coachella-inspired looks from sole society

In 2012, I bought my first pair of shoes from Sole Society back when they first launched. Since then, Sole Society has partnered with 20+ influencers & bloggers to curate their shoe boutiques and collaborated with Julianne Hough on her own collections. Recently in 2013, they extended into bags and accessories. It's been so delightful watching Sole Society grow into a successful direct to consumer platform, stretching beyond shoes. Here's a peek at their fabulous selection, inspired by Coachella fashion which feels like a mix of Americana and Navajo (in my opinion!). What are your favorite Sole Society picks?

From top left to right: Millie tote, Xela wallet, Tori suede booties, Tali studded crossbody, Preston satchel, Printed infinity scarf, Jada large tote, Mandee lace up heel, Tanya ballet flat, Rose gold bangle

favorite new iPad app: Oyster

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time with what feels like a new friend: the Oyster app for iPhone and iPad. Oyster's value proposition is amazing: read unlimited books (more than 100K titles available) for only a monthly $9.95 subscription fee. CNN calls it the "Netflix of Books," which sounds about right. I particularly enjoy the beautiful UX, as Oyster makes it super easy to discover new books.

I first heard about the app when it launched in September (my friend Vivek is one of their developers and we were catching up), but only joined a few weeks ago via their free-month promo offer. Absolutely no regrets- I'm reading every day, before bedtime, on the treadmill after work, in coffee shops, and loving every second. Here are a few books I'm currently reading on Oyster....

I have to admit -- there is something so interesting about Julia. I think it's her grit and joy of life that makes her fascinating because in many other ways, she was very conventional.

I love reading Gladwell and Godin -- so why not add this to the list? So far so good.

I haven't been reading nearly enough fiction, and short stories are usually my favorite. Tao Lin is a new-to-me author. So far his shorts are really imaginative, so I'm sticking through them.

life lately + a beautiful mess iphone app

Two weeks ago I stumbled upon the A Beautiful Mess app and now I am addicted to doodling all over my photos... perfect timing to showcase them and also share an update on life! And not just the usual yummy dinner photos...

One big piece of news is I started a new job 3 weeks ago! It was such a crazy and amazing experience because I wasn't looking at all. Getting recruited was such a pleasant surprise, although at first I was like, wait... what? 

But then when I received the offer, I never felt so sure about something in my life. As noted in my previous post, timing can really be quite perfect. Over the years, I've learned to trust my heart and instincts... so I accepted! You can read all about the details on my LinkedIn, but I'm now working at a subsidiary of Amazon and still located in NYC. I had a great 1-week orientation where I fell in love with the startup company culture and was awestruck by the Kiva robots in action at the Pennsylvania fulfillment center -- Amazon technology is just incredible!

Another fun update is I went intense hiking for the first time ever this past Saturday! Through a Living Social deal, a few of us went on a Catskills hike with Destination Backcountry Adventures. It was AMAZING. We left Manhattan at 7:30am and hiked in the Catskills until sunset, climbing Indian Head and Twin mountains. Our guide Dave said we hiked for about 9 miles up and down 2000+ ft of elevation! (Crazy!) After the workout, we treated ourselves to a very calorific dinner at Hickory BBQ. So grateful for that awesome day.

Have you ever hiked before? I think I need to do it again soon, but I'm really excited to chill out for Memorial Day weekend. Any fun plans?

(All photos by Helen Hearts, edited via A Beautiful Mess)

we see beauty/ make cosmetics

One of my favorite new beauty companies is MAKE, a socially conscious cosmetics brand that sets aside one-third of its revenue to help women-led startups in the United States. (Finally!!) MAKE is the first beauty line produced by We See Beauty, which describes itself as "a marketplace of ideas, stories and products that support the cooperative movement."

Love that mission and those beautiful products! Must try the MAKE Matte Finish Blush in Cinnabar. Learn more about We See Beauty and MAKE products here, and let me know what suits your fancy.

the CFDA & eBay present: you can't fake fashion

For the third year in a row, the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) and eBay launched new You Can't Fake Fashion designer tote bags to fight counterfeiting. This year, some of my favorite designers contributed to the collection and the results are breathtaking. Take a look...

Aren't they all so creative? 90 designers including Ralph Lauren, Diane von Furstenberg, Prabal Gurung, Rodarte, Kate Spade, and rag & bone each customized a canvas tote to create their own one-of-a-kind bag. While the designer bags have been auctioned off, the canvas tote is available for purchase here on eBay for $50. There's also a fun Tumblr contest (ending tomorrow) where you can submit your own digitally designed You Can't Fake Fashion tote bag image or GIF -- winners will win a $500 eBay gift card and their very own canvas tote. Read more about entering the contest here.

Which one's your favorite? I'm gravitating towards all of the sparkly and colorful designs -- I especially love the Sam Edelman bag. Browse through all of the bags here.

career advice from stanford business school

What's the most valuable career advice you've ever gotten? I'm learning a lot this week thanks to the great content over at Stanford Business School's Youtube channel.  All of the interviews provide insight into a particular business topic-- storytelling, branding, negotiation, etc. -- but they also contain nuggets of guidance into the intersection of our careers and our passions. Here are a two of my favorites...

"When I talk to entrepreneurs, I always speak about that-- to really think forward, and not just take what comes along, and really be thoughtful in building your business." -- Tory Burch (via Stanford GSB)

"You get so much more done during those little moments of emotional connection and using story to make those moments of emotional connection makes it even more powerful, and keeps the organization more healthy, and strengthens you as a leader." -- Nancy Duarte (via Stanford GSB)

Thoughtful advice, right? I also just purchased Sheryl Sandberg's Lean In which I'm excited to get started on. I've heard great things!

life lately... august recap

Hi lovelies! I'm still reeling at the fact that it is past mid-September. While I love autumn, I'm feeling bittersweet about summer passing by so quickly. This August marked my 1 year anniversary at work, which made me reflect on both how much I've grown and learned, as well as how fast time flies when you're working!!! So here's a little recap of my life through August and early September... captured by Instagram (my obsession). It's important to me to remember the little blessings in life, so I'm going to get as detailed as I can (don't mind the rambling)!

Food Fair, Brunches, and Gelato...

August was definitely a foodie month. Jen (a blog friend turned real friend) and I went to the Brooklyn food fair Smorgasburg to try as much food as we could consume (like the fried rice with egg above). I also had Sunday brunch every week at places like Veselka (a neighborhood favorite --see how big those pancakes are above?), Linen Hall (beautiful ceilings), and Cafe Minerva in the West Village, which I love for their delicious french pressed coffee :) And of course, you can't keep me away from Gelato ti Amo, the gelato & sorbet place next door -- I probably go there at least once a week! Luca (the owner) is a friend, and it's always nice to have neighbors who are really great people too.

Washington D.C. Trip...

First weekend of August, I went to visit one of my best friends Anna in D.C. (again). We hung out with Jill and Audrey (two girlfriends from our high school) and Katie (Anna's sorority "little"), and it was such a blast. I had no idea that D.C. could be SO hot in the summer (it was almost 100 degrees that weekend!), but we had a great time enjoying Jazz in the Garden, a Nationals baseball game, walking through Georgetown, brunch at Clydes and more. (I found the beautiful graffiti above on the Georgetown campus - isn't it gorgeous?)

Fashion Week!

To be honest, Fashion Week really intimidates me! Especially Fashion's Night Out, when Manhattan is a complete hot and scary mess.... and of course I still participate ;)  The energy in the city around this time of year is intoxicating. I was lucky to be invited to Glam Media's NYFW blogger dinner-- meeting other New York based lifestyle and fashion bloggers was an absolute dream! I loved hanging out with the girls at my table, and getting to know the team behind Glam, who impressed me to no end and were super fabulous to boot. I also had a chance to attend Harlem's Fashion Row for work, as well as visit Birchbox's fun Sample Stop with my L'Oreal friends and to catch up with my friend Deepica.

Long summer walks...

 

Okay, this sounds cheesy, but I adore New York summer walks. Living in a walkable city is so important to me... I get to see so many things along the way (like this pink brownstone 3 blocks away from me in the East Village and this kooky NY Magazine spin-off in Nolita). There's nothing a good, long stroll can't fix. This past weekend when my family came to visit, one of the best things we did was walk the entire High Line, an elevated park on the West Side that used to be rail road tracks. The views are spectacular--case in point, the rainbow-colored WWII-inspired couple kissing mural. My mom, sister, and I also indulged in popsicles while walking -- a heavenly summertime combination.

 How was your August? Are you ready for fall?

PS: Some other Life Lately recaps from this year.

fashion & friends: revival style trunk show!

Earlier tonight, I went to my friends Neetu and Allie's trunk show for their start-up Revival Style, a socially conscious fashion line created in New York's Garment District by materials sourced from female artisans in India. Also present was Love is Mighty, fellow New Yorker Monisha Raja's gorgeous start-up shoe line that is all handmade in India, mostly from recycled plastic, wrappers, and textiles. (My favorite is the Bulbul.) Bravo for a fun night celebrating fashion, entrepreneurship, and great friends! Here are some photos...

PS: The Love Is Mighty silver pump on the above right (made of candy wrappers) was just sold to Natalie Portman... eeks!!

(Photos taken by my iPhone, edited in Circles via the Diptic app)

schmoopy

...That's how this ad makes me feel. A nice blend of emotional & aspirational qualities makes for a darn good ad. Well done, P&G's "Thank You Mom" campaign. (And good job promoting it on twitter too. Seeing that hashtag everywhere!)

PS: Happy Independence Day! I'll post more updates later, as I will be off covering the National Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island later in the afternoon for Guestaurant.com. More later! Hope you have a splendid holiday break.

hester street fair + jen kim made!

Two things: I'm going on vacation to Puerto Rico!! Leaving in two hours for JFK airport, so I'm going to squeeze in a post about last weekend! Anna came to visit from D.C., and we went to the Hester Street Fair, among other fun things. I was so excited because a) I love the HSF and b) My friend Jen was a notable vendor! Jen is the craftiest person I know -- we met last June at a blogger meetup and our friendship has grown so much since. Be sure to check her out on Saturdays at the fair! Her flowers, prints, and beautiful cards are stunning. Check out her website Jen Kim Made and her etsy shop.

Here's Jen and I at her lovely booth.

See how Jen got a special spot right in the front? VIP treatment!

I also took some instragrams -- mostly food, of course ;) Anna and I had Mexican popsicles from La Newyorkina, these cool vegan fruit roll-ups for adults from Heat Sweets, and a sandwich from Bombay Sandwich Co (which only launched 3 weeks ago!). We ate and ate, then we went straight to the gym ha!

PS: Last year's photos from the Hester Street Fair :)

(Top photos via Jen, bottom instagrams by me)

"buy a bar, give a bar"

I'm really smitten with Philly-based social enterprise Hand in Hand soap, which launched this August. These "sustainable suds" are made of fair trade ingredients and are palm-free and 100% eco-friendly. Most importantly, for every bar of soap purchased, a bar is donated to help save a child's life. (Every 20 seconds, a mother loses her child to a water-related illness -- shocking!)

And isn't the package charming? Their orange blossom soap is made up of "gentle blends of grapefruit, orange blossom, and eucalyptus." Sounds heavenly.

To learn more, visit Hand in Hand.

PS: Two other soaps I love.

entrepreneurship 101 (with saucy commentary)

An NYU friend just asked for my recommendation on books for aspiring entrepreneurs, so I thought I'd share it with you awesome readers, in case you were wondering as well! The books I like are great for their fantastic advice and real-life, personal anecdotes, but they're also more importantly fun to read. You don't have to have a plan to start a business to enjoy them! Here are my best of the best (with commentary from yours truly).

Made to Stick

Or, "Do Your Research, Or Take Your Idea Off Of That Pedestal"
Tagline: If they don't get it in 3 sentences, you can fuggetaboutit.

The 4-Hour Work Week

Or, "Life Guide for the Lazy and Ambitious"
Tagline: Hard work doesn't actually pay off if you're all over the place.

Crush It

Or, "Become a Social Media Expert Or Die Trying"
Tagline: Seduce thy audience with thy twitter account.


Or, "The Art of the Hustle: Help Others Help You Without Being a A$$hole"
Tagline: WTF is networking? Here's the handbook.

Cheesy taglines or not, I crack myself up sometimes :)

PS: An inspiring video on entrepreneurs changing the world