Boho Style in the UES

Dress || Sandals || Clutch ||Earrings || Watch || Bracelet

I very recently talked about my love for boho style a few weeks ago, here. Normally, I try to add some classic pieces to mix in the inspiration from our Upper East side neighborhood. While a lot of the women in the UES are incredibly stylish, I would never describe their style as free-spirited. I, on the other hand, have no problem with going full bohemian and I never felt that vibe more than with this dress.

This dress, from Amazon, has quickly become one of my absolute favorites. Normally, I don’t do my clothes shopping from Amazon, but I was heavily influenced. Some of my favorite bloggers, especially Grace from The Stripe, has been positively raving about it and I had to see the hype for myself. Let me tell you, I wasn’t disappointed. If you can get past picking one of the 24 patterns, a gorgeous dress will be delivered to your door for under $30. At that price point you can afford to grab two or three if you can’t decide on one.

For the summer time, I kept the outfit extremely relaxed with my brown sandals from Hermes and bamboo clutch from Cult Gaia. I already have big plans for how to transition this dress into the fall. Because most of the color options are full of rich, jewel tones, it’s going to be a piece of cake. I love the idea of adding an oversized faux fur vest and heeled leather boots. Even a felt, wide-brim hat could be an option for good measure. The sky is the limit with long-sleeves.

My favorite element of this dress is how many compliments I received. Yes, I know how shallow that sounds. I even convinced some of my co-workers to order it on the spot. It’s one thing for myself to love a dress, but another to see the love from others. Honestly, there isn’t a better feeling as a style blogger. My husband didn’t love the dress quite as much as I did, but I’m convinced he’ll come around eventually.

When your personal style doesn’t match with what’s around your neighborhood, it can be tough to find that balance. Either way, if you love what you wear and feel confident, you’re going to stand out in the best possible way. That’s even true if you have boho style in the UES.

Love from NYC,
Katie

Gingham Blazer for Work

Blazer (also) || Cami || Pants || Heels || Clutch || Earrings || Bracelet || Watch

So, I think it’s been a little bit since I shared a statement blazer that I absolutely loved. There’s no better time than the present with this sky blue gingham beauty from English Factory. Full disclaimer, David took these pictures under protest. He wasn’t a huge fan of this printed and oversized blazer. I, on the other hand, think it’s absolutely amazing! I know we can prove him wrong by sending this post all of the love.

Let’s give this outfit a little context. I have been a huge admirer of the English Factory brand for a while. I find their pieces to be incredibly unique. Equal parts classic and whimsical, they make quite a statement at a surprisingly affordable price point. Most of their pieces can also transition from the office to a night out, especially in the summer time. Whether you shop the brand at Nordstrom or Shopbop, I know you will find something that you will simply love.

Even though I’m officially off for the summer, I wanted to take one final stab at trying to dress corporate. My summer job had an extremely casual dress code, but I daily walked past career women in the chicest work ensembles. Since nothing I ever do is all the way conventional, I wanted to put a feminine and summery spin on the typical power suit. This outfit is just born to standout, and I still felt so confident and ready to take on the boardroom.

The blazer may be new, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a perfect match to this pair of light blue chinos from J. Crew Factory that I already had in my closet, originally posted here. It was match made in heaven, but also helps bring the loud, gingham jacket back to reality a little bit. My signature pop of navy comes from my go-to navy cami from J. Crew.

Who says dressing for work has to be boring? It’s good to have a closet full of basics on rotation, but don’t forget one of the best things about life is have fun options when getting dressed each morning. It’s your way of non-verbally telling the world who you are and what you’re all about. What does a light blue gingham blazer say about me? I’m not exactly sure, but I endorse this message.

Love from NYC,
Katie

How I’ve Been Spending My Summer

Dress || Flats || Handbag || Earrings || Bracelet || Watch

Oh what a summer it’s been! I’ve already shared about my exciting trip to Paris and Switzerland, but so much more has been going on. Teachers are usually known for either taking the summer off or working camps at their school. I decided to go for a different route. I’ve been spending my summer as a Content Marketing Consultant for a performance marketing company. Yesterday was officially my last day and now I have a few more weeks of summer vacation ahead of me.

So, what does a Content Marketing Consultant actually mean? Well, it essentially was an internship, a very hands-on one at that. My days were spent learning about the industry and researching different ways to advertise for other companies. Most importantly, it gave me an opportunity to write in a professional sense and fill up my portfolio. Going into work was a daily reminder of how much I love to write and I’m looking forward to exploring that on a freelance basis.

I have a few more weeks until the start of another school year and I need to think of some ways to fill my time. I’ve always been one to stay busy. The occasional lazy day is appreciated, but even then I’m exploring the town or working on the blog. The number one thing I want to accomplish is to finish decorating our apartment. Yes, we’ve been living here since May, but our walls are still bare and just begging for some art. Trips to the MET and other art museums will be necessary for some inspiration.

One of the biggest things that I will miss about the corporate world is dressing for work. My summer job had a very casual dress code, but you know me, I always tend to overdress. Crisp, cotton summer dresses have been my staple. They have this magical ability of looking laidback and professional, all at the same time. This shirt dress I borrowed from Tory Burch and Rent the Runway is a perfect example. I brought it along with me to Paris and just couldn’t help, but break it out for a second time.

I hope you all are having an amazing summer and making the most of good weather. To my Florida teacher friends, I know you start with the kiddos next week and I wish you the best school year. Be sure to visit the blog often for classic outfits that work in the classroom or boardroom.

Love from NYC,
Katie