B SOUP loves: Meredith & Gwyneth the New Yorkies

Where my Southern Belles and NYC babes at? Hollaaaa, you two exquisite breeds of women are especially going to love this chic Carolina girl turned City slicker- and her little dog too.

I briefly introduced Meredith when she first started her blog almost a year ago, but it is time to revisit and give y'all the opportunity to check out all of the fabulousness her site has accrued. I've known Meredith for quite a few years now and her talents never cease to amaze me. She cooks Food Network worthy meals, DIY's like nobodies business (she MADE this embellished feather dress!),

has her black belt in shopping (we initially bonded over her wardbrobe), & her love for eclectic colorful decor along with her mother's inherited good taste landed her NYC apartment a Top 5 spot in Apartment Therapy's Small Cool 2012 Contest. I mean...she's got a pink front door, people!

She's an avid Pinner like myself, except unlike yours truly, she follows through and executes virtually every recipe, idea, and ensemble she gets from the site. She & Gwyneth, her perfectly put together Yorkie who assists in all DIY's and lends her opinion in all outfit choices, were kind enough to answer a few questions for us so that you can get to know them a little better. Meet: Meredith & the Gwyneth New Yorkies.
Name: Meredith Krull
Hometown: Raleigh, NC
Cuurent City: NY, NY
The name of your blog is genius! It fits perfectly. Was it an easy first choice? What inspired you to start a blog?
One of our girlfriends from my old job in North Carolina, Whitney, encouraged me to start blogging and suggested the name. We sat next to each other at work, and we werealways talking about interior decorating and great finds for the home. When Gwynethand I moved to NYC, we exchanged countless emails with Whitney as we started working on our new apartment. She’s the author of one of our favorite blogs,The Pink Elephant, and one day she told us we needed to start a blog of our own and name it Meredith & Gwyneth, the New Yorkie.




What all can we find on MK & the New Yorkie?
We’re telling ourstory of how we make NYC feel like home. It’s a story of personal style and combines decorating & DIY-ing with great finds in and for the closet. (We sprinkle in the nutritious and delicious recipes we’re loving too.) For us, the two go hand-in-hand because our approach to decorating and getting dressed is the same: Only use what you love, pile on the accessories, never fear color orpattern, and mix them liberally! We’re sure there’s a minimalist or two that’s had a seizure on our blog, but it’s our personal style; it’s who we are, and it’s what makes NYC feel like home.

Would you say your style favors classiclooks or new trends?
I’d say our style favors classic silhouettes with updated patterns and colors and an unconventional approach to mixing them.

Do you find yourself shopping moreoften in-store or online? Any particular reason?

Most often we’re  our closet! We never part with pieces we love and wear these “oldies but goodies” over and over again, finding ways to make them feel like new. Wedefinitely supplement existing inventory, though – only adding to the storage challenges that come with living in 470 square feet! If we’re looking for something specific,we’ll shop online to save time. If we need a little inspiration, I’ll head outto the stores and review purchases with Gwyneth when I get back home.

Are you freaking over these DvF trousers & sequin J. Crew skirt??

 What are your absolute favorite stores and labels?

If someone told me I could trade every piece in my closet for a Diane von Furstenberg dress, I would make that deal every day and twice on Sunday. There are a lot of places to find her pieces, especially in NYC, but I prefer to buy my DvFs from my girlfriends over at Raleigh, NC boutique, Gena Chandler. I’ll always choose to supportfriends’ businesses first! Plus, Gena and Chandler understand my style let me know when there’s a new piece that needs a good home in my closet. They alsocarry my other favorite labels – Alice + Olivia, Tibi, J. Brand, Missoni andMarchesa Notte. J. Crew and Anthropologie are my go-to stores for the basics. Lulumon and Icebreaker fitness gear help me fit into all my oldies but goodies.

If you could inherit anyone's wardrobe, whose would you choose?
Olivia Palermo. When it comes to getting dressed, the girl can do no wrong.

Behind clothing and accessorieswhat's your next biggest beauty investment- Makeup, Hair, or Skin Care?
My hair. I resisted for a long time, but I’m a Kerastase convert. I use their Bain Satin 1 Shampoo and Lait Vital Conditioner every other day and Nutritive Masquintense once a week. I’m also a big fan of Moroccan Oil leave-in treatment and use it on days I wash my hair. My T3 Featherweight Luxe Hair dryer was an investment I wish I had made a lot earlier. It cuts my drying time significantly and leaves my hair sosmooth that I haven’t touched my straightening iron since I started using it. Luke, my stylist, is also a line item in the budget that I try not to think about too hard. But when you find someone who defines “just a trim” the same way you doand whose salon is a block away from Magnolia Bakery, you make it work.

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If you styled yourself for a magazine cover, what would you wear?
I’d pull the trigger on this Sass & Bide dress I’ve had my eye on and ask Barney’s and Tiffany’s very nicely if I could borrow some of their jewels. Gwyneth would go along withwearing a flower pin on her collar for the special occasion.

Favorite Quote:
“The happiest peopledon’t have the best of everything. They make the best of everything they have.”- Unknown
 This quote is the story of our lives in NYC. Today, it feels like home, and Gwyneth and I loveour lives up here. But it didn’t start out that way. In May 2011, (only three months in), we missed the life we’d made in North Carolina so badly that I quit my job, packed up the entire apartment and made plans to move back home. Oneday we decided to give NYC another shot. Having quit my job, I had some time onmy hands and decided to unpack. Having no income, we learned to work with whatwe had (and what we found in the dumpster on West 30th Street). We spentthe rest of the summer of 2011 moving furniture, painting the walls, purgingthe closet and making our 470 square feet the happiest place we could. And inthe process, we realized how much we had to be thankful for, including a new appreciation for our lives in NYC.

These are Meredith's current favorites for Summer '12, check it:

1. Diane von Furstenberg Mini Stephanie Bag 2. Cameo Nouveau Gold Sailor Knot Bracelet 3. Diane von Furstenberg Tamika Dress 4. Anthropologie Dear Marlene Bikini 5. J. Crew Sequin Skirt 6. OPI Feelin’ Hot-Hot-Hot Nail Enamel 7. Haute Hippie Vest 8. Essie Jazz Nail Enamel 9. Balenciaga Classic First Tote 10. O’Neil Chevron Bikini 11.Topshop Beaded Dip Dye Shorts 12. Tibi GenevaTank & Shorts 13. Messeca Carlie Wedges 14. Elizabeth Cole XO Earrings 15. Tory Burch Tweed Dress 16. Butter London Slapper Nail Enamel 17. Timpi Cropped Sequin Teefrom Alice & Olivia 18. Bauble Bar Sky Rope Cuff 19. Tibi Jacquard Skirt 20. Elizabeth Cole Chandelier Earrings 21. DvF Leaves Pants 22. Mara Hoffman Printed Cropped Tank 23. Sally Hansen Turquoise Chrome Nail Pen 24. J Brand Wax Coated Gold Jeans 25. Kate Spade Kennedy Purse 26. Anthropologie Madison Shorts 27. Kendra Scott Kavita Turquoise Earrings
Follow Meredith & Gwyneth through their NYC adventures, watch their apartment transformations,

with Jenny of I SPY DIY, Eclectic Plate wall in her kitchen

and of course marvel at her unreal Do It Yourself tutorials. I still can't get over this recent dress.

You can find MK & Gwynnie on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, & Instagram

 Here's a blast from the past, Meredith & I on the beach in 2008 on my wedding weekend!

Y'all are going to love her, promise!