nyfw part 1 in maggy london

new york, new york. i miss thee.

writing this post has me missing NYC like crazy. there is no doubt NYC is one of my favorite places to travel to and i have to make it out there every couple of years. New York Fashion Week (NYFW) has always been a bucket list for me, even before i started blogging three years ago (yikes!!, time flies). 2017 was the year to make it happen! i booked the flight very early this year not really knowing what to expect or what i was doing. i just knew i needed to go do it! as a first-timer, it was an amazing experience that i'm so grateful for and hope to be back next fall! 

in general, i feel like NYFW is difficult to navigate regardless of your stats. it's overwhelming. on top of it being in a city that never sleeps, there is constant stimulation/hustle & bustle around every corner -- always something to do, see, or eat. therefore, i knew i was gonna be alright if i didn't get into many events! i really didn't have time to pitch or really plan NYFW due to the new house (which by the way... has sucked all my "free time!!" but i ain't complaining). i kinda winged it and everything happened last minute. outfits were packed the night before, and it occured to me that i really didn't have anything new to wear as all my purchases have gone towards #homeownership type-stuff. and to be honest, there's probably a good chance someone else is wearing it if it is semi-new. pro-tip: mix old with new (more on that in part 2; #comingsoon). 

either way, as the slogan goes, it all works out and thank goodness for this Maggy London dress!! the navy is very vibrant in a classy way & the lace just adds more elegance. basically, where the trendy cold shoulder meets elegance & hugs you in the right places. 

despite the fashion, outfits, and shows, the best part was getting to meet the gals i support on instagram. to finally put a face to a name (or is it handle?! haha) in REAL LIFE. that made my trip!

day 1 // September 8, 2017
this Maggy London dress was worn the day i arrived in NYC. took a taxi to the hotel. then hit the ground running with a photoshoot with the amazing Angie Garcia, whom i have always wanted to shoot with! let's just say these street-style shots totally pushed my comfort zone in terms of the amount of people, cars.. etc..! yikes... i headed to the @stylecollective party where i was able to meet the founder and my friend, @annie_spano! i joined Style Collective when i first started blogging and have made some awesome friends such as... @fashionablyfitjess who was my PIC that night and of course, we had to end the night with some ramen! 

now it appears that i am blabbing on and on so the rest of the trip will be shared in another post (part 2 and it'll probably be lengthy!!), it included parties, shows, meetings etc..! hope you have an amazing week & thanks for stopping by! stay tuned xx

currently on my playlist: swish swish by Katy Perry ft. Nikki Minaj

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day to night in a LBD with Maggy London

warning: lots of pictures ahead.

as you may know, black is my FAVORITE color to wear. shall i count the reasons of why i love black?!: it goes with all colors... including MORE BLACK!, it makes you look slimming, it goes with my skin tone & hair, it is freaking classic. 

for this post, i teamed up with Maggy London to bring you the LBD one for the day (work wear, professional attire) and one for night (an evening out, date night) with tips on how to rock each. if you aren't familiar with Maggy London, they specialize in my favorite clothing item... DRESSES! their dresses range from casual, work wear, to dressy. there is something for everyone and not to mention they offer petite and curve sizing! #hooray! 

side happenings: i saw beauty & the beast! gah, it was so good!! they did such an amazing job making it match the animation! i think i'm still recovering from the go-go of SXSW but it was such an experience!! i cannot wait until next year. as always, thanks so much for stopping by. xoxo. 

currently on my playlist: you are the best thing by Ray LaMontagne

DAY

NIGHT

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the bow blouse & midi skirt

when in doubt, put a bow on it. (a big grey one)

i've worn this skirt earlier this year with a cream top and pearls. this time i decided to pair it with a grey long sleeve blouse with a HUGE bow on the side. this top also looks great with all types of skirts and skinny jeans (plus blazer) as well. it was actually quite cold this day so the faux fur stole came in handy for a few shots, i usually think stoles look better styled on jackets vs. wearing it plain, but it turned out alright here. might i add, this is a perfect holiday look with some red lipstick!

currently on my playlist: Let it go -- James Bay

added a faux fur stole for fun! plus it was freezing! 

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the black lace midi & studded heels

happy thursday!

the sweltering texas heat has caused me to rise at the break of dawn to take pictures #fortheblog. as i'm driving to this shoot, its 6:30am on a saturday, i'm wearing a black dress and red lipstick. i think to myself, 'yep, i'm a little crazy... or dedicated... yea, i'm gonna go with dedicated.' these pictures were tough, it's a small window before i start sweating and my hair gets all big and frizzy trying to make friends with the texas humidity. #hairproblems

this dress is great for any occasion and snagged it when it went on sale. i love the scalloped lace detailing on the front and back not to mention the midi length. the scuba-like material on this dress makes it effortless to wear. the shoes... oh the shoes... these sold out on Solesociety.com within a few hours and i was lucky to get my hands on a pair the first time around! however, they are back in stock now!! they are the best (not to mention high quality) dupe of the Valentino rockstud t-strap pumps at 1/15 of the price! red lips were a must for this look. this time i pulled out a red i haven't used before that is apart of the Tom Ford matte lip color collection in ruby rush. you've heard me rave about my first red lipstick from Tom Ford in cherry lush before, but to compare the two, cherry lush is a blue-red with a shiny finish. ruby rush is a true red that is completely matte in a reallyyy good kind of way. red lips + black dress + oversized round sunglasses = G.L.A.M. even if it is 7AM. rock it.

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black tulle & sequin sweater

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

2014--it has been real. in one word i can only describe it as rewarding. it was a year filled with challenges that resulted in so much growth for me in terms of health, strength, mentality, and just overall well being. the launch of this blog was a high point, as it was something i had wanted to do for years. i work tirelessly on this site in hopes that someone out there is inspired? slightly entertained by my jibber jabber? or perhaps takes my words of strength to heart? whatever it is that brings you here, thank you. the journey continues so stick around!

2015--this is our year for the taking. so show it who's boss! (that's YOU).

#stronger
#cantstopwontstop,
JD

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the little black dress & pearls

"a woman should be two things: classy and fabulous." - Coco Chanel

today we conquer a style i always stay true to: the classy look. you just can't go wrong here. seriously. all you need is: a black dress, a pearl necklace, pearl studs, a black clutch, black shoes, and of course... some red lipstick. 

when looking for the perfect black dress, here are some things to consider--find something that is fitted vs. too tight. and remember, if you think its too tight... it probably is. the dress should be worn effortlessly without having to adjust it all night. i also tend to go for a dress with a comfortable length vs. short dresses. in addition, the perfect black dress has a flattering neckline and is not too low cut or too revealing. Banana Republic has a great selection of black dresses. in fact, they have a whole section of their website dedicated to "the little black dress!"

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