Style Travel

thoughts on new york style

August 20, 2012
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dress from pixie market – purchase it here // leopard print belt from plum // house of harlow key ring // structured brown bag from front and company // adam’s nixon watch // black dolce vita ankle boots // necklace from jessica decarlo jewelry
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packing for new york was no easy task.  factoring in walking for 10 hours a day, as well as extreme heat and humidity really threw a wrench into my usual outfit planning.  i found myself envying those in new york who were wearing make up in the day, shoes with any sort of heel on them, and layers.  how, i still wonder, does one wear more than the bare minimum in 35 degree weather?  i mean really, even with ac…that is impressive!

but what really stuck with me when it came to new york street style, was how much of it there was.  growing up casual west coast, i’m not accustomed to so many stylish people in one city.  don’t get me wrong, vancouver has come leaps and bounds in the last few years, but we are still a very casual culture.  if i wear heels in the day, a hat, or something deemed as “out there” i get the major stares.  and i don’t think it’s right that i’m the odd man out because i’m not wearing jeans and a tee.  there were so many people in nyc rocking awesome personal style that adam and i left our vacation completely inspired; motivated to stay true to who we are and what we want to wear.  i often succumb to the pressure of fitting into the vancouver scene, but after our travels i say bring on the side eye looks!  i think that there’s something incredibly special about seeing someone with a look that is very true to them.  and we all know that when you look good, you feel good!

how about you?  what’s the street style like in your hometown? 

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  • Natasha Fatah August 20, 2012 at 12:34 pm

    Glad you were so inspired by the trip Alicia. Toronto is a pretty stylish place, and it's also a very accepting place so even if you dress "out there" nobody really stares (for too long). And we run the gambit, you'll see stuff right off the runways, to boho city, to aunties in sarees. I love the mix of our city.

    ~Natasha Fatah~

  • ~Jeimy~ August 20, 2012 at 12:34 pm

    beautiful dress love the pictures.

  • Angie August 20, 2012 at 12:43 pm

    gorgeous and perfect for NYC! you brought some of your west coast style with you. yeah, i'm over the laid back "style" … it's so much more fun to play dress up 🙂

    pandaphilia style

  • Amy August 20, 2012 at 1:03 pm

    style is very laid back where I am in Ohio too! My fiance always jokes that people constantly stare at me when I go out because of the heels i wear or even a dress. Its frustrating!

    http://coffeebeansandbobbypins.blogspot.com/

  • Samantha Manzella August 20, 2012 at 2:15 pm

    It's totally the same where I live: everyone is laid back to the extreme. Heels or even low wedges make me feel overdressed. Yet, honestly, I've grown to love standing out in a funky hat, abstract dress, or bright red lips. It's fun to be different! I do get quite a few stares, though, haha. 🙂

    – Samantha
    http://samlovesmakeup.wordpress.com

  • Sarah August 20, 2012 at 2:33 pm

    It was definitely a shock moving to Van! So different from Toronto, but especially New York! It's like 24/7 fashion eye candy! Almost overwhelming, but in such a good way 🙂 Glad you had such a good trip, loving the photos.

    xo

  • HEYLJ.COM August 20, 2012 at 4:04 pm

    haha true, vancity is very casual but I've notice some dress quite nice…mostly clothes from aritzia 🙂

    Great outfit by the way, and I wish someday I will visit NYC!

    HEYLJ
    http://WWW.HEYLJ.COM/

  • TheUrbanUmbrella August 20, 2012 at 4:28 pm

    Wow that dress is sooo beautiful!
    I like Vancouver's laid back style, it totally suits the city and it's chill, relaxed, beachy vibe! I did adore new york though for the amazing fashion, it was like walking through the pages of a magazine all day long!


    xoxo Bree
    The Urban Umbrella

    http://www.theurbanumbrella.com/

  • nancy @ adore to adorn August 20, 2012 at 5:17 pm

    The first (and only) time I visited NYC, I was struck with the style the people had in the city. It's unlike other places and I was envious too! I went during high humidity weather and the idea of putting on something and STILL look chic really inspired me (and in fact made me feel a bit envious since I was dying!).

    I live in SF and while the style/fashion here is its own, I always have the "grass is greener" effect where I think other places have unparalleled style. But, I guess I'm accustomed to what I see here and change is always nice. =)

    xo,
    nancy

  • Myrna August 20, 2012 at 5:42 pm

    Well I live in Mississippi right now and you can only imagine the style here. I wore polka dot pants , lime green tee and a fidora to Target an pretty much you could have thought I was walking around naked. I was really embarrassed when I first moved here but once I started blogging it all changed for me. We are in the process of moving to DC so I'm pretty excited about finding some DC bloggers to chy with. Alicia u have wonderful style and I would never hide it! I'm sure people in Vancouver will understand ur style years later ! Lol
    XX-Myrna
    http://mybeatboutique.blogspot.com

  • Cecilia "CC" August 20, 2012 at 5:49 pm

    The dress is gorgeous! And I love how you paired it with the black boots to give it some extra edginess 😉 I totally agree with you about dressing up in the streets of Vancouver. Sometimes i feel that I have to dress "down" or casual on purpose because I don't want to be too flashy (my bf feels a lot of pressure when I dress up haha). However, recently I realized that it really does take a lot of confidence to dress however you like and it really doesn't matter what other people think. PLUS – you have good style so you have no reason not to strut it!

  • simplystylishmom August 20, 2012 at 6:08 pm

    you're so right. the first thing i noticed when i stepped off the plane arriving from Sydney, Australia in Vancouver was all the rain jackets/ski jackets that people wore as their winter coat – I was appalled to say the least but in the last seven years I noticed that it really depends on the neighbourhood or places you go where you notice good style. What I'd like to see in Vancouver is more unique personal style = I feel people are still following trends too much (me included) rather than being unique in their style like people in NYC and Europe – where I'm living now – people are so stylish in their own way and have absolute confidence in their outfits – I love it! btw. you look gorgeous and i think it's funny that the people behind you are sooo not stylish considering the subject of your post!! heehe! 🙂

  • Cee August 20, 2012 at 6:17 pm

    Aw, so glad you decided to blog about this – I'm sure there are so many other fashionable women in Vancouver (like me) who sympathise with this 100%. Go out there in your fancy clothes and welcome the sidelong glances… it just means you're doing something right! Seriously in love with your dress, by the way. It literally could not be more lovely.
    xox,
    Cee

  • Stephanie @twenty-something August 20, 2012 at 6:36 pm

    Living in Orlando it's really a melting pot – even if you go to a fancy restaurant there's a guy with a hawaiian shirt and shorts at one table and a couple dressed to the nines at another. I used to want to "fit in" with the surrounding but I've found I love staying true to my own style no matter where I am and welcoming those stares! If I need to dress functional/practical then I do (I have no idea how people wear layers in the ungodly heat either), and if I want to look fancy then I'll look fancy. Great post and super relatable, beautiful dress, too!

    Stephanie
    twenty-something

  • Northern Style Exposure August 20, 2012 at 7:19 pm

    Cute cute dress! Demands attention

  • duckcakedeux August 20, 2012 at 8:03 pm

    I just wanted to comment that that is so true about how casual the styling is in Vancouver. If you go to Montreal, the fashion is all out there. You can wear a hat there as part of your outfit…but if you wear a hat in Vancouver, everyone stares at you like you're crazy. LOL. I'm talking about hats, not toques or baseball caps.

  • Style Without Borders August 20, 2012 at 9:18 pm

    "…and i don't think it's right that i'm the odd man out because i'm not wearing jeans and a tee." i love this quote! i feel the exact same way.

    what a great post, sweet girl!

  • Life etc... August 20, 2012 at 11:33 pm

    Love this! I feel the same a lot of the time – I live in a small city, which is very casual. Luckily I go to uni where there is a bit more 'street style', but still, heels and 'trends' are usually out of place! I try and find a balance between what I want to wear, and what will make me feel comfortable 🙂

    Life etc

  • Jennifer August 21, 2012 at 2:56 am

    My hometown style is pretty casual as well but dips far into the hipster pool too (I can't say that I don't as well as times lol).

    xo Jennifer

    http://seekingstyleblog.wordpress.com

  • Pink Chai Raj August 22, 2012 at 1:49 am

    Completely agree with you on the laid back and relaxed vibe in Vancouver. I've been fighting the yoga pants culture since I became a Mom!

    PS: You look really good – very New York via Vancouver:)

    Raj
    Pink Chai Style

  • veraspop-upworld August 23, 2012 at 8:49 am

    i love your watch and bag! :> look gorgeous!

    Vera

    visit me on:
    http://www.veraspop-upworld.blogspot.com

  • kokostiletto August 24, 2012 at 7:53 am

    I'm so glad you had a great time! I agree. Fashion is not understated on the east coast, people are never afraid to be who they truly are!!

  • Like, Whatever August 24, 2012 at 1:35 pm

    New York has the best street style. No other city compares!

  • chillairandperfume August 26, 2012 at 7:25 pm

    I'm jealous of your NYC adventures. I really need to get there more often – especially because, living in Boston, I'm only about 3.5 hours away.

    Love your pretty dress, and I am obsessed with your ankle boots. I need a pair like that for fall!

    xo,
    Hannah
    http://www.chillairandperfume.blogspot.com

  • holly August 27, 2012 at 4:52 pm

    Being from interior BC and having grown up in AB-I feel your pain. I live in TO now and what a relief. I never fit in in Calgary and always found it so repressed/restricted when it came to fashion. If you are wearing anything that's not club wear or lululemon, you're definitely an oddity. So it was-I was an oddity. Wear what you want, you're stylish and they don't know what they're talking about!

    http://www.silkandsparkle.com

  • Melissa August 28, 2012 at 4:47 am

    Your hair is soooo long. Holy crap. Stunning and long and gorgeous.

    Your NY pics rocked my world. I want to go back asap. Seriously so amazing.

    Melissa xo

  • KOOP INTERN August 28, 2012 at 1:58 pm

    Fashion has no rules, rock the clothes you want with confidence! You have great style girl!

    http://koopdekour.com/

  • Jenaly Enns September 1, 2012 at 2:09 am

    it is a beautiful dress.

    http://jenalyenns.blogspot.ca/

  • Rebecca Jane September 2, 2012 at 4:54 am

    I'm jealous of your trip to NYC! I have never been, but would love to go sometime! Love that dress too – it's so pretty!