What I Wore in NYC
Issue 18
I’ve long dreamt of experiencing snow in New York City. And my darlings, it happened. It may have just been an occasional flurry throughout the day, but to this North Carolina gal, it was magic.
I spent a long weekend in New York celebrating one of my oldest and dearest friends who is getting married next month. We had a wonderful time and I think I may have packed my most perfect suitcase yet. Our trip was only 5 days, but I packed enough core pieces that I could have easily mixed and matched for another week. If you have a similar trip coming up and want to stick to a carry-on bag, these sorts of items & looks will serve you well:
Black never fails me when I travel. And by doing black on black, it feels even more elevated. I swapped a typical cotton sweatsuit for cashmere joggers and a crew neck cashmere sweater with just a hint of a white tee showing at the neck. Wearing a tee under my sweater keeps it fresh and clean since I re-wore it quite a bit, and I love the subtle layering.
I had my purse tucked into an empty tote bag. This is a trick I learned years ago when I’m packing in a small suitcase, especially with winter layers. On the way back, I have more bag space to bring home a treasure or two in my tote.
Note; I’ve also tucked a cotton tote into my suitcase for past trips. They roll to be tiny and you can pull it out only if you need it.
We had surprisingly mild weather our first afternoon. And I stuck to what I knew. This is one of my go-to outfits at home, and though it can be tempting to completely change my style for the sake of being fun on a trip, I’ve found over the years that I’m always happier when I pack the pieces I love and am very comfortable and confident in.
We had the most incredible dinner at Il Divo. I knew I didn’t want to give too much suitcase space to a fun look for just one night, so I opted for trousers I could wear with another outfit and a gorgeous asymmetrical bustier that rolled to be very tiny. It felt a little silly to give so much space to heels I only wore once, but the outfit deserved a fun pair of shoes and it was worth it! I felt amazing in this outfit.
*details* *details* *details*. This was my favorite look of the entire trip. And the details made it. The simplest way to elevate an outfit is by subtle accessories that play beautifully off of each other. All of my extras - the jewelry, belt, boots, and scarves were mid-tones so nothing was in competition.
The day I wore this, I found a beautiful silk scarf at a vintage store. I couldn’t resist buying it and immediately tying it bandana style (and then wrapping it back around the front and tying the ends in a knot at the base of my neck) and it brought everything together beautifully.
Don’t be afraid of a bright bag. I have a kelly-green bag that I wear more than any other bag in my closet; it somehow goes with almost every outfit. And it’s a simple way to add more fun and interest to a look. It’s become a core aspect of my personal style and something that always makes me smile.
I only packed a brown belt this trip and personally don’t mind mixing black and brown (though I know this is a contentious topic). Because this outfit was so balanced with contrast, a brown belt looked perfectly normal with my other mid and dark tones. If I was wearing a pure white sweater or my jeans were darker or lighter, the balance would have been off and a belt the same color of the shoes would have helped sync it back up.
We’ve talked about packing before when I went to Boston this past September; and I hope this further explains so many of the concepts we talked about then.
If you have any other small-suitcase packing tricks, I’d love to hear them in the comment!
Best Links of the Week
I finished this book yesterday evening and have not been this sad to be done with a book in quite a while. It’s one I wish went on and on. I miss the characters and setting already.
Athleisure has never been something I feel like myself in; but my gosh I love some soft, loungewear. This matching set is beautiful.
This light foundation has been all over the internet recently and is supposed to be excellent for dry skin (hi, hello, it’s me). I’m very curious to try it.
The neckline on this sweater is stunning.
Have you seen what the 2023 Met Gala Dress Code is?
As if ‘Only Murders in the Building’ couldn’t get better! (We’re getting Meryl Streep AND Paul Rudd for season 3!)
This week’s high: After a full five days of traveling and being with people non-stop, I spent the entire day alone on Tuesday. As an introvert, it was pure bliss. Give me a fuzzy blanket, sweet potato fries, and an episode of Survivor (I just finished season 33) and I am living my best life.
This week’s low: This has been a devastating and hard week for my extended family on both sides. I know being so cryptic is the worst, but I want to respect their privacy. We’d cherish your prayers for healing - physically and emotionally. My heart is really heavy.
You always look like the perfect look comes natural to you. Style savvy! You rock whatever the style you are wearing. Amazing!!!!!!!! Nana 🥰❤️