Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Because Sneakers are a Thing





For my last big outing in Italy I went to Assisi. It's a small town up on a hill about two hours outside of Rome. It was a quiet, picturesque village that seemed like it belonged on one of those perfect places to live lists. The town also has medieval history all around which was super cool (check out the authentic weaponry at the end of this post).  The hills were pretty killer to walk up, but it was worth it for the view. 
Despite a fair try, my feet were killing me from all of the walking in my other shoes for my own outing and for an art class. So, I had my mom send me over my sneakers (slightly ridiculous but worth it) and threw them on for this trip. I wasn't quite sure how to style them, but I eventually decided on contrasting more formal with informal. I think I might do some more experimenting with outfits centered around sneakers. Any ideas? 

Dressed in: Gap button up, Levi jeans, Under Armour sneakers, Zara bag, Etsy Necklace









Sunday, March 22, 2015

The 2-0


Last Sunday was my birthday so my friends and I headed up to Florence to celebrate. One of my high school english teachers recommended the city to me, and I'm so glad I was able to go.  Florence is stunning and has the small village feel of many Italian towns, but also has a bit of busy city life that reminded me of Paris and New York. The city is infused with so much art and fashion and I absolutely loved it. 
I picked this dress up at TopShop during my day trip to London. I love the mod shape and the front being suede gives a nice 70's vibe to it as well. The light pink is also a great addition to my wardrobe. This dress will be making many appearances as the weather warms up. 

Happy Birthday to all my fellow March babies,
xx Jasmine 

Dressed in: Topshop dress, G.W. Bass shoes











Made a naughty purchase at the Gucci Museum - treat yo self

David is bae

Founds some good old American food 


P.S. Starting and being in your 20's can seem daunting so if I had to give any advice it would be to stop freaking out. One thing I've learned in the past few years is that no one just turns a certain age and becomes whatever people believe seems like an adult. I've seen fend off any sense of adulthood and completely deny being one and I think that puts you in such a stagnant position. I've found that it's more important to work through the problems by learning from any resources you have rather than get hung up on what you think you should know by now. The only way to get more comfortable with adulthood (or any goal really) is to actively work towards improvement. Why sit around and perpetuate these unrealistic ideals at such a young age when you could be working towards being more comfortable with your new responsibilities. It's not always an easy thing, but rather to make a mistake an learn than hang on to something you need to move on from. 

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Packing: 5 Tips for a Semester Abroad

I'm a little over halfway through my time abroad, and I feel like I've got a good grasp on the most affective and stylish way to pack for a very long stay. So, here are 5 tips that I've put together from my successes and failures in packing for a semester abroad.

Flannels, thermals, denim shirts, and plain tees are all really great layering pieces


1. The one everyone knows: Layers

The minute you mention packing for a trip you will instantly hear someone shouting "pack layers" in the distance. This tip may seem annoying, but it is the best method for packing. Since my trip truly spans from winter into summer, I had narrow down my outfits to those that layered really well, in this case not just two layers but ideally three or four. Going out once or twice with less layers than you should will be fine, but when it's everyday you going to need to keep warm and cool.


2. Choosing the pieces: Simple is best 

When actually choosing which clothing pieces you want to take stick to what you wear all the time. This may be hard because there's a pull to pick your most unusual and unique pieces, but you're only going to end up wearing them a few times because they are so recognizable. Try and think about what the classic pieces that make up your style are. The ones you'd be lost without. Choose those.

 One key item for me were tees. They're easy to wear, comfortable, and are less likely to wrinkle or be impossible to wear wrinkled (another factor to think about). When is comes to tees stick to plainer ones. Like unique pieces, a bold graphic is easy to recognize and when there's a small pool of what you're wearing you're probably going to get sick of it pretty quickly.

This packing folder helps to keep more delicate shirts unwrinkled 

3. Narrowing it down: Colors and Styles 

To really make sure that all of your clothes can be put together in several different combinations consider the color palette of all of the clothes you're bringing. To do this I laid out all of the clothes I was bringing and just looked at them. I stuck to the obvious black, white and gray and then a touch of color came from a few pieces of blue and purple. When you create a general color scheme it 's easier to pack less things because they all match. Also keep in mind how much work goes into styling a piece. If something needs a ton of double sided tape, pasties, safety pins, or any accessories like that it's probably too much of a hassle. Leave those behind.

My rain boots were too weather specific and my flats couldn't handle the amount of walking I did.

4. The true struggle: Shoes  

I think this is where I kinda failed so I want to share so you don't run into this situation. When it comes to shoes you have to suck it up and think practically. Of course this is a bit heartbreaking because in my head I want to bring all of my gorgeous, delicate shoes that'll be awesome for blog photos but DON'T DO THAT. If you are staying abroad for a long time your shoes need to survive daily life and long hours of walking. You can only bring so many shoes so make sure they'll be able to withstand the wear and they can be worn through several different weather conditions.


5. Comfort is key: Pj's and lounge wear  

These items can be forgotten ones, but they can be very important. Having something super comfy to snuggle up in is so nice and a great source of comfort when you're missing home. If you leave them behind then you'll be like me walking around going "why the hell don't I have a sweatshirt." Don't be like me. Pack some comfort items.

Hope these were helpful. Let me know if you have other tips, they'd be much appreciated.

Bon Voyage, 
xx Jasmine 

Monday, March 9, 2015

In Fair Verona



The title of this post may seem obvious or even cliche but there isn't a more appropriate title.  Verona is without a doubt the most gorgeous city I have ever seen. It's truly unbelievable how pretty everything is. My favorite part was the Ancient Roman ruins where I took these photos. Going up all the ridiculously tall stairs were worth it for the view.  If you're thinking about going to Italy keep in mind Verona for a nice, relaxing weekend trip. 

I totally felt like Indian Jones
xx Jasmine 


Dressed In: Madewell top, Levi jeans, GW Bass shoes, Urban Outfitters beanie and sunglasses 


















Sunday, March 1, 2015

Star Spangled


I'm not sure if you can tell, but I'm in Rome! It's weird to think this is my second time here when some people never get to explore the Eternal City at all. After getting settled and having some obligatory gelato and rice balls, we went back to the Spanish Steps. Last time I was here it was an incredibly beautiful morning, but the fountain was shut down for restoration. Compared to the other fountains around Rome, it's very small and not as magnificent, but I love the area around the steps. It's an easy place to relax, shop, eat, and generally enjoy the day. 
As for my outfit, I wanted to do something fun and easy. Sometimes I think I forget that I should be having fun with outfits which is so bad because fashion is something I throughly enjoy but never want to take too seriously. So this outfit is just a friendly reminder to have fun and a step towards exploring some combinations I'd normally stray away from. 

Have Fun!! 
xx Jasmine 

Dressed In: Target Men's sweater, Gap jeans, Asos boots, Urban Outfitters sunglasses