Fall Travel: What I wore

My travel essentials… slightly overexposed

So. Let’s get down to it. A very common question that is uttered by most people every day is: What should I wear? Now, when it comes to traveling, that question becomes oh so important. Why? Because you’re going to have to pack, and you’re going to have to wear what you pack, thus, you’ll have to like what you pack and be able to wear what you pack. Therefore, take it from a girl who just traveled–me!

What are my essentials, when it comes to clothes? KEEP IT SIMPLE.

• Collared shirts, jeans and a belt. I brought with me three collared shirts, two pairs of jeans and one belt. Collared shirts, even if they are wrinkled and worn, are still classy and chic if you don’t tuck them in to your jeans. When you tuck them in, you exude power and oh, by the way, it shows off your waist. 🙂
• BRING A JACKET. Although, I will say, Europe was abnormally cold for this time of year. Some nights on my way home, I was freezing to death thanks to cold rain, wind and a low temperature. Therefore, while in Vienna, I purchased a Loden wool coat, and I could not have been happier and cozier for the rest of my trip.
• *Oh, running shoes, you’re so not stylish, but you’re SO COMFORTABLE* Make sure you bring outrageously comfortable shoes. In the beginning, I sacrificed comfort for fashion, and ended up hobbling around. As soon as I could, I bought a pair of running shoes that I normally wear, and finally I could walk. Don’t hobble, take comfort over fashion (unless you’re going to fashion week).

How about those all important accessories? Bling bling everywhere? HAHA, NO.

• Bring a watch. I am very partial to my watches and I always wear one. I took a very classic watch that could be paired with anything, and could not have been happier. Sometimes, your phone may die (mine didn’t, but hear me out), and thus, you’ll rely on your watch to tell you the time.
• I love, love, love my little mini bag. It’s a trio bag with each compartment completely zipped for added security, and let’s just say, I couldn’t open it very well one handed, so it’s tough to get into. *take that, pickpockets!* It’s the perfect size for cash, cards, a phone, some receipts, a passport and more. Additionally, mine has the ability to come apart, so I technically have two clutches and one bag. Also, it’s very simple and doesn’t scream *look at me! look at me!*
• Finally, take Rhianna’s advice from way back when and get an umbrella. The rain followed me everywhere, and finally, after being soaked 50 times, I caved and bought one. Hoods can work in light rain, but during torrential downpours, break out the umbrella.

At the end of the day, travel is about having fun and creating great memories through amazing experiences. Make sure that you help those along by being comfortable. Uncomfortable clothes or accessories can make you remember a trip or occasion for most of the wrong reasons.

Interested in travel fashion like mine? Look no further than dose.nyc, where you can score all of the greatest designer fashion and accessories for the prices that you determine! Therefore, in my opinion, you’re shopping, you’re scoring, and you’re saving so you can go on that next trip in style!

Vogue’s Fashion’s Night Out: Moscow

 

Exclusive t-shirts for sale at Tsvetnoy Univermag, Moscow

 
On September 3rd, Vogue Russia hosted Fashion’s Night Out in Moscow, in three different spaces, though the two most popular were TSUM, the gloriously uber-high fashion mecca next to the Bolshoi theater, and Tsvetnoy Universal Market, a six/seven storey building with a food market/mini cafe at the top, and much fashion for the whole family on the lower floors. 

Let’s just say the night was both spectacular and underwhelming all at the same time, but shortly you’ll see my reasoning. Bad news first, I guess? Let’s rip it off like a bandaid. Well, both places that I went, TSUM and Tsvetnoy, were incredibly crowded–that’s a good thing… For Vogue and the stores themselves. Additionally, there were many glamorous exclusives for the night, and only that night. This was both a good and saddening thing, but I’ll explain. Online, when Vogue Russia published all of the exclusives in the respective stores, there was great lighting, perhaps some photoshop… Case and point, you wanted those exclusives, including every single one of the 13 exclusive t-shirts designed by Russian designers on sale for the night. Then, you get to FNO Moscow and the exclusive items in person are very meh. In additon to finding out that not all 13 shirts are for sale, and good luck trying to locate the ones for sale in the stores… Plus, they were (mostly) victims of looking amazing… online. 

The pretty cool things about FNO Moscow? Well, the t-shirts. After a while of looking at them, they actually were pretty cool in person, but some of them… I just couldn’t come to call them fashion, but that’s just my taste. The celebrities, models, and Vogue personel… Alright, I know of a lot of Russian celebrities, but I don’t know them all. Some people you looked at, you just instantly knew they were someone great. Others, like models–ahem, ahem, Natasha Poly (my biggest model crush) was there–are more obvious to spot. And of course, due to it’s sponsorship by Vogue, Vogue Russia editors were all over, and that was pretty darn awesome. Other than that, you could get free ice cream and bubbly, some balloons, and some brands were offering 10% off during the night. 

Overall, was it a grand success? Well, in my opinion, not really. I see why the New York Fashion’s Night Out fizzled. In the end, it’s just another night of shopping where the well-heeled come to flaunt their plastic cards and the buff men see who can carry the most shopping bags. Yes, it has loud music and free ice cream and bubbly, some free manicures, rides in Audis, and some celebrity sightings, but it’s not much different from a normal day out in Moscow. Would I go again? Most certainly, it’s a place to see and be seen, it’s in Moscow, and at the end of the day, it’s a fashion holiday–I can certainly make room for that. 

More pictures from the night 

A fashion installation in TSUM Moscow

  
The installations, for the most part were great! Super cutting edge, but some left me wondering, who would wear these outfits put together like this? However, the individual pieces… stunning..

Crowds, upon crowds, upon crowds..

 This was taken at Tsvetnoy Univermag… If you can imagine, TSUM was even more packed, and here at Tsvetnoy, as the night went on, space became more and more precious. 

Travel: Food (Russia)

  
Over the next few weeks, my posts will be largely centered around food, though I’ll make sure to throw in some fashion, don’t worry. It is always a great day/time when I return to Russia, for more than one reason, but the primary reason is FOOD!!!! When my babushka cooks, oh my god, I have died and gone to heaven, even though I’m force fed every two seconds because I look “thin” or “winter is coming” among other reasons. 

Although this post is not about my babushka’s cooking yet, (they will come), this is the amazingness of hotel room service. Thus, may I present to you Siberian pelmeni, which are the Russian version of dumplings with a soft, slightly chewy dough and filled with a mix of meats, onions and few spices–lamb and beef usually (for Siberian pelmeni). 

These (pelmeni) are a staple of the traditional Russian diet, they are served hot, (these are in a beef broth of sorts) and are garnished with everything from dill (super Russian) to sour cream (also super Russian). In my opinion, pelmeni are light, you can eat hundreds (not really) of them, and they are so incredibly delicious! Although I can buy frozen ones at home in America, or make some myself, which is a lengthy, time consuming process, nothing beats свежие домашние пельмени (fresh, homemade pelmeni).

P.S. Oh my god, they were so delicious…. Can I take them home with me? About 100lbs worth? Winter is coming.