As told by Jessica Steele. Based in NYC.
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.
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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.
I am trying to play it cool but I’m very excited to be heading out of town next weekend. Pre-pandemic (doesn’t that feel eons ago?) we had fallen into the habit of heading somewhere warm every year around this time and it really saved me from the winter doldrums that set in without fail by about mid-February. Our last trip was March 5, 2020 and I was so grateful we somehow snuck that in, but two long years later and I am absolutely in need of vitamin D, a pool and temperatures in the 80s.
Naturally I couldn’t resist picking up a few things for the occasion. While they’re technically for the trip, I know that I’ll be wearing all of these often this spring/summer. I’m especially excited about this swingy eyelet shirt dress that I’ll re-wear at the office with flats, this lace-up sweater that will be so cute with cut-offs on summer nights at the lake and these suede sandals in a walkable heel height that will go with virtually everything. And – in an effort to show restraint – just one of the books that will inevitably make it into my carry-on next weekend.
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It’s a new year.. and I feel really content to be entering it with the same ‘style’ as last year. And the year before. Of course, I’m always weeding pieces out of my closet that no longer serve me or feel quite right, and adding new items that I think will fill in the gaps. But for the most part I don’t have any gnawing new year feelings to ‘refresh my wardrobe’. And it’s a relief.
Likely a combination of age and the fact that I’ve been really conscious these past few years about honing in on what feels most like ‘me’. Which is to say a mix of classics and more modern pieces, a balance of feminine and masculine, and things largely influenced by the 90s (think Carolyn Bessette not Courtney Love) and the late 50s/ early 60s. These days I try to collect items that are ‘forever pieces’ – even if they won’t physically hold up for as long as I live, they’re items that I can see myself wearing now, and in my 50s or my 70s.
This wasn’t always the case for me though. I can vividly remember standing in front of an overstuffed closet back in 2017/2018 and thinking I had absolutely nothing to wear. If you are in the same place now, or consistently fall victim to picking up trendy items that feel great in the moment but then feel tired in a year – I feel you. My best advice to combat it is to do a major closet cleanse, keeping only the items that truly fit and bring you joy. Then make Pinterest mood boards of the styles and outfits that you think you’d feel great in. From there, slowly and thoughtfully find pieces that will work with the items you already have and push you towards those mood board looks until you can cobble your closet back together.
I started this for myself in January of 2019 and now 3 years later I can reach into my closet nearly blindfolded and put together an outfit. It’s not an overnight process but it’s one that, for me, was well worth the effort.
So if you see me in this outfit again in a year… or a decade… that’s fine by me.
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Exact handbag, jeans, and white shirt are linked above, vest is vintage and exact blazer and heels are old.
I’m short on words these days and long on to-do lists. We’re already racing our way into December and I’m finding my schedule filled nearly every day. Which is why it’s helpful to have a few festive pieces on hand that can be styled more than one way. A cardigan that works buttoned up as a fun little shift dress, or unbuttoned as a casual outfit topper fits the bill. Finish with a peppering of plaid and you’re good to go. Luckily Talbots has lots of pieces right now that feel holiday-ready yet still classic enough to easily mix and match with the things already in my closet.
Now if only I could be in two places at once I could maybe keep up with all the things on my agenda…
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P.S. This cardigan looks like it’s sold out right now but I’ve seen some stock come back in stock so keep an eye out! And if not, this one is another great option – I love the pearl buttons!
Thanks to my friends at Talbots