New York City Style

This girl has finally made her way to the Big Apple, and it was such a blast. I am so lucky to be able to travel for work doing the things I’ve always dreamed of doing, since I was a little girl. See, I’ve never been to New York before, so I really wanted to soak in every moment, capture every picture, and look as good as I possibly could while doing it. I mean come on, it’s New York…everyone looks good all the time and I wanted to have some fun with my outfits while there, even though the focus was on work itself.

So in today’s blog, I’m going to give a run down of my favorite New York City looks that were comfortable for walking, fashionable enough to blend in, and sleek enough to pack up in just a carry – on. Everything I can find will be listed out and linked below if interested!

Outfit 1: High-Waisted Denim, Stripe Tee, Neck Scarf

This was worn on a day full of concept shopping all over the city. We ended up walking a total of 13 miles, so I knew I had to be comfortable. On top of that, I knew I was meeting up with a friend later that night and I’d have to be picture ready no matter how long of a day I had before. In this outfit, I was conscious of comfort while being inspired by one of my all-time favorite TV characters, Serena Van Der Woodsen from Gossip Girl. My lovely friend Nadine was too kind in helping me recreate the opening scene of the whole series! In this look I paired my favorite Charlotte Russe super high-waisted black jeans with a black and white stripe scoop neck tee, a little neck scarf from Zara, and a button front trench. To finish the look, I wore a pair of classic Adidas sneakers.

Outfit 2: High-Waisted Denim, Woven Stripe Tie Top

The next look re-uses the same pair of jeans with a tie top from Zara and a pair of platform sandals from Steve Madden. We didn’t walk as much this day, but still enough where comfortable shoes were a must! These Kimmie Espadrilles are so supportive of the arch of the foot, and the straps are all elastic. They stretch as you move and kept me comfortable all day long. This outfit kept me comfy even on the plane ride home!

Outfit 3: Bell Sleeve Shift Dress

This dress from H&M is so light weight and comfortable; it was perfect for a day of jumping from meeting to meeting. I paired this dress with a pair of pointed toe flats from A.N.A., and a Gucci waist belt. Yes, I maybe bought myself a luxury item while in NY. Sue me.

Outfit 4: Pleated Skirt and Stripe Top

Both of these pieces are also from H&M, and I love how they work together. The top is a super soft stretchy knit with puffy sleeves, and the skirt is a full elastic waist band pressed pleat midi. I wore the top tucked in high-waisted, and I paired this with the same pointy toe flats.

Outfit 5: Animal Print Top and Satin Finish Skirt

This outfit was also a plane outfit, also an H&M outfit, and ALSO surprisingly more comfortable than you’d think. The skirt is a woven rayon but finished with a satin hand feel. What this means is that it feels cool and silky to the touch, which kept me cool and comfortable even though we were racing through an airport while I was wearing it. The top was on a clearance rack, however it was very similar to a lot of other styles out on the floor. The drop V-neckline is what made me pick this over other options, and to my surprise it happened to be on sale too! I paired this outfit with a pair of faux suede open toe booties that I bought at JC Penneys on Broadway for 13.99 !!!!! What a steal (:

So that’s it! This is how I styled myself in the most stylish place of all, New York City. I felt like I blended right in, was on trend, and was completely comfortable each day. I’m so thankful I had this experience to travel to the city and live in the garment district for a few days, but I was glad to get home to Cleveland where 2-mile Ubers don’t cost $40.

Links

Jeans: https://charlotterusse.com/collections/jeans-by-fit_high-waisted-jeans/products/0711-60340332-high-rise-super-skinny-jean?variant=28699271725140

Kimmie Espadrille by Steve Madden: https://www.stevemadden.com/products/kimmie-black

Shift Dress: https://www2.hm.com/en_us/productpage.0816923001.html

Pointed Toe Flats: https://www.jcpenney.com/p/ana-womens-darell-ballet-flats-buckle-closed-toe/ppr5007860928?pTmplType=regular&deptId=dept20000018&catId=cat100250188&urlState=%2Fg%2Fshoes%2Fwomens-flats%3Fid%3Dcat100250188&productGridView=medium&badge=onlyatjcp

Gucci Belt: https://www.gucci.com/uk/en_gb/pr/women/womens-accessories/belts-for-women/leather-belt-with-double-g-buckle-p-409417CVE0T2535?position=56&listName=ProductGrid&categoryPath=Women/Womens-Accessories/Belts-for-Women

Crepe Puff Sleeve Top: https://www2.hm.com/en_us/productpage.0664074001.html

Pleated Skirt: https://www2.hm.com/en_us/productpage.0652731003.html

DOs and DON’Ts of Music Festivals

Surprise! I’m back in action with some great writing ideas coming together for the next few months so I don’t go MIA again for multiple weeks at a time. With that being said, what else would make sense for me to write about in my comeback than music festivals? Nothing? Well you’re right! So let’s dive in. I’m going to talk about my short list of dos and don’ts of making the most out of your experience at music festivals.

Just this past week I returned home from my fifth music festival and it got me to thinking about a few things. Full disclosure: I rank this most recent experience at the lowest of the lot due to various different reasons. We felt like there were simply too many people and not enough facilities to support the mass amount of people we were surrounded by. Literally our camping grounds within the festival had 4 porta-pots shared between about 2,000 people. That’s no bueno. It was too hot to sleep in past 8 a.m. and the music we wanted to see didn’t really start until 4 p.m. – 5 p.m. so it was a lot of long days waiting in the sun. It drained us all pretty quickly and that made it even more difficult to enjoy our time in the festival itself once we finally made it in. Now I don’t want to seem too negative here. The music was amazing, having time off was a blessing, and making memories with Michael is unbeatable. We’ve simply experienced better in our past and unfortunately expectations weren’t met here.

Which brings me to DO #1:

DO: Have The Right Mindset

You have to go into each experience expecting something different. It’s impossible to enjoy it if you’re taking every moment to compare and judge. Having the right mindset before you even enter into the grounds will hopefully save you from being as disappointed as we were.

DON’T: Expect Others to Share the Same Experiences

People love, I mean LOVE the festival we just went to. They call themselves a damn family. A couple even got married there that I witnessed myself, let alone any other proposals/marriages/relationships that happened while we were there. It’s still a magical place, and it’s okay that we didn’t enjoy it just as it’s okay that people swear by it.

DO: Pack Sunscreen

Okay seriously, to enter these types of events you have to be an adult (or accompanied by one at least). So be your smart adult-y self and WEAR SUNSCREEN. Protect yourself. The sun is not your friend no matter how nice it feels to be outside. The quickest way to ruin your experience is by getting fried on day #1 and being so miserable you can’t enjoy the rest of the festival.

DON’T: Focus on the Alcohol

Adult-y step #2 ready? DRINK WATER. Don’t be dumb. Don’t think you’re invincible. Don’t think your tolerance is better than mine. I’m telling you, drink water. Dehydration and overheating out in the sun are the worst possible mix. You’ll find yourself in the medical tent listening to the rumbling crowd in the distance if you don’t pace yourself and stay hydrated. These days aren’t meant to be about blacking out. That would defeat the whole purpose of your being there AKA to make memories you actually remember and to listen to some tunes.

DO: Pack Filling Snacks

This is huge if you’re camping on site or nearby. If festivals you’re thinking about are in major cities and you’re able to grab a cheap bite to eat on your way home to the hotel, this doesn’t totally apply to you. When camping on the grounds, your only options for food are the options they have within the festival and what you bring. If you only bring things like chips or pretzels, you’ll find yourself buying late night meals and racking up an unnecessary expense if you could’ve just brought something a little more sustainable. We always look to bring sandwich stuff like PB&J and if you have a cooler, lunch meats and cheeses. Sounds silly, but with all you’ll be spending already, saving on just late-night foods has kept me from losing about $150. (pls enjoy image of Michael nommin’ a sammy)

DON’T: Be a Dick

Alright hear me out here…. you are standing in a crowd of about 50,000 people, and you’re about halfway through it. There’s no seats here or arena type elevation, just 50,000 standing heads all around you. Your favorite song by an artist you never thought you’d see live is about to play. Then BOOM, elbow straight in the side and your feet are stepped on. Tragic right? And because these people pushed passed you successfully, a whole line of people behind them forms thinking this is a path. It’s never ending. Your side instantly bruises. And suddenly, this song you’ve been dying to hear is already over and you missed it due to the distraction of absolute dick heads. Don’t be these people. Festival sets are so so so so short. Anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour. That’s it. When you’re trying to fight your way to the front of the stage, you are not only ruining the show for everyone you shove through, but frankly you’re ruining it for yourself too. Logistically there’s no way you can fight your way through that many people in less than a half hour. So let go of the notion of needing to be close to be able to enjoy the show. Just post up, find a good space, dance with your crew, and enjoy what’s around you. It will make it better for everyone.

DO: Wear Whatever You Want

I don’t know about all of you, but festival fashion is amazing to me. You can be risky and show skin and feel sexy yet feel 100% safe at the same damn time. I love the sense of freedom and creativity and individuality that comes out of all the different outfits I see at these things. Walking around in what you feel the most confident in with no risk of being shamed or gawked at is truly a beautiful thing. The whole place will be filled with people with their booties out, so if you join in on that fun, you blend in more than you stand out. It’s honestly a beautiful thing to be worry free when exploring such a risqué type of fashion. It’s fun. Do it. Wear what you want. Or what you don’t ;D

How To: Make Freebies Fashionable

So long story short, I have a pretty cool job. I get to work with clothing every single day and let both my creative side and analytical side shine through. Some of the highlights of working for a catalog company, is all the samples we receive to review measurements and print accuracy end up being given away at some point. We receive so many samples for each season that eventually, we have to clear out the old to take in the new. On these giveaway days, I get to scour over products ranging from matching sets and dresses, to sweaters, tops, bottoms, and other separates. I’ve even scored some outerwear, comfy pjs and some shoes over my past year here too!

Now as amazing as that sounds, keep in mind, I work for a catalog company. What does that mean? Well, our target customer is a much older woman more comfort focused than fashion focused. There are a whole lot of elastic waistbands and tunic length shirts. Nothing wrong with these items, but for my 22-year-old self, not the most fashion friendly. However, I have been able to find some great pieces that I’m able to pair with my existing wardrobe and truly make it unrecognizable from our brand.

There’s been countless times where I come in with a new spiffy outfit and my coworkers ask me where it’s from and are genuinely shocked that, the majority of the time, it ends up being OUR apparel. I keep getting pushed by these same coworkers to write a blog like this, showing how I’m able to make the amazing gift of free clothing to actually work for me in my own stylish ways.

Below I’ll describe a few of my favorite outfits I’ve created so far with pieces snagged from work, out of hopes to make this the first part of a continuous series. Any time I get another haul of freebies, which I just did, I’ll plan out some outfits and keep this idea going in the future! For this first round though, some of the pictures are definitely throw backs, so bear with me if they look familiar!

1. Elastic Waist/Drawstring Pants

In this first look, I grabbed a pair of pants off of a coordinating set and although they’re meant to be full length, I took a petite size to make them more of a high waist culotte. I paired them with a cropped mock neck and some sneakers and voila!

2. Red/Black Houndstooth Skirt

This next one was simple, yet I felt very fashion forward and festive as I wore it around Christmas time. I just added a black shell, some booties, and a hat from my faves Yellow108 to make this skirt a complete look!

3. Embroidered Border Pants

This outfit was super comfy, and I already cannot wait to wear these pants again! They are elastic waist with a drawstring, and I’m able to wear them super high waisted with the hem of the pants still hitting the floor. I paired them with that cropped mock neck mentioned previously as well as some classic black combat boots.

4. Classic Turtleneck

This piece was one I was missing from my wardrobe anyway and was very happy I was able to find one that fit well enough, and of course, was free! Very casual outfit here, I tucked it into some high waisted jeans, over the knee suede boots, and, you guessed it, another Yellow108 hat! Woohoo!

5. Blazers

I’ve gotten quite a few blazers so far, and typically they are a part of a dress set where I just take the jacket for myself. This one was super comfy, has a sweater like texture, and oversized (which I love). The whole “boyfriend blazer” trend is a very happening thing, so I did what I could in making this appear that way! I paired this with some leggings, a comfy tee, and I rolled the sleeves of the blazer to make it more casual.

All in all, I love this aspect of my job. My boyfriend Michael always jokes that I’m going to start running out of closet space with this perk, but I can’t help but want to look through the giveaway racks every time they roll around. Like I mentioned before, I just got another huge haul of goodies full of sweaters, some dresses, and various tops. I’m looking forward to styling these pieces and adding onto this series in the future, so stay tuned(:

 

My Cruise Vacation

So in case you haven’t realized already within the last few posts, I went on a cruise recently and I had an absolute blast! I can’t believe we lucked out with the deal we found, how incredible it all actually was, how yummy the food ended up being, and how many drinks were for free! Let alone how beautiful and fun all the stops were too. I seriously cannot thank MSC Cruiselines enough for how happy this trip made me.

Let’s get into the details shall we?

Day One: We flew down the night prior to play it safe with boarding the boat on time Saturday afternoon. We decided to grab some lunch across the street from the port, and realized we were in a crew member hangout, but they invited us to join in anyway! After a quick bite, we headed to the boat and embarking was an absolute breeze. Getting through security was simple and actually got to enter our rooms earlier than expected! After unpacking and settling in, we headed to our first dinner on the boat! As most cruises go, there are 24 hour buffets as well as sit down restaurants. Some are really nice restaurants for an extra charge, but the main sit down is a part of the dining plan purchased through the cost of the trip itself. I must say, we were impressed every single night with what was served! And the staff was so kind! After dinner we explored, and found our official favorite bar of the week, the sports bar of course!

Day Two: This was an on the boat day, as we traveled to our furthest destination first, San Juan, Puerto Rico. We relaxed by the pool all morning after a breakfast buffet and a few mimosas. Then we decided to check out the water park on the top deck and give the water slides a few goes! They ended up being so much fun, even though Michael and I were the biggest kids waiting in line! After our pool day, we got all dolled up because we booked our fancy dinner for the week for this night. We went to the steakhouse on board and Michael wore a bow tie, and I got to sport a super comfy sparkly number. I felt so sophisticated in this dress, I can’t wait to wear it again! We saw our first show of the week this night as well. All the performers, dancers, and acrobats were UNREAL. We were so impressed night after night after night! Then at a smaller lounge and bar, there was a live band and a dance floor! Michael and I made our way here just about every night.

Day Three: Puerto Rico!!!!!! We docked in San Juan at 5:00pm so we didn’t have all too much daylight to explore, but we managed to make it to the top of the island and see the old forts that rested up there. We got some good pictures in and before it got too dark, we adventured about until we found an authentic Puerto Rican restaurant filled with not only a few tourists, but locals too. It was so good! I got some stewed chicken and classic red beans and rice! We found a bar to go to afterwards after some failed attempts at shopping, then Michael and I decided to call it a night! Our most tiresome excursion was the next day and we wanted to be well rested!

Day Four: Saint Thomas was so beautiful, and Michael and I truly got to see that first hand. We booked a kayak, hike, and snorkel adventure with an eco tour group. We ended up learning a whole lot about mangroves and trees that kill you and hermit crabs and jelly fish and pirates!!!! This was the first place marked on maps with a skull and crossbones meaning it was a deadly pirate port to stay away from! Super cool day and I didn’t even get sunburn!!! Did you know that Blackbeard was only a pirate for 2 years before he died? He was that deadly and memorable that he became the most well known pirate of all time in just 2 years!

Day Five: Saint Maarten was so pretty up close, but beyond the touristy spots, the island devastation from the many storms was tragic. Hopefully repairs continue to stretch out beyond the main ports soon. Michael has relatives who visit here every year, and who have made friends with a family who owns a jewelry store. We ended up finding it pretty randomly actually, but the whole family was ready to welcome us in, offered us a lot of free beer, and were very kind and patient as Michael and I picked out some pieces. It was wonderful to feel like we were around familiar faces! After we got back on the boat, it was a pretty relaxed night of more shows and playing cards at the sports bar!

Day Six: Another day on the boat! We laid out by the pool again today but somebody (me) forgot to put on some sunscreen. I got tooaaaaaaaaaaaaastttted. It was a rough time. But we went on the water slides again, took some naps, enjoyed another sit down meal, and went to a comedy show! They were an improv group that took audience suggestions to make their skits! It was hilarious, and the last skit of the night they actually called out Michael to join them up on stage! They recreated a day in his life in front of about 500 people, and everyone in that theater was dying laughing! He was the perfect person for them to pick out and he did so well up there! I was proud to cheer him on(:

Day Seven: Nassau, Bahamas is somewhere I have traveled to in the past, but going again with Michael made it so much more special. We took a ferry to a private island off the coast to enjoy a beach day under the sun. Unfortunately for me, I was very red and in pain at this point, but it was the last day so I sucked it up! We booked a stingray encounter for this stop and I felt like a giant 5 year old who was just so excited and nervous and squealing. It was pathetic but I loved every second of it! We got to feed them while wading in the clear ocean waters as they swam all around us through our legs and arms. It was awesome. We decided they feel like mushrooms, so all stingrays will now be referred to as the “Portabella of the Sea.”

Day Eight: Disembarking back in Miami was so bitter sweet. We had an incredible time with great weather and random adventures. We made so many fun memories and I will cherish this trip with Michael always! We Ubered to our hotel for the night, our flight being the next day, and decided to adventure around Miami for a bit. We ended up getting some Chipotle, because I love Chipotle, then we went to a putt-putt / indoor arcade to pass the time until check in! After that we grabbed some dinner, got some beer, and relaxed in our room watching the Brownines take another W for good ole CLE!

With all my heart and trust and faith, I recommend MSC Cruiselines. The Seaside was a beautiful ship that was so well taken care of with the kindest staff I’ve ever met. I didn’t pass a single person who didn’t have a smile on their face, and that made the trip that much more enjoyable. It’s obvious that the company takes care of their people, because those people took such good care of us. To top it all off, the food was delicious every time, the late night buffet was the perfect drunk go to, and all the drinks actually packed a punch even for being a free offer. When we book another cruise, which we will be soon, it will without a doubt be with MSC Cruiselines again!

A College Kid’s Summer Struggles

It’s time to get real here, summers as a college kid are hard. I don’t know if I’m completely unique in my struggle this summer, but what better way to let go of some stress than to put words to it.

I’m currently working two jobs, one of which is unpaid for school credit. I absolutely love my internship don’t get me wrong, but with the two schedules I already have, it’s impossible for me to find a third job that will actually hire me with my very limited availability. So I’m struggling to earn the money back that I spent while abroad in Italy with only one paycheck. Let me tell you something, that’s not easy. I feel like an absolute jerk for having no money, because all of it is either spent on gas, food, or is saved. That’s leaving everyone around me paying for me when we go out to do fun things and although I’m very appreciative, I hate it! I feel awful about it and just down right awkward to be honest. I’m in such a weird spot when it comes to money lately.

Anyway, money aside, there are some other struggles as a college kid during the summer that I think are a little more relatable:

1. No free time!

Summer is supposed to be the break season, the sit back and relax season, yet here I am wondering when I’ll have the time to actually do so. I know quite a few people in the same boat as me, with working multiple jobs and only having time to sleep in between them, so I’m stuck here asking when my “summer break” is supposed to begin.

2. Summer classes

If you are anything like me, well, you think you can do it all. And you know what? You can! It’s just a really aggravating process to do so. I’m in the honors college at my school with a very intensive major and I’m a double minor. My semester schedules are pretty jam packed and don’t always work out how I want, so sometimes I’m left with taking summer courses to stay on track with graduating on time. So the whole no free time thing because of two jobs? Add two classes worth of homework in that mix as well.

3. FOMO

Although you’re dog tired and all you want to do is sleep and recover from a long day of responsibility, the last thing you want to let your young self do is miss out on a fun night with friends. Even if the much better answer for yourself is to stay in and recoup, you bet your booty you’ll be out that night pretending you don’t have a care in the world because that’s just what you’re expected to do at this age. Ahhh the expectations of getting drunk and having fun, such a hard life am I right? But it really can add a whole different level of stress to your summer break self.

Before I let this thing get way too long, I figure I’ll stop it here and give one little bit of advice. If I can do all of these things and still find the time to take an occasional nap, so can you. I’m hoping this post reaches some viewer who is overly stressed out this summer and thinks they’re alone in the struggle. I’m here to say you’re not alone, and you will make it out just fine. So keep chugging along and accomplish everything you desire to this summer. You of all people should know you can.