A few weeks ago, a girl from Sand Springs, Oklahoma was celebrated for her best-selling book in West Hollywood, California.
This was unlikely as…
This world, this society, this industry attempt to reward what has been done before.
They are built on ideas that say the only way to achieve X is to complete Y (no matter how much Y does not suit you, make sense to you, or causes you what to die inside).
They often reject what they perceive to be different — including ways of thinking, believing and seeing things.
They push you to ignore your heart, disregard your soul’s longings, trust in the norm, and hope for the best.
This girl lived in a world that she did not always feel she was made for.
— She was from a place embedded with the energy of playing-small.
— She was born into a society enveloped with conditions of worth.
— She pursued paths (academia, ministry, counseling) that squashed her into tiny molds.
— She had walked away from many, many people, places and things as she grew.
— She made her name in an industry known for selling formulaic systems for success.
And after ten years of breaking the rules; telling the truth; walking away; putting her heart, soul, wild ideas, and words into the world while making people really mad (and dealing with the, sometimes public, fallouts)…
While building a business; and standing on integrity, intention, impact, follow-through, and good, solid work…
She stood on a beautiful rooftop, in a bright pink Alexander McQueen suit, with hundreds of copies of her self-published best-selling book scattered about, with thousands of blush + coral flowers arranged, serving exceptional fare, with her billboard down the road…
As the relief of soon-to-be post-pandemic existence could be felt…
Meeting cool as f*ck ‘fans’ (more like friends), signing books (a unique message for every person), and…
Explaining to reporters how money can actually work.
She was surrounded by people who love her, know her, and see her.
Her friends proud. Her kids running around. Her love by her side.
And she was more sure than ever before of this:
— The risks are worth it.
— The rules are redundant.
— And the world hasn’t seen anything from her yet. ♥️
^^ that’s a little something I wrote the morning after my book party.
If you missed it, one time… I finished, edited, and self published a book… during a pandemic.
There were gravely important world events occurring. There was some for real reckoning and healing happening in my own life.
(Life doesn’t pause when you go after a dream. You have to prioritize… and pivot. Over and over.)
I wrote chapter one in NYC during a painful breakup. I wrote chapter eleven in LA as protestors marched down my street and helicopters flew over my house. I finished edits while recovering from the virus with a family member in ICU.
There were also about five million hiccups (as is with doing anything for the first time)… like publishing, distributing, editing and launching issues.
But… we did it! The little book that could had made its way around the world. It was named a best seller on day one.
The first 20,000 copies have now sold. (We are just getting started.)
(As of a few weeks ago… the number is certainly higher now at 22,800 copies sold. I’ll be sure to run the numbers periodically and keep you updated.)
And… it’s message can be felt.
THE MESSAGE: You are worthy of money. You are capable and deserving. Life is responding to you. Money loves to support you.
Life did not set most of us up for the life we wanted… and yet… it’s still available to us. We can still do, have, be and achieve.
We can still go after it. We can still create a new — and very different — future. It is not too late for us!
You can thrive inside a very supportive relationship with money. You are meant to…
Most every person I know’s life didn’t go exactly according to plan. If your life is still going according to plan… then just add a “yet” to the end of that thought.
And it’s a good thing. The plan not working is often our greatest catalyst for growth, opportunity, and miracles.
Once upon a time I was in cult (more on that in the vid — and in future blogs, I’m sure). When I got out of the cult I had a little… baggage.
Not to mention the normal baggage we are all walking around with from our childhoods (most families do the best they can and often accidentally suck from time to time) and from a normal heart break or two.
I tried my hardest to hurry up and become super educated and successful — and rush into the life of my dreams.
So I got my bachelor’s degree in psych. And moved to Dallas to get my master’s in counseling.
For your fashion post this week, I give you My Week in Outfits, Make-up, and Hair Pizza.
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Friday
Upon landing in Tulsa, Drew and I headed to a little spot called The Phoenix that I’ve been dying to try. I loved the atmosphere, the sandwiches, the veggies and humus, and the yummy drinks! I was in even in love with the pink couch I sat on! It’s in the Pearl District, right outside downtown Tulsa and you must go!
As Drew and I went to explore after lunch, I found this pink building that was the exact same color as the pink couch we had lunch on and that made me HAPPY! 🙂
When I travel I always wear either leggings or stretchy denim, like these floral pants from Forever 21. Throw on a v-neck or cotton tee and flats and you are traveling ready. For colder days, add in a scarf and a jacket. My v-neck is from Wal-Mart and my flats are Steve Madden.
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Saturday
Brunch is my favorite meal of the week.
On this Saturday morning at the Stone Horse, I opted for these Ugg Boots, H&M sheer button up, Michael Kors faux fur vest, and my Michael Kors bag with a top-knot, of course.
To make your hair look like that and love your life more in under 60 seconds, click here. You really should look.
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Sunday
I’d like to show you my Sunday outfit, but there isn’t one. Unless a tee shirt and leggings count (which it sometimes does, but in this case really doesn’t – trust me). So instead here is the homemade pizza drew and I made. Mine has tofu and a little cheese with artichoke hearts. His has seven kinds of pig and all of the cheese in the world.
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Monday
Back in Dallas. Monday was just a rainy day of just seeing a few clients, drinking green juice and happening upon an old bedside table that I am going to paint and turn into something amazing for my house.
This is my make-up. Pink lips and black cat-eyes made me happy.
I’ve been asked recently for my fav eyeliner picks! I mostly use Benefit Black Magic – Black Liquid Liner. My favorite lip colors are Dior #444 and #752, but Cover Girl Fairytale #405 and Spellbound #325 recently entered my life when I forgot my make up on my Christmas Caribbean adventure and have been surprisingly wonderful additions. I have on Spellbound in this picture.
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Tuesday
Tuesday meant Winter White for the Coast to Coast Challenge girls. I didn’t ever get an outfit pic, but this is me on my way to meet a client. This winter white coat definitely made my day.
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Wednesday
Sometimes (very very rarely, but sometimes) I wake up and blow out my hair and then go do things with my life with clean hair. This was one of those days.
Dress is Audrey, boots are Uggs, Jacket is from a little shop in Florence, Italy, necklace is from JC Penny.
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Thursday
Anyone who loves their home city as much as I do knows that you have to represent. While in Tulsa, the manfriend and I set out on a quest to every t-shirt shop around to find a shirt I would love as much as my Don’t Hate the 918 shirt.
Tulsa has a surprising amount of t-shirt shops and it was quite an endeavor, but eventually I found this one. A nice person at shop that I can’t seem to find via Google (I think it’s Hometown Tees? Between Mama Joe’s and the Max in the Blue Dome District?) found it in the back for me and let me buy it even though it wasn’t for sell!
So on Thursday I sported it for Graphics Day with Coast to Coast Challenge. If you don’t know what the C2C Challenge is you definitely need to stop and click here right now.
I wore it with my black skinny J-Brands, the leather jacket from Italy, and my nude Louboutins. I hate to do this to you again, but if you haven’t read about how I bought my first pair of Loubs, you may really need to stop what you are doing again and click here, but only if you are interested in creating an amazing life for yourself and shifting every perception you have that says you don’t have enough of something to get what you want of everything.
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Friday
For a bonus outfit (and to make up for the pizza), I give you an eighth outfit! Friday, I wore this great shirt that I got FOR FREE at Buffalo Exchange when I went to sell old things that I no longer loved. You sell things, they give you money, you buy new things… beautiful.
I believe that you must get rid of anything that you do not love and that no longer serves you. To read more about that and other ways to clean up your life in the areas of Health, Romance, Money, and Relationship, click here!
So I wore the little sparkly shirt by Sanctuary Clothing, with my black skinny jeans, black pumps that were given to me when I interviewed Vince Camuto (read that interview here), some little silver Wal-Mart earrings and this green Nila Anthony bag found at Ross.
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Remember to Create Outfits and a Life that You Effing Love.
When one opens a shoebox containing the work of Vince Camuto they will find the following words inscribed beneath the lid:
“I’m passionate about creating a product that women really want… infusing great style, comfort and unparalleled value, for every stage of her life.”
Based on the time I spent with Vince Camuto this weekend, I’d say this is an accurate reflection of his life and work.
AF: So, I intended to research you earlier this week, but I was graduating with my masters so I was, well, busy. I actually finished everything up yesterday! So this morning I turned to Wikipedia.
I of course knew that you were a co-founder for Nine West and was well aware of the brand that bears your namesake, obviously. But as I started reading I found out so much more: You developed the BCBG Max Azria and BCBGirls footwear lines, launched brands for Dillard’s such as Antonio Melani and Gianni Bini, have created lines for Banana Republic and Lucky Brand, designed for Jessica Simpson’s line, and have partnered with Tory Burch to create the Reva flat which is literally the most popular ballet flat in the world.
I found myself thinking, this man is literally responsible for a large majority of my shoe collection. And here we are now for a runway show for this season’s Vince Camuto collection.
VC: Yes, it’s been good. We started with quality shoes at a great value. Now we are putting it all together and focusing on the lifestyle. We are really proud of that. We have a full ready-to-wear line and have introduced a denim line called TWO. We now have 27 categories for women. The brand has really grown. I think we’ve been able to do this because we have what women like: an approachable designer with a fashionable product at a good price, using beautiful leathers.
AF: Out of all of this, what are you most proud of?
VC: [Personally…] My children. Seeing my kids grow. I have one that is in the business now. He’s 23 and has a great eye and I’m very proud of him, but very proud of all the others too. I have a younger one and older ones. We’ve got them at all different stages. To see the development of my children makes me very proud.
[Professionally…] I’m also very proud of our people. Our business is very people oriented. We have a lot of women working in the company, and I truthfully think there is a women’s movement going on right now. Our company consists of women who are mostly 25-35. They have a great energy, good fashion sense, and are incredible business-wise. I love working with them. Sometimes it can be challenging, but I don’t mind a strong woman. My wife is a strong woman, you know.
AF: It sounds like you can really appreciate this type of woman.
VC: At the end of the day if you’re in the fashion industry and you are a man, you have to be able to communicate and find out what women are looking for. You can’t be stubborn or have blinders on. So we talk to women all the time. I come to events like this and I talk to women, I listen to them and we find out what they want. I learn so much this way.
AF: How has this affected your creative process?
VC: We try to create a cohesive look within ourselves to serve what these women want. We are not just a ready-to-wear brand or a shoe brand. We have the entire look at a good price and that’s hard to come by. It’s what the American woman wants: a great style, at a great perceived value, and with consistent quality.
We are always listening. We knew they were going to like the moto-boot. It’s the big look this year, as we predicted. Our moto-boot called the Winchell sold out at Nordstrom. And we’re buying more into this. Booties are very big. We love the ankle boots and the short boots; they look cool. And with the weather being sometimes warmer in Texas you can wear it now and keep wearing it. Lower heels look cool with the current clothing. You can take the bootie or the low pump and wear it with tight pants or a dress for a change. Not everything has to be high heeled.
It’s unbelievable, you know, women all know and all like the same thing at the same time. How you guys do it, I don’t know. Truthfully that’s a woman’s thing. How does that work? And how can we plug into it?
AF: Well for me, I’ll be feeling something, and wanting it strongly and looking for it. I can’t always find it in stores when I want it, but once I do find it I blog it, tweet it, instagram it, and facebook it.
VC: Some of you advance it. You tell the rest of the women.
AF: And social media is causing trends to happen faster because we all know what one another is wearing instantly.
{at this point Vince and I were told we were out of time}
AF: One last question. My blog focuses on being an empowered woman, finding your passion, and doing what you love. How did you know that this is what you were going to do with your life?
VC: You know I started out working in a very expensive women’s shoe store in New York. What wasn’t there to like? I met with all the beautiful women. I was on Fifth Avenue. I was into the ascetics and beauty. Right style. Right atmosphere. I learned about the fashion.
AF: I’d assume you’d have to make yourself into a business man to do all that you have done?
VC: I was born in Manhattan and grew up on the lower east side. I did take some business courses along the way, but I had street sense and I loved fashion.
AF: And the passion just grew?
VC: And the passion just grew. I love it more than ever before.
Consider Me Completely Inspired.
Xo,
Amanda Frances
A big thank you to Melissa and Dillard’s for this opportunity.
Recently two of my girlfriends put together a completely lovely Kentucky Derby themed Bridal Shower for an adorable bride-to-be.
The day before the event this conversation occurred…
Guy Friend: What are you doing?
Me: Just shopping for a Kentucky Derby Shower I’m going to tomorrow
Guy Friend: Oh, that’s cool! You guys going to ride horses?
Me: {confused}. . .we are going to wear big hats, drink pretty drinks, and take lots of pictures??
As we all know, for many girls half the fun of a party is the opportunity to capture the event via Mobile Upload. So if we had horses, we’d be more likely to pose near them than race on them. Horses or not, there are few better photo opts than a frilly dress and over-sized hat.
Musts for a super-successful derby themed event:
{Dress}
Chic. Simple. Frilly. Classic. Or Polka Doted.
{Hat}
Embellished. Wide Brimmed. Demure. Or Girly-Girl.
{Pretty Drinks in Pretty Cups}
Mint Juleps in Pewter Cups. Pink Lemonade and Sweet Tea in Mason Jars.
{Bites}
Tarts. Quiché. Jams. Cupcakes. Candies.
{optional: Men}
Just kidding. But if boys are invited to the party try:
Seer sucker. Bow ties. Pastels.
And if, by chance, the boy you are dressing for this event is boring or just not feeling adventurous opt for khakis with a navy jacket and a fun tie.
