michael kors Archives - Page 2 of 5

Pattern Mixing

Striped Top: H&M – similar here and here / Floral Skater Skirt: H&M – similar / Sparkly Flats: Nine West / Heart Tote: ban.do / Sunglasses: Vintage Kenneth Cole / Watch: Michael Kors / Necklace: Barami / Lip: MAC Snob / Nails: Essie Sexy Divide

Here is the last of my summer outfit posts, and it’s definitely feeling like fall now. To keep wearing these pieces into the new season, you could always throw on a pair of tights under the skirt or a blazer over the top. I am very into getting as much use as possible out of every article of clothing in my closet for as long as I can! I love the idea of pattern mixing, and I think it works as long as you stay in a similar color palette. Stripes and florals are two of my favorites, so why not mix them together?

This past weekend, we took Nico to the pumpkin patch, and my what a difference from last year to this year! He was so excited about the orange “balls” as he called them, and was crawling all around the patch exploring. We drove out to Stakey’s Farm on the North Fork of Long Island for pumpkin picking, apple cider donuts, and a corn maze. We also stopped off a Briermere Farm for apples and a raspberry creme pie. One way to get me to embrace the colder weather is certainly through my stomach.

Hope you are all having a great week so far!

XO,

Gina

Strawberry Sunshine

On me – Dress: ModCloth / Shoes (1): ALDO / Shoes (2): Carrini via Hautelook / Sunnies: Amazon / Bracelet: Baublebar / Watch: Michael Kors / Lip: Lancome Red Haute

On Nico – Shirt: Carter’s / Shorts: Quad Seven

I scored this dress on sale from ModCloth at the beginning of August, and I love that it can work both for summer and fall. I dig the retro/vintage feel of the dress in terms of the silhouette as well as the strawberry floral print. It instantly puts me in a good mood! I wore this a couple weeks ago for a family day in the neighborhood, and then changed my shoes for a long walk to the Prospect Park carousel and zoo. As you can tell, Nico was a big fan of the carousel!

I am feeling SO MUCH better this week. Thank you for all your thoughts and well wishes from my last post. It definitely helped! Looking forward to a busy week of catch up, and I’m planning to get outside as much as humanly possible!

XO,

Gina

Porch Swing

On me: Top: J. Crew / Tank: J. Crew (available in other colors) – also similar here / Shorts: J. Crew (available in other colors here and here) / Sandals: Sam Edelman (sold out, but many color choices here) / Sunnies: Francesca’s (similar) / Necklace: Baublebar (similar) / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: Henri Bendel, Baublebar, Stella & Sparkle / Earrings: ALDO / Lip: Lancome Red Haute

On Nico: Bathing Suit Top & Trunks Set: Carter’s

Feeling nostalgic today from our vacation to the Outer Banks. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have already noticed I’m protesting my post-vacation blues. The photos above show some of my most favorite times in the OBX. Doing. Absolutely. Nothing. Relaxation in it’s purest form. There’s just something about a porch swing at sunset that immediately resets my zen. After a long day in the hot sun, taking walks and building sandcastles, it feels great to come back to the cottage, have a nice shower, and climb into the porch swing and just sway. Feeling the breeze as the sun drops down below the horizon brings an immediate feeling of calm and a sense of peacefulness that I haven’t been able to really recreate anywhere else but here. Sometimes I will even bring a book into the swing and get lost into some other dream world. This year, I brought Nico onto the swing with me, and for a kid who otherwise at this age is squirmy and adventurous, I was mildly surprised with his ability to just snuggle and relax with me on the swing for awhile. It was as if he was silently saying, “Oh hey Mom, yeah I could get the hang of this relax in the porch swing thing.” I’m lucky that my little one still does love to snuggle with me often…usually at night before bedtime. But as he approaches his first birthday and becomes more independent, I start to see him squiggle away from me more and more as he explores the world around him. It makes me sad, but at the same time I know he has to grow. Part of me wants to cling and keep him small forever though and that part of me is going to soak up every moment I can while he is still little enough to be wrapped in my arms cuddling on the porch swing.

XO,

Gina

{Style Envy} Rompin’ Around + Turning Thirty

On Brianna – Romper: Forever 21 / Sandals: Michael Kors / Necklaces: Forever 21

Introducing my beautiful niece, Brianna. You may remember a few posts way back when from my Style Envy segments with Marisa and Alex. Every now and then I like to showcase someone else’s style rather than my own, and Brianna was looking so adorable in this romper while we were on vacation in Cape May that I just had to snap some photos at the beach. Rompers made a small come back last summer, and they are still in full force this season. It’s so nice to only think about one piece. No need to worry about which top is going to go with which bottom. Matchy matchy tops and bottoms have also been a trend this season, so why not just buy one piece and call it a day? Of course, everyone’s main complaint about rompers is the ever-annoying hassle of going to the bathroom, but in my opinion, it’s no big deal to suck it up for a day for the sake of fashion. That’s what we women do, right?

Onto my niece…Bri is one of those people with a natural easy-going attitude. She’s always down for an adventure, for trying fun new things, and she’s a total pleasure to be around. Throughout the week whenever someone would make a suggestion about something fun to do, she was always up for it. No matter how weird to crazy the activity, she was always excited to partake. Want to go play skee-ball at the arcade? Yup. Want to go for a walk? Yup. Want to take photos on the beach? Yup. Want to go get ice cream? Yup. Want to go on a four-person family bike? Yup. She reminds me of my husband (her uncle) never wanting to sit around. Always go go go…they might miss something or won’t be able to enjoy the most out of their vacation if they are relaxing too much. We had a blast hanging out at the beach, and I only wish she and my sister-in-law could have stayed longer!

On a final note, I turned 30 over the weekend. That’s right THIRTY. Holy crap. Where does the time go? I remember when I used to think thirty was so old. It’s crazy how much I have grown and changed in the last decade. Met Zack, graduated college, moved to New York City, got into the animation/advertising industry, partied my ass off, traveled, got married, moved to Brooklyn, slowed down, had a baby, and now I’m a mom of an almost 1-year-old. My twenties were a lot of fun indeed. As scary as 30 sounds, I do admit, I am excited to embrace this new decade with the clarity, responsibility, and self-awareness that I did not always exhibit in my twenties. Sure occasionally I know I will miss my carefree days, but my life is all about my family and closest friends right now, and I couldn’t be happier.

Special thanks to my husband for planning an amazing 30th surprise weekend for me complete with Six Flags, a fancy dinner, a night on the town, and finished with a beach day. I am a lucky lady.

Hope you are all having a great week!

XO,

Gina

Summer Sunlight

Dress: Boxing Kitten for Urban Outfitters (old) / Neon Sandals: Dolce Vita – similar / Crossbody Bag: T.J. Maxx / Necklace: Guilty Jean / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelet: Baublebar / Lip: Lancome Fuchsia Clutch / Nails: Essie Marshmallow / Toes: Essie Bachelorette Bash

Summer sunlight peeking through the trees as the sun is starting to set. Probably my favorite moment of the day. The magic hour brings me a peaceful calm. It strange how only a few years ago, the sun going down was a symbol of the start of my evening. It meant that it was time to start prepping to get ready for a night on the town with my man or the girls. I’ve always been a night owl, and I lived for summer nights exploring New York City. Dressing up, hair, make-up, the whole sha-bing.

Nowadays, the sunset usually represents quiet for me. Time to reflect on the adventures from the day, give the baby a bath, put him to bed, and then enjoy dinner with my husband and maybe even a glass of wine. This particular evening, however, we were on family vacation which meant Bubbe and Pop Pop were eager to babysit. So after Nico’s bedtime, my husband and I were able to go out on our own little adventure. We started by taking these photos and others in the summer sunlight. We walked around Cape May, and had a delicious romantic dinner for two at Louisa’s. I guess we realized how little we get out after 8pm these days, and so we didn’t want the night to end. We walked around in the moonlight, shared a kiss under the stars (or two), and played video games and skee-ball at the arcade until close. We felt like two teenagers running around on a summer night. Yes, things have changed. Instead of closing down bars, we are closing down arcades at a family beach town. Instead of going to sleep at 4am, I am waking up at 6am.

But I’m okay with that.

Hope you are all having a great week so far!

XO,

Gina

Weekend Casual

Maxi Dress: Forever 21 / Hat: P. Luca for Barami – similar on eBay / Shoes: ALDO / Scarf: Gifted – similar / Jacket: American Eagle – similar / Necklace: Vintage / Aviators: NY Street Vendor / Watch: Michael Kors (now on sale!) / Bracelet: J. Crew – also love this gold pave link bracelet / Earrings: Forever 21 / Lip: MAC Impassioned

Along with spring cleaning, we also joined my grandmother and aunt for lunch over the weekend while they were in Brooklyn for the day. Now that the weather is getting warmer, I’m excited to break out the dresses again. A maxi dress lends itself to putting together a complete look quickly. It allows you to stay comfortable, but also put together at the same time. Nico is just starting to be a bit more mobile and with all the chasing I imagine on the horizon, I have a feeling maxi dresses are going to be a staple item again this summer. The only difference (as I quickly learned Saturday) is that I am going to have to hem my maxis. They tend to run a little long when I’m sans baby bump!

In case you missed my post yesterday, I’m hosting a little closet sale over on Pinterest if you are interested in checking it out!

Hope you are all having a great week so far!

XO,

Gina

Flower Child

Flowing Floral Pants: Forever 21 / Top: Target / Jean Jacket: American Eagle – similar / Flower Crown Headband: Urban Outfitters – similar / Shoes: Nine West – similar / Earrings: Baublebar – similar / Medallion: old / Sunglasses: Vintage / Bag: Rebecca Minkoff – also like it in silver / Chevron Rings: Baublebar (sold out, but like these sets as well) / Bracelet: cara New York – similar / Watch: Michael Kors / Lip: MAC Snob

I’m not usually one for a wide leg pant, but I could not resist this vibrant floral pair from Forever 21. If you are looking for a pair of pants as comfortable as pajamas but acceptable to wear outside of the house, then these are definitely the pants for you! I wore these last weekend on a long walk to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, and they were both flowy and light. I was clearly excited that spring had arrived as you can see from the multitude of florals in my attire. We had a great time exploring and seeing the new buds coming up showing the first signs of the season. I am definitely planning on going back here again toward the end of the month when things are in full bloom. I took a few more photos of our trip to the botanical gardens, so stay tuned next week!

Happy Friday!

XO,

Gina

Pastel Pop

Mint Coat: Goodnight Macaroon (runs small – now on sale!) / Polka Dot Sweater: H&M / Pink Tank: Old Navy / Denim: Rag & Bone / Sparkly Loafer: Seychelles (on sale!) / Necklace: Flair Accessories / Sunnies: Vintage / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelet: Henri Bendel / Lip: MAC Snob

Pastels are all the rage this spring, but it can be tough to pull off the look without looking like an Easter egg. My strategy here was all about balance! (or maybe you do think I look like an Easter egg in which case, I have failed miserably). The mint coat is a bold pastel statement, so I paired it with a darker hue & polka dot print to balance out the look. As always, I also like to add some fun accessories to the mix.

What is your strategy for wearing pastels this spring? Totally avoiding it, or jumping on this trend?

Hope this week is treating you all well. I am enjoying the sunshine and warmer weather!

XO,

Gina

‘Tis the Season

‘Tis the Season! I did a little me-shopping for the holidays, and picked up this jeweled sweatshirt from StyleMint as well as these adorable burgundy bow smoking slippers from Seychelles. This outfit was a perfect blend of being polished and dressy enough for the Thanksgiving weekend festivities, but also allowed me to stay comfortable at the same time. This particular day, my family all came to my parents house to meet our little Nico for the first time. It went well and our little guy certainly has a lot of people who love him!

I also took advantage of the Starbucks drive-thru while in Maryland. My neighborhood doesn’t have one, and I haven’t been venturing out of it too often while on maternity leave. I absolutely swoon over their holiday lattes, and this year was no different. I tried the Caramel Brulee Latte for the first time, and loved it so much, I got one the following day for the drive back to NY as well. Yum!

Photos by: Mary Ann Guaragna / Edited by: Myself

Sweatshirt: StyleMint / Bow Blouse: Piperlime (old) – also like this one in coral / Smoking Slippers: Seychelles / Pants: Motherhood / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelet: Stella and Sparkle / Lip: Smashbox Maven / Nails: Essie Hot Coco

Things have been a little crazy in the Notes household this past weekend. We’ve been trying to get Nico on a better sleeping pattern (i.e. trying to get him to go to sleep without it taking 2+ hours). It hasn’t been fun, but after a few short days, I think it’s actually starting to work. The whole family might be on a track toward good sleep (fingers crossed). This is just the first of many tough parenting decisions we have had to make. No one can really explain how hard motherhood can be sometimes. We are just figuring everything out along the way. Oh! We have also come super close to finding a nanny for our little guy! We have interviewed a lot, and we think we just may have found the one. Hoping it all works out for the best!

Happy Monday everyone!

XO,

Gina

I Didn’t Listen

Photos by: Zack Notes / Edited by: Myself

Blazer: Target / Peplum Top: StyleMint – sold out, but also like this one and this one / Pants: Motherhood / Sunnies: ModCloth / Leopard Pumps: Liz Claiborne – on sale! / Necklace: Forever 21 / Watch: Michael Kors / Bracelets: Baublebar and Henri Bendel / Earrings: ALDO / Lip: MAC Candy Yum Yum

I didn’t listen. They told me not to wear white. “You’re a new mom. Moms just can’t wear white.” I despised this statement. I thought to myself, “I can rock white. Just because I’m a mom, now I can’t wear white? But I like white. Who cares what they say. I’m going to be a rebel and do it anyway.” So I flounced around in ivory lace skirts and more recently in this winter white blazer. Well, I’m sad to say, everyone was right. This white blazer lasted no more than an hour on our leisurely Saturday afternoon. I won’t go into details, but you can probably imagine a scenario or two that could have happened to my white blazer. The only upside was that I got to (had to) buy a new sweater to wear for the rest of the day. The take away from this experience: I am not going to stop wearing white. However, I will most likely save my white wearing days for those when I am back in the office with no little munchkins around.

It’s starting to get chilly here in New York City, and I am getting super excited for a little mini vacay we are taking to Florida on Wednesday! The weather is looking nice and warm for our trip, and I have a fresh mani/pedi for the occasion (thanks hubby for watching Nico so I could enjoy 90 minutes of bliss). It’s time to get packin’ over here.

Hope you all enjoy the week!

XO,

Gina