Blend 03: IKEA's Vintage Drop, Wearing Your Roots & A Soulful Home
1 Find | 1 Styling Tip | 1 Inspiration
Welcome to this week’s Blend — your weekly dose of vintage + style.
Each week, you’ll get three simple things: one vintage find, one styling tip, and one thing inspiring me.
Let’s get into it.
Found — One vintage find to discover this week
IKEA’s re-issue of a 1960s classic
The Nytillverkad collection from IKEA brings back some of their most iconic vintage designs from the ‘60s to the ‘90s. I’m eyeing their Gullsudare Lamp Shade, originally released in the 1960s.
Ever since we relocated our Oi Soi Oi UFO Silk Lamp Shade to the bedroom (thanks to a champagne incident that made me rethink having it near any food or drinks), I’ve been searching for something with a subtle yet voluminous presence for our dining area.
The HAY 50cm Paper Lamp Shade we swapped in from our bedroom just isn’t cutting it for me—it’s a little too small for the vibe I’m after. The Hay Paper Lamp Shade also comes in 60cm and 80cm, but in true Goldilocks fashion, 60cm is still not quite enough, and 80cm is way too much.
The Oi Soi Oi UFO Lamp Shade, at 70cm wide, was just right, and I liked that it matched our dining table’s 70cm width. IKEA’s Gullsudare Lamp Shade, also 70cm wide, might be just the piece for the balance I’m looking for.
Styled — One tip for home or personal style
Style tip: Wearing your roots
This week, I wore a vintage Asian-inspired top from Vietnam I found on Vinted. It’s one of the first times I’ve been able to wear something like this because, honestly, I’m much larger than the average Vietnamese woman.
I get my 5’8” (173cm) height from my American dad (who’s 6’3” or 190.5cm), making me an absolute giant in the Vietnamese community. I’m reminded of this fact whenever I’m in Tang Frères, the Asian supermarket in Paris—where I can scan the entire aisle over everyone’s heads like a human periscope.
This top is an XXL from Vietnam and it’s still a bit tight on the shoulders, but the fabric and colors reminded me of things I’ve seen in my mom’s closet, like something straight out of In The Mood for Love. I love how clothing can carry such a personal, cultural connection.
What pieces do you wear that tie back to your roots?
What designers speak to your heritages?
Inspired — One thing inspiring me + answers to your questions
Inside Jon Batiste & Suleika Jaouad’s Soul-Filled Brooklyn Home
Jon and Suleika inspire me endlessly—not just in how they’ve built a home, but in how they’ve built a life.
Suleika’s book, Between Two Kingdoms, is a deeply moving memoir about her journey through illness and healing, navigating the space between life and survival. It’s one of those rare reads that lingers long after you turn the last page. And Jon—between winning multiple Grammys, scoring Soul, and leading The Late Show band—has a way of making everything feel a little lighter and more alive through his music.
Your Questions
How do you mix vintage pieces into your wardrobe without looking too costume-y?
For me, a golden rule of mixing vintage into my wardrobe is balance. Depending on the pieces, if I go full head-to-toe vintage, it can lean into costume territory. Instead I try to ground one standout vintage piece with a modern basic like jeans, trousers, or a plain T shirt.
That’s a wrap on this week’s Blend. Every week, I’ll share more vintage finds, styling tips, and whatever’s inspiring me right now.
Have a vintage or styling question? Leave it in the comments, and I’ll share my thoughts in next week’s Blend.
See you next Sunday!
Until then,
Shana
I love the simple and straightforward 3-things-only approach to this newsletter, Shana!