Chic Rainy Day Outfit

May 13, 2019

WEARING: COTTON-BLEND TRENCH COAT | NAVY BLUE LACE TRIM DRESS | RED PATENT MEDIUM CROSSBODY BAG | BLACK CHELSEA RAIN BOOTS

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY ALLISON NEW YORK, ARCADIA BAGS & LEMON JELLY BOOTS BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

I thought the expression went, “April showers bring May flowers” but the month of May has been quite wet in terms of weather. Since it’s the last May showers before summer weather arrives, I wanted to share a rainy day outfit that’s not too casual - because even on the rainiest of days we’ve got places to be and people to meet! And given it’s wedding season, I’m also sharing a two-for-one look with a lace trim dress that’s perfect to wear as a guest to a wedding and other occasions such as bridal and baby showers, this dress is also great for everyday wear. I’ve also found the most gorgeous Italian red patent crossbody bag that won’t have you breaking the bank. So continue reading to see the complete look and also where to shop these specific items, for dry and/or rainy days.

This cute, A-line dress features covered front buttons, lovely crochet lace trim, and a ruffled, flared skirt for a charming feminine look. I think one shade of blue that works well all year round is in fact, navy blue. I think it’s a modest but regal color that’s perfect to wear while attending a wedding or shower of some kind. But I love to be able to wear items on more than one occasion. Which is why this dress is great for that. I styled it for everyday wear to show you its versatility. Fits true to size, it’s the ultimate romantic dress for this season. It runs at originally $185, but I found this dress on Nordstrom marked down half its price at $90! Check out this gorgeous navy blue dress here or down below.

An on trend white sole meets a classic Chelsea boot for an innovative, fresh appearance. The majority of rain boots I see are not very chic, but I really loved these black pair of rain boots. These ankle boot are in PVC, compliant with REACH European health and environmental standards against the effects of noxious substances. With a glossy finish and lemon-scented (literally not joking - I was pleasantly surprised when I first opened the package upon receiving it) these boots do run a little small so I recommend ordering a size up. If you’re a 1/2 size of any kind, I’d choose the next size up as well. These run for $150 but they’re also on sale at Nordstrom for only $80.

Arcadia Laila belongs to the famous “patent print” collection. It’s perfect for an elegant look, but at the same time it’s also fashionable thanks to the double adjustment gold chain. It’s made with a patent print calf skin and it has a customized lock on the front and a comfortable inner zip pocket. I love the bold pop of color from this bag when it comes to this rainy day look. But I’d also style it with an all white outfit or even a black pantsuit. Red always brings life to an outfit, in my opinion. If you shop on Arcadia, use my discount code, ‘suzanne10’ to receive 10% off!

I hope you enjoyed this chic rainy day outfit! Those rain boots can especially be worn during warmer weather, as the material is not as clunky/heavy. It is quite suitable for New York weather, as it’s going to be wet up until Wednesday. One day it is 70 and sunny and the following it’s rainy and 48 - seriously can’t seem to make up its mind, Mother Nature! Thanks for stopping by. Wishing you a wonderful week and a dry Monday ;)

LOVE & XX’S,

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How I Feel About Blogging Lately

May 1, 2019

WEARING: OVERSIZED BLACK BLAZER | SKINNY JEANS | BLACK BAG | BLACK & GREEN WATCH | BLACK MARY JANES

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY LOWER OFFICIAL BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

I’ve been wanting to write this post all week but alas I’ve been quite the mess. My dog, MaQ, even though seems to be his good cherry self, has had some kind of skin infection (or so it seemed) but after a vet visit and the blood work came back, his albumin levels were lower than they should be. So tomorrow we will be going in to have an abdominal ultrasound to further investigate the problem. I PRAY that there’s nothing serious, but given the fact this is the first time my baby is not well (internally) I want to be safe rather than sorry. And in doing so, I’ve been super anxious all week, to the point where I canceled all my meetings, events… everything. I know a lot will disagree, that the world keeps on ticking, but he’s more than just a dog to me. He’s my child and without him I’m not sure what’s left of me. Most have been incredibly supportive (and THANK you for the uplifting msgs/comments/etc;) but what’s been going on with MaQ lately has me thinking a lot about the future, and what that entails of in the blogging world and which direction I would like to take. Continue reading for more on my thoughts on this rather difficult subject and my fears for what lies ahead.

On a daily basis I receive approximately 10-15 invitations to press previews, launch events, and then some where in the start to my career in blogging, I accepted almost every invitation to network and expand my business. But now coming up on four years in August, I am highly selective with my time. Many of these events are to fill the room, as in to make it look like the event is lively and engaging, I get that, and in turn we, as bloggers show up for support and networking abilities but how many times do we really connect with others (business-wise) at an event where nearly everyone is drinking alcohol, bringing their +1’s because they need a hand to hold and gossip with, only to never really be as proactive as one can be during such a place and time. I rarely see strangers starting up conversations, and more so the cliquey groups I detested in high school. Don’t get me wrong, you can connect while boozing, I’m sure, but in all likelihood, it’s not going to happen. Especially when there’s hundreds of people in the room. I’m more about intimate gatherings, or one-on-one meetings where you have a better chance in what I’m talking about. I’m not the type of person who likes to see and be seen. Frankly, I don’t give a shit and would rather be in the comfort of my own home in my pj’s snuggled up with my dog.

It’s also the experience that comes with. I actually hate being called an influencer, because I don’t consider to be one. When you see others talking in selfie form on stories and load after load of unboxings, gifts, press trips, and always THE SAME OLE’ THING, it’s gets old relatively fast. I don’t even like to tell others I’m a blogger because of first impressions. Many have given the blogging label a bad rep, and I hate to have fallen in to that category because I’m far from it. I’m first and foremost a writer. I tend to forget at times due to the very difficult career path and yes, it’s not easy at all. But after being a writer, I consider myself a creative director and stylist who wants to further concentrate my energy into creation - such as fashion editorials, photo essays and more. It’s been a while since I wrote my last body of work, and to be quite honest, I haven’t jumped back on the wagon quite yet because of fear and the pressures of what comes next after writing your first book. It’s terrifying. I do have a number of ideas, but in recent years have lost a lot of confidence, therefore feeling very uncertain about the future. All I know is I definitely don’t see myself posting OOTD’S for the rest of my life, lol. So where do I go from here?

But after the past week with what’s going on with MaQ, it has put many things in perspective. My family comes first, because without them I’m nothing. They mean everything to me, and if anyone doesn’t seem to quite understand that, they can stick it where the sun doesn’t shine. I’m serious. “When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives.” My favorite Game of Thrones quote, it’s the epitome of what family means to me. We are better together rather than alone. I would love to add to our family, but that’s a long story and a whole other blog post alone. And even though it’s my '“job” to share a lot of my life to you all, I couldn’t disagree more. I’m like the Keanu Reeves of blogging. I relish in my privacy. And will keep it that way. Never hurts to leave a little mystery behind.

I’m sure you have heard by now but if you haven’t, Instagram is considering hiding the amount of likes on everyone’s account. And I think this is wonderful. Talk about healthy engagement. Because it never should be about the numbers, but the CONTENT. Is it good quality? Does it tell a story? Does it transport me to somewhere? And I think this idea would be greatly beneficial to the younger generation, where studies have shown the toxicity within social media and how validation plays such a terrible role. I mean, how many times have you felt bad when a post bombed? I know I have. I would like to focus on slow-creation as I term it, where back in the Avedon/Penn days, photographs/content would take a lot of time. Nothing was digital and the appreciation after waiting for the final product was always worth it. Nowadays, we can’t seem to go fast enough. And it’s exhausting, fully saturated with so many doing the exact same concept (YAWN) or even worse, just ripping off one another’s ideas. And yes, everything comes from somewhere but the way we interpret it is key. So I’m focusing on advancing in videography (something I’m good at but hate doing lol) where we can start to evolve our content into something fresh and new again. I will also be taking more focus on my writing,

I used to have trepidations of not staying consistent on the gram. Meaning, if I didn’t post everyday, I was in serious trouble! OMG, how ridiculous does that sound?! I would rather have my audience wait and appreciate the work rather than nonstop photos of outfits, events, etc; where it just gets to be too much and no one can really concentrate on the work, which is most important to me. That’s another reason I don’t post as much on stories either anymore because I find it creepy sharing your every move. And who really cares what you’re having for dinner? Unless you’re a major public figure like Angelina Jolie, you got me. I will keep my presence online, but will definitely not be posting everyday of the week anymore, which I have been doing for several months now.

So, while I have some projects I am really going to concentrate on for the remainder of the year, I would love to know from my readers on what you’d like to see me cover more on my social media platforms. Don’t worry - I will still post, go to (some) events and live my life, but what would you want to see more of? Fashion? Writing on more serious topics? Beauty? Travel? Pet lifestyle? Maybe some crime? Or still maybe a little bit of everything? I would love to have some feedback from you guys to better assess our future content. Thanks for stopping by and reading! Don’t forget to drop your comments down below and chime in on what you’d like to see more of on MaQ + Suz! Until next time, wish us luck tomorrow at MaQ’s sonogram and keep sending those positive vibes! Nothing but Love & Light to you all. xx

LOVE & XX’S,

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Was It gu_de For You?

April 24, 2019

WEARING: GREEN DRESS | NEON BLAZER | IVORY BAG | SNAKE PRINT SANDALS | VEDA SLATE HOOPS

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY VIONIC SHOES & GU_DE BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

Korean fashion caters to a woman's needs for versatile styles, from romantic and girly to urban and cute-tomboyish. Thanks to the refined materials, sophisticated workmanship and fashion-forward designs, Korean fashion is on heavy rotation in my wardrobe as of late and I couldn’t be happier about it. (For those who are new to our site, I’m 50% Korean) One brand in particular, focusing on handbags, is the new wave in purse talent and I’ve been madly in love with their pieces for several years. I can now say I’m a proud owner to one of their handbags, and in today’s post, the beautiful ivory bag is the star feature! Continue reading to learn more about one of my favorite accessory brands and to see more photos!

Pronounced ‘good’, this ’70s-inspired label creates understated bags in timeless, minimal shapes. Produced in South Korea, founder Ji Hye Koo has cited her customers’ thirst for newness as the inspiration for her intriguing designs. It takes about two months to design a bag from scratch - making sure every detail is just right requires time and patience. This croc-effect leather 'Milky' tote is inspired by structured styles from the '70s and has internal card slots, so you can go without a wallet. When you're not carrying it by the top handle, attach either the leather or chain strap. Their eternal philosophy of timeless beauty brings the best quality at a reasonable price. gu_de is the "new classic” to those who love signature luxury items. Along with interesting variations in their product line for every season, gu_de is definitely a brand to watch in the coming years.

I love finding comfortable shoes that don’t look comfortable. These snake print sandals from Vionic shoes have just the right look to bring that extra edge to an outfit! They are not clunky at all, with a little over of a 3” heel, it fits true to size and also come in an all black color. But I just love the snake print - definitely can see myself wearing it into fall with a sock and sandal look too! They retail at around $140 on Zappos, but they’re a great investment piece to have in you shoe closet as I think they’re wearable for more than just one season.

Hope you guys enjoyed this neon retro look with some of my latest favorite accessories - was it gu_de for you? ;) Stay tuned at the end of the week for my monthly roundup of beauty favorites, where I’ll be sharing everything I’ve been trying out the past month and reviewing roughly ten items that are my ultimate faves. Thanks for stopping by! Wishing you a fab hump day :)

LOVE & XX’S,

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Pink Panther

April 22, 2019

WEARING: PINK OVERALL CORDUROY DRESS | PINK BLOUSE | PINK PANTHER HEELS | BLACK BERET

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SHEIN AND KAT MACONIE BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

The Pink Panther first appeared on film in the 1963 Blake Edwards movie, The Pink Panther, starring Peter Sellers as the clumsy French detective, Inspector Clouseau. In the film, the term “Pink Panther” referred to a large diamond with a flaw at its center resembling a pink pouncing panther. This was the inspiration for the character of the same name. The Pink Panther starred in the animated opening and closing for the initial movie, set against jazzy music by Henry Mancini. The character is almost completely silent in the movie, preferring to rely on slinky pantomime-like moves. Audiences liked him so much that his animators, DePatie-Freleng, were asked to create a series of animated short films. In 1980, United Artists Television put together a new half-hour show using the theatrical shorts and new cartoons and syndicated it to TV stations. It was during the 80s when I discovered and fell in love with the cartoon character. So in honor of the beloved panther, I created a fun female version of the pink character. Video included! It’s basically me to a tee: Clumsy, yet catlike - mysterious yet playful. Take a look! It’s all going down on MaQ + Suz today, continue reading to see complete shoot and reel.

Kat Maconie x Pink Panther

The ultimate pink Kicker Heel with an embellished 80s illustration of Pink Panther, and a ruffle at the back for extra romance, these heels literally made my heart skip a beat when I first encountered them. Kat Maconie’s fresh aesthetic and strong, women-centered fashion ethos make this shoe brand a very popular name in the luxury footwear world. I really wanted to incorporate them into a kind of Ms. Inspector Clouseau, which of course, would naturally be a mostly-all pink outfit. :)

Would you believe me if I told you the pink blouse and overall corduroy dress was a total of $23?! Both pieces are from SHEIN, a really great affordable outlet to stay with all the trends. I do enjoy mixing high and low, one of my favorite ways to put a look together. To not be too washed up in only pink, there’s a slight black trim on the blouse that complements with the ever so, Parisian beret. I kept it retro cool with a pair of large round sunnies and some loosely-tied pigtails. It’s definitely not an everyday outfit for me, but I do think it’s a pretty cute tribute to one of my favorite panthers ever!

Amongst other accessories is my rock and roll pink bag. Unfortunately, it’s no longer in stock, and I can’t find much that really looks as similar as this one, so I opted out in listing similar items for this bag today. Sorry! Everything else has direct links, but since I’m on the subject, what do you prefer: Direct shopping links OR similar items? Would love to hear your thoughts on this! Lastly, we made a quick fun video of this look down below. It’s on my YouTube channel, so feel free to check it out and subscribe!

Stay tuned for this week’s upcoming blog posts! I’ll be sharing my April Beauty favorites along with a very 70s retro look on Wednesday & Friday, can’t wait to show you guys! Don’t forget to check out the Pink Panther video on YouTube before you go, and feel free to drop your comments down in the message section below. Hope you have a great Monday and a wonderful rest of the week, everyone!

Pink Panther Lady: Clumsy, yet catlike - mysterious yet playful. It's me and one of my favorite childhood cartoon characters. Styled by moi.

LOVE & XX’S,

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Yellow Floral Cami Midi Dress

April 15, 2019

WEARING: YELLOW FLORAL CAMI MIDI DRESS | LIME GREEN CARDIGAN | YELLOW O-RING BAG | WHITE SANDALS

THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY EGO & NOBODY’S CHILD BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

Happy Monday! How was your weekend? Can’t say mine was too sweet… had a terrible allergic reaction in one of my eyes where I’ve looked like Quasimodo for the past few days. It looks awful, I won’t even do stories. It’s been fun telling everyone my hubby clocked me. Ha ha! Kidding aside, it’s brought a little bit of stress on deadlines (especially beauty campaigns) but all will be well. One step at a time, and it’s okay to slow down when you are not well. Plus, GoT came back on so I’m complaining about that! I’m still on the mend - my theory is it’s either a bug bite or a very bad reaction to a questionable mascara. Other than that, you got me. So today’s post is light and simple - a beautiful airy yellow cami midi dress for spring/summer that’s a must-have in any woman’s wardrobe. Plus, it’s under $50 and you can style it in so many ways for several seasons! Continue reading to see more of the dress and how I styled it for spring.

Refresh your wardrobe with casual cool essentials by London brand Nobody's Child. Think tomboy meets girly-girl, as seasonal styles – including crop tops, jumpsuits and day dresses - are revamped in punchy prints and new shapes. This plisse midi cami dress in ditsy floral can be found at ASOS for those that are in the U.S. You can get it for less than $50 here and here. I styled it with a long green cardigan and layer with a white shirt because it was still chilly when we shot this last week.

With a chunky cleated sole and bold buckle detail, these are the hottest sandals to be seen in this coming season. Pair with denim cutoffs and a cropped cami for beachy vibes or slip on with a floaty mini dress to toughen up your look. I thought it went really well with what I had on, keeping a nice juxtaposition of hard and soft feel here. And these white platform sandals are a dream to walk in - like clouds on your feet! I think they’ll look cute in socks for chillier days too, so I’m sure you’ll see these sandals make a reappearance at some point.

The classic and original design of the seamless O ring handle, this unique clutch is the representation of designer’s idea of style. A fun, quirky design with high quality material that you can use in your everyday life. The size is perfect for all the essentials you need. It is fashionable and can still easily match any of your style and fit in any occasion. Unfortunately it’s sold out, but I found one yellow o-ring bag on Etsy for sale! Hope you enjoyed this playful spring look on the blog today! Feel free to drop your thoughts down in the comment section below! Have a wonderful week. :)