KATIE KENNEDY

Similar Dress || Heels || Earrings || Trench

Over the weekend I was a guest at the sweetest little wedding in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. I was so worried the tail end of Hurricane Michael coming through would rain on our parade, but the skies cleared up and turned into the perfect, crisp fall day. As I was packing for the trip, I realized something. It had been a really long time since I was a guest at a Fall wedding and I had no idea what to wear, especially since I would be in New England. I did a lot of online shopping and brought a lot of dresses home to try on, but I ultimately settled on my go-to navy lace dress from Lilly Pulitzer that I already had in my closet. I’ve had this number in my closet for a few years and it always seems to work for any dressy occasion. I’m pretty sure navy is the perfect, year-round color, don’t you?

So originally, I had my heart set on this red lace dress from the Gal Meets Glam collection. After all, I wanted to look as seasonally appropriate as possible! But I learned, when asking my friends and family for opinions, they all thought that red wasn’t appropriate to wear to a wedding. I was floored! I had never heard that rule before! In a way, I get it. Red can be such a statement color and you really want the bride to be the one to stand out. After I changed my search scope a little bit, I found so many great dress options in more muted colors: navy (of course), hunter green, maroon. These hues are still beautiful, but don’t automatically make you the center of attention. I’ve rounded up my top 25 favorite picks, all under $200. Be sure to shop them all below. Don’t worry though, that little red dress will probably have to make an appearance around Christmas time!

I also got to debut my new pair of Marc Fisher nude heels. This is actually my second pair of the exact same style. I wore the first pair to work almost everyday over the course of the last year and they were ready for retirement. Standing and walking all day is never easy, even on the best pair of shoes. When I opened up the box, I fell in love with them all over again. They are simply classic and the most comfortable pair of heels I own. No wonder I wore them so often. Plus, I got a ton of compliments at the wedding. Who knew there were so many women out there looking for a good, staple nude heel?

Even if I could do the whole thing over again, I would always pick a Summer wedding. I think it just fits my personality the best! But, there was something really beautiful about a Fall wedding. The changing of the leaves perfectly matches the changing of a last name and the start of a new chapter. I can’t wait to attend many more, especially if they are in New England. This winter, I have a Vermont wedding and I am so excited to see what that brings!

Love from NYC,
Katie

Top || Pants || Heels || Similar Scarf || Bracelet || Bag || Earrings

Who says teachers can’t be stylish? It’s been awhile since I’ve shared some authentic teacher style and this nautically inspired look that I wore to school last week was one of my favorites! Sometimes, you just need a few closet-staple pieces to feel put together and refined. I know, it’s yet another navy ensemble, but I just can’t quit it. I have a theory that this color is almost always appropriate and looks good on everyone!

You can’t get more nautical than a navy and white striped tee and they have a little bit of history all their own. Also known as the sailor tee, they are almost a closet requirement in France. The original, or at least more widely recognized, sailor tee belongs to St. James, who has mastered the style in their 130 year history. They almost exclusively outfitted the French navy and army with their navy and white striped sweaters for warmth while on the sea. Since then it has been idolized and replicated. In 1913, when Coco Chanel began donning them for her holidays to the beach, the sailor tee skyrocketed to staple status and the everyday consumer wanted it. In the process, she brought men’s fashion to the women’s front and created a favorite for Audrey Hepburn.

There are days when I wonder if I should have been a Fashion major because I always find the history of clothes to be so interesting. Yes, I understand how nerdy of a statement that is, but I think it helps me appreciate what I wear so much more. In a world of more fast fashion than we know what to do with, it’s always reassuring to know that the pieces in your closet can stand the test of time and historically matter.

I decided to rock the J. Crew version of this classic tee and paired them with sailor-inspired, navy J. Crew Factory pants. These are the most used pair of pants in my wardrobe for work, but there’s one little thing that could make them a little problematic in the next few months. After peeking through my closet, I realized that I don’t own a single pair of pants that actually cover my ankles. That was fine and all in Florida, but seeing as it’s going to be in the 40’s next week, I think I need to do some more shopping ASAP! As for my silk scarf, it’s a little souvenir that I picked in Bellagio, Italy on my honeymoon. I think little scarves are the easiest way of adding a pop of color to an otherwise monochromatic outfit. I’ve linked a very similar one from Hermes that you can grab on RealReal.

Love from NYC,
Katie

Dress || Heels || Scarf || Bag || Earrings || Bracelet

The new season has brought around a new color obsession and I have the Duchess of Sussex to thank for it. The stunning and constant style inspiration, Meghan Markle, has been favoring a gorgeous deep green recently. I’ve been at a lost of what to call it, but I’ve heard the name bottle green be thrown around. While it’s not the most romantic or glamorous of names (like millennial pink), I think it really nails it. Placed somewhere between teal and hunter green on the spectrum, this shade is absolutely gorgeous and (I think) incredibly flattering on olive skin tones. I am by no means comparing myself to Meghan Markle, but I see us as having similar complexions. So, I’ve been looking to her for inspiration to play around with different colors and help me try something different other than my usual navy.

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My spin on bottle green (pun) comes in this sweet little dress from Old Navy. At under $30, it’s the perfect excuse to play around with a new color. What I love the most about this dress is the silhouette of it. 3/4-length sleeves and a fun A-line skirt make it the most darling thing you can throw on for the work day. It’s a style I think the Duchess, herself, would be able to get behind. To make things even better, the stretchy material makes the dress as comfy as can be. At such a wallet-friendly price point, I may have to grab this dress in every color they offer.

For my heels, I decided to (again) copy Meghan and go with a pair of camel suede pointed toe heels from Sam Edelman. This color is always a staple, but something about this rich color makes it the perfect compliment to the vibrant green. Plus, because of the color, these heels have this magical ability to make your legs look like they are a mile long! I will take any help I can get in that department.

Finally, I was absolutely floored to find that my scarf of the season from Tuckernuck was the perfect accessory for my ‘Duchess of Sussex’ dress. The green tones in the scarf are nearly identical and the pop of coral is the perfect stand out for an already amazing outfit. I really have to give myself credit here, folks. I have never felt more put together and regal than in this outfit. The biggest lesson I learned today is that maybe I need to copy British royalty style more often.

Love from NYC,
Katie