3 minute read The best swimsuit trends of 2018, the 25 most important cheeses in America and, in order to reconcile those two, we're drooling over the new Outdoor Voices running collection.
3 minute read
7 minute read
7 minute read Four ways to carve out time for you without overhauling your routine.
2 minute read
Happy Friday!
It's been another busy week over here in TTT land — lots of events, photoshoots, and jaunts around the city (oh, and lots of dreamy, wishful Rodarte mirror selfies!). Personally, I'm ready to curl up on the couch with a big glass of wine (something red to reflect the still-chilly weather, preferably) and just do nothing.
Of course, that's probably just wishful thinking, as there's always lots to be done, but, I'm hoping YOU have the glorious chance to just do nothing.
So, in that spirit, we've rounded up our favorite things across the internet lately. Pour yourself a glass (mug? bowl?) of something good and enjoy this moment of zen.
- A Complete Guide to New York's Best Overpriced Grain Bowls (how many of these places have you checked out? I love Citizens of Chelsea and need to try Westbourne!).
- Did you snag a dress from Julia Engel's Gal Meets Glam Collection launch today? I picked up Courtney but I'm also lusting after Hillary!
- Madewell is (finally!) doing extra 30% off sale. I'm loving this sweet yellow top!
- It's Earth Day on Sunday — think about the little things you can do to help our planet. Recycle, ride your bike, take shorter showers, reuse a water bottle. These things may seem small, but they matter.
- Calling all Elvis fans! Did you catch the new HBO doc, Elvis Presley: The Searcher? I haven't watched yet because I need to make sure it has my full attention, ha! That's #1 on my priority list this weekend.
- I'm definitely making The Cheese Thing tonight. Hands down.
- This is a heavy one, but so incredibly important (and stunningly written): Junot Diaz writes about childhood trauma for the New Yorker. We read this piece in my creative nonfiction class and we were all in awe, both of content and construction. Devastating and yet, like all of Diaz's writing, so beautiful.
- And, on a more upbeat note, go inside Prince's incredible fashion archive on Vogue.com!
Hope you have a lovely weekend!
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Or is it "eat, pray, love?" I can't remember.
Anyway, here are a few things we have been loving across the internet lately…happy Friday!
- The beauties from the Wolf Circus jewelry collection. Krystal visited the showroom and I'm lusting after this gorgeous necklace.
- Nicole Warne's (of garrypeppergirl Instagram fame) INSANE wedding in Australia, featured on Vogue.
- Our latest documentary obsession, Dirty Money on Netflix.
- Tax season Stromboli. Need I say more?
- I just signed up with a three-month contract at Pop Physique. What's your favorite workout studio?
- Kind of drooling over Sweetgreen's new spring menu.
- Thinking about what trips to Brooklyn and across Manhattan will look like without the L Train next year.
- Everyone's obsession (including ours, pictured above!) with the amazing Tribeca shop, Let There Be Neon.
That's all for me! What did you love online this week? Have a great weekend.
4 minute read
4 minute read Crossed these two things off my to-do list recently and it feels AMAZING.
5 minute read
5 minute read So I have a confession...I'm one of those New Yorkers who stores sweaters in her oven and extra beauty products in her kitchen cabinets.
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6 minute read Ready, set, binge! All my current favorite documentaries, perfect for this week's northeastern snow storm.
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Oh, there's nothing a bath can't fix.
Am I right? Baths are funny in that sense, too. We can all probably remember the age we started deliberating switching to showers instead of baths. It saved time. It saved water. You no longer felt like it was appropriate to make bath bubble castles and sing songs. Whatever the main reason, showers became the default, baths went by the wayside and I distinctly remember feeling like an adult when this happened -- simply put, baths were for kids.
Fast forward years and numerous jobs later, and I will literally lose my figurative sh*t if I see a hotel room with a beautifu bathtub. Why? Because, god damn it! I want to take a bath! And light candles. And listen to music. And sip wine. And snap an Insta Story or two of the running water, to document said bath. Bath time became my favorite again -- not so much as a means to get clean, but more so as luxurious ME time. And with most luxuries, it may not be the most feasible practice in a daily routine (or if you're like me: a New Yorker renting in the West Village your tub may be a limiting factor) but wouldn't it be amazing if it could be? If there was a ritualistic benefit, much like face masks and fluoride rinses do, that gave you the excuse, no the NEED, to take a bath.
Well, I do believe goop may have tapped into just that with their latest line of bath soaks. If you recall, I enjoyed a staycation for my birthday week at The NoMad hotel, courtesy of the goop team, with the main intention to test drive some of their new line of bath soaks, each custom designed and crafted by Gwyneth's NYC-based herbalist and acupuncturist Paul Kempisty. I just have to say, while I loved the stay (and the bathtub was GORGEOUS), Paul was certainly the highlight, as he showed up for part of the evening to give me a customized aromatherapy session. As someone who is a self-proclaimed novice to essential oils, I can certainly see the power in them (heck, I burned my face with tea tree oil just last week), so I loved chatting with Paul about the power of different oils and they're healing properties, many of which found their way into the specific soaks.
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The line consists of The Martini (for emotional detox), G.Night (for pre-bedtime calm), G.Tox (for a full body cleanse), Phys Ed (for recovery after exercise) and Nurse! (for when you're feeling under the weather). My personal favorites so far are Phys. Ed, which contains apple cider vinegar, arnica, turmeric, perfect for my running routine and Nurse, which contains mustard powder, manuka and eucalyptus, perfect for the impending cold that Paul mentioned I might be getting (and sure enough, did!).
All of the soaks dissolve pretty quickly and, despite what the color of the powder might indicate, they won't stain your tub. And residue is pretty easy to clean up with a washcloth afterward.
Have you guys tried the goop soaks yet? Would love to hear what you think! And if you're possibly looking to step up your bath time routine, like me!
This is not a sponsored post, but the goop team invited me to stay at The NoMad and try out the bath soaks in this incredible tub. As always, all opinions and thoughts are my own.
6 minute read
6 minute read #32: Your biggest critic is yourself. Get comfortable with telling yourself to fuck off sometimes.
6 minute read
6 minute read "Many women fight wars on two fronts, one for whatever the putative topic is and one simply for the right to speak, to have ideas, to be acknowledged to be in possession of facts and truths, to have value, to be a human being..."
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I'd like to start today's post with a disclaimer and a note for context.
First, the disclaimer. Today's post is a serious subject. One that may seem polarizing for many people. And one that I recognize isn't necessarily the reason why you come to this site in the first place. I'd like to underscore the fact that my intentions are never to alienate or isolate anyone for what they believe in -- and even if we disagree, I think there's plenty of opportunity in that disagreement to open up discussion and dialogue for change that we all can get behind.
Next, a note for context. Today is my 32nd birthday. And while I had every intention to post my originally scheduled content (a round up of 32 things I've learned thus far, which will be postponed to next Monday), last Wednesday's events in Florida have shaken me in a way that it no longer felt appropriate to NOT say anything on this platform of mine, with so many like-minded amazing women (and men) who I consider more as friends, than "followers."
Today, we're going to talk about gun violence.
I can already hear the "Stay in your lane" comments now. And I get that. I'm not an expert in public policy, nor do I completely understand the ins and outs of gun legislation and how it's influenced -- but you know what? I'd like to understand it more. And perhaps you do, too? And perhaps you don't -- either way, we'll be back to regular programming tomorrow, complete with outfit posts, hair tutorials and Fashion Week roundups. In the meantime, I sincerely hope you'll hear me out and discuss and even debate things with me.
OK, housekeeping items out of the way now? I hope so. Let's dive in.
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Like many of you perhaps, I remember exactly where I was when the Columbine shooting happened back in 1999. I was in the 8th grade at Pine Middle School, sitting in Ms. Dulgar's afternoon science class. Unlike 8th graders today, I didn't have a cell phone or any social media to speak of, so I imagine news broke the old fashioned way: word of mouth. I remember sitting there, ready to take notes about cell division, only to see Ms. Dulgar sitting at the front of our classroom, crying. We then turned our TV on to watch the coverage.
As a 13 year old student that day, I felt scared and confused, but also confident that surely, something so horrible, so heinous, so awful couldn't happen again. Right?
Now, as a 32 year old, still reeling from Florida's events (and Vegas and countless others), I just Googled the question of "how many school shootings have happened since Columbine." You want to know what number came up?
207. Now 208 with Parkland. 208.
Today's post isn't to paint what you can already see is a pretty grim picture. You don't need me to spell it for you. So I won't. But there was something I read over this weekend, while I was debating over whether or not to even write this post, that stuck with me, and eventually convinced me to. My dear friend Keiko posted the following sentiment:
"Imagine if influencers spent as much time talking about gun control as they have talked about the algorithm."
Ooph. She has a point. As someone who's dedicated entire posts to "influencing the algorithm in your favor," and has seen many of her peers do the same with their content and time, I can't help but see the whopping disparity here. If an influencer can convince you to go through the trouble of unfollowing, then following them again, then liking a bunch of their recent photos, then finally leaving a bunch of comments in hopes they'll "show up more in your feed" then surely we can talk about this. And debate this. Maybe even act on some of this together.
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At this point, I'd like to add a bit of further context. I firmly believe this isn't necessarily a political debate. This isn't about conservative vs. liberal values. As a reminder, I grew up in a very conservative state, in a relatively conservative town, with plenty of family members and friends who I love dearly, who are responsible gun owners that will happily educate themselves further into firearms and equipment using websites like Dailycaller.com and others. I feel this is something responsible gun owners wouldn't ever do, instead, they'd obtain their gun and leave it until they potentially "need" it. They knew how to use their gun safely and used the best reloading press to reduce the likelihood of an accident. They also store them somewhere secure and maintain them regularly by using cleaning kits (like those found on this website) to ensure it works as it should to avoid any surprises when it comes to firing one. Some people are extremely careless with their guns though. I think you can be a gun owner and still believe in stricter, more accountable legislation -- nothing about this has to be mutually exclusive.
Therein lies what I think damages this debate too often: that being it's framed as one or the other -- that stricter gun control some how equates to a tyrannical overthrow of the second amendment. And I simply refuse to see if that way. The best analogy, as I'm sure many of you have already read at this point, is comparing this to automobile accidents and fatalities since the 1970s. By studying the causes and factors for these accidents, a number of measures were taken, including mandatory airbags in cars, enforced seat belt laws, stricter sentencing for DUI infractions and implementation of consistent speed limits. Did they fix the problem entirely? No. But it reduced fatalities significantly. We didn't have to remove cars or ban people from driving them. We simply studied what was contributing to the problem and systematically came up with solutions.
Bottom line: We need more legislators, on both sides of the aisle mind you, that have the backbone to push past NRA and other lobbying groups agendas and financing, to see to it that we can study this problem and pragmatically come up with the steps necessary to CURB gun violence. Required and enforced background checks for ALL gun sales in ALL states would be a start. Some legislation has already been passed, such as banning gun sales on Facebook (more info), which demonstrates that small changes to the law can make gun purchasing a safer process.
I'll wrap up this very long, rambling essay now, with the one thing I really want for my birthday. It's not something from Net-A-Porter. And it's not a fancy dinner somewhere. It's for each of you, (whoever is still reading at this point), to talk about this issue. With your friends, with your family. Even if it's uncomfortable. Even if means you don't see eye to eye with everyone. And if you feel so inclined, to talk to your representatives. How? Well, I'm glad you asked. I've recently started following the group Moms Demand Action and Everytown (both great resources for gun violence stats), and they've outlined some easy steps to get involved and take action, including calling your representatives. Simply follow the steps outlined here -- it's easy and takes less than 5 minutes. They even give you a script to help put your thoughts into words.
Again, I hope I didn't make anyone feel singled out or targeted. I will always strive to make this a safe place for conversation and healthy debate -- and yes, while we don't often tackle these types of issues here on This Time Tomorrow, I like to think many of you, in addition to fashion and travel, are also hungry for ways to impact your community and push forward causes and ideas. As always, I'd love to hear from you -- let's chat in the comments below! Or feel free to send me an email.
5 minute read
5 minute read Life always has a funny way of smacking you up side the head to wake you up.
3 minute read
Over here at TTT, we love any chance to wear something red. What better chance, of course, to deck everything out in the passionate hue than Valentine's Day? Krystal already gave you some amazing options for what to wear on February 14th, whether you have a hot date, are hanging with girlfriends, or are just treating yourself. But, if you're like me (aka a huuuuge procrastinator, yikes!), though you may have the perfect outfight you might be still searching for the perfect gift for those most important in your life. It's undeniable that shopping either for your beloved or friend for valentines can be unnecessarily stressful. However, with a custom photo moon lamp on the market, need we stress so much? This gorgeous moon lamp printed with your favorite picture of you and your most dearest is sure to win over your loved one. Fear not...this is not the only gift I have in mind! I have a short and sweet gift guide that will satisfy everyone on your list (and yes, you are included in that list!). Keep reading to discover the best gifts for your guy, your girlfriends, and yourself!
The Guy Gifts
[prodr brand="COMME DE GARÇONS" product="Heart Tee" description="What guy doesn't love a good t-shirt? Not only does this make the perfect closet-stealing item for you, but the cute logo will always remind him of the day you gave him his favorite shirt. Plus, Comme De Garçons is known for their quality basics!" link="LINK URL"]
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[prodl brand="JBL" product="Wireless Over Ear Headphones" description="JBL is famous for offering amazing sound quality at a price point that won't break the bank. I have several iterations of their wireless speakers and they're amazing. Get these wireless headphones for your commuting beau who can't stand to lose one more pair of AirPods." link="LINK URL"]
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The Girlfriend Gifts
[prodl brand="SHIRALEAH" product="Trinket Box" description="One of my favorite gifts to receive from my girlfriends are little items that will always remind me of them - but that are also functional and seamlessly integrated into my daily life. This clear trinket box is perfect to store jewelry and other desk items, and is so pretty, everyone will like it." link="LINK URL"]
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[prodr brand="KIEHL'S" product="Overnight Hydrating Masque" description="This hydrating mask is perfect for the dead of winter - or, exactly when Valentine's Day is. Gifting face masks is super fun, but those sheet masks only last one usage and can sometimes feel like a waste. This tub will last for a long time (I've had mine for months!), making it the gift that keeps on giving." link="LINK URL"]
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The Treat Yo Self Gifts
[prodr brand="SEE BY CHLOE" product="Kriss Small Shoulder Bag" description="Four words: Just go for it. If there's a designer item that you've been eyeing (my rule with investment pieces is lusting over it for 6 months to a year, is that too much?), Valentine's Day is a great excuse to give yourself a gift you know you'll love." link="LINK URL"]
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[prodr brand="TATA HARPER" product="Beautifying Face Oil" description="Tata Harper is an amazing brand - all natural skincare is having a well-deserved moment right now. I'm trying to make the switch where I can, and these gorgeous products are next on my list. I love a good face oil, so I'm dying to this one." link="LINK URL"]
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7 minute read
Today, I figured we'd talk about a topic that we don't often address here on TTT: food. It's not that we don't love it — it just can often fall to the wayside as a subject matter with so many other things to consider. Personally, I'm obsessed with food; I take photos of my food everywhere I go, I think about my next meal while I'm eating, and I plan my day around places I can eat. When I moved to New York, my method of exploring the city was eating my way through it. A new restaurant meant a new neighborhood to explore, a new cuisine to sample. I am the person my friends text when they're visiting for restaurant recommendations. I admittedly get very hangry if we have a long workday and don't have time for lunch (sorry Krystal!). I adore finding new recipes and trying them at home. Basically, food is my life.
So, I felt a little crazy when I decided to try Whole30. For those who may not have heard about the craze (it's all over social media and super popular in January!), here's a basic summary. Whole30 is essentially an elimination diet — you get rid of a bunch of major food items for 30 days in order to see if there's something negatively affecting your system. Things you DO NOT eat include: added sugar (of ANY kind, even things like honey, maple syrup, stevia, coconut sugar, etc), alcohol, grains (brown rice, quinoa, wheat, oats, corn, etc), legumes (all beans, peanuts/peanut butter), any soy products, dairy, carrageenan/MSG/sulfites, and any desserts/treats even with "approved" ingredients.
Phew, that's a mouthful! To recap, basically what you CAN eat are "whole" foods. "Eat moderate portions of meat, seafood, and eggs; lots of vegetables; some fruit; plenty of natural fats; and herbs, spices, and seasonings. Eat foods with very few ingredients, all pronounceable ingredients, or better yet, no ingredients listed at all because they’re whole and unprocessed."
I decided to embark on Whole30 because I just wasn't feeling my healthiest. I believed I was eating healthy (I cook a majority of my meals at home, rarely eat lots of empty carbs, and have never had a big sweet tooth), but I wasn't feeling great, didn't have a ton of energy, and was gaining weight without real explanation. I wanted to see if maybe something in my regular diet was affecting me in ways I wasn't aware. Whole30 promised to make me feel better, change my cravings, habits, and, supposedly, my life.
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And now, here I stand, on day 30 — no ice cream, no pizza, no cheese, no pasta, no brown rice bowls, no hummus in my system — bringing you my unbiased thoughts of the program. Shall we begin?
(**Disclaimer: I'm not a health professional/associated with Whole30 in any way. This is the way I did it, totally on my own, and what worked for me!)
First of all, there are a few modifications I made for myself that technically go against the rules of the program. There's a lot of intense language out there surrounding Whole30, and I didn't want to get into that. I didn't want to be scared of my food. That means when I went out to eat (which is nearly impossible to avoid in New York/as a busy person), I tried my absolute best to order and modify compliant dishes. But, I wasn't going to drive myself — and everyone else — crazy by making sure every item was 100% perfect. Also, I've never had a problem with needing desserts or eating too many sweets, so when I wanted to eat a compliant sweet, I let myself. I ate Lara bars with approved ingredients often, especially on the go or even after a meal with a little bit of coconut yogurt and almond butter. Die-hard Whole30 fans wouldn't be okay with this, but for me, this was the best way to do it.
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So, what were the best parts?
I loved all of the cooking. It requires a lot of cooking. Much of the food can be made in advance and eaten throughout the week, but I found myself failing a lot at meal prep and just cooking things as I got hungry. It felt great to eat lots of salads, lots of veggies, and get creative with my protein choices (I made my first ever steak!). While I love a good burger, I sometimes love it even more without a bun or with a lettuce bun. I adored Tessemae's W30 Caesar dressing; it was literally a life changer and I went through a bottle so quickly (which probably wasn't the most healthy but it was that good!). I loved using recipes from The Defined Dish — I found her catalogue of Whole30 recipes the most extensive and easy to replicate! Her chicken tikka masala was so, so good.
I also loved finding out how much sheer self control I have. Shake Shack is probably my favorite restaurant (not even ashamed), and one night all of my friends ordered Shake Shack for dinner. It took SO much willpower not to steal a fry, but I did it! I'm amazed at the resistance I displayed, for I typically joke that I have absolutely no self control.
In that vein, I really liked the satisfaction of knowing I controlled my decisions and knowing I was making good choices. I did ClassPass this month, so I got to visit a lot of great fitness studios. Doing an awesome workout and then knowing I was going to eat a healthy lunch was really gratifying.
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And…the bad parts?
It is time consuming to cook so much! As a student with a job, the only reason I was so successful on Whole30 was because I started it during my winter break, and with Krystal in Reno for most of the month, I spent a lot of time working from home, meaning I could take breaks to cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I'm currently two weeks into a hectic school/work schedule and it has already gotten much, much harder to make time to cook.
Eating out is also very hard. Almost every restaurant I went to, I had to modify something on the menu. I couldn't order a lot of the things I consider healthy (grain bowls, hummus plates, etc), which was a bummer. I was definitely the defining factor on where my friends and I could eat, and it made me feel a bit like a burden. But I didn't want to give up going out to eat because I really do enjoy it.
I didn't mind this aspect so much, but black coffee is basically the only option if you want coffee and are in a coffee shop. Almost every shop uses almond milk with added sweetener (even if it's technically "unsweetened" — even one of my favorite brands, Califia), and my favorite alternative milk, oat milk, wasn't allowed on the program. I reallllllyyyy miss a good latte. That was one of the craziest things I noticed — how much added sugar is in so many of the things we eat. Just keep that in mind next time you're ordering a lot of almond milk lattes!
I also didn't notice much of a change in my skin — I break out relatively often, and didn't see an alleviation of blemishes even though my diet was clean. I suppose that's for a dermatologist to diagnose, but still interesting. I also found that if there wasn't an easy option for me to eat, I just wouldn't eat anything, sometimes for almost entire days until I got home or made it somewhere that had things I could eat. That resulted in me feeling extremely tired! Again, this is probably a just-me issue, but it was kind of a bummer.
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And overall?
Am I glad I did it? Yes. Did it change my life? No. I'm looking forward to incorporating my favorite healthy foods back into my life (oh beans! How I've missed you!) and regaining some of my food freedom. I think that's what I missed the most — the freedom to eat a sandwich now and then. The freedom to get something I knew was healthy even though it didn't have approved ingredients. The freedom to eat a piece of pizza or a bowl of pasta! If there's one thing I learned, it's completely healthy to sometimes just need a bowl of pasta.
I do think the test in self control was very important. Now I know I'll be more inclined to make healthy choices when presented with unhealthy alternatives. I also do feel better in a lot of ways — lighter and leaner and satisfied. I'm probably going to continue to incorporate Whole30 values into my life, but if there are tacos on the menu, I'm ordering them.
I hope this look into the Whole30 life has been helpful or interesting to you, whether you've completed it or are considering it! Let me know in the comments if you have any success stories or questions.
7 minute read
It's a question any New Yorker, no matter how new or how seasoned, gets asked with anticipation and a hint of worry by friends, family, or mere acquaintances headed for the Big Apple (no, no one calls it that): "Where do I go to get good photos?"
The minute I hit the ground in New York, I started taking photos. It was "welcome week" for freshman students, which meant we had a whole week free of classes to attend events, mixers, and other school functions in order to meet people and get acquainted with our new surroundings. I signed up for one event to test the waters — I think it was something about being environmentally friendly in the city? — and after spending an hour in a windowless classroom watching a PowerPoint, I made the wise split-decision to never do that again. Later that day, I was back in my dorm room, meandering around trying to figure out what to eat for lunch. My new roommate, Cynthia, was also home, and she wandered into the living room where I was stationed.
"Hey," she said a bit sheepishly. "What's up?"
"Oh, nothing," I responded in that way you do when you're not really comfortable with someone yet; both apprehension and invitation colored my voice.
"Would you…" Cynthia began, "…maybe want to get lunch?"
I smiled. "I'm starving."
And so Cynthia and I set out in search of a suitable lunch — which, thankfully, didn't mean dining hall food to either of us. I quickly learned that Cynthia had a similar encounter with the Welcome Week events, and so we decided to skip any other ones we might've been thinking about attending for the rest of the day. We filled our metro cards and headed uptown, to Central Park, grabbed a coffee and quick bite and began to stroll through the park. Cynthia was introduced to my pushy style of photography ("Go stand there!" I'd command, making her nervously laugh with compliments and exclamations of "That looks so good!" (Krystal can attest to this!)), and I snapped photos at every turn. After we'd explored a good chunk of the park, we decided to head down Fifth Avenue back towards our home on 14th St, intending to maybe catch the subway along the way once we got tired.
Instead, we walked the entire 45-block, 2.3 mile stretch, stopping for photos and popping into stores the whole way down. We discovered some of our still-favorite spots on that walk, like the Toby's Estate Coffee that's also a Strand Bookstore, flower shop, and Club Monaco, the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park, and the Eataly across the street. We saw how busy it gets for about 5 blocks before and after the Empire State Building, the beauty of Bryant Park, and craziness of 5th Avenue shopping. Somehow, we weren't tired at all after that walk. If anything, it inspired us to get out and see as much of the city as we could.
Needless to say, Cynthia and I didn't go to any more Welcome Week events. We roamed around West Village, walked to Chinatown, explored the Met, stopped in coffee shops in East Village, went shopping on the Upper West Side, traversed the High Line, and more. It meant so much to my New York induction that I get out of my little Greenwich Village bubble. I knew how to take the subway, I knew which way was East and West. I felt like a New Yorker.
The most important part, though? I had thousands and thousands of pictures to prove it.
Maybe that sounds a bit shallow. Of course photos aren't everything, but for someone like me who thrives on creativity, who lives for a good shot, they provide the most amazing visual record of a life well lived.
So, long story short, I've amassed a pretty good collection of perfect Instagram spots. And now I'm going to share them with you! These are places Krystal and I shoot constantly, places I love to visit, places I eat at and stare at in wonder, places that make up my perfect, photographable, New York.
Whether you're a local or a tourist posing as a local, these spots will give you a head start on a great Instagram feed 😉 (Oh, and some lovely memories along the way, too.)
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1.) The corner of Bedford and Grove
Best known for the apartment where the exteriors for Friends was shot, the adjacent corner of Bedford and Grove in West Village is actually way cuter and often way more deserted (since everyone is snapping photos of the Friends corner!). It has some of the most beautiful brownstones in the West Village, like this one below. A few houses down is the famous Grove Court, the most adorable nook of matching homes, which at Halloween fills to the brim with carved jack-o-lanterns!
There's almost no way you can't recognize this corner; it's absolute Instagram fodder, and for good reason. La Esquina restaurant provides a great retro background, and it's situated at the perfect junction of Soho and Nolita, so it looks both grand and industrial at the same time. Try to hit this spot as early in the morning as you can if you want photos without other people in them, because it can get pretty busy during midday (especially with popular Jack's Wife Freda just up the street!).
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3.) The Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg
We recently shot all day in Williamsburg, but in between outfits, we stopped in the Wythe Hotel's restaurant, Reynard, for an iced coffee. It is the prettiest space — huge windows line the wall, an ornate bar covers the other, and the tiling and wood details are so gorgeous. It gets busy on weekends and evenings, so try to stop by in the day for the good light and empty space.
The hotel itself is also massive and gorgeous — the rooms are a great mix of industrial and modern, with big paned windows, sizable bathrooms, exposed brick and cement floors with white and gold accents. I've personally never stayed there, but friends who have say it's a seamless experience from beginning to end. But, beware, you may never want to leave!
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4.) The pink house on Waverly Place
Every morning when I go to school, I get off at the West 4th stop and head east on Waverly. This house never fails to brighten my day — it is the happiest shade of dusty pink, and seems to fit nearly every season perfectly. In spring, it evokes the bursting cherry blossoms; in summer, the cotton candy sunsets; in autumn, the crisp mornings and late-afternoon light; in winter, the pinks of noses and cheeks brushed by the winter air. Wow, yes, I did just wax that poetic about a pink house!
It's usually relatively empty on this section of Waverly, unless they're filming a movie or delivering produce next door to swanky Babbo. Plus, I kind of love the look of strangers walking by this majestic place. Of course, though, like a lot of these spots, this is someone's home, so obviously exercise respect when taking photos! [/third][third] 
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Calling all fashion week lovers! Even though NYFW will no longer be rooted at Skylight Clarkson Sq, the area around the old venue is still an ideal place to snap photos. This photo above was actually shot at a UPS warehouse, but the rows and rows of garages actually made the perfect backdrop for Krystal's feminine outfits. The light over here is also amazing in the mornings; dapped light hits the warehouses in the prettiest way. It's also a hop and a skip away from Soho, so it can be a great jumping off point.
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Besides having amazing coffee, Happy Bones is one of the cutest coffee shops, perhaps in all of Manhattan. Marble tables and white walls are ideal for the Instagram-obsessed, and their latte art is almost always pristine, providing both the perfect shot and the perfect sip. The only catch is that it's absolutely tiny, with only 3 tables and room to stand at the window. I wish I had a good time to visit, but honestly, it's always a gamble. My best bets are early afternoon on a weekday (like 2p or 3p) or very, very early on a weekend (close to 7a) if you want to score a table all to yourself. Otherwise, just head there and hope for the best. The area around it is adorable (La Esquina is close!), so grab a coffee and explore Little Italy — you'll find tons more Instagramable spots!
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Well, there you have it! A selection of some of our favorite spots to snap Instagrams in the city. I have a ton more up my sleeve, so if you have a particular area you're hoping to visit, leave it in the comments and I can provide even more recommendations! I hope this helped you get some locations on your list for next time you're headed to the city! Where are your favorite places to snap photos? Let me know!
8 minute read
8 minute read When roles are reversed with parents...here's what I've learned so far.
3 minute read
Happy Friday, everyone!
How has your week been? A nasty cold took me down at the beginning of the week, and I've slowly been recovering through lots of tea, orange juice, and time in bed. I finally got out to a yoga class last night and a boxing class this morning, both of which were a bit tough to get through (sniffling is not fun while you're alternating burpees and jab-cross-hooks!) but I felt great once I was done. After another yoga class this morning — trying to work in a bunch of fitness things before school starts up again for me! — I'm feeling ready to take on the weekend.
With Krystal traveling and my own lazy, bedridden state, I seem to have spent a lot more time than normal on the internet this week. So, in the spirit of self-care, I've decided to bring you some of the best things I've read/stumbled upon/tried at home/bought lately.
Also, friendly reminder, if you haven't already, make sure to enter Krystal's $1000 giveaway!
Relax with a good cup of coffee and browse our favorite links from the past week...
[prodr brand="TONE IT UP" product="FITNESS SOCKS" description= "Do you have a secret hatred for ankle socks? The things are necessary for any ankle-boot loving fashionista, but they either 1. get lost immediately or 2. never stay put and provide no comfort. I bought these last week and am already headed back to buy another pair. They are cushiony, have a gripped heel, and they literally say "boss babe" on them. I'm in love." link="LINK URL"]
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[prodl brand="AVALON ORGANICS" product="VITAMIN C RENEWAL CREAM" description="I first spotted this moistruizer in my mom's beauty cabinet — she loves organic and clean skincare products so I knew this had to be a good one. I finally picked it up for myself and I love it. It's deeply moisturizing, and vitamin C gives dull winter skin a perfect luminous boost. Also, it's under $15!" link="LINK URL"] 
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- A thought-provoking op-ed in the Times about the sexual assault accusation against Aziz Ansari
- With all the cold weather in NYC and Reno, we've been dreaming of a summer filled with pinks, yellows, and blues
- My favorite Whole 30 recipe so far (more on that later!)
- I just ordered the new Glossier product that promises perfect skin in a matter of weeks — are you a fan of the social beauty brand?
- The coolest pair of jeans to transition to spring (hopefully soon!)
- I just bought this set from Outdoor Voices and can confirm it really is as comfy as it looks
- Cider-braised pork shoulder and butternut squash. 'Nuff said. (Just signed up for an in-print subscription for Bon Appetit — you should too! The photos are insanely gorgeous and the stories are lovely)
- Can we just agree this is the cutest dessert ever?! (Hint: it's filled with egg custard!)
- Lastly, this is definitely not from the past week, but if you need a smile, watch this quick clip of Elvis duetting with Frank Sinatra back in 1960. It's guaranteed to make you happy 🙂
That's all for me! Is there anything you've been loving from the interwebs lately? Let us know in the comments!
Have a great weekend, everyone.
6 minute read
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Let's get personal.
I feel like this has been happening to me quite a bit lately, but this post started off much differently.
My original post (that's still sitting in my WordPress draft folder screaming 'publish me instead') was a much more straightforward and informational essay on the state of my financial health as a small business owner. Now, before you yawn and get ready to swipe through this article, my intentions were this: One of the most frequently asked questions I get, is around how I decided to finally take the plunge to quit Google and to work on This Time Tomorrow full time -- an answer that often gets condensed in conversation but in reality, there was a lot of number crunching, soul searching and, well, ugly spreadsheets.
Spreadsheets for tracking my overall growth. Spreadsheets for tracking projections. Spreadsheets for tracking my expenses to incomings. Spreadsheets for the spreadsheets! What was it all for? Financial peace of mind -- something that wasn't taught to me in any university class, but something that I spent a lot of time Googling and re-Googling, something that I listened to tons of Ted Talks about. In that original post, we were going to talk about financial peace of mind. How to get it. Why we (meaning millennials) seem to be lacking it. And why we don't ever really talk about it with our family and loved ones. We all make money in different ways, whether it's from our own companies, working for someone else, or even answering online surveys via Lifepoints but we rarely want to talk about our income with anyone which seems bizarre.
And to be clear, we're still going to talk about those things. But that's where this post takes a detour.
I'm currently writing this from a hospital back in my hometown of Reno, Nevada. It's 6:05 am PST on Tuesday and my mom is currently recovering from a hip replacement surgery from the day before. The past 48 hours have been a blur of last minute flights, pre-op appointments and the dreaded waiting room dance, where you can't decide if you get another cup of coffee or survey the food options in the caffeteria one more time, as if they've miraculously changed. It's been nerve wracking -- feeling both helpless and responsible at the same time -- for someone like a parent, who is normally the one taking care of you.
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To be clear, my mom is recovering quite well and is already walking around a bunch, with her doctor estimating she'll be up and ready in no time. Today's post isn't looking for sympathy about this experience (although I'd love to write something longer about it specifically as perhaps we can all relate to times when roles are reversed with parents?), but it did get me thinking a lot about statistics that I've read recently. Consider the following:
- The majority of Americans are worried that they would be financially crippled by a major life event, but aren't actively preparing for it. Over half would not be able to come up with $400 for an emergency.
- 50% of Americans have more credit card debt than they do savings. Building credit is something that many people struggle with so if you need some help or advice on the matter, it may be worth learning how to establish credit, particularly if you live in the U.S.
- Only 15% of the population is on track to fund even one year of retirement.
- Money is, quite unsurprisingly, the number one source of stress, yet 70% of Americans find it rude to discuss money in public settings.
The first and last points get me here, especially as I find myself in the position that I'm in, dealing with a major life event. Thankfully, there aren't any hiccups to report -- the surgery, while still major, is practically routine at this point, her doctor has been amazing and it's thankfully all covered by insurance. I financially planned to take this trip, putting work and life on hold to a certain extent to help out as much as possible here back at home -- a reality that may not always be the case for someone who perhaps doesn't work independently/for themselves.
But what if any of the above weren't true? What if I hadn't put enough extra aside for this particular major life event? What if something complicates (God forbid) the recovery process? What if her insurance ultimately decides to file this differently than expected thereby covering less? They're all things we would inevitably take in stride, but it does make you stop and think: how well prepared am I?
Now, I'm not someone who likes to sit at home worrying about every little thing that could go wrong. After all, life is a series of things that happens when you're not looking, right? But it wasn't until I sat down to write this post in collaboration with Intuit (the makers of Mint and Turbo Tax) for their financial health app Turbo, that I realized, I don't know if I fully understand my financial state of the union, so to speak. Sure, I run my own business, and I like to think I'm doing all the "appropriate adult" things I should be doing for retirement, savings etc. but am I really?
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For the past few weeks leading up to heading back home, I've been taking a good, hard look at my financial situation, my spending to saving ratio, my overhead expenses (both business and personal) -- the whole works -- via the Turbo app, which brings together your IRS-verified income, credit score (you may find this article helpful when looking for your credit report) and debt-to-income ratio to produce a holistic picture of your financial standing. In the past, I've viewed many of these things separately in silos, so the ability to assess the lay of the land all in one place has been eye-opening. If you do see that you have outstanding debts but they were taken out many years ago, you may want to ask yourself "can a debt collector collect after 10 years?" this could potentially decrease your debt total expenditure for the future.
This year, one of my biggest personal goals is to better understand my true financial health, starting first with debunking this idea we shouldn't talk about money. I've found sometimes the things that give us the most anxiety or fear, tend to be the things we shy away from sharing with anyone -- making for feelings of isolation or embarrassment that we're doing something wrong. Perhaps its the effect of this hospital or the onset of my 30s talking here, but I find that to be a terrible waste of time. And perhaps you do, too?
So let's start that now. What are some of your financial goals -- big or small -- this year? And how are you working toward them?
This post was in collaboration with Turbo. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!
13 minute read
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Drumroll please...
Alright, ladies (and perhaps a handful of gentlemen?), the results are in from our very first reader survey here on This Time Tomorrow! The votes have been cast. The remarks have been noted. And I have lots of charts and graphs to show for it, that I wish I could muster together into a really cool, viral-worthy infographic for you. But, alas, in the interest of time (and my sanity), I figured I'd spare you all that. The important thing to focus on here is: WOW, this was incredibly insightful!
First things first, for everyone who took the time to fill out this online survey here (20 questions total) or the condensed, shortened version available in my Insta Stories (5 questions), I cannot begin to thank you enough. Seriously. I know this is a very oversatured market, so the fact you took time out of your day to do this for me, truly means the world. I'm so glad that you all have been paying so much attention to my Instagram page and my Instagram link in bio too! Furthermore, for everyone who filled out the open ended response questions, which I intentionally made optional as I didn't want to burden anyone with writing out their answers, even BIGGER props to you! Each note, comment, constructive criticism, paragraph, and in some cases, mini novel, while all completely anonymous, didn't go unnoticed or unappreciated or unfelt (in the best way possible!). It was humbling to know you cared enough to let me know what you really think! And yes, that means, the good, the bad and the ugly, as it pertains to both what I'm doing here specifically on This Time Tomorrow and your thoughts on the influencer space as a whole.
Secondly, I wanted to give a bit of context as to the catalyst behind this survey. While there were many things I valued about working at Google, I always really appreciated the transparency and the iterative nature of the company the most, from the products we were building to how teams were functioning. Each year, we'd fill out a multi-part survey (anonymously) weighing in on how we felt about a wide range of topics, including our immediate team productivity, group vision, manager relations, etc. and months later, the results would be aggregated, interpreted and shared, making for a really great, actionable roadmap for what was working, what wasn't and everything in between. I loved that it forced us to be critical of what we were doing, to celebrate with pats on the back when it seemed to be supported and to pivot when we really needed to.
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So here I am, hoping to do the same for This Time Tomorrow. Because if there's one thing that was very clear in the open ended feedback responses, you guys are craving more realness from the influencers you follow -- a fair request if you ask me as I often feel that way too, as an influencer myself. And I think the first step in that direction, is figuring out what I'm doing right and where I'm perhaps missing the mark.
With all that in mind, I'm cutting my mic off (because seriously, I'm rambling now), so we can get down on to the results! (Keep scrolling!)
About you!
- Slice of the Pie: Between the Google Form survey here (2o questions) and the condensed Insta Stories polls (5 questions), we had well over 1,500 responses! Obviously, everything that follows is considered a population subset -- it's not truly reflective of the ENTIRE group but it's a good indicator. Think of it as a slice of the pie, so to speak.
- Who are you?: Well, 80% of you are NOT content creators/bloggers/influencers/YouTubers yourselves. This surprised me, as a lot of you did seem to know a lot about the influencer space though, so perhaps some of you should look into the best way of becoming an influencer! TikTok is very popular at the moment, so it might be worth taking a look at tiktokpalace.com, but there are plenty of platforms that you could use to get started so take your time whilst finding the right one(s). I am glad such a high percentage of you were not content creators, as it is nice to hear from people who I may not otherwise hear from.
- Personal style: When it comes to your personal style, I noticed there was a healthy majority of those in the Madewell + J.Crew, "girl next door camp" (44.7%) and those in the high and low mixing camp (47.9%), which I can admit, I haven't done the best job of staying true to in my personal style posts I've shared here in recent years (but more on that later!).
- What draws you to blogs? As far as your main motivation behind following a given influencer, it quite unsurprisingly boiled down to style/beauty inspiration (52.7%), followed by a desire to feeling connected to like-minded women and men (17.6%) -- another area I'd like to iterate on, but more on that later!
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OUTFIT DETAILS: Suistudio coat (similar style here) // Zara turtleneck (similar style here) // Sunglasses (found at a vintage store in Melbourne, but similar style here) // Levis Wedgie jeans // Tibi heels // Cafune bag
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General habits
- Reading blogs: A thing of the past? When it comes to consuming content on blogs, many of you confessed to reading primarily at least a few times a week (38.3%), if not daily (42.6%), but when it comes to your favorite platform to follow said influencers on, the overwhelming majority of you said Instagram. While it's a bit conflicting, I can relate to this breakdown, as I spend way more time on Instagram following ALL the influencers on my radar, and spend a select amount of time on the few blogs I care to read on a daily basis (this is a huge shift for me, compared to when I started this site over 9 years ago, when I would read A TON of blogs every day on my blog roll (oh man, anyone remember those?!). This, of course, begs the question, what makes a blog worthy of that limited time you DO spend reading? More on that later...
- Time of Day: There's almost an equal size grouping of my early birds (those who love checking blogs/social media early in the morning) coming in at 41.2% and my night owls coming in at 42.2%. I'm toying around with the idea of publishing twice a day several times a week, and kinda love the idea of night time programming to compliment the early morning sartorial inspiration dose. Thoughts?
- Like To Know It: Not many of you ACTUALLY use Like To Know It (63.8%), which is practically music to my ears. Not that I have anything against the platform, it's just that since its launch, I think it's safe to say it's cut into a lot of bloggers' traffic, since the incentive to visit a site for further outfit information is practically removed. One of my biggest professional goals this year (as it is every year) is to increase my overall traffic and the stickiness of my site -- so when it comes to shopping my Instagrams, you can simply visit my Shop My Instagram page here.
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Let's talk about the elephant in the room: INSTAGRAM
- iPhone or DSLR?: This question seems to get asked a TON in all the Insta Stories polls I've been seeing lately (for good reason) and the results came in as I expected. When asked to choose, most people prefer iPhone photos over high fidelity photos from a DSLR or equivalent camera (69.7% vs. 30.3%). By now, I've sure you've all heard plenty of anecdotal stories as to why iPhone photos perform better on Instagram -- including possible algorithm favoring -- but I think in general, it indicates a return to when Instagram first launched with more candid, raw, off the cuff sort of posting behavior (Eva Chen brought this up back in April when the introduced the first of several algorithm changes). While I don't necessarily see most content creators completely returning to that, I do think there's value in prioritizing this feedback to see how it resonates with you all. Of course, you can still expect high fidelity photos here, on the blog, which of course, may find their way over to Instagram from time to time, but in general, I'd like to try this for a good month to see how it goes.
- Instagram posts or Insta Stories?: I'm actually really keen to ask this question in about 6 months to see how much it's changed (if at all). As of right now though, actual Instagram posts sneak by as the winner over Insta Stories (56.4% vs. 43.6%).
- Live Videos or Insta Stories?: This was a landslide. Nearly 92% of you prefer Insta Stories over Live Videos, and I have to say, I agree. Very rarely do I get a notification for a live video and actually click through to watch in that moment. Most of the time, it boils down to the fact I'm busy and in the middle of something else so I can't necessarily "tune in" for that show.
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General thoughts on the influencer space
- The Good: These questions were positioned as optional, open ended responses, so I'll be generalizing the overall sentiment here. When it comes to the type of content folks love seeing on blogs, it really boils down to one main underlying goal: being relatable. I think now, more than ever, you dear readers appreciate it when a blogger shows that they are more than a perfectly curated feed -- that they're real, they have flaws, they have hardships, they have quirks, and above all, they're human. To quote, (and don't worry, we'll have lots of quotes down below), one person wrote that they wished more bloggers would keep "being honest about their failures as well as their successes." You all had a bunch of thoughts that laddered back up into this umbrella idea: creating relatable outfits (at price points that didn't ONLY feature luxury items), being candid on Insta Stories, sharing actionable tips and tricks to fellow bloggers, creating thought provoking essays that perhaps go beyond an outfit and make people want to get to know you more.
- The Bad: As far as the types of content you wish bloggers would leave BEHIND in 2o17? Well, here's a condensed list of themes/subjects that came up repeatedly and it goes something like this: loop giveaways (understandable), sponsored beauty content especially when it goes live the same day as a bunch of other bloggers' posts (fair point), unboxing videos on Insta Stories (makes sense), business of blogging posts (unless there's a unique value add), overt sponsorships that don't fit their brand and saying "Hi guys" at the beginning of videos (this one made me laugh and nod my head a tiny bit!).
- The UGLY: Sale roundups. Hands down, the most requested thing to STOP recapping, resharing, rounding up and generally, just talking about in the blog world. And you know what? I gotta say I agree. As someone who has consistently blogged about the aforementioned sale that shall remain unnamed and can see and understand as to why it's a big revenue source for bloggers, I can also recognize when enough is enough and it sounds like you guys, dear readers, tend to tune out during this time anyway. Gift guides came in as a close second.
- Finish this sentence..."When I decide to follow a blogger, it's important to me that they..." There were so many wonderful, thought-provoking answers to this one, but my favorite was: "When I decide to follow a blogger, it's important to me that they mirror some aspect of my life that I hold dear." I mean, after all, we're all looking to connect, right?
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This Time Tomorrow feedback
- The top 4 requested content categories (in order of preference): Daily outfits, personal essays (about relationships, about hardships, about LIFE etc.), travel guides and a tie for 4th place between fitness/wellness and interviews with inspiring women (like my Woman Crush Wednesday series). Personally, I'm excited this question affirmed a lot of what I want to refocus on this year, that being more relatable outfit content and more personal writing.
- When it comes to style of photography, the majority of you would prefer approachable content (more candid, on the street, heading to coffee/meetings/work moments) over aspirational (more editorialized, stylized moments), coming in at 85.1% vs. 14.9%. I have lots of thoughts on this -- and promises around it -- down below in the "But what does this all mean for 2018?" section.
- As far as what you guys want me to KEEP doing, we have: long form personal essay writing, more video content, more photos without sunglasses on, travel photography and guides, more casual, every day outfits, fitness and marathon training, ELVIS BUTT WIGGLE STORIES! God guys, with all these essays you're requesting, I might have to get someone to write essays for me! Although I hear they're very helpful, I do love writing for you guys and I don't think I could pass that role onto someone else.
- On the flip side, the most common things you guys think I should STOP doing are: too many editorialized shoots that end up being too aspirational, sale round ups and including too many photos in a post (fair enough!).
Letters to the editor
So many of you wrote thoughtful, detailed and actionable feedback (the trifecta!), that I wanted to share some of the highlights, praise and constructive criticism alike!
- "The one thing I think you should STOP doing is over the top fashion posts. Again, LOVE your style and find it so so beautiful. But sometimes I really wonder where you are wearing these things. They're beautiful to photograph, but not as "inspirational" for someone who has a desk job and a morning commute. I still go back to your San Fran, Google blogger days to draw inspiration for my work and personal life."
- "First of all, MAJOR congratulations on running the NYC Marathon -- it's a huge accomplishment and you should be so proud! That said, as someone who runs distance races and knows what it's like to run a marathon, I found your blogging about the process to miss the mark and I didn't think you gave a realistic picture of what is required to train for a marathon (or what to wear to do it!)."
- "Less editorial type photos. They're beautiful but not as interesting as candid photos"
- "Opening up about life, fashion, Elvis, NYC. You have a unique perspective on life, on moving across country, on relationships. The 'girl chat' mentality of blogging is really nice, especially with the increase of cultivated social media, its nice to connect with a blogger because you share similar interest and paths in life."
- "The thoughtful essays. It's been a rough year and we have 3 more ahead, so keep on with the woman power."
- "Writing! I love the way you write. I love that you can talk about fun and slightly more frivolous stuff like fashion and beauty but you also have such a unique voice and are very well written. I discovered your blog several years ago while still in college and your blog made me want to write."
But what does this all mean for 2018?
Of course, everything above is just great feedback until you put it to work -- and that's exactly what I want to do. So here's what I'm gearing up for, content wise in 2018 -- I'm pretty excited for all of it, and I hope you are, too!
- More personal writing: If one thing is very clear to me now, it's that you guys are craving a more personal, one-on-one narrative here, to show that there's plenty more past the highlight reel of Instagram. I, like many of you, have thoughts, concerns, desires, fears, anxieties and problems like the rest of humanity. Will we get into all of it? Nah, there aren't enough hours in the day and I don't want to DRAG you down that much. But, I'm excited to open up with more personal posts -- the good and the bad -- in hopes it creates more of a sense of community around these parts. You guys brought up my previous dating posts here and here, my adult acne and self-image struggle posts here, my career posts here and even some of my politically charged posts here and here as favorites. The key here to remember is that it's quality over quantity -- I want to make sure I'm producing content that I'm proud of and that I think adds distinct value to your day.
- More everyday outfit inspiration: My next biggest takeaway? Get back to my roots. While there's something I really enjoy about being able to style a shoot that's aspirational and editorial in nature, I can also recognize that it can be alienating if done too often. I think somewhere along the way, I really got hooked on flexing my stylist muscle that I failed to share more of my every day, running around the city/heading to work looks that brought a lot of you here in the first place. This coming year, I like to think we can find a really nice balance of the two, perhaps with a dedicated hub here on my site to house more of my "styling work" -- where I'd ideally love to style actual models for conceptualized shoots. I've always toyed with this idea with different photographers and I think now is the time to try it.
- More fitness: As one reader pointed out above, my NYC Marathon training was a bit lacking, and she was, for the most part, correct. Due to a crazy travel schedule the months leading up to the marathon itself, I wasn't quite realistic with myself as to what was feasible, both from a physical training standpoint and from a content production standpoint. While I haven't officially signed up for the NYC Marathon again this year, I'm already planning on it and this time around, I'd love to create a more detailed series as to how I prep leading up to race day. Would you be interested in forming a virtual running club -- essentially we would keep each other accountable for mileage/work outs etc.?
- More personal Insta Stories: OK, so I need to get over this weird phobia I have of just sitting there and talking to the camera -- most of the time, I just hate the sound of my voice and get oddly anxious over the 15 seconds cutting my sentences off at weird points that I end up refilming way more than its worth. That said, you guys want more candid, real peeks into every day life so I'll give it a go!
- More video: As you guys know, this was a big focus for the second half of 2017 for me and while the learning curve is steep and I still really have no idea what I'm doing, I'm enjoying the challenge! From my set of current videos, I can tell you guys liked the chattier ones -- both the 73 Questions and my first haul video -- so I'm already planning on a more quippy Q&A series as well as styling tips and tricks videos.
- Building up my newsletter: My newsletter was another big focus for the second half of 2017, and another one where the learning curve was (and still is!) steep, but I do think my newsletter is going to become an even bigger focus in 2018 as I start releasing longer format writing and hopefully more editorial styling with models.
And that's all I have from this year's 2018 survey -- did I miss or gloss over anything? Did you find this helpful at all? Please let me know in the comments below!
3 minute read
By now, I'm sure we're all familiar with the Danish concept of hygge. A quick summation: that amazing feeling, whether you're with those you hold dear or by yourself, at home or out and about, of being completely content and cozy. Hygge, for us Americans especially, comes into play a lot during the winter, when coziness is absolutely essential. As The New Yorker described it, "It is candles, nubby woolens, shearling slippers, woven textiles, pastries, blond wood, sheepskin rugs, lattes with milk-foam hearts, and a warm fireplace." A.k.a, all the best things in life, right?!
This winter has already proven to be a bit nasty, from bomb cyclones on the east coast to crazy wildfires and mudslides on the west. So, as holiday lights are coming down, now is the time to wrap yourself in the Danish way of life. Check out my tips and tricks for achieving the ultimate level of cozy this winter.
Title Boxing in Cleveland — tons of locations in the US!
Working out
I know that might sound crazy, but hear me out — we all know that nothing feels better than finishing an intense workout class, coming home, hopping in a warm shower, and changing into comfy loungewear and slipping into clean sheets. I mean, you're cozy just thinking about it! But instead of going to the gym, perhaps give a boutique fitness class a try. I've been loving my ClassPass subscription right now; there are tons of great intro deals for new members (I'm currently riding on a free first month!) and some amazing classes. My favorite has been pilates, but check back in with me later today after I take a fun dance cardio class (after which I will promptly be hopping back into bed!).
My friend Grace's lovely apartment
Lighting candles
I honestly am not sure if hygge can truly be achieved without some amazing candles. There are few things more soothing than lighting a billion delicious-smelling candles and basking in their glow. I love picking up candles at Target or Anthropologie — I'm obsessed with this orange and clove, am currently burning this brown sugar and chestnut, and have this pomander sitting on my shelf. Pick your favorite scent and let it waft through your home, instantly calming you.
My bestie Kendall perfecting her hygge
Cozy loungewear
All I've bought lately has either been loungewear or activewear that I only wear as loungewear. I live for a good, cute pullover, and a matching pair of joggers. I've also been dying for a pair of shearling slippers — does anyone else like to wear shoes around the house? There's just something so much more appealing about sliding into a pair of fuzzy slippers after a long day.
Make coffee and a delicious meal
Treat yourself to a slow morning in — make coffee (or matcha or tea, whatever your preference) and cook a warming breakfast like shakshuka (my favorite recipe is from the New York Times) or perhaps a bowl of golden milk oatmeal. Enjoy in your cozy home, like my friend Grace's, featured above, and feel completely content!
What are your favorite ways to get cozy this winter season? Let me know in the comments!
Photos by me
4 minute read
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Truth be told, I actually had a very different post written for today.
It was a post about jet lag and meditation and how I really can't handle either (although I'm trying!), but in light of Sunday's Golden Globes ceremony, I thought twice about it.
As I'm sure many of you already saw, read or have talked about at great length, the #TimesUp movement that hit the red carpet in LA was nothing short of, in my opinion, a moving and united message of action, support, and empathy for those facing sexual assault, harassment, and inequality in the workplace. Those things are happening daily for some people, and with the help of the #TimesUp movement, more people are beginning to speak up against the people who are sexually harassing them. After speaking up, people are advised to try and find someone who is well-practiced in sexual harassment law to try and help them gain compensation if they are entitled to it for the experiences they've had to go through.
Debra Messing called out E! News for not paying their female anchors the same as their male counterparts, all WHILE giving an interview with E! News. Social justice activists like Tarana Burke (founder of the #MeToo movement) joined A-list celebrities as their companions for the evening. And if I'm not mistaken, my girl Oprah just threw her hat in for 2020 with that speech (and I, for one, couldn't be more excited by the prospect of that).
But wait, what about that Natalie Portman comment? Yeah, let's get into that Natalie Portman comment.
Again, as you may have already seen or heard or scrolled past, Natalie Portman presented the award for Best Director, her lead in line going something like this: "And here are the ALL MALE nominees for best director."
Emphasis on "all." Even bigger emphasis on "male." And even bigger emphasis on the awkward look that Ron Howard by her side just couldn't shake off fast enough.
I shared this exact moment on Insta Stories the other night -- as I loved the overall brazenness of this move. The tact, delivery and perhaps the timing of the statement caught a lot of people off guard -- including the nominees -- and while I could see how this might seemingly shift the overall positive tone of the evening to that of seemingly bitter -- I didn't take it as such. She took a timely opportunity when she had a very global stage to make a point. (Continued below...keep scrolling)
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OUTFIT DETAILS: Leone dress // Sergio Rossi heels // Olympia Le-Tan clutch // Celine sunglasses
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The point that, like many other industries, not just Hollywood, there's a fundamental accessibility issue. In it's 75 years, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has only nominated 6 female directors to date for a Golden Globe (with Barbra Streisand being nominated twice and winning once) -- the numbers are even more dismal when you look at the Academy Awards.
And it's largely due to the fact that female directors make up such a small percentage of top industry films (the ones that eventually get award buzz anyway), the reasons for such boiling down to studios, producers and film executives standing in the way of allowing that number to change and evolve. In fact, as of 2016, both the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs launched an investigation into discriminatory hiring practices against female directors in Hollywood. Of the few women who eventually earn the helm of such top industry films, many find themselves left out of the awards race all together (like Lady Bird's Greta Gerwig).
I think Portman's comment forced this conversation to take center stage. I didn't take it as a plea for nominating women purely for the sake of hitting a female director quota -- that doesn't do anyone, male or female directors, any favors. And while I could see how it might alienate or even undermine the very talented men who were nominated, I also didn't take it as a slight against those gentlemen either. I think what she was trying to highlight here was the question: why don't we have more female directors being considered for these types of roles in the first place?
Of course, I always love hearing from you guys on these topics, even if we may see things differently -- I think that's the beauty in debate!
What did you think about Natalie Portman's comment? Let me know in the comments below -- or DM me on Instagram! Let's chat!
As for these photos, Lydia and I actually snapped these while we were in LA earlier this year working with the Sarah Seven team on their Leone collection launch. It just dawned on me that I had never shared these photos and figured, in light of today's post topic, the "You Are A Star" mural was all too fitting.
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4 minute read
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In true New Year's Day form, I sat down to write this post all about my resolutions for the year. This, of course, got me thinking: isn't it funny that resolutions are so often framed around stopping or starting something? Starting a diet. Quitting a bad habit. Picking up a new hobby. Putting an end to your shoe budget. It's one extreme or the other. You either stuck to it. Or you didn't. Which is, largely why I like to think we believe we come up short on the last day of the year when we realize perhaps we didn't stick to that one extreme or the other. Black or white. There's no gray area. There's no work in progress area. There's no room for forgiveness.
I don't know about you, but that doesn't seem like a very kind way to start the year. There are plenty of things I'd love to start AND stop this year. But there are also a lot of things that I'd like to keep just plain DOING -- they haven't just started this year and they're not about to stop, but rather they're the things I'd like to make the commitment to keep up. I'm not resolving to do anything -- I'm committing to make time for the things I know I want to keep doing.
This is all probably a long rambling way of saying I like to think of my resolutions as commitments -- promises to myself that I'll keep dedicating precious time to the things I know I want to make time for. For me, that's always been writing -- one of the biggest reasons I started this blog in the first place was to collect my writing in one proverbial corner of the internet, and while numerous other platforms and content consumption trends since then have perhaps made this industry more visually focused, I know I'm happiest when I write something that I'm particularly proud of. After looking back on 2017, I don't think I made enough of a commitment to sharing my writing here and that's something I'd like to focus on this year -- longer format personal essays. Don't get me wrong -- I love sharing and photographing what I'm wearing, but I want you to come to This Time Tomorrow knowing that you'll leave with way more than outfit inspiration. It's about sharing the personal (the good and the bad), the professional triumphs and failures (and what I've learned from them both) and my thoughts on what it means to be a 30 something woman living in the world we live in (and how I'm attempting to make sense of it all). Perhaps that's a vague direction and I'm OK with that. I'm actually really looking forward to the defining of it as I go along -- a process I'd love for you to join me on.
I mentioned this before in a previous post, but I've been doing a lot of reflecting while traveling around Australia -- about this industry I find myself in and the particular content I enjoy creating. It's been an interesting exercise in reviewing, critiquing and yes, even meditating on the things I think have worked well, what hasn't and what I think I'm holding back (all while driving through some incredible countryside in Western Australia). I like to think of it as a cathartic road trip of sorts -- examining who I am at this moment as a creative and figuring out what parts I want to focus on as my work in progress. I don't want to think of it as black or white. Stop or go. Start or stop. I want to think of it as BEING -- and all the messiness and beauty and truth that comes with it.
What's one thing you'd like to keep doing this year?
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What I'm wearing:
Photos by Ty Johnson // Shot on location at The Pinnacles National Park in Western Australia
8 minute read
Well, here we are! Another year coming to an end -- a new one just about to begin. I always find this time of year -- the span between Christmas and New Year's -- to be an interesting "in between" period. It's as if we're all collectively waiting for some proverbial shoe to drop, a sigh of relief we're looking to release at any minute. Your days kind of get a bit blurred together, between family get togethers and late night cocktail parties with friends. And you reflect. A lot. Or at least I do.
It's part of the reason why I love writing these end of year posts so much. During our drive yesterday between Perth and Margaret River (where we're spending New Year's), I dug through my archives over the course of this year and pulled my personal highlights and favorites -- a reel of my highs (and even some lows) that meant a lot to me these past 12 months. The opportunities. The trips. The career moves. And of course, I have all of you to thank for it. So thank you. For following along this year, for reading, for supporting, and most importantly, for being my friends.
Wherever you are this New Year's Eve, I hope you ring in the new year with love and hope, as I know I will. And as for 2018, let's f-ing do this. I'm ready for ya.
What kind of content do you want to see in 2018?
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1. Speaking on panels: One of my biggest personal goals this year was to take on more speaking engagements. Public speaking has always been a point of contention for me — I tend to shy away from being the center of attention, especially if a microphone is involved. This year alone, I told myself every speaking engagement that popped into my inbox, I would take on — 5 in total.
The biggest pinch me moment was when I was invited to speak on a panel about women disrupting the digital media landscape at the Samsung space in Meatpacking. Walking in that evening and seeing my photo span a 2 story high screen was a pretty incredible feeling -- both humbling and frightening at the same time. But, of course, with any fear, practice always helps and I've found that usually once I get started, I love the adrenaline rush of it all. And the questions from all of you!
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2. NYC Marathon: After pulling out of the NYC marathon the year before, tackling the race this year was a big fitness goal for me. I documented my training process along the way — and I cannot begin to thank you all enough for the words of encouragement along the way. While my time wasn’t necessarily anything to brag about (I had to walk quite a bit), I was ecstatic to just have finished the race and been a part of something that literally the city comes together to support. Huge props to my boyfriend who also tried to run me down for the last 6 miles to give me a new set of headphones (my Apple AirPods died around mile 18).
3. Japan: My trip to Japan was a dream trip come true — one that had been in the works for several years with my good friend, Heather. We both were dying to see the Cherry Blossoms in full bloom and managed to schedule the trip perfectly, hitting Tokyo, Kyoto and Naoshima at just the right time to witness it all.
4. Scotland: Even though this was probably one of my shortest international trips (less than 5 full days), I walked away with some of my all-time favorite images of the year, including the one you see here, of me in the red dress up at the Isle of Skye.
5. Australia X 2!: This year, I chocked up two separate trips down under — both very different from each other. The first was spent trekking through New South Wales with their state tourism board, experiencing Sydney, Bondi, Coffs Harbour and Byron Bay. The second — where I am currently — has been spent exploring Melbourne and Western Australia with my guy. I just have to say -- I've been spoiled with SUCH good coffee and avo smash here that it's gonna be really hard to leave.
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6. South of France: For ages now, I’ve wanted to visit the south of France. We hopped over back in August and I was basically in heaven as we drove through some of the most beautiful countryside I’ve ever seen — lavender and sunflower fields and all. I still need to post my recap posts from this trip so look out for those in early January!
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7. Instagram engagement tips: Ah, the algorithm heard around the world. Thanks to Facebook, we’ve all felt the effects of the algorithm change introduced back in March — and for better or for worse, we’re stuck with it. I’m not going to lie, it’s really changed the way I look at the platform and the credence and weight I give it, when it comes to my business. That said, I loved starting this conversation with you all — tips and tricks — on how to best handle the changes, if for nothing else than to give a bit of transparency to something that tends to be kept as an industry secret.
8. How to handle a breakup: The start of 2017 hit a pretty low note for me — the guy I had been dating at the time decided to call it quits at midnight on New Year’s Eve. I took the first month or so of the year to really reflect on how I handled that heartbreak. What came of it was this post, where I shared 6 ways to handle a breakup — it was extremely therapeutic to share this with you guys and hopefully it helped someone else along the way.
9. Glamour Magazine: While this photoshoot actually happened at the end of 2016, it wasn’t until March of 2017 that I saw this finished ad for Clinique in Glamour Magazine. These photos are some of my favorite snaps in print — I still have to pinch myself when I see them.
10. International Women’s Day with BHLDN: Celebrating International Women’s Day with these badass babes for a collaboration with BHLD. Also, this dress made many appearances over the year — it’s probably one of my favorites.
11. Launching YouTube and my weekly newsletter: I’ve been pushing myself to launch both my YouTube channel and my weekly newsletter and toward the second half of this year, I was able to do both! It’s been a really rewarding experience challenging myself to learn and develop two different platforms and I’m looking forward to growing the two even more in 2018.
12. Nora, my editorial assistant: One of my big professional goals for 2017 was to hire an editorial assistant to help with some of my day over day workload. While I’ve managed direct reports before while at Google, this time felt infinitely different as the business is that much more personal. The minute I met Nora though, I knew my brand was in good hands. Not only is she meticulous, organized and good at making sure I eat lunch during the day (I sometimes just forget and power through until dinner), she’s an amazing writer and photographer. Our holiday dress edit lookbook is some of her finest work yet, I think. Thank you, Nora for everything. You're a badass.
13. Funny Face: Sometimes I do weird things for photoshoots. Including walking around Washington Square Park at 6:30am with multicolored balloons to recreate a scene from Funny Face. Was it worth it though? I think so!
14. Underneath it All: This year I partnered with a few of my favorite lingerie brands, Adore Me and Third Love, both I think are great at hitting the sweet spot for women of all sizes and shapes — a surprising anomaly in a market dominated by angel wing models. Like many of you I’m sure, I have body hang ups and insecurities, which is why I loved shooting this campaign to tackle those head on. I’ve never thought of lingerie as something for men — it’s much more a gift to myself. The gift of feeling comfortable in my own skin and embracing my sexuality, however I choose to express it, which I'm sure many women from the likes of www.hdpornvideo.xxx and other sites would agree with as well!
15. Mulberry: As we draw 2017 to a close, I’m extremely grateful for the roster of wonderful brand partners I’ve worked with the past few months. My career highlight though was working with Mulberry back in November for their Amberley Bag launch.
16. Sarah Seven: I’ve never been the girl who’s dreamt about what her wedding dress would look like. If, or when I get married, I like to think I’d probably wear a really simple, elegant white midi dress. But when I worked with bridal designer Sarah Seven on her contemporary dress line, Leone, I was rather tempted to borrow of of her gowns, just to see what all the fuss is about. The result? I get it now.
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17. Paris in the Rain: Out of all my outfits this year, there’s something about this black and white number with a red umbrella in front of the New York Public Library that just felt so cinematic. It’s my current Instagram profile photo and I just can’t bring myself to change it.
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Happy Christmas weekend!
Though many of you may have your gifts already picked out, some of us are still struggling to find the perfect gift for someone on our list. Maybe she's the woman who has everything and wants for nothing — and yet will playfully expect a lovely gift. Or maybe it's the girl whose life is so effortless and down to earth that even material things just don't cut it. Whoever it is, a tried-and-true gift I always turn to is beauty. From lipsticks to balms to hair products to skincare, beauty is something almost any girl can get excited over, especially as gifts. Beauty products are often small and always thoughtful — I love how much consideration goes into even the tiniest pot of eyeshadow. Does this match her personality? Will she wear it often or for special occasions? Does this color scream her?
Beauty can be tricky, sometimes, but with these picks below you'll be pleasing every last girl on your list. Happy shopping!
Photos by Lydia Hudgens
2 minute read
When it comes to my skincare routine here in New York, you guys know I've been through the ringer. After moving here from San Francisco, my skin went through a series of phases -- some good, some bad, some downright ugly -- and it took me a while to finally get a handle on the situation. Between the climate change (hello harsh winters!) to some pretty pervasive pollution, not to mention a handful of New York evenings where you just don't sleep, my skin revolted -- resulting in some pretty moderate to severe adult acne. Some of you may recall my journey here, which I shared in detail -- everything from what worked to what failed.
Thankfully, I've gotten my skin under control thanks to an awesome dermatologist here in the city, a fitness routine that balances me and my skin out, a combination of certain prescribed medicines (which I shared here) that I've since weened off, and generally, just listening to my skin when it's trying to tell me something. My schedule certainly hasn't slowed down, nor has my daily pace, but I definitely make a point, at the beginning and end of each day to tend to my skin -- a ritual of sorts. I was recently introduced to the brand, Valmont, a Swiss luxury skincare line, after trying out a few of their products at a recent event at Saks. Fast forward a few weeks later, and their team approached me about test driving their latest Essence of Bees line, with an introductory session with one of their lead estheticians, Sandra, here in New York. Sandra has been using Valmont on many of her clients for the past 18 years, which I think is a testament to how much she truly believes in the product -- most of which features some of the latest technology in skincare advancements, including skin rejuvenating elements that are traditionally used on burn victims. Plus, Sandra's skin was pretty much perfect -- the first thing I look for when I come in for a facial.
Since then, I've been following a regimen of their eye serum, facial oil daily -- both in the mornings and the evenings, with their mask about 2-3 times a week. It's only been about 2 weeks now, but I think the biggest difference I can see, is under my eyes, which usually are extremely sensitive to my sleep patterns (or lack thereof) -- my under eye skin feels much more supple to the touch and oddly enough, I feel like I just look more awake. I'll keep testing out these products over the coming weeks, but in the meantime, I wanted to share their line with one of you! Hope over to this Instagram post to learn more about how you could win their Essence of Bees line (retails over $1k)!
Also, hope you enjoy this video we created, inspired by the many New York girls I know, who are constantly on the go but don't want to sacrifice their skincare routine. And if you haven't already, I would love it if you would consider subscribing to my YouTube channel! I launch new videos every Friday, many times before they get posted to Instagram or the blog.
And, of course, Happy Thanksgiving, guys! Hope you have a beautiful holiday with family and friends!
Video by Ty Johnson // Editing by Ty Johnson and Bobby Hicks
This post was in collaboration with Valmont. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!
6 minute read
This past weekend, I watched the "Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold" documentary on Netflix. As someone who has loved Didion's work over the years, it was just the message I had been looking for lately. In it, Didion talks a lot about the feeling of writing at a young age when her mother gave her one of her first notebooks, encouraging her to write down her thoughts.
"I didn't really have any clear picture on how to do it, but I do remember having a very clear sense that I wanted this to continue."
Didion is known for a lot of things throughout her career, many of which are just the tip of the iceberg as to why I admire her and her work so much. Her take on literary journalism and the essay as a modern novel of sorts (especially in regards to numerous social forces of her time) are all a huge reason as to why I was drawn to journalism in the first place. And after watching her documentary -- it really got me thinking about why we write down and share thoughts at all.
If I'm being perfectly honest, there have been many moments since staring This Time Tomorrow where I've hit certain walls. Walls where I felt like I didn't have enough time to work on this space. Walls where I felt like I didn't have anything meaningful to add. Walls where I felt like what I added didn't make a difference. They're the worst walls to hit -- walls of self-doubt.
And usually, after a fair bit of reflection and some time spent doing the things I've listed below, I'm able to reconnect with what it is that I really love about doing what I do -- the thing that gives me a "very clear sense that I want it to continue."
Whether you work in a creative field like me (perhaps you're your own boss, as well?) or not, moments of self-doubt creep in for everyone, and after this most recent bout I've gone through, I figured I'd share a few of my tried and true ways I face creative ruts head on. Because, sometimes the biggest comfort (and catalyst for getting out of them) is to realize that you're not alone.
1. Remind yourself, you're not alone. This one is seemingly easy. But I assure you, a lot of the time, it isn't. Especially in an industry where there's a never ending stream of content -- great content, too -- it's that all too familiar feeling of thinking everyone else has their shit figured out, except for you. I'm extremely guilty of falling down this rabbit hole, to the point my anxiety can get the best of me, standing in the way of my own productivity. Suddenly, I can't seem to move forward with step one of project one, because I'm overwhelmed by the 19th step in project 5.
And then, I force myself to remember: for every beautifully curated feed, video, or post, there's someone behind it who feels just as vulnerable as you at times. Who doesn't know exactly what they're doing ALL the time. Who's just trying to make it LOOK like they have it together. The truth is, once you can accept everyone else is trying their best to make it look like they have it together, you can start to accept your own process of getting there, too.
2. Feed your brain, your heart, your soul, whatever needs FEEDING. This one means a lot of different things to me at different times, for different creative ruts, but the underlying point is always the same. I try to listen to what part of me is lacking, be it my creative writing, my photography, my voice, my vision, and I try to make a conscious effort to feed it. That means, instead of binge watching certain shows in my downtime (don't get me wrong, I love Riverdale, too!), I try to turn something on that adds a bit of substance while I work, like the Joan Didion documentary I watched last weekend.
Of course, the more I dive into the logistics of managing my own business, making time to read JUST FOR ME, is also hard to come by. Lately, I've been making more of a point to read poetry before bed. I find there's a lot of solace in being able to digest a poem or two before bed -- it requires less reacquainting than some of the novels that I'm also reading, but it actually also gives my imagination a lot to mull over before I fall asleep. I feel much more satiated because of it.
Sometimes, when the weather permits it, this means I also opt to just walk as much as possible. There's something about walking around New York that always manages to make me see things differently, be it the people I meet along the way, a building I hadn't noticed before or the way the sunset casts interesting shadows at a certain intersection. Does New York have to be your backdrop? Of course not. The point is to find the beauty already around you, no matter where you are.
3. Reflect. More often than not, the best way to move forward, is to (briefly) look back at how far you have come. Honestly. Give it a try. I used to be deathly afraid of quitting my full time marketing job. Then I did. Now that I'm past that hurdle, I have to remind myself I was capable of doing it in the first place, and there's no valid reason why I can't pass the next hurdle.
4. Don't be precious about it. This one is about perspective -- the easiest thing to lose when you get wrapped up in your own world and your own creative work. I find, the longer I concentrate and overthink something, the more I end up feeling directionless with it. Essentially, the more I want it to be perfect, the less perfect it becomes. Instead, I allow myself to get, well, messy with it. I take what might be a traditional approach to a project, and I try to turn it on its head. I'll give myself very random writing prompts (most of which don't make it on here, but perhaps they should?) just to allow my head the time to roam wildly for a minute. I also like to research ways to improve my writing. For example, just the other day a friend of mine showed me this guide to some different types of editing. Whether you are writing a novel, or a blog post, editing is fundamental. It's an incredibly freeing feeling to make something that you're not smothering along the way -- even if it comes out slightly strange or different or not what you normally see in an Instagram feed or perhaps it doesn't get shared at all -- the choice is yours! But make it. And let it be weird. And strange. And different. And odd. And I bet you'll probably have some fun along the way and come up with a whole slew of new ideas to try out for your next creative endeavor.
5. Find collaborators who are hungry like you! Nothing gets me invigorated to work and create like meeting other like-minded creatives! Seriously. It's quite possibly the best medicine I prescribe to you. Ask your literary agents to help you find some new talent if you can't find it on your own. They know your writing style and genres and could easily pair you up with someone who's just as creative as you. Whenever I'm feeling a bit drained or in need of a creative revival, I start digging around for new blood -- new brands to approach for styling editorials, new photographers I admire on Instagram who might be open to working together, new influencer friends who might be up for grabbing coffee and shooting together. You'll be surprised how far it propels you and makes you see things with a whole new light.
OUTFIT DETAILS: Ted Baker coat // Ted Baker sweater // Ted Baker jeans // Self-Portrait heels // Celine sunglasses // The Daily Edited bag
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