Dressing for Ski Season

Dressing for Ski Season

I get asked a lot during the winter living in Colorado, what to wear on a ski trip! I’m here to tell you my top ski outfit tips so you can stay warm without sacrificing style!

For your time on the slopes – besides always wearing a helmet (making a fashion statement without a helmet just isn’t worth it), dress in layers when you’re on the mountain! Especially when spring skiing comes around, the temperature at the base of the mountain can be drastically different than at the top. In the spring. I’ve found myself in a t-shirt at the bottom and zipping back up in my ski jacket again when I hop off the lift. T-shirt, a wicked sweater, and winter coat on top means you can layer up or down as needed! I wear yoga pants underneath my snow pants, a neck scarf, a beanie under my helmet, goggles, and waterproof gloves. Make sure your gear is waterproof, no one wants to be cold and wet on the mountain. For skiers specifically, you’ll want thick wool socks to go under your ski boots. Comfortable socks are crucial to a happy ski day. DON’T fold them down or roll them! Make sure the sock is all the way up your leg with nothing else going into your boot because once you tighten your boots, you’ll feel everything going on in your boot and again, comfort is key. I also carry a waterproof backpack to carry water, a credit card, ID, and sunscreen.

skiing outfit!
Not pictured are my Solomon Lumen skis.

Essentials to pack for your ski trip –

Swimsuit (après time!), faux fur vest(s)/coat, faux leather leggings, and a couple of warm boot options. I like to bring tan/light colored options, as well as a black version. Pack turtlenecks, a tunic sweater, and a couple pairs of jeans. For coats, I suggest packing a more casual puffer jacket and a dressier option for dinners out. Cute and cozy beanies are also high on my pack list, and a couple of cozy scarves to match. Normally I would recommend some sort of heel for dinner or a dress, but honestly you rarely see dresses, and wearing a dark washed jean or legging is perfectly acceptable at dinner. Pairing your look with a faux fur coat or a patterned coat will elevate your look, Also, no one wants to slip on ice or trip wearing heels in a ski village, so a boot is also acceptable and normal. I promise you wont be over dressed.

My biggest piece of advice is to pack pieces that you can wear in multiple settings. Below, I’m wearing my faux leather leggings and Chelsea boots to make multiple outfits. Winter clothing takes up considerable space in your suitcase and rewearing turtlenecks, leggings, and boots is the best way to stay under that suitcase weight limit! Also, if you know it’s going to be chilly when you get off the plane, it may be worth wearing some of your bulky clothes on the plane. You’ll be warm when you deplane and it’ll save a little space in your luggage!

Below are five outfits I’ll wear on a ski trip. I have shared similar options when an item isn’t available. As always, my links are commissionable and I appreciate when you use them to make a purchase!

xo-

Darcy

Sweet Treats

Sweet Treats

What is your guilty pleasure? Is it chocolate cake, a good piece of pie, an ice-cream sundae? I LOVE cookie dough and a couple of years ago I stumbled upon this little slice of goodness while visiting my husband’s family in Northern Virginia. The Dough Jar is located in Georgetown in Washington, DC and although it’s small and quaint, this serve cookie dough that is safe to eat and they can mix it into a milkshake for you! You’ll thank me later!

They have this fun and bright neon sign up when you enter!

Due to COVID, they are currently operating on strange hours. I tried going with my husband last time we were visiting my in-laws and they were closed, so this time we stopped by after checking Google and had to wait 15 minutes for them to open (Google said 5:30 and the door said 6:00). I don’t blame businesses for cutting hours where they can and I hope small businesses like the Dough Jar make it through the pandemic. They also ship their edible dough nationwide, so if you’re looking for a girls night or just craving a tub of cookie dough, The Dough Jar has you covered!

I ordered chocolate chip cookie dough blended with cookies and cream ice-cream + sprinkles (got to have sprinkles!) This was one happy girl!

Chocolate chip cookie dough milk shake!

If you’re in the DC area, I highly recommend The Dough Jar as a fun stop. Georgetown also has some of the most beautiful and charming Colonial neighborhoods in addition to the University. Take your milkshake and get lost in exploring the area!

Happiest when I have a sweet treat!

Outfit details: Pink Blazer in 4P from Boden. Another option is the Harlow Blazer from Macy’s. It doesn’t come in petite sizing, but is almost identical in color!

Jeans: Petite Sculpting Pocket Highest Rise Skinny Jeans in Classic Dark Indigo Wash (4P) from Ann Taylor. Another option is High Rise True Skinny Jeans from Gap! I always have good things to say about Gap jeans and love that they carry petite sizes.

Block Heels: Brielle Suede Block Heel Slingback Pumps from Ann Taylor. Another option is a similar pair of Slingback Heels from Ann Taylor Factory.

Jewelry/Headband: Heart Headband from Ann Taylor and Pearlized Heart Earrings from LOFT.

This post contains affiliated links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you). Thank you for supporting me this way and helping me generate future content that I hope you’ll enjoy!

-xo

Darcy

Traveling in Style

Traveling in Style
Oh, travel days! Traveling days can be long and stressful, but that doesn’t mean you have to dread days when you have to go to the airport.

Travel has been a big part of my life for a long time and COVID has been a strange and sad experience to say the least. I’m not traveling like I used to, but I am still on the occasional plane. I particularly miss the days of going overseas, but I know those days will come again. I am sharing how I typically dress for flying/travel in general and a few things that I never go without!

  1. Travel Joggers – These Travel Joggers by Abercrombie are my go-tos! They have a wind breaker fabric and that means that they can withstand a spill better than traditional sweatpants or jeans. They are currently limited in petite sizes, but available in regular sizes all three colors (olive, black, and cream). And lets face it, there is nothing worse than getting on a plane with a noticeable coffee spill down your front. I also love these pants because they are versatile and I can style them in other ways when I get to my destination! A&F also does carry a ton of other joggers and these Fleece Joggers are another great option!

2. A comfortable sweatshirt for traveling is a must. Even if you think you wont get cold on a plane, carry one with you! Plane temps can be all over the place and a soft sweater makes the journey more enjoyable. I’m coming back to Abercrombie because they really do have great travel pieces. Try this Mockneck Sweatshirt or this Side-Snap Turtleneck Sweatshirt. Both options are stylish and cozy.

3. An inexpensive backpack. I’m all for an expensive bag, but when you’re traveling, your bag touches everything and rather than worry about a bag getting some travel related wear-and-tear, I’d rather use a less expensive option that holds all of my travel related things. I use this Dome backpack from Target and love how roomy it is! It’s spacious enough to carry my laptop, wallet, a book, and other small odds and ends.

4. A basic ballcap and oversized sunglasses to cover that plane hair and tired eyes after you land. Try this black baseball cap from Target and my favorite oversized sunnies are these Cabana Sunglasses from J.Crew.

5. Besides a sweatshirt, I always carry a coat with me. I prefer a longer coat so that I can use it as blanket if I get cold on the plane. I love the classic feel of a trench coat. Try this Cotton Twill Trench from Banana Republic that comes in two colors and has petite sizes! I also like a comfortable tennis shoe like the Adidas Edge. It only takes one bad blister experience in an airport to know to wear comfortable shoes. If I do wear flats or heels, I always pack tennis shoes and a thick pair of socks in my carry-on so that I can change after take off. *Side note, it also doesn’t hurt to carry some Advil and a few Band-Aids in your carry-on.*

6. In terms of beauty, in my carryon I have a lip balm, a good concealer, and a face cream. For my lip balm, I love Moroccan Magic! It’s oil based and I find that it keeps your lips extra hydrated vs. traditional wax based balms. For my concealer, I use Lauren Flawless Fusion Ultra Longwear Concealer. This concealer comes in a variety of skin tones and I use the Natural Finish for my fairer complexion. I really like this concealer because it is not too heavy and when I’m traveling, I don’t want my skin to be weighed down with makeup. For my skin cream, I use Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask. I swear by this stuff! I apply this goodness after I land and it really does hydrate and refresh your skin in a way that doesn’t seem real.

So I do have to level with you, Summer Friday recently came out to say that they had a batch of the mask that was compromised. Having a company take responsibility when they make a mistake is admirable. Click here to read their full statement. This means a lot of the product has been pulled from shelves temporarily. I have never had any sort of reaction to their products and they are still selling the mask on Amazon, but I don’t feel comfortable sharing it unless you contact me directly. I don’t ever want to share a product that is potentially harmful! As it stands, I will update this post when the mask comes back to the market.

7. My last must have when traveling is a power pack (don’t be the person hunting for an outlet to plug into). Try this Portable Charger from Best Buy for under $30. If you’re flying economy or domestically and you don’t have a charger under your seat, it’s worth it to travel with a battery pack.

Happy travels!

-xo

Darcy

This post contains affiliated links. If you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission (at no cost to you). Thank you for supporting me this way and helping me generate future content that I hope you’ll enjoy!

15 Road Trip Must Haves

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Road Trip Must Haves-

1. Bee & Willow™ Home Picnic Basket with 4 Place Settings – My hubs and I registered for a picnic basket when we got married and it remains one of my favorite things we ever got! Why not stop on the side of the road, enjoy the scenery, and enjoy an impromptu lunch?

2. Will Shortz Presents Road Trip Sudoku – I love a good mind teaser game and Sudoku is always one of the best!

3. Dot’s Homestlye Pretzels – Ah, Dot’s! They are one of my favorite road trip snacks. A nice buttery, peppy twist to munch on during hours in the car.

4. Neutrogena Beach Defense Sunscreen Spray – SPF 50 – Neutrogena is my GO-TO sunscreen on vacation. The spray is light, non greasy, and it smells so good. I’ve had people I’m with go and invest in a can because it’s that good!

5. Picnic Time® Ottoman Cooler in Grey – I can’t express this enough, I LOVE this cooler! It is not only a cooler, it also acts as a bench or ottoman up to 350 pounds. If you’re on the side of the road for a lunch break, you can sit on cooler and still be comfortable! It has a divider between the cold storage and dry storage so that everything isn’t at the same temperature. The dry storage also has a front opening so you can easily grab your snacks from the front seat without digging around.

6. BlueAvocado® Zip 2-Pack Snack Bags – I’m ALL about road trip snack and these snack bags are the perfect size to pre-pack some of my favorite treats!

7. Dream Zone™ Sleep Mask – Everyone needs a good sleep mask when traveling. I’ve used the Dream Zone since my freshmen college dorm days and love it’s silky, lightweight texture.

8. Ello Jones 11oz Vacuum Insulated Stainless Steel Travel Mug – This travel mug is the perfect size to fit in your cup holder and fits under single serve machines (shout out to the 7-11 coffee dispenser). It’s insulation means your cold drink will stay cold and your hot drink will still be toasty up to 5 hours after you pour that cup of joe.

9. Fujifilm Instax Mini 11 Camera – There is something that feels quintessentially road trip about a Polaroid camera. Digital photos are great, but having instant photos to keep forever is special. Why not invest in an Instax Mini and snap those vacation memories as they happen?

10. Rechargeable Book Light 5 LED Clip-on Reading Light – There is nothing worse then straining your eyes trying to read at night when you have inadequate light. This rechargeable book light has 3 colors of light and brightness to accommodate different lighting needs throughout the day/night. You wont have to put down your book when the sun starts to go down!

11. Newton Ridge Plus Hiking Boot – Hiking boots don’t have to be ugly! Colombia is the king of the outdoor wear and these Newton hiking boots are both practical and stylish. The cognac color with the red laces creates a rustic look without compromising on the cute.

12. The North Face Jester 28L Women’s Backpack – I’m a firm believer in investing in a good backpack and North Face is one brand you cannot go wrong with. This women’s backpack is great for a road trip because the molded straps mean it’s comfortable, while the roomy main sized compartment means you can pack a decent amount of stuff inside. It has a laptop sleeve and extra room on the outside for two water bottles.

13. Moroccan Magic Lip Balm – Coconut Almond – I’ve talk about Moroccan Magic on my Instagram before, but they have some of the best lip balm! It’s oil based meaning your lips are left a lot smoother vs. a regular balm. Moroccan Magic is also vegan and cruelty free, meaning everything is clean without animal byproducts.

14. Samsonite® Magic 2-in-1 Travel Pillow with Pocket – Samsonite is known for great travel products and I’ve been using their suitcases for ages. They also sell travel pillows and the travel one is fantastic. It converts from U shape to square to accommodate different sleep positions and it has a slot to store your earbuds.

15. Sony XB12 Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker – Big beats, little size. This portable speaker from Sony delivers quality sound in a compact size. It’s also waterproof AND dust proof, so you don’t have to worry about the elements.

Getting Married Abroad

Getting Married Abroad

I’ve been thinking a lot about my wedding day in the midst of the global changes we are facing and I’d like to share my own experiences about getting married in Italy and the unique challenges to planning a destination wedding.

When my husband proposed to me under the Christmas lights in 2015, I knew I wanted a destination wedding. I never envisioned myself getting married in a traditional setting, and after we became engaged, I set out on figuring out where in the world our wedding would be. Enter endless plates of pasta, pizza, and some of most stunning views in the world. We decided on Lake Como, in northern Italy’s lake district and in August of 2017, we made it official. Oggi sposi!

It took close to two years of extensive planning to realize my vision, partly because I wanted to have a legally binding wedding vs. a symbolic ceremony. It was important to me to make it legal in Italy and because of that my husband and I jumped through an astounding number of hoops without speaking very much Italian in order to get married on the waters of Como. There were lots of tears along the way, stresses galore, and we got married during what was timely named the “Lucifer” heatwave of summer 2017. It was so hot that our photographers let us take breaks between shooting so that we could step into the shade and try and hydrate. The weather that morning was 90 degrees by 11:00am. The rest of the day was dedicated to swimming in Lake Como and drinking Aperol Spritz’s galore. Despite the heat and all the challenges we faced getting there, it was truly the perfect day. Magical, dreamy, and as perfect as I imagined.

For my dress in Italy, I wanted to feel old Hollywood glam. Think Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. I also didn’t want a heavy, full length dress that I had to carry with me through Europe. I found a simple lace cocktail length dress with cap sleeves from Adrianna Papell and Levin heels from Jessica Simpson in white snakeskin. I was worried about navigating cobblestone streets in heels, so I went for a 3.5 inch heels and they were surprisingly comfortable. Looking back, the dress wasn’t my absolute favorite in terms of style, but it was comfortable, light, and fit well with a wedding by the water.

When we arrived back to the US from our wedding and honeymoon, we held a big reception to celebrate with our family and friends in Denver, Colorado at the Lobby restaurant. It’s a fantastic old brick building in the heart of downtown that’s not too stuffy and it was perfect for a laid back reception. They have a large courtyard that we used for a quick vow renewal (it was important to have family and friends be a part of the day since only a handful of people went with us to Italy). After our mini ceremony, we played corn hole in the courtyard and chowed down on tiramisu wedding cake.

My full length wedding dress was the Nima dress by THEIA and I purchased it at a&bé bridal in Denver. It had an empire waist with beading on the top (the intricate bead work was what I fell in love with) and cap sleeves. The skirt was tulle and the dress had a scooped back. The dress was not light because of the amount of beading on the top, but I still could still move well for dancing and felt beautiful for my husband.

Do you have wedding questions that you’d like answered? Where to travel in Italy? Best places to eat in Milan or Como? Planning a wedding and want advice? Send me all of your wedding or travel questions!

Ciao bellas!

-xo

Darcy