First few days in London!

Wow these past few days have gone by in a blur. I'm so glad that I get to live here for three entire months and take in as much of the city as I can. I've noticed so many similarities and differences between the United States and London already. It has been so amazing to just be in this big city which is at the center of so many things.
Some of the most amazing things are in this city and my school group and I got to see them from a tour bus yesterday. It was very snowy and cold, so it was great to see them from the window and now we are even more excited to see them up close. We drove past amazing museums, Big Ben, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace and St. Paul's Cathedral. I just am taken aback by how old and mighty the buildings here look. I try not to look too much like a visitor, but sometimes I cannot help but look up in awe.
I have noticed how nicely ladies that are my age dress here. They look so unique and bold and amazing. I wish I could dress like them. I have seen a lot of fur; on hats, coats and boots. I want to look for a nice fur hat to keep my ears warm. They also wear a lot of outer clothes that are nice looking, rather than sporty. My northface really stands out among their pea-coats and army jackets. I have also seen a lot of combat boots and Dr. Martens, which made me wish that I had packed mine. I rarely wear them in the US. I love London style! It is all so different but in the same tone.

Closer and Closer

I cannot believe that I leave the US in a little under a week. It is insane how quickly this break has gone by. I have gotten a lot done... though I am still behind on packing. I do have an idea of what I will bring though!
I have plenty of sweaters for the damp, London weather... I also have good boots for walking the city streets. I am so excited to be living in the big city! I have always been intrigued by New York City... I almost went to college there. I am sure life will be much different in the city from how it is in my middle- of - nowhere college in Maryland and my hometown in upstate New York. I am going to take in every minute of it.
I wonder if these boots are acceptable in England... I'm really not sure. Maybe people will give me silly looks... but I don't care. They are my most favorite pair of boots at the moment. They make me feel invincible: I can walk through tall grass or water and they are so silent. They are great for prowlin'.

Preppin'

I've been quite busy lately with packing up my entire room and bringing all my stuff home and the holidays. I have also been preparing for my study abroad trip to London. I am getting so excited but I am also incredibly nervous! I have been to Europe before so at least I have some experience... but I will be living in London for three entire months! I have no idea how to pack for this... I will be bringing the Chaps bag that I have in the photo above, as well as a backpack, a carry on and one big suitcase. That sounds like so much... but I am staring at my suitcase right now and it is already looking too small to fit all the shoes that I had hoped to bring.... oh boy.
So far, I know that I will be bringing my Wellington boots as well as the "amphibious boots" that I am wearing in the photo above. I also need to bring a pair of heels and a nice blazer for the internship that I will be doing.
An idea that I had (that I thought was just brilliant before, though now it seems like common sense) was to bring some plain- ish shirts and some bold, bright necklaces... that will make a ton of different outfits...
A person who is in charge of the program suggested that we bring two sweaters...........two? TWO?? That would be like two and a half outfits.... I will sacrifice some shoe space for some more sweaters. That advice was just ridiculous so I took it... and I threw it out the window.
One question that has come to mind has been: do I bother to bring a swim suit?
And the answer is... yes... because we shall be traveling around England as well as to Scotland and the Czech Republic and hopefully to other places which may have hotels with pools... Also... I would really love to go to Italy or Greece but I am not quite sure if we will be able to get over there.
I will post a final count of what I will pack and hopefully I will become more dedicated to updating this blog in the near future...

Larisa T.

     Larisa is a Political Science and French double major and describes her style as artsy and formal. She rarely wears jeans. Dresses and skirts with thick tights are her winter staples. Larisa has been pleased with the chilly weather that we have been experiencing so she can show off her diverse scarf collection. She told me that she owns around thirteen kinds of scarves, which come in different colors and patterns.

“I actually have a scarf organizer in my room” she said.

            With colder weather quickly approaching, it is easy to just draw a neutral colored winter jacket around your shoulders and walk out the door. A bright scarf like Larisa’s adds a pop of color to an outfit that would have otherwise been plain. At the beginning of the semester, Larisa had a pop of color that brightened up her outfit each day; her hair was dyed a vibrant purple.

            Boots are a staple in the winter. Even before the snow hits, boots can keep feet much warmer and more comfortable than flats or sneakers. Larisa bought her boots in Montreal, when she went on a trip with her Chorale group over last spring break.

            “There was about four feet of snow and my suede boots were just not cutting it” she said.

Larisa has been able to use her French skills in many instances, including her trip to Montreal. She also studied in France last summer.

            Larisa told me that she gets many pieces of her wardrobe from her aunt, some of which are vintage. 

 “She knows my style and she actually gave me this dress which is from the 1980s” stated Larisa. Sometimes clothes that are hand- me- downs are real treasures.

            Larisa hopes to go to Law school and work in the Human Rights field in the future.

Flowery Power

I have not been posting lately because I have been much too busy with school and out of class activities. I am also getting ready to go to London after December Break.
I was really excited to wear this outfit today because dress is from a vintage store. I bought it last year but I have not been able to wear it because I did not have the right kind of slip. I got one as a hand me down from a friend and I could finally wear it! I love it. The sleeves have ruffles that make me feel like I am in another era. I get the same feeling when I wear my oxfords.

Impromptu Photo Shoot featuring Emily

 Emily just cannot help but look cute sometimes. So I asked her to be in my blog again! Surprise surprise! Her yellow corduroy pants make her stand out among a sea of college students walking to class, all in black Northface jackets and Ugg boots. Mustard yellow is just a great color for fall. It is unique and bright. 

 I had a really fun time editing these photos. I just bought a Photoshop program and I'm learning how to use it little by little. It has encouraged me to use my camera more often so that I can experiment and edit more and more photos.

Rebekah H.

Rebekah is one of my best friends at college. She is a sophomore, like me, an RA and a Theology major. To go along with her major, she is getting an emphasis in youth ministry and secondary education so that she can someday be a youth minister or religion teacher. I can already tell that she will be great at whatever she does. Rebekah is probably one of the most caring people that I know. She is also quite popular here at school, seeing that she is friends with everybody; From the freshman to the huge basketball players.
Over the weekend, Rebekah and I, along with some of our friends, walked to a thrift store about a mile away from our school. I have found some great buys at thrift stores before, such as one of my favorite leather bags for $8.
Rebekah found a lot of items that just fit her and her personality, perfectly.The shirt that she is wearing in the photo above is actually long sleeved and shiny. It reminds me of a circus and I love it! She also bought the Lacoste sweater for $3 at the thrift store.

It was clearly owned by a man before. A really great part of thrift shopping is all the little treasures you find while looking for wearable clothing. James Pauley lived or is living somewhere and bought this sweater however long ago. It comes with a story, and Rebekah is just continuing the story.
Within the first sweep of the clothing section of the little thrift store, I did not find much. However, after some hard looking, I found some treasures, each for just $3.

 This sweater is perfect for the cold months ahead. It is really heavy but comfortable. It is also good quality. I love the purse. It is not as heavy as the last leather bag that I bought while thrifting and I think that is why I like it so much. I will most likely be bringing it to London with me.

 This shirt is from Eddie Baur and I thought that the pattern was really interesting. After trying it on, it was a little oddly shaped but I still like it a lot.

 This is the patchwork detail on a large Lee sweatshirt. I love it! I wore it all day Sunday. It is so warm and comfortable. I could sleep in it! At first, I thought it was a grandma-y sweater, but after thinking about it, I realized that I was in love.

This scarf is a little itchy, but the cool blue just called to me. I wore this today with a longsleeve shirt and jeans. It brings a pop of color to my outfits, seeing as most of the clothes I own are the same colors (black, gray, navy blue, army green, tan).
This thrifting trip was a huge success. I am going to have to go more often, especially because I bought all these things for less than $20. It also goes to a good cause. The proceeds from the particular thrift store that we went to go towards helping the Daughters of Charity.
How nice!