Alyssa Longbucco has a great sense of style and is a personable lady. She can pull off trendy looks while remaining relaxed. Her writing on her blog The Glossy Life–where she chronicles her life and talks style, beauty, food, and the twenty-something life–showcases this vibe, making you wish you could hang out together at a cool NYC coffee shop on a crisp, fall Saturday afternoon. During the working week, however, you’ll find her at the SELF Magazine offices as an editorial associate.
Where do you live?
Astoria, Queens. It’s like this perfect little neighborhood in New York City that is a great mix of young twenty-somethings and charming old Italian and Greek folks–I love it. The food scene there is incredible, and I like to spend weekends in Manhattan. I’m big on exploring different neighborhoods–right now my girlfriends and I have a beer crawl tradition where we do a crawl on a Saturday in a different neighborhood each month.
What will you do?
I am a writer and an editor for a women’s publication. It’s a dream come true for me. And I spend my free time (and not-so-free time) blogging at The Glossy Life (glossymusings.com), which I love.
What is your hairstyle?
My hair is a pretty experimental thing. I’ve gone through my fair share of colors, lengths and styles–I even tried bangs once!
What is your usual hair care routine?
My hair routine varies depending on the day/what I have planned–I’ll either have a “curly day” which consists of me showering and putting a bit of product in, or I’ll blow it out quick and use my Jose Eber curling wand to add in some relaxed waves. I spend no more than 30 mins on either side. More than that would mean I’d need to wake up early. I don’t want to do that!
Tell us about your stylist & salon. How did you discover them?
When I lived at my parents’ house, I became very attached to my hairstylist (I had gone to him for 9+ years!))–any curly girl can tell you that when you find a stylist who cuts curly hair good, you keep them around forever. So I was nervous coming to NYC–it was almost like there were SO many options, I didn’t know where to start. Luckily, I have a lot of very stylish and well-maned girls that I work with, so one suggested I try out her guy, Aaron, from Prive Soho–I love him. I’m lucky I didn’t have to do the whole NYC trial-and-error thing….it’s a bit pricey, but as someone who only gets a trim two or three times a year (and no consistent color), I don’t mind.
We appreciate all your suggestions and hair tutorials! Where do you find the inspiration? Do you experiment with different styles and products frequently?
I love experimenting! My motto is always “it grows back”…or it can be dyed back, I guess! I get inspiration from street-style shots, other blogs and magazine spreads, mainly–and I get to play with a lot of beauty products at work, so that’s always fun. I tend to bring home products and used them only a few times before I’m on to the next thing–my roommates really reap the benefits of this, they love it!
You wrote recently about your experiences as a curly-haired woman. Many with curly hair try to work against it. How did your hair curl become more accepting?
Honestly, I tried to work against it for so long that eventually it got exhausting and I just gave up! At the end of the day, everyone wants what they can’t have–every friend with straight hair that I envied, actually envied me, so I just made peace with my hair. Do I ever hate my hair? Heck yes–especially in summer’s insane humidity! It’s mostly good now.
What’s the one thing you’ve always wanted to try with your hair but been too scared to attempt?
Hm, let’s see–probably a pixie cut! Although I would love to be able to do it like Emma Watson, I simply don’t possess the bone structure!
What is your hair horror? (We all have one…)
Oh god…OK, this is an embarrassment: the night before my high school graduation, I thought it was a great idea to let a friend dye my hair black with red highlights–I have no clue what I was thinking. My parents came home to us in the kitchen going to work and freaked out–I think my mom shampooed my hair ten times with dish soap that night (ladies: here’s a tip–washing with Dawn will strip recently deposited color from your hair! It’s probably bad for the hair, but in an emergency it can be useful. It’s very noticeably dark in my graduation pictures–now I laugh every time I look at them.
Any hair idols?
Oh, definitely. I envy the crap out of Allison Williams (for many reasons, but her hair is #1), I love the way any style looks amazing on Emma Stone, I modeled my own “lob” (ahem…long bob, apparently) after Oli Palermo’s and Julia of Gal Meets Glam has the best blogger hair out there.
What would you say about your overall style?
Fun, classic with a twist and a little unexpected–I like having a good time with my clothes!
What are your sources of style inspiration?
Blogs, blogs, blogs! I love seeing how bloggers wear pieces–some of it is aspirational (I’m never going to get to buy myself a Valentino dress anytime soon), but a lot of it is relatable. The girls who wear the items I have bought or wished to buy inspire me to be more creative with my closet.
It is always glamorous to work in magazines. Tell us–is the office really as stylish as we’re led to believe?
I get asked this question so much! I have to say, some assumptions about the magazine industry are true, and some really aren’t. All the girls I work with are super stylish, but because I’m not at a fashion-exclusive magazine, it’s definitely not at the level of say, Vogue. People are also more helpful and nicer than you think. All the women I work with are incredibly smart and creative–it’s inspirational!
What’s your typical work outfit? What can we find you in on the weekends?
I’m lucky that my office is a very creative space, so pretty much anything goes (within reason–I wouldn’t wear what I wear to a bar to work, obviously!). My typical workday might include a tailored pair ankle pants, a slouchy shirt, statement necklace and leather coat (full disclosure, that’s the outfit I’m wearing right now). Dresses are also my go-to for work because they’re so simple. Weekend days are all about comfort and low-key style. My go-to AG skinny jeans are always in rotation with ankle booties, a small men’s shirt and a pair of ankle boots.
NYC is known as a city that lives on the go. Does that play a role in your daily style choices?
100 percent. I walk practically everywhere, including part of the way to work, so comfortable shoes are a must–I don’t even attempt to wear heels, because it’s just impractical for me. Past that, I always have ways to layer up or down–whether that’s a chunky knit in case the office is cold or a trench in case it starts to rain on my way home. Always be ready!
The person whose hair I’d love to have for a week would be…Amanda Seyfried. Her hair is perfect and she’s so so gorgeous–plus, I’d want to know what it’s like to be a blonde! Girl crush rant over.
The person whose closet I’d love to raid is…Blake Lively and Kate Bosworth. Miranda Kerr. Actually, let’s just combine all of them–I’d have the best wardrobe e-v-e-r.
I spend way too much money on/at…Crate and Barrell. This isn’t at all fashion related, but I’m obsessed with home décor and design. I was decorating my apartment this summer and I think I went to Crate and Barrel at least once I week–I can waste hours in there. It’s like a black hole.
My purse is never complete without…My iPod and EOS lip balm. I also have a pair Ray Ban sunglasses.
My secret beauty weapon is…Vitamin E! It’s everywhere. A good mascara (I use Eyeko) and a perfume that you like (I wear Flowerbomb from Viktor and Rolf), can instantly change your mood.
My perfect Saturday is…The day would start with a yoga class with friends. Next, brunch with the group and then a shopping trip in Manhattan or to a farmers market. Chobani’s peanut butter and jam yogurt in Soho would be my afternoon snack, followed by a stroll through Central Park for a cookie at Levain Bakery. Then I’d head home for a quick nap, followed by dinner and drinks outdoors at one of my favorite wine bars in Astoria, Sweet Afton.
This day has at least 28-hours (to include everything) and is a perfect 72 degrees.
My favorite place in the world is…This is really hard. Florence, Italy is my answer. I lived there for six months during college and I always wish for that time back. Also, my house in Connecticut where I grew up–every day, but especially on December 13th, where it’s filled with friends and family for our annual Christmas party. On any given weekend I can have a lot of people in my apartment laughing and chatting. There’s no better.
The best advice I’ve received is…
Never compare yourself to anyone else’s outsides. My mom always said this to me, and it really resonated–like most women, I’m my own worst critic, but it’s important to remember you always know how “bad” things are in your own life–and you have no idea what the people you’re comparing yourself to are really going through. Another thing I heard a lot from my Dad growing up was “Work hard and be nice–that’s all.” I think it’s simple but perfect–everything falls into place.
I dream of…I ate and photographed my way around the globe for an entire year.
