I've been writing since I was a kid and writing about fashion through various publications for years now. But when it comes to hosting my own online presence, I'm still the new kid on the blog.
God has brought some of the coolest, kindest, sharpest people into my network. These talented souls impart wisdom, treat my opinion with the same respect as more seasoned bloggers, and entertain my endless list of questions ranging from big picture musings to technical ins-and-outs to absolute minutiae.
They also encourage me, which I have to say I value SO much in this uncertain time as I take my first unsteady baby steps as a style and mom blogger. Their encouragement helps me gain confidence in my abilities, and my friends prove time and again that they are always there to share the good that they see and help me navigate unfamiliar territory.
...And, they also take pictures of me, bless 'em!
Pretty soon I hope to set myself up with a tripod and a remote so I can gain some independence with my blog-tography, but oh, how grateful I am for Tonya, Josh, and Hatton for snapping pictures of me in this summer heat. Because it isn't just snapping a picture. It's a bunch of pictures. Artfully please. And on my good side, if you don't mind.
As a person who hates to bother or impose on people for help, I have sure learned interdependence and humility in this new season of life as a blogger.
Tonight was a great night spent with my blogger friends Lauren James of The Olive Shoe and Hatton Gravely of Fresh Mom, both bloggers and creatives who have been an inspiration to me, especially in the last six months.
Lauren, a fellow Socastee Brave, is a Jill of all creative trades and specializes in custom invitations, stationery and gifts, and creative consulting services. Just a few months ago, Lauren with the wiggle of her nose, rearranged the clouds in the sky so I could see the light of a vision for my blogger life that I hadn't been able to see just moments before. She's good at that.
And Hatton, who I thankfully inherited as a friend by way of our husbands, gave me all the technical details, motivation, and emotional support that I needed to get my blog off the ground. Hatton is deeply funny, no-nonsense, and highly empathetic. She's the friend who gets mad for you when injustice has been served. Her blog is peppered with useful mom/family/kids/style content that gets right down to the meat and potatoes because she gets busy working moms.
These ladies are some of the best people to know, and I had the joy of introducing them to each other when I heard that they were both going to attend the Blog Her conference in Orlando. Turns out, Lauren's mom and Hatton's mom-in-law attend the same book club that's been happening for 30 years! Lauren and Hatton's lives were destined to intersect, and our meet-up today to share the latest in our blog-spiration sounded like convo between lifelong friends... who all just happen to be bloggers. You know you're in the presence of your tribe when conversation is constructive and to the point, when implications and nuances are understood without need of framing or backstory.
On the way to our Power Hour, I snapped this selfie, excited to show off my new top from my fashion entrepreneur friend Jackie at Tartan Lane, and asked Hatton if she minded taking a "quick picture" of me to post. You'll see from the shots below that she of course went well beyond the casual cell phone picture, and in the span of 90-seconds, captured some pretty late day light on Howard Ave with her favorite camera.
A busy day of errands and working on baby shower planning (for my sister in law) meant that time ran short for me to wash my hair, so I donned a lemon-print silk scarf to cover my dirty strands. Josh called it my "little 70s hat," which tickled me. As I wrote this, I looked up head scarves and discovered that each decade has its own spin (and tutorial) on how to tie a scarf. Probably because hair-washing takes time, as we all know, and well, I spent my time today at Hobby Lobby instead of lather-rinse-repeating. ;) Seeing how every decade has adopted the head scarf trend gave me added confidence that yes, we can and should embrace head scarves more. I can see where a lot of us might find the look a smidge intimidating but how can you resist the allure of extending the life of your blowout and adding more color or pattern to your look?
I didn't even realize that Hatton was snapping pictures because she worked so quickly, plus I was completely distracted by the horse-drawn carriage that was klop-klopping down the street. It gave our beachy town a nice upscale feel, even as it rolled past the sound of Team Trivia kicking off.
For the evening to have been really muggy, I stayed comfortable in my air-conditioned top. The embroidered floral shoulders are such a romantic and beautiful detail but also a practical one since it makes for a well-ventilated top! The blue striped fabric (comes in pink stripes too) is really lightweight. Thin but not immodest.
The streamer detail on the sleeves is not only cute but provides yet another option to let the heat escape your body. And let's state the obvious: the streamers make you feel like you did as a girl when your bicycle handles fluttered in the breeze. I totally let my streamers fly in the arctic blast of air conditioning as I drove home.
Also, here's my Tartan Lane scalloped clutch. The initials might be my monogram or they might stand for Sara Wise Style. ;) The clutch comes in white, gold, red, and green. $18 plain, $25 monogrammed. My friend Diane Dale recently won a clutch in the giveaway I co-hosted with Tartan Lane, and she chose gold with chocolate embroidery. It is so elegant! Since I tend toward bright colors, I wouldn't have thought to choose brown embroidery, and the combo has me sold for fall.
This top is really nursing-friendly for any of my breastfeeding mamas. Nursing or not, if you need a new strapless bra, I've got on the best one I've ever owned underneath this top. Convertible, wide band (FOUR eye hooks to hold it in place) Here's the link to shop it: http://www.shopstyle.com/collective/stylishasamother/42892565
Here's the selfie I snapped the other day so you can see how versatile this top is. Just look at how nicely it plays with pineapples! ;)
I can't wait for the three blogger babes to reconvene in October when Lauren is back in town (she lives in Greenville, SC). We shared some delicious appetizers and some enticing ideas for future collaborations that I think you'll love. Stay tuned to hear more about some new must-haves for ya from The Olive Shoe. In the meantime, "keep smiling... keep shining..."
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