// FAV NEW BRANDS 2019 #obsessions //

1.11.18

New year, new start, new outlook, new health routine, blah, blah, blah. I get it, and we’re all there..…we’re there at the start of every new year. So instead of posting about that, I wanted to post about something a little more exciting: the new brands I’ve come across recently and majorly drooling over. Sexy, I know. I’ve found it hard to ‘discover’ or find new brands to like because of just how overwhelming shopping, both online and offline, can be. Who has time to go through 800 designers on sites like Saks, Barneys, Farfetch, Ssense, etc? It’s overload making it near impossible to find a new brand to love when they’re buried under the hundreds of bleh or the terrible. So sometimes I like taking it back old school ie browsing through racks at small boutiques that are well curated and hoping to find a new brand to obsess over. And that’s exactly what happened to me over the holidays when I was in Austin and Malibu. See below for the brands worthy of obsessing over. Buyer beware.

ANAAK COLLECTION

Completely and utterly obsessed with this brand that I came across during a visit to Austin. Austin in itself is great, with awesome eats and shops, and a lot of the cute boutiques can be found in downtown Austin on the hipster, cool streets of the South Congress area. Sunroom is a super chic, well-curated boutique located near the South Congress hotel which is where I came across this insanely cool brand. Started back in 2014, Anaak is based in Philadelphia, but the concept and designer’s vision is global with a commitment to support the livelihood of artisans in rural areas around the world. This includes sourcing and partnering with locals communities in India and Boliva to name a few. The fabrics are beautiful, with lots of handmade elements found in the flowy, boheme silhouettes, making each piece feel special and artisan-like. The style and aesthetic is very Little House on the Prairie meets Tahiti-island chic. ‘The name ‘Anaak’ means my child in Filipino, and is the name the designer’s mother has called her since she was a child. Every piece feels like it’s telling a story whether from the small village it was created from or from the designer’s whimsical concepts. The price points are quite high with her dresses easily above $600+ but I do appreciate the quality and the uniqueness of the collection. It definitely a dreamy collection.

Cecilie Bahnsen

First off, this designer has the coolest name. Copenhagen-based designer Cecilie Bahnsen’s collection exudes girlish femininity in the most interesting, chic way. With exaggerated silhouettes and shapes paired with beautiful textures, Bahnsen’s line is childlike and insanely sophisticated at the same time. Her pieces feel like they’re of another time and world, ethereal almost and no question, so so beautiful. Her craftsmanship and insane techniques come as no surprise once you know who she’s worked for, before starting her own line in 2015. From Dior to Erdem, she has worked for some of fashion’s biggest names and she has the skills to prove it. Her pieces are almost couture-like with handmade elements and silhouettes, layers, fabrics, etc. The prices are almost couture-like too, with dresses upwards of $1500+ but the pieces are timeless and so special that I feel like it’s worth the investment. I’m still waiting to buy my investment, but a girl can dream!

les coyotes des paris

Although the name is French, this cool girl brand is based in Amsterdam and started first as a young girl’s line back in 2015, before expanding into a full women’s collection. For me, this brand is very Isabel Marant meets (old, Phoebe I miss you) Céline in the best way possible. Very ‘French girl’-chic, the pieces are simple, yet sophisticated with a great offering of classic staples for your wardrobe. What I also love are the prices, as they’re a bit more reasonable with dresses and top more in the $150-$400 range. I love the silhouettes and fabrics that line offers. I actually got the most amazing vintage looking dress from them which I’ll try and post on Insta’ or work into a blog post. There’s not alot of sites/stores that offer a good assortment of the line, so just go on their website to view the collections in full.

// FAVORITE WINTER OILS #obsessions //

1.10.19

NYC winters can be pretty brutal, but winters tend to be pretty rough everywhere except maybe California (damn you LA!) and Hawaii. The snow, sleet, and strong winds are all elements that can make the winters tough but it’s even tougher on your skin. I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand dry skin on my face or body regardless of the season, so I’m always slathering on lotion, oils, creams, etc all over my body and face. And because my skin gets pretty dry during the winters, I like to use both cream and oil lotions to lock in the moisture and stay extra hydrated. I think oils are underrated in general, and often associated with just the summers (hello dewy, golden skin), but I love using oils in the winters just as much in the summer time. Above are the ones I’m currently loving and using now.

1. Sunday Riley U.F.O. Oil - Okay so this isn’t known for its moisturizing properties but more for the fact that it helps with breakouts and blackheads. BUT I also find it to be pretty moisturizing so I like using it to double up on getting the moisture factor and the skin clearing properties. If you haven’t used this before, just note that alot of people have trouble with the smell of the oil as it is a little strong, and not in a pleasant way.

2. Wildcare Golden Hour Oil - This is def a go-to of mine in the summertime because of the gorgeous glow it gives (hence the name), but I also really like it because it’s moisturizing as well. The oil absorbs nicely into the skin and you’re left with a nice sheen after applying it.

3. Butter Elixir - This is one of those oils that you can use all over the body and for hair as well. What I love about this oil aside from the obvious moisturizing properties is that it is from an original formula that is an honest four-ingredient product made up of almond oil, argan oil, lavender, and chamomile. Even the bottles it comes in are made of post consumer recycled materials, BPA free, and 100% recyclable. When it comes to beauty/skin products, I love keeping it simple and finding products that have as little to no chemicals and unknown ingredients as possible. The scent of this oil is also incredibly calming (lavender) and relaxing so it’s hard to stop yourself from using whole bottle in one application.

4. Goē Oil - I came across this magical tube of multi-purpose oil in the beauty section of Anthropologie. (I LOOOOVE Anthro’s beauty/skincare section, so super cute.) I was first drawn to it because of the packaging, which is somewhat retro/vintage looking, but also reminded me of Hawaii for some reason and so I picked it up. This is probably my favorite oil because of the texture which is slightly waxy and buttery, rather than oil-y. That’s because there’s a high concentration of Jojoba Oil which has more liquid wax properties, making it a more semisolid oil than pure liquid. I love the scent of this one, which combines 28 plant, fruit, and flower oils, which gives it a very refreshing smell. A little goes a long way, and the minute you start to use it, the semisolid oil quickly melts into your skin and gives it instant hydration. I just LOVE, LOVE using this, almost to the point where I try to savor it for as long as I can even though I want to use half the tube every time I reach for it.

5. Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil - This facial oil comes from the super-hyped brand Drunk Elephant which was all the rage a few years ago because of its strong stance on using only the purest of ingredients and not using any chemicals. I was gifted this oil by a good friend of mine (hi @eggcanvas) and have been using it ever since. This nutrient rich oil is great because it quickly absorbs into the skin and leaves it instantly hydrated and dewy. I also like using this as a primer before putting on foundation as it just helps to ‘set’ the makeup on the face. But it’s great to use in the winter months to give the skin those extra nutrients and keep it extra hydrated.

// Le Labo Favorites #obsessions //

12.18.18

If you don’t already know of this cult favorite fragrance line, it’s time to get on it. French for “The Laboratory”, this chic and sleekly designed line of insanely beautiful fragrances was created back in 2005 right here in NYC. All their fragrances are freshly formulated and made-to-order at the counter by the perfumer. Their classic scents like Santal, Bergamonte, and Neroli (to name a few) are all measured and mixed right before you with precision in a sleek, lab-like setting. My favorite is Santal 33 which I’ve been wearing everyday for over 7 years and still get so many compliments on even though I feel like I’m smelling it on more and more people around the city. What’s also cool is that each bottle comes with a personalized label including the date the fragrance was created, as well as the location.

Le Labo expanded into bath, body, and hair care earlier this year, and the prices are all pretty reasonable….it’s def giving my love for Aesop hand soap a run for its money. The scents from Le Labo’s hand soap actually stay on the skin a bit longer than Aesop hand soaps. It may be because I personally love this line so much, but there are so many great (and reasonably priced) items to gift to (some very chic) friends and family this holiday. It’s fun, the packaging is on point, and hellooo, you’re guaranteed to have some very nice smelling friends around you in 2019.

See below for some of my favorite items to gift this holiday. Feel free to send some my way…

1. Body scrub

2. Discovery set

3. Body cream

4. Shower gel

5. Mini concrete votives

6. Hand lotion

7. Hand soap

// SHINE BRIGHT #obsessions //

12.8.18

Maybe it’s because the holiday season is upon us and that’s why everywhere I look recently, there’s lights, tinsel, and sparkle overload. So what better time to shine brighter than everyone (and every thing) else by going all out on the sequins, metallics, and glitz. If done wrong, it can be horribly wrong, but if done right (like the above), it is oh-so-good. The key is to not do all head-to-toe in sequins/sparkles, but instead pick one insanely standout piece and then pair it with a more basic/casual item. Take a vintage tee and pair it with a sequin pencil skirt, or take a sweatshirt and wear it with a sequin mini skirt or jogger pant. I find that vintage stores are the best places to find these amazing sequined or sparkle pieces, and even better because no one else will have that same item. My favorite accessory for this? Gold metallic socks like the ones pictured above.

// BRING ON THE BOWS #obsessions //

11.29.18

Currently I am obsessing over bows this fall. And TBH in my opinion, bows are classic and timeless no matter what age. For me, the bigger, the floppier…the better. Large, small, velvet, grosgrain, silk, cotton….I love them all. This accessory looks great with an oversized blazer and skinny jeans for a prep-school look, especially in a bright red or other bright color. Another way I love to wear it is to mix it up with a more street look, like a Balenciaga sweatshirt with some high-waisted jeans, kitten heels, and a floppy bow. It’s such a good look. The best part is that this is a fairly inexpensive accessory to add to your look and you can even go DIY to come up with your perfect bow. Small accessory, big statement.

// NIKE #obsessions //

11.26.18

all images from Pinterest

Fashion stylists and fashion lovers alike have always had a love for Nike. Casual, iconic, and sporty, this brand is one of my favorites to mix and match, style with high end luxury brands like Balenciaga, Celine (etc), dress down, dress up, and get creative with. Pair an oversized Nike sweatshirt with ripped Moussy jeans and a pair of Manolo Blahnik Chaos heels. Insane. / Style a pair of Nike’s internationalist sneaks with high-waisted Balenciaga denim and a Margiela bodysuit. Love.

// DECEMBER BEAUTY #obsessions //

11.25.18

In general, I'm not really a beauty person. I don't obsess over every new highlighter stick or crazy mask trend that comes out, mostly because I don't know about them since I don't care to keep up with the 'newest/trending' item. And also, let's be real: a full face of makeup for me is a tinted moisturizer, some creamy blush, and a good lip gloss.  I know there are great products out there but it's too overwhelming for me and at the end of the day, I don't have all that time to test it out and see if it will work for me. So I tend to stick with what I know, the tried and true, and not really venture out. 

So I rely on my friends and colleagues (I did work at Barneys after all) to fill me in on which beauty products are really good and worth the time and investment.  And every now and then I'll get lucky and hit jackpot on beauty items that are SO amazing that I can't imagine how I've gone so long without them.  Here's what I stumbled on this month, and can't get enough of: