With their bright colors and fancy packaging, macarons by far one of the most stylish sweets. So it’s no wonder they’re at almost every fashion event alongside cupcakes and champagne. When I came across the famous Ladurée luxury French bakery on West Broadway, I was hypnotized by the beautiful sweets in the window. Judging from this display, these double-decker macarons that sell at a rate of 15,000 a day, are enough to make any girl feel like they are in the company of Marie Antoinette or Blair Waldorf.
Most Manhattan dwellers aren’t exactly known to live in large spaces, but a girl can dream. For those of you who do have spare rooms to decorate, your stately dream house isn’t complete without interior-designer objects of your desire and affection. From iconic furniture pieces in the lounging room to a beautiful, dramatic bathroom fixture, the following products will extravagantly enhance your interior space:
Eames Lounge Chair — Sitting Room
Engulf yourself in timeless, modern style while sitting in the classic Eames lounge chair and ottoman. The iconic Herman Miller leather furniture pieces are crafted with molded plywood and are luxuriously comfortable for reading “Atlas Shrugged” or taking a disco nap after a long day of work.
Hästens Vividus — Bedroom
Retreat to the Hästens Vividus hand-crafted masterpiece — a world-class bed designed for dreams of faraway places and optimal rest. Among floor-to-ceiling drapery and custom window treatments, Brazilian cherry hardwood flooring, and stately crystal lighting, the Hästens Vividus complements the epicurean space with its grandeur and comfort excellence.
The Brass Bateau — Bathroom
Adorn your master bathroom with the indulgent Catchpole & Rye brass bathtub that makes anyone feel like grand royalty. The 100 percent brass bathtub stands as more of a statuesque art piece with its breathtaking, hand-beaten finish and flawlessly polished look. Propped up against the tub, pamper yourself with a natural sea sponge, organic sugar scrub and REN Moroccan Rose Otto Bath Oil.
CAVICCHI Billiard Tables — Game Room
Entertain fabulous guests by drinking Scotch on the rocks and catching up on current events during a game of pool. For the pool aficionado, customize your billiard by hand-selecting details such as dimensions, pocket shapes and wooden features. Following a gourmet dinner, invite guests to play a round of pool. Not only can you impress your guests with your top-notch gaming skills but with your polished aesthetic taste as well.
Italian Etagère — Kitchen
Accent your kitchen space by installing a vintage Italian étagère for eye-catching vertical dimension. To mimic affluent designer Darryl Carter’s townhouse in D.C., install oyster-colored cabinetry and granite countertops as well as a Sub-Zero wine refrigerator, describes ElleDecor.com. The antique étagère serves as your eatery focal point and can also aesthetically store dishware.
Holloways of Ludlow Lamp — Office
Illuminate the office study or your home library with the sensuous glow of a Bernard-Albin GRAS-designed industrial lamp. HGTV host, designer and stylist, Emily Henderson, adores the lighting feature for its cast-iron pedestal and oak table base. Turn the lamp onto your desk as you study maps for your next overseas adventure or while managing your finances.
Serene Collection — Poolside
Escape poolside on a Serene collection furniture piece by Henry Hall Designs — a high-end company that specializes in innovative and timeless outdoor products for relaxation and socializing. By accessorizing your pool and landscape with a Henry Hall day bed or lounge chairs with a coffee table, you’ll transform your backyard into a first-class oasis for tranquility and afternoon napping in the sunshine.
Superodinate Antler Pendant — Dining Room
Create a rustic and eclectic ambience in your dining room by making a statement with an antler chandelier installation. The Jason Miller-designed light fixture is described as nature made better and a collision between high-end contemporary design and hunting-lodge decor. Even more exciting, the ceramic antlers cast shadows onto the walls. Dim the lights and cozy up underneath antler lighting with a Moscow Mule in a copper mug and Interior Design Magazine.
It’s safe to say that Coco Chanel is my absolute hero. I’m by no means alone in this adoration. Surely, 99% of the women in New York consider her a goddess and would happily spend their life savings on a Chanel bag. That’s a 99% I’m proud to consider myself a part of.
Coco Chanel left behind so much more than just a fashion empire, her vision for life and luxury lives on in the hearts and minds of fashionistas everywhere. I just came across this inspiring bangle on Endless.com engraved with one of Coco Chanel’s elegant quotes that relates very well to my current existence as an Aspiring Socialite. The inscribed quotation, “There are people who have money and people who are rich,” truly resonates with me during this incredibly ambitious stage in my life. Having the name “Coco Chanel” engraved on the inside of the bracelet is an excellent touch. It’s easy to be blinded by ambition.
According to my definition, being a socialite is so much more than just being wealthy. It’s about living your life exactly how you want to and encouraging others to do the same. I plan on purchasing this bracelet to wear everyday as a constant reminder that ambition without grace and class is worthless.
Here are more of my favorite Coco Chanel quotes. There are just so many and they are all my favorite:
“I don’t care what you think about me. I don’t think about you at all.”
“In order to be irreplaceacle, one must always be different.”
“How many cares one loses when one decides not to be something but to be someone.”
“I imposed black; it still going strong today, for black wipes out everything else around”
“My life didn’t please me, so I created my life.”
“As long as you know men are like children, you know everything!”
“A woman can be over dressed but never over elegant.”
“I don’t do fashion, I AM fashion.”
“You live but once; you might as well be amusing.”
I think I just discovered the most sophisticated new shoe line of the year. As those of you devout readers already know, I’m a huge fan of transitional and comfortable pieces. When it comes to shoes, they are pretty much all I wear. No matter how beautiful a shoe is, if you’re not comfortable in your own shoes (both literally and figuratively,) you will never be at your best. When I came across LAYLAJOY, a new line of footwear making its very first shoe debut, I immediately realized that I was looking at a line that shares my vision.
Designed by experienced shoe designer, Layla-Joy Williams, who designed for major brands such as Nine West and Converse, the newly emerged LAYLAJOY line is both elegant and edgy. Containing qualities of both the poised ballerina and the studded London rocker, you can make Natalie Portman proud by being both the black and the white swan in a comfy-chic pair of LAYLAJOY ballerina flats. Best of luck to the lovely Ms. Williams on her new line!
Think all those genuine Louis Vuitton bags and Louboutin heels you see all over the city are first generation? Think again. Aspiring Socialites everywhere are discovering the wonderful world of consignment. reFINEstyle.com is an online marketplace of pre-loved designer fashion and accessories. Curated by a hand selected team of sellers across the country, an ever-changing selection of consignment merchandise is offered to the fashion-minded buyer at greatly reduced prices. Buying designer goods from a respected consignment website is a lot better than buying from eBay. In fact, I don’t suggest buying designer goods, especially bags from eBay. Unlike on eBay where it is basically the luck of the draw, reFINEstyle.com works with reputable sellers vetted by the website that only supply the real thing.
Having bought used designer goods myself, I can tell you that much of this so-called “pre-loved” couture, looks as if it has never been touched. The Dallas-based website founded by former HR exec, Megan Masoner, (I love it when fashionistas start their own businesses) has an ever-changing selection of over 800 premier brands. Sales last between 7-14 days. Buyers on reFINEstyle can either “bid” on items or select the “buy it now” option for the price listed. G3 sales (“Going, going, gone!”) allow for the possibility of scoring great deals on items whose prices are reduced up to 15 times over the course of the sale. So start strategizing now on how to navigate this dynamic site full of designer treasures. It’s every Aspiring Socialite’s best-kept secret.
P.S. – This $2,000+ Chanel probably wasn’t the best choice to display affordability, but it was so cute that I had to use it. However, they do actually have a lot more affordable pre-loved designer bags.
