Happy Monday! How was everyone’s weekend? My mom was in town visiting, so I went slightly off the grid digitally – it was so nice to go for a long hike, cook, and chat for hours with her. Being away from family is by far the biggest downside to living in California. It’s also been raining almost nonstop, but luckily Saturday was absolutely beautiful outside!
Saturday also marked the Women’s March on Washington, which turned out to be a worldwide event that brought together millions of people, men and women, around the world. I was completely blown away by the size and strength of such a unified community.
It was beyond inspiring to see, and got me thinking about how each and every one of us has a voice, and should be free to use it and express our thoughts and beliefs.
A lot of people comment or lament on how oversaturated the blogging space has become. The same thing could be said for other forms of digital expression – vlogs, podcasts, etc.
You Have A Voice, Your Voice Matters
My two cents: 1. everyone has different reasons for blogging and sharing their opinions and parts of their lives, and they should feel entitled to do so. It’s your decision whether to engage and comment. And 2. I think it’s great. Who cares how many blogs there are out there? I think it’s remarkable that we live in a world that has become so digitally connected that we can communicate seamlessly with people across the world in a way that was never before possible. The combination of self-expression and connectivity has created an opportunity for anyone to have access to a platform to speak their minds.
What the weekend reminded me was that you have a voice. And you have the option to choose to use it because your voice matters. We’re lucky to live in a place that allows you to express yourself without repercussion. It’s your choice what to say, where to speak, and who to communicate to. You can and should speak up for what you believe in!
I know the term “influencer” is a buzzword right now, but we’re all influencers in our own right. We have the ability to use our voice to influence those around us positively, beyond material possessions, which is really, really cool.
Winter months call for cozy sweaters. Specifically, cashmere. It’s all I want to bundle up in right now. When you find a cashmere sweater with the perfect fit, in all the right colors, and at a jaw-dropping (in a good way) price, you stock up. If you remember, I’m a huge fan of Grana’s silk basics – and now I’ve added new pieces from their Mongolian Cashmerecollection to my closet. I love companies that just get it, and Grana is one of them.
Grana Cashmere
Think an Everlane-esque business model: high-quality pieces at affordable prices. By eliminating the middle man and going direct-to-consumer, they’re able to offer the same high-quality pieces you see from high-end brands at a fraction of the cost. If you’re wondering what I wear on a regular basis to work, look no further. Grana cashmere has fit in seamlessly into my workday and weekend attire for when I’m feeling casual. What I love most is that the clothing not only feels good when you’re wearing it, you feel good about buying it. I love the story behind Grana and their mission.
I chose the oversized cashmere boyfriend v-neck in heather blush as a neutral basic to add to my closet. Although the “boyfriend” style automatically implies a looser, oversized fit, I went up a size anyway because I prefer an even more oversized fit for my sweaters. I wish I could do a better job of describing the material but you really do have to feel/wear it to believe it – so soft and luxe. You can immediately tell the sweater is well made and of high quality material, and you wouldn’t guess the sweater was only $99. Seriously.
New year, new Realisation Par dress. I loved the Diane dress so much, I couldn’t help but get the Goldie to add to my closet as well. My love for stars is boundless, and when you know you’re going to commit to a piece and wear it over and over, it makes it easier to bite the bullet and pay for international shipping. What can I say, I just want to be a star girl ; ). If you’re considering buying the Realisation Par Goldie Dress, read on for everything you need to know.
Why I Love the Realisation Par Goldie Dress
If you already own an item from Realisation Par, you’re probably familiar with the material and the quality. The Goldie dress is very similar to many of their other dresses. It is made of a very thin and delicate silk crepe material which I LOVE. It’s so perfect even in the summer. In fact, I think Realisation Par pieces speak for themselves – the cut and fit is always simple yet flattering. I fell in love with the larger stars and open back (total sucker for an open back 100% of the time) and fluttery skirt. Paired here with my favorite Steve Madden blue velvet booties which can be found here and here.
Sizing can be tricky since the pieces are exclusively sold on their website. For this dress, I went with an XS and probably could have gone up another size if I wanted the dress to be a little bit longer. I’m totally guilty of repeating outfits, so you’ll probably see me wearing this all year long.
Happy MLK Day!! I was fortunate enough to have the day off, and let me say – it was so nice and relaxing, but how do freelancers/work from home peeps do it?! I feel like I got very little done and the day just flew by. How do you stay motivated and on schedule? Please share! I’ll keep today’s thoughts on change post brief. Not to get into the nitty gritty, but I’ve been going through a lot of change right now in my life. And it seems like there’s a lot of change going on in the world as well.
Change is scary.
But it doesn’t have to be.
Thoughts On Change? Embrace It!
It all depends on the way you choose to view the world. Me? My new thing is to view it favorably. Accept it and embrace it. I finally finished You Are a Badass and it made me want to grab the bull by the horns and face all of the change that’s happening head on and with a positive and open mindset.
For a while, I was really content. And with that feeling came complacency. I figured I’d make changes in my life, but it would happen on my terms. Well, guess what? The universe doesn’t work that way. Just when you think you have things figured out in life/love/career/anything, the universe likes to throw a wrench in your plans. The lesson I learned is that while you’re sitting there waiting for things to happen, the rest of the world is moving on without you. People are hustling and making things happen every. single. day.
You know the saying “fortune favors the brave”?
I thought hard about it and decided that’s how I want to take on uncertainty in the future. By being brave and facing my fears and the unknown.
My motto for this year is to grab life by the balls and make things happen. (Excuse my language.)
Rather than waiting for change to happen, take control of your own life and create your own opportunities. How’s that for #mondaymotivation?
Tomorrow is technically my Monday, so I’ll be needing all the caffeine I can get after a 3 day weekend. Call me a basic West Hollywood bitch, but Alfred Coffee totally got me with their limited edition Minnie Mouse sleeves. TOO CUTE. You can bet I’ll be going back for more. On a side note: this sweater dress is my current lazy day fave, I also love this one and this one.
Happy Friday, babes! Can I just say I am ready for the weekend?! And it’s a long one too, yay! I wanted to introduce some new topics into the blog – I don’t blog full time, and I figured it’s about time I introduce the other side of my life (the one that takes up the majority of my week) into the blog. I want to start talking about issues that every career gal encounters, regardless of your profession.
Today I want to talk about something that has been on my mind a lot lately. The end of 2016 and start of the new year had everyone all like “new year, new me” – tons of reflecting and goal setting for the new year – I LOVE that kind of energy. One thing that I’ve been coming across a lot lately is the topic of mentorship. So let’s talk about it, and get into why you need a mentor.
Why You Need a Mentor
My 9-5 is in a corporate setting. I sit at a desk, have lots of meetings, and think and talk about climbing the corporate ladder a lot. In this environment, the term “mentor” is thrown around a lot. But regardless of whether you sit in an office or freelance from home, if you’re looking to make moves and grow, you need a mentor. Something I’ve obsessed: every successful person has had help. You don’t get to where you are without a little help along the way.
So now you’re probably thinking: what exactly is a mentor, and where do I find one?
A mentor is someone you trust that can help guide and advise you as you go through your professional journey. They don’t necessarily have to be older, but they often are. They’re in a position to teach, challenge, and support you by sharing their life experiences, knowledge, and networks. These are people that have found success in their own lives and want to see you succeed in yours. They have a vested interest in your growth and success and provide the resources and support you need to get to where you want to be.
They don’t do all the work for you, but they dohelp you become the best version of yourself and face challenges in your career head on. It’s like having a coach, cheerleader, teacher, and friend all in one. If it sounds too good to be true, it’s not.
It comes down to finding the right person.
As Sheryl Sandberg talks about in her book Lean In, you don’t find a mentor by going up to someone and asking them to be your mentor. I’m not the biggest fan of networking, but there are similar ties to networking. It has to develop organically and feel right to both parties. More often than not, someone who wants to be your mentor will ask you and offer to play that role in your life.
Begin by thinking of qualities and attributes you admire and respect. Make a list if it helps. Then begin to look for these qualities in the people that are already in your network. Try to identify them in people you may not know. Go to events, make introductions, meet as many people as possible. When you meet someone that you admire and respect, be sure to introduce yourself and exchange contact information.
But here’s the most important thing – follow up.
You’d be surprised how many people want to help others and offer up their knowledge and experiences. Giving back feels good, and at a certain point in your life it becomes one the most rewarding part of your career. The problem is most people don’t follow up. Sounds so silly but it’s true. I remember when I was recruiting for my first full time job out of college, I was always told to collect business cards at networking events and send a thank you email after. Whenever I had an interview, I was taught to always send a thank you email. Did the recruiter actually read the email? Probably not. Did they always remember who I was? Maybe. The point is, I followed up.
Fast forward a couple years when I began helping out with recruiting at my consulting job and now where I still help with recruiting for my new team. We speak to so many candidates and it continues to boggle my mind how many people do not follow up. It doesn’t hurt to send an email to thank someone for their time or ask if you can take them to coffee/lunch. The worst thing that could happen is… they don’t respond. Not a big deal at all.
To sum it all up: meet people.
Find the ones you look up to and connect with. Follow up with them. Let relationships grow organically. Surround yourself with people that are positive and lift you up, and embody the qualities you wish to have and the lead the lives you wish to live yourself.
Happy Weekend, babes! Talk soon.
xx, Amy
Outfit deets below:
If you don’t have a moto shearling jacket yet, you need on in your closet! The one I’m wearing in the photos is from Minkpink, but other great alternatives can be found here, here, and here. Happy shopping babes!
