Boohoo pants + heels, Primark top, Zara blazer

Photography by Amy of The Tall Teacher

There is a pizza place by my apartment that I’m obsessed with. Last weekend, I golfed down four slices in a time period of 15 minutes. #NoRegrets

I’m already beginning to plan my trip to Europe on February 8th. I can’t believe time is already flying by! I purchased a one-way ticket from NYC- Stockholm back in December, and now we’re less than 3 weeks away from leaving. I’m going with one of my best friends, Andrew, and since he’s a photographer, we’re going to be shooting the entire time. Even though the weather is going to be freeeezzzzing, I actually don’t mind it as much as I was thinking. I love the idea of walking around Stockholm in the snow with a warm cup of hot chocolate.

One thing people frequently ask me is how I get to travel so much. How do I afford it, enjoy it, handle it and more. Since I’ve been traveling alone since I was basically 16, I’ve got a decent amount of years of experience under my belt. Traveling for less isn’t that difficult if you’ve got a savvy mind. I always tell people to track flight tickets with sites like Momondo and apps like Skiplagged. You can find crazy reduced rates for less.

Since I’m a blogger, I usually get most of my hotels for free so that makes everything even more affordable. But if you’re not a blogger (I promise my life is not all free hotels and food), I suggest looking at hostels or Airbnb. You can usually get reduced rates on hostels if you’re traveling with a group. As always, if you want to travel at a peak time, like Fashion Week or in the middle of the summer, the rates will be higher, so I suggest planning your trip more than two months in advance so you’re saving as much as you can.

In the meantime, I’ve got two M.I.N.T talks lined up before February 8th, and I just ordered the coolest M.I.N.T postcards! They’ve got all of the important hotlines on them, as well as Steve’s contact info, so if you’re a student looking for more information on our project or looking for any therapy, you’ve now got all of the info you need to reach out.

P.S. Did you like my new YouTube vid? Watch it here if you haven’t yet.

I’ve officially hired someone to start helping me create sweet BTS videos of my life/adventures! Welcome to the team, Akwasi of Finebox Studio! If you’re in the Boston area and need an incredible and professional videographer, this is your guy!

Since most people don’t have a chance to see me before/after an event or M.I.N.T talk, I want to start showing you guys what happens before and after. Being an entrepreanur is a 24/7 career, and most people don’t get to see the good and bad sides of this world. Obviously I always want you to see the coolest stuff, but that’s not real life, is it?

I’m in Boston this week before heading back to Connecticut this weekend to prep for the next M.I.N.T talk next week in Hartford, CT and another one in the Bronx! Life is cool as long as you’re doing what you love.

P.S. My giveaway with Caseology is still LIVE! All you have to do is subscribe above. Have a fantastic Monday!

BCBGeneration via Charlotte’s Closet dress, J.Crew flats

Blo South End hair + makeup (thank you Christina!!!) 

Video/photography by Akwasi; new YouTube video up on MONDAY

Yesterday was a pretty crazy day! If you happened to stop by my event with Apple Boylston, thank you so much for coming. I was delighted to meet some lovely (mainly women, but a cool guys) folks who had tons of questions about iPhone photography. There are so many tips and tricks to putting together sweet pics with your iPhone. Here are my top 2:

1. Know your iPhone

– If you just transitioned to an iPhone from an Android, the adjustment may take a bit of time. But, if you have a few hours of free time, I highly suggest sitting down with your phone and experimenting. Play around with the LIVE and HDR options so you can see the difference between both setting.

2. Download apps like FaceTune, VSCO and Afterlight

– I suggest buying the app vs. using the free version because the free version usually lacks major features. Know what the contrast, saturation, brightness and clarity do. VSCO has less filters, and Afterlight has the most.

Style wise; I wanted to keep my outfit pretty simple. When I’m speaking at a conference or at a school, I always end up in black. There’s something about the simplicity of a LBD or a pair of black flat that allows you to showcase your personality more than your look. When you’re presenting something, I prefer to put all of the attention onto the presentation vs. on your outfit. People get confused if you’re wearing florals and showcasing lots of colors on a slideshow!

I’m in NYC for the day to tour a school I’m speaking at in Brooklyn, and to film a sweet segment for a show later today. Can’t wait for y’all to see!

PAIGE denim, J.Crew blazer & necklace, Theory top

Photography via Amy of The Tall Teacher

Okay, I haven’t totally mastered this trend…but after a (freezing) shoot with my girl Amy on Monday, she gave me some tips on wearing socks with heels. I like to call this look quirky. Classic J.Crew is my go-to aesthetic, so when Amy mentioned pairing striped socks with this wool blazer, I was skeptical. Until I put the outfit on and realized I really need to have more official stylist friends in my life.

Tonight, I’m hosting my event with Apple in Boston. RSVP here if you haven’t yet!

Directly after, I’m heading to NYC for a shoot with an awesome morning show…I can’t wait to release more details! Stay tuned for coverage and a video coming up next week with BTS footage of the segment. If you’re curious what the next step with my nonprofit, M.I.N.T is, we’ve got three schools lined up over the next few weeks. I’m very excited to begin the process of establishing my baby as a nonprofit, and get ready to bring even more team members on. Follow the journey on social pages as @mintnav. 

AG Jeans pants, Tobi shawl, Chico’s top, Pura Vida bracelets, New Balance sneakers

*P.S. unsure why I’m clutching my stomach for dear life in two of the pictures. My bad.

I hate Mondays! I prefer Friday-Sunday. Anyone else agree?

Tobi sent me several pieces, and one of them was this brown shawl. I have over ten brown sweater chunky, vest pieces, and they never get old. The great thing about sweaters is they’re cheap, and  never go out of style. Plus, they’re comfy. Say I had eaten one too many cupcakes (like last night but switch cupcakes to bars of chocolate), I could easily hide them with a sweater!

2017 is all about being strong and not super skinny. If you’re naturally super thin, that’s great! But I’m talking about the ladies (like me) who are a little curvier. Stop forcing your body to transform into something that you aren’t. That’s one thing I realized a while ago; your body is the way it is for a reason. Instead of wasting your time focusing on what you hate about your body, focus on how beautiful and strong it is! I promise your outlook on life will totally change if you change your thinking.

This week, I’m giving away two Caseology cases on my newsletter. All you have to do is subscribe to the newsletter by clicking here. 

Make sure to RSVP for my event with Apple on Wednesday if you’re in Boston!

Tobi skirt, Vintage jacket, Zara boots

The weather is so bipolar that my body takes a full 24 hours to adjust to each cycle of weather. By the time I’ve adjusted, it’s either 50 degrees or -50 degrees, and my body goes right back into shock. I’ve always hated tights; to me, they’re uncomfortable, a waste of money because they always break, and never happen to come in my shade (pale AF). This red skirt that I got for $10 a few years ago has been sitting in my closet glaring at me to be used, and I thought yesterday was the day. Street style wise, I was correct. Weather wise, I was totally, totally wrong.

Fashion is pain.

This week has been fantastic so far, especially since my first Meetup was a major success!

My friends over at B.Good sponsored the meetup, which was sweet because I wasn’t sure how many women would show up. The rain started coming down the minute 6 PM hit, and I was thrilled at the outcome of women who showed up even with the terrible weather outside. Thank you to everyone who came. I left incredibly inspired and touch by each and everyone of their stories, and it only shows me more how women need to stick together. If you’re not a feminist in 2017- get with it, people!

Make sure to RSVP for my Apple event on January 11th by clicking here! 

Happy Friday!

These pics say everything!

RSVP HERE.

New year, new me, new goals. I spent NYE in Manhattan with one of my best friends, Kate, of Prep of Boston. I (honestly) don’t always love having friends in the industry, but Kate is one girl that I’d like to keep around for a while. Plus, she’s like IG famous, so go follow her at @prepofboston.

Anyway, we decided not to go out on New Years Eve, and spent the night in bed watching movies. I love having friends like me who also don’t like going out until 4 AM. It makes living a whole lot easier if you don’t wake up the next day at 3 PM. So this 2017, stop giving a f*** what people think. My boyfriend showed me an article on Ivanka Trump yesterday, and I couldn’t agree more on her perspective of life. No, I don’t like Trump, but yes, I love Ivanka. I think she is seriously the coolest girl in the game.

I’m THRILLED (beyond thrilled) to announce that I am hosting an event with Apple on January 11th at their Boylston Street location. This has been one of my dreams, and I can’t believe it’s actually happening. You can find more info at http://www.apple.com/retail/boylstonstreet/ under events!

If you’re in Boston on Wednesday, I’m hosting an event for women in the area. Entrepreanur, blogger, or whatever you may be; come eat some tasty food from B.Good, and get inspired by local women doing big things. I can’t wait to meet you!

RSVP HERE. 

Just a quick video I made with Give Us The Floor on why New Years resolutions don’t matter. People get so stuck up on the idea of losing weight and looking better, instead of doing something like becoming stronger or getting smarter. All goals are good goals, but don’t get wrapped up in another 2017 fad that won’t last. I’m all about goals that continue to grow, not plateau.

One goal I do have (I made 10!) is to be more honest. I have a tendency to not always be honest with people because I hate getting people upset or feeling bad, but I’m done being like that. If I don’t want to go out, I’m going to say I don’t want to go out. If I want to have a few days to myself, I’m going to say I want to have a few days to myself. Just be who you are, and try and care a little less than you did last year!

Enjoy, and happy 2017!

TOBI blazer, COACH bag, Boohoo bag, Rolex watch

Finding new brands that inspire me to experiment with my style is one of the reasons why I love my job. I love having the opportunity to research and come across startups and existing brands doing something cool. One brand I’ve been following for quite a while is TOBI. You’ve probably heard of them, because just about everyone has. Similar to ASOS, Urban Outfitters, and Zappos, TOBI has quality clothing for half of the price. They approached me to collaborate, and I was thrilled because I’ve been a fan of the brand for a while.

They let me pick a few items from the site, like this sweet shearling jacket and blue velvet blazer. Luckily, I knew I’d be able to wear all of the pieces during the holiday season because they’re very holiday appropriate.

My dad also treated me to this absolutely beautiful COACH bag for Christmas, and I’m obsessed. Isn’t it stunning?! What are you wearing for NYE? Tweet me below- I’d love to see what you’re wearing!

P.S. I won an award for the #8 teen blog! YAY! Check it out here!

Also, I’m giving away a sweet phone case on the Fashion Lane newsletter next week. Subscribe below to win!