{outfit post} Easter in the city...

Sunday was definitely one of those glorious spring days that almost makes all the rainy, dreary days of the past week melt away as if they never happened. Tully and I rolled out of bed and hastily dressed - something like a pastel prepster and boho - and hopped in cab to go to Easter mass in Nolita. We put the windows down and marveled at how warm the breeze was as we zipped down Houston Street. While we waited for the service to begin, we popped across Mott Street to Cafe Gitane for iced beverages and ogled all the street style passing by.

Now clearly, this blog is not a forum for a religious discussion, but I had such a lovely time at Church. I attended Catholic school for 12 years of my life, but have rarely returned to any formal religious gatherings since. Saint Patrick's Old Cathedral is incredibly beautiful (not to mention 200 years old), and they have the most amazing choir. I found it to be a wonderful hour of reflection; giving thanks, spreading a little peace and appreciating the fact that I had never seen so many well dressed Catholics in my life.

After mass we met up with Rachel and managed to snag an outdoor table at a cute little French place called Jacques on Prince Street almost immediately. Achieving this on a sunny Sunday at 2 pm in New York City is rather a miracle. (Not a resurrection, to be sure, but it was fortuitous!) We toasted Mimosas to Easter and Passover, ate too many French fries and lingered over our crumbs far longer than the charming wait staff probably would have preferred.

After our so-late-you-almost-can't-call-it brunch, we decided, as we usually do, that we should walk around, see the people and shop our way home. New York is in the middle of that short-and-sweet blooming phase right now, and all above our heads cherry trees were sprouting fresh little leaves and thousands of little white and pink flowers. Even if it was slightly humid and not lacking a serious amount of crowds sometimes, it was one of the best walks I've taken in the city so far.

Me: J. Crew shirt, Anthropologie Aniseed Skirt; American Apparel clutch; vintage necklace; Mee Too snakeskin flats, Ray Ban wayfarers; MK watch; Tiffany, H&M & J. Crew bracelets; vintage scarf (seen in first photo).

Tully: Quicksilver Girls dress; Ray Ban aviators, F21 earrings; Michael Stars cardigan; Star Ling shoes; vintage bag.

  

Now do you see the "boho and prepster opposites with great color palettes" thing I was talking about? It's pretty good, isn't it? Anyway, I am utterly obsessed with Tully's new dress. Isn't it just the most perfect maxi? It's light as air and the colors are so perfect. She wore it with heels and it still managed to reach nearly to the floor, which ideal with that kind of dress. Obviously, I can't wait to borrow it.

If you recall any of my outfit posts from last spring, I had a major moment with this skirt. Guess what? I'm still having it. Stripes are my new black, and my pink button down went perfectly to give me that touch of "Easter egg chic" color. Oh, and surprise, surprise that AA clutch rarely leaves my arms these days.

Rach and Tully on Sullivan Street...

Can you tell I'm having sort of a passionate love affair with the top knot these days?

 

"Oh, hi! I didn't even see you there!"

 

Cherry blossoms in full bloom...

My new favorite intersection in the city: Waverly Place and W 11th Street.

(For those of you keeping score out there, this is the part where Tully & I switched shoes about half way home...)

*To be fair to those of you feeling bitter about the lack of spring weather in your neck of the woods, clouds gathered and rain began to fall just as we arrived home. The rest of the late afternoon and evening was spent inside with Firefly cocktails, nail polish and Glee, while thunder rolled and lightning flashed.

*Also, I'll give you guys a better close up of that necklace soon. I found it at a thrift store in Chelsea and it's so cool. I actually asked Tully before we left in the morning if the birds were "too pagan" or could they be "birds of peace?" We both agreed on birds of peace.
*Meghan and I had to quite literally rain check our plans for Saturday brunch, so that's just one more outfit post you can look forward to...

{sneak peek} Kooba project...

I don't want to give away too much, but I'm participating in a really fun project with Kooba, and I just couldn't resist giving you a hint. That's the Lyndi in indigo suede, isn't she a beauty?

Additionally, that's my Schott NYC Perfecto (hello again, lover) and the Steve Madden gladiator heels that I managed to wear for 9 hours straight on the day of the IFB conference.

Stay tuned for more Kooba-centric goodness soon.

(Oh, and Tully's dress.)


[Photo by my newly manual setting-proficient photographer, Meghan.]

{outfit post} all white everything...

Labor Day is really one of the most bittersweet days on the calendar. It awards us a three day weekend during the most gorgeous time of year, but it also signifies the end of summer. The end of weekends in the Hamptons (or in my case, weekdays), the end of wearing sandals everyday, and if you're a rules girl, the end of wearing white.

Personally, I think this is a rule that should be put on the shelves to gather dust for all eternity. White is amazing. It looks good on everyone and it goes with everything. Especially more white.

My second Labor Day Eve in Manhattan was a bit like an anniversary celebration of the first one. Last summer, it marked the beginning of our friendship with all our neighbors, and we took most of the same crowd to the same bar (Bar 196) and celebrated - well - everything and nothing I suppose. I awoke on Monday laughing to myself about what an excellent night we had, put on an all white ensemble in honor of the day, and headed off to Soho for a full day of work.

I labored on Labor Day, but so what? I must say I am just thrilled to be full-time laboring at all.

H&M men's button down shirt; Gap skirt; vintage belt; Ray Ban aviators.

 I am just so obsessed with this skirt. It went through hell over the 4th of July in Kiawah (dancing on a dirt dance floor at an oyster bake apparently isn't good for floor-length white clothing...) but I finally took it to the dry cleaner /tailor so it could get a few more wears this summer. I have a hard time finding maxi skirts that fit me the right way, and I think the key with this one is that it sits a bit lower on my waist than most, which works for my figure.

This shirt is a favorite too; I just really can't say enough about the mens shirts at H&M. The price is right and fit is perfect. It alarms me slightly that this one is so sheer and meant for a man, but all the better for me, I guess! I'm also wearing some beat up gold sandals from Urban Outfitters, but they're not really worth mentioning.

Quick post, and no detail shots, I do apologize. Oh, and why so serious, Taylor? Jeeze.

Anyway, as I mentioned above, I just started a new job, so I've been a crazed and excited human for the past two weeks. Now The IFB conference is just two days away, fashion week is looming, and I'm still trying to figure out how to time manage my life.

Bare with me my most treasured readers, I won't abandon you!

{outfit post} white hot...

You know how everyone always says that New Yorkers are really busy? Or, you know people who live here who just seem to have a never ending parade of plans? It's all dinner dates and re-scheduling coffee, and friends visiting from wherever and brunch with so-and-so followed by a quick trip to East Hampton and then there's this fashion party in Soho and a roof party after that...

I've become one of those people. At least, that's what it feels like lately! Over the past few weeks I've had lots of really fun and fabulous plans, and I've gotta say, I like it. As much as I love my downtime, it's summer, and I didn't move to The Big City to stay home every night watching The Bachelorette. 

Anyway, as you can tell from my outfit post patterns, Meghan is my mover-and-shaker / gal-about-town who kindly and often brings me to really great events as her plus one. One such event was last Thursday evening, at the Nanette Lapore store on Broome Street. Miss Lapore herself was in attendance for the party, Revlon was there doing make up, and the champagne was flowing. Never-mind that it was approximately 5000 degrees out, we still donned summer dresses and mingled among the bloggers, photographers and handsome cater-waiters.

Zara dress; Ray Ban sunglasses; American Apparel carry all; thrifted necklace; Star Ling shoes; Michael Kors watch.

This dress from Zara is one of my absolute favorite things that I own. I don't wear it often, and it could definitely use a little more time out on the town. The fit is just right, and it's rather uncharacteristically girly for me, don't you think? Tully remarked when I wore it on the Fourth of July, "You look - so - feminine!" I guess she's right, for whatever reason, I don't own nearly as many dresses as I do separates, especially ones with cascading ruffles. 

There's that bird necklace again... I get so many compliments on this crazy thing, it just goes to show you what quirky and inexpensive treats you can find at NYC thrift stores.

{outfit post} lock out...

That's right, I went up to the roof to take some outfit pictures for you guys, and then locked myself out of my apartment. I hope you enjoy the fact that I consider us all to be good enough friends for me to admit that right now. I scurried up there sans keys and sans cell phone, and carrying a bunch of miscellaneous objects with which to prop up my camera. (One of them was a box of checks. Another one of them was a hardbound copy of Twilight. Really.)

Fortunately, my downstairs neighbor came home just as I had used my last ounce of energy trying to will the locked door open. Unfortunately, I had to explain to him what I was doing with a box of checks, a giant tween vampire novel, a camera and no keys. Pretty glamorous, right?

For the next three hours, I took advantage of his air conditioning, accompanied him on some errands, watched a terrible movie and eventually got rescued by our house-guest-of-the-week, Alli, circa 9:45 p.m. If it hadn't been such a mess of an evening I probably wouldn't have bothered to post these pictures, but I became stranded in my own building and didn't get dinner until 10 pm because of them, so by gosh you're going to see them.

Theory pants; H&M tank; J. Crew sweater; vintage belt; Sam Edelman sandals, Persol sunnies.

Apparently the growing-out of my bangs has lead to rock a comb-over worthy of the The Donald. Oy. Moving on... I had a quick little freelance job on Monday helping out at the Bloomingdales.com photo studio, so I donned my best "Fashionably Professional: Even in This Humidity" outfit, which obviously included my most treasured grown-up girl piece: my Theory pants. The atmosphere at the studio is rather laid back, and it's an absolute free-for-all when it comes to daily attire. There's an ever-changing bevy of photographers, stylists, and assistants coming and going each week, each with a unique style, and more than a few tattoos. The sartorial freedom that this affords is rather glorious. A cotton tank, flat sandals and fancy pants made for the perfect mix to spend 8 hours organizing, steaming, dressing, pinning and accessorizing.

 All-in-all, I suppose there are worse places a girl could be stranded.

{outfit post} barefoot in the park...

As you have probably noticed by now, I love brunch. It's my new favorite meal, and it's one that this city holds sacred. It's even been described as a sport by some New Yorkers I know.

I brunch on the regular with my roommates and friends, but I especially love brunching with my blogger babe peers. These get-togethers allow for open and honest, judgement-free conversation about just how much time we spend surfing the internets and reading other blogs, and always provide a mutually beneficial opportunity for outfit photos.

On Saturday morning, one of my most favorite bloggers (and just all around fabulous friends), Meghan of Wit & Whimsy and I combined our blogger brunch tradition with one of my other favorite summer activities: a picnic! We met at the 72nd Street entrance to Central Park, and with mimosa makings and pastries in hand, we searched for the perfect spot to lay out our spread. We settled on top of a hill overlooking the pond where everyone rows those boats, with a view of that fairytale white bridge. (What these things are actually called, I am still not sure.)

We popped the champagne, snapped photos and got right down to business, catching up on everything from jobs to boys to traveling and our latest style obsessions. (And yes, Meghan brought real, glass champagne flutes to the park.)

Unknown blouse purchased in Tucson, AZ; Forever 21 shorts; vintage belt; Ray Ban sunglasses; Michael Michael Kors watch (similar version here); Kenneth Jay Lane, Tiffany, F21, homemade and vintage bracelets; J. Crew neon watch band; Tiffany and vintage rings.

 I am totally obsessed with these little Forever 21 shorts (pretty similar to these), and I think I bought them about a month ago. Believe it or not, this was the first time I'd worn them! This blouse is one of the most random things in my closet, an emergency purchase made during a trip to Tucson for an Arizona homecoming weekend. It was something like $10, it's a little too big, and I could do without the ruffles on the sleeve. However, I find myself wearing again and again because it tucks in so well, and adds an ultra-girly element my outfits often lack.

So here we go again with the usual bangles. My right wrist is weighed down with the omni-present MK watch and mix of vintage, fancy and inexpensive baubles. Additionally, I'm working on starting a trend, where I wear a watch band with no watch face attached, just because I like the color.

My left wrist is being built up with friendship bracelets I made myself (and one from H&M), a summer tradition for me that dates back to the '90s. I'm going to have wicked tan lines by the time I cut them off (not until after Labor Day if I can help it), but it's totally worth it.

There's that bangs french braid again! It's so easy to do you guys, and I highly recommend it for these humid dog days of summer. Also, those are my beat-to-death Steve Madden t-strap sandals, which I desperately need to replace. I took them off immediately upon setting up our feast, hence the title of this post. If you ask me, it's crucial to be barefoot as often as possible in the summer.

(All photos by Meghan!)

{outfit post} a summer friday...

One of the beautiful things about summer in the city is when your friends get to duck out of the office early on a Friday afternoon to meet you for lunch. Last week my friend Sonia, of In Pursuit of Style, met me at Westville on 18th Street for some serious catch-up over iced tea and sweet potato fries. Since the crazy heat bubble had finally burst and the sun was out, we took a pleasant stroll up to Madison Square Park and snapped a few pictures (obviously).

Forever 21 blouse; Old Navy shorts; vintage belt; Ray Ban sunglasses; c/o Kooba handbag; vintage gold hoop earrings from Mom (rest of the baubles broken down below).

Gina and I made a trip to Forever 21 last week, and I was pleasantly surprised with all the great summer staples they have! I found this blouse, which is really a tunic, just as we were about to leave. I didn't even try it on, I just knew I had to have it. I love the fun detail of the cut-out sleeves and how breezy it feels. This look is one I'll probably be duplicating throughout the summer months simply because it's so representative of my style. I love mixing the romantic and the classic, preppy and boho. This look is really half-and-half if you ask me, with the crisp shorts / woven belt / Wayfarers playing off the romantic blouse / hoops / many accessories. 

*It should also be noted that the basics of this outfit (blouse and shorts) cost under $50 total. Mixing budget pieces with pricier and/or vintage items that you love is how you create an ensemble that will always be unique and chic.

 

(Sam Edelman leopard sandals; rings are Tiffany & Co and F21; DIY neon & hex nut bracelet!)

Michael Michael Kors watch; F21 gold bracelet; Tiffany & Co silver bangle; Kenneth Jay Lane giraffes; H&M bracelet.

{outfit post} june gloom...

This week has really been the definition of June gloom here in New York. It's been muggy, dark and rainy. Coming off of a very sunny and summer-y weekend on the ocean, it was enough to drive a girl to drink. Luckily, Sonia was on the same page, so we met for a Thursday afternoon happy hour at one of my favorite little spots in the neighborhood, Corner Bistro. We commiserated over $2.75 mugs of McSorley's beer then skipped down West 4th Street to snap a few pictures.

It was a particularly wet and gloomy day, which influenced my outfit in a couple of ways. On days like this I always want to ere on the side of casual and comfortable, but also infuse a little color into the greyness of the weather. Factor in a dash of humidity, and here's what I ended up with:

Army surplus jacket; American Apparel deep V; vintage Missoni skirt (last worn as a dress here); Steve Madden flats; Prada bag; vintage & Fireworks necklaces; F21 ring; Michael Kors watch; Ray Ban sunglasses.

This skirt is a really strange length, but lucky for us, strange lengths are in these days. It's almost a maxi, not quite a midi, and hangs in this brilliantly swing-y but not too voluminous way. Pairing it with my completely worn in, should-probably-be-replaced white tee made for the perfect "cozy chic" happy hour ensemble. The jacket is one I picked up at the army surplus store on West 8th Street last fall. I haggled with the darling sales guy so he gave me a deal on two of them, the second of which I promptly sent home to my mom. She's obsessed, too. It's lightweight and really easy to play around with because the hood can be zipped in, the sleeves are perfect to scrunch and roll and the drawstring waist lets you totally feminize the shape.

(I feel like I should note that I am smiling in every picture in this post.)

 Yeah, I'm pretty much obsessed with these stripes.

I've started to wear my hair with this front french braid almost everyday. I decided to just let my bangs grow over the summer, since I almost always wear them pinned back this time of year anyway. Let's just say that my bangs and humidity are pretty much sworn enemies. The braid keeps them out of my face and adds a bit of a romantic touch, don't you think?

Now, okay. I realize the following is a bit silly, however I couldn't resist. When you spend as much time browsing both amateur and established fashion blogs as I do, you start to notice, er, similarities. There are a few things that have become completely ubiquitous to personal style blogs, and I noticed that yesterday, I was wearing a lot of them. Behold:

I really, really, like this look, so, what does that say about me? Am I trendy or just totally affected? If I know I'm doing it, is it ok?

If I were carrying a Cambridge Satchel Company bag and wearing a YSL arty ring, oh and perhaps looking a bit more pouty and cool on some traintracks, maybe I could rename my blog something like,

Cupcakes & Atlantic Sea of a Man Reppeller's Late Afternoon Fashion Toast.

No?

I'm sort of curious to know what you guys think. Are all the style bloggers looking the same these days? Do I need to shake it up? How do we stand out if we're all dressed the same? Will someone buy me that arty ring anyway?

{quick outfit post} stripes & suede...

I was lucky enough to have my parents finally come visit me out here this past weekend. It was a trip almost two years coming - and I can't express how excited I was to show them around my New York and see them for the first time since Christmas.

We had a great weekend - a perfect balance of their uptown, upscale Manhattan of past visits, and my downtown day-to-day life. All the things we did piece together like a pretty great guide to wining and dining with a dash of culture and shopping from Soho to the Upper East Side:


{We dined.}

• Gotham Grill: White table clothes, amazing seafood and a very 90s New York vibe, like Gramercy Tavern and totally delicious (the seafood salad is unreal)
• The Modern: minimalist, fancy and contemporary - just like the museum (amazing duck confit)
• db Bistro Moderne: fancy and delicious
  
• The Standard Grill: great spot for an early breakfast al fresco
  
• Public: trendy, brunch-y, delicious lentil salad and great drinks
• La Piscine: on the roof of Hotel Americano; lots of delicious fried seafood with a side of DJ
  
• Brasserie Julienne: cute little french joint on 2nd Ave in the 80s, live jazz with your moules frites
  
• Morandi: loud, busy and seriously great Italian fare on Waverly and 7th Ave
  

{We drank.}

• La Piscine: Before dinner every night we had cocktails on the roof with an amazing view of the city
  
• Kingswood: After dinner at db, I brought my parents to meet up with friends and see one of my favorite West Village bars
  
• Public: a dirty martini for Mom, a bourbon iced tea for me and the Bloody Maria for Dad
  

{We saw.}

• The MoMA:the Cindy Sherman exhibit was cool and creepy, but the permanent exhibits are always refreshing and unmissable
  
• The East River Ferry: A fun and unique way to get between Manhattan and Brooklyn - especially on a warm day; we took it to and from 34th street to the flea market 
• Brooklyn Flea (Williamsburg): people watching, antique-ing and artisianal everything - of course
  
• The Met: My favorite museum in Manhattan, and the Steins Collection and Shiaparelli and Prada exhibit were crowded but truly wonderful (unfortunately the Cloud City exhibit on the roof was closed for weather)

{We shopped.}

• Uniqlo @ 53rd & 5th: picked up 4 shirts for my dad, but the crazy atmosphere and sheer amount of clothes is a little too much
  
• Treasure & Bond: cool, well-curated jewelry, gifts and apparel on lower West Broadway in Soho
  
• MoMA Design Store: so many unique and useful knick-knacks, and perfectly sized art prints for $10

{quick outfit post} perfecto + purple

I was lucky enough to have my parents finally come visit me out here this past weekend. It was a trip almost two years coming - and I can't express how excited I was to show them around my New York and see them for the first time since Christmas.

We had a great weekend - a perfect balance of their uptown, upscale Manhattan of past visits, and my downtown day-to-day life. All the things we did piece together like a pretty great guide to wining and dining with a dash of culture and shopping from Soho to the Upper East Side:


{We dined.}

• Gotham Grill: White table clothes, amazing seafood and a very 90s New York vibe, like Gramercy Tavern and totally delicious (the seafood salad is unreal)
• The Modern: minimalist, fancy and contemporary - just like the museum (amazing duck confit)
• db Bistro Moderne: fancy and delicious
  
• The Standard Grill: great spot for an early breakfast al fresco
  
• Public: trendy, brunch-y, delicious lentil salad and great drinks
• La Piscine: on the roof of Hotel Americano; lots of delicious fried seafood with a side of DJ
  
• Brasserie Julienne: cute little french joint on 2nd Ave in the 80s, live jazz with your moules frites
  
• Morandi: loud, busy and seriously great Italian fare on Waverly and 7th Ave
  

{We drank.}

• La Piscine: Before dinner every night we had cocktails on the roof with an amazing view of the city
  
• Kingswood: After dinner at db, I brought my parents to meet up with friends and see one of my favorite West Village bars
  
• Public: a dirty martini for Mom, a bourbon iced tea for me and the Bloody Maria for Dad
  

{We saw.}

• The MoMA:the Cindy Sherman exhibit was cool and creepy, but the permanent exhibits are always refreshing and unmissable
  
• The East River Ferry: A fun and unique way to get between Manhattan and Brooklyn - especially on a warm day; we took it to and from 34th street to the flea market 
• Brooklyn Flea (Williamsburg): people watching, antique-ing and artisianal everything - of course
  
• The Met: My favorite museum in Manhattan, and the Steins Collection and Shiaparelli and Prada exhibit were crowded but truly wonderful (unfortunately the Cloud City exhibit on the roof was closed for weather)

{We shopped.}

• Uniqlo @ 53rd & 5th: picked up 4 shirts for my dad, but the crazy atmosphere and sheer amount of clothes is a little too much
  
• Treasure & Bond: cool, well-curated jewelry, gifts and apparel on lower West Broadway in Soho
  
• MoMA Design Store: so many unique and useful knick-knacks, and perfectly sized art prints for $10

{outfit post} among the vines...

I was lucky enough to have my parents finally come visit me out here this past weekend. It was a trip almost two years coming - and I can't express how excited I was to show them around my New York and see them for the first time since Christmas.

We had a great weekend - a perfect balance of their uptown, upscale Manhattan of past visits, and my downtown day-to-day life. All the things we did piece together like a pretty great guide to wining and dining with a dash of culture and shopping from Soho to the Upper East Side:


{We dined.}

• Gotham Grill: White table clothes, amazing seafood and a very 90s New York vibe, like Gramercy Tavern and totally delicious (the seafood salad is unreal)
• The Modern: minimalist, fancy and contemporary - just like the museum (amazing duck confit)
• db Bistro Moderne: fancy and delicious
  
• The Standard Grill: great spot for an early breakfast al fresco
  
• Public: trendy, brunch-y, delicious lentil salad and great drinks
• La Piscine: on the roof of Hotel Americano; lots of delicious fried seafood with a side of DJ
  
• Brasserie Julienne: cute little french joint on 2nd Ave in the 80s, live jazz with your moules frites
  
• Morandi: loud, busy and seriously great Italian fare on Waverly and 7th Ave
  

{We drank.}

• La Piscine: Before dinner every night we had cocktails on the roof with an amazing view of the city
  
• Kingswood: After dinner at db, I brought my parents to meet up with friends and see one of my favorite West Village bars
  
• Public: a dirty martini for Mom, a bourbon iced tea for me and the Bloody Maria for Dad
  

{We saw.}

• The MoMA:the Cindy Sherman exhibit was cool and creepy, but the permanent exhibits are always refreshing and unmissable
  
• The East River Ferry: A fun and unique way to get between Manhattan and Brooklyn - especially on a warm day; we took it to and from 34th street to the flea market 
• Brooklyn Flea (Williamsburg): people watching, antique-ing and artisianal everything - of course
  
• The Met: My favorite museum in Manhattan, and the Steins Collection and Shiaparelli and Prada exhibit were crowded but truly wonderful (unfortunately the Cloud City exhibit on the roof was closed for weather)

{We shopped.}

• Uniqlo @ 53rd & 5th: picked up 4 shirts for my dad, but the crazy atmosphere and sheer amount of clothes is a little too much
  
• Treasure & Bond: cool, well-curated jewelry, gifts and apparel on lower West Broadway in Soho
  
• MoMA Design Store: so many unique and useful knick-knacks, and perfectly sized art prints for $10