Parisian for a Week

Hello Everyone,

I arrived back in the States on Sunday after spending a week in the beautiful city of Paris and 4 weeks in Nice. I promised you guys a post last week, but with the limited time frame in Paris I could not waste anytime on my laptop. So today I bring you a guide to being Parisian for a week. I did not hit all the normal Paris tourist stops, so if you are looking for a different view of the city check out this post. It’s a mix of tourist & local Parisian. Feel free to share your favorite spots in Paris in the comments below.

Monday:

Everyday I attended classes at a French language school called France Langue, which is an amazing school with great professors who are willing to help you reach your goals with French. So, my day started here with orientation to the Paris program and meeting my new professor for the week. The rest of the week I had class from 8:30-12.

My morning commute was a 40 minute metro ride from Maison Blanche to Trocadero. If you are staying on the outskirts of Paris you may want to check out the metro to get around. It can look intimidating at first, but it’s a pretty simple system once you understand it.

Figure out your metro stops here.

After class my friends and I went to lunch at a cute little bistro cafe close to our school called Le Pain Quotidien. I had this delicious vegetable soup with quinoa in it, the other girls dishes were equally as delicious. The food here was fresh and filled with taste, like all the food here in France.

Then, we tried to check out the Catacombs of Paris but they ended up being closed on Monday’s, so that was a no-go. Tip: Be sure to check when museums are open, for example the Louvre is closed on Tuesday’s, other museums are closed on Monday’s. Check for strikes as well. 

Due to the road block, the group decided to grab some Nutella Crepes and walk in the park close the Eiffel Tower. Tip: Eat Crepes, lots of them. Then it started down pouring and we had to hid out under the Eiffel Tower. We called it a day after the rain and headed back to our houses to eat dinner with our host family’s.

Tuesday:

After our class we had lunch with the group from our university, we ate at a cute little restaurant by the Oden metro stop. I apologize for the lack of knowledge on the name, but I ordered a steak with fries. How American, I know!? Tip: A point, is like medium well.

Catacombs of Paris: We hopped in line right after lunch. The Catacombs were seriously amazing and creepy all in one. The walls were close and the ceilings were low, not a great place to visit if you are claustrophobic. At a certain point the walls became lined with human bones and skulls, my stomach started to feel a little funny at this point. The Catacombs hold a lot of history and they are a must see if you are interested in the history of Paris.

Tip: The line for the Catacombs is very long, come early or be prepared to wait a couple of hours. 

Wednesday: 

Louvre: Today we visited some of the Louvre, I say some because to see all of the Louvre it would take you 3-4 days. It’s huge and the art inside is extensive. My group went in with a mission to see certain things and that is what we did. We stopped at the Mona Lisa, of course, then the Venus sculpture and some of the other famous Italian & French Paintings. We also checked out Napoleons Apartments, which was unreal to think people lived like that. Along the way we made a few detours to check out some of the other works, but we were able to see most of what we wanted in a couple of hours.

Jardin des Tuileries: For lunch, my little group ate in a cute cafe in the Tuileries Garden, which is right across from the Louvre. This is one of my favorite spots in Paris because you get a view of everything. You can see the Eiffel Tower peeping out of the trees, the Arc de Triumph in the distance, the Louvre behind you and the Seine flowingg behind the extensive buildings. I love it here, it’s the perfect spot for a picnic too.

Next, I checked out a museum close to the Louvre called Les Arts Decoratifs where they had a Barbie exhibition going on. This was actually so cool to see, it was like a walk through my childhood. They also had a Fashion Forward exhibit that was a run down of fashion through the years. I was unable to reach this section on my first visit, but keep reading to see this stop.

After grabbing some ice cream, I peeped into an amazing bookstore called Galignani Bookstore.  This bookstore was unbelievable, they had a huge selection of Fashion books in French & English. They also had cute little nooks to read in, along with a industrial staircase to more books. I was in love!

Tip: If you are student in France, bring your student card and proof of residency and you will get in for free. 

Thursday:

Thursday I decided to take a Fashion Tour of the city, put on by yours truly…me. I researched all the places I had to hit and here are a few of what I found.

Palais Galliera, Museum of Fashion: This museum was by far one of my favorite stops in Paris. It displayed garments from the 1700’s up until recent high fashion runway pieces. There was Chanel, Christian Dior, Balenciaga, Paul Poiret and other big designers. Audrey Hepburn’s hat collection was on display, along with other famous fashion icons most loved fashion pieces.

Chanel Boutique: This Chanel is one of the most popular ones because it is located under Coco Chanel’s apartment. I did some window shopping in the store, being careful not to break anything because it felt like a museum to me. The Chanel Boutique was amazing, I was unable to visit the apartment because I did not make a reservation in time.

Tip: Make a reservation or call ahead to be sure tickets are available. 

Galeries Lafayette Paris: This is the must-go shopping spot in Paris, especially during Soldes. The sales (Soldes) are amazing and the store is 7 stories tall. It includes big name brands like Chanel, Kate Spade and Miu Miu, along with more affordable brands like Top Shop & Anthropologie. I almost bought a Kate Spade purse while I was here because it was so cheap for Kate, but I could not do it.

Vintage shopping: Next stop was vintage shopping, two shops I found to be the best were Kilo Shop & Free ‘P’ Star. I found an awesome vintage leather purse at the Free ‘P’ Star, along with some cute scarfs. At the Kilo Shop, they sold Levi’s and other cool denim jackets. I ended up purchasing a vintage black wallet from here and one scarf. These shops were so cool to look through, I think purchasing vintage in Paris is so much better because I know some Parisian woman carried it before me. Therefore, I feel like I am carrying a piece of history. I would have probably purchased some clothes too, but due to the suitcase requirements I could not stuff my luggage anymore.

Tip: Buy vintage purses, they’re better.

 

Friday:

After class the girls and I grabbed lunch at a cafe near the Notre Dame, once again I do not recall the name but there are lots of cafe options close to Notre Dame, so it is a good stop for a tourist. I also got proposed to here by a waiter, so that was interesting.

Then we hit up some souvenir shops to finish buying gifts. I suggest that you do some of your souvenir shopping close to Notre Dame as well because they have a street filled with shops. I think it is a good idea to mix up your gifts too, buy some souvenirs and some meaningful gifts too. For example, buying a specialty gift from the city you are visiting, in Nice this was soap or perfume. Souvenirs can be fun sometimes, but buying unique gifts are nice too.

Tip: Do not over spoil people at home, buy close friends and family something small but do not break your bank to buy them expensive gifts. Most of the time they will not value the trip like you do and they may not cherish something you buy, that’s not a bad thing but something to remember. Choose something small and meaningful, but not overly expensive. 

Musee Rodin:  This museum is home to The Thinker statue. The Thinker sits in this beautiful garden that surrounds the museum. I visited the garden section of this museum but the girls and I got talking and then we got kicked out because the garden had closed. It was still a great stop.

Fashion Foward, 3 siecles de mode: I was finally able to return to the Decorative Arts museum to see the Fashion Forward exhibit. Next to the Palais Galliera, this was the coolest exhibit I have ever seen. I really do love art, but fashion moves me in a different way, I can connect with it. The Louvre is great, but this stop was more my cup of tea. I was on the brink of tears when I walked into the grand room filled with Dior, Chanel & Yves Saint Laurent dresses. If you are in Paris now, or going to be, this is a must see for fashion lovers.

Dinner @ Le Champ de Mars: For a last night out, the girls and I grabbed a nice dinner at Champ de Mars. We sipped on some white wine, ate chocolate mousse and laughed until our cheeks hurt. It must have entertained the waiter because he brought us each a free glass of wine.

After dinner we made our way to see the Eiffel Tower lit up, we found a spot in the park next to the tower and we gazed up at it in shock of its beauty. We asked some people behind us to take our picture and we ended up befriending them. They were from Australia and Canada. I find it so amazing how easy it is to make friends here from around the world. We sat with them until 11 pm to see the Tower sparkle, we yelled at some people selling Champagne and we said our good-byes to our new friends and the Eiffel Tower.

Tip: Sometimes it’s okay to mingle with strangers, you may learn something new.

Saturday:

I tagged along with a small group to go visit the Palace of Versailles. The trip out there took a little while, but once we were in the Palace it was unbelievable. The walls were works of art, the furniture was extensive and the palace itself was huge. The gardens surrounding the Palace were also amazing. It’s insane to think back into history and realize people lived like this. The kings and queens of France built this palace to reside in. It is truly amazing to look at the details they put into the structure, but also sickening to know they used the people of Frances money to build this extensive palace. I am so happy I visited the Palace of Versailles, I was unable to walk through all of the gardens but I was happy to see most of them.

Tip: Take the hike from the city to see Versailles, it is worth it.

Sunday was departure day and I headed back to the States, but my heart was stuck in Paris for sure. I am already thinking of ways to get back, I loved France so much. I will be constructing a summary post to give you an insight on lessons I learned and give a reflection of my amazing trip. I will also be constructing a guide to Paris street style because let me tell you it’s perfect. I am taking a little more time on this post because it deserves it!

I hope you liked this little insight on my week in Paris, I know I did not cover all the hot spots, but I definitely found some hidden gems and visiting the fashion museums were most meaningful to me. A last tip from me is to visit things that actually mean something to you because yes it is great to visit some of the historical sights but you will remember visiting places you liked more than forcing yourself to see something you do not care for. Visit was you want and get the most out of your time, do not be afraid to leave the group to look at something else.

If you have any specific questions regarding these places check the links I shared or feel free to comment below, I would be happy to offer help. I loved both Paris and Nice, I am looking forwarding to returning to both places in the future.

For now it’s time to get ready for the fall and start working on new series for my beautiful readers, my inspiration is flowing now so stay tuned for amazing new posts and a possible change to Vogue & Van Gogh… I am looking forward to what the future holds and I hope you all continue to follow me on this journey. Until next time…

Stay positive & confident.

xo, Lyss

 

Summary of Fashion in Nice

Hello Cuties,

A fashion post is long over due, I am so excited to be writing something bright and happy. I apologize for the lack of posting in the past couple of weeks, my schedule has been filled and I have not been able to provide you with the best content. But, now I want to give you the run down of fashion must-haves in the South of France.

Starting with my observations:

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Above are the essentials to the perfect Southern France look; after spending 4 weeks on the French Rivera, I am feeling confident in my observations. Off the shoulder shirts and dresses are a must to the perfect summer wardrobe when traveling along the Cote d’Azur. They are chic and comfortable for the heat. The next summer must-haves are these embroidered sandals with colorful poms or beads on them; they not only come in many styles but they are super classic for the South of France. I sadly did not purchase a pair of these, but they are so adorable.

Next two must haves are mostly essential for a day at the beach, first a versatile scarf that works through all seasons and then the perfect straw purse for your beach picnic. This picture of the scarf above is not a great representation of one, but it is super handy to buy a big light-weight scarf to wear on the train when you travel city to city, or to the beach as cover up and it works as a beach blanket too. I used a $10 scarf from Forever 21 but my friends found some on sale for 3 euros. So, these are easy to find and super useful. Lastly, a cute picnic/beach purse. I bought mine (pictured above with the feet) from a little old French lady for 18 euros. These are hot in the South of France right now, you see them everywhere, for good reason. They are fashionable and great for beach picnics, my personal favorite.

There are plenty more of these cute looks that I could share, but I think I will save some for my final Trend Forecast in August.

Now, my highlighted outfits from Nice:

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| Monaco. Eze. Cannes. |

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| Antibes. Menton. Nice. |

I have already shared a few of these photos in other posts, but here are my favorites from the past four weeks. The weather in Nice is very hot, but I honestly loved it most of the time. I had a lot of options for choosing my clothes each day, but some days were hotter than others. Now that I am in Paris I am realizing I did not pack for Paris, but I will manage for the next 5 days.

In my final days in Nice, I spent lots of time with my new friends from around the world (mostly Swiss) and exploring the area as much as possible. I visited the port, waterfall and of course, the beach. Or group also visited the city called Menton, where we visited the Jean Cocteau museum. Then, we also visited the Matisse Museum on Friday.

On the last day I decided to get a tattoo to always remember the beauty of Nice and to remember to travel often. This trip has brought me so many new perspectives on life and specific areas of my life, my new tattoo will forever remind me to explore beyond your comfort zone because that is where you find yourself. Your true, brave and free self. My friends also got spontaneous tattoos with me, they got the Fleur de Lis.

I am really excited to spend this last week in the beautiful city of Paris, but I am really missing Nice already. Although I am looking forward to sharing some true Paris street style with you after this week, today was spent people watching and let me tell you, the Parisians are beautiful and they do fashion so well. I will also be planning a day to explore the real OG’s of fashion, which includes the Chanel boutique and a fashion museum. Umm…Hello!!! I will try to share my travels and street style guide in two separate posts, if possible.

For now, I will leave you with this post and I hope to bring you another post before I leave. I truly appreciate all my loyal readers and I hope you continue to stay with me to the end of this journey. Stay with me forever and hit the subscribe button in the lower corner. *If you have noticed my English is progressively worse, that is probably a true statement and I apologize. Talking is hard! Thank you all.

Cheers to a new week & great adventure.

xo, Lyss 

Quote of the Day:

A Thank You.

Bonsoir Friends,

It is kind of hard to do a follow up from my last post but I think that a “Thank you” styled post would be suitable. Last Thursday was a surreal day, and it still does not really make sense to me but I just continue on with life. So, that day is shaded with sad stories and more hate toward certain races, religions, etc.. But, I personally would like to take a minute to thank a few people for playing a part in saving my life, even in the smallest way.

First, I am thankful for my friend from Switzerland for changing our groups path from the beach, and recommending that we avoid the crowd and cut the line on the stairs. Saving us about 5 minutes…Kind of crazy to think what could have happened if we let the beach clear first.

I’d also like to thank the man who knew the code to open not only the gates to the alley we hid in, but for knowing the code into the apartment building that I stayed in for most of the night. Without your knowledge and kindness, some of us would have only been left to running for our lives.

Next, thank you to the French man that opened his doors to let us use the restroom and gave us water while we waited for more information. He also kept us updated from what the news had been saying. When a girl on in my program tried to help give us a ride and find us, this man spoke to her host family to explain where we were located and I am so thankful for this gesture.

Thank you to my friends host parents for trying to help us get out of our situation by offering us a ride home. We were unable to take their offer due to the restrictions in the streets, but their kindness meant a lot to all of us. Shout out to this specific friend because her calmness and strength kept me sane on the other side of the phone. She stayed on the line with me for over 20 minutes and she was experiencing her own interpretation of the situation. She is such a strong person and I am so thankful for her calmness and help that night.

Thank you to the French police and military for controlling the situation after the fact and reassuring safety. Thank you to all of the people that immediately went to the hospital the next day to donate blood for those in critical condition. Thank you to all the doctors and nurses who worked to save the lives of the victims. Thank you to the strangers on the streets for helping my friends understand what was going on and to the strangers that opened their doors to not only me, but my terrified friends as well. That takes a lot of trust and kindness. Thank you to anyone who reached out to those in need on this tragic night.

Lastly, thank you to all the friends and family at home who sent me kind regards and prayers, I could not feel more love and support from so far away. You all are seriously the best and I am anxious to see all of you when I return in August. Your words, long or short, meant so much to me.

I do not know if this is the post I should be following up with but I think it was necessary to highlight the kindness in this situation. Hate often shields the kindness in the world because its impact is greater, but finding the goodness in your heart to be kind everyday is important and deserves to be recognized. My heart is still heavy for France, as it has experienced a lot of heartache this past year. I know that with my new knowledge of these horrible situations I will return home with a new perspective of spreading kindness as much as possible. Hate is alive and well in this world, but so is love and love conquers all.

Just a summary of this past week: 

I have spent a lot of time with the people in my group in hope to understand and cope with this event. We have visited new cities close to Nice and spent lots of time trying to make happy memories to shade the bad one that weighs on our minds. This trip has been nothing less than amazing, I am so thankful to be here and experience it all. Nothing can change the memories I have already made and the ones that are yet to be discovered. This attack only adds a story to go with the others, I am not regretting any part of this trip, even that day. The hate in the world wants to find its way into our souls with negative thoughts and through these acts of terror, but resisting these thoughts will keep you healthy and happy. I am looking forward to my last few days in Nice, and my last week in Paris, but I know my heart is sad to be leaving so soon.

This post was mostly to thank all of those involved in my crazy Thursday and I will really try to have a fashion/travel post to you next week. I hope you stay tuned and keep up with me! Thank you for reading today and I love you all. See you soon!

Cheers.

xo, Lyss

“It Will Never Happen to Me!”

Good Morning Friends,

Today I wake up with a heavy heart and the feeling of numbness taking over my body. If you have yet to see or hear the news, last night an attack took place in Nice, France right where I am staying. Yesterday was Bastille Day in France, which is equivalent to the 4th of July in the States. There was fireworks, spirits, live music and lots of people. The firework show began at 10 pm, as my friends and I sat on the beach watching the firework display, the thought of an attack never crossed my mind.

You think about these acts of terror that occur around the world and you tell yourself “It will never happen to me!”, but sorry to break you piece of mind, it CAN happen to you in a matter of seconds. Before you even know it you are following a mass crowd of people running for their lives, yet you are completely clueless as to what is even happening. But, in the back of your mind you think “terrorist attack”.

It was just after the fireworks, around 10:30 pm (France time) and my friends and I began to head toward a different part of the beach to meet up with more friends. It was one girls birthday in our group, so we were anxious to celebrate with her. My friends Danielle & Bailey were walking ahead of me, and I was walking with some of my new friends from France Langue. For one second I lost sight of them because the crowd of people was so big, but I knew where they were headed so I was not worried, but then it began.

People were running away from the Promenade where all the festivities had been taking place, we had just came from there. I had no idea what was happening so I too began to run with the crowd but then suddenly they shifted directions, I was completely terrified and trapped. My heart sank in that moment because part of me knew it was an attack and I didn’t know what kind it was. Was there bombs planted in the city? Was it just one man? Were there others?

I had no idea.

I ran into this alley way with my Swiss friends, we huddled in this door way to an apartment and the looks on everyone’s faces was horrifying. It is a feeling I will never forget. Luckily, a person that lived in the building buzzed us in and for 5 seconds I felt safe. But then the thoughts of what is happening returned, I was in a building with complete strangers, was one of them in on whatever was happening outside? Or even worse was there a bomb? Terrible thoughts circulated my head. Finally people from inside opened their doors, offered us water and the restroom and I began to realize this was safe for now.

As we sat in the building, I called Danielle to see if she was okay and where she was and thankfully she and Bailey were close enough to come join me. Others in our group were taken into other apartments or some of them were lucky to be almost home. I sat in the stairwell of this apartment building from 10:30 pm until after 1 am. We did not know when it was “safe” to leave. We had been so close to where the situation occurred that the streets were filled with people screaming and crying, for 4 hours we heard sirens passing the building. The building did not have any windows from the stairs, so I was still completely unsure of what was occurring. We had been hearing different stories from everyone. The police told us to stay put for now.

After waiting for hours, the group decided it was time to see if we could get out. The police had us walk out with our hands above our heads and hands free from our bodies. When we got to the line of police men in the city center our bodies were examined and our bags were inspected. I was still so nervous, even with the military and police all around. After we got beyond the city center things were quiet. We all walked each other home and hugged one another, in relief that in a matter of 5 minutes our lives changed.

Before leaving the beach that night we were waiting for our group to collect, the streets were dense with civilians and we were moving through the crowd very slowly. After breaking through the crowd it was no more than a couple of minutes until the madness began. The place that we had come from was the place that the truck had driven through the crowd.

5 minutes more or less, I may not be here. FIVE MINUTES.

Before I left on this trip people were telling me not to go because of situations like so, although I am very shaken up by the situation I do not regret this trip or even last night. I am almost thankful that I experienced because it was a slap in the face about how f**king scary our world really is, one minute you think you are safe and the next you are hiding in an apartment building with strangers crying and calling loved ones. You can’t trust the people beside you because you don’t know what is even happening outside. The world is becoming a scary place and I am saddened by the road our global society is taking. Hate is not the way to get things done, killing innocent people is not the way to get things done.

When we left the building we were hiding in, I did not even think to look behind me, I couldn’t bear to see the carnage of people and police scattering the eerie street behind me. When I got home around 2 am this morning, my host mom hugged me and cried. My phone was exploding with notifications. I wanted to respond as much as I could but my feelings were numb, and they still are. It is hard to process because nothing happened to me directly or physically, but mentally I am in shambles. I do not even know how to fathom the event, I am thankful that I am alive and healthy but I am also in complete shock of what happened. It just does not seem real, once again it is one of those things were you think it can never happen to you until it does.

The world is headed down a dark path of hate and violence and it is actually terrifying to witness it firsthand. You watch the news and you say that’s sad and you go change your profile picture on Facebook and call it good. That’s not how this is supposed to work…whether you’re black or white, Islamic or Christian; this is not how the world works. We need to stand together to fight back to these acts of hate. Stop blaming one race, stop blaming the police, stop blaming others and look in the mirror. You can change yourself, you can spread kindness and love and support your brothers and sisters of a different race, religion or sex. You do not have to agree with their actions or beliefs but if we continue to separate ourselves into groups, our society is going to take a hard turn to hell.

Thank you for reading my post and I appreciate all the support I am receiving from family, friends and others. It truly means a lot to me! I felt like writing out my feelings was the best way to understand what happened, but I still don’t think I will ever understand how one person can kill another with no care. I hope you all are safe and sound, and my thoughts and prayers goes out to those who were seriously impacted by the event.

Much love.

xo, Lyss 

 

Cannes, Euro 2016 & Beach Parties

Salut Beautiful Readers,

This past week has been crazy busy and amazing all in one. The past few days have been a complete 180 for me because I have spent every night out with friends and meeting new people. Before I jump into my stories about being a crazy France fan and swimming in the sea, I will share my Cannes and Ile-Sainte-Marguerite experience with you.

Cannes:

We visited both cities in one day due to their proximity, Cannes was a very beautiful city and the beaches were sand. (That’s crazy here!) We walked along the beach for a little while before taking a hike up to the old part of Cannes. The view from the top was breath taking! We then grabbed some lunch at a local deli and headed to a shaded area to picnic. It’s always beautiful weather here, but sometimes the sun kicks your butt. Everyday I am exhausted and I love it!

Ile-Sainte-Marguerite:

This was an island just south of Cannes, it was a short boat ride to the island. On the island we visited the prison where the man in the iron mask resided, it was very creepy to see the old cells but also very interesting. History is always intriguing to me, it is crazy to think people lived here before us and they lived so differently.

After we hiked up numerous stairs, per usual, we reached some more amazing views that stretched to the coast of Cannes. This was also a great photography moment! We then headed to the beach for some downtime and sea glass hunting, which were both successful. This island was gorgeous and I loved the history on it.

Now for some fun stories from the past couple of nights; and if you know me you know I am not one to go out, yet I’ve gone out the past three nights…when in France???

The fun began on Wednesday night when I decided to grab a drink with Shayna at the local bar to watch the Wales vs. Portugal match. Bailey and Danielle joined us later. We ended up meeting some Irish people and two Swiss girls, we debated about tuition and other political things, which was quite fun to hear there view. After the match was finished we went out to the streets to celebrate a little with the Portugal fans. It was crazy, which it always is after the games. The beach is so convenient here in Nice, so after the bar we decided to take a walk on the beach with our new friends. This resulted in half of us swimming in our clothes, or a little less. It was super crazy and amazing all in one!\

Thursday night was the France vs. Germany match, which was a big deal. The bar was packed and we hit up our usual spot at Checkpoint (the bar). Fans filled the room wall to wall, every time France got close to scoring or scored the room exploded with cheers and chants. It was so fun to be apart of the atmosphere there. France ended up winning the match, which caused the streets to fill with insane fans filling the fountain and city center. French flags flew high and people were exuberant from the win. Before long the girls and I thought why not join the celebration by jumping into the fountain too?! So that was another amazing experience.

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For Friday, I spent the day out on the sea, snorkeling and soaking up some sun. Snorkeling was beyond amazing and it leaves me breathless every time. For the evening, we went to a local night club to have a final hooray for one of our friends from Spain. The club did not open until midnight and we showed up at 11 pm, so we grabbed a bottle of wine and headed off to the beach to kill time. This time did not result in swimming. It was very chill, but then we finally went back to the night club and that was my first time in a club. It was super fun because I love dancing and I just danced for 2 hours straight basically. ‘Twas a great night!

It has been amazing being able to go out and see so much, I have met so many people from around the world and I feel so lucky to have this opportunity. The people I have met so far have really incredible souls and I am also thankful for my new girl gang (Danielle, Shayna & Bailey) #DaretoLove. I feel like I am dreaming from time to time. I can’t believe I only have two weeks left here in Nice and one in Paris. I hoping to embrace every moment!

I don’t have much for fashion today just because I have been so insanely busy but I will share my photos from Cannes/Marguerite. Also, it’s “Soldes” here in France right now which is basically like Black Friday but 5 weeks long, so I will be broke by the end of this trip. When I return to the States I will have to do a “Haul” type of post for all of you to see my goodies.

Outfit from Cannes:

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| Black & White Romper-Dry Goods |

Thank you all for reading today, sorry that my posts are at such crazy times but I hope you still love them. I enjoy doing these recaps of my travels, so let me know your thoughts too! I hope you have a Happy Monday and an even better week.

See you again soon!

xo, Lyss 

Quote for your Monday:

What It Means To Be a #Girlboss?

Hello Everyone,

Yes I am still here in France but after some observation of my peers I think this post is necessary.

Before I quit cheerleading this past year, I was having a lot of self-confidence issues. Being on the cheer team I never felt good enough, I felt too fat compared to the other girls, I felt negative about myself and the list goes on. There was a lot of back stabbing that occurred and I was becoming this negative person I was not proud of. I use to believe that I was confident and proud of who I was, but it wasn’t until I parted with cheer and started finding myself elsewhere. Starting this blog has helped me find the things I love, I have been able to put myself first and find myself in a new way. Putting yourself out there can be difficult, like blogging publicly, but it can be very freeing when you are receiving feedback and you are confident in yourself.

Coming on this study abroad trip has made me realize my own progress in becoming more confident in myself and my beliefs. I’m not only proud of myself for taking this leap of faith into adventure and mystery, but also for truly finding confidence in myself. I am not writing this to toot my own horn, it’s actually due to the realization that many of my peers, specifically the females in my group, struggle with confidence and owning who they are. I am here to change that because not too long ago I was that girl, I felt like my beauty and personality wasn’t enough. I think girls have it tough sometimes, we can never be too comfortable because that’s conceited but we also can’t be to insecure because then we are shamed. Girls need to learn to be comfortable in their skin and confident in there goals and values.

The past few months for me has been spent finding myself, I know that is commonly used and cheesy, but for as long as I can remember I have been defined as a cheerleader. In the past few months I have been finding myself in a new light, and this crazy adventure could not have been better timing for where I am in my life. It has inspired me in many ways.

My best friend, Tessa, bought me a custom necklace before I left that says “#girllboss” and on this trip so many people asked me what that means. I guess I have never thought thoroughly about how to define Girlboss or how it defines me; but after the many questions on this trip and the #Girlboss posts on my blog, I’ve come up with something. So thank you Tessa for helping define who I truly am…a #Girlboss. Thanks for a wonderful gift and friendship.

Girlboss is not about being an extreme feminist or being a controlling b*tch, it’s about being confident in yourself, loving yourself and inspiring others to do the same.  I say this because even when you don’t see the impact of these elements, other do, it shines brightly. On this trip, I have been having some of my friends take pictures of my in front of different sites or views, mostly for my blog but also for myself. One of the times that I was taking a picture one of the boys on the trip stepped in and called me conceited for taking so many pictures of myself. At first I became defensive about the comment, but then I realized that for the first time in a while I was being called conceited for loving myself, my body and my life. How is that a bad thing? I am in a beautiful country, with beautiful people and sites!?

Girlboss, defined by me as: A girl who loves herself and lives her life how she wants, aside from societal norms. A girl that encourages other girls to love themselves too! A girl that is smart and witty, but also knows how to let loose. A girl that is not afraid to be smarter than a man. A girl that seeks adventure, knowledge and success in all she does. 

I would choose to be called conceited over insecure any day. This is why I say girls can never win the confidence game, we either don’t have enough or we have too much, it’s a crime if you pose a threat to being completely content with yourself. I know society likes to tell us we need to change, we need to be this perfect shape and this perfect housewife or we are below men when it comes to brains. Sorry to get all feminist but it’s sadly true. This is why I am accepting of the “being conceited” comment because I think it’s important to be conceited at times. In life you are the only you there is and if you’re not conceited for yourself sometimes, who will be!? Now there is a difference between being overly conceited and being humble. Always be humble, but don’t cut yourself short because society tells you to. Go take pictures of yourself, go start your own company and be a CEO, do whatever your beautiful soul desires.

I am writing this for the girls on my trip, and girls everywhere, who are insecure about taking pictures of themselves or nervous to be their true selves in fear of being judged for being conceited or too much. I know you are fearful that you’re not enough or your thighs are too big or too small, but trust me your gorgeous. You may be thinking it’s easy for me to say because I am small or pretty or something, but I use to feel the same way and I’ve been there. Girls of all shapes, sizes and ages feel the same things, trust me. Once you learn to accept your flaws and embrace them rather than pick at them daily, you will be one step closer to confidence. We always are comparing and judging ourselves to women who are not at the same level or place as us. You’re not going to look like a model because you do not have a make-up team and stylist at your side, and that’s okay. You have to look at where you are in life, be thankful for that and keep moving forward with a positive attitude.

Accepting these things will open a new door for you. I have been working on fixing my negative attitude toward myself over the past few months, and I did not see any crazy changes but clearly others have around me. I am back to joking and being myself with others very quickly, rather than being the quiet and unsure girl. I don’t think you ever realize when you are fully confident until other start seeing it, and that is a beautiful moment because being confident with yourself in a judgmental society can be very difficult.

Often times we look to others for inspiration but while we are looking one way for inspiration, someone else is looking to you for their inspiration and we do not realize it. Stop comparing yourself and start being yourself, that’s important to someone out there and if it’s not it’s important to your health. You may not realize the people you are impacting but one day someone may photo bomb you and tell you that you’re conceited or something and you may think “ouch”, but then you will realize you are no longer the insecure quiet girl.

It’s okay to be a powerful woman, I promise. It’s okay to take pictures of yourself, I promise. It’s okay to be proud of your accomplishments, I promise. It’s okay to be a little conceited, I promise. Be smart, be proud and be you.

After encouraging the other girls in my friend group to be more confident and not be afraid to take pictures of themselves, yesterday we had a break through and they all wanted solo pics and it ended up being a really fun day because we all were having so much fun posing for pictures. I think self-confidence is important and the world needs more of it. Encourage others to be the best version of themselves, because sometimes they don’t believe it and they need the reminder.

So here is a shout out to the girls in my group: You are stronger than you believe and more courageous than most simply because you are here in a foreign country. Not everyone has the strength and courage to travel to a foreign country for 6 weeks to study a second language and live with complete strangers. So if you are even doubting yourself or abilities the slightest bit, maybe it is time to evaluate how far you have come and realize you are person filled with adventure, strength and confidence… you just have to believe it too.

Here are some encouraging photos to go along with this post:

 

 

I am proud to call myself a Girlboss and you should be too. Thank you all for reading my posts, even when I am gone! Keep up with me on my journey by subscribing below or following my Instagram.

Happy Tuesday & cheers to the new week.

xo, Lyss 

Nice, Eze & Monaco

Bonsoir Cuties // Good Evening Cuties,

I have finally arrived in Nice and I am all settled in with my host family. It has been a busy past couple of days and it sometimes still does not feel real. I arrived in Nice on Sunday, and that evening was spent with my host family. It has been very different trying to communicate in French. I came into this trip only having two years of French under my belt, so it has been difficult to say the least. It is kind of like a game of charades every night; but, I am slowly adjusting and learning new things every day.

So far, since I’ve been in Nice, we have visited the city of Eze and also Monaco, which are both beyond beautiful. I have also visited the gorgeous beach twice now, the water is quite salty but so refreshing from the hot sun. I began my classes at the language school, France Langue, which is right here in Nice. The class is very interesting but can be very long (4 hours 4 days a week!!!). Since arriving in Nice I have already seen my French progress from trying to speak to my host family and conversations in class.

 

Nice:

Nice is the home base for the next 3 weeks, I am taking classes in downtown Nice and walking past the beach everyday. Old Nice has been one of my favorite places so far here, along with the chateaux view of the city. The view here is unbelievable, you can see the whole city, plus the beautiful blue sea. Nice has been great so far, I have visited the beach twice now and classes are going great. The beach is a little different because it is made up of rocks, still not sure how I feel about that.

Eze:

Eze was this beautiful village tucked away in the mountains near Nice, we took a bus here on Wednesday. At the top of one of the rocks is a beautiful botanical garden, combined with the overlook of the Mediterranean, the view was unlike anything I have seen. I will share pictures but they do not so the view justice. I recommend this spot to everyone who ever wants to visit France. We also visited the Fragonard perfumery! I bought this lovely scented body lotion. Eze has been my favorite stop so far.

Monaco:

I was not in Monaco for very long but it is very cool place. Monaco is its own country in a way, they have a prince and palace. Our group moved very fast through Monaco and we were stuck on a bus for a good amount of time, so we did not really do much there except for walk. Monaco has an amazing casino and it’s filled with wealthy people, it’s quite a nice city though. I am hoping I can return for a longer period of time before we leave Nice for good. We hiked up a million stairs to reach an amazing overlook of the city, which I will share a photo below.

All the places we have visited so far have been amazing in different ways. I am really appreciative for the group activities but sometimes it gets annoying and hard to see all the things you would like when you have to wait on a large group.There are many more adventures to come though and I look forward to the next 4 weeks.

On to fashion, the fashion here in Nice has been a little different from Paris, but it is still equally chic. The sun is a little hotter here, therefore the fashion has a tropical touch to it. Brighter colors are welcome!

For my culture class, I have to work on a project and my topic is Fashion (la mode) in the French culture. I could not be more ecstatic to do “research” on this topic. So, I have purchased a Paris Vogue, visited some stores and people watched religiously; so far I have been able to pick up some key factors. Throughout this project I will be sharing my findings with all of you and hopefully provide you with some fashion advice.

For today though I bring you some of my outfits over the past week:

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For my day trip to Eze, I wore a burnt orange colored dress with my canvas flats from Roxy. This dress was super comfortable and perfect for the hot day. I would love to recommend it to you but I actually picked it up off a sale rack at a boutique. You can find similar dresses at H&M or Forever 21. Check local boutiques for unique pieces like this!

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For my tour of Nice on Monday I wore my favorite linen dress from Forever 21, it’s so light and airy for the summer. I paired it with my brown strappy sandals and my cross-body light pink purse. This was also very comfortable for my day that was filled with walking and exploring. Denim/linen styled garments are hot this summer and they are easy to style.

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for Monaco, I wore one of my favorite summer dresses paired with the same sandals I wore in the previous outfit. This dress is also very light, but I was still sweating after climbing all the stairs to the amazing views. I bought this dress last summer when I visited New York City and I still love it for the summer months.

Disclaimer: Don’t mind my crazy hair because I have not used any of my hair tools since I have arrived, therefore everyday is a different for my hair. It’s been a fun experience!

The days not included mostly included jean shorts and plain shirts, the easiest way to look chic but stay comfy. I just bought some really fun pants from a store here, so look for those in the upcoming posts.

I hope you are keeping up with me because I love sharing my journey with all of you. I am sorry for delayed posts and long breaks but keep up with me on Instagram if you are hungry for more. I may do a quote post here soon because some of the girls in my group have sparked my motivational self to do a post on being confident during bikini season. LOVE YOURSELF PEOPLE! Thank you for reading today and I will try to get another post to you early next week, but I do have lots of homework and such so be patient.

Find adventure everywhere!

xo, Lyss

Travel Quote:

Paris & Fashion Update

Bonjour Cuties,

It’s been a couple days since I arrived in France and it has been quite crazy since I arrived. The first day was super long and it felt never ending, which was not a bad thing since I am in the most beautiful city in the world, but it was nice to get to bed that night. The first and second day was spent in Paris, mostly walking around and checking out the popular tourist areas. I still have yet to buy some macaroons but soon!

I am currently headed to Nice where I will be moving in with my host family and starting classes on Tuesday. When I was in Paris I was completely in awe of the fashion, it is just like they describe it, PERFECT! I am in love. I will share of my favorite styles from what I saw later on in this post.

In Paris we visited Montamarte, the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, and le Jardin du Tuilleries; along with a couple other stops while walking. We will be returning to Paris towards the end of the trip and we will spend more time adventuring to new places.

Saturday night a couple of the girls and I went out for some drinks (I’m legal here, parents!) at the bar L’Autre Etoile (The Other Star), and the bartenders were so fun. They even gave us a free shot before we left to cheers to us for our journey to Nice, we are hoping to return when we come back to Paris. I also got to try a Cosmopolitan, felt like Carrie Bradshaw, but it was c’etait bon. (It was good!) It was a fun way to really kick off our adventure.

This is all so crazy, the moment the plane landed at Charles de Galle my heart became so full; it’s hard to sleep here because you do not want to miss one moment. I hope all of my readers have the chance to visit this beautiful country one day. I am absolutely in love with the people, the fashion and the wine.

Now, let’s talk fashion!

Boyfriend Style: The “stealing from your boyfriend’s closet” look is a big thing here, and I love it. I have so far seen women wearing baggy shirts with boyfriend jeans, or rolled jean shorts. I have also seen the mixture of boyfriend style with a little feminine touch, it is so chic. I love that French women can wear baggy, masculine clothes but make them so feminine and badass all at the same time. Lipstick is important in this sense, wear your boyfriends’ shirt but then throw on some lipstick and call it good.

Athletic Shoes w/ Tout le Choses: Athletic shoes with everything, and I mean everything. I left my converse at home because I figured that was an American college girl style. But, boy was I wrong, converse everywhere. No offense to my home girls but they wear them way better! I’ve mostly seen them paired with midi skirts, cigarette pants and dresses. The classic Adidas tennis shoes are also popular. This is actually a super cute style, it is comfort paired with class.

Sweaters: Although it is summer here in France, you can find the locals in Paris carrying around a fashionable sweater for the chill that sweeps through the city. The one style that stood out to me was elbow patches on the sweaters, we have similar styles in America but there were a lot more here; men and women were wearing this style. It is also very chic!

Midi Dresses: These are starting to be more popular in the larger cities in America, but they have been popular here for a while. I have seen these paired with athletic styled shoes as well.

Trench Coats: Once again, it may be summer but that doesn’t stop the French from throwing on a trench coat for the morning commute. It can be chilly in the morning and evening in Paris, so this light jacket is popular amongst the fashionable crowd.

Button-Ups & Black Distressed Jeans: This is one of my favorite style and I have seen it everywhere in Paris. It is an easy, casual way to still look chic and classy. As I mention in the first style, button downs are very popular and they are worn with lots of different things. I think this is one style I will for sure be reflecting this fall when I return.

Here are my outfits that I have worn so far:

Day one:  I was wearing my Lululemon leggings and grey tee at the airport and through our traveling, but when we went out for dinner and to the Eiffel Tower the first day I changed to a dress from the store Garage.

Day two: The second day had a lot of walking in the toasty sun, therefore I figured a pair of olive green shorts with a black tank top would be most comfortable for the day. I also brought along my chambray button up because it started as chilly morning.

Day three: Today I met my host family and spent my morning on the train to Nice, so my outfit was trying to be both cute and comfortable. So I wore my light washed denim shorts with a classic white button up, this was a look I stole from the streets of Paris. I do not have picture for this look, I became very hot after unpacking and walking to my host family’s home so I was unable to get a picture.

Thank you all for reading this post today, I will hopefully have another sooner than later once I get settled in here in Nice. Keep up with my adventures on Instagram @betweenvogue_vangogh and subscribe if you want to catch more adventures here. See you soon readers!

Cheers.

Xo, Lyss

 

A Note Before My Departure

Bonjour tout la Monde // Hello Everyone, 

Tomorrow is the day that I leave for France and before I left the country I wanted to do some house keeping on my blog. When I am in France I will not have the same access to internet as I do here, therefore I will probably only be able to post once a week or so. These will be spontaneous posts, so it is important that you subscribe to my email list below to catch all my posts.

Here are all my social media handles too:

Instagram: @betweenvogue_vangogh | Twitter: @Vogue_VanGogh |

Facebook Page: Vogue & Van Gogh

Also, when I am abroad my content in my travel posts will be a slightly different than my usual posts. I am going to share an insight on my travels and some of my outfits. I want to share my adventures with you but I also want to be able to enjoy every moment to the fullest, therefore I do not want to be behind my computer too much. I hope you all will keep up with me and feel free to share any of your travel stories with me along the way.

I will be in France for about 6 weeks and I will return to the States on July 31st. You can follow me through Paris, Bastille Day, living with a host family in Nice & eating all the amazing French food, all right here!

Check out my packing series: Packing for 6 Weeks in France & What’s in My Carry-On?

Check out my fashion forecast for France here!

My plane departs tomorrow at 5:35, my next post will probably once I arrive in Nice which will be next week sometime. I start in Paris for the first 3 days then we train to Nice on Monday, once we arrive I have to take an exam and get settled so give me some time. I hope you all stay connected on my crazy adventure and keep up with me on social media. As they say in France, Bon Voyage!

See you soon readers! // à bientôt! 

xo, Lyss 

While I am out of the office for a bit, check out some oldies but goodies:

Why Quitting Shouldn’t be Seen as Failure

3 Ways to Wear Denim this Season

Book Review: Leave Your Mark

 

What’s in My Carry-On?

 

Hello Cuties,

Today I am going to share with you the second part of my packing journey, which includes packing my carry-on bag for the long plane ride. Packing a carry-on is very important because this bag is for the most important items and plan B if your luggage is lost. (Crossing my fingers that does not occur.)

Most airlines allow you to bring a checked bag (check my last post regarding that here) under 50 lbs., a carry-on (dimensions are different for all airlines) and a personal item. ( purse, backpack, etc.) For my carry-on I am using a North Face backpack that includes a laptop compartment. I think this will be the best for once we arrive in Paris because a backpack is easier to carry and provides organization when looking for important documents.

I am going to share a packing list that I grabbed from Pinterest and found to be very helpful for when packing a carry-on. It has a lot on there and you can tailor this to your own preferences.

Free Travel Check list

Now for my mini guide to packing your carry on:

Essentials for your carry-on/personal item include airline tickets, foreign currency/cash, phone, passport and all important travel cards. (Overseas insurance, credit card, other ID’s, etc.) Also packing your medications in your carry-on is important and you must have them in original packaging. Keep all these items handy and accessible at all times.

Toiletries are also something to pay attention to; you want to be sure they are under the 3 oz requirement and they are all permitted. For example, certain aerosol sprays are not, check your airline for details. In my carry-on I am bringing a tooth brush, tooth paste, shampoo & conditioner, make up wipes, dry shampoo and deodorant. I purchased these carry-on approved items at Meijers, they have a great selection of these items.

 

Electronics are key to keeping you sane on the long flight. For my electronics, I packed my iPhone, laptop, portable charger and headphones. If you have a tablet that would suffice for a laptop or you can bring both. It is all up to your discretion. Since I have my blog to keep up with I am just bringing my laptop. It’s important for you to carry these expensive items with you anyway because this lessens the chance of something happening to them. Oh, I am also packing my GoPro in my carry-on as well, this is how I will be making documented videos of all my adventures from start to finish. Don’t forget chargers either! Laptop, phone and camera chargers or fresh batteries. I am packing two memory cards for my GoPro, that way I have a backup card. I will also throw my converters and adapters in my carry-on, just to be safe.

Other Entertainment may include a favorite book or magazine, a journal and pens, and maybe some other things. I will be bringing the book Girl Boss and my new travel journal that says “say yes to new adventures”. Along with that I will probably nap and watch movies to surpass time.

Clothes & beauty products that I may take, aside from my toiletries, include a small make up bag and some extra clothes for the first day in Paris. I was told to pack my carry-on as if I were going to lose my luggage, therefore be sure you have at least one other outfit tucked in there and some other important items. I also plan to bring a scarf, even though it is a toasty summer, a scarf can work as a blanket, make shift pillow and a fashion piece.

For my outfit on departure day I plan to wear a plan grey tee and my favorite Lululemon leggings, paired with my Sanuk sandals and the scarf I mentioned. I will also be wearing all my expensive and important jewelry because in the event that my luggage is lost, they will be safe. This is just basically my Pandora bracelet and favorite rings. (the TSA is going to love me!)

A few other tips that friends have told me are things like wearing your heaviest pair of shoes to the airport because then it takes up less weight and space in your luggage. Another friend told me to tie my tennis shoes to my backpack, she says you may look weird but you just saved room in your suitcase from wearing one pair and tying the other. Both very great ideas that I am considering while packing for my adventure.

Always remember to pack smart, it’s very easy to get carried away when packing but avoid this at all costs. You will thank yourself later. Also, it will be more fun to pack less and buy new things in the country you are traveling to. You may find a new favorite and you won’t have to worry about the airport security and luggage requirements. Packing can be tough but throw on some music, make a packing list and get it done.

I appreciate you all so much for reading this post and I hope it is helpful when it comes to your packing nightmares. Now is the time to subscribe to my blog, as I am leaving the country and Somewhere Between Vogue & Van Gogh is going to be changing. Please stay tuned & Happy Monday.

Keep shining.

xo, Lyss 

Monday Quote: