Look Details:  Fit-and-Flare Dress (Banana Republic), Camel Topcoat (J.Crew), Prada Bag (similar here), Gemstone Earrings (J.Crew)

Ever since moving back stateside, I find myself entirely enchanted with New England. Every other weekend is spent exploring a new quintessential town on the eastern seaboard, and I see it becoming a bigger part of my life in the future. From Vermont to Connecticut, every last corner of New England is brimming with colonial history and old-fashioned charm (right up my alley). I’m already filling 2018 with major plans for exploring the northeast and finding a tiny nest for regular weekend escapes

Newport, Rhode Island was founded in 1639 as a British settlement and historically it’s one of America’s most important ports. This cozy colonial gem was the first to declare independence from England, currently boasts the country’s oldest operating tavern and is home to living Vanderbilt family — and that’s only a few notches on Newport’s belt. This charming coastal escape is overflowing with New Englanders during summer, but a wintery walk down Thames Street or Bowen’s Warf during snowfall is like walking through a real-life Nat King Cole Christmas song.

I especially fancied our visit to Red Parrot Restaurant where I indulged in my new cold-weather must: New England Clam Chowder. Combine that with walking through antique chops, plenty of hot chocolate, preppy boutiques, snagging coastal-inspired Christmas ornaments, losing self-control in a fudge shop and admiring the colonial architecture street after charming street…and you can consider me in love.

Travel has always had an influence on my style and as I spend more time exploring New England and absorbing my life in New York City, my style has taken a strong inspiration root in classic American style icons such as Jackie O. Kennedy and Grace Kelly. The more I travel throughout the world, I notice that American women uniquely exude confidence, freedom, kindness and curiosity through the way they carry themselves. As a culture, American women were the first true female jetsetters to explore the world and show the world that women thrive with independence. Whether I’m walking through Grand Central, exploring Rhode Island or exploring an exotic new destination abroad, I want to carry on that cultural legacy through my style choices and I’m looking forward to cultivating that expression in 2018.

This pale blue dress from Banana Republic was the perfect coastal-meets-winter frock that reminded me of the early 1950s. My gemstone earrings and camel coat are from J.Crew (my haunt for everything classic). The Prada bag is an old one I’ve had in my wardrobe for years, but you can find a similar version here.