72 hours in NYC

Everything I packed, ate, and bought while I was there.

Yesterday, I returned from a quick work trip to New York and am thrilled/shocked to report that I packed flawlessly. The forecast called for rain almost all of my stay, which is, hands down, my least favorite thing to dress for, but I got lucky that it wasn't as wet (or cold) as had been predicted.

Here's a quick glimpse of how I packed, where I ate, and what I bought:

Since I didn’t check a bag, I had to get creative with my travel outfits and wear as much as possible without overheating.

• Plane outfit #1: White crewneck tee, navy cardigan, brown coat, navy textured satin pants, black lug boots (similar here), glasses.

• Plane outfit #2: Same as above, but I swapped a navy oversized sweatshirt for my cardigan.

The lug boots wouldn't have been my first choice for stomping through the airport, but since they were essential for the weather (and took up a good portion of my luggage), they were the best option.

Plane Outfit #1: T-Shirt, Cardigan, Coat, Satin Pants, Boots (similar here), Phone Case, Glasses

I used my vintage Gucci tote as my second bag, and inside, I tucked away my purse, several pouches, and noise-canceling headphones. Another thing I did the night before that served me well was apply self-tanner (I swear by this one). When I woke up in the morning, even though it was 4 a.m., all I did was add serum, lotion, and sunscreen, and somehow, I looked fresh-faced with an uncharacteristically even skin tone.

Button-down, Boots, Tights, Skirt, Clutch, Gold Link Bracelet, Baguette Bracelet

I got to my hotel around 3 pm and had roughly twenty minutes to unpack, shower, and change for the rest of the evening. I'd added tights and a black mini wool skirt to my suitcase at the last minute, and it was such a nice way to break up the rest of my looks (all of which involved my jeans or black trousers). I paired them with an oversized button-down, brown coat, and a red cashmere blend bandana. It was also the first time I wore my Staud boots for an extended period, and I clocked 9k steps in them with zero issues.

Economy Candy

That afternoon, I met up with my cousin Marisa, and she indulged me by accompanying me to Economy Candy, a giant candy warehouse I'd wanted to visit for years. They had every candy imaginable (and even some I thought you couldn't find anymore!), so naturally, we took our time perusing all of the options, and I picked up some fun stocking stuffers.

We also went to Christmas and City, an overcrowded touristy spot in Little Italy I'd gone to this past spring, and Sloan bought an ornament (a squishy cannoli) that we promptly lost, so I returned to surprise her with a new one. We had to hit up Goods for the Study, one of my must-stops in New York, for the cutest stationery, cards, and pens. Later that night, I met up with my friend Chase at Wildair for dinner, a tiny spot in the West Village. Everything was delicious, but the uni on potato, little gem salad, and the sundae that had almost like candied orange peels were the real standouts.