Instagram Roundup :: flavors of spring

 As my Instagram profile says, I'm living colorfully in New York City! But what you may all be wondering is, what exactly does that mean? Well, for one, it means that I take pictures of basically everything (#NoShame). But two, it means that I'm constantly trying to soak in this beautiful city and experience it with all of my five senses. I'll show you what I mean...below are some of my favorite recent Instas - enjoy!   

There's just something about boyfriend jeans and sunflowers...

I cannot wait to wear this delicate tank once it gets warm enough. The fit is amazing and I can't get enough of that pleated hemline - so darling! Get your own right here.  

Statement pink pumps are the perfect way to brighten up any spring day! I wore these with cuffed girlfriend jeans and a 60s-inspired navy top. Snag these same shoes right here! 

How delicious does this spread look? Well let me tell you, it was amazing! If you're ever in New York, you have to go to The Smith. It's a total favorite of mine and many fellow New Yorkers. The best part? They have multiple locations so no matter where you are, there's one not too far out of your way. 

 Spring is all about floral! Floral dresses are a given, but a floral blazer? Now we're thinking outside the box! 

 Cheers to the weekend!...Except this was actually taken on a Sunday night - oops! In NYC it's ALWAYS a party! 

I love living by so many flower stands. This shot was snapped right before I purchased that pink bundle in the center. 

While burgundy is more of a fall/winter color, I find that by teaming it with fresh accessories and some whimsical statement pieces, it brings a new life to my spring wardrobe. 

#TheGrind

My favorite color for spring is blush. I love how it looks paired with shades of cream and gray. It's so refined yet playful! 

This lavender coat was MADE for springtime! It's the perfect topper for those chilly but not-too-chilly days. 

 Glitter flats are a super fun way to greet snowless sidewalks! 

...and the flowers are blooming again! See? I told you I take pictures of everything - even the ground is worthy! 

This olive anorak has been a spring staple of mine for over a year now. The color is perfection. 

A floral dress is given an extra dose of personality with a subtle high-low hem. I love this elegant style! 

A chambray dress can be the starting point of many-a-great outfits. I wore mine casually over the weekend here and paired it with my favorite Nikes. 

Eat clean to get ready for that bikini body! Green juice has been doing the trick for me...when I don't follow it up with a slice of cake that is ;)

 Another floral dress, because spring! But this one has a sexy back cutout. I'm telling you, it's all about those details. 

I photographed this bike in SoHo and this is not the first time I've done that. This bike is ALWAYS there. I swear, it's probably the most photographed bike in all of NYC. 

 Demonstrating my blush obsession once again. 

 In spring we get to flaunt our pedis in super chic heels! 

Invest in a fabulous pair of statement sunglasses to give all of your outfits major polish and attitude. 

For more of the good stuff don't forget to follow me on Instagram by clicking here! 

Floral With An Edge :: floral dress + black leather jacket

Floral dresses need to be given more credit. They're extremely versatile and can EASILY be styled in a rebellious, no-frills way. Just because you're wearing floral, doesn't mean you have to look overly girly and preppy - no, SIR! Welcome to the wonderful world of floral dressing 2.0: styling a floral dress to satisfy your inner badass. Intrigued yet? 

Silhouette is important. If you want to look as edgy as possible, opt for a leaner, more body-skimming frock. While fit-and-flares are fabulous, they're also majorly feminine. Try and find a floral pattern that has some contrast to it as well. For example, the black paneling on mine is unexpected and definitely adds an edge. And a high-low hemline? It doesn't get much more posh than that. 

 A black leather jacket is the key to pulling off this look. Rebels ALWAYS wear leather and it's ALWAYS black. I like to think of my leather jacket as a blazer with an attitude - don't be afraid to team it with your nicest dresses. There's truly no limit to what you can pair a leather jacket with. And if you really want to style a floral dress in a downtown way, a leather jacket is almost always required. 

 Typical black pumps are way too basic for a true badass. Choose an equally versatile pair, but one that offers a bit more spirit. These pointed-toe, ankle-strap Sam Edelmans are fierce and fresh, but chic nonetheless (ha, I just made a rhyme)! 

Stick with a streamlined, simple bag to match your jacket and heels. Let your floral dress do the talking! My crossbody has a fringey tassel attached to it too, which gives it a little more flare. And don't forget about your nails - my bright purple polish is its own kind of accessory!

I'm not into hoop earrings (totally nothing wrong with them, it's just a personal taste thing), so when I want to make a statement with my ear jewels, I turn to these guys - pretty much every time. They're loud but not obnoxious. And let's be real, pearls or dainty diamond studs don't exactly scream "edgy." Use your accessories to offset the sweet femininity of your floral dress. 

Using one of my very favorite eyeshadow palettes (you can find it here), I gave myself a deep bronzey look. A black smokey eye would have been way overkill in addition to my look-at-me lips. And a poppy pink lipstick was just too fun to pass up for this rockstar look! 

Case in point: a sleek dress with slightly edgy accents comes full circle when a leather jacket gets thrown into the mix. Add matching black accessories that posses a "wow" factor, and polish it off with an electric lip. BAM - a floral frock with a major 'tude. And in fashion, attitude is something we STRIVE for. 

Photos by Ryan Kathleen Greene

[dress: Ann Taylor (old, but I also like this one) // jacket: Guess (similar here) // heels: Sam Edelman // clutch: Ann Taylor (similar here) // earrings: Ann Taylor (I also like this pair) // eyeshadow: Innerstellar palette by Kat Von D // lipstick: CK One (similar choice here) 

Since spring is THE season for florals, I thought it was only appropriate to showcase one of my favorite, unexpected ways to sport a traditionally one-dimensional type of dress. It's super easy to give yourself a badass makeover, and from personal experience I can also say it's pretty empowering! I wore this look to the Women's Transformative Leadership Forum dinner here in NYC, and it gave me all the confidence I needed to strut into a room full of women professionals. 

When it comes to fashion, the glorious thing is, you don't HAVE to choose between edgy and girly in one day, with one look. A floral dress can effortlessly give you the best of BOTH worlds. 

 SHOP :: 

Spring Statement :: blush coat + navy striped skirt + round sunglasses

Back at it again in blush because springtime! But with this look I'm rocking hues of pink from head to toe - making a springy statement that's both bold, feminine, and incredibly stylish. And honestly, there's really no other way about it, when it comes to owning the season, you've got to be both daring and creative. Let me show you what I mean...

The jacket is back! Yes, you could definitely call this light pink beauty my favorite spring staple of the moment. For a more casual look, check out how I styled it here. But this time I decided to incorporate it into a more sophisticated outfit, an outfit that you just don't wear to work - you dominate the board meeting in; an outfit you don't just wear to Sunday brunch - you get photographed on the street in. See, a killer top layer like this one can effortlessly pull your entire look together - sometimes color coordinating to an absurd degree is beyond worth it! 

Is it just me or have stripes been EVERYWHERE lately? I love how modernly bold this pencil skirt is and its vertical stripes make it fresh and completely flattering. I also couldn't get over its unexpected color combination. Navy, burgundy, blush, and white are all such key colors in my wardrobe but I never imagined wearing them all together. Thanks to this skirt I'm now making magic happen! 

This little crop tank is a dream come true for people like me who HATE tucking their shirts in. Am I alone in the struggle of making a tucked-in shirt look polished and professional all day long? This top, which also comes in black and peach, is a lifesaver as it has the appearance of being tucked in without the discomfort and annoyance. Brilliant, huh? 

Opting for color-blocked heels gives my spring look a unique vibe. This Sam Edelman pair is a fast favorite of mine as they make any outfit look perfectly on-point. 

Tying everything together, my necklace once again serves to complete my outfit. From my jacket to my skirt to my necklace, my entire look revolves around a rose quartz hue - and why shouldn't it? It IS one of the Pantone colors of the year! 

Retro sunglasses in a fresh color like dusty mint are a fabulous compliment to such a structured, modern ensemble. They add attitude and a total glam effect. In short, they're my secret weapon to throwing off preppy looks in the chicest way possible and making them more street worthy. 

Pink pearl studs accent the warm glow of my entire outfit. While white could have worked just fine, it's this rosy hue that adds consistency to my overall look - it's all in the details, right? 

Even my makeup was centered around this light pink theme - are we sensing a pattern yet? I used Urban Decay's Naked 3 palette to dust my lids with shades of rose gold while I swiped a berry pink stain across my lips. I love how my eyeshadow picks up the flecks of pink from my outfit and reflects an overall rosy hue onto my face. 

To create a statement-worthy look for spring, concentrate on a theme. For me, that theme was a color, more specifically the color blush (aka rose quartz, light pink, cotton candy, etc). I threw splashes in of this shade wherever I could and then mixed it with complimentary colors and polished accessories. Pastels work wonders during this season and pairing them with a jewel tone like navy is unexpected and impactful - yay creativity! 

Photos by Ryan Kathleen Greene 

[jacket: Ann Taylor // skirt: Ann Taylor // tank: Ann Taylor // heels: Sam Edelman (all nude here) // necklace: Kenneth Jay Lane (gold option here) // sunglasses: The Row // earrings: fine jewelry // amethyst bangle: David Yurman // heart tag bracelet: Tiffany & Co. // watch: Fossil // cuff: Ted Baker // lipstick: Bite Beauty // eyeshadow: Naked 3 palette by Urban Decay]

As I welcome spring in one of my favorite looks to date, I just hope that cold weather truly IS gone for good. After all, here in NYC it literally snowed on the first day of the season - talk about a sick joke, right? Wearing skirts, bare legs, and pretty pastels has been a longtime coming and I'm just loving this winning combo that incorporates all three. Let's hear it for spring! 

 SHOP ::