5 Ways to Wear Casual Tops x Match.Inc

Hi there! Julia’s here. I’m collaborating with Match.Inc to show you ways to wear casual tops. Let’s not further due and start with the first look. Enjoy!

Style #1

The first style is pretty caszh and simple; cropped tank top + high-waist skinny jeans + heels. The hat is just an extra accessory for those who want to look more chic than the others (Being different is good!). If you’re not a big fan of hats or feeling unconfident with it, you can choose to put on big and bold earrings to add that something extra.

Loose top is best to be paired up with tight bottom. It shouts out the classy vibe and not the baggy vibe, because I prefer classy than baggy (but if that’s what you prefer, then go ahead). Oh, and I tucked in one side of the top to show my body curve – it’s those extra little things you do that make you look different.

I have loved strappy heels sandals for a year now. It pairs perfectly with any outfit. It’s very versatile and I think every girl should have at least one pair. Anyway, wearing heels, any heels, will give you that extra height and make you look like you have long legs (every girls dream, right?).

Style #2

Pairing the same cropped tank top, now I’m bringing in the formal style. Throw on jacket, blazer, or in my case, vest, gives you that formal-looking image. To make it less formal, I paired it with a high-waist short. Can you see the high-waist pattern yet? I always wear cropped tops with high-waist bottoms. It’s simply because I want to hide my tummy. HAHAHA. Okay, I have other reasons for it. Not everyone is comfortable in showing their stomach – unless you have abs… Not only because of that but also, norms (I think you understand what I’m trying to say).

Back to the outfit, if you’re going for a meeting or any formal occasion, feel free to opt for skinny jeans. Oh, skirt would be a nice twist, too. No matter what you paired it with, the vest guarantees a perfect Saturday night out. But remember not to forget the heels! For this outfit, I choose to wear nude strappy heels sandals because I’m going for that nude vibe. And for this look, I put on simple gold earrings to complete the formal yet classy sensation.

Style #3

Moving on to sweater, for me, Indonesia isn’t the perfect country for sweaters. It doesn’t have the “sweater” weather, am I right? However, that doesn’t stop me from wearing one, especially when I’m going for a movie, it could get pretty cold inside the cinema sometimes.

There are ways to wear sweaters besides pairing it up with jeans and sneakers. Why not try it with skirts? I prefer bandage skirt but you can style it up however you want. I know not everyone like to wear tight skirts but hey, the loose sweater will cover it up (I’m talking about Mr. Tummy right here).

For this look, I’m going for sporty + feminine look. I choose to wear white bandage with the black sweater because black and white is always my thing. If you would like to wear other colours, like yellow or red, yes please. If you want to go for all-black thing, go ahead. This time, I wear black slip-on to stressed-on sportier feel, as the skirt is strong enough in providing the feminine side. You can also wear sneakers if you own one. I also tied up my hair after I curled it to complete the sporty + feminine look.

Style #4

T-shirt is one of the most versatile tops one could ever own. It can be paired up with anything, seriously. For the fourth look, I choose to style it super caszh and sporty. We all have that day where we are just very lazy to dress up but still want to look fashionable. This is the perfect style for that “I woke up like this” day.

I’m pairing the T-shirt with a white (rubber) short. No one wants to wear tight jeans and skirts every single day. Mr. Tummy needs to breathe, ain’t he? So, I put on a baseball hat because when “I woke up like this”, I don’t really like to style my hair much – very much likely having a bad hair day too. To add that extra sporty feel, I choose to wear my slip-on. If you’re feeling a bit fancy or want to look like you put an effort, wear strappy heels sandals and you’re good to go for a girl’s day out.

Style #5

The final look is simple, chic, and classy. In one word, it’s the "Effortless look". It’s the look you put on for a Sunday brunch or even for a day-to-day outfit. It’s simple because of the T-shirt, but chic and classy because of the accessories and heels. This look makes you look like you put a lot of effort but yet it’s just the classic T-shirt and jeans with added accessories.  

The T-shirt is quite fitted so I’m matching it with a mom jeans, but if you want to accentuate your body more, you might want to wear a skinny jeans. I always think that mom jeans pairs well with strappy heels sandals, so that’s what I’m wearing. To finalize the look, I hang on the long necklaces and also a pair of gold earrings to go with the gold necklaces.

So that wraps up the 5 Ways to Wear Casual Tops. I hope it gives you ideas of how versatile a casual top is. How it can go from very casual, to sporty, to classy by matching it with the clothes you have in your wardrobe. These tops by Match.Inc are made with high quality fabrics and also cute yet edgy designs. Get yours and show us (please tag us on Instagram @juliajoman & @match.inc) how do you style your casual tops. I’m looking forward to it! Thank you for purchasing Match.Inc (if you had) and thank you for reading this article. xx Julia

Study Abroad Tips

HEY THERE! I recently realized that I haven't posted anything since February. LOL

Since I've graduated, I feel that I can share some tips for those who are going to study abroad or moving to somewhere new. These are only basic things that I hope you'll find helpful. So let's not further due and get started with the first tips.

#1 BE MENTALLY PREPARED (and physically, maybe)

No matter how much you dislike your family, you will surely be homesick once you're abroad. The first few days will be your worst nightmare, I SWEAR. Be things must go on and you must move on, too. So no matter how homesick you are, you have to be strong and face the reality that you are alone. I know it sounds tough, but once you get the hang of it, I'm sure you'll be fine. It's just a part of life's cycle. 

Oh, I did mention physically, right? Because when you're alone, you have to do all things by yourself. First thing first is cleaning up your room and doing your laundry. If those are your chores back home, then it's good for you. If they aren't, congratulations. You will be your own maid for years starting from that day. 

#2 THINGS TO PACKED

You would wish to be able to bring your whole room with you, but hey, the lesser things you brought with you, the more things you could buy later on ;) You don't have to worry that much of what things to bring. Any things that you wish to bring will be available at anywhere you'll go. Most important things would be;

- money (obviously), 

- few clothes (and some accessories and shoes) to survive probably a month, 

- your beauty products (including shower essentials; body soap, shampoo, a towel), 

- a hair dryer (this is important!!) and your curling iron or whatnots, 

- your gadgets (laptop, camera),

- a set of bed sheets and a blanket,

- medicine and vitamins.

I think that's about it. I feel that the rest of the stuff can be bought at other places, so you will only need to bring things that you can't survive a day without. 

#3 MANAGE SPENDING

Not everyone will have their parents transferring money when they need some. Some people will have a budget. Some are sufficient enough to live for a month, some might need to save a little. So no matter how much you have, try to count and see what are the things that you spend on the most. If you shop too much, then you have to hold back a bit. If you're eating expensive food all the time, then you have to opt for a cheaper alternative. 

Taking my own experience as an example, I didn't have any issue with my spending. I saved as much as I could and only shop when I really couldn't resist. Food-wise, I basically ate anything I want. Lol. Because my parents always said that we (me and my brother) shouldn't skimp on food. So yeah... and since I didn't shop much, I could really indulge when I wanted to. I didn't go to fine dining or anything high like that all the time but I would go on a daily basis to all those cafes and restaurants that are said to be a bit pricey. 

My tips is to write down all your spending for the first month, and then calculate how much you would need averagely for each month. Don't be surprised if you spend A LOT on the first month, or second. IT'S NORMAL. 

#4 GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE

When you are somewhere new, you need to be open-minded but still be cautious. Open-minded as in make friends with everyone, no matter where they're from. and be cautious with the group of people you choose to be closed with. As you get to know people longer, you will see their true colours. If your parents are ready to let you live by yourself, I'm sure they see you as a grown up person and as one adult, you should know which one is right and wrong. 

#5 BE YOURSELF

It's as cliche as it sound, but yes, it's the most powerful thing you should hold on to. Only change for the good and not for the bad. Be an easy-going person and you'll be an easy favourite for everyone. Don't be such a bitch if you want to have friends, and smile to everyone. 

#6 BE IGNORANT 

You would think I'm crazy or mistyped this. Nope, I don't. By now, you might be confused of what I meant by "BE YOURSELF" then "BE IGNORANT". So now I'm going to explain this last one. I learned that being ignorant is a very good thing sometimes. It, automatically, pulls you out of any drama that might occur (Yes, there are dramas in university.) Thus, not knowing things or just being silence is the key. You might know many things but some things are better left untold or just to be kept to yourself.

#7 HAVE FUN

Yes, you gotta have fun. Despite all the assignments, enjoy your time as much as you can. Go for a road trip, be a traveller. Try new things and eat good food while you can. Your university life wouldn't last that long. You would think that 2 or 3 years is such a long time. By the end of it, you may or may not have yet to try the things you wanted to try. Time is ticking very fast, my friend. Just don't forget to always beware and stay safe. 

**

That's all my tips for studying abroad or moving to somewhere new, basically. I hope that helps you in some ways and never forget that your parents are paying you to study, so you better be, alright? ;) If you're going to study abroad, then I wish you all the best and good luck in everything you do. "You can if you believe you can". Thank you for reading and I see you in my next post! xx Julia.