Hola Fam! 2019 is almost over! Ya se acabó! It’s been a truly fabulous year for me and my crew, as we’ve jet-setted more than any other year prior. No me puedo quejar, I really cant complain. It’s been magic. All sorts of places and climates and experiences. Which, of course, means… all sorts of travel looks to go with them! Jaja! You already knew I was going there right? You guys know I’m a sucker for a cute travel lewk! I aint even gunna front, I’ve had some bomb fashion moments this year too. I mean, 1 outta like 4, was absolutely adorbs. Ha. So, anyway, I thought it would be fun to compile a list of my 10 favorite looks. For you, for posterity, and so that I can inspire myself to keep it up and BRING IT in 2020!
Here we go, in no particular order:
1. One thing you have to know about me, is I LOVE LAYERS! And Hats! Cold weather makes me happy for that reason alone. It’s a chance to bring out scarves, gloves, beanies, and trenches. Que alegria! I was freezing my ass off on the Brooklyn Bridge last January ( it was literally 20 degrees) but least I was slaying! Priorites! Haha.
2. Our second April day in England brought sunshine for the first time of our trip. That meant I had to capitalize on the perfect hair day and werk it. I flat ironed mi cabello and paired the coif with some glam earrings that I found in the clearance aisle of Target’s jewelry section. Match that with a cute little patterned top from Shein and BOOM… England Sophistication. Or, well, that’s how I felt for the, like, 3 hours before it started raining again. Maldita lluvia!
3. I love cities. There’s something about walking around a bustling city that makes me want to try harder to express myself through fashion. So that I both stand out and fit in. Everybody walking around has a purpose, an intention, and they are all dressed for THEMSELVES. That’s style heaven; so inspirational to me. It’s like a friggin fashion rainbow! Hilarious, actually, that in the midst of Edinburgh’s fashion rainbow… I chose black and white! Ha! What can I say? I love a good monochromatic vibe to go with my leather jacket. And besides… Yo soy rebelde!
4. When you know you are going to spend the night in a century old British castle, you dress appropriately. You go to great lengths to wear your cutest jacket and your most adorable boots because you want to look the part and because you know, its gonna be ALL over Instagram in the morning. O Sea, HELLO! It doesn’t even matter that you had to wait an extra 30 mins for the steam to take every damn wrinkle out of your trench, or that your feet are blistering up in those boots. Style is king, right? Ha! In all honesty tho, guys, I felt like a reina. I gave myself queen vibes on this day and as I’m typing right now, I’m missing how I could almost feel my crown as I strutted around the Hazelwood Castle.
5. This is my own Joana version of grunge, yall! Ha! I know, it’s not quite right. Mis amigas and I had an excursion to the Valley of Fire National Park near Vegas and they said “Desert Grunge” for photoshoot looks. This was the best I could come up with. Thing is, I’m not grunge… or punk… or rock and roll. I’m Nuyorican. This was my best effort. I loved it tho. Its so me. My favorite shoes, my best hat, a chambray top, and big earrings. Soo not grunge, but soo me. And at the end of the day, so cute. I still look back at those pictures from that day and smile.
6. I’m going to go ahead and say it: rompers might be the best travel investment ever! Hear me out! They are both a top AND and bottom! 2 articles of clothing COVERED with one. They are basically efficient space savers. Completamente lightweight y they fit into suitcases with ease. Oh, and did I mention? They are hella, hella cute. I mean, look at me right chere! Cute AF. Romper banging, fanny pack tight, and hat on point. I was living my best Caribbean life that day.
7. Traveling in the summer can be a real bummer. It’s hot and there’s not much in a wardrobe that helps with that. No one wants to spend a touristy day sweating through a pair of jeans or uncomfortable in a strapless bra just to be able to wear a flowy dress. Enter: jean skirt. This jean skirt was a lifesaver for me on my summer DC trip. It was super cute, matched with everything, versatile, and offered me the opportunity for breeze to hit my legs. Que rico!
8. Mexico Querido, you brought out the best in me… and my wardrobe. Got this cute bohemian romper at Ross of all places for $10 bucks and I love it. Always get complements when I wear it. I paired it with my big floppy sunhat and it looks totally glam in this pic (gracias Marido for snapping this shot). The funny thing is that, I was gross that day. Sweaty, with 6 day old curls… not cute. But the clothes and hat took me up a notch. That’s exactly why I try to be intentional about what I pack when I go to new place, because sometimes you need the clothes you bring to give you a “pick-me-up”. By looking at this picture, you’d never guess that I felt haggard on the inside… instead you think, “Strike a pose Joana!” Verdad que si?
9. This New York day was prolly one of my favorites of the whole year, for reasons that had nothing to do with fashion. *But* my style choices reflected how I felt being in MY city. I felt confidant, sassy, and a little edgy. All of that is evident in my ensemble. Ripped up jeans, cheetah print sneakers (not pictured), a sassy graphic tee, huge ass earrings, and a bold red scarf. I felt like NY brought out the “zero f*cks” part of my fashion sense and I absolutely loved it. Bronx girl for life!
10. My last favorite lewk is the sassiest and most glam. It just a lovely jumpsuit that I got online, but it’s magic guys. I mean it. Tiene magia! First off, I fits me like a damn glove. Curves on display beautifully, girls peeking out up top, shoulders adorned with a bit of classy lace. All the things! But more than how it looks, I love it how it makes me feel. I felt like a QUEEN traipsing around the Rose Mansion in NY that night. And I’m telling you, because I felt that way… others treated me that way. I got smiles, winks, thumbs up, all of it. Magic! Maybe tho, the magic came from within. We’ll never know for sure, but I do know that the romper helped!
“Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.”
-Coco Chanel
Guys. This year has been fabulous. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing my travels with you, as well as all of my favorite looks. Moral of this post is just to be intentional. Try! Hecha le ganas when it comes to your style. Wear what makes you feel fantastic and works for you . The world will take notice! And you will slay well into 2020!!
Con mucho carino,
Joana
