Au revoir, Paris

      As I am finishing my time here in Paris, with America being my last and final stop, there is at least one thing that I can say, without a doubt: there is no fashion like Parisian fashion. After traveling to multiple cities in a variety of countries, I have realized that no one does it quite like Paris. No where else can I get the feeling that I am watching a fashion show, when in reality I am sitting outside a café people watching.
      Though I can't say for certain that I have mastered the look of "la Parisian" myself, I can say that I have definitely learned what it takes to try. Never again will I show up to class in sweatpants, or wear the token long, puffy coat that we Americans all know and love. It is not an easily attainable look, and even the other amazing cities I've traveled to have not been able to replicate it, but I think that it is a look that all can - and will - appreciate. I can't wait to bring back what I have learned through my time here in Paris!

La Parisienne --> Yoga Pants and Flip Flops

As my semester in Paris is coming to a close I now have a better understanding of how fashion varies throughout Europe. I have been fortune enough to visit different countries and cities where people dress drastically different. Every time I travel I see why Paris is the fashion capital of the world. At first it took me awhile to get used to wearing my “day time” clothing to the gym and then changing into my workout clothing however now I can see myself doing this back home.

Taking time to put together a fashionable outfit unquestionably makes you feel better for the rest of the day. I have always been the girl to be seen in my workout clothing because I can make it fashionable and it is comfortable. Now, instead, I am going to take what I have learned about fashion throughout this semester and put together outfits each day to express myself and feel good about myself. Fashion across borders has given me a chance to blog about what I have seen and I will continue to look at fashion differently after having this experience.

Fashionable Farewells

As classes start to end and we begin to say goodbye to this amazing city that has been our home for the past 4 months I couldn't help but think about this experiment of ours. Not only did it make me more aware of things that I would never think about before but it shows that Paris truly is the fashion capital that people say it is. As a New Yorker I'm used to the all black rule but I wasn't prepared for the dress code of Paris. From every city in every country I visited I learned about their culture through the way they dressed. Between all the clothes I bought while I was here and the way my style has changed because of living here, my closet will never be the same.

4 months later

The time has come to look back and see what I have learned in my four months in Europe.  Firstly, Paris wins.  I have traveled to 8 different countries since I have been here and no other city can even compare to the fashion here.  It truly is the fashion capital of the world for a reason.  The fact that I don't feel comfortable running down the street to the store for 10 minutes max in a sweatshirt and leggings really shows the impact Paris fashion has had on me.  Sure I am excited to be back in the US and be able to wear whatever I want in public, but I have really learned how important it is to look presentable.  Something so little as a cute winter P-coat, or a new pair of booties has really shown me how to simply add in fashionable items that make a huge difference.  The Parisians have got it going on and I am going to take so much of this knowledge back with me for future shopping sprees.

Last Travels to Munich!

This past weekend in Munich, Germany was their famous Fruehlingsfest, or Spring Fest, as many others know it.  Talk about Lederhosen.  The only time I have seen this traditional garb of the Germans is on Halloween in the US when girls dress as "slutty beer girls" but at this Festival, it. was. necessary.  EVERY local was wearing a Lederhosen or Drindle (the female version).  I was there with a big group of friends from home, and many felt the pressure to conform to the tradition.  I abstained because they were quite expensive, but to live in Munich, it seems to be necessary for more than one time out of the year.  Also, girls left and right had their hair in two pigtail braids, and boys wore fedoras, another part of the dress that makes it special to Munich. It is their traditional dress, and we just use it as a costume in the US, but in this part of Europe, the tradition still lives.  
 

Putting It To The Test

We've been talking about the differences between American and European styles for weeks now, so it was time to put it to the test. The five of us recently went to The Luxembourg Gardens and had a photo shoot of sorts. We decided to take the concept behind Style Across Borders and use it as the inspiration for the shoot. Take a look below and see how we did in action!

Copenhagen and Norway

This past week was our school's spring break and I was lucky enough to travel to Barcelona (for a second time), Copenhagen, and Norway!  People in Copenhagen seriously have it going on.  Never in my life have I been in a city with more beautiful people.  Majority of the Danish I saw were youthful, blonde haired, blue eyed, and actually had great style!  They were more casual than people in Paris, but very very trendy!  This is a word thrown around in America usually describing the hipster chic style that has become very popular, but the Danish truly encapsulated this look.  The weather was lovely this past weekend there so many people were wearing flats and sandals with light colored jeans a lightweight shirt.  They layered well, and mix and matched patterns with perfection!  The style reminded me much of southern California on a chilly day.  I could definitely take some style tips from the youths of Copenhagen.

While Norway is a little farther North than Copenhagen, the weather here was 60s and sunny which brought out similar styles.  The people here were significantly less beautiful than those of Copenhagen, but shared a casual spring style.  Many of both styles resembled that of what I have seen in America and did not scream european like many cities I have visited.