November 28, 2012

Style Guide: How to Mix Camo and Stripes



Mixing standard prints can always be less intimidating, but what happens when it comes to the unusual pairing of prints? Over some time I've become a fan of pairing different prints, it has become a little bit of an art for me. I try to keep it simple when mixing bolder prints, you never want to over state your look. Simple key pieces like nude shoes, blue jeans, and a simple handbag can make a whole look cohesive. 

When throwing this look together I wanted to be playful yet have a sophisticated feel to it, even if this was a weekend look for me. I especially wanted to look put together since this is what I wore to view a potential wedding venue, don't need them thinking that the future bride to be is a hot mess. To keep the look young and fun I paired it up with funky jewelry pieces that were courtesy of Ann Taylor and my favorite sparkle heel booties from H&M. I always like the hint of surprises. I kept everything else simple with classic accessories, American Eagle white watch and simple blue jeans. You can pair your favorite weekend bag with this look, it especially looks great with a small cross body bag. Since I needed to bring some extra stuff with me I used my favorite new tote bag from Lodinatt.

Jacket: Old Navy (mens)
Shirt: H&M
Jeans: American Eagle
Shoes: H&M (old)
Watch: American Eagle
Bracelets: c/o Ann Taylor
Bag: c/o Lodinatt

pictures taken by Brian Cavanaugh

The great thing about this look is that sure it relaxed for the weekend but you can also wear it to the office on your casual Fridays. Or even traveling for the Holidays. 

What do you think of this mix?

November 26, 2012

Inspirational Monday: Very Berry Good


Very Berry



3.1 Phillip Lim twill shirt / Burberry / IRO jeans, $270 / TIBI vinyl skirting / H&M high heel shoes, $48 / 3.1 Phillip Lim zip bag / Beanie hat, $160 / Essie nail color

If I didn't put myself on a spending diet I'm pretty sure I would wind-up spending money on various shades of burgundy and berry clothing. I'm completely obessed with these colors....and mixing the two together is perfection. Since I can't spend a lot of money on new clothing (damn saving for a wedding) I'm left with pulling together pieces that I have already hanging in my closet mixed with new inexpensive accessories-- okay one accessory that I picked up while birthday shopping for my mom.
For Thanksgiving I played around with berry tones and burgundy pieces. I mean who doesn't want to match the cranberry sauce on the table?


Cardigan: American Eagle
Top: T by Alexander Wang

Jeans: c/o Old Navy
Shoes: H&M
Bag: c/o Remi & Emmy
Scarf: H&M
Sunglasses: Glow Accessories

pictures taken by Brian Cavanaugh

What do you think of the mix of berry tones and burgundy?

November 22, 2012

Give Thanks with a Thankful Heart


1. My Fiance. He helps me get through the bad days and he's there to share the good ones. He's my support system, he's my calm side. I'm ever so grateful to have such a loving, kind, supportive man in my life. 

Engagement photos in Hawaii taken by photographer: Anthony Calleja (I swear I'll show more!!)

2. My Parents. They have always been there for me, good times and tough. They are the ones that I called crying in college when I was lonely or heart broken and they were always there to answer the call. And they still answer my calls, even my nightly calls on my walk home from the train station. 

my parents and I after my college graduation (I look awful that's because this was taken after I balled my eyes out)


3. My Friends. I'm so blessed to have friends that back me up and support me, even when they are miles away. 

4. My Family. They are crazy, but I don't know anyone who has a normal family (and if you do then I think you might be even weirder then mine)...I'm lucky to have a close knit family. That mean well and do love each other. 

All my cousins and I at my Grandma's 80th birthday


5. Health...for my loved ones and myself.

6. Travels. I'm truly blessed that I got to not only traveled once this year but TWICE in two beautiful locations. Punta Cana and Hawaii. I'm so thankful for my fiance buying me a vacation to Punta Cana and giving me a once in a lifetime experience in Hawaii by proposing to me there.

Top photo: Punta Cana...Bottom photo: Hawaii 

7. My experiences these past few months. Thank you to all the companies and designers who have gave me the chance to work with them. You have not only supported me, but have also supported my blog. I put my heart into this and I appreciate all te support I have received this past year. 

8. My readers. Without you I wouldn't put all my love into this blog. Thank you for all the comments that you leave. Thank you for taking the time out of you day to stop by and read (even the lurkers, Thank You). 

What are you thankful for this year?

November 19, 2012

Fashionista NY Girl's Co-Hosting Event with BomBom Jewelry

Designer Valeria and myself showing off some Bombom Jewels

Thursday night I had my part-ay skirt on for my very first co-hosting event! The lovely jewelry company, Bombom Jewelry, invited me to co-host an event with them in their New York Pop-Up Shop. This was an opportunity I was over the moon about. Not only was it my first time being asked to do a co-hosting event, but it was with an amazing start-up company. Valeria started Bombom Jewelry with her mother Maria, both woman love jewelry and had always wanted to go into the jewelry business. Before Bombom was created Valeria worked in the financial business, where her love for office appropriate statement jewelry started. While Valeria loves the subtle statement makers, her mother on the other hand loves bold modern designs. Both ladies work together to come up with their own designs for the company. Even though they might have two different taste they make the line look cohesive.

Here is the thing that I love about this line. While their pieces are modern, fresh, and super wearable, they don't break the bank-- which is something I truly stand by. It's hard to find companies that make quality pieces but still make them affordable. A lot of the Bombom pieces run from $50 to $200. Some might say that the over $100 pieces might be pricey, but think about all the crappy costume jewelry that you buy that doesn't last. If your looking for a piece that you will always wear and that you want to last this is more then the right price. Not only do they make sure their pieces are beautiful, but they also make sure you are getting the right quality. Their jewelry is made of only the finest stones and metals. I mean really, how can you beat this?

I had the pleasure before the event going to the pop-up shop a couple of days before hand and talking with Valeria. It's hard sometimes to find genuine sweet people that have such raw talent. What I thought would be an hour meeting ended up being much longer then expected. I mean we chatted for hours about EVERYTHING. This made me even more excited about the event and working with her and the company. Thursday night came and we had a small gathering of people. I'm really blessed to have people in my life that stand behind me and that are willing to support me. It's great to have these people in your life. Sometimes, especially as a blogger, you feel discouraged but then amazing opportunities come to reassure you that you are meant to be doing what you are doing. That you are doing something right. The night was full of beautiful jewelry (that I got to play with all night), friends, chocolate, and champagne.

Above photo taken by Pamala at Addikted2Fashion
above photo taken by Kimberlee from I Have a Degree in This! 
above picture of me and Pamala from Addikted2Fashion

What I wore:
Shirt: Tibi
Skirt: H&M
Boots: H&M
Necklace: c/o Bombom Jewelry (find here)
Ring and bracelets: borrowed from Bombom Jewelry (find here, here, and here)

While at the event I had a table set up of my finds under $100 (which you can see above). Some pieces like the necklaces are pieces that you can only find at the Pop-Up shop. But below you can see more information on some of the pieces that I had picked out for the event, which are perfect gifts for the Holiday season!
Classic Leather Earrings HERE, Gold Dainty Diamond Stackable Ring HERE, 
Gold Pop Stiletto Earrings HERE, Gold Sexy Back Bloom Earrings HERE,  Gold Beat Berries Ring HERE
SPLURGE ALERT: Gold Confetti Twist Topaz Bangle HERE


If you're in the NYC area, come stop by the stop!
Roger Smith Hotel Pop-Up Shop 
501 Lexington Avenue, Manhattan, NYC (located at 47th Avenue and Lexington)
November 5th-November 30, 2012
open 8am-8pm Monday-Friday and 12pm-5pm on Saturday

November 14, 2012

Ann Taylor Spring 2013


Last week I was invited to the Ann Taylor Spring 2013 Preview, even though this was initially suppose to take place the week Sandy hit but much like Halloween it was postponed and moved to a new date. Usually I can't make mid-day events being that I have a full time job, but since the Ann Taylor showroom is literally a block up from my office I was able to escape during my lunch hour. Really what is better then a lunch hour full of fashion?

To my surprise the room was full of models and set up as your usual presentation. Which wasn't what I had been expecting, I had in mind their last preview where mannequins showed off the clothing. Unlike some presentations the room can be quite stuffy with stiff models, this here wasn't the case. The room wasn't packed (helped that the showing was mid-day) and the girls were lively- some talked among each other while some moved to the beat of the music. It also helps to be in a well lit room with beautiful bright clothing.

Floral prints, bright colors, and paisley prints ruled this Spring 2013 collection. Thankfully we aren't letting go of the matchy matchy printed suits, which Ann Taylor did with floral prints, and mixing unusual prints together, such as paisley and dalmatian print. I loved all the pinks, blues, and oranges throughout this collection. I mostly fell in love with the pink funnel neck trench jacket, since it reminds me a lot of my orange blazer style trench that I bought last year from Ann Taylor.


Shoes, shoes, shoes, and accessories galore! From flats to heels these shoes were meant for walking. I love the playful flats like the yellow striped flats, which can easily go from work to weekend. But by far my two favorite heels were the blue strappy sandals and the colorblocked blue and green sandal. Just what I don't need-- more shoes. And the accessories! Sorry boys the baubles necklaces aren't going away, which is great news for us ladies.

all above photos were taken by me (for more photos check out my facebook page)

To bed honest I never was a huge fan of Ann Taylor up until a couple of years ago when I noticed they redesigned their brand. Ann Taylor always felt old to me but now Ann Taylor can work with an age woman. You can look classy and professional for work without looking boring and dated. But there are pieces within the collection that work for the weekends too. Every modern day woman needs a closet that can work with their lifestyle and that is what Ann Taylor brings to the table.

What do you think of this collection?

November 12, 2012

Hair Tutorial: Double Back Braid


A couple of weeks ago I posted a picture on Instagram of this hairstyle then I did a outfit post with the same style (which you can read here) and on both I got a lot of compliments on it...and inquiries on how did it. So I thought it would be fun to do a hair tutorial on my double back braid. 

I must thank Pintrest (follow me) for inspiring this hair-do. Not have I only been doing a lot of pinning for the wedding but also a lot of hair-dos that I like for the wedding. Okay okay okay my wedding is in like two years and we don't have a concrete date yet but yes I've trying to play around with different hairstyles, starting with ones that I had do myself. Hence, how this look came about.

all above photos taken by Brian Cavanaugh


What to use:
- Garnier Fructis Hairspray
- Hairbrush
- Arrojo Hair Creme
- Bobby pins
- Elastic hair bans


Steps:
1. Brush hair out removing all knots. 
2. Use a hair creme (preferred product: Arrojo Hair Creme) to tame fly aways and flatten hair cuticles. 
3. Separate your hair into two parts. Then pull hair into two ponytails, making one side higher then the other. 
4. Braid both ponytails. 
5. Starting with the higher ponytail wrap it behind your head. Make sure to fold in the ends of your braids, use a bobby pin to pin down the braid.
6. Secure your braid by placing bobby pins into the braid. 
7. Taking the lower braid, wrap it around the back of your head below the top braid. Repeat steps 5 and 6.
8. Use hairspray to hold your look.


What do you think of this hairstyle? Are you going to give it a try?

November 7, 2012

Weekend Wear: The Girl in the Red Tights

Jacket: Elie Tahari 
Dress: Apart
Tights: no name
Jacket: Joe Fresh

photos taken by Brian Cavanaugh 

Saturday the fiance and I took some donation goods over to the Red Hook Initiative (which is an organization that works with youths in the neighborhood to keep them off the streets) for victims of Sandy in this area. It was heart warming to see how many people were there to volunteer their time or donate goods. It took a lot in me not to tear up, to see people online to get hot food, to stock up on goods...it was just the reality that was hard to take in.

I really love Brooklyn. It's just has the community feel and it makes me proud to be apart of it. A lot of restaurants and businesses in the Carroll Gardens and Cobble Hill area have been doing small drives for Sandy victims. Even residents in these hoods have taken to the streets to hold drives. One of our favorite bar/restaurant, Brooklyn Buschenschank, wins with their fundraising efforts for the Red Hook Initiative, bring in one can -- get a free beer! Then Sunday morning as we were doing our usual grocery shopping our favorite desert place, Farmacy, had an outdoors band planning for donations for the Rockaways!

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

November 5, 2012

InstaOctober

1. picture of my engagement ring in Hawaii
2. the sunrise at Hanauma Bay where the fiancee proposes (view pictures from my Hawaii trip here) // 3. My new Lodinatt Bag (read about it here)
4. Good hair day // 5. The fiancee at our Homecoming week at our alma mater 
6. Dresses at Dana-Maxx Showroom (read more about the collection here) // 7. Fall outfit
8. Halloween pumpkin // 9. Down tree from Sandy

follow on instagram: @fashionistanygirl

October by far was the most rememberable and wonderful times in my life. Not only did I get the chance to visit Hawaii but my loving boyfriend proposed to me right out on the beach during sunrise at Hanauma Bay. It's one of those times that I would love to relive since it all happened so fast and it felt so unreal. I wish I had it on video so that I can relive it and actually see it instead of crying while having a weird out of body experience. With how lovely my October started it was crazy how it ended with a hurricane that rocked the east coast. I never would have imagined my city flooded, subways shut up, homes destroyed...it's just devastating. Luckily I and my family made it out fine but my heart goes out to all the families that lost everything and have had their lives destroyed. 

How was your October? 

PS! I'm so excited to announce my co-hosting event with Bombom Jewelry. It's happening November 15th at 501 Lexington Avenue. Limited Space available so RSVP by November 10th: pr@bombomjewelry.com



November 3, 2012

Outfit Post: After Sandy

Cardigan: Free People
Sweater: Romwe
Jeans: Carmar from LF Store
Sneakers: MTNG from LF Store
Bag: Marc by Marc Jacobs

pictures taken by Brian Cavanaugh

Thankfully we and my family were not effected by Hurricane Sandy, minus a few trees down in our area of Brooklyn. My heart goes out to all of those who have lost their homes, power, family/friends and personal items. I just can't wrap my head around the devastation that Sandy has left parts of NJ, CT, and NY in. I would NEVER have imagined my City underwater. Then again I would have never imagined someone flying a plane into the World Trade Center. But these devastation happened and as us New Yorkers do we stay strong, we rise up and take care of each other. I hate that New Yorkers get such a bad rep, that we are all rude, mean, and selfish. It's so funny whenever I tell someone that I'm from New York (born and raised) they always seem so surprised and then follow it up with something like "you are to nice to be from New York." Yes, we are kind, nice, and friendly just don't get on our bad side. What a lot of people don't know is that New York is a community especially in certain areas (which you can see a lot of in the outside boroughs). Manhattan also has a sense of community but it's different and you never realize it until your life slows down a bit.

Anyway these photos were taken yesterday, one of the very few times this week I put on real clothes. You know, unlike the sweat pants, band t-shirt, and hoodie I have been living in. Being that it would take me way to long to actually travel to work, due to the lack of transportation, I was asked to stay home. The one thing I miss about actually going into work-- dressing up. Yes it was nice for the first day to not go anywhere to just roll up out of bed and not have to change...then it got old real fast. The thing I will miss from working at home being able to sleep in, I love sleep.

This weekend the fiancee and I will be going to donation sites in Brooklyn to donate goods that we have at home and whatever else we can find. If you live in New York here is a really good Google map app to find places to donate goods and time- here.  Don't live in New York then you can donate money to the Red Cross to help victims of Sandy-- here.
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