As of this writing, about 132 days and sixteen hours have passed since I left New York. My parents and I packed up the small second avenue apartment that stored my wardrobe and shoe collection—and some school books, too—and headed back to Pennsylvania for the holidays. After seventeen short days, I left America to start a semester of European adventures.
As of this writing, I have 20 days left abroad. I can’t describe how much I’ve enjoyed passing the Astronomical Clock on my daily commute to class, taking weekend trips to Bratislava and Berlin and struggling to bargain in Czech for two beautiful scarves. The Czech Republic, a relatively small country amongst its European peers, is rich with culture. I love the combination of modernity that Prague provides and the history that literally surrounds the city itself. The Bohemia region that Prague is located in houses gorgeous castles and cathedrals, breathtaking mountains and nature scenes and a unique community called the Bohemians, Romani or Gypsies.
But I also miss New York and the constant fashion creation and inspiration found there. When exploring the pre-fall 2016 collections, I came across this look from FIT-grad Nanette Lepore, who is known for her “gypsy-influenced” designs. Inspiration struck: I could combine the two cultures in one awesome outfit.
Traditional Czech dress is vibrant, colorful and flowy. Traditional New York dress is black and sleek. And also black. While Lepore’s jumpsuit incorporates a billowy wide leg, this jumpsuit I discovered in a cool Czech clothing store tapers it down a bit, NYC-style. Bohemian attire is also known for rich, detailed embroidery—incorporated in the top portion of my take on the look.
Get My Look: 1. A lightly embroidered black jumpsuit. 2. A leather jacket to drape over your shoulders. 3. Black heeled booties for an extra lift.
