I know. My image doesn’t really go with my title. The issue? I’ve had one of those weeks. Not a bad week- there was plenty of good- but one where I felt stuck, inspiration was non-existent, and nothing went according to plan and was 10x harder than it needed to be. Case in point? I ordered “The Year of Yes” (Shondra Rhimes) and “Big Magic” (Elizabeth Gilbert)- those books were supposed to be in the picture too, and I was going to tell you all I had learned or was exited to learn from them. They didn’t come in time. So- what do you do when a week like this happens? While this is an option:
(And can help), it’s not always a solution.
I did make it to see “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” this week (see it!) and was reminded of some advice an old acting coach was fond of:
“Embrace the suck, it’s the only way to move forward”.
The character in the film and my old coach are right- sometimes things suck. They don’t go our way, everything is off, and we don’t know what to do. And most of the time the answer lies in simply embracing where you are and moving forward from there. Does that sound easy? I know sometimes it’s not. But sometimes inspiration comes when we go looking for it, things begin to go our way when we continue to put one foot in front of the other; and it’s been my experience that weeks like this are always balanced out.
So my plan for this coming week? Read, write, paint- photograph fashion that I like, and hope you do too. Embrace the suck and move forward- trusting that it can’t suck forever.
Wishing us all a week of inspiration and amazing shoes! XO RA
Thank you to everyone who participated in our Blog Birthday giveaways! Vintage Dresses and Product of a Strong Female shirts. We’re still contacting the winners, so please be patient with us! (I’m also hoping the winners will share pics of them in their new goodies!)
As for things, does anyone else have a crazy busy May?
For me, May is full of family birthdays (and friends who are like family). My mom’s birthday is this week (as is mine), and it seems that there is an event EVERY NIGHT. I just scheduled myself a night off as it’s the 6th and I’m already so tired that I don’t know how to make it to my birthday.
So, the question becomes, how do we recharge ourselves in the middle of a crazy month?
Friends have been asking me about plans for my birthday, and what I keep thinking about is that taking care of yourself is a from of celebrating yourself. I’m seeing nights in and nights out in my future. Bubble baths and days by the pool and rose. Maybe some new shoes? Maybe a great read?
I know that the best way to be my best self is to give myself the things I need: workouts, sleep, veggies, and some fun. And maybe some wine for good measure. That’s the only way to enjoy all these things that fill up May is balance the fun with care.
How do you care for yourself? What does it look like when you celebrate yourself and take time for yourself?
I want to hear your tips and tricks and suggestions!
In the meantime, I’ll be celebrating all the things, relaxing, and trying to take care of myself with all the things.
Wishing us all a week of celebrations and care, and of course, amazing shoes!
Loves, you’ve indulged me all month long as we celebrated the blog’s birthday (one week to go!). Isn’t it funny how different things can hit you at different times? The past few years when the blog had a birthday, it didn’t faze me. I was so focused on the growing and the doing, not even the vision, just the getting things done. This is in no way to imply that the blog, or myself for that matter, is at the peak, or exactly where we want to be. We’re still a work in progress.
However, this year, on the blog’s birthday I feel a little bit more secure in my vision, in my plans for the future; and, can look back at the year with a different eye. We started many different series this year. From Designer Spotlight to Fashion in the Wild, to Fashion Gives Back, Investment Piece began to look a bit past just our own fashion. Sometimes these series are the highlights of my month, sometimes they come together at the last minute. After sitting with them, and digesting them for a year, we’d love to know your thoughts.
What series do you love?
What series do you hate?
What do you wish we would focus on?
What do you wish we would leave out?
Our goal is to produce content that we all love (that’s me and you) and we can’t do that without your input. Ways to give feedback? Comment here, on Facebook, on Instagram, or email me at racheladelicia@investmentpiece.com. We truly want to know your thoughts on the series and would love to hear your ideas!
And here’s the thing about looking back at a year in review, you can’t help but look forward. For months I’ve been playing with the idea of a video series that explores our closets. Our goal in the coming year is to get that into production. We’re playing with classes to teach you how to mix prints, how to shop more efficiently, and maybe getting experts in to teach us all (me) how to pack light. I’m excited about the future, excited about the fashion coming, and the brands we can’t wait to introduce you to!
Again, if there’s something you would love to see on site, we would love to hear about it. We’ve loved sharing all things blog birthday with you!
Stay tuned this week for our last giveaway and our last birthday edition of FBF!
Wishing us all a week of good memories and amazing shoes! XO RA
Loves, I’m so excited to share another amazing Skin Print product with you! (If you recall: we’re thrilled to be featuring Skin Print on site, you can get the scoop and shop any product at any time under the “Skin Print” tab on our menu!)
So here is my ultimate skin goal: I want glowing skin, that looks youthful and dewy, and I’d love to not have to wear a lot of makeup (except for mascara and eyeliner). Skin Print is helping me to achieve these goals- and this Exquisite Exfoliant is completely changing the texture of my skin. I can deal with the occasional breakout, I can struggle with blackheads, and as I get older, I can have some texture issues. Two-Three times I week I’m using this exfoliant, out it on for 20 mins and then wash it off (I love it while I’m shaving my legs!); and I’m noticing that my skin is smoother, brighter, and those breakouts? Not a problem!
The best part about Skin Print’s Exquisite Exfoliant? I can trust what I’m putting on my face. Skin Print is medical grade skin care that is made from the highest quality ingredients. It does what it says it’s going to do. It makes your skin feel good, both while you’re using it and after. And most importantly? Skin Print makes my skin LOOK good. And that what it’s all about, yes?
I don’t endorse products that I don’t love, and let me reassure you, I love this Exquisite Exfoliant. If you’re looking for something that can really clean your skin, remove the gunk, and leave your skin feeling soft and smooth, this is for you!
Want to read last month’s write up of the Skin Print EyeDeal that’s the best eye cream I’ve ever used? You can read all about it here. And loves, I owe you an apology. I promised you a giveaway for the EyeDeal. Then Harvey, then Irma; I know my family was affected and it took my focus. I heard from those of you that were affected and it took your focus. The giveaway fell apart. I apologize. That’s not what we want to have happen here (though we’re so grateful that everyone is safe!) So let’s do a redo! Comment on this post, comment on the Instagram I’ll post this afternoon about EyeDeal, sign up for our newsletter. That’s it! One lucky winner will be chosen (at random) to get their own EyeDeal. We will announce the winner next Thursday!
Loves! We’re still celebrating our birthday month (read all about it here), and our latest venture gives you another chance to shop, sip, and have some fun! If you’re in TX, specifically Central Texas, I invite you to come to a Kendra Scott/Investment Piece pop up!
My sister has been nominated for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Woman of the Year in San Antonio, TX and this event will help her raise money for this worthy cause. You’ll get to shop special Kendra Scott pieces, with a portion of the proceeds going to leukemia and lymphoma research. A bonus? I’ll be there! We can chat fashion, blogging, and I’ll be offering a 10% discount on any personal shopping package purchased!
I don’t know if you’ve heard this, but, Investment Piece is turning 3!!!
This is one of those times when it feels like we’ve only just started, and yet, we have oh so far to go. The inspiration for this site is all due to my mother. I grew up loving fashion, and have always had a knack for putting together an outfit. I’m used to people asking me where I got things. So when my mom read an article in “Texas Monthly” about how blogging was an actual business, Investment Piece was born. To start, I took a class about doing your own site (tech isn’t and never will be my strong suit), got a tripod and a remote for my iPhone, and we were in business.
So much has changed! Can you believe at one time I thought we’d do fashion arts and crafts?
Yes, I painted my own jeans. You can read about it here.
I like to think the pics have gotten better:
And I’ve managed to find my voice (or at least, my voice right now).
I can’t say this enough: I am so grateful for you. I known that there are so many bloggers and feeds and advice you can be following. I appreciate you following me.
So, what are we doing for the blog’s birthday?
Celebrating you!
This month (yes, I gave my blog a month to celebrate its birthday. I’m the coolest blog mom ever), our content is full of Giveways, flashbacks to some of our first content, and events!
You can still enter the first giveaway here, and our first flashback was Friday!
There will be more of both, so stay tuned!
And after the blog birthday month is over? Still more new content, some series I’m excited about, and finding ways to be fresh and exciting while being ourselves.
As someone much cooler than me once said: “I don’t know where we’re going from here, but it won’t be boring”.
Thank you for celebrating our blog birthday with us!
Wishing us all a week of champagne and amazing shoes!
XO RA
A Glimpse at the Hermes Dip&Dye Pop-Up during SXSW
Loves, these little Sunday Chronicles are some of my favorite times with you. I love sharing the thoughts that plague me, the events in my life, and using you as my sounding board for many things. What’s going on now? This and That and SXSW. Yes, usually this means that I share personal snapshots from my life or some sales that you can’t miss! And, yes, if you need that let me know! However, what’s going for me right now is simply a little of this and that (mainly thoughts) and SXSW. So, I’m sharing!
SXSW
Confession? I’m not a festival gal. I love live music, but for some reason I can’t get all excited about the huge festivals that happen. That’s not a hard and fast rule, but it’s generally true that I would rather see artists I love in concert without the festival hoopla. SXSW? A little bit different for me. As you know, I split time between Texas and Los Angeles. So, when I happen to be in Austin for SXSW, I go. I don’t get full badges and go for days (that’s too exhausting for me);but, I make sure to see some bands, some films, and some panel discussions. This year I’ve seen small bands I love in intimate settings, fallen more in love with Emily Blunt (see A Quite Place, and listened to some intriguing thoughts on the future of fashion/technology. It was just enough to keep me busy, and not enough to overwhelm me. The perfect combo?
This and That
As I’ve sat in panels this past week, listening to what “experts” think consumers want, I couldn’t help but wonder: “What do you want?” I don’t think it’s any secret that the fashion industry is changing, that the “influencer” market is a bit crowded, and that we’re all looking for a way to stand out. Where do these things intersect? What I love about fashion? That you can use it to stand out, to speak for you, to be whoever you want to be that day, and that your fashion doesn’t have to be like anyone else. However, we all like being able to easily buy what we like, we like being popular, and some “classics” are items everyone should have. How do we balance this and that? Where are we going to take this and that?
I’m not 100% sure of the answers. These thoughts have been keeping me up and while I’ve come up with some ideas, most of this is still just this and that. Investment Piece? We’ll keep using our fashion to stand out. And yet, we’ll keep suggesting classics we think you should own. We’ll try to balance this and that by suggesting ways to stand out and ways to use what we all have. If there’s something you want to see, or an idea you want addressed, let your voice be heard! Racheladelicia@investmentpiece.com
Wishing us all a week of deep thoughts and amazing shoes! XO RA
I’m going to bet that not only are you seeing post after post about diets, cleanses, and detoxes, but that your feeds are full of goals. Goal setting. Goal achieving. Talking about goals. Hopefully, out there, someone being #goals. After all, tis the season, right? And I get it. We can’t work towards anything that we don’t put out there; and sharing your goals is a great way to add in accountability.
What I don’t like? All talk and no action. I feel like we can spend time talking about our goals, thinking about them, sharing them; and yet, we still have to work towards our goals. So this year, I’m not going to share my goals here. Yes, I have them, yes, they’re big. Yes, I can’t wait to show the result. But instead of just listing my goals, I’m thinking: how do I achieve them?
Goals are amazing. Goal achieving is what I’m after. And I hope you are, too. So in that spirit, here are some thoughts I have on going out and getting our goals done. I still would love to hear your goals, but I’m also interested in your methods. Loves, what are you doing to reach your goals?
To Reach a Goal You Have to Believe You are Worthy Of It
Do you think you deserve what you want? A simple question, but if you really put in the thought, it can be really complicated. A wise woman once told me that the difference between those who achieve goals and those who don’t is the belief that they are worthy of their goals. We’ve heard it before: we are so worthy and deserving of everything we want. But, do we really believe that? I can be as self sabotaging as I can be amazing. So, this year as I set my goals, I’m examining my thoughts. I’m thinking about the life I want, and how that would look and feel. And I’m making sure that I know how worthy I am of that fantastic life I’m planning.
Did you make a mistake? Or did something just not look like your expectation?
A woman I love asked me this question this week and I can’t stop thinking about it. When we set goals, when we work towards them; it’s so easy to get discouraged. It’s easy to feel like once you make a mistake to give up. First, there is no such thing as perfection (and as a perfectionist I have to remind myself of that EVERY DAY), and being soft with ourselves when mistakes happen is part of the process.
Second, what if it’s not a mistake? I bit on my teeth on scripts. I tend to have a picture in my head of how things should go, look, be said. And when reality doesn’t match that? I can get a little uptight. (Ok, a lot uptight. Please still be my friend). What I’m learning to remind myself of? Sometimes mistakes and things not looking the way you planned is a gift. Sometimes not having your expectation met means that something even more wonderful happened. How’s that for goal setting and mistakes?
Flow
The best way to get a goal done? Do it. I enjoy the thinking, the planning, the creating. And all of that is so important. More important? Action. Jumping in and working a bit each day, even when things aren’t perfect. There’s something about the motion that can carry us through. Or at least, that’s what the goal people tell me.
So I’m working, and doing. I’m making “mistakes” and feeling worthy. I’m trying and putting myself out there. What about you? What are your methods and thoughts about how to reach #goals?
Wishing us all a week of progress and amazing shoes! XO RA
By now, I’m sure that all of your social media feeds are full of the news. It’s detox season and from “dry January” to juicing to no sugar, everyone is giving up something. I’m no stranger to a detox (I’ve even written about it here and here and here. Juice is something I love, dry January is completely doable, and sugar can be given up. I believe in balance, and think that detox is a part of that.
However, this year I’ve been thinking a lot about detoxing and what needs to be cut, needs to be balanced, needs to be dealt with in my life. In the holiday season, it can be so easy to over-indulge, that the balance seems to be a detox. I know my body is ready to cut back on sugars, carbs, alcohol and get more sleep. But is going to extremes in our detox any better than going to extremes in our indulgences? I love the occasional glass of wine, and is that so bad? For research, I’ve been reading why dry January is good for you, Why Not to do Dry January, and for fun, The Champagne diet. My take-away? Do what works for you, but if the goal is moderation, maybe extreme measures aren’t the best.
My diet isn’t the only thing I’m thinking of detoxing. The new year means a fresh start and nothing says “new” like a good closet detox. I usually spend some time in January devoted to chatting about closet clean outs (see here, here, and here), and I’m getting the urge to purge again. However, this year I’m not only thinking of what to clean out, I’m thinking of what kind of wardrobe I want to build. I shop, a lot, and while I’m never going to be one to have a minimalist closet (I just love too many styles too much), I do want to be more mindful in what I curate. It’s like balance, but for designer shoes. This means that when I clean out, I’m going to be aware of what I put back in. Yes, I may take more time shopping, may be pickier with my choices, and may cut back on fast fashion; but if that gets me a great closet, is that a bad thing?
Can you tell that my goal with detox this year is to get to a state of balance? I’m thinking about what I want my relationships (with food and clothes, among other things) to be; and my goal is make choices that best serve the relationships I want. Yes, there may be a glass of wine and new shoes occasionally, we’re chatting detox, not giving things up entirely!
I’d love to know: what are your thoughts on detox? Are you cutting things out this month?
Wishing us all a week of balance and amazing shoes!
XO RA
There’s a rumor going around about gift cards. That they are not a thoughtful gift. They mean that you waited till the last minute. Gift cards say that you didn’t really care to get your loved one a “real gift”. I hate to be the bearer of bad news to rumors, but I respectfully disagree. Gift cards? I LOVE them. In fact, I think that gift cards are an incredibly thoughtful, real gift, and often, what your loved ones want. Don’t believe me? Let me lay out my defense of gift cards. Continue reading In defense of Gift Cards
