American Dream

I must apologize profusely for my lack of posts as of late, but I have been busy getting back to, and settling in at school. Luckily, this included a cross-country road trip from Connecticut to California, which granted plenty of opportunities for photo shoots! This post will serve as a daily journal for each segment of my trip. These little photo pitstops were the only thing that kept my good friend (who was kind enough to make the excursion with me) and I sane as we drove 15 hour days (we got a large scratch on my car, a chip in my windshield, almost ran out of gas before we found a station a couple of times, and the AC also broke partway through the trip, so that didn't help either). Nevertheless, when you're on the road, you have to be prepared for whatever circumstance may come your way. I dressed in clothes that were comfortable to drive in, while remaining trendy in transit. This included wearing a different pair of sunglasses every day... (Fifty Shades of What?)

Overall, I would highly recommend making this journey at some point in your lives. I have become enchanted with the various landscapes of our country. You'd be surprised at how spectacular the simplistic beauty of nature can be. In the end, it was worth the means of getting to the destination.

DAY 1- CONNECTICUT TO CHICAGO (THE DAY OF CORN)

This red striped shirt was bought on Melrose Ave. in LA during a previous visit. It has a sheer, airy material that allowed circulation as the breeze blew in through our rolled-down windows. The red color also compliments the green of the corn stalks, though that was not planned.

When it comes to the sunglasses, which are from Charlotte Russe (for $5.50!), I was at first afraid that they were too large. However, I think that they work with the right outfit and I have become rather fond of them.

We took a little break in Indiana, where we were captivated by all of the corn fields. This area served as our first photo shoot, though we made it all the way to Chicago that day. 

DAY 2- CHICAGO TO SOUTH DAKOTA (THE DAY OF MORE CORN)

This stop was just entering Minnesota, beside the Mississippi River, which serves as the background for the two photos above. 

We also happened along a currently uninhabited house that seemed too perfect to resist.

There's something about overalls that make me feel like an artist when I'm wearing them (which I am!). This pair is from Forever 21, while the black shirt is from Brandy Melville. The sunglasses that I wore on this day are Ray Bans, but they're actually from TJ Max (a steal at $60)!

The day ended with a surreal sunset that looked as if the sky were ablaze with fire. It was an amazing finish to a long day of driving. The goal of this day was to get to South Dakota, the location of Mt. Rushmore, which we accomplished. We stayed overnight and visited the monument in the morning.

DAY 3- SOUTH DAKOTA TO MONTANA (THE DAY OF HEIFERS)

We viewed the mountain around 5:30 am, as the sun was rising. It was a picturesque way to wake up and get the morning going. If we had more time, I would have loved to hike up to the top of the mountain.

There were also many cows along the road on this day, and we were inspired to stop and take a picture  with them. (They were grazed by our presence)

The featured dress is from Marshalls, so you know that it came at a decent price! I thought that the patriotic colors and floral print suited our morning with the presidents, as well as the countryside that we drove through. The sunglasses of the day were a find at Forever 21 that only cost about $5!

When we finally got to Montana, we were greeted by majestic mountains set across from a dazzling blue lake. Montana truly is a magical place in terms of scenery.

DAY 4- MONTANA CONTINUED (A DAY AT GLACIER NATIONAL PARK)

On the fourth day, we decided to stay in Montana, to see what the mountains really had to offer. I was not prepared for what I was about to see....

This sweater tee from Urban Outfitters fits in perfectly with this day's setting. The gradual gradation of warm colors reminds me of a sunrise and makes me feel right at home in the fresh open air of Glacier National Park.

After winding up the steep, narrow roads (without guard rails!) and upon reaching the top of the park, we hiked up to the Hidden Lake- that's when my breath was taken away. I stood in awe, marveling at the beauty of the mountainous landscape surrounding me. The sun bounced off of the lake like diamonds shining through its surface. It was by far one of the most captivating moments of the whole trip, and I encourage anyone who has the chance to visit. 

...We also had the chance to see some wildlife! This fellow wandered right in front of us, carelessly and fearlessly passing through the tourists armed with flashing cameras.

DAY 5- MONTANA TO UTAH (THE DAY WITHOUT REST)

On this day, we didn't actually get a chance to stop anywhere and take photos. The aim was to drive as close to our next destination, the Grand Canyon, as possible. This landed us in Utah at around 10pm, where we stopped to sleep in a motel for the night. 

The nightgown-like dress above is from H&M (for around $20 if I remember correctly) and was actually quite comfortable and non constraining while driving.

Even though we didn't have a rest stop for pictures during the day, that doesn't mean we didn't have some fun once we finally made it to the motel.....

So, we decided to have a Marilyn Monroe photo shoot.

I am developing a growing interest in Marilyn Monroe, while my friend is basically an expert on her life. We played around with different props and tried our best to (glamorously) recreate her death, just to loosen up and unwind at the end of the day. Call it morbid or whatever else you like, but we had enjoyed ourselves.

DAY 6- UTAH TO ARIZONA TO NEVADA (THE "GRAND" DAY)

This was a long day, driving from Utah to the Grand Canyon, and then ending the night in Las Vegas. We made a little stop along the way because the view was just too pretty. Honestly, every one needs a little Roadside Couture sometimes!

The shirt of the day is a lovely long-sleeved from H&M. I love the bead detailing on the collar, and the satiny material of the shirt in general. Though it was long-sleeved, it was welcoming enough to the breeze to stay cool under the hot Arizona sun.

I was having a deer moment.

These sunglasses came from a little boutique in Montana along the way ($15). I love the round lenses and the chain-like detail on the sides.

It was also interesting to see how the vegetation changes as you venture further across the country.

However, it was eventually time to get back to the task at hand: driving. It was harder to get bored when this was what you were looking at through your windshield as you pressed on. Another incentive was that the next stop was the Grand Canyon!

ARIZONA

And it was Grand....

"I heard that there's a girl out there, with love in her eyes and flowers in her hair..."

During a particular hippie moment, my friend made a crown of flowers for me to place in my hair. I thought that it fit swimmingly with the whole feel of the Grand Canyon, which is another place that everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime. It is incredible. I didn't want to leave, except that I knew that the last stop of the day would be Las Vegas!

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

Welcome to Sin City! My first impression of Vegas was a memorable one. We stayed reasonably close to the strip, so we spent the night walking around, dining, and sipping on large frozen drinks.

For our night out on the town, I changed into a plain white tank and a skirt with changing lengths from Forever 21. I thought that this style of skirt, being long in back and short in front, suited the edginess of Vegas.

They DO call it the city that never sleeps...

This stop made for a fun last night of travel and it was really great to let loose here after a long day. But of course, what happens in Vegas..... ends up on my blog.

DAY 7- NEVADA TO CALIFORNIA (THE DAY OF HOMECOMING)

After six long days of traveling, we finally made it to where I feel I am meant to be, my true home, LOS ANGELES. 

The whole experience of driving across the country opened my eyes to the beauty of America, which may sometimes be taken for granted. I came away from it with great memories and a stronger friendship than I could have ever hoped for. If you ever have the chance to make this trek, take it. Don't write it off as being a waste of time or think of it as a chore, because you will be gravely missing out. Look cute, take lots of pictures, take spontaneous detours, belt out songs from mixed CDs... but above all, live and experience.

xoxo,

KD