The Fine Print

corals + cognacs works with third-party affiliates and advertising companies to serve advertisers. These companies may use aggregated information (not including your name, address, email or telephone) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about products and services that may be of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.

In addition, sometimes I'll share affiliate links of retailers that I personally support via Twitter or Facebook. If you click through an affiliate link when buying an item, I will be partially compensated for your purchase. You're under no obligation to click through via one of the links when shopping online, but, if you do, you'll be supporting my blog as well.

You, my readers, and overall editorial integrity are the two most important aspects of corals + cognacs. Know that I will always retain 100% control over the content on corals + cognacs, all opinions are that of my own, and that I will always disclose to you the items for which I have been paid and/or gifted.

Lastly, please note that the sentiments expressed on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent those of my employer. If you have any questions, I encourage you to contact me. Thanks again for reading corals + cognacs!

Hi, nice to meet you.

I'm Hallie, a Midwest native, New York City transplant and the mind behind corals + cognacs. If you're looking for an online destination for stylish inspiration and musings on Manhattan living, you've come to the right place.

Here's a bit more about me (and if you'd like to keep in touch, you can find me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook).

I hope you enjoy reading corals + cognacs as much as I enjoy writing it.

FAQ // LOCATION: New York, New York • BY WAY OF: The Midwest (Cleveland/Chicago) • HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE? Attainable, trendy and fun. I’m constantly wearing unexpected pairings – like statement pumps and a graphic tee. • FAVORITE ITEM IN YOUR CLOSET? The vintage Gucci clutch I thrifted for $40. • ANY OBSESSIONS? I like my coffee black, my heels high and my martinis dirty. • GUILTY PLEASURES? Complex carbohydrates and shoe shopping -- both in excess. (And SoulCycle, as a result.)

ARE YOU A FULL-TIME BLOGGER? No, I work as a Development Manager and Contributing Editor at Glam.com. • WHY DID YOU START YOUR BLOG? I've spent nearly seven years on the corporate grind, where sartorial humor and an expertly crafted color-block can get lost in the boardroom. As a result, I decided to create a blog -- a space where I’d hoped my writing, styling and excessive shoe collection would be better comprehended. • WHAT’S IT ABOUT? Living stylish and spontaneously in New York City – and beyond. I aim to inspire others to have fun with fashion and to live lightheartedly • HOW’D YOU THINK OF THE NAME? To be honest, the name just came to me. I’m a big color-blocker and a sucker for alliteration in writing. It just fit. • WHAT’S THE CORRECT WAY TO WRITE IT? corals + cognacs.

HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE IT? corals and cone-yaks. • WHAT KIND OF CAMERA DO YOU USE? A Canon T3i with a 50mm f/1.4 lens. • DON’T YOU FEEL WEIRD TAKING PHOTOS OF YOURSELF? Absolutely. Everyone looks at me like I’m insane – especially when it’s cold. Wouldn’t you? • DO YOU WORK WITH ADVERTISERS/SPONSORS? Yep! Shoot me an e-mail and let’s talk. • HOW ELSE CAN WE KEEP IN TOUCH? On Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Lace & Leather

November 4, 2023

In some instances, black and white is anything but basic.

Continue reading →

Layered in Leather

October 2, 2023

Leather, you guys. For FALL. No sh-, right? Hear me out…

Continue reading →

Stacks

August 26, 2023

My t-shirt stack has been in heavy rotation as of late, and this one from Markus Lupfer is no exception.

jcrew no 2, #2, j. crew

Continue reading →

The In-Between Season

May 6, 2024

Has your weather been as unpredictable this spring as ours has here in New York?

Continue reading →

(Faux) Leather Leggings

December 13, 2023

I’m on a leather kick, and it doesn’t stop at textured blazers and bags.

I wore these slightly stretchy, slim-fit imitation leather leggings on my last trip to New York, while Jessica and I were out and about on a random Saturday. (… Almost everything else I have on is Jess’s, ha!) They’ve been in constant rotation in my closet — they’re comfortable, on-trend and easy to take from day-to-night. Or in our case, coffee table to bar stool.

There were a few lingering signs of fall foliage left, so Jess and I decided to make it a walk-everywhere kind of day.

*Wearing: H&M faux leather leggings, Ann Taylor snakeskin sling-backs, Tory Burch sunnies, Jessica’s oxblood blouse, Sequin neckace and JustFab tote (see how she styled them here and here)

On another note, a few of you have been asking about my ombre highlights. I recently got them done at Sine Qua Non in Chicago. I can’t recommend them enough — modern, stylishly-clad and affordable. Check ’em out if you’re looking for a new salon!