Cold Weather, Color, Daytime Look, Fall/Winter, haley hoover, Real Talk

What Am I Even Wearing?

WELCOME FALL. You are here now. You have officially taking up the roost and shooed my darling summertime away. It’s fine, I’m just a little stressed is all.

With cooler temps upon us, the next wave of trends is rolling in, too. I’ve been in a conundrum for the past two weeks as I feel a nip in the air when I walk to the train. One question pounds around in my cranium all morning as the J train inches towards Manhattan: “What am I wearing this season?” I’ve been pestering my friend Kate for months about what the new, hot boot will be, but she always shot me down saying it was too early and too hot to talk about fall. She was right.  But fall always got me buggin! I’ve never felt adequately wardrobed for autumn, it’s my worst season. I’ve never loved jeans and growing up, my corduroys always “swished, swished, swished” in such a way that I grew to hate most pants in general.

Determined to get it right, I start my research early. This year was tricky because things in the trend cycle are starting fresh—only the most daring and fabulous are in the know. We all knew to buy off the shoulder tops for summer this year, because only the coolest of the cool were wearing them last year.  At this point, I’m keeping my eyes on the stars. Thankfully, all of those glittering fashion plates are gathered at fashion weeks across the globe, so I found it fitting to report on what to wear through the eyes of the most talented street stylists—and photographers—out there. Here’s what to shop to nail Fall 2016 and spoiler alert(!)—if you’re a 90s baby, you’re in for a treat.

TREND 1 – EAT SPAGHETTI 

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Photo Cred: VogueRunway.com / Phil Oh

I wasn’t kidding about 90s swag; it is back and it is alive. I vividly remember having a purple tee and lime green tank combo that I rocked in the 4th grade (circa 1994?) and envisioning a grown-up version of that ensemble on my now is still a little hard to swallow. I’ll dip my toe via the most 90s establishment out there: The Gap.

Quick take = Zara Tank + Gap Tee

 

TREND 2 – BLACK AND WHITE AND PRINTED ALL OVER

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Photo Cred: VogueRunway.com / Phil Oh

Praise The Lord for a great printed blouse, a statement piece all on its own. Tuck it into jeans on your way to Sunday brunch or trousers when you’re running late for work on Wednesdays. Pick up stress-free wearable ones from Zara or JCrew Factory or find treasured, glossy (read: high maintenance) ones at Equipment and ALC.

 

TREND 3 – COLD CLAVICLES 

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Photo Cred: VogueRunway.com / Phil Oh

Get ready to keep freezing those shoulders off, babies, because the off the shoulder blouses and sweaters ain’t going anywhere! Trust, your arms will be warmed because crazy sleeves are all the rage too (see below). I’m looking at knits to stay cozy, but would be swayed for bright or ruffling versions when Saturday nights come a calling.

 

I’ll just leave these here for everyone to digest. Ready your wallets, ladies! It’s time to shop; I’ll be back later this week with a little more food fashion for thought.

Happy Monday, y’all.

xx – Haley

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Real Talk, Spring/Summer, travel diaries

June – According to my iPhone

I hate to admit it, but Labor Day is an unwelcome earmark of time in my life. As much as I protest and persistently point out the sun’s warmth and my ability to wear shorts well into September, it’s hard to deny that the last long weekend of the summer does, in fact, mean that summer is over. The last two summers in the city have left me wanting a little more. Hectic and weird work schedules meant that a getaway looked like one or two train rides to Far Rockaway or, if we were lucky, a long weekend in Connecticut. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love doing both of those things, but 12 collective hours in the sun does not make for a summer glow.

Thankfully, this year was a little different! Earlier in the spring, I mentioned that I had multiple trips lined up and darling, I did not lie. Pardon my absence over here, but with all this travel, I accidentally took summer sabbatical.  Below is the month of June, according to my iPhone

Here’s what I learned in June:
– Weekend 1: The Hamptons is a beautiful place. It will make you feel poor while simultaneously making you feel like a rockstar. Andy Cohen really is the King of East Hampton and the Surf Lodge is too big for its britches. Uber Helicopter is a thing. And the Clam Bar has amazing ‘Lobby’ Rolls. When we went to the Hamptons, Ryan and I represented American amongst 12 Australians. I’m keen to do it again.

-Weekend 2: I feel just as passionate about Nashville as I do New York City. Barista Parlor is the most pretentious coffee shop I’ve ever visited and gives any Brooklyn roaster a run for its money. Although drastically different since I left, you can still improvise a photo shoot on a flatbed truck, which means that maybe Nashville really hasn’t changed much at all.

-Weekend 3: Weddings in Connecticut are beautiful. Also, good friends are the ones you can see once or twice a year and always pick up right where you left off.

-Weekend 4: Having visitors every 6 weeks or so really helps Ryan and I see all the lovely touristy things New York has to offer. In one day alone we brunched at Junior’s, traversed the Brooklyn Bridge, paid our respects to 9/11, explored Central Park and Grand Central Station, ate fresh guacamole, made a new friend or two, and watched the Braves beat the Mets at Citi Field. In New York, you really can do it all—as long as your friends are in town for 72 hours, that is.

-Weekend 5: Going to swanky NYC nightclubs will make you realize that there are entire subcultures in this city of which you know zero things. Also, nothing makes you feel older than hearing the words: “The reservation is for 11:15pm. See you tonight!” If your initial reaction to those words was a giant GULP, then you are old too.

June-baby, you were ages ago and boy do I miss you. We’ll always have Memorial Day weekend…oh, and all these pictures.

xx – Haley

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Color, Daytime Look, haley hoover, Real Talk, Shopping Guide, Spring/Summer

Bare Boned

I’d like to start out by giving a nod to The Bachelor for keeping me in the know of what cool girls are wearing in fashion.  Ever since our move to New York, I’ve been pursuing an NYC look; streamlined, darker, cool shoes. But every now and then, I find it wise to look west to our rivals friends in LA and see what they’re wearing, especially in summertime. In this case, I found my LA-inspo via Bachelor Ben’s gaggle of lovely, *mostly* mild-mannered honies (ps, there’s some debate on how to spell the plural form of Honey, but per urban dictionary this is right). Sure Lauren B and Amanda had some incredibly Cali Style, but I loved Jojo (of course)—she’s from Texas so we are kindof southern sisters and she continually rocked amazing off the shoulder tops. I’d seen shoulder baring tops here and there at the tail end of last summer, but once the girls on America’s Reality Show starting wearing them, I knew we’d be inundated with options this summer, because nothing says, “It’s summer. Let’s date.” like a pair of suntanned shoulders and collar bone.

Wanna climb aboard the trendy train? It’s so easy this summer! I love the off the shoulder top vs. the crop tops and deep v’s of days past because a) everyone has shoulders and b) almost always they are worth showing off  and c) you can show them off in a decent, classy way. You can pop this little top on over cutoffs or distressed jeans or dress it way up with a fitted skirt and heels. I posted a picture of me in this outfit a few weeks back and someone commented that this is the “ultimate flirty outfit.” To that I say thank you, first off, and also I don’t disagree.

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A little shoulder goes a long way.

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I love how this top floats; it’s so easy to pair with whatever!

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This is me thinking about how many times I’m wearing this top all summer.

I think this style has longevity. Get ready—I predict designers taking the off the shoulder look far into cooler months because it’s just so dang fun to wear. Plus these tops are flying off the shelves; retailers everywhere are thanking their lucky stars for The Bachelor, probably. It’s like they always say: Shoulder Sells.

Wanna get in on the action, but not sure where to start? I’ve pinned TONS of tops, outfit ideas, and dresses right here on my new Pinterest board to get ya going. Like seriously, there is so much to see.  Click over and get to shopping. Don’t forget to email me if you have questions!

 

xx – Haley

Key Pieces: Top – Zara // Earrings – J Crew // Shoes – Sam Edelman // Nails – Be There in a Prosecco, OPI

 

 

 

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haley hoover, Holiday, Spring/Summer

First Saturday in May

 

Many days, lately, go by without me thinking once about the little farm where I grew up. City life is busy; balancing a full-time job, business on the side, marriage, friendships, fitness, ministry, etc., often take precedent over my old Kentucky home. But when the weather turns warm and the grass smells sweet (you know, before the infamous New York summertime trash smell overtakes), I start listening to a little more country music on Spotify and begin to reminisce over Thursday riding lessons and weekends schooling my Thoroughbred over 4-ft jumps across rolling hills.

Last year when nostalgia set in, I invited as many people that could fit in my apartment over so we could watch The Kentucky Derby on the first Saturday in May. Eager to introduce all of my buddies to what life was like back home, I cooked and baked every dish that even so much as nodded towards southern hospitality: pulled pork, Kentucky Caviar, sweet tea, strawberry salad, Mint Juleps, and Kentucky’s own Derby Pie (you must make this pie, it’s divine). The Derby is all about tradition, so I preemtively wrote “First Annual” on the invitations. You can imagine how excited I was when the first glimmer of spring rolled around and I received a text asking if I was having the party again. Duh.

This year our party roster was comprised of new and old friends, a fresh menu: ribs, chicken and waffles, Hot Brown Sliders (an actual sandwhich type—see above), and some crowd pleasers: Juleps! Pie! We crowded in our one bedroom and all became racing experts for about 20 minutes.

I highly recommend overspending on food and drinks and fresh flowers, just once a year. Draw names out of a hat and scream at the TV. And give everyone pie. Pro tip: after the race, take a camera and all of your friends up to the roof to watch the sunset.

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One time, my husband had an interview in which he was asked, “What is the fabric of you?” We laughed hysterically afterwards because #WUT. The joke’s on me though, because I’ve realized that the South is in the fabric of me. That’s why I always look forward to the first Saturday in May.

See y’all later! – Haley

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Casual, Daytime Look, Real Talk, Spring/Summer

Hi, Denim on Denim

When it comes to shopping, we all have a different approach. Some people shop to bring home something fresh, while others shop to lift their mood or stay on top of the trends (that’s you, bloggers). Still others shop because they have an event coming up, such as an interview or a party or a big date. The latter-est group is where I fall. I like event-based shopping because all of the pieces I’ve purchased for weddings, work parties, fashion weeks, or whatever else have now become little closet bookmarks for me. Many pieces in my closet hold significance because of where I wore them—my rehearsal dinner, my first party on Park Avenue, my last day in Nashville.

But it’s not just party dresses that I hold dear. Some of my casual go-to’s bookmark my life too. Case in point: my trusty denim shirt. Really, I should say this denim shirt because it wasn’t mine to start. I still remember standing over my friend Lynsie’s open trunk in an empty parking lot in Jackson, TN. We had just finished another work day and closed up the little boutique we worked in together and trudged to our cars, a bright orange sunset likely burning over our heads. Lyns—ever older, wiser, and cooler—let me rummage through a pile of clothes before she dropped them at the local consignment store. I triumphetly fished out this soft, oversized chambray shirt. The brand is Velvet and its role in my closet is pivotal.

I wear this guy with pencil skirts, leather pants, white jeans, and, oh yes, regular jeans to pull off what is known as the Canadian Tuxedo, more commonly known as Denim on Denim. D on D is the perfect weekend look with boots or the perfect unassuming date night look with stilettos. It goes preppy with a little knit jacket over top or hipster with a beanie on your head. It truly is a workable palette for every style. Get thee to a store this week if you don’t have a chambray shirt (or blue-jean shirt as my friend Mallory calls it)! Commit to whatever title you want, but seriously, just pick one of these up. Wear it on a date or out on an epic girl’s night, because something this cool should feel just as special.

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Need some more inspiration? Welcome to my brand new Pinterest board – where I’m shopping as I post. There’ll be  a new board with every post so we can all keep up together. Follow me on Pinterest because, yes, I think it is still a thing. More a thing than LinkedIn. #relevant Hi, Haleyannie x Pinterest

Have fun bookmarking this week –

xx – Haley

KEY PIECES: Denim Shirt –  Velvet // Distressed Jeans – Joe Fresh

Per usual, all photos taken by Julia Hembree. Isn’t she great?

 

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Award Show, Night Out, Nighttime Look, Real Talk, Recap

HHA Fashion Bracket: The Ultimate Prize

Is it just me or is it boring in here? Imagine my heartbreak as I turned on the red carpet coverage on Sunday night and…nothing. I am so sorry Hollywood, but you guys phoned it in this year. So many of the gowns just seemed uninspired, drab, or dated. I’m sorely disappointed, but then again, not every year can be 2014 aka The Year of Lupita.

I am, however, very pleased to relay that I have crowned my fashion bracket winners and as an added bonus, I’m including a lightning round Best and Worst Dressed list from The Academy Awards, because a little glitz-meets-snark never killed anyone.

First order of business: our winners. The HiHaleyannie Fashion Bracket Best Dressed Awards go to:

BRIE LARSON and EDDIE REDMAYNE and also EDDIE’S PREGNANT WIFE HANNAH!!!!

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My most sincere and envious congratulations to you three. Admittedly, I didn’t expect to give this award to a couple, but the Redmayne’s really brought it this year and there was simply no denying their power-couple prowess. Like any longtime actor finally relishing her red carpet run, Brie Larson took risks with her gowns, but goodness, she stood out. We didn’t have Lupita this year, but I certainly enjoyed The Year of Larson.

Eddie Redmayne + Hannah Bagshawe

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Is there anything better than a couple in McQueen? Not this year! Even though Eddie mentioned that he was “sweating” in his velvet tux, it was worth a little dehydration. His perfectly cut suit made him look 7 feet tall with ease. Meanwhile, Hannah rocked out her “maternity gown” with a stunning halter neck covered in jagged gold. Power couples, take note: Black Is Back!

Brie Larson

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Brie Larson in Gucci

Upon my first glance, I thought the tasteful, traditional fit of this A-Line gown was too easy to be so good. But a second look sold me. This striking blue gown cinched with a show-stopper belt, reigning in layers of textured, expertly-draped pleats, made this up and coming starlet shine brighter than the rest. Remember when JLaw showed up to her first Oscars a few years ago in the fitted, red Calvin Klein dress and everyone was all, “Who’s THAT?” This is that moment, all over again, for Brie Larson.

With our winners happily basking in the glow of our approval (#Millenials), let’s take a look at who gave them a run for their money in a lightning fast round of BEST DRESSED!

Olivia Wilde – Most Current

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In a phrase: WOAH. Like, yes. Pleats and chokers FTW.

Daisy Ridley – Best in Chanel

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Daisy Ridley in Chanel Haute Couture and Christian Louboutin

In a phrase: Perfectly executed hemline. A tad old for her, nothing a slick-backed bun can’t fix.

Charlize Theron – MOST MOST

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Charlize Theron in Dior Haute Couture

In a phrase: Okay ladies, let’s get in formation. Couture by Charlize.

Saoirse Ronan – Best Entrance

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Saoirse Ronan in Calvin Klein

In a phrase: “I may be new here, but I totally know what’s up.”

And real, real quick, can we gently discuss these brave souls who were, as they say in sports, a swing and a miss? WORST DRESSED

Jared Leto – Worst Miss

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Jared Leto in Gucci

In a phrase: PUFF

Sarah Silverman – Worst Fit

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Sarah Silverman in Zac Posen

In a phrase: Spray tans don’t fix everything.

Alicia Vikander – Weirdest Choice

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Alicia Vikander in Louis Vuitton

In a phrase: Melted butter popcorn.

Ahh, doesn’t that sass feel good? And with that, let’s kiss goodbye this award season! Thanks for following along. Next week, I’ll recap Fashion Month, so get your notebooks out—you’re gonna want to write this stuff down. 😉

Cheers y’all,

Haley

All photos via Vogue.com

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#BYOC, Real Talk, Recap, Shopping Guide

On to the Next

“On to the Next” is one of my favorite phrases. A few years ago, my little brother and I graduated high school and college the same year, and I convinced my mom to get the Walmart bakery (I know, classy) to write it on our cake for the graduation party. Those blessed artisans at Walmart delivered—”On to the Next” was written in neat cursive; everyone at the party smiled and simultaneously tilted their head in confusion when they passed by our white cake with white icing and red accents. I didn’t care because a) I weirdly like doing things that throw people off and b) I was so ready for life beyond the textbook. This isn’t a plea to millennials to not go to school. Go to school, millennials. You don’t need a year to “pursue your YouTube channel full-time.” 

As I shake off 2015, I’m staring down the blank slate that is 2016. I’ve made personal resolutions which include using my camera more, running more miles—the typical stab at being more creative and getting skinnier. (I’m toasting 2016 with a glass full of green juice.) But here’s what’s going on in THIS space, you know, just in case you’ve been wondering:

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I’m calling this my to-do list, rather than my resolutions, because everyone knows that resolutions never get completed and to-do lists, well, do, more often at least. Let me break it down for you.

  • More #BYOC – Bring Your Own Coffee is coming back! I’ll be highlighting more go-getters, more NYC ballers that I’ve crossed paths with over the past year.
  • More Shopping – Sorry guys, kindof forgot this was a style blog, not just a collection of pretty pictures. More posts featuring actual clothes you can buy.
  • More Closet Basics – I’m excited to be walking everyone through my closet basics, all the the things you should ABSOLUTELY have in your closet for no-fail, always-chic outfits.
  • Find affordable faux leather pants that are decent and look legit. DONE! I found these, they’re here. Go buy them.
  • The Big Hihaleyannie Project – this last one is still a bit secret, but it’ll be big and super fun when it happens. Stay. Tuned.

4 out of 5 things left to do. Are you ready to start shopping again? I am! On to the next…

Cheers,

Haley

 

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Cold Weather, Daytime Look, Holiday, Real Talk, Recap

Best & Worst of Times – 2015

Hoovers (12 of 31)

I’ve always liked the little newsletters that come in Christmas cards. Maybe I’m nosy, but I like knowing what’s going on in people’s lives. I like the context, I guess. This is my last post of 2015 and a long overdue one at that. So, in honor of the season I thought I’d write my own newsletter.

In January I was thrilled to interview for an editorial position at the magazine I had always dreamed of working. (Think: Devil Wears Prada). After a—no joke—8 minute interview I learned the position I was interviewing for had been filled already. I was crushed.
In February I went through 3 weeks of casting for a well-known fashion reality show and learned why they say acting is not for everyone. I also learned that reality TV is for SURE acting. After just barely missing the final cut I stood weeping in the kitchen in Ryan’s arms. Crushed. Again.
A dear friend moved away in February and after watching two dreams slip through my fingers by what seemed, at the time, by my own doing, I felt like God had tricked me. Life didn’t feel fun.
In March, through a series of unexpected events, Ryan’s company shuttered and he very quickly (thankfully) started working at that same magazine I had interviewed with 3 months prior. I struggled to juggle  my genuine happiness for my husband finding his place and panicked anxiety —why I wasn’t good enough to land that job in January? The year wore on and I continued to look for work that excited me but nothing came.  During my 26th birthday weekend, while watching the sun set over Brooklyn with some of my dear friends, I decided I had to let go. It was time to love myself fully and to trust the Lord’s plan for me fully-er.

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That’s when things turned. When you open your palms up to God’s way and just stop trying, amazing things can happen. Honestly that statement is more deserving of a full essay, or a compilation of them, than one, trite sentence. It has truly taken me 20 years to arrive at this realization.

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Here’s the rest of the story –
In July, Ryan and I opened a business back home with our friends. Although it’s a random field in the entertainment industry, we’ve enjoyed six very good months of business with our three counterparts. Come to find out,  a new business keeps one very occupied, so you can imagine my surprise when it was the end of October and there was still no change to my full-time work scenario. I began to question how to move forward in my career. Should I freelance again? Should we move back home? Should I quit writing on the side? Was I wasting my time? No sooner did Ryan and I begin to pray about next steps when I received a call from the publishing company that I had interviewed with in January, this time for a different position at a different magazine.
After three rounds of interviews, I tearfully happily accepted a position in a role that seems to have been designed perfectly suit to my skill set.  Here I was, at the culmination of everything, towards the end of the year and finally my context arrived.

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So of course, the moral of the story is that it all works out, but more so, the moral of the story is that I just walked through a year that seemed so wrong for so long only to be peacefully led into a place that is perfect. I learned how to love myself, realized that “not now” doesn’t translate to “not enough,” and that all those bumps in the road shouldn’t load up as chips on your shoulder, but rather, boosts to stand higher on.
I wasn’t joking about my impatience. The struggle is SO real. And your twenties are SO weird. But God is good. I’m overwhelmed by His grace and abundant love. I’m thankful for one of the hardest years of my life. When I think of how He loved me hardest when I felt rejected, I about go weak in the knees. I’m most thankful He gifted me with my kind, patient, best friend of a husband, who, by the way, totally rocked out this year. Seriously, Ryan is the best.

So if want, you can fold up my newsletter and put in in your back pocket or you can throw it away. As for me— I’m boarding a plane to fly to my family’s home in Kentucky and I couldn’t be more excited to watch what unfolds in 2016.

Merry Christmas,

Haley

KEY PIECES: Sweater – Banana Republic // Boots – DSW // Vest – Intermix // Ryan’s Jacket – Jack Spade // Ryan’s Boots – Billy Reid // Ryan’s Glasses – Warby Parker

Per usual, all photos taken by Julia Hembree. Isn’t she great?

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Casual, Daytime Look, Real Talk, Spring/Summer, travel diaries

There’s More to Explore

As the dog days of summer truly start to become their most dogged – long hot days that drift into nights, last minute trips into Zara because you’ve worn all of your sundresses at least thrice, and the fear fact that fall and winter (!) are just around the corner, I’m beginning to reflect on the places I’ve seen since Memorial Day.

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Many plane rides drew me southward while numerous other free weekends led my husband, Ryan, and I to new sights in the city. There was a weekend a failed attempt to visit the Bronz Zoo on a dime turned into a full on exploration of the Bronx and a new venture into Ecuadorean food. Another weekend we lounged on an old blanket at Rockaway Beach and watched the surf set catch wave after wave. There was also a hot Saturday in July when we attended the DETAILS magazine pool party at the McCarren Hotel and then afterwards I dragged Ryan ALLL the way to the upper east side to take in China: Through the Looking Glass at the Met.

We’ve had picnics at dusk in Central Park and an evening where we ran through a torrential downpour on the way to catch Jurassic Park at the Battery Park movie theatre. The streets were so empty I thought maybe we were living out the plot from I Am Legend and two of us were Will Smith and the dog.

My husband always laughs at me come May because my alter-ego, “Summer Haley,” comes to life. Summer Haley does more, sleeps less, and takes in absolutely everything possible. Summer Haley is my best me, for sure. When my photographer friend, Julia, suggested we shoot up in Harlem, I was so game. Welcome to the best wall mural you’ve ever seen, in all its Sesame Street, primary-colored, happy-drawing glory.

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My best piece of advice for loving where you live? Experience it. Every part of it. Get outside, because there’s more to explore.

Lots of love,

Summer Haley

Key Pieces // Tank – Vince | Hat & Pants – Joe Fresh | Shoes – Sam Edelman | Clutch – Anthropologie

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Casual, Daytime Look, Spring/Summer

The Beautiful & Damned

“Mine is going to be outstanding. It can’t, shan’t be the setting – it’s going to be the performance, the live, lovely, glamorous performance, and the world shall be the scenery.”

I’ve been reading F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Beautiful and Damned since my first summer trip waaayyyyy back in May. I feel super literate and cultured when I sit on the train and read this book, but honestly, I’m reading it because that one season of Gossip Girl when Serena is hired to intern on a movie set and oversee the script adaptation of the book. (OH TO BE SERENA VAN DER WOODSEN)

The story chronicles New York’s privileged and eccentric who are kind of just kicking around and spending money and avoiding having to work for anything (this is probably why Serena VDW loved the book). In the book, the two main characters keep having these seasons of panic where they realize they’re running out of money but also don’t have any skills to keep afloat. I can empathize with the panicky times, but differ from them with the lack of skills category. I feel a huge swell of pride when I think of the things I can bring to the table in life – for one, I can cook, so I can literally bring things to the table. Another skill in my repertoire is dressing for summer – this week I’m wearing my most favorite print-on-print, two piece playsuit. This outfit is especially special to me because I bought it for my first trip to NYC and subsequently lost it during my move to NYC but then FOUND it at the beginning of this summer. A whole year gone, but now we’re back together. #truelovewaits

On an unrelated, but related note about NYC’s eccentric. We shot these looks in front of the house featured in Wes Anderson’s film, “The Royal Tenenbaums.” Be still my perfectly symmetric heart.

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Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some reading to do.

xo – Haley

Key Pieces // Playsuit – ASTR Clothing c/o Nordstrom | Necklace – Vanessa Mooney | Bag – Longchamp | Shoes – Rowan

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