Who Do You Think You Are?!

For day 2 of Hoopla, I wore a bright red dress with a pink blazer. I was color blocking for my life. I wore another turban and my Marc by Marc Jacobs saddle shoes to complete the look. I felt kind of obnoxious in this when I left the house, but by the time I got to the tube station I felt fabulous! I really want to wear this look again like right now, but I guess I'll wait a couple of weeks...

Whistles blazer
Asos dress
Marc by Marc Jacobs shoes
Stella & Dot Sierra necklace

So since I touched down in London, I've just been running away from my comfort zone. It's weird. It's like I became a new person once I got here. I'm not a big risk taker and it takes everything in me to reach out to people. I moved to London and started reaching out to people, talking to strangers, wearing bright colors, rocking sneakers and making moves to become a stylist. I don't know who I think I am, but I love it. Life is constantly changing and I'm just trying to keep up!

Basics for Hoopla!

Joe's Jeans
Banana Republic Blazer
Topshop shoes
H&M tank top
Stella & Dot Pegasus necklace

I spent all day Sunday and Monday at a conference for Stella & Dot known as Hoopla. This was the first annual Hoopla for the UK since they just launched towards the end of last year. I was so excited to go because I wanted to see the Autumn collection which just launched today for the UK. It is EVERYTHING. I spotted a few statement pieces that I'm dying for. I can't wait to order a few.

Because I knew we would be seeing the new collection, I kept my outfit simple. I always wear a basic white or black tee to try on jewelry. I can play around with colors and prints once I decide I like the piece. Any excuse to wear black and white is always a good one for me anyway. I wanted to play with head wraps some more, so I tied my favorite silk scarf into a turban. I added a statement necklace and a pop of color with my hot pink shoes and orange bag for a chic take on an otherwise classic outfit.

I have no idea why these pictures came out grainy/blurry, but I didn't realize it until I uploaded them to my computer....love myself.

If you're in the UK, you can check out the Autumn collection here. (My US peeps can check it out here)

Lazy Gray Saturdays

I'm going to stop talking about how gray its been all summer, since that's more the rule anyway. To be honest, the weather isn't all THAT bad. It's cool, but not cold, and I hardly miss the sun at all anymore. (Ok that's an exaggeration, but I need to talk myself into believing the sun isn't all that great) I really love London, so I guess I'll just have to accept that the weather is shit and find a way to be cute in it.

Awkward makeup picture
Nars Velvet Matte Pencil in Red Square
Exhibit A blush

Splendid dress
Topshop vest
Hue tights
Steven flats

This past weekend was really quiet for my hunny and I. We had a nice dinner on Saturday evening followed by a walk and some QT before he pulled a 36 hour bender in the office. Casual days call for casual fits, so I wore my very comfortable Splendid dress with my new Topshop leather vest. I bought that vest about a week or so ago, and I wore it last week at least 4 times. I love that thing. Ever since I saw Rachel Zoe rock one, I've wanted to get one. I wasn't sure that I'd be able to pull it off, but I think I do! (In my completely unbiased opinion) I've worn this with leggings and a tank, a dress, jeans and a flowy top and a few other things just to run out of the house. Chucks, flats, heels or whatever, this piece is so versatile. I don't know who I think I am making all these daring (this is daring for me people!) fashion choices, but I love it. I think moving to London and ditching corporate America was a really great look for me.

I hope you all know that I'm telling you how much I wear this vest, so you're not weirded out when you start seeing it constantly on the blog. I will always be 5 years old with certain things. I will forever love hot pink and I will wear my favorite outfits 9338708086 times. Only at 26, my mom can't stop me!

Two Tones and the Christian Louboutin Exhibit

The two toned Whistles blazer I've been lusting for is finally MINE! It was marked down in the sale, and they had one left in my size. I think it was fate. I know it was fate. Anyway, I finally pulled it out this weekend. I loves myself a structured blazer, but this one just made my heart sing. I love the color and the two toned lapels. I picked up this orange bag at T.K. Maxx, and everything just came together so wonderfully. Nothing like a little color block to brighten your day! I went to see the Christian Louboutin exhibit on Saturday afternoon since my hunny was working most of the day.

Whistles Blazer
Joe's Jeans
H&M tee
Stella & Dot Bahari Necklace
Salvatore Ferragamo flats

 If you're in London and didn't get a chance to see the exhibit, you missed out. It was amazing. You got to see so many of Louboutin's fabulous designs, but you also got insight into his inspirations and his process. They also had a 3D hologram of Dita Von Teese doing a burlesque in sparkly Christian Louboutin pumps. My favorite section was the Fetish area where shoes were designed more as sculptures than as a wearable shoe. Two dancers from the Crazy Horse were chosen to model them in a shoot for the particular arch in their foot. The photos were provocative in nature, but really fabulous works of art. Unfortunately, I could only take pictures outside of the exhibit. The museum had a strict no photos policy which they enforced almost ridiculously. My phone was still in camera mode from taking photos outside when I walked in and one of the employees rolled up on me like a shoplifter to ask me to put my phone in my pocket. I made several unsuccessful attempts at taking pictures before eventually giving up. This is all I could get for you guys...

Don't mind if I do!

Apparently I Wear High Tops

Ever since I got my first Barbie, I've been in love with fashion. I'm sooo happy to finally be breaking into it. I started assisting a stylist here that I met through a mutual friend. We hung out  a few times before I told her about my career ambitions, and the rest is history! I'm so excited to be assisting her and learning all about the styling business. I've been working a lot which is why I haven't been updating the Stiletto Jetset as much as I'd like.

A lot of my new position has me walking all around the city of London with a heavy case picking up and returning pieces for shoots. Unfortunately, my ballet flats and cute sandals were not cutting it. I had to finally give in and get some shoes with the support I need to last me all day. Sneakers. Yes, sneakers. I haven't worn sneakers anywhere but the gym since I was in elementary school, so deciding what to get was quite the challenge. I've always been scared to rock J's or dunks or something comparable because I'm so tall. I don't want to look like a WNBA player. I want to look chic, but be able to walk by 6pm. I settled on Chucks. I kind of love them, but I'm still getting used to the idea. Here's a peek of my first look in my new kicks!

Express Top
American Apparel leggings
Stella & Dot Jewelry
Converse kicks

Exhibit A blush and Dragon Girl velvet matte lippy both by Nars

I wore this outfit for a menswear magazine shoot last week. I had to keep it super casual and comfy, and naturally I rocked a red lip. Gotta keep it funky!

Here are some shots from the menswear shoot I worked on last week:

So many wonderful things going on in my life! Stay tuned for more updates on my work!

Sunglasses and Advil

Asos dress
Marc by Marc Jacobs Pumps
Stella & Dot "Bahari" Necklace and "Chantilly" Cuff

Shame is a really powerful motivator. Like unbelievably powerful. I was pretty much set on spending Sunday at bedside baptist before wolfing down some hangover burgers and watching television for the rest of the day. I hadn't planned on receiving a call from one of the lovely ladies at our church to offer us a lift. I didn't have the heart to tell her I felt like acting like an ungrateful heathen that day (I mean after all I just went on and on about how great 25 was and how fabulous my birthday was!). I was so ashamed of myself, I pulled myself out of bed and went to church. I'm glad I did because it was a wonderful service.

In addition to giving thanks for another year, I thanked God for concealer and advil because that's the only way I made it to church without looking and feeling like a zombie. I put on this cute little chiffon Asos dress with a statement necklace and heeled saddle shoes to make it through service fabulously. I forgot how much I love these shoes. When I was a little Mercedes, I loved my saddle shoes, so when I found a pair with a heel I had to have them. A little nostalgia is good for the soul.

For the record, I did get my hangover food. A bland burrito from a mexican place I was hoping would be like Chipotle...it wasn't. Bummer.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Saturday was my 26th (gasp!) birthday!

Yes, this is the dress I wore to Watch the Throne!
Stella & Dot "Stevie" necklace
Topshop Heels

This time last year, you couldn't convince me that 25 wasn't the rapture. I had a severe quarter life crisis. What am I going to do with my life? I'm old now! I wasn't really OLD, but I was in that awkward transition stage. I'm talking about the stage where 22 year olds no longer really seem like your peers because they're basically still in college mode, but you still get no respect from older folks still writing you off as a dumb 20-something. Maybe it's just a terrible side effect of being a Type A overly ambitious over achiever, but I was really beginning to doubt I would become the amazing person I had in my head. What had I accomplished by 25? Hardly anything! Despite my delightfully pessimistic attitude, 25 turned out to be an incredible and life changing year.

8 of my 25th year highlights:

1. Week long birthday vacation with my beau to Palm Springs. Instead of answering emails on my birthday, I shopped, laid out by the pool, drank too may mojitos, and went horseback riding in the mountains.
2. Surprise birthday party by my parents. Everyone wore white. I wore 3 of my favorite things: hot pink, leopard print, and Diane von Furstenberg.
3. Got engaged!
4. Told my boss to SUCK IT I was resigning to move to London
5. Told my Chicago slumlord to SUCK IT aka Broke my lease penalty free due to a fire in the building a week before I was set to move out
6. MOVED TO LONDON
7. Started building my Stella & Dot business
8. Landed a job assisting a celebrity stylist

Despite stints in both sales and investment banking, I always wanted to break into fashion. I'm finally doing it. I think 26 is going to be a fabulous year, and I can't wait to see what it has in store! 

I spent my birthday with my hunny (obvi). We had brunch at Ottolenghi then spent a few hours walking through Borough Market and then around the South Bank. I had a really fabulous time just spending "us" time together. Saturday night we had dinner at Marco Pierre White Steakhouse. I don't eat a ton of beef, but I will always cave for a nice piece of filet mignon. We ended the night dancing at Apartment 58 before taking it home. After splitting a bottle of wine then throwing back a few shots of tequila at Apartment 58 it was definitely time to get to bed! 

Here are some pictures from my birthday!

Stella & Dot Arm Party!

Love birds

Hanging in the park

MAC "Quick Sizzle" matte lipstick

I got my blazer!

H&M Tee
Open shawl purchased in Paris a few years ago
American Apparel Leggings
Diane von Furstenberg sandals

Stella & Dot "Bianca" Tassel Necklace

This is what happens when you go from drinking wine to tequila and then decide to take outfit pictures on your iPhone because your camera died...you're welcome.