Last week I went on a Western Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Breeze. This was my first time out of the country, so of course I had to get this adorable GiGi New York passport case for my new (and awful) passport photo. We started our trip in Galveston, followed by two whole days at sea. Our first stop was Montego Bay, Jamaica (pictured wearing this adorable blush cover-up from Anthropologie). We spent our day in a cabana enjoying the perfectly blue water of Jamaica and fresh fruits. After Jamaica we stopped in Grand Cayman, where I spent the day sitting in the middle of the ocean on a sandbar playing with stingrays. If you ever visit Grand Cayman, I highly recommend visiting stingray city, don’t worry you will not get stung by them! Our last stop on the cruise before heading back to Galveston, was Cozumel, Mexico (pictured wearing this pom pom cover-up from ASOS and these denim cut offs from Nordstrom). Cozumel was beautiful but we were in a very tourist heavy part of town and spent most of the day buying souvenirs for the our friends and family. While on the cruise, I was constantly applying sunscreen to avoid getting burned and I feel in love with the Neutrogena Clear Face sunscreen. Banana Boat Tanning Oil has always been a favorite but I used Neutrogena Dry-Touch when I was laying out. It is so important to protect your skin from the harsh sun, especially here in Texas. Don’t forget to stock up on great sunscreen before Memorial Day weekend! xoxo
Last fall I purchased some Trouve leather leggings at Nordstrom, and since then they have been sending me emails about new arrivals for Trouve. I saw this navy jumpsuit in one of their emails and had to try it on. I liked the dark navy color, because it is sliming, but still great for summer and the belt at the waist helps give it shape. This jumpsuit fits a little big, I ordered an extra small and it is still a little large on me. The cropped ankle fits well with heels and the sleeveless top can easily be worn with a jacket in the evening. Shop more navy jumpsuits below! xoxo
About a month ago I went on a full shopping spree at Northpark for both my trip to LA and my cruise. I cannot make a trip to Northpark without stopping in J.Crew, especially when they have 30% off new arrivals. I found this silk tank, which I already own in multiple colors, and this woven clutch that was perfect for happy hour in LA. I had this lace skirt that I purchased at Neiman Marcus last spring, and loved the way the floral and lace paired together. This look went great with a denim jacket when temperatures cooled off in the evening, and was easily dressed up with simple nude heels. This woven clutch has become one of my favorites, because the neutral color goes well with everything and it easily fits my phone, credit cards, backup phone charger and lipstick. Shop more of my favorite floral and lace pieces below! xoxo
When packing for LA last weekend, I was in such a rush I didn’t really think through what I would need for my trip. When I arrived to my room and unpacked I realized that I did not pack a good outfit for a day of exploring and eating at nice restaurants. When I went downstairs to explore The Line Hotel, I saw a Poketo store and some great summer dresses in the window. I made a great impulse buy and got this simple summer black dress for a day of exploring West Hollywood. I love the way the neck is cut higher and the light weight material flows easily. This dress is great for layering, like I did with a denim jacket, and I love that it has pockets! This dress was perfect for lunch at Sugarfish on La Brea, followed by an afternoon of exploring shops on Melrose and a quick pick me up at Alfred Coffee. Find more of my favorite simple summer black dresses below! xoxo
Earlier this week I shared my time at Create & Cultivate Downtown Los Angeles, and gave a sneak peak of the dress I wore. When I was packing for LA, I quickly realized that I did not have an outfit that I liked and felt comfortable sitting in most of the day. I saw this ASTR tie front dress online at Nordstom, but they did not have any in the Dallas area. Naturally, I trusted the mail man and had the dress over nighted, all while crossing my fingers that it would fit. I ordered an extra small because I have another skirt from ASTR with a similar cut and an extra small fit best. This dress is great because it has adjustable straps and the tie front can easily be adjusted in order to make the dress fit best for everyone. The top button on the dress fits tighter on the rib cage and slight pleats makes the bottom of the dress easy to move in, but still gives a flattering shape. This tie front dress was easy to sit in and move around all day, and it went well with my denim jacket for cooler AC temperatures. The only complaint I have about this tie front dress, is the material. While I love linen, the dress wrinkles very easily and the second I sat down, I had a wrinkle across my lap. Shop more tie front dresses below! xoxo
We started our morning off with a delicious breakfast from Patina Restaurant Group that included mini blueberry pancakes, chi parfait, avocado toast, and of course Alfred coffee. My first two sessions were The Future of Fashion: Trends, Tech, & Bridging Online & Off and Fresh Faced: An Unfiltered Look at the Business of Beauty. A few things I took away from these sessions included:
“Walk forward with blinders on and keep your eyes on a goal. Do not focus on the competition…. Even if a post doesn’t turn into dollars, it is building your brand.” –Clare Vivier
“Always say yes, you’re never too good for anything… there is always something you can learn from it.” –Nikki DeRoest
“If it’s inside you, you should do it. Work hard. Oprah was not built in a day.” –Sarah Gibson Tuttle
“Have real friendships with other women instead of focusing on comparing yourselves.” –Sarah Gibson Tuttle
“Snapchat and real time content is the future of social media.” –Evelina Cartasova
“Suck it up and don’t compare yourself to other people… don’t compare your beginning to someone else’s middle, understand where you are.” –Evelina Cartasova
We enjoyed salads from Sweetgreen for lunch, then I attended Video Pros: Harnessing the Power of Digital Platforms to Build Your Brand and Blog Powerhouses: The #BossLadies Slaying the Content Game. I took away some great advice that pertained more specifically to blogging, that included:
“If you don’t have a passion for it, don’t do it. You will end up spreading yourself too thin.” –Chriselle Lim
“Being on time is the most important thing. Brands talk about influencers just as much as influencers talk about brands.” –Christine Andrew
“Be yourself. Do not try to be another blogger. You will just be second best.” –Andy Torres
“One thing I undervalued in starting a company was the importance of trusting your gut, they don’t teach you that in business school.”
“I don’t identify a problem and bone out, I identify a problem and get in the nitty gritty… I am very involved in all aspects of the company from IT, UX to creative and marketing.”
“Being an actress is like being rejected by the hottest guy in school everyday.”
“Mentor those people in your life and open those doors to help them along the way… It’s absolutely important for women to support each other.”
“I want to help motivate women at a very young age, to help them accomplish anything.”
“It is all about being honest, kind, and forthcoming, both internally and externally.”
“I don’t think you can be good at something if you don’t just love it. You need both patience and passion to succeed.”
“If you just hire really talented people you can just let them be and not have to micromanage.”
“Don’t micromanage, but you need to watch people because you can get hurt, just trust your gut.”
“Taking the high road is really hard, but it is always better. You have to believe that good people win in the end.”
“Social media has become how we speak to each other, it is essential to business. I don’t think you can have a business right now without some sort of social presence.”
If you ever have a chance to attend Create & Cultivate, it is well worth it! They will be announcing their next city on May 16th. xoxo