Femme Fair 2018

This was my little piece of Femme Fair. All photos in this blog taken by the talented Jess Onesto.

If you follow me on Instagram, you know all about the very fun, very full day I spent at Femme Fair. This was just their second year and it was a really amazing event. In addition to networking, this was a day full of shopping, learning, and serious pampering.

I've been to The Archery before, but seeing how Claire and the team transformed it was a real treat. Our day started off with yogurt parfaits and delicious coffee for fuel. After the first amazing panel discussion, groups broke out for mentoring and shopping.

I'm so glad that there were women interested in my previously loved pieces. It was my first year participating, and I'm so grateful I had this opportunity.

Sustainable fashion is really important to me. With each huge life shift, there have been numerous trips to consignment stores, thrift shops, and participation in clothing swaps to responsibly make changes in my closet. This was a new way for me to continue the life of pieces that no longer serve me.

My size range was pretty big due to my new body and gaining weight over the past few years. Thanks to some of the women who stood by me at Femme Fair, I've learned to love and adorn my body like never before. 

The past two years in the Bay Area have involved a huge change in style. For starters, I no longer have to deal with harsh winters that require gloves and hats and rubberized soles to prevent from slipping on ice.

I've started to incorporate a lot of color back into my everyday looks and even bought a bikini for the first time in years! 

If you get the chance to attend next year's Femme Fair, you should totally treat yourself. There was a lot I didn't even get to partake in, like the Dyson stylists and makeup artists who were doing mini makeovers. It's a feel-good, femmetastic time you won't regret.

EVENT BY

Founders Stacey de León, Christina Chinn, Melissa San Vicente Event design Claire Xue Coordination Ashley-Victoria Graphic design Nailah Ali Editorial Weekend Creative

Venue rented through Peerspace

Photographer Jess Onesto

Videographer Marco Bercasio

SPEAKERS

Arnelle Lozada, Chloe Elisa, Mandana Ansari, Melissa San Vicente and Shahida Zareef

BLOGGER PARTICIPANTS

Ashleigh Reddy, Angie Hilem, Chandamheer Stacker, Chantelle Tankson, Christine Yun, Daisy Hernandez, Eden Davis, Emma Ribeira, Gabriella Seviya, Gomada Leone Thomas, Jayme Sy, Julianne Cronin, Kelsey Kaplan, Monica Cruz-Hernandez

DECOR

Macrame wall hangings Lise Silva Hanging undies Pansy Event florals Freckled Floral + Claire Xue Booth florals Landeau Furniture Archive Rentals + Stacey de León

FOOD

Desserts The Jen Project Girl power cookies XO Bakes Yogurt and cheese plate Kite Hill Foods Granola Nana Joes Granola Fruit Snacks Bare Snacks Coffee Lady Falcon Coffee Club Wines Anna de Codorniu and Windsor Vineyards Cocktails Purity Organic

ACTIVITIES

Skincare Lounge DHC Skincare Hair, Makeup & Mani’s Stylebee Blowout Bar Dyson Lip Bar NARS Floral DIY Le Bouquet

POP-UP SHOPS

And.Comfort Candid Art Dopp City Shoes Mandana Blvd Saje Wellness

GIVEAWAYS

Peerspace, Bumble & Bumble, Cocokind, Dyson Supersonic, SoulCycle, Oui Shave and T3 Micro

GIFT BAG GOODIES

Browology, DHC Skincare, Bare Snacks, Bite Beauty, CreativeLive, Charlotte Russe, Dyson, Greetabl, IBY Beauty, Fat and the Moon, Hush Dotti, Iris and West, Nutri-Rich Vitamins, Lilah Beauty, MGS Accessories, Miss Patisserie, Navitas Organics, OLLY, Pacifica Beauty, Passion Planners, Posh and Wild, Pressed Juicery, SmashMallow, Sunglass LA, TCHO, WinkyLux

On Branding: 3 Reasons to Kick Fear to The Curb

January was wonderfully full of inspiring femmes, good friends, and women business owners. A really great bonus of surrounding yourself with people who are similarly aligned and ambitious is that you get to grow professionally and personally.

While chatting about content marketing and strategy, as I'm wont to do, one of my friends said she was nervous to offend other moms with her blog topics. There's a lot she wants to say to encourage women to do what works best for them in motherhood, and her followers ask her questions all the time that she's unsure about answering. This fear came up over and over again in conversations with other women I admire and respect, who are complete boss babes in their own right.

Here's my favorite mommy blogger with the cutest dang babyyyyy aka Camilla. Click to see more preciousness on IG.

Let's break down how and why you should speak your mind:

1. "Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter."

The people who want to follow us on social and read our blogs probably aren't going to get offended by us speaking our truth. If they are, they're not our ideal client–and that's okay! An often misquoted saying, "Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter," is perfectly true when it comes to your personal choices, and to take it further, your branding. This was Bernard Baruch's response when asked how he chose the seating arrangements for his dinner parties. After much success in business, he became a presidential advisor. He had a bunch of jobs and got things done well. Worrying about how people would react to seating arrangements wasn't a concern of his. You need not worry about offending someone because you share how you live or work. It's not for everyone and that's perfectly fine. It doesn't mean you have to keep it to yourself

Sitting on top of a fireplace in a common area in my apartment in the middle of the day because I wanted to get this shot while working with a film photographer, and I didn't care who noticed. Thanks to Steven B. Photography for the photo.

2. You Must Stand Out

What if we all wore the same clothes? Had the same hairstyle? Watched the same shows? It would be so boring! Niche accounts on Instagram perform incredibly well, and I've observed that they're the easiest to grow. Not everyone is going to give a hoot about fountain pens, but my friend John just started a blog as a passion project because he's been a collector for over 20 years. In less than 6 months, he's grown to have over 1,000 organic followers who are just as into fountain pens as he is! (I test drove some. It's really pretty cool.) Do not be concerned that what you create or put out isn't for everyone. It shouldn't be! Just like you don't serve everyone under the sun, your content doesn't have to be one-size-fits-all. By being super honest and getting real, you'll attract the people who want to go along with you on the ride. So strap in and carpool with people who are gonna be into the same epic road trip playlist. My preferred mix of post-punk and 90's hip hop isn't for everyone.

John is also a photographer, which is why all of his Fountain Pen Love is so beautifully showcased.

3. Authenticity Is Necessary

All good and functioning relationships are based on honesty. Social media is all about the relationship you have with people who opt into a connection with you. Sincerely sharing about your business and your views will help maintain clarity on why you do what you do and who you want to serve. It's okay to be selective. In fact, it's necessary so that you stand out! Don't be one of the herd. If you're just like everyone else, where's the value in following you? Additionally, when we make content that's true to who we are, it fuels us. Here's a post from when I had my very own a-ha moment via an excerpt from one of my Instagram posts:

I was all set to create some content for a beauty product. The more I used it, the more I disliked it. I also looked at the label and the list of ingredients freaked me out. Instead of going through with it due to obligation (I consider this potential partner/business owner a friend), I was honest about it not being my favorite. She wasn't mad. In the grand scheme of things, it did no damage, and I get to stay true to myself and only share things that I really like and think you may like, too.

When passion coincides with work, then you're living the dream. I give you permission to share your opinions. You're your own boss, after all.