Spring Hiatus

As Spring continues to try and make its appearance here in New York, I continue to try and do the same right here! I must admit I have been far too in the moment to stop and write in these last couple of weeks, but encourage you to also follow my train(s) of thought over on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Above are some photos documenting what I've been up to as of late. Even though we're still grabbing a cardigan before we walk out the door in the morning, Summer is rapidly approaching, isn't it?!

I will be leaving in the coming days for a two-week adventure in China, visiting Shanghai & Beijing during my stay. I cannot wait to explore these ancient cities, climb the Great Wall, tour the Water Villages, hunt for silks, buy pearls and devour some of Shanghai's infamous vintage shops.

Until my return, I wish you the loveliest of Spring-filled days, delicious Memorial Day barbeques with your favorite people, and oodles and oodles of plentiful sunshine: both literally and figuratively!

xox JN

Photos, top to bottom: Tulips in Park Slope / Blooms at Bloomingdale's / A cheery walk through Washington Square Park / The most delicious macarons from bisousciao / Great Gatsby windows at Brooks Brothers / a Saturday afternoon stroll by Bergdorf's / My new Clarisonic Mia 2 - please tell me you're getting one! / My go-to summer handbag (the E/W Willis) from Coach / post-Devachan magic after seeing my girl, Nevilla / The easiest (and uber-delicious) dinner you must make tonight / An afternoon with my favorite girl / BFF's / Devachan magic for my mini-me / Jasmine tea at Jing Fong in Chinatown

When Trina Met a Trench

One of the things I love most about vintage & second-hand shopping is coming across a designer I adore and experiencing a piece from their collections past. This Trina Turk shirt dress was no exception! It has happily played in both my closet as well as Stylist Amy's. Now with the fall weather in full swing, the time has come for the lightweight coats to make a daily appearance - and this Coach trench fit the bill perfectly:

Shirt Dress: Trina Turk / Trench: Coach (similar here) / Belt: Coach (old) / Necklace: LOFT (old, but great alternative here) / Bracelet: Railroad Spike Cuff Bracelet by Giles & Brother / Watch: Fossil (old) / Shoes: Nine West (last season) / Nails: Armed & Ready by essie

Styled by: Amy Keller

Photographed by: James Newman

High Flying Flagg

I discovered this Edith Flagg dress while on one of my first vintage shopping adventures in Brooklyn - finding a dress so special set quite a precedent for everything since! There is nothing subtle or understated about it, which is one of the main reasons I completely adore it.

The same may be said for the woman who designed it. The Romanian-born fashion designer launched her business in 1956 in California, and was the first person to import polyester in mass quantities to the United States. She is a Holocaust survivor, speaks multiple languages, and is a philanthropist - not to mention her legacy is still going strong at the age of 93!

To say I'm proud to wear this piece is nothing short of an understatement. I only hope to glean a mere ounce of Ms. Flagg's chutzpah when I wear her handiwork ... and hope I am still actively giving back to my community when I'm 93!

Dress: vintage Edith Flagg / Handbag: Legacy Leather Duffle in Cognac from Coach / Earrings: Angeline in Smoky Topaz by Julie Collection / Bangles: personal collection & stylist's own / Ring: personal collection / Nails: Bordeaux from Essie / Shoes: Nine West (old)

Stylist: Amy Keller

Prelude to Fall

It may not be Fall quite yet ... but my color palette is already thinking along those lines! Stylist Amy & I are extremely ready to embrace Fall florals, oxblood red and my closet of capes. But until then, the weekend allowed us to - at the very least - allude to the impending season:

Dress: Ruffle Collar Poplin dress by Marc New York / Perfume Print Framed Coin Purse by Coach (from original fragrance launch) / Earrings: M Chandelier by Julie Collection / Scarf: stylist's own 

Stylist: Amy Keller

A Friday Affair

As fair skinned as I am, I have often run away from wearing anything white. Stylist Amy has really helped incorporate specific white pieces in my wardrobe and added definition in other ways. In today's case, by belting this silk kimono cardigan from Anthropologie over this vintage linen dress:

Dress: vintage (stylist's own) / Top: silk cropped kimono cardigan from Anthropologie (similar here) / Belt: Coach (old) / Wristlet: Coach (circa 2008 - personal collection)

Stylist: Amy Keller

Updated Classic

My personal style aesthetic is rooted in a desire to pair pieces together that I absolutely love - typically a variation on a classic look, but with the volume turned up. More often than not, stylist Amy creates looks with pieces spanning several decades, yet when pulled together, feel nothing but fresh and new.

In this case, we took this 80's vintage dress, paired it with an even older vintage leather belt ... and completed the look with my newest handbag: this utterly gorgeous medium Candace Carryall from the Coach Legacy collection. It will come as no surprise that my affinity for the Legacy collection is in part due to the fact that it is "classic, yet completely new."

Music to my ears!

Dress: 80's vintage (personal collection) / Belt: vintage (personal collection) / Handbag: Legacy Leather Medium Candace Carryall in Carnelian courtesy of Coach / Nails: Armed & Ready by essie

Styled by: Amy Keller

White Light

In order to really accentuate this divine vintage blouse, stylist Amy had me trade in my standard dark wash denim for these fabulous white skinny jeans from C. Wonder. And just like the magic of color against a blank canvas, everything immediately came to life:

 

 Blouse: vintage (stylist's own) / Jeans: white Skinny Jean by C. Wonder / Handbag: Coach vintage (stylist's own) / Shoes: Karen Scott / Watch: Fossil (old)

Styled by: Amy Keller

Pleats, Prints & Colors ... Oh, My!

Remember the days of dress up? You know, the time in your life when you could spend half a day playing in Mom's closet? That's how I feel with stylist Amy living in my neighborhood. When she called me and said, "Friend, just wait until you see the dress I scored this week!" I knew it would be flawless ... but then to have pleats, floral prints, and bold colors? Yes, please! Not to mention this meant my (divine) Coach Legacy oversized clutch had to come out and play as well:

 

Dress & Belt: stylist's own / Clutch: Coach Legacy Leather Oversized Clutch, 2008 - my personal collection / Nails: Armed and Ready by essie

Styled by: Amy Keller

Into the Night

As that wise stylist of mine, Amy Keller, once said, "Some days call for a sassy little number that can transition easily from day to night." Well, this is one of those days:

 

Dress: vintage (stylist's own) / Belt: Coach / Tote: Woven Raffia Tote by Echo / Watch: Diesel / Cuff: Skinny Railroad Spike Cuff by Giles & Brother / Shoes: Enzo Angiolini

Styled by: Amy Keller