This past spring marked my eleventh year in New York. My life and journey in fashion here has been one wild ride. There are always the days that I crave more, and others where I kick my feet up and reflect upon what I’ve accomplished here. Blogging allows me to attend special events and collaborate with brands that continuously inspire me.
I recently attended a Summer Soiree, hosted by Vogue at their fancy new home, One World Trade Center. The evening was both exciting and inspiring. We checked out the fabulous handbag collection by MCM Worldwide, and I instantly fell in love. With their unique monogram printing, beautiful colors, and stunning styles, it was tough to choose which I liked best. I loved the use of design details in all of the handbags. Each of the bags in the collection are statement pieces, which are true works of art. We were given a special MCM Soho Portfolio bag (similar here), created from MCM’s signature leather Visetos. MCM teamed up with artist, Daniel Oh, and the bag was designed, in celebration of the opening of the MCM Soho Boutique. The bag has a special stamp, showing an aerial view of New York City, which makes this style unique. The bags we received were customized with an illustration that we chose, by the talented artist, Blair Breitenstein. I loved the, “I heart New York,” illustration, as it felt symbolic of my journey here. On a night that I visited the incredible One World Trade Center for the first time, with gorgeous windows overlooking lower Manhattan, and The Statue of Liberty, it felt absolutely appropriate.
The outfit I chose to feature the handbag was symbolic as well, and inspired by the graffiti feel of the bag. I went for a simple look, with black denim pants (similar here), a black fitted bodysuit, and killer Michael Kors ankle boots (similar here). Here’s the symbolic part. I added a washed out denim jacket, which was the very first piece of clothing I bought, when I moved to New York, 11 years ago. In all of my closet clean outs, I couldn’t bare to part with this piece. There are a few pieces of clothing that I have emotional attachments to, and this gem is one of them. It still fits to a tee, and looks even better with age. (I hope I can say the same for myself someday). Even though the style is simple, the look is edgy, and very different for me. It’s fun to play with pieces in your wardrobe, and get an entirely different look out of the staples in your closet. Don’t forget that. I accessorized with a gold and leather chain bracelet by Reiss, (similar here) , a silver bangle (similar here), gold geometric earrings (similar here), a black, wool hat, and sunglasses by Valentino..
We spent time in Dumbo, Brooklyn on a sunny, Sunday afternoon, and took a stroll over the Manhattan Bridge to watch the sunset. I fall in love with new places and spaces in my city each day, and throughout my eleven years here, I feel like I have a story for every street corner I’ve stood on. It’s a good thing. As the sun set over Manhattan that night, I felt lucky and grateful for my life here.
So Beauties, I hope you find moments in your daily life that make you feel the same. Look for the little things that you love and embrace them. It makes life so much more meaningful. In the meantime, I hope you check out MCM’s fabulous collection. I know you’ll fall in love with their handbags, just as much as I have.
Featured Styles
- MCM: Soho Portfolio Bag (similar here)
- Denim Pants: similar here
- American Apparel: Bodysuit
- J & Co.: Denim Jacket (similar here)
- Michael Kors: Ankle Boots (similar here)
- Valentino: Round Stud Sunglasses
- H&M: Wool Hat
- Reiss: Chain Bracelet (similar here)
- Silver Bangle: similar here
- Earrings: similar here
1 Comment
LOVE the bag illustration Hallie, and the bag! Fab post.