Manhattan and Jeff Koons

One of the best things about visiting New York is that no matter when you go, there's always a special exhibit in at least of of the major museums. This week it was Jeff Koons at the Whitney.

In addition to the three floor, massive retrospective, there was also a giant, "Split Rocker" made entirely of flowering plants at Rockefeller Center. The scale was enormous. It must've stood at least three stories in height.

An incredibly impressive feat, and having read about the complex, fabrication processes Koons traditionally used, I couldn't begin to imagine the planning that would go into this giant, flowering art piece.

Some highlights from the show included, Boy with a pony, the Venus of Wilendorf rendered in balloon doggie form, the racy Cicciolina photo series, and so much more...

I kept my wardrobe very minimal during my 5 days away. It was too hot and humid to layer anything so  I threw on a dress and sandals daily. This bag was an amazing deal from Heavenly Couture. At under 20$ per purse I bought it in two colors to use as a basic, travel bag and it held everything, including my camera.

Dress: Winter Kate, Bag: Heavenly Couture, Shoes: Report

With Love,

Noa B

Gearing Up to Fly

Every time I travel I end up writing something about the necessity of light packing and strategic layering for plane rides. For my trip to NYC last week I packed only what I could fit inside a small, 12" by 15" roll-aboard, which also included a camera and reading material. Here are my tried and true tricks for maximizing suitcase space  for a 5/6 day jaunt:

1: Wear your heaviest boots/jacket on board. In my case I chose a leather, AllSaints biker jacket and booties with intensive hardware. These items take up the most space in a carry on, but they're great for trekking through the airport and wearing on board a plane when the AC is cranking.

 

2: Don't wear any delicate baubles. Stick with a large necklace you can take off for security without undoing clasps or earring backs. (You'd be surprised at how easy it is to lose small studs between the metal detectors and bins).

3: Wear your heaviest boots on board. In summer, consider booties like these with cutaway details to stay cool, and a large, structured bag you can still slip a clutch into for night. Remember, you only get these two, small bags for carry on, so make them count!

 

4: It's summer, you don't need to pack jeans! But a comfy pair of mens baggies will do nicely for plane rides and slouchy comfort. Wear these to travel "there", and "back", and save your dresses for the suitcase.

4: Prep your hair with a little product and then twist it upwards in a clip. Leave it that way for your journey. Loosen the clip when you land and you'll have body and waves upon arrival.

 

 Jeans: Vintage Levis 501 Mens, Boots: ShoeMint, Bag: Heavenly Couture, Necklace: JewelMint, Jacket: AllSaints, T-Shirt: Gap

With love,

Noa B

Caftans and Snaps

Pardon the low quality snaps, but I just returned from a long weekend in NYC, which flew by too quickly to even take photos!

Although my camera was with me the whole time, I was having too much fun to remember to take it out of my purse. The whole, long weekend was a blur.

I checked out the Jeff Koons retrospective, visited with family and friends, ate top notch, French fare, swooned over my sister's new flat high atop the 28th floor of East 72nd street, and even managed to do some major redecorating at my parents' apartment, all while running from place to place in the Manhattan, August humidity!

Fortunately I'm a very good, light packer. 6 dresses, three pairs of sandals, and two zip locked bags of mini products were all I needed. I left for a few days with the world's tiniest roll-aboard. (But I did manage to get a makeup kit, two hair irons, PJ's, two jackets, dresses, a kimono, shoes, toiletries, skin care, a book, and a camera all into a bag that was about 12"by 12"! The key to traveling light in hot weather is not packing a ton of separates).

Dress: Calypso St Barts, Bag: Heavenly Couture, Sandals: Report, Choker: Boutique

Stay tuned for some peeks at the Koons, coming soon!

With Love

Noa B

Milano, Ciao!

Last week I flew to Milan for a brief, 5 day visit. I loved the city, which among other things is known for its fashion and design. On top of that, I arrived during Fashion Week, which turned out to be an unexpected bonus!

On one of my first days walking the city I strolled to the Duomo to visit the Museum of the 900, as well as take in a Klimt exhibit going on at the Palazzo Reale. It was a day simply packed with art, and I think I subconsciously donned a long, Kimono cover in homage to Klimt's women.

The weather was extremely humid, and I abandoned any idea of wearing pants 24 hours into the trip. Thank goodness I loaded up with sundresses when packing!

  Dress: Final Touch, Kimono: Mono B,  Necklace: Boutique, Bag: L.A.M.B., Sandals: Zara

It was a week filled with art, day trips, fashion, and parties. More to come soon!

With Love,

Noa B

How to dress for the Airport

Often when I thumb through a style-watch magazine, there's an insert about how celebs look coming in and out of airport terminals. I'm always impressed at how they manage to look really breezy with virtually no effort.

Since I'm heading to LAX for a work trip, I thought I'd add my own, personal insight into successful, dress habits for travel:

 

1: Start with an ultra soft T-shirt. I like Old Navy and Zara for thin, semi-opaque cotton. A good tee is worth it's weight in fashion gold.

2: Choose jeans that have stretch, (a little lycra is always best). Rather than defaulting to boyfriend blues, mix it up with color or a pattern. I LOVE these leaf patterned babies I found at Polka Dots and Moonbeams.

3: Add a loose blazer. I usually take a longer one that is roomy enough to pull all the way around me like a light blanket on the plane. This one comes from Kate Young. Long and loose is comfy, travels well, and still looks current.

4: Make sure to take semi-flat shoes. I like a one inch heel to give my arch some support when I'm standing on long lines. Choose something you can slip in and out of easily. These Kelsi Dagger flats zip in the back of the shoe, making them easy to slide on and off.

5: Finally, nix all jewelry, (and/or hats and scarves) since you'll have to remove them for the scanner, opting instead for a crossbody bag to add color. Pick something you can throw a necklace, a phone and possibly a slender novel or Ipod into, and still keep on your person, rather than a heavy shoulder bag.

 

Tee: Old Navy, Flats: Kelsi Dagger, Jeans: Level 99, Blazer: Kate Young for Target

Provided you're checking luggage, you can sail through the terminal quickly and comfortably. Wish me luck!

With Love,

 Noa B