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Everyday Fashion

Everyday Fashion, Real Life Ramblings

Collaboration vs. Competition

Welcome to a, potential, new series!!!

Over the last several months, since moving back to Denver, I have been so lucky to meet some amazing and supportive woman. Upon moving back I was nervous that I would not fit in anywhere in this blogging world, or that the ladies I met would be far more established than me or that I would just not mesh with anyone. Well, none of that is true and in fact I have found the exact opposite.

This new series will feature and introduce you to many of the new ladies i have met, some of the amazing stores/brands I get to work with and additional supports I have found. Most of them are focused in Denver but not all. I hope through this new, monthly, post you may find a new blooger to follow or be inspired to check out a new store, find a new eyebrow consultant or just enjoy a new type of post.

I think it is important to address and chat about the idea of collaboration over competition. In this field (of blogging or fashion) I truly believe that we can only learn from each other. As there is no paved way to become a blogger it has been through the collaboration, support and advice of others that I have been able to find my niche. Are these other bloggers my competition??? I guess technically yes…but my goal is to inspire you to feel confident, get a break from reality and give a little piece of my world. ALL of the ladies, brands, boutiques and providers in this series do that (and much much more) for me!!! I truly believe that by working together, chatting about successes and failures, providing resources to one another and enjoying some wine is by far the better way to go about this mission.

Do I hope you continue to read my blog, peep me on Instagram and follow my adventure… ABSOLUTELY. But why stop there…. there are so many amazing blogs, feeds and adventures out there… don’t stop with just me.

To start this I want to introduce to not only some fabulous bloggers (who you should go follow) but an entire network and one of the cutest little boutiques around!

Let me introduce you to Style Collective and my Denver Style Collective friends!! I have linked all their blogs and Instagram pages so all you have to do is click!! Make sure to follow them and see what they are up to- they deliver amazing content.

Style COllective

Style Collective is a network of bloggers who support, encourage, guide and inspire each other. I joined Style Collective back in October and it has been one of the best decisions I have made since launching my blog. I know there are a ton of networks out there for bloggers but the SC “sisterhood” really provides the most amazing support. Recently, the founder Annie, started a new podcast series focusing on being a GIRL BOSS and breaking free from the fear. I have linked it <here>

meet some style collective bloggers

Nicole (@lifeinstyles_ns): Her blog Life in Styles focuses mainly on fashion. She styles and wears everyday clothes that are suitable for active working mom’s (as she is one) and she is one of the sweetest ladies I have met since moving back to Denver.

Delayna (@delaynadenaye): Her blog Delayna Denaye is a lifestyle fashion blog focusing on all things beauty, fashion and lifestyle related. She is one of the most organic down to earth ladies around!

Alyssa (@teddybearsandlipsticks): She writes and styles the blog Teddy Bears and Lipstick. She is a fellow mom and does an incredible job incorporate everyday stylish looks into her life and she does it seamlessly.

Raeann (@raeannlangas): This fabulous lady has the best personality and her blog Rae Everyday showcases her passion for life and positivity. She fills the room with such a large personality that you are immediate drawn to her.

Char (@livelybone): She write Lively Bone and focuses a lot of travel, amazing destinations and captures the beauty of life as only a genuine lady can. Her feed is filled with amazing photos of some fabulous places.

party time

As you can tell from the photos we had the best time and were pampered and treated so well by the amazing ladies at Fabrik Boutique. This little shop is located in Aspen Grove (for those in Denver) and has some of the cutest clothes in town. They keep everything under $100 (with the exception of their Hudson Jeans) and they get shipments in daily. They have everything from casual tanks and tops to more formal maxi dresses to shoes, shorts, skirts, denim, bags, hats and some local jewelry lines. The team at Fabrik are amazing at helping you curate and create a look… in fact they helped me create the perfect 35th birthday look which is coming to the blog on Monday.

collaboration is key

In this field I could consider everyone I meet, everyone I follow on Instagram or any other blogger my competition as we are all fighting for a little recognition, love and followers in this space. BUT I would be missing out on opportunities to discuss strategies, to learn from others triumphs and challenges, to share success and failures of my own, to learn a thing or two and to develop some amazingly supportive relationships. In life, competition has its place and at times it is important to foster that competitive feeling but I would say collaboration, support and partnership win out more often than not.

I hope you find inspiration from these ladies, stop by Fabrik and consider the idea that working together helps everyone involved!!!

With Love,

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Everyday Fashion

Laugh About It: Bandannas and Joggers

Happy Monday Babes!

As I sit and write this I am enjoying a little mama break down in Mexico. I am blessed to spend some time with a friend of 14 years here in this amazing place- relaxing, filling up on Vitamin D and reconnecting after my time abroad. And while I have been here I have been reminded of the importance of not taking life too seriously… are there times and incidents where a serious mind set is warranted and needed- ABSOLUTELY…. but this week while I am away I am focusing on not taking myself too seriously and enjoying the moment.

As a mother I tend to over analyze and over think almost every situation; from whether I brushed his teeth long enough to whether I fed him a balance nutritious diet (which I may have but he did not eat) to whether I am too overprotective or not protective enough… and sometimes (more often than not) these things do not matter. Tomorrow he can brush his teeth a little bit longer, I will give him extra strawberries, will let him fall down and then make sure to give him extra kisses when he does. But today I am going to let it all go and not take myself or the situation too seriously. Sometimes a good old fashioned chuckle is the best way to handle the over analyzing, over stressing and overprotective nature I feel with Declan.

Let be serious- life is hilarious.

Too often we get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life that we do not see the everyday laughable moments. Too often we focus so much on success and progress that we are unable to see the lighter side of life. As driven, successful, accomplished humans there is a stigma that accompanies that- there is an expectation of consistent and utter maturity- there is an image to uphold. As I get older (my birthday is next week) I am rethinking the image I portray, I am taking into account the unexpected and I am relishing in those awkward moments of immaturity and the unknown. Friends- I am not perfect and to be honest at times I am down right laughable.

shop the look: joggers // tank // BANDANNA // sandals // purse <similar>

So… I decided to jump on the band wagon of the bandanna trend and I do NOT regret it. I am loving the ability to spice up an outfit with a simple accessory like this bandanna. I plan to, also, wear it in my hair or maybe wrapped around my wrist- it is that versatile! I am obviously obsessed with any pants that feel like pajamas or sweats and so these joggers were an immediate choice when I stumbled upon them at Gap. I love that these joggers are light enough to wear in the summer but still good for a cool spring day. These also come in other colors and styles and I would suggest you swoop up a pair ASAP. This tank is under $15! Shut the front door… $15. Old Navy has been great for some of those simple staples you want to have for summer- I recently stocked up starting with this tank.

Would you believe me if I told you this purse was my Grandmothers?!? Seriously, it was! I found it the other day when I was going through some old boxes and I immediately knew it would be the perfect compliment to this outfit. I have very vivid memories, from when I was a young child, of my grandmother using this purse and I want to be believe she would be happy to know I am still using it today. I have linked <here> and <here> a few similar straw bags to compliment any summer outfit!

the laughable truth

I act like a child, I skip and dance around the house to tween music, I make lame and obvious jokes, I love to sing in public and I am obsessed with kissing and hugging my son. All things which do not uphold the image of maturity, stature or status… but each day I laugh. I laugh at myself, with my son, with my friends, with my husband.. each day I giggle at the smallest things… and each day I find the humor in my life. I embrace the fact that this is my life and I choose not to spend it caught up in images, stuffiness or expectations. I strive to spend it laughing, giggling and chuckling!

With Love,

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Everyday Fashion, Family Life

Becoming a Mother

Happy Mothers Day to all the Mom’s.

This is my 4th Mothers Day but my son is only three… now that is some tricky math! Anyway- I have been celebrating on Mothers Day with my mother for 34 years… so this day is very special to me (as I am sure it is to many many people). My mother has been the most influential, compassionate, warm-hearted, patient person in my life. She has taught me what it is to feel loved and accepted. She is forever and always on my side and I am truly blessed to call her “Woman” each and everyday! Thank you mom.

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Everyday Fashion

Shoulda Coulda Woulda in White Denim

SHOULDA COULDA WOULDA- IT’S SO EASY IN THE PAST TENSE

I am currently living in a perpetual state of shoulda coulda woulda (lets call it SCW for short). I think it is perfectly normal and perfectly natural to question and hypothesize about the SCW’s of life but at what point does it become unhealthy? According to Urban Dictionary (which is clearly a relevant source here) the definition of shoulda, coulda, woulda is as follows:

Meaning that it is of no use to dwell on what should have (shoulda), could have (coulda) or would have (woulda) happened/been done.
Said as an attempt to shorten a discussion that focuses on the past, thus providing no solution to an actual problem.

This definition could not be more true in that thinking about the SCW offers no actual solution to a problem.., but then why am I living in a world where I am ALWAYS thinking about this. What if I hadn’t moved to London? What if Brendan and I hadn’t gone on that trip? What if Declan’s health had been “normal”? Should I have really started a blog? Could we really move back to Colorado and expect to slide back into life?

You know what friends…. I am finding the answers to all those questions unattainable and unmanageable. The reality is that we did move to London, we did go on that trip, Declans health was impacted, I did start a blog and we did move back to Denver. I want to believe that our lives are not dictated by our past but I am coming to the realization (in ways I never anticipated) that my future, is so very much impacted by what happened in my past. Climbing out of this cycle, I am finding, is extremely challenging. Trying to only think about the future and making decisions based on what I want for the future seems GREAT in theory… but what I am running up against is how to not allow my previous decisions to impact how I make future decisions. I feel there is value in remembering previous decisions as it allows me to make more educated and informed choices the next time- or so I think…. BUT what happens when it doesn’t? When it becomes a burden to your decision making process or in my case a downright road block; it is impossible to not live in the SCW world. So here I am… wondering and thinking about all the choices I have made in the last several years and how impactful they have been on my ability to make future choices. This time I do not actually have an answer…

shop the look: Denim // tank // shoes // bag <Similar> // sunglasses

You know one choice I have made that I do not think much about is the decision to wear white denim all year long!!! And especially in the spring (before it get so hot in the summer you can not wear pants). I love white denim as a way to lighten up any look and add a fresh vibrant flare. I wear these babies all the time. I love to pair black and white together as a classic sleek look and these white denim and this scalloped hem tank are the perfect pair for a sunny spring day. I have been crushing on Nordstrom Rack and this tank was one an obvious choice! I love the how this tank has eyelet detail on the top and the scalloped hem on the bottom. I paired the whole look with a bright bag to add a little color to a very neutral outfit. Black and white, in any fashion, is one of my favorite combos. White denim is here to stay and adding a dainty little black tank is the prefect way to keep your denim classic and sleek.

past to present

It is hard not to dwell on the choices I made in the past especially those that did not have favorable outcomes (both long and short term) and so I am committed to remembering that in the moment I made them it was with positive intent and all relevant information available at the time. I can honestly say I do not regret many choices made in the past but in the recent months I have had an abundance of times of doubt, rethinking and wondering. Have I made perfect decision; certainly not. Have I learned from those; certainly I have. But as I continue on I am reminded to not let old choices taint, sway or determine what I want for the future. Our past has a way of reminding us of how important it is to be intentional and thoughtful going forth… and I choose to strive to remember that each day.

With Love,

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Everyday Fashion, Real Life Ramblings

Moments in Time with Jord Watches

Those moments… the ones you want to capture and cherish forever. The times you never want to forget. The moments in your life that make it worth living. Let’s talk about time. And how I try to keep it.

As a mother I wear many different hats; most mothers do. And each day I am given 24 hours to make the most of my time. The challenge of ensuring I get everything done I need to is daunting, to say the least. Plus I do not want all of my moments in time to be spent on chores, errands and to-do lists….

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Everyday Fashion, Family Life

Balance in Bloom

So this marks my first official “mom” blog post. Finding the ever fleeting “mom balance” lies ahead.

Since the launch of Pish to Posh I have tried to keep Declan separate but I have learned time and time again that, for me, I can not do that. Declan is my world…. Declan is my grounding rock and on some days my only friend. Declan makes me laugh harder and love more intensely than I ever imagined. He reminds me to slow down and look at life through the lens of a child; very matter of fact like. There is no subjective undertone when he is talking to me and asking me questions, he has no hidden agenda- he is only three. I crave to spend time with Declan and I have the worst FOMS (fear of missing something) as a mother. I want to be there at every step of his growth, I want to be the one to teach him everything he knows. I never want to see him fail and I so desperately want to be involved in EVERY single aspect of his life ….except when I don’t.

And that my friends is real life.

Sometimes I want to run away and never look back. There are days where I question every life decision I have made that has led me to the point where I am having another conversation as to why we can’t flush the dog down the toilet. Believe it or not sometimes I want to sit down and eat dinner without a continous battle over whether one or two bites is enough to earn a cookie. There are days where I would love to read a book without having trains, trucks and dinosaurs trampling me. And do you know what I would give to drink a cup of coffee or wine uninterrupted???? I am not the parent who is obsessed with their child. I am obsessed with being a mother and I am obsessed with providing the very best for my child but I am the first to admit that I crave balance between being a mother and being a woman. There is nothing I want more in life than to love and spoil my son… the appropriate amount. I am not that mom. Does that make me a bad mom??? Sometimes it may seem that way and some may say it does but for me finding the balance is the only way I can continue to strive to be the best mother for Declan.

Photos: Jenna Sparks Photography

I am by no means an expert on parenting but I can say with a lot of confidence that I am an expert on parenting Declan. There is no one who knows him like I do, there is no one who gives up as much as I do and there is no one who loves him like I do. And because of that I know that the balance we have of time together and time apart is what keeps our relationship strong. It is because I know him so well that I understand he needs socialization and play, it is because I give up so much that I allow myself to take time to nurture my soul and it is because I love him so much that I seek time without him. Love makes the heart grow fonder and I find the more I miss Declan the more I crave to be with him.

Some of you know but many do not that Declan had serious medical issues at birth ( a whole other blog post to come) but an immediate and overwhelming need to protect and care for my son was thrown upon me as he was rushed to the NICU, after an unplanned immediate c-section, where he lived for 4 long weeks. My path as a mother lead me to quit my job and stay home with Declan. The first 18 months were challenging to say the least (my goal is not to attract sympathy but to provide background). However out of those months we formed a bond that I am confident we would not have if it not been for his medical issues. HOWEVER, now that he is a 100% healthy, thriving, inquisitive, mischievous and flourishing toddler it is time for us to figure out what the next chapter holds. Our bond as mother and son is unbreakable so I am not afraid to create some space… for both of us to learn… for both of us to grow… to find some balance and for both of us to bloom.

I hope that with these new “mom blog” posts you will continue to see the message behind my writing and that you come to expect the same honest and truthful nature I try to capture each week. Writing about motherhood is harder than I had anticipated but I want to be authentic in this space. It is less about the fashion (although Declan is a total ham in front of the camera) and more about my desire to connect with each of you on some level. I know that not all of you are mothers but I hope, even you, will come back each week for a little insight into my everyday world as a women, blogger and MOTHER.

With Love,

SHOP MY LOOK: DENIM // TANK <SIMILAR> // SANDALS // BRALETTE

SHOP DECLAN’S LOOK: SHORTS // TEE // SHOES
Everyday Fashion

Branding: Floral Dress

Surprise!! A Monday post! Floral Dress and Branding!!

Over the last several weeks I have been working on figuring out how blogging fits into my Denver life. To recap- 3 years ago I quit my job as a teacher because my son needed me at home with him, then we moved to London, I started Pish to Posh (in London) after craving something for myself, we moved back home and now I am blogging in Denver. So… like any brand I am learning what is successful, learning where I need to grow and learning how to survive. Being in Denver has offered some amazing support and I have met so many wonderful ladies!! I have also had some opportunities come my way that I otherwise would not have…. But I am still branding myself (and not with a hot prod iron). Each day I am figuring out how to rejoin a life, here in Denver, that did not exist before I moved is challenging. When I started Pish to Posh I had a steep learning curve but felt I had accomplished a lot by the time we got ready to move. Now here in Denver I am, again, facing a steep learning curve… learning how to come back to a life that I never had. So, I have physically returned to a place but the landscape looks completely different.

If we think about branding as self-growth we all start somewhere and then we grow… or don’t. I am determined to be the girl who grows both in my Pish to Posh brand and in myself. I never want to be stagnant. I never want to be just “good enough”. But I am also aware and continuing to learn the sacrifices one must make in order to grow. How high of a price is too high- both in my branding, so monetarily and in my self-growth, so emotionally?? A few friendships have been lost but I have gained so many more. Some dollars have be spent but I am beginning to see the light (albeit dim).

Photos: Jenna Sparks Photography

shop the look: Dress // Shoes // Bag // BRACELET

In this post I want to introduce you to a new online boutique I have fallen in LOVE with! Everly Oak offers such cute, stylish pieces at a great price (this post is not sponsored by them). I was turned on to the brand through their Instagram and you should be following them if you are looking for unique, affordable, trendy pieces. I loved this floral dress at fist sight and am so happy I purchased it. The floral trend is so hot and I am eating it up! I love this floral dress because it is light, comfortable and versatile. I wore it here with these lace up sandals but would absolutely pair it with flats sandals, booties, or even flip flops. I love the unique tie neck and the overall fit of this floral dress. These stacked heel lace up sandals are so comfortable and chasing my toddler around I need this. And if you follow me on Instagram you know I have some serious back problems and these do not hurt my back at all. I paired this dress with this neutral structured bag but think a spring straw tote would be fabulous as well!! Below I have linked a few other floral dresses as this exact one is only available through Everly Oak’s online store.

understanding moving along

I understand that in this journey to create a brand and an lilfe I am proud of I will encounter road blocks, I will face challenges and I will be let down. But I hope that I continue to stay true to myself full knowing the sacrifices, consequences and outcomes may cause me some pain. It is hard to create a brand without those things. It is hard to act on self-growth without those things. My morals, values and passions still stand at the root of my journey. It is my hope to continue to surround myself with people who support me, with like-minded individuals and creating a brand I am proud of.

With Love,

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