It's been a busy few weeks around here with our trip to Palm Springs last weekend and then a three day trip to New York this week. But I still wanted to share a few of my outfits since some of the pieces are on sale and I don't want you to miss them!



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DRESS  ||  HEELS  ||  BAG 

This week I took a quick trip to New York City to meet with Vanity Fair for some fun upcoming projects. For dinner our first night I wore this gorgeous crocheted dress and it was a fun twist on the classic LBD. 
I love that it's easy to dress up but would also look amazing with flat sandals or even simple sneakers for a dressed down look.  


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These cut-out boots are so perfect for fall and super comfortable. It's just really hard to decide between black or tan!


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WHITE DRESS  (also comes in other colors)  ||  SIMILAR JEANS  ||  BAG  ||  SUNGLASSES  ||  SIMILAR BOOTS  ||  STROLLER  ||  CARSEAT 

I mostly had to attend events and meetings while in NYC, but we had a few free hours on our first morning so we walked down to the Empire State Building and the Flat Iron. It was so hot that day so I ended up changing, but this white dress is one of my very favorites. 


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THERMAL TEE (on sale)  ||  JEANS (on sale)  ||  ANKLE BOOTS  (on sale)  ||  WATCH c/o POST FIFTH

Comfy and casual for post-travel day.

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PEPLUM TEE (SIMILAR HERE)  ||  JEANS  ||  SANDALS  ||  SIMILAR BAG  

I'm such a sucker for black and white, but I love how brown accessories make it more casual. 

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When Keith and I moved into our new home (this past October – crazy how time flies), we took a lot of our old furniture with the intention of swapping some major pieces out. On that list was a new coffee table (got it!), a new mattress and bed frame (got the mattress, now just need to find a new frame), and a new couch. The couch we had was so uncomfortable, something we realized after it was already bought.

We couch shopped for months and I never realized just how difficult it would be to find something that was comfortable, that suited our home style and something that we both actually agreed on.We also knew that we wanted a sectional, something that the entire family can lounge on and something that worked for entertaining (Oscar parties, Superbowl). One day, we were walking around in Soho and popped into the Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic store. The moment we sat down on one of their couches, it was like sitting on a cloud. We came home to analyze whether the size and style would work in our home and after a few days of discussing, we decided to go for it. Now, I 100% realize their couches do not come cheap and are a major investment. However, if you are in the market, I really cannot recommend their couches enough. The comfort level is unlike anything else and with a new baby, we've spilled so many things and nothing has stained. Our old couch was so poorly made, it looked dingy within months.

Every morning, as soon as my crying baby alarm clock goes off, I make our way downstairs and I feed him while we nap on the couch. Little moments I actually look forward to as I know they'll be gone in the blink of an eye.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

The post Moments at Home appeared first on Brooklyn Blonde.


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My boys have outgrown pretty much all of their shoes from last year, so it was time to pick up a new pair for each of them. We're working on teaching B to tie his own shoes, so these Vans were a good choice, and they're so comfortable and easy to run around in. And I chose a pair of Sperry's for Fos that look like they have laces but are actually velcro so he can easily put them on himself -- which he loves.

Rack Room has tons of great brand name shoes and they always have tons of good deals going on on their site, so it's the perfect place to pick up a few new pairs of shoes for your kids for back to school!


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MY OUTFIT:  SHIRT  ||  JEANS  ||  SNEAKERS c/o RACK ROOM SHOES

B'S OUTFIT:  SHIRT  ||   SHORTS  ||  SNEAKERS c/o RACK ROOM SHOES

FOS' OUTFIT:  SHIRT  ||  JEANS  ||  SNEAKERS c/o RACK ROOM SHOES


It's crazy that we're already talking about Back To School since I feel like we just barely got out of school for the summer. But so many of you have kids heading back to school, so today we've teamed up with Rack Room Shoes to share a store that not only has a huge selection of great shoes, perfect for back to school, it also does a whole lot of good.

I love partnering with brands that do good, especially for kids and families, and Rack Room has an awesome program called Shoes That Fit that does just that.

When you purchase your shoes, you can donate to the program and Rack Room will not only match your donation, but 100% of proceeds go to families in need in your area. Last year they donated more than one million dollars through their program. It's so heart warming to hear about brands that do so much good and are helping real people.

You can check out more about their program and see all their shoes right here!



created in partnership with rack room shoes  ||  photos by rad and happy
Distressed Denim and Black Blazer

Distressed Denim and Black Blazer

When I asked you all for your answers to a few questions I was genuinely just curious about, I really did NOT expect over 160 replies. Every single time a new reply came in, I got so excited! So THANK YOU. Thank you for reading this blog which comes with its share of imperfections. Thank you for your feedback because without it, there would be no blog. And thank you for taking out a few moments of your day to respond to my questions. Of course, it's only fair for me to answer the same questions back, so here it goes:

Where Are You From?

Born in Far Rockaway, Queens and in Brooklyn for the last 15 years. Parents are from Moscow, Russia and I'm first generation American.

What Do You Do For a Living?

I've been in some aspect of the Fashion Industry for the last 15 years. When I left my job several years ago (working for a large accessories manufactuer), I focused on styling and merchandising. As the time went on, I started to focus more on the opportunities that came with this blog. I figured, if not now then when? Currently, I'm balancing the blog and being a new mom. It's been tricky at times, like trying to find the time to shoot and create new content. At night, after he goes to sleep, I know I have a lot of work to do, but sometimes I feel so tired that I just want to relax and shut my brain off. The balancing act can get tricky, but as the weeks and months go on, we're figuring it all out! I realize that an extra set of hands to help with both the blog and the baby is almost necessary.

How Old Are You?

34! Ah! I still can't believe it myself and as some of you put it, I often think that I'm 28 and have to think twice when someone asks me. With that being said, I've never felt happier and more comfortable in my own skin. You know what's so crazy? When I first started this blog, I was 28/29 years old and at times, I felt I was too old to be blogging. So many bloggers were younger girls and it felt like such a young industry. I didn't think that "older people" were reading blogs, but as the time went on, I realized just how wrong I was. After going through every single one of your comments, I also realized what a diverse age group I have, ranging from 17-65. So amazing!

What Are Your Favorite Things About Reading Blogs?

Even as a blogger myself, I love to turn to other blogs for inspiration. Whether I'm in a rut (personal, style, diet, home, etc…) or just need a dose of beautiful imagery or words, I always look forward to taking out the time to catch up on my favorites! I also love to see what people are doing to better themselves and better their lives. As I've gotten older, that's become so important to me. It can be something as simple as drinking warm lemon water every morning or something a little more serious like cutting toxic relationships out of your life.

What Are Your Least Favorite Things About Reading Blogs?

I loved reading all of your honest answers to this question. The answers varied from too many images of one outfit, too many bloggers posting the same thing (ex: Nordstrom anniversary sale – yes, 100% agreed!) and sponsored posts that don't align with the blogger. So again, I thank you guys for your honesty! I agreed with so many of your answers.

Listen, the truth is, for the people who do run their blogs as their business, sponsored posts are inevitable. But you have to trust the blogger that they'll take on the projects that work for them, work with their aesthetic, their brand and are not just doing it for money. I know I've said it in a past post, but I've made some mistakes that I've learned from, but these days, I try to be as honest as possible. I recently did this post with Nexxus and someone left me a comment saying "this doesn't feel real and you have too many sponsored posts." I promise you guys, when I got approached to work with them, I was so excited because it really was a brand I've been using for eons. I honestly swear by the Emergencee treatment, especially when I was trying to save my hair! Same goes for this Skinceuticals project – another incredible product that I genuinely feel good about recommending on here. But I hear you all, sometimes you wonder if the excitement is genuine or just for a project. Reading all of your comments was just a reminder to be mindful of what I take on and to make sure it aligns with my overall style and brand.

Do You Have Children? Want Children?

As you all probably know by now, we have a three month old boy and not sure if we want anymore. If you ask me, I'm leaning towards probably not and if you ask Keith, he's leaning towards definitely not. While there is zero doubt that Nate has been the absolute best thing in the world, having a child is hard work. To top it off, having a child in NYC, even harder! And having more than one child, in NYC, while trying to maintain a certain life, is a whole other ball game.

If you could live in any city in this entire world, where would it be?

New York City has my heart. It's part of who I am and at the moment, I really cannot imagine living elsewhere. If we were to ever move, I dream about living in a European city like Barcelona, rather than somewhere else in the states.

If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

If calories don't count, french fries with a medley of dipping sauces! I also love almond croissants,  chocolate, pizza and sushi.

What's Your Favorite Movie?

Totally cheating and picking more than one. There are not many movies that I can watch over and over again, but the ones that I can: Mean Girls,  Dirty Dancing, The Notebook, The Departed and Good Will Hunting.

What's Your Favorite TV Show?

Felicity, Sex & The City, Friends and Parenthood.

xoxo,

Helena

The post Thank You So Much For Your Answers! Here are Mine: appeared first on Brooklyn Blonde.

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Can we all agree that bermuda shorts are hard to style? Yes? Ok, good. But shorts are a necessity during the warm months, and those of us who need the extra length in shorts are presented with a challenge -- to make them look good. 

So today I'm dedicating a whole post on how to style them and where to buy them. 

There are three basic kinds of bermuda shorts: boyfriend (usually oversized and distressed), fitted (these are usually cut from jeans and cuffed, or store-bought with a nice hem), and chino shorts. 

The key when wearing any of these shorts is to make your outfit look pulled together and purposeful. By nature, bermuda shorts aren't super flattering to your leg because they cut off right in the middle. So throwing on a basic tee is going to make your entire outfit just blah. So we need to learn how to make an outfit with shorts look stylish, pretty, and flattering. Two things -- wear the right top, and accessorize, accessorize, accessorize. 

Here we go.


First up, boyfriend shorts. 

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  • How to wear them: 
    • With a fitted top. I'd recommend this only if you have a slim rectangular shaped body. The looser fit on bottom will accentuate any fullness in your lower body. It looks best if your fitted top is tucked into the shorts. 
    • Knot your tee. Tie a little knot into your tee to tighten it up and create a contrast against the looseness of the shorts.  
    • Feminine tops. Balance out the masculine feel of the shorts by wearing a feminine top, like I did here. Something eyelet, lace, ruffled, pleated, or lace up is perfect. 
    • Structured tops. A crisp button down offsets the casual boyfriend shorts, and creates a really clean and modern look. Loosely tuck it in for an effortless vibe. 
  • Which ones to buy: 

Next, Fitted Cut-Off Jeans or Fitted Hemmed. 


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And lastly, Chinos Shorts.

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What not to wear with bermuda shorts: 
  • Don't wear long tops, like this one. You want to keep your proportions balanced, and long shorts and a long top will make you look you clothes don't fit properly. If your shirt is a little bit long, half tuck it into your shorts waistline to help elongate your look.


shop all my favorites here:


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Did I miss anything? Leave any additional questions or styling suggestions in the comments!


photos by rad and happy  ||  images borrowed via pinterest
I don't know what the weather is like where you live, but we have been baking here in Michigan the last couple of weeks.
I know, I know... "Michigan hot" is NOT the same as "LA hot"; but throw me a bone here. ;)
Given our heat-wave, dressing in layers has been a top priority. Because even though it's hot outside, it always seems to be freezing cold inside, especially on the days when I forget to bring a jacket!

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Orange top- Forever 21 | Similar here, here, here | Love this one here (but it's almost sold out!)
White jeans- Marshalls | Similar here, here, and here | Great plus version here | Obsessed with this flared pair here
Striped blazer- H&M | LOVE these here and here | Another cute one here
Flats- Target | Almost exact | Other faves here and here 
Cuff c/o Erika Lehman for Stella & Dot | Similar here
Watch c/o Wristology (exact) | Use code GORGEOUS20 for 20% off
Necklace c/o Blossom Jewelry Design

Shop The Look:



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Follow along on:

Chanel Two Tone Mules

Two Tone Chanel Mules - Brooklyn Blonde

Two Tone Classics - Brooklyn Blonde

Two Tone Chanel Mules - Brooklyn Blonde

Top: Equipment (gorgeous color that's on sale) | Pants: Helmut Lang | Shoes: Chanel | Sunglasses: Celine | Bag: Saint Laurent

My lovely readers, I know that this is my blog and it's mostly about my outfits, my experiences, my favorite things, etc, but I would LOVE to learn a little bit more about YOU.  So if you don't mind taking a few moments to share some things about yourself, I would absolutely love that!

Where are you from?

What do you do for a living?

If you don't mind answering, how old are you?

What's your favorite thing about reading blogs?

Least favorite?

Do you have children? want children?

If you could live in any city in this entire world, what would it be?

If you could eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

What's your favorite movie?

favorite TV show?

The post Dear Readers: Tell Me About Yourself! appeared first on Brooklyn Blonde.

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ON ME:  DRESS (worn as a skirt)  ||  TEE  ||  SANDALS

ON FOS:  TEE  ||  SHORTS  ||  SHOES 

ON B:  SHIRT  ||  SHORTS  ||  SANDALS 

I had all these grand plans for summer with workbooks, piano lessons, daily projects and activities...but as we hit the last week of school, I just couldn't find the time to sit down and make a schedule for it all. After a week it never happened, and then another week, and then another. Now we're several weeks into school and we've done absolutely nothing that I planned.

But so far our summer has been one of our best ones yet. And I'm pretty sure it's because we don't have a schedule. We're just adventuring, going to the park, hitting up the beach, inviting over friends...and we don't have to plan it all out or get stressed we skipped or missed something. We just do it. We're just living.

And to keep up with all this adventuring, I'm making sure I put the boys in sturdy clothing. Old Navy has always been my go-to for clothing for my kids, and I love that I can buy things and know that they'll last through the rest of our summer and be ready for back to school.  And even better, I can get them on sale -- everything right now is 40% through tomorrow!

We have tons of Old Navy pieces we've purchased for the boys over the years, and unless they get stained, we can hand them down and they're practically in perfect condition.

Right now there are tons of great deals going on since everyone is heading back to school. Our school district gets out pretty late, so we still have over another month until school is back in session, but that isn't stopping me from picking up a few new things. Hop over and check out all their cute kids items! I'm obsessed with these plaid button downs and totally want these for Fos.

And they have tons of great new stuff in the women's section you can find right here -- I'm loving this top (I mean, white lace...are you surprised?), these super cute clogs, and this burnt orange dress.


thank you to Old Navy for sponsoring this post  ||  photos by rad and happy

I'm a little late in getting this one up this weekend, but there have been lots of outfits over on instagram this week so I had to share!

Also don't forget the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is still going on, and is now open to the public! My favorites are right here.

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TOP  ||  JEANS  ||  FLATS  ||  SIMILAR BAG

I love a good black and white outfit! This striped peplum is on sale during the anniversary sale and I love the statement it makes with a pair of black flats and white jeans


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FLATS  ||  SHEEPSKIN RUG  via IKEA  ||  GRAY RUG

I picked up these blush flats during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and I'm obsessed with them. Online they look more like nude, but in person they're a gorgeous blush. They will go with everything, and they're great for all seasons. 
Also tons of you are always asking about this rug. Here's the link!

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Last week my best friend, Leanne, and I went downtown LA to celebrate our birthdays, which are four days apart. We both showed up wearing white jeans, black tops, brown sandals, and brown bags -- completely unplanned! We fabric shopped, and then got dressed up for a fancy dinner at the LA City Club on the 51st floor of one of the high rises. The views were incredible. I wore this dress


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SIMILAR SNEAKERS (on sale for $19!)  ||  JEANS  

When your shoes match the floor, a picture must be taken. 


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To extend my birthday celebrations, we headed down to Desert Springs Resort for a little weekend getaway. It's blazing hot, but we've had so much fun regardless. I'll be sharing photos and a little video on the blog later this week! 

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HAT  ||  SIMILAR DRESS  ||  SANDALS  ||  SUNGLASSES

Day two at the pool was even hotter and the water was like a bathtub...not very refreshing! But the boys still loved it and we got away from all the weekend crowds by staying away from the main pool, and instead heading to the family pool which was perfect. 


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SIMILAR TOP  ||  JEANS  ||  SANDALS  ||  SIMILAR BAG 

These sandals were great for the pool, and I'll definitely wear them to the beach when we're back home, but I also love how they make a statement with a simple summer outfit, like a white button down or a white summer dress.