you all know i’m a city girl and since my new office opened in san francisco my life has completely changed (for the better). i’ve always dreamed of walking to work, walking to lunch, getting coffee mid-day and going to the gym after work. it sounds so simple, but for five-and-a-half years i sat on a bus to and from work (which would total to over three hours a day). now that i have the opportunity to live and work in the same city, i take full advantage.
you've probably seen this jumpsuit everywhere & if you haven't then you've most likely seen it a bunch on me, because i've literally worn it at least once a week since i purchased it (no shame in my re-wearing game). there are so many reasons i love this jumpsuit, but i'm going to share why i'm obsessed and why i bought it in two different colors.
many people have recently asked me how I am able to make time for a blog, work a full time job all the while maintaining a social life. my response is usually, "i make time for things that i love" but what i really mean is "i organize the shit out of my time to be as productive as possible". i want to share some organizational tips that help me be productive and i hope that you learn something new that you can apply in your day to day.
since i grew up as a competitive athlete life changed dramatically after i stopped playing competitive sports & it was really tough for me to find a new routine that worked for me. i was so used to having my days mapped out around my practices & the lifestyle change of not having a set routine scared the heck out of me.
if you follow me on instagram, then you've seen me more recently post my podcasts with a "swipe up" for you to enjoy whatever it is i'm listening to. i noticed a while back i have down time where i either have silence in the background or music playing, and if i just easily swapped in a podcast i could learn while i have down time.
Let’s talk about LASHES. I recently started using Avon Anew Clinical Unlimited Lashes Serum to boost my lashes.
I want my lashes to be darker (mine are naturally dark blonde), longer and thicker. My goal is to walk out of the house without mascara. I’ve had friends try serums before & when I discovered Avon’s new serum I knew I needed to try it.
i get asked a ton of the time how i organize, plan and keep up with my blog & instagram. there are a ton of apps i use to make sure i have my $h#+ together. if you're a blogger or small business owner trying to stay organized this post is for you, if you just really want to have an awesome & cohesive instagram feed than this post is for you too. i will start with the photo editing apps i use & what i use them each for, then i will go in to the organizational apps i use (for the blogger/business owners).
i mean this one is pretty self explanatory, but i use instagram daily. i try to post 1-2 photos a day and do some stories daily. i have read a ton of research on engaging with your audience, and if you want your following/impact to stay stable or grow then consistency is key. i am very active online and i often times create posts in bulk & save them to my drafts, so when i need to post my content is already created and ready to go.
ever wonder how bloggers keep their feeds looking so beautiful? how all the photos seem to flow really beautifully? well, there's an app for that. UNUM is an app that i've been using for about a year and a half to plan out my photos. i upload my photos to UNUM and then can simply move them around and organize them to look good together. for example, if i just posted a pink backdrop, the next photo i post will likely be one with a pink flower, pink top or pink earring- to ensure my content looks cohesive. this app is perfect for anyone to use to plan out content. i also love using it to keep dibs on when i'm running low on content & then i can remember to schedule time with my photographer.
i'll be real with you, most of my photos are shot and edited by my amazing photographer and really good friend Shannon Righetti-Strom. when i shoot my own pics, i often throw her preset on my photo to ensure the editing looks similar to hers. if you love the preset i use you you can DM her to purchase for yourself. i use lightroom to edit my photos on my computer (thank god for Shannons preset), but i also got lightroom for mobile so i can edit pictures on my phone. this tool is my go-to for photo editing.
if you feel like lightroom is too much of a challenge to figure out (it took me a bit). vsco is the easiest photo editing app i've used to date. pick a preset that you like & you can favorite it to use it over and over again. my personal favorites are M6, A6, KE1, KP2, HB1, HB2.
i won't lie, i use facetune to smooth skin in some of my close up pictures. i do think people can go overboard on the editing here, so i try to keep it mild and do a quick "smooth" over any areas that look discolored. you can also use this smooth tool to remove shine, etc.
i use canva to add any text or images over my photo. i use this app a ton over my photos in instastories and it's such a quick self-explanatory app that is perfect to add fun text to your photos. i also used canva to make all my images for my highlighted instagram stories on my profile.
this isn't an app- but it's a fun feature i use all the time on my phone. if you look at your photos in your photo album on your phone, you can heart your photos which will "favorite" them. i favorite any photos i love and want to post later. in order to do this you go to 1. photos 2. favorites - then you can see all the photos that are ready to post.
sometimes i feel like writing blog posts when i'm on my phone and my computer isn't around i use the squarespace app. i write posts a lot when i'm on planes, trains & busses. this app is great for text posts, but i do have still have to hop on my computer to add images before posting.
i use the analytics app for to my blog to gather any data i might need to share when working with brands. telling brands you have X amount of followers is great, but they love hearing about engagement. blog analytics and seeing your reach (outside of instagram is key)
if you're a blogger you most likely use the rewardStyle & LIKEtoKNOW.it app. i love these apps and love that they change daily. you can link all your outfits with the rewardstyle app and hunt down tons of other bloggers outfits with the liketoknow.it app. i love that they also have informational blogs, hashtags and other useful information in both apps. if you have a brand, be sure you monetize it by using these apps.
asana is a great app if you are working on projects with timelines and tasks that you may need to send to others (an employee, biz partner, etc.). i love checking things off a list and this app helps me stay super organized. i can keep some projects to myself and share some with others. i love having personal and group projects all in one place.
some of my favorite things this summer are wide legged pants and bodysuits. there's just something so sexy about a bodysuit and something so comfy about wide legged pants. whenever i'm in the heat and headed out to dinner in the summer i love some flowy pants (or skirt) and a flattering top. this look is so so easy for you to recreate and i'll be linking my favorites that are similar to this look below.
i can live in beige, blush and tan all summer long. am i the only one who is all or nothing with colors? i will go all bright colors head to toe or all neutrals. not only do neutral shades look better on us in the summer when we have a little more color, they are the perfect shade to wear then add a hint of color with a fun accessory you want to show off. i chose this chloe & isabel teal earring to add some flair to my neutral look.
the craziest thing to me is when i get more compliments on an outfit that i just threw together than an outfit i put a ton of thought in to. growing up in california, i think us californians want easy, cute and simple looks. we are busy people, just trying to look effortlessly cute. the perfect summer uniform is a fun tee, jeans (or jean shorts), sandals, sunnies and a fun bag. nothing too fancy, but when you throw it all together you get a great look.
want to know a little secret? nothing i bought that i'm wearing in these photos was expensive. the shoes are from old navy, the jeans on sale from revolve, the top from nordstrom rack, purse from marshalls and the sunnies were a steal from nordstrom bp. sometimes to be fashionable, the good finds make the best looks. i'm going to link my favorite affordable summer finds with you below. i hope you can throw together your own fun summer look, if you do, be sure to share it with me!
it's wine wednesday ya'll! if you know me you know i love wine. it's my go to drink & living in the bay area it's the perfect place to be for good wine. i now want to talk a little bit about my favorite wineries to head to in wine country, because your girl has been to so many i want to spare you the bad spots. if you're heading there you can now go straight to the fun ones.
if this outfit doesn't make you want you to head to wine country, vacation or a wedding then i don't know what will. a floral dress with fun (low) heels is always my go to for a day in the sun at a fun event. i decided to throw this on before brunch and the whole look was a hit. it doesn't hurt that these shoes and dress are both super affordable!
when it's sunny in San Francisco, us San Franciscans live to be outside. Dresses, skirts, booty shorts, chubbies & frat tanks are everywhere. It's one of those cities that is breathtakingly beautiful on warm days and no one takes it for granted. just head over to Fort Mason, Golden Gate Park, the Marina Green or Dolores Park. you'll see they are packed with people having picnics, playing football or volleyball, listening to music and of course drinking (LOL)!
the average person sure as heck doesn't wear a dress to work everyday. they want to be cute & comfy, while functional to wear. we've all tried to wear something to work that looks super cute, but an hour in to the day realize it's super uncomfortable. there are so so many amazing looks you can pull together for work that are extremely comfy yet stylish.
spring and summer are months where i live in maxi dresses. they are comfortable, flattering and i tend to have a ton of fun events i need to wear dresses to during the summer months. buying a new dress for every event i have can break the bank, so i focus on getting nice yet affordable looks.
i just got back in to town from a week long vacation & i am feeling so so refreshed. i spent 8 days lounging, swimming, snorkeling, paddle boarding and sippin'. i couldn't feel better. that being said, we all know when we're traveling we want lightweight, vacation-esque & affordable looks.
my style has always been inspired by my family. my aunts have the absolute best style & we've always chatted about fashion. my aunt Lori has always put a 70's twist on her look. she always has a blonde shaggy haircut with fringe bangs, fun floral maxi dresses and the absolute best jumpsuits. style is one of those things that goes back centuries and we pick up little inspiration throughout our lives, it shapes our style today. i'm so grateful for my funky family to pass on some of their bay are hippie style.
whenever i'm planning on going to an event that i want to wear a dress to, it is usually hard for me to find one that isn't too low cut. i have found that off the shoulder dresses cover up my chest and allow for me to share off other areas i love like my legs. this dress has a bunch of slits so it makes me feel like i can still be cute and show a little bit of skin without having to have my boobs out. anyone else feel me here?
there's nothing more sexy than showing a little shoulder, am i right? over the last few years i've found a ton of off the shoulder tops that i absolutely love. they are perfect for date nights, fun parties and bbq's. they are a little more dressy than your average tee, but casual enough to wear day-to-day. i have a full blown collection at this point & i wanted to share with you some of my absolute favorites, but before i do, here are a few tips on how to style them.
the weather is slowly starting to heat up here in the bay area that it is giving me all the desert vibes. there's something about this weather that brings my obsession with rompers to full force. i always find the coolest, most comfy rompers in the summer. this patterned one is my current favorite. it's perfect with these boots and hat to give it a festival look. you can also pair it with heels and a fun jacket to dress things up a bit.
