We Aim To Slay

On this, the 23rd anniversary of September 11th, I want to take a moment to, firstly, remember all of those innocent lives that were lost. 

I also want to celebrate the unbroken spirit of New York City. It was a tragedy that impacted all residents of the U.S.,and had ripple effects across the globe. But no matter what we throw at it, New York City continues to be a shining beacon of hope and possibility. So today, I want to say thank you, New York, for inspiring me and for shaping me into the woman I am today!In the Beginning

It’s hard to say when I first realized NYC was one of the most magical places in the world. Maybe it was the fact that my grandmother would take me for weekends, just the two of us. Or maybe it was the frequent day trips with her and my mom. Maybe it was during my desire to be a professional model when I spent long days going to casting calls. Or maybe I realized it during the four years I spent in college, a mere train outside of the City.

Or even still, my soul-deep love for NYC was spawned by my favorite movies, shows, and books – Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Sex and the City, Eloise at the Plaza, Gossip Girl, and too many more to name! No matter when my love for the City began, it will endure for the rest of my days. 

New York City is a different experience each time you visit – and my most recent foray was no exception! 

My Most Recent Trip

Last weekend I was blessed to return to my favorite city with my new pageant sisters! Not only did we get to walk in a New York Fashion Week show, but we got to see a Broadway play, take a tea tour, and get to know each other better!

Friday

True Beauty Fashion Show

After arriving in the City we made our way to the historic The New Yorker Hotel, our home base for the weekend and the location of the ArtLoveLifeStyle fashion show we walked in! Not only was I blessed to walk the runway, I was able to present one of the True Beauty awards during the show! 

We have to take a moment for this adorable skater-style dress – without even knowing it, designer Whitley Nabintu Marshall matched me with a design that perfectly encapsulates who I am; sweet and sassy, as well as grounded and earthy!

I was able to leave my curls full and natural, and create my own makeup look. Because the theme of the show was “true beauty,” I wanted to keep my base somewhat “natural,” and add some drama with my eye look – created with my go-to ColourPop palettes; Limoncello, Sailor Moon x ColourPop, and Of Quartz.

Stacey and I then finished off our first day by joining our sister queen, Chelsea, for an evening at Don’t Tell Mama, a piano bar in the Garment District!

Saturday

Times Square & a Broadway Show

We were up bright and early to caffeinate before glamming. Our day officially started when the I.A.W.P. titleholders headed to Times Square for a day of exploration and sister queen bonding. I chose this floral print maxi dress, paired with a white button down shirt, and a pair of rhinestone booties that I bought in Greece. To play into the bright hues of the dress, I created a white eyeliner look that I accentuated with hot pink eyeshadow in the inner corner and along the bottom lash line. (Should I do a demo on how I created this eyeliner?!)

We broke into smaller groups as the day progressed, and our group had lunch at Sugar Factory. After fueling up, Stacey and I went back to the hotel for a quick nap before getting ready for dinner at the historic John’s Pizzeria – a former church that was converted into a restaurant! Our incredible executive director, Jasmine, treated us to an evening to remember as we headed to the New Amsterdam Theater to see Disney’s Aladdin on Broadway!

Stacey and I channeled Morticia and Wednesday Addams, unintentionally matching in our black outfits. She went with a long sleeved jumpsuit, and I paired my button down shirt with this Clara Sun Wu L.B.D. from Renee’s Resale Clothing Outlet and black suede heels. 

Sunday

Tea Tour & the Trip Home

It’s always sad to see the end of the weekend coming, but we finished our first official queen’s trip in style by taking a guided tour of the City via Tea Around Town – a traveling afternoon tea service!

These were the outfits that Stacey and I were most looking forward to wearing! Inspired by my favorite movie, Clueless, we wore coordinating suit sets (both from SheIn); mine in my favorite shade of blue, and Stacey’s was a black and white houndstooth print. I paired mine with a pair of rhinestone sunglasses purchased from Temu, and a pair of heels that I’ve had for well over a decade – and they fell apart as we were walking to the meet-up location. For hair and makeup I pulled my hair back into pigtails, and used the ColourPop Malibu Barbie eyeshadow palette to create this teal lid look.

Then we truly closed out the weekend by helping our sister queens get their journeys home started, before a quick lunch at Chop’t at Penn Station before making the drive home!

What Do You Think?

To quote the iconic Carrie Bradshaw, I’m what you’d consider a “bona fide city girl,” I thrive in the fast paced and fashionable environment – but I’ll always have a soft spot for the Connecticut-based forests of my childhood and everyday life! Do you prefer a rural setting or an urban one? Let me know in the comments below!

I’ll be back next week to discuss my secret for creating camera ready manicures at home, and how I maintain healthy nails and cuticles!

Have a great rest of your week, and remember to SLAY!