Rhapsody in Blue - Happy 1 Year Blogiversary

August 9, 2016

WEARING: FOREVER 21 BLUE DRESS | H&M SCARF | ADIDAS ORIGINALS STAN SMITH

photos by Gilles Decamps / videography by Gilles Decamps & Suzanne Spiegoski / edit by Suzanne Spiegoski

Happy 1 Year Blogiversary to MaQ + Suz! What an incredible year it's been, I had to celebrate! Check out my 'Rhapsody in Blue' video for the occasion! Thank you so much for your constant love & support, I couldn't have done this without you guys! Cheers!

Exactly one year ago today, I created and launched my lifestyle blog, MaQ + Suz! I've come a long way throughout this crazy embarkment of a journey. To learn is to grow and I'm so lucky to be able to do what I love in the process. Never did I imagine I could roll all my passions into one whole and have that actually be plausible. It's kind of like New York in that way. It doesn't make any sense as to how it works, but it does. In every way possible.

There were some highs and lows; challenging at times, yes - but I've always enjoyed biting off more than I can chew. I'm a true believer in the power of intention. If you set your mind to something, you can make anything happen. You just really have to believe in it, more importantly, you must believe in yourself. I've worked very hard to get to where I am today and I couldn't have kept on going without you guys! Your daily words of encouragement remind me why I do what I do. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your constant love and support. I'm left completely inspired and incredibly humbled by all the experiences, friendships, and lessons from this year. I've truly made some wonderful, empowering connections - both new and old.

And it's all because I decided to take a leap of faith. I never wanted an ordinary life or even a glamorous one, and I most certainly have never played it safe. I'm living the life I've always imagined, open and free. This year was also highlighted on stepping out of comfort zones. Without MaQ + Suz, I would not be where I am right now, both professionally and personally, and for that, I'm eternally grateful. It's been one wild ride and I can't wait to see what year two will bring!

In light of this occasion, I'll be doing a 1-Year Blogiversary Giveaway on my Instagram! Keep your eyes peeled in the next coming days! I can't wait to share! Lastly, I've got some upcoming stories I'm so excited to share with you! MaQ + Suz will be posting another interview feature with a New York actress and dear friend [photos too (by moi) ;)] and an overdue recipe I'm dying to show you! Coming soon, so stay tuned! Don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel and watch our Blogiversary - celebration video! :)

LOVE & XX'S,

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Grecian Braids

July 27, 2016

WEARING: LOVE21 CREAM TANK TOP | FOREVER 21 HIGH SLIT MAXI SKIRT | 
ZARA LEATHER & CORK WEDGES | FOREVER 21 IVORY STATEMENT NECKLACE & BANGLE

Good morning, everyone! I'm sorry I haven't posted in nearly a week. Reason being is I'm currently in Michigan working on a personal story. I cannot WAIT to share it with you guys! It's been a long time coming. Last week, I had the immense pleasure of getting my hair and makeup done by the wonderful and talented, Valerie, owner of Caravan Stylist Studio at the Gregory Hotel in New York City. It was one of the cutest glam spaces I've been to and strongly recommend it to us bloggers, as it's the perfect spot to get dolled up before an event or a photo shoot. We went for a boho-chic look, but it's very Grecian to me. I added in some ivory and turquoise jewelry to embody the look. I can't braid my hair to save my life so it was such a treat for me! I can't wait to go back and do something different! Check her out my NYC gals. Trust me, you won't regret it! Caravan offers hair, makeup & nails services! You can go to www.caravanstyliststudio.com for more info and to book your next appointment! Thanks again for such an amazing experience and my goody bag! Valerie hooked me up with all sorts of makeup and hair products we used for that session. My fave? Blue waterproof eyeliner! If you put it on your top inner lid, the blue will brighten up your eyes. How cute of a trick is that?! ;)

LOVE & XX'S,

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Cape Cod Style

June 29, 2016

WEARING: ROMWE WHITE STRIPED SPLIT DRESS | ZARA CORK + LEATHER WEDGES |
ALDO CROSSETT CROSS BODY | J. CREW PANAMA HAT | NATHALIE GARÇON SCARF | 
ROMWE GOLD RINGS

Hey, everyone! I'm back! I've been away on our mini-vacation to Cape Cod, and what a treat it was! My husband and I celebrated being together for ten years, and bringing our boy, MaQ, was the icing on the cake. The Cape is such a magical place. Keep your eyes open for a travel diary post in the next coming days. I'm excited to share with you our amazing adventures! We even ran into another German Shepherd in Provincetown and let them play together in the marina one afternoon. What are the odds of that? :)

I've partnered with ROMWE, a lovely clothing line that's chic and affordable for every woman, in all shapes and sizes. They've got some crazy discounts and deals at the moment. Trendy long-sleeve dresses are 60% off your first order! That's only one of the many specials they currently have. Ladies, definitely check them out! I love my casual white striped dress that I wore non-stop while in the Cape. With drawstrings and pockets, it's a sporty feel with comfort and style. Perfect for summer, especially this long weekend approaching us! The dress can be worn over your bathing suit or for a casual stroll through the many magical destinations of Cape Cod.

It felt good to take a break from the internet and social media, but it's also great to be back! I have many upcoming projects I'm just dying to share with you! Stay tuned...

Photos by: Gilles Decamps

Sponsored post in collaboration with ROMWE.

LOVE & XX'S,

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Simplicity with Chopin

June 10, 2016

WEARING: FOREVER 21 HIGH-SLIT MAXI SKIRT |

FOREVER 21 CREAM OFF-THE-SHOULDER PEASANT TOP |

MICHAEL KORS SANDALS

Happy Friday! Today's post is focusing on a new outfit look, (think Chanel meets affordability 🙊) but with attention also on my deep love for Classical music. Lately, I've been feeling inspired to do a black and white film 'look', but I wanted to evoke feelings of playfulness, intensity and the art of simplicity, which to me, is the key to sophistication, and remaining effortlessly chic.

I've been listening to Classical music since I was a young teenager. The reason being was because of my training as a competitive figure skater, where a lot of time was spent on researching and choosing the perfect piece of music to go with the perfect skating dress and choreography. I was immediately drawn to Vivaldi, Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and Beethoven. But my interest really peaked while in college, where I spent many of those first lonely freshman nights studying while listening to 'my men'. That is, until I actually made some friends! The only person I knew was my cousin and she was on the other side of campus. (And Michigan State's campus is one of the hugest in the country.) Freshmen stuck out like sore thumbs with their stationary parked bikes in the middle of the sidewalk with their faces immersed in the map of the campus. Trust me, I was definitely one of them, ha ha!

When I wrote my first novel, most, well to it's near entirety, music was filled in the background with Classical music. If not that, lots of original soundtracks. Dark. Soundtracks. Why do I love Classical music? It transports me to places I've never been. Eras, even. It sometimes uplifts me, fills me with intense anticipation of the unknown, melancholy, nostalgia, and even sometimes great sadness. But each time, regardless of the mood or set tone, I am never left without feeling fulfilled in some way. It gives me life! How many times has music saved your life?

I styled my hair in three knotted ponytails, bringing them together in a sort of french-braid kind of way. My makeup is inspired by the new Chanel campaign with Kristen Stewart shot by Mario Testino. What I love is the variation to the smokey eye, with different vibes like a tomboy, being mischievous or playful, to even feeling like a glamorous star. Eyes are, after all, the window's to our soul. We are whoever we want to be. #EyeCanBe

My off-the-shoulder peasant top has subtle floral embroidery in the bell sleeves, and my high-slit black maxi skirt, are both from Forever 21. I've had these Michael Kors's gladiator sandals for a few years and love them during the summer season. Just because you're on a budget when it comes to fashion doesn't mean you can't look like like one of the runway girls! Make it your own, in reflection to your personal style and taste. There's no price to chicness! Take a look at my editorial video created for this look of the week. Be sure to SUBSCRIBE for new videos every week. Please scroll down to directly shop the look. Have a lovely weekend, everyone! :)

photos + videography by Gilles Decamps | director, editing, styling, hair + makeup by Suzanne Spiegoski

Classical music with black and white film, two of my faves put together. Here is my latest editorial video, inspired by simple chicness, knotted ponytails, and Chanel's most recently updated smokey eye makeup. To me less is always and will always be more.

LOVE & XX'S,

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When Bloggers Do Dumbo

June 3, 2016

WEARING: MOTO RIPPED MOM SHORTS | BASIC MEDALLION BANDANA | 
ARTIFACT NECKLACE | EXPRESS DENIM VEST | ALDO BUGIANO STUDDED ANKLE BOOTIES | 
RAY-BAN CLUBMASTERS | SEPCOEUR PARIS SUEDE DRAWSTRING BAG

Happy Friday! Last weekend, I met up with two other New York bloggers, Nataliya from Style Tomes & Andrea from Pretty Proper Quaint, to venture a day in Brooklyn. I love to meet like-minded bloggers from the city and do photo shoots. It's a great way to interact and engage with fellow bloggers. And, I'm all about learning and growing, which nevertheless will take place when getting to know others in your field and spending the day with them. Can you believe that I've never visited the Brooklyn Bridge Park since living here for over a decade?! It just goes to show that New York City is filled with endless amounts of adventure and fun.

We stopped at Jane's Carousel for a youthful outing. For $2, you can feel l like a kid again. Besides, you're never too old to go for a spin! And it's a great location for a photo shoot. Whether it's for your kids or a casual photo-op, I find this place to be whimsical and full of laughter and smiles. My kind of energy! We also visited Brooklyn-based artist Deborah Kass's Yo/Oy sculpture, which is a wonderful addition to New York's public art. I love to see anything that has to do with art, especially street art and graffiti. On the way back to the city, I suggest we take the East River Ferry, as this is also something I've never done! What's great about this form of transportation is you hop from Brooklyn, to Queens, to Manhattan, and even Governor's Island when in season. And bonus... you can take your dog with you! Can't wait to do it again with MaQ next time!

Coming up on the blog this week, a fusion recipe of a popular summer cocktail from the tropics (getting excited for me and my hubby's 10-yr dating anniversary trip!!!), a newfound love for a skincare product (with a giveaway so keep an eye out!), and a favorite quiche recipe, perfect for the weekend brunch! Stay tuned! :)