Outfit Post: Labor Day Weekend Dinner in the Hamptons

V and I have been trying to relax lately, which of course means that we have been as busy as ever. This weekend we were at a dinner party in Brooklyn on Friday, the Hamptons on Saturday, entertaining friends in RVC on Sunday, and Monday we sat in the stifling heat at the U.S. Open, despite the fact that neither of us knows a thing about tennis. The only thing we were missing was a trip to the beach (it was Labor Day weekend, after all).

Saturday night we decided to be brave little Hamptonites and go to dinner at a restaurant that doesn't take same-day reservations. It's called Cowfish and it's in Hampton Bays and, despite being a total sh*t show, it was totally worth it. (There was a debacle with an older couple over seating, but I'll just say that we took the high road - and our seats - and leave it at that.)

The restaurant is on the water and, while the vibe is relaxed, the crowd generally goes for that "summer chic" look (I am aware that this term is slightly bougy, that's why I used it). This out is extremely comfortable and I feel like it looks pulled together, but easy-breezy ("Hey, you can't say you're breezy, that, that totally negates the breezy."). This Linea Pelle belt was a consignment score from Lucky Finds in RVC and I wear it all the time – I don't think I've ever worn this skirt without it. BTW, if the colors look a little off it's because I had to play around with filters and contrast when using PicStitch (don't judge me for using filters, the florescent lighting in my parents' basement is harsher than Tye from Clueless).

As much as I enjoy my summer wardrobe, I'm ready for the fall, aren't you?

 

T-shirt: Isabel Marant for H&M Maxi Skirt: MINT Belt: Linea Pelle Sandals: Naturalizers "Naya" Bag: Tory Burch

Outfit Post: Summer Sunday in The City

V and I recently went into the city for lunch and a show with his family. The show was Off-Broadway (iLuminate at New World Stages for the America's Got Talent fans out there), so we could be a bit more casual. It's hard to tell in the pictures, but the skirt has a neoprene feel to it that makes it perfect for the warmer weather. The shirt is the women's version of "That J. Crew Gingham Shirt" (which, in case you were unaware, now has it's own Instagram account). My style is increasingly functional and I am full-on obsessed with cross-body bags at this point. This Gorjana bag can used as a handbag or, since my arms are small, worn as a shoulder bag, but 9 times out of 10 this is how you'll see me wearing it. I only noticed as we were walking out the door that the yellow zipper matched my skirt, call it a happy accident.

This post could have also been titled, "Hooray for Natural Lighting!" since I actually remembered to have V take these outfit photos before we got back to the apartment. The best part was that in the last photo where I'm sporting a big, goofy grin, we'd just noticed that a couple was sitting in their car at the train station watching our mini-photo shoot. Caught in the act of blogging!

 

Shirt: J. Crew Skirt: Zara Sandals: Tory Burch Bag: Gorjana Sunglasses: Rayban

Outfit Post: Adventures in Conservative Crop Topping

Crop tops have been all the rage for awhile now and, while my first instinct was to groan at the thought of exposed, dangling belly-rings (sorry, my last mental image of this type of top is from the 90's), my second thought was that this could really work in my favor. You see, at 5'1" I am petite. When paired with high-waisted pants and skirts, a crop top can really add length to my little frame. And so I began to experiment...

Here I am in Montauk back in June. V and I went out late Friday night and stayed at a fabulous little place called Hartman's Briney Breezes. The room and grounds were immaculate, the view was spectacular (an unobstructed view of the ocean, which was just across the street, no complaints here), and the location was great. While Montauk has gotten a bit more scene-y in the past few years, it still has a reputation for being laid-back, so I figured this was the perfect place to try out this trend.

Outfit #1 Lunch at Navy Beach
It was a bit chilly so I actually layered a Ralph Lauren Supply Company "Boyfriend" button-down over this look (not pictured). The outfit was super comfortable and I almost didn't want to change for our evening out (almost). Crop top: River Island Maxi Skirt: MINT Shades: Ralph Lauren Sandals (not clearly pictured): Nine West

Outfit #2 Dinner at Clam and Chowder House at Salivar's Dock and out (The Harbor Raw Bar & Lounge, The Electric Eel at Ruschmeyer's*, and The Surf Lodge)
I've never been one for dressing scantily-clad on my birthday (did I mention that that's what this staycation was for?). Instead I usually opt for light-weight tunics or feminine separates. This year I decided to mix it up and go for a look that could probably be best described as Jenna Lyons-inspired (I dunno, you can see it, if you have something more clever feel free to leave it in the comments). I love every single item that went into this outfit and I was beyond comfortable. Every outfit should feel like this. The only bummer is that you can't see how adorable this crop top truly is in this photo since I layered my favorite drape-y cardigan over it. Oh well, I'll just have to wear it again... Tank: Nordstrom Pants: Banana Republic Petites Cardigan: All Saints Kicks: Converse Crossbody Bag: Tory Burch Specs: Chanel

*Fun fact: Ruschmeyer's is an old summer camp that was turned into a hotel with cabin-inspired guestrooms.

Verdict: I "heart" crop tops.

Fire Island Style

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending a bachelorette party for one of my nearest and dearest friends, J. With more than a dozen girls in attendance, we were traveling as a fairly large pack and it was a blast.

To those of you who are not familiar, Fire Island is the large center island of the outer barrier islands parallel to the south shore of Long Island (thanks, Wikipedia!). It's a great place for families to go on vacation, I've been going to Fire Island since I was seven years old, but it's also no stranger to bachelorette parties. This weekend we saw several other brides-to-be and each one was having a great time.

Many groups donned matching t-shirts, but we declined in favor of breezy maxi dresses, sundresses, and chic shorts outfits. I've included my outfit from Saturday night in this post. The dress is from the Old Navy petite department and it is beyond comfortable! It has this lightweight mesh lining that allows it to float away from your body, even on sticky summer nights. Last I checked it's still available on their website, I highly recommend purchasing one for yourself before they sell out.

Sunset view from our dinner table at Schooner's our first night

Black maxi dress twins

Dress: Old Navy Sandals: Prabal Gurung for Target Cross-Body Bag: Tory Burch Earrings: Random boutique in college (Sorry, every once in awhile I forget where exactly I bought something.) Sunglasses: Rayban

Gray hair, don't care

Not sure if I've ever mentioned this before, but I'm going prematurely gray. Last time I asked my colorist for a percentage she told me about 80% - that was a few years ago. While I used to be religious about getting my roots touched up, lately I've been embracing the silver streaks. Who knows, after the wedding I might let it all go!

Getting silly with the adult ring toss game at Flynn's

Taking it down to the beach on our last evening.