Scenes from a City Weekend

I spent a great (and exhausting) weekend wandering around New York and exploring a few new-to-me neighborhoods. On Friday, I explored the Bronx a bit (Norwood, above) while on assignment and ventured all the way to Queens to see my dear friend Christine.

Saturday, I slept in unreasonably late, then headed to Midtown. I spent the late afternoon and evening catching up with friends who are living in the area for the summer, before booking to Grand Central and catching the Metro-North back to school.

On Sunday, I went to see the children’s show The TRUF is producing (playing until July 14!). Between shows, I got some fresh air and walked around Tribeca a bit. I also saw the construction of the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center site. It honestly looked stunning in the late afternoon sunlight.

 Oh, and I also drank lots of sugary soda, even though I know better. Old habits and whatnot.

How was everyone else’s weekend?

~ Sarah

Fashion Inspiration: St Pancras Station

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Since some of my friends – and my blog’s biggest fans – have been studying abroad all semester, I asked them for ideas on new places for Fashion Inspiration posts. First up is St Pancras Station, as suggested by my friend Katie, who is in London. Located in Central London, this railway station has been celebrated for its Victorian architecture. Isn’t it gorgeous?

Coat – Shop Ruche; Dress – Warehouse; Earrings – 1928; Scarf – Topshop; Tights – Topshop; Oxfords – ASOS.

The thing that first stood out to me was the rich color palette used in the station’s façade. I started with this rust-colored, ribbed sweater vest and emerald coat. Both have fun, retro shapes and seem really comfortable. The third primary color in the St Pancras station is mustard, so I added this floral mustard circle scarf. The print adds a dainty touch the look, much like the green teardrop earrings. Tone down some of the look with opaque black tights and a pair of black oxfords for some British flair.

What do you think of this fall outfit? What your favorite London sites?

~ Sarah

Guest Post: Ashley from Fashion Smashion

Hi! While I’m on vacation in Colombia, I have some fabulous guest bloggers filling in for me. My first guest post is from Ashley! She’s a writer at CF and a fellow Floridian, so she’s obviously awesome.

Hey everyone, I’m Ashley! I write for College Fashion and run my own little blog called Fashion Smashion. Sarah and I have been following each other’s sites for some time now and I’m super-honored to be able to guest blog for her!

I’m a recent grad of Flagler College, where I spent the last four years living in historical St. Augustine, Florida. Now that I’ve moved back home, I’m starting to miss the charm of living in an old city and all the unique attractions in the area.

One of my favorite St. Augustine landmarks is the old lighthouse, which was built in 1874. The lighthouse is a popular place for tourists to visit because of its history and due to the fact that it’s notorious for being haunted– You may have seen it in an episode of Ghost Hunters . However, despite the history and the spirits (yes, I fully believe it’s haunted!) the architecture is what makes it my favorite. Check out these pictures of the lighthouse to see what I mean:

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Since I loved Sarah’s fashion inspiration posts on NYC landmarks, I decided to make an outfit based on the St. Augustine lighthouse, which you can check out below:

Product Info: Top- Rue 21; Shorts- Chaotic Clothing; Earrings- G by Guess; Rings- Urban Outfitters; Bag- J. Crew; Sandals- Alloy

The most prominent feature of the lighthouse is the bold, diagonal striped pattern, which is replicated in this breezy and loose-fitted top. Bright shorts mimic the red at the top of the lighthouse and add a fun pop of color to the look. The intricately woven strappy sandals and straw tote are reminiscent of the winding, wrought-iron staircase inside the lighthouse. As far as accessories go, I was inspired by the round shape of the lighthouse when I chose these hoop earrings and stacked set of rings. This outfit is a casual and easygoing choice for summertime. Just pull your hair in a chic bun and you’ll be good to go!

What do you think of this outfit? Do you see the inspiration? Have you ever visited St. Augustine? Let me know!

Fashion Inspiration: Grand Central

The Chrysler Building may be my favorite skyscraper (see my previous Fashion Inspiration post here), but it is far from the only landmark in New York City. It’s the world’s largest train station in terms of tracks and the building itself is breathtaking. Don’t believe me? Check out these pictures:

Images via Wikimedia

And of course, don’t forget Serena van der Woodsen’s iconic entrance at Grand Central in the first episode of “Gossip Girl”.

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I decided to put together a chic and spring-y outfit inspired by Grand Central. I love the starry ceiling, and that’s where I got my color palette.

Tank – Topshop; Skirt – Miss Selfridge; Woven Clutch – Carlo Fellini; Watch – American Apparel; Jade necklace & ring set – Dorothy Perkins; Peep-toe slingbacks – Payless.

I started with this loose, jade tank top tucked into a camel, vintage-inspired skirt. The matching necklace and ring take a cue from Grand Central’s ornate detailing. For some contrast, I added other pieces in brown. The wristwatch is reminiscent of the clock in the main concourse. The slingbacks are casual, but practical and the low heel adds just a hint of retro flair. For fun, I added this woven clutch but any purse – a cross-body bag or structured tote – would work well with this ensemble. Keep your hair and make-up simple, and you’re ready for a day in the city!

What do you think? Have you been to Grand Central? What other sites inspire you? Let me know!

☀ Sarah

Fashion Inspiration: Chrysler Building

View from the Empire State Building observation desk, Nov. 2010.

For this style inspiration post, I’m trying to do something different. Last spring, CF ran a series of articles with outfits inspired by one intern’s trips across Europe. She found inspiration everywhere, from art to food, and I loved that idea. So for this post, I wanted to create a look based on my favorite building in New York – the Chrysler Building. Loving the Chrysler Building is probably a cliche, but I don’t care – this Art Deco skyscraper is absolutely stunning. The Chrysler Building is an American icon, and it’s known especially for its crown – doesn’t it just take your breath away? This is how I would style an outfit inspired by the Chrysler Building:

Dress – Modcloth; Pumps – Payless; Earrings – Forever 21 (Canada); Clutch – Topshop; Ring – Nordstrom.

It’s no surprise that the most important part of this look is the dress. It took forever to find, but the silhouette of this lovely charcoal dress is both structured and flirty. I love how the tiers mimic the building’s crown, and the dress has a very sophisticated look. For the accessories, wear Art Deco-inspired teardrop earrings and an edgy cocktail ring. Art Deco was all about glamour, so it made sense to add a few pieces with rich color, like this retro clutch in wine and matching peep-toe pumps. This fun outfit would definitely help you stand out at your next cocktail party or formal. What do you think? Do you see the inspiration? Let me know in the comments!