Christie Tyler
“I’ve lived in New York City for two years now, having moved from a pretty suburban town. I always felt sort of different and like the odd one out there. In NYC, there’s none of that. You can wear whatever you want without people judging or looking twice at you. Walking down the street is so empowering, because you have all of these other people surrounding you, on a mission, working towards something. The best part is that I’ve found people who share the same passions as I have. It’s a city so full of diversity and passion. Of course, the amazing restaurants and cozy spots make my heart sing just as much.”
“I first started blogging and posting my photographs with the intention of nobody else seeing it all. Of course, that didn’t happen, and I kind of just went with it when people started asking me for styling advice. I never knew that fashion blogging was a thing, or that I could even be involved in it, since this was four years ago. I absolutely loved talking to people and sharing my passions with others and connecting in that way. It honestly sort of grew from there—I started collaborating with companies and traveling a bit more, and now it has grown to be my love.”
“I’ve always been a shy and extremely introverted person, but I’ve learned that I’m actually much stronger than I once thought. I think all of us introverts should learn this about ourselves, especially since we might see ourselves as being weak or anxious. Being involved in fashion, I had to do a lot of things on my own. This year I went to Fashion Week totally by myself. My heart was pounding and I was so nervous walking up to each event, but I did it. That then led me to go to L.A. by myself—something I never thought I’d be able to do. All of these little things add up. Every time you push a boundary or do something that makes you scared, you are growing and learning. I’ve done a lot of that recently, and I feel like so much of a stronger person because of it.”
Christie wears Re/Done jeans and Protagonist top.
“I think of myself as an old soul because I just love old things. Old photographs, old movies, old cars. I feel as if I was meant to be born in another decade, which I know a lot of people can relate to. I also feel like an old soul because I’ve had to grow up and mature really fast.”
Christie wears Re/Done jeans and Protagonist top.
“I don’t think anyone really knows that I’m still in college and studying, because it seems like I’m living this wild fashion blogging life. I started my blog in high school when I was very young. I moved to NYC and was kind of thrown into this crazy, hustle world. That’s made me grow up and mature in ways I didn’t even think I could, and it was hard.”
Christie wears Re/Done jeans and Protagonist top.
“I set pressures on myself, because I feel like I should be doing things that people five years older than me are doing. I think all old souls out there can agree that sometimes we are too hard on ourselves and we need to realise that we are still young. I am so appreciative, though, of this city and how it has made me grow and learn.”
“Doing what you love is key. Money and material possessions will mean nothing if you’re unfulfilled creativity-wise, love-wise. You need to pour your heart and soul into what you are passionate about, because if that’s what you want to do for the rest of your life, you need to do it. It will be the only thing that will truly make you happy.”
Christie wears Re/Done jeans, Protagonist top, and Lack of Color hat.
On her style icons:
“I really admire Alexa Chung, Camille Rowe, and the Olsen twins. They all have this effortlessness about them—a mix of Europe meets New York City—that will always be such an inspiration to me.”
Christie wears Re/Done jeans and Protagonist top.
“I love women who are unique and different, style-wise. I loved Twiggy when I was younger (when I didn’t even know what fashion was), and will always hold her close to my heart. Of course, I love iconic girls, like Jane Birkin, Caroline de Maigret, and Brigitte Bardot. There is something so classy yet so personal about all of them.”
Christie wears Re/Done jeans, Protagonist top, and By Far shoes.
“My skin is constantly changing. At first it used to be more on the oily side, then dry, then in the middle, but now I’d like to say I’ve found a routine that has made it pretty normal. I feel like I’ve tried every beauty product in the book, so I am so happy to have a solid skincare routine. Every morning and night I cleanse with the Aesop Parsley Seed Facial Cleanser, which literally transforms the texture of my skin to baby-like softness. After cleansing in the morning, I moisturize, usually with an Aesop face cream, and use the Kiehl’s avocado under-eye cream to get rid of any sleepiness. At night, I’ll tone using the Context Hydrating Toner, take off any excess makeup with Bioderma or baby oil, and use a face oil. On extra luxurious nights, I use the Rodin face oil. For breakout nights, I use Glossier’s Super Pure. Then eye cream again, and I’ll use the Aesop Control treatment on any zits.”
On bouncing back from a skincare slump:
“Of course, getting new products is always a fun idea, but when my wallet doesn’t agree with that, I’ll try going back to basics. That means cleansing my cabinet of any products I don’t use, and honing in on the ones I feel work best for my skin.”
“I love unwinding, when my to-dos are done for the day, with a face mask and a pepperoni pizza. I am happiest with my boyfriend on a Saturday, when we can go out and have a yummy breakfast and walk around Soho exploring. It’s so nice to unwind like that and feel like you have the whole city at your fingertips.”
“I used to get really angry when people were mean for no reason at all. You know, like the grocery guy who has an attitude with you, even though you’ve done nothing to upset him. I’ve realised that everyone has their own things, their own lives, their own issues. Yes, they might take it out on you, especially online, but that doesn’t mean you should judge them for doing so. When situations like that occur, it used to put me in a bad mood. Now I’ve realised I need to just let things go. Sometimes it’s just a bad day, not a bad life.”
“It’s so important, living in NYC where everything is so busy and bustling and crowded, that you are able to go home after a long day and feel refreshed and comforted inside your space. I recently redid my living room because before it was a space where I felt uninspired. Now, it’s where I like to spend most of my time. I love curling up on my couch with a face mask on and a candle lit in the corner. It gives me that feeling of ‘hygge’ that I’ve wanted for so long with my space.”
Christie wears By Jéan dress.
“I love how the internet is boundless with creativity and inspiration, and how you can make friends with people you wouldn’t normally be friends with. I love connecting with others and sharing the same passions, and being able to have so many wonderful conversations. Of course, with everyone being on social media, it can be hard to not compare yourself to others. It’s very important to only follow people who inspire you, rather than those who make you feel less than, and to disconnect from time to time.”
“I wish I was more focused on diet and exercise. I just feel like I’m still in that college, live-it-up-and-eat-whatever-you-want phase. I really hope that in the next couple of years I can make it a priority to join a yoga studio and to only eat junk on the weekends. Right now, I do try to watch my eating habits, but I definitely don’t shy away from having dessert or eating more cheese than one probably should. I do try to have green smoothies, and I’m always drinking tons of water, which I’d like to think is a start. Hopefully.”
Christie wears By Jéan dress and Ganni shoes.
On her favourite places to travel to:
“I wish I had done more traveling so I could say anywhere in Europe, but the only European spot I’ve been to is Paris. I truly hope I can venture to Italy, Amsterdam, and the South of France soon. Paris is one of my favorites because I just feel like I almost lived there in a past life or something. I connect with the atmosphere so much. The cafés, the beautiful, kind people, the architecture—there’s so much to explore and to appreciate. They have a certain lifestyle that I feel cannot be mimicked anywhere else.”
Christie wears By Jéan dress and Ganni shoes.
“I’ve recently started paying more attention to my hair, since it’s become very long. I haven’t had a traditional haircut 2 years. I know—what kind of beauty person am I? These are the things I do, though, to keep my hair as healthy as possible:
1. Drink water
2. Trim ends every so often
3. Towel dry, never blow dry
4. Don’t use heat products
5. Use a deep conditioner
6. Moisturise ends with Ouai hair oil”
Christie wears By Jéan dress and & Other Stories hoops.
“My makeup routine has been the same for the past two years, which might sound boring, but I love when I find a routine that just works. It makes me feel confident and like no one could recreate my look (which definitely isn’t true, but it’s what I tell myself. I’m about to spill the beans right now, anyway).”
Christie wears By Jéan dress and & Other Stories hoops.
“After moisturizing, I use the Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer under my eyes and on any red spots. Then it’s all about Giorgio Armani’s Luminous Silk Foundation. Once I’d tried it, I knew I would never go back to another foundation. Then I set with powder—usually Chanel’s Le Teint—and bronze with Nars’ Laguna bronzer on my cheekbones and forehead. For brows, I use Glossier’s Boy Brow—nothing else. If I want to feel more awake, I’ll use a soft brown eyeliner on my upper lash line with some matching eyeshadow from an Urban Decay palette I’ve had for years. Finally, a bit of YSL mascara and Giorgio Armani lipstick in the shade Sheers. For a night out, I’ll do black eyeliner or red lipstick.”
On her going out look:
“I’ll either do a dark eye with Armani’s Eyes To Kill Proliner in Black, or a red lip with Chanel’s Rouge Allure Velvet in La Fascinante. I love a slinky dress— either a slip dress or a bold mini dress—or, if I’m really trying to impress, I love going down the masculine route. Cue trousers and a blazer with nothing underneath.”
Christie wears By Jéan dress and & Other Stories hoops.
On who she’d like to hit up the club with:
“The Arctic Monkeys, but only during the phase when Alex Turner and Alexa Chung were together, so I could party with both of them.”
On where she would take a NYC first-timer:
“If I really had to narrow it down, I would do a delicious Italian dinner at La Pecora Bianca, drinks at The Ludlow, more drinks at The Public Hotel, shopping in Soho at places like The Line and Reformation, and dancing at this place underneath a fast Mexican restaurant. The restaurant underneath is called La Esquina, and a waiter there told me that Beyoncé and Jay Z once had dinner there. If it’s good enough for Beyoncé, it’s good enough for all. They have an amazing bar and late night dancing.”
Christie wears By Jéan dress, Ganni shoes, and & Other Stories hoops.
“My go-to fragrance is Santal 33 by Le Labo, which I know is so typical. I just absolutely love it. It has that distinct scent that sort of just becomes ‘you’ after you’ve worn it for a while. My boyfriend got me Wild Bluebell by Jo Malone London for my birthday, and that’s just such a beautiful memory, because every time I wear it I think of us at The Ludlow, cozying up with room service on my birthday with no care in the world.”
“I think we need to take it back to basics in the way of just being genuinely nice to each other and having manners. Maybe I’m a grandma, but I feel like everyone is late nowadays, especially on the fashion scene. I really wish we could take it back to the time when punctuality was appreciated. I’m always the person waiting around because I’m five minutes early to everything, but I do understand that things come up—especially in a city where the subway is completely unreliable. I also think we need to just appreciate each other more, hold the door for strangers, smile when someone walks into an elevator, put our phones away for a little bit. Maybe it’s because I live in New York, but sometimes I feel like little, happy things like these are gone.”
Although you might not glean it from her eminent online presence, Christie Tyler is a self-proclaimed introvert. She’s in good company, too—Albert Einstein, Emma Stone, Audrey Hepburn, and Mahatma Gandhi all identify as the extrovert’s more considered, reticent counterpart.
When you dig a little deeper, it starts to make sense—the empathetic founder of NYC Bambi would like to see a return to values from eras past, such as respecting punctuality, appreciating one another, being genuinely kind to the people we encounter on a daily basis, and keeping respect, decency in the forefront of our minds. Basically, she’s every grandmother’s dream come true.
Despite her introversion (and perhaps owing to it), she’s managed to build a mini empire off the back of what originally started as her personal online scrapbook about four years ago. Today Christie documents her luxe life to a dedicated following and acts as an outlet for her to dip her toes into art, fashion, travel, and interiors. Our lives are all the richer for it, thanks to an overflowing stream of outfit inspo boards, artist profiles, emotive photography, and thoughtful entries. As a whole, her blog is an invaluable lesson in timeless modernity.
Christie’s instagram profile was born from the side of the Internet she adores: the one that is “boundless with creativity and inspiration,” but her Instagram really tests our resilience against the side she’s less fond of: the one that encourages you to “compare yourself to others.” We’re only human, after all.
Christie is New York’s answer to Paris’ Jeanne Damas. She’s our “old soul” soul mate. Since moving from the suburbs to NYC, she’s learned countless lessons in resilience and self-love, sniffed out the best places to eat, shop, and drink, and has fallen for and internalised the city’s empowering energy. She’s also been around the beauty block (approx. 265 times). Once you’re done marvelling at Shelby Rodriguez’s masterful photography and Christie’s effortless ease in front of the lens from the confines of her beautiful apartment, you should take the time to drink in everything this bright young woman has to say. You’ll be glad you did.
Words, Madeleine Woon. Photography, Shelby Rodriguez…
