Blog: Crossroads Style

Forget delivery and ordering into the office every day; there’s no better time to experiment in the kitchen, try new flavors, and get your Iron Chef on! Step up your cooking game with these four cookbooks that belong on your counter:

1. Cravings: Recipes For All the Food You Want to Eat by Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy is pretty much everyone’s spirit animal and a total beast in the kitchen, so it’s no wonder that her cookbook is spreading like wildfire. The book is divided into sections like “Party Time,” “Sh*t on Toast,” and “Things That Intimidate People but Shouldn’t.” You’ll fall in love with her wit and recipes like John’s Famous Fried Chicken with Spicy Honey Butter.

2. It’s All Easy: Delicious Weekday Recipes for the Super-Busy Home Cook by Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth shares more than 125 of her most healthy and delicious recipes from lazy breakfasts to easy dinners. My favorites include the Moroccan Chicken Salad Wrap and Pita Bread Pizzas.

3. The Love and Lemons Cookbook: An Apple-to-Zucchini Celebration of Impromptu Cooking by Jeanine Donofrio
This book features more than 100 simple vegetarian recipes starring fresh and delicious seasonal produce. It’s the perfect inspiration for quick and impromptu cooking!

4. Orange, Lavender & Figs: Deliciously Different Recipes from a Passionate Eater by Fanny Slater
Fanny makes one-of-a-kind recipes approachable yet stunning enough to earn you the title of “Top Chef” among your friends and family. Try her Butternut Squash Tacos with Apple-Fennel Slaw, and you’ll never look back.

Hungry yet?

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The model off-duty look is the epitome of casual and comfort chic. In between runway shows and magazine shoots, models have a way of taking simple pieces and making them look effortlessly stylish. While it’s not as easy as hopping out of bed and throwing on your favorite tee, creating your own ‘off-duty’ style is entirely doable.

Follow the tips below to master the kind of effortless street style we love seeing on the likes of Kate Moss, Gigi Hadid, and Karlie Kloss.

Basics are BestKeep it simple and build your outfits on your best basics. You can never go wrong with a worn-in tee and your most flattering denim.

Keep it UndoneDon’t overdo it! Messy tucks, rolled hems, and unpolished top knots are key to an effortless look.

Invest in Wardrobe StaplesFast fashion is useful for trying out new trends, but invest wisely in staples that are timeless: a leather jacket, a chic blazer, and your favorite pair of shoes.

Keep it CasualModel off-duty style is most attainable when it is kept casual. Think booties, simple prints, and neutral colors. If you’re more apt to dress girly, tone it down with some tomboy elements like sneakers or a bomber jacket.

Denim is #1When it doubt, throw on your best denim, whether it be jeans, a jacket, or a top.

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As a style and fashion enthusiast, I have always been drawn to the real stories and behind-the-scenes look at how everything comes together. As a stylist I am truly in awe of how fashion empires, whether it be a publication, a design house, or a photographer, came to be, run their daily operations, and how they plan on expanding and innovating for the future.

Check out my list below of 5 films every fashion lover should watch and let us know what your favorite is or what you are most excited to watch! Do you have any other must-watch fashion films on your list?

The September Issue
The September Issue takes us behind the scenes of the American offices for the fashion magazine, Vogue, and right into Anna Wintour’s daily duties, for an up close and personal look at the making of, you guessed it: The September Issue. The 2007 issue was the largest in Vogue’s history at the time, with 820 pages.

“There is something about fashion that can make people very nervous.” – Anna Wintour.

See the trailer for The September Issue here.

Coco Before Chanel
Based on the early life of Coco Chanel, born Gabrielle Chanel, Coco Before Chanel tells the true story of rags to riches, from an orphanage to the heights of the fashion world.

“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” ― Coco Chanel

See the trailer for Coco Before Chanel here.

Iris
Iris gives us an intimate look into the life of fashion icon, Iris Apfel. From 1950 – 1992, Iris and her husband took part in interior design renovations for 9 Presidents; during this time of international travel and design is when Iris rose to fame in the fashion world as a true icon for her daring and carefree style, which she continues to this day at 94 years old.

“There’s no how-to road map to style. It’s about self-expression and, above all, attitude.” – Iris Apfel.

See the trailer for Iris here.

Bill Cunningham New York
Bill Cunningham has been a fashion photographer for The New York Times since 1978 and has revolutionized what we now know as “street style”. Before bloggers or Instagram, Bill Cunningham was using his keen eye to discover and shed light on fashionistas, celebrities, socialites, and new designers. Bill is currently 87 years young and is still photographing in New York for The Times.

“The wider world perceives fashion as frivolity that should be done away with. The point is that fashion is the armor to survive the reality of everyday life. I don’t think you can do away with it. It would be like doing away with civilization.” – Bill Cunningham

See the trailer for Bill Cunningham New York here.

The True Cost
The True Cost explores the world of fashion and the impact it has on people and the planet, focusing on the effect of “fast fashion”. Fast fashion is a heavy note that we do not typically highlight in the world of fashion; more importantly the working and negative environmental conditions of factories. Go behind the scenes of the biggest fashion companies and learn more about how to support and be a part of the change for the better we are on the verge of.

“I believe these clothes are produced by our blood. I want the [factory owners] to be aware and look out for us, so that no more mothers lose their kids like that.” – Shima Akhter, a Bangladeshi factory worker in the film.

See the trailer for The True Cost here.

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With gorgeous Coachella style everywhere, Indio, CA is looking great this time of the year. Ready for festival fashion at its finest? Here are my favorite looks from the first weekend of Coachella.

Say hello to bell-bottoms! This festival-goer slayed in a pair embroidered with flowers.

Stay cool in a black lace dress, and add a dash of sparkle with a mini tiara. You’ll be shining like Chiara in no time. 

A floral mini dress, sunny straw hat and gladiator sandals are always a win in Indio. 

When in doubt, go for gorgeous white pieces in light, breezy fabrics. 

A floral two-piece and a flower crown are festival perfection. 

Keep your tan lines to a minimum—and your Coachella style on point—with a white off-the-shoulder maxi.

What were your favorite festival looks from the weekend?

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Festival season is officially upon us, and whether you’re headed to Coachella or watching from home, you’ll want a hairstyle that’s both gorgeous and functional. Chances are, you’ll be dancing and sweating up a storm, so effortless beauty is a must when considering festival hairstyles!

Here are my favorite ways to style your hair for the season’s music festivals.

1. The Messy Braid
Throw together a traditional French braid and gently loosen up your strands before securing your ‘do with a clear elastic. For extra texture, spray a dry shampoo into your roots and massage it in with your fingers. This is one of my favorite styles to master for a long weekend!

2. The Half Updo
Feature full waves and tons of volume while keeping your hair out of your face by pulling the top half of your hair back.

3. The Milkmaid Braid

Looking to keep your hair off your face and your neck? The milkmaid braid is perfect for sweaty weather.

4. The Topknot
Go uber chic and sophisticated with a sleek bun at the very top of your head, or go relaxed and effortless with a loose and messy topknot. Either way, you can’t go wrong!

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