Shanghai Microfashion

The term ‘Microfashion’ does not have a clear definition upon googling. So in true elementary school fashion, I broke it down to better understand. The term ‘Micro’ means ‘extremely small’ and the term ‘fashion’ means ‘a popular trend, especially in styles of dress and ornament or manners of behavior.’ With that said, I can best explain microfashion as the fashion behaviors of minature people, kids to be exact. Shortly after entering Shanghai, it did not take long to notice something incredible. The kids of Shanghai, have the best outfits, are cute,  well dressed, and they know it. With that said, I wanted to dedicate this post to the Shanghai Children and their adorable outfits. Enjoy. IMG_8557IMG_8601FullSizeRender 21IMG_8120IMG_8604

Great Times at The Great Wall

This past weekend a group of us took the bullet train to Beijing on Friday after our internships. It’s important to note that the bullet train was only 4.5 hours and is the 2nd fastest train in the world. Without the train, it would have been a 12.5-hour drive, I think the US should seriously consider adopting bullet trains. Think about it, the drive from New York to Savannah, Georgia is a little over 12 hours, but with a bullet train, it would only be four.

Upon arrival, we stayed in a super cute AirB’n’B that was in a Beijing apartment building, but still had the very traditional attributes of a traditional Chinese home with woven bamboo floors and a strict no shoe policy. We spent the following day traveling to the Great Wall of China, which was the experience of a lifetime for sure.

We booked a tour through Groupon, which included a bus ride to and from the great wall and a tour guide. They promised other things such as visiting the Olympic birds nest, but unfortunately, China has no tipping and no Yelp so there’s nobody to complain to besides each other.

After two hours on the bus, we arrived at the Great Wall and purchased Gondola tickets to bring us up to the wall. We also were greeted with predictable rain, in which the locals very happily sold us ponchos, mine turned out to be a children’s poncho, which is what I get for requesting the one purple one.

After riding the Goldala up in the rain, the wall was great. It soon stopped raining and we climbed and climbed up the stairs while being stopped every 2 minutes for a picture request by other Chinese tourists. Below are some pictures. They don’t tell you that the Wall is a workout, I think I’m still sore. It’s definitely not handicap accessible and lacks some necessary railing, but that’s part of the experience.

Intern Life: Week One

With week one behind me and week two halfway over, I am fully adjusted to Shanghai as a city and the daily commute to my internship. Interning at Interbrand has been a fulfilling and beneficial experience so far.

I have been working on the launch of familiar brands that are being launched into China with the help of the agency, it has been fun to give my input on how they can seamlessly enter China after doing well in other countries such as the US or Spain. It’s an interesting concept, as foreign brands often lag entering Shanghai due to the restrictions and tariffs, so the concept that they might not have one of your favorite candies is an interesting (and often frustrating) one.

Last week I also attended the public launch of Interbrand’s 2018 Best China Brands at the St. Regis Shanghai, while the entire event was in Mandarin, it was still a great event to experience, plus I’m getting better at understanding content based off facial expressions and tones. After the event, the media followed with a Q&A and everyone mingled with each other.

 

Lets Try This Again: Shanghai Edition

After taking a more than brief hiatus from this page, I’m back on assignment.

In just two mere weeks I will be sitting on a plane for 17+ hours and traveling to Shanghai, China where I will reside for 5 whole weeks. I am traveling to Shanghai with FIT (The Fashion Institue of Technology) for a Summer abroad internship program. We will be interning full time for a Shanghai-based company and learn the in’s and out’s of the culture simultaneously. I am super excited, a tad nervous, but ultimately know it will be an experience of a lifetime.

In my case, I am interning as a Strategic Branding Intern for a global branding agency, Interbrand. While my tasks are still undetermined, I will be working for the International team – so that’s exciting.

Stay tuned, as I will be updating often, documenting my Shanghai experience, tales, and travels.

Thanks for the support,

XO. Haley

 

Five Tips from Mom That Will Serve You in Your Career (In Honor of Mother’s Day)

 

Mother’s Day is quickly approaching and it’s always a challenge to try to cram your twenty-something years of gratitude into a card or that on-trend necklace that she might wear once out of courtesy. She gave you her everything, worked two jobs, and fought your dad to let you go on that date with your next door neighbor that one time. How could you ever thank her for all her years of wisdom, love, and lecturing? Well, maybe you’ll figure that out one day with a vacation home or something. As of right now, let’s reflect on all the once annoying advice your mom gave you that has allowed you to be the #GIRLBOSS you are today.

Please and Thank You are Still Magic Words

It may sound cliche, but manners really can be magic. In this digital society, the niceties of manners have proved to fade. Getting straight to the point for the sake of productivity has proved to become more crucial, but who says we can’t insert a few ‘Please’ and ‘Thank Yous’ in between? Appreciation for someone else’s hard work in the workplace can fuel productivity and success. Plus, saying please and thank you is the easiest form of using manners. Mom would be proud!

It’s Not How You Make A Mistake, It’s How You Correct It

We all remember the first time we really messed something up. That one time your mom gave you that disappointed look. After a few shed tears and sorries, she told that everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone fixes them. Per usual, mom has always been right. If you messed up at the meeting this morning, take accountability and everyone will be over it tomorrow. Even though you’re officially an ‘adult’, most ‘adults’ still don’t always know how to accountable. Important people never forget accountability and honesty.

If You Don’t Go After What You Want, You’ll Never Have It

Remember when you needed to get into that one Western Civ class senior year and your mom threatened you about graduating late so you harassed the professor for three weeks to let you in? That’s persistence. Don’t lose that. If you want that hard to get job in the office down the street, walk in and apply. If you don’t hear back, follow up with a phone-call, a e-mail, and maybe even a handwritten card. Pretend that job is that western civ class, graduating late isn’t an option.

When it Feels Scary to Jump, That’s Exactly When You Jump

The average life expectancy in the United States is Seventy-Nine. You have so much time to settle later in life. Being a young adult is all about taking risks, you can be scared after you jump. Take that job, apply for that position, speak up.

Better an ‘Opps’ than a ‘What If’

What If’ is such an empty statement, hypothetically thinking is essentially a waste of energy unless you plan on doing it. You can regret it later, at least you went for it and will never wonder again.

Let’s Get Real: 5 Ways to Wear a Bodysuit

I’ve always felt very passionate on the importance of confidence and positive body image for girls and women of all ages. With that said, I’m head over heels for Aeries newest campaign; Aerie Real. The Aerie Real campaign features un-retouched models in their ads, accompanied with messages such as “The real you is sexy”. Not only is Aerie boycotting photoshopping, they are encouraging the boosting of their customers confidence, self-esteem, and body image. During my last shopping trip at Aerie when I was stocking up on their infamous blanket scarves, I grabbed an all black lycra bodysuit as I was on my way out. Bodysuits are back and stronger than ever, but the real question is…How do you even wear them?? and where? and who should?

1. Athletic Aesthetic

Drawn from the inspiration of the fabric itself – an all lycra jumpsuit will look great and stand out at the gym, the yoga studio, or at your next barre class. Paired with monochrome white leather high tops and a mesh cropped tank. You could hit the gym or look like you just left the Yeezy show (without the Yeezys).

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2. Pretty in Pink

Paired with a vintage pink suede trench and classic nude pointed toe pumps, a classic look that will turn heads anywhere you go.

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3. Sweater Weather

I threw on my oversized chunky Micheal Kors cardigan  with my favorite cognac Free People chunky heeled booties . Letting the bodysuit be the main point of focus, a cozy winter sweater always balances the look. You can always throw a open knit sweater over your bodysuit too!

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4. All Black Everything

It’s no secret that turtlenecks are back and better than ever this season. I threw my favorite JOSEPH wool turtleneck over the bodysuit and contrasted the classic all black look with  my favorite leather white monochrome high tops from Converse.

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5. Don’t -Just Wear It & Be Aerie Real

Embrace your figure in your Aerie Real Bodysuit and run around in it! Until then, I would love to see how you are all dealing with the latest bodysuit craze!!! Don’t forget, the #REAL you is sexy!

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XO,

The Blonde Mess (sometimes) In A Dress. Thanks for reading!!!

 

I’m back & better than ever.

As I sit here 186 miles from the place that truly feeds my soul, I have been thinking about how to achieve pure happiness for the next six months of my life. During my recent soul searching, I found myself in my local Home goods. Not because I thought I would find the answer to happiness in Home Goods, but because shopping genuinely makes me happy. As I scoured the shelves for pieces of lavender to fill my room, I came across a Buddha quote painted on a small sea foam piece of canvas. The canvas read, “There is no path to happiness, happiness is the path”. As I read the piece of canvas that just so happened to be in the clearance section, I realized that my small time being home does not have to be unhappy. My latest manta “Just trying to make it”, needs to be remembered as I keep my eyes on the prize and my heart in this journey. Attending Fashion School in the Fall is the big picture, so a semester at home although painful, is necessary. As much as I wish I was with my best friend in New York City during fashion week, I can keep myself inspired here. So I thought, and thought, and thought. What makes me happy? As I thought back to my recent semester in New York, I remembered the satisfaction that blogging brought me. I dipped my toes into the world of fashion blogging earlier this year through the platform ‘College Fashionista’ in which I represented Mercy College. I loved the experience and reaped many benefits from it, but didn’t appreciate the formality, deadlines, and guidelines that had to be followed. Therefore, I’m super excited to share my adventures, outfits, and latests finds with my readers! I would like to welcome all my readers to a new chapter, welcome to A Blonde Mess in A Dress. I will be interviewing Boston fashion experts, finding the hottest spots, weighing in on the latest fashion moments, and filling you in on the happenings on being A Blonde Mess in A Dress! Stay tuned.

xo,

Haley

Making it big in the world of fashion blogging

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Chiara Ferragni, also known as ‘The Blonde Salad’ is a fashion blogger who raked in 8 million dollars in 2014 alone. She travels the world, wears clothes before they even hit the stores, models, and even has her own clothing line.  Other fashion bloggers such as Pink Peonies and Man Repellar’s (creative names right?) are both almost hitting the one million dollar mark. This may make you question why you aren’t becoming the next big fashion blogger. Free clothes, celebrity treatment, and money? Why not.

After becoming an avid reader of many fashion blogs, I decided I wanted to start my very own. As time advanced, and the blog became a distant picture I did some research. I discovered that a website by the name of College Fashionsta is a blogging platform for college students to blog about the fashion on their campus. If you endure the process of applying to become a ‘Style Guru’ you receive internship credit and control your very own page on their website.

I decided to apply for the Style Guru internship and (surprise surprise) Mercy College was not yet represented on their website! I love the internship, but when it comes time to renew my involvement in January, I’ve decided to make my own blog so I have more artistic freedom regarding my topics, formality, and frequency of posting. So far I have written two posts (one is currently pending) and am excited to write more! My favorite part of the internship is the ability I have to represent Mercy and to help them become more involved and well known among college students and in the fashion industry.

Stay updated on my latest posts! Read Here