Fashion, Travel & Lifestyle. – Page 241 – As told by Jessica Steele. Based in NYC.

May 7, 2013March 7, 2015

Three Way Tie: Red Printed Dress.

The Steele Maiden - Three Way Tie - Madewell Red Printed Dress

(Madewell Dress; Desk – Urban Outfitters Blazer – similar here, Kenneth Cole Heels – similar here, Vintage Belt and Bag; Date – Banana Republic Cuff – similar here, Vintage Bag, Zara Heels; Day Off – Target Sunglasses, Vintage Blouse, Kate Spade Wallet, Ruche Wedges)

I’ve had my eye on this Madewell Dress from the first moment I spotted it in stores. And when it went on sale, and then the sale went on sale.. well, I needed little convincing. Airy, silky, pretty enough for days but punchy enough for nights – I instantly knew I would get tons of wear out of this little number…

Here, how I’d style the dress for my most common three occasions:

Desk: For work, I offset the flowiness of the dress with more structured pieces – a slightly wider belt, solid stacked heels and a fitted blazer. The look ends up being bright and cheery, but not over the top, for a day at the office.

Date: The dress really makes the statement here so I kept all other accessories minimal and sleek. Thin gold hoops, a skinny belt and the slickest of black stilettos make the dress feel appropriate for a night out with the boy.

Day Off: For a weekend look, I tossed on a vintage blouse for a bit more coverage and tied it up in place of a belt for added comfort. A polka dot wallet, oversized sunglasses and walkable wedges and I’m out the door for errands, brunch.. anything.

PS – The title ‘Three Way Tie’ is based on my golden rule of shopping – be sure you can wear an item in at least three different ways before buying it. I’m hoping to bring this in as a more regular feature going forward. Hope you like it!

May 6, 2013March 7, 2015

Thanks Mom.

Mothers-Day-Gift-Guide-Look-for-Less-CWonder-Target-Sephora-Bare-Minerals

(1. C.Wonder Cutting Board; 2. Target Trench Coat; 3. Bare Minerals MakeUp Kit)

In case Hallmark hasn’t yet reminded you, Mother’s Day is less than a week away! And no matter what your budget, you can’t argue that Mom deserves a little something to say thanks…

You’ve still got time before Sunday, so here are a few affordable options.

Nest: Doesn’t it always taste better when Mom makes it? This cutting board from C.Wonder explains just the reason why. Both practical and sweetly sentimental I love the idea of presenting this gift with a side of fancy cheeses, crackers and spreads.

Dressed: A wardrobe workhorse, classic trenches will never go out of style. This version from Target is made extra special with a floral print that screams Spring and will last her much longer than those grocery store flowers you were considering. Or, go all out and pair it with a matching bouquet!

The Rest: Moms are famous for forgetting to take the extra time to pamper themselves – but they deserve it the most. Kick things off for her with this Bare Minerals starter kit which you can customize to match her skin tone. Because Mom should feel as pretty on the outside as she is on the inside.

May 2, 2013March 7, 2015

Colorful Clutch.

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I’ve been loving the look of brightly colored clutches in stores and online lately and when I spotted this beaded number at Zara I had the idea to just make my own. The original clutch I’ve had for years and while I had bought it with the thought that a black and gold clutch would prove useful, I never ended up carrying it much. But the DIYed beaded version? I’m thinking it’s going to be coming with me on all sorts of colorful adventures this summer…
I picked up the beads, sequins and rope trims at Michaels and the entire project took less than an hour. It’s not perfect, but it was a simple fix up that is bound to spice up a white cotton dress for running around town, or a little black dress for date nights.

May 1, 2013March 7, 2015

A World of Color.

Color-Travel-Barcelona-Spain-spanish-architecture-Gaudi-live-colorfully

One of my favorite things about traveling is getting to absorb the unique sights and colors of a new place. Out of all the places that I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to, I will always remember Barcelona as being one of the most colorful. Between the open markets and street style, and the striking architecture of Gaudi (if you haven’t heard of him, look him up, his work is like a surrealist dream come to life), the entire city just seemed alive with color. Bright and almost magical in it’s saturation. And until you get the chance to visit Barcelona for yourself, find a bit of extra color in your own city. I promise, it’s worth looking for.

April 30, 2013March 7, 2015

A New Hue.

color-summer-trends-gingham-dress-Tulle4us-tulle-dooney&bourke-vintage-purple

(Target Sunglasses; Tulle Dress – old, I like this yellow option; Vintage Dooney & Bourke bag; Random Floral Sneakers – I love these)

Purple has never really been my color. Light purple always just seemed too sweet and dark purple shades never seemed as practical as navy or black to me…

I picked this dress up at my company’s sample sale last December, and finally decided to give purple a whirl. You know what? I kind of loved it! It felt Spring-y and youthful in a way that my faithful old blue printed dresses just don’t achieve. The shape and print of the dress are totally something I would regularly wear, but it’s incredible how interjecting a new hue freshened my whole look up. And speaking of color, how amazing is this purple wall? LA is full of stand out, painted for no particular reason, saturated walls and they do wonders to add color to my everyday life.

P.S. Is there a hue that you’ve always been hesitant to try? I’d love to hear, and maybe even offer a suggestion on how you might work it into your wardrobe!