stepping out with the stars sneak peek!

Earlier this year Hour Detroit signed on as a sponsor of Stepping Out With The Stars, a fundraiser for Turning Point, a shelter and service organization for victims of domestic and sexual violence. The event is modeled after ballroom competition Dancing With The Stars, and guess what? I'm a star! I am so excited to represent Hour at this event. I've been rehearsing my routine for months, and a few weeks ago I got to perform an excerpt at a preview event at Arthur Murray Sterling Heights. Check out the video above for a sneak peek of my routine and a bit more about the event!

Stepping Out With The Stars is two weeks away, and I am both nervous and so excited! If you are interested in attending, visit here to purchase tickets!

Can't make it to the event? You can still help me win by voting online here! Every vote raises more funds for Turning Point, and every dollar counts!

physical education

It's here!!!! I have been dying to share my shoot for the September 2015 issue of Hour Detroit, and now that the issue is out, I finally can! Styling this shoot was such a dream. When Hour's art director, Valerie, shared the concept and told me Lians Jadan would be shooting it, I literally squealed with excitement. I have always wanted to do an athletic-inspired shoot combining actual fitness apparel with actual fashion, and with an incredible high school sports facility as our backdrop, it was pure magic.

When we were planning this shoot, Lians, Valerie and I all agreed that gold sports equipment was a must. I'm sure I was quite the sight at Play It Again Sports, pushing a stroller (Graydon is the best assistant ever) and trying on helmets, pads and what not to make sure they were the right size for the model. Once I sourced everything I thought we might need, I spray painted it all gold - and voila! Amazing 24k sports gear!

The day of the shoot, we arrived on set early in the morning, and I was giddy when I first laid eyes on the football field. I am a huge - HUGE - fan of the fantastic television series Friday Night Lights, and there were so many moments when I felt like we were on the set of the show. The only things missing were Tim Riggins and Tammy Taylor's perfect hair.

Check out all the images from the shoot below. Clear eyes. Full Hearts.

where the wild things are

I was wandering around Target this morning during a cat food run, and as usual I meandered through the baby area to see if there was anything Graydon "needed." I turned a corner, and there it was - this amazing hoodie.

Target has an entire mini-collection of Where The Wild Things Are clothing for babies, toddlers, and big kids (they say it's for boys, but little girls would look just as cute in these clothes). Check out these adorable tees and jungle print pants!

Rumpus Henley / Monster Tee / Jungle Pants

Like so many people I know, Where The Wild Things Are was one of the defining books of my childhood. I am so happy that I can pass that legacy down to my son. The book is already one of his favorites (we do a little rumpus hand dance every time we read it - so cute!), and these darling clothes will no doubt be beloved as well.

And because he's so cute I can't stand it, here's Graydon dressed as Max for Halloween last year.

tea summer sale!

I am a big fan of Tea Collection. The concept behind the brand is to bring worldwide cultures and modern design to children's fashion, helping kids become "little citizens" of the world. Tea finds inspiration in far flung destinations like India, Germany, Argentina and more. Their sweet little clothes tell a story, and they look super cute while they're doing it.

Tea Collection's summer sale is happening right now, and there are some fab deals on pieces from the India and Citizen Blue collections. Graydon is constantly growing, so I stocked up on some great t-shirts that will get him through the rest of the summer. Check out my picks from the Tea sale for big and little kids below!

Top: Maritime Stripe Dress / Seafarer Striped Hoodie Tee / Whale's Tail Graphic Tee

Bottom: Flamingo Festival Raglan / Submerged Graphic Tee / Priyanka Halter One-Piece

Top: Sundarbans Jungle Baby Dress / Alwars Hoodie Romper / Matsyanari Graphic Tank

Bottom: Crocodilian Baby Pajamas / Majestic Cranes Ruffle Tank / Frequent Flier Zip Sweater

This post contains affiliate links, but all thoughts and opinions are my own!

brides and ballerinas

The latest issue of Metro Detroit Bride is on stands now, and this issue made one of my styling dreams come true. I love ballet - I love seeing it live in the theatre, I love taking class - and I have always wanted to do a fashion shoot that included ballet dancers. For this issue's gown shoot, I had the pleasure and privilege of shooting backstage and in the theatre at the Detroit Opera House, a truly spectacular venue. Shot by the wonderful Cybelle Codish, the spread features the incredibly talented students of Ballet Detroit. It was so inspiring to work with each of the dancers, from the adorable, earnest little girls to the elegant, exuberant advanced students. And of course the gowns aren't bad either - each one is fit for a prima ballerina. See all the looks from the gorgeous shoot below!

figo's fashion aliens

Late last year I collaborated with my favorite salon, FIGO, on a submission for the 2015 North American Hair Awards. Unfortunately the submission didn't make the cut - there is some seriously stiff competition in the Avant Garde category - but I am still so proud I got to work on this shoot. Morgan Kruizenga, the lead stylist on this shoot, wanted to created a trio of fashion aliens through cutting-edge fashion, insane makeup, and out-of-this world hair. She wanted an almost fetish quality, so that meant one thing - latex! After a little research, I found an amazing designer, Leigh Ann of Vital Vein, who was an absolute dream to work with on this shoot. The beehive pieces were stunning and helped create the idea of a hive mind among our three alien creatures. I love it when I get to push myself and shoot something so edgy - it's certainly the polar opposite of my pretty-as-can-be bridal work, and I love the opportunity to explore my dark side!

fairytales and legends for hour detroit

The shoot for Hour's Best of Detroit issue is always quite a production, but this year took things to another level. The theme was fairytales and legends, and between the cast of nearly 20 characters, the special effects, the incredible crew, and the stunning venue, it felt more like being on the set of a movie than on location for a photo shoot. The entire shoot is imbued with a dark romance, a signature of photographer Roy Ritchie - our inspiration was definitely more Grimm than Disney. From a styling perspective, it was so exciting to think about the shoot as a storyteller. It was honestly more costume design than fashion styling, which felt a bit outside my comfort zone, so I am so proud of how everything came together. I couldn't have done it without the help of two of my Halloween-loving friends - Kelly Lynne and Kellyjean Passage, thank you for letting me raid your costume closets! If you follow me on Instagram, you've seen highlights from the shoot, but you can see the full story below. Enjoy!