Alyssa Longbucco is one of those stylish ladies that pulls off cool trends while being totally relaxed and personable. 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 work week, though, you can find her in the SELF magazine offices, where she’s an editorial assistant.We learned more about Alyssa’s style, curly hair acceptance, and her perfect Saturday in the city.

Where do you live and play? 

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. I also choose to “play” there (the food scene is unreal) or in Manhattan on the weekends. 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 do you do? 

I’m a writer and editor at a women’s magazine. I kind of have a total nerd moment every time I get to say that, because it really is a dream-come-true career for me! And I spend my free time (and not-so-free time) blogging at The Glossy Life (glossymusings.com), which I love.

How would you describe your style when it comes to hair? 

I’d say I’m pretty adventurous when it comes to my hair. I’ve gone through my fair share of colors, lengths and styles–I even tried bangs once!

What’s your typical hair routine like? 

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. Either way, it takes me 30 minutes max. Any more than that and I’d have to get up really early, which I’m definitely not willing to do!

Tell us about your stylist & salon. How did you find them? 

I was super attached to my hairstylist when I lived at home with my parents (I had been going 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 love all of your hair tutorials and suggestions! Where do you find the inspiration? Do you like to experiment with new styles and products often?

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 recently wrote about life as a curly-haired girl. Many with curly hair try to work against it. How did you learn to accept the curl and not fight it?

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. Are there days that I hate it? Heck yes–especially in summer’s insane humidity! But for the most part it’s all 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! I just don’t have the bone structure to pull one off a la Emma Watson, but I wish I did!

What’s your hair horror story? (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! Probably really bad for your strands, but it works in a 911 situation). 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 Olivia Palermo’s and Julia of Gal Meets Glam has the best blogger hair out there.

How would you describe your overall style? 

Fun, classic with a twist and a little unexpected–I like having a good time with my clothes!

Where do you find 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. Seeing girls wear items I own or have wanted to buy helps me be more adventurous with my own closet.

Working in magazines always has a reputation for being glamorous. Tell us–is the office really as stylish as we’re led to believe?

People ask me this so often! 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. Also people are much nicer and more willing to help you out than you’re probably led to believe. All the women I work with are incredibly smart and creative–it’s inspirational!

What’s a typical go-to work outfit for you? 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!). A typical day may find me in a tailored pair of ankle pants, a slouchy tee, statement necklace and leather jacket (full disclosure: that’s what I’m wearing today). I also rely heavily on dresses for the office because they’re just so easy. Weekend days are all about comfort and low-key style. Right now, I’m constantly rotating my go-to pair of AG skinny jeans, ankle booties and a small men’s flannel.

NYC is known for its on-the-go lifestyle. 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 prepared!

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! End girl crush rant.

The person whose closet I’d love to raid is…Olivia Palermo, Julianne Hough, Alexa Chung, Blake Lively, Kate Bosworth and 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 Barrel. 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 a black hole.

My purse is never complete without…My iPod, EOS lip balm, a pair of Ray Ban sunnies and my subway pass.

My secret beauty weapon is…Vitamin E! I use it everywhere. Also, a good mascara (I love Eyeko’s) and the right perfume (I wear Flowerbomb by Viktor and Rolf) can transform how you feel instantly.

My perfect Saturday is…It’d start with yoga with friends, followed by brunch and a trip to the farmers market or shopping in Manhattan. There’d be an afternoon snack stop at Chobani in Soho for their peanut butter and jelly yogurt, then a walk through Central Park to get a cookie from 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.

FYI: this day is at least 28 hours long (to fit this all in) and a perfect 72 degrees.

My favorite place in the world is…Gosh, this is so hard. I’d have to say Florence, Italy. 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. Or my apartment, on any given weekend, when there are tons of friends crowded in and laughter spilling out. There’s nothing better.

The best advice I’ve received is…
“Never compare your insides to someone’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…Eating and photographing my way around the world for a year.