Recap: StyleX

I've had plenty of time to decompress from StyleX, but I haven't had a lot of time to go through all the footage and photos we got. Nonetheless, I wanted to go ahead and post the bits I've been able to go over.

The theme for this post is hit and miss.

On Thursday, we did a Style Hop, which was a tour around Austin to a few different shops. Hit! I failed to take an outfit picture and captured really poor sound on my video. Miss!

Friday was the first of the runway shows. I love runway shows. Hit!

Next year I'd like a little more pizazz: give me some going-out wear, dim the audience lights, and teach those musicians how to work the runway (they're obviously pretty comfortable on stage). Can I just say that I loved having the musicians as models? It made for a much more interesting and fun show than I usually see. Hit!

I totally regret what I wore, though. Miss!

date: 18 March 11 | occasion: StyleX Friday
blouse: thrifted (Savers) | skirt: Kenar (c/o Marshalls) | shoes: c/o ThreadSence | necklace: c/o The Jasmine Gallery | watch: thrifted Michael Kors (Goodwill)

What was I thinking?! This outfit is embarrassingly blah. I almost didn't post this photo of it due to me being afraid to admit that I failed at fashion. However, in the spirit of transparency, here it is! The good thing? It made me realize that I need to amp it up in the style department. I need to have some quality, go-to peieces that I can just grab and go for events like this. I like all the pieces individually, but together, it's just a hot mess. I should have done the blouse with trousers and wedges or the skirt with a simple, silky tank and added heels.

Saturday was the panel I was asked to speak on (title: "Technology is cool, but technology + fashion is cooler"), and I was honored to be speaking alongside folks like Kelly from The Glamourai and Devin from Lyst. Hit!

Saturday's outfit was a little better although I spent a lot more money on my dress than I should have. It's still something that I regret buying but only because I;m not a big spender. I had a 20% discount at Plain Ivey Jane, and I love the shop owner to pieces, so I bought it on a whim. The yellow stitching and the pockets really appealed to me. The detailing on the top was great-- I have never seen a dress like it. However, I think that maybe $100 is too much to spend on a day dress that, frankly, I'm likely not going to wear again. The top was ill fitting on me, but the hanger appeal was so great. Hit and miss!

date: 19 March 11 | occasion: StyleX Saturday (panel)
dress: Hype purchased at Plain Ivey Jane | cardigan: c/o Peacock Plume | watch: c/o TIKKR | wedges: c/o Wanted
Overall, StyleX was a hit. It was great seeing so many people come out for a first year event. I know that the organizers worked their tails off, and I'm so proud of Joah and John for that. Can't wait to see what they have up their sleeves for StyleX 2012.

Whoops Wednesday

Last Wednesday I was supposed to go to a Glamourai hosted breakfast at the W, but due to insane SXSW music traffic coming into town, I was stuck in gridlock. I would have been close to 40 minutes late, and I didn't want to be that Austin hippie that breezed in super late, so I tucked tail and went back home.



date: 16 March 11 | occasion: SXSWednesday
maxi: Lulu*s | necklace: The Jasmine Gallery | watch: thrifted Michael Kors | belt: Target | sandals: Savers | clutch: LV

Since I felt like I was all dressed up with no where to go, when I got back home, I grabbed Jude, my best friend Brooke and her kiddo Mitchell, and we braved the traffic and ate sushi on 2nd Street. It ended up being an easy afternoon. Sure, not as fancy as a morning with The Glamourai at the W, but there's always next year.

Can we take a moment to talk about those accessories? These two things are recent acquisitions, but I feel like they are quickly moving up my list of loves.

The necklace from The Jasmine Gallery is an amazing statement piece. It is a naturally fallen deer antler (meaning no deer was harmed in the making of this necklace) and it's housed in a bullet casing. It's exactly the right piece to edge up any outfit, and it's incredibly unique. It's a great conversation starter, and it goes with everything.

The Michael Kors watch was an amazing find. When thrifting in Denton, Texas, I spied this beauty in the case. I am sure that someone accidentally gave this to Goodwill (theories: maybe it was in a purse that was donated or maybe an ex-boyfriend dumped off a box of his former girlfriend's stuff). I have to tell you that I go about thrifting in a new way now; I only buy things that are on my seasonal wants list (in the past I had the tendency to buy the whole darn thrift store, unable to pass up such great deals!). A giant gold watch was on my list, of course inspired by the Michael Kors watch that I've been spying online. It's the real deal, folks, and is still available at ShopBop. Kelly and Kristina wore theirs this week. At first I gulped at the $40 price tag, but after checking the retail price online and seeing that the watch was in perfect condition, I quickly hunkered down the cash. I'm so glad I did.

[Lulu*s and The Jasmine Gallery are Adored Austin partners]

SXSW talky talk: Trust me, I'm an expert.

A couple months ago, I about fell out of my chair when I got an email from SXSW asking me to speak on fashion blogging. In a way, I felt like an impostor. Me speak on fashion blogging? Don't they know that Jane and Judy live here in Texas? Or that Kelly comes back home every SXSW? Or that Kendi is just up the road in Kerrville? There are many other fashion bloggers with much bigger audiences, but I was honored to be asked and jumped at the chance.

By no means do I think I am the end all expert voice on fashion blogging. In fact, I don't even consider Adored Austin a fashion blog (I call it a "personal, self-style and local lifestyle blog"). I don't make a ton of money from doing my blog and I don't know if the way I do things should be the way that everyone should do things. But, nonetheless, I did just helm the Texas Style Council Conference, and I do work closely with a lot of brands and shops and have insight on how brands and bloggers can work together effectively. Plus I really like public speaking, even if I'm not a rock star at it, yet.

A quote of mine was tweeted and retweeted, so I thought I'd share it with you so you could get an idea of how my discussion went down:

Audience question: What do you do if you are approached by a company to push a product that you don't particularly like?
My answer: I wouldn't. I can't. My readers would call me out on it. For instance, I could never wear...
[and this is where I stalled. I was trying to think of something I wouldn't wear... fur? No. I wear fur. Leather? No. I wear leather...]
-- uh, I would never wear a coat made of cheeseburgers. No wait! That sounds awesome!"

For the record I would wear a cheeseburger coat. Longtime readers know that I love me some cheeseburgers!

Alas, I did not wear a cheeseburger coat. Instead, I kept is classy in a maxi:



date: 14 March 11 | occasion: SXSW presentation
dress: Lulu*s | belt: Buffalo Exchange | sandals: Savers | bag: Epiphanie

I was excited that Turi and Natasha from ModCloth, Andrew from Portable.tv, Caroline from Lucky Magazine, and Naomi from Teen Vogue were in attendance. The room was almost full, and everyone looked really great and added a lot to the discussion. I could get used to this speaking thing.

In other news, I should consider finding a cheeseburger sponsor for Adored Austin...

What I've been wearing

I'm going to be slammed busy with StyleX and SXSW commitments until Saturday, and I've created quite a back log of outfit posts. I'll start recapping the Texas Style Council tomorrow! In the meantime, here's a glimpse at what I've been wearing.
Friday night Swap.com clothing swap:
dress: Lulu*s | denim jacket: Langford Market | boots: Steve Madden | tote: Wikifashion | watch: TIKKR
Saturday day Go Game scavenger hunt:
romper: Lulu*s | wedges: Franco Sarto | watch: TIKKR
Saturday night Bo Concept party:
dress: thrifted Kate Moss for Top Shop (BX) | cami: Tara Jarmon for Target | wedges: Wanted
Sunday Style and Social Media Symposium at Ballet Austin:
blouse: Strut | shorts: Strut | bag: Le Mode | boots: Wanted | watch: TIKKR
Monday talk/ presentation at SXSW:
maxi: Lulu*s | belt: vintage, thrifted (BX) | sandals: thrifted (Savers) | camera/ laptop bag: Epiphanie Bags
Tuesday lunch at Takoba with BurdaStyle:
tunic: American Apparel | jeans: swapped | wedges: Wanted | necklace: Accessorize | watch: TIKKR
Wednesday breakfast mixer at The W with The Glamourai (missed it due to terrible traffic):
maxi: Lulu*s | belt: Target | sandals: thrifted (Savers) | necklace: The Jasmine Gallery | clutch: Louis Vuitton | watch: thrifted, Michael Kors

Here's a sneak peak at what I'm wearing on Saturday's StyleX panel:

I used my 20% TxSCC coupon at Plain Ivey Jane (discount good until the 20th, y'all!) and I was given an adorable shrug from my new friend Holly at Peacock Plume. I'm not sure they go together, but ima gonna make it work.

Detail shots of the previous outfits and recaps of my days coming soon! I also owe you a review on/ interview with Epiphanie Bags and a little post about the Le Mode Accessories traveling bag that I got from Kendi. Thanks for your sweet patience with me, y'all.

What are you doing tomorrow?

Oh, nothing. Just doing brunch at the W Hotel with The Glamourai...

She dropped by Ballet Austin on Sunday for the Texas Style Council Conference, and I was invited to the brunch she's hosting at the W tomorrow. Then on Saturday we'll be on panel together during StyleX.

She's like a Disney Princess, y'all. People are constantly snapping her photo and smiling at her in awe. I'm like the Disney popcorn peddler in the background, but because I might get caught in the line of her fans' photography fire, I should probably wash and brush my hair the next time I'm within photo range.

My outfit from Sunday:
shorts & blouse gift from Strut.
Boots gift from Wanted (cream sold out).

HELP!

Hi! I miss you! I miss you SO HARD.

I did this to you last year during SXSW. I really need someone to tell me how I can blog during the madness of SXSW, The Texas Style Council Conference, and StyleX. I am trying to convince Chris that an iPad is the solution. (Back me up on this, okay?)

To help me with the insanity that is my life, I got an intern!

Photo by official TxSCC photographer
Nathan Russell
Photo taken at our Bo Concept party

You guys! She is the dream intern and she is ONLY FIFTEEN. She writes a fashion column for her high school paper, and she is smart and funny and an absolute joy to work with. She remembers where I put my keys, she reminds me to eat when I get too busy, and in four days she has become an essential part of my life. You see, I have the tendency to bite off more than I can chew, so Rachel is here to help me digest some of that. (Ew. That was a creepy analogy, wasn't it?). Anyway...

I have so much to say about the wonderfulness of this weekend, but alas, a cookie cake from The Great American Cookie company is calling my name. And so is my bed.

If you missed my talk at SXSW today, I'll be speaking at StyleX on Saturday. In the meantime, please say hello to Rachel!

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!

SXSW 2011

I'm as pleased as punch!

Why? Well, because Katy from Kansas Couture and Kyla from Blue Collar Catwalk are coming to the Texas Style Council Conference!

And something else that makes me happy? I've been asked to lead a Core Conversation at SXSW on fashion blogging!

Date: 19 January 2011 | occasion: vet visit, quiet dinner at home
dress: thrifted vintage via Savers | shoes: thrifted Nine West via Savers | belt: Buffalo Exchange new merch

I'm going to speak about the brand/ blogger dynamic and my main love: how blog writers can connect with their readers in person. I don't consider myself an expert by any means, but I do know what works for me. And I think I'm funny. I'm honored that SXSW asked me to speak. If you have an extra $675, oh, I don't know, laying around in your couch cushions, you can get your SXSW badge here. Now what ever should I wear?