Outfit Details:
As soon as I saw that sweater, I knew I had to have it immediately as I LOVE Connie Francis and she had a song called Lipstick On Your Collar that is just too cute for words. I wanted to step out of my comfort zone a little since I hardly ever wear mini skirts, so I went for this pink button cord mini skirt and it is SO flattering on. I can't recommend both of these pieces enough, and they're perfect transitioning into the fall! Just throw on some tights and ankle boots, and you're good to go!
One thing that hasn't changed since I moved to this small town in Sweden is that the need for exploring and going on small adventures is still a big part of me. Back when I lived in LA, I found myself driving up the 101 to the Madonna Inn, or east to Palm Springs for the day. I didn't think about it much beforehand, I would just go. It's not quite as easy to do here... gas is more expensive, and there isn't AS much variety of places to choose from if I want a quick getaway. I get bummed out sometimes when I think about the fact that things ARE different here, and that I simply don't have the money to travel very far, unless I save up for a reeeaally long time. So when I want to go somewhere, it's always kind of a battle of sorts. Originally, I had planned on shooting this look in a location that's over an hour away from where we live. We spotted it coming back from Stockholm earlier this summer and I had my mind set on using it for this exact look. But when it came down to it, it was simply too far and not worth the drive, and I am SO glad that I decided on my plan B.
I've been visiting the town of Fredrikstad in Norway since I first came to Sweden, and this was the first time when the weather was actually nice (it was snowing and very cold when I brought my mom here back in January= not fun). So Max and I took advantage and walked around for a while, shooting me in my new favorite fall outfit from Joanie Clothing in front of all the colorful buildings. To our surprise, all the stores were open and they were even having a flea market. Did you know that all stores in Norway are closed on Sundays, even grocery stores? Norwegians carry a mentality of relaxation one day a week, and I don't blame them for that one bit.
I love that Fredrikstad is so well-preserved (it was discovered in 1567 by King Frederik II). You can still see where the motes used to be and every building has colorful doors and windows and you can just feel history oozing out of it with every cobblestoned step you take! Not to mention, Fredrikstad is known for having the biggest miniature train museum in all of Scandinavia which I had the chance to visit when I brought my mom there in January. It was AMAZING. See?
So much to love about a place that's just a short drive outside of town. As boring as this part of the world can feel sometimes, when it's warm outside, these towns really all come alive and all it really takes in the end is a fresh perspective! Is there one special place you like to travel to just to "get away" that you only started to appreciate recently? I'd love to know where!
