Los Angeles, California | 3/23/19 – 3/28/19

April 17, 2019 ~ bellalightner ~ Leave a comment

Hello! I recently traveled to Los Angeles, California! Mainly for fun but I made sure to take a ton of outfit pics for Instagram and blog purposes as well. I always like to share what I’m wearing when I’m on the road along with what I did and what I saw! I plan on returning to LA very soon for an exciting project I am working on…stay tuned!

Los Angeles, CA

top : Forever 21 (similar) | jeans : BLDWN

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

top : Zara (similar) | pants : Etiquette Boutique KC (similar) | shoes : Fila Disruptor II

A day at the beach was necessary to start the trip. Santa Monica seemed like a good idea because of the Third Street Promenade, the Pier, and of course the beach. For breakfast we went to Swingers Diner and it was so so good and only a few blocks from the ocean.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

blouse : vintage (similar) | top : Etiquette Boutique KC (similar) | shorts : American Apparel (similar)

Santa Monica, CA

One morning was spent exploring Beverly Hills. We got coffee at Alfred Tea Room and had brunch at Urth Caffe (one of my favorite brunch spots ever). It’s always so inspiring to me to walk into the designer stores as well to get ideas for my own outfits and to see what is happening now in the industry. People watching is also so exciting here.

Alfred – Beverly Hills, CA

Urth Caffe – Beverly Hills, CA

Louis Vuitton – Rodeo Drive – Beverly Hills, CA

Chanel – Rodeo Drive – Beverly Hills, CA

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

top : Marc Jacobs | skirt : IAMGIA (similar) | shoes : Fila Disruptor II

Beverly Hills, CA

jumpsuit : Etiquette Boutique KC (similar) | shoes : Fila Disruptor II | belt : vintage (similar)

Spent one of the days shopping in the Melrose and Fairfax district. I think that this is one of my favorite places in LA to spend the day. Every corner is filled with cool street art and the shopping is incredible. So many unique vintage finds.

We ate at a new Italian restaurant called Jon & Vinny’s and it was amazing. We sat at the counter facing the kitchen where you can watch the chefs homemake everything. Extremely good, I highly recommend.

Melrose Avenue

Jon & Vinny’s

Melrose Avenue

Dolls Kill

Melrose Avenue

top : vintage | biker shorts : Amazon (similar) | shoes : Fila Disruptor II

I had to let my inner child out at some point so Disneyland was a must. My best tip for going to Disney on a budget is to bring a backpack with your own food and snacks because Disney is not cheap. Also getting fast passes for crowded rides is so important if you want to manage your time wisely.

Disneyland

On our very last day in California, we did the most touristy thing of all- the Hollywood Sign. As tacky as I think it is, I’m always so excited to go and see it. Not only is the sign cool in my opinion, but you get a beautiful view of the Hills and downtown LA as well.

You can view the sign in a lot of places but to get to the exact spot I did, click this link. I followed the way of step number 2. Yes, we did get a parking ticket but honestly it was well worth it.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

top : vintage | jeans : BLDWN | shoes : Fila Disruptor II

Hollywood Sign

For as many times as I’ve traveled to LA, I have never been up to the Griffith Observatory and seeing it from our Airbnb window every night made me have to go. The views are incredible. You can see all of Los Angeles on one side, and the Hollywood sign on the other.

Griffith Observatory

top : vintage | jeans : BLDWN

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

Paris, France | 10/26/18 – 10/28/18 – 11/2/18 – 11/5/18

December 12, 2018December 11, 2018 ~ bellalightner ~ Leave a comment

Paris is somewhere I have ALWAYS desired to travel to and I am so lucky to have not only spent my 21st birthday there but to have gone twice within one week! I absolutely fell in love with this city and can see myself going back over and over again even more.

I am not going to write a whole lot in this blog post because it is so photo heavy. Certain photos will be captioned and of course, as always I will mention where the pieces of my outfits are from with shopable links.

xx Bella

10/26/18 – 10/28/18

Arc De Triomphe

outfit : blazer : Zara (similar) | tights : Calzedonia | bag : Fendi

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

Eiffel Tower across the Siene

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

outfit : top : Bershka | skirt : Bershka (similar)

Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa and me

I need to go back to Paris to actually take my time in the Louvre. We didn’t have a long time in Paris so we mapped out where a couple important works of art were and booked it directly there. I did get to see the Mona Lisa which was something I can say I did, but I personally think she is hyped up a little too much.

Louis Vuitton on the Champs-Elysees

Champs-Elysees

Givenchy

Saint Laurent

Walking down the Champs-Elysees is something I have seen and heard in movies and doing it myself was magical. Walking past the beautiful designer stores and coffee shops was just a dream. This is the street that made me fall in love with this city.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

Seeing the memorial for Princess Diana actually gave me goosebumps. It totally escaped my mind that the terrible incident happened in Paris and we just so happened to stumble across this. It is a beautiful monument dedicated to her and I am so thankful I got to see it.

Eiffel Tower

After going to Catholic school for the majority of my life, I learned a lot, not only about religion but about religious architecture. I remember learning about the construction of the Notre Dame Cathedral and seeing it in real life was crazy to me.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

outfit : top : Zara (similar) | jeans : Maude Vintage (similar) | belt : Off White

Siene

Notre Dame Cathedral Area

Eiffel Tower

Since it was my 21st birthday, I was 100% determined to pop champagne while watching the Eiffel Tower sparkle. This is a moment I could have only dreamed about. It was so surreal I feel like it didn’t even happen.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

outfit : dress : Zara | belt : Off White

Halfway to the top of the Eiffel Tower

11/2/18 – 11/5/18

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

outfit : dress : Zara | boots : Zara

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

Eiffel Tower Sommet

I have wanted to go to this beautiful church ever since the thought of a Paris trip came into my head. Unfortunately, I was able to go the first weekend but made it my top priority that I went the second time. Sainte-Chapelle literally took my breath away. I could stand beneath those stained glass windows for hours.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

The view from the top of the Eiffel Tower is great but the view from the top of the Arc de Triomphe is way better in my opinion, mainly because the Eiffel Tower is in view. I also absolutely loved watching the cars go up and down the Champs-Elysees.

Florence, Italy – Study Abroad : Week 1

September 14, 2018September 14, 2018 ~ bellalightner ~ Leave a comment

Ciao!

I have made it to Florence and have already been here for a week already which is crazy! I have decided to make weekly posts including my photos from that time, outfit photos, stories, and just thoughts in general. I think that this is going to be the best way for me to blog and also enjoy this slow European lifestyle at the same time.

JJ’s Caffe

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

Terrace at Accademia Italiana

outfit details : top : Free People (similar) | pants : Zara (similar) | shoes : FILA Disruptor II | backpack : Fjallraven Kanken

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

Processed with VSCO with b5 preset

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

We had our school orientation for Accademia Italiana where we went over the basics, got our schedules, and toured the absolutely gorgeous school! It looks like I will be having class in an actual art museum; it’s truly insane.

Night out with friends

View from Ponte Vecchio at night

A group of new friends and I decided to go out and discover the Florence bar and club scene and it was really fun to experience nightlife in a new country. We all walked home together around 3:00 A.M. and crossed the Ponte Vecchio and not a soul was there. It was so beautiful and calm and it hit me that this place will be my home for the next four months.

Apartment

I figured I would throw in some photos of where I am living! I got so lucky with my living situation. I am rooming with 4 other girls who are all great and the building itself it gorgeous. The color scheme is black, white, and red and super modern; my favorite.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

outfit details : top : Etiquette Boutique KC (similar) | skirt : Etiquette Boutique KC (similar) | shoes : FILA Disruptor II

Flowers

Brunch

Shopping

with new friends

On Saturday we tooled around the city, shopping, eating, and leading our own walking tour.

Being completely honest, it has been pretty difficult to adjust to this new lifestyle. My photos do look like I am having a blast but at times it can be lonely and that’s just the reality of moving to a new country alone and life in general. I have a feeling that once I get busy with school and find my way around town like a local, things will get better and I can’t wait to share next week’s adventure in photos!

xx Bella

Red Silk Top

February 13, 2018February 12, 2018 ~ bellalightner ~ Leave a comment

Here are some more shots from the KC Creatives meet-up on February 3. These are from the amazing Amina Shaw. She is such a light and I can’t wait to work with her more in the future!

I put these photos in a separate blog post mainly because I wanted to quickly talk about how important thrifting is! I purchased this red blouse from a Goodwill in Columbia, Missouri for 99 cents. It was so bold and the first thing I saw in the store. It’s 100% silk, from Bloomingdales, and in PERFECT condition. For 99 cents? Not bad.

Especially as a college student on a budget, it is not easy to buy all new clothing for Instagram content and blog posts. Thrift stores and vintage shops are the way to go to not only save money, but make a statement.

xx Bella

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

blouse : goodwill originally Bloomingdales (similar)

photographer : Amina Shaw

ROME, ITALY 1/2/18 – 1/5/18

January 8, 2018January 8, 2018 ~ bellalightner ~ 1 Comment

Our final stop was Rome, Italy! This was my third time being in Rome and I could still go back more and more. This city is absolutely beautiful and there’s so much to do.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

jacket : Ralph Lauren (similar) | jeans : Lee Jeans | shoes : H&M (similar) | sunglasses : Diff Eyewear

We had an early morning train from Florence that arrived in Rome before noon. Our room wasn’t ready yet so we tooled around town a bit with no plans. First we went to San Giovanni in Laterno where we saw the Santa Scala, or the holy stairs, and walked through the market. We stopped and had lunch in that area as well at an amazing restaurant. Personally I think that Rome has the best food in Italy, as far as I know.

Processed with VSCO with m5 preset

After our room was ready we changed and headed out to Piazza di Spagna where the Spanish Steps are. This is my favorite Piazza in all of Rome. I love the atmosphere of the historic Roman square that is surrounded by designer shops. Via Condotti, a shopping street, is connected to this Piazza so we walked down there and headed to Via del Corso, again, another shopping street. Via Condotti has more high end names like Gucci, Bvlgari, Dolce and Gabbana, and more while Via Condotti has more affordable brands such as Zara and & Other Stories.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

Via Condotti is a way to arrive at Fontana di Trevi where all of your Lizzie McGuire dreams come true. No but really, this fountain is gorgeous. I could stare at it for hours. We then made our way to Piazza Navona which is also close by. This is a favorite of my moms. It has the very famous Fountain of the Four Rivers in the middle along with a beautiful church, Basilica of Santa Maria Novella.

Pantheon

Fontana di Trevi

Basicila of Santa Maria Novella

Fontana di Trevi

DAY 2

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

jacket : Zara (similar) | blouse : Zara (similar) | jeans : Lee Jeans | boots : bought in Italy 6 years ago (similar) | sunglasses : Muse (similar)

On our second day we went to Saint Peter’s Square or Piazza di San Pietro, to see the basilica and to tour the Vatican Museum. This is another one of my favorites in Rome. If you ever go, this is a must see. The museum is great but what really takes the cake is the Sistine Chapel. The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo is my favorite work of art ever.

Piazza di San Piertro

Musei Vaticani

Piazza di San Pietro

We then went to the Colosseum area! We didn’t go in because we’ve done it before and it honestly wasn’t spectacular. However, my whole family’s favorite restaurant in all of Italy is over there! The food here is by far the best Italian food I’ve ever had in my life. Everything is homemade and fresh and authentic Italian! After our late lunch we went to a church, also right by the Colosseum. The Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli is really cool to go and see. Even if you’re not religious in any way, I still would recommend seeing all of these churches and holy spots because of how beautiful the architecture is and the incredible and famous artwork inside. We went into a number of churches throughout this whole trip.

Colleseo

Processed with VSCO with m5 preset

Processed with VSCO with c1 preset

Processed with VSCO with a6 preset

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

We ended our second night in Roma with a casual dinner at a restaurant off of Nazionale.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

sweatshirt : Zara (similar) | purse : Chopin Roma (similar)

DAY 3

To start our day, we took the metro to Piazza di Spagna to go to our favorite coffee bar where we got our cappuccinos – something we did multiple times everyday. While we were in the area, we went to the Market at Campo Dei Fiori where you can buy anything from leather goods to fruit to flowers.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

shirt : Zara (similar) | pants : Zara (similar) | hat : Target | purse : Chopin (similar)

For the rest of the day we just went around town taking in the beauty and seeing sights. We saw Vittorio Emmanuel II in Piazza Venezia which is a very busy square. We also saw some Roman ruins in this area as well at the Imperial Forum.

Processed with VSCO with m5 preset

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

DAY 4

Our last day in Rome was a sad one. I really did not want to leave and go back to reality. We did have some time though to hang out for a while. My cousin came in for the day from Florence so we got to spend more time with him. We hung around Piazza di Spagna and Fontana di Trevi and had an incredible last Italian meal nearby.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

Finally it came time to head to the train station to go to the airport. This trip was so amazing and I’m so thankful my parents took us on it. I learned a lot and got so much inspiration when I needed it the most. Although I’m sad to head back home, I am excited to start changing the way I do things there. I have really high hopes for 2018 and now that this trip is officially over I’m ready to start the hustle. Thanks again so much for following along with me!

Xx Bella

Also! I filmed throughout this trip and there will be a vlog up on YouTube here shortly! So stay tuned.

Florence, Italy 12/31/17 – 1/1/18

January 1, 2018January 1, 2018 ~ bellalightner ~ 1 Comment

Firenzi!! Florence was our next stop on our Europe trip! Florence is one of my favorite cities ever and it was so good to be back! It was insanely crowded but that didn’t take away from the amazing atmosphere here.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

jacket : Marshalls (similar) | pants : thrifted (similar) | shoes : Steve Madden (similar)

Florence has some of the best shopping in the world. Of course there are the high end designers but the best stores are the random small ones throughout the smaller streets. Clothes and things are inexpensive and so unique. Soon to be huge fashion trends hit these stores early.

Florence

Happy New Year’s Eve! I wore this velvet, glittery jumpsuit from Zara on Christmas but specifically bought it for New Years so here it is again. This is easily one of the best jumpsuits I’ve ever purchased!

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

jumpsuit : Zara (similar) | shoes : H&M (similar)

Our New Years Eve celebrations consisted of going to an amazing Italian (of course) dinner followed by watching fireworks above the Ponte Vecchio. Florence is wild on this night, people just love blowing up fireworks. This city is so alive!

Florence NYE

DAY 2

First day of the new year and we woke up to rain and that for some reason, was such a peaceful way to start off 2018. Below I am wearing a coat that my uncle got for me here in Florence! It is my new favorite thing I own because it is so different from anything I’ve seen. This store has some of the most unique pieces and it’s definitely one I’ll head back to again!

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset Processed with VSCO with m5 preset

coat : Dixie | jeans : Lee Jeans | hat : Target | shoes : Steve Madden (similar)

Today we walked around the city a bit but it was raining so not as much walking as the previous day. We had a private tour of Palazzo Medici which was actually really interesting. I usually prefer self guiding myself through a museum but or tour guide pointed things out that I would have never learned on my own. The palace was gorgeous. It’s so crazy that it still looks the way it does even with how old it is.

Florence

Ponte Vecchio

Palazzo Medici

I have wanted to study abroad for my whole life and 2018 is the year I believe I will do it. I was torn between attending a school in Milan or a school in Florence. After visiting both cities back to back I thin that studying abroad in Florence is my best bet so we went by the school! It was closed because of the holiday but it made me really happy. There are so many good things coming in 2018!

Processed with VSCO with m5 preset

We finished off Florence by going to my family’s apartment they were staying at and my aunt cooked us all dinner. I’m really glad I got to see all of them, especially here in Europe!

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

MILAN, ITALY 12/30/17

December 30, 2017 ~ bellalightner ~ 1 Comment

Next stop on our trip was Milan, Italy! This was the place I was most excited to go to! I’ve been here before but I was so sick I had to stay at the hotel where I watched Italian fashion TV for like 10 hours. Now I’m feeling great and was so ready to take on the fashion capital of the world!

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

Milan – Bella Lightner

top : Forever 21 (similar) | pants : AFRM (in black) | boots : H&M (similar) | sunglasses : Muse (similar)

We flew in from Dublin early in the morning and immediately ate and then headed to the Duomo. I have wanted to see this in person for as long as I can remember and it’s so beautiful that it doesn’t seem real. Unfortunately we didn’t goninside or to the top because of how insane the crowds and lines were and we only have a day here. Needless to say I’ll have to come back.

Milano Duomo

We walked through Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II where a ton of high end luxury designer stores are; Gucci, Prada, Versace, etc. Everything was so gorgeous. I have an obsession with window displays.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II

Of course we shopped and went to my favorite store, Zara, and some others. This Zara was the best and prettiest Zara I have ever been to in my life- and I’ve been to a lot of them.

Zara

Like I said before, it was insanely packed because of the holidays we couldn’t do a lot of the main sightseeing attractions so we literally just walked the city all day. I love this city so much. Everyone is extremely well dressed but all so differently. I could people watch for hours.

Processed with VSCO with hb2 preset