wejetset - magazine - EXPANDING PERCEPTION

EXPANDING PERCEPTION

Travel Chronicles is an editorial feature for wejetset’s online magazine. Through an open and casual conversation it highlights how travel has shaped the talents, perspectives and experiences of creative and business professionals worldwide. This edition features Jessica Gueco.

Jessica is a master multi-tasker. While balancing an insatiable hunger for expression, she’s found a way to get things done. A quick run down of her bio reveals that she’s the store buyer for Fatlace, project manager for an interactive design firm, manages 5 blogs and keeps a keen sense of fashion while juggling endeavors. We’ve been following her work and influence for some time now. Today we’re excited to feature her in this edition of travel chronicles. Watch the video above and click Read More for additional info from the conversation.

My parents really wanted me to travel to as many places as possible. I didn’t quite get it, why they wanted to go to all these random places when we were young. But now, after I was able to travel, I understood the importance. My mother often said, “You need to travel before you graduate, or before you work.” It’s good to see that the world is big, but small at the same time.

When I got into college an opportunity arose for me to study abroad in Budapest and people ask me, “Why Budapest, Hungary?” I studied politics because that was my major. And then I lived there for like a semester and some change… It was the best experience of my life.

Fashion for all the countries I visited in Europe is nothing like how it is here in the States. No one was involved in the hype. It’s just who they were, it’s the culture they were in. If they were hip-hop, they really expressed hip-hop. If they were skaters, they really expressed that. They didn’t care about what other people thought, it was just who they were. They didn’t care if Kanye was wearing something—it was what they felt like they should be wearing. I think that really awed me.

In Amsterdam they had this style and this grace, and I don’t think it could be matched anywhere. Barcelona as well… I was there during the summer, and their style is just flawless without any effort.

I think it has come around full circle though, because when I first witnessed that in prior years, I thought, “Okay, this is who they are, they don’t care about what’s around them.” And then, back here in the States, it’s like your style is addressed by whoever the celebrities are wearing. Now I see that in Europe, they’re starting to pick up on it, and even in Japan, they’re starting to pick up on it. I think it’s really changed because I don’t think they’re even aware that their fashion has really molded the way we dress here in the States. Now they’re hopping onto the whole internet fiasco, and so I think it’s come around full circle… it’s pretty crazy.