Happy Monday ya’ll! I hope you all had a great weekend – I spent mine doing loads of laundry from London + getting some much needed beauty rest (traveling just takes the life out of me – anyone else have this struggle?) From unpacking, to cleaning, to some much needed self love (I got the best facial which you should check out on my instastory – the brand is from France + is beyond amazing!!) this weekend was pure bliss.
This look was shot while Mike + I were exploring Tower Bridge in London. While temps were a bit chilly, there was ONE day it wasn’t raining which made it a great day to wear this Shein cape. I loved this cape for London because it was easy to layer over a dress, blouse or sweater. For a gal that gets hot constantly (pretty sure I am 25 going on 60 in terms of menopause haha) it is the perfect piece to have in your wardrobe!
When traveling, packing pieces that are versatile is key. This black dress is great for a evening out or a casual day around town (plus with the various ways you can style it, it is a no brainer)!
Another versatile must have to always bring when traveling? Killer sunnies like these blue mirrored Raybans, they just go with everything – they will be in my carry on for Mike + I’s Florida trip to Disney next month!
I LOVE these black over the knee boots. I have been wearing them all winter…they were comfy to walk all around London in (and trust me, that is A LOT of walking haha) + they are chic to wear with any outfit!
They come in regular size + also wide width – perfect for if you have muscular calves like me haha 😛
My bag is the ever so coveted, Louis Vuitton Pouchette Metis…unfortunately it is still waitlist only but if you sign up, I assure you, it is WELL worth the wait!
So tell me, which winter trends have you been all about this season?
Happy Weekend Loves ♥ One of my missions when arriving in London was to do a photoshoot with the classic red phone booths by Big Ben. The iconic London sites became my playground for the day as I went in tow with all of my outfits from place to place to capture the perfect outfit shots! In case you ever wondered the amount of work that goes into blogging, here is a little glimpse. Before heading to London I pre-planned every location I wanted to shoot at AND the outfit I wanted to wear at said location (although on social media it looks effortless, I will be the first to tell ya…there is plenty of effort involved haha :p). Since I am one who loves pops of color, red on red made perfect sense in my book 😉
This red coat was my immediate go-to throughout my London trip. I don’t know why, but I felt this red coat was just so London haha
Since I wanted all the red pieces to make a statement (and match the phone booth) I paired the coat with this black + white polka dot dress. It was a clearance find at Old Navy + it is perfect for work or play! It fits great + is flattering on all body types.
This little teddy bear was a surprise Mike packed in my outfit bag before I went out to shoot (talk about #relationshipgoals – yes I am such a mush haha). We got the teddy at the Tower Of London tour where we checked out the Queen’s Jewels + medieval castles which brought me back to my AP European History days in high school 😉
You can never go wrong with a red bag + shoes, they stand out + dress up any look – even for those that are on the more simple side when it comes to color.
I may have just gotten home a week ago, but I am already itching to go back – this city has become one of my favorites + I truly loved it. Luckily, I am heading back in December to spend Christmas + New Year’s in London with my boo ♥
Happy Monday Babes ♥ I feel like I am finally getting back into the groove when it comes to blogging. Between traveling and transitioning into an exciting new job (ICYMI I am finally working at a place where my creativity + ideas are well appreciated + can actually be executed – it is BEYOND thrilling + satisfying hehe) I have been slacking a bit on the blog front – it is hard to balance everything…let me tell ya :p BUT slowly but surely I am throwing myself back into my passion – my blog!
Something I realized while experiencing London with Mike, is that if you told me a year ago I would be traveling outside the country with someone who is the ying to my yang I would never have believed you. I was always stuck in this state of mind of ‘work work work‘ which got me to where I am today however it never made me feel fulfilled. I always dreamed of being at a job that provided me a work/life balance, a place where I was happy and encouraged to speak up + a place where I can let my true talents shine. I thought I found that place at my previous company however I was in for a shocking surprise. In light of all the work place harassment that is coming to the surface in various industries, it is important to know that while a lot of hostile work environments come from sexual harassment (Harvey Weinstein is beyond repulsive + the fact that he got away with his grotesque treatment of women for so long is astonishing) harassment comes in all shapes and sizes…from men + women. Sometimes harassment isn’t an inappropriate gesture or encounter, sometimes it is simply verbal + can really shake someone to their core.
Let me start by saying this (pre-face this is a bit of a personal post), I have been passionate about social media + influencer marketing since I began my career 5 years ago. I worked my a** off to get to where I am today, to build up a network of influencers who always have my back + support every journey I take, a network of colleagues that always jump to help me anyway they can and a passion that has (and still is) my driving force to always do better than the day before. One of the worst moments I have ever encountered in my career was realizing that ‘Mean Girls’ aren’t just an issue teen girls deal with in middle school + high school…the reality is that even as an adult ‘Mean Girls’ are still out there – pretty crazy considering we are in a time all about female empowerment, raising each other up, supporting each other etc.
What I experienced was something that taught me a lot about the type of business woman I am + will forever be…real. For the past year I worked with an amazing team of people that taught me so much, helped me grow + showed me what an asset I am to any team…what I also learned + experienced for the first time was the ‘boss’ who validates themselves by bringing others down – sounds familiar right? (Regina George didn’t remain in high school let me tell ya haha). I didn’t realize this was a common occurrence until I read a few Forbes articles on the subject. Turns out that even though we get older, that doesn’t necessarily mean we grow up.
Maybe some of you have experienced a boss or supervisor trying to bring you down + can relate to my story and if not, I really hope it is something you never have to go through since it feels like a personal attack on your work ethic + passion…it sucks. After being at my last job for a good amount of time, a moment happened that will be stuck in my mind forever – it was a moment where I learned who I was, it was the moment I vowed to work for a team (and boss) that had more respect for me and appreciation for all the work I do, it was a moment I grew. I won’t go into too much detail but I was told that I had to be ‘put in my place‘, amongst other things – taking jabs about the job I have been doing etc. I sat there in shock – here I am an eager, hard working employee whose boss (that preaches female empowerment + being a ‘boss lady’) is telling me that basically there is in fact a ‘glass ceiling’ and there I was hitting it. I never thought much of the other comments + behavior that had been thrown my way since I started there, but it all felt like it has culminating to this moment. I instantly felt a pit in my stomach and sat there not knowing how to react. Still months later I think back to that day + am mad at myself for not speaking up, for not saying this is wrong for one female to tear another female down + for not just walking away right there but instead I pulled myself together, spoke to my family and Mike and it became clear to me that ‘her’ goal was to try and break me…that was something I refused to let happen.
I had watched this boss chew girls up and spit them out, now I have heard plenty of horror stories about Anna Wintour (my idol haha) + other powerful women but at the end of the day it isn’t a personal and vindictive attack, it’s business – what I experienced was different. Over the course of a year I saw various females at this company be spoken to in a condescending manner, told they weren’t ‘good enough’ and basically harassed in order to encourage them to quit or lead them to being joyous when it came to getting fired. Watching this (and living this) day in + day out made me sick to my stomach and I would tell my parents + friends, I don’t understand why someone acts like that, I don’t understand what provokes someone to insist on tearing others down. Well…as they say, you live + you learn, I learned from that boss (who thought the world of herself – let me tell ya haha) that no matter what position I am in, my morals + integrity will stay in tact, I will also treat others the way I would like to be treated (it’s funny – pretty sure I learned that from a ‘Barney’s Best Manner’s’ video as a child haha the saying still rings true no matter how old you are) :p
During that tumultuous time, I was loosing my passion for blogging, my career…everything I cherished so much about myself. It is crazy how one person can have that effect on you, but it happens. Fast forward to the day I walked out that door (knowing that I was off to a new company that fought for me and wanted me) I finally felt free. I got home, began packing for London, called Mike and literally said ‘I am free’. Life is too short to be anything but happy and when that plane landed in London + I saw Mike for the first time in months all the pain I was experiencing from loosing myself for a moment went away. I felt whole again, I felt invigorated again + I felt passion for what I love to do again.
All in all this story (other than getting this off my chest finally) is meant to show that harassment comes in all forms, there isn’t a textbook definition + so many people experience it on a daily basis in their work environments by both men + women. While I am not sure if there is a sure fire way to stop it, a simple start is to treat others with humility + respect…try it, it doesn’t cost a penny extra 😉
This outfit was shot the day after I landed in London, I was carefree, finally happy + couldn’t believe I was actually in LONDON!!!
My dress is from ShopTheMint one of my fav online retailers however I linked to some similar styles since it is currently sold out. As for my moto jacket, it was my go-to throughout my trip since it was easy to layer on any outfit while exploring the various tourist destinations (I even wore it around Paris).
I LIVED in these Yosi Samra ballet flats. I didn’t realize how much walking there was in London (very similar to NYC which I haven’t been back to in over a year haha) so while I wanted to rock my cute heels + boots everyday, these flats were more realistic + the gold color matched with everything!
I also rocked my Louis Vuitton Pouchette Metis daily since it was such an easy crossbody bag to wear around town AND have enough room for my multiple phone chargers haha and makeup :p
Happy Thursday Babes!I am off to LONDON + PARIS today! Unreal to think this is my first time to ever head outside the country + the first time I get to see Mike since he headed over to London for work 🙂 In my mind, London will be filled with the best outfit shoot locations, amazing culture + plenty of…you guessed it haha shopping (trust me Mike is super excited about that aspect of my visit jk haha :p #SorryNotSorry) The most exciting part of going on this trip is the fact that it is a brand new adventure outside of my comfort zone – even better, when I return from the UK I am also opening a new chapter with an exciting new role at an amazing company (stay tuned for deets :p *hint hint* it involves cute outfits, stellar photoshoots + kick ass influencers – yay!)
But back to my trip…I will be gone for two weeks + already have all of my outfit shoot locations picked out (be sure to follow me on Instagram to see my InstaStories along the way with my fav places to check out – @MissyOnMadison). From heading to Sketch for afternoon tea to getting photos at the adorable red phone booths, London is sure to be insta-worthy all the way!
In preparation for my trip, I partnered up with one of my favorite brands, Vera Bradley to head out of the country in style!
My little England keychain was actually a present from Kristi when she visited Harrods in London (you know that is my first stop hehe) ♥
From their adorable rolling luggage sets to their colorful passport covers, Vera Bradley has everything you need for a stylish trip ahead. I honestly can’t get enough of their travel essentials – they are bold and bright, making them easy to spot at baggage claim hehe AND they are super functional + are amazing quality (now that is what I call a Win/Win)!
Shop my favorite Vera Bradley travel essentials below + be sure to follow my international adventures on Instagram!
My upcoming trip to London is only 11 days away and I am BEYOND excited!!!! This is going to be my first international trip EVER! How crazy is that? 25 and the first time I am leaving the US. I have to be completely honest, I am a little scared. With the current state of Europe + the world, I never thought I would take the plunge and venture outside the US but here I go! I am beyond excited not just to see outside America but also to see Mike. It has been 3 months since he headed over to London for work + long distance has been tough, so to be able to see him in person will be amazing!
From all of the typical tourist sites to venturing all over to London, this trip is going to be an eye opening experience for me and I really can’t wait (I may even pop over to Paris + EuroDisney who knows)! Prepping for this trip has been fun. From what outfits to pack (because you know I will be doing a few outfit shoots while I am there haha :p) to what skincare to bring on the plane to what essentials I need while I am away…getting travel ready is stressful yet fun 🙂 The first thing I needed to get on track with was my airport style (hey a gal has to fly in comfort doesn’t she? :p)
My outfit + shoes are all from Shop The Mint! From these cozy mesh leggings to this thermal long sleeve top, I am bound to be snuggly on the plane + ready to take a nap on the 10 hour flight (longest flight I will have ever been on – I fully intend on wearing a face mask too because why not ya know?)
My slip on sneakers – perfect for getting through airport security in a flash) are from Shop The Mint as well + the nude color makes them great to travel with because they match with every outfit you can pack in your suitcase!
My cross body bag is from Dagne Dover. While this print is out of stock, they have a variety of patterns in this style still available! It is a great travel bag since it provides easy access to everything you may need while at the airport or on your flight, it is my current go to!
Vera Bradley Luggage Set
