Lashes by Shala

I indulge in very few personal luxuries - I paint my nails at home, rarely get my hair cut (coming up on a  year since the last snip), stick to the basics with my makeup & can get ready in 15 minutes (time me!)… BUT, I have a new beauty addiction: LASH. EXTENSIONS. 

These puppies are serious game changers. I literally "wake up like this"… well, just about. My face feels "done" with very little other products (concealer, bronzer, brow fill… done!) & I don't have to put on ANY eye makeup.

I have had eyelash extensions before (for our wedding), & it was a pretty meh experience. But this latest set is leagues above, after 2 weeks they still look the same as they did the day they were done & I am super happy with the length (I call it "va va natural", or "natural with a kick").

The initial investment is a little spendy, but the return is totally worth it. I am fully hooked, & getting re-fills for $75 every 3-4 weeks is now completely reasonable to me. If this all sounds like crazy talk, I urge you to try it at least once! Live a little & treat 'yo self!

Nashville ladies, scroll down for an incredible discount on your first set of lashes & how you can enter to win a free set!

Nashvillians, my lash lady is the bomb! And Shala is running some super specials for Here&Now readers! New clients get $100 of a full set of eyelashes, making it only $120! Additionally, follow Shala on Instagram to be entered to win a free full set ($220 value)! 

To set up an appointment with Shala, contact her via email (williams.shala@yahoo.com), call (615-349-5633) or via her website (www.styleseat.com/shalawilliams). 

Enter to win a free set using the Rafflecopter widget below, a random winner will be selected next weekend.

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Rent The Runway Recents

{ What I Wore to brunch: BCBG dress via Rent The Runway // Steve Madden heels // quilted bag ℅ Vera Bradley // Kendra Scott ring set, cuff, druzy earrings }

Photos by my blogger bestie Katie of Pearls & Twirls

The idea of sitting down to brunch with a room of fabulously dressed bloggers at the Southern Blog Society was scary enough that I turned to the experts for my outfit - Rent The Runway. I have never had a bad experience with this service! And I love that I can have my outfit delivered directly to the hotel I am staying at, when on vacation*. This pastel pleated dress was perfect for brunch, but I also loved this dress for the opening conference!

*I just call to get the best mailing address from the hotel to have my dresses shipped. Then when I know the delivery date, I call the hotel front desk, letting them know when both the package will arrive & when I will be checking in.

If you have any questions about using Rent The Runway, let me know! It seriously is one of my favorite tricks for being well dress without any stress!

I love that this dress looks like matching separates, but it is actually all one dress, with a slightly nude band of fabric in the middle. Very comfortable & super airy, perfect for the humid mess that was Charleston when we visited at the end of June. 

If you haven't tried Rent the Runway yet, sign up for this amazing service here!

Shop all of the dresses I have worn & loved below:

Mystic Bazaar

The blogging community I have found here in Nashville is so incredibly supportive & collaborative! I have been wanting to do a shoot with some of my best local blogging gals for a while & when I saw the new Kendra Scott collection, I knew this was the project! Kendra was inspired by her travels in Dubai to create the "Mystic Bazaar" Fall collection, but it is actually so Nashville! Nashville is a little bit glitzy, with a touch of boho & a relaxed "oh, this old thing" collected over time vibe.

Caroline & Emily joined me to show the world how us Nashville ladies wear Kendra Scott - each in our own unique way.

Be sure to check out how Emily of The Locus of Style & Caroline of Caroline Margaret Studio wear the Mystic Bazaar Collection. 

All Photos | Kate Davis Photography

My style is "layered on delicate"! The standout piece is the Coby necklace - the dainty chains are perfect on their own, but with the Everly tassel necklace, it goes to a whole new level.

I also tried out the ear jacket trend for the first time & I am blown away by the Callan evil eye style. The fact that the back jacket can be worn with many different earrings makesmyremixing heart happy! 

Finally, this amazing stack of bangles! I adore that it includes all of the mixed metals, to match any of your Kendra Scott jewels. Wear a few matching ones, or pile them on all at once!

Thank you to my blogger babes Emily & Carrie, our photographer Kate & the entire Kendra Scott Nashville team for making this shoot possible!

Shop the entire Kendra Scott Mystic Bazaar collection. 

What new pieces have you been adding to your jewelry box lately? What defines the jewelry style of your town?

Sunday Shopping: Beach vacay

School might start back in 1 week, but I'm not giving up on Summer yet! For your end of Summer pool parties or Labor Day plans, add some extra fun with these awesomely colorful pieces from Swoozies!

{1.} shatter proof wine glass // {2.}"Totally Beachin" napkins // {3.} anchor wine stopper // {4.} Pineapple candle // {5.} "Oh Cabana Boy" drink coozie // {6.} beach radio (plug in your iPhone!) // {7.} Cabana boy drink marker // {8.} donut pool float // {9.} "Break the ice" gold cooler bag // {10.} watermelon keg (I've tried this out & it was awesome with watermelon mojitos inside!)

What Summer adventures are you still looking forward to?

weekend reading: 7.25.15

1 // 2 // 3

This weekend why don't you :: lace one up!
Still looking for your own lace up sandals? Loving this under $100 pair from Free People.

{what you might have missed on Here&Now}

{1.} Enter to win a YEAR of clothes + accessories from Le Tote! 

{2.} Nashville Spotlight: Masaya & Co 

{3.} 15 reasons why bloggers make the best friends. 

{4.} 1 scarf, 3 ways (don't ditch your scarves just because it is Summer!) 

{5.} Summer Capsule Wardrobe Updates: easy white denim outfits + the most perfect (& affordable!) swing dress

{6.} My 2nd year of teaching 7th graders starts back in 1 week! Check out what I'm wearing on the first day of school. 

{posts I'm loving around the internets}

{1.} How to Instagram like you're on vacation! 

{2.} I have loved seeing how Franish has cultivated her closet over the years - she just posted an updated inventory & I'm itching to totally post my own soon! 

{3.} A restaurant guide to Nashville (I completely support all of these choices!) 

{4.} 5 tips for working with brands.

{5.}  Trend I want to try: denim skirt (can't believe styles I wore as a little girl are already coming back again!)

Nashville Spotlight: Masaya & Co

It thrills me to my core that conscious consumerism is becoming a greater part of our shopping options & even more so impressed by the dedication to supporting global artisans & fair trade practices that many businesses in Nashville have made (see all of my blog posts highlighting businesses that promote conscious consumerism).

When founder Aram of Nicaraguan fair trade furniture, Masaya & Co, reached out to me about their new Nashville showroom, I headed over in my car to visit!

The gorgeous showroom is housed in a lovely home along Music Row, here in Nashville. All of their amazing pieces are made by Nicaraguan artisans, using sustainable Nicaraguan trees. In fact, they plant 100 new trees for every piece purchased, to improve their own community & global footprint.

The Masaya & Co piece I most wanted to smuggle into my car? The unique hammock chairs - made by hand, using hand spun threads!

Read on for my interview with founder Aram + an awesome giveaway!

1. How did you get started in woodworking? Do you use traditional Nicaraguan practices, or is your work inspired by the country in any way?

I came to Nicaragua in 2002 as a Small Business Development Volunteer. We started our company to do reforestation on deforested cow pastures in 2007. This same year there was a hurricane in the atlantic coast of Nicaragua that knocked down 1,000,000 acres of forest. We started salvaging lumber and exporting. This grew over the years into production of finished products. I have always been intrigued by furniture making and they wood here is very beautiful. All our production is in Nicaragua so we use the local methods and everything is made by hand the old fashioned way. We like ornate joinery and contrasting wood details as the woods we have here are very colorful and have wonderful grain patterns. 

2. Why Nashville for your showroom? What is it about Music City that was attractive to you & your business?

I grew up in Nashville and my family still lives there. My father is the major investor in the company and he still lives there and oversees the us sales side. Its also a booming market with a lot of construction and a good central location for internet sales. 

3. The idea of "conscious consumerism" is definitely on trend these days, how has that effected the way you make and sell products? How do you stand out from the "trend”?

We don’t just talk green and sustainable, we actually plant trees. We are planting 130,000 trees this year in Nicaragua and will plant 100 trees in 2016 for every item we sell in 2015. The original goal of the company was to create a business that makes money by planting trees. This is still the goal and as we grow our sales in US we want to reforest as much as possible in Nicaragua. I think tying our tree planting directly to our sales will give the consumer a clear picture of the impact they can have. 

4. What is the future of Masaya? What can we look forward to seeing from you next?

We would like to expand sales nationally and increase our planting activities as much as possible. All of this will depend on our sales but responses have been good so far. Our Nashville showroom is a pilot retail outlet that we would like to develop and recreate in other cities once its up and running. We also intend to sell through other retailers and online.

Read more about the Masaya & Co history + mission on their website. 

All Photos | Kate Davis Photo

If you are in Nashville, you have to put visiting their gorgeous showroom on your to do list (see how you can get 10% off your in store purchase)! But don't stress, even if you are not a local, Masaya ships anywhere in the US!

But wait there's more! Masaya & Co is giving away the hand crafted cutting board, salad fork + spoon, & a sauce bowl pictured above. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter, a random winner will be selected next Saturday.

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le vest

{ What I Wore: sleeveless vest ℅ Le Tote // J.Crew Factory striped, twist back dress // Steve Madden heels // Rebecca Minkoff purse // Ray Ban aviators (in green + gold) // jewelry on loan from the Kendra Scott Fall Collection: earrings, bracelet set, dainty chain necklace, tassel necklace, rings }

All Photos | Kate Davis Photography

I was super excited when Le Tote challenged me to style this sleeveless blazer because while it has been popular lately, it is a pretty tricky piece to approach. And to be honest, it was a little daunting when it first arrived. So I just started putting outfits together & turns out, it goes with pretty much everything! 

I wanted to show you this outfit first, just to prove the point. Take this basic sundress (seen in its plain form here), add the sleeveless vest, some layered jewels & dainty heels… voilà, edgy date night look!

My second outfit test: I tried it over a basic gray tee with my super flare jeans… also fabulous!

And next I want to test out the vest with distressed denim shorts, you know, that downtown, laid-back vibe with a little added class… or is it sass?

Don't get me wrong, you certainly do NOT have to make every trend your own. BUT if you are looking out to try out trendy pieces before you fully commit, then Le Tote is the perfect service for you. I have been using it for years & love that I can pick out pieces & then they show up at my door, ready to wear for however long I choose, with easy returns when I am ready to try something new!

Yea, it really is as great as it sounds! If you haven't tried it yet, be sure to sign up for LE TOTE & get 20% off with the code: MYHEREANDNOWLIFE

ANNNNND - one lucky winner is going to land themselves clothing & accessories from Le Tote for a YEAR! Enter using the widget below (if you already follow me on Instagram, then you automatically have 1 of the 8 ways to enter checked off!)

Win UNLIMITED clothing & accessories for a year from LE TOTE!

15 reasons why bloggers make the best friends

Ok this is a bit of a tongue in cheek post, poking just a little bit of fun at what is coming to be the "blogger culture", but I totally do all these things too & I am so happy to have places like the Southern Blog Society Conference to let my inner blogger run wild & free!

Interested in learning more about what a blogging conference entails? Check out this SBS Con recap post! If you are interested in joining the Southern Blog Society (not going to just be limited to only Southern bloggers for long, as they are taking the society NATIONAL soon!), get more info about signing up here (be sure to tell them I sent ya!)

Looking to add a blogger to your squad? These are the 15 reasons why bloggers make the best friends:

1. We know how to rock a selfie stick!

2. We have mastered the knee pop

3. We are skilled at the art of piling your clutches on the table to free up hands for more important things, like sipping cocktails!

4. We smile even during causal conversation - you never know when a camera could be lurking! (Josh & Blair are naturals!)

5. We are here to remind you that cute cocktail napkins must be photographed!

6. No eating before the meal has been properly Instagrammed! If a meal is served & not 'grammed, did it even happen? Probably NOT!

7. We love a good caption - even better if it is on a giant marquee! 

8. We know how to make a grand entrance!

9. Two words: Girl. Boss. (Cathy & Jessica, founders of the SBS!)

10. We love getting nerdy with fashion industry insiders (Reps from Kendra Scott, The Real Real & Lilly Pulitzer!)

11. "Swag" is our middle name & "party favors" is in there somewhere too!

12. Our head is on a swivel for potential outfit photo spots!

13. We allow Snapchatting at the dinner table (thank you Katie for my tutorial!)

14. We all got the memo about wearing prints to dinner.

15. We will order color coordinating beers just for the photo opportunity!

But seriously, blogging is pretty dang fun & I am so thankful to have met my blogger squad besties: Katie, Shelby & Julie… although we have recently adopted Josh too!

Why do you blog? Anyone else rolling with blogger friends?

All Photos | Kim Graham Photography