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Interview with Jae: Part Two

I already shared with you part one of this week’s interview with Jae here. Now it’s onto the second half, which features perhaps one of my favorite interview responses of all time (the last question). Enjoy!

What’s a typical day outfit for you, and night outfit?

As for handbags, that’s easy since I only have 5.  Yep, count em – 5 and I don’t plan on ever buying another one.  My day bag is a Hermes Rouge Garance Birkin.  My dinner/night bag is my Hermes SO Black Kelly Pouchette.

I work at a super awesome, casually attired, Cali-based firm where I can wear jeans, short AND flip flops to work.  Personally, I tend to stay in business casual dresses or jeans with a blazer and scarf.  Yesterday I wore a nude Phillip Lim (the only 5F designer I purchase because he’s high quality) silk dress with black seamed stockings and black patent Louboutin Decolletes.

I don’t go “partying” anymore and if I do go out at night, it’s usually to the Met/ballet/benefit/dinner party.  Depending on whether I’m in SF or NYC, I will dress appropriately.  SF is super casual so I’d wear my Bill Blass ruffle blouse, Paris/Moscow Chanel jacket and J Brand zip jeans (ALWAYS get jeans with a zipper–they are so flattering!) and some 120 Pigalles to a dinner party.  For NYC, it’s a bit more aggressively fashionable where people do try and want to look like they try, so I’d wear my halter neck black Balenciaga dress (so thinning!) with nude seamed stockings and sculptural Alaia wedges.

What are your most treasured possessions?

My memories.  Everything else is replaceable.  However, I probably take care of my Birkin the best since I never put her on the floor or take her out in the rain or take her anywhere dirty.

What are your other hobbies? It seems like you have a passion for food and fast cars.

Ah, the cars.  That is my significant other’s passion.  He’s really very simple outside of the car fetish.  I couldn’t force him into a Prada suit if I tried.  He’s happy in his Comme Converses and Nudie jeans.  He only has 1 watch!  Personally, I hate the red car because it tends to give me migraines and it’s over the top flashy.  But I LOVE the black hatchback, since it was my dream car since I was young.  Who doesn’t want to be a Bond girl?

And paradoxically, I do love food.  But something has got to give and it’s certainly not going to be my UK 6 super tailored Burberry suit.  I became devoted to learning about ingredients, recipes, techniques because I decided that if I’m going to use some of my daily caloric consumption on it, it better be worth it.  So my hobby is throwing insanely elaborate dinner parties because people don’t expect someone like me to be able to cook.

OH!  And since I turned 30 this year, I’ve become obsessed with a new thing called “Ulzzang” make up.  Fake contacts to make your eyes bigger.  Fake eyelashes.  Contouring makeup and big hair.  For my birthday, I looked like I was 15!

What’s the best advice you think you could offer a reader about fashion? How about somebody who is just getting started buying luxury goods….what would you advise them?

My fashion dogma is to save up all season and buy one incredible item on sale.  We all already have SO much, so what you continue to add on needs to last for the next 20 years. It’s better to have 10 incredibly iconic items than hundreds of useless mass produced scraps.  You do not need 10 pairs of jeans.  You only have one a$$.  You do not need 50 sweaters/cardigans.  You only have 2 boobs! Don’t be an over consuming woman who “has a bad day at work” and goes to H&M to buy something to make herself feel better.  Take a deep breath after work, walk it off and then on a day your have just for yourself….buy something incredible on the 2nd-4th floor at BG when it’s on sale, natch.

BUT there is one cavaet to my advice.  You can NEVER. EVER. GAIN WEIGHT.  But the fact that you cannot afford to re-invest in a whole new wardrobe will be a major factor to help motivate you to keep your svetle high school figure intact.  And don’t despair, if you happen to lump up a little over the years.  With modern medicine, it would be more financially saavy for you to have your figure reconfigured than to have to start from scratch.

Didn’t you love that last bit….? It really made me stop and think…and count the number of cardigans in my closet . It makes me want to reorganize my closet, pronto.

I really enjoyed getting to know Jae more…she is smart, funny, and uber stylish. If I needed a shopping/styling buddy, I’d definitely want Jae- she’s not that friend that will tell you that you look fabulous even if you look like a total cow (though those friends have their time and place too…) but she is that girl that is going to make sure you walk out looking your best. Thank you again, Jae, and for more please check out her blog here.

35 Comments

  • Reply
    Joanne Hegarty
    April 27, 2011 at 12:13 pm

    Great post – love, love love those boots too !
    Joanne
    http://www.balletpumpsandroses.com

  • Reply
    Love.Laugh.Life.Live
    April 27, 2011 at 1:33 pm

    hey there, thanks for the comment you gave me..great post and what a hot blog you have here..damn you are so rich to splurge on that blood red birkin bag. not only one,you have black in colour some more.it would be my 5 set of full outfits from top to bottom..i wish-desperately-want a birkin bag.Hermes is the perfect accessories to carry on anywhere.im totally following you both bloglovin & your blog..keep it up..nice!

  • Reply
    Pop Champagne
    April 27, 2011 at 1:58 pm

    those rain boots are really cute, and hermes, oh how I wish I can own a Hermes bag!

  • Reply
    Melissa
    April 27, 2011 at 2:00 pm

    HAHA She's a stitch!! I immediately forwarded this to my mom and 2 best friends. They thought the last question was hysterical, and also very true 😉

    I don't have more cardigans than boobs, but I certainly have more jeans than my backside needs! Great advice, and quite inspiring. Wish I could redo my closet today!

    xxMelissa

  • Reply
    EllysMakeupbag
    April 27, 2011 at 2:03 pm

    She has an amazing style, its classic yet a bit edgy and casual at the same time.

  • Reply
    K
    April 27, 2011 at 2:28 pm

    Ha ha, this woman is a riot. Even better, her MO is the same as mine – quality over quantity.

    And hey, what do you know, I actually know that "ulzzang" thing she's talking about, except I've seen it spelled as "uljjang". I've mostly seen it used to refer to "ordinary" Korean people who became online celebrities by beautifying themselves and posting pictures of themselves all dolled up online. Some of these people even went on to have veritable careers in the Korean entertainment industry. Random trivia of the day.

  • Reply
    Tangles
    April 27, 2011 at 2:34 pm

    Love her style and sense of humor! 😉

  • Reply
    Annette
    April 27, 2011 at 2:51 pm

    Best interview yet! I've read through her blog too, and while I don't agree with everything she writes, I admire any woman who is not afraid to speak her mind.

    I especially like her advice on buying luxury items. I'm starting to come to a point where I want to start saving for really special pieces instead of spending on things that will only become clutter in my closet after a few seasons. But sometimes it's just so hard! Gyahh.

    lefthandedstory.blogspot.com

  • Reply
    Corina
    April 27, 2011 at 2:53 pm

    Great style and beautiful outfits!!

  • Reply
    Brittany
    April 27, 2011 at 2:57 pm

    Where can I find those boots?? They are gorgeous!

  • Reply
    JenlovesBal
    April 27, 2011 at 3:24 pm

    Great fashion advice from Jae! I agree.. save and buy one great item to last us through the years..time for me to de-clutter lol.

    Thanks for another excellent interview!

  • Reply
    Cylia
    April 27, 2011 at 3:29 pm

    liking the boots aswell:)!

  • Reply
    Ginta
    April 27, 2011 at 3:31 pm

    She's something. :))
    But I couldn't agree more about the last part and especially about the last paragraph – I've been the same size for 13 years & still wear my favorites from back then!

  • Reply
    Susan
    April 27, 2011 at 5:10 pm

    I agree with her!!

  • Reply
    Katherine
    April 27, 2011 at 6:06 pm

    Yay I'm so glad you all enjoyed this interview 🙂

    @K, thank you for the trivia – that's really interesting! I loved all the makeup I bought when I was in Korea last…need to go hunt some more down in Koreantown!

  • Reply
    DSK Steph
    April 27, 2011 at 6:31 pm

    I love how she encourages investing in few quality pieces. I need to live like that! Out with the quantity..in with the quality!

  • Reply
    Di
    April 27, 2011 at 6:57 pm

    great interview! She reminded me that I need to stay truer to my fashion mantra~ loved this!! Birkin…yummm~
    xoxo Diana

  • Reply
    Renée
    April 27, 2011 at 7:54 pm

    love her answers!

  • Reply
    La Belle Fabuleux
    April 27, 2011 at 8:19 pm

    hahaha great interview!

    Belle

    http://labellefabuleux.blogspot.com/

  • Reply
    elledee
    April 27, 2011 at 9:21 pm

    funny and cute!

  • Reply
    jessica wu
    April 27, 2011 at 10:48 pm

    beautiful shoes and boots.. i love the swiss dot tights too!
    cute interview ;D

    xx

  • Reply
    a,
    April 28, 2011 at 12:03 am

    love the interview, very interesting. coming from a poor college student, i'm totally jealous of all the brand names she can afford. those boots are absolutely AMAZING! beautiful :*)

    i went over and followed her blog 🙂

  • Reply
    Eleanor
    April 28, 2011 at 12:42 am

    Thanks for stopping by and welcome aboard!
    I love the interview with Jae…she is so right about quality over quantity…and I admire anyone who is not afraid to speak their mind!
    Great blog…you have yourself a new follower too!

  • Reply
    Chic 'n Cheap Living
    April 28, 2011 at 12:56 am

    This was a great interview! I am slowly but surely trying to follow her philosophy and really invest in quality pieces (at discounted prices hopefully of course!) Ok now I'm off to stalk Hermes on TPF…

    xoxo,
    Chic 'n Cheap Living

  • Reply
    Lívia Salazar
    April 28, 2011 at 1:09 am

    great!
    xx

    http://thecaramelpie.blogspot.com/

  • Reply
    Studying with Stilettos
    April 28, 2011 at 2:04 am

    wow all of these outfits are fantastic! love the first one! lovely interview! xo
    http://www.studyingwithstilettos.blogspot.com

  • Reply
    vivien
    April 28, 2011 at 3:04 am

    i love your interviews! they're always so interesting and the girls you interview are so fabulous!

    I'm totally rethinking my whole closet after reading her responses, I've got wayy too many cardigans and am more inspired than ever to get back into shape!

    <3

  • Reply
    litlstrawberry
    April 28, 2011 at 5:08 am

    ^^ Very interesting…

    Love that bloody red Birki..yes, it is a classic of most women's dream bag.

  • Reply
    Fashion Is Passion by Poison
    April 28, 2011 at 8:35 am

    Love her Birkin!

    Poison

  • Reply
    Miss Independent
    April 28, 2011 at 9:18 am

    loving that hermes!

  • Reply
    civciv
    April 28, 2011 at 9:38 am

    thanks for your lovely comment 🙂

    I like your blog <3

    KiSses from germany
    civciv

  • Reply
    Vicky
    April 28, 2011 at 1:59 pm

    What a killer interview! Jae is certainly a very unique, smart, and stylish gal. The advice is to the point and funny. Love it.

  • Reply
    Make Mommy Chic
    April 29, 2011 at 12:59 am

    Wow, this girl Jae is fierce and I like it. I really admire women who know what they want and makes no apologies. She's fun- great interview Katherine!

  • Reply
    CoutureJunkie
    May 4, 2011 at 9:38 pm

    Her wisdom and quirks make me laugh but that her last answer is something my grandmother and great-mother have told me years ago and I always keep it in the back of my mind.

    -xo
    Bobbie
    Confessions of a Couture Junkie

  • Reply
    Anonymous
    May 8, 2011 at 9:45 pm

    She's disgusting!

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