New York Part III: the High Line

Our third day in New York began right by our Airbnb apartment in Chelsea on the High Line, an old elevated train line on the Lower West Side of Manhattan that has been converted into a public park. The High Line is one of my favorite parts of New York City, and it was great to be able to see it from our apartment window (see pics from my visit there in the fall here).

Romper: Forever 21 (similar here and here | Shoes: J.Crew and Splendid (in photo below) | Bag: Mansur Gavriel (mine is the Mini Bucket--if their site is out of stock, with some luck, you may be able to pre-order one via Steven Alan, Bergdorf's, or Barney's) | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Jewelry: thanks to David Yurman | Lips: NARS "Yu"

We took our time walking down the High Line to its southern end in the West Village, stopping for people-watching and taking in the city vistas. There were also all sorts of pretty wildflowers in bloom that were a nice contrast to the urban landscape.





Our last full day in New York was a hot, humid one, so I decided to try a messy side braid to keep my hair from getting frizzy and sticking to the back of my neck. I am a little out of practice with French braids, but this style was pretty easy to do, and since the end product is intended to look messy, I didn't worry too much about imperfections.

 

Happy Friday!

x, Tam

New York Part II: Exploring Brooklyn

On our second day in New York, Sean and I set out for Brooklyn for some classic diner fare, people-watching, and a little boutique shopping. Unlike the gorgeous sunny weather we had our first day there, it was cloudy and a bit hazy, which quickly turned into an afternoon drizzle that sadly prevented us from getting many pictures of our surroundings. We did, however, manage to find a few minutes of decent weather for some outfit photos.

 

Dress: Anthropologie | Shoes: Ann Taylor | Bag: Givenchy | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Jewelry: thanks to David Yurman | Lips: NARS "New Lover"

During our travels, we happened upon a lovely little shop full of the prettiest smells. We spent over an hour sampling perfumes and chatting with Eric, the proprietor at Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique. I love things that smell pretty about as much as I love things that look pretty--although the latter is much easier to blog about--and Twisted Lily did not disappoint in either sense. I'm relatively familiar with niche perfume houses, but they had quite a few brands that were pleasant new discoveries for me. Eric impressed both Sean and me by picking scents for each of us just based on descriptions of a mood or genre we liked. If you're a perfume aficionado, I'd definitely recommend a visit here should you find yourself in New York.

One more post from NYC to come later this week!

x, Tam

New York Part I: Central Park & The Met Museum

Last weekend, as part of my Style of Summer campaign with David Yurman, Sean and I flew to New York for a few days. I hadn't been to NYC since beginning my blog a couple years ago, so it was so much fun to revisit some of my favorite spots in the city.

We rented a great apartment through Airbnb, similar to what we had done a few months ago in Paris. It was in Chelsea, right on the High Line--I'll post a few pictures from that area later this week. On our first full day out, we headed for the Upper East Side to visit the DY Townhouse and do a little shopping.

Top: Topshop | Skirt: ASOS (out of stock, same style here in black) | Shoes: Sperry Top-Sider and J.Crew (in photo below) | Bag: Givenchy | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Jewelry: thanks to David Yurman | Lips: NARS "Yu"

For a day of walking and sightseeing, I chose a light, comfortable jersey skirt and my new favorite crop top. Similar to the black midi I wore in Paris, this skirt travels really well, and it was a perfect weight for the hot, humid weather in the city. My white Sperry sandals were a great choice for walking long distances given the weather--the footbed is thicker and more supportive than the typical summer sandal, and the skinny, adjustable straps make it easy to stay comfortable even if my feet get a little swollen in the heat.

As we were walking around, I noticed there were so many pretty little flower shops everywhere! I loved all the corner delis with their little grocery sections and big displays of flowers out on the street.



We stopped by Laduree for some macarons and little macaron-topped sorbet cups, then we took our snack into Central Park and settled in near the sailboat lake, where it was about ten degrees cooler than it was on the city streets. There are a bunch of small remote-controlled sailboats on this lake, and you can rent the controllers and sail them around. It was so nice and peaceful to sit by the water and watch the boats go by.



 



The Metropolitan Museum of Art was our next stop after wandering through Central Park. Sean had never been there, so I was excited to show it to him. We walked through a few galleries, then headed up to the rooftop garden for some sparkling rosé (for me) and a John Daly cocktail (for him) and to check out the amazing views of Manhattan.





We stayed up on the rooftop as the sun set (with what seemed like a good chunk of the rest of the people in Manhattan!), then headed back to the galleries to see some more art before the museum closed. Our day ended back toward our apartment, at Eataly, a huge, authentic Italian marketplace with amazing restaurants and food products all under one roof.

Stay tuned later this week for more from my visit to NYC!

x, Tam

Unique New York, Petite New York

Photos: Katie Derus, Coat: Zara, Top: Aeropostale | Jeans: H&M | Boots: Zara | Flats: Sam Edelman | Scarf: Target | Bag: Longchamp | Sunglasses: F21 | Earrings: Kendra Scott | Bracelets: Saks, Nordstrom, J.Crew | Watch: Vintage Dior

Day Two in New York: shopping!  (Okay, some sightseeing, too--photos were taken near City Hall and on the High Line.)  As a fashion enthusiast, I obviously adore shopping. However, it's always a challenge to find clothes that fit both my aesthetic sensibilities and my very petite frame. I am always in search of off-the-rack pieces that fit well, but my tailor is my friend.

We don't have Zara in Denver, so I was thrilled to actually get to shop in-store at the one on Lex and 59th--the last time I had been in a physical Zara store was in Madrid in 2004!  Zara had a number of petite-friendly pieces in the store, one of which was the coat featured in the photo above. The extra-small fit me perfectly in the shoulders, and both the overall length and the sleeve length were appropriately scaled for my frame. It comes in a number of gorgeous colors and is actually quite warm--a must for winter in Denver.

In these photos, I'm also wearing another off-the-rack, petite-friendly item: a button-down denim shirt from Aeropostale. Granted, I feel a teeny bit silly waltzing in there with girls who are half my age, but I really like how slim-fitting their button-downs and sweaters are. To see more photos of New York from my photographer, check out this post on her website.

A New York State of Mind

In Which a New Fashion Blogger Is Inspired in New York . . .

Photos: Katie Derus | Jacket: Gap | Top: F21, Jeans: Wet Seal | Circle Scarf: Nordstrom | Bag: Rebecca Minkoff | Boots: ZARA | Sunglasses: F21 | Necklace: Banana Republic | Bracelets: J.Crew, Aldo, Nordstrom, F21, | Watch: Vintage Dior

Skyscrapers.  Lights.  Ribbons of roadways crossing over each other.  From the window of an airplane, New York looks like any other big city--but as one descends over Manhattan, New York's signature, unique style becomes increasingly evident. A closer look out of the airplane window reveals the round-the-clock glow of Times Square, the expanse of fall color in Central Park, the majestic bridges spanning the Hudson River.

After a cab ride over the Triborough Bridge, an autumn stroll through the streets of Manhattan’s eclectic neighborhoods gives even more of a peek into the individualistic style that makes New York the singular, inimitable city it isA girl in sky-high red platform pumps and a conservative tweed suit waits for the subway. A woman attired head-to-toe in bright yellow sells coffee to grim-looking men in pinstriped suits.  A dog in black watch plaid sniffs a garbage can appreciatively while his leather-clad owner buys Gerbera daisies at a corner flower shop. Creative inspiration truly exists on every corner.

New York is a city full of interesting, unique, appealing elements that please, surprise, and inspire the observer. Even though I’m back home in Colorado again, I hope to channel that inspiring, stylish element here, both on- and off-duty.

At first glance, I appear to be just another suit-clad professional bustling through meetings and appearances, sipping an ever-present cup of coffee at my desk. A closer look, however, will reveal a girl who has a love of all things pretty and a penchant for aesthetics and style

Welcome to my creative odyssey.

Tam