I’ve had this post sitting in my drafts for ages, since, ironically, I haven’t really found the right words, or the right phrasing. Nothing has felt like it’s articulated my point well enough. A point that is basically talking about how I do things without really thinking about possible consequences more often than not.

Seriously (and sorry, mum, dad, really I am) I have a habit of getting myself into some really hilarious situations. Mostly, they wind up ending in my favour. You know how they say life begins at the end of your comfort zone? Well… my comfort zone is sometimes all but a dot to me.

[photos by project_s_way]

I will preface this by saying that it is imperative (especially if you are a female identifying type person, but also just generally) to make sure that with anything you do, you are safe and people know where you are. Full batteries in phones, always have emergency cash or some kind of backup route. Ok?? Ok.

culottes – asos // top – star101 // coat – dongdaemun market // sunglasses – asos

So, I’ve been told at various times in my life that I’m ‘a lucky person’. I’ll often dispute this, because for one, luck in my opinion, is entirely subjective, and two, it often plays too nicely into the narrative of ‘overly entitled millennial child’… and we all know I’m really not a fan of that. I’ll concede that a few of the stories I’ve accumulated over the years have definitely been a ‘right place, right time’ kinda thing, but attributing the rest to coincidence undermines a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes. Like, a lot of people who are considered ‘lucky’ put in a serious amount of effort to create that luck.

My dad once told me that you make your own luck – it was probably to stop me reading star charts in the back of magazines and moaning that I was going to have a crappy week/month/year (hahaha that didn’t work) – and it’s something that’s stuck with me since. That you actually have to go out and do things for anything to happen. It wasn’t a notion that I really understood until I was in Korea for the first time, and certain things just started…. falling into place, I guess? because I was going out and doing things.

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone indeed.

Wait, no, I’ll refine that further.

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone, and when you’re having fun.


Fun is such an important part.

I was going to add ‘I think’ to that. Turn it into an opinion to shield from the internet warriors or dress it up a little less ‘statement-y’ (because stating anything on the internet is dangerous) – but then it wouldn’t exactly be entirely in theme with this post. So here. Have an actual statement:

There is no real point to doing things if you’re not having fun.

And even though that may baffle the boomer generation or gen x (seriously, having a go at us for getting smashed avocado on toast because it’s a little luxury we can actually afford sometimes…) because we’re supposed to be doing all the things they were doing, but in a shit economy and a society that seems to have it’s head stuck somewhere in the 1920s – 1950s (???) when technology is all but catapulting us into the next century.

Riddle me this: with such contrasting expectations, obligations, and general WTF-ery, can anyone reasonably hold us to it?

So what does this have to do with luck? Or with making luck?

Well, for me, it manifests in a slightly reckless attitude. The more that comes out about being ruined by participation trophies and news of soaring rent prices and what I should have already done by now kind of makes me want to say ‘fuck it’ a lot more. ‘Fuck it and do the thing’ has basically turned into a bit of a mantra.

If you put yourself in a position where things can happen, invariably they do start happening.

Like when I ended up doing a 4 hour studio shoot on the last day of Seoul Fashion Week. It wasn’t exactly the most thought out of decisions, but it’s probably been one of the best I’ve made since I came back to Korea. Even if I had no idea what was going on for a solid half hour. It’s brought a load of other projects that have kept me really busy, but definitely really happy.

Or when I kept running into Very Good Contacts whilst I was still on my year abroad because I was Doing Things Every Week. I mean sure, that ‘doing things’ invariably involved a questionable amount of soju and possibly some very loud music in an enclosed space for 3 nights of the week, but I was meeting so many people. It kinda put my ‘meh’ mood on the backburner for a bit.

Or going to events completely solo. This is probably one of those things that I’ve found the scariest to do – I’m an extroverted person with some social setbacks – going solo can be terrifying. But it’s also one of the most rewarding experiences, especially when you meet brands and bloggers and creative type people to collaborate or play around with.

You’ll probably have noticed that in these three cases I’ve talked about how I feel. Luck for me, happens when I’m feeling like I can do things. That I can actually accomplish things that I want to do. That feeling then builds into a feeling like something could happen. I could meet someone amazing, I could end up booking a new shoot, I could end up doing a testing or a casting just because.

It’s a feeling that builds. Making luck is all about harnessing the feeling of strength you get from stepping outside of your comfort zone. Then having the motivation to keep doing things. Say yes more. Meet more people, be more active. It’s tiring and a little bit stressful (the amount I have to study right now around a full time job is just a tad overwhelming), but so so rewarding.

[what I’m wearing

Ok so HOW FAB ARE THESE CULOTTES FROM ASOS???? If your answer isn’t ‘very’ then… um. They were one of those purchases that I was super unsure about considering culottes aren’t always the best of items for the vertically challenged. They’re so much fun though, and remind me of something that styleNANDA would stock, which I am so down for. 

The coat was a last minute dongdaemun market find – like holy hell I was so happy that I managed to snag this??? It was just when the weather had started changing, so all the winterwear was being pulled from rails or shoved into sales (score), and it was fabulous timing that I picked this up the weekend before SFW started. It fills all of my camel coat dreams: slightly oversized, padded, warm, and long. Classic. 

Shoes are from h&m, and again a cheeky snag basically the day before I wore them. It’s so hard to find nude, pale or neutral heels at the moment. The ones I had my heart set on for this look were from forever21, but had sold out 🙁  🙁   :(. These worked wonders too, though!. 

The crop top is a fab old find from one of my favourite korean stores, star101]

On the odd occasion (and by odd, read: still every week) I check my horoscope and see if I’m in for a good week. I like the extra push it gives me sometimes. But in the same way that compound interest keeps building on my student loans, I’m gonna keep doing things to build luck.

(Next up on the reckless list: full concept studio shoots and UMF Korea)

Let me know what you think of this outfit, and on whether or not you make your own luck, or if people are born with being slightly more prone to fab things happening than others!

♥

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