Kolor Czarny

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

[Wo] Men in Black

Growing up, when other children asked me my favorite color, I would always say black. Instead of buying teal converse and painting my room a plethora of girly colors, I enjoyed my black and white comforter and silver walls. The majority of my closet is black and I often get teased by roommates and friends. Growing up, my mother taught me that an item tends to be much chicer and timeless when it is in black rather than any other color. I learned that '[insert color here] is the new black' is never true, and that year after year, season after season, black still works. This romper is proof of that theory. Because of its simplicity, you can't tell who made it, or which season its from. The sunglasses and hat update the look, to have a 'cool girl' feel.

Hat // H&M

Sunglasses // Zara

Romper // Aqua

Bag // Marc Jacobs

Shoes // Nine West

Monday, July 14, 2014

Smorgasburg

Smorgasburg (n): A little slice of Heaven located in Williamsburg Brooklyn

Saturday morning I beat all odds by actually leaving my bed before noon, and making the trek [two subway stops] to Brooklyn to see for myself the magic of Smorgasburg. As my body yearned for the traditional NYC weekend brunch, I ventured over to the Bruffin station. These geniuses have merged the best of two worlds while throwing in an international flair by combining different brunch options with a standard muffin. I was feeling particularly American as I devoured the buffalo chicken and blue cheese bruffin, as well as the Swedish bruin that contained goat cheese. I got to try two mini bruffins for only $5, but there were larger sizes as well as bruffins representing every nationality. Check out their website! I later went on to try truffle fries, which were nothing short of AMAZING. I wish I could say that I split them with my roommate, but sadly this was a one-man job, and I don't regret any minute of it. A couple other tasty treats I tried were a spicy pig in a blanket, the infamous Ramen Burger and a mango lemonade. At one point I actually started getting cocky thinking I was a judge on Top Chef. I was comparing 'flavors' and commenting on the preparation and serving techniques of the booths. Who do I think I am??? Anyway, if you want to feel like you have the palette of Tom Colicchio as you gaze at the NYC skyline and lounge on the grass, Smorgasburg is a must try!

The United Nations of Bruffins

Truffle Fries

New Yorkers stuffing their faces

A happy girl about to be taken over by a food coma

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Giving in to your gut

Everywhere I go, I see the evidence of the celebrity of bloggers and the impact they have on today’s society. Subway advertisements show youtube sensations with 1 million + subscribers, fashion bloggers are replacing editors with the front row seats during fashion week, and who can ignore their presence on instagram… Oooh look, another Starbucks coffee next to a pair of Prada sunglasses [4,200,677,584 likes]

I’m positive Im not the only person that hasn’t thought “hey, why cant that be me?” Sure, I cant apply makeup that makes me look poreless and resemble a Barbie doll, and I’m not a jetsetter that can ‘gram’ about exotic locations and my favorite acai bowl flavors, but that doesn’t mean what I say doesn’t matter. Bloggers develop a fan base that develops over time, and it is this backing of thousands of social media obsessed teenage girls that give these bloggers the validity that they need to remain relevant and famous.

Im a Jersey girl currently living in New York City with random roommates in an apartment that has layers of filth on the floor, am somehow surviving off of pb&j’s and the occasional coffee splurge. I make $0 and have to wash my plastic utensils to get the most use out of them. I am completely broke and yet I am having the greatest summer of my life. The fashion houses I work for provide avid entertainment, as well as copious amounts of advice that has taught me more than my entire course load in college. For example, a fellow intern expressed to me that there are only 21 days in February. WHAT?! Okay, so that was a poor example, but what I learned form this intern is that some people haven’t learned the “Months of the Year” song yet, and you need to muster up some patience when dealing with them. I have very interesting stories about my country roommate KB and her usage of the compass rose and moss to tell directions, my first encounters with a promoter and how I still have some version of PTSD from the event, and stories of other shenanigans a freshly 21 year old girl gets into in the greatest city in the world. These stories may not be interesting for other people, but I think that I need to give in to my gut. Stop questioning if my photos are “artsy” enough, or if what I have to say is interesting. For all I care I’m Dorothea Lange and Ernest Hemingway wrapped up in a single body. I matter. So notice me, pay attention to me, love me.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Killer Summer Playlist

Most people have a word that they tend to rely on more than the average person. It's a staple in their vocabulary, but is an annoyance for anyone else they converse with consistently. My kryptonite is the word "killer." I thought it best to put this out in the open now before our relationship progresses and you begin to take notice.

Anyway.... Here's my official "Killer" Summer Playlist. Enjoy.

Killer Summer Playlist

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Wanderlust

Good morning Brooklyn

Brooklyn Flea is the...

Sifting through bins of patches..

Even Lady Liberty wanted to join the party

KB and the handmade doll purchased for her niece

Wanderlust: a strong desire for or impulse to wander or travel and explore the world.

If you're living in Manhattan, it can sometimes feel as though you're trapped, unable to break free and join the rest of normal civilization. Manhattan is its own world, and if you don't escape every once in a while and give in to the wanderlust, you just may forget about why you fell in love with it in the first place.

Two Saturdays ago I took the advice of a fellow intern and sought out the Brooklyn Flea [1 HANSON PL., NEW YORK, NY 11217]. As a lover of all things vintage, I had high hopes after also hearing about this market on ny.racked.com article, NYC's 38 Best Vintage Stores. Luckily, it did not disappoint!

After rising early and grabbing a muffin at the vegan bakery on the corner, Bird Bath, my roommate KB and I walked across the Brooklyn Bridge. We barely survived a Mothers Against Guns parade, the summer heat, and our first ride on the public bus, but eventually we made it! Let me start saying that the Brooklyn Flea really has something for everyone. We enjoyed walking around the booths and sifting through old records, trying on distressed leather jackets, and finding treasures for our friends and family. I left the market with watch gear cufflinks for my dad for Father's Day, and two worn in patches that Im plan on adding to my patched denim jacket. KB enjoyed a mint lemonade and purchased a handmade doll for her niece. Overall, it was a really enjoyable experience and I recommend it to lovers of vintage, history, fashion and food.

xo- Ally