Christmas in July

It is bloomin' hot in Phoenix right now, so what better way to stay cool than dream about fall and winter? Retail stores are also about to set out their fall resort collections at the end of this month, so I have a feeling everyone is going to want Christmas in July pretty darn soon.

I've already started pinning a couple fall/winter looks here and there. So, I thought I would share some of them with you. Maybe, just maybe if we all start thinking about cooler weather the temps will drop about 5 degrees.

Photos: unknown, The All Boys Club, The Embellishment, unknown, Ish and Chi, Jimmy Choo, All Saints, Rick Ownens

A Place to Call Our Own

For the past nine years I have rented apartments and houses, and I can now say that I have a place of my VERY OWN! Ryan and I are still in Phoenix, Arizona, and we've moved to a cute neighborhood surrounded by old and young people. We've already met the neighbors, and they are the sweetest people!

I can't tell you how excited I am! This house is such a blessing and a great reminder that patience and saving really do make everything worth it in the end...AND now I can do WHATEVER I want to it!!! I can change my paint colors five times, rip out carpet, etc. In fact, I've already been on a home makeover rampage. I find myself overwhelmed at all of the changes I want to make at times, but then I remember I should slow down and really enjoy the process.

If you have been reading this blog for awhile, you probably know that I love architecture. I also enjoy a mix of contemporary and mid-century modern things. In fact, here are some items from my Pinterest board. Our first priority though is our back and front yard. Right now it looks like Where the Wild Things Are. You can check out the vibe of what we're wanting to create on my Modern Yard inspiration board.

For those of you that are home owners, I would love any tips and lessons learned from the decorating, remodeling and general home-ownership adventure!

Behind the Scenes of Fashion Styling

Everyone has their first day of work. I remember mine. It was for the Rock 'n Roll bride concept. I had been the subject of photos, but never had been on the other side of the camera - picking out clothes and putting things together...It definitely was intimidating not knowing what to expect, but it was the BIGGEST rush of adrenaline. Watch out! You can get hooked on that stuff because that's exactly what happened to me.

All of a stylist's work is done ahead of time, so when the day of the photo shoot arrives, all you really need to worry about is whether things are wrinkled or missing. It's pretty much a big party for me most of the time.

A rustle of the dress here, a tug of the shirt there and sometimes a dab of blush or a flip of the hair, but most of the time you're sitting on the sidelines making everyone laugh and using your critical eye to help the photographer see things that they can't.

There's nothing I like better than being in the moment of a photo shoot and seeing my hard work come alive right in front of me. Well...I also like getting emails with the zip files packaged up nice and tidy and unwrapping the gorgeous goodness of fashion...So, I would say they are equally awesome. =)

Here are some behind the scene pics of me at work. Oh, and a little tip to those that are pursuing fashion styling, don't dress to the nines when it comes to what you're going to wear the day of the shoot. Just wear what is comfortable and what you can MOVE in.

I'm always open to answering questions about things I've learned along the way, so feel free to ask!

Epiphanie Mixed Bag

It was exactly one year ago that I helped style Promise Tangeman for a photo shoot with Epiphanie Bags. It was SOOO much fun, and I'm happy to share that starting this week I will be regularly sharing some fashion insight each Monday on Epiphanie's blog. "Mixed Bag" Mondays will be a post sharing how to wear your awesome Epiphanie camera bag in a fashionable way. If you're not familiar with Epiphanie, they are a company that makes stylish camera bags for the female photographer. So long boring black, clunky bags!

Make sure to stop by and say hi!

Madewell Romper

I'm 27 and I wear rompers, especially ones from Madewell. Last week I was in Boston and got to FINALLY visit a Madewell store. Being a die hard J.Crew fan, it has been KILLING me that we don't have a Madewell in Phoenix. This store is basically a more Anthropologie version of J.Crew. Yep, sounds awesome, right?

They have all of the same sales that J.Crew does, as well as 10% off discounts for students and teachers. I know this first hand because I scored an awesome military style romper on sale.

For some reason this romper was calling my name, so I tried it on and I loved it. Usually, I don't like wearing rompers because they're really annoying when you have to go to the bathroom. However, since this one is a button front it's great. haha! It also is a lovely fall color, so I'll be able to wear it a bit longer than bright coral or white. It's also a piece that you can dress up with tall wedges or down with casual sandals.

They have tons of ridiculously cute stuff, so make sure to stop by their online store OR visit one in person.