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How is summer almost over?!? I almost lost it this weekend when I was scrolling through Insta and saw every other blogger in America pulling out fall decor and autumn content. I wanted to shout "NO WAIT! I'm not ready for summer to be over. "
I mean, I love PSL's and trips to the pumpkin patch as much as the next person but good God! You guys know, I am a Florida girl at heart and it is hard for me to "pink slip" warm weather and beach trips. Of course, the other piece of the puzzle I refuse to let go of is summer fashion. I have people ask me all the time. "So, when is it time to say goodbye to white jeans?"
The age-old answer is, that you shouldn't wear white after Labor Day. However, hailing from sunny south Florida, I have torn that page out of my book (or should we say Vogue magazine?).
Living in the south, I say it's fine to wear white after Labor Day. That old school rule (I believe) is reserved for North of the Mason Dixon line where snow and harsh drab winter weather will destroy your snow-white threads.
Here is a cute look you can rock right now if you're a Yankee and until colder weather rolls in if you're a southern belle.
Don't forget you can shop the photos below by clicking on them!
Let me start off by saying that this is by no means a complaint. We prayed and waited for this child and I am so excited to bring him into this world no matter how crazy it might be. This is just a life update and a testament to what life is like knowing the difference between pregnancy, "shortness of breath" and the Coronavirus.
Sure this all started months ago on foreign soil, but I don't think any of us thought that Covid-19 would ever make its way to the Americas, and even if it did I don't think we thought we would be living in quarantine for months on end.
Dallas and I surely didn't know that it would affect us and our travel to Barcelona Spain when we departed for our Babymoon, March 1st. When we boarded our plane in NYC there were exactly 4 cases of Corona in Spain and they were located in Madrid. We decided that Madrid was far enough away that it wouldn't affect our health or travel. Although, we did know we needed to be extra careful since we would be in a touristic city with other people from around the world. We showered and changed our clothes every single time we came back to our hotel room and I washed my hands so much that week, I had scabs on them. We also carried with us Lysol wipes, hand sanitizer, and surgical masks for when we encountered extra busy locations.
Even by the time, we left Spain to return to the states the outbreak had barely begun to grow, as far as we knew. We touched down in NYC and boarded our flight back to Charlotte when we got the news that Barcelona had developed a good amount of cases, but thankfully we felt fine.
I returned to work the following Monday as the outbreak grew, doubling and tripling its numbers in Barcelona and around Spain. After a week of being back to work, I received a call from my boss that our company would feel more comfortable if I self quarantined for the next 12 days. Little did I know March 13th would be my last day working from the office.
Luckily, Dallas and I made it out of Spain and NYC without contracting the virus but soon after we went into our self-quarantine, Covid-19 made it's way to the US. It was like this plague was following us.
As I have continued to work from home in my makeshift closet studio, the effects of pregnancy are starting to creep on me. My once strong stable demeanor is now wavering from time to time and I am reaching the phase of "uncomfortable" in my 3rd trimester. My mind is starting to wander and I am becoming more indecisive, which is not helpful when trying to choose a baby name.
Dallas and I have gone from having five names on our list to two, then back up to seven. I think I know what name I would like, but I am constantly influenced by what the people around me think, and that is NOT how I want to pick my son's name.
This is going to sound CRAZY (and maybe it is) but I have a reoccurring dream about my late father and what he thinks I should name my baby boy. Now I am sure this is my subconscious speaking since we have already decided that our little boy's middle name will be Joseph after my dad but why am I so attached to this random first name?
The other thing that I caught myself doing, is blaming myself over not having our nursery finished. With our first son Cashton, I had his nursery done by the time I hit my second trimester. I was so excited and I had a clear cut vision of what I wanted. This time around, I couldn't make my mind up about how I wanted to decorate the room. I kept changing my mind (just like the baby names). By the time I settled on a giraffe/safari themed room we were so deep into social distancing and quarantine that retailers were closed and online shopping deliveries were delayed. Then, add the fact that I was looking for rattan/jute material items and you have a perfect storm.
Most of these products are produced in other countries and shipping through customs is being held up for obvious reasons. Not to mention a lot of these factories are closed for the time being. Most of the items I was looking to purchase are on backorder until the end of July, early August, and that was the best-case scenario.
So back to the drawing board I went. I did finally decide on new pieces that are locally sourced here in the US but time is still ticking and pieces are still rolling in. I HOPE to have the room done by May 15th with a full reveal soon after. If you want to see our new plan I have another blog post complete with mood board up under our Family tab.
The last thing that keeps my mind gloomy these days, is not being able to celebrate baby #2 with our family and friends. You hear a lot of people talk about moving weddings and family gatherings but once a baby is on the way, there is no turning back! Thus, my dreams of having a baby sprinkle for this child have been derailed, and no, it's not about the registry or the gifts. It's just about commemorating a special moment with the people you love.
Now, I know, we are better safe than sorry. My plan is to possibly celebrate baby Strager once this whole coronavirus issue has settled, with a "Sip & See" in late July but my craving for human interaction with someone outside of these walls is real NOW.
Normally, pregnant women would at least have our doctor's appointments to look forward to but even those are being canceled or moved to telehealth calls. So I find myself digging into my blog again (which is a good thing). I have planned out monthly content and I am working on my own photography skills while developing a podcast with my girlfriend Barb. The Mommyhood 2 Menopause podcast is available at Kiss951.com or Soundcloud. We hope you give it a listen!
I have also been reigniting my "Try On Sessions" since I am still receiving my subscription to Rent The Runway. Every week I will be sharing my favorite maternity looks that are available to rent. Pregnant mommas, this is a GREAT option for us since we only need these pieces for a short time. However, I have used RTR far before I ever became pregnant. Whether you are looking for office wear, weekend looks, or date night little black dresses, they have been my go-to!
I loved this form-fitting LBD (above) and black and white plaid trench! Check out all they have to offer from clothing to formal wear and accessories to home goods here!
Happy Style Saturday! I couldn't let another day go by without sharing this buttery leather jacket and snakeskin dress with you. As fall has descended on the Carolina's it is time to transition our wardrobe into our fall uniforms.
I love this look because of its versatility. These pieces together ROCK but they can also be worn as stand-alone, standouts. You could easily wear this snakeskin pleated dress to the office with a cute blazer or style it with this black leather jacket for more of a date night look. It would also look killer with black or nude booties but I opted to dress this look up a little with a pair of Steve Madden high heels.
This whole look including the earrings (and minus the shoes) is available at Fabrik Birkdale!
October has always been a powerful month for me with lots of ups and downs. When I was a child I LOVED October because it meant that me, my brother, mom and dad would all pile in the car and road trip from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Virginia to find the perfect (enormous) pumpkin. My parents loved Halloween. We would decide on a family costume and they would decorate the front yard for All Hallows Eve, complete with tombstones and spider webs. My mother even convinced my dad to make her a life-sized coffin for her to hide in so that she could jump out and scare trick or treaters.
Then, when I was about 19 years old, October took a turn for me when I lost my father to cancer just 3 days before Halloween. My mother and brother were able to recover and begin to celebrate again a few years later. In memoriam to my dad I'm sure, but I never fully regained the joy they had for this holiday. I would participate here and there but my heart was never able to recover.
After I met Dallas, October started to look up. He would humor me and try to plan trips to the pumpkin patch again like my family did years before and now that we have a child I am learning to love Halloween in a new way. We are building new family traditions on the stilts of old ones.
Another reason October is now a big deal in our household is that it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Dallas's Mother is a breast cancer survivor. In 2012, Dallas's mom Bev's fight was intense. After undergoing a double mastectomy, reconstruction, chemo, and radiation we are proud to say that her cancer is in remission!
Since then there is not one October that goes by that we don't reflect on our loved ones (past and present). Cancer is something that touches everyone's life and we have to remember to take care of our bodies. Women so frequently put the family or other people first and they forget to take care of themselves. Ladies, please do your self-exams. If you are 40 or older, please go for your annual mammogram. I know the process is an uncomfortable procedure but it could save your life.
Since it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month I thought I would share this cute pink look with you. The blouse and chambray tie shorts are form Apricot Lane and the nude gladiator-style heel is from Red Dress Boutique. To keep this look bright I paired it with a teal straw clutch with colorful pompoms and grabbed some silver Kendra Scott jewelry to add some metal tones.
I can't begin to tell you how many DM's and messages I have received asking "Where my Fashion Friday Try On Sessions have gone?" Well, truth be told, I've been slacking. Mainly because we've spent the good majority of this year moving and dealing with buying and selling a home.
As I've told you, we accidentally bought a house earlier this year and moved in mid-summer after completing some construction (to see the full transformation check out my family page). Although we are completely unpacked and moved in, I am still putting some finishing touches on a couple of bedrooms and remodeling our laundry room.
However, with things slowing down I am now finding time to work on the fashion side of my blog again. Thus, Fashion Fridays are BACK! In case you missed it, I posted a Fab'rik Birkdale Try-On Session last week (which I will repost again this Friday). I also shot some of my favorite new arrivals for you all and this Spanx / T-shirt combo is my Fab'rik Birkdale "Look Of The Week"! With fall weather around the corner, I am feeling my streetwear roots and bringing back army jackets (The Star Alys) and sneaker wedges. I finished this funky ensemble with a pair of gold and leather star cut earrings from Fab'rik Birkdale as well.
If you are looking for trendy new looks to dress up your fall wardrobe Fab'rik Birkdale has the streetwear, business casual and cocktail attire you need in your life!
NYFW is upon us and although we are already looking forward to Spring 2020 lines, we still have to live through Fall of 2019. This season, get ready for a little 90's influence. Cue the denim jackets and plaid button-downs. Although we are still waiting on our first burst of cool air, fall fashion styles are already rolling out.
Last week my best friend Laura Pucker was here in North Carolina to escape Hurricane Dorian as it threatened the east coast of Florida after pummeling the Bahamas. Of course, when Laura called and asked if she could fly up and stay with me I said YES immediately. Laura and I have known each other for years and met when I was coaching her for Mrs. Florida America.
About 3 minutes into our first session I knew 2 things, Laura was the class clown (aka Ms. Congeniality) and we were about to become best friends. Since that day 10 years ago Laura and I have been thick as thieves and we have bonded over everything from travel and relationship issues to fashion trends and fake friends.
Even though Laura and I don't live in the same city, she is one of those people you can just pick right back up with. One of those rare friends that you can call for anything. While Laura was here we were inspired by NYFW and started planning our return trip to New York City for fall fashion week this coming February.
In the meantime, enjoy these fall-inspired styles that are sure to be hot trends as the leaves change. Look for denim, mauve, plaids, casual dresses and sandals to rock this season for transitional pieces.
Let me just start with a great quote. "You can always tell who the strong women are. They are the ones building each other up instead of tearing each other down". Plain and simple if you are the malicious type, I have NO USE FOR YOU!
It truly makes me sick that there are women in business that try to take others down when in reality working together would have been MUCH more beneficial. I have been dealing with a lot of negativity in my life lately and it has been stifling. To have anxiety about simple daily tasks is ridiculous. If you are someone who finds yourself avoiding people in the hallways or hiding in your office, that is no way to live.
You don't have to roll over for those people anymore. My advice to a woman giving another woman a hard time is to "be a boss, not a b*tch." If you are currently medaling in someone else's life take a good long look in the mirror and ask yourself what it is about that person that aggravates your demons? Are you jealous? Are you longing for something they have? Or is there something going on in your personal life that you are projecting onto them? Either way, it's time for some self-reflection and prayers.
Bottom line, handle YOUR business and don't be green with envy when others can handle theirs. Brush up on your skills and be the boss you were born to be because respect is earned not given.
While some of you reflect on those words of wisdom enjoy this boss babe look. White blazers for summer are all the rage and these wide leg cropped business pants are a perfect pair. Believe it or not, you can find these trousers everywhere from Macy's to Dicks Sporting Goods.
I scored these Zara earrings in the airport flying back from Italy and matched this look with my favorite heels and Celine bag!
