Phillip Tracy...

   Hats, Hats, & More HATS!!   

My Religion...

The Catholic Faith has been a part of me since I was born...I stand strong in my faith and I was blessed to be able to see the Vatican in my life time. It was amazing! 

Style.com!

http://www.style.com/

Best website for watching fashion shows online. <3

Gaga, Armani, V&R...

Lady Gaga wearing Armani and Viktor & Rolf...

Giorgio Armani...

 

 ---One of the most respected and well known designers is Giorgio Armani. Well known for his classy menswear. Armani is my idol, I'm so influenced to follow in his foot steps. I want to go into menswear also. 

Viktor & Rolf!

 http://www.viktor-rolf.com/_en/_ww/index.htm

One of the coolest websites I've seen. Viktor & Rolf are two of my most favorite designers, they are genius! Their designs inspire me so much, not to mention they reach out in their company and are always looking for new discoveries. I Love V&R! 

Music Inspires the Fashion...<3

Inspired Sketches..

 

      This sketch was just an idea that popped into my head during our train ride on our way to Switzerland. I could feel the Swiss culture seeping through my veins and I became inspired. My family is from Switzerland and I for some reason ended up sketching this design. The hat in this sketch really made me think about how much I might enjoy being a hat designer someday. I love this design!

Fashion=Life!

Vintage Fashion...Love it! <3

I can feel it...

I feel that I have become so much stronger since day one here in Milan...I have been keeping a journal the whole time we've been here and I was reading back to the first week a few days ago. Its so weird to see how much you change as a person in just a few months. I mean I know trying to adapt to living in a foreign country had a big impact on me, but its still amazing how much I've realized. 

I look at life with a whole new perspective it feels like...I'm so much more aware of my surroundings and life itself. You never know what is going to happen day after day, if everything will always be good or if you will have challenges. You have too take every bad experience and look at it as a life lesson, so you remember not to do that again and you get smarter for the next time. 

I'll have to be honest. I've had lots of troubles over here and its been hard being away from home and what I've been use to my whole life. But stepping out of your comfort zone makes life even more amazing! You should try it sometime. ;-)

Progressing in College.

Since I started college I have wanted to be a Resident Assistant at Ai Indy. The first time I applied I knew I had a lot of good competition, but I still applied for the experience...I didn't get the position that quarter, which was okay, I was really new to the student housing ways of living anyway and I needed to get more involved.

This past quarter another RA position opened up. The Housing Director was taking applications again and holding interviews, even though I was studying abroad in Milan, Italy, I still applied. I'm so glad I tried it again. I've always believed in that saying, "Try Try Again." This time when I applied for the position, I could feel a big difference in myself. I was filling out the application and writing my paper with full confidence. I think being in Italy for the past 10 weeks has caused me to grow up so much and just take everything in life as a good lesson learned.

Last night I had my interview for the position, and I feel so proud of myself for the outcome of my interview. Sometimes its just little things like an interview that can make you feel so accomplished, even if you haven't received the results yet.  

Life is precious...

Yesterday as I was at school here in Milan. I was on Facebook just reading some statues of my friends. I came across a status that said, "There is a gunman loose, traveling up and down Raider Rd., he has shot 7 people, including an 8 year old!" When I read that status I was shocked, but still it hadn't seriously hit me as hard as it has now.

What actually happened in my small hometown, between November 29th and 30th, 5 people we're killed. A young man of age 25, went mad a killed 2 young women, a young man, and himself. He was also suspected of killing a young girl, the night before killing his other victims.

I had no idea what was going on, all I could think about was my family! I was worried about them and my friends. The shooting took place next to my high school on Raider Rd. in my home town. The school was put on lock down in the midst of these traumatic events.

As I sit here, looking at the online journal, reading the stories of the police men and the eye witnesses...I'm thinking to myself that life is precious, but when things like murder/death happen is the only time we recognize how fast life can be taken away from us. Its so scary and saddening to see evilness take over a person's life and even worse to see that person killing other innocent people. 

God bless to those who lost their loved ones & God be with them in their time of sadness. 

Life is never easy...There will always be hard times, but good times as well. Pain brings Strength, Happiness brings Peace. Just know that you are never alone, keep the Faith & trust our God....<3

http://www.dailyjournalonline.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyheJ480LYA

The Goodfellas...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOaV06ruMqg&feature=related

What are some of the first things you think of when you think of Italy...Pizza, Pasta, the Mafia!

Goodfellas is one of the best movies that has be produced about the Mob. it was based on a true story, and it really gives you the facts about how the Mafia really ran the place.

I find it interesting because these guys lived a whole life full of crime and always got away with it because of how manipulating they were...Not to mention if someone made a wrong move in the system, they didn't live to see the next day. Things are still happening like this in Italy. Pretty Crazy!

Gotta have Love!

The best of Passion comes from the ones we love and the ones who love us...When I saw this on my Facebook page I couldn't stop smiling. Its from my Johnathan. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAUMU3QQE6w

Could you Imagine...

http://www.hanefesh.com/edu/Holidays/Holocaust_Remembrance_Day.htm

The Holocaust was one of the most devastating times in history. I couldn't imagine being one of the victims of this horrid, historical event. So many lives were lost and so many lives ruined. Families torn apart; people suffering from terrors of what they saw, how they were treated, and the pain they felt. Still to this day the Holocaust effects us and it always will...

Thanksgiving 2010...

So its my first time being away from home on a very important holiday. I don't know how some people don't get together with their families every year. Thanksgiving is a big deal in my family, lots of food, lots of laughs, and lots of love. I'm handling it pretty well though, I think. I really miss home and the familiar family faces, but I have a small family of my own here in Milan. 

I have struggled so much with being homesick since I've been in Italy. I may over exaggerate it a little bit sometimes or be too dramatic about it, but home is where the heart is...having such an amazing opportunity to travel the world is always what I wanted and I know I'm going to miss Italy when I get back to America. 

This trip has taught me so many tips about life that I'm going to definitely use along my journey. I'm stronger, braver, smarter, confident and will always appreciate everything in my life more than I have in the past. 

You just start to realize when your missing out on a whole other world across the ocean, that anything can happen at anytime and you have to be ready. You have to get out and do whats best for yourself, but don't ever take it for granted. Family & Friends will always be more important than anything in this world, & having faith in God will always be number one! 

Learn to live each day through prayer & love EVERYTHING, with all your heart!

Paris was my dream...

From the time I was 4 years old all the way up until I was 18 I fantasized about living in Paris..It was everything I wanted; a fashion capitol, the city of love, city of lights, historic, so much to see, so much to do, a city that never sleeps.

During the time I was in Paris when I was 18 years old, I couldn't bring myself to believe that I was living my dream at such a young age. But going to Paris before I began my "grown up" life I realized that I could never live that far away from my family. After I got home that year and started my college life I kept thinking about how I would love to visit Paris again...

Currently I'm studying abroad in Italy and just got back from Paris a few days ago. It was completely different than it was the first time I saw it, Paris was still as beautiful as ever though, of coarse. I still can't bring myself to live so far away from home. I would never complain if I had to travel back and fourth to Paris my whole life. But my home is in America. <3

Paris 2008/2009

Paris 2010

Inspiration.

Everyone has inside of him a piece of good news: The news is that you don't know how great you can be! How much you can love! What you can accomplish!<3 

---Anne Frank

Avant Guarde on Steriods! Featuring Lady Gaga...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2smz_1L2_0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrO4YZeyl0I

One person who has always influenced me in fashion is definitely Lady Gaga...I do like her music but that is not the main reason I look up to her so much. She's completely a fashion icon! Some of the Avant Guarde outfits she has worn are truly amazing, I wish that I could be her designer someday, just because I know if I made something utterly outrageous she would still wear it, and the whole world would see it!

In Lady Gaga's music videos you can see how she promotes so many top designers, she has such a love for fashion and its very inspiring to me. She doesn't just wear the clothes, she always has her hair and make-up done to give the outfits such a unique look...If you didn't know Lady Gaga and her fabulous fashion you would think she was 10 different people.

I added a few clips for you to watch because there are many amazing designer shoes, accessories, and one of a kind outfits that Lady Gaga promotes...Watch closely because she moves a lot.

Having a hard day.

For the past few days all I've been able to think about is the day that I'll see my family and friends again...I'm so ready to get back home and spend time with everyone. I guess its just because I've been over here for 7 weeks and haven't seen any familiar faces in a while. Some days I just like to stay in all day and be by myself to sketch, to listen to music, to watch movies, and just have some "me time." All I've had is time to myself in the last few days though, I keep staying in, its almost like I'm not motivated to get up and get out so I can get things done. I want to go on walks and go shopping, but I'm afraid to go alone. Its just been kind of a weird day today. I'm ready for Wednesday to get here because we are going to Paris...I'm so ready to be back in my favorite city in the world! I love Paris so much! <3

What a fantastic Idea!

In my Trends and Concepts class, we took a field trip to the Italian Modern Museum of Art. What a neat place! The Art was so different and crazy! It was so much fun to look at...As I glanced at the art, I kept wishing I was sitting in a studio working on all these different discoveries, trying to make the things I was seeing. My favorite piece of Art were these chairs made out of different craft supplies: Foam, Fabric, Stuffed Animals....It was the neatest thing, I think I'm going to try and make a chair out of stuffed animals when I get back home! <3

Where I'm at now...

Its week 6 for me...Living in Italy.

I can't believe I've made it this far already...I've seen so much and picked up on so much of the Italian culture. My biggest excitement though, is how I'm going to take back everything that I have learned to America, and apply it to my life back home. If I have already came this far in just 6 weeks, how much more am I going to learn in my last 6 weeks here? <3

No Hotels...WHAT!?

The first time the girls and I stayed over night, on our own...we didn't book a room ahead of time and decided to just find a room when we got to our destination. After about an hour of looking for a hotel room, for 4 girls to stay in, we realized we probably should have booked a room ahead of time. Luckily we ran into an older lady walking down the street and she had a friend that took us in. Her friend gave us a room with 4 beds, a kitchen, a bathroom and everything we needed for one night...It was such a great price that we jumped on it!

After our whole day of adventures in the city, we came back to our room, got ready for bed, and NEVER went to sleep. We were so scared we were going to hear someone walk in to our room. We had music playing all night, the lights were on as high as they would go, and we all kept each other awake. It was probably one of the funniest nights I've had in Italy...So FUN! <3

This is what I call a field trip...

My Culture and Civilization class took a "field trip" to a town outside of Milan called Bergamo. It was such a neat little town, and had so much history behind it. The story we were told states that the upper part of town, where all the old buildings and houses are located, was the richer area where the "important people" stayed. On the lower deck of town is where the poor people stayed. There was such a different between the top and bottom parts of town.

Must See!

One of the most beautiful places in Italy that I have visited is Cinque Terre. As I was riding the train into Cinque Terre I was sleeping, I woke up right before we got into the village called Monterosso. When I looked out the window of the train I was SHOCKED! It was ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL! I felt like I was in Hawaii, but better. Cinque Terre gave me so much inspiration. Just standing on the rocks looking out at the Mediterranean Sea gave me chills, my eyes were opened, and I realized that I wasn't in Indianapolis anymore. <3

MAC Make-Up!

My friend from school sent me this video...I thought it was interesting how he was telling me he might be over here in Milan, working and I have been to half the places in this video already...Check it out, its pretty awesome. <3

http://www.youtube.com/user/maccosmetics?blend=5&ob=4#p/u/1/QeY22luDq_Y

The Kings and Queens of Fashion...Milan, Italy

Who I am today.

Do you ever feel like everything that has ever happened to you in life is scary because you've gotten so much that you've asked for?

I like to think my life is perfect because I do have everything I've ever wanted, everything I've ever needed and everything that I have is amazing. I'm not talking about just material things, I'm talking about life experience, the love of a great family, good friends who are there for me, someone that loves me for who I am, and I have all the confidence in the world that if I were to die tomorrow I know I've already lived life to the fullest!

There will always be things in life for a person to see, experience, and feel for. But you can't do it all, don't let that discourage you...Do what makes you happy, don't fear those people who will think your crazy or weird for being who you are.

Life is hard to live sometimes, when your heart is in pain because that guy that you thought was the one you were going to love the rest of your life; doesn't care about you anymore, and he moved on....Or when you have to let go of your best friend because you see that she's heading down a road that will ruin your life and her's...When you pack up your whole bedroom and move to another state to begin your dreams of becoming who you want to be, and you have to leave all of your friends and family...When you meet someone that tells you, your doing everything in your life wrong and you see that they are right....When you get on a plane and go half way across the world to learn about fashion but you end up learning who you are, what your capable of and that your life is completely different that it was last year.

I realized the other day that I'm not the girl I use to be...I'm better. I let go of one of the hardest heartbreaks that I will probably ever go through. I let go of my best friend who I use to have so much fun with, but I had to grow up. I moved away from home, to a place that I had never even thought of living in my whole life, just to go to school. I have lived on my own for almost two years now, I only get to see my family and hometown friends about seven times a year instead of everyday. I met someone who pointed out to me that I wasn't who I thought I was, and I couldn't accept it, until now. And five weeks ago I got on a plane to fly half way across the world, even when I had just felt like I was comfortable in my new home (Indianapolis). I can't believe how I'm feeling right now...I want to take every risk! I want to climb every mountain in my life! I'm not scared to love again! I'm not scared to be hurt again! I'm not afraid of what people think about me! I'm confident in everything that I will ever say, ever do, and ever become! I am me and always will be! <3

The Lyrics to my Life...

"No Boundaries"
Seconds, hours, so many days
You know what you want, but how long can you wait
Every moment lasts forever
When you feel you've lost your way
And what if my chances were already gone
I started believing that I could be wrong
But you gave me one good reason
To fight and never walk away
So here I am still holding on

With every step you climb another mountain
With every breath it's harder to believe
You make it through the pain
Weather the hurricanes
To get to that one place
Just when you think the road is going no where
Just when you almost gave up on your dreams
They take you by the hand and show you that you can
There are no boundaries..
There are no boundaries

I fought to the limit, to stand on the edge
What if today is as good as it gets
Don't know where the future's heading
But nothing's gonna bring me down
Jumped every bridge
Run every line
I risk being safe
I always knew why
I always knew why
So here I am still holding on

With every step you climb another mountain
With every breath it's harder to believe
You make it through the pain
Weather the hurricanes
To get to that one place
When you think the road is going no where
Just when you almost gave up on your dreams
They take you by the hand and show you that you can
You can go higher
You can go deeper
There are no boundaries above and beneath you
Break every rule 'cause there's nothing between you and your dreams

With every step you climb another mountain
Every breath it's harder to believe
You make it through the pain
Weather the hurricanes
To get to that one place
Just when you think the road is going no where
Just when you almost gave up everything
They take you by the hand
And show you that you can
'Cause there are no boundaries.. 

(There are no boundaries)
There are no boundaries.. 

There are no boundaries.. 

(There are no boundaries)
There are no boundaries.. 
There are no boundaries

You must be the Change you wish to see in the World...

Life gets hard sometimes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOVP47sau1I

This song reminds me that life gets tough, but there's nothing wrong with just sitting down and taking the time to gather your thoughts...then go out and over come your fears!

You have to let go, if you ever want to be happy again...

For the past couple years I have been through so much. I never realized I was so capable of making my dreams come true. Now I'm living in Europe and going to a different country every weekend, just for fun! Study Abroad was something that I thought would look good on my resume, never once did I think I would be changing as a person as much as I have also. 

When I first got to college it took everything I had to stay there and not move back home. I missed my life in Missouri everyday for that whole first year...I still do miss my hometown all the time because my family lives there and the house I grew up in is where I can completely be myself. Now I've been in Europe for over a month I really miss Indianapolis...I didn't realize how much I grew up last year, until I came over seas and saw that I was a lot stronger than I imagined. 

Going through a life changing experience, such as studying abroad, over seas, for 3 months...Opens your eyes, and makes you look at things differently. 

There are still so many things in my life that I am trying to get over and move on with, things that happened years ago...I just haven't had the courage to take the pain and deal with the heartache. Now I look back and see what I've accomplished recently, and I know that I can move on with my life...

Wouldn't trade it for the world...

Before I came to Italy I honestly didn't know if I really wanted to go on this trip. I had a feeling that once I got over here, something wasn't going to be right. I kept asking myself if it was just my fear of being gone for 3 months and putting my life in Indy on hold...If I was just scared to be so far away from my family, knowing if something happened they couldn't just be there in 5 hours or less. 

I still keep wondering what that feeling in the pit of my stomach was...now that it is almost week 6 of me living in Milan, I think I'm starting to see why I got such a bad feeling. 

You see, when you move to a foreign country things aren't comfortable like they are back home...Nobody hardly speaks your language, the food tastes different, everyone dresses and looks different, things we may find rude back in the United States, isn't necessarily rude here...Talk about an eye opening experience. 

I still haven't found my comfort zone here in Italy and I don't really think that I ever will...while I'm over here studying, site seeing, shopping, and enjoying such an amazing opportunity...I can't help but think about everything that I am missing back at home. 

You never realize how precious your hometown is until you move 5 or so hours away from it, just to study fashion and see what else is out there...But you really don't know how amazing your culture is, until you see how much harder it is to live in another cultures society. Everything that we take for granted in America is what's so hard to come by over seas. As time goes on and on, I keep realize how much I have back in America and how fortunate I really am. I would never give up the life I was given back home.