What Do I Wear There? Study Abroad- Answering Your Questions
I was so excited to see all of your responses on my first study abroad post! The number of comments was so great that I decided to change up my approach a little bit for the rest of the articles. While I still want to do specific posts on exact locations, I figured I would take this time first to clear up some of the questions and comments from last week’s introductory article.
And be sure to read all the way to the end of this article for a chance to be featured in one of the future “What Do I Wear There? Study Abroad…” posts!
1. Personal Style Abroad
Reader Milana commented last week, asking:
“Why not bring your personal style abroad? Especially here in Europe we appreciate the fact that people are different. Be fabulous and be yourself anywhere you go. With the Internet it is not hard to figure out the temperature of the country you’re going to, so pack your style and have an awesome stay!”
And she is absolutely correct! I did not mean to give the impression that you should sacrifice your personal style when you go abroad. What I’m really aiming to do is give you some idea of what the current trends are in these different areas, as well as the expectations you can have for the climate there. As Debbie said,
“I’m all for taking your own style with you, but it can get a little uncomfortable sometimes if it doesn’t mesh with the country you’re living in!”
However, I want to thank Milana for pointing this out and reinforce that you should definitely bring your personal style with you wherever you go! Even if you don’t have a lot of space to pack all of your favorites, you can certainly express yourself through jewelry and accessories (which I will focus more on in following articles).
2. Respect the Culture
Lianne also made an important point in last week’s comments, saying:
“Although this is a very good idea for a series of posts, I do think the most important piece of advice anyone could take with them while traveling abroad is missing and that is to consider the cultural standards of the area. I love my summer skirts, but they’re not acceptable in a number of nations by cultural practice alone and it’s important to recognize and respect that.”
This is another great point. Since I had not yet pinpointed which locales I was covering, I had not yet mentioned this, but it is definitely important to heed the standards of appropriate dressing when you go abroad. As Lalalina suggested in the comments,
“For you girls going to Muslim countries, it is really important that you see if your program can provide you with a past participant to talk to, they will let you know if you need to wear a hijab or head scarf. Morocco is less conservative, but you SHOULD NOT wear any tank tops (without something on top) or cap sleeve shirts, and nothing low cut. You should stick with pants and longer skirts. And in terms of being stylish there, I looked a lot to the local girls, they knew how to cover up and be cute.”
The idea of talking to people who had already been there is great! You’ll hear about what they found to be appropriate and what their experience has taught them about the style there. It’s invaluable knowledge.
I also wanted to note that as Katharin said, even if you are going to a place like London or Paris that has less cultural restrictions on style, it is important to bring along some more conservative clothing if you plan on visiting any churches or going sightseeing in any other places of worship.
3. Check the Weather
CF reader Tamara pointed out how crazy it would be to try to literally pack for all weather, saying,
“About the post, I think it’s good, but I also feel no one should make a suitcase for “any” weather, that’s just impossible. You should check the weather on the internet before picking up your clothes: even if you’re staying away more than one season, I live in Argentina and I know our winters might feel like Canadian springs (for example), for example, so you wouldn’t need a super warm jacket or super warm boots.”
Now, I admit that I may be a little bit biased in what I suggested for basics (considering how excited I am for London!), as I know that I am going to have to deal with colder, rainier weather. However, it is super important that you check the weather for where you are going!
Try to see if you can find the average temperatures for the month you are arriving and the month you are departing so that you can figure out the range. Also, see if you can figure out how rainy/humid/dry it is, which is good to know not just for packing clothing but also for packing beauty supplies.
Remember: just because the season is still labeled “winter” does not mean it is the winter you are used to!
4. Study Abroad Inspiration
In my last post, I suggested looking for style blogs from locals in the area you are going to. However, I understand that finding a good blog for fashion inspiration can be tough to do! Therefore, I suggest going to Lookbook.nu.
Lookbook is an amazing style site in which members submit pictures of the creative outfits they donned that day. The best part is that LookBook members are literally from all over the world, so they are perfect examples of fashion from abroad! If you click the “search” button, a list will appear along the right side of the page with search criteria, including the option to sort by country.
Here are just some of the inspiring looks I found after doing a quick search!
(Clockwise from top left: Looks from Brussells, England, Netherlands, Spain, France, China)
Star style blogger Susie Bubble also has a list of blogs along the left-side column of her page organized by locales that are worth clicking through to see style from all over!
5. Expert Advice
Lalalina kindly requested in the comments that I get some expert opinions from seasoned study abroad-ers in these articles, noting,
“Colleen I mean you no disrespect, but all of you with specific location questions should really consult someone who has been where you are going. They can give you the best advice on the fashion in those places.”
I completely agree! I was planning on asking some of my upperclassmen friends who traveled for advice, but then I saw all of the great comments from you guys who live outside of the United States and/or have previously studied abroad. So many of you were so helpful, detailed, and thorough that I thought I would first turn to you guys for advice!
So if you have studied abroad or are currently living outside the US and would like to share some fashion/packing tips with us, e-mail them to me at whatdoiwearthere AT gmail DOT com.
Tips about what is appropriate and/or trendy in the local you visited are definitely appreciated. If you would like to send some street style pictures, that would be great as well! Send over any info you think is important for a student planning on studying abroad to know. I will credit you in the post if the site you write to me about makes it onto CF!
What Do You Think?
Did this article help clear up any confusion from the last one? Is there anything still missing you would like to see?
Also, I will still be tallying comments to see which study abroad sites are most popular for the specialized posts for the next couple of days, so if you did not comment yet, go ahead and share your destination here!
Filed Under: Fashion Tips / Tags: Culture, Inspiration, Packing, Personal Style, Study Abroad, Weather
Coupons & Sales: Week of 11/20/09
Black Friday (and Cyber Monday) are just around the corner, and you know what that means – TONS of stores are competing for your retail dollars and slashing prices like crazy! We’ll be posting ALL the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals throughout next week, but for now, here are some stores that are getting in on the sale action early with some fabulous sales & promos!
Fashion Deals & Coupons
American Eagle is having a sale on all AE outerwear! Sale is good from now through 11/22!
Urban Outfitters has select tights 2 for $20 while supplies last!
Vera Bradley is offering an extra 10% off already-reduced sale items! Enter code 10offsale at checkout. Offer ends on 11/30!
Charlotte Russe will give you free shipping when you spend $35+ from now through 11/25.
ShopBop is having a huge sale, with up to 70% off everything from Marc by Marc to DVF! Don’t miss out – the good stuff always goes FAST!
Piperlime is offering an exciting assortment of boots under $100! Brands include Calvin Klein, Steve Madden, Unlisted by Kenneth Cole, Chinese Laundry, and more!
Free People has lots of new sale markdowns in preparation for Thanksgiving – check them out!
Gap.com will give you 25% off regularly priced merchandise with code GIFT123! Offer ends on 11/22! Also, take an extra 25% off sale items with code GAPSALE25 (ends 11/24).
Banana Republic is offering 30% off outerwear! Ends 11/22.
oldnavy.com is offering 15% off $75 or 25% off $100. Enter code ONSAVE15 at checkout! Offer ends on 11/24.
New York & Company’s Friends & Family event is going on now! Get 30% off for 3 days only! (Ends 11/23.)
Shoes.com is offering 25% off all sale items with promo code YAMS from 11/25 to 11/27! Excludes handbags. Also, purchase any UGG Australia footwear and receive a $20 gift code to redeem at Shoes.com! And don’t forget that you can save 15% on any shoes.com purchase for the rest of November with code FALL (valid through 11/30).
Pacsun.com is having a Buy 2 Get 1 Free sale on guys & girls flannels and denim! They have fabulous jeans so don’t miss out on this promo!
Steve Madden is putting their hottest selling shoes on sale! From suede over-the-knee boots to pretty flats and perfect platform pumps, they’ve got it all on sale. You need to check out their sale section ASAP before the good stuff (and your size) is sold out!
Macy’s is offering free shipping with any $99 purchase! Offer is valid now through tomorrow, 11/21.
Onlineshoes.com will give you $20 off orders over $125! Use code 9GOBBLE (expires 11/24).
Eddie Bauer will give you free shipping on all orders of $100+ with code EBHOLIDAY (expires 12/25).
Beauty Deals & Coupons
Sally Beauty Supply has a special Facebook/Friends and Family deal going right now! Save 15% on all online purchases with promo code 555944. Offer ends TONIGHT (11/20) at midnight EST, so use it ASAP!
Beauty.com is having a sale, with up to 50% off brands like DuWop, Too Faced, and more! Good while supplies last. Also, get $10 off any $60 purchase automatically – this offer ends on 12/31!
Sephora.com will give you free shipping on chic gift sets under $50 – use code HOLIDAYSHIP at checkout! Also, get a free Metallic Flower clutch filled with 8 samples with any $25 purchase! Use code CLUTCH4U.
Perfumania is having a buy one, get one 50% off sale on fragrances – plus free shipping on $65+ purchases. Offer is good through 1/4/10!
drugstore.com is having a buy one, get one 50% off sale on all Boots Cosmetics! Offer ends on 11/25. Also, if you love Boots beauty products, visit their website for a $1 off printable coupon to use in stores across the country!
ULTA Beauty will give you free shipping on orders of $25+. Use coupon code 33069 to take advantage! Also, you’ll get a FREE set of Hurricane Candle Holders with any fragrance purchase of $30+.
Benefit Cosmetics will give you free shipping when you buy Glitz Glam & Gloss, a 6 lip gloss set that would be perfect for a gift! Enter code GLOSSKIT at checkout. Offer ends 11/24.
Sally Beauty Supply has tons of great deals on curling and flat irons right now – from Smart Heat irons that adjust to your hair type, to mini “go” irons that are battery powered, there are TONS of markdowns & great prices right now!
As always, post any other deals or coupons in the comments so we can all share the savings! Happy shopping and have a fabulous Thanksgiving vacay!
Filed Under: Coupons & Sales / Tags: Coupon Codes, Coupons, Online Sales, Sales, Thanksgiving
Hautelinks: Week of 11/19/09
Thanksgiving vacay is so close – for those of you lucky enough to not have Friday classes, it might already have started! If not, start the fun early with our weekly list of good reads and fun distractions!
From Couture — to Conversation is a NY Times article on how blogs, Twitter, and other social networking platforms are affecting fashion brands. Totally interesting read!
All the blogs are abuzz about MyFDB, “the IMDB of the fashion industry”. While it does cost money to use MyFDB, WikiFashion is a good free alternative.
New York Magazine has a list of 100 holiday gifts under $100! They always have amazing picks & this list doesn’t disappoint.
A fashion vending machine – yum!
If you haven’t seen it yet, We Heart It is a must-bookmark source of inspiration. Caution: leads to intense homework procrastination.
Um, this is completely unfair. I want to live in NY!
The mega-store best known for industrial-size olive oil and lifetime supplies of batteries and toilet paper is selling serious luxury handbags at its new Manhattan location. Yeah, Louis Vuitton and Chanel bags. At Costco.
“The new location currently has Chanel Classic Flap handbags available for $1,999, though the salesperson, a man, was not sure what sizes were available (baby, small, medium, large or jumbo). These regularly sell anywhere from $1,795 to $2.495. However, he did say that earlier today they sold out of Louis Vuitton Speedy bags, regularly priced from $665 to more than $3,000, all three going for $589 a pop. But there are currently ‘a lot’ of Burberry and Coach bags.”
Too busy (or lazy) to hit the gym as often as you should? Calorie burning boots might be just the thing!
Marie Claire has a great article on how to protect yourself from an attacker. No matter how safe you think your campus/neighborhood is, this info is still really important to know.
Giving Back: Past & Present is a look at teen-started charities worth knowing about, via Teen Vogue.
As a fan of useless trivia, I’m currently obsessed with Learn Something New Every Day. It’s like Snapple’s bottle cap real facts, only cuter and much more colorful.
Lauren Conrad to Author a Style Book. As much as her book L.A. Candy didn’t interest us, this is one book we’re curious to check out! You can’t deny that the girl has style.
Lucky Magazine shows you how to pull off over-the-knee boots. Just in case you needed another reason to try them!
Louise Goldin’s shoe collection for Topshop looks amazing. If you like your footwear *fierce*, you’ll love it.
Psyched for New Moon? If so, show your appreciation with some vampire-themed jewelry.
Black Friday is a just over a week away! Get prepared with these tips on how to approach Black Friday:
Black Friday ads start showing up online as early a few weeks before the day even comes. A smart shopper should prepare by looking at these ads and finding the stores and the items that interest them. Newspapers the week of black Friday will be full of ads, coupons and door buster deals, especially the newspaper for Thanksgiving Day.
Gift ideas for fashionistas – while most of these are pretty basic, they’re definitely all good gifts.
Here’s yet another easy DIY using one surprising ingredient: How to Make Your Own Hand Sanitizer.
We recently showed you how to make an American Apparel style circle scarf. Here’s another DIY tutorial for a similar scarf that makes a slightly longer version.
SATC author Candace Bushnell is publishing a series of Carrie Bradshaw’s diaries from high school. Will you be reading these?
Alicia Keys Announces Plans to Develop a Jewelry Line. Would you buy her stuff?
You Look Fab has tips on how to fit a coat. The suggestions for what to wear underneath are great! I personally love to wear blazers under coats, too.
I like to layer the following items under a wool or puffer coat: camisole and/or thermal T, fine gauge knitwear, a lined tailored jacket like a blazer or biker jacket, and a bulky scarf. Yes! I layer a jacket underneath a coat. That way when I remove my coat indoors, I still look and feel chic.
5 Ways to Germ-Proof Your Dorm – useful if you’re swine flu paranoid!
The Perfect Staircase for Bookworms – I totally want one!
Sure, cell phone earpieces are kinda geeky, but they might save your life.
No one is certain what cell phones do to our brains when we endlessly rest them against our heads. At best, it’s nothing. At worst, it’s insidious damage that will translate into an enormous spike in brain cancers down the road. If these are our two choices—status quo versus debilitating and ultimately fatal disease—why are we even talking about this anymore? It’s time to move phones away from our heads.
Want to be able to see your college campus on Google Maps’ Street View? If you go to ASU, Michigan State, Princeton, Rochester Institute of Technology, or Stanford, vote for your campus to get its own Street View!
That’s all we’ve got this week! Leave any links you loved this week in the comments, and be sure to tell us what you think of these sites!
Filed Under: Hot Websites / Tags: Hautelinks, Internet, Websites
Looks on Campus: Rachel
I’ve been dying to find the perfect printed cardigan lately. All of my cardigans are solid knits, and with the weather gradually becoming cooler, I need a way to spice up my autumn wardrobe!
I spotted Rachel wearing a very cute printed vintage-inspired cardigan with a great fall color underneath. I had to ask her about her style!
Who I Spotted:
Name: Rachel
Hometown: Tucson, Arizona
Age: 18
Year in College: Freshman
Major: Political Science
Hobbies/Interests: “[I like] reading, going to the movies, and dance, especially ballroom and tango.”
Describe your style: “eclectic, relaxed, effortless”
Who/what inspires your style? “weather dictates a lot of my outfits. Also, my mood and the colors of the season.”
Where do you like to shop/find clothes? “Urban Outfitters, Express, Forever 21, Target, and Savers.”
What I Like About Rachel’s Style:
I adore her cardigan and her ability to pair a print with a pop of color underneath. The texture in her ballet flats adds a little extra detailing and her dark wash jeans are a great investment because you can wear them with flats or boots!
Rachel’s look seems very effortless. This is a great look you can throw together on your way to take a midterm or on one of those mornings after long night in the library!
The core element of Rachel’s outfit is definitely the cardigan. If you look through your closet, you probably own a dark wash jean and a colored tank. Invest in a printed cardigan! I know I want to!
Time for Some Inspiration!
Here are some printed cardigans I really like. Depending on your budget, there are a variety of stores that are offering printed cardigans this season!
Product Information: Laced Roses Cardigan- Anthropologie, Knitted Print Cardigan- Top Shop, AE Leopard Cardigan- American Eagle
This is my interpretation of Rachel’s look! The AE boyfriend tanks come in a TON of colors, too! Snag a few colored tanks for layering this fall/winter!
Product Information: Knitted Print Cardigan- Top Shop, AE Boyfriend Tank- American Eagle, Degaine Midnight Blue Jean- Chickdowntown, Black Quilted Ballet Flat- Peacocks, Yahdira Utility Tote- Forever 21
Other ways to wear your printed cardigan:
Here are three other ways to use your printed cardigan using some of the same items featured in Rachel’s inspirational look! Hooray for versatility!
Option 1:
This outfit is great for a day at the office, or when you’re headed out on a date!
Product Information: Wool Blend Skirt- Forever 21, Knitted Print Cardigan- Top Shop, AE Boyfriend Tank- American Eagle, Patent Platform Pumps- Forever 21
Option 2:
This outfit is good for those days or nights that are on the chilly side. Throw on your cardigan and go grab some hot cocoa with a friend!
Product Information: Knitted Print Cardigan- Top Shop, Degaine Midnight Blue Jean- Chickdowntown, Yahdira Utility Tote- Forever 21, Cuffed Suedette Boots- Forever 21, Free People Zipper Thermal- Piperlime, Preston & York Cable Scarf- Dillard’s
Want to be featured in Looks on Campus?
We want YOU to be our inspiration! Here’s how you can be a part of Looks on Campus!
Use a timer or have a friend take photos of your outfit head to toe – don’t forget to include your shoes and bag!
Take a few detail shots of the pieces that make up your look – bag, shoes, accessories, etc. We want to see them up close!
Answer the interview questions listed above. Be sure to include where you go to school.
Send it all in an email to zephyr AT collegefashion DOT net with subject “Looks on Campus”.
We’ll pick our favorites to feature here in the Looks on Campus column. Please note that we can’t feature everyone who submits due to volume, but we’ll try to do as many as we can. Can’t wait to see your submissions!
Filed Under: Looks on Campus / Tags: Cardigans, Looks on Campus, Printed Cardigan, Rachel
College Fashion Trend: Your Boyfriend’s Clothes
Photo credit:1
Okay, so maybe literally borrowing your boyfriend’s clothes isn’t the best idea in the world, but one of my favorite trends lately has been the influx of menswear-inspired clothing. Also, why restrict yourself to the women’s section when you never know if you will find a great vintage tee or a rugby scarf in the men’s section?!
There are several boyfriend-inspired trends out there right now, but I am going to review the three that I feel have become the most prominent throughout the college fashion scene.
1. The Boyfriend Jean
Boyfriend jeans are available from so many different retailers and for such a wide a variety of prices that you have to ask yourself How do I choose the right boyfriend jean? After conducting some research, here are my “rules” for buying and wearing boyfriend jeans:
Go for a straight-leg version. Other styles don’t compliment the overall relaxed look of boyfriend jeans!
Make sure the bottom hem meets the ankle. Longer versions will give the jean a baggy grunge look, while anything shorter creates a “high water” look that should be avoided when wearing boyfriend jeans (unless you purposely roll up the hems to wear with heels).
Your boyfriend jeans should be the strongest masculine piece in your outfit. If you choose to wear masculine elements such as a leather jacket or vintage sports tee, make them form fitting! Otherwise, you risk looking like you literally got dressed in a boy’s closet.
Now that we’ve reviewed the rules, here are some examples of great boyfriend jeans!
Product Information: Deidre Boyfriend Jean- Abercrombie & Fitch, Crafted Boyfriend Pu Jean- Republic (UK), Citizens of Humanity Boyfriend Jean- Chickdowntown, Tall Indigo Cory Jean- TopShop
2. Men’s Vintage-Inspired Tees
I bought my first men’s tee from Urban Outfitters recently. I wanted a crew neck screen tee to throw on with my leather jacket, but I couldn’t find a screen print I liked in the women’s section. My curiosity took me to the men’s section where I found an amazing cotton tee that had a vintage advertisment of Madonna’s 1985 “Like a Virgin” tour. I purchased the tee in a small and have worn it so many times, it might be time to go hunting for another similar t-shirt.
Now, if you think that venturing into the men’s section isn’t quite your style, there are certainly options for you that are made for women. Here’s what to look for when hunting for a boyfriend-inspired t-shirt:
Look for straighter lines when you try them on. This shouldn’t be so striaght that it completely hides your figure, but the relaxed/semi-loose feel is what this trend is all about!
The sleeve should not be a cap sleeve, but rather a t-shirt sleeve!
Try on the next size up in women’s t-shirts. Especially because most screen print t-shirts are made of 100% cotton, if you want the loose/relaxed look, it’s best to at least try on one size up!
Men’s Tees I Love:
Product Information: Clint Eastwood Tee- Urban Outfitters, Bob Ross Tee- Urban Outfitters, Junk Food Men’s AC/DC 1973 T-Shirt- Palmer Cash, Men’s USA Peace T-Shirt- Palmer Cash
3. Menswear Button-Down Shirt
The menswear button-down shirt has been all over the runways, as well as in several stores lately. The idea of a boyfriend-inspired button-up is no longer a trademark of the “walk of shame,” but rather a piece to throw on effortlessly.
The two versions I’ve noticed are definitely the flannel/plaid/Lumberjack look, and the classic dress shirt. If you are especially keen on the flannel versions, check out Liza’s post on how to wear them! This quick photo tutorial from TLC is great for anyone who likes the dress shirt version!
Here are some examples of each, available right now for purchase:
Product Information: Vince Oversized Plaid Roll Sleeve Shirt- Piperlime, Crinkle Plaid Flannel Shirt- Forever 21, H81 Pintucked Woven Button Down- Forever 21, Striped 3/4 Shirt- Forever 21
What do YOU think?
Do you like this trend? Have you tried any boyfriend-inspired pieces? If so, tell us about the experience! How do you wear your boyfriend-inspired clothing items?
Filed Under: Trends / Tags: Boyfriend Jeans, boyfriend-inspired, button-up, dress shirt, Flannel, men's tees, Menswear, Trends
