As told by Jessica Steele. Based in NYC.
My best friend from New York is coming in to town for the weekend and I couldn’t be more excited. Now, all that stands between me and a laughter filled weekend of staying up late talking, eating good food (that’s probably bad for you), shopping and running around LA is an 8 hour work day. Hope you have plans that you’re just as eager to get to. Happy Friday!
(H&M Sweater – similar here; Urban Outfitters Vest, Necklace from boutique in Austin, TX; Madewell Jeans – similar here on sale!; DV by Dolce Vita Boots – similar here)I’m not sure if it was the military style vest or the abstract printed denim, or the ankle boots that matched the sidewalk, but I felt like I was dressed in urban camo once I left the house dressed in this. (Editor’s Note: The term ‘urban camo’ makes me think of that incredibly unsightly snow leopard colored camouflage.. so I took some liberties and named this post ‘Chameleon Cool’ instead)…
This vest (last seen here), though a little bit more rugged than my usual style has pretty much carried me through the Southern California winter. It’s the perfect layering piece to add a bit of warmth without a lot of bulk. And these printed jeans, while I originally thought may be too crazy, have proved surprisingly versatile. I wear them like they’re regular jeans, paired with t-shirts, sweaters, and chambray – they work just the same. I wore this look for a morning of flea market shopping (which if you follow me on instagram, you’d know proved to be quite a successful day) until the winter sun turned too warm and I had to change. The life of a chameleon.. I mean blogger.
(Him: Pac Sun Shirt; J.Crew Factory Jeans; Marc by Marc Jacobs socks – similar here; Aldo Sneakers) (Her: Topshop Shirt; Madewell Skirt; H&M Bag; Zara Heels)
Almost as soon as we moved in to our current townhouse, I knew I wanted to create some sort of art using the Instagram photos I had taken along our cross country road trip this past summer. Not only are they graphic and colorful, but each photo reminds us of where we came from and the journey it took to get us where we are today. So, armed with this inspiration from blog ‘A Beautiful Mess’, the boy and I set about creating our own Instagram Wall Art…The entire project ended up being easy and affordable (the best kind of DIY, right?). To save money we printed the Instagram photos ourselves on heavy photo paper at Staples rather then ordering prints (added bonus, they have super sharp paper cutters available for free use at Staples). The only initial hang up was finding the metal alligator clips – but in the end, Ikea pulled through on these. Everything else was found easily at Home Depot. The results are exactly as I imagined and I couldn’t be happier. It’s only been hanging a few nights and already several dinner conversations have turned to a particular picture and laughing about the memories that photo holds. (Follow me on Instagram to get a closer look at these photos and many more!)
This is always the time of year that my motivation (and general gusto) starts to wane. You started off the year strong with resolutions (see mine here) but Spring still hasn’t fully arrived and let’s not even discuss how long it is until the next paid work holiday…
You need to find a way to Spring Forward. While the time change this upcoming weekend will certainly help (longer days always urge me to do a little more with the hours at hand), here are a few more suggestions to kick start your March.
Nest: Scent has incredible ties to memory and emotions – and nothing evokes Spring to me like the smell of fresh flowers. Fake it by treating yourself to a pretty new candle to burn in the morning while you’re getting ready to face the day.
Dressed: By the end of most winters in New York, the sight of my own camel colored wool coat and daily black tights caused me borderline emotional distress. Even here in sunny California, my ‘winter’ wardrobe doesn’t always consist of the brightest of colors. This peplum blouse in a perk me up coral is a welcome departure from my daily dresses.
The Rest: I find after a long day (or long winter) it’s the little things that rejuvenate me. Reaching out to a friend you haven’t talked to in a few weeks. Or changing around a vignette on a bookshelf that feels a little blah. These Paris vs. New York postcards would be perfect for both.
