Scoping Out Hunter For Target

I absolutely love my Hunter boots. They are my rain boots, my snow boots, and my "I wear to music festivals with lots of mud" boots. Shoutout to Governor's Ball 2013 aka the year of the mud! From the colors to the price point, everything about this collaboration is awesome. Check it out on April 14.

These are a few of my favorite things...

Waterproof Rain Boots - $40

At this price point, you can afford to buy these boots in multiple colors, but I really like the olive color. It's a nice change from black and versatile enough to go with any outfit. Also, check out the zipper. Makes it a lot easier to get these bad boys on and off.

Thrifty/trendy tip: go with the tall boots. Not only are they great at protecting you from splashes of water if you step into a puddle, but you can also wear them on snowy days.

Bubble Umbrella - $20

Bubble umbrellas are so fun! I love the one I got from Totes, but the blue is a great pop of color, and I am a big fan of the 1-click open and close feature, that my umbrella doesn't have.

Thrifty/trendy tip: Chicago girls! These are great on windy days, because they won't flip out when you encounter a gust of wind. However, can't guarantee you won't blow away like Mary Poppins!

Outdoor Blanket - $35

It still feels like winter in New York, but I'm dreaming of warm days filled with picnics in Central Park and rose on the beach in the Hamptons. This blanket is perfect, because the stakes allow you to keep it in place and the it's water resistant so no worries if there are spills. It also makes it easy to shake off sand. Bonus is that it folds up and comes with a carrying pouch, perfect for transporting it on the subway!

Off The Shoulder - The New Shirt Trend

Last year was the summer of the crop top, and I predict this summer will be the summer of the off shoulder top. This is great for anyone that wants to show a little skin without baring their midriff or wearing something low cut. How cute does Olivia Palermo look in her top? Check out some of my favorites below...


This top is great. The vertical stripes are slimming, and I the colors feel so fresh and summery. The fabric is loose and flowy. I think this would be great for a hot summer day.

Bloomingdales - ASTR Savannah Off-The-Shoulder Stripe Top - $68

Another find from Bloomingdales that I absolutely love. This is a little bit more revealing, but nothing crazy, and still looks hot. This also gives you a little bit of the crop top look, but then there is the sheer panel so you're not showing off your abs. 

Bloomingdales - Lucy Paris Off-The-Shoulder Lace Sweetheart Top - $58

I know this isn't a top, but a girl can't have enough little black dresses in her closet. This is a great day to night transitional dress, because in the day you can wear it with a blazer, and then at night the off the shoulder makes it more fun and different than the standard LBD. Plus, this Free People dress is on sale at Nordstrom, which is always great!

Nordstrom - Free People Black Mambo Off The Shoulder Minidress - $73.50 (originally $98)

Designer Collaboration Preview - Balmain For H&M

Balmain ran one of my favorite ad campaigns this year. For those that missed out on all the buzz - they ran a series of advertisements featuring sisters. From Gigi to Bella to Kendall and Kylie. Which one was your favorite? I love everything about Gigi Hadid right now, so I'm going to pick that one. 

For those of you that love the Balmain look but are on an H&M budget, you have to check out the Balmain for H&M collection. The pieces won't hit stores until November 5th, but until then, the look book is online. Check out a few of my favorite pieces below...

I love everything about this. From the structured look of it to the pearl detail. This isn't going to keep you warm in the winter, but at least you'll look amazing!

I always think that black and white is so chic. Granted, a black and white jumpsuit is borderline jailhouse attire, but after binge watching Orange Is The New Black - who cares!

This reminds me a little bit of the plunging dress Jennifer Lopez wore to the Grammy's. You know which one I'm talking about - the Versace she wore when we still referred to her as J. Lo and when she was with Puff Daddy or P. Diddy or whatever his name is now. I can definitely see this showing up on the Christmas party/NYE party circuit.

J. Crew - Lady Day Coat Review

Rating: 8/10
Price: $378 (often on sale for much less)

It's another cold, snowy day here in NYC, and I decided to give a plug to one of my favorite coats ever - the J. Crew Lady Day Coat. The LDC is a classic style that J. Crew has been carrying for years. It's pretty pricey, but I was lucky to get a good deal on it. During the holidays J. Crew offers 30% off your order throughout most of the season, and in the winter they often have 30 - 40% off outerwear sales. Combine that with a gift card I had, and I think I paid around $200 for it. Full price is $378, but probably still worth it at that price.

Likes - This coat comes in a ton of colors. I have the color pictured above, and I constantly get compliments on it. Seriously, people have stopped me on the street to tell me how much they like the color. Other than neutrals, the colors are seasonal, so don't expect to find this year's smoky coral color next year.

I also like that this coat is super warm. Initially, I was trying to decide if my money would be better spend on a down coat, but since I'm petite, I find that down coats overwhelm my frame and make me look like a little marshmallow walking down the street. Now that I have worn it out in the freezing weather this year, I realize that it is just as warm if not warmer than a down, and I still look put together when I wear it to job interviews, cocktail parties, etc.

For reference I wore this on a day that my iPhone app claimed it felt like -7 degrees outside, and I was warm and toasty. Granted I layered up by wearing a sweater and zip-up fleece underneath but even with just a cashmere or wool sweater underneath, I am usually warm when the temp hovers around 20 degrees.

Dislikes - I've got to keep it real and admit that the LDC is not perfect. The sizing runs a little small on the regular coats, and the petite sizing seems off. I usually wear a size 0 regular, but in the petite I sized up to the 6. I probably could have done the petite 4, but there was no room for layering with that size. I also found that the waist was a lot higher on the petite and that it was snug in the armholes and hips (I am hourglass shaped).

Online only is a huge dislike of mine. Considering that this is one of their most popular coats you would think they would sell it in at least a few stores. Living in NYC has a lot of perks one being that there's usually a flagship of every major clothing store here. I'm pretty surprised that no J. Crew in Manhattan carries this. I probably ordered three of four of these in different colors and sizes to find the right one. Right now it's being offered as final sale, and I would be cautious in ordering even when consulting the size chart.

Another issue I had was with the length. It hits just below my knees which isn't particularly flattering, but I guess it's good for cold days? Finally, I had a problem with the buttons. I felt like they weren't very sturdy, and they often come undone while I'm out and about. When wearing gloves, or mittens, it can be a pain to have to button it again.

A Little Bit of Lilly In Your Life - Lilly Pulitzer for Target

For all my Lilly ladies, you must have heard about the Lilly Pulitzer for Target collaboration. For those of you who haven't heard, Target's collaboration with the preppy designer will launch April 19th. The collection will include everything from clothing for women and children to home goods.

Summer Trend - Crop Tops

If your top ain't crop, it ain't hot! Ok, I know that doesn't exactly rhyme, but I tried. One of my favorite trends this summer is the crop top. There was a debate amongst my friends on whether we're too told for the crop top, to which I quickly explained that the answer is NO. My theory is that everyone can wear them, but the length is inversely related to age. In simpler terms - the older you are, the longer the top should be (only show a tiny slit), and the younger you are, the shorter it can be.

Here are some of my favorite thrifty/trendy crop top looks...

I absolutely love this lace cropped tee from Express. To be honest, I would have bought it at the $30 full price, but at $10, it is a total steal. This is great for anyone that's a little uncomfortable about baring their midriff, and it combines floral and lace, which are too hot trends this summer. I also love that this comes in several colors.

Express - Floral Lace Crop Tee - $9.99 (originally $29.99)

This is another look I love from Express. I think crop tops are so cute when they are part of a coordinating outfit like this. Plus, the floral pattern gives it a really fun, summery look. It appears that I'm not the only fan of this look, because the top has tons of great reviews. The matching skirt is $59.90.

Express - Floral Ladder Back Crop Top - $34.90

My last pick is from Forever 21. Of course you would find tons of crop tops from there. This one is a little different, because it is long sleeved, and it is crochet, which is really pretty and lightweight. It could be cute to wear this summer somewhere that gets a little cool at night like California or in Montauk.


Forever 21 - Be Seen Open-Knit Crop Top - $9.80

What is everyone wearing these days? Stay tuned for my summer must-haves. Until then... enjoy this pic of Victoria Beckham on the August issue of Vogue. She's still so posh all these years after the Spice Girls.