Atlanta Content Creator Inspiring [life] style

Monday, March 30, 2015

Lookbook: Spring Scallops & Giveaway

One of my blogger boos, Rhea of RheaEtCetera, recently decided to turn her personal style blog into a blog with a boutique. You can go to her site for her wonderful posts and then also shop a selection of beautiful dresses and skirts. There are many fab options for spring (including this Olivia dress), but I picked the Stacie skater dress for its unique opening in the back.

So if you're looking for a lovely dress or skirt to twirl in, then visit her shop (and her blog) for options for every season. And if you think you're lucky, just enter the giveaway below for a chance to win a $100 store credit to #RheaEtCetera! The giveaway ends April 6 -- just enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!

On the Muse: | Stacie cute skater dress c/o RheaEtCetera | Leaf head band c/o ASOS (similar) | Perry Street Kayla necklace via Rocksbox | Zara drawstring bucket bag | Prabal Gurung floral heels |

giveawaybanner
Plus, an added bonus: Visit Rhea Et Cetera and sign up for the newsletter and receive a FREE Skirt and Dress Mini Style Guide e-book! Sign up here.
Giveaway Terms: Giveaway is open to 18+ and residents of United States only. Giveaway from March 30, 2015 12 AM EST and ends April 10, 2015 11:59 PM EST. Signing up for newsletter does not increase chance of winning and is not considered as an entry to the giveaway.
See additional terms within giveaway widget.

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Friday, March 27, 2015

Musings of a Muse: Spring Awakening

Spring has sprung, muses! We're a week into the official start of spring, so I hope it's starting to warm up for you all in the Midwest. I'm working with temperatures between the 70s and 80s pretty much every day, so that's awesome.

With the new season, I've decided to make a few changes. I'll be spending more time focusing on my blog. Let's face it, if you blog then it's already a part-time (maybe even full time) job. So it makes sense to grant it more attention. This also means putting more time into my blog social sites like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

When I'm not blogging, I'll be working part-time as a stylist to be more in line with my true passions in life. This means I recently quit my full-time marketing position to make this work. Of course, it's difficult to decide to quit your job, but at some point you have to do what's right for you.

Lastly, #thehubs and I just bought our first house. You might remember that I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Every few months we would house hunt casually, as in take a look at places for sale, admire the decor, scoff at the selling price and eat the free cookies. Generally, that's what house hunting is like in the bay. But we finally found a home that we love and are excited to make it our own. House warming photos to come!

I also plan to make more time for working out; exploring; painting; music; decorating and all things fab.
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Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Inspiring Style: Good Golly -- Hello Molly

You know that moment when you randomly hear about an online shopping website and you peruse it, and your eyes get wide, and you fall in love with everything? Well, that's what happened to me when I encountered Hello Molly a couple weeks ago.

Hello Molly started as the dream of two people in a living room Down Under. This Australian-based fashion company has expanded their line of feminine confidence clothing for all to enjoy. They truly wow when it comes to dresses and playsuits, and there are so many cool styles for spring that I just had to share with you all!

I totally filled my online shopping bag with a ton of goodies from this site, including a fun mix of those running through the fields shorts. And yes, that keeping it cool playsuit is an actual playsuit even though it looks like a skirt and crop top combo.

// Right Direction Pants // Ghost of Me Top // Always and Forever Crop Top // STYLESTALKER Paradise Skirt // Running Through Fields Shorts // Keeping It Cool Playsuit // Faithful Playsuit // In Your Dreams Playsuit // Clueless Dress //

What do you think of these spring picks from Hello Molly?

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Monday, March 23, 2015

Lookbook: The Outback & $500 Lululemon Giveaway

Following along with me on Instagram? Then you know this is what I wore to go shooting. That's right! I decided to mosey on over Coyote Valley range and shoot some clay pigeons. I started pretty slow (it's a very big gun), but eventually got the hang of it. I did manage to shoot two clays! Next up, an actual gun range. Shot guns are cool and all, but I can't imagine ever owning one, so I should work on my aim with a more realistic piece. And yes, I am a liberal with just about every bone in my body, but I'm a total proponent of the 2nd Amendment.

I wore this Shabby Apple dress because I was really inspired by the drop waist design. I've always wanted a drop waist dress, but most of them looked frumpy. This Outback dress from Shabby Apple is anything, but. It fit like a charm and totally made me feel like Annie Oakley. If you're in the mood to add some dresses and skirts to your spring wardrobe then check out Shabby Apple. I've got my eyes on this skirt next!

On the Muse: | Stacked U Rings c/o Prismera Design | Outback Dress c/o Shabby Apple | Chinese Laundry Indigo Girl booties | Zara bucket bag |

Ready for the giveaway? I've teamed up with a handful of lovely bloggers to help you stick to your resolutions and get bikini ready with Lululemon. Is your trusty workout gear worn out? Do you need some motivation to get started? We're here to helo you get bikini ready for spring! Use the Rafflecopter below to enter for a chance to win a $500 Lululemon gift card, on us!

The more entries you complete, the more chances you have to win! This giveaway is open internationally. Be sure to check out the hosts below. Good luck! This giveaway ends Sunday, March 29.
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Friday, March 20, 2015

Movie Reviews: Acting Debut - Microsoft #LumiaLove

Last fall I was part of the Microsoft #StyledbyLumia challenge. As part of that challenge, I used my Lumia smartphone to share what went on behind the scenes of a blog photo shoot. Well, I won that contest -- yay, go me!

Back in February, Microsoft Lumia decided to put together a #LumiaLove series and I was asked if I wanted to be the "love interest" in the story. The story takes place over a series of Vines where actor, Daniel Bostic, uses features from his Microsoft Lumia to go on a date with me! Watch below to see how the series played out!

Note: click the speaker icon on the bottom right of each video to hear the sound.

Daniel just experienced a tough break up and is looking to start dating again.
Using his Microsoft Lumia phone, he found me via a dating app.
We meet up for a dinner date that didn't start very well.
Fortunately, we bond over art and then decide to continue the fun elsewhere.

We went dancing and things started to heat up.

And before we knew it, we had fallen for each other!


This is my acting debut, muses! And by acting, I mean basically a pantomime since you don't actually hear my voice. I'm just full of great gestures and expressions.

Big thank you to: Microsoft | the Republic Publishing team (especially Alicia, Ali and Nataja) | Andrew Callaway (the director) | the crew | Pearl Cabalan for hair and makeup | Studio Trilogy in San Francisco | my co-star, Daniel Bostic | and #thehubs for hanging out while I filmed this over Valentine's Day weekend |

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Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Lookbook: Sperry Odysseys Await

Shoes are definitely a girl's best friend. I love keeping it versatile and wearing heels one day and sneakers the next. Usually, I go the casual route during the week with comfortable flats or easy slip-ons, so I was very happy to add these girly pink Sperrys to my closet. Sperry will be your go-to shoe brand for spring as they are featuring fresh colors and canvas materials to mix up the boat shoe look that they originally invented back in 1935. The relaxed Sperry shoes come in Seacoast and Bahama silhouettes for a look that easily goes with everything.

I paired my Sperry Seacoast sneakers with distressed denim and an easygoing tank from Fevrie. I couldn't feel more dressed up and casual at the same time. I can't wait to take these shoes out for an actual boat ride this spring and for many more adventures now that the weather is being cooperative (at least where I live). Oh, the places I'll go with my Sperry sneakers by my side -- Odysseys Await!

On the Muse: | Fadden Tank c/o Fevrie | 7&S slouchy beanie (from the hubs) | Forever 21 cardigan | AEO super stretch jeggings c/o | Sperry Seacoast sneakers c/o Sperry | Daisy Gem fuchsia spangle necklace c/o ShopLately |

Did you guys have a fun St. Patrick's Day?
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Sperry through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about Sperry, all opinions are my own.

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Monday, March 16, 2015

Makeup and Muses: Zoya Natural Satins

A couple weeks ago I wrote that I was loving the Zoya Natural Satins nail polish line. This line features polishes that are matte and pretty perfect for the start of spring this week. The 6 colors in the Natural Satins collections are: Leah, Rowan, Sage, Tove, Brittany and Ana. My three favorites are Sage, Tove and Brittany, so I'm sharing how they look if you'd like to try them out for yourself. I only needed two light coats for each color.

| From Left to Right: Tove // Brittany // Tove again // Sage |
| Boy Meets Girl x Nordstrom Roman Luxe ring | Prismera Design stacked U rings |
Tove
Tove is my absolute favorite. It's like a misty slate gray. Slick Slate by Sally Hansen is a close dupe, but Tove has a bit more of a blue-ish hue to it, which is quite nice. It is opaque with a cool tone.
Sage
Sage can be described as a mossy sage green. A super similar dupe would be Turquoise & Caicos by Essie. Currently wearing this on my toes as well. It is opaque with a cool tone.
Brittany
This is a super smooth rose mauve cream tone. It is a close dupe with Custard by 100% Pure. It is a light, girly polish and opaque with a cool tone.
Can you tell that I've gone tulip crazy? #allthetulips
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Friday, March 13, 2015

Movie Review: Chappie

If there's one movie I'll go hard for in this first quarter of 2015, it's Chappie. There really is no way you shouldn't like this movie, unless you're a weirdo who isn't into robots. I happen to be a weirdo who is into robots. Mind you, #thehubs bought me robot designed socks recently; I love to sleep in my Transformers pajamas, and I have a Darth Vader laptop bag -- just saying. But anyway, let's get on with the review!

Chappie is a movie about a police force run by a weapons company in Johannesburg, South Africa that is now patrolled by scout robots to help keep crime at bay. I've been to Jo-burg, so I can attest to the need for a robotic police force void of corruption. But I digress -- the creator of the robots comes up with a way to make them sentient beings. He steals a rejected one and implants this new artificial intelligence into him. This robot, Chappie, portrays human behavior as he learns words, mimics the actions of his friends, and tries to figure out right from wrong. The weapons company gets wind of Chappie's consciousness and takes it upon themselves to correct this as they see him as a threat to mankind.

The first half of the film is a total blast. Watching Chappie pick up mannerisms is really what separates this sci-fi robot movie from many of the rest. You laugh at the joy he gets from taking his first car ride; you tear up at the pain he feels when encountering dangers in the real world. You feel for him and he makes you want to be his friend at the same time. But the second half of the movie has a couple hitches that keep Chappie from getting all 5 hearts. Some of the interaction among the people seems a bit contrived, and in a world where you can make a robot 100% conscious, it seems like certain things were made difficult to push the film along when they totally could have been a lot easier.

Chappie comes from the mind of Neill Blomkamp (who brought us District 9 and Elysium). The robot is beautifully voiced by Sharlto Copley (also from both of those movies), who brings a child-like wonder to the character that makes the movie a fun ride. Hugh Jackman -- complete with the craziest haircut ever -- is the antagonist in this film, which is definitely a step out of his trademark roles. Dev Patel plays Chappie's creator. And the two characters who essentially play Chappie's "parents" are portrayed by a South African rap-rave group called Die Antwoord. Once you know that, their crazy sense of style makes a lot more sense.
My favorite robot movies ranked:

  1. Star Wars
  2. Chappie
  3. RoboCop series
  4. Wall-E
  5. Short Circuit 2
  6. Pacific Rim
  7. I, Robot
  8. Terminator 2
  9. Transformers 1
  10. Real Steal
Watch the official Chappie movie trailer here!
Rating: ♥

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Wednesday, March 11, 2015

My '90s R&B Music Playlist

Last week I was on a '90s music kick so today I'm sharing an awesomely nostalgic '90s R&B Music Playlist with you. I listened to way more rhythm and blues back in the day than I do now -- I blame it on the fact that music was fierce in the 1990s, and today, it's pretty much all the same crap. So let me know if you agree with my playlist -- and which songs you'd like to see on the list next time!

Brandy & Monica - The Boy Is Mine
Wasn't this your jam back in 1998? I remember my best friend and I used to sing the parts (I was Brandy and she was Monica. Monica was her favorite singer -- mine was, and will always be, Aaliyah). This song was boss and featured a relatively unknown Mekhi Phifer as "the boy" who is now 40 years old, by the way. I love how the song quelled rumors that Brandy and Monica hated each other. They made a hit song together instead of mudslinging on Twitter.

Usher - You Make Me Wanna
Omg, wasn't this Usher's breakout hit song from his album My Way? Released in 1997, this song was all the rage, featuring a young guy who knew how to sing and dance. Despite his fallout with Chili -- of TLC fame and '90s girl group royalty -- and his decision to sign Justin Bieber, Usher is still making hits almost 20 years later.

Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop/That Thing
Let's just take three minutes and 57 seconds to listen to this 1998 smash hit, performed by one of the most talented artists of our time. The song is dope and the video is still one of the coolest things ever. She was fantastic as part of The Fugees and even better as a solo artist. Too bad she's not still putting out songs to put these current artists to shame.

Janet Jackson - I Get Lonely
What was it about 1998? This is my favorite song from Ms. Jackson. It's from her amazing album The Velvet Rope. She brings a sex appeal that still makes you want to be her best friend. I honestly have no idea how Janet does it. Seriously? How the hell does she do it?

Salt-n-Pepa - Shoop
Yes, before you ask, I do know all the words. And it's not like I just learned the words -- I've known them since the song came out in 1993, which means I was 7 years old singing these raunchy lyrics. Say what? They were like Nicki Minaj but cooler. And even though Salt (aka Cheryl James) isn't really about that life anymore and they're both doing Geico commercials, this song will always be major.

Erykah Badu - On & On
So she might be a little cray cray, but her debut song is so enchanting. Erykah has that earth mother vibe, but she always brings the heat -- and that shows in this 1996 song. I just love the line: "Don't feed me yours, cause your food does not endure."

SWV - Weak
Another oldie, but goodie, SWV's Weak is one of the first songs I can remember ever liking and knowing. This 1992 classic is complete with sultry vocals in an old school music video format, where nothing was too flashy because the song spoke for itself.

En Vogue - Don't Let Go (Love)
Girl! This is a song that I can listen to on repeat and not get tired of -- not even in the slightest (#thehubs might feel otherwise). And can you believe Mekhi Phifer was the romantic interest in this 1996 music video too? Talk about a hot commodity! This song was one of the biggest hits by the group, and I've heard they've reunited, so my chance to hear this live is still a possibility.

// Winter // Summer // Autumn // Spring // Workout //

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Monday, March 9, 2015

Lookbook: Suit Up

Let's get something straight here -- I love jeans. I wear skinny jeans almost every day. They are my go-to closet item. But, recently, I've found myself adorned in dresses, skirts and rompers: Exhibits A | B | C | D. These cute pieces have been forcing me to shave my legs in the winter! Wtf?

Well, I suppose spring is just around the corner so I might as well get a jump start with this H&M jumpsuit. The cord trim, metal beads and side pockets got me like "whoa." And I couldn't think of a better accessory to pair it with other than this perforated bowdoin mini clutch from Hayden-Harnett. You can wear it like a crossbody with the strap, or just stick your fingers through the front handle like a clutch.

On the Muse: | Bowdoin mini clutch c/o Hayden-Harnett | H&M metal bead jumpsuit | Zoya natural satins nail polish | Urbanog Qupid Athena gladiator sandals |

Remember this post when I told you that my dog ate my passport? Well, I've decided to embarrass her by sharing this photo of her in her Princess Leia costume from last year's Halloween party (she is not impressed). How embarrassing, am I right? You should just start calling me Regina George because I'm officially a mean girl.
Mess with the bull--you get the horns. OMG, can't you imagine how cute that phrase would be on jewelry?

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