Looks weirds.
F21 sweater, Lululemon pants (similar here and here), Margiela boots
I tried out drop crotch pants a couple years ago and decided they were too uncomfortable what with all that extra material bunching around between your thighs. Also, that was around the height of my legging obsession, where I think i didn’t wear real pants for over a year. I had been thinking about giving drop crotch pants another go, so when I saw these Lululemon ones on clearance for $19, I sort of HAD to buy them. I ended up liking them so much more than I thought I would! I think the key is, you have to really commit to the awkwardness of the entire look. There’s no avoiding it! Looks weird from the front, even weirder from the back (i.e., diaper butt).
And of course these wonderful new boots. Also a testament to the beauty in awkwardness. From the bread-like round toe shape, to the strangely stumpy heel and heel height – though not objectively aesthetically pleasing, somehow it just works. Not to mention that the leather is absolutely fantastic. No breaking-in period needed!
In other news, we’re going to Vietnam next month!
Husband and I will be going with May+Calvin from April 3-14. It will be a return trip for everyone else, but will be my first time. For some reason, none of us realized that April is one of the hottest months to travel to Vietnam. Whoops. Any tips on Vietnam travel? Right now, I’m trying to figure out footwear. Sandals are ok? Will my feet get dirty if I don’t wear shoes? Will I really shower 2x a day? Do i really need to bring my own utensils everywhere? Do I need malaria pills? Can I really not eat fresh fruits and vegetables? Should I really not wear any jewelry? Is everyone really out to scam us because we’re American-born Vietnamese? How much of this is older Vietnamese relatives being paranoid and how much of this is truth?
18 March 2013 by phi style | Categories: outfits | tags: forever 21, lululemon, margiela | 14 comments
Ooh what a fun trip you all will have! What cities will you guys be visiting?
Yes, everyone will want to make as much money off you as possible because you are “Viet kieu”. Everything will be priced 3-5x as much. You cannot escape it because they will know just from the way you look and are dressed. It would be good to have a tour guide – preferably someone that is family…
Sandals are fine, that’s all I wore when I last visited. Your feet will be dirty anyway.
You are with eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Although remember to bring prescribed anti-diarrhea pills.
Keep jewelry to a minimum. If you can, dont wear any. Always keep your purse close to your body. A cross-body bag is highly recommended because it won’t be easy to be snatched from you like an arm bag would be.
Do not give anything to beggars. If you give to one, a dozen will appear.
those are such beautiful boots!
i went to vietnam a few years ago with a couple vietnamese friends (i’m obviously not vietnamese) and we had a blast. you do not need to bring utensils. eat all of the fruit! i really miss fresh mangosteen and rambutan! i only got sick once from a fancy seafood place with white tablecloths and everything, which surprised me because i was eating all kinds of things off the street. your feet will get dirty but it’ll be too hot for shoes anyway. you only need malaria pills if you’re staying in the not-so-developed areas. bring lots of bug spray! another friend of mine was walking down the street wearing a crossbody bag and a motorbike rider tried to snatch it away from her as he turned the corner, but since it was so “attached” to her she ended up flying into the sidewalk but her bag wasn’t stolen. another local friend of mine had her wallet stolen a couple times but she was being dumb and didn’t zip up her bag, so, like in europe, keep an eye on your belongings.
if you’re going to saigon, eat at nha ha ngon! i can send you a long list of recommended hole in the walls from a local friend of mine, too!
Everything the person above mentioned! Especially the pills! I’ve been many times and every single time I always forget the darn pills and get sick. The last time I went I ate the same exact dish as everyone in my family but somehow I was the only one that got sick. I ended up in the hospital for a week!
Sandals definitely but not expensive ones because they will get dirty for sure. And yes, you will definitely shower 2X a day. You can basically forget any sort of hair styling or makeup for the day, until it cools down at night when you go out. I recommend just tinted moisturizer and mascara at most!
A cross body bag is very important as well. I’ve gotten my wallet stolen at a busy indoor market, even while wearing a cross body, however, unfortunately I wasn’t paying attention and it wasn’t placed on the front of my body. It was also at the market where these little kidults kept calling me “the white girl”, even though I’m Vietnamese-American and accidentally brushed by one of them while they were walking by and they demanded we give them money! WHUT! All sorts of ridiculousness! Haha.
Everything that everyone mentioned on here is true! I spent some time over there working awhile back and I got extremely sick due to the food. I would stay away from the fresh vegetables, make sure you boil it first. With everything that the Chinese are importing over, please make sure you’re not eating 2 week old fruits that still look fresh. I got held back at the custom once because the officer was trying to hit on me, he asked if he could take me home. CRazy! i said no and was held back because there was “problem” with my passport. They might ask for money at custom as well, so make sure you have some changes on you. Don’t give it to them unless they give you a hard time. You’ll have a great time, but just be careful of everything.
I haven’t been specifically to vietnam but have been to similar countries and am pretty careful about food. it DOES kill me to go to southeast asia and not eat fruit with total abandon, but a less uptight yet careful philosophy would be this:
Eat the fruit
Feel safe if you peel/cut it yourself (peel-able fruit is the safest – so mangosteens galore!)
Wash with bottled water
if you can, watch how food is handled, and then use your judgement (for fresh cut fruit/veggies)
**Bring cipro**
I’ve gotten sick before, and it DOES seem to happen more in hotels, where lots of foreigners stay. ??? So you know, it’s hit or miss, and that’s what cipro is for.
You don’t want your trip to be ruined. It’s good to bring it with you because if you need it, you want to be able to take it immediately rather than look for a pharmacy.
As for malaria pills, I’ve always just taken them to be safe. The new ones have very few side effects. (I and fellow travel companions felt nothing.) I just set a daily alarm to remind me to take my malaria pills. Cheap generics are out there. Probably not a big deal, but my thinking is always, why risk it? My college roommate got malaria during her trip to India, so it happens. If you don’t feel like taking them, then be good about bug repellent. Must have DEET. You can find scary 70%+ DEET over there. I think US travel advisory just recommends 30%.
I’ve never heard of bringing your own utensils!
Echo above comments on jewelry and sandals!
No comments yet about teeth brushing? I’m actually not so sure about vietnam, but in similar places, i’ve gotten in the habit of using bottled water to brush teeth. if they say the water is safe, then you could consider brushing with their water. It will help your body get adjusted to their bacteria.
Everybody has their own travel philosophy, so hopefully, these compiled comments can give you a better idea and you can decide what you want to do.
Have fun!!
Thanks, Andrea! We got RXs for cipro and zpacks!
YES, I keep hearing that hotel food gets ppl sick more often than street food! Due to fast turnover of street food vs. hotel food sitting out and being cooked ahead of time? So crazy!
Thanks for the tips! I’m actually at TAIPEI airport right now about to depart! @_@
How fun! I visited VN a few months ago and loved it. One month before I left the country, I went to my doctor and made sure all my shots are up to date. He also prescribed antibiotics for malaria, just in case. As far as footwear, I basically wore flats and sandals the whole time I was there. The streets are dirty, just plan on washing your feet/shower when you get back to your hotel. Tropical fruits are amazing there. Although like what others said, be careful with what you buy at the market. Imported fruits from China are filled with toxic stuff. Absolutely no jewelry if you’re walking around the city or riding the moped. I mean, it’s probably fine to wear some, but do you really want to take that chance? All it takes is a couple of seconds and a lot of things can go wrong. If you plan on wearing a cross-body bag, make sure the bag is in front of you. I was also very careful of my environment whenever I took out my phone to take pictures or call people. Oh yes, unlock your phone here and buy a SIM card there.
If you are staying in Saigon, it’s best to stay in District 1. Although it is touristy and slightly more expensive, everything is within walking distance. If you stay in other districts, you will end up spending a lot of time in traffic when you try to get in the hub of the city. If you are afraid of drinking water, then drink coconut water (straight from the coconut). Try Com Nieu Saigon or Cuc Gach if you get a chance. Oh, and always have a small pack of moist towelettes in your bag at all times.
One last thing, give the “luggage/security” guys some money ($20) and they will help you get through custom hassle-free. It’s worth it because you don’t want to spend time and energy arguing at custom (even if they are wrong). They may end up making you pay for a fee anyways.
Enjoy the motherland! If you have more questions, feel free to ask.
I recommend you do not EVER give money to any of the airport workers even if they give you a hard time or anyone else unless it is a service you expect to pay for. They gave me a hard time with everything but I stood my ground. CORRUPTION in government is bad in third world country and the UN is trying to crack down on these. They told Vietnam no monetary funds unless you crack down on gov’t corruption. Obviously I’m sure there is corruption but don’t add to it by giving them money. You may have to be there for 3 hours in customs but you are not contributing to the problem!
Also make sure if you use a taxi—ask them meter??? only use taxis that have a mileage and price meter in their cars or you will be eaten alive and they will charge you whatever they want.
Bring a couple rolls of toilet paper (remove the cardboard insert before packing)! Its handy when you’re using public restrooms and at restaurants. Sunblock and a hat are handy to have. Prepare yourself for ‘cool’ showers. It’ll be hot! Have fun.
in agreement with katie. dont give them your money. i believe maybe ten or fifteen years ago it was common for the airport workers to try and hustle foreigners, but i dont think that is the case now.
Wow, my mom is leaving the same day as you guys for Vietnam next month. Anyway, be careful of “bottled water” that you purchase, especially in the small roadside stands. I got super sick and had only been using “bottled water.” Also, ALWAYS ask for the price of something first before purchasing. My aunt who is a pretty seasoned traveler to VN bought coconut juice from a vendor for a group of 10 people or so, and didn’t ask for the price until they had almost finished and ended up paying $25USD…for coconuts…just be aware of surroundings. Have fun!
Omg you’re gonna have an amazing time! If you’re heading to Nha Trang, a must do/see are the Thap Ba Mud Springs about 25minutes from the centre. Get the full package (about USD50) and you can have a full day of mud bathing – jet-jacuzzi – full body massage – pool time. Oh and hire a scooter and scoot around !
NOTED! May heard the same thing re. the mud springs!
Vietnam will be amazing!
I only wore flippity flops, so I can’t say much about footwear. It’s hot over there, so anything more than flipflops is a stretch.
A small crossbody bag is the best. Make sure it’s not something you can cut though! My sister had a small little satchel with a thing string attached and that was cut off and stolen in a market.
On my first visit to vietnam in 1998 I got REALLY sick. Like, my dad’s family in the country “blood-let” me sick… I didn’t get better until I got some Western medicine (go figure! ha).
In 2010, I didn’t get sick at all, although my boyf got sick for a day or two. I would suggest that you stay away from fresh herbs for a few days, but once your stomach gets settled… dig in. I mean, you can’t eat banh xeo without greens!!!
I never felt like I was getting ripped off anywhere — I’ve always been a negotiator so it’s like home when I shop in Vietnam.
Hope you have a fabulous time!
The food is what I always miss from Vietnam: http://micalily.blogspot.com/2011/06/eating-vietnam.html