The Best Brown Teddy Coats

January 30, 2019

WEARING: CAMEL TEDDY COAT | FRAYED JEANS | PATENT LEATHER COMBAT BOOTS | STUDDED BAG

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY PUBLIC DESIRE & EGO OFFICIAL BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

Brrr! Happy Hump Day, guys! Temperatures are dropping again here in New York City and I’m not going to lie - I am already sick of winter! I may be from the Midwest, but that doesn’t mean I enjoy freezing my butt off! Ha ha! And, now there seems to be snow in the forecast during fashion week (hello, ruined shoes…) so what’s a girl to do? I’m rounding up the best brown teddy coats in today’s post, ranging from different price points but also the top brands. Teddy coats are my jam during the winter time - what is your number one form of outerwear during the colder months? Continue reading to see all the different options, along with details from my look of the day.

Step into the winter season in style. To go with a cozy coat, you’ll need a chic pair of boots during the winter. I always have a hard time finding winter boots that are chic and not too clunky. But these patent leather combat boots work with basically anything! Swag features lace up and buckle detailing, cleated sole and a chunky heel. I styled them with a camel teddy coat and jeans for an ultimate laid back vibe. These boots retail at $60 and I think the price is right! What do you think of these boots? Should they make an appearance during fashion week?

To go with the camel colored teddy coat I paired it with a similar color cross body bag. I love the edge the bag brings with the studded detail and chain - it goes with the boots and the cognac really complements well with the color of the coat. To give my face a little color I went with a red-orange coral lip color to give them an extra pop. Overall, I was going for a warm toned color scheme when it came down to this casual look. I also added some warm red tones into the eyes to go with the lips. Do you guys like this makeup look on top of the outfit?

Before I leave you with today’s post, stay tuned for Friday’s, January Beauty Favorites! It will go live in the morning, so keep your eyes peeled for that. In the meantime, hope you stay extra warm and cozy on these extra chillier days. I know these teddy coats will help! If you had to choose one from the list I shared today, which one is your favorite? As always, thanks so much for stopping by! Drop your comments down in the section below, we love to hear from you!

LOVE & XX’S,

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My Best Tips for New York Fashion Week

January 28, 2019

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY HEARTLOOM & CULTRESSE BY ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

Happy Monday! How was everyone’s weekend? I spent it working, while also preparing for next month, which is one of the busiest months for me. In less than a couple of weeks New York Fashion Week will be here. This will be my sixth season attending NYFW, and after a few years in the ‘rodeo’ I definitely have learned a few lessons along the way. It’s not all what it is cracked up to be, in that it’s not something you just show up to, like going to the movies. It takes weeks (more than that if you’re out of towners) to organize and plan for the week, from meetings with brands/pr agencies that you’ll be working with, to the shows you will be attending, and even squeezing in a couple of photo shoots and dinners/site seeing along the way. And if you’re visiting, you’ll need to handle your flight, hotel, transportation, etc; So in today’s post I’m sharing 5 of my best tips for New York Fashion Week. Whether it’s surviving or thriving (let’s hope both ha ha) - during the week here in New York, these tips will keep you moving and grooving!

1. IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW

A blogger once told me that if the brand could not seat her front row, she would refuse to attend the show. So it’s not only about who you’re connected with, because in the 7-day binge of networking with other like-minded people you could potentially partner with in the future, it’s about how you are connecting (while certainly being kind to others) to begin with. And this is not in terms of logistics, but rather taking value in a person’s time and input, and actually connecting on a creative level. For example, getting in the Coach show because it’s a place to be seen is not going to get you in at all. You have to gain the experience in the industry along with a growing audience in order to achieve some sort of recognition, only then to have bigger opportunities in meeting with the bigger labels in fashion. I’ve been fortunate to meet many in the business just by chance, or even taking another chance on smiling at someone backstage and striking up a conversation, only to lead to some sort of connection. Nowadays it’s all about numbers and what’s on the phone, but I think in order to build any sort of successful business relationship (or any for than matter, not just business), there has to be a personal connection, first and foremost.

2. BE PREPARED

No matter how much you think there’s time to prepare for what’s a veritable buffet for fashion bloggers during NYFW, it goes by so fast and there is a ton of preparation to deal with beforehand. For example, the emails that are sent out and received. Hopefully, your emails are not automated/robotic-like and have some sort of ‘you’ in the message along with yes, your numbers, because stats are also important. Then the organization of what you chose to do everyday, from events to shows, meetings, shoots and, hopefully some sleep, along with preparing looks each day before as well. It’s a lot of work for only a week. And even more if you do more than just one fashion week, like I have been doing for the past two seasons attending London Fashion Week, where next month will be my third time visiting - I’m very excited! Bring a really good external/portable charger. With all the phone usage from ubering, texting, photo/video taking, and more, your phone’s going to die rather quickly. Here’s a little tip: To conserve your
phone battery during fashion week, put your phone on airplane mode during
fashion shows. You can post what you want afterward, of course after turning the airplane mode off.

3. EAT HEALTHY & STAY HYDRATED

I can’t tell you how many times I would only have one meal a day during Fashion Week because of my crazy hectic schedule. And I was the crankiest, hangriest b-ya there ever was, haha! Kidding, but really, no one is pleasant to be around when hungry, and it’s just not good for you. Duh. Yes, I confess on solely relying on caffeine, such as soda and coffee instead of water where I became extremely dehydrated. Now I try to drink water everyday, but I also tend to drink a ton more while traveling, especially while on the plane. I also will eat a bit more on the healthier side just to give myself as much energy as I can get - and obv. the overall way of eating and drinking properly while literally being on the go for a week straight.

4. WEAR WHAT YOU MAKES YOU FEEL CONFIDENT

Every time I wore something I was even 10% unsure about, I would not get photographed by the street style photographers and I would just feel uncomfortable about wearing it the entire day. And this shows in photos. You got to know your style and own it! This is the time to have fun with your styling skills, but also shining on in that department! Who doesn’t want to look their best during Fashion Week? Again, if you’re a fashion blogger and you’re maybe doing it to just go- as in see and be seen, it may not be within your best interest then. You should want to go for the experience and to learn from it, to make you a better blogger and person, overall. But wearing what makes you feel 100% great about yourself, is something we all strive for and definitely want to showcase during this time of the year, while also sharing emerging talent/designers.

5. SERIOUSLY THOUGH, HAVE FUN!

You can kiss that “perfectly scheduled day” goodbye, so you might as well make the most of it! Each day you’ll maybe get around 5 hrs of sleep (if you’re lucky and have an editing team) will not eat perfectly, and will definitely not be stress-free. Don’t forget why you’re doing what you’re doing, and I hope it’s because you absolutely love it, want to meet other people and connect, and maybe learn something you haven’t yet, whether it’s your first time visiting New York or your tenth - from all there is to do in my city, I hope it’s out of support and passion for fashion. And when is it a bad thing to catch up with old friends, too? I love seeing everyone during this time period too :)

I hope you guys enjoyed today’s post! I do realize not everyone that comes to my blog is solely doing so for my fashion content, more so the content from fashion week. But rest assured, lots of more beauty and lifestyle content coming your way very soon! If you come here for fashion + styling tips, what would you like to see more of on the blog? And if you are attending fashion week, drop your comments down in the section below with your number one tip for NYFW! Wishing you guys a killer week, get it done and have a good time while doing so! Catch y’all back here soon.

LOVE & XX’S,

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Double-Breasted Jacket with Smocked Blouse

January 21, 2019

WEARING: DOUBLE BREASTED JACKET | SMOCKED BLOUSE | GREEN BAG | JEANS | SNAKE PRINT BOOTIES

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY H&M AND SIENNA JONES BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

Happy MLK day and happy Monday! Today in New York, is the coldest day of the year with a high of 15. Fahrenheit. So you can imagine my escapism to spring, in my outfit! It’s actually every blogger’s nightmare, shooting outside this time of the year. It’s not as easy as it looks to be cheery while literally freezing your ass off. No one wants to see your runny, red nose/flushed RED face! There’s only so much photoshop can do. And no, I don’t want to spend my life editing away goosebumps from my legs/arms. So I’ve been taking advantage of shooting more indoors, in places that I love, places people recommend and/or both! Since my husband and I rarely have time for each other, it’s a great quick outing while on ‘set’ creating content for a brand. Especially when it involves food! Ha ha! Plus in terms of content, I think it mixes things up with the usual street style photos. Continue reading to hear more about the location of this shoot along with details of this mixed up look that may not sound like a great idea initially, but when done right can be done well.

My favorite neighborhood hangout for working lunches/meetings is here in today’s post. The location is at La Pecora Bianca. It is a stylish and bright all-day dining restaurant featuring market-driven Italian cuisine - I mean… how can you go wrong? ;) Kidding aside, I always get the spaghetti, but their oatmeal is quite delicious for breakfast. I love the ambience as much as the food and it’s five minutes walking distance from home. Don’t you just love it when you find a place as such? Now onto today’s outfit…

Running around town from lunch meetings, to shoots, to showroom appointments, and more, I need a cross body bag that’s big enough to hold all my essentials, but without it getting too hefty and ‘boxy’ for me. I’m a petite frame so that can happen pretty easily. But the new Sienna Jones City Bag, is just perfect for an everyday bag. Crafted in first grade leather, it features a spacious interior, with a pocket for your smartphone and two zip compartments. Pure casual elegance. They also come in grey, black, red and brown. Designed and created in Covent Garden, London.

I had no intention of putting together a double-breasted jacket with a smocked blouse. Like I had mentioned in the beginning of the post, it doesn’t really seem to sound right together, but voila! I think it can work! I either had the blouse tucked into my jeans or I had the jacket buttoned up. I also think it helps that the colors are in a very similar blue palette so it doesn’t clash with each other too much where it’s distracting. Just like the floral print in the blouse doesn’t clash with the snake print boots. The subtly of the floral is enough to be able to wear the two together… what do you think?

Other accessories included in this look are an Anne Klein diamond-accent green ceramic watch, silver hoop earrings, and an embossed Gucci belt. All in all, I’d say this outfit is definitely spring-ready! What about you? What are you looking forward to after winter? And how do you keep spring fever at bay during the colder season? Wishing you guys a warm and happy week! As always, direct links are at the beginning and end of the post, with more details in between. Have a question? Drop those comments down below! x.

LOVE & XX’S,

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Pastel Winter Outfit

December 4, 2018

Happy Tuesday, everyone! I hope your week is off to a good start! Winter days = lot of cold, dreary ones, much like the New York weather as of late. Which is why I’m kicking it off in today’s post with lots of pastels! One of my favorite trends for the upcoming winter season - this color palette is most suitable for spring, but hey, rules are boring and are made to be broken. So in today’s post I’m sharing a pastel winter look, with lots of cheer. And a lot of oversized accessories, because you know how your girl does it when it comes to styling! See it all go down now, continue to read and see more!

The LIE Collection blue grey double-breasted overcoat is a personal fav from their latest A/W collection. Want to know a teeny secret to a good quality coat? Sit on it for a while, and if it doesn’t wrinkle and the cut falls back to its original place: You found yourself a keeper. Such as this light blue wool coat, it’s the perfect grey undertone to mix with other brighter pastel colors such as green. The buttons and color-blocking belt also add a luxurious touch, even though I find this such a sophisticated winter coat. Let’s move along to the accessories of this look which are minty fresh!

This oversized green bucket bag is from Sometime by Asian Designers. This particular bag is very practical and great to carry around for your everyday essentials. They have a variety of designs and colors, are quite affordable, and the quality is pretty good too! What I love most about this bag, aside from its size is the personalization on it. They put my first name on the bag, which is always such a nice attention to detail. Who else is a fan of having your name or monogram on literally everything?

My sunglasses are vintage and were picked up at a flea market in SoHo from this past summer. I have no idea what brand or label they’re from. They were $20 bucks and the person who spotted them first was my husband! This kind of mint green shade or ‘aqua seafoam’ green is one of my favorite colors and even though it’s fitting for spring/summer, I think it’s also great for the winter season.

My t-shirt is vintage. I’ve had it since I was a teenager! No idea where I got it from, but it’s Fruit Gushers (strawberry flavored lol) and thought the colors fit with the coat and accessories well. Plus it’s quite cute, no? Lastly my boots are from Public Desire. Regarding most pieces from this post, I’ve linked similar styles and different prices points like the sunglasses, bag, boots and coat. How do you feel about this look? Leave your thoughts down in the comment section! Wishing you a great rest of the week.

LOVE & XX’S,

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Thanksgiving Outfit: How to Boldly Mix Animal Print Together

November 19, 2018

THIS IS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY THACKER NYC AND PUBLIC DESIRE BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

It’s a great start to a new week! That’s because it’s a short one, brought to you by the good ole’ bird, the celebrated turkey we (well most of us) have grown to love, Thanksgiving is literally a few days away. Many have stocked their fridges this weekend for the big American holiday, while many have not, and I bet many have no idea what they’re going to be wearing for the occasion - especially if it’s somewhere you have to be and not in your jammies! But many know I’m not one to play dress up often, I’d rather be more casual where I can shamelessly unbutton the top button of my jeans after gluttonously stuffing myself with turkey, stuffing, and more stuffing. That doesn’t mean your fall accessories have to be boring though. So continue reading to see more of a Thanksgiving outfit that’s casual chic, but bold in all the right places.

Two trends I’ve been loving this fall: snake print (the famous OG leopard print) and bold, rich colors. So who’s to say you can’t blend all three together harmoniously? The key is to have the other pieces be on the more simple side, like a long sleeved white tee and black denim jacket with a pair of jeans. And I love the weather this time of year because you can still layer since it’s not too cold out yet. And what’s better than a strong red longline coat around the holiday season? It goes with everything! I’ve had this beauty for a minute and I cannot get enough of it. My favorite way to wear the coat is with jeans but a dress, pantsuit/jumpsuit, skirt, basically everything would pair nicely with this statement coat.

But now onto prints. The question of blending or clashing ensues: Can you wear both leopard and snake print at the same time? IMO, YES! But subtly. Don’t go overboard. For example, a two-piece leopard print set with a huge snake print bag would probably be borderline, ‘excessive’ lol. In this case, I paired a really groovy pair of snake print ankle cutout boots with a mini leopard shearling bag. The rest I left alone with simple straight hair, an orange/neutral nail polish color, and even a pretty natural everyday makeup. Because who cares what you look like when you’re about to happily stuff your face with some of your favorite food in the entire world? Haha!

What are your plans for Thanksgiving this year? My husband and I don’t have very big families and like it when it’s just the two (three of course with MaQ) of us, especially since we don’t get that much quality time as of late due to our crazy busy schedules. I will definitely be planning on getting my cooking groove on - should I maybe do a dessert of some kind and share it with you guys? I’ve made apple pie (link here) and was thinking of doing a fruitier one this time. Thoughts? Maybe a clafoutis? Stay tuned, I think you’ll be seeing my PIC, and us in aprons LOL!

And stay tuned this week for a ton of beauty content as I’ll be doing both a Black Friday roundup of sales I think you’ll love along with my monthly roundup of favorites that I’ve been currently using, both of which I’m excited to share with you guys! Wishing you a great short week and an even joyous holiday weekend (for those that are celebrating).