TREND ALERT: BANDANA SCARVES + FINDING A SIGNATURE LOOK

I love when people see clothes or shoes & tell me they think:
"nicole would wear this."
it means I have a very specific look I and I'm v into achieving that.
branding allll around, ya know?

#LOVINGLATELY: MY HEALTHISH CO. WATER BOTTLE

disclaimer: this is not sponsored content, this is just a product I really love & want you all to know about.

my whole life, I've been the water-less wonder. 
I somehow stay hydrated without a drop.
my friends & family constantly judge me for eating a whole meal w/o a sip of water...

but not anymore, bbys! I realized how ignorant I was not getting my proper h2o intake, just because I'm not thirsty doesn't mean I should deprive my body of water. there are so many benefits to drinking our own required amount. 

VINTAGE DENIM: IT AIN'T FOR EVERYONE

you might want to sit down for this blog post.
I'm going to admit something v unusual about myself.
it might be relatable for some, & others may judge me entirely, but...

I don't like vintage denim

AMETHYST 101 + SURVING MERCURY RETROGRADE & BLOOD MOON

what I love most about crystals is they give you the freedom to choose what to heal...pick your greatest struggles, your biggest insecurities, decide which of them you want to relieve & then find out which stone will do it for you.

for ex: I battle anxiety, my nerves are shot & I'm constantly in my own head w/ negative ideas. so when I started working with crystals, I knew I needed something to combat alllll of that, which is why my v first crystal was amethyst. (pictured here.)

TREND ALERT: HOOPS + MY CURRENT FAVES


I've never really been into hoops...or statement earrings for that matter. 
stack my wrists w/ bracelets & layer my neck w/ necklaces but earrings? 
they're uncomfortable, bulky & hurt my ears.

while I still somewhat feel the same way about hoops, I'm finding more of a tolerance for them as of late. I've always wore studs, but now I want to go bigger & better. I think it has to do with (finally) having long hair. I bought these silver bbys from urban outfitters for a music festival and they've quickly become a regular in my accessory rotation. 

#LOVINGLATELY: T2'S MATCHA FLASK

let me start by saying this is not #sponsored content. I just really looooove this product. 

any & everything matcha-related is for me, 
especially if it's going to make my life easier because tbh, 
making your own is a true pain in the ass. (but worth it, obs)
enter my matcha flask by T2! 🍵

THE CHRONICOLES #12: GET TO KNOW ME


28 beautifullll times around the planet, fam! 🌎
my birthday just passed (#geminiseason) & it's the first year I feel my age. 

until recently, I felt like I was stuck at 25-years oldthe sweet age of "old enough to know better, young enough to not care." now, my responsibilities have substance, my job is equally challenging as it is fulfilling, my idea of fun has changed drastically & my days just feel more accomplished. to top it off? hearing the word "adulting" actually makes me cringe.

it's a new year for goals, memories, accomplishments...ya know, the usual cliché birthday BS. it's also the best time to reflect on the last year, or the last 28 for that matter. THE CHRONICOLES is the perfect spot for me to share some shtuff about me that you may not have previously known, so!

TREND ALERT: MINI SKIRTS & WHERE TO BUY 'EM

it took quite a few shopping trips for me to (finally) find the perfect denim mini skirt & I'm so pumped to finally start wearing it. 

what I took into account while on the hunt
+ length and what's appropriate
+ tightness & again, what's appropriate
+ comfort, because gone are the days I picked fashion > function

my coworkers called me out a few weeks ago for repeatedly saying I wanted to wear this shirt w/ a skirt, or that shirt w/ a skirt. (quick backstory: I work for century 21 dept. stores' ecomm dept. so I see all the merchandise that goes on the site, allowing me to shop our sample racks.) ironically, I remember saying a few years ago that I'd never wear a skirt againI rebelled against super girly clothes, so aside from one staple black denim skirt, I owned none...'til my latest spring shopping haul, when I came home w/ three ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  

MY INCONSISTENT WELLNESS ROUTINE (& WHAT I'M DOING TO CHANGE IT)


while I can think of a slewwww of adjs. to describe myself, 
the one that sticks out most because I both value & despise it is: inconsistent

the gemini in me loves the back and forth, the spontaneous changing of my wants and needs, but the so-called "adult" in me can't stand the unpredictability. finding a routine is -almost- impossible and ironically, I'm the type of person who needs some sort of regiment to live my best life. 

I've seen how positively I can grow when I reaaaally tried to enforce a routine but lately, I've been LIVING. & as thankful as I am for all the bottomless brunches, five course meals w/ top-shelf drinks & 4am post-bar nyc street walks, it's time to be livin' even better. 

#LOVINGLATELY: HEALING CRYSTALS

I used to be a skeptic, a  real "non-believer"..but with age, 
I formed a desire to -not- be so cynical.

I want to start by saying these thoughts are my own, and if you don't agree w/ them, that's fine...but if you do, that's amazing. 

ever since I was young, I questioned "higher beings." when terrible things happened, specifically 9/11, I can remember thinking: if god existed, why would he let this happen? and the only reason I say "god" here is because I was raised catholic. (ha! I know.) 

the older I got and the more sh!tty life experiences I went through, the less I believed in anything at all. I swore I was a "realist," someone who thought things happened because I made them happen, not because they were meant to. but in reality I was a pessimist & as you could assume, I went down a dark road w/ the faintest light at the end of it... 

fast fwd to now and I'm just about grasping at any 
& every thing to believe in that isn't a "higher being." 
CUE MY CRYSTAL HEALING FASCINATION. 

THE CHRONICLES #11: STAYING PRESENT + 5 TIPS ON HOW TO DO IT

when I was a little girl & things changed in my life, I freaked so much I'd break out in hives.
the "unknown" & not being able to control it stilllll gives me the most anxiety.
but, luckily now that I'm older, I can kindly tell anxiety to go f%ck itself!
(most of the time.)

moments of weakness are inevitable, and that's where I've found myself lately: on edge, sweaty palms, uneasy stomach, wondering wtf is going to happen next in life.

some seriously trying obstacles have been placed in not only my way, but in the way of my relationships too, and it's inspired me to make some life changes. & tbh, the gemini in me is ready to shake shit up.

FASHION FEELS



I might look all cute & happy, but I was feeling pretty bad ass in this outfit.

fun fact: this moment wasn't staged, it was authentica group of people walked passed my girlfriend and I taking these pix and were totally judging, so I just sat there, smiling & wavin' because I had my idgaf #ootd on 👊

MATCHA > COFFEE: WHY I STARTED DRINKING IT

with the new year, I decided to stop drinking coffee & introduced a new form of caffeine into my life: matcha.

for the longest time, I was your basic millennial coffee addict who drank it alllll day long and as I get older, my body hasn't been able to tolerate it. my anxiety sky rockets, the jitters are so real & my stomach started to reject it. 

I am not a morning person and most days (okay, every day), I need an extra boost of energy so I had to find a substitute; I immediately knew it was going to be matchathe earthy 'lil drink that's given me more physical & mental stamina than any cup of coffee ever has. 

LAYERED UP


I've always been a layer-er. remember back in the 2000s when it was cool to wear two tank tops, two tees & most times, one of 'em had a popped collar? that was my jam then & it still is nowminus the ironed stiff collar, of course.

the key to a good layer is contrast: different colors, textures, silhouettes. 

TREND ALERT: BOLD BOOTIES

this is me admitting I can't stop wearing these booties.
my company's creative director pulled them for a photo shoot, & it was love at first sight.

bold booties are one of, if not the biggest, shoe trends rn. whether they're embroidered, texturized or eccentrically colored, they're a necessity in every statement maker's wardrobe. the best thing about this trend? it elevates any & every outfit. I wear mine w/ tons of tops & jeans, dresses (see here) & minis, and even oversized sweaters & leggings. (yes, I wear leggings. everyone doesdon't let 'em tell you different. ☝️)

THE CHRONICOLES #10: GETTIN' REAL

it's kind of ironic the last #CHRONICOLES I wrote about focused on "taking time
because it's exactly what I've been doing these last few weeks.

november thru january is tough for me, and I'm hopeful it'll get easier every year and eventually, won't just result in me completely disconnecting. the holidays are hardly enjoyable after the unexpected loss of your father, regardless how long it's been. (two years for me.) in addition, it's also the anniversary of his passing. (also, two years.) 

sry for that heaviness...but coming back to NICOLE LEIGH, I want to be as real as possible. the whole "influencer" thing can become toxic. the faćades, the editing, the likes. even though I'm the micro-est of microinfluencers, there's super frustrating moments like understanding new algorithm's, finding strategies that will help me become a microinfluencer, and not to mention, the negative stigma around blogging that so easily gets into your head. sometimes, I couldn't imagine what it takes to deal w/ the stereotyping from a 100k+, 500+, 1mill+ following.

it's no surprise an internet-based industry would run into incredible judgement though; we learned yearsssss ago how easy it is to bully behind a computer screen. now everyone's just doing it behind their smartphone screens. like our parents taught us back then: if you don't have anything nice to say, don't fcking say it. k? ✨

LBD X STRIPES

I've never felt more "me" than I do in this #ootd. 
allllll about the lbd x stripes combo, and then these booties? 
home fcking run! 

BRUNCH #5: POCO

one of my favorite things about my girlfriends is that we constantly find excuses to eat & drink, and thx to one of my closest babes and our need to catch up, I was able to make reservations for us at poco in the lower east side of manhattana restaurant known for its brunch & lobster dishes. 

as if a bottomless brunch option complete w/ lobster dishes wasn't enough to win me over, I learned there was a spiked iced coffee on the menu & fell even further in love. I'll admit, the drinks & party vibes outweighed the food & service, but I've learned that's what comes w/ alcoholic brunch specials...

& with that being said, poco wants you to party @ their brunch so much so that they give out free shots. (you read that right, free shots.) moral of the story: if you're looking for a boozy brunch, poco's your place! 

CLICK HERE TO SEE BRUNCH SPOT #4 ✩

THE CHRONICOLES #9: TAKING TIME FOR YOURSELF + 5 WAYS TO DO IT


a few weeks ago, I was having a conversation w/ one of my closest gfs about our wknd mornings. she made a comment about how most saturdays, she purposely wakes up earlier so that she can have 'time for herself.'

this made me realize as of late, I never take time for myself.
& I wonder why I'm on the brink of the anxiety attack of all anxiety attacks. 

TREND ALERT: OVERALL DRESSES & HOW TO WEAR 'EM


 I'M V V V EXCITED.

for two reasons:
1. I'm finally utilizing my merchandising profession & launching TREND ALERTS on NICOLE LEIGH.
2. my favorite childhood outfit is on trend: the overall dress.

since starting my career, I've experienced many different fashion realms and throughout all of them, one thing stayed true: my love for trends, following & sometimes chasing them. I was always most fascinated with how they trickle through social and economic classesstarting w/ the high-end, couture customer and then ending, years later, with the price-conscious, discount shopper.