“Even through your hardest days, remember we are all made of stardust.” — Carl Sagan

Spring is such a whimsical and magical season. It is a season full of hope, dreams and desires. And as I emerge from a brutal episode of the winter blues (thanks to seasonal depression), my heart is filled with so much optimism and restored faith in myself. I'm coming back home to myself. I'm intentionally starting each day with a series of positive affirmations because I need to be my biggest cheerleader if I want to create what my definition of a beautiful life will be. 

But pouring positive, self-love into myself isn't always easy. In fact, most of the time, it's really f*cking hard. I have centuries of toxic beliefs I'm fighting against - all of which tell me I'm not good enough. The societal pressures that we as women withstand can be soul-crushing. But the older I get, the more I reject what society says and lean more into following my passion. My heart's desires, and frankly - not giving a flying f*ck who looks down upon me for not following the "timeline" that our culture tries to force upon us as women. I want a magical life, full of wonder, and awe, and slow, intentional, beautiful moments. 

I watched Wish, the new Disney movie, this afternoon, and I know it was created to entertain children, but it was the beautiful reminder that I needed today. There is so much pain in the world, and life will always throw us curveballs, but there is so much joy all around us too. I've spent the last few years of my life in complete terror thinking that I'll never achieve the deepest desires in my heart. For some reason, I thought my depression was going to rob me of creating a fulfilling life. 

But as I prioritize my mental and physical well-being, and I focus on consuming uplifting content, I am reminded that everything I need to live a fulfilling life is already inside of me! I just need to have faith in myself (and God since I am Christian, but substitute in your source of spirituality here). I need to trust myself - aka know that I'll always show up for myself and can count on myself. And lately, I need to remember that I am made out of magical stardust. We all are. 

Just being alive in this sometimes scary but still quite beautiful and loving world is an act of magic. And we are our purest source of abundance as long as we learn to take care of ourselves and fill our days (and our minds) with self-love. I'm so excited to get to work and start creating a wonderful new chapter that will lead to la dolce vita. Sending you lots of love. XOXO 

P.S. Shop My Fairycore Edit 

Because I want to create an atmosphere of whimsy and enchantment all around me, and fashion is the perfect tool to do just that. 

Dresses 

Tops 

Accessories 

Spring Treats 

"The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also." - Harriet Ann Jacobs

Spring is truly such a magical and enchanting season. The sunny, whimsical season completely breathes new life into me and restores my faith in myself when it comes to creating a life well-lived. For the past year, I've honestly felt so drained. Like I have nothing to give to myself and nothing to give to others. Like all hope in a brighter future is gone because I'm too "behind" in life.  And I hate that feeling; mainly because those thoughts are LIES. But also because I show up in my life and operate at a higher level when I'm navigating life with a positive mindset. And I hate that I lost that positive outlook for a prolonged period. 

 But lately…. I've felt a glimmer of my old self. The person who’s excited about life. Who finds small ways to romanticize even the most mundane parts of my day. The person who loves playing dress up and sees the good in the world. The person who creates vision boards of the places I want to travel to and window shops for the outfits I'll wear during these travels. The person who is excited to connect with others and pour love into the world. I’ve missed that version of me. But with the overdue warmth of spring, I’m starting to get her back. And I couldn't be more excited. 

This year has forced me to go through a cleansing era, so to speak. All the issues I'd been brushing under the rug are resurfacing, and I know this may sound masochistic, but I'm really grateful for the painful Spring Cleaning season I WAS experiencing (key word is was because we are speaking positivity over our lives today). 

Because I'm releasing so much heavy energy, I'm feeling so much lighter this season. And that means I'm able to show up for myself in the ways I was previously neglectful. One annoying thing I've come to accept about myself is that for me to continue feeling light, invigorated, and inspired, I have to take really good fucking care of myself and find ways to make the smallest, "boring" parts of my day euphoric and extraordinary. Showing up like that is hard work for someone who has chronic depression (aka me), but moving through the rough emotions and being disciplined with how I take care of myself is always, always, always worth the extra effort. 

I still have a lot of work to do to get back into the mindset of wholeheartedly believing in myself and in my dreams, and daydreaming about all the magical muses spring brings is a huge part of that process. 

Here are a few of my monthly muses that are restoring my soul:

1. Colorful dresses 
2. Pastel tweed sets 
3. Bright Pilates outfits 
4. Alfresco lunches 
5. Lavender ice lattes
6. Picnics in the park 
7. Long walks along the water 
8. Rooftop happy hours 
9. Open-towed shoes 
10. Trench coats 
11. Beautiful floral blooms 
12. Reading under a shady tree 
13. Outdoor paint & sip sessions
14. Dancing under the stars 
15. Dressing up for Sexy stiletto heels dance classes and pole dancing classes 
16. Relaxing in an outdoor pool during a spa trip 
17. Dirty martini breaks during shopping sprees 
18. Weekend getaways 
19. Podcast walks with fruit-infused water 
20. Garden dinner parties 
21. Outdoor lunch breaks 
22. Walking barefoot in the grass 
23. Sipping smoothies right after going to a workout class with a friend 
24. Fresh, dewy makeup looks 
25.  Dressing up for outdoor first, second, and third dates (and hopefully, more once I find love)
26. Picking out fresh fruit and veggies at the farmer's market 
27. Dancing the night away 
28. Meandering through one of the beautiful neighborhoods I live near (Paulus Hook, Hamilton Park, West Village, Cobble Hill, Dumbo, Tribeca, Soho, Brooklyn Heights, Harlem)
29. Purging my wardrobe and belongings during a fun spring cleaning weekend 
30. Discovering a waterfall on a beautiful hike 

I am in full-on holiday mode! I love the energy and coziness that sweeps over our communities every November and December. The decor, festive food and drinks, holiday movies, curling up with a book and sipping hot chocolate by the fire, these are small luxuries that I truly cherish. 

And now that I've fallen in love with dirty martinis (with extra olives), I just want to get dolled up and sip on one in a festive NYC bar. I adore dressing up. It makes me feel confident, and it makes every experience feel a tad more special. I love looking put-together and chic, but no outfit is complete without polished nails. And I just cannot justify paying $75+ to get a mani, especially when I get bored with nail styles so quickly. 

That's why I swear by press-on nails. I get a million compliments every time I wear them so... why blow my budget on manicure upkeep when I can pay $10-$20 for an amazing set that lasts 2+ weeks? But the key to a successful press-on manicure comes down to two things: nail quality and glue quality. My three favorite brands are Kiss, OPI, and Glamnetics. 

Kiss and OPI are available everywhere, and they have strong glue and fun styles. And you can't really beat the price! But Glamnetics reigns supreme. Their nails and glue are so strong, that I can actually open a can of soda with them... but they run about $20, so I try to stock up when they go on sale. I just feel like the baddest bitch when my nails look good, so this is a little luxury that I intend to keep for years to come. 

I am so excited for my next holiday outing because I'm going to try out a new festive nail style, sip my extra dirty martini, and enjoy the small moments that make life magical. 

Manis & Martinis: Shop my favorite martini glasses and press-on nails! 

 There's nothing more magical than fall in the city. The changing color of the leaves, sun-drenched picnics, THE FASHION!!! The energy in the air is electrifying. I find inspiration in every corner, and I want to embrace the enchantment of fall... without spending a sh$t ton of money. And all the successful people reiterate that, in order to create the life you want, you must envision it first. So that's precisely what I'm doing.

I want my dreams to become my reality. And I've been standing in my own way... because part of me struggles to believe that the life I want is possible for me. Self-doubt really isn't serving me... like at all. So I'm finally going to listen to all the people I admire and spend the evening visualizing what I want this fall. After all, this is my favorite time of the year, and life is too precious to let another fall go by without indulging in all the charm that surrounds us. 

Things I love about Fall     

• Cozy nights in with pizza, wine, cashmere socks, weighted blankets and fall movie/tv marathons 
• Candle-lit dinners with soulful music 
• Hot chocolate 
• Cinnamon rolls 
• Trench coats with mini dresses 
• Tall boots with mini skirts 
• Crunchy leaves beneath my feet 
• Jazz Clubs and dessert 
• Speakeasies 
• Chunky sweaters 
• Foliage hunting 
• Dressing up for the ballet or opera 
• Sunset happy hours 
• Sipping champagne by a roaring fireplace or fire-pit 
• Stoop decor 
• Sweaterdresses 
• Halloween Celebrations 
• Comic-Con 
• Fancy soups 
• Cozy bookstores with lounges 
• Dressing up and spending time at chic wine bars while listening to a live piano performance 
• Wine-tasting and vineyard hopping 
• Football tailgates 
• Thanksgiving food 
• Evening strolls 
• Pumpkin patches 
• Mulled wine 
• Blazers 
• Tweed jackets 
• Tights and Fishnet stockings 
• Trips to Sleepy Hollow and Salem, MA 
• Renting rowboats in Central Park 
• Alfresco dining at beautiful restaurants 
• Cacao color palates 
• Olive and tan clothes 
• Antique shopping on weekend trips away 
• Cute and intimate cottage trips 
• Renaissance faires 
• Camping 
• Scenic train rides 
• Fall festivals 
• Rewatching all the Halloween movies on Disney+
• Gilmore Girls 
• Game nights with friends 
• Pumpkin-flavored everything 
• Apple picking 
• Apple cider 
• Haunted houses 
• Fall crafts 
• Hayrides 
• Bonfire parties 
• Corn mazes 
• Smores 
• Paint & Sip, Drink & Draw, Drink and Draft parties 
• Museum hopping 
• Farmers markets 
• Movies in the park 
• Harry Potter marathons 
• At-home date nights spent cuddling on the couch 
• Cozy blankets 
• Fall tablescapes 
• Costumes! 
• Seasonal nail art 
• Apartment fall/Halloween decor 
• Seasonal cocktails
• Rooftop Happy hours 
• Berry and nudy-brown lipsticks 
• Fall foliage hikes 
• Farm-to-table dining upstate 
• Wellness retreats in the countryside 
• Farm visits 
• Reading by the fire 
• Dinner parties 
• Crisp mornings 
• Chilly nights 
• Old Hollywood movie marathons 
• Journaling under the stars