“When you pack lightly you live lightly. “

If you follow along here, you might have caught on that I spent most of last week in Puerto Rico working on a couple of different shoots.  The job came up a bit last minute, as many styling jobs tend to do, and I found myself with just a handful of hours at home to pack in between Austin for the holidays and departing for the caribbean.  At least … +more

Have you looked at your calendar lately?  I just booked a quick coffee meeting in mid-December if that gives you any indication of what kind of month it is shaping up to be!  Fortunately, I love the hustle and bustle of this time of year and especially all of the parties that accompany it.  If you plan on hosting any kind of holiday shindig, the time has come to get those invitations out!  Most experts recommend that you send holiday … +more

Is there anything more all-american than pie?  For me, it falls into the same category as blue jeans, road trips, the 4th of July, and all other things patriotic.  Last year for Thanksgiving, my husband’s family flew out from the east coast to help us celebrate our first holiday in our first home!  It was a small group so I stuck to the Thanksgiving pie basics, one pumpkin and one strawberry-rhubarb.  This year, though, we’ll be in Austin with my … +more

{ Initial Image via The Brick House }

Since Emily is spending some time meeting with publishers in New York this week (she is working on her first book!), I though I would take the opportunity to share something that I have learned a little bit about over the last 18 months:  Buying your first home!  If you live in a major metropolitan area, the cost per square foot of owning your own home can often times seem … +more

You take it with you everywhere, and whether it’s a staple or a statement piece, your bag should always look its best, just like you. Let’s be honest, even the nicest of satchels and clutches end up at one point or another on the floor, on a restaurant chair, hanging from the bathroom stall door at a club (or worse, on the floor of the bathroom stall!), on the driveway while we load the car…  I bet if you really … +more

Most fabulous perk of being an Allure Mag reader? The Best of Beauty Awards, of course! And the best part of being a Savvy Girl? Knowing how to turn those beauty suggestions into strategic accents for your real life ensemble.  Translation: “2012’s Best of: Lips Winners” meet “Your Work Wardrobe.”

 Here are my top picks from the list and a few suggestions for how you can pair them with your professional attire. After all, classy and chic … +more

“Breaking bread is the oldest and best way to build relationships”, according to professional etiquette expert, Patricia Rossi. Have you flipped through her book, Everyday Etiquette: How to Navigate 101 Common and Uncommon Social Situations? If not, my dear, you are sorely missing out! This purse-worthy guide is something you should consider keeping within arms reach at all times. Seriously. The tip topics run the gamut from proper correspondence cards (thank you’s, RSVP’s, sympathy notes) to “Petiquette” (yep, etiquette … +more

Anyone going away for the three day weekend?  Labor Day weekend is just around the corner.  If you’ve got a ticket to ride and a bag to pack, here are a few things to keep in mind:

5. Avoid Unnecessary Wrinkling: Stack Heavy to Light

No matter where you’re going, you don’t want to be a crumpled mess; so to avoid smashing your lovely clothes, pop the heavy items you’re lugging into the bottom of your suitcase. Always use shoe … +more