Bright Blue Pants a Make Her Dance

Okay, so maybe these pants don't make me "dance" but they definitely make me feel great. And that's what clothes are supposed to be about right? Right! 

I came across these gems at a vintage designer store down the street from my apartment. As you might know I'm living in Milan, Italy this summer so quality fashion picks are not hard to find but... finding them at a reasonable price is the kicker. The little store is tucked in the Brera District, traditionally known for great boutiques, and is called Il Cameo. The mother-daughter duo who own it have an eye for some of the best vintage Chanel, Gucci, Prada and YSL I've ever seen. For weeks I was lusting after a Chanel sweater shell from the 60's but had to talk myself off the ledge. Fortunately, the Il Cameo duo has taken a liking to me and my constant drop-ins and kindly knocked down the price of these pants to a steal! Go me and my decent Italian language skills!

To keep the focus on the star of the show, I like to pair these palazzos with a simple black top. The halter cut of this Banana Republic top {similar here, here, here} balances a little skin with the weight of the pants to keep this outfit cool both in temperature and in style. While these pants might not pair with everything, a simple black halter looks great on everyone and is super versatile. It's a great staple to have in your closet and if you don't own one already click the links above and invest!

Even with a big print, small details are everything. I'm carrying my Kate Spade color blocked crossbody that's the perfect size to fit everything I need for a day of traveling, dainty jewelry including one of my favorite Kate Spade Saturday necklaces (RIP) and simple black wedges. Would you believe me if I said these were Dr. Scholls? I couldn't believe it either! They're simple, stylish, match with everything and I've survived miles of Italian cobblestone streets in them. I've been super impressed. Go Dr. Scholls! 

{Top // Banana Republic (similar, similar), Pants // (similar), Wedges // Dr. Scholls (similar, similar), 

Purse // Kate Spade (similar, similar), Necklace // Kate Spade (similar)}

Do you have any prized finds from a local vintage store? And how about these palazzos? Are you a fan of the wide legs and bold prints? 

Emily 

Pause: I'm Living in Milan?!

A few weeks ago I wrote a post {here} about going for your dreams even if they sound far-fetched. A little while after I wrote this I got some big news, good news but big, and it was one of those moments that really stops you in your tracks. I made a big step towards my dreams for the future and I'm coming to the conclusion that even though it sounds cheesy, everything I said in the post really is true. Sometimes you just have to jump in and go for it. Honestly, most of the time it will fail but those times that they pay off are unbelievably magical. I've laid a few hints around E&D about my plans in my post about applying for internships {here} and relentless wanderlust {here} but this past week all of these things came together.

So what's the big news? Let's start at the beginning. Recently, I applied for a scholarship provided by my school that would fund an internship abroad, anywhere in the world, for the entire summer. Historically, my school has sent students to the same cities with many of the same companies. I started writing my application for one of these programs but in the middle of it,  I figured if I was applying for something so far-fetched anyways then I might as well go all in. I decided to throw in all of the cards and take a risk. I wanted to ask for my ultimate dream, many people's ultimate dream, knowing that I was possibly diminishing my chances for the scholarship. I applied to intern in Milan for a fashion creative agency. Crazy, I know.

It was risky.  Honestly, as soon as I turned in the application I regretted it and told myself to start forgetting about it because I was sure it was impossible. Fast track a few weeks to last Thursday. I finally got the much dreaded email but, here's the good news,  I've never been more blown away in my life. It paid off. I picked the ultimate dream, working in the fashion industry in Milan, and now I'm headed there this summer. I threw in all of the chips and, holy crap, I'm going to be living in Milan!

It's been pretty neat to see the culmination of all of my hardwork and right now, I'm having a blast seeing how my life is unfolding. It all does pay off. Keep working your butt off and amazing things will happen. It just comes to show that one of my favorite quotes really is true: the harder you work, the luckier you get. I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around the fact that Emily and Dot will be written out of Milan this summer but I couldn't be happier.

Life is good,
Emily