#WCW

WCW: Sophie Pyle of Rosé Media

Caroline — Wed, 24 May 2017 10:00:09 +0000

Unlike most of my #wcws, I have not actually met Sophie of Rosé Media yet, but I’ve been hearing about her for years. The first time it was from this guy who was telling me about Guest of a Guest and his friend who used to work for them and he wanted me to meet her. Then Diana from Lust Local featured her on her old blog. After reading about Sophie from Diana, I wanted to get to know her and didn’t even make the connection that they were the same person until I went to add her on Facebook and our mutual friend was that guy. Funny how that works out- DC is so small!

In Sophie’s own words:

I used to be a writer/blogger. I was the DC Editor of Guest of a guest for three years, and taking photos of everyone at every party is how I got to know so many people in the district. The DC site got allllmost a million hits a month by the time I was leaving. Now I think you know me just as the founder of Rosé Media, which manages social media profiles and designs websites for small DC businesses in the luxury space. I carved out this niche and it was a little weird at first because I had to explain to people that I absolutely did not do any PR, just social media.

In my words: Sophie is the kind of woman I aspire to be. She’s well connected, a self-starter, a boss. Plus, she’s gracious as all get-out. Like I said, we’ve never met but when I asked her for a question regarding a small business, she answered immediately and then gave me some advice for getting to where I want to be in my career (aka- running shit.) “Just do what I do and make it your side hustle before making it a full time thing.” Welp. That kind of gave me the kick I needed to ask Dani about being the community manager of Bubbles & Bloggers, getting my feet wet with a community organization in a fun way that also applies to what I want to do.

Plus she has an amazing style and a cat who went on a ride-along to Taco Bell sooo…

10 songs for a perfect sound track

Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles

Short Skirt Long Jacket by Cake

24k Magic by Bruno Mars

This Must Be The Place by Talking Heads

Stand Back by Stevie Nicks

Gooey by Glass Animals

Peanut Butter Jelly by Galantis

Suit & Tie by Justin Timberlake

How Deep Is Your Love by Calvin Harris

Bad Blood by Taylor Swift

9 words to describe you

Honest

Healthy

Happy

Opportunistic

Resourceful

Social

Creative

Persistent

Cynical (told you I was honest)

8 reasons that you love your life

I have friends and family who love me

I have the best fiancé in the world

I am healthy and love my body

I live in my favorite city in the world – Washington, DC

I live in an incredibly interesting time – 2017 is wild!

I can afford to enjoy experiences and eat well

I can let go of things and people that are not good for me more easily than most other people

I can sleep as much as I want!!! (I wish everyone could have my schedule!)

7 essentials in your closet

Red patent leather high heels

Dark jeans

Tory Burch flats

Little Black Dress by Project Gravitas

Kate Spade purses

Cashmere Brooks Brothers coat

VERY comfy and sometimes ugly things to lounge around in

Jumpsuits of all colors

6 non-electronic things you can’t live without

Sparkling water

The two quilts my mom has made me over the years. I figure if I am in a situation where I won’t have electronics, those will comfort me nicely.

My new house!!!

My bed

My cat, Noodle (note from Caro: I had to do some back-stalking but this picture of Noodle makes me CTFU)

Micron pens

5 people who have impacted your life

Both of my parents

Amy Argetsinger at the Washington Post

My fiancé

Reed Landry

4 places you’d like to visit

Marrakech, Maldives, Singapore, Santorini

3 unpopular opinions you have

I was madly in love with DC’s most hated bar, Smith Point, for about a decade (another note from Caro: I once fell off a table there)

I hate almonds, both their texture and flavor

I LOVE baby photos on social media. Post away, moms and dads!

2 things that scare you

Aging and cosmic insignificance

1 quote to live by

Everyone is dealt a hand of cards in life and we must play them as best as we can. It does you no use to be jealous of someone else’s better cards, nor does it if hold yourself back because you feel guilty about your strengths you were born with or worked hard to achieve.

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WCW: Marisa Rheem of Dirty Hippy Swag

Caroline — Wed, 10 May 2017 10:00:53 +0000

Marisa (or Maris or Reeses, as she appears in my phone) has been in my life since we were 14. You know how certain part of your life happen in slo-mo? The first time I saw Maris it was my first day at St. Andrew’s. I barely knew anyone, and I was kind of taking it all in. Then she came running like a hurricane over to this kid I was kind of checking out and threw her hands over his eyes. He guessed who she was by her watch, she complimented his Lilly Pulitzer tie, gave him a hug, and off she went. I have no idea why I remember that specific moment, but I do.We were in different advisor groups and, at the time, different friend groups, so I didn’t give her a whole lot of thought until I heard rumors that she was dating my ex after he broke up with me later that year. I didn’t like her because of that because I was 15 and terrible. I don’t even really know if it was a true.

I’m not sure how it happened but she and I slowly became friends, and I’m so glad we did! (So are my parents- they always loved her!) I think it was because we were in Les Mis together but I really don’t remember. All I know is that the older we got, the closer we got, the weirder we got together. She went from ultra-preppy to boho and beyond. It was kind of fun pushing the limits of our dress code- there were a lot of peasant skirts involved I can tell you that much. We listened to a lot of Panic! At The Disco and she got me into Boys Like Girls. One time, she literally ate all of the cheese in my house. On a more serious note, at a moment when I was really scared, she drew a cute portrait of me including labels to make me smile and laugh and know how much she was behind me.

We lost touch in college, but she was a solid part of my original crew. We reunited at our friend Casey’s wedding last year, and I have loved watching her business blossom. Dirty Hippy Swag is so freakin’ Marisa and I love it! I mean… did you see my awesome pants yesterday?

I’m so happy for my courageous, creative, beautiful inside and out friend, and I cannot wait to see what Dirty Hippy Swag has in store for her!

10 Songs For A Perfect Sound Track:

Bad and Boujee, by Migos feat. Lil Uzi Vert
Online, by Danger Incorporated
Diamonds, by Danger Incorporated
Classic Man, by Jidenna
Instinct, by Roy Woods feat. MadeinTYO
Bounce Back, by Big Sean
Chanel, by Frank Ocean
Antidote, by Travis Scott
L$D, by A$AP Rocky
Left, Right, by YG and DJ Mustard

In all honesty, the entire Danger Incorporated album Are you Afraid of the Danger Boys? Is already my perfect soundtrack.

9 Words That Describe Me:

Bold
Creative
Fearless
Funny
Ambitious
Courageous
Respectful
Determined
Thoughtful

8 Reasons I Love My Life:

Working for myself has been incredibly fulfilling because all the company goals come from my heart and my motivation to succeed is infinite.
My boyfriend, Frederick has completely transformed my human experience. Since childhood I’ve had Major Depression and PTSD an it wasn’t until Frederick and I fell in love a couple years ago that I began to discover the joys of being alive.
Living in the forest. We live in the middle of the Redwood Regional Park and our tree house is by far the most beautiful pad we have both ever lived in. I love living in the forest because I literally wake up to the squaws of Eagles. No joke, when I first moved in I thought my neighbor had an Eagle sound as a text message alert because I couldn’t fathom a real Eagle actually squawing in my yard.
Animals. I’ve been volunteering and feeding an 18 year old horse named Tosca once a week for a few months now. One afternoon, while feeding Tosca on the top of these bright green rolling hills I saw a family of deer, several adorable rabbits, 1 curious coyote, 3 newts, 2 wild turkeys, 1 bald eagle, 2 hawks, and the herd of 14 horses Tosca is apart of. Nothing beats that!
Friends. I’m lucky to have incredibly down to earth and creative friends.
Art and Design. I love painting, beading, laser-cutting, modeling, photography, graphic design, web design, and everything art and design. I love designing screenprints and jewelry for Dirty Hippy Swag and always have a blast laser-cutting the wooden pendants.
Food. I’m obsessed with food. My favorite thing to do is eat.
Living in the Bay. The Bay Area is filled with opportunities to go on epic adventures, work for great companies, meet interesting people, and make dreams happen. I love living here!

7 Essentials In My Closet:

Sweatpants
Dirty Hippy Swag white hoodie
Quantify Thy Sad black hoodie (I literally wear these top 3 things every single day. it’s hard to get me out of sweatpants and my Dirty Hippy Swag hoodies)
Sports bras and bralettes. I’ve been boycotting underwire bras for years now.
Sterling Silver heirloom hoop earrings from my Aunt Candy and my fake gold triple hoop earrings from Goodwill.
Slip on black sneakers
Summer dresses

6 Non-Electronic Things I Can’t Live Without:

Eggs
Extra-sharp cheddar cheese
Coconut Oil. I use coconut oil every day to moisturize my body and monthly to deep condition my hair.
My Passion Planner is honestly the most amazing non-electronic thing I own. It’s a calendar planner customized for the dreamers.
Pooh Bear. I might regret publicly admitting this, but I’ve been sleeping with my teddy bear since I was 10 years old.
Crayola markers. They make to-do lists a party on a piece of paper!

Anti Social Club – Fine Jersey T-Shirt

5 People Who Have Impacted My Life:

Don, my dad, a fountain of eternal love and my greatest inspiration
Jocelyn, my sister, my rock and my best friend
Frederick, my boyfriend, my oak tree and my soulmate
Candy, my aunt, my soul sister, my greatest role model
Brian, a saint, my hero who taught me everything I need to know about operating an animal sanctuary.

4 Place I Want To Visit:

The center of the earth.
Outer space.
An alien spaceship.
Any beach in Greece.

3 Unpopular Opinions I Have:

I don’t believe in the popular saying “seeing is believing” because I’m 100% positive aliens exist. I’m just impatiently waiting for them to appear above me one day.
I believe that most animal species should be legally recognized as sentient beings.
Equal rights equal fights. (gender equality)

2 Things That Scare You

Spiders for sure. A couple years ago I called Frederick at 10:30pm terrified, crying and begging him to drive (30 minutes) to my house to discard a massive spider from my bedroom wall. He came.
Heights. I am absolutely terrified of heights.

1 Quote I Live By:

“One love and fuck you.” – Diabolic, Self Destruction (Outro)

The first time I heard Diabolic say “one love & fuck you” became the last time I ever felt misunderstood. In essence, this is how I truly feel on the daily: every single living being on this planet deserves unconditional love and kindness, but I also need to set strong energetic boundaries between myself and the outside world in order to protect myself.

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#WCW: Marisa González of DC Style Factory

Caroline — Wed, 03 May 2017 10:00:35 +0000

Like most of my friends in the DC area at this point, Marisa, a Stylist/Personal Shopper at DC Style Factory, and I were following each other on Instagram before we ever met in person. We officially first met at the District Darlings’ Relaunch, but she truly made an impression on me when I got a chance to talk to her about my personal style at the Streetsense Streetmarket. I think of myself as a little clunky and awkward so having a stylist tell me a I had a cute shape/ style actually meant a whole lot to me.

At subsequent events, I could honestly just sit and talk to Marisa for hours! Both DC girls, we’re familiar with the local nuances and quirks. (Landon- BOO! Boat shoes- ALSO BOO IN THEORY BUT GIMME!) The last time I saw her, she was wearing the cutest shirt dress with bright right high top sneakers. And you know how I love a good sneaker! She’s also a wonderful mom, setting a great example for her two little girls doing a job she loves and balancing that with their school activities- her stories from volunteering crack me up!

One day, when I have the funds and the time to clean my closet first, I would love to have her over to help me with a closet audit. Although she told me that I could never be one of those capsule wardrobe girls, I would love to know that she thinks my wardrobe is lacking and see how she’d put some of my funkier pieces together. If you’re looking for styling services yourself, check out some of the many services offered by DC Style Factory- and tell them Caroline sent you. You can contact Marisa directly at: Marisa@dcstylefactory.com!

– 10 songs for a perfect sound track:

1) Superstitious – Stevie Wonder

2) Kiss – Prince

3) Higher Love – Steve Winwood

4) Time After Time – Cindy Lauper

5) Lonely Boy – Black Keys

6) Paint if Black – Rolling Stones

7) Vision of Love – Mariah Carey

8) Callin Baton Rouge – Garth Brooks

9) The Rain – Missy Elliot

10) We Found Love – Rihanna

– 9 Words To Describe Me:

1) Determined

2) Ambitious

3) Loyal

4) Sarcastic

5) Funny

6) Independent

7) Caring

8) Impulsive

9) Protective

– 8 reasons I love my life:

1) Family

2) Friends

3) Faith

4) My Job

5) Modern Technology

6) I love being from the DC area and living here (true city girl)

7) Free Time (whenever I can get it)

8) Wine

– 7 essentials in my closet:

1) Black skinny jeans

2) Black boyfriend blazer

3) Hermes scarves

4) Black pencil skirt

5) Timberland Boots

6) Green moto blazer

7) Ripped boyfriend jeans

– 6 non-electronic things I can’t live without

1) my copies of To Kill a Mockingbird and Pride and Prejudice (they’re tied as my favorite)

2) French Coffee Press

3) Dior Blackout Mascara

4) Nail File

5) High heels

6) Bike

– 5 people who have impacted my life

1) My Parents

2) My own family

3) My Boss

4) Audrey Hepburn

5) My Junior year High School English teacher Ms. Sidebotham

– 4 places I’d like to visit

1) Jackson Hole

2) Paris

3) Bora Bora

4) London

– 3 unpopular opinions I have:

1) I’m a conservative

2) Drake is the male equivalent of Taylor Swift

3) Chipotle isn’t that great

– 2 things that scare me:

1) Being Buried Alive

2) Clowns

– Quote I live by:

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view…Until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it.” – Harper Lee, To Kill A Mockingbird

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#WCW: Sarah Collie

Caroline — Wed, 05 Apr 2017 10:00:34 +0000

Sarah of District Damsel was there the day that Bubbles & Bloggers was born. We got closer when a few of us had a girls’ night that started at her apartment, and she became on of my best friends the day we got up at the crack of dawn to shoot fall clothes in 90 degree weather for Whistle & Wild. Over champagne, in her rooftop pool, we traded crazy college (and post-college) stories, compared our seemingly equally fabulous grandmothers, talked fantasy future weddings, and then split a veggie pizza. It was the perfect Saturday afternoon.

I also think she has the coolest job with Streetsense, and even though she’s slightly younger than I am, I truly look up to her. Her style is definitely more daring than mine (I can’t do plunging necklines, no matter how many times Kendall tells me I might be able to) but I totally dig how she can make budget pieces look like a zillion bucks.

photo by Dave Mentzer

10 songs for a perfect sound track

I don’t know how well these truly mesh together, but I will never tire of these songs!

Closer – The Chainsmokers

Wasted – Tiesto

Beautiful Smile – The Afters

Sorry – Justin Bieber

Body Language – Jesse McCartney (wow, I am a basic bitch)

Clarity – Zedd

Single For The Summer – Sam Hunt

Any of the hour long mixes by Kap Slap (It’s my favorite running music ever!)

Takeoffs and Landings – The Ataris

Papercuts – ILLY

9 words to describe you

Dog-lover, polite, outgoing, foodie, shopaholic, strong-willed, sassy, creative, and fashion-forward

photo by Dave Mentzer

8 reasons that you love your life

All of the people in my life who support and believe in me

That I live in a country where I have freedom to express myself without consequences

The recent “women supporting women” movement that I’ve been lucky enough to witness firsthand

I’m employed by a creative company whose work I feel a strong sense of pride about (and that lets me wear whatever I want to work!)

I’m dating and living with my best friend

I can support myself financially enough to live an urban lifestyle

Dogs and their unconditional love exist

7 essentials in your closet

Bodysuits, Converse sneakers, my moto jeans from Top Shop, black Steve Madden OTK boots, ankle strap heels from Lulus, an absurd fur vest from H&M, and my (p)leather skater skirt from ASOS

6 non-electronic things you can’t live without

The manfriend, puppies, urban life, chips & salsa, cheese, and family

5 people who have impacted your life

My parents, my blog squad, the manfriend, my business frat Pi Sigma Epsilon, and my colleagues at Streetsense (that’s like 500 people, but you get the idea!)

4 places you’d like to visit

Charleston, SC, Dubai, anywhere in Italy (I’ve been to certain parts before, but would go back in a heartbeat!), and Thailand

3 unpopular opinions you have

I’m a vegetarian, so meat-lovers tend to think I’m crazy! This might depend on who you ask, but I believe that dogs are better than cats (although kitties are growing on me.) I truly don’t get the hype about Snap Chat – maybe because I’m terrible at taking selfies?

photo by Dennis Turbeville

2 things that scare you

Not making an impact on the world and losing a loved one.

1 quote to live by

“Be the person your dog things you are.” I’M A CRAZY DOG LADY AND I DON’T EVEN HAVE MY OWN DOG!

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Archival: #WCW: Kelly from Project Runway

Caroline — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 14:29:54 +0000

Originally published on Little Bitty City One 12/9/15

When I first started blogging, I met with Meaghan for dinner and I remember her telling me, “just wait until your mom’s friends start reading your blog.” Well, I’m glad they do. One of my mom’s friends told me that because of my interest in fashion that I should check out Lifetime’s Project Runway. Admittedly, I’d never had any interest before, but I quickly got obsessed. If you know me you’ll know that it’s kind of big that I was into Project Runway as much as I was into American Horror Story.

From the get-go, I was totally intrigued by Kelly Dempsey, or Kelly from the Deli, a self-taught fashionista from Boston who should be Katy Perry’s personal stylist. This young designer is not afraid of color, pattern, texture, sparkles- anything! She’s humble to boot, despite being the runner up among 16 incredibly talented designers. I first reached out to her after I saw the finale, outraged that her street style/ disco collection didn’t take the win. She got back to me within minutes. I love that she embraces her roots and family as she moves forward in the fashion world with a good head on her shoulders and an amazing attitude. I am honored that she agreed to answer my #wcw questions, and I will be a supporter of Kelly from the deli for years to come. Keep sparkling, girl! <3

10 songs for a perfect sound track

Lose Yourself, Not Afraid, Birds Eye View, The World is Yours, Put it On, Nutmeg, Heat Wave, Dock of The Bay, Shake it Off (Mariah Carey), Heartbreaker

9 words to describe you

outgoing, independent, silly, open-minded, determined, hardworking, risk-taker, carefree, conscious

8 reasons that you love your life

because I stay true to me, because I don’t worry about what other people think, because I got a chance to show my work on Project Runway, because I love my family, my boyfriend is the best, because I work hard, because I believe success comes from when hard working and opportunity colliding, because I just bought a work studio to design out of.

7 essentials in your closet

my fanny packs, my leopard printed happy feet slippers, my bandanas, hoop earrings, my stretchy pleather leggings, my faux fur black bear big fuzzy jacket, my high top sneakers

6 non-electronic things you can’t live without

scissors, makeup remover, fanny pack, the beach, mascara, egg salad sandwiches

5 people who have impacted your life

My Auntie Carole, pops, momma, stepdad, my bf Dougie All about family!

4 places you’d like to visit

3 of the most beautiful beaches in the world, the pyramids in Egypt

3 unpopular opinions you have

I think ketchup is overrated, I have no problem with a full wardrobe from a thrift store, I also have no problem with the word “moist”

2 things that scare you

airplanes and the dark

1 quote to live by

Never regret any decision. If you trust yourself and made a decision, own it.

Thank you again so much, Kelly, for being my #wcw! Photos are used, with permission, from her Facebook page. Check out her line, Rack Addick, new fanny packs in stock this week! You can also contribute to help her build her line.

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#WCW: Dani Benner Sauter

Caroline — Wed, 25 Jan 2017 11:00:36 +0000

I’m honestly not sure if I hit my stride as a blogger until I met Dani of Blonde in the District, and through her, the fantastic network of women who meet monthly-ish at Bubbles & Bloggers events. Like most bloggers I’ve met, Dani and I found each other on social media and I was actually at the first B&B event- it wasn’t even called that! We picked the name after entirely too many mimosas (at least on my part) and the name seemed fitting.

I am entirely in awe of Dani. She founded this little group that has snowballed into a bit of a phenomenon, just so she could get bloggers and local beauty/ fashion names together and collaborating. She also works full time, runs her own blog, and has become on of my best friends (she’s also a great Secret Santa!) I have said this SO. MANY. TIMES. but she is a huge reason that I took the leap to rebrand my blog and stretch my wings as a blogger. I will be forever grateful to her for that.

I also cannot get over her style! Mixing glam with street-style is not easy to do- and she nails it! JC of Bailiwick Clothing, coined it “grit and glam” and I think that covers it.

10 songs for a perfect sound track

Bad Romance- Lady Gaga

Homecoming- Kanye West

Flawless- Beyoncé

We Found Love- Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris

Red Lights- Tiesto

Juicy- Notorious BIG

Young Blood- The Naked and Famous

Little Red Corvette (Dance Mix)- Prince

Bizarre Love Triangle- New Order

It’s Now or Never- Elvis

9 words to describe you

Ambitious; caring; fair; stylish; confident; bright; loyal; inspired; dreamer

8 reasons that you love your life

My family and friends; DC in the Spring; Memories of my mom; Wonderful travel experiences I’ve had; The freedom I have as an American woman; Having videos of baby animals at my fingertips 24/7 on the internet; For successes I’ve made; and For successes I plan to make.

7 essentials in your closet

My Gucci Boston Bag; a red faux fur stole; Zophia CEO skirt; a pair of black classic pumps/booties; sequins dress; a black wrap jacket; and an extravagant dressing robe.

6 non-electronic things you can’t live without

My husband, David; My cat, Chloe; Photo albums from my childhood; Lipstick; Coffee; Champagne.

5 people who have impacted your life

My mom for teaching me the importance of being a strong woman; my dad for teaching me loyalty and honesty; Lady Gaga for inspiring me to be confident in my early 20’s and love myself; Kanye West for inspiring me to reach for my dreams; and my College English Professor, Jolanta Wawrzycka, for teaching me to appreciate travel.

4 places you’d like to visit

Egypt to see the Pyramids; Florence, Italy- I’ve already been here but I want to go back to see the Gucci museum and have a latte w/the Gucci logo in the foam; Graceland in Memphis, TN; and Norway- my ancestors were Vikings!

3 unpopular opinions you have

My appreciation for Kanye West; I think Ben’s Chili Bowl is way overrated; I don’t like The Wizard of Oz.

2 things that scare you

Sharks, although they are fascinating creatures; and darkness.

1 quote to live by

“Reach for the stars so if you fall you land on a cloud.”- Kanye West, Homecoming

Pictures used with permission from Dani

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#WCW: Amanda Nelson

Caroline — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 13:01:14 +0000

I met Amanda of Whistle & Wild the same way I’ve honestly met most of my adult life friends: through social media. I was on Instagram, clicking away through relevant hashtags, and I noticed a model call. Before you judge me, the first thing I said to Amanda was that I am in no way a model BUT I did have a blog so why don’t we have a little chat and see if our brands would work well together. I love working with smaller companies, especially local, and it just seemed to make sense.

WELL- Amanda set up a little coffee date for us and I knew from the moment I saw her that we would click.We were both wearing rose gold sunnies and backpacks, plus she talked me down when I had a full blown panic attack about leaving my wallet in my Uber. A couple hours and a found wallet later, Amanda and I had formed a partnership and a friendship. You’ve seen Whistle & Wild on my blog, most recently here, but you may have also noticed we run in the same DC style circle. I love love love seeing her at events, repping her amazing boutique and looking flawless (always. seriously.) You can learn more about Whistle & Wild here, but what you need to know is that it’s woman owned and curated by Amanda for a wide variety of styles.

Also, Amanda, we need to have a chat about some of your answers because I want to know more! Thank you for being my woman crush this Wednesday!

10 songs for a perfect sound track

this is really hard for me since I grew up singing, in musical theatre and choir BUT I must pick, sooooo:

Wagon Wheel: Old Crow Medicine Show (Not the Darius Rucker version! lol)

Whats up?: 4 Non Blondes

A case of you: Joni Mitchell

Bangarang (skrillex gets me pumped for when I work out)

Anything from the wicked soundtrack

Also anything from the band Borns (obsessed)

We should be friends: Miranda Lambert

In the Ghetto: (Elvis Presley)

Into the Wild: LP

Love Shack B-52’s

9 words to describe you

Hard working, ambitious, adventurous, spontaneous, singer, entrepreneur, creative, brave, courageous.

8 reasons that you love your life

I am a free citizen.

I am saved by the grace of God

I have a loving husband who will always be here for me

My chocolate lab Sadie.

My parents who have instilled a great work ethic for me.

I am a women (ROAR)

I am live in an area with a LOT of wineries around!

I also love my life because right now there is a ton of cheese in my fridge, and …HELLO?! Cheese!

7 essentials in your closet

Fur anything (faux of course)

black booties

a statement necklace

a statement choker

High waisted jeans

Ponchos for the chilly weather

Whistle & Wild at an arms length

6 non-electronic things you can’t live without

My makeup

My granfather’s paintings

My teddy bear that was given to me by my grandmother when I was 2 (Rootbear is his name btw)

An “I love you” from my husband

A good cry every once in awhile

5 people who have impacted your life

Mom

Dad

Hubs

Pastor Jason from North Carolina.

& anyone who has ever truly believed in me

4 places you’d like to visit

Red Rocks

Peru

Grand Canyon

Crazy Horse Mountain

3 unpopular opinions you have

I love shooting guns and would love to be able to open carry in all states.

Chipolte is not everything and is way overrated.

Backstreet boys over Nsync. all the way

2 things that scare you

Ghosts/spirits. Bad experience, I don’t mess around with that stuff anymore haha.

The thought of losing loved ones at an early age.

1 quote to live by

My uncle who was a marine taught me this when I was 9 years old & I’ll never forget it

“Its the things you do, that you don’t have to do, that determines the difference for when it’s too late to do anything about it.”

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#WCW: Alexandra Daras

Caroline — Wed, 26 Oct 2016 10:00:40 +0000

Alexandra and I have two major things in common: we are sorority sisters of Phi Sigma Sigma at Rider University (Aim High!) and we both lost someone very close to us too soon. Many of you know that my little sister died when I was fourteen. Alexandra lost her father when she was just 25. One more thing we have in common though- neither one of us let that fact break or define us. Alexandra took the dreams that she and her father had of creating a boutique designed for women who wanted to follow the latest jewelry trends without the hefty price tag and she did it! I’ve been toying with the idea of one day opening my own boutique, so Alexandra is truly an inspiration to me.

While The Pretty Pink Rooster has been up and running online for a couple years, she recently aimed even higher and opened a brick and mortar store in Bernardsville, NJ. The moto of The Pretty Pink Rooster is “Flaunt it for under $50,” keeping the pieces affordable for everyone. I found this out yesterday during her a Live Facebook session, but she’s not the only buyer for her boutique- the women in her family all participate, meaning that The Pretty Pink Rooster carries styles for many different tastes.

I think one of the sweetest things about The Pretty Pink Rooster is how much of a tribute the boutique is to Alexandra’s father:

The Pretty Pink Rooster doesn’t just symbolize a fresh start for me, but is also a tribute to my father and his quirky fondness for the rooster! My goal is to make your shopping experience fun, easy, and most of all, affordable. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on chic accessorizes to feel like you’re walking down the red carpet! Every woman should have the opportunity to flaunt something fabulous without breaking the bank…and that’s what we’re all about.

Thank you so much, Alexandra, for being my woman crush Wednesday this week, for sharing a little bit more about you, and for setting a wonderful example for everyone who has lost someone!

10 Songs for a perfect soundtrack: 1) “Le Vie en Rose”- Louis Armstrong, 2) “Uncaged”-Zac Brown Band, 3) “Where the Boat Leaves From”- Zac Brown, 4) “Rag Doll” Aerosmith, 5) “Sorry”- Beyonce, 6) “Adventure of a Lifetime”- Cold Play, 7) “Work B*tch”- Britney Spears, 8) “Reelin” in the Years” – Steely Dan, 9) “Hey Nineteen” – Steely Dan, 10) “Summer Wind”- Frank Sinatra

9 words to describe me: 1) determined, 2) hard working, 3) caring, 4) compassionate, 5) patient, 6) religious, 7) organized, 8) persevering, 9) reliable

8 reasons I love my life: 1) my fabulous family, 2) my faith, 3) my friends, 4) my pets, 5) my business, 6) traveling, 7) being able to do charity work, 8) my health

7 Essentials in my closet: 1) My Lilly Pulitzer clothes! She’s all I wear! 2) winter white pants, 3) my beige pumps (they go with anything!) 4) Mystique Sandals, 5) Good beach bag, 6) My Pretty Pink Rooster Jewelry! 7) a good Pashmina

6 Non electronic things I can’t live without… yikes: 1) my Ouidad products for my hair, 2) my lavender lip balm from Rinse bath and Body, 3) Bare Essentials makeup, 4) Bobbi Brown” Hot Pink Lip” Gloss, 5) Poland Spring Sparkling Water- Lime, 6) a good cappuccino

5 People that Impacted my life: 1) My Mom, 2) My Dad, 3) my Grandmother, 4) My sisters, 5) Marie Forleo

4 Places I’d like to visit: 1) Switzerland, 2) California, 3) Ireland, 4) Turks and Caicos

3 Unpopular Opinions I have: 1) Who cares what other people think about you 2) worry about yourself 3) Don’t stop until you get what you want.

2 Things that Scare me: 1) Scary Movies 2) getting lost

1 quote to live by: life is to short to be anything but happy~

Follow On Twitter: @prettyrooster

Like On Facebook.com/prettypinkrooster

Look On Instagram: @prettypinkrooster

Email At: theprettypinkrooster@gmail.com

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#WCW: Laura Lehman

Caroline — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 10:02:31 +0000

I honestly cannot remember the first time I met Laura of Laura Lehman Wears. I know it was some blogging event or another- it could have been the Christmas get-together that Kristyn planned last year– but I can’t say for sure because you tend to see a lot of the same faces from event to event, and Laura goes to a lot of the same ones that I do! What I can say for sure is that I love Laura’s style! Seriously, I would steal every single one of her timeless looks. She dresses in the way I’m working to transform my closet- classic staples paired with awesome accessories. I wanted to learn a little bit more about her, since usually I just see her at events where we don’t have a whole lot of time to chat, so I’m absolutely thrilled that she wanted to be my #wcw this week!

10 songs for a perfect sound track – Adele “Make You Feel Love”; Damien Rice “Blower’s Daughter”; Chainsmokers “Roses”; Pat Green “Wave on Wave”; Dave Barnes “On a Night Like This”; Coldplay “Lovers in Japan/Reign of Love”; Dixie Chicks “Cowboy Take Me Away”; Ellie Goulding/Bassnectar “Lights”; Mumford & Sons “Awake My Soul”; Needtobreathe “Washed By the Water”

9 words to describe you – motivated; extroverted; funny; organized; thoughtful; analytical; caring; friendly; realistic (and tired..I’m always tired.)

8 reasons that you love your life – Oh gosh..there are a lot of reasons, so let’s see if I can list just 8. 1) I have the most and loving supportive family – as in they’ll let me move back in with them if I can’t find a job after grad school; 2) Speaking of, I’m lucky to have been able to go back to school for my MBA – sometimes it doesn’t feel like a blessing when I have to study all weekend long, but I know it will be a good thing in the long run; 3) I have the cutest nephew/Godson ever; 4) I think I just appreciate having a life – have you ever really thought about it? We’re all really lucky to be here! 5) I live in one of the coolest cities in the world; 6) My friends are the best and always keep me laughing; 7) Knock-on-wood, I have great health; 8) I have the sweetest, most loyal puppy, Mollie. She is pretty much my child.

7 essentials in your closet – A pair of dark wash skinnies; a white button down; a cashmere sweater; a good pair of flats; a classic work tote; a black blazer; and a pair of black distressed jeans – lots of black apparently.

6 non-electronic things you can’t live without – M-62 Vitablast serum; candles; mac & cheese; good bedding; my glasses; dry shampoo

5 people who have impacted your life – Very standard, but my Nana, my Mom & Dad, my sister..oh..and Kate Middleton

4 places you’d like to visit – the Great Barrier Reef; Tuscany – all the wine; Lake Garda; Scotland

3 unpopular opinions you have – I am very pro-gluten; I prefer clubs over regular bars which most of my friends disagree with..so I never go to clubs; I hate the choker trend

2 things that scare you – Not being successful after school/disappointing my parents; scary Uber drivers

1 quote to live by – “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” – C.S. Lewis

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#WCW: Caroline Birgmann

Caroline — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 10:00:00 +0000

I found it very interesting (and wonderful!) that the results of my reader survey told me that my readers certainly wanted me to keep my #wcw feature from Little Bitty City One AND that they wanted me to include women I admire beyond blogging. With Caroline, I have the best of both worlds!

Admittedly, I know of Caroline because I instantly fell in love with her candy pink, sugary sweet Instagram account, but after following her, I realized there is a lot more to The Caroline Doll. I became really inspired by her after hearing her Grit & Glitter Co. podcast. She keeps it real about how Instagram and other social media is not real life (something that we sometimes forget) and how her business came to be- hint: she worked, and continues to work, really hard. Not only is she beautiful inside and out, but she started a business that was never originally in her plan and stuck with it to create the Fashion Infused Posh PR. I adore her style and have already decided that when I get married one say that I’m going to have her as my day of coordinator. Her blog is a mix of business, fashion, and event inspiration all wrapped up in a lovely pink bow. She is, ultimately, #goals for me- I would love to one day own my own business doing what I love and I can’t wait to be even more inspired by this gorgeous and successful name-twin of mine. Thank you, Caroline, for being my first #wcw on The CaroLove!

10 songs for a perfect sound track

Sweet Caroline, Neil Diamond

Midnight City, M83

Shoop, Salt-N-Pepa

Survivor, Beyonce

Hold Up, Beyonce

This Is What You Came For, Calvin Harris (featuring Rihanna)

Beauty and a Beat, Justin Bieber (featuring Nicki Minaj)

One Dance, Drake (featuring Whizkid & Kyla)

Are You That Somebody, Aaliyah

Scream & Shout, Will.I.Am (featuring Britney Spears)

9 words to describe you

Driven

Loyal

Bubbly

Encouraging

Pink

Passionate

Champagne

Fashion Infused

Blonde

8 reasons that you love your life

I LOVE my job and have the best clients

I recently got engaged to the love of my life and we’re planning a wedding

My business is mobile and I can work from anywhere (currently in NYC!)

I choose to be happy, to love fearlessly, and hustle hard every single day

The core of my business is empowering women – – it is such a rewarding feeling!

My mom is healthy, happy and only an hour away (she’s also my assistant weekly!)

I’ve discovered Almond Champagne at Trader Joe’s… enough said!

Did I mention that I have the best man in the world to call my fiancé?

7 essentials in your closet

Dark Jeans

White T-Shirt

Pink Converse High Tops

Tulle Skirt

Louis Vuitton Speedy

Nude Valentino Pumps

Tom Ford Sunglasses

6 non-electronic things you can’t live without

Starbucks

Kisses from my puppies

Champagne

Calling my mom first thing in the morning

Candy Yum-Yum Lipstick

Date Nights with Constantine

5 people who have impacted your life

My mother who is my best friend and my biggest cheerleader

My business school college professor who was beyond tough on me

My first medical sales manager who said “don’t ever underestimate Barbie”

My fiancé whose strengths complement my weaknesses

An attorney friend of mine who said “you are fierce, don’t let them break you”

4 places you’d like to visit

Santorini

Paris

Bora Bora

Wherever there’s a pink beach!

3 unpopular opinions you have

If you stay true to yourself, you have NO competition

It’s okay to eat Betty Crocker’s Rainbow Chip icing with a spoon, right from the

container!

Tulle skirts are for every occasion

2 things that scare you

Roller Coasters

A groom-zilla!

1 quote to live by:

Champagne Is Always The Answer®

Caroline Birgmann

PR | WEDDING PLANNER | DESIGNER | STYLIST

@THECAROLINEDOLL I WEBSITE I #DOLLSPARTYPRETTY