Why I Couldn’t Be Happier to be Turning 30

30th birthday Aspiring Socialite J.Crew Dress

What’s even better than a 30th birthday party? A 30th birthday photo shoot of course! This Labor Day weekend (September 4th to be exact) I’ll be celebrating my 30th birthday. While many of us lament the loss of our 20s as the end of our youth, I personally couldn’t be more excited to be leaving my 20s behind. While I learned a lot from my mistakes and had some great accomplishments like graduating from college, starting this blog, moving to New York, meeting my amazing boyfriend and getting my first real job, the truth is it was a sad decade filled with uncertainty and the struggles of being broke. It was basically like being 13 again only you have to pay your own bills. The further I got into my 20s, the more Britney Spears’ 2007 breakdown made perfect sense. That basically sums it up, but everything good or bad must always come to an end.

Today at 30 I feel younger, happier and more vibrant than I ever did in my early 20s (mush of that is because I’ve replaced drinking with fitness and feeling sorry for myself with taking action). As I look toward the adventures to come I often wish to be richer, skinnier, prettier or smarter, but I don’t wish to be younger. It took me almost 30 years to get it together. So in many ways my adult life has just begun and I look forward to embracing the coming years as a smarter, happier and humbler person. For once in my life I truly love who I am because I’ve fought, failed and failed again to be her. While I don’t know what the future will bring, I know that I’ll continue to fight for the person I am and want to be.
Aspiring Socialite 30th Birthday

At the end of my aerial fitness classes they often share a quote from Antigravity Founder Christopher Harrison. It goes, “Hidden in the forces that bring us down, is the energy to lift us up.” If anything my 20s gave me that. In the spirit of feeling and looking great, I decided to pose in front of the Goddess Wall in Soho. I recently discovered this work of street art and it really speaks to me. Many thanks to artists @jeremypenn and  @lambrosart for creating such an inspiring mural.

If you’re a struggling 20 something, I know exactly how you feel because not so long ago I was you. We all have our own paths in life, so the only real advice I can give you is that it doesn’t matter where you’re going or how you get there as long as you continue to move and look forward. The path is almost never straight, but that doesn’t mean you can’t keep moving forward. And when you turn 30, celebrate the amazingness of being 3 decades old with a 30th birthday photo shoot! If you’re in the New York area, Zarif Taufiq would be happy to do yours too.

Party City Balloons J.Crew Dress

Speaking of 30th birthday shoots, I know you’re dying to know how I got this amazing look. The dress is a J.Crew Spaghetti-Strap Dress in Colorful Brushstroke Print. I paired this happy birthday dress with Swedish Hasbeens Ornament Clogs in Black (my fav summer shoes) and my Mighty Purse Gold Stud Wristlet that has a built in phone charger.

30th birthday party

Many thanks to Valerie Star from Caravan Stylist Studio for doing such a beautiful job on my hair, makeup and nails. I really felt like a movie star! If you’re looking to recreate this look or just get your hands on some fab beauty products, I’ll tell you what she used. She styled these beautifully modern curls using OGX Anti-Gravity + Hydration O2 Weightless Oil & Lift Tonic, OGX Argan Oil of Morocco Elevated Finish Spray and OGX Weightless Hydration Coconut Water Weightless Hydration Oil. For my makeup she made my eyes really pop with Pixi Mesmerizing Mineral PalettePixi Endless Silky Eye Pen, POP Beauty Pow Wow Powder, Pixi Mattelustre Lipstick and POP Beauty Brow Shape & Shade. Manuka Secrets was used on my skin and I wore Color Club’s It’s a Sauna Out Here Nail Polish.

Photos by: Zarif Taufiq

J.Crew Dress Birthday 30th Birthday

30th birthday ideas

How to celebrate your 30th birthday

Aspiring Socialite NYC Street Art Soho

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Fashion Blogger Aspiring Socialite 30th birthday

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Georgetown Cupcakes Birthday Balloons

30th birthday milestone birthday

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Rediscovering My Inner Child at the Museum of Ice Cream

Museum of Ice Cream

Nail Color: Morgan Taylor P.S. I Love You (lilac crème)

Over the weekend I found true happiness at the Museum of Ice Cream, an interactive pop up experience based on the history and sweetness of Ice Cream. Like the Museum of Feelings it will only be in existence for a limited time and it’s totally worth a trip (though it might be sold out now).

Throughout my blissful visit, I ate ice cream (of course), looked at ice cream-inspired art and learned fun facts about the history of everyone’s favorite frozen treat. The highlight was swimming in a pool full of sprinkles. For my sprinkle swimwear I wore my LOFT Flecked Side Shirred Dress. I hope they come out with a Museum of Cupcakes next because that would make my life!

Museum of Ice Cream Pool of Sprinkles

Ice Cream Cones

ice cream lights Museum of Ice Cream

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TechStyle NYC’s Urban Oasis

Summer Hair Aspiring Socialite

I recently spent some quality time hanging out at an amazing house in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan checking out some awesome products with some of NYC’s most fabulous bloggers. Complete with an indoor pool, this house was truly an urban oasis in the concrete jungle we know as New York.

Aside from meeting some really compelling people, I got my hair done by Caravan Stylist Studio, checked out the cutting edge Velvet Eyewear line and got a true feel for Lifetherapy’s mood-changing body creams, lotions and scrubs. I love how Lifetherapy allows you to choose your mood just by choosing a scent. No matter which you choose, all of their scents will help you escape into a relaxing, happy place.

Many thanks to TechStyle NYC for the invite. It was good vibes all around and truly one of the highlights of my summer.

Velvet Eyewear sunglasses

Sporting my Velvet Eyewear Zoey Sunglasses in Nude and Light Blue. I love them!

Velvet Eyewear

TechStyle Indoor Pool

Lifetherapy body wash

Lifetherapy Fragrance Body

Bath tub Lifetherapy

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Celebrate your Inner Beauty by Giving Back

When we all work together, give what we can and look out for one another; it’s amazing just how quickly the world becomes a better place for the next generation. In the spirit of giving back, Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company is getting ready to donate a total of $2 Million to causes surrounding health, home and hunger through a corporate giving campaign known as Band Together. The nonprofits benefiting include St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Habitat for Humanity and Feeding America.

Band Together

Through this unique corporate giving campaign, you’ll get to decide how this record-breaking donation will be broken up by voting for the cause of your choice. Voting will be open from July 11, 2016 at 11am CT to July 31, 2016 at 11pm CT. Jewelers Mutual with be writing a check for $1 Million to the charity with most votes. $700,000 will go to the second place winner and $300,000 will be donated to the third-place winner. You’ll be entered for a chance to win weekly jewelry prizes from STACKED New York every time you cast your vote. The lucky winners will each get a set of 3 stacking bands ($450 retail value). Cast your vote here.

Hint: Vote everyday for more chances to win!

Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company Corporate Giving Lipstick Street Art

Giving Back

While most of us probably don’t have $2 Million to donate, we can all make a huge difference in our communities and in the lives of those in need. It doesn’t take a lot of time, money or effort to really make an impact. A couple years ago, my friend Lara, founder of the beauty blog Pretty Connected, started a charity where bloggers, editors, PR agencies, makeup brands or anyone could donate unopened excess beauty products to women living in NYC’s shelters and teenage girls in foster care.

Corporate Giving

Us beauty and fashion bloggers are always getting makeup sent to us or getting samples at events. While some of it we use, it’s often impossible to use all of it before it expires and not everything you get is right for your skin or hair type. But why let it go to waste when someone else could really use it? With that question in mind, Lara brought the fashion and beauty community together. Throughout the years, we’ve pooled our excess beauty products and donated them to women in need. Since we get more products for free than we can use, this is program that costs us no money, but makes a huge difference in the lives of local women.

eyeshadow street art charity how to give back

New beauty products bring women confidence and it makes those in need happy to know that someone is thinking of them. I’m so honored to have had the opportunity to participate in this program time and time again. I even have a special spot in my closet where I keep my extra beauty products for donation. It’s great to have friends that inspire you to make your community a better place.

If you’re interested in doing some philanthropy work of your own, I would suggest finding something that aligns with your interests and finding a friend to get involved with you. Even if an opportunity to give back doesn’t seen to align with your interests right away, I would still suggest giving it a chance because nothing makes you feel better than giving back to someone else. Doing charity work with a friend can make it less intimidating to volunteer at a new place and keep you from canceling because no one wants to cancel on a friend. If you’re not sure where to start local food banks, hospitals and nursing homes are almost always looking for new volunteers.

As you embark on your journey to make the world a better place, don’t forget to get involved in Jewelers Mutual’s Band Together campaign by casting your vote!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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Fun and Fab Pool Floats for Summer

Summer days are here again and nothing makes each sunny day feel like an all out pool party like a Inflatable White Swan Float or a Giant Strawberry Donut Pool Float.

Pool Floats for Summer Pool Parties Aspiring Socialite

1. Sunnylife Inflatable Pineapple Pool Floatie  2. Flamingo Pool Floatie  3. Giant Donut Pool Float  4. Donut Drink Pool Floats  5. Rubber Duckie Pool Float  6. Blue Wave Tropical Flip Flop 71-inch Inflatable Pool Float  7. Inflatable Swan Pool Float  8.
Pretzel Pool Float  9. Ice Pop Pool Float  10. Giant Watermelon Slice Pool Floatie

During the sizzling summer months fun pool floats in beautiful designs are the ultimate summer novelty. I’m obsessed with all of them. They are so the coolest most Instagramable way to beat the summer heat. I want them all, but I might need to find a pool party first.

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