(Joie coat, Stylist’s Own studded blouse, Alex & Eli “Natalie Off Duty” blazer, Big Star jeans, ECCO shoes)

Exploring a new city always starts with the food. The ECCO team and I made our first stop at The Royal Cafe where they served us something delightfully called “smushi.” Dining where Oprah and the Princess go in Copenhagen was pretty rad. They took the typical fish and chicken dishes of the Dutch and mixed it with Japanese culture with little “smushi’s” served on tiny plates. It was creatively delicious and a wonderful way to kick off our stay in Copenhagen. These little guys were surprisingly filling! Dreams of smushi are coming back to me…

Of course, a lot of walking was also involved and I wore my comfy ECCO heels for the majority of our stay. I’m such a comfort baby when it comes to traveling. I hate dragging myself back to my hotel room only to tear off my shoes and fall face first into my bed. These babies saved my life! Paired with liquid leather pants and a studded button-down I was feeling quite European chic. Getting in the groove, my group and I searched the city streets for the best cafes and shopping spots. The beautifully painted buildings in the city also made the backdrop to my photos just too dreamy. I couldn’t stop snapping away! Already, I miss the large groups of peddling bicyclists and drops of snow. At least I have numerous images from my stay that bring me back instantaneously.

(“Natalie Suarez for Volcom” studded vest, Vintage Turban, A + Ro sweater, J Brand jeans, Juicy Couture coat, Matt Bernson boots, Marie Turnor bag)

I got to experience my first real snow while in Copenhagen! Nothing crazy, just little drizzles of snow prettily falling everywhere! My friend and I walked around trying to catch flakes in our mouths. It was pretty epic! So here I am, snapped in the snow in between Copenhagen Fashion Week events. I beared the cold and popped around the narrow streets in search for some kind of thrift shop where I can pick up a souvenir. Besides sifting through the work in a few local art galleries, I also stumbled upon a tiny underground thrift store called Butik Redesigned. I ducked inside in search of warmth and found it so awesome! It was a tiny yet filled with crazy printed finds and according to the owner, everything was recreated from trash. I’m going to have to find snapshots on my computer of this store to show you! There, I found this amazing vintage turban. For only 40 krones, it was perfect. My ears were so cold, I walked out of the store wearing it! Also, notice I’m sporting another piece from the “Natalie Suarez for Volcom” Fall ’12 collection: this awesome studded vest! I wear this piece so much and over just about everything. I can’t wait till June so that all of my readers can wear all of my pieces!

(Of Two Minds dress, Mango leather jacket, Marie Turnor bag, ECCO shoes)

Amsterdam may be one of the most romantic cities I’ve ever visited. The endless canals, beautiful people on bikes, and tiny cafes make the place all the more dreamy. I rushed out of the hotel to overlook the canals in a flowing snakeskin dress. Pretty daring, considering it was very cold, but I thought, why the hell not! I wanted to be a little bit dressy for our evening out for dinner. Also, I wore my extra comfy ECCO heels. This classic pair will always be one of my travel essentials. Never do my feet get tired in these. They’re chic and still perfect for the “on your feet constantly” European lifestyle. Take me back to Amsterdam…

Just a two hour drive outside the city of Amsterdam is the incredibly cool Ecco leather tannery. It was a gorgeous misty day, with just a touch of snow. The team and I were freezing our butts off as we made our way to the tannery, but despite our rosy pink noses and shivering spines, the early morning drive was well worth it. We were greeted by Panos Mytaros himself, the genius behind ECCO leather. Gathered in the design room, I was blown away by the massive amounts of different pieces of leather lying around: neutrals, pastels, and brights! ECCO, being the leather supplier to top fashion labels around the world like Louis Vuitton and Coach, holds one of the best tanneries out there. I feel lucky to get to have been able to visit!

I couldn’t stop touching all the different leathers. I’m a huge fan of a great leather shoe or bag and so getting to see how all of this is made, from the very start, was exciting to me. We all had to first throw on plastic booties to protect our shoes as we made our way through the tannery making me, in my ECCO oxford heels, slip and slide! A great idea, as things do get a bit down and dirty hehe! There was so much to see: how the leather is first cleaned, cut, and prepared to be tanned into the perfect shade and eventually shaped with amazing textures. Panos’s passion for what he does is very inspiring. Quality seems to be one of his main focuses. Also, I’m happy to note that ECCO will also be moving forward in the future with even more eco-friendly ways to improve the place. The fact that everything is tested in the labs so that there are no harmful chemicals in the products is also a plus in my book. So yeah, where can I get that boot?