The “Boring” Fashion Item I Never Travel Without

When she’s not working with big names like Lupita Nyong’o, Jennifer Hudson, and Hilary Swank or acting in her capacity as the official Armi Captain at luxury rental and styling platform Armarium, celebrity stylist Micaela Erlanger also divulges her fashion expertise in our Ask a Stylist column. From the best places to source vintage to the secret to finding your most flattering jeans, come back each week for a professional’s perspective.

With my summer vacations coming to an end for the season, I thought I’d share the one item I’ve worn the most while traveling the past few months. Trust me—I pack enough for a couple outfit changes throughout the day. You have to think daytime look and evening look, so when it comes to my clothing, I always have quite the assortment. I have to say, though, that my Maryam Nassir Zadeh mules earned the most spotlight time during my vacations this summer. Now I never travel without them; they are the perfect shoes and can transitional easily from shopping during the day to a romantic dinner date at night. I highly recommend investing in a pair, and I can vouch that they will quickly become your favorite shoes to bring on vacation. Shop my favorite MNZ slides below.

Just the right amount of metallic.  
The perfect neutral slides for when you’re on the go.
I’d style these with cropped jeans and a simple white tee. 
Electric! 
Yes, Kiki, I do love these boots.
It’s all about animal prints for fall. 
I just love a top-handle bag. 
Pair these with a chic floral midi dress. 
The clear bag trend is still going strong. 
Make this your new evening bag. 
Give me all the pops of hot pink. 
Perfect for the office or evening. 
Your new black ankle boots for fall. 
These will dress up any denim outfit. 
Hurry! There are only three left.
So into all the bright colors for the new season. 
You’ll get so much wear out of these updated black heels. 
These are perfect for anyone living in warmer climates this fall. 
I’m always here for patent leather heels. 
The dreamiest shade of blue! Up next, shop the items I always buy on Amazon. 

The Affordable Boot Styles You’ll See Everywhere This Fall

Calling all boot lovers! I have some great news to share with you. All the biggest boots trends for the fall season ahead have officially arrived. Yes, that means the buzziest boots from the runways have landed in-store and are ready for you to add to your shopping carts—but that’s not all. I did some digging around the internet to find the most trendy-worthy styles for affordable prices.

Ahead, I’m breaking down the season’s biggest boot trends and where you can find the cool styles for under $250. This means you don’t have to wait for any end-of-season sales to start wearing the boot styles that will be everywhere this fall; you can order them this very minute. Go on to shop the best affordable fall boots of the season from Zara, Topshop, Sam Edelman, and more, starting at just $35.

Next: 33 investment pieces fashion girls are buying for fall.

My Podiatrist Told Me a Secret: These Surprising Shoes Cause Foot Pain

Last autumn, there was a period of about a month or two when merely walking from my apartment to office (about a mile in New York) was causing chronic, searing pain in my right foot. Really, walking anywhere was painful—to the grocery store, to the park, to the subway. In other words, it was a huge pain in a literal and metaphorical sense. Finally, I decided to seek help by way of a podiatrist, Joseph Alencherry, DPM, and what I learned from that visit has not only enlightened the way I view footwear but also subsequently caused these shooting pains to dissipate. Yes, there’s a happy ending here.

Available in custom sizing.
Available in custom sizing.
Available in custom sizing.
Available in custom sizing.

Another easy-on-the-feet choice? Birkenstocks—see how to style yours.

9 New Yorkers Reveal What’s in Their Zara Shopping Carts

When you live in a fashion capital, integrating fast fashion into your wardrobe—while never discouraged—is typically a dish served subtly. Don’t be deceived, of course: We New Yorkers swear by our Zara shopping habits, but we particularly love to incorporate said fast fashion into our otherwise vintage or designer looks. It’s not vanity, either. No, what we live for is those “You’ll never believe it, but it’s Zara” reveals that send fellow shoppers into a frenzy wondering how they missed something so affordable yet fashionable on their latest run to the retailer. At least, that’s how I feel when I’m the one asking.

Instead of settling with unexplored curiosity on the matter, I decided to ask some of my New York style icons to spill the tea on what they currently have in their Zara shopping carts. From influencers to fashion editors, illustrators to brand managers, the stylish folks ahead prove that taking the time to sort through the endless products available at Zara will leave you with treasures worth flaunting. Go on to find out what these New Yorkers have hidden in their Zara shopping carts and to shop the pieces for yourself.

Up next, shop the investment pieces fashion girls are buying now.

Nike Sales Surged Following Controversial Colin Kaepernick Ad Campaign

Nike’s controversial new campaign featuring Colin Kaepernick is paying dividends. 

Despite protests from some consumers who set their swoosh-embroidered shoes ablaze, the sportswear giant’s online sales have rocketed since releasing ads like this commercial narrated by the former 49ers quarterback. 

Market Watch has further details: 

After an initial dip immediately after the news broke, Nike’s NKE, -0.12% online sales actually grew 31% from the Sunday of Labor Day weekend through Tuesday, as compared with a 17% gain recorded for the same period of 2017, according to San Francisco–based Edison Trends.

Some analysts predicted that Nike’s support of the NFL player who called attention to racial inequality by kneeling during the singing of the national anthem before games would lead to a sales slump. That’s not been the case so far. 

“There was speculation that the Nike-Kaepernick campaign would lead to a drop in sales, but our data over the last week does not support that theory,” said Hetal Pandya, co-founder of Edison Trends.

Nike stock has also held steady. Per Market Watch, 

The stock was up 1% on Friday and remains in the black for the month. It has gained 29% in 2018, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average DJIA, -0.31% , which since 2013 has counted Nike as a member, has gained 5%, as the S&P 500 index SPX, -0.22% has risen about 8%.

Data from marketing technology company 4C Insights shows that in addition to financial growth, Nike saw a 1,678 percent uptick in mentions and comments on social media over Sunday and Monday as sentiment toward the brand dropped 38 percent. 

“You can be darn sure that Nike has done its research and knows what will move its product and who this campaign will resonate with,” said  4C Chief Marketing Officer Aaron Goldman. “They are the ones [Nike has] decided will be its future customers, so, if others are getting upset, [Nike has] planned for that, and it doesn’t care.”

If any team wanted to sign Kaepernick, now might be the ideal time to do so.