NYFW Outfit

NYFW Outfit

I'm late to the party here but New York Fashion Week, I just really love you. It's fun to see the newest trends but mostly, it's fun to see how festive it becomes for everyone. New York street fashion is on another level. It's inspiring, it's creative, it puts a big smile on my face. Over the next few days, I hope to post my favorite outfits I wore to the shows. This is my first pick because I love the cab hat and combat boots. It's a nice twist to a dainty dress. I'm pretty much obsessed with this because never in my life would I have thought that I'd ever wear combat boots. (Just kidding. My 18 year old Myspace self would have worn them. But also my 18 year old Myspace self went through some punk/emo/goth phase that nobody really knew about.)

As some of you know, I started fashion school back in 2016 at FIT and then last summer, I got to study design in London. To make a long story short, I've been learning a lot of what I like and after a lot of thought, I had to say goodbye to FIT this year. The good news is that I transferred to another school and as luck would have it, I can complete my fashion degree in only two semesters! This is pretty huge for me since I'll be 32 in a few months and being in school for much longer isn't something I want to do. The bad news is I missed the fall deadline so I won't be back in the city I love until next spring. But thankfully I'm still working and booking projects so while I won't be living in NYC at least I'll still be able to do work up there.

In the meantime, I'm teaching dance fitness and a fusion of pilates, boxing, and ballet barre while I'm in DC for the majority of the next nine months. So here's a shameless plug for me to invite you all to take my classes and get a fun workout in while burning some serious calories. Message me if you're interested!

New Year, New Coat

New Year, New Coat

I've recently started cycling and one of my favorite instructors said that she thought New Year resolutions were bullshit. And I kind of loved her for that. 

I have never been the one to actually follow through on any resolutions I make. It's a struggle to even follow through my plans for the week, whether it be cooking a meal that I've set my heart on, or even sometimes waking up early enough to workout. Sometimes I'm so crappy that I cancel out on plans because I'd rather be in my pajamas while watching Dateline in bed... even though I keep telling myself that it'd be nice to make an effort to be social once in a while. 

Truthfully, if I can make it through this life being a better version of myself than I was last year, or even just yesterday, I think it's good enough for me. I realize that every day is a gift and if I can just be kind to myself, kind to the people I love, kind to those I am fortunate enough to meet during my time here on earth... and do things every single day that make me happy, then that seems like a win all around in my book. The triumphs that have made me feel accomplished this past year have all happened to me because I was doing something I enjoyed and therefore was (kind of) good at. It might not have paid me as well, or it wasn't considered 'stable' enough on paper, but I was living my best life. And shouldn't life ought to feel that good? (Or maybe it just feels good to be vague?) So, no real resolutions for me this year. 

Except maybe just eat more tacos.

This post sponsored by Forever21 

This color coat is sold out, but you can get the same coat in taupe here 

Three Ways to Style a Basic Black Sweater

Three Ways to Style a Basic Black Sweater

Whenever I go out to buy winter essentials, a basic black sweater is always on top of my list. It may seem less than exciting but its secret is that it is every stylists dream because of its ability to be infinitely versatile.  I can go from day to night, casual to a little more dressed up all at once. Whenever I think, I have NOTHING to wear!, I talk myself off that ledge and pull out the sweater because actually I do have something to wear... and I can mix and match things already in my closet and look like I'm wearing a new outfit each time. It's genius, to be honest. 

Here I have my favorite basic black sweater (turtleneck too, mind you) and I've gone ahead and styled it three different ways. What I love about each look is that it can be transitioned to day to night easily depending on where you go. This is a major plus for me! If I can wear the same outfit all day, I'm sold.

Look 1: Oversized Pants

It may seem strange to want to pair an oversized sweater with oversized pants but it works. I can't tell you how much I love this look because of the fact that its incredibly comfortable but also makes me feel chic. It's very New York but the pants are kind of LA. Do you know who Tania Sarin is? She lives in wide leg pants and is my favorite fashion blogger on the west coast. I feel like we could be soul sisters in this outfit. Actually, scratch that. We most definitely are soul sisters. 

Look 2: The Mini 

Black sweaters have a  99.999% chance of looking good paired with a mini skirt. Feeling cold? Throw on some tights, wear over-the-knee boots... you really can't go wrong. Again, this outfit makes me feel chic but also sexy at the same time. 

Look 3: Jeans 

The most obvious pairing! The trustworthy jeans! My usual go-to for sweaters are almost always jeans (sometimes with yoga pants too, if we're honest) Since I was planning to go from day to evening out, I brought along a leather jacket and wore some nice warm Gucci loafers for some pizzaz. 

#mycalvins

#mycalvins

Cheers to all the models out there rocking their underthings, bikinis, and whatever have you without feeling nervous and a little self-conscious because if you ever partnered with a brand and felt any of those things.... SAME, GIRL. But I wasn't going to say no to Calvin Klein because its Calvin Klein and wearing their underwear is something I already do and genuinely love. It's Calvin Klein or nothing at all.

Boots and a Boost

Boots and a Boost

Fall is my favorite time of the year. I've already baked apple bread last night and if you know me at all, my love for honeycrisp apples is so strong, I could live off of them during this season. Transitioning from summer to fall is quite fun because you can start wearing those oversized sweaters and pair it with a skirt, which is exactly what I've done here. Nothing makes me happier than an oversized sweater and a honeycrisp apple.

Just kidding.

Boots. Boots also make my heart sing. For awhile, I didn't know what kind of boots looked good on me and I experimented with just about every style from booties, to ankle, to knee-length. And to be perfectly honest, my preference for boots would change over the years depending on what I was into (style-wise for clothes) and how my body looked at that time... in particular, my legs. The shape of my legs have transformed quite a bit from them being swollen for over a year when I was going through Lyme Disease, from them being a little bit heavier when I was not as physically active, to being a bit leaner now that I am more attentive to my health. All of this has played a part in choosing the right boots that complimented my shape despite what was trending.

These amazing over-the-knee boots are my first pair at this length and I could not love them more. They add a sultry vibe to any outfit, whether it be a dress, skirt, or even on top of jeans. Oh and did I mention that they make your legs look extra long? Personally, I think they would have looked wonderful on all the body transformations I have gone through throughout the years had I only had the confidence to try. So here's to you, whoever you are... in case you're going through body transformations of your own. If there's something you've always wanted to wear but felt insecure about it, now is the time to go for it! Confidence is everything and I have a sneaky feeling that you're going to look absolutely fabulous ;)

Boots: Marc Fisher Praye Over The Knee Stretch Boot

summer kicks

summer kicks

If there's one shoe that I'm always wearing this summer, it might surprise you that it isn't a pair of flip flops. It's actually a brand that I've been wearing since I was a kid - a good old pair of Keds. I used to have them in every color and can even remember how I would color coordinate my Keds with my biker shorts/oversized loose tee aka my staple 90s attire.

Well, I'm bringing my beloved childhood shoes back into my life. I recently ordered a new pair and as luck would have it, it came to my doorstep 20 minutes before I left for the airport. There wasn't a need to break them in as they were already super comfortably and offer a lot of support. They walked all over the streets of London through the good times and the bad (thanks London rain) and even though they're white, they were a breeze to clean when I ran through dirty puddles and watched them turn from white to black.

I'm wearing the Chillax Basics because I'm 31 now and don't believe in laces. And also because you can just slip them on and run out the door in a seconds which is perfect for the woman on the go.

Shop yours here! Shoe is true to size.

Shoes: Keds Chillax Basics in White