Fall is officially upon us! With cooler weather rolling in, you need a dress that can keep you cozy and warm. Well guess what?! I’ve found it! Last year it was my go-to, and it is back in Black! The best part? It has pockets!!
Start of Fall-Shop Adair
There’s a new boutique in town, and I couldn’t be more in love! Adair just added a new location in South End! Their styles are unique and trendy, but at an affordable price. Because I love you guys, I got a special discount code for you all! Use smiledarling15 (all lowercase) to get 15% off your order!
Shop The Look
Setting Sun Blouse
You’re Not Lost By: Maxie McCoy
I met Maxie at Create Cultivate Chicago. Maxie was not only a speaker, but also my mentor. Her personality was captivating. She was hilarious, genuine, brutally honest and I loved every minute of it! Maxie is the type of girl you want to have apart of your tribe. She is the type of friend that will encourage you to strive to be your best, and to be grateful (aka #BATSHITGRATEFUL). She is obsessed with giving women the tools they need to believe in themselves. I can’t wait to read her new book!
The “It” Blouse Of Fall
Shop The Look
Victory Smocked Blouse
Empire State Swiss Dot Blouse-White
Empire State Swiss Dot Blouse-Black
Walden Lace Boho Blouse
Rockefeller Smocked Blouse
Publix and P&G Reward Yourself Promo 9/13-9/18
Hey Darlings, happy Thursday! So, you buy things for your home all the time, but what about FOR YOURSELF?! Well, all that is about to change! This week, Publix is offering a great deal and I just can’t keep it to myself! When you purchase $30 worth of qualifying P&G products, you will earn a $10 Publix gift card INSTANTLY! YES! I am not lying! What better than great products that give back?! Uhm, nothing!
Let’s discuss the nitty gritty. I know what you’re thinking. Well, what is considered a qualifying purchase? Qualifying products include Tide PODS or Gain Laundry Detergent, Dawn Dish Detergent, Bounty 6 Big Roll, Pantene Hair Care, Olay Body Wash or Old Spice Hydrowash, Vicks DayQuil, NyQuil or ZzzQuil, Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste, Tampax Pearl Tampons, and Pampers Diapers. Savings on all the necessities + a sweet gift just for you!
My favorites from this list are definitely the Olay Body Wash and the Tide PODS. I’m a weirdo I know! I loveee Olay! Their new Whip Foaming Body Wash is soo light and airy. It is seriously the best! Their Shea Butter Cream Body Wash is also a winner in my book. I love the clean smell, and it leaves my skin so smooth! Tide PODS are on my list because they just make doing laundry easier. I am all about convenience! I don’t have to worry about measuring, spilling, or anything of that nature.
This deal is available to you from 9/13-9/18! Get your wallets ready and happy shopping!
*This is a PAID PARTNERSHIP with Publix, and P&G. This is an ad and is sponsored.
My Favorite Make-up Removing Wipe
These make-up remover wipes are seriously amazing! They take off all your make-up, even the waterproof kind! I love these wipes because they smell INCREDIBLE, and they are gentle on my sensitive skin. These wipes are at a great price point too! You can get a pack of three for under $13. That’s basically $4 a pack, and that is far less expensive than the competitor brands like Neutrogena, Olay, Simple, Aveeno and Ponds!
Shop the Beauty Product
Living on The Ledge
Nothing can stop me, I’m all the way up! The Skydeck is on the 103rd floor (yes, you read that right) of the Willis Tower. You can enjoy 360 degree views spanning up to 50 miles from the highest observatory in the Western Hemisphere. The Ledge I’m laying on is 1,353 feet over the city!
General Admission was $24. There is a ticket option to cut the line, Fast Pass, which was $49. The experience is definitely not what I expected. You wait in line, then wait in another line. Th whole thing is organized and orchestrated. You get 1 minute for your group, YES 60 little seconds, for all of you to get a photo. I was taken aback by that as each of us paid $24. I felt we each deserved a minute after waiting in the very long lines. They have employees standing at the 4 ledges timing you. Even though it was organized, there was still chaos. So, here are some pro-tips.
Pro-tips:
1. Have your poses for your photo picked out. You only get a few seconds to master it. (Check Instagram hashtags and location Skydeck)
2. Make sure you have 3 hours of free time. There is a lot of standing in line, so carve out a solid chunk of time for this if it is on your list!
3. Do not say you are in a group if you want an individual photo. Say you are an individual and your friend is taking the photo. That will allow you to have a full minute to yourself, a mistake we made.
4. If lines frustrate you, chug some wine. Hahah just kidding!
Shop The Look
Create & Cultivate The Career of Your Dreams
Hi darlings, happy Friday! By now, you guys have seen a ton of photos over the past week from Create & Cultivate Chicago. Let me tell you, there is nothing like spending the weekend with 1,000 badass women! This weekend was filled with inspiring, life changing conversation.
If you are unfamiliar with Create & Cultivate, don’t worry! I will be explaining all the details below!
What Is Create & Cultivate?
“This is a 365 day conversation around being a modern woman in the working world…”
“Create & Cultivate is an online platform and offline conference for women looking to create & cultivate the career of their dreams”. Create & Cultivate hits all the topics for the modern, working women, yay! It has quickly grown into a cult favorite. And no, it is not just for bloggers! The founder and CEO is Jaclyn Johnson, and she is a powerhouse. Jaclyn recognized a gap in conversations, resources, events and community for female millennial entrepreneurs and responded with a solution, thus this fabulous platform was born.
Collaboration Over Competition: #CreateCultivateChi
“Behind every great woman, are great women.” -Jaclyn Johnson
Create & Cultivate Chicago was a conference. “At Create & Cultivate you are destined to meet other talented, like-minded women, all while learning tips and tricks from some of the best in the business. Attendees get access to a highly curated, impactful one-day program of workshops, mentor sessions, and panels, as well as delicious cocktails, food, pop-up shops, photo booths, gift bags, and more”. Women come to feel inspired, make new friendships, network, enhance their business, and mingle. The conferences take place twice a year in major cities like Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago and
Brooklyn. They have also added summits, which are sprinkled into the yearly calendar.
Create & Cultivate Chicago was a very long day, but extremely productive. Your day is planned out hour by hour. There are two tracks you can choose from. One was focused more on the business side, while the other was more social media and creative focused. I was Track One, which was more business geared!
They offer VIP tickets and General Admission. The difference is that VIP picks their track and their mentors, while GA has their track and mentors assigned. I was a GA ticket holder, so I did not get to pick my track or mentors. It really worked out just fine though, and I am happy with the results.
Throughout the day we heard from many talented people. From corporate CEO’s to Bloggers and actresses, no ones advice was insignificant. Some of my favorites were Blake Von D, Marianna Hewitt, Jenna Colgrove, Maxie McCoy, Reesa Lake, and Ben Silberman.
We had AMAZING Keynote speakers too! There was my girl Shay Mitchell, Alli Webb (owner of Drybar), and Jennifer Hudson.
We were able to stay fueled throughout the day thanks to some major food and beverage sponsors. Health-Ade kicked off the day with breakfast and of course some kombucha. Sweetgreen provided a delicious array of salads for lunch, and McDonald’s came through with a food truck for a mid-afternoon bite. OUI by Yoplait, RX Bar, and Luna also had snacks prepared for everyone to nibble on!
One of my favorite things was the pop-up market, which featured everything from beauty touch-ups to business pitching opportunities and relaxation. Both Sexy Hair and Living Proof featured the latest products for both volume and styling. Sexy Hair did crazy, awesome braids on me (see photos)! Nordstrom Beauty had so many of its best-selling brands available on-site, which was nice because I was sweating my make-up off.
Every wall and corner you turned was so picture perfect and Instagramable! It was seriously a bloggers paradise! I was in HEAVEN! “Do it for the Gram” had never been more real!
Once you attend one conference, you are immediately hooked!
You Need To Invest In Yourself
“You have to spend money to really make money” – Sherry Jhawar
Investing in yourself comes in many forms. I understand these conferences and summits come with a hefty price tag, especially when you combined them with travel. I am not going to sit here and act like I paid for my trip all by myself. The general admission ticket was $375 and the VIP was $575. I couldn’t afford it. I wouldn’t have been able to go to #CreateCultivateChi without the financial support of my Dad. He helped me out so much with my flight and admission ticket. I paid for the hotel which was $190 per a person myself. To know if this is right for you, I suggest following Create & Cultivate on Instagram and other social media platforms. Get Jaclyn Johnson’s new book “Work Party”. They just launched a new podcast called WorkParty as well. Get your listening ears on! If you are still itching to learn more, then I highly suggest committing to a conference. It is like getting an education, you are investing in yourself. You have to spend money to make money with your business. That is exactly what was said to us and I couldn’t agree more. What you get out of it will truly be priceless!
There you have it gf’s (and potential dudes)! Definitely check out the website or message me if you have any questions!
xx Courtney
Sprinkles Cupcake ATM- Shop The Look
My kind of ATM! Give me all the cupcakes! I wore this adorable dress around Chicago, and our first stop was the Sprinkles ATM! This dress is sold out, but I linked a bunch of similar options.
Shop The Look
SOME LIKE IT HOT SMOCKED OFF THE SHOULDER DRESS – SEAFOAM
SOME LIKE IT HOT SMOCKED OFF THE SHOULDER DRESS – NAVY
SOME LIKE IT HOT SMOCKED OFF THE SHOULDER DRESS – TOMATO RED
SOME LIKE IT HOT SMOCKED OFF THE SHOULDER DRESS – MAUVE
MIAMI HEAT SMOCKED DRESS
SWEETIE BELL SMOCKED OFF THE SHOULDER DRESS – LAVENDER
DREAMY DOLL SMOCKED OFF THE SHOULDER DRESS
MAKE WAY SMOCKED TIE DRESS
ALL ABOUT THAT BASS SMOCKED TIE DRESS
WeWork Cocktail Hour Dress- Shop
Hi Darlings! A few days ago I attended a cocktail hour for Create and Cultivate hosted by WeWork Chicago. I wanted to dress to impress, so my girl Blake from StyleBooth By Blake hooked me up with this dress. I love the blush color because it is so transferable between summer and fall. The sleeves are long, which help with cool nights out on the town. I can vouch for this since it was 60 degrees in Chicago that day! Speaking of sleeves, they have a great ruffle detail that isn’t too obnoxious! This is seriously a great dress. I am wearing a Medium. I could have gone down a size because it was loose in the stomach, but I think the arms could be too tight in that case.
Shop The Look
*This dress was given to me for the event. This post is sponsored. I use a preset, so the coloring of the dress on my site is/maybe different than on the original owners.