Tour My NYC Apartment

Alright... So, it's been 8 months since I moved all the way across the country to follow my dreams in NYC. If you can remember how long it took me to finally get all moved in to my last Seattle apartment, it should come as no surprise that I'm finally just getting everything set up here. I'm still on the lookout for a number of items (including floating shelves and some drawers to put under my garment rack), but I'm pretty happy with it. Of course, these photos were taken after some serious deep-cleaning. End-of-summer-cleaning is a thing, right?

Let me start by saying that I love my apartment. I love how much natural light I get in my room, the exposed brick throughout the apartment, the closed-off outdoor space, the roof, my roommates, the neighborhood, and the hardwood floors. Not all of those features are portrayed in the photos in this post, so I figured I'd mention them up-front.

Of course, my apartment is a classic NYC apartment in that it's kinda small. As such, it's taken some serious creativity for me to figure out how to store all of my belongings. The necklace wall isn't new– I used it in Seattle to show off some of my favorite jewelry. 

Another trick I borrowed from my dorm living is hanging my bags on the walls. The garment rack replaces the walk-in closets I've had most of my life. I find it's a lot easier for me to plan my outfits when my clothes are out in the open. Do you notice the lipstick chart hanging above my makeup drawers? 

That door you see is the door to my closet. It's basically a glorified coat rack, but there's lots of storage space and the door is the perfect place for me to hang all my bags. Thank you, super high ceilings!

This wall faces my bed, so I get to see it every time I'm hanging out in bed. You might recognize the mirror from my Snapchat OOTDs (if you don't, add me– thehannahgold) and the wooden candles from my homemade candle DIY. The lipstick kisses are from my going away party, and the painting of Luxe is still on my graduation cap. Just as an FYI, the idea that this pink salt lamp "purifies" the air or whatever is total BS. It is, however, a very cute accessory.

This piece of art has followed me across the country since Emily painted it for me a couple years ago. It's one of my most-prized possessions!

This "sparkle shine glimmer glow" piece followed me across the country, too. The piece of glass broke in the moving box, but you can't really tell, can you? The 2 pieces of alcohol-themed art are, unsurprisingly, not mine. 

I tried taking more pictures of my cute apartment, but the lighting was simply terrible. If you want a full apartment tour, check out my Instagram stories: @thehannahgold. 

OOTD: Wardrobe Malfunction

So, a funny thing happened when I went to put on this skirt to meet my friends in Soho the other day: the pull on the zipper burst off. Most of my skirts are too big for me anyways, so I knew I'd have to use a safety pin to make this skirt fit. Instead, I had to use it to actually keep my skirt together. 

Do you see where the skirt overlaps? Yeah, that's where the safety pin is.

As I've already mentioned, I have to use safety pins on most of my skirts because I simply can't afford to replace everything I own that's too big for me. I've had to get pretty creative about wearing all the clothing I own that doesn't fit, is broken, or is stained. I rock a lot of belts, layers, and, of course, safety pins. I recently used a twist tie that came on some cotton candy to fix a necklace that'd broken in the middle of the day. 

That's all part of the Broke & Fabulous lifestyle: making it work. In addition to reselling my clothing to fund new additions to my closet, I also continue to wear things past their expiration date. I don't even try to hide it that well all the time. I used to really worry about it, but I've realized that people don't look as closely at you as you worry that they do. Even when they do, what does their opinion matter? I'm just living my best life, and using the money I would have used to replace this skirt to fund a trip or to pay off my student loans.

It's not just economical: it's also more environmentally conscious. The average American throws away dozens of pounds of textiles, including clothing, every year. This makes fashion one of the most wasteful and polluting industries in the world. Even though most of this waste and pollution comes from the textile factories themselves, individuals can do their part in not contributing to this issue by not throwing away still-usable clothing. I mean, look how cute this skirt still looks!

GIVEAWAY: Erin Condren LifePlanner

If you've been following me for a while, you might be familiar with my annual struggle to find the right planner to fit my needs. I'm super particular about which planner I invest in: this little notebook has traditionally held my entire life in it, after all! Personally, I prefer to have an entire page dedicated to every day so I can log both events and to-do items.

I've looked into every brand of planner you can think of, including Erin Condren's LifePlanner. I was recently able to score this custom hardbound LifePlanner to host a giveaway to one of my awesome followers. I know I'm obsessed with aesthetically pleasing stationary/organizational products, so I figured my readers would be, too.

A little about the LifePlanner: aside from the obvious adorable cover, this planner is full of helpful (and cute) features. There are monthly and weekly spreads in a perfectly pastel color scheme. This planner features 18 months, lasting from July 2017-December 2018. The pages are lined in a metallic pink foil, and there's a black ribbon attached that lets you mark your place in the year. There are even pages set aside for long-term goal planning and general note-taking.

Enter below by selecting which of my social media accounts you'd like to follow me on. The giveaway ends August 16th, so make sure to get your entries in in the next week!

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OOTD: A Little Versatility

Photography by Cassidy Hopkins

Everyone needs a dress they can wear for every occasion. I especially find this true as someone with a limited budget and closet space. Most of what I own is versatile so that I get the most bang for my buck. It doesn't make sense for me to spend money on something I'll only be able to wear a couple days a year when I could use that same money on something I could wear whenever I want.

Although I can wear most of my closet for most occasions, this dress especially stands out as something I can wear whenever. I've worn it to graduation parties, on several dates, to work, and now to Coney Island. It's simultaneously appropriate enough for a professional environment and cute enough to wear just for fun.

The most important thing to look for when shopping to create a versatile closet is whether or not you like the piece. No matter how sophisticated or professional you think a piece is, if you don't like it, you won't wear it. Having items in your closet that you don't wear is just a waste of money and space, both of which are valuable commodities. I, for instance, was drawn to this dress because of the color and fabric. I'd been looking for a white lace dress for months, and this dress fit that description.

Once you've found something that you like, try it on and make sure it's appropriate for a work environment. My workplace has very lax dress code, but I still like to make sure I own some things that cover me for less casual professional occasions. The lace of this dress is an entirely separate layer from the solid piece underneath, so I can wear it with a different white slip that is longer and has a higher neck.

Comfort is really key in picking easy-to-wear pieces. No matter how cute or professional something is, if it's uncomfortable or painful in any way, you're less likely to pull it out of your closet in the morning. When you're trying something on, walk around and sit down to see if anything rides up or itches or anything. Those extra 2 minutes you spend in the dressing room could save you hours of earned money.

One thing to keep in mind as you shop is whether or not the pieces you're picking out go with each other. My closet has a strong black/white/pastel/olive green color scheme. This white dress fits perfectly into that color scheme, so I can wear it with a lot of other items that I already own. Because it's so easy to make an outfit with this piece, I'm more likely to wear it more often. Of course, there's always room for stand-out pieces, but your whole closet can't be made out of pieces that don't go together if you're on a budget.

How do you shop if you're on a budget with limited closet space? Comment below to let me know; I'm always looking for ways to maximize my wardrobe!