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OUTFIT {OLD NAVY RAIN COAT}

old navy rain coat
old navy rain coat
old navy rain coat
old navy rain coat
old navy rain coat
old navy rain coat


I get a few emails a week about where to buy preppy pieces on a budget which is why I'm beyond excited to be partnering with Old Navy to bring you budget-friendly looks true to my personal style throughout the next year. Each outfit post will feature a piece or two available that month at Old Navy mixed in with pieces already in heavy rotation in my wardrobe (how many times have you seen these Rag & Bone jeans?). I think it will be a great way to show you how I'm mixing in affordable finds with investment staples. I hope you're as excited as I am!

I'm of the mindset that a girl cannot own too many striped shirts and sweaters. This outfit is kind of a hybrid between this and this — a lot of navy with an easy everyday sweater and the perfect rain coat. I've mentioned my search for rain coats before so I was pretty excited to find this one. 1) It's my favorite color, 2) it has a hood, 3) it cinches at the waist, 4) that striped lining, 5) it costs $45. That, my friends, is what we call a no-brainer. ;)

Shop the look:

*Photos by Rebecca Dale
This post was sponsored by Old Navy. Check out Old Navy's latest fashion lineup in store or online at oldnavy.com.



PREPPY TIES FOR THE GUYS

It's not super often I talk about men's style on Design Darling but when I find something awesome I'm always compelled to share! These bowties and ties new at Tuckernuck are the cutest things any guy could dress up in. Anchors, gingham, seersucker... What more could a girl(friend) want? They're perfect for fancy date nights, polo matches, and surely fit for his Sunday best. Prices range from $20 for a pocket square to $60 for a tie — pretty much the sweet spot for a gift that will make him think of you every time he wears it!

P.S. The best men's oxfords and t-shirts (so good you'll want to keep them for yourself).

SHOE CLOSET INSPIRATION


Is there anything prettier than a white wall filled with colorful shoes? Brett Hayman's shoe closet featured on The Coveteur kind of takes my breath away. I'm definitely a shoe girl so the thought of such luxurious space for shoe storage is the stuff my dreams are made of. Here are a few favorite lust-worthy pairs at the moment, budget and storage space be damned ;)



Have you made any shoe purchases for spring yet? I saw these beauties in person last week and they might just be the perfect black pump (that little heart is just too much!). On a more affordable note, I've been waiting for this pair to become available since I instagrammed them at the spring preview four months ago. Are they not the perfect neutral heel? Love!





LOLLI PINK BOW BIKINI TOP

lolli pink bow bikini top

Cutest. Bikini. Ever. It's a shame it's only 20 degrees on Nantucket right now or I would plan a vacation just to have an excuse to add this to my cart. Happy Sunday, friends! xx

WEEKEND READING


1. Alice & Olivia dresses are my favorite. Love this and this.

2. Back in stock in the boutique.

3. Homemade nutella crêpes... Yes please.

4. How stunning is Chassity? Love how she styled her Design Darling tassel.

5. I had a Kate Spade gift card and used it toward this jacket... I can't even tell you how cute it is in person.

6. Inspiration for your dream home: eleven historic homes for sale.

7. One of the more fun interviews I've done recently.

8. Read this if you need a serious laugh.

9. Striped loafers that belong in your spring wardrobe.

10. Style inspiration for your better half.

WEEKEND WISHLIST

one  //  two  //  three  //  four  //  five  //  six  //  seven  //  eight  //  nine  //  ten

TGIF. I swear there's something about four day weeks that makes them drag on forever! Today I'm signing the lease for my new apartment and this weekend I'm starting to pack up and get ready for the move... A little overwhelming but great fun when cocktails, friends, and music are involved. I hope you have a good one! xx

Shop the post:


TORY BURCH SPRING LOOKS

*looks one / two / three

Navy, stripes, and everything nice... I would wear every single piece of Tory Burch's new collection. Tory, more so than probably any other designer, sticks out to me as someone who has truly nailed her personal brand, taking trendier risks each season but always coming back to her core aesthetic and revamping her best-selling pieces. Every piece of hers I buy feels like an investment toward my dream "grown up" wardrobe: this bag, first and foremost; these flats, in any color I can get my hands on; and, perhaps next, these shoes (in very Design Darling colors).

Is there one designer in particular whose pieces you invest in season after season? I'd love to know! 


BEST WHITE JEANS FOR WINTER

white jeans for winter
white jeans for winter
white jeans for winter

Some rules were made to be broken. Case in point? White jeans after (or well before) Labor Day. It might be too chilly for dresses and skirts but I'm grateful for the reminder that it's totally hip to wear white jeans in winter. Whether with bean boots or suede booties, they're a fresh alternative to the black leggings and dark denim I haven't taken off for the past few months. Just be sure to stick to skinny jeans that tuck easily into boots for winter and look cute with flats or slip-on sneakers come spring (white flares in a snowstorm = disaster). Shop my favorite pairs here (I lived in this pair last summer):





HEIDI BIANCO'S WEST VILLAGE APARTMENT (+EXCITING NEWS!)

heidi bianco west village apartment
heidi bianco west village apartment
heidi bianco west village apartment
heidi bianco west village apartment
heidi bianco west village apartment
heidi bianco west village apartment
heidi bianco west village apartment
heidi bianco west village apartment

Well, you guys, it's official! I found a new studio apartment and I'm moving at the end of the month (I'll get to cross #53 off my list!). I have loved my time on the Upper East Side but I'm really excited to live closer to a few friends, my favorite restaurants, and the charm-filled cobblestone streets of the West Village. 

Once I get past the sticker shock of brokers' fees and security deposits, I cannot wait to start decorating my new space. The layout is pretty similar to my current space but a little larger (hallelujah!) and I think I can mix up the furniture layout to keep things feeling fresh. This means my interior inspiration is kicking into overdrive so I hope you'll be okay with some extra decorating content around here! When it looks like the above apartment, I can't image you'll mind too much. ;)

Heidi is a design assistant for interior genius Celerie Kemble so it comes as no surprise that her West Village studio is beyond chic. Things I love: the vanity table next to her bed (genius given how tiny NYC bathrooms are!), the styling of her bookshelves (a place for everything and everything in its place), topiaries aplenty, that skylight (those ceilings!), the neutral area rug tying together each space... Oh and her jumpsuit. Could I pull that off?!

Shop the look:

*all photos via House Beautiful




GRAY MALIN'S ANTARCTICA SERIES

gray malin antarctica
gray malin antarctica
gray malin antarctica
gray malin antarctica
gray malin antarctica

My friend Gray Malin recently took a trip to Antarctica and captured the most striking shots of beachy props among icy landscapes. He is truly one of the most talented people I know so I was thrilled to see his newest works for sale on One Kings Lane today! If you ask me, those pink flamingos are too cute to resist.

Keep up with Design Darling






DREAM HOME {FURNITURE FILE}


one  //  two  //  three  //  four  //  five  //  six  //  seven  //  eight

There are a few pieces of furniture that I consider lifetime wishlist items — not pieces I could realistically splurge on in the next couple years but "someday" purchases totally fit for a dream home. My someday list above features a few of my all-time favorites: a bright birdcage chair, classic campaign pieces, colorful chandeliers, and a little lucite, always. Do you have a furniture wishlist? If so, I'm dying to know what's on it!

P.S. On a more wallet-friendly note, affordable campaign furniture and how to decorate on a budget.


RALPH LAUREN STREET STYLE

ralph lauren street style preppy
ralph lauren street style preppy
ralph lauren street style preppy
ralph lauren street style preppy
ralph lauren street style preppy

I'm absolutely enamored with my friend Fred's photographs taken outside the Ralph Lauren show last week. Just when I thought I couldn't stand another snowflake, this winter wardrobe inspiration seriously brightened up my Instagram feed. Boys, get yourself an orange coat and girls, double up on winter white. For more sartorial snaps, follow Fred on Instagram or check out his blog Unabashedly Prep.


INTERIOR INSPIRATION: SARA RUFFIN COSTELLO

sara ruffin costello
sara ruffin costello
sara ruffin costello
sara ruffin costello
sara ruffin costello
sara ruffin costello
sara ruffin costello
sara ruffin costello

This project took my breath away! It's a bachelor pad in downtown NYC decorated by Sara Ruffin Costello (whose entire portfolio is a sight for sore eyes). This is the kind of masculine decor I can totally get behind: antique rugs, cool art, oversized chairs, painted exposed brick, and a palette of gray, white, and wood tones. Yes please. Here are a few pieces to create a similar feel (though, really, this apartment is one of a kind!)...




CYNTHIA ROWLEY EYEWEAR GIVEAWAY!

cynthia rowley eyewear
cynthia rowley eyewear
*photos by Amy Stone


How cool are these mirrored tortoiseshell sunglasses? They're from Cynthia Rowley's new eyewear collection (next on my list: these cat eye eyeglasses!). I'm excited to be partnering with Rowley Eyewear to be giving one lucky reader the frames — eyeglasses or sunnies — of her choice! Want to win? Simply follow the steps in the widget below and I'll be contacting the winner on Friday. Good luck! xx




WEEKEND READING


1. Can we talk about this Kate Spade jacket? The bow, the color... #wishlisted.

2. Hallie's fashion week recaps make me cry laughing. Adore her!

3. It really makes no sense that I don't yet own a Barbour jacket. Thankfully, Tuckernuck just introduced this one with elbow patches for spring and it's clearly too good to resist.


4. Must order this perfect colorblocked tee.

5. My ultimate spring wardrobe.


6. New arrivals in the boutique.

7. Planning a trip? Vacation inspiration.

8. So excited to try this new spot this weekend! 

9. This company makes the cutest, most colorful lighting.


10. This video will warm your heart.

THE ULTIMATE SPRING WARDROBE...


Okay, you guys. I think I've done it: I think I've compiled the wishlist to end all wishlists. This is everything I'd like to be wearing for the next 3-5 months... Elevated knits, gorgeous gingham, lots of navy, plenty of stripes, and just one or two trendier pieces (I think I'm warming up to the idea of a chic pair of mules...?). 

You'll notice a couple of these items are from new-to-me line Margaux Lonnberg, whose effortlessly chic knits are basically the stuff my dreams are made of. Were those striped pants not made for spring picnics in Central Park? Feel free to join me in ignoring the snow outside and saving up for a spring shopping spree... Only 34 days until the first day of spring but, hey, who's counting? ;)



NEW ARRIVALS...


Just popping in on this snowy day to let you know I've just added some very pretty new goodies to the boutique, including these cozy knit throws... Would love for you to take a peek!