Fashion, Travel & Lifestyle. – Page 55 – As told by Jessica Steele. Based in NYC.

August 4, 2018August 4, 2018

LET’S CATCH UP 8.4.18

It’s been a long time since I’ve done these end of week ‘life lately’ type of posts and I found I was really missing them as a way to share the random bits that don’t quite fit into another full post. So I’m bringing ’em back! Read and then go forth, and weekend my friends.

I lost my eyeglasses last week (that had an out of date prescription anyway) so it was high time I placed an order for a new pair. I went with these – somehow both bold and neutral at the same time? Either way I like them. And can’t wait to not be squinting at the TV anymore.
If you have Amazon Prime I can’t recommend their series Marvelous Mrs. Maisel enough. The sets, the costumes, the humor. All of it is so so good (I watched it once on my own and am re-watching season 1 now with Adam). They’re filming season 2 in New York right now and I can’t wait for it to come out.
I’ve been trying to get back into the swing of working out and found that if I do (at the bare minimum) this 15-20 minute routine (suggested by blogger Olivia Jeanette) every single day I feel pretty good. I only started last week so I’ll let you know what the results are. Basically, do 20 each of the following:
1. Push-ups
2. Bicep Curls (each side with 5-10lb weight – I use these 8lb weights)
3. Tricep Extensions (each side with 5-10 lb weight)
4. Shoulder Press (each side with 5-10lb weight)
5. Crunches
6. Leg Lifts
7. Pelvic Thrusts
8. Squats
After last weekend’s sun-soaked adventure at the lake (as you can see in the photo above) my skin really needed some loving. This Elemis superfood charged facial oil and day-time & night-time moisturizer is pricey but I see a noticeable difference in the appearance of my skin when I use it consistently.
With rain in the forecast and no plans for this weekend, I plan on jumping in to my August book club picks (sharing soon – you can see what I had on July’s list here). How cute are these floral sweatpants for lazy days at home?

August 1, 2018August 1, 2018

STEELE MAIDEN AT HOME: WHAT’S NEXT IN MY APARTMENT MAKEOVER

Ever since the Entryway reveal (full post here) I’ve been itching to tackle another home project. Since this is more of a slow burn rather than a marathon (meaning I want to carefully finish each room exactly how I want it instead of racing to finish just so I can share here or be ‘done’), I figured in the meantime I’d share a little bit more about what I’m thinking of next and things that are in the pipeline for the apartment.

Kitchen:

The obvious constraint here is that it’s a rental, meaning the cabinets and the countertop have to remain as is. But to counteract the slightly off-white counters I painted the backsplash area the same deep navy as the entryway and love how it made the whole area seem richer. I’m considering updating the drawer and cabinet pulls and the most major project is potentially adding a faux backsplash tile behind the stove. Thinking this would be tiles adhered to plywood and then attached to the wall? Something fairly non-invasive. Still scheming here but the thought of adding a pop of pattern really tempts me. Otherwise, on the hunt for a cool wall clock or piece of art to anchor the area and maybe a small rug.

Bedroom: This area is definitely a work in progress. So far the standout is this custom blue velvet headboard that my parents (and Grandmother! Hi Mom-Mom!) and I put together the last time I was home in PA. I had fallen in love with the fabric (from Calico Corners – where my Mom works) but wanted to avoid the cost of custom upholstery and didn’t want to DIY from scratch – so I purchased this inexpensive headboard from Wayfair and then simply added batting and staple gunned this fabric around it to cover. Voila!

I’m still in desperate need of small nightstand/side tables and sconces to go above and am really wanting to wallpaper the wall behind the bed as a major accent. Since, again, it’s a rental I’d need to get the owner to approve that or go the removable route. Although I can’t find any I love quite as much as this paper from Anthropologie. It feels like something you’d see in a boutique hotel somewhere near a beach – which is essentially exactly what I want the bedroom to feel like. An idyllic escape and endless summer.

Living Room: This area has probably made the least progress but I’ve got big plans. That involve some bigger ticket purchases like a couch and arm chair, finding a piece of large scale art that I love and swapping a rather clunky large bookcase for something like a console and open shelves that feel visually lighter and a fireplace renovation. Remember those kitchen tiles I mentioned? I want to build a faux hearth in front of the brick fireplace to expand it. Hoping by year’s end I’ve got these things going.

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with everything I want to do around here, but alas – Rome wasn’t built in a day. And neither is a stylish small apartment. Here’s to crossing off one thing at a time!

July 26, 2018

THE CLASSIC WHITE SHIRTDRESS

I talked about it a bit on Instagram, but I really haven’t done much shopping this Summer. Blame it on shifting all of my wardrobe budget to home goods for the new apartment instead. But the few pieces that I have bought I’ve absolutely loved. And isn’t that how it should be?

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This classic white shirtdress is something I’ve been on the hunt for since two summers ago when I bought a cheap version that was cut above the knee and promptly shrunk it to a length that no longer felt appropriate anywhere besides the beach. Oops. So I’ve been dreaming on a midi length one that has a nice weight and shape to it, fitted but not constricting and in crisp cotton eyelet. Low and behold, here it is. This one (if kept free of any ice cream spills) should last for summers to come and will never feel dated. Oh! And there are pockets! What more could you want?

Mango White Shirtdress – on sale | Talbots Gingham Slides c/o – on sale | Madewell Tote – on sale| Braided Leather Belt

July 17, 2018July 17, 2018

WHY EVERY BODY IS A BEACH BODY

For the past few years, Summer has tended to be the time when I’ve felt best about my body. My skin is sun-kissed (after an early Spring trip to someplace warm) and I’m usually in my best shape (after a Winter/Spring spent running on the treadmill and sticking to a strength training routing). And that’s not because of any number on a scale (I haven’t weighed myself in probably 2-3 years) but simply because of how I feel. It means I can keep up with a long run or hard work-out and feel strong, fast and capable. It’s a great feeling.

So what happens when life hands me a really difficult Winter/Spring and instead of working out or jetting off to someplace warm, I spend a season of life indulging in one too many beers/pasta dinners and hiding under the covers? Well, I’ll call it approximately 5 extra pounds of “emotional baggage” and not even a hint of the muscle tone that was out to play last Summer.

So that’s the beach body I’ve got this Summer. Not quite as tan or toned.. but you know what? Still my body. And it walks me to work everyday and it miraculously wards off most of the germs in this city and it’s starting to fight it’s way through runs along the river again and if I give it time it will get back to the place where I feel strong. And honestly, I don’t regret all of the beer (okay maybe one or two of ’em) or the pasta… because I think my body just needed it at that point in time. And that’s okay.

Maybe you’re growing a baby this summer (like my super-woman of a sister) or you had a similarly shit season of life and aren’t exactly in your old racing form. Let’s cut ourselves some slack. Throw on a bathing suit and go to the beach anyway. Summer only comes around once a year after all.

July 12, 2018

FLORAL MIDI DRESS IN CENTRAL PARK

There is something about Central Park in the summer that really is magic. New Yorkers bumping past tourists, picnics on the Great Lawn, entertainers buzzing through Bethesda Fountain… I love it all.

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I love that Central Park has remained virtually unchanged for the past 150 years. Meaning a century’s worth of New Yorker’s have similar summer memories. I’ll always remember Summer in Central Park like it was this past Sunday – a perfect 80 degrees, filled with the sounds of happy voices, wandering about in the most perfect floral midi dress and then pitching a blanket on the hill beside the lake (mainly so that Adam and I could laugh about the people rowing their boats backwards and bumping into one another). Speaking of this dress – I love it too and filmed ‘how to wear it 3 ways’ for IGTV. Thinking this could be a fun way to show things easily that I otherwise don’t have time to photograph quite as grandly as when the Plaza Hotel is looming in the background.