How to Survive NYFW with Dove

Thank you Dove for sponsoring this post.

Hey guys! Today is my last day of NYFW, and as much as I look forward to the madness that ensues during this week, I'm also looking forward to things calming down a bit. This fashion week, I outdid myself and literally burnt out yesterday from running around nonstop with 3-4 hours of sleep per day... I think doing it all by myself from attending the shows and events to documenting everything through photographs and videography (I'm even doing my first fashion week vlog on my YouTube channel this season! Coming soon!) to making it to appointments and meetings and then burning the midnight oil with edits can definitely take a toll on one person. It's a lot. So in today's post, I've partnered with one of my favorite brands of all time, Dove, to share with you guys on how to survive your first fashion week with these simple & healthy tips! 

1. NOURISH YOUR SKIN

3 in 4 dermatologists say that women often damage their skin in the shower, thinking they are caring for it. When it comes to cleansing, all skin deserves gentleness which is why 88% of dermatologists advise women to use a gentle cleanser when showering. Only Dove Body Wash is made with 100% gentle cleansers, is sulfate-free and is the #1 dermatologist recommended body wash. There's no other body wash that I use, I have been swearing by Dove for over a decade! My skin always feels so nourished - why would you want anything but silky smooth skin? You can purchase Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash in many food, drug, mass, value, club and online retailers nationwide - or here as well. 

2. TRY TO EAT RIGHT

Any fashionista knows in order to survive fashion week, you've gotta add some carbs into your diet! But as easy and as delicious as this may sound in the given moment, try to eat things in moderation. Going all out on pizza one night? No need to fret... have a yummy healthy breakfast the following morning to balance your meal intake and to feel less guilty about that extra slice of pepperoni you probably shouldn't have had but the cocktails got to you. Ha ha ha! I'm not a brekkie gal by any means, but this season I've really been watching what I eat before starting long days (we're talking 14+ hrs on some of 'em... eek.) I love smoothie bowls or smoothies in general. I love being able to take my food with me on the go!

3. A LITTLE SPLURGE NEVER KILLED NOBODY

Okay... so this might totally conflict with tip #2, but YOLO, am I right? A little treat like a few macaroons in between shows not only will give you that sugar rush you're probably in desperate need of, but you'll feel great because you've treated yourself to something yummier than leafy greens or quinoa. And treating yourself isn't limited to food either. Splurge on a nice bubble bath (using Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash makes some extra bubbles) if you aren't taking a night off or go on a shopping spree for some much needed retail therapy after coveting all the new collections straight off the runway! Just don't blame me for being a bad 'influence'! ;)

4. CELEBRATE ALONE TIME

As much as I love networking, going out and meeting people and being extra social during fashion week, everyone has their limits. Being a writer, I enjoy my solitude. I've gotten used to being alone a lot, and quite honestly I prefer it this way when it comes to relaxing. I also always feel so guilty when I'm not able to spend as much time with my German shepherd dog, MaQ. He is my fur child and I hate the idea of him being alone while I'm out and about. In between my schedule, I'll either get up extra early to have a nice, long walk with him before being out all day or I'll take an extra hour during the day (or any chance I can get with him) to spend some time with him. Our bond is maaaadddd strong and as much as I'd love to take him with me everywhere I go, it's not the reality of the situation. So instead I improvise and value my time even during one of the busiest work weeks of the year.

Tell me, my fellow fabulous fashionistas: what are some tips you have for surviving fashion week? Whether it be your diet, workout regiment and more, I'd love to hear from you! Don't forget to shop Dove Deep Moisture Body Wash and to leave your comments down below! To see more from my everyday action during NYFW, follow along on my Instagram! I'll be sharing all of my fashion week outfits on the blog on Friday, plus more designers and my first fashion week vlog! Stay tuned, so much new exciting content coming your way in the very near future! 

CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

LOVE & XX'S,

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Cosmopolitan: Let's Talk About It Event

WEARING: NATIVE YOUTH RUST HIGH NECK BLOCK JERSEY SWEATER | 
MARSHALL FIELD'S FAUX CROC SATCHEL BAG | ALDO BUGIANO STUDDED ANKLE BOOTIES | 
STELLA & DOT GOLD AND BLACK FRINGE NECKLACE | AE CHAMBRAY SHIRT 

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THIS POST IS SPONSORED BY COSMOPOLITAN, NATIVE YOUTH, AND STELLA & DOT.

 

"KILL THEM WITH COMPETENCE."

Yesterday's 'Let's Talk About It' event with Cosmopolitan helped others find their voice on topics that some (wrong) people consider taboo for women to talk about and more. Busting taboos around money & power, sex & romance, beauty & image, happiness and more, it was an inspiring, and empowering way to spend a Saturday. Kicking off the morning with 'humming in' with sound therapy practitioner, Sara Auster, and CEO of MNDFL, Ellie Burrows, the entire room suddenly felt like I was surrounded by hundreds of bees near its main nest. It was strange yet communal... zen. Practicing meditation helps one focus on themselves and who they really are. It was a unique opener and a wonderful way to bring us together.

The seminar was welcomed by Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan, Michele Promaulayko, and her first panel of boss women, television personality, host, fashion designer, singer, actress and author of There's No F*cking Secret: Letters From a Badass Bitch, Kelly Osbourne, acclaimed TV journalist, woman's empowerment advocate and author of the upcoming book, Be Fierce: Stop Harassment and Take Your Power Back, Gretchen Carlson, and CEO of, The Pink Ceiling, and the woman behind the 'female viagra', Addyi, Cindy Whitehead.

Self-acceptance, struggles in the workforce and yes, sex, was among some of the general topics discussed in the opening panel. I think my favorite moment from that panel was Kelly Osbourne's story about being bullied as a kid. At first, she confided in her mother, Sharon, and told her to go back to school the following day and tell the girls that were picking on her that if they didn't stop, she'd have her father bite their heads off. LMAO. But when that didn't work, she then went to her father, Ozzy. And surprisingly enough, his advice was to basically tattletale on them. He told her to tell the girls they had one last chance to do right and if they didn't stop, she would report them. And sending that kind of message to your daughter, that your voice is the most powerful force within you, is such an important lesson to learn, let alone acquire.

The second segment focused on money, power & work. The panel included Director of Editorial and Business Development of Cosmopolitan & Seventeen, Laura Brounstein, journalist & author of, Feminist Fight Club, Jessica Bennett, and women's leadership expert, Chief Leadership Officer for LEVO & author of, Drop the Ball, Tiffany Dufu. Heavy talks of the balance between your work life and personal life were extremely central to everyone, along with great tips for it. For example, Tiffany Dufu, said people respond to authenticity. “Embrace the imperfection,” she said. “Do what you need to do in order to be the kind of leader that people will resonate with." And I think this applies to everywhere in life, not just on Instagram. 9/10 times I want to work with someone because they're real with me, not because they're putting up a front that they're perfect. Because no one is that.  

When Jessica Bennett was first starting her career, she felt uneasy about self-promotion. Her male co-workers, however, had no trouble shamelessly doing so  — and got all the credit and raises. Then she and her friend came up with a strategy and became each other’s “boast bitches.” “When I did something good, she would send a mass email to all of our editors, being like, ‘Did you see this great thing that Jess did? It was really amazing!’ And I would do the same for her.” No good deed goes unpunished? Not in this case. It's selfless, they're both supporting one another and at the same time feeling good doing it and feeling good about themselves. And they finally got the credit they deserved. 

Another favorite segment was the sex talk with Digital Special Projects Director for Cosmopolitan, Seventeen, & Redbook, Elisa Benson, actor & host of his own hit podcast, The Love Bomb, Nico Tortorella, and founder & host of the Sex with Emily podcast, Dr. Emily Morse. Dr. Morse encouraged women to talk about what they need from their partners in the bedroom but to not talk about it in the bedroom. Rather in a more relaxed setting, like at brunch, or over coffee. "Make it more casual," she said. "You just kind of throw it out there, not like a we need to talk." Another tip? Do it in the car or on the subway. It's a place where you can talk about awkward issues without making eye contact. And reinforce, reinforce, reinforce! It goes a long way, especially before giving some feedback that might not exactly be A+.

After lunch, there was a dance-off with the founder & creator of DanceBody, Katia Pryce, where she had the entire room gyrating together in a full circle. It was yet another great way to bring everyone together and to prepare everybody for what's next, which was the part where we all sat around each other in the same circle and went around telling the room what our current ambitions were. Many wanted love, happiness and more. Better jobs, bigger houses, more time with their loved ones... and I have to admit, when it comes down to it, we really all want the same things in life. To love and be loved in return, to find joy in the bittersweetness of life; to belong to something, to be accepted and appreciated. To have much purpose and to fulfill your dreams. To just be at peace.

And the Cosmopolitan conference did just that for me and helped me recognize what really matters and what doesn't. What's your current ambition? To answer mine, I would honestly say that I am striving to be a better wife and mommy to my fur child because, with the crazy amount of work I've been doing in the past year, the amount of time I have with them is really scarce. Sure, I work with my husband constantly, but that doesn't count for quality time. And my pup has been missing me being home and spending time with him. So I'm definitely working on that challenging balance in life as well. This event also reminded me how powerful our voices really can be. I think if we can continue to spread the gift of courage, in that the more we speak up about things we shouldn't necessarily talk about or are subject to taboo, the more we will all see that it can help and inspire others to break free from their silence. Thanks for stopping by and reading about my Cosmopolitan adventures! Don't forget to comment your ambitions down below!  

LOVE & XX'S,

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10 Years in New York City - Part 1

Woah, it's official! This week marks my ten year anniversary living in New York City! I'm incredibly proud to finally be able to call myself a real New Yorker! In the past decade, I've changed careers twice, wrote my first novel, found MaQ, the German Shepherd dog I've always wanted since I was a child, and married the man of my dreams. Phew! But it's true what they say, "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere." One helluva ride, I've been doing a lot of reflecting over the past decade of my life and how far I've come. It's been a very humbling experience and New York has helped me grow in ways I didn't even know were possible. So, here are 10 things I've learned on my journey as a New Yorker.

Brooklyn Bridge.

1. YOU BETTER WORK!

RuPAUL, you are preaching to the choir! Living in NYC is ridiculously expensive and everyone out here wants their fair-shared bite out of the Big Apple. But in order to party hard, you better work even harder. And I mean you better work like you've never worked in your entire life! I've been working since the age of 12 and nothing ever came easy for me. For many years, I've held down 2 to 3 jobs at once all the while working on other projects like my novel or whipping up some new recipes or coming up with a new photographic series. I've worked my butt off to get to where I am today. And that kind of work ethic is vital to be able to live here. It's not even an option.

2. LOVE WHAT YOU DO.

Words are my life and have always been my gateway to outward expression and my release from the trials and tribulations of life. I had dabbled in creative writing such as short stories and some poetry during my adolescence, even getting a few of my poems published while in college. So, I started writing again after transplanting myself from the Motor City to the island of Manhattan. It was like a lightning bolt had struck me, straight to the core. Immediately I knew I wanted to take my writing more seriously. This could be my way of helping and contributing to society and most importantly, do something I love doing, no matter how long it was going to take to work my way towards becoming an established writer. Here if you want it bad enough you'll do it for free, but my firm belief is never work for money and/or success. Your work should feel significant and meaningful to you. Work for a cause, not for applause. The money will follow. Hard work pays off, for real though!

3. CAN'T READ MY POKER FACE.

Ever hear how New Yorkers aren't the smiling type? It's true. Sort of. We're honest folks, pretty blunt actually in it's truest and rawest form. New Yorkers are not about letting people know too much of their business because most people don't care, they're just curious. Nosey. Nobody's got time for that! They want to see you do good (perhaps), but never better than them - something I will never understand. I'm everyone's cheerleader! Why would you want someone to lose rather than win? Because it's an extremely competitive town and after a few years even, being in the Concrete Jungle, I think a person is only bound to build that "don't mess with me" type of NYC mentality. Plus it wards off the cacklers, trollers, fakes and haters of the world while keeping yourself in check!

4. THE FOOD HERE IS UNLIKE ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.

I may be tiny and petite, but I can eat like a horse. I LOVE FOOD. But my upbringing, in terms of food experience, wasn't very eclectic. I grew up mostly on Korean and American food. As a kid, The Olive Garden and Red Lobster were considered one of the 'nicer' restaurants. But living in NYC where the culinary melting pot is literally right outside your apartment, is one of my greatest pleasures living here. Never have I eaten better or with more wonder and joy than I have in the past ten years. NYC really does have every type of ethnic cuisine you can imagine and I've learned so much about cooking and food in general. Okay, now I need to stop talking about this. My stomach's growling. ;-) But seriously, you haven't had food until you've been to New York!

5. OOEY GOOEY ROMANCE AT IT'S FINEST

When I think of all the sights and sounds of the city, I am filled with so many memories (good and bad, and just downright ugly) of my past relationships. New York City is a great place to be single, but I think it's an even better place to fall in love. Two different types of people with two different types of perspectives, equals countless hours of exploring the city. Different parts of the city. Sure it's great to do some solo-adventuring, but it's the best when shared with someone you deeply love. Some of my favorite memories are nestled in this gorgeous town with the love of my life. My husband and I met in the East Village, he proposed at the Metropolitan Opera and we married in Central Park at Strawberry Fields, right on top of the John Lennon, 'Imagine' memorial. For me, the city brings out your romantic side, at full speed! Unforgettable moments. For reals.

6. NOTHING GOES AS PLANNED.

My dad used to say, "If you want to make God laugh, just tell Him your plans." My five year plan after college was to join the police force. (I know, what?! I'll tell y'all about it another time.) Obviously I changed my mind, ha ha! I'm very thankful for all the experiences that I've gained from the different jobs I've had through the years. I'm constantly evolving as a person, and I think all that personal growth from work has helped mold me into who I am today. When I stopped trying to plan my life down to every single detail, the better life has become. Not to say that you should be some irresponsible hot mess, but unplanned events, both positive or negative, can lead to wonderful things. Don't try so hard because life really does have a funny way of working things out. Letting go can be very powerful. Everything will fall into place whether you like it or not!

New York City Skyline.

7. DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU HOW TO LIVE HERE.

Life in NYC is not at all like the way the TV and big screen depict it. It's the fashion capital of the world, but not everyone is running around like Carrie Bradshaw. People dress the way they want to dress. New Yorkers do what they want to do and they do what they got to do too. This place can eat you alive, so never try to live by someone else's way. Be authentic and be true to yourself, through thick and thin, because the city life can get pretty stressful. Sometimes too much it seems. But don't give up. Be real to yourself. If you are, no matter what difficulties life wants to throw your way, you'll be able to figure it out. Look at how much pressure goes into making a diamond! That's the beauty of New York, you never know what can happen!

8. STAY CONNECTED BUT WATCH YOUR BACK.

It's all about who you know in this town but if that means having to force yourself in dealing with highly toxic people, walk away. You don't have to sacrifice your dignity or integrity for anyone or anything. That's far too important, to me at least, and life's too short. Work with those you can grow and learn from. If they're not bringing anything to the table and it's just negative, time to move on. You deserve better. It's tough being appreciated here, because the city of New York doesn't owe you anything. It's nothing personal and no one's perfect after all, but this shouldn't make you have to short-list what you feel is fair or right for yourself. Networking and staying connected is an imperative tool in New York, but that doesn't mean there's no snakes in the grass.

9. MAKE TIME AND SPACE FOR YOURSELF.

I will forever be a city girl at heart. The idea of living in the middle of nowhere with not much to do is a little nerve-wrecking to me. In my opinion that's too much space! But sometimes the city feels like there's not enough space. Trust me, you know what I'm talking about if you've ever squeezed into a subway car train during rush hour like sardines in a can! There is no sense of personal space in the city. So it's good to take a retreat every once in a while. I always feel rejuvenated and revived after spending some quiet time with nature and being outdoors. It does the body and soul good. :)

10. LIVING IN NYC VS. BEING IN NYC

Ambition means more in this town than talent, but that shouldn't deter you from having some kind of social life. Don't just work, play! There's a million and one things to do in NYC and one of the biggest perks living here is being able to do them. I've been to the Brooklyn Bridge many many times, but I particularly wanted to walk it with my boys on my ten year anniversary living here. It is such an epic landmark and was quite the New York moment to have. Make the most of this city because you never know what tomorrow will bring.

My city, my town. New York City Forever, baby!

Well, New York - I made it. And on my own terms. Feeling pretty groovy and happy to be alive. Keep banging. I will always love you. (But not without my whips and chains, you naughty city you! I need to straighten you out from time to time!) :P

Cheers to the greatest city in the world! Stay tuned for Part 2 of my NYC anniversary extravaganza! ♥

Love & xx's