Fashion, Travel & Lifestyle. – Page 61 – As told by Jessica Steele. Based in NYC.

January 12, 2018January 11, 2018

PASTEL WINTER ACCESSORIES UNDER $50

Well helloooo there Friday! The first full 5-day week back at work in 2018 and it passed by in a blur of 10 hour days at my desk… anyone else? Needless to say I’m ready for the weekend.

Likewise, I’m ready for ways to dress up my boring black and grey winter coats. And now that the glitz of the holidays has faded, pastel winter accessories feel like a fresh way to do that. I’m especially into the touches of velvet, hits of lavender/baby blue and fun hats (as evidenced in the above photo). Oh – and everything is under $50 because after December’s indulgences – January is a month that, I think we all can agree, was made for healthy eating and minimal spending.

SHOP THE STORY

January 8, 2018January 7, 2018

CASUAL WINTER LAYERS

Last week, as we entered a new year – I took a quick poll on my Instagram Stories to hear what you wanted to see more of on the blog in 2018. And one of the things you all resoundingly agreed on was budget-friendly looks and casual style. I get it – a frilly dress is fun and all, but when it’s freezing cold and you’ve got to go run errands, all you really want to see are ideas of how to look reasonably cute while staying warm. So for my first new outfit post of the year I’m sticking to price-concious, casual winter layers. And I plan on bringing you lots more where this came from in the new year.

SHOP THE STORY

This outfit is exactly the type of thing that to me – makes winter dressing a little bit more fun. I’ve got lots of layers on (including tights under my overalls to be sure my legs didn’t get too cold), but the mix of textures and pattern saves it from feeling boring. I originally got this floral puffer jacket back in the Fall (see how I first wore it here), but with the addition of a thin striped turtleneck, thick sweater and these overalls – it stands up pretty well to much colder temps. It’s good to find ways to shop your own closet across seasons. Plus, I’m already sick of my black puffer jacket this winter and we’re only 1 week into January.

SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave

January 5, 2018

8 ITEMS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE IN 2018

I give you – 8 items that will change your life in 2018. Okay, okay – so ‘change you life’ may be a bit dramatic. But I honestly think they all changed mine for the better. And I really believe in surrounding yourself with things that simplify and streamline your life whenever possible and these items do just that. In the chance that you may not be familiar with all of these, I wanted to share. Here’s to living our best lives in 2018.

Tripod & Timer – Even if you’re not a blogger, I can’t tell you how many times we’ve tried to get group shots at family gatherings or a quick snap of Adam and I when we’re traveling and this would have come in handy.
Google Home – I’m not a huge tech person and never gave the term ‘smart home’ much of a thought. Until we were sent a Google Home to try. For the simple fact alone that I can ask it the current weather every morning before I walk to work and tell it to turn on the TV and play a specific show on Netflix – it’s worth having to me.
Quip Toothbrush – I hate the look of regular, neon plastic toothbrushes in our otherwise, neutral bathroom but had never considered going electric. My friends at Azione PR sent me this Quip Toothbrush to try and not only does it look SO much better sitting in my bathroom – but it’s quite honestly the cleanest my teeth have ever felt without going to the dentist. Which is kind of startling. Safe to say I actually look forward to my twice daily brushing now.
The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin – If you only get one thing from this list – get this. Gretchin Rubin is the best-selling author of The Happiness Project which I read nearly 10 years ago and also has a podcast called ‘Happier’ that I highly recommend. But it’s her personality theory called ‘The Four Tendencies’ that changed my life. Basically everyone falls into one of four categories (I’m a classic Upholder while Adam is a by the book Questioner) and once you understand that it makes it SO much easier to understand yourself and those you have close relationships with (boyfriend, boss, etc.) and improve those relationships. For example – I no longer feel frustrated when Adam isn’t quick to make a decision. As a questioner he is just naturally inclined to weigh all of the options SO thoroughly until he finally feels like he’s come to the very best choice (true story: he once spent nearly 2 hours on Yelp trying to find a place to eat in a small town that only had about 10 total options). But it’s who he is as a questioner. So it honestly no longer bothers me at all. In fact, I now find it actually endearing because I recognize it as something that feels innately Adam. Just think if you could do that with everyone in your life?!
Travel Steamer – Another game changer. This steamer has zero bells or whistles but it gets the job done every time. I’ve stopped using an iron all together at home and absolutely never travel without this (it’s also dual voltage so will work abroad). There’s nothing worse to me than a wrinkled dress or sweater that just screams ‘this has been stuffed in my suitcase all day!’.
Dagne Dover Neoprene Backpack – I got this at the end of last year and am so surprised by how often I’ve ended up using it. Dagne Dover is a brand I’ve loved for a few years now – their simple, classic bags are so thoughtfully organized on the inside (think slots for phone and lipstick, an extended clip for your keys so you never have to dig through the bottom of your bag again..). This neoprene backpack comes with me as a carry-on, overnight bag, gym bag and even to work when I need to pack a load like my lunch, laptop and a change of shoes.
Phone Grip/Stand – This is the one I don’t have yet but am dying to get! These little knobs stick on to the back of your phone and gives you something more to hang on to than the slippery edges of a phone and also work as a stand to prop your phone on the table if you’re watching a video or filming a hands-free IG story.
Tile App – Adam got me this for Christmas (most likely after seeing me struggle to find my keys/phone/wallet in the apartment one too many mornings). It’s an app and corresponding chip that you can attach to your keys, stick in your wallet and sync with your phone so you never lose a thing.

SaveSaveSaveSave

January 4, 2018January 3, 2018

COZY WINTER TEXTURES

Once it drops below 30 degrees I basically only want to wear things that have a fuzzy texture. And once it drops below 10 degrees I could pretty much be mistaken for a bear. These cozy winter textures (shearling, thick knits and felted wool) are all perfect for when you don’t want to get out from under your covers but have to – because you know, work and stuff.

SHOP THE STORY:

These past few days I’ve admittedly been hiding inside of my giant puffer coat – but on days when it’s a bit less frigid this wool striped coat is actually decently warm. Same goes for these shearling-lined booties. And these earmuffs are my absolute favorite thing (a souvenir from our visit to the sheep-filled English countryside – but I linked a nearly identical pair), so delightfully oversized that they just make everything feel more fun. Plus they don’t have that horrible static/flattening effect on my hair that knit hats tend to do. Win, win.

SaveSave

January 2, 2018

GOALS FOR 2018

I think resolutions get a bad rap sometimes. While I don’t really believe in sweeping notions like ‘lose 20 pounds this year and save $20,000’ I do believe in thinking about the year ahead with intent. Below, my own personal goals for 2018 and the strategic ways in which I plan to implement them. I think setting clear, actionable strategies is the step that often gets forgotten and because of it, the resolutions themselves end up being faint memories by about February. I am planning on sharing a bit on each of these throughout the year, hopefully it encourages you all to help turn your own big dreams into a reality this year!

PRIORITIZE RELATIONSHIPS:

I spend a considerable amount of my time (honestly probably like 75%) working. I have a demanding full time job, manage this blog and do freelance writing. It’s a lot. And I often allow myself to be consumed by it. This year I want to be sure that I’m creating more of a balance and prioritizing my relationships (Adam, friends and family).
Adam and I used to have Wednesday date nights, to ensure that at least one night a week I wasn’t working and we were spending quality time together. I want to reinstate those asap.
I want to better schedule my work so that I’m opening up my schedule. This means sticking to a calendar when it comes to freelance and blog work instead of squeezing that work into every free moment.
Be better about asking friends and family to spend time together. I often get so caught up in work that I forget to suggest plans and hope that others will do the leg work. I’d like to change that.

ALLOW TIME FOR LEISURE:

Which leads me to my next goal – allowing time for leisure. It sounds silly but I really don’t ever let myself have down time. And that’s reached a point where it feels unhealthy.
Give in to the urge to do nothing on occasion – whether that means a face mask and a nap or a movie marathon on the couch. I need to give myself permission to slow down and relax without guilt.
Practicing my French and playing the piano are two hobbies that I really wanted to do in 2017 and while I from time to time used the Babbel app for French lessons, I never did get around to finding a keyboard I could practice playing in our apartment. These feel like they would really be revitalizing to me though and so this year I’m determined to readjust and carve out the time to do things that I enjoy just for the fun of it.

FIND WAYS TO BE CHARITABLE:

2017 served up major reasons to donate to immediate causes (Planned Parenthood funding, hurricane relief), but in 2018 I want to find more routine ways to give back.
Ideas so far are a monthly charity that I contribute towards, donating gently used clothes/accessories and unused beauty products to local women’s shelters and volunteering my time to Girls on the Run (an organization that teaches young, underprivileged girls to run a 5k to help build confidence).

COMMIT TO HEALTH:

Return to my daily morning workouts – I feel noticeably less stressed and more balanced when I’m starting each workday with a trip to the gym.
Drink less diet coke, more water. This seems obvious.. but alas.
Go to the doctors – I’m embarrassed by how long it’s been since I’ve been to a dentist or eye doctor and that needs to change asap.
Set a bedtime – I think setting an alarm (just like I do to wake-up) that signals when I should be starting my bedtime routine would help. I find myself often getting caught up in blog work at night and before I know it, it’s 11:30PM and I’m exhausted the next day.

THINK BIG FOR THE STEELE MAIDEN:

This is a big one. For the past few years, while I’ve committed a lot of time and effort to The Steele Maiden, I haven’t done much strategic thinking about the direction I’d like to take it in the future and how I want to grow. This is the year I’ll be changing that.
I plan to introduce more personal posts this year and offer more practical advice on things like career and relationships.
Introducing video in 2018! I’ll admit, this one scares me as I don’t feel particularly comfortable in front of the camera (I honestly feel silly even talking directly to Instagram stories) – but it’s good to do things that scare you. I’m planning on sharing hair & beauty and travel videos to start.
As always, I want this to serve as a place to inspire you to have your own stylish adventures – and if there’s something you’d like to see more (or less) of in 2018 please let me know!