Thursday, March 31, 2016

Caught My Eye...

spring favorites


Wow, who can believe it is the last day of March already? The good news is warm spring weather is even closer around the corner, so if you ask me it is definitely time to start preparing our closets for sunny days.

The best part about spring shopping is that #taxreturn money helping me out. On my radar right now are lace-up sandals, espadrille wedges, super ripped jeans, and fresh prints. Keeping a pastel & neutral palette makes it easy to mix and match these pieces for a versatile spring wardrobe. I already ordered the J Crew romper which I am really excited about since it seems like such an easy piece to dress up or down and wear all summer long. Next up: find the perfect lace up sandals. I like the option pictured above, but they are super pricy! I linked to a more affordable version below which might be the pair I end up getting...

Which of these items is your favorite for spring?

Shop these looks: J Crew Romper, Espadrille wedgesDistressed jeans, Heeled lace up sandal (affordable option from Chinese Laundry), Anthro DressRebecca Minkoff saddle bag, Old Navy patched denim jacketKate Spade ice cream phone case, J Crew lace sweater

Monday, March 28, 2016

Aztec Tee


Remember a few years ago when 'aztec' prints were all the rage? Styles that are so trendy can feel a little passé after a few years, so what do we do with those pieces now? 
I decided to update my aztec tee by pairing it with distressed jeans and a leather jacket. This edgier vibe felt fresh and fun. With the tee partially hidden under the jacket the print becomes an more integrated aspect of the outfit instead of a bold in-your-face trend. I'll be honest, I mostly wear this tee just around the house, so it was nice to be able to incorporate it into a put-together look that felt both interesting and cool. Since the look is primarily black and white I brought out my baby blue clutch to add a little color. 


Tee: ModCloth (old). Jacket: Zara. Jeans: H&M. Booties: Steve Madden. Clutch: Rebecca Minkoff (similar). 



xoxo CC

Thursday, March 24, 2016

Cherry Blossom


One of my favorite things is seeing the flowers beginning to bloom in the spring. Just last week a little tree on my block burst into bloom with tiny pink flowers, and I spotted more pink-floral trees in Central Park, by the reservoir (which you may have seen on my instagram). Pale pink florals have even been making their way into my outfits!

Lace-up shoes are one of the top trends for spring. While I've got my eye out for the perfect lace-up sandal, I decided to pull these flats out of the closet. These were one of my first purchases from Zappos when I first discovered the site back in high school. I love the embroidered dragon motif and the lace-up detail. They are slightly edgy and so unique with a playful vibe that totally fits my style. I haven't worn these in quite awhile, so it was fun to bring them out since they are back on trend, and pair them with some newer pieces. This silky cherry blossom floral tee was the perfect piece to match with the shoes' colors and even continue the Asian-inspired vibe. It is fun to mix something new with an older piece to update the look and bring a little fresh excitement to an old well-loved piece. 

I got this tee a little bit oversized, so I like to wear it tied up on the side or tucked a little. The neutral tones make it easy to wear, but the blush pink shade and flecks of green add a bit of color too. I like the way the floral earrings and pink sunglasses bring out the color in the top. Even though the shoes are over eight seasons old the look is fresh and fun for spring, mixing casual neutrals and fun, colorful accents. 


Top: Zara. Jeans: Jbrand (similar). Shoes: Ziginy (old). Bag: H&M. Sunglasses: amazon. Earrings: Urban Outfitters (old).







xoxo CC

Monday, March 21, 2016

The Met & Marie Antoinette


Happy spring everybody!!

Over the weekend I took a trip to the MET to see the Elisabeth Vigee Le Brun exhibit going on through May 15. Somehow it was only the second time that I've been to the MET even though I live so close! I made the extra effort to go see this exhibit because I have always admired her works, and I absolutely love everything Marie Antoinette, fashion icon of her time. Vigee Le Brun was the royal portraitist to Marie Antoinette and did numerous portraits of her and her children before the French Revolution. 

The exhibit was much bigger than I expected, with about 5 rooms dedicated to Vigee Le Brun's artworks. All of her famous works of Marie Antoinette as well as her well-known self portrait were there. It is kind of incredible to stand in front of a painting and know that French royalty stood before that same work over 200 years ago admiring it. Seeing so many of these works that I've studied and admired, knowing they traveled from all over the world for the exhibit, is really amazing. The portrait below of Marie and her three children was impressively large in real life with the figures slightly larger than life-size, a fact I had never realized before when studying the painting and which creates a sense of awe at it's sheer size and mastery. Two portraits of Marie Antoinette that I have studied in art history classes (below), one painted to replace the other after the queen's casual dress caused scandal when displayed at a salon, were shown side by side for the first time ever in this exhibit.



The exhibit explored the various stages of Vigee Le Brun's career, from her early works in her teen years, to her first public showing upon acceptance into a guild, highlighting her work for the royal family and other nobles, into her escape from France during the Revolution and the work she did while traveling abroad in exile. It was particularly interesting to see how her career was shaped as one of only a few female painters of such talent and recognition. I learned that she submitted allegorical works to the academie in hopes of being accepted at a history painter, but was not awarded the title because of her gender. Therefore most of her works are portraits, and it was interesting to notice that most of the subjects were female themselves, often wearing sumptuous dresses and jewels. One thing I noticed particularly was that several of her paintings featured people smiling with an open mouth, showing their teeth. This was very uncommon at the time since portraits were meant to be serious and often meant to portray the power and social status of the sitter. One of my favorite works that I saw in the show that I had not seen before was one of two friends seated together with their children in a tribute to friendship and family. So many of the works in the exhibit were still in their original ornate frames, many of which were inscribed with a title or description. 

Check out more about Vigee Le Brun and see what current shows are open on Artsy.



After the exhibit, we went to see the Masterpieces of Chinese Painting exhibit which showcased many scroll works of painting and calligraphy dating as far back as the Tang and Song dynasties. There was an incredibly detailed scroll painting of narcissus flowers that intricately interwove in a tangle of stems and buds over about 10 feet of paper. It really makes you admire the time and patience put into such works. Many of the scrolls were stamped with collectors stamps, a sign of appreciation for the art and a fascinating addition that shows the artwork's travel and history. I love the Astor Court garden room that sits nestled between the Chinese art galleries. This space, flooded with natural light and encircled in rock formations, a pool of live fish, and traditional wooden awnings, feels like you are stepping outdoors into a tranquil courtyard. With that on our minds a late lunch of ramen nearby at Meijin seemed like the perfect way wrap up the afternoon. 





xoxo CC

Thursday, March 17, 2016

Rose Colored Glasses


First of all, happy St. Patrick's Day!! 

Second: hooray, my new pink sunglasses finally arrived!! I am so excited since I have been wanting a pair of pink frames for a while now and they are so girly and fun for summer. 

For their first outing I paired these beauties with a matching pink top and some cool denim layers. I threw on sneakers to keep the look casual, and a denim jacket over the shoulders completes the breezy feeling. I love a pop of light pink to bring a decisively springy vibe to any outfit now that the weather is warm.

This time of year gets me so happy its hard not to see the world through rose colored glasses. Flowers are starting to pop up all over the park, which is so exciting! I love springtime! It was another beautiful sunny day yesterday to walk outdoors in a very spring- feeling outfit. 


Sunglasses: amazon (only $2.79!!). Top: J. Crew (old, very similar, also cute). Jeans: H&M. Jacket: Gap. Bag: kate spade. Sneakers: New Balance









xoxo, CC

Monday, March 14, 2016

Instagram Lately

I wanted to give you all a few details about some of the looks on my Instagram lately. Not all of these little snapshots make it to the blog, but there are a few that really stood out that I thought deserved a closer look.


A perfectly casual look for running errands on the weekend! My 'weekend' happened to be a Thursday, but this comfy outfit was perfect for a trip to the nearest Zara and the grocery store. The floral top was ideal for the springy weather, and a simple braid kept my hair out of the wind.
Top: Zara. Jeans and bag: H&M. Sneakers: New Balance


I featured this outfit on the blog last week, but I wanted to prove that I actually wore the look out! I put on this new combo with tights and tall boots for a friend's birthday diner, and added some waves to my hair to dress up the look. Total look from H&M.


A closer look at how the bag matches with the skirt just perfectly.


I love how dainty this little skull bracelet is! It is perfectly simple for everyday wear, but adds a touch of badass. I wanted to feature it with something equally bold but a little more girly to balance out the vibe. The hot pink blouse is an old sale find from Old Navy.


Criss-cross! The lace-up look is so trendy right now, and this crisscross top plays along the same lines. I layered it under a loose knit sweater on a chilly day for a textured look since the color scheme was pretty neutral. Get the look with this tank and sweater

xoxo CC

Thursday, March 10, 2016

Sunnies for Spring


Since spring is quickly approaching (and it's already 75 degrees here in NYC today) it seemed like a good time to update my sunglasses collection. While I love my pair from Urban, I've been wanting to add some new styles so I can switch up my look sometimes. I was super excited to find that my favorite pair of sunnies from AJ Morgan (that I sadly broke last year) are back in stock!! And only $24.00. So naturally I ordered them in two colors. The tortoise pair with gold is the exact pair that I used to have, and I also got them in black with silver. I am so excited to have these back in my life, I love the way they fit my face, and now I have options when it comes to color and style!

These sunglasses also come in a clear pale "champagne" color that I almost bought too, and now I'm kind of regretting not getting them. What do you think, should I go ahead and order the champagne color too? 
I was also thinking about these with the cool zig-zag temples.

I also ordered a fun light pink pair that I'm super excited about since I've been craving a pair of pink sunnies for ages now. I found these cuties on amazon for only $2.79 so hopefully they will fit well and look good on my face--I'll be sure to let you guys know how they are once they arrive!





My Urban 'Emma' sunnies (top) next to my new 'Classy' from AJ Morgan
 xoxo CC

Monday, March 7, 2016

Kate Spade Home Pop-Up Store in NYC


Last week I mentioned that I made a trip downtown to see the kate spade home pop-up store! It was incredible, so I wanted to share some photos for anyone who is curious. The store is set up to look like you are stepping into an apartment, with two living room spaces, a dining area, kitchen, and bedroom each set up as though they were someone's home. I fell absolutely in love with everything in the store, every corner was thoughtfully decorated with clever touches creating the most inviting space.

The displays were so detailed with with cute little surprises in every room and fun touches to make it look like the space is actually lived in, such as a pair of shoes that look like they've just been kicked off, or a pen laid just so across a notebook as if someone had been there writing. There were even trays of real candy and macarons, and glasses filled with faux ice cubes and a straw to create the illusion that they are in use. These details really make you feel right at home and envision how the pieces would fit into your home. I wanted every piece of it... major home decor inspiration! Some of my favorite pieces are the floral rug and blue couch combo above, the polka dot dining chairs, and the owl printed throw pillow and matching curtains. What catches your eye?


If you live in New York City and love kate spade, you have to go see it. The store is only open until May 31st, so hurry!

411 West Broadway
New York, NY












xoxo, CC