STEVEN ALAN BRAS

Black and white  //  Seersucker  //  Navy

"Always wear pretty underwear, on account of you just never know." There's something rather fun about wearing a cute bra and panties for no reason, don't you think? These pretties from Steven Alan are too good to resist. Classic black and white, summery seersucker, or tried-and-true navy? I mean, all three would look rather sweet in my top drawer...!

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Black and white  //  Seersucker  //  Navy

"Always wear pretty underwear, on account of you just never know." There's something rather fun about wearing a cute bra and panties for no reason, don't you think? These pretties from Steven Alan are too good to resist. Classic black and white, summery seersucker, or tried-and-true navy? I mean, all three would look rather sweet in my top drawer...!

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"DO ONE THING EVERY DAY THAT SCARES YOU."

Oh, Eleanor, you're so wise. This has definitely been a guiding principle for me lately. New York can be a very intimidating place! So anytime I'm on the fence about whether to say yes to something, I try to remind myself of this quote. Blogger event? First date? New Pilates class? Trapeze lesson? As much as those things cause me anxiety, it's so enriching to get out of my comfort zone every now and then. And the funny thing is, as terrified as I am going into a scary situation, I almost never regret it once it's behind me! 

Tell me: what's the last thing you did that totally scared you? Was it worth it?

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Oh, Eleanor, you're so wise. This has definitely been a guiding principle for me lately. New York can be a very intimidating place! So anytime I'm on the fence about whether to say yes to something, I try to remind myself of this quote. Blogger event? First date? New Pilates class? Trapeze lesson? As much as those things cause me anxiety, it's so enriching to get out of my comfort zone every now and then. And the funny thing is, as terrified as I am going into a scary situation, I almost never regret it once it's behind me! 

Tell me: what's the last thing you did that totally scared you? Was it worth it?

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BRUNCHING IN LILLY

On Carly:

Clarita dress c/o Lilly Pulitzer

On Mackenzie:

Morely top, Worth skinny jeans, and Photodome bangle c/o Lilly Pulitzer

Carly and I had so much fun styling these Lilly Pulitzer looks over the weekend! Here's what we wore for Sunday brunch at Maison Kayser, one of our favorite spots on the Upper East Side. I'm unsurprisingly obsessed with the ruffled navy top and I may have to "borrow" the sailboat dress from Carly's closet before summer's end. By the way, if you're looking for a great pair of white jeans, these fit great and (bonus points!) didn't have to be hemmed before the shoot (for reference, I'm 5'1"). Be sure to check out Carly's blog for what we wore to picnic in Central Park!

*all photos by Amy Stone

On Carly:

Clarita dress c/o Lilly Pulitzer

On Mackenzie:

Morely top, Worth skinny jeans, and Photodome bangle c/o Lilly Pulitzer

Carly and I had so much fun styling these Lilly Pulitzer looks over the weekend! Here's what we wore for Sunday brunch at Maison Kayser, one of our favorite spots on the Upper East Side. I'm unsurprisingly obsessed with the ruffled navy top and I may have to "borrow" the sailboat dress from Carly's closet before summer's end. By the way, if you're looking for a great pair of white jeans, these fit great and (bonus points!) didn't have to be hemmed before the shoot (for reference, I'm 5'1"). Be sure to check out Carly's blog for what we wore to picnic in Central Park!

*all photos by Amy Stone

TOP IT OFF

Sea crest pullover  //  Pencey fencing blazer

10 Crosby Derek Lam double collar shirt  //  BB Dakota faux leather tank

Around this time each summer my attention starts to drift toward fall fashion in spite, or perhaps because, of the ninety degree heat. It's probably my favorite season to shop dress for — blazers, button-downs, light sweaters, layering! Of course fall is a long way off on the east coast so I'm trying to focus on transitional pieces that will work from now through September or October. Above are a few of the pieces catching my eye: the most delightfully preppy sweater, a cool blazer (for less than $200!), a beautifully made dress shirt, and a just-edgy-enough tank that will look as cool with white jeans now as it will with fall blazers later. 

What's your summer-into-fall shopping strategy? Do you set a budget for each season? I'm dying to hear!

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Sea crest pullover  //  Pencey fencing blazer

10 Crosby Derek Lam double collar shirt  //  BB Dakota faux leather tank

Around this time each summer my attention starts to drift toward fall fashion in spite, or perhaps because, of the ninety degree heat. It's probably my favorite season to shop dress for — blazers, button-downs, light sweaters, layering! Of course fall is a long way off on the east coast so I'm trying to focus on transitional pieces that will work from now through September or October. Above are a few of the pieces catching my eye: the most delightfully preppy sweater, a cool blazer (for less than $200!), a beautifully made dress shirt, and a just-edgy-enough tank that will look as cool with white jeans now as it will with fall blazers later. 

What's your summer-into-fall shopping strategy? Do you set a budget for each season? I'm dying to hear!

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KATE SPADE NEW ARRIVALS

Have you checked out the newest arrivals at Kate Spade? They're inspired by a love of all things cinema and really couldn't be cuter if they tried. Isn't the styling absolutely darling? I'm crazy about these bow wedges, this bright frock, and these killer pumps. Adding to the wishlist as we speak!

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Have you checked out the newest arrivals at Kate Spade? They're inspired by a love of all things cinema and really couldn't be cuter if they tried. Isn't the styling absolutely darling? I'm crazy about these bow wedges, this bright frock, and these killer pumps. Adding to the wishlist as we speak!

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AFFORDABLE LEATHER SHORTS & SKIRT

Leather skirt  //  leather shorts

Am I the only one who loves this look? I fell in love with this skirt but they sold out of my size before I could pull the trigger. Fast forward to yesterday when I found these vegan leather options for a fraction of the price! They would be so cute with a classic silk camisole or crisp white blouse and a neutral pump. Would you wear a leather skirt or shorts? Let's hear it!

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Leather skirt  //  leather shorts

Am I the only one who loves this look? I fell in love with this skirt but they sold out of my size before I could pull the trigger. Fast forward to yesterday when I found these vegan leather options for a fraction of the price! They would be so cute with a classic silk camisole or crisp white blouse and a neutral pump. Would you wear a leather skirt or shorts? Let's hear it!

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OUTFIT {HOT PINK MAXI DRESS}

Amanda Uprichard dress c/o Social Dress Shop  //  Seagrass bag c/o Soft Surroundings

Design Darling disco ball bangle and tortoiseshell bangles  //  Essie Bikini So Teeny  //  Ash wedges (similar)

Go bright or go home! This hot pink maxi dress makes me smile every time I open my closet door. It's such an easy piece to throw on with wedges when the temperature hits 90º+ in the city. Speaking of new favorites, I can't get enough of this summery light blue nail color and white roses mixed with blue hydrangeas (seen here). What are some of your current color obsessions?

P..S. Social Dress Shop is offering 20% off all dresses with code DARLING20 at checkout! I love this gingham halter, this mod shift, and this striped number.

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Amanda Uprichard dress c/o Social Dress Shop  //  Seagrass bag c/o Soft Surroundings

Design Darling disco ball bangle and tortoiseshell bangles  //  Essie Bikini So Teeny  //  Ash wedges (similar)

Go bright or go home! This hot pink maxi dress makes me smile every time I open my closet door. It's such an easy piece to throw on with wedges when the temperature hits 90º+ in the city. Speaking of new favorites, I can't get enough of this summery light blue nail color and white roses mixed with blue hydrangeas (seen here). What are some of your current color obsessions?

P..S. Social Dress Shop is offering 20% off all dresses with code DARLING20 at checkout! I love this gingham halter, this mod shift, and this striped number.

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GIRL CRUSH

I'm absolutely enamored with Nicole Warne's blog Gary Pepper Vintage. The clothes, the backdrops, the photography... Everything is divine. Get her look with the perfect navy blazer, killer heels, and a passport full of exotic stamps. Do take a peek at her archives if you're not already familiar!

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I'm absolutely enamored with Nicole Warne's blog Gary Pepper Vintage. The clothes, the backdrops, the photography... Everything is divine. Get her look with the perfect navy blazer, killer heels, and a passport full of exotic stamps. Do take a peek at her archives if you're not already familiar!

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COACH TERRI HEEL

I'm obsessed with the woven pattern of Coach's Terri heel in all three colorways: natural/silver, ginger/gold, and navy/white. The squared heel means they're comfier than your average summer sandal and the ankle strap makes them just dressy enough to wear desk-to-date night. Which color would you get the most use out of? 

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I'm obsessed with the woven pattern of Coach's Terri heel in all three colorways: natural/silver, ginger/gold, and navy/white. The squared heel means they're comfier than your average summer sandal and the ankle strap makes them just dressy enough to wear desk-to-date night. Which color would you get the most use out of? 

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WEEKEND WARDROBE

J.Crew hat  //  Joie dress  //  Design Darling necklace  //  K. Jacques sandals

It's shaping up to be another hot, hot, hot weekend in New York! This kind of humidity calls for an easy breezy dress and unfussy accessories like these leather sandals which I'm quite convinced I need. Oh and don't forget the sunscreen — I go through a bottle of this almost every month!

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J.Crew hat  //  Joie dress  //  Design Darling necklace  //  K. Jacques sandals

It's shaping up to be another hot, hot, hot weekend in New York! This kind of humidity calls for an easy breezy dress and unfussy accessories like these leather sandals which I'm quite convinced I need. Oh and don't forget the sunscreen — I go through a bottle of this almost every month!

Keep up with Design Darling

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