Categories
Fabulous living Fun Ways to Organize Travel

Weekend Away Essentials

Last week, I blogged about my weekend trip to Chicago! I love to travel, and I try to take any opportunity available to me to travel whether it’s near or far. Throughout, my weekend away I made mental notes of things I want to remember when it comes to future traveling, especially for a college student on a budget. Here are my must haves for weekend adventures:

  • Don’t over-pack. Yes, it may seem tempting to pack several cute outfits and figure out what to wear when you get there, but that’s not the answer. Pack simple and efficient. For example, for my trip I packed one pair of jeans, a few different tops to alternate, an outfit to wear at night, and two pairs of shoes, as well as comfortable clothes for traveling. I wanted to make sure I had the essentials and things to mix and match for the weekend. Although, I didn’t look the cutest in all my photos wearing my north face, jeans, and sneakers, I was very comfortable walking several miles each day. I also packed pretty simple when it came to luggage. I had a duffel bag, small tote, and cross-body. The small tote came in very handy for the souvenirs I bought while I was away.
All packed! Simple but efficient
  • Plan accordingly for traveling. We drove down to Chicago over night on a bus, so I made sure I was comfortable for the long bus ride, therefore I made sure I brought a blanket and pillow for the bus. This came in extremely useful when I was able to sleep a few hours driving down. The same goes for flying, planes are notorious for being chilly, be sure to throw an extra sweatshirt or socks in your carry on so you aren’t freezing your whole flight. Overall, be sure to pack for your destination and any accessories that may come along with it.
It’s was very chilly in the Windy City. The weather was in the 30’s the whole weekend so i was bundled up. Yes, it may not look super cute, but I was very warm
  • Make a Plan. When we found out that we were going to Chicago, my friend and I made sure we had a plan of things we wanted to get done and when. There is nothing worse than going to a new city for the first time and not knowing what to do or where to go. Don’t be afraid to ask for suggestions of places to try. I have several friends who live in the Chicago area, so I made sure to get their opinions on their favorite spots. This helps to ensure you get the authentic experience while being in the city.

I found these tricks to be most helpful while traveling for a weekend away. Do you prefer weekend getaways or week-long vacations? What helpful hints do you have for trips? Let me know in comments below!

Have a happy Tuesday!!

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #47

LOTD

Happy Thursday!

This week has been packed full and I have a busy weekend ahead.

It may be spring but it hasn’t been acting like it. Yes, it is mid-April and its still snowing. I’m SO ready for Spring and warmer weather. I tried to brighten my wardrobe with hopes it will make spring come faster.

That brings me to today’s look of the day. I brighten up my look with a bright color and bold necklace. I had a few meetings but a long day, so I wanted something that looked professional but also comfortable for a 10-hour day.

I wore my favorite shoe boots from DSW, I am ready to transition out of these shoes but it’s not time for peep toe shoes yet. I wore these in Chicago and they were very comfortable for walking around the city.

I wore my faux leather leggings from Target, they feel like leggings, but don’t look like leggings. Win-Win!

I brightened up my dark outfit with a bright blue flannel button down from Old Navy. It is made from soft material but also holds up well with washing. I have had it for a few years and have paired it with numerous outfits.

I changed my look up with a bright, bold necklace from Old Navy as well. I love necklaces that can change an outfit as well as dress an outfit up. My bright lip color is from House of Color. I try to keep my lips neutral, but I was feeling the bold color to brighten my mood.

If you know me, then you know I am always cold, therefore it was crucial that a long sweater was necessary. I got this sweater from Tilly’s. I wear this so frequent, with jeans, dresses, leggings or skirts. It’s so versatile and its so easy to throw on.

Here’s to hoping warmer weather is around the corner. I need it, you need it. We all need sunshine in our lives.

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #46

LOTD

Hello All!

Happy April!

I hope your April’s are all off to a good start. I am back to school for the last leg of the semester. This semester and year has flown by!  My April is jammed packed, if I survive this month, I think I can tackle anything. Haha.

Today, I am sharing the outfit I wore on Easter. I spent my Easter Sunday by attending mass and spending time with family. I couldn’t have asked for a better day.  I think Spring is finally upon on, I wanted to get in the spirit with this bold print floral dress. I don’t often wear these colors, but I saw the dress a few years ago and couldn’t resist.

I actually purchased this dress two years ago from Nordstrom’s . Unfortunately, it is no longer in stock.  I wore it for my high school Baccalaureate Mass. It was held at the end of the year and I love the bright colors. I love to buy things that are very good quality so i can wear them on numerous occasions especially as I will be heading into the real world soon. I love the dark blues and greens, but I love the pop of yellow even more. I decided to bring out the yellow with these light-yellow heels from Kelly and Katie, I got them at DSW a few years ago as well. I added some simple but classic to go along with the dress and shoes.

I don’t often wear bold dresses like this, but I decided to change up my look for Easter. I often choose to wear simple colors and add bold jewelry or accessories as my statement pieces. Today, however, my dress was my statement piece.

I can’t wait for Spring to get fully underway for all things spring fashion. What trends are you looking forward to this spring/summer season?

Also, I will be out of town this weekend, to follow along with my adventures, check out my Instagram for all things travel @elspethsdaybyday

See you next week!!

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #45

LOTD

Happy (Holy) Thursday!

I am home for a long weekend for Easter Break. Not only is it a time to celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection, but It’s great to be home for one last long weekend to refuel for the end of the semester.

Last weekend, I had a semi-formal dance at school, it was an exciting time to dress up and have a good night with friends. I am sharing what I wore along with the accessories. Unfortunately, I got this dress a few years ago, so it’s not sold anymore but hopefully, this inspires you to try a new bold look the next time you are shopping.

Throughout high school, I attended all my homecomings, proms, and semi-formals. I loved getting dressed up for a night with friends to make memories. However, it can add up with everything you need, and most of the time you only wear the dress once and it goes up in your closet. Lucky for me, for every formal or semi-formal occasion I have had in college, I was able to rewear something I wore in high school. This saved me money from buying new dresses, and it allowed me to wear the dresses I wore in high school again. Thankfully, dresses I wore in high school still fit and are in style.

FRI-YAY night out

Now, let’s get down to the details of this dress. I got this dress from Francesca’s Boutique a few years ago on sale! I was drawn to it’s bright color and how fun it looked. The ruffles made the dress so unique. At the time in high school and last semester, I was rewatching Gossip Girl (definitely a good show to binge watch!) and I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between my dress and the iconic dress Blair Waldorf wore in Paris in season 4.

The kinda look similar, right!?
Up close of the dress, shoes, and nail polish

I paired this bright red dress with a pair of red heels I got from DSW this past year. I wore them with a black dress for Christmas, and the red from my dress matched the red shoes so I had to pair them together. I dressed up this look with some fake diamond studs to add some bling to the outfit along with a red sparkle nail polish, it is called Pretty Pout from Chrome Girl Nails.

Nails- a red sparkle from Chrome Girl Nails

I used the KoKo Kollection face palette from Kylie Cosmetics along with the Burgundy Eye Shadow palette for my makeup.

Eye Shadow
Face Palette

When I first saw this dress a few years ago, I wasn’t sure I would like the dress since it was very bright and bold, but now it is one of my favorite dresses. Don’t be afraid to wear something that is bold. You may end up loving it.

If you celebrate Easter, I hope you all have a wonderful Easter with your family, if you don’t have a  great weekend!

Categories
Fashion

Look of the Day #42

Happy March!

Spring Vibes here on out!

Although, it may not be acting like Spring yet, I’m going to start transitioning my clothes from winter to spring. This is always the hardest part of the year, its cold in the mornings but warm in the afternoon. Its always so hard to plan ahead.  This outfit I have planned for today is perfect for chillier temperatures by giving off Spring vibes.

I love to layer my clothes and this outfit is no exception. Changing it up, I am going to start from the top and work my way down. I am a fan of GAP and their shirts. I am a sucker for long sleeves and stripes, so when I saw this on sale, I had to get it. This preppy pink is my favorite shade of pink and I love how it contrast against the gray.

I wore this thin blue vest from Francesca’s Boutique, this has been a staple in my wardrobe this year. I have mixed and matched it with so many outfits. The vest is versatile, so you can dress it up or down. For example, I dressed it down with jeggings today. The blue vest matches my blue jeggings excellent. I got these jeggings from Target. I try to stick with jeans but sometimes you have those long days where jeggings are necessary.

I wore my favorite shoe boots to top off the outfit. I wore simple gold jewelry to dress up my outfit. I typically wear a pair of gold studs and my birthstone necklace unless I have something else picked out. My go-to hair style is a simple high pony tail. It’s up and out of my face which is how I work best.

That’s a look into my closet for today. What are you most looking forward to for Spring?