5 Ways to be a Fashion Rule Breaker

November 2, 2018

Happy Friday, you guys! Today’s look definitely reflects my overall style in fashion - rebellious, maximalist, chicness if you will, but today’s post also discusses the ways to do it. One of the key rules in fashion, in my opinion, is taking risks and trying something new. I think when we do this, it helps us hone in on what our style is, and though it is constantly evolving, there are always a few keen elements that resonate within one self. I tend to break the rules, in general. And just like it has in life, I have made some mistakes and I’ve also had some successes by now following the usual norm/rules. Continue reading to see more of this strong masculine outfit and the top five ways to be a fashion rule breaker.

1. DO YOU – AND ONLY YOU

It’s easy to scroll through Instagram and be ‘influenced’ by an outsider. A complete stranger. But I think what really helps is focusing on what styles you truly love. What makes you feel really good, confident, empowered. Anything positive. Because I too have had my fair share of uncomfortable outfits for the sake of some trend or vibe I was trying to go for, if it’s not me I know right away. But the way to be is to have the desire to impress yourself rather than for anyone else. Don’t develop your style based on other peoples’ opinions of yourself.

2. EMBRACE CHANGE.

When I was going through a lot of personal stuff a couple years back, I went to the hair salon and got bangs. At first, it took some getting used to but now, I can’t imagine my hair any other way than the way it is. For those that are not in the know - I have jet black hair and took nearly a year to get to the color I have now. I had really originally wanted platinum blonde hair but my hair colorist was so honest and trustworthy in the fact that that kind of drastic color would utterly fry my hair. So instead of walking around with damaged locks of frizz, we reached to this kind of color. And I find it unique and never had a hair color like this that I love so much. So it just goes to show, embrace change. Take a chance. Worth the risk. If not, it’ll grow back lolol.

3. IT TAKES TIME

Rome was not built in a day. And neither will your style. It’ll take years of trial and error to figure out what works for you and what doesn’t. This comes with taking chances, but it takes time to build up confidence in knowing what your style is. So be patient, have fun with clothes, and don’t take it too seriously. Fashion after all is a form of playing dress up, is it not? So don’t be shy in expressing yourself to the world!

4. DON’T KNOCK IT TILL YOU TRY IT

In order to figure out what works for you, it’s not a bad idea to step outside your comfort zone when it comes to your style. Maybe try a style you may not usually wear, just to see how you feel and look in it. I tend to mix/clash between what I’m confident in, and other styles I may not normally do and put them together to see the result. Sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised and other times it’s, “What’re thinking?!” Haha! So don’t be shy in experimenting.

5. STUDY FROM THE PROS

Not, not your favorite influencer with a million followers. We’re talking legendary icons in fashion like Coco Chanel, Diana Vreeland, Grace Coddington, Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele and others. These are those one can learn from. It’s like anything else, the more knowledge you have in something, the better off you are in it. So this definitely applies to the world of style, in all aspects - not only fashion.

What do you guys think of this masculine power suit look? I deliberately mixed three different patterns of plaid and to be quite honest, I love it so much! I styled it with a crisp white blouse and burgundy accessories like my handbag and boots. The added contrast is my navy blue silk handkerchief that always makes me feel European for some reason. I think this outfit is an absolute fashion rule breaker, how about you?

LOVE & XX’S,

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73 Questions

August 13, 2018

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SUGARHIGH & SUNGLASS WAREHOUSE.

Happy Monday! It's a rainy morning here in New York and after compiling and sorting through all the questions from this past week on Instagram, I've decided to do more regular posts answering your questions through my blog rather than social media. Reason being is for the sole purpose of having enough space to answer everything. You only get so many characters on your captions on IG! I was initially selecting and answering 10-theme questions every Sunday on my Instagram, but after some consideration, I think it'll be much more effective on here. So without further ado, let's jump into some questions! This week's theme is inspired by Vogue's 73 Questions, where I went through them myself and did one for you! Since there were a ton of similar questions within this questionnaire from you guys, I thought it was a perfect way to start the new week and also getting the chance to know me better! So come along and take a quick read! Fun and easy :)

1. What’s your favorite movie? Fried Green Tomatoes
2. Favorite movie in the past five years? The Shape of Water
3. Favorite Hitchcock film? Psycho
4. A book you plan on reading? Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
5. A book that you read in school that positively shaped you? Lord of the Flies by William Goulding
6. Favorite TV show that’s currently on? Sharp Objects
7. On a scale of one to ten how excited are you about life right now? 8
8. iPhone or Android? iPhone
9. Twitter or Instagram? Instagram
10. Who should EVERYONE be following right now? Jamie Beck from @annestreetstudio

11. What’s your favorite food? Korean
12. Least favorite food? Tripe. I. Just. Can't.
13. What do you love on your pizza? Green pepper, mushroom, onion & black olives. My fav combo.
14. Favorite drink? Cherry Coke
15. Favorite dessert? Chocolate cake
16. Dark chocolate or milk chocolate? Dark
17. Coffee or tea? Coffee
18. Lace or latex? Latex
19. What’s your favorite band? The Rolling Stones
20. Favorite solo artist? Al Green

21. Favorite song? Rich Girl by Hall & Oates or Sign My Name by Terence Trent D'Arby, or Tom Petty's, American Girl. Hard to choose just one!!!
22. If you could sing a duet with anyone, who would it be? Ha ha, Eminem!
23. If you could master one instrument, what would it be? Piano.
24. If you had a tattoo, where would it be? On my spine.
25. To be or not to be? To be.
26. Dogs or cats? Dogs.
27. Bird-watching or whale-watching? Bird-watching, but much rather prefer people watching.
28. Best gift you’ve ever received? My beautiful German shepherd, MaQ.
29. Best gift you’ve ever given? A sterling silver card holder from Tiffany.
30. Last gift you gave a friend? Lotion

31. What’s your favorite board game? Monopoly
32. What’s your favorite country to visit? Ukraine.
33. What’s the last country you visited? UK.
34. What country do you wish to visit? South Korea.
35. What’s your favorite color? Toss up between black and green.
36. Least favorite color? Pink.
37. Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds.
38. Heels or flats? Heels.
39. Pilates or yoga? Neither? HAHA! If I had to pick then yoga.
40. Jogging or swimming? Swimming.

41. Best way to de-stress? Read a book.
42. If you had one superpower, what would it be? Telepathy
43. What’s the weirdest word in the English language? Oeuvre.
44. What’s your favorite flower? White lily.
45. When was the last time you cried? Last week.
46. Do you like your handwriting? Sometimes.
47. Do you bake? Yes.
48. What is your least favorite thing about yourself? My impatience.
49. What is your most favorite thing about yourself? My relentlessness.
50. Who do you miss most? My parents.

51. What are you listening to right now? Uptown Funk.
52. Favorite smell? Bergamot.
53. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? My husband.
54. Who was the last person you sent a text to? My girlfriend.
55. A sport you wish you could play? Polo, but I can't ride horses to save my life!
56. Hair color? Originally jet black, now I'm almost blonde.
57. Eye color? Dark brown.
58. Scary film or happy endings? Scary film.
59. Favorite season? Fall.
60. Three people alive or dead that you would like to have dinner with? Lisa Ling, Michelle Kwan, and Frida Kahlo.

61. Hugs or kisses? Kisses.
62. Rolling Stones or the Beatles? RS
63. Where were you born? California.
64. What is the farthest you have been from home? Ukraine.
65. Sweet or savory? Savory.
66. Lipstick or lip gloss? Lipstick.
67. What book have you read again and again? Anything by Murakami and Bukowski.
68. Favorite bedtime story? The Princess Bride.
69. What would be the title of your autobiography? Sorry, can't fully answer this as it conflicts with what I'm currently working on! And NO, it's not an autobiography, but definitely within that realm.
70. Favorite sound? Rain.
71. Favorite animal? German shepherds, or dogs in general.
72. Who is your girl crush? Natalie Imbruglia.
73. Last photograph you took? An art mural.

LOVE & XX'S,

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Orange You Glad You Stood up for Yourself?

August 2, 2018

WEARING: LA DOUBLEJ FLORAL PRINT RUFFLE DRESS | FLOWER EYEWEAR SUNNIES | 
SOUTH MOON UNDER STRAW POM CLUTCH | MARC FISHER ESPADRILLES | SMALL THINGS EARRINGS

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY LA DOUBLEJ BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

“YOU’VE GOT ENEMIES? GOOD, THAT MEANS YOU ACTUALLY STOOD UP FOR SOMETHING.”

— EMINEM

Now before we get to anything, first's things first: I'm in no way supporting anyone to go around and make enemies or to become someone's enemy, in that it's the best option/solution for oneself, but rather, how important it is to stand up for yourself (without feeling like a jerk). A quote is only a quote, in that the one above is only to set the tone of today's post (Plus, I love my boy and I'm also from Detroit so whatever.) I'm no one's doormat, and you shouldn't be anyone's as well. This goes for jobs and relationships! Continue reading to learn why it's really good (and perfectly okay) for you to say NO and why standing your ground will always win over being a pushover/people pleaser/someone who's scared shitless of saying no.

In my line of work, I know a lot of you consider bloggers don't really 'work'. I get it. You see it like this: We take pics and get free stuff every day and basically get paid to promote brands and travel the world. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal! But guess what? There's so much more that goes into it. We don't just take pics. We spend countless hours in scouting locations, searching inspo from magazines, art, and more in order to come up with the perfectly styled photo-op. We take everything into consideration. I don't just aimlessly wander the streets of New York to stumble on some random backdrop in the regular outfit I'm in for the day and voila. Hell, most days I look like a chic bum in a casual tee and jeans while searching for the above mentioned for the next shoot. Or I'm behind a computer working like a madwoman. And then comes the shoot. I do my hair and makeup, we travel to the location; the shoot alone normally takes almost up to an hour. Post-production is about another two depending on the difficulty level of the edits. And then cross-promotion on social media. The whole process takes TIME and EFFORT and YES, hard work. We do this every day, not to mention meetings, endless emails, events, errands of everyday life and even more like prop shopping, dog walking, etc;! Phew!

So what irks me to no end? When a brand or agency who doesn't appreciate this and micro-manages you and/or takes advantage of you. Most bloggers are too afraid or are unwilling to disclose their horrific experiences (and let me tell you, we have ALL had them.) If you're going to tell me it's been nothing but smooth-sailing for you, then trust me, you're full of it. Because like anything else in life you take the good and the bad. But, once the line is crossed and you disrespect me or my work, I will most certainly call you out on it and stick up for myself. And you should too! Short but karma-induced blogger story: Cute blogger girl gets offered free boozy adult popsicles as the new brand ambassador. Brand ships product only to not have it delivered due to her not being home but at work. Instead of just shipping it to her office, they berated her for not being home to be able to receive the package. Cute blogger girl responds diplomatically but also assertively while also saying no to the collab after the mistreatment. She furthermore let other bloggers/influencers know about the brand and her experience with them. No this did not happen to me, but to a friend of mine. Moral of the story? Don't mistreat or take advantage of bloggers. You'd be surprised how more and more of us are so done with the bullshit and are done playing nice. Screw you at some point! Especially after having wonderful experiences with brands and agencies who do take care of you, fairly and with honesty. Don't stick around with those that do not respect you!

Because life's too short. Even in relationships. Yes, relationships are complicated. But if at any point someone just keeps making you feel more and more like BLEGH (and it's all usually for their own benefit: i.e; ego boost, someone to pass the time with, misery loves company, etc.) Walk away. Even ghost if they're that awful. If that's what they deserve. Why be nice anymore to anyone who doesn't treat you with the same respect for your time and effort?! Like I said, whether it's a personal or business relationship, both should be positive and beneficial to all parties involved. Everyone should be happy. So for me standing up for yourself is an act of self-love. Coming from a rough background, I've been doing it since I was a kid and it sometimes can rub off on others as being aggressive/combative but hey - I'm not Mary Poppins or in court so I will speak to you honestly and reactively when disrespected in any kind of manner. Today I had a pr girl interrupt and talk over me while I was asking for content specifics. And when I told her not to interrupt me she said she didn't appreciate my combative behavior. Mind you I had repeatedly asked for specifics beforehand. And for days. I have zero tolerance for any kind of disrespectful behavior. And in this way, the other person will definitely know what you are trying to communicate rather than using "qualifiers" in your speech - words that minimize the strength of your message by apologizing or minimizing what you have to say. Now there's no need for name-calling or taking hits below the belt. But don't say you're sorry if you're uncomfortable about something, just say that you're uncomfortable! Just be frank and get to your point.

Everyone can have their bad day(s). This Mercury in retrograde has me wonky beyond comprehension but this doesn't excuse anyone's behavior or mistakes. So the next time you're unsure about working with a particular brand/agency, trust your gut because it's always right! And remember what's more important? Selling out to some $$$-contracted job where you're not treated fairly or your SELF-RESPECT? And YES, no woman or man is too fine or too amazing to make this an exception. Take pride in how you treat others as well as yourself because it will, in turn, affect the way that person treats someone else too. Spread love, but when necessary, never ever be afraid to stand up for yourself! Shop this La Doublej orange floral print ruffle dress here or in the shop section down below.

LOVE & XX'S,

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How I Game On the Go

July 24, 2018

This post is sponsored by Zynga, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

Ever have a friend that's always running fifteen minutes late? Ever get anxious while waiting when you're the first to arrive at a meeting? One of my favorite activities to help me relax along with killing some time includes Words with Friends 2. It is also the perfect mobile game to exercise your brain and keeping you focused. So in today's post, I'll be sharing the new features on the game as well why I love to play this particular game while on the go, or rather, in some cases, while waiting for others. ;)

The first new addition is the Solo Challenges mode. In here you will find unique word challenges that you must complete by beating themed WordMaster characters. The further you progress in this mode, the harder the gameplay will get. I find this is a great optional section to play around in when you are waiting for players to take their turns in player-versus-player mode. Then there's the new Lightning Round mode. This is a team-based multiplayer section that has you competing with a team of up to 5 players in order to face off in a match to see whose team can score the most points. This will take a lot of coordination between members and should offer a great way to spend time playing with friends and family that isn't competitive against those you have purposely teamed up with. So it's kind of like a co-op mode where you can team with your friends, with the main difference being that you have to compete against other people in a battle for the most points.

Beyond those two new modes, there are also a few other features worth mentioning. You can now collect unique badges through playing and completing weekly challenges. It is also worth mentioning that 50,000 new words have been added to the dictionary of the game, which was inspired by Words With Friends players and pop culture references. Overall, I enjoy playing in regular mode the most. It's the perfect time to play while in between meetings or waiting to meet up with friends after work. It's at your own pace and you can do other tasks like checking up on your email or posting on social media while you wait for your opponent's turn.

Have you played the new Words with Friends 2 on your mobile yet? Well, what are you waiting for?! Don't forget to look me up @sspiegoski - I love to meet new gamers all over the world! What are some of your favorite mobile app phones to play? Leave your comments down below!

LOVE & XX'S,

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Pepper Lady

July 16, 2018

WEARING: ELLY PISTOL BOMBER | TOPSHOP SHORTS | EGO BOOTS | 
SMALL THINGS EARRINGS | FOREVER 21 SUNNIES

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY ELLY PISTOL & SMALL THINGS.

It's a fresh start to a brand new week! And it's time to spice things up! Pepper is the symbol of spice and excitement. And in today's post, I'm sharing a relatively new clothing brand based in Stockholm, and their athleisure wear is literally the bomb! One of my favorite pieces from the collection is this edgy, fun Pepper Lady bomber jacket. It's the perfect new addition to my Fall wardrobe! Continue reading to see how I styled the bomber in a fierce, summery look with ripped denim shorts and over-the-knee boots! What does it mean to you to be a 'Pepper Girl'?

Pepper Lady has a super strong orange lining and just like all Elly Pistol jackets you can easily roll up the arm sleeves to show off even more of the orange goodness. The bomber comes in a completely new design with quilted arms only, and color blocking on the rib both in front and on the back. Stretchy rib on arms and waist gives you that super comfortable fit. There are large chunky metal zippers in silver, 4 pockets- 2 in front and one on each arm sleeve. The jacket includes our popular Elly Pistol arm tag in rubber, that can easily be hooked off and placed anywhere you can possibly imagine. Use it as a bag accessory or keychain. Whatever floats your boat. Use my discount code, 18SUZANNE10 and gives 10% off everything on their website.

To keep the style super-edgy, I paired it with black denim shorts and all-black over-the-knee boots. The floating pearl double hoop earrings are double the trouble! These modern, geometric earrings with front and back hoops and orbiting pearls are artfully created for a minimal, chic look. I also styled my hair halfway up and tied it with a thin black ribbon. I found the ribbon and pearls to bring a tiny bit of feminine features in the overall edgy look. My retro sunnies are from Forever 21 and less than $8!!! You can get them directly here.

And of course, what girl isn't complete without her beloved furry companion?! What can I say, I just love my boy to bits! He is the best. Fun lil' tidbit from behind the scenes: MaQ literally walks offset when we have the shot. He's our cue to know when it's a wrap. Ha ha! And it's hilarious because when we check the photos, he is right everytime! I think after awhile, having taken so many photos with me around the city, it's become second nature to him. It's truly amazing. We will have another Q&A up next month. Would you like a video Q & A? Blog post and/or both? I'd love to hear feedback from our readers! Wishing you a great week!