Oregon OOTD: Hiking in Style

Kaixo everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas (and well if you don't celebrate it, that you're having an awesome holiday so far) and that your break is being as relaxing as mine. Something that I can't wait to do once the holidays are done with is to GO HIKING. I mean, central Illinois is so flat. SO FLAT. Meanwhile, the Basque Country has both coast and mountains! Something I got to do while visiting Kelly in Oregon was to go hiking! We visited Multnomah Falls east of Portland, and let me tell you, it was beautiful. Full of tourists (UGH), but the higher we went, the less people there were.

I took the opportunity to channel my inner 80s aero-hiking queen, with some really bright patterned garments. I mean, I could use neutrals like mostly everyday on my life, but there are some positives to wearing brights while hiking:

1) You can be easily recognizable...
2)...so you won't get lost.
3) Nobody will judge you because you're supposed to feel comfortable, so what if your most comfortable clothes give people eyesores?
4) The 80s are ALWAYS back in style.
5) You look fly as f.

I wish being myself looked cooler than this

Fleece: Patagonia // Yoga pants: Lululemon // Gloves: Lands' End // Sneakers: Adidas (old, similar here // Bag: Lefties (old, similar here) // Beanie: TIS University Bookstore (old, similar here)

I personally love this fleece, but I just noticed the color sold out! One of my friends told me Patagonia is way better than North Face (I have no idea, honestly, agree to disagree), and I saw those funky colors and fell in love, and even more when I got it and I started wearing it non-stop. You already know about how much I love my yoga pants, and well, fun fact! A guy at the top of the trail stopped us and asked if we were Illini, to what we said yeah, of course! He was too! Class of '73! That was one of the highlights of the hike, definitely!

I wanted to make a personal note before ending this post. While Christmas is a time of celebration and enjoyment with loved ones, I have heard the saddest news yesterday. Olatz, a friend of mine from my hall my sophomore year, passed away in China due to severe food intoxication. She was a fun-loving, outgoing girl in love with life who had the whole world ahead of her, and her sudden death filled me with sadness. This reminded me of how lucky I am to be alive, and never to take the next day for granted. Olatz was 23 and had her whole life ahead of her, and now she does not. Please pray or think about her family in such a terrible time and remember to cherish your existence, for it is never guaranteed. Goian bego, Oli.
Love,

- Ane

Oregon OOTD: Outfit repeater

Kaixo everyone,

It's time for an Oregon recap! I went to Oregon for Thanksgiving to visit my dear friend Kelly. Kelly and I became friends through my ex-boyfriend (something good had to come out of that, right?) as she worked in the Jewish center my boyfriend used to go to. In fact, we met at a Jewish barn dance... We probably were the only non-Jewish girls there. That, the fact that we were both Spanish majors, and a magic affinity, made us best friends! When she moved to Oregon, I felt like a part of me went missing, so I decided to visit her for Thanksgiving break.

The first day was basically traveling from the Midwest to the PNW... Which would've been kind of terrible if I hadn't gone shopping the day before in Chicago (more on that soon), since my flight was the FIRST one leaving the airport at 5:30 a.m. What are the odds? The good part was that I got to Portland at 10am, so Kelly and I went to her place, we napped, and then we headed to the movies to watch the last Hunger Games movie. I cried like a baby, which is kinda funny considering I've read the books... but I cried anyway. After that, we went to have my very first beer tasting in Portland, basically Disney for beer lovers. It was the perfect day to start my trip.

Us, basically

Tuesday was basically wandering around Portland in the morning, as Kelly had to work in the afternoon, so I decided to dress up. I gotta confess, I am no trust fund baby, and that means, I don't own a massive closet. In fact, living abroad makes me have half of my closet in the US and the other half in Spain. And that makes it even more difficult. Enter traveling around the US. EVEN LESS CLOTHES. And honestly, I always end up wearing the clothes I like most. Remember when I wore this the first day of school? Here the fall edition:

There were GOOOOOOD

Photobomb master

Dress: Zara // Blazer: H&M // Scarf: Lilly Pulitzer (old) // Tights: Old Navy // Flats: J. Crew Factory (old, similar here) // Earrings: Kendra Scott // Bag: Lefties (old, similar here)

Isn't it easy? Just add some black opaque tights, dressier shoes and a blazer and BOOM! FALL APPROPRIATE! Fashion is awesome. Speaking of awesome...

ALL THOSE BEAUTIFUL CALORIES!!!

This will be all for today, be on the look for more soon!

Love,

- Ane

Fall College/Grad School Essentials

Hello everybody!

Fall is one of my favorite seasons (not that there are too many, but it's definitely top 2), mainly because my birthday falls in the fall (lol so punny #jkno) and because I can be fashionable without being relatively covered in as many layers as an onion. It's cold but not that cold, it's toasty but not that toasty. The colors change, basic white girls like myself show off our awesome riding boots and vests are in full swing. FALL >>>> everything.

As a somewhat "experienced" grad schooler, I have been in college/university for 7 years (Jesus Christ WHY), and I notice that every season asks for certain necessities. Here are mine:

Clockwise from top left:

- Lilly Pulitzer Agenda: Remember back in the day when figuring out which print to choose for my Lilly Pulitzer planner was the biggest of my problems? Yeah, fun times. But really, my agenda is like my inanimate (and way less expensive) personal assistant, and as a grad school student, I need to be on top of my assignments and my teaching, and a bright, cheerful planner helps me do all that without getting depressed. Plus, there is no better satisfaction than ticking off the assignments you've completed.

- Essie Nail Polish in Marshmallow: Do you believe in the "Treat Yo Self" philosophy? I bet 99.9% of you do, and the rest, well... standard error? I like to treat myself to Essie nail polish every once in a while, particularly after getting paid. I used to have a very opaque white nail polish that looked like white out (not the prettiest), and I was missing that white color in my nails. Enter Marshmallow, a sheer white nail polish. It is not super bright (which I love, fall is not for neons. Although if you like neon in the fall, you do you, I'm not gonna stop you) and it looks my MEGAPALE hands look less dead. A+

- J. Crew Factory Navy Vest: I like navy. JK I'M OBSESSED. A navy vest makes EVERY SINGLE OUTFIT look a little more polished and you still have your arms as free as America!

- Luscious Lemon Poppyseed Vegan Cookie: I study a lot. And I need sugar or some pick me up to keep me going. Enter this giant cookie from the Alternative Baking Company. I'm not vegan or vegetarian or anything (#bacon), but I saw this cookie, bought it, and holy molly isn't it amazing! I really recommend these!

- Blanket Scarf: I finally gave in and got the ultimate basic b fall staple. Well actually, my lovely friends gave me this for my birthday, and oh gosh I'm SO HAPPY about it. Illinois is cold, but I fight it like a pink diva!

- Louise et Cie Riding Boots: Goodness gracious, look at the color of these. They scream fall. Enough said.

There are many things I use during fall, but these are the main ones. Which are your fall staples?

Love,

- Ane

Halloween OOTD: It's Britney B***h

My loneliness, is killing me, and now, I must confess, I still believe. When I'm not with you I lose my mind, give me a sign. Hit me baby one more time!! As I mentioned a week ago, I was Britney for Halloween! Let me show you what I wore so that you can replicate it if you're out of ideas! :)

I found another Britney. Her name was actually Britney!

Cardigan: Forever 21 // Shirt: Zara (old) // Bralette: Forever 21 // Skirt: Ragstock // Socks: Forever 21 // Shoes: J. Crew Factory (old) // Bag: Lefties (old) // Hair ties: Amazon // Ribbon: Hobby Lobby

Most of my stuff is old, so let me give you easy (and cheap!) alternatives for you all:

Oxford shirt: J. Crew Factory

Ballet flats: J. Crew Factory

Crossbody bag: Forever 21

There is a great thing about this costume, and that is that no matter what you end up buying for it, it'll still be wearable for any other day. How awesome is that?

Love,

- Ane

What to wear: Library

Kaixo everyone!

School just started! While undergraduates in Yik Yak rejoice over syllabus week and getting drunk seeing old and new friends, grad schoolers like me are thinking about ways to survive boost our productivity. For some odd reason, I have never been able to study in my own apartment since I started college. Seriously, until high school, my room was the greatest place to study ever, but since I started college, I spend my study hours at the library. Or the libraries, because the University of Illinois has a ton of them!

I usually go from class to the library, so that means I wear the same outfit I wear to class, which is usually put-together because as a TA, teaching in sweats is a huge no-no (like really, it's against the rules). However, when the weekend comes and I just feel lazy, I like to dress comfortably when I go to the library. Here's what I wear to the library:

In the morning:

Shorts: Nike // T-Shirt: Lauren James // Sneakers: Nike

I'm not a morning person AT ALL and I'd rather sleep in till 10am. But when there's work to do, you just have to, so I put on an oversized tee, norts and sneakers and I'm good to go. The less amount I spend getting ready for the library, the better.


In the afternoon/evening:

Jersey: Spirit Jersey // Yoga pants: Lululemon // Flip flops: Havaianas

Sometimes, I just can't get off bed, or I'd rather do laundry, cleaning and general housekeeping in the morning, so I study in the afternoon. For some weird reason, the library gets chillier in the afternoon (and no doubt in the evening) and I can't concentrate if I'm cold, so I wear my spirit jersey (if you don't have one, please get one. I thought it was some sorority girl uniform nonsense but OMG it's so comfy and perfect! Plus, it makes you look skinnier ;)), my Lululemon yoga pants (get a pair, I wear them all the time, and you can have them hemmed for free, which I did) and the sturdiest flip flops ever, my Havaianas Top.


With friends:

Jeans: Uniqlo // Top: Lush // Sneakers: Converse // Scarf: Tory Burch

I usually study alone, but if my friends and I meet up to study, or if I have some group work assignment, I like to look a little more polished, but I still keep it as simple as possible. White v-neck tee, jeans and converse, and a scarf to spice it up (plus if you are cold you can wrap it around. Win-win).

So this is basically what I wear to the library around this time of the year. How about you? Anything you recommend wearing?

Love,

- Ane

Organizing your backpack - Bloggers BTS

Kaixo!

I am very happy to take part in the #BloggersBTS link-up by lovely bloggers Nicole from Empire Styles and Cathleen from Classy Cathleen this week! This link-up has different themes each week of August (I missed the first one, fashion, because I was on holiday gahhhh), and this week's theme is organization.

Now before you get mistaken and think that I'm a functional, organized, put-together adult grad school stud... LOL I can't, this sentence is too funny for me to write. I'm the opposite of an organized person, and I really struggle with dates to remember, things to do, and overall where my stuff is. Specially that last one. I seem to lose everything all the time. I lose my keys, my phone, my wallet inside my bag way too often. In fact, I've given up on large handbags just because I know it'll be 10 times easier to find my stuff in smaller bags. I mean, tote bags are a huge black hole with MAYBE one, or if you are lucky two little pockets, and that's all.

However, I cannot do that in school for obvious 1 million ton books, keys, lunchbag, pens reasons. I need space, and I need it very well organized. Surprisingly, in spite of the lack of organization in my life, I've found a system that works very well for me for when it comes to backpack organization!

The reason for this miracle is my beautiful, obnoxiously pink North Face Recon backpack:

Find it in Amazon

I have never been so in love with a backpack. Ever. I saw it in Christmas and I got it instantly. It is as pink as you can imagine and I love that it adds that fun touch to dull grad school life. As you can see in the pic, there are three main pockets: The back, middle and front pocket. I like to organize each one with a different function:

Back pocket: School

Macbook Pro: Apple // Agenda: Lilly Pulitzer // Pencil case: Roxy (similar linked) // Laptop sleeve: Kate Spade New York // Notebook: Flame Tree Notebooks

This pocket is the biggest one, and this is where I keep all my school supplies: My laptop and its sleeve are essential for me, I use my laptop SO MUCH. I don't want it to take a lot of space so this Kate Spade sleeve has been a lifesaver! I always keep my pencil case full to the brim with pens, pencils, etc., and Roxy ones have been my favorite since junior high. As for the planner, I'm still deciding on which print, but it's gonna be a Lilly P large agenda fo sho. I loved mine so far so I'll repeat again this year. Finally, since I only have 3 classes/seminars each semester (#gradschool), I use a small notebook to take all my notes. Binders are too heavy and they are very burdensome, eventually. Oh and I also keep the books here. Not linking them because I just don't wanna look at the prices and bury in financial misery yet (#buhbyemoney).

Middle pocket: Life and lunch

Food container set: Walmart // iPhone 5c: Apple // Wristlet: Lilly Pulitzer (similar linked) // Tumbler: Lilly Pulitzer // Keychain: Fanatics

I usually have lunch at my office, so a set of containers is always handy (I always carry one though, just in case you thought I was a container hoarder). The rest are just essentials: I carry my phone in my wristlet, where I keep my cards and money, a water bottle that I carry in one of the sides of the middle pocket, and even though it looks like a TFM (Total Freshman Move), I carry my keys in a lanyard that I keep in that pocket, because it's way easier to find them that way. Seriously, no need to have them an inch close to your neck, the freshman stigma will not follow you for the rest of your college days, trust me.

Front pocket: Toiletries

Hand cream: L'Occitane // Lip stain: Revlon // Foundation: Chanel // Mini toothbrush kit: Difresh

The front pocket is small, so I stick to the basics: Hand cream, lip stain and powder foundation for touch-ups and a small toothbrush and toothpaste for when I eat out, as well as feminine products and medicine. The pocket is small, but it can still hold all of this!

My life is definitely not organized, but whenever I go to school, this system makes my life a little easier. How about you? How do you organize your backpack?

Love,

- Ane

Fall staple

So, I went to try the beautiful shirt in the post below, and turns out it was super sheer. Too bad. :(
However, I did not leave the store empty-handed:

Too early for fall? Oops, in any case, I can't wait to style it! Happy Saturday! :)
Love,

- Ane