Interview with Hang Nguyen
What inspired you to start your blog, “Hanging with Hangtw”?
I started my blog during college as a creative outlet. At the time, I studied computer science, and it was a lot of math, code, and theory. It was really tough, so during my free time, I wanted to do something more visual, relaxing, and easygoing. I remembered how much I enjoyed building websites, so I decided to create a blog. It helped merge all of my interests from tech, fashion, and photography all in one. Over the years, it has grown from being just a fashion blog to a lifestyle blog that also includes travel and more personal stories.
How was the process of getting your blog started? What did you find fulfilling and what aspects were more challenging?
The process was super fun! I enjoyed the visual and design aspects of creating a blog. With tools like WordPress and SquareSpace, creating a website was fairly easy, and I was really into exploring color schemes, moving pixels, and every other detail for the website. While design and visuals were fun, I think the most challenging part for me was the actual content. I would often struggle with writing what I wanted to say or figuring out how can I serve others.
The photos, organization, and layout of your website are so aesthetically pleasing! How did you come up with the design and bring your vision to life?
Thanks so much! The design of my current website is actually made by Pipdig, so all credit goes to them. In general, I wanted my website to be really clean, interesting, and focused on the imagery and content. While searching for templates online, I ran into Pipdig, and they had exactly what I was looking for. By using their template, it helped save a lot of time and allowed me to focus more on content.
On your blog, you write about everything from style trends to travel tips to personal self-reflection. How do you come up with your ideas for your pieces? Do you have a way of organizing those ideas?
I actually just share all of my real-life experiences! I’ve found that by just living life, there are so many things that I can share from fashion, travel, favorite products, and personal thoughts. Because of this, I don’t have any real organizing methods; it kind of just aligns with my daily life and the seasons I go through.
You have an active presence and following on social media, especially on Instagram. What are your favorite parts of being involved in that world? What can be frustrating?
I have a love and hate relationship with social media. I feel very blessed and grateful to have a platform that provides me with opportunities. And I’m very thankful to my followers who support me because without them, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. I really enjoy it, but there are times that social media can get really dark.
Sometimes all of the materialism, comparison, and relationships I see online drain me. There are days where I absolutely refuse to log on because of the way it makes me feel. I struggle with trying to be strong, staying true to myself, making meaningful relationships, and posting fun content that people will enjoy.
According to your About page, you graduated with a degree in Computer Science. There seems to be a big gap between those in STEM and those involved in the arts. What do you think of those boundaries and how do you personally go against those ideas?
I think that’s a general misconception. If people box others in by their job titles or what they study, then there seems to be a gap. However, on the contrary, if we don’t identify people by their job titles, I think we’d find that a lot of people in STEM are actually creative too. They may work in STEM but do some type of art on the side like painting, photography, music, video, graphic design, and much more. In comparison, those involved in the arts could have some STEM background and knowledge too.
Just like me, I’m a person who studied computer science and worked a tech job but loved fashion, photography, and sharing things online.
What pieces of art involving Asian women/artists have caught your eye lately?
Recently, I watched this show called “Next In Fashion” on Netflix, and there’s a super talented designer named Minju Kim. She really caught my eye because of how funny, kind, and talented she was. She made some insanely beautiful clothing collections, and it really inspired me to see how she expressed who she was through her designs. It made me want to up my fashion game.
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing Asian women today?
I think minorities have difficulties and struggles in getting the job level and positions that they want, especially minority women. It’s something that has been going on for a really long time. Recently, I’ve seen a lot of people speak up about these issues and trying to make changes. I’m really hopeful for the future of minority women.
What’s next for you? Any exciting new projects?
I have a couple of things in mind, but with everything going on in the world right now, I want to pause for a moment. It’s so easy to get caught up in work and “go, go, go!” that we can lose sight of the most important things. For me, the most important thing right now is people and the relationships that I have.
Hang Nguyen (@hangtw) is a fashion and lifestyle blogger who loves smoothies, dressing up, and discovering hidden gems around the world. She explores ways to live more joyful via a multitude of facets, from fashion, home, and travel to everyday life experiences.
As a petite woman standing at just 5 ft tall, she inspires others like her by promoting body positivity and self-confidence. Overall, Hang’s mission is to take her global readers on a journey of embracing individuality, pushing boundaries, and living more vibrantly.
