







How To Style A Wrap Dress Two Ways: I happened upon this wrap dress by chance as I was just about to leave Nordstrom. I’ve been wanting to try the whole “dress over jeans” trend, but knew I needed the right dress to pull it off. Today I’m showing you how to style a wrap dress TWO ways!
The dress by itself is stunning. I added a pair of OTK boots from my sweet friends at Pour La Victoire. They gifted me these shoes last year and I finally got to wear them! A high boot is a great option for this time of year because the weather is still transitioning and a heel is so predictable when wearing a dress like this. Change things up a bit! Wear the unexpected.
My next look was with a pair of black jeans and Steve Madden block heeled sandals. It’s really a simple outfit to put together but the material of the dress and deep contrast in color with the black on black bottom/shoe combination, helps to turn this perfect dress into a chic date night or girls night out look.
My jeans are from J.C. Penney and my shoes I found at Nordstrom! I linked the entire collection of pieces that I’m wearing for you below (The dress has now sold out but I’m linking several options on my SHOP page:
Look 1
Look 2
Which look is more you? I’m probably more of a Look #2 kind of girl when I think about my every day style. But what I love about the dress/boots combo is that it’s perfect as is or can be elevated with a great faux fur, wide brim hat and bold lippy! So many options for this dress, which is why I LOVE it!
Did you buy it too? Share your style with me via email: stephanie@stephtaylorjackson.com!
Thanks for reading! Until next week!
XO – Steph
While I don’t have the pleasure of going into an office every day, I do love the idea of styling for it and often wonder what I’d wear to work each day if did. (I work in retail so my wardrobe is a little different than your typical office wear). I wanted to round up a few ideas on how to master work week chic for my working girls out there, so I put together a few closet must haves that are sure to keep you looking and feeling like you deserve a “best dressed” award.
Bottoms:
Anyone can wear a straight leg trouser or pencil skirt, and these are traditional go to looks for women in the office, but I would love to challenge you to explore the art of adding texture and volume to these options. Something I love to do is wear culottes, high waist paints or skirts that are midi length with a gathering or some sort of multi-dimension. I wasn’t born to be a basic B and neither were you! I linked a few retailer examples below with options to elevate your traditional office bottoms.
Tops:
I live for an elaborate blouse, especially one with great sleeves, a high neck or ruffles. There are so many great options to choose from when styling tops for the office. I know everyone isn’t in to a lot of detail like I am, so search for pieces that just speak to you! You’ll know it when you see it. If it scares you a little bit, then go for it, those sometimes the best finds.
Shoes:
Great shoes go a long way. If you’ve followed my blog for any period of time then you probably know that I do not wear super high heels, I just can’t do it! But that doesn’t mean I can’t dress things up with the shoes I am comfortable wearing. Having a range of heels, mules, sandals and boots is so important. Swing by my shop pages to see what I’m currently loving.
The important thing to keep in mind when styling for the office is that you should never get comfortable or complacent with your style. So what if you’re not doing exactly what you want to do! Dress for the job you want, it will come in due time. Show me your work week chic looks, I’d love to see them! My email is stephanie@stephtaylorjackson.com – I’ll share my favorites on Instagram!
Thanks so much for reading!
XO – Steph
Shoes! It’s hard to believe it’s that time of year again. Where has this year gone? I have found myself already starting to browse the Spring/Summer shoes when I’m out shopping and I am loving what I’m seeing. Every season I add a couple new styles to my wardrobe, and this year won’t be any different. There was a time when I loathed shoe shopping, but I’m now able to find so many great options online, that I don’t even have to leave my house.
I can be a bit boring when it comes to shopping destinations because I am a creature of habit. I love going to the same stores! But my go-to shops have yet to fail me, so I’m sharing a few that you need right now. The best part? They are all under $100.
This season is all about color, height and of course lots of texture and glam. A great shoe goes a long way and can take a simple look to the next level.
What are some of your favorite shoes to style for the season? I personally love to wear chunky heeled sandals and mules! Confession: I can hardly walk in shoes that have a skinny heel, it’s just not my thing, I love a great block heeled shoe.
You can shop any of these styles by clicking on the images above!
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today! Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on the latest!
XO – Steph
I love Spring. My birthday usually falls the day after the FIRST day of Spring and it always makes me so happy! New season, another year of life and so much potential and opportunity. We don’t get a lot of Spring weather here in Texas, we kind of shift from chilly to feeling like we’re in a sauna all day, every day. But getting to wear Spring/Summer clothes is what I am looking forward to the most.
When I was at NYFW for SS18, I noticed a few consistent themes throughout the shows: bold colors, soft pantone colors, texture (ruffles, fringe, sequins, buckles, etc.), stripes, sheer materials, pattern play and so much more!
I took a cue from SS18 and put together this fun spring trend inspired look while in NYC for Fashion Week and loved the way it turned out. Sheer + Tulle, you just can’t go wrong with that! While this look may be a little over the top for every day street style, I did want to show you how to incorporate it into your life, even when not attending fashion week.
So today on the blog, I rounded up my top 5 Spring trends that I am most excited to see (in just a few short weeks!)
Sheer tops, sheer dresses, sheer skirts, you name it, I want it. I did a trial run at NYFW and loved every minute of it. What I love about wearing something sheer is that it is bold but feminine. You can dress it up or dress it down. I rounded up a few sheer tops that are a must have to jump start your spring wardrobe.
Stripes are here to stay. You may have noticed an uptick in polka dots for winter, well not to be upstaged, the stripes have come out to play for spring and are doing so in the most stylish way possible. I personally love vertical stripes, but when worn the right way, horizontal stripes give me life too!
These aren’t your basic distressed mom jeans that you found on the sale rack at Abercrombie (they are making a comeback and I’m kind of here for it). I’m talking about denim that has embellishments and stitching, designers were getting out their “bejewelling” guns and having a field day this spring. I’ve always been a fan of denim and I love when I can add unique pieces to my closet. Check out a few that I found so far:
Color on Color on Color in the most bold and elaborate way possible, that’s what I remember most from the runways in September. And I mean BRIGHT color! Try a monochromatic style or block out your colors with your favorites from the color wheel, whatever your preference, COLOR is what’s on the menu for spring. I love wearing bright colors because it says “I’m here! I’m fabulous! And I don’t care what you think about me!” Maybe that should be my new tag line. Ha!
Tulle elevated. If you’re a grown woman like me and wondering how in the world you can wear tulle and not look like a five year old, don’t worry, I’ll show you. Tulle doesn’t have to be a big poofy skirt, I’ve learned after a few study sessions in my fashion textbooks … you know Vogue, WWD, InStyle .. the essentials, how to rock this trend in the most stylish way possible. I may even do a separate blog post on this but for now, here are my favorites:
Tell me, what are you most excited to wear this spring? I’ll be rocking all the trends I listed above and many more. Thanks so much for reading. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date on the latest. Have a great week!
XO, Steph
Today on the blog I’m partnering up with Seagram’s Spiked to share 3 makeup looks that are perfect for a night out with the girls or even date night. Each of my looks is inspired by one of the new flavored drinks! This post is a sponsored post, however, all thoughts and views my own.
I don’t know about you, but I love to “turn it up” during my glam sessions … and it usually involves an adult beverage. My looks today are inspired by the new Seagram’s Spiked cocktails and their colorful and cute packaging. If you’ve followed my social pages or blog for any period of time then you know that I LOVE a bold lip. Anything pink, red or just BRIGHT in general is my every day go to so of course I had so much fun styling these looks!
When I shared my getting ready video on Instagram, many of you had questions about what I was wearing. All the details for each look are below!
Look #1 – Casual Chic
The first look I created is for a casual night out on the town. My Seagram’s Spiked drink of choice? Jamaican Me Happy, of course! For this look, my eyes aren’t overstated at all. I’m only wearing a little bit of mascara. The focus is on soft, glowing skin with a bold lip.
I start every look with a clean face. I have a range of cleansers that I use, so pick one that works best for your skin type. From there I put on a moisturizer, followed by my primer, foundation, concealer, and setting powder. The products I used to create this look are:
Look #2 – Fiesta, Fiesta
I turned things up a bit with this look! I call this Fiesta, Fiesta … because I’m definitely going to have a good time in this makeup. My Seagram’s Spiked drink of choice: Strawberry Daiquiri.
My base is always the same in terms of primer and foundation (I switch up products, but I the core is primer, foundation, concealer and brightening setting powder under my eyes).
From here I build up the look to add some extra glam. My blush tone is a bit darker here to match my lip shade and I added more of a gold tone highlighter. I also defined my brows a bit. I linked the products I used below:
Look #3 – Soft Glam
Look #3 was inspired by the Calypso Colada can. Of course I had earrings to match it! (Signs you own way too much jewelry) I wanted to do a soft glam that was a bit more glamorous than my first look and not quite as BOLD as look #2. Soft glam is all about slaying, but making it look effortless and like you aren’t wearing a ton of makeup. Soft glam essentials: pink toned blush (I am wearing Laura Gellar and the color is Fruit Punch), a pink toned lipstick that will match your skin tone (I’m wearing Urban Decay VICE – Broadcast , and lots of highlight (also by Laura Gellar) I unfortunately can’t link this brand but I am working on editing a full video that shows the steps I take to create a full glam look so be sure to swing by my YouTube channel in the coming weeks! I’ll show some product alternatives there, but any quality highlighter and blush will work!
Cocktails and Glam … it just doesn’t get much better than that! Make sure you swing by your local grocery store or liquor store and pick up the new Seagram’s Spiked drinks. They are so good. Funny story: I was getting everything together to shoot the other day and I came into the living room to find my husband on the couch enjoying a Jamaican Me Happy. I was like … BABE …. I need that!! Haha! Clearly he likes them too.
Thanks so much for reading guys! Like what you see? You can hover over any image and share it via Pinterest.
XO – Steph
Day 3 of New York Fashion Week was fast and furious! I was originally going to leave town on February 10, but when my son caught wind that I wasn’t going to be at his basketball game, plans quickly changed. I had missed his game last weekend due to work, and this weekend is one of the last games, so I knew it was important to be there. #momlife
With Day 3 being my last day, I was determined to live it up! I had 3 shows and a meeting planned but only made it to 1 show and the meeting, but for good reason. I had the incredible opportunity to meet up with my industry friends, who also happen to be women of color, to have lunch and just talk/catch up as a few of us had never met before, only online. Collaboration is so important, and I loved talking to them, picking their brains, asking questions, celebrating wins together, sharing frustrations and just overall getting inspired to continue to push forward and build our brands. I literally think we could have sat there for several more hours if I didn’t have a flight to catch and we weren’t so tired. It feels good to have a network of likeminded women. Every year that I continue on this journey, I add so many more strong women to my network and feel so blessed. Does it sound like I’m gushing?? Because I totally am! All the feels! Here are the links to their blogs so that you know who I’m talking about:
Before meeting for lunch, I went to the BCBG presentation. I was excited to see what they were doing this season as I hadn’t really been following the brand for awhile. The clothing was gorgeous. Everything was wearable and I could see it fitting into my wardrobe seamlessly. Bold colors, textures, stripes and patterns is how I would describe the collection. The woman who wears this collection is looking to stand out, both in the workplace and out on the town with friends. I enjoyed seeing what the brand is up to. (Photos Courtesy of GPS Radar)
After the presentation, I headed over to my meeting with a PR company that I work with on different collaborations. I like to try to get face time when I can with them as a lot of times we communicate solely via email. I think it’s good for brands to meet you, know who you are and see your personality beyond an email reply. After all, an Instagram photo can only say so much about you. The meet up was productive and I left feeling extremely grateful! They represent so many brands that I didn’t even realize so it was great to learn more about them and see what new products are out there.
When I finished at this meeting it was time to relax for a minute before heading to the lunch that I mentioned above. We were meeting at 2pm so I had some time to get a little rest in. I didn’t leave the lunch until after 5pm, so by the time I got in my Uber it was a race against the clock to finish stuffing everything in my suitcase and head to the airport. When I say stuffing, I mean literally pushing and pulling my bag in every direction trying to get it to fit all of the things I acquired during the course of the trip. Thankfully a couple of brands sent items to my home for me … so nice!! I said on Instagram that it would be by the grace of the my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, if I made it on my flight in time, but I’m happy to report He’s still in the miracle working business, even for the little things! Ha! I’m actually on the plane now typing this!
It was quick trip this fashion week but so worth it as I feel like I am continuing to push myself to get out there and accomplish the things that I have always dreamt of accomplishing. I’m all about making things happen in 2018! So much happened last year within my family that really put life into perspective for me, so I’m working hard to live mine to the fullest.
Thank you so much for reading and for supporting my little corner of the internet. Every blog post view, comment, photo like, share or kind word goes such a long way. So, thank you, thank you!
Have a great week loves!
Stephanie
New York Fashion Week – Today was a busy day! I got started bright and early for day two with Burt’s Bees. We had a meditation session followed by breakfast. I loved doing the meditation, it helped me with my breathing and reminded me to stay calm even when the day got crazy. After I wrapped up with Burt’s Bees, I checked out of the hotel they had us at and moved back in to The New Yorker with Nita.
We had a meeting at a showroom almost as soon as I got back to the room so I did a quick change before we left. I love attending showrooms. It’s so nice to see what brands have coming up and what they are planning for the season. We picked out so many goodies, I wasn’t expecting to leave with a bag full of clothes and shoes! No complaints here though!
After we wrapped up at the showroom, I went back to the hotel to get ready to shoot with Beckley Photography.
Fun fact: I typically just pack clothes when I come to NYC, very rarely do I put together a full outfit because it changes so much with my mood and how I’m feeling. I try to select pieces that are easy to layer and wear different ways.
I was able to knock out 4 looks with Rebecca and felt really good about our session. I can always tell when I just “click” with a photographer, and she is definitely someone I’d work with again.
When we wrapped shooting it was SHOWTIME! My first show of the day was PH5. It was actually a presentation, so very much a come and go type atmosphere. I got there a little early and got to see the models getting ready and placed in their spots. I loved that the designer used real women for some of the models. Talk about #GIRLPOWER! I love when brands do this. PH5 has a collaboration with Girls Who Code (obsessed with this organization) and two of the models were young ladies from this organization. Talk about inspiring. I am sharing a few images from the presentation below. I loved the style, all pieces were very wearable and on trend. I absolutely loved the play on shapes and colors, so many details!
About PH5: Established in New York in 2014, PH5 an advanced contemporary women’s knitwear brand founded by Wei Lin, the daughter of a large knitwear manufacturer, and created by a Parsons-trained, Kering award-winning designer, Mijia Zhang. The label challenges the conventional vision of knitwear by marrying whimsical designs with architectural dimensions of knitting techniques using master engineers and computer programmers to bring these designs to life. (Courtesy of PH5)
After PH5, I hopped in an Uber and made my way to the Tadashi show. Tadashi never disappoints. When I arrived the show was quite crowded so it took some time to get in, but once I was seated, I couldn’t wait to see what he was doing this season. Color seems to be an ongoing theme with designers so far. I love that they aren’t shying away from being bold, even with fall/winter wear.
As you’ll see in the photos, long gowns with lots of texture and detail were very much on trend for Tadashi this season. From the lace, to the beading, to the sparkle and that GORGEOUS green! I mean WOW! I couldn’t take my eyes off of the runway. The vibrant shades of purple were also just stunning. Can you tell I’m loving all of the color?
Tadashi ran a bit late getting started so I was incredibly disappointed to miss Pamella Rolland this year. Everyone tells me this is not a show to miss. I did however have a chance to review images from the show and now understand why my fellow industry friends say “don’t miss this show!” Next time something will have to give!
A few words come to mind (other than serious regret for missing this) … Hollywood Glam. Luxurious. Overstated. Breathtaking. I was attempting to just share a few images from the runway looks to share with you all but I could not narrow it down to just a few favorites. So much glamour on one runway, I can hardly stand it. I love the versatility of the looks at the beginning of the show and how she transitioned into the longer, more formal gowns towards the end. Here are a few of my favorites. There were 37 looks, I loved them all!
An important thing to note is the amount of work that goes into creating and designing pieces for fashion week. I have so much respect for these brands and work really hard to share them with you and show you what’s coming for the upcoming season. A lot of times we forget the true genius that goes into the clothes that we wear every single day.
By the time Day 2 was over, I was ready to crash. I had a post due for Burt’s Bees and wanted to get my recaps completed for the day so I didn’t commit to any parties or late night events. I literally come to New York to shoot, meet with PR companies and brands and see shows! Even with just 3 shows scheduled for Day 2, it still felt like a hectic day, but the experience and memories are so worth it.
My Day 3 recap will be up on the blog Monday and I can’t wait to share more of my looks with you from my time here!
XO,
Steph
Day 1 of New York Fashion Week (NYFW) is in the books! Last night (Wednesday) I got into town and it was cold and rainy outside, not fun, but I love being in New York so I didn’t mind one bit. This day was not a fashion show day for me, but more of an opportunity to meet with a PR company that represents Burt’s Bees as well as coordinates various events and partnerships throughout the U.S.
When I landed in the city, I met up with Nita (@nextwithnita) at the airport. She is my roommate for the few days that I am here. While waiting for our luggage, we ran into Rebecca of @beckleyco photography. It was like fate because my photographer isn’t going to be in town the same dates that I am, and I needed to shoot. #thankyoujesus. I coordinated shoots with Rebecca and then we were off to our hotel.
We are staying at The New Yorker Hotel in a two room executive suite that is a literal dream. I’ve stayed in a few different hotels while in NYC, and this one tops my list. It’s a newly renovated space and definitely feels like we’re living in luxury. When in New York, especially for fashion week, you need SPACE! And I love that I finally I have a room that offers that.
I had a two day event with Burt’s Bees so after we got checked into the hotel, I headed over to the hotel that Burt’s was hosting me at to get checked in there. If that sounds crazy and hectic to you then we’re on the same wave length because it definitely was!
After getting checked into hotel #2, it was time for dinner! We had a brand dinner with members of the Burt’s Bees team where we learned about brand innovations in their skincare line development and what’s new with the brand. It was great to mix and mingle with the team and of course try out some new products.
If you’re like me and had no idea that Burt’s Bees even had the range of skincare products that they have, then I’m here to share … the products are amazing! And no, they didn’t even ask me to say that! I have a really bad habit of not washing my face before bed when I’m tired, but I was having so much fun trying new products that I was strategizing to see how many I could use in one setting and they still be effective. I love face masks, and since I was in New York in the cold, I used the Hydrating Face Mask by Burt’s Bees to keep my skin moisturized and feeling soft. The lip scrubs and overnight lip treatments also came in handy more than once during my trip!
That night we ate at a Mediterranean restaurant named Amali, it was so good! I would absolutely go back there! After dinner we went back to the hotel and I had the chance to delve into more Burt’s Bees products. I’m not lying, I tried quite a few! I linked a few of my favorites below for you.
Be sure to follow along on my Instagram Story Highlights to see all of the fun from NYFW! Here is the link to my account. @stephtaylorjackson
Thanks so much for reading! Friday’s post will recap Day 2 of NYFW!
XO,
Steph
NYFW February: I went back and forth on whether or not I wanted to brave the cold this winter and go to New York for fashion week. I do NOT like to be cold, like at all. When my husband is traveling, the heat is on and the house is set to 74 sometimes 76 degrees. Give me ALL the warmth. BUT, I love fashion week and I love being in NYC, so off I go! I couldn’t resist.
I have an exciting event my first day in town with a brand many of you know and love. It’s a NYFW experience that they are hosting for a few people in the industry. I was honored to be included and definitely wouldn’t miss it for the world! I can’t wait to share more details on this. My recap will be up on the blog hopefully Wednesday night if I’m not totally exhausted.
NYFW February I have a few shows lined up each day and plan to share a full recap and outline of each day for you guys as I have time to get the posts up! I always laugh because people think I’m on vacation in NYC, when really I’m glued to my computer, pumping out content trying to recap everything and showcase the designers I saw the best way possible. I meet a lot of bloggers and creative entrepreneurs who come to NYFW February and don’t care about seeing the shows, but that’s just not me! Give me all the fashion! I love to see designers making their NYFW February debut and I love seeing old favorites and how they evolve over the years. I still think about how incredible Leanne Marshall’s show was last year, I literally had to wipe a tear from my eye. I can’t wait to see who amazes me this season!
While in the city I love to shoot, it’ll be a mixture of outfits and scenery that I plan to do this time around. NYC is the perfect backdrop. I love walking the streets and getting inspired for what I want to do next.
As far as my personal style goes, I haven’t totally planned my outfits. Which is so not like me. I usually have 2 huge suitcases packed with options, on option, on options, but I’m trying to make this trip as stress free as possible so I’m just going with the flow. Thankfully a few brands have sent me some pieces to style for the few days I’m in town, so that has made things a bit easier!
I also didn’t want to spend a ton on clothing to create new street style looks, so I’m taking my own advice and using the clothes that I have in my closet to recreate looks. After all, that’s what true style is right? Everything doesn’t have to be brand new! I look forward to showing you what I come up with.
3.5 days, lots to do and see … so be sure to follow along! NYFW is my favorite work trip to take each year! So excited! I’ll be sharing my day in real time via Instagram Stories, are you following me on Instagram? If not, what are you waiting for? 🙂
XO – Steph
Girls Night In essentials? Wine.
No, but really, if you saw my recent posts on social media, then you know that I’m all about having great girlfriends! I’ve partnered up with my friends at LOFT to share my girls’ night in essentials (super cute Valentine’s Day outfits included) and a little about my best gals! This post is sponsored by LOFT.
Fun fact about me, I keep a very tight knit group of friends. My best girls have been with me since we were in elementary and middle school. I added a few precious souls when I was in college and when I started blogging, but having someone to call, especially for a night like tonight (wine in coffee mugs + Netflix!) is so important!
I am a mama to TWO rambunctious little boys and they keep us so busy. Literally every night of the week, except for one, is consumed by an extracurricular activity that the boys are involved in. So when it’s time for my girlfriends to rescue me … I mean hang out, I am so ready!
My girls nights typically consist of a great cocktail, lots of catching up and laughs on laughs! What do you love to do with your best gals? You can shop our perfect for Valentine’s Day outfits via my SHOP page or by clicking the links below!
Thanks so much for reading, loves!
XO – Steph
Last week I had the opportunity to head over to my local Sephora inside JCPenney to try out the new Mattemoiselle Collection by Fenty Beauty. My goal was to create three different looks (every day Steph, date night and girls night) using three of the 14 shades available!
The entire collection of lipsticks are very color rich and gorgeous on. Even though they are matte, the lipsticks have a really smooth, soft velvet feel that goes on super easy. I actually have been wearing a different color every day to try them out and have been so surprised at how well each shade works with my skin tone.
I started my day meeting up with a Sephora inside JCPenney Education Manager. We talked about my skin, what type of looks I wanted to create and what products I should try! Playing in makeup for a few hours is always a good idea!
I already wear the Fenty Beauty foundation, so I knew what color I needed as my base (I’m #350), from there we started building my looks, starting with Every Day Steph.
As soon as I saw the full collection of shades, I knew Candy Venom was made for me. A hot pink lip is my ride or die. I’d like to personally thank Rihanna for this one. #YasQueen!
From here we moved to my girls night look, which for me is simple but still super fun! I selected Freckled Fiesta for this look because it’s a simple but fun color that is outside of the pinks and reds I typically wear. So many good neutrals in the collection! It was hard to choose just one.
For date night I wanted to choose something a little different than what I would normally wear as well. You know, sex it up a bit! I chose Clapback which is such a fierce color, but not overly strong if that makes sense. I would totally wear this day or night.
The thing that I love the most about the lipsticks, other than them being so gorgeous and staying on my lips all day (no reapplying needed), is that even with colors that are out of the box, once I tried them on, they worked so well on me.
Have you tried the Mattemoiselle collection by Fenty Beauty? Swing by your local Sephora inside JCPenney to check it out! The team was so sweet and helped me out a ton! I even learned how to contour using the Match Stix. I couldn’t resist and bought like 4 of them because they can literally be used all over your face!
I have great news for you! I am giving away a $100 JCP giftcard so that you can try out the new Mattemoiselle collection too! All you have to do to enter is COMMENT on this blog post or comment on the giveaway post on my Instagram! Added bonus, tell me what color you are most excited to try!!
I’ll share shopping details on these looks above in my posts this week, so stay tuned!
Thanks for stopping by.
XO – Steph
This post was written in collaboration with Sephora inside JCPenney. #SephoraInJCP #fentybeauty #Mattemoiselle
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