Aqua Seafoam Chanel and Yellow Florals

June 4, 2018

WEARING: SAKU NEW YORK YELLOW FLORAL PRINT DRESS | CHANEL BAG | 
KOIO SNEAKERS | VINTAGE SUNNIES

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY REBAG AND SAKU NEW YORK.

Us girls have heard of a few stores that offer a discount for a previously used luxury handbag. But not many matches up to top trends and top quality other than Rebag. Besides becoming a destination to find this season’s It bag for less than the retail price, Rebag has streamlined the process of buying and selling gently loved luxury handbags by simplifying the peer-to-peer sale process. Plus, for those in New York, the brand also recently opened a concept store so customers can experience the site in an IRL setting. (Aside from their app, which is awesome btw). Continue reading to see how I styled this beautiful aqua seafoam Chanel handbag with a vibrant yellow floral print dress, oozing retro 70s vibes with both European and Californian flair.

You know when you put on a dress and it just hugs you in all the right places; feeling so comfortable yet stylish at the same time? This long sleeved floral print dress with a deep yellow hue is it for me. I never ever want to take it off Seriously though, I love when you come across a designer that makes clothes that fit so well on you. Being a petite woman, it is hard sometimes to find pieces that fit right then and there without having to tailor them! But never in the case of Saku New York. This dress could be styled in so many ways, but I'm such a big time sneaker gal.

The yellow color inspired me to style the dress with aqua-colored accessories. Something just as rich in color but with a contrast that would complement well with each other. And colors that bring out the mood of summer. Well, to me at least. I find this outfit to be an inspiration between the Amalfi Coast of Italy and the West Coast of California. The aqua color reminds me of the sea, the shades of the ocean along with the yellow being the bright warm sun. I'd link these sunglasses in the post but they're one of a kind and I bought them on the streets of SoHo in one of the markets for $20. You know, one of those happy finds. How would you have styled this aqua seafoam Chanel bag?

If you have bags you don't use anymore, Rebag is a company that actually sells your bags for you. Perhaps you have a Michael Kors, Kate Spade or Coach bag you don't wear anymore, but you know it is in great condition. You can take some pictures of the item, submit it to Rebag, they'll give you a quote, let you ship the item to them for free and then pay you within 2-3 business days. As someone who normally sells things on Poshmark (that almost seem to never sell), it is amazing to know that there are companies that just pay you upfront for the item and sell it on your behalf. If you are interested in trying Rebag, use my discount code: SUZANNE for 5% off your purchase.

LOVE & XX'S,

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New Year Vibe

December 18, 2017

WEARING: NEW VIBE JERSEY DRESS | VENDULA LONDON ROUND FILM BOX CROSSBODY BAG | EGO METALLIC BOOTS

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY NEW VIBE & VENDULA LONDON.

Happy Monday, everyone! Are you ready for the Holidays yet? I can't believe Christmas is in a week! This year has completely flown by... I'm still not done with my holiday shopping yet! But I must confess, I've always been a last minute shopper. I'm also not the biggest fan of this season for a number of reasons, so in today's post, I'm sharing a holiday look that's not your usual glittery gold, silver, red or green colors, but a color more outside the box: Navy Blue! I've been completely obsessed with this color all year, and I just can't get enough of it! I even have some gorgeous navy blue satin sock boots coming in and I'm so geeked up on styling them. Last week's fashion post featured sustainable wear by NEW ViBE, you can check that outfit here, where there are hints of reds to inspire you for a more 'passionate' look for the holidays. The jersey dress in today's post is also made by the same brand. Come take a look at how I styled this dress for a more holiday-inspired look!

You can wear the navy blue jersey dress in a number of ways just like the dress with the red lace, I think it would look adorable with some sparkly tights, should you want to layer it up a little more for those colder temps. Since we chose to shoot indoors, I opted out with the pantyhose and went bare :) I brought in accents of gold from the Gucci belt, rose gold metallic boots, and hoop earrings. The final touch is this amazing yet unusual bag from Vendula London. They make some really unique bag, like this round film box crossbody bag with gold chain. The love the subtle added detail of the negative strip on the strap as well. Very cute and super chic. Go check out more of their bags here!

I'd definitely say this look is not suitable for a black-tie event, but you could definitely wing this for many different kinds of holiday parties, from a friends' get-together to an office party, it's a really great dress to wear for these occasions as well as after. I'd totally layer this with a good pair of jeans and boots with a touch of street style flair with a Vetements belt or a chunky statement earring, well into the winter months. To see more by NEW ViBE, be sure to follow them on Instagram to get on the waitlist for their newest collection. Have a wonderful week! I'll be back soon. xoxo

LOVE & XX'S,

SHOP THE LOOK

Vendula London Round Film Box Crossbody Bag

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The Red Scooterist

October 23, 2017

WEARING: WET SEAL RED TRENCH W/ BELT | MAD-STYLE CHARLIE BLOUSE | 
MAD-STYLE CAPRI PANTS | MAD-STYLE COLOR BLOCK LARGE TOTE | EGO NASH BACKLESS ANKLE BOOTS

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY MAD-STYLE.

When it comes to shooting street style in New York City, there are a thousand and one locations to choose from. What can make it fun even after living here for almost twelve years (this coming January), are the random serendipitous moments that still occur while out and about looking for something different than the norm. Initially, with this red, black and white outfit, I wanted to shoot it in contrast to a very minimal backdrop, but when we started to work the photos didn't look right. When I don't feel something when immediately looking at the image, I move on to something else. It's a strange creative vision, and I always can put together what the final image will look like, even before post-production. After walking around I stumbled upon this beautiful red Vespa and thought it would go well with the red light trench in this look. Plus, I knew it was a setting that didn't look like the typical NYC street style background with taxis and skyscrapers, it really reminded of Italy and just knew it was going to be a great location to shoot in in tune with the outfit. So in today's post, I'm sharing my tricks of the trade on how to find amazing locations, no matter where you are in the world and how you can make it look like any setting you'd like.

1. DO YOUR HOMEWORK

No matter where you're located, be sure to do a little scouting beforehand. It's not only going to help you get inspiration from that within itself, but it'll also get you familiarized with your setting and how you want to shoot. Of course, you're not going to learn everything in one sitting so take it in stride and at least pick a few places you're interested in as the location for your photo shoot. Also, in terms of street style, be sure to also do your homework! Don't schlep together an outfit and call it style. Learn the different eras of fashion, the latest trends, and more to get a deeper knowledge of what you're working with and this will help expand your range of locations/settings as well.

2. STAY CLOSE TO HOME

Helmut Newton never really did shoots far from walking distance wherever he was. And he proved that you don't have to travel far and wide to create incredible photographs. I completely agree. Yes, it's amazing to go to places you've always dreamed about and documenting them with your own eyes, but to me, if you can create strong images near wherever you are, that says a lot over those that need exotic and far travel destinations to create "amazing" images. Because let's face it, nowadays with the quality of the iPhone, anyone that travels to somewhere like this will more than likely be able to create a decent picture. So, I feel in order to be good at location scouting, you should be able to shoot wherever, and more especially very close by.

3. DON'T BE AFRAID TO GET LOST

No matter how much content I've created, I will occasionally run out of steam and won't feel as confident about my direction in terms of street style shoots. In which case, I just don't have as much of a detailed plan and will literally take whichever direction the wind takes me. In this outfit, when I happened to run into this cute red Vespa, it was as if it were meant to happen that way. I don't mean to sound cheesy, but you'll feel the magic in the air while creating something more than just a 'snapshot'. I have to say some of my most memorable shoots ended in serendipity so seriously, don't be scared to wander off the grid.

4. CREATE A STORY

And not just any story, a real authentic one. As cute as outfit posts can be, being a writer and someone who is hungrily willing and able to read anything, I crave more than a 100-word post about some fashion blogger's look. Bring a feeling to the table. It can be any emotion you want, but to me, fashion & style has a lot to do with expression and I think it's quite important to exert how you feel, either in words, photos, outfits, whatever you're trying to evoke, it should have the person who's looking at your work feel SOMETHING. Don't be shy to talk more about how you feel about anything! You can incorporate that with looks and locations and make it of more substance this way. I mean, who doesn't love a good story, right?

If you are adoring the Mad-Style pieces as much as I am, use my promo code, 'maqandsuz' to get 20% OFF your purchase from Mad-Style! They also carry a variety of accessories such as jewelry, clothes and even dog apparel! Don't forget to follow me on Instagram & YouTube for more daily content. Wishing you all a great week!

LOVE & XX'S,

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Our First Q&A Episode

October 13, 2017

WEARING: AGNES B GREY FRONT BUTTON SHIRT | PERSOL GLASSES

Hey guys! Welcome back to my blog! And to new visitors... welcome and stick around because you're in for a treat today! Since I've started my blog which was roughly two years ago, I get asked a lot of questions about my dog and what life is like in a big city with him. Whether it's in person or on social media, everyone adores my German shepherd, McQueen... or, what most of you guys know him as: MaQ! There were so many questions to narrow it down to due to time constraint and the desire for wanting to keep a few precious moments private such as when and where we met him, why and how. And even though I like to keep that sort of balance within my personal life, I still wanted to share a few fun facts about my partner in crime. So let's take a look, shall we?

HOW DID HE GET HIS NAME?

McQueen was named after the devastatingly handsome actor, Steve McQueen. Both carry such a look and are equally charismatic, Steve and I even share the same birthday, so it was only natural to give him such a unique name. We call him 'MaQ' for short because of coined phrases like, "Big Mac" and "Mack Daddy". He is quite big and a total ladies man. :)

HOW OLD IS MAQ?

5. In human years, he's technically 35 but still acts like a kid. Young at heart, I suppose. ❤️

FAVORITES?

He just loves to play. If he could have it his way, he'd run me around all day! He's a total ball hog like many GSDs I know, but his favorite game is the toy game, or "identification" game where he can search and find whatever stuffed animal I ask him to go get, and he's got a lot of 'em. I am thinking about doing a video on this because it's just too cute and you'd be impressed with how smart he is on top of how many toys he's spoiled with!

He also love to eat and share food with us. Yes, I'm guilty as charged and am totally that paw-rent who indulges in feeding her pooch table scraps. I can't help it! I don't want him to feel left out, ha ha! I of course only share with him what's healthy and reasonable. But every once in a while you just gotta go for the carbs. We love to share french fries together and his favorite is pizza crust. I love it too but since having MaQ, I give all my crust to him as if it's some kind of ritual between us.

He is never without his "security blanket", or rather, his "Natty" girl. It's a plush stuffed animal monkey and I named her after Natalie Wood, who was one of Steve McQueen's ladies back in the day and they were quite the couple! You should see her in the video from this post, Natty was the size of MaQ when I first got him!

DISLIKES?

Cats. Baths. And the rain.

DOES MAQ HAVE A GIRLFRIEND?

If you looked this good, would you be with only only person? Ha ha ha! He is a total player! You should see him picking up chicks on our walks... both human and canine! He's got a thing for blonds and leggy women. Hey, can ya blame him?

DOES MAQ SLEEP WITH YOU IN BED AT NIGHT?

Honestly? No, he and I like to have our own space. I'm the type that likes to cuddle for about 3 minutes and then I'm good. He's the same, ha ha! What he tends to do most at night is keep watch. He's a good ole' boy and protects the house.

That's it for now! Be sure to come back and see more upcoming Q&A's! Don't forget to watch our episode on YouTube down below and if you have a question you'd like answered about us, leave it in the comment box or find me on social media! Follow me and MaQ on Instagram! Have a great weekend, everyone. We'll see ya back here on Monday!

OUR FIRST Q&A EPISODE!

Happy Friday, guys! Today's video is our very first Q&A with my partner in crime, my German shepherd dog, McQueen (AKA: MaQ)! After receiving a lot of questions about us from our readers, I thought it was finally time to do a sit down and answer some of them! Click to watch!

LOVE & XX'S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

Faux Leather Biker Chic

October 9, 2017

WEARING: ZAFUL ZIPPERED FAUX LEATHER BELTED MINI DRESS | 
FOREVER 21 OVERSIZED CUTOUT SHIRT | ANGELINA SHOETIQUE OTK BOOTS | 
LEVI'S WINTER WOOL BERET | FOREVER 21 OVERSIZED ROUND GLASSES | 
ROSEGAL SILVER BEAD HOOPS | ALLES FRINGE BUCKET BAG

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY ZAFUL.

A gloomy, rainy day doesn't exactly set the perfect tone to start any week, does it? But whenever I'm feeling a bit down and out, I just continue on and keep doing me. It doesn't matter the amount of pressure I receive on a daily basis, either work-related, personally and/or more, I'm not a quitter and I refuse to let anyone that I know or do not know, to make me feel anything less than worthy. I have come a long fucking way and to those who think they know anything about me, YOU DON'T. You don't know the half of it, and to the ones who do and have never left my side, with full support and no judgment, I thank you and I love you. I have endured and survived through so much shit in my life. I should have died at least three times already, but by the stroke of luck (or hopefully) for some greater purpose, I'm still here standing. And I'm here for a reason, goddamnit. Excuse the language today, but I never said I was all ladylike and ish.

So in today's outfit post, I'm presenting my bad-ass self in a biker-chic inspired look completely made out of faux leather. I was really inspired by Moschino's SS18 collection and all of the 'butch' ballerina vibes straight off the runway and wanted to create a similar style pertaining to my own from this inspiration. The zippered, belted mini dress can be worn in all sorts of ways: unzipped/zipped with or without a shirt, layered with one, or without the suspenders, and more. But for this look, I went with a black and white color scheme to keep it fresh and clean. I think other colored shirts would appear just fine as well when it comes to the layering game but I don't always feel vibrant or colorful. I love that about fashion. You can look the way you feel in colors, textures, shapes and more. And whenever I feel more of my weaknesses rather than my strengths, I also will dress more like a baddie to feel more confident and secure. Trust me, an outfit like this can go a long way, even when you're feeling like crap. (Physically, emotionally... perhaps both.)

To accessorize the look, I wore my favorite hat at the moment. I'm indecisive as to grow out my bangs or not, so for days where I'm not feeling them as much, I just put on a hat and keep moving forward. I wanted to give it a little European edge and a hat can help do just that! My bag is from Alles Bags, and this fringe bucket bag is definitely a staple in my closet. I've had this baby for a little over a year and I still can't get enough of it, it's such a wonderful bag! To keep with the faux leather from the dress, I wore a pair of faux leather over the knee boots from Angelina Shoetique. I actually wore these bad boys during last February's NYFW on the first day when there was a blizzard outside. I trekked in these throughout the day and THANK GOD for them. They're super comfortable, giving me a tiny extra height from the platform sole, and are just so bad ass! I secretly feel like a superhero when I wear them, and how can that ever be a bad thing?

What do you like to wear when feeling extra insecure or down in the dumps? Are you more of a sweatpants kind of gal that would rather stay in or do you like to dress up a little more into something extravagant or in character and go out? I'm in between. Sometimes I really enjoy being alone when feeling this way, but I also believe that sometimes, no matter how shitty your circumstance might be, you just gotta dress up and show up. As my father always used to say, keep on keeping on. And to anyone that wants to directly or indirectly (you might as well say it straight to my face because I'm fucking fearless, so watch out) try and bring me down, here's the bird for you. Have a nice day and don't forget, I'm not doing any of this for anyone but me. Don't seek validation from others, seek it within yourself. Having a rough day like myself? Leave your comments down below and let's hear how your day/week/month has been.