Hi guys!  How is life treating you these days?  If you are anything like me, some days are better than others, right?  Well can I just share with you something I do to keep things in perspective when I find myself falling through the rabbit hole?  Gratitude. I take a minute to take stock of all of my blessings and 9 out of 10 times it has nothing to do with my material wealth.  Don't get me wrong I am grateful for my home and all the things I keep in my ever growing closet...but when I get down to the bare bones I am most grateful for my health, my family and the love we share with one another.  Thats it, that is the bare bones.  This weekend I found myself reflecting while taking a hot shower on a cold night  (something we don't even think about but others wish they had) and decided to sit my family down and remind them how fortunate we are and how much I love them.  My heart grew two sizes in that moment.  What are some of the things you are grateful for?


Ok, that was my reflection...I do that from time to time, now back to this look.  I am wearing this romantic floral print dress that is a great fall to winter transitional piece when paired with some high boots and a floor length overcoat.  You won't believe how much this overcoat cost, $60! Who says you have to spend $300 for a coat?  Not Forever21 and it is a solid, quality piece.

Ive owned these boots for years!  I think I brought them from Shoe Dazzle, its one of the older sites that provides you with a curated shoe selection based on a style test you take when you sign up.  I believe you are charged $40 a month which you can use towards a pair of shoes.  I find their heels are a little too high for a woman of my age...👀.  When I was younger I didn't respect my feet or comfort for that matter,  but you live and you learn.  Check them out, see if they tickle your fancy.

Happy Halloween guys!!  Ok so I admitted on my instagram this weekend that I'm not a fan of Halloween.  It really DOES freak me out, maybe its the masks and not knowing what is under that mask or the bad juju I grew up with around the holiday.  Like egg throwing, stealing candy from kids or maybe its one too many horror movies, I just don't like Halloween!  Ok enough of my venting session, there are many who enjoy it so here is my homage to you.

Hi guys!  I wanted to share some nuggets of inspiration and tips that you might find helpful when fighting the soon to be winter blues or blues in general.  Confession time, I am a positive person, in fact, my mother (I call her Mona Bear, don't ask why cause I really couldn't tell you) once said to me and I quote, "the entire house could be burning down and you would remain calm and take it in stride."  I think she is mostly right.  Don't get me wrong, Ive panicked and Ive broken down with the best of them and my life hasn't been a storybook but what has always served me well is understanding the power I have within.  So here are some tricks to get you back in the game:

1. Be Kind to Yourself

Hi! My name is Erica.  Starting this blog is something I've been wanting to do for a LOONG time, but I knew it would be a distraction to my educational goals.  Good news! I completed my graduate work leaving me with no other excuses for starting a blog. So here I am and if you're reading this, there you are.

A little about me:
Puerto Rican, born and raised in the Bronx, recent Yonkers, NY transplant.  Beloved wife and mother of two, three if you count my four legged youngest, 🐶Timmy.  I studied, literature with a minor in creative writing as an undergrad and completed my graduate work in Public Administration.  I am a higher education professional at an architecture school in New York City.  

A little about my style:
I am a bargain huntress and I hardly ever wear the same outfit twice!  Seriously, its a talent I've had since I started dressing myself and its not because I have a million dollar wardrobe, its because I mix and match pieces to create totally new looks.  My favorite stores include H&M, Forever21, Asos, Topshop and Zara to name a few.

I offer effortless, affordable style and life inspiration that will help you style the life you deserve.

Thanks for reading! Xoxo 💋

By LifeStyledbyErica

Faux Leather Moto Jacket

Okay...here we go...very first blog! (why am I so nervous??) Ok so this weekend the hubs and I took a trip downtown to visit a new exhibit that opened at the MoMa called Making Faces: Images of Exploitation and Empowerment in Cinema, small but powerful exhibit.  The show will be up through April 30th, if you are find yourself with nothing to do and you are in the city, check it out!

Hi guys!  I am not very experimental when it comes to my everyday look and my night look involves a pop of color on my lip and maybe some highlighting.  I prefer a fresh faced look and it starts with healthy skin.  The change of weather use to wreck havoc on my skin, Im talking about dry, flaky skin.  That was until I found my best friend, Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream, it cleared up the dry skin in a few days.  It is definitely my everyday go-to and the best part is it costs like $15 at your drugstore and  a tub of the stuff lasts for about two months.  Safe to say I LOVE THE STUFF!   The other thing I do everyday is respect the power of the sun and its affects on my bare skin, so I protect my face everyday (even in the colder months) with a dab of Neutrogena Ultra Sheer sunblock.  It's light and odorless.

Now that we've got a base, we move on to the conceal.  I've got great skin, no complaints here, my "trouble" area are the dark circles under my eyes.  Growing up I was embarrassed of them but as you get older and become more comfortable in your skin you realize these "flaws" are what makes you, you.  And there is no one I'd rather be than, me.   I use drugstore brands to conceal, foundate (just go with it) contour, blush, mascara, apply Naked by Urban Decay lipstick (my only splurge cause Im a lip licker and I need the color to last!) and I'm out the door..

That's it and that's all!
Thanks for reading loves. XOXO 💋

By LifeStyledbyErica

Strappy Bodysuit

Long Open Front Cardigan

SJP booties

Ribbed midi skirt

Thanks for reading! XOXO 💋

Check out the palisades and foliage!

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Patent Leather Pumps

Bardot Stripe Top

Hey girl, hey. 🙋🏽

Kate Spade Tote

Hi guys! After a rainy Saturday in, the hubby and I decided to take advantage of a gawgeous (peep the New York accent there) autumn Sunday!  And what screams fall more than chunky sweaters and thigh-high boots??  I love a color palette that mimics nature, browns, burgundies, mustard yellows, dark denim (what? That isn't a color in nature??) you get the point, they make transitioning into the fall a little more bearable.  Happy October!

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Similar Thigh-High Boots

The hubby had to run the kids off the bridge in order to get this shot. God bless him!

Let it go...

Thanks for reading!  XOXO 💋

I don't know about you but one of my favorite things about the cooler weather are trenches, top coats, bombers and moto jackets.  Depends on my mood but recently menswear inspired cuts are a win for me.  Below are a few that live in my "checkout" box on any given day.

Check Duster

Houndstooth Pattern

Wool Blend

Asos Midi Trench

Stylewe Duster

Thanks for reading loves! XOXO 💋

By LifeStyledbyErica