Fashion, Travel & Lifestyle. – Page 237 – As told by Jessica Steele. Based in NYC.

June 6, 2013March 7, 2015

Golden State of Mind.

(J.Crew Factory Yellow Sweater; J.Crew Factory Leather Belt – similar here; Forever 21 Skirt – cute option here; Steve Madden Wedges – similar here)

Apparently, there is such a thing as “June Gloom” in Southern California, in which for roughly a month’s span gloomy days plague the usually sunshine cast region. So far this has only seemed to mean slightly overcast mornings giving way to sunny, clear afternoons. But just in case things start to take a turn for the worse – I’m preparing in advance by wearing my own sunshine…

I find myself reaching for brighter outfits like these on days when the work week feels endless, the weather looks uncooperative, or any other time where I need to make my own sunshine. It’s difficult to feel blue when you’re wearing the brightest of yellows and a sweet little citrus print skirt. And “June Gloom” or not, living in California these past 9 months really has made me want to wear brighter, cheerier things (I’m pretty sure this outfit would blind passerby in New York who perpetually seem to want to wear black). Maybe sunny is just a state of mind?

June 5, 2013March 7, 2015

Drawer Shelves.

As promised, today I’m showing you my favorite DIY home project from this past weekend. I’d been itching to finish up our gallery wall and wanted something that would have a big impact but would be easy on our budget. And then suddenly, these old desk drawers were left for dead outside of our apartment. Trash you say? Treasure I say…

I promptly nabbed the two most shallow desk drawers and knew immediately I wanted to use them as thin ledge type shelves for the wall. I also knew I wanted to use the same stain we had used for our mantle and bookshelves to further tie the room together. From there, the book pages lining was inspired by the idea that if you pulled open a vintage desk drawer you may find old letters inside (to that end I used an old paperback book made up of letters author Sylvia Plath had written home – plus, it only cost me $1 at a local thrift store). A few coats of mod podge and these gems were done. I usually am fairly pleased with my DIY’s, but I have to tell you I really love these things. They make this gallery wall complete and also are the perfect depth for holding my mini succulents and a few favorite postcards picked up along my travels. Also, I love that this project could be customized for any decor – how about painting the inside neon yellow with more modern decor? Or lining them with fabric? Go crazy.

June 4, 2013March 7, 2015

Something Blue.

(Topshop Dress – similar here; H&M shoes – similar here; West Elm Vases; Marfa Prada Print – my own photograph based on this original)

I thought I’d give you all a closer look at that mantle I’ve been talking so much about for the past few days and also show you what I wore to the shower I hosted this past weekend…

To start – the mantle is perfect. Simple, streamlined, and exactly what I was hoping for. Just a piece of wood we picked up at Home Depot, stained to match our nearby bookshelves and mounted on brackets we spray painted black. And by we, here I clearly mean him. This wonder boy also happens to be the one behind the lens on all my photos, and the one who bought me the dress I’m wearing here (honestly, he’s that good). And let’s talk about this dress. If I could have girlfriends over for tea in the 1940’s this is exactly the dress I would wear. However, since I can’t exactly turn back time, I wore it for this weekend’s bridal shower. And while I’d never try and steal the bride to be’s thunder by wearing all white – I refuse to think she has a hold on all “something’s blue”. So I wore these little blue suede shoes for a fun finishing touch (and also because when you dance around your apartment to Elvis records – you do him justice and wear blue suede shoes).

June 3, 2013March 7, 2015

Bride to Be.

(Nest: Etsy Ring Plate; 2. Dressed: Kate Spade earrings; 3. The Rest: BHLDN book)

Wedding season is in full swing (not only did I help out with a friend’s bridal shower this past weekend, but I’m also currently acting as the Maid of Honor for my sister as she plans her wedding for next year). Which got me thinking a little bit about bridal gifts…

There’s two schools of thought on this matter – one that says a shower gift should stick safely to the registry, and the other that says be thoughtful and do something creative for the bride to be. My advice? A careful balance. Don’t pretend like you know what a couple needs more than they do (after all, that’s why they bothered to register), and certainly don’t try and inflict your own taste on them. However, I do think that you can have a little fun with things. Say, send the bride a sweet small engagement gift and then stick to the registry for the shower. Or pair something from the registry with an extra add on. Here, a few options…

1. Nest: Let the couple do their own decorating. Nothing is worse than having them feel like they need to pull out that vase you got them every time you come over for dinner. But how about buying those bathroom towels off the registry and then adding in a personalized ring dish she can sit by the sink to hold her wedding band?

2. Dressed: It’s easy to get swept up in the wedding plans, but a simple reminder that soon she’ll be a Mrs. is such a sweet touch. I’d like to see a bride wear these pretty gold stud earrings with a crisp white shift dress as she departs for her honeymoon.

3. The Rest: And sometimes, the bride just needs a good laugh. A book commemorating all of the bad bridesmaids dresses throughout history (and titled with that famous line “You Can Wear it Again”) would be a perfect stress relieving gift to send her in the weeks before the wedding.

June 3, 2013March 7, 2015

Weekend Flashback.

The Steele Maiden: Weekend Flashback And just like that, it’s June. And May definitely went out with some excitement. On Friday, I was featured on the Ruche blog as a part of their Style Files. As a brand that I’m a huge fan of, and amongst some seriously inspiring bloggers, this was a huge honor and a big moment in this little blog’s history. The rest of the weekend was spent working on a few DIY home projects (the mantle is finished and I am completely loving it), and then playing hostess to a small bridal shower for a friend. Check back this week to see a full step by step on my favorite project from the weekend. And in case you’re planning a summer getaway – my travel archives are now up and running!