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SoCal Blogger Babes Fall Meetup

November 6, 2017

Check out all of those babes, haha!!
I can not even begin to describe how awesome it was to meet up again with some of my favorite fellow influencers, this time for the SoCal Blogger Babes fall mixer! I’m really starting to look forward to all of these events, especially after seeing how much hard work goes in to planning them, and then the payoff.. A couple hours chatting, mingling, networking, sharing style tips, and overall being our badass selves!

Gilmore Studios was gracious enough to capture all of the great moments throughout the event, the laughter, the confessions, and of course, the fashion! The SoCal Blogger Babe VIPs were provided with looks from Viena Valentina, an online boutique featuring of-the-moment affordable styles. The sister/owners of the brand are themselves adorable, and they even brought along a rack of clothes for us to shop their latest additions.

The dedicated team leaders of the SoCal Blogger Babes, Danielle @daniellealanareyes; me; Shelby @sunshinedaydreamblog; Victoria @thisvictoriahasnosecrets_

We all went gaga over these suculent pumpkins from The Wandering Desert. I will admit that a lot of the girls were trying to take them home for themselves when the event was nearing a close!

Our primary sponsor for this event was Saranghae Skincare, a Korean beauty line. They were so amazing to gift 20 of us with their 5-step skincare line, and everyone went home with some of their sheet masks. I don’t know any girl who doesn’t freak out over sheet masks, and theirs are some of the best around, with quality ingredients like CoQ10 and hyaluronic acid.

I’ll confess something.. I’m currently using this tote from Gigraffe Studios as my purse! I’ve honestly received so many compliments on it and people asking where they can get one! I tell them to apply to be a member! 😀 Also obsessed with my personalized leather keychain from Northwind Supply. I already had two leather tassels on my chain, and I’m starting to think I should probably draw a line before it gets out of hand. This one though is definitely a keeper!

I can’t do a post without sharing my outfit details, so here they are! My blazer (which I wore as a cape because no one old the weather to cooperate!) was c/o Viena Valentina, my dress c/o Pink Blush, my Target booties, bless their little hearts, have been with me for over 5 years. My necklace and bangles are from Rocksbox, and my glasses are EyeBuyDirect.

Whew, so many pictures, because there was so much going on! Always the best time with these babes, good things just seem to happen when we get together. We just attended StyleCon as a group yesterday, and amidst the chaos that it was, we still managed to catch up and have fun shopping and chatting. Until next time! Xoxo

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Grove Party

April 12, 2017

Hello, loves!
Such a fun shoot this was… My lovely photographer and I snuck away for a few moments to the orange groves on a quite beautiful day. We were in the area visiting our friend Sarah at her monthly pop-up vintage shop, held at the Redlands Country Mart. The first Saturday of each month, the parking lot is turned in to a curated flea market of sorts, with local vendors offering up all of their hand-picked finds. There is everything from decanters to fedoras to beaded sweaters and all at amazing prices. I love going to support her and check out all of the new things she’s accumulated!
It really gives me a sense of pride to be in the company of some outstanding entrepreneurial ladies. Some of my best friends are doing incredible things and I’m happy to be a part of that ride and boost them up however I can. Sarah, besides being a great photographer, has started Geaux Vintage, a primarily online-based curated shop of her finds. Holli, my partner in crime and one of the most talented people with a camera EVER, has left her office job to pursue photography full-time. She also has a new product line in the works, showcasing some of her best shots. Barbara is training to become a yoga instructor and also sells oils to her friends in need (love me some doTerra!). I have many friends who are nurses, which I of course don’t need to emphasize how valuable they all are! Nursing is something I could definitely never do myself, and I think it’s unbelievable the things they get put through and still go in to work with smiles on their faces, (I’m talking to you, Clare, April, Merisa!). I have friends who are pursing a career in the arts, like Bonnie who has been doing amazing work in the voiceover and acting realm. My friends in the blogging community are striving to reach their goals, and it’s genuinely fun to build each other up.
My grandfather told my mother something years ago, and she passed the saying on to me, but I never really considered taking it to heart until the past couple of years. The line is, “Surround yourself with balcony people, not basement people.” This has nothing to do with any kind of demographic, but more so that you want to be in the company of people doing good, for themselves, and for others. I’ve been in dark places in my life before, as cliché as that sounds, but now realize as an adult that friendships and other relationships matter so much for my own mental health. When I was hanging with the crew that wanted to sit around the pool and drink all day (I’m talking every day), I wasn’t doing anything good for myself and none of us were pursuing anything except a pot belly and a hangover. Growing up (finally) has me considering the lovely things in every relationship that I have, and weeding out the people who are not meant to be a part of my growth. I have to say, it feels GOOD to know that I have a choice.
I’d love to know, how do you build up and support the ladies in your life?

I had to throw in this last shot of me being surprised by Holli and laughing. Such a fun day.
Blouse / Daniel Rainn at Nordstrom Rack // Pants / Stitch Fix // Necklace / Rocksbox (use code kristinbff320 for your first month free) // Bag / Lulu Guinness for JcPenney (old, linked similar) // Ring / Luv AJ from the Box of Style // Booties / thrifted/vintage // Sunnies / EyeBuyDirect

Shot by Holli Z Photography.

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December Stitch Fix

January 31, 2017

Hello, loves! Yes, I realize I’m a month behind on posting my fixes, but (if you haven’t read my previous post), I’ve had a lot going on! I love opening up that box every month and seeing what my stylist has selected for me. It’s like getting a care package from a friend! Well, one I have to pay for haha, but a fun gift to open nonetheless. For my December Stitch Fix, I requested a fun party dress, a metallic or embellished clutch, and a cozy sweater. I received two dresses, a clutch, a sweater and a pair of leggings. Read on to hear my thoughts on each and see how I styled them.

Cocktail dress & metallic clutch / Stitch Fix // Peacoat / Victoria’s Secret (so sad they stopped making clothes!) // Necklace c/o Baublebar // Tights / Hue // Heels / Mossimo
The dress was unfortunately too big on me, I could have gone down a size. It honestly seemed a little young for me, and that’s one of the reasons I sent it back, along with the price. It kind of seemed like something I would find in the Junior’s “occasion” department at Kohls, and definitely not a piece I would pay $88 for. The clutch was SO cute, maybe a touch oversized for a night-out, but it had several nicks in it. Not sure if it was from a previous recipient who sent it back after using it or perhaps it was damaged during shipping. Either way, I expect things to arrive in “new” condition. Dress and clutch, $38, returned.

Dress / Stitch Fix // Jacket / gift from the boyfriend // Tights / Hue // Booties / Forever 21 / Necklace and bracelets / LA finds
This I believe was the second attempt at a fun party dress, but I was just not feeling this print for December. I feel like it maybe could have worked in summer, but I didn’t see it as an ideal holiday option.
Dress, $118, returned.

Sweater and leggings / Stitch Fix // Necklace / Rocksbox // Flats / BCBGeneration // Bag / Forever 21
I became a little obsessed with how soft this sweater was and the saturated wine hue. Even though it kiiinda shows my bra straps without some frequent adjusting, I found it so cozy that I wore it for a couple days in a row, with a little fabric refresher in-between. The leggings were great and felt very supportive, but I felt that I could have done better on the price.
Sweater, $58, kept, leggings, $78, returned.

Overall, just the sweater was a keeper from my December Stitch Fix. I think the price points were still a little high for my liking, and the damaged item was definitely not great to discover. Overall, not my most inspired fix, but my next one was much better, and it should it up very soon!

Shot by Holli Zenko Photography.

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Dolman Top & Zigzag Skirt

October 29, 2016

Hello, loves! I can’t believe that Halloween is already upon us! It seems like just yesterday I was trying to convince my coworkers to join me in dressing up like the ladies of the 80’s comedy “9 to 5” and them all looking at me like I was crazy (those party poopers!) I decided to strike out on my own and recreate Dolly Parton from the preceding decade, country singer Dolly in the 70’s! I’m so excited to throw on a gingham skirt and stuff my bra with about 8 pairs of socks. Oh, and the accent, can’t forget that! 😉
When putting this look together, I definitely wanted to create an outfit that was multi-functional. I would wear this ensemble to brunch, out shopping with the girls, on a casual date night (wedge booties are the PERFECT footwear for a date when you might be walking a fair bit or on uneven ground, you get a bit of height while staying comfortable), or even to work. The skirt is made of the comfiest stretch knit material, and the top is flattering on everyone, especially those (like me!) with a little tummy. I can’t wait to start pairing my pencil skirts with tights and a scarf when the weather allows. Check out my previous post here to see how I styled another versatile Stitch Fix knit skirt.

Top and skirt / Stitch Fix // Booties / Forever 21 // Clutch / Who What Wear for Target // Bracelet / Fab.com // Necklace / LA find // Sunnies / Layered by Cake

Shot by Holli Zenko Photography.

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