Earn Your Stripes
Hi everyone, happy Wednesday!
Ok I thought about it, and… I’m doing a Lunar New Year theme. (I know, I know, I’m sorry! I simply can’t stop myself from jumping on a cultural moment!) In any case, Lunar New Year is next Tuesday, February 1, and though I won’t be going all out like I would be if I were with family, I’ve still acquired a red sweater, paper lanterns, tangerines, and sticky rice cakes in preparation. Hope everyone has a wonderful time celebrating!
Tiger Queen
QIPAO DRAWSTRING DRESS - PRIVATE POLICY ($355)
This Lunar New Year is extra special for me because it’s the year of my Chinese zodiac sign: the tiger! Tiger signs are said to be bold, confident, and daring, traits that are perfectly embodied by this tiger-striped qipao from New York-based brand Private Policy. Helmed by Parsons alumni Haoran Li and Siying Qu, Private Policy mingles traditional Asian motifs with modern silhouettes, shot through with a subversive streak. It would not, perhaps, be my outfit of choice if I were attending a family New Year’s gathering, but I can definitely see myself on a night out drinking sake bombs in this dress.
Lion-Hearted
LION DANCE LUNAR NEW YEAR LEGO FIGURES - CHOP SUEY CLUB ($40)
LOOK at these Lego lion dancer figurines!! Are they not the most adorable things you’ve ever seen? At the risk of outing myself as a huge nerd, I’m an enthusiastic Lego fan; I loved the Lego movies, I follow several Lego master builders on TikTok, and I was making regular pilgrimages to the San Diego Legoland long after I would’ve been considered “too old” (no such thing, in my opinion!) I’m not so far gone to the point where I own a bunch of limited-edition sets or anything, but I might just make an exception for these bitty lion dancers, which, along with the mini mandarin tree, are sure to bring me a dash of extra luck and prosperity this year.
Sweet Spot
GARDEN LUCKY CANDY - COCO ISLAND MART ($6)
Every Lunar New Year I make sure to pick up a bag of these strawberry-flavored Lucky Candies, which, if I were to rank candies on a tier list, would definitely take S-tier, no question. The flavor isn’t like the artificial strawberry flavor of Twizzlers or Sour Straws; it’s more like a strawberry milkshake, very mild and creamy, with a hard carapace that melts into a sticky, taffy-like consistency that’s very fun to chew. Just be careful if you try them, because they’re intensely addictive; I’ve been known to absentmindedly down half a bag in one sitting.
Tried one of my recs and loved it (or hated it)? Wanna get something cool on my radar? Drop me a line at kittylguo@gmail.com or swing by my Twitter @kitguo!