OOTD: SPRING BREAK EDITION

Buongiorno fashionistas!! I hope all of you had a wonderful spring break! My boyfriend, Q, and I just got back from a week trip with his parents where we explored a few of Italy’s major known cities, including: Sienna, Pisa, Cinque Terre and Rome. We also celebrated my 21st birthday!! Traveling was wonderful and I would love to share one of my favorite outfits featuring my newest birthday present, a Florentine leather handbag, given to me by Q.

On this bright and beautiful day, we happened to be visiting Pisa. It was perfect weather for a leather jacket and my new sunnies from H&M (as well as photo ops with the Leaning Tower of Pisa).

I paired my favorite high-rise jeggings from American Eagle with a cropped black long sleeve top from Zara. Since it was supposed to be a little chilly that day, I wore my Andrew Marc leather jacket that I got while I was in NYC last semester. The accessories are where the fun begins!

I wore my favorite pair of maroon booties from Aldos and tied a silk scarf (thrifted!!) around my neck for a Florentine inspired look. To complete the look I added bold black and gold hoops with rose gold sunglasses and my new “Chic” handbag!

I hope you all enjoyed my post! I linked the sunglasses above and as always if you have any questions or comments you can contact me by email!

 

Until next time fashionistas!

xoxo,

Madison ❤

 

10 Looks That Made You Fall in Love With Gigi This Runway Season: Milan Fashion Week 2018

It’s February and you know what that means!… FASHION WEEK!!! Being abroad in Florence has its perks, because your girl got to go to Milan during Milan’s Fashion Week! Just knowing that I was in the same city as Gigi and Bella made my heart swell with joy. The streets were filled with fashionistas and the store windows of all the fashion houses were impeccably put together, ready to welcome in the new collections.

Sadly, we did not get to attend any shows while we were in Milan; however, I was able to catch them online. Now for those of you who don’t know, Gigi Hadid is my muse. Gigi is a fashion icon that I look to for style inspiration. For Milan’s fashion week, Gigi rocked the runway at most of the major shows including: Moschino, Versace, Fendi, and many more. Since she strutted so many looks, I narrowed it down to my top 10 personal favorites!

Look #1: Flawlessly Chic At Fendi

Fendi Milan Fashion Week Fall RTW 2018

I love the simplicity of this look: from the clothes to the minimal makeup to the sleek no-fuss hairstyle. Chic meets trendy as this feminine silhouette is paired with white cowboy boots. The pairing of the neutral tones adds to the simplicity of the silhouette; however, as you look closer and notice the chevron stitching, pleated front, and embroidered collar you’ll find that the fine details are what really make this look stand out.

Fendi’s entire collection can be found here at: http://wwd.com/runway/fall-2018/milan/fendi/review/

Look #2: Cheetahlicious at Max Mara

Max Mara Milan Fashion Week 2018

Gigi was dressed head to toe in cheetah print for her first look in Max Mara’s show. I love the mixing of the cheetah print with leather sleeves and suspenders for an edgier look. Also new: skirts over pants. Last season dresses as tops became a major trend, so its not far fetched to think skirts over pants might catch on. Animal print was seen all over the runways for Fall 2018 RTW collections. From zebra, to cheetah, to leopard, and even animal motifs, get ready to mix and match your prints.

Look #3: Black and Bold at Max Mara

Max Mara Milan Fashion Week 2018

For Gigi’s second look, she struts down the runway in all black everything. I love the smokey eye and untamed braids that add to this dark, edgy look. Long, black, silky dress with a low v-neck and the max logo paired with the fringed fur over coat create a bold, luxurious combo.

You can find Max Mara’s entire collection here: http://wwd.com/runway/fall-2018/milan/max-mara/review/

Look #4: Preppy at Versace

Versace Milan Fashion Week 2018

I love, love, love this look! Honestly, my first impression was modern day Clueless, but Gigi makes this look 10x better! I love Versace’s use of embellishments and charm-looking-brooches. Versace took the primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) that are coming in and twisted them to create a preppy school girl look. The leather pants and embellishments create an edge, but the ensemble is kept chic with the camel colored peacoat, simple makeup and slick backed hair.

Look #5: Fringe in eye popping colors at Versace

Versace Milan Fashion Week 2018

Versace brought back the 80’s and added a new twist… fringe! This mini dress is everything: eye catching colors (including those trendy primary colors!), fringe, and sequins! I love the matched fringe earrings and the bedazzled heels. Gigi looks ready to hit the dance floor in this vibrant ensemble.

You can check out all the looks from Versace here: https://www.vogue.com/fashion-shows/fall-2018-ready-to-wear/versace

Look #6: The Revival of Jackie Kennedy at Moschino

Moschino Milan Fashion Week 2018

Moschino was incredible this season. Jeremy Scott’s entire runway collection took you to outer space. Extraterrestrial, intergalactic & out of this world, pretty much sums it up. Jeremy Scott created a new Jackie Kennedy inspired ensemble using vibrant color schemes, furry fabrics, and leather detailing/accessories. Gigi rocked the intergalactic runway in an all orange ensemble. The leather details in this look bring a bit of edginess, and the leather Mary Jane’s channel Jackie Kennedy’s style. Gigi also closed the Moschino show in an emerald green gown. Be sure to check it out in the link below!

Check out the rest of Moschino’s looks here: http://www.vogue.it/en/shows/show/moschino

Look #7: Calling all 80’s fans at Alberta Ferretti

Alberta Ferretti Milan Fashion Week Fall RTW 2018

Gigi strut her stuff at Ferretti’s show in an 80’s inspired ensemble. I love the mix of metallics and patchwork detailing on the knee high boots. I love love LOVE the purple pants paired with a studded belt and fuzzy sweater.

Look #8: Metallic Goddess at Alberta Ferretti

Alberta Ferretti Milan Fashion Week Fall RTW 2018

Gigi came out wearing this stunning floor length gown with metallic motifs. The sheer material of this dress, the high neck line, shoulder pads and cuffed sleeves make this dress hard to forget.

All the looks from the Alberta Ferretti Show can be found here: http://wwd.com/runway/fall-2018/milan/alberta-ferretti/review/

Look #9: Speedway Ready at Tommy Hilfiger

TommyxGigi Milan Fashion Week Fall RTW 2018

Gigi hit the racetrack themed runway at full speed with a leather pant and crop top ensemble fit for any speed loving fashionista. Race stripes, zipper details, and burnt rubber graphics make this look racetrack ready. I love that Tommy stuck with the red, blue, white, and black color scheme, and showed his own rendition of the primary color scheme that is coming into trend this season.

Look #10: Nascar Royalty at Tommy Hilfiger

TommyxGigi Milan Fashion Week Fall RTW 2018

Gigi closed the Tommy show in a flowing gown fit for Nascar royalty! I loved the mid-drift cut out and sheer flowing skirt with printed graphics. This was Gigi’s fourth and final collaborative collection with Tommy, and she definitely left a lasting impression!

You can check out all the looks from the Tommy Hilfiger Spring 2018 show here! http://wwd.com/runway/fall-2018/milan/tommy-hilfiger/review/

I don’t know about you, but Gigi definitely made me fall in love with her and Milan fashion week! I hope you enjoyed this article just as much as I enjoyed writing it!

xoxo,

Madison ❤

Pictures from Livorno, Italy

 

Why You Must Bring These Essential Items in Your Carry On

Let me just start off by saying, yes, you should pack those extra couple pairs of underwear in your carry on bag. To start off my wonderful semester in Florence, my first flight to Paris was pushed back, and then overbooked because someone put our chaperone on stand by and we couldn’t travel without her. So all because one person could not fit on the plane, the ENTIRE group of 25 was kicked off. Wonderful, right? I know. Not. So we get stuck sitting on the cold, tiled airport lobby floor for three hours as the airport now has to find us a new flight, search for our luggage, since it was already on the plane to Paris, and find us a place to stay (all considering we wouldn’t be able to get another flight to Paris for the next 2 DAYS).

Long story short, I am living the reality of every traveler’s worst nightmare: being stranded for two days without a flight or luggage, and only having your carry on on your back.

I would like to prevent all of you from having to go through this experience, and giving you the best and most informative advice possible about what to bring in your carry on the next time you are traveling or if you plan to study abroad. Because who knows… you might end up in my shoes.

What I originally packed in my carry on: (I bolded the items that came in handy the most)

*Note: I used a backpack for my carry on and just carried a small cross body bag with my money and passport in it*

• Laptop w/ charger
• Portable phone charger
• Phone w/ charger
• Headphones
• Adapter
• Travel Journal
• Important documents (flight info, copies of my passport, insurance card, etc.)
• Planner (for academic purposes)
• All of my prescription medication
• A weeks worth of my medication in a pill holder (yeah yeah I’m a grandma when it comes to medication)
• One pair of emergency underwear
• Deodorant
• Aquaphor (for chapstick)
• Essential oils (for skincare)
• Hair tie
• Jewelry
• Make-up brushes
• Passport
• Money (about $25 – honestly, probably should’ve brought closer to $50, but who knew I’d be in the US for two more days than I had originally planned)

What I WISH I had brought with me:

• Hairbrush and/or comb
  • Ladies please, this is a must. The airport was kind enough to provide us with a dinky plastic comb, but I am dying over here without a real one! (major, major knots)
• Toothbrush and Toothpaste (travel size)
  • The airport also provided us with a tiny pack of toothpaste; however, I had to go and purchase my own toothbrush at the hotel we are staying at. (Honestly, not bringing a toothbrush was a rookie mistake)
• Shampoo/Conditioner/Razor/Shaving Gel/Body Lotion (travel size)
  • These are not major in retrospect since most hotels will provide you with toiletries; however, if you are very particular about the products you use or can only use a specific brand, I suggest bringing your own travel size containers.
• 2 Extra Outfits (2 tops, 2 bottoms, 2 pairs of socks and underwear, a big tee to sleep in, etc.)
  • If you listen to any part of this note, I hope you at least pack the socks and underwear (seriously, I haven’t changed my socks in 2 days…)
• Advil PM
  • This will come in handy for the throbbing headache you are sure to get after dealing with this whole mess. But if your flight does work out, you can certainly use it to help you sleep on the plane and try to prevent major jet lag!
• Face Moisturizer/Skin care (travel size)
  • I have extremely sensitive skin, so not having my moisturizer was extremely disappointing Yay for dry skin!
• Snacks
  • Now I wouldn’t go overboard, but having a couple snacks comes in handy when you’re waiting at the airport for hours on end waiting to see if your flight is still going to take off on time.
• Patience
  • LOL. But its true. They don’t say “Patience is a virtue” for nothing.

 

I hope this post was helpful for all of you potential travelers! I would never wish this upon any one else. This is my first time traveling really anywhere, so while some of the items I listed may seem like “duh” I’m learning as I go… so hopefully this helps some of you plan for the worst case scenario in the future! (I know I will!)

As of right now, there may be another ice storm, so who knows when I’ll end up in Florence. Wish me luck!

xoxo,

Madison

Flying to Florence…

Today marks the first day of an incredibly promising semester. As I head off to spend the next five months in Florence, Italy with my best friends and boyfriend, I can only dream of wanderlust and luxurious fashion. For those of you who don’t know much about me, I am currently studying Fashion Merchandising at one of the top fashion schools in the US: Kent State University. I spent the first half of my junior year attending Kent’s studio in New York City and am now heading overseas to study European fashion ( I KNOW… honestly I still can’t believe it!)

The start of the trip has been a bit hectic, as our flight has been pushed back multiple times, we’re missing our connecting flight and we may be stuck in Paris overnight (although, who could complain about that… unless we’re stuck in the airport). However, I am staying open minded and positive because WHO could be mad when they’re about to be in Italy.

***I should also note that this will be my first time out of the country, so this trip is a pretty big deal.

The next few months will bring adventure, fashion, site seeing, architecture, fashion, and lots of food and wine. I want to journal throughout my trip to keep up with family and friends, but I would also love to inspire other young individuals to travel and be able to give them the best study abroad advice possible. I can’t wait to hear what you guys think!

xoxo,

Madison