Shirt || Jeans || Flats || Belt || Bag || Sunglasses

When I went home for the holidays a few weeks ago, I over packed in a very major way. The weather forecast was all over the place and I was stumped on what to wear. If you happened to see a girl struggling with her stuffed weekender bag at the LaGuardia Airport, it very well could have been me. The most irritating thing… I didn’t wear most of what I brought anyways.

1: Chambray Shirt || 2: White Skinny Jeans || 3: Navy Striped Tee || 4: Tortoise Sunglasses || 5: Grey Sneakers || 6: Colorful Scarf || 7: Accent Earrings || 8: One-Piece Swimsuit || 9: Crossbody Bag || 10: Bright Sweater || 11: Navy Chino Shorts || 12: Weekender Bag

Packing for Florida in the winter can be hard! So you don’t make the same mistake I made, I thought long and hard about what I actually wore while I was there. The trick is to pick versatile pieces that you can mix and match with whatever the weather throws at you. Picking all from one color family definitely doesn’t hurt either.

• Chambray Shirt: Clearly, I’m very partial to this piece, but that’s only because of how functional it is. Whether you decide to wear it with jeans or shorts, a button-down is a great piece to layer or wear solo.
• White Jeans: Whoever said ‘no white after Labor Day’ didn’t live somewhere sunny all year round. Use a winter trip to break out your favorite pair of white skinnies before the official start of Spring.
• Navy Striped Tee: I have worn this shirt everywhere, Italy, Sweden, NYC, Florida. No matter where you are, it makes for the perfect top.
• Tortoise Sunglasses: It’s not called the Sunshine State for nothing. Even during the winter, the sun in Florida is as bright as ever and you need to protect your eyes. Your favorite tortoise pair will go with everything.
• Grey Sneakers: You probably won’t be getting as much beach time as you expect during the winter, so I would probably opt for a pair of sneakers or flats versus sandals. This grey suede pair of sneakers is insanely comfortable and still gives off those tropical vibes.
• Colorful Scarf: When I was home, I used this colorful scarf as a thin extra layer and beach cover up. It’s a little something I don’t leave home without!
• Accent Earrings: How fun are these bow earrings?! They are incredibly comfortable, but give a basic outfit a little bit of pizazz for a night out.
• One-Piece Swimsuit: If you find yourself at the beach this winter, why not wear a one-piece suit? It’s a bit more modest and, somehow, extremely appropriate for winter. This mint green color is just beautiful and will give the illusion of a sun-kissed glow.
• Crossbody Bag: Whenever I’m traveling, I exclusively bring crossbody bags to throw on. They carry all of my must-haves, but keep me hands free to enjoy the moment.
• Bright Sweater: This is another great layering piece that can be worn on its own or on top of a button down shirt. This periwinkle color will go with everything.
• Navy Chino Shorts: There is something so perfect about wearing a sweater with a crisp pair of navy shorts. It makes me feel like Summer is just around the corner.
• Weekender Bag: An oversized weekender will give you room for all of your clothes and toiletries, PLUS whatever you want to bring home from your trip. Just throw it in the overhead compartment or in the trunk of your car and you’re good to go!

This is a packing guide I can really take to heart. I’ll be popping back to Florida again this weekend for a quick trip to see my parents. I definitely won’t be overpacking for this visit and will be using this guide, pretty much, to a the letter. No matter where you’re going this winter, packing a few versatile pieces is always in style.

Love from NYC,
Katie

Dress || Sandals || Clutch || Sunglasses

Being from Florida definitely has a lot of pros and cons. On the one hand, we have amazing weather and beaches for days. And on the other hand, we have the hottest summers and those embarrassing ‘Florida Man’ stories. Through it all though, I love my home-state and being able to call myself a native Floridian. Now that I live in New York, and the weather is cold, and the days are short, I can’t help but feel the slightest touch of homesickness. To help me make it to my next visit to the Sunshine State (and that’s only a week away!), I wanted to chat about what I’m missing from Florida…

My Family! It would be awful if I started this list off with anything but my family. I have always been incredibly close with my parents and still try to talk to them almost everyday. My family is my biggest cheerleader (besides David) and I still rely on them constantly. The second part to this… I miss my Dad’s cooking! He’s the best chef I know and makes a mean jambalaya.

Our Friends! During our time as St. Petians, we’ve made some absolutely amazing friends in the most surprising of places. Being a local, I also had a great network of girlfriends both in town or just across the bay that I could always reach out to. You would think making friends on an island of 1.6 million people would be easy, but it’s a lot of work. We’re going into our 5th month as New Yorkers and we’re just starting to get to that point.

Local Sports! In New York, hardly anyone cares about Florida State football and even fewer care about Tampa Bay hockey. In all honesty, I miss the days where I could pop into any bar and watch my teams play. Now, it takes calculated planning and mapping, but usually just turns into watching my teams at home.

Our Spots! It was no secret that David and I were regulars at a number of different places around town. When we were in St. Pete for the holidays, those were our top priority! Going back made us feel like we had never left and is a huge factor to me missing Florida.

Over the years, I’ve heard the expression, “you can’t go back.” It means that once you leave a place, it’s hard to return as things were. Going home helped realize that expression isn’t always true. I love the life David and I are making in NYC together, but it did me good to know that if we ever decide to return back to the Sunshine State, we could find our happiness there again too.

If you’ve recently moved to somewhere new and find yourself missing home, have no fear! You can take advantage of your new city and enjoy the latest adventure, but know that home will always be there for you.

Love from NYC,
Katie

Top || Jeans || Sneakers || Clutch || Sunglasses

Oh my St. Pete, how much you’ve changed these past few months! David and I parted ways with our beloved city in August and were finally able to revisit for the holidays. St. Pete is a fast growing city and there is always something new to see. Whether you’re a local or visitor, here’s what’s new around St. Pete…

Murals! I’m sure you’ve heard of the Wynwood Walls in Miami, but St. Pete’s street art scene is another must see! Spread throughout the city, near Central Avenue, you can find world class murals tucked in unsuspecting corners. 2018’s Shine On Festival, which we sadly missed, brought some amazing additions that I’m just loving from afar!

The Peabody! Brought to you by the same group behind Oxford Exchange in Tampa, The Peabody is an absolute gem located in South St. Pete. As soon as you walk in, you’re greeted by wall to ceiling bookcases filled with aesthetically pleasing blue-hued books. It honestly feels like your own private library. The food is equally delicious!

Beans & Barlour! The city’s newest ice cream spot is, of course, located right next to our old stomping ground on 1st Ave N. Even though the space is small, the menu seems straight out of Willy Wonka’s factory with absolutely inspired sweet treats. Be sure to sample the ‘Boozy Ice Cream’ for a unique experience!

This is only a fraction of what’s new in the Sunshine City, but I only wanted to talk about the new places I got to experience while in town. Even though I have my favorite places, that I’ll always go back to, it warms my heart to see my former home grow into an amazing town.

Love from NYC,
Katie