it's ok to look like a tourist
why I never dress my best on vacation
as a thank you for paid readers, i am giving away a bottle of j scent’s hanamizake.
i’d heard of this small japanese brand before—ministry of scent in sf carries a few of their products. but imagine my delight when i walked into a bookstore in nakameguro, unknowingly coming across a whole shelf the entire j scent line! to enter, leave a comment sharing what scent reminds you most of summer.
a paid subscription supports the research, writing and re-writing that goes into this newsletter. if you can’t swing the subscription right now, feel free to email me and we can figure something out! <3
tokyo is a walking city. i had no delusions about that.
as such, i only packed two pairs of shoes: hardy salomons and as my dainty option (lmao), rust-colored keen sandals.
but this was not a fun decision. as i zipped up my dorky travelpro suitcase, my eyes wandered back to my shoe rack, skimming over the red velvet prada platforms and miu miu slides i so longed to wear instead. i might have had unrealistic expectations about the thrifting scene in japan, but i’ve made enough mistakes to know that my most beloved fanciful shoes—well, they’re better suited for a car city. it’s just the unfortunate truth.
between the emergency dr scholls arch insert purchases and my constant need to find a place to sit at the mall, i knew i made the right decision. i was utterly wiped out at the end of the each day. sometimes i wondered if there was something physically wrong with me, some undiagnosed mysterious fatigue disorder…or maybe i just couldn’t deal with the shadow of shame that i was just a product of the sedentary american lifestyle. it feels embarrassing and hypocritical to admit this because i am 100% pro policies that support walkable cities—but i really missed driving. after walking around in the heat and standing in line for 40 minutes for a bowl of duck ramen, nothing sounded better than going prone in a car with the ac blasting and seat slightly reclined.
all to say, i did not dress my best on vacation because of these practical considerations. there was not a single outfit i genuinely loved head to toe. nothing was styled in the way i would have styled it at home. i packed tops that were conducive to quick and easy hand-washing because i’d sweat through the pits by lunchtime. in a way, the experience was a healthy reset for me…a reminder that a good day does not need to be centered around a good outfit. i would get dressed in the mornings and look at the reflection across from the elevator. i’d think to myself “i kinda hate this top, purely for aesthetic reasons. i accept that i hate it and i’ll still have a great day seeing temples and eating yakitori skewers!”
did i experience acute outfit envy?
yes. every single day, all the time. the street fashion in tokyo is unmatched. compared to other fashion cities, i think the most style-conscious people are on the same level of commitment and creativity in their looks. but tokyo stands out because the average person seems more intentional and put-together in their dress. fashion and style feels more organically diffused into the culture as a whole, as opposed to a niche subculture of passionate hobbyists.
here are a few of the outfits i wore in tokyo. my camera roll is mostly food and random architecture shots…because i didn’t love my outfits enough to consistently document them.
this was in a small thrifting neighborhood, but everything was closed so we left after an onigiri lunch. i got about 4 wears out of this organic cotton top. breathable cotton is truly the gold standard for summer travel. i would wash it during my showers in the hotel sink and hang dry overnight. my skirt is vintage escada, a wonderful depop score from last october. printed silk skirts were the definitely the main way i was able to still feel connected to my “real” style. and lol the baggu crescent—this was a dead giveaway i was an american tourist. so many girls were wearing these or lululemon crossbodys. but you know what?? it was the best bag for my needs. (no way was a leather coach bag going to be comfortable.) also, i think we should all feel more ok with looking like tourists since that’s what we are. i was also struggling with hairstyles a lot, so i wore these small heart clips to spruce up a greasy ponytail.
the same cotton top, paired with navy cropped track trousers from a uniqlo store in asakusa. i wouldn’t reach for these pants back home, but they were perfectly designed for the tokyo climate and lifestyle: lightweight, not overtly “athletic,” slight stretch in waistband.
i also found it super interesting to wander around uniqlo and notice what feels different in the product and merchandising between japan and america. for summery clothes, you don’t see as much spaghetti straps…and definitely nothing strapless. pants tend to be looser, wider-leg fits as well. i tried on some horseshoe/balloon leg jeans just for fun.
the other workhorse top i rewore/hand-washed was this baserange heart tank. the black color isn’t see-through! i tucked it into jeans and printed skirts, and wore a loose white button down on top for *modesty*
trying on a monchhichi t-shirt at uniqlo. i wore a black cotton skirt from merlette that i got at a pop-up in LA last year—great length for travel and the color hides food stains. the lichen colored jacket off to the side was my “outer shell layer” for the trip, a lululemon jacket from poshmark (style is called always effortless, easy to find on resale sites).
here’s a red polo from uniqlo i did end up buying, part of the jw anderson collab. i was so sick of my t-shirts and liked that this was lightweight but a tad more dressy. now that i’m back home, i would style this with a pleated skirt and platform simone rocha brogues lol. the ozma silk bandana was worn on days i could not stand how my hair looked.
this was my day 1 outfit, so i naturally picked the things i was most excited to wear: a fruitface baby tee with a strawberry on it, and an old sandy liang doll skirt.
the makeup also went downhill during the trip. because of the heat and intense walking, i started to feel the heaviness of concealer and blush and especially eyeliner. it felt gross. this was the fullest face of makeup i did, for a dinner out in shibuya. however, i used my spf and hydrating serum consistently, especially during the long flights which leave my skin dry and inflamed. i also wore my nameplate necklace from yeahitsjewelry daily.
I may earn a commission on any purchases made through any affiliate links in this post.
xoxo viv
This is the best comments section. Love reading everyone’s memories captured in scent 💗
From my midwestern childhood - cut grass that dried out in the sun to point it smelled more like hay plus wet mulch and milkweed.
From my nyc summers - when i lived there le labo Santal 33 had a chokehold on all of SoHo that in combination with the occasional whiff of hot trash immediately places me there.
From my sf summers - honestly one of my favorite things about sf is the way it smells. The fog carries the Pacific Ocean along with minty sweet eucalyptus year round. In the summer, you get that plus turn a random corner and you run into a fugue of small white flower trees sweeter than honeysuckle.
You still looked so cute on your vacation tho! But I totally get not dressing like yourself on vacation, especially in a climate completely different from your home city.
As for summer scents it’s changed! When I still lived in Melbourne it was a hot salty ocean breeze, now that I live in Vancouver sometimes it’s grass after a rain (often!) or a hint of sweet overripe fruit, as the summer is so intense but short that the berry bushes around my neighbourhood fruit and instantly spoil on the tree.