#SCCon18 : Secrets To Running a Successful Blog and Building A Blog Community

May 8, 2018

Growing up with many female influences in my personal life has generally made me gravitate towards smart, creative, and interesting women as a whole. Joining the Style Collective was one of those no brainer decisions I made after watching founder, Annie Spano, week after week hustle as hard to achieve her dream as I was to achieve mine. I knew that being around her energy would rub off on me. She not only recruited me, but many like me. These women were like minded motivated females all trying to change their story.

When the Style Collective announced that it would be having its first conference I dare say I was the first to register. I was thrilled at the prospect of being around other women, mothers, and bloggers that were all trying to navigate a new industry that allows women to authentically share themselves with the world.

Last month we all met up in the beautiful Cannon Room in the heart of Raleigh. NC! A beautiful space that inspired and enthused us. The agenda was filled with women that I wanted to hear and learn from and best of all, they were willing to share! Among many highlights from the conference, here are my top three.

The Venue

The Cannon Room was named after the first female Mayor of Raleigh, Isabell Cannon. With that as a backdrop it was just the perfect vibe and space, intimate yet spacious and generously lit with its large windows. It made for an inviting space that made us want to network in. Lucky for us, this room has already been booked for next years conference!

The Influencer Panel

With our blog, we try to be open and honest about our journey as women and as mothers. At the conference, we were lucky enough to hear from mother to be Holly of @MakeTodayAHollyDay, Courtney of @CourtEInk, and Keke of @StyleYourSelfie and they were wonderful! Each shared their story, journey, and ideas generously with all of us. I recall chatting with Holly and discussing giveaway ideas! I really appreciated that!

The Agenda

Generally we had a lot of information that we needed to cover during sessions, so by Sunday afternoon we were tired. The agenda, however, anticipated that we would need creative breaks. We had the chance to play in a live photo booth and network in a beautiful corner space. The agenda also included a cocktail hour on Saturday night and a trolley ride surprise on Sunday! Everything had been thought out and considered. The team at Style Collective did an amazing job putting it all together (Thank You!).

I, along with my fellow chicks, am truly grateful for the camaraderie and the learning and I am looking forward to next year. Here is a peek at all the fun!

Your Chick,

Rina Puri

Shop all the cutest looks from the weekend!

Lifestyle, Motherhood

Dear Mom, You Kept Us Close To Your Heart When You Did This

May 2, 2018

There is not a day that goes by without the thought that everything I do and feel for my children, my Mom most likely felt for me at some point. It is such an overwhelming realization when you squeeze your child and smother them with kisses to know that the intensity of that moment was once felt towards me by my own mother.

Small Gestures and The Circle of Life

As I look back, and appreciate, all the “little things“ my mom did for my siblings and I, the one “thing” that stands out was when she would reach back and grab my hand while driving. It was the smallest gesture that literally meant the world to me! I am tearing up as I am writing this because I’ve carried this tradition on with my own children. It wasn’t always fun and games with my Mom. Just like most mothers, there were good days and there were bad bad days, but every time my mom would reach back for my hand, it was our reminder that she, and I, were going to be okay. I can feel that same energy when I reach back for my own children’s hands.

Let’s be honest chicks, the reality is that one day our kids will grow up, go to school, get married and then settle into lives of their own. With each stepping stone in life, a Mom begins to miss their child a just little more. I recall how hard the first day of school was for me, I can only imagine what an emotional mess I will be when they move out.

Keep The Kids Close To Your Heart

For Mother’s Day I wanted to find a way to be with my kids all the time and I came across a personalized collection by Landon Lacey jewelry. I love the idea of keeping my kids close to my heart when they are away at school by wearing this adorable necklace. The necklaces from Landon Lacey look good when layered or make a statement all by themselves.

The designers at Landon Lacey jewelry also use their pieces to inspire adventure by weaving travels of their own into each piece. These Chicago based ladies hand make all their jewelry and are super affordable (the set I am wearing is on sale for less than $20 right now and it is 14k gold)! They even use colors and stones from around the world to inspire their customers. Their minimalist designs make the perfect addition to any event day or night. I am personally obsessing over my kids first initials on this necklace.

To all the Mothers out there – you are amazing, you can do anything, and you will find a way to do it right. Don’t second guess yourself, trust your instincts, and always believe that the glass is half full. I’m hopeful that the little “things” that I have carried on from my Mom will be just as meaningful to my kids.

Happy Mother’s Day to you all! Keep your kids close to your heart this Mother’s Day with these adorable personalized pieces!

Your chick,

Sonia

**Thank you Landon Lacey for this beautiful and heartfelt collaboration.**

Fashion

Wow At Every Event and Rock 1 Outfit 3 Ways

April 25, 2018

With florals literally EVERYWHERE this season, I stepped out of my comfort zone and scooped up this fun outfit! Come on ladies, Hillary Clinton can’t be the only one to rock a pant suit! What I love most about this outfit was that I was able to wear it more than one way. I’ve rocked it three ways so you can see how to maximize on one outfit!

If I must say so myself, this set from Akira is AH-mazing. For those of you who don’t know, Akira is a Chicago based boutique that has several locations all over the city and suburbs! This store truly has something for everyone – you just have to dig it out 🙂

Getting More Out of the Outfit

The set I am wearing is a size small jacket paired with a medium pant. You can wear the set with both the blazer and pants, or the pants with bodysuit, or just the blazer with jeans….it’s truly up to your imagination! Additionally, you can dress it up with stilettos or down with sneakers. Wearing something you feel good in makes it easy to find creative ways to wear something multiple ways! When I picked this up, I realized the entire outfit cost me around $140, but was worth every penny given that I could be worn 3 ways.

Hope you love this floral piece as much as I did! To shop this look or others, check us out on @liketoknow.it and see what other outfits might fit your fancy!

Your chick

Sonia

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Fashion

Birds Of A Feather Flock Together or In This Case Dance Together

April 20, 2018

In the famous words of P Diddy & Co. “Shake Ya Tail feather!” The ladies of Chicks And Salsa certainty did just that this past weekend. We not only shook it, but also rocked the scene in downtown Raleigh during the Style Collective conference! I can’t tell you how many times we were stopped about our feathered look while exploring Raleigh’s culinary scene.

The Look

A little about our look…when I first saw this feathered shirt, I was SOLD! I wanted to make a statement while exploring on my off time from the conference…I did this by adding a few simple touches to tie my look together.

I dressed my top with a pop of color thanks to my high-waisted rust mini skirt. Though the skirt is currently unavailable, I linked a few other options that would work just as well. Rina simply added a sexy sheer bodysuit to her skirt and a Gucci belt bag to the ensemble. The results on both looks were feminine yet bold!

Shop The Feathers:

Why Feathers?

For years feather pieces have always had a touch of retro glamour and sophistication to them. I’ve found that feathers are a cross between fab costume & sexy fashion forward style….the way they just dance and move with a hint of wind is just SEXY. It’s like wearing a trend with its own personality…Like us Chicks!

Right now my feather top is a steal for just $30 and Rina’s feather skirt is an affordable $24 (she is wearing a size large). If wearing feathers doesn’t fit your fancy, then just throw on a pair of earrings or heels (or both…also listed in our link) and that will complete your look!

So choose your flock and tail feathers and fly!

(Left to Right: Rina, Coutrney of Fab, Fierce, and Fabulous, Me (Avani), Stephanie of TheBorrowedBabes, and Sonia)

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