The RAD! Shop Boutique Launch

On June 23, 2013, I launched my online boutique at 12 PM! This has been in the works for almost two years and I am glad that it has finally grown into what it is today.

The support from my friends and people that I don't know is overwhelming. I've gotten offers for blog features, designers wanting to sell their stuff in the store, and countless offers for people to promote the store through whatever platform they use.

This journey has been a crazy, emotional one so far, and it is far from over. This was only the first step. I still have so much more that I want to and will accomplish. The messages from people telling me that I have inspired them to go for their dreams make me so happy. If I can inspire people now, how many people will I inspire when I "make it"? Don't listen to any naysayers, haters etc. Just continue to do you and focus on yourself. There will be so much negativity thrown at you but you just have to duck and dodge it. You can't expect everyone to understand your hustle when they were not given your vision.

I wish everybody that reads this much success.

RAD! Style. The RAD! Shop. RAD! is life.

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The Lyftd Lyfe Fashion Show

I think life is all about the journey, about setting goals for yourself and taking the steps to achieve those goals. Well, last summer after The Goods Lyfe fashion show, I said that I would be working backstage/ styling at this year's fashion show. After exchanging a few e-mails with one of the coordinators behind the show, I was told that I would be able to work backstage!

I mainly worked on The Good's Clo's set. I had tons of fun but it was definitely a lot of pressure. I got to style in some pieces from The RAD! Shop and some of my friends came out to support which is always great!

I have already set a new goal for next year's fashion show! I'll definitely keep you guys posted on whether or not I achieve it.

Model Germel Silva rocking the The Goods Clo tee and The Bad Gal Skirt from The RAD! Shop which can be purchased here!

The story behind my outfit that night is funny. I had originally selected a cut-out dress to wear but I felt like it was a little too revealing for the fashion show. After one of my guy friends confirmed my suspicions with a round of good-natured, very explicit but still funny jokes, I decided to change. The problem was, I wasn't home and didn't have time to go home. So I ran to my trunk (which due to my photo shoots always has clothing and/or shoes in it) and selected this black jumpsuit. I put on tons of bracelets and cuffs to jazz up my left arm, pulled stacks of rings on my right hand and added a belt and this ended up looking like the outfit I had intended to wear all along. A last minute outfit that gets you tons of compliments? We have a winner!

Jumpsuit: Vintage

Belt: Atlanta Boutique

Shoes: Prabal Gurung for Target

Cuffs/Bracelets: Vintage and Forever 21

Pink Geometric Earrings: Forever 21

An Old Favorite...

Back in 2011, I had just moved back to Atlanta from Auburn, Alabama. In Auburn there was one rinky dink mall and I didn't drive that year so if I wanted to shop, I was relegated to online shopping. Needless to say when I moved back to the city, I made up for lost time when it came to shopping. My favorite stores were Forever 21, American Apparel, Value Village, and of course, Urban Outfitters.

I got this fedora at Urban on sale for $5 and I constantly found different ways to work it into my outfits. Somewhere along the line, I gradually stopped wearing my fedora until I wasn't wearing it at all. When I left my apartment in Marietta to move back into my mom's house, it was relegated to the back of one of my closets. 

I had an interview on Thursday and I got to dress up how I would dress if I were to be hired and for some reason when I walked past my second closet, I just really wanted to wear my fedora. I paired a simple black v-neck with a black and white tropical print skirt, bright blue open-toe flats, a silver multi-chain necklace and my MK watch. My fedora which had not been worn in about a year, was the icing on top of this simple yet chic outfit. 

I think my love affair with my fedora has been rekindled. I'm thinking of ways to pair my fedora with other outfits as I type. :)

Shirt: Ambiance Apparel
Skirt: H&M
Shoes: Target
Necklace: Atlanta boutique
Watch: Michael Kors
Fedora: Urban Outfitters

Nail Inspiration

Just in time for the Fourth...

On My Playlist...

I love music, but I'm not exactly adventurous when it comes to it. Don't get me wrong, if you search my iTunes, you will find all kinds of music. I'm just the kind of girl that listens to an album and even if I like all or most of it, I have my favorite track that I am constantly playing (much to the dismay of my friends lol).

This summer has been pretty great music wise! Kanye and J. Cole recently released albums and my favorite rapper of all time, Jay-Z, is releasing a new album next week!

So I've added a few new favorite songs to my playlist and swapped a few ones out for newer music that I have "rediscovered". Check out my playlist below:

The RAD! Photo Shoot

This past week I had a photo shoot for my online boutique. I got most of my products shot and I'm getting really excited about the progress that I am making towards getting my boutique open!

I have officially set a launch date of June 23, 2013 and I have a lot of big things in the works for promotion (blog features, fashion shows etc.) and I will definitely keep you all posted on all that I am doing.

Check out a few shots from the shoot below:

And remember, RAD! is life! :)

Model: Diorra Marzette
Photographer: Devon Marcus
Wardrobe: The RAD! Shop