This post is sponsored by Zappos & Timberland – all opinions are my own.
Every time we go to my midwife, he says good-bye by saying something along the lines of "ENJOY, GO OUT, take advantage of every little moment of YOU TWO because everything is going to change once baby is here".
We cannot be any more excited to take baby to all of our little adventures, travel with him, take him everywhere; but of course, after 12 years of being just US (and Chiki), we are taking the doctor's advice and we are just enjoying every moment as much as we can.
I'm already 37 weeks pregnant; this means that no matter where we go, being comfy is a priority. Reason why I was very excited to partner with Zappos & Timberland. I instantly new that these lightweight and fashionable FlyRoam Go sneakers were the right pair for me- PLUS I got Gabe the matching pair because I knew he would wear them non-stop (and I was correct!). Zappos has been one of my go-tos for so long (especially for shoe shopping) because of their fast and free shipping, a great range of styles, and their incredible customer service.
I love making little lists. So why not look back at the mistakes I've made as a blogger over the years?
Some of the points are a bit more serious than others where I'm just kind of laughing at the things I used to do.
I'm definitely STILL making mistakes. I'm far from perfect, but I love the process of learning and evolving along the way.
1. Not knowing my worth
I still struggle with fighting for my worth. I wrote more in depth about this topic in this article.
When I started I felt many brands took advantage of me. I was creating content for free and I was making sales for third partes without receiving a dime. For example: a local brand only let me borrow their clothes (meaning I didn't receive merchandise as payment either), I was never paid for brand awareness, I know the owner sold many pieces because of me but I never received a commission, I was reposted in their account (meaning they thought they had some rights to my content somehow), etc.
There is so much work involved in what we do, we have to put our foot down and make sure we know that your worth is more the number on your profile, it's your time, effort, talent, and creativity. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise!
2. Not Dressing for the Job I wanted
Wearing the bags I was called on. |
There was, and maybe still is, a website/forum where people would dedicate a lot of time to trash bloggers. I'm not going to name it because it doesn't need any publicity and you girls do not need that type of negativity in your life. Thankfully, I was talked about there just once and they accused me of wearing fake bags.
I never wore fake bags. I wore designer inspired bags in 2011-2012. They were from an online boutique that never claimed them to be designer bags (and neither did I). If you have been following me, you might remember them. They were Hermes, Chloe, and Balenciaga lookalikes.
However, seeing my name on that site for that specific reason made me open my eyes. If I wanted to be taken seriously in the industry, I had to stop promoting sites with obvious knockoffs of designer clothes, bags, and accessories.
They say you have to dress for the job you want, not the job you have...and it's absolutely true! I'm not saying you should go ahead and get a $100k loan to dress in Valentino so Valentino will contact you to collaborate. BTW, BryanBoy once said that he did exactly that. He got a loan and invested in designer clothes so he would work with high-end designer. This absolutely worked for him. But I don't recommend it!
Slowly I started investing in pieces; a few designer bags and shoes, and middle-range clothes. Guess what? Those knockoff brands stopped reaching out and now I was talking with that middle-price-point I was happy with.
3. Not Knowing How To Say No
At the beginning, I was so grateful with every opportunity I got that I would say YES to everything. It wasn't because of the money, it was because I felt extremely grateful to be considered for all these things, for turning a little hobby into a job.
But you know what happens when you don't say "no"? You start losing yourself. And again, if you are not doing things that are 100% you, you are not connecting 100% with your audience and you will continue to attract brands and people that are not truly YOU.
I know it's hard; maybe you need to pay your bills, maybe you are like me and just get excited about any work opportunity. But saying YES to things that align with your work, aesthetics, values will only bring more, I promise.
4. Not Connecting With The Audience.
I think the biggest mistake a blogger can make is looking at their audience as followers instead of a community. This industry is a two-way communication system, we are not celebrities and you, as a "reader" shouldn't just listen to what we say or do.
Nowadays, I take a lot of time to make sure I answer as many comments as I can and that I go to other people's profiles and check them out, stalk them, & give them love. But there was a time I didn't do this, at least not as frequent as I should have- and that was a BIG mistake.
5. Not Showing My True Self
When I started blogging, I would put on this " fashion mask". I'm not saying I was "fake" but I thought people would ONLY care about what I had to say as a fashion blogger. This lead to only writing about fashion and not fully showing who I was. People knew where I was going with that look, and what I did- but the true NANY and her feelings were still kind of a mystery.
I still struggle to show a lot of me. I don't know how silly I can be. I have a sarcastic type of humor that a lot of people do not understand- I have twitter for letting all my sarcastic self out. I'm not an extrovert so getting off my shell was, and will always be, definitely hard.
6. Shooting in random places
Like I've said, I've always being a shy person. So imagine this situation, it's 2010, nobody knows what blogging is and I'm in the middle of the street with a dressier outfit than the regular gal: EVERYONE WOULD STARE.
Our solution? Go to an empty street that literally had cows and horses around and shoot there- that's where the above pictures where taken in 2012. I would stand in the middle of the street with sequins on. I cringe now but I thought I was killing it by then.
Fastforward to 2018 and now I think it's very important that the look you are wearing matches the place were you are taking the picture (unless you are a Vogue type of editorial blogger...but most of us aren't). For example, if you are wearing a gown: don't shoot in the train tracks or in a zoo. It simply does not make sense. Let's keep it real.
7. Comparing Yourself to Other Girls in The Industry.
This one is really hard because, even if you know the theory, we are humans and we overanalyze what our peers are doing. I've seen many girls that started at the same time than I did hit the 1 million followers like it was nothing. I do feel stuck sometimes and I start to wonder "WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?". This also applies to comparing outfits, designer stuff, fab trips, etc.
This question can lead to stress and envy- but most important it can lead to a place where you stop enjoying what you do...and that's when trouble begins. At this moment, you start to think there is a formula to success. And it's happening, I go to my IG and I see girls doing the same thing over and over because they think that's what will make them rise.
Remember to always stay authentic!
8. Not Collaborating With Other Peers
Stronger together. With Andrea Eraso (@ErasoAndrea), Valentina Tamayo (@MVTrends), and Gaby Aleixandre (@VoguishdDiet) |
Ok I said not to compare yourself but that doesn't mean not acknowledging your collages. YOU ARE NOT COMPETITION. Each one has something unique to offer if you stay authentic.
I get along with my fellow bloggers. I've bonded with a lot of them and consider them FRIENDS and CLOSE FRIENDS. But it wasn't until recently that I started collaborating with them in different ways.
I started the "10 Questions With"- which I want to continue doing as soon as the baby is here. There I shot with friends and I asked them fun questions about their blog. Also I love sharing my experiences and making them sure they don't make the mistakes I've made.
Why not work together? I truly believe we are stronger together in this industry.
9. Not Looking Carefully at the Legal Side of the Industry (Taxes, Contracts, Rights, etc).
When you start making money, you start getting contracts. This means a lot of LEGAL TALK. If you are not sure about something, have someone look at your contract. It can be a friend, family, family friend, you get the drill. Contracts can be very lengthy and complicated, and BIG things can be hidden in ways you will never expect.
This probably deserves another post but make sure to look into the Rights. Are you giving them fully rights of your content? Worldwide rights? Digital? for 6 months? for a year? indefinitely? All of this has a substantial weight in the cost of your content.
Also look at exclusivity closely, terms of payment, usage of your image and likeness, and termination clauses.
Never, EVER, sign anything without fully reading it and understanding it.
Also, taxes for freelance bloggers are confusing and complicated. Don't be afraid to hire an accountant, that peace of mind is simply priceless.
10. Not Delegating
As bloggers we start by doing it all; and as we continue to grow, we might become overwhelmed with the amount of work in the different areas.
As humans, we have to accept we are not the best at everything. It's ok to ask for help AND hire people that are specialists in other areas.
Like I've mentioned before, it is okay to delegate the legal side to lawyers; to hire an account for taxes and bookkeeping; to hire a web designer to take your blog to the next level; to a hire photographers; to hire an intern for overall assistance...invest in your blog!
So now it's your turn to share YOUR MISTAKES WITH ME! Let's laugh them out, move on, and learn from each other!
Over the years, I've focused in recommending you guys versatile pieces that can create an even more versatile closet.
However, unique statement pieces can also be as fun to play around. I personally take it as a challenge- this article would have been 100% easier if the beret was black, right?
So let's get into it. How STYLE A PINK BERET?
I already told you ALL ABOUT MY BABY shower (Don't forget to check it out HERE). However, like I mentioned, there was a lot planning behind it. At least two trips to the Dollar Tree, two to Target, one to Walmart, Home Depot, the flower shop, etc.
This meant lots of walking, and for a pregnant lady, that means the comfiest shoes possible. Let's break it down piece by piece!
Ya les conté todo sobre mi Baby Shower (pasen por acá si no lo han visto). Pero como les mencioné, hubo mucho corazón planeando todo. También muchos viajes a tiendas como la Dollar Store, Target, Walmart, Home Depot, floristerÃas, etc.
Esto significaba looks cómodos pero ustedes me conocen, me canso de los leggings rápidamente. Les cuento pieza por pieza:
The dress is from Alice + Olivia; so easy to dress up and to dress down. You cannot go wrong with a denim jacket to dress down a floral dress. I got it during the store preview in a size bigger so I could wear it while the belly grew. I think I doesn't fit anymore but I can't wait to wear it after baby.
This denim jacket has been with me even before the blog. It used to be a dark denim wash but Gabe helped me bleached it. In my opinion, the lighter was is a bit more timeless! I think it's time for a Remix with it!! There are probably so many looks with it and since 2011. Would you still like to see it?
Hope you liked the look and the pics! This place is in North Biscayne, not sure what street but it should be around 60th. I've seen it on Instagram and I definitely wanted to shoot there. I'm not going to lie, it did need a lot of photoshoot because it needs to be re-painted! So don't be sad if you arrive there and it doesn't look that amazing, it's all about the angles and a lot of cleaning on an editing app.
TARGET white sneakers
FOREVER 21 denim jacket
FOREVER 21 pink tint eyeglasses
COACH burgundy watch
Dressing a growing belly is no easy task. I always say that if I wasn't a blogger, I would probably be in the same dress or leggings every day of the week. But, it's true, I do feel the pressure of dressing up and inspiring fellow moms-to-be. I'm not complaining about my belly at all, I just refuse to buy a full new closet. Stay tuned for a "pregnancy style essentials" I'm writing.
My waist has always been the smallest part of my body. I have hips and boobs, and I always tried highlighting my small waist. Because of this, I love wearing high waisted skirts/shorts and dresses with a defined waist. Guest what? All these pieces stopped fitting FIRST. I've been wearing a lot of my pre-belly shirts, but the bottoms...nope! So in my case, I needed to get a few pieces to continue dressing as ME as possible!
I saw these fun BUG shorts at Asos Maternity at SALE (they currently are $12!!) and I felt like why not!? I wore it very similar to the model on the site without even noticing , the outfit probably stayed in the back of my mind and I have this light pink jacket that felt perfect for it!.
Hope you like the look! XOXO
Hi loves! Get ready for a crazy long post, but I wanted to share as much as possible about my baby shower. It was intimate: with my close friends from Miami, my parents, and Gabe's family. Everyone played such an important role during this shower, I felt so loved and I know this baby boy will be so spoiled!
If you have been following me for a while you know tight/stretchy dresses are not my thing. I love oversized things, a good A line, and flowy dresses. However, nothing fits in my closet anymore ...and I kind of wish I had a few more cotton dresses like this one.
This pregnant combo is very common in the Kardashian family; they love bodycon dresses with duster coats and heels- and well, like I said before, they are out of my comfort zone. But again, all the fun stuff happens when you try stuff out of your comfort zone.
I originally wore it for a maternity shoot with my friend Karla Garcia- I added a cozy long cardigan and it was all shot at home. After she left, I had little time to change to go to the Create & Cultivate event I was speaking at. So I told myself: WHY NOT, let's just add this duster I have and give it a go. And I really pushed myself because I wore something I was not used to in front of at least a hundred people. It was fun!
I've had this post in my drafts for a while. There is so much I want to say but at the same time I don't know how to put the words together in a way that not only makes sense for moms/moms to be, but also for my non-mommies.
There is so much pressure for pregnant women to stay fit and tiny during pregnancy, to not have stretch marks... and don't even get me started on the pressure to bounce "back" and look better than ever AFTER the baby. But I'll probably talk more about this when I have my boy.
When you are pregnant you will hear a lot of:
"OMG you are HUGEEE, you are probably about to pop"
"OMG such a tiny belly, are you sure you are eating right?"
"OMG it has to be a boy because of XXX "
"My belly/my friend's belly was so much bigger/smaller"
As someone who has struggled with weight and diets since I was a little girl, I'm not going to lie: all of these comments offended me somehow. You can blame the hormones all you want, but it's also RESPECT.
1. Nobody wants to be told they look huge- even with triplets.
2. I really dislike being compared to anyone or analyzed. It's my body- all bodies are different- all pregnancies are different.
When I miscarried last year, I blamed myself a lot. I felt some sort of anger towards my body "for not being capable". I was able to forgive myself, to not think that it was my fault in any way. But at the same time, this fear has stayed with me throughout my pregnancy. Nutritionists might say I could have been more active or eat a bit better, but I'm just listening to my body and feeling blessed to have this little miracle inside me that I will never take for granted.
What I want to get to is that all we want to hear is that we are looking beautiful or that we are glowing (even we have been puking the whole 9 months and look terrible).
And you, fellow mom-to-be: don't be so harsh on yourself.
It's okay if your belly is bigger than others.
It's okay if you are 7 months pregnant and still have your abs.
It's okay if you gained a little more weight that you should have.
It's okay if you got stretch marks.
It's okay if you had that extra cookie.
It's okay...
You are creating life and there isn't anything more beautiful than that.
Another year...another birthday together!
Gabe turned 31 the day of these photos. I always say it but I can't believe how fast time is going by. When we met at 17-18, we really had no idea of everything that was about to come.
Last year, during his birthday, he had a broken leg and I was still bleeding from the miscarriage (TMI, I know- but you can imagine how hard it was).
On the contrary, this year, we were full of hope. We celebrated with friends and his family. It's definitely amazing how things can change in a year, how we have grown so much, but at the same time we are the same.
Ok I'm getting a little bit deep right here. But I'll continue to daydream about his 32th birthday and how it will also include a tiny little him.
Gabo cumplió 31 años el dÃa que tomamos estas fotos. TodavÃa siento que todos estos cumpleaños que hemos pasado juntos han pasado en un abrir y cerrar de ojos.
El año pasado celebramos mientras el tenÃa una pierna rota y yo todavÃa sangraba de la pérdida del bebé (probablemente es más información de lo que quieran saber, pero con eso les digo todo de lo difÃcil que fue ese cumpleaños).
Este año, al contrario, fue uno lleno de esperanza. Celebramos igual con familia y amigos pero el saber que el año que viene va a haber un chiquitÃn con nosotros nos tiene el corazón inmenso. Es impresionante como tanto puede cambiar en un año, pero al mismo tiempo sentir que nada ha cambiado.
Last week, I went to an event with Urban Decay and some of the coolest Latina blogger babes in Miami. The event was held at Basement (at the Miami Edition). Like it's name, this place is in the basement of the hotel and it has the coolest bowling alley and ice skating rink.
I love these types of events; when they are not heavily branded but an experience. I played one round of bowling- well, I sucked at it because of the belly. And yes, I was okay. I grabbed a light ball and I wasn't throwing hard (I promise). Remember that pregnancy isn't an illness but you should always listen to your body.
As far as my outfit. I got this shirtdress at Asos maternity during Black Friday (wow yes, so long ago) - everything was half off and I took advantage of the sale to get cute maternity stuff. This dress is one of those pieces I know I will wear after the baby is here- but just in case, I liked below to some cute options that are not maternity. I think what really elevated the look was the accessories (the white ankle boots are so fun, and the cabby hat).
Hope you like the pics! We had so much fun in this different backdrop! XOXO
La semana pasada fui a un evento con la marca de maquillaje Urban Decay y un grupo increÃble de bloggers latinas de Miami. El evento fue en un lugar llamado Basement - y como su nombre lo dice, es en el sótano de un hotel. Es todo de neón y tiene para jugar bowling y patinar sobre hielo.
Este tipo de eventos son increÃbles porque aparte de conocer al producto, compartes con amigas y se convierte en una experiencia.
La pregunta más frecuente es si jugué con la barriga, ¡¡y SI!! Solo que tuve MUCHO cuidado, recuerden que el embarazo no es una enfermedad. La verdad es que jugué muy mal porque tampoco querÃa hacerme daño- básicamente la pelota iba a 0 por hora.
Sobre mi outfit: les cuento que compré este vestido durante las ventas de Black Friday en noviembre (wow como ha volado el tiempo) aprovechando que todo estaba 50% de descuento en ASOS. Me gusta porque es una pieza que voy a seguir usando después del bebé aunque sea de maternidad. El toque cool lo dieron las botitas blancas y el sombrero.
Espero que les gusten las fotos, nos divertimos mucho tomándolas en este sitio. ¡BESOS! ¡FELIZ ABRIL!
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