Currently...

I feel like I haven't talked to you guys forever since Fashion Week took over this space last week. So I figured that now would be a good time to do a "Chelsea Lately" post. Here's what I've been up to recently.

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Listening: The Lungs album by Florence and the Machine, on vinyl. Santa brought me this gem and I have been blasting it every morning while getting ready. It is perfect primping/ready to take on the day music.

Eating: Every recipe I've ever pinned on Pinterest. Seriously, like a real cook.

Wanting to buy: A bathing suit. More specifically, a one piece that has an actual bra in it and doesn't look like it was designed for my grandmother, and doesn't have one of those frilly skirts that are supposed to "hide" my thighs. Sexy one piece, why is this hard to find?

Reading: Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement. I'm only two chapters in and already love and feel overly emotional about the characters.

Watching: High Fidelity. I can never decide if I like John Cusack in this movie or not.

Admiring: Sarah from Coming Unstitched for writing this honest post about motherhood.

Drinking: Water. So much water. I feel like I'll probably drown soon.

Wearing: This American Eagle zip-up. So comfy. So bright. So perfect. Also, a lot of flats, which means I'm not wearing socks, which means it might actually be spring around here! Holler.

Losing sleep over: Everything and nothing. I make a list of so many things I need to do the next day every night before going to sleep and think, how am I ever going to get all of this done, but then just let God take care of it. Plans will work out, or they won't and I know I only have so much control over them so why worry about it all? Proverbs 16:9 is my motto.

Loving: The recent growth-spurt my hair is having!

Excited about: This weekend in the 'burgh! Getting to see MJ Friday and then bridal shower and bachelorette party for my girl, Hannah, on Saturday. This is my first time being a bridesmaid so I'm excited!

Thankful for: My brother. Honestly. There is no cooler person.

 What's going on with you all recently?

Fashion Week: Wrap-Up & Winner Announcement!

I hope you all enjoyed the 2nd Annual Chels & the City Fashion Week! I have really enjoyed hosting Sara, Toni, Danielle, Jessica, and Meagan. Thank you, ladies for allowing me to interview you and being such a vital part of this week. You five are amazing and I am so glad that I am able to call each of you a friend. I really mean that. These five and the relationship I've built with each of them over the last year or two has been incredible and just goes to show how great blogging can be if you put in the time and energy it deserves. 

And thank you, sweet readers, for sharing this week with your friends, coming back everyday to see the next featured blogger and interacting with us through commenting and entering in the giveaway. You all are what makes blogging worth while and I'm sure I can speak for all of us in saying thank you so much for following along this week! But now onto the part you all have come here for, the winner of the $50 Target gift card is....drum roll, please...

JENNA DILLON! CONGRATS!

Please email me at chelsandthecity(at)gmail(dot)com by Sunday at 11pm to claim your prize!
If prize is not claimed within this time frame, a new random winner will be selected.

Thank you to all who entered for making this week such a success! Have a great weekend!

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Fashion Week: Meet Meagan of Because of Jackie!

Happy Friday! I hope you all have enjoyed Fashion Week and are entering the giveaway so you can get a jump start on your new spring wardrobe! Today's featured fashion blogger is Meagan from Because of Jackie. 

I've been following Meagan's blog for about a year or so now and have been boundlessly inspired by her blogging and fashion advice, and how she is able to be such a great mom to her two littles while taking her blogging further and further as a business. She's super serious about blogging and I love that she shares that passion and professionalism on her blog and really, I think, inspires the rest of us to take it to the next level. I also love that Meagan is not afraid to mix it up with different colors and patterns and doesn't limit herself to one style. She's bohemian one day and rocker the next, and she looks awesome in it all. Hope you enjoy her interview today and her fun style!

All photos provided by Meagan.

How would you define your style? 

I like an edge to what I wear, but with some feminine touches as well. I love studs, fringe, black and gray, but also enjoy floral headbands and a boho sensibility. I feel my best in those two styles and I sometimes mix the two as well.

Where are your favorite places to shop? 

I love Target for the price point and the constant new styles, I also really enjoy browsing Asos and Forever 21 online.

What are some of your favorite pieces or go-to pieces in your closet? 

I love Target's boyfriend tee's. I buy an XL for the slouch factor and constantly buy the white, black and grey versions when my old ones get worn out. I also have a pair of black, buckled ankle boots from Target that literally go with everything. 

Where does the inspiration for your outfits come from?

I like to browse Pinterest for different looks to try, and often recreate a theme or look I find on there. A lot of times I find when I am in a rush I pick some fun looks because I don't have time to edit or second guess myself. This can either go really well or terribly wrong;)

If someone asked you for style advice, what would you tell them? 

I think the best advice is to dress in a way that makes YOU happy. Don't worry about what other people will think, just wear things that put a bounce in your step and smile on your face.

When and why did you start fashion blogging? 

I started three years ago after finding a popular fashion blogger on Pinterest and was so intrigued! It has been a great journey of experimentation for me and finding myself after haven two kids back to back.

How has your style grown or changed since you began fashion blogging? 

I think I am more fearless in trying new styles and looks. I don't care as much about my "fails," because I just don't take it all that seriously. I also try not to get sucked into the trend game, I dress for me and like to let me own personality show and no one else's.

What advice do you have for bloggers just starting out? 

I think new bloggers should work on their photography and layout skills. Please! No inside photos, or photos in your front entry (I've done both!) Location and posing is more important than you think. As is photo quality, size, and your blog design and layout.

Anything else you'd like to add…

Every blogger starts out with 1 follower and awful photos (I sure did.) The main point is to grow and learn from your mistakes and take it one day at a time!

Because of Jackie | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Bloglovin | Instagram

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Fashion Week: Meet Jessica of Midwest Muse!

Hoping you all are having a fantastic week! With Fashion Week winding down, I just want to thank you all for following along so far and remind you we're not done yet! And the giveaway winner will be announced on Saturday so be sure to enter to get some great new pieces for spring!

Today, I'm so excited to introduce you to Jessica of Midwest Muse! I honestly don't know when I started to follow Jessica because it feels like I always have. She is easily one of my favorite bloggers and I think her style is unparalleled. How she combines feminine and edgy pieces blows my mind, seriously, she's amazing. I gushed about her in a post last week and have to say it again, she's making Ohio look cool. (That's a big thing for a Pittsburgher to say!) She also has a fantastic taste in music, if I do say so myself, considering we like a lot of the same bands. I feel like had we met in high school, we would've been friends to this day. I hope you enjoy meeting her today and checking out her impeccable style.

All photos provided by Jessica.

How would you define your style? 

I would define my style as being feminine yet edgy.

Where are your favorite places to shop? 

I will shop anywhere with a sales rack and the thrift store. I am so beyond thrifty with my clothes. I like to look great, but I also don't like to spend too much money. Thrifting and sales are perfect for this. Of course, I make exceptions, but it usually involves a lot of waiting and making sure that I NEED a piece over $40 or whatever.

What are some of your favorite pieces or go-to pieces in your closet? 

Dresses. Dresses are my go-to. This sounds generic, but basically any dress that is easy to put on (doesn't require someone to zip, complicated buttons) or skirts + band t-shirts. That's been my main winter go-to. I like to keep it simple.

Where does the inspiration for your outfits come from?

My style is completely based on my moods and practicality. I am always out and about and I want to be comfortable yet stylish. It's sometimes a hard line to balance, but it's necessary. I am also inspired by the weather (duh), my friends, and colors. Inspiration is everywhere if you understand how to interpret it.

If someone asked you for style advice, what would you tell them?

Style isn't what everyone else is wearing. Style is what you want to wear. What you feel good in. What you love. Take whatever that is and own it. Even if it's not what the masses are wearing/loving. Seriously. Just be you and your confidence will be enough to make everyone believe in your choices.

When and why did you start fashion blogging?

I've been into the Internet since I discovered it in middle school. I started off on Livejournal and have been on various blogging platforms before blogging was a term. For my sixteenth birthday, my Dad got me a digital camera (when they were first become affordable) and from there my love of cameras blossomed. I eventually upgraded and started taking self-portraits. My style was evolving and while my portraits were more "artsy" I really enjoyed it. This is about the time that style blogging became a thing. I read a lot and I was like, "I can do this!" So basically, it was me combining my love of photography, blogging, and style. It was a perfect creative outlet for me. Though I had no idea what I was doing when I started. I think this was 2 1/2 years ago.

How has your style grown or changed since you began fashion blogging?

I think my style was much more basic when I started. I wasn't sure how to put together outfits or what I liked beyond dresses. I think my style has evolved into my style. Does that make sense? At first I just liked clothes and now it's a lot more than that. I know exactly what I like and why I like it. I know what works and what doesn't. Which I think just means that I've learned to understand how to dress my body better. Which is to say, I'm sure there are outfits in my archives that I am ashamed of.

What advice do you have for bloggers just starting out?

My advice is this: look around at the blogs you love, at blogs that make you want to blog, think about why you like these blogs. Is it the style? The photography? Their lifestyles? The articles? The design? Take that in, make note and decide which part of those you want to document and which align with your life. Make realistic goals. Realize that your blog will not be a success overnight and that you must cultivate it. For me, coming up with a good name & design are the first steps. Everything else can be built around that. Your goals and ideals will change once you start blogging, but it's important to start off with the right ideas.

Also I think it's important to note that you don't need fancy cameras, expensive software, designer clothes. Just be you and use what you have. You will learn so much just from blogging. Getting started is the hardest part, but once you do, everything else will eventually happen if you work hard.

Lastly, network, network, network. Building and fostering organic relationships is the most important. The big bloggers you admire aren't going to come to your blog (probably), but other bloggers most definitely will. Some of the best people I know I have met from fashion blogging and met them in real life. It's that AWESOME.

Midwest Muse | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram | Bloglovin

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Fashion Week: Meet Danielle of Goodwillista!

We're halfway through Fashion Week! I hope you are all enjoying it so fair and are being inspired to refresh your wardrobe through these lovely ladies and our giveaway! Today's featured fashion blogger is Danielle of Goodwillista!

I'm so excited to have Danielle on my blog today because she is just a little ray of sunshine! Every time I visit her blog, I am so inspired but her outfits and her positive outlook on life. I feel like I've been following along with her blog from the day she started it and it has been a joy to see her blog grow because if anyone deserves some recognition, it's this girl! Danielle is a southern girl and that charm just shines through her writing and (more obviously) her great smile. And she is also one of the thriftiest ladies I know, hence her blog name. I'm always so impressed by how little she spends on an outfit but how fabulous she always looks. She was even super thrifty with her wedding and all the details of it blow my mind. Luckily for us, she always shares some great thrifting tips too! Enjoy!

All photos provided by Danielle.

How would you define your style?

I always struggle with this question! I would say that I'm a touch of girly mixed with simplicity.

Where are your favorite places to shop?

Goodwill, Plato's Closet, Old Navy, and Kohl's

What are some of your favorite pieces or go-to pieces in your closet?

My lace blouse, coral blazer, lace dress, cognac boots, and my newest love, my fur vest. 

Where does the inspiration for your outfits come from?

Most of the time I just wear what I like and feel good in, but I definitely get a lot of inspiration from Pinterest and other bloggers. When I'm feeling stumped on a new way to wear something, I'll go to Pinterest and search the item I want to wear or I'll go stalk a blogger who I know has a similar item!

If someone asked you for style advice, what would you tell them?

Dress in way that makes you feel confident in your own skin! You can try wearing all the trends in the world, but if you don't feel comfortable in them, they're pointless! My best days are days when I'm wearing an outfit that I am completely in love with. If you don't feel like you in something, I say get rid of it.

When and why did you start fashion blogging?

I started blogging the summer of 2012 after realizing a trend going on… Someone would tell me that they loved my shirt/pants/scarf/etc., and naturally I’m one of those people who has to tell you where I got it, so I’d tell them, “Goodwill!” and they were always in shock! So, I decided to start a blog to inspire others that you can still look great without spending a fortune!

How has your style grown or changed since you began fashion blogging?

I'm definitely more aware of trends now. I also learned the power of remixing my closet. I now try to find many different ways to wear different pieces in my closet! (I have a link up each month called Many Days, Many Ways ... come check it out!)

What advice do you have for bloggers just starting out?

Just be yourself! Don't worry about what other's may think about your writing, iphone pictures, or wrinkly shirt. I've figured out that most people don't even notice, and readers will stick around simply for YOU.

Goodwillista | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Bloglovin

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