Dressy

September 29, 2017

5 THINGS I DO TO BE A HAPPIER PERSON

FLORAL DRESS (I’m wearing a Small) || DISTRESSED DENIM JACKET (I’m wearing a size 2, sold out but I found an almost identical one here, and completely obsessed with the pearl detailing on this one) || HEELS (similar) || SIMILAR SUNGLASSES (also love this pair) || TORY BURCH PURSE || SIMILAR CHOKER

We have so many happy, fun, care free moments. We also have lots of crazy, stressful, “I’m going to lose my mind” moments. I have a career that I never thought I would have that I couldn’t love more. I get to be a stay at home mom to my boys, and I get to still be creative and passionate, and express my feminine side on this online space to my hearts’ content. I have been uplifted and inspired by so many women and readers in this online space! It’s the perfect way to balance out the very unbalanced boy to girl ratio in my house! But in total honesty, I am so happy and so content with where I am at in my life right now.

BUT…that doesn’t mean that I am always good at honing in on that happiness. There have been too many times in my life recently where I have been discouraged. I need to work daily at being happy and at peace with where I am at in my life, and I think we can all benefit from allowing ourselves to be happy with our current circumstances too. So here is my little happiness list. A few things that I’m going to work on more the rest of this year to help me keep my head in a state of happiness, regardless of the circumstances around me.

If I want something to be special, I need to first create this “special” atmosphere. A birthday, an anniversary, or other important milestones in life aren’t going to feel special unless I put in the effort to make them feel special. It could be as simple as a little birthday bunting on the fireplace and fresh flowers on the table. I’ve been trying to straighten up the house a little more before the boys get home from school recently, and for some reason, just walking into the house with all the boys when it is a little more picked up makes the afternoons feel a bit more special, and less stressful too!

Exercise. This could be a whole post in and of itself, but I have really gotten into a good groove of exercising regularly and it just makes me feel happy! I explained a little about it on my instagram stories the other day, but I work out now more to feel good than to look good. I love listening to podcasts (usually on business, self help, parenting) that are uplifting as well. It clears my head and gives my a mental and physical “umph” for the day!

Take time daily to just be grateful. For me, this means saying a prayer each morning or night listing only the things I’m thankful for. To someone else, it could mean writing down a list, or a 10 minute meditation session where you mentally list off things you are thankful for. Whatever method works for you, I have found that a disposition of gratefulness leads to a feeling of happiness.

Let yourself get mad/frustrated…then get over it. Sometimes it just feel SO good to yell, swear, complain…whatever. The problem for me comes when I let those frustrated feelings take over. I don’t control them, so they start to control me. It causes me to be less patient, and all of a sudden I’m snapping at my kids for dropping crackers on the rug simply because I’m frustrated that our internet is being painfully slow. I need to acknowledge that I am frustrated (usually this means I text Garrett about how annoyed I am…poor guy), but then I just need to move forward. I can’t allow those feelings to trickle into how I treat others or my productivity level.

Take time to look back instead of looking forward so often. I am constantly thinking about the future. That distant future when we can afford a bigger house, when I can be more patient, etc, etc. It is mentally exhausting, and while sometimes it is motivating, most times it is discouraging. I want to spend more time looking back on my accomplishments of the past few months and see how far I have come. Maybe I landed an awesome job with a great brand, or I took time to take one of the boys on a one on one date. This will be satisfying and leave me feeling happy rather than discouraged.

I hope some of these ideas will help jump start you guys too! I’m always looking for small ways to work on being happy and in the moment. I would love any other suggestions you have! Feel free to leave them in the comments below.

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Dressy

September 21, 2017

NYFW LOOK 6: THE CLASSIC COLOR COMBO FOR FALL THAT WILL NEVER GO OUT OF STYLE

WHITE TOP (wearing a small, low in stock- similar top here) || BLACK SKIRT (wearing an XS) || WRAP BELT || BLACK BOOTIES || BLACK SHOULDER BAG || GLASSES (only $12! and the perfect size frames) || BLACK RING || GOLD CHOKER || GOLD BALL HINGED BRACELET

Today I’m sharing my last look from NYFW. I don’t know if I could pick a favorite outfit from fashion week, but I feel like this one is the most “me.” I am absolutly obsessed with this color combo, and this belt! I know belts are big for fall, and have been for a while, but I was on the hunt for a thick cognac belt that was super unique, and I found the belt of my dreams here. I love that you can knot it and tie it in a ton of different ways (on the website they have a video that walks you through the different styles). I remember all through high school and college I would steal this thick braided cognac belt my mom got when she was a teenager. I loved it so so much. I feel like I finally found a good one of my own! It’s real leather, so the leather will just get more rich and beautiful over time.

I love the look of a thick cognac belt paired with a pencil skirt and studded booties, but it would also be really cute with a simple button up shirt dress and pumps, or a full skirt and a chambray top. I’m tempted to try it with a pair of super dark skinny jeans, heels, and a simple white button-up top; that would really add to a simple classic look!

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Dressy

September 20, 2017

NYFW LOOK 5: BLACK, WHITE, & EMBELLISHED

POM EMBROIDERED TOP (similar style for less here and here) || SIMILAR BLACK PANTS HERE AND HERE || EMBELLISHED SANDALS (similar style for less here) || SHOULDER BAG || SUNGLASSES || BLACK RING || GOLD BALL HINGED BRACELET

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Dressy

September 19, 2017

NYFW LOOK 4: TURQUOISE RUFFLES

TURQUOISE DRESS (I’m wearing a small, fully stocked!) || ROSE GOLD PUMPS (these run small, I ordered 1/2 size up, under $100 and comfortable!) || NUDE SHOULDER BAG || GOLD CHOKER || GOLD BALL HINGED BRACELET

You know how you see a dress online and it looks pretty cute, but you get it and it’s even better in person? That is this dress, 100%. I feel like the images of this dress on the website don’t really do it justice. It’s a dark amazing turquoise color (not as light as the website images show), and it’s one of the most unique dresses I have ever worn.

If you watched my insta stories during fashion week, this was the dress I was stitching up the neckline, and then couldn’t fit over my head 😉 I made a few little edits on this dress, where I stitched up the neckline (that might sound intimidating, but I just did a loose hand stitch; a safety pin would work just fine), simply because it came down a little low in the front for me. And it comes with the same color turquoise slip underneath, but instead I paired it with a nude slip (the same one I wore with this dress last year). Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do when the dress is that good. (you can find a very similar slip to the one I made here)

I shared a hot new color trend for fall in yesterday’s post, and today I wanted to share another one of my favorite fall trends: metallics. I went back and forth over ordering these shoes for fashion week, and I’m so glad I did! They were so comfortable! I walked quite a bit around the city in these heels, and the back of them comes up higher than my other true stilettos, which is what I think made the difference in comfort. I am also really glad I ordered 1/2 size up in these. They fit me perfectly. These heels are under $100, and they are striking in person. They look much more luxurious and expensive than the price tag would suggest. If you are on the hunt for a good metallic accessory that will get a good amount of wear this season and won’t break the bank, these metallic heels are it! As a side note, they come in lots of other really great colors. A good nude, a patent nude, blush, black, etc. These would be a really great nude pump as well!

Side note: As we were shooting these images I was crossing a fairly busy intersection. We would wait for the light to allow us to cross, and then wait for people to walk across, and shoot as quickly as possible before we had to be out of the cross walk. We did this over and over for a few lights to make sure we got just the right shots. At one point a girl walked by and muttered loudly, “you sure do want that shot don’t you!” I just ignored it, but thought “why yes…yes I do.” It’s taken me years to finally feel comfortable shooting while other people are walking by. I used to get so embarrassed back in the days when Garrett took all my pictures. I would be a hot sweaty mess and insist that we wait until everyone was out of sight before shooting. Now I’m not phased. Anything to get a good shot of the movement in a great dress!

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Dressy

September 18, 2017

NYFW LOOK 3: RED HOT

RED POM EMBROIDERED DRESS (SIMILAR UNDER $100 HERE AND HERE) || SANDALS || SHOULDER BAG || SUNGLASSES || LADDER CUFF || GOLD BALL HINGE BRACELET || BLACK RING || GOLD RING || GOLD DROP EARRINGS

Red is the hot color for fall this year. I wore this Kate Spade dress to the Kate Spade preview during fashion week. I am so in love with the pom pom detailing! I have to say, getting to attend the Kate Spade preview this year was quite the dream come true and the highlight of my trip. I have wanted to attend this for years and years! Kate Spade was so kind to invite me this year, and to offer to dress me for the presentation! It was a true Cinderella moment for me, one that I savored every minute of. The presentation was held in an Oyster Bar & Lounge at the bottom of Grand Central station. The whole vibe of the show was a very jazzy, New Orleans feel. An amazing brass band from New Orleans escorted out the models, and it was so cute! The models stood in their spots and danced in place to the music; it was the funnest thing! There were a lot of really beautiful florals and gingham prints in their Spring 2018 collection. Lots of really great embellished mules and low kitten heels as well. There was one white linen ruffled dress that I fell completely in love with. I might need to recreate it.

I have to confess, I haven’t loved wearing red in the past (it’s actually been my least favorite color to wear), but lately I have been learning to embrace this bold color. When I saw how popular it was going to be for fall, I felt myself resist it a little. But I think it’s all about finding the right shade of red for your skin tone. Since I have red undertones in my skin, I prefer to choose “poppy red” because it has a hint of orange in it. I’ve pulled some of my favorite red items for fall below.

CURRENT FAVORITE RED PIECES:

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Dressy

September 15, 2017

NYFW LOOK 2: THE TROUSER TREND

STRIPE SHIRT (wearing a Small) || NAVY TROUSERS (wearing a Small) || SIMILAR SANDALS || SIMILAR SHOULDER BAG

For my second day at NYFW I opted for these great high waisted, wide leg, navy trousers. I was a little outside of my comfort zone with this for fashion week (usually I stick to dresses and skirts), but I love this fall trend! I was so comfortable in them! These ones are from Modcloth, and they are such a find. They were great for packing because the 75% polyester blend in the fabric makes them really wrinkle resistant. These ones were only a hair long, so a sandal with a smaller heel was a perfect pair. This also made for happy feet by the end of the day! I love finding these kind of gems on Modcloth’s website. Their pieces are really unique, and each piece I have ordered from them has been great quality as well.

I thought about pairing these pants with a cropped blouse, but I opted for this more traditional button-up blouse to give it a classic look. I love the thin ticking stripe and the burgundy color of this top. I don’t have anything similar to it in my closet, and I always reach for a good blouse for date nights, so this one will get multiple uses for sure.

This trip to fashion week was a little different than my past trips. Years before I packed a ton into my trip and squeezed everything into about 2 1/2 days. This trip I was a little bit pickier with the shows I attended and put most of my focus in meeting with various firms and brands. So the first two days of this trip were spent in meetings. It’s always fun to get face to face with people! Once you have made that personal connection, I feel like it propels your relationships so much further than when communication is all via email. This look was so great for meetings. I was comfortable, and it was so great with the fall weather New York received that day!

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in partnership with Modcloth | photography by Angie Garcia Photo

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Fashion

September 14, 2017

NYFW LOOK 1: LONG BLACK AND BUTTONED-UP

BLACK DRESS (I’m wearing an XS) || BLACK STUDDED BOOTIES (run TTS) || NUDE SHOULDER BAG || SUNGLASSES || LONG PENDANT NECKLACE || SIMILAR CRESCENT NECKLACE || LADDER CUFF || BLACK RING || GOLD RING

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Beauty

September 13, 2017

TEN ALL-STAR BEAUTY PRODUCTS THAT CARRIED ME THROUGH FASHION WEEK

I’ve been to enough fashion weeks at this point to know how crazy the days can be. It all sounds very glamorous (and in many ways it is), but running from meeting, to show, to lunch, to photoshoot, can leave me (and my makeup) disheveled by the middle of the day. I don’t always have time to run to my hotel room for a refresh, and if I do head back for a change I usually don’t have much time. So this year I wanted to share 10 beauty products I took with me that are my tried and true heavy hitters. These products are ones that I applied early in the morning and didn’t need to reapply multiple times throughout the day. They kept my look in place and fresh from an early morning photoshoot to an evening cocktail party (a cocktail party that I most likely popped my head in and then opted for sushi dinner and boba instead).

ONE // Makeup Forever Smoothing Primer: The highest quality primer I have used. It literally erases my pores and evens out my skin tone. I use this before foundation to set it in place. It’s also tinted so it would work well on it’s own if you are rushing out the door and don’t have time for foundation.

TWO // Lorac Unzipped Eyeshadow Palette: Highly pigmented eyeshadow that blends easily and stays in place. I use more colors from this palette than any other palette I have. The most beautiful mauve/purple tones, especially great for blondes.

THREE // Roller Perfume in DKNY Cashmere Mist: The most feminine heavenly scent that actually lasts. My mom introduced me to this scent and the rollerball is the perfect on the go applicator. It won’t spill in my purse, and it’s easy to quickly and discreetly apply while walking into a meeting without spraying the people around me.

FOUR // Tarte Creaseless Concealer: The most coverage I have ever gotten from a concealer. Highly moisturizing and it won’t settle in the small creases. A tiny bit goes a very long way. I also use it to highlight a bit on my forehead and down my nose. I’ve had my bottle for almost 2 years, and I still have plenty left!

FIVE // Urban Decay All Nighter Makeup Setting Spray: I won’t leave my hotel room without a spritz of this to set my makeup. It locks it in place for hours.

SIX // Mac Studio Fix Compact: This has been my number one foundation compact for years. Incredible coverage that blends in perfectly with my skin and doesn’t look too cakey or powdery.

SEVEN // Mac Lipliner in Boldly Bare: My favorite shade to wear under almost any color. Lasts all day and doesn’t smudge or settle around the insides of my lips (I hate when lipstick does that!).

EIGHT // Makeup Forever Ultra HD Foundation: This foundation is new to my makeup rotation, but it quickly worked it’s way up to the top. This foundation goes on silky smooth and stays put! It sits on top of the skin, is perfectly hydrating with full coverage, and I watch my pores disappear as I apply it.

NINE // Rodial Translucent HD Powder: I’m obsessed! I lightly dab this translucent powder on my forehead and t-zone before spraying my setting spray. It visibly smooths my skin, and it’s amazing for controlling oil. I found myself throwing this compact into my purse more than my Mac studio fix compact.

TEN // Garnier Surfer Hair Power Putty: The best textured hold your hair can get for $5. Garrett got me hooked on this stuff years ago, and I’ve gone through bottles and bottles of this putty. Lightweight, not sticky and gives my curls a flexible beachy hold. I rub it in my hands and gently comb it through the ends of my hair, and smooth down along my part and front section of hair.

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Casual

September 6, 2017

NYFW 2017: WHAT I’M WEARING PREVIEW

It’s Fashion Week time again! I flew into New York yesterday, and I’m excited to get this week going. I still pinch myself that I’m able to come out here and attend some shows and events. It’s one of my favorite times of the year. New York is usually hot and sticky, but this time it’s overcast and a little rainy, and I love it! It feels like fall! This year I thought I would do things a little differently and show you what I am planning on wearing before doing a full outfit post. That way if you see me wearing it on my instagram or insta stories, you have a one stop shop to come get the details without having to wait! Here is what I have in store for clothing and beauty over the next week…

Make sure you follow along with me on instagram and stories for daily outfits and Fashion Week coverage

Make up Forever concealer in R370

Bare Minerals Matte lipstick in Frenemy

Mac compact in NW25

Bobbi Brown lipstick in Honey Bare

Mac lip pencil in Boldly Bare

Clinique concealer in Natural

Bare Minerals lipstick in Crush

Bobbi Brown blush in Rose

Image from this post last year at NYFW

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Dressy

September 30, 2016

NYFW SS17 LOOK 5: BLACK + CHAMPAGNE EMBROIDERED DRESS

in collaboration with Zappos

BLACK + CHAMPAGNE LACE FLUTTER SLEEVE DRESS | BLACK HEELS | BLACK BAG

For my last look at NYFW I went with this flutter sleeved dress that has the most amazing embroidered overlay. I was obviously drawn to detailed dresses this season, because it was my 4th dress with intricate lace/embroidery happening. I just can’t help myself! There are so many good dresses like this out there, and I couldn’t pass this one up.

I wore this dress on my final night there to the Zang Toi show and after party. It is lightweight, stretchy, and super comfortable. I had a few tighter more form fitting dresses I wore earlier in the week, so it was really nice to end with such a comfortable dress. But you better believe I was wearing my spanx! All that New York pizza and pasta was worth it though! 😉

I ordered this dress last minute from Zappos (with Fashion Week I feel like so many things are last minute), and once again I was saved by their free one-day-shipping. It feels like magic when a package arrives that quickly to my doorstep. I am really excited to give you guys a little Zappos insider info today! Zappos has just launched a brand new loyalty program called Zappos Rewards. Its free to sign up, and any existing Zappos customer who signs up automatically gets a $15 Zappos Rewards code. This program is nice because you earn points for purchases, writing reviews, and orders made on the Zappos mobile app (this also gets you free one-day-shipping). You can then redeem the points for Zappos Rewards that can be applied to future purchases. If you do 99% of your shopping online like I do, this one is a no brainer!

photography by Jordan Zobrist

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Dressy

September 23, 2016

NYFW SS17 LOOK 5: THE GOLDEN BELL DRESS TUTORIAL

DRESS: MADE BY ME (TUTORIAL BELOW) INSPIRATION DRESS FOUND HERE | SIMILAR COGNAC ANKLE STRAP HEELS (MINE ARE OLD) | COGNAC TOTE BAG | SUNGLASSES

For this trip to New York Fashion Week, I knew I wanted to make a dress. I fell in love with this gorgeous Trina Turk yellow lace dress a few months ago, and had it in the back of my mind when I went fabric shopping for my dress. Of course I waited until a few days before my trip to get started on the dress, but I knew I would be so sad if I didn’t have one of my own designs to wear to some of the shows.

I loaded up Eli and Cash in the car and drove down to Mood Fabrics in LA. I usually go to the LA Fabric District, but this time I was more concerned with finding the perfect fabric rather than getting a good deal on the yardage. I almost went with a dark red embroidered fabric, but I decided to go bold and get this amazing yellow lace. At $80 per yard, this was by far the most expensive fabric I have ever bought. But I had planned this trip to New York for months and I really wanted to make something amazing. I have boxes and boxes of fabric that I like, but over the past few years I have started buying less “just in case” fabric. Now I only allow myself to buy 1-2 fabrics at a time, and I have to use it up before I buy more. It’s better this way because I don’t get sick of fabric and just let it sit in my studio for months and months!

I am thrilled with the end result of this dress. I was happy that the dress photographed well, but I promise it is even more intricate in person! I bought 2 yards of it, and I used every last scrap. Cutting into this pricey of fabric was nerve wrecking for sure! I had originally planned on the side panels being wider, but after I cut the first panel I realized I wouldn’t have enough fabric left for the sleeves. So I cut that panel in half, and toned down the bell cut on the sleeves to make it all work with the amount of fabric I had. It all came together in the end, but there was a point where I texted Garrett saying, “I’m pretty sure I just completely messed up this dress!”

Yellow is such a bold color, and we are still going to see it peek through for fall. Here are some similar dresses for a little more eye candy. Some of them are really pricey, but there are a few dresses (like this one that is only $50) that are really pretty and much more affordable! This shade of yellow is a bit darker and would be great for fall.

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I included the Snapchat of my day at Fashion Week wearing this dress, so you can see it in action. My favorite part was wearing it to get burgers at Shake Shack!

photography by Jordan Zobrist Photography

CLICK THE LINK BELOW FOR THE FULL TUTORIAL…

Continue reading “NYFW SS17 LOOK 5: THE GOLDEN BELL DRESS TUTORIAL”

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Dressy

September 21, 2016

NYFW SS17 LOOK 4: THE NUMBER ONE ACCESSORY THAT GOT ME THROUGH FASHION WEEK

I spent a lot of time pouring through dresses, shoes, and websites for Fashion Week outfit inspiration. I’ve been before, so I knew how crucial the right look is. I also knew how crucial my phone would be. I needed to be able to be connected 24/7 during my trip. Your phone is your lifeline for communication, capturing inspiration, getting transportation, calendar notifications, show address locations, sharing looks from the runway, and behind the scenes style at shows.

The accessories I brought with me for my phone were just as important as the accessories I brought with me for my dresses. My OtterBox uniVERSE case was absolutely the right pick for Fashion Week, and here is why:

Durable Case: My phone went everywhere I went. In and out of Ubers, runways, meetings, and up and down the blocks of New York. It was constantly in my hand, and there were so many times it could have gotten dropped onto hard cement. I love the look of my clean white uniVERSE case and I love how strong it is. The rubber grip all around the edges gives my phone extra protection without the added bulk.

Portable Phone Charger: An external charger is an absolute MUST at Fashion Week. I never left my hotel room without my phone and this extra charger from PolarPro. I didn’t have to worry about having to grab my phone cord because this charger is made specifically for my uniVERSE case, and it slides right on! There is a button on the back that I push to start or stop the charging, and an LED light indicator that told me how much battery life I had. I got almost two full charges out of this extra charger, and I used it every single day. I charged my phone and my external charger at night, and I was good to go for the next day!

Olloclip 4-in-1 Lens: I take a lot of my iPhone pictures in a square format, but sometimes I can’t get the full shot I’m looking for in the tiny square. This portable iphone lens fits right onto my uniVERSE case, and the wide angle lens allowed me to capture so much more in the shot! The glass is top notch, so I didn’t lose any image quality. It also worked great for trying to take a sefie with lots of people 😉

Tripod: I worked a lot with a photographer while I was in New York, but there were times when she wasn’t with me when I wanted to capture a great shot. So I threw this compact tripod from PolarPro in my bag so I would get a photo regardless of whether someone was there to take it for me or not! My OtterBox uniVERSE case slides right onto the top of the tripod so I didn’t have to worry about my phone falling out of the tripod (does anyone remember when that happened while I was trying to take family pictures??).

COBALT BLUE LACE DRESS (I’m wearing a size US 2, similar option here) | NUDE PUMPS (runs 1/2 size small) | BLACK FRINGE MONOGRAMED CLUTCH | SUNGLASSES | SIMILAR BRACELET

I had so much fun partnering with OtterBox during my time in New York. I took over their Instastory for one of my days out there, and shared some behind the scenes while I was getting ready and packing my bag. I even shared an up close look at the Tumbler and Tipsy runway show! The night of that show was my busiest night of Fashion Week, and it was so nice not to have to worry about running out of battery while going from place to place!

in collaboration with OtterBox | photography by Jordan Zobrist Photography

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