I love a “travel look book” moment, don’t you?

I’ve always been a huge fan of fashion on display!

I’m that girl that eagerly scans through every single “best dressed” list after the Oscars or Tonys, swiping through each slide just to catch a glimpse of what the celebrities are wearing on the red carpet. Porque? Why, because fashion is an incredible form of artistic expression! I mean, it truly is – have you SEEN those elaborate dresses? Clothing choices – whether color, cut, or texture- are a representation of a person’s personality in the form of textile art. Óyeme bien, for better or worse, your style is the quickest and most effective way to express who you are to the world around you. Well, either who you are or (in my case) who you want to be.

85% of the time, yo soy una madre, a suburban homeschool mom from Tampa, and that’s reflected in my style choices. Comfy, cozy, and cutesy pero nothing particularly especial. Generally, I look put together but my typical outfits don’t come off as “art”, certainly not the kind of art that really showcases my true personality. When I travel, though? Pues, eso es una cosa muy differente!

When I travel, I get to be Joana: sophisticated Latina woman of the world. She’s chic, confident, and bold in her fashion choices. She knows how to intertwine practical needs, color, design, and the type of “extra” fashionable pieces that make people look twice. She is intentional about how she wants the world to see her and how she wants to FEEL. Esa Joana… she is a by-god queen!

Getting to be esa versión de mi misma makes travel all the more exciting; all the more fun.

So after this 6 month Traveling in Spanglish blog hiatus, that’s what I want to focus on! Fashion! Let’s look back at some of my favorite Travel Looks of the year and why I loved them so much. Allow me to revel in those 2022 Joana moments, while also introducing myself to you guys once again! Sound good?

Vamonos!

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Celebrating Latinx Artisans in Colombia

Traveling through Latin America is a fantastic opportunity to support actual Latinx artisans while looking fierce!

Para mi viajes to Colombia y Mexico, I jumped at every single oportunidad to put my pesos into the hands of Hispanic artisans, I saw it as a way to give back to nuestra gente instead of shopping at touristy chain stores. It was a great idea too. Because, not only did my spending choices benefit authentic merchants, but mira que chula me vi walking through the streets of Cartagena! I mean, how cute, right?!

I was a whole Latinx vibe!

I was giving color, embroidered design, tropical aesthetics, y todo con a pinch of extra sazón! The white Sandona hat from Medellín really tipped it off, I think! 🙂 Or posiblemente, it was my awesome lace up guarache sandals from the Agave Girl Boutique. No lo se, my friend. But what I do know… is that I was living my best Latinx moment.

Strutting around in fashion that actually meant something to me… and to the people I purchased it from.

• Do you like to support local artisans when you travel? What’s your* favorite fashion item you’ve purchased while traveling?

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Being Prepared in Barcelona

I have mentioned this before in my packing guide post but I find that I look and FEEL my best cuando vengo preparada; when I come prepared.

Barcelona is this hip, modern, cosmopolitan city, right? Pues, when I went last spring, my husband urged me to pack hella light- for fear that I would bring too much and be a travel burden. Spoiler alert: I didn’t listen to his advice. But it was completamente worth it, in hindsight. I’d make the same decision all over again. 🙂

It took one day, but I managed to learn de observación what it was that Barcelona demanded of a traveler and that really helped me choose the best outfits to explore in later on.

Sometimes figuring out what a city asks of you, helps you create a style that works.

Por ejemplo, I needed fashionable yet COMFORTABLE shoes in BCN. There are just soooooo many miles to walk! Combat boots were the perfect solution for that! Toda la gente in the city were wearing them, and I was surely thankful that I came prepared with shoes that didn’t utterly destroy hurt my feet. Otra cosa: my chic wool trench! Not only are trench coats totally stylish, but they jive with the European fashion scene. When I wore mine, I managed to look fierce AND belong. I stood out AND fit in.

Me senti like a bad bitch that day. One that was proud of her packing choices, por seguro!:)

• Do you like to packing lots of options or pack light?

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“If I can have any impact, I want women to feel good about themselves and have fun with fashion.”

Michelle Obama

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Fashion as a Shield in NYC

Sometimes a good outfit is a like a suit of armor.

Hear me out, a veces un “look” can arm you the the confidence and bravery that you need to overcome a particular travel challenge. Sometimes an outfit isn’t *just* an outfit. Sometimes it is, in fact, a vessel to lift you out of nervousness, or an encouraging tool that forces you to rise to meet an occasion head on.

Cuando yo estaba viajando in NYC recently, I had to make a trip from the Bronx to Brooklyn alone. My first time. I was going to meet a friend that I had been corresponding with on Insta por un año but had never met in real life. Un amiga, in fact, that is a fashionable travel influencer that I look up to. New place, new journey, new friend. Your girl was all sorts of nerviosa.

So, I used travel fashion as armor.

I armed myself with an adorable summer dress that I’d purchased but never worn out. Feminine energy- CHECK! Después, I threw on my favorite puffed sleeved cropped jean jacket from Shein that had intentional rips in the sleeves. Chingona energy- CHECK! Y en final, I shielded my eyes with my favorite pair of reflective shades… so that passerby’s wouldn’t see the tinge of anxiety I felt about tackling a new place on foot, alone. Fashion armor- locked and loaded!

It may sound silly to think of fashion en está manera but it made me feel less nervous that day. My feeling good about how I looked, helped me tackle the new challenges I faced and do so with confidence and grace. I felt preciosa y poderosa… and that made my day and that travel moment such a special memory for me.

• What is your favorite piece of “fashion armor” to put on when you’re nervous in a new place?

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Leaning into Self Love in Mexico

Bathing suit shopping can be demoralizing; distressing at the very least. Es muy difícil to go into a store and try on suit after suit that seems like it’s not made para tu cuerpo (or the cuerpo of any adult woman, for that matter). On the other hand, encontrando un suit that fits you like a glove AND makes you look like a bajillion bucks… that’s a rare and beautiful thing. It almost never happens! Imagine my delight cuando encontré my unicorn swimsuit for my big trip to Cancùn, Mexico at Target. They sell a brand called Kona Sol and it works for the modern, curvaceous body. Yay!

Was it actually perfect? Honestamente, no lo se. Maybe yes, maybe no.

I think what really made it “perfect” was my mindset.

You see, I made the decision when I went into the store, que no iba dejarme vencir; that I wasn’t gunna let swimsuit shopping tear me down like in years past. I decided to enfocarme on my favorite body features and accentuate those, while being gracious with the bits of my body that I don’t care for as much. Y eso funcionó! I was able to find this suit and beach pants that played up my chest and arms (my favorite bits) and played down my belly and thighs (my lesser favorite bits).

I’m a big fan of “feeling how you want to look”.

And you guys, me vi bien sexy!

Lo hice by leaning into self love and focusing on what makes me feel beautiful even in the face of a daunting tasks like bathing suit shopping! Playing to your strengths really does invoke confidence, friends! You should’ve seen me STRUTTING in Mexico!:)

• What types of tricks do you use to help build your confidence with fashion?

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“Fashion is a way to say who are you without speaking.”

Aliza

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Keeping it simple in Rome

Tu conoces esa frase: “Less is more”?

Well, that is 1000% true, my friends!

I have found that I look and (more importantly) FEEL my best when I don’t try so hard. That travel version of myself that feels free and radiant- aka “Queen Joana”, she doesn’t need to “be extra” to look exceptional. Nope, all that is necesario es un poquito de intención and a great couple of fashion choices. Maybe just two! I typically chose a couple of items that fit great and work well juntos, and I let them do the heavy lifting.

Working smarter, not harder… but make it fashion!:)

Yo compre este simple, yet classy linen summer dress on Amazon for my summer vacay to Rome. It was lovely on me. Porque? Well, not because it was super high end, or even very elegant. It’s because it fit me well and the color just popped. I paired it with a cute Straw boater hat that I got from Target for $15 and I didn’t need to add anything more. I simply sat back, and I let those 2 items work their magic.

No te lo vas a creer, but the amount of compliments I got on this travel look was astounding. Simplicity and elegance did it’s thing, y’all.

Y yo… well, I felt like a travel goddess!

• What is your favorite way to work smarter, not harder with fashion?

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Comfort as Fashion in the Mountains

Escúchame muy bien, looking great out in the world does NOT have to mean walking around in dresses and heels all the time! It doesn’t mean you have to be “fancy”, my love. You can be the kick ass fashionista version of yourself that you want to be even when you let comfort reign supreme. Tu eres muchas cosas, and because you are a thousand things wrapped into one, that reflects in your style.

This is what I discovered on my trip to the Italian mountains of Abruzzo. Ok, I really do like to sashay around a big bustling city but también me encanta a good trek up to the mountains, too. I enjoy both and my travel wardrobe should be as diverse as my interests are.

Play up every aspecto de tu amazing, multi-faceted personality in your fashion choices, amor!

Comfort can be cool. Comfort can be cute. And comfort has a place- do you hear me? I looked downright adorable on my hike up to Rocca Calascio and I did it without compromising my sporty, practical side. The beanie I wore kept me warm AND slayed. My Fabletics leggings me hicieron sentir limber and “tight” in all the right places but I was also* hella equipped for mountain climbing (did you SEE that sheer phone pocket??).

Sometimes the best travel looks are the ones that let you be your WHOLE self!

• What do you like to wear when you want to feel most like YOU?

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“Real style is never right or wrong. It’s a matter of being yourself on purpose.”

G. Bruce Boyer

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Main Character Energy in Charleston

Style is an outward expression of each individual person, of YOU! Your personality, your vibe! It’s something important to consider when you pack for a trip…

Another thing to consider? That you, while you are out galavanting sobre todo el mundo, are the main character of the story you are creating.

Read that again, you are the main character of your life story.

And, guess what? As such, tienes que verte bien. You have GOT to look the part.

You are not the mousy best friend. Tampoco eres the goofy side kick. This trip, ALL the trips you take, are an opportunity for YOU to shine, because you are THE STAR. So why not dress like it? Bring la ropa que brilla… the clothing that makes you shine. Pack the dress that fits you like a glove. Throw those bad bitch shoes into your suitcase. Toss that “travel content creator” type hat that you love into your luggage. Pack it and wear it all.

Ponte esa ropa and live out the story you deserve to have.

The fashion you choose will boost your confidence and make you into the leading lady or leading man that you’ve always wanted to be.

It did that for me on my trip to South Carolina. I walked around the marshes of Charleston feeling like type of heroine I always read about or see in movies. And my 50’s inspired dress in the breeze was giving “Elizabeth Bennett on the mountain” vibes. IYKYK. I felt like there was background music and a camera giving me my thematic moment!

You know what? We all deserve to feel that way! Be the star, friend!

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My loves! Espero que you’ve enjoyed this journey back through my favorite looks of my travel year. Even more though, I hope that reading theses posts inspire you to use fashion as tool to help you make the most our of every single viaje.

MY goal is to encourage you to make fashion work for you! To give you confidence, to make you fearless, to give you the courage to journey through esta vida like the main character of tu historia.

Your style should showcase who you are in all the best ways.

I hope that this look back through MY most fabulous Joana moments reminds you the power of intentionality with regards to YOUR travel looks. What you wear matters! It’s how you tell people quien eres! It’s how you fill your own cup! Y mas que nada, it is the way that you celebrate all of the different aspects of your personality, but in the form of art!

Let’s jetset in style, shall we?

I promise I wont take so long to blog next time! Los extrañé! I missed you!

Con mucho cariño,

Joana