As told by Jessica Steele. Based in NYC.
At home, I rely on a pretty basic beauty routine – but when I’m traveling I find my skin/hair/everything is put through the wringer. Airplane air, less sleep, change in diet, it all adds up and after years of arriving at my destination thinking ‘I wish I had something for…’ I finally think I’ve perfected my carry-on beauty bag. Below, what’s going to make the cut this trip and exactly why.
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IT’S HERE!! After almost 6 months of samples, swatches, and stitching I couldn’t be more excited to introduce to you all The Steele Maiden x Steele Canvas Weekender bag! I’ve been a fan of Steele Canvas ever since I first spotted their totes in J.Crew way back when.. and while it started with a connection to the shared name, once I learned about the history of their American-made brand, quality materials and timeless shapes – I was really hooked. Fast forward to this past March when the team at Steele Canvas asked if I’d like to collaborate on an exclusive new style – and here we are!
Read on for all the behind the scenes and follow me on Instagram for the chance to WIN a bag for yourself! Plus – use code STEELE10 to receive 10% off your purchase of The Weekender now through Sept. 30
Many of you may not know, but I majored in Fashion Design in college, so I was excited to roll up my sleeves and dive in to this project head first. The team at Steele Canvas were generous enough to give me pretty much free reign on the design (adding in their expert canvas and construction knowledge along the way), so after reviewing swatches and working up some first sketches, Adam and I headed straight to the source (their offices and factory outside of Boston, MA) to get a closer look.
For the design, I was inspired by vintage duffles, the history of the brand itself (founded in 1921) and my own love of weekend getaways. I chose their traditional natural duck canvas and accented it with this beautiful, already broken in brown leather. And from there I made sure to make it as functional as possible – a long adjustable shoulder strap plus handles, an outside pocket (I hate digging around for essentials like my phone and keys), plus 2 inside pockets for small accessories. And for an added touch – my signature is printed on one of the inside pockets!
Designed to fit everything you need for a few nights away from home and built Steele tough to last through every trip for years and years to come – I couldn’t be prouder of the results. And a huge, huge, HUGE thank you to the team at Steele Canvas for this opportunity! Now I want to hear – what do you think? And where would you take your Weekender bag? Here’s to your very own #steelemaidenvoyages
Happy Sunday friends! I like to spend Sundays drawing inspiration for the next week ahead and this shade of blue (as seen in the Verdon Gorge, France) feels like the quintessential hue of Summer. A color that I’ll have to symbolically wave goodbye to soon. Ahead – a few things that are helping ease that particular summertime sadness… Continue reading “5 MINUTE ESCAPE”
We may not have backyards in NYC (well, unless you’re very lucky) – but what we do have are pretty amazing parks. Washington Square Park is just a short walk away from our apartment and in the Summer one of my favorite activities is packing a picnic, soaking up the sun and watching the city pass by. Continue reading “THE PERFECT PICNIC WITH IZZE SPARKLING WATER”
One of the greatest perks of living in NYC is access to an ever-changing influx of new things to see and do. So when a friend told me about Heyday – a facial shop in the Flatiron District that would change my ‘anti-spa’ attitude.. I had to see for myself. One step into their minimal yet inviting doors and I was totally converted.
