As miss Taylor Swift likes to say, August truly did slip away into a moment in time. There is something about back-to-school time that just feels so right… hanging onto the lazy last few days of summer while preparing for life’s next adventure.
That was exactly what this month was. Holding onto sweet simple moments at home, packing my suitcases full, and preparing for one last college move-in. Although, this year’s looked a little different as instead of driving to Kent, Ohio I flew to Florence, Italy to begin my senior year studying abroad.
It’s hard to believe I just closed out on my last “college summer”. I feel like I blinked and these years flew by. Wasn’t it just yesterday, the summer before my sophomore year of high school that I wrote my first one of these?! This month was a brutal reality check that life does not slow down, so you must choose to do so yourself.
Sharing lots of changes + favorites that this August brought + getting real and raw about how I’m feeling as I endure all of this change. Grab a coffee and get comfy; here we go!
OUTFIT OF THE DAYS
Well, this was certainly an interesting month of outfit of the days as I stepped away from the mirror photos for the first time in…. well, forever. I’ve consistently snapped a mirror #ootd since I began my website back in 2016 but between vacations and a move to Italy where we don’t have a full-length mirror, I’ve had to get creative sharing my outfit photos while out and about. Different, I know.
This month I savored every second of swimsuit season I could, wearing all kinds of patterns and prints. I learned that my favorite swimsuit style is in fact an underwire suit as it provides all the support but gives you such a simple tan line. I’m a big fan!
Since getting to Italy I’ve worn all kinds of neutrals—converting my closet into more of a “capsule wardrobe”. Lots of whites, blacks, tans, and denim are being worn. I’m sure I’ll get bored of wearing the same few things over and over but so far it’s been fun to “pair down” a bit. I actually wrote a blog post sharing everything I brought with me if you’re interested in checking it out! I basically brought all of my favorite/most worn clothing pieces with me.
BEAUTY
I’ve been using the Babe Lash lengthening serum for several months now but it wasn’t until this month when I started using their enhancing conditioner that I noticed such a huge difference in my lashes. They have gotten so much fuller and thicker! I’ve pretty much stopped wearing false eyelashes altogether becuase I’m just that much more confident in my natural lashes right now!
Tula came out with a new tinted sunscreen and I’m in love with it! It’s got just enough coverage to even out your skin tone without being super thick like a typical foundation. I’ve been wearing this almost daily with just a bit of blush and mascara and love the way it looks. It comes in 30 different shades too! I wear #16.
‘It’s a tradition at this point to get my hair highlighted right before going back to school for the semester. I went to a new salon in Mount Airy this time, getting a blonde baby light and root smudge by the amazing Amanda Smith (Instagram). I also got a couple of inches cut off and some face-framing layers to freshen up my cut. I’m obsessed with how it turned out!
ENTERTAINMENT
I finished up three books this month, all in the same week I was at the beach. Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover was amazing. I felt this was one of her best books—a super heartfelt storyline that kept me interested the whole way through. I then read Daisy Jones and The Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid, who is arguably my favorite author. Her books are incredible, captivating you the way a movie would. I never though I’d enoy a book about a band but this was phenomenal. I’m so excited for her new book to come out!
I then read Woman In The Window and I was not a fan. This book was unnecessarily long (in my opinion) and very drawn out. It was a little anticlimactic and overall, just not my favorite. I was shocked to see so many of you in my Instagram DMs saying the same thing.
I haven’t read much since I got to Italy as we’ve just been so go go go but perhaps I will find my way back into this hobby once our travel days commence.
AUGUST REFLECTIONS
I said August was going to be a “we’ll figure it out together when we get there” kind of month and that it has been. I was so nervous about coming to Italy and what that would mean for me and Styledby. I know it has only been a couple of weeks but I feel really confident that things are going to be just fine.
I think I’ve underestimated myself a bit. I mean, I’ve been doing this job for nearly seven years now. Surely, this is more habitual than I’m giving me credit for. It’s taking me some time to adjust back to the work/school/life balance but I’m getting the hang of it, just as I always do.
I wrapped up partnerships with Walmart, Target, DSW, and other brands I’m so passionate about. I signed some exciting contracts with dream brands for the month of September. And I even managed to secure a few hotel partnerships for my upcoming study abroad travels.
I’m so excited that my worlds are colliding and that I’ll get to share these fun properties with my college roommates who are truly the reason my brand has been able to grow the way it has!
SEPTEMBER GOALS + MANIFESTATIONS
I’m hoping to hit 75K on YouTube this month which was actually my 2022 goal! August was slow going, but I have a feeling with all of the study abroad uploads that things will pick up again. I’m working to hit 70K on Tik Tok and to be accepted into the Pinterest creator fund.
The rest of my month will be spent editing YouTube videos and writing travel + outfit guides for each city we’ll be visiting. We’ve got a trip planned for every single weekend this month—Croatia, Venice, Germany, Amalfi Coast, and Paris so it’s certainly going to keep me busy trying to organize all of that content.
I couldn’t be more excited though and have truly felt your love through the screen as I’ve begun sharing my Italian adventures. Truly, thank you so much!
LIFE LATELY
The beginning of August was spent in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina with the fam, soaking up a long week of sunshine and salt water. We’ve been coming here for nearly a decade and yet it seems to get better with each passing year. There’s something about the way things just immediately slow down, that I’ve never felt anywhere else. I wish we could have stayed three more weeks. One day I’ll own a house there; mark my words.
After our family vacation, I had about a week and a half at home to visit with friends, pack up my suitcases, and mentally prepare for Italy. I won’t lie, I spent almost the entire time anxious about this next step. And yet, in those small in-between moments, I was able to relax and just be. No rush, no plans, just sitting and enjoying home. It really hit me that once I come back in December, a college graduate, home will never quite be the same again.
On August 23rd I flew from Baltimore to NYC to Amsterdam to Florence, landing almost a full day later with two suitcases and an eager heart to reunite with my two college best friends Olivia and Lauren. I had my last “move in day”, unpacking my suitcases into a quaint three bedroom, three bathroom apartment shared by me and five other girls.
We spent the first week living here attending mandatory orientations, exploring the city, and eating all the gelato. We day tripped to a small coastal beach town which was breathtaking and oh so different than my usual beach experience. And we began mapping out the rest of our semester, trying to get an idea of what other countries we want to see and aligning our expectations with realities.
first day of freshman year to first day of senior year
I started my senior year of college which believe me, feels just as crazy to type as it probably feels to read. Where have the years gone?
It’s been quite the adjustment so far. Italians have a much slower way of life, and as someone who can’t seem to ever sit still, it has taken some getting used to. Classes are starting to pick up, the sweltering heat is beginning to subside (well, it’s 85 today instead of 92, lol) and we’re starting to feel like locals.
I’m sure by the time I’m writing you in December I’ll be crying about leaving, the way I always do. We’ll cross that bridge when we get there. Until then, ciao!
With love, McKenz
THIS MONTH ON STYLED BY MCKENZ
- July 2022 Favorites + Happenings
- Weekly Wrap Up #31 2022
- Outer Banks Travel Guide Summer 2022
- Weekly Wrap Up #32 2022
- How To Plan A Pinterest Worthy College Dorm / Apartment
- 10 Pinterest Worthy Summer Photoshoot Ideas
- Weekly Wrap Up #33 2022
- Clothes I Packed For My 5 Month Study Abroad Trip
- Florence Outfits + Week In My Life
- The Best Beach Day Trip From Florence