Insiders Guide to Spring Accessories

FridayFridayFriday Happy Friday! I thought this week I would share an article I wrote recently for the blog over at my good friend Jia's boutique, Studio15. Now that our closets are finally being turned over to shorts and dresses and all things spring, it's the perfect time to try out some funky accessories to add pop to your spring outfits.

FUN SHAPED BAGS

​Girl​, put away that giant tote you've been lugging all winter! Anything that's large enough to conceal a small child is way too heavy this late in the springtime. Try trading out your usual bag for one that's not only smaller, but colorful and an unexpected shape. Kate Spade has been leading the charge this season with their line of wicker animal-shaped handbags, but I'm also in love with this fun watermelon bag from ban.do that's perfect for picnics and beach trips!

​Images from katespade.com

​ & ​

purseblog.com

​Image from thetomkatstudio.com​

UNEXPECTED EARRINGS​

Going along with the less-heavy-more-funky theme of the season, swap out your larger chandelier earrings for more petite styles that hug the ear. ​Especially popular this season are ear jackets, which have a small crystal or round post at the front of your lobe, and spikes or jewels hanging down from the back of the lobe. Another trend resurging are ear cuffs, especially those with spikes or delicate fringe-like chains.

​

​Images from baublebar.com & southbysoho.com​

HEADSCARVES

If you're a long-haired lady like me, spring and summer means ponytail season to get that hot hair up and off of your neck. My #1 go-to accessory when I'm running late on time ​(​and want to make my hairstyle look so much more elaborate than the two seconds it took to put it together​)​ is a headscarf. I own all three of the scarves below! Anthropologie is my favorite place to find them- they have great bright colors for spring and intricate beading that adds an extra luxe touch I've yet to find on scarves elsewhere.

​Images from anthropologie.com

​Image from southbysoho.com​

​​

SPIKES

The spike trend is still going strong this season - look for small, delicate spikes on earrings and bracelets, but also as a great detailing on sandals and flats. Those ​$900 ​Valentino rockstud sandals of Kat Tanita's might be out of reach for most of us, but brands like Ash, Dolce Vita, Rebecca Minkoff and Vince Camuto all have great options for this season.

​Image from withlovefromkat.com

​​Images from revolveclothing.com, shoes.com & shop.nordstrom.com​

ROUND MIRRORED SUNGLASSES

Last but not least, the quintessential spring accessory is a great pair of sunglasses. In lieu of the tried-and-true wayfarers and aviators, this season go for a mirrored pair (I'm loving blue and purple mirrors myself) and look for a large, more rounded shape with a plastic frame.

​​Photos from gorgeautiful.com & southbysoho.com​

What is your go-to accessory this season?

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Weekend Casual

SWEATER: H&M (SIMILAR SAVE & SIMILAR SPLURGE) // JEANS: J. CREW // 

NECKLACE: DIY (SIMILAR) // BOOTIES: DV BY DOLCE VITA (also available in size 6 HERE) // 

EAR CUFF: REBECCA MINKOFF (SIMILAR) // BACKPACK: THRIFTED (BEACON'S CLOSET) // 

SPIKE BRACELETS: BENEVOLENT JEWELS & C. WONDER (also love THIS)

Being an always-slightly-chilled lady myself, this outfit combo is pretty much my go-to in any season. My comfy skinny jeans, oversized lightweight sweater, ankle boots and some bling.

My latest addition this year has been this awesome thrifted leather backpack. I've been carrying it a lot on the weekends when I'm heading to the park or the farmers market, or shooting for the blog: any time I'll be carrying a lot of stuff. It's unbelievable the different between carrying weight in a purse on one shoulder vs. splitting it between two with a backpack. It makes me feel 10 lbs. lighter! 

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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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Chilly & Casual

COAT: SANDRO (only left in navy) // TOP: FOREVER21 (SIMILAR) // 
PANTS: ZARA (SIMILAR, also love THESE in palm print) // SNEAKERS: C. WONDER (SIMILAR) // 
PURSE: KATE SPADE SATURDAY // SUNNIES: SIMILAR // RINGS: BANANA REPUBLIC (SIMILAR)

Hopefully the chilly days are fiiiinally coming to an end here in NYC, but I’ve loved wearing this olive wool jacket on windy days. The color and lighter weight are perfect for spring and fall, and can even be worn on not so cold days in winter. It has a great little fur collar detailing that’s thinner than most fur collars I’ve seen – it’s nice that it’s not too bulky-feeling for spring. This coat costs around $500 from Sandro, but I actually snagged it for $30 at my fave thrift shop, Beacon’s Closet!!

Fun fact: Apparently karma is a b**** for those who brag about their great jacket finds, because I had an entire venti coffee thrown on me by a stranger while wearing this coat the other day. I just got it back from the dry cleaners and spent about an hour brushing out the fur collar with my teasing comb to get it to look right again.

Good news: it was successful. Bad news: Beauty is pain, people. 

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Ode To The Earmuff

 Anthropologie Earmuffs

Giving a big sigh today while reading all these fashion blog posts showing open-toed heels and floral blouses proclaiming "Spring is Almost Here!" For those of you living in the frozen tundra that is the northeast, you know that spring is most certainly not here. Spring is still on vacation in Fiji and isn't even thinking about coming home yet. The low today in NYC is 3 degrees. 3 DEGREES. PLUS WIND. 

(Shivers at her desk under her two layers of scarves...). 

So stay bundled is the message of this post. And how to do that fashionably you may ask? Well I think a wool beanie is a cute as the next blogger, but my long, frizz-prone hair + a wool straightjacket pressing it to my head, does not for a good hair day make. Enter the earmuff (music of angels singing here). Keeps you warm where it counts, and won't mess up any 'do. Plus now that we're "supposedly" entering spring soon, there are some good sales to be found on winter wear. I'm wearing my favorite Athro earmuffs, I love how the cream color stands out against my hair, but a pair of black or oxblood ones would look so sleek! Check out some of my favorite fuzzy options below!

one // two // three // four // five // six

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snow day

CARDIGAN: OLD NAVY (SIMILAR) + LEGGINGS: VICTORIA SECRET + SCARF: NORDSTROM RACK (SIMILAR) + EARMUFFS: ANTHROPOLOGIE + BOOTS: HUNTER

So we all survived the snowpacalypse here in NYC, but it seems like the snow flurries and piles of white fluff  (oops I meant kind-of-dirty-gray-mush) are here to stay for a while. Enter city-girl’s two best snow-weather friends:

(1) A pair of classic TALL rain boots. These have replaced my standard black leather boots for the time being. Going with black rather than a bright color means my coworkers don’t seem to notice that I wear them every day, and man is it nice not to worry about jumping over slush puddles and getting salt all over my leather boots on my way to and from the office. TIP: BUY THE BOOTSOCKS. They are essentially questionably-pricey fleece kneesocks, but honestly, they’re worth every penny to keep your feet toasty warm. Classic boots like Hunters have no real lining without them. Fold them over your boot (pictured) for one look, or tuck them down into the boot for a sleeker look while still staying warm.

(2) Blanket Scarves. Warm and chunky layers, you can’t beat it. And if you haven’t yet succumbed to buying the Zara plaid blanket scarf almost every woman has this season, it’s time. Nothing beats being able to wrap your scarf around you and snuggle up when the wind picks up.

Stay warm!

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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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