My New York Shopping Finds
I recently returned from a fabulous trip to one of my favourite cities, New York. I was fortunate to be able to spend almost 3 weeks there, and had quality time with so many friends and family members.
It's no surprise, I spend a lot of time in and out of stores locally (and online) shopping for and with clients. For that reason, I seldom do a big shop for myself. I pick up an item here and there, when needed or spotted. I'm pretty on top of my wardrobe status and needs. However, in New York when spending time with friends; we do enjoy checking out the local boutiques as well as some of the larger department stores. This naturally occurs while exploring all the neighbourhoods, putting in some major steps, and taking in the sights as we go. So, after popping in and out of shops over the course of 3 weeks, I managed to round up a nice collection for myself - which compliments my current wardrobe, lifestyle and aligned with my budget.
A reason I often pick up a few things while on holiday (time permitting), is that it results in a memory being attached to the garment and there is often the opportunity to find something unique. That being said, I never shop (or I should clarify...purchase) just to buy; I always have the points I shared recently in my: creating a smart shopping mindset post on my mind. If a garment meets up to the criteria, then I feel the purchase makes sense.
In case this is of interest to some of you, I thought I'd share what I ended up purchasing along with a little bit of the rationale as to why these items made the cut.
My friend and I stumbled upon the Everlane shop while wandering around the Nolita neighbourhood. I was excited by this discovery as Everlane is primarily an on-line retailer known for it's affordable basics and footwear options in every colour of the rainbow. She managed to pick up a couple of gems and I ended up with this dress as a take-away.
No surprise, blue always catches my eye (and matches my eye colour which means it is instantly a hue I know will flatter) and combines well with what is already in my wardrobe. This fabric is super soft and I thought it would be an easy piece to wear in the Summer with sneakers, but could also transition it into Fall with some layering pieces (either casually or for work). Instantly, I was able to dream up at least 3 ways I could style it with what was already hanging in my closet.
I am really liking the midi length, and have been trying to update some of my older dresses that are starting to feel a tad too short. I have already worn this a few times and pair with a thin belt as it gives me more shape and, when strategically placed, gives the illusion that my legs are a little longer...
Ok - so it's pretty clear I gravitate to the colour blue! Like Everlane, I was excited to check out the ModCloth showroom in Soho as ModCloth is primarily an on-line retailer and only has 2 storefronts where you can actually try on and purchase the clothing. I absolutely love ModCloth's inclusivity in terms of size range.
The day I purchased this dress it was about 100 degrees and very humid. I knew it would be easy to wear for the remainder of the trip, but would also compliment my lifestyle here at home, both casually and for work. Like the Everlane dress, I've already worn this a couple of times, and it has replaced some I passed along when I did a closet edit at the beginning of the summer.
This dress was my splurge/love-per-wear piece (though I do think it will earn its cost-per-wear over time). I have visited the Archerie boutique in Soho several times with friends over the years and absolutely love their dresses (but, until now, had yet to have purchase one!). They are more of an investment, but they are unique. The fit of this particular style works well for my body type. It was 20% off which was the deciding factor.
It's already collecting memories as I wore it to the taping of Kelly and Ryan (where we had our photo taken with the iconic and very stylish, Art Moore) and to my brother's 50th birthday dinner at Carmine's restaurant on the Upper West Side (here are my dad and I lugging home the massive leftovers that got us through an entire second dinner for 7 people - but, that's another story...).
It's probably pretty evident that I love dresses. They work well for my lifestyle, and I am a fan of the "one and done" philosophy when getting dressed!
My friend and I were in Anthropologie in the Flatiron district and she found the most adorable dress. The only drawback...we didn't like the accompanying fabric tie. Too often, they can cheapen the look of a garment. I went in search of belts for that dress and came up with a perfect, versatile brown one which she then purchased (along with the dress - I'll have to get a picture of that combo for another day...it looks fabulous!). In doing that, I also discovered this belt which I knew would work well with so many of my own dresses.
Thin belts work well on my frame as they don't take up a lot of surface area, but still define the waist. I love an elastic belt as you don't need to worry about the notches. This metallic one is neutral, yet adds subtle interest to a look. It is already well into earning its cost-per-wear.
We always end up doing a bit of an Anthropologie tour in NYC. Yes, we have stores here, but a lot of the stock we come across in New York is different. I stumbled upon this one in Rockefeller Centre with a friend. I tried it on and instantly loved it. But, it cost slightly more than I wanted to spend. I decided to keep it on my radar throughout the trip to see if I was still thinking about it. Which I was. I knew it would be good for my Fall wardrobe and serve me well for both work and casually. The sleeves are sheer and snakeskin - which is an added style element that I love. The store ended up having a 20% off sale which made me feel happier with the overall price. I ended up picking it up in Philadelphia when I did a little post-lunch shop with one of my stylist friends.
John + Jenn Pink Faux Suede Moto Jacket
A friend and I were in the Century 21 on the Upper West Side (huge designer discount shop) and I came across this jacket marked down to $60. It fits like a glove and compliments the colour palette of my wardrobe (as well as my skin tone). I can wear it in lieu of a blazer or cardigan at work, or pair it with jeans on the weekend. It will serve me well multi-season. I have a similar one in black, but seldom wear it as I find I don't gravitate to wearing black next to my face - while a great basic, it makes me look even more pale than I am!
Another friend came into town a week later and went back and bought the same jacket. Love it when you can share a fab find!
No trip to NYC would be complete without a visit to Uniqlo's flagship shop on Fifth Avenue. It's true that Uniqlo has opened here in Canada, but for some reason I seem to get to New York more frequently than I do Richmond Centre or Metrotown...
My enthusiasm for these pieces sparked me to write a post on affordable and stylish activewear last week which you can read here.
I absolutely loved this fashion exhibit at the Met. If you are going to NYC in the next couple of weeks, I highly recommend it...I went twice! I always love bringing this sort of souvenir home to enjoy the memories year-round.
I am really happy with my finds. They suit and compliment my current lifestyle/wardrobe, helped fill a few gaps - and make me smile! And found while exploring a favourite city with some very special people...all the better!
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