She loves cupcakes, cashmere, and works in a pink office. I think I like her.

I'm absolutely loving the details found within the LA home of Emily Schuman (who you probably know as the voice behind Cupcakes and Cashmere). A pink office, sprinkles of sparkling objects, and sound career advice? This one is so worth reading.

"Be open to change and gradual progression; not everything has to be perfect right when you start." - Emily Schuman

p.s. Eyeing that darling giraffe print? Thought so. It's by Sharon Montrose and is available at The Animal Print Shop. I'm looking to add some of her work to my new place!

photos by Kimberly Genevieve for The Everygirl

as promised...

The Everygirls Go to Fashion Week! 

Check out the full recap here!

photo by Danielle Moss for The Everygirl

Something I've never told you.

I am obsessed with Broadway musicals, namely Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, and Wicked. And here's the real kicker... if I could have any wish granted, it would be to sing Eponine's "On My Own" on stage in front of real people. Ooo didn't know this did you...? Yes, I sing. All the time. Whether it sounds good or not, I do it instinctively - much like breathing. I'll sing sentences instead of speaking them. I'll sing when there's no music playing. In high school I'd insist we listen to the soundtrack to Newsies whenever my friends and I were out and about (they hated this).  I'll sing in the car even at a red light when someone pulls up next to me, sees me belting out "Defying Gravity," and laughs.

Point of all this is... have you seen the First Look at the Les Misérables movie due out at Christmas? I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. I'm obsessed. The actors are all singing live and it's going to be amaaaazing. No pre-recordings being lip-synced over for the camera. Just beautiful, heart-felt, organic songs... where you can really hear the words and understand the story.

Watch watch watch.

Anne Hathaway as Fantine

Her voice and acting in the first look video kinda sorta maybe made me tear up. I officially predict right now that she'll get Best Supporting Actress for this one.

 Russell Crowe as Javert and Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean. Sexy men with sexier voices? Signed, sealed, and delivered.

Samantha Barks as Eponine

 There's my girl.

Amanda Seyfried as Cosette and Eddie Redmayne as Marius 

(Meh to her, but if you don't know him, get to! I fell in love with his acting after watching Pillars of the Earth.)

And here's the trailer where you can hear the full version of Anne Hathaway singing "I Dreamed a Dream." Cannot wait for this soundtrack to come out!

Do you like musicals? What's your favorite one? Are you excited for Les Mis as much as I am?

What I Wore to NYFW (sneak peek)

sequined peter pan collar

pink tufted bag

turquoise trousers

bow ring

black nails

and a soy latte

Each and every item bought on sale. It's funny to see how my style has evolved over the years... in high school, my friends all told me I dressed like a mom. I wore a lot of black and grey, button-down shirts, sweaters... (ok, I guess I still wear all of those things). But I've definitely branched out quite a bit to more fun, bold pieces! I'd say this look - which I wore to the Kate Spade show - is pretty much me in a nutshell! Help! I'm in a nutshell! How did I get into this nutshell?

I know some of you have been asking for details about New York, and don't worry, there's plenty more where this came from. Be sure to check The Everygirl on Monday for a full NYFW recap!

photo by Danielle Moss

Lo & Sons Travel Bag ($300 Value) Giveaway - CLOSED

Have you heard of Lo & Sons? They make the best travel bags (and camera bags, laptop bags, and other convenient carrying satchels) and offered a giveaway on The Everygirl a couple weeks ago. Lucky you gets another chance at winning one here on Live Creating Yourself! The folks at L&S are offering one reader a bag of their choosing - either the slightly larger OG or the medium-sized OMG.

The bags are lined to safely transport laptops and there's a separate compartment to store shoes (heels, sneakers, slippers, whatever the case me be). Valued at almost $300, this is quite the opportunity!

So which will it be?

The OG?

or The OMG?

and...

Exciting, right?!

Easiest guessing game of all time: which stack of luggage is mine and which is Danielle's?

To Enter:
Like Lo & Sons on Facebook and leave a comment here letting me know which style (the OG or the OMG) and color you'd want if you are the winner!

Deadline:
Monday, September 25th at 11:59pm - winner will be announced the next day!

Have at it!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED! WINNER HAS BEEN EMAILED AND WILL BE RECEIVING HER BLACK OG VERY SOON! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED!

7 of Chicago's Finest for Coach

It's true. Brights are the new neutrals.

And we were so thrilled when Coach reached out to us (The Everygirl) to help spread word on their colorful Legacy collection. We pitched the idea of featuring leading Chicago ladies and how they'd style the bags, and we were beyond thrilled with the talented, amazing bunch of women we got on board: Marie Whitney of Two Penny Blue, Lauren Buxbaum and Sasha Adler of Nate Berkus Associates, Lynne Bredfeldt of the Park Hyatt Hotel in Chicago, Dana Weiss of Possessionista.com, and Val Warner and Jessie Kalin of Windy City LIVE. Hello, kick-ass lady time! They all did such an awesome job, and our amazing photographer Jennifer Kathryn was her usual genius self behind the lens.

I have my own Candace Carryall in carnelian (fancy way of saying red) and I luuuurve it and carry it with me everywhere, including all around NYC last week. Yeah, that's me showin' some leg. Ow! Ow! Anyone ever eaten at Penelope Cafe in Midtown East? It was lovely. Speaking of fashion week - stay tuned for a complete style recap coming soon!

**And by Midtown East, I meant Murray Hill. My bad!

Coach photos by Jennifer Kathryn Photography for The Everygirl
last photo via Everygirl Instagram

The Everygirl + Rue + Gap

If you're not already familiar with Gap's Styld.By campaign, you should definitely hop on over and check it out! Long story short, a few months back Gap reached out to several of the web's most fashionable sources (Rue, WhoWhatWear, Refinery29, Lookbook, and Stereogum) to see how their team and colleagues would style a look around various Gap items. Danielle and I were so excited when Crystal from Rue asked us to represent the online magazine in their latest edition as one of Chicago's dynamic duos along with the ladies of Kit This, A Drink with Chicago, and Luxury Garage Sale. It was all a bit of a whirlwind - as most things are in this field - but we are so happy with the experience and the honor of working with these ladies and being on Gap's website!

The looks we pulled together wouldn't have been possible without the chic blazers from Two Penny Blue, which we paired with the classic cotton Gap t's (which are available in a bevy of saturated hues). Obsessed with the bright color blocking of my look, and the unique, eye-catching ikat of Danielle's blazer.

Check it out in the new issue of Rue, out today!

Danielle's Look: Top: Gap Bleecker T  Blazer: c/o 2 Penny Blue  Flats: Jeffrey Campbell Necklace: c/o Gorjana  Ring c/o Madison Elizabeth Designs Jeans: AG (my favorites!) Watch: Michael Kors Bracelets: c/o Oia Jules, Stella and Dot, J. Crew

My Look: Top: Gap Bleecker T  Blazer: c/o 2 Penny Blue  Trousers: J.Crew  Heels: Louis Vuitton (stylists')  Necklace: stylists'

photo by Kirsten Miccoli

the best things in life

...are babies.

Especially my new nephew Jack. New York City was cool and all, but as soon as I found out my brother and sister-in-law's darling baby boy was born early Friday morning, all I wanted to do was come home and meet him and hold him and fall in love with him. Which I finally got to do yesterday.

I realize this must come as a surprise. I haven't mentioned the pregnancies in my family on the blog (Instagram followers have seen a baby gift or two!).

And that's right - I said pregnancies. My sister is due with a baby girl next month! TWO babies for Alaina to love! One niece and one nephew. How fun are the holidays going to be this year?!

What a wonderful reminder on a day like today to be good to those you love. Don't take a single day for granted. If you're fighting - make up. If you haven't spoken - pick up the phone. If you love someone - tell them. Life's too short to not be happy with the people in your life.

Congratulations, Ted and Jess!

...she also came with me to fashion week

the kate spade bag i've been wanting since last march went on super duper secret listserve-only sale the day after my new coach bag arrived. no need to tell me this was a superfluous purchase. i'm well aware and debated hitting the "submit purchase" button for a good 30 minutes. but it's hot pink and tufted and i love it. and i haven't bought myself a bag since i turned 21 (i'll be 27 on october 5).

happy birthday, self.

What I'm Wearing to New York Fashion Week

So I don't think I've told all of you the amazing news. I am on my way to New York Fashion Week! Danielle and I were invited to attend the RewardStyle/ASOS party on Saturday night on behalf of The Everygirl, and we of course RSVPed yes before we even realizing it was fashion week! So naturally, once we came to our senses, we started reaching out to friends and colleagues to try and schedule meetings, photo shoots for The Everygirl, and maybe even attend a few shows!

We have quite the line-up over the next few days, including...
- dinners with Erin, Taylor, Dallas, a friend from Kate Spade and ElleDecor.com, our dear friend Jenna Fain from LookTV, Liz, Mackenzie, Molly and Sally, and Bradley. Three separate meals. Whoa.
- BCBG fashion show
- Kate Spade fashion show
- Herve Leger fashion show
- Tracy Reese fashion show (remember I wore a Tracy Reese dress to our BHLDN event? And Mrs. Michelle Obama just wore TR to the DNC!)
- RewardStyle/ASOS partay
- a trip to the corporate offices of West Elm to meet and photograph the creative director, Vanessa Holden
- a trip to the Ali Ro offices to photographer the head designer, Kathleen McFeeters
- not to mention we'll be staying at the lovely and centrally located Affinia Hotel in Midtown (chic and budget-friendly! - and quite a step up from the vacant family friend's apartment we stayed in on our last trip!)

It's all a bit much to take in. Exciting and surreal. I've kind of been freaking out the past few days because it really hit me. The whole I am not fashionable thing set in. I realize I won't hold a candle to anyone catwalking around the streets of trendy NYC during fashion week. I don't own a ton of knock-out dresses that haven't already been seen time and time again. But I've looked over my wardrobe a few times now and realized I can make what I have work. I'm looking to my girl Viviana for some inspiration...

Sleek trousers, colorful blouses, fitted blazers, and rockin' accessories. That's my plan. Nothing too out there. If Viviana can get away with it, I can too.

Here are a few looks I've put together for my time there...

two penny blue blazer | banana republic blouse | two penny blue bangles

banana republic pumps | coach handbag | j.crew trousers

two penny blue necklace | two penny blue ring | j.crew blouse

banana republic pumps | blair ritchey clutch | bcbg faux leather pants

ali ro dress | target belt | two penny blue bracelet

white pumps | coach clutch

Plenty of great Two Penny Blue and Banana Republic staples, a new Ali Ro dress and colorful Coach bags, a sleek Blair Ritchey clutch, and I'm good to go.

Wish me luck!

Belle: Dark as Night in the Bedroom

And this is happening in the bedroom. Farrow and Ball's Off-Black. Dramatic, sexy, bold, unexpected. Very exciting.

Belle: Going Blue in the Kitchen

Behold: inspiration for our kitchen. Blue, white, and a dash of gold hardware for good measure.

Here's what the room currently looks like. We plan on painting the cabinets white.

Yes. It's true. I'm going dark blue in my lil' ole' kitchen. I know it goes against every rule of small spaces - dark colors make them feel smaller, light colors open them up. Don't care, I'm doin it!

Thanks to Farrow and Ball, we'll be using their color Drawing Room Blue, as seen in the three photos above. I love the richness of this blue. It's not too black and not too purple. But juuuuust right.

Definitely want to add this nautical delight to the mix. It's the Dash and Albert navy striped rug from Layla Grayce.

And we'll be on our way...

Most pathetic Photoshop rendering ever. But you get the idea!

Thoughts, questions, concerns?!