Hustle Hard

WEARING: LORD & TAYLOR BROWN SUEDE LEATHER JACKET | ZARA BLACK SWEATER
FOLEY & CORINNA CLASSIC MID CITY TOTE IN BLACK | AMERICAN EAGLE DENIM RIPPED JEANS
ALDO BUGIANO STUDDED ANKLE BOOTIES

HUSTLE HARD. Graffiti created by Queen Andrea with Critical Massive and Outlaw Arts.

Layers after layers. Necklaces from H & M, The Savvy Heart, and Forever 21.

Gold plates, studs and black leather; my favorite Aldo ankle booties paired with ripped jeans from American Eagle.

White on gold. Nail polish from Essie | color: blanc | Ring from H & M.

Ahh rip it, rip it real good! Foley & Corrina mid city tote in black with American Eagle denim.

Matching hair -n- jacket, thanks to Fox & Jane Hair Salon and Lord & Taylor.

Long hair don't care, but long hair no more. Check out my new do here!

Everyday I'm Hustlin'! 💯💯💯

Happy Hump Day! Today's look is from this past weekend. On Sunday, my husband and I ventured down to the Lower East Side to check out the Lowline, the world's first underground park and to partake in our favorite pass time on the weekends: BRUNCH. We tried Spitzer's Corner, a very chill, laid back American gastropub where I had their fresh avocado omelet and the hubby went with their country breakfast. Can I just say that their cheddar grits is a must-try?! Everything was fantastically delicious, right down to the very last bite! 

Afterwards, we strolled through the city's streets to walk off what we ate. I did some shopping and found the most gorgeous coat from Assembly New York. And yesterday I got my hair redid! I'm excited to show you a whole new look on the blog, coming soon! You can see a preview of my hair here on my Instagram. Stay tuned!

And now more about today's look (and the last time you'll see me with long hair for a while) - I'm wearing a brown 100% leather and suede jacket from Lord & Taylor. Since the weather warmed up this past weekend (thank goodness), I had to whip out this suede leather beauty pronto! I've had it for years and I'm obsessed with the distress and age of it — gives it a little history and edge to the look. My jeans are from American Eagle but I ripped them myself a while back. My style has never been 100% feminine - perhaps a lil' more tomboyish/rough around the edges than dainty and delicate so whenever a pair of older jeans get a tiny tear, I improvise and make it into something else! Case in point: Ripped denim. YEAH! I actually turn a lot of my jeans into shorts for summer time each year as I like to customize a lot of my pieces. My Aldo ankle booties too I've had for a while but they're my go-to booties from the past year. They're super comfy and I always feel like a total rockin' bad-ass while strutting around town in them. To complement the black details, I paired the shoes up with my Foley & Corinna mid city tote bag and my favorite Zara sweatshirt. Lastly to accessorize I added some layered necklaces with a statement necklace. The necklaces are from H & M, The Savvy Heart and Forever 21. My rule to layering is, if it seems like the layering is a tad-off add one more piece into the mix and you'll be good to go!

Love & xx's,

SHOP THE LOOK

Silver Fox

WEARING: H&M GREY SWEATER | MODERN VINTAGE ZAMARA BLACK ANKLE BOOTS |
GUCCI VINTAGE MONOGRAM PURSE | SAGA FOX SILVER FOX FUR COAT |
J BRAND JEANS MID-RISE SKINNY BLACK

Rock -n- roll chic. 🤘🎸

Lioness on the prowl. All photos by © Gilles Decamps, 2016.

You're so bootie-ful! 👢👢

Silver Fox. 🐺🐺🐺

Details: Silver fox fur & Gucci.

💋💋💋

Yes, honey? 😆😎

Do the Hustle! 🎶

Happy Friday Eve! Today's outfit is inspired by fur and vintage mixtures! I love having rare unique accessories in my wardrobe. I don't know a girl who doesn't dig this either. One-of-a-kind pieces are such great finds; treasure hunts if you will. My vintage Gucci bag I'm toting around today has been in my collection since 2007! I found this gem at Zachary's Smile, which has been closed since 2013 [insert sad face].

I know a lot of you are going to fur shame me, and you have every right to. But before you do, know that fur coats hold a special place in my heart because it relates with my mother and I's taste in style. When she passed, I was received several of her jackets. One in particular, a gorgeous rabbit fur bomber jacket that didn't make it after 2006 since it was not in the best of shape - and the fact that my ma used to party her arse off in it back in the 70's!

For the longest time, I had trouble with the idea of wearing any of her belongings. It just didn't feel right. Only until recently I've been starting to mix in her accessories with my own. While dating my husband, he gifted me a beautiful silver fox fur coat we had discovered while window shopping in Williamsburg during a casual Sunday stroll after brunch. I absolutely love it and that it's something I only wear on extreme frigid days. Can you believe this coat is almost ten years old?! The only real fur piece I own, I'm all about faux fur these days and since that day in Brooklyn, I no longer purchase real stuff. But I love the fact that my husband bought me a real fur coat in light of my Ma. All kinds of too much sweetness, there.

Oh, and those earrings were also my mother's. And also from the 70's! Feeling groovy.. 😉 How big are you with vintage pieces? Are you not a fan because the word antique comes to mind? Or you just don't like anything 'used'? I'd love to see what vintage accessories are hanging up in your closet, ladies! Let's go! Have a great Thursday. ❤️

Love & xx's,

SHOP THE LOOK

Mirina Girls

Hey everyone! I have some fun and exciting news! I've been chosen as one of the Mirina Girls ambassadors for Mirina Collections! Mirina Collections is different from most jewelry houses as they create their designs from start to finish in the heart of Manhattan on 47th street at their Design Warehouse. Most jewelry stores receive their designs from overseas allowing them to keep their prices at a minimum. However, at Mirina Collections they focus their energy on their customers receiving a true 'made to order' experience which is all sorts of awesome! Their necklaces are handcrafted and take about 2-3 weeks to create. Isn't that neat?

Khaleesi-inspired statement necklace from Mirina Collections.

The first necklace I received is the gorgeous Amazon statement piece. It is just beautiful! The pieces are plated from 925 sterling silver with various gems and crystals. I just love the details, and even though it's a big piece, it doesn't look gaudy or off-putting. The Amazon is one of their top selling statement necklaces and is the perfect accessory to go from day to night. I always have a hard time transitioning between the two without going home for a quick change (especially if I'm about to paint the town red) but this necklace is great for both! I like to keep my accessories fresh and versatile, with the newest designs available.

Wearing the Amazon necklace from Mirina Collections. ♥ ❤ ❥

And now, something for YOU! I'm offering 20% OFF all necklaces for my fantastic readers! Trust me ladies, if you're an accessories fanatic like myself, you got to check out Mirina Collections! They have something for every fashionable gal! Please use my coupon code MIRINAGIRLS when you proceed to checkout.

Gorgeous statement necklace from Mirina Collections.

Do you have any questions regarding Mirina Collections' necklaces? Feel free to comment down below! Follow me on Instagram & Twitter for more stylish updates on the blog! Have a great rest of your Hump Day, folks! :)

Details from the Amazon necklace.

Love & xx's,

Metropolitan Museum of Art - Part 2

Jacqueline de Ribes — The Art of Style

Gossip Girl here. ;-) Follow me on Instagram! ✖️⚪️✖️⚪️, 💋 @suzannespiegoski

Happy Hump Day, y'all! Yesterday's post I reflected on some of my personal favorites at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Today I'm sharing the Costume Institute’s Fall 2015 newest exhibition, Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style, which focuses on the internationally renowned style icon Countess Jacqueline de Ribes. She is one of the most celebrated fashion personas of the 20th century. A designer herself, she was also a muse to many — and was quickly recognized as the quintessential of French style. She is a classic but modern – beauty, like Audrey Hepburn, whose elongated neck, refined profile and couture clothes were well known to fashionistas here in New York as well as Europe. Emilio Pucci called her “Giraffina,” or “baby giraffe”; Yves Saint Laurent called her “an ivory unicorn”; Oleg Cassini found her “elegant to the point of distraction”; and Valentino named her “the last Queen of Paris”. She eventually went professional in the 1980s after raising money on her own and was no longer held back by her aristocratic in-laws from pursuing her career, officially becoming a commercial designer. It is very clear from this exhibition that Jacqueline's taste and style were timeless as opposed to trendy. In fact, her clothes are so classic – whether she designed them or simply chose them from the couture houses of others, it’s hard differentiating which decade they were made. I guarantee you, you could step into any of her clothes and feel magnificently dressed. The exhibition is on view in The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Anna Wintour Costume Center until February 21, 2016. If you're at all into fashion, this is a must-see! Now let's go take a look inside! (Scroll down to see more photos from the exhibition.)

Love & xx's,

Entrance to the exhibition. Jacqueline de Ribes, 1955
Photograph by Richard Avedon, © The Richard Avedon Foundation

Photos of Jacqueline de Ribes through the years.

The many, many magazine articles on Jacqueline de Ribes with family and friends.

"Narcissism" photograph of Jacqueline de Ribes by Richard Avedon for The New Yorker magazine.

"My mirror, my only truthful advisor." -Jacqueline de Ribes

Yves Saint Laurent haute couture A/W 1980-81

Costume du Bal Oriental, 1969. Isn't this some supreme inspo or what?!

The Masked Ball Series. "Ball's were not for one's amusement, they were for being ravishing." -Jacqueline de Ribes

Fringe Envy.

"Glamorous people bring something to others. They are seductive, attractive—and it has nothing to do with frivolity. Glamour sticks to people. An object is not glamorous, but places where people go are glamorous. That's why New York is the glamour capital of the world." ♥

YSL Love.

Exquisite colors for evening wear.

A Christian Dior haute couture gown owned by Jacqueline de Ribes.

Flights of Fantasy.

"Elegance. It's an attitude. A frame of mind. An intuition, a refusual, a rigor, a research, a knowledge. The attitude of elegance is also a way of behaving." -Jacqueline de Ribes.

Diana Broussard Interview

Last month I had the honor of interviewing Diana Broussard for Prestige International Magazine! Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, but with Cajun-French (both from Louisianan and Parisian) roots, Diana grew up in Dallas, Texas. The youngest in her family of four children, Diana Broussard had initially planned to attend Julliard to become a flute soloist, however, her dreams drastically changed when her father had a bad stroke when she was 16. Growing up she always sewn her own clothes and read Vogue, and also always been surrounded by the technology world being her father was a physicist, had immediately committed to her new ambition in becoming a designer.

Holding a B.S. in textile chemistry from LSU with further education at FIT, Diana has become one of the most successful New York designers specializing in accessories. She's worked for luxury goods companies such as Gucci, Dior, Calvin Klein, Armani, Carolina Herrera, and JP Tods - her experience is impressive. From one idea she does many things, with her exquisite jewelry to her impeccably chic shoe line, each concept is clear and her work speaks for itself. Luxury at its finest, it is also yet personal, taken with great care, and is full of heart.

I went to her boutique here in New York City, to get to know her and of course, to see her collection. I picked out a few of my favorites (ahem, gentlemen... your lady friend would love any of Diana's pieces!), keeping the theme green with Christmas Spirit! 

Take a look at my chosen pieces below. Provided links will take you directly to her online store! To read my full interview with Diana, please click here. Pages 58-61.

MONKEY CURVED WITH CRYSTAL RING: GOLD & EMERALD

NATE NECKLACE: BOTTLE GREEN

EAMES SAFARI with LION and MONKEY: DARK GREEN VELVET

Aren't her pieces just darling? I'm in love with all her accessories! Such an amazingly talented designer! To see more from Diana's collection, please go here.

All photos, including the portrait of Diana are by me. And don't forget to go and check out my full interview with Diana here! Pages 58-61. :)

Love & xx's,