Indiana on the TxSC blog

Things have been quiet here since we're in the final month of planning before Texas Style Council. There's a profile of yours truly up on their blog today. I talk about my love of chicken wings, Mindy Kaling, and (of course) Claudia Kishi:
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Adored Austin + Family on the Minnetonka blog today!

My family is on the Minnetonka blog today!
I was interviewed about my well documented love for moccasins. Check it out to see cute photos of my family and to see me use the word "multifarious" in all seriousness.

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Adored Austin in Ladies Home Journal

When I first started blogging, magazines like Nylon would call me for commentary. Now that I'm firmly in my 30's, I'm giving quotables to publications like Ladies Home Journal. Adding two kids and a couple pairs of mom jeans will do that to a blogger, huh? Chris points out that I'm in good company, though. Tina Fey (also a mom) is on the cover of LHJ this month. Check me and my city out on page 98 in April's issue:
Thanks, Jennifer for interviewing me! Truly, thanks for choosing me to tell your readers about some of my favorite Austin places.

Ladies Home Journal? Check! AARP Magazine? Watch out. I'm just one grandkid and a purse full of peppermints from being in you.

Let's get real...

Oh, gosh. Let me clear something up. Today I was in Real Magazine's SXSW issue. It was an honor to be interviewed, and I don't take my reputation as being known as an Austin insider lightly. I love this city and I love SXSW. However, I need to take this opportunity to fix my printed quote.
Gah! I wasn't misquoted insomuch as this was a teeny, tiny segment of what Chad and I talked about. To have this one quote of mine stand on its own makes my point of view seem antiquated and it paints women (especially business women and women in tech) in a completely wrong light. The sentiment, on its own, came out wrong, and anyone who knows me personally or professionally knows that I would never say anything like this.

As someone who has had the distinct privilege of being a speaker at SXSW the last two years and as someone who looks up to countless women who are smart and at the top of their fields in both business and technology innovations, I am horrified that my quote insinuates that women are not qualified to give speeches at SXSW... and that they'd rather be shopping. My friend Kelsey tweeted me the above image, and after reading my quote, I literally slapped my forehead and said "Doh!"

I want it to be known that I know that SXSW works hard to make sure the interactive portion is diverse. I know this more perhaps more than the average person (Hello! Multi-cultural female / former SXSW speaker here!). Yes, the crowd is heavy in the white dude territory, but never in a million years would I think "I'd rather be shopping" instead of attending what is, perhaps, the best conference in all of America.

What my quote should say is thus:

"The 2nd Street District is an oasis of awesome during SXSW. Everyone knows about shopping and dining on South Congress, but 2nd Street has amazing restaurants and shops within walking distance of the convention center as well. If a woman needs a break from all the SXSW madness or happens to be without a coveted SXSW badge and is simply accompanying a tech dude to Austin, she should take some time to check out the SXSW sales and promotions at Langford Market, Etcetera Etc, and Plain Ivey Jane."

People of SXSW, please accept my humble apology for my published quote and know that I applaud all of your efforts to be at the top of your fields, no matter what private parts or marital status you happen to have or not have.

In related news, I think I need an interview coach. Remember my misquote in the Wall Street Journal?

My published guide to Austin appears in the April issue of Ladies Home Journal. I haven't seen it, yet, but let's all hope I didn't say something stupid for that.

Tribeza Perspective: Why this girl loves to thrift

Hey, Austin locals! Have you picked up a copy of the September Tribeza yet? I finally got my paws on an issue, and guess who's peeking at you from page 45?

It was an honor to be asked to write a "style perspective" for Tribeza. I started reading Tribeza before I even moved to Austin so that I could get a feel for the city, so it's like a dream come true to see my mug in the style issue and to be photographed in all my third trimester glory by Michael Thad Carter.
I may or may not have made a theological comparison to thrift store shopping and the Lord Almighty. I also may have mentioned Teddy Ruxpin and ugly sweaters. Pick up a copy while you're out and about or take a gander at my story here. Read it and let me know what you think!

Texas Style Council 2012 featured in The Statesman

Because my local news media takeover wouldn't be complete without a nod from The Statesman, check out this amazing article on the Texas Style Council in today's issue.The article includes some cool background insight from Delightfully Tacky and I even suck up to Jen Loves Kev and Kendi Everyday a bit a lot. I am really proud of the work I've put into the Texas Style Council this year, so even if you're not able to attend, be sure to check out this feature by the lovely and talented style writer Courtney Sebesta here.

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The Austin Chronicle: Feature on Female Bloggers

During SXSW, I'll be speaking on the topic "Blogging: Why So Many Women are Doing it". Last year I was asked to speak specifically on style blogging, but this year I wanted to talk about the crazy influx of female bloggers in general (especially style bloggers, lifestyle bloggers, and mom bloggers). Am I right in saying that it seems like over the last two years there are a ton more lady bloggers out there? I feel like nearly every day I find a new blog I love and add it to my out of control Google Reader.

I don't consider myself to be an expert on this topic, but I have been blogging since 1999, so I have a lot of opinions! I have made some big mistakes (ahem, like taking a month off unannounced) and I've learned a lot of lessons. In the last three years that I have I worked with brands, I find myself fielding more questions about all that.

The Austin Chronicle, which is Austin's famous alternative weekly, had a great op-ed piece about female bloggers in this week's issue. The writer, Melanie Haupt, got a few sound-bites from me and Will Van Overbeek, the photographer, took a quick shot that turned out hilarious:

Check out the full piece, "How Blogging Became the (very lucrative) 21st Century Quilting Bee" here and see my strange Tracy Jordan-like feet in Will's original photo (what is up with that?). If you're a SXSW badge holder, make sure to check out my talk on Monday, March 12th, 5pm.

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Dream on: My Christmas wish list

What's topping your Christmas wish list this year? Is it too early to blog about this? Should I wait until at least the Friday after Thanksgiving?

The reason I ask is because I've been thinking about my Christmas list for a while. If you turn to page 127 of December's Lucky Magazine and you'll find a short little list I wrote of three things I'd like for Christmas:

I'm going to need a bigger stocking! It'd be a Christmas miracle if I got any of these!

What you don't know in the world of magazine publishing is that I actually had to submit a longer list of seven way back at the beginning of September. The magazine editors chose which three to run. Since I've been thinking about these things for over two months already, I thought you might enjoy my complete list and commentary. Isn't it interesting to see how edits are done?

Free People guest blog

I can only think of a few definitive moments in my life when I said, "Ah ha! This must mean I'm growing up!" The first happened a few years ago when I realized that I quite preferred NPR over any music based radio stations. The most recent of these moments happened a few weeks ago when I realized that I preferred Free People to their sibling store Urban Outfitters.

That's why I about fell out of my chair when Julia, one of the lovely ladies behind the Free People blog wrote me asking if I would like to do a guest post on Austin style. Would I? Honored to!

I even ran around with Intern Rachel last weekend, snapping photos on South Congress for the blog. Check it out here. While you're there, go ahead and bookmark their blog. Their company blog is amazing-- so interactive and inspirational! It was a great shock to be asked to contribute to something so cool.

Tune in!

I am on my way out the door to take Jude swimming, but I wanted to let you know that I'm going to be on the radio tonight. It's a nationally syndicated show, so please tune in!

I'll be doing the Mascara Monologues on Your Time with Kim Iverson. In Austin, that's 94.7. Check your local listings here and tune in around 7 pm. I hope to bring up animal jewelry at least once and my friend dared me to bring up Lord of the Rings as many times as possible! Maybe I'll start every sentence with, "It's like in 'Return of the King' when Gollum said..."

By the way... did you see my Tweet of the hideous jumpsuit I had to wear on set the last few days? No? It's here. Go ahead. Laugh. Feel sorry for me. There was no air conditioning on set, and my jumpsuit was made of polyester. Watch for the ponytailed extra in the hallway chase scenes when this comes out.

Chris' shirt inspires others...

The very first outfit post I did after having Jude was this. I wore Chris' clothes as an experiment because nothing really fit me well. Who knew that it would be a hit? Francesca's liked it so much that they did a shoot based on it and posted it to their blog:

The blog article that accompanies this photo is really great: "The Basic White Shirt: 1 Shirt 4 Ways". Most style bloggers would call this "remixing" but most regular folks would call this "wearing a shirt again with other stuff".

Thank you, Francesca's, for featuring me! I've never had someone take an outfit photo of mine and do a shoot based on it! I feel flattered!

Lulus loves Adored Austin

I just found out that Adored Austin was featured on Lulus.com yesterday as part of their Blogger Spotlight series. Stephanie, who I had the pleasure of meeting during the TxSCC wrote really, really nice things about me, which is awesome because I didn't even have to bribe her. Check out the full post here. Thanks, Lulus and Stephanie!

Austin Monthly: My Top 10

If you read Austin Monthly, you may have seen this gem on page 74 in the April issue:

I was super flattered when Austin at Austin Monthly contacted me to ask my little opinion on my Top 10 Favorite Things. I was photographed by Devi Knowles at Plain Ivey Jane last month.

Because my Top 10 was in the style section of the magazine, I wasn't able to simply name my Top 10 favorite snocone flavors or my Top 10 favorite people. Here's what I chose:

1. Quirky animal jewelry- pictured: a piece by Trash ATX, available at Plain Ivey Jane.
2. My TIKKR watch- i.e. my newest obsession. I'm blaming my friend Nicole for this.
3. Vintage kimono jackets- pictured: one I picked up at an estate sale, last seen here.
4. Giant sunglasses- pictured: a purchase at Buffalo Exchange.
5. Trims at Birds Barbershop- I see Camillle, as seen here.
6. My Canon Rebel T2i- bought on the recommendation from my friend William.
7. Timi & Leslie Diaper Bag- found on Amazon.
8. Cupcakes- Mine are my favorite (I'm an awesome baker!), but Delish is a close second.
9. Kenra Silkening Gloss- found at Ulta, but I pilfered mine from my cousin (sorry, Puoy!).
10. TOMS shoes- pictured: my beloved wedges, first seen here.

If you're local to Austin, feel free to pick up April's Austin Monthly and flip to page 74 and laugh at my photo. I know I certainly did in the HEB checkout line last night!

As seen on the StyleX SXSW blog

One really great honor for me was writing the first "style perspective" guest post for the official SXSW StyleX blog. I sang my love for this city, and you can read it here:

StyleX happens March 18 & 19 at the Austin Convention Center. You don't need a SXSW badge to get in, and it's free and open to the public. Just like SXSW is the place to discover new music, movies, and tech trends, SXSW's StyleX is now a place to discover your new favorite designers and brands. I can't wait!

Adored Austin featured on Modly Chic

Do y'all know Katy? Katy started the phenomenon of "Friend Friday" which is a topical discussion that various style and beauty bloggers have each week. She is a huge asset to the blogging community and recently started a Friend Friday Google Group in which we lady bloggers can use as a friendly sounding board. If you haven't already, sign up to get involved!

Katy had the nutty idea to profile Adored Austin on her blog Modly Chic yesterday, and if you surf on over there, you'll see that I reveal my soul. Yes, you'll get insightful goodies such as this:

Katy: Do you have any fool-proof home beauty remedies?
Indiana: Showers?

Big thanks to Katy for featuring me on Modly Chic! I had a lot of fun answering the questions, so check it out.

Lucky!

Back in April, I was invited to be one of Lucky Magazine's Alpha Shoppers, joining the ranks alongside some super duper famous bloggers like KeikoLynn, Kyla at Blue Collar Catwalk, Jen from JenLovesKev, Katy from Kansas Couture, and a host of other wonderful women. I am flattered to be a part of this... even if I don't seem to take this honor too, too seriously. Check out my absurd biography photo!

This week one of the online editors asked us to take a short little survey on bras. Yes, bras. So if you're curious about what's under my shirt (ow-ow!), you can surf on over to my Alpha Shopper blog entry, aptly titled "The Best Supporting Actor of Your Wardrobe". I do, of course, start my blog out talking about Punky Brewster (you know I love me some 80's icons!). Relevant? Well, kind of...

[my Alpha Shopper blog post here].

P.S.
Also, I know there are a lot of online fashion community websites out there, but I do want to encourage you to join the Lucky Magazine Style Spotters if you haven't already (simply click JOIN in the upper right of the page). The Lucky community is a little different than the others in that it is mostly real women (not bloggers) with real world, working style (i.e. they don't all look like American Apparel or Urban Outfitters models). This is a really great site to join for those of you who have trepidations about joining sites like Lookbook.nu and Chictopia.

Adored Austin recently seen on...

What a great start to the New Year. Delightfully Tacky, one of my most favorite, favorite fashion blogs in the entire world named me as one of her top five favorite fashion bloggers of 2009. Thank you so much! Truly, it's so flattering to be featured by a blog that I admire so much. Delightfully Tacky honoree this year, Vogue honoree next! Right? [Go HERE to see who else made the list].

Also, I found out my DIY studded blazer was featured on Glamour.com on Thursday along with a brief but typically goofy interview with me about the blazer:

Pssst! You can read the little blurb HERE.

This is the second time Glamour has featured one of my DIY's. This strikes me as particularly funny since I don't really consider myself to be crafty or very DIY-y at all! I do hope to change that in 2010, though. One of my goals is to learn to sew and to buy less and create more. I already have a little project planned for the thrifted booties I got at Savers this week.

Thank you, Cardigan Style!

Huge thanks to Reachel over at Cardigan Style for featuring Adored Austin on her site:

I did a quick little Q&A with her, and as always, I made sure not to take myself and my style philosophies too seriously. You can read it here, if you'd like. I am beyond flattered to be featured on such an amazing site. I am always surprised and borderline blushy when people ask to feature Adored Austin. So, thank you!

If you haven't yet checked out Cardigan Empire, I recommend that you scoot on over there. Reachel offers the perfect mix of fashion features, self-style photos, and fashion advice and inquires. Check it out and bookmark it. You will not be sorry!

Thank you, Rare Magazine!

The November issue of Austin's Rare Magazine is out, and guess who's on page 45?

How much do I love that I'm wearing my snowman shoes and Jimi made the shot? Huge thanks to Tara, Caitlin, and Annie for this fun little spread. To see the interview text in a readable size, go here and flip to page 45.

Thank you, Weardrobe!

On my birthday, three years ago, I saw my face for the very first time on a network television show:

Now, exactly three years later, a similarly cool moment came this morning when I saw the header on Weardrobe, which is one of my favorite websites:

Yep. I got interviewed on Weardrobe, and if you cruise on over there, you can read life changing insights, such as this one:

My family never picked out my clothes for me. They just let me wear what I want-- so sometimes that meant I wore a grass skirt with rain boots to school or my grandpa's size XXXL suit jacket. I pretty much do the same kind of stuff now except on a more socially acceptable for an adult level.

Read the full interview here... if you dare. Thanks, Weardrobe. I'd choose you over ice cream, any day.