livforstyle

Back With Flare

It’s been a while since I last posted but I’m back.  Also, I guess you can say that LivForStyle is going through some sort of a rebrand.  By rebrand, I mean I’ll be slowly updating my website template, logos, profile, Instagram profile photo, etc etc.  I think this thought of a rebrand all started when I noticed how lucky I’m to live in New York City and how often I don’t feature the beauty of the city on my blog.  I want to start making New York City a new character on my blog, where I will be taking photos with the beautiful city in the background, as well as other content focused on New York City. So think best restaurants to visit, hidden gems to take photos, rants, and so on and so on. 

I figure these posts will be super helpful for those who already live in the city or those who don’t, so they can get a glimpse into the city and maybe use my tips to plan an upcoming trip.  

Just like everything when it comes to my blog, this will certainly be a work in progress, so I’ll be taking suggestions and feedback from you all throughout this journey. 

Anyways, onto one of my most recent favorite outfits.  The weather is finally warming up so I didn’t even need a jacket or didn’t even freeze when taking these photos.  Winning!

Also I discovered a new place, Tavern on the Green.  How many times do I just walk by this bar and restaurant located in the heart of Central Park and think nothing of it?  Well today I found out that not only does it serve up the best selection of cocktails and food in a breathtaking atmosphere but it makes for the perfect backdrop for photos. 

Back to my outfit.  Lately, I been trying to switch up my collection of denim and incorporate more fits and styles than the usual skinny jeans.  I bought this super flared cropped jeans from Old Navy last year and recently I been finding different ways to wear them. 

One of my favorite ways is with some sort of kimono, graphic tee, or a jacket like this one.  This white leather jacket with a floral and studded embellishment is from Forever 21 but I actually found it at Crossroads Trading (one of my favorite secondhand clothing retailer) for half the price.  The perfect spring time jacket for sure! 

My belt obsession continues, so I incorporated my favorite skinny silver belt from Target.  Currently, I only have two belts in my collection but have a feeling this collection will be growing! 

As for shoes and earrings, I’m just wearing two items that have appeared or will be appearing multiple times of my blog, which includes my open toed sandal like booties from Marshalls and my silver ball statement earrings from Express. 

That’s it for a long overdue style post and little update on my blog. For all my New York City residents what are some of your favorite areas to shoot for photos? And for my non New York City residents where would you like me to take my camera next? Talk to you all soon! 

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Loving Leopard

Chattering teeth, runny nose, rosy cheeks, numb fingers, and wind blown hair, is the norm for me while trying to take photos outside during the winter months.  Sure, most of my photos (well at least I hope) look somewhat decent, but taking photos in the frigid temperatures is anything but glamorous.  In between takes you will find me bundled up in a heavy coat and googling the nearest cafe where I can just warm up for a bit before bearing the cold again.  I could just be smart and wear my winter coat while taking photos but how lame would that be if all my blog posts in the winter just featured the same coat covering up my outfit?  Luckily, in today’s post I was able to explore Brooklyn and the beautiful scenery as well as wear some of my most recent purchases from the Zara sale to keep my (very cold) spirits high.


Just like every Zara sale in the past, I went a little more crazy this time around. I can’t help it especially when I live right across the street from one.  Anyway, as you know, my favorite print aside from floral is leopard print, so of course I had to add this sparkly leopard maxi skirt to my collection.  I love how this skirt has the ability to be less dressy by adding the right accessories, like this graphic oversized sweatshirt also from Zara.  What’s best about this top is that if you look closer it has a meaningful message (“dream fearlessly”) and a pop of animal print, which is always a plus. 

But back to the skirt, I can’t tell you how much I have been wearing this skirt either with that sweatshirt or with of course a leather jacket for a more edgy look or a jean jacket for an even more casual look. 

For the bottom half of my outfit, I added a pair of sheer tights under my skirt and these heeled black booties from Forever 21. 

No shocker here, but I’m still obsessing over the statement earring trend, so I’m wearing these gold dangling earrings that feature these beautiful star and moon charms from the brand Design Lab sold at Lord and Taylor’s.

Well, there you have it folks, another style post where, if you zoom into some of the photos, you will find me attempting to conceal my anger towards the winter season. If any fellow bloggers are reading this, let me know in the comments below what are your tips and tricks for shooting in the colder months.  Until then, here’s to other arctic blast hitting us soon and more attempted photoshoots in the winter weather. 

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Razzle Dazzle

If there’s any night to dress to impress, it’s New Year’s Eve, because there’s no better way to ring in a new year than wearing your best party outfit. 

My New Year’s Eve plans are quite different this year by just going to a house party instead of some NYC club, like I did last year, but I still might wear this metallic jumpsuit because I love it so much.  Plus, there are worse things in life than being the most overdressed party guest.

But, have no fear, if I don’t decide to wear this number on Monday night, I already got great use out of it when I was in London for my company’s extravagant holiday party. You should have heard all of  the compliments I received on this shiny, metallic jumpsuit. 

So, keep on scrolling for a little New Year’s Eve fashion inspiration, as well as an outfit idea for those days and nights beside New Year’s Eve when you want to be extra glamorous. 

Naturally, before my two week adventure in London, I did some shopping, and stumbled across the store Francesca’s, which is my favorite boutique for trendy jewelry and fun accessories. While browsing the store, I was impressed with the selection of party outfits for the holiday season. Immediately, my eyes were drawn to this jumpsuit, not only because we all know my love for jumpsuits, but also because of the shiny, metallic color.  I knew this piece would be a big hit for my holiday party and New Year’s Eve.

Since, my jumpsuit is sleeveless and unfortunately during this time of year you can’t get away without some sort of outer layer, I chose to wear this jumpsuit with a black, fringe shawl. I believe this shawl is from Lord and Taylor’s, but it’s my mom’s so I’ll have to ask her exactly where she got it. But for my holiday party, I paired this jumpsuit with a leather jacket, which looked just as nice. To be honest, I should have worn my leather jacket for this photoshoot because not sure if you can tell through my smiles, but I was freezing my butt off.

For accessories, I kept it pretty simple (well if you count those silver dangling statement earrings from Express simple) because this shimmery jumpsuit is obviously the center of attention.  As for my necklace, shoutout to my boyfriend for gifting me this beautiful silver delicate necklace. And then for my silver bangle shoutout to my mom for letting me wear it for this post, I’ll have to double check where the bracelet is from. 

Not only did my company fly us all out to London for its holiday party, but they also gifted me this stylish, snake skin like heeled booties. I believe they are from ASOS or some sort of London boutique I need to know the name of because I want to buy everything from that store. 

Well, that wraps up another style post, specifically my last style post of 2018. I hope everyone has a fun and safe New Year’s Eve, no matter what your plans may be. And here’s to another stylish and awesome 2019. Talk to you all next year. 

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Holiday Glam

Now that Thanksgiving is over, it’s time to trade the autumn decorations for all things Christmas and fully embrace the Christmas season (which I’m sure many of you have already done well before Thanksgiving).  This is my first holiday season living in New York City and the city sure knows how to celebrate.  This time of the year is so magical with the streets filled with Christmas lights, the restaurants all decorated, and on every street corner you can find Christmas trees being sold.  Although, a full sized Christmas tree wouldn’t fit in my tiny studio apartment, I still improvised and got my space ready for Christmas.  Every aspect of my life is decked out for the holidays so of course my outfits have to be too, which is the main focus of today’s post.  Keep on scrolling to read all about my holiday glam style.

I’ve always wanted a plaid skirt but going to private school all my life and having to wear a uniform everyday consisting of a plaid skirt has really negatively impacted my thoughts on this print.  But this season, I was determined to get over my disdain for plaid and thanks to this beautiful skirt from Zara I did.  This plaid skirt is nothing like all the uniform skirts I’ve worn throughout the years.  Instead, it features a pretty, winter themed color palette and this asymmetrical ruffle detail.

No way did my school uniform ever consist of a leather jacket, a silver jacket to be precise, so this piece totally made me feel like I wasn’t wearing a school uniform but an edgy, glam look.  This metallic jacket from Forever 21 has been getting tons of use throughout the years because it certainly spices up any look.

To make this look cold weather appropriate I’m just wearing a pair of classic black tights, but for shoes I went all out by wearing black stilettos.  The holiday time calls for some glam and it’s fun to ditch your usual black booties for a pair of heels.  I’m pleasantly surprised how comfortable these shoes are and how stylish they can be, especially with the silver accents.  I can’t believe I found these heels at Payless for an incredible price.

So for jewelry, I’m wearing my statement earrings from H&M.  Can you believe I got these chic face earrings in the Halloween section?  Nothing spooky about these cool earrings.  Also, since I shot my Thanksgiving outfit (see here) the same day I shot this outfit, I  forgot to take off my choker.  It works with this look but I probably wouldn’t wear it again with this outfit, but oh well.

Although, it took me all this time to start wearing plaid again, I personally feel there is no better pattern for the holidays than plaid.  I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season and all the lovely things that come with it.  Let me know in the comments below what are some of your favorite things to do and wear during this time of year.

Jacket: Forever 21 (similar) (similar) | Skirt: Zara (similar) (similar) | Heels: Payless | Earrings: H&M (similar) 

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Be Thankful

Can someone please explain to me how it’s already Thanksgiving? I swear it was July yesterday.  I can’t believe another holiday season has begun.  Although, I am not the biggest fan of Thanksgiving food, I love what the holiday symbolizes, the start of the countdown to Christmas and most importantly giving thanks for all the wonderful people and things in your life.  This year, like in every year past I will be heading back home from the city to Connecticut and celebrate at my aunt’s house surrounded by my family and lots of wine to get through all the family time (LOL).  Thank gosh, this year is the first holiday season where I actually have a boyfriend, so those annoying questions about why I’m still single will not take place.  Anyway, I wanted to use today’s post to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, as well as show another fall inspired look, I most likely will be wearing on turkey day. 

This kimono from Zara has been worn over and over during the summer months and now is easily being transitioned into my fall and winter wardrobe.  I love the beautiful embroidery and the deep red, yellow, and green colors is the perfect color palette for Thanksgiving Day.  Plus, the fringe totally creates a boho vibe.  With a kimono like this, all you need to wear is some sort of basic tank top underneath, so of course I’m just wearing my favorite black tank from Zara.

For the longest time, I’ve always wanted a tan colored suede skirt in my closet, so I’m really pleased with one of my recent finds at Old Navy. This suede skirt is a fall and winter staple because with a pair of tights and pretty much any type of blouse or sweater, you have a stylish outfit.  I think that my kimono really pops against the color of my skirt. 

My shoes were totally an impulse buy 2 weeks ago, but to be honest most of my fashion purchases are impulse buys, but I’m loving these black heeled boots from H&M. They are so versatile, so be prepared to see them in tons of upcoming style posts. 

Finally, I had to finish off my look with this black choker with hints of gold sparkle. And now my outfit is complete. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. Let me know in the comments below how you celebrate the day and what will be your go to Thanksgiving outfit. Talk soon!

Kimono: Zara (similar) | Skirt: Old Navy | Boots: H&M | Necklace: H&M (similar) 

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So Fall

I have a love / hate relationship with fall.  I love the season for its fashion but hate the season knowing that winter is right around the corner.  I’m trying not to think about the long, cold, and snowy days ahead but embracing the jeans, chunky sweaters, and boots before I have to cover up my outfits with a bulky winter coat.  So keep on reading to see today’s look, which is what I like to call my so fall look because it features all of the fall fashion essentials and the beautiful colors of fall.

This sweater was a total impulse buy.  I was walking back to my apartment from Grand Central after a weekend back home in Connecticut and I stumbled across this pop up store called Mulberry & Grand.  After a quick glimpse of the store front window, I knew I couldn’t just walk by, I had to stop in (even though my bank account said otherwise). I was completely blown away with Mulberry & Grand’s collection of jewelry, clothing, and accessories.  I’m so proud of myself for only walking away with one sweater (the sweater I am wearing in today’s post) and a pair of earrings.  No sweater could perfectly embody the season of fall than this sweater with it’s beautiful burnt orange/rust color with subtle gold sparkles and all the fringe on the bottom and sleeves.  I love the fit and the feel of this item, no wonder why lately I find myself choosing this sweater over my other sweaters hanging in my closet.  So, if you’re in the New York City area, I highly suggest checking out Mulberry & Grand.

As for jeans, I have been completely blown away with Old Navy’s selection of denim. From skinny jeans, to flared, to boot leg, to jeggings, and so on, Old Navy is offering tons of denim in all different fits and colors.  Today, I decided on the classic, high rise, medium washed distressed skinny jeans and if I do say so myself, I believe this style is super flattering.

Lately, I been having a super tough time deciding on what necklaces I want to wear, so my solution is why choose one when you can wear two?  I’m loving the layered necklace trend and these two gold, geometric long necklaces from the Etsy shop LauraB Elements go with each other perfectly.  I love the two different shades of gold against my orange sweater.  With that being said, head over to Laura’s shop for the best selection of hand crafted jewelry, featuring beautiful metal finishes.

Continuing with jewelry, I’m also loving statement earrings. For this outfit, I turned in my usual, dainty studs for a pair of gold hoop earrings from H&M.

Then for shoes, I am just wearing my brown heeled booties from Payless.  I’m looking to expand my brown bootie collection, so any suggestions let me know, but for now these shoes do the trick.

Let’s hope fall stays in the air a little bit longer before the nasty winter weather hits. Keep the discussion going in the comments below by telling me what is your favorite season when it comes to weather and fashion. Talk to you all soon!

 

Sweater: Mulberry & Grand (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) |            Denim: Old Navy (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Necklaces: LauraB Elements | Earrings: H&M (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Shoes: Payless (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) 

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Kimono Krazy

Here on my blog, I have talked about being guilty of having multiples of similar clothing items in my closet.  For me those pieces consist of all things camo print, countless number of denim jackets, and more recently kimonos.  I’m currently looking at my wardrobe and nothing is more satisfying than seeing all my beautiful kimonos lined up perfectly next to each other.  Each one of my kimonos are from different stores, with varying colors, textures, and patterns, but all are used to complete any outfit.  Keep on scrolling to see how I style one of my most unique and loved kimonos.

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I do love fall fashion, but I am not ready to say goodbye to summer just yet, which is why this look leans more summer.  What can I say, I’m just trying to stretch my summer wardrobe a little bit longer before I have to start trading my bare legs for tights and sandals for boots.

The star of this look is obviously this multicolored, paisley/geometric like patterned kimono.  It’s crazy to think I purchased this eye-catching kimono from Nordstrom Rack years ago and didn’t really start wearing it until this year.  Now, I can’t stop pairing this kimono with all things denim because I believe the beautiful moss color and warm tones look great with blue jeans or in this case a denim skirt.

Another item that has been on repeat this summer has been my denim skirt from Zara.  I am obsessed with the fit and all those buttons.  Hands down, this is my favorite way to style this skirt, with just a simple cream colored tank also from Zara and then some sort of kimono.

Although, my kimono has such a bold print, there is still room for accessorizing and today I am wearing this super cool, seashell, double chained necklace from the Etsy shop, LivingEarthy. The stunning colors of the seashell matches perfectly with all the colors in the kimono.  I highly recommend checking out LivingEarthy on Etsy for a selection of naturally beautiful jewelry items.

You can easily wear this outfit with booties for the colder fall like days, but for now, I will continue to wear my medium brown strappy wedges from Old Navy.  I strongly believe that everyone should have a neutral colored wedge like these in their closet.

Of course, you can’t forget shades, so I just threw on my brown tortoise shell square sunglasses by the brand Steve Madden.  And now my outfit is complete.

Is anyone else obsessed with kimonos like I am?  Let me know what are some of your favorite kimonos and how you style them.  Talk to you all in my next post!

 

Kimono: Nordstrom Rack (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Skirt: Zara (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Tank: Zara (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Necklace: LivingEarthy |  Shoes: Old Navy (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Sunglasses: Steve Madden (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR)

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Sweet Summertime

In years past, especially during my college years, summer was always spent counting down the days until I returned to my college campus and be reunited with all my friends.  Now, I am wishing for the summer to slow down, so I can savor the warmer weather and longer days of daylight a little bit more.  This summer was my first summer in the “working world” and I soon discovered how quickly the summer days just pass by.  I would spend my weekdays eagerly awaiting for the weekends and when the weekend did arrive it went in a flash.  Just like I am not ready to say goodbye to the warm season just yet, my wardrobe is not ready either, which is why in today’s style post I am holding onto summer a little bit longer, one summery dress at a time.

Although, fall fashion is my favorite, I will miss the simplicity of summer fashion by just throwing on a dress and walking out the door.  This dress I am wearing today is one of those dresses and has been on repeat due to its effortless look.  I found this beautiful, off the shoulder dress at Marshalls. I love the subtle ruffles and the deep colors like burgundy, orange, and gold, which to me makes this dress a good transition piece for the upcoming fall season.

With the extremely hot and humid summer New York City has been having, there is no need for a jacket, so all I have to worry about is accessorizing.  We all know I love a good choker and especially with the low neck of this dress, I could not wait to wear my new leather wrapped choker necklace from the Etsy shop, Wraps by Renzel.  All of Gayle’s (the shop owner and designer) are super unique and trendy, making her collection of bracelets and necklaces the perfect addition to any outfit.  I love how this black leather choker wrap with the gold details can be worn in so many ways. Today, I decided to wrap it around my neck three times for that layered look.

As mentioned in my last post, I hardly wear bracelets, and I have vowed to change that by wearing the matching bracelet to my choker also from the Etsy shop Wraps by Renzel. Similar to the choker, the bracelet can be wrapped around your wrist in different ways.

Since, my dress features dark colors and my jewelry is black, I decided to lighten the color palette up slightly, with these strappy heeled sandals also from Marshalls.  Funny story about these shoes… on the day of my sister’s bridal shower, my original sandals broke so I had to quickly run to Marshalls to find another pair of shoes that matched with my outfit and I found these and ever since that I can’t stop wearing them.

I still can’t believe summer came and went this quickly.  I hope everyone is enjoying the final days of summer. Let me know in the comments below what has been the highlight of your summer. Talk soon!

Dress: Marshalls (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR)  | Choker: Wraps by Renzel | Bracelet: Wraps by Renzel  | Shoes: Marshalls (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR)

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Summer Stripes

If you slide open my closet door, one would instantly be able to tell my obsession with jumpsuits has spiraled out of control (if it wasn’t clear on my Instagram too).  Jumpsuits are my summer go-to and I have a feeling that because of the long pants, they will be transitioned into the autumn months with a light sweater or jacket.  Not so surprisingly, today’s post is all about my current favorite jumpsuit that recently was added to my collection, so keep on scrolling to see how I style yet another jumpsuit.

If there is one store that feeds my jumpsuit obsession and in general my clothing obsession it’s Marshalls. You can find everything and anything in that store.  On my recent trip to Marshalls I somehow stumbled into the junior’s section and my eyes were immediately drawn to this striped pattern jumpsuit.  It’s crazy to think that I am starting to have more striped pattern clothing in my closet than I do floral pattern items.  I think the key to wearing stripes, well at least for me, is finding a dress, shirt, pants, or in this case a jumpsuit with a mix of different sized stripes.  The mix of larger, smaller, thicker, and thinner stripes make this jumpsuit super flattering, as well as the different shades of blue and brown.


This jumpsuit has a few hidden details like the deep neckline, the belt around the waist, and this super high slit on the leg.  Usually most jumpsuits are long enough not to show one’s selection of shoes, with the slit it allows your shoes to peek through, so of course I am wearing my new black wedges with this gorgeous gold buckle detail, also from Marshalls.  I love how this jumpsuit features blue and brown colors because you can really accessorize with either gold or silver, which brings me to my next point…jewelry.

Today’s look made me realize I really should start wearing more bracelets because my arms are looking a bit bare, but oh well, I’d rather wear more necklaces than bracelets.  Since this outfit features a low neckline, I wanted to wear a choker (obviously) but also a longer necklace.  I settled on this simple black cord choker from Forever 21, and then this silver gemstone double necklace also from Forever 21.  Who cares if it looks like I am wearing 3 necklaces, my motto is when you can’t decide on one, you might as well wear them all.

That’s a wrap on yet another style post.  Next post won’t be featuring a jumpsuit, well I can’t make any promises, you would understand if you saw my closet.  If you are like me who can’t get enough of jumpsuits, check out another one of my style posts here.  Keep the conversation going in the comments below by telling me what has been your must-have/go-to item this summer. Talk soon!

 

Jumpsuit: Marshalls (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Choker: Forever 21 (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Necklace: Forever 21 (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR)  (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Shoes: Marshalls (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) 

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Living On The Edge

One of the hardest questions I’m always asked is, “how do you define your style?” I always find this question challenging to answer because I can never accurately define my fashion style because it changes every day and every night, depending on my mood, the weather, my style inspirations, and so on.  Every fashion lover can agree the best thing about fashion is that you don’t have to stick to one style, but every day is a different day to use clothing to express yourself.  Some days you will find me dressing like a hippie, other days more preppy, even some days I’m wearing pink and more feminine pieces, or the complete opposite and wearing leather and all black.  Today, was one of those days when I decided to forgo the typical colorful or floral pieces in my closet and embrace my edgy side. Keep on reading to see how I’m living life on the edge, one jean skirt and leather jacket at a time.  

Although, I love living in New York City and wouldn’t change it for the world, one thing I must be mindful of is my budget, which is very hard for a fashion obsessed girl like me.  Now, whenever I do go shopping and have a few extra bucks to spend, I like to find pieces that are unique and things I don’t have in my wardrobe already.  So, when I visited my nearby Bloomingdale’s Outlet store, my eyes immediately went to this super cool jean skirt with this edgy black tulle detail.  I have never seen or own a denim skirt like this one, so naturally I had to buy it and the price tag also helped that decision. This denim skirt is certainly out there, something I probably would have never worn if I wasn’t living in the city, because after all the city is full of trendy and fashion risk takers so I wanted to attempt to be one. 

With this skirt, a simple top would do just perfect, so that’s why I paired it with my basic black tank top from Zara.  I also believe this skirt would look great with a white graphic t-shirt to enhance the edgy vibe.  

I totally don’t need a leather jacket in this extreme heat, but it’s mostly for “decoration” as you can tell as I just hold it and drape it across my shoulders.

I wanted to let my inner rockstar side shine, so naturally I had to include my leather jacket from Zara.  

To keep with the all black streak, I chose my strappy, studded flats from the brand Dolce Vita.  

Finally for jewelry, I couldn’t’ decide on one necklace so I chose to wear both.  First, my laser cut design choker from H&M and then secondly my long silver key necklace from the brand The Giving Keys. This company has an amazing backstory and message behind each piece of jewerly, so I highly recommend checking at their website.  

It feels good to step out of your fashion comfort zone and try different styles.  I urge you to go to your favorite stores and instead gravitating towards “safe” pieces, try on and buy a few clothing items that are totally different from your usual style.  Let me know in the comments below what are some of your favorite ways you incorporate different styles in your everyday look. Talk to you all on my next post.  

 

Skirt: Bloomingdale’s Outlet (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Tank Top: Zara (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Jacket: Zara  (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Necklace: The Giving Keys  (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Necklace: H&M (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR)  (SIMILAR) | Shoes: Dolce Vita  (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR)

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Jump (suit) Into The Week

All week I spend the days eagerly waiting for the weekend and when the weekend finally arrives, I blink and then it’s Monday again.  Anyone else feel the same way?  Well I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend, I know I did by exploring Central Park and visiting new, trendy restaurants in the West Village and Soho with friends.

Ever since moving to the city, I feel like I have to be stylish 24/7 and even when I do “dress up” I’m always envious of everyone’s outfits in the city. Although, I don’t feel nearly as fashionable as everyone else in the city, whenever I am looking to amp up my fashion game, I’ve been wearing this stylish one piece featured in today’s style post on repeat.  Keep on scrolling to read all about my love for jumpsuits this summer.

So for those living under a fashion rock, a jumpsuit is pretty much a romper, but instead of shorts like a romper, a jumpsuit features pants, so basically it’s just a connecting, coordinating pant suit.  These matching one pieces are the best because you don’t have to worry about matching two pieces of clothing. I’m still in shock that my jumpsuit is from Target because it certainly looks like it’s made by a more high end brand, especially because it features a beautiful, bold floral pattern, an open back, a deep V neckline, and a fun tassel detail.  Also, as I continue to expand my jumpsuit collection, I always look for jumpsuits with a sort of cinch in waist to give it more shape and break up any bold pattern.

As I mentioned above, this jumpsuit has sort of a low neckline, so I wanted to wear a statement necklace, so my neck didn’t look so bare.  I decided on my mixed metal, spiked, short necklace from the brand Design Lab.  Since my jumpsuit is head to toe flowers, I wanted to add some edge to this look and that’s why I chose spikes.

Now that the weather is finally starting to feel like summer, I’ve abandoned long sleeve sweaters and shirts, and so now that my arms and wrists are exposed, I chose to wear a bunch of my favorite gold bangles from Forever 21 and of course my customized charm bracelet by Cosa™. Read more about my love for my Cosa™ cuff here.

For shoes, I like to wear a little heel with a jumpsuit for some extra height, so I settled on my black wedge sandals from Payless.

Lastly, to add a little extra dose of chicness to my look, I am wearing my London Fog circular sunglasses.

Well that’s all for today’s style post, folks! I hope everyone has a great start to their week. Talk to you all in my next post!

 

Jumpsuit: Target (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Necklace: Design Lab (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Shoes: Payless (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Bracelet: Cosa Cuffs | Bangles: Forever 21 (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Sunglasses: London Fog (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) 

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My New York City Apartment Tour

Hello everyone! This blog post is way overdue.  For those of you who don’t know, in March, I followed my dreams and heart and moved to New York City.  And for those who already knew that because you follow me on Instagram and keep up to date with all my city adventures, it has been a wonderful past couple of months as I make one of my favorite cities my new home.

I knew once I signed the lease for my studio apartment on the Upper West Side, I had the exciting chance to decorate my new space the way I wanted and of course when it was ready I would to document it here on LivForStyle.  After three months getting comfortable in my new space, I’m ready to show off my new spot, so keep on reading how I decorated my little New York City apartment and made my studio my home away from real home back in Connecticut.

My whole experience finding the perfect place in the city that offered great amenities, close to work, in a safe and fun neighborhood all while keeping within my budget was a positive experience thanks to a very helpful realtor.  I looked all over the city for the right place including the Murray Hill area, the Hell’s Kitchen area, the Midtown West area, and finally the Upper West Side, which obviously I fell in love with.

Side note, I’m trying to make this post all about my apartment tour, but couldn’t help to mention a few tidbits about my moving experience, but let me know if you want a dedicated post on my apartment hunt and my move.

Anyway, I’m in love with my apartment due to the fact I am close to bustling Lincoln center and beautiful Central Park.  In New York City, you certainly pay for location rather than space, but since I’m living alone, a studio space was perfect and quite frankly it’s the perfect size for me considering with my work life and social life I’m never home.

When you walk into my studio, this is the overview.  A studio is pretty much an open space, so your bedroom is in your kitchen, your kitchen is in your bedroom, your dining area is in your kitchen and bedroom, and your lounging area is in your kitchen, bedroom, and dining area, if that all made sense and then of course you have a separate, closed off bathroom.

When I was deciding on the motif for my new apartment, I wanted to focus on pastel colors to make my whole area feel airy, fresh, and light.  Plus, the light-colored hardwood floors and light gray colored cabinets also inspired me to follow a soft neutral color palette.

So, first my bed is a queen-sized bed which has been an adjustment because I’ve been sleeping in a twin bed all of my life LOL.  I decided to rent my furniture from CORT Furniture, which was an amazing experience.  CORT Furniture offers a vast amount of furniture options to rent, the delivery process was super easy, and I only pay a small monthly fee for the furniture, making it super affordable.  I decided to go down the rental route, so I wouldn’t be stuck with the furniture if I decide to move to a different apartment or city next year.  I picked out this gray headboard and queen-sized mattress from CORT Furniture.

I then accessorized my bed with this beautiful comforter from Walmart.  I’m still in awe that this comforter is from Walmart and was only $70 for the comforter, pillow shams, and throw pillows.  I love the beautiful blush and moss green colors that perfectly go with the color scheme for my apartment.  I also found this gray fleece blanket from Walmart that I drape over my bed for an extra pop of gray color and for warmth on those chillier nights.

Next to my bed you will find this small night stand with two compartments for storage. Both the night stand and lamp are from the Christmas Tree Store.

Since, I have such a small space, I didn’t want to overwhelm my walls with tons of art work, so I kept it simple with three small photos above my bed.  First, is a fun fashion themed calendar to keep track of my busy life.  Next, was the last piece I found for my apartment and in my opinion has tied together my whole space.  Yes, a small little photo can have that much of an impact because it features one of my favorite quotes, “Don’t let today be a waste of makeup.”  Then, placed off to the side is another great piece that includes all of the major streets and my personal favorite streets in New York City.  On the other wall by my bed is my beautiful, black and white elephant canvas I received as a gift from, the Founder and Creative Director of Boy Meets Girl, after I finished my fashion internship back in my junior year of college. This elephant has been in all my apartments back at school, so it only made sense to bring it with me on this next adventure.


Another piece of furniture I rented from CORT Furniture is this small, plush chair.  I decided to maximize as much space as possible and found that if I rented a love seat or couch it would take up too much space, so this little chair is perfect and super comfortable.  I call this corner my blogging nook because I find myself sitting on this chair with my laptop, looking out the window and feeling inspired to work on my blog and brainstorm new ideas.  To match the gray chair, I hung these three small canvas pictures above.  I always love a good black and white fashion sketch and an inspiring quote to get those creative ideas going.

One of the many things that sold me on this apartment was these two large windows.  Although, it was a little more pricey to have an apartment with two large windows looking out onto the street, it was worth it because I get so much sunlight and enjoy looking out the window and seeing all the people and cute doggies walking by.  I also love how the windows feature these large window sills which allows me extra storage for my jewelry, books, and little trinkets.


Naturally, being a fashion blogger in my new spot I wanted a floor length mirror to take some mirror outfit snaps and to make sure my outfit is always on point.  This beautiful mirror with a gold/silver finish is surprisingly from Walmart, which was also a great deal!

One of my biggest fears moving into the city was the closet space because I feel like I have more clothes than the average person and my wardrobe is always growing, but my place has this amazing closet that has enough space to fit all my clothes and shoes.  Plus, above my closet I have this extra storage option that is great for storing things I don’t use every day.  I always keep my closet door open because I’m like Carrie Bradshaw when she said…”‘I like my money where I can see it – hanging in my closet.’”

I lucked out with this newly renovated kitchen with all stainless steel appliances and these beautiful gray cabinets.  I really didn’t have to add too much to the kitchen except a colorful dish towel, a foot stool for those high cabinets, and of course my fruit basket to hang my bananas and store my avocados or whatever fruit I buy that week.

I‘ve been super proud of myself for cooking most of my dinners at home, which has saved tons of money and I wanted a little dining nook because the thought of eating on my bed every night grossed me out . I found this cute table and chair set from you guessed it Walmart.  It’s the perfect size.  Although, this dining set is super cute it was a pain to put together, the second chair was defective and instead of wasting hours trying to fix it or return the whole set, I decided to just keep the one chair, because after all it’s really just me sitting at the table and if I do any entertaining most likely we will be going out to dinner.  Also, since this is my “dining room” I decided to hang side by side these two fun wine themed photos and of course an arrangement of succulents for the center piece.

It can’t be a full apartment tour without a peek into my bathroom, so here we have a newly renovated bathroom with sleek and modern finishes and a good amount of space and cabinets for all my beauty and shower essentials.

So, I think that’s a wrap on my New York City studio tour.  I was so afraid because my space is small that I wouldn’t have anything to show and talk about, but looking at how much I wrote above, I guess I had more to share than I realized.  I hope everyone enjoyed reading this and taking a peek inside my new space in the city.  I couldn’t be more thankful of the fact that I have turned my dreams, since I was a little girl, to live in the city now my reality.  For more of my New York City adventure, make sure you follow me on Instagram (@livforstyle).  Talk to you all in my new post!

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Denim On Denim

One style that I always felt funny wearing, just simply because I never perfected the look was denim on denim.  Whenever, I attempted to follow the denim on denim, I just felt like I was straight out of a movie or television show from the 90s, so I applaud the fashion bloggers who can wear perfectly head to toe denim.  In today’s style post, I finally broke through my fear of denim on denim and found the secret to perfecting the look…different shades of denim paired with other classic pieces from your wardrobe.

One tip when it comes to matching denim is pairing two different shades of denim together.  Instead of wearing two light wash denim colors, try one light wash and a medium/darker wash or in my case a medium wash with a dark gray washed denim.

Although, my denim jacket from the Ashley Vintage Charm brand at Marshalls and my skinny jeans from Zara are two different color denim, they are still very similar, both with the distressed pattern.  For those, like me who are a little hesitant to match denim, I highly recommend testing the style out by doing what I did and coordinating light and dark denim together.

Another way to break up denim on denim is by pairing the look with a simple, classic t-shirt like this black and white t-shirt from the Universal Thread collection at Target.  Of course, I did my little half tuck trick to give my look more shape because my jean jacket is a little oversized.  This t-shirt is so soft and comfy and not to mention a versatile piece to have in your wardrobe.  I urge you all to check out the Universal Thread brand because this exclusive brand at Target offers some cute pieces for the summer season.

Since this look features a neutral color palette, I decided to add a pop of color with my new favorite blush colored mules by Catherine Malandrino.   I scored these at Marshalls for an incredible price.  You would think with the beautiful pearl embellishments these shoes would be super expensive, but I know a good bargain when I see one.

For an extra dose of chicness, I am just wearing my all black, circular framed sunglasses from London Fog.

I was going to wear a typical choker necklace, but decided to change it up a bit and wear no necklace but a pair of statement earrings.  These beautiful earrings that are actually my grandmother’s and have been sitting in my jewelry collection for years.  I should totally wear them more because the subtle pink color definitely adds the right amount of color to complete any look.

It’s fun to experiment with different styles and trends like I did with the subtle denim on denim look.  Keep the conversation going down below by letting me know what are some ways you step outside of your fashion bubble and test out new looks?

Jacket: Marshalls (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | T-Shirt: Target (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR)  | Jeans: Zara (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Shoes: Marshalls (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Earrings: Vintage (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) | Sunglasses: London Fog (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR) (SIMILAR)

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