All posts filed under: Travel Style

Err on the Side of Caution

Caution and creativity are two words that tend to live on opposite ends of the spectrum. There is a common myth that if you’re too cautious, you cannot be creative enough, and on the other hand, if you want to truly push the creative envelope, you must live with reckless abandon. This binary train of thought can actually disrupt the process of discovering your authentic voice within your work because fear is often pitted as the enemy. However, fear should just be seen as a subconscious caution signal you encounter on the road to discovering your next path. Similarly, just like the striking yellow and black color combinations of street signs strategically mounted ahead of the traveler, we can easily notice when we’re approaching a point where our fears are wrapping around our thoughts, hindering our next moves. These feelings act as internal flags regulating if the moves we’re about to make are inherently meaningful to us as well as the speeds at which we’re willing to drive past fear to actually risk succeeding. From …

On the Hunt for Inspiration

Hunting for inspiration as a creative can be quite a daunting task. We aimlessly search high and wide for this elusive buried treasure of thoughts everywhere we turn. Our eyes are constantly thirsty for knowledge and each twist and turn along the road feeds a sometimes insatiable, mental beast obsessively documenting every move. The thrill is stimulating but can be draining and counterproductive once we’ve come down from this trip. We may feel overwhelmed, broken and lost. It’s at this point that retracing our journeys, simplifying our process, and finding stillness is key. The act of just closing our eyes for a second to meditate can reveal a new perspective to appreciate the tiny moments and everyday elements that surround us. In stillness, we often find the answers we’ve been searching for the entire time. I recently discovered this very important lesson accidentally. I was in a hurry to get out the door, occupied by jumbled thoughts for future posts and couldn’t find my set of keys. Tearing apart a path before me, I finally …

Right as Rain

Rain. What is it about rain that makes moments in the city that much more dramatic? Is it the pitter-patter sound of droplets propelling from the sky, setting a silencing, melancholic stanza for droves of New Yorkers waltzing about from light to light? Though rain is symbolically the giver of life from a vast nature standpoint, in a concrete jungle like NYC, it often insights the “mean reds” which include fears of being poked in the eye by overzealous umbrella swingers, continuous loops of every Adele record possible to further drown out altered plans and of course, the inevitable struggle of what to wear to combat the unpredictability rain presents while remaining stylish. With the latter part of the equation, shoes are the most difficult statement to master because it’s easy enough to slap on a trench coat, cover your head with a scarf, pick up a poppy umbrella and feel as fabulous as Sophia Loren in The Key until you look down and realize you’re walking around with purpose in shoes that either remind …

Vintage 70s Travel Style-Jetsetterproblems.com

Travel Style: Vintage 70s

70s fashion has always inspired me to be more audacious with mixing bold prints, patterns, colors and high & low statement pieces in an unruly manner. One weekend this summer, I teamed up with photographer and Jetsetter Problems motley crew member, Cesarin Mateo and kindred fashionista, Kivvi Rachelle Roberts to explore the streets of lower Manhattan through a retro lens. Here’s a photo set from our session, “Wild & Free: The Rebirth” which was influenced by the unabashed attitude of 70s fashion set to the raw, gritty grooves of a Curtis Mayfield soundtrack…   Creative Direction: Khadijat Oseni, Cesarin Mateo & Kivvi Rachelle Roberts Photography: Cesarin Mateo Models & Styling: Khadijat Oseni & Kivvi Rachelle Roberts Apparel Credits: On Khadijat – BCBG (Boots), H&M (Belt), Missoni (Scarf), Urban Outfitters (Romper, Sunglasses, Stockings), Zara (Trench Coat), Vintage (Jewelry) On Kivvi – A.P.C. (Pants, Wedges), Miu Miu (Sunglasses), Zara (Top), Vintage (Jacket, Earrings, Scarf)   Instagram | Twitter    

Confessions Of A Jetsetter w/ Niclaos Almonor

“Style is the intersection of your personality and your mission on this earth. When those are in line, your clothing and buying philosophies follow suit. I tell people “always choose the smooth life“. The “Smooth Life” is my approach to refine myself and my situations to always be smooth even when life is rough. Being a gentleman in 2015 is all about equality, understanding and love. If you love yourself then the way you treat the world and its inhabitants will always be your best look.” – Niclaos Almonor   

Travel Style Inspiration: The Photography of Louise Dahl-Wolfe

Louise Dahl-Wolfe was a wildly popular and talented American fashion photographer that was most notably recognized for her work as a staff photographer for Harper’s Bazaar during the late ’30s up until the 1950s. Her signature was shooting exquisite, environmental portraits using natural light. Being a huge fan of vintage fashion, photography as well as collecting old magazines for travel inspiration, I’ve always felt a great wealth of wanderlust and solace in her imagery. Here are a few of my favorite jet set moments from Louise Dagl-Wolfe’s archive: xo Khadijat  

Time Travel: 1920s & The Jazz Age Lawn Party

A week ago, I had the opportunity to travel back in time to the 1920s via the annual Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governor’s Island in New York City. It’s always a fun affair that perfectly captures the decadence, elegance and vivacious energy surrounding this era. New York fashionistas show up in droves and dress to the nines to escape to an alternate steamy world filled with big band sounds, high-stepping foxtrotting dancers, and fancy St. Germain cocktails outside of the sweltering heat of the summer. When nostalgically reflecting on this delightfully chic summer activity that has now become a bit of a tradition for me, I also particularly love looking back at old photographs of New York City for vintage style inspiration. So, I’ve decided to integrate some of my favorite atmospheric shots of New York during this decade with images from my past weekend playing dress-up on the lawn. Enjoy! xo Khadijat

Mood Board: BALMAIN RESORT 2015 COLLECTION

Still in awe of the mind-blowing Iman, Naomi Campbell, bad gal RihRih & Olivier Rousteing shoot in W Magazine’s September issue, I was reminded of last month’s unveiling of Balmain’s beautiful resort 2015 collection where Rousteing drew his design inspiration from the airiness, graphic colors, bold lines and geometry of California, Native American beadwork & 70s glam alike. Makes me want to practice my best Bianca Jagger impression and jetset back to Cali ASAP! Here are a few of my favorites from the collection below:   See the entire look book here and seriously, can we still discuss the epic portions of that W Magazine shoot though?!?! xo Khadijat #jetsetterproblems

Jetsetter Rule Of Thumb: Presentation Is Everything!

In life, you should always be prepared for the best and worst scenarios that may occur and one surefire, proof way of doing this is by wearing the right armor, both literally and figuratively. Whether traveling to a new destination that you’ve never been to before or even departing on a flight back to your hometown, it is important to present yourself in a manner that commands respect. Trust me, this will go miles with flirting your way through an upgrade if needed (umm half-joke?! 🙂 ) or simply just being treated like a human being through the cattle herd mentality that feels like the TSA line at times. Despite whatever happens on your journey from delayed flights to screaming babies, if you’re dressed as your personal version of royalty, you will always find a way to elevate through any crisis. I always consider myself a badass ambassador of Brooklyn when traveling and stroll through lines accordingly. My philosophy…your life is the greatest stage role you will ever get to play, why not make a memorable character that is reverent with style and …