Spring in the city calls for a colorful trench. Just as a colorful bag is my fav accessory during the Spring season, a colorful trench is my fav topper over my warm weather outys. In the sea of neutrals, blacks & grays, a trench in a gorg color will totes have all eyes on you (in the best way possible). Here are MG’s 5 must-have Spring trench coats in shades of fabulush…

From left to right:

1. C. Wonder Printed Cotton Cropped Trench Coat  
2. Betsey Johnson Lace-Up Back Trench Coat
3. Sam Edelman Zip Back Trench Coat
4. C. Wonder Cotton Cropped Trench Coat in Lemonade
5. Vince Camuto Double Breasted Trench w/ Drawstring Hem 

 P.S. Guess which one MG has bought for her Spring wardrobe???

Bag in shades of gorgeous are my fav accessories for Spring. Ever Spring I update my handbag wardy with a bright bag perf for everyday city life. A colorful bag will make even the most casual outfit look Midtown chic & pulled together. Check out MG’s 5 Colorful Spring Bags Under $200…

Clockwise from top left: 

1. Cambridge Satchel Company Pink Matte – $158
2. American Apparel Everyday Bag – $145
3. J.Crew Tillary Purse – $148
4. IIIBeCa by Joy Gryson ‘North Moore’ Satchel – $125
5. Rebecca Minkoff Mini Mac Convertible Clutch- $195 

Dahlings, what color will you be adding to your Spring handbag wardy?

kissies,

A pretty sorbet colored dress will totes get your date’s attention stat. While black is a DNO staple, sometimes your date night wardy needs to be refreshed with sweeter shades of sorbet. My fav color of the season is mint & pale pink in the shift dress style. Check out MG’s 5 sorbet colored dressed perfect for a first date…

1. Vince Camuto Sulfur Spring Peplum Sheath Dress,  Nordstrom - $138
2. Kate Spade New York Tallulah dress in Valencia Gingham, Nordstrom – $428
3. Lilly Pulitzer Rylan Dress – $278
4. Bebe Hot Coral Raglan Dress – $139
5. Bebe Cowl Neck Dress in Honeydew – $129

Which shade of sorbet would you add to your date night wardrobe dahlings?

kissies,

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by Smirnoff Sorbet Light.  All reviews/opinions expressed in this post are unbiased & based on my personal view. 

A chevron shift dress is just what this Midtown Girl needs during a Spring shower. One of my fav date night outfits is the shift dress and the lovely folks at Necessary Clothing sent me one in a gorg bright orange chevron print perf for my spring wardy. With a pair of nude wedges, my vintage white Tom Ford for Gucci Blondie bag, turquoise & rose gold accessories, I am totes ready for the Spring!  Want to win this chevron stripe dress? Read on dolls…

Enter to win a chevron shift dress from Necessary Clothing!!!

1. To enter, you must be a follower of Midtown Girl (on FB & Twitter & Instagram) my lovelies &

2. Please leave a comment in this post telling me what accessories you would wear with this dress.

***Extra entries:

• Follow MidtownGirl on pinterest.
• Tweet ”Enter @MidtownGirl’s Spring Dress Giveaway to win a @necessarysoho Chevron dress http://bit.ly/14jSa8a”

Total of 3 chances to win – Good luck dahlings!! And don’t forget to check out all the latest styles on Necessary Clothing’s facebook page here.

Open to US Residents only. Contest ends Monday 4/1/13 at Midnight EST. Winner will be chosen via random.org & announced on Tues 4/2/13.

Disclosure: This review/giveaway is with a product that was given to me.  All opinions expressed are from my personal experience with this product.

Spring is the perf time to update your date night outfits. Not only are striped dresses one of my favorite styles for date night, it’s also a top trend for Spring ’13. The best way to wear a striped dress is to add color block accessories & nude pumps. Here are MG’s 5 striped dresses for a Spring date…

1. French Connection Bambi Sweater Dress 
2. Ralph Lauren Striped Boatneck Dress
3. Lilly Pulitzer Cassie Striped Dress 
4. Bebe Power Zig Zag Striped Dress 
5. F21 Striped Dress

Spring is the perf time to add color, print & pretty pieces to your wardy. My fav way to update my wardrobe for the upcoming warmer season is with fabulush accessories. It’s the easiest way to refresh your classic staples and a great way to add some fun to daily outfits. Check out MG’s 5 must-have Spring 2013 accessories below…

1. Printed Scarf. Scarves add insta-chic, like this green & blue striped Brooks Brothers oblong scarf, espesh with a spring trench coat. I also love silk scarves that feature colorful prints like this one.
2. Bold Bag. This Dooney & Bourke Florentine satchel combines form & function in an array of gorgeous colors. My pick is their luxe orange version.
3. Oversized Sunnies. I adore larger-than-life accessories and these Jackie O sunnies by Matthew Williamson totes make a fabulush street style statement.
4. Bright Cuff. Cuffs do wonders for even the most casual outfit. This Moschitto Designs Cutout Geometric cuff in stunning yellow is  a perf accompaniment to your spring dresses & short suits (a spring ’13 trend).
5. Chunky Pumps. Joan & David Quella in pink suede dahlings…that.is.all. #fabulush

For more inspiration, check out MG’s New York Style board on pinterest!

Last season I bought a pair of nude, patent leather pointed toe pumps. When I wore them throughout Fashion Week, I received so many compliments that I knew I had to update my shoe wardy with this style for Spring. In various shades of pretty, check out MG’s picks for the 5 Must-Have Pointed Toe Pumps For Spring…

Clockwise from top left:

I bought a rolling pin when I first moved in to my apt years ago. It was a little after the Christmas holiday and I had made my first “from scratch” pecan pie at my mom’s house. I was so crazy proud of myself for making an ugly-looking but insanely delish baked good, that I went out and bought a rolling pin. 

A rolling pin.

At the time my cooking accessories consisted of 2 knives, an over-sized spatula, 1 saute pan & a whisk. No cutting board, no mixing bowls, no measuring devices, none of these essentials. Years later and zero pies baked, I threw out that rolling pin as part of my apt cleansing process after my Ex-Ex moved out.

I want my rolling pin back, dammit.

Had I spent a moment to figure out the difference between a cooking essential & a baking utensil, I would have saved a ton on take-out. Here are my 10 essential cooking utensils every city girl should have…

1. Proper set of knives. You don’t need that block of 20 knives, just a few that can prep any meal: chef’s knife, bread knife, carving knife, utility knife & small paring knife. The set above can be purchased here.
2. Metal Mixing bowl. I’m not a baker (the pie was a one-time thing), but a medium-large mixing bowl is needed when making things like meatballs, meatloaf, mixing dry ingredients, etc. Get one.
3. Sauté pan. Buy a non-stick version to make life easy. This will be your go-to pan for everything from omelets, pancakes, Monte-Cristo, etc. I have a pink one (obvs).
4. Saucepan. Use this for heating up sauces, steaming veggies (I don’t have a separate steamer, just throw in some frozen veggies with a little water and let the stove do its thing).
5. Cutting board. My cutting board is the size of a mini iPad but it’s made from bamboo, so it cleans up quickly, dries even faster and will last a long time.
6. Whisk. I use this when I prep eggs or to mix together dry ingredients for dinner. 
7. Prep bowls. These are small glass or ceramic bowls that are used to prep your ingredients, spices & herbs. I also use them for serving side dishes in, so my plate looks extra pretty. 
8. Can opener. For soups, sauces and anything canned, you obvs need a can opener.
9. Wooden spoons & metal spatula. I feel like an rustic Italian chef when I cook with wooden spoons. Metal spatulas handle food better than the plastic version. (I prefer small, thin spatulas).
10. Meat thermometer. This will be your cooking bestie.  I use this almost every time I cook a protein in the oven. It comes espesh in handy when you are making turkey/chicken dishes bc those have to be fully cooked without being overdone.

Dahlings, what would be on your basic cooking utensil list?

kissies,

image via weheartit

I want my winter beauty regimen to be as simple as possible. So products that work at first use, have gorg scents and make my hair & skin look its usual fabulush, are totes products I will use again & again. Here are my fav products for winter skin & hair…  

• HAIR: Dove’s Nourishing Oil Care Daily Treatment. This double-duty conditioner is both affordable & effective. My hair needs extra moisturizing during the dry winter months and Dove’s treatment does the trick. With a white stripe that contains conditioner to lock in nutrients and smooth frizz plus a gold stripe that contains nutri-oils, this daily treatment is amaze x 100.

• FACE: Borghese Fango Delicato Active Mud for Delicate Dry Skin. I use a mask once every 2 weeks for my sensitive skin. I put this on 20 mins before I shower and the results are stunning. My skin is soft like a new born baby’s and recharged with hydration. The scent is lovely too – one of my favs (try this!!).

• BODY: Kiehls Creme de Corps. I usually use a body butter or a spray oil for my daily body conditioner but during the winter months, I need more hydration. This conditioner is excellent for the dry winter months because it is has a medium-thick texture that absorbs quickly. After applying, let it soak into your skin for a few minutes. After 2 weeks of application, you will totes feel how soft your skin is…SOOOFT x 100.

• LIPS & NAILS: Caswell-Massey’s Dr. Hunter’s Lip Salve. With lanolin, sweet almond, aloe and jojoba, I apply this to my lips & cuticles as part of my evening beauty regimen. Make sure you take care of your cuticles lovelies, it’s a city girl essential.

• HANDS: Nivea Extended Moisture Hand Cream. I wash my hands like a mad woman, so I need a hand cream that will last longer than just a reapply at my desk. The scent is clean, the formula is absorbent and it soothes my winter-parched skin. Seriously, when I apply it, I get that “ahh” feeling. Enough said.

kissies,

 Dear Midtown Girl,

I’m moving to New York City! I’ve been a west coast girl forever, but recently I was offered a position in Manhattan that I just couldn’t pass up. So now I actually have to buy a WINTER COAT (what kind?). Plus, most of my wardrobe consists of high end basics, skinny jeans and boots (pretty much west coast casual). But I want to update my wardrobe to be New York fabulous, what clothes do I need?

How EXCITING x 100 for you doll!! New York is a city where personal style is king, but there are definitely city girl essentials you need to prepare yourself when living in the most fabulush city in the world (IMO). Here are my must have items you will need for moving to NYC:

• Winter Coat. You will need 2 different winter coats. One should be a heavy wool coat for medium cold weather, like this double breasted version from J.Crew. The other should be a shiny puffer coat  for those super cold days. 

• Day To Night Pencil Dress. Since I’m sure you will be perusing the city’s most fabulush resty’s, bars & lounges, it’s vital you have a dress that can easily transition from work day to day night. A pencil dress, like this one from Hybrid, will end up becoming your LCD (Little City Dress). Be sure to know the 3 dresses every woman should own.

• Structured Jacket. This is one of my fav city girl essentials because you can add one of these (like this one from Steffen Schraut) to almost any outfit and it will instantly make you look polished & put together. 

• Mid-Heel Pumps. While I love my sky-high stilettos for events, it just doesn’t work for all day wear. Seriously, nothing makes a woman more uncomfortable than a shoe that is crunching your toes & cutting up your heels. #notfabulush. A mid-heel pump like the Avia from Arturo Chiang will give you all day height with minimal pain.  

• A Satchel. While a tote bag is essential for work and a clutch is a must for date night, a satchel is the perfect in between city girl bag. This Peoni2 bag from Charles Jourdan is the perfect size for an alternative date night bag, weekday shopping trips, grocery store runs & weekend brunches. 

Hope this list helps & be sure to check out my Best of NYC section to help you navigate your way through NYC!

kissies,

image from weheartit