#todayslook: Eva Mendes for New York & Co

So here's the skinny on #todayslook straight outta #mycloset

Starting from the top, we've got the Eva Mendes mila open sleeve bodysuit in a soft taupe. Its feminine, classy and versatile and the open sleeves gives the look a bit of edge. The blouse can be paired with dress pants or jeans but for work I combined it with the Eva Mendes cosima pencil skirt in a deep reddish burgundy that contrasts drastically and beautifully with the soft colored top. The skirt does a faux wrap effect with a center split up front. Nude strappy sandals from Anthropologie pull the look together without detracting focus from the rest of the ensemble. Eva Mendes and New York & Co are going to have to pay me for all this free advertisement!(LOL)

As per New York & Co neither the blouse or skirt are still available online. If you're feeling lucky you can search for the Mila bodysuit in stores. If you find it, its a FAB FIND at $14.98!! Otherwise here's a look alike bodysuit. New York & Co.'s 7th Avenue Design Studio offers a similar burgundy pencil skirt with ruffle detail on the back.

I file this look in the classy classic folder, because its timeless.

NaY

#todayslook: June by June Ambrose Bodycon Dress

As Seen on NY1 

Let's play dress up!! Its not just a tagline...

Yesterday I had the opportunity to play grown up dress up in one of my favorite closets...well kind of. I attended the 3rd annual June Ambrose closet cleansing sale.

Check out my FAB FIND!! I got this June by June Ambrose for an affordable 20 bucks!! This multicolored sheath dress with its tigress like pattern fits like a dream. Its comfortable and appropriate for work, brunch or church (on this Sunday) I paired it with tan mules, but because of all the vibrant colors you have the freedom to wear almost any color shoe.

I also purchased a BCBG Max Azria blouse that will be featured in another post.

Unfortunately The June by June Ambrose HSN line is no longer available and outside of a closet cleansing sale the only place you might be able to find pieces from the collection is on ebay. Happy Shopping!!

NaY

June's Closet

Its a grey, muggy Saturday afternoon in NoHo. The street is quiet...for NYC...maybe the rain is to blame...maybe the heat. Inside the cool walls of Selima Optique, a luxe spectacle shoppe, It's a vibrant scene and the store has been transformed into a walk in closet. !



The makeshift walk-in closet belongs to none other than costume designer, celebrity stylist, TV host, author & one of my fashion faves, June Ambrose!! The first thing she says to me is " I love your tur-bon!!" My "fashionspiration" is referring to my hot pink urban turban from family dollar!! #fanout We briefly laugh about it being too hot for wigs, which is why I wear the turban, she snaps a few pics and I proceed to browse. After sifting through the racks and falling upon some fab finds, I make my way to the register which is being manned by June's son Chase! It was a family affair complete with daughter Summer selling goodies outside!

Real talk moment: I wanted to call her aunt June! She reminds me of all my aunts rolled up in one! She's my aunt in my head (like Wendy says,lol) I digress.

This is June's 3rd annual closet cleanse and she took a break from the haggling shoppers to chat with me.

June Ambrose

NaY & June

NaY: Tell us a little about what you've curated here today...

 

Christian Louboutin 

June: This is my 3rd annual closet cleansing sale the closet is being curated of things either I wore myself or I had for a client or I designed for a client. Some stuff is from my HSN collection that's no longer going to be available, things that were sold out. Vintage, personal things that have been very dear and personal to me, things that I felt other girls would benefit from, things that I wore on the red carpet that I can't wear again.

NaY: What was the hardest thing to part with?

June: my designer pieces that I don't fit anymore like Marc Jocobs and a Chanel bomber, Paco Robanne...Gaultier pieces... Jean Paul is not even designing like he used to!! I don't even know why I'm parting with Jean Paul Gaultier pieces! some things I held on to. I did not sell the Tom Ford Gucci pieces. I'm also going to do a public one online so some things were also held back for that as well.

June Ambrose modeling the fashion

NaY: What are the price ranges shoppers can expect to see?

June: $10 to $1000
















The June Ambrose closet cleanse is not just for the high end shopper, in that $10- $1000 range I was able to find a BCBG blouse and a June by June Ambrose bodycon dress!! If you do have a bigger budget there were big name brand coats, dresses and boots starting at $50!

Fab Find: $25 BCBG Max Azria

Fab Fine: $20 June by June Ambrose

And ICYMI, announced on Instagram Saturday evening, this one day only event is officially a 2 day shindig!! So if the rain kept you away, you have from noon- 4p Sunday to rummage through June's closet...Until next August.

Keep an eye out for a pop- up curated by June Ambrose between now and her next closet cleanse, though the fashions won't be from her closet, we're sure they'll be fabulous. 

August 21 Noon- 4p

Selima Optique & Acessories 

7 Bond St

New York, NY 10012

NaY

#todayslook: Cactus Dress

If you live in NYC Or you're visiting the area, be sure to pop in to a little shoppe called STEPS New York. There are 3 STEPS locations and 2 Kara locations (the sister store to STEPS) in NYC. Today we're talking about the Queens site. Located in Forest Hills, Queens the store stands apart from its other locations. From the moment you walk in, you sense a young, fun, vibe. The staff is friendly and fashionable and treat you like a real life doll when they style you! 

This LWD (Little White Dress) has become one of my favorite pieces from STEPS Forest Hills to don in the summer. Its light, loose and airy and very forgiving in the mid section. The cutout sleeves makes it stand out next to other sheath dresses. You can dress it up with a pair of heels or dress it down with cute flats. For today I dressed it up with a pair of white heeled sandals and this navy beaded necklace. The dress is about $30.

Sleeve cut out detail

H&M necklace

Steps is located at
71-21 Austin St
Forest Hills, NY 11375

NaY

Fashion Faves

Every fashionista has a "fashionspiration", someone whose style serves as inspiration to spring board their own style. Here are some my real life "Fashionspirations" (in no particular order) These ladies are intelligent, leaders & fashionable. I'm not just inspired by their brains and boss prowess but of course their fashion sense. I've tried to emulate some of their looks with a Nay twist!! If you don't already know who they are, look them up and see how they SLAY!!

FLOTUS Michelle Obama

Zara dress/ Anthropologie Shoes

Claire Sulmers (Fashion Bomb Daily)

Zara dress

Betty Richoux & Ornella Mayassi (Tyla Gang)

Zara skirt/ H&M blazer

Danielle & Chantelle (D Piper Twins)

Handmade by a friend

Folake Kuye (Style Pantry/ Loft 324)

Chicwish skirt/ Aldo shoes & clutch

"Olivia Pope"

H&M skirt & blouse

June Ambrose (Costume Designer/ Stylist)

Aldo boots

Beyoncé

H&M denim shirt/ STEPS Forest Hills capris

NaY

Heatwave!!!!...& Fashion!

NYC is smack dab in the middle of a heatwave!! Mayor Bill de Blasio issued a "heat emergency"!!!!


What the heck is a heat emergency? www.healthline.com describes a heat emergency as a health crisis caused by exposure to hot weather and sun.


I'm convinced I'm the only person in NYC not complaining about the heat. I'm an American born of Congolese parents so maybe that has something to do with my being able to handle the heat. My solution is usually to take it easy & dress accordingly. I should say, I've climbed pyramids at extreme temperatures and I survived...

Khufu The Great Pyramid Giza, Egypt

The Mayor held a press conference and offered some ways to stay cool, here are a few things I think he missed...


1) Wear loose fitting clothes...linen pants are my "best fraaaan"!!! loose shorts keeps things breezy

  

    Old Navy linen pants/ H&M tank

H&M shorts & tank

2) Wear light colored clothes: light colored clothing reflects the sun's heat from the body

3) Bring your work clothes to work instead of wearing them to work, change when you get to the office.

4) Only wear make-up indoors: If you have the option, apply your make- up when you get to the office, then remove it for the commute home.

5) Walk slowly...nuff said


And like the mayor said, drink plenty of water!!!


Stay cool NYC


NaY

Me Myself & Fashion

Zara Dress/ Aldo Jewelry

It's funny (to me) that I'm dedicating time to writing a fashion blog... I have a vivid memory of a fifth grade me fooling with the idea of color blocking. A classmate took it upon herself to inform me that I didn't match. Little did she know, that color blocking would be a huge trend! The way I look at it, I'm fashion forward!

I'm Naomi Yané, NY1 traffic reporter by day, NYC fashionista on a budget by later that day! I like fashion, travel, travel fashion, affordable fashion, brunch fashion & my yorkie Charlie.

I hope you enjoy following my blog and that you'll tell someone that knows someone that knows someone to tell!

Let's Play Dress Up!

NaY

Travel Fashion: Thai Edition

Like most generation Y-ers (or are we millennials now?) We get the majority of our information online. Before I travel to parts unknown (to me) I tend to shuffle through a number of blogs, tourism websites and my faves...instagram travel pages!! You know the ones, #xyz for a mention.

Here are some of my faves: Traveling Friends, Travel Noire, Travel is the New Club, Travel Lushes, Black Girls Travel Too, Nomadness Tribe & Soul Society. 

These pages are a great and quick way to get travel inspiration, photo shoot ideas and of course, travel fashion ideas. Now usually the pics aren't focusing on what not to wear as the lot of these travelers are fashionable and trendy. Nothing in the short descriptions say "HEY!! Here's what NOT to Wear!!"

Maybe in my haste and excitement I overlooked sites that advise on what to wear or I just didn't pay close enough attention, either way, I plead ignorance on this one. 

With that said I'm here to tell you about the Thai dress code.

The Gals & I went to Thailand mid March, 2016. March is considered a peak month weather wise to visit Thailand. No rain and warm temps around 85-90 degrees. We started in Bangkok then made our way to Koh Phi Phi, and Koh Samui with a visit to Koh Phangan for the Full Moon Party (NO DRESS CODE). For the most part we rocked the same Summer wear we'd don in NYC. 

Out n about Bangkok, Thailand

If you plan on visiting Buddhist Temples (and you will) make sure to bring cover ups. Outside the temples, there's no actual dress code...inside the temples...COVER UP!!! 

Golden Buddha Temple, Bangkok

All the temples offered coverings for exposed arms & legs for a few Thai Bahts. Wanna save your bahts? dress appropriately.

Grand Palace, Bangkok

Lucky Buddha Temple, Bangkok

Lucky Buddha Temple, Bangkok

The picture @ The Grand Palace (go early in the morning), I'm sporting a palace loaner shirt. It's not allowed to go on to the premises without sleeves. 

No, you can't wrap yourself in a scarf like in the pic @ The Lucky Buddha Temple, you need proper sleeves...a t-shirt is acceptable. 

Here's a great blog post by fellow traveler & blogger Elle-Rose I wish I'd seen while I was packing:

http://www.theworldandthensome.com/restrictions-rules-and-dress-codes-at-the-grand-palace-bangkok/

NaY