new for the night

If you're like me, you're always looking for a great bargain on things that you love. I'm constantly searching for the best deals on my most coveted items -- because I refuse to pay full price for something that will ultimately go on sale.

This especially applies to buying nice dresses for weddings, events, cocktail parties etc. Enter New For The Night. A fellow SMU alum Merritt (author of The Style Scribe) reached out to me about a new company she was working for. I was immediately interested.

New For The Night is Rent The Runway -- but with a physical store presence! Genius.

They are launching this month, and I was sent a sneak peak at some of the styles they'll be offering. Gorgeous if you ask me. You browse the site (or the store), and select the dress of your choice. It is mailed to you for a set rental period, and you return when you're done in the already paid envelope. Hassle free shopping.

The brick and mortar store is in Houston, so I encourage all of my Houstonians to book an appointment (starting now), and find a fabulous dress for any and every occasion.

Hey NFTN, please open an NYC showroom, pretttttty please? 

Here are some of my favorite styles that I can't wait to try out.

Alison Paris

TBD

Tibi

Cynthia Steffe Merritt is the model!

Jay Godfrey (my fave!)

Mark James

DOMINO IS BACK!

I never post twice in one day, but this is news. I'm talking the biggest news since Brad and Jen split.

Seriously.

Look!

You can find me stalking my corner newsstand on April 17th. Is midnight on the 16th too aggressive? Nah.

leap of faith: liz from sequins and stripes

Today I'm excited to bring you the second installment of Leap of Faith. I was so honored that Liz, the genius behind Sequins & Stripes and stylist at Elizabeth Schneider Styling, agreed to share her story. She is one of my daily reads, and always offers the most perfect styling tips and advice.  

What was your major in college/what was your first job out of college? 

I majored in Textiles and Clothing with a focus in consumer trends, buying and merchandising. After I graduated I took a job as a clothing buyer for a small Midwest boutique chain based in the suburbs of Chicago.

How long did it take to realize it wasn't for you? What were the initial signs of "help! get me out of here!"?

I have to say that I actually really enjoyed my job but I decided after a couple of years in the position that I wouldn’t be given ample opportunity to do what I love. So, I put in my two weeks, took a few classes in fashion design, started a blog, and took a job with a contractor in Chicago before eventually making the leap into styling!

What was the first thing you did after you left your job? scream? cry? take a trip?

I was so excited! I felt like I had a clean slate to create the life that I wanted to live. I left my desk job in September of 2011, went to Europe for a month, and officially launched styling services in January 2012.

What sort of "homework" did you do before turning your passion into a career? (masters program, networking, online research etc)?

My blog was a huge starting point for launching my business. Aside from creating a platform for my personal style through Sequins & Stripes, I spoke with local stylists and sort of just went with my gut!

How long have you been working for yourself?

Sequins & Stripes, LLC was created in September 2011.

What is the scariest thing about doing what you did?

I think the uncertainty of it all is the biggest stress. Running a company is so far from glamorous, and staying determined and confident in what you have to offer is the only way to see success.

Do you ever regret leaving your day job?

When I let myself get discouraged, then I can catch myself missing the comfort and stability of my day job, but I have never looked back! This leap has been completely liberating and rewarding.

What is your #1 piece of advice to people scared to follow their dreams in fear of failure?

Honestly it is tough. All you can do is believe in yourself, push forward, and trust that everyday will be better than the last. Be confident, you only have one life to make your dreams a reality! 

Thank you for your inspiring story Liz! Be sure to check out her blog, if you don't already (which you should!) xo

weekend recap

Happy Monday!

If you're like me, you completely over indulged last night during the game, and are having serious regret. Wait, who am I kidding? Any excuse for dips (my favorite food group) is okay by me.

I had a few friends over for a low-key celebration. I live in NYC, and wasn't about to overpay for drinks at a bar.

Here's a little summary of the evening.

Saturday night I went out with some girlfriends to our favorite bar downtown for some much needed drinks and dancing. Here is a pic before things got crazy.

I found time to repaint my nails in a festive Valentine's Day combo. What do you think? Just enough sparkle? Not enough?

And in the spirit, I downloaded this fun wallpaper from Tory Burch. You should too!

Hope you all have a great week. I've got another installment of Leap of Faith this week with a VERY talented lady we all know and love. Stay tuned!

friday link love. take 2.

Happy Friday!

Friday is turning into one of my favorite blogging days because I get to share with you things that I found and loved this week.

Valentine's Day is fast approaching. Loved this roundup of goodies.

Pops of neon pink everywhere! Liz and Danielle did it best.

Alex shared an inspiration board for a living room that I'm OBSESSED with.

Carly got a FAB blog makeover. Love it.

My work bestie started a hilarious new blog. Please show her some love.

Lara had me drooling with these fries. 

I laughed out loud for a while reading this post dubbed "Coffee Talk".

Now some things about me from this week...

I started a new series and was so excited you all enjoyed it as much as me. Stay tuned for round 2 next week.

I finally received my monogrammed necklace from BaubleBar. Isn't she gorgeous?

Found a funny article about What Your American Girl Doll Says About You. I had Felicity. Because she had the prettiest clothes and accessories. I mean come on, that four post canopy bed? Amazing.

I leave you with a quote that I find very fitting at this particular point in my life. Big things are happening, and this keeps me motivated and driven. Thank you Mr. Jobs.

Have a great weekend! xo

i will own these shoes.

I don't have much to say today, other then one way or another I will own these shoes. They are the perfect combination of pink and black, and will pair perfectly with most outfits. (get real Julia, you're on a budget).

I'll give you a minute to wipe the drool off your computer -- I know I needed one.

Now if we're getting real, I cannot afford these. Not even one of them. So I've put together a list of flats that I can afford. 

1/2/3/4/5/6

Happy Shopping!

glam me up

First and foremost, thank you for all your sweet comments on the new series yesterday. I was hesitant to post it, and the response was overwhelming. Definitely made having food poisoning better.

Okay, so remember those sparkly J. Crew cases that were EVERYWHERE? Well, I bought one, and it lasted less than 2 weeks before I had sparkle everywhere, and it was literally falling a part.


Good news: J.Crew refunded me, and I moved on.


Bad News: I was obsessed with finding a glitter case.

Well, much to my surprise, the iPhone gods have listened to me, and have graced me with these beauties. It was love at first sight, and I couldn't help myself. I bought one.

in GOLD! 





Now I ask you, what color will you be getting? I have a feeling I'll somehow have all four. I have an online shopping addiction. Add sparkle? Now that is a recipe for disaster.

new series: leap of faith

Today I start a new series titled, Leap of Faith. I was feeling so inspired by people in the blogosphere, that I wanted to learn more. 

I'm your typical 20-something who is overly ambitious, and won't settle for anything less than fabulous. My post-grad career hasn't been quite what I expected yet, but I remain optimistic and know that through these crazy #postgradproblems (yes I just hashtagged a post), I WILL figure it out. 

My Pinterest boards are filled with words of wisdom, and I keep this quote on my desk as a daily reminder to never settle, and continue to dream big. One of my reasons for starting this blog was to find inspiration to keep me driven and optimistic while battling the 9-5(mostly 7pm) blues.

I start this series with Alex, from Things that Sparkle, who as you may know, was my neighbor growing up. We're four years a part, so we weren't close back in the day. However, this crazy blog world has allowed us to be good friends, and I was even her first e-design client. I'm so inspired by her ambition and courage, that I wanted to dive a little deeper. She took this leap of faith not too long ago, and has never looked back. 

Hi all, I am Alex from Things That Sparkle and I am so honored that Julia asked me to be a part of this exciting new series.

What did you major in college/what was your first job out of college? 

I majored in Communication at University of Colorado. Within 3 days of graduation I started my job at OgilvyAction as an Assistant Account Executive. 

How long did it take to realize it wasn't for you? What were the initial signs of "help! get me out of here!"?

I think I realized more quickly than I was willing to admit that it wasn't the right fit for me. It really had been my "dream job", or at least I thought. There were components of the job I loved. The client interaction and the team environment, but overall, I wasn't fulfilled. It wasn't the dream job I thought it would be. But I also thought, "well that's reality things aren't always perfect, keep pushing through". A month shy of my two month anniversary, it clicked. I couldn't do it anymore. I was crying in conference rooms and telling myself it was normal. So I left. Got up one morning and quit.

What was the first thing you did after you left your job? scream? cry? take a trip?

All of the above. Seriously. Thankfully, I had already booked a trip to Mexico with my girlfriends. So that was a nice escape. But I was really lost. I left my job thinking I was taking another job in the same industry and while in Mexico I realized that was SO not what I wanted to be doing.

What sort of "homework" did you do before turning your passion into a career? (masters program, networking, online research etc)?

I met with some people who had gone through the same post-graduate program I was looking into. I got an internship in the interior design field. And then enrolled in the associates program at Harrington College of Design. I also worked really hard at expanding my blog during this time as I quickly realized what an amazing asset it would be for me. 

How long have you been working for yourself?

About 5 months! Very new still.

What is the scariest thing about doing what you did?

Everything. Leaving the job security, benefits and a salary. I mean, really, what was I thinking??

Do you ever regret leaving your day job?

Not for one minute. I know it was the best thing I have ever done for myself. 

What is your #1 piece of advice to people scared to follow their dreams in fear of failure?

It is scary. You should be scared. But I really, really, deeply believe that if you are 100% invested in something you can find a way to make it work. Maybe not in the exact way you envisioned, but it will come together.  I think it is important to be realistic, understand your industry but still be optimistic. It is well worth it.

all images via

I hope you're all feeling as inspired as I am. Thank you, thank you Alex!

P.S. I'm over at A Simple Affair sharing my favorite things that start with the letter "J". There are some serious goodies, so be sure to show Carly some love! 

weekend recap

Happy Monday!

I had such a fantastic weekend in NYC - despite the bizarre-o weather we've been having. I'm very confused, and as a result, I feel like I can't kick this winter head cold -- come on mother nature, make up your mind!

My friend Liz and I randomly decided to paint some pottery on the UES. Here is a little sneak peak. I'm sort of obsessed.

We also had tea and scones at Alice's Tea Cup. A must do for a girly day in the city.

Sunday I went to a super fun Wedding event with Tamra. Be sure to check out ever swoon for some pretty pictures!

After that, it was completely necessary to stop by Dos Caminos for a late brunch.

I've got some exciting things coming up this week with some of my favorite ladies including Tamra, Viviana and Grace!

How did you all spend your weekend? xo

friday link love

TGIF. But seriously. 

I'm doing my first weekly round-up of some of my favorite links. I stumbled upon so many amazing blog posts and otherwise fabulous things, that I just had to share them with you. 

I start with this hilarious image I got at work. SO true.

I fell in love with babies breath flowers again thanks to this post.

I became obsessed with Laura Parke. 

I cannot fully quench my thirst until I have some of these.

I just loved this beautifully written post about keeping your body healthy.

I need some of this art in my life.

I felt very inspired by some talented people in my life, and this quote on Danielle's blog really summed it up.

Last but not least, I think owning these shoes is completely necessary (if only money weren't a factor. damn).

Have a fabulous weekend loves. Stay warm! xo