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September/October 2022 Favorites + Happenings

A Life Lately Update

The days are slow but my gosh the months are fast. So fast, that as I sit down today to share my October with you, I’m realizing I never even had the chance to share my September. Which basically means I haven’t caught up with you at all since moving to Florence, Italy to begin my semester studying abroad.

Somehow I blinked and it’s halfway over… needless to say, there’s a lot to fill you in on. While I do have a handful of favorites to share, this post is going to be more of a life update— sharing all the highs and lows of studying abroad, my recent travels, and where my head’s been at these last two months.

Grab a coffee and get cozy, it’s going to be a long one.

OUTFIT OF THE DAYS

You might remember from my August Recap that I actually don’t have a full-length mirror in my Florence apartment which means my #ootd pictures have had a little change in scenery. Frolicking around the streets of Florence, always discovering a new doorway, church, or cute building to stand in front of. It’s been kind of fun getting to explore but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t missing my usual mirror pictures.

One thing I wasn’t prepared for was how late into the year it would stay warm. It’s October 30 and still seventy-five degrees out here. I wore sandals to church this morning, and yesterday a dress. While my roommates are wishing for cooler temperatures so they can break out their chunky sweaters and boots I’m thanking my lucky stars for the warmth and sunshine.

I’ve been getting some clothes sent to me here but for the most part, I’ve been rotating the same basics that I brought with me. Lots of Body Contour tops being worn, my favorite Express jeans, and linen button-ups for a light layer. For shoes, I’ve been wearing my Dolce Vita Zina sneakers nonstop. I’ve had these for a couple of years now and they are still going strong. I’ve never had a shoe so versatile + easy to style.

FASHION

I’ve stepped away from my usual styling blog posts and have jumped into “what to wear” outfit guides for each new country/city I’m seeing. I’m turning to fashion more than ever as a creative outlet. It’s been so much fun getting to dress for new atmospheres and cultures. Take a look through the “travel” tab of my website to see what I’ve been styling lately!

BEAUTY

I’m realizing how many beauty favorites I took for granted in America—Cetaphil body lotion, Dove bar soap, and Cerave healing ointment. We’re ten weeks into the semester so naturally, I’ve started emptying the products I came here with and have had to replace them with other alternatives since they don’t sell many of the same brands here in Italy.

I’m missing my go-to products and can’t wait to have them back, haha. One new beauty favorite I’ve discovered here is oil! When visiting Morocco I bought a few bottles of Moroccan and coconut oil and have been loving using these on my hair and body. So much better having the authentic stuff!

ENTERTAINMENT

I’ll be honest, I haven’t read a single book or watched an episode of tv since we got here. We’re so busy that every free second I do have to spare I’m calling a friend to catch up or working on Styledby things. However, I’ve been listening to lots of music on our long bus trips and train rides.

Now that the weather has cooled down a bit I’ve found myself turning to some of my slower, more relaxing music as opposed to my typical country jams. I’ll link my Spotify here in case you want to see what I’m listening to.

this month’s top songs

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER REFLECTIONS

I hit 75,000 YouTube subscribers this month which was such a special milestone as this was one of my 2022 goals. Although my channel has been growing slower than ever I am so grateful for each and every person who still tunes in. It’s been so fun getting to share my travels with you and I’ve been busting my butt trying to keep the videos up in live time. It’s a lot harder said than done so I hope you recognize how much effort I’m putting into these!

Although my blog posts have been a bit different than what you typically see from me, I’ve actually been uploading more here than I typically do during a school year. It’s been a lot of work but it’s been so rewarding getting to share my travels and outfits from each country with you. I know many of you are gearing up for a study abroad semester so I hope you’re finding these posts helpful!

I also hit 45K on Instagram which was an unexpected surprise—thanks to a few viral posts and some well-loved reels Instagram has been pushing my content out to so many new faces. I’ve been posting here daily to keep you in the loop with my class schedule and travels. You can follow me here if you aren’t already.

And while my month of sponsorships has certainly been smaller due to being out of the country, I’m just as busy with so many amazing travel opportunities. More on that later in this post!

NOVEMBER GOALS + MANIFESTATIONS

My November goal is to just keep at it. It’s been no easy feat managing Styledby while also attending school in person four days a week and traveling to a new country each weekend. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been an absolute blast but I’m just trying to hang in there! Proud of myself for “doing it all” over the last two months. Time to keep it up and finish the year strong!

THIS MONTH’S TRAVELS

I had a feeling I’d be doing my fair share of traveling during my study abroad semester but I had no idea I’d be gone every weekend. I’ve had the incredible opportunity to work with a popular travel agency here, Bus2Alps, and have been sent on several of their trips for free. I’ve also been lucky enough to partner with a few different hotels, sharing five-star experiences with my followers. I’m living the dream and I owe it all to you!

In September, we kicked off our semester with a weekend trip to Croatia. The next week we took a trip to Venice with our school and then to Germany for Oktoberfest. The next week we saw the Amalfi Coast which was amazing, followed by a weekend to Paris to visit Jules.

In October, Jules and I went to Mykonos for five days and it was beautiful. The next weekend I went to Morocco, Africa for fall break, followed by a school trip to Milan. This weekend we were in Switzerland and it was one of my favorite trips to date. Truly an incredible month of new experiences, culture shocks, and learning lessons! I feel like the luckiest girl in the world getting to share these travels with you, I hope you know that.

LIFE LATELY

I had no idea what to expect when coming to Italy, all I knew was that I was nervous as heck. As I walked home from class on Thursday I had this overwhelming realization that I was “doing it”. There I was, walking home from class in an entirely different country, talking to the same people, listening to the same music, wearing the same clothes, and feeling the same feelings. The truth is, you know your heart and you know yourself, and they are true to you no matter where you go.

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to experience so much these last two months and yet with each new place I visit I’m reminded that there’s just nowhere like home. It’s been a life-changing season of life with lessons bigger than I ever imagined possible. I’m learning that home really is where the heart is, and I’m so lucky to have pieces of mine in so many different places.

I’m learning that when you miss a train, there is always another one to get on. I’m learning that distance really does make the heart grow fonder. I’m learning that there is so much of this world left to see, and sadly there are so many people who will never get to see it. I’m learning that we have the chance to dream all our dreams, to be whoever we want to be in this world—and not everyone else has that same fortune. I’m learning that time doesn’t slow down, so I must do so from time to time.

And I’m learning that there are infinite amounts of learning to be done. How lucky am I. Lucky to love and see the way I do. I couldn’t feel more grateful for this season of life, for this year in general.

There have been some brutally humbling moments, some lost dollars, and some uncomfortable truths. With each passing day I can literally feel myself growing into the person I always knew possible and that’s a really special feeling.

I hope you know wherever we are in this world I’m always thinking of you.

Tutto il mio amore, McKenz