How to Balance A Busy Day with A Killer Outfit

Fashion

If your schedules are like ours they can be defined in one word: crazy. From media events to lunches with clients, to planning upcoming collaborations and multiple meetings at coffee shops, the hours just fly. Before we know it, we go straight from schlepping all around the city straight into date night time. Ahh!

A look that can work all day and then pull double duty for your evening’s activities is essential these days. Thankfully, it’s also pretty easy to acheive. With a few key elements, everyone can master the “It” outfit for the fierce working women that we are!

Accessories are key. Lately, it seems the style consensus has been to stash a statement necklace in your bag until night fall and then slip it on for a more elegant look, but we’re here to say, no need. Make your life easier and skip a step- wear that statement necklace all day long, girl!

With the resurgence of simple basics, a great piece of jewelry like this Slate Stone Necklace, with a fun Egyptian feel, is just as perfect for your day look as your evening style. It instantly brings a sporty tee and ripped jeans to another “this girl knows how to #WERK” level!

In order to last all day {and all night!} you need a comfortable shoe, no doubt about it. Carrying slip-ons {like these!} around is an option, but really who wants to lug around more stuff?! Not us. This is all about streamlining and to do that, a wedge is major. A stacked wooden wedge is by far the comfiest way to add some leg to your casual day look as well as edgy sophistication to night!

Here’s what our ideal day to night look looks like:

Get the Look:

> Karl Lagerfeld Mesh Striped T-Shirt

> Haley Open Toe Wedge {steal at $80!}

> Sole Society Cut Out Ring

> Slate Stone Necklace {on sale-hurry!}

> J Brand Jeans {get 33% off now!}

> Theory Silk Blazer {40% off, yes please!}

> Black Tote

Throw a blazer over the whole ensemble {we love this white one for Summer!} and the easy layer will make you feel in charge of your crazy day! Now all that’s left to do is WERK.

original photography for apartment 34 by Ashley Batz // art direction + styling by Bianca Sotelo

This post is in partnership with Sole Society. All opinions are our own. Thanks for supporting posts that keep Apartment 34′s doors open.

MMW: A Greece-Inspired Spring Look

Fashion

Greetings from Greece my dears! I thought I’d give you a little peek into where I’m hanging out this week – the San Giorgio Design Hotel on Mykonos is currently my home away from home – and one I might possibly never leave {follow along on Instagram for real time updates btw}!

While I would gladly spend this entire week lounging in one of these gorgeous rooms or by the San Giorgio pool, I am eager to get out and explore the island today! What does one wear when planning to wander narrow cobblestone streets and spend the afternoon relaxing at ocean-side cafes? I whipped up a little look that I would gladly sport here in Greece and once I’m back in the States {hello perfect wine country getaway outfit}.

get your shop on: wendy nicol hat // rag & bone scarf // band of outsiders dress // jerome dreyfus backpack // illesteva sunnies // k jacques sandals

So even if you’re not heading to a far flung destination anytime soon, put on a look like this some warm sunny day and you just might feel like you’re on a mini-vacation!

images via the san giorgio hotel

Simply Chic Spring Style is in the bag

Fashion

Every season there’s all this talk about trends. Yes, we fall victim just as much as the next gals – hello neon clutch still sitting in my closet from last year! But no matter how tantilizing the hottest “It” thing might be, when push comes to stylish shove, the classics are never going to let you down. Timelessly cool pieces make sure you look “on trend” all year, {even as spring pastels and bold brights are ruling the pages of fashion magazines and birkenstocks are having a new day in the sun- ugh!}.

You also don’t have to spend a fortune to have great style. Not every classic piece has to come with a crazy high price tag. A perfect example is the Sole Society Woven Satchel. You may know Sole Society for their affordably stylish shoes {as the name suggests!}, but they also have a great selection of killer looking bags and accessories. When we spied the Woven Satchel, we immeditaely knew it was the perfect way to give our winter bags a rest.

This tote is anything but basic black. Its woven texture adds interest, the rose gold hardware gives it a bit of flare and the crossbody strap offers a ton of practicality. It’s pretty pitch perfect. I wore it at last weekend’s RewardStyle Conference and am happy to admit I got a ton of “where’d you get that bag?” questions, even in that sea of Celines!

The bag is a great accessory for any classic look. Here’s how we’re planning to rock it all spring long.

So sure, we might dip our toe into trendy fashion waters now and again, but when we’re wanting to feel extra confident, we’re going to stick with what we know works best!

Get The Look:

> 1 Sole Society Black Heel
> 2 Madewell Boyfriend Jean
> 3 Silk Blouse
> 4 Acne Leather Jacket
> 5 Leather and Metal Necklace
> 6 Aviator Sunglasses
> 7 Sole Society Woven Satchel

PS – Yes, the pics above are a little tiny sneak peek of our office makeover – and another one is coming tomorrow!!

original photography for apartment 34 by Ashley Batz // art direction + styling by Bianca Sotelo

This post is in partnership with Sole Society. All opinions are our own. Thanks for supporting posts that keep Apartment 34’s doors open.

Embracing My Inner “Festival Style”

Fashion

I was once a champion festival-goer. I spent years sweating it out in the desert, rocking in amphitheaters and getting crushed in the crowds as I pushed toward the front row. And I loved every second of it. These days though, while my love of music hasn’t withered, my stamina for festivals and “festival wear” has dimmed.

So when Old Navy challenged me to style a “festival” inspired look, I was a little hesitant. I’m a little past the days of werkin’ short shorts, bikini tops and flower crowns. However, I do believe we all have a little inner-hippie hiding in us somewhere so I looked to mine to inspire this ensemble. I think I found her!

get your shop on: Old Navy Panama Hat // Old Navy Tee // Old Navy bucket bag // One Teaspoon Jeans // Zara heels similar // Illvesteva sunnies similar

Festival inspired style lets you be a little more casual, loose and funky than you might ordinarily be in your day-to-day life. I took the excuse to embrace a few of Spring’s hot trends including super-distressed denim, message tees, bucket bags and the classic Panama hat.

We paid direct homage to festival goers’ exhibitionist side by DIYing up my Old Navy tee! We added a little additional rock n’ roll edge by cutting off the sleeves and snipping little side-baring cutouts. I was actually loving the result. My tee has offically been added to my Greece packing list.

But I also ended up loving this look overall. I would totally rock it on a girls’ day at the beach, maybe to a casual brunch at an outdoor cafe or even when I’m just feeling sassy on a day of errand-running.

We actually did this shoot at a local amplitheater in San Francisco’s John McClaren Park and as we hung out in the sunshine that warm, hippie vibe really started to take over. We even had Jerry Garcia playing on our Pandora station! I could have laid around out there all day. So maybe I do have a little festival spirit left in me after all. Now to find out if there are any tickets left to a fun show this summer!

original photography for Apartment 34 by Aubrie Pick // blanket and hide c/o Neighbor // art direction and styling by Apartment 34

This post was sponsored by Old Navy.
Check out Old Navy’s latest fashion lineup in store or online at oldnavy.com. Thanks for supporting posts that keep Apartment 34’s doors open. For even more personal style inspiration click here.

MWW: Your Statement Coat for All Seasons

Fashion

I firmly believe coats hold secret fashion powers. At least that’s what I tell myself as my coat collection grows! They certainly fall close to the tippy top of my Worth It list. Just take a look at the transformative abilities for yourself…

A statement-making coat has the brilliant ability to perk up even the most basic of outfits. From a pair of jeans to a simple shift, a coat with a little wow factor is the perfect way to dress up without all the fuss {my fave!}. Just let your coat do all the talking!

Of course, there are endless options when it comes to a great spring coat. Pastels, prints, or a classic trench…any one of these would do. But if I had to choose just one, I have my sights set on this fun twist on trench by ACNE.

get your shop on // ACNE coat

It has everything a spring coat needs to my opinion: a bold silouhette {drop-shoulders, double breasted}, playful details {oversized straps on the sleeves and a drawstring hem} and a light, happy spring color to help brighten your day!

I think this coat would go on heavy rotation well after spring ends. And remember a great coat will last you season after season. That’s why they invented a closet specially for them!

images via le catch, pinterest, and leeoliverla.com

Harness the Power of Prints!

Fashion

Remember when you were little and played “model” in the mirror? Turning, posing, even strutting your stuff down the hallway, feather boa wrapped around your neck {please tell me I’m not the only one who did this?!}. Well anyway, working with Old Navy these last few months has totally been satisfying my inner model-wannabe. We’ve been having a ball coming up with cool looks and fun ways to share them with you.

This month proved to be the biggest challenge yet, as Old Navy asked me to play with prints! As a neutrals devotee, this definitely pushed me out of my fashion comfort zone, but to great effect {if I do say so myself!}. Now that spring is here and every day is getting brighter, what better excuse to inject a little energy into your wardrobe!

The first place to start is with your pants. I’ve been attempting to break my jeans addiction, well pretty much forever and I think this Pixie Pant may finally do it. Cropped {my favorite silhouette these days as it’s universally flattering on all body types}, stretchy and with a great fit, I’d gladly slip those babies on everyday {especially since they’re on sale for $25!!}. I may advocate for splurging on wise fashion investments, but I also know a great bargain when I see one!

shop the look: Old Navy Pixie Pant // JCrew Collection blouse // Asos button-down {similar} // Kate Spade Saturday sandals // Zara clutch // Margaret Elizabeth ring & bangle // Aerin lipstick

And when it came to picking my print I also started slow – with an easy to mix & match black and white pattern. This let’s you play with any color palette. I chose to mix in blues, purples and nudes, but you could also go really bold with greens, oranges or yellows if you were feeling brave! I’ve been banking more inspiration on my Street Styling Pinterest board here.

The other trick to print-mixing is scale. I chose to wear a large, oversized floral print top, in this case, a lovely JCrew Collection silk blouse, to balance the pant’s smaller graphic pattern. The shirt’s wider and longer silhouette also makes the pants feel even skinnier! Leg elongation was further achieved by rockin’ killer Saturday by Kate Spade sandals with the pyramid heel – my new favorite statement-making shoe shape for spring!

I can’t lie – it’s rather fun getting to play dress up and literally put on another persona for a day. It’s a great reminder that you can actually do that in real life.

Have a presentation you feel not quite ready for? A job interview that’s making you nervous? Maybe even a challenging conversation that you’re just not quite ready to have. Put on an outfit that makes you feel strong, powerful, large & in charge and you’d be amazing how your outward persona shifts – even if your insides might still be quaking.

While I might never actually be a model, I’m gonna just keep on fakin’ it. And that’s half the battle right there, isn’t it?!

This post was sponsored by Old Navy. All opinions are my own. Check out Old Navy’s latest fashion lineup in store or online at oldnavy.com. Thanks for supporting posts that keep Apartment 34’s doors open!

original photography for apartment 34 by Aubrie Pick // art direction + styling by Apartment 34

Valentine’s Day Gifts You’d Actually Like!

Fashion

Did you know that men typically shop for Valentine’s Day 48-hours in advance or less?! No wonder the traditional gifts are flowers and chocolate – you can snag those at any corner market you see!

This year, why don’t we cut our guys a break and give them a {less than subtle!} hint. There are fabulous treats out there that would most certainly make us feel well-loved, right?!

get your shop on: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7

Chocolates get eaten and flowers die, but a gorgeous pair of heels, a hot handbag and, of course, killer jewelry last forever and go straight to our hearts! And you don’t even have to feel badly about the apparent extravagance. If you point your honey to The RealReal, my new go-to resource for stellar designer finds at major discounts, he’s going to save a TON. That’s probably the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for him! Everybody wins!!

Check out The RealReal’s Valentine’s Day lookbook to find the perfect little {or big!} something. The RealReal is offering Apartment 34 readers an EXCLUSIVE discount! You can save an additional 20% OFF with the code APT34 through Feb. 16!

So don’t delay. Just leave the page with your perfect gift up on your laptop when you know he’ll see it. Or maybe “accidentally” send him a link and say you’d meant the email for your Mom. If you’ve got a good one, he’ll get the hint. And if he doesn’t, you’ll have all weekend to shop!!

This post is in partnership with The RealReal. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting posts that keep Apartment 34′s doors open.

Gotta Getaway: A Weekend in Wine Country

Get the Look

People often ask if living in San Fancisco is “worth it.” No one can deny it’s a rather expensive place to live. But everytime I’m asked, I reply without hesitation, absolutely. The reasons are numerous: awesome weather, amazing food, proximity to the ocean, the Golden Gate Bridge…but probably one of my tippy top reasons for loving living here is this:

Our backyard is filled with wine country!

A scant 40 minute drive {across the Golden Gate no less} drops you into some of the most beautiful scenery you’ve ever seen with the bonus of fabulous wine to try everywhere you stop! One day up there feels like you’ve escaped to a whole other world. That’s why we take every chance we can to visit. We recently enjoyed an overnight escape to the sweet little town of St. Helena, {just north of Napa} to revel in all that wine country has to offer.

We stayed right in the “heart” of St. Helena, meaning along one of Main Street’s three blocks at The Wydown Hotel. It was the perfect shot of modern chic we needed to counter balance the “rustic wine country” aesthetic of almost everything else you tend to see.

Owned by a young couple who wanted to create a space they would want to stay in themselves, they gut renovated the 100+ year old building and all of the rooms. I’m a sucker for attention to detail, so I loved the bespoke furnishings they co-designed with a friend, the historical images of St. Helena that hung in the hallways and the collections of design books in each room. Our room {above!} was spacious and lightfilled – the perfect respite in between wine tastings!

The Wydown was also a great homebase from which to explore St. Helena. We meandered through the town’s cute boutiques {I discovered interior designer Erin Martin’s showroom – seriously spectacular!}, walked five minutes to enjoy an amazing dinner at the delicious La Condesa {an also a-typical wine country restauarnt – it’s Mexican!} and enjoyed a coffee on our own little veranda.

There’s just something special about wine country. It soothes the soul. You feel connected to a process that has been practiced around the world for centuries. You discover people who are so passionaite and commited to what they do – and wine making is no easy feat friends. I find new inspiration everytime I visit. And right now is the perfect time to head to wine country. Harvest season is just wrapping up – you might be able to see some grapes being processed at your favorite wineries! The leaves on the vines are turning beautiful shades of orangey-red and the {almost always} sunny skies have a kind of perma-glow.

If you live anywhere near the Bay Area I say get thyself to wine country right now! And if you don’t live near here, consider planning a future visit during this time of year. You’ll still enjoy pleasantly warm days and soothing crisp nights all the way into early November!

Need another reason to go?? It’s also my favorite fashion season! Here’s my perfect outfit for a day among the vines.

get your shop on: Jeans || Jacket || Sunnies || Sweatshirt || Weekender || Booties || Scarf

photography by me {eek!}

Shades of Grey

Fashion

It must be the heart of fall as we obviously have fashion on the brain! For all you interiors addicts we apprecaite your patience – we’re bringing you some fab new ideas momentarliy. But right now, I’m just slightly sartorially obsessed. I can’t help it – fall is the absolute best season to revamp your wardrobe because the options are endless {as are the sales!}.

Take for example, one of my tried and true style secrets: monochromatic color paletes. We’ve all been envious of that chic French woman as she strolls down the city streets in simple shades of grey. She always seems to carry herself with so much effortlessness and sophistication. Little does the public know, she’s practicing one of the oldest tricks in the book! But we’re onto her and I’m going to show you how to create the look with just as much ease!

First, start with the color you have most of in your closet. I chose grey. It’s a little less of a cop out than going for black. It also gives you a wider range of hues to play with. Plus, it’s not as harsh. I chose this chunky heather grey, black leather trimmed Old Navy sweater. I’m a serious sucker for sweater season. And I love how the leather details on this guy kick the edge up a notch.

That’s why I added my fall go-to: the leather bomber. Now, I realize mixing in black is a little bit of a cheat, since it’s not grey per se. However, it can count as one of grey’s 50 shades, so I’m running with it!

Next, you’ll want to make sure you have at least three pieces on that are in the same color family. I topped things off with this classic charcoal wool hat and a light grey infinity scarf {which I had to take off when the sun decided to come out and play!}.

I’ve been wearing skinnies almost everyday so I also wanted to switch up my denim silohette a bit. I ended up loving the big cuff on these old school straight leg jeans. They added a funk and spunk that went perfectly with the rest of the outfit. Plus, the visual interest leads you right to the shoes! Everyone must have a patent leather heel. Must.

what i’m wearing: Old Navy Sweater || Asos leather jacket || JBrand Jeans {similar} || JCrew Hat | 3.1 Phillip Lim shoes {simiar} || Zara Bag {similar}

Finally, vary textures. The last thing you want to do is look like a {tall, in my case!} grey blob. With the chunkiness in the sweater to the soft leather, everything had a different texture to it, adding much needed interest to a monochrome ensemble {it’s just like varying texture in your interiors!}.

There you have it. Going monochromatic is the perfect solution when you “have nothing to wear.” It’s five minute dressing at its best – no color coordination required.

What do you think? Do you like to stick to one hue or do you prefer to mix things up more?

original photography for apartment 34 by Aubrie Pick

This post was sponsored by Old Navy. Check out Old Navy’s latest fashion lineup in store or online at oldnavy.com. Thank you for supporting posts that keep Apartment 34’s doors open!

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