u/Wheresthebeans

I've only been into fashion seriously-ish for about a year maybe. I started off like a lot of people and got really into Uniqlo, cropped tee shirts, and bootcut jeans. Then I started throwing thrifting into the mix and found more unique pieces. Now I am more aware of fashion history and designer clothing and women (imo - amazing inspo to pull from)

After that intial journey, which I am very much still on, I am finding that I'm getting really bored of simple clothing now. For example, I used to be obsessed finding vintage cardigans in neutral colors so that I could mix and match "effortlessly" into my wardrobe. Then I started putting fits on and feeling like I could do more or that the pieces didn't really feel like me. One day I saw a vintage brooks brothers OCBD that had this colorblock pastel thing going on and I said fuck it and bought it. I love the shirt now and it made me promise to start buying weirder shit or clothes with more things going on, forcing me to style them in interesting ways.

That's not to say that I don't have basics, but I'm just getting more and more bored of things that don't stand out for lack of a better phrase. I've been learning about brands thru social media osmosis and when I look into them I feel like they all sell cropped flannels, baby tees, and wide leg jeans. Not bashing anyone who wears these exclusively (kinda), but just noticing how the problem of menswear not being flavorful is still prevalent in brands that even fashion bros commonly wear. It feels like fashion conservatism sometimes lol, especially when I see people some people online and irl say they wanna learn how to dress but not "stand out" in anyway. It doesn't help that these brands are typically cheaper than brands doing funkier things like Kapital for ex.

I find that when I talk to people who aren't into fashion, they express how they want to wear something outside their comfort zone/not typical but never do it because they don't want to stand out or look bad. I feel like a lot more people would benefit from listening to their intrusive thoughts and picking something a little funky. If it's good it's good if it's ugly, it's ugly! Who cares. Semi-rant but yeah

Looking to move to Chicago and I have been applying to jobs. I chose perhaps the worst major to be able to live in a walkable city in the world, so it's looking like my options are buying a car driving from the city to the suburbs or taking the metra. A lot of jobs have gotten back to me, but everytime I look them up on google to see if they are commutable, it shows I have to walk upwards of 40 minutes depending on the location of the job sometimes due to their being no public transport or even sidewalks.

I was thinking of getting a car and leaving it at the Metra stop, but apparently it isn't allowed and/or varies by individual Metra stop.

Do I just give up and look for jobs in the suburbs (highly unlikely - i want to live in a city), or focus on jobs in a different city with better commutes?

Going to get so much flak for this because people on here defend this major with their lives, but I need to rant. Completely ignoring the current job market, I realized way too late that this major and career doesn't even agree with me as a person or what I want out of life in a way that other careers that I was thinking about pursuing before college don't

Money: It seems okay. They pay really well at FAANGs but the hours and layoffs are daunting and I don't and will never put in more than the required 40 hours at a job unless I get overtime. Otherwise, you get gimped by companies thinking they can still pay you salaries in the 60k range as an engineer in 2026. Then, later in your career, you hit a wall and have to choose between kneecapping your salary to stay as a technical engineer or making so much more as a manager or non-technical senior role.

Career trajectory: As said before, you stay techinical and lose out on money or become a people-person and manager others to not plateau. Luckily I enjoy project management. I wouldn't know what to do with myself if I didn't and I reached that point in my career honestly. I can't even pivot out of ME and just move to consulting or entry-level sales because the market is completely fucked atm so I have to suck it up and try to get a job with the experience I gained from internships

Work-life balance: Like I said, I don't want to spend more time than I have to on a job. So many jobs need manufacturing space in the middle of nowhere cities, so you are forced to have a long commute if you want to live in a city with things to do besides driving a car or live 5 minutes away from work. Surely that won't mess with your perception of work-life balance! If you want to escape average salary and make a little more, you have the choice to work at a job where you have to travel a lot and not even be at home for months out of the year or 50+ hour work weeks if you don't get lucky with a position at a company that respects your time and autonomy as a human being with a life outside of work

Location of jobs: This might be the biggest one for me. I went from a car-dominated city to a city where nobody I knew had or needed a car and it was amazing. And now I'm looking at jobs (in the US) and combining the above points and so many ME jobs are in towns and cities with no sidewalks and whose local economy is entirely carried by the office workers who work in the dozens of office parks located in the area. And if I want a job in a WALKABLE city without the need for a car, not even a major metro in the US, I have to compete with 800 other people for one job posting. It shouldn't be a luxury to get a job in a city with good transit and things to do. It should be the standard like some many other countries. I wish I could fix this issue by getting a job in a different country, because the issue is really America's poor excuse for infrastructure, but that's a whole other beast to fight

Type of jobs: So many jobs in ME just fucking suck! So many are whats wrong with this country or are helping actively destroy it (data center, automotive, defense imo) and all of the aforementioned ones are the ones that pay the most and protect you from the increasing uncertainty that is the financial future of white-collar jobs in the US

I've been thinking that I should've picked Civil engineering. At least I can help make cities more walkable and improve America's infrastucture. Or maybe pre-med and become a dentist or a nurse or UX designer before the AI shit happened or any other handful of other jobs that would have alleviated some of the issues above.

I know I am dooming. I know I am overexaggerating. But in this moment - I don't really care? I'm not shitting on the cool and challenging work mechanical engineers do, shit I've worked on some cool things myself in internships alone. But it just hurts to spend so much time on a degree to realize it hampers you and your non-work related life goals and priorities in so many ways. Just needed to rant and if you have any advice please drop it my way

Currently preparing and reaching the end of my compilation of research of places to go for my upcoming Japan trip at the beginning of June. Will be going with 2 other mates, same age. All able bodied, young, and can walk a lot

For now, I havent put any times for anything unless we already scheduled it in advance as of the time of writing. Will buy tickets and add times after feedback and when the Shinkansen tickets are availible for purchase at the 30 day-out mark.

Will preface this by saying that I am a fashion bro and a huge foodie, and my friends are neither of those and I don't want to be annoying dragging them into every place I haved saved in Google maps (over 300 so far). As such, some of these spots will have notes indicating whether or not I will be going to them with the group or not.

I'm going for a less structured and detailed plan and more of a "find key points of interest and walk explore around them to find cool stuff". Let me know if there are any days that look absolutely insane or undoable or if you have any reccomendations for places to add or things to do!

Day 1 (Jun 3): The Arrival + Ikebukuro at Night

• Arrive in Narita Airport
• Trip to Ginza Karen for a suitcase and better umbrella
• Get to AirBnB in Itabashi
  • Potentially find luggage storage spot based on airbnb space
• Dinner (Nice dinner spot curated by me or the konbini sto)
• Explore Ikebukuro/Itabashi
• Go out to a bar/izakaya and get shitfaced probably

Day 2 (Jun 4): Central Tokyo + Shopping + Karaoke

• Meiji Shrine @ 8:30 am
• Harajuku Explore + Shops
  • Omotesando (Luxury stores and gateway from Meiji Shrine)
  • Ura-Harajuku (birth of street wear in Tokyo)
  • Aoyama (High-end fashion)
• Shibuya Crossing
• Shibuya Explore + Shops
• Daikanyama explore
• Go back to airbnb to rest and drop off souvenirs
• Shibuya Sky (not able to purchase tickets until 2 weeks out) 
• Karaoke (get REALLY drunk)
• Shinjuku Meandering or go home?

Day 3 (Jun 5): Northeastern Tokyo + Boat Cruise

• Senso-ji @ 9 am
• Explore Asakusa/Area Above Senso-ji
  • Wander area above Senso-ji
• Ueno Park (Enter from top of park if possible)
• Akihabahara Explore
• Explore Area South of Senso-ji
  • Okachimachi
  • Kuramae
  • Asakusabashi (leather goods shops)
  • Kappabashi Street
• Amitatsu Boat Cruise Reserved for 6:45pm
• Go back to Hotel
• Relax + Pre-game
• Go out

 

Day 4 (Jun 6): Thrifting Day

• Oi Racecourse Flea Market (9:30am to 2:30pm - arrive at opening plan to spend 2.5 hours)
• Kichijoji
  • Inokashira Park
• Koenji
• Nakano Broadway
  • Find old anime cel sheets!!!
• Shimokitazawa (plan is to stay decently late at night here for the vibes on the weekend)
• Back to hotel + relax
• Pre-game
• Go out

Day 5 (Jun 7): Free Day + Pro Wrestling Tournament | Southern Tokyo + More Shopping

This day we can all split up because this will more or less be another clothes shopping day for me in the southern-ish parts of the city

• Roppongi
  • Roppongi Hills view in the early morning before shops open
• Ebisu
• Nakemeguro
• Jiyugaoka
• Japanese Pro Wrestling Tournament Reserved; doors open 3:30pm, starts at 5pm

Day 6 (Jun 8): Last Chunk in Japan | Last Minute Tokyo Shopping if needed

• Check out of hotel
• Explore more of Itabashi/Ikebukuro
  • Sunshine Mall
    • Gashapon Department Store (only has bandai gachapon)
• Last-minute shopping scramble
  • Ginza
  • Jinbocho (Book town)
• Send luggage to Kyoto?
• Late train to Kyoto at IDK
• Food or izakaya?