weekend recap: the poconos

Oof, what a WEEKEND, folks. I just got back into town last night after spending the last 3 days in the Poconos with three of my best friends. A little recap, shall we?

That's beautiful Lake Naomi! Even though the forecast was horrendous, we lucked out and had exceptional (albeit HOT) weather all weekend.

Isn't it dreamy? We spent much of the day on Saturday and Monday paddling around the Lake in the canoe. We left our phones on the shore and it was so nice to have true face to face conversations.

// sunglasses // H&M bathing suit (old but similar here, it's so flattering!) // shorts //

On Sunday, we drove 3 hours to Naples, NY and saw our friend Liz in Bristol Valley Theater's production of Rent. She was phenomenal, and we were able to sneak in a little photoshoot after the show.

Friends, I wore these clogs (these are cute, too) all weekend (save for yesterday when I had the worst hangover of my life and spent the day whining and wandering around the yard / house barefoot), and they are the perfect example of a simple way to elevate an otherwise "simple" outfit. They're nude, so they lengthen the leg, and a add a little bit of height, which feels and looks fancy. But they're clogs, so they're incredibly comfortable. It felt great to wear them all weekend.

And that, my friends, is all I've got for you today.

xoxo,

introducing: bisou sessions

Friends, I am so excited to announce a project that has been in the works for MONTHS!

Some back story: in January of this year, my friend Victoria asked me to be a part of a boudoir shoot extravaganza. We were to do an all day shoot of back-to-back sessions, with a carefully curated set and props by the insanely talented Maddie of Oh My Gemini.

Well, the shoot went so well (remember this Instagram?), that we discussed doing it again, and decided that we wanted to KEEP doing it as long as inspiring, lovely ladies wanted to work with us.

So, with much love and a lot of hard work, we've launched Bisou Sessions, a super special boutique boudoir experience for women.

This is not just for brides to be. These aren't only pictures for your boyfriend or your wedding gift; these are for you. This experience is for you.

I'll admit, I've always had reservations about having boudoir pictures taken. I'm so self conscious about my body (my wrinkles, my pale skin, the list goes on), I'm not sure I could go through with it. But when we did our first day of sessions back in January, and I witnessed these immensely beautiful women confidently face the camera, I was sold. The experience was so empowering, so girl power, girl's girl love, and I cannot wait to continue to be inspired by the women we work with. We hope to work with you!

Do me a favor today and click through to read more about what we're offering. If you're interested in booking, email us at kiss AT bisousessions DOT com.Thanks, as always, for your support!

bisous,

all images by Victoria Gloria.

set and prop styling by Madeline Rhodes.

wardrobe styling by yours truly.

a style manifesto.

Good morning! We've talked before about how our closets tell us so much about our style, even more than we can probably put into words if asked. This tickles me, but it's also troubling considering the fact that we very likely have no idea what's really in our closets, meaning maybe we don't know our own style selves.

I like to think my style is a little edgy, a little masculine, comfy and pretty basic. I think that might be because, after years and years of pretending to fit into different trends, I'm starting to accept my style for what it is, and my shopping habits reflect that. Repeat: years and years.

Friends, I feel sad when I hear my clients tell me that an item in their closet stays because they feel like they should own it. That is the silliest logic! Just because something looks right on others doesn't mean it deserves a place in our closet. I love the way Taylor Swift looks in coordinates, but that's just not me, so I'm not going to go there.

Find your style and own it. While trying new styles and pieces is wonderful, it's what you're wearing on your back every day that visually defines you to the world at large. If you take a step back and decide you don't like what you're working with, then you can start to make that slow change.

In 2011, I decided that I wanted to put more effort into what I wore. I theorized that it would make me feel better, and I was absolutely right. A slow change started to happen; I spent more time accessorizing, I became thoughtful about pieces I bought, I tried everything and determined (of my own accord) what looked best.

Looking through my closet now, there's a much clearer sense of my style than ever before, and it all started 4 years ago when I decided to just be maself.

Does any of this make sense? I took half of an Ambien at 3am because I couldn't sleep, so who knows what planet I'm on right now. Till tomorrow!

xoxo,

photo by Ashley Caroline.

weekend recap + site updates

Hi friends! If you had a fruitful weekend, I feel your pain. Let's continue to bask in the memories for a second, shall we?

I had one of the best weekends. A matinee viewing of Magic Mike with my best friend, long, drunk brunch, rooftop drinks, fireworks on (literally, on) the FDR, and a long hike with Charlie and Raven yesterday. It felt like the perfect weekend, and from what I see on social media, I wasn't alone in my sentiments. Here's hoping your weekend was wonderful.

If you haven't already, peep the "my services" section up over there on the right. I consolidated things a bit, and you can head there to see my portfolio, testimonials, and email for inquiries. It took me hours to get it right, but I felt like my previous page was lacking a little bit, so hopefully this feels streamlined and generally better.

And please reach out if you'd like to work together! As you can probably tell, I get really into it.

Happy Monday!

xoxo,

style stories 1

Friends, I apologize for being MIA this week. Between day job and fun, I was burning the candle at both ends, and I am exhausted, uninspired, and a little burnt out. Which means it's the perfect time to launch my new video series: STYLE STORIES! Our first guest is one of my best friends, Courtney Romano. Please check out the video below and let me know what you think!

ps - if you would like to be interviewed for Style Stories, email me at allie@littleredswell.com.

xoxo,