NYC Belongs To Me

Happy 4th of July everyone! No, you won't see me in red, white, and blue in this post...no, you won't see any fireworks...and no, you won't see me prancing around on the beach. I honestly don't like any of those things. But, one thing I love about a long holiday weekend is staying in town when everyone else is away.

striped dress- Kensie (similar dresses in link), sunglasses- Urban Outfitters, sneakers- Keds

While everyone else goes to the NJ shore, the Hamptons, or home to visit family I find it so very enjoyable to just stay in NYC and soak up the quiet. It is the perfect opportunity to get into a restaurant or bar that you have been dying to check out but is normally too crowded to get your foot in the door, or even soak up some culture at a play or museum (which trust me will be less crowded!). 

My husband and I have made a list of all the places you need to check out when in NYC on a long holiday week. Just do yourself a favor and check to see if they are open on the actual holiday (many places aren't, so schedule your long weekend accordingly).

Diane says:

For brunch- Rabbithole or 12 Chairs

For dinner- Room Service or Kings County Imperial

For culture- Any Broadway show or MoMA

For drinks- The Commodore (their pina coladas are what dreams are made of!)

For a great view- The Highline or the rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

Chris says:

For brunch- Cafe Mogador or Sunday in Brooklyn

For dinner- Rosie's

For culture- Brooklyn Museum or The American Museum of Natural History

For drinks- Night of Joy

For a great view- William Vale Park or East River State Park

Color Pop!

No matter if it is my outfit, my makeup, or my photography, I absolutely love adding in a splash of color. I know, I know...you guys are probably saying...you wear so much black. Yes, that is true. But, I always try to add in a pop of color to keep the look from being to dark and boring. 

Here are my top 5 easy ways to making your images and looks stand out from the crowd.

coat: BB Dakota, secondhand from Keiko Lynn's closet sale/ dress: Kensie/  tights: H&M/ flats: Steve Madden/ tote bag: Brooklyn Industries/ sunglasses: Urban Outfitters

1. Wear one bold piece of clothing. I have been doing this ever since high school. I remember back then I'd wear a crazy colored dress with black tights, shoes, and cardigan. To this day I find myself still following these old habits. One thing I often do is wear a colorful coat over a black outfit. Take the look shown here for instance. I have only had this coat for a couple of weeks (and only worn it a handful of times) but New Yorkers have been stopping me left and right to tell me how much they love the color. Who said New Yorkers were unfriendly anyway???

2. Wear a bold lip! Trust me on this one. It not only makes your look seem more complete and polished but it really does make you stand out from the rest. Personally, I feel like everyone needs to own a great red lipstick. Don't go and say you can't pull it off. You can! Just have some confidence, and I promise you'll be getting compliments from strangers. The red lip I'm wearing here is always a conversation starter. Strangers have stopped me while I was vacationing in New Orleans, crossing Fifth Avenue in NYC, in Bloomingdale's, and even in a full elevator to tell me how much they love this shade. FYI: it's Sephora's Creme Lip Stain in 01 Always Red. It is my absolute favorite. 

3. When taking photos I think that a colorful background is always key. If you have ever checked out my portrait photography you will see how important color is to my images. A simple tip is no matter what anyone is wearing I like to use colors found in nature and the landscape around us to enhance the subject. Using opposite colors on the color wheel is a great way to make an image pop! If someone has green eyes, put them next to some purple flowers. If you're wearing a red dress, lay down in the bright green grass in the park. You get the picture!

*Speaking about getting the picture...you are all about to get a great deal with my photography! I'm giving all of my readers 20% off of any of my photography packages. If you are in the NYC area, please book your session by July 1st to get the discount. Just let me know that you are a reader for the full discount.*

4. Try some colorful legwear. As much as I love basic black tights (they really do go with everything), I find colorful tights to add so much fun to every look. In my massive bag of tights that I have sitting in my closet I have so many crazy colors: vivid purple, hot pink, wild tie dye...the list goes on and on. Fashion is about having fun. So go out on the limb and try something outside of the box.

5. Try adding in some colorful jewelry. My jewelry box is full of things like turquoise necklaces, a pink horse pin, and red earrings. It's stuff like this that turns a basic look into a stylish outfit.

How do you have fun with color in your everyday looks and your photography???