Cross Continent Style

With each day ticked off my calendar I am slowly but surely mentally checking out from the less interesting things in my life (specifically work) and devoting my time and energy to enjoying my last days in California while simultaneously shopping for Europe. 89 days from today I will be boarding a plane and moving away from sunny CA.

My top priority right now is wardrobe. Tomorrow I am taking a day off to head to the North Face outlet and hopefully I will find the perfect winter coat at a price that won’t break the bank. In case you missed it, I will be moving to Ukraine (exact destination within the country unknown) where the winter lows can hit -30 degrees on a rather frequent basis. Therefore a perfect winter coat is a must!

Aside from the obviously necessary winter coat I am also brainstorming easy, casual, wardrobe staples that will help me stay stylish thousands of miles from home.  I am joining the Peace Corps and will be spending 27 months in Ukraine teaching English and I am allowed to bring 2 bags.  Dilemma. On the one hand, I recognize that I am heading to a 2^nd word country to devote my time and energy to improving the lives of the children I’ll be privileged to work with and therefore I should not expect to flaunt my usually flashy wardrobe of summer dresses and bright patterns. However, at the same time I want to bring the person I am, style and all, with me to this foreign country so that I may maintain normalcy. Second, I do plan to travel- a lot; which is why I want to make sure to bring fabulous outfits to sport in London, Croatia, Greece, Amsterdam, etc.

I believe I can strike a happy balance and bring with me timeless items that will help me adapt to both situations. Now the issue is space. Or lack thereof. Which brings me to my current wish list. I have decided to keep it simple and classy with the opportunity to always dress down or dress up. 

Here is what I am lusting for currently:

Any season Steve Madden Boots: 

Casual but stylish dress: 

Timeless colored Blazer (and the shirt is perfect too):

Maxi Dresses galore: 

For a daring night out:

Dress down for class/ dress up for the market:

There are so many simple yet elegant choices for quick outfits on the go. I am definitely getting back to basics and remembering that a staple top with black slacks and a simple necklace can look absolutely stunning.