The 2nd Story

 I recently took a much-needed mental health day. My schedule has been non-stop lately with end-of-year activities and getting ready for my son’s graduation. It’s a cliché because it’s true: You cannot pour from an empty cup. Between the personal milestones, I’ve been working on styling costumes for my daughter’s end-of-year choir pop show. Coordinating 15 songs and outfits for 18 kids is no small task! While I am truly enjoying this chapter and the time I get to spend with them, I realized I needed a reprieve. When I need a little quiet time and a fresh spark of inspiration, I do what I do best: I head to the thrift store. My journey recently brought me to Best Dressed Wallflower in Old East Dallas—my old stomping grounds! I met with the owner, Karalyne, who is a stylist herself. She has taken so much time to carefully curate some of the most beautiful vintage pieces I have ever seen. We mixed, we matched, and we created balance and character out of anything and everything. We pu...

Chapter 16: The Anti-Formula Formula I am all about the explosion of personal styling on social media right now! It is so exciting to see people leaning into self-expression. Lately, I’ve been seeing a massive uptick in "outfit formulas." And while I think those are great for some people, for others... they just don’t work. For me, the word "formula" takes the whimsy out of styling. My brain immediately jumps to words like homework, rigid, or restrictive . I might get some beef for this! Some people 100% need a step-by-step on how to structure an outfit, and that is wonderful. I am not bashing that approach at all. But my ADHD brain sees a detailed formula and immediately halts. It feels like too much info and not enough soul. Surely, I can’t be the only one who feels this way! Several influencers have gone viral lately with these "how-tos," but I believe personal style should be felt . Now, I do have certain... let's call them inclinations (insert f...