Weekly Round-Up: On My Radar This Week…

1. Summer go-to nail polish colors:

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One pedi in Essie’s “Peachside Babe” and I was hooked…This perfectly peachy color, in addition to “Chillato”, above, a creamy pastel yellow, will be on heavy rotation this summer.

2. Off-the-Shoulder Top Obsession:

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A huge trend from this Spring, off-the-shoulder tops and dresses are carrying through strong into summer– and I couldn’t be happier.  Its like a whole new way to show some skin without being too obvious, you know?! This top above is from Spanish retailer Mango (linked here), and is well under $100– to be paired with cutoffs, lacey skirts, printed shorts etc all summer long!

3. HILARIOUS reading material:

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We loved him as Tom on “The Office”, and after reading an excerpt from his new book in Glamour Magazine recently (which caused loud bursts of laughter and snorting on the beach), I cannot wait to pick up my (hard)copy [old school, what can I say…I like to literally turn pages…)!

4. Brunch spot to try: ABC Kitchen

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We all love this NYC spot for home decor, however, I’ve never tried their restaurant, even after living in NY my whole life.  So, its up next on my list of brunch spots to try this month…I have my eye on the mushroom toast and sweetpea soup in particular! Obvi you can’t beat the AMAZING decor and ambiance…

5. Thoughts on female relationships:

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I’ve never been one to get involved in heavy girl-drama– maybe its being a people-pleaser, a Gemini or typical middle child– for whatever reason, I try to keep the peace among my girlfriends and women in my life.  Even so, the older I get, I find it is virtually impossible to completely avoid– and sadly, it doesn’t go away with age.  I’m a teacher, and work in a school  (duh)…many people say teachers, particularly female teachers are the WORST when it comes to cattiness, rivalry, and cliques, because something about remaining in the school environment promotes the same social status and competition that drove us all nuts in actual high school and middle school (sigh).  And even though I’ve confirmed that the same petty crap goes on pretty much in all workplaces and across all walks of life, statuses, and platforms (Real Housewives or the Bachelor anyone?!), it has definitely reared its ugly head in my particular world.  So here are my thoughts on this: People, women in particular, CHOOSE, make a active choice, not to like each other.  I feel like men kind of either run in the same circles or not, and when those circles cross, they either get along, or coexist. It seems like women make a concerted effort or decision to not like certain people or groups.  This requires effort.  It is draining. Also, being nice to and getting along with lots of different groups and people is, guess what, FREE! Meaning no cost to you– wallet or ego wise.  Anthropologically, women tend to cluster in groups, or cliques, naturally– defending the nest or whatever– which is fine.  But at the end of the day, can’t our groups, or circles intersect? Can’t they open and add a link or two without damaging the integrity of the original shape? I’m pretty sure the answer is yes.  One of my personal goals is to try and promote this idea of “supporting your local girl gang” — and I encourage you guys to do the same! ❤

xo,

Christine

Mix List: Staycation Island Vibes

As a teacher, I always have mixed feelings on the last day of school– obviously I’m looking forward to this much needed summer break…but at the same time, as someone who loves being part of a school community, and someone who likes structure and routine (f0r the most part), leaving my students and coworkers who have been a part of my day for the past ten months isn’t as easy as it seems.
So what I like to do on my last day of school, to mark the beginning of SUMMER, and to ease any anxieties I might have about the freedom of the next two months, I like to create summer lists…to-do lists of small tasks (clean out car, clean out closet – again!), lists of activities I want to do (lots of bike riding, outdoor movie nights in NYC, surfing in Montauk), and of course, shopping lists!  Since we bought our house last summer, and pretty much spent our savings on it and the renovations we did, we decided not to travel anywhere special this summer…so a staycation it is for us! But just because we aren’t getting on a plane and busting out the passports doesn’t mean we can create our own “island vibes” right here at home, am I right? Thus, the theme of this Mix List…shop my favorite beachy-island inspired finds to create your very own personal summer paradise…(How cute is the beach radio?! And the Island Vibes one piece [super on trend this summer season] is already on its way to me as we speak!)
Happy staycation guys!
xo,
Christine
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Topshop ruffle dress
nordstrom.com

Mara Hoffman sleeveless romper
otteny.com

Swimming suit
shopprivateparty.com

J Crew j crew espadrille
jcrew.com

Sole Society fold over clutch
nordstrom.com

Baublebar jewelry
baublebar.com

Illesteva j crew glasses
jcrew.com

Sun Bum sun care
nordstrom.com

Essie coral nail polish in “peachside babe”
beauty.com

Ruby mint beach towel
shopbop.com

Sunnylife picnic basket
shopbop.com

SunnyLife Beach Sounds Speaker & Radio
shopbop.com

Sunnylife Inflatable Swan – White
shopbop.com

Look: Black Overalls (You need a pair. Not kidding.)

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All pictured above: Black overalls: H&M (Sold out 😦  but similar ones linked below!)
|Black Converse via Nordstrom |Striped Tee: Zara|Crossbody bag: Gucci |Sunnies: Saint Laurent via Bloomingdales (exact pair sold out, but similar linked below)
So I actually picked these black overalls up from H&M months ago, and I just never got a chance to shoot them for a post…yesterday, I wore this outfit to a friend’s house party, and even though this is the first official weekend of summer (!), it was cool and rainy in New York yesterday, so I busted out my favorite overalls outfit one last time before the oppressive heat of summer begins!
Whenever I wear my overalls, people always say to me “They look so cute on you, but I could never pull them off “– and my answer is always OF COURSE YOU CAN!!! Seriously though. Overalls are not just for kids or painters (although whenever I do wear them, male coworkers, friends, and even my husband make an inevitable “how much do you charge to paint a house?” joke…).  They are for me, and they certainly are for you too! If you are new to the overalls game, I suggest a black pair like these, because they do feel a little more “grown up” and sophisticated (lol that “sophisticated” is in the same sentence as “overalls).  I’ve worn these black ones with this striped tee and Converse many times, but I’ve also worn these with heels to dinner, black and white loafers to work; and I’m already imagining wearing them in the fall with thin sweaters underneath…
This exact pair from H&M is sold out, but below you’ll find three pairs I also like, along with the exact items I’m wearing above.
xo,
Christine
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Look: Styling a Fringe Skirt

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Black Fringe Skirt: Glamorous via Ruby and Jenna (sold out, similar linked below!)|Black silk tank: Zara|Tank Suede Lace-up heeled sandals: Zara | Marbled Leather clutch: Rebecca Minkoff| Sunnies: Saint Laurent|Earrings: Baublebar (sold out, similar here)| Gold Cuff: J. Crew

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When styling a fringe skirt, my best advice is to keep the rest of the outfit super simple.  I wore this look for a date night on Saturday and to a friend’s graduation party afterward– I decided to go with a simple silky black tank to pair with this suede fringe skirt.  The suede lace-ups kept in vibe with the hippie-ish bohemian sensibility, while the leather marbled Rebecca Minkoff clutch added a modern edge, and the crystal statement earrings from Baublebar made the outfit a definite nighttime look.  This skirt was super fun to wear since it has a lot of movement, plus, fringe brings the texture to an outfit that I crave!  Below you can find links to a few of my fringe skirt picks, as this exact skirt is sold out 😦

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#1: Zara

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#2: Zara

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#3: BCBG

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#4: Sam Edelman

Have a fringe-filled week guys!

xo,

Christine