ZOE SUEN

I’m a freelance writer, editor, and consultant — one of the pros of being freelance is I can pitch or take on stories on a hodgepodge of topics, whether it’s fashion, business, beauty, food, or travel. I’m currently editing down a fun interview with an incredible stylist and speaking to experts about sustainable leather. I also write my own newsletter, Floss, on Substack.

            

It can be daunting, but the most rewarding stories are ones where I learn a lot while reporting and speaking to people better versed than I am. I pitched one on Chinese tea as it was a part of my culture I wanted to reconnect with, and for a separate publication, I worked on a deep dive about regenerative agriculture, which I started out knowing almost nothing about. Recently I visited several artisanal workshops in Japan for a story about slow fashion, and the existential crisis many makers are facing in the country. It’s a sobering but optimistic story at the end, and I got to meet a lot of elder craftspeople I’d never get to speak to if it weren’t for the commission. So that was a highlight.    

In books and films mostly, but I’m generally a nosy person — I love looking at interiors through the larger windows in my neighborhood and spying on outfits on the tube. I’m currently reading Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood and she’s inspired me to lean into writing with humour; my boyfriend works in film so I’m also exposed to excellent films like 'All That Jazz', which we recently loved. 

For years I considered myself a very practical, ‘uniform’ dresser — I love a button-down and well-cut trouser or jean, and I can easily wear a variation on that theme Monday through Friday. But lately I’ve been trying to reintroduce playful, whimsical elements back into my wardrobe, or style things in more offbeat ways. Because I work from home, I often wear the most comfortable option at hand, but I think harder about outfits when I finally leave the house. 

          

I mentioned experimenting with whimsical, playful pieces, and this dress (the Arlo in yellow) isn’t something I’d typically gravitate towards, but I liked it for exactly that reason. It’s feminine and sweet, so I went for a (literally) more down-to-earth shoe.