Nope, I am not talking about COVID-19 (there seems to be no method/approach to that over here in the good ole U, S of A). I happen to be talking about the madness that is my wardrobe! I divert from using the word closet because I don’t exactly have a closet at my parents house since they just recently moved into this house. I’ve only spent about a combined month living here over the last 2 years, but ALAS the pandemic has hit and it is looking like I am going to be spending if not a month, well over a month here, so I might as well organize my various bins of clothing scattered throughout this house.

I would like to condense my wardrobe just to staple pieces that I need.

Don’t we just love how applicable Hamlet is.

The thing is, I have no idea where they put my dresser. I guess it got thrown out or is stored away somewhere I can’t find it… so I’ve resorted to using random means of containing my clothing.

One of those things is a wheeling cart that I used to hold my extra cleaning, supplies, dishes, and medicine in my dorm last year.

So, I used that to hold my jeans, basic, everyday t-shirts, and then the top are pants and skirts!

This next part isn’t as visually appealing, but alas, I don’t have a dresser and I had to make do with what was in my house.

Basically my parents had 2 of those moveable, hanging racks, so I took those 2 and used them to hold all my coats and jackets…

The little basket by the side holds all of my bathing suits, so that’s sick.

This was before I added more coats but, check it out.

Then I had to tackle all of the extra clothes I had laying around that I wasn’t wearing anymore or were winter clothes and I put them allllll in this big ole plastic container to put in the attic because they were just taking up space and not going to be of use! (& goodwill & clothes donation stores are closed…)

Then I organized annnooother one of the racks with items that I have been wearing a lot lately and like!

Peep all of my shoes fighting for space and my workout mat… hehe.

The other items I put in my closet and hung up or put in these NIFTY little storage bins that I used once again…. in my college dorm because all of the stuff that was in my old house like my dresser got… lost in translation apparently.

But, WE MAKE DO.

It’s not the cutest! BUT it works! So, it is fine. The storage bins just hold my good ole undergarments, my workout clothes, and extra oversized t-shirts I have. Everything that is hanging up in there includes my sweaters, tops, and dresses.

So…. that is that. & that is the mess that is my life.

I don’t think you can say goodbye to Paris. Growing up i thought New York City was the greatest city in the world. My time in Paris has challenged this opinion deeply. I don’t know if i can pick between the two. While my boyfriend was visiting he got me this book from Shakespeare and Company, which is my favorite bookstore in Paris.

In it, it has comparisons of the two cities that would make any person who knows both cities well smile. Whenever I read this book, I am reminded of the little differences between the two that make both places so special.

It was a goodbye I was not ready to say, and a return I was not ready for. Now, all I have left is the memories of the amazing city, that taught me all about friends, fashion, food and joie de vivre that I will forever cherish. All i can say now is, Paris, Je t’aime.

For one of our class projects we had to take pictures of random people walking down the streets of Paris and recognize trends that we saw within this series of photos. I honestly did not expect to see any trends jump out at me, but I was pleasantly surprised when I found out they did! I conducted my research near the Pompidou Center. I sat outside a Starbucks nearby, and snapped photos as people walked by.

Looking at my photos, the first trend that immediately stood out was the trend of oversized clothing. I know this is a huge trend in New York and the states, and I had not noticed it as much in Paris, so I was actually pretty surprised when I realized that this was such a big trend there.

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The next huge trend I noticed was of course, scarves. It is almost a stereotype how big scarves are in Paris, but it definitely holds true. I saw so many people in all sorts of scarves, that really accessorize their winter looks. Because black is such a huge color in Paris, scarves act as a way to break up the blackness, and really add some color and inspiration to looks.

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The next trend I noticed was, in turn with scarves, big bags! Women and men in Paris all carry bags. Not small bags and not really backpacks, but a ton of crossbody and big pouch like bags slung over their shoulders, some people even carrying more than 2 bags. While bags are definitely big universally, this type of big, pouch like bag seems distinctly Parisian. Again, fashion with a function that dresses up any winter outfit.

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In summary, accessories are huge in Paris!!!

I come to you with a short blog post, to update you on a trend I think is the next big thing. I present to you: denim on denim. For years this trend, known as the “Canadian Tuxedo” has earned glares and scoffs and insults. Although in the early 2000s it was rather popular, especially with the Brittney Spears, Justin Timberlake Grammy’s look (see below), that, like everything else in the early 2000s was deemed “ew.”

However, I am here to say that i am HERE for denim on denim. I think if you spice it up just right it looks killer. It is eye catching and fun and retro and shows that you just don’t care what anyone else thinks about you. So in short, wear that jean jacket on top of those blue jeans, and feel good doing it.

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One of the best parts of studying abroad in Paris was its central location. We were able to go pretty much anywhere, and for not that much money at all. We had plans to go to Dublin, Morocco, the South of France, Budapest, Lisbon and so many more places that were all cut short because of the pandemic. Yet, in the 63 days that I was in Paris we were able to go to Barcelona, Amsterdam, Champagne, Brugge and Madrid. I loved seeing different parts of the world and the country, but I also loved being able to come back to Paris and call it home. There really is no place quite like it.

My outfits in other countries were generally based on functionality and looking cute. Attached are some pics from me around the world!!! (you can probably see a theme)

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Leaving Paris early was absolutely devastating. I felt that just as I was really understanding the city, and getting to know it from a truly local perspective, we had to leave. It was not a gradual goodbye or a mutual understanding, but happened all at once, a whirl wind of an adventure, whisked to the airport and back to the United States immediately. It was incredibly weird first arriving in JFK. I felt like I had been gone for so long, but at the same time, I felt as if I had barely been gone. It was confusing and weird and sad all at once. I miss Paris deeply, and when i think too hard, I get so, so sad.

While we were in Paris it was always grey, mostly, and rained often. Yet still, the beauty of the city was undeniable. I had never been in such a beautiful city for that long, and to miss Paris in the spring time upsets me SO MUCH! While my time was cut short, I’ll still look back on it so fondly, and all the memories I made and people I met while there. I know I’ll go back one day and spend more time, spend a long time, and reminisce on this city I didn’t know I knew so well.

So, despite the grey skies, and the sadness. I present to you, my greatest Parisian inspiration pics:

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I have been stuck at home for around 5 weeks now. My only escapes have been on drives, my mom fixated on limiting our exposure to the outside world. It’s easy to lose track of time, forget your focus, and lose your direction in times like this. It seems that my days are spent on Netflix, trying to do my homework, and occasionally Facetiming my friends. This new normal that we are all trying to understand and adapt to is not normal at all. People are not meant to be isolated or quarantined, and it definitely is difficult to understand or come to terms with. However, during this time, I have also reflected a bit on my relationship with my parents. It seems that the older I get the more advice I can offer my own parents, the more they listen to me, and the more we understand each other. I have known for quite a while that all I am is all my parents are, and this has always been a comfort to me.

My parents are the best people I know, and having older parents makes thinking about them in their younger years pretty hard to imagine, but all the more fun to do. I decided to go through their closets and see what I could come up with. All the clothes pictured are my parents, except my shoes and my black skinny jeans. I present to you: my parents through me.

I loved Annie’s idea and thought this would be a good idea to reflect on my abroad experience as a whole and gave me an excuse to reminisce, which I’ve already been doing a unhealthy amount of… BUT, what else is there to do right now? Right? Whatever.

First up, we have this outfit that I wore in Bruges! You can’t really tell but I matched my cardigan with the pink hair clips in my hair to add a little… how do you say… Pizzazz? And pizzazz I did. Throughout my time in Europe I loved wearing cardigans like this and only buttoning one of the middle buttons, I don’t know why, but I liked it so whatever. I paired the cardigan with one of my favorite pairs of pants that I got while abroad, they are just some wide leg, flow, slightly houndstooth print, pants, that are SUPER comfortable and just like the clips, add a little pizzazz. Very comfortable, very fun, very myself.

…. and of course I also paired it with a famous Belgium waffle.

NEXT UP… an outfit I wore Sevilla, Spain

I brought a couple of long skirts to France thinking that I would wear them a lot. They didn’t really fit the vibe of Paris, but they really fit the vibe of Spain… if that makes sense. I don’t know, but to me it felt okay to wear them in Spain. I loooooved this outfit though. While I was in France I got these light pink converse that went perfectly with the pink undertones of the skirt. It was a fun outfit and I wore it the entire day and even when we went out that night, which is kind of weird, but I kind of… didn’t… how do you say… care?

NEXT UP….

We’ve got this COMFY, comfy outfit I wore while in Switzerland.

The entire day we were just exploring the mountains and all of the beauty that is Switzerland, so I opted for something more comfortable, but still a little cute. As cute as cute can be in this context. 9 times out of 10, you could probably see me in a beanie… I don’t know why, it was just easier to always cover up my head and it was a little additional accessory to have on. So this is a very typical outfit I would wear. I love this oversized, vintage Nike sweatshirt, and the pants I’m wearing are a blowy corduroy material.

Last, but not least…. is my very LAST outfit I ever wore in Paris… 😦 (besides the outfit I wore to the airport.)

I love this outfit so much. I’m wearing a shirt I got in Portugal that has Neil Degrasse Tyson edited on it, playing basketball in a galaxy wearing a jersey that says COSMOS. I think it is really ~silllayeee~ and fun ! HA! I was giving a thumbs down in this picture not because of Emile Deschanel, but because it was the last day I would spend in Paris 😦 I paired with a classic pair of wide leg jeans, my purse, and my canvas bag that was coincidentally holding a bottle of champagne. Ahhh, that makes me miss Paris.

Alas, that was the perfect last day and I can say I don’t regret anything about my experience, I truly had the best time. While there are things I wish I had gotten to do, I’m trying to come to terms with the fact that maybe I was meant to do all of these things at a different time. I know that may just be hopeless consoling of myself, but it helps me realize the notion of right place, wrong time.

Bonjour! For my last blog post this semester, I thought I’d take us down memory lane and share some of my favorite outfits from this past semester, featuring some friends & some pieces that you’ve seen before!

First up, a picture you’ve definitely seen before – me and Dina, picnicking in front of the Eiffel Tower. In this outfit, I felt the most Parisian – black turtleneck, gray overcoat, loose jeans, and white sneakers, and it will always make think of Paris.

Featuring my fearless friend Rebecca who visited me right before the pandemic hit, this is my outfit from my last day in Paris. The white and black combination felt very classic and modern, but I like that the pants were wide leg and a little bit funkier. This outfit will always have a special place in my heart!

Last up, featuring my friend Abby in Spain, is an outfit that’s a little bit more out there. It still features only black and white, but the fun patterned pants and cropped blouse are still flattering and fun. I bought these pants in Portugal, and they’re my current favorite!

I just wanted to say thank you to all who have been following RINGARD throughout this crazy rollercoaster ride of a semester! From DIYs, thrift finds, American style, and Parisian influence, I hope you’ve had as much fun as we’ve had. Let me know in the comments what you’re favorite post was!

Merci beaucoup, je t’aime, et vous aller me manquer.

Au revoir, Annie

Bonjour! I hope everyone is staying safe during this quarantine. While I was unpacking after my return home, I stumbled across two shirts that I had purchased for 1 euro each at a thrift store back in Paris. I had meant to crop and style them, but had forgotten about the pieces. In today’s blog post I’m going to show you how I cropped them and wore them at home!

Before:

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AFTER:

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I really love how they turned out! My personal favorite is the blue top, which I paired with some fun checkered pants and silver hoops. The brown top isn’t quite my color, so I’ll be gifting it to my younger sister to wear! Cropping and styling these tops was a fun quarantine activity, and something you can do while stuck at home to pass the time and have a fun upcycling project!

Au revoir, Annie