St. Louis Style Collective Meetup

June 12, 2017 ~ styledmuse ~ Leave a comment

Above photos taken by Taylor Mobley of blondeandambitiousblog.com

Above photo taken by Carmen Ramirez of frontrowstl.com

Pictured above from left to right: Myself, April, Anna, Taylor, and Carmen. (click the names to see their blogs!)

On May 21st, the St. Louis ladies of Style Collective had our first meetup! But it wasn’t your ordinary meetup. We were celebrating the launch of Style Collective’s new podcast! Just search “Becoming Fearless” to give it a listen. I love meeting bloggers that are located in the STL area. It gives me comfort knowing that we are all doing this blogging thing together, and trying to figure it all out as we go, considering it’s kind of a new industry.

The meetup was held at Blo Blow Dry Bar in Chesterfield, MO. About 30 minutes from STL. Blo was nothing but amazing, and gave us complimentary blow outs. I decided on the style “Pillow Talk”. You can see in the photos above :). It was my first blow out, and the experience was SO relaxing. I cannot wait to go back! They were so accommodating and let us setup our snacks on a table in the back of the salon. We had cheese, crackers, grapes, cookies, and of course champagne!

We also had the opportunity to collaborate with some great local shops! They were kind enough to donate items from their shops for goodies bags for each of the girls. You can see in the photos below what they gave each of us. Thank you to all the shops who donated! I linked all of their websites and put their Instagram handles so you can check them out!

Paperdolls Boutique @pdshopgirl: They have the cutest clothes! I’m in love with the scent of the candle they gave us. I also cannot wait to wear those bracelets!

Christopher’s @christopherskirkwood127: This shop has the perfect gift items! Christopher’s was kind enough to give us Pink Pig Soap, and a tape measure (are you surprised I didn’t own one of these!? haha)

CR Jewels @crjewels: Our very own Carmen Ramirez made these gorgeous jewels and was nice enough to donate a few to us!

The Spotted Pig @thespottedpigstl: Another one of my favorite local shops for gift items! This would be a great place to go for Father’s Day gifts! They were super kind, and sent us this Lucky Penny key chain.

I had such a blast at our meetup, and I cannot wait for our next one! If you would like to join Style Collective to experience local meetups, and to pump up your blogging game, you can join HERE!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Valerie

P.S.: I have an exciting Instagram collaboration coming up with a huge clothing company, so make sure you are following me on Instagram to see it! I can’t wait to show you!

Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale

May 27, 2017 ~ styledmuse ~ Leave a comment

NORDSTROMHALF YEARLY

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1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10

Happy Friday! I decided to kick off this Memorial 3 day weekend with my favorite picks from the Nordstrom Half Yearly Sale. This is one of the biggest sales they have of the year (the other one being the Anniversary Sale, which I will also share my picks in July). What I love about this sale is that designer items are included. I saw a YSL bag for over $500 off, like whoa! But of course it sold out right after I saw it. Items go super fast, so if you see anything you like, make sure you jump on it.

Anyways, most of the shirts above I currently have in my shopping cart, and I’m having a hard time trying to figure out which ones to get! Help me out by commenting below with which one I should purchase and style for you guys! I have really been wanting a robe, so this one is a must for me! After going through my closet last weekend, I realized I didn’t have enough short sleeved shirts for summer! I’m in love with this sheer one! I also have this one in the color “Neon Pink” in my cart, even though it’s not on sale, I just couldn’t pass it up! The color is perfect for summer with a pair of white skinny jeans.

They also have a lot of home decor on sale. I love these white shag pillows! I currently have them on my living room couch as you can see in the below photo :). The pink flamingo pillow I found at Michael’s Craft Store, and the banana leaf pillows are from Shein, but you can find similar ones from Target!

Couch Pillows

I hope you all have a great Memorial Day Weekend. I plan on going camping (well, I guess glamping because my parents have a camper with AC and showers, haha) at the lake about an hour from our house. The weather is supposed to be pretty bad this weekend, so hopefully I will have a little dry time to hit up the beach for a little while because I really need a tan! Haha. What are your Memorial Day Weekend plans? Let me know in the comments!

Valerie

Leopard Booties And Ripped Jeans

March 7, 2017March 7, 2017 ~ styledmuse ~ 16 Comments

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Leopard Booties (on sale for under $20!): Charlotte Russe // Jeans: Nordstrom // Top: Similar // Earrings: Baublebar // Ring: Charlotte Russe // Clutch: Similar

Happy Monday, babes! Did y’all have a great weekend? All last week I was battling the flu, that turned into a sinus infection/ear infection! No fun. My plan was to have this post up last Wednesday, but I literally had no energy to write it. So you get to see it today! 🙂

This was one of my favorite outfits to wear over the winter. Since we are still having chilly days, I figured this would be perfect to post. The pink tassel earrings from Baublebar add a perfect pop of color for spring. They will be on repeat, I can already tell! I also plan to incorporate these leopard booties from Charlotte Russe into my spring wardrobe. I will have a post all about how to do that in a few weeks. Right now they are currently under $20, so make sure you grab them before they sell out. They run true to size, and are SO comfortable!!! I wear them literally everywhere.

With the leopard booties, I wore my black ripped jeans (these are great to wear year round, they are one of my closet staples!), and an oversized long sleeve turtle neck. I found this on the clearance rack a Kohl’s one day (and is no longer available), so I tagged a similar one. The clutch I got a Target two years ago and is no longer available, so I tagged one that I like even more! I might need to add it to my collection. 🙂

I was also really excited when I found out that Charlotte Russe is finally starting to sell bigger sized rings! I have big knuckles, so I have a hard time finding rings that fit. These fit me perfectly!

Would you like to see a blog post about my wardrobe staples? Let me know in the comments! Have a great week, and thanks for reading!

Valerie

Swimsuit Coverup

July 6, 2016July 5, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ 8 Comments

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Coverup: Sweetest Stitch (use code STYLECOLLECTIVE to get 10% off your order!) // Beach Bag: Target // Sandals: save; splurge // Sunglasses: Free People

I spent months trying to find the perfect swimsuit coverup. I searched on Amazon (can’t pass up free 2 day shipping!), but the reviews were always so bad. They were either way off on sizing or made really cheap. I also never had any luck looking at department stores for ones I liked. It’s always the same for swimsuits as well. I guess I’m just way too picky when it comes to items like this.

But then I came across Sweetest Stitch. I fell in love with all of their sundresses and rompers. They also have a lot of great prices! Make sure you use code STYLECOLLECTIVE to save an additional 10% off your purchase. I originally ordered this black dress to wear to a BBQ (I love the stitching details on the front!), but it ended up being a tad too short for my liking, so I decided to wear it as a swimsuit coverup instead, and it worked out perfectly! It made me realize that you can literally turn any clothing item into a swimsuit coverup, whether it be a dress or an oversized t-shirt. Just because it doesn’t say “swimsuit coverup” on the tag, doesn’t mean you can’t make it one! Also, what I love about this coverup is that I can throw on a pair of white pants or jean shorts to go to dinner right after a day at the beach, and still look put together!

Everything in linked above. I purchased the Tory Burch dups last year from Payless (one of the best sandal purchases, ever!), but they are currently sold out so I tagged similar ones.

On a different note, did anyone know that they weren’t going to show The Bachelorette on Monday night!? I went to watch it Tuesday, and realized it was a repeat! I was a little upset, why didn’t they say something last week? Oh well, I guess I have to wait another week now. Do you have a favorite yet? Let me know in the comments below! I’m still torn between a few guys.

Have a great week, and thanks for reading!

Valerie

What To Wear For 4th Of July

July 2, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ Leave a comment

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Top: Nordstrom Rack; Similar // Shorts: ModCloth (similar) // Bag: Similar // Wedges: ModCloth (on sale for under $15!) // Lipstick: ColourPop (color is Creeper)

Happy 4th of July weekend! Do you have fun plans this weekend? Sadly, it is going to be raining in STL today, tomorrow, AND Monday. They are calling for 3-4 inches of rain. UM, WHAT? My plans for BBQing and swimming went out the window. Hopefully the fireworks won’t be canceled!

But if you don’t live in the STL area, and plan on going to a BBQ celebrating the 4th, I have you covered on what to wear, while also feeling festive! My favorite thing to wear to a BBQ over the summer is shorts and a tank. Since it is 4th of July weekend, I went with the red white and blue theme. Most of the items I’m wearing are sold out, so I tagged similar ones above. The wedges are currently on sale for under $15!

Another one of my favorite things to wear to a BBQ is a dress. This chambray one is perfect for 4th of July! I love how it is off the shoulder (a huge trend this summer). Just add a red or blue crossbody and wedges, and you are good to go!

Have a fun and safe weekend, everyone! Let me know what your plans are in the comments below. As always, thanks for reading!

Valerie

How To Make Your Perfume Last Longer

June 21, 2016June 21, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ Leave a comment

I’m really picky when it comes to my perfume. My favorites tend to be “fresh” smelling ones. Floral scents were never at the top of my list. They also need to be long lasting. By the time I’m finished with work, I should still have the scent on me. Especially if you are paying close to $100 for a bottle, am I right?

Influenster sent me this Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf perfume, and after reading that it was a floral scent, I was a little worried. But let me tell you, this smells SO good!

In my Flowerbomb box, I was sent the Precious Oil and the Eau De Parfum. In order to get the most out of your perfume (and make it last until the end of the day), you need to follow these steps:

Create a foundation with shower gel, soap, or foaming bath. If I don’t have the exact scent, I use a neutral scent (vanilla, for example).
Moisturize with a neutral or unscented body lotion or body cream.
Apply Flowerbomb Precious Oil to your pulse points. I like to apply it to my wrists, neck, and behind my ears.
Finish with your Flowerbomb Eau De Parfum.

After following these steps, I noticed that my perfume actually lasted longer! Do you have any tips for making your perfume last longer? Let me know in the comments!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Valerie

Products received complimentary thanks to Influenster. All opinions are my own.

Bloom VoxBox

June 5, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ 1 Comment

Happy Sunday! Is everyone having a great weekend? I spent my Saturday in St. Louis at the Cardinal’s game! It is seriously my favorite place to be. Today I am grocery shopping and getting everything organized for the work week.

I received the Bloom VoxBox complimentary from Influenster with all these amazing products! I’m going to review each one and let you all know which ones I liked and didn’t like. Keep in mind that I let you know my honest opinion about each product. If I don’t like it, you WILL know. Haha! Now on to the reviews:

Cutex Advanced Revival Nail Polish Remover Pads: These are amazing, especially for traveling. The package says you can use it for 10 fingers or toes. Well this pad is SOAKED with nail polish remover, to the point where you could do all of your fingers and toes and also your friend’s fingers and toes haha! Totally worth purchasing.

Secret Outlast Xtend Invisible Solid: I always tend to have problems with Secret deodorant. Every time I use it for long periods of time, my armpits start to itch and burn. Since this was different from the normal Secret deodorant, I decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, I still had the same problem. I gave it to a friend, and she didn’t have any issues. I guess it just depends on the person. I will stick with my Dove deodorant.

SinfulColors Nail Polish: Influenster sent me the blue glitter polish seen in the first photo of this post. But since I’m not super into glitter polishes, I used my Kylie Jenner collection nail polish by SinfulColors. I absolutely love this color! It’s perfect for this season. I painted my nails on Memorial Day weekend with this polish, and it still looks amazing! It is long lasting, especially when you put a top coat over it. I suggest using Essie Gel Setter top coat.

Sunbelt Bakery Granola Bars, Oats & Honey: When I get home from my full time job, I usually work on my blog before I start cooking dinner. During this time, I’m usually in need of a snack to hold me over until dinner, which tends to be fruit or cookies, haha! I know, so healthy. After trying this granola bar, I think this will be my go to snack. It tastes so good, and is a lot better for me than cookies!

Not Your Mother’s Plump For Joy: If you are looking to add volume to your hair, I highly suggest this. When I went camping last weekend, I took a shower and decided to put this product in my hair instead of straightening it (It’s okay, I was in a camper, not a tent, haha!). Once my hair was dry, it had SO much volume. But it was kind of uncontrollable volume, so I suggest styling it like you normally do instead of just putting the product in your hair and leaving it be.

NUXE Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Dry Oil: I absolutely love this stuff! If you have fly away hairs, just put a small amount into your hand and smooth them away. If you have dry skin, apply a small amount and massage into the dry area. I love how you can use it for literally everything. The downside? It’s $29 a bottle. Like, whoa. I’m sure there are similar products out there that do the same thing (coconut oil maybe?). If I come across anything, I will let y’all know.

Which of these products are you eager to try? Let me know in the comments below! As always, thanks for stopping by!

Valerie

All products received complimentary, thanks to Influenster. All opinions are my own.

Crochet Wrapped Cardigan From Stacked

June 1, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ Leave a comment

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California Moonrise Cardigan: Stacked (Save 10% with code WELCOME10)// Shorts: Shoptiques // Tee: Target // Clutch: Stella & Dot // Necklace: Similar// Heels: Similar

Happy Hump Day! I’m so happy this is a short week, for some reason I have been dragging alllllll week long. I’m already on my second Red Bull. I literally thought I was going to fall asleep while working today.

Last week I showed you an easy way to save money on designer items while also making money. Well today I’m going to tell you about Stacked, another great website where you can save money on designer pieces! Stacked’s goal is to help you upgrade your wardrobe with hand-chosen pieces by top influencers quickly, conveniently and at a great price. Each influencer for the month will choose items to create an outfit, and you have the opportunity to buy the pieces individually at a discount, or buy the entire outfit at an even bigger discount. Stacked is giving all Styled Muse readers 10% off their purchase with code WELCOME10.

I chose this California Moonrise Crochet Wrapped Top from last month’s collection.I fell in love with the crochet on the back. You can wear it as a long cardigan or tied up, and pair it with a plain white (like I did) or graphic tee, or a tank during the summer months. This cardigan is perfect for wearing to work, especially when you work in a cold office like me. Haha!

If you purchase anything from Stacked, don’t forget to use discount code: WELCOME10 and tag me in your photos so I can see what you purchased.

As always, thanks for stopping by and have a great rest of your week!

Valerie

Designer Clothes For Less With ThredUP

May 26, 2016May 26, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ Leave a comment

Top: ThredUP // Pants: JCPenney // Bag: Similar // Earrings: Baublebar // Heels: Charlotte Russe

Happy Fri-yay eve! Do you all have any plans this weekend for Memorial Day? My family and friends and I are all going camping this weekend. Sadly, I think it’s supposed to rain all weekend long! Hopefully it will hold off until we get back :).

Have you ever wanted designer items, but the prices were way out of your budget? Well, let me introduce you to ThredUP! ThredUP allows you to shop for items (used and new) and also sell items! I was able to get this Loft top for $20 with the tags still on it.I love this top because it’s light enough to wear during warm days (just roll up the sleeves) but also warm enough to wear while sitting around the fire on a chilly summer night.

If you sign up using this link ThredUP will give you $10 to spend on your next purchase! There are a few handbags I have my eyes on :). If you order anything from ThredUP, make sure you tag me in your photos so I can see what you purchased!

Since my boyfriend and I will be moving into a new place soon, I decided it was time to downsize my closet (don’t worry, just stuff I no longer wear!). ThredUP will for sure be a big help with this.

Have a great rest of your week, and thank you for stopping by!

Valerie

My Weekend At Go Blog Social

May 18, 2016May 18, 2016 ~ styledmuse ~ Leave a comment

Happy Hump Day! It feels so good to be back. I know I have been MIA for awhile, but my boyfriend and I were going through a death in his family, and it was a really hard time for him, and I needed to be there. Things finally are starting to go back to normal, and I’m trying to play catch up with my blog! This week I will post a few of my most recent purchases on Instagram (so make sure you are following), and in this blog post I will tell you all about the weekend I had at Go Blog Social!

As soon as I found out that Go Blog Social was coming to St. Louis, I knew I HAD to get tickets. Being an introvert, I was really nervous about attending by myself, so my sister tagged along. This was good for her, because she is in the process of creating her own blog.

The conference was three days long, with days 1 and 3 being before parties, brunches, etc. Saturday was the actual conference. Sadly, I was only able to make it to the actual conference on Saturday. The conference started off with everyone registering, getting our swag bags/schedule and getting breakfast. The breakfast consisted of fruit, yogurt parfaits, and a breakfast burrito bar! The potatoes were my favorite… weird, I know. All meals were catered by 23 City Blocks Catering. The conference was at Lumen Private Event Space in downtown St. Louis. This space is seriously beautiful (you can see the photos below). I am going to keep this place in mind for when I eventually get married :).

Since my sister and I got there a little early (we wanted a good parking spot, haha!) we had plenty of time to check out the brands that were there. This was my favorite thing about the conference. Brands from every niche had a booth set up where you can talk to them about their products (even gave free stuff and coupons away!), give them your business cards and possibly discuss collabs. There was even a booth set up to create flower crowns!

There were a lot of speakers at the conference! My favorite one had to be Bianca Jade. She spoke about video, and how it attracts readers to your blog. She really inspired me to add video to my own blog! So you may see videos soon ;). You can see the rest of the speakers below on the schedule and what was discussed. Towards the end, we even had workshops where we could learn different things, like video tips!

23 City Block Catering provided a delicious lunch! Everything from quinoa salad, buffalo cauliflower, and chicken and avocado sandwiches. Soooo good! I was starving by this time, so I wasn’t able to snap a photo of my lunch, whoops! Here are some other photos from the weekend, including what I wore, and what was in the swag bag!

I learned so much from the conference and I’m really inspired to try new things with my blog. Pretty soon I’m going to be switching my site to a self hosted site, and adding a new theme!

I know I said I had big news to share, well here it is! The first one, I have some AWESOME collabs that will be happening in June, so keep an eye out! The second one, my boyfriend and I will be moving from our small apartment, to a house!!! I’m really excited. It will be a fixer upper, which makes it even more exciting! I have binge watched the show Fixer Upper on HGTV so many times, and now I get to have my own fixer upper! My boyfriend is also letting me take one of the smaller bedrooms and turning it into a closet/blog office! Pinterest will be my best friend over the next few months :).

Have you ever attended Go Blog Social? Let me know in the comments. Also, any tips for fixer uppers would be great, haha!