Lifestyle Archives - Sassy Southern Blonde

Life Update: I MOVED! :)

October 8, 2019

I’m thrilled to officially share that I moved to Jackson on Thursday! (Mississippi if you need further clarification lol) I had been wanting to tell y’all for months, but I knew as soon as I did, something would backfire! So I decided to wait until it actually happened, and I semi settled into my new apartment! A few of you sent messages asking if I was because I started sharing way more home decor, which I thought was pretty funny. Hahah! That’s the thing I’m most excited about is designing the space and decorating for the holidays! I can’t wait to get a Christmas tree up in the living room! 🙂

You might be wondering the reason why I moved, and several factors weighed in on my decision! Of course I would have loved to go someplace like Nashville or Dallas, but Mississippi is home! Not to mention, a lot of my friends and some family are here. It’s only an hour and a half from Laurel (my hometown), so it’s easy to make a day trip if I need to! Like meeting up with my mom to take photos. One day, I’m hiring her to be my personal assistant I swear! Hahaha.

Anyways, most of you know I moved back to Laurel after graduating college, which was NOT planned! I had interviewed and received a job offer in Birmingham, but I knew that wasn’t what I wanted to do. I made the decision to go home and work on growing Sassy Southern Blonde, which has paid off in ways I never could have imagined! My mom was my biggest cheerleader through it all though, and she believed in me enough to let me try this whole blogging thing out when I wasn’t making any money.

With all of that being said, staying in Laurel forever was never my plan either! After a year and a half post college, I finally felt ready (financially and mentally lol) to take the next step and move out! I’m actually living with my college friend Lauren, and I love it. When my parents and brother moved me in, it was like they were dropping me off for freshman year all over again! Lol. It still hasn’t actually hit me that I’ve moved, but it never did then either! I guess I’m good at adapting to change? At least in certain situations… Hahaha.

I am SO excited and ready for this new chapter, and I want to thank y’all for always being so kind and encouraging with everything I do! The success I’ve found with blogging is only because of y’all. There’s no way to adequately express how much it means when you read a blog post, buy something through my link, or just send a sweet DM! This journey might have started two years ago, but it’s only just begun! 🙂

PS: Stay tuned for ALL the home decor coming your way! Until then, shop everything on my home decor page!

XOXO

Kels

NYFW 101 + 8 Tips For Attending :)

September 15, 2019

PART 1

Several of y’all asked how I was able to go to NYFW and the process I went through to make it happen! I know it’s kind of surprising, but anyone can attend. I will say it’s easier for people with jobs in the fashion industry! Finding invites to all the events is the trickiest part, though! The group of girls I went with brainstormed and researched for months to prepare accordingly. We created our schedule based on the brands we work with, want to work with in the future, PR companies who send us products, and fashion shows happening on the days we were in town! Flying in on Thursday afternoon made it difficult to schedule meetings with showrooms/PR companies because we only had Friday. (Most are closed on the weekends) Next year, I want to arrive on Wednesday so I can have two full days to meet with brands! We definitely overextended ourselves this year! But it’s okay because we still had an amazing time and made it work!

Another common question asked was if the trip was sponsored, and it wasn’t at all! I paid for my hotel, flight, Ubers, etc. Although expensive, the experience and networking made it worthwhile for me along with seeing my blogger friends from all over the country! 🙂

As far as invites go, some brands will email you directly to invite you a few weeks prior, but most require you pitching yourself to score a spot on the guest list! I still don’t know how I found half the contacts I did on the World Wide Web, but it was very beneficial! Only one fashion show couldn’t get us in because they were full! I do wish I would have emailed more brands with fashion shows going on. I’d love to attend several next year! I will share my NYFW schedule in the next blog post with outfit details, but today I wanted to tell you guys some tips that I found helpful or wish I would have known!

-Create a dream list of brands/fashion shows/PR companies you want to connect with

-Give yourself enough time between meetings and shows so you aren’t late

-Wear comfortable shoes or bring a cute bag to put them in

-Step outside your comfort zone with your outfits

-Travel with a group of girls you are comfortable with/have similar schedules

-Book your hotel/flight 1-2 months prior because prices will only increase

-Start emailing brands at least 1 month prior so spots aren’t full

-Don’t get discouraged if you aren’t able to meet with every brand or if people never email you back! You’re going to hear no a lot more than you’ll hear yes, but that’s okay! 🙂

PART 2

And here were other questions asked that I wanted to include at the end lol:

Q: What are some new trends you loved?

A: So this NYFW was technically for Spring 2020, but I will list the fun Fall trends I loved since that season is the one approaching! My favorites were snakeskin print (obviously), suit sets, PUFF SLEEVES (favorite one), satin, plaid, and fun feathers!

Q: Which celebrities did you see?

A: I personally noticed way more Housewives/reality tv stars than anyone else, but that was quite alright! (I’m a reality tv junkie lol) We saw Melissa Gorga (RHONJ) at the Victoria’s Secret party, Stephanie Hollman (RHOD) at a PR showroom, Paige DeSorbo (Summer House on Bravo), Sofia Richie and Victoria Justice all at Rebecca Minkoff! I’m sure there were more, but these are the main ones I remember! Haha.

Q: Do you have a New York City travel guide?

A: YES! I went last Christmas with my mom, so we did a lot more tourist things than I did at NYFW! Linking the travel guide HERE!

PS: My next blog post will be recapping outfit details from NYFW, so stay tuned for that coming later this week! 🙂

XOXO

Kels

PALM SPRINGS RECAP

June 25, 2019

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Somehow I managed to visit Palm Springs twice in 3 months, so I’m recapping my second trip today! (My first PS trip is HERE) I definitely recommend going in the Spring vs Summer because the desert heat is no joke if you’re not used to it. We would wake up early to shoot before it was too hot, but we still managed to catch the 110 degree temps! Karli, Kelsey, and I flew into LAX and drove over on Thursday. Looking back, I’d probably spend the extra money to fly directly into Palm Spring’s airport! LA traffic is the worst, so an hour and a half trip to the desert can quickly turn into 3 hours+ as we found out. Lol!

We collaborated with Acme House Company, which I highly suggest using if you’re heading to Palm Springs! Half the group stayed in The Kirk Douglas House and the other half stayed in the For The Record House. Both were beautifully designed and had that classic Palm Springs touch! Acme House Company was amazing to partner with, and they always went above and beyond for us. I’ll link their website HERE so you can find out all the details about them! And if you’re a pink fan like me, their Pretty In Pink House is a MUST 🙂

My favorite part of the trip was a last minute idea that actually came into fruition! The girls who flew into LA decided to leave Palm Springs early Monday morning, so we could have lunch at The Beverly Hills Hotel before our flights. We made reservations the day before and had such a perfect lunch with overpriced, yet delicious avocado toast! This is a hot spot you have to visit for the memories. Plus it’s super Instagrammable as you can see above! I’m going to leave my favorite places we ate at and favorite photo spots below!

PLACES TO EAT: The Broken Yolk, Eight4Nine, Azucar, Norma’s, The Pink Cabana, Cheeky’s, Smokin’ Burgers

PLACES FOR PHOTOS: The Parker Hotel, The Saguaro Hotel, Neighborhoods, Hotel California

XOXO

Kels

RELAXING DAY AT SOUL SPA IN JACKSON

June 5, 2019

Self-care is SO important and my absolute favorite way to regroup and unwind is at the spa! Between the soothing atmosphere and the luxurious amenities, my top choice is definitely Soul Spa at the Westin in Jackson, Mississippi. Yall, this place is top notch as you can see in the photos! No detail is overlooked, and you’re guaranteed to leave with a smile! (A relaxing one at that, lol!)

When I hit the future jackpot, I want my bathroom to look exactly like the locker rooms at Soul Spa. The showers alone are worth the trip! I stayed in here entirely too long just taking in the pretty decor. There’s also a sauna you don’t want to miss!

I am obsessed with anything that resembles marble, clearly!

After I stopped gawking at the locker room, I headed to the relaxation room with the comfy chairs, cozy blankets, and the table of snacks! I love that you can also order food or drinks while you’re lounging. Give me all the mimosas, please! 🙂

I forgot my swimsuit, but I did put my feet in the hot tub for a bit! The weather wasn’t too hot this day, which is a nice change from the typical Mississippi heat! I’ll definitely remember to pack it next time, so I can take full advantage of the patio area!

I had such a wonderful experience at Soul Spa, and I can’t wait to schedule my next visit! If you aren’t interested in their services, you can also purchase a $35 day pass to access the amenities! Soul Spa has an indoor heated pool and a nice gym area included in this deal. I usually skip working out, but hey, it’s an option for my fitness gals! Whether you live near Jackson or planning a visit soon, Soul Spa is a great spot to go! Check out their website HERE with more details on their amenities, services, and products. Remember, Jackson doesn’t have to be your city for you to enjoy it! It’s for everyone! 🙂

XOXO

Kels

*Special thank you to MWB for sponsoring today’s post. All opinions are my own!*

A Letter To My 23 Year Old Self..

May 3, 2019

DRESS | HEELS | HAIR CLIP | INITIAL NECKLACE | ROUND NECKLACE

Dear Kelsie,

Gosh. You’re 24 today! You swore you would stay 21 forever, but I guess you finally figured out that wasn’t possible! It’s okay though because the best years are yet to come, at least that’s what they tell you! 🙂 Although 23 is now behind you, you learned more about yourself this year than any of the others to date. You worked tirelessly to turn a fun hobby into a real job that you continue to pour your heart and soul into! You actually applied what you learned in those college business classes to YOUR business. Something you have built from the ground up, and now you’re so proud of this little space on the internet that you get to call yours! You also met some amazing new friends that you never would have known had it not been for blogging. These girls are the real deal, and their friendships couldn’t have come at a better time! They didn’t realize the impact they had on your life, but you did!

After letting go of things that were never yours in the first place, you made the decision to focus on yourself and stop trying to find a man to save you. This was such a defining moment for you in year 23! The make-believe and fairytales were nice for a while, but they weren’t real! You never needed a guy, but you had to figure that out on your own! You were capable of so much more than you ever realized. And maybe you wasted more time than you would have liked on boys who didn’t matter, but they were lessons learned. The tears and the heartbreaks made you stronger! Your heart may be guarded now, but you realized it’s better that way.

You learned that everything will ALWAYS fall into place regardless of the circumstances. God’s plan for your life will prevail, and you have found peace in that. You stopped worrying about the situations that were beyond your control, and you just embraced the cards you were handed. It didn’t always make sense, and it didn’t always seem fair, but life never is. You just had to close some chapters and move forward to the new ones! Looking back only hindered you from the wonderful things that were ahead. You learned to truly appreciate the good friends in your life because they are far and few between! It’s important to make time for the people who made time for you.

You fully understood what it meant to love yourself before anyone else could. You figured out how worthy you really were, and you embraced your confidence! You never gave up on your dreams, and they’re finally coming into fruition. You stopped letting others dull your sparkle, and you stopped settling for less than you deserve both professionally and personally! In fact, settling isn’t even in your vocabulary anymore. Because that’s something you’ll never do again! Year 23 might be behind you now, but it served a purpose greater than you realized. It was a year filled with life lessons both good and bad! But those moments have helped shape you into the person you are today! So cheers to 24! May it be the best year yet 🙂