Monday, February 29, 2016

"Real Life is for March"

I was so close to going to bed tonight (ie. last night) without writing a post. I was watching the Leo win his first Oscar while snacking, and definitely less than motivated to generate a stellar piece of blog content.  Then I realized that if I didn't post anything today, I wouldn't be able to have a leap day post for another four years. -- an unnecessarily anxiety ridden thought and absolutely poor planning on my part. Does it really matter? Probably not. Am I writing this post anyway? Yes. 
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And so, I have two things I would like to tell you today in this incredibly short and last minute post. 

First, you should definitely watch the 30 Rock leap day episode to celebrate. It's ridiculous and amazing, and you shouldn't live your life without knowing who Leap Day William is. There's a clip below, but you can find the whole episode on instant Netflix. 

Monday, February 22, 2016

Spring in the Air and in my Step

If you were in New York City and didn't spend time outside this weekend, you missed out! Saturday's weather had me seriously reassessing whether my doubt in Punxsutawney Phil is misplaced, because oh. my. gosh. was it beautiful outside! To celebrate, my friend Caroline and I grabbed a fantastic brunch at the Upsider (obvi 'grammed it) and then headed to the Upper East Side for a stroll around a gorgeous and sunny Central Park. 


Even though the weather is screaming spring, I can't bring myself to dress in full on spring fashion in February. That's why today, I'm sharing what I consider a "winter to spring transition" look. 

I chose to wear dark jeans and my favorite new jacket from Zara (I'm obsessed with the cut), but with some unmissable pops of spring fun and color-- like my light blue nails that somehow didn't make it into the photos - whoops!


A day warm enough for no socks is always a good day. I'm currently beyond crushing on these shoes from Aerosoles. Not only are they adorable, incredibly comfortable and perfect for spring, but they're also a complete steal at 50% off! (insert girl with arms up emoji here).


I'm all about the natural eye / bold lip combo, and this bright neon pink is certainly bold. A departure from my favorite winter red is one of my go to ways to welcome a new season. The best part is that this color is actually a lip stain, so it's guaranteed to stay all day. 

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Ditch the Dressing Room Stress

I am 100% guilty of going into full on meltdown mode in a dressing room. Nothing is more stressful than harsh lighting, a mirror that highlights every flaw and a tiny room hardly big enough for breathing, let alone trying on clothes. It's even more of a nightmare if you're shopping with purpose, ie you need to find an outfit for that dinner tomorrow night


Recently, these awful experiences have become fewer and further between for me, because after years of making the same mistakes over and over, I finally started to get serious about having consistent dressing room success.  
"Care to share your tips?" you may ask. -- Obviously! Who doesn't love sharing secrets?

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

A Bedroom Bar Cart

Over two years ago, my mother talked a very impulsive Natalie out of buying a bar cart on clearance. It was in Target and gold and wooden and gorgeous. Not to mention, I had birthday money burning a hole in my pocket. 

"You don't even have a real apartment!" I remember her saying, and I did NOT want to hear it -- I was in love and the deal was just so good. Ultimately, she talked me out of the purchase, and although she was a 100% right (I had no need for a bar cart at that point in my life), I loved to torture her with the constant reminder: she was the reason I didn't own the bar cart of my dreams. 


Fast forward to this past December when I was shocked to find the most incredible bar cart under the tree on Christmas morning. It was a gift from my amazing parents, and it was leaps and bounds more beautiful than the one on clearance. 

I couldn't wait to get it back to Astoria to style!

Side Note: God bless my magician of a father who expertly fit it into the car with all the other crap I needed to get back to my apartment. 



I decided to keep it in my room, but thought it might be beyond aggressive to have a full out bar cart of booze in my bedroom, which is why I opted to style the cart as more of an espresso station. My new espresso maker was also a Christmas present from my parents and, while I'm not applying to Starbucks anytime soon, I've have gotten pretty good at brewing a half decent latte!