NYC Style: Budget Bride Amanda F.
by Kimberly Rae Miller
Name: Amanda F.
Borough/Neighborhood: Astoria, Queens
Profession: Case Manager, Securities Law Firm
Amanda F. has been living in NYC for just about 7 years and just got married. She's worked her way up from paralegal to case manager at some well know NY law firms, but what she loves in life is photography, art and cooking. Oh, and video games.
How would you define your personal style?
Classic style with an edgy twist.
Favorite item in you closet?
That's tough. I have this Alice + Olivia dress that I love; it manages to have long sleeves AND be sexy. Favorite as in 'wear it all the time' - my Lucky Brand jeans, I pretty much live in them.
Are there any trends that you wish would just go away already?
Leggings. I know everyone loves them and thinks they are comfortable, so bring on the hate. The fact that there are "dressy leggings" says to me that this has gone on for too long now.
You recently got married, any tidbits of advices for those in search of the perfect dress?
This was a tough one for me. We got married at the court, but still wanted to get special outfits and dress up. I gave myself a budget and started looking online, which is how I do most of my shopping because of the hours I work. After almost a month of searching I realized that, for this occasion, looking online wasn't going to cut it. I went to Saks one day after work and found a dress within a half hour. I would now recommend to go online to get a sense of what you want, but take the time to go to stores because it really is about how you look and feel in that dress.
Do you think you'll ever wear it again?
I actually do think I will wear it again. One of the things I thought about when the moment came to get a dress was that I didn't want something that was going to be worn once and then put in a box. That dress has everything going for it right now: I've made great memories in it, it is just fancy enough, it fits great, and it is super comfy - it even has pockets!
Favorite Five?
I have to say that one of my favorite places in Astoria for cool, different clothes was Mimi's Closet, but I think it has closed now. If she still has the store in Soho, go to it.
I love Anthropologie. I get a few choice pieces from them to mix and match with; not always the most affordable, but they have great sales.
When in the mood to splurge, TheOutnet.com and Bluefly.com are my places to go; but I have to admit that I go Strawberry and Mandee every couple of months for purely cute, trendy tops that I know won't last very long.
Mostly though, I love checking out different small, designer stores downtown and weekly gatherings like The Market NYC.
