Sure, I’m a day late & a dollar short posting these BUT nothing new there? In fact, I feel like it keeps it fresh to wait a little? Instead of bombarding you with too much at once. You know how I love to mix it up!
Ok, speaking of mixing it up: I certainly mixed it up in France.
As you know, I love to dress for the occasion with my own twist. So St. Tropez was all about pastels with a touch of denim ( a two piece to be exact ), Provence was more white linens, & then Paris, of course was blacks, lace, pops of red, & a VERY v-neck bodysuit. Again, nothing more fun than dressing for the occasion.
Lots of off the shoulder moments happened. AND in Paris LOTS of sex-ed up looks. This wrap up bodysuit was one of my favorite looks, it’s EXTREMELY flattering.
One of my other favorites was the denim two piece. We were in St. Tropez listening to Bossanova, eating melon & prosciutto, & drinking rosé so I feel like it was really the ideal look for this vibe. Melon, rosé, & denim match well, no?
Since a lot of you guys Snapchatted me about each outfit, I figured a blog post would kill 200 birds with one stone. So ta-da!
Because I can’t talk about what I’m wearing for too long, I’ll talk about what’s been going on.
I AM VERY, VERY EXCITED because one of my best friends ( Steve ) is a highly successful business coach. He coaches CEOs on how to be productive & how to stay organized.
Thankfully, he’s committed to helping me with my calendar.
Now don’t laugh. This sounds very strange but how you plan your day is a HUGE part of success. I believe that success comes from chipping away, every day. Small steps to hit the bigger goal.
Anyway we did our first “session” tonight & I’m feeling HIGHLY organized for tomorrow’s busy day. In fact, I cannot believe how much we accomplished in 2 hours. I actually learned a lot of cool tips / tricks for scheduling.
Here’s what I’m thinking:
I’m doing a nightly session with Steve for the next week so he can literally “teach” me the best way to organize my day in a successful fashion. What if I did a blog post with his tips? Would you guys like this? Who else needs help prioritizing their schedule? AM I THE ONLY WEIRDO ON THE PLANET THAT NEEDS THIS?
Ok! Outfit details are clearly under each picture – I hope you guys enjoyed my pastel, denim, vampy bodysuit looks. I sure had fun outfit planning for this trip.
On that note, off to bed. Need a good night’s sleep for tomorrow’s carefully planned day.
See ya tomorrow, lauryn x
+ two new exclusive TSC App posts are live: “Three Things to Incorporate Into Your Wellness Routine” by moi & “Moving In With A Woman & How It’s Changed My Life” by Michael. Happy reading!
++ more travel here | podcast from France ( episode 12 ) here.
( Currently blogging from a VERY cracked iPhone. It’s a long story but that’s neither here nor there. So BEAR with me? ).
Ok so this post was inspired by a darling, lovely The Skinny Confidential reader named Kaitlyn Pruski, who e-mailed me & Michael.
She’s in college, feeling confused, & basically was asking for clarity. If you listen to TSC PODCAST, you know Michael & I have a…unique outlook on college. We’re very up front about our opinion: college is not always necessary. In fact, sometimes it’s a colossal waste of time & money. This obviously doesn’t apply to doctors, lawyers, nurses, you get it.
I’m talking about the people, like me, who went to college just to go to college. The old “I’m a communications major but I have no idea what the hell I want to do with my life so I’ll pretend I love communications” kind of student. College could have been skipped for me, I could have focused on building my brand.
ANYWAY! Wanted to let you in on Michael’s e-mail response to this cute TSC reader.
Here’s her e-mail broken into sections with Michael’s answers underneath:
K, Michael I need some help! You said in one of the podcasts a while ago that you were able to figure out how to graduate early and you found some smart loopholes…I’m ready to get the move on and am totally interested in what the hell you did and your advice !
Hi! Sorry to respond like this (not a formal email) but I thought I would address each point. I was able to graduate by staying in summer classes, getting intern credits, & basically going to my counselor to figure out the fastest way to get out of there. What are you studying and what field do you want to go into? Some fields require a degree ( doctors, lawyers, etc. ) and the degree makes sense, even with the debt attached, but others…not so much.
College is not for everybody, and I would say college COULD be for me… but I am actually being “forced” to get my degree . It apparently is not even an option to take a semester off to breathe apparently, at least in my Mom’s eyes. This is my third year ( technically ) I am 20 and bored as shit…I have yet to have any type of “fun super cool hip badass oh man remember that ” stories. I had a decent amount in high school but college just seems to be such a bore .
College is definitely not for everybody. What are you studying for? To get a job? Ok what kind of job? Why do they care about your degree over someone else with a degree? What does your mom think is going to happen when you get out of school? What industry are you going into? Is college doing anything to prepare you for that industry?
These are important questions to ask yourself & your mom. I think at one point in school I had to pay to take a class on “Pop Culture in Latin America.” I was also forced to take a class on “Water Management” as well as “Marine Biology.” These were required to get elective credit I think. These do not apply to my life. If I had any interest in any of those things I would read a book. If you have any of these classes I am sorry.
If you have gone three years you may as well finish, you already have 3 done and the debt ( if there is debt ) is already there. Nobody will ever care or ask about your GPA. Nobody. Just remember this is your life & not your mom’s ( parents hate to hear this but it’s 100% accurate ). Tell her if she wants to force you to go to school, she can also pay the bill. If she can’t she shouldn’t force you to go and acquire an enormous debt with no prospects yet on how to pay it back.
It’s your life, not her’s.
Also, I need some advice on student loans, I’m desperado to get out of the house with my parents but I have been sucking up my pride in order to get my business aligned, save money , and make the move to San Diego sooner than later .
I have a big problem with student loans & parents forcing kids to get them. First they are something you can never get out of, not even with bankruptcy. They have to be paid in full with interest. If your parents are forcing you to go to school, to get a job that you may not want, in a field you are not yet sure about, while also forcing you to accumulate debt; I think this is really fucked up.
What would be awesome is if you could get those same loans & use them to start a business. The business would probably fail ( that’s ok, it’s your first business ) & then you have to pay it back but I guarantee it would be a much better education & you would get a lot more practical experience.
In a few years, maybe even months you will see a conversation in the world started about why student loans are some of the biggest problems our generation has faced.
The whole idea that you need to go to school and get in debt in order to get a job to get you out of debt is insane. If I went to get money for a business & said I needed 100k to do something that I’m not sure I want to do, for something I don’t yet know exists…I would be laughed out of the room.
Our parents didn’t start their careers thousands of dollars in debt & it’s unfair for them to force you to.
College can be good for some people. If you are going to school to find a job, a degree might help in certain fields. If you are going to school to be an entrepreneur, quit right now. Your business degree is useless.
Lauryn & I obtained our degrees & have never used them once. Not once. Nobody has asked. Nobody cares.
That being said, I work for myself & started my own thing so I never had to use it. The only thing college taught me was how to get tasks done, set my own schedule, & manage myself. It also taught me how to be independent which could also be learned outside of school. Other than that, I was taught by “doing.” School didn’t teach me how to “do.”
The lessons taught in college are impractical in my experience. There is no textbook for being an entrepreneur or creating your own business, taking risks, and betting on yourself. No textbook or teacher can prepare you for that. How does a teacher who is a salaried employee, who has never created a job in their life know how to teach you to do that? They don’t. So why waste your time and money on them? Do you want to pay me to teach you how to drive a submarine? I have never done it myself but I know there are some handbooks and lessons on it. No? Ok then.
So, student loans? Advice on my situation? And thoughts?
Anyways, I would really focus on who you are. What you want. What you want to do. Then decide. Maybe even go and try and get a job now in the field you think you want to go into. That way, you get some experience and you know if you really want to pursue that industry.
You can always go back to school later. Your parents can’t make that choice for you. Don’t get overwhelmed.
I wish someone said this to me at 20.
I think I would be even farther ahead. Don’t worry about what society says about your path. If I listened to any of that I wouldn’t be doing anything that I am currently doing…& I wouldn’t have had the chance to email you!
Cheers! – michael
Lauryn here again. Ok so I completely agree with this advice. I think if you’re interested in college, look into community college first to test the waters!
College students: weigh in. Let’s discuss?
What else do any college students out there want to hear? I’m thinking of doing a The Skinny Confidential college series: topic ideas?
Ok off to bed. Going to enjoy the skinny, healthy banana muffins Mimi made me ( see the ingredients on Snapchat! ) & have a cup of peppermint tea.
See ya tomorrow, x lauryn
+ high school/college students: if you have any questions about this specific post for me & Michael, leave them below. I’ll personally make sure ALL of them get answered : ).
++ more posts by Michael on business here, here, & here.
1| like the post +A couple weeks back, I wrote a St. Tropez itinerary for you all. A lot of you guys snapped me about what I was wearing while we were out there. Look at me, a style icon! Haha! Far from it but for those of you who are interested, I put together these collages for your men.
The last thing you want to do is read the badass itinerary and show up in St. Tropez (or anywhere in the South of France) with your man looking like a bum! Make sure he gets his shit together and wears the right gear. Can’t have him looking like a slob on your arm! Get him in this gear, feed him some rosé, let his moose knuckle hang out, and hit the town!
SAINT TROPEZ STYLE: By Michael
Ok first things first, time to hit the pool.
Tell your man that some color is a good thing; I’m feeling salmon or coral shorts right now. Then tone it down with a neutral shirt so that he doesn’t look like a total asshole. A basic black hat is always legit; keep the sun off his face.
Lauryn will kill me if I don’t mention sunscreen, so bring some SUNSCREEN. I’m also digging these easy slip ons lately.
Girls, on a side note: stop wearing those gladiator sandals! It’s a pool not the arena. You are not Russel Crowe (another Gladiator joke).
If you guys decide to hit the beach instead of the pool, make sure you bring a beach bag. There is nothing worse than having to carry all of Lauryn’s stuff at the beach without a bag. If you want him to carry everything then give him something that looks good to carry it in.
When you decide to head into town during the day make sure he’s not in combat boots. We are in a beach town here. Think light colored shirts and colored pants. When else can you wear this stuff and not look like a clown? Loafers always, hidden socks / no socks are 100%.
Nighttime in St. Tropez (or in any city along the French Riviera) is when you should really do it up. People are dressed to the nines. Ladies, make sure you aren’t in a coverall that you throw over your swimsuit. Do it up! Throw your guy in some white pants, white sneakers, and a black tee or white dress shirt with a black blazer.
IT GETS ME EVERY TIME. IN ANY SEASON. Anyone else?
Paris, France was the last & final destination of our travels.
Lots of croissants, long strolls, harps ( like the instrument ), bread, more bread, museums, sites, & red wine.
Everything Paris is made of.
When we arrived to our hotel, Le Bristol Paris, we immediately scoured the premise for the two cats, Fa-raon & Kleopatre, who reside in the hotel. They’re very difficult to find because they hide AND they had sort of a tiff. You know, like they got into a little confrontation so the girl cat makes the boy cat sit in the garden while she stretches out on her own personal chaise lounge filing her toenails. Their life is one of a kind. When in Paris, go by or stay at the hotel & find the cats. Trust me, they’re a trip.
Outfit theme was blacks & whites with pops of red. Red shiny nails is always my go to in Paris. It feels right when sipping a whole milk cappuccino.
Michael & I did a lot of walking, thank God because BREAD. We essentially walked everywhere. One day we basically got lost on the streets of Paris. We found a spot to sip coffee then walked to a tiny, tiny hole in the wall crepe store. The woman was so kind & made us the most delicious Nutella crepes in front of our face. Honestly, they were the best thing to ever hit my lips.
( Oh, as you know if you listened to last week’s podcast, I lost a FUCKING DIAMOND EARRING in Paris. Shoot me. That whole story is recapped on this week’s Episode 24. Very, very annoying. Let’s just say Michael…was not pleased. Christmas is around the corner, nudgey-nudge ).
If you’re thinking of traveling abroad, I highly recommend looking into Paris or France in general. & if you’re in college & thinking of traveling abroad but not pulling the trigger: why not? GO FOR IT! DO IT! I can honestly say I wish I spent AT LEAST two semesters abroad. College is the ideal time for you to do whatever the fuck you want. Travel! Look into the programs through your school, it will shock you how inexpensive some of the programs are.
Speaking of traveling abroad, we met up with Michael’s sister, Tara, who’s been traveling abroad since she was sixteen years old! She’s now 21 years old & speaks three languages. Tara literally blew my mind. To be that cultured & worldly at such a young age is badass. We talked to her A LOT about how she makes it work on a budget. I hope each & every college student who’s reading right now will RUN to their counselor tomorrow & inquire about studying abroad.
Just my two cents.
What do I know though because I’m currently in front of the T.V. absorbing Housewives of OC ( what is Kelly’s problem? ), stuffing my face with homemade watermelon jerky.
You should know, A LOT of madness has been going on in my life lately…& I will update you guys very soon. I haven’t had a chance to really sit down & pour my heart out on here lately. No problem though, because sometimes stepping away from something ( whether you take a personal break or travel ) can really encourage creativity. I’ve recognized that little lesson the hard way.
Ok that’s all for today.
Paris Itinerary is coming ( more Paris here )! And of course, Michael already did St. Tropez so we covered that. ALSO, I have NOT forgotten to share outfit details from our trip…just give me a minute because it’s A LOT of info. The white bomber I’m wearing in this post is MY FAVORITE EVER & you can find it here.
Hope you are all doing amazing – love chatting with you guys on Snapchat.
Talk soon, lauryn x
+ newness on TSC: 2 exclusive app posts are live: Great Content? Who Cares? by Michael & The Importance of Stuffing Your Face With Antioxidants by Moi! PLUS there’s a new podcast episode. We called it “The Sex Podcast” so I can ensure you there’s a lot of juicy shit including how to dump someone nicely, the importance of distributing your content, & tips for losing your virginity…oh ALSO we snuck in a TSC Meal Plan discount code! Listen above or on iTunes. Happy Tuesday! x
1| like the post + Hi guys, Michael here! As promised, a full on St. Tropez itinerary ( you guys know I love my itinerary, traveling is my thing! ). Ok so, Saint Tropez…how do I begin here? Well for starters let’s just say…be prepared to drink some rosé!
St. Tropez is a small town in the South of France that you definitely need to visit ASAP! Make sure you don’t go in the off-season though because it’s dead! The prime months in my opinion are July & August. So let me tell you a little about the place before I get into the itinerary.
This is not a place for tourists.
Some tourists go there but it’s not the place if you catch my drift. This is a place to take a vacation. Relax, eat well, read, sleep, party, relax, party, eat, & relax some more and act like you know what you are doing. Hopefully after reading this you will!
As usual my itineraries will be short and to the point to give you the optimal experience with as little wasted time as possible. For the boring stuff refer to Google.
Ok so here we go. St. Tropez could possibly be my favorite place on earth. I think Lauryn would agree but I don’t want to speak for her. It covers every spectrum! Great weather, beautiful people, awesome beaches, great pools, amazing food, crazy parties, and the most relaxing places to read and rest! I have been to many different places in the world and after a few days I am usually ready to head home. I could stay in St. Tropez for a month, easy!
Ok so lets start with basics:
Go to the beach and relax during the day. The beaches in St. Tropez are always nice and relaxing. The water is perfect for a quick swim, so don’t be shy!
If the beach is not your thing and you like pools better hit up a nice hotel pool. I prefer the Byblos or Chateau De La Messardiere.
Make sure you go into town, eat some ice cream, grab a Campari soda, & do some shopping. You can walk the whole town.
If you are feeling adventurous rent a car & hit up all the different beaches.
If you are in town and looking to get a drink go to the Hotel De Paris rooftop for a drink.
At night, if you decide you want to get crazy visit VIP Room or Les Caves Du Roy. Those are the best clubs. Go to Nikki Beach in the day for a wild time.
& now some details:
For a romantic dinner, head to The Strand. Lauryn & I love this place. Get a bottle of champagne and enjoy the scene.
If you want an upscale dinner that’s a little more trendy go to Kori. This place can also turn into a bit of a party so be careful
For a completely crazy dining experience go to L’Opera. This place is ballistic! Order the truffle pizza and thank me later.
In the day, for lunch you can’t beat Le Club 55. Make sure you call ahead of time for a reservation as this place gets very busy. Trust me it’s worth the hype.
Another option for lunch is Bagatelle. This is in between 55 and Nikki Beach in terms of energy. Lauryn and I loved it.
Guys, bring your girl to the Dior Café for a coffee while in town. Girls, go get your Instagram at the café.
Le Quai and L’Escale are also great for dinner. Both are in the harbor and right next to each other so if you are there for a few days and want a change up try these places.
Enjoy Saint Tropez! It’s one of our favorite places in the world. Drink some rosé for us!
Check out Lauryn’s other Saint Tropez style posts here & her recap of the trip here.
