: casual chic.

Oxfords: Marshalls // Graph Collared Tank: Lush (Nordstrom Rack) // Navy Marble Sweater: Soft by Joie

Chain Link Watch: Kate Spade (Nordstrom)

As you all know, I wore my Seiko watch in nearly every outfit post because it was the only watch I owned. It was handed down from my grandmother, so it means something special to me. The opportunity finally came to buy a second watch, which is this silver Kate Spade watch. I love it because it's clean, but has an edge to it with the linked chain on the side. I bought it on sale for about a $100, which is pricy but not unreasonable. To me, it was worth the investment because I wear a watch everyday. Also, watches don't wear out like shoes, so this is something I can keep for many, many years.

2. cardigan + scarf + hat

 I came up with look by pairing clothes with colors that I thought complemented each other. I love this hat that I bought on sale at Nordstrom for about $10!!! I have great luck when shopping online haha. I wore a longer cardigan and a peacoat, which could be thrown on whenever it is chillier. 

 Ripped Boyfriend Jeans: American Eagle// Bow Flats: Halogen (Nordstrom)

Navy Hat: D&Y (Nordstrom)// Scarf: Nordstrom// Grey Peacoat: Thread & Supply (Nordstrom)

3. sparkles + earrings

 I've always imaged what it would be like to wear an outfit like this and it finally happened! Such excitement hehe. I've had this sequined cardigan for a year, but I still haven't had an opportunity to wear it anywhere. I bought it on sale for about $30. I chose to wear a basic black tank so that that the sequins can do all the talking.

Sequin Cardigan: Abercrombie// Crystal Dangling Earrings: Urban Outfitters

I bought these earrings on sale at Urban Outfitters for $14. I love them!!!

Diana and I are currently completing our final year of high school, which means we will be going separate paths starting next August. Therefore, Letrendary will go through a transition, but we are excited nonetheless. 

We'd like to thank you again for reading and supporting because we love what we do and Letrendary is definitely one of our greatest creative outlets. Happiest of holidays to you and your family! And yes, we have #doroana4eva shirts. Much love to you all!!!

 and

#DOROANA4EVA

Ocean Waves & Boho Craze: Guest Post by Raven

Aloha, everyone! Today we are lucky enough to welcome someone who is not only outwardly beautiful but also harbors a beautiful heart and soul: the absolutely wonderful Raven. As founder of the Ocean Lovers' Society on campus, Raven has never ceased to amaze me with her passion and love for the ocean. But the girl has a rocking style, too, and she's kind enough to shed some light on her closet choices in this post. So, Raven, take it away!

Our planet is a delicate, beautiful, and precious place. In a time such as this, one of the most important things we must keep in mind is our impact on the health of our home. A place that I like to focus on protecting is our oceans. The truth is, our ocean is the primary source of life on the planet. Not only does it provide food, materials, and other natural resources but most of the oxygen we breathe. To neglect a place so vital to our life on earth will cause us face huge consequences in our future.

I do my best to incorporate my passions into my everyday life, and especially into my wardrobe. I believe that your style is the best way to express your interests. The way you present yourself through your clothing says a lot about you, and gives you a great opportunity to communicate what you’re passionate about to the world around you. I love the freedom fashion gives me that allows me to (quite literally) wear my heart on my sleeve. Inspired by a combination of bohemian and surfer style, I try to balance my wardrobe between a fun and comfortable look while also maintaining a whimsical aura. When you think of what a mermaid would wear if she were to live on land, your visuals are most likely parallel to my favorite looks. Not only does it reflect the mood of the sea but also my own personality. I try to project a sense of tranquility but also neatness when putting an outfit together.

All while paying attention to the “mood” of style, I tend to be drawn to rich colors. In the photo above, I have am wearing a rich red crop top with threads that weave in a variety of beautiful bright colors. The piece is composed of 100% organic cotton. Just as I believe it is important to pay attention to the materials that enter your body and its effect on you and your environment, it is just as important to be aware of the materials that you place onto your body. The textiles used to create the clothes we were could have either a negative or positive effect on the earth, so it is very important to refrain from non-sustainable material. However, I think we can all agree that with many mass production clothing companies thriving on sales reaching millions it is difficult to find clothing following these guidelines. My hope for the future is that we are able to find sustainable material like organic cotton and hemp as a more common textile in clothing stores.

Life is better in a bikini! The outfit above is one of my favorites, featuring loose boyfriend jeans and my favorite cardigan by Billabong. This is a look that is perfect for an evening by the water, providing comfort and warmth. I’ve also chosen a black bikini top to add to the comfort and color foundation to allow the colors in my jewelry and cardigan to pop. I’ve accessorized this look with earrings made from recycled threads and turquoise as well as a body chain with turquoise stones as well. I like to play around with jewelry in my everyday fashion and find myself wearing some pretty extravagant pieces. Incorporating the fun with jewelry inspired by bohemian style into a more laid back surfer style is what I usually go for in a casual outfit. I especially love jewelry that comes from natural material. Some that I own are made from starfish, sea shells, coffee beans, and roots.

I think the ultimate victory in fashion is gaining a sense of self. As you grow to become more aware of who you are, your style is going to change as your interests shift. What a beautiful thing to know that you are so free to express! When you find something you love, expressing it through the way you dress can be one of the most entertaining and flexible ways to do it. Let the colors you love so much speak through your apparel. I love to translate the sapphire blue of a calm ocean sunset through stones from the earth of that color and express the soft flow of each wave with a white fringed dress. Keeping an eye open to how your actions on all scales affect the planet we live on is so important. Wouldn’t you love to enjoy a stunning blue ocean without excess oil and trash? Appreciate the world around you, and protect it.

~Raven

China Chic

早上好，everyone! In my last post chronicling my travels in China, I mentioned that I will do a post on the clothes I bought in China this week. And, voilà:

I bought all of these in a mall in Guangzhou, but some of these brands ship overseas, so if you're interested in buying something from them and don't mind the international shipping fee, go for it!

First is a butterfly dress from C1wyse. I love how natural it looks. Any dress I buy usually has a pattern very special to me; anything nature-themed is always a welcomed addition.

I also bought a Korean-inspired (Dorothy's spirit must've been with me) dress from Bear House, which unfortunately I don't think has a website. I might've bought it in part because it's so easy to put on... Who has time to fiddle with buttons and zippers when sleep exists?

It has a stitched lace top with a chambray skirt. In China these days (and really, all across Asia), it's becoming really popular to wear long and loose shirts and tug them into pants or skirts, then tug them out so they puff out around your waist. This dress does that whole tugging ordeal for me just by its design, which is great when you're as impatient as I am. 

Also from C1wyse is this wonderfully crafted petals dress. It's very loose, but the pattern is beautiful and tangible. 

Finally, I bought two tops to complement all the jeans I own. The first one is an adorable cat print with marble eyes attached onto the shirt by invisible strings from Next to Candice (which I also can't find a website for). 

Messy hair and pink striped socks to match the casual look of the shirt

Of course Dorothy took the occasion to fold my hair into hearts...

The last top is a white blouse, which I've always wanted, but I bought it more specifically from Bear House because of how its design is different on the left from the right. There's something so wonderfully delicate about the floral stitches of the right, while the crosshatched left emanates a more detailed, serious tone. But of course my favorite part is the pockets. Who doesn't love pockets? :D

Thank you Dorothy for the pictures! See you all with a back-to-school post soon, and don't forget to enjoy the last rays of summer!

Butterfly Dress: C1wyse

White/Chambray Dress: Bear House

Blue Petals Dress: C1wyse

Cat Shirt: Next to Candice

Patterned Blouse: Bear House