Blue Floral Halter Summer Maxi Dress

June 3, 2019

WEARING: BLUE FLORAL MAXI DRESS | STRAW POM CLUTCH | WHITE MULES | WOVEN EARRINGS

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY WHO WHAT WEAR AND STYLEWE BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

I love to wear blue all-year round, even during the summer. I think the color evokes many different emotions, but there might be certain occasions one would not feel so comfortable wearing a certain shade of blue. Take for instance: somewhere in the tropics. Not the first go-to color, right? But if for example I were to be at a very tropical destination wedding, this is the kind of look I would completely go for. Flirty and effortlessly, it is a dream dress for summer. Even if not attending a wedding, this blue floral maxi dress is perfect for this time of year. Continue reading to see full visual story.

The Tiered Halter Maxi Dress from Who What Wear™ is a floaty printed chiffon with ruffled edging, with a shoulder-baring neckline and dramatic A-line skirt that hits at the ankle. Wear it with a pair of flats for a modern boho look, or pair it with a heeled sandal for an elegant summer wedding statement. I went with a pair of Cult Gaia dupes, these white genuine leather hollow out pointed toe slippers are my new favorite shoes for summer. The heel detail is quite stunning and even though these pair are on sale for only $72 here, they look like they’re worth much more. Are you a fan of duping and if so, what’s your favorite way to do this?

To tie together the rest of this summery feminine look I accessorized with a straw clutch with black pom pom, wooden bangles and earrings with a similar woven straw-like material. I think these materials work well with the mules as well as with the dress. It’s a look I could wear any day, to a wedding, or on vacation at an island resort. Any piece or accessory that can be worn many times in multiple ways is a bonus in my book. Thanks as always for stopping by! Wishing you a great day and even more wonderful week.

LOVE & XX’S,

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How to Wear the Rust Color Trend for Summer

May 16, 2019

WEARING: RUST COLORED PANTS | WHITE RIB KNIT TANK TOP | WHITE PATENT ALL OVER PERSPEX HEEL WITH GLASS BLOCK HEEL | NET BAG | WOVEN HOOP EARRINGS

THIS POST IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SHEIN & LINZI BUT ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

When it comes to a summer palette, you normally see vibrant bold colors of coral, hot pink, yellows and oranges, but rust? This summer’s hottest trending color is everywhere! And rightfully so. It can be paired with a variety of colors, textures and more. In today’s post, I’m getting down on how to wear the rust color trend for summer - easy peasy and oh, so chic! I’ve got some really stylish yet affordable accessory pieces too - get the entire look for under $87! And every single piece in my outfit can be worn than once, which is a definitely must in my wardrobe. Come check out the summery vibes - are you ready for the heat?

Would you believe it if I told you the white knit rib top and rust-colored pants are only $27?! I find whites complement well with the rust color. Other shades that would love marvelous with rust are blue, green, purple, red and black. These are more fall/winter-oriented colors, which is also why I went for a white top. This tank top is super comfy and quite airy for a knitted top. I love the pleated pants as well. It came with a belt, but I optioned it out for today’s look so the ruffles on the waist would be less stiff for a laidback, relaxed look.

I kept my accessories very neutral to let the pants shine in the spotlight, like this H&M net bag that has a salmon/coral/beige tone to it that’s perfect for summer. You can use it everywhere: For groceries/the farmer’s market, the beach, and so much more. I like that the material is a little heftier than usual net bags, so you can pack other more sturdy items like books without a problem. That’s kind of a pre-requisite when it comes to Suz, ha ha. I always have some sort of reading material on me, let it be newspapers, magazines, journals, and more - ya girl always has it on her ;)

I’m not going to lie. When I think of perspex material with shoes, I normally find them kind of tacky. Something a stripper would wear, especially if they’re sky-high. LOL! BUT - I definitely wanted to prove that they can also look sexy chic if styled the right way. Enter: These beauties from Linzi Shoes. These soft, white patent all over perspex heels with a glass block heel will sultrify any outfit, whether jeans, a dress or skirt - it’ll definitely raise some temperatures. They’re definitely not an everyday wear kind of heel or even walking material, but for a sexy date night, you can count on these to be your wing woman.

How would you styled these gorgeous pair of rust-colored pleated pants? I would definitely wear these again for the fall/winter season with a good chunky sweater and boots. These pants would also rock with bodysuits and sheer blouses/camis. Ooooh, a cardigan as well. See how the possibilities are endless? The earrings are from Mulberry & Grand, but are no longer in stock. I’ve linked a similar pair that are only $6 bucks but look like they’re worth much more. Don’t forget to check out these pieces from this summer look! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed today’s outfit post. Have a great rest of your week!

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!