I don’t know about you, but I have been swamped the past few days! My brother’s flight got canceled so that means more family bonding time and less time to work on the blog haha and then the high temps out in LA have been draining, physically + mentally. We went to two amusement parks, Beauty Con, countless tourist sites + much, much more. Honestly, being a hostess with the mostess can be exhausting sometimes, who is with me?! Anyways, a sure fire way to re-center myself and relax is with blogging, so here I am, sharing a new look I love from Simply Be!
When it comes to hot summer temps, I always opt for an easy dress I can dress up or down depending on the occasion. I have always been a fan of chambray or denim since they just look so crisp, clean + easily styled, so this Denim Dress from Simply Be was an instant favorite of mine! It retails for under $60 + comes in a variety of sizes, making it perfect for any body type! Gotta love an inclusive favorite, am I right?!
I have to admit, this was my first time shopping Simply Be and I instantly fell in love. From work wear to night out trends to high fashion looks at a fraction of the price, Simply Be had all of the trends I was craving, in inclusive sizing + for a great price. I call this a win/win!
I styled this dress with my go to essentials for summer. My trustee Louis Vuitton Pouchette Metis + Cork Heels! I LOVE these shoes, no joke, I wear them constantly because they are so comfortable and match with everything. From denim shorts to skirts to dresses to jeans, these heels are a MUST for the summer.
I always think investing into a nice bag that will last you forever + match with everything is a great ‘tip to live by‘ haha so if you are looking to invest in a designer bag like the one I am wearing, check out my tips here!
My necklace is from Miriam Merenfeld. I love her initial pieces for everyday wear. I think layering delicate pieces is such a fun trend and I am absolutely loving her styles!
My personal favorite is this Lariat Initial Necklace, I love the lariat style to dress up or down for a night out!
I hope ya’ll had a great pre 4th of July weekend! It’s so weird to have the 4th of July mid week when the BBQs and parties are typically on the weekends, but my boo + I definitely celebrated early. We BBQed, shot some Red, White + Blue looks AND even got to watch fireworks from our balcony (how cool is that?!) We live near Six Flags Magic Mountain which is having fireworks every night till the 4th so that means we get to enjoy free fireworks every night! My favorite!
Since the 4th is just days away, I had to share another red, white + blue look! This cute top from Pleione is currently on sale + instantly reminded me of the 4th of July. Red pom poms paired with blue stripes makes for the perfect patriotic look!
While normally I BBQ for the 4th, this year we are heading to Universal Studios for the day and then my little brother comes to visit. We are super excited to have some fun in the sun! While this look is a bit dressier than what one may wear for the 4th, it was too cute not too share hehe :p
I paired this top with a casual white skater skirt + white duster cardigan. Both of these pieces are must-haves for every gal if you ask me! They can mix + match with any look + are great to dress up or down depending on the occasion.
As for my shoes + bag, I had to keep those with the patriotic theme. I have been loving this white ark bag for summer (it just is so trendy right now) + these cobalt blue heels!
I love a great pop of color as you all know + these heels are perfect for that!
With spring just around the corner, I am beginning to stock up on some of my favorite trends of the season…starting with my newest obsessionMULES!
I was hesitant about the whole walking around in slippers trend when I first saw everyone in LA rocking the Gucci Princetown Mules with the fur, but eventually I came around and found some mules that fit my style + are easy to wear whether it is for work or play! Whether you are all about neutrals, or like a pop of color or to shine with some metallic (or even some quirky messaging), spring 2018 is the season of the mule so it’s time to embrace it and stock up on your favorite styles!
Rounding up my favorite mules below based on price point (because you can embrace this trend on ANY budget)
LOW ||$10-$50
I am all about testing out a trend at an entry level budget so I found that Target, Macy’s + DSW had some killer options when it comes to mules that won’t break the bank (plus since mules get worn out easily, it isn’t as devastating when you start seeing wear on them haha)
MEDIUM || $50 – $150
For medium range options I found a pretty amazing selection from Zappos + Nordstrom – all range from greta quality brands that won’t break the bank!
HIGH || $150+
High end options ranging from Gucci to Chiara Ferragni to Tod’s + more I found at Saks, Bergdorf Goodman + Neiman Marcus (what I love about these options are that they are pretty unique from store to store + have such intricate detailing that will set you apart from the crowd if you are willing to make the investment)
Living in a D R E A M…because this coat is beyond warm + fuzzy so it feels like I am living on cloud nine ♥
Funny enough it has been pretty chilly in LA so I have been getting a lot of use out of this coat that I originally got to wear in London when visiting my boo. I thought it was marshmallow chic haha or a teddy bear coat but instead my bf named me WAMPA because of it. I had absolutely no clue what the hell a wampa was (apparently a Star Wars reference) but because of this coat my new nickname was born so now my bf calls me wampa (even if I am not wearing this oversized fuzzy coat) haha :p
I am obsessed with this coat (and apparently so is everyone else) because I have been seeing fuzzy teddy bear coats everywhere! They aren’t just stylish but also quite warm + cozy.
I paired it with a simple v neck nude bodysuit (great item to have in your closet since it matches with everything) + my favorite SPANX leather leggings (that help suck in your tummy – they are great)!!
What accessory pulls every outfit together? SUNNIES! I have been wearing these Diff Eyewear sunnies left + right (I just can’t get enough of them). What I love about Diff Eyewear is their endless selection as well as their charitable initiatives – shopping + feeling good about it is something I am a big fan of 🙂
What other accessories pull a look together?A great bag! This Louis Vuitton Toiletry Pouch doubles as a great clutch.
My leopard heels are sold out but I am linking to similar heels below (all at an affordable price point).
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
I paired this top with a casual 
