I never thought I’d be one of those dismal people that refer to the most celebratory last 3 months of the year as simply.. Q4. But here we are. In the past few years as I’ve moved firmly into management territory, I’m constantly at odds with myself in October, November and December. At work they are the period where sales goals are highest, turnaround times are shortest and Ecommerce is generally in a state of stress. It’s an exciting challenge but I also can’t remember the last time I referred to the holiday in November as Thanksgiving instead of BFCM (that’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday to those of you who cook a turkey).
And yet – outside of work, I truly wish I could stop time in these months. New York puts on its sparkliest best, the weather is crisp but not yet too cold and there are endless events and occasions to attend. I revel in these 3 months.
So how do I balance this dichotomy? I’m not sure I’ve mastered it, but I do have a game plan. One – I ramp up my workout routines. This sounds contradictory but committing to health really helps to save my sanity between the early mornings and the late nights. Two – I put things on the calendar. It’s all too easy for me to be so enthralled in work that I end up missing out on some of the fun things that New York has to offer this time of year. But if I’ve put it on my calendar, I treat it just as I would a business meeting and carve out the time. In spite of however busy I might be. And oppositely if the calendar shows that work is going to be a doozy.. I know not to spread myself too thin with added events on those particular days. Three – I remind myself that no matter how fun or how fretful a season might be, none of them last. The very nature of this city, our careers and the seasons themselves, is that it all changes.
Might as well enjoy it while it lasts. Happy Q4 friends.
Opinions aside on the Royal family, I’m always fascinated by the way that fashion choices add to their legacy. From Victorian jewelry, influenced of course by Queen Victoria’s reign all the way to Princess Diana’s lasting sartorial influence and the current obsession with what Kate and Meghan wear. As the world watched Queen Elizabeth II’s memorial this past week, I’ve been loving all of the dialogue surrounding her approach to uniform dressing and how it helped to define her reign.
For a woman who often didn’t say very much directly to the public – she always made a clear statement with her choice of clothing. It’s an approach that we typically see from men, which makes sense since for 70 years she served in a position of power mostly inhabited by men. The result of her ‘uniform’ approach was a feeling of reliability and sensibility – even when it was a lime green skirt suit in her case.
And while I’m not sure that I would go so far as adapting my own full uniform, I have noticed that when it comes to workwear I have largely begun to follow a formula of sorts. This time of year that means a blazer, t-shirt and jeans or trousers. A structured shift dress layered with a collared shirt. Or, in the case of this tweed number, a matching set. I know I feel good in these pieces, so I don’t have to worry about the fussiness of an outfit distracting me from the work at hand. My employees know what to expect from me (which may sound trivial, but take if from her Majesty, it adds stability and sets a tone). And frankly, it makes the mornings a whole lot easier because I can mix and match all of these pieces easily.
I don’t suspect that anyone will be writing think pieces about King Charles wardrobe anytime soon.. and for that reason alone, I must say, I’ll miss the Queen.
In my humble opinion, there is no better shopping than Fall shoe shopping. While boots are arguably their own category entirely – I particularly love Fall flats and heels. Suede, croc, plaid… bows, pearls, feathers! All you need is a great pair of shoes + jeans and a sweater and you’ve got a fall look. While a truly can’t pick a favorite out of this line-up.. a few highlights below:
These blue croc slingbacks feel both classic and modern at the same time. Code STEELE15 gets you 15% off your order. I have another pair of heels from this brand and they’re truly comfortable.
Plaid is always a win for fall, even better in the form of loafers.
Ballet flats are back in a big way this fall (although I never think they’re out of style) – but this true “ballet” look with the elastic strap is particularly on trend. I love this velvet option.
Last year I coveted these Mary Jane heels and then missed them when they sold-out. They’re back this year and I’m scooping them up.
Chunky loafers are having a moment but if you’re looking for a pair that feels on trend but still wearable and classic – these would be my top pick, in chic black patent with tassels and horsebit hardware.
This brand is definitely an investment, but if you’re adding a staple to your wardrobe I can’t recommend the ‘perfect pumps’ enough. Impeccable quality and truly built for comfort. I have the black suede version, but this chocolate croc pair would be my next pick. Code: SARAHFLINT-BASTEELE gets you $50 off your first order.
I love this brand for really unique shoes – case in point, this croc heeled loafer pair.
Clogs are having a major moment. This classic suede pair would look great for everyday.
Feathers! I just found the most incredible pair of secondhand feather Manolo Blahniks for an absolute steal on The Real Real.. but if you want to get in on the moment but don’t want the hunt, these mules look great.
These red ballet mules deserve a trip to Paris! This New York based brand is my go to for chic flats. Code: STEELE10 gets you 10% off.
If you’ve got Fall weddings or events – these strappy pearl heels would be so chic. Wear them straight through the holidays.
This is always the time of year when I start reallyyy craving fall fashion. But realistically? It’s still breaking 90 degrees most days in the city and truly crisp days are still a month or two away. So the key here is finding transitional pieces that will bridge the gap. Here – a few things I’ve picked up lately plus a few more that I’ve got my eye on.
Since getting back from our trip to Paris I’ve been slightly overwhelmed with wanting to share it all.. but not knowing where to start. So I finally figured – how about with the fashion? Some of these pieces I bought specifically with Paris in mind, but they’re just pieces for my “forever wardrobe” and thought would be fun to debut there. They each feel like they have a bit of a story and definitely have a few more to tell after coming on this trip with me. As always, I’m a sentimental shopper at heart. Below – everything I wore in Paris. In no particular order.
I changed into this as soon as we landed for a late lunch and stroll for pastries. I love this outfit as it feels very ‘New York meets Paris’ to me and definitely plan to repeat it often now that I’m home. The jeans are a rigid, high waist (I cuffed them under so they hit at my ankle bone) but they break in beautifully and the white tee is my new favorite. I plan to buy in multiples. The sunglasses – which you’ll see in a lot of these photos – are prescription, which is why they’re basically now the only pair I wear.
This was in Versailles. I wanted an outfit that was equal parts Marie Antoinette at the Palace, Marie Antoinette at Petite Trianon and Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette – hence the Converse. I realize this is a very specific reference, but I studied Fashion History as a part of my college courses and so, this stuff thrills me. I ended up in this corset-like floral top, a slouchy sweater, big eyelet midi skirt and aforementioned Converse. It was a good outfit for the 7-8 miles we ended up walking there.
A pre-dinner walk along the Seine. The same jeans and tee as before, just swapped the jacket and the shoes for the Chanel look-a-likes.. until I can work up the nerve (and the savings account) to spring for the real deal. Grabbed this glossy little chain strap bag and a pair of hoops to finish it off.
This dress was the first thing I bought after our flights were booked. Pink, tweed, mod. Just so much fun. I wore it out and about on my birthday with a black leather backpack I’ve had (and been traveling with for years) and the same black slingbacks with a walkable block heel.
This is a little bit bold for me but I wanted something that felt sort of YSL/seventies glam for my birthday dinner and ended up really falling in love with this fuchsia draped dress. It’s by a designer that I wasn’t familiar with but after eyeing it on The Outnet (Net a Porter’s designer discount site) – I finally got it when it went on extra sale. Paired with chunky gold platform sandals and swinging disco ball earrings.
On our last day in Paris we went straight to the (fashion) source. 31 Rue Cambon.. aka Chanel’s Flagship since 1918 when Coco herself took over the space. I’m not sure that I fooled anyone inside Chanel that I belonged.. but I had fun pretending. I’ve had this dress in my closet for a few years now, but I found a similar option here. Paired with ladylike extras – a tweed jacket, top handle bag and silk grosgrain headband.
So many of the French girls I saw in Paris were wearing midi dresses and high top Converse. This outfit was the closest I got to feeling like one of them. The straw bag was a birthday gift from Adam I found in French boutique Sussan Shokranian – all hand-embroidered in Paris!
Baby’s first Blahniks! These Manolo Blahnik embroidered heels were a birthday present to myself. When I saw them on The Real Real a few months ago in pristine condition, in my size, for an absolute song – I knew it was fate. I pictured wearing them at this exact location with a super menswear inspired look. In style serendipity, I found this double-breasted jacquard vest at a Pearl by Lela Rose sample sale in April. And then I dug out a pair of black shorts I’d had since I was honestly 22 years old and grabbed an oversized button down shirt and chunky gold link necklace. This look is all the things I love about fashion – mixing high and low. Playing with texture and proportion. Old pieces paired with newer ones. It’s one of my all time favorite outfits.
A very sweet little date night look, worn on our second night in Paris. The dress has since sold-out so I’m linking a few similar options. Paired with that top handle bag and black slingbacks.
Excuse the grainy photo here, but this was the view from our AirBnB bedroom window! And I was just waking up! In Paris! Loved this little travel pajama set that came with a matching robe. It’s super soft and packed up nice and small.
I wore this on a Seine boat cruise and then on to dinner. The top was another Pearl by Lela Rose sample sale find (I really lucked out there!) paired with a super cheap midi skirt, ordered last minute when I couldn’t find quite the right thing to pair with that top. For what it’s worth – the quality and fit were pretty decent. Paired with these gold platforms again which were so comfy and a vintage YSL bag.
How could I not end on this?! I saw this dress last December (part of an exclusive collaboration between Nicola Bathie and Antonio Melani and was swooning over it) – but had no occasion to wear it and no excuse to pay full price. I thought of it by chance last month and took a quick search on Poshmark.. only to find one, new with tags, in my size for a quarter of the original price. More style serendipity! It was so much fun to wear for midnight drinks at Bar Hemingway inside the Ritz. When else can you be that over the top?! Paired with my favorite (and truly comfortable) black Perfect Pumps from Sarah Flint. Code: SARAHFLINT-BASTEELE gets you $50 off your first order.
