December has always been a pretty magical time in New York City, and it's mainly because you can finally start to feel the holiday cheer on every street! From intricately decorated window displays to rows of beautifully lit trees around town (especially Rockefeller), the city really does become a spectacle for tourists and locals alike. Weekends are especially crazy with hoards of people making their way through Rockefeller Center, 5th Avenue, Union Square market and one of our personal favorites, Winter Village at Bryant Park. Sponsored by Bank of America across the street, Winter Village has become a holiday staple in Midtown, with cute boutiques and food stands lined up around a large ice skating rink in the middle of the park. From now through January 2, 2018, you can visit all the holiday shops and eat your way from one end to the other. We recommend heading there on a weeknight, since it is still bustling but not as crazy as the weekend crowd can get.
Jess: I've been especially susceptible to the cold this Winter, which is surprising considering my high chill tolerance over the years, when I would easily be sporting thin jackets and leggings in December and January. It's especially hard for me to style cute outfits this season, since all I want to do is just stay warm and avoid getting a cold, which would disturb my traveling for work. However, I did realize how a few layering tips can easily combat the issues I have been facing with wanting to look great and warm at the same time. For my outfit in this lookbook, I wore a heat tech turtleneck from Uniqlo (Get them NOW-they are on sale for $1.90) under a cozy cream sweater I bought ages ago at Zara. On top, I wore a beautiful deep red, suede coat I picked up at the Bloomingdale's Friends & Family sale a few months back. If I wanted to add another layer, I would probably wear my Canada Goose Jacket or a warm puffer coat to brave the outdoor conditions of what we will probably face in January and February. I paired my tops with some fun, high-waisted vinyl pants (I'm all about these types of pants since they are universally flattering on everyone and is so easy to match with different tops). And of course, I couldn't forget my most "holiday" accessory of all, my plaid scarf! In the winter, I love using big scarfs as blankets to keep me warm on the plane (life hack) or just to keep my feet warm when I'm watching Netflix on the couch. I recently just started watching The Punisher and love it, so it looks like these next few weeks will be filled with staying in and bingeing the rest of the season!
Mel: Although I am not a fan of bulky winter jackets and the chilly weather here in the city, there is no where else I'd rather be during the holiday season. For the next 3 months, you will probably find me hibernating in sweats under my knitted blanket catching up on all my Netflix shows (currently bingeing The Confession Tapes and ManHunt: Unabomber). On the rare occasions that I do leave my apartment, I'll be decked out in my softest sweater similar to this one I sported a couple of weekends ago while browsing the winter markets at Bryant Park. The Fall and Winter seasons definitely draw out my preppy side as flowy and loose fitting dresses are traded in for camel blazers and all things plaid. I picked up my tartan pants from Banana Republic and loved how understated the colors were compared to my usual festive red/green plaid skirts. Since it was a weekend outing, I decided to forgo my blazers and instead opted for a very fluffy off the shoulder top. The sweater did end up shedding more than my actual cat, but it was well worth adding the extra texture into my ensemble. Since a holiday look is incomplete without either a splash of sparkle or the color red, I jumped on the hat bandwagon by adding a red beret from Forever21 to make my outfit a little more festive (and Parisian hehe).
Outfit Details
Jess: Suede Jacket - Bloomingdale's, Vinyl Pants - Miss Selfridge , Bag - Prada
Mel: Sweater - Banana Republic, Beret - Forever 21, Tartan Pants - Banana Republic, Bag - Celine
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