When Life Gives You Lemons, Make a Jumpsuit out of It!

August 16, 2017

WEARING: FOR LOVE & LEMONS LIMONADA JUMPSUIT | 
LOUIS VUITTON BROWN MUSETTE TANGO BAG | 
STEVE MADDEN CHERISH RUCHED TOE SLINGBACKS | DANIEL WELLINGTON GOLD MESH WATCH

Enjoying the last few weeks of summer before the chaos of fall season begins, you can be sure to see me wearing this around town - When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade out of it right? Oh no... why not do something more fun for yourself and make a jumpsuit out of it?! Yes, you heard me right! Today's style post is solely on this way too adorable lemon-print jumpsuit from For Love & Lemons and I got it from the coolest on-demand clothing rental in Manhattan called TrendlendNYC. Come get a better look at this cute, summery look and to read more about the recently discovered TrendlendNYC!

Maggie is the founder and created TrendlendNYC because she kept finding all her 20-something year old friends in NYC were always complaining that they never had anything to wear, but were too broke to go spend $100 on the pieces that they actually wanted to buy while they endlessly shopped on the internet during their day jobs. Her vision for TrendlendNYC has been years in the making and she is determined to create a new way of affordable on-demand shopping in Manhattan. I can definitely say nothing but the best things about TrendlendNYC! I had a prompt and timely pick-up and drop-off delivery services with the messenger (they bring the clothing pieces to you) and had no trouble with sizes and the way the item looked, it was exactly the way it was on the site! And you get to schedule the time of your choosing either dropping off or picking up.

I love this jumpsuit not only for its lemon-print, because honestly how stinking cute is the entire style of this jumpsuit?! I love the short, flutter sleeves and the dainty fabric-covered buttons along with a tie belt that cinches from an elastic waistband. This is probably the most lively, citrus print I've ever worn and I'm completely enamored with this jumpsuit! And there's patch hip pockets!

To accessorize the already eye-popping jumper, I wanted to neutralize the color palette and veer away from vibrant colors. So, with my newly colored hair, I went with a pair of Steve Madden slingbacks with a ruched pointy toe that I've owned since my college days! One of my favorite kinds of shoes are slingbacks, I feel so great in them! What shoe makes you feel powerful and sexy at the same time? To keep in the same color scheme with the shoes, I paired it with my favorite Louis Vuitton musette bag. Lastly, my gold mesh watch is my new favorite accessory. Clean and luxurious, it's the perfect watch to wear day to night! Use my code, 'SUZANNESPIEGOSKI' to receive 15% off your purchase at Daniel Wellington. Don't forget to leave your comments down below and to follow me on Instagram! Happy Wednesday, everyone.

LOVE & XX'S,

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Steven Madden Cherish Ruched Toe Slingbacks

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Back to School – 10 Memorable Moments

August 14, 2017

WEARING: FOREVER 21 OVERSIZED CUTOUT SHIRT | HOLLISTER CO. RIPPED DENIM MINI-SKIRT |
 GUCCI BELT | JACOB ALEXANDER FOREST GREEN SKINNY TIE | 
BRAHMIN ANDESITE GABRIELLA MELBOURNE BAG | PERIDOT BOUTIQUE LOAFER SLIDES | 
FOREVER 21 FISHNET CREW SOCKS | PERSOL EYEGLASSES

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY BRAHMIN.

It's that time of year where summer is winding down and the kids are beginning to get ready to go back to school. I love this time period where the days seem more relaxed and the weather is still hot though there are a few days here and there that are starting to get cooler. August is like the Sunday of summer. I wanted to take a trip down memory lane along with a cute outfit to re-boot! ;) But y'all know I'm far from posh and even further from the typical Catholic school girl, ha ha ha! So I put a little twist on my modern-day version of a really cute first day of school outfit... with a touch of menswear, a little geekiness and a whole lot of rock n roll attitude! But before I get more into detail about my outfit, I wanted to share with you ten of my most memorable moments back in my school days. I may not be old, but I'm definitely reaching old school!

1. Some of you may not know, but I received a B.A. in Criminal Justice from Michigan State University. What a lot of you don't know is because I have such a deep passion for art (the first class I ever took at 4 years old was an art class), I managed to accidentally obtain a minor in art history on top of my primary major. The look I had in the office from my guidance counselor was priceless because I really never had any intention of doing it! I even considered changing my major to creative writing or literature before anything else. It's funny how some things just fall in your lap.

2. The first time I ever got in trouble at school was in kindergarten. And you'll never guess what for... kissing! I had the craziest crush on a blonde boy from my class and I was completely infatuated... I just kept running around smooching him every chance I could get before the teacher put me in timeout. Ha ha ha!

3. During second grade, the elementary school I attended was holding their annual cultural potluck meal, where the parents' kids came up with dishes pertaining to their ethnic background and brought it to school for all of us to enjoy and learn more about different culinary foods. I initially (and quite desperately) wanted to bring dried up squid as our Korean dish, but my mother was against it due to the tentacle oddities & seafood smell and was concerned the kids wouldn't go for it. I was crushed! I really wanted to share my favorite snack! But umma came through and made her famous kalbi ribs, that dish went completely empty the minute it sat down on the table!

4. The first person to have ever told me I should be a writer was my creative writing teacher in high school, Mr. Ikens. He was quite peculiar looking, with ghostly skin and matching white hair even though he was only in his mid-thirties at the time, and had a deep-seeded fear for the Pillsbury Doughboy. He was the first to see my work and was the first to suggest that I set my career in writing. I'll always remember the music he played while we sat in his classroom working, from Bob Dylan to this very strange song called, "Rollie-Pollie Fish Heads", he inspired me to write more and eventually led to where I am today.

5. One of the most tedious classes I ever had was an advanced course in European history while in high school. I'm not proud to admit it but I must have fallen asleep in that class at least three times a week! It was also where I had to speak in front of a whole room with a presentation, which made me hella nervous, but to this day did teach me a lot about public speaking and yes, European history.

6. I learned how to read Shakespeare well from the likes of Mr. Webb. He was a disgruntled man who taught English in my junior high school, and we had read Romeo & Juliet during our time with him. Though I had already read several books by Shakespeare and Mr. Webb normally scared the bejesus out of me, he did teach me a thing or two about writing and I still remember him to this day.

7. When I was in elementary school I was one of the best in the state for chin-ups/pull-ups. I used to easily be able to do at least 20 in one sitting! I even made it to the state tracks to compete where I met one of my closest friends to date. We've known each other for over twenty years and she is like family to me. What's funny is we didn't become glued to the hip after meeting at the track competition, it was not until the following season where we bumped into each other at a skating rink when we became close very quickly.

8. My first dance I attended was in high school. Yeah, you can say I had a late start to everything. I remember I had picked this really pretty green with black embroidered floral print spaghetti strapped dress to impress my boyfriend, who happened to also be the first boyfriend I ever had. My mother was so adamant about me wearing a bra, and to this day I still HATE wearing them, that I did leave the house with one on, but took it off in the bathroom at the school dance and threw it out! Free the nipple, ha ha ha!

9. At around 8 or 9, as an April Fool's joke, I pretended to have an asthma attack during class after watching The Hand that Rocks the Cradle at a sleepover at a friend's house. Let's just say I was kind of a naughty child, and definitely a troublemaker!

10. When I was in college I studied abroad in Ukraine. For nearly six weeks, we visited six different cities and it was one of the most adventurous and life-changing experiences of my life. I miss the place and its people often and hope to visit again one day very soon. I think my favorite memory from this trip was perhaps firing my first gun and seeing a live autopsy for the very first time. Such a wild and fun experience. Now I want to share photos and experiences in a post, what do you guys think about that?

And now onto this school girl-inspired outfit. Initially, I was going to go for a more monochromatic look with a long black dress with this oversized cutout shirt from Forever 21. I received this beautiful andesite Gabriella Melbourne bag from Brahmin in celebration of their 35th Year Anniversary. At Brahmin, they're are all about the details. Since 1982, they've been creating handbags and accessories that combine inspired functionality, quality materials, and standout style. Selecting luxe leathers and on-trend accents, their team designs 100% of their products in-house in Massachusetts. The result is a modern collection celebrating the textures you love. And I can definitely say this is my new go-to staple bag for the season! I took it for a little 'stroll' the other day and got so many compliments on it! You guys should check them out, really top-notch quality! I'm completely obsessed. My skirt is from Hollister paired with my trusty Gucci belt. I accessorized with fishnet crew socks from Forever 21 and loafer slides from Peridot Boutique. To give a more librarian, nerdy feel to this look, I wore a loosely tied men's skinny tie in forest green and my favorite Persol glasses. What do you guys think of this look? And what's one of your favorite memories from your school days? Leave your answers in the comments below where you can also directly shop the look. Have a great week, everyone! Catch ya back here on Wednesday.

LOVE & XX'S,

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Jacob Alexander Men's Solid Color Skinny Tie Forest Green

Brahmin Andesite Gabriella Melbourne Bag

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How to Layer a Romper Differently

August 11, 2017

WEARING: ZAFUL GINGHAM ROMPER | VAGABOND HONEY JAKARTA DENIM PANTS | 
ZAFUL RED TASSEL EARRINGS | ALLES FRINGE BUCKET BAG | FOREVER 21 SOCK ANKLE BOOTS

HAIR CUT + COLOR: TAYLOR & DAVID ADAMS FROM FOURTEEN JAY & AVEDA.

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY ZAFUL.

Happy Friday! It's been a long and crazy week and I've been working on overdrive... sleeping at the bare minimum but it's all good. I'm always aiming for more and continue to keep trying, which can never be a bad thing, so hopefully sooner rather than later I'll have some news to share with you that I've been dying to show you guys! The waiting game is the hardest part and I don't really want to say that much (because I always jinx it when I do) so just keep those fingers (and perhaps, toes) crossed for me! Today's post is on the easily wearable summer rompers, but because I'm a gal who likes to make the most out of her wardrobe, I wanted to style and layer a romper differently but one that is transitional for the fall season as well! Want to see how you can wear a good pair of boyfriend jeans with a romper? I know it may sound a bit strange at first, but come take a look! It's a bit of a mix with Western style and rocker chic, fun trends I enjoy playing around with.

I've styled this romper this past spring (you can check out the post here), but all on its own. This time I wanted to wear it differently, and though initially, I wanted to go with a long, black maxi skirt, the romper looked a bit too 'poofy' under the skirt. I then tried it with a pair of oversized boyfriend jeans from Vagabond Honey and even though it took me a minute to adjust to what felt like wearing a diaper (LMAO), I got used to it especially after seeing how cute the pairing looked! The added detail that I'm obsessed with? I love how the romper adds a 'patched' layer to the top cut out of the jeans. You can never have enough gingham print, am I right? ;)

Not only is the romper from Zaful, so are these gorgeous deep red tassel earrings! I love how they give any outfit an extra bold statement and because the color palette is quite minimal in this look, I knew these earrings would bring the perfect pop of color. And I love the jeweled detail within the earrings too, that gives it a little more sophistication to them. The sock ankle boots are from Forever 21 - I'm completely smitten with these shoes! They're super well-fitted and that clear chunky low heel makes running around town in them fun and comfy! Lastly, the fringe bucket bag is from Alles Bags. Have a great weekend, everyone!

LOVE & XX'S,

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Zaful Rhinestone Tassel Water Drop Earrings

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Flawed but Still Worthy

August 4, 2017

WEARING: ZAFUL HIGH LOW LONGLINE STRIPED SHIRT | BDG JEANS | 
GUCCI BELT | DANIEL WELLINGTON WATCH | PUMA 'CLYDE' SNAEAKERS

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY ZAFUL & DANIEL WELLINGTON.

"I DON'T KNOW A PERFECT PERSON. I ONLY KNOW FLAWED PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL WORTH LOVING." - JOHN GREEN

Do you ever have moments where you focus more on your flaws rather than your strengths? Even though it may be Friday, I've got a bad case of the "bully voice" today. I've been going through a lot in the past year and have had a tendency to focus on my faults, because to me, if you can recognize them, the likelier the chance you'll have of being a better person. To begin with I'm very hard on myself and put extra pressure to always strive for better, to learn more; do more. When it comes to my work, I always am thinking it can be improved in some way, shape or form. Because I'm difficult on myself, I can be hard to those I care for as well. But it's only because I see the worth in them and I too want what's best for them, regardless the circumstance.

I'm not afraid of conflict (Hello, Aries) and even though I will tell you exactly how it is (which can be a bit bumpy for those who are non-confrontational) - it's only because I want the most out of whatever it may be for the both of us. Whether it's coming to an understanding or correcting a mistake, I don't have trouble calling out on someone when necessary. And though it's a strength, it can sometimes bite me in the ass. Especially with emotions involved. I can be sensitive and when hurt I tend to let my feelings get the best of me. Instead of keeping cool all the time, I do too make mistakes and flare up like a bad case of rosacea. I'm only human after all.

I didn't even want to post content today, to be honest with you guys. It's one of those days where I feel like I just don't have it in me, but I continue to persevere: I don't give up easily and I certainly won't have anyone get the best of me. Because I'm stronger than that. I'm a fighter. And you are too. Remember, the next time you feel unworthy, stop and think of all the wonderful qualities you carry, not the negative ones. Think of your friends and family who love and care for you and think the world of you, because you're important. And if anyone wants to make you feel less than what you're worth, drop them to the curb immediately. No matter how much you may feel for them. This in itself is not worth your time. Time to say goodbye. But always keep your glass half-full.

Special shout out to Zaful for the amazing high low longline striped shirt and to Daniel Wellington for the new sleek summer watch, in white! How fresh is this piece?! Use my code, 'SUZANNESPIEGOSKI' to receive 15% off your purchase at Daniel Wellington. And can we talk about this location from this shoot? I was in lighting Heaven. Nothing makes me happier than shooting in natural light. What's your favorite form of light to shoot in? What are your thoughts from this post? Don't forget to drop a comment and if you dig this outfit, feel free to shop directly down below! Wishing you all a fantastic weekend filled with Love + Light. Always. xx.

LOVE & XX'S,

SHOP THE LOOK

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Never Too Late to Apologize

August 2, 2017

WEARING: MAD-STYLE LAYERABLE JERSEY TANK SHIRT | HUSH PUPPIES MARIA TOTE |
MAD-STYLE OCTAGON WATCH | MAD-STYLE NAIL BRACELET | HUSH PUPPIES MAZIN CAYTO BOOTIE | 
80S PURPLE FALA ROUND FRAMED SUNGLASSES

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY MAD-STYLE.

It's never too late to apologize. And it's never too late to forgive. Trust me, I wouldn't have survived through half the things I've been through without forgiveness, and yes, owning up to when I've done wrong. But sometimes saying sorry can be quite difficult for people, myself included... especially if it's something I really effed up on. Though I am a firm believer in growing a pair and when it comes down to it, being really brave. Just do it, because if it's someone you care about, you got to be willing to be the one to jump first. And put yourself in the other person's shoes: Would you want it to be this way with you? I know it's easier said than done but if whatever the issue is is still on your mind, I think you got to look into it. In today's post, I'm talking about the do's and don'ts when it comes to apologizing.

Don't apologize for someone else's feelings! There's nothing that irks me more when I hear, "I'm sorry you're mad; I'm sorry you feel this way; etc;) This is not a form of an apology and is just condescending. What could be a better approach? Apologizing for your own actions and attitude. For example, "I'm sorry I was rude," is an apology that takes ownership. Be specific about what you did wrong. Saying, "I'm sorry for whatever made you upset," just isn't going to cut it. Even if you do make your claim, don't slide in an excuse with it.

"I'm sorry I was rude but I was irritated," means you're not really sorry. You feel justified for the way you acted and you expect to be excused from your behavior! One way to remember this is that when you say, "I'm sorry, but..." you're really just a sorry butt. That's like meeting halfway except it's only a quarter ways, maybe even less. That doesn't make any sense, right?! And this isn't going to have anyone want to forgive you. However, asking for forgiveness when you apologize is a humble request that can rebuild a relationship. But don't expect someone to forgive you right away, depending on the situation, it can take time. Just be grateful when you do receive it, I always am! Lastly, don't expect a reciprocal apology either. You have to own your part of it and move on. If you do get through the brutal, "I'm sorry, will you forgive me?" it's best to make the next step and ask if there's anything one can do to make it right/better, etc;.

What do you guys think is the best ways when it comes to apologizing to someone? And how important do you think it is when it comes to the effects of that relationship, regardless of what kind? Before I check out for the day, I want to give a shout out to Mad-Style for the gorgeous cream-colored jersey dress, nail bracelet, and octagon watch! 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! You can also shop this look down below. Don't forget to leave a comment on your thoughts from this post! Follow me on Instagram too! :)