Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Wednesday Wishlist: Spring

Wednesday Wishlist: Spring



Above are my favorite picks for spring!! Midi skirts, tassels, Kendra Scott jewel toned jewelry and straw bags - who's happy it's spring? I know I am! Now if I could just *poof* all of these items into my closet... :)

Tuesday, April 28, 2015

5 Lovely Links


1. Literally the perfect spring midi skirt, here. (Only $43!)
2. Fun ideas for what to do in SoCal over Memorial Day Weekend.
3. The most amazing beach cottage rentals (that are impossible to get a reservation for!)
4. This was a big step for Bruce Jenner and for the transgender community. I applaud his courage and think it's hugely important that we as a nation are talking about the kinds of difficulties the transgender community faces. The fact that he has gotten so many people to talk about gender identity is so important!
5. Oldie but goodie: 21 babies meeting dogs for the first time. 16 and 19 are my favorites. Check it out here.

Monday, April 27, 2015

High Low Style




 Jacket: Blanc Noir | Dress: Zara | Heels: BCBG | Clutch: Forever 21 | Earrings: J. Crew | Bracelet and ring: David Yurman

I'm so happy for my friends who are college sweethearts!! They got engaged a few months back but the party was this past weekend. Wishing them all the best and a lifetime of love and happiness!

Friday, April 24, 2015

Friday Feature: For The Love of Bubbly by Jessica Wynne

Hi everyone and happy Friday!! Today I want to introduce you to one of my favorite up and coming bloggers, Jessica Wynne of For the Love of Bubbly. Jessica and I "met" via commenting on each other's blogs and I was immediately draw to her feminine style and sweet personality. She is a lawyer who somehow manages to balance her busy work life with her love of fashion! Below, Jessica shares how she got started, work-life balance tips, favorite places to shop, and more. Head over to her blog and check out her style (which manages to be fun, colorful, and ladylike all at the same time.) 

 
Photo cred: her hubby! Oufit posts here and here 

Start with a brief introduction! Tell us a little about yourself. 
Hi there! I’m Jessica Wynne, an attorney by day and the fashion blogger behind For the Love of Bubbly. I live in Jacksonville Beach, Florida and Vail, Colorado with my husband Chris (the man behind the lens) and our two dogs Sadie and Luna. For the Love of Bubbly is a creative outlet where I can share my personal style, love of fashion, travel adventures, and even photos from my recent wedding in Colorado. I am so excited to be featured by Christine on Maple and Mint. It is one of my favorite blogs!

What inspired you to start your blog, For the Love of Bubbly?
I have always been a huge lover of fashion (I'm a borderline shopaholic), and my "dream job" growing up involved something in the fashion sector (though I wasn't sure exactly what). I ended up discovering my passion for the law and left my fashion career dreams behind. I of course still followed fashion, shopped, and read all of the amazing blogs out there. However something was missing in my life - I still wanted to pursue some kind of career in fashion and find the creative outlet that was lacking in my day job. One morning when I was looking at my favorite blogs my husband suggested I start my own fashion blog. The idea seemed little overwhelming at first, but then I realized what a perfect fit it would be for me. I started the process right away and have loved every second of it ever since! 

How did you pick the name of your blog? 
It can be incredibly difficult to think of a name for a blog because there are already so many great ones out there! I absolutely love champagne, so that is how I came up with "For the Love of Bubbly."

How long have you been blogging?
I started blogging late September, 2014. I am definitely still a newbie and am learning things everyday! 

What's been your biggest blogging challenge to date? 
I think the biggest challenge was actually starting my blog. There are a lot of steps - thinking of a name, registering your domain name, finding a web designer/developer (if you decide to go that route), working on a logo, creating content for your static pages, putting together your first blog post, and then actually going live! The prospect can be scary, and there are reasons you will try to postpone, but you just have to go for it! 

Your hair always looks fabulous. What is your styling secret?
That is so sweet of you to say! I dry my hair and then split it into three sections (bottom, middle, and top). I split those sections into four to six subsections, and then curl each subsection with a one-inch curling iron. I will let it sit a bit before I brush it out to lock in the curl. I keep meaning to do a hair tutorial, so keep an eye out for that! 

What is your favorite post you've done to date?
This is such a tough one! I would have to say my first one, because it was such a big moment for me to finally launch my blog. And the pictures were taken in Colorado, which is my favorite place! (*read Jessica's first blog post here!)

Do you plan out your blog posts in advance or go with whatever inspiration comes? 
I wish I planned my posts in advance, but I generally go with whatever inspiration comes. My husband and I will try to take outfit pictures for next week's posts on the weekend. I usually go into my closet, grab what inspires me, and we will start shooting! Sometimes it can be very last minute, and we'll snap an outfit when we come home for lunch during the workweek, or after work if it isn't too dark. I generally write my posts the night before they go live. I am not nearly as organized as I would like to be! 

A lot of bloggers start blogging as a hobby, and have to balance it with full time work. How do you balance being an attorney with blogging?
I think balancing blogging and work can be incredibly difficult because there just isn't enough time in the day! Any free time I have will usually be spent working on my blog. As I mentioned before, Chris and I will take outfit pictures on the weekend (if the weather is cooperating), or during our lunch breaks/after work on weekdays if I need pictures for a post and we weren't able to take them over the weekend. I spend many late weeknights finishing a post that is supposed to go live the next morning. Consistency is very important, and you don't want to let your readers down by not posting on a normal schedule. I also think it is very important to grow a community of bloggers by following and posting on other people's blog, so that takes time - I will usually do this during lunch or after work. I will try to post on social media in the morning before I go to the office. It is hard to balance work life with blog life, but it is absolutely worth it because blogging makes me very happy! 

Any tips for how to form a blogging community and connect with followers and other bloggers?
Forming a blogging community is incredibly important. When I first started out, I reached out to several of my friends who were bloggers and they provided me some invaluable guidance (Mary of So Then They Say was so helpful). I also reached out to local bloggers in Jacksonville who I had never met before - Christina from The Quarter Life Closet gladly met me (a stranger at the time) for coffee and has been one of my blogger friends ever since. I am constantly trying to grow my community by discovering new blogs and following along by checking out their posts and commenting. That is how I made a connection with Christine! I am also a member of the Southern Blog Society, and am attending my first blog conference (Altitude Summit) this summer. I can't wait to meet more bloggers and grow my community! 

Name your top three favorite places to shop. 
There are so many wonderful places to shop that it is hard to narrow it down! We have some great local boutiques in town, but I will focus on stores that everyone has access to. I am a huge Shopbop junky, and also love Revolve Clothing (they carry so many wonderful Australians lines). ASOS is another one of my favorites. They have such a huge inventory of pieces at all different price points. 

What accessory or fashion related item can you not live without?
I can't live without a statement handbag. I could be wearing jean shorts and a white t-shirt, but I feel totally put together when I throw a fabulous purse over my shoulder. It instantly glams up any outfit! 

How do you balance work appropriate wear with weekend wear? Is one half of your closet "attorney appropriate" and the other half is for your days off? 
I'm not going to lie - I do not have a lot of outfits that are both "attorney appropriate" and "weekend wear." There are some fabulous, affordable options for work attire - Banana Republic, J. Crew, Ann Taylor. I tend to buy my work clothes from these places, and spend the majority of my shopping budget on after work and weekend wear. It is just more fun! 

And last but not least, do you and your husband have any photography tips for new bloggers?
The biggest photography tip I have is to invest in a DSLR camera and a great lens. They are definitely more expensive, but it is an investment that is 100% worth it. I have a Canon Rebel with a 50mm 1.4 lens. It was a huge upfront cost, but it gives me the look I am going for in my pictures. My husband took a photography class in college (one semester) and he takes all of my pictures - the camera really makes a huge difference! I also highly recommend learning how to work the manual settings on your DSLR camera if you have one. 




There you have it, friends, the lovely Jessica Wynne! Visit her blog For The Love of Bubbly for more fashion inspiration. Have a great weekend!!

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Army Green

Track pants: Converse via Target | Tank: Cloth and Stone via Nordstrom Rack | Jacket: Rubbish via Nordstrom | Sandals: J. Crew | Heart Necklace: Gorjana via Shopbop | Bear Necklace: Golden Bear | Bag: Bric's

Track pants: Converse via Target | Tank: Cloth and Stone via Nordstrom Rack | Jacket: Rubbish via Nordstrom | Sandals: J. Crew | Heart Necklace: Gorjana via Shopbop | Bear Necklace: Golden Bear | Bag: Bric's

Track pants: Converse via Target | Tank: Cloth and Stone via Nordstrom Rack | Jacket: Rubbish via Nordstrom | Sandals: J. Crew | Heart Necklace: Gorjana via Shopbop | Bear Necklace: Golden Bear | Bag: Bric's

Track pants: Converse via Target | Tank: Cloth and Stone via Nordstrom Rack | Jacket: Rubbish via Nordstrom | Sandals: J. Crew | Heart Necklace: Gorjana via Shopbop | Bear Necklace: Golden Bear | Bag: Bric's

SH snapped these in the parking lot before we went to dinner with my parents. The sun was just setting and the breeze was blowing and the weather was just perfect. I was deciding what to wear to dinner after a busy Saturday at a blogger event in Newport Beach, and honestly I just love a good comfy track pant. This pair is from Target and is softer than a baby's bottom. (Well, almost.) They are so comfortable they feel like your favorite sweatpants. Throw on some leopard sandals and a green army jacket and all of a sudden you make comfy look chic. Is there anything better than that?

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Work Place (In)Appropriate

A close friend of mine recently shared a story about a rude coworker of hers. I want to share it today because I think it’s important for us as young professionals to consider how we come across in the workplace, and think about not only our words, but our body language and actions, too.

To give you a back story, the coworker and my friend are collaborating on a project together that pretty much… doesn’t have an end date. They are the only two people in their office trained to do a specific set of tasks, so, in short, they’re stuck with each other.

My friend (I’ll call her Lucy) explained that she was confronted by this coworker (I’ll call her Janet) in front of the entire office in a condescending and inappropriate way.

I won’t get into all the details, but basically Janet walked over to Lucy’s desk uninvited, and proceeded to chide her on her work ethic. “I am always responsible and take initiative,” Janet said, “and you and I are just, well… very different.”

Ouch. Talk about taking a stab at someone’s character. (The conversation goes on, but, you probably get the picture.)

You can probably guess that my friend was pretty hurt by this exchange. Mind you, my friend is not the type to be called irresponsible or lacking initiative. She is quite the opposite of these things. She’s headstrong, and stubborn. Always on time and if she’s running 3 minutes behind, she’ll let you know. She is a go-getter, a plan maker.

What her coworker was insinuating? It just wasn’t true of Lucy.

I’m not here to berate Janet, or make her sorry for the way she handled the above situation. Of course I want to stick up for my friend, but even that is not the point. The point is, what is appropriate in the workplace? How would you handle a problem you have with a coworker you’re stuck working with?

Here’s what I personally found inappropriate about Janet and Lucy’s conversation, along with my take on what I think is a better way to handle it. (Mind you, I wasn’t there, so I’m basing this purely off of what my friend told me and I understand that I come with the “friend bias.”)

1) Janet doesn’t request a private meeting with Lucy, she just approaches her. If Janet has a problem with Lucy and the way that they work together, she should schedule a meeting with Lucy where the two of them can talk in private and professionally hash out their differences and come up with an amicable solution. Berating a coworker in front of the entire office is inappropriate and in bad taste. On top of that? I think it exhibits poor judgment.

2) Janet’s body language immediately comes across as aggressive and domineering (per my friend’s account.) Lucy was sitting at her desk. Janet was standing. Janet was in Lucy’s personal space. Everyone in the office was within earshot. The standing vs sitting body language is a classic portrayal of a power differential. If both parties are sitting, it puts the conversation on a much more even playing field.

3) What kills me about this story? The whole office was in earshot. People are trying to work and they’re listening to office drama? Especially in an open, collaborating environment, respecting your coworkers can take work and practice: (i.e. learning what is an appropriate volume level for music and/or speaking, and perhaps your telephone voice is louder than your coworker to coworker voice, etc.) Furthermore, the concept of space is super important, especially in an open space without walls or cubicles. People may need to be given space as though they are in an office (i.e. asking if it's a good time to talk, or finding an alternative to knocking on a door when you're interrupting.) You never know if someone is writing an important memo, or having an important train of thought. Be mindful of the space and comfort of others.


What about you, do you have any tips on how to deal with office conflict? Again, I'm not here to berate Janet (not her real name) so please keep comments positively framed. After all, we are all here to learn from one another and build each other up, not tear each other down.

That's another thing that bummed me out about this story. Strong women strengthen other women. Since Janet is older than Lucy, if Janet really thought she (Janet) was in the right, why not look at her qualms with Lucy as a teaching moment? Why not approach the situation with grace and kindness, in an effort to help better a coworker and a shared workplace?

Monday, April 20, 2015

Neon

 Tank: Mine (that is the name of the brand, lol) via Marshalls, this Nordstrom tank is also cute | Shorts: Gap | Tassel Necklace: Bauble Bar | Heart Necklace: Gorjana via Shopbop | Bear Neckalce: Golden Bear | Bag: Hobo | Panama Hat: J. Crew | Cuff Bracelet: David Yurman via Bib + Tuck | Spiky Bracelet: Bauble Bar and this one is on sale! | Bangles: Alex and Ani | Sandals: Sam Edelman via Shopbop | Lipstick: Revlon in Kiss Me Coral (via any drugstore)


 Tank: Mine (that is the name of the brand, lol) via Marshalls, this Nordstrom tank is also cute | Shorts: Gap | Tassel Necklace: Bauble Bar | Heart Necklace: Gorjana via Shopbop | Bear Neckalce: Golden Bear | Bag: Hobo | Panama Hat: J. Crew | Cuff Bracelet: David Yurman via Bib + Tuck | Spiky Bracelet: Bauble Bar and this one is on sale! | Bangles: Alex and Ani | Sandals: Sam Edelman via Shopbop | Lipstick: Revlon in Kiss Me Coral (via any drugstore)


 Tank: Mine (that is the name of the brand, lol) via Marshalls, this Nordstrom tank is also cute | Shorts: Gap | Tassel Necklace: Bauble Bar | Heart Necklace: Gorjana via Shopbop | Bear Neckalce: Golden Bear | Bag: Hobo | Panama Hat: J. Crew | Cuff Bracelet: David Yurman via Bib + Tuck | Spiky Bracelet: Bauble Bar and this one is on sale! | Bangles: Alex and Ani | Sandals: Sam Edelman via Shopbop | Lipstick: Revlon in Kiss Me Coral (via any drugstore)

 Tank: Mine (that is the name of the brand, lol) via Marshalls, this Nordstrom tank is also cute | Shorts: Gap | Tassel Necklace: Bauble Bar | Heart Necklace: Gorjana via Shopbop | Bear Neckalce: Golden Bear | Bag: Hobo | Panama Hat: J. Crew | Cuff Bracelet: David Yurman via Bib + Tuck | Spiky Bracelet: Bauble Bar and this one is on sale! | Bangles: Alex and Ani | Sandals: Sam Edelman via Shopbop | Lipstick: Revlon in Kiss Me Coral (via any drugstore)

This past weekend was the LA Times Festival of Books. My parents came down for the weekend and we walked around the festival for a good five hours, combing over the bargain tents for the best steals and hardback treasures. We had the best time!! The weather was perfect, it wasn't too hot, there was a nice breeze, we listened to some great music, ate at the foodtrucks and just enjoyed being together. I wore this bright neon pink tank which made it easy for my parents and SH to spot me in the crowd, paired with my favorite pair of white Gap shorts. I hardly ever wear white on my bottom half (shorts, pants, skirts, etc.) but this pair is my favorite because they are not only the perfect fit, they are patterned which prevents the usual shorts bunching from happening around the zipper area (you guys know what I'm talking about right?) I could basically live in these shorts all summer. See me wear them last summer here.

I'm also loving this new Bauble Bar tassel necklace. I didn't know how to partake in the tassel trend without breaking the bank (so many of the tassel bags I'm seeing are hundreds of dollars) so this little Bauble Bar Necklace did just the trick! Also, these Sam Edelman sandals are $90 and basically go with everything, so I'm planning on wearing them all summer.

I'm sad that the festival and the weekend are over and I'm already counting down the days until next year's festival. Here's what I brought home:
My loot!!

Oh also, LA Times Events and Hello LA Times regrammed my photo on their instagrams! Pretty cool huh? :)


Saturday, April 18, 2015

My Hair Makeover with Spoke and Weal


I have never been great at styling my hair. My desire for sleep usually (always) trumps my desire for beautiful hair. I would rather sleep an extra 15 minutes in the morning than wake up earlier to wash, blow dry, and style my hair before heading to work. My go to style is usually up. I own a curling iron which I have used a total of two times in my life (and I ended up looking like Shirley Temple anyway.) 

So when I stepped into Spoke and Weal on W 3rd St. in LA, I divulged all of this to my stylist, Kaylee. "I don't know how to do my hair," I said. "I need something quick and easy to style. A no fuss look." Kaylee is blonde, petite and cute. She has hair that looks effortless and perfect and a little messy, like she maybe ran her fingers through it and went out the door. "That is the type of hair I want," I explain.

The salon has a warehouse feel to it but without being cold. Each styling chair has it's own Hollywood style mirror with lights (a style I personally love.) Everything is black (even the stylist uniform is head to toe black) for a kind of effortless chic feel (see a theme here?) The blow dryers hang from the ceiling so there's no cords to trip over. The whole salon is immaculate. I'm talking not a single piece of hair on the floor, immaculate.  

 
All the coloring options, oh my!

 

After you arrive and meet your stylist, you change into one of the salon's t-shirts. Something about this feels luxe in itself and I'm not sure why. Changing is followed by a brief scalp massage with some aromatherapy.  Then you are taken to the back room to get your hair washed. My hair was in such bad shape that Kaylee had to shampoo it twice, just to get all the gunk out of my hair from the crappy drug store shampoo I was using. (Because hey, who has $40 to drop on shampoo am I right??) We'll get to this later.




Tea, anyone?

Spoke and Weal operates a little differently than most salons. They blow dry your hair and THEN cut it, once it's dry. I sat in the chair for some snipping, I stood with my head down, to the side, to the other side, for some snipping. They have an interesting approach to hair. 

Here are my before and after pictures:

BEFORE:

  
 
AFTER:
 c/o Spoke and Weal



I love my new haircut!! A warm thanks to the Spoke and Weal team for making me feel so welcomed and thank you Kaylee for not only doing such a great job cutting and styling my hair, but for also teaching me how to style it when I get home. I can't wait to come back to get my hair colored! There are only two Spoke and Weal locations so if you live in LA or SF, hop to it! (One coming soon to NY.) At the end of my salon trip I also purchased the shampoo and conditioner (Rosemary Mint by Aveda) and they were less than $15 each, so the myth that shampooing to nice, healthy hair has to be expensive is busted!

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend :)

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

LA Times Festival of Books

Living in LA comes with tons of perks. There is always something to do or see, an event to attend, or a great restaurant to try. This weekend, one of my favorite events of the year is coming to the USC campus: The LA Times Festival of Books. This two-day event is a book lover's heaven. There is something for everyone- music, food, books (endless books!) celeb appearances, and even some theater. Best of all? Admission is free. 

Here's my guide to this year's LA Times Festival of Books. I've handpicked the events I would like to attend on Saturday (I sadly can't make it, but will be there on Sunday!) As you've probably figured out pretty quickly from glancing at the list below... it's impossible to attend ALL of these events, as many of them are at the same time. So unless you've figured out how to be in two places at once, you'd better bring along a buddy and split up the must-see stuff. And keep in mind, the selections below don't even include all the book selling booths you have to stop by! There is truly so much to do and see at this event. 


I hope you enjoy my picks! 


SATURDAY


9:30        Arrive early because parking will be madness. 


10:00      Festival opens, hit up the USC Stage to hear the Trojan Marching Band.


10:30      Moving beyond the “Cuba cliche” and getting to the real Cuba a talk with Alice Short, asst. managing editor, Los Angeles Times and Catherine Watson, travel writer. Booth 47 LA Times California Pavilion (no ticket required) 


10:30     Crime Fiction: Right Place, Wrong Time (Conversation 1051) Salvatori Computer Science Center (SAL 101) (ticket required) 


10:30     Frame by Frame: The Lasting Impact of Movies (Conversation 1021) Hoffman Hall (ticket required) 


11:00     Eat This: The L.A. Food Movement (Conversation 1121) Taper Hall 101 (ticket required) 


11:00    Young Adult Fiction: Connections & Consequences (Conversation 1031) Town and Gown (ticket required)


11:30    Making the most out of 10-minute photo shoots with Jay L. Clendenin, staff photographer, Los Angeles Times. Booth 47 LA Times California Pavilion (no ticket required)


12:00    Writing With a Smirk: Women & Humor (Conversation 1082) Seeley G. Mudd (SGM 124) (ticket required)


12:15    More for Your Money: Travel Bargains in 2015 Travel Smart Stage (no ticket required) 


1:30     Whose Life Is It Anyway? Approaches to Writing Memoir (Conversation 1143) Wallis Annenberg Hall (ticket required) 


1:30     Crime Fiction: Haunted by the Past (Conversation 1053) Salvatori Computer Science Center (SAL 101) (ticket required)  


2:00     Tell Me a Story: The Art of Children's Books (Conversation 1043) Andrus Gerontology Center (ticket required) 


2:30    The next generation of storytellers Kyle Finck, Los Angeles Times, Cailynn Knabenshue, student Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, Grace Papish, student, Calabasas High School. Booth 47 LA Times California Pavilion (no ticket required)


3:00    Publishing: The Big Picture (Conversation 1054) Salvatori Computer Science Center (SAL 101) (ticket required) 


3:00    Young Adult Fiction:  Smells Like Teen Spirit (Conversation 1024) Hoffman Hall (ticket required) 


3:00    Young Adult Fiction: Writing the Fantastic (Conversation 1084) Seeley G. Mudd (SGM 124) 



3:30    Crime Fiction: Playing Both Sides (Conversation 1124) Taper Hall 101 (ticket required) 

4:30    Publishing: The New Writers' Toolbox (Conversation 1015) Hancock Foundation (ticket required) 



What about you, will you be making it to the LA Times Festival of Books?

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

What to Wear to a Spring Wedding


It's getting to be that time of year again folks! Spring wedding season! A couple of my friends are getting married in the coming months, and I'm already thinking about appropriate wedding attire for the spring and summer ceremonies. I've only been to one wedding before in my whole life if you can believe it, and it was a December wedding, so that dress won't be repeated. I've been searching the web for wedding etiquette, and the tips seem to be the same- never wear white and dress according to the type of wedding- black tie, beach, semi-formal, etc. I'd love to know your thoughts- can you wear a long floral dress like the ones pictured below to a day time, semi-formal wedding, or do those have to be reserved for a black tie affair? What do you think of my wedding guest dress picks below?


Wedding Season


 

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