Swap & Style

all photos | Zipporah Photography

As I have mentioned before, when I started blogging I was amazed by the fabulous friends I was making all around the world - women with similar passions, goals, dreams & hobbies. I love my global blogging friends, but I really wanted to connect with some local bloggers. Thus, BlogNashville was born. This year I am really trying to amp up our local blog community & have dedicated myself to hosting monthly events. February's event might be my favorite so far - a Swap & Style at one of my favorite boutiques, The Impeccable Pig. 

I have long wanted to do a clothing swap & dove right in with making the first one, an event that I planned all myself. I searched for some basic rules & came up the with 9 listed above.

What made the event extra special was that not only were we each going home with "new to us" pieces from the swap, we also got to "complete" our looks with the new Spring arrivals from The Impeccable Pig. My friend & local stylist, Jordan Duncan, was on hand to offer her professional advice. But mostly we just played dress up & had a BALL!

At the time I couldn't imagine many ways to wear these slouchy python pants, but I haven't stopped thinking about them since. Poll: should I go back for them or not??

Seriously chic black & white options.

Warm weather ready!

Priya went home with this sex-ay sequin dress!

With all of our "swaps"! Check out my BlogNashville ladies: Chelsey // Priya // Sharena 

Have you ever been to a clothing swap? Tell me about your greatest score!!

If you are looking to up your Spring wardrobe game, check out The Impeccable Pig online or in stores. I for one am crushing hard on fun, colorful tops for Summer! Shop my favorite picks from The Impeccable Pig {here}. 

P.S. BlogNashville is only 1 like away from 100 FB likes… so if you are a Nashville blogger or you know one, please like & share!! 

P.P.S. There are two great giveaways going on right now:
- $500 cash giveaway {here}
- original art print giveaway {here}

around town

Once upon a time I met a wonderful friend through blogging. We had mutually stumbled upon each other's blogs & started a conversation through back & forth comments. Both of us were named Jessica, worked at the same school, hailed from the same home state, were obsessed with our dogs, style & the city of Nashville. Together we made our dreams of starting a Nashville blogging community come true. Jessica has since moved away from Music City (tear), but she will always be the co-founder of BlogNashville. It is amazing to have blogging friends all over the country, & even some spread across the globe, but getting to met up with said blogging friends for brunch, & chat/giggle/Instagram over the best chicken & biscuits ever made, that's a game changer.

I love being able to call Nashville home & am constantly amazed at the wonderful opportunities this great city holds. I swear my list of MUST DO things grows daily. I of course enjoy sharing my personal style with you guys, but I want to start injecting a little more "Nashville" into my blog.

If you are a Nashville blogger, I hope you will get involved in our shenanigans (find BlogNashville on Facebook). But even if you are not a Nashvillian, it is my wish that you will enjoy these peeks into my favorite local spots. Maybe they will even inspire a trip to visit someday!

Today though, is just for my Nashville peeps - 3 things to look forward to in the coming weeks (dare I say it, this SPRING!?):

{1.} Swap & Style at The Impeccable Pig, February 25th, 6:30-8:00 pm

Join BlogNashville for a clothing swap & shop event. Find "new to you style" during the swap & then complete your looks with new spring pieces from The Impeccable Pig. If you are interested in joining, please email BlogNashvilleTN@gmail.com for more details!

{2.} Purim Masquerade Party benefiting the Jewish Federation of Nashville, March 8th at the Musician's Hall of Fame.

This is going to be a great opportunity to pull out your masquerade attire & meet other fabulous Nashville young professionals. There will be live music, food & libations! Buy tickets here & be sure to use the special code BLOG at check out. (comment & let me know if you are going, I'll be there!!)

3. Sip & Shop at Mocha Boutique, March 22nd.

Complete details haven't been formalized, but email BlogNashvilleTN@gmail.com with your blog URL to get added to our Newsletter & find out about this & all other future events first!

Be sure to follow BlogNashville on Facebook to stay up to date with all the exciting events/shops around town!

tourist attraction

{ What I Wore: J.Crew top (old) // vintage leather midi skirt, Pura Vida Vintage // ShoeMint heels // ℅ Vanesa Rey iPhone case }

all photos | Zipporah Photography

This outfit is from our BlogNashville outing to Pinewood Social at the end of January (I am SO behind on outfits & completely mixed up on my order anyways!)

Pinewood Social is THE new hot place in Nashville & after visiting, I can see why (I went two days in a row, no shame!) Pinewood Social is "a place to meet" - a place to eat, drink coffee, sip on yummy cocktails, freaking BOWL, & coming this Summer… a place to swim! They are putting in a pool with swim up bar. I'm never leaving!

My companions for Sunday brunch? 7 lovely blogging ladies that hail from Nashville & my iPhone to capture all the foodie deliciousness (delish bloody Mary's + chicken & biscuits!)

But don't you worry, my iPhone didn't have to go naked to brunch - she was wearing her new Vanesa Rey case. As someone said on Instagram, it's like a J.Crew necklace for your phone! This case/clutch combo is genius & not so bad on the eyes - bedazzles, places to put your cards & a chunky chain (I can't be the only one that loses my phone all. the. time. … sometimes I go to look for it, because that is second nature to me at this point, & I'M HOLDING IT IN MY HAND!)

The story behind this nose-crinkling giggle: I was texing & Zipporah asked me what it looked like when I talked on the phone & I had to laugh… I literally couldn't remember the last time I talked on my phone - texter for life (because you can't speak in emojis… only kind of kidding)

Nashville Tourist

{ What I Wore: cobalt dress c/o Onze Boutique // DaisyGem necklace // boutique belt (love this one!) // Paige Denim jacket* // ShoeMint heels // TheIt bag camera purse }
* gifted in the Southern Blog Society brunch swag bag

When people ask me the age old question - "so why did YOU start blogging?" - my pre-packaged answer is always about wanting a creative outlet, a place to let my girlie, fashion obsessed side run free during the hours after my day job as a scientist. Well, I'm changing my mind (as BritBrit once said, that's my prerogative!)

Now, the thing that keeps my blogging mojo going? It's all about the connections I have made. The women that I never would have met otherwise but have nonetheless become my blogging friends, collaborators, and downright soul sisters. Pretty crazy when you think about it. 

Because I don't already have enough on my plate, I dreamed up (with the other Jessica, who sadly left Nashville this Fall) a community of bloggers for Nashville. BlogNashville was born this Summer & I can't believe how far this little dream has come.

Yesterday 14 Nashville bloggers & I hopped on the GrayLine Trolley Tour** & got to see behind the scenes in our own backyard. Exploring such landmarks as The Ryman Auditorium, Broadway Ave. & The Country Music Hall of Fame. We giggled, took way too many pictures, strengthened our bonds on the other side of the computer screen, & shared duck fat tater tots. The perfect day I tell you!

Thankful for the friendships that I am forming with these lovely local ladies: Perfectly Priya // Oh So Pretty // Fringe & Lace // Stilettoed to Steeltoed // My Scuttle // Ellen Loves // J's Southern Chic // Love This Life // My Post Grad Life // Gin & Tonic // Not Quite Grownup Guide // Three Sweet Peas // Zipporah Photography

This is just a sneak peek of our adventures & I can't wait to share the fab pictures that my talented photographer friend Zipporah took throughout the day too!

Wether you are a local or a Nashville tourist, I definitely recommend the Gray Line Hop on & off trolley tour along with their other top notch tours like the Unpublished Nashville Walking Tour. Connect with the Gray Line Tour group on Facebook & Twitter.

Have you gotten out & acted like a tourist in your town lately? 

Any away from the computer blogger connections? 

**Gray Line tours provided us this experience free of charge, but all opinions & reviews are my own. I would never share anything with you that didn't meet my high standards.

Blog Nashville

After months of talking about it, my dear friend Jessica of DahliaLynn & I have gone & done it!  Nashville is an amazing city in so many ways, but we were missing out on the strong blogging community interactions that we saw popping up in other cities.

So we took matters into our own hands, launching BlogNashville.

Jessica & I ourselves met through blogging so we appreciate how important it is to foster face-to-face meetings for people that have found such amazing friends online in the blogosphere!

Last week we had a casual Nashville blogger meet-up to attend the grand opening of H&M, it was such a fun night of margaritas, shopping & making new friends…& now we are hooked!

So here we are, announcing a BlogNashville event that we hope everyone in the area can attend!

If you are a blogger in the Nashville, TN area please join us!

What: cocktails & shopping at Pura Vida Vintage

When: 7-9 pm, Tuesday June 25th

Where: Pura Vida Vintage

1303 16th Ave, Nashville TN 37212

Please RSVP by emailing BlogNashvilleTN@gmail.com (& feel free to shoot any questions that way too!)

If you have any friends in the area, please share this information with them!

We aim to be an all inclusive blogger community, the more the merrier!

 Find BlogNashville on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram to stay up to date with all the exciting things we have up our sleeves!

And thanks to Lauren we have a great BlogNashville icon! If you want to add the BlogNashville Button to your site, use this code:
<center><a href=https://www.facebook.com/blognashville><img src="http://i1257.photobucket.com/albums/ii505/jesshereandnow/Blog-Nashvillecopy.png" height="275" width="275"/></a></center>
(P.S. you can change the height/width sizes to be smaller, depending on the amount of real estate you want to put this baby in, just keep the ratio as a square)