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“Nothing worth having comes easy,” is what they say. That said, the impatient part of me can’t help but feel as though I will never reach the level of success I am striving so hard for. So what does one do? “Never give up,” is what they say, but being terrified of failure and disappointment sometimes distracts me from my goals. So, now what? ‘”Good things come to those who wait,” is what they say, yet at this point the frustration is unbearable. As a creative, it becomes draining when you begin to feel as though your efforts are never being recognized and appreciated in the way that you think they should; but then you realize why you started. I started my blog to give myself and others an outlet that can provide positive inspiration and hopefully fairly useful information on a topic that I am passionate about. That being said, I am also human; and trying to thrive in an over-saturated, highly competitive industry can sometimes breed feelings of insecurity and doubt. I heard an individual say once, “In order to be successful, you must learn from your peers and compete only with yourself.” That stuck with me because a lot of times, especially in the age of social media, it’s easy to get thrown off your course by following someone else’s progression and losing sight of your own. Coming into the second year of running A Styled Mind, I can proudly say that I have learned so much and grown in ways that I never could have predicted; all from doing something that I love. While I continue to be a work in progress, I will remain focused and optimistic about my blogging journey and appreciate all of the checkpoints (no matter how minuscule they seem, lol) along the way. Because like they say, “if everything came easy, there would be nothing to appreciate;” right? Until next time!

I must say, staying chic during the Winter is definitely not always an easy task, but with eye-caching outerwear and footwear one can easily make a statement while staying warm. When I typically think of “Winter booties,” I usually imagine chunky heels and grips. This season however, I’ve been drawn to more formal footwear with stiletto-type heels. Click the images below to shop my picks and wear on ice at your own risk. 😉 Until next time!

Today I felt compelled to write, and with the start of the new year, what would be a better topic to tackle than resolutions?! Whether you love them, hate them, plan to stick to them, or don’t even bother, in some form or another I think we all subconsciously set “resolutions” or goals for ourselves at the beginning of each year. Since I can only speak for myself here, I figured I’d disclose some of my resolutions and how I personally felt about them. For starters, I am definitely challenging myself to save more this year than I ever probably have in life (lol). I have always been responsible with money and have managed a savings account since I first began to learn about banking and personal finances, but with this year being my quarter century milestone, I feel more compelled than ever to really start putting more away for the future. Ironically, that brings me to my next resolution which is to live in the moment! As cliche as this one is, it’s something that I’ve always struggled with. Because I am a planner and quite the go-getter when I have my heart set on something, I tend to become a bit of a control freak instead of just letting things manifest naturally. To be honest, this hasn’t always worked as a disadvantage, but I’m now finding out more frequently that the more time I spend dwelling on the future and what hasn’t happened yet, the more time I miss enjoying the fruits of my labor. Of all of my resolutions, this one will definitely be the hardest to tackle but hey, I’m a work in progress! Lastly, I have decided to maintain an overall sense of focus, positivity, and faith this year. For me, remembering these key things will help me to stay sane in the midst of everything that is bound to go wrong in 2017. Let’s face it, life is full of ups and downs and no matter how much we try to avoid the negative it’s inevitable. With these 3 things in the front of my mind though, I know I will be able to get through anything that this year throws at me..I hope. Lol. I think this is the first year that I am avidly, participating in creating resolutions with the intention of seriously sticking to them. I’m excited for what this year has in store, and the new opportunities and memories that are to come. Bring it on!

Lately, I have really taken a liking to flouncy, printed dresses. While they do sometimes remind me of garments my grandmother may have once owned, there is something about their delicate nature and bold statements that really intrigue me. Below are a few pieces that have caught my eye recently. Don’t forget to click the images for direct links to purchase. Happy shopping!

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After all of the  New York Fashion Week madness, I left feeling super excited and influenced by many of the designer collections. This look in particular was directly inspired by the Balmain spring/summer 2016 line. I was in love with the warm brown tones as well as the primary use of the suede fabric. While this look is pretty simple for the most part, I really wanted to emphasize the contrasting textures. As soon as the saw the faux suede leggings I had immediate flashbacks from the fashion show and knew I would have to create a look around them. Since they are such a statement piece, I decided to keep the top pretty basic with a slogan-tee and a black lightweight blazer to add an extra layer for dimension. To finish off the look I decided to add a two-toned wool hat to expand on the color palette and some strappy black heeled sandals for a chic, feminine vibe. I definitely feel like the suede color and fabric is a huge fall staple and these leggings will absolutely be making some reoccurring appearances in my future outfits. As far as accessories go, we all know I like to keep them minimal, but throwing on a nice wide-brimmed hat is a great way to add a little trendiness to any outfit and look more put together. Balmain has been making quite a bit of noise with this year’s fashion week, as well as with their recent H&M collaboration and all I can say is, I’m loving every minute of it! Until next time friends.

Outfit Details & Links:

Longline Blazer- Urban Oufitters

T-shirt- Zara

Leggings- Zara

Heels- Zara

Hat- Zara

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