Shopping For : Cold Weather Jackets

 Life in New York City means braving the elements all. year. long. In the summer that means sweltering humidity and steamy sidewalks and in the winter that means frigid urban wind tunnels down city streets. Since most of us living in the city don't have personal cars at our disposal, air conditioning and heated seats are not part of the commuting experience.

Transitional Skirts

It is becoming that wonderful time of year when your skin still has it's lingering summer tan yet the weather is cool enough that you can actually wear some layers without melting. It is time for transitional dressing!

When I used to work at URBN INC. this was actually referred to as it's own season - TRANS, short for transitional. Which doesn't sound particularly chic but the in-between-point of seasons is actually a great time to test out some stylish looks and texture combinations for a totally new look.

I began pinning looks onto a Fall 2016 board (which you can find here), but I found that I was basically pinning transitional looks that I will be wearing until Fall, not actually for Fall. So I decided to pull together some looks that are particularly inspiring to me right now and explain how I plan to get the most out of my summery items before the cold comes.

I decided to focus this post on skirts and how to wear them in the upcoming month or so. I love, love, love the combination of a chiffon skirt with a casual grey sweater, it looks so effortless and cool. I am also really into tee-shirts, both graphic and solid, and pairing them with fancy separates like tailored cream trousers or a black skirt with a high slit, as seen above. Your summery skirts can stay in your wardrobe rotation a bit longer this year if you pair them with ankle boots, a leather jacket and fall accessories like a wool hat.

When recently cleaning out my closet I came to the realization that my skirt game is lacking a bit. I plan to pick up a few more basic options now that I can wear for trans but will be easily re-worked for many seasons to come. On my shopping list: a cream midi skirt with lots of volume & movement; a side-draped pencil skirt; a patterned chiffon midi skirt and a black pleated knee-length. Check out a few of my picks in stores right now below!

Shopping For : Off The Shoulder Tops

Have you been bitten by the off-the-shoulder bug like me? I have not been able to get enough of the shoulder-baring silhouette this summer, purchasing a few options and making a few myself (such as the style seen above). An off shoulder top highlights the collarbones in a flattering way while also being super comfortable and flow-y. It's like wearing sweatpants that are actually attractive...or something like that.

I've rounded up a few of my favorite off-the-shoulder tops so that you can get one before the summer ends. And since no one wants to pay too much for a trendy piece, all the options I have selected are under $100. A few are even under $30! Here are a few ways I have worn the style.

with tailored black shorts
with casual jean shorts
in the form of a printed dress
again, with jean shorts (as seen above)

Click below for my picks!

Small Cross-Body Bags

 

 There is nothing I hate more than lugging a big bag around when exploring a city or going out to a restaurant or bar. I love having my hands free to hold a coffee (or alcoholic beverage), check out items in a shop or just feel comfortable and at ease. The small cross-body bag has thus become my go-to bag style for pretty much everywhere except work and traveling. Beyond the functional reasons, there are also many style reasons I love small bags. A small bag can become a style statement or punctuate an outfit as opposed to a bulky carry-all. As a petite woman, a small bag looks more proportionate to my small frame rather than overwhelm me. To top it off, a small bag forces me to streamline what I bring out so I don't end up toting around unnecessary odds and ends.

 

I have accumulated a few different cross-body bags that I pull out for difference occasions and outfits. A staple black leather option is important to me (seen here), but once I had that covered I have gone for some more statement options such as studded red leather (seen here), cheetah calf hair (seen here) and white texture (seen above and here). I'm thinking a classic camel or nude may be the next addition to round out the basics a bit. There are plenty of expensive and inexpensive options depending on your budget. I prefer genuine, real leather and tend to stay away from overly embellished or branded pieces.

 

If you're in the market for a new small cross-body bag, I've rounded up some of my picks below!

Shopbop : 25% Off Sale, Ends Today!

Shopbop is having a major sale ending today! Now is the perfect time to grab those spring styles that retailers are looking to move out in time for the mid-summer items. 

Get to Shopbop ASAP and use code 25EXTRA to get the additional 25% off.

Get my favorite Loeffler Randall Mara Espadrilles (seen above), on sale now!

A few of my favorites:

This tiered dress

This adorable striped romper 

This floral skirt (last seen in this post)

This simple, versatile shift dress

This white lacy dress

These white lacy shorts

These lace-up heels (at a steal!)

This chic black dress (buy now, wear all year long)

This patterned dress (perfect for upcoming beach trips)

Check out more of my picks below:

Shopping For : Denim Jackets

A jean jacket rides the line between classic and trendy. Every couple seasons you see them pop up with a new type of wash, color, distressing or embellishment. But a simple jean jacket can truly be a closet staple, that can work year after year. The catch however, is finding the right denim jacket. It is a deceptively tricky garment to buy and style. It also doesn't help that I am extremely picky about the fit of my denim jackets. I have gotten some questions and comments from friends about where to find a good jean jacket, so I thought this would be a useful post for many of you!

Let me first step back and address what a 'good' jean jacket is, in my opinion.

How I Shop : Forever 21

Many of us twenty-somethings probably have a love-hate relationship with Forever 21. We love how easy it is to test out a new trend or pick up a full look for a night out without having to think twice about the price tag. But we hate the crowds of tweens and teens, the anxiety-inducing overstuffed racks and how you always find the perfect top just to see there is make-up on the collar. Sigh.

I love Forever 21 and gotten tons of great finds from the retailer. In fact, I often have many friends ask me where I got a select item after which I gleefully exclaim “Forever!”. I am always met with the same response - “I can never find anything good when I go in there”. It’s true, the store makes it extremely difficult to find anything decent. And then even if you do, the line is long and you just give up and walk out with nothing. I hear you. But I want to let you in on my Forever 21 secret. 

Shop online! 

It really is that simple. From the comfort of your own couch you can spend as much time as you like scrolling through the options, where you an actually see what the stuff looks like versus in the store where it’s packed together. Plus, you can take your time looking without worrying about the people everywhere. This time around I have done the work for you, and pulled out a handful of my favorites currently for sale online. But go have a look for yourself and tell me the stuff available doesn’t look way better than it does in the store.

What do you think? Can you give Forever 21 another try?

Brand Lookout : Vila

Have you heard about Vila? I hadn't until looking around on ASOS recently. The brand doesn't sell directly to US customers (so don't bother trying their website), but ASOS sure does and the prices belie the adorable styles. I especially love these simple dresses that can be dressed up or down and are perfect for all the summer weddings and events coming up. 

I am also perpetually on the hunt for more striped shirts and tend to be a little picky in getting the stripes just right. These tees are pretty much exactly what I look for. I have waxed on in other posts about how much I love leather jackets, if you don't have one in your wardrobe yet consider this option from Vila, a steal at $154.

Happy shopping!

Shopping For : Spring Shoes

It has been a long road to get to spring shoes this year, filled with winter boots, thick socks and covered legs in order to keep your toes in tact. I especially look forward to warm weather since I like the footwear for those seasons so much more.

 I hate wearing tights to begin with, but by the end of the winter pulling on black tights just seems downright torturous. The same can be said for boots. April rolls around and the boots I loved all winter begin to resemble straitjackets for my feet.

But we have made it to May and the warm weather again! As I've mentioned in a few of my posts, I tend to shop both high-end and low-end for my clothing, loving some Old Navy pieces as much as I love designer items. But shoes are one of the categories I don't like to skimp on. I think faux leather looks like, well, faux leather. I'd rather spend a little more money and get some nicer shoes than cheaper ones. It's easy to pass off low-end clothing as higher-end, but with shoes you aren't fooling anybody.

The beauty of a nice pair of shoes is that it can transform your entire outfit. You could be wearing a plain white tee shirt and basic skinny jeans then slip into some amazing shoes and suddenly your outfit went from simple to stylish. While I do have a few pairs of crazier shoes, for the most part I stick to neutrals that I can get a lot of wear out of. I know that I will wear black, nude and brown shoes often, so I don't worry about investing in shoes in those colors. 

I have been adding probably too many shoes to my wardrobe this spring [insert 'speak no evil' monkey emoji here], but all have been thoughtful and deliberate. My biggest addiction has been espadrilles, I just love them soo much. They are comfortable, casual, easy to walk a lot in, come in an array of colors, fabrics and designs...I digress. But of the new spring shoes I have purchased they are all pairs I can wear to work, in my free time and with many outfits, ie. they are very versatile.

When deciding how to transition your wardrobe for a new season, I suggest picking at least one pair of shoes to purchase that is fashion-forward but neutral. By pairing these shoes with your existing wardrobe you look instantly current and on-trend, and the neutral color means you can wear it often with many items. Definitely important when dropping some decent money on shoes. 

I've round up a few of my favorite picks for this spring below. All fashion-forward and unique but neutral enough to wear all the time. Anyone have a favorite shoe this season I should know about?

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I’m Loving Now : Ivory Blazer

image : see (anna) jane

Blazers are a classic item to have in your wardrobe. This clothing workhorse can be worn with cropped pants to the office, tossed over a feminine skirt and top for dinner and with casual jeans on the weekend. While I have quite a few black blazers hanging in my closet, I recently have been on the hunt to find a good light-colored blazer to wear this spring.

Let’s Getaway To : LA

I’m traveling to L.A. next week with my sister and have begun thinking about what I want to pack along. Since we will only be there a handful of days, I want my clothing options to be versatile and simple so that they can be paired together in multiple ways. A tip for packing no matter where you are going - stick to a cohesive color palette, that way you can easily mix and match what you brought without having to worry about items clashing. A few staples are on my list (denim shorts, leather tote bag, grey tank), as well as some warm-weather basics (panama hat, sunglasses, white eyelet). But I also had to throw in a few Cali-inspired items (palm tree clutch, placed floral blouse). 

When planning your wardrobe for any trip,considering the temperature and weather where you will be visiting is a must. But another thing you might want to consider is the personality of the city you will be in. When in Paris, for example, skinny cropped black pants and a striped shirt would suit you well or while in Miami you’ll probably want a handful of bright colors and whites in your suitcase. The same could be said of L.A. and it’s various neighborhoods, all with a California vibe yet still different personalities. I thought these unique California attitudes were a great starting point for my packing list. As you can see above I separated my clothing and accessories into possible outfits. Given the way all the items work together however, there are tons of outfit options just from this small set of pieces. Which means you can have a few outfit ideas planned ahead of time yet still see how you feel that day and go from there. *I have included a cleaner view of my list items at the end of the post for easy packing reference as well!

We will be spending a few days at the beach in Santa Monica and Venice, then heading to West Hollywood for the rest of trip. Visiting Rodeo Drive and checking out the Downtown scene are two plans on my trip itinerary. But the event I am most excited for is the reason I am going in the first place to L.A. - The Create and Cultivate conference! I am looking forward to learning a lot about being a creative individual in the digital world and how to improve Fizz and Fade for all of you! Plus speakers include the likes of Chelsea Handler, Rachel Zoe and Jessica Alba, so of course I am excited about that as well!

Follow me on Instagram (emilykfarina) to follow along with my trip and conference.

Have any tips on where we should go, what we should see or where to eat? I’d love to hear them in the comments below!

Venice

Rag & bone Panama Hat 

Current/Elliot Slouchy Shorts

Splendid Chambray Shirt

Sole Society Crossbody Bag

T by Alexander Wang Grey Tank

Madewell Kana Gladiator

Quay Sunglasses 

Downtown

Aurelie Biderman Takayama Bracelet

Ella Moss Ailani Dress

Rebecca Minkoff Suki Bag

Dolce Vita Lyndon Gladiator

Halogen Cropped Leather Jacket

Illesteva Leonard Sunglasses

Beverly Hills

Madewell Tote

Uniqlo Eyelet Blouse

Haute Hippie Shorts

Dorothy Perkins Blush Blouse

Star Mela Tiki Clutch

Tory Burch Espadrille

Thinking About : Warm Weather Hats

I love a good hat. Always have. In the winter we think about them all the time, to keep our heads and ears warm. But in the warmer months they may be even more crucial -hats protect your skin, hair and keep the sun out of your eyes. Yet for some reason we don’t think of them as quite so essential in the summertime as we do in the wintertime. Lately I have been on the lookout for some new warm-weather hats to add to my collection that I can wear this spring and summer.

How To Update Your Wardrobe This Spring

Photo Cred - Flats (pinterest, sincerely jules, pinterest, damsel in dior); Jeans (sincerely jules, Gal Meets Glam,  classyinthecity.com, Net-A-Porter); Off the Shoulder (Crystalin Marie, pinterest, a pair & a spare, The Style Bungalow, Harper and Harley); Bags (sincerely jules, Crystalin Marie, Sole Society, unknown); Sunglasses (Fashion Squad, VivaLuxury, Gal Meets Glam, VivaLuxury)

Today's post is not only about what to buy this spring but how to think about updating your wardrobe each season. Most of us don't want to do a full overhaul, just add a few items that give new life to what we already have. I wanted to detail how I make my wardrobe update decisions in hopes that it can help you with adding some new pieces into your collection. Now let's get to it!

Insiders NYC Holiday To-Do List 2015

View from our room at The Park Lane Hotel, last winter

Growing up not too far away from New York City, I have been up to visit many times around Christmas for a Broadway show, to check out the windows on 5th avenue and even to have holiday tea. I am very excited to be here for the whole month this year leading up to Christmas and soak in all the amazing-ness that is New York City filled with holiday spirit and as a real New Yorker!

New York City always has tons going on especially around the holiday season, problem is, everyone knows about the cliche places seems to also be there exactly when you are.

This year, I have compiled a list of my top To-Do's in NYC for the holidays. But what makes this list different, is that I have some new places for you guys to try that check off the same classic holiday NYC things but from a new perspective and with decidedly less chaos and tourists around.

Writing this post almost makes we wish it was winter already. Almost.