“What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By Any Other Name would smell as sweet.”
– Romeo and Juliet
And would a blog by any other name, feel like me? The answer at its core is – I don’t know. For those who have only been with @mintsociety for a short while, this blog was actually a duo way back with my creative other half and closest friends. It was formulated in a Gap breakroom and blossomed into something grand and meaningful to the both of us. When someone asked what Mint Society meant, we could easily say it was two perspectives – one minimal, one whimsical. We talked about fashions, travel, lifestyle and it worked. But at the core, Mint Society isn’t mine and it’s always felt like something was missing, and I want a name that encompasses my passions, and when you hear it, feels like “Oh! Got it!”
Read MoreThe Holidays are all about giving – right? But with amazing sales, and seas of tartan everything, how can you resist adding pieces for yourself to your expansive winter wardrobe? Versatility – that’s how. Find pieces that can transition from day to night, Christmas shopping to Christmas parties and everything-in-between. With a few accessory changes, and maybe a top you already have in your wardrobe, you can have two different outfits by purchasing one reasonably priced item. My reasonably priced item – This gorgeous and whimsical tartan skirt from J.Crew Factory. When it launched, I knew I had to snag this before it sold out – And it was one of the items that benefited from J.Crew/J.Crew Factory/Madewell size expansion.
Because it’s so festive, the colors are super versatile. You can really get away with any top and accessories, and I had a lot of fun creating two very different looks with this one.
Read MoreThey say everything is bigger in Texas - like the stars at night and definitely the way we celebrate the Holidays. Texas takes the Holidays and makes them a spectacular way to take in all the sights and sounds of the season. Texas is a big, wide state and there are so many things to do across each city. I’ve picked a few of my favorites (many here in San Antonio) to where you schedule something fun for every single weekend this month.
I’ve listed a few of my favorites below (in no particular order). I’ve also noted pricepoint and busiest times for easy planning! Happy Holidays, y’all!
Read More2018 Holiday Gift Guide
It’s here. Hold the phones. Grab those wallets. Spruce up your creative wrapping skills - because the most stressful albeit wonderful time of the year is here. I wanted to create super-curated Gift Guides that are a representation of some of the most creative, fun and not traditional gifts you can give to your Friends & Family this season.
I’ll be adding weekly - so make sure you are following me on LiketoKnow.it (@mintsociety) and on Instagram (@mintsociety) to stay up to date!
If you’ve been following me for awhile, I hope you’ve realized that i’m fiercely supportive of equal rights and ensuring women of all backgrounds, religions, cultures are supported. This year’s Midterm Elections yielded over 100 women to the House of Representatives who (no pun intended) are true representatives of the diversity of the United States.
Read MoreI didn’t know what to do – So I wrote.
t’s been 10 years since I cast my first vote for Barack Obama. He ran when I was 18-years-old and I felt so lucky, and so energized throughout that campaign. I donated the little money I had, I made calls for his campaign in my tiny dorm room in Denton, TX – and then he won. I remember waking up on November 5, 2008 feeling like joy was radiating out of my body. The sun was shining brighter, hope for the good was coming to the surface and I thought that everything that Martin Luther King Jr, John and Bobby Kennedy, John Lewis and many others had fought for was coming true. And it was. Americans had voted for change. And we did it again in 2012.
Read MoreWe’re well into Fall and Winter is quickly approaching! I feel like I’ve been prepping for my Fall closet, but in Texas that transition is super tough to plan for because of the heat. Luckily, Talbots is having their Friends and Family event starting on October 23rd so I can accurately plan for my Winter wardrobe. For those of you who haven’t been to Talbots in a while – you’re missing out. Admittedly this was my first experience with Talbots – I’ve always known they’ve been a longtime staple in women’s closets, but when heading to their website I was incredibly excited to see such amazing colors, designs and trends for a wide range of women included petites to plus (most of their items come in petite, regular and women’s sizing). So – check for inclusivity!
Read MoreThere used to be a time frame - right around February/March - where i would start to get manic about becoming ‘Bikini Body Ready’. Heck, not even bikini body, any swimsuit-ready to be in front of people you didn’t know at the pool. We’re taught early on there is only one kind of acceptable body at the pool, and that stigma is instilled from a very early age. I remember around the age of 11 starting to feel ashamed by the rolls on my tummy - how when I sat down to grab a snack with my friends, how my belly poked out while theirs didn’t. How boys wanted to talk to them and I was left to hang out on the sidelines by myself. And up until a few years ago, media wasn’t your friend either. While brands are becoming more size inclusive and celebrating flaws instead of photoshopping them (hello, Target!) - growing up and being presented nothing but articles on diet plans and images of tone women in two pieces.
Read MoreExperience. In our selfie-obsessed, Instagrammable society, experience has become more than just taking in a site, or the best dish ever – It’s now about sharing with your followers whether that be 100 or 100,000. Our society has shifted into realm where sharing the experience is sometimes bigger than just being, and because of that we’ve seen momentous fleets we haven’t seen before.
Read MoreEmbellished. I love embellished. And more than embellished, I love florals. Put those together and you have my favorite mint dream of spring in one dress. As usual, ASOS Curve brought dreams to life with a dress that cost less than $50. But for some, this dress might look too frilly, too much, too e x t r a – But there are ways to wear something with a little more pizazz without feeling like you’re trying too hard.
Read MoreA pair of rainboots with apples on them started my love for fashion. I would wear them even when it wasn’t raining with overalls or a denim skirt, and the compliments I received in the halls of my high school gave me confidence I didn’t have years prior. It can feel hard to love fashion when fashion doesn’t feel inclusive – Or rather, fashion didn’t feel inclusive in the past. As I’ve moved through my twenties and evolved, so has the accessibility to beautiful, flattering, made-for-my body fits. But with the launch of Draper James x Eloquii, the visibility of a woman with curves in the mainstream is more evident than ever.
Read MoreWho says you need to be in school for back to school shopping? From the time I can remember, this was the most exciting time of the year – A full wardrobe revamp where you could be anything you wanted for the upcoming year, and it’s no different now (except… I’m not going to class, and my style is a little different than the Adidas sweatpants of my past). Back-to-school is the number two busiest time for retailers behind Holiday shopping – and that’s when you can find the best deals and the newest styles for fall. And my favorite go-to for wardrobe updates has been Old Navy.
Read More Coming across a great looking sneaker is pretty easy to find thanks to the athleisure trend which doesn’t seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Coming across a great looking sneaker that checks off all of my boxes though, well that’s a different story — Aureus, however, has hit all of these boxes. A shoe company that has been around since 1977 that started on the golf course (don’t worry these aren’t your Dad’s unstylish golf shoes) and has evolved to give us some great quality and eco-friendly sneakers.
Read MoreThere are a couple necessities for Spring — a great bag that can hold everything you will need for your weekend adventures, a clean lightweight watch so you can make sure you make it to your brunch plans on time (you should still expect to me show up within what I call the 30 min window of acceptance) and a denim jacket that’s your ride or die.
Read MoreOne of us is going to admit that one of their favorite Italian places is Olive Garden, and that person also admits that she knows Olive Garden isn’t true Italian food (but who can resist those breadsticks?). Which is why we were elated and giddy to find out about Stefan Bowers’ concept for turning an old firehouse in Southtown into an Italian culinary fete. Stefan Bowers’ Feast and Rebelle are foodie-havens, and Battalion is no exception. With an opening date set in March, we eagerly made reservations and the wait was well worth it.
Read MoreMiranda Priestly said it best, “Florals for Spring? Groundbreaking.” And she’s right – but here’s the deal, I love florals year round and just because my favorite Devil in Prada said it was the equivalent of a basic bitch to put a flower on your dress during the months of March – May, I’m still doing it. And if this dress combines florals and ruffles, how could you even resist? Per usual, ASOS led me to this fabulous number with ruffles down the silhouette and a feminine collar. I couldn’t resist, and it was on sale (seriously, $25 - purchase immediately). Insider tips? Search sale before anything – the best gems are in there and if you’re getting it late in the sale game you can get near a 75% markdown from the original price.
Read MoreOur favorite DIY-inspired brewers at Craft-A-Brew are back at it again – This time with Make Your Own Wine kits. Did you catch that. MAKE. YOUR. OWN. WINE. Dreams have come true – and we were so excited when the kit showed up on our door step. A few months ago we were lucky to try the Hard Cider kit and fell in love with the process of getting to make our own spirits, and were even more in love with the abundance of booze we had in the fridge for cocktails
Read MoreOver the past few years, this has quickly become the layer for every cool guy and cool gal out there. Okay lets be real – the favorite layer of just about everyone, cool or not. Its one of the easiest things to grab out of your closet and can add the right layer to just about any outfit. Patricio and I are fiercely committed to these layers, and while they’re from different companies, you can find a good denim jacket at just about any one of your favorite stores.
Read MoreWe’ve talked about high-low already, right? If you missed our last post about high-low, we’re going to talk about it again. Why? Because high-low has become a lifestyle that we’re not going to be willing to separate with for a long time. As two people who love style and self-expression through that style, we consider ourselves lucky that we work in a place that isn’t a suit and tie, conservative mandate. In fact, work is one of the places where we express ourselves most (to the point where we wear our best outfits on Tuesdays because we know everyone will be there). Patricio is known for wearing a great pair of slacks and a monkstrap with a striped tee and track jacket. I’ve worn sequin dresses and sneakers – we’re telling you: high-low is a lifestyle.
Read MoreThe minimal & the whimsical. If you’ve been following us for a while, that phrase should be engrained in your brain. We say it all the time, but we truly are a mix of all that is eclectic mixed with clean and timeless. You can find it in what we’re inspired by, the way we talk and most of all in our style. This is the year we have curated our style the most, and where we’ve been uninhibited in taking chances. So what a better place than our old stomping grounds of the Pearl Brewery garage to showcase our first outfits of the new year?
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