Maddie Lynn: French

Showing posts with label French. Show all posts

La'Madeleine

Thursday, March 1, 2018

I've always said that my favorite color is a light blush pink, however as the years have gone by I have discovered that there is one color I seem to gravitate towards the most.....YELLOW. Maybe it's the warm cheery qualities the color makes me feel, but somehow warm yellows and mustards are two colors I always grab when shopping, run to as soon as I see them, or always end up reaching for when I am putting together a look. I would almost go so far as to say that yellow just might be my signature color (or quickly becoming one)?

I remember the first time I realized how much I loved yellow, I was attending a ball one spring and wore a dress that reminded me of Belle's gown from beauty and the beast. From that moment on I came to love wearing the color yellow. Throughout the years I have collected pieces here and there in the cheery hue and even have a section of spring "vintage sheet" dresses dedicated to the color yellow.
This look especially pulls in the golden hues with this bright yellow beret and yellow striped top. Every time I reach for these Culottes I always grab a striped shirt to pair with it, like in this post. Something about them screams FRENCH and I always give into the inspiration, especially considering this look also reminded me of the story of "Madeline"and her yellow hats and uniforms. Thus, keeping with the french theme the beret was a definite must as was my blue macaroon pin:) I wanted the look to be super classy so these three strap seude heels were the perfect thing to bring the look together. Really you can't go wrong with black, stripes, and a beret....they are classics!

What is your signature color?

-Madison

Traveling As An Introvert

Monday, February 12, 2018

Jacket: Thrifted (London Fog) | Scarf: Old Navy (old) | Beret: Amazon

If you have been around this corner of the blogsphere for while and have followed along on my journey you know how passionate I am about sharing who I am as an Introvert and what that means in different facets of my life. Through the last couple of years in learning more about who I am I have learned how to maintain my energy and sanity amidst a busy and sometimes crazy life. Thus, when it comes to traveling as an Introvert, it can be both emotionally and physically draining more than the typical person.

On my trip to New York in January I learned just how taxing travel can be for an Introvert, but I also learned how to cope with that to keep my energy at a constant level. Not only can travel be fast passed, but it can be stressful, as was our trip the first couple of days. Our original flight got canceled due to weather so all my carefully articulated plans went out the window and I had to rework everything (not to mention we lost almost 2 days of city time). On top of our flight, our first night in New York (really our first 3 hours at 1:00 am in the morning) were not what I had expected at all and emotions were running high as quick decisions and judgments had to be made. All in all there were a host of unexpected things that came up before and during our trip that to the typical personal are a lot to handle, and to an Introvert (INFJ) are even more overwhelming.

Thankfully, both my best friend and I decided to just breathe and not try to rush or overpack our days in New York. Even though we lost two days (we were able to add two days on) we didn't want to make our trip stressful by over booking ourselves. We ended up only doing 2-3 major tourist stops each day and made it back to our air bnb no later than 7:00pm every night.

As the personality of Introverts go, being around lots of people for extended periods of time is what drains us. However, even being in a huge city like New York with lots of people and sometimes riding crowded subways wasn't all that draining for me (probably because I like people watching). The thing that always drains me is freaking out when the schedule or day doesn't go according to plan or when I am going non stop 24/7, while mentally thinking about what comes next. I had to learn to live in the moment while in New York, because otherwise I would have missed so many of the important or little things that the city had to offer.

So....in a nutshell what did I learn about traveling as an Introvert?

Make plans, but be FLEXIBLE: I am a planner, its part of my nature and personality and helps me not stress out about the need to be spontaneous. However, life rarely goes according to "my plans" and I have to be willing to let go and change things up. If I am flexible to change I don't allow stress in.
Take your time in the morning: Nothing sets your day off to a rough start being rushed! Set your alarm where you have plenty of time to get up, get ready, and eat something (or drink coffee) before you head out for the day. If your alarm just so happens to go off later, don't stress it. Get mentally prepared for the day.
Live in the moment: this seems like a bit of a stretch because it lends itself to being spontaneous (which I am not), but what I mean by this is enjoy every part of your day. If you are at a museum, enjoy taking in the sights and displays (don't think about the place you need to go next).
Take time to recharge during the day: Sometimes for me this was just sitting still for 10 minutes on the subway getting caught up in my thoughts. Other times this was stopping for a cup of coffee and taking a moment to be still amidst the constant moving. While this definitely didn't recharge me all the way, it helped me refocus and breathe amidst a busy day.
Drink your coffee and tea! So I'm basically immune to the caffeine in coffee, so sometimes it's more of a comfort thing, but my mornings and days aren't the same without a good warm cup of Jo! If you are into tea, that's good too. Typically I drink coffee in the morning and tea at night.....it's the start and finish to my day!
Don't Stay out late: I think this goes without saying....but after a long busy day of travel and sight seeing return back to your accommodations early in the evening.
Take a Slow lazy night: So during our trip we didn't actually eat dinner out anywhere in the evenings, we made all of our meals at our air bnb and sat on the couch in pajamas and fuzzy socks watching The Great British Bake Off like old ladies....it was great!
Always take a book: in true Rory Gilmore style always carry a book with you when traveling. You can read it in the car, on the subway, or on the plane....its your best friend.
You need your music: music lends itself to helping us escape and relax, so every body (especially introverts) need music when traveling. It can help you fall asleep in a new place, drown out the noises of the plane, give you energy, you name it!
Don't loose yourself: I think we as people can get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and through this loose who we are. The same thing can be said for introverts who go somewhere out of their comfort zone. Just because you are traveling doesn't mean you have to stop being an introvert or be more extroverted. Sure, you might have to stretch yourself beyond your comfort zone, but you don't have to compromise who you are to still get the most our of your experience or trip:)

What are your trips for travel?

-Madison

Rambles on French Countryside

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Top: c/o StyleWe

Skirt: Forever 21

Scarf: Vintage

Shoes: Thrifted (Old Navy)

Purse: Vintage Coach

Hat: Forever 21

I know, I know.....this isn't the French Countryside, in fact it is FAR from it, but that doesn't mean that there aren't places I have found that remind me of what the French Countryside would look like. In fact, when it comes to imagining myself in another place it often comes down to styling a look that is inspired by the very place I envision in my head:)

When I think of the French countryside (or really French fashion in general) I think of a neutral palette with a hint of simple color, laid back styles, effortless hair, delicate lace, hats, and maybe even a dash of ribbon. Imagination is a key component of my fashion and style process, so whether it is dressing for an occasion or place it's all about a vision. Thus, with my thoughts in my head I set out to create an ensemble worthy of exploring the French Countryside and my closet did not disappoint!

I pulled out my elegant lace blouse from StyleWe for another appearance (see it here) on the blog and decided to pair it with this simple and comfortable skirt from Forever 21 with the most handy front pockets you have ever seen. Then of course it was obvious that a neck scarf was needed along with a boater hat for a more "country feel". I even opted for a different and extremely simple hairstyle (really I was just lazy that day) of a side braid and ribbon which totally reminded me of something Daphnie would wear, and also it's a blue ribbon which just seems so elegant. I pulled out my thrifted Old Navy clogs for the first time (they are literally the most amazing shoes) and love how they went with the entire vision. Of course, no spring look inspired by the French countryside is complete without flowers and I am all about these yellow and lavender blooms!

Even though I haven't traveled to all (or any) of the countries I talk about, it is always interesting to realize that I take a lot of my style inspiration from them. So often I find myself looking in the mirror and thinking "I belong in England today" or "Goodness me, I look like a French girl" (point in case) and then it just makes me smile knowing my dreams of traveling abroad already influence me so much right where I am:) I say it ALL THE TIME, but fashion and personal style truly do have the power and magic to transport you to a different place!

Are you a fan of French style?

What is a country or place that inspires you?