Teen Vogue Handbook: The Second Edition

 

Exciting news! Last Friday the second edition of The Teen Vogue Handbook: An Insider's Guide to Careers in Fashion launched! Our team worked tirelessly on it for months, and I was thrilled to have had the opportunity to interview the likes of Chanel Iman, stylist Micaela Erlanger, our very own Andrew Bevan, the Man Repeller's Amelia Diamond, and Nasty Gal's creative director Lina Kutsovskaya for the guidebook. There are some truly insightful profiles on some very talented men and women, and you can even get a glimpse of me on the page featuring Teen Vogue's most liked Instagrams! Who knew? (I sure didn't until I opened the book.) Buy yourself one here for good karma and even better advice.

Talk about coming full circle. When I first decided I wanted to be in the magazine industry and move to New York, I was told that the Teen Vogue Handbook was the first thing I needed to buy. I remember picking up a used copy at Strand Bookstore on a rainy day and pouring over it at a nearby coffee shop (I was unemployed and had plenty of time for these kinds of things). I remember a few tips that stuck with me: Karl Lagerfeld pointing out the significance of knowing more than one language (I immediately signed up for Chinese classes again), the importance of having a strong personal brand (I went home and wrote 5 blog posts), and the overall message that you just need to get out there and experience as much as you can as soon as you can. Now I work with many of the people featured in the book, and it's mind-blowing how far I've come since then. Not a day goes by that I don't walk past the Teen Vogue sign on my way into work and think, "Woah, wait, HOW did I get here again??".

Life's just crazy that way, I guess.

Desert Chic

Fashion inspiration can strike in the most random of places, from subway rides with strangers to street art in the 'hood. I recently watched the short film Lady Lonely, and I can't stop thinking about this cropped shirt/overall combo worn by Sosie Bacon. The boxiness of the collared top protruding out from the sides of the bib creates a wonderfully playful silhouette, and I'm dying to track down substitutes to cop the look. Now, if I was swimming in money (give me time), I'd just buy those exact pieces—the flick is outfitted by Brooklyn-based boutique In God We Trust. When I pass their storefront in Williamsburg, I have to manually restrain my head from checking out their display. History has proven that I WILL want that quirky printed dress in the window and that I WON'T be able to afford it. But so is life.

The short film, written and directed by Janey Feingold, is also worth a watch for it's whimsically abstract characters and though-provoking plot. Beautifully shot, its fashion plates are just a bonus prize. Watch the video below and keep an eye out for a cropped button-down for me, won't you?

Pinterest Picks of the Week

As I mentioned in my last post, I've been spending quite a bit of time on Pinterest lately. One must practice constant vigilance in planning for their future house, defining their personal style, and finding fitness motivation, otherwise who knows what might happen. I figured I'd start sharing my favorite images each week because there really are some beautiful graphics on that site. Check out my Pinterest boards to see the original pins, and don't be surprised if you get sucked into the blackhole of DIYs and OOTDs.

The Tiny Transforming Apartment

Ariella and I renewed the lease on our amazing apartment last night(!), and signing on to the same space for a whole other year made me think a little decoration-tinkering might be in order—you know, to keep things fresh. So as I was Google-ing "how to transform your average NYC apartment" (because, as always, Pinterest has me wanting more), I stumbled across an interesting solution to the severe lack of space in NYC. "The Tiny Transforming Apartment That Packs Eight Rooms into 420 Square Feet" was designed by LifeEdited and is the brainchild of Graham Hill. Creative? Yes. Liveable? Perhaps, depending on your character and if you are the kind of person willing to pull out your bed every night and unpack your oven tops. I personally am not, but I love the concept of endless storage units. It is a firm belief of mine that one can never have too many places to put things. But the every-surface-is-a-closet situation doesn't leave much opportunity for wall hangings...I guess you can't win 'em all.

Would you live here?

The Secret Correlation Between Plants and Adulthood

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I love my apartment more than anything. The Williamsburg location, the four story walk up (jokes) and my wonderfully talented roommate. But lately I've been feeling as though I'm missing some key element that will take my apartment from pleasant to sophisticated, and yesterday I realized the answer: plants. 

Now that I've landed a J-O-B (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!), having living things in your apartment feels like a natural transition into the next stage of proving that you are a responsible adult capable of taking care of others. Plants will eventually be replaced by an animal of sorts (chinchilla? sugar glider? a cheetoh?) and then, finally, fingerscrossedIgetmarried, small humans. But for now house plants will have to do. 

We must take baby steps when entering new phases of life, however, and I'm not sure I'm quite ready for the challenge of watering plants per se, so I've contently settled on some adorable succulents (read: can survive in the desert). Ariella bought me the most beautiful terrarium for Christmas from a local store called Sprout, so I took a trip down to Grand Street (they also have a Chicago location!) because yesterday was perfect plant-buying weather. I would highly recommend Sprout's extensive selection of make-your-own terrarium ingredients (plastic dinosaurs included), floral arrangements and abundance of moss. I settled on three little fleshy Echeverias (only $3.50 each! BUY ALL THE ECHEVERIAS!) and re-potted them into some Anthropologie glass jars I had lying about (below).

 I put them on the windowsill next to my bed, and this morning the sunlight was streaming in and I felt very positive about life.  I must say, it was the loveliest sight to wake up to. So do yourself a favor today, and go buys some succulents. xx

Friday Night Tracks Yo

I've recently been listening to these songs on repeat and they're great to pump you up to be social and get out of the house on a Friday night and make friends and talk to people and not sit on the couch and read a book and drink tea (not that I have this issue myself... #secretlyintroverted) That said, two wonderful friends of mine, Jacob and Sarah, are visiting the city this weekend, so cheers to that!

Sam Smith. Money On My Mind.

Selina showed me this Brit. He's the voice on Disclosure's Latch and I think he has an eerily beautiful falsetto:

Twin Shadow. Old Love/New Love.

Okay, okay so apparently everyone already knows this song (looking at you Elise+ everyone else), but that doesn't mean it's any less good! Amiright?

Mapei. Don't Wait.

Not sure if this Stockholm-based girl is supposed to be "the next big thing" or not but she is awesome. (Also diggin' this Kingdom remix)

St. Lucia. All Eyes On You.

Why they don't have a music video for this baffles me.

        

Natalia Kills. Saturday Night.

Her eyebrows. That sequin dress. This is a nice angsty/teen-anthem guilty pleasure.

Foxes. Let Go for Tonight.

Similar to above. Mostly just a fresh of breath air because she's not Miley. I think these guys are on the rise. 

And last but OBVIOUSLY not least.

Beyoncé. Drunk in Love ft JAY Z.

I've watched this video everyday at the gym for the past two weeks. Great motivation. It just kills me how they're just like, "Yeah, we're married and we're amazing and we know it and all of you are jealous and you will never have this. Look how cool we are. " Bye.

Give It 100

Have you heard of Give It 100? I hadn't until just now when Refinery29 posted this video about LaKeisha. Her story is definitely inspiring and heart-warming, but I also find the greater concept of GiveIt100.com to be incredibly fascinating. 

Created by Karen Cheng after she learned how to dance in a year and her video went viral, Give It 100 encourages people to document 100 days of doing something- anything- and sticking to it. From juggling to weight loss to playing the ukelele, hundreds of people are using this platform as a tool for motivation and dedication. Regardless of whether or not people are watching your videos, you're still being held accountable and giving up would be more of a public surrender than just a private one. 

Check out all the projects here but beware, it can be a time-sucker. What would YOU do for 100 days? I think I would try to make myself do a blog post everyday...

Also this guy is my favorite.