For those of you who know me well, I’ve always been a collector of fashion magazines and more recently, a follower of fashion and lifestyle blogs, Instagram accounts and Pinterest design inspiration boards. The irony is, I don’t often splurge on high fashion or big name brands and I love looking through thrift store racks, vintage and antique shops.

Being a remote worker and having lived in three countries within the last three years also has its’ challenges: collecting beautiful things can sometimes be more of a nuisance than a novelty.

I made a few [small] exceptions for this trip.

We were staying between Madison and Fifth, a stone’s throw from all of the high street labels and the Social Media Week events were taking place straight across from Diane Von Furstenberg’s HQ. How could I not do a little sneaky shop on the side?

I didn’t go too crazy but I did make a trip to the following stores:

• Kate Spade Saturday was a tiny pop up shop chain that has since closed (absorbing into Kate Spade New York) but I was lucky enough to get a new colourful Canadian-red purse to match my Moleskine notebook before they shut their doors
• My toes were freezing from the combination of sleet, snow and chilly temperatures so I bought a pair of black waterproof SOREL boots (supporting Canadian design!) that will also see me through the rainy Irish and English weather
• I stocked up on a few essentials in Sephora, including some heavenly face cream, replenishing masks to help with all of the air travel and hair care products
• A limited edition MAC Isabel and Ruben Toledo Lipstick in Victoriana caught my eye at Macy’s and while I was there, I picked up the last leopard and leather clutch from Vince Camuto‘s winter range (co-founder of Nine West). TIP: if you have a credit card/North American mailing address, you can sign up for a Macy’s loyalty card to get additional discounts on your purchase!
• Last, but not least, I visited Henri Bendel’s flagship store for a gold monogrammed passport holder in his signature brown and a petite wallet (as my new Vince Camuto clutch required a tiny companion)

The ones that got away:

• Saks Fifth Avenue had a stunning Chinese New Year display (pictured above) which drew me in for a look but I kept the purse strings closed (this time…)
• Again only for a look and to get some exercise (the store is multi-storeyed!) I window shopped at Victoria’s Secret but left reminding myself I can order online
• The same applied to Ted Baker and Karen Millen – since I was returning to Europe, I couldn’t justify an overweight suitcase full of designer pieces I could purchase at home but they did offer a great break from frigid window shopping in February!

Next up: Things to SEE – but first, are you a shopaholic? Share your favourite retail therapy spots in the comments below. 🙂