Lauren's London Look

Across the pond, my dear friend, Miss Lauren Guzman is taking London by storm. She is studying abroad in Camden, interning at Henman Communications and SAK is lucky enough to feature this sassy Londoner this fall on the blog! Check out what she has to say about her new European style.

Anything goes.

Literally. Anything.

I’ve seen girls wearing knee length denim skirts with ripped purple tights to sequined crop tops with chunky combat boots.

Now, I’m not as adventurous with my outfit choices but I will say that it’s comforting knowing that I can get away with sporting whatever I choose. Camden, the town I live in, houses the craziest of all cats in London. It’s totally normal to see a guy with a colorful mohawk and chain leather pants next to a posh chick rocking a cheetah Macklemore inspired coat.

The biggest struggle I had was deciding which select pieces from my closet I would bring with me. Since I chose to just bring one extremely overweight bag instead of paying for two, I was forced to pack with versatility in mind. So how did I manage to stuff all my stuff in my stuff?

Let me explain.

Back to Basic Black

Black, a color that looks good on everyone during all times of the year. Black is what I wear when I want to look my best—so naturally I brought a ton of it. Black slacks for the internship. Black flowy tops that double for school and nights out at the pub. Black works for any occasion and that’s why it was an easy decision to fill half of my suitcase with it.

Tights, Scarves and Headbands, Oh My!

Accessorizing is actually the best way to spice up any outfit when you’re low on outfit choices. Colorful tights are such a fun way to bring life to dark looks and it’s something that is widely accepted here. Tights work with dresses, shorts, skirts and if you’re really chilly, underneath jeans to lock in that extra warmth!

Traveling Tip: If you somehow forgot to pack enough socks, tights totally double as just that. Obviously not speaking from personal experience here or anything.

 One thing I didn’t come to appreciate until I began looking for my London look in Arizona, is how awesomely well a scarf can spruce up your look. Arizonans don’t really get the chance to wear these as often as we’d like and this is something I was really looking forward to. As a girl who’s always on the go, I’m also a fan of using my scarf as my necklace.

Rain coats, an extremely foreign concept for an Arizonan, are actually super fun. When I tested the durability of mine—yup, that means pouring water all over myself pretending to be in a hurricane—it worked out perfectly. I got mine back home before I left and it was a great investment. I love how the bright color adds a pop of fun to a seemingly dreary day.

Traveling Tip: Not sure if it’s going to rain later? Rock an infinity scarf, then when it starts drizzling (because it’s London and it WILL rain at some point during the day) you can easily whip that baby around your hair to protect the mane.

 Lastly, as most of my Arizona friends know, I sort of like headbands. In London, it’s an easy fix whenever it rains (catching my drift yet?) and you’re not feeling the craziness of kinky bangs. Since I have curly hair, this is a daily struggle for me.

The Art of NOT Showing a Little Leg

Finally, hands down, one of the best aspects of my London Look is how often my legs are not visible. From tights, jeans, slacks and my personal favorite, leggings, these legs won’t be seeing daylight until I’m back home in the Valley of the Sun. All my girls out there know exactly why this is so exciting.

When I was younger, I used to think that leggings were never an acceptable form of pants. But as I’ve grown older—and the legging industry upped their standards—I’ve come to terms with just how valuable they are to my closet. I invested in a few different shades and styles before I left home and they are now my go-to school and exploring London look.

 So there you go, SAKsters. These easy tips are just simple ways to stay stylish abroad. Check out the photos below to see my own version of the London Look during my first couple of weeks in the city.

Cheers!
 Lauren, In London