Mixing Prints

The weather in New York has been amazing today. It is the first day since I got here that I have been able to get ready for work without breaking a sweat, which was a very nice change. Today at work I got to do a little bit of styling with the senior designer so the clothes could be presented to the head of the company. It was cool to get to do some hands-on work with the garments, and I'm so glad that my supervisor actually values my opinion and lets me give my input.

Occasion: Work
What I'm wearing: Forever 21 top, H&M jacket, H&M skinny pants, vintage earrings via Talk of the Town, Gap ballet flats (not pictured)

Today was even so cool out, I was able to wear a jacket to and from work. I don't usually mix prints, but I thought I would give it a try since its a big trend right now. I like how this turned out. Nothing else too exciting happened today...I'm just looking forward to the holiday weekend, although I'm a little bummed I'm going to be missing my little cousin's 5th birthday bash. He's such a cutie. Anybody have any big plans for July 4th?

Pad Thai and Pretty Prints

Today was a much better day. My hair stayed normal-looking all day, I remembered to wear earrings, work went quickly, and I had dinner with an old friend from high school who just happened to be in town for the week. We ate at Cafetasia in the East Village near where I am staying, and the pad thai was delicious and pretty cheap. And I even have leftovers to eat for lunch tomorrow at work (how thrifty of me)!

Occasion: Work and dinner with a friend
What I'm wearing: Love 21 dress, Forever 21 bangles, Vintage earrings via Talk of the Town Vintage, Banana Republic Outlet sandals (not pictured)

I just love this printed dress! This was one of my new finds from the Forever 21 in Times Square. It looks even cuter in person; some of the detailing isn't very clear in the picture, like the button tab sleeves. I'm getting sick of this crappy lighting; I'm looking forward to when I have someone who can take my pictures outside in natural light. Also I wish I could figure out a way to have my feet in the pictures, but it just isn't really working with what I am using for my makeshift tripod. Kind of a bummer, since sometimes the shoes make the outfit. Thankfully there were no work errands to run today, so my feet got a little bit of a rest. I mostly worked on tech packs (the information we send to the factory to have garments made-it mostly contains photos and fabric swatches) today, which was a nice change of pace from trend research. Hoping the rest of this week goes as quickly as the beginning because I have a three day weekend ahead! Oh, and is anyone else super excited to see Eclipse? I know I am!

A Case of the Mondays

To be completely honest, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. The morning that greeted me was extremely hot, and I was sweating before I even got outside. My dorm does not have air conditioning, and the windows only open about an inch so this heat has been pretty brutal. Its so frustrating to get up early to do my hair and makeup before work, just to have it completely ruined by sweat and humidity before I get there. I felt rushed this morning, so much that I forgot to drink more than two sips of my coffee (again) and forgot to put on earrings (this NEVER happens. Literally never. I even wear earrings to the gym). Then to top things off, my outfit pictures sucked. Which then made me second-guess what I was wearing the rest of the day. I'm trying out the shorts trend because of how hot it is, but I think there was a reason I avoided them to begin with. I just don't think they are for me. This is just about the only outfit picture that I found acceptable to post.

Occasion: Work
What I'm wearing: Banana Republic Outlet blouse, Ann Taylor Loft shorts, Topshop Necklace

Oh and to top off the day, I dripped oily dressing down the front of myself at lunch, so this shirt could possibly be ruined. Hopefully my drycleaner is a miracle worker. But enough pity party for one day...tomorrow will be better, I hope. Here are some pictures from my Sunday excursions.

The new Forever 21 in Times Square that opened Friday

This Forever 21 has four floors and definitely lived up to my expectations. It was well organized and spaced out, which was a nice change from the ones I've been to in Ohio. They also had a large room devoted to the Love 21 line which is my favorite line they carry(the dresses actually cover my butt unlike most of the other dresses there. I swear they are designed for girls that are five foot and about twelve years old with zero curves). I walked away with a dress and a tank top that was only $2.50(!) so I had to get it. After this, I went and grabbed some lunch and headed to Soho.

Uniqlo

Topshop (obviously)

My first stop in Soho was Uniqlo, which I had never been to before. I LOVED it! Basics in every color imaginable and at an amazing price. I tried some things on but felt like I needed a second opinion before buying anything. I may go back and purchase some belts though; they had them in pretty much every color and all were under $10. Next, I went to Topshop for the first time. I was a little overwhelmed because they were having a sale, and it was very crowded. But I did walk away with a pretty necklace (the one I'm wearing in the picture above). Overall, it was exciting being able to shop at some new stores that I had only ever heard about and that I don't have at home. My self-control has still remained intact surprisingly; I have been a very good bargain-shopper since I have been here. We'll see how long this lasts...

Sidewalk Catwalk

Today, when I got off the subway at Times Square, I noticed a dressed up mannequin on the sidewalk. After taking another look, I realized that mannequins were spaced out all along Broadway and Seventh Avenue (Fashion Avenue). These mannequins are part of a project called Sidewalk Catwalk, where 32 designers created mannequins to be part of a public-art exhibition that celebrates fashion avenue and the industry itself. I was intrigued, so I walked along most of the street and took some pictures of my favorites.

Badgley Mischka's mannequin

Carlos Falchi's mannequin

John Bartlett's Mannequin

Kenneth Cole's mannequin

Nanette Lepore's mannequin (my personal favorite...its undeniably fabulous)

Things like this remind me why I want to be in this industry. It is very cool to see designers uniting to celebrate fashion and everything it represents. And best of all, come September, all of these mannequins will be auctioned off for charity. Wouldn't one of these make a lovely addition to my apartment next school year? I can dream, right?

Self-Control

I finally got a chance to explore the area where I am living , and it did not disappoint. I love having so many different places within walking distance. Plus all this walking is good for me, since I have been avoiding the gym like the plague (next week I will start going...at least that is what I'm telling myself). Today's adventures started with a stop at Ann Taylor Loft where everything in the store was 40%, even sale items. I walked away with shorts for $20 which I was pretty excited about. Then I stopped at the famous Strand bookstore.

I'm a big fan of the Gossip Girl book series, and this was where the character Dan Humphrey worked. It was really cool to see it in person. That place is FILLED with books. They have a whole big shelf of fashion books which is right up my alley; I almost bought a biography of Anna Wintour but decided to wait. I will definitely be going back there to get some books for fun summer reading. Next I stopped at Starbucks to cool off for a few minutes since it was sweltering outside again.

Iced Vanilla Latte...yum!

Next, I headed to the Forever 21 at Union Square to return a dress I had bought at home. I received store credit, so I think tomorrow I'm going to brave the crowds and go check out the new store in Times Square. After Forever 21, I continued to shop around in stores like H&M, J.Crew, Anthropologie, and Banana Republic, but I walked away empty-handed. I'm trying to practice this thing called self-control, plus most of the stores were overcrowded, and I wasn't sure if I had the patience to stand in the lines at the dressing rooms and cash registers. The one shopping rule I have set for myself while I am here is:I'm only buying things I'm completely in love with or absolutely need. I'm hoping following this rule will keep my spending under control.

Speaking of self-control, I have to practice it every single time I walk past one of these Crumbs bake shops. I was introduced to this delicious bakery when I was in New York in May, and their cupcakes are delicious. Expensive, but so yummy. I passed this one at the end of my outing, but I didn't give in. Here is what I wore for my shopping excursion:

What I'm wearing: Gap sunkissed tee, Gap Always Skinny jeans, H&M scarf, J.Crew tote, Urban Outfitters sunglasses

I wasn't planning on doing an outfit post today, but I took two quick photos before I left and this one turned out okay. For shopping, I always like to wear something comfy. I almost always wear jeans because when I'm trying tops on, I want to see what they are going to look like with jeans, since they are the bottoms I wear the most. This outfit was a bit warm for the sunny weather, but it worked out okay.I hope everyone else had a good day, too!

A Learning Experience

Its officially the weekend which means I have made it through my first week as an intern! I'm looking forward to finally having two days to get out and do some things around the city; most days I'm too tired after to work to do more than grab dinner and collapse into bed. What I have learned from my first week here:
-Googlemaps is AMAZING. It has saved me from getting lost quite a few times so far
-Its inevitable that no matter what shoes I'm wearing, my feet will hurt after walking what seems like a zillion blocks doing errands for the company
-Apparently its normal to photocopy clothes so the factory knows what they look like when they go to make them
-The Q subway line is the express metro and DOES NOT stop at my station...instead it just zooms right through it
-Besides that, the subway really isn't as bad as everyone makes it seem, although I did encounter my first creeper today
-I need to start packing a lunch or I'm going to be BROKE (even more than I already am)...spending $7+ everyday is starting to add up
-NYU has its own frozen yogurt place in one of their dining facilities and its surprisingly very good

Now for today's outfit...

Occasion: Work
What I'm wearing: Forever 21 top, Gap Always Skinny jeans, Vintage bracelet, Urban Outfitters earrings, Isaac Mizrahi for Target sandals

The accessories: H&M sunglasses, Coach purse (2007)

My work is really casual, so I caved and wore jeans today. I'm going to try to make a point of not being this casual most days because I never know what kinds of places I will be visiting on errands and when there will be networking opportunities. First impressions are so important. But for today, it was nice to be comfortable. These are my favorite pair of jeans. I never used to like the way Gap jeans fit me, but the redesign they did in the Fall made a huge difference. These are my go-to jeans. Today I decided to include an accessories picture because I love this bag. I have had it for a few years now and have gotten a surprising amount of use out of it considering the color. I normally don't splurge on anything that isn't a neutral, but for some reason, I just had to have this bag. I saved up all of my tips from my first job and bought this beauty (with a 20% off coupon that Coach sometimes sends me). Clearly, it was a worthy investment...I'm still in love with it to this day.

Happy Hour

This morning I wasn't sure about this outfit, but after the fact, I'm so glad I chose something airy and light because I ran A LOT of errands for work today. In 90+ degree weather.

Occasion: Work and dinner with friends
What I'm wearing: Target tank dress, Forever 21 necklace, self-made bracelets, Isaac Mizrahi for Target gladiator sandals

Today was definitely one of the more stressful days I have had at work. I thought I was lost several times while running my errands, and it was not a good feeling. I'm starting to understand why people go get cocktails and unwind after work. My under-21 PG version of happy hour tonight included water (with crystal light to jazz it up a bit), apple rice cakes with crunchy peanut butter, and this week's episode of The Hills (Kristen is such a bitch...and I love it!) followed by The City (Whitney Port is the ONE famous person I am dying to see this summer). Not as fun as a fruity drink, but it will have to do for now. One more day of work until the weekend! The agenda for the weekend=
- shopping on Saturday--hitting up Banana Republic and Gap to look for some shorts and possibly checking out the Forever 21 that is opening in Times Square tomorrow
- exploring Soho...I discovered its only a subway stop away when I went there for the first time today so I'm excited to check out the area more
- finally hitting up the NYU gym
-frozen yogurt to reward myself for surviving my first week of interning in this crazy city!

I'll try to take some good pictures on my adventures around the city and keep you posted :)

The Best Days

Today was the best day I have had so far in New York. I woke up feeling well rested and even had time before work to make myself some coffee. I was feeling my outfit today, and sometimes I think that puts me in a better frame of mind.

(ignore my goofy/sleepy facial expression...it was early!)


Occasion: Work
What I'm wearing: Gap sunkissed v-neck tee, American Apparel skirt, Forever 21 scarf,Thrifted belt via Valley Thrift, Forever 21 gold bangles, Vintage bracelet via Talk of the Town Vintage

Yes, I wore the green skirt again (but to be fair, everyone who saw me in it the first time aren't even in the same state as me currently). I have been wanting to wear jeans to work, but it is just too hot here, and I'm never sure when I will have to run errands for the office. Pants + 90 degree weather=one sweaty mess. This weekend, I think I am going to hit up Gap and see if I can find some shorts/capris. Speaking of Gap, that is where I got this shirt, and it is one of my absolute favorites. I have it in four colors (and wouldn't mind having more)! I think its smart to buy things in multiple colors if you find something that fits well and is easy to mix into your wardrobe.

Work went well today too; I ran my first errand today and was successful. Tomorrow my supervisor and I are going shopping for inspiration...fashion is such an amazing field of work--you can literally shop for a living! Tomorrow I am also going to dinner with some other fashion and retail studies girls from my school who happen to be in the city too. Each day seems to get a little better...looking forward to the weekend when I can do a little shopping and exploring. I will keep you posted!

A Blank Canvas

Occasion: Second day of work

What I'm wearing: Gap dress (2008), thrifted belt, Forever 21 necklace

Isaac Mizrahi for Target sandals

Excuse my awful photography (like how you can see the dresser in the edge of the picture), I'm still trying to get used to the whole self-timer thing. Plus it was early if you can't tell by my facial expression. This was what I wore for day two of work. This dress is one of my favorite versatile pieces in my wardrobe and has gotten a lot of wear over the past two years. I have a lot of solid dresses like this because they make a great canvas for accessorizing and are very easy to remix. I have had these sandals for over two years now, and they are amazing. They match everything and are super comfortable. Target brought back a similar version this year, probably because the originals were so popular. Well I'm off to pick out my outfit for tomorrow and head to bed. This whole working-girl thing is wearing me out!

The Count

So I'm finally in New York, and yesterday was my first day at my internship! I'm interning in the design department at a fashion company. This is quite a departure from my merchandising specialization that I have been taking classes for, but so far I'm really enjoying it. I'm going to do my best to document my work outfits throughout the summer. The office is pretty casual, which makes getting dressed in the morning a little easier.

Occasion: First day of work
What I'm wearing: J.Crew dress, Banana Republic Outlet belt, Gap flats, Kate Spade tote

I stuck with a pretty classic outfit for the first day since I wasn't sure what to expect. The atmosphere at the office is very casual and laidback, so I ended up being a little overdressed (although that isn't necessarily bad for a first day of work....better to be overdressed than underdressed). New York has been treating me well...here is the count so far:
-Amount of money spent on shopping: $0 (go me!)
-Number of trips to Pinkberry: 1 (anyone who knows me knows I have a fro yo addiction, so this number is bound to get pretty high by August)
-Super nice roommates: 2 (both are fashion interns so being randomly paired up worked out nicely)
-Number of times getting lost on the subway: 1 (it was bound to happen eventually)
-Number of drag queens seen: 1 (not something you see everyday where I'm from)
-Number of stylish people spotted: 10274924422 (okay obviously an exaggeration, but it really is inspiring being in a city with so many well-dressed people...quite a departure from my college campus)

So overall, its been a good few days. I'm hoping for a whole summer's worth of good days in this amazing city!

No Better Time Than the Present

I have been reading personal style blogs for about two years now, and I really admire how so many women are putting their style/themselves out there everyday. Now its my turn. I have been wanting to do this for a long time now, but it has taken a lot of courage to convince myself to post my own style pictures on the internet. But I have decided, what better time than the present? So here are my first outfit photos...

Occasion: Dinner and a walk on the pier in Myrtle Beach

What I'm wearing: J.Crew tank, American Apparel skirt, thrifted belt via Valley Thrift (Cincinnati), Banana Republic sandals (outlet), vintage necklace, Coach wristlet






Earrings from Urban Outfitters

This is one of my go-to outfits for casual outings that call for something a little nicer than jeans. I'm thinking about buying this skirt in black or navy as well. I have definitely gotten my use out of this green one and could use more bottoms in my wardrobe. Hopefully there will be more outfit posts to come, although that means I'm going to have to get the hang of the whole self-timer thing.

Vacation Recap

I'M FINALLY IN NEW YORK CITY! But before I get to that, I wanted to do a little vacation recap. To kick-off the beginning of summer, my family and I went to Myrtle Beach for a week. It was an eventuful, hectic, but fun week. Lets start with the car ride:
-7:00 AM- a tire goes rolling past the side of our car and we realize OH SHIT that's our tire that just popped off the RV (yes we are Midwestern hillbillies that have an RV and go camping)
-11:30 AM-the tire finally gets fixed but at this point we have overheated the car and the air conditioning is broken
-6:30 PM- 7 sweaty hours later, we are almost there until this happens:

Somehow we completely shredded our tire only a few miles away from our destination. It was just one of those car rides where literally everything went wrong. But thankfully we made it there without getting in any accidents or anyone getting hurt. I spent the rest of the week at the beach reading and working on my non-existent tan.

Jodi Picoult's House Rules. It was good, I would recommend it!

It was really nice to be able to spend some quality time with my family before heading to New York for two months. Thanks Mom and Dad for a great trip!

Football or Fashion?

Tory Burch Reva Ballet Flat

Yesterday was pretty much the equivalent of a national holiday on my college campus: the day football tickets were released. There are people here who would literally give their right arm for the ridiculously overpriced and sought-after season ticket package. This "holiday" put me in quite the predicament. Being a girl who isn't really interested in the games for anything more than socializing and who is about to spend two months in one of the most expensive cities in the country as an unpaid intern, I was torn whether these tickets were really worth the whopping $200 price tag. In my mind it went like this: $200 could buy me a pair of Tory Burch flats or it could buy me football tickets. Yes, I actually think of money in terms of fashion (and yes, I know this is somewhat ridiculous). After a recent trip to the city where it literally seemed like every girl had Burch-clad feet, I have been seriously coveting the Reva ballet flat. After going back and forth about the pros (my old black flats are so worn out!) and cons (expensive!), I decided to go with the football tickets. The flats will always be there if I want them, but my last two years of college won't. So for the first time in my life, football beat fashion.

New York, New York

So as I sit here writing my first ever blog post, I am supposed to be studying for finals, but I can't stop thinking about New York. As of yesterday, I have one week left of my sophomore year of college and a little more than two weeks until I move to the Big Apple for the summer. I can't believe it's finally happening. I have been wanting to create a fashion blog for a long time, and what better time than now, when I am about to spend two months in NYC chasing my dreams. So I'm putting my best foot forward, and I hope you will come along for the ride.