young & wild & professional

BLOUSE: ANTHROPOLOGIE // PANTS: RAG & BONE // HEELS: LOEFFLER RANDALL // 

PURSE: MICHAEL KORS // EARRINGS: REBECCA MINKOFF (sold out- LOVE THESE) // 

BELT: J. CREW // BANGLES: ALEX & ANI

As a young profesh in NYC, my everyday work staples start and end with fitted pants, a flowy blouse (my collection of white ones are starting to get out of hand...), a you-can-fit-everything-in-here satchel, and then some bling. These black Rag & Bone pants are my go-to, they're softer than denim and squeeze by the no jeans in the office rule, while still letting me dress for my style. The black and white combo is crisp and classic, and then I can easily switch out whatever accessories I'm currently into- a non-black purse, a metallic or colorful skinny belt (J. Crew has the best selection around) and stacks of bangles and mixed metal rings.

Oh and a fun tip for the stylish-but-money-saavy?

Those gorgeous Rebecca Minkoff earrings: $10 at the sample sale last week. Loeffler Randall pumps: 30% off sale, plus I asked for a discount because there was a pink spot on one and it was the last of my size. They gave me another 10% off. Tassel bracelet: 50% off the sale price at the C. Wonder going out of business sale.

Shop smart. Be patient and check back for sales. Often. Sign up for newsletters from your favorite brands that will send you discounts and tell you when there are pop-up sales. Investment pieces are worth it, but you can almost always find a way to make them fit your budget.

What's the splurge item you're waiting for? Leave me a comment below!

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Another Weekend, Another Wedding

DRESS: KATE SPADE (on sale!) // CLUTCH: MICHAEL KORS // EARRINGS: ANTHROPOLOGIE (SIMILAR) // HEELS: J. CREW (old, similar Vince Camuto HERE) // RINGS: BANANA REPUBLIC (SIMILAR)

Cute boyfriend. Cute family. Cute dress. What more can you ask for?

The 2015 outdoor wedding season has officially started and I've got one down and 4 more to go before the fall! I am so glad I took the plunge and bought this Kate Spade dress (not that I didn't agonize over the decision for days) because (a) it is totally worth the investment to get one designer piece instead of a different $100+ dress for each wedding and (b) navy, I repeat NAVY, is my go-to neutral to start a formal outfit with. I paired the dress with nude heels (with a bow detail to match the dress) and yellow accessories to match Papa G, but I plan to switch it up with all blush pink, crisp white, or orangey red accessories at later weddings this year. If you're looking to invest in a good dress, I can't recommend navy in a thick, shiny fabric enough - it's the perfect year round color - not as heavy as black, but not as summery as a blush pink, and it can be paired with almost any color accessory, making it super versatile. 

Momma G's outfit:

DRESS: MARC NEW YORK (similar HERE and HERE) // CLUTCH: KATE SPADE (still available in black; similar Kate Spade pink HERE)  // NECKLACE: KATE SPADE (SIMILAR and on sale!)

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I'll Have A Blue Christmas

"And when those blue snowflakes start falling
That's when those blue memories start calling
You'll be doin' all right with your Christmas of white
But I'll have a blue, blue, blue Christmas"

COAT: J. CREW (last season) + TURTLENECK: J. CREW + PANTS: RAG & BONE + 

BOOTS: STEVE MADDEN (SIMILAR) + BAG: MICHAEL KORS + GLOVES: OLD NAVY + 

SUNGLASSES: ASOS (SIMILAR) + EARRINGS: BLOOMINGDALES

Still waiting on those snowflakes here in NYC, but it's blue all the time here with the hottest (pun?) colors this winter - cobalt, navy and gray. I absolutely adore this statement wool coat from J. Crew - it's worth investing in more coats than just your below-freezing-marshmallow-man-standard-black-puffer-coat. Your outfit may be exquisitely styled, but no one's going to see it beneath your coat and scarf when it's this cold out. Make sure you love your outerwear just as much.

Also loving the mirrored sunglasses trend that's coming back... 

pretty sure my dad used to wear almost these exact glasses in 1991.

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It's time to play...

I thought we'd do something different today and take a peek into what I've been toting around to all my weekend adventures in the city lately. (Read as: sitting for hours in coffee shops or walking aimlessly around Central Park) Here's my must-haves in my fall weekend bag:

1. BAG // Vintage Leather Backpack. Sooo excited that backpacks are trendy again. My aching right shoulder that's carried giant tote bags for the past 24 years is pretty thankful too. I got this leather beauty for $22 at my favorite thrift store, Beacon's Closet. Win. Having a million pockets for me to fill? Double win. I'd suggest thrifting your own, but if you're willing to take the plunge to buy new, Urban Outfitters has a cool Frye one right now.

2. TECH // I generally leave my laptop at home during the week, but I love working on the blog from different locales (read: again, coffee shops) on the weekend. My old apple case was getting pretty ratty, and I was so excited to get my new UChic case recently! Cute pattern? Check. Fave accent color? Cheeeck. Good cause? Check. UChic is a brand new company that's helping to fund $1000 scholarships for deserving young women through these awesome back-to-school accessories. You guys know I'm all about buying from new fashion brands that give back, but this seriously raises the bar. This case is called the "Gracie" and was designed by Gracie Schram, a 16-year-old singer/songwriter and a recipient of the scholarship. Cool, right? You can buy it here on their indiegogo page: igg.me/at/uchic. I've talked a lot with some lovely ladies at this company recently, and besides having an awesome cause, let me tell you, customer service is not dead! Support them.

3. SUNNIES // Michael Kors, can I ever leave the house without you? Answer: No. No I cannot. Protect your peepers ladies.

4. A GOOD READ // Have you read #GIRLBOSS? I'm only halfway through and damn, I'm inspired. Sophia Amoruso is (a) a little crazy (which I like) and (b) shares some pretty awesome experience/advice for those of us trying to forge our own way in the fashion world. But even if you're not, it's definitely a feel-good, now-I-want-to-go-accomplish-something-today read.

5. WARMTH // It's transition time! Thankfully, it's still been warm enough in NYC to go without a coat, but a lightweight blanket scarf is my absolute must-have in early fall. Lightweight so that you won't feel bogged down if you've got it wrapped around your neck, but big enough that you can open it and drape it around your shoulders if the wind really picks up. The one pictured is a Furla scarf that was a gift from Momma G, but Nordstrom has a similar one too. How does Nordstrom always have everything?

6. MOISTURE // I am obsessed with Smith's Rosebud Salve. I use it as a lip gloss all year round, but it's especially great now that the air (and my skin) is drying out. Apply it to your lips with your finger (there's the slightest hint of peachy-pink) and then wipe the excess on the back of your hand to moisturize your scary knuckles yo. Two-for-one.

7. CRAFTS // I cannot stop crafting, and my latest craft venture is opening my own custom stationary Etsy shop later this month! As if I didn't spend enough time in the Soho Paper Source store already, I'm now constantly carting around envelopes and stamps and color samples and bothering all their employees as I test out my ideas. Their blush pink envelopes & flat cards are hands-down the prettiest color I've ever seen. My blush pink phase might be getting out of control this season. But hey, if you want some pretty pink stationary, you've come to the right girl.

8. GLAM // I do my nails on the go in inappropriate places all the time. So there's usually 1-5 bottles of nail polish in my bag on any given day. My latest buy was this cool gray (called 'Earl Grey' - aren't you clever Sally Hanson) that's feels perfect for fall.

What's in your wallet weekend bag?

(bad mastercard joke)

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Swirly Skirt + Tory Burch Sale

BLOUSE: ANN TAYLOR (OLD, ALSO LOVE THIS AND THIS) + SKIRT: AMERICAN APPAREL (SIMILAR) + 

HEELS: VINCE CAMUTO SIGNATURE + NECKLACE: J. CREW + BAG: RALPH LAUREN (SIMILAR) + 

RING: C. WONDER + BRACELET: MARC JACOBS

Oh lovely lovely fall. Long sleeve + skirt weather has got to be my favorite of all time. And my new obsession? Fishtail braids!! Shockingly easy to do, supposed to look messy (aka you can mess up and no one will know) and great for hair that has lots of layers- it's holds them in way better than a normal braid does. I may post a tutorial in case anyone is still nervous to try!

In other exciting news, the Tory Burch Friends & Family Sale starts today! Oh overpriced but beautiful boots, will I finally be able to afford you? Sigh. Well I'm off to frolic outside in my swishy skirt. Happy Friday!

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Pastel & Sparkly

TOP: TORY BURCH (last season) + DENIM: GAP 1969 + HEELS: NORDSTROM + EARRINGS: BLOOMINGDALE'S + BRACELET: C WONDER (SIMILAR) + CLUTCH: ZARA (SIMILAR) + NAILS: ESSIE "

Ok, I'm about to divulge a huge shopping secret of mine. Designer consignment. Is. My. Best. Friend. If you live in the NYC/Bklyn area, you must try out Beacon's Closet. It's a vintage + modern consignment shop, but if you're imagining your local salvation army, you are very far off the mark. The great thing about places like Beacon's is they are super picky about what they carry (read: great for shopping, not great for selling... What do you mean you won't take my $300 J. Crew dress just because it's more than 2 years old? Fools.) In order for them to carry a piece in the store, it has to be (a) vintage or (b) a top name brand from within the past 3 (I think) seasons, plus whatever other arbitrary rules they have that basically boil down to whether they like it or not.

The key to places like Beacon's is to go a lot. Luckily unluckily for me, there is one literally one block from my house (shopaholics everywhere are gasping in pleasure/pain at this thought). It can be totally hit or miss, but since their inventory turns over constantly, you'll probably never see the same things twice. Like this Tory Burch tunic, I have scored MAJOR deals there (especially on shoes and dresses) - and it allows me to buy more funky, adventurous designer pieces that I wouldn't normally be willing to spend so much on. Would I pay $300 for a designer blouse covered in so many hand-stitched sequins that it's practically unwashable? No. Would I pay $30 for it? You betcha. 

So do some googling and ask around to find the top consignment shops in your area. (If you happen to live in the DC area, Mustard Seed in Bethesda is another fave, and was my regular haunt in high school and college.)

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