A few weeks ago, I attended Governor Larry Hogan’s inaugural gala. While government ceremonies can get the rep of being somewhat conservative and buttoned up, I was pleasantly surprised to see so many stylish folks in one room; one of them being Barrett.
His black double monk strap shoes are from Zara, his Fitzgerald Fit one button Tuxedo is from Brooks Brothers, and his “Gatsby” bowtie is from Brackish Bowties. Barrett said he was channeling the Great Gatsby with this look.
Both his shoes and tuxedo are simple yet elegant and pay ode to the twenties and glamour.
But in the end, Barrett’s bowtie is really what caught my attention. This piece is so unique, fun and interesting. It says a lot about Barrett’s bold sense of style and personality. He’s not afraid to push the boundaries in a fun yet classic way, and it also shows that he doesn’t take himself too seriously. He wants to look professional, yet he’s ready to stand out when appropriate.
Earlier this week I ran into one of my colleagues, Nicole. It’s a little hard to tell, but she’s quite pregnant, and I was loving this maternity look that she put together.
Nicole said now that she’s in her third trimester, hardly anything from her normal wardrobe fits her. She shared a little bit more with me about how she’s gone about building a suitable maternity wardrobe.
“I found building a maternity closet to be a little tricky. I want to feel like myself and not have to water down my style, but I’m reluctant to spend a lot on a closet of temporary clothes. I picked up a few key, hard-working staples from trusted maternity brands like Storq and Hatch – easy to mix pieces like a simple black skirt, dress, and leggings. Then I added more color and variety to my maternity wardrobe with inexpensive pieces from places like Zara and ASOS or even Forever 21, so I wouldn’t end up paying too much for sizes and styles that won’t work after the baby is born. I’ve even surprised myself by choosing some styles lately that I would not usually reach for – like form fitting dresses and cropped tops – because now there’s a giant bump changing my proportions. It’s been fun!”
It was fun to hear Nicole’s insight on this. This look in particular caught my attention because I loved the print on her ruffled top. I’m a big fan of floral prints against a black background. It’s a great way to properly incorporate floral designs into your winter looks without looking to Spring-ish. Nicole picked up this blouse at Zara.
Something else that really caught my attention was how well Nicole styled these printed tights that she got from ASOS Maternity. I love tights with prints on them, and these add a lot of extra style and flare to this look. She also did a great job of pairing them with her black booties by Sam Edelman. These look practical and they also pair really well with the rest of this look. Nicole also shared with me that she snagged this form fitting black skirt from Storq maternity.
This look is absolutely adorable and Nicole has managed to pick out some great day-to-day maternity pieces. Even though she’s hesitant to spend a lot on a temporary wardrobe, she has done a great job at hunting down some affordable pieces that still stay true to her personal sense of style and look chic and lux.
FOUND: Later in the week, I found myself rooting through treasures in an antique store in Pasadena called Antiques on The Go. The store was a maze of everything imaginable. Clothes, dolls, kitchenware, furniture and jewelry. While there was certainly some interesting, one-of-a-kind pieces, this one really caught my attention. If you know me, then you know I am a big fan of astrology. I always tend to ask people their signs, and I read my horoscope first thing in the morning to see what kind of day I’ll be having.
I was super psyched to find this vintage Sagittarius zodiac coin necklace. I am a Virgo, but knew I could not leave this behind. I love the heavy medallion look. It adds a lot of mystery and intrigue, as well as that vintage-y look that so many love. This piece can be worn with almost any look and I don’t have to be a fortune teller to know that it will draw a lot of attention and compliments.
Sloane Brown
Baltimore's longtime fashion and social scene reporter, Sloane is the founder/managing editor of Baltimore Snap.
