NYC Staycation | Instagram Weekend

Sorry to be absent lately mes cheris, but it was necessary to put myself on a little NYC Staycation. With all the running around I have done in the last couple months, I finally had the opportunity to rest...and so I Carpe Diem-ed the weekend away. Walks in Central Park, Ferry ride to Ikea, and lots of drinks with friends, it was a fantastic long Instagram weekend to rest, enjoy life, and gear up for the next chapter in my life.

 It has been cold here in NYC lately, and since I'm stubborn and determined to wear my closet full of cute Spring stuff, I have had to add tights to all my Spring outfits to do so. Bummer.

 Went shopping in SoHo. I love passing all the creative storefronts around that nabe. They are the greatest. I especially love the C Wonder storefront. How fun and regal are these doors?

 You know it's going to be a good day when you start off your morning with Magnolia Bakery breakfast. Raspberry crumb muffin, coffee, infinity scarf, and Gaga glasses. Done and done. 

 I watched the Enterprise space shuttle fly over Manhattan as it made its voyage to its new NYC home at the Intrepid Air and Space Museum. Bonus points for living on the Hudson River? You get to walk 500 feet to go see a space shuttle fly by your house. Um. Awesome. Not bad for an NYC Staycation huh?

 Had an all day long adventure to Ikea on Saturday which of course consisted of taking the NYC Water Taxi out to Brooklyn's Ikea. The Southstreet Seaport is always a great photo opp place for an Instagram weekend, and I haven't been out past the Statue of Liberty in over a year, so that was a fun ride. 

Ended the weekend celebrating a dear friends golden birthday out in SoHo at The Anchor bar. The DJ was amazing, and every single song had me screaming with excitement. Therefore it was a great dancing night to celebrate life with my really good friends. 

So how do you Staycation mes cheris?

Must Have | NYC Moroccan Terrace

It if finally terrace season again and despite the horrible weather of the past few days, NYC will soon be in a constant warm sunny state...and I must begin to prepare my terrace for the season. At the end of the day, our NYC apartment terrace is pretty cute already, but it still feels thrown together for me, and I'd like to create an oasis to escape to. A Moroccan Oasis to be exact. So I have begun to pool my inspiration on Pinterest of course for my Must Have Moroccan Terrace!

 

My must have dream Moroccan terrace first will need a bunch of floor lanterns to congregate in a corner. They will their candles lit for ambience and their multi colored glass will give great warmth and decor.

After that I will finally need to get a nice Moroccan tile table set, complete with the 4 matching chairs and all. The table we have now is a left over from the previous owner and matches nothing...it needs to upgrade.

And for a splash of color, rich Moroccan fabric panels. This can cover the unsightly wall on our terrace that I have no clue what to do with. We have one great brick wall and then the NYC Skyscrapers skyline of course but this random silver wall I feel needs some love.

What else should I include in my 

Must Have Moroccan Terrace plans?

Dreaming of an Oasis

The terrible weather of the past two days has me dreaming of an oasis. What could be better to get through the Tuesday Slump? Maybe something along these lines perhaps...

Fashion 101 | Fashion of Downton Abbey and Early 20th Century Fashion

Darlings, I just recently found myself obsessed with Downton Abbey. The stories, the history, the fashion of Downton Abbey! The pilot episode takes place the day of the Titanic's sinking and quickly propels through almost a decade in 2 seasons. So much happened to our world at this time and to witness it through the eyes of British royalaty and their staff is quite intriguing. From the early 20th century fashion to the brink of the 1920s let's see what Fashion 101 will unwrap today...

For Modern Era fashion, I feel the latest we ever possibly revert back to is the 1920's fashion of the flappers and the gangsters, so to have the spotlight on the very early 20th century fashion is most inspirational. The hats, the dresses, the automobiles!

The low busts, curvy hips and long dresses of the early 19th century began to change from a mature, full bodied figure to a slight, boyish figure. By the latter half of the 1910s dresses began to accentuate smaller busts, slender hips, and exposing the scandalous...ankle.

Early 20th century had a passion for hats, not quite Marie Antoinette level but not far. Wide brim, heavily adorned hats sat upon long wavy hair plaited up hair. By the end of the decade what would become the famous finger wave hairstyle of the 1920's began its experimentation. Also the hats became more simple, with slopped rims and much deeper crowns. These would soon lead to my favorite cloche hats.

The original Harem fashion of Poiret in 1910 inspired by an oriental craze from a popular theatre show in Paris. One of my more favored moments in the fashion of Downton Abbey was when Lady Sybil came to dinner showing off her new dress, the lastest fashion from Paris.

The fashion of Downton Abbey is a character in itself. As fashion always does, it tells a story of the society the characters live in and how drastically the Great War changes everything. Customs of utmost importance like afternoon tea gowns fall to wayside for nurses uniforms to care for the ever growing wounded soldiers. In fact it is interesting to note that many of our major fashion changes in history took place due to war, or the fact that it ended. You see that? We're all in this together.

What do you love of the 

fashion of Downton Abbey?

NYC Bridal Week 2013 Recap

Bridal Week 2013 has been clicking along here in NYC and what dreamy week it has been. I have been super busy and therefor constantly checking my Pinterest feed to see all the gorgeous dresses for one very important runway in life. Here are some of my favorites, how about you?

Can Oscar de la Renta really do no wrong? Not from my point of view. 

His gowns were all a bride's dream. He even added a little Something Blue to some. 

 Monique Lhullier never disappoints. I love all of her soft chiffon dresses. 

That top right with the crystals is especially catching my eye.

 Roman Keveza has always been a favorite of mine.

The wrapped dress gives a little Grecian Goddess without being hoakey.

 Vera Wang along with some other designers made some bold red statements. 

I can't say I'd pick this as my wedding dress, but I definitely love the gown! 

 Marchesa's line of sheer, peepholes, and even some high to low gowns was fit for a princess.

 Justin Alexander had really great style. His dresses are beautiful of course, but out of every runway show, his hair and beauty was impeccably done and by far my favorite. 

So who would you pick for your big day?

Busy Bees Need Cups of Tea

Yesterday was a non-stop day for me to say the very least, and suddenly at the end of it all I wanted was a nice cup of tea. Must be a symptom of Downton Abbey overdose! But either way if coffee is my daily Adderall, I supposed tea very well might be my Xanax. Better yummy drinks than prescriptions drugs n'est-ce pas? Here's a relaxing post to get you happily through the latter half of your week!

Look at this adorable tea cup jewelry draw I found on Pinterest! 

I love the idea, little tea china sets are my favorite!

I also have on my Bucket List to one day throw a proper tea party. In the afternoon outside in a lawn, with a fully set table, decked out and ready for fun. Jane Austen style all the way. I found these quite inspiring. Of course you won't be invited if you don't come wearing your afternoon tea dress and hat...it's just not lady like.

Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for all sorts of fashionspiration, party ideas, and general eye candy!

Spotted at Fashion Week

Just a quick fashionspiration pop for you today. I know we are finally hitting the warmer weather Thank God! But my best friend was spotted at Fashion Week by Chictini and I had to show her off! You can go vote for her adorbs style on the ChicBook so show some love if you would like!

Here is my best friend and here is her scarf. I love them both.

Have you been spotted at the 

fashion week tents?

Barefoot Sandals and a Gypsy Spirit

After playing frisbee barefoot in Central Park this past gorgeous New York City weekend, my inkling for some foot jewelry became stronger. I can't say I'm much of a gypsy spirit but I do think barefoot sandals have quickly rose to the top of my Must Have list. I saw the idea over a decade ago in a wedding magazine for a barefoot beach wedding and the idea has always stuck with me. I was reminded when the recent Free People catalogue arrived at my apartment. 

Source: sophistik8ed.tumblr.com via Jessica on Pinterest

 

The Free People barefoot sandals are a bit too costumey for my taste. I don't want to look like a Holly Hobby Hippie. However I found myself turning to Etsy to solve this gypsy inspired jewelry dilemma and oh the options it provided...

Source: etsy.com via Jessica on Pinterest

 

Source: etsy.com via Jessica on Pinterest

 

There were barefoot sandals on the more jewelry side of the spectrum. These personally keep more of that gypsy spirit to me, and I do like them, however I wonder if they would be as comfortable as the crocheted option which feels more like a hippie. 

Source: etsy.com via Jessica on Pinterest

 

I do believe these cream ones are my favorite, however I can't help but pine over these elaborate black ones. This Etsy shop has caught my eye before but this seems a more useful option from their selection. At $53 dollars it is also on the more expensive side than the other $15-20 options, but they are fun to look at... so intricately woven. 

Source: etsy.com via Jessica on Pinterest

 

So do your feet have the gypsy spirit 

that mine long for this summer? 

Will you be buying some barefoot sandals? 

One More Time with Feeling | Broadway Inspired Fashion

I've been whistling the tunes of my favorite Broadway songs in my apartment the last few days and it got me thinking about the fashionspiration you could pull straight out of the bright lights of Broadway. So one more time with feeling here is some great Broadway inspired fashion you can pull into your modern everyday style.

Source: Uploaded by user via Chandra on Pinterest

Menswear

The vested tuxedo feel of menswear is used directly in Newsies, as well as the glitter version in A Chorus Line. I personally love rocking a menswear look in my wardrobe. It feels empowering and sassy all at the same time.

Newsies and A Chorus Line Inspiration by fashiondiva304 featuring stella & dot jewelry

1950's

The full skirts of the 1950's probably make for a Broadway costume designer favorite since they are dramatic and still free for the dancers' choreography. I added a fedora which of course would have been what the men wore but hey how cute is a fedora with a sundress and wedges? Broadway inspired fashion is just that, inspired, so you don't have to be literal like a costume.

1950s Broadway Inspiration by fashiondiva304 featuring a tahitian pearl necklace

What show gives you 

Broadway inspired fashion?