Longchamp: A Girl's Perfect Travel Bag

The traditional Longchamp Le Pliage totes are a popular choice for many college students and professionals. Since I got my first Longchamp last year, it has been all over the US and Europe with me, and has stood the test of time. Here's a list of five reasons why the Le Pliage tote is the perfect travel bag.

 Longchamp "Le Pliage" Large Tote

1. The Price is Right

Between $125 - $180, it isn't overly expensive, but not so cheap you'll know it'll fall apart.

2. Size Options

I've had two Longchamp bags, both size large. They easily hold my laptop, magazines, big DSLR camera, and other handbag necessities. The Le Pliage comes in small, medium, and large with multiple color choices.

3. It's Durable

Both of my Longchamps have stood the test of time (at least for the year it's been since I got my first one) and are still in great shape despite their almost-daily use.

Longchamp "LM Metal" Large Shoulder Tote

4. It Has a Zip Closure

When you travel to a foreign city, the last thing you want to worry about is getting pick-pocketed. A zip closure makes it harder for thieves to reach in and grab your stuff.

5. It's Waterproof!

This is something you may not always think about when purchasing a handbag, but a waterproof bag is so nice to have. When you travel, you'll likely be walking most places, so when it rains, you don't have to worry about your bag - or the things in it - getting ruined. I can't tell you how many times I've been caught in the rain and was glad to not have had my papers or electronics ruined.

m street at night

C. Wonder top (on sale!) | Longchamp bag | Martin + Osa peacoat (old, but similar here and also loving this blue one) | Trouve leggings (similar here and here) | Nordstrom sunglasses (similar) 

Just quickly posting a few photos from strolling around M Street earlier this week. M Street is definitely my favorite shopping spot in the DC area. Now it's back to work - I've been working some pretty long days but love what I do, so it's all good. I will say that I am very excited to get some sleep tonight!

Thanks for stopping by :)

xo-ally

plaid

 Madewell shirt (loving this one) | Chanel sunglasses | Hudson jeans | Max & Chloe monogram necklace | Kate Spade long necklace | Aritzia carigan (similar) | Boots from Italy (similar) | Longchamp bag | Forever 21 belt (similar)

xo-ally

winter beach outfit in viareggio, italy

Nordstrom t-shirt (similar) | Longchamp bag | Hudson jeans | Diva Shoes Florence boots (similar) | Chanel sunglasses | Michael Kors watch | Stella & Dot bracelet | Seattle boutique bracelets | similar jacket

This is my last outfit post of 2013! Last week I went to Viareggio, a small beach town on the Italian coast. It is only about an hour and a half train ride away. (Yup, those are my pink ear buds you can see peeking out of my Longchamp...didn't realize they were showing until after the photos were taken...haha). Even though it was winter, it was only a little chilly because of the sun. It was so refreshing to be on a beach and by the water and to get away from Florence for a day.

xo-ally

christmas gifts

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I had a good day and celebrated here in Florence. My dad came out to Florence for the holidays and we have kept busy by seeing major Florence "to-dos," like going to the Ufizzi and Accademia museums and the Boboli gardens, Rome for a day, and of course, eating some delicious Italian food at my favorite restaurants.

A few of my Christmas gifts:

A new Longchamp to replace my old one. I had my old one for seven months and wore it almost every day. I often cleaned it, but then eventually, even cleaning it wasn't enough - it hit the point of no return. I got great use out of it, so it's nice to upgrade to a new one. The surface on this one has a beautiful gloss and the Longchamp pattern. It's black, too - hopefully it will disguise any dirt or marks!

 Europe also destroyed my riding boots, so I got a new pair of Italian leather ones from a shop in Florence. I love them! They're very comfortable and go with everything, and will be nice to wear especially now, before I take my riding boots into a cobbler.

Some new bracelets: the top one is from Stella & Dot and the other silver ones are from a Seattle boutique.

Happy holidays!

xo-ally

rugby stripes; at the vatican

Florence boutique sweater (similar) | Trouve leggings (similar) | Longchamp bag | Ray-Ban sunglasses | Tory Burch flats | Henri Bendel earrings

Merry Christmas EVE! I haven't posted an outfit in a while but I was out and about in Rome yesterday and decided to take a quick couple photos of this outfit. I wore my cozy new sweater and leggings, perfect for the train ride, complete with flats for walking around the huge city, in addition to sunglasses because of the sunny (!) weather. The Vatican is gorgeous, and while I've seen it before, it never disappoints. It is honestly the most elaborate, most gorgeous church I have ever been in. Photos of Rome to come soon!

Have a great day, can you believe it is almost Christmas?!

xo-ally

denim on denim

H&M shirt | Nordstrom tank | H&M jeans | Nike shoes | Chanel sunglasses | Michael Kors watch | J. Crew bracelet | Longchamp bag

Quick outfit post today, just wanted to share my casual outfit. It was in the high 60s so I was quite warm wearing this, but since it's the first day of November I would've felt a little silly wearing shorts! (Even though I really wanted to...) I like mixing the dark wash denim with lighter colored chambray. These H&M skinnies were only 10 euros - such a steal - and are really comfortable. I needed another pair of skinnies so I was happy to find a super inexpensive pair that doesn't look cheap or sloppy.

Thanks for stopping by :)

xo-ally

starfish jewels

Nordstrom headband (loving this one) | Ray-Ban sunglasses | Paige denim shorts (similar) | custom sandals | Longchamp bag

I made sure to pack plenty of summer staples for a weekend on the Amalfi Coast of Italy. All weekend I was in my swimsuit, dresses, shorts, and sandals. I know back home Labor Day has already happened, but summer weather is still going strong here, and I will for sure milk it as long as I can! Being by the beach, I wore my starfish jeweled headband and a new pair of custom made starfish sandals from Capri. I'll post photos from the weekend of all the gorgeous beaches, houses, and flowers as soon as I can.

Can it just be summer forever?

xo-ally

friday's fancies - around town

This week's Friday's Fancies theme with Long Distance Loving is around town. Since I tend to get busy, sometimes I'll do my errands around town in whatever I wore that day. When I have a whole day of nothing to do but errands, however, I feel free to get as comfy and casual as I want! Here's an outfit that I actually wore when I was babysitting yesterday.

jacket, shorts, flip flops, handbag

I just LOVE this Lululemon jacket. It's perfect for bundling up before the gym, running outside, or throwing on over a tank with shorts, leggings, or even jeans for a casual day. It's super comfortable and the deep plum color will work year-round.

xo-ally

peplum + prints

J. Crew top | J. Crew pants | Chanel sunglasses | Muses & Rebels necklace | Report flats | Longchamp bag | Michael Kors watch | Swank bracelets

It was a slightly chilly, summer day in Seattle, so trading shorts for pants was in order. This particular pair was picked up from a recent J. Crew sale (scored them for $24, originally $128). Due to the busy print of the pants, I pulled the look together with a classic, white peplum top, sparkly bow flats, and accessories. I even did my hair for once - a loosely curled side pony made the look more fun, in my opinion. :)

More ways to wear it....what I love about these pieces are the versatility: I can envision this peplum top looking lovely over this bright blue pencil skirt or even a crisp pair of skinnies with mini wedges. As for the pants, a silk-y button-down tucked in with a belt would look effortlessly fabulous, as would this oversize sweater for early fall days.

xo-ally

summer white on white

J. Crew skirt (no longer available, but this one looks breezy and perfect, and is on sale!) | Subdued sheer top (from Italy, similar here) | Stella & Dot necklace | Forever 21 green bangle (similar) | Report flats | Ray-Ban sunglasses | Longchamp bag

Today's post features a lovely, summer outfit I wore on my last day of work, which was also my last day wearing "relaxed professional." This look is more laid back than a typical pencil skirt and a blazer, but with the 100+ degree temperature in New York the thought of wearing a black-on-black pencil skirt and blazer seemed a little daunting. The white-on-white kept me cool while also allowing the bright pops of color to really stand out.

Whether it's for work or for play, an all white outfit creates a clean, pretty palette for other colors to stand out and is a refreshing switch-up from basic black. If you're thinking of adding a LWD (little white dress) to your work wardrobe, I'd recommend this one or this one (of course this depends on office dress codes). I also think this collared top would look lovely tucked into this white J. Crew skirt, with this gorgeous, colorful statement necklace underneath the buttoned up collar. 

xo-ally

pink & green

Vineyard Vines top (can't find online, however, this is a matching skirt) | J. Crew shorts | Aldo sandals | Ray-Ban sunglasses | Michael Kors watch | Swank bracelets, silver | Forever 21 bracelet, green (old) | Longchamp bag

This is my last short visit to New York, and I only thought it fitting to photograph an outfit as colorful as the bright city lights. Since summer is my favorite season, I took to my favorite bright color pairing - pink and green - with my blue mirrored Ray-Bans, casual sandals, and a bright green bangle. You can never go wrong with pink and green, or with stripes - I'm also loving this Lilly dress that incorporates pink and green color blocking. (Surprise, surprise, more stripes! Haha. But really. My last three shopping trips have all included at least two striped pieces. This may begin to be an issue...)

I can't believe later this week I will leave New York and return to Seattle. This summer job has flown by! Leaving my "homes away from home" in DC and NY will be a little sad, but my next venture will begin in a few weeks. I'm excited to announce to you all what's next for me! (Hint: it's really exciting, and will be so fun to blog about).

xo-ally

dress it up/dress it down

J. Crew top (currently on sale) | Rock & Republic shorts (similar) | Michael Kors watch | Swank bracelets | Longchamp bag

So I tried to get a full length shot of this outfit, but it was a ponytail day and I looked like a boy in every photo. Haha! What I do love about such a sparkly top, however, is that it is surprisingly versatile. This top can be worn with a skirt or a nice pair of pants (already have an outfit planned for this week) or with casual shorts, like how I wore it this weekend. Not only can a sparkly top such as this one be dressed up or down in the summer, any dose of sparkle can be factored in year-round with a huge variety of outfits. Is planning ahead to my New Year's party outfit too soon? ;)

xo-ally

times square

Forever 21 dress (similar) | Nordstrom cardigan | Report ballet flats (similar) | Michael Kors watch | J. Crew bracelet (similar) | Longchamp bag

We had a fun afternoon in Times Square, getting to walk around a little bit and eat at a delicious Cuban restaurant. I've never been to a Cuban restaurant, but I love trying new things. The sandwich and the plantain chips were delicious. It was fun to pose for these photos while walking across the street!

Remember to enter the project birthday giveaway if you have not already done so! You have until July 7th to enter and we will choose a winner on July 8th.

xo-ally