If you’ve followed me for a while, you’ll know by now that the outfit I feel most comfortable in is a mix black, white and a touch of gold. It wasn’t always this way though. When I started Retro Flame many years ago, my style couldn’t have been more different to this. I loved colour, prints and anything a little unique. I spent hours trawling vintage and thrift stores looking for something nobody else would have. Looking for those statement pieces that would wow everyone! And now don’t get me wrong, I still always aim for that ‘wow factor’ but the way in which I do it has changed. The thing about those unique, colourful, print pieces is that after one wear, they would usually be moved to the back of my wardrobe. I guess in my mind, they had their moment and it was time to move onto the next find. This was all well in good when I had a decent sized wardrobe space back in Ireland, but something had to give when I moved into a tiny 2-bedroom Manhattan apartment with a wardrobe the size of an oven (ok maybe not, but you know what I mean). Haha looking back, Carrie Bradshaw wasn’t messing around using her oven as a shoe closet.

As time has gone by, my style, for many reasons, has evolved. Of course, every now and again I’ll buy that statement piece that I just can’t leave behind and will absolutely love wearing it once or twice. But now my main priority when shopping is to buy pieces that will remain at the front of my wardrobe and be worn over & over again a million different ways. Good for my purse and also ensures that my oven will still be used as an oven :)

Photos by Tara Marzuki

Louise et Cie Bag & Tassel Heels

I’ve mentioned in this post and over on my Snapchat (retroflame1) that this season, I’m so thrilled to be a Louise et Cie Brand Ambassador. What this means is that I’ve teamed up with the brand (who I used to work for full-time as a social media manager last year) to style a selection of their shoes & bags here on Retro Flame. It’s a brand that just couldn’t suit my ‘style evolution’ more if it tried. The brand represents minimalism, quality and the benefits of investing into pieces you’ll have forever. Her shoes and bags are are perfectly classic but will still always add that ‘wow factor’ to your outfit in all the right ways. The two pieces I’ve styled in this post – The Studded Bag & Tassel Heels – are ones I’ve been eyeing up for quite a while now. Aren’t they both stunning? I’ve already worn this bag so many times and I can confirm the heels are very comfortable. So a big YES from me to these two!

Below are some of my current favourites from their collection (you can click on each image):

“Be a little more you and a lot less them.” – Madalyn Beck

Even this week as I’m decorating my new apartment here in NYC, I’ve really come to realise that I have a signature style and I never tend to move too far away from it. Just like my love for wearing black, white & gold outfits, I also have a certain taste when it comes to interiors. I love neutral colours and then adding in some luxurious accents in the form of faux fur, gold & rose gold. In the world we live in, there are SO many things influencing the way we think each day. So it’s never been more important to stay true to the things you truly love and the things that are truly you. Who cares what that girl on Instagram is doing? Who cares how your friend decorated her house? The only person you should be aiming to please  is yourself. Always.

I have a feeling you know by now what I like when it comes to interiors. You have been sending me SO many great finds and ideas. As I’ve been showing you on Snapchat (retroflame1), the apartment is still very much a work in progress but it is definitely getting there. So far, we have the bathroom & kitchen more or less finished – WAIT until I show you the kitchen. I actually still can’t believe how much better it looks. My wardrobe is being assembled this morning, the couch & bed get here on Saturday and the second office desk gets here on Monday. So I’m hoping by this time next week that we’ll have about 80% of the furniture in place. It’s been such a fun project to work on and it’s so great to have my Mom and Kaelin helping (we all have the exact same taste) and I genuinely cannot wait to have it all done and to show you everything. I’m working on lots of posts & videos as we speak.

Hope you’re all having a great week!

Stylishly Yours,

Erika x

*Huge thank you to Louise et Cie for partnering on this post.