Trend to Try: Lavender

Pics from here.
 
Lavender-everything started emerging early 2018, but this fall, lavender has been all the rage with no signs of slowing down. It couldn't be a prettier, more versatile color trend for all seasons - great for winter and spring alike - and all reasons to get dress.  
I love this color trend for workwear, dressed up and casual outfits. It even quickly acts as a neutral when paired with bolder colors.  With so many options, and so many sales - it's a great time to try out this color in your own wardrobe! 
I'm sharing how you can match this color up + my top lavender outfit pics below! 

With so many sales, it's a great time to pick up a lavender (or lilac) piece.  I've rounded up some of my favorite items that could easily be matched back to other colors (see the color combos above for ideas) to create on-trend, fun and versatile outfits.

Are you trying the lavender trend?  I'll be sharing how I styled it next!

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Fall Cravings: Nude Pumps, Sweaters & Layers, Oh My!

I don't mean to rush summer off, because I'm not ready for those pool days to be over yet - but fall has my heart when it comes to clothing and getting dressed. It really is the best time of year to shop, repurpose, get inspired and reinvent your clothing and closet.  Here are a few things that have my fashion-heart right now:
1. I still don't have a pair of nude heels, and they are a total must for every closet (and wearable all year around)!
2.  I would live in oversized off-white sweaters all winter long if I could (I probably could though...).
3. Taking that summer loving jumpsuit straight into fall with the most wonderful print for cooler months: a plaid jumpsuit.
4. An oversized coat with a hood in the most perfect gray color to go with my ever increasing gray closet (and to wear all winter long).
5.  And speaking of grey... this leather all-purpose bag is luscious.
6.  I've been majorly craving a fringe bracelet!
7. I actually just got this Mystic Bazaar Kendra Scott Necklace from our new Kansas City store at our KC Blogger Meet up event via the Blog Guild just this week - and already wearing it as I type.
8. Boyfriend jeans with a cuff... would make those nude pumps look even better!
9. Sweater poncho to wear all the time, everywhere. I love the simplicity of this, yet how rich it looks!
What are YOU craving for fall?

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Take Two: Leather Skirt

This is my beautiful friend, Katie! She was in town a couple weekends ago to help me host and put on a baby shower for one of our other dear friends.  As we were headed to the shower, the snow was coming down so thick and pretty, and while it made for some interesting driving, it made for a photo-perfect backdrop. I just love these shots of her surrounded by the freshly falling snow.
Katie and I lived together in college (with two other amazing friends). I always loved her laid back, cool fashion sense and as we all entered the real world, love how her creativity stayed as her style evolved. I've always been inspired by my friend, so it was funny when she came to me with this idea to show how she's been inspired by me from this blog!  
So we formed this little series, "Take Two" that will share an outfit of Katie's, inspired by one of my outfits. Katie picks all the outfits and styles her own, and so, you can see why I've always been so inspired by her - she style is great. And she always thinks outside of the box... like the shirt she's wearing is actually a dress. :) Anyways... our first installment is how she styled the leather skirt inspired by when I wore mine with sneakers, and as you can see, both our looks are really quite different!

{Katie's Outfit Details: Dress (worn as a top) - DVF, Skirt, Necklace - similar, Shoes - Kate Spade}

And you can see my original outfit and details here!

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Learning the Art of Floral Arranging

I love nothing more than to learn new things. I am constantly listening to a webinar or podcast while I work, asking way too many questions to other professionals of whom I respect, and attending any conference I can. I love watching and learning from those I admire and pushing myself to try new things. Blogging, in one way, has been a big push for me to continue to learn and grow and try.  Through blogging, I've not only had to keep learning, but I've also met some amazingly smart and skilled women from whom I've learned from.
When my blogging friend and fellow chair member of KC Blogger Meetup, Emily, invited me to join her at the very first class of The Bloom Academy, I jumped at the chance. We'd joked before at the skills I lacked around artfully arranging flowers (I used to just plop my store bought bundle of flowers into a vase), and I couldn't wait to learn from Emily.  She has 7 years of experience, and it showed. She was so knowledgable and I felt like I learned a ton. Well, you can be the judge of that based on my final products at the bottom of this post!
Emily provides recipes and steps to building a beautiful (and professional) floral arrangement with every-day grocery store type flowers!  And this class was my favorite kind of schooling out there...with wine, appetizers, a beautiful space and fabulous new friends. But, you don't have to live in Kansas City to benefit from her new venture... The Bloom Academy offers online classes and resources, too.
See below a few pics from the event at the River Market Event Place, which was catered by Moxie.  The photos marked were taken by Morgan of Cornerstone Photography, and the rest are mine.

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Currently Crushing: White Windowpane Check

I' love all kinds of plaid (and I'm not very picky when it comes to patterns), but this wide windowpane check is really calling my name lately. The white with black lines has a really modern edge to it that makes the styling possibilities endless and fun.  I especially like the simple pairing of windowpane check on windowpane check or making the pattern piece be the pop to an otherwise simple outfit. 
These ladies all look really chic and pulled together, but I can imagine that styling these looks wasn't the most difficult thing ever (hello perfect outfit for a busy and rushed morning?!).  I've rounded up some windowpane check pieces below in case you are feeling this pattern like I am:

What pattern are you crushing on?
{Above images, clockwise: ohh Couture, Olivia Palmero on InStyle, Refinery29, Work What Wear, Who What Wear & Studded Hearts}

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Getting physical & staying motivated

With getting the 6 week postpartum "ok" from the doctor to get back to life pre-pregnancy, including working out, and a new year all hitting at once, I can't help to be consumed with shedding these baby pounds.  Oh how wonderful having a baby is… and how brutal it was to my midsection, but totally worth it.  So now between baby feedings, diapers and snuggles (not to mention toddler wrangling my other little love), I'm trying to get motivated and regain some muscle.
Jacket Cape; Sports Bra; Water Bottle; Zip Top; Long Sleeve Tee; Dumbbell; Legging Pants; Cinch Tie Pants; Kettle Bell; Fitbit Wristband; Yoga Mat; Workout Video; Tank Top; Mini-Trigger Point Massager; Resistance Band
I started doing the Tracy Anderson Post-Pregnancy workout DVD which really concentrates on your core and also touches on toning up your arms and legs, too.  For cardio, I hope to get to yoga classes and do a mix of elliptical and jogging.  I'm keeping myself motivated by wanting to get back into all my clothes.  There are some I've really missed since this whole pregnancy journey - so I keep looking at those to keep myself going.  It's hard juggling the time with two kids now, but I have to make it a priority whenever I can.  Though, I'm also trying not to beat myself up IF it doesn't happen.  With a 7 week old, we're still learning how to be a family of four.
What are you doing to stay active this year? What's your motivation?

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Shop with people your size!

There is no shortage of online sources for all kinds of style inspiration... blogs, Pinterest, Instagram, etc, and I am sure you participate in all of those social mediums already.  But there is one more you should join and I promise, you won't regret it!  BeauCoo is a body positive network for women where you can connect and follow other's based on their body types, dimensions and/or sizes.  This is a great way to shop for clothing and find outfit ideas based on how they'll more realistically work for your own body! 
I love the idea of this site because so often we see the same type of bodies in catalogs, in ads, all over Pinterest and in many blogs - not wrong or any less "real" (I hate that saying - "real body" because all bodies are real!), just lacking a variety of different bodies. This social network provides a space for all different body types to feel more comfortable sharing and finding realistic inspiration.  That popular Pinterest image (whatever one of the moment - you know, the one everyone pins) might depict a tall and slender girl in a wonderful outfit - but that outfit or style might not work on someone shorter with hips.  Or that popular dress everyone is snatching up might look better on someone with hips.  Either way and tons more variations - this is the place where you can see that information.  If you have hips, you can follow other's who do too and see what pieces they are finding to work and ways they're styling their body, for example.  I just love it.   You can follow me on BeauCoo here!

BeauCoo quite easy to use, and you can do so through their site or via your mobile phone (iPhone & Android apps) to easily upload your own photos or see the latest in your feed (follow people you want or view everyone).  You can further customize your feed by viewing people with similar sizes/dimensions and by tops, bottoms or full body photos.
Learn how to use the app by watching this quick video:

If you're a blogger, this is a great network to further amplify your blog content.  You can also use your affiliate links for readers to buy directly from your BeauCoo posts.  It's simple - people with similar body types follow you, they like an outfit or piece of clothing you post and then can buy right there and then.  This network just further connects women directly to other women for inspiration that works for their body type!  
If you're not a blogger, this is a great way to share your favorite outfits without having to have a blog or feeling like you might be judged.  BeauCoo is a positive, non-judgmental network for women of all sizes to share and search for style inspiration! It makes buying clothes and getting dressed for your body fun.  You can follow and join in on the #BoPo (Body Positive) conversation right here.
If you're anyone, you should definitely give this network a try and at least, check it out. See how other people with similar body types are getting dressed!

This post is sponsored by BeauCoo, but as always, all opinions are 100% my own.  I'm truly having a great time participating in this network and hope you'll join me and give it a try.  

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My Favorite Holiday Looks from Party-Goer to at Home Gathering

No matter what is on your agenda this holiday season, it's a super fun time to get dressed!  The layers, textures, colors, patterns and variety of them all for an either dressed up look or cozy night in make it all so fun!  Here are some of my very favorite looks for this time of year for all types of happenings.
Dazzling Dresses: Beaded Black Dress w/ Sleeves & Sequin and Stripe Party Dress Girls Nights Out: Sweet Floral Dress; Panther Print Dress (great to dress up or down & totally unique) & a Classic Stripe Dress Beautiful Plus-Sized Options: Navy Midi Dress & Leopard Swing Dress Cozy Family Gatherings: Red Crepe Dress & Grey Dress + Plaid Scarf Perfect for Work Events: Chevron Beaded Toothpick Jean + Plaid Shirt + Buffalo Check Jacket & Soft Grey Sweater + Sequin Skirt
What will you be wearing this holidays season?

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Happy Hour Blog Tour: The blurry line between blogging and life

I am so happy to be part of the sweet and talented, Hilary of Dean Street Society's Happy Hour Blog Tour to help promote her new book, the 4-Part Entrepreneur Cocktail.  She's been working hard on this book based on her own experience and I can't wait to read it and learn from her myself.  To celebrate this enormous accomplishment, 30 bloggers and entrepreneurs are taking turns along this tour during the month of November to talk about our own struggles, inhibitions, learnings, strengths and weaknesses pertaining to blogging and creating. A little background. For me, blogging started out as a suggestion from a friend, something to try and totally a hobby.  Today, 4 years later, it's still a hobby, but an important creative outlet that I love spending time doing (or I wouldn't be doing it).  Besides having a space to share, creating content that I love and hope to inspire others with, it keeps me seeking out more from life to experience and push myself to be a better version of me.  I've also met so many other amazing people I otherwise would never have known.  That's the overarching reason why I blog, but the specific reasons constantly change.  My blog is a reflection of how my life is evolving and my family is growing off the internet.   How it all began. Originally, my blog was not personal - it was about fashion and home things that I loved and things that inspired me.  It slowly started including more of me and became about how I was using that inspiration in my own life, to style myself, outfit my home, experience more of life, etc.  And then, my husband and I got pregnant. I couldn't hide my growing belly or this huge life change from the pages of my site, and by sharing, found myself connecting to other ladies all over who were also pregnant or recent new moms.  Once my baby arrived, I kept him out of my blog for the most part, but that became unnatural since he is a huge part of my life.  Sure, I was still looking for inspiration and exercising my own creativity in how I dressed and photos I took, but now I was growing as a mother with ups and downs and learnings that I wanted to share, since I so appreciated all the other mama's out there that shared their stories.   Making it personal. So, my family started inching into more and more of my posts - from how we spend our time together, experiences and learnings we have with our toddler and my now-second pregnancy.  The roots of this blog still exist, I still share how I remain creative with my own style, now just showing how that applies in the world I experience it within.  I personally love this new way of working in all my passions, as this site has turned into a way to chronicle our own family's story.  It's also a great place that our friends and family can follow along and something we can look back on.  An added bonus has been meeting and connecting to so many other's that I do not know who read this blog or have a blog of their own.

Struggles with how much to share. But in staying true to my life and documenting real stories, I struggle with when to share and when to hold back in such a public space.  I want this to be a space that I, myself, love coming to look back on all the different points of my life and to see how my family has grown throughout the years in all it's truth.  It can be scary to have all that be so public, but I love reading about the lives of other's through their own blogs, and realize how inspiring sharing can be.  I also believe that by sharing, I feel encouraged to be more creative in the way I live my own life, to get out and experience more of life than maybe we might have.  It keeps me wanting to be better... in everything I do. So at the end of the day... You have to do what makes you happy as long as in remains in the safety and happiness of your entire family.  If it ever gets to a point where I feel like I have to force content to happen or I'm not happy reading my own stories, I will rethink my approach to this site.  Right now, I'm just enjoying sharing what we already do (and some of the thousands of photos I already take) and looking back on how I've grown.  My advice to any new bloggers out there is to incorporate what you already love into your blog.  Because if you are sharing what inspires you most and the things you love, your content will reflect that and readers will feel that passion. You also have to be ok with evolving and changing over time.  What you say now, might not apply to your life next month.  Be open to change to stay true to who you really are off-line. And lastly, don't take other's too seriously.  There might be blogger-hate sites out there or readers that don't agree with you or like how your blog is evolving, but if you are truly making content for yourself first, those things will not matter.

Quote from the book, The War of Art by Steven Pressfield  {a great resource for connecting with your inner creativity}

Do any other bloggers/content creators out there struggle with how personal to get?  And if you are a reader, do you appreciate a real-life glimpse into the lives of the people behind their blogs?

P.S. Make sure to check out yesterday's post by Katie about what motivates her, and tomorrow Heather will share her story!  This tour really has so many different, yet all uniquely talented, women to meet (if you haven't yet) and learn from!  I've enjoyed finding more inspiration and definitely bookmarking this tour for ongoing bits of encouragement in the times to come.  And huge congrats to Hilary on her accomplishments!

You can pre-order the book right now: Click here to view more details

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Go Blog Social Conference: Day One Recap

I had the pleasure of attending and the honor of speaking at the first Go Blog Social in Kansas City last weekend - a conference for bloggers by bloggers.  It's fun to have something like this local and in the midwest.  There are so many great communities and stories here in the midwest, and while those larger conference in NYC, Sat Lake, various other bigger cities are so great, a midwest conference is key for supporting key influencers that live in all those in between places.  I really hope to see Go Blog Social back next year and to continue to grow, which I think it has a lot of potential to do so.
In the panel I spoke on, Jessica of How Sweet Eats and I talked about the relationship between bloggers and brands.  I opened up the session by grounding everyone in the current influencer marketing situation.  I've kind of wrote about some of this here, but to reiterate - here's a little recap.  Consumer's rate blogs third most influential among all digital tactics right behind retail and brand sites when considering a purchase.  Also high up is how how trustworthy they deem blogs. This is an awesome pat on the back to those hard working bloggers, right?  So people actually come to our little sites for real life and honest opinions on things, places to go, advice to give, etc.
What is interesting is that brand's spending among influence marketing is way behind the curve.  On average, of all brand's digital budgets, only 10% goes to Social Media.  Within that already slim slice, only 6-10% of the budget is spent in influence marketing.  Compared to how highly consumers regard blogs and influencers - there is a lot of room for brands to leverage this growing field. You can download the full report that touches on this here.
After everyone understood the current landscape of influencer marketing, Jessica and I walked through a few important points on how bloggers should start to think about brand work.  High level, they are: 
1. Keep brand work authentic 2. What brands look for 3. Before you work with brands, things you should establish with your self first 4. Diversify sponsorships & brand integrations 5. Working with ad networks/PR Agencies/Agents
It was a lot of info for a short amount of time, but we had a great group of listeners and note takers!  I've been getting additional emails and tweets since and love that we were able to bring something new to the group.  Thanks again for having me, Go Blog Social!
{Outfit Details: Baseball Tee (non-maternity version), Dress, Boots, Belt, Bag - Theit, Round Bracelet, Pyramid Bracelet, Earrings, Watch, Lips}

Below are a few photos from the conference.

 Me with co-founds Kat & Sarah and my co-panelist, Jessica.

Some of my Kansas City blogging buddies, Sandy, Erin & Lisa.

One of my favorite things about the conference was meeting some new vendors in the expo hall. Loved this triangle necklace by Shop Jami and went home with this long necklace by Hello Cheeseburger (as well as a few other things).

 Two of my favorite panelists on Friday was by the Ampersand Design Studio girls, who talked about branding and strategy, but also left us with an awesome little cheat sheet (top photo), and J of J's Everyday Fashion, who shared what inspires her - and I can't wait to now pick up The War of Art to read on my upcoming beach vacay.

Did you attend Go Blog Social? What did you like best about about the first day's round up?  
If not, do you think you'd attend next year?

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Trying to have it all: Tia & Tamera Season Premier!

The Style Network is quickly becoming one of my favorite channels to watch... late at night, while I move my tush on the eliptical, as I work on blog posts or finish work after Liam is sleeping in the evenings. I have it on a lot. I've long been a fan of Giuliana & Bill, and in my younger days a HUGE fan of Sister, Sister - so I'm really excited to finally get on board for the 3rd season on Tia & Tamera!  The season premier airs Sunday, July 14th at 8/7c on Style. 
I haven't watch season 1 or 2, though I'm thinking I'll want to catch up on those for fun, but I'm really excited for this season because of where these ladies are at in their lives.  Each with a young child, balancing being mothers, wives and having a career, a situation so many of us can relate with.  Tia & Tamera will be juggling how they strive to have it all as they deal with a lot of the same types of things we do - but they'll be doing it on camera for us all to watch!
I know I personally struggle with work/life balance. I would rather, more than anything, spend time with my family, but driven to get work, home chores, errands and obligations done can leave me stressed out. With another baby on the way and this pregnancy being unlike my last (so much more tiring), I've been forced to reexamine and actualize my priorities.  A few things I'm trying out....
1. Learning to say no. This is THE challenge for me. I'm a hard worker and want to do it all!  I thrive on doing good work because it makes me feel like I'm constantly learning, accomplishing and contributing to this world.  Not just in my daily job, but outside projects and with this blog. I love having opportunities to take on a new project and I fear if I start turning things down, the opportunities will slow.  So when I receive a request, I try to to quickly understand if this is truly an opportunity that will benefit me somehow or just something that will potentially take up time.  I also try to be candid, open and honest with people when I turn them down so they understand why and where I'm coming from.  If it might be something that could be a fit in the future - I make sure they know that and I keep in touch.  Overall, I've been turning things down more and slowly the anxiety over that is getting better.
2. Enjoying the downtime. There may not be a lot of it, but usually I'm someone who packs every minute of the day with something and always has to be busy. I don't know what to do with myself if I have time to myself. Relaxing doesn't come naturally to me. I work well under pressure, handle multiple projects at a time and while stress is never healthy, usually can swim through it pretty successfully. So, as I've been eliminating projects (saying no to things), I've found a bit more time to learn how to relax. After the little guy goes to sleep, I am able to sometimes stay off my computer and spend time with my husband. I even read a book this summer!
3. Taking in the now.  Having a child really has helped me with this.  Seeing him change, learn and grow so fast in his only-19 months has helped me realize even more so how fast life really goes. Way too fast.  I don't want to look back on my life and see it as a blur. I don't want to put things off until tomorrow (this reminds me of Garth Brooks' song The River...). I want to get out and explore life with my family. I want all this, I just need to do more of it. 
How do you balance work/obligations and family life?

Don't forget to check out Tia & Tamera, plus love their style:

Thank you so much to the Style Network for sponsoring today's post! I work with Linqia to bring relevant pieces of info to you all - things that I am excited about and hope you are, too! So while this post is sponsored, all thoughts and opinions are mine. Thank you for supporting our sponsors!

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