After freezing weather in Paris and a less than fully-functioning heater in my Florence apartment, coming home to the warmth and sunshine of Florida has been a dream. The weather here has been amazing -- sunny most days with highs in the 60s and 70s. While I will miss the fun of winter layering, I am happy to begin embracing spring.
Spring has always been my favorite season for fashion and when I spotted this simple, gorgeous, and super easy to wear drop-waist lace dress it was love at first sight (I am also lusting after this one and this one). I love BCBG dresses. Despite being expensive (and sometimes a bit over the top) I find them to be unique, comfortable (yet flattering), and stylish for years to come.
I figured since I have returned state-side it was time to bring back my weekend reading posts. I have been in Atlanta since Wednesday for a conference. Those amazing donuts pictured above are from Sublime Doughnuts, which everyone on Instagram said was a must-visit in Atlanta (spoiler, they were right).
As usual, when I get home from being abroad I like embark on some home improvement and decorating projects. Thanks to Framebridge, I will soon have a new gallery wall in my living room to debut (so excited!). I also want to update my TV stand and I am desperately searching for an affordable set of navy chinoiserie vases (this is my inspiration). So far these are all I can find, any suggestions?
Speaking of travel, if you are studying abroad this spring make sure you check out this post.
How adorable and fun are these donut Soludos espadrilles (one of my favorite shoe brands for summer travel btw).
Like everyone else, I am currently binge-watching Making A Murderer. I find it fascinating but also sad and frustrating. I really enjoyed this insightful article about the series and everyone's love of Avery's defense lawyers as well this article on why it has been such a hit.
I will never forget the first time I heard my advisor state, "the past is chaos." It was during the first class of my master's program. A program that week after week rocked my world and challenged me to rethink everything I thought I knew about history.
At the time, I thought I understood what she meant. I had never thought about the difference between the past and history, much less that there was one. That simple sentence, however, perfectly summed up the difference between the innumerable people, places, events, actions, thoughts, experiences and emotions of the past and the narratives historians construct. Looking back now, I understood the theory, but it wasn't until I spent a year researching in the archive of Florence that I could grasp the reality of that statement.
As I continue to unpack, I am confronted by the chaos of information I collected over the year. I am overwhelmed by letters, inventories, financial receipts, recipes, and travel narratives - thousands of bits of information with no intrinsic narrative. It is chaos, and over the course of this year, I have to transform that chaos into a dissertation/book. Right now, the thought of that freaks me out. But, I know I need to overcome the feeling of being overwhelmed and intimidated by such a big project and just get to work (easier said than done, of course).
So what kind of narrative am I hoping to write? My goal with this project is to rethink and rewrite the story of the late Medici dynasty through the lens of medicine and natural history. Previous histories on the Medici family have adhered to a narrative of decline. This narrative began with late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century British historians. Basically these historians championed the rise of the Medici beginning with the family's early bankers/merchants Cosimo il Vecchio and Lorenzo Magnifico. Following the family's economic rise, they solidified their political influence with the election of two popes and establishing formal rule over Florence as dukes (and later Grand Dukes). A century and a half later, however, this narrative changes from one of wealth, power, influence, and innovation to one of gluttony, stagnation, bigotry, and decay.
If only life and history were that simple and conformed to such uncomplicated dichotomies. Hopefully, my archival-based research can shed some new light on this later period and reveal a more nuanced understanding the late Medici court.
I have officially been home from my year abroad for two weeks. As I unpack my two massive suitcases, I have been reflecting on 1) how difficult it was to pack for (what turned into) a year abroad, and 2) what I got right and what I should have left behind.
Like everyone who packs for a long-term sojourn abroad, I brought more than I needed. I was happy that I made space for several coats in different patterns, colors, and weights. Honestly, in the cold and cooler months, your coat is all you see. I also wore a ton of dresses and skirts with tights. I didn't need as many jeans or denim-varieties because of this. I also packed too many super warm and wooly sweaters. While I was thankful for these when I was in Austria and Hungary in the winter, I didn't really wear them in Florence since I invested in a good wool coat and scarf.
Unfortunately, there is no master list for what to pack for three months abroad. Generally, I advise people to cut their number of days traveling in half and pack that number of outfits (so for 80 days, you want to pack 40 pieces/outfits). If you stick to a color scheme, you should have no problem making another set of complete outfits (you can see an example of this here).
Here is a basic breakdown of what you should pack if you're studying abroad this spring:
Wool or Heavy Coat (for colder months, i.e. January and February, even March can be chilly depending on where you are studying). If you want to embrace your inner European fashionista, go for something with a bold pattern (like this one) or a bright color (like this one).
Puffer Vest (these are great for layering for extra warmth in cold months or to wear over a light sweater in the spring). I love this one.
Jeans - 1 medium and 1 dark wash (I would also mix up the styles. For example, a light wash pair of relaxed boyfriend jeans, a medium wash straight-leg jean, and a skinny dark wash jean.)
Versatile Tops (in varying sleeve length and fabric weight)
Sweaters (make sure at least one is a cardigan)
Skirts and/or Dresses (make sure they can be layered with tights or boots)
Pants (maybe a pair of colored denim, dressier trousers, or patterned pants)
Shorts (you can't go wrong if one of these is denim)
Tights (they are the easiest way to transition into cooler weather)
Pjs, Loungewear, and/or Workout Wear (I always regret not bringing more lounge wear)
Bras, Underwear, and Socks
A Great Hat (adds instant style and can be worn on the plane)
*Remember fun scarves and accessories can easily be purchased abroad and are a fun and relatively inexpensive way to add variety to your travel wardrobe!
Shoes: It is best to keep your shoes simple and practical. Remember, you will do a lot more walking in Europe than you are used to! I loved my packable Hunter boots on rainy and chilly days. Cobblestone plus water equals a million tiny and cold puddles. Seriously, these boots are so comfy and light. I wore them on a rainy and chilly day in London when my friend Mike and I walked more than 12 miles. Thanks to my Hunters, my feet didn't hurt once.
Bags/Purses: 1 Secure and Comfortable Mid-sized Everyday Purse (helpful if it fits your computer to go to and from class) 1 Larger Tote for School or Travel (carried on the plane) 1 Clutch or Small Cross-body *For theft/security reasons, I am anti-backpack
Buy hair dryers, curling irons, and straighteners when you arrive.
Don't bring "going out" shoes. High heels can be easily purchased abroad and since you will only wear them a couple times (most likely in dirty clubs) they aren't worth the room and weight in your suitcase.
Don't waste space on things you wear occasionally or have never worn, or on things that don't fit.
If possible, download required course readings on to your Kindle or iPad to save space and weight.
Consult your physician about your prescription medicines and refills prior to departure and how to adjust time sensitive medicines in a new time zone.
Space bags and packing cubes are great for maximizing space, but be warned, they don't lessen your suitcase's weight!
The more underwear and socks you bring, the less laundry you will have.
Bring small refillable bottles for budget airlines and weekend travel.
Blow up neck pillows are great for sleeping on buses and trains while abroad.
Check to see if your university has a VPN (virtual private network). Many do and when you log in overseas you can access Pandora and Netflix! If your university doesn't have one, you can purchase one online.
Don't forget your student ID, many places offer discounts.
What a difference a couple weeks make. We took these photos my last Sunday in Florence. It was such a fun last day in my beloved city. Anna and I strolled our favorite streets, gorged ourselves on pasta, and had cocktails at the roof-top bar of the Westin Excelsior at sunset as this crazy fog rolled into the city. It was the best way to say farewell.
Coming home has been a bit more difficult than I thought it would be. I was so excited to come home and enjoy everyone and everything that I had missed, but I didn't really think about how much I would miss Florence, the archive, and my friends there, not to mention just how different my day-to-day life would be. Honestly, I feel a little overwhelmed and lost. Jet lag hit me hard and I have struggled to get into a good rhythm. In fact, I actually slept on the couch my first week back because it felt so weird to be home (strange I know). But each day gets better as my sleep pattern normalizes and I fall back into old routines.
On a somewhat related note, being home means I can break out the Lilly Pulitzer. And today is the big Lilly sale! I am sure the site will crash and the virtual line will be long. I like to skip the online madness and head to my local signature store. They match the online prices, you get to actually try things on, and everything goes home with you. I highly recommend it! I have my eye on this tunic dress, this tunic, and these shorts. Hopefully some of them will be included in the sale.
To celebrate the arrival of a new year and new adventures, I created this fun one-page desk calendar. Just click, save, print, and display. Cheers to a new year!
Can you believe it is 2016? I still accidentally write 2014 sometimes! Continuing my walk down memory lane, I thought I would share my favorite looks of 2015. Which was your favorite look?
