Sensible Stylista

Stitch Fix Tastemaker's Event: Part 2

Sooo, I'm guessing that you've all seen the first segment of my Stitch Fix adventure by now.  I told y'all about my photo shoot but omitted info about other activities so imma fill you all in today.  I was in Frisco for 3 days - I wish I could've stayed longer, but I had a concert back in the DMV so I had to leave as soon as Stitch Fix stuffs was over.

For those of you unfamiliar with Stitch Fix, get familiar, ha!  I've blogged about them on SS several times already, but I'm gonna refresh y'all just in case.  They're an amazing clothing company that provides personalized shopping experiences for each and every one of their customers.  Let me break it down for you guys: your stylist handpicks a selection of 5 items (both clothing and accessories) for you after you fill out a detailed style profile.  It helps him or her understand your size, style, shape, budget and takes about 10 minutes tops.  Then you decide when you'd like to receive your shipment! You're then free to try everything on in the comfort of your home!  If you need help putting together looks, they got you covered with a cute brochure with killer outfit ideas to help you style looks.   If you decide to keep everything in your fix, you get 25% off your entire purchase (!!!!) Now that we gots that out of the way, let's talk about trip deets.

Day 1

I flew in super early on Tuesday because I wanted to check the city out - I had a killer tour guide so that was all sorts of awesome!  Shout out to Robby aka Flow Zen for good times.  I checked in at the Axiom and met up with Robby shortly after to check out Fisherman's Wharf.  We started our day with In n' Out.  I'd never tried it before so I wanted to get my nom on there!  Conclusion? Eh.  It was pretty ok, but nothing mind-blowing.  

I got a burger + fries both animal style.  In retrospect, I feel like I should've just gotten regular fries because the cheese + special sauce was pretty heavy (think thousand island dressing).  Yeah, I felt kinda gross afterwards. Honestly, Shake Shack & Five Guys are both SO much better IMO.  I know my Cali readers are gonna give me sh*t, but I'm sorrrrrry!  Damn my tastebuds, right? Anywho, we walked off our massive food comas...before getting a huge sundae at Ghiradelli, ha. 

Time was tight because I had shoots scheduled in the afternoon so we decided to just drive to the Golden Gate Bridge. It was hella foggy that day so I couldn't see much, but it was a cool view nonetheless. He dropped me off at my hotel afterwards, and I rushed to get ready for my shoots (if you're interested you can see photoshoot 1 here and 2 here - more will be up later)! After working, I met up with Robby again and grabbed sake + tonkatsu ramen at Waraku for dinner. I was exhausted at that point so I crashed hard...

Day 2

...only to wake up at 4:45 to get my hustle on.  Hey, work calls, right?  I was meeting everyone (fellow influencers + Stitch Fix peeps) in the lobby at 8:45 so I needed to finish my to-do list + get ready before that.  I answered emails and did blog work while munching on room service (egg and ham croissant, fresh squeezed orange juice, and espresso).  

OH, and just in case you missed the AMAZING list of women who were at the event, imma list them all for you here again: Africa MirandaAndrea Roche, April MooreCoco BasseyDaniela RamirezJaime DoborekJuli BauerKryzayda RodriguezMaria GavinMonique Volz, Rosanna Javier, and TaraLynn Mcnitt.  Love, love, LOVE each and every one of these girls.

Anywho, we started our day by touring Stitch Fix headquarters.  I can't even begin to tell you guys how cute their office was.  It was like this magical place full of beautiful clothing and super friendly people killing it on the daily. The atmosphere there was so inviting!  We then sat down for two killer panels that were informative and interesting. We met with the heads of their buying, styling, exclusive brands, and trends team to learn all about merchandising and styling at Stitch Fix.  It was really cool to get an inside look at how a fix comes to be.
Panel no. 2 was all about social media.  They brought in representatives directly from Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest (in addition to the head of the Stitch Fix social media team) to give us inside tips on how to optimize our work.
Afterwards, we headed to a fabulous private lunch with Stitch Fix management at Perbacco.  We had an opportunity to talk to Lisa Bougie (general manager of women's), Mike Smith (general manager of men's), and Julie Bornstein (chief operating officer) aka Stitch Fix VIPs.
We then headed to their Hizzy Warehouse for tour no. 2.  We got to see how a fix was processed firsthand, and I gotta say, each one is made with serious love.  They take so much care in packaging everything perfectly to make sure you get THE best product possible.  Y'all have no idea how much more respect I have for them now after seeing everything.  I even got to package my own fix for someone!  Folding everything perfectly takes so much work, ha.  It took me like 3+ tries to get it all right.  After the tour, we got a short break before heading to dinner at CALA.

Day 3

Day 3 was cray because I had to wake up even earlier to get ready for a shoot - I had to meet peeps in the lobby at 9, and I didn't want to be late so I was running around like a chicken without a head.  My photographer and I finished shooting a bit earlier though so I had time to quickly grab breakfast and do some work before heading over to Stitch Fix's studio with errbody.  

We started the day with their design team and helped create clothing for one of their exclusive lines. We chose everything from cut to print and even named the pieces ourselves!  Then we broke off into groups and visited different stations to learn more about photography, retouching, and flat lays. It was such a treat learning from these amazing professionals.  
Afterwards, we sat down for a beautifully catered lunch with the Stitch Fix Creative Team.  We were joined by Cristina Angeli (VP of Brand and Creative), Meggan Crum (fashion + content director), Aaron Brown (director of design), and Courtney Hardt (creative director).  We had the opportunity to pick their brains and learn all about personal branding.
Then it was photoshoot time!  I blogged about it all here, but I wanted to share more behind-the-scenes shots with you guys so here goes.
Our new personalized wardrobes!
Sifting through new threads with my girl Taralynn.  If you're not following her yet, you need to do so STAT - such a beautiful person inside and out.  
Delish cupcakes + champagne for us to munch on while getting dolled up by La Mienne for our shoot.
Getting my hair did by my amazing stylist!
Afterwards, we went to another lovely dinner where we said our goodbyes!  I felt SO beyond blessed to have connected with these incredibly amazing women.  I want to thank Stitch Fix for an unforgettable experience - special thanks to Hege, Hannah, Brittany, and Lydia for setting this all up and doing a beautiful job.  Also, I just want to recognize the fabulous Lindsay Dobbs for all the BTS photos.  I can't wait for more adventures.  Next up, performing at the Kennedy Center with my duo partner, Alicia Ward! Make sure y'all follow along on Snapchat for BTS snaps (@sensiblestylist's my handle).

Falling in Love with Trollbeads: OOTD + Giveaway

Partnering up with Trollbeads again on SS for another fun outfit post + giveaway!  For today's LOTD, I styled a boho-esque ensemble for y'all.  I started with my current fave tunic from Amiclubwear and paired it with printed sandals. Then, I accessorized with my favorite Trollbeads jewels and threw on oversized sunnies to top things off.  
Let's take a closer look at my Espresso Noir earrings!  These gorgeous babies are made of Onyx stones, and they're part of Trollbeads' "Falling in Love Collection."  They represent clarity and strength, AND they're currently on sale for $69 (originally $93)!
Other fabulous tunics: 


A closer look at my arm party!  Beyond obsessed with these beads.  I don't know if you guys remember, but like I told y'all in this previous post, each stone has a meaning.  Feldspar Moonstone (the coral-ish color) represents calm & balance, Milky Quarts (the white) stands for innocence & purity, and the Black Onyx - as mentioned above - symbolizes clarity & strength.  Which bead do you guys like best? Oh, and a HUGE thank you to the amazing DCP New York for shooting these photos!  Make sure you guys check him out.
Tunic:  c/o Amiclubwear || Jewelry:  c/o Trollbeads || Shoes:  Ann Taylor || Bag:  Urban Originals (similar)
Now, let's talk about free swag!  Trollbeads has generously offered to give TWO lucky readers jewelry of their choice from their droolworthy "Falling in Love" collection.  To enter, all you have to do is subscribe to their online newsletter!  Open to residents in the US + Canada.  This giveaway ends on November 7th - good luck, everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Find of the Day: The Suede Mini ($14.99)

Stoked to tell you guys all about my latest find today on SS!  I picked this fabulous miniskirt up at H&M a few weeks ago and just had to feature it as a FOTD.  I actually paid full price for it ($29.99), but it's currently on sale for $14.99.  
I can't even begin to tell y'all how cute this skirt is.  It's perfect for fall + winter because it'll help elevate your texture game tenfold.
For today's OOTD, I kept things cohesive with a lace-up theme.  My top, also an H&M find, just so conveniently happens to match my faux-suede mini. Since there's a lot going on with my look, I chose to keep things simple on the accessory front!  To finish off my look, I threw on black boots and carried my Chanel boy.
 Other fabulous lace-up pieces:

Boots:  Nine West (similar) || Skirt:  H&M || Top:  H&M (similar) || Bag:  Chanel (similar)
Photos shot by the fabulous Rey Marquez (aka @rmcapture on Instagram).