Packing for travel

I recently returned from a 3 day excursion to Disney world in Orlando. Normally when I go to pack I pull out the big rolling suitcase paired with my duffle bag that barely fits beneath the seat in front of me on the airplane. This time the only price of luggage I brought was one regular old backpack. I decided to do this for many reasons. One was because the trip was only three days and I didn't like the idea of carrying large amounts of unnecessary baggage around the airport for such a short trip. The other was that when I restrict myself to such a small bag, it really allows me to minimize the crap I bring that I don't need because I have to think carefully about what's really important, and what can be left behind. Normally I severely overpack for trips like these when it comes to clothing, but this trip I only packed the bare essentials. 2 pair of walking shoes, one that can be worn with socks, is all I needed. I can wear them more than once and I chose a pair that could go with every outfit I packed. Two pairs of nice looking casual shorts and one pair of athletic shorts, good for walking around the park when it gets warm. For layering I packed two pair of neutral sweatpants that I could wear on top of one another and two layerable sweatshirts, one long sleeve T- shirt and one short sleeve T-shirt and I was covered. All of these articles of clothing could be folded carefully to find in my backpack (minus what I wore to the airport) and leave enough room for my liquids bag and makeup bag. 

I found that when I added up all the extra things I needed to throw in to "survive" the next few days, I still have plenty of wiggle room. My sister on the other hand lugged her giant suitcase and and extra bag with her and still managed to forget things along the way. She also didn't pack the most effective clothing for the weather. (Heads up, even Florida can get kind of chilly in December, so bring sweat pants, always.) Each of my family members packing the same way as my sister made getting on and off of the plane quickly to catch a plane during a short layover almost impossible and I ended up lugging my dad's giant suitcase around the airport half the time because I had nothing else to carry. 

Bonus travel tip: if you are traveling with other people, save space in your liquids/toiletries bag by sharing things such as toothpaste, floss, a hairbrush, contact solution, and lotion. I learned this during this trip.

After the trip was over, all of my family members concluded that packing light was definitely the way to go, especially after I only took a few minutes to get my things together at the hotel before being ready to head out the door. Not to mention how easy it is to walk around and get food/ go to the bathroom or whatever you need to get done while carrying your luggage with you if you can just strap it onto your back.

Hopefully next time you travel you will remember to pack light to make your trip more enjoyable.

WC: 557

Fashion advice for a day in the amusement park

When it comes to walking around an amusement park, you need just the right mix of style and versatility so you don't look obnoxious, but also don't wish you would have worn something more comfortable or appropriate. This weekend while I was in Orlando, we did a whole lot of walking around the parks at Disney World. Luckily I packed well because even in Florida during the winter, temps can hover in the low 40's until about 11am, so you can't just walk outside in shorts and a T-shirt and expect to not get cold. My parents warned me about this so I made sure to pack layerable clothing. This means not just shorts and I big puffy coat, but chosing many smaller clothing items to "stack" if you get cold and peel off if you get warm. For example, if it's a cool morning and you won't be back to the room to change but you know it will be warmer later in the day, try something like a long sleeve T-shirt, a pullover, shorts and sweatpants. You can take off the pullover and sweatpants when the temp rises and throw them in a backpack with all of your other stuff. Plus, they make great spur of the moment things to sit on when you can find a chair and want to sit on the ground. 

Next, good walking shoes are a must, there are no exceptions. It doesn't matter how cute your new heels are that's a 'NO'. Shoes that can be worn with socks a better because you can avoid blisters. You'll thank yourself for this later. Chose a pair that you know you've spent a good deal of time walking in already so you're not trying to break in a new pair the day of your vacation. I wore birks with socks for 90% or my trip because they are the most comfortable shoes I own.

And of course, if you check the for art and it says sunny, bring a hat, sunglasses and some good sunscreen that can be used on the face. If you stare in the sun all day you'll only end up with a killer headache so don't go there. Just save yourself from having to take the pain pills and put on the shades. 

Ok! Now you're an expert and ready to take on the amusement park in style and comfort!

Word Count: 401

School Uniforms?

Some school officials debate over whether a strict dress code should be enforced at their school. When it comes to the students, the argument is split. Some students enjoy the regulation because it eliminates the need to fit in with certain clothing trends and reduces the amount of money needed to spend on clothes for school. On the other hand, not being able to have their own style and express themselves bothers a lot of people. They argue that they should be free to wear what they please to school, as long as it doesn't violate obvious common sense dress code rules like being too tight or too revealing.
In my opinion, kids should have the freedom to choose what to wear to school. Picking out clothes is part of becoming who you are and finding you identity.  When you open up a person's closet, it can say a lot about who they are. A person with a more conservative wardrobe could be more timid during social interactions, and someone who has clothing on the more edgy side could be more outgoing and fun to interact with. On the other hand, someone who isn't as social may use the way they dress as a way to express their personality, interests, and who they are.
Having a school uniform would take away that ability to feel they can truly be who they are at school and feeling constrained in a place where creativity plays a large role in learning doesn't sound like a good idea.
But although this is true, there are benefits to such strict dress codes. While being a carbon copy of your classmates can effect your individuality, it would cut down on bullying. Being different than your peers in appearance is a huge cause of insecurities and can lead to rude comments and, in turn, low self esteem. Wearing school uniforms can help students feel like they fit in with the crowd and that they are one person of a larger group.
There are good arguments for both sides, but I have to lean towards the side of creativity and self expression. The clothing I wear plays a huge role in showing who I am as a person. I wouldn't be able to live with a dress code because I wake up every morning excited to choose what I'm going to wear to school and I don't want that to change.

Word count: 403

Should we care about parabens?

Take a second to think about your daily routine, starting from when you get up in the morning. You probably shower; shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash. You get out and apply deodorant, lotion, facial moisturizer. Chances are if you are an average female you use a dozen products every day without even thinking about it. We rely on these products everyday, but certain ingredients have become controversial over whether or not they can cause long term health problems. But should we really be that worried?
It seems to me that every time we turn around, the F.D.A. throws something else at us that we are doing wrong daily that could potentially have long term negative effects, it's exhausting. And the raised awareness of harmful chemicals in beauty products has caused less and less brands to even list the ingredients on the bottle. If you want to learn more about what types of things to look out for, I found a great article that talks about it. http://www.youbeauty.com/health/beauty-chemicals
They make good arguments against certain chemicals, but for the most part the claims don't have enough evidence to prove they actually can cause cancer or disrupt your endocrine system, but the idea that things you are applying directly to your skin could be hurting you is really scary. I don't usually think about this as I rub on my lotion or apply my shampoo. I don't even bother to read the labels for products like that because you assume everything you are buying at the grocery or beauty supply store is safe to use and has been tested.
In my opinion, I think the hype over harmful chemicals in beauty products is being taken too far. And even if it is possible to see affects on the body, I don't think it is nearly as severe as they make it out to be. Companies that advertise products to be paraben and BPA free seem to be trendy, sort of like its trendy to eat healthier. It seems like people are avoiding certain chemicals in beauty products like they avoid certain foods in a diet. At the end of the day, I think you should read more than one article or hear one news story before deciding something is truly harmful and worth avoiding.

Word count: 382

Ear Gauges

Lately, I've been taking notice to more and more types of jewelry trends. I've been getting excited about buying more necklaces and earrings to wear with the new clothes I bought during the colder months. I love bold statement necklaces and cartilage piercings on the ear because they give personality. But trend I can't get over is ear gauges. This is something I have never understood and every time I see someone wearing them I question why they would do that to their body. On reason for this may be that I am extremely squeamish around anything regarding the human body.
Body jewelry is a great way to express yourself, but permanently altering the shape and size of your earlobe? It seems a bit extreme. I suppose the same could be argued about getting a regular ear piercing because for the most part, the hold will remain there for many years, if not the rest of your life. But while this may be true, it is hardly noticeable when you don't have earrings in, so it's not disruptive to your appearance if you were to decide you don't want to wear earrings.
I have a single ear piercing on the middle of my earlobe, like most girls I know, so to me it seems normal. I have also considered getting more piercings on other spots on my ear or even on my belly button. But ear gauges are something that make me extremely uncomfortable because unlike a regular piecing, they can't be easily hidden or taken out. There is a sizing guide created for people who want to start the process, and going above a size 2 can create permanent damage to your earlobe. When you walk into an interview for your first major job, you don't want to have the first impression on you interviewer be the fact that you have a half inch hole in your earlobe.
Not only does the hole itself bother me, but the entire process of creating it, starting smaller and working your way up. Once you cross a certain point of stretching and you decide it isn't for you, the only option you have if surgery. I'm usually the kind of person who leans on the side of trying not to judge people for their choices of self expression, but this is one of those things I will just never understand. I don't think I will ever try anything related to ear gauges.

Word count: 410

A dress in winter?

Fall transitioning into winter is a great time to mix up your wardrobe, try something different, maybe even a little bit outside of your comfort zone. But cold weather does somewhat limit you from certain pieces of clothing... if you let it.
One of my favorite outfit trends during cold weather is pairing dresses and skirts with tights. This makes a summer piece available to wear during the colder months, plus is super stylish and playful. Wearing tights is a great way to spice up your style during winter, but you don't want to over due it and you don't want to look ridiculous. There are a few things you should keep in mind when wearing tights, especially to school or the work place.
Sheer tights are great, but shouldn't be paired with a short skirt or dress because it creates a look that is generally too racy or inappropriate. They also aren't flattering on larger legs. Try a more opaque pair of tights or ones made out of a knit material for a more sophisticated look. You can get packs of two cheep at stores like Forever21 (generally around $10).
One thing I have always struggled with is finding a pair of shoes to go with my tights and dress that doesn't make me look like I tried to put too many pieces together at once. While a little variety is key to a great fashion sense, you don't want to mix too many colors and patterns together in one outfit. A general rule of thumb is to have two pieces of your outfit matching in color. If you are wearing a navy blue dress, wear navy tights with black shoes. If you are wearing grey shoes, grey tights will look best. You can't always use the "all neutrals go together rule" in this situation. If you try to mix browns, greys, and blacks, you will often look silly so try to use same-color tights to minimize the opportunity for outfit fails. And you don't want to match your shoes and dress but wear a funky color of tights. The most sophisticated look comes when the pieces that match are touching. This isn't full proof, but it's a good start for a beginner when deciding if an outfit will look good together.
As far as what type of shoes should be worn, I always find that a pair of flats that match your tights look best. If you feel like wearing your short brown boots from fall, match your tights and dress in color and rock your boots!

Word count: 431

Surviving Black Friday!

It's come to that time of year again... The leaves have fallen from the trees and it's getting colder. I can smell it now, the scent of Black Friday shopping. :)
This is such an exciting time of year. Thanksgiving dinner brings families together to celebrate just before the big annual shopping extravaganza where we all leave the safety of our homes to try and get the best deals on presents for our loved ones.
I've spend the last few years of Black Friday shopping in Chicago on Michigan Avenue, and let me tell you, there is nothing crazier than that street on the Friday after thanksgiving. The stores are almost as packed as the sidewalks and getting around is extremely difficult. But there's no better place for a girl like me, who has always been a little too fond of shopping and seeking out the best day of the day.
Here's some things to keep in mind so you can be a smart shopper this season:

Wear good walking shoes. Tennis shoes that are comfortable work the best. If you're doing it right, you'll be doing a lot of walking. Also bring band-aids, just in case anyone in your "clan" gets a blister, (this has happened to me once or twice).
Wear clothes that cling close to the body to avoid getting caught on things in a hustle and wear a small purse that can hang around the front of your waist so it's not lost or stolen.
Make a list. Write down all of the people you aim to buy gifts for, and a general idea of what to get them. If you're really savvy you can make an excel spreadsheet and print it out to take with you on your adventure.
Have cash on hand as well as a debit card. Keep your cell phone, or walkie-talkie if you're hardcore, within easy reach and have all of your coupons safely stored and ready to go. Know all the major door busters and deals of the day and when they start/end, you may have to get out earlier than you expect to beat the crowds and catch the deals if you really want them.
Don't get frustrated if you don't end up with all the things you set out for, it's supposed to be a fun day. And besides, there's always next year.

Now you're all ready to shop like a pro this Black Friday. Good Luck and have fun!

Word count: 414