"This blog post was sponsored by Rosegal"

Final days of February and firsts of March were terribly cold. There was a day in which thermometers dropped to almost -8ºC, and we wore our coats and even gloves around the classroom. Suddenly, the display windows of the shops surrounding the university which were days before filled with the remains of Winter accessories (such as wool scarves and velvet turbans) were emptied by customers like me, who looked for fur diadems as they were an extremely rare jewel.

Even though it was pretty damn cold, I decided it was the right time to try if my layering-theory was correct and I could wear almost any piece in my wardrobe (even if it was a Spring little black dress) for Winter. And I think I succeeded! I chose this Shein little black dress with ruffled sleeves as the base to which add things to keep warm. I used it as a sort of overall piece, putting a white basic structured shirt underneath to add a long sleeve and covered neck, in which I laced the ribbon which came with the dress. As this little black dress is a little under the knee length, I decided to wear high boots with thermal tights and a pair of woolen socks underneath. This way, I could be warm while keeping everything stylish and comfortable!

The touch of color to the outfit was added with this faux-fur brown diadem and the coat, which doesn't appear in the pictures but was light grey. I must admit that of course, this isn't your regular attire when it's -15ºC average outside, but in fact, this day was pretty cold and with just a couple of layers well put together and some thermal pieces of clothing I managed to survive. As I always say, the key is to look for the little details and adjust those things depending on your personal preferences, or the place where you live (if I had to wear this outfit in Valencia, I would just skip the thermal tights and go for a regular pair). My rule of thumb is that fashion does have to adjust to our necessities as well to our personal tastes and that if it makes you feel uncomfortable, or cold, or too tight, it isn't fashion but a lie we try to fit in!

Packing for a whole course abroad is difficult and nerve-wracking enough to start figuring out the thousand situations in which you'll have to wear that coat or if you'll ever wear your high heeled shoes. If you also add the stress of dealing with baggage limit present in all low-cost European airlines, you'll probably end up with a headache for at least a couple of months prior leaving to your next destination.

Instead of that, do as I did and not only plan ahead of time (seriously guys: it's almost IMPOSSIBLE to figure out a year full of different situations and events in just three days) but also get some versatile pieces for your closet abroad to be flexible, chic and ready to rock any cobblestoned streets you might find in your way!

I will never stop counting the many perks of carrying with you a huge scarf. Plus points if it's made of wool or anything cozy to keep warm in freezing European Winter. Scarves are amazing pieces to carry on your luggage for your year abroad, because you can pair them up with anything, use them to cover up when visiting some monuments, wear them in different ways as turban or to tie up your hair in a ponytail. I already showed you some ways to sport your shawl or envolvent scarf at the Something Fashion x Louve de Nordneg collaboration we shot a couple of years ago, check it out!

And nope, when I say walking shoes I'm not referring to sneakers or sport shoes necessarily! Walking shoes can be low heeled booties, a pair of velcro sneakers with thick sole and jewelery attached or a pair of flats. Here, I must confess that I totally screwed it carrying too many flat ballerinas which aren't comfortable enough to walk through italian streets, as they get in between the cobblestones and sometimes they flip. In that case, now my favorite pair of walking shoes to stroll Firenze are Zaful's rhinestone slip-ons and the rain booties I purchased at Bata.

European winters are, like, the worst thing ever. I came to Italy from a coastal city which has this microclimate with temperatures not going below the 9ºC near January, and where you can sport easily a medium coat and a pullover without freezing. Now, I'm living in a city near the hills, upper in the map referring to Valencia and where people has adapted to cold in an amazing, super stylish way, sporting fur coats and super cozy pieces worth any catwalk.

So, my advice here for your closet abroad is that, except if you're traveling to the tropic, bring a warm but light coat (you don't want to exceed the weight limit in your baggage!) in a neutral color, like light brown, military green, black or grey. This way, you can wear it in different ways only changing your hairstyle and accessories!

My Noé bucket bag is my absolute go-to when I don't want to carry around my huge school bag where I usually carry the laptop and all the university stuff. It is big enough to carry a few necessary things when living abroad and going for daytrips, as a portable umbrella, my wallet, a couple packs of paper kerchiefs, smartphone and so on ("what's in my bag living in Italy edition" anyone? I can see it already).

If I were you, I would take with you one or two medium to big sized bags comfortable enough to carry around, but still with enough spare space to store those things you'll need any moment or in any possible emergency.

#6 Classy and neutral dress
When living abroad you'll be likely to go out. Like, a lot. Or, if not actually going out, but you'll get invited to places, like dinners and parties at other abroad student flats or you'll even get the chance to organize your own! My advice here is staying classy and find a dress as a little black dress which allows you to wear lots of different layers both underneath or over it, as well as doing the pertinent Season change. Pick something that doesn't have any super thick fabric, but not something too thin or see-through (you don't want to freeze, remember?). The key here is being able to wear your dress in as many occassions as possible doing minor changes and accessorizing differently.