Exciting Announcement on Thursday…

Thursday marks the one year anniversary of my blog. Very excited to share some news with you!

Stay tuned…

xoxo,

Pushing My Boundaries A Little More…

This year I plan to push my fashion boundaries even more. Maybe NYC is rubbing off on me a little… Those of you that know me, or have been reading along for some time, will know by now that my style is pretty classic, and at times a little preppy.  I’d much rather spend the money on an item that will outlive a trend, than buy something that goes out of style before I’ve even taken the tag off. Yes, it has happened to all of us. That $20 shirt you just HAD to buy at Forever 21, discovered a year later, unworn...

Much like my post from last fall, the goal is keep pieces of my style that are inherently “me”, but add a little excitement with some edgier pieces. My first step into uncharted waters this year? These rockin’ gold studded boots from Vince Camuto. I asked for them for Christmas, and couldn’t wait to share them with you!

A blouse and skinnies is nothing new for me. But the subtle touch of leather on the collar and the not-so-subtle bling on the boots was a baby step in the right direction for me. Plus, these boots are so versatlie – I wore them on New Years Eve with tights and a skirt, rather than grabbing my typical black pumps.

Looks like my style journey is evolving. Excited to see how my 2014 fashion diary unfolds!

xoxo,

 

 

Shirt: Express (same cut)  //  Pants: Zara (similar)  //  Boots: Vince Camuto  //  Bag: C Wonder  //  Necklace: Lizzibeth (not available, but similar here)  //  Watch: Marc Jacobs  //  Bracelets: Lizzibeth and Lizzibeth  //  Earrings: Kate Spade (similar)  //  Ring: family jeweler

Throwback Thursday ~ Longing for a NY Summer

After three miserably frigid days in a row, it’s safe to say we are all craving the warmth of the sun’s rays. Whether that means counting down the days to summer (162 by the way), or scrambling to plan our next vacation (mine is Vegas in March!), people seem to be doing anything to get their mind off the cold. I personally have been looking back through old pictures from last summer, longing to be the tan skinned, flip-flop wearing chick in a maxi dress once again.

So to help us ALL cope, I am dedicating this Throwback Thursday post to one of my favorite day’s from last August. The perfect New York summer day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was a Sunday morning, and I was in the mood to be touristy. Peter and I decided to take the East River Ferry to meet our friend Nick in Dumbo for Smorgasburg (the most glorious foodie fest around), and then walk across the Brooklyn Bridge back to Manhattan.

(I could write a whole post on Smorgasburg alone, so I’ll leave that to a future day. For now, just daydream about summer with me for a second, and look through my pictures from that August day…)

The day was perfect …. most likely 85 degrees, sunny, and few, if any, clouds in the sky. We explored Brooklyn, gorged ourselves on food, took in some breathtaking views of Manhattan, and even got a little exercise on our walk back. It was everything a New York summer day should be: a little sun, a little food, a little culture, and a lotta skyline. Take me back…

Summer will be here before you know it, people. And this polar vortex can’t last forever. So stay strong. Stay warm! And indulge in a little daydreaming the get you through…

xoxo,

A Bad Day in New York

Frosty in Central Park

Manhattan was graced with two visitors this weekend: Winter Storm Hercules and Miss Lizzi Weasler (of Lizzibeth). One minute they were here, the next they were gone, leaving just enough time to capture their visit in some pictures…

On a snowy Saturday afternoon, Lizzi and I ventured to Central Park for a photo shoot. Bundled up and frosted in gems … we sipped on coffee and explored the winter playground.

We were troopers, and lasted all of about 30 minutes before our toes went numb and the novelty wore off. The Plaza Hotel lobby offered us warmth and refuge, where we took a few more pictures in Lizzibeth frosting and called it a day.

A big thank you to Lizzi for letting me dip into her jewelry box once again…!! And let this be a lesson to all of you, that just beacuse its cold, doesn’t mean you can’t look fabulous.

xoxo,

 

 

Featuring Lizzibeth necklaces:  The Big Kahuna and Twist Tie  //  Coat: Zara  //  Shirt: Banana Republic (love these)  //  Pants: Zara (similar)  //  Boots: Coach (sold out, similar here)  //  Liners: Macys (cute alternative) // Hat: old (similar)

~Linking up with Shanna today~

Lumberjack Chic

With Winter Storm Hercules headed our way, and a two-day-old migraine from too much champagne … I’d like nothing more than to be cozy in my bed right about now. Since the snow isn’t expected to hit until tonight, I might have to wait until tomorrow for that coveted snow day. In the meantime, I’m bundling up and shoving off to work.

Since flannel PJs and a down blanket aren’t normally acceptable in the work place, I went for the next best thing: a flannel shirt and a fur vest. Spruce it up with a little bedazzle and I guess you’ve got … Lumberjack Chic!?

Hope everyone had a great New Year’s Eve, and an even better start to 2014! Stay warm this week…

xoxo,

Shirt: Chaps (similar)  //  Vest: Express (on sale now!)  //  Pants: Zara (love these)  //  Boots: Vince Camuto (loving these)  //  Necklace: Lizzibeth (sold out, but love this)  //  Bracelets: JCrew, Lizzibeth, and Lizzibeth  //  Watch:  Marc Jacobs  //  Ring: family jeweler

New Year’s Eve Glam

New Years Eve in New York. The most fabulous night of the year. It’s hard enough to decide what to wear on a normal day, so you can imagine the pressure of getting dressed for the most glamorous of nights.

Visions of sparkles and sequins danced my head … but I looked in my closet and found nothing.

When I’m at a loss for what to wear around the holidays, I find myself reaching for black. Whether its a little black dress, or a chic black top, you can’t really go wrong! Black is timeless, and can be the perfect backdrop for some bolder jewelry choices.

It’s settled. Taking a classic outfit and jazzing it up with some gems is my plan this NYE. So I turned to my dear friend Lizzi, of Lizzibeth for some help styling! I had a blast browsing her showroom … playing dress up while sipping on some bubbly. A fashionista’s dream.

Here are some of my fab finds:

Shirts #1 and #2  //  Necklaces #1 (brand new — stay tuned!), #2, #3 and #4  //  Bracelets #1, #2, #3 and #4

A major thank you to Lizzi, for letting me play in the Lizzibeth closet for an afternoon. I had so much fun, left with a bag full of goodies, and feel ready to take on my second New York New Year’s!

(Yes I know what you’re thinking. “Elena, you bought jewelry?!? But the shopping ban…!” Well let’s just say I’ve broken that ban at least a dozen times already. No need to remind me of my failures.)

All of these gems and more can be found on www.shoplizzibeth.com. And for a sneak peek at her Milwaukee showroom, here’s a few more pics:

Happy New Year everyone!

Cheers,

Confessions

Shame.  Guilt.  Failure.

Lay it on me, I deserve it.

27 days in to my self-proclaimed “shopping ban“, I caved. It was a break-down in will power at the sign of the first sale. I didn’t even make it to Black Friday!

(Now since we’re being honest here, Black Friday only made it worse. Kinda like when you pig out for the holidays, and then you think … well how much harm can one more piece of pie do anyway?)

Ugh, but can you blame me?! This fur vest …….

I just … couldn’t … say … no.

So I said yes please, and added it to my closet … along with this shirt in red and leopard, and this coat. Woops! 🙂

No more slip ups allowed from now until Christmas! For real this time.

xoxo,

Dress: Francesca’s (similar cut)  //  Vest: Express  //  Boots: Vince Camuto (loving these)  //  Tights: Hue (other colors)  //  Necklace: Aldo (love this)  //  Bag: Michael Kors (similar)  //  Ring: family jeweler

Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down

6:12 am … my alarm goes off.

Snooze.

6:21 am … it goes off again.

Snooze.

6:30 am … do I need to wash my hair today? Nah…

Snooze.

Sound familiar? Maybe I shouldn’t admit it, but this is my internal conversation every morning. It’s worse on Mondays. Even worse on rainy days. And the worst on rainy Mondays.

My bed is so warm … outside is too cold … or wet … or dreary … or {enter excuse here}.

It doesn’t HAVE to be that way though. You only get cold, wet and miserable if you don’t dress appropriately {I sound like my mother...}. But by investing in a good umbrella, nice rain boots, and a warm trench, you can weather any rainy day {in style}!

The last few days in New York have required just that. Coach rain boots? check. Banana Republic trench? check. Umbrella … scarf … gloves … check! This is my take on rainy day chic.

Rainy days and Mondays aren’t gonna get me down.

xoxo

Trench coat: Banana Republic (just adore this)  //  Pants: Zara (similar)  //  Rain Boots: Coach (wanting these)  //  Scarf: gift (love this)  //  Bag: C Wonder  //  Umbrella: street vendor (because why not)

Changing with the Seasons

As we push deeper into autumn toward the inevitable cold, the warm weather just won’t seem to let go. It has been a fall punctuated by uncharacteristically mild days; one that has made getting dressed in the morning an adventure.

Stuck between seasons means stuck between wardrobes. With summer clothes that aren’t warm enough, and fall clothes that are a little too cozy, you sometimes have to improvise. My solution? A trusty pair of tights. It’s the perfect way to take a summery dress or skirt, and make it more fall appropriate. They also add that little bit of warmth you need to enjoy being out and about on these rare days.

On Monday, I paired a floral dress with black tights, brown boots, and a little black jacket. I thought black and brown toned down the brightness of the florals, masking its summer look.

When you’re in a pinch and the seasons have yet to sort themselves out, you don’t have to try and reinvent the wheel.

But no one says being practical can’t also mean being chic.

xoxo

Dress: Francesca’s (old, so many cute ones here)  //  Jacket: Express (love this)  //  Boots: Aldo (these are great)  //  Bag: Michael Kors (zipper version)  //  Sunglasses: Banana Republic (different color)  //  Belt: Banana Republic (similar)  //  Necklace: Aldo (similar)  //  Watch: Kate Spade  //  Tights: Hue (so many fun colors!)