A very dear friend and fellow blogger, Joelle Pittman, is currently fulfilling one of my life long dreams, world traveling! We have decided to collaborate in a monthly post here on City Chic Living, where we follow her travels through fashion, beauty, and lifestyle. Check out Joelle's take on her fashion experience in Valencia.



Classic conservative meets bohemian with a touch of modern funk in the storefronts of Valencia, Spain. But what else would you expect from a city that was founded in 1237 and still kicking?

Before I arrived to town, I immediately conjured up images of Penelope Cruz in Vicky Cristina Barcelona whenever I thought about Spanish style…and the reality isn’t much different.


Imagine streets full of chic, beautiful women constantly headed to a subdued Coachella and you have Valencia. This would naturally be me in a matter of days…or so I thought.
Easily spotted from the tourists and expats, Valencian women’s hair and makeup somehow magically withstand the heat (is it in their DNA after being here so long? Mine frizzes and melts as I trip over my skirt). 

It should be a commonplace since it happens so often, but every time I see a Valencian woman float past the never-ending graffiti etched on a wall of a 15th century church, I am in awe. They are one in the same…both the city and fashion are a blend of tradition and innovation. And I say innovation intentionally because how else can these women walk on those cobblestones in stilettos?

I don’t know how they do it! I tried to look like them. The sweet owner of the store, Nieves Bustamante (conveniently next door to my apartment in El Carmen), knows I tried…for hours…
The result? One major fail, one mediocre look, and one win that I’ll be talking about (and wearing) for years.

The plum sundress is another favorite, but since this is a walking city (at least six miles a day), it must be paired with flats instead of heels (I went with classic Tory Burch to make me feel cuter. How annoying it is to be practical instead of sexy or tall). This time tourists mistook me for a local and asked for directions. I can’t wait to get it home (or in another country) to wear stilettos with it.

Ah the last look…this took the store owner a lot of convincing but is ultimately the most “Spanish.” It just makes me cringe. I never do print but was told if I want to look like a Valencian woman I need to show my curves in a bold pattern in a belt…I gave it to my roommate after this photo.  But someone did take a photo of me in it! But that may have been because she’d never seen slam two ice cream cones in one sitting…