NYC Diaries; An Afternoon Wandering The West Village

Our afternoon exploring the West Village started long before we ever set foot in its leafy streets.

On the way downtown, we made a quick stop at the iconic Grand Central Station to grab some shots.

That celestial ceiling and the constant ballet of travellers moving beneath it makes this place feel magical.

As another location where many films are shot, it almost felt like we were on set starring in our own movie.

From there, we hopped on the subway and made our way to the West Village in search of the Friends apartment building on Bedford Street.

As a longtime Friends show fan seeing it in person was surreal, like stepping straight into the TV screen I grew up watching on repeat.

It’s funny how a simple building can hold so much nostalgia.

Every corner of this neighbourhood looks like it has been pulled from a movie set; brownstones with perfectly worn stoops, tree-lined streets, tiny cafés with outdoor tables, and endless photo-worthy pockets of charm.

We didn’t manage to find Carrie Bradshaw’s actual apartment from Sex and the City, but we did stumble across a stoop that looked almost identical.

Naturally, I couldn’t resist getting a few fun outfit snaps.

I was even wearing a Carrie Bradshaw inspired fit: a chic shift dress, my favourite sand coloured long boot heels, my new Polène handbag, and classic YSL black sunnies to complete the look.

As the afternoon went on, we kept discovering more of the West Village’s character. Quiet pockets of calm, stylish locals walking their dogs, bookstores tucked into corners, and that unmistakable creative buzz that only New York seems to have.

There’s so much more to see and I can’t wait to wander those streets again on our next trip, latte in hand, camera at the ready, soaking in every inch of that West Village charm ❤

NYC Diaries; Sunday On Fifth

When in New York shopping on Fifth Avenue is a must and with our hotel just around the corner, it was the first thing on our agenda on day one of our trip.

I had the perfect outfit planned for our first outing in New York featuring my killer new boots.

I paired my suede mini skirt from Bershka with a high-neck cream singlet from Pull & Bear, then completed the look with a classic baker boy hat, my sand suede long boots and my trusty Coach monogram handbag with the cross body strap.

With it being the end of September the weather was still quite warm particularly on our first day, so a jacket wasn’t even needed.

Our first stop was a cafe called Scoop which we found on a quieter street just of Fifth Avenue to grab a bite to eat for breakfast.

We shared a yoghurt with granola, some watermelon, a coffee and a freshly made smoothie we could have blended with our choice of ingredients.

There was a lovely little courtyard with seating called Paley Park right next to the cafe where we sat and enjoyed our brekky.

It was like an oasis nestled amongst the city with a gorgeous water feature wall and lots of trees looking glorious in the sunshine.

We then walked further up Fifth Avenue and got some fabulous photos of me crossing the street with the hustle and bustle of the city around me.

There were lots of stores to browse and there was some great pieces in Zara, but I wanted to buy from places we don’t have in the UK, so I found myself picking up lots of bits at Aritzia.

I tried on this awesome vegan leather oversized bomber in a deep chocolate brown, but I didn’t get it as I was looking for a similar style but in a suede material.

An impulse purchase was this gorgeous shift dress which was giving Carrie Bradshaw vibes and I simply couldn’t resist.

The athleisure wear in Aritzia is also really nice, so I got this dark green sports top with the flattering white border detail.

The dress was $149 and the sports top $40 which I thought was a good price for the quality of these pieces.

I couldn’t not have a look in Victoria’s Secret and they were doing five panties for $25 dollars, so naturally I had to stock up on some cute undies.

Coach was another must visit store for me and the flagship one on Fifth Avenue is quite impressive, they even had a dinosaur statue made of handbag cuttings.

I’ve always loved the Tabby style and so this one in the dark animal print caught my eye.

I was very tempted as this would make a brilliant statement winter handbag, however I was saving myself for a Polene bag I’ve had on my wishlist for ages and they have a store in SoHo New York.

After well over ten thousand steps in my high heel boots, we were ready to head back to the hotel for a rest and some lunch.

The evening before we also made a stop outside Tiffany’s on Fifth Avenue because I was wearing my Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly inspired dress and had to get a photo outside the store where Breakfast at Tiffany’s was filmed.

I’m a big Hepburn fan and love her in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, so this was a special moment for me ❤

We only touched the surface of the shops on Fifth, but we’d done enough shopping for one day and I was super happy with my purchases. Being just on the doorstep of our hotel, we were going to be visiting Fifth Avenue a number of times during our trip and I wasn’t mad about it!

Friday Fits; Day to Night

Happy Sunday! This week I’m sharing some outfit inspo for what feels like a never ending, rainy winter we find ourselves in here in England.

For my daytime look when working from home on Friday, I kept it very comfy and casual with a pair of grey flare leggings which I picked up in Primark this week and I’m loving, so now I’m keen to get a good quality pair from Alo or Tala. I then wore this camel knit jumper with cute backless detail and my Ugg platform slippers to complete the cosy fit.

To meet friends for drinks at the pub that evening, I changed into my Neuw black denim jeans tucked into these killer snake skin long boots, which I toned down with a simple knitted nude boxy fit cardigan with gold buttons. An oversized long grey trench coat from Na-kd kept me warm and dry from the rain.

I have to admit these boots are not my usual style, but they were on sale in Primark and I can see them being a fun piece for transitioning into spring paired with dresses, skirts and shorts. The key is to keep the rest of the outfit fairly simple and let the boots do the talking.
They’re giving Paris Texas vibes but at a fraction of the price, I’m obsessed ❤