Sweet T.: What the Elle??

LAUGh YOUr wAY Through LIfe.

I asked my great friend Beth to do this photo shoot. Not only because I think she’s wonderfully talented, but also because I’ve known her since childhood. Photography is her hobby as opposed to her career, and it shows in the quality of her work. She knows me well, liked the direction of the blog, and had a clear vision of what I wanted. She was a breeze to work with…me on the other hand was a different story entirely. To be honest, I texted her prior to the shoot asking if I should take a few shots of something, anything!! I couldn’t relax, so much so, my hands wouldn’t stop shaking and when I smiled my mouth twitched. At one point I started to think I could be having a seizure. This must be what it’s like for people with a fear of public speaking. To say I was camera shy would have been an understatement. It took nearly an hour for me to relax, and if it wasn’t for her, the entire shoot would’ve been an epic fail. I was at war with myself. I felt silly, I’m not “America’s Next Top Model,” I’m a small town girl with a BIG heart and even BIGGER dreams, who loves fashion and all things art, and wants to somehow leave a tiny finger print on the world when I’m gone. Somehow, I had to visually convey that. So, I figured the best way to get over being camera shy was to laugh at myself A LOT!! And that goes for in life too. I think it helps to take your shortcomings with a grain of salt and a shot of tequila, but laughing and being forgiving of yourself leaves less of a hangover.

Always a country girl at heart. xoxo

I’m a severe perfectionist, stubborn, prideful, and terrified of anything remotely close to failure. It’s all of these insecurities that make me the “tip-toe to the edge of a cliff” kind of person as opposed to the “take a blindfolded flying leap off a cliff” kind of person. Risk is something I avoid, though I’m learning the hard way nothing lost, nothing gained. I guess a lot of us live our lives that way, caught up in the everyday rhythm of complacency and the monotonous part of life. It’s easy that way, safe, consistent. But before long you start to lose site of yourself or even worse your dreams. That something in you that ticked so loud you could practically hear it pounding in your ears like a heartbeat, suddenly becomes so dull it’s on the verge of inaudible. When it gets to that point, you choose. You choose the life of just “being”, of everyday tip-toeing your way around your potential and your purpose, or you choose to live it, to hold your breath, say a big fat prayer, and JUMP!!!!!!!! And so I did. That’s part of what this blog is…..a way to get my feet wet, a stepping stone to what I really want to do with my life instead of what I’m stuck doing with my life. God gave me and you a gift, and nothing he does is in vain or without purpose, no matter how silly you think your dreams or calling may be….starting a fashion blog that will one day lead to a business and a business that will lead to starting dozens of charities, or inventing a weird gadget that makes millions, or being a vegan chef, or a life coach, a teacher, a dancer, an artist or musician, a janitor, a pastor….the point is, no dream is too big or too small to matter! If it’s your calling you’ll know it! It will give you energy and passion that keeps you up at night. It will be harder than anything you’ve ever done and quite possibly the most exhilarating, and YOU will have to put in the work. There will be obstacles and people who will hope and pray you fail, but waiting on the other side of every pain in the ass roadblock, is more reward and blessings than you can imagine. You’re brain can’t fathom all the plans God and this life holds for you. Don’t ever forget that! So, go on………….JUMP! I dare you.

Boutique Finds: I love the city of New Orleans. Four hours south of my small town life and it still feels like home. Maybe even more so. All senses come to life, and I get a rush of creative adrenaline. From the jazz to the blues, the smell of cajun cookin and lucky dogs, Canal, Bourbon, and Magazine St., Pat O'Brien's and Razoo's. What we Lousianians call NOLA, has made partying, football, and Mardi Gras an almost religion. It truly is a city that rarely sleeps. The same can be said of the culture, art, and fashion.This is the South, the REAL South. I shot this photo outside of a small boutique tucked away in a side street. It's 2011, but the city feels nothing short of vintage, and it gives me a sentimental yearning for the past. I believe this is called nostalgia. I can imagine wearing corsets and overdone hats, all dolled up beneath a parasol. That's what fashion does. It takes you someplace new. Someplace different and unbelievably glamorous.

One of my favorite designers: CHLOE

I'm in love with the way this brand takes the guesswork out of being girly. Sometimes all a tomboy at heart kinda girl like me wants is to feel super soft and feminine. The colors, usually a mix of neutrals and pastels, are always perfectly balanced. My favorite part is the way the fabrics drape a figure as opposed to hug it, making it sublty sexy and flirty. What's great is much of the line is ready wear. It can easily go from runway to real life. Except for the price tag ofcourse! But don't be sad. You can find some similar styles in Gap's 2011 Spring collection for much much less. Happy shopping!

A to Zoe

Lastnite I had the most AMAZING dream! I was great friends with the one and only RACHEL ZOE! "Couldn't you just die?" She looked absolutely adorable, pregnant belly and all. She was wearing a purple silk knee length dress by Gucci. The sleeves were detailed with black lace and she was covered in tons and tons of vintage jewelry!! Fit over the ensemble was an oversized heather gray and white fur vest by Derek Lam. All I kept thinking was I can't believe she used to be a hostess at a harborfront resturaunt. There is no way in hell I could imagine her doing anything less than glamorous! We were backstage at fashion week and gabbing about the baby gifts Chanel was already sending her. There were half naked models getting ready for the show, and the best part? Not all of them were wafes!!! They had models of all shapes and sizes!! After getting a tour, Rachel let me play around in her makeshift closet!! I still can't get those maroon Christian Louboutin suede booties out of my head!!! I would KiILL to go back to sleep and pick up where I left off!!! SNOOZE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Crystal Renn

According to the March 2011 issue of Glamour Magazine, "on average, women have 13 negative thoughts daily - nearly one for every waking hour. And a disturbing number of women confess to having 35,50, or even 100 hateful thoughts about their own shapes each day." It goes on to list some of the harsh affirmations some as extreme as "I can't imagine anyone wanting to have sex with this." Then makes this statement, "If a man talked this way to a woman, it would be considered abuse. So why do we spew such venom at ourselves?" The saddest part about this whole article? It says these kinds of negative thoughts are becoming evident in girls as young as age 6!!! 6, people!!!!! That's first grade!!!! Props to Glamour for drawing attention to the issue, just wished they would have done it without preceeding and following the article with pics of size 0 models and celebrities. Isn't that what you'd call a mixed message? Until the media changes, is it likely our mindsets will change? And if I'm not mistaken hasn't it always been this way? Throughout decades even centuries? A woman's worth has and more than likely always will be placed on her appearance. But when do appearances cross over into being impossible standards? You know what I say? To hell with standards! What makes a woman beautiful is self-confidence, and I hate to break it to you but you don't find it in dieting and botox alone!! Work with what you've got, take care of what you've got, be grateful for what you've got, and THAT'S HOT!!!!! And justincase you think i'm not validated in this argument, please note my pick for the most beautiful woman in the world is a model by the name of Crystal Renn? Google her!!! She's the most beautiful female on the planet!! Seriously, Gisele who??!!!! You wanna be self-confident? Stop reading the latest diet trends and start inspiring someone, or better yet, yourself. Ask yourself what you really want to be when you grow up, and go for it!! Try something new, even if it's as silly as a cucumber martini or neon nail polish!! Take a girls trip and bring along the best of your wardrobes and spend the weekend telling each other just how fabulous and gorgeous you really are! Sex and the City was a group of 4 women of all different styles, sizes, and personalities! And each of them were fabulous because they made each other feel as much! Repeat after me! "TO HELL WITH STANDARDS & HOORAY FOR ME!"

What the Elle??

Even prior to its stint on "The City," I was addicted to ELLE magazine. I get crazy inspired with every page. In the April 2011 issue, there is a section listed as INFORMANTS. It's full of incredible fashion advice delivered to you via some of the top "who's who" in fashion: aka, Michael Kors & Edmundo Castillo. Kors gives his top 15 pointers in keeping fashion fabulous. TAKE NOTES!! They are as follows: 1) Don't put a round peg in a square hole. Buy clothes based on your silhouette:1950's- hourglass; 1960's-gamine; 1970's-small-chested. 2) Buy tailored jackets, coats, dresses, and pants in neutral colors. 3) Trends are not edicts. If a new style doesn't work for your body and lifestyle, walk away. 4) Try on a few sizes first. Every designer cuts differently, so don't get stuck on a number. 5) Have everything tailored. The way something fits makes all the difference. 6) A chunky men's belt takes the sweetness out of soft silk dresses and skirts. 7) For contrast, add something sleek or tailored to something over-the-top: e.g., a tuxedo jacket over a ruffled dress. 8) Simple shapes in crazy colors are easy to wear and won't languish in your closet. But when trying newer shapes and proportions, stick to classic colors such as black, gray, navy, khaki, and white. 9) Combine covered arms with bare legs; classic trousers with plunging necklines; conservative dresses with an outrageous shoe. 10) Aviator sunglasses make any outfit sexy a' la Lauren Hutton. 11) Join the metal brigade-chunky menswear watches, bold link bracelets, and oversize rings are easier to wear than explosive earrings and necklaces. 12) Find a celebrity with your body shape, coloring, and style, and use that as a template for your wardrobe. 13) Saddle-colored leather bags, shoes, and belts are great neutrals that get better with age and will work year-round, with every color and texture in your closet. 14) Bare metallic flat sandals go with everything from a bikini to white jeans to a dress. 15) Great style means having a point of view, but evolving your look is even more important. Rushing to embrace every trend will leave you fashionable, but not stylish.

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Love & Fashion

When it comes to relationships, I tend to fall for the potential of a man as opposed to the actual man. In my favorite book, "Eat, Pray, Love," Elizabeth Gilbert puts it, "I have been a victim of my own optimism." I find myself head over heels for some fantasized, idealized version. His hair falls just right over his eyes, has one dimple and perfect teeth, doesn’t belch or pass gas, is witty, funny, makes a million, and is liked by my friends-who are mostly guys….out of breath yet? I am. The list goes on and on. And I wonder why I’m knocking on thirty and still single. When I complained to my dear friend Barbara about how much time I’d wasted on trying to find such an impossible man, she said something that clicked like a pair of Jimmy Choos. “Sometimes it’s not about finding what you’re looking for as much as finding what you’re not looking for.” Ever take a long cringe worthy trip down memory lane? And if you have, you'd probably discover that like our personal style, our personal view of relationships and men evolves. Like the way we look at pictures from junior high and high school and think “where did I get that awful sweater?” It’s the same way we look at pics with old boyfriends and think “what the hell was I thinking?!” At the time, we couldn’t see it. Like how in the first 3 months of a relationship you can’t see that it’s not meant to be, an absolute disaster, or just boring. And then there it is as plain as the nose on your face….a bad fit. Like that turtleneck that was too tight, and that guy who constricted you, tried to shape you until you couldn’t breathe or get to a pair of scissors quick enough to cut yourself loose. And those sexy kitten heel was that exciting guy, wild, out of your comfort zone, and made you feel like someone else, but the price you paid was too high. Or that hand me down pair of jeans that had been through the ringer was similar to that train wreck of a guy you unsuccessfully tried to mend and improve. The clothes and the boys too young for your age…enough said. Your old knit sweater that you tuck away in a drawer somewhere but can’t bring yourself to throw away is that complicated guy friend, comfortable, safe, familar, and reliable. And all the ones in between only looked good on a hanger or were an attempt to just try on something new. But maybe someday, just maybe, you find the perfect fit….worth every penny, who’s indispensable, isn’t dry clean only, and never, ever gets old. I still haven’t discovered my personal style, and I still haven’t found Mr. “fits like a glove”, but what I have found is I’m a woman who refuses to compromise her style or her heart for the sake of a trend.

The color code

When it comes to wardrobe color for spring 2011, stick with what works for your skin tone. My three favorites are white, jade, and coral. I'm loving that denim is making a comeback as well as neutrals like grey, black, and army green. All of these work well with fair to dark complexions. Plus, they make a neutral enough base to allow you to play up your make-up and accessories. With a LWD (littl white dress), try a pop of color on the apples of your cheeks, your lids, or your lips but not all three at once. This summer is all about the less is more approach. And that goes with jewelry, accessories, and shoes. Use one statement piece, think tassels, feathers, and fringe, and blend the rest. The fun of shopping this season is paying attention to detail. An item has to have special or mysterious appeal make an outfit a show stopper.

This weekend for a concert, I used pink as my main make-up color . I've fallen in love with this cream blush I applied to the apples of my cheeks, & I used the same cream in the center of my upper and lower lip. I then applied a pink sheer gloss from victoria secret called cupcake. It smells amazing and tastes delicious!! I used the same color pink in a shadow and used an eyeliner brush to appy black shadow on my upper and lower lash line. Then smudged with a q-tip. The result was an all over blushing glow.

Everything's bigger in Texas, and I'm referring to her brand!!!

I love close to everything in Jessica Simpson’s line. The shoes are drool worthy! They could make even the saddest, dingiest closet ooze with sex appeal! Not only will the majority of them make you look 4-6inches taller, the colors and styles are sure to turn heads!!! With shoes like this, you could take a simple LB or LWD and make it SCREAM “look at me!!! I’m HOT!!!” Apparently the critics judging her weight don’t give a damn about good footwear. In heels like that, no self respecting shoe lover would ever notice the size of a woman's waist!!!!

The Infamous Carrie

gone-tomorrow.com - Once In a Blue Moon: Ring: $9.50

I love a good thrift store!! So, I was elated to learn you can now find some great ones online. I stumbled across gone-tomorrow.com, and when the description mentioned it received a shout out in Oprah Magazine, I had to check it out! It’s friggin Oprah! The stores actual name is Once In a Blue Moon, and my review can be summed up in two words: FAN TASTIC! My obsession is with the jewelry! I love all things vintage and this had an amazing collection. Antique and fabulous, some went as cheap as $9.50! The priciest I came across was $15. But the website title doesn’t lie. If you see something you like, snatch it up quick!! Like the $13 adorable, never worn Khaki skirt from The Limited in my size I should’ve purchased! Shoulda, coulda, woulda, next time I will!!!