Monday, August 27, 2012

Be Relevant






One of the good things about social media is that it can reconnect you with people you haven't seen in a while. Case in point: my friend Jesse. I was thinking back, and I actually have known Jesse for almost my entire life. We went to elementary school together and then on to junior high and high school. My memories from all those school days are not all sharp, but I can honestly say that I remember Jesse as always being a nice guy.

After reconnecting through Instagram, I have learned that he is more than the nice guy I always thought he was. He married his high school sweetheart, they moved to Arizona, and now he has started a very fashionable non-profit called BeRelevant.

When you purchase a man or woman's shirt from BeRelevant, 25% of the proceeds are going to their charity partner. BeRelevant is currently working with the Phoenix Children's Hospital. By going to their site you can shop for shirts and learn more about their causes and mission to do good for future generations and empowering others to give back to the community. In short, it's about doing good and looking good while doing it.

I am so amazed and inspired to learn about what others have done with their lives and what they are doing for others since I last saw them. One of the things I love about writing, editing and rhetoric in general, is that relevance is key to building a strong story, case, argument, or point of view. I would like to thank Jesse for reminding me that the past isn't always relevant, but rather it's the legacy you leave that has the power to do the most good.

Hope you are inspired to be kind, to be relevant today, and in the years to come.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Inspired by: the Saguaro


















































I'm still having trouble getting back to reality after my perfect stay at the perfect hotel, The Saguaro. As I was combing through my Pinterest, I realized that I could take the Saguaro with me anywhere. With the rainbow and color blocking trends being so popular right now it's easy to take a cue from this hotel and incorporate the Saguaro into clothing, shoes, accessories, or even your home. It was hard to whittle this list down, and there are more options on my pin boards, but my main focus is color blocking (not patterns) in bright hues (not pastels or primaries or neons, but a healthy mix of rainbow with no blacks or browns) and something summery. The exception to the summertime look is the color blocked coat at the top, but I thought it was a good illustration of how to transition this trend to fall.

Since these images come from Pinterest, it is hard for me to give them all credit or know their source. But here are the ones I know for sure. Starting from above: ASOS, Bejewelled Bespoke, Tom Binns, Shoe Mint, Nasty Gal, Stella McCartney, Charlotte Olympia, Felicity & Coco, Alice + Olivia, Juicy Couture, Anthropologie, Dannijo, Christian Louboutin, Kate Spade, Tibi, Jeffrey Campbell, Etsy.

Have a colorful and inspiring weekend!