A Slice of Parisian Chic in NYC

I hope everyone had a great Easter! It was nice to have the weekend off (I usually take clients Fridays and some Saturdays) and spend it with my little family, enjoying sunshiny walks around the neighborhood, decorating Easter eggs and seeing Charlie’s face light up at the sight of the Easter Basket goodies. There is nothing like living vicariously through a 1-year-old’s eyes – everything is so new, fresh, exciting! To me Easter/Passover time is the epitome of Spring, with new beginnings and hope strewn through every sun-lit day.

I also decided to give myself a much-needed hair refresh this past weekend with highlights by Kevin at Spoke & Weal. I had in mind what I wanted – some golden balayage to bring dimension – and he did exactly that! If you’re curious what it turned out like, you can check it out in my #MomLife Story Highlights on Instagram.

If you live in NYC or anywhere in the North East, you know that April & May tend to be really tricky months weather-wise — where it can be 70’s one day and then drop back down to 40’s and 50’s — so having transitional outfits in your closet it essential.

I always recommend that my clients build their wardrobe around staples — leather or faux leather jacket being one of them. It’s a warm layer that can be worn open and can dress up a look very well. I think picking out a leather jacket can be overwhelming, so I recommend a few styling tips to go by:

1. If choosing only one, look for a color you will wear often – whether it be a neutral or a pop. Ideally, it can go with most things in your wardrobe. While I’m not a huge fan of black, I think other balanced colors like gray, cream, mushroom, and varying shades of red can be quite versatile.
2. Pay attention to the type of leather (or faux leather) you’re choosing. Will it fade well with time? Is it soft enough that it won’t show signs of breaking as you wear the jacket in? Can you condition it? Does it transfer color?
3. Shape is key. I’m a huge fan of moto & bomber jackets as they’re timeless and flattering on most body-types. If you’re busty, you’d do better without too many front pockets or zippers/buckles; a shorter length compliments petite frames nicely, and peplums can be a great asset for waist definition. Whatever shape you choose, make sure if fits you well both open and closed as it will allow for a variety of looks.

In this look, I wore my “personal vintage” as I call it – an Alice & Olivia Leather Jacket I bought from SCOOP back when that store was around. When I first bought it, it was a deep green, but over the years it has faded nicely into a much lighter color. It’s a bomber shape, which is easy to wear over a sweater or tee – and it works equally well with jeans as dresses/skirts. I usually wear it when I travel as it has 4 zippered pockets, perfecting for stashing phone/passport/lipgloss/pacifier, and leather doesn’t look wrinkled when you walk off the plane. I’ve rounded up some similar styles below.

For this outfit, I paired my new Pilcro Collared Button-Down from Anthro which I know I’ll wear with everything this summer from white jeans to mini skirts and shorts with a pleated skirt also from Anthro (sold out, but similar styles are below). Pleats are a great asset for anyone who wants to look taller and slimmer as they draw the eye down, and if the skirt is high-waisted and the pleats are medium-sized, they will usually fall fairly well even on curvy body types.

I accessorized the look with my Clare V. Clutch that I also wore in this look, and Jeffrey Campbell Rosalee Booties. These booties are the perfect Spring shoes as my feet can breathe through the laser cutouts in the suede, but they are still closed-toe so they provide enough warmth. As a final finishing touch, I wore an Evocateur Cuff bracelet, which added “linking” (telling a story via your look) picking up the shimmers of gold in the skirt.

We took these shots in front of the gorgeous L’Apartment Sézane shop in Nolita, and sitting outside sipping my Cafe Maman Latte made me feel like I was temporarily transported to a small street cafe in Paris — hence this blog post was named A Slice of Parisian Chic in NYC.

What outfits are your go-to’s for transitional weather? Please share using  hashtag #ModnitsaSpring in your posts and I’ll repost them on my stories!

Photography by Leslie Moncada