Tag: Europe

How to Combine Vacation and Work Outfits

I got the opportunity to intern in London this summer. London is a beautiful city and so is Europe in general. The downside to this trip was I could only bring one suitcase and one hand luggage unless I want to pay extra. My trip plans included traveling to seven other countries over the weekend excluding England. Luckily my job was pretty casual since it was a media company. That being said it’s still not easy to combine work outfits with vacation outfits. Plus it can get pricey. So I decided to show my four favorite outfits that I wore to work and my weekend travels under $35 with simple black flats unless stated otherwise.

For my first trip in Europe, I went to Amsterdam, Netherlands. I wore a black and white cotton overall dress and combined it with a simple white top. The upside to this look was I could combine the dress and top with any other outfit when I go to work. I like mixing the dress with various neutral color tops.

For my third trip in Europe, I went to the city of love: Paris, France. For Paris, I wanted a more sophisticated look. I wore a houndstooth-print mini skirt with a 3/4 sleeve mesh yoke crop top. I decided to top it off with my black combat boots. The cool thing about this look was it was super easy to combine the items with other items for work. I was able to pair the skirt with most of my black, white, and red tops. The black top went with any bottom.

For my fourth trip in Europe, I went to Barcelona, Spain. Picking out an outfit for this city was a little more difficult since it had to be beach-related. However, it was still manageable. I bought the perfect swimsuit cover-up for the beach and work. This cover-up can easily be worn with a tank top underneath for work. The material of the product is thick enough to make it hard to see through, which makes it work-friendly but if your cover-up is sheer, you can also wear shorts or leggings.

For my last trip in Europe, I went to Vienna, Austria. For this trip, I went with the classic look a black dress. However, in this case, I wore a high-low black dress. A black dress is something you can wear anywhere and doesn’t need to be paired with anything. Sometimes keeping it simple is the best route to go.

What outfits do you wear to work and vacations? Show us your favorite outfits on social media! Don’t forget to tag @Cfashionista. 

When in Rome

Buon giorno! This summer I had the opportunity to travel to Rome, Italy and had an amazing time! I loved every part of Rome, from the incredible architecture to the delicious food, to the designer stores. After returning home, I have written down a few of my favorite travel tips. Hopefully, these will help you plan your next excursion!

1—Make an itinerary. Before jetting off, you should make a list of the main attractions to make sure you see all that you want. After doing this, you will be able to plan which days you want to do each activity. This will ensure that you make the most of your trip and don’t forget anything you want to do. Additionally, make sure you know your flight times and locations to make traveling as smooth as possible.

2—Wear a comfortable outfit. If you are traveling to a foreign country, you most likely won’t have a car to drive around like at home, and you will have to walk almost everywhere. Because of this, it is important to wear an outfit that is cool and comfortable. One example of an outfit that I wore was a white T-shirt, seersucker shorts, white Converse, and pearl earrings.

3—Water, water, water. Depending on your destination and time of year that you are traveling, the temperature could be very hot, like it was on my trip. The best way to combat this is to make sure that you are staying hydrated throughout the day and drinking plenty of water.

4—Take lots of pictures. This is definitely a trip you’ll want to remember! Take as many pictures as you can so you will be able to look back on them when you are home and remember all the great memories you made.

5—Do as the Romans do. That being said, make sure to take a step back to appreciate the remarkable country you are in. Look at the incredible, thousand-year-old architecture, and listen to the different languages being spoken around you. This is a once in a lifetime experience, make sure to enjoy it!

What are your favorite travel tips? Let me know in the comments!

5 Things to Do When Visiting Berlin

This past year I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to spend my entire junior year living abroad in England. Looking back now, I have to say that I definitely took full advantage of living in Europe by visiting as many countries and cities as I possibly could. I have been home for about two months now, but each day I am reminded of my time living abroad and how much I miss it.

In order to relive some of my amazing memories, I thought I would talk about one of my favorite cities I visited and the top five things you must do, eat, or see in Berlin.

1—Take a free walking tour. I visited Berlin during my spring break abroad and met up with two of my friends to explore this exciting city. We weren’t sure what to do first, so my friend found an organization which gives tourists free city walking tours. By the end of the two hours, I felt well informed and ready to conquer the huge city full of endless history.

2—Eat the food. Not only is Berlin known for being a fun city full of history, but I have to say that this German city sure knows how to make good food. If you get a chance, be sure to try the burgers from Burgermeister or the oatmeal from Haferkater. Both are by far the best I have ever had.

3—Go to Markthalle Neun. Every Thursday in the area of Kreuzberg, a huge food hall is set up with some of the best food and drinks from a variety of different cultures. If you happen to be in Berlin on a Thursday, bring your appetite and please visit this food hall!

4—Explore the beautiful architecture. If your favorite part about visiting a new city is all of the architecture and museums, then Berlin is the place to be. The Holocaust Memorial is fairly new, but a beautiful sight to see with intricate designs and a history of its own.

5—Go to the Berlin Wall. My final tip for you is to, of course, walk along the Berlin Wall. Although the wall has been down for a number of years now, parts of the wall still remain and some are kept for artists to use. It really is amazing to see all of the creative pieces which designers have shared for public display.

I was only in Berlin for three days, and it was not anywhere near enough time to see all that this city has to offer. I know I will be back in the future to truly experience everything else I might have missed, but in the meantime, I just relive the experience through photos and stories.

Have you been to Berlin or are you planning to visit? Let me know in the comments below!

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The Top 5 Things to Do in Portugal

This summer, I was able to visit Portugal with my family. We spent the majority of our time in Portugal’s capital, Lisbon. We traveled to several other cities in the country, including Sintra, Cascais, Cabo da Roca, Belém, Évora, and Monsaraz. I did some awesome things and saw some amazing sights, so I rounded up my favorite things to do in Portugal.

1—Visit the Lisbon Oceanarium. This Oceanarium is the largest aquarium in Europe. It is also the world’s largest saltwater Oceanarium. My favorite animal here was the sea otters since we got to see them during feeding time—they were super cute. There are also sharks, rays, penguins, jellyfish, and many other aquatic species.

2—See Cabo da Roca. Cabo da Roca is Europe’s westernmost point. From here, you have a panoramic view of the whole coast, which is picture-perfect. Fun fact: the cliffs of Cabo da Roca were believed to be the edge of the world up until the up until the late 14th century.

3—Visit the Roman Temple of Évora. This Roman temple is regarded as the best preserved Roman structure on the entire Iberian Peninsula. It has been preserved by being incorporated into multiple buildings throughout Portugal since the demise of the Romans.

4—Try local specialties and products. Portugal is known for fresh seafood, especially cod. They are also known for their custard tarts, which are delicious! We also visited a local winery, where we toured their facility and tasted their most popular wines. Portugal is one of the top producers of cork. Try shopping for local cork products like purses, shoes, coasters, and even belts.

5—Enjoy the view. Don’t forget to wander the streets and enjoy the view while in Portugal. Be sure to explore places to snap a picture of the panoramic view of the city.

Have you been to Portugal? If so, tell me what your favorite thing was in the comments below!

What to Wear When You Are Rome-ing Around

Among the major cities around the world, Rome is one of the top ones to be fashionable in. I know that for most of us, summer is coming to an end, but there’s still time left to pack your bags and discover the world. So, if you’re staring at your empty suitcase thinking about what to take while still wanting to look fashionable under the very hot Italian sun, I’m here to help!

It is widely known that fashion is an important aspect of the Italian culture, and from what I could tell from my two-week trip around several of Italy’s top cities is that Italians are very proud how they look, what they wear, and how they accessorize their outfit. They mix fashion with comfort, and due to the high temperatures during the summertime, they most definitely prefer wearing dresses which are a very effortless and breezy clothing choice.

In the shoe department, flatform sandals, flats, and stylish sneakers will do the trick. Most of Italy’s streets (Rome included) are cobbled, so any other type of footwear might be a bit uncomfortable since you will definitely be walking a lot.

Finally, for handbags, I would recommend a small crossbody bag to keep things you might need during the day—sunglasses, hotel room key, makeup, and cell phone. These bags are perfect for this trip since you do not want to be carrying a bulky, heavy bag when you are going to be doing touristy things all day and later on end up with back pains.

These are three of the most helpful tips that I would’ve wanted to know before my trip, so remember to throw very light and breezy clothing such as dresses, comfy shoes for the long walks, a light handbag to carry your most important items, and most importantly, remember to have fun!

What will you pack for your next adventure? Let us know in the comments below or show us on social media! Don’t forget to tag @Cfashionista.

I Went to London for 18 Days Alone—Here’s My Story

I am not one of those people who takes spontaneous risks or can make friends with complete strangers. Yet I traveled to London, England this summer for over two weeks all by myself. I flew to London to take a two-week summer course in fashion styling and media at the London College of Fashion. While taking the course was the main reason I wanted to go to London, besides obviously getting to spend 18 days in Europe, I had another reason for being so excited for my solo trip.

I never gave much thought to being alone until this past year. There’s lots of talk about many people, especially millennials, don’t like being alone and are never really alone now thanks to social media (FOMO is real). But I never felt that really applied to me since I’ve always enjoyed my time alone. My sophomore year changed that for me, though. It was the hardest year of my life and being alone became a really hard challenge to face. So on a spontaneous whim, I decided to take a summer course all the way in London, England.

Taking my summer class in London was an incredible experience. Through my course at the London College of Fashion, I was able to meet other students who shared my interests, and I got to network with industry professionals and learn about different topics I don’t have the opportunity to experience at my college in the US. Plus, I had a marvelous time getting to travel and explore London on my own for over two weeks! But the most important aspect of my trip was that I did it all alone.

I went from disliking being alone at the end of my sophomore year to doing everything by myself in London and loving it. It was very freeing being able to control everything on my own. I loved being the one who was calling all the shots in my life. We get so caught up in what other people think and wanting to please others that we forget to prioritize ourselves. And since I’ve been back from my trip, I actually want to do stuff by myself. I think it would’ve been nice to have friends or family go with me on my trip, and there were times I wanted them to be there, but I wouldn’t give up this experience for anything.

I learned a lot about myself from going abroad, as one does, but I think I was expecting some grand life-altering self-discovery. What I truly gained from this trip was confidence. Being on my own showed me how to be more in touch with who I am and how being confident alone can make me a stronger person. So if you ever have the opportunity to do something alone, I have two words for you: do it!

What experiences have you done by yourself that you enjoyed and that made you feel stronger? Let me know in the comments below!

How I Styled My Italian Vacation

During the past month, I was lucky enough to have spent a week traveling Italy with my family. While I enjoyed sightseeing and all of the culture of the beautiful country, I was especially interested in the fashion and trends that can be spotted almost anywhere. Feeling inspired by the fashion around me, I put together these five outfits.

This first outfit I put together for a casual day of shopping in Milan. These wide-leg pants are super comfortable and could be seen all over the fashion capital. I paired my pants with a simple black top to balance out the bolder pattern of the pants. I accessorized with a simple black hat, brown watch, and basic brown sandals.

While still in Milan, I styled this outfit for a somewhat casual dinner with my family. I focused the look around the statement green sunglasses. I found tons of unique, fun glasses like these while shopping the streets and decided I must have a pair of my own. I paired the sunglasses with this striped blouse, solid skinny jeans, and white platform wedges.

I wore this outfit to a more dressy dinner on the island of Capri. This look has a similar theme to the last with the stripes and another pair of statement sunglasses, but with darker colors in order to create a more formal vibe.

This next look has a colorful bohemian style and was perfect for lunch on the island. I love this dress because of its unique print and hemline. I paired the look with chunky, lace-up wedges and complementing bandana scarf. These types of scarves were another trend I saw in abundance throughout my trip.

My last outfit was styled for a day of shopping and sightseeing in Positano. I kept the look pretty simple with a solid black oversize top and patterned shorts. To accessorize, I chose a pair of comfortable nude heels and a black crossbody.

Did anyone else go abroad this summer? If so, what trends did you spot? Let me know in the comments below!

Making Your Next Trip the Best One Yet

This July my family and I traveled for 16 days to visit Greece, Malta, and Italy. Our trip was successful, however, there are a few things I’m definitely going to do differently for my next adventure. Here are five tips that you can use to make your next trip amazing, too.

1—Research. It’s so important that you research where you’re going before heading out. This’ll help you decide the best sites to see and what you can skip. On my own trip in some cities, we made the mistake of wasting our time just deciding on sites we most wanted to see. We also ended up picking sites that were far apart. Had we researched beforehand, we could’ve had a better game plan, and spent more time looking at the places instead of for them.

2—Read reviews. A lot of destinations can be very touristy and underwhelming. If you read the reviews, you’ll know what people actually thought and how their experience was. If you’re traveling outside of the country, you can read reviews on the best places to hire tour guides. We had tour guides in Pompeii and Positano in Italy—it was very worth it!

3—Pack light. I always pack so much before I leave because I think that I’ll need more then I do. Every time I travel, I end up shopping and buying more clothes which I I’ll then need to bring home… and I don’t even wear half of the things that I bring! If you’re more realistic about what you’ll actually be wearing—bringing key pieces that you can wear with different outfits—then you’ll have more room for clothes to buy on the trip. I usually get really excited about the pieces that I buy and want to wear them right then (which is another reason you don’t need to bring as many outfits as you think).

4—Ask for suggestions. Ask people where the best places to dine are—it’s an essential part of travel to try the foods that an area is known for. It’s so much fun to taste foods in a place that they’re from!

5—Try everything. Do everything, see everything, and have the best time ever.

Use these tips for your next vacation and share pictures on social media! Don’t forget to tag @Cfashionista.

Here’s How to Dress from NYC to Barcelona to China

No matter where we are in the world, one thing we all have in common is that we aren’t ready for summer to end. As we indulge into our last month of summer, this thought is always on our mind. I have been spending my three months traveling and consuming all of the cultures and experiences everywhere I go. From the United States to Europe to Asia, I’ve found myself diverging all kinds of cultures in my outfits. This look especially can be pulled off in any country that I need to check off. Keep reading to see how I put together a taste of each continent in this look!

One of my favorite styles by far this summer are wrap dresses. The asymmetrical lining is so flattering on the legs and the best part is that they’re always customizable in size since you tie it yourself! The front V-cut is also customizable with the adjustable straps! You can either wear it with a strapless bra for a cleaner cut look or rock it the way I did. I put on a simple white lace bralette, which to me, is much more comfortable in the summertime.

The color of this dress that I was able to find reminds me so much of summer! It could be worn strolling in Barcelona all while the print embodies an Asian floral pattern. I have been throwing on this dress all summer long, whether it’s a casual or more dressed up event, pairing it with different shoes.

This time around, I chose to pair it with these suede heeled sandals to dress it up. I love pairing this dress with a range of light and dark, nude colored sandals to find a balance between the light colored dress and my dark summer tan.

To finish the look off, I completed it with my current favorite sunglasses from Melt. Again, sticking to the neutral, warm tone.

Pair this outfit with a simple Y-shaped necklace and voila, the look is fit for a hot summer day in New York. If you’re in Barcelona, I’d throw on some flat sandals and curl the hair a bit to match the beautiful Spanish/European culture. As I find my way to Asia soon, I’ll be sure to bring this dress along and show off the print!

Finding such a versatile article of clothing is the best feeling for a Fashionista. What is your go-to outfit this summer that you would bring all around the world? I’d love to see what you guys have so don’t forget to tag @CFashionista on Instagram to share some looks! I’m looking forward to your outfits!